UNDERSTANDING.....

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea with the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians 4:31

Understanding will never bring you Peace.  That's why I have instructed you to trust in Me, not in  your understanding.  Human beings have a voracious appetite for trying to figure things out, in order to gain a sense of mastery over their lives.  But the world presents you with an endless series of problems.  As soon as you master one set, another pops up to challenge you.  The relief you had anticipated is short-lived.  Soon your mind is gearing up again:  searching for understanding (mastery), instead of seeking Me (your Master).

The wisest of all men, Solomon, could never thinks his way through to Peace.  His vast understanding resulted in feelings of futility, rather than in fulfillment.  Finally, he lost his way and succumbed to the will of his wives by worshiping idols.

My Peace is not an elusive goal, hidden at the center of some complicated maze.  Actually, you are always enveloped in Peace, which is inherent in My Presence.  As you look to Me, you gain awareness of this precious Peace.

"Jesus Calling - Finding Peace in His Presence"

COME TO ME FOR UNDERSTANDING

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, int he comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

Come to Me for understanding, since I know you far better than you know yourself.  I comprehend you in all your complexity; no detail of your life is hidden from Me.  I view you through eyes of grace, so don't be afraid of My intimate awareness.  Allow the Light of My healing Presence to shine into the deepest recess of your being - cleansing, healing, refreshing, and renewing you.  Trust Me enough to accept the full forgiveness that I offer you continually.  This great gift, which cost Me My Life, is yours for all eternity.  Forgiveness is at the very core of My abiding Presence.  I will never leave you or forsake you.

When no one else seems to understand you, simply draw closer to me.  Rejoice in the One who understands you completely and loves you perfectly.  As I fill you with My Love, you become a reservoir of love, overflowing into the lives of other people.

"Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence"

A Bruised Reed Will He Not Break

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

"A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench:  he shall bring forth judgment unto truth."          Isaiah  42:3

     To what end is pain?  I do not clearly know.  But I have noticed that when one who has not suffered draws near to one in pain there is rarely much power to help.  There is not the understanding that leaves the suffering things comforted, though perhaps not a word was spoken.  I have wondered if it can be the same in the sphere of prayer.

     Does pain accepted and endured give some quality that would otherwise be lacking in prayer?  Does it create sympathy which can lay itself alongside the need, feeling it as though it were personal, so that it is possible to do just what the writer of Hebrews meant when he said,  "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body"  (Hebrews  13:3)?

     "A bruised reed shall he not break"  (Isaiah  42:3).  The poorest shepherd boy on our South Indian hills is careful to choose, for the making of his flute, a reed that is straight and fine and quite unbruised.  But our heavenly Shepherd often takes the broken and the bruised, and of such He makes His flutes.

Understanding Will Never Bring You Peace

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31


UNDERSTANDING will never bring you Peace. That's why I have instructed you to trust in Me, not in your understanding. Human beings have a voracious appetite for trying to figure things out, in order to gain a sense of mastery over their lives. But the world presents you with an endless series of problems. As soon as you master one set, another pops up to challenge you. The relief you had anticipated is short-lived. Soon your mind is gearing up again: searching for understanding (mastery), in stead of seeking Me (your Master).
The wisest of all men, Solomon, could never think his way through to Peace. His vast understanding resulted in feelings of futility, rather than in fulfillment. Finally, he lost his way and succumbed to the will of his wives by worshiping idols.

My Peace is not an elusive goal, hidden at the center of some complicated maze. Actually, you are always enveloped in Peace, which is inherent in My Presence. As you look to Me, you gain awareness of this precious Peace.

From the book, "Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace In His Presence.

Calming Faith

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."  Psalm  23:2

     The sweet psalmist David sang of calming faith.  Lean in and listen to a line of this beloved recital:  "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

     Notice David sang of how the Lord "maketh" and the Lord "leadeth."  In other words, young David didn't come up with the idea to stop and rest in the lush pastureland.  His youthful vitality probably vied for  higher ground.  David was probably humming bee-bop, and the Lord was saying,  "Stop."  The Lord knew that the shepherd boy and the sheep needed a break.

     David then points out that he had to be led by the Lord to the still waters.  I wonder if David had to be led because he was naturally drawn to the excitement of the rushing waters?  It certainly is that way with us. Left to our own agendas, we either run at breakneck speeds right past the pasture, enamored with our frenzied pace, or sit in parched misery.  The Shepherd, who understands our naivete and our humanity (not to mention our sheeplike stupidity), intervenes on our behalf to guide us with a strong hand onto a quiet path and into a calmer faith.

     Yep, a calmer faith.  That's the quiet place within us where we don't get whiplash every time life tosses us a curve.  Where we don't revolt when his plan and ours conflict.  Where we relax (versus stew, sweat, and swear) in the midst of an answerless season.  Where we accept (and expect) deserts in our spiritual journey as surely as we do joy.  Where we are not intimidated or persuaded by other people's agendas but moved only by him.  Where we weep in repentance, sleep in peace, live in fullness, and sing of victory.

     Ultimately our life in Christ makes us winners.  And being winners in the Lord means that nothing we go through is for naught.  There is just something about knowing that my failures, others' failures, hardships, mistakes, losses, and pain have meaning.  For me, that understanding eases some of the agony of life and encourages me to keep on keeping on.

     If you asked those who know me well, they would tell you I am a reactive woman.  Often overstated in my responses, I have knots on my cranium from bouncing off ceilings.  I've always admired laid-back people (when I wasn't aggravated by their seeming lack of gumption).  I know I need to settle down, but I'm wired tightly.  Even though some of those wires seem frayed (like the ones that connect my thoughts), I can't nestle down in the green pastures long enough to enjoy the feast of His provision.  It's also difficult for me to stay at the water's edge to quench my thirst because I'm busy splashing around in the shallowness of my own agenda.  Imagine giving up Niagara Falls for a dripping faucet.

     I'm grateful the Lord maketh and the Lord leadeth, for I needeth in a big way!  I needeth the One who madeth me to holdeth me together.  When I am irrational, irksome, or irate, I need the Shepherd of this willful sheep to maketh me still and sane.  That way, instead of telling off tellers, I can extend courtesy.  Instead of setting my husband straight, I can extend understanding.  Instead of having all the answers, I can extend a listening ear.

     Perhaps that is why the Lord brought David to the pasture and the water's edge.  He knew this young boy would one day be an influential king, and he would need to know how to be still, understanding, attentive, courteous, and calm.  The Lord knew David would have to deal with critical issues both politically and personally.  He knew the king would need to know where to go when life became too much, when he needed to be restored in his soul, when he just plain needed a break.

     When you need a break, where do you tend to go?  The mountains?  A valley?  A pastureland?  The water's edge?

     Wherever each of us chooses, we all know what it feels like to be at rest.  And we all long for that more sane life-style rather than being overwhelmed.  But are we willing to leave the press long enough to lie down in the soothing green pastures and to be led by the still waters of His provision?  That, my friend, is not resort living but restored living.  And each of us needs it!

"Joy Breaks"

Living Peaceably

Come, sit, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the comfort of the Lord:  "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

       "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."  Romans  12:18

     This Scripture speaks of Christian forbearance and understanding - the quiet willingness to suffer wrong rather than to foster or continue discord by quarreling and brawling.

     Someone who had experienced great difficulty with an unreasonable neighbor, and who finally had to defend himself legally against the latter's unwarranted and dishonest actions, commented:  "I have tried to follow Romans 12:18, but in a case like this I thank the Lord for the 'escape clause' He has put into this text. He does not say we have to live peaceably with all men under every circumstance - for even the Lord recognizes that with some people this cannot be done.  Therefore, He says 'if it be possible' we should refrain from taking violent issue with those who oppose us.  - This is one of the rare cases in which I found it necessary to take other permissible measures."

     "How do wars begin?"  a boy once asked his father.  Not wishing to admit that his son's question was beyond him, the father replied,  "Well, take the first World War; that began because Germany invaded Belgium."  At his point his wife interrupted him,  "Tell the boy the truth.  It began because somebody was murdered."  The husband drew himself up with an air of superiority and retorted,  "Are you answering the question, or am I?"  Turning her back on her husband in a huff, the wife walked out of the room and slammed the door as hard as she could.  When the room stopped vibrating, an uneasy silence followed, broken at length by the son,  "Daddy, you needn't tell me how wars begin; I know now!"

     Are you quick to retaliate, or have you cultivated a peaceable spirit?  Jesus prayed for His enemies; do you?  Live peaceably this day.

"Bread For Each Day"