The Promise Of A Less Hectic Life

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


“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”   John 10:10 (ESV)

For years I took pride in being overly busy.

Between the needs of family, work, home and church my days were filled to overflowing. Although my schedule was chaotic and I was nuts, I preferred to think of myself as a “highly productive person.”

Friends would ask, “How do you manage all you do?” And I’d respond with a humble-brag, “I guess I’m just wired that way.”

My heart did a little pitter-patter at the recognition of my work, at their respect of my achievements. I hungered for that type of response; it fueled me to keep pressing on.

But in the quiet of my day, my to-do list whispered another truth. The truth that glares at me and says I haven’t done it all. I knew this truth but chose to avoid it. It was easier to find excuses and place blame because, after all, I was “really busy.”

My friends don’t see that side of me. They have the advantage of seeing all I get done; not what’s left undone. But I do.

Perhaps you know this feeling too. No matter how much you accomplish, what bothers you most is what you didn’t finish. That long list of to-do’s (whether it’s on paper or just rolling around in your mind) keeps you up at night.

A lot of undone work includes mundane, everyday tasks like cleaning up, making a menu for the week or paying bills.

But there’s more. There are the dreams we cannot touch. Vacations we don’t plan. Time we want to be intentional with those we love, including God, but can’t seem to manage.

A few years ago I thought I was having a panic attack. I sat on my couch feeling a heavy weight on my chest. It was hard to breathe, and anxiety simmered, but there was no apparent threat. However, looming deadlines, a demanding home business, part-time work and mounting emails beckoned while five kids wondered, When will dinner be ready … and are there any clean socks?

My life felt out-of-control. I was burned out from having too much to do, and always feeling behind. The fear of disappointing someone chased me constantly. I was busy, but simply didn’t know how to stop the endless cycle.

Turns out I didn’t have an anxiety problem. I had an over-commitment problem.

In order to start making changes, I had to honestly face some hard things about myself. My hunger for significance drove me to take on more than I could handle. But the satisfaction of completing a task was momentary and shallow, leaving me with a hectic life and a hollow soul.

Before I could live the less-hectic life I desperately longed for, I had to address the root issue of my heart’s need. And part of that was identifying the lie that drove me to overwork.

Jesus promised an abundant life, but also told us there is an enemy plotting our downfall: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

And our enemy, “the thief,” is also a liar, always twisting the truth. So while Jesus promised an abundant life, Satan spins it so we think that life is found in an abundance of activity and commitments. Only too late do we realize that life steals from us what’s best … room to breathe, focus and space in our schedules to fulfill our God-given priorities.

The abundant life Jesus offers isn’t filled with to-do’s. Tasks satisfy from the outside in, never reaching the core of who we are. Jesus’ satisfies from the inside out, as we experience the depth of His love, purpose and peace.

It took a year of trimming my responsibilities before I experienced the abundant life Jesus promised. I’ve discovered that doing less actually makes me feel more significant when I’m not seeking achievements to fill my heart.

Jesus promises a less-hectic life, and it’s a promise He can fulfill when we look to Him to fill our days, instead of an endless to-do list.

Heavenly Father, You never assigned me to live a hectic, harried life. A life found in You isn’t characterized by checks on a list, but in an abundance of love and joy. Help me find my significance in You alone, and live a less-hectic life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

This post comes from Glynnis Whitwer from the website:  Proverbs 31 Ministries.

True Friends

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


          True friends don't sympathize with your weakness - they help summon your strength.

"Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings.  He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God."     Colossians  4:12

Pride

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


                                   The bigger a man's head the easier it is to fill his shoes.

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.  Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to plunder with the proud."    Proverbs  16: 18,19

Flirting With The World

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

How dangerous it is when our souls are gasping for God but we’re too distracted flirting with the world to notice. Flirting will give you brief surges of fun feelings but will never really pull you in and hold you close. Indeed, the world entices your flesh but never embraces your soul. All the while, the only love caring enough to embrace us and complete enough to fill us, waits.

He waits every day with every answer we need, every comfort we crave, every affection we’re desperate for, while we look everywhere else but at Him. The gaps are filled. The heartache is eased. The provision is ready. The needs are met. The questions are answered. The problems are solved.

Fully.
Completely.
Perfectly.
In Him. With Him. By Him.

We just have to turn to Him. And sit with Him. No matter what. Even if our toes are bloody from the constant wear and tear of desperately running to Him. Get to Him daily.

How it must break His heart when we walk around so desperate for a love He waits to give us each and every day.

From the website:  Proverbs 31 Ministries - Lysa TerKeurst #UninvitedBook

Live First and Foremost .....

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

LIVE FIRST AND FOREMOST in My Presence. Gradually you will become more aware of Me than of people and places around you. This awareness will not detract from your relationships with others. Instead, it will increase your ability to give love and encouragement to them. My Peace will permeate your words and demeanor. You will be active in the world, yet one step removed from it. You will not be easily shaken, because My enveloping Presence buffers the blow of problems.

This is the path I have set before you. As you follow it wholeheartedly, you experience abundant Life and Peace.

Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence.

Words For The Weary

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

"The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary."   Isaiah 50:4

A few days after his father died, 30-year-old C. S. Lewis received a letter from a woman who had cared for his mother during her illness and death more than two decades earlier. The woman offered her sympathy for his loss and wondered if he remembered her. “My dear Nurse Davison,” Lewis replied. “Remember you? I should think I do.”

Lewis recalled how much her presence in their home had meant to him as well as to his brother and father during a difficult time. He thanked her for her words of sympathy and said, “It is really comforting to be taken back to those old days. The time during which you were with my mother seemed very long to a child and you became part of home.”

When we struggle in the circumstances of life, an encouraging word from others can lift our spirits and our eyes to the Lord. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah wrote, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary” (50:4). And when we look to the Lord, He offers words of hope and light in the darkness.

Heavenly Father, help me to hear Your word of hope today. And help me to speak words of hope and encouragement to others, pointing them to You.

From the website:  Daily Bread

Walk With ME.....

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

WALK WITH ME in the freedom of forgiveness. The path we follow together is sometimes steep and slippery. If you carry a burden of guilt on your back, you are more likely to stumble and fall. At your request, I will remove the heavy load from you and bury it at the foot of the cross. When I unburden you, you are undeniably free! Stand up straight and tall in My Presence, so that no one can place more burdens on your back. Look into My Face and feel the warmth of My Love-Light shining upon you. It is this unconditional Love that frees you from both fears and sins. Spend time basking in the Light of My Presence. As you come to know Me more and more intimately, you grow increasingly free.

Jesus Calling - Enjoying Peace in His Presence.

Does Your Roof Leak?

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


"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; ... they shall not overflow thee."    Isaiah 43:2


In an old book by Dr. Watson, written in 1696, I found this paragraph: "Sharp afflictions are to the soul as a soaking rain to the house. We know not that there are such holes in the roof, till the shower comes, and then we see it drop down here and there. Perhaps we did not know that there were such unmortified cuts in our soul, till the storm of afflictions came, then we found unbelief, impatience, and carnal fear dropping down in many places." How true it is that affliction tests us and proves what sort of Christians we are. If there are defects in our spiritual armor, they will show up best under the strain and pressure of trouble.

When the flood-gates of distress are opened and the trials come thick and fast, it is then we echo with understanding the words of the psalmist who exclaimed in his anxiety, "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul" (Psalm 69:1). Yet we need not fear, for it is our loving Heavenly Father who holds the "waters in the hollow of His hand" and who metes them out in sufficient quantities to cleanse us - to indicate where our "spiritual roof" needs repairing - but never enough to overflow us or drown us.

Have you been passing through deep waters? Have you been disturbed, irritated, faithless, fearful, or rebellious? Realize then that God no doubt put you through this difficulty to reveal to you your spiritual needs. By prayer, faith, and yielding to the Holy Spirit, repair the "leaky roof of your testimony."

Bread For Each Day M.R.DeHaan, M.D. and H.G.Bosch

Don't Fix Stupid With Stupid

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, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

Don’t make matters worse by doing something you’ll regret. Years ago, a friend gave me this counsel: “Make a list of all the lives you would impact through your sexual immorality.” I did. Every so often I re-read it. Denalyn. My three daughters. My son-in-law. My yet-to-be-born grandchildren. Every person who’s ever read one of my books or heard my sermons. My publishing team. Our church staff. The list reminds me: one act of carnality is a poor exchange for a lifetime of lost legacy.

You don’t fix a struggling marriage with an affair, a drug problem with more drugs. You don’t fix stupid with stupid. Do what pleases God. Turbulent times will tempt you to forget Him. Shortcuts will lure you. Don’t be foolish and don’t be naïve. Do what pleases God. Nothing more, nothing less!

From: "You’ll Get Through This" By Max Lucado

The Real Problem ...

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 , with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31


“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."   Ephesians  6:10-11

Not long ago, a couple came for marriage counseling with a lengthy list of all the issues they were facing. It must have had at least 30 things on it.

I felt instantly depressed as I watched them pull out that list. How am I ever going to help them solve so many issues? I thought, as they began to read every item.

On and on they read, naming what sounded like legitimate sources of conflict. I could easily see why they weren’t getting along.

Once the couple finished reading, the husband handed me the list and I faced a decision: Would I go through this list with them and provide input on each issue, or would I address the real source of their conflict?

I looked at the list. Then I looked at the couple.

Both of them had hopelessness — even anger — written all over their faces. Then I looked back at the list, carefully and thoughtfully penned.

And I tore it up.

Right there in front of them. You can imagine what their faces looked like then.

They’d taken time to prepare this list for our meeting, and I had just shredded it.

I leaned toward them and said, “We could talk about these 30 things, but nothing will ultimately change in your marriage, because this one thing is missing: the spiritual foundation of your relationship.

“Without establishing and maintaining a solid spiritual relationship, your list of 30 things, once solved, will just morph into another 30, and you’ll wind up back here the same time next year with another list of things to solve.”

I could tell they were listening intently, so I continued. “Get this one thing right, and all the other things will fall into place. Get a divine perspective on your marriage as the foundation for your home, and you’ll discover who your true enemy is — and it is not each other.”

Fights in our marriages assume that our spouses are the problem.

And that’s exactly what the devil wants.

He wants me to believe my spouse is the problem — not my own selfishness. He knows I will never fix the real problem if I believe my mate is the problem.

But ultimately, my spouse is not my enemy, nor the problem. The problem is a spiritual one brought on by my own sinful flesh, and a rebellious, clever enemy of God.

So much of what we fight about in marriage has nothing to do with the real issue. There’s almost always something deeper — an unmet need, a lack of trust, a lack of respect, etc. These are the root of our problems and fights.

However, what makes a marriage strong is loving with a biblical love grounded in patience, kindness, loyalty, grace, and in alignment with God’s covenantal purpose for marriage.

Often things we fight about have to do with our own sinful choices, as well as the demonic realm working against us. When we fail to make a spiritual connection to everything that goes on in marriage, we’ll continue to rant about whatever the current issue is.

That’s why I must commit my marriage to prayer and cultivate a real relationship in humility while seeking God’s wisdom and guidance and asking for His love, grace and mercy.

God’s Word reminds us to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11).

I’m happy to say that when the couple I mentioned earlier sought to view each other and their relationship through God’s eyes, they made every attempt to cultivate and keep their marriage.

Over time I saw the wife’s countenance lift as if she were becoming a brand-new woman. I also saw the husband enjoy a relationship with his wife that had brought him dread. To this day, they are living the fullness of a life together, in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God supplies the strength we need to successfully do battle in our marriages. So let’s use the difficulties we face to get on our knees and seek God’s face to grow closer to Him.

Dear Lord, I know that decisions made apart from Your wisdom notoriously wind up causing more harm than good. Help me seek You first, identify the true enemy in my marriage and suit up in the full armor You’ve provided so I can stand firm in the truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

From the website:  "Proverbs 31" by Dr. Tony Evans.

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.

Rejoice In The Lord

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


                                            "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord."
                                                                                        Philippians  3:1

     The only thing that can bring unfailing joy to the soul is to understand and know God.  This is only plain common sense.  Everything for us depends upon what He is.  He has created us, and put us in our present environment, and we are absolutely in His power.  If He is good and kind, we shall be well cared for and happy; if He is cruel and wicked, we must necessarily be miserable.  Just as the welfare of any possession depends upon the character and temper and knowledge of its owner, so does our welfare depend upon the character and temper and knowledge of God.  The child of a drunken father can never find any lasting joy in its poor little possessions, for at any minute the wicked father may destroy them all.  A good father would be infinitely more to the child than the most costly possessions.  And, similarly, none of our possessions could be of the slightest worth to us, if we were under the dominion of a cruel and wicked God.  Therefore, for us to have any lasting joy, we must come to the place where we understand and know "the Lord which exercises loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth."

     When all else is gone God is still left.  Nothing changes Him.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  And the soul that finds its joy in Him alone, can suffer no wavering.

Boundaries

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  4:31Boundaries

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another."   Galatians  5:13

     The morning had been fairly routine - until I discovered the bird trapped in the family room.

     Perched quivering on the arm of the couch, the pathetic little bird splattered pale droplets of fear on the upholstery.  At my startled sound, he took flight, crashing first into one window and then another.  Finally, exhausted, he clutched a ledge for a brief and trembling rest before trying to break free again.

     Then a surprising thing happened.  From outside, another sparrow hopped toward the open door.  He moved right up to the doorjamb, loudly chirping the way to freedom.  And it worked.

     As his trapped friend paused, he heard and cocked his feathered head, riveting his attention to the liberating call.  He jumped from the couch arm, to the cushion, to the floor.  He listened, not yet seeing, but following the call closer and closer.  Then one more hop and he was out with his friend, flying free.

Think Biblically

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

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children."    Deuteronomy  6:6-7

     Personal choices encompass every aspect of life.  When these reflect the secure absolutes of truth found in God's Word, stability is ensured.  Confusion, instability, despair, and hopelessness flow from building one's life on anything other than God's Word.  Even good things we cherish like church and family traditions, the wise sayings of respected persons, or the practical insights of leaders cannot supply the foundation or substitute for the security that only God's Word can provide.

     So how can we help?  By evaluating our thoughts, considerations, and decisions against the truth of God's Word and by helping those with whom we are in contact, both Christian and non-Christian, to begin to search God's Word and "think Biblically."  We don't need to impose our thinking upon them or attempt to force them to agree with our conclusions of faith.  We simply lead them to our Teacher.  The Holy Spirit will teach them His truth.  They need only seek Him.

     Our role is to guide, leading them to the One who holds all truth:  Jesus.  Truly He is "the way, the truth, and the life."  So the next time you're unsure of God's will in light of decisions you must make or actions you must take, seek God in the Word.  He never contradicts His Word, and His ways are always without error.

Discovering God's Will

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

              "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."
                                                                                                                 Ephesians  5:17

     Before we can address the questions we have about God's specific will, we must look at how we are leading our lives in light of His revealed will.  Take God's command that we walk in love.  If, after a tough day, I snap at my family and take out my frustration on them in a hateful way, I'm obviously not living in God's will.

    If I'm not obeying the revealed will of God, it isn't likely that I will receive further instruction on the specific choices I face in my life.  That would be like asking for directions when I hold a road map in my hands
.
     Once we've made a concentrated effort to know and follow God's revealed will, we can ask for His direction on the specifics in our life - those forks in the road.  Fortunately, we can relax a little on knowing God's specific will for one simple reason - one many of us overlook.  Discerning God's specific will is not a mystery game where He's trying to hold something back from us.  Often we feel we must go through layers and layers, all the time wondering,  "Will God really let me know about this?" when all along God is saying, "I'll show you."  He is a God who loves us and wants us to find His will.  We just need to have an open heart to His leading.

The Bride Awakens

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

  "I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on?  I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?"                     Song Of Solomon  5:3

     She does not see what it means to refuse to open the door to Him, for she is so nearly asleep, that her senses and discernment are clouded.  Her own trouble, and what it will mean for her to rise and let Him in, are filling her mind, crowding out the apprehension of the sin she is committing.  Her delay in opening the door does not look so heinous to her, for she knows that she loves Him; she would rejoice if He were within. She really desires to have Him within and longs to enter into that closer communion to which He is inviting and urging her.

     Dear child of God, for what trifles have you and I repulsed our Lord when He has knocked upon our door and called us to rise up to higher ground?  When He has called us to wait upon Him, and we found that it was hard to enter in, how quickly have we left our knees and gone away.  We do not apprehend that He is calling us to get into the place where He can do something for us.

     It only needs a few repulses through some trifle or selfish reason, and sleep will prevail.  In the end, the bride loses what God is offering her and misses the blessing and revelation that He is waiting to bring her.  The best God has for her, she carelessly lets fall from indolent and powerless fingers.

To Pray In The Name Of Jesus

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

"And whatesoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."     John  14:13

     What is it to pray in Christ's name?  There is nothing mystical or mysterious about this expression.  If one will go through the Bible and examine all passages in which the expression 'in My name' or 'in His name' or synonymous expressions are used, he will find that it means just about what it does in modern usage.  If I go to a bank and hand in a check with my name signed to it, I ask of that bank in my own name.  If I have money deposited in that bank, the check will be cashed; if not, it will not be.  If, however, I go to the bank with somebody else's name signed to the check, I am asking in his name, and it does not matter whether I have money in that bank or any other; if the person whose name is signed to the check has money there, the check will be cashed.  So it is when I go to the bank of heaven, when I go to God in prayer.  I have nothing deposited there, I have absolutely no credit there, and if I go in my own name I will get absolutely nothing. But Jesus has unlimited credit in heaven, and He has granted to me the privilege of going to the bank with His name on my checks; and when I thus go, my prayers will be honored to any extent.

Personality Plus Power Produces Positive People

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

     "But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him"                      1 Corinthians  12:18

     God made each one of us different, so we could function in our own role.

     I learned this principle personally through the experience with my two brain - damaged sons.  Each one was beautiful to look at.  They had bright - blue eyes, blond hair, turned - up noses, dimpled chins.  They had normal arms and legs that moved, but they did not have normal brains.  They looked all right on the outside but without a brain, nothing worked.

     A lot of us are like my boys - we look all right on the outside, but without Christ as our head, nothing much is working.

     Have you ever had a friend whom you loved so much that you wanted to be with him all the time and get to know him better every day?  Has his presence lit up your life, so you felt energized, just being close?  Have you watched him so closely and followed him so much that you've almost become like him?  Jesus wants that kind of relationship with you.  He wants you to get to know Him better by reading His Words and talking to Him; He wants you to feel His power in your life so you can overcome your weakness.  He wants you so spend so much time together that you become like Him.

Receiving God's Thoughts

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

     "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,  declares the Lord."                                                                                                                                                Isaiah  55:8

     A mother was tucking her young son into bed.  "Have you said your prayers?"  she asked.  "No," the boy replied.  "Why not?"  the mother asked.  "Because there was nothing I wanted."

     We may smile at that story, but children aren't the only ones to treat prayer as primarily a way of getting what they want.  God does want us to bring our needs to Him in prayer, but prayer is more than that.  We come in prayer not to get God to do our will, but to open ourselves to doing His will.

     Our time of reflecting on God's Word is a chance to get away from our own words and thoughts to receive God's thoughts, to learn from Him.

     In prayer we open ourselves "to a transformation of conscience and consciousness with all that can lead to.  One's life will never be the same again"  (Basil Pennington).  Our time of prayer may lead us to see ourselves or others in a new light.  We may receive a new insight, or peace of mind, or a call to a specific action.

     Sometimes it may seem that we receive nothing from our time of prayer.  That's all right too.  Sometimes it's enough just to be close to God, just because we love Him.

Through Life's Changes

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 me, with all malice."  Ephesians  4:31

         "But I trusted in thee, O Lord:  I said,  Thou art my God.  My times are in thy hand."
                                                                                                                      Psalm  31:14-15

     Everything that is good and perfect when it comes from You, O Lord and Creator.  How great are Your fullness and wonder.  You shine on my life day and night with no shadow of turning away.  Thank You for keeping the promises you gave in Your Word.  You never forsake, You never fail.  You are truth, You are life.

     When I go through life's changes, I sometimes find myself getting way off base.  But You snatch me from destructive situations.  Thank You for being here.  At times I can't see why things happen the way they do.  But You know, and You are still here.  Thank You for being patient with me.  Thank You for how Your compassion and love never fail.

     I'm growing in my walk with You.  Because of all You teach me, I'm learning to give my joys, my worries, my disappointments, my goals, and dreams to You.  They are all in Your sure hands.  Lord, You are first now in everything I do and plan.

     What a comfort to know You will live forever and ever, and that I can always be with You.  You have promised to always be my God, and keep me Your child.  Through eternity, I cling to You, the Rock of my salvation.  I shall never fear, for You are with me.  You are first, last, always, my God and my dearest Friend.

If I belittle.....

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

        "Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire."
                                                                                                                       James  3:5-6

     If, in any way, I belittle those who I am called to serve...
     if I talk of their weak points in contrast, perhaps, with what I think of as my stronger points...
     if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting to consider the wisdom of the voice that asks me, inwardly,  "Who made you different from the one you are criticizing - and what do you have that you have not been given?"
     if I can easily discuss the shortcomings of the sins of any man or woman...
     if I can speak in an offhanded way, even of a child's wrongdoing....then I know nothing of Calvary love.

My Father, how often do my words "singe" someone else?  (And how much time do I spend thinking critically about another - so that nothing but words that singe come out?)
     Today, Lord, work in me.  Change the thought-life in me when I strip others of dignity...or reduce them point by point...in order to build myself up.
     And give me your voice, to speak words of value...admiration...encouragement...compassion...true kindness.

Amy  Charmichael

Called To A Greater Separation

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


"Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck."    Song of Solomon 4:9

     How dull we are when it comes to a realization of the love of Christ.  We are like little children who watch the beautiful colors and dazzling lights in a priceless diamond, but know not its value.  We have no conception of what it cost our Lord to purchase redemption for mankind; we know not His suffering.  We shall never know the anguish that broke His heart as He hung on the cross, deserted by all who had claimed to love Him.

     Oh, that we might love Him more!  It seems that He demands so little from us in comparison with what He has given us. Even a little turning of our love toward Him, and His heart responds to us, and the warmth of His love sweeps over us like flaming billows.  Even a little turning of our faces toward Him with determination to go on into all He has bought for us, and He hastens to meet us.

The Survival Float

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

Sunlight glittered on the swimming pool in front of me. I overheard an instructor speaking to a student who had been in the water for quite a while. He said, “It looks like you’re getting tired. When you’re exhausted and in deep water, try the survival float.”

Certain situations in life require us to spend our mental, physical, or emotional energy in a way that we can’t sustain. David described a time when his enemies were threatening him and he felt the emotional weight of their anger. He needed to escape the distress he was experiencing.

As he processed his feelings, he found a way to rest in his troubled thoughts. He said, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you” (Ps. 55:22). He recognized that God supports us if we dare to release our problems to Him. We don’t have to take charge of every situation and try to craft the outcome—that’s exhausting! God is in control of every aspect of our life.

Instead of trying to do everything in our own effort, we can find rest in God. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking Him to handle our problems. Then we can pause, relax, and enjoy the knowledge that He is sustaining us.

God, today I give my problems to You. I know that You are in control of everything and I believe You are willing to help me. Please help me to find peace in You.
From the website:  "Our Daily Bread"

Humble Tasks

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

                              "Who despises the day of small things?"    Zechariah  4:10

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble.  The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker. - - Helen Keller

True Friends

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

       "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."  Romans  12:15

True friends have no solitary joys or sorrows.  Both are shared.  In the hour of peace and gladness, what is our want?  Friendship.  When our hearts overflow with gratitude, what is our need?  A friend.  When distress haunts us and misery walks by our side, where do we turn?  To friends.  Friends to share.  Friends to bear.

Moving Into A Better Measurement

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

  “As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love.” John 15:9 (HCSB)

For a checklist-loving girl, there’s nothing quite as frustrating as feeling you’re getting nothing accomplished.
In fact, for much of my life, here’s how I processed my days: No check-marks. → No progress. → No worth.

I determined my value by what I produced. Consequently, I often bore the soul-crushing weight of my own disapproval. Times like:

When I used three-fourths of a day to feed and care for an infant without even accomplishing a shower.
When my toddlers dismantled the house faster than I could put it back together.
When I moved to a new place and the phone stopped ringing and my calendar remained empty.

Those periods were a struggle because when I didn’t do enough, I thought I wasn’t enough. I let my work define my value. Maybe you’ve been there too.

Young mom, you love your children madly, but life’s joy drains out of the holes you poke in yourself.

Single friend, you know there are upsides to singleness, but it feels like a trap that keeps you from building the future you’d prefer.

Newbie neighbor, instead of seeing new possibilities in your new home, you feel stuck in grieving the old one.

Sick sister, your body needs rest, but you feel like a failure as you lay on your bed.

But the saddest part happens when we start believing God views us with the same disappointment we view ourselves. After all, we even express our spiritual life in terms like “faith walk” and “journey,” which implies forward movement. We start to view Him as the One pushing us along and measuring us by our work — a divine Project Manager in the sky. That belief left me wrongly feeling like His laborer instead of His daughter … His friend.

In today’s key verse, John, the beloved disciple, records this instruction from Jesus: “As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love” (John 15:9). In this verse, the word “remain” can also be translated dwell or abide. Reflecting on these definitions made me realize how wrong my beliefs had been.

We want to move on, but Jesus invites us to move in.

Remain, abide and dwell — these words revealed how I evaluated progress and growth, and they helped me understand God’s approval in a new way. We don’t have to produce or create forward movement to earn God’s love. Instead, He asks us to move into … to settle … to be still in His love.

This idea changes everything. As a wise friend once told me, “You don’t work for God’s love. You rest in His love.”

God doesn’t measure our worth by our works. He establishes our worth by His love. Although I tend to calculate value by external things, God gauges value by internal things, and love is an internal work.

I invite you with the same invitation God extends to each of us: Remain in God’s love.

Move in all the pieces of your life. Every thought, emotion, gift and flaw.
Stay awhile.

As we say in the South, “Sit a spell!” In other words, dwell and bask in the love of God. You are worthy because of God’s gift of love, not the checks on your to-do list.

From:  Amy Carrol - "Proverbs 31 Ministries"

A Mess For God

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


“But while Joseph was there in prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.” Genesis 39: 20b-21 (NIV)


Do you ever feel like your days are filled with one messy relationship and situation after another? During those times, it’s easy to label my circumstances and myself as “a mess,” then wonder how God could ever use me, or my experiences, for good.

To protect my heart from discouragement, I often ask God to remind me of times when He has worked in ways I couldn’t have imagined, in my life and the lives of others. Recently He reminded me of Joseph’s story (Genesis 37-50). It reads like a series of very unfortunate events!

Imagine being beaten and thrown into a pit, sold as a slave and then relocated to a foreign country where you are falsely accused of a crime you didn’t commit and banished to die in prison. And to make matters worse, what if your siblings had initiated this evil against you?

That’s only the beginning of what happened to Joseph.

Looking behind the scenes of stories like his helps me see how God specializes in using messes to transform people into masterpieces of His grace. That’s exactly what He did here:

“[Joseph’s brothers] saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him … they stripped him of his robe … and they threw him into a pit” (Genesis 37:18, 23b–24, ESV).

Joseph was then taken to Egypt where he was sold as a slave to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh. Could things get worse? They did when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, and despite Joseph resisting her advances, she accused him of attempting to rape her:

” … she called to the men of her household and said to them, ‘See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice. And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house.'”
“As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him … his anger was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison …” (Genesis 39:14-15, 19-20a).

In Potiphar’s house, Joseph learned servant leadership and integrity; in prison, Joseph learned forgiveness, wisdom and patience. He had been wronged multiple times, yet he experienced God’s guidance through the darkness that helped Joseph get out of prison:

“And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. … And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed” (Genesis 39:22-23, ESV).

In a messy pit, the house of Potiphar and a cold dark prison, God prepared Joseph for the amazing future and role he would play in rescuing God’s people and eventually bringing his family back together.

Through it all, Joseph stayed close to God and allowed his difficult circumstances to make him more dependent on the Lord. And in turn, God molded Joseph’s character into a great and godly leader — who was humble, loving, forgiving, patient and wise.

Friend, you might feel like you’re in a pit right now just like Joseph was, but don’t despise the mess you’re in — God is doing some behind-the-scenes work. He is preparing to unleash His limitless power in and through you!

From:  "Proverbs 31 Ministries"

You Will Get Through This

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


Sometimes God takes His time. One-hundred and twenty years to prepare Noah for the flood. Eighty years to prepare Moses for his work. God called young David to be king, but returned him to the sheep pasture. He called Paul to be an apostle and then isolated him in Arabia for fourteen years.

How long will God take with you? His history is redeemed, not in minutes, but in lifetimes. We fear the depression will never lift, the yelling will never stop, the pain will never leave. Will this sky ever brighten? This load ever lighten? Life in the pit stinks. Yet for all its rottenness, doesn’t it do this much? Doesn’t it force us to look upward? The Bible promises, at the right time, in God’s hands, intended evil becomes eventual good. You will get through this!

From "You’ll Get Through This"