Diamonds

Jul2

When I’m hurting, as I have been over the past four weeks with intense pain in my knee and digestive problems also making it difficult for me to eat regular meals, my prayers have been primarily for two things, for some answers concerning the cause of symptoms I’m dealing with and for some relief from the pain. But as I laid in bed early Sunday morning, after a painful night with little sleep, the clear word I heard from the Lord had nothing to do with these desires of mine.

The words I heard, as clearly as any message I’ve ever heard from the Lord: “I’m forming you into a diamond, created and cut perfectly to be a reflector of My light to those around you.”

Even if this wasn’t the message I was desiring from the Lord, after walking with Him for almost fifty years I know better than ignore a word from Him. So I decided to do some research on how diamonds are formed and prepared. It was eye-opening.

Diamonds are pieces of pure carbon. Contrary to popular belief, they do not come from coal, although they may be similar in chemical composition. They are formed deep within the mantle of the earth, but only where the conditions are right since they need a lot of heat as well as pressure to form.

The only producing diamond mine in the United States is located near Murfreesboro, Arkansas, with around fifty commercial diamond mines around the world. The rough diamonds come out of the mines looking like worthless pebbles, which must be carefully cleaned to remove all the impurities.

To prepare them for use as gemstones is the job of skilled diamond cutters. Since diamonds are made of the hardest material in the world, only a diamond can be used to mechanically cut another diamond. Precision in cutting is key, both for the larger rough diamond and for the individual cut diamond in getting the exact angles needed for the best result. The more the diamond is cut, the brighter it sparkles.

As I tried to imagine the extreme temperature and pressure under which diamonds are formed, and the detailed process of turning a rough diamond just out of the mine into a valuable gemstone, I began to see why God had brought this object lesson to mind. I suddenly wasn’t surprised at the fiery trial I’ve been going through during this last month… or all the other trials our family has been through over the last few years.

John 1:9 identifies Jesus as the light of the world, but in Matthew 5:14 Jesus said the same of us. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” We are called to be reflectors of the true light, Jesus. And for that to happen we need to go through a similar process to the one that turns a rough diamond just out of the mine into a valuable gemstone.

‭‭1 Peter 1:6-7 describes the positive outcome of being tested by God’s fire. I especially appreciate the wording of these verses in the New Living Translation. Though these verses compare the process we go through as Christians to that of purifying gold, fire is a common factor in both gold and diamonds becoming what they were meant to be.

“So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

‭‭So don’t be discouraged at the trials and pressures in your life. God is using them to create something beautiful from our lives. Something that will cause us to be light in the darkness of this world, and then result in praise and glory and honor on the day Jesus returns.

Everything Beautiful Bible Reading Plan, Week 4

Mar18

Day 18: Psalm 96:1-6

Sing…bless…tell…declare…these verses are filled with action. The Christian life, lived the way God desires us to live it is not passive. Yes, Jesus has already made a way for us to be a part of the family of God. There is nothing we can do to earn His salvation. But once we have come to Him in faith and received salvation, He calls us to actively serve Him.

Sing to the Lord – repeated three times in these six verses. Even if you aren’t a skilled musician, God still delights in your songs of praise.
Bless His name. To bless the Lord is praise Him, to bend the knee in an act of adoration, to honor Him as holy, and to glorify Him through our words and actions.
Tell of His salvation. Remember the words of Romans 10:14, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” You may not think of yourself as a preacher, but you can tell of His salvation by sharing what Jesus has done in your life.
Declare His glory. Declaring God’s glory is simply declaring His character, all He is, to others or even to yourself when circumstances cause doubt to creep in.
Declare His marvelous works. To declare is to proclaim and affirm something. Has the Lord done anything in your life? Tell others about it. Is there a promise of His Word that you’ve seen fulfilled? Share the promise and what God did to demonstrate His faithfulness to you.

Day 19: 1 Peter 2:1-9

What happens when you take a small taste of your favorite food? Do you simple say “that was good” and turn to something else? Or do you take another bite and slowly savor it’s flavor or smoothness or spiciness or whatever word best describes it’s appeal?

If you’ve had a taste of the Lord’s goodness, your response will be similar. You will want to know Him better. You will have a hunger that only the growing knowledge of God will satisfy.

I still recall the early days after I came to know Jesus Christ personally as my Lord and Savior. I was a kindergarten teacher at the time, needing to leave for school early in the morning, but it was no burden for me to wake up early to spend time with the Lord at the start of my day. I was hungry to know Him better.

I am no longer a spiritual babe, having walked with God for over forty-five years. But the desire to grow in my knowledge of Him is still a daily part of my life. I still set aside the first part of my day to spend time reading my Bible, praying, and often journaling. I crave this time in His presence more than I crave another bite of my favorite food, because the more I’ve come to know Him the more I’ve realized I’ve just cracked the surface into the fullness of all He desires to be in my life.

Day 20: isaiah 29:13-16

Father, help me to draw near to You with my heart, not just with my words. May my worship of You spring out of a heart fully committed to You. And above all, help me to remember You are the potter, I am the clay, not the other way around. I humble myself under Your mighty hand. To argue with what You are doing in my life is the height of foolishness.

Day 21: Isaiah 25:1-9

God is today and every day worthy of our praise. We sure to set aside some time today to praise Him for His faithfulness, His goodness, His steadfast love, His compassion, His righteousness, and whatever other characteristics come to mind. And give Him thanks for the wonderful things He has done and is still doing in your life.

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Day 22: Psalm 1:1-6

Being blessed sounds like something most of us would desire, and this passage gives clear instructions on how to be blessed, three negative “do not’s” and two positive commands:

Do not walk in step with the wicked.
Do not stand in the way that sinners take.
Do not sit in the company of mockers.
Delight in the law of the Lord.
Meditate on His law day and night.

Then it goes on to describe the one who follows these instructions, using the metaphor of a flourishing tree, planted by flowing streams of water.

Day 23: Ephesians 2:4-10

Our God is great in love, rich in mercy, and abundant in grace. This is seen clearly in the story of the Gospel. And those who belong to Him through faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus are God’s handiwork, His masterpiece.

We live in a world that applauds self-made men and women. But as Christians, we understand that we are God-made men and women. We belong to Him. We live for Him. We were created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which He planned in advance for us to do.

Day 24: Psalm 27:1-6

No beauty on this earth surpasses the beauty of the Lord. Seek Him with an undivided heart. Sing to Him. Bless His name. Declare His glory. Praise Him with your whole heart.

During this week leading up to Easter, as we focus on His sacrifice as the Lamb of God who took away our sin and on His victory as Risen Lord, take time daily to gaze on His beauty as you open His Word and get to know Him better.

Everything Beautiful Bible Reading Plan, Week 3

Mar17

Since the recent Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Study on 1 John, one verse has come to mind repeatedly. 1 John 3:1 in The Voice translation says, “Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us—He calls us children of God! It’s true; we are His beloved children.”

This week’s Everything Beautiful Bible Reading Challenge begins with a passage that tells us about one woman’s act of love that could rightly be described as an act of extravagant love.

Day 11: Matthew 26:6-13

The woman in this passage, identified by John in his gospel as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, was first described in Luke 10:39 as one “who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” Her heart was filled with love for the Lord, and what takes place in today’s passage springs forth out of that love.

Jesus had explained to His close followers that He would be crucified, buried and raised from the dead on the third day. Mary had embraced this truth that the Lord Jesus was on His way to the cross, and her desire was to do one final act of expressing her love for the Lord, through anointing Him in anticipation of His burial. This was a costly act of worship, the account in John 12 tells us it this expensive perfume was worth a full year’s wages. But because of her love for Jesus, the cost didn’t matter.

The disciples, especially Judas, were critical of Mary’s act of adoration. Their response: “Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” (Matthew 26:8-9) Jesus’ words are a sharp contrast to these.

“Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Matthew‬ ‭26:10-13‬ ‭NIV)‬‬

Day 12: Romans 10:11-16

As believers in Christ, we are called to not just be disciples who are growing personally in our faith but also to share the message of salvation with others to start them down the same path. Are you making an effort to take the great message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ to others who don’t know Him? If so, God’s Word says you have “beautiful feet.”

Day 13: Acts 3:1-10

If you’ve been a Christian for many years, this is probably a familiar passage. But the Holy Spirit loves to give us new insights as we spend time daily in God’s Word. The words following the actual miracle stood out to me this morning, “and (he) entered the temple with them (Peter and John).”

It was the hour of prayer, and Peter and John were on their way into the temple when they saw a man who was lame from birth being carried to the entrance where he habitually spent his days asking alms of those entering the temple. According to several extra-biblical sources, this was as close to the temple as the lame or blind were allowed to go. (Scripture does not actually say this, but in Leviticus 21:16-23 we are told that the offspring of Aaron who were blind or lame were not allowed to serve as altar priests, offering sacrifices and food offerings to God.)

Doubtless, Peter and John had seen him many times before, but this day was different. At the man’s request for alms, Peter stopped and spoke with him. The man was hoping for silver or gold to meet his material needs, and he probably had a sense of disappointment at Peter’s first words, “I have no silver and gold.” But Peter’s next words changed his life. “But what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

If you’re interested in a more in-depth article on this Scripture, check out my full post at: https://readywriterbr.wordpress.com/2018/03/13/walking-and-leaping-and-praising-god/

Day 14: Isaiah 61:1-11

I love this passage that not only speaks of what Jesus came to do – to proclaim good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, and to proclaim the favor of the Lord – but also of what He has done for us. All of this and so much more was accomplished at Jesus’ first coming. Because of what He did, we are now clothed with a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair, with garments of salvation and righteousness. How can we not rejoice on what He has done for us! We are His bride, and when He returns we will be a part of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Day 15: 1 Peter 1:20-25

Isaiah spoke of a voice of one crying out in the wilderness with these words:

“A voice says, ‘Cry!’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’ All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah‬ ‭40:6-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Quoting these verses, Peter reminds us as believers in Christ Jesus that this world and the things in it are not to be our focus. Everything in this world will eventually fade away. Only God’s Word, His will, and His work will last forever. Are you putting your focus on the temporary or on the eternal?

Day 16: Psalm 135:1-7

As I read today’s passage which encourages us to praise the Lord, a different verse from Psalms came to mind. Psalm 33:1 (NASB) says, “Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright.” Praise is becoming to the upright, because it acknowledges that the Lord is good, that He is greater than all gods, that He and he alone is the true God. To sing praises to God’s name is to commend Him for who He is and to thank Him for all He has done. I’d say that makes praise a beautiful thing

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Day 17: Job 5:8-18

As I read the final passage for this week and prayed about how to tie all of these verses together, an old hymn I haven’t heard for many years came to mind. Take time to read the words and as another week comes to an end may they be your prayer.

There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Savior above.

Refrain:

Showers of blessing,

Showers of blessing we need:

Mercy-drops round us are falling,

But for the showers we plead.

There shall be showers of blessing,

Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys,

Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing;

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing,

Come, and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing:

Oh, that today they might fall,

Now as to God we’re confessing,

Now as on Jesus we call!

There shall be showers of blessing,

If we but trust and obey;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

If we let God have His way.

“Walking and Leaping and Praising God”

Mar13

For the last couple months, I’ve been using Rachel Wojo’s monthly Bible Reading Challenges to put together a weekly blog post, daily adding a brief reflection and graphic on that day’s passage. I still plan to continue doing this, but as I was reading today’s passage from the Everything Beautiful Bible Reading Challenge, God opened my eyes to some encouraging truths and I felt compelled to go beyond my short entry for the weekly post and do a separate blog post.

Today’s Everything Beautiful passage is found in Acts 3:1-10 and tells of one of the miracles during the early years of the church. It took place at the gate of the temple that was called the Beautiful Gate, probably so named because of it’s ornate decorations, but commentators are divided about the actual location of the gate. It was apparently one of the gates or doors through which the Jewish men who came to worship entered, but it’s exact identity is of little importance. The emphasis in this passage is on what happened here.

If you’ve been a Christian for many years, this is probably a familiar passage. But the Holy Spirit loves to give us new insights as we spend time daily in God’s Word. This morning, the words following the actual miracle stood out to me, “and (he) entered the temple with them (Peter and John).”

As I read these words, I sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart that this was of great significance to this newly-healed lame man. So I did some research to confirm what I was sensing. If the lame man had never before been allowed to enter the temple, was this somehow a case of looking down on those who had less than perfect bodies? As a woman with a long list of chronic illnesses and disability as a result of an automobile accident and actively involved in ministry to others with chronic illness, this definitely had my attention.

Were the blind and lame restricted by God from entering the temple, forced to stay outside the temple gates because of their infirmities? Scripture does tell us (in Leviticus 21:16-23) that the blind and lame were excluded from serving as altar priests, presenting sacrifices and food offerings to God. But there are no specific verses that teach the physically disabled were to be banned from the tabernacle or temple. So we know this was not God’s plan.

Yet there are extra-biblical sources that seem to indicate this was common practice by the time of Jesus. The fact that the man was at the gate, which Peter and John were about to enter, and not inside the temple, seems to confirm this. If so, it came about either through Jewish tradition or the misreading of Scriptures such as Leviticus 21 and 2 Samuel 5:8, where David is quoted as saying on the day he was anointed as king, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the house.” But this could not refer to the temple, since it had not been built at that time, and in context doesn’t even appear to refer to the physically blind and lame.

We do know, according to Matthew 21:14 and other passages, that Jesus healed the lame and blind in the temple. This shows they were at least able to go into the court of the Gentiles, and it along with the many healings during His earthly ministry show us Jesus’ heart was to include those who were afflicted or disabled.

If the lame and otherwise afflicted were actually banned from the temple, as many believe, when the previously lame man who had been healed entered the temple with Peter and John he was probably as excited about this as he was about being able to walk. No wonder he was “walking and leaping and praising God!

Today, regardless of what was true at the time this miracle took place, we can be confident that chronic illness neither separates us from God’s presence not makes us unqualified for ministry. Jesus’ death and resurrection instituted a new way of life, a life described in Hebrews 10:19-20 as “the new and living way.”

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,”

We are no longer under the law. We now live by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Romans 6:14 clearly states that we are not under the law but under grace. Why is this true? Because one of the things Jesus came to do was to fulfill the law (see Matthew 5:17).

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” (Ephesians‬ ‭2:8‬ ESV)‬‬

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (Galatians‬ ‭5:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

And that’s such good news that we, like the once-lame man of Acts 3, should be “walking and leaping and praising God!”

Everything Beautiful Bible Reading Plan: Introduction & Week One

Mar1

When I first saw the subject of Rachel Wojo’s March Bible Reading Plan, I almost decided to look for another topical study for the month. Why? Because honestly my life doesn’t appear to be filled with beauty. But then I prayed and read Rachel’s introduction to this month’s study. And I strongly sensed this was a study I needed.

Sometimes it’s difficult to see beauty in this fallen world in which we live. As Rachel says, the ugliness of life can steal our ability to see beauty from day to day. “The world is full of evil and having the wisdom to recognize it and yet embrace the beauty of life seems to be more difficult than ever. The only truth that will help is God’s Word.”

Day 1: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

This study begins with a familiar passage, Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, including the well known verses that teach us there is a time for everything: (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8)

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

God is not limited by time, but we are. Therefore, we need to use time wisely in order to accomplish the purposes God has for us. But today’s passage goes beyond the truth that there is a time for everything. Verses 9-11 continue:

“What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

When I read these verses, I am reminded that temporal life, life in this material world, is not all there is. Yes, time on this earth is filled with both good and bad, joy and sorrow, pleasure and toil, birth and death. But if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, it is simply a prelude, a preparation time for eternity. Then we will understand why God allowed both times of planting and uprooting, of gathering and scattering, of tearing down and building up. Then it will all make more sense. Then everything will be made beautiful. In the meantime, look for the beauty God has already given, recognizing that this is just a foreshadowing of what awaits us for eternity.

Day 2: Psalm 16:1-11

One thing I do when I study Scripture is check the verses in different versions. I noticed this morning that the wording of verse 1 varies quite a bit according to the version, and this prompted me to do a Word study of the Hebrew word translated “take refuge” in some versions and “put trust” in others. I learned that the word in this verse refers specifically to taking refuge, not by changing my location, but by changing where I’m placing my trust and hope. When we face trouble or hardship, Scripture teaches us to flee to the Lord as our place of safety and protection, to put our trust and hope in Him. When we do that, the truths illustrated below are promises we can stand on.

Day 3: Isaiah 40:1-8

Are you walking through a wilderness season? These verses from Isaiah 40 refer to John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for Jesus. But I believe they also indicate we can “prepare the way” for the Lord to come into our situation. That begins with repentance of any sin God reveals, and then it’s time to “build the highway” in our hearts that God can use.

In the natural, when a new highway is to be built, the first step is to assess the land and determine what needs to be done to provide a firm foundation for the road to be built upon. Long before concrete or asphalt can be laid, the surface needs to be leveled. God’s presence and His Word do this in our hearts, bringing comfort and direction in the midst of our wilderness. Psalm 119:50 says, “This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.” When we seek God with our whole heart instead of leaning on our own understanding, He promises to direct our path (Proverbs 3:5-6).

God has the power to raise up the valley so we don’t sink into despair and to lower the hills before us that look too high to climb. In His timing, He will make the rough ground level and the rugged places a plain. Our job is to trust Him and turn to His presence and His Word for comfort while we wait on Him to work on our behalf.

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