November 28, 2024

A Cry Answered

February 17, 2014 by

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I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.
The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, He saved me.
Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
Psalms 116:1-7

As a mother, I can only imagine the anguish that Mary must have felt as she watched her Son and Savior die on the Cross on that Easter Friday.  She was down on her knees crying and praying for a miracle.  What she probably did not realize was that she was witnessing the greatest miracle known to man.  She knew that when she gave birth to Jesus that He was destined to save mankind.  At the moment of His death and resurrection, Jesus was answering the silent cry of help from mankind.

Of course, Mary was overcome by distress and sorrow at the death of her son…just as  any mother would be.  However, I would agree that her distress and sorrow turned to joy when she realized that Jesus died for her and the rest of us so that we may live eternally with God in worship and praise.  Jesus would not stay in the anguish of the grave. He would rise from the dead three days later to seal the deal of redeeming man back to God.

Mankind had to have a way to get past sin to be with God.  The Lord showed His graciousness and mercy by shedding His own blood for His children—those who believe by faith that Jesus died on the Cross for them.  Before Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice, man had to depend on different rituals performed by the high priests for forgiveness and assurance of forgiveness.  Jesus’ death wiped this away. We only now have to believe that He died on the Cross for us to know that we are saved and to spread the word of this wonderful gift.

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your wonderful gift of eternal life by showing faith that we believe that Jesus died on the Cross for us. I no longer have to show distress or feel anguish over dying. I know that when it is time to meet You that I will be among the other believers who are waiting to see You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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The Lord Protects Me

February 16, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Then I called on the name of the Lord : “Please, Lord , save me!”
How kind the Lord is! How good He is! So merciful, this God of ours!
The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and He saved me.
Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.
Psalms 116:4-7

The Lord is my protection.

I had almost forgot.  In my busy daily routine, I’d almost forgotten this important fact.  I’ve been spending quite some time creating a comfortable and safe environment for myself.  I’ve got my group of close friends, established myself at both jobs, gotten my apartment fixed up and feeling “homey” and established comforting routines.  All factors that contribute to me feeling safe.

But things are changing too fast and I feel like my safety zones are falling apart.  I’m moving back home with my parents.  So, packing and the “un-homey” feeling in my apartment is a current task.  I’m significantly reducing my hours at one job.  I’m feeling isolated from my friends and family and, to top it all off, I’m facing a dilemma at the other job that is directly assaulting my safety zone and I feel nothing is being done to address the issue.  I no longer feel safe.

The Lord is my protection.

After relying on company policies and trying to do things, in what seemed to be, the right way; and, in my opinion, being shot down, I’ve pondered and mulled over trying to make sense of my world.  The world that I thought I’d isolated so well; that I was untouchable from the injustice of this world’s system.  Then it dawned on me: I was relying on the comforts and safety I could set up to protect me.  (I must have forgotten I am only human.)

During all of this, I’ve talked to the Lord and explained how I feel.  I’ve taken each emotion to Him.  I’ve even stared into the sky and told Him that I didn’t feel this was something I should have to deal with.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Please, Lord , save me!”  How kind the Lord is!  How good He is!
So merciful, this God of ours!  The Lord protects those of childlike faith;
I was facing death, and He saved me.  Let my soul be at rest again,
for the Lord has been good to me.
Psalms 116:4-7

The Word of God says that the Lord protects those of childlike faith.  Given my current situation I can bring nothing to the table but childlike faith—because I have nothing left.  After I paused and went to the Word, I found a Scripture that fits my situation perfectly:

Proverbs 29:25
Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Ultimately, what I’m struggling with is fear. My ‘safe’ doesn’t feel safe and I’m afraid. The fact that I already have a lot going on does not help the situation, and neither do my sleepless nights.  The fact that I feel helpless and misunderstood doesn’t help either, but God’s Word says trusting Him is safety.  And, as we know God’s Word is truth, I need to trust Him.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Lord, I am thankful that no matter what I’m going through You always have something for me in Your Word to guide me.  And although fear is threatening to paralyze me, I know that You are greater.  Thank You for watching over me, and I trust that Your understanding of these situations is far greater than mine. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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He Is Our Shield — Psalms 18:30-32

February 15, 2014 by

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As for God, His way is perfect!
The word of the Lord is tested and tried;
He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him.
For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God,
The God who girds me with strength and makes my way perfect?
Psalms 18:30-32

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Remembering My God, My Rock

February 13, 2014 by

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This God – His way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true;
He is a Shield for all those who take refuge in Him.
For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? –
the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.
Psalms 18:30-32

Soon – click!  Our suitcases will have just been thrown into the back of the car.  We’ll be zooming past restaurants and familiar buildings…lots of waiting…waiting…then, finally!  I’ll see the first glimpse of that beautiful mountain scenery rising up into the clouds, and all of the traveling will be so worth it! Oh, to finally see them again! It will look as if each one is reaching toward the heavens posed with its mighty strength and massive hard rock formations, and I’ll quickly think of my God Who made those magnificent mountains and that He alone truly is my Rock—beyond anything visible that I can see!

He has helped me when I have cried out to Him, and I can praise Him for that, much like Hannah did in her prayer after her son, Samuel, (who she desperately prayed for) was born.

There is none holy like the LORD; for there is none beside You; there is no Rock like our God.
2 Samuel 2:2

The next day, I’ll sit with a cup of coffee in one hand, my Bible in my lap, and look up toward those huge, majestic creations.  I’ll have time with God there.  Just as God was faithful in being with David in his life and he gave great thought to God being his Rock, I know it will be easy to think of God’s goodness to me over the years in that way.  I’ll remember, and be thankful. His Word has been true, and He has been by my side as my Rock.  No other god can take the place of the One True God!

I’ll ponder how any strength throughout my life was found only in Him.  And then, I’ll think of what lies ahead—perhaps some dreams that I desire to fulfill for His glory.  If they seem too big for me to attempt, that will be okay, for they are not too big for my God.  When the fears come, I’ll simply draw closer to Him, and take refuge in Him. For He will equip me with His strength with whatever comes my way.  I hope on that day, I’ll pray, read, and meditate on God’s Word for awhile, and pray again.  I’ll lay my requests, praises, and dreams at the foot of the one great Rock—my Lord!

What do you do when you look up at a mountain?  Do you remember the faithfulness and strength of God that enabled you to get where you are today?  Do you believe He is enough to carry you through whatever lies ahead?  Lay everything at the foot of the one great Rock, our Lord!  His way is perfect.  Never walk alone in this life, not when your all can be found in Him!  Walk with Him.  Follow Him where He leads.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, in the peace and quiet that each of us carves out of every day wherever we are, let us be reminded of Your all-sufficient Presence, Strength, and Faithfulness. Thank You for being our Rock and Strength.  Lead us, and continue to equip us for Your calling on each of our lives.  In Jesus’ precious Name I pray, Amen.

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His Way Is Perfect

February 11, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo
As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
Psalms 18:30-32

“Mom! its not working!”  “Guys, how are you doing it?”  As my boys proceed to tell me how they are using the way they devised (I don’t even know how they came up with this method), I chuckle to myself, knowing that it wouldn’t work, and knowing that this was going to happen.  They weren’t going to do it the way I suggested they do it because I have given birth to the most independent and stubborn boys in the world.  Who knew that lining books back into a bookshelf could be so difficult?

This isn’t new, all three of my children have the “I’m going to try it my way first,” mentality when they set out to accomplish tasks.  Many times the end result is less than what we all hoped for.  Similar situations are seen in the daily lives of most parents, even our Heavenly Father.  His children are stubborn, we like to try it our way.  He tells us or shows how to do something and we turn around and do it how we see fit, and  the outcome is always less than we hoped for.

Though my ways are far from perfect, my boys have learned that they may work  better.  But His ways are perfect, and when we follow His ways, He will shield us from the unpleasant side effects of trying our own ways first.  Thankfully God is forgiving, and we get do-overs.  He gives us chance after chance to do it His way.  Time after time, He has shown me that His Word is proven.  Time and time again He has been my Shield, my Strength, and my Rock.  He has done so even when I tried my way first…when I didn’t trust Him as I should have.  He was waiting for me, His arms outstretched, ready to show that His words rang true.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Let’s Pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, You know better than we do that we don’t always do things Your way, yet You love us regardless.  We fight, we argue, we do things how we want to.  But You are always there, arms outstretched.  Always our Shield, always our Rock, always our Strength.  Thank You.  In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.

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A Perfect Protector

February 10, 2014 by

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As for God, His way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
He shields all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except out God?
It is God who arms with strength and keeps my way secure.
Psalms 18:30-32

Perfection.  I will go ahead and say that I have tried many times to be perfect. Have I ever achieved it?  No.  I never will. I have flaws.  I was born that way.  God made me with flaws for His own reasons.  I can either take advantage of those flaws to make myself better or let those flaws bring me down.  God gives me the strength to get past these flaws.

If we let our flaws bring us down, we can take refuge in a God who understands us because He made us.  God knew us before we born.  He knit us in our mothers’ wombs; therefore, He knows every fiber of our body.  This is one way He is our Rock and Shield.  He knows where we need protection and a fighting way against the evil of the world.  He arms us with the ways to stay strong and secure in our lives.

As Psalm 18:2 says, “The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress and my Deliverer; my God is my Rock, in Whom I take refuge, my Shield and the Horn of my salvation, my Stronghold,” God delivers me from my flaws which allow me to fall into temptation and to feel down.  He arms me with the strength and tools I need through His Word—the Bible. I only have to make the choice (which I already have) to accept Jesus into my heart and to pick up the Good Book. Through this, I am armed with God’s Shield to protect myself and my loved ones from Satan, and I have a Rock to lean on in hard times.

God  does not just not only makes me feel secure…He is my security. Just like a child depends on a blanket for security, God envelops us with His loving and strong arms to protect us. We can get that same security blanket feeling if we just depend on the rock that is always giving us protection and love.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the flaws that make us what we are. We can use those to make our lives our betters if we let You show us how to deal with them. You are perfect. We are not. Your perfection is what makes You our great Protector and Father. Without you, we would be lost to the world. In Jesus name, Amen.

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The Hardest Thing About Trusting God

February 9, 2014 by

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As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:
He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.
For who is God save the LORD? or Who is a Rock save our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psalms 18:30–32

Faith is not faith as long as it is holding onto a branch.  There is a story that goes like this:

One day on a hiking trip, a man fell off the edge of a cliff and began the 800-foot drop to the bottom. He thought it was all over for him until he grabbed a tree branch which stopped his fall. Hanging on for dear life, he cried out for help, “Is anyone up there?”
There was no response. The seconds turned into minutes. The branch was sagging beneath the hiker’s weight. The tree’s roots would only take so much more strain before they gave way. When it seemed the poor hiker couldn’t hold on any longer, he heard a voice: “I am God. Do you trust Me?”
“Yes, Lord. I trust You. Can You help me, please?”
God answered, “Yes, I will help you. Just let go of the branch.”
The hiker was silent for a moment. Then he shouted back, “Is anyone else up there?”

There is perhaps nothing more difficult than releasing our grip on a “branch” we have been trusting for life, stability, and the provision of our needs.  The hardest part is not knowing how the landing will turn out.  This is what happens when we practice faith, only we are leaving the outcome of our situation in God’s hands.  We’re used to holding onto our relationships, jobs, homes, families, friends, bank accounts, retirement savings, and even our plans for the future.  But God can’t help us until we are willing to let go of these things and completely trust Him.  He knows that when we are trusting Him, we are in a place of safety.  Our branches may fail us, but His hand will never let us go.

Each of us is clinging to a branch of one kind or another.  Your branch might be your job, a relationship with a friend,  the stock market, your health, or your home.  Today God is asking you to let it go and trust Him.  You might not see how the landing will turn out, but God can.  He has promised to keep you safe.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, we thank You for the love You have for us even when we don’t trust You. Help our unbelief.  Let us trust You more and more each day, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!!

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You Are A Shield — Psalms 33:18-22

February 8, 2014 by

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Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our Help and our Shield.
For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.

Psalms 33:18-22

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A Shield of God

February 7, 2014 by

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Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Our soul waiteth for the Lord: He is our Help and our Shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His Holy name.
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee.
Psalms 33:18-33

Have you ever wanted something so bad you could taste it?  I have.  I live sandwiched in between four states that have the lottery. Oh, that temptation to gamble!  I will go ahead and admit I have bought my share of lottery tickets.  (Shame on me.)  However, I have never won.  I can already know that I never will.  My odds are probably greater of winning Publisher’s Clearing House than winning the lottery. I tell people this as the reason why I have never won and will probably never win: I fear God too much!  (And He knows that by winning the lottery I would have given into temptation and the Devil).  He is ever watching out for those who fear and love Him.  He gives them what they need and when they need it.  He never leaves us no matter what we are going through.

If we trust in God then He becomes our Shield as we traverse through life.  He looks out for us and protects us from that which could harm us.  Too many times people have come into a vast sum of money without it being an inheritance, and the money ruins their lives.  God wants us to meet Him halfway and work for what we have.  He provides for us every day.

In all circumstances take up the Shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
Ephesians 6:16

When we accept Jesus, we are shielded with this Shield of faith from God.  He shields us from all that could harm us or ruin us.  He is our Rock.  He shows us His mercy by being there for us when we most need it or are the most tempted.  I know that I have been tempted, but thanks to the Shield of faith that I have, I know that God is going to protect me from harm and bring me through the many trials and tribulations of life.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for shielding us from harm. I wear the Shield of faith every day because I know that You are there to protect me and help me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Our Part

February 6, 2014 by

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We put our hope in the Lord. He is our Help and our Shield.
Psalm 33:20

I absolutely love that God is my Help, Shield, Provider, Comforter, Banner…and the list goes on.  I love when situations seem impossible and God shows Himself mighty! I love God’s attention to detail and seeing, mostly in hindsight, how the pieces were all laid out to accomplish whatever feat God had planned.

One other thing I love, but dislike at the same time, is free will.  Odd?  Since I can remember I’ve had a fascination with how people think, and why people behave and make the decisions they do.  You know that childhood phase when “why?” is the default question to everything?  I never grew out if it.

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our Help and our Shield.

God IS our Help and Shield, but we also have a personal responsibility in our relationship with God.  My pastor says preparation is our part and victory is God’s part.  I have talked to many a women who pray and read God’s word, but who don’t take action.

What I mean is this: I can pray until I’m blue in the face for roses to grow in my front yard, but until I plant a rosebush…it’s not likely to happen.  I have to do something. We can work against God.  Might not be intentional, but we can.  Doing nothing (or if you prefer terms such as laziness, procrastination, lack of self control, simple ignorance) are all counter-productive to God’s work in our lives.

Nehemiah understood that God had a part and he had a part.  During the rebuilding of the wall, Nehemiah and the builders angered some important people!  They angered them so much that those people began plotting against them (Nehemiah 4:8). And what did they do?

…But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
Verse 9

If you read on, the enemy learns that God frustrated their plans. And from then on half the men worked and the other half were armed, standing guard.  A man part and a God part.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Lord, thank You for being my Help and my Shield. Thank You for providing me with Your Word which is wisdom for my living. You teach me daily how am I to live my life and with the right attitude. And You guide me. Continue to lead me, Lord, and show me areas where You may be waiting for action on my part. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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