LEAD ME TO THE ROCK!

“Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer

From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and

A strong tower from the enemy.

I will abide in Thy tabernacle forever:

I will trust in the covert of Thy wings.

Psalm 61:1-4

Our hearts are overwhelmed within us with the tragic news that we see happening around us.  And in our walk with the Lord there are some days where we just want to run and hide.  The road I am walking on toward my eternal home is cloud covered some days and I can’t seem to find my way, and many of you are going through great trials also.  And my heart goes out to those suffering from cancer and the effects of various treatments.

In this Psalm of David he is literally crying out for God to hear his prayer, his soul is overwhelmed within him.  He was running from Saul, and stated that he could cry out to God wherever he was on earth, and it is that way with you too.  Wherever you are, whatever your situation, you can cry unto Him and He will hear your cries.

And when we are overwhelmed we run to the “Rock” who is Christ Jesus, He is our shelter to hide in and oh, what peace and joy is there.  A friend of mine states it this way:  “Imagine yourself on a beautiful cloud far above everything: no worries, no pain, no tears, just total peace with your Lord.  All is total peace with Him, and calm and beautiful.  Jesus is your all in all.  You don’t have to do anything, just sit there with the Lord in your secret place of prayer, your “get a way” with Him.”

And when I run to Him, He is that rock that is higher than I, and that rock is immovable, strong and the safest place to be when the winds of trial are blowing.  And we know from I Corinthians 10:4 that the Rock is Christ Jesus.  And many places in the Psalms David talks about that Rock.  David was hiding in the wilderness, a place of many rocks and crevices so he knew about hiding in a rocky place, but his Rock was Christ Jesus, and aren’t you glad that Jesus is our strong Rock to lean on.

LEAD ME TO THE ROCK

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, higher than I, higher than I.  Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, you’re my tower against the foe.

Refrain: Hear my cry O God, answer my prayer, answer my prayer, answer my prayer.  Hear my cry O God, answer my prayer, you’re my tower against the foe.

I’ll take refuge in the shelter of your wings, the shelter of your wings, the shelter of your wings, I’ll take refuge in the shelter of your wings, you’re my tower against the foe.

I’ll fulfill my vows day after day, day after day, day after day.  I’ll fulfill my vows day after day, you’re my tower against the foe.  (J. Brian Craig)

Isn’t it wonderful to know that also in these stressful times that we can hide under the shelter of His covering wings, like a mother hen who gathers her chicks under her for safety, we can hide under the shelter of our Beloved Lord. ( Psalm 91:4).

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe” Proverbs 18:10.

The Name of the Lord Jesus is our strong tower, we cry out to Him in our times of trouble and we are safe, surrounded by His precious arms, as the storm may be blowing.

And David stated that He would abide in His tabernacle forever, covered by His wings.  David ran to the Mercy Seat where the wings of the Cherubim covered the Ark of the Covenant.  Now we have the privilege to go right into the throne room, right up to His knees, my faith.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:16.

In these very troubled times we live in, run to Him, run to your secret place of prayer, sit in His presence, and let Him cover you with His wings of love.  Run to the Rock that is higher than you, run into your strong tower, call upon the Name of Jesus, as He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

And if you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior, call upon Him now.  We never know what a day will hold, and He is your only security in this world.  He can give you that peace and joy, and whatever happens you know you are secure in His tender care, and ready for eternal life with Him.

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon

MY CONSTANTLY ABIDING LORD

MY CONSTANTLY ABIDING

LORD JESUS

As we walk this pilgrim pathway, trials seem to surround us.  And today, as I look outside my window, the sky is blue, the air is chilly, the winds are calm.  But sometimes  there will be grey skies, cold air, and the wind is blowing.  Oh, how we long for spring to come.  But sometimes those balmy spring days in our lives, as we walk this pathway with Jesus can turn into a gale and clouds will fill our skies. 

But we have a Wonderful Lord Jesus, who never leaves us or forsakes us whether the weather on our journey is calm with warm and lovely skies, or cloudy and stormy with pain and despair on our horizon.  As I look around at people’s faces, I sense the hurt and despair of many.  Many think there are no solutions to the problems we face, and I long to tell them of our Wonderful Savior constantly abides in my heart.  Even who doubts come and it is hard to pray, He is there with His wonderful peace and assurance, for He constantly abides whether our skies are rainy or sunny, whether we are on the mountain top or down in a valley.  He is there, Praise the Lord!

CONSTANTLY ABIDING

“There’s a peace in my heart that the world never gave, a peace it can not take away; ho’ the trials of life may surround like a cloud, I’ve a peace that has come there to stay!

“Refrain:  Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine; constantly abiding, rapture divine.  He never leaves me lonely, whispers, o so kind: “I will never leave thee,” Jesus is mine.

All the world seemed to sing of a Saviour and King, when peace sweetly came to my heart; troubles all fled away and my night turned to day, blessed Jesus, how glorious Thou art!

This treasure I have in a temple of clay, while here on His footstool I roam, but He’s coming to take me some glorious day, over there to my heavenly home!  (Anne S. Murphy).

My friends, this world cannot give you peace.  You may have many possessions, seemingly reached your goal in life, have a loving family around you and feel like everything is okay with the world.  But, if you examine your heart you will find an emptiness there as you continue to search and search for things to fill that vacancy in your heart.  But let me tell you, though trials may come in and fog up our pathway so we cannot see our way ahead, Jesus comes and when He walks into your life, you will have peace that this world can never take away.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” John 16:33.

At this time, Jesus was sharing His last words with His disciples before He went to The Garden of Gethsemane and the mob came to arrest Him.  Their hearts were troubled at His words, and He confirmed that they would indeed have tribulation and trials in this world, as the disciples learned in the days and years ahead as they spread the Gospel.  But He tells them, like He tells us to “cheer up” as we would say, He has overcome the world. 

And yes, as He went to Calvary, shed His precious blood for our sins, and then on the third day, arose triumphant from the grave, He did overcome the world and because of His sacrifice we can have that peace that overcomes the world.  And how do we describe that peace?  It is a constant knowing that no matter what lies ahead, He is in control and I give my worries and fears to Him.  I give Him all my anxious thoughts about tomorrow and walk ahead knowing He is leading me on in His footsteps.

And I remember the day I accepted Jesus into my heart.  I was just a child of 10 years old, but I remember so vividly the peace that came into my heart.  The next day even the world around me was brighter, something had changed in my heart, and I felt His presence so real.  That what He does when He comes into our hearts, as all troubles may not all suddenly flee away, but we now have Jesus to walk with us and guide us in the midst of them.

But we have that blessed promise now, even living in these “temples of clay,” that someday our Lord will come back and receive us unto Himself.  What a glorious day that will be!  So we watch and wait, and keep on working for Jesus, and someday we will see Him face to face at last.  Some of us will go home to be with Jesus before He comes to rapture His church.  And there we will be in our heavenly home forever, there with Jesus, and our loved ones who have gone on before us.

So be not dismayed at the trials you may face, for He constantly abides with us, He promises us in His Word that He will never leave us or forsake us in Hebrews 13:5.

So you may be having a cloudy day right now, but just look ahead, there He is walking ahead of you, and when He comes the clouds disperse and He brings that wonderful peace that only He can bring.  So walk on and keep your eyes on Jesus.  And if you have not accepted that wonderful peace He brings, ask Him into your heart right now and He will come to constantly abide with you forever.  Praise His Holy Name!

Blessings, Pastor Sharon

LET US KEEP OUR EYES ON CALVARY

LET US KEEP OUR

EYES ON CALVARY!

This is the week after Easter.  The Easter things are put away, and the stores are offering bunnies and decorations half price.  Now people have their eyes on other coming events, Easter is now behind them. But I think of the people out there going to and fro with their lives and their struggles and their hurt and their pain.  And my heart cries out to those who went to church last Sunday, probably as guests.  And they hadn’t been to church since Christmas or maybe a funeral of a loved one or friend.  They heard the good Word of God preached, sang the wonderful Easter hymns, but where is their love for Jesus and the power of the Resurrection? 

Do we just sing about the cross on Sunday, and on Monday our Bibles are put back on the shelf or coffee table to await the next service we may attend?  Or do we reflect back to Calvary every day of the week, all year?  Is there a secret prayer place where we commune with our Lord, and be reminded of the sacrifice He made on that cross?  I, myself, do not want to forget that sacrifice He made for my sins, and I want Him to continually lead me back to Calvary.  How about you? 

LEAD ME TO CALVARY

“King of my life, I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be; lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow, lead me to Calvary.

Refrain: Lest I forget Gethsemane, lest I forget Thine agony; lest I forget Thy love for me, lead me to Calvary.

Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid, tenderly mourned and wept; Angels in robes of light guarded Thee while Thou slept.

Let me like Mary, thro’ the gloom, come with a gift for Thee; show me now the empty tomb, lead me to Calvary.

May I be willing, Lord to bear daily my cross for Thee; even Thy cup of grief to share, lead me to Calvary.  (Jennie Evelyn Hussey, 1874-1958)

Yes, my cry is now to crown Him now with my praise, adoration and worship, and give Him all the glory, in case I would forget the thorns upon His brow, so Lord, lead me back to Calvary.

As I pray and praise Him, I ask He remind me of the tomb, where the woman came to mourn and weep, and where Heavenly angels, dressed in robes of light guarded Him as he slept there.  Oh, Lord, lead me back to Calvary.  I ask that of you out there, ask Him to lead you back there, to the cross, and to the place where they laid Him.

“But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.  And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain” John 20:11-12.

And like Mary, I  come through the darkness and gloom of my life, with a sweet gift for Thee, the gift of my life and my service and love for Thee.  So show me now the empty tomb, lead me to Calvary.

And Lord, may I too be willing to bear my cross daily for Thee.  Sometimes those crosses are so heavy to bear.  Sometimes there is a cross of sickness, despair, grief.  May I bear it gladly for Thee.  Sometimes we feel like we just go on again under the heavy load we carry.  But Jesus promises to carry that cross or burden with us. (Matthew 11:28-30).

So my precious friends out there, He calls us daily to look to the cross and be reminded again of the sufferings of our Lord, for me, for you.  But as we are led back to Calvary, let us also remember the empty tomb, and the Angels proclaiming: “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay” Matthew 28:6.

Oh, come back to Calvary, come back to the cross, come back to the wonderful day of Resurrection!  Jesus is alive and seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven, but has sent the Holy Spirit to come live within us, teach us and remind us daily of His love, His comfort, and the promise of His soon return.

Oh, let us keep our eyes on Jesus, keep our eyes looking up to Calvary and the supreme sacrifice He made there.  Let us keep daily in our prayer closets, reading His Word, and sharing Jesus with the world around us.  That those around us will also be lead to Calvary, and what a joy someday to see Him face to face, and see those scars on His hands and feet and always be reminded of His great love for us all through eternity.  Praise His Holy Name!

Pastor Sharon

THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR YOU

 

 

 

 

 

 

THERE’S STILL ROOM FOR YOU!

As we are midweek until Easter Sunday, it is time to refocus on what the Lord Jesus has done for us and His great love.  Can you imagine, as He went through this final week, His thoughts? 

He had entered Jerusalem on the first day of the week, we call Palm Sunday.  The crowds had gathered, many people in the city for Passover and its celebrations.  The crowds must have been enormous.  Jesus comes down the Mount of Olives to enter the city on the colt of a donkey.  And our Lord and Savior was weeping! He looked out over the city and looked into the future and saw its destruction. "

 

 For you see, they rejected the very Messiah they were waiting for.  They thought Jesus was coming to overthrow the Romans and set up an earthly kingdom, but he came to offer His life as the supreme sacrifice, The Lamb of God!  “He came to His own and His own received Him not” John 1:11.

There along the pathway, they threw down their cloaks and waved palm branches to welcome their king, and His heart must have been so heavy!  And these same crowds would crucify Him just a few days later.  He came on a lowly colt of a donkey, but kings who come to conquer come on their horses. 

But someday, my friend, our King will come back, not meekly riding the foal of a donkey, but He will come back as “The Conquering King!  Oh, what a day that will be!

On Thursday, we traditionally celebrate “The Lord’s Supper.”  There He gathered one last time with His disciples to share the Passover meal and His love for them, and then they would go out and it was night.  There He would face the ordeal in the Garden before His arrest.

I think of the cross and what it stands for.  We wear them around our necks, bedeck them in precious jewels, put them up on our churches.  But the cross was the place of execution, of mockery, of horror!

The cross beams of the cross stand pointing in two directions:  One points back into history and all the hundreds of prophecies pointing to the coming Messiah.  The other one points to the day Christ died, where the price had been paid once and for all by the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  The cross divides history in two.  And the beam of the cross points upward, up into the heavens, where He has gone to prepare a place for you, for me.

And at the foot of the cross is where the blood of Jesus dripped down.  At the foot of the cross is where we kneel and our sins are forgiven.  And millions and millions of people down through the ages have knelt there and received the salvation offered by The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  And my friend, there is still room for you there.

 Room at the Cross for You

“The cross upon which Jesus died is a shelter in which we can hide.  And its grace so free is sufficient for me, and deep is its fountain, as wide as the sea.

There’s room at the cross for you, there’s room at the cross for you.  Tho’ millions have come, there is still room for one.  Yes, there’s room at the cross for you.

Tho’ millions have found Him a friend and have turn’d from their sins they have sinned.  The Savior still waits to open the gates, and welcome a sinner before it’s too late.

The hand of my Savior is strong, and the love of my Savior is long.  Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain, the blood flows from Calv’ry to cleanse every stain.  (Ira stanphill)

My friends out there, where are you today?  Do you feel like you have committed so many sins, and feel so lost that there is no longer any hope for you eternally?  There is still room at that cross for you. 

There Jesus stands, His arms outstretched, waiting for you.  And as we look around our world and the events taking place, I would not want to be without Jesus!  And you do not know what tomorrow may hold for you.  It is a scary world without Jesus.  I just heard of a man my husband was acquainted with through work.  He suddenly died in His sleep, and He did not know Jesus.  And recently, we learned of a young nephew who died in His sleep suddenly, and oh, he did love and serve Jesus, and what glory He must be experiencing.  Which path are you on?

The Lord is patient and not willing any should perish. (2 Peter 3:9)  And no matter what the weather, what storms are going on in your life right now, the blood of Jesus is still flowing to cleanse your heart from sin and to give you peace and eternal life.

So, my friends, if you don’t know Jesus as your own personal Savior, take time this Easter week and give your heart to Jesus.  And what a wonderful Resurrection Sunday you will experience!  Your life will be changed, new life with Jesus now and forever.

Blessings in Jesus’ Name,

Pastor Sharon

 

 

 

 

 

 

HE DOES KEEP ME SINGING

 

 

 

 

 

HE DOES KEEP ME SINGING!

What a wonderful Lord we serve!  In spite of trials and turmoil around us, He is faithful.  And He always gives a song in the midst of the darkest night, as I have shared before.  But sometimes in the midst of a busy day, all of a sudden He will drop the following song in my heart to remind me “fear not I am with thee, peace, be still.”  And He has done that in various places and times of my life, and it is usually this song that I am going to share it with you.  It is an old song.  I remember it from my childhood.  In those days, we always had Sunday Night services and usually they were evangelistic and joyful.  And this was one of those songs I remember from those days.

But first let me tell you a story of a precious lady I encountered in the nursing home several years back, as I was making my rounds.  I was working with the hospital as a volunteer chaplain, and the nursing home was part of that work at that time.  Now my work there as chaplain is through the ministry of our local church.

I walked into a room, and there sat a lady with snow white hair, beautiful blue eyes.  And I noticed on her nameplate that she was “Irene.”  I walked over to her and began to introduce myself and my work, and she looked up at me and smiled, and in a thick German accent she began to sing to me:

“There’s within my heart a melody, Jesus whispers sweet and low, fear not I am with thee, peace, be still, in all of life’s ebb and flow.”

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name I know, fills my ev’ry longing, keeps me singing as I go.

I hadn’t even given any details of my visit to her or my name.  Her heart was so full of joy, and seeing the joy of the Lord in my heart, she began to sing to me.  That is what we would call a “Divine Moment.”  So I began to sing along with her the verses we both could remember:

“Feasting on the riches of His grace, resting ‘neath His sheltering wing, always looking on His smiling face, that is why I shout and sing.

Tho’ sometimes He leads thro’ waters deep, trials fall across the way, tho’ sometimes the path seems rough and steep, see His footprints all the way.

Soon He’s coming back to welcome me far beyond the starry sky; I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown, I shall reign with Him on high” (He Keeps Me Singing, Luther B. Bridgers)

How could we as believers, walking with our Lord, resting  beneath the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:1, 4, looking upon His face, keeping our eyes on Him, how could we not just want to shout and sing?

The man who wrote this song in the last century was a Pastor/Evangelist, Luther B. Bridgers,  out preaching the Word, when he learned his wife and children had all died in a tragic fire.  In the midst of his grief, he realized the only thing he could still hold on to was “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, and the song emerged.  What a testimony!

And as Pastor Bridgers realized sometimes the Lord does lead through waters deep, and many trials come out way, and sometimes we don’t understand “why?”  As I was pondering the thought of the way being rough and steep, and I thought that in the midst of our trials sometimes we cannot see Him through the fog of our tears, or through the storm raging around us, I was reminded that if I look ahead, it might be foggy, but there in the fog, on that pathway are His footprints, assuring us that He is still there leading us on.  We may feel like we are alone, but His footprints are there, those nail scarred feet, walking and leading us on.  Oh, Praise the Lord!

And then someday soon, He is coming back to welcome all of us home.  And Pastor Bridgers had that hope, that someday he would wing His flight home and be reunited with His Lord and his family again.  Oh, friends, keep that thought in your heart this evening no matter what you may be walking through right now.  I know of many with cancer, some terminal, and Oh, the song that the Lord gives.  The Psalmist must have felt this way as he walked through a trial:

“Deep call to deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me.  The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me-a prayer to the God of my life” Psalm 42:7-8.

He must have felt like we do at times, waves and billows are going over us, waves of pain and sorrow and deep trials.  But all day long He shows us His Wonderful love and on into the night He gives us a song, and that song will become a prayer to the Wonderful God of my life and your life. Oh, Praise His Holy Name Forever!

In the Wonderful Name of Jesus,

Pastor Sharon

 

 

 

 

 

 

IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL!

 

 

 

IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL!

On some days like today I am sure many of you feel like I do.  It is Friday, the skies are sunny with lovely clouds, like sometimes I feel I just can’t go on, and I couldn’t go on without Jesus in my life, holding my hand, speaking encouraging words to my heart, and to just take one step at a time with Him this day.  And yet, I see many folks out there confined to beds, seemingly in hopeless situations.  But our God has promised that someday through the trials and struggles we go through, we will look back and say “It was worth it all.”

 WHEN WE SEE CHRIST

“Oft times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear; we’re tempted to complain to murmur and despair, but Christ will soon appear, to catch His bride away.  All tears forever over, in God’s eternal day.

It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus; life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ; one glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase, so bravely run the race till we see Christ.

Sometimes the sky looks dark, with not a ray of light, we’re tossed and driven on, no human help in sight; but there is one in heav’n who knows our deepest care, let Jesus solve your problem, just go to Him in prayer.

Life’s day will soon be o’er, all storms forever past; we’ll cross the great divide to glory safe at last; we’ll share the joys of heav’n. a harp, a home, a crown; the tempter will be banished, we’ll lay our burden down.  (Esther Kerr Rusthoi)

And yes, sometimes those days are long, and we can be tempted to murmur and be in despair, but I meet those confined to bed, just waiting  for the day when Christ comes to take them home, but they are full of joy and excitement just in the knowing that someday soon they would be with Him. 

I, myself, sometimes am tempted to murmur about upcoming medical tests, more chemotherapy and what those effects will be, and then I remember a precious friend who has reached her reward, and her preparation in that time was one of glory.  We sang songs of heaven together, we planned her service.  It was if she had packed her “bags” and was traveling on.  It was such a blessed time in my life to see such peace and joy knowing that death was just around the corner, but her home was waiting over there.

I will share about another precious one who had just learned from the doctors that she would be on hospice care, and I asked her how long the doctors were giving her  to live.  And she said, “They told me six months, and I can hardly wait, I am going to see His face.”  For both these ladies, their tears are over, and are living on God’s eternal day, and what a reunion we will have someday!  I can hardly wait!

And sometimes the sky does turn dark, and we think that we are alone, that no one cares.  But we have our Jesus who knows all our cares and woes.  And as I stated in my last blog, when that fear comes in, one receives a bad medical report, we run to Christian brothers and sisters and cry “Help.” And they surround us in prayer, laying hands on, speaking in the Name of Jesus, and I can say that God answers prayer. 

That fearful call that I had received concerning a medical test, the Lord answered marvelously, as when the doctor’s call came through with results, there was no reason for concern, all was well, and we praised the Lord for the answer.

So how can we be joyful on such days, when they are so long and filled with pain and discouragement?

“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.  My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me” Psalm 63:7-8.

Oh, what joy when the Lord drops a song into my heart and I can sing in the shadow of His wings!  Listen to the small sweet voice in your spirit in those times and He will give you  a song or a psalm, something to remind you to cling tightly to his hand as He upholds you.

“Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.  Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith  bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience” James 1:2-3 (AMP).

Yes, my friends, our day will soon be over,  no more storms, no more pain, tears or crying.  And we will enter that wonderful place of glory, and there will lay down the burdens that we have had to carry here.  Oh, what a day that will be!

But meanwhile we carry on, looking forward to seeing His blessed face, but continuing the work of winning more souls to Jesus, ministering to the sick and hopeless, and seeking Him in continual prayer in our prayer closets and receiving the strength we need for each day and the power from the Holy Spirit to continue the work He has called us to do.

In the Name of Jesus,
Pastor Sharon

 

 

 

 

 

UNTIL THEN...MY HEART WILL SING!

 

 

 

 

 

UNTIL THEN……..MY HEART WILL SING!

I missed writing to you last week because my walk along the pathway with Jesus suddenly became dark, storms arose in my life.  A simple hospital procedure turned into a frightful time of fighting for breath, and for a moment, I felt lost and alone.  But my God is faithful, and has promised to never leave me alone even for a moment.  He again filled my heart with songs of deliverance right there in the recovery room of the hospital and I began to rejoice in His love and even shared with nurses there of the great joy that He had given me.  So, as this song declares, “Until Then My Heart Will Go on Singing.”

 “My heart can sing when I pause to remember, a heartache here is but a stepping stone along a trail that’s winding always upwards, this troubled world is not my final home.

Refrain:  But until then my heart will go on singing, until then with joy I’ll carry on, until the day my eyes behold the city, until the day God calls me home.

The things of earth will dim and lose their value if we recall they’re borrowed for a while; and things of earth that cause the heart to tremble, remembered there will only bring a smile.

This weary world with all its toil and struggle may take its toll of misery and strife; the soul of man is like a waiting falcon, when it’s released its destined for the skies.”  (Stuart Hamblen)

When we are walking with Jesus, the trail is leading onward and upward towards our eternal home.  Sometimes there are valleys where everything is green and peaceful, and the Lord allows us to lie down in green pastures and rest.  But then as the trail grows steeper and we continue to climb, the storms do come.  But like the song says, those troubles along the way are like stepping stones along the way.  But sometimes we can trip even on a stepping stone and lose our way.  But then we are reminded that no matter what we go through on this earth, we are just pilgrims here, keeping our eyes on our final destiny, our final home.

Yes, it is easy to say that our hearts will continue to sing in spite of the terror that may fill our hearts.  But how do we react when we suddenly receive more bad news regarding test results?  I received such news just this afternoon after tests and lab work in my doctor’s office.  You have probably received such news, a phone call and test results and then the tears may come.  But, Oh, I serve a mighty God.  So I went to the Word of God and was reminded of  an incident in the life of King Jehoshaphat in the 20^th chapter of 11 Chronicles.

It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammononites came to battle against Jehoshaphat.  Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying “a great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi).  (verse 1-2).

So we see in the previous chapters that this King of Judea was a good king who brought reforms throughout the land and encouraged his people to serve the Lord.  He served Almighty God unlike other kings who had reigned before him.

So as we walk with the Lord, the skies may be bright, the Lord may be doing great things in our lives, but one day Jehoshaphat received a bad report, and now did he react?  He reacted like many of us do in these situations.

And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judea.  (verse 3).

The first thing that happens is that we begin to fear, we begin to panic.  But look at what he did after he calmed himself down, “he set himself to seek the Lord.”  The first step when that panic comes is to find a sister or brother in the Lord, as I did this afternoon in my situation.  There is your strength for battle.  Then as we read further down the chapter we see him gathering the people around him from Judea and they all came to seek the Lord concerning the battle ahead.  You might call your prayer chain, get the prayer warriors praying.  As I have said before, prayer is like a covering is like an umbrella that covers the believer is prayer, surrounding like a cloud, cool and soothing.  And we can read his wonderful prayer to his God, His mighty God in verses 5-11. 

“Then we hear his pleading in verse 12: “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have not power against this great multitude: nor do we know what to do, but but our eyes are upon you.” (emphasis mine).

We sing a chorus based on Zechariah 4:6:  “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts, not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts.  This mountain shall be removed, this mountain shall be removed, this mountain shall be removed, by my Spirit says the Lord.”

Yes, this king faced a mighty army but when we face these mighty battles in our walk with the Lord, it is by His power that the enemy is routed and victory is won, but we have to stand our ground and walk that ground in faith knowing that He, the Mighty Lord of Hosts is going out before us.  Praise the Lord!

And he said, “Listen all you of Judea and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is your yours, but God’s” Verse 15.

The multitude of problems may look big, like a mighty army marching our way, but He calls us not to fear, it is His battle and He will route the enemy. But how do we route the enemy when these great battles come against us?

“You will not need to fight in this battle.  Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you.  O Judah and Jerusalem!  Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you” Verse 17.

As we conclude this great chapter with victory, we see the army marching out, singing and praising their God “with voices loud and high.” (vs. 19b).  They did not even take any weapons with them.  They shouted the victory as the LORD of hosts went before them and the enemy destroyed each other, and God’s people took of the spoil.  And we read in the last verses that God gave them rest all around.

So my testimony this night and your testimony too in times of great storms that come upon us, we can go on singing and praising our God until the day our God calls us home.  We can go forth in these battles with great joy knowing that someday these things will only bring a smile, as the song says.  And truly, each one of us, no matter what this life may hold, is destined for the skies, our heavenly home with Jesus.

Blessings,

Pastor Sharon