Category Archives: blessing

Your Life is Shielded by the Hand of God

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You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand has held me up; Your gentleness and condescension have made me great. Psalms 18:35 (Amplified)

Have you ever felt alone and nervous as you were about to confront a high-stress situation?  Did you overwhelmed and wonder how you could possibly get through it without anyone else helping?  The good news is, God is always with us regardless of the situation.

How comforting it is to know that our life is shielded by the hand of God. He literally holds us in his hand and nothing can touch us that He does not allow. It is in those times when there is a great trial in your life that you really understand His full protection. It is in the trials that you are aware of His strong presence as a shield. He is also working things out for your own good. George Mueller once wrote, “In a thousand trials, it is not just five hundred of them that work ‘for the good’ of the believer, but nine hundred and ninety-nine plus one.”

When I was in the middle of the greatest trial of my life, the Lord spoke to me to read Rev. 21:5. I turned quickly to the verse that assured me of his intentions in that situation. “Behold, I make all things new . . .” Notice that it doesn’t say “some” things. The verse says “all things.”

At the time, I was looking at my son laying in the hospital in a coma. His life was totally in the hands of God. The doctors did not give us very much hope of him even making it through the night, but God said that not only would he make it through the night, but that He was making all things new. What a contrast and a faith builder!

Today, I am watching my son run three miles down the beach as God is still working in his life, and making “all things new.” So in your present situation, you can trust that He will shield you from evil and work all things together for your good.

Walk in the Way God has Commanded

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“You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land which you shall possess.”  Deut. 5:33

You Shall Walk

The Lord has a path on which we are to walk.  We are to walk in His ways regardless of our circumstances.  God promised us in Deut. 5:33 that if we walk in His ways, we will live a long life and things to work together for our good.  Even when our circumstances do not appear to be going as planned, if we walk in the ways of the Lord and trust what He has promised in His word life will go well. This does not mean there will not be any problems. As we walk down the path of life, there will be bumps in the road.  Things will happen that we did not plan on, but nothing should change the way we walk.  We must still walk in His ways and not veer to the right or to the left.

When our son was in a coma, I could feel the pull moment by moment to give in to fear and to give up and accept the report of the doctors.  The doctors said my son would be in a vegetative state if he came out of the coma. But I resisted the pull and I didn’t give in.  I trusted in the Lord.  God said He would show us the path of life for our son. He said our son would live and not die.  As I read God’s Word, He encouraged me to not give up.

“The eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing for joy…” Isaiah 35:5-6

So, I walked in the ways of the Lord, believing His Word. The path of life for our son had been prepared ahead of time and now we had to embrace it by faith. Faith is the assurance of things we hope for even though we may not see them yet. We saw him lying in a hospital bed unable to move, talk or communicate in any way.  But we did not give in to what we saw.  We had to believe what we did not see.  We believed that he would walk and talk again……and praise God he is walking, talking and serving the Lord today.

Whatever you are going through do not give up, give in, or stop walking and trusting in the ways of the Lord.  His ways are a high-way above the circumstances. The high-way is the way of faith, believing what God says and not giving in to fear. Don’t let your circumstances dictate your thoughts and convince you that God is not faithful. He is faithful.  He will work all things together for good for those who trust in Him. Trust Him and ask Him to show you the path of life.

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy, at your right hand are pleasuresforevermore.  Psalm 16:11

What is my purpose in life?

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“I will cry to God Most High …who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them.”   Psalm 57:2  (AMP)

 

Do you desire to know what your purpose is in life?   Are you lacking fulfillment and joy in what you do each day?  Does it feel like you are just spinning you wheels and never gaining ground?

Finding those things which gives our life purpose and meaning is important.  God has given each of us our own unique blend of talents and skills that will enable us to fulfill our purpose in life.  We are beautifully created and are special in every way.

So, how do you find your purpose?  How do you seek God’s purpose for your life?  You may be wondering, “why am I here and what am I supposed to do with my life?”  So many times we run here and there pursuing this idea or that idea trying to discover God’s purpose for our life.

We read in Psalm 57:2 that God has established His purposes for each of us and He will bring them to pass.  All we do is continue pursuing Him.  We must stop imagining castles in the sky and pursuing our own foolish lofty plans, and big ideas, so our soul can find rest and peace in the Lord.  Our main purpose is to pursue God, to love Him, to worship Him and enjoy fellowship with Him. Then our purpose will be revealed out of an overflow of our relationship with Him.

He created you with a unique design and purpose, and he will reveal that purpose in you as you seek Him.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I am very weary, I have tried so many things in search of my purpose.  Lord, I ask You to forgive me for imagining castles in the sky and pursuing my own lofty ideas.  Lord, help me to cease from my own plans and ideas and simply pursue a relationship with You.  Lord, I ask You to reveal Your purpose for my life and give me Your peace.                                                                                                                                                          

In Jesus’ Name,  

Amen  

Are you Stressed, Tired, and Burnt-out?

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“Oh God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land…”   Psalm 63:1

Life can be very difficult at times.   The stresses that we face each day can often be overwhelming and leave us exhausted and frustrated.  There is a deep well within us that must be filled up daily. When this well has not been filled, you will find yourself dry and thirsty.

Jesus said, “If any man thirst let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37) Jesus is the fountain where we go to drink; He  is a fountain that will never run dry. When we spend time with Him praying and reading His Word, we are drinking from the “living water”. The Word brings life and refreshing to our spirit just as a drink of natural water refreshes us when we are dry and thirsty.

Are you stressed, tired, and burned out from the pressures of life? IF so, I would like to encourage you to get up early in the morning, and spend some extra time drinking from the Word of God. Drink until you are filled up with a renewed strength. As you spend time in the Word, you will also experience a renewed hope that everything is going to  be all right.

If I had Wings…

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“Oh, that I had wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” Psalm 55:6

The stresses of life can be so overwhelming.  I often fall into the discouragement of situations, rather than focus on the One who truly cares for me and is ready to sustain me. 

Bearing the burden of crushing weight actually gives Christians wings. This may sound like a contradiction in terms, but it is a blessed truth. While enduring a severe trial, David cried, “Oh, that I had wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” Yet before he finished his meditation, he seems to have realized that his wish for wings was attainable, for then he said, “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you” (Ps. 55:22).

Life of a burden bearer

The word “burden” is described in my Bible commentary as being “what Jehovah has given you.” The saints’ burdens are God-given, leading us to wait upon Him. And once we have done so, the burden is transformed into a pair of wings through the miracle of trust, and the one who was weighted down “will soar on wings like eagles” (Isa. 40:31).

Are you Overwhelmed by Disappointments?

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“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

Are you Overwhelmed by Disappointments?

Have you ever experienced a disappointment that overwhelmed you? I have! Sometimes we need to recognize that we are overwhelmed and need rest. A new heart is a blessing from God that comes during a time of rest, but we must position ourselves where the river flows to receive this blessing.

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Find a quiet place and position yourself in the presence of the Lord, then ask Him to reveal to you the condition of your heart. When the Psalmist David positioned himself in the Lord’s presence he was made aware that he needed a new heart.  In Psalm 55:4, he said his heart was so grieved within him.  His heart was grieved and disappointed by the actions of a close friend. He was so disappointed he just wanted to run away into the wilderness and lodge there. With every disappointment your heart grows weary, and as hope is deferred it makes your heart sick. When we are faced with repeated disappointments; one after the other, our spirit is affected because we don’t have time to recover before the next hit.

In Psalm 55:15, David must have realized he wasn’t handling his disappointment very well by the words that came out of his mouth. We too can know the condition of our heart by observing what comes out of our mouth. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34-36). If you know that what is coming out of your mouth is not pleasing to the Lord, stop and rest awhile. Position yourself in the river of God and ask Him for a new heart and renewed spirit. Wait upon Him and He will remove your stony heart; He will replace it, and at the same time replenish and bring refreshing to your spirit.

With heart surgery you must not get up from the operating table too soon.  Wait upon the Lord until your strength is restored.  “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint”. Isaiah 40:31

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I realize I have not been handling the disappointments of life very well. I need to position myself in Your river for a time of rest and refreshing.  Lord wash me clean of all the disappointments.  Fill be up and renew my strength as I spend time in Your presence.

In Jesus’ Name,  Amen

You Are Chosen and Have Purpose

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“He hath chosen us in Him…” Eph 1:4

Have you ever thought about what it really means to be chosen by God?  Do you remember an event or a series of events when it became clear that you were chosen?  Did you feel God’s sovereign hand protecting and guiding you?

You have been chosen to be God’s child so you can be His representative on the earth. Paul said in Ephesians 1:5, that He planned for us to be adopted and revealed as His own children. This is our identity and purpose in one verse.

Once you discover your identity and God’s specific purpose for your life, you will no longer get all tangled up in the world around you.  He has chosen you to carry His peaceful plan into a world of chaos and confusion.  Represent Him, speak what He says, and carry His peace into every situation.

The world can not produce peace.  Your presence should bring peace and order into the world around you.  You walk in a very special purpose and calling.  Let that calling shine to others around you.

“Grace be to you, and peace, from our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” Eph1:3.

I am Changed

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I am changed.  I am changed, forever and I want everyone to know.

I have been released and have let go of the things that have held me captive.   I will no longer walk in the shadows of blessings because of pre-conceived ideas of what was expected of me.  I will no longer be in bondage and, now, I am changed.

I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed.

I have Holy Ghost power!

The die has been cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made.
I am a disciple of His.

I will not look back…
let up…
slow down…
back away…
or be still.
My past is redeemed.
My present makes sense.
My future is secure.

I am finished and done with:
low-living,
sight-walking,
chintzy-giving,
dwarf goals.

I no longer need:
pre-eminence…
prosperity…
position…
prominence…
plaudits… or
popularity.

I don’t have to be:
right…
first…
tops…
recognized…
praised…
regarded… or
rewarded.

I now live by presence…
lean by faith…
walk with patience…
lift by prayer.. and
labor by power.

My face is set…

My way is rough…
My companions few…
My guide reliable…
My mission clear.
My gate is fast…
My goal is heaven…
My road is narrow…

I cannot be bought…
compromised…
detoured…
lured away…
turned back…
deluded… or
delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice…
hesitate in the presence of the adversary…
negotiate at the pool of popularity… or
meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I will not give up…
shut up… or
let up…

Until I’ve stayed up…
stored up…
prayed up…
paid up…
preached up
for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus.

I must:
go until He comes…
give until I drop…
preach all I know…
and work until He stops me.

And when He comes for me, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be quite clear.

Not by might or by power, but by His Spirit…

~ Beautifully shared by, Nancy Coen.

God Prepares You for Your Blessing

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“For You make him to be blessed and a blessing for life …” Psalm 21:6

rest in HimDavid said in Psalms 21:6, that God in fact makes you to be blessed. He makes you or simply puts, He prepares you ‘to get’ His blessings so that you can be a blessing to others. Think about it, today He is preparing you for His true blessings!

You resemble a storehouse that He should prepare to pour His true blessings into.   If you are a little 4 room residence He may require you to expand to get a blessing.  You cannot have the “us 4 and no even more” mindset and anticipate God to bless you beyond where you currently are. It could be that where you are right now in your thinking is not huge enough to hold all the blessings God has actually planned for you.

They had to comply with God in order to be prepared for the true blessings. Their storehouse had to be prepared so they would appropriately manage true blessings as God released them.

We are always blessed by God so we can keep the true blessings flowing and be a true blessing to God’s individuals. If you are blessed by God, as Joseph was blessed, it indicates you need to find out the best ways to regulate the true blessing and launch it to God’s individuals at the selected time. True blessings from God suggest He has actually left you with something, and all He asks of you is to be a great steward and correctly keep the blessing.

When God abundantly blesses someone, they are not to be storehouses that accumulate the blessings and state, “take a look at me.” He blesses us so He can use us to pour out true blessings out and share with others. This is completion of the verse from Psalm 21:6, You make him exceedingly delighted with the joy of Your Presence. As we bless others the flow of God’s true blessing continues to stream to us and this is how we become a blessing forever. “Give and it should be offered to you.” Be a blessing to others with the true blessings God has actually entrusted you with.

God prepares you ‘to get’ His blessings so that you can be a blessing to others. We are constantly blessed by God so we can keep the true blessings flowing and be a blessing to God’s individuals. Blessings from God suggest He has entrusted you with something, and all He asks of you is to be an excellent steward and properly keep and share the blessing.

As we bless others the flow of God’s true blessing continues to stream to us and this is how we become a blessing forever. Be a blessing to others with the true blessings God has actually delegated you with.

Pray this prayer…
Dear Lord, It is really my heart’s desire to be a true blessing to others. Help me to prepare myself ahead of time to receive Your blessings. I desire my life to be a storehouse that You fill out so I have plenty to offer to others who require. Show me today what I have to do to prepare myself for Your blessings.

In Jesus’ Name,.