Many years ago, my husband and I were on a plane waiting to take off, and in front of us was a young family.  The little boy was looking out the window as we were taking off and soaring high into the sky, and he turned to his daddy and asked, “What’s higher than God, dad?”  I didn’t hear what daddy answered, but I thought, “That’ll preach”!

I want to answer that little boy here … “There is nothing higher than God … did you know that in the beginning God made the world?  He created the heaven above and the earth below.  He made the light to get rid of the darkness that was everywhere.  He made the oceans, the fishies, the birds, the trees, and the grass.  He even made the animals and bugs too!  I kinda’ wish He would not have made the spiders and cockroaches though!  But the final thing He made was the very first man and named him Adam.”

I don’t know if you (remember I’m answering the boy) ever found out about God the Father.  I sure hope you did.  I’ve thought about you many, many times through the years and even prayed that you found the Father God who created you!

Here are just a few of the verses I wish I could tell you … “In the beginning God”.  He is and was before ALL things. John 1:3, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” The apostle John declares that Jesus was the divine agent who was responsible for the entire creation” (note taken from the SFLB, page 1573). And Verse 10 also declares that “the world was made by him.”

I love to sing the chorus “…For Thou hast created, hast all things created for Thou hast created all things. And for Thy pleasure they are created, Thou art worthy O Lord.” (Revelation 4:11)

Psalm 33:6-7, “The heavens were made by the word of the Lord and all the stars by the breath of His mouth.  He gathers the water in the sea like a dam and puts the oceans in His storehouse.” I think this scripture was the inspiration for the song, “It Took a Miracle … to hang the world in space; it took a miracle to put the stars in place. But when He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole; it took a miracle of love and grace”!

Regarding Psalm 33, I love the way The Passion Translation words verses 6-9: “All HE had to do was speak by His Spirit-wind command, and God created the heavenlies.  Filled with galaxies and stars, the vast cosmos He wonderfully made.  His voice scooped out the seas.  The ocean depths He poured into vast reservoirs … words He breathed and the world was birthed.  ‘Let there be,’ and there it was springing forth the moment He spoke. No sooner said than done!”

WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

Job 22:12, “God is great — higher than the heavens, higher than the stars” (LB). Right there is the answer to your question.

There are so many more verses in the Bible that tell of God’s creative authority and power to make the heavens and earth, but there is still one greater miracle!  That is referenced in the words above to the song, “It Took a Miracle” … “but when He saved my soul …”. That, little boy, is the greatest miracle of all.  This Almighty God, creator of the cosmos, creator of mankind, loved His human creation so much that He desired their love.  Not a robot kind of love but a human decision kind of love.

Into the beautiful garden He created for Adam (and he put Adam to sleep, took a rib out of Adam and formed a woman for him … so God was also the first anesthesiologist and doctor because He put Adam to sleep and then did surgery to take one of his ribs!) a serpent God had created, tempted Eve (Adam’s wife) to do something that God had said “No” to.  And Eve disobeyed God and obeyed the serpent.  Until that time, God would come from heaven and walk and talk with Adam and Eve, but now God was displeased with their disobedience, and He put them out of the garden, and that is how sin entered the world.  

But God … had a plan already in place.  Remember I said He wanted the man and woman He created to love Him by choice, and so in time God sent His only Son to our world. That is why we celebrate Christmas.  He came to die for our sin, but through His resurrection He provided freedom from sin; we had to CHOOSE Him.  And when we ask God’s Son, Jesus, to forgive us our sin and we become His own, then we can spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Now I speak to any who read this … in the lines above I wrote as tho speaking to that little boy.  Do you believe God created the world?  Do you believe He loves you and wants a relationship with you?  If so, all you need to do is come to Jesus, recognizing who He is, why He came, confess, repent, and receive His forgiveness and love, and become a child of God!  Then read His Word and grow in Him.  Just as you need physical food to feed your body, so you need God’s word, spiritual food, to feed your new life!

Betrayal is a gut-wrenching thing to go through.  Cuts to the core of our person. It’s a severance of trust, of love, of friendship. How can we overcome such treason? Did we play a part in it? Can we forgive, or should we? Can the relationship be restored, or should it be? Does forgiveness wipe the slate clean? Even ministries can betray us.  Church friends leave us stranded. It hurts. We cry. We can become depressed. Was the relationship God-honoring? We wonder. Why? I trusted them.  I thought we were friends/married/lovers.

Betrayal in our time is not new.  We could see examples in history … Julius Caesar & Brutus; Benedict Arnold in our own American history; Aldrich Ames in our country in  the 1990’s.  In my lifetime I remember the case of the Rosenberg’s who betrayed our country to the Soviet Union. They were executed in 1953.

So, HOW do we handle betrayals?  To do so, we have to look at the story of Jesus, for He is our example. As Christ followers, everything we do and live should be in accordance with God’s Word.  But before we see how Christ endured betrayal, let’s look at some other examples in the Bible.

Right off the top of my head, I made a list of at least ten, but I won’t go through them all now … 

The very first betrayal was Eve disobeying God’s command and thereby betraying and breaking her relationship with God.  Satan came to her in the garden to tempt her with the ONE thing she couldn’t have!  Talk about discontent!  Living in a perfect world, satan same to her and she took of the forbidden fruit; then Adam partook, and the rest is history.  The result: a sin-filled world … but a promise to come!

The story is told in Genesis 25 how Jacob tricked his brother, Esau, to get the birthright (a betrayal) and then in chapter 27 once again Jacob truly betrayed his dad (with his mother’s help, which was another betrayal of a wife to her husband!) to get the blessing due to the elder brother!  Result: years of estrangement from the family.  Jacob had to run away and never saw his mother again.  Sad.  It doesn’t stop there, however.  Jacob fell in love with his beautiful cousin Rachel and worked seven years to wed her…BUT Rachel’s daddy betrayed Jacob and on the wedding night gave the less beautiful sister, Leah, to Jacob.  Result: Jacob ended up with two wives who were sisters that caused all kinds of family issues carried on for generations!

We all know the story of Joseph … loved and favored by daddy Jacob (Joseph was the son of Jacob’s most loved wife, Rachel! … the deceit carries on!) but hated, yes HATED, by his brothers, sons of the less loved wife, Leah. Talk about betrayal … this was it on steroids.  The brothers kidnapped him, threw him in a pit, sold him, lied to daddy that an animal, and killed him (lies and another betrayal).  Joseph spent thirteen years as a slave and a prisoner after being framed by a jealous woman.  Result:  here’s the key … FORGIVENESS!  When Joseph’s family was between a rock and a hard place and had to go to Egypt to get food, who was the Prime Minister?  Joseph!  His response (after a time testing his brothers who didn’t recognize him) was, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good”.  

Samson was God’s anointed and appointed judge of the Israelites.  He had a calling on his life, but he was a womanizer and got in trouble!  He married, and his wife betrayed him!  Ouch.  Samson was a very strong man, and his life’s mission was to destroy the enemy, the Philistines.  Instead, he married the enemy, and trouble pursued him.  Her allegiance was to her people instead of her husband and when she tried to trick him several times into divulging the secret to his strength he finally told her, “I am not to cut my hair …” She then told the bad guys and the enemy came upon him while he slept (she made sure his  hair was chopped off … he must have been a sound sleeper!) And this time when he jumped off her lap … his strength was gone.  Result: captive, blinded, imprisoned … but in the end when the enemy was rejoicing, Samson’s hair grew out in prison.  He was led out into the banqueting hall to be made sport of; he stood between two pillars that were holding up the banqueting hall, he called upon the Lord, pulled (or pushed!) the two pillars and kaboom … the house fell, and although Samson was killed, he also killed over 3000 men and women.  In the end he did what God had told him to do!

The story of King David, who betrayed the trust of one of his soldiers by sleeping with the guy’s wife, getting her pregnant, and then had the husband killed and married the woman. Result: the prophet Natan confronted the king and the king REPENTED!  However, consequences followed, and the child died.  Betrayal followed David, however.  One of David’s sons, Absalom, wanted the throne and worked behind his dad’s back to win the hearts of the people.  David fled for his life. Eventually David went back as king, and later Absalom was killed when his long hair got caught in a tree!  Second result: David loved God, repented of his sin, but heartache followed him.

Let’s jump to the New Testament … Jesus, betrayed by one of His own disciples.  Judas turned Jesus over to His enemies for thirty pieces of silver, which in the Old Testament was the price of a slave! On top of that, when Jesus was in his mock trial, another loved disciple, Peter, three times said, “I don’t know Him!”  Result: Peter then remembered that Jesus had said, “you will deny me,” and he wept bitterly.  Grown man crying bitterly.  Repentance followed, and when Jesus later asked him three times, “Do you love me?” Peter answered “YES …” and Jesus said, “Feed My sheep” and Peter became one of the leaders of the Church!  Result: Judas hung himself and will be forever in hell, but Peter repented and became a pillar.

Finally, we come to the cross.  Jesus was betrayed, beaten, bloodied, and hung on a cross.  Betrayed by those He had come to save.  Betrayed by those who loved Him, who traveled with Him for three years.  As He hung there (his disciples had fled), the women stayed at the cross, and what were His final words? To those nailing Him to the cross, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.  FORGIVENESS! That makes the difference.

Finally He was taken down and laid in a borrowed tomb. Buried.  Dead.  Alone.  Result: on day three HE AROSE! OK … we can preach there, but let me say this … His betrayal led to the cross, which made the way for our salvation!

So how do we deal with betrayal?  I have been betrayed twice … one relationship was restored, the other was not, but I found that forgiveness on my part was the key.  Was it easy? NO!  But God’s Word says, “Forgive as I have forgiven you”.  It’s a command.  It’s not if you feel like it; forgive.  Forgiveness releases you.  Does the betrayal still hurt?  Yes.  But in time, as you continue to forgive, the wound heals, the scar remains, and you remember, but you no longer hurt because you have forgiven.

I was finished with this contemplation, but I came back to add this thought … I think many times as Christ followers we betray Him by ignoring Him.  We get busy with life, the list of things to get done, family, job, errands … and we think, “I’ll get to Him later.  I’ll read my Bible later; He knows I’m a busy mom/dad/student/employee.”  We all have excuses … but do we crave His fellowship?  Don’t betray Him by forgetting Him!  The greatest betrayal would be to deny Him.  Don’t be Peter who said, “I never knew You”!

The one betrayal that would be final is if you betray the One who gave His life for you.  When at the final judgment you stand before Him, and He says, “I never knew you.”  That would be your betrayal of His love. If you have unforgiveness in your heart for some grievance or betrayal, forgive.  If you need forgiveness from Jesus for your sin against Him, confess, repent, and ask Him to forgive you and to make you clean and whole and accept His gift of salvation.

Psalm 107:14, “He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.” (NIV).

Have you ever felt you were bound by chains that you could not break?  Ever dreamed you were locked up like Houdini and couldn’t get loose?  Prayed for someone who was bound and longed to see them set free?

Some chains are heavier than others.  I’ve seen small chains that can be broken with a screwdriver!  Others would take a hacksaw or something bigger.  But one word from the Master can break ANY chain!

God broke the chains for Joseph and set him free from prison (Genesis 41).

God set His people free from Pharaoh (Exodus 12:51).

He freed Daniel from the lion’s den (Daniel 6).

He delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace (Daniel 3).

Peter was delivered from his prison chains by an angel! (Acts 12:7).

God sent an earthquake to set Paul and Silas free (Acts 16).

Our chains are seldom made of iron or metal of any kind, but are made over time by decisions we have made. Most often, we don’t even know that chains are forming.  Soon, they are so heavy that they keep us from following God.  They hinder our coming close to Him.  Romans 8:21 says that we are in “…bondage to decay…”.  Ugh … remember the last time you saw something in decay?  Smelly.  Maggots.  Rotten.  NOT a pleasant sight!

So how do we get free?  I would love to say that an angel will come and deliver us as happened to Peter, but that will probably not be the case.

Peter’s chains were not chains of selfish or evil choices.  Daniel needed deliverance, not from bad choices but because he was true to God!

The Word of God says, “The Lord sets prisoners free” (Psalm 146:7) and “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”!  Yeah!

If your chains are made because of willful, sinful choices, then first you must confess, repent, and ask God’s forgiveness.  Paul says in II Timothy 2:26, that “they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will”. 

The prodigal son was one who came to his “senses”.  We must recognize and admit that we’ve made mistakes, wrong choices, and sinful decisions.

“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), and the chains are broken!  We’ve been set free!

He set me free, yes, He set me free.

He broke the chains of prison for me

I’m glory-bound my Jesus to see

Oh, He set me free, yes, He set me free!

My chains are gone, I’ve been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood, His mercy reigns

Unending love, amazing grace

I was 17.  Off to Bible school I went, leaving him behind.  He was much more serious than I intended to be … but how to say “no”?  I’m ashamed to say that by Thanksgiving time, I wrote my one and only “dear John” letter.  I’ve always said it was the coward’s way out.  It was “goodbye”.

I have received FOUR dear John letters!  Here are some of the things I have been told …

He was from the beginning

He is God

He became flesh and dwells with me

He takes away my sin

He’s a miracle worker

He knows what’s in my heart

He loves me SO much. He sent His only Son to die for me that I

might have eternal life

He gives me everlasting water

His words are life to me

He gives me rivers of living water

If I abide in Him, I shall know the truth and be free

He knows my name

He gives me life abundantly

He doesn’t want me to have a troubled heart

He has prepared a place for me in heaven

He has sent the Spirit of Truth

He has sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit

He has given me peace

He wants my joy to be complete

He is my friend

He chose me

He will turn my sorrow into joy that no one can take away

He PRAYS for me!

He wants me to be one with Him and the Father

He desires fellowship with me

He is light, and there is no darkness in Him

He says that if I confess my sin, He will cleanse me from ALL sin and  

He is faithful and just to forgive me from ALL unrighteousness

Jesus Christ is my advocate with the Father

He admonishes me to not love the world nor the things in the world

He wants me to abide in Him

He challenges me to love in deed and in truth

He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world

He tells me that love will cast out fear

If I ask anything according to His will, He hears me

He gives me grace, mercy, and peace

If I love Him … I will walk according to His commandments

He wants my soul to prosper and be in health

I bring Him great joy if I walk in truth

He tells me not to imitate evil, but what is good

WOW!  How different are the “dear John” letters that I have received than the one I wrote.  I didn’t love him … but He loves me!  

He has sent the same four “dear John” letters to you!  Have you read them?  The Gospel of John and I, II, and III John … right there in the New Testament.

Finally, John records the words of Jesus in 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  There is NO other way to heaven and eternal life with Jesus but through the confession of our sin, repentance, and acceptance of His sacrifice on Calvary.

While living in our condo in California, we had two experiences with bees that were not welcome!  We came home from a trip, loaded down with suitcases and eager to unpack, walked in the front door, and there were hundreds of dead bees and a few live ones wiggling around.  “Call maintenance quick!” I yelled to Ronn.  We discovered the bees didn’t like the heat any more than we did and had formed a hive under one of the roof singles and had found a way into the vent and into our condo.  The second time was on the outer side of the condo, where they built a HUGE hive not only inside the stucco but on the outside as well.  This time, not only did the beekeeper come, but part of the stucco had to be removed, the hive cleared out, then re-stuccoed and painted!

These were not fun experiences, but gave me an interest in bees and the beekeeper.  A while back, the Diamondbacks baseball team had to delay a game because bees had built a hive in the ballpark, and a beekeeper had to be called to remove the hive before the game could continue.

What does a beekeeper do? 1) He is responsible for the proper management and care of the beehive. 2) He also needs to inspect and assess the health and condition of the bees. He is responsible for the well-being of the colony. 3) At the right time, they harvest the honey. 4) They protect the bees from pests and keep the hive clean. 5) Beekeepers keep abreast of information that will help them in keeping a happy hive. They are continually learning.

I want to be a spiritual be-keeper! Be exceedingly glad (Matthew 5:12); be wise as a serpent but harmless as a dove! (Matthew 10:16); be ready for Christ’s coming (Matthew 24:44); be thankful (Colossians 3:15); be sober and hope and pray (1 Peter 1:13;4:7); be of good cheer (John 16:33); be fervent in spirit and patient in tribulation (Romans 12:11 & 12); be steadfast and unmovable (1 Corinthians 15:58); be tenderhearted one to another (Ephesians 4:32); be anxious for nothing (Philippians 4:6); be content with what I have (Hebrews 13:5); be doers of the Word (James 1:22); be courteous (1 Peter 3:8);; be vigilant (1 Peter 5:8); be faithful to death (Revelation 2:10).

There are also some be-keepers that are “be-not’s” … be not like the hypocrites in prayer (Matthew 6:50; be not of doubtful mind (Luke 12:29); be not afraid of terror or trouble (1 Peter 3:14); be not conformed to the world (Romans 12:2); be not slothful in business (Romans 12:11); be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-15); be not drunk with wine (Ephesians 5:18); be not weary in well doing (2 Thessalonians 3:13); be not ashamed of God (2 Timothy 1:8); be not slothful (Hebrews 6:12).

The listing above is only a small portion of the “be’s” in the Word of God.  How do these work out in our lives as parents, in the community, and in the world in general?  How are we to be “beekeepers”?   We are to be careful in managing our home and workplace.  There’s the old saying, “Do you know where your children are?” Are you managing your home, are you punctual at work, or are you lazy and slothful? Are you conscious of where your spouse and children are spiritually? Are you harvesting the sweetness of His Presence in your home? Do you have a cheerful attitude? Do you become weary at times? Are you content with what you have … what about your children? Do you complain instead of praise? Are you trusting or doubtful?

As you read the Word, it might be helpful if you start your own lists of “be” and “be not” and see how you measure up.  I know I have a lot to “do” in this regard!

I want to be the kind of be-keeper that Christ wants me to be!

Abandon is the modern word for “forsaken”.  How did Christ feel when He was on the cross?  He felt alone, bereft, abandoned … forsaken.  How do I know this?  When He was hanging there, He cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

He wasn’t crying out to “dad,” although He was One with the Father … at that point, He felt so alone, all He could do was cry aloud … “GOD!”

Had God truly forsaken Jesus?  Abandon means “to desert”.  Forsaken means “to give up, to abandon, to desert”.  Had God truly done that to Jesus, His only Son?  If He did, for what reason?

God LOVES His Son, God LOVES the Holy Spirit, and they in turn LOVE the Father.  But God also loves us with equal passion.  Jesus speaking in John 17 says this in verse 23, “Thou … hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me”.  God loves you and me just as much as He loves Jesus!  WOW!  That’s a bit hard to comprehend.

However strong the love that God has for us, He also demands purity (sanctification) and holiness (His).  None of us can measure up!  No, not one!  He longs for our fellowship.  He desires communion and friendship with us, but our sin keeps us separated from Him.

In acknowledging this, God decided to act.  He sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth to take our sin upon Him.  In Jesus’ perfection, when He hung upon the cross, He took upon Himself the sins of the entire human family.  That means from Adam to the last baby born before Christ returns to earth … ALL humanity … Christ took our sin.

Some of us may think, “Hey, I’m not so bad! I’m not too bad a sinner!  I’m not a Hitler.  I’m not Charles Manson.  I’ve never killed anyone.  Gosh, I haven’t even cheated on a test or the IRS!”  But all humanity is born in sin, and until we accept the offer of His redemption — we are still sinners.

Back to the cross … Jesus took upon Himself ALL the sins of humanity, and in doing so God could no longer look upon the One He loved so much.  Jesus became SIN that He might rescue us.

After one has chosen to sin, to make a wrong choice and go down a wrong path (as we all have!), we feel the weight of that choice.  Continuing down that path then dulls our conscience until we no longer feel the weight of that choice.  We might feel dirty and dark … sinful at first, but eventually we feel we are OK.  Others may turn away from us because of those choices.  Perhaps that is a tiny bit of what God felt when He looked upon Jesus.  Although Jesus did NO sin nor choose to sin, He BECAME sin to take our place.

Jesus HAD to do it alone.  He had to suffer all the pain of sin and death so that we would not have to!  If we choose to wallow in our sin — that’s just it — OUR choice!  WE can have freedom and peace by acknowledging our sin, confessing it, repenting of it, and accepting God’s FREE gift of salvation.

There are times in our lives when we also feel alone and abandoned.  Why?  Is sin holding us back from full fellowship with those we love?  Is there something standing in the way of our hearts being united with God?

If we continue to ignore that “still small voice” within us, then we are responsible for the destruction that we create.  It’s not God’s fault!  He provided the way of escape … but we have to choose to follow.

It is so simple that many don’t follow because it looks and sounds so easy, but it’s true!  “For God so loved the world (that is you and me) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever (you and me again) believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

A – acknowledge that He is God and is the ultimate Supreme Power.

B – believe in Him (repent, acceptance of His love & forgiveness of sin).

C – confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and you WILL be  saved

No more aloneness.  No more being forsaken or abandoned.  You are now a part of the family of God!

If you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or friend, I think we have all heard “give me … I want … buy for me”. Children especially constantly ask, but many adults do likewise!

Consumer debt, unrealized expectations … we want what we want and often are disappointed when we don’t get it.  Christmas. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Promotions.

I heard recently that we in America are richer than 90% of the world.  Now, whether that is correct or not, I do not know, but this I do know … I have traveled to many places in the world and know that we live far above those in many, many countries.  Materially, we have so much!

But what do we do with what we have?  Maybe you have a lot, and you hold it close.  Perhaps you have little but give out of your heart.  It comes to mind the story in the Bible of the widow who had little, but the small amount she put in the offering bucket at the temple was more than the Pharisees put in because she gave out of her heart and not to be seen.  

I love the story of the lame man who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple.  Acts 3 gives us the story … He was lame since birth and had to be carried daily to sit and beg at the temple gate.  Acts 4:22 tells us that he was 40 years old! He lived on what was given to him.  No disability payments, no insurance, no wheelchair, no attendants … just pity in the few coins tossed his way. FORTY years he sat there with no hope for his future.  UNTIL!  

Jesus was no longer around to heal him, so day after day he sat there begging.  But something was about to happen!  Peter and John were on their way to the temple for the time of the regular prayer meeting, and suddenly, the lame man grabbed their attention.  He called out for money, hoping to get a few coins.  Verse 2 “to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms.”

That was what he did, that is what he was expected to do, that was all he knew to do.  Probably such a fixture at the temple gate that many bypassed him without seeing him or paying attention to his need.

It would have been easy to toss a few coins into his bucket and go on to the prayer meeting. After all, the prayer meeting was important to them. They had business with God.  But what did Peter answer? Peter and John stopped and looked at him intently, then Peter told him to “look at us.” At that moment, the lame man may have thought, “Here is someone paying attention to me,” and was probably thinking he might get more than a few coins. But he may have been disappointed when Peter said, “We don’t have any money for you, but I have something better” (my paraphrase!). 

What is it that the world needs?  Your needy neighbors, your co-workers, your family?  They think a little bit more money will help, another prescription to help the pain, a different spouse, a bigger house, a better car … but we need to give what Peter and John gave.  

Peter and John knew it wasn’t just money that the lame man needed … he needed Jesus.  He needed healing.  With boldness, Peter said, “We don’t have any money for you! But I’ll give you something else!  I command you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!”  He took him by the hand and pulled him to his feet! I wonder why Peter took his hand … perhaps the crippled man hesitated, thinking, “What in the world is going on here? But Peter knew that Jesus had told His disciples that they would be sent to do miracles in His name!

Peter PULLED him to his feet!  His healing occurred as he was pulled up. It caused a revival … he was EXPECTING a gift but got love I’m action.  Had he remained seated, his miracle would not have happened.  The people were surprised, and Peter grabbed the opportunity to PREACH.  

People today think they need one thing to make them happy, and they are looking to us … you and me!  We can’t give them what they want, but we can give them what they need!

Oh, the joy of seeing a life changed!  What did the lame man do?  As he stood to his feet, he was instantly healed and was strengthened so that he came up with a leap and took off walking, then went into the temple with them walking, leaping and praising God!  I see a second miracle there … that a man who had never walked knew how to leap and walk!  He also knew to praise God!

What are we giving to the needy?  There are many government agencies, secular and religious foundations giving money, food, shelter, and needed necessities to the needy, and that is good because we need those programs.  But what is far more important is to give them what they need the most, and that is Jesus!

We don’t have what the world wants, but we do have what the world needs! We, as Christ followers, filled with His Holy Spirit, need to be BOLD in our faith and in our actions.  GIVE TO THE WORLD WHAT THEY NEED, NOT WHAT THEY WANT!

A song comes to mind, “Oh to be His hand extended reaching out to the oppressed …” Be God’s hand today!

Kids love having a piñata at a party.  Blindfolded, they are given a baseball bat or a heavy stick and have to try to hit the piñata so the candy inside spills out.

As kids, we loved parties with a piñata… the lucky ones were the closest and could grab most of the candy!  

I’ve often thought of this in relation to my heart.  When my heart takes a hit or gets bombarded with hurts, what spills out?  Retaliation? Hurtful words? Silence?  Anger?  Stuff it?

“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)

What’s in your heart?

I’ll be honest here … I wish I could say that whenever I’ve been wounded, only good and forgiving words flowed out of me!  I guess I’m not that sanctified!  I’ve had to apologize for my wrong emotions and words many times.

So, what is in your heart that comes out of your mouth?  Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.”  If we study and hide God’s word in our heart then there is more opportunity for His Word to come out.  But if we don’t read or study His Word, what are we putting in our heart?  Oh, I’m not saying that the Bible is the only thing we can read or only watch Christian programs on television, but what is feeding our heart?

We’ve all heard the saying … garbage in — garbage out.

I dare say we have all had wounded and battered hearts … spouses, children, employees, and employers … what is your response?

It depends on where you are living!  Where is your dwelling?   “He that dwells in the secret place …” (Psalm 91:1).  God inhabits (lives in) the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

In hard times when you get hit, knocked around, slammed … when your guts spill out — is it curses or blessings that bleed out? Kids love the candy that gets knocked out of a piñata… do people love what comes out of you? Curses and blessings cannot come out of the same fountain. What you’ve locked in will be knocked out.

Please understand I am NOT talking about physical or verbal abuse here … I’m talking about wounded hearts.  We are not to be doormats, but when our hearts feel like we’ve taken a piñata beating … it is important how we respond!  How do we answer back?

“God has two dwellings:  one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.”  Izaak Walton (1593-1683)

There were several things that were very heavy on my heart that I had been praying for some time.  One of the issues was clearly something that needed God’s correction and healing … the others were “God, what is happening, how do I cope, when are You going to step in … HELP!”

So on and on I prayed.  I had quit telling God HOW to do it, but “God, can’t You hurry a bit?”  I knew God’s timing is not my timing, that His ways are not my ways. I quoted the scriptures many times that He had given me to pray over these situations, but nothing seemed to be changing and was only getting worse.

I remember exactly where I was standing, saying, “God, I don’t know how much longer I can take this …” when in my spirit I heard God say, “I want you to bend to my will!”

Well, that brought me up short!  Clearly, I was not praying totally in the will of God!  At least in one of the issues involving a spiritual need, I knew how to pray, but the other issues?  

It is not easy to surrender to His will in some matters!  I immediately said, “O God, I DO want to bend (surrender) to Your will in these matters, and I want to do it with a totally happy surrendered heart … I do not want to be a Balaam that follows You but still wanting it his way!  Help me to let go and let You.  There are others involved who will still try to do it their way, so help me in conversation with them.  Not their will, not my will, but Thine be done O Father!”

As I pondered “bent,” I realized that bending is not always easy.  If you take a stick and bend it … it will break.  If you take a metal rod, it must be heated (fire!) and gradually bent to the shape you want.  I don’t want to be the stick and break, but going through fire to shape me is very painful!

After several days of God speaking to my heart, I still find it hard to truly “let go,” but it is a constant prayer.  In letting go, I still pray for God’s will to be accomplished in the various situations and also in my heart.  In “letting go,” I do not want it to be a case of “whatever will be, will be” but truly God’s way!
Reading today’s scripture, “Therefore do not be like them.  For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8).  Praying is not to remind Him of what I need but to keep reminding me to continually cast my burden on Him!  But cast with confidence that He hears, He knows, He cares, and in His time the answer will come.  Can I be patient, or will I be broken before being bent?

I was just watching the last eaglet fly out of its nest… it was on my iPhone, and many have been watching and waiting for the two eagle eggs to hatch.  The marvels of hidden cameras to catch the images of these bald eagles!  The Los Angeles news has captured these images since the eggs were in the nest.

One young eagle has already left … perhaps braver than the other one. It looked like the last young eagle was testing the air, almost looking like it was afraid to fly.  “Will my wings know what to do? Did my parents do the right thing in teaching me how to fly? Are my instincts correct? What if I fail and fall?”  The young eagle flapped her wings several times but wouldn’t leave the limb she was standing on. Finally, she soared into the air, and off she went.

How like us!  First of all, as parents, we are to teach our children what their future is. Then we teach them how to live in that freedom.  God’s Word is our instruction manual as to what and how to teach them, and our freedom is found in Him.

God has instilled in the eagles the “know-how” and the capability to fly.  As the baby eagles reach maturity, they need to leave the nest and fly into their destiny.

But it is not only for the young!  This morning, as I watched, I wondered, “Lord, in my advanced years and being a widow, am I afraid to fly?  Am I afraid to flap my wings and try new things?  Help me to jump off my safety limb and fly in the new destiny You have for me!”

I don’t think I am the only one facing this decision.  In my list of friends, I have quite a few who have lost spouses … what do we do?  Where do we go? Who can we lean on?  Who can we teach and share with? “Father, don’t let our/my years of life and experiences go to waste … teach us/me to fly and soar into the unknown with excitement and joy.  It’s been a year now (in six days) … let me soar, take the fear of the unknown away.  Take the leftovers of my life now and use them for your glory! In Jesus name, I ask this. Amen (SO BE IT!)”