Day 326: "If Your Presence Does Not Go With Us,..."

Day 326: "If Your Presence Does Not Go With Us,..."

Read: Exodus 33:7 - 23

C.S Lewis, in his book “Miracles” writes, “The presence of God is the most real thing we ever encounter.” I would pray that each of you who come to read these words today will ponder upon and consider well the relevance of this quote in your Christian lives this day. These are words that I pray should have a tremendous impact on your spirit.
Exodus is nothing less than the story of salvation by grace alone. That doctrine is very well stated in Ephesians 2:8 - 10. However, in Exodus it is presented in exciting narrative with dramatic pictures that have been with us from our childhood. God heard all their cries. He responded saying, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Then Moses prayed to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people?" Moses' heart is speaking directly to God's heart, touching God's heart, saying that he fully believed that nothing less than the fullest possible confidence of God's presence made manifest in his life was going to be able give him the strength and confidence to lead the people to the promised land. Moses is saying to God that unless God's presence went before his, he did not feel like he could take even one step forward. Moses wanted to know God's presence fully, it was all that mattered!

As Moses and the children of Israel are wandering in the wilderness, An interesting transaction takes place between Moses and the Lord in Exodus 33, that illustrates just how important the presence of God was to Moses, and how much he hungered for it. Moses had a more intimate relationship with the LORD than any of us could ever really imagine. He met with Him face-to-face. He spent 40 days with Him on top of Mt. Sinai. The LORD called Moses "friend!" But Moses was not ready to settle for anything lesser than God himself and so there is one thing of which Moses PRAYED absolutely convinced of this fact "If Your Presence does not go with us, we don't want to go."

Do you get a sense of the intensity of Moses' prayer? Do you get a sense of the total determination and the almost completely reckless way he approached God? Moses was a man with whom the Lord spoke "face to face", as a man speaks to his friend. He wanted to know God. He wanted to find favor in God's sight. But even that was just not
enough. Moses would not stop praying UNTIL he secured the continued presence of God, not only for himself, but for the people he was leading through the wilderness.Even that was not enough. He pushed the prayer envelope further with this: "Please show me your glory." So, "If we are not praying for God's presence to go with us...?"

Let Us Pray: Psalm 63

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk0GONxE3JM
IN YOUR PRESENCE
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SHALOM ISRAËL

IN YOUR PRESENCE

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SHALOM ISRAËL

Day 325: "If Anyone Wishes To Come After Me ..."

Day 325: "If Anyone Wishes To Come After Me ..."

Read: Luke 9:20 - 25

“Losing proves nothing, except that I am a Loser.” “Wrong! Wrong!, Losing is a much keener test, a much keener expression, of your truest love.” “Losing would contradict your self-love and Losing would show your obedience to your lover and not to yourself!” In order to prove our love for God, we must lose to ourselves. We are to act against our normal character and do badly against our innermost being. When we strive to truly lose to ourselves, we strive to show our obedience to our lover, Christ, and not to ourselves, our wants and desires. How much do you love yourself? How much do you love your wife? Your children? Just how much of yourself will you just simply give up for them?

There is an whole lot of this 'losing' that must go on just to say "I love you" with the greatest possible depth of meaning we believe we can ever muster within ourselves. Luke 9:23,24 teaches “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily. And let him follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life, he will lose it. But whoever loses his life for My sake, shall find it.” If anyone desires to come after Jesus, let him simply deny him/herself and take up their cross DAILY. Daily to “Lift high the cross”! The cross beam which was not so simply unceremoniously strapped to your arms which victims had to not so simply carry far and wide to the sight of their own crucifixion?

That kind of self-denial? I will carry my wife over the threshold of my home. My own grandchildren upon my shoulders when they are born doing each with the greatest length, breadth, height, depth of love that I possess in my heart. However, just deny myself, lose my life for the greatest expression of love their ever will be, Jesus Christ,
who died for me while I was not even born yet? What do I got to do? What lengths, breadths, widths, heights, depths do I have to go to strive to meet this threshold of love while remembering that once I make this choice there is no possibility of ever turning around or going back to the way it was (Luke 9:62)? Simply, who do I love the most?

Submitting daily to Christ’s Will. It means putting our own personal desires, what you want to do secondary to what the Lord wants. What God wants must so come first in our lives, not what we want. Scripture teaches us "The whole duty of man is to “fear God and keep His commandments because this applies to every person.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). This is an eye - opening prospect because my Father, by example, taught me the whole duty of a man was to care for his family down to his last breath. Perhaps this is the Word Jesus is communicating to us now, to all who're God's children, through His disciples. "If anyone wishes to come after Me, they must love My family as I first loved them."

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of The Living God, truest, dearest, most precious love of my life, Your Word strives to teach us a disciple of Christ must recognize the Lordship of Christ over his entire life, which involves complete submission to His will. Your prayer to your Father in Gethsemane convicts me of my own failings to wholly submit. "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done." I try so very hard to love you as you first loved me when you died in my place, for the truest sake of ultimate love, willingly took the burden of my shame upon your shoulders, carrying it ever so far away to some far distant shore along the sea of forgetfulness never to be seen nor heard from again. Lord, I desperately wish to follow you, I so desperately wish to love the whole of your family. I pray, please help me to daily bear this cross in such a way as to give the truest, fullest, most loving expression of glory, honor and praise unto you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsNK-76E6M8

"Relentless Pursuit" by Kim Walker-Smith and Skyler Smith: "Relentless Faith" by Mary Marshall

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Learn a Dance Movement combination, posted

Day 324: "If You Will Seek Him, He Will Let You Find Him;"

Day 324: "If You Will Seek Him, He Will Let You Find Him;"

Read: 1 Chronicles 28:1 - 11, Luke 9:20 - 25

I read these words from the Hebrew canon again and again and again. All the while my heart and my spirit just sink into a time of sadness and admittedly, of shame as well. I relive those days as a child when I tried to play the old game of hide and seek with my older sisters. I always tried so hard to make it easier for them because well "they were girls after all." I had always tried to be obvious, that is, I would make a noise, or hide behind a thin tree trunk in plain sight. It was fun for a while. But then as we grew older the game dried up. I would hide but then they would not seek. They told me they just got bored "of the hunt." It remember greatly how much it saddened me.

King David has a critically significant message for his Son, Solomon and for us today. Verse 9 teaches all: “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with your whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you will seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever." What an eye opening verse this is! What a succession of admonishments! "Know the God of your father," "Serve Him with your whole heart," "Serve Him with a willing mind." "If you will seek Him..." "If you forsake Him..." Right now, I just cannot comprehend the sheer scope of this verse.

David was one the person who had truly discovered God’s total involvement in his life over the many years. Scripture also reveals to us his many imperfections and flaws, his myriad mistakes, his times of deep sorrow and depression, times when he was being disciplined for his sins -- yet the scriptures also show his genuineness when it came to serving God. God was with this person and involved in his life in all kinds of circumstances because of his diligence in searching for God in all the areas of his life! I read this verse and feel like I have to start my Christian life all over again. It is like I have to start again only this time, use this verse as my most basic standard of living!

You could say that David intentionally chose to go on a “daily God hunt” and in today’s scripture he desperately wanted his son Solomon to also experience God in his life equally and fully. Why? Read well and learn deeply the words of verse 10: "Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.” Solomon was very soon to be faced with an extraordinary task and deeply needed God’s fullest possible involvement in every detail of his life. God’s Involvement in Your Life! In Jesus' holy name, intentionally going on a "daily God hunt?" "Be courageous and act!” "Know God!" "Serve Him with your whole heart, willing mind!" "If you will seek Him!"

Let Us Pray: I encourage you today, through prayer and meditation, to take yourself through the Gospel passage from Luke 9:20 - 25. In Jesus' name go on a "God hunt," a journey of discovery exploring where God needs to be more fully involved in your life. Examine yourselves. Hold your Christian selves up to the standard from verse 9.
Are you listening for Jesus as He asks His disciples “But who do you say that I am?”?

Pray to God the Father to reveal to your heart and spirit the deepest depths of these words of His Son Jesus: "And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?" Seek the Holy Spirit as your One and Only true guide!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMGDBYluW98

After All (HOLY) Lyrics - David Crowder

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Day 323: "I Myself Intended To Build A House Of Rest... "

Day 323: "I Myself Intended To Build A House Of Rest... "

Read: 1 Chronicles 28:1 - 10

Today I am asking the question, “What drives your life?” I think this question is worth significantly more than just a small devotion of your time during your obviously busy day. “What drives your life?” "What are you passionate about?" "What is it, are those things which give you the greatest purpose in life?" Our hearts hunger for order in the chaos of this life. We long for connectedness and community with other people. We thirst to know the God who made us. We strain to hear God speak so that we can all discover "What drives my life," so that we can discover the purpose of our years on earth, so that we can discover the will of God for our lives. Welcome to the journey!

It is a life journey that begins when we discover that God is God and we are not. We begin to recognize God's sovereignty over the chaos we have created for ourselves. I am in the midst of renewing such a journey for myself, just me and my God alone in one of the many anonymous caves David hid himself in. There is something about life
in a cave that compels one to seek a newer, fresher understanding of God, the world around us and our relationship with others. So much of our life reveals our desire to find order in the midst of chaos. Every time we look around our home trying to figure how we can clean, straighten, organize, remodel, do we look into our spiritual home?

“What drives your spiritual life?” I think this question is worth deeply thinking about. What does the Bible have to say regarding wrong drivers? I want to look at 1 wrong driver that often gets into the driver seat of my life. And I just want to qualify this one wrong driver - in a sense this thing that I want to give you. It is okay in your life, it is just a really bad driver of your life when you hand over the keys. Power! We are driven by power. We are driven by the need to be in full control of our lives, exercising power over ourselves. We want to be the captains of our own faith, the sovereign ruler over our own lives. We are the ones who are in fullest command of our life's ship of state.

"I myself intended to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as a footstool for our God, and I prepared materials for the building." My plan, my way, my determination of need for what God needs to be at peace and in the presence of His people. I make the exclusive determination of what is to transpire because I feel I have done enough, nay, way more than enough, to deserve this honor in my life. Me, myself have done this. I can only say to David, and I must confess to myself, that if I am behind the wheel of this car, trying with every last breath to turn this engine over, I should not feel too hurt if it never starts or kills the battery. What is driving my life?

Let Us Pray: Lord God, who is the driver behind the wheel of my life? Who is the one trying the hardest to turn the engine over to renew this life's journey? Pray tell, Am I fighting you tooth and nail for sole possession of the only keys that drive my life? Who is it, me or you who holds the exclusive title over my life? Why do I struggle so hard to surrender to the absolute sovereignty you have over my life? Why do I strive so hard against myself? Why do I struggle so mightily, so very hard to stay in control of me? Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon me though the chief of all sinners I am condemned to be. Holy Spirit, what shall I do with this burden of power?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lydBPm2KRaU

Carrie Underwood - Jesus, Take The Wheel

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Music video by Carrie Underwood performing Jesus, Take The Wheel. (C) 2005 19 Recordings

Day 322: He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Day 322: He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Read: Matthew 16:13 - 20

He looked at His disciples and in a moment of reflection said: "Who do men say that I am?" The disciples begin sharing with Jesus what they have heard from the people who have been following Jesus: Some say that You are Elijah; others say John the Baptist, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. It’s always been this way, Jesus as seen by the masses is seen in so many different ways. You can speak of Jesus as prophet, holy man, teacher, or spiritual leader, and few will object including us who regularly read and diligently study their Bibles. Speak of Him as Son of God, divine, of the same nature as the Father, and people will line up to loudly express their disapproval.

Jesus then turns the tables on his disciples, turns his back to who the world says he is, stares straight into their eyes and pointedly asks the disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” This is where the rubber meets the road folks! From the Amplified Bible this verse reads "But who do you [yourselves] say that I am?" He is asking each of these disciples on an individual basis "But who am I to YOU?" This is not a collective question meant for any prolonged small group discussion! He is looking at Peter, James, John and the rest to examine their own individual hearts. To go off alone to their own corners of the wilderness. Examine their hearts, ask, "But, who really is this Jesus to me?"

This is the question I have for those of you who have been drawn to this page. "But, who really is Jesus to you?" Do not ask your wife or your husband. Do not ask your children, your co-workers, best friends or worst enemies. Do not ask your Pastor or Rabbi as the case may be. Ask only yourself! This is solely between you and Jesus Christ
(Matthew 6:6 - 13). Look in a mirror and ask "But, who really is Jesus to you?" How long do you believe it would take for you to return the blank stare you just received? Feeling convicted by that blank stare? Cannot keep your head up long enough to stare back for you already know the answer? "But, I don't know who this Jesus really is to me!"

Yeah, truth be told right now, I am not sure I could keep holding my head up long enough either. Right now, I am not sure that I could nearly be as confident as Peter was when he was the very first to confess, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." I feel more like part of the remaining disciples who were not confident enough to say
one word fearing I would surely say the wrong thing the wrong way and Jesus would then sharply rebuke my weak response. It is something for me to really cry about. Just who really is this Jesus to me apart from the real world? I feel as though Jesus is staring back at me right now. His eyes do not leave mine. He is quietly awaiting my answer.

Let Us Pray: Psalm 15 (Amplified). Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon me though the chief of sinners I am condemned to be. Hear my plea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_waW8NIo0

I Belong to You Jesus Culture Live NY lyrics

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Creekside Ministries Fishers, Indiana

Day 321: "The LORD, He Is God; The LORD, He Is God."

Day 321: "The LORD, He Is God; The LORD, He Is God."

Read: 1 Kings 18:20 - 39, Psalm 46

There are sure things in life that you can always count on. The sun and the moon and the stars will always be in the sky but never in the same place and at the same time. The sun will rise during the day and the stars and the moon by night. We know from Genesis that God spoke into the void, into the chaos, into the darkness and from it we
we have order, we have the story of creation. We have our story, We have His story! I have often pondered if creation had a voice how it would have voiced its wonder at all that was going on around it. What Word may creation have put out there now that it was no longer hindered by the silence of the void? Perhaps; "The LORD, He is God!"

Perhaps creation would have been so ecstatic that it would have repeated itself just to be sure that it could finally hear its voice at last. The creation story is surely one of the many stories from Scripture that God uses to get your attention in no uncertain terms. You can most certainly expect God to attract your attention. I cannot tell you exactly how He will do it, but I definitely do know that He will do it! He will attract your attention! God is all about relationship. God created us in His image for the expressed purpose of being in, sharing in a relationship with that which He created. However, God has this issue with us. It is called sin. It's called inattention. It's called distraction.

Many of us face spiritual issues called inattention, distraction. Inattention. We are not paying attention to what God is telling us. We are asleep, drifting, blundering through life. But God is at work attracting our attention. Now He may do it gently or He may do it vigorously. He may speak in that still, small voice that Elijah heard. Or he may knock you out of your seat like He did to Saul on the road to Damascus. He may tap you on the shoulder and whisper into your heart. Or He may use a lightning strike to shake you down to your boots as He did before these priests of Baal and those who were assembled curious to know which god (Baal) God (The LORD), was showing up.

God is about the business of getting our attention. Sometimes it is quiet. Something we are ready for and we just receive His word when it comes. But much of the time, God has to swing the steel pipe. God uses the crisis moments of our lives to get our attention. God will surely use a defining moment, a filled-up moment, to challenge us to make a choice. God will, when He must, use a lightning strike to grab hold of us. I suspect you have had moments like that. Moments in which all of a sudden something flashed a warning signal on your radar screen, and you realized that God was getting your attention, trying to provoke any kind of response from you, maybe through a well
timed conversation. Will you respond? Can you respond? "The LORD, He is God; The LORD, He is God?"

Let Us Pray: "The LORD, He Is God; The LORD, He Is God." Psalm 46

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDcNfk1fDyo

He is Yahweh

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This song from Vineyard Music in Canada (which I believe was in 2001) is an awesome worship song. Some of it is sung in Zulu and a bit in Lingala. Vineyard M...

Day 320: "Awake, My Glory! Arise And I Will Awaken The Dawn."

Day 320: "Awake, My Glory! Arise And I Will Awaken The Dawn."

Read: Psalm 57

It's very easy to appreciate God's greatness during the good times. It is easy to praise God for His greatness when you are prosperous, when you have enough money to buy the things you want. It is easy to appreciate God's greatness when your health is good, when there seems to be no limit to the things you can do. It is easy to praise God for all of his greatness when all your relationships are running smoothly, when there is no conflict between you and your family and your co-workers and your friends. How easy it is to praise God for His greatness during the good times. But do you always recognize God's greatness? Are you able to recognize God's greatness in life's uncertainties?

Can you yet praise God during financial difficulties? Can you yet praise God even when your health is failing? Do you recognize God's greatness in both the good and the bad times? Psalm 57 is David's ecstatic response to a life-threatening situation. In this psalm God wants to show us how he expects us to respond to him when we face difficult times. From Verse 8, "Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn." I have attended concert halls, public and national parks and in several churches. But David wrote this symphony from deep within a cave eluding King Saul. Appreciate the challenge of transforming gloom, despair, excessive misery into a song for the ages!

He had God's protection. Verse 1, "Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, For my soul takes refuge in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge Until destruction passes by. This means that David is in the Holy of Holies, safely protected by the presence of God. Our protection does not come from circumstances, it comes from the presence of the Lord. David knew that God would perform all things for him. Verse 2, "I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me." As he was staying in the cave, David could not do very much about his situation. God did! God intervened! "Awake my glory! Arise! Awake, oh my soul! I will awaken the dawn!"

David had a joyful tongue because he had a fixed heart. Listen to Verse 7 "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praises!" I do not know what kind of or how deep your cave may be right now. Perhaps you are not even the author of your circumstances. What I can do is to assure you of two truly awesome truths: You have God's protection and He is working for you. Do your circumstances have you under siege? Do you find yourself in a 'cave environment'? Be encouraged that God will always protect you and intervene for you. Be concerned about raising your own awareness of God's glory! Take time to arise, awaken your glory, your harp, lyre. Awaken the dawn!

Let Us Pray: Almighty God, by your Holy Spirit you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth. Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage that we may always be supported by this fellowship of love and prayer, knowing ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, in whom all our intercessions are acceptable through the Holy Spirit, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever. Amen


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwtne69jb8A
Agnus Dei Michael W Smith ballet
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Agnus Dei - Michael W. Smith Available on iTunes Paradosi Christian Ballet Company performing Agnus Dei at Christ Center in Cashmere, WA May 4th, 2008. www.p...

Agnus Dei Michael W Smith ballet

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Agnus Dei - Michael W. Smith Available on iTunes Paradosi Christian Ballet Company performing Agnus Dei at Christ Center in Cashmere, WA May

Day 319: "So That I May Walk Upright Before God"

Day 319: "So That I May Walk Upright Before God"

Read: Psalm 56:10 - 13

There is something that I have steadily noticed as I have been delving into the world of the Psalms. It is that they contain a pattern for us to follow as we ourselves try to do exactly like David did, and that is to live out our day to day lives in the best way we can trying to meet the mundane and not so mundane challenges that life seems to be
always placing before us. Granted too that our own mundane or not so mundane life is never going to come close to that of being a King or someone anointed to be King, but never the less, it is our day to day lives that we must try to continue to live in every day. To do that we try hard to establish a certain pattern or routine which fits our life best.

Many of David's Psalms contain a pattern to them. After pondering this for a while, I guess the best way to sum up Davids purpose behind the way he writes is verse 13. "For You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living." What a wonderful goal David has put
out there before us to gently, deliberately steadily re-focus us, to inspire us, toward a closer, a far more intimate relationship with God than we would have if we spent too much time focusing on ourselves as is our usual set pattern to living life, "So that I may walk before God in the light of the living." So that we live keeping our head up!

First, he praises God for His Word. David did not have as much of the Bible as we do. In fact, he was in the process of actively writing it for us! But he had the Word of God, and he depended on it rather than on his feelings or his ever changing challenging extremes of life's circumstances. When we love the Word of God as much as we love God, coming to a time when we depend on it daily, ultimately we too will praise God to the highest heaven like David did. David praises God for His trustworthiness. Where did this faith come from? Again from the Word of God, Psalm 25:10 "All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies." Amen

David is saying, "I am so grateful for the Covenant Word of God because it taught me to trust the promises of God." And where there is faith, there is his best testimony. David praises God for all the help He has given him. God delivered his soul from death countless times, so many I so wonder just what the true number really is. God's past deliverance's was his assurance and ours of God's future pattern of care and concern. Is David's pattern evident in your life? Are you able to praise God in the midst of the extremes of your life? Are you able to praise Him even before He answers your plea? Praise Him for His Word? His trustworthiness? That you may walk upright before and with God?

Let Us Pray: Today, pay heed to the Word of God revealed to David from Psalm 25.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgMV3_Md8MU
GLORIOUS RUINS - HILLSONG LIVE (Lyric Video)
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GLORIOUS RUINS - HILLSONG LIVE (Lyric Video) LIVE VERSION: http://youtu.be/WOFdo_6peWE

GLORIOUS RUINS - HILLSONG LIVE (Lyric Video)

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GLORIOUS RUINS - HILLSONG LIVE (Lyric Video) LIVE VERSION: http://youtu.be/WOFdo_6peWE

Day 318: "Put My Tears In Your Bottle."

Day 318: "Put My Tears In Your Bottle."

Read: Psalm 56:1 - 9, John 11:35, 2 Corinthians 1:3 - 11

How much do you really trust God with who you really are? How prepared are you to trust God with what is really going on inside of you? I do not mean just simply surface preparation like you are taking sandpaper to a rough course of wood to smooth the surface, take just a wee bit of the rough stuff from the edges so you do not get one of those slivers stuck in your finger. Nope! Sorry about that. This time it is completely about your fully letting go, fully surrendering to the reality that what is going on inside of you is dug deeper into your soul than a simple sliver you get out with a small pin. You may choose to keep it on the surface for safety, but God keeps a record of the deep stuff!

Did you know that while you are trying hard not to keep a record of everything that is going on in your life, God is keeping one strikingly accurate account of your existence. God is keeping a journal composed of bottles and books. Prayerfully look at the words of verse 8: "You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?" God watches our traveling. God watches every step of our wanderings and notices every instance of our weeping. God is intimately acquainted with every single tear drop we have ever cried. His eyes are firmly planted on ours! God is bottling up our tears! Tears move the very heart of God! Jesus wept for us all!

God sees where we wander. He is intimately acquainted with the paths we have trod. Some paths have been walked upon in bare feet over sharp rocky soil. But that can be for our good, for as what my Grandmother used to tell me when I cried as a little boy with a deep cut in the sole of my foot, "The bumps are what you climb on." God sees our wanderings, marks well our paths in His record. God sees when we weep. He sees and records every tear and files them away for future reference. Among the Semitic peoples, mourners often catch their tears in a little bottle as a symbol of their sorrow. Then they essentially have a funeral for those tears, placing them in a casket.

How intimate an occasion is that funeral for the mourner? Yes, my beloved friends, God is intimately acquainted with all of our tears that He has collected each of them in His own bottle. Now, how intimately acquainted are we with the tears that Jesus wept for us? It was not all the torture that he had been through that broke his heart. It was rejection that broke the heart of Jesus! It should move us to tears when people can reject our wonderful Savior. The tears of forgiveness. When is the last time you wept over the forgiveness of your sin? The tears of gratitude. When is the last time you sat at the feet of Jesus, looked deeply into His eyes and wept with Him for saving your soul, being so good to you? How many bottles of God's tears have you collected?

Let Us Pray: Lord, from the very deepest depths of my heart, I pray to you the words of Psalm 56:10 - 13 (NASB). Lord, it is so difficult to cry. Lord, it is so difficult to fully surrender the deepest depths of my heart to your loving care. Lord, as I wander over the crags and through the rocky paths, as the soles of my feet are repeatedly cut open, and I eventually find myself able to cry as You always intended, Lord, if my tears find even the smallest bit of favor with You, then let me see You cry for me. Please let me see and hold and cherish the bottle of my tears that You have been keeping just for me.

10 In God, whose word I praise,
In the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 Your vows are binding upon me, O God;
I will render thank offerings to You.
13 For You have delivered my soul from death,
Indeed my feet from stumbling,
So that I may walk before God
In the light of the living.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHb2ctFWtfo

"Bones" W,Lyrics, By: Hillsong United

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"Bones" W,Lyrics, By: Hillsong United

Day 317: "But As For Me, I Will Trust In You!"

Day 317: "But As For Me, I Will Trust In You!"

Read: Psalm 55:22 - 23, Mark 4:35 - 41

Sometimes the seas of life are smooth and a comforting breeze blows gently across your face. Sometimes the seas are choppy - not so terribly dangerous, but definitely not very high on the comfort meter either. And sometimes malevolent storms rage across the waters of our lives, tossing us like a ship every which way and sometimes as Jesus' Disciples found out, threatens to swamp your boat and send you to the very bottom in a most unceremonious fashion. Then there are sometimes, when our sublime thoughts are so shockingly interrupted with stories of Christians under full scale persecution, threats to their life, murder, churches and buildings being looted, burned, and razed to the ground.

The temptation for us who live so far away from places like this, who are so very far removed from the up close and personal horror in places like Egypt as it is right now, to wonder and shudder and wonder some more - where is our true God in the midst of that? The temptation is to assume God is with us in the good times but that we are truly going to be left alone when times get extraordinarily tough, dangerous, even lethal. If that wasn't been true for the giants of our faith like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, then why would that be true for us today, for the Coptic Christians or for Christians anywhere else in the world? David ends Psalm 55: "But as for me, I will trust in You."

The 'You' here of course refers to God. I hope you will likewise look upon these words of Jesus "And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was great calm." (39) It is the most natural thing for for our bodies to do when it senses that we are being or feeling threatened is to take flight and flee the danger as fast as we can or get real brave or real foolish deciding we are going to stand our ground right there and fight it out. These are autonomic functions within the body, in other words, our bodies are automatically engaging our adrenal glands to produce high levels of adrenalin, sending our bodies into overdrive.

When we are in this mode, everything about our bodies becomes about immediate survival. For the disciples to listen to Jesus rebuke them "why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" must have seemed particularly harsh at the time. What did Jesus expect of His Disciples at that moment - to so easily overcome their bodies natural defense to the lethal danger that so quickly manifested itself? To just turn off their adrenal glands? Or to strive mightily to achieve the maturity of their faith and trust in God where any such danger was in the end automatically entrusted to Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Trust and faith in God that is so fully mature, so fully developed, to automatically overcome our human bodies reactions?  How say any of you to this?

Let Us Pray: Focus your prayerful attention upon the power and promise of these last two verses of Psalm 55:

22 "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
23 But You, O God, will bring them down to the pit of destruction;
Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I will trust in You."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6MzgVsP2uE

Christ Is Enough - Hillsong Live (New 2013 Album) Best Worship Song with Lyrics

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Hillsong Live Album Glorious Ruins, 2013, Name of Song: Christ is enough To purchase this song in

Day 316: "As for me, I will call upon God,"

Day 316: "As for me, I will call upon God,"

Read: Psalm 55:16 - 23, 2 Samuel 13:1 - 19:8

Regaining broken trust. Turn betrayal around on its ear and set yourself about the most difficult task, setting yourself on the most arduous mission of regaining broken trust. Walking barefoot over the rocky desert terrain with a goal toward overcoming the grief, the anguish, the extraordinary hurt that someone has caused us or we have caused someone else. In my own finite mind, it is not even a task I would usually give a single moments thought to. The thought of the hot desert sun on my face, neck and shoulders, the feel of the hot desert sand on my feet, the blisters that will inevitably come, the painful thirst in my body marching toward forgiveness and reconciliation.

I keep wondering if this is not what David felt or thought to himself when he fled his Jerusalem after his son Absalom betrayed him after David failed to act when Tamar, David's own daughter was raped by David's son, Absalom's brother Amnon. The truest scope of this tragedy of this story covers over five full chapters of the Hebrew Scripture. It boggles the mind, overwhelms the strongest of souls. Psalm 55 describes David's own thoughts that followed. His first response was to run away. We can understand and even empathize with it because it is easier to take the matter into our own hands and run as fast, as hard possible to a nice dark cave to avoid the pain and responsibility.

Certainly it is the most immediate life preserving choice that is always going to be available to us. Absalom both stayed and ran away plotting, planning his revenge for years against his father. Father grieved, son steamed. On one side, Irresistible force of the Kings will versus the
immovable object of revenge locked and blocked deeply within Absalom's heart. But neither of these choices offers us the way forward through the scorching wilderness toward forgiveness and final reconciliation. Having felt like David once or twice in my life and like Absalom a few more times than that, I have had great revelation over the years that even if I am betrayed, I can still confidently climb the mountain of my God!

55:16 "As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon will I utter my complaint and moan and sigh, and He will hear my voice." This was the turning point for David and it is the hope that we all have for today when confronted by this sort of epic tragedy. Absalom chose the different path through the wilderness toward vengeance not God. David chose the path that led to the mountain of God. No betrayal can ever take away the path leading to the mountain of our God. Only I can allow the joy of my Christian walk through this utter desolation to be taken. "As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord will save me." Save me from His high mountain!

Let Us Pray: For God to bring a far better ending TO OUR STORY than this one: "The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33 NASB) AMEN.

Psalm 121 (NASB)

1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper;
The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.
8 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL3NFhmxQxs

Matt Redman-Blessed be Your name-lyrics video

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Matt Redman Blaessed be Your name lyrics video with pictures

Day 315: "And I Say, Oh, That I Had Wings Like An Eagle!"

Day 315: "And I Say, Oh, That I Had Wings Like An Eagle!"

Read: Psalm 55:1 - 8, 16 - 23, John 16:25 - 33

When have you ever just wanted to just fly away from your problems? Has this feeling ever so completely consumed your spirit that it was just set ablaze by it? These problems are just so utterly overwhelming that all you ever wanted to do was escape into some desolate wilderness somewhere and disappear for a while, find a cave, cry an ocean of tears? Welcome, my friends, to a club that is not so exclusive as you may allow yourself to believe. I am a member, you are a member, we are all definitely lifetime members. Even David submitted lifetime membership application when he penned the words of Psalm 55. Image David, you, me, writing "And I say, Oh that I had wings like a dove!"

I have read that king David wrote this Psalm 55 during the rebellion of his loved son, Absalom. So can you picture him, prior to leaving the city, standing alone on the rooftop of his palace, overlooking Jerusalem as the morning sun peeks over the eastern hills? Tears running down his cheeks into his beard. His chest feels virtually constricted with the pain that fully squeezes his father’s heart. He turns and there, then only yards away, a small white dove casually perches on the edge of the roof. Can you picture him as he is watching this dove and listening to the words of overwhelming suffering his heart is speaking to him at that moment? What an extraordinary, painful nightmare he is living out!

Psalm 55 seems to point toward a parents worst nightmare: the total rejection from a child. When trust has been savagely broken, in whatever form it takes, it always finds the best of company with the greatest disappointments you have tried hard to forget. But how much more magnified does it become when it arrives with the back hand of ones own best most trusted friend, or a family member (The Prodigal Son's Brother)? Betrayal makes you feel very alone and very vulnerable. Listen to David's heart, then listen to your own as you speak the words of verse 2 "Attend to me and answer me; I am restless and distraught in my complaint and must moan" How deep do they go?

A deep sigh shudders through his grieving body and he almost whispers; “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” Can you identify? Maybe you have never lost a loved one in that way. Maybe what weighing you down is just the burdens of life. An addiction; a sad family life; constant physical pain; or just a noisy unrest in your soul that you can’t put a name to, but it is still there, doggedly disturbing your peace nevertheless. God has better than dove’s wings. He offers something to us better than escape to deserts, that is release to the captives; complete victory to the brokenhearted; Don’t pray for dove’s wings. Pray: "God, Oh that I had eagle’s wings."

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Come to me, help my unbelief!

31 "Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? [Do you believe it at last?]

32 But take notice, the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]  John 16:31 - 33 (Amplified)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwwExdlgx2Q

Scandal of Grace - Hillsong United (Worship song with Lyrics) 2013 New Album

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Hillsong United - Scandal of Grace, Album: Zion,

Day 314: "No Weapon Forged Against You Shall Prevail"

Day 314: "No Weapon Forged Against You Shall Prevail"

Read: Isaiah 54:16 - 17, Psalm 7:6 - 11

The Lord God declared decisively, emphatically, unto His Prophet Isaiah ~ "Behold, I have created the Smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose." (16) "My defense and my shield depend on God." (Psalm 7:10) These are the weapons forged of God, for God, by God for the surest defense of God's people. Maybe that is really what the sound of thunder is all about. God is in His great forge. He is fashioning the weapons against which no thing of man, no weapon of man, no word of man can hope to prevail. God will defend His children. God will not stand idly by while His children are being repeatedly wounded by false words and accusations!

"And you will refute every tongue that accuses you." There were certainly seasons in David's life where his actions brought great calamity. This is ever so true even for us who are God's children today. But that which was true from the life and songs of King David being that much of the arrows of distress that came to Him were met head on by holding up mighty shields of praise, thanksgiving and obedience forged by David's steadfast belief that God was absolutely faithful. A steadfast belief forged by his God that carried him, protected him, shielded him, through the greatest calamities of his life. However, is this the same that we, God's children today, hold up as our defense?

David's tiny fledgling, unified nation was surrounded by enemies on every side. David faced his enemies - from the lions and bear trying to steal the sheep of his fathers flock, to the raging taunts of the behemoth warrior Goliath, to the fiercest anger of King Saul, from a treacherous son Absalom, and warring cities - with great poise and courage and with the shield of faith God forged for him from his earliest days as an infant. "My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart." "God is a righteous judge, God who feels (greatest) indignation every day." Such was this indignation that God said "Behold, I have created a Smith who blows the fire of coals, and produces a weapon for its purpose."

We are one of body, the Body of Christ of which Jesus Christ is the head. We are the church. There is so much that we can learn from the incredible faith David had in His one true God. He understood that grace is not just a word from the Father to us, but it is extended to all. Grace is a shield forged by Christ for each and everyone of us who are of one body, the Body of Christ. "My defense and my shield depend on God!" A shield forged from the fiery crucible of His betrayal, crucifixion, death, resurrection. "This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication from Me" as the Lord God decisively, emphatically declares before us today. For this day and everyday.

Let Us Pray: Let these Living Words from Psalm 26, David's great song of vindication, become your sure and true "shield and defense" for today, tomorrow, for all time:

1 Vindicate me, Lord,
because I have lived with integrity
and have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Test me, Lord, and try me;
examine my heart and mind.
3 For Your faithful love is before my eyes,
and I live by Your truth. (Psalm 26:1 - 3 Holman)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB1NJV3rG6k

You never let go - Matt Redman

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Thank you Lord - for never letting go of me. I am empty. I long for You as I long for water in a desert. Personal Note: Thank you all for watching

Day 313: "My Defense And Shield Depend On God"

Day 313: "My Defense And Shield Depend On God"

Read: Psalm 7:6 - 11

"My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart." In other versions of the Bible, the word 'shield' is translated as 'defense'. Continuing our journey through the Psalms I came to this verse and kind of got engrossed in it. The Amplified version of the Bible reads it this way ~ My defense and shield depend on God, Who saves the upright in heart. Which brings to mind what I believe is an important question for those of us who consider ourselves 'upright in heart' like David did. That question is quite simply this; How do we deal with false accusations as we try to live righteously before those ungodly and sometimes vindictive people? How good a shield, a defense is God to us?

This is a psalm of deliverance. It is deliverance from a different type of persecutor, that of the false accuser. We notice it is “concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite”. Whoever, it might be, there seems to be accusations made against David that are not true, and David feels oppressed because he knows he has done nothing to deserve this. How does this translate to us today? Sometimes, we may have the same sort of experiences David is having: People may lie about us to get us in trouble, People may try and set traps to get us to stumble, People may hate us so much as Christians that they gossip and spread rumors about us. Nations will come right out and oppress us.

Just like David, we become frustrated when others spread false accusations against us. Though they are not true, we will inevitably get angry, confused, and hurt, in part because there's next to nothing we can do about it. Jesus both warned and comforted His disciples (Matthew 5:11). What is David's defense when he stood before his own wrongful accusers? "My defense and shield depend on God who saves the upright of heart." "God is a righteous Judge, yes, a God Who is indignant every day." (7:11). We catch an even clearer picture of David's integrity and an model example of our own from verse 8 "If I have done this and there is guilt on my hands, trample on my life!"

Standing your ground against false accusations is unquestionably difficult and quite dangerous, and realistically can be potentially lethal to one's health and well being. This is why we are all in need of God's greater grace. We walk in this grace, and we are to offer this grace to others as they journey as well. This is a critical part of our commitment to Christ to 'pick up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:22 - 24). And evidence of His miracle working power in our lives. When you find yourself in a tough position where you could easily point an accusing finger - or have an accusing finger pointed at you - pray, trust and forgive. Remember: "My defense and shield are God!"

Let Us Pray: But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded and stricken within me. 23 I am gone like the shadow when it lengthens and declines; I toss up and down and am shaken off as the locust. 24 My knees are weak and totter from fasting; and my body is gaunt and has no fatness. 25 I have become also a reproach and a taunt to others; when they see me, they shake their heads. 26 Help me, O Lord my God; O save me according to Your mercy and loving-kindness! 27 That they may know that this is Your hand, that You, Lord, have done it. (Psalm 109:21 - 27 Amplified Version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pHnBJOGluE

My Soul Longs for You (song by Misty Edwards)

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Song: My Soul Longs for You By: Misty Edwards Album: Relentless Photos: flickr.com stockfoto.com

Day 312: "Let The Assembly Of The Peoples Be Gathered About You..."

Day 312: "Let The Assembly Of The Peoples Be Gathered About You..."

Read: Psalm 7

Well, my interest has been peaked a bit further. When I was studying Psalm 6 from an entirely different angle yesterday, that being the prayerful selection of the musical instruments that prefaced it, I turned the page to the next Psalm 7 and discovered a new term to try and ferret out of the Hebrew Scripture. The term is 'Shiggaion'. I had absolutely no idea what that was but Scripture told me that the Psalm was written as a 'Shiggaion' of David. Suggested translations include, "a loud shout", “frenzied” or “emotional.” Some suggest the basic meaning is closer “to wander” in reference to a wandering style of thought or melody or to the unconnected expressions of a lament.

It is found in only one other place - Habakkuk 3. For me, this is why I get so excited about studying the Hebrew Scriptures. This is just another reminder that God wants our worship to be so completely sincere and from the depths of our heart. Sometimes that will be quiet; sometimes it'll be highly reflective which is more like my own style; sometimes there will be tears; but sometimes also our worship is meant to be loud and emotional - and in this Psalm very deeply passionate, sometimes even frenzied. I guess that word 'frenzied' will rankle a few traditional feathers. But that is what God intends for us to do. David shouts "Let the Assembly Of The Peoples Be Gathered About You; over it return on high"

Get excited about worshiping the God of our Salvation. Throughout the Psalms, David models God's desire for us to come to Him "just as I am." God does not want us to pretend to be feeling one emotion when we are clearly feeling another. He does not want our worship to be a performance, He wants us to fully worship Him in the Spirit of Truth. In this case, David comes before God Almighty in anger. LOUD anger. But is not anger a sin? Ecclesiastes 7:9 "Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools." Both Jesus and Paul teaches that it is quite possible to be righteously angry without sinning (John 2:13 - 17, Ephesians 4:26). Please, come as you are to worship! Worship the Lord in the beauty of His holiness!

The Psalms, Israel's songs of worship, covered the full spectrum of David's emotions, of our emotions, of what we bring in our hearts before the Altar of God in worship. Psalm 7 is a magnificent triumph of faith as David turns even the most disastrous of emotions into a song of worship. Can you face what angers you turning it into a song of praise? Perhaps this is also part of our sacrifice of praise that we bring forth into the Tabernacle, into the sanctuary of the Lord our God. What I do know now is when I bring even my frustrations before the Lord, my heart is so reminded of His steadfast faithfulness in it and through it all. David made Psalms; so we also will make Psalms!

Let Us Pray: Glory, Laud and Honor be always yours, O God, for the amplitude of your creation, for the grace and mercy you that have shown us, and for the way that you refresh us in the troublesome parts of our journeys. We cannot imagine our true life without some knowledge of you to deepen its meaning and purpose. We come now with our hearts filled with thanksgiving for the miracle of our very existence; and for the deep mysteries of our faith that enables us to see what a miracle truly is. Grant that our worship experiences may be ones of renewal and recommitment, both to you and to the values instilled deeply within us through ministry and teachings of Jesus Christ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pbyRNOYkqc

Shout to the lord By: Christ Tomlin with lyrics

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Shout to the lord by chris tomlin Pleas leave a comment , and god bless you I do not own this

Day 311: "Return, O Lord, Deliver My Life..."

Day 311: "Return, O Lord, Deliver My Life..."

Read: Psalm 6

Seldom do I really look at and consider how a Psalm is prefaced before I will dig into studying the main body of prose that starts with verse 1 and end with verse whatever it happens to be. I am not a music person. I tried a violin and a clarinet when I was in elementary school but only found myself brutalizing the instrument and my mothers ears with the noise that came out. The high pitched squeal that emanated from the violin would put finger nails on a chalk board to shame. But today, I decided that I might change that tune to prayerfully consider just how the Psalmist who wrote this song may have felt in his heart, the prayerful choices behind some of his instrumentation.

The Psalmist tells the music director to this present Psalm 6 with "stringed instruments" and an "eight stringed harp." I would love to have heard just what the music director came up with. If I were the one with the baton when this song was played, I do not know how it couldn't have been anything other than the most sorrowful, tear jerking, piece of music I would ever want to hear. This Psalm is filled with the language of great sorrows, humiliations and hatred of sin which are the most easily recognizable signs of a contrite and broken spirit. You do not have to be a musician to know the tune and instrumentation would be harsh and sad and probably played in minor keys.

Look for yourself and read the language the Psalmist used ~ rebuke me not O Lord in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath, for I am languishing, my bones are troubled, my soul is greatly troubled, for how long O Lord? I am weary with my moaning, Lord I flood my bed with tears, I drench my couch with my weeping, eyes waste away with grief, weak because of all my foes, depart from me all you workers of evil. As the one who politely sits there squirming in the Kings throne room listening to this, my only thoughts would be "O Lord, Deliver My Life!" "Deliver the Kings life!" "Deliver all of our lives!" Not from the song itself, but from my own brokenness that I am deeply feeling!

Something happens in the midst of David's and our cries of lament. Beginning in verse 4 when David cries out, "Return O Lord, deliver my life for the sake of your steadfast love." I suspect that David had turned his eyes elsewhere and was now discovering that living life in his own way created a vast emptiness in his spirit that was crushing him. His deepest longing for God reached the point where it absolutely had to be set free, the cork exploding off the champagne bottle! Verse 9 is amazing in exclaiming at the top of his lungs the truest, deepest surrender of his spirit to God. Not feeling God's presence in your life? Shout, Scream, Pray: "Return, O Lord, Deliver My Life!" "O Lord, deliver my life, save me, for the sake of your steadfast love!"

Let Us Pray: Jesus the Christ, You walk with me. You know intimately the pain, The suffering, The gritty reality of human and earthly life. I know that You cry out with me, And Your heart breaks with mine. Knowing that You have walked this path brings me strength, And hope. I know I am not alone. Sustaining Spirit, fill me. Mend the torn pieces in my heart with Your inexhaustible presence and love. Fill me with the hope and strength that is Your Divine Movement, sweeping me into the Divine Dance. It is to You O Divine One, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the One God of heaven and earth, that I cry… "Return, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love." Heal me and make me whole. Amen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq59iE3MhXM

Kari Jobe - Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest) [Lyrics]

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Music video by Kari Jobe performing Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest) [Lyrics]. (P) (C) 2013 Sparrow

Day 310: "O Lord My God, If I Have Done This, ..."

Day 310: "O Lord My God, If I Have Done This, ..."

Read: Psalm 7

Integrity's song. Here, David has presented himself before the altar of God. David is before us asking God to judge him according to his righteousness and his integrity. Ask yourself this question, if you were standing before God today, and you asked God to judge you according to your righteousness and your integrity, how would you do? Would God be proud of you, would you be proud of yourself, or would you be ashamed, do you think that you have a great deal of work left to build your integrity? Would you even do like David did and present yourself like this before the One who knows it all? Would you actually, purposely, honestly submit yourself before God's ultimate judgment seat?

Integrity is one of the most important assets we have as individuals and Christians. We have a mindset that we must work hard to protect and preserve it. It takes years to build it yet only seconds to destroy it. When destroyed, it takes years and years (if ever) to get it back! Today, we are going to talk about the importance of integrity. In the Hebrew language the word integrity meant completeness, moral innocence, or perfection. The exact opposite of compromise. Ask yourself, why was King David's integrity so important that he would write and sing such a dramatic song for all the generations to follow him? Why is your integrity important, critically important to you?

Integrity is a fundamental pillar of Christian Character. The Psalmist speaks of a man “who keeps his oath even when it hurts.” ~ Psalm 15:4b. In that statement, we have the basic definition of integrity, which is, standing by your words, particularly, especially when it’s not convenient. Someone ever walk up to you and ask "Are you for real?" Integrity defines to others who you are when nobody is looking. When someone thinks of you, inevitably, they will think about whether or not you have genuine integrity or a false bravado. People want to know if you’re for real. Why do so many people from the Hebrew Scripture preface praying to God "If I have found favor in your sight, then ..?"

To walk in integrity does not mean that you are flawless or perfect. But it does mean that you admit your shortcomings. A person of integrity does not even try to cover up mistakes with more results, but rather owns up to them and makes amends where necessary. What will my integrity do for me? It will so Bless Me (Proverbs 20:7) It can also quite harshly Judge me (Job 31:6) God will judge us all according to our righteousness and integrity. Integrity will also help keep me exceedingly humble before the throne of God knowing full well God is not going to hold any punches back (Psalm 7:8). Dare to prostrate yourself pray before God today: "O Lord My God, If I Have Done This,...?"

Let Us Pray: Father, Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You; for it teaches me to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before You. Even when it risks bringing about hurtful circumstances, just help me to do the right thing in keeping with the Christ-filled nature I received upon the day of my salvation. May I not be found lacking in integrity but rather be characterized by my true integrity as it honors my Father in heaven. "If I have found favor in your sight Lord Jesus Christ ..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FpLzV0R5dY

Josh Groban - If I Walk Away [Official Music Video]

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© 2012 WMG "If I Walk Away" by Josh Groban, from Illuminations, available now. Download Illuminations on iTunes: http://bit.ly/JGilluminations Connect with J...

Day 309: "What Then Shall We Say To All These Things?"

Day 309: "What Then Shall We Say To All These Things?"

Read: Romans 8:31 - 34

What is our view of God? What a profound question to ask this first day of a glorious summer weekend? I have just been pondering this question for some time as I have been pondering many things lately. But this seems to be at the forefront of my spirit today. Our view of God on any given day will affect everything from our self perception and sense of self worth to how we feel about those around us to how we trust the significant people in our lives. Our view of God will affect the way we pray and worship. Do you pray and worship with a spirit of awe and expectancy for God? Or do you do so with an expectation: not to be heard, for nothing to happen anyway?

Do you attend church, or do you participate in family or small group fellowship with tingling expectation that God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are waiting for you there with a word or two that will incomprehensibly bless your life or your families or do you just decide to go through the motions with a bland, bored attitude, a series of boxes to just check off in your day to day accounting of faith and good works? Our view of God will inevitably come out for what it deep down truly is through our speech and is seen in our lives. For out of the abundance of our hearts, our mouths will surely speak for us. Have a heart to heart conversation with your heart, and what would it sound like?

1 Peter 3:15,16 clearly teaches us: "but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks of the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are being slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame." So if you had to hold up or stand behind your current view of God to one person then hold yourself accountable to the standard set forth in Peter, who is the one who would be put to shame - you or the one who seeks to slander you? Tough words I know but this is our evidence of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit within us!

Could anything be a stronger encouragement to faith than the unalterable evidence of what God has already done for the salvation of His people of faith through your own vigorous expression of personal faith, personal hope and personal love of what God has already done for you? God who gave so amazingly to provide salvation will certainly give continued and final salvation to all who come to Christ as Savior. God is the Sovereign Lord and it is from Him that our salvation comes and with Him that our salvation rests. To those who're "in Christ Jesus" there just can be no ground for personal apprehension for their salvation is secured. Our view of God? Evidence for or unalterable evidence against?

Let Us Pray: Read and re-read this passage over and over again as if this were your personal struggle. Read and pray it through, verse by verse as often as necessary for you. Say it with all your heart until you are able to thoroughly embrace it and believe it in your heart. Then simply expect to experience the beauty of Father, Son and Holy Spirit within you. Expect to experience their perfect faithfulness painted across the very fabric of your life. Be ready to live again or for the first time a life greater than you have ever dreamed was possible. Let this heightened view of God in your life be the unalterable evidence of God! "What Then Shall We Say To All These Things?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FPA8DHdia8

Josh Groban - Higher Window [Official Music Video]

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© 2011 WMG "Higher Window" by Josh Groban, from Illuminations, available now. Download

Day 308: Making The Most Of Your Walk With God

Day: 308: Making The Most Of Your Walk With God

Read: Psalm 1

Making the most of the time we have. Wow, how much time do we have to devote for exploring this in the name of the Lord? Time is so precious. We really are not here on this earth for very long. We are like when you go to turn the light switch on, and then suddenly realize the bulb is shot. One day it will eventually happen. So, how can we make the most of the time we have? We can make the most of the time we have left on earth by making the most of our walk with God. Many people choose to live too carelessly not giving much thought about their relationship with God. One day we will all have to sit, stand or kneel before the Creator of this universe to give an account.

To make the most of your walk with God, it is essential that you know Christ as your Lord and Savior. Apart from Christ there is no walk with God. Apart from Christ there is no saving relationship with God. To the person reading this who is outside of God’s saving grace, I urge you to go to Jesus. He is ready to receive you. I pray you will find Jesus to be your Savior this very day. To the child of God reading this I urge you to make the most of your walk with the Lord! Do not be a careless Christian who lives day by day with no thought of a deeper walk with Christ. Don’t allow yourself to settle for “I know-nothing; I feel - nothing; I want - nothing; I desire - nothing” God experience!

I would seriously question whether I was a believer if I did not want to know more of Christ. I would seriously question my salvation if I did not explore, did not reach out and feel and sense God’s awesome presence from time to time. It’s not that our faith is based on feelings, but I should have some sense of God at work in my life. I would seriously question my salvation if I did not want anything at all from the Lord. I would seriously question where I stand with God if I did not desire anything of the Lord. From Psalm 1 we have a plea for a deeper, more solid, and more productive walk with God. The person who has a close walk with God is called Blessed! I so want to make the most of Jesus!

So, how can we make the most of our walk with God? How can it become a blessed walk? Sit with Jesus! How are you being influenced? (1,2) Either we are influenced with godly influence, or with ungodly influence. We so need to just look around and ask ourselves the question: How are we being influenced? We are all surrounded by all kinds of influence. Just what is it are we allowing to influence us? To shape us? To mold us? How about your children, what are they being influenced by? What holds sway over their lives? You don’t have to teach kids to be bad. They learn that quite well. How is it you can make the most of your walk and their walk with God? Please pray about it!

Let Us Pray: Father in Heaven, Thank you for the eternal promise and living hope of Your word. Thank you that You can be surely counted on to guide me through my day. Today I need to walk in the hope that only You can give. My way is unclear, my path sometimes feels like it twists and turns in confusing and busy ways as I wind my way along my journey. Show me Your ways, Lord. Show me how You would walk in these places. Teach me Your paths of grace, mercy, integrity and love. Help me so to grasp Your ways, Your truth, Your life so I can walk securely even in those most insecure of places.

I truly need Your perspective today. Thank you that You promise to guide me and teach me that I might teach another as I strive to let Your truth impact my heart and my mind. I will put my hope in you today, all day long. Remind me by Your Holy Spirit to look to You to guide me. Call me into Your quiet presence to meditate upon Your truths and may I not be distracted. I thank you that You give the hope and help and peace I need today. I thank you that You never cease to call me to Yourself. Help me to respond afresh to Your presence in my life. Help me just sit a little bit closer to Your side.

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Sitting At the Feet of Jesus [Live]

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Music video by Bill & Gloria Gaither performing Sitting At the Feet of Jesus (feat. Wesley Pritchard, Joy Gardner and Stephen Hill) [Live]. (P) (C) 2012 Spri...