November 5, 2024

When You Need Rest

September 26, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

Then, because so many people were coming and going
that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them,
‘Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’
Mark 6:31

I love rainy mornings and lit candles and quiet moments with just me and Him. The world quiets, cell phones and all screens are turned off, and I am His. I read His love letter to me and we talk endlessly.  I catch Him up on my week (like He doesn’t already know).  I tell Him how great and amazing He is. And He pours into me, and I know I am loved.  My own prayer retreat right here.

In the verse above, Jesus’ disciples had been preaching and driving out demons and healing people all day.  They anointed people with oil in His name.  They were pumped up, can’t you just imagine?  Yet Jesus knew they were exhausted and needed some downtime.  He told them to go with Him to a quiet place and rest.

Now, rest can look different to all of us. It can be quietly reading a book, or running on your favorite path, or putting your feet in the sand.  Just a retreat with your Maker. It must be important to Him since the word ‘rest‘ in mentioned 585 times in the King James Version.  Here are just a couple of the ones I found:

Psalms 55:6, 7
Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness.

Exodus 33:14
The Lord replied,”I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest-everything will be fine for you.”

I feel so refreshed and so loved by God right now.  His words are so comforting, ‘everything will be fine for you’, He means you!  He wants you to be with Him and we are the ones that benefit. Psalm 4:8 tells us, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

What do you need rest from today?  Have you been struggling with a stronghold that has overtaken your life?  It started out as fun but now it is out of control.  Or maybe you’re the only one fighting for your marriage and you’re exhausted and ready to quit. Maybe you’re a single mom and you love your children but you just need one minute to yourself…or you could very well lose it.  Even the bathroom isn’t private enough.  Maybe you just need to get back in to having that quiet time alone with Him everyday. Whichever situation you are in today, He is calling you to lay at His feet and leave all your baggage at the foot of the Cross—at the feet of Jesus.  There is nothing in the world more important than spending time with Him…reading His Word, and listening to what He has to tell you, and just talking together.

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Do you know Him?  Is He Lord of your life?  If your answer is no, I encourage you to ask Him today to come into your heart.  Would you pray this prayer with me?

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I need forgiveness. I believe that You sent Your Son to die on the Cross to save me from my sins. Please, Jesus, come into my life today to be my Lord and Savior.  Walk with me through this life.  I don’t know all there is to know about You but I’m ready to be Yours.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Yes in Christ

September 19, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.
And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20

( I urge you to read verses 12-22; click here.)

As children of the King, let us ask ourselves a really hard question—are we known by the things we don’t do or the things that we do?   When I was a teenager, I definitely was known for the things that I didn’t do.  I didn’t go to bars, I didn’t go places alone with a boy (so  no one would get the wrong idea), and I didn’t drink.  I was so busy saying what I didn’t do that I forgot to live a life that said ‘YES!’ to Him.  Oh I did do a few things like visit nursing homes, and talk to the school new kid.  But if there was gossip, I was in.  I’m so thankful that my life now is about so much more.

As Christians there are things that, of course,  we shouldn’t do.  And most of us have the common sense to know what those things are.  But if we really want to influence those around us, then we should show Jesus in all things that we DO do!  Do we have a servant’s heart?  Is it obvious to those around us that we love them and all of His people?  Or are we living in judgement, making it our business instead if God’s.  My pastor said it perfectly:

It’s our job to love them…it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict them.  It’s Jesus’ job to lead them and God’s job to judge them.

If we could remember that, there wouldn’t be a person on earth that felt lonely or unloved.  And we would attract others that want what we have.

God’s Word says that Jesus is the “YES’ of God!  After all the laws of the Old Testament—all the ‘do nots’, and after all the sacrifices that we made—He sent His Son to be the ultimate sacrifice.  He tore the veil and the chasm was closed that stood between us and our Heavenly Father.  Now we can go directly to God Himself and ask whatever we need to.  God is now known for His positives.  Are there still things that are ‘NO’ in His Book?  Yes!  He says ‘no.’  to many things but He says it in love.  We are to say ‘no’ to the cravings of our flesh. And say ‘yes’ to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill us up.

When we are a new creation in Christ, God wants to be known to us as a ‘YES’ kind of Father.  ‘YES’ to joy even in the hard and difficult  times in our lives. Even when we have nothing, we still have everything in Him that we need, and we are to praise Him.  And He wants us to live out this ‘YES’ so that all will see and know that we have something amazing and life changing—We have Him!!!  And He gives us the ability to love the unloveable, to reach out to those in need, and accept rejection from others with grace.

So today I challenge you to answer this question:
What does your ‘YES‘ look like?

(If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, I urge you to do so.  Are you ready for peace? Joy? Unconditional love?  He is all those things!  He is waiting with open arms!  Pray the prayer below.)  Let’s all pray the sinner’s prayer today…

Dear God, I know that I am a sinner.  I need forgiveness.  I am tired of living life this way. I surrender my life to You.  I believe that You sent Your Son to die for my sins and He rose again so that I could spend eternity with You and live my life free from sin and condemnation.  Send Your Holy Spirit today to guide and direct me.  I love You and I thank You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Hosea and Gomer-A Story of Redemption

September 5, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.”

Hosea 3:1

We all have battles.  Sometimes we may want to give up.  Fear becomes too much.  His Word is where I go to get through.  There you find hope in the ones who have gone before us and we see where God was faithful over and over again. The story of Hosea and Gomer is a portrait of God’s faithfulness toward His people who go astray.

Hosea had a lot of knowledge that he probably wished he didn’t have.  See his wife, Gomer, had been unfaithful (to say the least).  Actually, she had sold herself into bondage and Hosea had to buy her out at a huge price.

So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.

Verse 2

Gomer did not love herself enough to believe that anyone else could love her. She didn’t think she was good enough to have a husband, especially one who loved her so much.  She eventually left him, believing a lie from the enemy that she wasn’t loved.  Hosea couldn’t have been really happy about the fact that she didn’t accept his love and trust.

Don’t you feel like you are looking at the face of God while you read this story? Don’t you hear Him saying to His people that no matter where they have been or how far they’ve gone away from Him, that He desperately wants them to return to Him?   Just like Hosea didn’t leave his wife in bondage, God never leaves us alone for too long in our desperate situation.

At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself.  I will show love to those I called ‘not loved’.  And to those I called ‘not my people’, I will say, “Now you are my people, and they will reply, “You are our God!”

Hosea 2:23

Don’t we serve an amazing God?  There is no one in the world like Him. No one gives chance after chance.  No one will work so unceasingly hard to show us affection after affection.  God is God and I am not…His very name calls for us to bow down and worship Him for always loving us.  Even in our sinful nature, He understands and has mercy on us.  Patience and grace and unfailing love are ours and it’s unconditional.  We can’t do anything to make Him love us any more or any less.  And He uses our own shortcomings to quiet our souls.  He uses any means to take our worst decisions and turn them around for His glory and our good.

This I know for sure—there will be battles today.  Anxiety may creep in and we may have some tough times ahead.  BUT we will NOT be left in that place for long. God never leaves us even through our anger and fear, and repentance.  And when we hit our bottom, He gives us His hand that reaches us wherever we are and pulls us out.  He places our feet on a firm foundation.  He is faithful and true FOREVER and He will lead us through mountains and valleys and He will always take hold of our hand…Hosea’s and Gomer’s, mine and yours!

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Let us pray: Dear Lord, You are a loving God. You know us through and through, and You have an amazing plan for each one of us.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy that You so freely give.  And when we are going through the valley, You never let go of our hand.  And just like Hosea and Gomer, You give us chance after chance!  You, too, bought us with a huge price—the death of Your Son Jesus.  We will forever live with You because of Your sacrifice.  Help us Lord, to have the same love for each other.  And that we will go to any lengths to share the good news of You with all who will listen.  And if a friend has gone astray, we will never give up on them.  We love You and we praise You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Where Is God?

August 29, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
Psalm 56:8

There has been so much heartache this past week. I have heard many question where God has been lately and has He taken a vacation? And He reminds us in His Word that He is sovereign and He is to be trusted in all things. “He gives and takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

In my little hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, a precious young athletic football player lost his battle and passed away.  One minute he is running down the field, the next in a hospital, and his parents and friends are devastated.  No one expected it, but His Creator knew.  In the town of Birmingham, Alabama another precious young woman is visiting home, doing laundry, and eating one last meal with her family before she heads back to school.  Her parents say it was a joyful occasion and full of laughter.  In a blink of an eye, she is with Jesus.

In Jackson young people from rival schools are coming together to pray. Across town, a young person plans a prayer vigil at a public school. The kids come voluntarily at 6 a.m. to pray for this family that they do not know.  In Birmingham, the girl’s father says that we will not call her accident a tragedy but a triumph because she is with Jesus now.

And when the question is asked, “Where is God?” the answer will be—He is exactly where He was when His own Son died on the Cross.  He is watching His children hurt; and the Holy Spirit is moving and comforting all those who lost someone and all those who don’t understand.  God is in the young people who are gathering for prayer vigils.  He is with the parents who are devastated and He will carry them when they can’t put one foot in front of the other.  He is with the family of that young woman who was taken too soon…yet…right on time. He was there when the young man’s parents donated his organs and a 14 year old got a heart.  And He is with us now.

Yay though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.

Psalms 23:4 and 6

As His Word proclaims, He really does bottle up our tears.  The Creator of the universe keeps track of all our sorrows.  That’s how much you matter to Him.

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Do you know this Lord, the Creator of the universe?  Do you have His hope to cling to?  If the answer is no, then I ask you to pray a prayer with me and ask Him to be Lord of your life.

Let us pray: Dear Lord, I know that I am a sinner and I need a Savior.  I believe that Jesus is Your Son.  I believe that He died on the Cross to save me from my sin.  I ask You today to come into my heart and walk with me daily.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.

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For This Child I Have Prayed

August 22, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

Hannah was strong.  So strong that God knew she could handle a really big struggle.  Hannah was not able to have a child.  (Hannah’s story can be found in 1 Samuel, chapters one and two.)  Oh, how her husband loved her though.  However in those days, having a child was extremely important, especially having male children to carry on the family name.  She longed for a baby to love.  Not to mention that a woman’s identity back then was based on child bearing.

It wasn’t long until her husband, Elkanah, took a second wife named Penninah.  She was able to give him many babies.  The house was full of children but none of them were Hannah’s.  Penninah constantly talked about her ability to have children in front of Hannah and taunted her and mocked her.  Can you imagine the pain that she felt?  Her arms aching to hold her own little one and her feelings crushed under the constant berating of the other wife.  Her depression was overwhelming.

She decided to fast and pray for a child.  She made a vow to the Lord that, if He gave her a son, she would give him back to Him.  Hannah knew that the source of her being able to get pregnant was not her husband but her amazing, faithful, powerful God.  She prayed from the depths of her soul and named exactly her desire…and He heard her.

And she made a vow, saying,”O Lord Almighty, if you will only look
upon Your servant’s misery and remember me,
and not forget Your servant but give her a son,
then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life,
and no razor will ever be used on his head.
1 Samuel 1: 11

The Bible says that she didn’t pray out loud so men could hear; she simply moved her lips to the Lord.  He heard her and answered her prayer and gave her a son.  His name was Samuel, meaning “heard by God.”

So in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son.
She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
Verse 20

God hears us, too.  He understands us and our pain and He longs to take it away. He loves us so much and always does what is best for us. I will admit that I don’t always understand the ‘why’ of what I am going through; and I sometimes get really frustrated.  But I remind myself that He is sovereign and knows the bigger plan that will give me the blessed life that He has in store for me.

Hannah trusted God. And she remembered her promise to Him.   When she had weaned her little boy, she fulfilled her promise to God.  I’m sure it was painful to pack his little bags and take him to the tabernacle and leave him there with the priest.

And she said to him (Eli), my lord, I am the woman
who stood here beside you praying to the Lord.
I prayed for this child and the Lord granted me what I asked of Him.
So now, I give him to the Lord.
For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.”
And he worshipped the Lord there.
Verses 26-28

Samuel grew up to be one of the most influential leaders in Israel’s history.  All because Hannah was a great mother and she was totally devoted to her Heavenly Father.

What are you asking God for?  Do you need provision?  Are you struggling to have a baby?  Healing from an illness?  What are you believing Him for?  Nothing is impossible for our God.  He is the God of the impossible.

For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Luke 1:37

I have seen and experienced so many miracles that would have been impossible—if not for Jesus.  God wants you to believe that He can and He will answer your prayers.  He also wants you to name them specifically.  Yes, He knows what you want…but He wants to know that you know what you want.

And last, He wants you to thank Him for what He is going to do in your life. Ah, that is showing that you have faith that He will do what He says. He will come through for you. It will be in His time, but He will!

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Let’s pray: Dear Lord, what an awesome privilege to come to You in prayer, knowing that You are hearing us when we seek You.  We believe that You will answer us and will give us exactly what we need.  Lord, when we are weak and doubting, help us to remember all the times that You have been faithful and answered us and given us what we need.  Forgive us when we take our eyes off You and we put our doubts in place of You.  Thank You for being in charge of us and for each blessing that You have planned for us.  We love You and we praise You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Job’s Wife, It was Hard Work

August 8, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

Many of you know the story of Job….  He is going about his life and all is going well. He is blameless and upright and loves God. Then the enemy goes to God and says that Job is only blameless and a follower because his life is so perfect. Like, who wouldn’t be, right? But his God knew better and He allowed some pretty awful things happen to him. He lost his land and his livestock and his money. He watched his children die and he pretty much lost it all.

Job grieves after these tragedies and then…falls to the ground and worships God! After his health goes down , and he’s in so much pain, his wife enters the story. In Job 2:9 she says to him,”Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die.” Now, she is who most of us can relate to. I mean, I totally get his wife. Even though I know I belong to God, and I do love Him with all that I am, I do understand being so overwhelmed and broken in my circumstances that my faith has been drained and I have really been upset with God.

We as Christians (those who have matured or have just became one) understand that trials and struggles will come, as Philippians 1:29 says “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.” Yes, we are promised suffering. But we are also promised an abundant life.  And though it hurts, we know the end result is a life with Him forever. The most important thing is for Him to be glorified and for others to see how amazing He really is. And He promises in Romans 8:28 that all things will work together for good! (Look that verse up and underline it!)

Back to Job’s story….  God blessed the latter part of his days. His future held so many blessings, he couldn’t even count them. What a promise and a hope to hold onto! It’s hard when you are going through such difficult things to actually fall to the ground in worship.  We may be more like Job’s wife and want to curse God. Or naybe tell Him that we could write the story so much better and the pain would be so much less but we would make sure He got the glory, right?  Wrong! Sometimes the only way He is glorified is to see Him working in a life that is at the end of the human rope. Nothing and no one can do anything to make it better—then God steps in and saves us. No other way but Him.

I can tell you that I have lived through seven years of hard and I am just now seeing the ‘why’ of it. I cannot say that I understand it, but I can say that I totally trust Him. Others will know for sure that it is nothing that we (our family) have done, only our God. But we did believe…and we did keep walking when we really just wanted to stay in bed…and we did keep thanking Him for what He was doing in our lives. Some days all I could say was Mark 9:24, “I believe, help my unbelief.”

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

If this is you today, and you’re really wanting to fall on the floor and cry, remember that God is sovereign and He knows what He is doing. If you could see the end of your story, you wouldn’t change a thing. And most of all, He will get the glory and others will come to know Him, through you! And if you are one that doesn’t know Him, please ask Him today to be Lord of your life. All you have to do is pray this simple prayer:

Dear God, I know I am a sinner and I need forgiveness. I know that I need a Savior. I believe that You sent Your Son to die on the Cross to save me from my sins. I want Him to come into my heart today and be my Lord. I want to walk with You through this life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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