The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

"The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10b, NASB). 

There is a popular slogan by Under Armour that says, "Protect This House." I think what it means is that as we exercise, we are helping our body by keeping it healthy. There are many other ways to seek physical health and protection. Where do you run for strength and protection?

Lately, this verse above has been on my mind. God sent Ezra and Nehemiah in these days to restore Jerusalem in very realistic, visual ways, as they rebuilt the temple and the city walls, respectively. The focus in this chapter is that as Ezra read God's law out loud, the people began weeping.

Why were they weeping? These people were weeping at the reading of God's Word and as they realized their sins. I think God's Word can be challenging and lovely at the same time. We can see He is holy and deserves the utmost respect and worship, and I think the people may have felt regret or sadness over their sin.

Kelli Martin

What did Ezra say about it? He asked them to not grieve or mourn. I think the purpose here is that God, in that moment, was there to restore His people not just physically but also spiritually. It was also time to start the festival of booths. God was proving His faithfulness to restore His people.

He can restore us today as well, as we turn to Him in belief and with a heart of repentance. He gave His Word out of love, so that we could know Him more. It is good to be sorrowful over our sins so that we see the need to turn from them and toward God, but we must trust that God also lets us turn to Him and come to Him. He is a forgiver. Let's embrace that and walk in faith in that.

Let's take a moment to praise Him because He has shown how He wants to restore us. Let's share with others, by word and by action, our source of joy and strength.

Check out all of the first part of chapter 8 in Nehemiah here: Nehemiah 8:1-12 (NLT)

Taste + See

"Taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8). 

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, 
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, 
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:2, ESV).

Are you a fan of sundaes? A few weeks ago, my friend shared her birthday sundae at Bucca di Beppo. Its towering layers were mouth-watering. I definitely recommend tasting it to see for yourself.

It's refreshing to dig in and "taste" Scripture like Psalm 18:2, because it reminds me of God's identity. I love that in this one verse, David just went on and on about God.

What do you think of, when you hear these words?

• fortress, refuge, shield
• rock, stronghold
• deliverer, salvation

David - a lyricist and a warrior, a shepherd who was anointed king -  went through many battles. Through it all, he saw that God is worthy of praise and devotion.

This is what I've been thinking about in this verse:

• Deliverer. God saves. Jesus died for our debts on the cross, so He could forgive us. When we believe this and receive it, we are saved. It's a gift. He is a giver.
• Rock. Our Lord is strong and present. Jesus defeated the grave. God's forgiveness frees us from staying bound by sin, and the Holy Spirit works within His people to make them a better reflection of His influence on us. He lives.
• Refuge. He brings peace. Believers can rest in that their identity is a part of God's family that He watches after like the good shepherd. Remember, He's the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Father.

Kelli Martin

This weekend, let's praise God, overwhelmed with thankfulness for all He is.
Let's invite others who don't know him yet to dig in - to taste and see that the Lord is good.

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed His people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David" (Luke 1:68-69, ESV).

You can read the rest of chapter 18 here.
Recommended songs:
"My Redeemer Lives" by Nicole C. Mullen 
"Never Would Have Made It" by Marvin Sapp 
"Stronger" by Hillsong Chapel (live)

Victory!

"On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang: When the leaders lead in Israel, when the people volunteer, praise the Lord.  Listen, kings! Pay attention, princes!  I will sing to the Lord;  I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel" (Judges 5:1-2, HCSB).

The above is the first part of Deborah and Barak's song.  Leaders from Israel, from different clans like Benjamin and Zebulun, had gathered to fight against Sisera.  These Israelites praise the Lord, since God gave them victory over Sisera. 

Recently, I got to meet a woman who was running for the office of a judge.  She impressed me with how evident it was that she loved her family as well as the people of the city.

How do we love our God?  He has gifted us all in different ways, just like He gifted Deborah and this woman I met.  We can trust in Him to use our strengths and to help us overcome our weaknesses to do great, good things for His story. 

Deborah's story reminds me that no matter what I think of my weaknesses, that God is glad to lead His children.  If we love Him, believe in Him and call on His Name, He will be sure to answer (John 1:12).  I pray that we trust Him and that we remember to share how Christ died to save us, so that we may live (1 Peter 2:24).

"Lord, may all your enemies perish as Sisera did. But may those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its strength" (Judges 5:31, HCSB).

breathe in + exhale

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." –John 16:33

God is there for us through thick and thin. With Halloween approaching, personally I tend to see deadlines steadily approaching. I have a few papers due, and it seems like some responsibilities can flow like a waterfall. However, God can make that "waterfall" flow smoothly instead of ending in a crash. He brings peace.

Max Lucado, in his book Come Thirsty, explains, "Our Father makes the same request. 'Stay close to me. Talk to me. Pray to me. Breathe me in and exhale your worry.' " I love that part: "Breathe me in and exhale your worry."
This peace that we find in Him, how can we find and share it? Romans 5:1 explains how we have peace: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." How can we share it? Maybe Colossians 3:15 offers an idea: "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful."

So, I pray that we can breathe Him in and exhale our worry or whatever binds us. In the face of what we see in this world, we can have confidence and peace in the strength of our Father. "The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace" (John 14:27).

More verses: Isaiah 9:6,7; Phillipians 4:9
Drawing by Picasso

"think pink!"

The month of October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I think it is inspiring to see how people unite across America to support breast cancer awareness, from mailing Yoplait yogurt lids to participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. According to www.breastcancer.org and www.cancer.org, about 13% women and 1% men in the United States have the disease.

What does the Bible say about how we can live like Him in the midst of these statistics?

>We can show COMPASSION to those who suffer: When Jesus learned that Lazarus died in John 11, we see that He was "deeply moved" (verse 33) and "wept" (verse 35).
>He asks us to have COURAGE: "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world." –John 16:33 (HCSB)
>When we COME to and LEARN from Jesus, we will find REST: "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." –Matthew 11:28 (HCSB)

Do you have any verses that you would like to share to those who are going through struggles such as breast cancer?

"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word."
-2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (HCSB)