Be Still and Wait…

There are times in our lives when nothing seems to make sense and evil seems to be gaining ground. But for the Christian, those who follow after the Lord, we must remember that our God is always in control.

We will not always understand. We will not always have the answers. We will not know what tomorrow might hold.
And yet God reminds us to…

BE STILL

WAIT for HIM

Do NOT fret

be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him…. Psalms 37:7

Oh Father, help me to cease striving to see what tomorrow may bring . Help me to rest in my circumstances today. Help me to wait as I trust in your purposes for my life.

Clean Hands!

Keys of the Kingdom

John 20:23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

 

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Will You Stand in the Gap?

 

Today I ask myself, am I willing to stand in the gap? Am I willing to die to self and follow God no matter where He leads, no matter what it requires? God is looking for righteous men and women who are willing to stand in the Gap and rebuild the walls broken by sin.

Are you willing?

 

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Have You Died Today?

 

In order to bear much fruit for our Lord we must first die to self.

(John 12:24)

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The Joy of my Heart

I was praying through Psalms yesterday and was struck anew by the realization that our joy comes from knowing God and obeying His word.

We are reminded that it’s God’s commandment that make us wiser than our enemies.

We also read that we can have more insight than our teachers and understand more than the aged. Our feet will be retrained from doing evil.

How?

God Himself will teach us. It’s His word that gives us understanding. His word shines brightly so we can see the path before us.

It’s God’s WORD that brings joy to the heart!

Is God’s Word the joy of your heart? Do you find joy in obeying His commandment? His precepts?

Spend time today praying through Psalms 119:97-112 and ask God renew your joy for his word so that His word would be a sweet taste, sweeter than honey, to your mouth!

 

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How Do We Live?

 

This week I started studying the book of Jude. It’s only one chapter long, but oh the truths that are spoken! It’s packed with wonderful, delicious truth on how we are to live a life so that God’s love can bless us.

Jude writes a letter to the beloved of God, contrasting those that are ungodly to those who are called God’s beloved. As I made my list of all the characteristics of God’s beloved and how we are to live, here is what I found.

Verse 2, we can receive more of God’s mercy, peace and love.

Verse 3, we are to defend the truth of the gospel that God has given us. It’s unchanging truth.

Verse 20, build our lives on the foundation of our holy faith. Pray as we are directed by the Holy Spirit.

Verse 21, Live in a way that God’s love will bless you. Wait for the hope of eternal life that is ours in His mercy.

Verse 22, Show mercy to those who may be wavering in their faith.

Verse 23, Rescue those on their way to the flames of judgment. Show mercy without being contaminated by their sin.

Verse 24, in God’s glory we can be kept from stumbling. It is He who will bring us into His presence innocent of sin and with great joy.

Verse 25, live a life that brings all glory to God through Christ. All glory, majesty, power and authority belongs to Him now and forever.

After studying this I realize I need to pray through those areas of my life that aren’t where they need to be. How about you?

There is so much more to this small book, I encourage you to study it for yourself. Look at how the ungodly are described and ask yourself if there are any areas that you need God’s grace and mercy in.

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Picture credit: LauraJane

One of THOSE days…

Welcome to my blog post that was visited by the most readers. It was a close one, but still won by 1 visit! I am linking up with Shanda for The Best of 2011!

Today has been one of those days that I just feel melancholy. It’s on these days that my thoughts can quickly go wrong. I felt as if I needed my sister. I have wanted to talk to her, but she doesn’t return my calls or my text. On a normal day this wouldn’t effect me, but today it just made me sad.
I cried out to God…
Then I heard these words playing from my CD…
“With my whole being I embrace my God, He sets things right even when I am weak. I will shout out loud “He is in charge of me. Everything is right between God and me.”
The next song…

“It’s the blessings from the Hand of God…I am sheltered in the hands of the almighty God.”
Then…
“Thank you God for knowing me and accepting me so. .. You care about the messes and the twisted side of me but in the end it’s the finished part you see.”

These songs began to minister to my heart. Music and words of truth penetrated my soul. In my heart I then heard these words.

“Oh LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up…where can I go from Your Spirit?…How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast the sum of them!” (Ps 139:1,7,17)

My dear sister in Christ ministered to my heart through her music. My God ministered to me through His word.

“You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high; I cannot attain to it.” (5,6)

O, Father how precious are your thoughts toward me! Thank you for reaching down today and filling my spirit with Your love.

The CD is from my dear friend Sue Duffield titled LOL

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Encouraging Words Wednesday

He is Good, I rest

Psalms 116

I love the LORD because he hears and answers my prayers. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath!  Death had its hands around my throat; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "Please, LORD, save me!" How kind the LORD is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and then he saved me.  Now I can rest again, for the LORD has been so good to me.  He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.  And so I walk in the LORD's presence as I live here on earth!  I believed in you, so I prayed, "I am deeply troubled, LORD." In my anxiety I cried out to you, "These people are all liars!"  What can I offer the LORD for all he has done for me?  I will lift up a cup symbolizing his salvation; I will praise the LORD's name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the LORD in the presence of all his people.  The LORD's loved ones are precious to him; it grieves him when they die. O LORD, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, the son of your handmaid, and you have freed me from my bonds! I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will keep my promises to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the house of the LORD, in the heart of Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

 

Father thank you for your precious word. Thank you for the reminder that you are good, you are good to me. You are merciful and you hear me when I cry out to you. In this knowledge I can rest regardless of my circumstances and regardless of what is going on in the world around me.

 

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Gladness

Worship with gladness, sing with joy! this comes as a much needed truth in my life at the moment. I am reminded that it doesn’t matter how I feel, what is going on in the world or what circumstances I find myself in I can Worship with LORD with gladness. I can CHOOSE to go before Him and SING!

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Encouraging Words Wednesday

He Leads Me to Peace

 

…He leads me beside peaceful streams, He renews my strength. Ps 23:2b-3a

Are you feeling stressed today? Overwhelmed by your circumstances? Have you lost hope? Feeing weary?

Go to Jesus, He will give you peace. He will renew your strength.

Your circumstances may not change. But when we surrender all to Him and rest in His sovereignty there is peace knowing He is in control.

When we run to Him and cast all our worries at His feet there is a new strength, there is hope, for only at His feet do we fully understand in our weakness He is strong.

 

 

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His Voice…

 

 

Love in Action

 

I’ve been thinking a lot about this verse lately and have been challenged by it. So often we use the word love and call out “love ya!” But do we really love them? Does our actions show it?

Do my actions show it? If I say “I love you” then my actions should show that I mean it.

 

Collecting My Tears…

 

 

This is among one of my favorite verses. There are times in my life when the tears flow so freely down my face and I have been comforted by knowing that My God has not missed a single one of them.

But even more comforting is knowing that He has not missed the silent tears that flow in my heart that can not even be expressed…

Not one single tear goes unnoticed by my God…

 

Thirsty…

 

I thirst for you God, in a dry, empty land where there is no water….

where are those who refresh my soul?

I search for you..

a desert place of rock and little shade

I wait for you…

Come fill my soul, my heart, my life

with Your refreshing Spirit.

 

El Roi – The God who sees

I recently heard a quote that said “People see what I do, God sees why I do it”

There was a time when that thought scared me. El Roi, a God who sees everything I do AND the motives behind it. But as I have gotten to know the various characteristics of God I have come to love my God, El Roi.

He sees ME! I mean He really SEES me!

From the moment I was born until the day I die He watches over me and sees every joy, pain, hurt, suffering, and I am not alone – EVER!

The God of heaven and earth SEES ME and LOVES me.

El Elyon, Sovereign Ruler

While on vacation last month I had the privilege to sit on the beach almost daily. There wasn’t a day that I wasn’t struck by my God, El Elyon.

El Elyon is the name of God that describes Him as the sovereign ruler of all the universe.

Sovereign ruler. El Elyon who rules the affairs of man. Sovereign God who has everything in His control and works out ALL things according to His purposes.

He is sovereign over all things even me, my life and all that touches it. I don’t always understand but I have learned to walk by faith and learn to just trust in my God, El Elyon.

 

I will cry to God Most High,

to God who accomplishes

all things for me.

Psalm 57:2

The Least of These

For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'

"Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?'

And the King will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'

"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons!  For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me no clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'

"Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?'

And he will answer, 'I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.'

Matt 24:35-45

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You Yourself Teach Me

I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me.

How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalms 119:102-103

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