I admit it, I have been in a dry season lately. Sometimes I get tired of fighting life and just hibernate. I know, not the best idea. But let’s get real, has that ever happened to you? When I look back over my life I can think of numerous times I have felt this way. I try to wish it away, listen to motivational preachers, listen to Christian music and pray, but the soil is still dry and cracked in my soul.
I know this will pass. It always does. I think back of how God rescued me from myself or others or situations in the past. He does it every time. Thank you Lord that You are faithful and have never forgotten me. Even when I don’t feel like it, You lift up my head and crown me with loving kindness and mercy. You have never left or forsaken me.
“Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift them up, ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in. Who is [He then] this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory [who rules over all creation with His heavenly armies]. Selah.” -Psalm 24-7-10AMP
“Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name. Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul, And do not forget any of His benefits; Who forgives all your sins, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you [lavishly] with lovingkindness and tender mercy; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the [soaring] eagle.”-Psalm103:1-5 AMP
So how do you water a thirsty soul? I have to drown it with water – the living Word of God. The Holy Spirit promises to fill me up, even to overflowing! Spending time in prayer and in reading or listening to God’s Word pulls me up and out of how I feel. The rain of God’s Word will irrigate my dry heart and fill it up so I can receive the Word in my heart!
“Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,butwhoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give himwill become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”-John 4:13-14NKJV
From: wallpaper4god.com
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.” -Psalm 23:1-6 NKJV
There WILL be a harvest in our lives – but only if we JUST KEEP PLANTING! Let us plant more seed, the Word of God in our lives to see the harvest. Don’t give up now, our stories aren’t finished yet. God is still writing…
Strength. Sometimes I have it, sometimes I don’t. What can I say? I’m still human. Some days I am on top of the world, and other days I can’t find my way out from under a rock.
Those hard days I have to take a step back, and pray. In those times I like to remind myself of what God says about strength.
“God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam; let the mountains tremble!” – Psalm 46:1-3 TLB
“The Lord is a strong fortress. The godly run to him and are safe.” – Proverbs 18:10 TLB
“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” – Psalm 9:9-10 NKJV
“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.” – Isaiah 43:1-3 NKJV
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4 NKJV
As the Christmas Season is upon us there is one word that I keep thinking of – Adore. Adore means to love and respect someone deeply, to worship them. This season I am taking time to Adore Jesus.
Yes, we can Adore Jesus in Church. But this season, I am going to Adore Him in my home, adore Him in my car, adore Him when I am doing the dishes, adore Him when I am doing laundry, adore Him when I am going about my day to day activities.
Psalm 95:1-7 MSG
1-2 Come, let’s shout praises to God, raise the roof for the Rock who saved us! Let’s march into his presence singing praises, lifting the rafters with our hymns!
3-5 And why? Because God is the best, High King over all the gods. In one hand he holds deep caves and caverns, in the other hand grasps the high mountains. He made Ocean—he owns it! His hands sculpted Earth!
6-7 So come, let us worship: bow before him, on your knees before God, who made us! Oh yes, he’s our God, and we’re the people he pastures, the flock he feeds.
Source: lovelylovelythings.wordpress.com
I LOVE this version of O Come All Ye Faithful by Pentatonix!
O come, all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem Come and behold Him Born the King of Angels!
O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord
O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem
Oh, sing, choirs of angels Sing in exultation Oh, come, oh come ye to Bethlehem Come and behold Him Born the King of Angels
O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord
O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem
O come, all ye O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem
O come, all ye faithful (O come, all ye faithful, o come, all ye faithful) Joyful and triumphant (O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem) Come and behold Him (O come, all ye faithful, o come, all ye faithful) Born the King of Angels
O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him O come, let us adore Him Christ the Lord
Happy Thanksgiving week! I am thankful for each and every one of you. You have helped me in this journey called life with your words of life and inspiration. Life is always better together. I love you all. Have a blessed and peaceful Thanksgiving!
21 Inspirational Thanksgiving Quotes for 2018
Gratitude is a constant attitude of thankfulness and appreciation for life as it unfolds. Living in the moment, we are open to the abundance around us and within us. We express appreciation freely. We contemplate the richness of our life. In life’s trials, we seek to understand, to accept, to learn. Gratitude is a continual celebration of life. — AUTHOR UNKNOWN
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are. – Joyce Giraud
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. – Melody Beattie
I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. — PSALM 69:30
Careful for nothing, prayerful for everything, thankful for anything. – Dwight L. Moody
Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. — Theodore Roosevelt
I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. – Henry David Thoreau
Each day is a gift from God. What you do with it is your gift to Him. – T.D. Jakes
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. – John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now. – A.W. Tozer
Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude. — RALPH WALDO EMERSON
The Christian who walks with the Lord and keeps constant communion with Him will see many reason for rejoicing and thanksgiving all day long. – Warren W. Wiersben
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way. — NATIVE AMERICAN SAYING
O Lord that lends me life, lend me a heart replete with thankfulness. — WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Sharing in God’s blessings is at the heart of Thanksgiving and at the core of the American spirit. — PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving. — AMY GRANT
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. — OPRAH WINFREY
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. – Franklin D. Roosevelt
All across America, we gather this week with the people we love to give thanks to God for the blessings in our lives. – George W. Bush
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. — PSALM 95:2
Here is a Bible Study I wrote for our weekly gathering. We are taking turns sharing what God is showing us in our lives and I was up. I did grab a few props – gotta have an application lesson in Ms. D’s class. That’s how we remember. I went to Hobby Lobby and went to the wood department. I found them, two 8 x 10 wood frames and a box of sharpies. That’s all I needed. More to be revealed… Teaching notes in ( ).
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23;7 NKJV
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.“ – Romans 12:2 NKJV
Think of your home and your pictures. Do you have a wall you keep them on? Or do you put them in scrapbooks? Are they in frames on tables here and there? Are they on your phone? Think of the events and how each one brings to mind a special day. A day to remember. Are they of your friends? Your family? Your children? Your parents?
In each picture you are the same person, right? Only the time and circumstances have changed. Now take a step back, and look at the frame that it is in. Not the actual frame, but the frame of reference it was taken in. Were you younger, older? Who was with you? Why was this day important?
Let’s face it, times change. People change, we change. The frames in our lives change. We see ourselves differently depending on what we are looking at. Think of a old movie, frame by frame. Each frame tells a part of the whole story. Individually it may not look like much, but put them all together and it is a beautiful story.
What happens when we frame our world by our circumstances?
What happens when we frame ourselves by who is with us at the time?
What happens when we frame our worth with what others think?
What happens when we frame ourselves by what we do or don’t do?
We often frame our world with other things:
(Take frame number 1 and write all these words down in black sharpie on the frame itself)
School – What happens when school is over and all of a sudden you are not the popular kid anymore? Some people get stuck there, forever living in what they call the “glory days”. They close their life off to new opportunities because they are not the popular kid anymore.
Sports – What happens if you fumble the ball or lose the big game? We can’t all be the sports Heroes our whole lives. Many people just quit. Quit the game and quit trying at life.
Hobbies – What happens if you never finish that project? Many people get lost in their love of this, that, and the other thing. Living a life doing stuff, not really touching others or opening themselves up to give or receive love. Just lost in hobby land.
Work/Job/Title– What happens if you get laid off, to the company closes, or the job ends? Many people live their whole life saying I’m an XYZ. They define themselves by what they do for a living or by what Title they have. Jobs and Titles are temporary. Positions come and go.
Money – What happens if you get wiped out, of have a financial emergency? Even the best money managers run into problems. If your frame your world with money, it will crash. The love of money a root of all kinds of evil.
Appearance – What happens if you worship your body and your body doesn’t cooperate? Let’s face it, we all age here on planet Earth. Stuff happens. If we frame our world with what we look like, it will be disappointing. Aging is a part of life.
Relationships – What happens if the relationship/marriage ends? If we frame our world with our relationships it will be a bumpy ride. Relationships change, people change. We change.
Children – What happens when they grow up and move out? That empty nest syndrome is real. Many parents don’t know what to do with themselves after their kids leave the nest.
Houses, cars, stuff – What happens when catastrophe comes and you lose it? Are we really defined by what we accumulate? What the world defines as rich in this world is often poverty in the Kingdom of God. Idolatry is the worship of stuff, God doesn’t like that one bit.
Addiction – What happens if you see yourself as an XYZ forever? Didn’t God promise to deliver us and set us free? It may be hard to see yourself beyond an addiction. It may be difficult to see yourself as free. Renew our minds Lord Jesus.
Words of others – What happens when you get rejected, betrayed, or hurt? When we let others tell us who we are we give them our power. We let them play God. They are not our God. Just because someone says something doesn’t mean it’s true.
Sickness – What happens if you frame your world with sickness? When Jesus met the man at the pool He had one question, “Do you want to be well.?” There are people that like the attention that comes with illness. There are some that want a Dr. to tell them about their health and what to do next.
Past – What happens if you frame your world with your past? Can we ever move on to a new thing and let God move in our lives if we are living in yesterday? Many have become bitter instead of better. They have refused to forgive those who offended them and stay trapped living in the past. The root of bitterness grows and they wither in the Kingdom.
(Stop here, pass the frame around the room. Starting with yourself first, share with the group what you are struggling with. For me it was my past. It’s hard for me to see myself as free and strong instead of a victim.)
What if we took those same pictures, those same circumstances, our same life and framed it with the Word of God?
(Turn frame number 1 over so it is blank again)
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”- Hebrews 11:1-3 NKJV
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” – Colossians 3:1-4 NKJV
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” – Colossians 1:15-20 NKJV
“For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.” – Psalm 103:11-18 NKJV
“For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.” – Psalm 139:13-8 NKJV
Let us frame our world with the Word of God.
(Take the first frame, turn it over. Take the second frame. Let each person pick a colored sharpie. Pass the 2nd frame around the room and ask each person to pick a word from below that will help them overcome issue they are struggling with on the first frame. Ask them to get out their phones or Bibles and share a Bible verse that goes with that word. This is the verse they will hold on to this week)
The Word of God says we are:
Saved
Forgiven
Free
Redeemed
Blessed
Accepted
Born again
New
Citizen of Heaven
Royal Priesthood
Anointed
Sealed with the Spirit
Co-heirs with Christ
Appointed
Christ’s Ambassadors
Loved
Called
Chosen
Holy
Righteous
Secure
Friend
Beautiful
Justified
Sanctified
Reconciled
Righteous
Covered in Grace
Protected
Strong
Unique
Virtuous
Created for purpose
Victorious
Favored
A Masterpiece
Set apart
More than a Conqueror
Delivered
Let us renew our minds and live from this place, in Jesus Name!
As I look back on this past year there is so much to be thankful for. I choose to remember the good and let go of the rest. Yes there were challenges, but we made it! Hallelujah bless God!
God bless you and your family as He keeps you in perfect peace today and always;)
I got a great life lesson this week. My gas gauge broke in my truck. The first day i ran over a curb with my back right tire it shook something loose. Now that morning I had put in $20. I did my errands and was on my way to music practice. I glanced at my gas gauge and started to panic – it was below E. All these thoughts started running through my head.
” Am I leaking gas?”
“Did I not put in enough gas?”
“Wtf?”
“Is this thing going to start on fire?”
So I stopped and put in another $10. As I drove it, it still registered below E. Last week we had torrential rains and I know it got soaked. After music practice the gauge worked again and it showed 1/2 tank. Whew! I thought it was fixed. But now over the last few days it sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. My husband looked up how to fix it – we have to take the bed off the truck and put in some new parts. The lesson I learned?
Just because it looks empty doesn’t mean it is!
This is true with our lives as well. Just when things look the darkest God shows up to show Himself strong. Right when we are at the end of our rope He gently pulls us down and catches us. Just because you don’t see your miracle yet, don’t give up! The Lord of the Universe is on your side and working all things together for your good. He is a Good, Good Father and He loves you. He will make a way where there seems to be no way – that’s who He is!
Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin
I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think You’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night
You tell me that you’re pleased and that I’m never alone
You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching for answers only You provide
Because You know just what we need before we say a word
You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by you
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
Love so undeniable I can hardly speak
Peace so un-explainable I can hardly think
As you call me deeper still
As you call me deeper still
As you call me deeper still
Into love, love, love.
You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
(repeat)
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
I love palm trees. They remind me of the beach with sun and sand and water. It’s almost like instant rest in a tropical oasis. Palm trees are resilient, they grow in the desert in hot, humid climates. Here are some great facts about palm trees and how we as Christians can flourish like them in spite of the storms we go through.
How to Flourish Like a Palm Tree in the Storms of Life
1. Palm trees grow high above the Earth. Some can reach 70 feet tall. We as Christians are seated in Heavenly places with Jesus. As He is, so are we in this world. We are not better than any one else, but we are not worse either. The Lord made the Earth and everything in it. He looked at it and said, “It is good.” Let us allow ourselves to adopt a larger vision and reach for the Lord like the palm tree.
2. Palm trees bend in storms they do not break. Their trunks are flexible. In the midst of the storm, they stand. even after hurricanes, the palm tree still stands. We as well face many storms in this life. When the Holy Spirit is within us we find the strength to stand in the midst of the storms. The wind may blow, the rain may come, but our Lord will whisper to us despite what is happening and lead us to quiet streams.
3. Palm Trees are a symbol of eternal life. The Assyrians believed that eternal life was symbolized by a palm tree growing beside a stream. Jesus is our Eternal Life. This life is not all there is. We can and will get through the storms – God promised He would be with us and lead us every step of the way. Let us be flexible with our thoughts and attitudes and listen to His voice and leading.
4. Palm trees are evergreens-they do not lose their leaves in any particular season. Our faith stands despite our circumstances. There are times we pray despite what we see happening. Our faith is evergreen, the leaves do not fall off. If God said it – then it’s true. We may have to pray fervently and bring Heaven down to Earth as part of the journey.
5. Coconuts are seed and if you plant one by the beach a new tree would grow there. We have the Spirit of the Living God within us – Christ in us is our hope of glory. The more we walk with Him the more we will become like Him. We are planted in the House of the Lord. God gives us the power to grow where we are planted. And His Divine DNA is already planted within us!
6. Palm trees grow in extremely hot climates. In times of drought they tap into the water deep below the ground. Jesus has promised us living water and that we would never thirst again. In the midst of the mess, we can draw water from the Living Word Himself to sustain and strengthen us. As the winds blow, dig deeper within the Word and spend time with Jesus. Wells of living water will spring up within you
7. Palm trees symbolize victory. In Bible times when men would return from war people would wave palm tree branches to celebrate the victory. No wonder when Jesus entered Jerusalem the people waved palms! Jesus has defeated every foe, every sickness, every disease at Calvary. By His stripes we are healed. Sometimes we need to celebrate the victory before we see it. Like Jesus said, “It is finished.”Let us walk out on the water with our faith and walk with Jesus today!
God’s Word
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. -Psalm 92:12 NKJV
There are benefits that just come with being part of the Family of God. When we are adopted by Abba Father there are things that He has promised us:
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
– Psalm 103:1-6 KJV
God has promised to forgive us, to heal us.
He crowns us with His Love and Mercy.
He satisfies us with GOOD things.
He renews our Youth!
He is the One who executes righteousness to make all the bad things turn into good.
All things work together for GOOD when God is our Father.
BLESS THE LORD
by Matt Redman
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
You’re rich in love
And You’re slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Bless You Lord
And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Forevermore
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name
I’ll worship Your Holy name
Jesus I will worship Your Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I’ll worship your holy name
Listen, do you hear Him in your heart? He is Calling you, “Come.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”
Come sit at His feet as the waterfall of His love washes over You. Be washed, be renewed, be loved. He will fill your heart as you spend time with Him!
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
We hear it all Easter season. “He is risen.” He is Jesus Christ. But how do you apply that to your ever day, normal life? What does it mean? I am just an ordinary girl. I have lived part of my life with Jesus and part of my life without Him. I knew He was there, but I didn’t always acknowledge His presence. I ignored Him.
Have you ever been in a relationship where someone ignored you? Yeah, it’s annoying. You try and try to talk to them, and they don’t listen. You can jump up and down, scream at the top of your lungs, or even just whisper and they don’t respond. After a while you quit talking. That’s how my life was without Jesus. I was alone, and afraid. I lost hope in myself and others. I gave up. I felt like a ghost walking around in an empty shell wondering what ever happened to my life.
But God never left. He never stopped waiting for me to be ready to sit down and have a talk with Him. His love never failed me. His mercy never ran out. His grace was always there waiting to hold me and show me a new life. He is faithful, and loving, and kind.
Yes, Jesus died on that cross for you and for me. Like a Good Father he did for his kids what we couldn’t do for ourselves. We didn’t know how to live, how to love, or who to follow. When Jesus died, he took on all our sins – those places where we separate ourselves from God. He was the sin offering.He exchanged His life for ours. God already fulfilled all those 10 commandments. He knew we couldn’t do it without Him. He became the sacrifice that was needed to fulfil the law. And do you know what He said?
“It is finished!”
God is not mad at us. He loves us. We have been redeemed – to a new life. A life with Him today and forever in Eternity. God is not done writing His Story yet. The best part is still to come! “He is Risen” means that there is more to be written yet in the story of our lives. We do not have to live alone and afraid anymore. God is with us. He will come and live with us. He will comfort us and counsel us. He will bring us peace in the storms of this life. He will give us hope and a future. He will show us beautiful and amazing new things. He will bring us a new life. Because He lives – we can face tomorrow!
PSALM 103
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Ephesians 1:16 – Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
James 1:17 – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Hebrews 12:28 – Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Psalms 118:24 – This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
Psalms 107:1 – O give thanks unto the LORD, for [he is] good: for his mercy [endureth] for ever.
Psalms 50:23 – Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth [his] conversation [aright] will I shew the salvation of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 – In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Colossians 3:17 – And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
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And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name.
2. Palm trees bend in storms they do not break. Their trunks are flexible. In the midst of the storm, they stand. even after hurricanes, the palm tree still stands. We as well face many storms in this life. When the Holy Spirit is within us we find the strength to stand in the midst of the storms. The wind may blow, the rain may come, but our Lord will whisper to us despite what is happening and lead us to quiet streams.
