Jesus Calling is just too good today to even have to expound on...
"Taste and see that I am GOOD. The more intimately you experience Me, the more convinced you become of My goodness. I am the LIVING ONE who sees you and longs to participate in your life. I am training you to find Me in each moment and to be a channel of My Loving Presence. Sometimes My blessings come to you in mysterious ways; through pain and trouble. At such times you can know My goodness only thru your trust in Me. Understanding will fail you, but trust will KEEP YOU CLOSE TO ME.
Thank Me for the gift of My Peace, a gift of such immense proportions that you cannot fathom it's depth or breadth. When I appeared to My disciples after the resurrection, it was PEACE that I communicated first of all, I knew this was their deepest need: to calm their fears and clear their minds. I also speak PEACE to you, for I know your anxious thoughts. Listen to Me! Tune out other voices, so that you can hear Me more clearly. I designed you to dwell in PEACE all day, every day. Draw near to Me; receive My Peace.
Psl 34:8. Gen 16:13-14. John 20:19. Col 3:15
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
I'm tired today
Today I'm really tired... had really really strange dreams last night plus I think I pulled my cpap mask off in the middle of the night. (if any of you following don't know, I have sleep apnea), so that is probably another reason I'm tired today... Whatever the reason once again, like clockwork, the enemy immediatly tries to wedge his way into my sleepy tired brain and my thoughts were not so good first thing this morning. But praise God as I take this daily step of "renewing" my mind with the washing of His Word.. It doesn't take so long to bring my little human wandering brain back in line. That is how habits are formed, right? Good ones and bad ones. By doing them daily... Or repetitively, over and over till our brains "get it!" then it becomes easier and easier to do... Or harder and harder to break, depending on what you are training your mind on... The good thoughts or the bad ones. I heard a very successful man say the other day..."the simple things are easy to do... They are also easy NOT to do..." just like trying to eat right daily.. You usually start out with good intentions, then you miss a day and eat at Mickey D's... Then you go some days doing good... Then you mess up two days in a row due to whatever excuse you make up... Then it becomes easier and easier to just fall back into your old habits. Your old patterns. Pretty soon you're don't care at all about what you put in your mouth and you're right back where you were... Beating yourself up and feeling like crud physically and mentally. And if you stay there long enough you'll end up not caring at all about anything. The same can be said about taking the time daily to pray or talk and LISTEN to God... It really can take as little as 5-15 minutes of your day to start... not long at all to spend with your Creator... He certainly is worthy of more than that, but keep it simple to begin with... You're more likely to continue doing it because it you keep it simple. Pray, read His Word and then Listen to what He is saying to you... If you don't know what you're listening for, if you think God doesn't talk to you, you're wrong. He is that still, quiet little voice inside your head that you've squashed, that you've silenced for so long... He is the one that is saying "you are precious My daughter. You are the apple of My eye.. The one I love with a love everlasting. The ONE I sent My Son to die for... Hear Me whispering My words of love to you, and if you sit still and try to listen every day, one day My voice, My words of LOVE to you will be a SHOUT in your mind... So audible you can't deny it, can't mistake it and can't LIVE without it!! You are the desire of My heart my love and I
want to be the desire of yours. Trust Me with all your heart even, ESPECIALLY, when you are tired... If all you can do is utter... "I trust You
Jesus" then do so. Because I hear you Always, and your cries are not a small little whisper in My ears. I KNOW your voice... I listen for it daily, every minute, every second...because I am the Lover of Your Soul... Can you hear Me?"
It's the simple things that are easy to do, but if done over a period of time, are the MOST rewarding. So today Lord, even in my tiredness, I fix my mind on You.. I hear You and Your voice is starting to become so loud and clear in my head, I trust You Jesus, to complete me.. To fulfill me, and as I daily listen for You, I KNOW one day my Lover's Words will be a SHOUT in my heart.
Jeremiah 29:13-14, Phil 4:13 Prov 1:33
want to be the desire of yours. Trust Me with all your heart even, ESPECIALLY, when you are tired... If all you can do is utter... "I trust You
Jesus" then do so. Because I hear you Always, and your cries are not a small little whisper in My ears. I KNOW your voice... I listen for it daily, every minute, every second...because I am the Lover of Your Soul... Can you hear Me?"
It's the simple things that are easy to do, but if done over a period of time, are the MOST rewarding. So today Lord, even in my tiredness, I fix my mind on You.. I hear You and Your voice is starting to become so loud and clear in my head, I trust You Jesus, to complete me.. To fulfill me, and as I daily listen for You, I KNOW one day my Lover's Words will be a SHOUT in my heart.
Jeremiah 29:13-14, Phil 4:13 Prov 1:33
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Before you pray...stop and perform a "heart check"
This is so GOOD to remember... Check your heart daily as you come to God in prayer. Check your heart and make sure you're not just praying for what you can "get" from Him, but that you're coming to Him, conversing with Him, spending time with Him, because this time spent with "the Lover of your Soul", just being in His Presence, listening to His "heart", is what you truly desire more than anything in this world.
Paraphrase of "Jesus Calling" says it this way... "Be still in My Presence, even though countless tasks clamor for your attention. Nothing is as important as spending time with Me. Do not seek Me primarily for what I can give you. Remember that I, the Giver, am infinitely greater than any gift I may impart on you. Although I delight in blessing My children, I am grieved when My blessings become "idols" in their hearts. Anything can become an idol if it distracts you from Me as your "FIRST LOVE". As you wait in My Presence, enjoy the greatest gift of all: Christ in you, the Hope of Glory!"
Wow...what a Reality check for me this morning as I was just going to pray for all the things I "need".... Then I read that. And it is so true... In life and with God... If all you desire truly is what someone can "give" to you... It makes you very selfish, and eventually, very lonely.. Cause who wants to be friends, or in a relationship, with someone like that? Hmmmm?
Paraphrase of "Jesus Calling" says it this way... "Be still in My Presence, even though countless tasks clamor for your attention. Nothing is as important as spending time with Me. Do not seek Me primarily for what I can give you. Remember that I, the Giver, am infinitely greater than any gift I may impart on you. Although I delight in blessing My children, I am grieved when My blessings become "idols" in their hearts. Anything can become an idol if it distracts you from Me as your "FIRST LOVE". As you wait in My Presence, enjoy the greatest gift of all: Christ in you, the Hope of Glory!"
Wow...what a Reality check for me this morning as I was just going to pray for all the things I "need".... Then I read that. And it is so true... In life and with God... If all you desire truly is what someone can "give" to you... It makes you very selfish, and eventually, very lonely.. Cause who wants to be friends, or in a relationship, with someone like that? Hmmmm?
Friday, March 26, 2010
Try it... You'll like it!
Excerpt from "Jesus Calling"
"Waiting on Me means directing your attention to Me in hopeful anticipation of what I will do. It entails trusting Me with every fiber of your being, instead of trying to figure things out yourself.
I have promised many blessings to those who wait on Me: renewed strength, living above ones circumstances, resurgence of hope, awareness of My continual Presence. Waiting on Me helps you to remain reliant on Me, ready to do My will. It also helps you to enjoy ME.. And in My Presence there is fullness of joy."
Isa 40:31 Psm 16:11
We wait for everything else in life... Wait in line, wait for work, wait for enough money to do the things we've been waiting to do... So why NOT be willing to WAIT on the LORD? The thing is, if what you're doing isn't working for your life, then why not try His way in your life? After all, He created the "product", He is the expert on "how" it should work, right?
"Waiting on Me means directing your attention to Me in hopeful anticipation of what I will do. It entails trusting Me with every fiber of your being, instead of trying to figure things out yourself.
I have promised many blessings to those who wait on Me: renewed strength, living above ones circumstances, resurgence of hope, awareness of My continual Presence. Waiting on Me helps you to remain reliant on Me, ready to do My will. It also helps you to enjoy ME.. And in My Presence there is fullness of joy."
Isa 40:31 Psm 16:11
We wait for everything else in life... Wait in line, wait for work, wait for enough money to do the things we've been waiting to do... So why NOT be willing to WAIT on the LORD? The thing is, if what you're doing isn't working for your life, then why not try His way in your life? After all, He created the "product", He is the expert on "how" it should work, right?
Thursday, March 25, 2010
An Attitude of Gratitude
I woke up worrying this morning. Have been in a financial downward spiral this month. One day I think I'm out of it... The next day I find out I'm not. So "worry" was the first thing on my mind when I woke up... And the first thing I did was check my bank balance... Then I REALLY worried! LOL. The more I worried the bigger the problem got in my head, ya know what I mean? In a split second you can go from casual thoughts of being low on cash for a day or two... To financial bankruptcy if you let your mind dwell in that place for even a couple of minutes. Sometimes our worst enemy is our minds. But then I remembered what I have been trying to get across to all of us, myself included, on this blog... To change those old tapes that have played time and time again in our minds in the past that just left us in emotional ruin. "Stinkin' Thinkin'! as I like to call it. Immediately I turned my thoughts to Jesus.... I started thanking Him for waking up and feeling good this morning. I thanked Him for my family and friends, I thanked Him for what He has been doing in my life lately as far as ministry. As I went on thinking of things to be thankful for my list grew long... Heck, I even thanked Him for being able to get out of bed this morning!! Because when it comes right down to it.... We should be thankful for the very breath we're able to take on our own... A roof over our heads, food readily available in and waiting for us in the kitchen. Being able to walk, to talk, to smile... Oh the things I need to remember to ALWAYS be thankful for go on and on, really.
3 days a week I visit a friend of mine who had a stroke 3 years ago... He was a vibrant man, worldly, legendary in the world of Fiats and Ferraris... A master painter... An inspiration to many in his 76 years. But in the blink of an eye, a stroke took that all away from him. He can no longer walk, he can't talk, has to be fed thru a tube, he can't move from the bed on his own... His daily needs have to be taken care of by the nursing staff. All of his finances had to be done away with, so he could be covered by Medi-Cal for this 24/7 care. I go and sit with him, talk to him, take him outside in his wheelchair, and try to encourage him, to get him to even smile a little. So, after doing this, seeing him 3 days a week for almost 2 years now, you'd think I would NEVER EVER complain about ANYTHING in my life. But I'm only human and God is still working on me...
So, again I say, instead of dwelling on your current crud... That you could blow up in your mind... Making your problems insurmountable,
start thinking of all you DO have to BE THANKFUL for... And then start THANKING HIM for those things. Doing this type of thinking, praying, will become the tapes that play in your head eventually and you will walk around with an Attitude of Gratitude. A thankful heart also puts you in line with God's Will, a place where you will begin to see His Presence and blessings in all that you do. And that my friends, is something to be very very THANKFUL for.
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young says this today:
LET THANKFULNESS TEMPER ALL YOUR THOUGHTS. A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me. I hate it when my children grumble, casually despising My sovereignty. Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin. Furthermore, a grateful attitutide becomes a grid through which you perceive life. Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining on all your circumstances. Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with joy.
1Cor 10:10. Heb 12:28-29
3 days a week I visit a friend of mine who had a stroke 3 years ago... He was a vibrant man, worldly, legendary in the world of Fiats and Ferraris... A master painter... An inspiration to many in his 76 years. But in the blink of an eye, a stroke took that all away from him. He can no longer walk, he can't talk, has to be fed thru a tube, he can't move from the bed on his own... His daily needs have to be taken care of by the nursing staff. All of his finances had to be done away with, so he could be covered by Medi-Cal for this 24/7 care. I go and sit with him, talk to him, take him outside in his wheelchair, and try to encourage him, to get him to even smile a little. So, after doing this, seeing him 3 days a week for almost 2 years now, you'd think I would NEVER EVER complain about ANYTHING in my life. But I'm only human and God is still working on me...
So, again I say, instead of dwelling on your current crud... That you could blow up in your mind... Making your problems insurmountable,
start thinking of all you DO have to BE THANKFUL for... And then start THANKING HIM for those things. Doing this type of thinking, praying, will become the tapes that play in your head eventually and you will walk around with an Attitude of Gratitude. A thankful heart also puts you in line with God's Will, a place where you will begin to see His Presence and blessings in all that you do. And that my friends, is something to be very very THANKFUL for.
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young says this today:
LET THANKFULNESS TEMPER ALL YOUR THOUGHTS. A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me. I hate it when my children grumble, casually despising My sovereignty. Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin. Furthermore, a grateful attitutide becomes a grid through which you perceive life. Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining on all your circumstances. Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with joy.
1Cor 10:10. Heb 12:28-29
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
O daughter of Jerusalem
This is a letter written to a friend of mine from her brother... but it is really a letter written by God to all of us, women, and men... receive it!!
O daughter of Jerusalem Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation. Lowly and riding on a donkey; a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9
Greetings, my beloved daughter of the New Jerusalem, through all the riches in Christ Jesus, who is worthy to be praised. I had been thinking of writing you, but I waited to hear a word from the Lord. This morning, I was praying for you and your loved one. The Lord touched my heart to write this to you: Your King has already come on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. He has made His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Yes, they laid their clothes and branches of palm trees before Him as He rode on a the donkey. They shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!" John 12:13 O daughter of the New Jerusalem, He has died for our sins and He has risen from the dead and He sits at the right hand of the Father. One day, O daughter of Jerusalem, He shall come again. But He shall come as King of Kings, Lord of lords, and sit on His rightful throne. He has paid the price for us. He has suffered for the sinful. He has bore the separation from the Father. His Name is above all names in heaven and on earth. Yes, at the sound of His name, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess He is Lord. O daughter of the New Jerusalem, He has clothed you in love, faith and hope. He has presented you blameless and spotless before the Father. God, the Father doesn't see us through wrath but through the righteous blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus' blood paid the price for our righteousness. It is His righteousness that the Father sees. Sometimes I wonder why we are so special and so much loved by God that He would die for us. Sometimes we think we are worthless dirt. But God took dirt and made us. Could you imagine the world without dirt? There wouldn't be life. So many things grow out of dirt. We need plants to survive.
O daughter of the New Jerusalem, there comes a time in our lives when we stop living and God starts to live through us. A time when we start living for that New Jerusalem. Yes, when our clothing becomes love, faith and hope. I wonder sometimes if anyone could see my new clothing, love, faith and hope? Who can truly see love, faith and hope? The are invisible to the human eye. Only through the eyes of the Lord can anyone see this new clothing. I encourage you O daughter faith treats things hoped for as reality. It assures us that the unseen is real. We have an assurance in the coming of our Lord. I ask you, What do you hope for in this life time? You have a Lord and you have a home in the future. How big and awesome is your God? Can your hope be measured by His awesome power and will? O daughter, God is our hope. And whatever He puts inside us or instills within us, no one can rob us of. God is our assurance that He put it there. I don't look at my surroundings, my situations, nor any outside doubts about what God has instilled within me. I live by faith, love and hope. When I allow God to do His will in my life, , my hope is increased, my love is increased and my faith is increased. I know without a doubt God wants the very best for me. I can Hope. I can see the unseen prayers answered. My will becomes God's will. I can trust God and say, Lord Your will be done in my life.
O daughter of the New Jerusalem,there will be problems in our lives. There will be disappointments and sufferings. These things are common to man. But we endure them and go forth in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. They help us grow and mature into men and women of God. Yes, we have to be tested. Whatever God has planned for us, He equips us for that very task or job. He never overloads us. I don't know what you may be going through, I don't know your personal trial and I don't need to know. Our great and awesome God knows. I pray He comforts you and carries you through whatever may come you way for His glory. We must learn to overcome the obstacles in our lives and not allow them to become mountains we can't climb.
I want to share this with you, someone shared with me through the Holy Spirit: "I want to let you know you're in my prayers... I imagine you may be overwhelmed because you've been dealing with so much lately. And maybe you're wondering, (as I have wondered at times), how things are ever going to work out? And I just want to remind you that although life brings many changes, God's love for us REMAINS constant. He's always there, guiding us through decisions and helping us do the hard things... Always restoring in us a sense of hope and peace, no matter what we're facing. And the most beautiful thing about God is that the more we need Him, the closer He is... That's how I know He is especially close to you now."
These words were a comfort to me and I pray they be a comfort to you. God knows who you are now and you need to remember who you ARE.. Your King sits on the throne. You are a child of God now. You have a Father who answers your prayers. He is a Father who loves you unconditionally. He gave His Son to set you free from the bondage of sins and low living. He has given you hope. Your salvation is secure. You can hope for things in this world and let them glorify Him. God knows what makes us happy and He knows every intent and thought within our hearts and mind. There are no secrets hidden from Him. Yes, He sees the tears that are shed in secrecy. He knows every pain in our hearts. O daughter of the New Jerusalem, you must believe He loves you and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Every prayer God has answered for me has been far greater than what I asked for or every imagined. I trust Him. Some, I had to wait and some haven't happened yet. But I know His timing is far greater than mine. I don't know the future, I don't know what's around the corner, I don't have power and glory, I don't keep everything in existence, and I don't remain faithful all the time... Only GOD DOES and He is in control The Lord Jesus Christ said "your faith has healed you." What miracle do you need done? I pray you understand the answer: "Thus says the Lord: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears. For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord. And they shall come back from the land of the enemy." There is hope in your future, says the Lord, "That your children shall come back to their own border." Amen Jeremiah 31:16-17 Look ahead O daughter of the New Jerusalem!!!
O daughter of Jerusalem Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation. Lowly and riding on a donkey; a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9
Greetings, my beloved daughter of the New Jerusalem, through all the riches in Christ Jesus, who is worthy to be praised. I had been thinking of writing you, but I waited to hear a word from the Lord. This morning, I was praying for you and your loved one. The Lord touched my heart to write this to you: Your King has already come on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. He has made His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Yes, they laid their clothes and branches of palm trees before Him as He rode on a the donkey. They shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!" John 12:13 O daughter of the New Jerusalem, He has died for our sins and He has risen from the dead and He sits at the right hand of the Father. One day, O daughter of Jerusalem, He shall come again. But He shall come as King of Kings, Lord of lords, and sit on His rightful throne. He has paid the price for us. He has suffered for the sinful. He has bore the separation from the Father. His Name is above all names in heaven and on earth. Yes, at the sound of His name, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess He is Lord. O daughter of the New Jerusalem, He has clothed you in love, faith and hope. He has presented you blameless and spotless before the Father. God, the Father doesn't see us through wrath but through the righteous blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus' blood paid the price for our righteousness. It is His righteousness that the Father sees. Sometimes I wonder why we are so special and so much loved by God that He would die for us. Sometimes we think we are worthless dirt. But God took dirt and made us. Could you imagine the world without dirt? There wouldn't be life. So many things grow out of dirt. We need plants to survive.
O daughter of the New Jerusalem, there comes a time in our lives when we stop living and God starts to live through us. A time when we start living for that New Jerusalem. Yes, when our clothing becomes love, faith and hope. I wonder sometimes if anyone could see my new clothing, love, faith and hope? Who can truly see love, faith and hope? The are invisible to the human eye. Only through the eyes of the Lord can anyone see this new clothing. I encourage you O daughter faith treats things hoped for as reality. It assures us that the unseen is real. We have an assurance in the coming of our Lord. I ask you, What do you hope for in this life time? You have a Lord and you have a home in the future. How big and awesome is your God? Can your hope be measured by His awesome power and will? O daughter, God is our hope. And whatever He puts inside us or instills within us, no one can rob us of. God is our assurance that He put it there. I don't look at my surroundings, my situations, nor any outside doubts about what God has instilled within me. I live by faith, love and hope. When I allow God to do His will in my life, , my hope is increased, my love is increased and my faith is increased. I know without a doubt God wants the very best for me. I can Hope. I can see the unseen prayers answered. My will becomes God's will. I can trust God and say, Lord Your will be done in my life.
O daughter of the New Jerusalem,there will be problems in our lives. There will be disappointments and sufferings. These things are common to man. But we endure them and go forth in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. They help us grow and mature into men and women of God. Yes, we have to be tested. Whatever God has planned for us, He equips us for that very task or job. He never overloads us. I don't know what you may be going through, I don't know your personal trial and I don't need to know. Our great and awesome God knows. I pray He comforts you and carries you through whatever may come you way for His glory. We must learn to overcome the obstacles in our lives and not allow them to become mountains we can't climb.
I want to share this with you, someone shared with me through the Holy Spirit: "I want to let you know you're in my prayers... I imagine you may be overwhelmed because you've been dealing with so much lately. And maybe you're wondering, (as I have wondered at times), how things are ever going to work out? And I just want to remind you that although life brings many changes, God's love for us REMAINS constant. He's always there, guiding us through decisions and helping us do the hard things... Always restoring in us a sense of hope and peace, no matter what we're facing. And the most beautiful thing about God is that the more we need Him, the closer He is... That's how I know He is especially close to you now."
These words were a comfort to me and I pray they be a comfort to you. God knows who you are now and you need to remember who you ARE.. Your King sits on the throne. You are a child of God now. You have a Father who answers your prayers. He is a Father who loves you unconditionally. He gave His Son to set you free from the bondage of sins and low living. He has given you hope. Your salvation is secure. You can hope for things in this world and let them glorify Him. God knows what makes us happy and He knows every intent and thought within our hearts and mind. There are no secrets hidden from Him. Yes, He sees the tears that are shed in secrecy. He knows every pain in our hearts. O daughter of the New Jerusalem, you must believe He loves you and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Every prayer God has answered for me has been far greater than what I asked for or every imagined. I trust Him. Some, I had to wait and some haven't happened yet. But I know His timing is far greater than mine. I don't know the future, I don't know what's around the corner, I don't have power and glory, I don't keep everything in existence, and I don't remain faithful all the time... Only GOD DOES and He is in control The Lord Jesus Christ said "your faith has healed you." What miracle do you need done? I pray you understand the answer: "Thus says the Lord: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears. For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord. And they shall come back from the land of the enemy." There is hope in your future, says the Lord, "That your children shall come back to their own border." Amen Jeremiah 31:16-17 Look ahead O daughter of the New Jerusalem!!!
Monday, March 22, 2010
That simple word..." Trust" is so complicated
Trust.. Why is it so darn difficult to do? Jesus says to trust Him and I try everyday to focus my heart on that... But sometimes it is a prayer I must repeat, an action I must force myself to accomplish, many times a day. I guess it's so hard and sometimes too time consuming, to even try due to our past experience. I mean who hasn't been hurt in one way or another by "trusting" another person? I know for myself, it's happened many many many times. And I as well, have broken peoples trust in me, many times. I've come to realize it is because we tend to put all our trust in humans, and because we're human, we fail.. All fall short. So we take those past experiences with our friends, parents, lovers, ourselves even, the experiences of broken trusts that caused deep pain, the worst heartaches, and carry them over with us when we come to know God... And of course we have issues trusting Him. These trust issues start so early in our lives sometimes, as babies even, and can continue through our formidable years, so that when we do "grow up", become able to choose to believe in Christ on our own, of course we are going to have trouble trusting Him. He knew that... And He is very patient, and oh so able, to help us through this heart issue. I've found that asking Him daily, sometimes hourly, or minute by minute, to change my heart, to bring it to a place of complete trust, is the only way that I've been able to "change" those old trust issues, re-make those old tapes so to speak, that play in my head. It is a daily re-newing of our minds, of our hearts, surrendering to Him and allowing the Master Potter to re-mold us, to shape us into His image. And the only way I can do that is by drawing nearer to Him. Get to know Him better by reading His love letter to me daily. And who doesn't love a good love letter? His word is His love letter to us.. Once you start putting it in your head daily, finding out His amazing, incomprehensible, extravegant, unconditional and unfailing love for you... Once you allow that to daily penetrate your heart.. And thanking Him for helping you to trust Him...One day you will find your trust issue is not an issue anymore, but the very thing that fills you with complete and utter joy. The kind you've been searching for all your life to fill you, but were never, and will never, be able to be filled by any human, place, thing, drug or drink. Only God can fulfill that spot. Trust Him to do it, keep trusting Him and drawing nearer to Him... Then one day you'll turn around and find it isn't hard at all. And so worth it!
Jesus Calling says this today:
Rejoice and be thankful! As you walk with Me through this day, practice trusting and thanking Me along the way. Trust is the channel through which My Peace flows into you. Thankfulness lifts you up above your circumstances. I do My greatest works through people with grateful,
trusting hearts. Rather than planning and evaluating, practice trusting and thanking Me continually. This is a paradigm that will revolutionize
your life.
Phil 4:4. Psl 95:1-2 Psl 9:10
Jesus Calling says this today:
Rejoice and be thankful! As you walk with Me through this day, practice trusting and thanking Me along the way. Trust is the channel through which My Peace flows into you. Thankfulness lifts you up above your circumstances. I do My greatest works through people with grateful,
trusting hearts. Rather than planning and evaluating, practice trusting and thanking Me continually. This is a paradigm that will revolutionize
your life.
Phil 4:4. Psl 95:1-2 Psl 9:10
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Holy Spirit Come
I started my walk with Jesus in 1988, accepting Him into my heart at the invitation of one of the greatest orators of Gods Word, Pastor Jack Hayford. I read the word, listened to people speak, tried to understand to the best of my ability. But there was always something missing, something that didn't make the Word "alive" to me. Then one day Pastor Jack spoke on the Holy Spirit. He said, inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell within you, would open your eyes to Gods Words, and enable our hearts to have the power of Gods word made manifest in us. WOW. I wanted that. So I started to find out more about this "Holy Spirit" and I read "Good Morning Holy Spirit" by Benny Hin, and did what he and Pastor Jack said.. I started each morning by asking the Spirit of the Living God to come dwell within me. To open my eyes and ears to hear His word. To bring to life, Gods word. I didn't necessarily believe it, I just did it. But Jesus tells us you only need faith the size of a mustard seed, (have you seen a mustard seed? It's so so tiny), and I had that. Consistently I did this, not really noticing a difference for awhile, but it was a gradual change of my heart. But that is how the Holy Spirit is.. It is Jesus' Spirit He sent to dwell with us... Gentle, softly coaxing, the sweet sweet Presence of Him. Till one day I noticed a difference in how the Word of God was suddenly jumping out at me. His scriptures seemed to penetrate my heart. I no longer felt I was JUST reading a book. But Jesus was speaking to me, literally to ME, through this book that had been written thousands of years ago. But it wad as if it was written today... and written especially for me, for whatever I was going through that day! I tell you all, I don't know HOW it works, I just KNOW it works. I am proof of that. God delivers on His promises! The word became alive to me, my undertanding of it was increased. It became manifest IN ME. It was as if a veil had been lifted from my eyes and a blockage had been removed from my ears. Honest!! I am NOT lying. And it is still alive to me today, I can feel His sweet Spirit in me daily.. And I am forever changed! Thank you Holy Spirit... Forever You'll remain in my heart.
Jesus Calling says this today:
Thank Me for the glorious gift of My Spirit. This is like the priming of the pump of a well. As you bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving, regardless of hoe you feel, My Spirit is able to work more freely within you. This produces more thankfulness and more freedom until you are overflowing with gratitude. I shower blessings on you daily, but sometimes you don't perceive them. When your mind is stuck on a negative focus, you see neither Me nor My gifts. In faith, thank Me for whatever is preoccupying your mind. This will clear the blockage so that you can find Me.
2Cor 5:5. 2Cor 3:17
This weekend I get to hear Pastor Jack at New Hope, my church. I am so excited to hear what he has to teach
me. And so happy that my ears and eyes will be wide open because I say, "Come Holy Spirit, Come."
Jesus Calling says this today:
Thank Me for the glorious gift of My Spirit. This is like the priming of the pump of a well. As you bring Me the sacrifice of thanksgiving, regardless of hoe you feel, My Spirit is able to work more freely within you. This produces more thankfulness and more freedom until you are overflowing with gratitude. I shower blessings on you daily, but sometimes you don't perceive them. When your mind is stuck on a negative focus, you see neither Me nor My gifts. In faith, thank Me for whatever is preoccupying your mind. This will clear the blockage so that you can find Me.
2Cor 5:5. 2Cor 3:17
This weekend I get to hear Pastor Jack at New Hope, my church. I am so excited to hear what he has to teach
me. And so happy that my ears and eyes will be wide open because I say, "Come Holy Spirit, Come."
Thursday, March 18, 2010
One day at a time
One day at a time... This was the most repeated motto in AA. And alot of the time, for us addicts, it was one minute at a time. Jesus tells us over and over again the same thing. And for good reason... I find if I start thinking about ALL my problems, situations, things I need to get done in the weeks ahead, my brain goes on overload and just totally fritzes out!! My heart gets heavy with the stress. I get depressed and it all becomes just too much for me. I shut down, give up, and feel like a failure. Sometimes I wonder if God wired us that way? Because He knew we would most likely not call out to Him until we were at the end of our ropes, hanging on by a thread. But no matter if that was how or why He wired us that way, He tell us that He will provide us a way of escape. And that He will ALWAYS take care of our needs, our pains, our tribulations. He doesn't say we won't have them, but He promises He will always walk thru it with us and be carry us if need be, and provide us with the strength to get thru to the other side of any situation. He doesn't even "require" you to do anything in return, He can handle everything perfectly fine without you. BUT Jesus does ASK us to "come to Him" "to trust Him" "to obey His commandments". But it is our choice to do so or not. It is one of the marvelous gifts God gave us.... Free will to choose. So today I WILL my will to TRUST in Jesus. He is not a man, He is GOD. He does not and cannot lie. And He promises He will take care of our needs and never leave us or forsake us. My responsibility is to do the necessary steps for the tasks, problems, situations that I can, then Surrender my will to Him and give Him all the honor, power and glory and thanks for doing what He says He will. TRUSTING He WILL come thru for Me, all the time, every time. And it's been my experience in my life, He ALWAYS does what He promised. In His Time.
To paraphrase Jesus Calling today, "Trust Me one day at a time. This keeps you close to Me, responsive to Me. Exert your will to trust Me in all your circumstances. Don't let your need to understand distract you from My Presence. I will equip you thru this day, victoriously! Tomorrow is busy worrying about itself. Trust Me ONE DAY AT A TIME.
Psl 84:12. Matt 6:34
Psalm 84:12 says " blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord". I don't know about you, but I want to be blessed, every minute of every day. One day at a time.
To paraphrase Jesus Calling today, "Trust Me one day at a time. This keeps you close to Me, responsive to Me. Exert your will to trust Me in all your circumstances. Don't let your need to understand distract you from My Presence. I will equip you thru this day, victoriously! Tomorrow is busy worrying about itself. Trust Me ONE DAY AT A TIME.
Psl 84:12. Matt 6:34
Psalm 84:12 says " blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord". I don't know about you, but I want to be blessed, every minute of every day. One day at a time.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
A Prisoner of Hope
No time to blog this a.m. But now I do have a little time and wanted
to share a little "HOPE". I reserve the right to come back and add to this later when I have more time as this us such
an important word to grasp onto in our walk with Jesus.
At bible study this am we looked at Zechariah 9:9-12. And it basically said that it is time to become a "prisoner of HOPE" instead of a prisoner of doubt and fear. Zechariah told his people in order to move into a new place of answered prayer with God they needed to stop fasting and start feasting! They needed to trade all their doubt for HOPE. Remember HOPE is a future-directed faith and understanding that God DOES fulfill ALL HIs promises!! All our HOPE is in HIM. Hope is believing in the unseen, trusting that GOD did, does and will do all HE promises! I'm a prisoner of HOPE!!
to share a little "HOPE". I reserve the right to come back and add to this later when I have more time as this us such
an important word to grasp onto in our walk with Jesus.
At bible study this am we looked at Zechariah 9:9-12. And it basically said that it is time to become a "prisoner of HOPE" instead of a prisoner of doubt and fear. Zechariah told his people in order to move into a new place of answered prayer with God they needed to stop fasting and start feasting! They needed to trade all their doubt for HOPE. Remember HOPE is a future-directed faith and understanding that God DOES fulfill ALL HIs promises!! All our HOPE is in HIM. Hope is believing in the unseen, trusting that GOD did, does and will do all HE promises! I'm a prisoner of HOPE!!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Keep it simple, stupid.
A whisper. Such a simple little thing, yet so powerful in setting your day up for blessings. Whisper His Name.. call out to Jesus even in the quietest voice, a whisper, He hears you. Even in the smallest little thing, He shows us He is here. The smile on ur childs face, a bright bed of blooming flowers, an unexpected contact with an old friend, or a word of encouragement from a complete stranger. He is HERE. In "Jesus Calling" Sarah Young puts it into perspective on how God wants us to face this day....
"Instead of trying to fit this day into a preconceived mold, relax and be on the lookout for what I am doing. This mindset will free you to enjoy Me and to find what I have planned for you to do. This is far better than trying to make things go according to your plan. Don't take yourself so seriuosly. Lighten up and laugh with Me. You have Me on your side, so what are you worried about? I can equip you to do absolutely anything today, as long as it is in My will. The more difficult your day, the more I yearn to help you. Anxiety wraps you in yourself, trapping your thoughts. When you look to Me and WHISPER My Name, you break free and recieve My help. Focus on Me, and you will find Peace in My Presence."
Phil 4:13. Prov 17:22
So simple a thing to do, whisper. That's all it takes and the God of the Universe comes running to listen. That is one if the things I LOVE about Jesus... He sees, hears and loves the simple things, the smallest things, the quietest things we do for Him and towards Him. When I was in AA and CA a long time ago, they used to have a saying, "Keep it simple stupid" and I'm not saying I'm stupid, not at all, but I am saying I GET the simpler things easier... I'm thinking I'm not the only one. And as long as I don't try to complicate things all up... Make everything into a BIG problem and just keep it simple... With a whisper of His Name, I can accomplish anything today. Yay Simplicity!! Yay Jesus!
"Instead of trying to fit this day into a preconceived mold, relax and be on the lookout for what I am doing. This mindset will free you to enjoy Me and to find what I have planned for you to do. This is far better than trying to make things go according to your plan. Don't take yourself so seriuosly. Lighten up and laugh with Me. You have Me on your side, so what are you worried about? I can equip you to do absolutely anything today, as long as it is in My will. The more difficult your day, the more I yearn to help you. Anxiety wraps you in yourself, trapping your thoughts. When you look to Me and WHISPER My Name, you break free and recieve My help. Focus on Me, and you will find Peace in My Presence."
Phil 4:13. Prov 17:22
So simple a thing to do, whisper. That's all it takes and the God of the Universe comes running to listen. That is one if the things I LOVE about Jesus... He sees, hears and loves the simple things, the smallest things, the quietest things we do for Him and towards Him. When I was in AA and CA a long time ago, they used to have a saying, "Keep it simple stupid" and I'm not saying I'm stupid, not at all, but I am saying I GET the simpler things easier... I'm thinking I'm not the only one. And as long as I don't try to complicate things all up... Make everything into a BIG problem and just keep it simple... With a whisper of His Name, I can accomplish anything today. Yay Simplicity!! Yay Jesus!
Monday, March 15, 2010
When is Enough really Enough?
For some reason I thought about the word ENOUGH this morning. When will I have enough, when will I get enough, I've had enough, enough is enough! Being a Christian, Jesus, God, is supposed to be ENOUGH for me. So why do I worry about ENOUGH? So I decided to take the word and search scriptures to make an acronym and to engrave it in my heart and mind that HE IS ENOUGH for me! There were plenty more scriptures I found to make this little acronym, but maybe you can search your concordance to read the other scriptures that go with the words I've come up with and engrave it in your heart that HE IS ENOUGH for you too!
ETERNAL
NEVER
OWN
UNDERSTANDING
GRACE
HOPE
E... God gives us ETERNAL life (Titus 1:2)
N... He will NEVER leave us (Heb 13:5)
O... He calls us His OWN (John 1:11, 13:1)
U... His is UNDERSTANDING (Psl 147:5)
G... God's GRACE is sufficent for us (2Cor 12:9)
H... God gives us future HOPE (1Pet. 3:15)
So this is when enough IS enough. Now I know.
ETERNAL
NEVER
OWN
UNDERSTANDING
GRACE
HOPE
E... God gives us ETERNAL life (Titus 1:2)
N... He will NEVER leave us (Heb 13:5)
O... He calls us His OWN (John 1:11, 13:1)
U... His is UNDERSTANDING (Psl 147:5)
G... God's GRACE is sufficent for us (2Cor 12:9)
H... God gives us future HOPE (1Pet. 3:15)
So this is when enough IS enough. Now I know.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Fabric of our lives
Today Jesus gave me a vision of a quilt. In each square was an event in our lives. Good and bad events. The fabric was woven with various threads. The very fabric of our quilts are woven with trials and trouble interlaced in the joyful times. Sometimes our quilts can fray and literally fall apart from thin and broken thread that has been used to hold the squares of our lives together. Thread that we've chosen in our lives from the "discount" basket But you have to remember who designed our fabric in the first place. Our Creator, the Master Quiltmaker. Once you choose the thread from His basket to weave and sew together your squares, your quilt, although interwoven with trials and tribulations amidst the joy, your quilt will never fray or fall apart. God tells us a three stranded cord can never be broken. WAITING, TRUSTING and HOPING are intricately connected, like golden strands, to form a strong thread. TRUST is the central strand because it is the response God desires most from us. Waiting and Hoping strengthen the central strand, as we WAIT on the Lord it strengthens our trust. HOPE is future-directed, connecting us to our inheritance in heaven. Make the cord, the thread you choose to sew your squares together, the one braided together with TRUST, HOPE and WAITING so that your life is a quilt that will never fray or fall apart. And a quilt that will remain here on Earth as a family "heirloom" after you leave, protecting and covering your family for generations to come.
p.s. The thread analogy was partially borrowed from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young March 12th devotion.
p.s. The thread analogy was partially borrowed from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young March 12th devotion.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thanks Wally
Today I'm just flat TIRED! I've been busy every night this week and every day too. Barely got any nap time which for this body and mind is necessary. So because I'm so tired of course the first thing that happens this morning is instead of after making coffee, (1st priority!) then going outside to savor that coffee and listen to what God is saying to me today, my mind immediatly started to go to "that" place. The place where I just wanna go back to bed. The place where I'm doubting everything, if my new business venture, although an amazing opportunity to potentially provide me and tons of others financial freedom as well as freeing up time, I am doubting it will work for me. Because I'm tired, I sat there thinking of reasons why I shouldn't even continue this blog. You know where your mind goes when ur exhausted. Uuuhhhgg. Even the word didn't pop me out of it. I'm TIRED! so I went back to bed. Slept for another 40 min or so and was woken up by my text message alarm going off. It was my friend, brother in the Lord, and my Director my new business, Wally. I don't feel like texting back, besides I can't find my glasses to read what I'm texting, so I call him.
Wally, as usual, had been meditating on the Word a little, Psalm 13, and now is ready to get going on the day, and coaching me to do the same, and I'm TIRED! so I start giving him my "why's and reasons" that this isn going to work for me and he never plays into it, but just keeps moving forward our conversation telling me, coaxing me, ingraining it in my head... Co it's too simple and easy and needed, to "not" work! And most people in the U.S. will have this service eventually whether you are the one to provide them with or not. And Co, I know you CAN do this! He talked some more, gently moving me out of that crappy mind set, and then he prayed.... That was when it all broke for Me! Just him simply bringing our day to the Father. Asking the Lord to direct our steps, to give us the strength to endure, to put people in our path that we can bless and do it ALL for the furthering of GODS KINGDOM. And thanking Him for All of His provision this day to do what needs to be done, in Jesus name. And we were done.
After setting a time to meet with Wally, I freshened up my cup o jo and came outside and opened up my blog page to write. Now I know I don't have Jesus Calling on here today, it's just me. Simple, boring, unedited, me. But I know I'm not the only one who wakes up discouraged or tired and ready to write off the day before it even begins. I'm just guessing that I'm not the only one who has been discouraged and doubtful. And I also know that I'm not the only one who knows how a little encouragment from a friend can do so much for you. And how even the smallest, simplest prayer is heard and answered. And it's my desire here to, if I can, be your coach, your encourager today, like Wally was for me today. Then I read psalm 13. It says:
How long o Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him"; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have
trusted in Your Mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt Bountifully with me.
Ok so I started out whining, feeling conquered, wondering how long would this last, and then once I turned my eyes back to Jesus, trusting Him again today, that is when my attitude shifted. Because of the evidence, the knowledge I have that He is the only One who has given to me above and beyond anything I could ever imagine for myself in the past, and the Only One who will continue to fullfil the desires
of my heart today and in all my tomorrows.
With Christ, you can do ANYTHING!
Wally, as usual, had been meditating on the Word a little, Psalm 13, and now is ready to get going on the day, and coaching me to do the same, and I'm TIRED! so I start giving him my "why's and reasons" that this isn going to work for me and he never plays into it, but just keeps moving forward our conversation telling me, coaxing me, ingraining it in my head... Co it's too simple and easy and needed, to "not" work! And most people in the U.S. will have this service eventually whether you are the one to provide them with or not. And Co, I know you CAN do this! He talked some more, gently moving me out of that crappy mind set, and then he prayed.... That was when it all broke for Me! Just him simply bringing our day to the Father. Asking the Lord to direct our steps, to give us the strength to endure, to put people in our path that we can bless and do it ALL for the furthering of GODS KINGDOM. And thanking Him for All of His provision this day to do what needs to be done, in Jesus name. And we were done.
After setting a time to meet with Wally, I freshened up my cup o jo and came outside and opened up my blog page to write. Now I know I don't have Jesus Calling on here today, it's just me. Simple, boring, unedited, me. But I know I'm not the only one who wakes up discouraged or tired and ready to write off the day before it even begins. I'm just guessing that I'm not the only one who has been discouraged and doubtful. And I also know that I'm not the only one who knows how a little encouragment from a friend can do so much for you. And how even the smallest, simplest prayer is heard and answered. And it's my desire here to, if I can, be your coach, your encourager today, like Wally was for me today. Then I read psalm 13. It says:
How long o Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed against him"; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have
trusted in Your Mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt Bountifully with me.
Ok so I started out whining, feeling conquered, wondering how long would this last, and then once I turned my eyes back to Jesus, trusting Him again today, that is when my attitude shifted. Because of the evidence, the knowledge I have that He is the only One who has given to me above and beyond anything I could ever imagine for myself in the past, and the Only One who will continue to fullfil the desires
of my heart today and in all my tomorrows.
With Christ, you can do ANYTHING!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Step by step God is Amazing me
Do you think once you're " born again" that you can be "born again" and again? Because I sure feel like I am on that same "high" that I was when I accepted Jesus into my heart for the first time. That was over 20 years ago but I can tell you, everything feels fresh and new to me today when I look at Him. When I read His Word. It's like getting it for the first time. And I can also tell you that in the 20+ years since I first gave my heart to Jesus, I have left His path a few times. And I mean WAY OFF the path.. I never stopped loving Him... But I definitly walked off the narrow path a few times. So maybe sometimes it is like being re-born when you come back to Him, re-commite yourself. But after that, maybe it's just that "glory to glory" thing that He takes you through as you seek and grow closer to Him. Whatever it is, I LIKEY!!
He shows Himself to me in so many ways it amazes me again and again. He shows Himself to me time after time, in tune with my thoughts and my desires and my needs. He's my BFF! The God of the Universe does take time to listen to ME! I mean there are no words to describe knowing that, I mean REALLY KNOWING in your heart, soul, mind and spirit that God LOVES YOU. Like the song says... Indescribable, Undeniable, You Are Amazing God!
My prayer when I first sat down to talk to Jesus this morning was this " Lord use me today for Your glory. Annoint and appoint my steps keep me on Your path as I go on through my day today." That simple.. And then I opened up Jesus Calling and He said to me, (and you)...
"Walk by faith not by sight. As you take steps of faith, depending on Me, I will show you how much I can do for you. If you live your life too safely you will never know the thrill of seeing Me work through you. When I gave you My Spirit, I empowered you to live beyond your natural ability and strength. That is why it is wrong to measure you energy level against the challenges ahead of you. The issue is not YOUR STRENGTH but MINE, which is limitless. By walking close to Me you can accomplish My purposes in My strength"
2Cor 5:7, Gal 5:25
See what I mean!!! How does that make any sense? That the answers, or the "how to" or the assurance that I was being listened to when I
said that short little, nothing big, prayer, would be there immediatly when I opened up the devotional? See it's stuff like that.... The little things God is concerned about in me as well as handling the rest of the universe. INDESCRIBLE AMAZING GOD. That's all I'm sayin'.
He shows Himself to me in so many ways it amazes me again and again. He shows Himself to me time after time, in tune with my thoughts and my desires and my needs. He's my BFF! The God of the Universe does take time to listen to ME! I mean there are no words to describe knowing that, I mean REALLY KNOWING in your heart, soul, mind and spirit that God LOVES YOU. Like the song says... Indescribable, Undeniable, You Are Amazing God!
My prayer when I first sat down to talk to Jesus this morning was this " Lord use me today for Your glory. Annoint and appoint my steps keep me on Your path as I go on through my day today." That simple.. And then I opened up Jesus Calling and He said to me, (and you)...
"Walk by faith not by sight. As you take steps of faith, depending on Me, I will show you how much I can do for you. If you live your life too safely you will never know the thrill of seeing Me work through you. When I gave you My Spirit, I empowered you to live beyond your natural ability and strength. That is why it is wrong to measure you energy level against the challenges ahead of you. The issue is not YOUR STRENGTH but MINE, which is limitless. By walking close to Me you can accomplish My purposes in My strength"
2Cor 5:7, Gal 5:25
See what I mean!!! How does that make any sense? That the answers, or the "how to" or the assurance that I was being listened to when I
said that short little, nothing big, prayer, would be there immediatly when I opened up the devotional? See it's stuff like that.... The little things God is concerned about in me as well as handling the rest of the universe. INDESCRIBLE AMAZING GOD. That's all I'm sayin'.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Now I'm a Commander
This morning I woke up feeling so good! Even though I was out late, well till 11pm, and sitting in a business meeting for a couple of hours during that time, I actually got some good sleep and woke up feeling awesome for me, physically. But what's even better is that I feel great mentally and ready to take "Command" of my day... That is what Jesus spoke to my "divas" (prayer group girlfriends) and me a couple weeks ago. To COMMAND out day EACH day. To grasp onto the Lord and speak outloud to the day! To bind the enemy and principalitys and to loose Gods abundance into our day. Look up Matthew 16:19. Jack Hayford explains that scripture this way... He says; Jesus calls us His Bride. And He tells us, you are My Beloved One, My Redeemed, My Own. I want you to have full and equal access to what is Mine. You decide what of evil is stopped (bound) and you decide what of God's Power and Grace is released (loosed) to mankind. Wow!!! I actually have Jesus' trust and power! Pretty incredible when you actually try to grasp that concept. Almost too hard too even get my head around that one that I am able or worthy of this. But that's the point, We're NOT on our own worthy or able... But THRU HIM we are MORE than ABLE we are partners, we are His "spouse", His daughter/son, His beloved and He TRUSTS us THRU HIM.
Jesus Calling says this:
You are Mine for all time-- and beyond time, into eternity. No power can deny you your inheritance in heaven. I want you to realize how utterly secure you are! Even if you falter as you journey thru life, I will NEVER let go of your hand. Knowing that your future is absolutly assured can free you to live abundantly today. I have prepared this day for you with the most tender concern and attention to detail. Instead of approaching the day as a blank page that you need to fill up, try living it in a responsive mode; being on the lookout for all I am doing. This sounds easy, but it requires a deep level of trust, based on the knowledge that MY WAY IS PERFECT.
Pslm 37:23-24. Pslm 18:30
Okay.... So here I'm off to command my day... Hope you do too....
Jesus Calling says this:
You are Mine for all time-- and beyond time, into eternity. No power can deny you your inheritance in heaven. I want you to realize how utterly secure you are! Even if you falter as you journey thru life, I will NEVER let go of your hand. Knowing that your future is absolutly assured can free you to live abundantly today. I have prepared this day for you with the most tender concern and attention to detail. Instead of approaching the day as a blank page that you need to fill up, try living it in a responsive mode; being on the lookout for all I am doing. This sounds easy, but it requires a deep level of trust, based on the knowledge that MY WAY IS PERFECT.
Pslm 37:23-24. Pslm 18:30
Okay.... So here I'm off to command my day... Hope you do too....
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Yes and Amen
2Co 1:20 Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident.2Co 1:21 God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us.2Co 1:22 By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge--a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.
God and I say Yes together and because of this I am assured that He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion. He will get me thru today whatever comes my way. Plus He holds all my tomorrows, so I will not worry about them today. He is holding my hand and walking by my side, always.
God and I say Yes together and because of this I am assured that He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion. He will get me thru today whatever comes my way. Plus He holds all my tomorrows, so I will not worry about them today. He is holding my hand and walking by my side, always.
Monday, March 8, 2010
My "down" day is different.
Yesterday was what I call my "down" day. Not that I was down and depressed, not at all. Well maybe just a little. But since I've learned to deal with the fibro myalgia (noticed I did not call it "my" fibro myalgia cause I am NOT claiming it any more! thank you my Divas for Jesus!) I know after days of much activity I need a day of rest, or a "down" day in order to be able to be any kind of productive in the days ahead. So after church, I went down! Resting and waiting for that strength again to get through another day. And like He says He will, He gives
strength to the weary. Thank you Lord!
Word for today from Jesus Calling
Rest in My Radiant Presence. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster till everything is a blur. Yet there is a
cushion of calm at the center of your life where you live in union with Me. Return to this soothing center as often as you can, for this is where you are energized with My Love, Joy and Peace.
The world is a needy place; do not go there for sustenance. Instead, come to Me. Learn to depend on Me alone and your weakness becomes saturated with My power. When you find completeness in Me, you can help others without using them to meet your own needs. Live in the Light of My Presence and your light will shine brightly into the
lives of others.
Gal 5:22, 1John 4:12
This is my prayer Lord. That I will rest in your presence so much that I will become a light that shines brightly for You. And that I will be able to give that bright Love to others. That I will have wings like eagles, that I will run and not grow weary. That I will walk and not faint as I wait and rest in Your Radiant Presence. Isaiah 40:29-31 And today I feel good!!
strength to the weary. Thank you Lord!
Word for today from Jesus Calling
Rest in My Radiant Presence. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster till everything is a blur. Yet there is a
cushion of calm at the center of your life where you live in union with Me. Return to this soothing center as often as you can, for this is where you are energized with My Love, Joy and Peace.
The world is a needy place; do not go there for sustenance. Instead, come to Me. Learn to depend on Me alone and your weakness becomes saturated with My power. When you find completeness in Me, you can help others without using them to meet your own needs. Live in the Light of My Presence and your light will shine brightly into the
lives of others.
Gal 5:22, 1John 4:12
This is my prayer Lord. That I will rest in your presence so much that I will become a light that shines brightly for You. And that I will be able to give that bright Love to others. That I will have wings like eagles, that I will run and not grow weary. That I will walk and not faint as I wait and rest in Your Radiant Presence. Isaiah 40:29-31 And today I feel good!!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
I want THAT man mode
Today I woke up in "I want THAT man mode". The mode where I sit in my head remembering "him", our fun times together, every
conversation, every moment with him. Now I know where this mode gets me... It gets me in the land of fantasy, where we live together, laughing and happy. Totally in love. Where all I think about is him. The world where he is the perfect man for me and I am the one he desires. Then along with those wonderful memories comes the memories that ended this relationship. The ones where he changed
his mind. The memories of horrible words passing between us. Of rejection and depression. Where, even after he broke it off between us, I couldn't stop thinking of him every minute of every day. The many arguments I had with God, praying this man would " see the light". Praying God would change His mind and see that that man and I should be together. That was the mind mode that left me in many months of depression. So why would I want to go back there? I don't know. Maybe the enemy knows it's my weak spot still and now that I have made a major breakthrough and am starting to seek Gods peace first, he wants to draw me back into that "world". Or maybe it is just me. My humaness, wanting to be loved. I really DONT KNOW. But I do KNOW this... It is up to me to change those old tapes. To renew my mind daily. To seek first the Kingdom of God... THEN all these things shall be added unto me. So here is what God says to us today thru "Jesus Calling" and the words couldn't be more poignant.
SAVE YOUR BEST STRIVING FOR SEEKING MY FACE. I am constantly communicating with you. To find Me and hear My voice, you must seek Me above all else. Anything you desire more than Me becomes an IDOL. When you're determined to get your own way, you blot Me out of your conscious. Instead of single-mindedly pursuing some goal, talk to Me about it. Let the Light of My Presence shine on this pursuit, so you can see it from My perspective. If the goal fits into My plans for you, I will help you reach it. If it is contrary to My will for you, I will gradually change the desire of your heart. SEEK ME FIRST and foremost; then the rest of you life will fall into place, piece by piece.
1Chron 16:11. Matt. 6:33
Jesus couldn't be much more clear to me than that. Thank you Lord for helping me to renew my mind, to change those old tapes and to trust in You to give me the perfect, the right desires of my heart as I seek You first and make You the Man I think on in my "Man mode"
conversation, every moment with him. Now I know where this mode gets me... It gets me in the land of fantasy, where we live together, laughing and happy. Totally in love. Where all I think about is him. The world where he is the perfect man for me and I am the one he desires. Then along with those wonderful memories comes the memories that ended this relationship. The ones where he changed
his mind. The memories of horrible words passing between us. Of rejection and depression. Where, even after he broke it off between us, I couldn't stop thinking of him every minute of every day. The many arguments I had with God, praying this man would " see the light". Praying God would change His mind and see that that man and I should be together. That was the mind mode that left me in many months of depression. So why would I want to go back there? I don't know. Maybe the enemy knows it's my weak spot still and now that I have made a major breakthrough and am starting to seek Gods peace first, he wants to draw me back into that "world". Or maybe it is just me. My humaness, wanting to be loved. I really DONT KNOW. But I do KNOW this... It is up to me to change those old tapes. To renew my mind daily. To seek first the Kingdom of God... THEN all these things shall be added unto me. So here is what God says to us today thru "Jesus Calling" and the words couldn't be more poignant.
SAVE YOUR BEST STRIVING FOR SEEKING MY FACE. I am constantly communicating with you. To find Me and hear My voice, you must seek Me above all else. Anything you desire more than Me becomes an IDOL. When you're determined to get your own way, you blot Me out of your conscious. Instead of single-mindedly pursuing some goal, talk to Me about it. Let the Light of My Presence shine on this pursuit, so you can see it from My perspective. If the goal fits into My plans for you, I will help you reach it. If it is contrary to My will for you, I will gradually change the desire of your heart. SEEK ME FIRST and foremost; then the rest of you life will fall into place, piece by piece.
1Chron 16:11. Matt. 6:33
Jesus couldn't be much more clear to me than that. Thank you Lord for helping me to renew my mind, to change those old tapes and to trust in You to give me the perfect, the right desires of my heart as I seek You first and make You the Man I think on in my "Man mode"
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Happy happy Joy joy
Going to see my dad and step mom again today. And after last time, I left feeling beat up, so wasn't too happy about having to go today again. So I pray and ask God to give me peace, give me strength, and give me His heart for them. Still not happy about going... But I read my word for today and it says:
LET ME HELP YOU THROUGH THIS DAY. The challenges you face are far too great for you to handle alone. You are keenly aware of your helplessness in the scheme of events you face. This awareness opens a choice; to doggedly go at it alone, or to walk with Me in humble steps of dependence. Actually this is a choice that is continually before you. But difficulties highlight the decision making process. So, consider it ALL JOY whenever you are enveloped in various trials. These are GIFTS from Me, reminding you to rely on Me alone.
Pslm 63:7-8; Jms 1:2-3
This is a hard one; to be happy with trials?!? But I get why... Cause we always lean more on, call out more, and ask for His help more during trials and tribulations. When we are happy and nothing is going wrong, we tend to spend less time with Him, we tend to not reach out to Him as much, and we go merrily on our way in our OWN strength. I do anyway.. Figuring some of you are like me in this area. One
important thing to remember always is that we need Him every moment of every day! Humble steps of dependence... Joyful for the trials ahead of me that are teaching me, He is right beside me. Actually He is everywhere in the
situation... He goes before me, making a way, He is behind me, guarding my back ( our rear guard), and He is right beside me always. Okay NOW I'm JOYFUL about going to the hospital to see my
dad. It's all in Gods control.
LET ME HELP YOU THROUGH THIS DAY. The challenges you face are far too great for you to handle alone. You are keenly aware of your helplessness in the scheme of events you face. This awareness opens a choice; to doggedly go at it alone, or to walk with Me in humble steps of dependence. Actually this is a choice that is continually before you. But difficulties highlight the decision making process. So, consider it ALL JOY whenever you are enveloped in various trials. These are GIFTS from Me, reminding you to rely on Me alone.
Pslm 63:7-8; Jms 1:2-3
This is a hard one; to be happy with trials?!? But I get why... Cause we always lean more on, call out more, and ask for His help more during trials and tribulations. When we are happy and nothing is going wrong, we tend to spend less time with Him, we tend to not reach out to Him as much, and we go merrily on our way in our OWN strength. I do anyway.. Figuring some of you are like me in this area. One
important thing to remember always is that we need Him every moment of every day! Humble steps of dependence... Joyful for the trials ahead of me that are teaching me, He is right beside me. Actually He is everywhere in the
situation... He goes before me, making a way, He is behind me, guarding my back ( our rear guard), and He is right beside me always. Okay NOW I'm JOYFUL about going to the hospital to see my
dad. It's all in Gods control.
Friday, March 5, 2010
My Fathers Eyes
Yesterday I spent the day in a hospital room with my dad and my step mom. He is struggling to breeth. And I went up there to just show him I love him, to show her I love her too. And it hasn't happened in a long time for me, but I left there feeling like a dissapointing daughter. Like I was spanked and not the kind of spanking that is laced with love. Cause once again my step mother chose yesterday to tell me how us kids have made them feel like we don't care abou them. She measures love by the number of calls they get from you. Or how often you trek up there to see them. Even though once ur up there u are bound to do something to piss them off. So me, not being in the mood this time, I spoke back to her showing her "our" side and how sometimes it feels like we can't win either way. But about every other sentence I would tell her I love them. Trying to see her side and look at her pain thru the eyes of Jesus. Because no matter what, we ARE FAMILY. And we love each other, as unconditionally as we can. We don't keep a list of our "perceived" or real hurts that our family members have caused and hold onto them for years. They only fester and grow and penetrate our hearts till we are unable to feel love anymore from anyone. Even God. And that is why Jesus tells us to FORGIVE. First of all He tells us that because we have been forgiven. And then He tells us to do this because He knows what bitterness and anger do to our hearts. They are eaten away at, walls are built around them, till they become unpenatrable and just shrivel up and die. Is this bitterness, this hurt, the dissapointments and unforgiveness, is this why my dad is in the hospiital with congestive heart failure? I have no doubt it has contributed to his failing heart.
My prayer for today is that I continue to have a forgiving heart. And that I learn each day more and more how to love my family with the Love that has been given to me even though I disappointed my Father in heaven. Even though I didn't call upon Him enough. And even though I've unintenionally, or intentionally, hurt Him. Unconditional, Loving eyes Jesus, is how I want to see my family, my friends, and others around me. With my Fathers eyes.
My prayer for today is that I continue to have a forgiving heart. And that I learn each day more and more how to love my family with the Love that has been given to me even though I disappointed my Father in heaven. Even though I didn't call upon Him enough. And even though I've unintenionally, or intentionally, hurt Him. Unconditional, Loving eyes Jesus, is how I want to see my family, my friends, and others around me. With my Fathers eyes.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Keeping the wolves at bay
Who doesn't worry about something EVERY day? Some worries are small and insignificant and some are a load on our shoulders that seems unbearable. Whatever size they are, Jesus tells us over and over "not to worry, do not be afraid, fear not". This is a huge challenge daily for me, probably for most of us, but God's reasons as to why it is a senseless stupid activity for us to dwell on, are so simple... Because Our Father LOVES US. That simple. And He does not lie... He says, as our Perfect Father who loves us with an everlasting love, agape love, a love that NOTHING and NO ONE can take you away from, He will take care of EVERYTHING. And as a woman, I have been looking for a man, an earthly man, to do that for me as soon as I reached adolesence, maybe longer. But being human, there is no perfect man that can supply all my needs, all the time, everytime 24/7. Nor should any human be expected to... When u expect that from your mate, your friends, your family, you set them up for failure and yourself up for disappointment. So Jesus tells us not to worry. And how do we do that? Oh it isn't easy, but takes a renewing of your "old tapes" just like any habit does, but sooo worth it And necessary to live life in His fullness He has for each and everyone of us. Here is what "jesus calling's" insights have to tell us today...
REFUSE TO WORRY! In this world there will always be something enticing you to worry. That is the nature of this fallen, fractured planet. Things are not as they should be. So the temptation to worry and be anxious is constantly with you, trying to worm it's way into your mind. The best defense is continual communication with Me, richly seasoned with thanksgiving. Awareness of My Presence fills your mind with Light and Peace and gives no room for fear. This awareness, (that I will ALWAYS take care of you) lifts you up and above your circumstances, enabling you to see problems from My perspective. Live close to Me! Together we can keep the wolves at bay.
Luke 12:25-26; 1Thes 5:16-18
AGAIN, how do you and I gain freedom from worry, anxiety, fear and doubts? We TRUST in the Lord and we draw closer to Him, by focusing ONLY on our relationship with HIM. And we stay in a constant state of THANKSGIVING for all He has done, all He is doing and all He will do. He will take care of ALL the rest. And that is how Jesus and I and you keep the wolves at bay. ( and all this time we were told it was with a necklace of garlic!!)
REFUSE TO WORRY! In this world there will always be something enticing you to worry. That is the nature of this fallen, fractured planet. Things are not as they should be. So the temptation to worry and be anxious is constantly with you, trying to worm it's way into your mind. The best defense is continual communication with Me, richly seasoned with thanksgiving. Awareness of My Presence fills your mind with Light and Peace and gives no room for fear. This awareness, (that I will ALWAYS take care of you) lifts you up and above your circumstances, enabling you to see problems from My perspective. Live close to Me! Together we can keep the wolves at bay.
Luke 12:25-26; 1Thes 5:16-18
AGAIN, how do you and I gain freedom from worry, anxiety, fear and doubts? We TRUST in the Lord and we draw closer to Him, by focusing ONLY on our relationship with HIM. And we stay in a constant state of THANKSGIVING for all He has done, all He is doing and all He will do. He will take care of ALL the rest. And that is how Jesus and I and you keep the wolves at bay. ( and all this time we were told it was with a necklace of garlic!!)
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Choose His Eyes
This morning I took a shower while my coffee brewed. In there, letting the grime of yesterday wash away, I felt happy, excited about what the Lord is doing in my life and where He is taking me, what He is revealing to me. But then as I stepped out, feeling all joyful, I look up and what do I see? ME! the mirror is right there, and I made the big mistake of looking at myself, naked, which I try to avoid on a regular basis. There I was, and like usually happens when one of God's own are finding joy and peace thru His eyes, the enemy came flooding in to try and hit me, below the belt so to speak. And what a fine job I let him do. I examined this aging, overweight body and came out of the bathroom loathing myself. Within seconds, I had let my joy, my excitement, my good feelings about where I am in Jesus, just drain right out of me, with one look in the mirror. Talk about a buzz kill. So I got dressed, covering that "stuff" up and telling myself I would do this and that to change my body, same promises I've made a thousand times before, (obviously not working), got my coffee, and with my self worth wounded, I grabbed my little devotional and my bible, and with my head hung low, I sat down to read, all the time thinking, "you should walk first, don't eat today, drink tons of water, maybe but what's the use?" yuk! So with all this crap in my head I took a deep sigh and
prayed, God teach me something today and use me to add to Your Kingdom today.
This is what He said to me (thru Jesus Calling)
I LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE, NOT FOR WHAT YOU DO. ( I could have stopped right there cause that is all I really needed to hear from the Lover of My Soul). Many voices vie for your mind especially when you sit in silence. You must learn to discern what is My voice and what is not. Many of My children run around in circles trying to obey all the voices directing their lives. This results in fragmented frustrating patterns of living. Do not fall into this trap. Walk closely with Me each moment listening for My directives, and enjoying My companionship. Refuse to let other voices tie you up in knots. "My sheep know My voice and they follow Me wherever I lead"
Eph 4:1-6, John 10:4
Was He in the bathroom with me? LOL. Yes!! He heard me listening to the wrong voices as I cut myself down, seeing myself through my eyes instead of His eyes. See my eyes will never see me for all I am. I am only human and I will always see my faults and failures and consequently give up or get depressed about what I see. But when I see me through His eyes I am glorious, radient, worthy. Not that I am walking blindly about what I need to do to lose weight, get healthy, whatever, but that when I see me through His eyes, I have the confidence, joy and love for myself that He sees so I don't just roll up in a little, or big as the case may be, ball of depression and never have the abundant life God has for me (and you)
prayed, God teach me something today and use me to add to Your Kingdom today.
This is what He said to me (thru Jesus Calling)
I LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE, NOT FOR WHAT YOU DO. ( I could have stopped right there cause that is all I really needed to hear from the Lover of My Soul). Many voices vie for your mind especially when you sit in silence. You must learn to discern what is My voice and what is not. Many of My children run around in circles trying to obey all the voices directing their lives. This results in fragmented frustrating patterns of living. Do not fall into this trap. Walk closely with Me each moment listening for My directives, and enjoying My companionship. Refuse to let other voices tie you up in knots. "My sheep know My voice and they follow Me wherever I lead"
Eph 4:1-6, John 10:4
Was He in the bathroom with me? LOL. Yes!! He heard me listening to the wrong voices as I cut myself down, seeing myself through my eyes instead of His eyes. See my eyes will never see me for all I am. I am only human and I will always see my faults and failures and consequently give up or get depressed about what I see. But when I see me through His eyes I am glorious, radient, worthy. Not that I am walking blindly about what I need to do to lose weight, get healthy, whatever, but that when I see me through His eyes, I have the confidence, joy and love for myself that He sees so I don't just roll up in a little, or big as the case may be, ball of depression and never have the abundant life God has for me (and you)
Monday, March 1, 2010
PEACE... I think I'm finally getting "it"!
PEACE... We all want it.. We search for it.. Yearn for it... And are most times feeling like we NEVER get it. But what is PEACE, real peace? Is it a feeling? Is it just one minute of quiet that we sometimes have to get by locking ourselves in the bathroom? Is it really attainable in our busy lives? In my bible, (New Spirit Filled Life Bible) there are 45 scriptures that refer to peace. God tells us.. He will give us peace, (Num. 6:26), He tells us to lie down in peace, (Psl. 4:8) He tells us to speak it, pursue it and to make peace with all men, (Ezek 7:25, Ps 34:14, 1Thes 5:13). He says Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6) that He came to bring us Peace, (Matt 10:34) that He will multiply our Peace, (Dan 4:1) that there will one day be Peace on Earth (Lk 2:14). But how do we know when we have it, really HAVE PEACE? Well I think I'm finally getting it, because I have a calmness, an assurance in my soul, an indescribable PEACE. And what the Father has been showing me is that Peace, His PERFECT PEACE comes by TRUSTING in Him. It comes by drawing nearer to Him DAILY. It comes by KNOWING who He IS and by discovering for myself how much He REALLY LOVES ME!!! He delights himself in ME! He pursues ME. He dances over ME! He sees ME as His daughter who He will never ever give up on. The same God who created the UNIVERSE is also concerned about, cares for, listens to, desires more than anything a personal relationship with ME! WOW! And guess what? HE Wants that with every single one of YOU too! Thank you Lord for the gift of Peace you give to me as I trust more completely in You. (Another "duh" moment here for me!!)
Word from "Jesus Calling" for today:
When something in your life or thoughts makes you anxious, Come to Me and talk about it. Bring Me your prayer and petition with thanksgiving saying "Thank you Jesus, for this opportunity to trust You more". Though lessons of trust I send to you come wrapped in difficulties, the benefits far outweigh the cost.
Well developed trust will bring you many blessings, not the least of which is MY PEACE. I have promised to keep you in Perfect Peace to the extent that you trust in Me. The world has it backwards, teaching that peace is the result of having enough money, possesions, insurance and security systems. MY PEACE however, is such an all-encompassing gift that it
is independent of all circumstances. Though you lose everything else, if you gain My Peace you are rich indeed.
Phil 4:6, Isa 26:3
Word from "Jesus Calling" for today:
When something in your life or thoughts makes you anxious, Come to Me and talk about it. Bring Me your prayer and petition with thanksgiving saying "Thank you Jesus, for this opportunity to trust You more". Though lessons of trust I send to you come wrapped in difficulties, the benefits far outweigh the cost.
Well developed trust will bring you many blessings, not the least of which is MY PEACE. I have promised to keep you in Perfect Peace to the extent that you trust in Me. The world has it backwards, teaching that peace is the result of having enough money, possesions, insurance and security systems. MY PEACE however, is such an all-encompassing gift that it
is independent of all circumstances. Though you lose everything else, if you gain My Peace you are rich indeed.
Phil 4:6, Isa 26:3
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