Acts 8: Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ² (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) ³ But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

 

its crazy how we get so caught up in doing things one way that we can't allow any room for change.. even if the change is from God... paul was in agreement with the killing of a man... yet the bible clearly says we are not to murder... but because the plan of Jesus was so outrageous... and they didn't know how to control it... they thought they would take extreme measures.. just like the crucifixion of Jesus... that was murder.. yet it was done by the church! using the roman people who were persecuting them...

 

on the flip side.. this very persecution of those who believed in Christ as the Messiah... they were the very reason that the word of Jesus salvation was spread throughout the neighboring countries... they had to scatter.. yet they could not keep silent... that is how the word spread...

 

I find the church to often get so caught up in tradition that we cannot see if God could be trying something different... some days we need to allow the Spirit to cause us to just watch rather than fight everything He could be doing.. I too am guilty of this because I am quite sure (97%) that my way is always the best way of doing something.. it may not be the only way.. but surely the best way... I really need to overcome that and work WITH God rather than against those I think may not be from God... *sighs* change my heart O Lord.. create a clean heart and clean hands in me... in Jesus name I ask.. amen.amen.amen.

Psalms 63: 6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. 7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

 

there was a time when I would lie awake at night thinking about a man... I find that at this point in my life.. maybe a man crosses my mind during the night.. especially if I am waking from a dream.. but it is really God I am concentrating on... sometimes I just lie there realizing how much I have and how good He is to me.. how much He loves me... how much more His love means to me than any love I have ever had before.. that the love God has for me can never be replaced by a human... and my love for Him is stronger than any emotion I have had for anyone.. even for my own children... as much as I love them.. I could not live without God...

 

He keeps me in the shadow of His wings.. He protects me.. for the first time in my life.. I am completely alone at night in a house that is not small... I am not afraid... God protects me.. I know this.. I feel it every night... I feel His protection and love covering me..

 

He holds me securely... He is truly all that I need.. and I do cling to Him...

 

love may come and love may go.. but my relationship and my love affair with my God.. those are eternal... everlasting..

I corinthians 2: ⁹ The Holy Writings say, “No eye has ever seen or no ear has ever heard or no mind has ever thought of the wonderful things God has made ready for those who love Him.” ¹⁰ God has shown these things to us through His Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit Who looks into all things, even the secrets of God, and shows them to us. ¹¹ Who can know the things about a man, except a man’s own spirit that is in him? It is the same with God. Who can understand Him except the Holy Spirit? ¹² We have not received the spirit of the world. God has given us His Holy Spirit that we may know about the things given to us by Him. ¹³ We speak about these things also. We do not use words of man’s wisdom. We use words given to us by the Holy Spirit. We use these words to tell what the Holy Spirit wants to say to those who put their trust in Him. ¹⁴ But the person who is not a Christian does not understand these words from the Holy Spirit. He thinks they are foolish. He cannot understand them because he does not have the Holy Spirit to help him understand.

 

I think I have talked about this scripture 100 times before.. it is surely a favorite of mine..

the truth is... the bible is a living breathing book... it should be breathing new life into us every time we open it.. the Spirit should be communicating with us through it...

how often do we put the spirit under a basket of unbelief and fear and doubt... He can speak to us.. and we will stand there imagining it was our own mind that came up with it....

Jesus.. I believe!!! help my unbelief... change me.. cause me to take You at Your word and believe all that I am told by Your Spirit... open my spirit eyes to see the truths that you have for me.. don't allow circumstances to cause me to become fearful and dismayed... keep me believing.. keep me focused.. keep me alive in my spirit...

Matthew 26: Jesus: ³¹ Scripture says, I shall strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will scatter. Just so, each of you will stumble tonight, stumble and fall, on account of Me. ³² Afterward I will be raised up. And I will go before you to Galilee.

Peter: ³³ Lord, maybe everyone else will trip and fall tonight, but I will not. I’ll be beside You. I won’t falter.

Jesus: ³⁴ If only that were true. In fact, this very night, before the cock crows in the morning, you will deny Me three times. Peter: ³⁵ No! I won’t deny You. Even if that means I have to die with You!

And each of the disciples echoed Peter.

It is indeed a dark, bitter night. The disciples are sad and confused, and maybe a little bit prideful. Peter can not believe that he could ever betray his Lord.

³⁶ At that, Jesus led His disciples to the place called Gethsemane.

Jesus: I am going over there to pray. You sit here while I’m at prayer.

³⁷ Then He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and He grew sorrowful and deeply distressed.

Jesus: ³⁸ My soul is overwhelmed with grief, to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me. ³⁹ He walked a little farther and finally fell prostrate and prayed. Jesus: Father, this is the last thing I want. If there is any way, please take this bitter cup from Me. Not My will, but Yours be done.

⁴⁰ When He came back to the disciples, He saw that they were asleep. Peter awoke a little less confident and slightly chagrined.

Jesus (to Peter): So you couldn’t keep watch with Me for just one short hour? ⁴¹ Now maybe you’re learning: the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Watch and pray and take care that you are not pulled down during a time of testing.

⁴² With that, Jesus returned to His secluded spot to pray again.

Jesus: Father, if there is no other way for this cup to pass without My drinking it—then not My will, but Yours be done.

⁴³ Again Jesus returned to His disciples and found them asleep. Their eyes were heavy-lidded. ⁴⁴ So Jesus left them again and returned to prayer, praying the same sentiments with the same words. ⁴⁵ Again He returned to His disciples.

Jesus: Well, you are still sleeping; are you getting a good long rest? Now the time has come; the Son of Man is just about to be given over to the betrayers and the sinners. ⁴⁶ Get up; we have to be going. Look, here comes the one who’s going to betray Me.

⁴⁷ There he was, Judas, one of the twelve leading a crowd of people from the chief priests and elders with swords and clubs; the chief priests and the elders were right there, ready to arrest Jesus. ⁴⁸ And Judas, the one who intended to betray Him, had said to the elders and the chief priests that he would give them a sign. Judas Iscariot: I’ll greet Him with a kiss. And you will know that the one I kiss is the one you should arrest. ⁴⁹ So at once, he went up to Jesus. Judas Iscariot: Greetings, Teacher (he kisses Him). Jesus: ⁵⁰ My friend, do what you have come to do. And at that, the company came and seized Him. ⁵¹ One of the men with Jesus grabbed his sword and swung toward the high priest’s slave, slicing off his ear.

Jesus: ⁵² Put your sword back. People who live by the sword die by the sword. ⁵³ Surely you realize that if I called on My Father, He would send 12 legions of messengers to rescue Me. ⁵⁴ But if I were to do that, I would be thwarting the scriptural story, wouldn’t I? And we must allow the story of God’s kingdom to unfold. ⁵⁵ (to the crowds) Why did you bring these weapons, these clubs and bats? Did you think I would fight you? That I would try to dodge and escape like a common criminal? You could have arrested Me any day when I was teaching in the temple, but you didn’t. ⁵⁶ This scene has come together just so, so that the prophecies in the sacred Scripture could be fulfilled.

 

And at that, all the disciples ran away and abandoned Him.

 

 

the whole crucifixion story bothers me.. badly.. I rarely read it.. it disturbs my spirit to realize that because of my sinfulness.. Jesus had to die.. and I can say I have learned.. I can say anything I want.. but at the end of it I realize that like the disciples I often chose my own comfort and desires over standing for God...

 

but because of Jesus I can now stand for God...

 

it bothers me that at His lowest point everyone abandoned Him... it hurts me.. it makes my heart bleed... I wish I could have stood with Him.. been the one to be faithful... but would I have been? I will never know... I am thankful that Jesus loves me even if I would abandon Him... and He uses those times to teach us more of His love for us..

Matthew 28: ¹¹ As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. ¹² A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. ¹³ They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’ ¹⁴ If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” ¹⁵ So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

 

I would like to imagine that if I had lived when Jesus did that I would be so confident and so sure of Him and my relationship with Him.. I often think that God being physical and me being able to go to Him and ask questions and get answers out loud would solve all of my troubles in this world...

 

if the disciples physically walked with Jesus for 3years.. and saw Him resurrected and doubted... what would make me any different...

look at how the leaders of the church came up with a story to create doubt about His resurrection.. how many would be sucked into doubt? apparently alot...

I think that being faced with doubt is part of this walk with Christ... if we didn't have doubt... not even doubt.. but situations that could cause doubt.. then we wouldn't have faith either... we have to be able to believe in things we cannot see... I think that is the truth about every situation in our lives... we have to be able to believe in things.. believe in God.. believe in Love... even when we have been shown contrary circumstances...

otherwise we would constantly be miserable and negative... faith brings hope.. hope brings life...

Jeremiah 4: ³ This is what the Eternal now says to the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem.

Eternal One: Break up the hard, untilled soil! It is a waste to plant seeds among thorns. ⁴ Circumcise yourselves to Me; cut away the foreskin of your hearts, men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Remove all that stands between us, and devote yourselves fully to Me, Or the heat of My anger will burn as an unquenchable fire against your wicked ways.

 

circumcise our hearts... cut away the foreskin of our hearts... remove all that stands between God and us... and devote ourselves fully to Him...

if I am honest... many times I have thought I have devoted myself completely to God... and most of those times I was wrong... in truth.. the most devoted times I have had to God in my life were times when I had nothing else... and I wonder.. why is that? why is it so hard for God to be first in our lives when we have other people close to us or we have other things that vie for our attention... in our mind God is still first... but is He really?

if He were.. I doubt that we.. like the israelites... would continue to be knocked down and knocked over all the time... if God were really first in our lives.. wouldn't our lives be far more peaceful and less stressful.... that is one of the promises of the bible.. that God will shelter us from evil...

that is not to say there will never be troubles.. but I really doubt our entire lives would be trouble after trouble after trouble...

 

I think somehow we have to learn to put God first and keep Him there... while having others in our lives too... I think it is probably very hurtful to God that we keep on putting other people before Him.. yet He is the only faithful One we have ever known....

Psalms 42: ¹ My soul is dry and thirsts for You, True God, as a deer thirsts for water. ² I long for the True God who lives. When can I stand before Him and feel His comfort? ³ Right now I’m overwhelmed by my sorrow and pain; I can’t stop feasting on my tears. People crowd around me and say, “Where is your True God whom you claim will save?”

⁵ Why am I so overwrought? Why am I so disturbed? Why can’t I just hope in God? Despite all my emotions, I will believe and praise the One who saves me and is my life.

 

why can't I just hope in God? why do we get so caught up in our feelings and circumstances that we can't remember how many times God has rescued us in the past.. or we do remember Him rescuing us but we think that we have done so much wrong that we cannot be saved anymore...

 

I wonder how many people feel like that... that they are too damaged to be saved now... I guess that is not really accepting God's love for us.. in our words we may say we accept it but apparently we are not really accepting it... how often do we doubt God's plans because we are not good enough? we have done too much.. our past has surely disqualified us...

 

I realize even with myself.. while I think I know how much God loves me.. there are just some things that I can feel like I am just not good enough for... maybe I can do the work but do not qualify for a real life christian man... maybe I can teach kids but am not qualified to teach women...

 

I think the best thing any of us can do is to search the bible to find out just how much we mean to God.. and learn to accept it.. despite who we are or who we used to be...

Matthew 24: ⁹ “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. ¹⁰ And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. ¹¹ And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. ¹² Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

 

I am sure when Jesus said all this to them.. they weren't really thinking of being killed and persecuted... most of us don't take things so literally..

He told them they would be hated.. yet when people hate us.. don't we wonder why on earth they don't like us.. I mean look how wonderful we are... I think we are often hated just for the God that is within us.. the bible says that light and dark cannot reside in the same place.. so if they are not truly light within.. they are uncomfortable around us...

sin is rampant everywhere.. love has grown cold... worse yet.. these things are accepted.. most sin is said to just be the way someone is... like homosexuality... and we don't really love anyone.. we lust.. I am meaning people in general... we accept all sorts of things as normal now.. look at the things we see on television and think nothing of it.. look at how we dress compared to the past... showing all our business... I am guilty sometimes I know...

 

the one who endures to the end will be saved... I am a runner... I am not someone who holds on... yet God won't let go.. so I endure and hold on now.. like I never have before... I am truly a new creature in Christ...

Psalms 22: My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? ² Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief.

³ Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. ⁴ Our ancestors trusted in you, and you rescued them. ⁵ They cried out to you and were saved. They trusted in you and were never disgraced.

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! ⁷ Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, ⁸ “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!”

I was thinking about david.. and how everyone remembers that he is the man with the heart after God's own heart.. the one God loved so much.. He set him apart from others.. made his family rulers for generations to come... and even God's own son comes from david's lineage... those are the high moments... what about the years on end when saul chased david trying to kill him.. david had to live in the mountains hiding for years and years because the king wanted to kill him.. out of jealousy... God doesn't end the life of saul.. God doesn't change his heart.. him and david are never truly reconciled.. there are moments of lucidity where saul sees how ridiculous he has been and how faithful david has remained.. but within a day or two he was right back to the craziness...

even when david felt God was no where to be found... still he praises Him... he still talks of God's greatness in the middle of his crises while he is begging God to come and rescue him... that leads me back to me... there are days that I am feeling like God is no where in the vicinity... He has abandoned me.. He no longer loves me or thinks I am special... while I am complaining... I am rarely praising at the same time... even though I know how many times God has come to save me and rescue me... lately I haven't been feeling like it is going to happen...

now let me be clear... I have no questions of God's provision or anything like that... God is such a provider for me.. He always has been.. I have seen times when I have been so lost financially and God has always come to the rescue... He will not let me fall all the way... He may wait to the last minute.. but He is not letting me fall apart physically... but emotionally is different... now I know that emotionally I am all right.. I know that me and Jesus are a great couple and that I am happy with Him.. I know He will not hurt me.. that He has my own best interests at heart... but I don't know that if there is a man involved too.... I still know God is good.. but I don't really know if I can ever be in a relationship with a man and be emotionally stable and whole... most people would think that is sad... I would be okay if only I could have sex.... LOL!

Psalms 16: ² I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.” ³ The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them! ⁴ Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods.

⁵ Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.⁶ The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!

⁷ I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

⁹ No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.

I had a dream 2 nights ago that I was sleeping in a bed in my mother's house... that she came and got in the bed with me and wanted me to cuddle with her... I woke up and start looking around because I really feared that I was back there.. back in that house... and I wake up and find I am in my own house with my own life and I am so relieved!!! I am so thankful...

God has brought me out of some really horrible places.. and I cannot even express with words how thankful I am for the life He has given me...

Exodus 35: ³⁰ Then Moses told the people of Israel, “The Lord has specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³¹ The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. ³² He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. ³³ He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft. ³⁴ And the Lord has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their skills to others. ³⁵ The Lord has given them special skills as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth, and weavers. They excel as craftsmen and as designers.

 

people often say that no one received the Holy Spirit until after Jesus died... that is not true... this is a regular man... a blue collar worker that is a craftsman.. and God filled him with the spirit in order to be able to do what his purpose was for the kingdom of God...

 

each of us has a purpose in the kingdom.. and God has or will fill each of us with the spirit for us to be able to complete our mission... our purpose... we have to believe in it and listen to Him and walk it out... we all have special skills given to us to perform exactly what we need to do for Him...

Psalms 57: ² I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.

I think most people wonder from time to time... what if I mess things up... do I ruin God's purpose for my life? what if I am disobedient.. what if I am unwilling for part of the time...what if.. what if.. what if...

 

I think God knew before we ever even knew we had a purpose in the kingdom of God or value to him... exactly what we would do.. exactly how long it would take to work it all out.. exactly what it would take to change us and make us ready and willing to put God before our own desires...

 

I believe God is very capable of bringing His will to pass regardless of me and my issues and mistakes.. and for that I am oh so thankful!!

 

⁷ My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! ⁸ Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. ⁹ I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. ¹⁰ For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.

Ezekiel 34: ²⁵ “I will make a covenant of peace with my people and drive away the dangerous animals from the land. Then they will be able to camp safely in the wildest places and sleep in the woods without fear. ²⁶ I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing. ²⁷ The orchards and fields of my people will yield bumper crops, and everyone will live in safety. When I have broken their chains of slavery and rescued them from those who enslaved them, then they will know that I am the Lord. ²⁸ They will no longer be prey for other nations, and wild animals will no longer devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will frighten them.

²⁹ “And I will make their land famous for its crops, so my people will never again suffer from famines or the insults of foreign nations. ³⁰ In this way, they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign Lord. ³¹ You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

 

I feel like I live in a covenant of peace with God... when I was in the world.. it seemed like troubles after troubles would surround me.. I used to say I could sit in a corner and trouble would come and find me.. I don't feel like that anymore... the only trouble I would say that I ever have is financial.. and that is self imposed by bad spending habits...

 

I don't think this is the truth of everyone though.. I think that some people come to God and continue to have problems in their lives... I don't know what it is that makes the difference.. what would make someone to be chosen to have troubles after troubles.. does it have to do with someone having a lack of trust.. I don't think it can be that as I don't know that I trust as I should...  or someone being surrounded by unsaved people.. or someone needing to learn something that wouldn't be taught any other way... I don't know what it is..

 

I am VERY THANKFUL for this covenant of peace...

I wish everyone was living in one..

Matthew 5: ⁴³ “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴ But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! ⁴⁵ In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

 

I was thinking...

I don't know if when we pray for the people who do us wrong is for them.. I think it is really for us... I think it is so that we don't harden our hearts.. so that they don't have power over us... because when we become bitter and angry with someone.. that really doesn't hurt them.. it hurts us...

 

so if we continue to pray for people who continuously treat us unfairly... we may never see their change.. they may never become saved.. but we will have done right for them and for us both.. and we will have kept our heart from becoming hard... I think when Jesus tells us to do this.. He is protecting us.. His children.. not the others people...

 

I find it hard to really be serious in praying for people who have hurt me or intentionally mis-used me.. but I find as time goes on.. I begin to feel sorry for them.. because really... what type of life do you have if you are thinking up ways to hurt others? what is the value of your life? who are you worth anything to? so really.. you are pitiful... and how can we feel anything but sorry for you?

 

I am thankful for the protection of Jesus over my heart.. helping me to not become bitter and angry by the mean people of this world...

1 Peter 1: ⁶ So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. ⁷ 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.

⁸ You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

 

I don't know about you.. but I do not see myself getting stronger and stronger.. I think that trials and tests make me weaker and weaker... that is how my mind thinks...

 

 

but if I look back over my life.. how many times have I not been strong enough to stay on God's path but instead have fallen to the side.. and I look at myself now and I think I could not go back to the way things used to be.. to the person I used to be... surely the thought arises from time to time but is no longer seriously considered...

 

 

so I would guess that I have become stronger and stronger... the focus has stopped being on how I feel about things.. but more about how God feels about things... less about getting what I want.. more about being who God has called me to be...

 

 

would I say my faith is genuine? I am not sure about that... there are days that I hold on just because where else is there to go? other days I hold on because of wanting to be close to God... I don't care if my faith ever brings me much praise and glory and honor... but I would like to be someone who brings glory to God...

Psalms 51: 7“O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! 8I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. 9But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. 10For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. 11I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. 12If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. 13Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats?

14Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. 15Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”

 

16But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? 17For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash.

 

how often do we live by the rituals of God and think that is what He wants from us... I wonder if that wasn't part of why He ended the continual sacrificing and gave Jesus as the sacrifice...

 

do we really show our thankfulness?

do we pretend? do we treat His word like trash?

 

18When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. 19Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. 20You sit around and slander your brother—your own mother’s son. 21While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didn’t care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you. 22Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. 23But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”

 

how many times have we thought we have gotten away with something because God did not do anything about it... I wonder how often the world falls apart and we are wondering what in the world happened? and it is from something like slander and adultery and lies... and we thought we got away with it....

 

and the answer to all of it is repentance and thanks! giving thanks is really what God is looking for from us.. yet how often do we thank Him for our job.. or our car.. or our house.. or our kids... or our friends.. or our church... or our mobility...

 

we tend to give thanks when something is new and then forget all about being thankful... even in relationships we do this... I intend to be changing that in my own life.. I am starting today to be a thankful person.. at ALL times...

Psalms 73: ²³ Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. ²⁶ My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

²⁷ Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. ²⁸ But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

I would say this is one of my favorite scriptures for this time of my life... it has been for about a year or so...

no matter what else happens in this world.. God is for me and I am for Him...

I can't think of anything that really means more to me these days... sure.. there are some circumstances that I would like to see changed.. some understanding I would like to have where I have confusion... but really... when it comes time to lay my head down and rest... this is all that matters... God is for me and I am for Him...