Thank you God that you have made me a strong city. That Your saving power surrounds me like walls and towers. You are my strong champion! Thank you for Your perfect peace that You have promised when I am faithful to You. You are my rock and You keep me safe forever. Thank you that You are mighty to pull down every stronghold and I trample it under my feet! That which seemed to overpower me I now walk all over it. Thank you for being honest and fair, for guiding me to do what is right. You lead me on a straight path and make it smooth. Lord, help me to live the way Your laws command. I am waiting for You to act. My heart longs for You to be true to Your name. My heart longs for you at night and my spirit longs for you in the morning.
Lord, so many are lost and show you no respect. They have no fear of You. Yet still, You show your grace and mercy. My heart cries out for them. Show them how much You love them and then they will be put to shame and cry out to You. Lord, thank you for Your peace. You are the One who has helped me accomplish everything good. Thank you for being the one true God. Others on the earth have tried to rule over me but You alone will I honor and serve! What the enemy tried to do You have punished & destroyed. Those lies will never live again!
Thank you Lord, you have made our nation grow. You have made it larger. You have gained glory for yourself. You have increased the size of our land. Lord, we can do nothing without you. Nothing in our own strength. What I tried to birth on my own produced nothing! It didn't bring your saving power to the earth. It didn't give life to the people of the world. Forgive me God for trying in my own strength. On my own I will fail but I can do all things through You because you strengthen me. Those dead things in my life which I let die will live again! You will raise them from the dead. Every dead situation I gave up on will rise. What I laid in the grave will wake up and shout!
Praise you God! I was pushed to the wall and I called to You. From the wide open spaces You answered. You are at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me? You are my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies. Thank you God that I can take refuge in You. I will praise You, for You have answered me! Bless the Lord oh my soul!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Hezekiah
While I was praying with a friend and as we drew to a close and waited on the Lord I felt His spirit saying to me "Hezekiah". Well, my mind raced through the Bible...there is no book of Hezekiah. However, the name seemed familiar. My friend pointed out to me Hezekiah was a king. So, I have been researching him and reading his story in Chronicles & Kings, asking God to show me what He wants to tell me.
What I found and am stirred up with is overwhelming and I think even I haven't absorbed it all.
Well, first of all Hezekiah was a king of Judah
In the crisis, Hezekiah proved to be a man of opportunity. No sooner had he ascended the throne than he began to plan and to execute. He first turned his attention to the restoration of the temple services, so long neglected; and in this work he earnestly solicited the co-operation of a band of priests and Levites who had remained true to their sacred calling. Confident of their loyal support, he spoke with them freely concerning his desire to institute immediate and far-reaching reforms. "Our fathers have trespassed," he confessed, "and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have forsaken Him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord." "Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us."
2 Chronicles 29:6, 10.
The people had turned their backs on God, they were not worshiping Him anymore. They were just doing their own thing. They had fallen into worshiping idols.
I feel in my spirit that God is telling us how urgent it is to restore our land! He is calling us back to Him. Many of us have felt the spirit of god speaking to us about the importance of being seperate from the world. There are difficult times ahead! We must be staying in the Word of God and praying. Staying close to God's heart! We must NOT be like the world. We MUST keep our eyes on Jesus and not on our situations or circumstances. We must truly walk by faith and not by sight. We must be praying for one another. We must be fully surrendered to God..every part..nothing held back.
2 Timothy 3 (The Message)
Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people.
But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
"If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
As we spend time, immersed in God's presence, we know His will. . .we know His Word. . .we know His heart. When we fail to spend time with Him by reading His Word and praying with Him, His presence becomes faint. . .we don't follow His ways, instead we follow our own plans. I don't know about you, but I want to stay close to Him. I want to experience His presence on a moment by moment basis.
How's your relationship with God? Are you experiencing His love, His grace, and His presence? Or are you more in tune with listening to others and moving toward your own destination? Why not re-connect today? Ask God to give you the desire to seek Him.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (Message)
But even there, if you seek God, your God, you'll be able to find him if you're serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul. When troubles come and all these awful things happen to you, in future days you will come back to God, your God, and listen obediently to what he says. God, your God, is above all a compassionate God. In the end he will not abandon you, he won't bring you to ruin, he won't forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them.
What I found and am stirred up with is overwhelming and I think even I haven't absorbed it all.
Well, first of all Hezekiah was a king of Judah
In the crisis, Hezekiah proved to be a man of opportunity. No sooner had he ascended the throne than he began to plan and to execute. He first turned his attention to the restoration of the temple services, so long neglected; and in this work he earnestly solicited the co-operation of a band of priests and Levites who had remained true to their sacred calling. Confident of their loyal support, he spoke with them freely concerning his desire to institute immediate and far-reaching reforms. "Our fathers have trespassed," he confessed, "and done that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have forsaken Him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord." "Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us."
2 Chronicles 29:6, 10.
The people had turned their backs on God, they were not worshiping Him anymore. They were just doing their own thing. They had fallen into worshiping idols.
I feel in my spirit that God is telling us how urgent it is to restore our land! He is calling us back to Him. Many of us have felt the spirit of god speaking to us about the importance of being seperate from the world. There are difficult times ahead! We must be staying in the Word of God and praying. Staying close to God's heart! We must NOT be like the world. We MUST keep our eyes on Jesus and not on our situations or circumstances. We must truly walk by faith and not by sight. We must be praying for one another. We must be fully surrendered to God..every part..nothing held back.
2 Timothy 3 (The Message)
Don't be naive. There are difficult times ahead. As the end approaches, people are going to be self-absorbed, money-hungry, self-promoting, stuck-up, profane, contemptuous of parents, crude, coarse, dog-eat-dog, unbending, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated windbags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God. They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals. Stay clear of these people.
But don't let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother's milk! There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
"If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
As we spend time, immersed in God's presence, we know His will. . .we know His Word. . .we know His heart. When we fail to spend time with Him by reading His Word and praying with Him, His presence becomes faint. . .we don't follow His ways, instead we follow our own plans. I don't know about you, but I want to stay close to Him. I want to experience His presence on a moment by moment basis.
How's your relationship with God? Are you experiencing His love, His grace, and His presence? Or are you more in tune with listening to others and moving toward your own destination? Why not re-connect today? Ask God to give you the desire to seek Him.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (Message)
But even there, if you seek God, your God, you'll be able to find him if you're serious, looking for him with your whole heart and soul. When troubles come and all these awful things happen to you, in future days you will come back to God, your God, and listen obediently to what he says. God, your God, is above all a compassionate God. In the end he will not abandon you, he won't bring you to ruin, he won't forget the covenant with your ancestors which he swore to them.
What I learned from Jonah
One thing I still struggle with is being able to love someone who has hurt me. Truly to forgive them and love them and see them the way Christ does.
I had reached a point in my relationship with God where I fully surrendered to Him and have sought to die daily but then God reveiled something to me that shook me to my core.
I had recently been asking God to forgive me for complaining about others..especially those who are like sandpaper (and rub me the wrong way) or take jabs at me, mock me, that sort of thing. I found myself not only complaining but also finding fault. Everytime it happened I immediately repented and asked God to help me not do that. Well, today He showed me the root!
While I was meditating on this the Lord brought to my mind the story of Jonah.
Jonah was a man of God, used by God and yet when God asked him to go to Ninevah he flat out refused and ran away. Why? I asked myself that and then I realized, Jonah didn't like those people in Ninevah. They had done things to hurt his people, horrible things, offended them, mockers of God, etc.
Jonah didn't want God to save them. He wanted them to be punished. In a sense he wanted to see justice done.
I instantly thought of many situations where I have been like that. Wanting to see justice, wanting God to punish those who had hurt me. Then I thought of how Jonah was bitter and angry at God for saving the people of Ninevah. I think we are all like that at times.
BUT...then I put myself in those people's shoes. I remembered how I was before I came to Christ, when I was ignorant, of the world, lost.
Oh how much love and compassion God had on me! Chose to save me!
This is why it's so important to love each other, not find fault, pray for one another, and not let ourselves get so easily offended. We MUST stop complaining, pointing the finger, grumbling, and having this sense of wanting justice done. We must be quick to forgive and love one another. When we see something not line up with the word of God then we need to take it to our prayer closets...not to our social circles to gossip and complain.
People will not change until they see the true love of God pouring out of us. Accepting them where they are at, loving them unconditionally.
Jesus said;
Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
ouch...that's hard right? It is if we try to do it in our own strength. We must surrender our hearts totally to God. Only He can change our hearts so that we can love like Christ.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)
We must decrease so He may increase. Less of me God...more of YOU!
One other thought for today. Let us be careful not to let materialism water down our faith! We must be totally dependant on God and not on the things of this world.
I had reached a point in my relationship with God where I fully surrendered to Him and have sought to die daily but then God reveiled something to me that shook me to my core.
I had recently been asking God to forgive me for complaining about others..especially those who are like sandpaper (and rub me the wrong way) or take jabs at me, mock me, that sort of thing. I found myself not only complaining but also finding fault. Everytime it happened I immediately repented and asked God to help me not do that. Well, today He showed me the root!
While I was meditating on this the Lord brought to my mind the story of Jonah.
Jonah was a man of God, used by God and yet when God asked him to go to Ninevah he flat out refused and ran away. Why? I asked myself that and then I realized, Jonah didn't like those people in Ninevah. They had done things to hurt his people, horrible things, offended them, mockers of God, etc.
Jonah didn't want God to save them. He wanted them to be punished. In a sense he wanted to see justice done.
I instantly thought of many situations where I have been like that. Wanting to see justice, wanting God to punish those who had hurt me. Then I thought of how Jonah was bitter and angry at God for saving the people of Ninevah. I think we are all like that at times.
BUT...then I put myself in those people's shoes. I remembered how I was before I came to Christ, when I was ignorant, of the world, lost.
Oh how much love and compassion God had on me! Chose to save me!
This is why it's so important to love each other, not find fault, pray for one another, and not let ourselves get so easily offended. We MUST stop complaining, pointing the finger, grumbling, and having this sense of wanting justice done. We must be quick to forgive and love one another. When we see something not line up with the word of God then we need to take it to our prayer closets...not to our social circles to gossip and complain.
People will not change until they see the true love of God pouring out of us. Accepting them where they are at, loving them unconditionally.
Jesus said;
Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)
ouch...that's hard right? It is if we try to do it in our own strength. We must surrender our hearts totally to God. Only He can change our hearts so that we can love like Christ.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)
We must decrease so He may increase. Less of me God...more of YOU!
One other thought for today. Let us be careful not to let materialism water down our faith! We must be totally dependant on God and not on the things of this world.
No Matter What
I love to praise my God. I will sing of His great love.
He showers me with kindness and His grace from up above.
I'd praise Him if He healed me or blessed me in some way.
But even if He didn't. I'd praise Him all the day.
No matter what the situation my voice and hands will raise
Even in the darkest storm I won't forget to praise
I simply need no reason to worship and to sing
I praise because He's God. I praise because He's king.
We need no special reason to praise God. Yes, it's wonderful when He blesses us and heals us. It's awesome when He answers prayer.
But even if He never did those things He deserves our praise and worship.
Why?
Because He's GOD
(Isn't creation and salvation enough to sing about?)
And yet God continues to shower blessings on us. Grace, mercy, and love on us. Our God is an AWESOME God!!!
He showers me with kindness and His grace from up above.
I'd praise Him if He healed me or blessed me in some way.
But even if He didn't. I'd praise Him all the day.
No matter what the situation my voice and hands will raise
Even in the darkest storm I won't forget to praise
I simply need no reason to worship and to sing
I praise because He's God. I praise because He's king.
We need no special reason to praise God. Yes, it's wonderful when He blesses us and heals us. It's awesome when He answers prayer.
But even if He never did those things He deserves our praise and worship.
Why?
Because He's GOD
(Isn't creation and salvation enough to sing about?)
And yet God continues to shower blessings on us. Grace, mercy, and love on us. Our God is an AWESOME God!!!
The Benefit Package
PSALM 103“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”
When our eyes move from our own state of affairs we can look at all God offers us. Listen to the refreshing, life-giving things God asks us not to forget:
Who FORGIVES all your sinsThank you, Lord, that I am forgiven. Fill me with the wonder of a clean heart. Help me to declare my forgiveness when I am tempted to wallow in the pit of despair over my past, my failures and my weaknesses. I am forgiven!
And HEALS all your diseasesLord, I bring my aching body to You and ask You to touch me with Your hand of healing. Give me wisdom and understanding of what to do physically. I also bring the diseases of my heart to you. Lord, remove all bitterness and pride and show me the things that erode my spirit.
Who REDEEMS your life from the pitLord, I am amazed at the fact that You reach into the pit that I even sometimes dig myself… and You lift me up. You bring beauty out of ashes as I trust in You. You buy back all the broken pieces and give me new life! Thank you!
And CROWNS you with love and compassionLord, Your care and tenderness to me is a constant surprise even though I know You love me. Thank you for the attention You give to the details of my life as I offer it to You.
Who SATISFIES your desires with good thingsThank you that Your plans for me are to find my fulfillment in You as I offer myself to You. You made me and You know how to grow me into all I ever wanted to be.
So that your youth is RENEWED like the eagle’sLord, when I see how You forgive me, heal me, redeem my life, crown me with Your love and satisfy me, I am truly renewed in my Spirit.
Lord thank you for this wonderful view of Your desires for me. I WILL praise you with everything that is within me. “Praise the Lord O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name.” Amen
When our eyes move from our own state of affairs we can look at all God offers us. Listen to the refreshing, life-giving things God asks us not to forget:
Who FORGIVES all your sinsThank you, Lord, that I am forgiven. Fill me with the wonder of a clean heart. Help me to declare my forgiveness when I am tempted to wallow in the pit of despair over my past, my failures and my weaknesses. I am forgiven!
And HEALS all your diseasesLord, I bring my aching body to You and ask You to touch me with Your hand of healing. Give me wisdom and understanding of what to do physically. I also bring the diseases of my heart to you. Lord, remove all bitterness and pride and show me the things that erode my spirit.
Who REDEEMS your life from the pitLord, I am amazed at the fact that You reach into the pit that I even sometimes dig myself… and You lift me up. You bring beauty out of ashes as I trust in You. You buy back all the broken pieces and give me new life! Thank you!
And CROWNS you with love and compassionLord, Your care and tenderness to me is a constant surprise even though I know You love me. Thank you for the attention You give to the details of my life as I offer it to You.
Who SATISFIES your desires with good thingsThank you that Your plans for me are to find my fulfillment in You as I offer myself to You. You made me and You know how to grow me into all I ever wanted to be.
So that your youth is RENEWED like the eagle’sLord, when I see how You forgive me, heal me, redeem my life, crown me with Your love and satisfy me, I am truly renewed in my Spirit.
Lord thank you for this wonderful view of Your desires for me. I WILL praise you with everything that is within me. “Praise the Lord O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name.” Amen
Stand in the Gap
The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.
This is an account of what God said to Moses. Found in Numbers 14:11 after Israel rebelled against God.
BUT Moses stood in the gap and prayed. He reminded God that He is long suffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving their sins. And because of Moses and his prayers God spared all of Israel.
In verse 20 He said , "I have pardoned, according to your word."
I can't help but compare this to our nation. Our country has rebelled against God, complaining against Him. We have forgotten His miracles and great power. America was once united in faith, governed by the Word, and it was birthed through prayer and trust in God.
Now we live in a nation that curses His name, that believes that evil is good and good is evil. We've become a nation that worships the god of money and self.
God's hand of judgement is upon us.
BUT Christians....PRAY!! We can stand in the gap! We can remind God of His love and mercy.
Don't you see? We need to be crying out to God for our country! Praying for our leaders, praying for God to have mercy on us for our sins. We need to take it seriously. We need to cry out to God. We need to have a heart for the lost. We need to be dilligent about it. Time is short.
It's a simple message and one that has been said before many times I am sure. But I feel such an urgency in my spirit.
PRAY!
This is an account of what God said to Moses. Found in Numbers 14:11 after Israel rebelled against God.
BUT Moses stood in the gap and prayed. He reminded God that He is long suffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving their sins. And because of Moses and his prayers God spared all of Israel.
In verse 20 He said , "I have pardoned, according to your word."
I can't help but compare this to our nation. Our country has rebelled against God, complaining against Him. We have forgotten His miracles and great power. America was once united in faith, governed by the Word, and it was birthed through prayer and trust in God.
Now we live in a nation that curses His name, that believes that evil is good and good is evil. We've become a nation that worships the god of money and self.
God's hand of judgement is upon us.
BUT Christians....PRAY!! We can stand in the gap! We can remind God of His love and mercy.
Don't you see? We need to be crying out to God for our country! Praying for our leaders, praying for God to have mercy on us for our sins. We need to take it seriously. We need to cry out to God. We need to have a heart for the lost. We need to be dilligent about it. Time is short.
It's a simple message and one that has been said before many times I am sure. But I feel such an urgency in my spirit.
PRAY!
Shield of Dreams
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
In the times when Rome was ruling the world, the soldiers had an amazingly huge shield to use going into battle. This piece of equipment was large enough to cover the entire man. If the army was advancing on the enemy, often the soldiers would cover themselves with these shields, walking close enough to each other that the shields overlapped. The next row of soldiers would hold the shields up in the air thus making it impossible for the foe to throw spears or shoot arrows at them. All the efforts of the enemy were of no effect because the shields would stop all weapons of that type. The equipment was so large that, if the soldier was wounded or died, the companions put him on the shield and carried him off the battle field.
What I LOVE about this is it is a wonderful illustration of the power of being united in prayer. When we gather together and pray in agreement we are literally taking our shields and overlapping them. The enemy can in no way penetrate through that. There is power in numbers!!! When we are united in prayer and applying the truth of God's Word we bring the enemy to a halt and all strong holds come tumbling down. We overcome by His blood and the Word of our testimony. Especially when we share our stories with each other because that builds our faith. That it why it is crucial that we gather together and unite in prayer declaring the truth of God's Word. I like especially the illustration of being carried off the battle field. Sometimes it seems like we are dying or a relationship has died. Sometimes it sems our finances have died or there are situations in our life or dreams that seem dead. We uphold each other, we carry each other off the battlefield at times where we can recieve restoration and healing. We need each other! The enemy's biggest plan is to seperate us, to have us get offended and leave the church, to leave the body of Christ. Once He gets us out in the open with out any covering we are weakened. The enemy knows this! That is why we must set aside petty arguements, offenses, and resentment. We must forgive and love each other more then we love ourselves because we are stronger when we are united! A three fold chord can not be broken.
Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have been given. But just as the mamma bird can not respond to their baby unless they cry out so it is with us. We must cry out! We must pray for each other! We must declare truth. I love that I have a friend who always tells me when something is a lie from the pit of hell - it is so easy to believe the lies and the negative but God wants us to live in His truth. It is time to advance on the enemy and take back everything he has stolen from us. Take back your joy, your health, your peace, your children, your finances, your freedom, your blessings. ENOUGH! I am tired of letting satan have what God has given to me! I am going to continue to PUSH - pray until something hapens and I thank all of you who are standing with me. Our shields are overlapped and God will have the victory!!!
In the times when Rome was ruling the world, the soldiers had an amazingly huge shield to use going into battle. This piece of equipment was large enough to cover the entire man. If the army was advancing on the enemy, often the soldiers would cover themselves with these shields, walking close enough to each other that the shields overlapped. The next row of soldiers would hold the shields up in the air thus making it impossible for the foe to throw spears or shoot arrows at them. All the efforts of the enemy were of no effect because the shields would stop all weapons of that type. The equipment was so large that, if the soldier was wounded or died, the companions put him on the shield and carried him off the battle field.
What I LOVE about this is it is a wonderful illustration of the power of being united in prayer. When we gather together and pray in agreement we are literally taking our shields and overlapping them. The enemy can in no way penetrate through that. There is power in numbers!!! When we are united in prayer and applying the truth of God's Word we bring the enemy to a halt and all strong holds come tumbling down. We overcome by His blood and the Word of our testimony. Especially when we share our stories with each other because that builds our faith. That it why it is crucial that we gather together and unite in prayer declaring the truth of God's Word. I like especially the illustration of being carried off the battle field. Sometimes it seems like we are dying or a relationship has died. Sometimes it sems our finances have died or there are situations in our life or dreams that seem dead. We uphold each other, we carry each other off the battlefield at times where we can recieve restoration and healing. We need each other! The enemy's biggest plan is to seperate us, to have us get offended and leave the church, to leave the body of Christ. Once He gets us out in the open with out any covering we are weakened. The enemy knows this! That is why we must set aside petty arguements, offenses, and resentment. We must forgive and love each other more then we love ourselves because we are stronger when we are united! A three fold chord can not be broken.
Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have been given. But just as the mamma bird can not respond to their baby unless they cry out so it is with us. We must cry out! We must pray for each other! We must declare truth. I love that I have a friend who always tells me when something is a lie from the pit of hell - it is so easy to believe the lies and the negative but God wants us to live in His truth. It is time to advance on the enemy and take back everything he has stolen from us. Take back your joy, your health, your peace, your children, your finances, your freedom, your blessings. ENOUGH! I am tired of letting satan have what God has given to me! I am going to continue to PUSH - pray until something hapens and I thank all of you who are standing with me. Our shields are overlapped and God will have the victory!!!
A Father to the Fatherless Child
Tonight I cried a river of tears
They flowed through the desert of my heart
That pain was locked up for many years
and was starting to rip me apart
I cried out to God and He heard that cry
and showed me the root of my pain
An altar call for the fatherless child
He healed as our tears fell like rain
Wrapped in God's arms He held me tight
and replaced every void I have known
He showered me with His love tonight
And told me that I was His own
There is no condition to His love
There's nothing I have to do
Unconditional love from above
He loves me. I know that it's true
Thank you that you see beauty in me
Thank you that you've set me apart
You have faith in all I can be
You have healed my broken heart
Love Your Child,
Charity
They flowed through the desert of my heart
That pain was locked up for many years
and was starting to rip me apart
I cried out to God and He heard that cry
and showed me the root of my pain
An altar call for the fatherless child
He healed as our tears fell like rain
Wrapped in God's arms He held me tight
and replaced every void I have known
He showered me with His love tonight
And told me that I was His own
There is no condition to His love
There's nothing I have to do
Unconditional love from above
He loves me. I know that it's true
Thank you that you see beauty in me
Thank you that you've set me apart
You have faith in all I can be
You have healed my broken heart
Love Your Child,
Charity
Jeremiah 26
I have such a heavy burden on my heart for our generation right now. As I was praying and crying out to God to forgive our land He brought me to Jeremiah 26.
Jeremiah had been sent by The Lord to warn the people of Judah to repent from their self-destructive path. But what did they do? They wanted to kill him.
Jeremiah spoke, "This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth."
Shiloh remained the Israelite religious and political capital with The Tabernacle there for over 300 years, from the time of Joshua about 1400 B.C. to the time of Samuel about 1100 B.C. It was there that Hannah dedicated her infant son Samuel to The Lord (1 Samuel 1:24), and where he was raised by Eli the priest (1 Samuel 2:11).
The end came when the Israelites were battling the Philistines at Aphek. During the first battle, the Israelites were badly beaten, with a loss of about 4,000 men. They returned to Shiloh and removed The Ark, containing the two tablets of stone on which were written The Ten Commandments, from The Tabernacle and carried it back into battle with them. They were again defeated, this time losing 30,000 men, including Eli's two corrupt sons Hophni and Phinehas who would have succeeded him, and The Ark itself. Upon hearing the news of the capture of The Ark by the Philistines, and the loss of his own two sons in battle, Eli himself died. It was a disastrous defeat that God not only permitted to happen, but actually caused to happen. The entire account is found in 1 Samuel chapter 4.
The Ark was recovered from the Philistines 7 months later (1 Samuel 6:1-2). God certainly would not have allowed its permanent loss then, or now, or in the future (Revelation 11:19), but it was taken to Kiriath Jearim instead of back to Shiloh (1 Samuel 7:1).
The Bible does not record exactly when Shiloh met its final destruction, but what is known for certain is that it was completely devastated, and remains so to this day. You can go and stand there at the very place of its ruins, although after so much time there is not much left even of them to see.
The story of Shiloh thereafter served as an object lesson to the Israelites of later times, physically or spiritually that God only remains faithful to those who truly remain faithful to Him
They became complacent, taking far too much for granted. They assumed that The Lord would protect and put up with them no matter what they did. A big mistake in their time - or ours.
I think the biggest thing we fight against is complacency.
My dictionary defines complacency this way, “self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual danger or deficiencies”.
satan wants us to be complacent.
We must take a stand for God! ... We have become complacent. ... Our nation does not do the Law of God.
"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” Ezekiel 22:30
Right now, God is searching for people who will be an extension of Himself. He is looking for a people who are willing to stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the Nation.
We need people who are willing to give up their lives to intercede and pray. We must build up the wall of righteousness around this Nation and restore the things of God. God is calling out for His Church to become a house of prayer. We, as the people of God, must respond and devote our lives to intercession and prayer. We can no longer live for ourselves, and allow the house of God to lay in ruins as a result of our unfaithfulness and disinterest in the things of God.
Christianity has lost its power. We have become solely a people of morality. As great and necessary as morality is, it will not change the Nation. We need to become a people known for more than our morality; we need to become a people identified by the presence and power of God. We so desperately need to have God’s presence and power in our midst and in us. We must give the world what they do not have.
How do we get more of the presence and power of God? It is by prayer and intercession that God’s presence and power increases. It is vital that we, as believers, learn to pray and intercede for the Church, the Nation, and the overall increase of the power and presence of God.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
God is still calling out for His people to pray and seek His face, and He remains faithful to His promise even now, if we choose to respond. Will you respond to the call to stand in the gap and bring healing to the Nation?
Jeremiah had been sent by The Lord to warn the people of Judah to repent from their self-destructive path. But what did they do? They wanted to kill him.
Jeremiah spoke, "This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth."
Shiloh remained the Israelite religious and political capital with The Tabernacle there for over 300 years, from the time of Joshua about 1400 B.C. to the time of Samuel about 1100 B.C. It was there that Hannah dedicated her infant son Samuel to The Lord (1 Samuel 1:24), and where he was raised by Eli the priest (1 Samuel 2:11).
The end came when the Israelites were battling the Philistines at Aphek. During the first battle, the Israelites were badly beaten, with a loss of about 4,000 men. They returned to Shiloh and removed The Ark, containing the two tablets of stone on which were written The Ten Commandments, from The Tabernacle and carried it back into battle with them. They were again defeated, this time losing 30,000 men, including Eli's two corrupt sons Hophni and Phinehas who would have succeeded him, and The Ark itself. Upon hearing the news of the capture of The Ark by the Philistines, and the loss of his own two sons in battle, Eli himself died. It was a disastrous defeat that God not only permitted to happen, but actually caused to happen. The entire account is found in 1 Samuel chapter 4.
The Ark was recovered from the Philistines 7 months later (1 Samuel 6:1-2). God certainly would not have allowed its permanent loss then, or now, or in the future (Revelation 11:19), but it was taken to Kiriath Jearim instead of back to Shiloh (1 Samuel 7:1).
The Bible does not record exactly when Shiloh met its final destruction, but what is known for certain is that it was completely devastated, and remains so to this day. You can go and stand there at the very place of its ruins, although after so much time there is not much left even of them to see.
The story of Shiloh thereafter served as an object lesson to the Israelites of later times, physically or spiritually that God only remains faithful to those who truly remain faithful to Him
They became complacent, taking far too much for granted. They assumed that The Lord would protect and put up with them no matter what they did. A big mistake in their time - or ours.
I think the biggest thing we fight against is complacency.
My dictionary defines complacency this way, “self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual danger or deficiencies”.
satan wants us to be complacent.
We must take a stand for God! ... We have become complacent. ... Our nation does not do the Law of God.
"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” Ezekiel 22:30
Right now, God is searching for people who will be an extension of Himself. He is looking for a people who are willing to stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the Nation.
We need people who are willing to give up their lives to intercede and pray. We must build up the wall of righteousness around this Nation and restore the things of God. God is calling out for His Church to become a house of prayer. We, as the people of God, must respond and devote our lives to intercession and prayer. We can no longer live for ourselves, and allow the house of God to lay in ruins as a result of our unfaithfulness and disinterest in the things of God.
Christianity has lost its power. We have become solely a people of morality. As great and necessary as morality is, it will not change the Nation. We need to become a people known for more than our morality; we need to become a people identified by the presence and power of God. We so desperately need to have God’s presence and power in our midst and in us. We must give the world what they do not have.
How do we get more of the presence and power of God? It is by prayer and intercession that God’s presence and power increases. It is vital that we, as believers, learn to pray and intercede for the Church, the Nation, and the overall increase of the power and presence of God.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
God is still calling out for His people to pray and seek His face, and He remains faithful to His promise even now, if we choose to respond. Will you respond to the call to stand in the gap and bring healing to the Nation?
A Deeper Look into Psalm 91
PSALM 91 verses 1-6.
1 - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Now the word abide means to endure without yielding, to bear patiently, to accept without objection.
To me that means we have a choice. We can choose to abide. We can choose to dwell in the secret place.
2 - I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
The word refuge means; Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship. A place providing protection or shelter. A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble
And Fortress means; A protected place of refuge.
Literally, the psalmist is declaring that he lives inside God. God is his strength, refuge, and military fortress.
A fortress is a place of protection from enemies, so living in God is the place of safety from all the attacks of the devil. We can pray, "God, You are my fortress, the fortress of my family, of my children. You are my covering and my shelter. You are my protector." The psalmist goes on to say that God will deliver him from a number of things.
Interesting to note that In chess, the fortress is an endgame drawing technique in which the side behind in material sets up a zone of protection around their king that cannot be penetrated by the opponent
I like that. It CAN NOT be penetrated by the opponent. In our case by satan or his demons.
3 - Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, And from the perilous pestilence.
What is the snare of the fowler? A snare is an unseen trap of temptation or destruction that is set by the fowler, who is the devil and his demons. This is a trap that you cannot see unless God makes you aware of it, because He sees everything.
As we go out into the world, the devil will set traps for us. We can pray for God to deliver us from these unseen snares, and then the Holy Spirit will either show us the trap and how to avoid it or give us a plan to walk through it without being hurt. He can also change our direction so that we never go near the trap that was set for us or have any knowledge that it ever existed!
This is a key reason Jesus said we should pray - Deliver us from evil.
Perilous pestilence is an infection, disease, or sickness. Thank God that He can deliver us and keep us from physical illness. Along with this verse in Psalm 91, we can also pray these verses for our family & friend's health and well being.
He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (2 Peter 2:24)
He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. (Ps. 107:20)
4 - He shall cover you with His feathers,And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
Isn't our Father like that? The verse states "He shall cover you with His feathers, and under his wings you shall take refuge". Doesn't the idea of our Father covering us with Himself and making sure we are under His wing sound incredible? Just as a Mama bird cares for her young, our Father cares for us, His young. We are fed, cleaned up, kept warm and safe. The times we have fallen from the nest are the times when it seems that there is no way out. Yet, our Father has given us a way of escape (I Corinthians 10:13). If we will simply run to Him when things are out of hand, when we have done something wrong, He is there to lift us up to the high place and gather us under His wing. We can nestle in the feathers of our Lord in complete safety, warm and comfortable. Incredible picture, isn't it? Because we are children of the King, we have that inheritance if we only ask.
The last part of that verse is: "his truth shall be your shield and buckler." I had no idea what a buckler was or what type of shield this verse is refering to. So, I researched it. It is really important that you see this picture. In the times when Rome was ruling the world, the soldiers had an amazingly huge shield to use going into battle. This piece of equipment was large enough to cover the entire man. If the army was advancing on the enemy, often the soldiers would cover themselves with these shields, walking close enough to each other that the shields overlapped. The next row of soldiers would hold the shields up in the air thus making it impossible for the foe to throw spears or shoot arrows at them. All the efforts of the enemy were of no effect because the shields would stop all weapons of that type. The equipment was so large that, if the soldier was wounded or died, the companions put him on the shield and carried him off the battle field.
The next piece of gear is the buckler. This one was a mystery to me. I had never heard of it before. The soldier would strap a much smaller, often round, shield onto his left arm with a leather strap. This type of equipment was used to fend off close combat strikes by the enemy swords. Soldiers could then cover themselves while using their own swords.
What God wants us to know is that His Truth, the Word of God, is enough armor for us (Ephesians 6:10-18). Not only have we been invited to sit in the secret place under our Father's wing but we are also given armor to protect ourselves when the enemy comes at us with everything he has to offer. Imagine being able to hold up that enormous shield to cover yourself totally. In close combat, that buckler sure comes in handy to fend off the fiery darts or swords that the opponent has sent your way.
In all of this, the picture is one of safety, security, and peace. No matter what is going on in your life, God is there to protect you, shield you, care for you, comfort you and will be just like parents of the baby birds when you fall from the nest. But there is one thing you need to remember. The parents of the babies only came when they heard the cries of the child.
5-6 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
Terror by Night
God will see to it that we will not be afraid of the terror by night. The terror by night encompasses all the fears that can attack us when it is dark. This includes terrible dreams and nightmares.
A burglar is another terror by night. A storm, a tornado, or a hurricane can be a terror by night. Anything that brings fear through darkness is a terror by night. You can stop those fears from coming by praying God's Word.
Likewise God will also protect us from every sort of danger during the day.
Amen! Amen! God's protection is 24/7 - He is ALWAYS watching, and protecting us.
My prayer
Father, I thank You that You have given me a safe place to dwell. That You are my refuge, my strong tower, my fortress, my protector. I thank You that You are stronger then anything that would come my way and that nothing can penetrate You. Deliver me from evil today and Holy Spirit help me to see the traps that the enemy has laid before me. Thank you for keeping me safe from illness, disease, and destruction. I am standing in total faith today that You are my healer. Give me wisdom in all areas of my health and give me strength to obey Your commands so that I can stay healthy and whole.
I thank You that you love me so much that You hide me under Your wings and provide for my every need. And thank you that when I have fallen away from the nest You welcome me back with open arms and love me unconditionally. Thank you for defeating the enemy for me and for Your love and protection today.
AMEN
1 - He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Now the word abide means to endure without yielding, to bear patiently, to accept without objection.
To me that means we have a choice. We can choose to abide. We can choose to dwell in the secret place.
2 - I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”
The word refuge means; Protection or shelter, as from danger or hardship. A place providing protection or shelter. A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble
And Fortress means; A protected place of refuge.
Literally, the psalmist is declaring that he lives inside God. God is his strength, refuge, and military fortress.
A fortress is a place of protection from enemies, so living in God is the place of safety from all the attacks of the devil. We can pray, "God, You are my fortress, the fortress of my family, of my children. You are my covering and my shelter. You are my protector." The psalmist goes on to say that God will deliver him from a number of things.
Interesting to note that In chess, the fortress is an endgame drawing technique in which the side behind in material sets up a zone of protection around their king that cannot be penetrated by the opponent
I like that. It CAN NOT be penetrated by the opponent. In our case by satan or his demons.
3 - Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler, And from the perilous pestilence.
What is the snare of the fowler? A snare is an unseen trap of temptation or destruction that is set by the fowler, who is the devil and his demons. This is a trap that you cannot see unless God makes you aware of it, because He sees everything.
As we go out into the world, the devil will set traps for us. We can pray for God to deliver us from these unseen snares, and then the Holy Spirit will either show us the trap and how to avoid it or give us a plan to walk through it without being hurt. He can also change our direction so that we never go near the trap that was set for us or have any knowledge that it ever existed!
This is a key reason Jesus said we should pray - Deliver us from evil.
Perilous pestilence is an infection, disease, or sickness. Thank God that He can deliver us and keep us from physical illness. Along with this verse in Psalm 91, we can also pray these verses for our family & friend's health and well being.
He Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (2 Peter 2:24)
He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. (Ps. 107:20)
4 - He shall cover you with His feathers,And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
Isn't our Father like that? The verse states "He shall cover you with His feathers, and under his wings you shall take refuge". Doesn't the idea of our Father covering us with Himself and making sure we are under His wing sound incredible? Just as a Mama bird cares for her young, our Father cares for us, His young. We are fed, cleaned up, kept warm and safe. The times we have fallen from the nest are the times when it seems that there is no way out. Yet, our Father has given us a way of escape (I Corinthians 10:13). If we will simply run to Him when things are out of hand, when we have done something wrong, He is there to lift us up to the high place and gather us under His wing. We can nestle in the feathers of our Lord in complete safety, warm and comfortable. Incredible picture, isn't it? Because we are children of the King, we have that inheritance if we only ask.
The last part of that verse is: "his truth shall be your shield and buckler." I had no idea what a buckler was or what type of shield this verse is refering to. So, I researched it. It is really important that you see this picture. In the times when Rome was ruling the world, the soldiers had an amazingly huge shield to use going into battle. This piece of equipment was large enough to cover the entire man. If the army was advancing on the enemy, often the soldiers would cover themselves with these shields, walking close enough to each other that the shields overlapped. The next row of soldiers would hold the shields up in the air thus making it impossible for the foe to throw spears or shoot arrows at them. All the efforts of the enemy were of no effect because the shields would stop all weapons of that type. The equipment was so large that, if the soldier was wounded or died, the companions put him on the shield and carried him off the battle field.
The next piece of gear is the buckler. This one was a mystery to me. I had never heard of it before. The soldier would strap a much smaller, often round, shield onto his left arm with a leather strap. This type of equipment was used to fend off close combat strikes by the enemy swords. Soldiers could then cover themselves while using their own swords.
What God wants us to know is that His Truth, the Word of God, is enough armor for us (Ephesians 6:10-18). Not only have we been invited to sit in the secret place under our Father's wing but we are also given armor to protect ourselves when the enemy comes at us with everything he has to offer. Imagine being able to hold up that enormous shield to cover yourself totally. In close combat, that buckler sure comes in handy to fend off the fiery darts or swords that the opponent has sent your way.
In all of this, the picture is one of safety, security, and peace. No matter what is going on in your life, God is there to protect you, shield you, care for you, comfort you and will be just like parents of the baby birds when you fall from the nest. But there is one thing you need to remember. The parents of the babies only came when they heard the cries of the child.
5-6 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
Terror by Night
God will see to it that we will not be afraid of the terror by night. The terror by night encompasses all the fears that can attack us when it is dark. This includes terrible dreams and nightmares.
A burglar is another terror by night. A storm, a tornado, or a hurricane can be a terror by night. Anything that brings fear through darkness is a terror by night. You can stop those fears from coming by praying God's Word.
Likewise God will also protect us from every sort of danger during the day.
Amen! Amen! God's protection is 24/7 - He is ALWAYS watching, and protecting us.
My prayer
Father, I thank You that You have given me a safe place to dwell. That You are my refuge, my strong tower, my fortress, my protector. I thank You that You are stronger then anything that would come my way and that nothing can penetrate You. Deliver me from evil today and Holy Spirit help me to see the traps that the enemy has laid before me. Thank you for keeping me safe from illness, disease, and destruction. I am standing in total faith today that You are my healer. Give me wisdom in all areas of my health and give me strength to obey Your commands so that I can stay healthy and whole.
I thank You that you love me so much that You hide me under Your wings and provide for my every need. And thank you that when I have fallen away from the nest You welcome me back with open arms and love me unconditionally. Thank you for defeating the enemy for me and for Your love and protection today.
AMEN
The Same Power
Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:6-11
Okay....so notice Peter didn't say - oh let me pray for you. He didn't say, "Lord, touch and heal this man." No...he said what I have I give you..."In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk." He already had the ability to do it!
The same power that raise Christ from the dead - LIVES IN US!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you getting this???
I feel like I've been doing this all wrong. Yes, God is the one who heals but notice Jesus told them go out and heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead. When they did it they didn't say - Lord, heal this man's eyes - they said in the name of Jesus - eyes be opened. They took authority!
Where is our faith? The SAME POWER that raised Christ from the dead LIVES IN US!
WE MUST SPEAK LIFE INTO EVERY SITUATION. OUR WORDS ARE MORE POWERFUL THEN WE KNOW!
Oh, Lord....help my unbelief!
Okay....so notice Peter didn't say - oh let me pray for you. He didn't say, "Lord, touch and heal this man." No...he said what I have I give you..."In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk." He already had the ability to do it!
The same power that raise Christ from the dead - LIVES IN US!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you getting this???
I feel like I've been doing this all wrong. Yes, God is the one who heals but notice Jesus told them go out and heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead. When they did it they didn't say - Lord, heal this man's eyes - they said in the name of Jesus - eyes be opened. They took authority!
Where is our faith? The SAME POWER that raised Christ from the dead LIVES IN US!
WE MUST SPEAK LIFE INTO EVERY SITUATION. OUR WORDS ARE MORE POWERFUL THEN WE KNOW!
Oh, Lord....help my unbelief!
Are Your Motives Pure?
I have really been struggling with figuring out my motives lately. My motives for ministry, for well - everything. I get asked to do a lot of things and it's hard to step back and really check my motives. Even in ministry - am I doing this just becasue I can, or because I want to be noticed, or because I want some sort of validation, or to be liked, or because someone is making me feel guilty if I don't?
Jesus made it clear that when we do even good deeds with wrong motives, we should not expect any reward from the Lord.
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." - Matthew 6:1
I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want anyone doing anything for me that they're going to resent doing. Isn't it likely that God feels the same way? The Bible says, "Love must be sincere."(Romans 12:9)
When we do things out of pure motives, we do them to GIVE--not to RECEIVE. When we do things for others with an attitude that says--"What's in it for me?"--we are doing them with impure motives, and God is not pleased.
The apostle Paul wrote: "We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts".
(1 Thessalonians 2:4)
God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we're not after crowd approval—only God approval. Since we've been put through that battery of tests, you're guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you.
- The Message Bible
We may be able to hide our true motives from other people, but we will never be able to hide them from God. And even if we spend our entire lives doing good deeds, we will reap a bitter harvest if we did not do them with pure motives. On the other hand, if our purpose is to please God and not people, we will be more likely to only get involved with the things we can do with motives that will honor Him. David had the right idea when he prayed: Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart (Psalm 26:2)
Even sometimes in group prayer situations it feels awkward. Am I praying as the Spirit leads or just trying to sound important or that I know how to pray? Lately I have been remaining silent. I truly don't want to speak anything unless it's the Lord.
Again in Matthew 6:5-8 Jesus said
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. - Matthew 6:5-6 from The Message Bible
The Lord rewards what is done in secret.
Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD (Lamentations 3:40)
Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times I've done or said things out of impure motives. By the power of Your Spirit, please change me so that my purpose will always be to please and glorify You. Give me a heart that loves sincerely, and remove all phoniness from me. Thank You for helping me to examine my ways so that I can avoid the negative consequences of impure motives!
Jesus made it clear that when we do even good deeds with wrong motives, we should not expect any reward from the Lord.
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." - Matthew 6:1
I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want anyone doing anything for me that they're going to resent doing. Isn't it likely that God feels the same way? The Bible says, "Love must be sincere."(Romans 12:9)
When we do things out of pure motives, we do them to GIVE--not to RECEIVE. When we do things for others with an attitude that says--"What's in it for me?"--we are doing them with impure motives, and God is not pleased.
The apostle Paul wrote: "We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts".
(1 Thessalonians 2:4)
God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we're not after crowd approval—only God approval. Since we've been put through that battery of tests, you're guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you.
- The Message Bible
We may be able to hide our true motives from other people, but we will never be able to hide them from God. And even if we spend our entire lives doing good deeds, we will reap a bitter harvest if we did not do them with pure motives. On the other hand, if our purpose is to please God and not people, we will be more likely to only get involved with the things we can do with motives that will honor Him. David had the right idea when he prayed: Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart (Psalm 26:2)
Even sometimes in group prayer situations it feels awkward. Am I praying as the Spirit leads or just trying to sound important or that I know how to pray? Lately I have been remaining silent. I truly don't want to speak anything unless it's the Lord.
Again in Matthew 6:5-8 Jesus said
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. - Matthew 6:5-6 from The Message Bible
The Lord rewards what is done in secret.
Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD (Lamentations 3:40)
Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times I've done or said things out of impure motives. By the power of Your Spirit, please change me so that my purpose will always be to please and glorify You. Give me a heart that loves sincerely, and remove all phoniness from me. Thank You for helping me to examine my ways so that I can avoid the negative consequences of impure motives!
Lordship
So here's the thought the Lord laid on my heart. I've been struggling with true discipleship lately. Not my will but Your will be done in my life, Lord.
However, some areas are hard to let Him Lord over. Especially what I eat, and what I do with free time.
Well, since I work with young children the Lord always shows me His heart through those experiences. So, this morning as I cried out to Him He showed me a very simple picture.
When we care for children, whether they are ours or someone else's, we care for their safety. We provide for them a safe and loving enviroment. If your 2 year old child was jumping off the sofa you would tell them no. Why? Because they might fall and hurt themselves. Well, that child doesn't see that danger. They only see the fun and thrill of jumping. So they get mad when we tell them no. And even when we explain the danger they still are stubborn because they think well, I won't get hurt.
We don't let our children eat only candy bars and soda for breakfast, we don't let them go outside in the winter only wearing a t-shirt and shorts, we don't let them play in traffic, and we don't let them watch programs or listen to music that have hurtful messages or would be too scary.
So, hmmmmm....
God is OUR Father. We are His children. He knows what is best. God told us to obey our parents so we would have long life on the earth. Why? To protect us. Now once we grow up we should apply that same principle with God. OBEY :)
Here's the problem. When we grow up we think - now I can do whatever I want, eat, drink, consume whatever I want. Stay up as late as I want, watch and listen to whatever I want. But there are consequences to our choices. If you stay up too late you will be tired in the morning, eat too much sugar and you will be sick. We make sure our children get a good night's sleep because we want them to be at their best for the day. Then why do we neglect our sleep? Stay up super late to watch a TV show or surf the internet. You may say I have work to do or I deserve time to myself. What if your 8 year old child said I need to stay up all night so I can complete a homework assignment or organize my match box cars? Hmmmm....
Excuses, excuses! I always find myself asking for forgiveness for making excuses.
The simple truth is we want to do what we want to do. God is simply trying to protect us, keep us safe. He loves us. He is our Father.
Surrender. It's a difficult word but actually it is a blessing.
God, be Lord over what I eat, what I wear, what I read, what I watch, what I listen to, my sleep time, my free time, my job, my relationships, my choices. I surrender them all to you. I know you love me like no other and you know what is best.
I will stop throwing a tantrum like a 2 year old child and obey.
AMEN
However, some areas are hard to let Him Lord over. Especially what I eat, and what I do with free time.
Well, since I work with young children the Lord always shows me His heart through those experiences. So, this morning as I cried out to Him He showed me a very simple picture.
When we care for children, whether they are ours or someone else's, we care for their safety. We provide for them a safe and loving enviroment. If your 2 year old child was jumping off the sofa you would tell them no. Why? Because they might fall and hurt themselves. Well, that child doesn't see that danger. They only see the fun and thrill of jumping. So they get mad when we tell them no. And even when we explain the danger they still are stubborn because they think well, I won't get hurt.
We don't let our children eat only candy bars and soda for breakfast, we don't let them go outside in the winter only wearing a t-shirt and shorts, we don't let them play in traffic, and we don't let them watch programs or listen to music that have hurtful messages or would be too scary.
So, hmmmmm....
God is OUR Father. We are His children. He knows what is best. God told us to obey our parents so we would have long life on the earth. Why? To protect us. Now once we grow up we should apply that same principle with God. OBEY :)
Here's the problem. When we grow up we think - now I can do whatever I want, eat, drink, consume whatever I want. Stay up as late as I want, watch and listen to whatever I want. But there are consequences to our choices. If you stay up too late you will be tired in the morning, eat too much sugar and you will be sick. We make sure our children get a good night's sleep because we want them to be at their best for the day. Then why do we neglect our sleep? Stay up super late to watch a TV show or surf the internet. You may say I have work to do or I deserve time to myself. What if your 8 year old child said I need to stay up all night so I can complete a homework assignment or organize my match box cars? Hmmmm....
Excuses, excuses! I always find myself asking for forgiveness for making excuses.
The simple truth is we want to do what we want to do. God is simply trying to protect us, keep us safe. He loves us. He is our Father.
Surrender. It's a difficult word but actually it is a blessing.
God, be Lord over what I eat, what I wear, what I read, what I watch, what I listen to, my sleep time, my free time, my job, my relationships, my choices. I surrender them all to you. I know you love me like no other and you know what is best.
I will stop throwing a tantrum like a 2 year old child and obey.
AMEN
Why God?
God will always talk to us but we don't want to hear
Sometimes because of doubt, sometimes because of fear
Sometimes it is a simple thing that God wants us to do
like walk up to someone you know and say, "Jesus loves you."
Other times we just don't hear because we're doing other things
Too busy God! No time for that. No time to praise and sing
No time to kneel and pray to you. No time to read Your Word.
Fasting?! Are you crazy? That is totally absurd!
Sometimes we don't listen cause we're afraid of what He'll say
that He might reveal some sin and make us change our way
Sometimes it's pure rebellion. We shut the door and lock it tight
So, Jesus comes a knocking but we shut out the light
The one day you need Him. Your life's beyond repair
You open the dor so quickly. You expect to find Him there.
You cry out, "Where are you God? What kind of friend are you?
Why aren't you beside me now?" God says, I am with you.
I never left, you were the one who pushed me far away
You shut the door, you locked it tight and hid the key away.
So many times I called to you but you didn't want to hear
So many times I came to you but you didn't want me near
I sent my son to die for you and take away your sin
but you didn't care enough for Him to ever let Him in.
And you wonder why your life's a mess and in need of repair?
You try to blame it all on me? Do you really think that's fair?
Sometimes because of doubt, sometimes because of fear
Sometimes it is a simple thing that God wants us to do
like walk up to someone you know and say, "Jesus loves you."
Other times we just don't hear because we're doing other things
Too busy God! No time for that. No time to praise and sing
No time to kneel and pray to you. No time to read Your Word.
Fasting?! Are you crazy? That is totally absurd!
Sometimes we don't listen cause we're afraid of what He'll say
that He might reveal some sin and make us change our way
Sometimes it's pure rebellion. We shut the door and lock it tight
So, Jesus comes a knocking but we shut out the light
The one day you need Him. Your life's beyond repair
You open the dor so quickly. You expect to find Him there.
You cry out, "Where are you God? What kind of friend are you?
Why aren't you beside me now?" God says, I am with you.
I never left, you were the one who pushed me far away
You shut the door, you locked it tight and hid the key away.
So many times I called to you but you didn't want to hear
So many times I came to you but you didn't want me near
I sent my son to die for you and take away your sin
but you didn't care enough for Him to ever let Him in.
And you wonder why your life's a mess and in need of repair?
You try to blame it all on me? Do you really think that's fair?
In Times of Heat & Drought
Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. - Jeremiah 17:7-8
When I was thinking on this verse what spoke to me the most was, I will not fear when heat comes.
I do not have to fear when the heat comes, when the trials come, when the pressures of life come my way. Through it all I am promised life! As the leaf remains green so I remain alive in Him.
I also do not have to worry in times of drought. In those dry times when it seems I am not producing fruit. I am reminded of a tree in winter. On the outside it looks dead. It has no leaves, no fruit. But inside it is still producing and in it's due season will yield those leaves and fruit. If I put my trust in Him I will never cease from yielding fruit. And I must not lose hope when I can not see the outward appearances. I will not focus on what I can see with my eyes but on what is not seen yet.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
That is a great promise and one of God's treasures for us!
When I was thinking on this verse what spoke to me the most was, I will not fear when heat comes.
I do not have to fear when the heat comes, when the trials come, when the pressures of life come my way. Through it all I am promised life! As the leaf remains green so I remain alive in Him.
I also do not have to worry in times of drought. In those dry times when it seems I am not producing fruit. I am reminded of a tree in winter. On the outside it looks dead. It has no leaves, no fruit. But inside it is still producing and in it's due season will yield those leaves and fruit. If I put my trust in Him I will never cease from yielding fruit. And I must not lose hope when I can not see the outward appearances. I will not focus on what I can see with my eyes but on what is not seen yet.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
That is a great promise and one of God's treasures for us!
The Penalty of Sin
I remember once when I was on the bus I over heard part of a conversation. It was hard not to hear it because the lady speaking was quite loud. She was complaining to another lady about her father. She was saying he had this horrible disease but that he deserved everything he had and more for things he had done in the past.
My first thought was we all deserve death. We all do. The penalty of sin is death and we are all sinners. If you don't believe we are born in sin hang out with a room full of two-year olds for 8 hours. You will see it. You don't have to teach a two-year old how to be bad or do wrong things. It's in their nature as it is in all of us. Their reaction to everything is anger, fear, jealousy, disobedience, rebellion. They react in kicking, biting, pushing, hitting, temper tantrums. We have to teach our children what is right and how to respond in obedience, kindness, gentleness, patience, love, etc. So, knowing we are all sinners - we all deserve death.
All through the old testament (before Jesus) the penalty of sin was death. When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies they had to tie ropes around his ankles because if he entered with even one unholy thought he would fall down dead. They tied ropes around his ankles to drag him out. You may say well that was before grace & mercy. Well, in the book of Acts, Ananias and his wife sinned, lied, and tried to cover it up and they dropped down dead. And this was after Jesus died and grace and mercy entered the world.
The penalty for sin is death. It's only by God's grace that we live.
We must be so careful not to presume upon grace. It is only by the grace of God that we are here. Jesus died on the cross to protect us from God's wrath. And God loved us so much it pleased Him to crush Jesus for us. His love for us is incredible.
But do we love God enough to give up the things that offend Him? Can you honestly say to yourself I would have Jesus sit next to me and watch my favorite TV show with me or that movie? What is coming out of our mouths? Are we complaining, gossiping? What are our actions showing people? Are we trying to keep one foot in the world and still serve God? It can't be done.
I think about that line in Casting Crowns song, "Somewhere in the Middle" -
the God we want and the God who is.
In America we try to fit God into our worldly ways. We want what God has to offer in grace, mercy, unconditional love, healing, but we still want to keep all the comforts of the flesh. We want to be able to watch anything we want, have all the entertainment we want, eat all the junk food we want, we want popularity, status, power, we want to keep all our money & time to ourselves and yet try to fit God in there.
It doesn't work that way. If you truly love God you will hate what hurts Him. You will hate what offends Him. You will want no part of it. What He has to offer is so much better then what the world has to offer anyway. This world is fading away. It's temporary. Eternity is forever.
Lord, help me to never be a stumbling block for someone else!!! Help me truly run the race and only do what you call me to do. Help me be all you created me to be.
May we all truly understand the fear of the Lord. He is holy!
My first thought was we all deserve death. We all do. The penalty of sin is death and we are all sinners. If you don't believe we are born in sin hang out with a room full of two-year olds for 8 hours. You will see it. You don't have to teach a two-year old how to be bad or do wrong things. It's in their nature as it is in all of us. Their reaction to everything is anger, fear, jealousy, disobedience, rebellion. They react in kicking, biting, pushing, hitting, temper tantrums. We have to teach our children what is right and how to respond in obedience, kindness, gentleness, patience, love, etc. So, knowing we are all sinners - we all deserve death.
All through the old testament (before Jesus) the penalty of sin was death. When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies they had to tie ropes around his ankles because if he entered with even one unholy thought he would fall down dead. They tied ropes around his ankles to drag him out. You may say well that was before grace & mercy. Well, in the book of Acts, Ananias and his wife sinned, lied, and tried to cover it up and they dropped down dead. And this was after Jesus died and grace and mercy entered the world.
The penalty for sin is death. It's only by God's grace that we live.
We must be so careful not to presume upon grace. It is only by the grace of God that we are here. Jesus died on the cross to protect us from God's wrath. And God loved us so much it pleased Him to crush Jesus for us. His love for us is incredible.
But do we love God enough to give up the things that offend Him? Can you honestly say to yourself I would have Jesus sit next to me and watch my favorite TV show with me or that movie? What is coming out of our mouths? Are we complaining, gossiping? What are our actions showing people? Are we trying to keep one foot in the world and still serve God? It can't be done.
I think about that line in Casting Crowns song, "Somewhere in the Middle" -
the God we want and the God who is.
In America we try to fit God into our worldly ways. We want what God has to offer in grace, mercy, unconditional love, healing, but we still want to keep all the comforts of the flesh. We want to be able to watch anything we want, have all the entertainment we want, eat all the junk food we want, we want popularity, status, power, we want to keep all our money & time to ourselves and yet try to fit God in there.
It doesn't work that way. If you truly love God you will hate what hurts Him. You will hate what offends Him. You will want no part of it. What He has to offer is so much better then what the world has to offer anyway. This world is fading away. It's temporary. Eternity is forever.
Lord, help me to never be a stumbling block for someone else!!! Help me truly run the race and only do what you call me to do. Help me be all you created me to be.
May we all truly understand the fear of the Lord. He is holy!
Want to be Great - Be a Servant
A young man was just promoted to an junior executive position and was very proud about getting this new position. He now had his own new office, a nice desk, and his name on the door. On his first day on the job a man came into his office so trying to look impressive the young executive quickly picked up the telephone and acted like he was in an important conversation while he gestured to the man to have a seat until he was finished. After pretending to make a “big - deal” over the phone he hung up and looked at the man - patiently waiting for him. “Sorry about the wait, but I'm just so busy, now how can I help you?” To which the man replied, “Oh, that's ok, I'm just hear to - hook up your telephone.” - selected
One of the most difficult lessons Jesus disciples had to learn was that in the kingdom of God, position and power are not evidence of authority. Jesus warned His followers not to pattern their leadership after that of the Gentiles who "lorded over others” and not to act important. The example believers follow is that of Jesus himself who came as a servant and ministered to others, rather then having others wait on him. The Apostle Paul followed that same example.
This has been on my heart a lot lately. We need to be so careful of needing to feel important, needing to be recognized as someone great. Jesus said if you want to be great in God's kingdom be a servant to all.
Just a little thought for today :)
One of the most difficult lessons Jesus disciples had to learn was that in the kingdom of God, position and power are not evidence of authority. Jesus warned His followers not to pattern their leadership after that of the Gentiles who "lorded over others” and not to act important. The example believers follow is that of Jesus himself who came as a servant and ministered to others, rather then having others wait on him. The Apostle Paul followed that same example.
This has been on my heart a lot lately. We need to be so careful of needing to feel important, needing to be recognized as someone great. Jesus said if you want to be great in God's kingdom be a servant to all.
Just a little thought for today :)
Just Let me Help You
Many times the Lord speaks to me through one of my moments with a child. As I was sitting on a chair in the frame of the door of the potty I had such a moment. One of the children was finishing and was having trouble buttoning his pants. It was the kind of button that has to be pushed through a hole so it's difficult. He was struggling so I said, "Come here and I'll help you." Being a typical toddler he ignored me and kept on with the struggle. I said again, "Let me help you." Again he ignored me and started to get very frustrated. I was thinking if he'd just let me help him it would be done in seconds and he could go on and play. But instead he kept ignoring me until finally he was almost near tears. Finally he came over and let me help him.
During this whole ordeal the Lord was speaking to my heart. How many times have I been like that little child? How many times have I struggled in trying to do something without God? How many times have I thought, I can do it! I don't need Your help.
I realized I have done it more then I would like to admit.
And the whole time God was there saying, Just come over here and let me help you!
But I would continue on. Pushing through my own strength, failing, getting frustrated, until I was crying and calling out to God who picked me up and said, I've been here the whole time to help you. All you needed to do was come over to me.
It reminds me of a poem I heard a long time ago
As children bring their broken toys in tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God, Because he is my friend.
But then instead of leaving him to do His work alone,
I hung around and tried to help in ways that were my own.At last i snatched them back and cried,
"How could you be so slow?" "My child," he said,
"What could I do, you never did let go
Let us always remember that we do not need to do anything on our own or in our own strength. For in our strength we will fail but in Christ we can do all things!
During this whole ordeal the Lord was speaking to my heart. How many times have I been like that little child? How many times have I struggled in trying to do something without God? How many times have I thought, I can do it! I don't need Your help.
I realized I have done it more then I would like to admit.
And the whole time God was there saying, Just come over here and let me help you!
But I would continue on. Pushing through my own strength, failing, getting frustrated, until I was crying and calling out to God who picked me up and said, I've been here the whole time to help you. All you needed to do was come over to me.
It reminds me of a poem I heard a long time ago
As children bring their broken toys in tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God, Because he is my friend.
But then instead of leaving him to do His work alone,
I hung around and tried to help in ways that were my own.At last i snatched them back and cried,
"How could you be so slow?" "My child," he said,
"What could I do, you never did let go
Let us always remember that we do not need to do anything on our own or in our own strength. For in our strength we will fail but in Christ we can do all things!
Free from the Performance Trap
Because of the inability to freely receive love and acceptance, we can find ourselves driven to prove our worth, even to God. This will inevitably lead to embracing a false identity based on what we do. Be set free today. There is nothing you can do to earn His love.
If you have children do you expect them to earn your love? NO. You love them because they are yours. You love them when they make bad choices, when they mess up, when they are disobedient, rebellious, or even cause you pain. You never stop loving them. They are your children. Your heart may break for them but you NEVER stop loving them and you give them that love freely.
Then why is it so hard to understand? We are God's children. He LOVES us. And loves us even more then we can ever love. He loves us even when we are disobedient, rebellious, stubborn, make bad choices. He NEVER stops loving us. We can't earn His love. He just loves us because we are His.
We may break His heart but He doesn't ever stop loving us.
So, nothing you do, nothing you say, no matter what you try, nothing will make Him love you more then He already does.
Be set free. HE LOVES YOU! He does not show partiality, or favoritism.
He longs for us to be close to Him just as you would long for your children to be close to you.
Be set free from the performance trap. Be set free from the comparison trap.
Just freely receive His love ♥
If you have children do you expect them to earn your love? NO. You love them because they are yours. You love them when they make bad choices, when they mess up, when they are disobedient, rebellious, or even cause you pain. You never stop loving them. They are your children. Your heart may break for them but you NEVER stop loving them and you give them that love freely.
Then why is it so hard to understand? We are God's children. He LOVES us. And loves us even more then we can ever love. He loves us even when we are disobedient, rebellious, stubborn, make bad choices. He NEVER stops loving us. We can't earn His love. He just loves us because we are His.
We may break His heart but He doesn't ever stop loving us.
So, nothing you do, nothing you say, no matter what you try, nothing will make Him love you more then He already does.
Be set free. HE LOVES YOU! He does not show partiality, or favoritism.
He longs for us to be close to Him just as you would long for your children to be close to you.
Be set free from the performance trap. Be set free from the comparison trap.
Just freely receive His love ♥
WOAH!
Jesus prayed..
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. - John 17:22-23
WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! Did I read this right??? Jesus said that you may love them as you have loved me? God, the Father loves me as much as Jesus? The same????!!! Jesus is saying the Father loves us as much as Him?
But..Jesus is God's son. Jesus is God. He was perfect, sinless...
and yet He says this...
WOAH!!!! My head is spinning. Overwhelmed!
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. - John 17:22-23
WOAH! WOAH! WOAH! Did I read this right??? Jesus said that you may love them as you have loved me? God, the Father loves me as much as Jesus? The same????!!! Jesus is saying the Father loves us as much as Him?
But..Jesus is God's son. Jesus is God. He was perfect, sinless...
and yet He says this...
WOAH!!!! My head is spinning. Overwhelmed!
Power in Praise!
During the Friday night service while I was at a youth convention I saw a young boy who looked like his world had fallen apart. He is 12 years old. He wasn't from my church but I know him from kid's camp. When I asked him what was wrong he told me he had just received word that his grandmother had died. He was very close to his grandmother. So, here he was in Syracuse, miles from his family, and just recieved the news that someone he loved very much had passed away. But yet in his tears and brokeness he pressed through to worship the Lord.
My mind quickly went to Paul and Silas. There they were in that prison cell, in their darkest moment, beaten, bleeding, and near death, and yet they chose to worship. And so, here was my young friend, in his darkest moment, his heart broken and bleeding with pain with this horrible loss, and yet he chose to worship.
No matter what our circumstances are we can always choose to worship. Our God is worthy of praise no matter what is happening around us. Maybe we have lost a loved one, maybe we are near death, maybe we are in a battle, maybe we lost our job, maybe it seems like all hope is lost, but my friends..there is power in praise!
The true victory is in praise and worship. We don't praise because of good things happening to us - we praise because HE IS WORTHY OF PRAISE! It is as simple as that. Yes, we can jump up and down and thank Him for answered prayers and rejoice in moments of happiness but our joy shouldn't be based on our circumstances EVER!
Our joy can not be robbed because it simply comes from knowing Him. Knowing He paid it all! Knowing He won the victory for us! Knowing He loves us with a love that is greater then anything we could ever understand.
My young friend was strengthened, his heart was comforted because he made the best choice. He chose to worship and praise. He chose to look upon Jesus and not his circumstances.
That 12 year old boy is a hero in my eyes and I will not soon forget. When I am tempted to look at my circumstances, when I am tempted to say I am too weak to praise, when I am tempted to be depressed, I will remember him. I will remember that he chose to praise God after receiving the worst news of his life.
And a little child shall lead...
My mind quickly went to Paul and Silas. There they were in that prison cell, in their darkest moment, beaten, bleeding, and near death, and yet they chose to worship. And so, here was my young friend, in his darkest moment, his heart broken and bleeding with pain with this horrible loss, and yet he chose to worship.
No matter what our circumstances are we can always choose to worship. Our God is worthy of praise no matter what is happening around us. Maybe we have lost a loved one, maybe we are near death, maybe we are in a battle, maybe we lost our job, maybe it seems like all hope is lost, but my friends..there is power in praise!
The true victory is in praise and worship. We don't praise because of good things happening to us - we praise because HE IS WORTHY OF PRAISE! It is as simple as that. Yes, we can jump up and down and thank Him for answered prayers and rejoice in moments of happiness but our joy shouldn't be based on our circumstances EVER!
Our joy can not be robbed because it simply comes from knowing Him. Knowing He paid it all! Knowing He won the victory for us! Knowing He loves us with a love that is greater then anything we could ever understand.
My young friend was strengthened, his heart was comforted because he made the best choice. He chose to worship and praise. He chose to look upon Jesus and not his circumstances.
That 12 year old boy is a hero in my eyes and I will not soon forget. When I am tempted to look at my circumstances, when I am tempted to say I am too weak to praise, when I am tempted to be depressed, I will remember him. I will remember that he chose to praise God after receiving the worst news of his life.
And a little child shall lead...
What Would it Look Like?
Lately I have been feeling so convicted of how I spend my time. Then I was thinking, what would it be like? What would it be like if we knew Jesus was coming back in one year? How would that change what we are doing? Would we work harder at knowing God's Word? Would we be more willing to share Christ with a neighbor? Would we be more willing to fast and pray for the lost? What if we knew for sure He was coming back in 6 months, or three? What would that look like in our lives? Would we take every hour we have more seriously? Would we be careful not to waste the time we have with meaningless entertainment or things that have no value in the kingdom of God? Would we be more careful to watch what comes out of our mouths? What would it look like if we knew this was our last day and Jesus was coming back tomorrow? Would we not hesitate to get on our knees and spend time with Him in the secret place? What would that sort of knowledge change in the way we conduct ourselves, would it change what we say, what we watch, how we treat others?
Well, Jesus IS coming back and He is coming back soon. We may not know the day nor the hour but He is coming. It could be in a year, it could be in a few months, or even tomorrow. We do not know....
I keep thinking about the ten foolish virgins that Jesus spoke about. The ones who let their oil run out and missed entering in. Lord, help us not to miss it!
What would it look like if the church started acting like Jesus was coming back tomorrow?
** **
So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. - Matthew 25:13
Well, Jesus IS coming back and He is coming back soon. We may not know the day nor the hour but He is coming. It could be in a year, it could be in a few months, or even tomorrow. We do not know....
I keep thinking about the ten foolish virgins that Jesus spoke about. The ones who let their oil run out and missed entering in. Lord, help us not to miss it!
What would it look like if the church started acting like Jesus was coming back tomorrow?
** **
So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. - Matthew 25:13
Trust God not Man
One thing I know as I have gotten older is that God will truly never fail me.
I have had best friends but they have failed
I have had relationships but they have failed
I have been in the "inner circle" but it failed
I have had jobs but they failed
I owned a business but it is no more
The one thing that stands out to me is the things of this world will fail. They will pass away. They will fade.
Yet in our humanity we still seek popularity, strive for status and high positions, seek for fame and riches.
But all that will fail, will fade, will come to nothing.
The one thing that brings me comfort is to know that even if there is no one who wants to spend time with me or gets excited to see me, even if there is no one who wants to hear from me or speak with me, or finds any value in me....it doesn't matter!
It doesn't matter because the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the creator of everything..HE wants to spend time with me. He wants to hear from me. He wants to speak with me. He sees value in me. He has a purpose and a plan for me. He loves me. And HE WILL NEVER FAIL ME!
How incredible it is to know.
In Isaiah 2:22 it says: Don't put your trust in mere humans. They are as fail as breath. What good are they?
It is clear that we are to put our trust in God and God alone. Yet in our humanity we are always wanting to be someone in the eyes of other people. Always seeking to be with those who have some sort of status or popularity. Always trying to please people.
Maybe we should spend more time trying to please God.
Just a thought...
I have had best friends but they have failed
I have had relationships but they have failed
I have been in the "inner circle" but it failed
I have had jobs but they failed
I owned a business but it is no more
The one thing that stands out to me is the things of this world will fail. They will pass away. They will fade.
Yet in our humanity we still seek popularity, strive for status and high positions, seek for fame and riches.
But all that will fail, will fade, will come to nothing.
The one thing that brings me comfort is to know that even if there is no one who wants to spend time with me or gets excited to see me, even if there is no one who wants to hear from me or speak with me, or finds any value in me....it doesn't matter!
It doesn't matter because the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the creator of everything..HE wants to spend time with me. He wants to hear from me. He wants to speak with me. He sees value in me. He has a purpose and a plan for me. He loves me. And HE WILL NEVER FAIL ME!
How incredible it is to know.
In Isaiah 2:22 it says: Don't put your trust in mere humans. They are as fail as breath. What good are they?
It is clear that we are to put our trust in God and God alone. Yet in our humanity we are always wanting to be someone in the eyes of other people. Always seeking to be with those who have some sort of status or popularity. Always trying to please people.
Maybe we should spend more time trying to please God.
Just a thought...
Who's Your Daddy?
Wow! Wow! Wow! That is all I can say when talking about my daddy, my Abba Father!
I have struggled for so long to grasp this unconditional love, this amazing father's love. I have known in my head for ever so long that His love is real and available for me but my heart could not grasp it. My heart was so wounded from so many years of dissapointments and rejection. Never having the example of a father's love in my earthly father it has been so difficult for me. I really need to experience love in tangable ways. I have told this to the Lord so many times and He has answered!
I have been out of work since January 6th and God has constantly provided for my needs. Back in April I put my complete faith in God because I was leaving for convention the next day and I was broke. Our meals were not covered so I prayed - Lord, You are my provider and I put my trust in you! If I need to eat you will provide and if I need to fast you will give me the strength to endure. Thursday when I got to church a parent came up to me and gave me a card. Inside the card was $50! She told me the Lord compelled her to give it. Our God is the bomb.com!! Not only was it more then enough for my meals but I also was able to refill money on my cell phone!! How great is my Father! He provides!
But the best part was this past weekend at convention the Lord healed my heart of every road block that has stood in the way of accepting Him as my Father. That total abandonment. Truly trusting Him in my heart and KNOWING beyond a shadow of a doubt that He really loves me. He loves me just the way that I am. He loves me no matter how many times I fall down. He loves me when I make promises I can't keep. He loves me when I give into my own desires. He comes running the minute I cry out to Him. He has been showing me He will provide, He will take care of me, He is truly the Father to the fatherless!!! He showed me a picture of a baby learning to walk. No matter how many times the baby falls down the parent lovingly helps the child back up and encourages them to try again. God knows I will try and I will fail but He always encourages me to get back up and try again! And He never ever stops loving me no matter how many times I fall!
Oh how I love my daddy! He is making ALL things new! ALL things! All things in my family, in my finances, in my body, in my heart, in my mind, in my relationships with friends. He is delivering me from my addictions, hang ups, habits I can't break but through Him I WILL OVERCOME!
Do you know my daddy? OH HOW HE LOVES ME!!!!
The biggest breakthrough I had this past weekend at convention was truly seeing that He is a personal God. The way He loves me He can love everyone. He is big enough to do that! Perhaps in my heart I put Him in a box, thought maybe He can't love me the way He loves someone else or does He really care about every detail? But HE IS BIG ENOUGH!!! He is big enough and strong enough to let me sit at the table with Him as long as I want and can still do it for thousands of others. He is beyond incredible!
OH how I love my Abba Father!
It is my prayer that you can know Him, too ♥♥♥
Who's your daddy?
I have struggled for so long to grasp this unconditional love, this amazing father's love. I have known in my head for ever so long that His love is real and available for me but my heart could not grasp it. My heart was so wounded from so many years of dissapointments and rejection. Never having the example of a father's love in my earthly father it has been so difficult for me. I really need to experience love in tangable ways. I have told this to the Lord so many times and He has answered!
I have been out of work since January 6th and God has constantly provided for my needs. Back in April I put my complete faith in God because I was leaving for convention the next day and I was broke. Our meals were not covered so I prayed - Lord, You are my provider and I put my trust in you! If I need to eat you will provide and if I need to fast you will give me the strength to endure. Thursday when I got to church a parent came up to me and gave me a card. Inside the card was $50! She told me the Lord compelled her to give it. Our God is the bomb.com!! Not only was it more then enough for my meals but I also was able to refill money on my cell phone!! How great is my Father! He provides!
But the best part was this past weekend at convention the Lord healed my heart of every road block that has stood in the way of accepting Him as my Father. That total abandonment. Truly trusting Him in my heart and KNOWING beyond a shadow of a doubt that He really loves me. He loves me just the way that I am. He loves me no matter how many times I fall down. He loves me when I make promises I can't keep. He loves me when I give into my own desires. He comes running the minute I cry out to Him. He has been showing me He will provide, He will take care of me, He is truly the Father to the fatherless!!! He showed me a picture of a baby learning to walk. No matter how many times the baby falls down the parent lovingly helps the child back up and encourages them to try again. God knows I will try and I will fail but He always encourages me to get back up and try again! And He never ever stops loving me no matter how many times I fall!
Oh how I love my daddy! He is making ALL things new! ALL things! All things in my family, in my finances, in my body, in my heart, in my mind, in my relationships with friends. He is delivering me from my addictions, hang ups, habits I can't break but through Him I WILL OVERCOME!
Do you know my daddy? OH HOW HE LOVES ME!!!!
The biggest breakthrough I had this past weekend at convention was truly seeing that He is a personal God. The way He loves me He can love everyone. He is big enough to do that! Perhaps in my heart I put Him in a box, thought maybe He can't love me the way He loves someone else or does He really care about every detail? But HE IS BIG ENOUGH!!! He is big enough and strong enough to let me sit at the table with Him as long as I want and can still do it for thousands of others. He is beyond incredible!
OH how I love my Abba Father!
It is my prayer that you can know Him, too ♥♥♥
Who's your daddy?
The Power of Prayer
think the biggest thing we fight against in America is complacency.
My dictionary defines complacency this way, “self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual danger or deficiencies”.
satan wants us to be complacent.
We must take a stand for God! ... We have become complacent. ... Our nation does not do the Law of God.
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. - Ezekiel 22:30
Right now, God is searching for people who will be an extension of Himself. He is looking for a people who are willing to stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the Nation.
We need people who are willing to give up their lives to intercede and pray. We must build up the wall of righteousness around this Nation and restore the things of God. God is calling out for His Church to become a house of prayer. We, as the people of God, must respond and devote our lives to intercession and prayer. We can no longer live for ourselves, and allow the house of God to lay in ruins as a result of our unfaithfulness and disinterest in the things of God.
Christianity has lost its power. We have become solely a people of morality. As great and necessary as morality is, it will not change the Nation. We need to become a people known for more than our morality; we need to become a people identified by the presence and power of God. We so desperately need to have God’s presence and power in our midst and in us. We must give the world what they do not have.
How do we get more of the presence and power of God? It is by prayer and intercession that God’s presence and power increases. It is vital that we, as believers, learn to pray and intercede for the Church, the Nation, and the overall increase of the power and presence of God.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14
God is still calling out for His people to pray and seek His face, and He remains faithful to His promise even now, if we choose to respond. Will you respond to the call to stand in the gap and bring healing to the Nation?
My dictionary defines complacency this way, “self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual danger or deficiencies”.
satan wants us to be complacent.
We must take a stand for God! ... We have become complacent. ... Our nation does not do the Law of God.
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. - Ezekiel 22:30
Right now, God is searching for people who will be an extension of Himself. He is looking for a people who are willing to stand in the gap before Him on behalf of the Nation.
We need people who are willing to give up their lives to intercede and pray. We must build up the wall of righteousness around this Nation and restore the things of God. God is calling out for His Church to become a house of prayer. We, as the people of God, must respond and devote our lives to intercession and prayer. We can no longer live for ourselves, and allow the house of God to lay in ruins as a result of our unfaithfulness and disinterest in the things of God.
Christianity has lost its power. We have become solely a people of morality. As great and necessary as morality is, it will not change the Nation. We need to become a people known for more than our morality; we need to become a people identified by the presence and power of God. We so desperately need to have God’s presence and power in our midst and in us. We must give the world what they do not have.
How do we get more of the presence and power of God? It is by prayer and intercession that God’s presence and power increases. It is vital that we, as believers, learn to pray and intercede for the Church, the Nation, and the overall increase of the power and presence of God.
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. - 2 Chronicles 7:14
God is still calling out for His people to pray and seek His face, and He remains faithful to His promise even now, if we choose to respond. Will you respond to the call to stand in the gap and bring healing to the Nation?
Amazing Love ♥
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
God is Love, and His love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. We didn't have to get clean, and we didn't have to make any promises to God before we could experience His love. His love for us has always existed, and because of that, He did all the giving and sacrificing long before we were even aware that we needed His love.
Amazing love, how can it be
That you My king would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
It's my joy to honor you
In all I do I honor you
I have such a struggle and difficult time understanding this sort of love. I have an even harder time receiving it. My whole life I have been programed to believe love must be earned. If I worked hard enough or was perfect enough then maybe I would be accepted. And even then there were times I wasn't..
Unconditional love - it's like a foreign language. So strange and unfamiliar. It's hard to accept someone could love me that way. Especially when I can't even love myself that way. But how amazing. God loves me when I fail. He loves me when I succeed. He loves me even when I push Him away or ignore Him. He comes running with excitement when I come back. He loves me enough to correct me, to discipline me, to guide me, to protect me. He loves me through my temper tantrums. He loves me no matter what I look like, sound like. No matter what I do, think, or say - He loves me!!!
I saw an example of this once. A little girl at my church came running in to see her dad. She was a little sad because she had gotten into trouble at school. Her dad spoke softly to her about doing better and then he swept her off her feet and embraced her. I couldn't help burst into tears. I never experienced that with my own father. It was always criticism and then praise only if I did something right. And never embraced or held.
Maybe that is why I struggle here. I believe in my mind that God's love is real and for me but my heart is guarded and afraid.
But, I must keep telling myself over and over again - I CAN NOT EARN IT!!! He simply loves me JUST BECAUSE. There is nothing I can do or say that will make Him love me more then He already does. And the point is I don't deserve it but He loves me regardless. Christ died for us while we were still sinners. We didn't have to get clean first.
I keep thinking about the story of the prodigal son. The father came running to meet his son and embraced him. Put a ring on his finger, gave him a robe, and threw a party. That is our God! That is our father!!!
Oh Amazing Love!!!!! ♥ ♥ ♥
Suddenly I see
God is Love, and His love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. We didn't have to get clean, and we didn't have to make any promises to God before we could experience His love. His love for us has always existed, and because of that, He did all the giving and sacrificing long before we were even aware that we needed His love.
Amazing love, how can it be
That you My king would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
It's my joy to honor you
In all I do I honor you
I have such a struggle and difficult time understanding this sort of love. I have an even harder time receiving it. My whole life I have been programed to believe love must be earned. If I worked hard enough or was perfect enough then maybe I would be accepted. And even then there were times I wasn't..
Unconditional love - it's like a foreign language. So strange and unfamiliar. It's hard to accept someone could love me that way. Especially when I can't even love myself that way. But how amazing. God loves me when I fail. He loves me when I succeed. He loves me even when I push Him away or ignore Him. He comes running with excitement when I come back. He loves me enough to correct me, to discipline me, to guide me, to protect me. He loves me through my temper tantrums. He loves me no matter what I look like, sound like. No matter what I do, think, or say - He loves me!!!
I saw an example of this once. A little girl at my church came running in to see her dad. She was a little sad because she had gotten into trouble at school. Her dad spoke softly to her about doing better and then he swept her off her feet and embraced her. I couldn't help burst into tears. I never experienced that with my own father. It was always criticism and then praise only if I did something right. And never embraced or held.
Maybe that is why I struggle here. I believe in my mind that God's love is real and for me but my heart is guarded and afraid.
But, I must keep telling myself over and over again - I CAN NOT EARN IT!!! He simply loves me JUST BECAUSE. There is nothing I can do or say that will make Him love me more then He already does. And the point is I don't deserve it but He loves me regardless. Christ died for us while we were still sinners. We didn't have to get clean first.
I keep thinking about the story of the prodigal son. The father came running to meet his son and embraced him. Put a ring on his finger, gave him a robe, and threw a party. That is our God! That is our father!!!
Oh Amazing Love!!!!! ♥ ♥ ♥
Suddenly I see
Beauty from Ashes
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. —Isaiah 61:3.
I am sure that there are many ideas about what beauty from ashes is all about but I am just sharing what the Lord ministered to me. ☺
Everyday when I make the exchange I am overwhelmed. All I can give the Lord is my pain, my failures, my hurts, my disappointments, my bitterness, my anger, my loneliness, my unbelief, my anxiety, my fear, my doubts. He takes all that and in exchange He gives me Joy, Peace, Love, Forgiveness, Courage, Protection, Restoration, Healing, Faith, Compassion, Grace, Mercy..
What have I done to deserve it??
NOTHING!
He just freely gives it. He truly takes my ashes and in return gives me beauty.
What an amazing God we serve!!!
I am sure that there are many ideas about what beauty from ashes is all about but I am just sharing what the Lord ministered to me. ☺
Everyday when I make the exchange I am overwhelmed. All I can give the Lord is my pain, my failures, my hurts, my disappointments, my bitterness, my anger, my loneliness, my unbelief, my anxiety, my fear, my doubts. He takes all that and in exchange He gives me Joy, Peace, Love, Forgiveness, Courage, Protection, Restoration, Healing, Faith, Compassion, Grace, Mercy..
What have I done to deserve it??
NOTHING!
He just freely gives it. He truly takes my ashes and in return gives me beauty.
What an amazing God we serve!!!
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