April 25, 2024

Reassurance

SeekingHimLogo

Forever, O Lord,
Your Word is settled in heaven.
Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations;
You established the earth, and it stands.
Psalms 119:89-90 NASB

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Nothing is more permanent than the Word of God.  The Word of God is constant and unchanging.  1 Peter 1:25a HCSB tells us “But the Word of the Lord endures forever.” God’s Word is firmly settled in Heaven forever! It is not an opinion. 2 Timothy 3:16a ESV says “All Scripture is breathed out by God”—our God who reigns from Heaven above.

Psalm 89:2b makes the faithfulness of God’s Word very clear.

You establish Your faithfulness in the heavens (HCSB)
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the Heavens (NLT)

God’s Word is settled in Heaven and His faithfulness is as enduring as the Heavens.  That constant stability reassures me.

God’s Word doesn’t vary by culture.  It is applied the same way to all societies.  The settled Word of God was, and still is today, a demonstration of His faithfulness that extends across ALL generations.  Not some, not a few, not most – ALL generations. puts it like this: ”

Therefore know [without any doubt] and understand
that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God,
Who is keeping His covenant and His [steadfast] lovingkindness
to a thousand generations.
Deuteronomy 7:9 AMP

The truth of God is absolute.  Isn’t that the most reassuring thing you have heard?  It is unchanging in nature, applies equally to all, and cannot be challenged.  I love this quote from Chuck Smith:

If you find yourself arguing with the Word, you’re wrong.”
(click here to read the entire article)

Look at the world today…everything is being challenged.  Nothing is constant.  We live in an unstable world.  But these two verses point our minds heavenward so that we use Heaven as our Anchor to hold us steady.  Matthew Henry paraphrased Isaiah 40:6 like this: “All flesh is grass but the Word of the Lord endures forever.”  Forever—that is our Anchor.  And that, my friends, is what I call reassurance.

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Father, thank You so much for the reassurance Your faithfulness and unchanging nature give us.  Thank You for the hope we find in knowing Your Word is settled in Heaven and continues through all generations. Thank You for providing us with a steady anchor in the midst of the storms of this world. In Your Holy name we pray -Amen, it is so!

Faithful

SeekingHimLogo

Forever, O Lord,
Your word is settled in heaven [standing firm and unchangeable].
Your faithfulness continues from generation to generation;
Psalms 119:89-90

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You know my future
like You knew my past
Your word concerning me
was made to last forever

I know Your Word is Your integrity
And that You’ll do
just what You said You would
You are faithful

Heaven and earth will pass away
But Your Word will remain
Your Word will remain faithful
Though all I have is stripped away
To You I remain
To You I remain faithful

I know that Your love is forever strong
And I will sing about it
All day long, forever

I know that there is
no one else like You
No one else can do the things You do
You are faithful

Hillsong United

Always and All the Time

SeekingHimLogo

In You, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in Your righteousness.
Turn Your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
Be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since You are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of Your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for You are my refuge.
Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
Psalms 31:1-5

  • Refuge

  • Deliverer

  • Rescuer

  • Fortress

  • Rock

  • Leader

  • Guide

  • Faithful

  • God

I can’t imagine what David was feeling when He was penning these words to God…I can’t imagine what his life’s struggles led him to think or to feel.  But I do know what these words make me feel.  I do know what it feels like to know these words for myself—and believe these words for myself.

Not only in times of strife and struggle have I called on God to be these things for me, but He has proven, in times of hurt and pain, that He always is here in all of these roles.  He is my Rock and my Fortress when I juggle the everyday mundane tasks.  When I wake to iron, make lunches, drive people to school and practice, He is my Strength.  When I interact with my family, friends, colleagues, He is my Leader and Guide.  When I am tired at the end of the day but still have things to finish, He is my Rock.  He is Faithful to help me when life gets crazier than it seems I can handle.

The beauty in David’s words is that God is not a sometimes God…He is an always God…He is always these things. Always and all the time.  Good times.  Not so good times.  We could be living in a palace at this place in our life, or we could be running through the wilderness.  Beautiful sisters, remember that He is constantly these things to me, and to the woman next to you in line at the store, to your friends and family…and to you.  He is always and He is all the time.

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Let’s Pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes I forget that You are Here all the time, sometimes is easy to only reach out for You when times are bad, when I’m in the wilderness.  But David’s words remind me that You are an ‘always and all the time’ God.  And we need that reminder because life can get crazier than we can handle alone.  Lord, thank You for being a constant Refuge in the good and bad.  Thank You for being our Strength, our Rescuer, and our Rock.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Ancient Of Days

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Blessing and honor, glory and power
Be unto the Ancient of Days
From every nation, all of creation
Bow before the Ancient of Days

Every tongue in heaven and earth shall declare your glory
Every knee shall bow at your throne in worship
You will be exalted oh God and your kingdom
Shall not pass away, oh Ancient of Days

Your kingdom shall reign over all the earth
Sing to the Ancient of Days
For none can compare to your matchless worth
Sing to the Ancient of Days

Every tongue in heaven and earth shall declare your glory
Every knee shall bow at your throne in worship
You will be exalted oh God and your kingdom
Shall not pass away, oh Ancient of Days

Oh Ancient of Days
Oh Ancient of Days
Oh Ancient of Days
Oh Ancient of Days

Your kingdom shall reign over all the earth
Sing to the Ancient of Days
For none can compare to your matchless worth
Sing to the Ancient of Days

Composed by Ron Kenoly

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As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took His seat.
His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of His head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
Daniel 7:9

There are only three verses in the entire Bible that use the title, ‘Ancient of Days’: Daniel 7:9, 13, and 22. Verses 9 and 13, refer to God the Father on the Throne, and verse 22 speaks of Jesus Christ coming as Judge in the end-times.

Throughout the Bible there are many more verses that refer to God’s eternalness and His justice. The Ancient of Days deserves our reverence and worship.   Here’s just a few:

Isaiah 43:13

  • God refers to Himself from ancient days (eternity to eternity,) meaning that He existed before time was created (Genesis 1.)

Psalm 90:2

  • He is from everlasting to everlasting.

Isaiah 44:6

  • God is the First and the Last.

Revelation 1:8

  • Jesus says of Himself,

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending…
which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 4:8-11

Each of the four living creatures … Day and night they never stop saying:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come.’

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and Who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him and worship Him who lives for ever and ever.  They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being’” (Revelation 4:11).

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and Your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does.
Psalm 145:13

What an awesome God! I am humbled that this mighty and eternal God is merciful in His judgment and trustworthy in His promises, and yet calls me (and you) to Himself.

Before Me every knee will bow; by Me every tongue will swear.
They will say of Me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.’
Isaiah 45:22-23

That’s where I want to be—on my knees confessing Jesus as my Lord!

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Dear Lord Almighty, the Ancient of Days, You are from everlasting to everlasting!  You, and You alone, are worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.  You are our merciful Lord, Savior, and Judge.  Thank You for keeping all of Your promises.  We look forward to spending now and eternity worshipping and serving You.  In the Precious name of Jesus, Amen.

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Click here for a wonderful article giving further understanding of the term ‘Ancient of Days’.

Faithful

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

You never promised me that this would be easy
I never knew that anything could be this hard
I wanna trust that You know what You’re doin’
But right now, I’m just fallin’ apart

It’s hard to see it when I’m livin’ in the moment
But Your love’s still written on my heart
I get lost when I feel the wind blowin’
I gotta cling to who You are
‘Cause You are good
Even when You’re not understood

No matter how many skies fall down
I’m covered under the peace I’ve found
You’re my Shelter when there’s nowhere else to go
No matter how many times I break
You promise always to keep me safe
You’re my Rescue when I’m spinning outta control
You are faithful, faithful
You are faithful, faithful

I’m leaving doubt and sorrow in the distance
I’m gonna trust, and cast my fears aside
My life’s a work that I know You’ll finish
I know I’m gonna be alright
It’s You I’ll chase
Even when I can’t see Your face

No matter how many skies fall down
I’m covered under the peace I’ve found
You’re my Shelter when there’s nowhere else to go
No matter how many times I break
You promise always to keep me safe
You’re my Rescue when I’m spinning out of control
You are faithful, faithful
You are faithful, faithful
You are faithful, faithful
You are

And oh, oh, oh, oh
My God is always faithful
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
(My God, my God)
And oh, oh, oh, oh
My God is always faithful
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
(My God, my God)

No matter how many skies fall down
I’m covered under the peace I’ve found
You’re my shelter when there’s nowhere else to go
No matter how many times I break
You promise always to keep me safe
You’re my rescue when I’m spinning outta control
Lord, you are faithful, faithful
You are faithful, faithful
You are faithful, faithful
You are

Listen while you read! 

~ Written by Jonathan Steingard and Sam Tinnesz  / Performed by Hawk Nelson ~

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God’s promises to be faithful!  I can look back over my life and count numerous times of God’s faithfulness in my life…I bet you can too.  Then why is it, when we are faced with a big trial or maybe lots of things coming at us at once, that we tend to forget His Faithfulness in our lives?

I love how this excerpt  describes God’s faithfulness all throughout Scripture. It is from ‘Expositions of Holy Scripture’ by Alexander Maclaren.

He is faithful, worthy to be trusted, as His deeds show.

Faith is our attitude corresponding to His faithfulness. Faith is the germ of all that He requires from us. How much we need it! How firm it might be! How blessed it would make us!

The thought of God as ‘faithful’ is, like a precious stone, turned in many directions in Scripture, and wherever turned it flashes light. Sometimes it is laid as the foundation for the confidence that even our weakness will be upheld to the end, as when Paul tells the Corinthians that they will be confirmed to the end, because ‘God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the fellowship of His Son’ (1 Corinthians 1:9). Sometimes there is built on it the assurance of complete sanctification, as when he prays for the Thessalonians that their ‘whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord’ and finds it in his heart to pray thus because ‘Faithful is He that calleth you, who will also do it’ (1 Thessalonians 5:24). Sometimes it is presented as the steadfast stay grasping which faith can expect apparent impossibilities, as when Sara ‘judged Him faithful who had promised’ (Hebrews 11:11).

Sometimes it is adduced as bringing strong consolation to souls’ conscious of their own feeble and fluctuating faith, as when Paul tells Timothy that ‘If we are faithless, He abideth faithful; for He cannot deny Himself’ (2 Timothy 2:13). Sometimes it is presented as an anodyne to souls disturbed by experience of men’s unreliableness, as when the apostle heartens the Thessalonians and himself to bear human untrustworthiness by the thought that though men are faithless, God ‘is faithful, who shall establish you and keep you from evil’ (2 Thessalonians 3:2, 3). Sometimes it is put forward to breathe patience into tempted spirits, as when the Corinthians are comforted by the assurance that ‘God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able’ (1 Corinthians 10:13). Sometimes it is laid as the firm foundation for our assurance of pardon, as when John tells us that ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins’ (1 John 1:9).

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Heavenly Father, I pray for each woman reading this blog that they would remember Your faithfulness in the midst of the toughest of trials.  Thank You for the promise in Romans 8:28 that You ‘work all things together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.’  In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Esther – Chapter 5:6-8

Wk5_Esther_Caddell

Waiting.  I’m going to admit something that probably only my family and closest friends know – I’m not the most patient person.  In fact, I quit praying for patience, because God answered my prayers by putting me in positions that required me to be patient.  (You understand that is how it works, right?  If you pray for something like patience – you will not wake up with an unbelievable measure of patience – you will be placed in situations where your patience is going to be developed.  God is concerned with your character, not your convenience.)  God, however, is not fooled – He continues to place me in situations to develop my patience, because it is in my best interest.   If I appear patient, it’s because I work on it every day.

Is it hard for you to wait? More importantly – did you know that you will often have to wait for the Lord?  Did you also know waiting would test your strength and courage?

We often have a “microwave mentality.”  We want our food…and we want it now.  I don’t want to wait an hour for a baked potato – I want it in 5 minutes. My popcorn package says 2:30, but at 2:10 the bag is out of there – I’m ready to eat!  How often are we like that with God? ” God – give me patience – and give it to me right now!”  We want to see evidence of God working in our lives immediately. We want proof our prayers are answered today.  But if we believe Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” then we must believe that in God’s timing we will see the proof that He is working in our lives.

In Esther 5:6-8 we see the setup that will be evidenced in the coming verses and chapters.  Esther has a plan to present her request before the King, but postpones her request until the banquet the next day.  We will see how the delay in her request is then timed perfectly with God’s plan for honoring Mordecai and saving the Jews.  If you look through the Bible you will see many more examples of God’s timing.  Think about Abraham: God called him to leave his country and follow him. He told Abraham that He would make him a father of many nations.  Do you know how long Abraham had to wait for God to fulfill that promise and send him Isaac?  Over 40 years!   What about David?  He was anointed King of Israel as a boy, yet he had to wait over 30 years to be crowned King – and many of those years were filled with despair and fear for his life from the reigning King of Israel!

Ladies, if you will allow me, I want to share something personal with you.  About two years ago I went through a fairly challenging year spiritually.  You see, I have felt the call of God very strongly on my life for several years, but I couldn’t quite figure out what He wanted of me. I began the year by again surrendering everything to God, and said that He could use me any way He wanted.  I prayed.  I fasted.  I studied the Scripture.  And I felt…nothing.  No urging.  No assignment.  There were things that I felt He laid on my heart to study, however, and so I did.  I poured myself into the Scriptures daily.  I was faithful to what He put in my path.

As the year progressed, I became discouraged – did God not want anything from me?   Was I not strong enough?  Did I not know enough?  Was I always going to be mediocre?  I felt as if I was in God’s classroom and He was calling for helpers – and no matter how often I raised my hand He picked someone else.  I felt this way for an entire year.  But then, one day, two women came into my small group who had serious issues: addictions, chaos in the home, doubt as to their worth in God’s eyes (one had in the past been suicidal).  And, through the Holy Spirit, I knew how to speak to them.  (They are still active friends in my life, by the way, and God is working MIGHTILY in their lives – praise God!)  I was amazed at how I responded!  And on my way home from church, God revealed Himself to me so strongly it felt like a punch in the chest – THIS is what He prepared me for.  I am an encourager – this is my primary gifting.  This is why He spent a year preparing me (and continues to prepare me) – “to know the word that sustains the weary” (Isaiah 50:4, NIV).  I learned about spiritual warfare and strengthened my prayer life so that I would be an intercessor, a watchman on the wall.   God sends me broken people – and it’s my job (and privilege) to care for them.

What is God preparing YOU for?  Will you reject this time of waiting because you need immediate proof?  Or will you ask God to strengthen you, to teach you, to grow you, to prepare you while you are waiting for His promises in your life to be fulfilled?

 

Let’s pray:

Lord, how great are Your promises, how great is Your patience!  Your timing is perfect and Your will is amazing.  Teach me, Lord, to wait for you!  Help me to see the waiting time as productive time.  Help me to see Your hand in my life.  Help me to be faithful to the small things You place before me, as You are faithful to even the smallest detail in my life.  Thank You, Lord, for Your incredible love for me, and thank You for allowing me to be used in Your service and for Your glory!  In the name of Your Son we pray.

Amen.

Promises

SeekingHimLogo

Psalms 91:14-16
Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.
With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.

Promises for you and for me!  “Him” and “he” refer to you and me!  Promises to cling to…to hold firmly in our minds and our hearts…to stand boldly upon.  Why?  Because Almighty God—the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the Great I AM, the Faithful One—He has declared these promises!

Throughout this psalm, promise after promise after promise is written!  If I have counted correctly there are thirty promises given to us just in this one short psalm.  God’s promises are given so that we learn to trust and rely on Him.  He is faithful!

God is not human, that He should lie,
not a human being, that He should change his mind.
Does He speak and then not act?
Does He promise and not fulfill?
Numbers 23:19

This week, Cheris, Ann, Ahmee, and Laura have encouraged us by calling our attention to God’s heart expressed through the words of Psalm 91.  In their writings they have reminded us that He has promised that:

  • He is our Refuge and our Fortress
  • we can trust Him completely
  • we can rest in Him
  • we are safe and need have no fear
  • we can have rest—quietness of heart and peace
  • we have His angels to guard us and protect us

May I encourage you to pick up your Bible, turn to the page where Psalm 91 is printed, and read ALOUD all the promises included in just this one short psalm.  Try this: (this is how I read this psalm) every place there is a pronoun relating to us (he, him, you, your) replace it with your own name.  For example,

Because {coleen} has loved Me, therefore I will deliver {coleen};
I will set {coleen} securely on high, because {coleen} has known My name.
{coleen} will call upon Me, and I will answer {coleen};
I will be with {coleen} in trouble; I will rescue {coleen} and honor {coleen}.
With a long life I will satisfy {coleen} and let {coleen} see My salvation.

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Dear Lord, how awesome are Your promises!  How thankful we are to understand even but a few of them!  How blessed we are by Your promises to provide for, and guide, and protect, and rescue, and deliver, and hear, and answer us.  May we hold Your word(s) in our heart so that we do not sin against You.  We love You so very much, Lord!  We pray and ask these things in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

The Resolution for Women: Divine Appointments

Our Memory Verse

Priscilla so eloquently points out to us in this lesson that in Resolving to be faithfully His, we are….

  • Women who lean into His voice- listening, heeding, conforming our will to His.
  • Women who uphold the laurels of Scripture in the face of contrary opinion.
  • Women who do not ultimately answer to earthly authorities but to the One who created us, and called us to Himself.
  • Women who live with heaven’s purpose in view and heaven;s whisper in our soul.
  • In the world, but we are not of the world- not controlled by it, consumed by it, compelled by it
  • Heaven called, pursuing His purposes and driven by the passions He has placed within our hearts.

THIS is what makes us uniquely His! No matter what our sin-filled world throws at us, we will stand strong, ever faithful, to HIM and the laurels of His Word!

James 1:3 (ESV)

for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

Amen!!!! We KNOW that we will be tested and we KNOW that we will not always be our best and do our best to pass the test…. but THANK GOD He loves us anyway! Each and every single one of us as daughters of the Most-high King have a heavenly calling God has uniquely and divinely designed us to fill.

We will not be perfect, but we MUST be purposeful!

We will not live without blemish, but we are marked with God’s PRESENCE!

We must not be swayed by the whims and fleeting passions of this world, but be fiercely focused on Heaven’s call!

“The faithful are those who resolve to despise the pathways of earthly success

in exchange for the divine mission

given specifically and uniquely by the Father.”

So, it is time that we all ask ourselves the BIG QUESTIONS:

  • What do you sense Heaven is calling you to do and be?
  • What do you believe to be God’s overarching purpose for creating you and then setting you down in THIS generation at THIS particular point in history?
  • Are you seeking to discover it as you wake up in the morning listening for the hush of Heaven?

Do you know that THE BEST WAY to begin is by being faithful to what God has set before you RIGHT NOW? That is the truth! In this very season, you are being called to be uniquely YOU for HIS purpose. Please, dear one, don’t miss it!!! Don’t rush ahead and don’t lag behind! He needs so intentionally PRESENT in your current situation and circumstance for a divine reason. You might not like it, but really, it is not about YOU! You are here for a higher purpose and He will equip you with all you need for His purpose to be fulfilled. Live BOLDLY for HIM in this season! He CHOSE YOU!!!

No rain-checks allowed, dear friends! No re-scheduling and no cancelling. This divine Appointment is meant for YOU and YOU ALONE. Don’t miss it. Don’t be late. Just show up and let Him lead!

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, we come to you today with bold abandon! Father, we ask that you make our divine appointments crystal clear to us in our current seasons so that we can fulfill the unique purpose You have for us in this time and place. We don’t want to miss a thing, Lord! Help strengthen us supernaturally to keep us committed to what You are calling us to do and not be distracted by our fallen world. Lord, help us each day to stand in the gap for our sisters where needed to ensure that your purposes be fulfilled. We love you, Lord, and we thank you in advance for all you will do in our hearts, minds, souls and spirits! In Your son’s matchless name we pray, amen <3

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Your Assignment Today:

What is calling you to do and be in your current season? What is standing in your way of fulfilling this purpose in this season?

Share below in the comments section, what you will do this week to clear the way for God’s purpose within you to be fulfilled.  Then go on over to your OBS Facebook Group to see what we have planned for you today!  You just never know what we will come up with next!!

If you are not a member of our OBS Facebook Group, and would like to be, please send us an email and we’ll be happy to place you!!   Our email address is:  GirlfriendsCoffeeHour@gmail.com

Ladies, I believe in you and know I am praying for you every step of the way as we resolve to be different, changed and so Faithfully His! He deserves our very best and may He get all the glory!

Many blessings,

Megan 🙂

Keep up with my journey on my blog here:

www.glorytoglorylifecoaching.wordpress.com

…and my husband Craig as he is on the Resolution for Men journey:

www.adversusmundi.wordpress.com