“A quiet heart is content with what God gives.” Elizabeth Elliot
“Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.” (Psalm 119:164) The psalmist wrote this in the midst of persecution.
Praise in the hard times? Yup, that’s what he wrote. Notice, though, what he was praising God about…His Word.
You have no control over other’s choices. You only control your choices in the midst of theirs.
Others might be making your life difficult, but that doesn’t relieve you from loving Jesus in your choices.
The writer goes on to state that peace comes to those who choose to love and then practice the truths the Lord gives them.
This is a practice of praising God for the truths He’s already given you and how they have actually worked in your life.
Practice praising seven times a day, huh? Yes, seven times a day stop what you’re thinking or doing and praise God for how His has brought you peace through obedience in past.
What do you have to lose? It might just put a smile on your face and quieten your heart.

Your current situation is not your final destination.
“We all are on a trajectory from what we are to what we will be. The moral absolutes found in Scripture rightly orient us on the road map. But the process heads out on the actual long, long journey in the right direction. What matters most is not the distance you’ve covered. It’s not the speed you’re going. It’s not how long you’ve be on the journey or how much time you have left. It’s the direction your heading.” Dr. Dave Powlison
In my understanding of Scripture, the moment you place your faith in Jesus, your destination is assured. You’ve chosen to make the God of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac your God. In doing so, you made the Father, your Dad; Jesus, your brother; and, the Spirit, your guide.
I know that’s simplistic. But hang with me. The Father started this work in you; and, He will finish it. Jesus is the author of your faith; and, He will perfect it. The Spirit drew you to Jesus; and, He will continue to do so.
Your life now is a God thing. Trust Him to build your faith, not you. It’s His job. Trust Him to be in the midst of the journey as well at its end. He is fully capable and willing to finish bringing you home.
Yes, we want to move further down the road. Jesus is there and always makes our lives more complete and fulfilling, though not always easy.
The God of heaven and earth has you! And your perfection, becoming like Jesus, is His job. You’re just enjoying the scenery along the way.

Set your thoughts on Jesus as you will never rise higher than your thinking.
Take a moment and look at the picture. See if you can catch what happened to the tree.
First, though it’s fallen over, it’s not down. Storms knocked it over, but it’s still alive and growing…sideways.
Second, this horizontal branch has shoots growing straight up. Though fallen, it’s still growing! Cool, right?
Know the signs of the times in which you live. Tropical storms are coming, if they haven’t already occurred. And, we all know it; but life, at times, is simply not fair.
A believing friend, who is now home with Jesus (the ultimate fallen yet not down!), used to tell his children, “Don’t play the victim. Make good decisions. Keep moving forward.”
When life is unfair or you look back over your life and see the scattered mess you or others have caused, you have a choice to make.
You can play the victim card. “Look at what happened to me!” And then make bad choices, which only take you backward.
Or, you can choose to look to Jesus. Let Him show you how He wants you to handle the effects of the storm; and then rise to the sky.
Don’t waste time playing the victim! You may have fallen, but you are not down! Make new choices today to go forward with and in Jesus in the Spirit’s power.

“The resurrection is our great hope!” Billy Graham
It was the week of March 9-14. 2020. I sensed the Lord telling me to stay an extra week in Israel after the tour I was helping left on the 15th. Yet, Covid was picking up steam. Should I go with them or stay?
I knew the answer. I just had to overcome the dead weight of my own insecurities of being wrong.
Jesus was asking me to tap deeper into the resurrection power by staying. I decided to stay on the 13th.
On the 14th, I learned that the hotel where I was staying, was closing on the 16th due to Covid. I stuck with my decision to follow Jesus and stayed.
After taking our guests to the airport on the 15th, I went to a sister hotel in Tel Aviv. While there on the 16th, I learned that Guest Houses, where I was hoping to stay, were closing all over Israel. The airport was going to shut down. And, all tourists were told to leave the country, which meant me!
Lord, was I wrong? No! I “found” a room at a Guest House in Tel Aviv where back packers from all over the world trying to get home stayed. It was here that I was able to share Jesus with them!
As I left Israel on the 17th, He had me go through the hassle of those two extra days to share the gospel with those young people! I may never know the outcome of those seeds until I get Home.
The same power that rose Jesus from the grave is not just for life after we die. It is also to be tapped into to clean out the “dead weight” areas, like insecurity, in our lives.
Now is the time to apply resurrection power!

“Prayer warriors are not passive points on a spear. Prayer warriors engage the wicked in a spiritual battle.” Rabbi Eukel
Western individualism should end at the front door of wherever the church gathers.
The first time we place our faith in Jesus, our individualism ends. We are placed into a family (1 Cor. 12) that needs each individual to listen to and follow Jesus…together.
There is even a piece of armor that dictates this necessity (Eph. 6:11-20). We call it prayer. The actual word means to make a wish. We are to wish that our fellow Jesus followers experience perfection, see others come to faith in Jesus, are brought safely through life’s storms, and come through the fire of testing stronger than when entered.
Yet, unlike our cellphones, how much do we make use of this critical communication device? Know this. History is littered with military defeats due to lack of or poor communication/Intel.
We need other believers listening for and sharing vital Intel with us to experience victory over our common enemy, Satan (James 5:16)!
It is time to pick up that forgotten piece of armor, prayer/wishing; and, actually use it for each other. Anyone who chooses to follow Jesus is going to be persecuted. Yes, my American friends, us too.
So, please. Pick up the phone. Start making wishes and sharing the Intel. You, rather we, are needed if we are to live for and love Jesus in our current times.