Pour our your hearts like water to the Lord. Lamentations 2:19
He is the faithful God who lavishes His unfailing love on those who love Him and obey His commands. Deuteronomy 7:9
The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7
The combination of these verses has ministered to my heart. I love the concept of pouring my heart out to God and finding the truth in the fact that He listens and cares. In context in Lamentations this verse is asking the Israelites to pour out their hearts all through the night in desperation for their children and their country. Applicable today, huh?!
Father God, I do ask that You will reveal Yourself to my children in ways that they have never known. I pray that their hearts will be soft toward You and they will surrender to Your lead throughout their lives. I ask that You would not give our country over to the evil that is so pervasive. I pray that You would enable us as believers to repent first and to love You and those You put in to our path in ways that reveal You. Help me to pour out my heart in desperation for those who do not know You, Lord.
In looking at Deuteronomy 7:9, I am taken by the faithfulness of God! He not only loves me but He "lavishes His unfailing love" on me. My response is to love Him and to obey Him - it is a cycle. He loves me and I love Him and obey Him and He lavishes His unfailing love on me, then I want to love Him and obey Him more. Lavishes is such a cool word!!! Kind of like having love poured out on me!
Father God, thank You seems so inadequate for the amazingness of Your faithfulness and Your love. And yet it is all I have, so THANK YOU! Thank You that it isn't enough for You just to love me, but You lavish it on me!!! I am so blessed!! Help me to love You more and more and obey Your lead. Give me ears to hear You and a willingness to obey, please Lord. I know that I cannot do it in my own strength.
Then Nahum 1:7. The LORD is good! Yes, He is. A strong refuge when trouble comes!!! Absolutely. And He is close to those who trust in Him!! He draws us to repent and to recognize His goodness and that He is in control. He will protect us as trouble is part of this life. But even more than all of that, which is HUGE!! He is close to us as we trust in Him! In fact He lives within us by the power of His Holy Spirit. I am never alone as a believer to face trouble or anything else! Knowing Him and getting to know Him more through His Word increases our ability to trust.
Father God, I do praise You because You are good, all the time. You are not just a refuge, but You are a strong refuge. You are the Almighty God and You allow me to have a personal relationship with You, through Jesus Christ. Thank You! Help me to recognize just how close You are to me as I walk this journey Your way. May I surrender my will to You and be in Your Word so that I can trust You more!!! I love You, Lord and I am so grateful that You first loved me!!
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Monday, September 19, 2016
Jesus Is: The Word of LIFE
The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. Psalm 19:7-9 (NLT)
The Word, the Bible is described in many ways. In these two verses alone the Word is described as instructions, decrees, commandments and commands. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). And in John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed HIs glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
We know that Jesus is the Word.
Look at what Jesus, as the Word through the Bible, reveals in these two verses alone. His Word is perfect -- it revives the soul. My soul!!! Your soul!!! Revives? The dictionary suggests several meanings for the word revives: to activate, set in motion, or take up again; renew; to restore to life or consciousness, renewed, vigor, strength, or a flourishing condition; to reanimate, to cheer; to be restored or renews as hope or consciousness.
Through spending time with Jesus, through reading His Word, meditating upon it I can be revived!!! In a spiritual sense as well as in a physical sense. He enables me to go on. He is after all "the Way, the Truth and the Life" John 14:6.
His Word has the ability to make us wise. Wise is knowing the Truth but also wise in living the Truth as we obey what He reveals to us.
His Word is right, period. And in it's rightness Jesus brings joy to my heart and yours. If we read it and apply it and if we allow Him to apply it to our daily living then there is joy. How? Through obedience and being willing to listen for His Voice and follow His lead in moment by moment of daily living. And those times that we don't obey then He leads us to confess that disobedience and trust His forgiveness therefore allowing Him to begin again in because of His faithfulness. It says right there in verse 9 that His Word is clear and it gives insight for living. Believe it!
His Word goes on to say at the end of Psalm 19 in verse 14: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."
It is after spending time with Jesus, actually in Him, through His Word, that we are then able to have a heart, words and actions that are pleasing to our Father in Heaven, our LORD. He is so good!!!
Father God, thank You for Jesus! Thank You, Jesus, for being the very Word on the page that we can read and that has the power to revive me in my daily life. Thank You, Jesus, that You gave Your Life so that I may have abundant and eternal life in You. May I spend time with You and truly allow You to revive and renew me in ways that alters the way I speak and respond in my daily life. Thank You for reminding me that You are my Rock and my Redeemer. For reminding me of that all I am in You and of all that is possible because of You. Thank You for bringing joy to my heart through Your Word. It is because of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
The Word, the Bible is described in many ways. In these two verses alone the Word is described as instructions, decrees, commandments and commands. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). And in John 1:14, "The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed HIs glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
We know that Jesus is the Word.
Look at what Jesus, as the Word through the Bible, reveals in these two verses alone. His Word is perfect -- it revives the soul. My soul!!! Your soul!!! Revives? The dictionary suggests several meanings for the word revives: to activate, set in motion, or take up again; renew; to restore to life or consciousness, renewed, vigor, strength, or a flourishing condition; to reanimate, to cheer; to be restored or renews as hope or consciousness.
Through spending time with Jesus, through reading His Word, meditating upon it I can be revived!!! In a spiritual sense as well as in a physical sense. He enables me to go on. He is after all "the Way, the Truth and the Life" John 14:6.
His Word has the ability to make us wise. Wise is knowing the Truth but also wise in living the Truth as we obey what He reveals to us.
His Word is right, period. And in it's rightness Jesus brings joy to my heart and yours. If we read it and apply it and if we allow Him to apply it to our daily living then there is joy. How? Through obedience and being willing to listen for His Voice and follow His lead in moment by moment of daily living. And those times that we don't obey then He leads us to confess that disobedience and trust His forgiveness therefore allowing Him to begin again in because of His faithfulness. It says right there in verse 9 that His Word is clear and it gives insight for living. Believe it!
His Word goes on to say at the end of Psalm 19 in verse 14: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."
It is after spending time with Jesus, actually in Him, through His Word, that we are then able to have a heart, words and actions that are pleasing to our Father in Heaven, our LORD. He is so good!!!
Father God, thank You for Jesus! Thank You, Jesus, for being the very Word on the page that we can read and that has the power to revive me in my daily life. Thank You, Jesus, that You gave Your Life so that I may have abundant and eternal life in You. May I spend time with You and truly allow You to revive and renew me in ways that alters the way I speak and respond in my daily life. Thank You for reminding me that You are my Rock and my Redeemer. For reminding me of that all I am in You and of all that is possible because of You. Thank You for bringing joy to my heart through Your Word. It is because of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
Friday, September 16, 2016
God Provides...Everything
Psalm 16 (NLT)
(1) Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to You for refuge.
(2) I said to the LORD, You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from You.
(3) The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!
(4) Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods.
(5) LORD, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.
(6) The land You have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!
(7) I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.
(8) I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.
(9) No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
(10) For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow Your Holy One to rot in the grave.
(11) You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.
I love the Psalms. They are just so real, aren't they? I desire to be real with people and know them as real as well. David pours out his soul here in Psalm 16 and it resonates with me.
Keep me safe, protect me (HCSB), preserve me (NKJV) for I have come to You for refuge, for in You I put my trust (NKJV). Trusting the fact that God is my refuge, He will keep me safe and He is my refuge is key. I know that things happen that make me "feel" that I am not safe and yet the fact is that this life is not what is most important. Our reality is that this life is only 0-100 years possibly but heaven is for all eternity. God being my safety and refuge is in knowing that regardless of what happens in this life, He is trustworthy and He is preparing a place for me in heaven (John 14:3).
I must declare, in this life, by my words and my actions that He is my Lord and Master recognizing that every good thing I have comes from Him. HCSB states "You are my Lord, I have nothing good besides You." He is the very definition of goodness. So any goodness I am capable of originates in Him.
I look at this Psalm and am reminded of His provision. He provides safety, He is my refuge. His very being is goodness. The ability to take pleasure in others or in anything is from Him. He is my inheritance. He is my blessing. He guides me. He is always with me. I can allow my heart to be glad (have joy) when I recognize all that He is and all that He does. Notice in verse 10, it is all because of Jesus!!! I am granted the joy of His presence and the knowledge that I will live with Him forever.
I have a choice, one I must make over and over. Am I going to trust in Him and live in His ways or follow after the world? Will I love others in the way He loves me? Will I rest in the security that belonging to Him brings and allow it to stretch my comfort zone and be willing to reach out to others because I know I am secure in Him?
I love the example of David. I can come to God with everything. My fears, my frustrations, my joys, my hopes, my disappointments, the people that I love. I can KNOW that He has me and them in the palm of His hand. He is at work all the time and He has provided everything I will ever need all ready.
I need only trust in Him and wait for His timing.
This is a difficult task especially when I tend to forget that every single thing is all about Him and His strength and His provision, not my own!! Truly, it may seem that I am oversimplifying, but the fact is we are guilty of making things harder than He ever intended - at least I am.
Father God, I am truly thankful for Your Word. For the way that Your servant, David, expressed himself and thus shows me that it is acceptable and even pleasing to You when I come to You with all that I am facing. Please God, enable me to look to You and place my trust in You moment by moment and be ready to share the love that You so generously poured out for me with others. May I love as You love me. Help me to rest in You, Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen.
(1) Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to You for refuge.
(2) I said to the LORD, You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from You.
(3) The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!
(4) Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods.
(5) LORD, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.
(6) The land You have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!
(7) I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.
(8) I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.
(9) No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.
(10) For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow Your Holy One to rot in the grave.
(11) You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.
I love the Psalms. They are just so real, aren't they? I desire to be real with people and know them as real as well. David pours out his soul here in Psalm 16 and it resonates with me.
Keep me safe, protect me (HCSB), preserve me (NKJV) for I have come to You for refuge, for in You I put my trust (NKJV). Trusting the fact that God is my refuge, He will keep me safe and He is my refuge is key. I know that things happen that make me "feel" that I am not safe and yet the fact is that this life is not what is most important. Our reality is that this life is only 0-100 years possibly but heaven is for all eternity. God being my safety and refuge is in knowing that regardless of what happens in this life, He is trustworthy and He is preparing a place for me in heaven (John 14:3).
I must declare, in this life, by my words and my actions that He is my Lord and Master recognizing that every good thing I have comes from Him. HCSB states "You are my Lord, I have nothing good besides You." He is the very definition of goodness. So any goodness I am capable of originates in Him.
I look at this Psalm and am reminded of His provision. He provides safety, He is my refuge. His very being is goodness. The ability to take pleasure in others or in anything is from Him. He is my inheritance. He is my blessing. He guides me. He is always with me. I can allow my heart to be glad (have joy) when I recognize all that He is and all that He does. Notice in verse 10, it is all because of Jesus!!! I am granted the joy of His presence and the knowledge that I will live with Him forever.
I have a choice, one I must make over and over. Am I going to trust in Him and live in His ways or follow after the world? Will I love others in the way He loves me? Will I rest in the security that belonging to Him brings and allow it to stretch my comfort zone and be willing to reach out to others because I know I am secure in Him?
I love the example of David. I can come to God with everything. My fears, my frustrations, my joys, my hopes, my disappointments, the people that I love. I can KNOW that He has me and them in the palm of His hand. He is at work all the time and He has provided everything I will ever need all ready.
I need only trust in Him and wait for His timing.
This is a difficult task especially when I tend to forget that every single thing is all about Him and His strength and His provision, not my own!! Truly, it may seem that I am oversimplifying, but the fact is we are guilty of making things harder than He ever intended - at least I am.
Father God, I am truly thankful for Your Word. For the way that Your servant, David, expressed himself and thus shows me that it is acceptable and even pleasing to You when I come to You with all that I am facing. Please God, enable me to look to You and place my trust in You moment by moment and be ready to share the love that You so generously poured out for me with others. May I love as You love me. Help me to rest in You, Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Restore Joy
Psalm 51 (various verses from HCSB)
1) Be gracious to me, God according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.
2) Wash away my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin.
3) For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me.
4a) Against You - You alone - I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight.
6) Surely You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within.
8) Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9) Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt.
10) God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit with in me.
11) Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12) Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.
15) Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare Your praise.
17) The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.
I am struck today with my pride and rebellion, the constant battle to submit my will to His will. I like things my way. I like things to go my way and for others to agree with me. I struggle with self-centeredness and self-righteousness throughout my day. I have an opinion about everything and of course, I think it is the best one. I am constantly battling against manipulating things to look my way or to suit me. I have a sin problem. And yet, I do desire to submit to the Lord and I recognize that even this desire comes from Him.
I look at Psalm 51 and I am overwhelmed with awe and gratitude. The Psalmist David asks God for much and yet I know the reality of all that he asked for!! I am certainly blessed. As are you if you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Will you reread the verses above and ponder all that Christ has done for you and me?
Father God, I thank You that You are full of grace toward me because of Your unfailing love and abundant compassion for me. I thank You that through the blood of Jesus You have washed away my guilt and cleansed me from my sin. I am conscious of my rebellion and my sin is ever before me. I know that I can never measure up on my own and that I could not pay the debt that my sin required. Thank You, Jesus for paying my debt. Forgive me for the sin that I excuse and ignore. Please reveal it to me and give me the strength to repent with godly sorrow. I know that my sin is against You and You alone. I know You desire a pure heart deep within me. I pray that You would make it so and that You would teach me wisdom. I do ask that You would enable me to know joy and gladness in realizing that all my sin has been blotted out and washed clean. I do pray that You would create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Forgive me where I have quenched and grieved Your Holy Spirit in my life. Thank You for the truth of Your promise that You will never leave me or forsake me, period. Restore to me the joy of my salvation and give me a willing spirit. Yes, Lord, may I recognize Your Voice and obey. Please open my mouth and enable me to declare Your praise at every opportunity. God, convict me of sin in my life and break me in all ways that will bring You glory. May I be willing to submit and have a humble heart before You. Thank You again Jesus for the fulfillment of Your Word in my life. Thank You that I know, that I know that You love me and that I am Yours. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
1) Be gracious to me, God according to Your faithful love; according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.
2) Wash away my guilt, and cleanse me from my sin.
3) For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me.
4a) Against You - You alone - I have sinned and done this evil in Your sight.
6) Surely You desire integrity in the inner self, and You teach me wisdom deep within.
8) Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9) Turn Your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt.
10) God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit with in me.
11) Do not banish me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12) Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.
15) Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare Your praise.
17) The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.
I am struck today with my pride and rebellion, the constant battle to submit my will to His will. I like things my way. I like things to go my way and for others to agree with me. I struggle with self-centeredness and self-righteousness throughout my day. I have an opinion about everything and of course, I think it is the best one. I am constantly battling against manipulating things to look my way or to suit me. I have a sin problem. And yet, I do desire to submit to the Lord and I recognize that even this desire comes from Him.
I look at Psalm 51 and I am overwhelmed with awe and gratitude. The Psalmist David asks God for much and yet I know the reality of all that he asked for!! I am certainly blessed. As are you if you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Will you reread the verses above and ponder all that Christ has done for you and me?
Father God, I thank You that You are full of grace toward me because of Your unfailing love and abundant compassion for me. I thank You that through the blood of Jesus You have washed away my guilt and cleansed me from my sin. I am conscious of my rebellion and my sin is ever before me. I know that I can never measure up on my own and that I could not pay the debt that my sin required. Thank You, Jesus for paying my debt. Forgive me for the sin that I excuse and ignore. Please reveal it to me and give me the strength to repent with godly sorrow. I know that my sin is against You and You alone. I know You desire a pure heart deep within me. I pray that You would make it so and that You would teach me wisdom. I do ask that You would enable me to know joy and gladness in realizing that all my sin has been blotted out and washed clean. I do pray that You would create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Forgive me where I have quenched and grieved Your Holy Spirit in my life. Thank You for the truth of Your promise that You will never leave me or forsake me, period. Restore to me the joy of my salvation and give me a willing spirit. Yes, Lord, may I recognize Your Voice and obey. Please open my mouth and enable me to declare Your praise at every opportunity. God, convict me of sin in my life and break me in all ways that will bring You glory. May I be willing to submit and have a humble heart before You. Thank You again Jesus for the fulfillment of Your Word in my life. Thank You that I know, that I know that You love me and that I am Yours. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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