“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.” Revelation 19:11
This verse has never been brought to life as it was yesterday morning. As I wrote in my last blog, I was a defeated foe in my personal battle of my circumstances. Emotionally, I lay on the ground suffering wounds, battered and bruised. I felt emotional death and my faith had temporarily lost its pulse. I was crying out Psalm 42, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night…” I was getting ready to declare defeat when out of nowhere I felt the pulse of God showing life where I thought death had consumed me.
God opened up His marvelous storehouse of resurrection and restoration. He rode in on a remarkable sweep of solutions that would breathe life in my situation and restore my faith. He was not only faithful in resolution but true in spirit. He removed all bitterness and anger that accompanied my battle – ‘The rider whose name is Faithful and True.’
He knows when our faith is not enough and requires His faith to encircle ours. He knows when we have lost hope for a hero and cannot bear one more thing in our own strength. He can sense the raising of our white flags when we can no longer see through the mire of our circumstances. And now all I can do is praise Him through the words of David:
“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40:2
I must say that my new song is one for which I can be proud. Praising Him instead of singing the blues is such a sweeter sound.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Search and Rescue
“…and recovery of sight for the blind.” Luke 4:18
I know that I just used this verse the day before yesterday but I am need of recovery of sight for the blind. I need God to remind me of all of the blessings I have since I am only feeling the negative in my life right now. We have to put our true feelings out there if we are in hopes of restoration and recovery.
I am on a major search and rescue project this morning as I remind myself of everything for which I have that others may not. I am searching for peace and a return to my former life along with sight of how blessed I am. Over the past few days I have been blinded to all that God has done for me and continues to do. It is times like this that Satan comes in for the kill. He sees that we are hungry for something different, angry at our circumstances, lonely in our emotions and tired in our physical bodies. Charles Stanley calls this H.A.L.T.(hungry, angry, lonely, tired)
Situations creating these emotions are when we are most vulnerable to Satan and his tactics. H.A.L.T. is the time when we must get on bended knees, totally surrender our situation and allow God to rescue us from ourselves. Through our surrender He will place a band of protection around us as we walk through the fire. I told God that I was desperate for His word today and to please show me something, anything! I decided to read the morning blog from two days ago.
My blogs are never planned ahead as I post at the end of my time of morning study and prayer. I know these are inspired by God and I usually have trouble remembering the subject for which I wrote that very morning. I assume the reason is because I didn’t come up with these writings but am simply transcribing thoughts and words through the inspiration and leadings of the Holy Spirit.
I asked myself this morning, ‘Why is it that in remembering all the good I possess, the bad seems so all-consuming?’ Then I read my answer in the morning blog from two days ago. “Satan does an extremely convincing job blinding us during our fiery trials, enveloping us with the smoke of loneliness and helplessness. He veils what is good in our lives and highlights the bad. The above phrase ‘recovery of sight for the blind’ indicates that sight was once there but had been removed. When walking through our fires we must believe that anything that was removed will be restored and recovered through the grace of God. He will always take the remnants of our fires and rebuild with the elements that support His purpose for our lives.”
As I H.A.L.T. this morning, I will praise my Savior that He is in charge of my search and rescue mission. Thank you Father to supplying everything I need when my supplies run out.
I know that I just used this verse the day before yesterday but I am need of recovery of sight for the blind. I need God to remind me of all of the blessings I have since I am only feeling the negative in my life right now. We have to put our true feelings out there if we are in hopes of restoration and recovery.
I am on a major search and rescue project this morning as I remind myself of everything for which I have that others may not. I am searching for peace and a return to my former life along with sight of how blessed I am. Over the past few days I have been blinded to all that God has done for me and continues to do. It is times like this that Satan comes in for the kill. He sees that we are hungry for something different, angry at our circumstances, lonely in our emotions and tired in our physical bodies. Charles Stanley calls this H.A.L.T.(hungry, angry, lonely, tired)
Situations creating these emotions are when we are most vulnerable to Satan and his tactics. H.A.L.T. is the time when we must get on bended knees, totally surrender our situation and allow God to rescue us from ourselves. Through our surrender He will place a band of protection around us as we walk through the fire. I told God that I was desperate for His word today and to please show me something, anything! I decided to read the morning blog from two days ago.
My blogs are never planned ahead as I post at the end of my time of morning study and prayer. I know these are inspired by God and I usually have trouble remembering the subject for which I wrote that very morning. I assume the reason is because I didn’t come up with these writings but am simply transcribing thoughts and words through the inspiration and leadings of the Holy Spirit.
I asked myself this morning, ‘Why is it that in remembering all the good I possess, the bad seems so all-consuming?’ Then I read my answer in the morning blog from two days ago. “Satan does an extremely convincing job blinding us during our fiery trials, enveloping us with the smoke of loneliness and helplessness. He veils what is good in our lives and highlights the bad. The above phrase ‘recovery of sight for the blind’ indicates that sight was once there but had been removed. When walking through our fires we must believe that anything that was removed will be restored and recovered through the grace of God. He will always take the remnants of our fires and rebuild with the elements that support His purpose for our lives.”
As I H.A.L.T. this morning, I will praise my Savior that He is in charge of my search and rescue mission. Thank you Father to supplying everything I need when my supplies run out.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Prone To Wander...
“Prone to wander… Lord I feel it …prone to leave …the God I love
Here's my heart Lord… take and seal it… seal it for… Thy courts above”
This song was played at my church yesterday in the contemporary version. I was reminded of when I would walk through the doors as a young girl and hear this old hymn. I sang this song out of the book many Sundays but they were just words upon my lips. This song, Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King, is a prophetic statement for all of us.
The word prone means ‘inclined to do or be affected by something, in downward direction, sloping, leaning or moving downward.’ When living our lives with a complacent attitude we can be assured that we are living life on the slope leaning downward opposed to reaching for the upward. Notice in the song that it is our nature to wander, to linger on the slope which may lead to exiting our fellowship with God. He doesn’t go anywhere but we do based on the absence of focus on God in our lives.
The word fount means ‘One that initiates or dispenses, the source’. Our hearts can only be restored by calling out for our Fount, our King, the source of our lives. Only through our surrender to Christ can he take possession of our hearts, protect it from the slopes and seal it for His purpose.
If we are not living our lives with intentional fellowship with Christ we will be affected by this world which will always pull us in the downward direction. Only through God’s source are we able to focus on His heavenly courts and live a life apart from the slopes.
May we sing this hymn today as ‘Prone to love Him…prone to serve Him… prone to love the God within’
Here's my heart Lord… take and seal it… seal it for… Thy courts above”
This song was played at my church yesterday in the contemporary version. I was reminded of when I would walk through the doors as a young girl and hear this old hymn. I sang this song out of the book many Sundays but they were just words upon my lips. This song, Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King, is a prophetic statement for all of us.
The word prone means ‘inclined to do or be affected by something, in downward direction, sloping, leaning or moving downward.’ When living our lives with a complacent attitude we can be assured that we are living life on the slope leaning downward opposed to reaching for the upward. Notice in the song that it is our nature to wander, to linger on the slope which may lead to exiting our fellowship with God. He doesn’t go anywhere but we do based on the absence of focus on God in our lives.
The word fount means ‘One that initiates or dispenses, the source’. Our hearts can only be restored by calling out for our Fount, our King, the source of our lives. Only through our surrender to Christ can he take possession of our hearts, protect it from the slopes and seal it for His purpose.
If we are not living our lives with intentional fellowship with Christ we will be affected by this world which will always pull us in the downward direction. Only through God’s source are we able to focus on His heavenly courts and live a life apart from the slopes.
May we sing this hymn today as ‘Prone to love Him…prone to serve Him… prone to love the God within’
Saturday, June 5, 2010
I Am...
“He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind.” Luke 4:18
This was yet another element of the job description of Jesus as He preached in the synagogues. The word ‘blind’ is translated as ‘to envelop with smoke, to be unable to see clearly’. In 2 Co. 4:4 it is stated, ‘The god of this age has blinded the mind of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.’ This verse refers to the blindness belonging to the unbeliever but we may experience our own blindness as believers thanks to Satan.
Satan does an extremely convincing job blinding us during our fiery trials, enveloping us with the smoke of loneliness and helplessness. He veils what is good in our lives and highlights the bad. The above phrase ‘recovery of sight for the blind’ indicates that sight was once there but had been removed. When walking through our fires we must believe that anything that was removed will be restored and recovered through the grace of God. He will always take the remnants of our fires and rebuild with the elements that support His purpose for our lives.
His promise states ‘When you walk through the fire, you will be not burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Isaiah 43:2-3 God identifies Himself among other descriptions as our Savior. He will save us when facing dark times and He will remove any smoke with promises and truth.
Any fire we encounter certainly has the potential to burn but we are promised that we will not be burned with permanent scars. We may temporarily feel the scorching heat and inhale the suffocating smoke but the great I AM is walking in the fire with us.
“For I AM…”
This was yet another element of the job description of Jesus as He preached in the synagogues. The word ‘blind’ is translated as ‘to envelop with smoke, to be unable to see clearly’. In 2 Co. 4:4 it is stated, ‘The god of this age has blinded the mind of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.’ This verse refers to the blindness belonging to the unbeliever but we may experience our own blindness as believers thanks to Satan.
Satan does an extremely convincing job blinding us during our fiery trials, enveloping us with the smoke of loneliness and helplessness. He veils what is good in our lives and highlights the bad. The above phrase ‘recovery of sight for the blind’ indicates that sight was once there but had been removed. When walking through our fires we must believe that anything that was removed will be restored and recovered through the grace of God. He will always take the remnants of our fires and rebuild with the elements that support His purpose for our lives.
His promise states ‘When you walk through the fire, you will be not burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Isaiah 43:2-3 God identifies Himself among other descriptions as our Savior. He will save us when facing dark times and He will remove any smoke with promises and truth.
Any fire we encounter certainly has the potential to burn but we are promised that we will not be burned with permanent scars. We may temporarily feel the scorching heat and inhale the suffocating smoke but the great I AM is walking in the fire with us.
“For I AM…”
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Alms For The Poor...
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.” Luke 4:18.
As many of you are aware, my father-in-law who suffers with Alzheimer’s, lives with me and my husband. His goal for each day is to be a comedian beckoning laughs from anyone he comes upon. He consistently and continuously makes the same jokes, walks the same funny way to get a laugh and makes the same silly faces – all before 8:00 am each morning. One of the things I am greeted with daily is his plea for “alms for the poor.” He cups his precious aging hands and approaches as he tries to remember those words to receive a laugh.
Jesus stood before the congregation and read this verse as fulfillment of God’s prophesy. The word ‘poor’ is translated in Greek as 'indicating utter helplessness, complete destitution, afflicted, distressed subsisting on the alms of others.' The definition of subsist is ‘managing to live, maintaining somebody or something and reside in or consist of a particular thing.’ This translation together assumes the belief the ability to live is dependent on someone outside of ourselves.
We are the kept people of an all supplying God! I cannot imagine any better news than what Jesus was offering then and still offers through being our Savior. My grandmother would always lift her arms when worshipping to God and similarly I worship with palms up to heaven. It dawned on me this morning that as we worship in our own unique ways we are saying to God ‘alms for the poor’. Through our prayers we are cupping our little hands not for laughs but for life! Apart from God we are poor in provision and empty in spirit. Our little tin cups echo the few coins we drop in there highlighting the fact that so much more is missing. Only God can fill our cups and supply everything missing in our lives.
I praise God this morning for His mighty provisions managing my life, maintaining my walk and providing a spiritual home in which I reside.
As many of you are aware, my father-in-law who suffers with Alzheimer’s, lives with me and my husband. His goal for each day is to be a comedian beckoning laughs from anyone he comes upon. He consistently and continuously makes the same jokes, walks the same funny way to get a laugh and makes the same silly faces – all before 8:00 am each morning. One of the things I am greeted with daily is his plea for “alms for the poor.” He cups his precious aging hands and approaches as he tries to remember those words to receive a laugh.
Jesus stood before the congregation and read this verse as fulfillment of God’s prophesy. The word ‘poor’ is translated in Greek as 'indicating utter helplessness, complete destitution, afflicted, distressed subsisting on the alms of others.' The definition of subsist is ‘managing to live, maintaining somebody or something and reside in or consist of a particular thing.’ This translation together assumes the belief the ability to live is dependent on someone outside of ourselves.
We are the kept people of an all supplying God! I cannot imagine any better news than what Jesus was offering then and still offers through being our Savior. My grandmother would always lift her arms when worshipping to God and similarly I worship with palms up to heaven. It dawned on me this morning that as we worship in our own unique ways we are saying to God ‘alms for the poor’. Through our prayers we are cupping our little hands not for laughs but for life! Apart from God we are poor in provision and empty in spirit. Our little tin cups echo the few coins we drop in there highlighting the fact that so much more is missing. Only God can fill our cups and supply everything missing in our lives.
I praise God this morning for His mighty provisions managing my life, maintaining my walk and providing a spiritual home in which I reside.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Like Jesus...
“Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit…was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil…The devil said to him, ‘If you...’ The devil led him up…showed him…and said to him ‘So if you…’ The devil led him…and had him stand…and said to him… ‘If you…’ When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” Luke 4:1-13
It looks like the devil uses the same tricks on us that he used on the Savior of the world during His walk on earth. As soon as Jesus was baptized He was led by the Holy Spirit to enter the desert for a season. There has been much written regarding the intent of this intense temptation. Jesus was going to be presented to the world as the Incarnate Son of God and Savior of the world. He would be put to the test daily and the desert provided a backdrop of intense temptation which provided Him the opportunity to stand firm in God’s will and steadfast in His mind. It is no doubt that this was a foreshadowing of our walk on this earth.
His baptism was immediately followed with the season of intense temptation and desert dwelling. This supports what 1 Peter 2:20-21 states, ‘But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.’
Like Jesus, we will enter the desert in seasons of life and will be tempted to the greatest intensity. Satan is well aware of our appetites in sin and will use the very lures that have worked in the past. We will enter the desert so we better be prepared. We had better use the example of Christ and determine certain truths before we enter into the dark times. Christ focused through fasting from the first day He was in the desert. He used the words of God instead of His own when facing his adversary. He stood firm in His faith in God’s promises. He was clear on what God says about every subject for which Satan hurled. Christ passed with flying colors so we should use the same standard for which we live our lives. When we face the darkness, and we will, we will use the Sword of the Word and allow God to lead our paths through the desert. Satan will take us on detours that lead to waterless holes, rocky terrain and false promises.
Satan does some of his best work when we are in the desert but so does God. I choose God!
It looks like the devil uses the same tricks on us that he used on the Savior of the world during His walk on earth. As soon as Jesus was baptized He was led by the Holy Spirit to enter the desert for a season. There has been much written regarding the intent of this intense temptation. Jesus was going to be presented to the world as the Incarnate Son of God and Savior of the world. He would be put to the test daily and the desert provided a backdrop of intense temptation which provided Him the opportunity to stand firm in God’s will and steadfast in His mind. It is no doubt that this was a foreshadowing of our walk on this earth.
His baptism was immediately followed with the season of intense temptation and desert dwelling. This supports what 1 Peter 2:20-21 states, ‘But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.’
Like Jesus, we will enter the desert in seasons of life and will be tempted to the greatest intensity. Satan is well aware of our appetites in sin and will use the very lures that have worked in the past. We will enter the desert so we better be prepared. We had better use the example of Christ and determine certain truths before we enter into the dark times. Christ focused through fasting from the first day He was in the desert. He used the words of God instead of His own when facing his adversary. He stood firm in His faith in God’s promises. He was clear on what God says about every subject for which Satan hurled. Christ passed with flying colors so we should use the same standard for which we live our lives. When we face the darkness, and we will, we will use the Sword of the Word and allow God to lead our paths through the desert. Satan will take us on detours that lead to waterless holes, rocky terrain and false promises.
Satan does some of his best work when we are in the desert but so does God. I choose God!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Going Before Us
“…for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 52:12
With this verse being so short in length it is so long is meaning. God’s ultimate goal for us is to be in constant fellowship with Him and accomplish the purpose for which we were created for the Kingdom. Our births were no accident and our lives are to be lived with purpose. God understood and knew in advance that man would not be able to live holy so He sent His Son to go before us and do the work for which we were unable. It is only through the sacrificial death of Christ that we are able to live.
‘Going before us’ also was demonstrated in His prayers. Jesus Christ was the ultimate example of a prayer warrior in intercessory prayer. He went before us and from the suffering on the cross He still interceded for sinners. The translation for made intercession expresses a work begun, but not yet finished. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:44. He went before us physically and now goes before us spiritually. He sits next to the Father and continuously asks for the forgiveness of all of us. Through His intercession and the Father’s love and willingness to forgive, God never leaves us. He always comes behind Christ’s petition for us and follows up with love and forgiveness.
It is through the first part of this verse that we have the guarantee of the second.
With this verse being so short in length it is so long is meaning. God’s ultimate goal for us is to be in constant fellowship with Him and accomplish the purpose for which we were created for the Kingdom. Our births were no accident and our lives are to be lived with purpose. God understood and knew in advance that man would not be able to live holy so He sent His Son to go before us and do the work for which we were unable. It is only through the sacrificial death of Christ that we are able to live.
‘Going before us’ also was demonstrated in His prayers. Jesus Christ was the ultimate example of a prayer warrior in intercessory prayer. He went before us and from the suffering on the cross He still interceded for sinners. The translation for made intercession expresses a work begun, but not yet finished. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:44. He went before us physically and now goes before us spiritually. He sits next to the Father and continuously asks for the forgiveness of all of us. Through His intercession and the Father’s love and willingness to forgive, God never leaves us. He always comes behind Christ’s petition for us and follows up with love and forgiveness.
It is through the first part of this verse that we have the guarantee of the second.
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