Eternal Perspective

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deeps in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.”
Psalm 33:6-9

 Keep a larger perspective.  Look to eternity.  It is too easy to get bogged down in the here and now.  Look to the Lord your God.

 

Life's circumstances can give us myopia!  I get near sighted when I look at the pain I face every day, or the emptiness of earhtly pursuits, or the lack of relationships in our lives right now, or the sin that has separated us, or the boredom of day to day living, or the worry of the future!  God would have us to have a broader vision! 

 

That is what fellowship is to be about.  When we are together, we are to remind one another of God's glorious plan - His future for us.  We are to sing praises to Him for His creation and the future that He is giving us through Jesus Christ.  Our time together should give us a glimpse of glory.  We are to remind each other that the circumstances of today are "momentary light affliction."  That a new day will dawn!  Look to the heavens for encouragement and joy!

 

 

 

God Rules!

Taken from  The Distant Beacon by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn.

"So you see that it was not just your plan for good that was thwarted, but God’s plan as well.”
“I mean that your Uncle Charles could have been quite in step with God’s plan for the Harrow estate.  You could have been in step with God’s plan too in your seeking to carry out your uncle’s intent.  But the evil one – he seeks only to alter, to destroy to engage all of the power at his disposal to keep God’s plans from being fulfilled.  He stops at nothing and uses anyone willing to be his tool.”

 Nicole’s “I see” was barely a whisper.

 “But one is not to despair over setbacks or inconveniences.  God is not blind.  Nor powerless.  He has other ways, other means.  Though the devil often appears to be the victor he is not.  Only momentarily at seeming advantage.  But the tide will turn.  God has other ways to accomplish His purposes.  He has not been blindsided, of that you can be certain.”

He leaned back in his chair and joined his hands over his ample girth.  His eyes took on a sparkle that Nicole hadn’t noticed before, “Quite frankly,” he said, “I find it invigorating.  Better than a game of chess.  Satan moves.  God checks.  God moves.  Satan counters.  It sometimes looks like check mate, but it never is.  Not for the enemy of our soul.  God always outplays him. Always.”

 “So you are saying –“

 “Wait, my dear.  Wait to see what God’s next move might be.”

 “You’re saying that God always rectifies?”

 “No,” said the pastor, “I am not saying that.  The evil one does destroy.  Does cause much pain and suffering and loss.  He does oppose and upset God’s plans for God’s people.  But this does not need to defeat us.  Because it does not defeat God.  His overall plan for mankind – to take us from a troubled earth to a perfect heaven – that will be accomplished for all who trust His way.  That is our hope.  We mustn’t let temporary setbacks in a temporary world cause us to retreat and fail to keep that hope alive.”

 

Rain

"The Lord sat as King at the flood;
Yes, the Lord sits as King forever."
Psalm 29:10

It's raining!  It has been raining for a week!  But here in West Texas we are not complaining!!  We are rejoicing for the life-giving moisture!  Thank you Lord! 

Rain can be a blessing when there is not enough water and God opens the windows of heaven.  But it can also be curse when there is too much rain and the floods come!  Just as rain can be a blessing or a curse, so it goes with other areas of our lives.  It is all about perspective and need!  Suffering comes because we live in Satan's world.  Are you complaining or praising?  Are you allowing your suffering to work as a curse or a blessing? 

Think about the flood.  The one most catastrophic event in world history.  It brought death and destruction to the entire population of earth except for 8 souls and the animals that survived.  It was a curse to those who lived at the time.  But now, as we look back, we can see it as a blessing.  God used it to wipe out the nephilim and the ungodly humans.  He gave humanity a chance to choose the right direction.  He formed the mountains, canyons, hills, and rivers that we stand in awe of.  Out of destruction came another chance (we humans still blew it!) and great beauty.  God was King then and He turned the greatest catastrophe into a blessing.

God is King now.  He can turn your greatest calamity into blessing as well.  Choose to believe that God is in control.  Choose to believe that He has a plan and a purpose for your life.  Choose to believe that He is good and wants good for you.  Choose to believe that He is King.  Then in the midst of your suffering you can remember that it is "momentary light affliction" compared to eternity.  Whether you are facing pain, death, death of a loved one, a broken relationship, a life changing event, or another form of suffering and change, know that God is in control and He loves you.  Choose praise!

Praise Before the Answer Comes

“Blessed be the Lord,

Because He has heard the voice of my supplication. 

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.”
Psalm 28:6-7

 David, as he does so often, complains to God as he is surrounded by evil doers but then he turns to God with prayers of supplication fully expecting God to answer.  His faith is such that he thanks God for answering before the answer is manifest in his life.  His faith is based upon God’s character (The Lord is my strength and my shield.)  He declares his trust in God and he praises God in the midst. 

 I know that my praise usually comes after the answer has been received – when things have turned a corner.  Oh that I learn to praise Him in the midst based on who He is and the relationship that I have with God.  He is my loving Father and King.  He is able.  He cares.  He hears.  He answers.  That will be my confession today!

 

God of Your Legacy

“It is not those who are healthy who need a physician,

but those who are sick;
I did not come to call the righteous,
but sinners.” - Jesus
Mark 2:17

Sometimes Christians who humbled themselves for their salvation begin to think that they can now do life in their own strength.  They begin to believe that they are so healthy that they don’t need their Savior any more.  True, we are born again, but unfortunately, as long as we are in this world, our souls and spirits and bodies are not whole and healthy.  Realize daily your need for the Great Physician.  He heals the hurts of life, of the body, soul, and spirit!  He gives comfort where needed and solves problems when called upon.  Don’t try to do it alone.  Recognize your need and go to the Doctor’s office!

God is there when you need Him.  I recall times throughout my life when He intervened for me with love and comfort and chastisements.  There was the time that my life was out of control as a young adult.  He called me back to Himself and the word.  When I yelled at my boys when they were young, He taught me that I didn't need to get rid of anger as much as to fill up with Him and His word and there would be no room for anger and yelling.  He brought me a dress and wrapped me in its folds when I was rejected by my parents and in-laws.  He brought dreams of healing and comfort as I tackled the hurts of my past.  He used a song and a story to draw me into His Father's lap at long last.  There is more that God has done to give me a legacy and a hope to hold onto and pass on. 

What about you?  What "God moments" can you cling to that reminds you of your great legacy in God?  Was it a salvation experience?  a healing experience?  a moment of divine comfort?  a knowing of His presence?  Ask Him.  He will give you these and so much more.  Go to Him and sit in His presence and dance before your King.  He loves you!!!

People of Your Legacy

“Make me know your ways, O Lord:

Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.”
Psalm 25:4

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Take the initiative, God can be found.  Seek Him out.  Ask Him the hard questions.  He is there and He loves you with a great and mighty love.

Your spiritual legacy includes people that poured themselves into your life.  People who were part of my legacy were Roland and Margaret, retired missionaries at the church that I walked to as a teenager, that handed me books to read (Through Gates of Splendor, Joni, The Hiding Place, etc...), Bob and Rose Zenk, a couple that led the youth at the church and modeled a Christian marriage and family to me, Lee and Glenda Stephenson, the pastor and his wife that taught me the importance of reading God's word, Tracy Halydier, my husband who showed me unconditional love that I might understand God's love, Leigh O'Malley, a faithful friend and prayer warrior, Ellen Moore, a Christian counselor and friend that walked me through forgiveness and encourages me, Joanne Caster, a fellow staff wife that loved me and listened to me and taught me to laugh, Sheri and Eric Friedrich who have been forever friends and still encourage and love us and who walked through all the stages of parenting with us and who daily model God's grace, and Kathy and Rick, faithful workers in god's kingdom.  There are others, but I thank these for their faithfulness and love.

Who has helped you establish a legacy to pass on?  Make sure that you tell them thank you and tell your children about the effect that these faithful saints have had on your life. 

Have you haelped or are you helping to set down a legacy of faith in someone else's life?  It may be your children, grandchildren, a niece or nephew, or a youth in your church.  You can impact a life for eternity by loving and modeling and including someone in your life.

Legacy t-shirts

Legacy t-shirts.

"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ." Philippians 3:7

It was so much fun to go back and research the pictures for our family crest.  Here is what I included.

The HALYDIER Crest

The halberds were weapons of war.  Someone who made halberds or who fought using a halberd was called a halberdier. 

COLORS:          Blue – truth and loyalty

                        Gold – generosity
                        Red – strength
                        Purple – royalty
                        Green -  hope, joy, loyalty in love

Symbols:          Apple – freedom, peace

                        Anchor – hope
                        Catherine wheel – one who is prepared to undergo great trials for their Christian                                                                   faith         
                        Cinquefoil – hope, joy
                        Holly leaf – truth
                        Hunting horn -  person of high and noble pursuits

Birth order:     1^st – heir, one who is born to lead, trustworthy
                        2^nd – one who has been enlightened, hope of glory
                        3^rd – divine quality bestowed by God
                        4^th – virtue and merit
                        5^th - fidelity