Faith and Patience

I've been enduring the spring invasion of the Asian Lady Bugs who have chosen our attic to spend the winter. In the fall, these creatures, who are not native to North America, leave the soybean field across the road from our house and congregate on the outside walls of our light grey stucco house. They think that our house is a white cliff, and that they will find cracks to crawl in to spend the winter. Last fall, there were swarms of them, and we did not spray the walls with insecticide, like we had done the year before. Needless to say, they all found entrance through the vents in our soffit, and spent some time in the attic. When the days are sunny, they think it is time to go back out into the wide open spaces, and they crawl out the light fixtures, furnace ducts, and any other opening they can find, and begin to crawl around the windows and lights. Just about the only way to get rid of them is to sweep them up in the vacuum cleaner. This is a very labor intensive undertaking, especially when they love to go as high as the skylights in our sunroom. That is their favorite place. My sweeper hose can't reach them, so I spray the room with bug spray, and shut the door and wait for some to fall on the floor, then sweep them up. This must be repeated several times daily, and has been going on for weeks. It has been very frustrating, as it seemed for a time that their numbers were not declining. I am finally beginning to see some lessening of their numbers, so I am getting hopeful it will soon be finished. I have been asking the Lord to show me His lesson in all of this, and I believe that He is.

The invaders got in because we weren't diligent to keep them out. You can't let your guard down. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that "the Devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." We are to keep our shield of faith up and give him no place to enter. But once he has gained entrance, we are to resist him (James 4:7) and just as Joshua and the children of Israel had to drive out the Canaanite nations, we must drive out any invaders or unwanted squatters in our space. Little by little we drive them out. It is through faith and patience we inherit the promises of God. (Hebrews 6:12)

The bugs will eventually all die. Next fall we will be more diligent to keep them from coming in. I trust that I will also be as diligent to keep the enemy of my soul from finding any entrance to my spiritual house.

©2010 Kay Fox

Update

I haven't posted anything for some time, but I am planning to add some things soon.  I've been reviewing some audio recordings of some of my past teaching, and realize that I need to write them into articles.  Perhaps I'll make them into a series.  Stay tuned for more soon.
Thanks,
Kay

Are You Receiving Your Benefits?

Anyone who has worked for a living knows about benefits. Unless your employer is too small to provide things like vacation days, sick days, or health insurance, you probably have received benefits. Usually you need to qualify for them by putting in a certain number or days or months, or perhaps you qualified just by being hired. Benefits are usually very important in attracting good qualified employees to a business. For the employee, they are essential in maintaining a quality lifestyle.

The Lord has exceptional benefits for His people. David expressed it like this:

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm103:1-5 NKJV

The only requirement for receiving the Lord's benefits is for you to trust in the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you from all sin, and cause your spirit to be born again. (John 3:3) They become effective immediately. There is no other prerequisite. What a deal!

Encased in His Presence

One of my favorite praise songs is “The Name of the Lord” by Clinton Utterbach. My first memory of this song was on a trip to England with a team that was ministering in Spennymoor and Hartlepool in the north country. One of the churches that we visited taught us the motions that they did to this song, which we still do in our church. The verse is taken straight from the scripture in Proverbs 18:10. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe.” When you think about it, this is a very powerful truth.
The name of the Lord encompasses His reputation, fame, glory and character, among other benefits. It declares Who He is. Jehovah Rapha is our Healer. Jehovah Jireh is our Provider. The Lord Sabaoth is our Commander in Chief. I could go on and on, for He has so many names. He will be whatever you need for that season.
A strong tower in the Hebrew is “oz migdal.” “Oz” is might, strength, whether material or physical, personal, social or political. “Migdal” is a tower, an elevated stage, a pulpit or raised bed. “Safe” is the word “sagab”, which means “to be inaccessibly high, to be too high for capture.” This verse has so much to shout about. I could paraphrase it like this: The things that I know about the Lord, Who He is and what He does, is a high place for me to run in and rest, where I am so elevated, that I am out of the enemy’s reach. It’s almost like a cocoon for me to hide in; encased in His presence. Hallelujah!
David said it also. “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.” Psalm 61:3
When you need a place to escape from the onslaught of the pressures of life, there’s no better place than in the strong tower provided by our precious Lord. He’s always available
©2009 Kay Fox

Teach Us Your Ways

O Lord we want to know You
We want to know Your ways
All Your paths are righteousness
It’s You we must obey
We have seen Your power and we know Your grace
O Lord we want to know You more
Teach us Your ways

Teach us Your ways through the wilderness
Teach us Your ways through the desert place
Teach us Your ways through the stormy seas
Teach us Your ways through the deep valley
Teach us Your ways on the mountaintop
Teach us Your ways in the secret place
Teach us Your ways
©2007 Kay Fox

Your Glory, Jesus

I plan to share some lyrics that I have written for songs that aren't completed yet, but I feel the Lord wants me to release them and not keep them private any longer. I hope that those who read them are edified.

It’s Your glory, Jesus
signs, wonders, miracles
We cry, “Your glory, Jesus”
covering the earth (cover all the earth)

It’s Your glory, Jesus
We shout out our battle cry
It’s Your glory, Jesus
We declare Your worth
We lift high Your name
We declare Your fame
You deserve the praise
Our voices now we raise
Your glory, Jesus

©2009 Kay Fox

Father Draw Me Near

With a humble heart I come, O Father
Draw me near to You
I want to dwell in Your presence forever
To worship in spirit and truth
For here in You presence, Your will is made known
And as I seek You I find
The treasures You’ve laid up in store for my soul
And discover the path for my life
©2009 Kay Fox