November 15, 2024

The Greatest Story Ever Told

September 6, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Some days your own resolve is strong
And other days you bend
It’s two steps forward, one step back
And a stumble now and then
You wonder if you’ll ever really make the difference
You’ve prayed that you will
Well, I know that prayer will be fulfilled ’cause

Your life woven day by day
Is a new design of the glory God displays
On the canvas of creation
Through the poem of history
In the pattern of redemption
Running through the tapestry
Your life in Christ can be
The greatest story ever told

You cannot see the hands of God
Or feel the grace that flows
From Him through you to those you touch
In ways you’ll never know
You cannot measure worth by human standards
That’s always a lie
Oh, you have to see through Heaven’s eyes how

In the light of eternity
Standing face to face you will finally see
For the very first time you’ll understand
Your perfect place in the Master’s plan and how

Avalon
written by Bill Gaither and J.D. Miller
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Yet LORD, You are our Father;
we are the clay, and You are our potter;
we all are the work of Your hands.
Isaiah 64:8

I love art.  Especially when I can take something that is broken into pieces and make a creative design.  Like a mosaic!  All the pieces are different shapes and colors; they are from different pieces of pottery that have been special to me in some way.  To someone else, they look like broken pieces of glass…until they are placed in plaster and set to dry.  Then…tada!  You have a table top, or a vase, or a trivet.  Whatever you want to make!

God makes broken things beautiful.  He is the Master Artist and He takes the hardest, most broken parts of us making out of them the most beautiful masterpiece.  We all have a story.  And if we let Him, He can make it His story and it can help countless people just by sharing it.  God then gets the glory for the redeeming and the restoring of you!

Maybe you are walking in freedom from addiction and have a story that will give other women and men hope that they, too, can be victorious. Maybe you are a child of divorce and can give someone the assurance that Jesus can help them through anything.  I don’t know your story…but God does.   He is so full of joy over you and He wants the world to see what He has done in you.

‘So what do we do next?’  you ask?  We have to be willing to do whatever He asks and go wherever He tells us to go and share with whoever He knows needs to hear our hope story.  And always remember that we couldn’t succeed on our own and that only One gets the glory for it all…Jesus!

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Let us pray: Dear Lord, You are the Master and we are Your clay—mold us and make us the way that best glorifies You, oh God!  Thank You for each one of these stories today.  Thank You for giving us victories over our trials and for allowing us to be a part of the greatest story ever told.  And for those still struggling today, give them the strength to ask for help and put someone in their lives that can help them through because of their own experience.  We worship You and we praise You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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

He could have been more

September 4, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.”
And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.
And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it.  So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.
Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father.  He had judged Israel twenty years.

Judges 16:28-31

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If you went to Sunday School as a child, you have probably heard this story. Maybe even got to put the characters on the purple felt board.  I do remember thinking that it was tragic.  How could someone who said that they loved someone, hurt them and betray them?  Now that I have lived a few 24 hours since then…I see that it happens.  Do you wonder what we could possibly learn from this story?  God always has a lesson, right? And this story is no different….

There’s Samson: his birth was announced to his parents by the angel of God, just like Jesus and John the Baptist.  He was chosen and set apart for big things.  He would grow up strong and would defeat many.  But he had a weakness…women.  And he had a secret—he could never cut his hair.  God had big plans for him to begin saving the children of Israel but his love for the things of this world kept him from doing the will of God.

Then there is Delilah: she was in love with him but chose greed and power over her husband.  She asked him many times what his weaknesses were and he lied.  She got angry and threatened to leave until he finally told her the truth—that he can never cut his hair.  You can guess what happened next (if you don’t already know)…she sets him up for failure and has his head shaved. But God gives him one more chance to show his strength; and Samson grew his hair back once more.  At their wedding, he gets his revenge and kills all who are there by pushing the main pillars that hold the roof.  Over 1,000 died that night.

This world is so full of temptation and things that can take us so far from God and His will.  If we don’t stay so close to Him and constantly remain in the Word, we just might stray from Him.  This world is our temporary home. Heaven is our forever place!  When our eyes look at the things of this world, and we start to place value here on things like big houses and nice cars, we can lose our strength, too, and become weak.  But all we have to do is look up and we find grace.  God forgives us and gives us chance after chance.  He never gives up on us.

We all are sinners and we all fall short.  Instead of judging each other, let us pray for one another.  Let us love each other like Jesus has told us to.  That is the best way to show our love for Him.

What are you putting value in today?  I challenge you to really think about it. It is never too late…God is always waiting!

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Let us pray: Dear Father, thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your only Son to die in our place.  Thank You for forgiveness and grace.  Lord, I pray for those today who are hurting, and for those who desperately need provision, and for those who need healing.  You are the One Who can do all things.  Nothing is too hard for You.  Comfort Your children today, Lord.  Give them hope and let them feel Your arms around them today!  We praise You and worship You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Give Me Faith

August 30, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I need You
To soften my heart and break me apart
I need You
To open my eyes, to see that You’re shaping my life

All I am, I surrender

Give me faith to trust what You say
That You’re good and Your love is great
I’m broken inside, I give You my life

And I may be weak but Your Spirit’s strong in me
My flesh may fail, but my God, You never will

Elevation Worship
Matt Brook, Chris Brown, London Gatch, Wade Joye

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He said to them, “…For truly, I say to you,
if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’
and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:20 ESV

When things are going really well, it is so easy to have faith.  When there’s money in the bank and food in the pantry,  it is easy to believe that God is with you.  But what if things are not so easy?  Jesus tells us that as long as we have faith like a mustard seed then we can tell a mountain to move and it will!  Do you know how small a mustard seed really is?

Sometimes God allows us to go through things so that we can help someone else who is going through the same thing.  In this song it says “…soften my heart, break me apart.”  I wonder if we really mean this…when the only way for this to happen is for us to go through trials of our own!  In those trials, I hear myself saying this,”I need You..to pierce through the dark and cleanse every part of me…all I am…I surrender.”

When we are at our weakest, He is strongest.  When we fail, He never will. We need Him in so many ways and we need to have the faith to believe that He is who He says He is.  That God is great and God is good.  And most of all, He is crazy in love with YOU!

What are you believing Him for today?  Or are you in a place of just trying to find Him and believe Him for something that seems impossible?  Nothing is impossible with God.  Nothing.  Believe in Him and know that He is on your side.  I leave you with one more verse.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

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Dear Lord, You are amazing and awesome.  You promise us that when we call, You will answer.  That no matter how big the problem, Your answer is enough.  Lord, I pray that You comfort those who are hurting today and having a hard time finding You.  Reveal Yourself to them today in special ways that only You can.  And when it is hard, I pray that we remember the words to this song, and pray it to You as a prayer… “Give me faith to trust what You say…You are good and Your love is great. I give You my life.”  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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The One Who Remains Faithful

August 28, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city. Salvation is established as walls and ramparts.
Open the gates so a righteous nation can come in—one that remains faithful.
You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace,
for it is trusting in You.
Trust in the Lord forever, because in Yah, the Lord, is an everlasting rock!
For He has humbled those who live in lofty places—an inaccessible city.
He brings it down; He brings it down to the ground; He throws it to the dust.
Feet trample it, the feet of the humble, the steps of the poor.
The path of the righteous is level; You clear a straight path for the righteous.
Yes, Yahweh, we wait for You in the path of Your judgments.
Our desire is for Your name and renown.
I long for You in the night; yes, my spirit within me diligently seeks You,
For when Your judgments are in the land,
the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26:1-9‬ ‭HCSB‬

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Every day there are reminders that we are not home yet. That the enemy is still prowling around and people are believing his lies. In the past 24 hours there have been shootings and a campus here in the south is on lockdown because of a hurting soul who thinks violence is the answer.

Are you asking “Where is God in all of this?”  He’s exactly where He was when His own Son died on the Cross.  The question is…are we close to Him?  If God moves, He invites us to go with Him.  He never leaves us.  Will you accept  His invitation?

Fear is a lie from the enemy to keep us in pits of all kinds.  Psalm 23:4 says that no matter what we walk through we have His protection.  We might feel like we can’t make it another minute but His Word is so full of hope and promises that carry us through.  As long as we cling to Him and wait on Him we will never grow weary of doing His will.  We might get tired and worn out physically but our spirit will never slow down.

God is the only One to cling to in this world of uncertainty.  The absolute  certain thing is this: one day Jesus will come back to get us and take us with Him.  He died so that we can live free of all the worldly stuff that’s meant to destroy us.  If we are with Him, we will survive and thrive.

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Are you in a hard place today?  I urge you to take His hand and go wherever He leads you because…

  • where He is…is awesome
  • where He is…is peaceful
  • where He is…is your Home!

Lets pray!  Dearest Lord, we praise You for how awesome You are! Thank You for loving us enough to send Jesus to die in our place.  In this world it is so hard; I lift up all who are hurting today.  Fill the lost spaces with Your presence and help us keep our eyes on You.  We love You!  In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

My Story

August 23, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

If I told you my story
You would hear hope that wouldn’t let go
If I told you my story
You would hear love that never gave up
If I told you my story
You would hear life but it wasn’t mine

If I should speak then let it be
Of the grace that is greater than all my sin
Of when justice was served and where mercy wins
Of the kindness of Jesus that draws me in
To tell you my story is to tell of Him

If I told you my story
You would hear victory over the enemy
If told you my story
You would hear freedom that was won for me
If I told you my story
You would hear life overcome the grave

‘This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long’

Big Daddy Weave
written by Mike Weaver, Jason Ingram
classical hymn, Blessed Assurance, written by Frances Crosby
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If I told you my story, you would definitely see the hand of God, the Father, providing in ways you couldn’t imagine.  You would see that love wins and the enemy is defeated on so many occasions.  You would see my imperfections being used for His glory and the many times I have been forgiven when  I failed Him.  If I told you my story, you might just see there is hope for yours.

What if we never shared though?  What if we never heard the stories of those who went before us?  Like in John 4…the woman at the well had an incredible story to tell all her people…she had gone to the well, at noon, so no one else would be there.  (Jesus knew though.)  After their encounter, she went away telling all who would listen that Jesus offered her the Living Water that would last forever!  I wonder how many lives were changed that day because she shared?  And today, how many people have found that Living Water and truly understood what Jesus was talking about because her story was told.

Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the men,
“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did!
Could this be the Messiah?”
They left the town and made their way to Him.
John 4:28-30

You may be thinking that your story isn’t worth telling.  Or that if you did tell your story, that no one would respect you.  Or if you told it, how that might  affect you?  I say tell it and let God protect you and use you for His glory.  I hear from so many, “If I was called to be a missionary, then I would go tell others.”  Guess what?  We are all called to be missionaries. The Great commission is found in Matthew…do you remember hearing it growing up?

The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.
When they saw Him, they worshipped, but some doubted.
Then Jesus came near and said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.
And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20 HCSB

He gave you the story you have and He wants to use you to give hope.  Pray and ask Him to show you how to start.  Then thank Him for how He is about to use you.

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Let us pray: Dear God, You are so awesome and so worthy of all our praise and worship.  You gave us each a different story of victory to share with others.  I pray today that You give us all the courage to go out and tell the world of Your goodness and grace.  We love You so much and we thank You for being patient when we are slow to share.  Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Helper and Counselor.  This week, give us opportunities to tell someone our God stories.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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

Take This Cup

August 21, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”  He took Peter, James and John along with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled.  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” He said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”  Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him.  “Abba, Father,” He said, “everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.”  Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” He said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  Once more He went away and prayed the same thing.  When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.  They did not know what to say to Him.  Returning the third time, He said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough!  The hour has come….

Mark 14:32-42

All He asked them to do was to stay awake and pray with Him.  Jesus, on the night before He was to die, went to the garden to pray.  Actually to speak to His Father…and maybe get a different solution to this saving thing.  Who could blame Him, really.  But as we all know, God did not change His mind.

In this prayer of Jesus’, we see Him totally surrendering Himself to the complete sovereignty of God even though His heart is longing for something different.  Jesus totally trusts in the One Who holds it all in His loving hands. And, ultimately, God’s plan was carried out and it was perfect.  Are you struggling with the same thing—asking God to take this cup from you but, if not, then surrendering to His will?

I know it is hard to look at ourselves and examine our own hearts.  There may be something that God is asking you to do and, with all your heart, you don’t want to.   You find yourself begging Him, pleading with Him, to take this cup from you.  But, if He doesn’t, are you okay  with His answer?  I can tell you from experience that you should be.  Because He loves His children so much that He only wants the very best for us.  Yes, there are sometimes painful things we must do…but when we surrender to Him, and do what He asks, we will be blessed.

But what if you never see the benefit?  You may not on this side of Heaven; but I do know that one day it will all be revealed in His time.  Just pray, seek His face, and trust—that no matter what it is on earth that He is asking—He will not harm you, but will bless you forever.

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Do you know this Jesus that I am telling you about?  If not, I pray that today you will get to know Him and ask Him into your life so that you will be made new!  I ask that You pray this prayer with me…

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I am so tired of doing things my way and hurting.  Today, I surrender.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and He died on the Cross to save me from sin.  I ask that Jesus come into my heart to live and walk with me through this life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Grace Wins

August 16, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

In my weakest moment I see you
Shaking your head in disgrace
I can read the disappointment
Written all over your face

Here come those whispers in my ear
Saying, “Who do you think you are?
Looks like you’re on your own from here
‘Cause grace could never reach that far”

But in the shadow of that shame
Beat down by all the blame
I hear You call my name saying ‘it’s not over’
And my heart starts to beat so loud now
Drowning out the doubt
I’m down, but I’m not out

There’s a war between guilt and grace
And they’re fighting for a sacred space
But I’m living proof
Grace wins every time
No more lying down in death’s defeat
Now I’m rising up in victory
Singing, hallelujah
Grace wins every time

Words can’t describe the way it feels
When mercy floods a thirsty soul
The broke inside begins to heal
And grace returns what guilty stole

And in the shadow of that shame
Beat down by all the blame
I hear You call my name saying it’s not over
And my heart starts to beat so loud now
Drowning out the doubt
I’m down, but I’m not out

Grace wins every time
For the prodigal son
Grace wins
For the woman at the well
Grace wins
For the blind man and the beggar
Grace wins
For always and forever
Grace wins
For the lost out on the streets
Grace wins
For the worst part of you and me
Grace wins
For the thief on the cross
Grace wins
For a world that is lost

 Matthew West
singer/songwriter

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As you listen to this song, try to think of the times that you needed His grace.  If we are honest—as long as we are breathing, we need grace.  And unlike most things in this world, it’s free.  See, God knew how hard it would be for us to live a totally righteous life, so He sent Jesus to die.  Now we live in victory, even though it may seem totally opposite.  There will be times that we cannot handle one more trial….

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:8-9

For the one that just keeps on doing the same thing over and over again, promising that tomorrow will be different and it’s not.  Shame takes you backwards into the same thing that you’re trying to overcome.

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace,
Who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ,
will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:10

And for the one that thinks that nothing can save him now, that he’s gone too far and God can never forgive him now…

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons,
by Whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.
Romans 8:15 and 16

Oh friend, we are free because of grace…and as long as we have breath, and as long as we have Jesus…grace wins every time.

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

When God Restores

August 14, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his prosperity and doubled his previous possessions.  All his brothers, sisters, and former acquaintances came to his house and dined with him in his house.  They sympathized with him and comforted him concerning all the adversity the Lord had brought on him.  Each one gave him a qesitah and a gold earring.  So the Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life more than the first.  He owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.  He also had seven sons and three daughters.  He named his first daughter Jemimah, his second Keziah, and his third Keren-happuch.  No women as beautiful as Job’s daughters could be found in all the land, and their father granted them an inheritance with their brothers.  Job lived 140 years after this and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.  Then Job died, old and full of days.

Job 42:10-17 HCSB

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“You have the patience of Job!” she says to me.  {I don’t really.}  I think of all the things and people that Job lost and I wonder if he ever had a full-blown temper tantrum…I know I have.  And, like Job, God has never left me.  As I watched my baby girl leave today for college, I felt loss, sadness, and despair.  But I know that she is as close as a phone call and only a day trip away in the car.  As parents, it is hard to watch our children leave after so many years of living with us.  I have had people say to me, “At least you have two more at home.”  And, while this is true, the ones that have moved out can never be replaced.  But our lives and homes are restored to a new normal.

Job 42:10 says that after Job had prayed for his friends, that God made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before!  God is a God of restoration!  He doesn’t just replace what we have lost…He wants to restore us.  When we, His children, suffer loss He doesn’t just quickly replace it with something else…that is not His way.  He wants to heal our hearts and minister to us.  He goes straight to our heart and heals it.  Obviously, He did this for Job.  Job’s friends had really done some awful things to him and, if  God had not intervened, Job would have hung on every negative word and action and maybe even blamed them instead of the real enemy.

You know, God could have replaced all his friends with new ones but that wouldn’t have accomplished the healing that God wanted for his child.  And I am pretty sure that the resentment towards the old ones would have still been there, too.  Instead prayer began to heal Job’s heart and he began to pray earnestly for those that had really hurt him.  This is the moment it all changed…Job began to love his enemies.  This is restoration!  And God gave Job a blessing.

I can safely say that most of us have experienced loss.  Some more painful than others, but pain is still pain.  And God is still the God of restoration.  He wants to begin a new thing in our lives. He wants to replace bitterness and heal our hearts so that we, too, can pray for those who have wronged us or taken something from us.  Let’s begin today!  Just wait and see what your Father is going to do…

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Let us pray: Dear God, You are a loving Father and You care so much for each one of us.  You cry over each loss we endure.  Lord, I ask that You take away any bitterness and anger that we are holding onto and replace it with joy that only You can give.  Thank You for loving us so much that You want to not only give us more than we lost, but You want to heal and restore us to a new person though this.  Help us to forgive those who have wronged us and teach us to pray for them.  Thank You for Jesus, Who took all our sins with Him on the Cross and left them there to die.  We love You and we praise You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Come To The Water

August 9, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvCome to the water all who are thirsty
Come and drink
Come to the table all who are hungry
Come and feast

Those who are weary, those who are needy
Come receive
Come to the river,come to the river
Taste and see

Oh, oh my soul thirst for you
You alone

I will taste and see that you are good
Good to me

 HouseFires
Tony Brown, Pat Barrett, Nate Moore, Dave Dalton

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This song played over and over in my thoughts this week because I was extremely thirsty.  Sometimes as women, we pour into so many and do so much for others, that we forget that we, too, need refreshment from Jesus. Isaiah 55:1 says; “Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!”  He’s calling us all!

In the story of Mary and Martha, as we know, one is busy running around doing and the other is sitting at Jesus’ feet, just soaking it all in. At the end of the gathering, who is the one that is most filled?  I don’t mean physical food and water, my friend, I mean spiritual, long lasting and filling.  This is what He desires for us.  This world can really deplete and literally take all that we have.   The only way to survive, no..rather, thrive is with Jesus.

Are you wondering how?  His Word is living water.  It is so full of substance that will fill and will last.  This is how we can sit at Jesus’ feet today—by turning off the TV, muting the cell phone, taking a break from social media, and just listening to Him.  Some of us are really active in our churches.  We may even lead full-time ministries and that is awesome!  But if we, as leaders, are not in tune with Him, we will have nothing worth anything to give.

Listen closely to the words of this song…close your eyes and meditate on them.  Pray and ask God to show you the areas in your life that need watering.  Ask Him to reveal the dry areas that can only be quenched by the Spirit of God.  Then sit at His feet and soak Him in.  And, if you don’t know Him or if you have moved away from Him, I ask that you pray this prayer with me:

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear God, I know I am a sinner.  I need forgiveness that only You can give.  I am tired of doing the same things over and over.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son and that He is the Savior of the world.  He died for me!  I ask that Jesus come into my heart to live.  Help me to grow to know You and to let You change me. Thank You for this new life.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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

Don’t Miss His Majesty

August 7, 2015 by

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Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds.  After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  When evening came, He was there alone.  But the boat was already over a mile from land, battered by the waves, because the wind was against them.  Around three in the morning, He came toward them walking on the sea.  When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear.  

Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  
“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.”  
“Come!” He said.

And climbing out of the boat, Peter started walking on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”  When they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those in the boat worshiped Him and said, “Truly You are the Son of God!”

Matthew 14:22-31 HCSB

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Sometimes I question if I am in God’s will…especially when storms seem to linger.  You know, those weeks and months when nothing goes the right way, (or, should I say, the way that is most comfortable!) and it feels like you just might be one of those Israelites stuck in the desert?  It is so tempting to say to God, “Please, can’t You just do something to stop all this?!?”  Of course, the answer if yes…He can.  But what if He doesn’t choose to stop it just yet?  Will you still have peace?  Or is yours a superficial peace that you only have if your checkbook is positive, or that job you wanted so badly is yours, or your husband is really being his nicest?  Hard questions, I know…because He has really been working on me lately with this.

Look at the Scripture passage above.  The disciples had just been with Jesus while He fed the 5000.  They had been with Him as He spoke and they probably were on a spiritual high.  And Jesus had actually made them get into the boat and go ahead of Him so they were exactly where He told them to be…and a storm still came.  I’m sure this was no surprise to Jesus.  And neither is the one that you’re in right now.  Sometimes these ‘waves’ happen just to rock our boat.  Not all are a result of sin or disobedience in your life! But know this: If Jesus has appointed us a place in the storm—you can be absolutely sure that it’s for a purpose and He will show up.  But we must be looking beyond our own boat to actually see Him.

One of the biggest storms for me happened when Kyle couldn’t find work a few years back.  Yet I knew that we were exactly where He wanted us.  I heard the words spiritual warfare a few times because that seems to be the easiest answer to understand…but I knew this wasn’t the case.  I knew that God had a purpose, and that this was His doing, and we were to learn how to totally depend on Him for our joy and peace.  We had a lot of healing to do and this was when God worked the hardest.  Looking back on that painful time, I can actually smile because I have never felt so close to God as I did then.

Jesus calls us to walk by faith as we try to make our way through the rough storms.  Don’t you think we owe Him that?  Especially when He does way more than that…He walks on water during the storms.  See, God the Father put all things under Jesus feet, even the waves that seem to wash over us constantly. He is there and He is in control.  He doesn’t want you to miss the important lesson of this story, my friend:

Jesus walked on the water before He calmed the storm.

If He had just stopped the storm, the disciples would have missed seeing His majesty…and isn’t that the best part?  So don’t hurry Him to stop the waves and calm the storms….look for Him in the midst of it first!

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Let us pray: Dearest Lord, You are the calmer of storms, the Lover of our souls.  You are so worthy of praise and honor.  We thank You for being so intentional in each one of our lives.  And that You have a plan that is so detailed and so full of You!  We pray to trust You.  Lord, I know that there are many going through different storms right now and I ask that they can see You walking toward them.  Comfort Your children today and let them know that You are there and in control.  Thank You, again, for loving us and for giving us grace and mercy for each new day.  In Jesus name, amen.

Filed Under: encouragement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
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