Finding The Mate of GOD'S Choosing - Part 2

I don’t look at being single as a “gift.” But I do feel that it can be a time of learning to trust Jesus in more and different ways. Developing such a close bond with Him that we are willing to do all that He may ask of us. It is an opportunity to truly “fall head over heels” in Love with our Savior and Lord. This is our first step on this journey we are about to take.

This is a necessary time of growth before we will be ready for the life long mate God has prepared for us. So let’s make valuable use of this time to learn all that we can and become as much like Jesus as He is calling us to be.

This will also be a time of healing from the pain and damage done to our emotions and spirit in our past relationships so that we will be prepared for the relationship of a lifetime. That relationship with Jesus first and foremost and then with the spouse He has chosen for us to share the rest of our lives.

So where do we begin this journey? Let’s start by taking inventory of the hurts and pain we are carrying in our hearts and minds. We need to know where we are before we can start this, or any, journey. I feel that you should have a notebook with you as we travel through this time together so that you can make a record of how far we have progressed along this new path. It will be a valuable asset for assessing what things we need to change in our lives, what we can build on and what we need to add. And a way to record the progress made along the way. It will also be important to be able to share these milestones with your spiritual mentor. And believe me you will want to do this at various times throughout our journey.

Taking inventory is a personal matter that you should keep in a journal; this is so that you can reflect on the growth as we travel through this time of healing. It will also be wise to share your journal with your spiritual mentor from time to time as God leads. This should be a mature, motherly figure that you trust completely with your deepest emotional, spiritual and physical needs. Someone who has a Christian marriage that has stood the tests of time and endured. It is not the time to have your best girlfriend as your confident. As you take this inventory take time to look over the relationships of your past and take stock of the hurts you have caused, and the hurts you have suffered. A time to seek forgiveness from God and those who have been wronged for the hurts you have caused. This is also a time to give forgiveness to those who have caused you pain, in person if possible or by letter if they don’t live close by. If you were publicly wronged, it should be a public forgiveness; if private then a private meeting is the way to go. If they have passed on you can also write a letter and seal it in an envelope or burn it afterwards as a sacrifice to God instead of to them personally. This will enable the forgiveness to be released within you.

Jesus said in Mark 11:25, 26 that if we have ought (lit. nothing; this means if we think there may be something between us and a brother or sister)
We all need to walk through this time of reviewing the hurts in our lives. It is a time of healing for us. A time of learning to trust Jesus to mend those painful wounds in our lives and in the lives of those we have hurt.

For the first two and a half years after I became single again, I was so wounded from my past relationships that I didn’t think I would ever, and I meant EVER want to be in a relationship with a man again, let alone get married. “Marriage”, to me, had become a “four-letter-word.” But after finding out what true relationship is all about, and lots of counseling, I have decided that if this is God’s plan for me, I would like to try it again, His way this time. And in that respect I would be doing it right.

In this time of healing and waiting upon the Lord, God wants to draw us closer into our relationship with Him. Into deeper truths and show us the life, the true calling He has placed on our lives. I am reminded of what Aslan kept saying at the end of C. S. Lewis’s book, “The Last Battle”, “Further in and Higher up.” But we must find freedom from the bondage of our hurts and the pain of unforgiveness before we can loose ourselves in the total oneness with Jesus that He is calling us to.

If you are new to the path of forgiveness, no worries, God is able to instruct you in the right ways to seek the forgiveness of others and to give forgiveness to those whom you have wronged. When I was learning to be forgiving and to accept forgiveness, I spent time in concentrated prayer for those I had wronged and those who I felt had wronged me. Sometimes I would fast, other times I would not.

I also made time often with my spiritual mentor so that we could work through all of the emotions I went through as a result of learning how to walk the pathway of forgiveness. It was very complex, so again I encourage you again to have a spiritual mentor available to assist you in this new area of learning. They should be someone you can trust implicitly with any secret, for by the end of your healing you should have no secrets between you in the area of your past relationships. Also, as they will be privy to these former secrets, they should be of the same gender and more spiritually mature woman as Titus 2:3-5, NIV, describes; "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not slanderers or addicted to much wine (or other substances), but to teach what is good. They can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

Both my mentor and I kept notes (journals) of the things I was learning and my progress along the path. I recorded feelings, insights, songs of praise and scripture verses that were helpful during this journey. They are reminders of my learning process and fill me with renewed joy as I review them, as I am sure your journal entries will be to you. You may want to share the entries you have recorded in this volume with her, or have a separate journal to record those things you specifically choose to share. And later in your walk, if someone is traveling the pathway that you have trod you may want to share your journey with her. She will be comforted to know someone else that has walked this path before her and survived.

When we have completed taking this inventory and are beginning to walk the path of forgiveness, I will introduce you to a new realm of purity for Ladies who are longing to follow Jesus into the Heights. Choose a wise older woman who is more mature in her Christian walk from among your Family or Church to help you as your spiritual mentor. Think about where you are in your walk with Jesus and ask Him to help you with recognizing the elements of your inventory. Pick up a Journal or any type of notebook and prayerfully record your thoughts, emotions, hurt, anger, and pain from those relationships of your past. Use your Bible and a concordance to jot down verses on forgiveness to meditate on and memorize, if given the desire; here are a few to get you started:

Matt 6:12-15 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Nehemiah 9:17b "But Thou art a God ready to pardon (forgive), gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsook them not."

Psalms 25:10, 11 NIV "All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant. For the sake of Your name, O Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great."

May you be blessed as we journey together.

P.E.A.R.L.’s:

On the Heavenly Highway to Purity

As I was preparing to write the Christian’s rules for dating I was reminded of the verse in Proverbs 31:10, which says: “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her worth is far above rubies.” And then I thought many of us more resemble a pearl; which starts it’s existence as a grain of sand that has gotten inside an oyster and irritated it’s lining causing it to coat that grain with layer upon layer of pearl-essence to create a rare stone of great beauty and much monetary value. We, too, have caused many people to be irritated. But in other ways we are more like an onion and God is constantly peeling away our many smelly layers of sin and impurities. And so I came up with an acronym for us who are traveling this road toward purity. We are P. E. A. R. L.’s: Pure and Exciting, but Always a Real Lady. And as such we are traveling the Heavenly Highway to Purity in Jesus.

As PEARL’s we need to behave (think, act and dress) very differently than women of the world would when we are seeking to meet and marry the man God has created us to be “an helpmeet” for. So this article is an outline for us to follow while we are searching for that special someone; later I will share some basic rules to go with this outline.


1. MODESTY: As PEARL’s we need to be modest in our language and actions, but most importantly in the way that we dress. The reasons for this are very clear and spelled out for us in God’s word. I Timothy 2:9-10 says: “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls or costly array; But (which becometh women professing Godliness) with good works.” God wasn’t telling ladies not to dress nicely. No this command is more pointed; He is telling Godly ladies NOT to dress provocatively. Not to wear their skirts and slacks so tight or short as to leave little or nothing to a man’s imagination. And not to wear our blouses so low as to expose our cleavage for them to drool over. And this with very good reason. It is because when we dress as women of the world dress we are inviting men, and more importantly our Christian brothers to participate in the sin of adultery with their eyes. But more than that, our invitation to men into this sin makes us a participant with them in that sin. We can see this participation in Matthew 5:27-28: “Ye have heard it said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (italics/underlining added for emphisis) These are strong words, but very true. As Godly ladies we are to treat every man – even single men, and most especially our Christian brothers, as though they are some other woman’s husband – for in essence they really are. We don’t want the women that work with our husband to flaunt their bodies in front of him, so why would we behave like this in front of another woman’s husband?

A man may look after a woman who is dressed provocatively in lust for a moment. He may even comment to his buddies that he “would like to have some of that,” as she walks by. But she is not the lady he would choose to “bring home to Mama!” She is not the one chosen for a lifetime helpmeet. A lady who dresses modestly leaves men guessing as to what she is all about. She is one of life’s mysteries that he must discover the meaning of. Let me give you an example we all can relate to. During the Christmas season we have ample opportunity to watch children in the stores telling their parents I want this toy or that game. But when Christmas finally comes and the presents are set out under the tree there is great anticipation, as they must wait to unwrap them.

I have seen my own children look under the tree at their gifts. And there were a few times that a gift or two was too large or strangely shaped to be wrapped. So they were there with the others, but unwrapped. Every single time this happened my children were the most interested in the gifts they had to unwrap than in those which were “undressed,” so to speak. There was no challenge, nothing to dream for, nothing to long after when the gift was not wrapped in pretty paper and ribbons and bows . . . It is the same with a woman who dresses provocatively, she has left nothing a mystery for men to wonder after.

2. ATTITUDE: As PEARL’s we must exude a Godly air of confidence. This confidence must pour forth from every inch of your being. It will be in your smile, not just on your lips, but also in the smiling sparkle of your eyes. It’s in the way you give a slight pause between sentences during a conversation. You never babble on out of your nervousness. It’s in the way you listen very attentively when someone speaks. It’s also in the way you breathe, slow and sure of yourself. It’s in your posture – you should always sit and stand straight and tall. It’s in your every step, walking briskly with your head high and your shoulders back but with an air of purity and God’s Holy Spirit as your grounding force.

Your past relationships and other failures are insignificant, so leave them at home in your closet. Remember, you are a PEARL! Don’t beg or act desperate. Only date men who want to be with you. Trust God and His abundant goodness and He will provide you the perfect man for your helpmeet in His perfect time. Don’t chase anyone and don’t settle.


Our attitude should not be haughty (Dictionary.com definition: disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant; supercilious) for the reasons listed in Proverbs 16:18, which says: “Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Our attitude should be overflowing with the Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-26; or even as Paul states in Philippians 4:8 which reads: “Finally my brethren, (or sisters), whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” The things we think on are what will be revealed by our attitude; and as PEARL’s we want to show forth the attitudes of Jesus at all times; and to think on the things listed in this verse will allow us to show forth His attitudes.

Finding The Mate of GOD'S Choosing - Part 1

I have always thought that having a man in my life was that which would “fulfill” me in Jesus. So at those times in my life when I haven’t had a mate I went out looking for “the one” to fill that role in my life.

Many years, and relationships later, have left me unfulfilled both emotionally and Spiritually in this area of my life. But here I am going to begin a dialogue on how a Christian person of any age who finds themself either single or single again can truly be fulfilled in all areas of their life. Fulfillment doesn’t come from having another person to share your life. It comes from knowing your place in the family of God and living your life according to His plan. And I believe it is a part of God’s plan for most of us to be happily married, but to partners of His choosing, not our own.

So many are the mistakes of our youth, especially when we haven’t chosen to follow Jesus as our Savior and Lord. Although I grew up in a Christian family and went to church each time the door was open, I was not a true believer until just after my 25th birthday. Also, my parents had no training in the Biblical Courtship model with which to “train up” their children. So when it came to relationships with the opposite sex we were not well educated.

I also had no one I felt I could trust to confide in, nor did I feel the need to confide in anyone where matters of the heart were concerned. I was an adult, so I knew it all. At least I thought I did. So when it came to men, and a lot of other decisions in my life, I made very poor ones. I “fell in Love” and married three men who were abusive in a number of ways. And although I am not an advocate of divorce, I felt I had God’s permission to divorce each of the men for reasons that are not a part of this discussion, so I will not be discussing them here. Maybe that is a topic for another book or article at a later date.

I had always thought I believed in marriage being once and for all time. Now I know I have the belief and conviction that marriage is to be a once in a lifetime event. And when God blesses me with the mate He has chosen for me it will be just that in my life!

Genesis 2:24 says; “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

God hates divorce, and if we are committed to following His path for our lives we shouldn’t have this word in our vocabulary, let alone practice it. Moses did allow the Israelites to write a bill of divorcement for certain offenses, but not as a general practice. And it was never God’s plan.

I know we have all made mistakes, and if we have repented (turned our backs on them and totally change directions and ways of doing things). Then God says we are new creatures. As new creatures we have new beginning and can learn new ways of doing things. This new way of finding the right life mate, husband or wife, is what I am proposing to share with you in the pages ahead. So let’s dig in and get on with it.

First I want you to find a partner of the same sex to share this journey with, some one who is both wise and understanding. Someone who is more mature in their walk with Jesus than you are at present, but who you feel can share God’s wisdom with you as you travel this path together. They should have a solid Christ-based marriage. This person will be your spiritual mentor through this new Journey, and quite possibly throughout the rest of your life. This person should also be a person of leadership who is solidly grounded in the Word and to whom you will not be afraid to “spill you guts” on any and every subject, and I do mean every, subject. This is because you will need to talk at length through much of what we are going to share in this journey to God’s choosing the right mate for you. So choose wisely and well.

I think this is a sound Biblical practice due to the words of Peter in 1 Peter 5:5, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” And also the words of the Apostle Paul in Titus 2:3-6 NIV (parenthesis/italics mine), “Likewise teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine (or other substances), but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled and pure, to be busy at home. To be kind, and to be subject (submissive) to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God. Similarly, encourage the younger men to be self-controlled. 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.”

I truly feel that this training and teaching should happen in our teen and early twenties, however some of us have missed out on it either due to lack of Godly examples or because of our own acts of willfulness. What ever the case may be has no bearing on the fact that we can and should learn these things now. So I am going to share with you what God has been sharing with me in the last few years.


Right here I like for us to consider a some scripture verses that have gotten me through the many struggles of this new life in Jesus; “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31. This waiting is a two fold waiting. It is not just waiting for God to do something in you. It is simultaneously a waiting for God and a waiting on God. We all know what it means to wait FOR God, but what does it mean to wait ON God. This waiting on God is performing acts of ministry in His name for the benefit of others. This can be an actual job in the church or just meeting the needs of those in your family or church body by donating your time to them. Cooking a meal, watching their children, etc. The ministry possibilities are endless. And having an active ministry can be a valuable part of following God’s plan for Him choosing our life marriage partner.

The other is in Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.” God has planned our lives in their entirety from before the world was created. He has good plans for each of us. But we have to earnestly seek His face.

Seeking a holy life in Jesus, committed to being submitted to His “will” and “plan” for you is the place where a life long marriage commitment starts. You must first be seeking to follow “hard after” Him and take that close walk with Him into your future relationship with your friend who will ultimately become that life long mate. We must learn to be content in our relationship with Jesus. Seeking to always draw nearer to Him in order to learn how to relate in our future marriage relationship. Standing on the Higher Ground with Jesus is the only place to start. And as we follow Him Higher and Higher still, He can direct us to the perfect mate He has chosen for us.

So, if you have blown it in past relationships or marriages and now find yourself single again, God still has the perfect plan for the rest of your life. If you are in need of repentance, you can fall on your face before God right where you are and confess your sins to Him, ask for His forgiveness and make a change in your heart, mind and life to live from today forward according to His plan for you.

Now if you are ready to begin this journey to the marriage partner of the rest of your life, I want to share something I feel is crucial for you to understand before we begin. Jesus has chosen the “perfect mate” for you. He knew everything about your life before it began and chose the right husband/wife for you from the beginning of time. I think scripture bears this “perfect mate” theory out in the story of Rebekah and Isaac in Genesis 24:12-21. This is where Abraham’s servant went to Abraham’s hometown to find a wife for Isaac. He was standing outside of town at the well praying that God direct him to “the girl.” This passage says God answered his prayer before he finished praying.

Even if your mistakes have taken you through wrong relationships because you weren’t taught, or didn’t learn, how to find God’s perfect mate its not too late. There is still time to learn and follow the tried and proven method to live a married life abundantly full of the “Joy of the Lord.” And while I won’t promise you “happily ever after,” I will say you can have a marriage “made in heaven” instead of being “made in Taiwan.”

Now, if you are married this blog is NOT for you. It is strictly intended to help single people to find God’s choice of a life long marriage partner. So if you are married, you should look to your pastor or spiritual advisor for counseling on how to make the partner you have “the one.” There is much you still can do to correct what may be wrong in your current marriage without divorcing. Look to God and Godly counsel to help you begin down the road to a more blissful marriage.

Please stay tuned for what lies ahead on this Journey to “the mate of God’s choosing” in your life and in mine.

Lord, Is It True?

Lord, Is It True?

Lord, is it true
That you chose me to live this single life?
To work out my walk daily with no man
And me not a wife?
To have toils and cares and be full of strife?
Lord, is it really true?

“Yes!”

Lord is it true?
That on you I can depend
That you will be my Husband
Closer than my closest friend
Lord, is it really true?

“Yes!”

Lord, is it true?
That I really am your wife
That you will carry all my pain and strife
If I but lay down my life
Lord, is it really true?

“Yes!”

Lord, is it true?
That no matter what befalls
You will answer all my calls
And no harm can prevail
Unless it is your will
Lord, is it really true?

“Yes!”

Lord is it true
That all things work out for good
And I’m covered, protected, by your blood
If I follow close to your side
Forever in your will to abide
Lord, is it really true?

“Yes!”



Lord, is it true?
That you chose me; I haven’t chosen you
Lord, is it really true?

“Yes!”

Lord, Thank You!

~ Leigh ~

The “Be Happy” Attitudes

Matthew 5:3-12

Jesus and his students had been traveling all over the regions around the Sea of Galilee for quite a while now. This particular afternoon Jesus noticed that there were thousands of people following them around again, so He lead them to the top of the Mount of Olives, gathered His students close by, and sat all the followers down around them under a grove of trees where He began to teach them some new things. His talk started like this:

3) “Blessed are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”

In my Bible it gives another translation of the word “Blessed” as “Happy” so I am going to replace the word blessed with happy in these verses. So this verse can also read:

3) “Happy are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t really know what He meant when He said “poor in spirit” so I looked up the word spirit in my Strong’s Concordance and I found that it means “a person’s human rational, by implication their vital principle or their mental disposition.” I know this also may be hard to understand, but I took it to mean what a person thinks in his heart and mind (human rational) and his overall state of mind (mental disposition), like is he depressed, feeling run over, put down, these things would be “poor in spirit.”

Well, by now I am wondering how a person who feels like they have been run over by a Mac Truck, their dog has just died, and they have lost their one and only friend; how can a person in this frame of mind ever be “Happy?” But Jesus words not only implied the happiness of the life to come, they spoke in the present tense. Those who are depressed can find happiness in the here and now by depending on Him to conquer their depression and fill them with the joy of the Lord. But it is our choice to allow Him inside to do the work needed to break down the walls we have built to hold in all the miserable feelings we have allowed to grow and fester in our minds and hearts.

Now I know in a very real and personal sense that He really meant this “Be Happy Attitude;” because He brought me out of some very great mental issues along with severe depression that I had lived in for almost nine years. He took all of that away and gave me a new mind as well as a clean heart when I moved back into the Kingdom of God after an extended sojourn back in the land of the lost.


But Jesus didn’t stop with this remarkable statement He continued with a few other statements of who should be happy. The next one is:

4) “Happy are those who mourn; for they shall be comforted.”

Ok, now a father has just lost his wife and the mother of his children in death, and this man should be “happy?” But Jesus says in his grief his is happy. This makes no sense in my small human mind. How can a person in the middle of grieving for a lost loved one be happy? Apparently it is possible or Jesus would not have told us it was. But he can be happy – full of joy unspeakable and full of glory - in his grief if he knows Jesus; because he knows that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life and that he will be reunited in eternity with those who are also in Jesus that have gone before him in death.


The next one is:

5) “Happy are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

At first glance you might think that “meek” means “weak.” But I wanted to know what Jesus meant by “meek” so I looked this word up in my “Strong’s” too. I found that the word translated meek means: mild, humble, gentle – meek.

So Jesus was saying those who live their lives in a gentle manner, with a humble heart are to be happy because they will gain the earth as their inheritance. Now meekness or humbleness doesn’t mean that we have to allow others to walk all over us, it means that we aren’t pushy, but reserved. They aren’t forceful, but calm and orderly in their approach. They aren’t loud and overbearing, but quiet and gentle in their conversation. They aren’t impatient, but patient, longsuffering and forbearing in their waiting.

So meekness should encompass our whole being and in our meekness we would be happy. Jesus taught that when meekness does fill every aspect of our being; we who are meek would inherit the earth. But this inheritance is not just a future inheritance for eternity, it is meant for today as much as for the future. So how can we inherit the earth today? We inherit the earth today because Jesus bought this inheritance with His death and resurrection. What does this inheritance involve or include? It involves re-taking dominion of all that Jesus gave us control over in the Garden of Eden back from the usurper – satan. When Adam and Eve were placed in the garden “God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28 KJV. We, through our relationship to Adam, were given the dominion – control – of the earth, but when Adam sinned he gave that control over to satan, and now we can reclaim it if we have a relationship to Jesus through Salvation. We can have control over the things of the earth that Paul mentions in Ephesians 6: “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” KJV. And we inherit this when we surrender our lives to Jesus for His keeping and are washed in His blood; then He gives us gentleness – meekness – as one of the fruit of His Spirit dwelling within us.


After that Jesus taught:

6) “Happy are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.”

I know we all understand what it means to be hungry and thirsty in some small measure. If we don’t eat, our stomach’s growl and we start to get weak in our bodies. If we don’t drink enough our mouths get dry and it starts making extra saliva to quench this dryness. If we wait too long to get a drink our whole body gets dehydrated, or dried out. But what does it mean to hunger and thirst after righteousness. Well let’s take a look at what the word righteousness means, first. The Strong’s” definition of righteousness isn’t very clear, so I went to my dictionary. It said: the state of being blameless, upright or just. Synonyms for righteousness are Godliness, integrity and justice, among others. I once heard a pastor say that righteousness meant “right standing before God.” This matches up with our dictionary definition of the word.

So if I understand this correctly we will be happy when we are constantly seeking to be blameless in the eyes of God because He is going to fill us with His righteousness or Godliness.


Now Jesus didn’t stop here He went on to tell of other things that should bring happiness to a person:

7) “Happy are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.”

Ok, so what is mercy and how will we obtain it. Again I looked into the “Strong’s” for the meaning of the words merciful and mercy. Mercy means: compassionate in word or deed, specifically by Devine grace; to have, obtain, receive, show mercy. And merciful simply means to be actively compassionate and full of mercy.
This one is a lot easier to understand how a person can be happy. Jesus said if we will spend our lives to show God’s compassion actively to those around us then He will fill us with His mercy. Sharing compassion with others, meeting their needs in small, always puts me in a frame of mind to smile and gives an inner glow throughout my being.


Jesus went on to say:

8) “Happy are the pure in heart; for they shall see GOD.”

“Pure in heart” can also be translated as sincere.

At first glance this “Be Happy” looks very straight forward; if we keep our hearts clean we know that we will be rewarded by spending eternity in God’s presence, so we are happy. But like all of Jesus’ “Be Happy” attitudes I believe that there is an immediate “seeing” of God to be had in our being pure of heart.

I believe this because when I am walking the path chosen for me by Jesus I hear – literally hear – Him singing His songs of praise and speaking the words of His eternal kingdom in my ears. I also “see” Him answering my prayers – both spoken and unspoken.

But when I slip from His side and begin walking my own road - a short cut, if you will – I no longer hear His voice or see His hand upon my life and answering my prayers. It’s almost like I have had a knit cap pulled down low over my face and earplugs in my ears. I can still see through the weaves, though the images are distorted. I can also still hear, yet the words are unintelligible and muffled. So I stumble around on MY path blinded by the darkness and unable to hear the directions of my beloved Master. Thus I become disoriented, lost, alone and much, MUCH afraid. Far indeed from the happiness of His closeness I had felt only moments before. Only He didn’t move . . . I did!



Who else did Jesus say were to be happy?

9) “Happy are the peacemakers: for they shall see God.”

Ok, so those who seek to bring peace where there is none have the promise of getting to see God. The thought alone brings a smile to my face. But is that all Jesus meant in this? In my “Strong’s” is says: one that makes peace, quietness, rest, to set at one again. “To set at one again?” If we look at this in respect to one who is working for peace in a war zone, it would be one who is trying to bring the thoughts and attitudes of the opposing sides into a place of harmony, to one point of view.

But peace is not just the absence of conflict; it is a place of calm within the conflict, something like the calm in the eye of a hurricane or tornado. All around you the storms of life are raging and everything may be falling apart, literally exploding all round about you, yet there is a place of quiet where you can find peace and rest for your mind, body and soul. This is true peace.

So a peacemaker is the person God uses to show others where they can find this place of peace within themselves in the middle of the conflict in their lives. This person has the wonderful promise of being able to see God. I believe they don’t have to wait until eternity to get the fulfillment of this promise. I believe they can actually see God NOW! Not in his “physical” being, but in every situation where they are working to bring peace, they are trying to bring others to a place of oneness with God. So they can SEE HIM in each situation where they have reached their goal of bringing peace. And they see HIM in their own lives, which is full of the same peace they are working to bring to others!


The next “Happy are” Jesus shares is:

10) “Happy are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

We already learned that righteousness means being blameless before God. So, lets take a look at the meaning of persecuted. “Strong’s” said: one who is pursued or followed after. This isn’t very clear, so lets look at the dictionary: “To be pursued in order that the pursuer may inflict injury. To be harassed ill-treated or brought to harm, especially because of our religious opinions and beliefs.” OK that helps! So a believer who is being chased down, and harassed or beaten is to be happy because the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. And Romans 14:17 KJV says that the Kingdom of God is “righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Now this happiness is not the hilarity of being entertained by a comedian or other happenings, it is the happiness within ones’ spirit. It is joy! So when we are chased down and/or injured because of our faith in Jesus, we are happy because we have received the Kingdom of God, which is His righteousness, peace AND JOY!


The Last “Be Happy” Jesus spoke was:

11) “Happy are you when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My name’s sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Wow, what a mouthful. At first glance it looks like Jesus is just repeating the previous “be Happy” thought, but lets look a little deeper. So lets break it down it bite size pieces.

First lets find out what REVILE means: “Strong’s” give this definition; to defame, taunt, chide, rail at, upbraid. So what does that mean? Our dictionary reads: to cheapen, to address with abusive or shameful language, heap abuse upon, to slander (utter false statements about), vilify (to degrade), malign (to speak evil of with spite or ill will), asperse (to spread false reports), vituperate (to blame abusively, berate). OK, to revile means to speak the most horrible, but false, things about a person in order to make others think badly and to want abusive things to happen to the person you are talking about. And Persecute means to chase down in order to cause harm or injury. What exactly does EXCEEDINGLY mean? It means excessively or beyond the limits of all others.

OK, Those who are treated in this manner, because they love and follow Jesus, are not just to be happy, but also to rejoice and be exceedingly glad, gladder than any others could ever be. Because their reward will be very great in heaven, they are among a huge gathering of people throughout the ages; from the prophets and patriarchs of old down through the ages to those of tomorrow around the world that have and will suffer for being believers. All believers will suffer some kind of persecution, but not all will be martyrs for the cause of Christ. This is the group Jesus is speaking about in this “be happy” attitude. I have heard of those in the reformation who not only were killed in all sorts of horrible ways because of their beliefs, but also went to their deaths with smiles on their faces and the praises of Jesus on their lips until they drew their dying breaths. This happiness permeated their whole being even during the most hideous of tortures. This is the happiness Jesus said we could have now in the face of this type of persecution and abuse. He knew that there would be those in the days, years and even centuries ahead that would give their lives because they love Him more than their very lives.


After learning about all the situations we are to be happy in I then got to understanding that “happiness” is not just a feeling it is a choice we make in whatever situation we find ourselves. And when we find ourselves in any of the positions that Jesus was teaching about we have to choose to be full of happiness; full of His joy! We can choose to be happy when we are the poor in spirit. We can choose to be happy when we are in times of mourning. We can choose to be happy in our meekness, our gentleness. We can choose to happy as we seek to fill ourselves to overflowing with His righteousness. We can choose to be happy, as we are merciful and compassionate to those under our care in ministry or family. We can choose to be happy when we are faithfully following the path He has chosen for you. We can choose to be happy as we teach others how to fill their lives with the peace we have found in Jesus. We can choose to be happy when we are being harassed for the things of God that we hold dear to our hearts. And if we are among the few, we can choose to be happy as we follow Jesus in death for our faith in Him.

And for these choices we have made we will receive: The Kingdom of Heaven while we are here on earth. We shall have the Comforter giving us comfort from within. We shall regain our control of the earth and all that is in it. We shall be filled with righteousness and Godliness. We shall be full of His mercy – the unmerited favor of God. We shall see God in us, in others and in the things happening all around us. We shall be His children – joint heirs with Jesus now and forever. We will have all of this now, and great rewards in eternity with Jesus when He passes out the spoils of the victory round His great throne in heaven! Hallelujah!

Like A Little Child

Written May 5, 2008

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say unto you, unless you become as little children, you will in no means enter the kingdom of heaven. . .’ Matthew 18:1-3 NKJV

“Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come unto Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ And He laid His hands on them. . . ” Matthew 19:13-15a NKJV


Twice in a relatively short time Jesus spoke of children in relationship to the kingdom of heaven. What does Jesus mean by saying that we need to become like children to enter the kingdom of God? Are only people less than 18 years old allowed to enter? NO. All are welcome; it is our attitude and receptiveness that must be like a child’s.

As we look at the term “like a little child” let’s think about what a little child is like. Children in general are very trusting of those whom they meet. They take people at face value. That means that until you prove you can’t be trusted a child will believe EVERYTHING you tell them. And even after you have proven false, a child will still want to trust in you – although they “know” they shouldn’t. A little child will give you anything you ask for without question. They will also do anything you ask of them and usually the very first time you ask.

I remember when my children were little; we shared a house for a time with a friend and his children. This house was right across the street from our church and down the block was a mini mart where our children went each payday to buy candy. One month when it came time to give the kids their allowance so that they could walk to the “candy store” our friend, jokingly, told the children that there was no allowance this time because of the earthquake in San Francisco that week. The money had been swallowed up by the streets that disappeared. Well of the four children the boys, the two younger ones, believed our friend, but the girls, who were 2-3 years older, did not. Those little boys completely trusted our friend and believed everything he told them. But the girls, who had more experience with this type of teasing, were able to see beyond his joke to the real truth. This innocence is one of the attributes of a little child Jesus was telling the disciples they had to have in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. We have to take on faith – the faith of a child, full of innocence and wonder – all that Jesus tells us about the kingdom.

But in order to be the greatest in heaven takes even more of a childlike nature. We also have to do everything Jesus calls us to do, unquestioningly. I am sure you have heard of taking a “leap of faith”, right? Well our whole Christian walk is to be one “step of faith” after another, everyday.

When we get up each morning we should give our day to Jesus and ask Him how we are to spend it. But here’s the hard part, then we have to walk out in faith, believing what He has said and DO that which He has asked of us for the day. Not just on Sunday - or when we feel like it - but everyday. I know this is a hard task, I haven’t been able to do this myself consistently. I usually start my day in the Word and pray for a few minutes and head out the door to whatever may lie ahead. And some days are quite treacherous with all the pitfalls I run into, some caused by the enemy, but most of my own making for not having “inquired of the Lord” what He would have me to do. I guess this is because I feel I do the same things every day, so what difference does it make? But this kind of nonchalance will lead us in a direction we don’t – or shouldn’t - want to go. Many times we ask God to direct us, but we forget to “write down”, or listen to, His directions. In essence we go out the door without our road map. This is a waste of His time and almost the same as not asking for His direction in the first place. So why bother. Better yet, ask for His direction, write it down and/or memorize it, and actually follow His road map day by day, trusting that He knows the best pathways for us to follow. This is one of the things we need to do in order to be great in His kingdom.

So in order to be great in the kingdom of heaven we must be childlike. And to be childlike is to be obedient to, and trusting of, Jesus in all things. Great! Now we have a better understanding of that half. But what of the second reference that mentions being like a little child.



“Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come unto Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ And He laid His hands on them. . . ” Matthew 19:13-15a NKJV

Can we gain a better understanding of this, too?

I think we can. This verse is telling us not to send the children away, because the kingdom of God full of people who are just like them. In other words those who live in God’s kingdom are childlike; they are obedient to, and trusting of, Jesus in all things.

So in order to be great in the kingdom of heaven - and even to live in it - we must be childlike. And to be childlike is to be obedient to, and trusting of, Jesus in all things. This is more difficult than we may think, for we will have to unlearn how to be “adult-like.” Most of us by the time we hit our teenage years we have lost our child-like nature. We no longer trust implicitly or obey quickly and without question. Now as believers this is exactly what Jesus is asking us to do, daily – moment-by-moment - at times. We need to be like the boys I mentioned earlier who trusted when they were told there was no allowance, innocently and without question. We also need to obey, following His direction in the same way your children follow you around. Doing what they see you doing and obeying what you tell them to do. Blindly and without question, fully believing He will always lead us in the right paths and that He will NEVER lead us to do the wrong things!

How childlike are you? I know I miss the mark – miserably!


When I first wrote this I felt like I was totally missing the mark on this area of being "like a little child." I would take - and still do - a quiet time alone with Jesus first thing most mornings before I ever got into the day's schedule, but I wasn't giving my day to God, seeking His direction, making note of it, and following it through out my day. Since I found this error in my devotional time I have made a point of actually taking the time to listen to and make note of what God is telling me for each day. While life still has it's struggles, I have found it more rewarding to actually have and follow the "road map" Jesus gives me when I have taken the time to receive it from Him each day. Yes I still have basically the same schedule daily, and yet I feel more "directed" in my prayer time and less "frazzled" by the roller coaster we call life when I have made this type of effort. Don't get me wrong, I am not perfect -- far from it. I am just striving to be more like the "little child" Jesus has called me to be. And that is the Lesson for Life I am currently learning.

Hope this blesses your life in some small way as it has mine.

Leigh

Are We Truly Forgiving?

* Matt. 18:21-35; “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say unto not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him all his debt. But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and take him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but he went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, Oh thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

Are we truly forgiving?

Do we treats others the way God would have us to, or is it just lip service? God has been dealing with me lately about true forgiveness. So I am going to share with you what He has been showing me.
Now I know some of you are saying, “What! Me…forgive him? But, Leigh, you don’t know what I’ve been through. Why, just yesterday he___________________. How can I possibly forgive him for all of that!!!”
And yet this is exactly what we need to do to be healed of the pain we have suffered and released from the bonds of slavery that have chained us in this valley of despair we have resided in for so long. I long to break free! Don’t you?

Forgiveness isn’t for the person, or persons, who have wronged us. Oh it is important that they know they are forgivable, by us and by God. But, it is for our spiritual growth that we must learn to forgive. For we must be willing to drop our baggage at the side of the road before we can begin our journey into the heights with Jesus. So have faith in Him, cut your anchor chain and watch where He will lead you as you learn to trust Jesus and follow Him upon the mountains, up to the high places.

Jesus is our example of how we are to forgive. While He was dying on the Cross He uttered this famous prayer; "…Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing…" Luke 23:34 NIV

By this He was forgiving the Jewish leaders, the Roman government, soldiers, and the people caught up in the crowd watching. By this He brought salvation to all men, including those who murdered Him. By this He also forgave us before we were even a thought in our parents hearts. We, too, are sinners guilty of putting Him to death.

If you were the only person created by the Master, He still would have chosen to die in your place on Calvary. To endure every pain He felt in His body and in His spirit as a result of your sin and separation from Him, and in His death, His separation from God. And He still would have chosen to forgive you all you sins.

Forgiveness, like love, is a choice. It is an action and we have a part in that action. We must lay aside our hurt and pain to allow God to bring us through them. It is a very slow process and you won’t “feel” like forgiving at first. But we have to start with a choice.

Our choice needs to be followed quickly by our words; thought, spoken and written. I remember when I started homeschooling my children. My son had the hardest time learning many things. But we had a county teacher who came once a month to check our progress. I shared with him the struggles we were having. He told me something I have never forgotten. “Learning,” he said, “is done differently by each person. Some can read a process one time and can do it almost instantly. Others need to involve more sections of their brain to truly grasp many simple concepts. So use as many of the five senses as possible to assist in the learning process.” As we are “learning” forgiveness we will need to see, speak, hear and feel – by writing – this process of learning to forgive.

While making the choice to forgive, mentally add names, and faces, to this choice to make it more real in your heart. Speak your list to Jesus – OUT LOUD. Write the details of the hurts and pain experienced, and that you have made a choice to be forgiving to all those people for ALL the things you have suffered. And don’t forget to add your name to your list. Yes, your name. Believe it or not, you are harboring guilt and unforgiveness against yourself for allowing others to hurt you. Your choices may not make an immediate change within you. It will have to be repeated often; daily, sometimes moment-by-moment.

* Matt. 6:12-15 in the NIV says: "…Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For if you forgive men when they sin against you, you’re heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father will not forgive your sins."

God gives us the choice to forgive. But, if we choose not to forgive, He in turn chooses not to forgive us. Our unforgiveness comes with a very heavy penalty. We can't scale the heights with Jesus, or enter into His Holiest of Holies, the very throne room of the fullness of God's presence. We would be stagnant in our spiritual liven not filled with the springs of living water. The abundant live He has promised us.


* Matt. 5:23-24 KJV says: "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar. and there rememberest that thy brother has aught against thee; leave thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

The NIV says it this way: ''Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift. ''

The Lord says if we think that our brother is holding something against us, we are to go to that brother and work things out before we offer our gift to God. Our gifts to God are our purity of heart and thoughts.

* Matt 5:8 says; "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

It is also our worship and praise, which draws us into the very presence of God. I feel this place of praise and worship allows us to “see God” here on earth before we get to see Him face to face. But, if we can 't give Him our gifts, how can He dwell fully in our beings, ... in our very hearts? For God inhabits, He lives inside, the praises of His people.

Forgiveness is the very basis of our salvation. Without God's forgiveness we too would be outside of the kingdom. Zechariah prophesied of John the Baptist in Luke 1:76, 77

* In the NIV it reads: "And you, my child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.''

He was telling his family and friends that salvation would come through God's forgiveness and that John would lead the way to Jesus, who would bring that forgiveness. So if salvation is through forgiveness, and we are to follow Christ's example, how can we not forgive? It is a must!

Now that we have made the choice to forgive and used most of our senses to confirm our choice, it is time to put actions to our choice, and to our words. Saying "I forgive you, '' isn't enough. We must follow through with the actions and attitudes of heart that agree with our words. We must act toward that person – or persons – as if forgiveness is in full bloom in our hearts. Our feelings may be calling us “liar” or “hypocrite.” But our feelings are wrong. They are Satan’s tools to sabotage our choice to forgive, to keep us distracted and in bondage to our fears, hurts and pain. Our the actions will show that we are serious in our forgiveness, even if our "feelings'' aren't in agreement. If we trust God and walk out our acts of forgiveness, our feelings will follow. Then we will be in complete agreement; body, soul and spirit, in our forgiveness.

Let us remember that in our forgiveness we are NOT required to go back and submit again to the things that have hurt us in the past. But we are called to reconciliation. It is a time of solidifying the forgiveness that started in our hearts as a choice. Forgiveness and the subsequent reconciliation are designed to give us freedom to worship God in wholeness, causing us to grow in our faith in God. And to be released from the baggage we have carried around with us for so long; cuddling, and hugging because they were so familiar and “felt safe.” Forgiveness doesn't mean everything that has been done to us is OK and can be done to us all over again, or that we are not to put ourselves back into bondage to the person or persons who have hurt us. It is to lighten our load and allow us to leave our burdens at Jesus' feet. That is where they belong, anyway. Picking up that hurt and pain day after day is not only choosing to hurt ourselves again and again. And it is hindering our walk with God. We can't grow in our faith if we are all filled up with unforgiveness, hurt, and pain. There is no room left in our hearts for more of the Holy Spirit.

I've been working on letting go of the unforgiveness, hurt and pain in my life. I’ve been praying for the people in my past who have been a part of causing it. Asking God to teach them the truth and the way of salvation. And praying for blessings on them and their families. This has released me from the bondage of carrying around all that hate and bitterness. I actually feel a lot lighter of spirit, clearer of mind and not so tied up in knots throughout my body. It isn’t easy and doesn’t happen overnight. Satan will be standing right around the corner waiting to trip you up in this new choice you have made. So build landmarks; tangible mile markers as evidence to hold onto and be able to look back at to remember the promises of God and the progress you have made. Keeping a journal is one way to mark our progress. Jotting down your thoughts and prayers, or a bit of poetry & verse given by God’s inspiration. Or writing in the margins of your Bible beside verses He gives to encourage and lift you up.

* Isa 53:5, 6 says; "But, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed…and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquities of us all."

If He has done this for us, He has done the same for them, too!

At the onset of this message I quoted a passage from Matt 18 where Peter asks our Lord how many times we are to forgive. In verse 22 he answered, “…I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Sometimes it will take seventy times seven. But, if we can learn to forgive 70x7 (490 times) then why not 491, or 492, or even 1000. This is the whole point Jesus was making.

Satan will try to goad us into renouncing our new commitment to learning true forgiveness. Be strong! And let’s stand by our choice to learn forgiveness. Pray often calling upon the name of Jesus in the tough times. Psalm 118:14 says; "The Lord is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation."

It is the beginning, of a new year. And we are in the month traditionally focused on loving others. Let's love them and ourselves, as well. Lets let go of whatever is hindering our spirits. If it is hate, hurt, pain, bitterness and/or unforgiveness, lets give it over to God. He will handle it so much better than we do. He forgives perfectly.

* Jesus said in Matt. 11:29, 30: "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

If we are to pick up His yoke - the load He carries - we must first put ours down. He will pick it up and put it in its proper place, under the Blood. And if we leave it with Him, He will take it far away, as far as the East is from the West. Lets make a new commitment with God to leave our hurt, pain, and unforgiveness at the foot of the Cross, picking up His yoke and His burden and letting Him carry ours.

Join me in making this and each new year a year of learning more of Jesus and His ways. And let us concentrate on TRUE FORGIVENESS as our starting place.

Written originally Feb 2007

Be Still And Know . . .

Psalms 46:10

Have you ever wondered what God meant when He said to “Be still and know that I am God?” This is the verse for April on my Calendar at my work station. And as I sat here at my desk, between customer calls, I began to wonder just exactly what this might mean. First I wanted to look at the context in which it was used. So I read Psalms 46.

This Psalm is a declaration of God and His awesome power and might.

In verses 1-3 it presents God to us as a Refuge, and Strength. And tells us we should not be afraid – even if the whole world should fall apart beneath us (my paraphrase).

The next stanza, verses 4-6, which starts out telling about a river that flows out from the tabernacle (dwelling place) of God. When I read the footnote reference in my bible in Ezekiel 47:1-12, I felt like this river was the blood of Jesus because it tells of how the water of the river would heal all that it touched. And Psalms tells that this river makes the city of God glad, and was the Holy Place of God’s tabernacle. This, again, is a picture of Christ’s atonement, for when He died on the cross the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom to allow ALL to enter in; and God is in the very middle of it all. He will hold his kingdom together so that it will not be shaken. Even if every nation on earth was preparing for battle against it, just the sound of His voice could melt the earth beneath their feet.

Verse 7 is very straight forward, it says that God is with us and is a place we can come to in times of trouble – like soldiers run to the fort when they are under attack.

Verses 8-9 tell us to come and “behold” the works of the Lord. This word “behold” means more than just “see” it implies to see with great attention, gaze upon, watch and discern. So when we “see” the works of the Lord, they should be something we long to watch with rapt attention to every detail. To gaze at intently on, not just glance over lightly. Then the Psalmist gives a description of a few of God’s wondrous works – He stops wars and destroys the weapons thereof breaking them into pieced and burning the very modes of transporting the armies in a great fire.

It is after this intent gazing upon God’s works that the Psalmist tells us in verse 10 to “be still and know that I am God.” So how are we to “Be still.”

The dictionary has many definitions for the word “still.” The ones that pertain to this reference are those of an adjective which are:

Remaining in place or at rest; motionless; stationary: to stand still. Free from sound or noise, as a place or persons; silent: to keep still about a matter. Subdued or low in sound; hushed: a still, small voice. Free from turbulence or commotion; peaceful; tranquil; calm: the still air, without waves or perceptible current; not flowing, as water.

For the purposes of this verse I feel “still” means: Free from turbulence or commotion; peaceful; tranquil; calm. But an adjective is a helping word; it adds more meaning to the verb, or action word, of the sentence; in this case “know.” So let’s look at the meaning of that word:

To perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty: I know the situation fully. To have established or fixed in the mind or memory: to know a poem by heart; Do you know the way to the park from here? To be cognizant or aware of: I know it. To understand from experience or attainment (usually fol. by how before an infinitive): to know how to make gingerbread. To be able to distinguish, as one from another: to know right from wrong. Archaic: To have sexual intercourse with. To be intimately close to; as in Jeremiah 31:34 “…for they shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord…”

Many of these definitions look like they would work, yet I think the best one for our purposes is: To be cognizant or aware of: I know it.

So let’s put these meanings together and see how our verse reads: “Be calm and free of commotion, very tranquil and be very aware, in that I AM God. I AM the one who can perform all of the acts mentioned here and much more….”

The rest of this verse says of God: “I will be exalted (lifted up, honored) among the nations. I will be exalted in all the earth!” So God tells us He will be honored (exalted) by everyone, by all of creation (in all the earth). Whether or not we have chosen to honor HIM with our lives of holiness, at the end of time when Jesus returns ALL will give HIM the honor that belongs only to HIM. But those who love and worship HIM should know this now and give HIM our best always.

The Psalmist goes on in verse 11 to tell us again that the Lord of host (hosts = God’s Heavenly Army and also the church) is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge (safe haven of protection like the army forts in old western movies.)

When we whole look at the whole Psalm my understanding of this passage looks like this:

PSALMS 46
(As I understand it)

1. God is my ever-present safe haven and the very strength of my life. Always ready to help me when I am in trouble.
2. I know I have nothing to be afraid of, even if the whole earth should fall apart and the mountains collapse into the oceans.
3. Even if all the rivers and oceans are full of high waves, and the mountains quake at their swelling forces. Stop and ponder this deeply (Selah).
4. The blood of Jesus flows from the heart of the church (the city of God) and washes away all sickness and disease, healing all who are touched by it. Calling the faithful to worship and be glad in His dwelling places (our bodies).
5. God is in the very middle of all this and we (His church and holy city) shall not be moved. God will help us as the sky lightens with the dawn of each day.
6. Even if all the nations call out their troops and wage war against Him, He will shout with a loud voice so mighty that it could melt the whole earth if He chose.
7. The Lord, God is with us, He alone is, was, and always will be our protection in difficult times. A safe haven to comfort us in times of need.
8. Come and intently gaze at, watch in sheer amazement, all the wondrous things God has done, is doing and will always do. He has even made desert places in the wilderness of the earth.
9. He makes wars come to an end by destroying the weapons being used, breaking them in pieces and even burning up the vehicles that are transporting the troops to the front lines.
10. Be calm, free of commotion, very tranquil and well rested, and be very aware that I AM God. I AM the one who can perform all of the acts mentioned here and much more. I will be honored (exalted) by everyone, by all of creation (in all the earth). Whether or not you have chosen to honor ME by living a life of holiness, at the end of time when I return ALL will give ME the honor that belongs to ME alone. But those who love and worship ME should already know and think on this deeply. And give ME your very best today and always!
11. The Lord, God is with us, He alone is, was, and always will be our protection in difficult times. A safe haven to comfort us in times of need.


So when all is chaos and turmoil round about you, “Be still and know that I am GOD!” Says Jesus.