May 5, 2026

Blessed Blessing

September 25, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us,
that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
Psalms 67:1-2

Everyone loves to be blessed.  People don’t typically wander around praying curses for themselves.  We, as Christians, have a Father who loves to bless. (Take a look at the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12.)  Yes, our God is all about blessing His children!

Why?  He loves us.

Why else?  So we can bless others.

Ephesians 4:33 tells us that God forgave us, so we can forgive others.

And in John 13:34 we read that God loves us, so we can love others.

Romans 12: 6-8 speaks about the gift(s) we were given and how they should be used, “…if, it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach…” We don’t use our gift(s) for ourselves, but for others!

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,
that our ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
Psalms 67:1-2

When God blesses us, others see and can come to know Him; just like He promised Judah and Israel,

As you have been an object of cursing among the nations,
O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing.
Do not be afraid, but let your hand be strong,
Zechariah 8:13

And, of course, our Jesus leads by example.

…For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich,
yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich,
2 Corinthians 8:9

So… what’s the “catch?” Deuteronomy 28:1-14 explains how obeying the Lord leads to blessings. In order to be obedient you must know His Word.  And to know His Word and apply it as intended you need to have a RELATIONSHIP with him.

So, what’s the “catch?” You are. God gets to have you in relationship with Him and that is what He has always wanted.

* * * * *

Abba, thank You for blessing me.  Thank You for providing rewards for my obedience and discipline for my disobedience.  You have shown very clearly in Your Word the consequences of both.  Help me to be forever obedient that I may constantly reap the benefits of obedience and help me to keep my hands open to others, as I share what you have given me.  Help me to remember that my obedience doesn’t affect myself alone but those around me, as well.   In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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

Italian Sausage Soup

September 25, 2013 by

Fall is here along with a busy schedule at my house which means time crock pot cooking. One of my family favorites is Italian sausage soup .  It is healthy and easy to throw together with a hectic schedule since I usually have most of the ingredients in stock.

 ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce can of any beans you like, drained; I use Pinto
  • 1 pound of lean sausage, your choice cut into bite size
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 1/2 medium carrot, diced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup small pasta
  • grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

My kids and my husband love, love, love sausage – – any kind of sausage, and the greasier the better to them.  However, they will get a healthier choice when I cook for them.  I like using deer sausage which is leaner and more flavorful especially when lucky enough to receive some from a friend, who is an avid hunter.

sausage

 

 Here is the easiest part.  Throw everything into your Crockpot, even sausage precooked and cook 6-8 hours on low.

in crock pot

For the last hour, add your pasta and cook on high.  When pasta is tender, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and you are ready to go.

Final

 

This is a perfect meal on a cold night or a busy day when you don’t have time to stew in the kitchen.  It’s filled with lots of protein and fiber.  The carrots give one serving of a vegetable; however, you could add other vegetables such as zucchini or squash.  To add in a few more greens, I like to serve with a toss salad.

 toss salad

Italian Sausage Soup, it gives a kick to the name  soup and salad.

I can’t wait to share more recipes and tips on how to plan meals that are quick and easy for a busy schedule in my upcoming Weight Loss Teleclass.  Check it out and email me to sign up for my FREE ORIENTATION to learn more.

In Good Health,

Crystal

Filed Under: Coaching w/ Crystal Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Esther – Chapter 4:8-11

September 25, 2013 by

Here we are in Chapter Four of Esther, sisters, and today we are looking at verses 8-11.  Wow – there are so many topics that jumped out, wanting to be discussed!  But I want to delve further into one that touches us all in some form or another – trials or testing.  To say that Mordecai and Esther were facing trials is a bit of an understatement, wouldn’t you say?  And yet, while facing the same trial – extinction – they each had their own individual trial, as well; Mordecai was concerned for his people and their salvation, Esther was concerned for her own safety in honoring Mordecai’s request to approach the King.

Sisters, we’re going to have trials. Troubles.  Rough patches.  Dry seasons.  Disappointments. Jesus tells us this several times throughout the Gospels, and Darlene reminds us of 1 Peter 4:12 – 13 (NIV).  “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”   Uh, wait a minute – did that scripture say rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ?  Yep.  And so does this one, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-3 NIV).  These verses in James say we will go through trials “of many kinds” – some will be severe, some not so much.  We may be losing our keys or our patience.  We may be having “one of those days” or wonder if we’ll even make it through the day. But God allows us to face trials because they “develop perseverance.”  I saw perseverance defined as “steady persistence in a course of action, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement” (Dictionary.com).  So, if I can paraphrase, God allows us to face trials so that we can develop the ability to stay the course, finish the race – in spite of what difficulties, obstacles or discouragement will come our way (especially from our enemy, Satan).

I know, I know.  I hear the protest rising from you right now. “How am I supposed to rejoice in the trial I am going through now?  You have NO IDEA what I am suffering.”  You’re so right…I don’t.  But God does.  And He promises never to leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5), so He will be with you through the whole thing.  He also tells us that “…no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me…” (Isaiah 54:17 NIV).  “Yes, yes,” I hear you protesting, “but joy, Robin? JOY???”  Yes, sisters, joy.  Because unlike happiness, which can come and go with our moods, joy is the deeper sense of understanding  and well-being that comes from accepting that God is in complete control of your life and, as such, will always work on your behalf, for your good, because He promised (Romans 8:28).

Trials are not easy, sisters.  And no one said you had to be happy to experience them.  But they do give you the chance to get closer to God.  Psalm 34:18 (NIV) says “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  When you find yourself in a hard place or season—cry out to God!  He hears you.  He LOVES you.  He wants to help you.  He wants to deliver you!  He wants to fill all the voids in your life.  He encourages you to “cast ALL your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Psalm34_18

I have heard testing/trials described beautifully in this way:  “Our lives are like gold – but in its unrefined state.  The goldsmith heats up the metal – so hot that it is liquefied – and then begins to skim the impurities and waste from the surface.  This happens not once, but MANY times. Each time the goldsmith skims the impurities and waste from the surface.  Do you know when it’s done?  When the goldsmith can see his face mirrored in the surface of the gold.”  God does the same with our lives. The rough times, hard times, difficult seasons, times of trial and suffering are like the heat used to liquefy the metal that is our character.  If we allow God to ‘heat up’ our character, he will skim the impurities and the waste that particular challenge brings out of us. With each trial we become more like Him (remember our first scripture, 1 Peter 4:12-13?) until one day God sees His face mirrored in our lives, and His glory is revealed – in us!

Let’s pray:

Dear God, I am asking You to help me through the trials I am experiencing in my life.  There are times that I just don’t know what to do, and I wonder how I’m going to get through this.  Thank You, Lord, that I can pour my heart out to You and trust that not only CAN You help me, but You WILL help me!  Thank You for holding me in the palm of Your hand.  If there are areas that I haven’t surrendered to Your care, please help me give them to You.  Help me to cast ALL my anxieties on You!  Thank You, Lord, for Your protection and provision.  Help me to come through this fire looking more like You every day.  In the name of Your Son I pray.

Amen.

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God’s Guidance

September 24, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

May God be gracious to us and bless us; look on us with favor.  Selah
So that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
Psalms 67:1-2

This psalm speaks of God’s plan for His people when he first called Abraham.  God choose this man so that through his descendants, God might become known to the nations of the world.  He intended that Israel’s reception and enjoyment of His grace and blessing would cause the pagan nations to take notice, so that they might praise Him and accept His ways of truth and righteousness.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great;
and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee,
and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis  12:1-3

The declaration all throughout the Scriptures is that God cares about each of us and wants to direct our lives.  How infinitely superior His plan must be in every detail with all the wisdom and knowledge He possesses—past, present, and future—and with all the power at His disposal as the sovereign God of the universe.  The greatest evidence of God’s desire to guide our lives is found in the truth of the Scriptures.  He has given us the Bible that we might know His will and purpose in all areas of life.  This means knowing God and the life He has for us to live.  Our responsibility, by God’s own direction, is to entrust our way to Him for His direction and leading.

Proverbs 14:12 tells us there is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death.  Jeremiah also clearly states the problem of man’s inability to direct his life.  In Jeremiah 10:23 the prophet said, “Lord, we know that people do not control their own destiny. It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them.”  Because of man’s finite wisdom and ability, his limited understanding of the facts coupled with his sinfulness, man simply cannot direct his own steps. What seems right to him results in the way of destruction and death.  As man’s thoughts are not God’s thoughts, so his ways must likewise fall short of God’s perfect and all-wise plan.

We as believers should pray that God will bless us and our families with His presence, love, grace, guidance, salvation, healing power, and fullness of the Spirit in order that the lost might seek Christ’s truth and salvation through us.  The blessing is described in the New Testament as “the promised Holy Spirit” (Galatians 3:14).  Through this spirit living in us, the proclamation to the nations will achieve its desired results.

* * * * *

Father, we thank You for the love, grace guidance, and wisdom You show us.  May we continually walk in Your truth for You to guide us in Your infinite wisdom. In Jesus’ name we have prayed. AMEN!

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

Esther – Chapter 4:4-7

September 24, 2013 by

Wk4_Esther_Ellison

Esther 4:4-7

So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was. So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews.

Sometimes there is a pull on our heart or, as my pastor says, an “unrest in our spirit.”  I believe that Esther experienced this.  She was told something disturbing and she was “deeply distressed.” Has this ever happened to you?  We find out a piece of information…see or hear something…and then we know something isn’t right.  We may or may not know exactly what is going on, or what all of the details are, but we know that something is wrong.  I think this is what Esther experienced this day.  She didn’t know why Mordecai was acting the way he was acting but she knew that it was serious and wanted to know more.

So what does she do about this unrest?  She asks.  She seeks clarification.  She sends a message to him asking what the situation is.  How does this apply to you and me?  Mordecai symbolizes the Holy Spirit and, like Esther asked questions of Mordecai, we can ask a question of the Holy Spirit.  We need not send someone to ask for us—we can go directly to our Helper ourselves.

 John 14:16

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

 Sometimes we don’t have to ask; sometimes the Holy Spirit speaks directly to us. “The Holy Spirit is that voice inside of us that convicts us of sin, while encouraging us to do better.”

Last week my pastor said something that stuck with me, he said that “the same Holy Spirit that was in the Bible is in us.”  The same Holy Spirit at work in the heart of Esther is the same Holy Spirit at work in our hearts.  The same Holy Spirit that began to pull on the heart of Esther that day isthe same Holy Spirit who pulls on our hearts to make a change in our lives.

This week I am determined to pray on the question that Darlene asks, “Is there anything in your life that you’ve recently been convicted of or encouraged to improve upon?” Like Esther I want to seek out what change needs to be made; I want to see how I need to improve the situation I’m in.  Like Esther I am going to ask of my Helper what those changes need to be. I’m going to ask what needs to be done.

_______

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the Helper that You have sent to us.  Thank You for the pull on our spirit when things need to change.  So often we feel that something is wrong, or that something can be better.  Lord, give us the courage to seek the answers from the Holy Spirit, to seek the change that needs to be made.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

How To Put Together a Prayer Journal

September 24, 2013 by

Each day, we hear many different prayer requests; some of them are not even spoken out loud, but they are seen.  How is it possible to keep track of all of these requests when there are so many of them!  We have our spouse, self, kids, marriage, finances, grandchildren, outside family members, friends, community/church leaders, government officials, and our Country, that we should be praying over every day.

I have been on the lookout for the perfect Prayer Journal, and I think I have finally found something that will work for me.  I want to share it with you today; PLUS, you will get FREE downloads at the end of this blog!!  I hope you will utilize these free downloads and then let me know how this journal works for you!

PJ1

My Prayer Journal Cover

Items Needed:

3-ring Notebook (what’s called a View Binder)

Sheet Protectors (at least 10)

College-lined Notebook Paper

Washi-Tape, if you want to decorate your cover and/or pages

Index tabs

Directions:

1. Print out the free downloads found below

2. Insert each printout into a sheet protector

3. Attach an index tab onto the sheet protector for each category (listed below)

4. Insert sheet protectors into the 3-ring notebook in the following order:

  • Worship — this section is to be used for praising and worshiping God for who He is in your life!  I’ve also printed out a list of the names of God so when I need to pray for provision, or healing, I can pray to Jehovah Jireh, or Jehovah Raphe, and so on.
  • Confess — this section is to be used for any kind of confession you need to make.  1 John 1:9 says that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.”  This is so important to confess our sins, so He is able to forgive us, and then cleanse us of all that unrighteousness, so that we are then in right-standing with Him, again!  🙂
  • Thanks — this section is for thanking God for anything you can think of that you are thankful for, i.e., your spouse, kids, marriage, health, family, job, provisions, church, freedom to worship Him, and so on.
  • Calendar – here you will add all 12 months of the year.  Then you will add in any birthdays or anniversaries of family and friends.  Then you will go to this calendar each day, to see who you will be praying for on a specific day.  For anniversaries, I pray over the marriage of that friend or family member.  I will also list specific days for prayer requests such as friends/family doctor visits, surgeries and so on, so I can be praying over them on that particular day.
  • Daily –  MONDAY: Family – spouse, self, kids, marriage, jobs, ministries, and each of my ten grandchildren!  TUESDAY: My Christian Friends.  WEDNESDAY: Non-Christian friends, that they might find Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and any other needs that they may have.  THURSDAY: Girlfriends Coffee Hour Leaders / Members / Ministry, and my Church Leaders – Pastors, Deacons, Board of Elders, and so on.  FRIDAY: our country, President, government officials, local community officials.
  • Apply – this section is to reflect my quiet time w/God and how I am going to apply to my life the things that I heard God speaking to me that morning.  I think it is truly necessary to not only have that quiet time, but to meditate on the “how” of what God is saying to you!
  • Journal – this section reflects any devotions, poems, sermons, radio or online messages that have spoken to you, or anything else you would like to journal in regards to your spiritual walk.
  • Favorite Scriptures – here I list all of the Scriptures that have spoken to me over the years.
  • Worship Songs – this section I use for praise and worship songs that I have found on YouTube, or sung in church, that spoke to my heart.  I want to remember these songs, so when I need to spend some personal time with Him, or want to praise Him or worship Him in song, I can come to this section to find the songs that fit the need I have for that day.  I LOVE this section!!

Since I use a full size notebook, I don’t carry this with me throughout the day; but I do carry a small notebook.  That way I can write down the requests as I go through my day, and then enter them into my prayer journal at the end of the day.  Everything is kept in one place—nice, neat, and tidy…just the way I like it!!

To download your FREE Prayer Journal sheets, just click on the links below.  Save them to your computer, and then print them out when you are ready to put together your very own Prayer Journal.  Again, once you start using this system, I would love to hear back from you to see how you are doing with it!

PrayerJournalCollage

A peek into the inside of my Prayer Journal

God’s blessings on your day!

Christi 

__________________________

FREE Downloads

To download each page, click on the link, save the page to your computer.  To print a 5.5″ x 8.5″ cover page for the smaller 3-ring notebooks, just set your printer to print 2 per page.  You will have an extra cover page, but you could also use the extra pages to create a prayer journal for a friend as a gift! 🙂

Apply Page

Calendar Page

Confess Page

Daily Page

Favorite Scriptures Page

Journal Cover Page

Journal Page

Thanks Page

Worship Songs Page

Worship Page

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

GF Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Frosting

September 23, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  This week’s recipe is for my husband.  (Actually, he is the guinea pig for all of my recipes.  Now he would tell you he is the ‘welcome recipient’ of the firstfruits of all my blog foods.)  So, we were at the store the other day, stocking up on a few gluten free flour varieties when he spotted one we don’t have in our pantry—quinoa flour.  That got my attention…but so did the price!  Oh. My.  But before I was done being aghast about the cost, he had spied a recipe on the back of the package for Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes.  Even though I nixed the purchase of the flour, I promised to still make the cupcakes.  Here we go!

2013-09-10 21.00.47

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1+1/2 cups gluten free flour blend *
1+1/2 teaspoons baking powder  2013-09-10 15.44.34
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup warmed almond milk
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup coconut (or palm) sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 325.
  • Line regular sized 12 cup muffin tin with liners.
  • In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients—the dry ingredients—and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the warm milk and the cocoa powder.  Then stir in the sour cream; set aside.
  • Set up a stand mixer with the paddle attachment; add the butter and beat for 3 or 4 minutes on medium ‘til light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the agave nectar.  Add the coconut sugar, and beat ‘til light and fluffy again.
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract beating ‘til the egg is totally incorporated.
  • Stir in the sour cream/chocolate mixture.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mixing on the slowest speed just ‘til they are thoroughly mixed together.
  • Divide the batter into the paper-lined muffin tin filling to about 3/4 full (this is a stiff batter).
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes ‘til tops spring back when lightly touched and toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool for just 3 or 4 minutes in muffin tin then remove and set gently onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Cream Cheese/Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream, cold
8 ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract , pinch of kosher salt
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

  • Chill bowl and beaters in freezer for 10 minutes.
  • Beat 1 cup heavy cream in chilled bowl ‘til stiff peaks form.  Set aside.
  • In separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese along with agave nectar, vanilla , and salt for 3 minutes ‘til light.
  • Sift in the cocoa powder and the powdered sugar. Beat on low for 30-45 seconds ‘til smooth.
  • Add in the rest of the heavy cream and beat ‘til light and creamy.
  • Take 1/3 of the whipped heavy cream and mix in on lowest speed ‘til incorporated.
  • Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in the rest of the whipped heavy cream ‘ til combined.
  • Pipe (or spread) onto top of cupcakes.  Enjoy!

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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

Esther – Chapter 4:1-3

September 23, 2013 by

Isaiah30_19

Now when Mordecai learned all that was done, [he] rent his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry.  He came and stood before the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth.  And in every province, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
The Book of Esther, chapter 4:1-3

Mordecai was utterly distraught.  The word, distraught, means ‘overly agitated, worried, full of grief, worked up, deeply upset, in a panic.’  In Latin, it literally means to be pulled apart.  Have you ever felt like this?  I am thinking you are nodding your head…for sure I have, too.  There are many reactions and responses to this gut-wrenching emotion of being distraught. Perhaps you might feel as Mordecai did and react by crying out loudly.  Or, rather, you might feel ‘frozen’ and not sure what to do.  Maybe you might feel like you had been punched and just fall to your knees in despondency.  These emotions—being distraught, despondent, unsure—are feelings that the enemy of our souls would want you to experience and succumb to in defeat.

However, there is One Who knows we will feel like this at times and wants us to seek Him for relief and help and deliverance.  Our heavenly Father is the One Who has put ‘feelings’ into our makeup.  Remember He formed and made us; He knows every part of our being…our feelings and our thoughts, too.

O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.
You know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought afar off.
You sift and search out my path and my lying down; You are acquainted with all my ways.
Psalms 139:1-3

Almighty God wants us to come to Him at any time, with all of our feelings; yes, even when we are distraught, despondent, unsure.  He already knows we are feeling this way…He just wants us to seek Him!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
Proverbs 3:5-8

The same feelings that Satan attempts to use to pull us down and defeat us, God can use to draw us to Himself.  Listen to the words of the psalmist when he was distraught, despondent, unsure.  Just like Mordecai, he cried out to God.

As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.
Psalms 55:16 and 17

With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
Psalms 142:1 and 2

You know those times when you fall to your knees…so unsure of what to do.  God simply desires a heart of humility as You come before Him.

There is record after record after record in the Scriptures of people who loved God, and did wonderful things as they served Him…and yet, at times, were at their wits’ end.  This account in the Book of Esther is an incredible example of harrowing times—so alarming and scary!   But as we have witnessed over the past three weeks in our study, Esther’s story is one that shows the providential hand of the loving Almighty God.  As we continue our study of the Book of Esther, and Mrs. Schacht’s Esther: the Beauty of Courageous Submission, we will see how Esther also recognized her need for God’s protection, His care, His supply of her needs.

May I encourage each of you to never, ever hold back your desire to cry out to your heavenly Father.  He is always listening.  He has promised.  His promises are ours to stand firmly on knowing Who has spoken them, and Who will bring them to pass.

In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He answered me.
Psalm 120:1

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
Psalm 34:6

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Acts 2:21

He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry;
when He hears it, He will answer you.
Isaiah 30:19

* * * * *

Let’s Pray:

Thank You, Father, for Your many promises that You will hear our cry…and that You will answer.  You are a Faithful God…who never lies.  We are such blessed women that we can put our absolute trust and total confidence in You!  You are so good to us!  We praise and thank You in Jesus’ name.

Amen.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Selah

September 23, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us—Selah.
Psalm 67:1
A beautiful blessing, yes?  Do you remember when God told Moses to speak this blessing over the Israelites?
And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them, The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.  And they shall put My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.
Numbers 6:22-27
This blessing had particular meaning because Moses and Aaron had been giving many ‘rules and regulations’ to the people from God.  Some of the instruction they received also included ‘cursings’ (consequences that would come due to sinful behavior).  And so, God gave  grace to them and had Aaron speak this blessing over them.
Note the seemingly odd word at the end of Psalm 67:1—selah.  This Hebrew word, selah, has no absolute and definitive meaning.  Most Biblical scholars understand it to connote something that is valued, or can be measured against (such as in a comparison).  One Scripture that immediately jumps to mind talking about value and comparison is Proverbs 31:10.
A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her?
She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.
See, her worth (value) is being shown by comparison, i.e., ‘she is far more precious than jewels,’ and ‘her value is far above rubies or pearls.  We should consider her of much value because she is being compared to these costly gems.
There are quite a few—seventy plus—uses of this word selah in the Scriptures…and almost every one of them is in the Book of Psalms.  We are told to ‘consider the value’ of these things.    Here are but a few:
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.  Selah.  Psalm 32:7
In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name forever.  Selah.  Psalm 44:8
He will send from heaven and save me;… Selah.  God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.  Psalm 57:3
Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.  Selah.  Psalm 62:8
How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!  They are ever praising You.  Selah.  Psalm 84:4
In our selected verse for today, Psalm 67:1, we are ‘considering the value’ of God graciousness…His blessing.  The value of God’s grace…oh my!  It would seem to me to be un-measureable!  It would have great and incredible ‘value,’ don’t you think?  But we are told to consider the value of it…so let us do just that!
  • Grace saves us by faith.  (Ephesians 2:8)
  • In our weakness, grace is sufficient.  (2nd Corinthians 12:9)
  • Esther found grace and favor in the king’s eyes.  (Esther 2:16-17)
  • Jesus came and brought grace and truth.  (John 1:15-17)

 

These are just a very few examples…the Scriptures are filled with examples of God’s grace being given in many, many, many different ways.  What verse comes to your mind that communicates about God’s grace?  Would you share it with us?

* * * * *
Dear Lord, may we always be aware of Your blessings!   May the magnitude and the vastness of Your amazing grace always fill our hearts with praise and thankfulness!  Please help us to recognize Your grace and blessings; and tell others, Lord,  about the blessing of our great God!   We love You, Lord!
Amen.
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Continuous Praise

September 20, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Psalm 103:19-22

So, I need to make a run to the grocery store? (Have a wonderful time in the journey.) Close the car door, start the engine, turn the volume up on the radio, fasten seat belt, put car in reverse, and away I go.

The sounds of praise music and words flood my soul with joy as I praise my great God!

So, I need to wash clothes? (First things first though.) Go to the computer, find the Christian radio station, crank up the music, get the laundry basket, fill it with dirty clothes, and head to the washing machine down the hall.

The sounds of praise music and words flood my soul with joy as I praise my great God!

So, I have the honor of holding a precious baby while her mom is in small group during Bible study? (What a beautiful, tiny blessing of God is held in my arms!) Hold her close, step outside where she likes the warmth of the sunshine, and sing praise songs to her while she falls asleep.

The sounds of praise music and words flood my soul with joy as I praise my great God!

So, I just walked into the sanctuary at church? (This is a favorite time of the week.) I find a seat, the music begins, and we rise to our feet as we sing with the worship leader as words of praise flash on the screen and the instruments fill the room with beautiful sounds.

The sounds of praise music and words flood my soul with joy as I praise my great God!

Four different situations in my life presented as opportunities to praise God in my soul.  David called several different groups of beings to praise God toward the end of Psalm 103 as if he is building a gathering that continues to increase in number and intensity.  By the end of the chapter in verse 22, he calls on all of God’s works everywhere to praise God.

I am going to spend an eternity praising Jesus! I enjoy this life being “a dress rehearsal” for then.

On the days I can’t sing, I need to stop and search my heart to see what’s wrong.  It’s then that I really need to pray.  For praise should always be able to spill forth from my lips.  I have often found that the more I pray, the more I can praise.  The one who prays often will be able to praise often!

* * * * *

Dear Lord, let us praise You here, there, and everywhere.  Let it not be a designated moment in time, but instead a continuous state of our hearts turned toward You.  Each time we hear praise music or belt it out ourselves, let our hearts overflow with thankfulness that we can hear it, sing it, and praise You in this life and in the one to come!  In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

 

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