Cover All The Bases

Cover All The Bases

This phrase came to mind this morning as I was sitting down to write. I didn’t play a lot of baseball as a kid (softball either), but evidently that’s where this phrase started. I do love to watch a good baseball game and we all know that those in the outfield are watching and planning for lots of things, just in case they need to cover a base to keep the opposing team from making a run or stealing a base.

Oh beloved, God speaks to my heart. Maybe yours too. Do you ever feel like you have to cover all the bases in life? You know, figure out what all COULD happen so that you’re prepared IF it happens? Kind of like praying and worrying at the same time?
Right now you’re in the game of life and you feel like you have one more out and you’re done. You also may feel like everybody’s watching to see if you play right. You’re very concerned because you know you’re just one miss away from losing the game altogether. You worry, plan, hope, try, figure and plan some more. By now you’re the most worn out player in this game.

But listen beloved, there’s some good news about your game this morning. Your life is not about the sum of your worries or plans. Only One can cover all the bases for you and He’s not sweating it or worrying about it or concerned about what’s going to happen. This is the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth, the One who made you and gave you a life to live. He also knows every scenario that could happen to you, but He only plans for one – to give you a future and a hope. He is in charge of the game of life and He has great plans for you. He’s not just covering all the bases, He is your defense and your provider. When you aren’t sure how you’ll make your plans work, He steps in and gives you His plans. Trust Him – His timing is perfect and His plan is magnificent! He knows the end from the beginning. And He knows your life has more potential because in Christ you are always a winner!

God loves you and He’s for you. Stop right now this morning and lay all your plans out before Him. This same God who put the stars in orbit and knows them by name has your bases all covered right here and for all eternity. Your most powerful win is to let Him coach you into the miracle working powers of faith, hope and love. Then you’ll be able to rest your mind on Him and live in the Light of the True meaning of His provision and peace!

Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight

What Rumor Have You Heard?

We’ve heard the rumor. Freezing and near freezing temps in our area tonight. Really? And somewhere on one report, I heard chance of snow as well. Then we remember the old wives tale we all heard when we had thunderstorms a couple of months ago: “Thunder in February- Snow in April”. Between the old wives’ tales and the truth comes a crazy weather pattern. And we don’t want it. Many had already lost beloved landscape plants in the big freeze of 2021. Now this? After so many have already put their gardens in and seen beautiful green plants coming up out of the ground?

Oh beloved, what rumor have you heard? Does the rumor make you freeze right to your bones? Who wants more trouble? Who wants to have to pluck up and plant again? You don’t. You’re not only unhappy with what’s going on. You’re done with it.

But listen beloved, when the ground freezes and your plants die – you’re still God’s beloved. When the garden faces a late frost after all your hard work is finished – you’re still God’s beloved. When the money is low, when the troubles are high- you’re still His. And He will never stop calling you beloved. He sees everything you’re going through. He is not amused either. He has definite ideals for living. And when someone comes against His beloved, He isn’t indifferent nor does He turn a blind eye. You don’t have to give up today. You will never have to give up. Because you are who He says you are in spite of whatever you are going through. Momentary light afflictions. God is doing a work in your mind and heart even now. And when the thaw comes, and it will, you are going to be stronger, more fruitful and more beautiful – because that’s what God does to and in and through His beloved!

God loves you and He’s for you. Temporary things don’t phase you because His love is eternal. Run to Him this morning and thank Him even though the rumor has proved true. Because you are going to live with the hugest truth that trumps the rumor – you are His beloved and you are going to live for Him every single season, cold snap, rumor mill day of your beautiful, bountiful, Jesus-focused life!

Romans 9:25 As He says also in Hosea, “I will call those who were not My people, ‘My people,’ and her who was not beloved, ‘beloved.’”

Habakkuk 3:17-18 Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The Candy Hut

There was a little candy hut across the street from one of the schools I went to as a young girl. Inside that little dark hut were amazing gifts. Well not exactly gifts. More like morsels for pennies. We could run over there and get a nugget of tasty delight if we had a penny or two. I know I went over there at least once. But I know also that others must have gone over several times during the week. If you had enough pennies you could purchase again and again. I wonder, was there even a limit?

Oh beloved, this morning God wants to remind us that He is better than a little candy hut. He is a fountain of delights. He is an everlasting castle of treats. And His treats and delights are FREE for those who cross over into His presence.

God knows your needs and your desires. And He has just what you are craving. The world never has enough nor are the treats of the world worth spending all your worldly goods to purchase. God’s ways are meant to delight the poorest, weakest person. Nobody has to stand outside God’s camp and wish for entrance to the delightful blessings of His Kingdom. Jesus made it clear – My sheep know My voice and they follow only My voice. And in another place He said His sheep come and go and find good pasture. Such freedom! Not bound by purchases nor able to purchase what Christ freely gives!

Are you sure this morning that you have tasted of the Lord’s delicacies? Have you been in the River of His delights? Are you drinking FREELY of the fountain and walking into His presence for more of His presence? There’s no end to the amount of the Lord’s best you can have. Don’t settle for thinking you are a foundling, unable to enjoy the sonship of His fellowship. Don’t stay outside the camp for another moment, another day, another week! Inside God’s camp is everything you will ever need and you will never long for another thing after you’ve tasted and seen. You aren’t meant to live a meagerly life of existence. You are meant to feast on the Manna and rest in the Presence and grow in Grace and Knowledge!

God loves you and He’s for you. Come on into His presence this morning. Ask Him to show you more of His wonderful ways. Ask Him for more wisdom, knowledge and power. And live, precious believer, feasting on the Lord and His bounty every day of your life!

Psalm 36:8 They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You allow them to drink from the river of Your delights.

John 10:9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

Psalm 16:11 You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psalm 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek Him: your heart shall live for ever

Alarms Going Off

Well I let the alarm go off for the second time this morning. My alarm is on my phone. But my parents had a regular old alarm clock on their nightstand. And we even still have the original alarm clock/radio that we had when we first got married. Just about everyone has an alarm clock. And most everyone uses them for urgency to get up and get going.

What kind of alarm do you have? Is it electric, wind up or on your phone? Are you alarmed when it wakes you up?

Oh beloved, many alarms are sounding in the world today. What are you going to do with the alarms that are going off in your life? Are you alarmed? Are you startled, distressed or shocked? Danny and I talk often about some of the alarming things in our country that we never even imagined happening.

God wants you to know this morning that He is aware of the alarms in your world and your life. And none of them has Him worried. He knows the timeline of this world. He knows your timeline. He has this world securely in His hands. He is sovereign over all the earth and beyond the galaxies. He alone is Holy. He alone is working. He even laughs at those who attempt to circumvent His plan.
What He wants for you this day and this season is to wake up to His call. He wants you to sleep the sleep of faith and awaken with Him on your mind. Now is not the time to give up on God. Now is the time to get closer and closer to Him. Will the heathen roar? Yes. But your faith roars louder. Even in the quiet of your prayer time, the noise of the world is drowned out with your intercession. The beauty of the Lord God is upon you and ask you take up His plan for your life, you will discover that all the noise of fear, worry, concern, will fade out as you remember who God is, how He works, what He says and how much you love to praise Him, worship Him and wait for His plan. You’re not the sum of the fears of the country. You, beloved, are the Ambassador of Faith in your sphere of influence and your prayers carry your influence beyond the horizon!

God loves you and He’s for you. In spite of the alarm, He is still God – the Only Living God – and He hasn’t abdicated His throne. Run to Him this morning and renew your vows to follow Him with your whole heart. Remember Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of your faith. And live, sounding God’s alarms alone, in the Light of His All Sufficient Care!

Psalm 90:17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Isaiah 26:12 O LORD, You will establish peace for us. For all that we have accomplished, You have done for us.

Isaiah 37:16 O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth.

Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Psalm 115:2-3 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.

The Bodyguard

Tike was a hound dog that belonged to one of my mom’s sister’s family. Now Tike was not an ordinary dog. When I was very little he was my bodyguard. Seriously. They lived out in the country and we would visit often. When I was outside, if I started to wander away from the house he would nudge me back closer to the house. This amazing dog looked quite unamazing. But wow was he smart. He lived to be quite the old dog- around 18 years old when he died. But eventually my old bodyguard was gone like all good dogs.

You may have had a bodyguard dog of your own one time. You might have had a person who you felt so safe with because they cared for you. We all can look back and remember people we loved who loved and cared for us so very well. But they are gone. How do we make it without them? How does anyone get cared for when the very one they trusted so much is gone?

Oh beloved, there is One who is better than a bodyguard. We love someone with flesh and bones to be with us. But listen, truthfully – God is greater than any human or pet we could ever count on. He isn’t going anywhere. He never grows old or gets weary. He doesn’t even sleep. This king of the universe is always with you, forever. He is the greatest bodyguard in the history of ever. He lives independent of mankind, yet desires relationship with you. He isn’t subject to sickness or loss. And His care is perfect, and it includes a heavenly someday.

The reward of this life is to know that wherever you go, you can be assured that God is watching over you and is guiding you back to Him even when you wander. You’re not the sum of what you’ve done wrong or what’s been done to you. People leave, and that’s not right at all. But God won’t leave you ever. He will even turn the leaving into a new adventure of secure faith!

God loves you and He’s for you. Trust Him like never before. He’s more than a Helper, He’s your life. Because of Christ you have nothing to fear, not even death. Run to Abba Father this morning and thank Him for such a wondrous salvation! And live, precious believer, in the Light of His absolute care for you always!

Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even till death.

Psalm 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Psalm 121:5 The LORD himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.

Proverbs 14:26 Whoever fears the LORD has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.