Something to chew on

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Colossians 1:9-12


I read this passage yesterday. Then I read something that Charles Stanley wrote concerning it. I wanted to share it.

In seven requests Paul covers every area of our lives that needs the daily touch of God:

1. May we be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding(v.9). Ask God to fill you with the spiritual understanding you need as you walk in His will and study His Word.


2. May we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ (v.10). Jesus lived a blameless life, exactly what we should pursue.


3. May we please God in all respects (v.10). Paul encourages believers to live a life pleasing to God and to excel in their Christian walk.


4. May we bear fruit in every good work (v. 10). We prove we are Jesus' disciples when we bear fruit.
   
5. May we increasingly grow in the knowledge of God (v.10). We should ask for more and more knowledge from His tremendous resources.


6. May we be strengthened with all might,according to His glorious power (v.11). Ask God to strengthen you to do His will for His glory- and He will do it.


7. May our lives express joyous thanks to the Father for His grace to us (v. 12). Our love for Him should run so deep that we can't help but give glory and honor to Him.
   

I thought this was very helpful. I love anything just about from Charles Stanley. This morning I woke up earlier than Daniel finally! The last few nights he's not been sleeping good,which causes me not to sleep good. So I haven't been getting up earlier than him,but last night he slept good. Thank You,Lord! I was so happy! So I got up earlier than him,but not as early as I wanted. I did get to do my study first thing and pray for the day and various things. It felt so refreshing and wonderful! I've been doing it during his nap,but really want to do it in the mornings. So I am hoping I can start doing it then,if not I will during his naps. I started reading at Galatians a few weeks ago and now I'm in Colossians. I'm going to share some more from that book.

13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood,[c] the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 13-14

21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. - Colossians 1:21-23

We are to live above reproach,I've always heard that preached. I just never knew it was in the scriptures.

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it[a] with thanksgiving. - Colossians 2:6-7

I love these verses! After we receive Christ we are to be rooted and built up in him. We start as small seeds and are go grow as olive trees as the scriptures says many times.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”[b] - Romans 1:16-17

I also love these verses. In the past, I said I wasn't ashamed of the Gospel,but did I share it? Not all the time,therefore I was ashamed. The Gospel is the only thing that will lead you to salvation. No. Other. Way. So many are led astray,even in our Christian world. Verse 17, is a particular favorite. If we don't have to live by faith,what do we live for? If we know how everything will turn out,then we don't need faith. Faith is what keeps us going. Knowing that someone else knows what the future holds. So have faith. It is said so much today,but the meaning is very deep.

Here is something else from Charles Stanley:

The Spirit-filled life is a life of faith. It started by faith and it runs on faith. It is faith from start to finish.

Then we believed that Jesus saved us from the guilt of sin; now we must believe that He saves us from the power of sin. Then we trusted Him for forgiveness and it became ours; now we must trust Him for righteousness and it shall become ours also. Then we took Him as a Savior from the penalties of our sins; now we must take Him as a Savior from the bondage of our sins. Then He lifted up out of the pit; now He seats us in heavenly places with Himself.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

What Giants Do You Face?

My morning devotion was about exhaustion,fighting,and struggles. I felt the need to share it with ya'll.

Here is the passage Beth used.

15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
II Samuel 21:15-17

She talked about being tired in battle and tired of fighting the same ol' giants. The Hebrew word for exhausted is "uwph" and it means "to cover,to fly,to faint,to flee away". It reminded me of giants I have faced and continue to face. I face the giant of fear. As a child, my father watched scary movies and I watched them too. He was just fascinated with sci-fi movies and flicks. I don't remember watching them,so much at a young age,but boy I do while I was a teen. Those images come back every now and then. At one time, I was so scared I would pray myself to sleep. Fear overtook me and consumed me. I wasn't afraid during the day,but at night is when it set in. The demonic forces of evil that stems from the horror movies are so dangerous and it affected me so much. I literally was scared to walk out to the car at night and when I would close my eyes I would see horrible images. Now, it wasn't all my father's fault. I begin craving the movies. I would watch them and be thinking, what am I doing, I know I'm going to be terrified afterwards! Finally, I realized I did not need to put those movies into my mind. Why put in what terrifies me? I thought that I would battle with this forever.

Once I moved out and declared nothing scary would come across my t.v.,radio,or enter my home I saw what a difference it made in me. I'm not scared to walk around my own home at night or sleep without my husband at home. God has helped me overcome that fear,but sometimes it still arises. I quote scripture and bind the demonic forces in the name of Jesus. They have to flee at the name of Jesus! Sometimes we help bring on giants and other times it's not our fault. If you are facing giants from your past,just remeber that you have the Light of the world in you! Jesus is greater than any struggle or strong hold! In I John 4:4 it says, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. With the Word you can overcome whatever giant is coming against you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: I Peter 5:8 Don't give up! Keep guarding your heart and equipping yourself with the Word! We may never know why some struggles keep reappearing and other times they reappear because we did not get what God was trying to do in us. If you are weary in fighting,come to the Lord. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 You can slay the giant just as David did. Just go to God! Which giants do you need to slay today?

Isaiah 64

1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,
2As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!
3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.
4For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
5Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
7And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
8But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
9Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
10Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
11Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

I was very moved by this passage this morning. Have a blessed weekend!

Psalm 37

I love this passage of scripture!

1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Emmanuel-God with us

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

Doing my study this morning I thought about the people in the Old Testament. They didn't have the presence of God with them,but the presence of God was the Ark of the Covenant. I thought how many times have I taken forgranted God's presence? Shamefully, too many times. I have the Holy Spirit inside of me and he goes where I go. They didn't have that in the O.T. Sometimes I think it may have made some of them more faithful or grateful. They had to sacrifice animals for remission of their sins,as where we have Jesus who was sacrificed for our sins. Do we truly know how blessed we are?

Ponder on that, if you will. God bless!

From Isaiah

I'm reading Isaiah and Psalms for my Bible reading. I love the Psalms and now I'm coming to love Isaiah. I wanted to share some scripture from my reading this morning.

7 “ For the Lord GOD will help Me;
Therefore I will not be disgraced;
Therefore I have set My face like a flint,
And I know that I will not be ashamed.

8 He is near who justifies Me;
Who will contend with Me?
Let us stand together.
Who is My adversary?
Let him come near Me.

9 Surely the Lord GOD will help Me;
Who is he who will condemn Me?
Indeed they will all grow old like a garment;
The moth will eat them up.
Isaiah 50:7-9

- Have you set your face like flint toward God? I admit I haven't lately. We get caught up in the cares of this world or even our own life for that matter. I say "we",I know I do.


7 “ Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
You people in whose heart is My law:
Do not fear the reproach of men,
Nor be afraid of their insults.

8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
And the worm will eat them like wool;
But My righteousness will be forever,
And My salvation from generation to generation.”


9 Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the LORD!
Awake as in the ancient days,
In the generations of old.
AreYou not the arm that cut Rahab apart,
And wounded the serpent?

10 Are You not the One who dried up the sea,
The waters of the great deep;
That made the depths of the sea a road
For the redeemed to cross over?

11 So the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness;
Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

12 “ I, even I, am He who comforts you.
Who are you that you should be afraid
Of a man who will die,
And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?

13 And you forget the LORD your Maker,
Who stretched out the heavens
And laid the foundations of the earth;
You have feared continually every day
Because of the fury of the oppressor,
When he has prepared to destroy.
And where is the fury of the oppressor?

14 The captive exile hastens, that he may be loosed,
That he should not die in the pit,
And that his bread should not fail.

15 But I am the LORD your God,
Who divided the sea whose waves roared—
The LORD of hosts is His name.

16 And I have put My words in your mouth;
I have covered you with the shadow of My hand,
That I may plant the heavens,
Lay the foundations of the earth,
And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’”
Isaiah 51:7-16

-Do we not serve an awesome God?! Can you fathom His greatness,His majesty? Oh I cannot sometimes. He spoke the heavens into existence. He breathed life into dirt and dry bones.


22 Thus says your Lord,
The LORD and your God,
Who pleads the cause of His people:
“ See, I have taken out of your hand
The cup of trembling,
The dregs of the cup of My fury;
You shall no longer drink it.

23 But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you,
Who have said to you,
‘ Lie down, that we may walk over you.’
And you have laid your body like the ground,
And as the street, for those who walk over.”
Isaiah 51:22-23

-It says 'The LORD and your God, Who pleads the cause of his people.' What cause is God pleading for you today?



7 How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“ Your God reigns!”

8 Your watchmen shall lift up their voices,
With their voices they shall sing together;
For they shall see eye to eye
When the LORD brings back Zion.

9 Break forth into joy, sing together,
You waste places of Jerusalem!
For the LORD has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.

10 The LORD has made bare His holy arm
In the eyes of all the nations;
And all the ends of the earth shall see
The salvation of our God.
Isaiah 52:7-10

-Do you bring good news and tidings? Sometimes I catch myself bringing bad news and tidings. How shameful of me! I should bare the good news of the gospel of Christ! 'And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God.' What a glorious verse! I love these passages!


I am also reading my little book Blessed Among Women: God's Gifts To Mothers. I read something that was very confirming to some thoughts I posted on a forum. Here is an excert from what I read today.

Love Divine

"The love God has for us is sometimes hard to grasp,and we need His help to understand it. By giving us children to love, God gives us the opportunity to experience a divine kind of love firsthand. As our Parent,God-

-Tenderly cares for us and leads us (Isaiah 40:11)
-Comforts us (Isaiah 66:13)
-Attends to our needs (Matthew 6:26)
-Gives us loving limits (Hebrews 12:10)
-Sings over us (Zephaniah 3:17)

As much as you love your kids, your Father loves you- and your children- even more."

Isn't it amazing how God gives us so many wonderful physical examples of His deep love for us? I love Him so.

God's ways are not our ways

After writing my post on struggles, I received my monthly newsletter from Dr. James Dobson. It just happen to be on why God allows suffering. I wasn't writing about suffering,but this did help to realize God is God. So I wanted to share the scripture and some excerts from the newsletter.

This come from his book When God Doesn't Make Sense.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2

Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour. Isaiah 45:15

The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. Ecclesiastes 11:5

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! Romans 11:33

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. I Corinthians 2:16

In the above verses Dr. Dobson was stating that he believes sometimes God remains hidden from us in search of answers. Sometimes God is silent and He has the right to be,after all, He is God Almighty.


"Remember too, that the Scripture warns us to 'lean not on your own understanding'. 'Leaning' refers to the panicky demand for answers- throwing faith to the wind if a satisfactory response cannot be produced. It is pressing God to explain Himself- or else! That is where everything starts to unravel." -From Dr. Dobson.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

"My strongest advice is that each of us acknowledge before the crisis occurs, if possible, that our trust in Him must be independent of our understanding. At that point, we would be wise to remember His words 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.' Isaiah 55:9. And our reply should be, 'Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.' Luke 22:42." -From Dr. Dobson


"Throughout our remaining days in this life,therefore,let me urge you not to be discouraged by temporal cares. Accept the circumstances as they are presented to you. Expect periods of hardship to occur,and don't be dismayed when they arrive. 'Lean into pain' when your time to suffer comes around,knowing that God will use the difficulty for His purposes- and , indeed for our own good. The Lord is very near, and He has promised that your temptation will not be greater than you can bear.

The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalm 34:17-19

Let me leave you with a stanza of the wonderful hymn written by Horatio Spafford in 1873, after his four daughters were lost at sea. He wrote:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, It is well, with my soul. "- From Dr. Dobson

I also found encouragement from my study today. I'm doing A Heart Like His by Beth Moore (it's a devotional journal). I'm going to share it too.

Finding Strength In God

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Colossian 1:10-12

Nothing helps more than fiding strength in our God. We can't count on others to give us the encouragement we really need. We'd better be prepared to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. Others can help and be a source of comfort,but this kind of strength comes only from Him.

The most precious and painful times in our Christian experience are times when we are all alone with God. Such times forge an inseparable bond.

I am convinced that sometimes God purposely stays the encouragement of others so we will learn to find it in Him.

Psalm 28:8
The Lord is the strength of His people; He is the saving refuge for His anointed.

The Deeper Question:

How can you learn to find strength in the Lord? What scriptures have spoken to you when you needed His strength? How has God ministered to you?

Father, I need Your strength. Teach me to walk so closely with You that I draw upon Your power every day and for my every need.

-Beth Moore

And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. I Samuel 30:6

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Genesis 50:20

She used these two verses yesterday,but I saw them appropiate to go along with the above study.

I found both very encouraging and a reminder that God is God. Hope you are blessed by this.

Psalm 27

A Psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When the wicked came against me
To eat up my flesh,
My enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.

3 Though an army may encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear;
Though war may rise against me,
In this I will be confident.

4 One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple.

5 For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!
Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

8 When You said, “Seek My face,”
My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

9 Do not hide Your face from me;
Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help;
Do not leave me nor forsake me,
O God of my salvation.

10 When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the LORD will take care of me.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

12 Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries;
For false witnesses have risen against me,
And such as breathe out violence.

13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.

14 Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!