December 23, 2024

The More I Seek You

October 7, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

The more I seek You
The more I find You
The more I find You
The more I love You

I wanna sit at Your feet
Drink from the cup in Your hand
Lay back against You and breathe, feel your heart beat
This love is so deep, it’s more than I can stand
I melt in Your peace, it’s overwhelming

Christ For The Nations Worship
written by Zac Neese

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Seeking God can be done in any number of ways; such as,

  • reading the Scriptures (Psalm 119:2)
  • singing praises (Psalms 104:33-34)
  • praying (Jeremiah 29:11)
  • times of worship (corporate and personal) (Psalm 63:1)
  • calling upon Him (Isaiah 55:6)

But, no matter how you seek God, it is ‘all your heart’ that is required.

But if…you seek the LORD your God, you will find Him
if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God….
1 Chronicles 22:19

And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord,
the God of their fathers,
with all their heart….
2 Chronicles 15:12

So, as we seek Him—whether through our prayers, our praises, our thanksgiving, our study of His Word—our whole heart must be engaged.

And another thing that I do believe is required as we seek Him is quiet—actual physical-absence-of-distracting-noise quiet.

Our Lord recognized His need for quiet.  If He, in His perfect sinless life, needed quiet time alone to seek His Father…we do too and even more so!  His example speaks clearly to us.

And in the morning, long before daylight,
He got up and went out to a deserted place,
and there He prayed.
Mark 1:35

…and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities.
But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Luke 5:15, 16

Along with quietness in our surroundings, perhaps even more important is quietness in our hearts.  This is something that I believe each of us yearns for and, truly, can only be found as we seek Him.  There is an incomparable quietness that we are promised as we trust in our Lord.

Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him;
Psalm 37:7

Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10

Come to Me,
all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened,
and I will cause you to rest.
Matthew 11:28

I love those that love Me; and those that seek Me diligently shall find Me.
Proverbs 8:17

As you seek Him, my friends, He will be found…He promises!

Then you will call upon Me,
and you will come and pray to Me,
and I will hear and heed you.
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity]
and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12 and 13 AMP

{before you go any further, may i suggest that you take a
few moments to simply seek Your God and be found in His Presence}

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

In The Stillness

July 15, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Here in the stillness my heart is at rest
Alone in the silence, that’s where I hear You best
In the rush of the river, like a song in the breeze
It’s here in the stillness You speak to me

When I’m lost in Your Presence the world disappears
Taking all of my troubles…my burdens, my fears
Oh how gently You hold me, You are all that I see
It’s here in the stillness You speak to me

I will be still
I will stand in awe
Oh, just to know that You are my God
You are my God

Yes, it’s here in the stillness You speak to me
You speak to me
Oh, speak to me

Singer/Songwriter – Ali Matthews

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

One of the absolute joys of being in a relationship with our heavenly Father is our ‘quiet time’ with Him.  Not only is it a joy but it is a need, too. It is necessary to dwell in His Presence…to choose to have a dedicated, purposeful, intentional, devoted quiet time.  Of course there are many other components that make up this time with God, such as:

  • reading the Scriptures
  • meditating and considering those words
  • singing our praises
  • thankfulness
  • intercession
  • prayer for ourselves

But I do believe that there is one essential aspect—stillness—which presents itself in two very needful ways:

1) actual physical-absence-of-distracting-noise quiet
(and, perhaps even more necessary,)
2) a quiet, still, peaceful heart

Our Lord recognized His need for quiet and time alone to pray to His Father.  If He, in His perfect sinless life, needed quiet time to be still and alone seeking the Father then we surely do also…and even more so! His example speaks clearly to us.

And in the morning, long before daylight,
He got up and went out to a deserted place,
and there He prayed.
Mark 1:35

…and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities.
But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Luke 5:15, 16

(Perhaps, when our Lord was alone, He sang words similar to those in that beautiful song we just listened to….)

And there is the second type of stillness—a quiet, still, peaceful heart.  Isn’t this something that each of us yearns for?  Truly I believe it can only be found as we seek Him.  There is a quietness that we are promised as we trust in our Lord.

Be still and rest in the Lord;
wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him;
fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way,
because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
fret not yourself—it tends only to evildoing.
For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord
shall inherit the earth.
Psalms 37:7-9

Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.
Psalms 46:10 and 11

And. as Jesus Himself said to us,

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden
and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.
[I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
Matthew 11:28

In closing, consider these verses in which the psalmist speaks about his quiet time with his God.  As we intentionally pursue having quiet time alone with our God may we ‘pour out our heart before Him; God is a Refuge for us!’

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation, my Fortress;
I shall not be greatly shaken.
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him..
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
My mighty Rock, my Refuge is God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a Refuge for us. Selah
excerpts from Psalm 62

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

May I suggest, before you and I run along and jump into your ‘to-do’ list, that we each stop for a few minutes and be still and quiet before the throne of God…worshipping and giving Him our praise for the joy and privilege of these times of stillness and quiet alone with Him!  Oh, how He loves us so!

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

In The Stillness

January 28, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Here in the stillness my heart is at rest
Alone in the silence, that’s where I hear You best
In the rush of the river, like a song in the breeze
It’s here in the stillness You speak to me

When I’m lost in Your Presence the world disappears
Taking all of my troubles…my burdens, my fears
Oh how gently You hold me, You are all that I see
It’s here in the stillness You speak to me

I will be still, I will stand in awe
Oh, just to know You are my God
You are my God

Yes it’s here in the stillness You speak to me
You speak to me
Oh speak to me

Singer/Songwriter – Ali Matthews

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

One of the absolute joys of the privilege we have to be in a relationship with our heavenly Father is our ‘quiet time’ with Him.  Not only is it such a joy but it is necessary to dwell in His presence…to choose to have a dedicated, purposeful, intentional, devoted quiet time.  Of course there are many different components that make up this time with God, such as:

  • reading the Scriptures
  • meditating and considering those words
  • singing our praises
  • thankfulness
  • intercession
  • personal prayer

But I do believe that there is one essential aspect—stillness—which presents itself in two very needful ways:

actual physical-absence-of-distracting-noise quiet
(and, perhaps even more necessary,)
a quiet, still, peaceful heart

Our Lord recognized His need for quiet and time alone to pray to His Father.  If He, in His perfect sinless life, needed quiet time to be still and alone seeking the Father then we surely do also…and even more so! His example speaks clearly to us.

And in the morning, long before daylight,
He got up and went out to a deserted place,
and there He prayed.
Mark 1:35

…and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities.
But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Luke 5:15, 16

(Perhaps, when our Lord was alone, he sang words similar to those in that beautiful song we just listened to….)

There is also another type of stillness—a quiet, still, peaceful heart.  Isn’t this something that each of us yearns for?  Truly I believe it can only be found as we seek Him.  There is a incomparable quietness that we are promised as we trust in our Lord.

Be still and rest in the Lord;
wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him;
fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way,
because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
fret not yourself—it tends only to evildoing.
For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord
shall inherit the earth.
Psalms 37:7-9

Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.
Psalms 46:10 and 11

And. as Jesus Himself said to us,

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden
and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.
[I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
Matthew 11:28

In closing, consider these verses in which the psalmist speaks about his quiet time with his God.  As we intentionally pursue having quiet time alone with our God may we ‘pour out our heart before Him; God is a Refuge for us!’

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation, my Fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him..
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty Rock, my Refuge is God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him;
God is a Refuge for us. Selah
excerpts from Psalm 62

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

May I suggest, before you run along and jump into your ‘to-do’ list, that we each stop for a few minutes and be still and quiet before the throne of God…worshipping and giving Him our praise for the joy and privilege of these times of stillness and quiet alone with Him!  Oh, how He loves us so!

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

CHRISTLife — A Quiet Time (part four)

March 1, 2014 by

IMG_1391

This week we continue to look at one of the absolute joys of our relationship with our heavenly Father—our ‘quiet time’ with Him.  Each Saturday we have been looking in-depth at a few of the more important aspects of a dedicated, purposeful, intentional, devoted quiet time.

Over the past few weeks we have considered some of these aspects, such as:

  • reading the Scriptures
  • singing our praises
  • thankfulness

In addition to each of these, I do believe that quietness—actual ‘physical-absence-of-distracting-noise quiet’…and perhaps even more important…quietness in our hearts—is required as a component of a purposeful, intentional devotional time.

Before we go any further, let’s stop for just five minutes and worship our God giving our praise for these times of stillness and quiet alone with Him!

Here In The Stillness  {Singer/Songwriter – Ali Matthews}
Here in the stillness my heart is at rest
Alone in the silence, that’s where I hear You best
In the rush of the river, like a song in the breeze
It’s here in the stillness You speak to me

When I’m lost in Your Presence the world disappears
Taking all of my troubles…my burdens, my fears
Oh how gently You hold me, You are all that I see
It’s here in the stillness You speak to me

I will be still, I will stand in awe
Oh, just to know You are my God; You are my God

Yes it’s here in the stillness You speak to me
You speak to me

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Our Lord recognized His need for quiet and time alone to pray to His Father.  If He, in His perfect sinless life, needed quiet time alone with God then we surely do also…and even more so!  His example speaks clearly to us.

And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up
and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.
Mark 1:35

…and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities.
But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
Luke 5:15, 16

(Perhaps, when our Lord was alone, He sang words similar to those in that beautiful song we just listened to….)

There is also another type of quietness—a quiet, peaceful heart.  Isn’t this something that each of us yearns for?  Truly I believe it can only be found as we seek Him. There is a incomparable quietness that we are promised as we trust in our Lord.

Be still and rest in the Lord;
wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him;
fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way,
because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.

Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
fret not yourself—it tends only to evildoing.
For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord
shall inherit the earth.
Psalms 37:7-9

Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.
Psalms 46:10 and 11

And as Jesus Himself said to us,
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened,
and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]
Matthew 11:28

In closing, think about how the psalmist viewed his quiet time with his God.  As we intentionally pursue having quiet time alone with our God may we ‘pour out our heart before Him; God is a Refuge for us!’

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation, my Fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him..
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty Rock, my Refuge is God.
Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him;
God is a Refuge for us. Selah
(excerpts from Psalm 62)

Filed Under: CHRISTLife Bible Study Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

16 Day Love Challenge: Chapter 1 – Patience

November 4, 2013 by

16daypatience

 

To Walk or Stay

I have a friend who is struggling with a situation in her life. The enemy is trying his best to steal, kill, and destroy all that she has. In the midst of this, God is reaching out to her and asking if she will walk in patience with Him. Will she give Him the time needed to turn this around?

We understand patience when the context is to be patient with our loved ones or others. But to be patient with God for the purpose of giving Him time to turn our situation around—this is asking a lot of a person, especially when they are looking back as a witness on the destruction of something that was once so promising.

I wonder if this post has found you in a place where God is asking you the same question: “Do you have the strength (patience) to turn to Me and let Me walk you through this?”

One of the most powerful things I have learned in my walk with God is that my trials tend to unmask my weaknesses. Once my weaknesses are revealed, I am left with a decision to make.

Will I walk away from the person and the situation or can I stand still and let God work to save my relationship?

In my pain and anger, I feel walking away would be the easy decision. After all, I have been hurt by this person and have a right to walk away. Entangled in my thoughts of leaving, I hear God’s voice softly speak to my heart.

The thing I LOVE about God is the fact that He is not demanding. He understands the hurt we have been through. He gets that our hearts can only take so much. So He gently asks us, “Will you walk away or can you stand still and wait for Me to turn your situation around?” James tells us why we should consider God’s request:

This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear,
slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man
does not achieve the righteousness of God.
James 1:19-20

Our anger (though understandable) will not achieve the righteousness God is looking for. He wants to develop Righteousness in our character and will use our trial as the vehicle to use when we are willing. Standing still means we are willing to not only be patient with Him, it says we are willing to recognize our weaknesses and walk through them -one by one.

Facing our unrighteousness can be tough. Sometimes this reveals where we are wrong in the situation. Facing ourselves means we are putting a Holy mirror in front of us. God’s Holiness reveals the areas we need to change. But God gives strength to those who are willing to be patient with Him…

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

God’s Word tells us that if we will wait on the Lord, He will renew our strength. We will mount up with wings like eagles. God spoke to my heart once again as I read this verse. Mounting up with wings is a promise to those of us who choose to walk in patience with Him to the end. The wings represent flight, or an easy flow of things. Once we overcome one of our weaknesses, the road ahead will be so much easier to navigate. Our character is strengthened and our relationship has the chance to turn around, as God is now able to use us as His vessels.

To the one who is reading this post and facing a trial of your own, I ask you the question: Will you walk or will you stand?  I pray you will choose to stand and let God turn your situation around.

* * * * * * *

Here are a few more verses to further encourage you:

And let us not lose heart in doing good,
for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.
Galatians 6:9

And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly,
encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.
1 Thessalonians 5:14

Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.
For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.
Psalms 37:7-9

Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46:10

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk
in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
showing forbearance to one another in love,
Ephesians 4:1-2

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