November 24, 2024

Perfect Prayers

October 30, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Answer me when I call to You, O God who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
Have mercy on me [be gracious to me] and hear my prayer.
Psalm 4:1 NLT

I like the simplicity of David’s prayer.  Reminds me of a Max Lucado devotional entitled, Prayer’s Aren’t Graded:

“Jesus downplayed the importance of words in prayers. We tend to do the opposite. The more words the better! We emphasize the appropriate prayer language, the latest prayer trend, the holiest prayer terminology. Against all this emphasis on syllables and rituals, Jesus says in Matthew 6:7: ‘Don’t ramble like heathens who talk a lot.’  There’s no panel of angelic judges with numbered cards.”

I love the line “There’s no panel of angelic judges with numbered cards.” Sometimes we pray like we think there is. God doesn’t count our words or measure our syntax. He doesn’t edit our grammar. God looks at our heart.  As the Scriptures tell us:

Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible,
but the Lord sees the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7b (HCSB)

For You look deep within the mind and heart, O righteous God.
Psalm 7:9b (NLT)

In this verse David used only a few words, but he prayed with passion.  David’s prayer came from deep within his heart.  Take a look at James 5:16b (AMP):

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man
makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].

It doesn’t say the ‘perfect’ prayer.  It doesn’t say the prayer of 100 words or more.  It says the “earnest (heartfelt, continued)” prayer.  God already knows what is on your heart.  He just wants you to share it with Him.  It doesn’t really matter how you share it, as long as you do share it with Him.  Even if you can’t put it into words or express it verbally.  Romans 8:26 (AMP) states:

So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness;
for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought,
but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf
with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.

Prayer doesn’t have to be fancy.  It doesn’t have to be perfect.  It just needs to be heartfelt.  It needs to be uttered with passion.  Even if it is only to call His name – Jesus!  God honors fervent prayers by being merciful and gracious to us.

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Holy Father, I am so thankful my prayers do not have to be perfect to be heard. You know what is in my heart and You long for me to share it with You.  Thank You for the intimacy prayer brings.  Thank You for the mercy and grace you extend to me, undeserving as I am.  May I lift up my requests to You with heartfelt passion.  In Your Holy name I pray, Amen – It Is So!

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Healing Has Begun

October 27, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

 

You have carried the weight of your secret for way too long
Thinking if there is a place called forgiveness you don’t belong
Oh, but freedom can never be found behind those walls
So just let ’em fall, just let ’em fall

Oh, the healing has begun
Oh, the healing has begun

How long has it been since you felt anything but shame
Child, lift up your eyes ’cause mercy remembers your name
And those tears you’ve been holding back, let ’em fall down like rain
‘Cause today is the day, yeah today is the day

Oh, the healing has begun
Oh, the healing has begun

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Just lift your eyes
Lay it down
What once was lost
Has now been found, oh

There’s a world full of people dying from broken hearts
Holding on to the guilt, thinking they fell too far
So don’t be afraid to show ’em your beautiful scars
‘Cause they’re the proof, yeah you’re the proof
Oh, the healing has begun

Songwriter/Singer – Matthew West along with Joseph Houser

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I heard this song for the first time Saturday night at church during communion.  It touched me on so many levels, and in so many ways, I would have to write a book to explain it all.

Matthew West has said this is a song about healing and forgiveness…about embracing the gift of grace.  This song reminds me how grateful I am that “…mercy remembers [my] name.” The Psalms tell us:

The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent.
Psalm 34:18 AMP

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows].
Psalm 147:3 AMP

We all have broken, shattered pieces of our lives.  Things we regret doing, things that make us feel guilty and ashamed.  Jesus came to heal us of spiritual ailments as well as physical ones.  I love this part “So don’t be afraid to show ’em your beautiful scars, ‘cause they’re the proof, yeah, you’re the proof….”

I have often asked God not to let my pain be in vain.  Isaiah 61:1b (AMP) tells me: “He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound….”  Sometimes it hurts to reveal those scars.  Sometimes it is scary to open yourself up to others.  But just imagine what it would be like if doing so helped someone else begin to heal!

The part that really touched me this weekend is the “Oh, the healing has begun.” I have sung that refrain over and over and over again in my head.  There is a person…a situation…that I have been praying for and about for years.  This song is something they really need to hear and believe.  God showed me He is using my pain and my scars to begin their healing.  And those words were confirmation that God has indeed begun the healing in them.

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Thank You, Father, that Your healing in us has begun.  Let our pains, our scars be a light of hope to others.  In Jesus’ name I ask this, Amen – It Is So!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , ,

Justice, Mercy, and Grace

October 21, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love.
He will not always accuse us or be angry forever.
He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.
For He knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.
Psalm 103:8-14 HCSB

“Justice is getting what you deserve.
Mercy is NOT getting what you deserve.
Grace is getting what you DON’T deserve”
– Chuck Smith

As I read this passage I was struck by God’s mercy and grace.  Using Chuck Smith’s quote I divided the verses into two categories…Mercy and Grace.

Mercy – withheld punishment
*slow to anger – verse 8
*He will not always accuse us or be angry forever – verse 9
*He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses – verse 10

Grace – unmerited favor
*The Lord is compassionate and gracious, and rich in faithful love – verse 8
*For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him – verse 11
*As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us – verse 12
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him – verse 13

These are the characteristics of God.  As I continued to study this passage a thought kept re-ocurring:  “This is how God deals with me. Is this how I deal with others?”  OUCH!  Here is what I mean:

“Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus,” Romans 8:1 (HCSB)…yet, how often are we so quick to condemn others sins? (and often ignore our own.)

“I, even I, am He Who blots out and cancels your transgressions, for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” Isaiah 43:25 (AMP)…yet, how long do we nurse our hurts, our anger or hold a grudge?

“And they will go to others and say, ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved.” Job 33:27 (NIV)…yet, how often do we seek retaliation or revenge when we have been wounded?

Now look at these verses:

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you?
Does this mean nothing to you?
Romans 2:4 NLT

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me
as a prime example of His great patience with even the worst sinners.
I Timothy1:16a NLT

So I have to ask myself some hard questions—

  • Do I exhibit the patience and grace God has shown me?
  • Do I offer compassion and love to those around me.
  • Am I forgiving and merciful?

I wish I could answer a resounding YES to these questions. I can not—not in every case. But I can praise God for these qualities I see in Him. I can seek His help as I strive to demonstrate such qualities in my own life. It is the very least I can do, considering all He has done for me.

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Lord, I humbly come before You today, thanking You for being so patient with me. Your mercy and grace are beyond limits. Aid me in reflecting Your character to those around me. Remind me when I am tempted to fall back on my human emotions of all You have done for me. May my life bring honor and glory to You. In Your precious name I ask this, AMEN – It Is So!

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Cornerstone

October 20, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name

Christ alone; Cornerstone
Weak made strong; in the Saviour’s love
Through the storm, He is Lord
Lord of all

When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil

When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh, may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless stand before the throne

Singer/Songwriter: Reuben Morgan along with Hillsong United

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Ever have God drop just a part of a song into your thoughts…and it keeps echoing through your mind repeatedly?  That’s what happened to me with this song.  As I was praying one morning “ ♪♬♪ Christ alone, cornerstone ♪♬♪ ” popped into my mind and hasn’t left yet.  (I figure there is a point God wants me to understand here.)

I found several definitions of ‘cornerstone’:

  • at the tip of the angle
  • capstone that holds the whole structure together
  • the most important stone in the structure
  • the one on which the structure’s stability depends

I also found the following Scriptures:

Therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed [shaken, ashamed]
Isaiah 28:16 NASB

…with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
Ephesians 2:20b HCSB

Look!  I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame!
1 Peter 2:6 HCSB

As I was researching this song, I found this quote by Ben Fielding of Hillsong United:

“Jesus is the cornerstone…He is the centerpiece of our hope and compass for all our endeavors. Jesus is the firmest of foundations. Jesus is the reference point for all we have and all that we are. He is the One who holds all things together.”

Jesus laid the foundation with His very life.  He is what holds us together.  He is the one on which our stability depends.  I knew that Jesus was the cornerstone of my salvation but I had never thought of it in this way.  Not only is He the cornerstone of my salvation but Jesus is also the cornerstone of my relationship, the foundation of my life.  So what does that look like?

1 Samuel 15:22a tells us “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice”.  And in Mark 12:30-31 (NLT) Jesus shows us what is most important:

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.
No other commandment is greater than these.”

With Jesus as our cornerstone, our lives should be a reflection of Him.  Our greatest challenge is to bring our lives under obedience to God and love as Jesus loved.  Being submissive to Him is a choice we make; our obedience brings glory to God and shines His light of love on those around us.  We may occasionally fail but, when we trust solely in Jesus’ name, we are met by God’s unchanging grace.  Though we are weak, Christ’s love is our strength.

“Christ alone, cornerstone…for He is Lord of all.”

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Father God, thank You so much for giving us Jesus as our cornerstone.  Thank You for the stability He brings to our lives, and the strength we find in His love.  Help us be a reflection of Him in our daily lives.  Thank You for Your unchanging grace when we fail.  We love You.  Amen – It Is SO!

 

 

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hope During Affliction

October 16, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Remember Your word to Your servant;
You have given me hope through it.
This is my comfort in my affliction.
Psalm 119:49-50a HCSB

This passage reminds me of Roman 12:12 NIV; in fact, it seems to me this passage provides the reason we are urged to be“…joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer…”.

What is hope?

  • Bakers Evangelical Dictionary – to trust in, wait for, to expect something beneficial
  • Strong’s Concordance – a strong and mighty trust, actively waiting

God’s Word gives us hope. We trust in it. It is the foundation of our hope and should be the only source of our hope. We can be assured God will never disappoint the hope He has given us. Take a look at these two verses:

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word
and to do what He had promised.
Romans 4:21 AMP

So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish
and confess and our acknowledgement of it,
for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.
Hebrews 10:23 AMP

We are to have hope even in times of affliction.

So, what is affliction?

  • Holman Bible Dictionary – the state of being pained or distressed
  • Strong’s Concordance – persecution tribulation, distress, pressure

His Word comforts and sustains us in times of affliction. Check this out:

For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction,
so that we may have hope through endurance
and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.
Romans 15:4 HCSB

His Word was written for OUR instruction. We are to have a strong and mighty trust in His Word as we actively wait during times of pain, distress, and pressure. When we do so, we can be confident in this:

…the God of hope (will) fill you with all joy and peace,
as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 HCSB

I think one of my favorite verses sums up what happens when we hold tight to hope during times of affliction.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13 NIV

Continue to expect something beneficial in the future, especially during times of trouble, and you will see the goodness of the Lord.

He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:24

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Father God, we are so thankful we have Your hope to hold on to, especially in the trying times of life. Help us actively wait with a strong and mighty trust in You, knowing we will eventually see Your goodness come through. In Your precious and Holy name we pray – Amen, it is so!

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Step By Step (Sometimes By Step)

October 13, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
Sometimes the night was beautiful
Sometimes the sky was so far away
Sometimes it seemed to stoop so close
You could touch it but your heart would break
Sometimes the morning came too soon
Sometimes the day could be so hot
There was so much work left to do
But so much You’d already done

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
And I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

Singer/ Songwriter: Rich Mullins along with David Strasser

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This was one of the very first ‘contemporary’ Christian songs I ever heard. I fell in love immediately. Little did I know how much this song would affect me or that I would continue to carry it with me “all of my days.”

Rich Mullins considered this a prayer song because “Sometimes I find it hard to pray.” (Don’t we all?)  Rich also talks about trying to impress God with our prayers: “We don’t have to impress Him…He is already knocked out about you…God takes the junk of our lives and makes the greatest art out of it.”

This is the cry of my heart, that “I will seek You in the morning and I will learn to walk in Your ways; and step by step You’ll lead me…and I will follow You all of my days!” I desperately want Him to take the junk of my life and make something beautiful out of it.

My deepest desire is to seek Him each morning and follow Him…step by step. I pray God will “Guide my steps by Your Word, so I will not be overcome by evil” (Psalm 119:133 NLT). But, being human, I falter and sometimes I fail. What a relief to know that I am never beyond His reach. Psalm 139:7 (HCSB) asks the question, “Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?” Acts 17:27b (HCSB) provides an answer, “He is not far from each one of us.” Deuteronomy 4:7 (NASB) ties it all up for us, “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him?”

I think this quote from Jerry Bridges puts it all into perspective:

“Our worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”

We cannot escape God’s amazing grace. It is always there for us. We will always have need of it—at our best and at our worst. That’s why I am so thankful that “Oh God, You are my God…” Yes, “I will ever praise You!”

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Lord, I am so thankful for Your leadership. I am grateful You direct my steps. Teach me to walk closely with You. Keep my feet on the path You have placed them on that I may follow You all of my days. In Christ’s name, I ask this, Amen! It Is SO!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Benefits of Precepts

October 8, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

The precepts of the Lord are right, making the heart glad; the command of the Lord is radiant, making the eyes light up.
Psalm 19:8 HCSB

As I was reading this passage, the word ‘precepts’ caught my attention. I have heard it many times.  But what, exactly, is a precept?

  • Merriam-Webster Dictionary
    –  a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action
    –  a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought
  • Wikipedia
    –  a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action

…Because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My mandate,
My commands, My statutes, and My instructions.
Genesis 26:5 HCSB

A ‘precept’ is a statute, mandate, command, instruction, law, or ordinance that gives direct advice.  The precepts of the Lord will set us right if we heed them. They give us a great advantage and provide many benefits. Matthew Henry states: “The Holy Scripture…is of much greater use and benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe in or the light of the sun.”   Wow!

Psalms 19:11 states “Your servant is warned by them; there is great reward in keeping them.”  So what are some of the benefits we receive when we pay attention to the Lord’s precepts? Verse 8 told us they make the heart glad and the eyes light up.  Look at some other benefits listed in the following verses:

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies,
for [Your words] are ever before me. I have better understanding and deeper insight
than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged, because I keep Your precepts
[hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them].
Psalm 119:98-100 AMP

Every word of God is pure; He is a Shield to those who take refuge in Him.
Proverbs 30:5 HCSB

For a command is a lamp, teaching is a light, and corrective discipline is the way to life.
Proverbs 6:23 HCSB

Who wouldn’t want these benefits?  I certainly do!  The Lord’s precepts show us what sin is.  And they provide great and wonderful benefits. But there is one benefit these precepts absolutely cannot provide—righteousness.

For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law,
because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.
Romans 3:20 HCSB

On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.
Romans 7:7b HCSB

As Galatians 2:9 (AMP) points out, righteousness comes only through faith in Jesus Christ:

For I through the Law [under the operation of the curse of the Law]
have [in Christ’s death for me] myself died to the Law
and all the Law’s demands upon me, so that I may [henceforth] live to and for God.

Christ was crucified for us.  His grace provided our acquittal.  Even so, we can honor Him by following His precepts.  We receive so many benefits by being attentive to them.

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Lord, thank You for Your amazing grace that removes all guilt from us.  Let us be more attentive to Your precepts and use them daily.  Thank You for the direct advice they provide to us and for the marvelous benefits we receive when pay heed to them. In Your Holy name I pray, Amen – It is so!

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One Thing Remains

October 6, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing…remains

Your love never fails, never gives up
Never runs out on me
On and on and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never, ever, have to be afraid
One thing remains

In death, In life, I’m confident and
covered by the power of Your great love
My debt is paid, there’s nothing that can
separate my heart from Your great love…

Written by: Brian Johnson, Christa Black Gifford and Jeremy Riddle
Performed by Jesus Culture

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And I am convinced that NOTHING can ever separate us from God’s love.
Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—NOT EVEN THE POWERS OF HELL can separate us from God’s love.
No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, NOTHING in all creation
will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 NLT

Go back and read those two verses again. And again…and again.  Until it completely sinks in that NOTHING can or will EVER separate us from God’s love. When all else fails, when everyone else abandons you, when sin has defeated you His love STILL remains!  Is that not the most comforting, reassuring thought ever?!?  No matter how far we have fallen, no matter what our past or present looks like, we can never fall out of the reach of His love.  Neither can our loved ones.  We are all held tightly in His hand and our names are written on His palm.

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever!
No one will snatch them out of My hand.
John 10:28 HCSB

Behold, I have indelibly imprinted [engraved, inscribed (tattooed a picture of)
you on the palm of each of My hands;
Isaiah 49:16a AMP

What hope, what reassurance there is in each of these Scriptures!  Let us hold tightly to them.  Be confident in His great love and remember:

“Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me!”

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Father, thank You for such a great love.  Thank You for the hope, the reassurance we find in these Scriptures.  Let us hold tightly to them and always be mindful of them, for NOTHING can separate us from Your love.  In Your Holy name we pray, Amen – It Is SO!!!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Your Love Is Like A River

September 29, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Your love is like a river flowing from my heart
Your love is like a river flowing from my heart
When this cruel world tears us apart
Your love is like a river flowing from my heart
When sharpened words have left their scars
Your love is like a river flowing from my heart
And it’s overflowing and showing us all
How deep and how wide is Your love
It never stops, it rages on
Your love is like a river flowing from my heart

When I am tired and so afraid
Your love is like a fire that will light my way
When darkness falls and my vision fades
Your love is like a fire that will light my way
And it’s always burning and stirring my soul
To know You and love You much more
It never stops or ever fades
Your love is like a fire that will light my way

Oh, it’s never gonna stop
Oh, it’s flowing from my heart
Oh, it’s never gonna fade
Your fire will light my way

When all my strength and hope is gone
Your love is like a rock that I am standing on

Oh, it’s never gonna stop
Oh, it’s flowing from my heart
Your love is like a river flowing from my heart
Your love is like a fire that will light my way
Your love is like a rock that I am standing on
Your love is like a river flowing from my heart
Your love is like a fire that will light my way
Your love is like a rock that I am standing on
Your love is like a river flowing from my heart

Singer/Songwriters Mac Powell/Tai Anderson/David Carr/Mark Lee ~~~ Third Day

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This song touches me on so many levels.  It reminds me His love is always there for me—to comfort me, to guide me, to anchor me.  But it also reminds me of something I desperately want – His love to flow like a river from me.

Galatians 5:6b (NIV) tells us, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”  Since Christ loved us enough to die for us, why is it so hard for us to love others?  We are repeatedly called to love throughout the New Testament. Ephesians 5:1-2 (AMP) presents it as a lifestyle:

Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example] as well-beloved children [imitate their father].
And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us…

If you look at these verses, it becomes apparent we cannot love on our own. We have been given love as one of the fruits of the Spirit.  Romans 5:5 (HCSB) shows us this, “God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Yet, only through faith can we love as we are biblically called to do.

Ever try to love someone who rubbed you the wrong way, was confrontational, or you didn’t like very much?  It isn’t easy…even loving through faith.  Yet that is exactly what we are called to do.  I constantly remind myself that love is not just a warm, fuzzy feeling.  It is so much more than that!   It requires action.  And patience.  And, most of all, FAITH!  Relying on emotions or feelings can land us in a heap of trouble.  Instead we must choose to have faith in God and believe He will cause our attempts to love to have a profound effect.  Maybe even on us.

Lord, please let Your love flow like a river from my heart.  Amen—it is so!

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , ,

There Is Still Power in the Name of Jesus

September 28, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

O God.
Let me proclaim Your power to this new generation,
Your mighty miracles to all who come
Psalm 71:18b NLT

Let me confess a couple of things before I get started:
-My blogs are about things God is showing and teaching me that I hope will touch you too.
-I went about writing this blog backwards. I started with an idea and God showed me the Scripture.

I was watching a video this morning and God thumped me upside the head and asked, “Are you paying attention?” I have included a link to the video (see below) but here is a brief outline:

Samuel Rodriguez is asked to pray at a secular event in Washington, D.C. When he arrives, he finds out a Universalist, an Imam, and a Rabbi have been asked to pray as well. He is given a choice where in the order he would like to pray…and chooses to go last. After he prays there is clapping for 4-6 minutes. When asked why the people kept clapping he states, “There is STILL power in the Name of Jesus!”

Let me ask you something—Do you proclaim Jesus’ power? Do you pray like you believe in His power?
This is where God was drawing my attention. I have not been praying like I believe in the mighty power of His Name. Then when I saw Psalm 71:18 I knew this was something I needed to research and write about.

Jesus Christ

  • His is the Name above ALL names
  • Angels fall prostrate at His Name
  • Every knee shall bow at the Name of Jesus
  • His Name causes the dead to rise
  • His Name makes demons tremble and flee
  • His Name gives sight to the blind, makes the lame walk and heals the sick

Best of all, Jesus’ is the only Name that can wash us white as snow and make us acceptable to God – “…by believing in Him you will have life by the power of His name” (John 20:31 NLT).

In Matthew 28:18 AMP, Jesus tells us, “All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”  John 13:3 NIV says “…the Father had put all things under His power…”  That is the ultimate power!  We have been given access to that power. We are to use it when we pray and proclaim it loudly for all to hear so the next generation knows there is still power in the name of Jesus.

All hail the power of Jesus’ Name.

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Lord Jesus, we are so thankful for the power of Your Holy Name. Remind us of that power continually so that we may use it to bring You glory and honor. May we lift our voices to proclaim how the power of Your Name is alive and at work in our own lives. In Your precious and Holy Name, I ask this, Amen – it is so!

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