Psalm 139:13-16; Romans 8:28-29 - "He Knows My Name"

I sure hope I get the opportunity to meet "the man in the motorcycle accident" because the Lord has me praying for him so much.  4:10 AM....my first question when I wake up in the middle of the night is, "Lord, who am I to pray for?"  This morning, once again, it was for this man.  I had to chuckle because I thought I need to get his name from the newspaper instead of always saying "the man in the motorcycle accident" but the Lord told me I didn't need to do that because He is the One who tells me to pray for him and He knows his name.  That statement reminded me of the song that goes...."He knows my name....He knows my every thought..."  

I think the most precious part of this song is the very last line..."And hears me when I call."  Woo hoo!  How special is that?!?!?  We never have to worry about Him not hearing us because He is always there for us.  We never have to worry about Him not knowing who we are because He knows our name...our "every thought" and "sees each tear that falls."  He gives us exactly what we need sometimes before we even need it.  Woo hoo!  I'm so thankful for the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father.  I'm also so grateful for the relationship I had with my earthly father while he was here on this earth.  I know the two went hand-in-hand.  I was capable of having a great relationship with my Heavenly Father because of the relationship I had with my earthly father.  And vice versa.  My Heavenly Father guided my earthly father to be a great daddy.  What a blessing to me!

I absolutely love the idea that the Lord knows me by name.  I don't think He ever gets confused like parents do by calling their children by a sibling's name.  LOL  I'm not just anyone but I am special to Him.  I'm not just a number but I am important.  The knowledge of this brings joy to my heart!  I am His and He is mine...woo hoo!  I was reading somewhere about how this particular aspect of our relationship with the Lord gives us our identity and the basis of our self-esteem.  When we are loved and accepted, our life is so different than for ones who are put down and/or rejected.  

I am reminded this morning of Psalm 139:13-16 that tells us that the Lord knows us from conception.  

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

I am also reminded of Romans 8:28-29 that tells us He is working in our lives for good.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestinedto be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for knowing my name....for hearing me when I call upon You...for loving me enough to bless me in ways that are sometimes hard to comprehend.  Lord, once again I pray for "the man in the motorcycle accident."  I don't understand, nor do I need to understand, why this one who I've never met has become so great in my prayers.  Father, touch his whole being.  I pray foremost for his spiritual life.  If he doesn't know you, please put someone before him who will lead him to You.  I also pray for a healing on his physical, emotional and mental body.  Lord, be with his family and encourage them.  Thank You Father for the reminder this morning that You know my name in a way that is only possible through a relationship with You.  Thank You Lord for being My Heavenly Father.  Amen.

Matthew 19:26 - "All Things Are Possible"

As Mordecei and I were taking our walk this morning the Lord reminded me of some things.  The sidewalk was wet.  There were leaves on it along with acorns from time to time.  Some places had branches laying across the sidewalk.  The wetness really makes it difficult for me to walk with the slipperiness.   I did a lot of thinking and praying throughout the walk. 

The Lord reminded me that's how life is....it is difficult at times....there are obstacles that get in the way of our relationship with Him.  But we must remember to stay close to Him so we can have His strength to lean upon.  We have to be in His Word so we will be encouraged, especially during the slippery times of life.  People and/or circumstances will be just like the acorns and branches.  They will be there to trip us up.  Sometimes they will be seen while other times they will be hidden.

Mordecei was having a tough time with the humidity as we walked so we stopped often.  One time as I was giving him a drink of water the Lord reminded me that is what we, as humans need.  A drink of His Living Water to refresh and renew us. 

Just when I thought it couldn't get any more better than what the Lord was telling me He gave me the song "All Things Are Possible" and I thought I was going to explode.  "My feet are planted on this rock, and I will not be shaken..."  Woo hoo!  Praise the Lord...yes that's how the song goes!  "Your praise is always on my lips, Your Word is living in my heart..."  Woo hoo!   So when life get difficult...when obstacles try to stop me in my relationship with the Lord...when my path gets slippery....I will remember "All Things Are Possible"!!!!!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for this morning!  Thank You for the reminders You gave me about life.  Sometimes I feel like I continually run into obstacles but You reminded me of Your Words in Matthew 19:26...“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  I praise You for that!!!!  Woo hoo!  Thank You Jesus for being My Possibility Maker!  Amen.

Blessed - Various Scriptures for Healing

I am so blessed....the Lord is so good to me and for that I'm so grateful.  He woke me up at 3AM to pray for a man who was in a motorcycle accident Saturday.  I don't know this man but read about it in the newspaper.  The hospital also called to see if I could come in even though I wasn't on call but unfortunately was out-of-town so couldn't.  At the time I thought it was strange they called me when I wasn't on call but now as I look back on it I realize the Lord wanted me to pray for the person right then.  I didn't know until I got home and read the newspaper and put two and two together that it was this man.  When the Lord woke me up during the night to pray for him, once again I thought it was strange because I don't know him.  But once again I realized the Lord needed me to pray for him.  It makes me wonder what's so special about this man or is it that he doesn't have people praying for him or why does the Lord have me, someone who doesn't know him, praying for him???  No matter what the reason I see it as a blessing that I have been given the privilege to pray for him.  Not only am I praying for his physical needs but also his spiritual needs.  Since I don't know him I don't know where he stands in his relationship with the Lord but I'm praying he does have one.  I am praying for a healing in his whole being.  

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for giving me opportunities to pray for this man.  Father, I praise You that I don't have to know him yet can pray for him.  I praise You that You have given me this chance to be an intercessor for him.  Lord, thank You for being My Blesser!  Amen.

Scriptures For Healing

Hos 4:6.............My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Gal 3:13............Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us...

1Pet 2:24..........(Jesus) bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness -- by whose stripes you were healed.

Isa 53:5.............He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Mt 8:17.............He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.

Ps 107:20.........He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Prov 3:7............Do not be wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil.

Prov 3:8............It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.

Ex 15:26............I am the Lord who heals you.

Ps 103:3...........Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases...

Ex 23:25...........serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

Prov 16:24.........Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Isa 58:8.............your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

Ps 118:17..........I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

Ps 147:3...........He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Prov 17:22.........A merry heart does good, like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.

3John 2.............Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Mk 16:17...........these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ...they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

Jas 5:15............the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

Jas 5:16...........Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

Mt 8:13............Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you

Jeremiah 29:11-13 and Various Scriptures on God's Will

Jeremiah 29:11-13 reads, 

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

Many can quote Jeremiah 29:11 but I find the couple verses following it just as important.  He does know the plans He has for us.  But these verses show the importance of having a relationship with Him.  It is critical that we have communication with Him.  It's not because He doesn't already know our situation but rather it's because we need to draw close to Him.  "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."  Woo hoo!  That's a great promise from the Lord to go along with the one in verse eleven.  

When we think about our lives, the decisions we make each and every day we must realize there is no reason to fret over them when we are living with the Lord.  He has everything under control.  The reason we fret is because we aren't totally in relationship with Him.  There are some keys found in these verses as to how to be totally in relationship with Him.

1)  We must call on Him....He is always there for us

2)  We must pray to Him...He always hears us

3)  We must seek Him...He is ready for us to find Him when we seek Him with our whole heart

"Must" is the key to each of these things.  It can't be that we only call on Him when we are in trouble.  It can't be that we only pray when we want something.  It can't be that we seek Him some of the time.  No, we have to do all these things 24/7....100% of our being.  Why?  Because then we will be living in His Will.  

9 Bible Verses About God's Will

1 Thessalonians 5:18

in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 2:15

For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Philippians 2:13

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 8:27

and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Isaiah 30:21

And your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

John 6:38-40

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

James 1:5

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Dear Jesus,

I praise You for the promises of Your Word.  I praise You for the knowledge that I don't have to fret over anything.  I praise You that You know what opportunities You will put before me and all I have to do is be tuned into You in order to see them.  Thank You Jesus for being Planner!  Amen.

Psalm 1 - "Right Goes Deeper"

I loved listening to Dr Spaulding last night.  What he had to say about "Right Goes Deeper" was some good stuff!  Righteousness is better than the ways of this world.  Amen!  When you stop and think about it, the ways of this world may give temporal happiness but righteousness gives eternal life.  If more people would just be able to grasp that concept, there would be a lot more people living for Jesus.  Living for Him isn't always easy but it is better.  I loved what Dr Spaulding said, "I settled the question many years ago and me and my house will serve The Lord."  Woo hoo!  Amen Brother!  When we make the decision to be a follower of Christ, we must set our priorities and live for Him.  We can't compromise our values.

Psalm 1

1 Happy are those
    who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
    or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
    planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
    and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

vs 1 - "Happy"  NIV uses the word "Blessed."  I would have to say the two go hand-in-hand.  I am blessed which makes me happy.

vs 2 - Righteousness needs applied to our life each and every day.  As Dr Spaulding said, "Where you let your mind roam your feet will follow."  In other words, if my mind is on Jesus that's what my life will be filled with.  But if my mind is on the world, that's what my life will be filled with.  It makes me think of how we are to live in the world without taking part in what the world does.  It takes wisdom and determination.  We have to be intentional in our walk with The Lord.  If we aren't, it won't happen or it will happen for awhile and then we will give up.  Unfortunately, I see that happening to many people who get caught up in pleasing the world instead of God.  That will lead to a life in hell instead of a life of eternity  with Jesus.  Many times people think they are OK because they still have a little of Jesus in their life.  But they aren't.  We have to have Him completely in our life in order to be OK.  If you only have a little of Him, what would happen if you died unexpectantly?  Would He accept You into His arms or turn away from you?  He is the only One to answer that question but I sure don't want to take any chance of not going to heaven.  The temporal things on this earth aren't worth it.

vs 3 - Those that live righteous lives are like the tree planted by the water.  Their roots are deep through the love they have for The Lord.  That love takes them deeper in their walk.  They have a desire to learn more about Him.  They also have a desire to share Him with others and have a desire to be in communion with other believers.  All of these aspects of life strengthen our roots.

vs 4-6 - Nothing good will come from unrighteousness.  Nothing.  Death in hell is the only thing to come from unrighteousness.  

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the reminder of the importance of living a righteous life.  Father, I pray for those who are just giving a little of You to realize they need to give all of themselves to You.  I pray for those who think they are OK when they really aren't.  Father, open up hearts.  Open up minds.  Open up eyes and ears.  Lord, please make me more aware when You put opportunities before me to share You with others.  Lord, the desire of my heart is for the roots in my life to grow deeper.  I know in order for that to happen I need to give You more of myself.  I need to have less of me and more of You.  Thank You Jesus for being My Righteousness.  Amen.

John 15:1-17 - "Accept Nothing Less than Jesus!"

I love, love, love this!  Jesus is all we need.  We don't need "stuff" to make us happy when we have Jesus.  As humans, we tend to only allow Him into our lives when it's convenient.  We won't allow Him free reign.  Instead we give Him just a little of us...every now and then.  The key to true happiness is when we turn over everything to Him.  Not only do we "Invite Him into your heart" but then we will "Embrace Him" which takes our relationship deeper.  "Talk often with your Friend, and His Light Will Fill Your Life!"  Woo hoo!  Once again, the key is being in relationship with Him.  We can't expect Him to be our Santa Claus in the sky and give us everything we ask for.  We must abide in Him and He in us.  

John 15 reads...

15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

² Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
³ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
¹⁶ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Verses 6-8 are key in telling us what will happen when we don't abide in Him and the benefits of abiding with Him.  Not only will we not produce fruit when we don't abide with Him but we will be cast out from Him.  When we think about it, abiding is not an option but rather a requirement for life.  I love the words of verse 7..."If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."  Woo hoo!  We can be confident in our prayer life when we abide with Him.  It doesn't always mean we will receive the answer we want but it does mean He will answer us.  I am thankful for the opportunity to abide in Him.  The fruit that I bear through my relationship with Him brings Him glory which is exciting!  

We don't have to accept anything less than the best...Jesus.   

We don't have to allow the enemy to tear us down...Our Lord is there for us at all time.

We don't have to feel like we have no one...He is always there for us.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for abiding in me.  Thank You for showing me how to embrace You.  Thank You for leading me down the path before me.  Father, open my eyes to all opportunities that will be before me today.  Lord, I pray for honey to be on my lips through my words.  I pray for You to shine through me in a way that people will not have a doubt You are Lord of my life.  Thank You Jesus for being My Abider.  Amen.

Acts 16:25-26 - "Revelation Song"

I had a new perspective last night in group on some verses that I've read many times.  They come from the story of Paul and Silas being in prison in Acts 16.  Verses 25-26 read:

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

The Lord brought to my mind the many times we've been called to one's deathbed and I've been asked to sing for them.  I will never forget when it happened soon after we moved to Willard.  We were called to a home of a dear elderly lady who had lived a long life.  Her daughters were with her distraught because they knew her time was drawing near.  They just didn't want to let go of her.  She was their rock.  Her family had stayed together through some tough times because of her faith.  I think they were afraid of what would happen when she would pass.  They asked me to "sing some ole hymns like Momma likes" and so I did.  I learned that night to take a hymnal with me because after hours of singing I ran out of ones I could remember.  

Another time I remember so well was with a dear lady in our church.  We were called to the hospital by her daughters.  Her time was near and they knew it.  They had already lost their Daddy and they were definitely not ready to let their Momma go.  This is the one that came to my mind last night as the scripture was read.  It hit me that as I was singing for dear Juanita her chains were loosed and she was set free to go to be with the Lord.  The prison doors of being here on this earth were no longer.  Praise His Holy Name!

As the teens and I go to the nursing home and sing there are many times where someone will hear us and ask us to sing for them too.  There is comfort in music.  Certain songs will evoke emotions that maybe haven't been felt for awhile.  Familiarity with songs will bring back memories.  It was interesting when Jenn said that it has been proven that music is the last thing to leave our memory.  That makes sense.  I've been in situations where people didn't comprehend anything any longer yet when they heard the hymns of yesterday they would sing along.  

I'm grateful myself for music.  When I lost my sight for those couple of weeks, I was blessed with music.  Music brings me up when I am feeling down.  It enables me to release emotions that need released.  

I loved what Doc said in group about worship in the area of music.  "Going back to places in our mind when you hear a song is a memory not worship."  It doesn't matter what the style of music is we can always worship the Lord when we are in the worship mindset.  That's where I want to be.  I don't always know or even like the music but I do always want to worship.  I'm thankful I'm in a church that allows freedom to worship.  I'm also thankful for a pastor who is open to the Spirit.

As I read these verses again I am overwhelmed with the sense of what the Lord wants in our worship.  The desire of His heart is for our chains to be loosed just as Paul and Silas' were.  We have chains of many kinds in our lives.  There are chains of the past.  Chains of words spoken over us to tear us down.  There are chains of resentment and hatred that need broken.  One way the Spirit works is through our worship to the Lord.  He wants to break the negative chains and build positive ones. 

Chris Tomlin's "Revelation Song" is powerful.  I love, love, love the words to it. "My chains are gone....I've been set free..."  Woo hoo!  Yes!  I have found freedom in my worship to the Lord because the chains of the junk of my life have been freed.  I no longer have to deal with them.  Woo hoo!  What an exciting place to be!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder of how You have used me in days gone by to minister to the dying.  Thank You for loving me enough to use me in this way.  Father, I don't ever want to quit worshipping You.  When other things get in the way of my worship to You, would You please open my eyes up so that I will see them?  Father, I pray for those who struggle in the area of corporate worship.  I pray they will realize what You want of them.  Open their eyes, Lord to all of You.  Lord, thank You for being the One I Want To Worship!  Amen.