“Yahoo”
**This is a Study on the life of Christ: http://thelife.com/study/portraitsofthechrist.html?section=portraits_bread_of_life&ft=BSG-OS
by Bernice Vandervalk
As the end of school drew near the kids were anxious for it to “be over”. I saw a sign in the window of a passing school bus that made me smile. “Yahoo!!!” it proclaimed, “one day left!”
It got me thinking. I wonder how our perspective of life would change if we anticipated Heaven and the return of Christ that way. We don’t know how many days we will have left on this earth or when Christ will return, but there is an indication in the scriptures of how we should approach these times and what our perspective ought to be.
Ephesians 5:15-17 tells us “be careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” The King James translation says “redeem the time”. It’s an invitation to check our perspective of the time we have on earth– because even bad experiences in life can be “redeemed” by the potential spiritual growth they can bring us. Hard times can give us a new perspective on God’s character too– His faithfulness, and His desire to work in our lives. Perhaps our windshield would say “Yahoo! God’s working on me!”
Alternatively, joy in living, can be turned into praise and thanksgiving. Our praise is relished by God! Psalm 22:3 He dwells among the praises of his people– imagine that! I Peter tells us that we are a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Our praises can be a testament to those around us of the reality of a living God! (Psalm 18:49)
Thinking about heaven immediately reminds me that scripture tells us “now we see through a glass darkly, but then we shall see face to face”.
What kind of “yahoo” does this bring to your heart?
“Yahoo! The worlds a mess – but God is at the helm”?
“Yahoo! This world is *not* my home. I’m just a pilgrim here. The Mansion is coming”?
“Yahoo! Silver or gold I have – none – but such as I have I give to the Master”?
“Yahoo! My inheritance is not based in things that pass or fade away”?
“I don’t want to arrive into heaven without the bumps and bruises of life…but with a glory and the exclamation “Wow, what a ride!”
“Encourage one another and all the more as you see the day approaching” declares the apostle Paul. In the struggles of life and the turmoil of our nations, the hope remains that Jesus will come again. This perspective brings us joy in the journey, and allows us to encourage one another, knowing that “these momentary troubles bring about a far greater weight in glory”.
~Lord, thank you that the promises of scripture allow us to live in anticipation. Thank you that you are so great and so faithful. Thank you that the struggles of this life are not just “lost” but they give us an inheritance to look forward to. Help us to live with a “yahoo!” in our hearts because you are and always will be the King of Kings and Lord of Lord over our world, our circumstances, and our future.
Amen
Questions to ponder: Are you praising God today in anticipation of knowing that Jesus will come again? Are you thankful for the difficulties that you have or are experiencing? Why?
About the Author
This devotional was written by Bernice Vandervalk. Read more about Bernice.
http://talk.thelife.com/authors/bernice-vandervalk/
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For Luradine..
Thank you so much, dear “armour bearer for the LORD”, for typing at the powerful 1 Colossians 9:14 prayer..For taking the time to do that. Have prayed that prayer for years with amazing results..and have kept your posting of it on my inbox and am saying it each morning for several ladies husbands on here. We don’t have to know their names..the Lord does!
Have had a tremendous attack since over the weekend..and the devil does that to intercessors (of course!)..But am up and at ‘em..faithful, loyal, humbeled that HE listens to my prayers..and grateful for your and Ann Davis’ postings on here..Have read and reread them for “strength in the battle”..
This a “thank you” from my heart to you both. Lifting us all daily! Amen and Amen!
Dear Luradine!!
You are a lady after my heart! That Powerful Prayer in 1 Colossians 9:14 one of my favorites..And when I pray that for ones the Lord puts on my heart? I also ask Him to give them a “teachable” spirit, too! What a blessing it was to open my mail tonight and find this beautiful prayer on here! Thank you, dear Sister in the Lord, and Nancy will bless those she prays for with it, too! Hallelujah!!!!!
Hello Nancy, May you be blessed for your love/concern/prayers for your worldly/carnal friends. Here is a wonderful prayer found in Colossians 1:9-14 that I pray for my friends in a similiar state.” For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion ot darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgivesness of sins.” Nancy, be encouraged and continue to pray for God will answer your prayers!as Fran D said.
Dear Nancy,
Keep uplifting your caring prayers about ones like you shared above! The Lord “will” listen, and at some point, HE’ll be able to touch them, too! It is never “too late” and HE will always move and give every opportunity! I once read in a lady’s testimony that every time we pray for ones like that? We may think nothing is happening, but in their spirit’s a “convinction” He’ll send will eventually touch them!
Remember how our Lord was criticised for breaking bread with the tax collector and other worldly ones? But HIS Presence before them changed them, too! He cautions us in His Word not to be “of this world”, of course! We don’t have to “join in” and you and the other lady were likely powerful “witnesses” by your silence before that behavior. Am sure you didn’t criticise them on the spot, but “not joining” spoke on HIS behalf, too! You may have been placed around them “to” pray and be an example! It is a tremendous responsibility, but just think that HE entrusted that to you..knowing his daughter Nancy “would” pray and be an example before them! Shout YAHOO…Because your prayers are helping! It may take awhile (some are hard cases!)..And, pray other “Harvesters” in their pathway to rope them in for the LORD!
Just remember always about Paul and the Damascus Road! Look at the GREAT things the Lord did with that reformed life! Whan I am praying for ones that it seems downright impossible? The LORD reminds me about Paul AND about myself before someone prayed and I received HIM and this glorious forgiven life I experience today!
Love you Nancy and your sincere caring for others. Keep those prayer going UPWARD..They’ll be answered when we least expect it! (((((((Nancy)))))))
Hi ladies. I have this friend that I asked once if she was saved and she told me she was and began to tell me how the Lord has blessed her with things she wanted to get done with her house before she retired. I believed her but then a few days later she did and said things that made my heart sink. It really saddened me, when I went to the party for her retirement. She was joking and laughing along with the guest’s dirty jokes. I was shocked. She didn’t seem to care what she was saying or any thing. The husband of the girl who organized the party was very rude which made his wife very embarrassed because she had told him ,before the party that there was going to be Christian’s there. My heart goes out to these people. The friend who said she was blessed and the girl who was embarrassed. They both seem to know what they need to do but are pulled in by worldly things. Please help me to pray for them that they will except Christ as their saver. It is so hard to say yahoo because I believe Jesus is coming soon and their is so many people like these ladies that know there is a God but don’t want to give up worldly things. And, but how they live their lives ,they are very nice ladies. Lord please reveal yourself in a mighty way to these ladies that they will want to give up their worldly ways and except you as their Lord before it is eternally to late in Jesus name we pray. We give you all the glory. Thank you Jesus.
Dear Maureen,
Praying “NO weapon formed will prosper” Isaiah 54:17!..and that you will have His Peace (Isaiah 26:3) today as HE works all out! You are a faithful, loyal servant and HE walks beside you..And, love what Jackie wrote about his Angels surrounding you (Psalm 91), too! They are! Believing with and for you, dear one! This isn’t easy in the natural, of course, But!! Greater is HE that is in you, than HE that is in this world (1John4:4) and “Nothing” is too hard for HIM (Jeremiah 32:17)!!..And (Mark 11:23-24)..We are all speaking to this mountain in Jesus’ Powerful name and it must move! Amen and Amen (((((((Maureen)))))))
A greatful heart Lord I come knowing very well You in Your Splendour and unfailing Love have set this day and these dear ladies to pray for me and even Faith(my friends name).Father I bless you that through my tears and fears You will be glorified;
Broken and needy may we remain for He longs to Fill us with His Holy Spirit and His Strength.Father I thank you and bless you for all these blessings(the good times and the bad,the ups and downs in life,the lost friends and new ones You bring our way..etc).Lord I trully thank you.
God bless you Fran,Jackie and Barbara T(Will stand with you inregards to your daughters health matters).
Maureen
Hello Everyone,
I loved all your comments today, Such a specail place we have here.I find myself hurting when you ladies do, and rejoicing in your victories. I would have never thought I would be so spiritually touched by comments on here.You all have really blessed my heart.
Maureen, I am praying for you, I know how it feel’s to be hurt by a friend.You had to be close to her to help her in that manner.My heart goes out to you.I will be praying for your friend also. God will take care of you maureen, Psalms 91;10-11′ therefore no evil befall thee,neither shall any plauge come nigh thy dwelling.for he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
He is our protecter,Vrse 4 you are covered under his wings.Matthew 10;26′ Fer them not ttherefore; for there is nothing covered ,that shall not be revealed;and hid,that shall not be known.Like it said in our devotional today ”God is at the helm” have peace Maureen Your Father’s the KING.
I know it says we’re supposed to pray the Lord doesn’t return in the winter or on the Sabbath, But I’m not sure why we aren’t. can you ladies tell me why??/
This Blessed me so much just now? It had to be shared! And God bless my dear friends Frieda and Faith who introduced me to these precious cards. May this bless us all today! Forgive me taking up too much space here each day, but there’s an urgency on my heart. Love ALL of you and cherish your sharings and prayers! :
http://www.alighthouse.com/thyword.htm
Bless you, dear Ladies, for powerful comments today! Will never forget Jackie’s sign idea and we are all “Works in Progress”! Loved Maureen’s “PRAISE” even under challenges in Kenya for her right now..And our Lord will bless her for that faithful Praise, too..And, Barbara T, HE will touch those daughters’ health on behalf of your faithfulness to HIM! Thank you, Deb and Dorothy, too! And ALL who will contribute here today and have in the past! Amen!
This devotional brought a smile to me becase a Ministry I’ve loved over the years..sent me in years past..a large refrigerator Magnet that say “YAHOO…God is Able” and HE is!!! That came “right on time” during a very stressful challenge..And God is like that, too! HE sends just what we need, right when we need it! My husband put another little slip of paper on there from the newspaper. It is true, too! “God may be slow but He is on schedule”..that reminds me that He is Patient and I must strive for that, too! :)
Let’s live every day as though it will be our last on this earth..Praising, encouraging and praying for others..asking forgiveness for our human falls (and we’ll have those until we arrive at those “Pearly Gates”! But will learn and grow through every last fall and challenge along the way!)..am awaiting that beautiful scene that Jackie painted for us with words..of those Golden Streets, which will make all the “bumps and bruises” here that the devotional writer spoke of worth it all! Hallelujah and Praise HIS HOLY NAME!
Hi all Barbara T. from Florida here again.
What an awesome and encouraging devotional this is today.
Right on time. I have 2 grown daughters going through some health issues right now and I have no answers as to how to help them.
They are both under doctors care but of course we know the real physician is Jesus Christ who heals.
I know it is times of not knowning that I am drawn more to pray and be with Jesus.
So I praise and thank Him constantly through the struggles of life, because He is the one that makes the struggles bareable.
I also believe it is through the struggles that we are drawn closer to Him, and it grows us spiritually. I learn to rely on Him more and more each day.
I am still under construction and still growing spiritually, and I praise Him for not giving up on me.
He is sometimes all I have and always all that I need.
Thank you all for the shares here.
Be well and Be Blessed,
love
Barbara
What blessings from God, Bernice God bless you for reminding us of that which is important,’His coming back and His work in our hearts and lives’.
On the question, I would say, I try to praise God during the hard times though it doesn’t come naturally.Today has been a day of great anguish not knowing if something bad will happen or not,but the day is over and I’m yet to trust God again tomorrow. Ladies I had shared earlier on what had conspired against me yesterday(in a past devotion-Teachable) and boy….was I afraid, for my life and for a friend I assisted in securing a loan.My heart was so troubled, I could only tell God how awful I felt for her, and how much hurt she caused me.
Good news is, I felt and sensed intercession on our behalf and ladies thanks for praying for me and her too.This afternoon I started dreading the creditor coming to ask for her whereabouts, but I checked my mail and found something that comforted me(Sharon had posted….I was so blessed I just had to sing a song in thanksgiving).I can say God’s faithful and His hand in this ordeal will soon come to an end.But I’ll praise God with the outcome,He is in control and He knows my where my heart was at the time of helping this friend.
I will purpose to sing a song knowing one day I’ll be caught up with Him in the clouds.Yes……..these are just but road bumps and obstacles as we journey through, But what awaits us is something marvellous and so glorious words can’t come to describe.
Father, I thank you for this situation I’m faced with, I bless you for I know I’m not on my own but You are with me. King of glory, you are trully my sheild and defence, even when the oceans rise and thunders roar.Father I know in You I will sow above these too.Lord do that work in me You see fit to be done for my praise and even anguish are known to You my Salvation and Sheild.I bless you today for all who will receive this blessed encouragement and not give up , but rather search you deeper for they will Find you even in the darkest moment. For David said in Psalms 139….Even in the darkness you are there, Father may we find you in our darkest time and may we rejoice as we are seeking for you.
Thank you for your Holy Spirit who is ever guiding us to finding You(You Lord are truth and we’ll seek You).
I bless you and honour you today.Be my Strength Lord I pray,my heart fails me even now, please be my Strength in Jesus name I trust and believe.Amen.I bless you even now.Halleluyah!!!!!!!
Jackie I love that’caution construction area, God’s working here’.Deb I’m from Kenya(nice to meet you..), it’s true what a wonderful day it will be and all the ups and downs will make it worthwhile.Dorothy,will get to hear that, let’s just stay on the altar and let Him work on us.Lord help us to be discipled enough to stay on & at the altar in Jesus Name.Amen
Maureen.
Beautiful devotional. If I had to have a sign up it would have to say “”caution construction area, God’s working here” I can’t say that I’m always thankful for my trials, but I do look for my lesson in them. God’s always teaching me and I’m so thankful for that.
I always try to Imagine what it will be like when he comes for us.The beautiful pale blue skies, white fluffy clouds parting with a radiant glowing heavenly light opening up to the view of my Saviour. With highlights of the glowing streets of gold and Gates of pearls behind him. *wow* But I really wouldn’t care what the weather was like when he comes back. just the fact he’s coming back is enough for me.
What a glorious and uplifting devotion to start our Friday with. Thank you for the thought provoking moments you shared with us. We do have MUCH to look forward to don’t we!
We can feel more enthusiastic about the coming days despite the negative influences that bombard and attack daily us in the world.
Have a great weekend everyone
Deb in Florida
Thank you for reminding us that we will see Jesus face to face, it is sometimes frustrating to keep asking “is this God, or is it me” But when it is God and you’ve followed His calling – what a miracle. How wonderful it will be to hear Him say “Well done”…..