LETTING GO OF "BLANKY"

From the time that my youngest daughter was able to clasp something with her tiny hand, she quickly became attached to a beautiful soft pink blanket that had been given to her as a gift. It was the very blanket that I used to swaddle her in as a baby. She loved her "blanky" as it was called, more than any other item that she had. As years went by she lugged that "blanky" all through our house, yard and every vacation spot that we visited. It was her comfort, her toy and even became her security at night while she slept. 

Over time it became ragged, soiled and frayed around the edges. Without her knowing, I would often take scissors to it, to clean off the frayed edges. It became a challenge to even wash it, and that only happened during her nap times. Upon every wash, the blanket became more tattered and worn out. It ended up as pieces of blanket rather than a complete one. Mending it was impossible and it became very evident that it needed to be replaced. Under normal conditions I would have gladly thrown the old tattered blanket away, but for the strong attachment that my young daughter had for it had proven to be an impossible task. So, I sought out to reason with her to get a new blanket to replace the pieces of the blanket that she was toting around. 

For sentimental reasons only, it was agreed that we would place the few pieces that were left, in a small bag at the top of her closet. Strangely enough, I would often find those pieces of blanket in her pockets and in her school back pack. Today looking back, I am not so sure that she was insecure, but that she simply had an attachment to something that she loved touching, smelling and treasured. As I consider the love she had for her blanket, I also think upon the things in life that I love and treasure as I ponder the scripture in Matthew 6:21 that says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.". That is my prayer for myself and sweet friend, today it is my prayer for you as well, that Jesus is your treasure. 

My daughter finally learned to let go of those torn, tattered pieces of her past as she embraced a new blanket that was bigger and more comfortable than the old one. Isaiah 43:18-19 tells us to "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!" God has plans for us, we may not always know them, but we can surely trust Him, in them! Remember that you can never discover new oceans unless you are willing to lose sight of the shore. To attain what the Lord wants you to have, you must let go of what you are trying to keep.

Hold Fast,

-Bren

BE THE WHEEL - A WORD FOR EVERYONE DURING THESE DAYS OF COVID-19

This morning I was reading about wheels and gears. It became thought provoking as I noticed the similarity between, how one wheel turned another, in order to achieve a particular goal. I was remind as I looked at those moving parts how people need each other to accomplish different task that may require them working together. Alone, the wheel or gear just sits by itself accomplishing nothing. But with the help of another similar gear working in sequence, they can transmit a rotational motion that makes things happen and gets things done. The article showed a moving picture of the two gears working together. I also noticed that the smaller gear was turning over several times more often than the big wheel as it made its rotation. While the speed of the gears were the same on both, you could tell that they both depended upon each other to complete the turn. Now you may be thinking right now, "she has lost it", but I love it when I am reading, writing, watching a movie or talking to someone and something that I see or read, leads me to another train of thought or some insight to something else, similar but different.

In all this thinking, I was reminded of how we need each other and how important it is that we work together to accomplish the great commission in Matthew 28, given to all Believer's in Christ. It also made me think about this COVID-19 situation and how many people are stuck at home day after day wondering what tomorrow will bring. I thought about Mom's and Dad's having to home school their children in which they feel inadequate as teachers and wonder if what they are doing matters. About caregivers that know they must go out every day and meet the highly contagious nasty villain "sever acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus" and for all of the "essential workers" like myself who must work whether they like it or not, in order to keep the wheels of our economy from coming to a complete stop, as well as being a service to the public at hand. There are lots of wheels turning today my friend and without them turning life would be drastically altered in so many ways.

I want to take this time to encourage you where you are to be the wheel! I can speak encouragement to you today from my own experience of where you may be.

To the parent who is stuck at home with the kids day in and day out, know that God is giving you an opportunity to make the best of this time while you have it. Your job is so very important as you manage a small company within your home of very important people. As a Mom that home schooled 2 daughters in years past, I know many of the concerns you have and the discouragements that you are facing daily. But may I remind you that your attitude is everything! Remind yourself constantly that you are rubbing off on them the life lessons that you, yourself have learned and are having to learn given your situation. Your attitude and behavior is teaching them how to respond in their own life's trials and troubles. Use this time for it will be so short, to draw them in to a circle or at the table and teach them to pray. Teach them how to go before the Lord over everything. And teach them to be thankful for the smallest of things, so that their life may honor the Lord by your doing so. Be mindful that if they see you gripping and complaining, guess how they are going to respond. And be ever so mindful when you are fussing at them for their rotten attitudes that yours has not become a little on the "too ripe" side as well. Be the wheel sweet friend!

To the caregiver who puts their life on the line every time they must leave their home and be in a dangerous situation, think of the leapers who wanted so bad to have Jesus acknowledge them with just a touch or look as they went to Him for healing… because I can assure you, no one else would have wanted to and they knew it! Sick people need someone, and maybe only your tender love will reach them with the message of the gospel as you continue in the way of the Christian solider to use this opportunity to serve the suffering in spite of what your fears may try to convince you of. Be the wheel sweet friend!

To those of you like myself, who may not work in the medical field, but are essential in our services to our communities and must be out and around those that may potentially have the virus I say, thank you! Don't lose heart, let us continue doing what we can do with others in mind, knowing that our services are of help and we will not complain because we know that there are many who have lost jobs and are unable to work at all!

To all who are at home and are doing your part in slowing down this virus, big kudos to you! Please know that you are not alone and that your effort and sacrifice has not gone unnoticed. Continue to be the wheel sweet friend! While none of us really understand the long term outcome of this pandemic, as believer's we know and can trust that there is a bigger picture to be seen and while we cannot see it as of yet, God does. May all our work be that of Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters," We now have the opportunity more than we ever have had in most of our lifetimes to sing the march of the Christian solider and understand the greater meaning of its words! So, Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before!

Hold Fast,

-Bren

QUESTIONING GOD

Our generation today, caught up in the whirlwind of busyness, work and triviality, needs to hear the voice of God speak to us in the midst of our daily grind. We need a fresh glimpse of His majesty and holiness that will give us an appropriate fear of God. Only then will we be hesitant to defy His laws and question His will. Only then can we begin to have the proper wisdom that is needed to walk with Him properly. Only then can we understand our real neediness for Jesus. Only then will we live by faith in the grace of God and the midst of our troubles.

All of Job’s presumptuous protests fell silent the day God answered him out of the whirlwind in Job 38-39. While Job’s friends grew weary in their counsel with him, a storm was brewing on the distant northern horizon and was coming right towards them Job 1:19. As the winds increased, bolts of lightning broke through and thunder rumbled across the countryside. I wonder if Job had flashbacks to the windstorm that killed his ten children as he heard the rumble and saw the approaching storm.

Job had questioned God’s justice and sovereign rule. He pleaded for the opportunity to put God on the witness stand in hopes that God would answer Job about his being innocence and explain to him and others why his hurt and pain were clearly unjust. He had questioned why God permits the wicked to prosper while the righteous suffer. Why did he have to face bankruptcy and loose it all? Why did his children have to die so young in a windstorm? Why did he have to endure the pain and agony of a hideous disease that deforms, debilitates, and destroys? Why did all his sorrows bring such pain to his wife that she wanted him to curse God so that he would die and be free of his horrible situation? Why couldn’t he vindicate himself before God and men by extolling his virtues, good works, and all his accomplishments? Sound familiar? Been there, done that myself! Yet, God did not answer any of those specific questions, but He did give Job and all who read his book, all that they would ever need to know, in order to live by faith in the goodness of God’s sovereign will.

With the dark funnel cloud whirling around Job, God spoke to him Job 38:1-3. He began with a gentle yet forceful rebuke, “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” Notice Job wisely gave no answer. He was breathless, seated in this incredible, whirling spectacle. All his previous arguing and questioning God seemed inappropriate and insignificant in His presence. Then the Lord spoke a frightening challenge to Job, “Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer Me." God then turned the tables on Job and put him on the witness stand Job 38:4-7. He asked him questions about nature that only God could answer. He began by questioning Job’s whereabouts at creation, “Where were you at the foundation of the earth? Did you stretch the plumb line by which I laid the foundation stone? Were you there singing with the angels when the earth, the sea, and the sky exploded into existence?” Psalm 148:2-3. “Do you know when and how I created all these things? Were you there when the land and sea formed? Did you shroud the earth with clouds to water the earth and fill its rivers, lakes, and seas? Did you determine the precise limits of the monthly tides that break on the shore? Have you explored the depths of the seas? Have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?” Job 38:8-21. God paused long enough in his questioning of Job to say, “Tell Me, if you know all this?” then He continued His line of questioning. Then God questioned Job’s power. Then God quizzed Job’s knowledge of animate nature.

You see, God wanted Job to see his lack of understanding about his predicament. In God's questioning Job, Job realized just our unwise he was to even question God. Job learned that his part in his troubles were simply to submit to the One whose ways were beyond his full comprehension. The Lord affirmed His wisdom to Isaiah, when He said, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “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. So if God has all the power, authority, and wisdom to do all these things, why are we so reluctant to trust Him when we need food, clothing, wisdom, and companionship? Why do we find it so hard to trust God in chaos, dangers, wars, pestilence, and disease? When God no longer spoke from the whirlwind, Job knew he had to give some kind of answer to the God of the Whirlwind. Spellbound and tongue-tied, Job could only answer, “Behold, I am vile” Job 40:3-5. In other words, he was admitting he was unworthy and too insignificant to question God’s will and ways. Job’s notion of God’s justice and righteousness was being stretched. The hedge that satan accused God of placing around Job in Job 1:10 became the most dangerous place to be as satan sought to use it as an opportunity to make God and destroy God's most cherished creation. Yet, God used satan's mockery to backfire on him as Job came out of the storm an even more upright servant than before Job's troubles came. The safest place for you and I to ever be on the earth, is in the eye of God’s storm. The disciples too had to learn this as well. Their doubts gave way to trust and faith as they learned that God cares for His people even though they may have to ride out a storm, persevere through winds of adversity, or stand against the forces of hell.

When God ceased speaking, Job attempted to answer the God of the whirlwind Job 41:1-6. God had not informed Job that it was Satan who struck him. He did not know why these things had come upon him or what would happen next. But what he learned in the eye of the storm was the supremacy of God’s power and grace. He now knew God can do everything, except sin, lie, or make mistakes. God not only had the power and authority to do whatever He wanted, but does and will do everything He desires. This God can be trusted, however, because He is holy and sovereign. Whatever He designs or allows to enter our lives serves His good and ours. He also understood that nothing inanimate, animate, or human in nature can thwart God’s Holy purposes-even the choices of vile, wicked men and fallen depraved angels serve God’s pleasures. The lessons of the storm had been learned by Job.

Then Job openly confessed his foolish ways and words. Now after hearing and seeing God, he agreed that God’s ways are holy and best. His place was not to question or reason with God about what he did not understand, but to submit to Him who is eternally holy, just, loving, omnipotent, omniscient, immense, immediate, and full of mercy and grace. Then as an act of utter contrition, he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes. Being in the eye of the storm awakened Job to his own foolishness and sin. He grabbed a handful of dust and ashes and tossed them over him as a sign of his awareness at being a creature of the dust, destined for ashes if it were not for God’s grace.

God still speaks to us at various times and in various ways. Sometimes He speaks loudest in the eye of a storm. He speaks to us today through His Son, His Spirit, and His Word. We may not see His form or hear audible words, but He still speaks. Jesus still speaks comfort to storm riders who can remain in the boat as the storm rages Our part is not to question or reason why, but to trust and obey God’s Word, especially when we sit in the dust and ashes of our lives. A day is soon approaching when God will come in all of His splendor to judge the wicked and reward the righteous. Then we shall see our Kinsman Redeemer and rejoice forevermore!

Hold Fast,
-Bren

GOD IN THE WHIRLWIND

Pandemics/epidemics whatever we may call them are nothing new in human history. While the coronavirus is probably the best documented pandemic to ever occur, it is not the first. I read that when epidemics happen, two reactions are common among most people. First is denial: "This won't affect me." The second is fear: "What if I get this and it makes me sick or perhaps kills me." But everyone has their own timeline and intensity in their reactions to it. Some view it as God's punishment, while others view it as opportunities to reach people for Christ, in both word and deed, while others believe that both reactions go hand in hand. In the midst of all the questioning you will have some who will take this opportunity to ask "Why?", "If God loves us, why doesn't he stop this pandemic?"

God made this universe a perfect place: No evil, no viruses, no cancer, no addictions. Look up to heaven, and you can still see signs of his perfect created order. The Bible teaches that satan rebelled against God, then tempted the first two people that God created to do the same. When Adam and Eve sinned, something was unleashed in the universe that didn't belong. Perfection was wrecked, all the way down to the molecular level. Jesus came to break the power of sin by His death on the cross and His resurrection. One day, according to Revelation, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, with no evil, no viruses, no cancer, no addictions. But while we are getting closer to that day, it has not yet come.

            

Many of us believe that God must have his reasons, even if we do not know them. This belief may seem or feel hollow and shallow at times. Yet, it is profoundly true. God owes us no explanations. People of old would have laughed at the idea of a god having to explain himself. Yet, the one true God, the Great "I AM" allows His children to come before Him to ask with the right heart attitude; but when He does not answer the way they understand, He does expect a level of trusting Him in spite of not knowing, by each one of them. This is why the message of the book of Job is so radical. When Job cried out to God because he felt he was suffering unjustly, God answered him not with an explanation but with an encounter. In a crisis, it is appropriate to reach out to God and ask "Why?" It is also good to know that God may answer you not with words but a whirlwind like He did Job in Job 38:1; 40:6. In Jesus, God ultimately comes to give us unlimited access to Him, so in a crisis we might cling to Him. God knows we need Him more than we need thoughts about Him.

            

When early Christians faced human suffering, they did not write long explanations trying to explain God's actions. They served the suffering. Upon my reading on the early church, a plague would strike a Roman city and the citizens would flee, leaving the sick to die and hoping the plague would die with them. Christians stayed and cared for the sick. They prayed for God's mercy. They prayed for healing. They thought it more important to be the hands and feet of God, rather than explain God.

How could they stay when everyone else ran away? Those early believers had a different outlook on their economy and their of life. They knew that life was eternal. Their hope was not in long life but in God's kingdom. Death would simply be a passage to the next stage of being with Jesus. May we be more concerned today about serving the suffering than trying to explain God's actions to them!

           

Hold Fast,

-Bren

CHANGE HOW YOU SEE - INSTEAD OF WHAT YOU SEE

In a world of photo shops and apps we can achieve instant gratification by giving us the enhancement of what we seek to make us look better than what we believe we actually are. It’s easy to find these apps that give us the appearance of what we want, rather than what we may actually be seeing. Technology, social media and surgeries have made it so easy, that if we don’t like something, we can just change it. If we don’t like our physical appearance, there’s a surgery to fix it. If we don’t like our relationship status, there is a dating service to change that as well. If we don’t like our circumstances, we can buy, charm, run, and even fight our way out of it. But what if… the circumstances that we are in, are exactly where God wants us to be?

Maybe, we are fighting a fight that may not can be won; because God is allowing us to be smack-dab in the middle of it for a reason. God's word tells us that we are called to live the life we are given. While we are to strive to be better in our walk and spiritual behavior, some things will continue to be a battle our whole life, just as Paul's situation became his thorn. Each one of us has unique value, insight, and experience God wants to work through to share the good news about Jesus. Our lives were not meant to be a comparison party where we attempt to constantly gain or achieve other people’s stuff and circumstances. 

But, when we are being who God made us to be in the circumstances He has given us, people can look at our lives and wonder, how we are able to have so much peace in the midst of wherever it is that we may be in . When we find ourselves in less than desirable circumstances and prayer doesn’t seem to be changing them, maybe we need to change our prayer. Instead of focusing on finding a way out, ask God for a change of perspective about the situation we’re in. Then, watch and see how God works through our struggle for our strength and His glory. I Cor. 7:17  reminds us this, "Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, This is the rule I lay down in all the churches."

Praying for you today to give up the struggle and rest in the peace that He is trying to bring you!

Hold Fast,

-Bren

LEARN TO ABIDE

 Abiding is not simply a matter of coming to Christ or being still…but it is a way of life. As the fruit is connected to the branch for its nourishment and life…we are to be connected to Christ for our life support, every breath, thought, motive we have is to become captive to the captor which is Christ the Lord. His Word tells us that He is molding us and making us into His likeness. Now if we do not like this, then we had better reconsider if we are even a part of the vine or not. What I mean is that while we may not like the pain of the change, if we belong to Him we are glad that He is making that difference in our lives and we crave with the strongest of desires to be more like Him and that is the glue that holds us to the vine…the simple fact that we want to be.

While at times when Christ is slaying us, we must understand that He is only molding us into His image; which is a pretty good image if you ask me! God wants us to endure the race, and we cannot unless we learn to abide in Him and His Word in us. Abiding is a choice, it is a verb that shows action; something we do. Abiding is not being idle, it’s making a direct decision to do something and that something is obedience to Christ and what He is asking us to do; trust Him, obey Him, for there is no other way to be happy and at peace. Yes, peace will be there if we are abiding properly. It only leaves us when we allow doubt or disobedience to step in and replace it!

When we are abiding in Christ, we have His best! Even when life does throw those curve balls at us and the weight on us seems momentarily more than we can bear; in Christ we are not swayed by that weight….neither hopeless or even helpless…others may look at us and wonder how we manage it with such difficulties all around us…yet if we stay connected to the vine He promises to hold up our branches that yes even others may be witnessed to by and even encouraged!  Abiding is simply staying the course, not breaking away from our spiritual source but staying connected in His Word and obeying what He tells us to do. I tell you, there is no Peace like the peace that God gives to His children! So, don't you dare give up! Simply learn to abide!

Hold Fast,

-Bren

KNOWING THE WILL OF GOD

Often times you can predict the outcome of someone that you are close to by the character that you know they possess, the person you know them to be, thereby discerning their intent, because you know them so well. To understand and know God is to know and understand His character and intent. As we know more about His character and His will, we then, can better assess and accept His intentions and what His desires are for us and the way that He is at work in our lives and in the world that He created.  God’s word clearly tells us that we cannot discern His will by the worlds standards, but rather we are to transform our way of thinking into His way of thinking and then, we may know and understand with clarity, in truth, His will concerning matters. Romans 12:2, says this, “And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." This verse has taught me more about knowing and understanding the will of God than any other verse in scripture and has radically set me free to see with a clearer and better understanding as to why things happen the way they do. You and I will have to make the effort to transform our minds, by being faithful to renew them, by allowing God’s word to regenerate our very life. Then the cloudy confusion of the world’s thinking, changes to the clear reality of God’s truth.

Every moment of every day you and I have the freedom to think about whatever we want. Our minds may fill with worries, hopes, disappointments, hobbies, anything. Those thoughts may cultivate anger, lust, compulsive working, people-pleasing, or depression. Or, we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds like Romans 12:2 tells us by letting the very Word of God diagnose us as it states in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The thoughts that you choose to dwell on will be the most important factor in how you feel and what you say and do throughout your life. Ultimately, you’re thinking determines the kind of person that you become. Proverbs 23:7 reminds us of this very truth, “that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he…”.

Hold Fast,

-Bren