One Word - The 2018 Edition

It has been a year since I posted and I think I will be getting back into this a bit more. Going back to school in my late 40's has posed a challenge when it came to writing other stuff. However, I wanted to kick the New Year off the way I have the past few years.

Since 2013 I have been encouraging people to seek the Lord for a word for the new year instead of making a new years resolution. The idea is one I originally picked up as a Compassion blogger.

The words over the years have included: PRAYER, TRUST, PEACE and BEGINNINGS. I never know how the word will be applied, what circumstances will arise, but when I reflect on the year that passed, I always see God has been true to His word.

For 2017 I felt the Lord was speaking COMFORT. Well our world was turned upside down in may ways this past year. We took some hits and have been navigating some new waters as a family. I will admit, there were times we felt like giving up. Yet we end the year with the COMFORT that God has helped us through these troubled waters and met every need, both spoken and unspoken! He used friends, family and strangers to speak words of COMFORT and to put action to those words as well.

Now we are on the cusp of 2018 and I have been praying for days asking the Lord what He is speaking to me for this year.

The word is a repeat of one from a few years past: PEACE.

As I prayed and read the Word of the Lord leading up to this post, I was drawn to the book of Titus. There is  a greeting of peace and Titus 3:2 says this, "..to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all  men." Though that is the extent of the word peace as found in Titus the theme of peace is there, especially starting in 3:9 where it talks about avoiding dissension.

I don't know what 2018 holds but I know God is in control. He has sustained me for 47 earthly years and sustained me in the faith for 34! I know whatever happens, He is the God of peace...the provider of peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7)

I am excited to see how this word applies to the coming year.

So what is God speaking to you for the New Year?

I Wil Draw Near

My beautiful wife never ceases to amaze me.  She wrote this worship song last week for our upcoming Sunday service. Preceding the song will be Scriptures that contributed to her thought process.  I include those passages here and encourage you to spend time looking them up.

Here are the words to her song:

I Will Draw Near

 

Fountain of Life, flow over me

'till I'm filled with Your glory

Spirit renew the fire that once drew

me into the Holy of Holies

And I will draw near, as I wait here

I will return to my Father

My heart of stone, I lay at Your throne

That I may know You and be known

The sound of Your voice, fills me with joy

You turn sorrow to gladness

You don't disappoint, You never leave

and I am changed in Your presence

So I will draw near, as I wait here

I will return to my Father

My heart of stone, I lay at Your throne

That I may know You and be known

Only in You are justice and truth

and mercy binds me to You

How high are Your thoughts, How great are Your ways

Your covenant is my peace

Bridge:

You satisfy my soul with good

You bought my freedom with Your blood

Your fire consumes my sin

You captivate my heart

So, I will draw near, as I wait here

I will return to my Father

My heart of stone, I lay at Your throne

That I may know you and be known

© Sarah Apperson, 2014

Psalms 94:14; 107:9; 111:9-11 

Isaiah 31:3; 40:31; 54:10; 55:6-8

Jeremiah 2:13; 3:12; 3:19; 31:13

Ezekiel 36:25-27; 43:5

John 4:14 

Acts 2:2-4 

Ephesians 1:7-8

Titus 3:4-7

Hebrews 12:29

Holding My Tongue

Sometimes it is better to leave things alone.

I learned that recently when an issue of gossip cropped up on my radar. Keeping the details sparse, let me just say this:

Things were said about others by others and it got back to them. As it came up at work, I tried to speak into the issue and see if it could be resolved and the outside rumoring stopped. I thought that by going to the source, I could bring resolution.

Yeah that didn't work. Mushroom clouds were fairly obvious and it only created more issues.

I think it's under control now...

But I learned some lessons...

"Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles." Proverbs 21:23

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

and the best answer of all:

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2:7-8

Needless to say, even though I was not involved in the gossip, only trying to bring resolution, I will be seeking to guard my tongue as well.

Color Outside the Lines - Just A Thought #30

I used to love coloring when I was a kid. It was fun to spread out on the floor, choose a picture and start filling it in with color. I always tried to stay inside the lines. I can't remember now who told me this was what should be done but I was very particular to follow the "rules" and stay in the lines.

Occasionally I would meet another kid who never even tried. They just threw color on the picture in a reasonably close proximity to the edge and if they went outside the line they could care less. One child told me they were having fun and lines didn't matter. I thought they were strange.

Strange, odd, peculiar. These are words people tend to use a lot when things aren't going the way we planned or are outside our normal way of doing things. It was also the way Jesus operated. Jesus did not do things the normal way. He totally colored outside the lines. He was not what people expected a Savior to be. He did not come with a sword to make war with Rome. He came in humility and died a King! Even in death he colored outside the lines when He did not stay dead but won the victory through resurrection!

The Bible also tells us we are a peculiar people. Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 2:9 are just 2 such verses. What does it look like to be a peculiar person today? That is between you and the Lord ultimately. However, I do think it means we are not to conform to the standards of the world. People should look at us and see Christ. They should see a difference. Not in our "protests" but in the way we love! It is too easy for Christians today to say what they are against. However, when we love one another, when the Baptist loves the charismatic, loves the Methodist, loves the church of Christ, people will notice a difference.

It is time to be peculiar. To show we are His children by our love!

Be different. Color outside the lines!