God’s Gift

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I mentioned in an earlier blog that I had to say goodbye to my
little gray Schnauzer, Obie, on April 30 of this year. God definitely
helped Amos (my other Schnauzer) and I through the grieving
process.

Aren’t you grateful that God cares deeply about every area in
our lives? When we hurt, He hurts with us.

He is so faithful!

Amos and I now have a new member of our family.
Meet Bentley Shellenberger.
He’s sweet,
curious,
mellow,
and a bundle of softness!

We’re growing together through the newness of a puppy.
New commands for Bentley to learn.

New boundaries.
New sights and sounds and discoveries.
Oh, the joy of new life.
I can’t help but wonder how deeply God rejoices
when new life is found in Him!
Scripture tells us that all of heaven rejoices (see Luke 15:7).

Sure, a new puppy is exciting, and Bentley has definitely brought
newness to our home. But nothing can ever compare to the new life
we find in Christ when we submit to Him. Let us never take for
granted the new life we have in Jesus our LORD.

Thoughts?

Good Choice or Best Choice?

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When the time came for Lot and his uncle Abraham to part ways
(their families, animals, servants, etc. had become so numerous the
land could no longer support them), Abraham gave Lot first choice.

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Take your choice of any section
of the land you want, and we will separate If you want that part
over there to the east, then I’ll stay here in the western section.
Or, if you want the west, then I’ll go over there to the east”
(Genesis 13:9 LB).

Lot looked around and chose the land of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The land was fertile and well-watered. “The whole section
was like the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 13:10 LB).

Through human eyes, this may have seemed like a good choice.
He could be successful at growing anything, because of the fertile
land. But a good choice doesn’t always equal the best choice!
Though the ground itself was fantastic, the people living there were extremely wicked:
“The men of this area were unusually wicked, and sinned greatly against
Jehovah” (Genesis 13:13 LB).

Many of us miss God’s best simply because we’re focused on
the good. Check out what Oswald Chambers says about good
choices: “The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin
but good choices which are not quite good enough, The good is
always the enemy of the best.”

We don’t want the good.
We want God’s best, right?

So when tempted to quickly make a good choice,
let’s stop—
and pray—
and be willing to WAIT—
until God reveals His BEST for us!

Reading further in Genesis, we see the sad results of Lot’s choice.
God eventually destroyed that entire area of Sodom and Gomorrah
with fire from heaven.
The wicked may prosper for a season, but God’s righteousness

will eventually prevail.

This week as you’re making choices—
don’t be so quick to make what looks like a good choice.
Surrender your right to choose, and submit to God’s best choices
for your life.

Thoughts?

Please pray for me as I speak at the Missouri District Family Camp next week in Fredricktown, MO.

My Right . . . or God’s Will?

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Abraham and his nephew Lot had numerous animals,
servants,
family members
and crops.
In fact, the area became so crowded the land
could no longer support them.
It was time to split.
Abraham gave Lot first choice.

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Take your choice of any section of the
land you want, and we will separate. If you want that part over
there to the east, then I’ll stay here in the western section. Or, if
you want the west, then I’ll go over there to the east” (Genesis
13:9 LB).

Abraham had the “right” to choose first.
To give that right seemed foolish to those around him.
But Abraham was more focused on surrender to God
than demanding his rights.

We can cling to our rights . . . but we’ll forfeit God’s blessings.
I love what Oswald Chambers says about rights:

“Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our
lives, it dulls our spiritual insight.”

You see, by choosing to focus on our rights . . . what’s mine, what
should happen, me first, my title, my position, my status . . . we miss
the joy of total surrender to God’s holy will.
And isn’t this what sanctification is all about?
Yielding to HIS will.
Being fitted with HIS yoke.
Living in HIS choices for my life.

THIS is true freedom.

Thoughts?