Trust

Good morning dear friends..ones that I know and to the ones that I do not know!

I was reading through the Word today in Psalm 37. I have underlined and circled and even hilighted verses 3-7 in my Bible. They are as follows:

Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. (Psalm 37:3)

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. (Psalm 37:5)

He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday. (Psalm 37:6)

Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7)

You will see that the first thing we are called to do is…Trust. How interesting isn’t it? Seems like a simple thing to do yet we find ourselves rarely doing it. The Lord has uncovered to me that trust is the key that unlocks the door to a room full of promises in a Christians walk.

I think that trust is most desired from us because if we truly do trust in Him we will find ourselves delighting in Him. Commiting our way unto Him. Being still before Him. And last, but certainly not least, waiting patiently for Him.

What a beautiful picture Lord! Rest and wait are actually verbs! Verbs mean action! The action is resting! The word for wait actually means to twirl, to dance, to whirl about. What a beautiful illustration of a child, dancing before her King awaiting His will. What enables us to rest and wait patiently? Trust and full assurance in You! I pray that we will be joyful and waiting with great expectancy before You.

“I am thirsty”

These precious words were spoken by Jesus, the Son of God. The word “thirsty’ is Dipsao:

to suffer thirst, suffer from thirst

1. figuratively, those who are said to thirst who painfully feel their want of, and eagerly long for, those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, strengthened

I can remember when my Mom was on her death bed and she was so thirsty. As much as I tried, I could not keep her thirst quenched. She actually said to me one day, “Now I know what Jesus meant when He said,” He was thirsty.” As I stood there by her side those words echoed deep within my soul.

Now that I look at the greek meaning of this word I realize something, this thirst is for Heaven. All the flesh is being dehydrated by the process of death. But we have the soul that is saying, “I am thirsty.” “I painfully feel the want of what is to come. I eagerly long for that which is promised to me. And it is only in Heaven that I will truly be refreshed, supported, and strengthened.”

I’m truly thankful that Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.” I pray that thirst that you are desperately trying to quench, will be quenched by Jesus. He truly is the well that never runs dry.

Physical blindness that turned into Spiritual sight

I was nudged about a month ago, to do a little research on the life of Paul, once known as Saul. Isn’t it so neat of the Lord to reveal to us different things in the Scripture that we have read over before? I found myself for the first time truly captivated over this man’s conversion. Nestled in Acts chapter 9, we read that familiar story of Saul on the road to Damascus. Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, ” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could not see. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

Saul was actually on his way to Damascus that day with every intention of finding people that belonged to the Way and have them arrested. Saul had made a real name for himself and the new believers were scared of him. In fact, in verse one, we read that Saul was making murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.

Saul was on a mission but the Lord redirected him in the blink of an eye. The Lord removed Saul’s sight it seems so that he would be able to see more clearer. I wonder what the Lord desires for us to be blinded to in order to see Him more clearer? I think if you look close enough you already know.

Shame that was washed away at the feet of Jesus

 

In Luke 7:36-50 we find the story of a sinful woman that encountered the love and forgiveness of a Savior. The setting is in the home of Simon the Pharisee. This woman learned that Jesus was coming to eat at his house and she went there with an alabaster jar of perfume.

She also went there with a very sinful past and reputation.  Her ways were known by all. She did not say a word as she entered and stood behind the Lover of her soul. She had had many lovers but this encounter would change her forever. This love was pure, holy, forgiving, and selfless. It was there at his feet the tears began to fall, tears that represented the pain, guilt, and remorse of it all. The cleansing of His feet became the beginning of the cleansing of her heart. As his feet became wet she took her beautiful long dark hair and began to dry the tears with the very object that she had used to lure so many unto her.

 Funny how the use of her hair changed that day! It went from pride and selfish acts to complete humility and surrender. But truly is it not that way when we fall at the feet of Jesus? She poured her heart out that day maybe the perfume was just the symbol because a word was never spoken! Her confession was not verbal but it did not make it any less powerful. Her ACTIONS proved what her mouth did not speak! She poured everything at the feet of the One who could offer her forgiveness.

Isaiah 52:7a says, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring the good news.

How beautiful are the feet of Jesus? The very feet that left Heavens throne to come and conquer what men could not do on their own!

Lord Jesus, who needs to come to your blessed feet today? Who needs all their sins washed away? Who needs not speak a word but just come and surrender their soul?

Restlessness

March 17, 2009

Streams in the Desert

Stay there until I tell you (Matthew 2:13)

O restless heart- beating against the prison bars of your circumstances and longing for a wider realm of usefulness- allow God to direct all your days. Patience and trust, even in the midst of the monotony of your daily routine, will be the best preparation to courageously handle the stress and strain of a greater opportunity, which God may someday send.

Wow! Isn’t it so neat how the Lord speaks to us through others? This devotion book, Streams in the Desert, was written and first published in 1925. It’s located in the Classic section in most Christian stores. It’s nestled in with the works of Spurgeon, Hudson, Murray, and Tozer. 

Today is one of those days that as I read it I feel as though I could have written it. The words make there way out of a heart that is guided by The Holy Spirit onto a page that will touch countless lives. I must confess that I have been restless. We are told to ”Be still and know that He is God” but it can be so difficult at times. 

One day very unexpectedly the Lord placed a word into my heart. I did not know when or where or how He was going to use it, all I knew was what I had heard. I have been like a child at the Christmas tree ever since awaiting to open the gift from my Abba Father. The being still part and waiting has proven I’am very impatient. But it’s been in the waiting that I have learned the things that only patience can teach.

He is in control and I’m not! His ways are higher than any of my preconceived ideas! He is never late and hardly ever in a hurry but yet always on time! Every time I have stood up and put on my spiritual running shoes, He gently has taken His hands and placed them on my shoulders and sat me back down. He has taught me to listen for Him. He has taught me to look for Him. His Word He has poured out on my thirsty soul. At times through my search, I forgot to just focus on Him and He graciously re-adjusted my vision. He took things out of the way so that I could see Him better.

I so want to encourage you that are in the “wait.” The only thing we can do is to be still and know that He is God. Without the waits in our lives how would we ever learn all that He desires to teach us. Can we get this through our stubborn wills and minds…YOU CANNOT RUSH GOD! You can honk your horn all you want…you can push and pull all you want….you can jump up and down in a fit all you want…you can beg and plead all you want but He, the immovable Rock of Ages, will not be shaken. Lord how I praise Him for that! He knows whats best for each and every one of us. He knows what it takes to shape and mold us and God forbid that we don’t allow Him.

Lean into the Lord today. Rest in Him. His will is perfect, pleasing, and holy. And believe that He will do EXACTLY what He says. He never ever never has broken one promise. Now that you can take to the spiritual bank!!!

Prisoners & Trash

I was driving down the road yesterday and I saw about 6 prisoners picking up trash. As I drove on by them I began to think about prisoners and trash. The Lord is always so faithful to give me life applications. I thought about how I have been a prisoner..not in jail but in bondage to sin, and  the only way out of that bondage or sin is to allow God to pick the trash out of my own life.

But you know it’s a weird thing how we get used to the smell and the taste of our trash. In fact, we would sometimes rather sit in the middle of our trash than to get out of it. In our trash heap lies pain, disappoinments, addictions, complete dysfunctions, unhealthy friendships, lies, bitterness, gossip, judgemental attitudes, hatred, unforgiveness…the list goes on and on.

Tell me how the pain of all these things feels better than the freedom that can be found in Christ Jesus? The pain becomes a drug to our flesh. It will have you hooked quicker than heroine. Every part of our body becomes involved. I know I have found it to be true in my own life. We feel justified by our trash and we intend on letting everyone know about it.

I would encourage the prisoners out there today to allow the Lord to take a peek into your trash heap or can. He wants to remove it from you. But it’s for your own good. You see His child is suppose to be free from that trash. Visualize yourself in that trash heap….the Lord comes to you and you lift your arms out to Him and He and only He has the strength to lift you out of it. He gently takes you by the hand and lifts you up out of the heap. He will then begin to pick that trash off of you one piece at a time.

Jesus Christ came to set us free. I ask you this….why are you still living like you are a prisoner?

Galatians 5:1 says, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  

I pray that today will be the day that you become set free. He will gladly take your trash and replace it with His grace, unfailing love, and mercy.  All you have to do is ask Him.

Funeral Arrangements

Not a popular subject by all means, but these plans must be made at some point. In the past week, two hurses have come across my path. The first one I had caught sight of in my rearview mirror. Funny how they try to make them look all fancy with velvet curtains and scrolly things on the sides. It seems to just be a “coverup” for whats really inside, death! As it made it’s way passed me I couldn’t help but think, “Lord are you trying to tell me something?”

Well to let you all know He is trying to tell me something. The something is found in Galatians 2:20.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

As I pondered on this verse, I was suddenly aware of some arrangements that needed to be made. I have planned a hundred times in my thoughts what my physical funeral arrangements will look like, but never have I taken on the idea of the funeral arrangements for my flesh.

You see I have tried and tried to bury my flesh. But you can’t bury something that has not died yet. It makes it’s way up out of the place you tried to bury it and before you know it, it’s up and walking around again! The very key to the process of burial is a death has to occur first.

To be crucified with Christ means I, me, my wants, my desires, my passions, my goals, my plans have to die. Sounds harsh doesn’t it? Do we dare choose the path of laying it all down at the foot of the cross and saying, “Yes Lord! To Your will and Your way and Your plans. I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

I encourage you to pray and seek what arrangements need to be made in your own life. I pray that the life that we live in this body will be lived by faith. Why? Because the Son of God loves us and gave Himself up for us.

Ms. Jean

Let me tell you about my new found friend. I have had my eye on her for quite sometime. I have seen her walking for about the past 2 months faithfully every morning in the same direction. She carries her little Walmart plastic bag with what seems to be her lunch.

The first time I saw her the Lord started pulling on my heart strings. Funny how He does that. I had set in my mind that as long as the sun was shining I would not offer to pick her up. But as soon as one rain drop hit the ground I knew that would be my sign to stop and ask her if she needed a ride.

This one particular morning the stage was set! The fog was thick and the rain was falling. We entered the subdivision that I cut through to get the kids to school and there she was! My heart started beating as fast as the thoroughbreds hooves on race day. I knew this was my chance to stop and do what all parents tell you not to do…”NEVER EVER PICK UP A STRANGER.”  I asked her if she needed a ride and she peeked into the van to make sure it was safe and said, “sure that would be nice.”

As soon as she sat down I knew that she was right where she was suppose to be. She had this smell about her that reminded me of my own Mom. I slowly inhaled breathing in a thousand memories of Mom. As we drove the kids to school I had wondered, “do they smell her to?” My question was soon answered as I went back to school that day for a Thanksgiving meal. They had indeed smelled her to!

When Ms. Jean got out of the van that day, I was overwhelmed with God’s amazing compassion.  Isaiah 30:13 says, Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.

Do you get the fact that He waits to have compassion on you? The word compassion here means, to love, love deeply, have mercy, have tender affection. The Lord waits to love you deeply. The Lord waits to love you with tender affection. I know that in my own life I get to feeling so unworthy that I forget to ask Him for His compassions. I don’t think I really deserve them. But contrary to my feelings, I choose to believe and take God at His Word.

Well I have picked up Ms. Jean several more times since that day. There are still a lot of things I don’t know about her, but one thing is for sure our paths were meant to cross. I know behind her big blue eyes there is a heart that the Lord longs to touch.

New Blog Link

Please check out this new blog link I added. It’s called The Journey. You can look on my blog roll and just click on it! It will add complete fuel to your faith. And if by some chance it doesn’t… call 911… your heart has stopped beating!!!

Shout out to Trish a THANK YOU for sharing it with me….

It’s a slow fade

This song by Casting Crowns is such an awesome reminder to me to be on guard. We have to be on guard! The Word tells us in Ephesians 6 to put on our full armor of God. Why? So that you may be able to stand againist the devils schemes.

I ask you..do you fight laying down? Would you put your armor on just to lay down to fight? NO! You fight best when you are standing up! Get up people, it’s time to fight!