March 14, 2026

Good Works

January 5, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16

This portion of Scripture has also reminded me of Colossians 1:10 “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work growing in the knowledge of God” and also 1 Timothy 6:18 “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and willing to share.”

This shows us that we are required to always do good as Christians.  As we are doing that then we are doing the work of God of which we are called to do.

How do we do good works which praise the Lord?

  • Speech
  • Character
  • Attitude
  • Personality
  • Spiritual life
  • Giving

Everything we do should be pleasing unto God.  And therefore I request each one of us to search ourselves whether we have lived a life that is pleasing unto God in the previous year or not.  If not, it is not too late to come back to God and confess our sins.  (I am calling it sin since the Bible tells us, “To him therefore who knows how to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin” James 4:17).

God is faithful and just to forgive us and give us a fresh start. Let the year 2015 be a testimony year to others because of us.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for who You are—You are a great God, awesome is Your Name—marvelous, immortal, invisible, omnipresent God.  We honor You for Your good deeds and we pray, Father, that as Your children created in Your own image and likeness, that we will live a life that is pleasing unto You.  Let people give You glory and honor because of us.  Whatever we do, Lord, let it be pleasing unto You. We need Your grace, Lord!  On our own we can’t make it.  Guide us, dear Lord, always. May Your spirit that dwells in us be awakened by our spiritual life and help us to do good.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Start A Fire

January 5, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

This world can be cold and bitter
Feels like we’re in the dead of winter
Waiting on something better
But am I really gonna hide forever
Over and over again
I hear Your voice in my head
Let Your light shine, let Your light shine for all to see

Start a fire in my soul
Fan the flame and make it grow
So there’s no doubt or denying
Let it burn so brightly
That everyone around can see
That it’s You, that it’s You that we need
Start a fire in me

You only need a spark to start a whole blaze
It only takes a little faith
Let it start right here in this city
So these old walls will never be the same
Over and over again
I hear Your voice in my head
They need to know
I need to go
Spirit, won’t You fall on my heart now

You are the fire, You are the flame
You are the light on the darkest day
We have the hope we bear Your name
We carry the news that You have come to save
Only You can save

Writer(s): Jon Lowry / Chad Mattson / Seth Mosley

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

“Start a Fire” … is an exciting heart cry to live out Matthew 5:16 as the band sings, “Over and over again, I hear Your voice in my head, let Your light shine, let Your light shine for all to see.” “ – Kevin Davis (read more here).

In the same way, let your light shine before men,
so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16 HCSB

This song speaks to me about being passionate… about being bold.  When we are passionate about something it shows.  Our very demeanor exudes it.  Our inner fire burns bright.  We want to share our passion with everyone, especially those around us.  We should be passionate about our relationship with Christ, and be eager to share His love with others.  But sometimes life gets in the way. Sometimes, it’s a struggle isn’t it?

Life is hard.  Trials and troubles often abound.  How do we let our light shine when we feel cold and bitter, like we are stuck in the dead of winter?  We go to the Source.

Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world.
Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 HCSB

While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.
John 9:5 NASB

Jesus is the Source of our light.  He is the Light of Life within us.  In 2 Timothy 1:6a (AMP) Paul encourages us to “stir up, rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning the gracious gift of God, the inner fire that is in you.”

The gracious gift of God is His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit living within us.  He can start a fire in the wet wood of our heart.  He fans the flames of our passion.  As the bridge of this song says Jesus is the Fire.  He is our Flame. He is the Light on the darkest day.  We have hope because we bear HIS Name.  Our job, our responsibility is to burn so brightly for Him there is no doubt that there is no denying it is Him shining through us, burning in us.  All we need to do is ask Him to

“Start a fire in my soul
Fan the flame and make it grow
So there’s no doubt or denying
Let it burn so brightly
That everyone around can see
That it’s You, that it’s You that we need
Start a fire in me.”

It only takes a little faith.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father God, we are truly blessed by Your gracious gifts.  Use them to fan the flames of our faith so we may shine brightly for You.  In Christ’s Name, I ask, Amen – It is so!

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

Start A Fire

January 4, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

This world can be cold and bitter
Feels like we’re in the dead of winter
Waiting on something better
But am I really gonna hide forever

Over and over again
I hear Your voice in my head
Let Your light shine, let Your light shine for all to see

Start a fire in my soul
Fan the flame and make it grow
So there’s no doubt or denying
Let it burn so brightly
That everyone around can see
That it’s You, that it’s You that we need
Start a fire in me

You only need a spark to start a whole blaze
It only takes a little faith
Let it start right here in this city
So these old walls will never be the same

Over and over again
I hear Your voice in my head
They need to know
I need to go
Spirit won’t You fall on my heart now

You are the Light on the darkest day
We have the hope, we bear Your name
We carry the news that You have come to save
Only You can save

Writer(s): Jon Lowry / Chad Mattson / Seth Mosley

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I’m not a New Year’s resolution-type of person, due to the fact that I forget the next day.  So instead, I make lists of how good my God is and all that He has done for me. And in return, I want to tell all the world of His goodness and mercy and grace.  I want to be the light that shines for Him, so that when people see me, they see all that God has redeemed and restored.  Oh, I’m not perfect nor am I always the Jesus-follower I should be, but I keep following.

In the same way, let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your Father in Heaven.
Matthew 5:16

I don’t think it means that we are to do all this good all for the world to see—just to shine the light on ourselves.  It means that all we do and say should reflect the One Who created us and glorify Him—Jesus!!!—so that all will want what we have.  And what a perfect time to ask for a fresh start…a rekindled fire…so that there is no doubt that it is God that we need.

As the song says, He is the Light on the darkest day and we cannot keep this hope to ourselves!  It’s just too good to keep in.  We live in such a dark, hurting world that is full of so much pain.  There are so many sad people that truly need a Savior and we need to share what we have with all the world!  Love, love His people by reaching out to them.  Not just people you don’t know but also those you work with, go to church with, live with…shine no matter where you are.

The place that seems to be the hardest is home, anyone agree?  We tend to let our light fizzle a bit here.  We think, “they know us, they know we love Jesus,” so we lose patience with the ones closest to us and we forget that they, too, need to see the light of Jesus in us.  And moms…our children will imitate us and talk like us to each other.  I know that is something to really think about and pray about.  So before your feet hit the floor, ask Jesus to fill you up  each day so that His light spills over to those you come in contact with!  Let’s pray for each other, shall we?  And look up those verses in His Word today that give hope and write them on cards and put them to memory.  Teach them to your children and watch your world get a little brighter…and carry that light with you wherever you go.

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:14

And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness cannot comprehend it.
John 1:5

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:7

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Let us pray: Dear God, thank You for walking with us into this new year of 2015.  You are our light in this dark world, our hope that we hold onto when all is falling apart, and our song that we sing when the world is so loud.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy and love.  I pray that we can be that light to all Your children, ones that are walking in darkness and need You so much.  Nothing is wasted, Lord; You make good out of everything. and the way we handle the hard will glorify You if we keep You at the center.  Help us to keep shining for You and to not keep this awesome joy and this peace (that only You can give) to ourselves.  Start a fire in us and keep it burning until You come again.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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

This Year

January 3, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

this year i’m not looking back to who i was
because i’m gonna be someone i’ve never been
this year i’m not focused on the cracks in the walls
not keeping track of the all times i fall
this year

so long to last year it’s all becoming so clear
there’s no use living in regrets
let’s fight a good fight
let’s train our eyes to find the Light
and make this year the best one yet
starting right here
happy new year

this year i plan on making less of ‘i’ and ‘me’
i resolve to think of us and we
this year i can’t wait to see what good will come
to feel alive instead of feeling numb
this year

so long to last year it’s all becoming so clear
there’s no use living in regrets
let’s fight a good fight
let’s train our eyes to find the Light
and make this year the best one yet
starting right here
happy new year

Singer/Songwriters ~ Dave and JJ Heller

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Southern Cassoulet

January 2, 2015 by

Southern Cassoulet

I know, it’s a weird title – French and Southern food together?  But this dish makes sense once you eat it.  Black-eyed peas are a good luck food for the New Year in the South, so why not dress it up a little with this interpretation of a French classic?  I present to you:  Southern Cassoulet!

Authentic cassoulet can take several days to prepare, and involves making a duck confit.  Too expensive and time consuming for me!  Chicken thighs sub in nicely.  Cook the black-eyed peas during the day (or use canned).  To make this even quicker, use two cans of white Northern beans.  I used just plain smoked sausage, but try out a pound of whatever kind of sausage you like.  Did you get a big Le Creuset pot for Christmas?  Now’s your chance to put your new enameled Dutch oven to the test!

Southern Cassoulet

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound dried black-eyed peas (or use two cans of other beans)
  • 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
  • 2 large carrots, chopped
  • 3  stalks celery, chopped (use the leaves too)
  • 20 whole cloves of garlic (optional, but I thought they were delicious)
  • 1 large sprig of rosemary, minced (or use 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
  • 4-6 large chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
  • 3 teaspoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cook the beans in plenty of water until tender.  This can take two hours or so.  If you are using canned beans, skip ahead.
  2. In a very large enameled Dutch oven, cook the sausage.  Add the carrot, celery, garlic cloves, and rosemary.  Add a little olive oil if things start to stick.  Saute over medium heat for 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
  3. Take the pot off the heat.  Drain the beans and add them to the sausage and vegetables, and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  On top of the bean mixture, place the chicken thighs, skin-side up.  Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with the olive oil.
  4. Bake at 400*F for at least an hour, or until the chicken is cooked through with crispy skin.
  5. Good luck and have a Happy New Year!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Nehemiah And The Wall of Jerusalem

January 2, 2015 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

That pen is sitting there in front of you and the paper is calling you to try one more time…. And what resolution did you totally not do last year?  Then we make mental lists of why we CAN’T do anything and before you know it—we have failed before we ever started.  Have you been there?

The enemy, the deceiver, the father of  lies will do anything and everything to steal your joy and take your focus off of what is really important…and his main reason?  To keep you from doing God’s work and to discourage you along the way with your own words of failure.  Here’s an example in God’s Word:

Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.  And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?”  Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”  

Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives.  Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked You to anger in the presence of the builders.  So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

Nehemiah 4:1-6

God has elected Nehemiah to lead His people in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Oh how well they were doing!  They had all the tools they needed to be successful and everyone was working so hard.  Then comes the critics…how they ridiculed these children of God.  All of the sudden, these people who once had so much confidence were now questioning their ability to do anything.  They were feeling stupid and wanted to quit.  See, the enemy had come in and attacked right where they were vulnerable.

Have you ever had this happen to you?  God had spoken pretty clear about something He wanted you to do, or maybe He wanted you to lead.  Then someone mentions a fear of yours or puts one doubt in your head…and all that excitement and courage goes out the window.  Now you’re questioning if it even was God’s idea.  You’re about to give up, BUT GOD.  {His voice is louder than yours.}

(Back to Nehemiah….) Nehemiah was wise and He loved the Lord.  He knew how to handle people who would criticize him.  He went to God and had a discussion about all of them.  In Nehemiah 4:4 he says to God,”Turn their insults back on their own heads.” (We as kids may have said similar things, right? “I know you are but what am I?”)   Unlike us, he didn’t talk to his critics or try to defend himself.  He let God handle it.  He shared all of his feelings with his Heavenly Father, His Creator, Who knew him better than he knew himself.  What happened next?

“So we built the wall.
And all the wall was joined together for half its height,
for the people worked with all their heart.”

In other words, satan was defeated at his own game.  What he dished out didn’t take their focus off of what was important; it made them turn hard to God.  Their focus was on the work of their Lord and no one could destroy them.

So this New Year, instead of making impossible lists of goals and setting yourself up to feel like a failure…make another kind of list.  Like one that lists all the ways God loves you and wants desperately to be your Guide and so much more.  And when that doubt is thrown at you, you have His Word to lean on and encourage you.  His own words to guide and direct you in any task that He is asking of you.  You are ready and you are able to do it—you just have to be willing.  I’m going to leave you with some verses of encouragement and I urge you to write them down, post them on your mirror or wherever they are most visible.  And if you aren’t sure if you have Jesus in your heart, I urge you to pray the prayer below with me and take these verses to your heart that are posted below. Please let us know in the comment section so we can celebrate this special day with you.

 

For God did not give you a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8

Cast all your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm 55:22

My comfort is my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
Psalm 119:50

The Lord is my Strength and my Song: He has become my Salvation.
Psalm 118:14

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, I know I am a sinner. I need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus is Your Son and He is the Savior. I ask that You come into my heart and stay. Be my Lord and Savior. I need You to guide me and give me that joy You promise. I’m tired of going this alone. Thank You for the Holy Spirit that I now have to guide me. I love You, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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

2014 – Seeking Him Encouragement

January 2, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

This past week, my friends Ahmee, Ann, Cynda, Laura and Tina have shared from their hearts as they thought back on this past year….

Cynda shared in Three Things some specific ways in which God changed her.

If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Romans 8:31b NLT

She wrote, “…there are three things God has shown me that have changed my perspective and my faith:

  • Yes, but…
  • Lay Me Down
  • Pocket Prayer”

(Click here to read more!)

❤

Ann wrote about God’s revealing something to her in Seeking God Where He Is Found:

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Matthew 6:33

“When we came to the 31st December 2013 and as we were going into 2014, the Word of God that was very vivid to me was Matthew 6:33. I studied it and meditated on it…and, yes, I got revelation. Since then the year 2014 has been a year where “all things were added to me” and I am so thankful to my God for everything in the year 2014. God has been so faithful, loving, and kind to me and my family, friends, and relatives. ”

❤

Ahmee wrote in Distractions,
“This year has been for me a year of understanding what lack of focus and distractions can do in your life…. The thing about a distraction—it only has power once it has your focus. However, I have learned that there are things we can do to help prevent ourselves from being trapped by distractions. Colossians 3:1-2 gives the best advice in regards to distraction.”

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ,
set your sights on the realities of heaven,
where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

❤

In My Journey This Year, Tina shared some of the things that God has taught her.

She wrote, “I have learned to continue to look toward God for my Strength and my Shield…I have learned this year to focus and trust God more….I have learned to look at myself and know my limits…there and at work…At home I have learned to not be critical of others…I have learned to pray more and wait patiently for God’s grace.”

❤

And Laura shared about all of the changes happening in our world in A New Year. “Our world is starting to crumble. The best thing I can do is to follow Christ with all my heart and try to live as He expects me to do—day in and day out. Maybe by doing this I can be an example to those who are living in the world but want something that the world cannot give them.
As the New Year approaches, I hope that I can grow closer to Jesus as the world continues to live in chaos. Life will be busy and hectic. Time will go by as quickly as it always does, but God comes (as He always should) first. I will continue to pray. I hope that all out there can do the same.”

❤

And as each of them have reflected on God’s goodness this past year, I also want to do likewise.  But my reflection is full of thankfulness for the way that God works in the hearts and minds of each of these ladies…and their faithful efforts to write as He inspires them to encourage and bless us!

Our Seeking Him devotional writing team hails from all over the United States—North, South, East, West…as well as way over in Malawi, Africa!  None of them has ever met each other…not even once sat down over a cup of coffee to strategize or deliberate over what to write or who will write what.  Nonetheless, each week a unified theme from the Scriptures is presented that brings encouragement to each readers’ heart and mind no matter who has written each daily devotion.  Each of them has an individual style but they are all united by, and led by, the Spirit.

For it is God who is at work within you, giving you the will and the power to achieve His purpose. Do all you have to do without grumbling or arguing, so that, you may be blameless and harmless, faultless children of God…shining like lights in a dark world. For you hold up in your hands the very Words of life.

Philippians 2:13-16

They, individually and as a team, are an example to me of this truth in action that Paul wrote in this letter to the church at Ephesus.

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.  But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Ephesians 4:1-6

I am thankful to God, and to each of you Tina, Laura, Cynda, Ann, and Ahmee (along with Cheris, Clella, and Tonya, too!!!) for your example to us and how your example along with your words has helped to draw me closer to our dear heavenly Father! May He always be glorified through your lives!  God loves each of you…and I do, too.  ❤

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rooftops (Redux)

January 2, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Redux means to revisit, bring back, re-release. This last week of 2014, we—the bloggers here at Girlfriends Coffee Hour—are each ‘revisiting’ a blog we wrote earlier this year.  We would love to share with you just a bit about how very good God has been to us!  He has given us all so much grace and mercy, blessings and provision, protection and guidance!  He has led us and taught us through His Holy Spirit so many incredible things!  He has molded, and chastised, and encouraged us to be daughters with humble hearts who are dependent upon Him.  And He has helped us to be strong, committed, and faithful women who love Him and desire to bring Him much honor and glory and majesty.  We pray that our words would encourage you also…and draw You deeper into relationship with the One Who loves you so!  Here is my friend, Kim, and some of her words….

❦

I am so much enjoying going back and looking at the date of when I originally wrote this blog. I wrote this blog May of 2014 and only I knew the trial I was experiencing at that time. It was one of the most painful trials in my life and yet as I look back I learned, I grew, I was stretched and I was strengthened.

Now I believe it was preparation for an even bigger trial; one I would experience towards the end of 2014. Some things I learned: God is my Vindicator, at the end of the day God knows the truth of what was spoken about me and I knew the truth and that is where I rested… I rested in the truth of knowing exactly who I am in him … that when others come against you… praying for them and letting God vindicate the situation is what Jesus would have us do.

But I say, do not resist an evil person!
If someone slaps you on the right cheek,
offer the other cheek also.
Matthew 5:39 NLT

I knew—and God knew—the things said about me weren’t true; and there were and still are people out there who believed what was said. I was never given the opportunity to be asked if what was said was truth. So I let go and let God in it; knowing and believing God would vindicate me (and you know what He did!).

How I love You, Lord! You are my defender.
Psalm 18:1 NLT

Was it easy to not defend myself? No! I was practicing strength under control and complete trust in my God. When others come against you then the people who truly KNOW you will know the truth and that’s the important part.

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Heavenly Father, I thank You that when I am weak You are strong. I thank You that You are my Defender, my Vindicator and that You are faithful if only we trust in You. In Jesus’ name! Amen!

❦

Here I am before You, falling in love and seeking Your truth
Knowing that Your perfect grace has brought me to this place
Because of You I freely live, my life to You, oh God, I give
So I stand before You, God
I lift my voice cause You set me free

So I shout out Your name, from the rooftops I proclaim
That I am Yours, I am Yours

All the good You’ve done for me, I lift my hands for all to see
You’re the only one who brings me to my knees
To share this love across the earth, the beauty of Your holy worth
So I kneel before You, God
I lift my hands cause You set me free

All that I am, I place into Your loving hands
And I am Yours, I am Yours
Here I am, I stand, with arms wide open
To the One, the Son, the Everlasting God, the Everlasting God

Performed by Kim Walker and Jesus Culture

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

What if, instead of focusing on our trials and circumstances, we put our focus on the One Who is faithful???  What if we focused on ALL that God has done in our lives??? What a difference that would make!!!

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way,
consider it an opportunity for great joy.
James 1:2 NLT

Trials are opportunities for growth and to experience God in a powerful way!!!

I love this powerful statement about circumstances by Graham Cooke (from The Way of the Warrior – live version):

“Everything you are passing through right now is a learning opportunity. We need to stop treating life’s difficulties as though they shouldn’t be happening to us. They are training. They are a really important part of who you are. God allows in His wisdom what He could easily prevent by His power. The darker the situation, and the more problematic the circumstances, and the more difficult the things we have to go through, the reward on those things is substantially greater.”

Instead, let us choose to enter His gates with thanksgiving and praise for all that He has done and continues to do….

Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God.
He is the faithful God who keeps His covenant for a thousand generations
and lavishes His unfailing love on those who love Him and obey His commands.
Deuteronomy 7:9 NLT

* ~ ♥ ~ ✞ ~ ♥ ~ *

Heavenly Father, here I stand…arms wide open…heart wide open. All that I am, I place into Your loving hands. So I shout out Your name, from the rooftops I proclaim that I am Yours, I am Yours…in Jesus’ name!!  Amen!!

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

2014 – Three Things

January 1, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Romans 8:31b NLT

As I look back over the past year, there are three things God has shown me that have changed my perspective and my faith:

  • Yes, but…
  • Lay Me Down
  • Pocket Prayer

Yes, but…

Those two words have made such a big difference in my life.  When satan tries to bring up the past, reminding me of my failures or stirs up feelings of guilt, regret, or condemnation “yes, but…” stops him in his tracks.  “Yes, but…look how far God has brought me.”  “Yes, but…look what God has done.”  According to the Scriptures:

He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged
[he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment;
for him there is no rejection, no condemnation—he incurs no damnation];
John 3:18a AMP

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1 NLT

Satan despises those two words—”Yes, but….”  That simple phrase keeps me from getting caught up in the enemy’s trap and shifts my focus. Those two little words give me the opportunity to praise God for all He has done in my life.

Lay Me Down

Too often I get in God’s way.  I run ahead of His plan.  I forget to seek His will.  One night in church we sang ‘Lay Me Down’ by Chris Tomlin.  The words of the chorus resonated deep within me.

“I lay me down I’m not my own
I belong to You alone
Lay me down, lay me down
Hand on my heart this much is true
There’s no life apart from You
Lay me down, lay me down
Lay me down, lay me down”

In John 13:38a (NIV) Jesus asks: “Will you really lay down your life for me?”  I must let go of my pride—I have to give up my rights—if I truly want His light to shine through my life.

Pocket Prayer

I just finished this Max Lucado study.  It answered so many questions I had regarding prayer.  It completely changed my prayer life.  The idea behind it is simple (because prayer should be simple). The basic outline goes like this:

“Father, You are good.
I need help. Heal me and forgive me.
They need help.
Thank You.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.“

Simple, right?  Then I embellish it in the areas I need to pray about.  Funny, sometimes I get so caught up in the ‘You are good…’ and thanking Him that I forget to pray the rest.  And that’s ok.  After all, prayer is just a conversation with God.  If I am all out of words…beyond words…incapable of words, then I just pray this and the Holy Spirit takes it from there.  As Romans 8:26-27 (NASB) tells us:

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we should,
but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is,
because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

It is so freeing when I don’t have to worry about saying the right words or praying the perfect prayer.  As Max says “Intercessory prayer isn’t rocket science.  It acknowledges our inability and God’s ability.”  God’s ultimate Will is inflexible but we can alter His strategy with our appeals and intercession.  Hallelujah!

(click here to find the Pocket Prayer Challenge.  And here for the Before Amen book.)

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I love Christian worship music.  Many, many songs have touched me this year.  But today, let me leave you with just one that speaks volumes about my life.  For no matter where I find myself in this life, His great grace always finds me.

Singer/Songwriter: Matt Redman along with Jonas Myrin

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Why Are You Afraid?

January 1, 2015 by

SeekingHimLogo

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples.
Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat.
But Jesus was sleeping.
The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”
Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked.
“Even the winds and waves obey him!”
Matthew 8:26a NLT

Luke 8:25a NIV asks a tough question: “Where is your faith?”

One thing I have learned—if I am afraid…I have lost my faith in God.  I am no longer trusting in Him.  It means I don’t trust Him not to hurt me.  It means I don’t believe He has my best interest at heart.  When I trust God and place my faith completely in Him, there is little room left for fear or doubt.

Bad things happen.  Whether it is a result of my poor choices, someone else’s choice, a trial I must go through, or discipline I need…bad things happen.  It is a fact of life. Hebrews 12:11 (NIV) states, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.”  What I must remember is that God is in control.  And there is a purpose for the bad things. Everything in my life has been filtered through Him.  Being a Christian doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen.  Storms will come at us, tossing us to and fro.  But those storms are much easily weathered when we cling to our Rock.  The second part of Matthew 8:26 (HCSB) reminds us “Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea. And there was a great calm.”

Look at 2 Samuel 22:3 AMP…

My God, my Rock, in Him will I take refuge;
my Shield and the Horn of my salvation;
my Stronghold and my Refuge, my Savior—You save me from violence.

With God as our Rock, we have no reason to be afraid.
All it takes is placing our faith in Him alone.

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Father, please forgive me when I feel afraid.  Remind me You are my Rock and my Refuge.  When fear pokes at me…bringing doubts to mind…strengthen my faith in You. For if You are with me, who can stand against me?  In Jesus’ name I pray – Amen! It Is So.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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