God's HIGH ways!

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Once when I had the opportunity to fly to Japan, I heard the captain mention that we were going to climb to a height that would take advantage of the Jet Stream. When planes fly in the Jet Stream, it minimizes the use of fuel and maximizes the speed of the aircraft.  Jet Streams are fast flowing narrow air currents found in the atmosphere of some planets including earth.

The pilots in order to take advantage of this Jet Stream highway - usually must climb up to between 29,000 - 39,000 feet above sea level. Although the pilots can get to their destinations at different heights, the airlines have discovered that utilizing the Jet Stream when using it as a tail wind - is the better way!

Do you know that God also has a “HIGH way” – a better way? The LORD says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways and MY thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9). 

As we are journeying on this earth, we don't always understand God's HIGH ways and as a result can become confused, frustrated, perplexed, overwhelmed and impatient. But when we connect with God through His Word and wait on His timing, He will lift us up to His Jet Stream and He will carry us effortlessly with His strength to His destination for us. 

Fortunately for us, God's HIGH ways are not conditioned on the direction of the Jet Stream and we don’t have to climb to 29,000 -39,000 feet to enjoy the blessings of God's HIGHER ways :)! 

As a child of God, we have a loving, All Knowing heavenly Father who is at the helm of our life and He is not only in control of the air currents, the atmosphere, the economy and the nations - but He is in control of EVERY detail of our life! 

"If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the utmost part of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me and Your right hand shall hold me." Psalms 139:10-11.

The Pattern Is His

I was so blessed when the poem below was shared at the Bible study I attend. I now share it with you today in hopes that it blesses you as well! 

“Life is but a Weaving” (The Tapestry Poem)

By: Corrie ten Boom

“My life is but a weaving

Between my God and me.

I cannot choose the colors

He weaveth steadily.

Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;

And I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper

And I the underside.

Not ‘til the loom is silent

And the shuttles cease to fly

Will God unroll the canvas

And reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful

In the weaver’s skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned 

He knows, He loves, He cares;

                                    Nothing this truth can dim.

He gives the very best to those

Who leave the choice to Him.” 

  

“As (our life) unfolds in real time, it’s like viewing the backside of a tapestry. It appears to be nothing more than a jumble of thread – tangled, frayed, occasionally knotted, and seemingly random. Nothing really makes sense. It’s no wonder people lose heart, give up, and abandon their commitments.

But things are not always what they seem.

It is only when you turn a tapestry over that you see the art: the rich colors, the texture, and the patterns that can make a tapestry a thing of astonishing beauty.

No thread of experience – good or bad – is wasted. When it appears to be that way, we just have to remind ourselves that we are simply looking at the backside of a tapestry. And the One weaving it together, knows precisely what He is doing.” Michael Hyatt

"Be still, and know that I am God..."Psalm 46:10

27 Cents!

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Let not the wise boast in their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.’” Jeremiah 9:23 – 24

Recently my husband and I were driving to an event in Anaheim. As soon as we made our exit off the freeway, my husband pointed to a gas station on the road and said, “Do you see that gas station, I remember when I needed gas in my car to return home from work, I stopped at that gas station but all I had in my pocket was 27 cents.  I pumped only 27 cents in my tank and trusted God to get me home.”

This was a time in our married life when my husband was recently laid off from his job and had to take a new job, which paid considerably less than what our family was used to enjoying. The car that he was driving was a 77 Ford Thunderbird! It was beautiful when it was new I am sure, but by the time it was in our hands, the car was old, a gas-guzzler and on it’s last leg.  Many times the car left us stranded in the middle of intersections – but we always returned home :).

During those times, God taught us so many valuable lessons that we treasure today and are grateful for. He taught us that He always will provide for our needs.  He taught us to rely on Him alone during any season in our lives. He taught us that our provider is not a company or an inheritance or a degree or a bank account or a retirement account  - but our provider is God Almighty. He taught us that no matter what we may encounter, God’s promises and His Word trumps any other thought, idea, book or intelligence!

”...That He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” Deuteronomy 8:3

Since that time, the Lord has blessed us with a job that provides more than our needs. Believe it or not, the job also includes new cars every year. Why am I sharing this with you? To boast in the God of the Bible! To encourage any weary heart! To remind us all that we have a merciful God who cares for our every need!

Do you have a need today? He is the Great I AM – He is your Provider!

Do you need His kindness today? He is the One who exercises Kindness!

Do you need justice today? He is the One who exercises Justice!

Is there something in your life that is wrong and needs to be made right? He is the One who exercises Righteousness on earth!

“People tend to admire four qualities in others: human wisdom, power, kindness, and riches. But God puts a higher priority on knowing Him personally and living a life that reflects His justice, righteousness, and love. What do you want people to admire most about you?” commentary

We are very thankful for the company that God has used to provide for our family - very thankful! However, we do not know how long the job my husband currently has, going on 14 years now, will last. All we know is that the job will last as long as God wills it. Our hope is not in a job, our hope is on the promises of God's Word; God will never leave us or forsake us! (Hebrews 13:5)

Do you know Him personally?  If you do, I boast with you that He is the God who exercises loving-kindness, justice and righteousness upon the earth!

Do you desire to know Him personally? Draw close to God through Jesus Christ today and He will draw close to you! (James 4:8)

Catalyst

This morning at breakfast, my husband said, “Do you know what catalyst means?”

The dictionary definition: A catalyst is an event or person causing a change.

My husband was sharing with me that one of the co-founders of Tesla, Elon Musk, after graduating from college, wanted to do something that would most affect the future in a positive way. He asked himself, “What is really going to have an important effect on humanity as a whole?” He went on a journey to make a car that runs on electric instead of gasoline. His desire was not to get wealthy; it was to contribute to humanity in a positive way and to perhaps be a catalyst of change for other car manufacturing companies in order to expedite and shorten the time it would normally take to manufacture viable electric cars in the future. Initially, most people did not believe that it was possible to make a car that runs on electric, which looks good, and had a good range of performance. In addition, skeptics believed that even if you did make an electric car, it would not sell because of people’s love for gasoline. 

In spite of the comments, Tesla went on to make a model car that meets all of the skeptic’s criteria. They believed that if you build it and people see it, they would more likely choose it.

The conversation that my husband and I were having this morning triggered me to think about God’s purpose for the nation of Israel. God’s purpose in choosing Israel was for them to be a model nation to other nations and that through them, all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). It was a nation in whom would come Jesus, the Messiah, who would offer salvation to the world!  

God desired His people to reflect His loving and compassionate nature by helping strangers, widows, orphans and the poor. He wanted all the nations of the world to know Him and to be blessed!  Israel was to be a light, a model, among the nations. God wanted all the peoples of the earth to see the wisdom of how His people live by God’s given standards. God wanted them to see His blessings upon His people and even His discipline upon His people when they strayed away from Him.

Right before entering the Promise Land, Moses encouraged them with these words:

“...I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…” Deuteronomy 30:19

“Israel was on the verge of a momentous occasion. Not only were they preparing to enter the Promise Land and conquer its inhabitants, they were also preparing to establish a brand new culture. The primary focus of this new culture would be on the living God. Every part of it would reflect His nature. In the Promise Land, God planned to bless the Israelites abundantly. In turn, He expected the Israelites to live responsibly, in a culture unlike any that had preceded it.” Commentary

However, the Bible tells us that many times instead of Israel being the change maker, the catalyst to draw nations to know the only living God, His people forsook God and indulged to learn about the pagan gods of the nations surrounding them.

God has a bright future for the people of Israel. But not only does He have a bright future for the nation of Israel, but God has a bright future for ALL who come to Him through Jesus Christ! God still wants His people to be change makers! He wants His people to be lights not so that they can glorify themselves, but so that they can show the world that there is a living God who cares for them, who loves them and wants to bless them through His Son.

How can we make a positive effect upon humanity? One way is by being transformed! In Romans 12:2 the Bible says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and an acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Are you impacting this world in a positive way for Christ? Or, is this world impacting you?

Do you want to do something that would most affect the future in a positive way? Then ask God this, "How can I be used to impact this world in a positive way for Christ?"

Catalyst: A Person or event that causes change or action.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

The Sweet Taste Of Forgiveness!

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9

Recently I made a decision by going ahead of God and not waiting for His timing. I was hasty in making my decision. Although I prayed for God’s will for more than several days, I made the decision even before the peace of God was in my heart. As soon as I made my  decision, I felt guilt ridden.

It wasn’t a sin in what I decided to do – it was harmless – but I was taking the action into my hands and decided to move forward instead of waiting for God's confirmation. 

Have you ever felt guilty? Usually we feel that the emotion of “guilt” is a bad thing – but see below at what this Bible commentary says about it:

“No one likes to feel guilty. Like an unwelcome guest, guilt shows up at the worst possible time and does not go away no matter how much you wish it would.

Yet the truth is that we need guilt. It is the only proper response to any offense, whether a selfish thought, or premeditated murder. Even a nonbeliever wants a burglar to feel remorse for his theft. Why? Because he should. Guilt exposes the truth that we wish to avoid: We have all sinned. John, who is the author of the book of 1 John, puts it this way: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).

But John does not leave us with this dismal picture of ourselves. Instead he goes on to paint a glorious portrait of a forgiving God. This is our only hope: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Guilt does more than just deliver the distressing news. It unlocks the door to forgiveness. Progress, change, reform, and (most important of all) God’s forgiveness all start with confession.”

Confession works against the worst part of human nature, the part that imagines itself to be better than it really is. This mindset always stops short of confessing; it would rather ignore or ease feelings of guilt than admit them. But only open confession of our sins will completely cleanse us. Only when we admit that we are sinners, unworthy of God’s grace, can we make a fresh start.” Commentary

I ran to my heavenly Father, confessed my sin to Him and He reminded me of this glorious truth: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteous.”  My confession to Him, freed me to enjoy my fellowship with Christ! 

I always want God to have His way in my life. Whenever I believe I got my way, I lose. But whenever I submit to God's will and His timing, I always win and you will always win too!

No matter what your sin may be - large or small - never forget this truth: Not only does God forgive us when we confess our sins to Him, but because of Jesus being the perfect sacrifice, He LOVES to forgive us! HE LOVES TO FORGIVE YOU and give you a fresh new start! Our God is a forgiving God! 

“…God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance…” Romans 2:4

“Self-evaluation is difficult, and it is even more difficult to expose our conduct to God and let Him tell us where we need to change. But as Christians we must pray constantly that God will point out our sins, so that HE can heal them. Unfortunately, we are more likely to be amazed at God’s patience with others than humbled at his patience with us.” Commentary

FATHER, thank you that you give us plenty of time to repent. Thank you for your patience! Thank you that it is your kindness that brings us to a place of confession. Thank you that you never want us to feel condemnation but conviction of our sins so that we can receive and almost taste the sweetness of forgiveness! Thank you that because of the perfect and righteous sacrifice of Jesus, You can be completely just and yet forgive us!