God Always Provides in the Prison What Will Be Required in the Palace

Anything that makes you great, that’s not of God, will eventually lose its luster.

That thought surfaced as I continued to read  David’s declaration of praise after he’s finally freed from the pursuit of crazy King Saul.

He waited for this moment for years! In fact, David had perfect opportunity to kill Saul when the king entered a cave to relieve himself - the very cave where David & his men were hiding!😳

The men urge David to kill him, claiming that God providentially placed Saul in the cave at that very moment, but David refuses. David trusts in God, in His timing, in His perfect way, & Psalm 18 declares ALL of it!

He writes, “To The faithful, you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity, you show integrity; to the pure, you show yourself pure…”

David remains faithful, upholds integrity & keeps his heart pure as he waits with steadfast expectation for God’s perfect rescue plan!

He gives God all the credit for using the hard times as training times, making David swift & strong, while protecting him in the process of growth.

Last week our pastor said something quite profound about seasons of waiting & preparation:

“You’re on your way to the palace, & you’ll never need anything in the palace you weren’t provided In the prison.”

David declares his all-out-dependency on God during these “prison” years when he lived as an outlaw:

✨YOU gave me a shield of victory

✨YOU made a wide path for my feet

✨YOUR help has made me great

David’s “greatness” was simply a byproduct of keeping God great in his heart!

All things in David’s life, the times he felt overlooked, the times he fought a lion to protect the sheep, the time his faith overshadowed logic & he conquered a giant with a sling & a stone, the time he could’ve ended the misery of hiding from Saul, but instead, waited on God’s help…all of those were prison-like moments preparing him for the palace to come!

Now you & I might not be earthly royalty, but we ARE divine royalty, sons & daughters of the reigning supreme God! We’ll someday live in an eternal palace, but while we wait, let’s be like David & make God’s name great by living a life of complete surrender to His perfect will & wide-path Way!

#OneYearBible #July

July 23rd One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 8:11-10:19

ROMANS 8:9-25

PSALM 18:16-36

PROVERBS 19:26

We Can Turn to our Source of Light Even When He Seems Hidden by the Dark Things Happening

Do you ever feel like God is hidden behind the rain clouds of a circumstantial storm? Like you’re hangin on & hoping long, but darkness seems to prevail?

I’ve been waiting for darkness to lift in certain areas of life for quite some time, & I kinda feel like my son who’d call me when he was little & cry, “Where ARRE you?”

Yesterday, a heavy darkness settled across the sky as a storm approached. The clouds swirled about, enveloping the sun to such a dark degree that I had to turn on the light in my living room.

I glanced up from my work at the very moment lightening flashed, thunder boomed & rain began to gush over my gutters.

As I sat watching the water pool on my deck, I thought how the Lord’s approach is sometimes dark like that.

I recently had a conversation about this idea of a prolonged dark season, where you keep waiting for this one thing to happen or change, but the darkness ensues & “the thing” seems to remain the same.

I’m sure that’s how David felt during the many years he fled from crazy King Saul. David writes about the time God finally rescues him from Saul’s relentless pursuit in Psalm 18. At the end of his rope, David cries to the Lord for rescue.

God DOES rescue David, but David describes God’s approach as hidden:

“He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him…”

I’m aware that there have, are & will continue to be circumstances that I just won’t understand this side of heaven, & this might be one?

Why the cloak & dagger approach, Lord? You can say a word & it will be done, so why veil your approach & delay Your rescue?

As I think about the storm that settled over my home yesterday, I find it interesting that I had to turn on the light & here’s why:

Kinda like flipping on a light switch when things get dark, we can turn to our Source of Light, even when He seems hidden by the dark things happening!

Father when Your approach is shrouded in darkness, remind us that it doesn’t diminish Your promise to rescue. The aim this side of heaven is not to be free from strife, but to let it draw us near to You. We trust our SOURCE of Light, even when things feel dark.

#OneYearBible

July 22nd One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 6:12-8:10

ROMANS 7:14-8:8

PSALM 18:1-15

PROVERBS 19:24-25

Beauty is a Beautiful Byproduct When We Care for Our Bodies as a Residing Temple of the Holy Spirit

When I was younger, caring for my body was utilitarian in nature, serving one primary purpose: to make myself look beautiful.

I cringe inside after typing that sentence because it’s SO myopic & gushing over with self-centeredness. 😑

I realize there’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel beautiful, but the Lord’s led me to a place where beauty is no longer the main thing, but a potential byproduct when we care for our bodies as His residing temple.

As I read about King Solomon’s dedication of the newly built Temple of God, I can’t help but consider the deeper implication of it all.

The King made sure that every single detail was attended to with the greatest intention, intricacy & care, so that every single aspect would be used to worship The Worthy One!

On dedication day, the people make so many sacrifices that they can’t even keep count! They have trumpets & singers & cymbals, oh my, as they give thanks to the Lord.

At the very moment they declare, “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!”, a cloud SO THICK fills the Temple, that the priests can’t continue their service, for the glorious presence of God fills the entire place!

The Temple was built with one single- minded pursuit: to honor the name of the Lord!

And now, you & me? We ARE that temple! Our bodies house the residing Presence of the Holy Spirit!

When you consider Who resides within, it gives cause to pause so questions may rise about what happens TO our temple & what comes INTO our temple.

If our bodies are a place to honor His name, then everything we permit it to:

See or not see

Hear or not hear

Think or not think

Do or not do

Eat or not eat

Drink or not drink

ALL become a spiritual act of worship!

And heres the kicker👉🏽It’s either a worship of self or The One Worthy of worship!

Ouch, right?😳

What if we approached all decisions through this constant reminder of Whom we carry?

How might our diet change? Our physical activities? Our speech? Our leisure time?

When we fully comprehend that we’ve been given a spiritual Maserati for a body, then how we fuel & care for it & where we drive it take on a whole new meaning…especially when we remember Who we’re called to carry!

#OneYearBible

July 21st One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 4:1-6:11

ROMANS 7:1-13

PSALM 17:1-15

PROVERBS 19:22-23