Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.
(NIV) Psalm 95:2
My favorite Holiday is Thanksgiving! I love, love this holiday!!
I had a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving. It was about family and friends. It was busy, loud, reflective, and full of laughter and contentment.
We all have so much to be thankful for.
The presents we give to each other on Thanksgiving are from our hearts.
Thanksgiving Day is a beautiful reminder for us to stop and thank God for all that He has given us - the big things and the little things.
The biggest thing is God's love, grace and mercy that He gives each of us everyday.
In my journal I have the words to a song that is about God's priceless gift to us.
I come broken to be mended.
I come wounded to be healed.
I come empty to be filled.
I come desperate to be rescued.
I come guilty to be pardoned.
I come lost to be saved.
And I am welcomed with open arms just as I am.
I pray you will take time everyday to worship Him and thank HIm.
Your Father welcomes you with open arms.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Faith Fail Not
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:31, 32 (NIV)
For many years in the above scripture I read Jesus' words as telling Simon not to fail.
I understand that God knows the end to the beginning and He knew Simon would deny Him three times. I think I read Jesus' words as a "heads up" to Simon as to what was coming. Like, possibly with the for warning Simon would make a different choice.
Recently my perception of this scripture changed. I now understand that Jesus didn't say Simon don't fail. Jesus said "that your faith may not fail."
He wants us to know and remember that He died on the cross at Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. He is our Lord and Savior and that He is His word:
… "as I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not fail you, nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5
We will be tempted, tested and sometimes we will fail.
When we fail we will fall down.
When we fall down God wants us to repent, ask for forgiveness and stand up.
Our Father assures us that in sin He waits for us to turn back to Him.
Our Father also assures us that He has purpose for us: "strengthen your brothers."
Father God I pray that our faith does not fail. I pray when we fail and fall down; we repent, ask for forgiveness and stand up. And I pray Lord Jesus that we pass on to others what we learn so that our sisters and brothers will be strengthened and have a greater intimacy with you.
For many years in the above scripture I read Jesus' words as telling Simon not to fail.
I understand that God knows the end to the beginning and He knew Simon would deny Him three times. I think I read Jesus' words as a "heads up" to Simon as to what was coming. Like, possibly with the for warning Simon would make a different choice.
Recently my perception of this scripture changed. I now understand that Jesus didn't say Simon don't fail. Jesus said "that your faith may not fail."
He wants us to know and remember that He died on the cross at Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins. He is our Lord and Savior and that He is His word:
… "as I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not fail you, nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5
We will be tempted, tested and sometimes we will fail.
When we fail we will fall down.
When we fall down God wants us to repent, ask for forgiveness and stand up.
Our Father assures us that in sin He waits for us to turn back to Him.
Our Father also assures us that He has purpose for us: "strengthen your brothers."
Father God I pray that our faith does not fail. I pray when we fail and fall down; we repent, ask for forgiveness and stand up. And I pray Lord Jesus that we pass on to others what we learn so that our sisters and brothers will be strengthened and have a greater intimacy with you.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Building Your Case
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV)
"It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ' Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's the whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. Matthew 7:3-5 (Message)
A few weeks ago I became angry at my son-in-law for not following through on something that he had agreed to do. As I was "building my case" against my son-in-law: God spoke.
"When you are focused on the faults of others you lose sight of the things I want you to work on in yourself."
For about 10 seconds I said, "yah, but he (son-in-law) said he would do…" I stopped and God's words came into my being. In the spiritual battle for my mind the Holy Spirit put my defense to rest. Fortunately for me I lost my case. My body became very still and my mind was silent. The fight was over and the case building stopped.
We can move fairly fast when we build our case against someone. Anger is one of those emotions that can quickly rise out of control. It can become a fire burning down the hillsides. Our thoughts and words can become gasoline fueling that fire. I am not saying we won't or shouldn't get angry. I am saying that it is our job to train ourselves in anger to go to God fast. It's only God that can help us quench the fire to burning ambers and eventually extinguish the fire.
When the fire is out of control we open the door to Satan and invite him to come inside. God wants us to have and use discernment. However, we have to learn to recognize when we cross the line from discernment to criticism and judgement. Judgement is never ours. It belongs to God only.
In this situation my son-in-law didn't do what he said he would do. Even though he didn't keep his word; God let me know that I had crossed the line to criticism. I don't have to like my son-in-law's behavior but I don't have to build a case against him.
How do we build a case against someone? The thing that we are upset about becomes bigger and bigger to the point where our anger is out of proportion to what happened and; or if we have a history with the person we will dig up and remember every time we felt hurt by that person.
God turns us back to ourselves. The Holy Spirit speaks to us all the time. If we want to hear the Holy Spirit we have to listen. When we are "building our case" and making our selves right our hearing is limited.
If you choose to hear and obey God the case building stops and the anger diminishes or ceases to exist. What you are left with is the presence of God. It doesn't get better than that people.
Father God help us understand that we can't change others. Only you are that powerful.
Help us look and see what we need to change.
Help us Father God to believe that when You trim us You grow us.
We invite You to change us.
How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV)
"It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ' Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's the whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. Matthew 7:3-5 (Message)
A few weeks ago I became angry at my son-in-law for not following through on something that he had agreed to do. As I was "building my case" against my son-in-law: God spoke.
"When you are focused on the faults of others you lose sight of the things I want you to work on in yourself."
For about 10 seconds I said, "yah, but he (son-in-law) said he would do…" I stopped and God's words came into my being. In the spiritual battle for my mind the Holy Spirit put my defense to rest. Fortunately for me I lost my case. My body became very still and my mind was silent. The fight was over and the case building stopped.
We can move fairly fast when we build our case against someone. Anger is one of those emotions that can quickly rise out of control. It can become a fire burning down the hillsides. Our thoughts and words can become gasoline fueling that fire. I am not saying we won't or shouldn't get angry. I am saying that it is our job to train ourselves in anger to go to God fast. It's only God that can help us quench the fire to burning ambers and eventually extinguish the fire.
When the fire is out of control we open the door to Satan and invite him to come inside. God wants us to have and use discernment. However, we have to learn to recognize when we cross the line from discernment to criticism and judgement. Judgement is never ours. It belongs to God only.
In this situation my son-in-law didn't do what he said he would do. Even though he didn't keep his word; God let me know that I had crossed the line to criticism. I don't have to like my son-in-law's behavior but I don't have to build a case against him.
How do we build a case against someone? The thing that we are upset about becomes bigger and bigger to the point where our anger is out of proportion to what happened and; or if we have a history with the person we will dig up and remember every time we felt hurt by that person.
God turns us back to ourselves. The Holy Spirit speaks to us all the time. If we want to hear the Holy Spirit we have to listen. When we are "building our case" and making our selves right our hearing is limited.
If you choose to hear and obey God the case building stops and the anger diminishes or ceases to exist. What you are left with is the presence of God. It doesn't get better than that people.
Father God help us understand that we can't change others. Only you are that powerful.
Help us look and see what we need to change.
Help us Father God to believe that when You trim us You grow us.
We invite You to change us.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
How Much The Holy Spirit Has Of Me
And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Acts 1:7,8 (NIV)
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)
One morning in prayer when asking God for direction He said the following:
"Don't be concerned about how much of the Holy Spirit you have, but how much of the Holy Spirit has of you."
I am sure God had many purposes when He said that to me. Three things came to me as those words saturated my being:
1. God's words are always gentle, firm and life changing.
2. The necessity of going to our Father daily to be guided by the Holy Spirit. When we are in
surrender and obedience to God people will be touched by His light.
3. Through the Holy Spirit we will be anointed with gifts. The gifts He gives us carry a responsibility of helping others. God gives us gifts to give away. We are to hold and use these gifts humbly knowing that God is working through us to help His people.
Dear Father help us stay focused on You so we can hear you.
Help us to surrender and be obedient as the Holy Spirit convicts us.
Let us use the gifts You give us to help others come into intimacy with You.
Acts 1:7,8 (NIV)
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV)
One morning in prayer when asking God for direction He said the following:
"Don't be concerned about how much of the Holy Spirit you have, but how much of the Holy Spirit has of you."
I am sure God had many purposes when He said that to me. Three things came to me as those words saturated my being:
1. God's words are always gentle, firm and life changing.
2. The necessity of going to our Father daily to be guided by the Holy Spirit. When we are in
surrender and obedience to God people will be touched by His light.
3. Through the Holy Spirit we will be anointed with gifts. The gifts He gives us carry a responsibility of helping others. God gives us gifts to give away. We are to hold and use these gifts humbly knowing that God is working through us to help His people.
Dear Father help us stay focused on You so we can hear you.
Help us to surrender and be obedient as the Holy Spirit convicts us.
Let us use the gifts You give us to help others come into intimacy with You.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
When I Lay My Isaac Down
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." Genesis 22:1, 2 (NIV)
As a new Christian, I can't say I liked that scripture. In fact, I thought, " I think that's going a little too far God." Of course, the real truth is I didn't fully understand it.
Over the years I realized the scripture was about loving God first and more then any other person or thing. When my oldest daughter Jessica was a teenager, I remember giving her to God and; giving her to God again and again. When my second daughter, Samantha was a teenager, I repeated the same cycle. As a mom we can only teach and direct when our kids are in view. Our kids belong to God and He has them in view all the time. Was that like sacrificing them on an altar? No. Some of that cycle was out of: "I can't take much more of this." It was, however, a step in the right direction.
I have to say until a few years ago when I heard the song, When I Lay My Isaac Down, did I understand that scripture at a deeper level.
The words that stand out for me in that song go something like this:
…it's you and Isaac or it's you and Me.
At the altar I know it's not my Isaac You want, it's me.
Whatever you are putting ahead of God; God wants it. He wants no obstacle in the way of our relationship with Him. Initially, I believe we see some more obvious things that block our relationship with God and then God takes us a little deeper to smaller things. Smaller things that we dismissed as not being all that bad and or things we really don't want to give up.
In the spiritual world the smaller things are as important as the bigger. Why? The smaller things are still about doing it our way, not God's way. The world tells you that 90-95% of something is good, in fact real good. When it comes to God, He wants a 100% of us.
Some of things on that list could be unforgiveness, anger, negativity, pride, excess work, being a victim, rationalizing our behavior, justifying our behavior, and or the lies we believe about ourselves.
If we want to follow Christ then whatever He directs us to give up we are to give it up.
I listen to this song nearly every day. I find every day I have something to lay down. God knows we are sinners. I believe He wants us to understand that we need to be trimmed and; have a willingness on our part to be trimmed. If we allow Him to trim us , He will grow us.
Lord, I pray we want to follow you. I pray we lay our Isaac's down.
"Here I am," he replied.
Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." Genesis 22:1, 2 (NIV)
As a new Christian, I can't say I liked that scripture. In fact, I thought, " I think that's going a little too far God." Of course, the real truth is I didn't fully understand it.
Over the years I realized the scripture was about loving God first and more then any other person or thing. When my oldest daughter Jessica was a teenager, I remember giving her to God and; giving her to God again and again. When my second daughter, Samantha was a teenager, I repeated the same cycle. As a mom we can only teach and direct when our kids are in view. Our kids belong to God and He has them in view all the time. Was that like sacrificing them on an altar? No. Some of that cycle was out of: "I can't take much more of this." It was, however, a step in the right direction.
I have to say until a few years ago when I heard the song, When I Lay My Isaac Down, did I understand that scripture at a deeper level.
The words that stand out for me in that song go something like this:
…it's you and Isaac or it's you and Me.
At the altar I know it's not my Isaac You want, it's me.
Whatever you are putting ahead of God; God wants it. He wants no obstacle in the way of our relationship with Him. Initially, I believe we see some more obvious things that block our relationship with God and then God takes us a little deeper to smaller things. Smaller things that we dismissed as not being all that bad and or things we really don't want to give up.
In the spiritual world the smaller things are as important as the bigger. Why? The smaller things are still about doing it our way, not God's way. The world tells you that 90-95% of something is good, in fact real good. When it comes to God, He wants a 100% of us.
Some of things on that list could be unforgiveness, anger, negativity, pride, excess work, being a victim, rationalizing our behavior, justifying our behavior, and or the lies we believe about ourselves.
If we want to follow Christ then whatever He directs us to give up we are to give it up.
I listen to this song nearly every day. I find every day I have something to lay down. God knows we are sinners. I believe He wants us to understand that we need to be trimmed and; have a willingness on our part to be trimmed. If we allow Him to trim us , He will grow us.
Lord, I pray we want to follow you. I pray we lay our Isaac's down.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Just Be With Me
"If you love Me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you."
John 14:15-17 (NIV)
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26 (NIV)
We believe there is a physical world because we can see it. Our focus is in and on the physical world. We look to the physical world for answers to our questions. As we live and focus in the physical world we look to the world to make decisions, to solve our problems, and to receive comfort. We have trained ourselves to look "out there" for what we need.
Our focus on the physical world has developed our physical senses.
God tells us to come to Him to make decisions, to solve problems and to receive comfort.
God gave each of His children the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is within each of us. When we go to God for what we need our focus is in and on the spiritual world. It is in the spiritual world that our spiritual senses are developed. Our spiritual senses help us see and hear beyond the what we see and hear in the physical. Our spiritual senses develop only if we have our faith in and on what Jesus did at Calvary.
We are to train ourselves to go "within" to the Holy Spirit to have our needs met.
Before I was a Christian I would prepare, prepare and prepare for speeches I had to deliver. Early on as a Christian when I was asked to speak at a conference I tried to come up with the outline of the message. Try as I might I couldn't come up with a outline. What God would give me were scriptures.
I learned to sit with scriptures He gave me and meditate on those scriptures. After several hours of meditation God would slowly fill in the message. For the most part He wouldn't fill in the message until the night before I was to speak. At first this was scary because i didn't have control. What if I arrived at the conference, got up to speak and had nothing to say?
On one such time when I received only one scripture from Him it left me confused and somewhat anxious. I asked God for more scripture and clarity. He said: "listen to worship music." After doing that for 3 or 4 hours I asked Him for the message. He said, "listen to my music." After several more hours of listening to music he gave me more scripture.
On the way to the conference I felt a lot of anxiety over only having a partial message to deliver at the conference. A conference where I was to speak twice. In the middle of major anxiety with my stomach upset and feeling like I wanted to throw up God used a friend to deliver His message to me: "God wants less of you and more of Him." His message calmed my being. Why did it calm me? The answer is spiritual. In my spirit I knew that God would give the message He wanted delivered even though I had little physical evidence of a message. I realized that when I listened for several hours to the worship music He prepared a message in me that He would deliver through me. How did He do that? God has the answer. Although I live in the physical world my focus was on God in the spiritual world. I didn't go "out there" for what I needed I went "within" to the Holy Spirit.
God's message for that conference and for whatever we are facing is Just Be With Me.
Lord Jesus help us as we live in the physical world to focus on You and trust You. Train us Lord Jesus to go "within" to the Holy Spirit.
John 14:15-17 (NIV)
"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26 (NIV)
We believe there is a physical world because we can see it. Our focus is in and on the physical world. We look to the physical world for answers to our questions. As we live and focus in the physical world we look to the world to make decisions, to solve our problems, and to receive comfort. We have trained ourselves to look "out there" for what we need.
Our focus on the physical world has developed our physical senses.
God tells us to come to Him to make decisions, to solve problems and to receive comfort.
God gave each of His children the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is within each of us. When we go to God for what we need our focus is in and on the spiritual world. It is in the spiritual world that our spiritual senses are developed. Our spiritual senses help us see and hear beyond the what we see and hear in the physical. Our spiritual senses develop only if we have our faith in and on what Jesus did at Calvary.
We are to train ourselves to go "within" to the Holy Spirit to have our needs met.
Before I was a Christian I would prepare, prepare and prepare for speeches I had to deliver. Early on as a Christian when I was asked to speak at a conference I tried to come up with the outline of the message. Try as I might I couldn't come up with a outline. What God would give me were scriptures.
I learned to sit with scriptures He gave me and meditate on those scriptures. After several hours of meditation God would slowly fill in the message. For the most part He wouldn't fill in the message until the night before I was to speak. At first this was scary because i didn't have control. What if I arrived at the conference, got up to speak and had nothing to say?
On one such time when I received only one scripture from Him it left me confused and somewhat anxious. I asked God for more scripture and clarity. He said: "listen to worship music." After doing that for 3 or 4 hours I asked Him for the message. He said, "listen to my music." After several more hours of listening to music he gave me more scripture.
On the way to the conference I felt a lot of anxiety over only having a partial message to deliver at the conference. A conference where I was to speak twice. In the middle of major anxiety with my stomach upset and feeling like I wanted to throw up God used a friend to deliver His message to me: "God wants less of you and more of Him." His message calmed my being. Why did it calm me? The answer is spiritual. In my spirit I knew that God would give the message He wanted delivered even though I had little physical evidence of a message. I realized that when I listened for several hours to the worship music He prepared a message in me that He would deliver through me. How did He do that? God has the answer. Although I live in the physical world my focus was on God in the spiritual world. I didn't go "out there" for what I needed I went "within" to the Holy Spirit.
God's message for that conference and for whatever we are facing is Just Be With Me.
Lord Jesus help us as we live in the physical world to focus on You and trust You. Train us Lord Jesus to go "within" to the Holy Spirit.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
I Can't Even Walk
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
He enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You give me Your shield of victory,
and Your right hand sustains me;
You stoop down to make me great.
You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn. Psalm 18:32-36 NIV
When I started to attend church it was the "music" that kept bringing me back every Sunday. I never really heard a sermon for three months. I say music because at that time I didn't even understand that it was worship music. God used music to speak to my heart and draw me to Him. He knew that music was the way to my heart.
Even now there are certain worship songs, especially old hymns, where tears run down my cheeks as I feel God's presence. It is not uncommon for me to play a certain worship song over and over again for days. Every time I press repeat I feel the words go deeper and deeper into my being. Don't worry I do this in my car so as not to drive my household up the wall.
My sharing with you today is a song that has been playing in my head and on my car radio for the past three days.
The name of this song is: I Can't Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand.
I thought that number one would surely be me.
Thought I'd be what I wanted to be.
I thought I could build on life's sinking sand.
But I can't even walk without You holding my hand.
I thought I could do a lot on my own.
I thought I could make it all alone.
I thought, I thought of myself as a mighty big man.
But I can't even walk without You holding my hand.
The mountains are too high and the valleys are too wide.
Down on my knees is how I learned to stand cause I can't even walk without You holding my hand.
I can't even walk without You holding my hand.
Lord I pray that this song plays in the heads of everyone that reads this and that the words are fixed into the depths of their being.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)