30 Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving.
31 For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.
32 The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged.
33 For the Lord hears the cries of the needy; he does not despise his imprisoned people.
34 Praise him, O heaven and earth, the seas and all that move in them.
35 For God will save Jerusalem and rebuild the towns of Judah. His people will live there and settle in their own land.
36 The descendants of those who obey him will inherit the land, and those who love him will live there in safety.
I have made a decision this morning that all day long I will speak nothing negative (to the best of my ability..) and I will be thankful all day long!! because even if I feel I have reason to be feeling some type of way... someone else has it worse than me...
it was 36degrees here this morning and I woke up thinking how thankful I am to have heat in my house and have a roof over my head.. I am so thankful that God has not allowed me to become homeless or go without work.. I am able to get up on God's grace every single time I fall... God is good ALL THE TIME!!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
I am just talking today... and I would say that one of my greatest issues.. one of the things that is truly wrong with me that I need righted is that I do not do well in the dark...
1 Kings 8: 12 Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness.
the bible tells us that God lives in the darkness.. so we are not alone in it.. I guess because I have always seen ahead that I get distraught when something is not clearly shown... or the path is not lit..
the darkest days I have ever lived in my life were when my kids were very small.. there was no money because their father had a drug and alcohol problem.. some days I did not eat.. but made sure that they did... even if it was just oodles of noodles... all I can remember from that time are rainy and cold days.. I cannot seem to pull up in my mind's eye any sunny days...
but even in those darkest times.. God was with me.. I felt Him.. I knew He was there... I knew He would pull me out.. I didn't know how... but I knew He would...
in this particular time in my life.. everything is dark... not necessarily in the weather.. but in my mind and spirit... I cannot see my hand in front of my face.. I remember what God said when the sun was shining brightly.. but I cannot see it like I can normally see things.. I cannot feel God constantly like I did in the past... now He 'feels' as if He comes and goes...
I trust God... I know that He will pull me out of the darkness and into the light when He is ready... I know this is just another learning experience... but I will admit.. this is one of the darkest times my spirit has ever known...
though He slay me.. yet will I trust Him...
1 Kings 8: 12 Then Solomon prayed, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness.
the bible tells us that God lives in the darkness.. so we are not alone in it.. I guess because I have always seen ahead that I get distraught when something is not clearly shown... or the path is not lit..
the darkest days I have ever lived in my life were when my kids were very small.. there was no money because their father had a drug and alcohol problem.. some days I did not eat.. but made sure that they did... even if it was just oodles of noodles... all I can remember from that time are rainy and cold days.. I cannot seem to pull up in my mind's eye any sunny days...
but even in those darkest times.. God was with me.. I felt Him.. I knew He was there... I knew He would pull me out.. I didn't know how... but I knew He would...
in this particular time in my life.. everything is dark... not necessarily in the weather.. but in my mind and spirit... I cannot see my hand in front of my face.. I remember what God said when the sun was shining brightly.. but I cannot see it like I can normally see things.. I cannot feel God constantly like I did in the past... now He 'feels' as if He comes and goes...
I trust God... I know that He will pull me out of the darkness and into the light when He is ready... I know this is just another learning experience... but I will admit.. this is one of the darkest times my spirit has ever known...
though He slay me.. yet will I trust Him...
Friday, November 11, 2011
Philippians 2: 1-2
Philippians 2: 1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
isn't it amazing the things that bring division to us... I think that other than lies... division is one of the enemies biggest tools.. sometimes using lies to bring division... we get so caught up in being right or having our own way.. that we miss the goal.. we miss the outcome.. we miss out on what was really important...
Lord please bring unity in our hearts.. help us to learn to lay down our emotions and trust that You will work out all the details... help us to live in unity with everyone...
isn't it amazing the things that bring division to us... I think that other than lies... division is one of the enemies biggest tools.. sometimes using lies to bring division... we get so caught up in being right or having our own way.. that we miss the goal.. we miss the outcome.. we miss out on what was really important...
Lord please bring unity in our hearts.. help us to learn to lay down our emotions and trust that You will work out all the details... help us to live in unity with everyone...
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Psalms 124: 7
Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
our soul is escaped.. we think of the soul.. it is who we really are.. the one way down inside.. the one that sometimes we don't allow anyone to see.. the one who is weak sometimes... the one who is hurt sometimes... the soul is trapped inside this physical body... and just like the physical body can stop us from moving forward.. sometimes our mind can trap us too... we get trapped inside what we think we are or are not... wouldn't it be the greatest thing to see ourselves.. just once.. just a glimpse.. as God sees us.. to see why He decided we are worth something... to see why He loves us when we know who we really are... He loves us AS we REALLY are...
my 'other woman' was sueann... she is truthfully the real me... (just listen to me for a minute...) the person that I allow everyone to see is this sue.. who has lately become too locked into what she feels is required of me by God.. I was getting trapped in the laws.. I had lost who I was as an individual...
there is a reason we are who we are.. it is our true personality that God will use.. not the fake one that we think He will like.. not the one that fits in at the church or at the job... or wherever we are trying to fit in at... it is the half crazy.. totally messed up one.. that is the one God chooses...
in my own case... while sueann was hardhearted.. and she was rebellious... she was also silly and fun... and touchable... this person I have become... may have all the right actions down... and she may do everything we think we are supposed to.. but she is not real.. she is not touchable.. she is self righteous.. judgemental.. and condemning of others.. thinking that she alone is righteous... willing to point out everyone else's faults.. and not in love either... just in 'the voice of truth'...
while the truth does need to be said sometimes.. it should always be said with the gift of love attached.. with the acceptance in spite of...
so my newest challenge is going to be the death of the church woman.. and the birth of my soul.. without the hard heartedness.. and rebellion.. instead of trying to protect myself I will allow God to be my protector.. and if I get hurt.. then I also know that He will heal me...
this snare is broken... and my soul is going to escape.. to be all that God has called me to be in my own personality...
our soul is escaped.. we think of the soul.. it is who we really are.. the one way down inside.. the one that sometimes we don't allow anyone to see.. the one who is weak sometimes... the one who is hurt sometimes... the soul is trapped inside this physical body... and just like the physical body can stop us from moving forward.. sometimes our mind can trap us too... we get trapped inside what we think we are or are not... wouldn't it be the greatest thing to see ourselves.. just once.. just a glimpse.. as God sees us.. to see why He decided we are worth something... to see why He loves us when we know who we really are... He loves us AS we REALLY are...
my 'other woman' was sueann... she is truthfully the real me... (just listen to me for a minute...) the person that I allow everyone to see is this sue.. who has lately become too locked into what she feels is required of me by God.. I was getting trapped in the laws.. I had lost who I was as an individual...
there is a reason we are who we are.. it is our true personality that God will use.. not the fake one that we think He will like.. not the one that fits in at the church or at the job... or wherever we are trying to fit in at... it is the half crazy.. totally messed up one.. that is the one God chooses...
in my own case... while sueann was hardhearted.. and she was rebellious... she was also silly and fun... and touchable... this person I have become... may have all the right actions down... and she may do everything we think we are supposed to.. but she is not real.. she is not touchable.. she is self righteous.. judgemental.. and condemning of others.. thinking that she alone is righteous... willing to point out everyone else's faults.. and not in love either... just in 'the voice of truth'...
while the truth does need to be said sometimes.. it should always be said with the gift of love attached.. with the acceptance in spite of...
so my newest challenge is going to be the death of the church woman.. and the birth of my soul.. without the hard heartedness.. and rebellion.. instead of trying to protect myself I will allow God to be my protector.. and if I get hurt.. then I also know that He will heal me...
this snare is broken... and my soul is going to escape.. to be all that God has called me to be in my own personality...
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Deuteronomy 7: 6-15
6 For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
for me.. the idea that God considers me a special treasure.. His own special treasure... how awesome is that.. we strive so hard to be accepted and love and considered valuable.. and all along.. God has felt we are His own special treasure...
7 “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! 8 Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. 9 Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. 10 But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. 11 Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.
God didn't choose us because we were big and important.. in fact we were the least of all.. it was simply that He loves us and was keeping an oath He swore to our ancestors... I know that my mother prayed for me all my life... imagine that God spoke to people in our families years and years ago.. and promised them to do things for us.. to keep us in covenant with Him.. to prosper us and give us a hope and a future... isn't it amazing to think that people we didn't even know were praying for us.. we should be doing that too.. we should be praying for the generations that are still to come... we should be concerned about their future too..
we need to be obedient and faithful because God is surely still in the consequences business.. even though no one likes to imagine that anymore...
12 “If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the Lord your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you, as he promised with an oath to your ancestors. 13 He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. 14 You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young. 15 And the Lord will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all your enemies!
there are blessings associated with the obedience to the Lord, just like the consequences for disobedience.. I desire to be on the obedient side... I desire to have open eyes to see when I am doing something that is unpleasing to God.. I desire to do what He asks of me.. I desire to be faithful to Him and He is always faithful to me..
for me.. the idea that God considers me a special treasure.. His own special treasure... how awesome is that.. we strive so hard to be accepted and love and considered valuable.. and all along.. God has felt we are His own special treasure...
7 “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! 8 Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. 9 Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. 10 But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. 11 Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today.
God didn't choose us because we were big and important.. in fact we were the least of all.. it was simply that He loves us and was keeping an oath He swore to our ancestors... I know that my mother prayed for me all my life... imagine that God spoke to people in our families years and years ago.. and promised them to do things for us.. to keep us in covenant with Him.. to prosper us and give us a hope and a future... isn't it amazing to think that people we didn't even know were praying for us.. we should be doing that too.. we should be praying for the generations that are still to come... we should be concerned about their future too..
we need to be obedient and faithful because God is surely still in the consequences business.. even though no one likes to imagine that anymore...
12 “If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the Lord your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you, as he promised with an oath to your ancestors. 13 He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. 14 You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young. 15 And the Lord will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all your enemies!
there are blessings associated with the obedience to the Lord, just like the consequences for disobedience.. I desire to be on the obedient side... I desire to have open eyes to see when I am doing something that is unpleasing to God.. I desire to do what He asks of me.. I desire to be faithful to Him and He is always faithful to me..
Friday, November 4, 2011
John 14: 23-29
23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. 24 Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me. 25 I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
as I read this.. I am thinking of several thoughts... for one thing... look at how much we take the Holy Spirit for granted... can you even remember not having Him? I assure you that I cannot... all of my life I have heard His voice.. felt His leading... imagine living in the times when the only people that spoke to God were the priests... that people didn't really have access to Him the way we do...
even take the example of Mary the mother of Jesus... God didn't come and tell her what was going to happen.. she was sent an angel... who spoke to her... and while that is an awesome and amazing gift to have received... look at us...every day in some way shape or form.. we speak to God and we hear from Him... He doesn't hide Himself from us most times.. we have open access...
the other thought is the idea of the peace of mind and heart... how often do we allow circumstances to invade our peace and our joy... we feel defeated and depressed... we feel upset all the time... for what? really... for what? because things don't go our way? come on now.. how ridiculous is that? we know.. really know that God is going to work everything out.. yet we run in over and over in our minds.. wondering how it could possibly work out.. as if God can't or won't fix it.. and that is just ridiculous... our real issue is the waiting.. not the fearing... we think at the time that it is about things not working out.. but in real life.. we know they will... the issue is the waiting for it to happen... if we can master waiting.. I think we will have accomplished a life changing thing...
27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am. 29 I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.
as I read this.. I am thinking of several thoughts... for one thing... look at how much we take the Holy Spirit for granted... can you even remember not having Him? I assure you that I cannot... all of my life I have heard His voice.. felt His leading... imagine living in the times when the only people that spoke to God were the priests... that people didn't really have access to Him the way we do...
even take the example of Mary the mother of Jesus... God didn't come and tell her what was going to happen.. she was sent an angel... who spoke to her... and while that is an awesome and amazing gift to have received... look at us...every day in some way shape or form.. we speak to God and we hear from Him... He doesn't hide Himself from us most times.. we have open access...
the other thought is the idea of the peace of mind and heart... how often do we allow circumstances to invade our peace and our joy... we feel defeated and depressed... we feel upset all the time... for what? really... for what? because things don't go our way? come on now.. how ridiculous is that? we know.. really know that God is going to work everything out.. yet we run in over and over in our minds.. wondering how it could possibly work out.. as if God can't or won't fix it.. and that is just ridiculous... our real issue is the waiting.. not the fearing... we think at the time that it is about things not working out.. but in real life.. we know they will... the issue is the waiting for it to happen... if we can master waiting.. I think we will have accomplished a life changing thing...
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Psalms 63
I woke up this morning singing the song.. I got a feeling.. everything's gonna be all right.. be all right.. be all right.. be all right...
Psalms 63
1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land
where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
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.
9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. 10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in him will praise him, while liars will be silenced.
in this psalm.. david said all there is to be said.. in general terms.. he states that God is really all that matters.. I have sat in His presence.. and He is my refuge.. my place of safety no matter what is going on.. I will praise Him ALL THE TIME..
yes.. I still have struggles and trials.. but God is greater than all that I go through.. He will carry me out.. and everything's gonna be all right...
Psalms 63
1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land
where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
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.
9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. 10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in him will praise him, while liars will be silenced.
in this psalm.. david said all there is to be said.. in general terms.. he states that God is really all that matters.. I have sat in His presence.. and He is my refuge.. my place of safety no matter what is going on.. I will praise Him ALL THE TIME..
yes.. I still have struggles and trials.. but God is greater than all that I go through.. He will carry me out.. and everything's gonna be all right...
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