Thy Right Hand

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

The Right Hand symbolizes ‘a place of distinction and favor’,‘a place of wisdom’, ‘a place of honor’, ‘a place of protection’, ‘a place of power and strength’. So, as the scripture above refers, at the right hand of God there really are pleasures forevermore!! 

 

To be shown wisdom, honor, protection, strength, grace, mercy…how could a person not be happy in His presence?! Joy is in Jesus. His presence is joy!

I’m so thankful for His leadership! I’m so thankful that God is always ready to guide, to love, to show mercy and grace. He is so dear to me! There is nothing dull and boring about God! Truly He does work in my life in mysterious ways. Oftentimes this year I have been blown away by how He gets a job done. His willingness to show me the path to true living is so compassionate of Him, and it is my job to trust Him in the process to completion. I love Him so much!

Happy Monday! J

The Remedy ~

Psalm 105:3b-4 “…Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.” 
 
For a “yucky-mucky” day….There is a remedy!!

And the remedy is? Prayer. 
 
I think we sometimes define “joy” all wrong. With that being said, did I surprise you?! Well...when you think of the word “joy”, do you think of a scenario where “life is one big happy party”? Do you oftentimes grasp for that feeling of euphoria, but it successfully eludes you?
 
I like to think of “joy”, not as euphoria, but as the underground route of the troubled seas---joy is the quiet submarine. 

On the surface it cannot be seen, but it is definitely there. 
 
I don't succeed everytime, but I do try all the time to reach for His joy.  My success is not measured by His accountability, but by my own.  He is always faithful.  No, there is never a shortage where He is concerned.  Sometimes I just lack the faith to believe.  to trust.  to press through.  Sometimes I just allow the "bad day" to overtake me.   

God’s quiet tranquility, His gentle whisper, oftentimes is the ONLY thing that keeps me grounded enough so that I can’t see above water. So that I can’t see into the sheer dark, tumult waves that swelter over me.    Yes, I said, "Can't see".  You see, His joy, it is my protection somehow.  It's not that I don't know the troubles are there.  I know all too well that the troubles and stresses are there, but His joy hides me.  His joy rejuvinates me.  His joy encapsulates me and gives me the strength that is so needed to keep me swimming to the Home-Shore. 

It may not be that "life is sucking you under"...it may be....GOD.  :)  To be encapsulated in His Joy—the Submarine—is to be protected.  'Under' is where the best kept secret treasures oftentimes are.  If you allow yourself, while encapsulated, you can view through the windows of faith all the beauty that no one else above the surface can see. 
  
Those that seek the Lord through hearts of faith have reason to rejoice on anyway.  Don't let the devil, friends...enemies....anyone...steal your joy!  If you're seeking the Lord there is reason to rejoice onward. 

Seek the Lord with your all, and you shall find that His joy is your strength.  Rejoice! 
  
Happy Thursday! J

Because of Him ~

Psalm 9:1-2, 9-10, 13-14 I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High…The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee…Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me,…That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation. 
 
I tell of His marvelous works! The Lord is my Keeper, keeping me--mind, soul, body, spirit--safe. God is my safe place always. He does not forget me ever. I’m so thankful that I know His precious, all-powerful name. I’m so grateful that I have access to that name at any time. In the good or in the bad I put my trust in HIM. He has never left me alone. I sing, not because of my own merit, because of the joy He gives and because of who He is! He is worthy of praise! His joy is an antidote to the negative.  
 
He is right in how He judges. His Truth lives forever unto all generations! He has set up His throne to say who is guilty or not.  It is God who has the last word, not anyone else.  He is not petty. He is generous and He truly loves. He is a fair God. He is the one that is truly holy.
   
It’s because of His great compassion and mercy that I rise each day to breathe in and take on a new day. He lifts me up! He lifts me up so that I may tell about His praises in the gates of the people…the sanctuary of God…and it's because of His faithfulness that I therein will be full of joy!  It is all because of His salvation! Because of my Lord, and not because of the negative or posititve happenings that may or may not be taking place in life, at any given moment I can be glad and full of joy! Because of HIM I have access to a deep well-spring of joy!!

Oh, Father, let me drink from Your Well of Salvation!! J 

   

Asking In Faith

James 1:5-6 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

If you need wisdom, ask your Father. Our God loves to help us, so without a second thought, go ahead and ask of Him that which you need. Keep your faith intact. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. Believe! He is only a prayer away and He answers prayer! 

Happy Saturday!! J

Thy Visitation ~

Job 10:12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

Synonyms for the word, Preserve, are such as these: keep, save, maintain, retain. Upon this knowledge I took another moment to also look up the word, Retain. Retain means to keep possession of; to continue to have something. Two of the synonyms for this word are as follows: hold, detain

I don’t understand His way(s) always, but I always try to trust Him. He knows best. The God of the good times is still God in the bad times. He is always and forever GOD! And, His WORD is a lamp unto my feet and is also a comforter and a strength.

Just when I think I’m about to go crazy, feeling extremely helpless, or so very low in spirit…and even angry and disillusioned about life, people, and circumstance…He makes sure to hold me fast. His visitation comes and detains (and, often times, keeps) me from making a wrong decision. He continues to hold me in HIS possession. He is unwilling to give up on me and He cares to the the very minute detail of everything that concerns my life. I love Him so much!

It is by His providential love that I am never alone. His providential watchfulness over me is a treausure that I hold so dear to my heart.   Therefore, I will say of the Lord, He is my strong tower.  In times of storm and tribulation He is my help and my salvation.  I will hope in Him.  It’s His providence that brings me a renewed zest for life so that my spirit can soar as an eagle.

What could I ever do to deserve this kind of love?!! Who am I that this King did bleed and die for? Who am I that He would pray in the Garden of Gethsemene, “Not my will, but Thine”?  I'm so grateful His HOLY Spirit came and breathed new energy into my little life.  

How is it that anyone can ever live life without Him? To know, through faith, that I have an advocate at any time with the FATHER is a wonderous gift. God has granted me life and showed me many times over His loving-kindness. I am so humbly appreciative of His wondrous works that He does in my life. I know it is nothing that I deserve.

Happy Monday to you! Blessings always.

Transformation

It is ok to be an original. No one else has a thumbprint like you. God made you to HIS perfection, so it’s ok if you aren’t like everyone else. J

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The behaviors and customs of this world can so easily “bleed over” into the church. Don’t be a copycat. What Christ did on the Cross at Calvary was meant for our transformation, not merely conformation. God has transformed—He has made a thorough and dramatic change in your form, character, and appearance—by breathing life into you, by the work of the cross, and by the renewing of your mind.  Being a Christian means He’s changed the way you think. It is through that renewing that we then can learn to know God’s will for our individual lives. His will is good, pleasing, and perfect. Always.   

Here is what we should do, God helping us:
We need to take every day, ordinary life—sleeping, eating, going-to-work, exercising, walking around life, each daily task we do—and place it before God as an offering. We need to embrace what God does for us and use it to the best of our ability for HIM. We don’t need to become so well-adjusted to this culture that we fit into it without a thought. But, instead, we need to fix our attention on our Heavenly Father. Get a daily fix. 
     
Be willing to be changed from the inside out—by your LORD. Respond to Him. Readily recognize and accept what he wants from you. What He wants for you may not be the same as what He wants for someone else. You are His child and He is your Father. He knows what’s best for you. 

This world is always trying to drag us down to its level of immaturity, but God brings the best out in us. He develops well-formed maturity in each one of us…as long as we let Him. Often times this transformation come through trial. 
  
Don’t just Conform, Be Transformed. 

It always seems to work better when we are transformed rather than when we are just conforming. When one conforms [to any “higher power”] one easily gets disgruntled and tired, but tranformation brings life and energy into a life. 
  

After trying so hard to conform to the standards and tastes of others, I began to see I am a one-of-a-kind work of art, unlike anyone else who has ever lived or ever will. –Kathy Peel

You Are His~

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

Whether we feel that we are on a torrential sea and about to drown, or we feel that we are in a scorching, fiery furnace we must remember….We are not alone. 
 
Our Savior calls us. He KNOWS our name. He KNOWS every tear that falls. We are redeemed. Because He lives we can face every tomorrow that He allows us to have. The simple fact of you waking up this morning to a brand new day should give you hope that He believes in you, for scripture says ‘his mercies are new every morning’. 
 
We must not fear! 
 
Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Don’t be anxious. You've got help.  You can do this!  If one warrior is tired in battle there has to be another warrior who will help him/her up. God’s army is moving onward. Prayer crowns all lawful effort with success and gives victory when nothing else can.  It is so very good to have friends who know how to pray when we can't seem to find the words to do it ourselves.  

Prayer is the passage for peace in our life. The peace of God (which really does surpass all understanding) shall keep hearts and minds in safe keeping. Not because of how strong we are, but because of how valiant HE is! HIS grace, not our own, is sufficient. So don’t put yourself in the category of “good candidate for a heart attack” and don’t “go crazy”. Rest in His sufficient grace. Be still and know that He is your Lord. Stay calm and carry on. 
   
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of request

Women sometimes find it hard to find a block of time for “sweet hour of prayer” everyday. But, what we can do is talk to our Lord throughout the day, every day. Washing the dishes, making the beds, sweeping the floor, clothing the children, etc.…these tasks do not have to hinder us from conversing with our Lord. God’s people need prayer warriors and true warriors keep the Leader always in mind. How else do you think this ‘multi-tasking’ can get accomplished with a smile? J 
 
No matter what the storm, no matter how hot the fiery trial, we must never, no never, give up! We must be persistent. Listen for His leading. Don’t try to figure it out by yourself. Burdens are not meant for us to carry alone. We are called by a name that is victorious. Our God is valiant in battle. He never fails, but always wins. Fear not!

Twenty Steps of Christianity ~

This year is FLYING by. It’s the last quarter of the year already, I can hardly believe it!! With that in mind I am reminded, once again, that it’s only what we do for Christ that will last. Looking over the year I’m afraid that I have fallen so short of that task too. Do feel the same?  So much of the year has been filled with one storm after another for me, but He is faithful (as verse 24 states in the scripture promise below).  In every storm He has provided a beautiful rainbow.  It is yet another reminder of another passage of scripture where it says, "beauty for ashes".  Truly God does give beauty for ashes.  God is just like that, ya know :) 

 

I Thessalonians 5:12-28 (NIV) Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. Brothers and sisters, pray for us. Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
There are various ‘points of reference’ to these scriptures. I’ve read where they are called, ‘Final Instructions from Paul’, ‘Guidance in Godliness’, and ‘Principles for Godly Living’. All of them could be applicable.  However, today I am going to call them....
The How-To to Living Christianity:

1. Respect and love the Ministry

2. Be free from disturbance among others; quiet and tranquil (aka: at peace)

3. Advise or urge in earnest (in love) those that spend their time doing nothing

4. Be an Encourager to the fainthearted

5. Help the Weak (do not tear down, but be a Kingdom-builder)

6. Be Patient with those that are lacking in boldness of faith and courage, and who lack physical/spiritual energy

7. See to it that no one repays anyone evil for evil.

8. Always seek to do good to others

9. Rejoice always

10. Pray always

11. Give Thanks always (in every circumstance, for it is for your learning/your growth/your good)

12. Do not suppress/extinguish the Spirit of God

13. Do not feel contempt or deep distain or scorn Prophecies that are given

14. Take measures to check the quality, performance, or reliability of that which has been predicted (aka: take a test)

15. Refrain from every form of evil

16. Allow the God of peace to sanctify you completely [allow your whole person (spirit, soul, and body) to be kept blameless at the coming of the Lord.  Give your attitude and physique over to God.  He can shape you up in no time, if you let Him]

17. Live in such a way that your Lord can call you ‘Faithful’ and believe in HIS faithfulness concerning your own life.  His promises do come to pass!!!    

18. Pray for others

19. Greet others with warmth and affection

20. Lean on God’s Grace

Now these are all taken from the scriptures above (definitions applied), so please do not feel that these are my words only. After reading the list, do you feel that you have it all together as a Christian? I sure don’t. I think I’m going to make a copy of this list for myself and stick it up somewhere in my home, so that I can refer to it several times throughout my days. 
I’m human trying to live godly…and I need reminded sometimes.  How about you? Don't wait for the storm to pass, dance in its puddles.  ;)   Our Father is faithful.  He will see to it that you are taken care of.  Rejoice always.  Pray always.  Give Thanks always.  Live in the Spirit.  Lean on the Master's grace!  I promise you, it IS sufficient!!