Pages

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Another Chance

The best part about a new year is that starting over is an option! While our intentions are often worthy, our actions can fall short.

God says: the words that come out of My mouth [will] not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them. So you'll go out in joy, you'll be led into a whole and complete life (Isaiah 55:11-12, MSG).

A new year is before us with opportunities too many to count or even know. God has a purpose and plan for everyone of His children and desires to see us succeed. Our reward is joy and a whole and complete life! God rewards us with everlasting joy and peace, with everlasting life!

Have a GREAT new beginning! ~dho

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Prince of Peace

"At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please Him."
Luke 2:13-14 MSG
Lately I have been giving much thought to peace ~ what exactly is peace and what is the path to peace! We know that God is the Source of all true peace; Christ is the Good News of peace sent to us from God. Peace is the message of the angels the night that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

". . . 'Peace on the earth, good will to men,
from heaven's all-gracious King:
'The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing."*
Peace in the Hebrew (shalom) and Greek (eirene) teach "absence of
disturbance" and is the primary blessing of God's people. Scofield offers four references to peace: Peace with God, Peace from God, Peace of God, and Peace on earth. Deep inside, each of us desires the assurance of peace. Only God can provide complete peace.
". . .O rest beside the weary road,
And hear the angels sing . . ."*

"Peace of God" is often challenged by a world full of anxieties and chaos, doubts and uncertainties, but it is this "inner peace" the soul knows when faith in Christ leads one to "peace with God." Perfect peace is a gift God gives to the faithful ones who trust in Him.

". . . When peace shall over all the earth
It's ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world sends back the song
Which now the angels sing."*

"Peace on earth" is the promise of His everlasting peace which is still to come. For now, each of us are called to embrace peace offered by the Author of peace, measured by the Prince of Peace, and revealed by the Spirit. In this Holy Season, let us receive the Prince of Peace. May Christ's peace be the ornament that decorates our hearts at Christmas and throughout the coming year. ~dho

Merry Christmas!


*lyrics from It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

Thursday, November 26, 2009

The Harvest

Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.

The LORD will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.

Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

Psalm 85:10-13 NIV;

When you read The Message, the word used for faithfulness is truth; Love and truth meet. Also, the words righteousness and peace kiss are interchanged for Right Living and Whole Living embrace. Jesus personifies Love and Truth. In our redemption, He is both Love and Truth eternally mingled with our hearts and souls. The yield is our Right Living, the sharing of His Love and Truth with others. Our reward becomes Whole Living, peace ~ His Peace. This is God's Holy Harvest!

God's faithfulness is His promise of Truth, the Truth that Right Living and Whole Living bring to each of us robes of righteousness and inner peace that exceeds all understanding. We kneel before the Love Most High overwhelmed with thankfulness for His goodness. It is His gift of righteousness, of Right Living, that surrounds us, protects us, leads us into the next moment. It is inside this gift we unwrap Whole Living, His Peace! How complete is His Offering! May my sacrifices of thank offerings honor this Bounty-full God! ~dho

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! ~dho

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Our Strength and Stronghold

There was a ship at sea in a storm. The passengers were in great distress. After a while one them, against orders, went up on deck and made his way to the pilot. The seaman was at his post of duty at the wheel, and when he saw the man was greatly frightened he gave him a reassuring smile. Then, the passenger turned and went back to the other passengers and said, "I have seen the pilot and he smiled, 'All is well.'" When our small boat of life is storm-tossed and our hearts are fearful, we may push through the storm to our Pilot who is standing at the wheel, and when we see His face we shall know that 'all is well'. Robert Louis Stevenson

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a storm? Whether our current storm is a spring shower or thunder storm, a tornado or blizzard, a hurricane or tsunami, God can be the Pilot of our ship and our Port of refuge.

Circumstances can be like an angry ocean, a flooding river, a rising creek, but only God can offer the calmness that comes with the sound of a gentle rain or the peace that lingers in the gaze at a starry night sky. With Christ, we no longer have to wrestle with the uncertain chaos and confusion; we can wait and rest in the assurance of a living, faithful God ~ no matter the storm. ~dho

"The Lord is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him."
Nahum 1:7 The Amplified Bible

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Delight For My Soul!

If GOD hadn't been there for me,
I never would have made it.
The minute I said, "I'm slipping, I'm falling,"
Your love, GOD, took hold and held me fast.
When I was upset and beside myself,
You calmed me down and cheered me up.
Psalm 94:17-19 The Message

When times of chaos and contradiction take control, the Christian has resources that non-believers do not. In fact, the believer finds the greatest solace in the goodness of God. Despite the fickle offerings of the world ~ hopelessness, doubt, bitterness, defeat, those who claim Christ as Lord can always know the everlasting gifts of peace and comfort. In His arms, in His Grace, we find a goodness in this Holy Love that exceeds the difficult, that soothes the ache, that calms the anxious thought. This is The Source that will always delight my soul. ~dho

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. Psalm 94:19 NASB

Friday, September 04, 2009

Stay the Course

To cling always to God
and to the things of God ~
this must be our major effort,
this must be the road that the heart follows unswervingly.
~ John Cassian ~

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Stand Firm!

. . . stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV

Sometimes we choose to be silent, to let circumstance rest in between concern and apathy, between grief and fear. Other times, we find value in giving voice to our thoughts and opinions. It is true that ~ sometimes ~ it's better to say nothing. However, when we are called to take a stand for God's Truth, and we simply look the other way, the prince of darkness counts it victory. Stand Firm! Put on the "full armor of Christ" (Ephesians 6:10-18), seek God's strength in the Word and pray for courage and endurance for the task. ~dho

Friday, August 07, 2009

Holy Words

I put the Scriptures above all the sayings of the fathers, angels, men and devils. Here I take my stand. ~ Martin Luther

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Real Rest

"True silence is the rest of the mind;
it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body,
nourishment and refreshment."
William Penn

The world is full of noise and busyness, all competing at the same time for the same mind! In the world there is little silence; there is not much true rest for the mind.

Jesus tells us, "Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover you life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace ..." (Matthew 11:28-30 The Message)

Jesus lived the example of spending time in prayer ~ away from the crowds ~ alone with the Father. This is how He demonstrated real rest ~ rest for the mind, the body and the spirit ~ rest in the middle of chaos ~ rest in the presence of God ~ rest in the silence. Listen to the words of Jesus; seek Him in the silence ~ learn [His] unforced rhytms of grace. ~dho

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

God Loves Me!

The LORD says: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God . . . Because you are precious in My eyes, and honored, and I love you . . . I am with you. Isaiah 43:1-5 ESV


The words to the song, Dependence, by Jamie Slocum speaks directly to our hearts wherever life takes us - despite any circumstances. Knowing - truly knowing - God's faithful, unconditional, limitless love for us, brings undefinable, miraculous, grace-filled HOPE. Slocum sings:


Just to know, just to know that You love. . . Just to know that You're with me on all these roads I traveled on . . . I confess my dependence on You.


It is only in our dependence on God that we can have this assurance and hope! This dependence on God gives me hope to carry on. I encourage you to click on the link to this song and contemplate the message of hope! ~dho


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vdLi8h-xdI&feature=player_embedded

Monday, June 01, 2009

Miracle-Words

Every word You give me is a miracle-word -
how could I help but obey?
Break open Your words, let the light shine out,
let ordinary people see the meaning.
Psalm 119:129-130 The Message

Between the skeptics and unbelievers, questions swirl around Christians. The world constantly queries the Bible and seeks to discredit it on many fronts. Sometimes, even Christians have difficulty explaining God's Living Word. Today I read words from Ray Stedman's The Power of His Presence that give a good description of the Old and New Testaments and why both are still relevant.

"The Old Testament is designed to be a picture book, illustrating with fascinating stories the spiritual truths presented in the New Testament. . . One of the most convincing proofs of the inspiration of the Bible is the facility with which the Spirit of God took simple history - facts as they were lived out day by day - and recorded them in such a way as to weave together a totally accurate pattern of the development of spiritual life. In other words, what took place physically in the Old Testament is a picture for believers today of what takes place spiritually in their own growth in grace."

The NASB uses these words in Psalm 119:130 ~ The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. When we spend time reading the Living Word, God's promises and spiritual truths are unfolded by the Spirit. Through studying the Scriptures, we begin to understand more about the character of God and His purposes for us.

Gracious LORD, I come to the altar shouting
praise for all the blessings in my life. You are
the Light that writes the words of my soul-song.
It is You that gives my heart its desires.
Faithful Father, I am God-strong; my blessings
abundantly exceed my needs. Creator, gather
the details of my life, take Your holy threads and
weave a tapestry of Your design. You transcend
all circumstances, expose all evil, reveal all love
but never measure Grace. I am God-strengthened!
~dho