See That It Is Good

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

Genesis 1:31 NLT

When we read the news or see the devestation in front of us we could easily get discouraged by many of the things that happen in this world.  From all of the senseless violence, drug use and sin that runs rampant through the big city streets to the the small country towns spread througout this big, beautiful world, there are a lot of things we wish we could make better, or take away, and there are many things we pray for relief from daily.  We can never know all the answers to why and how and who and what, but one thing for sure is God does not make mistakes in His creations.  7 times, in Genesis Chapter 1, God looked back on His creation and "he saw that it was good".  Even when he chose to flood the whole earth and wipe out all humanity and living things it wasn't because He didn't like His creation or love His people.  God was expressing his sorrow for the choices His people were making.  He was sad over their actions, but never regretful for creating them.  They weren't a mistake, nor are you or anyone else in this world today.  God loves every one of His creations.......big, small, rich or poor, honest, a cheater, sinful or not.  He can look at all of His creation and see that we are very good!  Does he want to punish some?  Absolutely, but His love doesn't fade because of the bad we choose and it doesn't grow because of the good we perform.  God loves us all the same. 

As we begin this new year, God, help us to see others as we see ourselves.  Loved by You, no better or worse.........all beautiful creations that come from You.  Keep us grounded in Your promise of unconditional love, mercy and grace and help us to share that with the people all around us.  For those who hurt us, may we offer forgiveness and see them with Your eyes and continue to love them with Your heart.  Don't let us look down on another human being, Lord.  Remind us of Your love for Your creation and instead of judging and hating may we come to You in prayer and pleadings on behalf of those who need You most.  Help us to look on Your creation and "see that it is good".  

Amen and amen

Sunday Scripture

"Forget the former things;

    do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

     Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

     and streams in the wasteland."

Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

Wishing all our GFF's a blessed 2016!

Sing Along Saturday

My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."

And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."

Psalm 28:8 NLT

The song chosen for today is one that I want to carry with me through all of 2016 and beyond.  It speaks my heart even when my actions don't follow.  As I currently struggle through a stretch of faith, God is showing me to trust Him.  He is telling me to spend time with Him and through our conversations, our good cries and our happy moments He will provide all I need.  With more of His presence in my life I will see His faithfulness, find His joy, and He will reveal His answers.  I want to first seek Him before needing Him.  I want to get to know Him like I get to know a new friend.  I want to make time for Him like I make time for the people I love.  First, above needing God, I want to want God.  Wanting something is choosing something.  Needing something doesn't give us much choice, it's more like desperation.  And although, as long as satan is in this world, I will have moments of desperation and need, I want to know the God I am so desperate for.  I want to already know Who I am seeking out to trust in.  I choose to know that He is right there with me.

Listen to the beautiful words of this song and choose today to seek God first in your life.  Let this year be different.  Be intentional with your time and give God your best.  I love you all for your desire to know God intimately.  I wish you all the best this new year and pray for you to grow in your knowledge and understanding of just how much you are loved by God, and to understand the power you possess by choosing Him first.

First by Lauren Daigle    

The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race;

he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,

if anyone seeks God.

Psalm 14:2 NLT

Like the Wind

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5

As I sit at my desk looking out at the landscape before me, my eyes are drawn to the grass bending in the wind. It approaches from the south and my are are caught up in the wispy bend of the blades as they fall to the ground under the force of the wind. And just as my eyes catch the rhythm of the wind and move forward in anticipation, the wind shifts and the blades bend to the east and to the west. My mind wonders if I saw that movement incorrectly. Shouldn't the wind have kept moving in a northbound path? I am amazed by the sudden change of direction.

I move my eyes back to the south and again the wind mashes the grass down in its path. Soon though, the blades bend to the west as the pattern changes. I feel a still voice call out to my heart that the wind is unpredictable and I am reminded of this verse:

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the maker of all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5

I am the queen of "why" and "what" when things happen in this crazy thing called life. I try to understand, dissect and determine what God is doing and why he has allowed various events. I don't want to make mistakes. I don't want to miss something he is telling or teaching me. I don't want to 'get it wrong' again. But my ways are not God's ways. I can't understand what he's doing and why he changes directions. I cannot even know where he is leading. My role is to follow.  I can simply sit in amazement and watch as he works.

Can you sit in awe of God, or must you too try to uncover the mystery of his all-knowing, all-divine ways? Let us pray today for peace in knowing his sovereignty.

Dear Lord,
Help me to rest in your sovereignty. Teach me to trust without the questions of "What?" and "Why?"
Show me how to rest in your ways.
Ame

Don't Lose Hope

but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles; 

they will run and not grow weary, 

they will walk and not be faint. 

Isaiah 40:31

We live in an immediate feedback society. Fast food. Cell phones. Texting. Express shipping. Same day service. We wait for nothing and when waiting is required, frustration and law suits ensue.

But God is not a God of rushing. He is patient. By definition that means he is able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, and suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. He is patient with us as we struggle through our sin. He is patient with our neighbors and friends as they wander looking for truth. He is patient when we delay his works in our lives. He is patient! 

And that means that his timing is not ours. As we wait on our loved ones to find the Lord we become frustrated and lose hope. We get weary and begin to think they will never see truth. But God is still working. He is still moving mountains and seeking the lost. He is still pursuing addicts to set them free from their prisons and wandering children to lead them back home.

As humans, we grow weary and our spirits grow faint in the wait. But Isaiah reminds us to renew our hope in the Lord. He is still the Lord of Abraham and Isaac. He is still the same Lord who set the captives free from the Egyptians and brought them into the promised land. He is still God and in Him we place our hope as we wait for the answers to our prayers. Our strength and hope are renewed as we place our hope in God and wait on him to complete his work. 

Whatever you are waiting on today, place it in the hands of your Father. Sit with him. Meditate on his word and allow him to renew your strength. Allow him to let your heart soar and your physical strength to grow. Place your hope in the One who moves mountains.

God Lasts

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, 

"God has lost track of me.  He doesn't care what happens to me"?

Don't you know anything?  Haven't you been listening?  

God doesn't come and go.  God lasts.

He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.

He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.

And he knows everything, inside and out.

He energizes those who get tired,

gives fresh strength to dropouts.

For even young people tire and drop out,

young folk in their prime stumble and fall.

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

They spread their wings and soar like eagles,

they run and don't get tired,

they walk and don't lag behind.

Isaiah 40:27-31 MSG

I gotta admit there have been times when I've felt left behind.  I have had moments where I feel weak and that God is not hearing my cries.  I have considered giving up.  But everytime I do, He is there to remind me of His everlasting faithfulness to me and my needs.  He tells me He loves me, let's me know He is still with me and reconfirms that He is working on my behalf.......every single time.  God is good, dear friends.  He can seem non-existent and slow in a world that prides itself on instant gratification.  Don't give up on your prayers and your needs and dreams!  God is sometimes slow and steady for a reason.  We can't expect our answers to come in our timing if we are trusting Him to be in charge.  We must wait patiently and never give up, never stop praying until our answers come.  That may mean years of saying the same prayer over and over, or it may mean we get what we ask for immediately.  We just never know when, but what we do know is that God will answer us.  Someday, somehow, some way........God will always answer our prayers!  

Dear God, don't let me get too far ahead of You.  I never want to give up and forget that you are with me every single day giving me strength when I am weak, picking me up when I stumble, bringing me back when I get off track.  I love you, Lord.  I thank you for your encouraging words that bring my focus off of my problems and back on to your faithfulness to provide for me and carry me.  Let your Word soak into my mind and heart........brand it on my arm........I am yours and you are mine.   Amen      

Speak His Word Over Your Life

God's word is truth and we must learn to unleash it's power in our lives. We can begin doing so by speaking it to and about ourselves. It is easy to get caught up in believing negative things about ourselves. For example we say things like, "Well, I've just always been that way." or "I'm not good at _____." But God is perfect and he has a good and perfect plan for our lives. He created us in his image and therefore anything negative that we think or believe is not of God.

Begin speaking the following over your own life today:

"I am the righteousness of Jesus Christ."

"I am adopted into the family of Christ and nothing can remove me from the hand of my Father."

"I have God-given gifts and talents. I am of value and purpose. And God is using me!"

"The Spirit of God is upon me. I am patient and kind. Joy flows through me."

Search His word today and ask God to reveal verses that speak truth about you. Meditate on them. Recite them over and over. Claim them as truth in your life. Live in the power of His Word!

Amen