Tag Archives: Pain

Faith

He Lifts Me Up


He Lifts Me Up

Isaiah 41:10 – Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

What This Isn’t About

So, this is not about how my heart keeps trying to give out, or about the constant physical pain I am always in, pain that robs me of sleep, relentless pain that will not go away.  This is not how losing sleep all the time is negatively affecting everything I do.  This is not about my lungs no longer functioning the way they used to. It’s not about how I have to gasp for air just from climbing a ladder or going up a flight of stairs.

All of these things are true.  But that is not what this is about.

 A Long Week

Sleep had vanished again.  I looked at the clock and saw it was only 1 AM.  I had had maybe 2 hours of sleep.  This was the second week in a row that this has been happening.  By Friday, my body was done.  My heart couldn’t keep its rhythm, my lungs were not giving me enough air to function.   I was overtired from losing sleep and my body was telling me in its own way that I need to stop and rest.   I went home.  I took a nap…ok, I took three short naps. 

In His Presence

During my last nap, I had a wonderful dream.  I was standing in the healing light of the Lord.  I woke up feeling more alive than I have felt in weeks.  My heart was calm and keeping its rhythm.  My mind was clear.  I was calm for the first time in weeks. 

I am still in a lot of pain, but isn’t it in our trials that the joy of the Lord is revealed?  Wasn’t it in the fiery furnace where one “like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:24-25) was walking around in the furnace while Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego were singing and dancing?

If I have placed my trust in Him, He does not remove me from the fire of my trials.  Instead, He joins me in my trials and keeps the flames from consuming me.

Whosoever Will

When we let him join us in our wilderness, He makes the most desolate landscape a Holy garden.  It is when we are in the firey furnace of our trials we discover who Jesus really is. 

He is my Savior because I surely do believe He is the Only Begotten Son of God, who died of all my sin, and proved His claim by rising from the dead on the third day.  (John 3:16)

He is my Shepherd who leads me beside the still waters.  (Psalm 23)

And He is my Lord who covers me in His grace when I am in turmoil. (II Corinthians 12:9)

He lifts me up when I haven’t got the strength to call on Him.  (Isaiah 40:31)

I know that while I am in this world, there will be pain, and heartache, and there will be suffering.  

When I called on Him, He was there.  His presence gave me joy.

This is what I know and attest to be true:

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  (Romans 10:13 – KJV).


I love you in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord.

Let’s be about it.

David G. Perkins

Standard
Faith

Teach Me, Lord…


Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
(Php 4:4-8)

God,

When I feel like giving up, sustain me.

When people who claim to be your children act more like the children of your enemy, teach me to forgive.

When I am overwhelmed at how empty and meaningless life, sometimes, appears to be, come to me and fill me with your presence and joy.

When I feel tempted to be angry, or tempted to want revenge, remind me that, as your child, vengeance belongs to you.

Remind me that the judgment I want to use on others will be the judgment used on me. Teach me to love.

I have never felt more disconnected from others as I do now, and never felt more dismayed at those who say they belong to you. Alone, but I am not forsaken. You are with me.

By your stripes I am healed, so tend to my wounds and heal my heart.

I have less trouble over those who openly declare war on you than with those who swear they belong to you, yet act like the children of Satan.

Teach me mercy so I can show mercy.

Teach me grace so I can show grace.

Teach me your love so I can be lovely, even to those who I think deserve less than the bottom of my foot.

When Jesus took all your wrath and judgment on the cross, I was delivered from sin. I became your beloved child.

We are all your creation, but not all are your children.

Help me, therefore, Lord, to show in mighty ways what you showed me about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who died for me.

Help me give this gift away.

I love you.

David P.

Standard
Faith

The Learning Curve


073014_2125_WhomGodChoo1.jpgThis morning, I wrote in my journal.  While I was writing, I realized I was not writing what was genuinely and truthfully on my heart, but what I thought would be pleasing to God.  I was fishing for brownie points.

I stopped writing what I was writing and began writing what was on my heart.

I decided to share this with you because I know you are going through this, too.

Remember, every situation, no matter how difficult, is here for a reason.

I dedicate this to my friend, who is hurting right now.  I pray for you and for answers that make sense.  You know who you are.

***** From My Journal*****

19/Dec/2014 7:20

Eph 4:29  Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

I wonder how quiet the world would be if we heeded this advice?

Do I speak just to hear myself speak?  Is my speech such that others are blessed by it?…

We interrupt this diatribe so we can speak honestly about what is on our hearts.

Dear Lord God,

Why am I going around this mountain again?

What lesson is in this that I need to learn?

What part of yourself and your character are you trying to reveal and integrate into me?

Making pearls means having to deal with discomfort.  Through our discomfort, we learn to apply the character of God to the situation.  The end result is a thing of beauty.

So, I do not mind the discomfort as much as I object to my own ignorance.

Clear my mind, Lord, and prepare my heart for what it is you are working in my life.  If my discomfort leads me to lead others to your Cross, then let’s make this time count.

I trust you , Lord, that your word is true when you said:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
(Rom 8:28 NASB)

Standard
Faith

His Refining Fire


Even in the solitude of our pain, God is there.

Even in the solitude of our pain, God is there.

And we know that God causes all things

to work together

for good

to those who love God,

to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28 NASB

The temptation to despair looms large when things around you have completely gone to hell.
The difficulty lay in seeing the hand of God even in this situation.
I have to remember that God is not mad at me.
God is not judging me.
When I reap the consequences of my behavior, it is not God that is punishing me.
When I am in a storm of my own making, I understand that it is not God that brought the storm.
It IS God that stands with me in the midst of the storm.
It is God that sustains me when I feel faint from the effort of having Hope.
Just like Nebuchadnezzar saw, “One standing like the Son of God“,
I can say with all confidence that, even though I lit this fire,
God stands with me in this pit,
and God protects me from the harshest elements of it.
The experience is still mine,
but the strength to endure and the ability to gain wisdom comes from God Himself.
Because I am crucified with Christ, my old sin nature was put to death.
Because He rose from the dead, I rose anew, a new life form.
 I know that after this trial, I will walk out refined and purified.
 I cannot make this claim unless Christ is my life.
“I have been crucified with Christ; 
and it is no longer I who live, 
but Christ lives in me; 
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, 
who loved me and gave Himself up for me. ” 
Galatians 2:20 NASB
When this refining fire is over, I will be stronger in the Lord.
I will know God in intimate ways I never would have comprehended had I not been subject to the logical consequences of my behavior.
God has not punished me.
Jesus took on that punishment when He became all my sin on the cross.
Because of this great gift, I am now the adopted child of God.
God will allow consequences to come my way, natural and logical, when I step out of His will for my life.
I praise God that He has given me the freedom to think for myself.
And I praise God that He upholds me when I reap what I sow.
From this lesson, I have learned that doing things God’s way is far better than seeking the praise of men.
 God has, and is, and does work even this situation out to His glory,
to my best good,
because I am called according to His purposes.
I may not understand why, sometimes, it seems as if He is a thousand miles away.
It may be that my fear of the flames has distorted my view of Him, and He has been right here all along, holding me.
Through this fire, I have seen my unnecessary beliefs, behaviors and attitudes disappear in smoke.
All I thought was important couldn’t stand in the fire of God’s just mercy.
What remains is a grace that I never imagined could exist.
 Now I have joy, love, and peace, and I comprehend the love of God.
I am His beloved.
Now I am useful for His purposes in me.
 I thank you God that you allow me to go through these things.
 I cannot be Your new creature and cling to My old things.
They are incompatible.
As God’s adopted child, and co-heir to Heaven, my old belongings would only pollute the things and places God intends to give me.
I praise you God for a wisdom that in infinitely more than any human wisdom.
Where the world sees a failure and a loser, you see a new creation, fresh from the master’s refining fire.
I am happy to lose everything I thought was meaningful and important, knowing that what God will be giving me is worth more than anything the world has to offer.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature;

the old things passed away; 

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature;

behold,

new things have come.”

II Corinthians 5:17 NASB

Come to Jesus and be refined in the fire of His love.

You will not regret it for all eternity.

I love you.

David G. Perkins

sammy.snardfarkle@gmail.com

 

 

Standard