SelahV Today by hariette petersen

I AM...

i am lowly and meek because i want to be;

i am mild and at peace because i'm conditioned to be;

i am brave and courageous because God tells me to be.

i am saved and sure because He died for me.

i am satisfied now, because life happens to be

                           totally fixed on eternity.

i am set apart as Christ sanctifies me;

i am chosen in HIM to live righteously.

i am grateful He keeps me consistently;

i am blessed to rest in Him peacefully.

i am happy to know He abides in me.

i am less than another who yearns to be

                    totally free of hypocrisy.

i am full of the faith God gave to me

        to hope in tomorrow's destiny.

i am granted peace that assuredly

        each morning brings more of His mercies for me.

i am all i am because God created in me

        a love for the cross that has set me free

        to worship the King, His Majesty.

"I AM", so you don't have to be...

whoever the world says you need to be." selahV

Who do you say i am?  Who are you?

[Who you are and who "I AM"/link]

Yeah....I Sure Am...

feeling good today.  Are you?

I sense a fresh wind blowing, a glorious dawning of hope. I see unfading glory on the horizon. Exciting expectation is in the air.

It's reminds me of the day I answered the knock at the door of my heart and found Jesus waiting to come into my life--to abide forever.  To dwell with me, and I with Him.  Everything was new.  Everything was brighter--the sky, the flowers, the eyes of my children.  Everything smelled better; honey tasted sweeter.  My husband's love proved invincible. Then, as now, I felt strength in my weakness.

My life was an absolute mess.  My health was not promising.  My marriage was in shambles.  Then came Jesus, and I was feeling good.  Just like today.  I pray you know the joy of the ever-present Savior in your heart and soul today.  I pray you rejoice in His grace, mercy and love.  Won't you join me in singing: 

BLOGGER'S REFRESHMENT

All Things Heart and Home

An open jar.

Empty.  Shine it up...clean away the sediments and dust.

A few hydrangeas.  Blue and taupe.

Drying.  Three.  Dying.  What pleasure in the air.

Fill me up, Lord.  Fill me with Your love and goodness.  Fill me with Your fruit of gentleness, kindness, peace and hope.

A zinc lid.  Placed upon the jar.

Lock Yourself inside me, Lord.  Close the jar and use me for Your purpose and Your plan.

Ah...I needed this just now.  The quiet.  The waiting is not hard at all.  I have been still, and now I know.

I know that You are God.  selahV 

DEVASTATION: EARTH QUAKES, SEAS ROAR

I slept peacefully dreaming of brilliantly colored birds.  Tiny little birds the size of bumble bees flew into my house and perched upon my fingertips.  One bird resembled a cluster of purple, pink, and yellow bubbles.  I went outside and was mesmerized by black swirling clouds that rained down dinner-plate sized cherry blossoms that spiraled round and round with delicate beauty.  I reached out to touch them and they melted at the touch of my hand.  Joy and goodness and comfort and peace enveloped my heart.  Wonder filled my mind.  THEN=>>>...

OLD, SETTLED, AND REBORN

Once upon a time I was young and restless.  My father, who'd hung the moon and kept the stars in place in the Spring and Summer of my life, seemed to become a stodgy old man by Fall, and lose all his charm by the Winter of my adolescence.  The father I obeyed without question became an adversary. Church lost its attraction to me because I saw a deacon sneaking a smoke outside the church one Sunday.  That confused me.  I'd been taught that the body of a Christian was the temple of God and what we put into our bodies honored or dishonored the Father in heaven.  The word hypocrite took on new meaning for me as a vulnerable sixteen-year-old.  I wondered how many other things Christians who taught me did in secret.  The Sunday School teachers I'd listened to, and trusted, for 16 years no longer seemed "cool".   

I went my own way for several years after that.  I can't say that my faith in God went up in smoke from witnessing a puffing Christian.  I can only say it gave me excuse to disregard what I'd been taught by those I thought knew everything.  I thought my father was invincible--that even though he did not attend church, it was because he was busy being a fireman and community servant.  It couldn't mean he was not a Christian.  After all, he made sure we kids went to church every single Sunday morning.  He gave me a white Bible on my tenth birthday.  Yet, somewhere between 10 and 16, I realized the grapes that were fermenting in our garage were not a tangy form of Welch's juice.  My restlessness took on a life of its own.

Today I am old.  Settled.  Reborn.

Today I know how foolish one can be in life when they judge God based on the merits of others.  I see how God's Word stands in the face of witless thinking.  I see how faith withstands the tests of time and circumstance and failure.  I know that God's grace works continually in the life of a child-like trust in "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him will have everlasting life." John 3:16. [emphasis mine]

While I watch the demise of some institutions of faith, I cannot help but wonder what the Lord sees and wonder if He looks down from heaven and smells the fragrance of His people's prayers or the stench of their disobedience.  I wonder why so few realize The Most High God inhabits the praises of His people.  I wonder if others who stand in solidarity with settled rest beneath the blanket of Christ's redeeming blood alone feel as disheartened as I do when they look at the horizons of the setting sun.  When they see the young and restless attempt to undo that which their fathers before them stood in the gap to build?  do others see the strongholds crumbling in the tension of unsettled hearts?  do others understand how jumping up and down on bridges built to share the love of Christ can weaken its support and cause catastrophic consequence to those children walking toward safety on the other side?  I wonder.  I really wonder.  (to be continued...) selahV

TO KNOW JESUS, IS TO SHOW HIM

"For every detail of common sense in life, there is a truth God has revealed by which we can prove in our practical experience what we believe God to be."

"Faith is a tremendously active principle that always puts Jesus first."

"God brings us into particular circumstances to educate our faith, because the nature of faith is to make the object of our faith very real to us."

"Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can't have faith in Him." [Oswald Chambers, My Umost For His Highest, October 30th] 

Faith in Christ rewards us with the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit.  We learn as we grow.  Grow in Christ.  Grow in knowledge.  Grow in faith, endurance, patience, and love.  Love is paramount in the life of Believers.  They will "know" we are Christians by the "love" we show one another in Christ.  I think that is a gem to remember.  People do not come to Christ as we lift up our knowledge of Him--how much we know about Him, or how succinctly we can explain each passage of the doctrinal issues in the Bible.  They come to Christ when we lift Him up...when we show our love for the Savior by the love we have for one another.

"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."  1 Corinthians 13:8

We do not have the perfect knowledge as long as we live on this earth.  We only know "in part".  The mysteries of God will be revealed to us when we join our Savior in Heaven.  The knowledge we have here is to be used to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.  "Whatsoever we say and do, do all to the glory of God."  Can we glorify God without the fruit of the Spirit flowing through our every word and action to shed light on a darkened world?  Jesus, living within us, is the Light within the "temple" of the Holy Spirit.  Love, patience, forgiveness, goodness, kindness, steadfastness.  These things are the light which pours forth from the windows of our souls to light the pathway for others living in darkness.  The fruit of the Spirit is not knowledge...it is love...it is active...it is visible.  It is not locked up inside the mind of learned men and women.  Faith is not locked up inside the mind, heart and spirit of man.  It is visible in what we do, how we do it, and in Whose name we proclaim it.

"For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away."  1 Corinthians 13:9,10

Notice that when our Savior comes to claim His own, He does not use what they "know" as the measuring stick by which to judge.  He uses what they did.  Did they give Him a drink?  Feed Him?  Clothe Him?  Visit Him?  Love does those things.  Love reaches beyond itself.  Love loves the unlovely--those who do not have all the knowledge, do not have hope, do not have faith, do not walk in the way of Christ.  God is merely a concept till they know Jesus and experience His life within their own.  We as Christians are given such a wonderful opportunity to love others in order that God can use us to draw others unto Himself.

May we each study to show ourselves approved.  May we each grow in knowledge and then use it to show the love of Christ available to others.  May we be broken as He was broken, and pierced as He was pierced--so that we share in His sufferings and be poured out as a love offering and fragrance for His glory.  selahV

GOD AIN'T NO BEAN BURRITO

To hear some folks talk, you'd think God is impersonal.  He sits upon His throne above and lets us all run around like ants at a picnic--each racing over the pages of His inspired Word in search of satisfaction.  I wonder.  Does He give out gifts of the Spirit and then say, have at it?  

No.  God sent us His only begotten Son so that we might see the Father through Him.  Then Jesus went on to Heaven because in His physical flesh He could not be with all those who believed in and relied upon Him.  So He gave us His Holy Spirit to live within us--to direct, guide, comfort, teach, console, counsel, convict, remind us of His commands and fill us with Himself so that we never walk alone.  We dwell in Him and He in us.  Make no mistake that when John told us "In beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word is God", that he meant the Word (Logos) would remain silent within our soul and spirit as He walks alongside us through life.  Jesus Himself says, "He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the Holy Spirit says to the assemblies." Revelation 3:22

Jesus told his disciples, "What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim upon the housetops."  Matthew 10:27

He sent his disciples out to witness of Himself.  He told them they would hear whispers in their ears to proclaim upon rooftops.  Jesus also said that what his disciples did is nothing compared to what those who never saw Him will do through Him.

Folks who say we cannot hear God today, give me great pause to think God looks down from His lofty grandeur and says, "Lean not to your own understanding.  But don't turn to Me for direction because I ain't talking to you.  Just read the scripture and figure it out for yourself.  Be kind...love others as yourself...avoid sin and the appearance of sin.  Obey your parents and those in authority over you.  Be holy as I am holy.  Resist the devil and he shall flee.  You're in a war-zone, so put on your armor.  If you get in trouble and don't know what to do, just do what you want to do.  I gave you a brain; use it.  Mess up? don't fret...I'm your clean-up man.  Read, child, read!  Read my Word.  Be still and KNOW...but remember when you pray, you don't have to listen...'cause I'm not speaking. If you think you hear My voice over your right shoulder...you just need to lay off the bacon.  Don't expect to see Me in the darkness, or feel My calming presence in your moments of terror; or feel My peace when you walk through the valley of death; or feel My comfort when you mourn the loss of a child; or feel My strength when you are weakest; or sense my assurance when you're walking in the right direction.  When I move in your life, you don't sense anything.  If you do, then you should probably check the expiration date on your milk carton."

Sorry, folks.  I can't buy that.  I fellowship with the Most High God who says He inclines His ear to me.  He doesn't sleep nor slumber.  He speaks in the heart-piercing splendor of His Spirit, and His Word.  He uses each of us to convey His messages of encouragement, edification, reproof, and admonition.  He speaks to me in the stillness of the night, and the upheaval of life's storms.  If I can't hear Him, it's because I'm not listening.

A reading of John 10 shares an example of the wicked who could not hear Jesus because they chose their own way. They were Pharisees, well-learned men of scripture.  Yet they did not know the Master's voice when He spoke. They ignored Him again and again because they wanted to do what they wanted to do.  Some folks are doing this today.  They lead the hungering and thirsting to disregard the discerning voice of God imparted by the Holy Spirit.  It's non-existent. They tell us we are no different than the Israelites of old--who had to go to the priest to hear the message of God, to prophets who spoke directly from God, to apostles who wrote the Words of God, to the Bible of which has many translations, interpretations, and doctrinal bends.  I think the reason I bristle at the words of such voices is because they are strangers.  The Shepherd is Who I hear.  From all others I tend to run.  selahV

"...his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:4b-5.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27

I AM ASSURED

I HAVE A DWELLING PLACE

"You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand." Psalm 16:11

The Lord has made known to me the path of life...it is through Jesus Christ the Lord.  There is no other way but through Him that I can go to meet the Father above.  He will fill me with greater joy than I have ever known upon this old earth, just by being in His presence.  I will have constant eternal pleasures as I stand before my Lord, My Redeemer, and King.

Oh, my friend, that you would stand next to me that day!

What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see.  What a day, glorious day, that will be! selahV

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET JESUS?  Click here.] 

WHATEVER CONCERNS ME

CONCERNS THE LORD.

And at this very moment, He is perfecting all things for good.  He will not forget that I am His workmanship.  He does not forget that I need Him every moment.  He does not ignore the actions of those who mistreat me.  He has a purpose to fulfill in me and with me.  I am His child.  I can trust Him when others are untrustworthy.  I trust Him when others seek to do me harm.  I trust Him when life seems an unending trial of heartache, trouble and difficulty.  What seems impossible, is held in the palm of my Father's hand.  My name is written in His palm.  He knows everything about me--my thoughts as well as my going out and coming in.  He sees it all and knows the schemes of man who seek to harm me and mine.  He will not forsake me.

"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands." Psalm 138:8

Oh, Lord my God.  Most High in all the earth and beyond, perfect that which troubles the hearts of those on my mind at this moment.  Assure them of Your steadfast love, mercy and constant watchcare.  selahV

I Know What I Know

And no one can change that.  Nothing can rip it from my heart, soul and mind.  I own that knowledge.  I am a child of God.  What glorious understanding and peace I am afforded.  To know without a shadow of doubt that should I die tonight, I am in the arms of my Father in heaven.  I get to stand in the presence of my Savior, and bow down and worship His holy name.

Sometimes it is good to go back to the basics of the born-again life and recall this truth as a Christian.  "This joy that I have, the world didn't give it to me.  The world didn't give it, and the world can't take it away."   

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."  Romans 8:16

Does your spirit bear witness to this knowledge, too?  "Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in His wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in light of His glory and grace." selahV

COMMUNICATION BREAKTHROUGH

Ever have an impasse in communicating?  Ever find yourself totally incoherent to the public at large?  If you're anything like me, you may wonder if your problem is due to all the time you've been spending with children.  Perhaps your vocabulary skills have taken a beating, turned your mind into mush, and your conversations into gibberish.  Needless to say, communication is an art.  With folks who do not want to hear, no amount of paint will a portrait make.  Etchings, maybe--but not a complete picture of two individuals' seeking to talk to one another, instead of pass one another.

Today, I stumbled upon a quote I archived months ago.  I think it may be a part of the reason for an impasse--especially if the object or your imperfection is a close friend and their typical abruptly takes on characteristics that are untypical in your relationship.  Tell ya what, read Cyle's quote; and I'll meet you at its end.

"I listen more, but hear less from people. The reason I hear less from them is because I’m intentionally trying to hear more from God. I find that God speaks to me through many people, people who have many different lines drawn in the sand. I listen to them, but all the time I’m listening for God. He’s the only one who can clarify the lines. So, I spend more and more time trying to understand His Word. I spend more and more time trying to hear Him, not just to listen to Him or them."  Cyle Clayton

So here's my take on times I find myself fruitless to communicate my thoughts to someone I count dear and precious.  They are like my friend Cyle from Louisiana.  They are seeking a higher plain on which to dwell.  They are going where I cannot.  They are resting by waters I cannot still.  They are feasting at a table I cannot set.  They are more interested in what God has to say to them than what I have to say.  And that, my friends, is a good thing.  In fact, it is a communication breakthrough.  Don't you think?

When we give another Christian brother or sister the benefit of the doubt, we draw closer and closer to the heart of God.  If we can't, can there be integrity, at all?  anywhere?  with anyone?  Can loyalty be owned, or trust increased, when one or both give up, or gather fan clubs for support?  I don't know.  I'm just asking.  And who am I to say?  selahV 

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW GOD?

For that matter, how well do you know anyone? 

In the past couple of years the world has been introduced to a few Americans through our highly publicized political system.  During that time some folks have tried to gain as much knowledge as possible about them.  Other folks could care less.  Some think they know all they need to know.  Some still want to know more.  Nevertheless, how well can one really know another from afar?  Even in a close relationship we have limited knowledge of one another.

Lately I've come to discover that there are many people throughout my 60-plus years whom I thought I knew well and then learned I didn't.  Some I've known for years--others a few months.  I've met some wonderful folks in the past 2 and a half years of blogging.  But I only know a smidgen about them, really.  I've gotten to know hundreds of people through the years of my husband's ministries, but even they remain pretty much a mystery to me.  I can still be shocked.  And I'm certain I can probably still shock others, if they knew all there is to know of me.  Perhaps that is why we all try so hard to let others see the best of ourselves. 

I'm rather an open-book kind of person.  If you read through my nearly 1,300 posts on this blogsite, you'd gain a great deal of insight into who I am:  what makes me tick, what thrills me, what saddens me, what angers me.  Still, after a careful perusal, you'd only know a portion of who I am.  I'm sure a "Joe-the-Plumber" inspection of every record ever recorded about me, might raise a few eyebrows or cause some to yawn.  And even though I've known some people for years, and have spent time conversing with them, crying with them, and laughing with them, I don't know anyone in their completeness.  We know each other "enough".  Enough to form alliances.  Enought to pray for one another.  Enough to put us at odds.  Enough to satisfy our curiosity.  Enough to suit us.  Enough to tell another person, "I know so and so."

Unfortunately, all too often, we have the same relationship with God.

"The curse of the majority of spiritual Christians is that they are too cocksure and certain there is nothing more to know than they know.  That is spiritual insanity.  The more we go on with God, the more amazed we are at what there is to find out, until we begin to use the power God gives us to forget earthly things, to be carefully careless about them, but never careless about our relationship to God."  Oswald Chambers, If Thou Wilt Be Perfect, 1941.

We know God because Christ lives within us.  But we do not know the mind of God because we stop growing in our relationship with Him.  We don't take time to sit and fellowship with Him.  We don't ask ourselves, or Him, what He might think of this or that.  We think we know all we need to know of Him to meet our needs.  We are far more interested in how He knows us and our desires than we are of knowing Him and His desires.  We spend far more time praying for ourselves and others we know, than seeking God in all His infinite goodness, mercy, grace and holiness.

What pitifully insane people we are.

"It takes all time and eternity to know God." Oswald Chambers, He Shall Glorify Me, 1946.

I'm gratified tonight that God wants me to know Him more.  He's not like others in the world.  He already knows me and He loves me anyway.  And one thing I know about Him, He loves you too.  selahV

[© SelahV Today,hariette petersen, 2008]