Friday, January 12, 2007

Total Trust


Grand Sweep Daily
Reading: Genesis 22, 23; Psalm 16

Psalm 16:11 (NIV)
11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Genesis 22:7-8 (NIV)
7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.

Good morning!

It was a long walk from Abraham’s home in Beersheba to Mount Moriah. Young Isaac held his father’s hand, as they traveled together along the way. What an incredible faith Abraham possessed. Young Isaac had total trust, not only in his earthly father, but in God. The faith of a child is a precious treasure. Isaac was his father’s priceless gem, the crown that had been promised to him by the Lord. Abraham loved his son more than he loved life itself. But Abraham loved the Lord even more, and he was willing to obey His command, even when it meant giving up his precious son.

Abraham became a parent at the tender age of eighty-six years, when Hagar bore Ishmael. The Lord kept His Word by giving Abraham a son with Sarah. Abraham was changing Isaac’s swaddling clothes at one hundred years of age. Can you imagine having an infant to care for at this juncture of your life? I am forty-eight years old and a proud grandparent of four. I anticipate that I may have the joy of becoming a great-grandparent in my late sixties or early seventies. When I turn one hundred years of age, I’m hoping to hold my great, great grandchildren in my arms. I would not want to even consider being a first-time parent at this stage of my life. Would you? After experiencing the birth of a son you had longed for, Isaac must have been the apple of Abraham’s eye. Can you imagine the torment Abraham must have felt on the three day journey to Mount Moriah? He was determined to obey God, even when the sacrifice seemed unbearable. Isaac, trusting his father implicitly, did not run when his father tied his hands and feet and placed him on the altar. Young Isaac was willing to become the sacrificial lamb, if the Father asked him to be. This child possessed more faith in his tender, young life than most of us enjoy after years of walking with the Lord. Every time I read this account in scripture, I am overwhelmed by the faith walk of Abraham and Isaac.

Letting go of our earthly treasure is a difficult thing to do, but it is not impossible. The Father wants to know how much we really love Him. Will we choose to obey Him, even when it hurts? What would you be willing to give up for the Lord, if He asked? Do you trust Him enough to let Him lead you into unfamiliar territory?

When Isaac asked his father about the missing sacrifice, Abraham said, “God Himself will provide the Lamb.” May the Lord give us greater faith to seek and know our precious sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ. He willingly laid His life down, taking our sin upon Himself, and freeing us from death and eternal separation. He died and rose again for you, and because He lives again, we can walk the path of life eternal. Just how much do you really trust God? Are you willing to wait upon the Lord?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: faith to trust God with your life more and more each day.
____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Sanctuary

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Genesis 20, 21; Psalm 15

Psalm 15 (NIV)
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Good morning!

It is a truly remarkable gift to be granted an audience with the Lord God Almighty. It is even more amazing that He makes Himself available to me whenever I call upon His holy name in prayer. I love spending time in His presence. It is important for me to remember and express who the Lord is. He is Jehovah-Jireh, my faithful provider, and His banner over me is love. The Lord is my righteousness and He sanctifies me day by day. He heals my body and spirit through the power of His blood. The Lord watches over me, walks with me, and lives in me. I am His precious child, and He is my risen King.

Psalm 15 is one of my favorite Psalms to pray. Who can dwell in your sanctuary, O Lord? Jesus Christ paid my cover charge on the cross of Calvary. He has given me admission into the holy sanctuary of God. Jesus Christ is my righteousness alone. He perfects my heart and sanctifies me through and through. His grace goes before me as I stand in the presence of the Holy One, allowing me to dwell in the presence of God. Without Christ’s perfect covering, there would be no relationship, and without this relationship, there is no life. Jesus said that no one can come to the Father ex

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Don't Look Back!

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Genesis 18, 19; Psalm 13, 14

Psalm 14:2-3 (NIV)
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Genesis 19:15-16 (NIV)
15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” 16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them.


Good morning!

Have you ever hesitated to answer when you knew without a doubt that God was calling your name? Maybe you felt led to volunteer your time to raise funds for a special charity at work, but you didn’t do it because you thought it would take up too much of your time. Why not take your vacation time to repair homes for the elderly living in your community? Suppose your pastor calls you on the telephone one evening and asks if you would consider making a sizeable donation to the crisis care center sponsored by your church. Do you find it hard to fork over a portion of your paycheck for the benefit of someone you may not know? Do you ever stop to think how your decision might affect you before you raise your hand, speak out, volunteer, or place your gift in the offering plate?

I confess there have been times when I’ve been crowned the queen of hesitation. I’m ashamed to admit there were moments when I pulled away, took a second look, and chose to run and hide rather than jump at the chance to serve my Lord. God continues to cleanse and purify the motivation and desires of my heart. When the Father looks at me, will He find a pure and holy vessel that He can inhabit, or will He uncover an apathetic and sin sick soul? Will the Lord hear me praying for His will to become my own, or will He find me demanding to have my own way?

Life in a corrupt and toxic environment left Lot a pathetic witness for God. Lot knew better. The perverse culture he had grown accustomed in had left him spiritually bankrupt. Lot became complacent and comfortable, surrounded by a lifestyle of sin in the city of Sodom. Lot had compromised his belief system for so long that when he finally did take a stand for God, his own family didn’t pay him any attention. Lot’s wife and daughters found it hard to believe that God might destroy their beloved city. When the angels instructed Lot to take his family and run for their lives, Lot hesitated. Why would he stop to think when they were in imminent danger? Was it not obvious to him?

The angels took Lot by the hand and rushed his family to safety. God showed great mercy to Lot and his family, especially in light of their hesitation to be obedient. The prayers and petitions of Lot’s Uncle Abraham effected God’s offer of mercy and grace when Lot certainly did not deserve it. Unfortunately, Lot’s wife couldn’t resist looking back. What was she looking for? Could she not turn away from the sin of her past and focus on the future ahead? Scripture says that when Lot’s wife looked back, she became a pillar of salt.

We live in a world where wrong seems right and complacency thrives. Will you choose to follow God without hesitation? Will you answer when He calls your name?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com


Pray for: the gumption to move forward in faith and not look back. Do not hesitate to take hold of God’s hand, and run with Him today.
____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

The God who sees me

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Genesis 16-17; Psalm 12

Genesis 16:13 (NIV)13 She [Hagar] gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

Good morning!

Have you ever felt like God is watching you? If you have, then maybe you were comforted knowing His watchful eye is always there to protect you. Maybe you feel a bit uncomfortable knowing God is watching your every move. What if He sees the mistakes you make; the things you might not want Him to know about? Maybe you would prefer that God not see everything you say and do. Once when our grandson Jett stayed with us overnight, we were saying our bedtime prayers together. I asked Jesus to send his angels to come and watch over Jett while he slept. On that particular night, Jett sat straight up in the middle of the prayer and stated in a matter-of-fact tone, “Grandma Debbie, you can tell Jesus and his angels to go home now. I don’t want them to watch me sleep!”

There was a time when God’s watchful eye brought me great comfort. Many years ago, I was an in-patient at a local hospital, recovering from surgery. Our family lived approximately sixty miles from this hospital, and my husband Jeff was trying to care for me while seeing to the needs of our three young children at home. He was only able to visit me during the day for about an hour, and then he would have to leave the hospital and drive back home to be there for the children after school. I did not want to be alone in that room, especially at night, without Jeff there to help me. I was too sick to get up and move around without assistance. As I laid there, I prayed for the Lord to stay with me. I asked Him to hold my hand and calm my fear. A street light would shine through my window at night and it was bright enough to light up the walls of my room. Directly across from the bed and hanging next to the Crucifix on the wall, was a portrait of an angel. In the lamp light, I could see the warm glow of her face. She had the kindest eyes, and a smile that made me feel safe and protected. Her arms were outstretched as she watched over a little girl who appeared to be lost and wandering alone in the middle of the woods. I would doze off at night gazing at that picture. I was comforted by the angel who was watching over me, and I was able to close my eyes and rest.


Several weeks after I returned home, I mentioned to Jeff just how comforting that picture was to me. He did not recall seeing the picture. In fact, he insisted the portrait did not exist. One weekend while we were visiting the sick, Jeff and I stopped on the floor of the hospital where I had previously stayed. I asked the charge nurse if I could revisit my former room so that we could see the angel picture together. The nurse smiled at me as she walked us down the corridor. When we entered the room, the picture was gone. Only the Crucifix remained. The charge nurse said she recalled other patients who had previously stayed on the floor having seen the mysterious disappearing picture. They described the angel exactly the way I had, and she believed that this traveling portrait appeared to the sick to bring them an extra measure comfort and peace. It took ten years for me to locate a print of the picture I had remembered seeing during my stay at the hospital. This angel picture hangs in our parsonage today, and every time I look at it, I thank God for sending me a special angel when I really needed one.

Hagar, an Egyptian maidservant, submitted to Sarai’s wish to give Abram the child he had long hoped for. At Sarai’s request, Abram took Hagar to be his wife, and she became pregnant. Hagar’s jealousy toward Sarai spurred a conflict between the two of them, and Sarai mistreated her. An angel appeared to Hagar at the spring near the desert where she was found hiding from her mistress. The angel told Hagar to return home and submit to her. He announced that Hagar would indeed bear Abram’s son, and that his name would be Ishmael. Hagar named her angel, “You are the God who sees me.” She obeyed the angel and returned to Abram and Sarai, knowing she was not alone, and that the Lord had sent a special angel to keep watch over her.

God is with you. He sees everything. He hears everything. He knows everything. And He is there just when you need Him the most. Be comforted in His holy presence. Look up! You may see a special angel watching over you today.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: comfort in knowing you are never alone. God is with you all the time, and if you seek Him, He will find you just when you need Him the most.

______________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Monday, January 08, 2007

The gift that keeps on giving

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Genesis 14-15; Psalm 11

Genesis 15:1, 6 (NIV)
1 After this, the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
6 Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.

Romans 4:20-25 (NIV)
20 Yet he [Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him [Abraham] alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness – for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Good morning!

Did you receive a gift card from a loved one at Christmas? Gift cards are popular for so many reasons. They are easy for the gift-giver to purchase. The gift card allows the recipient an opportunity to pick out a gift they really want or can use. Gift cards can buy food, gasoline, groceries, and clothing. Depending on where the gift card may be redeemed determines where the recipient of the gift card might shop. This allows the gift giver to somewhat direct the recipient in the purchase of their gift. Gift cards are fun to use, because the holder of the card has received a credit balance to spend whenever they need it. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Abram a/k/a Abraham was an amazing man of God. Scripture teaches that Abram placed his total faith in God and trusted Him with his life. Because of Abram’s faith, God credited his life with righteousness, and that gift was seen redeemed over and over again by Abram in his daily walk with the Lord.

What is the righteousness of God? Righteousness is an attribute of our Father, identifying His character as being fair, holy, and unswervingly faithful. It is an awesome gift when God recognizes and acknowledges the quality of right-standing and holiness in the character of His children, who continually place their lives in His care. There is no doubt that God loved Abram. God gave Abram the gift that keeps on giving, the gift of His righteousness.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He extends the robe of righteousness to cover our life. We are able to stand before God clothed in the mercy and grace of Jesus. This is a present none of us deserve. The gifts of God are priceless treasures, far more valuable than any material possession we may acquire in our lifetime. His gifts are eternal, and when we receive them, we can draw from its surplus every minute of every day. It is like having a gift card that never expires; it is limitless in value, and carries us from this earthly life into the eternal presence of God, where we will live with Him forever.

Check out Abram’s story in scripture. You can read about his life in Genesis 11-25, Exodus 2:24, Acts 7:2-8, Romans 4, Galatians 3, and Hebrews 2, 6, 7, and 11. Abram’s faith moved him from tradition and observance into a deep and lifelong relationship with the Lord. God credited Abram with His righteousness. We can receive His righteousness today, if we ask for it.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the righteousness of Jesus Christ to cover you day by day, as you place your faith in Him. God’s gift is given just for you. Will you receive Him?
____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Trouble sleeping?

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Genesis 12-13; Psalm 10

Psalm 10:17-18 (NIV)
17 You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, 18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Psalm 77:1-4 (NIV)
1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. 3 I remembered you O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. 4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak.

Matthew 7:33-34 (NIV)
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Good morning!

Do you have trouble sleeping? Most of the time, I can fall asleep within minutes of laying my head on the pillow. It is a wonderful blessing to be able to sleep peacefully at night. I have found great comfort in reciting scripture while I’m falling asleep. One of my favorite scriptures is the invitation of Jesus to His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” That little nugget can be found in the Book of Mark. Check out Chapter 6, verse 31.

There are times when the Lord wakes me from a sound sleep simply to pray. He may call me to stay up and pray, seeking His face throughout the night. My soul rests in the protection of His hand, especially in the dark, when the only sounds I hear come from the ticking of the clock on the fireplace mantle and an occasional recycling noise from the water softener in our basement. Jesus reminds me that He is with me, not only in the moments when I am consciously awake and thinking about Him, but He remains with me even when I’m sleeping. My soul continues to cry out to Him, and He hears each and every prayer. I can rest peacefully in His divine protection. I am never separated from His love.

The best prayers I know are found in the words given to us in Scripture. My thoughts are simple and insignificant compared to His holy Word, that is steeped in the Spirit and so much higher than anything I can even begin to comprehend. We should remember to pray the Word at all times. It is appropriate in every circumstance. His Word brings rest to my weary soul, and a peace that surpasses my wildest hopes and dreams.

If you find yourself all worked up when it’s time to go to sleep; if you are worrying about tomorrow or what the morning light may bring, lay your burdens down at the foot of the cross. Give your life’s worries to Jesus. Especially when you experience moments of distress and grief, seek the Lord’s holy face in prayer. He will hear the groaning of your soul, and you will find your comfort and rest in Him alone.

Won’t you come away with Jesus today? He will take you to a quiet place so you can get some rest.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com


Pray for: peace that passes all understanding. Pray for a quiet place to rest in the safety and shelter of Christ. Cast all of your burdens on Him, because He cares so very much for you.
____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.