November 28, 2024

Trusting God’s Word

October 31, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoOne afternoon my mom, nephew Tae, and I went swimming.  My mother spent most of the time carrying Tae.  I dunked him, and needless to say…he didn’t want me holding him.

My mom wasn’t able to enjoy swimming or floating while carrying around Tae, so she finally gave him to me—with much protest from him.  I couldn’t take it anymore!  He would sit on the steps holding the metal bar.  He did venture to stick his foot down and touch the ground, which wasn’t as far as he thought, but the water was distorting the actual distance between his feet and the ground of the pool and he kept getting scared he’d fall.

I do the same thing Tae did, but with the Word of God.  I hold on to God’s Word…the metal bar that is unmoveable…and then I get adventurous and build up the courage to actually put the Word into action, like with tithing.

Sad thing is I often can’t see the floor and, when I don’t see results fast enough, I pull back, clinging to the word of God, but afraid to put it to action because “I tried and it didn’t work.”

Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:8

Ah…trust. Trust can be hard when what our eyes see and our minds reason poinst to the impossible.  When the gap between our feet and the floor appears to be too far and we worry if we can actually reach.  This is known as doubt.  Our tangible factual conclusion can poke holes in our faith; after all, we are tangible beings.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

We live by faith not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7

We as Christians are called to live by the Word of God, not with our eyes or own understandings.  We are to operate with THE TRUTH—”… the Word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all he does” (Psalm 33:4).

And I am always honest with God about my doubts. He alone can provide the assurance I need to truly replace my doubts.

As for Tae…I took him to the other side of the pool, grabbed hold of his foot and pushed it down, with resistance and a little screaming, all the way to the floor of the pool. Once he realized his foot was on the ground he let go of me and started walking around in the shallow end.

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord, for Your Living Word.  Thank You for those people who You place in my life to encourage me.  Thank You for those timely words that push me forward!  And help me to trust You more than the tangible world around me.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

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He Is

October 30, 2013 by

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If there is the possibility that something could shatter my world, I refuse to dwell on “What if?” when I know God wants me to focus on “He is!” instead.  I always need to find rest and peace in Him because He IS my lasting Hope.  He IS fully able to meet my every need.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalms 62:5-6

Can you join me in coming to these verses when things in your world seem uncertain?

Perhaps there’s  someone you love and you’ve kissed him good-bye.  He walks toward the plane wearing camouflage, and you don’t know when you will see him again.  He will serve in a battle zone half away across the world.  You are home, and he is not.  In a weak moment your mind wants to wonder, “What will I do? What if…?”  You know his boots pound the dusty ground to carry out the mission before him every single day, and you never know how each day will end. You have a choice.  Do not be consumed with “What if?” each day, but cling to “He IS!”

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my Hope comes from Him.
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62:5-6

Maybe you have been very sick lately; you are exhausted.  Pain overwhelms you at times, and the doctor has ordered tests.  It’s the day when you’re to get the results.  The day seems longer than usual.  Waiting…waiting…then, finally the phone rings…

You have a choice. It’s not about “What if?” rather cling to, “He IS!”

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my Rock, and my Salvation; He is my Fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62:5-6

Are you wondering if you or your spouse will be let go at work?  Your boss calls you into his office. As you sit down, your boss looks at you to speak.  Where will your heart and mind carry you? You have a choice.  It’s not about “What if?” but “He IS!”   Have faith in God because “He IS!” able to help you through each day.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my Rock, and my Salvation; He is my Fortress, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62:5-6

The temporary outcomes have no contest against the ultimate outcome that is to come! God is faithful!  It’s not about the “What if?” that wants to strike fear in us, but it is all about the One Who is there to sustain us because He is the ultimate answer to all of our problems…to carry us…to give us an everlasting Hope! He is God at all times for He has always been, HE IS, and He will always be! In Him, there is a final victory! Let us cast our eyes on Him alone for HE IS our wonderful and great God always! And oh, how wonderful that glorious day will be when He comes again!!!

I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God,
who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 1:8

* * * * *

Thank You, dear Lord, for being our Hope, our Rock, our Salvation, our Fortress! Because of You, we will not be shaken! We trust You, praise You, and thank You for sustaining us in ALL times-but especially in uncertain and difficult times!  You love us, and  we love You.  You are our Alpha and our Omega.  Our everything rests in You…that is enough.  We will not be shaken! Everything is in Your hands.  Let us come to You often, pouring out our hearts in prayers and leaving everything at Your Feet!  In Jesus’ precious Name, we pray.

Amen.

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God Is Our Rock

October 29, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoTruly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.  He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.
Psalm 62:1-2

We are going through a trying time right now.  It is so trying that I have made myself physically incapacitated to the point where there are some days (the days I worry too much) that I can barely function.  I know that I need to leave this trying time in God’s hands, but being human, that is hard to do.  I have always tried to control anything that I do…including flying on an airplane.  My dear husband got me on a plane in April.  I loved the thrill of flying, but I was still scared that something could happen.  I often feel as if I can prevent something from happening if I am the one in the driver’s seat.

Yet, I know in my heart and in my brain that God is in control.  He is my Rock. He is my Shield. There have been times that I have not prayed about the situation, and then it seems like it gets worse. I pray about it, and it seems like the situation is getting better. I need to constantly put this problem in God’s hands, but being human that is hard.

When we accept God’s salvation, we put on the Shield of God. God becomes our Defender, our Provider, and our Rock.  He moves with us.  He is in the passenger seat when you are driving down the highway at 85 mph or when you are enjoying a nice sunset on the beach.  God is with you no matter where you are.

As we move on in our trying time, I need to silently listen for God’s word.  I know that eventually He will answer my prayer about getting to the end of this.  (It may take a few years to do it, but the end will come.)  I am going to have to be patient and let God lead.  God’s leadership and love is what should get us through anything—no matter how big or small.

* * * * *

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for Your salvation and being our Rock. Without You, we would not be able to stand strong in any trying time. Without You, we would fall and not be able to get back up. Thank You for being our Rock and Salvation. Thank You for defending us against evil.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Divine Protection

October 28, 2013 by

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Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my salvation.
He only is my Rock and my Salvation;
He is my Defense; I shall not be greatly moved…
Psalm 62: 1-2

Let me take you back to Exodus 33….

It came to pass when Moses entered went out into the tabernacle
the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle
and the Lord talked with Moses.
Verse 9 KJV

(I strongly urge you to read through the conversation between God and Moses). My concentration is on THE ROCK and SALVATION.  What is the type of Rock and Salvation being talked here?  If we combine Psalm 62 and Exodus 33, it equals Isaiah 53.

In Exodus 33 God was telling Moses that He would put Moses under a cleft (the back and the sides of the hands but the front God will cover with the arm). Let us imagine—how big is the arm of God?  Who is this Arm?  Isaiah 53 explains the Arm of God…it is JESUS.

So as long as we are in Christ Jesus we will be covered.  He is the solid Rock—nothing can harm us.  We are protected. He is our salvation.  He died for our sins only to be served when He rose again for it was for our righteousness.  Death alone was for our salvation; if He had not risen, then there would have been no righteousness being imputed for us.  He rose for our righteousness.  We should count ourselves blessed for the Blood that was shed was for our good.  We should be thanking God for His love for us. Today we walk freely for Someone paid the price and saved us; and we are defended at all angles.

Look back and think how many times we can say the Rock covered us. I see many prayer requests (and praises thereafter) in the GCH Fellowship group.  Who takes us through those times?  It is this Arm and Rock!  Let us embrace this Arm with all our hearts.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father but only through Him.  That is why in Exodus 33 when Moses was insisting that he wanted to see God face to face, God told him that he could not see God; that He would put Moses in a Rock (Jesus) and cover him with His Arm (same Jesus) and that He would pass by Moses and he would only see God’s back. God was protecting Moses since once Moses had seen His face he could have died for no one has ever seen the face of God.  That is why God said to Moses “you will be covered by the rock at your back and in front there will be my arm.”  We are at liberty to interact with Jesus for Him to cover and protect us completely and all around — 360 degrees.

* * * * *

Father God, we thank You for Your goodness and mercy that follows us all the days of our lives. We appreciate Your presence in our lives—the Rock and the Arm that saved us from all un-righteousness.  In Jesus name, I pray. Amen

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Praise Then, Now and Forever

October 25, 2013 by

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O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!
Psalm 118:1

You are my God, and I will confess, praise, and give thanks to You;
You are my God, I will extol You.
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever.
Verses 28 and 29

Don’t you just love that the psalmist begins and ends this beautiful psalm with the very same words?  And such wonderful words!  Are they not similar to words that you and I use when we are praising our Great God?  In just a cursory overview with a concordance, I found over fifteen Scriptures with identical wording.  In fact, Psalm 107 uses this phrasing of praise in five separate verses.

The Almighty God is so deserving of every single praise that has ever been uttered since time began…and He will be praised by men and angels throughout eternity.

Way back, Melchizedek the high priest blessed Abram and  praised God saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
And praise be to God Most High, Who delivered your enemies into your hand.”
Genesis 14:19 and 20

And in the endtimes, The Almighty God, The Great I AM along with the spotless Lamb of God will be praised and worshipped continually and throughout eternity.

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth
and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
Revelation 5:13

Think about your own prayers and praises—particularly those that spontaneously come out of a  thankful heart.  What do you find you praise God for over…and over…and over again?  Perhaps you might share it in the comments section below.  I look forward to praising our Great God along with you!

* * * * *

Dear Lord, my heart echoes the words of the psalmist…and I give thanks and praise to You for You are SO good; Your mercy and loving-kindness will endure forever and ever and ever!  Amen.

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His Word Guides

October 24, 2013 by

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I have a little boy in my class who loves to do puzzles and solve problems. Whenever he gets to problem solving—whether it be taking a lid off a jar or putting on his shoes—I like to watch him.

On this particular day, he was attempting to put together one of the harder puzzles.  From the start, I knew he was going to have a problem.  He dumped the four puzzle pieces on the floor, laid the puzzle base down upside down and then turned all the puzzle pieces right side up.

I watched as he tried to lay the pieces in the puzzle.  At first he was fine, but about the third try at  placing the same piece in the spot it should have gone, his face started to turn red.

“If you turn the puzzle the right way, your pieces will fit,” I advised him.  He stared at me. “Look, the puzzle on the floor is upside down. Turn it.”  He replied, “No!” And continued to try and fit the pieces into the puzzle. Not long after his red face had turned into a crying red face. (I had since moved on to other things.)  I spoke to him and said, “When you would like my help, let me know.”  He replied with some angry jibberish and slammed pieces down…whining and fighting even more with the puzzle.

About 10 minutes later he approached me. “Ahmee!” (He looked pitiful.) He held the puzzle in his hands. So, I asked if he wanted help; and he said, “Yes.”

In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free.
Psalm 118:5

Sometimes we trap ourselves in the problems that come our way. Pay attention to this verse…it says, “In my anguish I cried to the Lord….”  Notice, it doesn’t say, “I whined to my friends, or I complained endlessly.”

The Lord is our Helper and, when we call to Him, He helps us.  Thing is: you have to call!  Just as my little boy had to come to me for help after he turned down my assistance, I believe that God tries to help us with His Word, but if we don’t read it, how will we know?

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
Psalm 118:8

There is nothing wrong with seeking wise counsel. In fact, your wise counsel should point you to the Word of God!  Just remember, “You can make many plans but the Lord’s purpose will prevail” (Proverbs 19:21).

So, try to figure it out alone if you want. Be stubborn, but ultimately you are going to end where you should have started—The Word of God.

* * * * *

Thank You, Lord, that Your guidance is always readily available to us.  Your timing is perfect and Your Word is precious.  In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

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Rejoice Over God’s Plan

October 23, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoI saw the American flag hanging as a backdrop…Congressmen were moving within the chamber as white papers were being passed between them…something important was happening.

As I sit here this evening, the news channel shows Congress is voting about a big decision that will affect our county. It’s appropriate that the volume is turned way down. The decisions happening in Washington, D.C. need to fade in this moment.

I am aware that difficulties are on the horizon—if not soon, then, in the not-so-distant future. I need to be aware, to care, and to be in prayer. But the leaders of this world will not solve the problems of this world.

As beautiful and as massive as the White House and the Capitol buildings are, and as powerful as the people who live and work in them may seem, they cannot save us.

But I know of One who saves. And to Him I am grateful. His name is Jesus.

The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;
the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms 118: 22-24

When Jesus came to earth, He was rejected and crucified. He died in our place for our sins and rose to live again, so that we love and serve a risen Savior! He became the Capstone for us, and He is the only One who can truly lead us, save us, and help us!

When Christ was killed, even those closest to Him did not understand at first. But they soon came to realize that it was all part of God’s Plan! What seemed only to be evil at first came to be understood as a beautiful, loving, and sacrificial gift of God giving His Son to save the world.

So, we rejoice over what God did through his Son, Jesus.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
into this grace in which we now stand.
And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2

And even though the future may hold many unknowns, I know God has ultimate victory, and I choose to put my trust in Him. Let’s take one day at a time. Dark days will come, and we don’t know how many days each of us have, so let’s make the most of what is given to us. How do we respond to an unknown future? Let’s strengthen our faith and be found trusting God’s plans for us.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6

I close with this:

On my TV screen, the Capitol is lit up in the dark skies…pretty scene….

In our lives, let our hearts be lit up with the love of Jesus in a dark world…more important scenes….

* * * * *

Dear Lord, let us be thankful that You sent Your Son to die for our sins and to become the Capstone!  We rejoice over Your Plan of salvation for us!  We love You, and let us each day remember what all You have done and rejoice and be glad in it!  In Jesus’ precious Name.

Amen.

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Thanksgiving

October 22, 2013 by

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O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: because His mercy endureth forever.
I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place.
Psalm 118:5

We are about to enter that ever-so-busy and often hectic season—the holiday season.  It is hard to believe that the holiday season is already back.  It seems like we just rung in the New Year. Yet, here we are again.  Life goes on.  Now back to the holiday season.  In our family you could pretty much say that the holiday season starts for us at Halloween, even though it is a holiday.  There is one major important holiday between Halloween and Christmas that is possibly losing its footing in this modern era—Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is the time to give thanks to the Lord for the many blessings that He has given us through the year and throughout our lives.  The Pilgrims started the holiday for this very reason. They were thankful that the Lord had brought them across the Atlantic Ocean safely.  They were thankful for the blessings that the Lord had given.  They were thankful for the mercy the Lord showed them in helping them survive that first year in their new land.

Noah did something similar when he left the ark:

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal
and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 8:20

 Noah gave thanks to the Lord for choosing him and his family to survive the great flood that covered the earth and caused massive destruction. He gives thanks by building the altar and sacrificing (which was the norm in Noah’s time) animals to the Lord.  The Lord saw this, and He decided not to destroy the earth with water again.  He blessed Noah and his family from then on.

Just as Noah and the Pilgrims gave thanks to God for their survival and their provisions, we should, too.  We should not just observe it in November, but we should give thanks every day for the blessings that God has given us.  Being thankful for God’s love and standing with Him will bring us many blessing through our lives.

*****

 Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your blessings.  Thank You for giving us the life we have. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to bring us back to You.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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Walking Fear Free

October 21, 2013 by

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The Lord is with me I will not be afraid what can man do to me?
The Lord is with me He is my Helper I will look in triumph on my enemies.
Psalms 118: 6-7

So numerous are the types of fear that assail us that volumes would have to be written to name them.  Daily we are subject to feelings and emotions that are both positive and negative.  It is imperative that a fear in our life be acknowledged and dealt with.  If not, no matter how diligently we endeavor to walk with God, we will be troubled again and again by a concealed enemy at work in the soul.  But those who take refuge in the Lord are assured that He is with them to give help and strength.

In Joshua 1:9 the Bible says “Have I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  We have an assurance in the Lord that He will help us to triumph.  Trusting in the Lord is the surest thing we can have.  In Jeremiah 1:8 the Bible also says “Do not be afraid of them for I am with you and will rescue you declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah was only a youth at the time of his call; he experienced intense anxiety and fear at the awesome thought of speaking the Word of the Lord to the elders of Judah.

If you will surrender your life to Jesus Christ and live for Him; if you will take up your spiritual weapons and begin launching them against the fears that grip you; if you will persevere in faith, believing that the Spirit of God is working with you to bring freedom—you will discover fears leaving you and a whole new dimension of life opening before you.  You will indeed experience the reality of walking in fear free.

* * * * *

Father, we thank You,  we bless you, for You are the great God—the Great I AM.  We acknowledge Your love for us.  We embrace Your help to us whenever we face adversaries.  This is love that we can appreciate and sing praises for.  Be praised and be magnified, Lord!  In Jesus Name, I pray.

Amen

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Shepherd, Carry Me

October 18, 2013 by

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The Lord is the strength of His people, a Fortress of salvation for His anointed one. Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; be their Shepherd and carry them forever.
Psalms 28:8 and 9

Throughout the 28th Psalm, there are such vibrant pictures—an allegory—painted with words by David, the psalmist.

He portrays Almighty God as his Rock, Strength, Shield, Refuge, and as Shepherd.  As I have meditated on this psalm, I have been drawn to my God, being comforted by all these powerful attributes of my God.  But it is this final attribute, that of Shepherd (in verse 9), that pulls my heart in close to Him. It tells of tenderness, and love, and gentleness.

Typically we think of a person who shepherds sheep as one who tends, guards, feeds, leads, protects, guides, governs, and provides for the sheep.  But to an even greater degree, our God does likewise for His people.  So many times, especially here in the Book of Psalms, David calls  God “Shepherd.”  Now David, of all people, understood what a shepherd does!  When Samuel was led to David’s family to choose the king, David, the youngest, was out shepherding the sheep.

The Lord said to Samuel…I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite.  For I have provided for Myself a king among his sons…and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.
Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen any of these.  Then he said to Jesse, Are all your sons here?  Jesse said, There is yet the youngest; he is tending the sheep. Samuel said to Jesse, Send for him; for we will not sit down to eat until he is here.  Jesse sent and brought him. David had a healthy reddish complexion and beautiful eyes, and was fine-looking. The Lord said to Samuel, Arise, anoint him; this is he.

1 Samuel 16:1-3, 10-12

David, having been the shepherd (lowercase ‘s’) understood in his relationship with Almighty God the awesome ways that God cared for Him—that God was his Shepherd (capital ‘S’).  Perhaps we can each take time today to think about how we are shepherded by Almighty God, our Father.

* * * * *

Lord, You are the Shepherd of our souls!  You truly have always fed, and guided, and provided, and led, and carried us.  Help us to always recognize Your call!  We praise You and thank You for carrying us when we cannot seem to go one step more, when we have no strength of our own left, when we don’t know which way to go.  May we rest in Your arms, Faithful Father!  Amen.

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