Chronic Warrior

Have you thought about the amazingness of the name of God, I AM? He is not I Was or I Will Be, but I Am! He is the God of the present!

This year, I want to put aside my views of God and get to know who He really is. Would you come on the journey with me? It is easy to say we know Him. Truly knowing Him requires much more from us. When we truly see God for who He is, our lives will change. Our lives will be different. We will realize our extreme unworthiness and His love. We will also realize our worth in Him as He was willing to give His all for us. His love makes us worthy. We are nothing in ourselves.

Do you know God? I mean, really know Him? What is He like? What is His character? What pleases Him? Often, our perception of what God is like is surface or from our own notions.

There are some severe warnings in Scripture.
Titus 1:16, “16They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Saying we know God is one thing, but doing things against Him and His Word shows that we do not no matter what we say. Actions speak louder than words.

Matthew 15:8, ” 8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” It is easy to say we honor God when our heart is very far from Him. Where is your heart?

There is good news. For, you see, we are human and therefore very fallible. We sin (go against his law) and are imperfect. Yet, He has given us His Son to pay the price for our sin so that we may have a relationship with Him. Then, if we draw near Him, He will draw near to us. (James 4:6-10) Think of it as a child lifting up his or her hands for a father to pick them up. They can’t pick themselves up into their father’s arms. All they do is show their desire. The Father does the work. Oh, how much more our Father loves us! He made us and knows our frailties! (Psalm 103:13-14)

In Exodus 3:1-15, we read the story of when Moses learned God’s name as I Am. As you read that record of God’s working in Moses’ life, what can you learn about God? Can you see His power? sovereignty? provision? Almighty Hand? What a wonderful God we serve!

Here are some of the I Am’s we see in God’s love letter to us.

• Leviticus 11:44, “⁴⁴For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” He is a holy God and expects His followers to be Holy. (1 Peter 1:16) Is your life holy? Are you willing to set aside things in your life that are not pure and clean for His sake? Are you willing to ask confess these things to Him and repent (turn from them)?
• John 6:48-51, “⁴⁸I am that bread of life. ⁴⁹Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. ” Bread is the sustenance of life. Jesus is the sustainer of life. He not only gave His life that we may live eternally, but He sustains us daily! WOW!
• John 8:12, “¹²Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Jesus lights our way. His Light shines in a dark world exposing the darkness and leading us in the right path. His Light draws us to Him. He is the Light of the World!
• John 10:7-10, “⁷Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Jesus is the door to the sheepfold. He is the one that is come to save us and help us, to give. We simply have a choice to make. Will we enter the door?
• John 10:11-15, “¹¹I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. ¹²But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. ¹³The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. ¹⁵As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” There is such richness and fullness in the statement, “I am the Good Shepherd.” He will give His life for us, provide for us, everything. He is there for us. Psalm 23 says it all!
• John 14:6, “⁶Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” There is only one way to God. Jesus. He is the only way. There is only One Truth. There is only Life through Him. He is the way, the truth, the life.
• John 15 This passage is so rich that I could not separate it out. Read it. Study it. Meditate on it. I challenge you. It can be used to change your life!
• Revelation 1:8, “⁸I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” What comfort in this. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He is always there. He does not change. He is the I Am. He is Jehovah. He is Almighty. (Malachi 3:6)

Will you take the challenge to get to know Him? Will you let Him change your life? It is an adventure. It is an experience you will never forget. You will never be the same.

As I read the missionary bios, so many trials are recorded, but only the miracles are fixed in my mind. Yesterday was a trial day. Today was a trust day. Tomorrow may be a miracle day. All are needed in the “miracle gro” formula for growing in Christ.

The problem is that we always want the miracle days, not the other days. Then, there are the waiting days. Yikes! Yet, waiting is important! What we do while we wait is also important. I like this song by John Waller.

I’m waiting, I’m waiting on You Lord
And I am hopeful, I’m waiting on You Lord
Though it is painful, but patiently I will wait

And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I’m waiting I will serve You
While I’m waiting I will worship
While I’m waiting I will not faint
I’ll be running the race even while I wait

I’m waiting, I’m waiting on You Lord
And I am peaceful, I’m waiting on You Lord
Though it’s not easy no, but faithfully I will wait
Yes, I will wait

And I will move ahead bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/john_waller/while_im_waiting.html ]
While I’m waiting I will serve You
While I’m waiting I will worship
While I’m waiting I will not faint
I’ll be running the race even while I wait

I will move ahead bold and confident
I’ll be taking every step in obedience, yeah

While I’m waiting I will serve You
While I’m waiting I will worship
While I’m waiting I will not faint

And I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting on You Lord

I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting
I will serve You while I’m waiting
I will worship while I’m waiting

God is trustworthy during all times. He is my Father. I can trust the gifts that come from His hand – good and bad. He loves me. He wants the best for me. (Romans 8:28-29; Jeremiah 29:11; and too many others to list in this one post!)

Sometimes, we can see when we are walking through miracles. Other times, we may not see it, but I believe we are walking through miracles nonetheless for, without the hard times, we could not see the amazing awesomeness of God! ‎”I’m convinced that in Heaven we’ll remember evil and suffering in order to provide the backdrop to better see God’s holiness and grace…We’ll enjoy the magnificence of our God and his Heaven not merely IN SPITE OF all we suffered here; we’ll enjoy it all the more BECAUSE of everything we suffered here.” –Randy Alcorn

NOTE: After sending the post below to my sister, she said that I must add this paragraph to the beginning…

“This post should have the following script at the beginning:
Please be sure to have at your disposal at least 1/2 box of Puff tissues before reading any further. Yes, you. Right now, go get it, come back, sit down, read, use tissues, read more, use tissues. Marvel. Use tissues. Wonder. use tissues. Give thanks. Use tissues.

Ok. You are now prepared to read the following:”

Recently, I read “Weak Thing” in Moni Land, The Story of Bill and Gracie Cutts by William A. Cutts. My heart rejoiced and praised our Savior as I read. I had several “glory spells” as my mom would say as I read the book. Even as I write this, I can’t help but smile at my God. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 is true! “26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

God does not use those who are strong in their own strength, but those who are weak. God does not use the proud, but the humble. I want to share a couple excerpts from the book. The book can be purchased at Amazon.

pp. 4-6, “The young bride and groom had already shared a year of marital bless and tonight their happiness was to increase with the addition of a new family member.

The doctor’s bleak statement was totally unexpected. His devastating question burned into young Leonard’s mind. “Whom shall I try to save?”

Len looked down at his beloved wife who tried in vain to suppress her screams as the pressure increased. His mind raced back to the day when she had told him that a little one was on the way. There had been the joy of watching the unborn baby grow… Now the beautiful dream was turning into a horrible nightmare. What kind of a life would it be trying to raise a little one without his cherished Eva?

“Doctor, by all means, try to save my wife.”

And so the sentence of death was passed to the baby. The doctor reached for the ugly tools that could place a dead infant on the sheet.

Finally the awful ordeal was over. A baby boy lay there twisted and discolored from bruises, his right eye dangling by its cords on his cheek. But he was breathing! The omnipotent God had plans for that baby.

As the years passed, the tiny, twisted body stretched toward normalcy though never quite attained it. The child’s left side developed faster than the right, giving the appearance that half of two different bodies had been fused together. Baby Bill’s first faltering steps began… at four.

When God was choosing a missionary to slog through the difficult terrain of interior Irian Jaya, no one would have guessed that He would pick such a misshapen bit of humanity for the job. Or would they? First Corinthians 1:26-29 (KJV) reads: “… not many mighty… are called: But God hath chosen the … weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;… That no flesh should glory in his presence.” Our God is sovereign. He decides to do things no one would expect Him to do and then carries out His plans to perfect completion.

I was the baby just described. Now, in 1989, I am 74 years old. After serving more than 35 years in the interior of Irian Jaya, Indonesia, I look back in amazement at the evidence of my Lord’s almighty power throughout the years of my life. He has performed miracle after miracle, enabling me to complete the task to which He called me. I can take no credit for what happened. I can only humbly rejoice at what the sovereign God has been able to do with the ‘weak thing.’”

As he prepared to serve, there are some other quotes from the book that I wanted to share. OK, I’d love to share the whole book, but you will just have to purchase it.

p. 29, “My second year, after daring to register without any money, I was offered a job by the business manager. And before it was time to begin the third year, a great-aunt of mine died. No one was prepared for the shock when her will was opened. I was named as her sole heir. In a short time this unexpected inheritance became my possession, not only covering my third-year tuition, but many needs that followed.

One of the names of the sovereign God is Jehovah-jireh, the Lord who provides. He certainly provided in many ways for the needs of this college student.”

p. 30 – He was turned down for mission service due to his disability. Was he discouraged since he knew that God had called him to serve on foreign soil? NO! His response? “But I had information that wasn’t yet at his (the Personnel Secretary’s) disposal!” You see, when God calls someone – God takes care of it!

God uses weak things. I was reminded this morning that God can use us in every season. God will provide and God will use us no matter our circumstance. We were in dire need of a prayer warrior for our women’s group. My team teacher and I have several who are already our prayer partners, but we needed at least one more on our team. A lady in our church recently had to step down from “active service” due to cancer. Today, she stepped up to fill that prayer need. She was thrilled to fill the need. We were thrilled to have our need filled, to see God’s direct answer to prayer. God is using weak things – both in myself and my team teacher and in the prayer partners to fulfill His plan. All of us on the team (from teachers to prayer partners) are weak things at different seasons of life, but He is working for His glory. My heart is singing!

Will you let Him use you?

…so, it has been a long while since I updated the blog. It has been a time for me of learning through times of fatigue, stress, and pain. It has been a precious time. Someday soon, I hope to share some of the lessons that I’ve learned.

What I can say is that our God is still precious and present! He can be trusted.

Recently, an old song was going through my head. It is entitled Whatever It Takes. When I think of it, I always hear my dad singing it in his powerful bass voice. I don’t know who wrote it, but it goes like this,

“Whatever It Takes

There’s a voice calling me, from an old rugged tree
And He whispers draw closer to me
Leave this world far behind,
There are new heights to climb
And a new place in Me you will find

And whatever it takes, to draw closer to You Lord
That’s what I’d be wiling to do
And whatever it takes, to be more like you
That’s what I’d be willing to do

Take my houses and lands,
Take my dreams and my plans.
I place my whole life in Your hands.
And if you call me someday,
To a land far away,
Lord, I’ll go and Your will obey.

And whatever it takes to draw closer to You, Lord,
That’s what I’ll be willing to do.
And whatever it takes for my will to break,
That’s what I’ll be willing to do.”

It always scares me when it begins going through my head as I see it as God’s questioning me if I’m willing to let Him work in my life. Am I really willing for Him to have first place, last place, and every place in between? Do I really trust Him with my life?

The past few weeks have been full of new medical problems. Right now, I await the results of tests. The problem could be something “small” or something … well… humanly speaking, scary. Waiting is hard. Yet, God is teaching me much about trusting Him and not whining through it. It is not what I would have chosen, but God is in control.

I am reminded of Isaiah 55. God is drawing me to Himself. He is reminding me that His ways are better than mine even if they don’t seem like it at the time. He will use this to glorify Himself no matter what the outcome!

Today, a test that I had brought back very bad memories of another medical journey that I walked through. As I lay there, I was reminded that I am not alone. God was with me. And, God has blessed me with family and “like family” friends who care and were praying for me. Wow! What an awesome God we serve!

Right now, I don’t know what the outcome will be. But, I know Who holds the outcome. I know Who holds my hand!

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
words and music by Ira Stanphill

I don’t know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from it’s sunshine,
For it’s skies may turn to gray.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

• Refrain
  Many things about tomorrow,
  I don’t seem to understand;
  But I know Who holds tomorrow,
  And I know Who holds my hand.

Ev’ry step is getting brighter,
As the golden stairs I climb;
Ev’ry burden’s getting lighter;
Ev’ry cloud is silver lined.
There the sun is always shining,
There no tear will dim the eyes,
At the ending of the rainbow,
Where the mountains touch the sky.

• Refrain
  Many things about tomorrow,
  I don’t seem to understand;
  But I know Who holds tomorrow,
  And I know Who holds my hand.

I don’t know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty;
But the One Who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One Who stands by me.
And the path that be my portion,
May be through the flame or flood,
But His presence goes before me,
And I’m covered with His blood.

• Refrain
  Many things about tomorrow,
  I don’t seem to understand;
  But I know Who holds tomorrow,
  And I know Who holds my hand.

This time has really made me thing about God, His purpose for my life, holiness, and revival. As Nancy Leigh DeMoss says, “Anything that draws us closer to God is a good thing!”

Is my life counting for Him? Am I praising Him through this? Am I putting Him in first place? What about you?

Heaven has been much on my mind recently as two friends joined our Savior in glory, a third found herself with cancer, and my own health has been limiting lately. (Clarification. My health problems are not critical right now, but have left me longing for Home and seeing my precious Savior face to face.)

A guest pastor at church a couple weeks ago told what he would do with one week to live. He would:

1. Make sure he was on his way to Heaven. Did he truly know that He had a relationship with Christ?
2. Make sure that he was right with God. Has he confessed all sin? Is he obeying God?
3. Make sure that he was right with friends and family at all cost.
4. Make sure that he was telling everyone about God.

The text was in 2 Kings 20 where Hezekiah is told he will die. He ultimately receives 15 years more, but what did he do with his time. What would you do with your time?

The previous Sunday in my “second family’s” church, the pastor spoke on Ezra 7:10, “¹⁰For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” He told that we should:

1. Set our hearts on the mind of God.
2. Study the Word of God.
3. Submit to God.
4. Serve others through what we have learned.

Powerful thoughts.

What would I do with a week to live?

• follow the four steps in both sermons.
• want my relationship with God to grow as much as possible.
• long to know as much about God as possible.
• glorify God in every word and action.
• give all I could to God – every resource.
• show others the love of God in every way possible.
• pray more; study His word more; serve more.
• sing praises to Him more and more and more!
• play more hymns of praise for my Father!
• prepare in every way for my “move” Home.

So, what am I doing now? Am I preparing for my Home in Heaven now? This old body and lodging here is simply temporary. Am I keeping treasures here or laying up treasures in Heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt?

What about you?

Some recent chronic illness flare-ups including some possible new health problems have me leaning heavily on my Father right now. That is a very good place to be.

I am promised that:

• Isaiah 43:2, “²When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
• Isaiah 41:10, “¹⁰Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
• Psalm 103:13-14, “¹³Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.¹⁴For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
• Philippians 4:19, “¹⁹But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

God is taking care of me. In John, He promises peace, joy, life. He loves me. Through this difficult time, He is caring for me and giving a song in my heart. Today, that song was, “My Father Planned It All” by H.H. Pierson, Music by Alfred B. Smith.

1. What tho’ the way be lonely And dark he shadows fall;
   I know where’er it leadeth, My Father planned it all.
2. There may be sunshine tomorrow, Shadows may break and flee;
   ‘Twill be the way He chooses, The Father’s plan for me.
3. He guides my falt’ring footsteps Along the weary way,
   For well He knows the pathway Will lead to endless day.
4. A day of light and gladness On which no shade will fall;
   ‘Tis this at last awaits me – My Father planned it all.

Refrain: I sing thro’ the shade and the sunshine, I’ll trust Him whatever befall; I sing for I cannot be silent – My Father planned it all.

Today, I pictured myself riding in the arms of my Father as the pain, weakness, and fatigue overcame me. He carried me.

Are you His child? Would you like to be? The way is not always easy, but He will carry you.

Recently, I thanked a nurse after she gave me an injection. She said that she’d never been thanked for poking someone before. I said it was because I knew that although it hurt, I knew it would help in the long run.

Later, I began to think. Do I thank God when He gives me things that hurt but will help in the long run? Things that make me more like Christ?

Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Success. What is success?

Sometimes in life, we feel unsuccessful. It seems that we are failures. But, what is a true failure?

The verse above is the only time that the word “success” is located in the Bible. What is the key? Being in God’s Word is the way to be successful – meditating on it day and night and obeying it.

So, what is true success? I believe it is knowing, loving, and obeying God no matter the circumstance. When things are going wrong and everything seems lost yet you follow God’s way and show the fruit of the Spirit, you are successful! Your way will be prosperous. Prosperous in the light of God’s purpose and way. God is most important.

Are you preparing to be successful?