Progress

You know how you get a song stuck in your mind?  Well that was me yesterday. The good part is that it was a Christian song, so at least it did some good!

Like I spoke about yesterday, I believe the Lord is asking me to focus more on the bigger picture of His kingdom than the more limited focus of my own spiritual well-being.  While well  intentioned (necessary, and even Biblical) , my desire for my own spiritual growth can take my eyes off doing God's larger work.

So back to the song.  And the progress.  One of the ways I think we can advance the kingdom of God is to show love and kindness to one another, especially in a place of darkness.  As I was working yesterday, I kept hearing the words of a song flow through my head...."with every act of love, you bring the kingdom come" and "God put a million million doors in the world for His love to walk through, one of those doors is you."  So by sharing  this love, being kind to another, we can bring God's touch to the lives around us.  I have a particular co-worker who seems to have such a hard time coping.  I can choose to either add to his burden or by God's grace and plan lighten it, making at least some of his time at work just a little bit easier.  That's working for the kingdom.  Sharing God's love.  It pushes back the dark (which brings to mind another song....lol), shines His light.  And hopefully gets people to wonder and ask questions that lead to sharing the Gospel.

My spiritual growth is important.  So is yours.  God wants us to grow in knowledge, add to our faith, find our spiritual gifts and walk in them.  I am just thinking that if I focus more upward and outward, God will take care of the growth in me.  As I continue to study and spend time in His presence He equips me for the work, changes me into a warrior for the kingdom.  And you know what, last night at work I felt more peaceful than I have in a long, long time. That is victory.  That's progress!  Thank You Lord

Lord, show me ways to bring Your love to the world around me.  Show me how to share the Gospel in word and deed today.  Open my heart and my eyes.  Be glorified.  In Jesus name.


                             

Another Hard Question !!

Reading the commentary in my Bible on Daniel 7 another one of those "God Questions" came to mind.  It spoke on how many believe this passage to be speaking about believers being in a spiritual battle.  And of course we all know that we are.  But the thought came to me, how much is my focus on my personal spiritual battle and my spiritual growth instead of being on the battle to see people won for the Lord.  My focus seems to be on me and my instead of on the kingdom.  That is the real battle.  Fighting for the kingdom of God and His agenda.  Hmmmmmmm

Trust is the Theme

Trust continually keeps popping up.  Yesterday's devotional spoke of trusting even though we do not always see resolutions to our difficulties in this world.

John 16:33  These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. 

In the Bible study we are doing in Mark, the question was asked;  " What sort of things do you think kept the disciples from recognizing who Jesus was?  What keeps us from trusting Him today?  Again, this pointed my thinking to trust. Why do I struggle with it.  Do I not know who God is?  What He is?

And on to today's daily devotional...."Trust is the golden pathway to Heaven."

I am grateful that the Lord is not letting this go.  I am even grateful for the visits of difficulties that are teaching me to trust Him and His goodness more.  Like when Spot disappeared.  I want to walk that golden pathway to heaven.  Leaning on, trusting in and going forward hand in hand with Jesus.

Help me to trust You today.  Help me to trust You more.  Help me to focus on my need of You each moment, trusting You with each second, whether things are going smoothly or when the road is rocky and pitted.  Lord, let me be aware You are always with me, and always working all things out for good.

Romans 8:28  And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  

 

Mom's Journal - Check Our Speech

Ugh.  I can remember hearing this from my Mom all the time...."It's the way you say things!"  Here she journaled about it and I share that memory with you.

Tone Check
Colossians 4:2-6  Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.  Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.  Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.  Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. 

Always be careful how we sound when we speak.

Think about the times we have reacted harshly instead of listening first and later regretted the words I had spoken.

vs 6  Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Grace - with kindness

from me:

Just a small entry.  But I can tell you, this was very important to her.  We locked horns on it so many times.  I being a more gruff speaking person, she a gentler, kinder speaker.  I am glad that the Lord brought this to my memory today.  I had forgotten all about it and I know my speech has suffered because of the lapse.

Lord, help me to speak kindly, gently to others.  Sometimes it's not so much as what I say that shares Your love, but how I say it.  You told us to do unto others, help me to expand that to speak unto others as I would like them to speak to me. Let Your love and grace shine through.

Another Question

Another tough question was posed to me by the Lord today.  What do I depend on?  My devotional spoke of depending solely on Jesus.  At first, I was quick to dismiss this reading.  I depend on Jesus.  No problem here.  But then the question came strongly into my head.  And I had to pull up short on my dismissal.  Do I really depend on Jesus?  Or do I depend on myself, my job, my husband....do I find my security in those things?  Do I depend on life to go on as it always has? What happens if it doesn't? Do I take for granted the way my body works, the way society is relatively stable, that I have a job to go to, a church to attend...?

I am happy that there are many areas in my life I do depend on Jesus.  And more and more I am leaning on Him to get me through my day.  Even in the few short weeks the Holy Spirit has been working on me with the trust thing, I have noticed a difference in my work attitude as I depend on Him to help keep my eyes on Jesus.  It's getting better !!  Yaaay.  I am learning through my readings and prayer time and writing this blog to keep Jesus always before me.

I still have a ways to go.  So as I continue to meditate on this question, I see ways I  look elsewhere for security and satisfaction.   I certainly look for acceptance from others sometimes over pleasing Him.  I look for satisfaction in food or coffee rather than finding my fulfillment in Jesus.  There are so many ways to go outside depending in God....I'm sure you could find the areas in your own life where this is so.

Everything, from the movement of our bodies and our breath itself, the job that we have, the family we love, all come from Him.  He is our completeness, and our completer.  So my visit today was another question and with that question came realization that there are some ways I need to refocus my dependence on the Lord.  What an awesome thought, everything Jesus.  What an awesome way to live.  Press on everyone!!

Deuteronomy 33:27a  The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you.

Hard Questions

You all know God has me working on trust this year.  And it is a recurring theme in a good portion of my reading, devotionals and prayers.  And as I wrote on Sunday, I was sorely tested in this are regarding my cat going missing for a while.
 
Today's devotional reading had a line in it..."Don't try to figure out what is happening, simply trust me and thank me in advance for the good that will come out of it all."  The reference verse for this passage was Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you", says the Lord, "Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." 

So the question came to me, "Do I really believe that?"  Do I really believe God thinks good things for me, not evil.  And unfortunately I have to answer that a lot of the time, I don't think that way.  I think more like a spoiled child, telling Him His way is not fair and I don't like it.  I forget that He always always always wants the best for me and acts in a way that brings about good for me and gives Him glory.

That's twice now in the last 2 days the Lord has posed some very hard questions to me.  Yesterday I read a devotional where the topic was on loving others.  And it called for us to love others expecting nothing in return.  So the question came into my mind..."Can I love others and do good to them and expect nothing in return?"  That is a really tough question.  So often at work I question why people can't do the "right thing."  I think what the question really should be is can I do the "right thing?"  Can I do what God says, knowing that there are people who are always going to try to get out of working, leave messes, and not finish their jobs?  Can I be loving anyway?

Two really good, really tough questions were my God visits the last couple of days.  And they will be running around my head for some time to come.  Lord help me to be pleasing to You in these areas.  To trust when I can't understand or see, to do good even when all around me seems wrong.  Help me to love with Your love.

Spotty's Miracle

We lost him.  For almost 2 hours we called and searched.  My cat Spot had disappeared.  Spotty goes out in the mornings and early afternoon.  I call him in usually around 1 and he comes.  He's a smart boy.  He knows it's time to eat! But yesterday was different.  He didn't come.  I called and called and still he didn't come home.  My heart was sick.  I felt queasy.  I thought perhaps he got locked in someone's basement or garage.  We went to the neighboring houses asking after him.  Nothing.  No one had seen him or been in a basement or garage that morning.   So I called on my dear friend for prayer.  I was sobbing as I related my need for God's help.  Of course right after we hung up the phone she spread the word.  Getting the prayer warriors on board.

I decided I would go back to the kitten shelter I volunteer at on Saturdays.  My thinking was that maybe Spot decided to hitch a ride on my spare tire that hangs under my truck and he ended up over there.  So I went back to the truck, ready to head over there when I decided to call out a few more times.  And then I hear him.  MEOW!!!  MEOW!!! There is a small wooded area across from my house, my husband and I had searched there 10 times already, including going to the streets on the other side on foot and by car. .  But this time something happened. MEOW!!!  I got a response to my call.  And my friends had gotten a response to their prayers.  Poor Spot had gotten himself locked behind a neighbors gated back yard.  The fence was one of those tall vinyl ones that he couldn't get over or under.  My little guy was wide eyed with fear, grungy and looking like the street cat he used to be, but was unhurt and running home as fast as he could.  All that drama didn't hurt his appetite any....he went right to the food bowl as soon as he got in the door.  Never mind his traumatized parents who were searching high and low for him for the last almost 2 hours!!!

In just over 5 minutes after my phone call asking for prayer, God answered!!  It's amazing.  We had been in front of that very house calling a few times in the previous 2 hours.  But this time....God!!!

It's funny, as I have been chronicling over the last few weeks, I've been working on this trust thing,  but I never thought I'd be tested so thoroughly!  This week I lost my ID badge at work, and worked hard on not getting upset or crazy over it, but just kept trusting God with whatever answer he had in mind.  Either I would find it or I would pay to get a new one, Either way His plan was fine with me. But this, this I didn't think I could get through this if it didn't turn out good.  But I kept repeating to myself and to the Lord that I trusted Him, He is good and does only good.  I praised Him through the tears as I searched for my baby.  I didn't know what the outcome would be.  And I am so grateful, beyond words grateful that Spot is fine and from now on, an indoor only kitty.  And I am grateful too that the Lord has worked on my heart enough to praise Him during this horribly frightening time.

I cannot thank You Lord enough.  I cannot, beyond any words, express how filled with joy and gratitude I am that Spot is safely home with his family.  And I am so pleased with the progress You've made in my heart this week.  I can trust You.  These things that happen help us to grow.  I am so blessed for the wonderful Christian family You have given me.  Thank You.

"Rehearsing your trouble results in experiencing them many times...."  Ever read one little sentence or phrase and it just starts a flood of thoughts and ideas?  That happened to me this morning as I read that phrase in my "Jesus Calling" devotional.  It was like the proverbial light bulb going off over my head.

Why do we do this?  Why do I do this?  Rehearse or rehash troubles over and over again in my head.  And its not just problems I am facing, but things that have happened in the past, bad judgement, conversations....I should have done this, said that...

Why instead do I not rehearse the good things that are in my life, coming up or in the past?  The right choices, the times God has made a special provision. Enjoyable things, victories, don't seem to get near enough play in our heads as do our dreads and missteps.

This goes along with the thoughts that begin with, "I always...It never...God doesn't...."   Rehearsing the negative.  It's no wonder the Bible tells us to renew our minds!!  We need it!!

I spoke a few days back about thoughts riding around in my head as if on a model train, round and round the same track.  The circumstances may vary but fears of the future, mistakes and grievances from the past all spin round on that well worn track.  "I should have....Why doesn't it....God didn't...."

It is so important to stop this pattern.  Victory will come when I develop a new mindset, a positive thought pattern.  This is where I begin to build trust and learn to choose faith.  Thankfulness instead of the "what ifs" and the "I should have."

And amazingly the verse that went with this reading.....of course, it was Matthew 11:28-30  Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.  You will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.  

In my Bible I referenced Isaiah 53:4 next to the Matthew verse.  Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.  Yet we esteemed Him stricken. Smitten by God and afflicted.  

By rehearsing the junk, the bad stuff I am just carrying things I was never meant to.  Conversations that went wrong, problems in the present, worries for the future....all of that Jesus took upon Himself.  Staying on this same track in our heads may feel comfortable, normal for us.  But it is not helpful.  The "normal" track we ride on is dark and littered with the trash of regret, negativity and fear, it covers the same ground again and again.  But the new track, the one our Father wants us on is clear, the landscape pristine and it moves in one direction - up.   We may not be able to see far ahead, but we need only focus on our conductor - Jesus.

Thank You Lord for this thought provoking reading I did today.  Help me to let go of the bad, the negative and rehash the good stuff you send into my life, the provisions and the blessings, the victories and the learning.  Lord, it's so hard change the way I think, but I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Thank You.  Please remind me of this all the time!!!

Mouth Control

In my truck driving to do some quick work on the church bulletin boards this morning, I ran into a driver who I decided was unfit to be on the road.  You know them....they are all over....out there driving in front of us, doing  things that just completely baffle and irritate.  Now, one of my "areas that need work" is the bad habit of complaining about these other travelers I share the roadways with (and there in lies the problem....why do I have to share the roadway anyway!!! LOL)

So, of course this person did something I didn't approve of.  Or so I thought.  I'm saying to myself, "why doesn't this person just go around the turning vehicle in front of him, what's he waiting for anyway!!" ( I did mention I was on my way to do work for God at the church, right!  LOL)  Only to then notice that he too was making a turn....gee I guess that's why he didn't go around the turning car in front.  LOL  Okay, not to be put off with my complaining....I started to say (and yes I am saying it out loud at this point) something else about this person's driving decisions, and I couldn't.  Literally the words coming out of my mouth were garbling up, just stumbling over my tongue....I couldn't get the words to say anything intelligible!  Do ya think God was trying to tell me something.  It's like He just sat down and grabbed my lips and made me unable to speak sensibly, which I wasn't going to be  doing anyway because what complaining is actually sensible!

Ok, I said this area was a definite work in progress, and I thank You Lord for doing this today.  I pray that I will continue to work with You in this area.  And get better and better at being  patient and seeing others with a kind spirit.

Mom's Journal - Burdens

Burdens.  Who among us doesn't have something to contend with.  To carry heavy in our hearts?  They tire us, distress us, make us cry out in anger or weep in despair.  Sometimes we just bear them silently, stoically.  But we were never meant to carry our burdens alone.  Let's see what Mom had to say about them in her journal.

Burden - hard to bear, some things, cares, work, duty, sorrow, et al.

Matthew 11:28-30  Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light.  

Jesus calls us to His way, for it is not a burden.  It is an open, free and loyal righteousness.

vs 28:  Come to Me (Jesus), all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (cease from toil, worries, etc.)

vs 29:  Take My yoke upon...and you will find rest..

vs 30:  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Easy - service to Jesus is not a burden.  It is built on a relationship, a personal relationship with God.

Give it over to Jesus - trust Him.

From me:

I read a devotional today and it talked of keeping focus on Jesus as we walk across the waters.  The waves are high around us and when we focus on them we sink.  When you think about it, if we are carrying around a bunch of junk, our burdens, we will sink even faster.  What a picture.  Your'e walking across the water of life, carrying a load of suitcases and sacks filled with your worries, trials and problems. Maybe you even have some from other people you think you need to carry. Your eyes dart around and around, fearfully looking at the waves and as you listen to the howling wind....of course, you sink!!

Jesus tells us to take only what He desires us to carry....It doesn't say that we are to pick up the problems of this life.  But the yoke of Jesus.  We have a job and a purpose that we are to be working on with Him.  That is what  we are called to bear.  And with that in mind, we walk with Him across the sea of troubles, focused solely on Him following as He leads us in our destiny.  Now that's the way to go!!

Lord, help me to lay all my concerns down.  To leave them at the Cross and walk with my eyes on You.  Thank You for this lesson on burdens.  Thank You for once again reminding me, us, that we were never meant to carry the cares of this life alone.

One

Mark 5:1-17  So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil[b] spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. 3 This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.

6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. 7 With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”

9 Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”

And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10 Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.

11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”

13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16 Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.


This is one of my favorite of Jesus' miracle.  This poor man, living alone, outcast in a graveyard among the dead. Hurting, physically, emotionally, mentally.  It's heartbreaking.  No comfort or company.  Void of love and even the living.  But God....  It's a wonderful story of Jesus' deliverance.  But I realized something pretty amazing as I reread this account for our Sunday morning Bible study recently.  One.  That man was the one.  The one Jesus came for.

Jesus knew that the people in that area would not accept His presence.  He knew they would send Him away.  Yet still He stopped there anyway.  He heard the cry of the one.  And He came.  And He healed and delivered.  He came for one man.   And He hears your cry. And my cry.  He hears us, as individuals, as "ones."  The ones He loves.

Luke 15:4-5  What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not  leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it.  And  when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  

So God reminded me in this visit, of His love for each of us as individuals.  His care is personal and specific to each of our  needs, each cry of our hearts.  He hears and comes for the one.  We are the one.

Little Visits

My computer has been down.  A bit frustrating.  It's amazing how attached we become to these little boxes of plastic and wires and whatever else they are made of!!  So I have a series of visits to share, this entry being some dashes of encouragement our Father sent into my day.

You all know the struggles I have at work.  I battle negativity, bitterness and anger on a daily basis.  I've chronicled my ups and downs here, my successes, my failures and the wonderful patience and love shown me by Jesus through it all.

A few nights ago was no exception.  The same things went on at work.  And the same frustrations were welling up inside me.  So I prayed.  I prayed that anger and bitterness would not overtake me.  That my mouth would not be a discredit to the Lord.  On and on it went in my head, back and forth, praying and pleading, complaints and resentments. Ugh.  So I took a break.  I had to get away from it all and just breath.  And that is when I saw this.

What does the Lord tell us to do?  James 4:7  Therefore, submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  So I resisted.  And I resisted some more. And more. And still am.  But I have to say, since that day it has gotten a little easier. And I am so grateful.  At just the right time, God sent just the right word to encourage and strengthen.  He is so good to me.  And I know I have prayer warrior sisters on my side.  And I am grateful for that as well.

On to the second little word of inspiration.  I have been trying to change my eating habits.  An ongoing battle for some of us.  My husband has no such problem.  He eats pretty good, doesn't gain weight and enjoys the occasional snack...ugh.  Me, not so much in any of that, lets just say that any time of the day is an occasion to snack for me.  So I got up one morning....just wanting to eat junk and carbs and fat....bagel, cheese, butter.....you know, nothing like a healthy smoothie I should be having.  But I prayed.  And I resisted (yaaay me!! yaaay God!!).  I make my healthy drink (which really are good, but still not that  bready, buttery bagel with melted, yummy cheese) and am on my way to my day.  I turn on the radio and there is a teaching on.  I don't know who this teacher was, but I sat a listened for a few minutes.  And what was he saying?   Oh things like God wants us to use self control.  He wants us to take care of our bodies, eat right, get some exercise, and be healthy.  WOW.  Exact timing!!  Just what I needed to hear right that very minute.  (even if I didn't want to LOL)  Talk about a word in due season.

God is so good.  He has His eye on each of us and if we could just see all the times He sends us little bits of His presence and care. well that would be so awesome.  And that is what I want this blog to remind us all of.  That He is watching and caring and loving on us.  He is involved with our day, our life.  I am praying for each of us that we would be more open, more aware of Him in our lives.

Thank You Lord.

It's Not Fair

It's not fair.  That was the main thought running through my mind last night at work. So as that thought and some other familiar favorites ran through my head I got more aggravated and annoyed as the night wore on.  I feel like these things are on some type of track in my head.  Round and round they go, like a model train around a Christmas tree.

So of course, after about 6 hours of this kind of thinking, I lost my temper.  Oh great there goes my witness, again.   I would try to focus my mind on doing my work for the Lord.  That would last for all of about 3 minutes before my mind went back on the model train track, one more trip around the base of that tree!!

So, lunch time and more crying out to the Lord.  I really want to change this ugly pattern of thinking, but for some reason I am stuck.  I picked up a new devotional I received for my birthday, "The Power of Being Thankful", by Joyce Meyer.  I needed to do something in my head besides complain  LOL.  And the title of the day's entry......"The Importance of Right Thinking."  LOL  The Lord is too funny and too spot on!!

Let me give you some lines from this devotional:  "The mind is the leader or forerunner of all actions.  The steps we take each day are a direct result of the thoughts we allow ourselves to think."   Well, yeah.  And the more my thoughts went in the wrong direction, the more they mixed with my emotions and pride.....well the outcome was sort of inevitable.  Joyce went on to talk about how many of our problems are rooted in "wrong thinking patterns."  And that is exactly what it feels like.  I told a friend last night if I could just get rid of that phrase, "It's not fair", I would be halfway to victory in this area.  And I swear, we learn that phrase right after we learn the word "no" as a child!!  I imagine that is how God sees me...as a little child, stamping my feet, whining, "It's not faaaiiiirrrr!!!"

You know, things are not always fair.  And they are not always right.  In fact in this world I think we see the opposite of fair and right a lot more than we should.  But I know God calls me to live above that kind of thinking.  And I really do want to change.

God gave us some teaching in that area in His Word.

James 4:7  Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 Corinthians 10:13  The temptations in your life are not different from what others experience.  And God is faithful.  He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted He will show you a way out so that you can endure.  

James 1:12  Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

I want to look for that way of escape promised in the Word.  That is my goal for work tonight.  To look for God's exit plan for me from the negative thought patterns and the temptation to act upon them.  I may not be 100% perfect, but I will celebrate whatever success I have.  And I am grateful for the times last night I did do my work, "as unto the Lord."

Thank You Lord, for another lunch time visit.  As cold as it was outside my truck, the warmth of Your love penetrated my heart and soothed my spirit.  And once again, with patience you teach me.  Help me to remember and put into practice Your teaching.  All glory, as always, to You.

Confirmation and Reiteration

This mornings devotional's  first  2 lines...."I want you to learn a new habit.  Try saying 'I trust You Jesus,' in response to whatever happens to you."  Hmmmm, that's  a pretty explicit direction considering God's request of me to learn trust this year.  Ya think He has a plan?  LOL

And then there was today's reading at church:

Matthew 14:22-36  22 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning[a] Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here![b]”

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong[c] wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

34 After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed. 36 They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

Over the last few months Jesus has been speaking to me through many sources regarding this trust and walking over the waters of life, following Him through the storms.  It's as if today He put it all together in one nicely wrapped package.  I don't know how well I will fair here, but I am going to put my hand in His and walk on this water of life, troubles and hardships, wavy and windy, or easy peaceful days,all smooth and glassy sea.  Please keep me in Your prayers on this journey.

Trust

Trust is something the Lord has asked me to work on for this new year.  It's something I struggle with.  The minute things start going wrong, I start the doubting dialogue, condemning myself, accusing God......

With that in mind for this starting day of 2015, the first song I hear on the radio this morning as I leave to do some grocery shopping was Oceans.  I love this song to begin with.  And as always, God's timing was perfect.  The first song I hear for the new year is a song about trusting God, faith without borders and keeping my eyes above the waves!  Including it here for all to enjoy.  I make it a prayer for all of us, that we will walk across the water, not fearing the deep nor the waves, trusting Jesus wherever the Spirit leads.

We walk by faith and not by sight.

             

Happy New Year

I woke up this morning and said "Happy New Year Lord!"  Then I thought to myself, God is outside of time, so does He really think in terms of a new year? Silly I know, but this is a little glimpse into the mind of me!  LOL  The Lord did lead me down another path though.  New.  God likes new.  And some Bible verses started to come to mind.  I then decided to look up the word NEW in the concordance and came up with some verses for us to think about, verses sharing God's love for newness.

Psalm 40:33   He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 96:1   Sing a new song to the Lord!  Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!

Isaiah 43:19  For I am about to do something new.  See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?  I will make a pathway through the wilderness.  I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Isaiah 48:66 You have heard my predictions and seen them fulfilled, but you refuse to admit it.  Now I will tell you new things, secrets you have not yet heard.

Isaiah 65:17  Look!  I am creating a new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.

Jeremiah 31:31  “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.

Ezekiel 36:26  And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you.  I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.  

Matthew 9:17  And no one puts new wine into old wineskins.  For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins.  New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved. 

Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  

2 Corinthians 5:17  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone, the new has begun.  

Ephesians 4:24  Put on your new nature, created to be like God--righteous and holy.

Hebrews 8:13  When God speaks of a "new" covenant, it means He made the first one obsolete.  It is now out of date and will soon disappear.  

Hebrews 9:15  That is why He is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and the people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them.  For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.  

Revelation 3:12  All who are victorious will become pillars in the temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it.  And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of My God--the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from My God.  And I will also write on them My new name.  

Revelation 21:5  And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!  And then He said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."

New names, new character, new plans, new covenant, new hearts and new spirits. God makes all things new.  Seems to me He likes this idea of new. So Happy New Year everyone.  God has new things in store for all of us.  Perhaps it's a new way of seeing or a new sense of His presence and purpose during the same old grind. And I pray that in all these things, good and bad, we will grow closer to Him, more like Jesus, and meet them with His grace, strength and perception.  He is with us.  God bless you all in this new year.