12312021 Light From Darkness

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God of light. There is more than one way to consider that aspect, but one is that God is able to transform darkness into light, to shine forth even in what seems hopelessly black. “Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous” (Psalm 112:4). As I considered this verse one night this week, I was inspired to poetic pursuit, something I haven’t done much in recent years, but this concept seemed worthy.

Light From Darkness

(or Hope for 2022)

 

When life is filled with darkness, and

When hope has disappeared,

When everything that happens turns

Out worse than one had feared,

 

Our God steps in to rescue and

To save the upright hearts.

God turns on every light bulb, and

The darkness quickly parts.

 

The dark of night can oft oppress,

But dawn makes all things right;

Light rises out of darkness, and

Gloom ends in glorious light.

 

Oh, when the rain does finally end -

The rainbow’s splendid ray!

Light springs out of the darkness, and

Despair to hope gives way.

 

This fallen earth will always hold

A vestige of the night,

But in that land that waits on high

Each moment will be bright.

 

How blessed is the man who fears

The great and mighty God;

For him each night will end in day

While praises ring abroad.

As I pondered this concept, I was also reminded of William Cowper’s hymn, originally titled “Joy and peace in believing.” He seems to capture the same concept of arising light, perhaps unanticipated, that God ministers to His suffering servants after a time of difficulty.

Sometimes a light surprises

The Christian while he sings;

It is the LORD who rises

With healing in his wings.

When comforts are declining,

He grants the soul again

A season of clear shining

To cheer it after rain.

Life is often difficult, and it seems that these past years have been excessively so. As we enter a third year of the pandemic, and the weariness of its ramifications, along with the onset of winter (in my hemisphere), my boss’s words seem rather descriptive. She says, “It’s like the winter doldrums times one hundred.” In the midst of whatever challenges your life currently holds, may you richly experience God’s illuminating light bulbs, dazzling daybreaks, and resplendent rainbows. May He truly be your light.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

12232021 Emmanuel

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of Emmanuel. Have you ever had a hymn that you appreciated for just a few of its words? Every Christmas our church has a special music number that has become that type of hymn for me. I don't know all the words, and I don't even know the title. The words that I love, however, are “Emmanuel. Now all is well. God dwells with us.” All week long I have been thinking about these few words.

Emmanuel - God with us. This thought fills me with wonder and a bit of awe. It seems almost too good to be true, almost impossible to imagine. Who would think that God would do such a thing? I am not aware of any teachings regarding false gods that would suggest the possibility of such an intimate interaction, that people’s gods would dwell with them. Instead, the gods of false religions tend to be unapproachable, aloof, and even disinterested. They dwell in their own worlds far superior to and removed from mortals.

The true God is also superior and removed, but that does not stop Him from interacting with the lowliest of men. “Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill” (Psalm 113:4-6). God hears and answers prayers. He delivers from difficulty. He comforts in affliction.

When the time was right, God came humbly to this world. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). I think of the people for whom this was true in the initial sense. The angel declared to Joseph, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). What must it have been like for Mary and Joseph to realize every day that God was dwelling with them? What must it have been like for the disciples to discover that their Messiah, God in the flesh, had come? What was it like for them to follow Him and listen to Him for those years?

Emmanuel – God with us. What amazing words! This is what the world had awaited for four thousand years. This was the long-anticipated promise in particular for the people of Israel, as they waited for the Messiah. God had always interacted with mankind. There were many instances of special interaction and temporary appearances of God on the earth, but never had it been true that God was with mankind in visible form for an extended period. That is what happened when Jesus came.

For thirty-three years God walked the earth. He grew up in the home of Mary and Joseph. He gathered a group of disciples to Himself and spent three-and-a-half intensive years with them. He compassionately ministered to people through healing and other miracles. He declared truth and offered hope. For that space of time, there was the wonder of God dwelling with men. The whole purpose of this interaction was so that He could die for them to provide salvation.

When Jesus returned to heaven, this presence changed, but God’s interaction did not end. Jesus said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:16). The Holy Spirit dwells constantly with every believer, so God is still with us in a very personal way. Since believers are in Christ, there is an unbreakable union with Him. And God declares, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5). While not face-to-face like Jesus was with the disciples, these current interactions will one day be replaced with a face-to-face interaction that will last for all eternity. “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:17). Everlasting communion awaits us.

“Emmanuel. Now all is well. God dwells with us.” Yes, since Emmanuel came, all is well. He came to provide for our greatest need. He came to give us ultimate peace. He came to fulfill the plan that eventually will make right every wrong. How wonderful that God came to dwell with us! His coming changed everything!

May you rejoice in Emmanuel as you remember His coming. May your fellowship with family and friends be sweet in these days. Merry Christmas!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

12192021 Psalm 139

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who knows us better than anyone else does and who cares for us more than anyone else can. Thank God that He ministers to us very personally and purposefully based on our needs. Lately I’ve been reading extensively in the Psalms, and last night (after a frustrating day that contained more jobs than energy) I opened to the next psalm - #139, and God ministered it to my heart.

I was encouraged by so many truths that I wanted to share this psalm with you. Since it is so familiar, and for sake of space, I haven’t written out all the verses, but just a few prompting words along with my thoughts. You might be profited to refer to your Bible to see the full verses.

v. 1 – searched me and known me. This is the deepest knowledge possible. God knows me in every detail and in every moment, as the following verses will note.

v. 2a – downsitting and uprising. Most of the time we barely even consider something so trivial, but there are days in life when sitting down is especially welcomed and getting up is a burden and more than we want to do. On those days, God knows every inconvenience and every overdraft on our energy.

v. 2b – thought afar off. On those kinds of days, our thoughts can be troubled, weary, anxious, frustrated. God understands those thoughts.

v. 3 – my path and my lying down. He thoroughly knows everywhere we go (the verb is like winnowing grain to separate out what is worthy from the junk). He knows every detail of every aspect of life. He knows when we lie down – in the middle of the day, far earlier than normal, or even if we are prevented from lying down until long after the normal time.

v. 4 – a word in my tongue. Before I say it, before I think it, He knows what is on my mind and in my heart. In fact, whether or not I actually end up expressing it, He knows it. This includes both the good, like the aspirations of my heart, and the bad, like the dark or frustrated thoughts prompted by difficulty.

v. 5 – behind and before. He has me covered. He has my back and my front. Beyond that, He places His hand on me. That loving and reassuring hand, reminding me of His presence and His care.

v. 6 – too wonderful for me. I’m glad God knows me this well. Such deep and detailed knowledge of my frailty stirs His compassion. (Psalm 103:13-14; Hebrews 2:18 and 4:15-16). And it means He now has the opportunity to help me effectively, since He knows my need and my weakness.

v. 7 – whither shall I go. He is with me everywhere.

v. 8 – heaven, hell. If it were possible for me to leave this world, He would still be with me. In fact, when I do leave this world, He will be with me.

v. 9 – uttermost parts of the sea. If I stay in this world, even going to the remotest and most isolated spot I can imagine, He is there with me.

v. 10 – lead me, hold me. It isn’t just that He is there with me even in that remote place, although He is. Additionally, He is guiding me even there. He is working and leading even there. There is direction and purpose.

v. 11-12 – darkness and light. Darkness and nighttime can be awful. When our thoughts go wild. When we are cut off from distractions or activities or people or support. This can be the most alone that we ever are, and the darkness can be oppressive. But those limitations don’t hinder God. Darkness is nothing to Him, and He sees us just as well then as on the brightest day.

v. 13-15 – fearfully and wonderfully made. God made me, deliberately and carefully. He made my body exactly as He wants it to be, even with its defects and imperfections. He knew when He made me about how those factors would impact my life. Yet even with the imperfections, He has made an amazing body. For the most part, those body systems work like they are supposed to work. The immune system fights. The brain controls. The heart keeps pumping life.

v. 16 – all were written. He knew every one of my days before I lived any of them. They are written in His book. This is more than just foreknowledge. This includes also planning and purpose. Planning and purpose that He knew and wrote down before I even existed.

v. 17-18 – His thoughts. He thinks about me all the time. Other people might forget and certainly are limited in how often and how long they can focus on us, but with God, it is constant.

v. 18b – when I awake. Still with Him. Or rather, He is still with me. Meaning that He did not go anywhere during the night. He stayed with me even while I was sleeping and unconscious of life. He kept overseeing and protecting when I was completely powerless and oblivious.

v. 23-24 – search me, know me, lead me. Those who give the best solutions are those who most thoroughly understand the challenges. I’m not always in the best spot in my heart and in my thoughts, but because God knows all of it, He knows exactly how to best guide me.

I pray that these thoughts about this wonderful psalm will encourage your hearts as well, and that the ever-present and all-knowing God will graciously guide you and uphold you with His loving care.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

12112021 Inexhaustible Resources

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the Great Provider. God has such tremendous resources and such great power that He is able to meet all our needs.

Think about the children of Israel as they left Egypt and commenced their journey through the wilderness. They very quickly ran out of food, and God began supplying manna one month after their exit from Egypt. It was about 14 months later (by my calculation) when the Israelites reached the land of Canaan. For those 14 months, God provided manna for every Israelite. Based on the result of the census, and accounting for women and children, there were probably over 2,000,000 Israelites. This was an incredible amount of food for God to provide, but He was able to do it.

At this point Israel should have entered Canaan and begun eating the fruit of the land. Because of their rebellion, however, they spent 40 years wandering in the desert. God supplied manna for every day of those 40 years, which was far longer than the original plan.

God had no more trouble supplying manna for 40 years than He did in supplying it for 14 months. The final day of the 40th year was no more difficult than the first day of the 14 months. God was not left scraping the bottom of the barrel or harvesting the last of His resources. God did not barely manage to supply during those additional decades. The length of time that God had to provide did not in any way threaten His ability to provide.

Elijah is another example of this concept. At the beginning of the time of famine, God sent Elijah to the brook Cherith, where ravens brought him his daily food. But “after a while” the brook dried up, and God needed to provide a new means of nourishment. He sent Elijah to a widow. For “many days” this widow prepared the last handful of meal into food for Elijah and herself and her son, and each day there was another handful of meal. God's provision lasted three years until the rains came again.

For the Israelites, it was the same consistent, routine provision day after day for 40 years. In Elijah’s case, the provision changed. It was one type of provision for several months, and then God chose an entirely different means of provision. We don't know how long each of those lasted. Perhaps Elijah stayed by the brook for three months and then with the widow for the rest of the three years. But it was no harder for God to provide for the two-and-three-quarter years than it was for the three months, if those were the time frames. It was no harder for God to provide through a widow’s meal barrel and oil cruse than it was through a brook and ravens. If God had chosen to allow the meal and oil to run out, He could easily have provided for Elijah through another means. There was no more risk on the final day of the third year than there was on the first day of the first month.

These are not just interesting stories, nor is this an unnecessary focus on numbers. This is extremely practical truth, because we face trials and needs in life that stretch on far longer than anything we had ever imagined. A physical trial or a financial hardship or a ministry challenge might start out seeming to be for a time frame of a few months. We might think ourselves incapable of supporting the trial for those few months, but we have experienced God's provision in them. Have we not, however, sometimes set timelines or created mental milestones? How many times have we said, “I can't do this for one more day?” Or we have made the observation, “If that trial had lasted any longer, I never would have made it.”

How wrong we are when we make such statements! Yes, humanly speaking those trials seem to last for longer than we can endure. But they do not last longer than the scope of God's resources. They never last longer than He is able to provide for us. “Just around the corner” is not always as close as we would like it to be. Reality is that sometimes we think the trial is over after three months, but there are still three years to go. Is God incapable of meeting our needs for the remaining 33 months? Even if we find ourselves in the situation of the Israelites, where a seemingly interminable situation has lasted 14 months, and then it stretches for an agonizing 38 more years, God is still able to meet our every need.

How long has your current trial lasted? Three months, three years, three decades? Is God any less able to provide for you today than He was on the first day? The answer, supported by these Bible stories, is a resounding “NO!” God's resources are abundant. His hand is still strong. He will never run out of anything that we need, no matter how long the trial lasts. God’s provision may not always look the same, but it will always be there.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). The verse doesn't say so, but “all your need” includes the concept of for as long as those needs endure. You may be at the end of your resources, but God never is. It is no harder for Him today than it was on the first day, and it will be no harder for Him in twenty years (if the trial lasts that long) than it was on the first day. His resources are inexhaustible. May He reassure you today of His ability to meet your every need, even when it seems that the challenge will never end.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

12042021 It Is Well

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Redeemer. Thank God that Jesus has paid for our sins so that we can be at peace with Him.

One night this week, I was singing “It Is Well” while I soaked in the tub, and I realized something that I don’t think I ever noticed before. The first stanza says, “When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul!’”

Most of us know the background of the hymn and that Horatio Spafford wrote it after the loss of his daughters in a shipwreck. Based on that story, and based on the first stanza, I have always interpreted the meaning to be that he was at peace in his soul regarding his present circumstance and current trial. That he was saying, “Ok, God, I will accept whatever you send.”

I think that was probably true of Spafford, but I don’t think that’s what he was driving toward in this hymn. He was looking at a deeper soul wellness than just his state of submission and temporal peace. In stanza two, he speaks of the trials and attacks of Satan and refers to “this blest assurance … that Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul.” Stanza three is about how his “sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.” In stanza 4, he longs for the day when his “faith shall be sight,” when “the trump shall resound and the Lord will descend.”

Throughout this hymn, Spafford fixed his gaze and his confidence on his eternal security, his eternal peace. No matter what happened in this life, it was eternally well with his soul on a deeper and more important level because of his salvation through Christ. He realized that every trial of this life is temporary, but that his soul was eternally safe. This life does have sorrow, but every trial of this life will end, and in the long term, in the eternal scheme of things, it is well with my soul, in spite of what is happening now.

My sister is currently struggling with Lyme disease, and I have had health struggles for many years. In a recent conversation, we were discussing how to answer the question, “How are you?” If we were to answer candidly based only on our physical state, people would stop asking, because they wouldn’t want to keep hearing it, and some of them would insensitively remonstrate us for being negative. As I battled through this dilemma, I realized that candid answers should be reserved for people who seem to really have a concerned interest, and that others should receive a broader answer. I would often answer, “I’m fine” or “I’m okay,” meaning that at a deeper level, I am okay. I am secure in God and trusting His plan for me. I think Spafford went even deeper in his hymn, meaning that he was okay because his eternity was secure. If eternity is settled, nothing else is really that disastrous.

This is what Paul was saying in II Corinthians 4:18. “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” There are enough weights and burdens in this life, that if we focus on them, they will weigh us down. Although often it is impossible to completely ignore those realities, there is an extent to which we have to look past them and focus on something grander.

This is what Asaph did in Psalm 77. He was so troubled in his soul that he was tempted to think God had forgotten him or even had changed. Then he deliberately turned his thoughts to the past works of God, and he was greatly encouraged in realizing that there is no deficit in God’s power. What we see today out our front window might be really ugly, but if we will look beyond that to God and to eternity, there is a beauty and peace beyond comprehension.

May the reality of who God is and what He has done be your joy today.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA 

11272021 Two Worlds

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God from whom all blessings flow. It is a blessing just to reflect on His blessings and to realize how much He has done. I trust that many of you were able to have some type of Thanksgiving celebration in the past days and to be encouraged by God’s blessings.

Life is not filled entirely with blessings, and it isn't hard to think of things that we would not consider to be blessings. This past week I was encouraged with Romans 8:18. “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

I noted the contrast in this verse, specifically that there are two different worlds referred to. The first world is this present world in which we live. This world is filled with suffering and pain. We must of necessity live in this world, and it is inevitable that we will experience suffering.

The second world is not specifically identified, but the second half of the verse clearly refers to heaven. Oh, how different that world will be! That world will have no suffering and no pain. Instead, that world will be filled with glory on many levels. Some of that glory will be revealed specifically in us.

The pain that we have experienced in this world will be replaced with glory in that world. Actually, this is not a mere replacement. It is not an equal amount of glory to balance out the amount of pain. The glory of that world will far surpass the pain of this world.

Although this verse does not tell us that the sufferings produce the glory, this is (at least in part) the case. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (II Corinthians 4:16). This verse also speaks of sufferings in this world and glory in the next, and it tells us that the current affliction works to produce that eternal glory. This verse also makes the comparison that the pain of this world is light compared to the abundant weight of glory in the next world.

This tremendous abundance of glory is reserved for those who follow God. Abraham evaluated the conditions of the rich man and Lazarus. Abraham said, “Remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented” (Luke 16:25).

This world is broken, and it is true that in the end God will make all things right. In a sense, however, this is an understatement. God goes far beyond making things right. He will shower us with abundant blessings and glory far beyond anything we could possibly deserve, and this glory will bless us for all eternity.

I trust this truth can encourage us each day to continue forward in spite of the pain, suffering, and affliction. May we rest at peace in the knowledge and anticipation of the glory of the next world.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA 

11202021 Our Daily Burden

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our burden-bearing God. We stoop and stumble under burdens, but God is able to carry each one.

Psalm 68:19 reads this way in the KJV: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” Psalm 103 attests to the validity of this truth. There is some question, however, about this translation for this verse. Numerous words have been supplied by the translators, including “with benefits,” which is a logical explanation for the type of “burden” or “load” that God would daily place upon His children. While the verb can mean “to lay a load on,” the primary meaning is “to load, carry, carry a load.” In other words, it is quite possible that God is the one who is carrying the burden or load each day, rather than imposing one on us. This is in complete agreement with and support of the last part of the verse, which calls Him the God of our salvation. The translation would then be something like, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily carries our load, the God of our salvation.”

That is an encouraging thought – that each day, God is there to carry the burden. The Hebrew word for “day” appears twice in succession, day after day. This day and the one that follows. In addition to the constancy, it is wonderful that God is strong enough to carry any burden that we face. Psalm 55:22 expands to teach that not only can He carry any burden that we throw upon Him, but He can also hold us up and keep us from falling. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

As I have considered these two verses, I have pondered some questions. First, do we have to cast our burden on God, or does He bear it more automatically and volitionally? 68:19 doesn’t say anything about needing to give Him the burdens, but simply states that He does carry them. I suspect there is an aspect of God’s compassion, lovingkindness, and mercy that impels Him to willingly help those who are in need. Many verses teach that He looks down from heaven and sees the most vulnerable and lovingly intervenes on their behalf.

55:22, on the other hand, does tell us to cast our burden on God, which is similar to I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Philippians 4:6-7 would also suggest an enormous benefit in deliberately bringing our burdens to God. So my second question is regarding how I do that. In practical terms, how do I cast my burden on God?

It's a valid question, because sometimes it is the sincere desire of my heart to have God carry the burden. I don’t want to carry it. I can’t carry it. But I seem completely incapable of getting it off my shoulders. Sometimes the burden is such a prominent and constant part of life that there is continual impact on me. I feel the crushing weight of it. Because the ramifications are constant, I feel the pressure in my body or on my mind or in my spirit.

In theory, I would say the answer to this second question is found in Philippians 4:6-7 or in Psalm 37:3 or Psalm 62:8. There seems to be an aspect to which we are to bring our burdens to God and “dump” them on Him. And somehow, we are supposed to be able to bring those burdens to God and leave them there. Our trust and reliance on Him bring incomprehensible peace. “Which passeth all understanding” means there are situations in which having peace doesn’t even make sense, but God can still do it.

In practice, this is so much harder to do. Maybe that is because some burdens have a physical, mental, emotional, or social side in addition to the spiritual. In other words, I can trust Him to heal (or not heal) a broken leg, but I still feel the pain. Or I can trust Him to give comfort in a loss, but still feel the sorrow. I can trust God for the outcome, but I still feel the weakness in my body.

The best answer I can come up with for this dilemma is that when the practical ramifications of the burden are frequent or constant, then I must frequently or constantly be bringing the burden to God. Every time I feel the weight of the burden, I have to ask for His help with it. I must confess my inadequacy – admitting that as much as I want to give it all over to Him, I seem incapable of doing so, and that I need His help to do that.

The challenge of this highlights how helpless I am, but it does not negate how powerful God is. So I guess if the best I can do is to tell God that I want to trust Him and that I want Him to carry the burden, then that is what I need to do. It is always God who empowers me for anything, so sometimes I just need to trust that He can do that, even when I don’t see it with my human eyes.

This is by no means intended to be a complete or authoritative answer to these questions. But I trust that the truth of God’s Word will bless your hearts, even as I have included some of my own musings that will perhaps also prompt your own consideration. Of one thing I am certain: God is able to carry any burden that we face.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11132021 Strong Tower

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Refuge. The refuge is such a comforting thought, and it shows up many, many times in Scripture in reference to God.

One of the Hebrew words for ‘refuge’ has to do with fleeing for protection, running urgently in the time of danger. Another Hebrew word means to go for refuge, but not so precipitously – more with a sense of confidence and surety. Sometimes in life there are those urgent attacks that cause us to run to God, and other times there is simply an underlying realization that He is always the place of security.

“I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:2). This is actually a third Hebrew word for ‘refuge,’ meaning ‘shelter, hope, place of refuge, or trust.’ I love this concept of refuge, and I have sometimes puzzled how it works out practically. It isn’t concrete (pun partially intended) like going to a bunker. How do I hide myself in God? How do I find Him to be a place of protection and safety?

I think one answer is found in this verse. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). This specifically says that God’s name is a strong tower and a place of safety to which we can run. I don’t think this is the only application, but it seems to be a specific one that God wants to make. There is something about His name that serves as a refuge.

One of my newer favorite things to do at night before I fall asleep or when I wake up in the night is to meditate on names of God. Sometimes I will try to go through the alphabet and think of one name for each letter: almighty, beloved, Christ, deliverer, Emmanuel, fortress, etc. Other times I will think of as many as I can for each letter: salvation, savior, strength, sun, shield, shade, shepherd. I think about what those names mean, connect them to Bible verses or to hymns, and just let my mind run with related thoughts. Then I’ll come back to another name and do the same thing.

It’s amazing to see how calming this is. A few nights ago I was nervous about falling asleep. I had started on a medication, and the first night I took it, I had awoken with a strong sense that I was going to be sick to my stomach. It was pretty important for me to keep taking this medication each evening, and this stomach sensitivity was much on my mind the next night. When I went to bed, I was praying through verses like the ones above. I basically said, “God, I want you to be my refuge, but I don’t see how I can possibly relax about this, so please help me.”

Then I started thinking on names of God. The calmness didn’t come immediately, but it did progressively come as I fixed my mind on God. And I slept. I think the two verses above tie together in this verse. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3). How better to keep my mind fixed on God than to think of His many names that reveal His varied wonderful characteristics? Remembering this truth prompts trust, which is what a refuge is all about. Within that refuge, there is peace.

God’s names are wonderful. God is so complex, so broad, that we struggle to comprehend or adequately appreciate Him. How can we, when He is so great? But the names of God help, as each one gives a little taste, one more slice of His great character.

Whichever name or names of God are most precious to you, I trust that they will serve as a refuge for you in the storms and attacks you face this week, or just in the ordinary course of routine life. God bless.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11062021 Trouble Foreknown

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Savior.

I trust that God is upholding and blessing you. This morning I just want to share brief thoughts on one verse. “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalm 50:15).

In this verse God is speaking to His people, and this is just one of several instructions that started in v. 14. God is not speaking to a specific situation but is giving general instruction. In this verse He tells them what to do in the day of trouble, not something currently happening, but a general admonition for future life. In other words, God is well aware that days of trouble will come. They aren’t unusual when they happen. They don’t take God by surprise. We might be surprised by them, but God never is.

God has a plan for these future days of trouble that He knows will come. His plan is to deliver us so that He receives glory. There’s just one thing that He asks us to do when those days come – call upon Him.

He is already inclined to deliver us and already determined to bring Himself glory through it. He wants us to set that great plan in motion by calling dependently on Him. If we don’t call, but just solve the problem on our own, we take the glory. But if we realize our weakness and need and then call upon God, He delivers, and He gets the glory.

So if the day of trouble is today, or if it is in the unknown future, let us call on God in our need – and then watch Him deliver.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10302021 Romans 8:28

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Savior. I trust that God has shown you His favor and blessing this week as you have labored for Him.

This morning I wanted to share some thoughts on that wonderful verse, Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” In my recent pondering on God’s sovereignty, I have considered those words: “all things work together for good.”

Interestingly, not all Greek manuscripts read the same way. Some are worded so that God is the subject, while other manuscripts don’t mention God in that part of the verse. Probably only God knows the actual original wording; some suggest the word “God” was added to some manuscripts for clarity, while others suggest that “God” was omitted from other manuscripts due to redundancy. The bottom line is that whether God is specifically identified or not, He is the one who works all things. Whether explicit (like in Jonah’s story – “God prepared”) or implicit (like in Esther’s story, where He is not mentioned), God is always the one who is working things.

The Greek word translated “work together” (or “cause to work together”) is interesting. It is used only five times in the New Testament. Looking at the other verses provided insight for me. I guess my normal thinking about this verse has focused on work together FOR GOOD, so that I am focused on the outcome. Or I think about work TOGETHER so that I am focused on the orchestration. Both of those are true, but the flavor of the word is really on the universality of ALL things with the flavor of cooperation TOGETHER. The meaning is “to help in work or to partner in labor or to assist.”

That concept is illustrated in Mark 16:20, speaking of the apostles after Christ’s ascension. “And they went forth, and preaching every where, the Lord WORKING WITH THEM, and confirming the word with signs following.” The apostles and God were partners in spreading the gospel, with the apostles being helped by the hand of God.

I Corinthians 16:16 speaks regarding the apostolic team and early church leaders. “That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that HELPETH WITH US, and laboureth.” These men were all partners, working to accomplish the same purpose within the churches.

II Corinthians 6:1 again speaks of Christian ministers as partners with God. “We then, as WORKERS TOGETHER WITH HIM, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.”

(The final verse is James 2:22. “Seest thou how faith WROUGHT WITH his works, and by works was faith made perfect?”)

I realize this discussion is a bit technical and not very personal, but to me the conclusion is extremely personal and practical. The realization is that EVERYTHING is a partner with God to accomplish His purposes. Everything is a helper of His agenda. Everything is on His team. Everything is an instrument in His hands.

When we were children, my brother had a book titled “All Things, Even Frisky,” about a boy and his dog and family dynamics. This title captures the meaning of Romans 8:28. We could substitute anything into that title and see that all things are partners with God in His good plan for our lives. All things, even health problems. All things, even persecution. All things, even family difficulties. All things, even uncooperative governments. All things, even national crises. Whatever it is for you, you can rest assured that it is partnering together with what God is working in your life.

This realization provides confidence and peace to walk forward each day, even in the face of the unknown or the undesired that is known. May you be filled with God’s peace this week.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10232021 Goodness and Mercy

Dear Missionary Lady,

Does it sometimes seem like life is just falling apart? That everywhere around things are disintegrating? Like the world in general no longer has any idea how to handle life?

If we allow our minds to follow those tracks, there is plenty of fuel to carry them. The challenge then is to deliberately put our minds on different tracks, and I find myself having to do that frequently. This world is filled with sorrow, despair, and all that is negative and disheartening, but God … but God!

God, on the other hand, is hope and life. He is light and peace, grace and mercy. He is not overwhelmed, nor is He stymied or restricted by the world’s chaos. God has all the answers.

One night this week I directed my thoughts specifically to Psalm 23:6. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

“What does that mean?” I asked myself, that “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me.” It’s such a familiar phrase that it’s easy to read (or quote) over it without assigning meaning. The psalm is full of concrete pictures about sheep and their care, about walking on paths, about tables of provision. I’ve heard people try to put this verse 6a into the imagery by calling “goodness” and “mercy” two of the other sheep in the flock.

But I want this to mean something to me. What does it mean? My meditation took me to the idea of the guiding and the paths that are so dominant throughout the psalm. The psalm is about walking where the Shepherd guides. It is about the Shepherd’s provision when we walk at His direction.

So I think this verse is about what I will find on that path – the Shepherd’s path – and in the Shepherd’s presence. God cannot be separated from His goodness and mercy, so if I am walking with Him, these characteristics/blessings will also be trailing along on that same path. There is nowhere that I can walk with my Shepherd, even in the valley of the shadow of death, even in a world that is falling apart, that I will not be accompanied by His goodness and mercy. If I am at His side, if He is there, then these are also there.

All the days of my life. Every day. I just need to keep walking with Him and depending on Him and looking to Him for guidance, and I will have His goodness and mercy for as long as this life lasts. Now, I’m looking forward to 6b, dwelling in His house forever! That day will come, praise God! But until then, He is carefully and lovingly caring for me for however many days remain.

I pray that God will encourage you daily as you seek to focus on His truth. It is His truth that will uphold our spirits, protect our minds, give us guidance, and carry us through. Thank God for His truth!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA 

10162021 God With Me

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the ever-present God. Do you realize how many people God has reassured with specific statements of His presence?

Isaac – “And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake” (Genesis 26:24).

Jacob – “I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes” (Genesis 46:4).

Moses – “And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (Exodus 33:14).

Israel (in Moses’ day) – “When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 20:1).

Joshua – “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Joshua 1:5).

Gideon – “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour” (Judges 6:12).

David – “And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth” (2 Samuel 7:9).

Asa – “And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2).

Jehoshaphat – “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

Asaph – “Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand” (Psalm 73:23).

Israel (under the prophets) – “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).

Jeremiah – “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 1:8).

Zerubbabel and Joshua – “Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:4).

Mary – “And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).

Paul – “For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city” (Acts 18:10).

The ramifications of God’s presence were many – freedom from fear, sustaining in threatening places, success, protection against great enemies, strength for leadership, courage for challenging tasks, comfort in affliction, protection from opposition, encouragement for the work, and bestowing of blessing. What a blessing for these people of the past to be reminded so reassuringly of God’s presence! Don’t you wish we could hear God’s voice give us this same reassurance?

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:20).

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” (John 14:16).

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

How I long to grasp the impact of this wonderful truth! I trust that it will encourage your heart as it has begun to encourage mine. “Yes,” God says to us, “I am with you, too – always.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10092021 By Design

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our sovereign God, the one who masterfully uses everything for His purposes.

I won’t do justice to this truth, and I’m positive I don’t fully understand it, but I wanted to share with you some of the blessing of the wording of Genesis 50:20. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

The story is familiar. Joseph’s brothers had sold Joseph as a slave, but Joseph recognized the hand of God in it all, accomplishing His great purpose which far exceeded the intent of his brothers. The word translated “thought” about the brothers is the same word translated “meant” about God. So there is a parallel here. Just as the brothers had a malicious plan or goal in their actions, God had a positive plan or goal through those same actions.

The definition of that word is “to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.” It is about devising and considering something. It is proactive, not passive or reactive. The word is used 124 times in the Old Testament. It is translated in different ways, and the variety of translations reveals the strong sense of purpose behind this word. Devise (23 times), plan (14 times), calculate (5 times), purpose (3 times), make (2 times), intend (2 times), scheme (2 times), design (1 time), and plot (1 time).

And I love this one – skillful (10 times). This translation, along with a few of the others above, is used to speak of the cunning workmen who crafted the beautiful elements of the tabernacle: the curtains, the veil, the ephod, the priest’s breastplate, the work with precious metals, the engravings. This speaks of deliberate intent and conscious forethought to make something of great value and with great attention to detail and purpose and beauty.

Do you see what I’m seeing? This (including in Joseph’s case) is not a reaction or response, attempting to salvage something that has gone wrong or to rescue a disastrous situation. This isn’t about recovering or even manipulating and adapting something that started out badly. This isn’t an afterthought or a casual, half-hearted noticing of something. God had a plan – an intent, plot, scheme, purpose, design, calculation – from the very beginning. God knew exactly what He was doing. He was deliberately putting Joseph in a place where Joseph would be positioned to rescue the nation of Israel. God was deliberately setting up the incubation period of that nation that would allow it to flourish into a mighty people. God’s plan worked beautifully for that – getting Joseph to the right location and working through a series of events (mostly bad) to thrust Joseph prominently into the right position at the right time.

There is the side that we can’t fully comprehend. Of course, God doesn’t condone hatred or lying, which were among the human actions taken against Joseph. But somehow God uses and arranges the actions of evil men within His plan. Like the crucifixion of Jesus, which through the actions of evil men, God caused to happen at precisely His timing, a timing that the evil men definitely did not want. In response to this puzzling aspect, I would say two things. First, God Himself teaches that He has this level of ability and control. Second, only God is capable of such masterful providence.

So in the hard things of life, even when evil is done to us, is it not possible that God is deliberately and purposefully orchestrating His great purposes? We may not see that now, and maybe not for quite some time, but certainly God has that ability. Wicked men might be unwittingly playing right into the very plan of God.

May God strengthen you this week and give you grace and comfort, even as you go through difficult things that you may not understand. God bless.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10022021 Expansive Providence

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our sovereign God. God’s sovereignty is expressed through His providence in our lives and in our world. I have recently been reading an excellent book on God’s providence, Not By Chance, by Layton Talbert. In combination with my Bible reading, this has caused me to do some thinking on the subject.

My first thought is on the expansiveness of God’s providence. It requires an incredibly wise and powerful God to utilize specific situations of providence as widely as He does. As an example, I was thinking about how I came here to Lebanon, PA, ten years ago. I came to teach in our Christian school, but that lasted only one year. Out of financial necessity, the school incorporated an online component in order to cut payroll. As it turned out, that resource ended up not being suitable, and arrangements were quickly made to place trusted teachers back in the classroom instead. By this time, I already had another job, and the renewed position was only part-time. This put me out of teaching, probably permanently.

A lot of factors went into that situation. There was a changing global economy that had impact on multiple families in our school who were no longer able or willing to commit to Christian education. There was the cumulative effect of several years of similar issues. There were families who moved away. There were discussions and decisions by school board members, congregational input, and eventually a decision. There were the misrepresentations of the online company that created a situation of unwarranted confidence. Even in the immediate local context, there were many dozens of people involved in the process that resulted in my termination.

Here’s where my thinking takes me. I was actually a relatively minor player in all of that. The ramifications of finances were far more strongly related to the individual families that no longer continued in Christian education. The decisions regarding structure were far more strongly related to the school itself. God didn’t upset the global economy, nor did He oversee the exploration of online learning just so that He could put me out of my job/ministry. He was doing much more in relation to other people.

Nevertheless, God did intend those things to have specifically guided impact on my life. God can carefully organize and orchestrate events so that He has intended consequences and lessons even for the minor players in a situation. I wasn’t an afterthought or unintended consequence. I wasn’t a loose end that wasn’t considered. Through all of the bigger picture, God was also thinking of my small picture. He had ways to lead me and provide for me. He had lessons for me to learn and adaptations for my heart to make. He still was very concerned with how my heart would respond to Him and how I would accept and adjust and grow. This was true to such an extent that I could even be tempted to say that the situation was all about me – all intended for my growth. But what God did in my life through that situation was mirrored or expanded upon in the lives of many others.

How can God do that? How can He utilize a single event effectively and purposefully in the lives of multiple people and organizations all at the same time? Clearly, the answer is that God is amazing. The same concept would apply in this global pandemic. Is God’s intended work and impact global, national, local, or individual? The answer is “all of the above.” It boggles my mind to think that God is wise and powerful enough to do that – that He is so completely in control that He can work His purposes in untold large and small contexts throughout our world.

Globally, I believe He is endeavoring to get people’s attention, to call people to Himself. There are almost certainly components that are leading our world closer to the rapture and tribulation. God is working on national levels, as each country follows its own course and suffers its unique ramifications. Individual churches and ministries are affected by restrictions, by losses through death, by impact of illnesses, by differences of opinions that require grace. Families and individuals are impacted by many of the same components on a small scale.

God is masterfully working on all of these levels at the same time. Much of that is beyond the scope of my arena, but there is plenty for me to consider within my personal arena. Can I gracefully interact with friends, family members, and church members of diverse opinions? Will I be faithful to my church ministry? Will I absorb the increased pressures of life and work in a way that allows me to reflect a Christ-like spirit to those around me? Will I trust God for my personal health? Will I make decisions that are God-honoring, Bible-supported, and wisdom-influenced? If and when I face losses, will I have a Biblical mindset? As I endure the extended challenge, will I seek God as my refuge and strength? In short, will I emerge from this pandemic the same way I went in, will I be further removed from submission and godliness, or will I have learned and grown in the ways that God desires for me to learn and grow?

Yes, the pandemic is much bigger than just me. God is doing things on a scope that I cannot comprehend and where I have no influence. But at the same time, He is also orchestrating everything that impacts me personally. He desires to accomplish something in me through it all. His work is so precise that He knows exactly what is happening to me and what He desires to accomplish through it.

May God help each of us this week to accept and submit to His providential intervention in our lives. May we respond and grow according to His plan. In every area of life, may we have confidence that a sovereign God is carefully arranging every detail for His purposes and for our ultimate good.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09252021 Two Constants

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Good Shepherd. Lately it has been my habit to meditate on Psalm 23 at night, and this has been a blessing to me. There are two thoughts in particular that have caught my attention, and I thought I would share them with you.

The first three verses are a beautiful picture of peace – not lacking anything, green pastures, still waters, restored soul, paths of righteousness. Don’t we wish life could be more of those and less of what comes in the later verses? But that’s not reality. Reality is that we do find ourselves (far more often than we would prefer) in the valley of the shadow of death or in the presence of our enemies.

The first thing I realized is that we are not in those dark places by accident. There is a constant in this psalm, and it is God’s leading. That’s what being a shepherd is all about. God leads us into green pastures. God leads us beside still waters. God leads us in the paths of righteousness. Then sometimes we find ourselves walking through the valley of the shadow of death, or we find ourselves in the presence of our enemies.

How did we get there? Our Shepherd has been leading us, right? The verses give no indication that He has stopped leading us, and there is no reason to think that He has. In fact, those darker verses clearly indicate the continued presence of our Shepherd. He is walking through the valley with us. He still has His guiding staff, which He utilizes to comfort us. He is preparing a table in the presence of our enemies, so again He continues with us, close at hand.

Not only is God’s guidance a constant, but God’s provision is a constant. In the beginning it was green grass and quiet waters. In the darker places He still provides. He gives the comfort we need in those trying hours. He prepares a feast for us, to the extent that our cup runs over. The situations are harder, but the provision of God is still sufficient and even abundant.

David is so confident in the Shepherd’s constant presence and guidance that he concludes in verse 6 that goodness and mercy will follow him all the days of his life. All the days. Easy days. Hard days. Days of blessing. Days of challenge. Days of light. Days of darkness. Whether walking in the beautiful pastoral scene of green pastures and still waters or through the darkest and most dangerous valley, God still shows His goodness, and God still displays His mercy. All the days – until that wonderful day when He takes us to live with Him forever.

Constant leading and constant provision. May God encourage you with those truths today.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09182021 Stronger and Better

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who is stronger and better. Stronger and better than what, you ask? Well, than anyone or anything, actually.

The psalmist of Psalm 118 realized this truth during a needy time. Notice his situation. In v. 5, he just called it “distress.” He was surrounded by enemies who hated him. Four times the psalmist says this group of enemies surrounded him (compassed him about – v. 10, v. 11 x2, v. 12); in fact, they surrounded him like a swarm of bees. They pushed him hard (thrust sore at me – v. 13) so that he was at the point of falling. This seems like a large surging crowd that threatens to trample someone under its feet.

What is the psalmist’s response to this oppressive danger? He called out in confidence to God. He believed this truth: “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (v. 6). He fully expected God to have the victory over these evil men who were no match for Him.

I believe there are two groups of people over whom the psalmist recognizes God’s superiority. The first is the enemies (“them that hate me” – v. 7). These men will be destroyed with God’s help (vs. 11, 12). God will help him (v. 13). God is his strength, song, and salvation (v. 14). God’s hand was mighty (vs. 15-16). All of this echoes the idea of verse 6 – that God is on his side, and that God is so much more powerful than any enemy. Men pale in significance.

The second group is the friends (“them that help me” – v. 7). The psalmist was not completely alone. He did have others on his side. However, the help of those men was limited. They could not give the kind of victory that God could give. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes” (vs. 8-9). In the later verses already noted (11-16), it is God who gave the victory, not man. God gives better help than any friend. Do we want human help and support in the midst of trouble? Absolutely. But even if we have that help, it pales in comparison to what God can do.

This psalmist had hope because God was for him. God was far safer and stronger than any man – either those who were attacking or those who desired to help. God was a stronger force and a better refuge. While the following is not my best attempt at poetry, I endeavored to capture this thought.

Meditation on Psalm 118

Surrounded, pushed, and nearly falling.

The enemies in union banding.

Distress results in fervent calling.

 

In time the foes can fight no longer.

Their strength is weak, their power broken.

The power of the LORD is stronger.

 

What source of help can ally set here?

Though help is welcomed, often searched for,

The refuge of the LORD is better.

 

In all that you face, may you find the all-sufficient help of the God who is stronger and better.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09112021 Morning and Evening

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our ever-present God. Aren’t you glad He is with us every moment? Daytime, nighttime, weekdays, weekends, even on vacation.

Recently I have had the need to seek God in a special way, and I am so thankful for His compassion, lovingkindness, and truth that provide me with so much help and support. I’m thankful that He graciously hears my heart cries and responds to them. I have gathered several verses that I have been praying to Him this week, and I have been very blessed to see His answers that often come in ways that remind me of the wording of these verses.

Of my collection of verses, I chose two as my primary weapons. They are my nighttime verse and my daytime verse. I thought I would share these two verses with you today.

My nighttime verse is Proverbs 3:24. “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.” This is what happens for those who seek God’s wisdom and God’s truth as their guide for life. Peace, rest, assurance, comfort. These are possible even when life might seem to suggest otherwise.

After being helped so much by my nighttime verse, I realized I needed another one that was appropriate for my waking hours, and I settled on this absolute gem. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2). Just those three words “very present help” are amazing. He is right with me all the time, especially in trouble. He is my refuge and my strength. What is the extent to which I can trust Him? Even if there is an unimaginable catastrophic event like the mountains being dumped into the sea. In other words, even in situations far worse than anything that will happen in my lifetime. Even then, He would be my very near helper.

I trust these verses will be a blessing to you. I pray that God will encourage and strengthen you with special verses to carry you through all your nights and all your days.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09042021 Psalm 40

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God of compassion and lovingkindness, who constantly thinks about us and repeatedly delivers us even from the most desperate situations.

I spent some time this morning in Psalm 40 and found it to be a great blessing. This psalm is interesting in that I would tend to reverse the first and last sections. Verses 1-3 talk about the wonderful victory, and verses 13-17 are the desperate cry for help. I believe God, through David, is giving the conclusion first, and leaves us as a final impression the type of prayer that resulted in such a conclusion. The psalm is front-heavy on hope. In fact, pretty much the entire psalm is filled with hope, before concluding with the desperate prayer to the God who provides that hope.

Verses 1-3 talk about the victory. There is hope in these verses, because they talk about waiting on God and crying to God, and about God's response and answer and deliverance, even abundantly and dramatically. “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” (v. 2). The situation was really bad, but God ended it with such dramatic deliverance that it brought a song and praise and increased trust by many.

Verses 4-5 also provide hope, as they talk about trusting a God who has done so much for us and who thinks about us so much. God is rightfully the source to turn to. His interest and interaction have been and continue to be great. “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered” (v. 5).

There is hope and something like affirmation in verses 6-10, when we are able to realize that this has been our desire. First, to do God’s will. “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (v. 8). Second, to make it a practice to speak of God and His goodness. “I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation” (v. 10). There is something stabilizing and encouraging to someone who has made a practice of speaking about God and declaring His goodness to others. To a certain extent, this puts us in a position to cry to God and expect His response and favor. It’s not like we are rebels who think about God or cry out to Him only when life gets really desperate. Rather, our record is that we love and follow Him all the time and that we love our relationship with Him.

There is the hope of God’s expected response to extreme difficulty in verses 11-12. “Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me” (v. 11). God loves us and cares for us, and He isn’t going to stop. That is important because of verse 12, that the evils and oppressions are so innumerable, and so overwhelming. David talks about being compassed about (surrounded), having been taken hold of, being unable to look up, and finally that his heart has failed (forsaken) him. Can we not sometimes relate? We can sense the accumulation of so many pressures that are just more than we can deal with. There is real impact on our spirit and even on our ability to function.

Then the final verses 13-17 end in prayer. Earnest and dependent prayer is the right response. Asking God fervently to deliver us quickly. Asking Him to defeat our enemies, to defeat the forces that want to destroy us. Asking for the end result that God would be magnified by His deliverance. “But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God” (v. 17).

If you sense anything of a failed heart or of surrounding troubles today, seek hope in the God who loves you deeply and who is constantly thinking of you. There is no situation so difficult that He cannot deliver. Indeed, His deliverance can be so amazing that there will be “a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD” (v. 3). Praise the Deliverer for the salvation He will bring! God bless you, my sisters, as you faithfully serve Him.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08282021 No Deliverance

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the Great Deliverer. How many times has God delivered His people from “impossible” situations?

Nebuchadnezzar thought he had created one of those impossible situations. After Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had defied his order to worship the golden image, Nebuchadnezzar gave an ultimatum. He gave them one last chance to do what he had commanded, and if they failed to obey this time, his position was clear. “But if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:15).

Who is that God? Nebuchadnezzar thought there was no answer. He did not believe that any God could deliver these men from such a fierce punishment. As confident as Nebuchadnezzar was in his inescapable threat, he actually increased the severity of the situation after the three men still boldly refused to worship the idol. Nebuchadnezzar was so angry that he increased the heat of the fire seven times hotter. He did not ask the question again, but he could have, “Who is that God?”

Who is that God? Nebuchadnezzar ended up surprised. Instead of bursting into flame like human candles, the three men walked about in the fire. Nebuchadnezzar cried out in astonishment, “Lo, I see four men loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3:25).

Who is that God? The Most High God had prevented any harm from coming to His three obedient servants. Not only did they not die in the flame, but the fire had no effect on them at all. Their hair was not singed, their clothing was not damaged, and they did not even smell like smoke.

Who is that God? Nebuchadnezzar changed his tune. He admitted, “There is no other God that can deliver after this sort” (Daniel 3:29). Nebuchadnezzar then learned even more about this God. The next chapter opens with a later speech that reveals increased revelation. “I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs! And how mighty are his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation” (Daniel 4:2-3).

Who is that God? Still the same today. He is still the God who watches over His children in their time of trial. He is still the God who is completely able to deliver. So what is it? Cancer? Other health issues? Family problems? Upset plans? Impossible travel? The unending challenges of COVID? The loss of coworkers or church members? Economic collapse? Animosity from those you desire to reach? Government harassment? No matter what the enemy is, God is able to deliver. He can give you all the grace and strength you need. He will walk down the path with you until the very end, and then He will receive you to eternal glory with Him.

Who is that God? My God! And your God! The God of the impossible! May you rest in His care today.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08212021 From Bad to Worse

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the One who works all things for good. In the life that we live on this fallen earth, what a blessed consolation that is.

As I was praying for a friend last night, I was considering how many challenges have entered her life recently. It has been one thing after another. Significant challenges still loom on the horizon, and more changes are potentially possible. Perhaps one way to express the situation is to say that when it seems like things can't possibly get any worse, they do.

This is not the only such situation that I know of. I was just reading about the country of Lebanon, where the economy has absolutely collapsed. Electricity and gasoline are very difficult to come by, and the article stated that 80% of the population has been plunged into poverty. This country has been in a difficult setting for some time, and it seems to be getting increasingly worse.

Then there is Afghanistan, which is much in the news lately. There are Christians there. There are pastors and missionaries, who have always served and followed God at great risk to themselves. Now with the rapid overrun of the Taliban, their situation has become much more critical and potentially deadly.

Other bad-to-worse situations are taking place around the world. Myanmar, still greatly oppressed by the recent coup, has faced terrible devastation from COVID. I have heard from numerous Christian sources that healthcare and even basic supplies are scarce, leaving people vulnerable and resulting in many deaths, including of multiple pastors and Christian leaders. Other countries are facing similar rampages of the disease and discouraging third and fourth waves and resulting lockdowns.

So what do we do when it can't possibly get any worse but it does anyway? How do we evaluate that? How do we keep going?

I thought of Joseph. He had lost basically everything. As a young man, he was separated from his family with no reasonable expectation of being reconciled, and this separation lasted decades. When it couldn't get any worse, he was falsely accused and demoted from slavery to prison. I thought of Abraham. He had given up everything to follow God. He had left his family and his homeland and wandered as a pilgrim in an unknown land. After years of agonizing waiting, it got worse. He was asked to sacrifice his only son. There was Job, who faced incomprehensible tragedies in a single day, wiping out his wealth, his livelihood, and his children. Then it got worse when his health was viciously attacked.

I think there is great similarity in these three stories from the Bible and in the story of my friend and in the story of many others throughout history. It is as if God is shaking them upside down until everything falls out. Or it is as if one after another God is taking away comforts and resources and everything that has been depended upon, until all that remains is naked trust and unshakable resolve to follow God anyway.

Then I thought of a more biblical picture. It is as if God is heating the fire hotter and hotter. He is creating temperatures that burn away all dross and impurity until all that is left is highly refined and absolutely pure gold. “For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried” (Psalm 66:10). “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin” (Isaiah 1:25).

How did the biblical characters mentioned above endure and process such intense refinement? They clung to God's truth at whatever level it had been revealed to them. Joseph had dreams as a young man, and even his brothers correctly and immediately interpreted those dreams as meaning that they would someday bow down to him. This required a reconciliation at some point. God had promised a mighty seed to Abraham through Isaac. This required that Isaac live. Abraham believed that God would raise his son back from the dead if necessary to keep His word. Job expressed his unshakable resolve and naked trust in God when he said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Moreover, Job saw God’s picture and expressed it in these words: “When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

In our own challenges and tragedies, it would seem that these are also the correct responses. We must first cling to God's truth. We must remember His promises. Every one of them is still true. He really will not leave us nor forsake us. He really will work all things for His good pleasure. He really will give us all the grace that we need. Unlike some of these biblical characters and their limited knowledge, our Bibles are complete and are filled with reassuring truth.

Our second response has to be that naked trust in God when everything else has been taken away. When we do not understand or see any possible reason, we must maintain that one thing - an unshakable resolve to follow God anyway. If God shakes out, takes away, or burns off every other thing, what must be left is continued devotion and determination to follow God. Even if it costs us everything, and even if it leads to death, there is no other path to follow. Meanwhile, while we do not see it happening, God is refining. God sees something through His work in us that is shining each day more brightly, that is glowing each day more purely, that is approaching that unflawed level that will resplendently reflect His face in us.

What about while we are in the fire? We do not walk through that fire alone. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2). God is with us in the fire, and He can keep it from harming us and can control it incredibly so that it does only what He wants it to do and no more. Remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? God walked in the fire with them. God incredibly controlled that fire for His purposes. God allowed that scorching fire to kill the men who threw the three friends into the fire, and God allowed that blazing fire to burn off the ropes that bound the three men, but that same fire did not burn their clothing or singe their hair. God's fire is so precise that we can be confident it will accomplish His purposes and nothing more. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:7).

May God give each of us the grace and trust to walk faithfully through whatever He ordains for us. May He enable us not to resist, but to humbly submit to His hand so that His precise refining work is optimally effective. God bless you, my sisters.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

081421 Not My Home

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God of the entire world. What a wonderful thing that is! If God’s love and redemption had been limited only to the part of the world where human life and God’s interactions with man initiated, probably all of us would be left out. But we are included! Along with all the needy people that each of you are trying to reach in places all around the globe.

About twenty years ago, I started thinking about writing books. Not the devotional and Biblical type of writing that I have since pursued, but Christian fiction. I put a fair amount of thought into it. I planned a series called “Quiver,” about a couple and their five children. I had a basic plan for each of the books and developed a lot of structure in terms of what the characters were like and where they were going to end up. I started on book one, and I finished 36 pages – typed, single-spaced. Then life happened – school, ministry, health, etc. I never went back to that writing, and I doubt that I ever will.

In that draft the best friends of the couple ended up going to the mission field. I named this missionary couple Eugene and Alice Homan in a subtle tribute to missionary friends of mine, the wife of which is receiving this letter. When Gene and Alice told the book’s main characters of their call to the mission field, this is what they said.

"The Lord has been working in our hearts for several months now, but we weren't sure exactly what it was He was trying to show us until Sunday night. After that message, Alice and I both knew. Pastor talked about Abraham's faith and how he followed God, and then he brought out that verse in Hebrews about looking for a city whose builder is God. This world is not our home. Abraham went wherever God led him because he was looking forward to something eternal. Sometimes we get tied down to this one little spot in the middle of Pennsylvania and think that it's the only place that God can use us, that it's the only place that we can be, just because we happened to be born here. I think we are prone to forget about the people in the rest of the world. What I'm trying to say is that this world is not our home; we're just passing through here on our way to heaven. So, if this world is not even my home, then does it make any difference what part of it I live on? We have decided that we don't want to be so tied to any one part of this world that we won't go elsewhere for God. And we firmly believe that he has called us to go elsewhere."

The verses referred to about Abraham are found in Hebrews 11:8-10. “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” The passage goes on to state that the patriarchs “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (v. 13).

The corresponding hymn contains these words.

“This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through.

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue;

The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

O Lord, you know I have no friend like you,

If heaven's not my home, then Lord what will I do?

The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.

 

I have a loving Savior up in glory-land,

I don't expect to stop until I with Him stand,

He's waiting now for me in heaven's open door,

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore.”

The character in my book asked, “So, if this world is not even my home, then does it make any difference what part of it I live on?” Those words are somewhat easy to say in a moment of spiritual strength and illumination. Practically, they can be more difficult to live out than we would want to admit. That’s where the truth of Hebrews serves as an anchor and an on-going motivation and encouragement. God’s Word reminds us that our life in this world is indeed temporary. Heaven, our true home, does await. So just a few more days on this earth, serving our wonderful God however and wherever He asks. That’s not too much, is it?

In the meanwhile, may God give you every bit of grace and wisdom and strength that you need to continue through the challenges and inconveniences of this life. It will indeed be worth it all when we reach our final home.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA