Now is The Time

What if today was the day?

The day you had been waiting for all of your life?

Zechariah was a Jewish priest and it was his divisions time to be on duty in the temple. This was a responsibility that was theirs twice a year as well as during major festivals. Zechariah was a righteous man who took this tremendous responsibility to heart. You see, he was a righteous man.

During this time of service, one priest would be chosen by lot to go into the temple and would enter the Holy Place of the Lord and burn incense. This was a once in a lifetime experience - literally. Only once in his lifetime could a priest offer the incense at the daily sacrifice. Now was his time.

As Zechariah was praying, the incense was burning, the smoke was wafting heavenward, the people were outside praying and an angel of the Lord appeared and said to him

"...Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard." Luke 1:13

Doesn't your soul just revel in those words?

What was this righteous man praying? As the priest burning the incense he had a responsibility to pray for the nation of Israel - God's chosen people. Inherent to that plea was their desire for the Messiah to come - come Lord Jesus come.

Now was the time! After hundreds of years of the priests and the people praying, the God of the universe, the Creator and Sustainer of all living things was going to answer the prayer offered by Zechariah. But God who draws from a bottomless well of love did not stop there. In addition to supplying their need for a Savior, He was going to give Zechariah and Elizabeth the child that their hearts had longed for. The one who would prepare the way for the coming Messiah. Now was God's perfect timing according to His perfect plan.

Oh don't you long to hear those words, "Your prayer has been heard?"? I know I do. Sometimes when you pray for something for so long and you are unable to see the answer with your own eyes you grow weary. Don't get discouraged.

God assures us in His Word that He hears us when we pray and that He answers!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29:12

Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.
Isaiah 65:24

If God said to you today, "Now is the time" what would you ask in prayer?

A Mom like Jochebed

I want to be a mother like Jochebed. Your first thought might be Joche who? Let me tell you.

1 Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid
him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus
basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. Exodus 2:1-4

Her Heritage
Jochebed was a woman of faith, married to a Levite man named Amram. Through Levi, she learned of the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Her faith would be both tested and rewarded. What kind of heritage do you have? What kind of heritage are you leaving for your children and grandchildren?

Her Situation
Mother of a newborn in a very tumultuous time. Was it any more tumultuous than our times? Pharaoh, the ruler of the land had given the order that every Jewish born son would be cast into the Nile to their certain death. What? You've got to be kidding me! The son they prayed for, a gift from the Lord. How could she allow this to happen? She couldn't just let him die.

Her Faith
Motivated by her faith in God and her love for this child, she took a giant leap of faith by hiding little Moses in a papyrus basket made from the reeds of the Nile. Hebrews 11:23 tells us

By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they
saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

Don't you love that where faith is exercised there is no fear!

Her Decision
Her faith in God gave her courage to disobey Pharaoh and not to fear him. Jochebed's faith was in her God. His will be done. Her precious baby was given to her through birth and she lovingly gave him back to God in faith. God had great things in store for her Moses. He was no ordinary child. Have you given your children back to God in faith believing? Do you trust them into His care?

What I love about this story is that after giving Moses into the care of the Lord, we find that Moses was given back to Jochebed for her to nurse until he was older. God reunited this family so that God's purpose could be fulfilled Moses' life. He needed to learn about his Jewish heritage and the faith of his family. It was critical to God's plan for Moses the man to be the deliverer of His people.

When Moses was older, once again Jochebed would be called upon to give over her son to the Egyptian Princess, Pharaoh's daughter. Once again, she trusted her child into God's care.

What faith! What love! I want to be a mom like Jochebed. One who leaves a strong Christian heritage. One of faith that has stood the test of time. One who meets here fears with faith. One whose answer to God is YES before He even asked; no matter how difficult the request. As Beth Moore says,

Our part is to believe God.
His part is to be God and to do
what is ultimately and eternally best.

God make me that kind of mom. May I walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Thank you for Jonathan. May he be a young man who loves you with all of his heart, a young man after your own heart. Teach me to teach him the way he should go. May he honor you with his life.

Fan Into Flame

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

This is the verse I have chosen to memorize to memorize next as part of the Siesta Memory Verse Challenge from Living Proof Ministries. In selecting a verse we are reminded to choose a verse that we "need". I definitely need this one.

These powerful words were written by the Apostle Paul from a prison cell in Rome. The letter was sent to his young friend and son in the faith Timothy who was a strong leader in the early Christian church.

Paul used his time of confinement to write letters of encouragement to believers he had ministered to and ministered with. But this young man held a very special place in the heart of Paul.

Timothy was experiencing some opposition to his message and to himself as a leader in the church. Paul boldly reminded him of the faith that was so deeply ingrained and entrusted to him by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois. From the time he was just a little boy, Timothy was taught the Word.

Paul would tell Timothy,

"I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands"

From the time that I was a little baby, I have been in church. Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night; any time the church doors were open I was there. Like Timothy, my faith is deeply rooted. I have sat under some tremendous Bible teachers. I have been blessed to watch mature believers live out there faith before my very eyes. I am surrounded by sweet sisters in the faith.

But sometimes we just need to be reminded of who we are and whose we are.

• I am born again.
• I am blessed.
• I am chosen.
• I am adopted
• I am accepted.
• I am redeemed.
• I am forgiven.
• I am victorious!
• I am free to be exactly who God has made me to be.
• I am empowered by the Holy Spirit of the Almighty, Living God!
• I am dearly loved by the One who gave Himself for me!

Timothy needed a reminder from Paul that everything he needed to be successful had already been given to him by God. EVERYTHING! The same can be said of you and of me. We just need to walk by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Faithful or Fearful? Which do you want to be know as?

A Final Charge

If you knew today that your time on this earth was short, what type of advice would you give to those you know, to those you love?

King David was now old and "full of years". His time left on this earth was now short. He began to make sure that everything was ready for his departure. This included making his son Solomon the next King of Israel as God had directed him to do.

David summoned all of the officials of Israel to assemble at Jerusalem - the officers, commanders and those in service to the King. He gave them directions on how to carry on according to Gods plans in his absence. His final charge to them,

"So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever." 1 Chronicles 28:8

And then it was time for David to give a charge to King Solomon. It was more than one King passing the torch to the next. It was loving Father speaking directly to the heart of a beloved son.

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing spirit, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." 1 Chronicles 28:9

David had learned many lessons in his life. He knew the blessing of living in the favour of God. But he also knew the agony of a life stained by sin. He wanted his final charge to his son to be one that would make a difference in his future:

• Acknowledge God. Acknowledge Him as your creator, your God. Live under His authority. Commit yourself to seek His will and live according to His Word. Give Him the glory in all things - good and bad. Humble yourself before Him and you will be blessed.
• Serve Him with wholehearted devotion. Don't let anything or anyone take a higher priority in your life than loving and serving Him. Don't be distracted by things. Don't let people lead you astray. Seek God first and do His will. Keep your heart pure and He will direct you in all things.
• Serve Him with a willing spirit. Take delight in serving God. Let it be your greatest pleasure. Serve Him and honor Him because you want to, not out of obligation. Let it be your choice. You will find that serving Him will become your greatest joy.

If today were my last to share with my son, I don't know that I could add much more to what David said to his son Solomon. But why wait to share them. There's no time like the present.

Leave the How’s to Him

I assure you: If anyone says to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Mark 11:23

Does that verse describe your faith? How many mountains have your prayers moved? Jill Briscoe is one of my favorite authors. She has written the following poem, which I love to quote.

Ask Him to do it, but don’t tell Him how.
Ask Him to answer, but don’t tell Him now.
Ask Him for strength for the task.
Thank Him for giving you more than you asked.
Ask Him to cleanse you whenever you pray,
And be honest with God at the end of the day.
Ask for the power & faith it will take,
To say to this mountain,
“Go jump in the lake”.

Do you have a loved one you want to see trust Jesus as their Lord and Savior? Let’s see what Gods word say about that:

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9”.

The Bible tells us that God wants them to be saved too. So pray His word back to Him in faith believing that He will hear and He will answer; but leave the hows to Him. Allow the Holy Spirit to open the doors (don’t go looking for a pry-bar). Be available to His leading. Thank Him for His moving and working, even though you may not see the results with your physical eyes. That’s where faith comes in.

For over 20 years our family prayed and wept for one of our loved one to get saved. Her name was written on the leaf in the back of all of our Bibles. We planted the seeds, at times pushing a little to hard (using that pry-bar). The answer was always the same, NO.

With our physical eye we saw only the rejection, but in our prayers we trusted that God was at work. A surprise phone call indicated that not only was she saved, but her two sons as well. God chose to use a friend of one of the boys to lead all three to Jesus.

It wasn’t our way; thank God it was His. It wasn’t our time; praise God it was His! Please don’t stop asking, don’t give up. But remember to leave the how’s to Him.

A Young Seedling

I have been involved in church life my entire life. Have you ever stopped and given thought to the number of people who have sowed the seeds of faith into your life?

I remember Lois Steelman and Lucille Shahan sitting on the floor in a circle with my fellow pre-schooolers as they told us stories about Jesus. Whether we were playing with puzzles, drawing pictures with crayons or just playing with the toys, they always made sure that we knew how much Jesus loved us. Oh how they loved Jesus.

I remember a little old lady by the name of Molly Hargrove. She always wore her gray hair tightly up in a bun. She would gather all of us children around the piano and she would plunk those old keys and sing. I remember that she didn't play very well..., but it never stopped her. Jesus loves me, Jesus loves the little children, The B-i-b-l-e, and countless more. Oh how she loved Jesus.

I remember Mrs. Crossman leading me through a new believers class after I gave my heart to Jesus. She made sure that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was now my Savior and that Heaven would be my home. I remember how gently she shared from the scriptures. It was as if she was sharing her most treasured secret and she didn't want me to miss a word. She loved to tell boys and girls how they could be saved. Oh how she loved Jesus.

I remember Molly Smith sitting in the middle of a half moon table surrounded by little girls sitting in those itty-bitty chairs. We would read our weekly story from the Bible and she would help us to understand what the words really meant. Oh how she loved Jesus.

The last time I was home visiting, my Dad and Mom drug me to the cemetery to put out flowers. While they tended to the graves of several family members, I began to stroll through the cemetery, looking at the names. I came upon the graves of both Lois Steelman and Lucille Shahan.

I bent down and began to clear away the twigs and debris that had been blown there by the wind. I went and got some furniture polish and a rag from the van and I began to clean the headstones. I remember their sweet faces about how those dear Saints had invested their lives in a little girl only five years of age. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stopped and thanked God for their faithfulness.

Seeds of faith planted in fertile soil. A young seedling watered, nurtured and pruned. A tree now bearing fruit of its own.

I thank you God for the men and women who have sown the seeds of faith in my life. Oh how they love You! Bless them for their faithfulness in serving you with distinction and honor!

Show Me Your Ways

Don't you just wish some days that God would come down from Heaven, sit next to you on the couch and tell you face to face exactly what He wants you to do? That's where I am today. It seems that in my life right now there are more questions than answers.

Will Randy get better? Will he be able to Pastor again? Should we sell the house? Will the house even sell in today's market? Will we get out of it what we need? Should we move closer to my job? Where will we go to church? What's best for Jonathan right now? You get the picture. Lots of questions with no clear cut answers at this point.

So what do you do when you find yourself overwhelmed by questions? How do you know the will of God? Wouldn't you know that in my daily study of "A Heart Like His", today's lesson by Beth Moore was exactly that (Don't you love that I had questions, and God started answering through His Word right away). Here is the method that she uses:

1. I acknowledge my specific need for direction. Lay it out for Him in prayer. God, what do you want me to do?
2. I continue to pray daily and study His Word.
3. I ask Him to help me recognize His answer. God answers his children through His Word and confirms His will by His Holy Spirit. As I'm reading His Word, I specifically ask God to confirm with by His Spirit what He desires me to apply to my life.
4. If I have any doubt, I ask for confirmation.

After completing my study I opened up my Praying God's Word Day By Day and found these words,

Our part is to believe God. His part is to Be God and do what is Ultimately and Eternally best.

Here is an excerpt from the prayer, "From one man You made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth. And You determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. You did this so that men would seek You and perhaps reach out for You and find You, though You are not far from each of us."

I can honestly say that I am seeking Him. I am reaching out to Him. And wouldn't you know that I am finding Him. His is not far away, He is so very near.

The 4th verse I've chosen for the LPM memorization challenge gives a clear picture of where my heart is at this time. Psalm 25:4-5.

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Though God did not physically come down and sit with me on the couch today, He has shared with me just the same. Through His Word, by His Spirit, He's confirming in my heart that He will show me what is Eternally and Ultimately best .

How can I keep from singing His praises when I feel so loved? I certainly cannot! God I love you and thank You for your extravagant love! Your faithfulness to me just blows me away!

What a Day!

What a day! What else can I say. It started yesterday morning early. At 4:14 a.m. I am awake and staring at the ceiling. My mind begins to wander. I begin to dwell on things I shouldn't be dwelling on. I begin to fret over things that may never come to be. Going back to sleep is just wishful thinking.

I get up, at 4:45 and begin to check emails, read a few blogs, glance at the news. It seems as if there is nothing but bad news. I'm tired and my head begins to hurt. Throughout the day God keeps tugging at my heart say, "Cast all of your cares on me. I love you! They are not yours to carry!" And yet, my I can't seem to get out of the rut that I've become stuck in. Conflict, hurt, death, sorrow sadness, and more bad news.

By the middle of the afternoon, my head was pounding. I signed off from work early and headed to be to just lay down for a little while. What a day!

As I lay there, trying to close my eyes and get some rest, it hit me like a ton of bricks! I know why today was so different. I know what I forgot.

I'm a visual learner. If I can visualize something, see it with my eyes, it just seems to click with me. Several weeks ago I began something new in my prayer time. As I pray in the morning I actually visualize myself putting on the full armor of God.

I start with the 5 defensive weapons.

• The helmet of salvation placed firmly on my head. This is meant to protect my head, guard my mind which is the greatest battlefield for a believer.
• The breastplate of righteousness which is meant to guard my heart from a fatal blow. Covered by the righteousness of Jesus, I can withstand the slanderous accusations of the deceiver
• The belt of truth tied snugly around my waist. The belt is the foundational piece of ta warriors armor just as the truth of the word of God is the foundation I have built my life upon.
• My feet fitted with the readiness that comes gospel of peace. The peace that only God can give protects me as I walk through the battlefield of life. It will keep the enemy under my feet and out of my face.
• My shield of faith being fully exercised. God is who He says that He is. He can do what He says He can do. I am who God says that I am. I will walk in faith believing, all the days of my life.

There's one more piece to the armor of God and it is the one offensive weapon that we have:

• The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God! When Jesus was tempted he struck back with the Word of God. When we speak God's word according to his will, there is no power in the universe who can withstand it!

How could I go out into the battlefield of life without being fully equipped? I did and my day proved why it's a mistake. I tried to do my Bible Study, but my mind was so full of other things I couldn't concentrate. Without the breastplate of righteousness every dart, every dagger of the enemy struck deep. When you're not guarding your head or your heart..., you're headed for trouble. You can't stand and fight when you're ducking and covering.

I praise God that His mercies are new every day! Though yesterday was a mess.., today was a brand new day! Yesterdays mistakes serve to be today's lessons. A lesson on the necessity of being fully equipped and ready for battle today and every day!

I'm not sure if you've ever been to the Garden of Gethsemane. It's a beautiful and memorable place to visit. If you were to go there today you would find some very, very old olive trees. Some are believed to be from the very time period when Jesus prayed in this now famous garden, the night of His betrayal.

In my study today I read a passage of scripture from Psalm 52. David is being pursued by King Saul, a man who by now is totally out of control. Saul has ordered the death of the people of Nob, including the men, women, children, infants and animals. 85 priests of the Lord were slain that day. Saul's reason - because he believed the people were siding with David against him.

In Psalm 52, David began to turn God loose on this despicable man. He spoke of the ruin that would come his way. A man who trusted in his wealth which was obtained by destroying others. In vs. 8, David drew a stark contrast between King Saul with himself.

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.

Where did David place his trust? - In God!
Where did David place his hope? - In God!
Who did David give all of his praise? - To God!

He described himself as an olive tree. Do you realize that the olive tree is one of the longest living trees? There are many olive trees in Israel today that are 1600-2000 years old. The most fascinating thing about these trees is the fact that they are still producing fruit! Was it any coincidence that David chose that tree to describe himself? Absolutely not!

He was being pursued by a madman, and yet his unwavering faith in God was on display for all to see. In the midst of horrendous heartbreak over the death of the priests of Nob, the innocent women and children, David continued to trust in God. The more David exercised his faith, like the olive tree his roots grew deeper. Instead curling up in the corner of his cave in the fetal position refusing to come out, David's faith became more resolute. In fact, it flourished.

Even today, some 3000 years later, that olive tree of faith planted by David is bearing fruit in the lives of those who read his many Psalms. Where are you putting your hope? Are you like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God?

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Blessings - Lisa