Facing Our Battles With Eyes of Faith

I hope you all had a blessed and Happy 4th of July celebration at your home yesterday. We had a quiet day, but very meaningful.  Started out the morning putting the flag out on the front porch, with a beautiful sunny sky as a backdrop.  I always sing "The Star Spangled Banner" when I put the flag up. I just can't help it. I am thankful for our flag and all that it represents to our country.

I added a couple of other flags to the porch. They helped the porch to look a bit brighter and more festive. Sadly, my geraniums and other plants are suffering in the heat and not producing very well right now, so the flags made things better.

After breakfast I took a ride in the kayak around "Still Waters Pond".  

Not a lot different to see, so just enjoy the pictures of the water lilies with me...

Twins!! Double the beauty!

I discovered this different type of water lily in the shady area of the pond: It is a "Nuphar Lutea", or Yellow Pond Lily

There are very few of these on our pond, and I wish this picture was better, but the sun was so bright it was hard to get a truer picture of the bright yellow color.  But if you look at the link I posted above, it will give you a better picture of what it is supposed to look like. And guess what? They are edible!

However, I don't see myself trying to eat one anytime soon.

Okay, back to the ride around the pond...

This is on the other side of the island, in that little cove...

And here I am on the home stretch...

I think the underside of those lily pads is interesting too...(before they curl up and die).

I'm heading into shore...there is my "Secret Memorial Garden" up ahead...

So that's the tour.  Now on to today, Sunday. Yes! We finally went back to church!!!! What a beautiful day in the Lord's house!! I wish I had thought to take some pictures, but I did get one picture of our new pastor as he was speaking:

Here is a link to our church website and his sermon for today.  It was an excellent message and even better in person than the video, which was taped before this morning. We had a "full house", meaning with social distancing, every family group sitting six feet apart, wearing masks, no hugging...our fellowship hall was filled to capacity.  It is easier to meet there than in the sanctuary, as we cannot be quite as flexible in seating with pews, etc.  Hopefully this will only be temporary until this virus goes away or at least abates enough to  feel safe again.  Our pastor's message really gave us some very good ways to approach this situation we are facing.  His scripture was from II Chronicles 20:1-25.  The key verses were some that I already had underlined in my Bible from different situations throughout my life.

II Chronicles 20:12

"O our God, will You not judge them? 

For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; 

nor do we know what to do, 

but our eyes are upon You."

And hear God's response through His servant Jahaziel:

15.  "...Thus says the Lord to you:

'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, 

for the battle is not yours, but God's."

17.  "You will not need to fight in this battle. 

Position yourselves,

Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you...

Do not fear or be dismayed; 

tomorrow go out against them, 

for the Lord is with you!"

Perhaps you will find these verses comforting and helpful to you in whatever battles you may be facing in your life.  Whether it be, as in verse 9, "If disaster comes upon us--sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine--we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save."...whether it be our enemies in battle, or this current "pestilence", which is a plague, or even in famine...we can be assured that the Lord will hear us when we call out to Him in prayer.  We do not need to worry or fear...for "the battle is not yours, but God's"...and the Lord is with you!!  

I hope this is a comfort to you today, as it certainly was to me.  We are facing many kinds of enemies these days, and we need to know that we can rely on God to fight for us, and that He is with us no matter what the enemy may try to do.  Praise God!! What a blessing to know this...amen? 

Keep your eyes on 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." Hebrews 12:2

God bless you, and God bless America!