His Truth - My Shield and Buckler

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the almighty, I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress my God in Him will I trust....He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:  His truth shall be thy shield and buckler."  Psalm 91:1-2,4

As I spent time this evening going over those verses, the phrase "His truth shall be thy shield and buckler" jumped out at me.  Wow!  Just ponder that!  HIS truth is a shield and buckler.  A buckler is someone who protects.  So God's is the One who protects us.  One definition for a shield is "a large piece of metal, carried by someone."  A shield is something that we carry to protect us.  It's something we can hide behind.  Not only is God our refuge and fortress, He is also a strong tower we can hide in!  He is the One who shields us.  So what does this principle look like practically?  Let me illustrate with what I was going through today.

I crashed on a bed in a dear church members house who lived walking distance from church.  Sometimes you just need a break.  I don't like to admit my limitations.  The realization of my human weaknesses had really caught up with me.  My brain and body said "rest"!  And yet I didn't like the reality of having to crash in someone else's house.  As I lay there I took time to reciting Bible memory verses from memory.  I imagined my Father in Heaven being right there with me saying, "I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10).  "I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee."  (Jeremiah 31:3).  I'm thank that God loves me the same when I'm not performing as well as I'd like to, when I'm laying down resting, and when I'm feeling exhausted, as He does when I'm busy working.  God is my Father who sees Jesus in my heart, rather than just seeing my faults.  Just as He said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased", to Jesus, He looks at me as His daughter, who He is pleased in!  Those truth's were what comforted me.  They were the shield that shielded my mind from becoming discouraged this afternoon when I was at the breaking point.

When I thought, "I can't keep going, I'm pushing too hard...."  I knew such thoughts were not truthful.  "Lord," I prayed, "I'll give you my all, you are going to have to use me, you are going to have to be the One to do this, and to strengthen me, because I don't have the strength to give anymore!"

God's truth is what gives me the strength to keep going, even when I'm tired, even when I see all my faults and am amazed at how God is still working through me.  Rather than getting overwhelmed by feelings of exhaustion, or looking at my weaknesses and saying "I can't"; I look to the promise of God that says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  (Philippians 4:13).  "Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint."  (Isaiah 40:29-30).  This is how God's truth becomes my shield and buckler!  It's the battle of the mind, it's the mind being able to accept the truth that God's says, even when I feel the opposite!  It's realizing that God will carry me through!

Nothing anyone else can do for me - not even the prayers, support, love, or encouragement of my church family, my family, or friends - can be my "safe place", shield, or buckler!  My accomplishments, my understanding of things can't be my shield!  I'm a young person who covets knowledge.  I love learning and I want to understand everything!  I've always wanted to be an intellectual person.  In my human reasonsing, educaiton would be a great shield to "hide behind"!  And yet I'm in a place where I can't trust my education, I don't have enough!  And even if I had more, it wouldn't tell me how to reach the hearts of my Bible study contacts!  Only God's truth can be my shield, and buckler!  As the hymn syas, "Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior".  That is where we each need to be!  May God's truth be your shield and buckler!  In a world that is falling a part, in a world of problems, in a world that has no safe place other than God, may He be our hiding place!

Why God Doesn't Let Us "Have it all Together"

I'll admit it, I've always wanted to be one of those people who "has it all together", and yet, I've failed miserably, every place I go!  So here's why I believe God doesn't let us "have it all together".  (Oh, and by the way, if you think you have your life all together, or know someone who does I'd like to meet them!)

"Someday maybe I'll "have it all together", I thought to myself.  And then the untruthfulness of that statement hit me!  As I grow, and learn, God will keep giving me bigger responsibilities and challenges, thus, I will not reach the point where I can say, "I've arrived, I've got this all under control!"  As I think of the adults who I look up to - the ones who are serving God with their whole hearts - I realize they have challenges too.  I've come to know pastors, teachers, and professors, as friends, and they've helped me realize that they are people too.  People who all have their own struggles.  (Having said this, I respect them more not less).  Some may still have those feelings of being overwhelmed at times, or health challenges, or other trials.  We all have problems!  The adults I look up to, still can't say "We've arrived". They are having to depend upon God for their strength too.  As I grow and learn more, there will still be that desire in me to be a better person.

The lesson is focus.  Our focus must be on Jesus, not on ourselves.  My focus can't be on me doing things perfect, or even on doing things well.  It can't be on me having the strength to keep going, or on my failures.  It's not about me,  it's about relying on Jesus!

I believe that Satan is doing everything he can to try to distract, and to discourage His workers.  But why does God allow it?  God allows trials to come upon us, He allows us to fail, He allows us to see our weaknesses, so that we will turn to Him, and learn to depend upon His strength.  It is then that God can say to us, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9).  And we can say as Paul said, "For when I am weak, then I am strong."  (2 Corinthians 12:10).  Then we will be able to say, "That was GOD working - NOT me!"

People are watching us.  They are watching to see if we can still hang onto our faith and our Christianity, even when we are going through difficult things.  For example, I have a dear friend who is going through a divorce.  She didn't deserve it.  She was faithful, she did all he could, he was unfaithful.  She holds no resentment for the abuse she has experienced.  When I see all the work she does in the church, and as a church school teacher; I see her kindness and thoughtfulness, and I realize, "That is Christianity!"  That is what I want to have!  That is how the Gospel works, it enables us to keep giving to others, keep encouraging others, even when we have a lot of our own difficulties to deal with!  It's a Gospel that forgives, and doesn't grow bitter.  It's not a Gospel of prosperity that says, "You do this and everything will work out".  It's a Gospel that reaches us in our issues, not a Gospel prevents issues from coming upon us!

God can use our challenges to help us reach others.  You see, it's not us reaching down to others.  Our failures and weaknesses and the trials we go through enable us to reach out to others in a way that we never could have if we "had it all together".  Those who haven't experienced hardships are too far removed from the reality of the toughness of life to really help people who are hurting.  If you've never hurt, you can't empathize with those who are hurting.  Herein I believe is the reason God allows us to suffer.  That way when we reach out to others we can say "I've struggled with that sin too, I've been through a similar difficult experience, but here is what Jesus has done for me, He can do the same for you!"  In this way, we give Jesus ALL the glory, because we don't have a perfect life to pride ourselves in!  We are no better than those we are reaching out to!

I believe that is what Paul meant when He wrote the following words:

 "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power, may be of God, and not of us.  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed..."  2 Corinthians 4:7-9

True Love

There's a paradox I've come to think of recently on the topic of love.  It is this:  That many people with so called "loving relationships", such as friends, and family, can still be unhappy.  The deepest most wonderful relationships they have with one another can still leave them feeling unloved and un-fulfilled.  The other paradox, is that one who has been hurt and treated unlovingly and unfairly, can forgive, and still live a happy fulfilled life without necessarily having the advantage of being loved by other people.

The simple, and yet profound truth is that, no matter how perfect a human's love for you is - no matter how close you are - their love is not what fulfills you.  Human love is imperfect.  The closest human relationships - the most loving - are not truly loving apart from God's love.  Human love will disappoint.  Your best friends, your family, your spouse, those you love to spend your time with and those who have shown you love in the most tangible ways, will all disappoint you at one time or another.  Their love is imperfect.  Only God's love can truly fulfill us.

There is one relationship that will make all other relationships work, without which, every relationship will fall into mediocrity.  In our world today we see many examples of broken relationships, hurt, arguments, you name it.  Why?  Because of sin.  Yes, simply from sin.  Sin separates loved ones.  Selfishness is sin.  Selfishness leads to unhappy relationships.  The extent that you can experience healthy, loving relationships with others, is the extent that you are willing to be broken, and give up your selfishness.  The one relationship that makes relationships work, is having a deep relationship with God.  Every relationship has the potential for deeper love and fulfilment, by Christ becoming the center of that relationship.

Having said this, the simple truth is, no matter how close, how fulfilling a relationship is, it is imperfect.  Even a person who loves God cannot love you perfectly.  Their love for you only comes from God, if it comes from anything else, it is not true love, but infatuation.  Human love fails.  People make mistakes.  People fail.  People say unkind things.  Christians fall short of the glory of God, they don't always show us love.  So how do we love them?  The key is that when we are fulfilled in God's love for us, we won't be looking for the fulfillment of being loved by someone else.  God's love is the basis for how we can love others, even when they fail us.  So, what if the other person has treated you in very unloving way?  That is okay!  Because you are loved by Someone who is infinitely more loving than the person who is hurting you right now!  You are a child of God!

The beauty of God's love is that it is not based on our love for Him.  "Only by love is love awakened."  In our relationships with people, we can question, "Does that person really love me?  Will we still be friends, or was it just something that lasted temporarily?" or "Was that love or infatuation?"  With God, we will never have to question His love for us! 

Too often in my life and my relationships, I'm looking for the end result.  Where is this headed, are these relationships worth investing in?  In our walk with God, we know the end result!  If we accept His love, and live according to His law of love, we will live eternally with Him and rest in  His love!  "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life....no height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:38-39.  The only thing that can separate us from God's love is our choice to reject him.

In our relationships with others, we don't know the end result.  The only security we can have in our relationships with others, is as those relationships are Christ-centered, and draw us closer to Him!   So, here's how it works with our relationships with others, we don't wait to love the other person until we see if they love and care for us.  We give, and give, and share God's love, not because they love us, but because we love them.  We can only receive this type of love from God.  The natural heart only loves those who will love in return.  But Jesus said, "For if  ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?  For sinners also love those that love them."  (Matthew 5:46, Luke 6:32).  In a small group Bible study, one of the church members shared how they were discussing the same topic in church.  The question had come up, "How far do you go with this principle of loving your enemies?"  Is God asking us to love even those who have wronged us?  Would God go so far as to ask us to even love a murder?"  Truly only God can give us a love that is that forgiving, was the conclusion!  My mind went to a story of a woman who had been imprisoned for her faith in God.  Years later she went back and told him that she forgave him.  Only God could give that type of forgiveness!

Love isn't just a happy feeling.  Love is a principle that compels you to treat people in a way that God would have you treat them.  It spurs you to action.  You can't sit around saying oh I love this person I love this person, that gets you no where in any type of scenario!  Love expresses itself by deeds of kindness that you show to others.  If you wait for the perfect person to show kindness to, then your love is conditional.  What if I don't feel totally loving, do I still show love?  Yes.  Here is where I often struggle, I want my heart to be in something, I don't want to do it if my heart isn't in it.  But, even when you don't feel loving, still do it.  Show the act of kindness.  And as we do this we can pray that God will change our hearts, to truly love the person we are showing kindness to.  And God is totally able to do this!  He is in the business of changing hearts!  As you do right, and pray, God will change your heart.  Don't wait to feel that your heart is changed, go forward in faith that God is changing your attitude towards that unloving person!

True love loves because God loves.  True love doesn't love because it wants to be loved.  True love doesn't love because it is loved by another person.  True love loves because it is love.  God is love.  That is how God loves.  It is who He is, and when Christ is in our hearts, he will change us that we can love too.  True love can only love because it is loved by God.  We don't love others because they treat us nicely.  We love them because our hearts are overflowing with the love of God, and we just have to share it with someone else.  We love even the people who have hurt us the most, because that is what the One who gives us love would do!  Jesus, the source of love, said to those who hated him to the point of murdering him, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."  He is our example.

So my challenge to anyone who may read this, (and a challenge to myself as well), is simply to grow in God's love.  Grow in God's love to the point where others can't hurt you.  Yes, they may disappoint you, yes it may hurt that they did something unkind, but it doesn't have to get you down because your fulfillment comes in Someone's love that is so much deeper!  That Someone is Christ; Who gave Himself for sinners - sinners that didn't show love to Him!  That love enables, compels, and transforms.  It enables us to live our lives in a Christ-like way; It compels us to share it with those who don't understand His love; and it's this love that transforms our characters and fits us for Heaven!  Let God's love enable, compel and transform you today!

Identity

Identity.  Where does our identity come from?  My identity is not found in my family.  My identity is not found in being in a group of friends.  My identity is not found in a college I attend.  My identity cannot be found in my credentials, my college degree or lack thereof.  My identity is not found in the grades I get in school.  My identity is not found in the work I do.  My identity is not found in my accomplishments.  My identity is not even found in ministry or service.  My identity can only be found in Christ.  My identity is found in the fact that I am a child of the king!  I am a daughter of God - the God of the universe!  It is as this truth really sinks into my mind that I can be secure and confident even if everything else in my life was to be stripped from me; because as a child of God, I am royalty.

I remember the journey of finding my identity in Christ starting when I was seventeen and eighteen.  I was struggling with health challenges, that seemed to set me back in life.  I remember how frustrating it was to have to make myself lay down and take a nap, because I didn't have the energy to keep going.  As a result of my health issues, I couldn't leave home to go to college when I wanted to.  Then later, I couldn't stay at college when I wanted to.  It was a quiet time - a wilderness experience - learning to be still, when I'd rather be busy working.  Learning to lean on Jesus as my Best Friend, when I'd rather be with my group of friends back in school!

Change has been a of a pattern of my life.  Every time I went through a changing circumstances, I felt like I was going through an identity crisis!  It was like, "God who am I now?  What am I doing here?  Why am I here?"  I really felt that way when I came back home from my first summer of canvassing.  I drove into Karlstad, Minnesota where my family had moved to, but I didn't want to be there!  I was pulled away from everything and everyone I knew and loved, except my immediate family.  But it was there that I had the opportunity which I had always dreamed of - I was able to be a teacher.  No it wasn't the easiest year, I missed my friends, the long cold winter could be depressing at times, but there was nothing more fulfilling to me than seeing the smiles on my students' faces!  I made three little girls happy!  I loved my work teaching, and I spent more time in God's word then ever before because I was teaching children about Jesus!

This past week I had the opportunity to visit my family and then go to ASI with them.  It was awesome to reconnect with old friends who were in High School when I first started college, and other good friends from school.  It is so neat to see how God has been leading in their lives.  It  also made me realize that each person's life is different.  No two people are the exactly the same.  We all have a unique path of life to walk that Jesus is taking us on.  Our identity can't come from trying to be like someone else, or from trying to fit a certain box for what young people "should" be doing with their life.

As I flew back home to Tennessee where my church family to do Bible work with, I was impressed to just embrace the fact that I am called to do Bible work and be excited for the opportunity.  Having said that though, I also realized that working for God isn't where I can find my identity either.  Identity can only be found in God!  It's easy for me to try to make a savior out of the work I'm doing.  What  happens then when Bible studies cancel?  What when people are not home?  What if not as many baptisms result from my work as I would like?  Can I still be thankful?  My joy must come from serving God faithfully, not in seeing the results of my work.  When my identity is in Christ, I can be thankful in every change, and every new situation.

I have come to realize that change is something that everyone goes through in life, no matter who you are or how old you are.  Everyone struggles with their identity to some degree or anther, at some point in their life.  The woman who's lost her husband...the man's who's wife left him...the person who's friend or family member just died...the college graduate....They all have something in common.  They are either going through a changing circumstance, or facing a loss, that challenges them to find their identity in something deeper than anything on this earth!

No matter who we are, what age, or station in life we are at, God is challenging us to find our total fulfillment in Him.  He says, "I have created you, I have called you by my name You are my mine."  (Isaiah 43:1).  He says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love," (Jeremiah 31:3), and He is pleading to us saying, "My love for You is enough to give you complete security, your identity can be totally rooted in Me!"  I love the way Paul states this fact in Colossians 2:10: "And ye are complete in Him."  In Christ we have the opportunity for our identity to be rooted securely!  Not rooted in ourselves, but rooted deeply in being who God intends for us to be.  We were created in God's image, and it is through a relationship with Christ that God's image is restored in us, only then can we reach our true fulfillment.  "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God."  (1 John 1:3).  "Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."  Romans 8:15-16.  Here we find our true identity - in the fact that we are children of God.  We can be secure in our identity, for we are Christ's, and we have an identity that will never change throughout eternity!  

"Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away."

-Isaiah 41:9