Yesterday I took a bike ride, actually I took one a couple of days this week. Both times I got the same feelings....It was as if I was hanging out with the Lord. Being surrounded by the beautiful creation He made....it was really cool.
I rode down to Jones Beach along the bike path on the parkway...I couldn't get enough of the fragrant air, floral and salty at the same time. Looking out over the sparkly waterways, the marshes with Egrets. When I got over by the beach area there were geese with their young following along, some laying down in the taller grass. Deep pink and snowy white flowers lined a lot of the path, along with the fluffy headed bull rushes. Warm sunshine. All this beauty and I know it's Creator.
I heard Joyce Meyer talking about how she likes just hanging out with the Lord,,,and I never looked at it like that, but that is exactly what I felt like I was doing when I was riding...just hanging out with a friend, my heavenly Father...I loved it!
All the things we enjoy doing, being surrounded by, all gifts from our Creator. Rejoicing and giving thanks, sharing our feelings and enjoyment with Him as we do...that's hanging out with Him. And what a wonderful thing that is!
Lord, help me to be more in tune to these times in my life, when we can just be together and relax, have fun, enjoy. Thank You for the world around me and for Your presence in my life.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Correction Confirmed
A couple of days ago I shared God's question He posed to me regarding correction. I was listening to a Joyce Meyer podcast as I went jogging that day. She is teaching on the 23rd Psalm and about 1/2 the message was about correction and the need to receive it when necessary! God is so amazing.
Psalm 23:4 Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.
Is there something to be said about the fact that when we are in the darkest places we are comforted not just by the Shepherd's presence and protection, but by His correcting discipline as well? Hmmm, another "God question" perhaps?
Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, His children? He said, "My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when He corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes those He accepts as His children." As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? If God doesn't discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children after all. Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever.? For our earthy fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
I thank the Lord for good discipline. For His perfect correction. Lord, help me to be humble and submit to Your chastisement, Your direction....even when it comes from other people. Help me to learn, to change when needed and to grow in my likeness to Jesus.
Romans 8:28-29 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. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the first born, with many brothers and sisters.
Psalm 23:4 Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.
Is there something to be said about the fact that when we are in the darkest places we are comforted not just by the Shepherd's presence and protection, but by His correcting discipline as well? Hmmm, another "God question" perhaps?
Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, His children? He said, "My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when He corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes those He accepts as His children." As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? If God doesn't discipline you as He does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children after all. Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever.? For our earthy fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
I thank the Lord for good discipline. For His perfect correction. Lord, help me to be humble and submit to Your chastisement, Your direction....even when it comes from other people. Help me to learn, to change when needed and to grow in my likeness to Jesus.
Romans 8:28-29 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. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the first born, with many brothers and sisters.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Correction
How do I receive correction? That was the "God question" that came to me during our Sunday sermon yesterday. Our Pastor/Elder was speaking about Paul's conversion and subsequent start to his ministry.
Acts 9:3-9
3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
In Paul's case this correction was needed to change his whole way of thinking, his very core beliefs that he held for his entire life. For us it may be smaller, a change in a certain behavior or thought pattern. Or it could be, like Paul's, a life altering size change.
But it was Paul's handling of it that struck me. He didn't rail against this Jesus who spoke to Him. Didn't question the God whom he served with such fervor, albeit wrongly. He didn't wallow in guilt and self pity. He allowed himself to be led into town, then fasted and prayed for three days. He sought answers. He sought the Lord.
Do I do that? Do I take the time to listen, to gain strength from the Lord to make the changes He is asking of me? Not usually. Yes, I try to implement them. Yes, I try to be obedient...but more often than not, I fail. Perhaps it is because I am not giving enough time to allowing the Lord to change me. When I am corrected, do I sit in His presence long enough for Him to work the change in me? Or do I rush out of my prayer closet, forgetting His instruction in the busyness of the day? I'm not saying I don't remember from time to time during the day...and maybe that is the start of the change, but I do believe I could stand to do better, and in some instances a lot better!
Paul spent three days in prayer and fasting when the Lord challenged his whole belief system. He took it that seriously. And maybe if I did the same I would be seeing more progress in my walk with the Lord, more victory over the sin in my life. Perhaps it's not prayer and fasting for three days, but another route to get that place of understanding and change, but it's still focusing on what the Lord is saying and gaining His strength to make the necessary changes.
Lord, I pray now, I sit now...make the changes in me You desire. Let my heart be open to Your correction and discipline that I may glorify You in all things. I don't want to be a forgetful hearer.
James 1:22-25 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law--the law that sets you free--and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
I just love these "God questions!!"
Acts 9:3-9
3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
In Paul's case this correction was needed to change his whole way of thinking, his very core beliefs that he held for his entire life. For us it may be smaller, a change in a certain behavior or thought pattern. Or it could be, like Paul's, a life altering size change.
But it was Paul's handling of it that struck me. He didn't rail against this Jesus who spoke to Him. Didn't question the God whom he served with such fervor, albeit wrongly. He didn't wallow in guilt and self pity. He allowed himself to be led into town, then fasted and prayed for three days. He sought answers. He sought the Lord.
Do I do that? Do I take the time to listen, to gain strength from the Lord to make the changes He is asking of me? Not usually. Yes, I try to implement them. Yes, I try to be obedient...but more often than not, I fail. Perhaps it is because I am not giving enough time to allowing the Lord to change me. When I am corrected, do I sit in His presence long enough for Him to work the change in me? Or do I rush out of my prayer closet, forgetting His instruction in the busyness of the day? I'm not saying I don't remember from time to time during the day...and maybe that is the start of the change, but I do believe I could stand to do better, and in some instances a lot better!
Paul spent three days in prayer and fasting when the Lord challenged his whole belief system. He took it that seriously. And maybe if I did the same I would be seeing more progress in my walk with the Lord, more victory over the sin in my life. Perhaps it's not prayer and fasting for three days, but another route to get that place of understanding and change, but it's still focusing on what the Lord is saying and gaining His strength to make the necessary changes.
Lord, I pray now, I sit now...make the changes in me You desire. Let my heart be open to Your correction and discipline that I may glorify You in all things. I don't want to be a forgetful hearer.
James 1:22-25 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law--the law that sets you free--and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
I just love these "God questions!!"
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Rejoice!
I seem to fall in love with devotionals. Right now it is "Jesus Calling", and everyday it gives me something new or maybe an old but needed reminder to think about. Yesterday was no exception. The line was "When things don't go as you would like, accept the situation immediately......Rejoice in what I am doing in your life, even though it is beyond your understanding." Immediately my thoughts went to, "but Lord, there are situations here that I am stuck in because of my own mistakes and sins." And I felt the verse well up within me..."Rejoice always, again I say rejoice."
I couldn't remember the "address" for that verse and decided to look it up in my Bible's concordance. So many verses on rejoicing! So I looked some of them up.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 89:16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted.
Psalm 33:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Psalm 5:11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.
I couldn't remember the "address" for that verse and decided to look it up in my Bible's concordance. So many verses on rejoicing! So I looked some of them up.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
(MAKE A CHOICE!!)
Psalm 89:16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted.
Psalm 33:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Psalm 5:11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You.
(MAKE SOME NOISE!!)
The Lord likes joy, He likes us to be happy, to rejoice in Him. Lord, let me find my joy in You!!
Treasures
Ever think about how many times a day we miss Jesus. We miss a blessing or treasure He has for us simple because we are distracted by the daily stuff, big stuff, small stuff....or because we are in the hard stuff...the trials and difficulties. There couldn't possible be a treasure there, right? How could Jesus be in doing the dishes or going to a job we hate. How could there be a blessing in the traffic jam that makes us late, or the illness of a loved one. This is the topic that my daily devotional "Jesus Calling" addressed today and it resonated within my heart and got me thinking, looking forward to seeing what unfolded throughout the day.
The devotional put it like this: "There are hidden treasures strategically placed along the way. Some are the treasures of trials, designed to shake you free from earthly shackles. Others are blessings that reveal my presence." So after my prayer time, I left to start my day determined to watch for Jesus and His treasures placed for me to find.
Lately, I've been wanting to hear the song "Oceans." It is one of my favorite songs and I haven't heard it in a long while. I got in the car to drive over to the kitten adoption center I help out at, turned on the radio a couple of minutes down the road...and there it was...coming through my speakers!! Yaaay...Thank You Lord for that gift. Just a little thing, really, but a big "I'm thinking about you" to me from my heavenly Father.
As I went through the day, I of course got caught up in the bustle of the shelter...but as I lifted a kitten from his cage, I saw Jesus in his darling face. A little being that He lovingly created. That He thinks is beautiful and it was my privilege to care for.
Tonight, I took a bike ride. The air was cool, but the setting sun was warm. It felt good to be out in the freshness of the evening...all made by the Lord for us. His presence all around.
I wish I could say I remembered to look every second....but I can't. Suffice it to say I did manage to catch glimpses of His presence. And was made glad by the blessings I found along the way. I am praying to become more and more aware, Watchful. Expectant. Oh to be looking every minute for Jesus!!
Lord, open our eyes to You!!
The devotional put it like this: "There are hidden treasures strategically placed along the way. Some are the treasures of trials, designed to shake you free from earthly shackles. Others are blessings that reveal my presence." So after my prayer time, I left to start my day determined to watch for Jesus and His treasures placed for me to find.
Lately, I've been wanting to hear the song "Oceans." It is one of my favorite songs and I haven't heard it in a long while. I got in the car to drive over to the kitten adoption center I help out at, turned on the radio a couple of minutes down the road...and there it was...coming through my speakers!! Yaaay...Thank You Lord for that gift. Just a little thing, really, but a big "I'm thinking about you" to me from my heavenly Father.
As I went through the day, I of course got caught up in the bustle of the shelter...but as I lifted a kitten from his cage, I saw Jesus in his darling face. A little being that He lovingly created. That He thinks is beautiful and it was my privilege to care for.
Tonight, I took a bike ride. The air was cool, but the setting sun was warm. It felt good to be out in the freshness of the evening...all made by the Lord for us. His presence all around.
I wish I could say I remembered to look every second....but I can't. Suffice it to say I did manage to catch glimpses of His presence. And was made glad by the blessings I found along the way. I am praying to become more and more aware, Watchful. Expectant. Oh to be looking every minute for Jesus!!
Lord, open our eyes to You!!
Thursday, May 21, 2015
He Calls Me Friend!
This is the song I heard on the way home from work last night and it just touched my heart. It blows me away to think of God calling ME a friend. That's completely crazy to me!! But yet He does. He sees past all the junk, the way I act, the brat stamping her feet....and calls me His friend. That's astonishing. And you know what else? He calls you friend too !!
Psalm 8:3-5 When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers--the moon and the stars You have set in place--what are mortals that You should think of us, mere humans that You should care for us? For You made us only a little lower than God, and You crowned us with glory and honor.
Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!
Matthew 11:19 And I, the Son of Man, feast and drink, and you say, 'He is a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of the worst sort of sinners! But wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it.
Matthew 27:50-51a Then Jesus shouted again, and He gave up His spirit. And that moment the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
John 15:14-15 You are my friends if you obey me. I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
Some Scriptures to think upon...
Lord, thank You for the amazing fact that You call me friend...I don't know where to go with it, it is just so incomprehensible to be, but awesome and wonderful at the same time. Thank You.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Standing Firm
This is a God visit I am still figuring out. Last night I came home from work, tired and ready to crash. Of course my cat thought this was a great time for play. LOL. Spotty likes to have me chase him around. He sits crouched in a spot, tail twitching and I approach him slowly and he runs! This process then happens again, as he finds a new spot to crouch down in...and again, and so the game is played. As Spotty sprinted into the bedroom he ran past a candle holder, knocking it over (no big deal to him!). I stopped to pick it up and right next to it was one of the little cards from my "God is Faithful" box that I keep on the dresser. I have no idea how it got there. But this is what was on the two-sided card:
BE ON YOUR GUARD; STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH, BE MEN OF COURAGE, BE STRONG. 1 CORINTHIANS 16:13
and on the reverse:
IN ORDER TO SUCCEED WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE BOTH TO FAIL AND TO TRY AGAIN.
I don't know where the Lord is going with this. I only know that it was a God visit and I am to mull it over. Love these kind of things !!! Lord, open my mind up to Your truth and what You want me to do with this.
BE ON YOUR GUARD; STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH, BE MEN OF COURAGE, BE STRONG. 1 CORINTHIANS 16:13
and on the reverse:
IN ORDER TO SUCCEED WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE BOTH TO FAIL AND TO TRY AGAIN.
I don't know where the Lord is going with this. I only know that it was a God visit and I am to mull it over. Love these kind of things !!! Lord, open my mind up to Your truth and what You want me to do with this.
Comfort-Bereavement, from Mom
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
When we are concerned for those who have passed on: I believe 1 Thessalonians 4:14: I believe that Jesus died and rose again and so I believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him."
Fix this truth in your hearts, peace will fill you.
John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.
Death-
Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
After all, everyone dies—
so the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for sadness has a refining influence on us.
4 A wise person thinks a lot about death,
while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
Be mindful of mortality. Let bereavement bring times of sober self assessment.
From me:
Well death is a topic we all would like to avoid, but ultimately have to face....whether that of a loved on or of our own. I can only say that the Lord doesn't see death as a curse, but a blessing...Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. After my Mom died in late 2013, even though I mourned deeply, I felt and saw so much comfort given to me and my family by the Lord. And that I believe is the point of Mom's entry today. That yes, we face death, but as the Scripture says, not as those who have no hope. For the believer, death is an entry way to God's presence and therefore a joyous occasion. Death also, as stated in Ecclesiastes, is something that should keep us aware, focused on the eternal and not living for a party in the here and now.
Lord thank You for the hope we have as believers. We know that Jesus opened the way to heaven through His death on the cross, and resurrection from the grave to all who accept and believe. And I am so blessed to be counted among that number. Thank You that death has lost it's sting to the victory of Jesus Christ. Help us to remember that the here and now is not the all and all. Give us an eternal perspective, being sober minded about this life, not given to worldly attachments. While I find joy in the blessings You give here on earth, let me not become so attached to them, that I lose sight of the eternal joy of being in Your presence.
I say this as a believer in Jesus Christ. If you don't have that same assurance, the hope of heaven when you die, then maybe it's time to do something about that. Open up your heart, dear reader, to the redemptive and saving work of Jesus on the Cross. We all have sinned, and we all mess up and fall short of perfection. None of us deserve to go to heaven, but God loved us too much to leave us in that state. So He provided the way through Jesus the Son. If you can admit that you need Him, and accept His gift of salvation, you can be assured of eternal joy and peace when you leave this earth. It's not an easy walk once You make that decision to let Christ into your heart and life, but it is so worth anything and everything you have to face. Making Him Savior is easy, making Him Lord takes hard work. I am praying now, for those of you who may have happened on this page, those who don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, that you will open your heart to Him now. And I pray that You will go forward in this newness of life, growing in the knowledge of His love for You.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
When we are concerned for those who have passed on: I believe 1 Thessalonians 4:14: I believe that Jesus died and rose again and so I believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him."
Fix this truth in your hearts, peace will fill you.
John 11:25 I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.
Death-
Ecclesiastes 7:1-4 A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
And the day you die is better than the day you are born.
2 Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
After all, everyone dies—
so the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for sadness has a refining influence on us.
4 A wise person thinks a lot about death,
while a fool thinks only about having a good time.
Be mindful of mortality. Let bereavement bring times of sober self assessment.
From me:
Well death is a topic we all would like to avoid, but ultimately have to face....whether that of a loved on or of our own. I can only say that the Lord doesn't see death as a curse, but a blessing...Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. After my Mom died in late 2013, even though I mourned deeply, I felt and saw so much comfort given to me and my family by the Lord. And that I believe is the point of Mom's entry today. That yes, we face death, but as the Scripture says, not as those who have no hope. For the believer, death is an entry way to God's presence and therefore a joyous occasion. Death also, as stated in Ecclesiastes, is something that should keep us aware, focused on the eternal and not living for a party in the here and now.
Lord thank You for the hope we have as believers. We know that Jesus opened the way to heaven through His death on the cross, and resurrection from the grave to all who accept and believe. And I am so blessed to be counted among that number. Thank You that death has lost it's sting to the victory of Jesus Christ. Help us to remember that the here and now is not the all and all. Give us an eternal perspective, being sober minded about this life, not given to worldly attachments. While I find joy in the blessings You give here on earth, let me not become so attached to them, that I lose sight of the eternal joy of being in Your presence.
I say this as a believer in Jesus Christ. If you don't have that same assurance, the hope of heaven when you die, then maybe it's time to do something about that. Open up your heart, dear reader, to the redemptive and saving work of Jesus on the Cross. We all have sinned, and we all mess up and fall short of perfection. None of us deserve to go to heaven, but God loved us too much to leave us in that state. So He provided the way through Jesus the Son. If you can admit that you need Him, and accept His gift of salvation, you can be assured of eternal joy and peace when you leave this earth. It's not an easy walk once You make that decision to let Christ into your heart and life, but it is so worth anything and everything you have to face. Making Him Savior is easy, making Him Lord takes hard work. I am praying now, for those of you who may have happened on this page, those who don't know Jesus as Lord and Savior, that you will open your heart to Him now. And I pray that You will go forward in this newness of life, growing in the knowledge of His love for You.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Challenges
Jehovah Jireh-The Lord will provide
Jehovah Shalom-The Lord is peace
Jehovah Nissi-The Lord my banner
Jehovah Rapha-The Lord that heals
Jehovah Shammah-The Lord is there
Jehovah Tsidkenu-The Lord my righteousness
Jehovah Sabaoth-The Lord of hosts
El Shaddai-Lord God Almighty
El Elyon-Most High God
Names of God....that is the study that I've been listening to on my Joyce Meyer's podcast as I run the past couple of weeks. The name God gave Himself when He spoke to Moses in the burning bush was I AM. And God is. God is healing. God is peace. God is provider. HE IS. When I encounter any situation in my life I do so with I AM. Exodus 3:14 And God said to Moses, " I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."
As I listened to one of the podcasts, Joyce explained how she used to see problems as just that, problems....something to be avoided, complained about. But now she sees them a challenges that she can overcome in the Lord's strength. It delights her to see how He will work in difficult circumstances, whether on the outside or coming from within.
So, I'm like...."yeah, that's really a good way to look at them, but....." And confirmation came the next day. I had read the "Jesus Calling" devotional for May 8th a couple of days before, but it didn't stand out to me until I reread it yesterday. But there it was....God knew I was ready to hear this now...."Take a lighthearted view of trouble, seeing it as a challenge that you and I together can handle." Really, again with the troubles and problems as challenges! Hmmmm. Think the Lord is trying to tell me something here? I kind of feel like putting my hands over my ears and singing lalalalalalalal.....lol
Something else Joyce said, and this goes to application...whenever we hear something, a teaching, a sermon, read an instructive article or book, do so with the intention of putting into practice what we learn. This is the hard part. Knowing that I should view struggles with persistent sin, bothersome daily snafus, hard to handle people, emotional ups and downs....all of it that troubles and causes pain and grief as challenges that I can overcome through Jesus and by His power working within me is the easy part. Doing it, remembering to do it is where the real challenge lies. One of the challenges Joyce said she faced was the habit of complaining. She said she would challenge herself to go 1 hour at a time without complaining...it became like a game of sorts.
So my God visit came as instrution to change my view of difficulties. Knowing each day I will face imperfection, in myself, others and my circumstances; beginning each day asking for the Lord to equip me to handle whatever comes in such a way as to bring Him glory is my starting point for this endeavor. Then as I go through, I continue to keep in contact with Him, bringing to Him each situation that causes me concern or disquiet or outright heartbreak. He provides. He heals. He brings peace. He is in control. He is there.
Thank You Lord for being everything I need. Help me to rely on You for each and every moment of my day, each step and each breath. Help me to see the solution to living a life that glorifies You in all things, find joy in the difficulties and share Your love with others. Remind me. Remind me. Remind me. Thank You.
Jehovah Shalom-The Lord is peace
Jehovah Nissi-The Lord my banner
Jehovah Rapha-The Lord that heals
Jehovah Shammah-The Lord is there
Jehovah Tsidkenu-The Lord my righteousness
Jehovah Sabaoth-The Lord of hosts
El Shaddai-Lord God Almighty
El Elyon-Most High God
Names of God....that is the study that I've been listening to on my Joyce Meyer's podcast as I run the past couple of weeks. The name God gave Himself when He spoke to Moses in the burning bush was I AM. And God is. God is healing. God is peace. God is provider. HE IS. When I encounter any situation in my life I do so with I AM. Exodus 3:14 And God said to Moses, " I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."
As I listened to one of the podcasts, Joyce explained how she used to see problems as just that, problems....something to be avoided, complained about. But now she sees them a challenges that she can overcome in the Lord's strength. It delights her to see how He will work in difficult circumstances, whether on the outside or coming from within.
So, I'm like...."yeah, that's really a good way to look at them, but....." And confirmation came the next day. I had read the "Jesus Calling" devotional for May 8th a couple of days before, but it didn't stand out to me until I reread it yesterday. But there it was....God knew I was ready to hear this now...."Take a lighthearted view of trouble, seeing it as a challenge that you and I together can handle." Really, again with the troubles and problems as challenges! Hmmmm. Think the Lord is trying to tell me something here? I kind of feel like putting my hands over my ears and singing lalalalalalalal.....lol
Something else Joyce said, and this goes to application...whenever we hear something, a teaching, a sermon, read an instructive article or book, do so with the intention of putting into practice what we learn. This is the hard part. Knowing that I should view struggles with persistent sin, bothersome daily snafus, hard to handle people, emotional ups and downs....all of it that troubles and causes pain and grief as challenges that I can overcome through Jesus and by His power working within me is the easy part. Doing it, remembering to do it is where the real challenge lies. One of the challenges Joyce said she faced was the habit of complaining. She said she would challenge herself to go 1 hour at a time without complaining...it became like a game of sorts.
So my God visit came as instrution to change my view of difficulties. Knowing each day I will face imperfection, in myself, others and my circumstances; beginning each day asking for the Lord to equip me to handle whatever comes in such a way as to bring Him glory is my starting point for this endeavor. Then as I go through, I continue to keep in contact with Him, bringing to Him each situation that causes me concern or disquiet or outright heartbreak. He provides. He heals. He brings peace. He is in control. He is there.
Thank You Lord for being everything I need. Help me to rely on You for each and every moment of my day, each step and each breath. Help me to see the solution to living a life that glorifies You in all things, find joy in the difficulties and share Your love with others. Remind me. Remind me. Remind me. Thank You.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Oops, I Did It Again
I did it again. Kind of questioning God's ability or desire to care for me..of course I did it in such a way that I made it into a "well, Lord, I'm not criticizing or accusing, I'm just curious" kind of thing, I don't believe my tone of voice added up to that logic though. LOL
So this morning I had to send a fax. Easy, no big deal, you say. Well if you read my profile paragraph you will note that me and technology do not mix well. There is a problem more often that not when I try to do these types of things, and this time was no exception. The fax was taking FOREVER to go through. And rather than be patient, I kept cancelling it, trying different phone jacks....walking around talking to the Lord with my "I'm just curious" statements.
Well the fax finally went through when I just waited a few extra minutes instead of immediately getting frustrated, thinking it was broken, blaming (or as I was putting it....questioning curiously LOL) God.....
Now here is the God visit...I went for a run and as usual was listening to a Joyce Meyer podcast. She is teaching on who God is. She made a statement regarding God being our provider, and the fact that if we had nothing else, we would always have Him, and that would always be enough. CONVICTION!!
What would be the worst thing that could happen if the fax didn't go through? I'd have to mail it. Would God still be with me? Would He still love me? Would I still be saved and on my way to heaven? YES YES YES. He is more than enough.
Lord, help me to remember this in every circumstance. Thank You again for teaching me and chastising me and being my wonderful Father.
oh and by the way, I have to resend that fax...there was a problem on the other end of it coming out too dark !!! LOL Of course.
So this morning I had to send a fax. Easy, no big deal, you say. Well if you read my profile paragraph you will note that me and technology do not mix well. There is a problem more often that not when I try to do these types of things, and this time was no exception. The fax was taking FOREVER to go through. And rather than be patient, I kept cancelling it, trying different phone jacks....walking around talking to the Lord with my "I'm just curious" statements.
Well the fax finally went through when I just waited a few extra minutes instead of immediately getting frustrated, thinking it was broken, blaming (or as I was putting it....questioning curiously LOL) God.....
Now here is the God visit...I went for a run and as usual was listening to a Joyce Meyer podcast. She is teaching on who God is. She made a statement regarding God being our provider, and the fact that if we had nothing else, we would always have Him, and that would always be enough. CONVICTION!!
What would be the worst thing that could happen if the fax didn't go through? I'd have to mail it. Would God still be with me? Would He still love me? Would I still be saved and on my way to heaven? YES YES YES. He is more than enough.
Lord, help me to remember this in every circumstance. Thank You again for teaching me and chastising me and being my wonderful Father.
oh and by the way, I have to resend that fax...there was a problem on the other end of it coming out too dark !!! LOL Of course.
Mother's Day
Mother's Day was a little sad for me. It's only the second one I've spent without my Mom, and I think even if it was the 22nd one, I will always feel somewhat melancholy, much like I do on Father's Day.
My husband and I were driving to the nursery to purchase flowers to plant in the beds. My color theme this year is yellow and white. Driving along, I was missing Mom...she like to help out with the gardening...as the years went by she wasn't able to do as much, but she still kept a hand in, if only to supervise. LOL Like I said, I was feeling a bit down....and then God.....If any of you have been reading for a while, you know how much the song "I Can Only Imagine" played a part in God's comfort for me after her death. And wouldn't you know it....that is exactly the song that came on the radio as we drove to the nursery! Is God amazing? Is God loving? Is God involved? YOU BET!!
Lord, we know our loved ones are with You...but that doesn't stop us from missing them. Thank You for the comfort You send and the hope we have of reuniting with them one day.
My husband and I were driving to the nursery to purchase flowers to plant in the beds. My color theme this year is yellow and white. Driving along, I was missing Mom...she like to help out with the gardening...as the years went by she wasn't able to do as much, but she still kept a hand in, if only to supervise. LOL Like I said, I was feeling a bit down....and then God.....If any of you have been reading for a while, you know how much the song "I Can Only Imagine" played a part in God's comfort for me after her death. And wouldn't you know it....that is exactly the song that came on the radio as we drove to the nursery! Is God amazing? Is God loving? Is God involved? YOU BET!!
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Peace!
Yesterday I experienced something that I often hear about but don't seem to find happening to me very much. And it was wonderful.
I sat in my car at lunch time and was just finishing up doing some studying on Mark for our Sunday morning study and as I sat I found myself curled up in peace. Inside and outside of me felt a calm quiet contentedness. The traffic was rushing by on the busy road our building is located on, horns blaring, people talking in the parking lot...there was certainly no lack of noise and activity. This was no tranquil mountain top I was surrounded by!! But I was enveloped in peace. I felt comfortable, happy and at rest.
It happened again later as I sat on the bench waiting to clock out for the end of shift. I sat in the warm sunshine, listening to one little bird worship the Creator with his song, and there it was, the peace.
I say this is unusual for me because I am one of those people who always has something going on in their head....a million things at once it seems. (I also lean towards impatience, and sometimes get frustrated easily) So to sit in the lap of peacefulness was a remarkable experience. It wasn't as if it came in all of a sudden...like a flood as I hear some say. No, I just sat there for a moment, contemplating a bit of Scripture I have trouble understanding, and it seemed to seep in, falling over me like gentle snow covering the landscape...I felt wrapped in a soft, cuddly blanket.
I was and am so grateful for these moments of peace. And I realized that the Lord wants this for me everyday, every minute. And this all lines us with some teaching I've been listening to in my Joyce Meyer podcasts lately...God;s name Jehovah Shalom...God is peace. The verse she shared came to mind, and I am going to use the Amplified Bible as she does (usually I don't because I literally get lost in that translation! LOL) 1Peter 3:11 Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!] It's not always just going to fall upon me, I have to seek and search for it and then hang onto it with all my strength. God gives the gift of peace...but I can choose to let it slip away by letting the cares of this world, the agitations and fears crowd it out.
John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Lord, even as I sit here now, there are things clamoring in my head...the to do lists, the needs of others, all vying for my attention, all threatening to crowd out peace. My emotions are already rising up, help me to hang on to the peace. Help me to hang on to You. That is where I want to live. I pray this for myself, and all who are reading this. In Jesus name, amen.
I sat in my car at lunch time and was just finishing up doing some studying on Mark for our Sunday morning study and as I sat I found myself curled up in peace. Inside and outside of me felt a calm quiet contentedness. The traffic was rushing by on the busy road our building is located on, horns blaring, people talking in the parking lot...there was certainly no lack of noise and activity. This was no tranquil mountain top I was surrounded by!! But I was enveloped in peace. I felt comfortable, happy and at rest.
It happened again later as I sat on the bench waiting to clock out for the end of shift. I sat in the warm sunshine, listening to one little bird worship the Creator with his song, and there it was, the peace.
I say this is unusual for me because I am one of those people who always has something going on in their head....a million things at once it seems. (I also lean towards impatience, and sometimes get frustrated easily) So to sit in the lap of peacefulness was a remarkable experience. It wasn't as if it came in all of a sudden...like a flood as I hear some say. No, I just sat there for a moment, contemplating a bit of Scripture I have trouble understanding, and it seemed to seep in, falling over me like gentle snow covering the landscape...I felt wrapped in a soft, cuddly blanket.
I was and am so grateful for these moments of peace. And I realized that the Lord wants this for me everyday, every minute. And this all lines us with some teaching I've been listening to in my Joyce Meyer podcasts lately...God;s name Jehovah Shalom...God is peace. The verse she shared came to mind, and I am going to use the Amplified Bible as she does (usually I don't because I literally get lost in that translation! LOL) 1Peter 3:11 Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace (harmony; undisturbedness from fears, agitating passions, and moral conflicts) and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!] It's not always just going to fall upon me, I have to seek and search for it and then hang onto it with all my strength. God gives the gift of peace...but I can choose to let it slip away by letting the cares of this world, the agitations and fears crowd it out.
John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Lord, even as I sit here now, there are things clamoring in my head...the to do lists, the needs of others, all vying for my attention, all threatening to crowd out peace. My emotions are already rising up, help me to hang on to the peace. Help me to hang on to You. That is where I want to live. I pray this for myself, and all who are reading this. In Jesus name, amen.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Spring!
I am still enjoying all the beauty of the Lord's spring. All around me I see His touch. The air smells warm and sunny. The forsythia look like yellow waves crashing on green shores along the parkway I drive to work everyday. Spring feels like God is all around, bursting with life after a long, cold winter. Thank You Father for the reminders of new life and hope all around!!
Bulletin Boards
I love when the Lord strings things together over the course of time. Love to watch Him work it all out!!
I am gearing up to change the bulletin boards at church. This next board was inspired by talk of the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. Fast forward to a sermon at church...again the Holy Spirit came up, and our Pastor brought up Acts 2:1-4 where it tells of the disciples receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit...okay more pictures in my head for the boards.
Then last night I get home from work and I received in the mail a card from my cousin. In it, along with her note to me, was a Word Search her ladies group had been doing...and yup, you guessed it...it was on the Holy Spirit and His gifts to us!!
How cool is the Lord!! Thank You Lord for the pearls You leave before us to lead us to the destination You have in mind.
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
I am gearing up to change the bulletin boards at church. This next board was inspired by talk of the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. Fast forward to a sermon at church...again the Holy Spirit came up, and our Pastor brought up Acts 2:1-4 where it tells of the disciples receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit...okay more pictures in my head for the boards.
Then last night I get home from work and I received in the mail a card from my cousin. In it, along with her note to me, was a Word Search her ladies group had been doing...and yup, you guessed it...it was on the Holy Spirit and His gifts to us!!
How cool is the Lord!! Thank You Lord for the pearls You leave before us to lead us to the destination You have in mind.
Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Needs
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.
I was reading my "Jesus Calling" devotional this morning and was hit with an eye-opening thought. You know when you hear or read about how Jesus supplies all our needs and immediately the thoughts pop in to your head..."yeah but, remember when I didn't get...." or "how about that time when You (meaning God) didn't....." Well that is exactly what happened to me today when I read those words in today's reading. "There is nothing you need that I cannot provide." was what the writer penned. And immediately my mind went back to a time when I needed money for vet bills and ended up having to put in on my charge card. In my mind, my need was not met. I had to go into deeper debt.
But today, as I contemplated the writers words and the Bible verse that coincided with it...it struck me....what if what I needed was not what I thought I did? I thought I needed money to pay off extensive vet bills...but what if my need was something else, something I couldn't see but the Lord could? And this is what rang so true in my heart. He provides what we truly need, needs that we can't even name or see or begin to understand. If I truly believe that in Him is only goodness and light then I will know when I don't get what I want or think I need it's because there is something greater going on, a deeper work being done in me.
Oh to be able to walk this new way of seeing out in daily life. Lord, let it stick with me, change me and the way I view Your provision in my life and Your answers to my prayers.
I was reading my "Jesus Calling" devotional this morning and was hit with an eye-opening thought. You know when you hear or read about how Jesus supplies all our needs and immediately the thoughts pop in to your head..."yeah but, remember when I didn't get...." or "how about that time when You (meaning God) didn't....." Well that is exactly what happened to me today when I read those words in today's reading. "There is nothing you need that I cannot provide." was what the writer penned. And immediately my mind went back to a time when I needed money for vet bills and ended up having to put in on my charge card. In my mind, my need was not met. I had to go into deeper debt.
But today, as I contemplated the writers words and the Bible verse that coincided with it...it struck me....what if what I needed was not what I thought I did? I thought I needed money to pay off extensive vet bills...but what if my need was something else, something I couldn't see but the Lord could? And this is what rang so true in my heart. He provides what we truly need, needs that we can't even name or see or begin to understand. If I truly believe that in Him is only goodness and light then I will know when I don't get what I want or think I need it's because there is something greater going on, a deeper work being done in me.
Oh to be able to walk this new way of seeing out in daily life. Lord, let it stick with me, change me and the way I view Your provision in my life and Your answers to my prayers.
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