Hitting the Brick Wall

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us — they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:3-5 NLT)

Hitting a brick wall. This is the way I sometimes feel when the path of life takes a route I was not ready for or God wanted to teach me something else. When I run in to problems. Sounds like I am almost chasing the problems to hit them!
I find it interesting here that the Romans verse here does not say our problems will be solved or trials finished. They may turn out different than I expect but there is an end goal for the problems and trials.

To teach me endurance
Develop strength in character
Strengthen confidence in my salvation

Nothing is said of the problems being solved or an answer to when the trials will end.

But...


God has given me the Holy Spirit because he loves me and will not disappoint me as my salvation is secure in Him

My heart is not only filled with his spirit but with his love.

This is the object of my life as a Christian...

To not only be filled with God's spirit, but to show God's love to others around me so they may experience his loving touch and kindness.

Please forgive me for the times when my heart was not filled by you and I did not show the love you have for me to others. Forgive me for the times when I had my strength in "me" and , not in YOU. Forgive me for doubting you at times that you are the answer to the problems and trials in this life.

Let me live STRONG today as my salvation is SECURE in you on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Messing with My Mind

John 14:15

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

I look at the old hymns once a week to see what history tells me about how God worked in his people in the past. This morning I did not have to look at the hymns. I woke with the words of "Trust and obey for there is no other way".

It must have been what I ate for dinner or maybe it was the wine!

Yesterday I was struck with the peace that God can give me if the rely on him but it is much deeper than a "comfort thing. It is a reliance on God that there is no other way but Him and to follow him I need to trust him.

I do not know my earthly destination .

I do not know what he has for my future

I do not know who will meet me on my walk with you

I do know, I need to trust and obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Refrain

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain

Lord, as this work week ends, let your spirit continue to work in me as I learn to trust and obey on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

PEACE

Philippians 4:7

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”.

If I would take heart to what Paul said to the Philippians in verses 4-6, then I will turn from anxiety to prayer and be filled with the peace of God. This peace is different from the world's peace. It is peace that Jesus promised his disciples and all those who would follow him: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings; it comes from knowing that God is in control. I am given peace with God when I believe , and I have the inner quiet of the peace of God as I daily walk with him.

God's peace surpasses all understanding. I simply cannot comprehend such peace. It is not a natural reaction in calamity, sorrow, or pain. Such peace cannot be self-generated; it comes from God alone; it is his gift to me in a difficult world. As with so much of God's dealings with humanity, I cannot understand it, but I can accept and experience God's peace because of his great love for me. I don't always exhibit this feeling of God's peace. Some times I feel like a failure in feeling the peace of God

God gives me peace because it will guard my heart and mind.

Lord, guard my heart and mind and give me a peace that passes ALL understanding this day as the the Adventure in Middle Grove continues.

Christian DNA

For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
 -- 1 Corinthians 12:13

I usually make this morning madness very personal, using "I" because this what I need to meditate on before God. Today, I am using we and us as this is something we all need to remember as we come before God , daily.Yesterday I went to an uplifting healing service. This wasn't the kind where people are falling in the aisles and getting up without their crutches.

It was a calm reliance on the power of God that he can heal.
It was an assurance that God listen to our prayers.
It was a confidence that God answers prayers or what is the point!

He can heal our bodies and minds and more importantly, our souls.

There were probably 80 people there on a cold Tuesday morning in the middle of no where. There were young people, old people, and middle aged people. I wonder what kind of people they thought I was! It was an emotional time of prayer with 2 people who I really did not know other than their first names.

But, we were Family!

What makes us family? In God's family, the Holy Spirit makes us one.  The two women I prayed with were family. There is no difference in who they are before God. It doesn't matter what church they go to or what denomination they are in or who is their favorite TV preacher

None of it matters!

They were believers in Christ

The Spirit is  God's presence and power in us, and the Spirit is  also God's spiritual DNA that connects us to each other and to our Father. This spiritual bond transcends human family, race, nationality, gender, and any other human barrier. The Spirit's presence ensures that we are God's children and function as Jesus' Body here on earth.

Thank you, dear Father, for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for making my body a place that is a holy dwelling place for your presence in the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for pouring out the Spirit and making me new. Now I ask  Father,  the Holy Spirit continue to work in my heart to tear down any wall of separation that may exist toward any of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Let your healing touch continue to the work as the Adventure in Middle Grove is healed and molded in to what you want it to be!

4 Minute Meditation

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24


As this day begins anew, let your spirit soak through me as I meditate on your word. Let my praise be a sweet song in your ear.

I lift my voice to you
I worship you
I rejoice in you
I give my all to you.

I love you Lord.

Keep my focus on you and the joy of who you are and what you have done for me.

I know you hear my prayers. Let your work continue this day as prayers are heard from the hill on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Love you Lauren!

Romans 8:24 (New International Version)

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

God is the author of Hope.

Paul speaks a great deal about the hope we have and how we are anxiously awaiting the redemption of our bodies. So much in our society is based on what I see. Our society is a visual society. Computers, Cable TV, LCD Billboards, visual displays in cars and on electronics, etc

So our culture is based on the seen and the present. So, this notion of hope is a difficult thing for people to do, and I am people! It is easy to have hope in what I can see, but Paul says, this is not really hope. I have seen a new hope in what God is not showing me. It is a hope that waits expectantly on Him. It is a hope that is unseen and unknown. It is a hope that can only be experienced if I am ready to experience it. I think I need to be ready for hope! I am not sure what form it will be or how it will look.

Many times in my life I looked at what I thought was hope but it was the hope in what was seen not the hope in what God can REALLY do!

Hope is based in the Lord's timing and his purpose. Sometimes our hope comes from the places we least expect it. But if we are ready for hope, we should expect it from any place at any time.

Tomorrow...

Lord,

Hope is in not in the seen but in the unseen before me. Help me see the hope I know is there only in you. Let me feel your spirit as I look to you for hope. I do not know what hope will look like. As this week begins, I know today, I have hope as the Adventure in Middle Grove makes it path through life.

Everlasting

Isaiah 40:20-30

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

As I begin this day to worship God, I am reminded that in the midst of struggles, doubt, hurt, fear,and anxiety, our God is an EVERLASTING GOD.

His hope is EVERLASTING

His grace is EVERLASTING

His Love is EVERLASTING

His mercy is EVERLASTING

His comfort is EVERLASTING

He is EVERLASTING!

In a world of limited warranties and broken promises, let my day begin with my EVERLASTING God as I praise him today on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Can I Pass the Test?

This is the end of the semester for many high schools. Next week tests are given to check up on the mid year for whole year classes or finals for half year classes. I thought it would be appropriate to have a mid year exam to see how I am doing. Am I making the grade, or am I ready to flunk out of life!

Jesus gave a test to his disciples who are to be the leaders of the new emerging church, the Lord takes a towel and a basin of water and washes their feet(John 13:12) and reminds them that they must do for each other what he has done for them(John 13:13-14). He emphasizes an earlier principle, "He who will be great among you will become the servant of all" (Luke 22:26).


When Jesus shares in one of his parables, he makes no mention of wealth, power, or doctrine. The measure of the true child of God is found in whether or not he responded with a servant's heart when he encountered the needs of his fellows believers.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you
invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and
you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me (Matthew
25:35-36).

In answer to their question of "When did we see you ... ?" Jesus responded, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

God looks my heart...

Do I share his love with those around us?
Do I wash the feet of those you are not as "good as me"?
Do I show the grace and mercy God shows me every day?

Can I pass the test?

More importantly, am I  willing to use it as the measure of my success?

Lord, on this cold winter day, help me have a servants' heart so I might be an example of your love and grace. Help me serve those around me so they might feel the power of your presence. Let your Spirit flow from me so all that can be seen is what you have done for me. Use me this day as the the path continues to  meander on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Always There

Psalm 138:3 (The Message)

Psalm 138

Everything in me says "Thank you!" Angels listen as I sing my thanks.
I kneel in worship facing your holy temple
and say it again: "Thank you!"
Thank you for your love,
thank you for your faithfulness;
Most holy is your name,
most holy is your Word.
The moment I called out, you stepped in;
you made my life large with strength.

Reading more about faithfulness lead me to the Psalms and examples of how God is faithful. Faithfulness in God is something that cannot be denied when I look at the Old Testament. God could have left the Israelites many times but he didn't. Faithfulness has the element by the person seeking to know God that he is always there. If we seek God's faithfulness, it is not just in times of want or trouble. God is faithful, ALL THE TIME, and through all generations.

As I continue to look at some of the old hymns, I was drawn to Martin Luther who had an unbelievable sense of God's faithfulness. I cannot imagine taking on the whole church. One of the songs written almost 400 years talks about how God is our fortress, our strength in trouble and our "bulwork" never failing. A bulwork is a wall that is impenetrable just like our God who is faithful.

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

Lord, this day on the house on the hill,

fill me with your Spirit and the sense of your faithfulness that cannot be shaken.

fill me with your wisdom so I make walk on the path of righteousness

fill me with your grace and mercy so I may show it every day to those around me

fill me with your love today and take away the fear and doubt as you build the bulwork of faith in me on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Lamentations 3:22-23 (New International Version)

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Yesterday I continued to be struck by God's unwavering love for me and how he promises me the "Crown of Life" The word promise is another word losing it's clout in our modern language. There is even a butter substitute called "Promise" It is called Promise because it is not butter. What a promise that is!

The promise I have in God must not be in temporal things or promises made on this earth. It must be made on the promise that God is faithful and he does not fail. Many times in today's culture the old is thrown away because it is old and can't have any relevance. Many "new"churches think they have a new way to worship and the old way is not good any more. The hymns of old seem to have lost their meaning and cannot be relevant in our society today.

This morning as I awoke an "old hymn" came to mind about the promises God as made and how they are built on His strength and not mine. It gives me great hope in the future that God is the one who is faithful and will bring me through all the trials and tests of this life.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

Lord,

Thank you for your promise of HOPE

Thank you for your promise of STRENGTH

Thank you for your promise of PEACE

Thank you for your faithfulness and peace and the new mercies they bring every day as your humble servant continues the Adventure in Middle Grove

The Test of Time

James 1:12-15

"12 Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him".

I have heard the expression "holding on to hope" many times. What does this really mean in a practical and spiritual sense.

James is writing to a group of struggling new Christians who are trying to find their identity in this new life and all the trials they are going though in this life.

I certainly do not feel blessed in the midst of trials. Sometimes I wonder if I am cursed. I wonder in the midst of a trial if it is ever going to end, if there is any real hope that it is going to turn out ok. In v. 12, James reminds me there is an end to this time that will be far superior to what we can imagine in our present circumstances. To endure, like counting it joy, is not something that we do by sheer will power. To endure is to continue to turn to God as our only source of life. It is to count on Him to give me His presence and His peace in the midst of whatever I am facing. Most importantly it is to live as if He is working His transforming and redeeming will through my current condition. It is to wait on Him to give me wisdom and light when all I seem to have to offer Him is my darkness.

I endure not for the sake of the current chaos, but for the promised resolution. God will bring good out of this, and I count on Him to do this. I await the crown of life which is the same as being "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."(v.4)

Lord, I wait patiently for hope. Not the weepy kind of hope but a hope in strength. A strength in knowing that you are the creator and source of hope.

Lord,

when situations look the bleakest, you are the strongest;

when life looks the toughest, your are most gracious;

when hope looks the most hopeless, you are the most hopeful.

As this day begins, my love for you is more than I could have ever imagined. My reliance on you the most precious. Let your healing hand reach out and touch those around me so they may feel the awesome hope you offer. Lord, continue to teach me and change me daily as my hope in you is steadfast this day on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Are You Doing it Enough?

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

-- Psalm 100:1

As I take in the precious thoughts from your Word yesterday and how vast is the sum of all them, my thoughts turn to gratefulness.

I am grateful you saved me while I was still a sinner
I am grateful you listen to me in my broken state
I am grateful for your love
I am grateful for relationships in my life
I am grateful for forgiveness
I am grateful for you grace
I am grateful for your mercy
I am grateful for your gift of eternity
Thank you for choosing me

Loving and tender Father, God of mercy and might, I find it absolutely incredible that you let me know you, the awesome and holy Creator. You are so gracious to listen to me, one of your
creatures. Your mercy has saved me; I praise you! Your love has remade me; I thank you. Your strength has given me power to change; I appreciate you. Work a miracle in the lives of loved ones, too, so they may see your greatness and feel you love and power. You are wonderful, dear Father, and I love you with all of my heart.

I am grateful for your greatest gift, JESUS.

I shout for Joy this morning as the morning silence is broken on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Precious Thoughts

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

Psalm 139:17, New International Version

As this week begins, let my thoughts turn to you. There are so many distractions and disruptions of life,

I take my eyes off you.

There are so many things where hurt and pain and disappointment can bring me down,

I take my eyes off you.

There are so many times I want to do it all on my own and try to fix things by myself,

I take my eyes off you.

There are so many times when life's path is not always easy and straight  and  is full of obstacles and ,

I take my eyes off you.

There are so many times when my thoughts are not pure and pleasing to you and honor you,

I take my eyes off you

All of this talk about faith and understanding is meaningless if my focus is on the things I can see an not on the precious  thoughts of God and his Holy Spirit

Lord,

Direct not only my eyes on you but immerse me in you precious thoughts so I can live a life that is worthy of my calling. Direct my thoughts towards you and let your Holy Spirit work in me so your thoughts permeate my soul. Draw me close to you and never let me go.

Draw me close to you
Never let me go
I lay it all down again
To hear you say that I'm your friend
You are my desire
No one else will do
Cause nothing else can take your place
To feel the warmth of your embrace
Help me find the way
Bring me back to you

You're all I want
You're all I've ever needed
You're all I want
Help me know you are near

Help me know you are near as the week begins on the Adventure in Middle Grove

FEAR FACTOR

Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.

Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor. The wicked man will see and be vexed, he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing (Psalm 112:1-10 NIV).

May these words from the Psalmist fill me with confidence and peace as I journey through days of uncertainty, unrest, and anxiety. As I journey on the path, the Lord guiding my every step, let me totally trust in him that he will not shake my foundation. As I journey, let me have NO FEAR.

Create in me a steadfast heart as the Adventure in Middle Grove winds the path though life.

Back on the Path

Walk in all the ways that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

Deuteronomy 5:33, New International Version

There are many references in scripture to staying on the path. Earlier in the week I was looking at taking the path and God guiding my steps. This verse in Deuteronomy gives me another picture of staying on the path.

I should walk in all the ways the Lord has commanded.

How can I do this?

It is not easy, but if I have any chance, I need to be close to the Lord and look to him for direction and have him direct my steps as each step is important.

It is easy to  look back and see where I came from but it is more important to look forward to God as he guides my steps forward in the direction he wants me to follow.


Lord, guide my steps and help me walk in all the ways you have commanded. Give me the wisdom and direction to continue to walk forward, not in my own strength but look to you for as I continue the walk in the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Strength Training, God's way.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Ephesians 3:16-17, New International Version


Yesterday it was very clear that I can think about my path of life but it is only God who directs my steps.. I was meditating  on this  last night and was really struck by the contrast in the short proverb.

We can plan
God directs our steps

I got a funny picture of me thinking and planning my path.  In the past, I would have spent a good deal of time planning and not praying. The mental picture I get is me, doing all my planning an God grabbing on to my leg and trying to put my foot in the right place.

I can plan all I want, but it is God who directs my steps.

Why was I doing the planning part and not the praying part?

I believe the focus of the verse today was part of the problem ( mine, not God's)

...he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being...

I was trying to do it on my own and not be strengthened to my INNER MOST BEING. I was strengthened  on the planning part but not on relying that God would put my foot in the right place.


I needed to be strengthened to my INNER BEING, MY SOUL, so my

planning,  purpose,  and praying  
come from the depths of my soul where God is doing his greatest work.

My life was like spending alot of money painting the house but the plumbing and electrical did not work. The exterior looked great but things on the inside were really broken an out of repair.

The paint job does not matter to me any more...

What matters is I allow  God to work on the electrical and plumbing because it really doesn't matter what the paint job looks like to him.

The only way I can do this is to totally submit to God and have him dwell in my inner most being

Lord direct my next step not by the plan I made but but the plan you made for me before I even knew you. Let you power dwell in me so my inner most being will be flooded with your spirit so you will anchor  in  in my heart. Free those around me from the pain and sorrow and draw them closer to you so they may experience  the work in their heart.
 Let YOUR power work in them today!

Strength Training

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31, New International Version


Maybe you got a little discouraged yesterday  thinking about life's challenges and how much sin gets  in between us and God and how weak we are if we are honest with ourselves.. The Bible is full of stories of weariness, discouragement, disappointment, and most of all...

HOPE

My hope needs to be built on the solid foundation of God
My hope needs to be built on the living God in, Christ
My hope needs to be built on the guiding wisdom of the Holy Spirit


Lord help me in waiting on you and trusting in YOUR plan. Lead me like the eagle, soaring in the breeze of your Holy Spirit. Renew my strength , in YOU, and guide me along the path of righteousness on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Special Delivery

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all...

Psalm 34:19, New International Version

Did you pass the beginning of the year checkup? If not , here is a good answer!


I am going to have many troubles in this life and they all may not work out how I want them to work out.

BUT God has a plan...

He will deliver me from ALL of them. It does not say how I will be delivered but the end result is specific.

Christianity is not a faith of  "fakeness" ( I don't think this is even a word )

It is a faith of knowing I do not have it all together,
It is a faith of acknowledging I cannot do it on my own,
It is a faith  challenging me to look deep inside of myself,
It is a faith offering  and accepting forgiveness.

AND...

It is a faith that asks me to put all my trust  in God.


Christ already won the War, we are just fighting the skirmishes of the battles on a day to day basis.

God will deliver me from  ALL of them!

Lord, As this week begins, prepare me for the battles of life and the challenges that I face on a day to day basis. Let me bask in the shadow of your glory as you do your work and deliver me from all my troubles as the week begins in the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Steps of the Heart

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

 -- Proverbs 16:9


OK, Time for a checkup.

The euphoria has dimmed on the new year and now the reality of life starts to seep back under our skin as the cold of the winter chills our bones. We're now a week-and-a-half into a new year. How are my friends doing with  with those changes and commitments made for the new year? How am I doing? Don't give up or quit on them ... even if you're having trouble staying on track. But, let's remember that the only real commitment for this year that is absolutely necessary to keep is to ask the Lord where he wants us to go and what he wants us to do; then we go there and do it.  This year will be a year of change and discovery, heart felt connections and disappointments, successes and failures.

...And Victories, in the Lord

But ... in it all is the God who is the master of the universe.

We may be moving our feet but God is pointing them in the right direction. My planning the course is insignificant to the direction God will provide. Let my steps walk in the path God ordained before my feet even hit the ground!

Almighty LORD,  God of Wonder, holy, and mighty. Thank you for also caring about me, my life, my decisions, and my struggles. Please guide me by your Spirit so that I can understand your Word and discern your will for my life. I want to have you fully direct my steps as the walk continues along the Adventure in Middle Grove. 

Longing for a Connection

My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit
longs for you.
 -- Isaiah 26:9
 


Again, what sustains me as my last thought of the night slips away? 
What comforts me as I rest in the quiet of the night? 
What soothes my soul as the last conscience moment leaves my body?

My spirit aches for restoration in relationships and a renewed work of the Holy Spirit,

BUT

More importantly does my spirit ache to be with God? 

I need to continue to end each day and begin the next longing to be in the presence of God. I need recognize my hunger for God  not only satisfying it by spending time in his presence, but by communicating my desires, affections, and needs for the presence of my heavenly Father in my life.

That is REALLY what is important!


God is in control of all the aspects of my life and I need yield to his presence as I long for the work of his spirit.


Father, I do ache to be in your presence. I know the piece of my soul that sometimes I feel is missing can only be found in you. I also pray for your  work in the close relationships around me that they may long for the Spirit of YOUR presence. I pray that the yearnings of the night will be shockingly succinct  so the truth of your wisdom may be evident and clear.

Be very real and present to me in my life today as the Adventure in Middle Grove continues...

New Every Morning

Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
 -- Lamentations 3:22-23
 

Yesterday, the thought of hope permeated my thoughts and my prayers. But what is this hope and how is it sustained on a daily basis. God's promises and his Holy Spirit are guiding principles in keeping hope alive as I go through the challenges of life.

However, what is the energy the keeps me going every day as I wake up and look ahead to the day ahead and what the day will bring.

What sustained me through the night? 
What will get me through today? 
What will enable me to look at relationships in a new way.

The LORD's mercies.

These incredible resources never run out!

Each new day brings a fresh supply of them. God is faithful to make sure I have them each day. Praise be to God for making the world around me world new and exciting each  day.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.


Thank you, holy God and loving Father, for sustaining me through the night and promising me an endless day at the end of my life's journey. May you, my Father in heaven, find love and praise on my lips and in my heart at all times as the Adventure in Middle Grove continues.

There is only hope

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who
seeks him...
   -- Lamentations 3:25

A little diversion today as I was praying last night about hope.

Lamentations is a collection of 5 poems mourning the fall of Jerusalem in  587 BC.  The poems grieve the desolation of the city, express anger at the horrors of the siege, and question whether God has forgotten his people.  In the middle of the book, however, the poet confesses that God's steadfast love never ceases (3:22-24)
Out of the ashes of Jerusalem's destruction and the disaster before God's people because of their repeated disobedience comes this reminder of truth.

Those who wait patiently, who hope fervently, in the LORD will find what their souls most needs!

As the Adventure in Middle Grove continues, I get to the point where waiting patiently sometimes becomes more than I can bear, but only for a fleeting moment of time. Of all the tihings God is teaching me, patience is the best lesson he can provide.

Waiting on him,
listening to him
and leaning on him;


provides a constant backdrop for life as what is thought , said, and done initiates  from what God is doing in my life and how I need to press on to show:

his love
his compassion
his mercy

to those around me as I interact with them on a daily basis. God continues to be a God of HOPE.

Continue to mold me as you make me in to who you want me to be before YOU.

Give me patience and faith, O God, for the times when life is hard and everything seems to go against me. I believe that you are good to those who have the strength to persevere, waiting patiently in hope for your wisdom and strength. Dear Father, please give me such strength each day because I not only want to receive your blessing, but I also want to bring you honor. 

All we need to know

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
-- Romans 15:4



If the Bible is a love story, then its theme is hope.

No matter how dire my circumstances,
no matter how big are my enemies,
no matter how deep my sin,
no matter how lost I can get,
no matter how much I need
no matter how big the challenge,

no matter

The patience of the Old Testament heroes of faith provides strong encouragement for me as I struggle with many of the problems and situations which confront me every day.


... God repeatedly gives me reason to hope in a brighter tomorrow.



Then God brought the assurance of that tomorrow in Jesus!

Lord, please give me patience and endurance as I search your Scriptures to know and understand your truth. I am amazed at the incredible things you did to redeem and bless your people in the Old Testament. I am absolutely astonished at what you were able to do with Jesus and the bunch misfits he chose disciples. Please, O God, inspire my hope so that I will expect something great from your hand and then live to see you accomplish it in my day. May this, as well as all other things in my life, be to your honor and glory.

New Model Year

... made new in the attitude of your minds; ....
 -- Ephesians 4:23


Each year at this time we hear of all the new models in cars , housing, personal and electronic items. This year as I continue to look to God for his wisdom and guidance, I am struck with what scripture says in Ephesians. We are to have a new self and a new attitude of our mind.

I was not saved by making this change; rather, being saved makes the change.
I cannot be saved by works (2:8-10), but neither can we be saved without them.

While salvation is by faith alone, if my life has not been changed to put off the old self and develop a new attitude because of the salvation , grace and mercy God offers me, then what is the point of all this?

I cannot renew myself on our own. I already tried this method. and came up with the same model year after year. I can guard ourselves from corrupting influences. I can offer myself to God and come to better discern his will. Ultimately, however, God  must do the renewing, not just when I was saved, but daily. Only God's
grace can sustain, empower, and renew me. I  offer my self  to to you today with a new attitude. Empower, perfect,  renew me EVERY DAY!

Father, I come to you asking for your grace to make me new in the way I look at things, especially how I view people and relationships close to me. Please cleanse my heart and make me new in my mind and my spirit.

Make the 2009 model better than the past, as the Adventure in Middle Grove continues.

You are my Hiding Place

Psalm 32 1-7

1 Blessed is he
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the man
whose sin the LORD does not count against him
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night
your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, "I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD "—
and you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you
while you may be found;
surely when the mighty waters rise,
they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.

This was the basis for the sermon yesterday in church. An important element of seeking the will of God this year to to seek him for forgiveness and to ask him to forgive me for sins past and present. When I seek to hide, let me hide in the arms of the creator and sustainer and the only source of forgiveness, mercy and grace.

You Are My Hiding Place

You are my hiding place,
You always fill my heart with songs of deliverance.
Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.
I will trust in You.
Let the weak say I am strong in the strength of my Lord.

Lord, be my hiding place

Ready for Action

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:13, New International Version


I had to really go after this one as God is continuing to prepare me for his work, not mine.

So it was profitable to go back in to the the beginning of the chapter to see what is going on here

Verses 3-12 are about the future or the Christian’s hope. The emphasis is on the future dimension of our salvation expressed by Peter as praise (“blessed be” verse 2). This is the basis for our hope and good reason for rejoicing:

(1) God’s great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope (verse 3).

(2) We have been born again to obtain an inheritance … reserved in heaven for us (verse 4).

(3) We are being protected … for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (verse 5).

(4) We presently suffer trials and testings so that our faith may be tested and proven, to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (verse 7).

(5) We are obtaining as the outcome of our faith the salvation of our souls (verse 9).

Verses 10-12 point not to the future but to the past.

Then there is verse 13

The verse can be broken down into three commands:

(1) Gird up the loins of your mind. (Better translation but probably gets lost in Western culture)

(2) Be self-controlled.

(3) Fix your hope.

Gird up your loins refers to the clothing worn by most people during the time of Christ. It was a long garment and needed attention if you had to be ready to run or spring in to action. A person had to pick up the "robe" and tuck it in their belt so their legs were free and would not get tangled as they ran. This is what Peter is talking about here. I need to be ready at all times to spring in to action.

I also need to be self-controlled as I spring in to action since I want the focus of my action to be on the hope I have in Jesus Christ.

Not the hope I have in myself but the hope in the eternal God who made the heavens and the earth and he me made!

As God continues to make me more in his image, help me keep the right focus.

The focus on the hope I have in him by the grace he shows me EVERY day.

Let the grace flow in to me as I look to your spirit to guide me and continue to give me wisdom in all of life's challenges and trials.


Thank you for the HOPE I have in YOU.

I Surrender

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ....
  -- Ephesians 4:22
   

In order for the curtain to be torn down this year and expose me unencumbered of the past, I need to completely put off my old self. That is, completely get rid of it so it is not an influence on the work God needs to do in 2009 and beyond.

That's a tough one, isn't it?! I surrendered my heart to God and my old self was crucified with Christ when I became a Christian (cf. Rom. 6:6). Jesus reminds me that this surrender is something I need to do daily (cf. Luke 9:23). I need to put the old sinful life aside every day and choose to live for Jesus in response to God's grace. As I begin this new year, I need to make it spiritual habit to consciously offer myself to the lordship of Jesus each day. In this way, what I think, do and say will be honoring to him and my motivation for daily living will be a result of soaking up the grace and mercy he shows me every day.

LORD, my Father in heaven, I want to honor you and ignore the temptations of Satan. Please empower me with your Spirit and capture my heart with your grace as I seek to live each day for you. 

Tool Time

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17, New International Version

As this year begins, I want to really examine the depth of scripture to help me really move to a deeper level in understanding who I am before God. This includes how I live individually, and how I live in the relationships I have in my life.

God made us to live in community. There can be no "Lone Ranger" Christians.


We must live and worship in the midst of other Christians. One of God's  purposes is to  use each other as mirrors for our walk with God. This is a scary proposition as it opens me up for inspection and shows the "man behind the curtain"

In the "Wizard of Oz" , Toto inadvertently exposes the great and powerful wizard as a fraud; they find an ordinary man hiding behind a curtain operating a giant console which contains a group of buttons and levers. They are outraged at the deception, but the wizard solves their problems through common sense and a little double talk, rather than magic. He explains that they already had what they had been searching for all along and only need things such as medals and diplomas to confirm that someone else recognizes it.

Wow! That was me. I never knew I was in the movies! The am in man behind the curtain and the travelers looking for recognition and acceptance from others!

...Not looking to the source of life, wisdom, and recognition in both cases

This year I desire to have the curtain town down completely. Last year God moved the curtain back so I could get a glimpse of what was out there for me and others could see the little man behind the control board.

This year, Lord, tear away the curtain as you make me more holy in your sight. Sanctify me in your way, not mine. The curtain is  opened for all to view.

Let the sight be pleasing to you.

Thank you for opening the curtain and showing me the greatness of your character and how much you love me.

On Purpose - To God be the Glory

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. (Romans 8:26-28 The Message).

I don't know what good things God has in store for me in this coming year, but I do need to learn to trust in the fact that he has a plan and a purpose for my life.

He has a purpose for me in the relationships I have at home, church and work

He has a purpose for me to look deeper in to myself to see how he wants to continue  work in me.

He has a purpose for me as I continue to seek the comfort and wisdom that can only come from him to share with others.

God has a plan for his good. Let me listen intently as his plan is revealed this year.

To God Be The Glory
Fanny Crosby

To God be the glory, great things He has done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Refrain

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Refrain

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Refrain

May I learn to have a truly believing faith in the creator and sustainer of  all as I face the New Year's challenges and victories! May I bask in the face of his glory as the Adventure in Middle Grove continues in 2009.

And give Him the glory, great things He has done.