It’s 2019…Trust Him!

God has…Given us an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed. Eph. 1:11-13

“God finds a different way, every day, to ask each of us, ‘Do you trust Me?’” -Chuck Missler

One of the best things you can do today as you walk with the Lord is to trust Him. To fully trust Him means to take out of your hands all the things that concern you, and place them into His hands. It is good for each of us to ask the following question as we go through our day…am I doing this, thinking this, or saying this as a result of my trust in the Lord?

Trust Him, not for something, but for everything; not in a few things, but in all things; not some time, but at all times. If you believe that God is almighty, is always with you, is working all things together for the good, is true, and is faithful…then your faith has everything it needs to trust Him.

Do you have a problem? Trust Him for His solution.

Do you have a need? Trust Him for His provision.

Do you have a question? Trust Him for His answer.

Above all, trust in His love!

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. Psalm 18:30 (NKJV)

Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Psalm 62:8 (NKJV)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT2)

©2018 Roy Lessin, meetinginthemeadow.com 

A Heart For Jesus... Anna: A praying heart that trusts God’s word

One of the things that has always stirred my heart during the Christmas season is the depth of meaning found in the lyrics of many classic Christmas carols. In a little known carol written in 1781, The People That in Darkness Sat, is this brief prayer, “Lord Jesus reign in us, we pray, And make us Thine alone.”

This prayer seeks to have Jesus in His proper place in our lives. The Christ child was born to be King, not just of the Jews, but also to be the King of our hearts. We were born to belong to Him, to know Him, to adore Him, and to live for Him. This prayer of surrender to the Lordship of Christ was evident in the life of Anna. Her heart was set upon the Lord, and her life was set apart to the Lord, long before Jesus came into the world.

We are introduced to Anna, one of the women of faith in the Bible, in Luke 2:36-38. It is the only place where she is mentioned in Scripture. We are only given a snapshot of her life, but what a powerful image it is! The Scriptures tell us Anna was a very old woman at the time of Jesus’ birth. She was widowed as a young woman, having lost her husband after seven years of marriage. After her husband’s death, she lived a life separated unto the Lord, frequently being at the Temple to pray and worship

Anna was a Jewish prophetess from the tribe of Asher. Asher was identified by Moses as “Happy and blessed…whose feet would be bathed in olive oil.” Deuteronomy 33:24. This was certainly true of Anna, for she was bathed with unspeakable joy and blessing at the appearing of God’s Anointed One, the Messiah, Jesus Christ the Lord.

While at the Temple one morning, after a night of seeking God through worship, fasting, and prayer, Anna came upon Joseph and Mary at the very moment they entered the Temple with their newborn Son. We don’t know how many times Anna had prayed for the coming of the promised Messiah during her decades of intercession, but when she saw the child before her, she was infused with excitement and filled with gratitude. The promise of the Word of God that she held in her heart concerning the coming of the Redeemer of Israel had been fulfilled!

The life of Anna the Prophetess is another witness to the believer that God keeps His promises! The coming of God’s Son to earth, and His redemptive work upon the cross, are the greatest demonstrations of God’s love for us. The richest people are those who live their lives carrying the treasures of God’s promises in their hearts.

May the testimony of Anna in the Bible stir our hearts to prayer this Christmas Season. The God who cares for us, invites us to call upon Him, and His invitation assures us that He hears and answers prayer. What a privilege it is to pray, and what a blessing it is to focus our prayers upon the promises of God. Prayer is one of the greatest gifts our loved ones can receive from us. We should also be thankful for all the blessings we have in our lives because of those who have prayed for us.

This Christmas Season, may the following prayer draw you closer to God’s gift, the One who is too wonderful for words…

Lord Jesus, I open my heart to You. You are the One who came for me, died for me, and rose for me. You are my Savior! Thank You for being present in my life as my Daily Bread, my Living Water, my Word of Life, my Prince of Peace, and my Song of Songs. I acknowledge You as the Guardian of my way, the Keeper of my heart, the Provider of my needs, the Security of my future, the Sustainer of my hope, and the Foundation of my faith. In darkness I receive Your light, in weakness I receive Your strength, in uncertainty I receive Your wisdom, in conflict I receive Your victory, and in hard times I receive Your overcoming grace. Thank You for being the Way that leads me to the Father’s heart, for being the Truth that keeps me from confusion, and for being the Life that can never be depleted or taken away. Amen!

Anna, returned thanks to God and talked of Jesus…And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him. Luke 2:38,40 AMP

A Heart For Jesus .... Simeon: A peaceful heart that holds salvation

A well-known line from a frequently sung Christmas carol includes these powerful words of hope and consolation, “Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!" It is a truth that was upon the lips of Simeon long before it appeared in a carol.

Simeon’s story in the Bible shows us he was quite a man! In eight short verses from the Gospel of Luke we learn what was in his heart, and the treasures of grace that were in his life. The first thing we learn is that he is identified as a man. No other title. He may not have been a nobleman, but he was a gentleman; he may not have had great wealth, but He had heaven’s riches; he may not have been known by the multitudes, but He was known by God.

Simeon’s relationship to God meant everything. He took his commitment to God seriously, and that commitment shaped his character. The Scriptures tell us that he was a just and devout man. Simeon lived to do the right thing before God and others. If he was your neighbor, you could count on him to be a person of integrity.

He paid attention to the Scriptures. He knew the promise of the prophets concerning the Messiah, and his eyes of faith looked for His appearing. One of the most powerful statements concerning his life is from Luke 2:25, “The Holy Spirit was upon him.” The Holy Spirit upon any life makes that life beautiful!

Simeon carried within him a specific revelation. He was told by the Holy Spirit that he wouldn’t die and go to heaven until he had seen the Messiah alive upon the earth. One morning, as Simeon got ready to face the day, he sensed a leading in his heart to go to the Temple. A heart that is led by the Holy Spirit is a heart that is led with peace.

He was at the Temple just before Joseph and Mary arrived. They had come to dedicate baby Jesus and to bring an offering according to the Law of the Lord. What timing! It wasn’t fate that brought Simeon to the Temple that day, in that moment, it was the Holy Spirit. (The Scriptures tell us, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”)

Simeon saw Jesus and approached the child with outstretched arms. He was about to hold in his hands God’s salvation! Simeon was overjoyed. His eyes looked upon the tender life of God in human flesh; His heart embraced the presence of the Prince of Peace; His soul rejoiced in the fulfillment of God’s promise; His words declared and affirmed the Gospel of the Redeemer—the One who would be a light to the Gentiles and the glory of God’s people, Israel. Simeon was now ready to depart in peace and go to his heavenly home.

No matter how much we do during this Christmas season, if we miss God’s Salvation, we have missed it all. God’s Salvation is a person…that is why God’s Son left heaven and came to earth. That is why the angel said to Mary that His name would be called Jesus (meaning Salvation) because he would save us from our sins. Salvation is God’s gift to us. It is the greatest love gift ever given—Jesus is the heart’s one true light, the heart’s everlasting joy, and the heart’s perfect peace.

Peace on Earth?

Did peace really come to earth,

The time of baby Jesus’ birth?

If you mean, “Did sin decrease,

Anger stop, and warfare cease?”

The answer would, of course, be “no,”

For Jesus faced a hateful foe.

But peace did come through Him that day,

From heaven’s home, to manger’s hay—

For He’s the gift that will impart,

Peace to every trusting heart.

-Roy Lessin

"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" Luke 2:14 NKJV

©2018 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow All rights reserved.

A Heart for Jesus... The Shepherds: A Praising Heart that Celebrates God’s Presence

For some shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem, a routine night of watching their flocks was about to turn into the most glorious night in history. An angel of the Lord, to be followed by a great number of the heavenly host, all filling the air with praises to God, were far beyond anything they could have expected to visit them that evening. And the message that was delivered to them from heaven was far beyond anything they could have imagined. Yeshua, (the Savior) is born? The Messiah? Now? To us? Here? In a manger? Their hearts embraced it all! What an AMAZING presentation God used to make the greatest birth announcement ever heard!

They moved as quickly as they could to the place where the angel had told them they would find the child. When they arrived in Bethlehem, they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby Jesus in a manger. It was just as the angel had told them…God had invited the lowly shepherds to be among the first ones to see the newborn Lamb of God. They couldn’t contain the wonder and the joy of it all! After leaving Jesus’ birthplace, the shepherds could not stop giving praise and glory to God for the amazing things they had heard and seen that night.

The breathtaking, heart pounding excitement about the birth of Jesus Christ that the Shepherds experienced is not only because “a child had been born and a son was given,” but that God was now present in human form. The God who dwelt in the Tabernacle and the Temple of Israel, now dwelt among them. Jesus Christ was everything God had to say to us, all He wanted to be to us, and all He wanted to do for us. Jesus was in reality, God become man.

To Israel, Jesus’ birth meant that God was now more than the God of the cloud and the pillar, more than the God of Mt. Sinai, more than the God who gave them the commandments written on stone, and more than the God whose awesome glory was manifest behind the vale in the Holy of Holies. The Apostle John writes to us about the daily wonder of being in the company of the Son of God…“(Jesus Christ) the One which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life.” 1 John 1:1 NKJV

Jesus was the Word made flesh who tabernacled among us…

— It was Jesus’ hands that lifted the weary, that comforted the sorrowful, that blessed the children, that welcomed the sinner, that touched the leper, that healed blind eyes, that opened deaf ears, that fed the multitude, and that washed the disciple’s feet.

— It was His voice that calmed the sea, that spoke peace to the fearful, that cast out demons, that brought life from death, that delivered the captives, that brought peace to the fearful, that reassured the doubter, and that gave hope to the downcast.

— It was His face that looked upon the needy with compassion, that shed tears of sorrow at the loss of a loved one, that shone like the sun with eternal glory, and that expressed the joy of doing His Father’s will.

— It was His hands and feet that were nailed to a cross.

— It was His side that was pierced with a spear.

— It was His body that died and was raised from the dead.

The eyewitness accounts of the coming of Jesus Christ recorded in the Gospels is a declaration of praise to each of us this Christmas Season—

Jesus came in a way that fulfilled so much;
Spoke in a way that taught so much;Lived in a way that revealed so much;Blessed in a way that gave so much;Died in a way that provided so much;Arose in a way that conquered so much;Loved in a way that meant so much.

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. Luke 2:20 NKJV

©2018 Roy Lessin, all rights reserved.

A Heart for Jesus... Mary: A prepared heart that receives God's promise

“Are you ready for Christmas?” I couldn’t begin to add up the amount of times I have been asked this challenging question by friends, coworkers, and store clerks throughout the years. No one likes the thought of being unprepared, especially at Christmas when there are so many things we need to do.

Whenever our lives get busy it’s important that our hearts don’t become overwhelmed. We need to be watchful that our Christmas preparation and celebration of Jesus does not distract us from our relationship with Jesus.

In the opening chapters of the book of Luke we are introduced to a few individuals whose hearts were prepared to “receive their King.” Included are Mary, Simeon, Anna, and the Shepherds. Although they lived at a different time, and were under different circumstances from our lives today, we can be encouraged to know that the things we see in their hearts can also be in ours.

When the book of Luke begins there was no Christmas Season. “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night” had not yet been written.  The #1 song for believers at that time could have been titled, “How Long, O Lord? How Long?” The story of Mary begins in Luke’s first chapter. She lived during a very dark time in the history of her people. Nearly 400 years had passed since the words of Malachi had been written, and the Jewish people were still waiting for the promised Messiah. It is in the midst of this darkness, and the crushing presence of Rome that the spotlight of God’s mercy and grace shines the brightest. Mary is about to receive the greatest blessing ever given to any woman!

When Mary awoke on the day the angel Gabriel was going to pay her a visit, she had no idea who was coming to her house, or what the reason for the visit would be. She didn’t know this was God’s appointed time for the promise of the Messiah to be fulfilled, and she didn’t know she was to be God’s chosen vessel to carry the life of her Savior within her.

Mary’s story is one of a heart prepared for God’s visitation. When Mary first heard the words that Gabriel spoke to her, she was perplexed and responded with her mind. None of it made sense and so she asked, “How can this be since I am a virgin?”  When the angel gave her more details, Mary’s next response was not from her mind, but from her heart. She knew this was not a time to reason, but a time to believe.

Here is a paraphrased version of her response, “I hear and receive your words, for I know they are God’s Words. I will keep them and cherish them in my heart. I am His servant-vessel and welcome Him to do in me all that He has promised.” This is an amazing, in-the-moment response from a young, engaged, teenage girl who just heard she was about to become pregnant through the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit.

Mary didn’t resist or argue. She didn’t offer another option or try to come up with a better plan. She didn’t try to put the angel off or ask for a few more weeks to think it over. She didn’t say, “This is not a good time for me! I love what you said and want to be the one chosen for this amazing privilege, but could it happen after I’m married so I won’t have the reproach of carrying a child without a husband.”

Mary’s heart was ready to trust, and ready to receive. It was a listening heart, a yielded heart, and a welcoming heart! It was a heart that heard God’s promise, and a heart of faith that was reassured by the words, “With God nothing will be impossible.”

This holiday season, as we remember Jesus’ birth and the first Christmas, our hearts can also welcome the reality of His presence. As we experience one of the busiest times of the year we can be assured—that His peace will fill our hearts, that His praise will be upon our lips, and that His joy will flood our souls. May your faith respond to His presence and to His promises, and may your heart-response to Him always be, “Let Your will be done in me according to all that You have spoken.”

©2018 Roy Lessin, all rights reserved.

Proclamation

The heart of the Father, the voice of the Spirit, the testimony of Scripture, the confession of Peter, and the witness of Wise Men all proclaim the person of Jesus Christ…

The heart of the Father proclaims His Sonship, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy. Listen to Him.” Matthew 17:5  

The voice of the Spirit proclaims His Lordship, “No one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3  

The testimony of Scripture proclaims His Headship, “God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church.” Ephesians 1:22

The confession of Peter proclaims His Messiahship, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16  

The witness of Wise Men proclaims His Kingship, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We saw His star as it rose, and we have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2  

This Christmas may the proclamation of Jesus Christ be strong upon your heart!

©2018 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

The Front Porch: God's Loving Ways

Think of the loving ways that Jesus speaks of His relationship to you: Groom to the bride, Brother to a brother, Friend to a friend. . Having Jesus call you His friend doesn’t mean a casual, informal friendship, but a deep, intimate friendship. Every quality that we desire in a best friend is found in our relationship with Him. Jesus abides with us, walks with us, and speaks His heart to us. He is completely trustworthy, loyal, and true. He is always there for you, He gives you His complete attention, He cares about your needs, and He loves you unconditionally. .

God wants you to experience His “alls," not just “portions." He wants to give you all of the grace you will need, not just a portion. He wants you to receive all spiritual blessings, not just a portion. He wants to fill all of your heart with His love, not just a portion. . Praise to the Lord,

who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee! Decked thee with health, and with loving hand guided and stayed thee; How oft in grief Hath not He brought thee relief, Spreading His wings for to shade thee! -Joachim Neander . God’s love is too great to comprehend, Too awesome to be replaced; Too high to climb its summit; Too wide for arms to embrace. . Your love, Lord, Oh Your love- Like a flower unfolding, Like strong arms upholding, Your love strengthens me. Your love, Lord, Oh Your love- Like words unending, Like prayers ascending, Your love nurtures me. Your love, Lord, Oh Your love- Like rivers cascading, Like the oak tree's shading, Your love shelters me. Your love, Lord, Oh Your love- Like wings that are soaring, Like dew in the morning, Your love covers me.

©2018 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Adapted from Come Sit Awhile, Roy Lessin. Used with permission.

The Invitation: Matthew 11:28-30

The Invitation
Come

The Destination
To Me

The Qualification
All you who labor and are heavy laden

The ConsolationAnd I will give you rest

The IdentificationTake My yoke upon you and learn from Me

The DispositionFor I am gentle and lowly in heart

The ImpartationAnd you will find rest for your souls

The LiberationFor My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

©2018 Roy Lessin, meetinginthemeadow.com

The Front Porch: God's Everlasting Love

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15 (NKJV) . God wants us to continue to grow in Him because there are—

more moments to delight in than what we’ve enjoyed,

more blessings to have than what we’ve received,

more love to embrace than what we’ve experienced.

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“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV) . God’s love for you never runs out or dries up. He doesn’t love you on your good days, and cease loving you on your bad days. He loved you even before you were born. Everlasting love not only refers to the length of time that God has loved you, but it also refers to the quality of His love. There is nothing shallow to be found in God’s everlasting love. It is out of the depths of His love that He drew your heart to His. . Perfect love is not a feeling you have, but a person that your heart comes to know. . “Always” is a word that fits God perfectly. God is eternal, and every attribute and aspect of His nature is eternal. He has always been who He is now, and who He is now, is who He will always be. All that He has been to you, He is, and will always be. God is love, was love, and always will be love. He is good, was good, and will always be good. He was faithful, is faithful, and will always be faithful.

©2018 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Adapted from Come Sit Awhile, Roy Lessin. Used with permission.

The Ultimate Christmas Card

If Jesus sent you a Christmas card this year, perhaps it would say this…

My gift giving is different than normal gift giving.

My gifts are not from Me, they are Me.

In My presence is fullness of joy. I do not give you joy, or any other gift, apart from My presence.

I Am your gift, and in Me you have all things.

©2018 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

The Front Porch: God's Hands

God’s hand is extended to you like the hand of a close friend. He doesn’t reach out to you to keep at a distance, but to draw you close to His heart; not to forbid you access to His love, but to pour it upon you in abundance.

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Jesus is the sunrise of your morning, and the sunset of your day. His mercy will greet you every morning, and His goodness will tuck you in each night.

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“Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.” Lamentations 3:23 (NLT)

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Loved with everlasting love,

Led by grace that love to know;

Spirit, breathing from above,

Thou hast taught me it is so!

Oh, this full and perfect peace!

Oh, this transport all divine!

In a love which cannot cease,

I am His, and He is mine.

--G. Wade Robinson

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The Lord wants you to rest in His love. His love will never fail you. Everything that is good in your life has been started by Him, is sustained by Him, and will be completed by Him. He is involved in every detail of your life.

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“…I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)

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“I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.” Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

©2018 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Adapted from Come Sit Awhile, Roy Lessin. Used with permission.