Nothing's Too Hard For God

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

With God at your side the miraculous can happen! God’s word does not return to Him void. He has all power. He can do that which, to us, is impossible. In Matthew 19:26 we read that it is entirely possible to be saved because, Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

There are a lot of dreams and situations in my life that I have a hard time having (and keeping) the faith about. Doubt often times asails me. But, I need to keep focus on Jesus. He can do anything,

 

but fail. 

 

In II Kings 3:18, we read the portion of this scripture where it says, This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD…, and truly anything is easy for God. Nothing is too hard for Him!!! He can make pools of water to drink from even when there is no wind and no rain. What isn’t in existence now, God can speak and through no natural power, He can make things come to pass by His supernatural power. Through Him we are more than conquorers.

I don’t want to fail the Lord by my unwillingness to believe. I don't want my attitude, my faith, my will to abort anything that He wants to give.  I don’t want to cut of blessing that He would so love to mulitiply in my life because I’m too stubborn…and close-minded…and so “totally ok” with the life that I now have. 

 

But I want ALL that God would have for me. 

 

I want to be willing and pliable in His hands. He knows the way I take. He knows just where He wants me to go.

And for that to be accomplished, I MUST step out of my ‘comfort zone’.

Lord, help me to obey, to step out, to believe…to have faith…for all the things that You would like to bring into my life.

Get Your Praise On!

Words to a song come to mind....

I'll praise you, Lord, in all that I go thru
Because PRAISE is what I do
And I OWE it all to You. 

II Chronicles 5:13-14  It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God. 

I wonder what could happen if everyone in the sanctuary would be as one.  One with the muscians and singers, making melody of praise unto our God?!  Talk about ONE SOUND! 

Singing a song of praise and thinking about the Most High in the congregation of His saints should inspire heart-felt worship.  So much so that our hands and feet can not be still and our mouth can not be silent.  Surely His mercy does endure forever.  That alone should get us to moving something. 

We do not dance and have runaway services to keep from hearing the ministry preach to us.  However it is BECAUSE of the Word that is ministered to us every week that we have reason and authority to know how to give praise to our God.  When God's glory comes down, there is ministry in that place!

Happy Friday, everybody!  I'm headed to a Youth Rally.  Gonna get my praise on tonight! :) 

That's All Right...It's All Good!!!

Out of all the things God can do....

He CAN NOT fail!!!! :)  :) 

He's the Comforter...I know this to be true.

The Son of God.

He's the Counsellor

He IS God!! :-D

He has devine authority.

He is the KING of kings.

He's mighty!  More mighty than any warrior.

His blood covers all the darkest of sins, making one white as snow.

He's merciful.  gracious.  ominpresent.

He sees every tear we try to hide. 

He's a mender of the broken and gives wings to those who crawl.

His name is JESUS!!!

I'm so thankful today that I know WHO Jesus is.

Won't you come to His table and dine with Him today?  Be fed from His love...and His precious Word. I promise, you won't leave His table hungry. 

Daniel 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Daniel 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the kings's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. 
Vs. 29 .....because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 

The devil may have sent a fiery trial to your life, but when you yield yourself to Jesus, He's gonna make sure you come out better.  All for HIS glory!  and not one part of you is even gonna retain the smell of the smoke from all of it!!  Yes, it's all for HIS glory!!!  There will never be another man like Jesus! He saves, heals, and satisfies. :) 

Blessed For Trusting

(ESV) Psalm 84:11-12 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor.  No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.  O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

My trust [in Him] is a bit jaded at times, for there are those moments when I think I know best, but then I enter into His courts and my understanding is opened.  The process hurts.  But, He knows the way I take and He’s working every obstacle for my eternal good.  I am better because He makes sure to knock off the rough edges of me. 

The Lord sends daily gifts of favor and honor to me.  The Lord is my light (sun) and my salvation (shield).  His light, the wisdom He imparts, causes me to see things I would not ordinarily see; and because of the shield of faith which covers me, my heart is protected from demise. In His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore.   

He is my rest.  

He is my strength.  He is my Savior.  

He is the Lover of my soul. 

He is my Friend.  

He is my Guide. 

He’s given beauty for ashes.  

Gladness for mourning. 

He enlightens my darkness.  

He has made my valley a well-spring.  

Because of Him I have been able to walk through some dark places.  

With Him I go from strength to strength.  

Because of HIM I can do hard things.  

No good thing has He ever withheld from me.  

He’s a Father who truly cares.  He’s faithful.  Loving.  Omnipresent.  Great is His faithfulness.

 I am so blessed!!! 

Happy Friday, everybody! J   

Living Life Out Loud

My daughter is....let's just say.....

 

She lives life OUT LOUD!!! 

 

Really loud.

 

For the most part she really enjoys life.

 

If she's in the room, well, you know it.  There is no question.   

 

Funny.  Smart.  Beautiful. Never misses a thing. 

 

Quite a hoot, if you will. 

 

And the one thing she absolutely LOVES????

 

Singing.

 

OUT LOUD!!! 

 

She now loves to play the piano too.

 

You guessed it....LOUD!!

 

I'm grateful for this burst of presence....but sometimes....

 

I have to remind myself that these are the times to be grateful.  I could have it so different.  She could not be here at all.  There are weeks in the Summer when it feels the house is breathing, threatening to suck me in.  All is Quiet. Way to quiet. 

 

She could be blind, deaf, mute...an number of ailments, really.  Instead she's healthy, strong, and vibrant. 

 

Best of all...She is presently living for God...a choice that I'm without question EXTREMELY happy about.  Having parents that are split, the atmosphere around here could be so different.  (I'll leave that right there).

 

Ingratitude is a choice, not an emotion. 

 

The Israelites never seen the Promise Land because of it. 

 

Ingratitude robs. 

 

So instead of griping and complaining about how LOUD it can be within the walls of this small house sometimes...I will be grateful.

 

I can speak words of wisdom, instead of threats and complaint.

 

I can hear songs of praise.

 

I can sing with someone. 

 

I can let my whole being bask in the melody of sound. 

 

And when I'm old???....well, that's why they make hearing aids! :-D 

 

Psalm 104:33  I will SING PRAISE to MY GOD as long AS I LIVE.

For His Great Love

Psalm 18:13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

I feel God’s faithful love for me is to an extent that is considerably above average. The times He has chastised me, it’s been done out of pure love for me. His desire for me is the best. He wants the BEST life for me. A conquorable life. Each breath He gives is a sweet gift. 
 
Many times He has transported me to the proper place—out of the lowest hell into His sweet presence. Many times His ear has heard my anguish. Every tear He collects in a bottle. In His presence I am wholly made for He is the mender of the broken. 
 
Even when death compasses His children, it is comfort, for the dead in Christ are at rest and no longer hurt anymore. He is a Rock for the living. We can lean against Him. He is stable, sure, firm. His grace is sufficient and His mercy renewing. Great is His faithfulness.

Putting God Into The Day's Equation

Proverbs 21:21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

We are vessels meant to be filled with His glory. Hunt for what is right and kind and you will find that you have found a life that is filled with“glory moments”. 

 

Those who pursue that which is right and undefiled, that which is filled with unfailing love, will find real life. Jesus is the only One that can satisfy the emptiness within us.

Do you feel like you have too much on your plate today? Are you feeling that you get no respect? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Depressed? Stressed?

So many times people start out the day pursuing their own agenda, never bringing God into the equation of the day. Even before mid-morning things start to become unraveled. Nothing seems to be going right. Life seems drudgery. Our feet feel like their in quick-sand. So then the whole attitude is altered. Tempers flair, aggravations, gritting the teeth, etc. STRESS….sometimes all because we started the morning mistakenly thinking that we held our plate in our own hands. Give the plate to God. Talk to Him—really talk to Him--first thing of a morning.

If you’ve already started the day, forgetting this vital responsibility, the day is not over! J Give the Lord your plate. Let Him rearrange the content of it, and you will be the beneficiary.

In every day that you live your life, pursue God, not yourself. 

Pursue mercy, not hate. 

 

When you do, you will find that life can be much more pleasant. You will find that you are free from guilt and sin. You will become more free from your own self.  You can hold your head up knowing that God is by your side. You will also find that those around you, who are watching your life, will be more likely to regard you respectfully. Putting God into the equation of your day will give your life some dignity and credibility. So follow after that which is whole, righteous, and full of mercy. You will find His abundant grace being returned back to you.

a + b = c

a=God b=you c=glory moments

Now, with God at your side, go pursue and conquer your day! (Psalm 118:24)

He Shall Be Satisfied

Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

When reading this scripture the underlined portion is what really caught my attention. This passage is referencing the coming Christ Messiah, hundreds of years before His actual birth. It is a prophecy.

He shall….

This tells me there are no “maybes”. God shall—it’s a must, a very strong intention—God shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.

Shall be satisfied…

This portion got me to thinking even more. God shall be satisfied?? What do you mean? Well, we have desires and wishes….and since we were made in His image….yes, even He searches for desired outcomes…just as we do.

The Lord, Savior of the world, bore Himself on the Cross. In this sense he travailed. It was a travail like no other. It was his child-birthing experience, if you will…He gave His all so that souls could be born into His Kingdom. He was ripped from limb to gut and died, then rose again, that I may have eternal life. That I may live forever one day! He knew way before I was even a thought to human-kind (my parents) what I would do and what I would endure, yet because of not what I was, but what He saw I could be, He gave His all for me.

The scripture says, He shall be satisfied, yet I still find myself asking the question of myself , “Is God satisfied when He looks at me?”.

It’s a hard question.

The New Living Translation says it like this: 

When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.

Oh, I hope so, Lord, I hope so!

What hope the scriptures bring!! Right when I feel that all is hopeless...when I feel that I’m not much in God’s Kingdom... I find hope through His Word. I’m not perfect, but God loves me and He wants me saved. I’m so thankful to know a righteous, loving, and saving God!!!

Because Waters Issued Out From the Sanctuary

The waters of God’s sanctuary flow crystal clean. God is in the restoration business, not one of His promises fail. 

 

Ezekiel 47:9, 12
And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh…And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

When the River of LIVING WATER flows over your life, you will never be the same! You shall live!! Surrounded in the sanctuary of God, immersed in Him, you shall be healed, you shall grow, you shall produce. You shall not be consumed. Anchored by the River of Living Water you will not be left desolate, to wander and become unfruitful, but you shall bring forth fruit according to each season. Always producing in God’s Kingdom.

Not because of your greatness, but because of HIS greatness.

Because He made you.

Because He choose to immerse you in His forgiveness.

Because He chose to make you clean.

Because He has the words of eternal life.

Because He alone has the power to make all things fresh, clean, and new again.

Don’t just wade ankle deep…step out farther into the waters. Be made whole. Be made clean. Then stand in amazement as you see God restore.

Pressing Onward

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied, “Go out into the darkness and put you hand in the hand of God. That shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way.” 

--M. Louise Haskins

Happy New Year!!!

 

As I reflect over 2012 and all that God has done I am made more aware of His unwavering faithfulness.  He is amazing.  This is what keeps me moving forward.  This is what keeps me pressing.  Walking with Jesus makes life worth living! 

 

All the swift turns in the road keep life from being mundane...He knows how bored I can tend to get. 

2012 sure had some twists to it.

 

The times I took my hand from His for a while, thinking I'd instead follow close behind Him....thank GOD for u-turns, cause it's at these times that I needed to make adjustments and find my way back to His hand.  He's gracious.  He allowed me the privilege.

 

The mountains on this journey, Thank God He was climbing right beside me, telling me where each cleff was so I could place my hands and feet safely during the climb. 

Every sweat drop, every tear drop.

 

The few mountain tops I reached...WOW! what a view!!  Thank you, Lord, for not letting me stay there long.  The view was beautiful, breath-taking, awesome...but You knew I needed to breathe again so you took me to...

 

The valley again.  The place where I seem to learn from You the most.  The place where every tear You do not allow to go to waste, but instead must gather in Your water pot.  Because it's in the valley where I grow and see all the beautiful flowers and streams along the way.  It's in this place that I find that You are the omni-present Jehovah!

 

Thank You for every paid bill, every answered prayer, every tank of gas, every morning, every evening, and every night.  Thank you for GAME ON.  Thank you for the strength You gave to enable me to lose weight this past year.  Thank you for shoes to keep my feet warm and clothing, food, and shelter. 

 

Thank you for my precious daughter.  Thank you for touching her life.  Thank you for keeping your hand of protection upon her...especially in those moments when my eyes could not be there.  Thank you for helping her in Algebra and for giving her an attitude of perserverance through her life struggles.  Thank you for giving her the gifts of music and a voice to sing your praise. 

 

I know there is a lot ahead.  Life has to continue.  And, with that, comes many more unknowns.  I realize that there has been much loss for a lot of people this past year.  Thankfully we know that You are the Peace-Speaker.  I know that there is a lot of turmoil in America and abroad, but looking over all that You did for us in 2012 gives me high hopes for 2013.  Thank you for continuing to guide us onward to Glory! I pray my life serves its intended purpose and brings glory to your name. Amen. 

 

Isaiah 41:10  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He shall direct your paths.