Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Strengthening Faith

For a while now I have known that to become "Deeply Rooted and Unshakeable" you have to go through things.  How else can your faith be strengthened?  So...when life happens I can let those things effect me in one of two ways.  Feel sorry for myself and become unsettled and tossed about or...dig deeper into the Lord so my faith can grow.

When I found out I was going to have back surgery I was a little less than thrilled but I knew it was what needed to be done.  There were many thoughts that passed through my mind about the whole process but the one that quickly took the forefront was...this is an opportunity to spend more time with the Lord.  My intention was to spend time reading His Word and maybe a book or two that I have.  So far that's not how it's been going.  I have read a few verses but mostly it's been lots of praise and worship music and just talking with Him...and that has been good!  Being able to focus on reading hasn't really happened for me but on Saturday I really felt I needed to read some scripture.  So I simply said...Jesus please give me a scripture to read that will help me right now...1 Peter came to mind immediately.  So I got my bible and begin to read.  When I read verses 6 - 7 I knew that's what He wanted me to see...

1 Peter 1:6-7

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Saturday just seemed to be a day that the Lord was using to let me know that my quest for "Deeply Rooted and Unshakeable" faith  was the road I need to be on.  I just happened to receive a surprise in the mail that same day...one of my favorite poems.  A wall hanging with the poem by Bonnie Mohr...

Our faith must be Deeply Rooted and Unshakeable.
I will rely on Your unfailing Love.  Your Roots hold me to Your steadfast Foundation, strengthening and overflowing me with thankfulness.  I will stand firm in Your Word and truth for it reaches to the Heavens. 

The Lord never ceases to amaze me how He uses different ways to speak to us.  Through His Word...special friends...music...and the life situations that we find ourselves in.  Each day since this journey started He has spoken to me in many ways.  As He leads...I will share.


till we see JESUS...face to face













Monday, April 29, 2013

Victory

dark flows in
light flows out
where do you go
just flail about
seemingly vague
clouds settle in
raindrops are falling
on your world again
filled with despair
hopeless abounds
pain in the path
fear wins out
thinking is muddled
sickness abounds
turmoil within
fogginess without
what do you do
when all settles in
at every turn
you just can't win
run to the cross
fall on your knees
face to the ground
tears flowing free
shouts you send up
Gods breath you feel
warmth spreading through
soul hole is filled
stand to your feet
shout it out loud
go tell the world
Christ you will see





 


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Let Jesus Be What You Need

Jesus....Jesus....Jesus....there's just something about that name!  Wherever you are tonight....whatever you are doing...if things just don't seem right for you....just call on that name....Jesus!  He won't let you down.  He will hold you up and take care of you.  He will calm your fears and help you to keep your sense of humor regardless of what's going on. He will place within you peace and hope when you least expect it.  He will be your rock...let Him be!

Psalm 94:19
When doubts filled my mind,
    your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.




Monday, April 22, 2013

He's Got You Covered

2 Chronicles 20:15b
This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.

What are you afraid of today?  What battle are you fighting tonight that's got you all wrapped up?  
Whatever it is you know that God already has it all under control. 

He. Has. Got. You. Covered!

2 Chronicles 20:12
O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”

Are you feeling powerless against what you are going through? Well so did the King and his armies. they didn't know what to do in their own power so they called on the One who could help them. And they worshipped!

2 Chronicles 20:18-22

18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord. 19 Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.
20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
“Give thanks to the Lord;
    his faithful love endures forever!”
22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.

Notice what verse 22 says...At the very moment they begin to sing and give praise...WOW! At that moment the LORD came through! He caused things to happen! They won their battle!!

I'm thinking that if we would do that we just might be surprised at what the LORD will do for us! We all fight battles and we all want to defeat our enemy...whom ever or what ever it is. So lets begin to praise and worship the Lord and see what happens. 

If we do this we just may see how good He really is!

Oh taste and see that the LORD is good. 




 

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Faith Versus Fear

I just wanted to share these two days off of my calendar with you. It's called; Gods Heart For You...by Holley Gerth. I had not looked at my calendar for about ten days but the day I went to the surgeon I decided to see what it had to say. I went on the 18th but I read the 17th and 18th.

17th

Hey, you.
Yep, you.
The one feeling a little weary.
Carrying that load.
Fighting this battle.
You're beautiful, you know that?
It's true.
And you can do this with Him.
With His power.

18th

You feel like your strength is small.
But it's not.
It's BIG.
World-changing big.
Life-altering big.
Make-it-over-that-mountain big.
BIG enough for you to do what you need to do.
Because your strength is as big as the GOD in you.

Aren't they good!!! I like all of what it says but especially this part...Because your strength is as big as the GOD in you. That is so true. I was just thinking about unshakeable faith the last couple of days. How I so want to just get there!! In my head...my heart I guess. Just to have faith no matter what. A faith so big that no matter what...I'm okay with it. That I know that God is in control of every situation and I can just roll with whatever happens...at any given time...and not doubt and be fearful or whatever other emotion I have. I don't like how I'm good one minute with how things are going to be and then the next I'm feeling the wave of...I don't want to do this fear.
 

So...back to that last line of the 18th...

I ask myself...How big is the GOD in me? Well, I think the answer is...as Big as I will let Him be. If I believe He is in control and I have nothing to fear...then I'll be okay. It's when I start listening to the voice in my ear...instead of in my heart...that I get all messed up. Satan is the one filling my head with the fear thoughts. I know this but I still listen. God wants to be the One I listen to. The voice that is bigger than any other voice! I have always thought that the voice of God is probably a Big, Deep Voice...rather booming! That is if you were to hear it audibly. But that's just my thought.

To wrap this all up I will just say this...

At times we all fight battles and feel weary...worn out and down in fact! And sometimes...our strength is pretty much gone. But I know...I Know!!!...that God is still there. Fighting with us...giving us the strength we need, just when we need it. HE is...everything and all we need! And in a few days when I need to really have that faith to believe...beyond any doubt...He will help me to have it! 



Saturday, April 13, 2013

Redirecting

As you can tell by reading my last couple of posts...God has been trying to get my attention.  I've noticed...I just haven't been responding.  Mainly because I haven't known the answers to the questions that keep forming in my mind.  At times I don't even know the questions...but I do know who brings on the confusion...

More and more it seems that I have been slipping away.  Away from what?...everything that holds me together.  Why?...I keep asking myself.  The answer...I don't have one.  Then the next question...how long has this been going on?  Days...weeks...months even?!  All I can say is...for a while now.  It hasn't been a complete all the time thing...but it has been happening more and more.  I know it...heart and soul.

When I first started noticing the difference I went back and read some of the things written in the past.  Everything I picked to read was written with feeling...my feeling.  They were truth...honesty...transparent and yes!...some even were gut wrenching to me.  Where did I go?  Where did it go?  That feeling...that heart that I once had for everything that was right and good...for Him.  How have I let it get lost...myself get lost...amongst everything else that goes on in life?  Really, the only answer that I can come up with is just life. That I have let life...all the ups and downs...twists and turns...disappointments...my own failure...sidetrack me.

So now the next question.  Where do I go from here?  Yes...there is the obvious answer.  Back to doing what I did in the beginning...reading...studying...learning.  And yet...not just those things.  I need to open my heart...my mind...my spiritual ears...and do and hear what He wants me to do...completely.  Give Him freely, the part of me that I hold back...what ever that may be.  At this point I don't really know what that is...but I want too.  I need to not let the disappointments sideline me.

Why am I sharing this with all of you?  That's a good question.  One that I have asked myself time and time again since starting this blog.  The answer?  For one reason and one reason only.  Because God...God wants me to be transparent.  Maybe because I have always hidden myself...my life...from everyone. At least I did before becoming a Christian.  I always lived in the shadows...the darker the better...shadows and walls...and I came to like it that way.  At times it's really hard to not still be like that!  But one thing I know now is this...to hide in the shadows and behind walls is darkness and promotes fear.  To live in the open is light and promotes life.  Gods way...in the light...is the right way...the best way.   

And now...how do I end this? 

I read a prayer tonight from Called Magazine that said this...

Father, if we're (I'm) on the wrong path, please redirect our (my) steps. ~ Don't allow us (me) to live our lives (my life) missing Your plan. 

In Jesus' name, Amen

To personalize it I added the words in parenthesis.

I believe I saw this prayer so that I would know that GOD is redirecting my steps today.  Not to get me back to where I once was, but to help me to become more.  More of who He wants me to be. 

I'm going to end this with the 23d Psalm because He is my Shepherd and the only One that I want to follow!

Psalm 23

The Lord the Shepherd

A psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green pastures.
    He leads me to calm water.
He gives me new strength.
He leads me on paths that are right
    for the good of his name.
Even if I walk through a very dark valley,
    I will not be afraid,
because you are with me.
    Your rod and your shepherd’s staff comfort me.
You prepare a meal for me
    in front of my enemies.
You pour oil of blessing on my head;
    you fill my cup to overflowing.
Surely your goodness and love will be with me
    all my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.








LORD I Need YOU More

I need You more than ever before
more than anything else in my life
more than the sunshine or the rain
more than the dew upon the flower
more than the birds in early spring

I want You more than my biggest dream
more than my mind can conceive
more than my deepest longing
more than my highest hopes
more than my heart can fathom

I long to let Your love
consume my mind
comsume my heart
consume my soul
consume my whole life

To the core of my being
to the places I have never let You go
to be more to me than I think possible
to run wild within my heart
to depths I have never known

You are everything I need
the One who has given me grace
the One who has healed my mind
the One who has allowed me to feel
the One who has given me hope

You Lord have imparted Your peace to me
You Lord have given me life free and abundant
You Lord have opened my eyes so I could see
You Lord have opened my heart to receive love
You Lord have freely given me more than I could have imagined

Yet today Lord I need You more
more than ever before
more than my thoughts can conjure
more than my mouth can speak
more than my heart can feel

You are the same yesterday today and forever
yet I Lord am forever changing
yet I Lord am forever needing
yet I Lord am forever reaching
yet I Lord am forever growing

So today Lord I ask You
to hold me up once again
to give me strength once again
to let me feel Your love once again
to heal my body soul and mind once again

Because Lord

I will always need You more
more than my mind can conceive
more than my deepest longing
more than my highest hopes
more than my heart can fathom

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Contemplative...Reflective Thoughts

Some weeks...days...hours...moments...I think I'm just done...

Done with life...people...myself...sometimes even God...

But I know I'm not really...

At least not with God...and most people...not even with life...

At times...like this moment in time...I just think it...

This may come as quite a shock to those of you who read this blog all the time but I'll say it anyway...

I. Am. Not. Perfect. 

Those really are my thoughts sometimes...

There are times when I just don't handle life very well...

Things go wrong and each day you go to bed thinking that the next day will be better.  You will get up tomorrow and all will be good...or on the way to good.  But...you wake up and it's not better.  In fact...just the opposite...each day is worse...harder.  Life...it keeps going on in just the way God has planned...His perfect plan.  Which...by the way...isn't always our perfect plan!    

So while I've been home trying to get a handle on things...I got on Facebook.  What I probably should have been doing was talking to God...but since I wasn't...God decided to talk to me.  Through Facebook!  

Philippians 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 

That's what someone had posted.  Right there where I had no choice but to see it...read it even!!
You think God had something to do with that?  My thought is yes...everything to do with it I'm sure!

So I can tell you this...

While taking time out of my contemplative...reflective thoughts...to write this...

Nothing has changed...

I'm still not perfect and sometimes I will still be done with it all...

Everything that was wrong when I started this post...

Is still wrong now...

Well...

One thing has changed...

I'm not done with God and never will be...

His perfect plan is what's right for me...

Even if I don't see it right now...

And...

His perfect plan for your life...

Really is right for you too...

Even when it's hard...

Remember this when you aren't sure...

It's what I will be reciting to myself...

He really will meet all of your needs...

Just like He says He will...









 









Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Have Faith...Believe

Do you ever find that sometimes you just have to throw up your hands and say...

"Okay God...I give up. What is it that you want me to do in this situation?"

Now, your situation is probably different than mine but the thing is...we all need answers. Maybe not even answers...but just help in making the right decision. It could be that you have been doing what you thought was the right thing but it hasn't helped. So...you continue to pray in faith knowing that God has it handled already, even though you haven't seen a change for the better. In fact, it continues to get worse. So what next? You take the next step and while doing that...continue to pray that God will just take care of it.

I received a gift a couple of days ago and this is what it says...

Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see.

That saying is great. It really makes me think about my faith...how much of it I really have. So many times I feel that my faith is so lacking! I know what to say...but do I really believe and not just say what I'm supposed to?  What people want to hear. Sometimes I question myself.

What I do know for sure is...God is a big God and He loves us. Regardless of what we are struggling with He is there with us. In the thick of it. It might seem like you're on your own in the battle at times. It might seem like nothing is changing. Things may even be getting worse. But just remember this...

God is bigger than any situation you find yourself in and He will see you through it. Just have faith and believe!

Hebrews 11:1 AMP

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].



Until we see Jesus face to face.

 










Monday, April 1, 2013

Only Believe

Only believe 
Only believe 
All things are possible, only believe
Only believe
Only believe
All things are possible, only believe

Lord I believe 
Lord I believe
All things are possible, Lord I believe
Lord I believe
Lord I believe
All things are possible, Lord I believe

As I've told you before, the Lord uses music to get through to me many times and tonight was no different. He used this old chorus from my childhood that I hadn't heard in a long time. Amazingly...to me...hearing this chorus started bringing me out of the place I was letting myself go.

Now for me...and maybe for you too...this is what He wants us to do...

Only believe! For whatever we need...believe. That's all we need to do! Jesus will take care of the rest! 

Matthew 19:26 NLT


26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”



Until we see JESUS face to face...