There’s No Need to Fear the Middle Moments When We Personally Know “The Last”

If we were reading a book or watching a movie & knew beforehand the beginning & the end, the middle parts wouldn’t matter as much because we’d be certain of the outcome.

I was reminded 2xs today that Jesus IS the Alpha & Omega. He IS the First & the Last, Beginning & End.

He is the One Who IS, WAS & IS STILL to come-the Almighty One!

The life we’re granted this side of heaven is filled with twists & turns, oftentimes better & sometimes more harrowing or sorrowful than any movie we’ve seen. I’m kinda comforted that we will never fully comprehend the meaning of the mystery until we reach our last day & finally get to meet our Maker!

John wrote about His face to face encounter with Jesus in the book of Revelation. The visual is so stunning that John falls to his face as if he were dead!

As I read what happens next, it felt like a beautiful reminder worth repeating. When all seems lost &  we feel as if we could fall to our knees dead, our Savior sees us! And not only does He see us, He lays His right hand upon us, just like He did John, & tenderly whispers the very same words:

“Don’t be afraid! I am the First & the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look-I am alive forever & ever! I hold the keys of death & the grave.”

From the moment we are born until the very last, when we face the grave, we can be confident of this: the annals of our lives are penned by our personal Savior Who died for us so that we need not fear the end! He holds the keys that unlock death-this side of heaven AND the other!

If we are lacking life in any area this morning, our Alpha & Omega holds the keys to life! He conquered death so that we might too! 👉🏽sadness, depression, hopelessness, bitterness,  anger, unforgiveness...He can free us from all death here on earth as He will in heaven!

Father, thank You that Your Word sustains the weary. We praise you for penning each part of our lives while also giving us the freedom to follow-or not! It’s such a mystery to me!

Even though we might be walking through murky, middle-moments, we can be confident that our Omega Who conquered death IS the last part of our story on earth while our Alpha ushers us into life eternal!

#OneYearBible #peace

December 9th One Year Bible Readings

💡JOEL 1:1-3:21

💡REVELATION 1:1-20

💡PSALM 128:1-6

💡PROVERBS 29:18

Prescription for Peace

The most basic need of any human is security.  We need to know who we can trust. The problem lies in the fact that we are all fallible & will fail others (& even ourselves) without even trying.

Many things can cause our earth to quake & us to shake; from small family squabbles to big world events that are beyond our control. I’ve never lived through an earthquake, but we did have a tornado rip through our backyard when I was little.

We lost power for days & had to begin the back breaking work of clearing the 22 trees that were uprooted. It was beyond frightening during the storm & the devastation afterward seemed incomprehensible.

Some seasons are like that, where fear is near & security seems scarce. If there were a prescription for peace, I think we’d all run to the pharmacy in those moments to have it filled ASAP!

It may not be physical medicine, but there is a spiritual prescription that’s even better because it’s free & readily available.

The Lord reminds us in Psalm 75:3, “When the earth quakes & its people live in turmoil, I am the One who keeps its foundations firm.”

You might be thinking, “That’s a great reminder, but what do I do with the palpitations in my heart that surface every time I think about...”

Well, Paul gives us a protocol of sorts that promises peace in Philippians 4. It has 4 parts:

1 Don’t worry about anything

2 Pray about everything

3 Tell God what you need

4 Thank Him for all He’s done

Then we are promised to experience peace beyond what we can fathom or imagine!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t think & speak opposing things at the very same time - it’s either one or the other.  We can ponder what feels scary but then turn them into prayers telling The only One worthy of our trust what we need.

If it seems so simple & childlike, well that’s because it is. He’s our good Father who desires nothing more than to prove his faithful nature to His children, so He keeps it simple Simon for our sake :)

Father, thank you that when the pieces & parts of our world shake, we need not quake, for You promise Peace that will keep our foundations firm. We trust You, our Rock who redeems all things for our good & your glory!

#peace

October 3rd One Year Bible Readings

💡JEREMIAH 1:1-2:30

💡PHILIPPIANS 4:1-23

💡PSALM 75:1-10

💡PROVERBS 24:17-20

What’s My Goal?

I watched a show recently where the main character, Barry, can travel back in time. His mentor exhorts him not to do so because it may create an alternate timeline wrought with consequences.

Barry eventually gives into temptation & travels back to save his mom from a tragic death. He enjoys the gift of her presence, but suddenly begins to lose memories of his former life. He eventually tries to fix the mess he’s made only to discover that he‘s  created two more timelines & a whole lotta mess!

Kinda funny, but that quantum physics stuff popped in my thoughts when I read a letter from Paul to the Galatians. He’s talking about people pleasing & writes,

“Obviously I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal I would not be Christ’s servant.”

It reminded me of a convo I had with one of my sons  about the timeline theory & Christ’s Lordship.

Our Creator God has THEE most perfect timeline planned for our lives, & we can stick with His storyline, or like Barry, please ourselves (or others) by writing our own.

God’s trajectory for our future holds His best laid plans, but sometimes, in a moment of temptation, we step out from under His Lordship & start writing our own.

✨When we make decisions outside of His will & His way, however, history He didn’t intend will happen.✨

There are many decisions I’ve made that I wish I could highlight, click & delete; decisions that carry consequences to today. Unlike Barry, however, I can’t travel back in time to change them.

What I can do, however, is step back under the power, protection & provision of my Savior. I can allow Him the supreme position of Lordship & trust Him to lead The Way forward.

I’ve written it before, but it bears repeating: we are always a slave to something-ultimately to self, sin or Savior; we just gotta choose which master we’ll serve!

Father, pleasing self or others not only leaves us wanting for more, it creates a timeline You didn’t intend. Holy Spirit, guard us from the goal of momentary good things that keep us from God things. We turn our hearts to You this morning & allow You the perfect position of Lordship over our lives! We aim to please You alone!

September 14th One Year Bible Readings

💡ISAIAH 15:1-18:7

💡GALATIANS 1:1-24

💡PSALM 58:1-11

💡PROVERBS 23:12

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