Furever families ∙

Furever families ∙

David, the servant of the LORD. He sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and Saul. He sang: I love you, LORD; you are my strength. – Psalms 18:1

Psalms 18:2-6

 2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.

 3 I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.

 4 The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me.

 5 The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path.

 6 But in my distress, I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.

Abandoned, neglected, or mistreated dogs often become strays, ending up lost and bewildered. Regrettably, many of them suffer and perish. However, organizations like Rescue Me, RescueShelter.com, and the Animal Rescue Network offer hope for these animals.

In 2003, Jeff Gold, a resident of Watkinsville, Georgia, established Boxertown to help find homes for boxer dogs in need. Following the success of Boxertown, Gold created Rescue Me, a network that aids in placing all types of dogs, cats, and other animals into loving homes.

One of the free services provided by Rescue Me is RescueShelter.com, a free resource that offers the most comprehensive directory of animal rescue organizations worldwide. The guide includes information on wildlife rehabilitators in more than 150 countries.

These organizations serve as a beacon of hope and a lifeline for strays or abandoned pets. They rescue and rehabilitate and share online the pictures and stories of the animals they help. People respond from near and far, becoming foster families and providing critical assistance to these needy animals.

Through these organizations and the kindness and compassion of ordinary people, many abandoned, neglected, or mistreated dogs are adopted into new furever families where they are welcomed and loved. Their lives are transformed from a destiny of dismal darkness to a brighter future in a loving home.

David found himself in a dire and challenging place. He was like an abandoned stray surrounded by enemies and hunted by those seeking his death. He was frightened and cried out for help. “Death had had him in its grip as rope binds a prisoner. The forces of ungodliness terrified David as when one finds himself in a wadi (dry stream bed) during a spring thunderstorm and discovers a wall of water coming at him. He pictured himself trying to pick his steps through a field full of traps that hunters had set to snare animals.”

“David cried out in terror, and in His heavenly temple, God heard his call for help. He came rushing to [David’s] defense. His deliverance was like a thunderstorm in that it was the supernatural invading nature. The figures of speech in verses Psalms 8:7-15 picture a violent storm with lightning, thunder, high winds, torrential rains, black skies, and flooding” (Constable).

In response to David’s pleas, the Father spectacularly intervened in the space-time continuum and rescued David.

REFLECT & PRAY

When things go bad, finger-pointing, blaming, and confrontation often begin. In this life, conflict is inevitable. Even in those dark days, we can count on the Father for His support. He has bound Himself to us forever (Stanley).

Father, thank You for hearing and responding to my prayers and intervening on my behalf. Thank You for adopting me into Your Forever Family.

INSIGHT

Furthermore, Psalms 18 is recognized as a messianic Psalm. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, David foretold the coming of the Messiah. The Father seamlessly integrated future predictions about His Son within the Psalms and other Old Testament texts, blending them with the authentic experiences and histories of the individuals involved or who wrote about them in the Old Testament.

Psalms 18:20-31

 20 The LORD rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence.

 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned from my God to follow evil.

 22 I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees.

 23 I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin.

 24 The LORD rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence.

 25 To the faithful, you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity, you show integrity.

 26 To the pure, you show yourself pure, but to the wicked, you show yourself hostile.

 27 You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud.

 28 You light a lamp for me. The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.

 29 In your strength, I can crush an army; with my God, I can scale any wall.

 30 God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.

 31 For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock?

Psalms 18:20-30 reveals “the rationale or mystique of the Resurrection” (BBC). The Lord Jesus Christ was totally innocent and lived a sinless life. All that He said and did reveals the integrity and righteousness of His character, words, and actions. His righteous life qualified Him to be the Savior of the world.

Isaiah 53:10 But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands.

The Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless and spotless life. He demonstrated an unwavering devotion to the will of the Father and His commitment to His crucifixion and death on the cross. This was necessary for Him to die for the sins of the world and become eligible to be resurrected.

Romans 6:4 Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

The Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the power of the Father’s glory. When we talk about the Father’s glory, we are referring to His magnificent splendor, power, grandeur, majesty, and unlimited authority. Glory is a power word. It describes the power of God gloriously exercised. The phrase “through the glory of God” indicates that the Father used His power to raise the Lord Jesus Christ (Toews).

Paul’s statement regarding the glory of the Father summarizes the dramatic work of the Father using His unlimited power and authority to raise Jesus (Toews).

The remarkable relationship between resurrection power and glory is vividly depicted in the incredible story of Lazarus!

John 11:40 Jesus responded, Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?

Resurrection from the dead reveals the unlimited power and glory of the invisible God.

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© Dr. H 2024

In the fullness of time ∙∙

In the fullness of time ∙∙

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. – Galatians 4:4

Nehemiah 1:1-3

 1 These are the memoirs of Nehemiah. In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa [Persia].

 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.

 3 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

 4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days, I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

Over the years, there have been countless absurd claims about the impact of planetary alignments, ranging from causing natural disasters to even suggesting the end of the world. However, it’s important to clarify that such claims are not based on scientific evidence. Planets in our solar system are too far away to significantly affect Earth in the ways that have been suggested.

In the 21st century, stories circulated that the world would end on or about December 21, 2012, due to a supposed planetary alignment. This was merely a rumor, as no such alignment occurred in 2012, and we have a high degree of certainty that the world did not end because we are still here.

The term “planetary alignment” refers to a somewhat rare event when planets appear to line up from our perspective on Earth. When at least two celestial bodies align in the sky, it is called a conjunction. In comparison, a configuration involving three or more celestial bodies aligning is referred to as a syzygy (SIZ-eh-gee).

Syzygy is most commonly associated with solar and lunar eclipses. During a solar eclipse, the moon moves between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun’s light. Conversely, a lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon, creating a shadow on the moon.

In simplistic depictions, planetary orbits are often shown as two-dimensional and roughly concentric around the sun, as commonly illustrated in children’s science books. But in reality, our solar system is a complex, three-dimensional structure with numerous celestial bodies needing to align and function harmoniously.

There are times in human history when the Father enters the space-time continuum to actively set the stage for the realization of His will on Earth. It was so at the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 4:4 But when the appropriate time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

The Father sent His Son at the perfect moment in history. He prepared and orchestrated events, peoples, and nations for the most significant event in human history. Several non-coincidental factors paved the way.

The Romans established the Pax Romana, a period of relative peace and stability. Koine Greek, spread by Alexander the Great, became the common language of the time and was used to write the New Testament. Jewish scholars translated the Hebrew Old Testament into the Greek Septuagint around 250 BC. People of the Jewish faith established synagogues throughout the known world. Rome built sturdy roads and bridges across the Empire, creating a safe and efficient means of travel. This unprecedented connectivity in the ancient Western world during the first century AD made the rapid spread of the gospel message and the writings of the New Testament possible.

REFLECT & PRAY

God is never in a hurry, but He is always on time!

Father, Your timing is always perfect. Teach me to pray effectively according to Your will and timeline.

INSIGHT

Nehemiah, a prophet after the Babylonian exile, was familiar with the prophecies of Jeremiah and Daniel regarding the first coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. In 444 BC, he received distressing news about Jerusalem’s dilapidated condition and its broken walls, which moved him to tears.

Nehemiah 1:4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days, I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

Nehemiah was a good, righteous, and godly man. He stood with integrity before the Father in heaven and King Artaxerxes of Persia. He knew that God’s plan included rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall, prompting him to pray earnestly. His prayers began in the Hebrew month of Kislev (November/December), and he prayed diligently, according to the will of God.

What happened? Initially, absolutely nothing!

Nehemiah prayed persistently for five months. Eventually, in the month of Nisan (March/April) the following year, the King of Kings moved the heart of King Artaxerxes, and Nehemiah’s prayer was answered.

Nehemiah 2:1-8

 1 Early the following spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad in his presence.

 2 So the king asked me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled.” Then, I was terrified,

 3 but I replied, “Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

 4 The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven,

 5 I replied, “If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”

 6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to my request.

 8 . . . And the king granted these requests because the gracious hand of God was on me.

Why did God delay in answering Nehemiah’s prayer?

Effective prayer is always about praying the Father’s will into existence. We pray that His will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. But His plans unfold within a specific timeframe, which He fixed before the foundation of the earth.

Daniel the prophet had predicted circa 540 BC that a countdown to the first coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, would begin when a Persian king issued a decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and its wall.

Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt on March 29, 33 AD, precisely 483 prophetic years or just over 476 modern years after Artaxerxes issued Nehemiah’s decree. This countdown began in Nisan, 444 BC, concluding in Nisan, 33 AD.

Nehemiah’s prayer could not be fulfilled UNTIL the precise time arrived to start the countdown. The Father could not act sooner, as countless details needed perfect alignment. Nehemiah’s delayed answer highlights effective prayer: when we pray according to God’s will, He answers in His time, not ours.

If the Father has called you to pray His will into existence for someone, a family member, or your nation, do not lose hope. The answer will arrive in the fullness of time.

His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

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© Dr. H 2024

Muddled ∙∙

Muddled ∙∙

Your ears will hear him. Right behind you, a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. – Isaiah 30:21

Joshua 1:6-9

 6 Be strong and courageous . . ..

 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then, you will be successful in everything you do.

 8 Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

 9 This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Alice came to a crossroads, a fork in the road, and asked, “Which road do I take?” she asked.

“Where do you want to go?” responded the Cheshire Cat.

“I don’t know,” Alice answered.

“Then, it doesn’t matter.” said the Cheshire Cat (Lewis Carroll, Thru the Looking Glass).

For the children of the King, forks in the road are all about our crucial life decisions. They begin with recognizing meaningful opportunities and not retreating in fear or doubt. Instead, we should seek wisdom from the Father.

Life revolves around choices. Gaining wisdom involves learning to make decisions for the right reasons. Wise choices stem from the heart and your developing relationship with the Father. They require a clear understanding of where you intend to go and, ultimately, where the Father wants you to be.

Motivation is key. Two people can pursue the same objective but for entirely different reasons. The film “Chariots of Fire” illustrates this well. It tells the story of Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, both athletes preparing for the 1924 Olympics. Despite being on the same team, they differ significantly. Abrahams competes to prove something, driven by insecurity. For him, winning is all important. It’s all about him.

Liddell, however, competes to win as well, but he feels the Father’s pleasure when he runs. The Father’s strength and presence uplift him to victory. He is not in bondage to himself but is inspired to live for the Father’s honor and glory: two men, two different motives, two distinct inner lives. Eric Liddell competes energized and empowered by the Holy Spirit, while Harold Abrahams relies on personal ambition and sheer adrenaline. This contrast highlights the difference between the divine strength of mature spirituality and the earthly power of self-driven ambition.

The world is a dark place, but Jesus is the light of the world.

John 8:12 Jesus said, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.

John 12:35 So Jesus said to them, for a little while longer, the Light is among you. Walk in the light while you can . . .. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going.

REFLECT & PRAY

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it” (Yogi Berra). When it is time to make crucial decisions, make them!

Father, grant me the wisdom to understand the significance of my choices and the courage to rely on Your guidance for making the best ones.

INSIGHT

The Father doesn’t play “hide and seek” to obscure His presence or plans and make it difficult to find Him and His will. He promises us His guidance and clarity if we truly desire to follow His will. However, there is one gotcha. While the Father may be transmitting loud and clear, we may have our receiver turned off. And we are simply not listening.

Yet, one of the realities of the Christian walk is that there are moments when God seems hidden, as if a barrier stands between us. The Father in heaven appears to separate Himself from us and erect a thick, impenetrable barrier. But these times DO NOT LAST. Once the barrier is lifted, we experience the delightful joy of experiencing closeness and intimacy with Him.

The Father communicates with us in many ways. Ironically, when the King’s children cannot see, He opens their ears. What cannot be seen can be heard. His voice becomes perceptible, and He tells them which way to go.

A simple whisper, once heard, trusted, and followed, changes the trajectory of our lives.

The Father offers a profound and intimate relationship with Him, both now and in eternity. What could be more wonderful and fulfilling than experiencing His presence and closeness?

Spiritual maturity requires being adaptable and open to whatever guidance the Father provides. Our faith deepens when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to hard truths that test us profoundly and challenge us to the core. The Father calls all His children to strive for greater growth, as mediocrity, remaining inactive, and stagnation are not part of His plan.

He envisioned our journey of faith as an exciting, thrilling adventure fueled by our love for Him. Obedience is about discovery rather than merely a means to avoid negative outcomes.

Unfortunately, the children of the King often view obedience as a way to sidestep the repercussions of disobedience, perceiving it as a burden rather than a broad and inviting path to maturity and fulfillment. Asking the right questions is vital.

Such questions are: Father, what would you have me do? Father, what would you have me learn from these circumstances? Father, which path is best for me now?

Proverbs 3:5-7

 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

 7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.

Trust often suggests a potential threat or evil ahead. To trust in the LORD with all your heart signifies a complete surrender of oneself. This admonition “is the theological foundation upon which all the proverbs rest” (Bland).

When the sage advises the reader to acknowledge Him (Proverbs 3:6), it refers to an attitude; the child of the King desires to fulfill the Father’s will. By fully trusting in Him, the assurance is that He will direct and make straight your paths. This doesn’t guarantee a life free from challenges but instead provides a life with clear direction and purpose (Bland).

Abraham embarked on his journey without knowing the destination, confident that God would guide him. In essence, God promised to straighten his paths.

Do not be wise in your own eyes (Proverbs 3:7). This phrase appears frequently in Proverbs and is used to depict the fool who is “wise in his own eyes” (see Proverbs 26:5, 12, 16).

Those who consider themselves wise are often led by arrogance, relying on their intellect to navigate life (see Jeremiah 9:23-24). This mindset contrasts with “fearing the LORD.” “ To be wise in one’s own eyes is a demonstration of pride. To fear the LORD demonstrates humility” (Bland).

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© Dr. H 2024

Guard your heart ∙∙

Guard your heart ∙∙

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the seat of our personality. – Proverbs 4:23

Matthew 12:35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.

The physical human body is intelligently designed. The fascinating autonomic nervous system manages involuntary functions like heart activity, digestion, breathing, sweating, metabolism, and blood pressure. When the body is exposed to cold, blood is directed to the body’s core to safeguard vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and brain.

The heart serves as the body’s central control center. In the 17th century, William Harvey’s discovery of the heart’s role in blood circulation transformed medical science.

Solomon, in his wisdom, recognized the heart’s significance, showing scientific insight beyond his times. In fact, he takes it for granted. He used the heart as a metaphor for spiritual truth. In a moral and spiritual sense, the heart must be safeguarded and protected because life and spiritual vitality emanate from within (Ironside).

Daily life presents numerous heart challenges, prompting feelings of offense, stress, frustration, or anger. Instead of giving in to them, we can choose to rise above and overcome them.

Prioritizing the management of negative responses and emotions is essential.

Protecting the heart requires intentional and conscious decisions. It is the responsibility of every child of the King to learn how and choose to guard their hearts, as the state of our hearts impacts almost every aspect of our lives.

The book of Proverbs offers abundant wisdom and insightful sayings, yet sadly, they are often ignored or overlooked.

Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else. [with all diligence and vigilance], for it determines the course of your life. [for from it are the sources of life, for from it flow the springs of life].

REFLECT & PRAY

The heart is the core, the seat of our deepest essence. Our vital, spiritual energy emanates from our hearts.

Father, help me carefully protect my heart above everything else. As my heart leads, so does my life energy.

INSIGHT

In Scripture, the heart is viewed as the core of our innermost being, the foundation of our personality, moral awareness, affections, and emotions. The heart is the home of our zeal and delight, our yearnings and drives, our decisions and choices. It is the command module of our inward life. Out of it flows our life force.

Among all possessions, the heart holds supreme importance. If it becomes polluted, the repercussions are severe. Whatever finds a home in our hearts will ooze out into our lives. Our thoughts shape our character and actions. If our thinking is tainted and corrupt, so will our lives.

Proverbs emphasizes the importance of persisting in maintaining a clean, pure heart, achieved through identifying and practicing wise, productive, uplifting standards that lead to life and spiritual vitality. We are to present our entire beings to the Father: heart, mouth, lips, eyes, and feet (McDonald).

Proverbs 4:20-27

 20 . . . .Listen carefully to my words.

 21 Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart,

 22 for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

 23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

 24 Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech.

 25 Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you.

 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.

 27 Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.

The heart is of utmost importance because it is the wellspring of life (Miller). The heart represents the inner life, the mind, the thoughts, values, motives, and desires. A person’s life is somehow influenced by the thoughts stored in the heart or mind. If the source is pure, the resulting actions will be pure. As we think, we are. The mind is the source from which actions arise.

How do we protect our hearts and guard them? We protect our hearts by safeguarding our thoughts. This is expressed in several ways. In some languages, this is expressed as “Watch your mind,” “Keep a hand on your head,” or “Take care of your thoughts” (UBS)

The Hebrew term for “diligence” is mishmar. Mishmar implies guarding above all else. “The heart must be guarded more zealously than anything else” (Fox).

The term heart is often interchanged in the Scriptures with mind, soul, and spirit. The phrase “with all diligence” literally means “above all guarding” (BDB), which connotes taking responsibility, guarding, watching, and protecting our thoughts above all else. NJB translates as “More than all else, keep watch over your heart,” and NJPSV has “More than all that you guard, guard your mind.” “Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life” (CEV). We may also say, for example, “The most important thing you can do is be careful what you think” or “The most important . . . is to think good thoughts.” “Everything you do comes out of your heart” (UBS)

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

We become what we think! We live out what we believe and focus upon. To become what the Father desires for us to become and live in a manner that is pleasing to Him, we must have the proper focus.

Colossians 3:1-5

 1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

 5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.

Transformation is the Father’s goal for us, and we cooperate with His plan of spiritual metamorphosis when we train our minds to dwell on the things of God rather than on the things of the flesh (Stanley).

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© Dr. H 2024