The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 1:57-66 ESV

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth,

and she bore a son.

58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown

great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child.

And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,

60 but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.”

61 And they said to her,

“None of your relatives is called by this name.”

62 And they made signs to his father,

inquiring what he wanted him to be called.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote,

“His name is John.” And they all wondered.

64 And immediately his mouth was opened

and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

65 And fear came on all their neighbors.

And all these things were talked about

through all the hill country of Judea,

66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts,

saying, “What then will this child be?”

For the hand of the Lord was with him.

_______________________________

Trust God in the good, the bad, and the ugly.

When we are in our Bible study…

When we are sitting in church praising God at the top of our lungs…

When we read a Scripture that really speaks to our heart…

God is so near.

God is so close.

His presence so real.

Life and His Word all make so much sense…but then…

We have to get up from our Bible study group

and walk out the door…

We have to put on our coat

and leave the church service and go to our car…

We have to get up from our quiet time with the Lord

and face the world…

Out there everything can seem so “out of control.”

God doesn’t always seem to be “right there.”

Things sometimes seem to be going “all wrong.”

And we ask the question..

What is God doing now?

Where is God’s spotlight now?

But know this…

Know this one thing for sure…

If you are a believer in Christ…

If you are His child…

He is God and He is your God!

And

HE IS IN THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY!

He is at work in it all.

And His ways and His timing are perfect.

Look at what Paul says about this in Romans.

Romans 8:28-39

28 And we know that for those who love God

all things work together for good,

for those who are called according to his purpose.

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined

to be conformed to the image of his Son,

in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

30 And those whom he predestined he also called,

and those whom he called he also justified,

and those whom he justified he also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things?

If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,

how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?

It is God who justifies.

34 Who is to condemn?

Christ Jesus is the one who died–more than that,

who was raised–

who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,

or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed

all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than

conquerors through him who loved us.

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life,

nor angels nor rulers,

nor things present nor things to come,

nor powers,

39 nor height nor depth,

nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God

in Christ Jesus our Lord.

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

God does everything with a purpose and with a plan.

He uses our joys, our suffering, our pains,

our hurts, our loneliness, our rejoicing…

for good in our lives and for His glory!

He is at work with the same amount of precision

and planning and purpose as He was

in the birth of John the Baptist and the day of his circumcision.

His timing is just as perfect in your life.

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 1 and recite it 3 times.

Take it with you throughout the day.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote,

“His name is John.” And they all wondered.

64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue

loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

65 And fear came on all their neighbors.

And all these things were talked

about through all the hill country of Judea,

66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying,

“What then will this child be?”

For the hand of the Lord was with him.

PRAYER

Lord God,

I praise you for being so intentional and so in control.

You are God and there is no other.

Your timing is perfect and your love is sure.

 _______________________________

In His hands for His glory,

Laurie

/by

He Is God. You Don’t Have to Be.

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 1:39-56 ESV

39 In those days Mary arose and went

with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,

40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary,

the baby leaped in her womb.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry,

“Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43 And why is this granted to me

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears,

the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be

a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55 as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her about

three months and returned to her home.

_______________________________

Know that God loves you in the details.

Where does Mary go?

Why does she go there?

This is an extremely encouraging passage of Scripture.

It highlights God’s love and compassion for Mary.

When the angel Gabriel comes to

Mary to tell her that she is going to bear God’s

Son through the power of the Holy Spirit …

very overwhelming news …

we see how God has gone before her

and thought of every detail. He considered her human

condition and her human needs.

He arranged for Elizabeth to be with child

at the same time that Mary would.

She would see one who had been barren for a

lifetime pregnant with child and be affirmed that

she had in fact heard the message correctly.

Mary would also be with a relative who could

share with her in this rare circumstance.

God’s tender lovingkindness provided for her

to not be completely alone.

Her Lord goes one step further to affirm and encourage.

What does Luke record? Elizabeth’s exclaims:

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is

the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears,

the baby in my womb leaped for joy” (Luke 1:42-44).

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

We know that God takes care of all of Mary’s needs.

He speaks to Joseph to validate that Mary is in fact carrying the Son of the Most High.

Mary didn’t know all of these things at the moment

Gabriel spoke to her. But Mary says:

“Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;

let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

God Almighty is your Father.

He loves you.

You are His!

In every situation no matter how complex,

confusing, challenging, or catastrophic,

you can KNOW that He has gone before you

and covered every detail in every way.

He has made provision for the things that are needed.

He has even provided, not just for neccesseties but also

for things that are loving and caring.

He is always faithful, always compassionate, always loving.

You may be in a situation in which you cannot see how it could possibly work out for good.

It may appear that you or someone you love is going to be utterly destroyed

or devastated by the circumstances.

Know this…

He loves you tenderly.

He has made provision for things that you

would never even think of and

He has done it with a heart of love.

So next time it seems as though the world is crashing in,

or things are going to fall apart,

or the future is hopeless…

Know how much your heavenly Father loves you.

Know that He knows you and has made provision for you.

Know that He is in control, not only of the details, but

the entire universe…

He is God.

You don’t have to be.

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 1 and recite it 3 times.

Take it with you throughout the day.

46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

PRAYER

Father God,

I praise you because you are in control

and you have provided such kind things for me

in the midst of such uncertain circumstances.

_______________________________

In His hands for His glory,

Laurie

/by

Rights? Or Trust?

Thistlebend Quiet eMoment

by Laurie Aker

Focus Scripture: Luke 1:26-38 ESV

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent

from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth,

27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,

 of the descendants of David;

and the virgin’s name was Mary.

 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Hail, favored one!

 The Lord is with you.”

29 But she was greatly troubled at this statement,

 and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.

 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary;

 for you have found favor with God.

 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb,

 and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High;

 and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;

33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever;

and His kingdom will have no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel,

 “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered and said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

 and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;

and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.

36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth

 has also conceived a son in her old age;

 and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.

37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord;

be it done to me according to your word.”

And the angel departed from her.

_______________________________

 

Be willing to give up your rights.

What are your rights?

What do you think you deserve?

This young woman isn’t thinking of her rights.

 She is not thinking of “self.”

Her eyes are fixed upon her Lord and she trusts Him.

Greater still, she loves Him and desires only to serve Him

 in absolute, voluntary obedience.

She has bound herself to Him as His.

 

TAKING GOD’S WORD TO HEART

Will you think about what God’s Word says?

 Will you think of it as coming from His heart of love?

 Mary’s heart bowed in such reverence and love for the Lord

her only thought was to serve Him and Him alone.

 Because I know that she trusted Him.

 She trusted His heart.

 She trusted His ways.

She trusted His wisdom.

She trusted His power to protect and provide for her

no matter what anyone would think of her.

She trusted His love for her.

She trusted in Him as God.

God Almighty.

Maker of Heaven and Earth.

Ruler of All. Perfect in all ways.

Perfect in love and perfect in character.

Lover of her soul.

She could believe that He is God

and that He lives up to every aspect of His character.

Every day, all day.

Yesterday, today, and forever.

She believed that He loved her

and created her for a purpose.

His purpose was her purpose.

Read Psalm 139:13-16 today

and contemplate God’s purposes for your life.

Psalm 139:13-16

13 For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

 Affirm God’s love in your heart.

His deep, everlasting, abiding love for you.

Choose to believe it is true.

Choose to believe His Word about you —

not what anyone else has to say.

Affirm that His plans for you are wonderful,

loving, and purposeful…

to prosper you and to give you a future and a hope.

 

MEDITATE or MEMORIZE

Write out the following passage from Luke 1 and recite it 3 times.

Take it with you throughout the day.

 

37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord;

be it done to me according to your word.”

And the angel departed from her.

 

PRAYER

Gracious God, help me to see how much you love me

 in Jesus Christ. Help me to live in that love

and serve you with my whole heart.

_______________________________

In His hands for His glory,

Laurie

/by