tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59910451104975778432024-02-08T15:23:42.289-05:00Loving God, Loving All, Join The Journey (Mark 12:28 - 34) Do you long to hear God's voice? Not an audible sound that only a few experience, but God's voice coming into your heart and mind? We all have a longing for something beyond ourselves, so the desire to hear God's voice and feel His presence is quite normal. This connection does not happen unless we are in a position to listen. God in His grace has made it possible for us to hear His voice in a variety of ways. God's already speaking to us. All we need to do is listen, listen, love, love. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.comBlogger469125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-6648481483077528142014-03-18T12:55:00.001-04:002014-03-18T12:55:36.231-04:00A Prayer Request Because One Day a Sower was Observed To Be Sowing His Fields... A World Wide Prayer Request: One Day A Sower Was Observed As He Sowed His Seed. <br />
<br />
Devotional Reading: Matthew 13:1 - 9 <br />
<br />
Well, it has been five months since I have last posted to my Blog. It has been a long time since I have found the time to be able to sit down at my computer to jot down some thoughts in the name of God. The long and the short of it is that over the course of the past year, I become more and more heavily engaged in actively participating in the Kairos Prison Ministry (http://kpmifoundation.org/index.php) here in the state of Maryland where I reside (http://www.marylandkairos.org/). From March 27 - 30, 2014, I will be going 'inside' Maryland Correctional Institute (men) Jessup for the third time in the past year with a group of 38 Christian men from across the denominational spectrum to share with the 42 in house resident participants, the awesome grace and agape love of God over a 72 hour period.<br />
<br />
Three years ago a seed was sowed in me by a very good friend of mine who is now leading the team in. He told me "It would be wonderful if I would go to prison with him one day." We spent the next three days together and all he could talk about is how wonderful it would be to join him in prison!" I can guess what you might be smiling about right now because it was the same thing I was smiling about ...he wanted me to become his cohort, his confidant in planning in and carrying out some crime spree, throw our 10 commandments tablets down like Moses did at Mount Sinai, and engage in some wild (and illegal) revelry! I could tell he was being quite serious about his intentions for my ruining my life. I tried to laugh it off politely, ignoring him and his scheming. However, it was just too late.<br />
<br />
I finally took him serious enough to ask him what he truly meant about joining him in prison. This is when he introduced to me the Kairos Prison Ministry program. He explained it to me in some detail. How a group of men enter into a Correctional Institution to minister to the residents there. What they did was spend 72 hours testifying to them of the love of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit they experienced in their own lives. At the end of the weekend, the resident participants had accepted the love of God into their hearts. To a man, they each professed Jesus Christ as their personal Savior! I was visibly stunned by this revelation. God goes into prisons? God's grace behind the razor wire? It was the last place I ever thought I would deliberately and/or intentionally find myself entering into.<br />
<br />
I took two classes in prison ministry, and found that God was repeatedly calling out to me, talking to me like He did Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1 - 10) though revelations and His holy Scriptures. Then I heard someone testifying to their own 'seeding' experience and I realized, that like Samuel, my heart was captured by God's voice calling out to me: "Here I am, Lord! Speak, for your servant is listening." One year ago, I participated in my first Kairos Inside Teaming experience at Jessup (MCI J #1). It was the most eye opening experience in my Christian journey. My previous expectations and those preconceived notions about the residents were transformed. I witnessed the agape love of Jesus Christ wholly transform the hardened life of a gang banger, someone struggling mightily with their belief.<br />
<br />
I went back a second time this past December (MCI J #2) and witnessed a 28 year old gang banger hardened by life on the streets of Baltimore, testify to just receiving a 50 year sentence, then instead of joining his 'gang in the yard' to continue his life of hardness, join us and then profess Jesus Christ as his personal Savior by the end of the weekend AT THE VERY REAL RISK OF HIS VERY LIFE!<br />
This was God at work in the life of these men incarcerated behind miles of razor wire and high walls. I had never seen the like of it before and I realized that if I had not been obedient to the call of God on my life I would have never seen it at all and inspired to change my heart about the current state of humanity, inspired to let God have more spirited access to my mind that it might be transformed too.<br />
<br />
But now the big question I feel I must answer. Why use the Parable of the Sower instead of the more familiar and traditional passage from Matthew 25:34 - 40? First: Prison Ministry is Ministry people might associate with anyone of the first three types of ground mentioned in the Parable associated with ground that is best left avoided. It is a difficult and highly challenging field to try and sow in. Most people would go straight to the types of soil that will yield 30, 60, 100 fold of God's blessings, will yield all kinds of very obvious and acceptable fruit for the onlookers to marvel and wonder at. But then I would have to call your attention to the third verse "Behold the sower went out to sow;" It is rather obvious by reading this passage that the Sower - God sowed His seed on ALL three grounds!<br />
<br />
Why would the three other soil types even be mentioned by God? Would it not simply be that much simpler on the hearts and hands and back of the readers of the future to go straight to the easy soil to immediately get their manifold blessings? I mean who of us or the ancient Israelite would start their fields deliberately in grounds that are manifestly unworkable or more difficult to work at all? Mission<br />
and ministry fields are no different than the types of soils mentioned. Some like Prison Ministry are genuinely overlooked because their soil is all rocky (high walls), or filled with 'birds' hovering around the prison yard stealing the hope of a life transformed by the Living Word and Agape' love of God. It is NOT mentioned nor implied by Jesus that these 'unworkable', 'undesirable' grounds not be worked.<br />
<br />
This is what we are doing at Jessup. Working those most difficult of soils to bear a harvest of souls for the Lord who is Salvation for all who come to know Him and confess Him as their own Savior! With God's grace and by His infinite mercy we starting the seeding process of a brand new garden in the Maryland Correctional Institute at Jessup. We plant the seed with the Living Word of God. We water the ground with the Living Water of Abundant life found only in and through Jesus Christ. It is here where I am asking the Body of Christ for support of our prayer vigil which is posted below. I am asking that members of the Body come together in 1/2 hour sacrifices of their time. One half hour in which they too may become participants in the preparation of the hardened soils (participants hearts).<br />
<br />
http://www.3dayol.org/Vigil/GetVigil.phtml?pvid=8990&commid=1937<br />
<br />
Thank you all for your prayerful attention and consideration.<br />
<br />
Tom Meyer<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8rOoqzVLkw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8rOoqzVLkw</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-55253069300512297662013-10-17T08:52:00.002-04:002013-10-17T08:52:37.500-04:00 "Every Man Shall Take For Himself A Lamb..."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 343: "Every Man Shall Take For Himself A Lamb..."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 12, John 1:29 - 34<br /> <br />
Breakthrough to blessing! Household Salvation! God has a plan for your
family and neighbors. Your salvation is just the beginning of a great
flood of grace that will sweep them into the kingdom. Are you getting
excited yet? Why not? The good news of your salvation, your families, your neighbors is one of those occasions that absolutely must be celebrated with the utmost energy. God has given your pharaoh the beat down of his royal life. God has set into motion the time when your redemption, your salvation draweth nigh. Your
breakthrough is now but a short time away. It is Gospel news that is
simply too big to contain!<br /> <br /> The gospel is of salvation is simply
too big for you alone. You have a calling to bring the message of
salvation to those who need help. You are called to bring the
message of salvation through the blood of the Lamb. The blood of Jesus
Christ slain for the sins of the world. The Lamb of God. Today, I am
excited to be focused on Jesus as the Lamb. Jesus is the lamb slain
before the foundation of the world. Even before God began to construct
creation, he made provision for the sins of a fallen race. He made
provision for a Lamb for you, me, all of our families, and our neighbors. Come one! Come all! There is a Lamb for everyone!<br /> <br />
Fasten your seat belts everybody. This is about to get even more
exciting (if that were possible). God "himself" provided the lamb. The
word "himself" is so significant. God "himself" sent his own lamb to die
for the sins of this world. This sacrifice came from Him. It was no
accident that God distracted Abraham to see the ram was in the thicket.
God provided the sacrifice. Just as Abraham offered his only son, so
too, God himself provided the sacrifice of His one and only son on our
behalf. It was no accident that God wanted us to see the ram too. A free
offer of salvation is no accident. God is inviting each of us to make a
choice!<br /> <br /> Jesus Christ is our only hope of salvation. He is
God’s Lamb offered for the sins of the world. However, Jesus’ blood
saves only when it is applied to our lives. For those who reject the
blood, even the Lamb of God cannot save them. If you want to experience
freedom from bondage and avoid the sure judgment of God, the Lamb’s
blood must be applied over the door of your heart. When God looks down
from heaven, the only thing that matters is that he sees the blood of
the Lamb applied to the doorposts of your heart. When you know the Lamb,
you will follow Him! You will boldly declare; "behold the Lamb of
God...."<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Lord God, Open mine eyes that I may see the Lamb of God who came for me. Open mine heart that I may finally receive the truest
depths of His message of salvation through the sight of His blood which
was shed for me. Open mine mouth that I may declare before mankind
that there is for them an avenue for breakthrough to Your divine
blessings, a true path to salvation for all. Every man must make a
choice. "Every man shall take for himself a Lamb..." "As Every man
must pour out upon his heart the life blood of the Lamb." Every man must
also paint the doorways of his heart with the life blood of the Lamb.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkV5iZBTNYrk&h=nAQE3Pn5xAQHtYBdBKIBtdKfxeH5lH11PV1kBQp0Gzclo2g&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV5iZBTNYrk</a><br /> The Stand - Hillsong<br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com&h=1AQH1uXdEAQGFR7XYKj5oGEK8Ad0F-XQAm1vvm2ZolGx_2A&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a><br />
The Stand - Hillsong The full lyrics are in the video.
---------------------------------------- I'll stand with arms high and
heart abandoned In</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_0_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/tom.meyer.167/posts/10201632391323876" id="u_0_3" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAzOPd_T9pFP9yu&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FkV5iZBTNYrk%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV5iZBTNYrk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>The Stand - Hillsong</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
The
Stand - Hillsong The full lyrics are in the video.
---------------------------------------- I'll stand with arms high and
heart abandoned In </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-59991325417673079702013-10-15T09:02:00.000-04:002013-10-15T09:02:11.654-04:00Day 342: “I Have Been A Sojourner In A Foreign Land.”<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 342: “I Have Been A Sojourner In A Foreign Land.”<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 2:11 - 23<br /> <br />
In difficult times difficult people tend to think with great
difficulty. When times get genuinely tough some pretty wild and strange
things can happen to the gifted quick witted quicker thinking quickest
acting mind. Something happens and there just never seems to be any real
answer for why this takes place. The usual daily walk of "me,
myself and I" suddenly becomes face to face with the reality of the
brick wall you never paid any attention to before. Smack! All of a
sudden your life is flat on its backside. You look up with that "deer in
the head light look" A Revelation has struck! "I have been a sojourner
in a foreign land!"<br /> <br /> "You are no longer in Kansas!" "This is no longer your parents home!" "The time has come to sow your own wild oats!" "Go West young man!" However it is for you, however you cliche' it, all of a sudden you wake up and discover
that it is now time to establish yourself in the world and too in God's
kingdom. What an adjustment! What a transition! What a
transformation! Off to College. Off to a new job in a new market. Off to
Military Basic Training. Relationships are falling apart, marriages are
in the painful throws of separation and divorce. Loved ones<br /> are at great risk of dying in wars on foreign soil. Workers are being furloughed.<br /> <br /> God never promised us a life of ease. We had trouble even before we believed, and it is entirely possible that the sum total of our trouble may exponentially increase
by many orders of magnitude. You have probably noticed that. It is not
an obscure fact about this world. The sudden or subtle arrival of trials
will absolutely complicate our lives and this pain, not being prejudice, touches each of us.
Sometimes that gets discouraging. I will sometimes get locked into the
notion that God is not "in Kansas anymore!" When we are muddling and
sojourning through the foreign lands of hardships, and more hardships
strikes, we often lose heart, losing our sight of God's heart.<br /> <br /> It can feel incredibly overwhelming. But please do not lose heart. We were not redeemed by God from our sojourn in Egypt for a life of comfort. At
least not yet. The world and its troubles cannot crush the Holy Spirit
within you. It tries, but it can never be successful. It is simply
impossible for the temporary things of this life to overcome the
eternal things of God. For the finite to overcome the infinite, the
eternal or for the darkness to overcome, shroud the glory of God. When
trials suddenly or subtly strikes us at our weakest points, God does not
leave us stranded to sojourn in foreign lands. God's might shall lead
us through!<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Psalm 121<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw3DYtZCOyc" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=mw3DYtZCOyc</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_9a_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_9a_3" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQCn2DgVtvuFZWSp&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fmw3DYtZCOyc%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw3DYtZCOyc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>"The Old Rugged Cross Made..." By The Gaither Vocal Band</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
amazing song</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-43978625430815747662013-10-14T08:14:00.000-04:002013-10-14T08:14:05.480-04:00Day 341: "So That Your Ox And Your Donkey May Rest,"<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 341: "So That Your Ox And Your Donkey May Rest,"<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 23:10 - 12<br /> <br />
Well, it has been a couple of weeks since I have written anything. It
has been a tough couple of weeks to say the least. I have had to fight a
hard bronchitis that kept me doing more coughing than sleeping. Sleep
was coming at quite a premium so I just chose to take care of myself
which was something quite the challenge to do. I enjoy immensely this
opportunity to bring these insights to you from God's Hebrew Scriptures.
Under the previous conditions which I had compelled myself to write, I
had pushed myself hard each day to get up every morning to study and
write. Well, sometimes the ox and the donkey need rest.<br /> <br /> I think
I have something, but I will be painting in broad strokes so if it does
not apply to you then you can simply just pray for the rest of us because I
believe it will eventually apply to many who will come to read here
today. Not just for today, I would like to remind you of the importance
of SABBATH REST, specifically it is the importance of taking one Sabbath
day rest in seven as our Scripture text is recommending. I want to encourage you to give it a rest. I want to encourage you very strongly to give yourself permission to give yourself a much needed rest
from the circumstances in your life you are trying so desperately hard
to stay on top of.<br /> <br /> I want you to prayerfully consider Exodus
chapter 23 because it reveals to us the divinely practical wisdom of
SABBATH rest as part of specific Old Testament covenant
responsibilities. Since God rested after his work, he desires people to
rest after their work. The biblical view of the Sabbath rest therefore
strongly emphasizes God’s love and care for human beings. This recalls
Jesus’ teaching that "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the
Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). Can you see the limitless depths of the love
of God for us as expressed in the creation rhythm of work six days and
rest the seventh? Now, to what limitless depths do you love you?<br /> <br /> Our Lord is concerned
about our physical and emotional well-being just as he is deeply concerned for
our spiritual well-being. The land and the oxen and the donkey and the
slave and indeed we ourselves are created in such a way that we need to rest one day in seven that we MAY BE REFRESHED. This is not advice
that any one of us will be quick to listen to, probably even slower to
actually take it to heart and just do it. So, to all those engaging
readers out there who have ears to hear, choosing to go beyond just
listening to God's, Word, my friendly, my non-binding, my
non-legalistic, regular guy advice; Give an Ox (you) a REST!<br /> <br />
Let Us Pray: I awaken this day in the Light of God’s sacred love. God,
this day I renew my dedication to serve You by holding up this love as
my highest value. Only God’s love is holy. Only God’s love is sacred. Let me renew my devotion to the sacred every day. Let me remember the sacredness of this moment and
to treasure every moment as an open invitation to experience God’s
unfailing love. Lord God, call out for me when I am tired. Lord God,
shout out for me above the deafening din of my circumstances let me
take my Sabbath's rest with You.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DAbLPdZldTRQ&h=JAQFEv_fXAQHrndhs1qwDeJVc8bEw2VsMmUniLgeWtRfdxg&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=AbLPdZldTRQ</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_5w_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_5w_3" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAFrd6LwNTTSeYr&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FAbLPdZldTRQ%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbLPdZldTRQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>Resting Place - Brian Doerksen (Lyrics)</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span></div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-70029782819818540942013-09-25T08:35:00.000-04:002013-09-25T08:35:13.400-04:00Day 340: "...That He May Minister As Priest To Me."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 340: "...That He May Minister As Priest To Me."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 28, John 15:12 - 17<br /> <br />
Straight is the gate and narrow is the way and few there be that find
it. Ponder that statement for a moment. Just sit still for a time to
consider the depth of what that is saying to you as you walk your walk
and talk your talk. This devotion, based on the entrance of the High
Priest into the Holy of Holies explores the question, What are the
requirements for entering the presence of God? What are the requirements
for going where few have ever gone before? God had established a “Tent
of Meeting” where he would come down, dwell in the midst of his chosen
people. Every part of that building is designed by God. So, who then may
enter that he may minister as Priest to me?<br /> <br /> Consider the breadth of what is being described throughout Exodus 28. Moses wrote down in breathtaking detail every single part of that building which was
designed by God, who, inspired Moses to write down even the minutest
detail of how it was to be built, of the materials that were to be used,
the manner in which the all of work was to be completed. Our God is a
God of order and everything he does is meticulously planned and
executed. He leaves nothing left to chance, nothing to be questioned, nothing
is left unfinished. God is in all the details of our life. Repeat that
phrase over and over. Let it sink in deeper than ever before. Why? God
has chosen us to minister as His Priests!<br /> <br /> God is the one who
chose to come to sinful man, not the other way around. Man had no
thought of God and, even if the Children of Israel had desired to
approach God’s presence, there was simply no way to enter into his
spiritual realm, meet his highest demands for holiness and
righteousness. Man had zero chance to get close to God. I am personally "put through the floor" with disappointment when I read all of the "fine print" of this chapter. With such exacting detail, such an impossibly
high standard of appearance, such a rich array of clothes that I could
never hope to afford in several lifetimes. How may the ordinary everyday person ever hope to enter into God's presence?<br /> <br />
The Good News! God came to us. God continues to come to us. It was
God’s mercy, God's grace and God's love that brought about the establishment of a
“Tent of Meeting” where he could come to dwell and commune with man whom
God had created to worship, love and serve God. God chose the
Israelites just as God is still choosing people to serve him today. God
is still “Looking for a Few Good Men”; not good in the sense of holy or
righteous, or deserving of his grace, for not one of us will ever be
worthy. God is looking for a “good man” in the sense that He's
looking for a man who'll allow God to dwell within, desiring us to
become as much like God as a human being can become.<br /> <br /> Let Us
Pray: Psalm 8 ... "When I consider Your heavens, the works of Your
fingers,... What is man that You take though of him, and the son of man
that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!... O LORD, our Lord, How
majestic is Your name in all the earth! Amen<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dem55qFGQ-pk&h=dAQEm_X51AQFBl5IAFEdfLMRRQ5MlqTg4EVRMhmhmnyJQKA&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em55qFGQ-pk</a><br /> A Few Good Men live w/ Lyrics - Various Artists<br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com&h=SAQF3wZfHAQEMvjHOVEaVzfmqR8j5kS8qywfbuFuU_2zL0g&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a><br /> Various Christian Artists singing on a Grand Reunion with Gaither, Steve Green, etc.</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_0_2">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/tom.meyer.167/posts/10201467340477708" id="u_0_0" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQA8EcDauRTRStoy&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fem55qFGQ-pk%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em55qFGQ-pk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>A Few Good Men live w/ Lyrics - Various Artists</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Various Christian Artists singing on a Grand Reunion with Gaither, Steve Green, etc.</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-63832470838613433902013-09-24T08:45:00.001-04:002013-09-24T08:45:40.397-04:00Day 339: "Thus His Hands Were Steady Until The Sun Set."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_524186f317fc64427972828">
Day 339: "Thus His Hands Were Steady Until The Sun Set."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 17:8 - 20<br /> <br /> Well, it is sorta good to be back. I have spent the last four days on vacation with my wife. I <span class="text_exposed_show">took no computer with me and neither did she. What a truly glorious and blessed time it was. Her and her intense devotion to her school work and my own
intense devotion to bringing the Word of God to the breadth of the world
community who are drawn by God to read and give consideration to it. It was quite the adjustment to be without our technology, our link to the rest of the world and we did miss it to some degree. What we both really needed was a time of intense devotion to ourselves and utmost to our God. What we really needed was a break from life, we needed husband and wife time. We needed husband, wife and God time. We needed to re-experience, re-share with each other God's love for us!<br /> <br /> Our lives are so busy that often times we will feel like we are neglecting what is most important like our times of communication with God. Our husband and
wife time, our prayer time with each other, our devotion to our prayer
and share relationship with God are matters of the highest priority to
us. However, life and school and a host of <br /> other things, other distractions kept becoming inserted into the middle of it. We could feel it. We could could share it. We could pray about it. However, the
opportunity to do anything about was remarkably fleeting. Times never
quite meshed. Truth be told today, four days ago, I was not as devoted
to prayer as I would like to or should be.<br /> <br /> Perhaps this
devotion has more application to me than it does to anyone, because many
times I am speaking to myself. I do not dare to pretend to share what I
share and claim to have it all figured out or mastered. I do believe
that God answers prayer still today. I truly believe that people’s lives
and hearts can be transformed through prayer. I do believe that our
world can be turned right side up through prayer, but why is that we
don’t always pray like we should. Perhaps why prayer is so much a difficult thing; because it is a very unnatural thing. Like in the Scripture passage today, Moses could not keep his hands steady until the sun set. Like Moses, our arms get too tired.<br /> <br />
In much the same way that Aaron and Hur chose to devote themselves to
holding up Moses’ arms resulting in victory, when the people of God
choose to devote to lifting up theirs and each others arms and voices in
prayer, when the people of God choose to take the time away from the
battle raging front of them to supporting each others arms, helping them
keep their arms and hands steady until the sun set and beyond, their
enemies have no chance to win. The Bible never gives us a specific
command for how much time we should spend in prayer. The closest we come
is when it says, “pray without ceasing”. It's time well spent as God
steady's our arms through prayer.<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Psalm 66<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dde6wDgVziAE&h=EAQGZK-AOAQFLrdPcyEMr5sVoW8uuBYzcD5OwGsJNyOSkGw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=de6wDgVziAE</a></span></div>
</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_jsonp_22_13">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_jsonp_22_x" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAVYpA4w6W4e7RL&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fde6wDgVziAE%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de6wDgVziAE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>Hillsong Unites - Up In Arms with Lyrics - Acoustic Version</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Hillsong Unites Up In Arms with Lyrics Acoustic Version</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-78145465924159633942013-09-19T08:39:00.000-04:002013-09-19T09:11:53.060-04:00Day 338: “Fear Not, Stand Firm, And See The Salvation Of The Lord,..."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 338: “Fear Not, Stand Firm, And See The Salvation Of The Lord,..."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 14:10 - 15<br /> <br />
The children of Israel have just been delivered from the strong,
oppressive hand of Pharaoh. God with a mighty deliverance has brought
them out of Egypt the land of slavery and oppression. They had started
their journey energized with high hopes and higher yet perhaps more
somber expectations toward the land that God had promised. They have
marched only a few days and suddenly they seem to be stopped in their
journey. They have encamped by the sea. Before them is the great Red
Sea, on one side of them is a mountain, behind them are Pharaoh and his
army closing in fast. On the surface it seems they're hopelessly
trapped, apparently there was no way out.<br /> <br /> But in the midst of chaos and confusion (isn't there always a lot of this going around?) the people come to Moses and begin to cry out to him, and as they cry
to him Moses goes to God and he says God, what do you want me to do?
They are getting ready to stone me, what in the world do you want me to
do? Nowhere to go! The only answer<br /> in front of you is drowning in the sea of chaos and confusion and we know that is not an option for obvious reasons. What do we do? Turn around, go back to
where we came from saying "Well, at least I had something to look
forward to, however bad it was for me?" "Fear not, Stand firm, Look
forward, and See the Salvation of the Lord!"<br /> <br /> Israel had trusted
God for their deliverance but not for their circumstances. But this is
not new. David despaired and said, “I will perish one day at the hands
of Saul.” Elijah hid in a cave and asked to die (1 Kings 19:4). If we
are Christians, we have trusted him to save us from sin but all too
often we wont trust him with our circumstances.<br /> There are lots of
things that cause us not to trust. We are diagnosed with a disease for
which treatment requires making major life altering decisions or there
is no cure. We have more month that we do money, we get behind on paying
the bills. We have a child who is more about rebellion. We loose our
job. So, just where is our trust in God placed?<br /> <br /> God tells Moses, there's not
but one thing to do, get up and GO FORWARD! I did not bring you out to
take you back; I didn’t bring you out to leave you now. I didn’t bring
you out to camp here, this is not the land I promised you. There is so
much more!! There is nothing to go back to. All that is left is to GO
FORWARD! The Lord would tell us today, there is nothing to go back to.
If you go back you will be destroyed or have to return to slavery. If
you do not pull up stakes now you will probably be destroyed. The best
thing for you to do is GO FORWARD! Set your eyes upon the impassable sea and GO FORWARD! “Fear Not, Stand Firm, And Witness The Salvation Of The Lord..."<br /> <br />
Let Us Pray: (Psalm 27:3 - 6) "Though a host encamp against me, my
heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I
shall be confident. One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall
seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple. For in
the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret
place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. And now
my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer
in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing
praises to the Lord." In Jesus' name, Amen!<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzplX5FDDuH0&h=_AQFTUMb-AQFPTuL7_55Oo_VgejJmmVhkRT-TBBfMnSqnIg&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zplX5FDDuH0</a><br /> Where I belong- Building 429 lyrics<br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com&h=OAQFr5llEAQGh09AdAiUzx5VAXI5DuI6iRHlK8VoF1Bkifw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a><br />
No copyright infringement intended. Just a fan-made video. Love this
song and the band. One of my new favorite songs! For this world is not
our</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_0_2">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/tom.meyer.167/posts/10201424652610538" id="u_0_0" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQCnrcFimFZt1Vt9&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FzplX5FDDuH0%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzplX5FDDuH0&h=5AQHP3Aal&enc=AZOOGYLQHVp2qITpS82c81vCdF7NWuHRU2zUCBS8ueThYvqthV_zIdJBfy2sIS-az4_697YCxiZ_jVIL-o3hHDFRPlhuTOmdRaRSDYH1SJ_yTRpfshdK5d14dzO8399Gn4tf_guaMoL5Q2m-U9KKJyCd&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br />
<div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzplX5FDDuH0&h=5AQHP3Aal&enc=AZOOGYLQHVp2qITpS82c81vCdF7NWuHRU2zUCBS8ueThYvqthV_zIdJBfy2sIS-az4_697YCxiZ_jVIL-o3hHDFRPlhuTOmdRaRSDYH1SJ_yTRpfshdK5d14dzO8399Gn4tf_guaMoL5Q2m-U9KKJyCd&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Where I belong- Building 429 lyrics</b> </a></div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzplX5FDDuH0&h=5AQHP3Aal&enc=AZOOGYLQHVp2qITpS82c81vCdF7NWuHRU2zUCBS8ueThYvqthV_zIdJBfy2sIS-az4_697YCxiZ_jVIL-o3hHDFRPlhuTOmdRaRSDYH1SJ_yTRpfshdK5d14dzO8399Gn4tf_guaMoL5Q2m-U9KKJyCd&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span></a><br />
<div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzplX5FDDuH0&h=5AQHP3Aal&enc=AZOOGYLQHVp2qITpS82c81vCdF7NWuHRU2zUCBS8ueThYvqthV_zIdJBfy2sIS-az4_697YCxiZ_jVIL-o3hHDFRPlhuTOmdRaRSDYH1SJ_yTRpfshdK5d14dzO8399Gn4tf_guaMoL5Q2m-U9KKJyCd&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">No
copyright infringement intended. Just a fan-made video. Love this song
and the band. One of my new favorite songs! For this world is not our
permanent hom...</a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DzplX5FDDuH0&h=5AQHP3Aal&enc=AZOOGYLQHVp2qITpS82c81vCdF7NWuHRU2zUCBS8ueThYvqthV_zIdJBfy2sIS-az4_697YCxiZ_jVIL-o3hHDFRPlhuTOmdRaRSDYH1SJ_yTRpfshdK5d14dzO8399Gn4tf_guaMoL5Q2m-U9KKJyCd&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-50906700768008486442013-09-18T08:20:00.000-04:002013-09-18T08:20:32.261-04:00Day 337: "I Carried You On Eagles’ Wings And Brought You To Me."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 337: "I Carried You On Eagles’ Wings And Brought You To Me."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 19:4 - 6<br /> <br />
Let me tell you of the safety and protection that you get from another
source, the Lord says, ‘I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to
Myself.” Let God tell us of the safety and protection He affords to
us. Safety and protection from the Lord our God. I say to that a whole
lot of very serious 'Amen's'. God bore us away on wings of a great
eagle. Swooped down upon us and as neat and smooth as you please, picked us up
right out of our worldly circumstances and concerns. Bore us aloft to
His Mountain on wings that would never break nor shatter nor die, they would carry and keep you and me safe forever. Why does God talk so much about eagles while talking of strength?<br /> <br />
I looked it up. The eagles’ feathers are lightweight, hollow and
flexible, yet also very strong, they protect the bird from weather,
including excessive heat, cold winds and snow. The eagle also has a
truly sharp eye and with four to eight times the resolving power of a
person’s eye. It can spot it’s prey nearly a mile away, from an altitude
of 1,000 feet. Likewise, our Lord would in advance target your enemy,
pick you up and will hide you under the shelter of His Wings. Amen! God
spots the trouble in our lives from the very deepest outposts of eternity. Without hesitation, will swoop down from those deepest outposts when we cry unto Him from the miry pit we have fallen into!<br /> <br />
You may wonder to yourself, between you and your spouse, between you
and your friends or co-workers why seemingly out of nowhere a whole
array of circumstances suddenly throws your life out of kilter. You
are laid off or fired from your work. The brakes, engine or transmission
in your car chooses that moment to fail. You are a child who is
incessantly bullied and teased and mocked at school. Sudden violence
comes to your doorstep. House burns down, family and friends turn on
you, betray you. You are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. You suddenly
find yourself homeless. You go to your Doctor, they tell you that your life is now being impacted by cancer.<br /> <br />
Psalm 91:1, 4 says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty… He shall cover you with
His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.” Some of you
may be going through the wilderness of sickness, discouragement, death
of a loved one, financial stress and much more. I have come to tell you
today that He would bare you on His wings and carry you to a safe place
very soon. Read today's verses again and again. Cry out to God, and pray
them through. Let me tell you of the safety and protection that you get
from another source, the Lord says, ‘I bore you on eagles’ wings and
brought you to Myself.” Amen!<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Psalm 90 "A Prayer Of Moses, The Man Of God". Followed by Psalm 91.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJQq3vGvhyGc&h=HAQGRXYwIAQF-7ztrN54WNbYtnuiSAJ3yzmJhNbmdm51zZw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=JQq3vGvhyGc</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_8w_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_8w_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQBxQOkG8_j1nCzs&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FJQq3vGvhyGc%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQq3vGvhyGc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>I Can Feel You - Bethel Music/Jenn Johnson (Worship song with Lyrics) 2013 New Album</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Bethel Music - I can feel You, Featuring Jenn Johnson, Album: Tides, Year: 2013 To purchase </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-90689217022852318512013-09-17T09:00:00.000-04:002013-09-17T09:00:07.236-04:00Day 336: "Now Then, If You Will Indeed Obey My Voice..."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 336: "Now Then, If You Will Indeed Obey My Voice..."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 19:1 - 9<br /> <br />
All that God ever requires of us is that we make a commitment. All that
God will ask of us is to freely give, freely surrender all of who we
are and have ever been, all of who ever we will ever become in this
earthly life He has gifted to us is this: To Climb God's Mountain as
often as He, God requires it of us. Age not withstanding, physical
limitations not withstanding. Height of Mountain not withstanding. Your
own struggling hearts desires to remain behind and just brush God
off not withstanding. He, God is saying to us in no uncertain terms, "you'll
make the commitment to climb up to Me, do it!" "Now Then, If You Will Indeed Obey My Voice..." If indeed we will commit to God...!<br /> <br />
If indeed we will fully commit ourselves to God... If indeed we will
commit to moving beyond the limitations we have committed ourselves to
live within... If indeed we will commit ourselves to believe there
is more to just living our lives than just living out our lives... If we
are indeed ready to commit ourselves to brush off the dust of what we
have become trying to do our own thing in our own way... If we will
indeed make the commitment to wipe the sleep and complacency of this world from our own eyes we'll see that "Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from
the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell
the sons of Israel:" If we...!<br /> <br /> If indeed you will, In the
midst of committing to your daily lives, the incessant outflow of
useless energy devoted to attending to your own turmoil, you'll choose
to commit to diverting, sharing and channeling this incessant outflow of
turmoils very useless energies to lifting your eyes, focusing your ears
raising your voice to God's voice ... If you commit to doing all that
what could, will you learn about your truest relationship with God? First, is that it requires a lot of energy, a lot of focus, a lot of surrendering, a lot of re-learning, a lot of re-living, a lot of turning ourselves around - "about faces." Basically, a lot of everything we would probably choose to never do without incentive. <br /> <br /> If indeed we will ever choose to commit to giving up so much of ourselves, human nature says that there had better be significant incentives, substantial rewards for doing so. When you commit to listening, to obeying God you should expect the Lord
to call you to something grand and lofty. You should expect God to
challenge us and to call us to something higher than ourselves. You
should expect God to call you to Mountains you would otherwise
never give yourself consent to climbing. God asked the Israelites to
commit to doing something great. They did ... they committed to lives of
grumbling against God, 40 years of stumbling around in the wilderness.
Your commitment IS...?<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: (Psalm 24:3) "Who may
ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place?Lord
God, which of Your children shall come to choose to commit themselves
fully to you? Should it be I, Lord? Is it I, Lord? Will it be I, Lord?
Let the Living Words of Your Scriptures reach out to me. Let them reach
out to those areas of my life which I need to re-share with you through
prayer and refocus and redirect toward You that You, through Your Son
Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit may subtly or not so subtly re-guide me
back to You. Lord, I pray, Lord, that You will show me where I need to
recommit myself to climbing, re-climbing Your Mountain to stand in Your
presence. I Pray, Lord, Help me to give, to surrender myself fully back
to You.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbBC0c3ei5vc&h=jAQGaZY5oAQGGo3Zr27YBmyx7qPXzmnc6W1H7M_Aiur0l0Q&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=bBC0c3ei5vc</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_a9_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_a9_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQDt93kgBctIySY0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FbBC0c3ei5vc%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBC0c3ei5vc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>"I Give Myself Away" WILLIAM MCDOWELL LYRICS</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
NEW:"Tyrone Went to Hell"-Updated-A Former Pimps Trip to Hell & Back click link below to see </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-81184022791744197202013-09-16T08:46:00.003-04:002013-09-16T08:46:59.997-04:00Day 335: "Who Am I, Lord, That I Should Go...?"<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 335: "Who Am I, Lord, That I Should Go...?"<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 3:10 - 14, Ephesians 2:4 - 10<br /> <br />
One of God's truly great promises of redemption by grace revealed in
this one verse, (10)"Therefore, come now, and I will send you to
Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of
Egypt.” I prayerfully ask each of you to consider this awesome verse as
you go through this coming week. God's call on Moses' life, God's call
on your life. The presence of God is right there before you with the
free offer of your redemption by His grace alone. Up close and personal,
His great arm is around your shoulder, pulling you, drawing you and me
into this time of divine conversation. God is taking control. When one's life is spiraling in complacency, God takes control.<br /> <br /> I have a distinct memory of studying this story as a teenager in Hebrew school. I was in the midst of a very bad time in my life having been bullied from
seemingly every which direction I could look. I had no friends. Nobody
was going out of their way to try to befriend me. Even the principal and
the teachers at the synagogue were going out of their way to express
their displeasure at my being there. "You do not belong here" was a
phrase that unfortunately I became quite accustomed to. Except for a
kind and compassionate Rabbi named Isaac Klein, a Cantor named Daniel
Gildar, I had zero to look forward to by being there. So I cried, "Who
Am I, Lord, that I should go there?"<br /> <br /> I was a Christian who had
been converted to Judaism then. Now being Christian and studying God's
living word in Exodus, like a light bulb going on, I suddenly realized that
virtually every detail of God's redemption story, every detail of God's
deliverance of His people was dramatically, thunderously, summarized
by (4-6) "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with
which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made
us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),." It was one of those moments of stunning enlightenment that has permanently affected my understanding of my relationship with God. It was Moses then. Now, it is me and you.<br /> <br />
God created us for companionship and to live in community with each
other. God is love. He created us to love and be loved. God does not
want us to be separated from Him. He wants us to be a vital,
functioning member of His body. God called Moses to bring the Hebrews
out of Egypt, offer them a covenant, a promise. First they needed a
"first responder." Somebody who could and would tell them a story of their OWN
redemption by God's hand alone. Throughout Scripture, God sent many men
and women, used their redemption stories, their friendship with Him to
spread the good news. I am one God's "first responders" today. Who Am I that the Lord should send me? I am Redeemed!!<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Spend quality prayer time with the words of King David from Psalm 25. I encourage you to take the time to consider the implications that
David's profound words have on your life today. Beginning with "To You, O
Lord, I lift up my soul..."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DBJ4jOX6f_1s&h=5AQHP3AalAQHA-maFvWJBkPJorf8d5gVpGw-39fE8e-HoYg&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ4jOX6f_1s</a><br /> Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave (with lyrics)<br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com&h=gAQHWE9DsAQGw0_Aa2MxwU8hsXPljEVaa8Xd_UaVfsRPuFw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a><br /> "Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies."</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_0_2">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/tom.meyer.167/posts/10201405517572174" id="u_0_0" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQC2E9asBDFhFKVb&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FBJ4jOX6f_1s%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DBJ4jOX6f_1s&h=CAQGYn0O4&enc=AZO0vL-Hrqhfku11QEVdAybeAL_L3k8tJQutZUy-pMACebLqBOCX-Ei-96K4CS7ZkGI_WuJf8Qe39jsxoGalLdndAUvFpCylCXXDzTFqGPaSOxgQwOBkAQ4m5mToxUancZBN-p9pcVcELyJFjDD73JFs&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave (with lyrics)</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
"Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies." </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-59546592582597007572013-09-13T08:49:00.001-04:002013-09-13T08:49:36.519-04:00Day 334: "Now Therefore Go, And I Will Be With Your Mouth"<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 334: "Now Therefore Go, And I Will Be With Your Mouth"<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 3:1 - 14; 4:1 - 17<br /> <br />
In the course of my studies of the Book of Exodus I came across this
quote, "God’s will done in God’s way will not lack God’s support!" I
went back and re-read the story of Moses standing before God on the mountain trying to beat back the will of God with an array of one excuse after the other why he was not the one to return to Egypt to <br /> deliver God's people from bondage. I got to thinking about the reasons that Moses used trying so hard to get out of going. Why is it that we ourselves refuse to listen to our parents or our teachers our supervisors when they say go and do this
and go and do that? Perhaps he just wasn't so eager to feel like he was
prepared to be volunteered.<br /> <br /> And so when there is a need, when
somebody seems to believe we should volunteer, what goes on in our
own minds? What stirs in our memories? When it is time to step up and meet a
challenge, we think we should, but we hope we don’t have to. We think
we maybe could, but then we suspect maybe we couldn’t. When it is time
to be really<br /> available, we know we know deep in our hearts that
sincerely we shouldn’t feel this way, but we do want to say, “please
send someone else.” Anyone but me, please. I know these lines very well
from 18 years in the Navy and the Army where the first thing you hear
from anybody is never volunteer and never let yourself be volunteered.<br /> <br />
Moses had lived a rather unusual life. In fact, it was nothing short of
a miracle that he was alive at all. Born into slavery, into a Hebrew
family at a time when the powers that be in Egypt were threatened by
the strength of their slaves, Moses should have been destroyed, along
with a host of other young boys. But he was not. By the grace of God and
the ingenuity of his mother, he was given not only his life, but was
also an exceptional training, right in Pharaoh’s palace. Moses, like
a lot of people, then made a mistake. A big mistake. Not just any
little boo-boo, but a significant, life - changing blunder. He killed a
man. Now it was time for Moses to come face to face with God.<br /> <br />
God had other things in mind for Moses. God wanted Moses to volunteer to
free His people. God expected Moses to be available for liberation.
Moses knew he should be available, and so he spoke up, “Here I am”. And
yet at the same time Moses was not so sure he really wanted to be a
volunteer. Even while the words, “Here I am” were coming out of Moses’
mouth, he felt self-doubt, felt uncertainty, he felt unreadiness. I am
prepared to say that doubting ourselves is actually a very valuable part
of being available for God’s causes. Moses doubted himself; that’s a
good thing. It made him available to be used of God, not for himself,
but volunteered for God’s very own purposes.<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: God, I sit here believing I am prepared to be volunteered for service to your kingdom. Like Moses, I have much trepidation even when I am full in your great presence. I am eager to engage in the calling you have set aside for
me, but I am also quite scared because I believe more in the power and
might of my frailties than in your strength, in your grace, in your
infallible unfailing promises. Nobody can truly be totally prepared,
totally ready to give of themselves completely to the service of your
kingdom, for man is ever to be more determined to be and remain bogged
down in their own ways. It is always so much more of a struggle for
us to believe we should simply disengage from the world we have made and crafted with our own two
hands. To simply volunteer to just tear ourselves down that we might
somehow allow you the time to build us back up is inconceivable. God, I pray that you'll set my confidence on a rock that will always be higher than I.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxzQwqpjHQV0&h=DAQEUpauwAQF0NQqbp0HEjgH6943gc3VA9W2Fzw0I0nj6xw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=xzQwqpjHQV0</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_9y_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_9y_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAEH7l5kIeKxx-M&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FxzQwqpjHQV0%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzQwqpjHQV0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>More love more power-Lyrics</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
More love more power by Michael W.Smith</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-61871320054980867122013-09-12T08:31:00.001-04:002013-09-12T12:25:36.130-04:00Day 333: God Asks, “What Is That In Your Hand?”<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 333: God Asks, “What Is That In Your Hand?”<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 4:1 - 13, John 14:12 - 14<br /> <br />
"It is out of my hands now!" "I wash my hands of this matter!" "I want
nothing more to do with it!" "I have done the best I could and nothing
has worked!" "I am done with it, let it be gone from my sight!" "I
will hear no more of this troublesome matter!" "I do not have the
skills!" "What if nobody believes me?" I guess by now you can figure out
where this is going. There are times in our lives when those words
become so real to us. There are other times when all we want to count on
is – How many times someone has failed us, or hurt us? How many times a
promise has been made but just not kept? How many times have we been the
perpetrator? In my hands are my failures!<br /> <br /> We remind ourselves
that we have done all we know to do. We become frustrated with something
or someone and we tell ourselves there really is nothing else we can
do. How often do we simply say to ourselves, “It’s out of my hands!” How many
times do we simply look at our hands and only visualize the failures we've crafted with them? Oh, we did know success. In fact our hands have
crafted many inspired successes. We stood tall in the courts of 'Pharaoh'. My hands have crafted great victory from great defeat. However, I have fallen and fallen hard. Before me now when I look at my hands I see only the Egyptian task masters blood on my hands. I can simply see only my shortcomings.<br /> <br />
Just how much more like Moses are we? Moses left Egypt behind. Wandered
through the great wilderness wondering what is next for him. Tormented
by his past successes and greater still by his fall from the throne of
Egypt. He has spent 40 years in Midian trying to reconstruct, redeem and
resurrect his life through quietly raising his family in relative
obscurity. Then the burning bush and now God is calling him out. Moses
is listening. So are we when we recount the works of our hands over the course of our lives. Not an easy thing to do. Not a very desired thing to do. In my
minds eye when I look at the works of my hands, I simply see not so much that
God should be too confident using.<br /> <br /> What do you see when you look at
the works of your hands? What are your hands telling you? If you were
to have a conversation with them, what would they honestly say back to you? Moses', looking at his hands received a vote for 'no confidence here'! My hands hear these words “What if they will not believe me or listen to
what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’” I
hear these words and can only look at my hands to listen all too well to
what they are saying to me. "Nope!" "I want nothing more to do with it!" "I have done the best I could and nothing has worked!" God interrupts Moses, us. Behold your hands now. God is about to do a greater work!<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Pray tell me God, just what can you possibly do with hands like mine?<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D2pbyRNOYkqc&h=eAQEo0uU1AQGR86d5u9YdEcklCGM6ozlgiy3Pp69-Bh05Sg&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pbyRNOYkqc</a><br /> Shout to the lord By: Christ Tomlin with lyrics<br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com&h=YAQGOQdvjAQFy8aoScQDPb9UkO_orwMa6HJDH4o8Fsn4Cbg&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a><br /> Shout to the lord by chris tomlin Pleas leave a comment , and god bless you I do not own this</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_0_2">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/tom.meyer.167/posts/10201377186143906" id="u_0_0" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAMQO4YlGXamZAy&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F2pbyRNOYkqc%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pbyRNOYkqc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br />
<div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pbyRNOYkqc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Shout to the lord By: Christ Tomlin with lyrics</b> </a></div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pbyRNOYkqc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span></a><br />
<div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pbyRNOYkqc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shout to the lord by chris tomlin Pleas leave a comment , and god bless you I do not own this music</a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pbyRNOYkqc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-16600568484102333732013-09-11T08:35:00.000-04:002013-09-11T08:35:05.918-04:00Day 332: "Now A New King Arose Over Egypt,"<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3,"tn":"K"}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 332: "Now A New King Arose Over Egypt,"<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 1:8 - 32<br /> <br />
This devotion is one of encouragement to those who are going through
tough times. When it seems as though there is no way out of a situation
and everything is closing in on you, you can rest assure that God is
just a whisper away to help you. There is a great chain attached to all
of our spirits. I call this chain the fear of being free. The <br /> fear
of learning how to live in the freedom that God offers to us. Learning
to live in freedom is one of the hardest things we will ever do. The
Hebrew slaves in Exodus never learned to live as free people, many of us
today struggle with that as well. The fear that is caused by the
realization that we have complete freedom through Christ.<br /> <br /> This
complete freedom is terrifying to people, so we will act in all kinds of
ways that deny our freedom. We blame others for our unhappiness. We say
things like “I had no choice,” when actually we have tons of choices.
We claim that others made us do this or that, when every single thing we
do is actually by our own choice. We are free<br /> to do anything we
wish to do, as long as we are willing to accept the consequences – and
it’s the consequences of living as free creatures that scares people
half to death. Examine and study for yourself the interaction between Pharaoh and the midwives. A choice - "if it is a boy - kill it, if a girl then let it live." A choice, defy Pharaoh and die!<br /> <br />
Ever thought about that before? Ever thought about the awesome responsibility
that comes with freedom, about how much courage it actually takes to
embrace your freedom and live as a free person? The freedom to
choose, remain in bondage, defy the king of Egypt and risk death or
(V.17) "But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt
had commanded them, but let the boys live." The Hebrew Midwives chose
to risk everything to live the free promise of life for the King of
Kings. Tied down to a life of bondage to an earthly king, they chose
to exercise their right of freedom to move beyond the harshness of
their life's circumstance. A new KING arose over Egypt, GOD!<br /> <br /> As
I said, learning to live in freedom, I think, is one of the hardest
things we will ever do. There’s a whole book of the Bible (called
Exodus) that’s about the struggle of an entire race of people to learn
to live in their new found freedom. Today for many of us we are ruled by
kings called addictions, bullying, violence, racism, poverty, hunger,<br />
oppression, threats of terrorism, traumatic memories of the events of
9/11/11. It is something that I and so many others struggle against,
living beyond these things that bind us to our chains of fear, living in the freedom freely offered to us by God our One and only true Eternal KING! How do we learn to freely accept God's freedom, overcoming ourselves?<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Psalm 17 (A prayer the Hebrew Midwives might have offered unto God)<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DNdbma-BQJK8&h=qAQEOePr1AQHeAX4OPFUANMh_cwJzRayCFOqsJWnCp36ubQ&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=Ndbma-BQJK8</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_a5_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_a5_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQCuk-um9vUC4RMO&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FNdbma-BQJK8%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndbma-BQJK8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>More to this Life by Steven Curtis Chapman</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span></div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-40675231580116367972013-09-10T08:35:00.003-04:002013-09-10T08:35:57.060-04:00Day 331: "God, Why Did You Ever Send Me?"<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 331: "God, Why did You Ever Send Me?<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 5:22 - 6:1 <br /> <br />
"You hit the nail right on the head, Son!" I do not know how many times
I heard that statement from my Dad. Identify a problem. Examine the
problem from all possible angles. Systematically, methodically, start
hammering away at it until the solution is found. Keep trying! Keep
struggling! There is a solution! Be confident, Son, you will eventually
discover the right solution to what ever the problem was. Keep hammering away at something like a nail on a 2x4 and it will go in eventually, guaranteed or you can give the wood back to the tree. Our lives are often like that nail that needs to be constantly pounded on by God. To do that I believe God allows struggle into our lives.<br /> <br />
Struggles are God’s hammers. They pound away at us causing us to think
right, live right, trusting in God's might. This is very important, if
it were not for the struggles we face, we never give a thought to God,
or the danger we are in as we live in this world. Moses was in a lot of
trouble. Things were not going very well for him or his people. Pharaoh
hardened his heart and told the people to make bricks without straw. For all of Moses' best efforts, all that seemed to get accomplished was
one trouble after the other. Each one successively worse than the
previous. People were hostile! The Good News: God can and will cause good things to come out of your Worst Struggles!<br /> <br />
Can you hear Moses' frustration? Can you identify with Moses' response
to that high grade frustration? God called Moses, Moses responded. This
no different than when God calls us and we respond. Moses was most diligent
in his efforts. He kept trying to work hard to bring success and glory to God and deliverance to God's people. Despite all of his best efforts the only result seemed to be a cascade of troubles, each worse than the one before. Can you hear Moses' cry in your own heart "Why did you
ever send me?" If all that was to be accomplished by my going was gloom,
despair, excessive misery, God, Why did you ever send me and You have not
delivered Your people at all.” <br /> <br /> One of the most important
lessons we need to learn, it is not an easy one, is that this life is
not our friend. Struggles teach us God's Truth about living this life in
response devoted to God's call. Remaining wholly faithful to God, His
mission and His call upon our lives despite all of the worst possible
circumstances that may arise from our very best efforts. Struggle, while
a difficult option for us to swallow or accept, is a means of grace
which God will use to mature us in the faith (Philippians 1:6; 3:12 -
16). Our motto should be “I live, therefore, I struggle.” All of us
struggle. It does not matter who we are, it does not matter how old we
are, or how rich we are. We all struggle.<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: God,
no one, no not one, including me has to tell you that your children are
struggling mightily everyday fulfilling their call upon their lives. We
hear the cry of Moses and the Israelites and each day they sound more
and more like our very own. We try hard to love you as you first loved
us when you brought us forth from the dust and first breathed life into
us. Fulfilling the call of love like yours in this day and age only
seems to yield a ceaseless array of struggles, each one worse than the
one before it. My God, "Why did you ever see fit to send me into the
fray called life?"<br /> <br /> I pray God, help us so to realize and
internalize that when we are commanded to do something by you, you have
already provided every internal and external resource necessary to carry
out that command, to meet each of the struggles head on and in your
name. Let us live out the struggle called of love with grace and
perseverance; <br /> "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ." "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye
steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:57 - 58)<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkRtFi2Mw-c8&h=-AQFVeXzAAQGib0oBlkBB6xpTwVygVtl_8ygYWbWrvbgUlg&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=kRtFi2Mw-c8</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_a0_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_a0_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAO7HAxlyonn3i2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FkRtFi2Mw-c8%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkRtFi2Mw-c8&h=cAQHRDa9Q&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>Your Love Never Fails | Jesus Culture</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
VERSE
1: Nothing can separate Even if I ran away Your love never fails I know
I still make mistakes But You have new mercies for me everyday Your </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-4688338944691362572013-09-09T08:52:00.002-04:002013-09-09T08:52:33.329-04:00Day 330: "Now You Shall See What I Will Do To Pharaoh;"<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 330: "Now You Shall See What I Will Do To Pharaoh;"<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 5:1 - 6:1<br /> <br />
Lately, I have been reading deeper into the book of Exodus. In my
reading, I noticed something strange, something that I had just not
taken the time fully realized before. Tell me what you think of this
observation. First, God has commanded Moses to go to Egypt, where he
had fled from years before, to go and risk his own life by confronting<br />
the Pharaoh. Then God turns around and says, in effect, “Oh, by the
way, Pharaoh is not going to listen to you.” Did you just hear a very
loud thud coming from Moses and his heart? First, whenever we do
something, we generally tend to do it the quickest, easiest, way. It
strikes me God is telling Moses to deliver His people by the hard way.<br /> <br /> I mean, people do not usually take the long way home on purpose. People do not, will not usually try to do things the hard way. We perhaps expect that if
God is calling us to do something for the benefit and blessing of His
kingdom, He is going to show us the easy path to grace and glory. Walk
in, Pharaoh yields just like that and out we will stroll out in
victory. God will go before us and ahead of us, clear away the mountains
and the valleys so the success of our journey is preordained to lead us
to a victorious outcome. Yes, expect troubles, tribulations, but God will show the easy way forward.<br /> <br />
Really? Are we who testify, witness, identify ourselves as Christians
this complacent in our journey of faith? Witness to such powerfully negative
verses like these from Exodus 5, bringing them ever forward into our own
contemporary lives when we ourselves become confronted by the
rigorous challenges of accomplishing the 'impossible' ~ “Thus says
Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. Go and get your straw yourselves
wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the
least.’” (10,11) We are called out to do the impossible, called out to
accomplish it but have our regular resources taken out from underneath
us? "But God?!" But God's word tells us; "Guess what, Life is not always going to listen to
you."<br /> <br /> Do we excuse ourselves from having to do the work God called us to do because the conditions for accomplishing victory in His name became impossible to overcome? Is God just the 'brick' we can just stockpile in reserve, that when needed we can pick up and launch through the plate glass window of 'impossibles' store front so we can loot<br /> and steal the supplies need to keep working? God is an absolutely essential resource! We can never do without God in our lives, nor should we ever try. We
know what we shall see what God will do to Pharaoh to gain deliverance
of His people. Perhaps God now desires to see "what I will do to Pharaoh" after God already hardens his heart!<br /> <br />
Let Us Pray: God, you have called us forth from day to day lives and
are sending us out into a world governed by "Pharaoh". You have heard
our myriad of excuses and you have humbled them through your expressions
of confidence in us. You have set us apart, you have pointed us in the
direction you want us to go and emboldened by<br /> your confidence in us,
we go forth in your name. Thanks be to God for this calling! Thanks be
to God for the confidence that you have in us to bring victory through
you! One thing concerns me though God, so what if I encounter the impossible challenge? <br /> <br />
What if the resources dry up? What if I encounter the 'hardest' of the
hard ways? I know you will always be there for me when I cry out to you,
you will never forsake me to ways of those who go to no end to freely
give me the greatest resistance. I desire nothing more than to see
victory and deliverance in your name. However, God<br /> I have a
question. In such a time as these, do I treat you as the 'brick' held
back in reserve? Pray tell me, Am I, or Do I, just pick you up throwing
you with all energies? God, do I just stop trying to be patient and resourceful? Do I just stop persevering? Help me to live the proper balance knowing "I AM that I AM" from "I am that I am."<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DalYxWu554ac&h=AAQEQgm1OAQE0reEf-GxbEPRyrM9uVwQtwykeibDPAeO8Fw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=alYxWu554ac</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_0_z">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/permalink/468037583303450/" id="u_0_x" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQDG3k3tyIK2tTDQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FalYxWu554ac%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DalYxWu554ac&h=hAQGmZOuD&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>God is God - Steven Curtis Chapman (lyrics)</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
No copyright infringement is intended.</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-40982351549811194452013-09-05T08:51:00.002-04:002013-09-05T08:51:53.770-04:00Day 329: You Shall Tell Them, "I AM Has Sent Me To You."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_522876fac5c9c7426680772">
Day 329: You Shall Tell Them, "I AM Has Sent Me To You."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 3:13 - 15<br /> <br /> God Himself initiated the first meeting with Moses when He called out his name three <span class="text_exposed_show">times to approach the burning bush. "Moses," "Moses," "Moses." Now,
substitute the name of Moses with your own and have someone repeat it
from another room from behind a closed door three times. Place yourself
in Moses' sandals as you consider what to do next. Was it perhaps "I must turn
aside now and see this marvelous sight," or was it perhaps something else
like dismissing or disregarding the calling of your name and going on
with your day to day life; "Nah, that wasn't God calling my name." Or
was it God who truly thrice called your name and you felt something else
going on inside of you?<br /> <br /> There are times when we simply hesitate to do God’s will because of feelings of inadequacy. Moses felt so completely inadequate to lead the children of Israel that
he had offered several excuses to God, but found God to be His
adequacy. A right concept of God is absolutely essential to our serving the
Lord with power, purpose and proper perspective. God not only
reminded Moses of His covenant promise to Abraham, but God used the name
I AM to teach him about his unchanging and need meeting nature. Let us
look at 1 aspect of God’s nature that prayerfully enhances our sense of power,
purpose, perspective. What can we who count ourselves Christians today be learning from this revelation?<br /> <br />
Essentially, the purpose of this meeting was God revealing His name to
Moses, to us. That sounds kind of strange at first because we are used
to a name being simply just a tag that we use to identify one person from
another. But in Holy Scripture, a name is in reality a description of a
persons character. The name is not just who they are, but what they are
like. Taking the time to notice what name is used by God when He is
thrice calling you out by name, I pray, will profoundly impact your reading and appreciation of
the Bible. The "I AM that I AM" teaches us GOD’S COMPLETENESS -
learning that whenever we are feeling inadequate, God is totally
sufficient, complete and adequate for all our needs.<br /> <br /> He
completes whatever we are lacking in may it be courage, wisdom or
ability, He is our great I AM. He gives us the authority to do things
that are far above and beyond the ability of human beings because He
enables us with His Holy Spirit. So, how many excuses did Moses
offer unto God as to why he was not the right person for the job called
him to do? How many do we offer up? It is so important to stop and
reflect on the name "I AM that I AM." With your eyes closed call out
this name three times. How do you feel now? Intentionally seeking to
personally know "I AM that I AM" in a more profound deeper sense we
ourselves experience and prayerfully appreciate God's completeness.<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Psalm 46<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1vtxpkJmxkA&h=KAQGo0PCRAQGqn9DPzB_QuGti2K_DtYRR5nGSu9vzuSchcA&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=1vtxpkJmxkA</a><br /> Here I am Lord- Lyrics<br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com&h=qAQEz_s3dAQF6UsmRl-o7RBYd4Dwel8A5AFlG8MDJtWXHHQ&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a><br /> Here I am Lord w/ lyrics. Hope you enjoy! And please subscribe and comment! </span></div>
</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_aq_2">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/" id="u_aq_1" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQATioCVDith-K1g&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F1vtxpkJmxkA%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vtxpkJmxkA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>Here I am Lord- Lyrics</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Here I am Lord w/ lyrics. Hope you enjoy! And please subscribe and comment! :)</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-43807399918057190352013-09-04T08:28:00.000-04:002013-09-04T12:29:14.249-04:00Day 328: "I Must Turn Aside Now And See This Marvelous Sight," <h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 328: "I Must Turn Aside Now And See This Marvelous Sight," <br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 3:1 - 15<br /> <br />
Today's reading is the familiar account of Moses' meeting God at the
burning bush. It was very important as Moses' first meeting with God,
but also foundational for future meetings that followed, his as well as
ours. This initial revelation began while Moses was in the desert
happily tending the flocks of his father - in - laws sheep. Moses was minding his own business. I suspect that upon first leaving (fleeing actually) Egypt, he was all about his getting away from all of the attractions and the distractions of a cosmopolitan lifestyle. He's now spent the last forty years in “God’s School of The
Desert.” Moses had seen the suffering of the people and he knew that he
was to be their deliverer.<br /> <br /> In forty years in Egypt Moses had
learned the skills of worldly leadership, how to be a leader of men. In
“God’s School of the Desert” he had for forty years been taught the
qualities of spiritual leadership: patience, maturity and sensitivity in
listening to the voice of God. With the passage of time and the coming
of his children, he came to most likely love the solitude and unhurried
pace of his life of freedom. He was at peace with himself and his family
and his new role as shepherd. No going back to see his old relatives suffering in Egypt. What a wonderfully idyllic place Moses now found just for himself. No going back! No looking back! What a wonderful place for us to be in too!<br /> <br />
All that surrounds us is just the here and the now. Only the future we
try so hard to make for ourselves and our families. Going to work
everyday. Sending the children off to school. Coming home after a long
day at work to a meal prepared for us. Yep, it does not get better than
this, loving our families, spending quality time together. I love that
thought and kind of wish that maybe the Scripture writers would have
left it alone right then and there. It would have been a perfect ending
for us even today. I could preach many sermons, listen to many more on
that subject and be satisfied. I believe God could easily lay back, love
looking at a scene like this "Peace at long last!"<br /> <br /> However, God had other plans for this relationship as He inevitably has for all of our relationships yesterday, today and tomorrow. He wants us to know Him. He wants us to be in love with Him. He wants us to know that we have an uniquely special purpose in life. The first thing to note about this passage is that this initial meeting came about<br />
entirely at God's own initiative. God has used the burning bush as a
device to arouse and peak Moses' curiosity. So Moses said (verse 3), “I
must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not
burned up.” Then God called him by name. So, right now, how is God trying to peak Your curiosity, gain Your undivided attention?<br /> <br />
Let Us Pray; God, are you speaking to me today? Are you trying to peak
my curiosity, gain my undivided attention about some matter I am not
conscious of or I'm choosing to ignore? Do you have a plan uniquely set aside for me and my life right now that you are waiting so patiently to reveal to me, for me to see, get all excited about? Are<br />
you calling out my name right now as you did your servant Moses at this
moment? Are you waiting for me to exercise my own initiative to respond
respond as Moses did then? That I must turn aside from where I am now, see the truly marvelous sight you have prepared uniquely and especially for me? Speak Lord, I so pray I am listening!<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DF0nV5xbu014&h=NAQHqnlfVAQGJ0mxfXCW8AgOn1ikmn0D_QmiR27ca5OSJAQ&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=F0nV5xbu014</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_93_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_93_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQDn8cLMfma6sIdL&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FF0nV5xbu014%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DF0nV5xbu014&h=RAQEk_bm3&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br />
<div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DF0nV5xbu014&h=RAQEk_bm3&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Show me your face Lord</b> </a></div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DF0nV5xbu014&h=RAQEk_bm3&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span></a><br />
<div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DF0nV5xbu014&h=RAQEk_bm3&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Show
me Your face, Lord Show me Your face Then gird up my legs that I might
stand in this holy place Show me Your face, Lord Your power and grace I </a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DF0nV5xbu014&h=RAQEk_bm3&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-14684817540466356172013-09-03T08:59:00.000-04:002013-09-03T08:59:00.764-04:00Day 327: "Behold, The Skin Of His Face Shone, ..."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 327: "Behold, The Skin Of His Face Shone,..."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 34:29 - 35, Luke 9:28 - 36<br /> <br /> There is this enduring question that I have in my heart right now. What takes place in us while we spend time in the presence of God that will help us to more
effectively communicate the message of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy
Spirit to those are still in darkness? Moses had spent another 40 days
on the Mountain of Sinai with God. He <br /> came down the mountain with
the tablets of the testimony. He had to cover his face with a veil
because the people were in awe and the people were afraid to look upon
for fear of death. In Exodus we are awe struck by the radiance on the
face of Moses that came from being in the presence of God. It really
does reach out and grab you!<br /> <br /> I have read and studied a bit of
the transfiguration story from Luke 9:28-36 that tells about Jesus going
up in the mountain with Peter, James, and John and experiencing the
change of his appearance while He was praying. Gradually from the inside
out Jesus' total appearance was transfigured with the brilliance of the
glory of God. In particular the response of James, John and Peter who
had been overcome by sleep; but when they were fully awake they saw
Jesus' glory and the two men Moses and Elijah standing with Him. "Peter
said to Jesus, it is good for us to be here, let us make three tabernacles ..." 40 days with God on the mountain; 3 years walking with Jesus.<br /> <br />
The Shine: When Moses came down the mountain with the new tablets, "he
was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the
Lord" (Ex. 34:29). He had a shine on his face that wouldn’t quit. When
the people saw him they were afraid to come near him. They backed away
from him like he was "radioactive." Even Aaron, his brother, was afraid
as well. Examine the people’s reaction to Moses’ shine as being your own if you were standing and living side by side with the Israelites of this story. What is going on in your heart at this moment? What is going on
within your own spirit that helps you to identify with the people? Do
you see, feel, the radiance?<br /> <br /> Are you finding yourself afraid of it, being repulsed? Are you finding yourself convicted by it? Are you finding yourself in awe of it, being strangely, inexorably drawn to it? I find myself right now mostly in the midst of my fear. At first being repulsed for I am not used to witnessing the glory of God in the faces of those I encounter. I do not see<br /> the glory of being in God's presence 'shining' on many of their faces. I am finding that I am convicted by my very own worrying of my own face not shining enough or at all. I find myself being convicted of putting on my 'veil' to cover my face
because I feel I will repulse others. Why am I more desiring of building
a tabernacle to/of my praise instead of just letting God what God is going to do through me and in spite me anyway?<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: God, where am I in this story? Am I running away repulsed by your glory afraid to bear witness to it because it shames me that it is not yet my
own, that I am not spending sufficient time in your presence or running
away in anger from the lack of your glory that I am trying so hard to
see in others or feeling frustrated by having others not see or
sufficiently commend the 'shining' in me as I spend my own time in your
presence? Am I too afraid of repulsing others I feel called to bear
witness to? Am I becoming too frustrated with my own expectations of
what I feel should be the 'results' in your people from my daily extended time in your presence? Do I, like the<br />
disciples, want to build more tabernacles of my own praise than just
listen to you? Lord, help me remove the veil that covers your glory that
I may shine for you alone!<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DT0Yl14sFuzQ&h=2AQFWhKyaAQHDec8wY-GV26kekX7pFngdyOcd6kp1v24DeQ&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=T0Yl14sFuzQ</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_9j_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_9j_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQA6amVDVIERYnJc&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FT0Yl14sFuzQ%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DT0Yl14sFuzQ&h=BAQE882EF&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>Beauty Of Your Presence - Kim Walker-Smith & Skyler Smith - Home (2013) - Kim Walker 2013</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Kim Walker-Smith & Skyler Smith - Home (2013) - Kim Walker 2013 01. Your Voice 02. Unstoppable </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-47001718812538027432013-08-31T08:39:00.002-04:002013-08-31T08:39:53.548-04:00Day 326: "If Your Presence Does Not Go With Us,..."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent"><div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_5221ddcd53bc07d56125218">
Day 326: "If Your Presence Does Not Go With Us,..."<br /> <br /> Read: Exodus 33:7 - 23<br /> <br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show"> lives this day. These are words that I pray should have a tremendous impact on your spirit.<br /> 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."<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br />
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<br />
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...?"<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: Psalm 63<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dzk0GONxE3JM&h=4AQEuEYxSAQG6aCUHUGjqiV3mamHrpHVNWc-twvR2l3hh2g&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=zk0GONxE3JM</a><br /> IN YOUR PRESENCE<br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com&h=lAQExR6z4AQH6G44aJsnA_CcobraAyW_HHWGdzFnUxolMaA&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a><br /> SHALOM ISRAËL</span></div>
</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_8d_2">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/" id="u_8d_1" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQC-Ul-JqwRvHjNn&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fzk0GONxE3JM%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk0GONxE3JM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>IN YOUR PRESENCE</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
SHALOM ISRAËL</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-45570142386101970852013-08-30T08:53:00.001-04:002013-08-30T08:53:44.035-04:00Day 325: "If Anyone Wishes To Come After Me ..."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 325: "If Anyone Wishes To Come After Me ..."<br /> <br /> Read: Luke 9:20 - 25<br /> <br />
“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? <br /> <br /> 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?<br /> <br /> 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,<br /> 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?<br /> <br /> 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."<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxsNK-76E6M8&h=1AQHpGR3jAQHn8Zgz-CUDmxkl4cnPSseecd71R6q2uAG_FA&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=xsNK-76E6M8</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_a6_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_a6_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQB0Wc9vzyYzrzqc&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FxsNK-76E6M8%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsNK-76E6M8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>"Relentless Pursuit" by Kim Walker-Smith and Skyler Smith: "Relentless Faith" by Mary Marshall</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Learn a Dance Movement combination, posted </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-82928095212104681342013-08-29T08:55:00.000-04:002013-08-29T08:55:17.037-04:00Day 324: "If You Will Seek Him, He Will Let You Find Him;"<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 324: "If You Will Seek Him, He Will Let You Find Him;"<br /> <br /> Read: 1 Chronicles 28:1 - 11, Luke 9:20 - 25<br /> <br />
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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br />
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!"<br /> <br />
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. <br /> Are you listening for Jesus as He asks His disciples “But who do you say that I am?”?<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFMGDBYluW98&h=5AQHycxluAQFlRvdOve4TJUKGGm-75j684mMk288akO7Z0g&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=FMGDBYluW98</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_9p_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_9p_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQBmss2ppHpdCBZs&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FFMGDBYluW98%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMGDBYluW98" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>After All (HOLY) Lyrics - David Crowder</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span></div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-81943588714848898932013-08-28T08:26:00.002-04:002013-08-28T08:26:47.734-04:00Day 323: "I Myself Intended To Build A House Of Rest... "<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 323: "I Myself Intended To Build A House Of Rest... "<br /> <br /> Read: 1 Chronicles 28:1 - 10<br /> <br />
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!<br /> <br /> 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<br /> 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?<br /> <br />
“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. <br /> <br />
"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?<br /> <br />
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?<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DlydBPm2KRaU&h=wAQEEyL5iAQG5NvK22LGLSnNTgpv4eVmjPvPmM4K73P4Raw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=lydBPm2KRaU</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_8m_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_8m_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQCNRG1e5DWLoLCI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FlydBPm2KRaU%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lydBPm2KRaU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>Carrie Underwood - Jesus, Take The Wheel</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Music video by Carrie Underwood performing Jesus, Take The Wheel. (C) 2005 19 Recordings </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-49909525259887581952013-08-27T08:02:00.002-04:002013-08-27T08:02:31.927-04:00Day 322: He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” <h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 322: He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” <br /> <br /> Read: Matthew 16:13 - 20<br /> <br />
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.<br /> <br />
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?"<br /> <br />
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 <br /> (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!"</span></div>
<div>
<span class="userContent"> <br />
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<br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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! <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dyp_waW8NIo0&h=oAQGAo4B9AQGSLeSbEJrEde-V5De-Zk_cTHKKQ4Y0IFT0Ug&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=yp_waW8NIo0</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_7s_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_7s_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQCzeNIFQFojb1nR&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fyp_waW8NIo0%2Fhqdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp_waW8NIo0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>I Belong to You Jesus Culture Live NY lyrics</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Creekside Ministries Fishers, Indiana</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-13773030123828274172013-08-26T07:39:00.000-04:002013-08-26T07:39:11.273-04:00Day 321: "The LORD, He Is God; The LORD, He Is God." <h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 321: "The LORD, He Is God; The LORD, He Is God." <br /> <br /> Read: 1 Kings 18:20 - 39, Psalm 46<br /> <br /> 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<br /> 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!"<br /> <br />
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.<br /> <br /> 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.<br /> <br /> 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<br /> timed conversation. Will you respond? Can you respond? "The LORD, He is God; The LORD, He is God?"<br /> <br /> Let Us Pray: "The LORD, He Is God; The LORD, He Is God." Psalm 46<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DRDcNfk1fDyo&h=nAQFLnVuMAQGG1WWUkIlZg2g7LJ8vmoMUjQWVhXNpUp2_qw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank"><span>http://www.youtube.com/</span><wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>watch?v=RDcNfk1fDyo</a></span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="clearfix shareRedesignContainer" data-ft="{"type":42,"tn":"F"}">
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_ig_4">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/307365922703951/" id="u_ig_2" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAH1PZRgR87t4gG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FRDcNfk1fDyo%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="_42ef">
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDcNfk1fDyo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>He is Yahweh</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
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...</div>
</div>
</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5991045110497577843.post-46387910148830352522013-08-23T08:15:00.000-04:002013-08-23T08:15:07.432-04:00Day 320: "Awake, My Glory! Arise And I Will Awaken The Dawn."<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><div>
<span class="userContent">Day 320: "Awake, My Glory! Arise And I Will Awaken The Dawn."<br /> <br /> Read: Psalm 57<br /> <br /> 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?<br /> <br /> 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!<br /> <br /> 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!"<br /> <br />
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!<br /> <br />
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<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dmwtne69jb8A&h=jAQGQYRI_AQEpO1SNUmfdNQEHjSkckPDvwXkW0_FnVcY98Q&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwtne69jb8A</a><br /> Agnus Dei Michael W Smith ballet<br /> <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com&h=gAQE1ZEmIAQFEEZwGaBGqKHhDaLlK2naVKyvoAhFPEKU5jw&s=1" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">www.youtube.com</a><br />
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...</span></div>
</span></h5>
<div class="_6a shareRedesignVideo shareRedesignMedia _8o lfloat" id="u_0_2">
<div class="_6a _6b">
<a class="uiVideoThumb shareMediaVideo" data-ft="{"video_type":"share","type":42,"tn":"F"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/tom.meyer.167/posts/10201241595874234" id="u_0_0" rel="async" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQAp4UgE5C6fzNZn&url=http%3A%2F%2Fi1.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fmwtne69jb8A%2Fmaxresdefault.jpg%3Ffeature%3Dog&jq=100" /></a></div>
</div>
<a class="pam shareText" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwtne69jb8A" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><div class="attachmentText fsm fwn fcg">
<div class="uiAttachmentTitle" data-ft="{"type":11,"tn":"C"}">
<strong>Agnus Dei Michael W Smith ballet</strong> </div>
<span class="caption" data-ft="{"tn":"L"}">www.youtube.com</span><div class="mts uiAttachmentDesc translationEligibleUserAttachmentMessage" data-ft="{"tn":"M"}">
Agnus
Dei - Michael W. Smith Available on iTunes Paradosi Christian Ballet
Company performing Agnus Dei at Christ Center in Cashmere, WA May </div>
</div>
</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06212014146535617058noreply@blogger.com0