T= TABERNACLE

1/18/10 So many “T”-Words remind me of the Lord:
Trustworthy, the One in whom I can put my trust.
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

True, the standard for truth is this One called Faithful and True.
Daily we are bombarded with words---but these words neither satisfy nor nourish because many of them are delivered by those who speak self-serving lies.
We should listen to the One who is Truth and cannot lie.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

Tent/Tower of Strength,
3For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. 4Let me dwell in Your tent forever; (Psalm 61:3-4)

Tabernacle, the “T” word that resonates most with me---it’s just another word for describing Christ as the dwelling place of God—sounds like a synonym for sanctuary to me. The biblical definition for both of those words “rings” loud and clear---His Presence, the place where we can meet face-to-face with Him, both now and throughout eternity.

Meditate on this "tabernacle" truth along with my Community Bible Study friends who are studying Revelation this year.

2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
3And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
5And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new " And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
(Revelation 21:2-5)

SANCTUARY Revisited---"And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Exodus 25:8

1/17/10
Sanctuary??---is it ….

• A. a place i.e. a location that is visible,

• B. the status of one’s mind

• C. a condition of the heart??

What is the correct answer? Maybe the correct answer depends entirely on who is being asked the question. I assume it could be all of the above because it could vary on any given day or time of day.

Sanctuary….
Looking at fresh snow….the quiet equalizer that covers stately mansions or piles of junk with identical, soft, pure white blankets to transform the world. (cmf, 1/7/10 e-mail)

Don’t you just love those words? Don’t you just love the picture they convey?

Fresh snow….the quiet equalizer….covers (all) is such a picture of what Christ, our Sanctuary, did for us---He was no respecter of persons. He died for all sinners from folks like Dr. Billy Graham and Dr. Adrian Rogers (stately mansion-type souls) to folks like me with my “junk” filled heart.

For all believers---wherever we find ourselves (location) or in whatever state of mind (intellect/will) or condition of our heart (emotion)---this consecrated, holy one is the place where we can go for safety. The God who dwells within is our sanctuary. Therefore, we can sit with Him in the midst of a hostile world communing with Him, supping with Him, resting in Him and the venue matters not.
This harsh, ungodly world and the ways of the wicked overwhelmed me—“until I went into the sanctuary of God.” (Psalm 73:17)

Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. (2 Chron. 30:8)

S is for Shock Absorber

1/13/10 One year ago today, at 5:02 pm I received the shocking call from Dr. Schneider with my diagnosis. It hadn’t taken 3 days. It only took one. Needless to say I was caught off guard.

DIAGNOSIS: Microcystic Adnexal Carcinoma, a very rare cancer. I took it calmly---I couldn’t even cry. I just asked what was the next step. He admitted that he wasn’t sure but he had a doctor’s name for me and I should get a referral to see him immediately. He did know that the cancer must be removed and the surgery would require deep and major reconstruction. He then asked to speak to Larry. I think maybe he thought that I was in shock. He wanted to make sure that someone in the house was hearing him.

Snippets of Psalm 121 came to mind: My help cometh from the Lord.... He will not suffer your foot to be moved (not allow your foot to slip--NASB).... the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand (or right nostril/lip, if need be)....He shall preserve thy soul....The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

A car needs good shocks to absorb all those bumps that the rugged road can bring. Without shock absorbers, rocks, holes and other hindrances on the road can cause the driver to lose control and even WRECK. I might have been in shock that day but my Shock Absorber had already made His presence known and He wasn’t going to let me CRASH! I remember an overwhelming sense of Peace---I knew immediately that it mattered for eternity.

Nowadays, most shock absorbers are the twin tube variety---made up of an inner and outer tube that work together to achieve the intended purpose. I knew MAC had an eternal purpose and I was just going along for the “ride” ---covered both inwardly and outwardly by Him. He would absorb my fear and pain and convert them to energy for His glory as He “cushioned” me along the uneven cancerous roads that lay ahead.

S = Solace

1/12/10 One Year ago today ---BIOPSY! Just that word can send one running to seek solace. (comfort, consolation, support, relief)
I took off during lunch to “run up” to have the “punch” biopsy done. Whew, I felt like he took out a big plug. (In retrospect, I know that to be a good thing since many a MAC diagnosis has been missed because the doc didn’t get a good specimen.) Afterwards, I was too light-headed and nauseous to even lift my head. Walking, with my weak knees, proved to be beyond me as well. Once I made it as far as the doorway only to have to go back and lie down with ice on my neck and forehead.

I’m glad I had asked Larry to meet me there just in case I got a result right on the spot. Instead he became my crutch to lean on (a position he has held often over the last year) and to get me to the car.

Dr. Schneider said the results would take at least 3 days.

Oh how I needed solace---the thought of three days of fearing the unknown was not a comforting thought. He became my Solace, my source of comfort throughout the rest of that day and that first (and last) night of waiting. I don’t remember if I even prayed or what I prayed if I did---but I know He was there.

Today the scripture prayer that comes to mind when needing solace/comfort is 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

SUFFERING SERVANT

1/11/10 One year ago today, Taylor Park preached on “One-anothering in Suffering.” My journal notes included some great reminders of the One who suffered and died for us---the One who understands our suffering. He then emphasized the fact that suffering is a real part of the Christian community and just as Christ is there for us, we need to be there for others---to serve them in their time of need. Church needs to be a safe place for the hurting to come for solace and sanctuary.

JOURNAL JOTTINGS—(parenthetical jottings added 2010)
Bear one another’s burdens. Galatians 6:2 (Houston High School)
Intercede for one another. James 5 :16. (First Evan and folks worldwide)
Humbly serve one another. John 13:14 (T-Cups & other "nurses")
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Romans 12:10 (Michèle)
Be kind to one another. Ephesians 4:32 (FAMILY & FRIENDS)
Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 1 Peter 4:9 (Mary Flo)

At the time I did not realize I would be the recipient in such a monumental way of each of these “one-anotherings.”
This past year, I have known God as never before. Part of the reason is because of the goodness of God's people who took on His role and have served me in my suffering, time and time again, often at the expense of themselves.
I remain overwhelmed and truly grateful.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

(My verse today because it's still where I need to be.*)
Obviously need it because I had this written in my am blog notes draft, saw it etched over the chapel at Baptist Women's Hospital and just finished my pm reading in Jesus Calling and there it was. 3 times of anything always gets my attention. It's my "rule" for a "heads up."

S = Savior who stills my storms

1/10/10 One year ago today I read in Jesus Calling: " Every time you affirm your trust in Me.....you build up equity in preparation for days of trouble. Practice trusting Me during quiet days....then when storms come, your trust balance will be sufficient to see you through."

He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. (Psalm 107:29)

Then I prayed, "Lord if this doesn't "matter" for eternity, I'd rather it not be cancer."

2009 was a year of lots of storms for the Liles family---many of which would qualify for a "10" on the stress scale---but God.....was there through each storm as our very present help.

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

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass; it's about learning how to dance in the rain." This quote, of unknown origin, succinctly states the beginning of my "dance" in my 2009 storm.

"S" words covered by my "Safety Net"

1/9/10 One year ago today I heard the word biopsy* come out of Dr. Schneider's mouth.
When you hear biopsy and it pertains to you, it's like "hearing" it for the very first time.

Though he'd never seen anything like it before and it didn't look like cancer, a biopsy was the starting point in order to rule it out.

"S" words ensued---

• surprise---2 other doctors had seen it ('91 & '94) and had dismissed it saying I wouldn't want to "mess" with it because of scarring
• socked in the stomach jolt---CANCER----that's a word I pray for others not to have
• sick---a little, but "it doesn't look like cancer" was ringing louder than the biopsy word
• scared---does a biopsy hurt????
• suffering???---I'm not big on pain

As the world, as I had known it, began to shake, my "Safety Net" began to unfold.

The fear of man lays a snare but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

Sanctuary--- “S” = safe haven because we are secure in Him.

1/6/10 Even the on-line dictionary defines sanctuary not just as a safe haven but also a holy place. It actually lists the “sacred” element of the word first. I certainly equate it with refuge provided by a holy God.

In Genesis 12:8 I see an example of both the outer (physical) and inner (spiritual) sanctuary:

Then he (Abram/Abraham) proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD

Today’s My Utmost For His Highest entry described Bethel as the symbol of communing with God and Ai as the symbol of the world. Just as he pitched his tent between the two, we are reminded of the importance of always pitching our tents (finding sanctuary) in order to have quiet times with the Lord----regardless of the noise of the world around us and often even in the midst of it.

Many of us today seek physical sanctuaries as a refuge from all that the world throws at us. They are different for each of us---a beach, the mountains, a monastic retreat center, a closet, a prayer chair or just a simple prayer cloth worn over the head, as JoLynn taught the Talapneco ladies in Mexico. But it is there that we find real sanctuary when we take it to the next level as we commune with Him in worship.

In Moses’ time the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle was the most holy place, "Holy of Holies"---where the priests met with God. It was an actual physical place to meet with the Almighty.

Find your sanctuary today. Meet with the One who is your sanctuary forever.

He is the REASON

1/4/10

The

"R"s

of a

New Year's Spiritual Resolution

Remember

Refresh

Remain

Restore

Revive

Rejoice

Renew

Return

Rely

Source: e-mail from CMF

Quiet is the “Q”

1/3/10 Often as I praise alphabetically in the middle of the night, I praise the Lord for His quiet and gentle spirit. It’s the side of Him (or attribute) that brings me comfort.

When my “anxious thoughts multiply within me,” like going back to work and tackling 2 grants and some unknowns, it’s the “Quiet God” (Upper Room 1/1) whom I seek. It is so easy for me to slip into fear mode when I have doubts about my self---some of them pretty well founded since this last surgery. I just can’t seem to remember things. Even now, I’m having trouble remembering any of those 9 days I was at work after medical leave and before semester break. (Except I do remember the butter cookies!)

So what’s a girl to do when she’s lost confidence in an area where she was once so self-assured? Hm-m-m, just typing it strikes a chord. SELF---needs to move over and sit and draw near and allow the Lord to quietly take over, “lead me beside still waters” and remind me that “In quietness and trust is your strength." (Isaiah 30:15)