Psalm 61 - "Evidence"

The Lord took me to Psalm 61 this morning. As I read it in different versions, I was amazed at how God knows exactly what we need and provides. Verse two in The Passion Translation reads:  When I’m feeble and overwhelmed by life,  guide me into your glory, where I am safe and sheltered. No matter what we go through on this earth He is always here for us. Woo hoo! As I think back over my life I am amazed at how God took me through many 'storms' over the last fifty-nine plus years. I had a conversation this week about all the exasperations with MS. There have been many over the last twenty-seven years. I forget about them most of the time but sometimes it is good to reflect on how God took me from the bed to the wheelchair to the walker to the cane and then back to walking on my own strength. It is good to reflect on the time my sight was taken for a couple weeks. It is good to reflect but I am thankful I do not have to stay in those memories. They are in the past. I am thankful for God's healing touch upon me. I am thankful for the ability to walk for exercise, drive where I need to go, etc. I am grateful for the capability to not just walk physically in God's will but to to do so emotionally, mentally, financially, and most of all spiritually. Psalm 61 reminds me of something He gave me a week or two ago. His wraparound presence is where I desire to bask. Verse three reads in The Passion Translation: Lord, you are a paradise of protection to me. You lift me high above the fray. None of my foes can touch me when I’m held firmly in your wraparound presence! Woo hoo! I can sing the words to Josh Baldwin's song "Evidence" knowing I am living in His wraparound presence. I can sing these words knowing He desires me to live with Him 24/7. He desires me to not just hear His voice but to walk in obedience to Him.

I see the evidence of Your goodness
All over my life, all over my life
I see Your promises in fulfillment
All over my life, all over my life

Help me remember when I'm weak
Fear may come, but fear will leave
You lead my heart to victory
You are my strength and You always will be

God was with me In all the craziness of yesterday. When the phone would not stop ringing last night and my mind was racing, He was with me. Throughout the day as decisions were made, He was with me. When the enemy came knocking at my door trying to put doubts upon me, He was with me. Plain and simple. He was with me. Praise His Holy Name He will be with me in the day ahead too. Woo hoo! I do not have to fear anything but instead can stand on the knowledge that He will lead my heart to victory throughout this day. God won the victory on this earth when He had His son die for our sins and come back to life. That victory is not just for a select few but for all who will accept Him. Yesterday as I watched "War Room" again I was challenged to pray more. God reminded me of times where only a miracle could change a situation and it did through prayers. I do not think me watching it just happened. I believe God had a plan and I desire to seek what that plan is. I also do not think a phone call I received yesterday just happened. I had been seeking God's direction on making a call to someone but did not feel Him leading me to do so. Evidently, I missed something because this person called me so I knew what was on my heart was to be shared. God is so, so good. Even when we missed something He is there to move us in the direction He desires. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the opportunities to love on people yesterday with Your love and the opportunities ahead in this day! Thank You for the kind words from the cashier at Wal-Mart, the cards of encouragement I received in the mail yesterday from friends, time with Carol Young, a monetary blessing I received, hitting my step goal, watching the "War Room" again, conversation with my sister Linda...oh my, the list goes on and on of blessings You poured over me yesterday! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. Thank You for answering my prayers for Sandy to have a safe trip to work when I received the weather alert during the night for fog! Thank You in advance for giving Beth and Bob safe travels today! Thank You for the phone call yesterday from one who I was praying about calling! You are so, so good! Lord, I pray for Your direction today as decisions will be made. I pray for Your empowerment when the enemy comes knocking. Thank You Jesus for being My Wrap Around Presence! Amen.

Philippians 4:19 - "Evidence"/"Out of My Hands"

 

Yesterday morning as I listened to Pastor Elaine preach to kick off Holy Week I was amazed at how God intertwined the sermon He gave me with what she said. Her words reminded me I need to weep over lost souls just as Jesus did when He was on this earth. I need to seek to be Christ-like so I will have His compassion and His love will ooze out of me. The homework she gave was to complete this sentence:

Because I died well to sin __________________ will ______________.

I completed it like this: Because I died well to sin my heart will be broken and more lost souls will experience the hope and peace of Jesus. Woo hoo! Pastor Elaine spoke of the footholds of the enemy needing to be eradicated out of our lives. God woke me up at 3AM and again this morning with a song Josh Baldwin sings on my mind.

All throughout my history
Your faithfulness has walked beside me
The winter storms made way for spring
In every season, from where I'm standing

I see the evidence of Your goodness
All over my life, all over my life
I see Your promises in fulfillment
All over my life, all over my life

Help me remember when I'm weak
Fear may come, but fear will leave
You lead my heart to victory
You are my strength and You always will be

Yesterday was a perfect example of evidence of Him in my life. He shined brightly when life was overwhelming. He gave strength in difficult situations. Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength were realized in a great way. Starting the day listening to Pastor Elaine was exactly what I needed for the rest of the day. When the enemy came knocking at my door trying to put lies upon me, I knew I could not accept his lies. I was reminded yesterday of the desire of Jesus' heart to live in and through me. He spoke to me about a personal situation so clearly right in the middle of Pastor Elaine's sermon. Woo hoo! I love living where I hear His voice! This time of restoration in my life is definitely interesting. He is taking me to new places I never would have dreamt of experiencing. He reminded me through Max Lucado's book You Are Never Alone of the story of Lazarus. A physical death had come upon Lazarus. Jesus wept (John 11) over the situation with Lazarus' sisters. He wept. After He wept He commanded Lazarus to 'come out' from the grave. Jesus was there to perform a miracle in their lives. He is here 24/7 to perform miracles in our lives. Yesterday's situation when I thought I was at the end of my 'rope' and was going to fall apart He was there for me. He calmed me down and directed me to go for a walk. What a blessing to not only hear Him but walk in obedience to Him. This morning as I'm writing a song by Jeremy Camp came on and touched me greatly. These words...wow! All we have to do is give Him every aspect of life and He will take care of every little detail. Praise His Holy Name!

So when it feels like all of this pain is never gonna end
Brought to my knees by all of these things I don't understand
Don't understand, I will let the weight of my fear fall like sand
Out of my hands and into Yours, out of my hands and into Yours

Take this out of my hands, take this out of my hands (Take this out of my hands)
Take this out of my hands, it's out of my hands
There's nothing that You can't handle
God You are strong enough, only You can take this out of my hands
Out of my hands, You're greater than all of my sorrows
Worthy of all my trust
Thank You Lord this is out of my hands, out of my hands

The building has to out of my hands and in His. The timing of getting into the building must be in His hands. I don't understand the 'whys?' of all involved in the process but I don't have to. All I have to do is allow Him to be in control. Complete control. Out of my hands. Jesus knows what is ahead. He knows the joys and the challenges of life. He knows exactly what needs to happen at the exact time. Plain and simple. He knows. Last evening was a difficult time where I wanted to give up. Today is a new day where I am determined to live in God's will. Lucado wrote, "You are never alone. Jesus meets us in the cemeteries of life. Whether we are there to say goodbye or there to be buried, we can count on the presence of God." Woo hoo! Praise His Holy Name for these words! Sometimes life feels like a cemetery. We think we want a situation to be over or dead. But if we do not embrace every aspect of life God gives us, we will miss blessings He has for us. I was so excited yesterday when He spoke to me during Pastor Elaine's sermon. Then last night when I felt the enemy knocking God clearly spoke again. Those two times are not only etched in my mind but they also encourage me to be ready for whatever is ahead in this day. Woo hoo! Praise His Holy Name!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for these two songs, Lucado's book, Pastor Elaine's sermon yesterday, and You speaking so clearly to me! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! May You cleanse me so You can fill me so You will ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts throughout this day. May You be greater than anything that comes my way today. Lord, I pray it will be in Your timing to have the work at the building completed today so I can call for inspection. I pray Your favor upon us with the inspector that comes. I pray for Your wisdom on decisions that need made regarding the church and in my personal life. I pray for Your continued strength as I continue to seek Your will. I pray Your continued strength for: my sister Linda; my friend Kaye; a couple awaiting test results of their unborn child; two friends with relationship issues; Elizabeth; Melanie; Sandi; and so many others who are going through difficult situations. Thank You for my time with Marion yesterday! What a joy to be able to be with her again. I pray progress will continue with her situation. Thank You for my dear friend Marlene who is always there for me! Thank You for laughter and conversation with Rickey! Thank You for this beautiful place I live and the beauty of Your creation being all around me! Thank You for the time ahead today with my friend Carol Young! Thank You for another day of life! May I not find myself in a 'cemetery of life' today but if I do may I remember I do not have to embrace anything the enemy throws before me but instead remember it is out of my hands and in Yours. Thank You for being My Evidence! Amen.

Luke 19:41-42 - "He Is"

What an interesting day I had yesterday! I was thankful for another time to preach, the beautiful sunshine to enjoy, a time to pray with a lady who fell at the waterfront, reading a Max Lucado book as I sat on the swing at the waterfront, having Miss Everly for my walking buddy in the evening..it was a full day. The thing that stayed with me throughout the day was part of my sermon. It actually was something I read in the Sunday School book yesterday morning. In the Life Application section it read: "We can become all that God desires as we allow His lavish love and grace to work within us." This statement reminded me of Luke 19:41-42 that I had pulled out to read for Palm Sunday. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. He wept for the lost souls. He knew they needed a Savior. That 'sealed the deal' for Him to continue on the path to fulfill the desire of His Father's heart to die for all of our sins. I need to get better at 'weeping over the souls of people' so more will come into relationship with Him. I need to get better at having myself open to what He desires of me so more will come into relationship with Him. I need to get better at loving with His love so more will come into relationship with Him. Plain and simple. I need to get better at all I do so more will come into relationship with Him. That is not my 'job' as a pastor but it is the responsibility of all believers. I wrote in my Sunday school book: "Our heart needs to break for people so we will allow God to use us to make a change in their spiritual life." The more we strive to be who He desires us to be, the more our life will be changed along with all we meet. As I was reading Lucado's book yesterday I was amazed at how much was intertwined with this Scripture. We all have tears that fall due to our own circumstances. They fall when life seems to be falling apart. They fall when life is 'good' and everything is falling into place. There are tears of joy and tears of sadness. There are tears that come out of nowhere in my life as I deal with being alone. Yesterday I read the cover of the book before delving into it. It read:

When life feels depleted, does God care...when life grows dark and stormy, does God notice? The answer in the life-giving miracles in the Gospel of John is a resounding yes. In this book, Max Lucado will help you:

• Realize that Jesus is walking with you and lifting you out of your storms.
• Dwell in the grace of the cross, the miracles of the empty tomb, and the assurance of restoration power.
• Believe that God is your ever-present source of help.
• Recognize that you are never without hope or strength because you are never, ever, alone.

Today, take courage that you are stronger than you think because God is nearer than you know. (Lucado)

These words made me stop and think about how many people in this world are living without the hope of Christ. I was reminded about how people who do not know Him cannot bask in His strength. When life falls apart for those who are not in relationship with Him, what do they do? Who do they turn to? Many times they turn to 'friends' who are not in relationship with Him either. That can compound the issues of life. We all need to have Him to turn to with tears of 'joy' and tears of 'sadness'! We all need to follow His example and weep over lost souls. 

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for the opportunities You gave me yesterday to love with Your love and for the ones You will give me today! Thank You for being so real to me! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me so I can have a greater burden for the souls of the lost. Father, may You be my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a way that will shine brightly for you. I pray special prayers for: my sister Linda and my friend Kaye as they continue to recuperate from back surgery; Joyce who fell yesterday and was taken to the hospital; a couple waiting on test results for their unborn child; unspoken requests for many; the building to be completed; and most of all for the lost to find You. Lord, thank You for the reminders from yesterday that I am not alone in this life. What a blessing to start my day with hugs and conversation with my friend Leslie and to end it laughing with Rickey and his friends. You always provide exactly what I need, when I need it. Thank You for Lucado's book "You Are Never Alone" that encourages me greatly! Thank You for my friend Carol Young who I took to the library and found this book! Once again, You always provide. Lord, be with me in the day ahead and give me protection on the road and opportunities to have Your love pour out of me. Thank You Jesus for being My Empowerment! Amen.

Lamentations 3 - "Keep Me In The Moment"/"New Today"

Woo hoo! Today is a new day! All that happened yesterday is in the past. What is ahead in this day will be God ordained when we allow Him to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords of our life. Before going to bed, again during the night, and again this morning the Lord had me praying for pastors who are struggling with health issues in themselves and/or their spouse. He had me pray for them to lean into His strength instead of trying to do life on their own. Life can be challenging but it is not impossible. It can feel like nothing is going 'right' when in fact God is molding us into what He desires. I was thinking during the night about something my friend Angie said the other day. She said during this time of COVID she feels like her spiritual life has expanded greatly. She used the example of being like bread dough that is being stretched and kneading. I was thinking about this analogy. As we allow God to 'knead' us He will do exactly what is needed in our life to make us into what He desires. Sometimes He will stretch our faith through tough circumstances. Sometimes He will use health issues in ourselves or family members to make us realize we are not alone in this life. Sometimes He will open our eyes to new ways of doing life to make us realize something new He desires us to accomplish. Sometimes He will put people before us to give us new ideas that He desires us to experience in life. Sometimes. We must be ready to accept what 'sometimes' brings our way. We must be ready to accept what God wants to do in and through us. Once again I say today is a new day! Yesterday is gone and never will be again. Today is ahead and ready for us to live in the way God desires. Tomorrow is yet to be. Therefore, we must live in the moment. God brought to me the words to Jeremy Camp's song called "Keep Me In The Moment" and blessed me in abundance.

Singing, oh Lord keep me in the moment
Help me live with my eyes wide open
'Cause I don't wanna miss what You have for me (What You have for me)
Singing, oh Lord show me what matters
Throw away what I'm chasing after, 'cause I don't wanna miss what You have for me (What You have for me)
Keep me in the moment, oh keep me in the moment
'Cause I don't wanna miss what You have for me (What You have for me)

When I wake up in the morning, Lord touch my heart
Don't let me stray, I just wanna stay where You are
All I got is one shot, one try, one go around in this beautiful life
Nothing is wasted when everything's placed in Your hands

Today is a new day! We all have the choice to make to live for God or to live for ourselves. There will be times throughout the day where the enemy will come chasing after us. We must be strong in our walk with the Lord so we do not give into the antics of the enemy. We must allow God to be who He desires to be in our lives so He can 'knead' us to be who He so desires. Woo hoo! May I remember the words to another song God has on my mind this morning. May I remember God has given me the day ahead to do His will. Once again, yesterday is no longer here and tomorrow is yet to be. I need to live in today and bask in God's presence.

Help me rise like the morning sun
Help me see that Your works not done
When I'm less than what I want to be
Lord, I need You to keep reminding me

Your mercies are new today
Your mercies are new today
I can rest on Your shoulders
There is grace to start over
Your mercies are new today

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the opportunities You gave me yesterday to love with Your love and for the ones You will put before me today! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for 'kneading' me into being the lady You so desire me to be! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You. May Your words, actions, attitude, and thoughts ooze out of me today in a mighty way. May what You gave me to preach be heard and pondered upon in a way that all our lives will be forever changed. Father, there was a reason You had me pray before going to sleep, in the night, and again this morning for pastors who are struggling with health issues in themselves and/or their spouses. I pray You will touch each pastor physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and most of all spiritually. I pray we all will seek more of You as we go throughout the day ahead. May You be greater than anything the enemy tries to throw our way. May You shine brightly through our efforts to share You with others. Lord, thank You for being who You are in my life. Thank You for keeping me in Your arms! Thank You for all the ways You encourage me! Thank You for the people You put in my life! Thank You for my time with Sandy last night at the waterfront and for the texts from Marlene and Edie! What a treasure these friendships are to me! Thank You for the privilege to pray with one over the phone last night who was 'falling apart' with the circumstances of what life has given them! Thank You for giving me Your words when my words are not enough! Thank You for Rickey who encourages me so greatly through the 'good' and the 'tough' times of life! Thank You for the day ahead and all the ways You will use me as Your faithful servant! Father, this song says, I don't wanna miss what You have for me. Woo hoo! I do not want to miss anything You desire of me or for me today. I want to be the person You so desire me to be. I pray for strength in every aspect of my being today so I can shine brightly for You! Thank You Jesus for being My New Day! Amen.

Psalm 3 - "Rise Up"

God took me to Psalm 3 this morning. In The Passion Translation this Scripture is entitled "Covered By The Glory"! Woo hoo! No matter what happens while we are on this earth we must live in God's presence to spend eternity with Him. This Psalm reminds me of how much I am surrounded by the Trinity every day. God is my Heavenly Father who loves on me every day. Jesus is my Lord who saves me. The Holy Spirit speaks and directs me to where He desires me to be. God the Father; Jesus my Lord; and the Holy Spirit. Life is so different when we allow these three to not just be names we speak but Ones we follow. It is different when we not only hear their voice but we walk in obedience to them. This week has been a challenging one. Traveling to Columbia for a time of training; another building inspection; thinking about my 'first' Easter as lead pastor; praying for so many people who are hurting for a variety of reasons; being emotional too many times to count; feeling alone...challenges have been great but my God has been greater. He has been there every step of the way encouraging me through the challenges and disappointments of life. Verses three and four in The Passion Translation read:

But in the depths of my heart I truly know

    that you, Yahweh, have become my Shield;
    You take me and surround me with yourself. 
    Your glory covers me continually.
    You lift high my head. 
I have cried out to you, Yahweh, from your holy presence. 
    You send me a Father’s help.
Pause in his presence

Praise His Holy Name for protecting me! I have felt the enemy coming on strong this week and am so grateful for the protection that has been around me. I know life would be so different without that protection. I am grateful for people God puts in my path who encourage me to not give up but instead to stand strong in Him. I also am grateful for the mindset He gives me when people say things they think are appropriate yet hurt deeply. I am grateful for the words He puts in my mouth, the thoughts He puts on my mind, the attitude He puts in my spirit, and the actions He gives me. He is "The Secret of Strength" in my life just as the last two verses of Psalm 3 are entitled in The Passion Translation. 

Rise up and help me, Yahweh! Come and save me, God!
    For you will slap them in the face,
    breaking the power of their words to harm me. 
For the Lord alone is my Savior. 
    What a feast of favor and bliss he gives his people!
Pause in his presence

I am reminded this morning of the words to a song called "Rise Up." The writer of the song wrote these words about life: “It’s this triumphant song about come on and rise up. My story is one of secret. As I felt myself feeling separated from God in cycles of destructive behavior & sin, the last thing I wanted to do was rise up. The last thing on earth that I wanted to do was to stand up and do what was right. When I feel defeated it’s easy for me to recluse, to become comfortable in that place but I know that the voice of Jesus is always gonna call me to rise up. If you hold onto that truth, that voice will get loud and it will eventually get louder than the voice that’s telling you to not rise up. There is no greater feeling of being alive than when you decide that I’m gonna take the power that’s given to me by the blood that was shed on the cross and I’m going to stand on top of this thing that has held me down. When you rise up anything that felt like life before that pales in comparison.” – Logan (CAIN)

I will admit there are times where I feel like the enemy is winning. I become tired from fighting against his antics. Then God reminds me I am not in this fight on my own strength but instead need to press more into His strength. I so agree with these words, There is no greater feeling of being alive than when you decide that I’m gonna take the power that’s given to me by the blood that was shed on the cross and I’m going to stand on top of this thing that has held me down. Woo hoo! This. This is where I need to live. This is where I need to make sure to spend every day of my life, 24/7. God is and will continue to be my Strength no matter what happens in life. I was thinking last night that I sure must be doing something right for the Lord with the way the enemy fights to pull me down. The enemy will not win. My God will always win! I will "Rise Up" like Lazarus and be who God is calling me to be.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Psalm 3 and this song that encourage me to allow You to empower me to "Rise Up" when the enemy comes knocking at my door! I am so blessed in the way You love me so greatly and encourage me through people, Scripture, songs, etc. Thank You for filling my emotional tank last night with time with Miss Lilly! Thank You for giving me a day of rest yesterday to fill my physical tank! Thank You for my Momma who encouraged me through conversation! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! I desire to "Rise Up" today so I can be the godly lady You have called me to me. Lord, I pray special healing prayers for so many but especially for: my sister Linda; my friends Kaye and Mary; Dave Stanley; Luke who has been diagnosed with an infection; Ed as he continues to heal from surgery; Sharon Martin; and Clara Jean who is facing surgery. I also pray for friends who need an extra dose of You in life. Elizabeth; Melanie; Sandi Stroud; a friend with job issues; a friend with relationship issues; a friend making some 'tough' decisions and another friend who needs to make decisions based upon You and not the world. Lord, be greater than the hurts of life. Be greater than the things the enemy throws our way and empower us to "Rise Up" for You. Thank You Jesus for being My Secret of Strength! Amen.

Psalm 91 - "I Am Not Alone"

Psalm 91 was brought before me last night at a time when the tears were right on the surface. I was tired, frustrated, hurting, etc. The Lord is so good at reminding us we are not alone at any point in time. Yesterday as I waited for the inspector I prayed and tried to keep myself 'busy' throughout the day. I read Scripture, worked on sermons, prayed, and prayed some more. Collins told me I was praying 'wrong' and needed to pray for a different inspector than the first one. He must have been praying the 'right' way because the one who came was a different one and they knew one another. As I watched her measure and check things out I kept praying for favor. I believe we received favor but if the first one is the one to come back we may be back to square one. That thought is frustrating! Why does being a pastor have to include building projects? I don't think I was ever taught anything in college about such things. Psalm 91 begins in The Passion Translation with these words:

When you abide under the shadow of Shaddai,
    you are hidden in the strength of God Most High.
2 He’s the hope that holds me and the stronghold to shelter me,
    the only God for me, and my great confidence.

He is my Hope! He is my Confidence! He is where I hide in times like yesterday. After I left the building I went to the waterfront to walk and relax. I needed to feel the sunshine on my face and the Son shine down upon me. I felt like I was falling apart emotionally and unfortunately going there may not have been the best thing. Seeing couples swing, kiss, walk hand-in-hand, etc. made me want to cry more. I did not leave but instead faced the way I was feeling. When I got home, I took a walk in the neighborhood to continue to decompress from the day. I am so thankful God brought Psalm 91 before me last night and again this morning because I needed the reminders from it. I am thankful for the Kari Jobe's song "I Am Not Alone" that also reminds He is with me.

You're my strength
You're my defender
You're my refuge in the storm
Through these trials
You've always been faithful
You bring healing to my soul

I am not alone
I am not alone
You will go before me
You will never leave me

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Psalm 91 and this song that encourage me greatly! Thank You for my friends Jenn and Angela who encouraged me this morning and are praying for me! Lord, I don't want to feel like I'm falling apart. I don't want to cry at the drop of a hat. I don't want to feel so alone. Thank You for bringing to me that it's not about what 'I' want but needs to be about what You desire for me! Lord, I was thinking about the cocoon where the butterfly is safe but then when it comes out and starts to fly there are obstacles before it. May You be greater than the obstacles in my life. May You be greater than building inspections. May You be greater than anything that comes my way today. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May Your Spirit ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a great way. I continue to pray for: Linda, Kaye, and Mary with recuperation from back procedures. May they feel Your peace today in a mighty way. Thank You for Rickey's call last night that encouraged me greatly! Thank You Jesus for being My Hope and My Confidence! Amen.

Psalm 18 - "Fires"

The Lord woke me with two things on my mind. The first was I was to pray for Craig Rench. The second was I was to ponder upon Psalm 18. As I read Psalm 18 in different versions I was impressed upon to praise Him for all He has done in my life and the lives of others such as Craig. I was impressed upon to lift my voice to Him with the words to the song "Fires" and not just sing the words but believe them for not only myself but for many going through tough times.

I remember how You told me That life may not be easy And everything that I need You’ve already given me I remember how You told me I can trust You completely So why am I doubting When You proved that You’d fight for me You’ve walked me through fires Pulled me from flames If You’re in this with me I won’t be afraid When the smoke billows higher, oh and higher And it feels like I can barely breathe I’ll walk through these fires Cause You’re walking with me

I have so many on my prayer list who are struggling with life. Some are job related. Some are physical issues. Some are experiencing intense relationship issues. Some have had great loss in their life with the death of a loved one. The list goes on and on and can be overwhelming to pray through. We all must remember we are not alone in this world. God never leaves us. He is always there to give us exactly what we need but we first must allow Him into our life. Too many times we try to 'do life' on our own and that just does not work. We try to 'handle things' in the way we think they should be handled but that does not work. Instead we need to remember...

I can face anything Cause You’re here with me I can do all things Cause You strengthen me

David began Psalm 18 rejoices in the way God delivered him from the 'junk' of life. He glorifies God throughout this Psalm for what He means to him. Matthew Henry wrote: 

Those that truly love God, may triumph in him as their Rock and Refuge, and may with confidence call upon him. It is good for us to observe all the circumstances of a mercy which magnify the power of God and his goodness to us in it. David was a praying man, and God was found a prayer-hearing God. If we pray as he did, we shall speed as he did. God's manifestation of his presence is very fully described, verses 7-15. Little appeared of man, but much of God, in these deliverances. It is not possible to apply to the history of the son of Jesse those awful, majestic, and stupendous words which are used through this description of the Divine manifestation. Every part of so solemn a scene of terrors tells us, a greater than David is here. God will not only deliver his people out of their troubles in due time, but he will bear them up under their troubles in the mean time. Can we meditate on ver. 18, without directing one thought to Gethsemane and Calvary? Can we forget that it was in the hour of Christ's deepest calamity, when Judas betrayed, when his friends forsook, when the multitude derided him, and the smiles of his Father's love were withheld, that the powers of darkness prevented him? The sorrows of death surrounded him, in his distress he prayed, Hebrews 5:7. God made the earth to shake and tremble, and the rocks to cleave, and brought him out, in his resurrection, because he delighted in him and in his undertaking.

Verses eighteen through twenty-two read in The Passion Translation:

When I was at my weakest, my enemies attacked—
    but the Lord held on to me.
19 His love broke open the way,
    and he brought me into a beautiful, broad place.
    He rescued me—because his delight is in me!
20 He rewarded me for doing what’s right and staying pure.
21 I will follow his commands and
    I’ll not sin by ceasing to follow him, no matter what.
22 For I’ve kept my eyes focused on his righteous words,
    and I’ve obeyed everything that he’s told me to do.

The enemy attacks over and over again but we must remember he is not as strong as our God. When we hear and walk in obedience to God's voice, we will have victory over the enemy. God does not desire to see us fail but instead desires to see us be successful in Him. He does not desire to see us hurt but sometimes it takes 'tough' times in life for us to get to the end of ourselves so He can work in and through us. He does not desire to see us struggling with life but sometimes it takes Him showing us what we truly have before we are grateful for it. The enemy is trying to bring me down as he throws things in my face. He is trying to destroy my joy  as he pulls people away from God and away from the church body. He is trying to make me feel like I can't do what God has put before me. Praise His Holy Name the enemy is not who I listen to but can bask in the knowledge God is not only in control but knows the outcome. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the words to this song, Scripture, and the reminder to pray for Craig Rench this morning! Thank You for bringing before me so many who are going through difficult times and need to allow You to be in control of their lives! Thank You for the reminder that the enemy is a liar and You are in control of my life and know the outcome! Thank You for those who are in relationship with You who will seek You today with the 'tough' times they are going through! I pray for those who need to accept You into their heart to have someone go before them today that will say or do something to make a difference. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so I can have Your words, actions, attitude, and thoughts ooze out of me. Lord, I do not know what lies ahead in this day but You do. I do not know what will transpire from the inspection but You do. I do not know who You will put before me today but You do. Praise Your Holy Name for this knowledge! I pray for Your wisdom to come down upon not only myself but others who need to make decisions today. I pray for Your love to pour out of me in a mighty way. Thank You Father for all the ways You blessed me yesterday with: my visit with Homer and Darlene; my back feeling a little better; Chris who loaded some boxes for me; conversations with my Momma and my boys; keeping Rachael and Bill safe when they had car trouble; the beautiful weather to walk in; Luke and Ed having successful surgery; a great Bible study last night; and ending my day with laughing over the phone with Rickey. You packed a lot into my day and I am so grateful. I pray I shined brightly for You yesterday and will shine even brighter for You today. Thank You for being My Rock and Refuge! Amen.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - "I Know"

What an awesome time yesterday listening to John Maxwell and Darrel Strawberry! There were so many 'good' things to take from the time that I know I will be pondering on for weeks to come. One thing Maxwell said was when we trust on the front-end we will realize full obedience on the back end. That reminded me of Proverbs 3:5-6. When we trust in God instead of ourselves, we will realize His will for our lives. Woo hoo! I am one blessed lady in trusting in Him. He continues to be with me and bless me through the 'good' and the 'bad' days of life. This week is one of many blessings with friends. Monday I was blessed with dinner and spending the night with Ms Savon and Mr John. Tuesday I was among pastor friends at the conference. Today I am having lunch with Darlene and Homer as they travel north from Florida and tomorrow I am having lunch with Rachel and Bill as they are visiting my area. Woo hoo, God! My emotional tank is being filled! It was filled yesterday as I listened to John Maxwell speak about how we can be intentional in being unforgettable. I loved hearing the first point that we are to excel in what we do. When we allow God to stretch us out of our comfort zone into our gift zone, we will be set apart from everyone else. He said, "don't go to the next position but grow to it!" Woo hoo! The second point in this session was about excelling in who you are. There were four parts to this.

• Find yourself
• Be yourself
• Improve yourself
• Get over yourself

Maxwell said, "When you become the best of who you are, you will become the best at what you do." I want to be the best at what God puts before me. I want to be the best mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, friend, preacher, etc. The only way that will be possible is for me to stand upon Proverbs 3:5-6 every day of my life. I must trust Him and allow Him to guide me. I feel like I am living this right now as I find myself in my new role in life. I am learning to be myself in a way greater than before as I improve myself. I pray God will empower me to be humble and get over myself when the enemy tries to put thoughts into my mind. Yes! A life with Christ is a life successful no matter what the world may think. A life with Christ is rewarding in ways the world may not see. A life with Christ is where peace is found no matter what the circumstances. Woo hoo! A life with Christ is where I desire to live. As I was writing this morning the song "I Know" played. I love the strength I find in this song...

I know that You are good
I know that You are kind
I know that You are so much more
Than what I leave behind
I know that I am loved
I know that I am safe
Cause even in the fire to live is Christ, to die is gain
I know that You are good
You are good
I know

On my darkest day
From my deepest pain
Through it all, my heart, will choose to sing Your praise
On my darkest day
From my deepest pain
Through it all, my heart, will choose to sing Your praise
On my darkest day
From my deepest pain
Through it all, my heart, will choose to sing Your praise

Yes! God wants to give us His peace. He wants us to sing praises to Him no matter what is going on in life. Yesterday as I headed home and it started raining I prayed and asked God to stop the rain and He did. As my back pain intensified I asked Him to lessen the pain but He did not. God answers our prayers in different ways. Sometimes it is an immediate 'yes' or 'no' while others times we have to wait on our answer, As I fell asleep last night I prayed for relief from the pain and it is less this
morning. Praise His Holy Name! 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for my time with pastor friends this week! Thank You for loving me so much! Thank You for giving me what I needed to drive home from the conference in the pain I had! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. I pray for Luke and Ed who have surgery today to feel Your presence. I pray for my sister Linda and friend Kaye who are recuperating from major back surgery to feel Your healing touch. Thank You for the encouragement I received yesterday from Kevin Sprague! Thank You for giving Patricia and Sharon wisdom as they deal with vehicle issues! Lord, be with Homer and Darlene as they travel and give them safety. I pray for continued healing with this back pain. Thank You for improvement! Thank You for Miss Evelyn having a good birthday celebration! Thank You for Joyce for taking my Momma for bloodwork and errands! Thank You for ending my day with laughs over the phone with Rickey! I am so grateful for the way You shower me with Your love! Thank You for being My Goodness! Amen.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Proverbs 17:6a - "Build My Life"

I do not know how it is even possible that my first granddaughter is a teenager today. My baby's first born. Wow! I will never forget the day Miss Evelyn was born. I will never forget getting 'the phone call' on our way to church on Easter morning that labor had begun. I wanted to go then but instead kept checking via phone calls on how things were going. It was a long day for all but what a blessing when she finally came into the world. I loved spending a few days with them, giving her a bath, cuddling, etc. Being a Grandma was a new title I thoroughly loved and continue to treasure. Proverbs 17:6a reads in The Passion Translation: Grandparents have the crowning glory of life: grandchildren! Woo hoo! I love this verse! I love the way God provides time with my grand babies. As I think about my grandparents, I realize things are so different than when I was growing up. We lived three and a half hours away in a different state and only got to visit a couple times a year. That is similar to my life today. I am many states apart from my grand babies and it usually is only a couple times a year I get to see them in person. It saddens my heart yet I am grateful for today's technology that keeps me a part of their life. I am grateful for the way their parents share things with me that make me feel a part of their life. A couple weeks ago having Rachel ask me something Miss Aiya said about me brought tears to my eyes. She is so little yet she remembered something her and I did last summer when they were visiting. What a blessing for this grandma's heart! Having Miss Evelyn hug me and tell me "you always give the best presents" are words I will never forget. There is not a ton of money that goes into presents but there sure is a lot of love and thoughts in them. I want my grand babies to know I love them but most of all I want them to know God loves them. As I think about Miss Evelyn turning thirteen today, I reflect back on where I was at that age. She is so much further along in her spiritual walk than I am. I pray she continues on the path God has her for her as her faith is taken deeper. I pray she will realize more of His empowerment in the days ahead. I am so proud of her and pray she knows it. I am proud of Ben and Emily and the way they are raising their children. I know life is chaotic most times yet they continue to lean on God for His direction. I was sharing with someone yesterday about Ben's words to me at the end of his part of Doc's service. He read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and then said, "Mom, this is a new season in your life and we are here to support you through it." I am so grateful for the support of my family and the way God has continued to shower His love down over me. I am grateful for the way He uses Scripture, songs, people, etc. to encourage me. As I thought of this Scripture this morning, I thought about how I started praying for my baby's when I was just a little girl. I prayed for three boys and three girls. Some would say I didn't get that but I did. Adam, Paul, and Ben and their ladies Rachel, Lizzie, and Emily. I prayed for future spouses for my boys and for children that would be born to them long before any were a part of our life. What a blessing to see the fruit of your prayers! Once again I am reminded of the words to "Build My Life" and pray for Miss Evelyn and all my grand babies to realize them to the fullest...

I will build my life upon Your love
It is a firm foundation
I will put my trust in You alone
And I will not be shaken

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for a day of celebration for Miss Evelyn's thirteenth birthday! Thank You for giving me the privilege to be her Grandma! Thank You for Adam, Rachel, Paul, Lizzie, Ben, and Emily and all my grand babies! Thank You for being who You are in my life! You are so awesome, Lord in the way You shower me with Your love, mercy, and grace. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. I am living in expectation of receiving exactly what You desire me to receive today! Woo hoo! I desire to live in Your presence where Your empowerment will be realized more than ever before. Father, I pray for Your strength to be mine today as it is going to be a long day. I pray Your protection over me. Today is definitely a day I need to feel You in a mighty way. I am so grateful to be in relationship with You! I am grateful for the way You love on me! Thank You for Ms Savon and Mr John's hospitality! Thank You Jesus for being Who I Build My Life Upon! Amen.

Psalm 116; I John 2:17 - "Build My Life"

 

The Lord impressed upon me to read Psalm 116 this morning. What a joy it is to wake up with such great words put upon my heart! The Passion Translation begins with I'm passionately in love with God because He listens to me. Woo hoo! I love the word passionately and what it means. As I passionately love God, it shows my belief in Him and the way I feel about HIm. When one is passionate about their relationship with another, they do everything in their power to show the other person how they feel. Sometimes that comes out in words. Sometimes it shows through out actions. I pray the way I am in my relationship with God shows Him how much I love Him and desire to live in His love. I pray my relationship with Him oozes out of me so others will desire the same. God is so, so good in the way He loves me and shows His love to me. I need to get better at showing my love to Him. There are times when I feel like life is overwhelming. Sometimes it is overwhelming in a 'bad' way while other times it is overwhelming in a 'good' way. When I look at where God has me right now, I am so blessed. To think about how He prepared me for this time of life so many years ago is overwhelming. I was thinking the other day about how when my Momma was told of our move to South Carolina she said my Daddy had already told her to be prepared for me to leave the state. Wow, God! He amazes me at the details He takes care of. Our move did not happen until years after my Daddy died yet God made sure that detail was shared. Verses ten and eleven of Psalm 116 reads in The Passion Translation: Even when it seems I’m surrounded by many liars and my own fears, and though I’m hurting in my suffering and trauma, I still stay faithful to God and speak words of faith. These verses are my life. They are verses that I strive to live by no matter if I am overwhelmed in a 'good' way or a 'bad' way. I praise His Holy Name for staying near to me and encouraging me to be faithful. My gift back to God is found in verses sixteen through nineteen of Psalm 116.

Lord, because I am your loving servant,
    you have broken open my life and freed me from my chains.

Now I’ll worship you passionately and bring to you
    my sacrifice of praise, drenched with thanksgiving!
I’ll keep my promise to you, God,
    in the presence of your gathered people, just like I said I would.
I will worship you here in your living presence,
    in the temple in Jerusalem.
I will worship and sing hallelujah, for I praise you, Lord!

Yes! Passionate worship is my gift to God. I know as I worship Him on this earth it is practice for when I worship Him in heaven. Woo hoo! I love that thought! Matthew Henry wrote of this Scripture:

Doing good is sacrifice, with which God is well pleased; and this must accompany giving thanks to his name. Why should we offer that to the Lord which cost us nothing? The psalmist will pay his vows now; he will not delay the payment: publicly, not to make a boast, but to show he is not ashamed of God's service, and to invite others to join him. Such are true saints of God, in whose lives and deaths he will be glorified.

I desire for Him to be glorified in all I do. The desire of my heart is for people to see/hear Him instead of me. As I worship Him, I desire others to have the desire in their heart to worship Him too. This morning He has the words to Build My Life going through my mind. I am so grateful for the way He puts music into my life every day and encourages me through it.

And I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken
And I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken...

Holy, there is no one like You, there is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder and
Show me who You are and fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

I will build my life upon Your...
In You alone

Dear Jesus, Thank You for Psalm 116 that reminds me of why I am passionately in love with You! Thank You for this song that encourages me to continue to trust You when days are overwhelming no matter if they are overwhelming in a 'good' or a 'bad' way! Thank You for the privilege to preach Your Word yesterday! Thank You once again for speaking through the Sunday School lesson! You continue to confirm we are on the right track as You intertwine Sunday school lessons, Wednesday night study, and the sermons together. It is overwhelming in a 'good' way to be where You have me right now. Woo hoo! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You. May You ooze out of my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts today in a new, different way. Lord, I pray for protection as I travel and Your sense of peace in my spirit. I pray for Owen and Karol who are going through difficult days to also experience Your peace. There are so many people in my little world who need to experience Your peace. I pray for all who heard the message yesterday to seek Your will in how they need to live as a 'suffering servant' for You. I pray all of us will draw closer to You as we seek more of You. Thank You for putting people in my life who encourage me greatly! Thank You for continuing to be with my sister Linda and my friend Kaye as they recuperate from surgery! Thank You for ending my days with phone conversations with Rickey who has brought laughter into my life! Thank You for this time of restoration in every aspect of my life! Lord, a new week is ahead and I want to make You proud of me in all I do. May I not disappoint You as I stand upon I John 2:17, The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. Thank You for being My Firm Foundation! Amen.

Psalm 23 - "I Am Not Alone"

Before going to bed last night I reflected on my day. Did I do as God desired of me? Did I miss anything He desired me to do? Did I fulfill the desires of His Heart? Did I love with His LUV to everyone I came in contact with? These are questions that go through my mind frequently. They are questions that I ponder upon. I pray I live each day as He desires but I realize I am human so there are times I fall short of what He desires for me. I also realize the enemy is at work and will try to tear me to pieces. I am so grateful for God's love, mercy, and grace that is always there for me. I am grateful for the way He directs me and gives me the desire of my heart to not only hear His Voice but walk in obedience to Him. I am grateful I do not have to have all the answers to life but instead can bask in the knowledge He has everything under control even when it may seem like life is falling apart. I am grateful for His strength this morning to get out of bed and function. I do not want to just function today but I desire for Him to shine brightly through my words, actions, attitude, and thoughts throughout the day ahead. I am so stinking tired. I feel like if I were to stay in bed today I would sleep all day. I am thankful for a good night's rest and for the privilege to pray for pastors before going to bed. My prayers were settled in on bi-vocational pastors who work a secular job. I prayed for them to make time to bask in God's presence as they seek what He desires of them to preach. I prayed they would experience His presence in a way that would empower them to get into the pulpit this morning and say what He desires of them. The rain fell throughout the night and continues this morning. It reminds me that the Holy Spirit desires to fall down upon us. He desires us to allow Him to permeate every aspect of our life. He desires to soak us with all of Him. The other day when It rained so hard and I was trying to get Miss Molly to go potty she was so scared of everything happening. She seemed to even be afraid of the umbrella I was using. I laid it down and tried walking with her out into the rain but it did not do any good. She still was afraid of everything happening. That is exactly how we react to the Holy Spirit. We can be afraid of Him. We can be afraid to allow Him into our life or know how to respond when He is in our life. We can be 'skittish' of the things He puts before us. But it is so important to remember no matter what, He is there to love on us and direct down the path God desires for us. We do not have to fear but instead need to adhere to the words found in Psalm 23. It reads in The Message:

 

God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through

    Death Valley,

I’m not afraid

    when you walk at my side.

Your trusty shepherd’s crook

     makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner

     right in front of my enemies.

You revive my drooping head;

     my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me

     every day of my life.

I’m back home in the house of God

     for the rest of my life.

God is all we need. He is the One we need to please. He is the One we need to seek every hour of every day. No matter what happens in this life on earth we must keep our focus on Him so He will have the opportunity to guide us to where He desires us to be. Woo hoo, God! He is so, so good. As I begin this new day, I cannot change yesterday. I cannot go back and redo the day. Instead I must look forward and be ready to please God however I can. I must stay focused on Him so I can please Him. I must allow Him to guide me to where He knows I need to be and do what He knows I need to do. The questions of yesterday are no longer. They do not mean a thing. All that matters is the day ahead and how I will fulfill the desires of His heart with all I do and say.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the opportunities to LUV with Your love You gave me yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You. May I be Your words, actions, attitude, and thoughts throughout his day in a new, different way. I pray for all pastors who will preach today to sense the presence and strength of the Holy Spirit. I pray for all of us to not just hear Your voice but to walk in obedience to the desires of Your heart. I prayed last night and again this morning for bi-vocational pastors to not be discouraged as they are torn in so many directions. I prayed for those filling the pulpit today for another pastor to share what is on their heart in a way that will glorify the church they are in. I thought of Raynard as he is filling the pulpit at Medina and prayed for him to be blessed in abundance. I prayed for some special pastors in my life like Pastor James who bless me in abundance. I prayed for myself to have an open spirit to what God desires of me. I asked Him to reveal things to me as I preach that may not be in the sermon He helped me prepare. I prayed for my brother-in-law Junior who is caring for my sister and continuing with life in the ministry in the process. I remember many times of being in a similar situation and how hard it is when we try to do things on our own. I prayed for all of us to remember we are not alone on this earth. We are not alone in ministry even though there are many times that is exactly how it feels. All we have to do is allow You to bless us with His love. Thank You for the word picture given in Psalm 23 that you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction no matter what is happening in life. Woo hoo, God! I pray You will be with Diana with the loss of her dear mother and continue to give Kaye what she needs as she recuperates from surgery. Thank You for the laughs last night with Rickey and the way You continue to provide exactly what I need, when I need it. Thank You for being My Shepherd! Amen.