Day 301: The One Name, The One Power To "Break Every Chain."

Day 301: The One Name, The One Power To "Break Every Chain"

Read: Acts 12:1 - 11

For those who come to read this, my heart is a heavy one today. My spirit is greatly grieved on behalf of a dear Christian friend and brother in Christ. I will call him Jeff just for the sake of this writing. He is in a hard, tough spot in his faith journey. Until last Wednesday, he was the Lay Leader (chief Laity representative) of his church. I have found out through an ultra reliable source that he and his two young children had come under brutal verbal attack from within the membership of his church. It had been going on for some time against him personally and only lately came against the children. He has resigned his Lay Leader role, and perhaps, like Peter here, feeling imprisoned.

In this text we see that Peter has been placed in a seemingly hopeless situation. He has been arrested by Herod and placed in prison, awaiting his trial to take place after the passover. But in the midnight hour, when it seemed that all hope was gone, God showed up and showed out, and made a "Miraculous Rescue". I wonder today, how many of us that are here have been through or in a situation like Peter’s? That is an extraordinary situation where, for reasons entirely not of our own doing, entirely on the outside of our ability to control, in spite of our best efforts to fight it off and settle the matter like 'all good' Christians should, we just find ourselves being rebuked and inevitably spiritually imprisoned.

The truth be told, I believe that many of us, at one time or another, have been exactly where Peter was and where I strongly believe my friend Jeff is right now. He is so in love with the Lord. I have studied with him and know his heart, a wonderful father, and a strong leader of his congregation. However, folks at the church have turned on him. At study last night he was very distracted. I'm finding myself praying to God for one of those miraculous rescues we read about in the Bible, like the one here from Acts 12. I am praying for one of God's angels to miraculously show up, lead my friend away. I'd also ask for God's Church here as well, just please pray for Jeff's miraculous rescue.

I find myself wondering, praying about if the greatest thing a human being can ever experience is to be in a situation where it seems completely hopeless and doomed, yet God miraculously steps in and rescues you from it? I say this after prayerfully considering the biblical definition of rescue meaning to be 'delivered'. Deliverance meaning that we are 'set free' from the chains securely fastening us to the floor of our prison cell. To be delivered means you don’t have to deal with the bondage of that issue anymore! It means to be "loosed from". Peter was loosed from his chains and his shackles, in a way that could only be done by God. He not only frees you, but looses you completely!

Let Us Pray: Lord, I ask for Your Church to arise this day in prayer for all those, who like Your servant Peter, find themselves locked behind prison walls for their beliefs. Lord, I ask for Your Church to rise up in prayer for those people, like my friend Jeff, who find themselves essentially spiritually imprisoned. Compelled to confront a time of greatest challenge to their's and their families well being. I fervently pray unto You for one of Your angels to come alongside of him in this dark hour. I pray that together with Your angel and by Your great power through which did resurrect Your Son Jesus from the prison of the grave, did roll away the stone, did loose Peter's chain, opened those prison doors, allowed them to walk past the ever vigilant guards, to the outside of the prison where iron gaits miraculously opened to his freedom beyond the prison walls.

Lord, You came to set the prisoners free. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, please come to my friend in a powerful and miraculous way, For Your servant, Jeff, if he has found favor in Your sight set him free from this hard bondage as only You can. For I steadfastly believe that if You set them free, they are so absolutely free indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNlasvUFNbQ
Break Every Chain w/ lyrics - Jesus Culture
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Break Every Chain w/ lyrics - Jesus Culture

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Day 300: Divine Antidote To Worry

Day 300: Divine Antidote To Worry

Read: Matthew 6:25 - 34

I have a rather off the wall question for the readership today. It is this: How many people here would love to learn how to worry more? How many of you feel that your life would be 180 degrees improved if only you could spend more time worrying? How many of you count 'worry' as your very best friend 'in the whole wide world'? I know these are silly questions with rather obvious answers. Still, I would love to hear the thoughts from someone who found these to be all too true in their life. Whether you know worry as an occasional visitor, a constant live in companion, whether you find it to be mildly uncomfortable or intensely painful, the good news is you can worry less.

Everyone has their own solution, their own 'old family recipe' to deal with it. There are simply
are too many to recite here, like those wholly unique finger prints we all have, we will all
undoubtedly have just as much wisdom regarding an answer for worry. By all means you should use them if they have proven successful for you and you will trust the source. By the way, have you noticed just a little, or at all, that level of your worry, the time and energy that you devote to giving it credence in your life, is about the same, perhaps worse as you losing your sight or your awareness of God's presence? They will usually go hand in hand. Lose yourself in a world of your worry, you will likely lose your sense of God's healing presence.

Whether you experience worry as just a slight distraction or just as a force that so completely immobilizes you, however you may come to experience it for it is as uniquely individual as our
fingerprints (and we all have 10 of those!) we all would like, nay, LOVE to worry less. It may not surprise you to learn that God has something to say about worry. God has an important message about nearly everything you can think of. In His book, filled with cosmic events like the creation of the universe, heaven and hell, the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms, and the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, He also considers it vital to devote wisdom to giving us some help with this very ordinary human emotion.

Read and re-read the passage from Matthew's Gospel. Read it collectively as a whole. Absorb as you can the significance of this teaching provided directly from the heart of Jesus Christ spoken directly to only your worry. Then read these verses individually, take what time you need to prayerfully consider the deeper meanings which the Holy Spirit may reveal to you about each verse. Take each verse one at a time at a pace that allows you to slowly give more of your own worldly worry to the effort it will take you to study the verses you are reading. Study the deeper meanings of these Words of God instead of studying the deeper meaning of your worry. Let the wisdom and presence of God be those which arise within you!

Let Us Pray: Let your prayer time be devoted to these wonderful verses from the Gospel of Matthew. From God's heart through the voice of infinite wisdom, His Son Jesus Christ as He taught all those who had gathered on the Mount of Beatitude, the Mount of God's Blessings to all, for all who seek Him with distracted hearts, to the Mount of your heart locked in a battle you cannot win on your own. Give to Caesar what worries Caesar, give to God the victory, the victory of God over all things. Give to God your victory over the ways and worries that struggle for prominence within you. Give all thanks to God who gives us all the eternal victory through Jesus Christ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9gMuFP6S-g

Paul Wilbur - Kadosh (Holy) - Lyrics and Translation

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Kadosh (Holy) - by Paul Wilbur with Lyrics and Translation. Praise and Worship to Yeshua (Jesus).

Day 299: How Much "Like A Tree Firmly Planted By Streams Of Water."?

Day 299: How Much "Like A Tree Firmly Planted By Streams Of Water."?

Read: Psalm 1, Matthew 7:15 - 23

I guess what I am going to do with you today is to try to climb to the top and shake some your Spiritual Oak trees. So, if something hostile or otherwise hurtful falls out, hopefully there will be something or someone on the ground to catch it or hopefully we will be able to get rid of it when I come down. But if you or I end up falling out, we will need to do something to see that both of our lives are rescued and redeemed to what they ought to be. Pray, let us begin the week by considering this rather tall question. “If you were to evaluate your spirituality and your closeness to God, how would you rate it?” Be honest. The answer is between you and God. But, God WILL know whether you’re telling the truth or not!

I recognize that is kinda sorta of tough for a Monday. However, Would you answer, “I believe in God with all my heart, Jesus Christ is my Savior and Lord? I’ve committed myself to do the things He wants me to do. As a result, I feel at peace within, and at peace with others. I spend time pouring out my heart to Him in prayer, in listening to Him by reading His Word. I try hard to show my faith by what I do, how I live before others.” This is quite the mouthful on a Monday sitting at your dining table or desk. I have just one question: has your coffee gotten cold during all that time you were so very sure of yourself! I said, remember, that we are supposed to be about honesty.

Would you answer, “Well, you would probably rate me as being weak or even dead spiritually because I’m really not much interested in the things of God? Frankly, yes, I am here, but only reluctantly. I would much rather be playing golf or doing something else.” Then again, maybe you would more likely answer, “I’m someplace in-between. I guess you would say I have one foot in the world and one foot in the church, easily vacillating back and forth. When it’s appropriate to be seen as a Christian, then that’s what I am. Otherwise, I'm mostly like all the other people around me.” Great answer if your preferred place is one of sitting, waiting, watching from atop of your Oak tree.

But, like I said at the beginning, I am trying to climb your Spiritual Oak tree and I am going to try to shaking it so hard that either your pride or your Christianity finally falls out. Now, what answer fits you? You see, I believe a problem that we all have in our relationship with God is that many of us have kind of flirted with it most of our lives. We live in a society that encourages that attitude. Have you really been tested in our faith? Have you really even tested your faith? Who's tried to climb to the top our Oak trees holding us accountable for the ground work of God's kingdom? My wife will quite frequently shake mine, I will frequently shake hers. Who will climb atop and vigorously and shake yours?

Let Us Pray: Lord, I am sitting here at the top of my Oak tree, watching and waiting for You to finally return, reclaiming this messed up world we live in as Your very own. I feel like I need to have the best advantage of height in my righteousness that I may be one of the first to see You coming on the clouds as was promised. I feel my tree is so firmly planted, so deeply rooted by the streams of Your waters of life, that I can sit and wait for You as long as I have to knowing that I'll be eternally replenished by Your life giving waters. Yes, Lord, I am so fully content to sit in my Spiritual Oak tree. But, Lord, I pray You will teach me when I am missing something on the ground.I do so desperately pray, that on those lonely days and nights of watching for You that You'll send somebody to climb my tree to keep me company, share with me a conversation too.

But, Lord, sometimes I cannot see Your Kingdom through the vastness of my tree. Likewise, I do sometimes think of what is going on down there, what work You would have me to do. Being so high and lifted up above the canopy of this fallen world, I confess I have not really been tested in my faith nor have I really even come down from my high perch to test my faith. Lord, send me someone too, who will not just climb to the top of my tree to converse with me, but also to vigorously shake my tree for me. I believe my Jesus would catch me and with great compassion dry me off when I fall. Lord Jesus Christ, If I were to ask You, how would You rate my Spiritual Oak tree...?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx0Aj4a9MR4
Hillsong Live - To Be Like You - With Subtitles│Lyrics - HD Version
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Hillsong Live - To Be Like You - With Subtitles│Lyrics - HD Version - Glorious Ruins DVD You can get your

Hillsong Live - To Be Like You - With Subtitles│Lyrics - HD Version

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Hillsong Live - To Be Like You - With Subtitles│Lyrics - HD Version - Glorious Ruins DVD You can get your copy at http://smarturl.it/itunesgloriousruins or d...

Day 298: Friends, Make The Choice! Always, Always Rejoice!

Day 298: Friends, Make The Choice! Always, Always Rejoice!

Read: Philippians 4:4 - 7

I am so excited right now I can barely stand it. I have got a case of the happy feet so that the only thing I want to do right now is dance all over my house. I want to dance up the stairs and down the stairs. I want to shamelessly dance like David did before the Ark of the Covenant the day he brought it to the Great Tabernacle of the Lord our God (if you can imagine what that must have looked like to the population on hand). Good Lord, I am just so fully filled to the brim with a profound sense of excitement for I have no idea what this day will bring and that just absolutely throws my excitement level right off the chart. I know that however my day goes, God's joy goes before me!

As Paul nears the end of his letter of joy, what does he focus upon? Why it is joy of course! Have we caught the concern in Paul's heart that people are trying to exist in this life with so little joy in their hearts? Do we realize how much he (Paul) and He (God) so very desperately wants us to live a life of joy? I do not believe for one moment that God saved us from our miserable life fully mired in sin for us to remain miserable and unhappy! Father, Son and Holy Spirit so very desperately want us to dance like David before the Lord with fully unabashed, shameless happiness and joy by knowing our Creator. Put the Lord on full display! Show the world how wonderful it would be to fully know and fully experience God!

How do we live this life that we are being called to? How do we daily live this joyous Christian life with such a reckless abandon? Paul teaches us this basic principle: Paul informs us in Philippians that we all have a choice to rejoice. Yes! Joy is a choice. Not every circumstance is going to feel good. But we can always determine to be joyful. Yes, oftentimes joy is a tough choice, an act of self will. That is why grumbling and complaining is so overwhelmingly dangerous to the spirit. Negative words take us to a path to where everything feels utterly impossible, too hard, just plain unfair. But a positive word, a positive thought, as an expression of God's salvation leads us to joy.

Rejoice in the Lord always and some will scoff at you like they scoffed at David. They will try to tell you that you are "completely out of your mind", it is "impossible to be joyful at all times," that "no one can be that happy", "no one should be allowed to be that happy!" But Paul himself, in his own painfully difficult Christian life, shows that it is indeed possible. Why? Because God has made a way! His Son Jesus Christ who is the only Way, The only Truth and The only Life! What is going on in your life right at this moment? How are you going to choose to react to those circumstances? You will eventually discover with some effort, the choice to always rejoice will fully rise from deep within you.

Let Us Pray: This is the day the Lord has made. I rejoice and I am glad in it! I rejoice in You always. And again I say, I will always rejoice in You. I fully delight myself in You, Lord. Happy am I because God is my Lord, Jesus Christ is my Salvation, the Holy Spirit is my Comforter and my Guide! Father, thank You for loving me and rejoicing over me with such a level of joy that I cannot begin to comprehend it. I come before You with dancing and singing, and everlasting joy is the crown of gold upon my head. I obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing flee away. That spirit of rejoicing, joy, and laughter is my heritage. Father God, I will always praise You with joyful lips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbEp8lxse_I

Let it rise

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This song is about that the Lord Jesus Christ wants us to fill us with His Holy Spirit. From Big Daddy Weave

Day 297: Live Like You Are Completely Out Your Mind

Day 297: Live Like You Are Completely Out Of Your Mind

Read: Philippians 3:12 - 21, Romans 12:1 - 8

I remember as a kid getting into short little races up and down the sidewalk outside of my home back in Amherst, N.Y.. It was a fairly long stretch of sidewalk about 300 feet. I remember my sister and I standing at the top of the sidewalk, she had a watch in one hand and the object was to see how fast I could run the length of the sidewalk and back again. I did not have any specific reason for doing it except that my sister and I, we, just wanted to have some good quality fun together. We did this allot back in the days. I would run as fast as I could, running forward then back. Look at the time, do it again only pressing myself to go faster each time. On your mark, get set and go!

Permit me to challenge each of you to a race up and down the sidewalk today. Let us run the race up and down the sidewalks, the highways and byways of this Christian journey. Let us run as the winds of the Holy Spirit runs to and fro into the lives of people who have forgotten what it means to run. Let us have some serious kind of fun doing the work that the Lord has called us to do. Who is it that said Christians are not allowed to have any fun or be any fun doing what they are called to do? I do not specifically see any specific Commandment anywhere in Scripture where it says "Thou shalt not have any fun!" Live just like Christ! Live like you are completely out of your mind!

“You must be out of your mind.” Well, yes I guess that I am, my philosophy of that is if you say to me that "I must be fully out of my mind" I will probably agree with you, giving my very best effort toward having maximum fun in the process. Live just like Christ! From Romans 12:1 - 2: '1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.' This should be a ton of fun for us!

"You are still out of your mind!" Yes, I sincerely hope so! I pray that I can press on in this Christian life and achieving my goal of losing all of my earth bound mind in the name of Jesus Christ. I pray that I am able to have, in spite of my physical limits, the absolute most fun I have ever had in my life. I fully plan to live like I am completely out of my earth bound and worldly senses. My goal is to live like Jesus Christ as much as possible and in spite of whatever might try its very best impeding my efforts, I am so going to make every effort to maximize the fun. Because even if I do not finish my work, I have confidence that He who began a good work in me will have such incredible fun finishing!

Let Us Pray: Lord, Teach us to have fun in our Christian Journey. To live like we are completely out of our earthly, worldly minds solely for you. Let us live with such a completely reckless abandon, to fully maximize our joy from doing the work of your kingdom. Let the joy of the Lord be our strength! Let the joy of the Lord rise among your people, O God! Transform our minds, Savior Jesus, Renew our hearts, O Holy Spirit that we may have such incredible fun discerning what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect in your sight. God, please let me have some fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR7bBEBIC9g

I Am Free (Newsboys) 2007

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Trying to try new things, lot me know guys. I made some changes.

Day 296: Just In Case You Did Not Remember ...

Day 296: Just In Case You Did Not Remember ....

Read: 2 Kings 20:1 - 11

Just in case you did not remember or somewhere along the way got too wrapped up in the awesomely overwhelming busyness of your day to day lives and you just plain forgot - I just wanted to remind you of the two most critically important facts of the Christians life - and these are that first God is definitely still on His throne surrounded by His Seraphim, second that prayer absolutely, positively, definitely does change things! Hallelujah, what completely a startling, undoubtedly stunning revelations these are to those of you out there to busy trying to keep up with the Jones, the Smiths and those Jane and John Doe's of the world. So, I am YELLING at you now to just please stop it!

In today’s modern world driven by the absolute need to for us to succeed at any cost, governed by the drive to thrive, get the best education possible, work three jobs so to pay for the ridiculously high cost getting that education. The higher and higher costs of raising our families, running of businesses that keep food on the table, high quality products on the markets for consumers and a host more I am sure you can fill in for me. Sometimes it is hard for us to realize the presence of God on His throne and the absolute life changing power of prayer. Man has accomplished so much that all too often we look for solutions to life’s problems in the natural world before even seeking God.

From our Scripture reading, Good King Hezekiah, had an entire nation to run. A truly busy, daunting job when you consider all the simply mundane decisions and those impossibly complex ones he was looked at to make each and every day. What does it take to be a king these days? What does it take for us to be kings of our own spiritual households, of our spiritual lives, of the spiritual lives of our families? Now, Hezekiah finds himself confined in bed, mortally ill. Isaiah tells him to put all his kingly affairs in order for he will surely not arise from that bed before he is dead. I do not know what would be going through your head at a time like that. Mine would be a tornado of thoughts, of examining everything I previously thought was so very unimportant!

We do, however, get a reasonably good glimpse of what was undoubtedly going on in Hezekiah's mind. (2,3) 'Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord: “Remember now, O Lord, I implore you, how I have walked before you in faithfulness with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” Hezekiah wept bitterly. Suddenly, King Hezekiah's thoughts originally, intensely centered on his own kingdom to come, shifted to God's Kingdom to come. He remembered that God was his king, God had not removed Himself from his throne over Israel or from His one in heaven. He prayed, God heard, Hezekiah lived 15 more years! Did you learn anything?

Let Us Pray: Place yourself into this story. Assess your life as it is now. Deliberately place yourself in the kingly socks and shoes of the good and righteous King Hezekiah. Fervently pray over whatever life circumstance it is that the Holy Spirit places upon your heart. Look at some wall (near or far), pray Hezekiah's prayer from a suitable position. Pray for an Isaiah the Prophet to come into your life who will be brave enough to confront you, to challenge you to 'put your spiritual house in order'! Who will stay with you in this time of re-centering, in this oh so essential, critical time of re-examining your conscience.

May your new testimony, your new witness become as powerful as inspirational, as completely life changing as that of Hezekiah's. (10,11) 'Hezekiah answered, “It is normal for the shadow to lengthen ten intervals; rather let the shadow retreat ten intervals.” The prophet Isaiah cried to the Lord; and he brought the shadow back the ten intervals, by which the sun had declined on the dial of Ahaz.' Let the Lord our God be glorified!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB5N55fi1Ns

Relentless Pursuit - Kim Walker-Smith & Skyler Smith - Lyrics - Home 2013

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Kim Walker-Smith & Skyler Smith - Relentless Pursuit - Lyrics from their 2013 album - Home

Day 295: Sing A Song Of Love, Of Love Like The Rose Of Sharon

Day 295: Sing A Song Of Love, Of Love Like The Rose Of Sharon

Read: Song Of Solomon Chapter 2

Throughout much of the day yesterday, I found myself looking at my wife. I do not know if she was cognizant of my incessant gaze in her direction. I tried not to be to obvious. I am not sure it worked as she did frequently smile at me when our eyes did meet. After writing the devotional yesterday, I found myself thinking more and more about how much I so absolutely love her. God gave her to me. All I could think about was how truly blessed and privileged I am to be her husband. I smile inwardly at the thought that God put the two of us together at this moment in our lives, that we both would be the answer to each of the others prayer. I could sing of God's love forever!

Well, I got sentimental and went looking through the Bible for something that equally matched what my heart was feeling. I looked to and fro through the Psalms but I was not finding what my heart was truly feeling deep down. Then I came across the Song Of Solomon, in particular 2:4 "He has brought me to his banquet hall, and his banner over me is Love." I have never really spent any significant time in Song Of Solomon because quite frankly I was not quite sure how to interpret its writing, its relevance for my Christian walk. But at the moment I was looking through so many passages of the Bible, I came across these words; "His banner over me is Love." and I just cried.

I looked back at the first verse: "I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys." I put the verses in between together and I felt high and so completely lifted up by the absolute eloquence of Solomon's poetic words. A thousand years before Christ came, this young Solomon sang a verse we have come to think of as applied to Christ. Though Solomon spoke of romantic love and of the delights of human beauty, we know that he saw beyond that when he sang, "I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley." The rose is truly the loveliest of all the flowers that bloom, and the plain of Sharon is a fertile land, where flowers grow in abundance. I just fell head over heels, madly in love all over again!

What an overwhelming feeling it is, to fall head over heels madly in love with my one true Savior Jesus Christ. What an overwhelming feeling I experienced when I looked at my wife first thing upon rising from our marital bed, saw the absolute beauty of my Savior in her eyes. Now I know why God gave her to me - that I would see the truest beauty of my Jesus in her every expression and frazzled hair. For us to say that Jesus Christ is the rose of Sharon is to say that we see in Him matchless beauty, wonderful grace, a face truly like no other face, yet a face with the dignity of all men’s’ faces. I see the face of my Jesus. We, my wife Sharon and I long for His presence in an intimate way.

*In a Jewish wedding ceremony, the Bridegroom places a gold ring on the finger of his beloved and recites, "Behold, you are sanctified, set apart, to me with this ring, according to the Law of Moses and of Israel." Yeshua is our Bridegroom. He rejoices over us, cherishes us like no other, He loves us, and has set us apart for Himself.*

Let Us Pray: Yeshua Hatan, Jesus our Bridegroom, You wait patiently for us who are Your Bride. You wait for us in Your Holy Sanctuary, just to place a golden ring on our finger, a golden ring to set us apart from our earthly bounds and into Your Kingdom not made with human hands, but shaped by Your great and boundless Love for us. Lord, we are coming, sustain us with raisin cakes, refresh us with apples because we are lovesick for You. Bring us to Your Banquet hall, to gaze upon Your banner of Love.

Hope Is Like A Harebell Trembling From Its Birth

Hope is like a harebell trembling from its birth,
Love is like a rose the joy of all the earth;
Faith is like a lily lifted high and white,
Love is like a lovely rose the world's delight;
Harebells and sweet lilies show a thornless growth,
But the rose with all its thorns excels them both.

© Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) All rights reserved

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmQ5Q7YGtiI
The Rose Of Sharon- Clinging To A Saving Hand
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Great song. Visit Us At 2112 English RD. High Point, North Carolina ALSO!!!!!!!! Visit Pastor Roger's

The Rose Of Sharon- Clinging To A Saving Hand

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Great song. Visit Us At 2112 English RD. High Point, North Carolina ALSO!!!!!!!! Visit Pastor Roger's

Day 294: My Thoughts, A Marriage Like Christ And The Church

Day 294: My Thoughts, A Marriage Like Christ And The Church

Read: Ephesians 5:15 - 33

“One thing I know is that marriage is made in heaven, but then again, so is thunder and lightening!” So, why talk about the sanctity of the marriage covenant and in the same breath talk about the origins of thunder and lightening? Well, if you look at one more verse of the Bible (1 Cor. 15:33) it also teaches us ' Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” So connecting the connecting of one Bible passage teaching about 'Marriage like Christ and the Church and another verse teaching how "bad company corrupting good morals", the sum total we arrive at is the "One thing I know is that marriage is made in heaven but then again so is thunder and lightening!"

But, before we take that equation too far, we must also recognize that the opposite is also equally true - "Good company strengthens character." When you observe a great marriage, you can be blessedly assured that there are other great marriages around it. God's word has so very much to say to us about how very powerful an influence a great marriage can be on single people, newly weds and a marriage that is deeply struggling. Hebrews 10:24 - 25: "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

I have only been married for just over three years now. My parents were married for exactly 38 years one week before my father died. My wife's parents were married for 58 years before her mother died three years ago. My parents were not strong in the faith whereas my wife's parents were heavily engaged for many years in their family church until her mom's health issues took precedence. The fact is, it doesn’t take us long to learn that if God didn’t give us some help in all of this male - female relationship, especially in the marriage, we would be in some thunder and lightening! And a lot of people (too many) are, because they haven't turned to God for guidance!

But we must! It is really the only way! Today, I desire us to see the invaluable help that God gives us from His Word and move on to healthy God driven married lives. It is an extraordinarily difficult challenge with so much self absorbed focus on our own career building, staying in school till your debt ceiling is far beyond the furthest reaches of heaven above then finding that ever so elusive 'just the right job' to start and support  a family. In all I just said, there is too much opportunity for thunder and lightening to shake and quake and rend the growing and maturing new couple's heavens asunder. However, I also reflect on that where there is thunder and lightening, there is God too!

Let Us Pray: ABBA, Father, help us so to remember when we first met and the strong divine bond of love that grew between us. To work that love into practical things so nothing can divide us, so that we may endure the storms, the great crashing thunder and the bolts of lightening that come crashing into our marriage, threatening to rend it asunder. We ask for words both kind and loving, for hearts always ready to ask for forgiveness as well as to forgive. Dear Lord, help us to more fully surrender, putting our marriage into Your hands. Lord, we also pray for the newly weds, for those new couples who are coming together and discovering a growing, maturing love for each other. Help them grow in their relationship for each other, more importantly, in You!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q87O_HenX3U

The Marriage Prayer -wid lyrics by John Waller

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A very nice marriage song for every Christian married couple or for Christian lovers...

Day 293: The Absolute Greatest Safeguard Of Our Life

Day 293: The Absolute Greatest Safeguard Of Our Life

Read: Philippians 3:1 - 11

Finally, I am back home safe and sound from my weekend retreat at the Maryland Correctional Institute for men in Jessup. A small team of men, including myself spent this past weekend helping the residents of the facility to solidify what they'd learned during our shared Kairos Prison ministry weekend. It was a powerfully inspirational weekend where we got to share our lives and our testimonies together. The theme was coming together as one community, setting up personal short, long term goals to foster a committed long term relationship with Jesus Christ. As I said, I am finally home and safe with my wife. So, my brothers and sisters, how safe are you in life?

If you’re at home, you are probably fairly safe. And you may well have several items in your home to guard your safety: smoke alarm, fire extinguisher, carbon monoxide detector, several emergency safety lights, alarm system, etcetera. If you’re in your car, you have seat belts, air bags, side air bags, smart air bags, all-weather tires, anti - lock brakes, anti-whiplash headrests, tire pressure warning, etc. And some cars actually come with a collision avoidance system. Can you beat any or all that for auto safety? Regardless of where we are, what we’re doing, we prefer to be safe. And common sense is probably the biggest safety device there is. But "watch out for those dogs,..."

Paul warns us in verse 2: ' Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;' There is a conspiracy afoot. Some would try to rob those Philippians - and us - of the truth of our greatest safety net, the truth of our salvation. What makes the conspiracy so completely dangerous is it sounds rather innocent and even noble. Follow the law and be saved. Make a greater effort than the next guy and you will be the one saved. Paul rejects this rather emphatically - our salvation comes through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ alone - and if effort was all it would take to save us, then he, Paul and us would be the most saved. We are not the 'most' saved because we did more. We are all equally saved!

"I was circumcised when I was 8 years old, Paul writes, I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin - a real Hebrew if there ever was one! Yet for all that could possibly boast about - righteousness, authority, obedience to the law, as much as he, Paul, or we ourselves today find these things to be the most valuable of our possessions, now that we are in Christ Jesus, they are held as nothing compared with the infinitely more valuable possession of knowing Christ Jesus as our Savior. I believe deeply my friends in the physical safety of my wife and myself. I protect both with my life. But the greatest safety net against my Death remains my Christ Jesus!

Let Us Pray: Elohey Yish'i, ADONAI, God of my Salvation, when I cry out to you in the night, let my prayer come before you, turn your ear to my cry for help. I pray, turn our hearts toward the God who surrounds us, toward the love of God which enfolds us, toward the power of God which protects us, and toward the presence of God that eternally watches over us. Wherever we are, we are thankful that God is there also, And the very best news of all, that where God is, all is safe, all is well, all is secure. Thank you Jesus, I count nothing else in my life, nothing else I could do as compared to knowing Jesus Christ now and unto the very furthest reaches of eternity. Amen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDZZ0-F5EKk

You Are My All in All With Canon in D [Live]

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Music video by Bill & Gloria Gaither performing You Are My All in All With Canon in D (feat. Gaither

Day 292: Okay God, I Guess You Can Take It From Here Now!

Day 292: Okay God, I Guess You Can Take It From Here Now!

Read: Deuteronomy 33

Friends, I encourage you to look closely at Deuteronomy 33. It is a wonderful piece of Hebrew poetry in which Moses addresses each one of the twelve tribes of Israel and gives each one a particular blessing, a blessing to sustain them as they sought to experience the great benefits and bounty of the promised Land. After devoting a separate stanza to each of the tribes he eloquently concludes with a summary of the entire faith and hope of Israel concentrated and encapsulated in a few short words. From 24 - 29 we have words that are not only beautiful, but also words of real brevity and simplicity summing up the wholeness experienced by Moses himself from his own intimate relationship with God.

Within that also is that help that he would pass on in his final blessing to the people. We all have last wills and final testaments, and this passage is Moses’ final leave - taking, his last will and testament, his final blessing on the twelve tribes of Israel as the leader of the people. Truly, what a testament it is for us to take great joy, draw great inspiration from for our own life's journey with God who is our Father Creator, His Son Jesus Christ who is the greatest expression of love anyone can ever know in just one lifetime and the Holy Spirit, who ministers to us, who comforts us, intercedes for us, who constantly reminds us of our absolute worthiness and value in the eternal schemes of God's plans for each of us.

God as our Refuge! Listen, listen well I pray you to the testimony of this great man of God: The eternal God is your refuge ... The word "refuge" here normally refers to the den or lair of a wild animal of the desert, for that animal it is a place of protection: It is protection from the heat of the sun; protection from the sudden flash floods of the desert; protection from the constant dangers of other predators. It was a haven. It is what we would call a home. For many years Moses was homeless. He was out in the desert trying hard to bring a multitude of people safely through to the land of Canaan. That desert was no picnic; searing heat in the day time; and its freezing cold at night.

Now, where could Moses find a home in the desert? But not just for Moses himself, but for the multitude of the twelve tribes as well! Well, he didn’t just find a place, he found a Person. A Person who was everything to him that we would describe as our home today being to us. Jehovah, the God of Israel, was his home. Moses is saying that God was his and his people's dwelling place, his home, his protection, his haven, his refuge. But not just for theirs or our wanderings through the wilderness, but for all eternity! Now, how was this true? For the Israelites it was a line of clouds by day and a pillar of fire by night. Today, it is the life, the death, the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Let Us Pray: Machsi, The God who is my refuge from the scorching heat of the sun by day, and the freezing cold at night. My refuge! My fortress! My God in whom I will forever strive to trust more and more each day I am blessed with by the breath of my life through yours, Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but my God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever. Remember your promises to me, to Your children for it is our only hope. Your faithfulness to all Your promises revives us; it so comforts us in all our troubles. The LORD is like a Father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. Who is like unto our God? All praise be to God!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA_HoEC9ixc
TobyMac - Steal My Show (Lyrics)
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Music video by TobyMac performing Steal My Show (Lyrics). (P) (C) 2012 ForeFront Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation

TobyMac - Steal My Show (Lyrics)

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Music video by TobyMac performing Steal My Show (Lyrics). (P) (C) 2012 ForeFront Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation

Day 291: God Sized Truths; The Reality Of Spiritual Warfare

Day 291: God Sized Truths; The Reality Of Spiritual Warfare

Read: Ephesians 6:10 - 12

First off, it is my most heartfelt desire to express my very deepest gratitude to all of you who responded to my call for more wisdom and more knowledge. I want to thank all of you out there who took the time to read yesterdays devotion and took the time to consider and reflect on the reality of what you knew and took the time to consider the possibility of a new reality as it relates to your own personal understanding of what Spiritual Warfare means for you as you live out each day of your Christian faith. It is worth noting here that Jesus himself said that there will always be war, there will be ongoing conflict that will challenge the very strongest faith, truths which are, for me, all too often too hard, all too often just too impossible to swallow!

It is here that I would like to try to explore some of those truths with you. I ask you to keep in mind that I am quite the novice at this and as always would appreciate, value, what feedback you can give me to help me and those who read this, learn something new. I want to spend this time today because I doubt that most of you have ever had any teaching in this area, and we really, truly need to start with these fundamentals. First truth I have discerned from my Bible readings is that there really is an invisible world that is just as real as the visible world. The Bible that's sitting on my table is real, the clothes on my back are real, I know this because I can see them with my own two eyes and I can touch them, I can feel them against my skin.

But when we begin to talk about that which is invisible, those things that cannot be seen, heard, touched, smelled, or tasted, we tend to think that those things are not real, or somehow at a lesser level of reality than the visible world. Nothing could be further from the truth: As Paul so writes: (12) 'For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.' While we do exist in this present visible world, we also exist simultaneously in the unseen world that Paul so vividly describes here.

Secondly, The unseen world is described as the place where evil beings exist, but it is also the place where Jesus Christ, and all believers exist. And this second truth is quite the powerful one for me. Where power of evil exists, so too does the greater power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ponder that truth for yourself! God...has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ. (Ephesians 1:3b) This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms! (Ephesians 1:19b-20) We've been raised from death in sin unto eternal life in Christ! For God raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms all because we are one with God, one with Christ Jesus, one with the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 2:6)

Let Us Pray: Thank you, Lord, for my salvation. I receive it in a new and fresh way from You, and I declare that nothing can separate me now from the love of Christ and the place I shall ever have in Your kingdom. Lord, I will wear Your breastplate of righteousness today against the enemies arrows sent against me. Fit me with Your holiness and purity - Lord, defend me from assaults that are directed at my heart.

Lord, I put on the belt of truth. I choose a lifestyle of honesty and integrity. Show me those truths I so desperately need today. Expose those lies that I am not even aware that I believe. I do so choose to live for the Gospel at any moment. Pray, please show me where You are working and lead me to it. Do not let me become slack in my walk.

Jesus, I lift the confidence that You are good against every lie and every assault of the enemy. You have only good in store for me. Nothing is coming today that can overcome me because You are with me. Holy Spirit, show me specifically today those truths of the Word of God that I will need to counter the snares of the enemy. Bring them to mind throughout the day. Finally, Holy Spirit, I agree to walk in step with You in everything - in all prayer, as my spirit communes with You throughout this day.

I claim the blood of my Savior Jesus Christ as the only true source of my cleansing. I claim the precious blood of the Lamb of God which was shed in Love for me as the one, the only true source of my life. I claim the power of Christ's resurrection which keeps me facing forward in the face of mine enemies. True love for His much Truer Love. Amen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puh_M9WsYGE

Under The Blood--Italo Marti Soulman

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Rock Christian spiritual Warfare Song

Day 290: Spiritual Warfare - Shrewd As Serpents, Innocent As Doves?

Day 290: Spiritual Warfare - Shrewd As Serpents, Innocent As Doves?

Read: Matthew 10:16 - 23, 2 Corinthians 10: 1 - 6

For as long as I have been been blogging now, almost 13 months now, I have drawn a steadily increasing interest from a number of individuals and invitations to join and participate in a host of Google + communities and even moderate my own under the title of "Loving God, Loving All, Join The Journey." Along with that ever increasing interest has been an incredible number of emails from all of you out there in Google + land when you post to the communities that you choose to post to. Someday's I am just inundated by them. I do this because I have a very great interest in what you all have to say about your living out your Christian faith. I want to thank you for all that you do!

I find that much is written about 'Spiritual Warfare'. Much of it with wild (at least to me) sounding terms like spiritual mapping, casting down strongholds, generational curses and binding spirits. I am not saying, nor have I said, that we are not in a real battle against real forces because I certainly do believe there is a war on that must be won at all costs. Much of what is written is sometimes very difficult for me to try to follow. I wonder as I begin to deliberately dig deeper into 'Spiritual Warfare', what passes for spiritual warfare today is dangerously short of taking serious God’s power, His authority, the fullest reality of God's victory at the cross, the resurrection of Jesus.

There is so much talk from you about living and fighting in the world. God does not insulate us from this world, and in fact, he placed us here by design. Jesus spoke of being sent out like sheep among wolves. For me, that is a very powerful image and also this is exceedingly serious business. But where we find ourselves is not an accident. We are not like some lost patrol that God has forgotten and which must fight its way out of enemy territory on its own wits. It is not like we are all sheep without an ever vigilant Shepherd ready to stand between us and a vastly superior, supremely better equipped foe. But I am confused by this phrase: "be as shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

I am okay with snakes, for the most part. I do not go out of my way looking for them, but they generally don’t cause me to panic. But let me ask you something: When you think of snakes do you think of much along the lines of any positive attributes? Here is what I mean by that: when we say someone’s a snake, is that a compliment? Nope! It is an insult, and a big one, right? "Therefore be as shrewd as snakes..." At my first glance it almost looks like Jesus is telling us people to be "sneaky" or something like that. After all, is not that what "shrewd" really means? 'Shrewd' - given to wily and artful ways or dealing, 'Shrewd' as in "cunning," or "deceitful." What about this stuff?

Let Us Pray: Gracious God, I acknowledge that You are worthy of all honor, glory and praise. I am thankful for the victorious work of Your Son, Jesus Christ at Calvary for me. I apply His victory to my life now as I willingly surrender every area of my life to Your will. Lord, enable me to become the person You created me to be. Help me as I pray to become stronger in faith. Show me how to apply Your Word in my life each day. Give me a hunger and thirst to know You better, to read and study Your Word more deeply, to pray more readily, to keep you first in all my thoughts all day long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvegiZMO5Xo
Maranatha! Singers - Victory Song / Call To War
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Series: Spiritual Warfare Series Album: The Battle Belongs To The Lord/Spiritual Warfare Series Vol 1. Song: Victory Song / Call To War Words & Music by

Maranatha! Singers - Victory Song / Call To War

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Series: Spiritual Warfare Series Album: The Battle Belongs To The Lord/Spiritual Warfare Series Vol 1.

Day 289: Spiritual Warfare: Turning Back In The Day Of Battle

Day 289: Spiritual Warfare - Turning Back In The Day Of Battle

 

Read: Psalm 78:9 - 20, 2 Kings 6:15 - 18

I can hear the words being spoken by the Commander of the Army of the children of Ephraim "have you not heard, have you not known that there is a battle going on and you are facing the wrong way?" As I sit here and try to ponder these words, I try to reflect on the facial expression, emotional energy of this Commander as he might have said these words. It was a time of great conflict. Israel is a nation intimately familiar with the struggle of war. War is a time when all the brave men stood in line of battle and faced their enemies with staunch determination, national fervor. Yet, Ephraim faces the wrong way, failing their fellow brother's in arms, giving their own backs to the enemy.

This is indeed one of the saddest stories one can read in the Bible. What an incredible tragedy it is when people deliberately fail in their responsibilities on the field of battle. Jesus has warned us about those who look back and do not fulfill the will of God: “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” In other more contemporary terms: "If we are so much more intent looking backward then we cannot look forward toward the great possibilities yet to be wrought in our lives by plowing ahead with God." How can we strive with God as Jacob did if we turn our faces away from the battle that is before us? Ephraim had a truly special heritage. Today we have a truly special heritage too through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Can you see where this is going yet? Something was terribly wrong with their walk. "They did not keep the covenant of God, they refused to walk in God's law. We have the blood of the new Covenant through the life, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ, are we doing such a good job keeping our own faces firmly planted in the eyes of the enemy? Sadly, unfaithfulness is all too common in people. People will not face forward, they will not strive face to face, eye to eye with God. Something about keeping, being held accountable to or being fearful of making a staunch commitment to a certain course of action. That's where failure always starts. This is where God's truth ought to fully engage us.

What truth might put some "starch in our spines", striving with God in the face of an enemy that is many times our strength, with weapons far greater than our own? “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” This attendant of the man of God turned away in fear from the truth of God. Elisha sat so quietly and did what we all should do when confronted by the possibility of risking our lives for the sake of Jesus Christ. Pray for the steady courage to face forward, witness to the miracle of 'the mountain that was full of horses and chariots of fire all around' that is so fully surrounding our greatest of enemies. Set your Face ever forward toward the hills from where our help comes from! Strive with God and prevail!

Let Us Pray: Adonai Tzva'ot, Lord of Heavens Armies, Lord of the Heavenly Hosts, Today I deliberately choose to face forward, to submit myself fully to God as He has made Himself known to me through the Holy Scriptures. I recognize by faith that the Triune God is worthy of all honor, praise, and worship as the Creator, Sustainer, and End of all things. I confess that God, as my Creator, made me for Himself. In this day I therefore choose to live for Him. I recognize by faith that God has proven His love to me in sending His Son to die in my place, in whom every provision has already been made for my past, present, and future needs through Jesus Christ's representative work, and that I have been quickened, raised, seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenlies, and anointed with the Holy Spirit. As the tiny sparrow finds herself a home and the tiny swallow her nest, where she lays her eggs, cares for and hatches her young by your altars, so there too shall be my resting place, my refuge, my place of solemn healing. Amen, Hallelujah!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zI_MtHEH9M

Passion 2013 Chris Tomlin Whom Shall I Fear w/lyrics in HD

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I do not own the rights to this song. I made this video to be used in our chapel and youth worship.

Day 288: Hello Friends! Today I Will Be Limiting God!

Day 288: Hello Friends! Today I Will Be Limiting Almighty God!

Read: Genesis 32:24 - 32

Jacob wrestled with God! God wrestled with Jacob right back! The final result of this incredibly mismatched main event biblical moment? Jacob wrestled God to a standstill. It started late at night, continued straight on through the night till the rise of the morning sun. I see Jacob still standing toe to toe, move for move, counter move for counter move. I can only guess the very complete amazement on the faces of all the hosts of heaven who gathered around from all the points of the universal creation to witness this unbelievable one of a kind encounter. I do not guess they had ever seen the like of it and would not expect they would see the likes of it again. Jacob, this simple man, prevailed over God!

The Bible does not mention what instigated such an encounter. It only mentions that Jacob would not let go of God except under the circumstance that he receives God's blessings. What an incredible blessing Jacob must have been expecting for the match went all night and still Jacob was so completely hardcore determined that if nothing else happened for the rest of his life, he, Jacob, was going to receive that 1 blessing! Let me ask all you readers out there this question. If you were Jacob right now, what is it that your blessing would be? Toe to toe with God, all night long, and for, what? It is kind of like God is giving you this once in a lifetime moment to fill in a blank check.

There are a great number of things that Almighty God would like, nay would love, to do for us; however, sometimes we hinder Him by failing to place ourselves in a position to receive those things - we limit Almighty God! The wise and benevolent purposes of Almighty God are often frustrated. There are a great number of things that Almighty God would do for mankind, both male and female, if He was only allowed to do so! I can just hear all you readers scratching your collective heads, wondering with your soon to be bald heads: "How does an individual limit Almighty God?" I am so very glad you asked. Well, for one thing, our  own so very inconsistent Christian living handicaps and limits Almighty God! How often did they, okay we, rebel against Him in the wilderness?

Yes, my brothers and sisters, inconsistent Christian living will always handicap, will limit Almighty God! Hanging your heads? Yeah, me too. Forever guilty as charged. I would also add a lack of faith to this soon to be burgeoning list. Jesus, the Christ, how upon returning to His hometown of Nazareth, was rejected by His own town folks and, also, how many times did Jesus use this not so very subtle phrase: 'Oh you faithless generation, how much longer must I put up with you?' Remember the Father with his ailing son (Mark 9:19 - 24) who said "I do believe, help my unbelief!?" Or: "Lord, help me to overcome the limits I place upon my readiness for completely believing in You."

Let Us Pray: I pray that on this day you will ponder for yourselves, with your family, your friends and with your co - workers, the imponderables of Psalm 8 in its entirety. I encourage each of you to ponder each verse individually, consecutively and, finally together as a whole. Create for yourselves an ever growing encounter with the Living God. Seek to live within the experience that which Jacob experienced that night with God! Do not under any circumstance seek to limit yourselves! Strive with God and prevail!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuJWQzjfU3o
Matthew West - Hello, My Name Is (Lyrics)
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Music video by Matthew West performing Hello, My Name Is (Lyrics). (P) (C) 2013 Sparrow Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a

Matthew West - Hello, My Name Is (Lyrics)

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Music video by Matthew West performing Hello, My Name Is (Lyrics). (P) (C) 2013 Sparrow Records. All

Day 287: As I Cried Out To God In The 'Night' ...

Day 287: As I Cried Out To God In The 'Night' ...

Read: Psalm 77

Life is chocked full difficulties and sometimes it’s more of a disaster than a difficulty. Life’s difficulties call for help: Work problems, financial problems, raising kids, aging, health problems, etcetera. We all need help along the road of life. We all too often find ourselves in difficult or desperate situations that simply require taking dramatic steps like having some very loud, very vocal, very 'unchristian like' conversations using an array of 'unchristian like' words in the middle of the night that scare everyone within earshot. It does not have to be dark outside for souls to be in the middle of the night. What should we do when we find ourselves in a distressing or desperate situation?

Pray about this: What is it that we should do when our souls refuse to be comforted? The Psalmist tells us what we should do. First and foremost, talk to God (v.1). When I do get into such a time as that my wife suggested that when I cannot sleep at night that instead of 'counting sheep' (sounds silly I know), instead of threatening to keep her up till all 'hours of the night', to go find someplace quiet to talk to the Shepherd of those sheep. Again this consistent with what the Psalmist recommends we do as well (v.3). We can all sit in our 'dark of night' and try to ponder just what it was that troubled the Psalmist so much, what gave our darkness life but our dark turns darker.

So, what will throw a shadow of light into our night to confound the darkness, again a knock down, drag out session of words with the Lord like Jacob did one night when he wrestled with the Lord until daybreak (Genesis 32:24 - 32). I do not believe I have ever seriously entertained doing what Jacob did, but as the story is told, Jacob fought the Lord all night long and would absolutely not let God go until the Lord blessed him. In much the same way for Psalmist and us that 'conversing with God' brings with it a great reassurance that God will not let go of us either, will strive with us to the end, and will bless us to no end for the effort we put into it. Our God is TRULY an awesome God!

When your feeling exceptionally discouraged, get your eyes off of your circumstance and place them square onto the Lord who is ready to wrestle with You for as long as it takes to bring sunshine and blessings into your life. What an awesome thought that is! It also helps if while you are wrestling with God, you wrestle with yourself also. I do not guess that any one of us will wrestle God to a standstill by allowing God to do all the wrestling. God very much desires that if you are going to give God all He can handle of your night, then you had better put forth far better than your very best of  efforts standing toe to toe with God if sunshine and greater and greater blessings are to be gained!

Let Us Pray: Gird yourself for the fight of your life! Get ready to stand upon your own two feet to share with God the battle for your life! Prepare yourself as Jacob did to take on the the deepest darkness of your circumstances. All day and all night if that is what it will take to receive the greatest blessings the Lord has to offer you. Give not one inch of ground, give not one more inch of your soul to the adversary who threatens you with very deepest gloom, the very darkest despair the most excessive of miseries. Pray to the Lord with, by, whom you will share battle to the words of Psalm 77:11 - 20. Strive with God! Call the place where God gives you your victory 'Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THYvbksWV4E

Hillsong United - Love Is War

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Hillsong United

Day 286: Implicit Trust

Day 286: Implicit Trust

Read: Jeremiah 39:18 (11 - 18)

Sometimes during trials, we focus so intently on our experience that we forget to focus on God. The Psalmist writes to u s (Psalm 71:5 - 6) 'For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth. By You I have been sustained from my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb; My praise is continually of You. The Psalmist did not forget to focus on God. Over and over again in this Psalm he calls to mind the awesome character and attributes of God: His Glory, His power and strength, and His steadfast faithfulness. The one thing that we must never lose sight of in the midst of our own suffering is the righteousness and goodness of God.

It is because of God's inherent goodness that we are able to implicitly trust Him in all things. When we are in the middle of trials, everyone will have and freely give you an opinion or or a suggestion or a remedy - and if they are from people you trust, you should consider them. But after all is said and done, there is only one thing that you can implicitly put your trust in, and that is in the character of God. I would love to say that I trust him implicitly (unquestioningly or unreserved; absolute, so fully complete,  so fully obedient; so fully confident) but I cannot. I am after all fully human and fully sinful. 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.'

Prayerfully consider well these words From The Reverend Charles Haddon Spurgeon:

'For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord.' (Jeremiah 39:18)

"Behold the protecting power of trust in God. The great men of Jerusalem fell by the sword, but poor Ebed-melech was secure, for his confidence was in Jehovah. Where else should a man trust but in his Maker? We are foolish when we prefer the creature to the Creator. Oh, that we could in all things live by faith, then should we be delivered in all time of danger! No one ever did trust in the Lord in vain, and no one ever shall.

The Lord saith, "I will surely deliver thee," Mark the divine "surely." Whatever else may be uncertain, God's care of believers is sure. God Himself is the guardian of the gracious, Under His sacred wing there is safety even when every danger is abroad. Can we accept this promise as sure? Then in our present emergency we shall find that it stands fast. We hope to be delivered because we have friends, or because we are prudent, or because we can see hopeful signs; but none of these things are one -half so good as God's simple "because thou hast put thy trust in me." Dear reader, try this way, and, trying it, you will keep to it all your life. It is as sweet as it is sure."

Let Us Pray:

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZx7JIs7Bh4

I Will Trust - Elevation Worship - Lyrics - Nothing Is Wasted Album 2013

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I Will Trust - Worship Song from Elevation Worship - Lyrics - Nothing Is Wasted Album 2013. Playlist with more songs from this album -

Day 285: "I Guess This Is Really My Urgent Plea"

Day 285: "I Guess That This Is Really My Urgent Plea"

Read: Mark 12:28 - 34, 1 Peter 4:10 - 11

Today, my Spirit senses a great urgency. An urgent need to get straight to the very heart of today's matter. Somehow, someway, something is pressing me to avoid the usual idle chit chat, to press on with the devotion for today. God has something that He has placed heavily upon my heart that He feels an urgent need (is there any other kind) for me to try to relate to you today. "Use the gifts that I have given you!", "Why are you so afraid to give what you have received from Me and My Son?" "I have such a wonderful purpose so waiting to be revealed if you will be but more giving than you do now!" "I know that it is a very tiresome cliche' but I really do love a cheerful giver."

My response was "But Lord, I feel as though I do too much now!" I wake up every day at 530. I am trying hard to study Your Word for the day that I might write a devotion to encourage and strengthen Your people to do greater things. Every morning I pray that You will reveal to me what it is You desire to say to every which corner of this globe. I write and re-write for 2 1/2 sometimes three hours and spend all day posting it. I am husband to my wife studying theology, ever available to answer questions I have absolutely no idea the answer to. I am involved in Prison Ministry, I'm a spiritual leader of my church preparing to lead men's study of Mark's gospel. What else could there be God?

Yes, I do apologize for unleashing some of the deepest thoughts of my soul upon you. Yes, what else does God want from all His 'cheerful givers" that give so fully of who they are? What more of the gifts that God has given to us can any one of us give back before we feel like the giving of these gifts is more of a trial and tribulation than joy? What do any of you say on this matter? I really would deeply appreciate your deepest thoughts on this weighty burden that I now suddenly find resting upon my shoulders. "What else can we give that we have not given abundantly enough of already?" I am spiritually and physically tired now. Yet I feel this enormous urgency to do keep doing. 

 

What is thumping so very hard against spirit right now, that as a United Methodist, is a quote from John Wesley that is holding such a powerful influential sway over who I am and why I do what I do as often as I feel called to do it. “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” In case you have not noticed, there are allot of the word 'all' in that quotation. I guess my own spiritual conflict is trying to reconcile meeting the standard of all those 'all' words and knowing God loves a cheerful giver. A cheerful giver does not worry there will be nothing left.

Let Us Pray: Lord, What is it that you expect of me each and everyday? Why is there this overwhelming sense of urgency to 'keep giving of our selves, our gifts from Your Son'? Why is it that this weighs so heavy upon the hearts of those who give so much of themselves now? What is it that compels us forward against conventional wisdom? Why do we feel like we cannot give ourselves permission to stop? Why is it we are so fully driven to do what You have called us to do for the sake of Your Kingdom? Is it love, Lord? A love that becomes so fully encompassing and completely engaged in the needs of Your people what ever corner of the globe they may be living in? Can this kind of Love become a greater burden than the burden Your Son has carried for me? Help me, ABBA Father! I desperately desire Your greater wisdom in my life. "Please"

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When i Survey The Wondrous Cross

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"When i Survey The Wondrous Cross" is one of the classic hymns we use at Shallowater UMC to worship God Quality audio postings of classic hymns in simple, co...