He is able

 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—  to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.~Jude 1:24-25

I haven't written in my blog this week because I really do not know what to say.  What does God want me to reveal?  I have had a lazy week.  The first of summer for me.  I haven't had any obligations so I have become the very definition of a couch potatoe.  Bing watching TV.  And today I feel like I have wasted an opportunity.  An opportunity to do more.

Sometimes I feel like I am not doing enough.  Like I'm not loving the Lord enough. I study His word, but I can't seem to hold on to it.  I pray that it finds good soil because I want to be  a strong woman of faith.  It saddens me, but then I am reminded that my salvation is not based on what I do.  It's not based on my striving, but its based on the work of the Savior.  Jesus who died for me and rose again.  

I believe in Him as I believe in the Father.  His word tells me that He is able to keep me from stumbling.  So I do not have to rely on my own strength, but on He who works in me.  Because of the shed blood of Jesus I am covered  by His righteousness.   I am so grateful.  Words are not enough to thank Him.

As for the guilt that enemy wants me to feel, I'm casting that behind my back because I know I work hard throughout the school year and I have worked this summer.  I  had a mental break and the work will begin soon.  My real work is not the content I teach, but the souls that I can reach.  God is in charge.  He knows my heart and I will not be yoked to bondage.

I guess I did have something to say after all.

Jesus, I thank You for the pause in my schedule to rest, but let me never forget that my real rest is found in You.  I thank You for the free gift of salvation and the mercy You give.  Thank You for keeping me upright and may i walk step in step with You.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Jesus

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.~John 3:16

God loves me.  He loves my neighbor.  How do I know this?  I know this because He sent His only Son to die for me.  Christ died an agonizing death.  A death where He took on the wrath of God for our sins; past, present, and future.  

We might say well Jesus was God so it didn’t cost Him much.  But Jesus was fully human and fully God.  His fully human nature without sin was mocked and beaten and nailed to a cross.  He was hung high and had to be separated from His Father because of the sin that was cast upon Him for our sakes.  On that Cross He died, but as a song says that not how the story ends because 3 days later He arose.  Victory over death.

Jesus is King. I need to always remember His sacrifice and humbly submit.  Jesus has already done enough, but my blessings don’t stop there because of His wondrous grace and mercy. Thank You Jesus.

Father I thank You for Your sacrifice and indescribable love for me and humanity.  May we all pause and worship Jesus the King who drank of the cup for us.  Granting us a path to salvation.  Let us never forget.  Let us live a life that brings honor to You.  In Jesuyname.  Amen

The mirror

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.~Psalm 139:14

I hate shopping.  I hate looking in the mirror and seeing the lumps and bumps.  It depresses me. I know that the majority of it is out of my control, but it is what it is.

Then I think about how God sees me.  I am reminded of His love for me.  I am more than my body and I do not need to compare myself to anyone or anything.  The Creator created me and He makes no mistakes.

I’m also reminded that it is good for me to look in the mirror, a spiritual mirror, and let the light of God shine on me so that I can see where I need Him to shape and mold me more like Him.  The enemy would have me down, but I will look up to Jesus and feel His love.

Lord, help me to see me as You see me.  Help me to choices physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually that reflect You and bring honor to You.  In Jesus name.  Amen

My refuge

 Nahum 1:7, “The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him” (NLT).

God is good.  He is merciful and kind.  He is a strong tower and refuge.  He is my resting place.  I’m in a season of life where family is aging and loved ones are passing.  It’s hard to see and hear the suffering of those who are ill.  I’m blessed to have many loved ones who still are with me and I shed a tear for those who are gone.  But I also rejoice knowing that their suffering is no more.  They are at home with the Father.  They are in God’s loving hands.  Peace eternal is their’s.  

Trouble comes, but I am not alone.  I have God.  I have my Father holding my hands and the hands of those dear to me.  I have a refuge and I trust Him.  I trust His timing and His Word.  I trust His love.  I am safe and I thank Him for His peace.  

Lord,  You know all things and all seasons.  You are my refuge and my strength.  You are God and I am grateful to be your daughter.  Thank You for all the many ways You come to my side and my family’s aid.  I love You.  In Jesus name. Amen

God is higher

 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.~Isaiah 6:1

I was praying this morning and God spoke to my spirit,”stop trying to bring me down to your level”.  I was trying to explain something in human terms that needed spiritual understanding.  God is so all encompassing and infinite.  I can’t explain Him in one complete thought.  There is nothing to compare Him to because He is incomparable.  He is God and His ways are above mine and His thoughts are above mine. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.(Isaiah55:8-9)

Don’t get me wrong, God wants us to understand Him.  He wants intimacy with us, but I need (we) to see Him though spiritual eyes.  We need to lift our eyes up as Jesus was lifted high on the cross. Everything is not going to fit into a neat puzzle box because God is bigger and grander than anything.  He is high and mighty.  He is all powerful.  He loves us to meet where we are at, but we shouldn’t mistake that for Him abdicating His rightful throne.

Lord, You are God.  You are mighty.  You are wonderful and majestic.  You are Lord of my life.  You are my God and I praise You.  Forgive me for those times when I try to relate to You with a carnal mind.  Give me spiritual eyes and ears so that I can learn of You.  In Jesus name.  Amen

Listen

 The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.- Matthew 11:15

Something stood out to me in my studies….familiarity and proximity does not necessarily equate to surrender.  I know God’s word.  I study it.  I pray.  But I have to be careful not to be prideful.  I have yet to obtain all the things that God has for me; all the ways He wants to transform me.

I have to hear His word with the intent and follow through of doing His word. If I hear what He is saying to me through the Holy Spirit and yet turn a deaf ear.  I chose not to hear.  I chose not to use the ears that He has given me.

It’s a blessing to be able read the word of God and understand.  He is revealing Himself to us.  He is showing us the way.  When I am convicted I must do more than regret.  I must acknowledge, surrender and turns towards that which He is pointing me to.   

The Lord convicted me to not be so familiar that I miss the new levels and layers that He is uncovering for me so that I might hear and listen.  I do now want to discount anything that He is revealing and miss my blessing.

Lord, I thank You for ears to hear.  Thank You for Your Spirit that guides and directs and also convicts.  I thank You for loving correction.  I thank You for Your word.  Keep me humble and hungry for You.  In Jesus name.  Amen

The race is not finished

 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.~Acts 20:24

I have two more work days of school left and then it’s officially my summer break.  Here’s the question though…Am I done?  No, because the ministry work that I do for Christ is ongoing.  I have to finish the race. Even in the summer there are opportunities to pour into others.  Whether it be our interactions with people in the grocery store, fellowshipping with family or worshipping in church we can make a difference for Christ.  We can share the good news about His love, mercy and grace.

This summer will be somewhat active for me.  I usually like to just chill, but God has other plans and it is for my good.  It is so that I do not get stagnant and develop stamina for the race He has set before me.  We all have a race to run and good news to share.  I pray that His word falls on good soil.

Lord, thank You for saving me and entrusting me with the good news.  May I run the race well and tell of Your marvelous deeds.  May someone know You better through the use of me.  In Jesus name.  Amen