Turn it into Praise!

"Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2

No matter what kind of a day you are having determine to praise the Lord! It is so easy to get sucked into the negativity trap. But it only takes one praise to reach the heart of God. Once the praise train is moving, it can't be stopped. Praise is the natural antidote to pain, fear, and discouragement.

There is much truth in the children's song lyrics: "Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God has done!"

So, stop right where you are and praise! The Lord has blessed you indeed! Demand your mind to quit wandering. Pray for a watch gate to be set before you mouth so that the words you speak are positive and praiseworthy. Choose this day to "Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not ALL his benefits!"

How Long Will We Reject Him?

The Lord said to Moses, "How long will these people reject Me?  How long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?"

Numbers 14:11

Every time something bad comes my way I immediately want to complain.  I find my husband or best friend and get all my worry and frustration out.  It may linger for a day or two (or more) depending on what it is, but I am reminded this morning that whatever my problem, God is bigger and He is an amazing provider.  Through my whole life I have been blessed beyond what I deserve and I am never lacking any good thing.  There are things that aren't perfect, in my eyes, and I am sure I could come up with a selfish list of things I desire and don't have but when I take out all the greed I am left with everything I need.  

In this scripture God is asking Moses why the people were still rejecting Him after He had provided so much and after He had made Himself known through signs and miracles.  His heart hurts to see His beloved children reject Him by complaining and brushing aside His promises of provision and protection.  And all the while I can see the Israelites misbehaving, I want to deny that I am not like them, but in reality I am.  God is asking me the same question in my moments of doubt........How much provision will it take for me to trust Him?  I don't want to doubt God's provision in my life for one more day.  I want to believe that He is in control of every circumstance and I do not want to get impatient waiting on His perfect timing.  Yes, His provision is always on time!!! 

Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

Psalm 34:10

Great Is Thy Faithfulness! 

(click to listen to the song) 

Dear God, I will sing this song all day to remind myself of Your love and mercy in my life and on the provision that only You can provide.  I will thank You and praise You for all that You are for me and I ask You to help me stay true to You.  In Jesus' Name........Amen

All Truth

When the Holy Spirit of truth comes.  HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH.  He will not be presenting his own ideas, he will be telling you what he has heard.  He will tell you about the future.  He will bring Me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from Me.

John 16:13-14

My future holds so many unknowns and the things that I am experiencing have so many unanswered questions.  I think that I may know the best for my situation and I can pray for what I believe is true and right but only God really knows all the answers.  In fact, we are all the same in this area.  We all have questions for God and we all have areas in our life that we don't know all the answers to.  I was reminded of this simple truth yesterday, as I was reading His word.  We can leave behind the worry of figuring things out and trying to decipher what is truth, and what is not good for us.  The Holy Spirit, who resides in us, is our messenger!  He is capable of talking with God and relaying that information back to us.  Some may hear him speak directly through an audible voice and others will hear him through reading scripture.  If we are willing to put our faith in God then we will hear what ever God wants us to know.  The key is trusting and laying aside our natural need to fix things and figure things out on our own.  From now on when you or I have a question for God let's take it directly to Him before we start worrying and scrambling to figure things out.  When we question a certain situation and the safety of it we need to step back and pray, asking God for His spirit to lead us to all truth regarding our circumstances.  If you are suffering from unanswered questions, go to God.  Be open to the Spirit and let him lead you into all truth.  

Dear God, I often times forget that You have all the answers and You desire for me to have peace through my faith in You.  Thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit to guide me and reveal your answers to me in the time that You know is best for me.  I am so blessed to have Your Word right in the palm of my hand, to go to for relief from a busy, unsure day.  I will put my trust in You and Your Spirit.  I believe that you will never let me down and that I will be led to truth.  In Jesus' Name  Amen       

Rebuild the Road

'Rebuild the road! Clear away rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.' 

Isaiah 57:14

Isaiah was a prophet. Through him, God delivered messages to the people. It was Isaiah's job to deliver the hard words that no one wanted to hear. He was the voice of encouragement and the one who refocused those who were growing weary. Isaiah called the people from their sins back to the Lord. He lead them to repentance before a high and holy God. He went before the people clearing out all the debris that cluttered their way to the Lord. He directed them in the way to go.

This verse is a call to us as well. We are to do what is necessary to lead to the Lord those who are yet held captive by their sins. We are to rebuild the road that sins' damage has destroyed. Like, Isaiah, we are to walk with others on this faith journey. We share our stories of pain and loss. We honestly reveal our misgivings and faults. We offer grace and forgiveness that comes from the Lord. And as we share our stories we share with a Godly, bold confidence in the One who has delivered us.

We show that the rocks and boulders that covered our road to Jesus could not keep us from an all-knowing, all-powerful, mighty and gracious God. We show them that in exercising our faith through trials, we have become stronger in our love and stability in the Lord. It is in this honest sharing that we will help others clear the rocks and stones from their own path, finding freedom from sin and the love they are longing for in Jesus.

Dear Jesus,

We thank you for those who have gone before us clearing the way to find you. Teach us to be mentors and friends to others. Lead us to the lost so that we can lead them to you! And in all the construction that is to be done, Jesus, let this be the sign that we keep focused on...

However, I consider my life nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. Acts 20:24

Run With Purpose

All athletes practice strict self-control.  They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.  So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step.  I am not like a boxer who misses his punches.

1 Corinthians 9:25-26

There isn't a lot I can add to this scripture.  It speaks very clearly on its own.  As christians we have one goal in mind.  We have been given a great responsibility to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Mathew 28:19).  The steps we take should be leading towards that one goal, reaching the "finish line" having lead many people to Christ and helping God's children along the way.  Our love for God should be the motivating factor behind every action we take.  So we run straight to the goal with purpose in every step!

Are you doing the things that matter in life?  When you reach your finish line will it be obvious what your purpose was in life?  Will one be able to trace your steps and know that you were a follower of Christ and that you devoted yourself to loving God and loving others?  Who will shake your hand when you reach that finish line and say "thank you for helping me reach Jesus", or "thank you for leading me to Christ and for loving me when no-one else would"?  And the steps that you take, are they with purpose every day?  Like a boxer are you wasting your punches, or are you running straight toward your goal?  Are you placing God's call, on your heart, first, as you make decisions for your future and every day activities?  Lot's of things to think about today as I sit meditating over this scripture.  It may be time for me to evaluate my life and the steps that I am taking to reach my finish line.

Dear God, I want to run with purpose!  I don't want to waste my time fretting over things that don't matter and I especially don't want to miss the mark!  Through Your Word show me the areas that I need to work on and help me develop self-control, training my mind to put your eternal purpose at the center of my heart.  Grow me and prepare me to meet your children who need direction.  Give me wisdom to discern my role in helping them meet you face to face some day.  Help me be content with what you want and where you have me.  I love you with all of my heart.  Thank you for being my running partner, never getting too far ahead or falling back behind.  Right beside me you stay encouraging me all the way.  In Jesus' Name..........AMEN!

         

Just Ask Him!

Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. Luke 11:10 MSG

What is it you need today? Are you lacking peace? Growing weary in the battle? Are you finances out of control or your relationships broken? Do you long to walk more intimately with your savior and friend, Jesus Christ? Struggling to forgive? Unsure of your next step?

Whatever you need, you must simply ask our Father in heaven for it! I love this translation from the Message: "Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need." It's simple!  We shouldn't hesitate to ask God for the things we need, and we definitely don't have to perform a certain way to receive His gifts. 

 2 Chronicles 16:9 tells us, "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." He's looking for his faithful children so he can bless them. He longs to give you good gifts! Whatever your need is, ask! Pursue God and be persistent. If your answer isn't immediate, remain faithful to Him for he is faithful to you. His answer and blessing will come in his perfect timing.  Read and meditate today over the following verses:

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him? (Matthew 7:7-11).  

Come And See For Yourself

"Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael.  "Can anything good come from there?"

"Just come and see for yourself," Philip said.

John 1:46

Nathanael isn't much different than any of us.  It was't that he didn't want to believe in the Messiah, he just couldn't believe that anything or anyone good could come from a place that had poor judgment and morals.  Had he been so sure of his own prejudice, he would have missed out on meeting Jesus.  How many times do we get too busy in our life, or make quick judgments about something or someone that we miss out on meeting Jesus face to face?  How many times do I miss seeing the work of God because I let my own judgements and opinions stand in the way of seeing Him?  

If we aren't looking for Jesus and if we aren't willing to go meet Him where he is then we will miss out on the experience of knowing Him.  Nathanael wasn't going to get to know Him by just listening to Philip talk about Him, he needed to go and see for himself.  How often do we get lazy and just take someone's word for it. or do we overlook someone's Jesus story because we can't imagine how that would ever happen?  We have our doubts and without an open mind and a willingness to witness it for ourselves we miss out on knowing the One True God.  

If you continue reading a little you will see that it took one very short conversation, two statements, in fact, for Nathanael to believe.  Had he stuck to his original thoughts he may have stayed home sitting on his couch watching some TV show that had absolutely nothing to do with his salvation or his purpose in life.  Instead he was curious and he was willing to give this man from Nazareth a chance.

Do you ever encounter people like Nathanael?  Someone who has a bad taste for Jesus or a prejudice concerning Him?  It is not easy talking to someone like that but the best thing you can offer them is to "come and see him for yourself".  You don't have to force your thoughts on them, or your Jesus story, because it's their own encounter, with Him, that will make them believe.  So instead, just keep encouraging them to meet Him on their own, in there comfortable place. Because we are blessed with a God who is omnipotent, He can meet us wherever we are!  Offer them a bible and book mark some important scripture or ask them to join you in a bible study or quiet study time.  And most importantly pray for that person!  Straight from scripture ask God to pursue your friend or loved one in a way that sends them to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33).  Ask God to help your friend taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).  Don't let your friend's prejudice and stereotypes keep her from knowing Jesus and experiencing His power and love in her life.  Don't ever stop inviting her to "come and see for herself".  

Dear God, I have a friend on my mind who, for her own personal reasons, has trouble trusting in you and believing that you can bring her a life of peace and joy.  Please pursue her with Your great love and mercy.  Give her opportunities to meet You face to face.  My desire is for her to seek You first in in her life and to taste and see for herself that You are good and glorious.  Help me to be a friend with patience, someone for her to trust in, and give me the wisdom to walk her to You.  I ask this all in Jesus' Name, Amen