II Timothy 1:7; John 6:35/8:12/10:9/10:11/11:25-26/14:6/15:5 - "I Am"

The 'storms' of life continue both figurative and literal. Hurricane Dorian has changed it's path to where now most of South Carolina will be greatly effected. We have evacuated every year we've been here. I don't want to evacuate again. But with Doc's health I don't know if we should stay or evacuate. His blood clot pain has not lessened which is a concern. He is not physically able to put the boards on the windows but I know neighbors will help. So many concerns with so many prayers being sent up for wisdom. Literal 'storms' with finding out my Momma fell and broke her arm last night. 'Storms' come in different ways with different intensities but the one thing that is constant is God giving wisdom through them. He gives peace when peace seems impossible. He gives comfort with situations such as with being so far away from my Momma. I will stand upon II Timothy 1:7. God did not give me a spirit of fear but a spirit of power, love, and self-control. He gives me a spirit to depend upon Him and seek His wisdom. I will be more intentional in standing upon this verse over these next few days. I will be more intentional in living in His presence. I will be more intentional in seeking His wisdom. He is my I Am and I will be more intentional in allowing Him to guide my days, my decisions, and every aspect of life. 

He sustains me physically...Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

He transforms and restores me...When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

He is my salvation...“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

He is my safety and protection...“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

He brings me life...Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)

He gives me freedom...Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

He is who I am connected to...“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for who You are in my life! Thank You for encouraging me to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 throughout the storms of life! Thank You for being with Doc as he endures this pain from the blood clot and for being with my Momma with her broken arm. Lord, cleanse me today so You can fill me with more of You. That is the only way I will be able to be more intentional in living for You. Father, give us wisdom on what to do with Hurricane Dorian. Protect all in it's path. May people become more intentional on being You to those who suffer from this great storm. Thank You Jesus for being My I Am! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 10 - "Yes I Will"

At 3:30AM the Lord told me to read Hebrews 10. He also had "Yes, I Will" going through my mind throughout the night. 

Yes I will, lift You high in the lowest valley
Yes I will, bless Your name
Oh, yes I will, sing for joy when my heart is heavy
For all my days, oh yes I will

Oh my! What a great reminder this song is of what I need to be doing throughout these 'tough' days. I need to praise Him no matter what is happening! I need to lift up His name with joy "when my heart is heavy"! The first part of Hebrews 10 reminds us about Jesus' sacrifice so we could live. I do not want His sacrifice to go for naught over my actions. Verses nineteen through twenty-five speak to me greatly. Paul reminded me of how Jesus' sacrifice gives me freedom to live with Him. Verses twenty-three reads in the New International Version: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. This is exactly what needs to happen during days such as what we are going through. We need to remember He is faithful in being with us. We have Hope in Him and we must never forget that. Why? The answer is found in verses thirty-six and thirty-seven:

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For,

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming will come
    and will not delay.”

God's will is for me to glorify Him through not only the 'good' days but the 'bad' days. It is His will for me to praise Him no matter what the circumstances. It also is His will for me to share His love with all I meet. How can I do that when my little world seems to be falling apart? By remembering it is not falling apart in His mind. He knows all that is going on. He knows all the things being thrown at us and He is not afraid. I need to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His love so He can empower me to be loving, strong in my faith, and most of all stay in His presence throughout the day. I need to allow Him to work in and through me. As I do, the things that happen throughout the day will not be a distraction. My physical weariness will be restored with His strength. My mental weariness will be removed by Him. Most of all my spiritual life will be intact. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminders of Hebrews 10 during the night! Thank You for prompting me to not wait until morning to read it! Thank You for the reminders of this song to continue praising You! Thank You for loving me so greatly! Thank You for cleansing me this morning so You can fill me with more of Your Holy Spirit! I desire for people to see/hear You instead of me today. Lord, You know all that is going on in my little world. I thank You for peace throughout tough days. I pray the same for Doc as we wait on test results. I also pray for John Harris' family with their tough days; Dale as he awaits his appointment; Scott and Paula as the recuperate from surgeries; Cheryl with her surgery today; Rita and many others who are dealing with tough days with health issues; my three friends looking for Your will with jobs; Lynn as she seeks Your will on whether to have surgery or not; ones who were deployed to the Middle East this week and their families; three marriages that need a miracle of healing; and so many others who are going through tough situations in their lives. I pray each one of them will lean into You in a new, different way. I also pray for a family member who needs to get to the end of themselves and allow You to truly be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords of their life. Lord, protect those in the path of the hurricane. May people come into relationship with You through this storm. May those who know You draw closer to You from it. Thank You Jesus for being My Will! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

Last night as I prayed II Timothy 1:7 over Doc I became emotional. The 'why, God?' popped into my mind. After praying, I asked God 'why?' again. Why is he getting beat up so bad with  physical issues? Why didn't God stop this blood clot from forming? What is the purpose of all of this? How much more is he going to suffer? My heart is breaking for him. This morning I woke with these words going through my head...

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
And You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Saviour

The oceans are rising fast in our little world. Last night I told Doc we just have to "Be still" and know God is with us. That is getting harder to do but we cannot allow the enemy to win. We must stand firm in our faith and allow God to take us deeper in it. We must allow Him to take us deeper and stay in His presence. We may feel like we are drowning but we are not as long as we hold onto our Life Preserver. The storms are raging around us. Pancreatic cancer and the threat of Hurricane Dorian coming our way are chugging away in our little world BUT God is greater. His strength is greater. His love is greater. He can turn that hurricane back out into the ocean at any moment despite what the meteorologists say. He can give a completely clean CT scan today through a miraculous healing. I am going to intentionally stand upon II Timothy 1:7 today in a new, different way. I will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand against the enemy when he comes knocking at my door. I will live in God's strength in a way people will see only Him through me. Why? Because I do not have the answers to any of the questions I spoke out to the Lord with this morning. Instead I trust Him. I have faith that He knows the answers and that is good enough.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the reminder that You empower me to live by faith! Thank You for the reminder that You are here for me throughout anything that comes my way! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me so I will be empowered with more of Your Holy Spirit. I pray for today as Doc goes for his CT scans for the cancer and with the pain he is in with the blood clot. I pray You will use the medicine to dissolve the clot quickly. Lord, I am asking You for a complete healing in his physical and emotional bodies. May he feel Your strength today in a new, different way. Lord, be greater than his physical issues. Empower him to lean more into You. Father, we both need Your presence more than ever in these storms of life. Father, give us wisdom. I know they say it can't happen but I also know nothing is impossible for You. Therefore, would You turn Hurricane Dorian out to sea so no one suffers from it? If that is not Your plan, then protect all in its path and give wisdom. Thank You Father for being Our Life Preserver. Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 8 - "Praise You In This Storm"

God took me to Psalm 8 this morning. This is one of the Psalms we are studying this week in Bible study. I read it in different versions and pondered upon what He wanted me to receive from it. It is a Psalm of praise for God as Creator. He made everything in the world by speaking it. That is amazing to think about. The first two verses are amazing to ponder upon too. In The New Living Testament they read:

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
    Your glory is higher than the heavens.
2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength,
    silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.

In Matthew 21:16 to tell of your strength in Greek means to give you praise. That means when we praise Him, we knock the enemy down. We give him a black eye. God wins over his tactics he tries to put on us! God wins! Woo hoo! God created each one of us. He loves us. He is always there for us. He desires for us to praise Him even during the difficult times of life. Perhaps more so than in regular times. When we praise Him, it is not to strengthen Him but to strengthen us. He doesn't need to be praised but we need to have it in us to praise Him. Praising Him in the midst of the 'storm' not only will knock the enemy down but will enable us to get our focus off of self and onto Him. As we focus on Him, He will open our eyes to more of Him. As we praise Him, our faith will be deepened. Woo hoo! This morning I am praying for so many people going through storms in their lives. My heart breaks yet I pray for them to draw closer to the Lord. I'm praying their storm will take them deeper in their faith than ever before. I'm praying for healing in physical, mental, emotional, and financial beings but most of all I am praying for healing in spiritual beings.

• Those with the 'storm' of cancer in their lives: Doc, John, Mike, Dale, Scott, two pastor friends, Rickey's sister-in-law and so many more.
• Those with the 'storm' of loss of job.
• Those with the 'storm' of health issues: Paula as she recuperates from shoulder surgery; Mary Weins with a broken hip
• Those with the 'storm' of their marriage falling apart.
• Those with the 'storm' of grief over the loss of a loved one whether it be a few days ago or years ago.
• Those with the 'storm' of financial woes upon them.
• Those with the 'storm' of them or family members becoming feeble and needing to make decisions for care.
• Those with the 'storm' of turmoil in their families.

I pray for each one going through a 'storm' to praise God through it. I pray they will not allow the enemy any open door but instead dig their faith deeper. Some 'storms' go by quickly while others drag on for days, weeks, months, and sometimes years. The greatest thing about a 'storm' is that God is there with us no matter how long it lasts. I think about my breast cancer. The immediate 'storm' only lasted a few months with the diagnosis, surgeries, and treatments. But the 'storm' brews up every six months when I go for a mammogram. It is quieted but it will always be in the background until I hear the words of being cancer free. But God continues to be my strength through it. He will never leave me. But I must remember to continue to praise Him through it. In verse four of this Psalm, "David looked away from the darkness of earth and saw the divine order of the universe. This psalm is meant to join the earth to the heavens and to bring the heavenly glory into the earth making the heavens and the earth one" (TPT note). This is what we pray for when we pray the Lord's Prayer...on earth as it is in heaven. There will be no 'storms' in heaven but there will be no need for 'storms' in heaven. The purpose for them on earth is to bring us deeper in our relationship with God. It may not always seem easy to praise God through a 'storm' but it will make the 'storm' easier to get through. Praising Him is key to spiritual survival. It will empower a person to live out God's strength. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for reminding me the importance of praising You no matter what is happening in my life! Thank You for this Scripture that reminds me praising You strengthens my spiritual being! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me up with more of You. May people see/hear You instead of me today. I have prayed for so many this morning who are going through 'storms' that are trying to tear them down. May You be greater. May You show them how to praise You through their 'storms' in a new, different way. May ones like Doc who are going through cancer be empowered to stand by faith through testing, treatments, etc. May those who continue to seek employment not give up as doors close. May they know You have the perfect place for them and You will provide for their needs as they wait. Father, I pray for families and marriages in turmoil. I pray for restoration in relationships and a dependance on You by ones who are feeling weary. Lord, it is hurricane season with activity that may come our way. I pray for all in its path for protection. Lord, I would love to get through this hurricane season without any coming our way but if any do, please give us wisdom and strength. I pray for Ms Paula as she recuperates from her shoulder surgery and Cheryl as she awaits hers. Thank You Jesus for being Our Storm Tamer! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "God's Not Done With You"

I prayed during the night for several people going through 'tough' days to seek the Lord in their situations. There are times where it seems like the Lord has left us but He hasn't. We go through difficult situations and wonder 'why?' Sometimes the situations we find ourselves in are caused by our own actions. Sometimes they are because God puts challenges before us to take our faith deeper. No matter the 'why?' He is always there for us. I prayed for several to realize this. My heart breaks to see people going through tough times yet as I pray for them and see them respond to God I am joyful. There is no better thing to experience than the depth of His love. I remember the words to a song Tauren Wells sings called "God's Not Done With You" as I continue to pray for many...

• A friend who found out yesterday her company is closing.
• Two friends who continue to seek employment.
• A couple who are being hurt by their adult church.
• Three marriages that are falling apart.
• A pastor who is seeking God's will after leaving the pulpit. 
• Two children who are being put through nasty situations.

This song goes...

Standing in your ruins feels a lot like the end
So used to losing you're afraid to try again
Right now all you see are ashes where there was a flame
Truth is that you're not forgotten ‘cause grace knows your name

God's not done with you
Even with your broken heart and your wounds and your scars
God's not done with you
Even when you're lost and it's hard and you're falling apart
God's not done with you
It's not over, it's only begun
So don't hide, don't run
‘Cause God's not done with you, you

All of the people involved in these situations have a choice to make. They can either lean into God or they can give the enemy an open door. The easy way is to allow the enemy control. He makes things seem simpler, more pleasant, etc. But he is not the way. God is the Only Way to get through tough times. He is the Only Way to have our story written in the right way. He is the Only Way we will get through such times victorious. If we give into the enemy, we will only lose. God did not make us to be losers. He made us to stand upon His love, empowered by His Holy Spirit to be winners. When we stand upon II Timothy 1:7, we have nothing to fear. He is the One in control, not us. I am praying II Timothy 1:7 over these ones who God brought to my mind during the night. I pray they will feel His empowerment in a new, different way. I pray He will be greater than the enemy in their lives. My heart breaks for them yet I am hopeful they will allow God to be their Only Way!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for this song this morning that reminds me You are the Only Way! Thank You for the time of prayer during the night! Thank You for loving me so greatly that You put others on my heart to pray for! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. I pray for a physical healing in my body so I will not be distracted in any way today for what You desire of me. I continue to pray for a physical healing in Doc not only with the cancer but with his leg. I pray for an emotional healing for me as I miss my Daddy so much. I praise Your holy name for the way You blessed us yesterday with shrimp from Mike and a love gift in the mail from a dear couple. May You bless them as they blessed us. I pray for Ms. Paula as she has shoulder surgery today and dear Mary Wiens with her broken hip. Lord, be with those I prayed for during the night and let them stand in Your empowerment. Thank You Jesus for being My Only Way! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 89 - "Confidence"

The Lord took me to Psalm 89 this morning. This Psalm speaks of the promises God made to David. These promises are for all of those who are in right relationship with Him. Verses nineteen through thirty-seven read:

A long time ago you spoke in a vision,
    you spoke to your faithful beloved:
“I’ve crowned a hero,
    I chose the best I could find;
I found David, my servant,
    poured holy oil on his head,
And I’ll keep my hand steadily on him,
    yes, I’ll stick with him through thick and thin.
No enemy will get the best of him,
    no scoundrel will do him in.
I’ll weed out all who oppose him,
    I’ll clean out all who hate him.
I’m with him for good and I’ll love him forever;
    I’ve set him on high—he’s riding high!
I’ve put Ocean in his one hand, River in the other;
    he’ll call out, ‘Oh, my Father—my God, my Rock of Salvation!’
Yes, I’m setting him apart as the First of the royal line,
    High King over all of earth’s kings.
I’ll preserve him eternally in my love,
    I’ll faithfully do all I so solemnly promised.
I’ll guarantee his family tree
    and underwrite his rule.
If his children refuse to do what I tell them,
    if they refuse to walk in the way I show them,
If they spit on the directions I give them
    and tear up the rules I post for them—
I’ll rub their faces in the dirt of their rebellion
    and make them face the music.
But I’ll never throw them out,
    never abandon or disown them.
Do you think I’d withdraw my holy promise?
    or take back words I’d already spoken?
I’ve given my word, my whole and holy word;
    do you think I would lie to David?
His family tree is here for good,
    his sovereignty as sure as the sun,
Dependable as the phases of the moon,
    inescapable as weather.”

These blessings upon David were described by God. They were placed on David by God because David was 'a man after His heart.' Therefore, when we walk in such a manner we will also receive His blessings. David received blessings of...

• help
• exaltation
• being chosen
• anointing
• security
• God's strength
• protection
• vindication
• faithfulness and mercy
• exalted strength

Why would anyone not accept the blessings God has in store for them? It all comes down to selfishness. Many do not want to accept Him into their heart because they are afraid of the changes that will happen in their life. They are afraid they will lose friends or be ridiculed. Even those who accept Him into their heart fear if they take the next step into sanctification, they will lose control over their life. Oh how I wish people would realize they don't have control, they just think they do. When we die to self, God works in and through us. All we have to do is stand upon II Timothy 1:7 and allow Him to work in and through us. We do not have to even fear physical death. Verse forty-eight tells us that all will die. We have the choice to make on where we will spend eternity. When we go before Him on Judgement Day, all will answer for themselves. I don't think we will just answer for the wrong we did but we also will answer for opportunities put before us that we missed. It is imperative to repent every day so God can cleanse us. It is only then He will be able to fill us with His Holy Spirit. That is the life He desires for us. As we live such a life, we will bless Him. David went through crisis but he was God's servant. He loved God and blessed Him throughout his life. There were times of disappointment for God but David was restored. This encourages my heart. I know I fall short of what God desires of me but I also know He loves me, forgives me, and accepts me into His arms at all time. The last verse of this chapter says it all. No matter what I go through I will praise Him because He is My Heavenly Father. Praise the Lord forever! Amen and amen! (NLT).

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for answered prayer yesterday! Thank You for Doc being able to preach! Thank You for rest! Thank You for our phone call with Miss Bella for her first day in her new school! Lord, may You cleanse me so You can fill me today in a new, different way. May You shine brightly through my words, actions, and attitude. Lord, I pray for Doc as he continues his fight with pancreatic cancer;  many who are dealing with serious situations in their lives to lean more into You; strength for the young wife/mother who has her husband deployed to the Middle East this week; protection over all military; couples whose marriage is falling apart to seek Your will before they seek divorce; protection over some children who are in some volatile situations; two friends who are seeking employment; my pastor friend who is out of the pulpit to have Your will revealed; and for all who are feeling down to be filled with Your peace. Thank You for being My Confidence! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Yes, I Will"

"Normal" is a word that is non-existent in our world. Or at least it is a word that changes from time to time. I can't imagine living a "normal" life. Although, the life I live in Christ is "normal" for a follower who is sold-out and striving to live to be Christ-like. So maybe I do live a "normal" life. It saddens me to not see more believers living such a life. There is so much missed when one does not walk in His Holy Spirit. Peace in the midst of storms in missed. Empowerment when we feel like we are weak is not available. Having His love ooze out of us is not possible. I do not understand how a believer who reads their Bible does not have the desire to live their life in the way He desires. The enemy tricks people into thinking they can't live such a life. But we must stand upon II Timothy 1:7 so He can empower us to walk in His love without fear. There is no better life than this. As I prayed for pastors during the night, I began with praying for those who are doing life without His power. I prayed for them to realize how much easier life would be if they would allow Him to be their "normal." I also prayed for pastors who are not in the pulpit to realize this. He had me pray for Associate Pastors, Children's Pastors, Youth Pastors, Worship Pastors, Visitation Pastors, and Administrative Pastors to realize this too. All believers need to walk in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit if they want to fulfill God's purpose for their life. This type of life is not just for pastors but for all. Part of walking in this empowerment is being a part of a Bible preaching church where spiritual growth can occur. Another part is being open to take on any opportunity God puts before us. If we are not willing to do this, we are not committed to walking in the Spirit. Once again, my heart breaks to see believers not walking this path with God. It breaks to see people who have not accepted Him into their heart but it is usually easier to lead someone to Christ than it is to get them to quit living in the flesh. Many believers think they are 'OK' and don't need to take the next step. How sad! If only they would realize, His will is more important than their will. The new "normal" when this is realized is so much better than the old one. Yes, you may not know what will happen in your daily life but it sure is rewarding knowing whatever happens will be His will. When we say 'yes' to His will, He will be blessed. A life filled with 'yeses' is a life filled with praises. It is amazing how when we walk in His will we are able to praise Him through anything that comes our way. This morning I am reminded of the words to "Yes, I Will"...

Yes I will, lift You high in the lowest valley
Yes I will, bless Your name
Oh, yes I will, sing for joy when my heart is heavy
For all my days, oh yes I will

Yes! I have praised Him through many tough situations. This situation with Doc's pancreatic cancer has brought many times of praise when "my heart was heavy" but I still praised Him. I will praise Him no matter what the result of the cat scans. Why? Because God always wins! How? Through God's empowerment! Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the opportunity to pray for pastors during the night! Thank You for having me pray specifically for those who are not walking in Your Spirit. Father, may You be so real to all pastors. May Your empowerment be felt by all but especially pastors. You had me pray for retired pastors to not feel like they are no longer needed. Their expertise and years of experience are a great value to not only churches but to those they live around. You also had me pray for evangelist and pulpit-supply pastors who will only be in a specific pulpit for a short time to realize the impact they have on the people. I pray for Doc to experience You in a new, different way today. I continue to pray for healing in his physical body and a boost in his spiritual and emotional bodies. Father, may You be greater than our humanness. I pray for You to cleanse me today so You can fill me. I pray for You to speak through me as I preach in a way that will change people's lives. Lord, be greater than me. Flow from my words, actions, and attitude. Thank You for being My Normal! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 6:10-18; Romans 8:6 - "Miracle of the Moment"

As we await Doc's cat scans and then the appointment for the results, we have a choice to make. We can either fret over the 'what ifs' or we can stand in God's empowerment in the knowledge He already knows the outcome. There is going to have to be a greater dependance upon Him to not allow the enemy an open door to cause chaos in our life. I do not want to be crabby over these next few days. I feel like I need to be protected from stressful situations that could pull me into my humanness taking over. I need to be more prayed up than ever before. I need to walk more deeply in II Timothy 1:7 than ever before. The enemy is out to destroy me. He wants to see me fall. But my God is greater than the enemy and He knows I will win when I stand in His love.God always wins...woo hoo! So I am declaring this morning that I will stand on II Timothy 1:7 in a new, different way. I will be more intentional in allowing His love to flow in and through me. I will pray for protection over the evil one more than ever. I will ask others to pray for me in this way. No matter what the outcome, God will be with me. I know that. I also know He already knows the outcome and that needs to be enough for me. When I was awake during the night and again this morning, I had a song Steven Curtis Chapman sings going through my mind.

So breathe it in and breathe it out 
Listen to your heartbeat 
There's a wonder in the here and now 
It's right there in front of you 
And I don't want you to miss  
The miracle of the moment 

There's only one who knows  
What's really out there waiting 
In all the moments yet to be 
And all we need to know 
Is He's out there waiting 
To Him the future's history 
And He has given us a treasure called right now 
And this is the only moment we can do anything about  
And if it brings you tears 

Yes! If I worry about the scan results, I may miss an opportunity He puts before me. If I allow the enemy to cloud my mind, he will temporarily win. If I am focused on the 'what ifs' of our life, I am not trusting God the way I should. Instead I need to focus on Him and today. I need to take my faith a step deeper and allow Him to work in this situation. That does not sound very easy to do but yet if God is my Focus, it will be. As I live in His presence, I will be empowered to live in His strength. Woo hoo! Yes! That is the desire of my heart. As I live in this manner, I will be filled with the fruit of the Spirit that Paul writes of in Galatians 5:22-23. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The only way to have these fruit is to live by Paul's words found in Romans 8:6. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. The only way to be empowered by the Holy Spirit is to die to self and allow God free reign of my life. This life leads to a life of walking in obedience to His will. It also leads to a life of empowerment to live in His supernatural strength while on this earth so life with Him for eternity is possible. I must be more intentional in putting on the armor of God Paul writes of in Ephesians 6. As I do, He will protect me from the enemy and I will be blessed with eternal life. The peace He gives me on this earth will be my way of living as I do. This morning I am praying for Him to dress me with:

• Belt of truth
• Breastplate of righteousness
• Shoes of readiness to walk in peace
• Shield of faith
• Helmet of salvation
• Sword of the Spirit

As I pray for this, I am standing in His strength. I am praying for His focus and His empowerment. I am ready for this day.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the opportunities You gave to me yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for the way You are going to empower me to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 so the fruit of the Spirit of Galatians 5:22-23 will flow from me. Thank You the protection You have dressed me with through Ephesians 6:10-18. Thank You for the peace You are giving me as I live out Romans 8:6. The only way for me to live such a life is for me to die to self so You have full reign in my life. Cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You. I pray for people to see/hear You instead of me today. I pray for peace in my spirit in a mighty way. I pray for our outreach project this morning to be covered with Your peace. I pray against chaos that will cause disunity and crabbiness. May Your love blanket the morning in a mighty way. I pray for people to experience Your spirit from the moment they pull into the parking lot. Actually, I pray they experience it as they drive by the building. Father, be greater than all of the humans who will be handing supplies out. May Your love flow from them in a mighty way. I pray for Doc to have a better day today than yesterday; Dale as he awaits another doctor appointment; Bob's sister Maxine with chemo; Dan Bohi and his team as they continue to see miracles that are changing people's lives not only in the physical sense but especially in the spiritual sense; and so many others I am praying for. Thank You Jesus for being My Miracle Maker! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 29; Matthew 6:25-26 - "Do It Again"

The Lord took me to Psalm 29 this morning. I read it in different translations as I pondered upon David's words of encouragement. This Psalm speaks of God's power over everything. It speaks of His great power over nature such as thunder, trees, waters, etc. I thought of Matthew 6:25-26 that tells us we do not have to worry about our needs because God takes care of all His creation. The last verse of Psalm 29 blesses me in abundance.

God makes his people strong.
God gives his people peace. MSG

This is the one who gives his strength and might to his people.
This is the Lord giving us his kiss of peace. TPT

David is referring to believers who live a life for Him in this verse when he says, "His people." There is strength and peace found in the midst of the storms of life as we lean into God. It does not make sense in the humanly form but it does in the spiritual life. Even when the waves crash in one after another in a storm His strength and peace are there. All we have to do is accept them. We have to quit trying to figure things out for ourselves and allow Him to have control. A few weeks ago I prayed and prayed about a situation and finally felt at peace. Fast forward a few weeks and the situation changed back to the way I thought I wanted it to be. God was testing me to see if I would accept what He was saying to me. When I did accept it, I was at peace and thought everything was settled. I was a bit surprised when it changed but I should not have been. Nothing should surprise me about God. He loves us and wants what is best for us. He desires to give us the desires of our heart but what we desire needs to align with His desires. I love the phrase in The Passion Translation that describes God's peace. "...His kiss of peace." Woo hoo! That is all I desire in life. His peace. I know I can walk in it as I live in it. It may not make sense to some but that does not matter. All that matters is that it makes sense to me. Woo hoo!

Dear Jesus, 

Thank You for David's writing of Psalm 29 that encourages me greatly to continue living in Your presence! Thank You for the way You provide exactly what I need, when I need it. Sometimes You provide even before I realize I have a need. Father, cleanse me today so You can fill me. I pray You will shine brightly through my words, actions, and attitude. Thank You for answered prayers with sleep last night. When I asked for 'good rest' with not having to get up to let the dog out, I remember praying for a miracle since the visiting one has woke me each night to go out. Wow, God! Even something such as this You provided! You are so awesome! It makes me think of the verse where it tells us 'we have not because we ask not'! Doc and I have been reading the miracles Scripture every night before going to bed. Lord, You provided so many miracles that are recorded in the Bible. We continue to pray for a miracle in his health. You have provided already with good blood work throughout the chemo. We pray for success to be shown from the chemo when he has his CT scan next week. Father, I pray for our friend Billie who lost a friend who was walking the same journey as her with breast cancer. We thank You for healing in Billie and pray for this family whose loved one received the ultimate healing with her journey. I continue to pray for so many on the journey with C and pray their journey will include You because You are greater than C. You will win in the end! Woo hoo! Thank You for being with Doc, Dale, Mike, John, two pastor friends, another friend, and many others as they continue their journey with C. Thank You for being Our Journey Definer! Amen.