True To His Word

Once I taught a Bible study on the gospel of John.  One night, our group was reading chapter 10.  In this section, Jesus talked about how He is the Good Shepherd.  His sheep hear His voice and follow Him (see John 10:11, 27).  All of us had something to say about these verses.  A person can’t help but ask, “Can I really hear the voice of God?  Does He even speak to me?  How do I know what He’s saying to me?”

1 John 5:14-15 helps me deal with these tough questions...“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”   We know that God’s Word, the Holy Bible, is His will.  If it is written in John 10:27 that the Good Shepherd’s sheep will hear His voice, then we know it is God’s will for us to know when He’s speaking to us, and what He is saying.  As 1 John 5:14-15 assures us, if we ask for anything according to His will, it shall be done.  Jesus also said in John 14:13-14, “Whatever you ask in My Name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask Me anything in My Name, I will do it.”  Therefore, I believe that when we pray, “God, I ask that you would speak to me.  Open my ears to hear Your Words.  Help me to know in my heart that it is You.  Give me the strength to do whatever You say.  I ask this because You’ve written these things in the Bible.  I ask in the Name of Jesus.”...When we pray like that, I believe God will answer our prayers, and bring His Word to pass.  We need to listen; for I believe He will speak to us through the words printed in our Bibles.  When we pray, His still, small voice will whisper in to our hearts.  His conviction may come through a conversation with a wise, godly person.  His directions may be before us when situations and events providentially line up.  Let’s be alert, and check everything with His Word, knowing that He’ll never go against it!

God wants us to take Him at His Word.  I was talking with my Senior Pastor, H.K. McKnight, and he showed me something about Peter when he walked on the water to Jesus.  Peter said, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.”  Jesus said, “Come,” and Peter got out of the ship, and walked on the water to go to Jesus (see Matthew 14:28-29).  Peter walked on the Word of God, that one word, “Come,” and Jesus made it possible for Him to do the impossible, walk on water!  Today we can still walk on the Word of God, and He’ll make things possible for us.

You may find yourself struggling with doubt, or you might be intimidated by things around you.  Peter became distracted by his surrounding stormy conditions.  He took His eyes off of Jesus and began to sink (see Matthew 14:30-32).  If you are sinking into despair, do as Peter, and cry, “Lord, save me!”  He can rescue you from drowning in your doubt.

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.  The person who comes to Him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  (Hebrews 11:6)  “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  (Hebrews 4:16)  “But we must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.  For that person ought not to expect to receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded person, unstable in every way.”  (James 1:6-8)  God cannot lie, so let’s not insult Him by doubting His Word!

The Lord says to you this day, “Give heed to my reproof; behold, I will pour out My Spirit upon you, and I will make My Words known to you.”  (Proverbs 1:23)  It is my prayer for you that “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones).  I pray that you can know and understand what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength.”  (Ephesians 1:17-19, The Amplified Bible)

The Never-Changing Refuge

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.”  (Psalm 46:1-2)  This earth is an unstable place.  People’s mountains are being cast into the sea, as they behold things that they thought they could always depend on crumble before their eyes.  All they are left with is fear.  Psalm 46:6 paints such a dreadful scene.  “The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.”  Is there anything to save us from such terror?

“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah.  [Pause, and think calmly on that.]  Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations He hath made in the earth.  He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire.  ‘Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.’  The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah.”  (Psalm 46:7-11)

This same Psalm that tells of such a horrendous world has shown us the way not to be consumed with fear.  Knowing that the Lord of hosts is with us gives us strength, confidence, and courage, come what may.  God is our eternal, unshakable, sovereign, all-powerful, never-changing refuge!

God is not just a person we have a relationship with....He is our safe haven.  I started to catch a glimpse of this truth when I wrote a devotional article called “A Home For The Lonely.”  The Scripture that it’s based on is Psalm 68:6 which says, “God makes a home for the lonely.”  I thought about Jesus’ words in John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you.”   “Abide” means “to dwell, live in.”  The Old Testament shows us we not only know and serve God, but we have Him as our secure dwelling place.  He is our home...That peaceful, loving, refreshing, safe place we can run to that welcomes us with arms wide open.  “God, Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.”  (Psalm 32:7)  “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.”  (Proverbs 18:10)  “Moses said, ‘Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.’”  (Psalm 90:1)

“Lord, let us dwell in the secret place of the most High, and abide under Your shadow, Almighty God.  You are our refuge and our fortress.  O God, we trust in You.  Surely You shall deliver us from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  You shall cover us with Your feathers, and under Your wings, we will trust.  Your truth shall be our shield and buckler.  We will not be afraid, because of You, O God.”  (See Psalm 91:1-5.)

God doesn’t want us to be afraid.  He made it possible, through His love, that we would not have to live in such anxiety.  “There is no fear in love.  Perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment.  The one that feareth is not made perfect in love.”  (1 John 4:18)  The Lord wants to perfect us, make us complete and whole, in His love.  Knowing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ, gives us peace.  “And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison [defend, shield] and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:7, The Amplified Bible)

I believe the economy, political leaders, and our country’s status in this world concern a lot of people.  I was thinking about how the Lord compares to all of these subjects.  Unlike the economy, I don’t have to worry about God collapsing.  His precious gift will not lose its value, nor will His price increase.  Salvation remains free through faith in Christ.  When it comes to political leaders, many wonder who and what to believe.  I know that the Lord Jesus is my Leader.  He is true, and the policies in His Word will never change.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!  (See Hebrews 13:8.)  I do not know what the future holds for our country’s status in this world; but I, as a believer, confess with others of the faith, that I am a stranger and pilgrim on this earth.  I seek another country.  That country is my true home, God’s Heaven.  (See Hebrews 11:13-14.)  I do not have to fret over who will be the superpower when I personally know the One who is in control.  He has all authority, for all eternity.  Jesus is the Victor; therefore, I am victorious!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, “Jesus has left His peace with you.  His own peace, He has given to you.  Not as the world gives has He given unto you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.  Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful, intimidated, cowardly and unsettled.  He’s told you these things, so that in Him you may have perfect peace and confidence.  In the world, you’ll have tribulation, trials, distress, and frustration; but be of good cheer.  Take courage.  Be confident, certain, and undaunted!  For Christ has overcome the world.  He has deprived it of power to harm you and has conquered it for you.”  Hallelujah!  (See John 14:27, 16:33; The Amplified Bible.)

The Ladder

“Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran.  He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place.  He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants.  Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’  Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’  He was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place!  This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’”  (Genesis 28:10-17, New American Standard Bible)

Jacob...The younger sibling who had his older brother sell his birthright to him for bread and lentil stew (see Genesis 25:29-34).  Jacob...The son who deceived his elderly, blind, dying father; and stole his older brother’s blessing (see Genesis 27).  Jacob...The man sent away from his home, fearful that his older brother would kill him (Genesis 27:41-45, 28:1-5).  Jacob...The one who brought these sorrows upon himself.  But now we see the Lord, the God of His fathers, reached down to Jacob.  Out of His mercy, God did not forsake His covenant.

In the New Testament, Jesus said in John 1:51, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."  In this verse, Jesus sounds like He is the ladder.  It kind of makes you think of Jacob’s dream.  The ladder was important for Jacob, and it is important for us today.  The ladder shows us that God hasn’t forgotten about us.  He hasn’t lost touch with us.  He’s reaching down to us, and He will still fulfill His promises of blessings upon us.

When we take the time to walk through these stories in the Bible, we realize that these people were just like we are today.  They made mistakes, they were unsure about the paths they were walking down, and they bore the same griefs we’ve carried.  Could you imagine how Jacob must have felt in Genesis 28 after all he had been through?  Even his deceitful soul needed an encounter with God.  God was compassionate enough to reach down to Him.

Likewise, all of us have found ourselves in dark pits that we’ve dug with our own sinful hands.  Even though we didn’t deserve it, we needed a Savior to bring us into God’s light, and set our feet upon a good, firm foundation.  God the Father threw His Ladder down into our pit, showed us that He had not stopped loving us, and gave us a way to be rescued.  That Ladder was His Son, Jesus Christ.  He is the only way we can ever ascend to heavenly places and holy fellowship.  Jesus Christ said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father God except through Me.”   God wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  There is one God, and one mediator between God and people.  That is Jesus Christ, and that is why He gave Himself as a ransom for everyone (see 1 Timothy 2:4-6).

God loves you!  That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world (see John 3:16).  No matter what, He will always love you.  Just as I needed someone, you also needed someone to pay the price for your sins, and Jesus did that when He died on the cross for you.  But three days later, He rose from the dead, proving that He has the victory over death (both spiritual and physical), and has all power and authority.  He has ascended to Heaven, and He is at the Father’s right hand (see Ephesians 1:19-23).  He’s there to plead your cause.  If you open your heart to Him, believe in Him, and confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” you shall be saved.

All of us have times in our lives when we are in need of His forgiveness.  Thankfully we can ask Him to cleanse us of our sins, and He’ll wash us whiter than snow.  When we pray for Him to help us live according to His Word, He’ll grant us the strength to walk humbly with Him.  Out of His mercy, He won’t discard His covenant with us.  Praise God!

God has given you The Ladder.  It is your choice, and yours alone, whether you go up it, or not.  I pray that you will climb higher today, and find yourself in The Father’s sweet embrace.

Rejoice!

“Mary said, ‘My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.  For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.  For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.  And His mercy is upon generation after generation toward those who fear Him.’”  (Luke 1:46-50, New American Standard Bible)

Praises resounded because Mary was chosen to give birth to the Messiah.  In Luke 1:47, the Greek word for “rejoices” is ”agalliao.”   That word means “to exult, leap for joy, to show one’s joy by leaping and skipping, denoting excessive or ecstatic joy and delight.”  Mary was extremely excited about what God was doing in her life.  In verse 48, she declared that all generations would count her as blessed.  Why?  Because God gave her Jesus, the Savior of the world.

Like Mary, we can also rejoice and know that we are blessed because we have Christ.   “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”   (Romans 5:1-2, New King James Version)

The “hope of the glory of God” has two meanings for me.  First, I think of Jesus, and how John 1:14 says that “the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”  Second, I look forward to going to Heaven and beholding with my very own eyes my glorious Savior.  Because of Christ, I can rejoice greatly, and count myself as blessed!

Unfortunately, trials are just as much a part of life as happy times are.  Can we still rejoice even in our times of trouble?  Romans 5:3-5 says that we can “also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Only God makes it possible for joy to still reign in our hearts when our circumstances get difficult.

You may think to yourself today, “What do I have to rejoice over?  Times are hard for me right now.”  Delight can abide in your heart when you know that God has promised in His Word to produce perseverance, character, and hope in you through these trials.  God, The Holy Spirit, is your Helper, pouring the comfort of His love into your heart. (See Romans 5:3-5.)  You can also rejoice and consider yourself blessed because you were given another day to live.  The Bible shows that that is something to be happy and thankful about.  Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  As long as you are living, you are called to serve a purpose for God.  “I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ, developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.”  (Philippians 1:6, The Amplified Bible)  Your day of Jesus Christ is when you see His face.  You may see Him through death or through the Rapture, but until then, He has a unique work for you to do for His glory.

All of these things are just a portion of God’s goodness that we can delight in!  We are so blessed!  “May our souls magnify the Lord, and ours spirits rejoice in God our Savior.”  (Luke 1:46-47)

My Christmas Prayer for You

I pray for you, dear reader, that God will bless you with a happy Christmas, and a wonderful new year.

May He fill you with His Love;

for that is truly the most valuable possession, and the only thing that can provide peace in your soul.

It isn’t a prize that can be earned,

but a gift that is received when you open your heart, by faith, to Jesus Christ.

This month, we celebrate His birth in Bethlehem,

but He was around before the earth was ever created.

(In fact, John 1:3 says that He created it!)

He has always been, and always will be,

because He is God, the Son.

He came so long ago that first Christmas night for you.

Spend this Christmas with Him.

Boast In The Lord!

“The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  For consider your calling, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’" (1 Corinthians 1:25-31)

As we tell people about what great things God has done for us, we need to remember to “boast in the Lord.”  After all, the good things that we have in our lives, especially our relationship with Him, is through His doing (see 1 Corinthians 1:30).

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about the woman at the well.  You can find her story in the gospel of John, chapter four.  Jesus was kind to this Samaritan woman (whom Jews had no dealings with).  He asked her for a drink of water, and carried on a conversation with her, telling her about the living water which He could give her so she would never thirst again.  It was obvious that she had made mistakes in her life, and was still struggling.  Jesus knew it, and everyone in the town knew it.  She must have had some background in religion, because she said that she knew the Messiah would come (see John 4:25).  When Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He" (John 1:26), something happened inside of her!  “The woman left her water pot, and went into the city and said to the men, ‘Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; could this be the Messiah?’  They went out of the city, and were coming to Jesus...From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all the things that I have done.’  So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.  Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.’”  (John 4:28-30, 39-42)

What makes this story so wonderful to me is that this woman didn’t let anything stifle her witness for Christ.  She could have said, “This town thinks bad of me.  I need to clean up my act.  I’m not the one to be telling somebody about God.  This is all new for me...I don’t know enough to explain these things to someone else.”    She could have been silenced by the guilt of her sin, and she could have allowed feelings of inadequacy to keep her from telling others about Christ, but she didn’t.  Her message was simple, but true.  “Come see a man who told me all the things that I have done.  (John 4:29)”

Like that woman, after we’ve met Christ, we are supposed to tell others about Him.  You may say, “Well, I was a sinful person.  Who’s going to listen to me about coming to know God, and trying to live right?”  Well, we’re not boasting about our own goodness and trying to live right so other people will see how noble we are.  We’re boasting about the Lord, and telling folks how He saves sinners.  We’re now trying to please Him because we’ve come to love Him since we’ve seen how much He loves us!  You may say, “I don’t know enough about the Bible, or what to say to someone.”  Do like that woman at the well...Just tell somebody what you do know.  Tell someone what God did for you.  He will give you the words to say.  I don’t know how, but He does!  Like the people in that woman’s town, others can come to see God through your testimony.  But they will come to believe and know Him for themselves through the words He speaks to their hearts.

So I want to encourage you...Don’t be silent any longer!  Boast in the Lord!  In closing, I want to leave you with these passages from 2 Corinthians.

“Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.  Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant...”  (2 Corinthians 3:4-6, New International Version)  

“For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.  For God, Who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”  (2 Corinthians 4:5-7, NIV)

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, Who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them.  And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.  We implore you on Christ's behalf: be reconciled to God.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

-Eryn Eubanks (December 2008)

The Blessings of Fearing The Lord

Psalm 103 has been my favorite Psalm for several years.  I’ve read it many times, but recently I discovered something that I hadn’t paid as much attention to before.  “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him...As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him...But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him.”  (Psalm 103:11, 13, 17)  There is great mercy given to those who fear the Lord.  That sent me on a search for more blessings associated with those who fear Him.

The Bible’s definition of “fear” means “to revere, to respect highly, to be in awe of.”  That kind of fear was what Isaiah possessed when he saw his vision of the Lord.  “In the year of King Uzziah's death, I (Isaiah) saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.  Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts.  The whole earth is full of His glory.’  And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of Him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.  Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined!  Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’  Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.  He touched my mouth with it and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.’”  (Isaiah 6:1-7, New American Standard Bible)  Like Isaiah, we need to have a greater realization of Who God is and how mighty He is! 

It takes faith to fear the Lord, because “without faith, it is impossible to please God; for the person who comes to God must believe that He is...”  (Hebrews 11:6).  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and understanding.”  (See Proverbs 1:7, 9:10.)  “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no god.’”  (Psalm 14:1)  We may have never uttered that statement, but sometimes our wicked actions and words, our hidden sins, can make us look as foolish as the one living with no regard for God.  You see, the fear of the Lord also has to do with obedience to Him...obedience inspired by love for Him.  “What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul; to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which is commanded thee this day for thy good?”  (Deuteronomy 10:12-13)  Jesus said in John 14:5, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

All of us could confess our sins as Isaiah did before the Lord.  When we are sincerely sorry for what we have done wrong, and truly long to do what is right, God takes away our iniquities and purges us of our sins, just as He did for Isaiah (see Isaiah 6:5-7).

Our God is Sovereign.  He is all-mighty and all-powerful.  He is the Lord of all lords, and the King of all kings.  He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.  He has authority over everything.  He always has been, and He always will be.  He is unlimited.  He is too great for us to comprehend.  Isn’t it remarkable how He loves us so?  Let us love Him in return, and show it by obedience and reverence for Him.  May we be counted as those who fear the Lord.

I leave you today with a list of promises and blessings that are given to those who fear the Lord...

“In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and his children will have refuge.  The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.”  (Proverbs 14:26-27, NASB)

“The fear of the Lord leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.”  (Proverbs 19:23, NASB)

“Who is the person who fears the Lord?  God will instruct that person in the way they should choose.  That soul will abide in prosperity, and the descendants will inherit the land.  The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant.”  (Psalm 25:12-14)

“How great is God’s goodness which He has stored up for those who fear Him!”  (Psalm 31:19)

“The eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him.”  (Psalm 33:18)

“Fear the Lord, you his godly people; for those who fear Him will have all they need.”  (Psalm 34:9, New Living Translation)

“God’s salvation is near to those who fear Him.”  (Psalm 85:9)

“The Lord has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever.”  (Psalm 111:5)

“God will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.”  (Psalm 145:19)

“The Lord favors those who fear Him.”  (Psalm 147:11)

-Eryn Eubanks (December 2008)

In Quietness

“For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest you will be saved.  In quietness and trust is your strength.’  But you were not willing, and you said, ‘No, for we will flee on horses;’ therefore, you shall flee!  ‘And we will ride on swift horses;’ therefore, those who pursue you shall be swift.”  (Isaiah 30:15-16)

The first part of this verse has always been a comfort to me.  “In repentance and rest you will be saved.  In quietness and trust is your strength.”  These words remind me that in my time of calamity, I am the most strong and secure when I am before God, quiet and still enough to hear Him speak to my heart.

But I’ve had many times when I’ve been just as impatient as those Israelites!  Troubles would arise, and instead of going to God, I would mount up on the horse of my own understanding, and pursue my own ideas of how to tackle my problems.  Just like the Israelites, I was pursued swiftly by more difficulties.

We do not know what life will throw our way.  But whatever we encounter upon our journey, whether it’s good or bad, big or small, we need to take these things to God.  When it comes time for us to make decisions, we need to do more than just think about what to do next.  We need to ask God what we should do.  We need to ask Him what He thinks.  After all, the Lord Himself said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways...For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  (Isaiah 55:8-9)”

More and more I see how I need to include God in every moment of every day.  Whatever hand I’m dealt in life, I need to go put it in His hands, and let His will be done.  Doing this takes faith and complete trust in Him.  It also takes obedience driven by love for Him.  To know what God wants for my life, I must make time for Him each day of my life and do as Psalm 4:4 says...“Stand in awe, commune with my own heart, and be still.”  I think that’s what it means to “wait for the Lord.”  When I do wait on Him, then I become strong, and my heart takes courage (see Psalm 27:14).  He proves true to His Word!

May we all “cease our striving and know that He is God!  (Psalm 46:10)”  Jesus made it possible for us to “go boldly before God’s throne, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help us.”  (See Hebrews 4:14-16.)  Our righteousness is nothing but filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6), but Christ, our Savior, has clothed us in His righteousness, and that gives us right standing with God.  That’s what it means to be righteous.  “And the work of righteousness will be peace; and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.”  (Isaiah 32:17)  When we make time for God, take everything to Him in prayer, and get before Him so that we’ll hear Him when He speaks to our hearts; we will find that He fills us with peace and confidence.  “Those who wait upon the Lord will gain new strength.  They will mount up with wings like eagles.  They will run and not get tired.  They will walk and not become weary.  (Isaiah 40:31)”

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

One of the Christmas carols that I grew up singing as a little girl in the church Christmas play was “Hark!  The herald angels sing glory to the newborn King.  Peace on earth, and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled.”

That is the reason why God the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world as that baby born in Bethlehem...So we could be reconciled to Him.  “All these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.  (2 Corinthians 5:18-19, New American Standard Bible)”  Every one of us needed a Savior to restore our broken relationship that we had with God.

As the second verse of that old Christmas carol exhorts us, this is the season to “Hail, the heaven-born Prince of Peace!  Hail, the Sun of Righteousness!  Light and life to all He brings; risen with healing in His wings.”  In Malachi 4:2, we find an Old Testament prophecy of Jesus: “But for you who fear My Name, The Sun Of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings.  And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.”  Christ is that “Sun Of Righteousness!”  In Him, there is life, and His life is the light that we need in our lives (see John 1:4).  Jesus was born into this world to die for the sins of this world.  He was crucified and laid to rest in a tomb, but He arose from the dead, and lives for evermore!  That is why we can sing, “He has risen with healing in His wings.”

All of these events in Christ’s life here on earth brought about our healing...our healing from the disease of sin.  All of us were born into sin, “for there is none righteous; no, not one.  (Romans 3:10)”  That is why the righteous Son of God became our perfect, ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  That is why God sent His Son into the world that first Christmas, so long ago.  If we know Christ, then we know that He has set us free from the bondage of sin, and we have a restored relationship with the Holy God.

The second verse of the song continues, “Mild, He lays His glory by; born that man no more may die.  Born to raise the sons of earth; born to give them second birth.”  Jesus was mild, He was gentle.  He humbled Himself, and stepped down from the glory of Heaven.  God the Son took on human flesh when He came to this earth.  “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.  (2 Corinthians 8:9, NASB)  

“Born that man no more may die; born to raise the sons of earth...”  John 3:16 shows us that Christ was born so that death would not have victory over us.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  Jesus said, "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.  (John 6:40, NASB)"

“Born to give them second birth...”  Jesus said, “Ye must be born again” (see John 3:3).  The One who said it made it possible.  By receiving Jesus Christ and believing on His Name, we are born of God and become His children.  This is our second birth!  (See John 1:12-13.)

This Christmas as we celebrate Jesus’ birth, I want to ask you if you have been born again.  I hope you see how much God loves you.  Our sins separated us from Him because He is holy, but when Christ died and rose again, He made a way for us to be forgiven and reconciled to God.  “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10, NASB)”  Tell the Lord that you are sorry for your sins.  Ask Him for forgiveness, and He will pardon you.  Ask Him for His help to live for Him and do what is right in His sight, and He will grant you strength and purify your heart.  Read His Word and live by it, and you’ll have a firm foundation for your life.  Pray to Him and praise Him, and you’ll find that He is ever so near to you.

This holiday season, all of these precious truths from the Bible give us reason to celebrate, and “leap with joy like calves let out to pasture.  (Malachi 4:2)”

This Christmas...Hark!  Listen!  Those angels still sing.  Join in with them.  Give glory to the King Of All Kings!

Grace

“And the Word [Jesus Christ] became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth...For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.  For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”  (John 1:14, 16-17; New American Standard Bible)

While I was reading this passage of Scripture, I wanted to know more about this word “grace.”  I pulled the big, heavy Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance off of my bookshelf, and found the Greek word for “grace,” which is “charis.”  Its many definitions brought joy, hope, and strength to my soul.

One of the definitions of “grace” is “unmerited favor.”  An acronym that I learned from a Baptist preacher puts it this way: “GRACE, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”  Christ paid the ultimate price when He died on the cross for our sins.  He did this so we could know the riches of God’s love and fellowship.  That is “unmerited favor”...goodness that we didn’t deserve.  As Smith’s Bible Dictionary says, grace is “kindness towards mankind shown by the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Another book showed me that grace is the depth and richness of the heart and mind of God...The kindness and love that dwells within His very nature.

As I continued my study, I found out that in the secular Greek writings, Aristotle spoke of the moral quality of grace toward someone in need.  Grace was not imparted so that the giver could get something in return.  Grace was given simply for the sake of helping its recipient.  When God the Father showed His love in an act of grace by sending His Son into this world, God knew that we would never be able to repay Him for what He had bestowed upon us.  He gave simply for our sake, because He knew we desperately needed the precious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ!

Some say that it sounds too good to be true.  Thank God, it is true!  I believe that’s one reason why in John 1:14-17 it says twice that Christ is full of “grace and truth.”  The Lord wants us to be sure of His love for us.  I am grateful that the Sovereign God gives grace to the humble (see James 4:6), and it is “by grace that we have been saved, through faith; and that not of ourselves.  It is the gift of God; not a result of our own works, so none of us can boast.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)”

I have also come to learn that grace is connected with freedom, thankfulness, and joy.  When we draw closer to God, He can cultivate these attributes in us so we can have strength, even in our trials.  Jesus said in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Let’s take hold of this truth...The same grace that Christ is full of, He gives it to us for strength.  His mercy, His favor, His kindness, His love, His generosity, His liberty, His joy, the riches of His goodness and blessings are ours!  This is His grace, and it is our strength!  It is His gift to us.

As my reading drew to a close, the thought I was left with was this: “Grace is the Divine influence upon our hearts, and its reflection in our lives.”  So I pass what I’ve learned on to you, so that you and I both may follow the instructions in 2 Peter 3:18, “Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”  And God, the Holy Spirit, shall help us with this.  “Jesus said, ‘I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you...These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.’”  (John 14:16-17, 25-26; NASB)

Faith & Obedience

I have come to realize even more this year that faith in the Lord, and obedience to Him, work together.  Neither are meant to stand alone.  I believe each quality draws strength from the other one working in our lives.

The difference between standing and walking is motion.  This can be applied to our relationship with God.  Standing on God’s promises as our solid foundation for our lives takes faith.  Setting our faith in motion, walking according to God’s words for our lives, is obedience to Him.

Both faith and obedience are important qualities to have and maintain on our Christian journey, especially when promises from God aren’t immediately fulfilled in our lives.  Even when we are waiting on God for something, we must continue to walk with Him.

Abraham is a good example of faith and obedience working in his life’s journey with God.  “The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’  So Abraham left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him.  Abraham was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.  He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.  Abraham traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem.  At that time the Canaanites were in the land.  The Lord appeared to Abraham and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’”  (Genesis 12:1-7, New International Version)  That’s quite a message from God, isn’t it?!  The only problem was that Abraham didn’t have any offspring, any children, to inherit the land of the Canaanites.  Abraham would have to wait twenty-five years before these words from the Lord became a reality.  When Abraham was 100-years-old, his promised son, Isaac, was finally born (see Genesis 21).  Genesis 21:2 tells us that Isaac’s birth happened at “God’s appointed time.”

I don’t know why God waited 25-years to bless Abraham with a son.  I imagine there must have been times when Abraham thought, “God, when are you going to do what you said you would do?”  In those 25-years, Abraham had his ups and downs.  There were times when he shined, and did what was right in the sight of the Lord; and there were times when he took matters into his own hands and made big mistakes.  The greatest thing that He did, though, was continually walk with God.  Abraham kept his faith in the Lord.  He wasn’t perfect, but he did his best to obey God.  Abraham had to wait longer than I would have wanted to wait for a promise to come true, but he didn’t stop on his journey with the Lord.  I believe God used those 25-years in Abraham’s journey to mold and prepare him for the fulfillment of His word.

Is there something that God has spoken to you?  Maybe there was a verse that you read in the Bible that jumped out at you and made you say, “That’s for me!”  It could be that the Lord has impressed something deep upon your heart.  Whatever it is that He has promised you, He will bring it to pass!  God says in Isaiah 55:11, “My Word which goes forth from My mouth will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

You may long for an immediate result after the Lord has spoken to you, but His “appointed time” may be different than what you have in mind.  Whatever length of time you find yourself waiting, stay on your journey with God.  You’ll find that His appointed time is the perfect time in your life for His promise to come true.  In the meantime, keep that vision the Lord gave you clearly before you.  It’s for an appointed time, and it shall be fulfilled.  You will not be deceived or disappointed.  Though it tarries, wait earnestly for it, because it will surely come to pass.  (See Habakkuk 2:2-3.)  Stand strong in your faith in God.  Put your faith in motion, and live it, by walking in obedience to the Lord.  You are on a great journey with Him!

The Lamp, Oil, & Light

“You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.” (Exodus 27:20, New American Standard Bible).  I believe that we, as Christians, are like that lamp.  We need the oil of the Holy Spirit to cause the Light of Jesus Christ to shine from us, and to keep our lamps burning continually.

In Matthew 5:16, Jesus said to let our light shine before others in such a way that they would see our good works, and glorify our Father Who is in Heaven.  What exactly is this light?  John 1:9 tells us that Jesus is the true Light that came into the world to enlighten everyone.  Therefore, this light that is supposed to shine out of us is not a thing, but a Person...The God-Man, Jesus Christ.  “[And] God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”  (2 Corinthians 4:6-9, NASB)

We know that the Light (Jesus Christ) shines in darkness, and the darkness does not overpower the Light (see John 1:5).  But I wonder if the same could be said of our lights that are supposed to be shining out of us on to others.  When troubles come our way, how do we keep our lights shining?  After all, when the pressures and frustrations of life gather over us like storm clouds, it is so easy for our lights to dim.

We saw in Exodus 27:20 that the lamp needed oil for it to burn continually.  It’s the same with us.  We’re just lamps in need of oil...Earthen vessels in need of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.  Praise the Lord that when His Spirit is in us, He illuminates us, and empowers us, so that our lights shall shine continually and not be overpowered by any darkness!

Charles Spurgeon gave some wonderful advice when he said, “Meet the difficulty in the Lord’s strength, and glorify Him in it.”  Yet I feel that we fail to consistently do this.  It shouldn’t be this way, though, when we have all the power that we need...the very Spirit of God dwelling within us!  Therefore, we need to say to our giants as David said to Goliath, “The battle is the Lord’s!  He will give us the victory so everyone will know that there is a God.”  Fully relying upon and using His power not only does us good, but it sets an example for the people around us.  They see that our faith in Jesus Christ is a real thing when we don’t lose heart.  They see that His Word is true when the storms of life don’t destroy us, but we walk through them, shining on.  That causes others to desire God and the strength only He can give to their weak and weary souls.

I pray that when others look at us Christians that they will find our lamps burning continually, filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit, shining the Light of Jesus Christ.  I also pray that we will always “look unto God, and be radiant; that our faces will never be ashamed.”  (Psalm 34:5, NASB)

My Last Church Service at The School House

“I’ll admit my steps are growing wearier each day,

But still I’ve got a journey on my mind.

Lures of this old world have ceased to make me want to stay;

My one regret is leaving you behind.”

(first verse of “The Far Side Banks Of Jordan” - by: Terry Smith)

As I sang those words, it finally occurred to me how I felt about these church services at this schoolhouse.  It was Sunday, January 27th, 2008 at 11:00 A.M. when I stood before my loved ones to lead them in worship.  My mouth did more singing than talking that morning.  Everyone knew that I felt like this season of my life had come to an end.  Earlier that week I had told of how I longed to go into different venues, churches, cities, and states --- wherever the Lord would let me go --- all the while, to sing, play, and proclaim His good news.  I had worried and cried enough that week, but I had also sensed the support and love of my friends.  That gave me hope.  As the week drew nearer to Sunday, God’s peace increased in my soul.  That Sabbath morning, I was ready to get off the roller coaster ride of emotions and just worship God!

I walked into the schoolhouse wearing what I call “My Audrey Hepburn, New York City, Cafe Pierre Dress.”  All of us ladies complimented each other’s fashions as we usually do, and that’s just how I was feeling...usual.  But as my melodies filled the air and landed on our ears, I began to realize why I had cried when I made my decision to move on.  As I looked upon those faces, I was looking upon the reason for my tears.  Something stirred inside of my heart that I hadn’t felt for five-years, since my grandfather passed away...

...It’s a conviction that your life is changing and you can actually see the moment of transition.  It’s an event that suddenly makes you seem older even if you haven’t had another birthday.  It’s feeling that bang of the door as it closes and there you are standing in the uncertain silence as you wait for the next door to swing open your way.  All of this flooded my heart as I sang “The Far Side Banks of Jordan.”

These people and these church services we led in this schoolhouse are woven into my life.  I recall the day when that dress of mine was brand new and I was going to wear it proudly in New York City.  It was this Southern girl’s first time going to a city like that, and I came back to church with tales of Manhattan.  The congregation was just as giddy as I was that I had gone to the Cafe Pierre and “eaten in a place that was just like being in the middle of a Renaissance painting...Oh, I felt like Audrey Hepburn!”

It was before these people that I broke denominational rules at the age of sixteen and preached in a Primitive Baptist Church.  It was this congregation that gave me a church home when I felt like I had lost one at the age of seventeen.  It was after a church service in this place that my Opa from Wyoming told me that he wasn’t going to worry about me anymore, because he knew that there was a calling upon my life and God was going to see to it that I would be all right.  Here in this schoolhouse, I had led church services in a wheelchair after I had broken my knee and gone through my first surgery.  This loving congregation cared for me and prayed me into a full recovery.  At these church services, Harry said that we made him “feel closer to God;” Mary shared with me that for the first time in a long time, she wanted to go to church; and Keith told me that he no longer feared death.

That January Sunday, my eyes looked to the back row where Sister Ida Leen McGowan was sitting.  I sure could have used some of the Kleenex from the box she always brought with her to church.  Tears were welling up in my eyes, and I just knew that I wasn’t going to make it out of that service without them falling down my cheeks.

Pastor Sam’s sermon was based on Acts 1.  Verses 7 and 8 struck a chord within me.  “Jesus said to them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or the seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’"  My life isn’t mapped out.  I couldn’t even begin to plot my hopes in a scheduled agenda.  My season is changing, though.  I didn’t know that it would.  Earlier that morning before I left for church, I prayed to the Lord that He would let me be His witness in my Jerusalem, my Judea, my Samaria, and even unto the ends of the earth.  I choose to believe that God was showing me that He would answer my prayer.

“While the world looks upon me as I struggle along; they say I have nothing, but they are so wrong.  In my heart, I’m rejoicing, and how I wish they could see.  Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on me!”

That song by the Easter Brothers is what I chose to close out our church service on Sunday, January 27th, 2008.  I cried as the last note left my lips.  I hugged everyone there and told them all how much I loved and appreciated them.  I looked around the schoolhouse and upon every face before I walked out that door.  I also took a long look at myself.  It was in this place and with these people that I had lived out the latter part of my teen years.  Here I had rejoiced and mourned, been strong and broken, been confident and unsure.  This season of my life was ordained by God and I don’t believe I’ll see the fulness of it until I myself reach the far side banks of Jordan.

As I stepped out that door, I tasted what it must feel like to leave home.  Right now, I am on the verge of being twenty-years-old, and for many months now I have had an unction that I am at the threshold of something greater than I have known before.  Is that God or this wild heart of mine?  Will this be the time that I go beyond my comfort zone of home?  Is it true what I sensed in my soul this afternoon as that door closed behind me...Have I really grown up?

I can’t answer these questions now, but I can sing the last lines of that chorus confidently.  “You gave me Your love, Lord, and a fine family.  Thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on me!”

Unreserved

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:13-16 (New American Standard Bible, NASB)

I love this passage of Scripture because it challenges me not to withhold anything from God.  I’m so grateful that I can come to the Lord in open and honest prayer.  Yet so many times,  I find myself not bringing everything before His Throne.  Why do I do this when He sees all that goes on in my life and knows me better than I know my own self?  Is it because I’m ashamed of my sin?  Am I too lazy to pour out my heart?

Satan would love nothing more than for us children of God not to seek our Father in prayer.  Too many times, I believe we find ourselves praying only when we feel righteous and strong.  When all feels well between us and the Lord, lines of communication stay open.  But when the trails come and we grow weak, when the temptation rises and we fall into sin, oftentimes we do like Adam & Eve and hide from God.  How foolish of us!  During those times, we ought to seek even harder after our Savior.

“...Let us hold fast our confession.”  Years ago I confessed Christ as my Lord and Savior.  At the moment when I knelt before His cross, my life was changed for all eternity.  He saved me from being bound for Hell, cleansed me from my sin, set me free from bondage, clothed me in His righteousness, and filled me with His Spirit.  Nothing can break that!  But as I travel through this world, I must daily remember this confession and live in a way that holds on to it.  Faithful, fervent prayer is the key to holding fast because that keeps me in God’s presence.

“[Jesus was] tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”  Jesus knows your weaknesses, and He knows what temptations you are facing right now.  But don’t let that frighten you.  Remember that the Lord is a merciful God!  “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”  (1 Corinthians 10:13, NASB)  If you’ve found yourself stained with sin, take these words to heart: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”  (Isaiah 1:18)  Both Scriptures are invitations to come to God through prayer and find freedom and an escape.

I thank God for including the book of Psalms in the Bible, because these writers didn’t let their emotions or circumstances alter their prayer lives.  Many times these writers would be extremely open with God:  “Lord, I am persecuted; strike down my enemies.”  “God, why have you forsaken me?”   The prayers of the psalmist fill me with hope and boldness.  They remind me of how I can be completely unreserved before God, and He will still hear me, help me, and love me.  There’s nothing that I can say that would drive Him away.

“...All things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”  None of us can hide anything from God.  “...We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses...”  Those all-seeing eyes still look upon us with love.  The all-knowing God still wants us to know Him.  “Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Keep The Light On!

“You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”  (Jesus in Matthew 5:14-16, NASB)

My whole life I’ve known these verses, but not too long ago, God taught me something new about them.

One morning I was praying in my backyard.  I was wandering around, talking to the Lord about my life, hopes, dreams, obstacles, and concerns.  All of sudden, I thought of Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine.”  Verse 16 always meant the most to me in this passage of Scripture, but for some reason I started pondering verses 14 and 15.  I began to talk to God about these verses relating to my future.  Not long after that, I found myself praying, “God, I don’t believe you would give me skills, music, and a voice just to use it for a while, then lay it down.  That would be like putting a lamp under a basket, wouldn’t it?  You did say not to hide it, but to set it out.  That’s what I’m striving to do, Lord, and I believe that’s what You want me to always do.  So help me to continue this, and I’ll trust in You to take care of my future and my life.”

I was greatly encouraged that morning, and I want to encourage you, dear believer, to “fan into flames the gift of God which is in you” (2 Timothy 1:6).  One way of the greatest ways we can shine the light of Christ is to use the talents and skills that He has given us.  A lot of us have dreams attached to those gifts.  Satan knows that if we get discouraged and doubtful, we’ll give up our hope, and our lights will dim, maybe even go out.

God’s Word tells us not to give up.  So no matter who or what may have you discouraged, press on, let your light shine, and claim this promise as your own...

“ I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.”  (Philippians 1:6, Amplified)

Pursued & Equipped

Before we were ever created, God knew us!  The Lord Almighty says it Himself in Jeremiah 1:5.  “Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; before thou camest out of the womb...”

Scripture shows us that God has always communicated with us: “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.  After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.  (Hebrews 1:1-3, NIV)

Through His Son, Jesus Christ, God The Father made a way for us to have a relationship with Him.  We’re tremendously blessed with the privilege to draw near to Him through prayer and worship, and to know His will by reading the Bible.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NIV)

Before Jesus left this earth physically, He spoke of sending the Holy Spirit to testify of Him, guide us, and give us power.  The Spirit’s work in the world and lives of believers was manifested on what we call the day of Pentecost.

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”  (Acts 2:1-4)

The Spirit equips his people with gifts and callings even today.  I believe that the gifts spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12 are still for Christians today: faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues.  The filling of the Spirit is still for us today and always will be!

God The Holy Spirit (3rd Person of The Trinity) also convicts us of our sins and need for a Savior.  He calls us to Christ, regenerates us (makes us reborn), abides in us, comforts us, and assures us of our salvation and the truth of God and His Word.  By the Spirit, we’re baptized into the body of Christ.  The Spirit working in us should produce Christlike qualities in us: “The Fruit of The Spirit.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

I am so grateful that God has always pursued us, and that every Person of The Trinity; God The Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit; equips us with what we need to abide in Him as we walk this earth!

A Home For The Lonely

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  (Jesus in John 14:1-6)

There is a longing for home in every human heart.  Not a house, not a town; but a place of rest and security that is unchanging and eternal.  Until we find this home, we are lonely.  But Psalm 68:6 fills us with hope as it declares, “God makes a home for the lonely.”  When Jesus Christ is our Savior, we have the assurance of eternal life with Him in Heaven when we die.  That’s why we sing, “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through.  My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”

2 Corinthians 5:1-2 testifies of this hope.  “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling.”

Our earthly tents are our bodies, and within us there is a longing to go to that home.  But none of us know when we will go home to be with the Lord.  That is why we must draw nearer to the Lord as live on this earth.  This is our time of being prepared for eternity with Him.  Even though we are “wayfaring strangers, traveling through this world below,” we can still have a foretaste of the peace and comfort of our true home.  Whatever we encounter upon the paths we travel, we know that “the Name of the Lord is our strong tower; the righteous run into it and they are safe” (Proverbs 18:10).  As we remember the words of Christ in John 15, “abide in Me” takes on a deeper meaning.  Jesus Christ is what makes our immortal home a heavenly place.  Even though we’re in these mortal bodies, we can live in the refuge of home.  “Abide in Christ”...Make your dwelling place Christ!

Fellowship with Him will drive away our loneliness.  Jesus’ invitation is there for us today.  “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.”  (Revelation 3:20)

There will be times when we cry out, “I am weary, let me rest,” but we don’t have to wait until we cross over to “the far side banks of Jordan” to be in the “fair haven of rest for the weary.”  Jesus Christ can turn these earthly houses of ours into homes.  I know that Psalm 68:6 is true; for I can say that He hath made a home for this lonely soul!

-Eryn Eubanks (January 3, 2008)

Fulfilling God's Requirements

What do you think God requires of you?

What do you think He wants?

King David pondered those questions in Psalm 51.  At his time of writing this psalm, he had committed the sin of adultery with Bathsheba.  David said, “The Lord doesn’t want a sacrifice.  Otherwise, I would give it.  God wants a humble spirit and a repentant heart; the kind of heart that wants to stop doing wrong and do only right.”

Proverbs 4:23 says that “out of the heart comes the wellspring of life.”  What comes out of you is what is in your heart.  That’s what Jesus meant when He said that you’ll know a tree by the fruit it bears (see Matthew 7:16-19).  If goodness is in you, you’ll do good.  If sin still dwells in you, you will continue in your sinful words and deeds.  The Lord knows that that’s our nature.  So He likes to work from the inside out.  When someone comes to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit changes that person’s heart.  The Spirit of God dwells inside of that person so they’ll want to and will do what is right on the outside.

Micah 6:8 says, “The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: Do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him.”

You see, it all starts with wanting to serve God because you love Him.  If you love Him and offer yourself to Him, He’ll work with you from the inside to the outside, to live a life that pleases Him.

Pray to God as David prayed to Him in Psalm 51: “Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.”  When you utter those words in humble sincerity, God will surely answer your prayer.

"Open My Mind To Understand Thy Word!"

The Lord caught my eye the other day when I read Luke 24:45...

“Jesus opened the minds of the disciples to understand the Scriptures.”

Many times upon talking with people, they’ve asked me, “How do you understand what you read in the Bible?

I’ve been studying the Bible since I was about 11-years-old.  I read devotional books and commentaries, listen to preachers that hold true to God’s Word, and discuss the Bible with my family and friends.

But here’s the thing that has given me the most understanding...

Before I read from the Bible, I ask God to help me understand what I’m reading.  So many times I’ve asked Him to open my mind and my heart to receive His Word and know Him through it.  I’ve also prayed that He would help me to live by His Word.  I know that it’s a prayer that pleases Him, and it’s one that He has never failed to answer.

Jesus said in John 14:26, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father has sent in My Name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  Who better to teach us about the things of God than God the Holy Spirit?!?!

If you’ve been reluctant to crack open the Bible, to dig into the Word, to search the Scriptures, to take the Lord at His promises, to grow in faith through reading what God has to say to you, don’t hesitate any longer!  Build your life upon the solid foundation of His truth.

We will never be able to understand everything in the Bible because it is something of the infinite God, and we are mere humans.  But you can believe in His Word and still seek to know Him more.  Jesus opened the minds of His disciples, He is opening my mind to greater understanding, and He will certainly do the same for you if you ask Him to.  I thoroughly believe that the more you read and live by the Bible, the more knowledge you will gain.  You’ll also “go out and joy and be led forth in peace.”  (Isaiah 55:12)

“The unfolding of Your Words gives light; it gives understanding...”  (Psalm 119:130)

In The Name of The Lord

I’ve grown up hearing the story of 1 Samuel 17.  It’s a famous Bible passage since it tells of the Hebrew shepherd boy, David, slaying the Philistine giant, Goliath, with a stone and sling.

I’ve often thought of David as a courageous boy, but the last time I read these Scriptures, I began to wonder if David might have been nervous as he approached Goliath on the battle field.  Goliath cut David down with his sharp words, but David was just as tough talking as that giant!  With David declaring victory before he had even killed Goliath, I wondered if David was feeling the pressure building up at the battle ground.

I examined David’s words that he spoke to the army of Israel and to the giant.  So many times I’ve skimmed over this dialogue, but his conversations gave me insight to understanding his confidence.

When David went to the battle ground that day, he wasn’t seeking to fight Goliath and become the hero of Israel.  He was simply performing a chore for his father by taking a meal to his older brothers.  When David got to the battle ground, though, he was offended by Goliath because he spoke against God.  All day long, Goliath would taunt the army of Israel and no one would fight against him.  David knew how sovereign and mighty God was, and to hear someone speaking against the Lord and His people was enough to make David do something about the situation.

David did not enter this battle in his own strength.  I believe he entered it with the anointing, protection, and power of the Holy Spirit.  David wasn’t fighting to obtain recognition and praise.  He was coming before Goliath to bring glory to God.  The pressure wasn’t on David because David’s reliance was on God!

I love what David said to Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:45-47 because it shows where his heart was and Who his faith was in...

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head.  Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

Notice how David said to Goliath, “I come against you IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.”

We know that God gave David the victory that day.  David defeated a giant with his sling shot.  How?  Because he came against that giant in the name of the Lord.

Whatever “giant” you may find yourself against, know that victory can be yours when you go before him in the name of the Lord!