Shining the Light

We all have a message that we carry sometimes without realizing what we are conveying to others. As Christ followers are message needs to be one that brings Light and life. Too many times we let the world around us change our message to one that lacks hope and causes us to speak death into others and to situations. Solomon told us that "life and death are in the power of the tongue". I'm not saying it always easy but we need to make the choice to let His Joy shine through us despite our circumstance, that shining light attracts others they desire the light. But if we show negativity, are hopeless, if we gossip and back bite then we repel others, except maybe those thrive on those things. If our testimony is more moan than glory we need to make some adjustments. I want to be more like John the Baptist I want to show the world something different, something that breaks the walls of religion and tradition. I want my testimony to be one that reflects the Light of Jesus. How about you? John 1:6-9 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

an everlasting Rock

You know sometimes no commentaries are needed. I love that His Word stands on its own, that it teaches and encourages. Yay GOD!!!! And thank You!!!
Isaiah 26:3, 4. You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].

Battling Differently

When there is an impending battle we need to prepare ourselves to engage, to fight. But when we battle our strategy has to be different our method of warfare atypical. You see we have a Mighty God who goes before us, when we engage Him instead of our enemy He brings victory. Our battle gear is different our armor becomes garments of praise and worship we put on our priestly attire to enter in to His presence. Our weapons are not iron and cold steel but guitars and drums and other instruments of praise. And He loves us so much that even though He goes before us and gives us the victory He also gives us the spoils of war. He blesses us with abundance and peace. Man we serve an Awesome God!!!!
2 Chronicles 20:20-30 And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper. When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were [self-] slaughtered; For [suspecting betrayal] the men of Ammon and Moab rose
against those of Mount Seir, utterly destroying them. And when they had made an end of the men of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. And when Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked at the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none had escaped! When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoil, they found among them much cattle, goods, garments, and precious things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry away, so much they were three days in gathering the spoil. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah. There they blessed the Lord. So the name of the place is still called the Valley of Beracah [blessing]. Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat leading them, to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies. They came to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to the house of the Lord. And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest round about.

Are you willing?

This morning I read through Genesis 22:1-14 and 1 Samuel 1:7-20, both of these Scriptures have stories that show incredible faith, fear and utter dependence on Abba. First you have Issac being brought to the altar to be sacrificed by his father Abraham taking what was a fulfilled promise from God and being willing to fully give it back to Him. And you know that Isaac remembered the obedience of His father throughout his life and passed that legacy to his children. Then you have Hannah that in her grief and belief of what God is capable of doing dedicates her yet to be conceived son, after being barren for years, to be a nazarite, one who is set apart for The Lord. Just like how Sampson and John the Baptist were set apart pre-birth. This son was Samuel the great judge and prophet who anointed David as king. Are you willing to take the fulfilled promise that you have obtained or even the one that you are presevering to obtain and lay the on the altar or be willing to give Abba full control of them even though it means they are taken out of your hands?

If you seek Him....

This Scripture seemed very timely this morning with the overall state of our nation, the upcoming elections and even disunity between various denominations. We truly need to seek and move closer to God especially now we need to seek His heart and direction for upcoming elections we need to vote not based on party line or race or who is the best speaker, but on who is holding up the strongest Biblical values. And our churches need to get beyond their barriers held up by traditions of man and start rebuilding on the structure of love and relationship that was established by Jesus and the early apostles. If we aren't loving each other we are not preparing the way to present Gods kingdom to the lost. They are to know us by our love not our division.
THE SPIRIT of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa and said to him, Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him, craving Him as your soul’s first necessity], He will be found by you; but if you [become indifferent and] forsake Him, He will forsake you. Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and [in desperation earnestly] sought Him, He was found by them. And in those times there was no peace to him who went out now to him who came in, but great and vexing afflictions and disturbances were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. Nation was broke in pieces against nation, and city against city, for God vexed and troubled them with all sorts of adversity. Be strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:1-7

My Source

FOR GOD alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my Rock and my Salvation, my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be greatly moved. Psalm 62:1, 2. Notice this says "For GOD" alone, not my parents, boy or girl friend, not husband or wife, not my pastor but GOD alone. He is my source the others are hopefully a support system along the way that is pointing me toward Him, encouraging me toward a more intimate relationship with Abba.

Time for a work out

Sunday our generally accepted day to go to our spiritual gym. But just like if we are working out physically to get in shape and stay healthy if we only do it one day a week we aren't gonna see a lot of progress, especially if the other 6 days we don't do anything to support and build on what happened on the one day we showed up. If our spiritual training is also limited to 1 day a week it's no wonder we don't see much progress in our growth. We need to be stretching and strengthening our spiritual muscles (being) constantly so that we can obtain fully the victory that Jesus provided for us. 1 Timothy 4:8 For physical training is of some value (useful for a little), but godliness (spiritual training) is useful and of value in everything and in every way, for it holds promise for the present life and also for the life which is to come.

Wait and Listen

Sometimes you have to just share the whole chapter :-). Aren't you glad that the God we serve is a great leader that desires great things for us and has a plan that is bigger than us but His desire is for us to be a partner in that plan.

Isaiah 55: WAIT and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come,buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing]. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy]. Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David. Behold, I have appointed him (Him) [David, as a representative of the Messiah, or the Messiah Himself] to be a witness [one (One) who shall testify of salvation] to the nations, a prince (Prince) and commander (Commander) to the peoples. Behold, you [Israel] shall call nations that you know not, and nations that do not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you. Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while
He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply to him His abundant pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall
not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out [from the spiritual exile caused by sin and evil into the homeland] with joy and be led forth [by your Leader, the Lord Himself, and His word] with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name of renown, for an everlasting sign [of jubilant exaltation] and memorial [to His praise], which shall not be cut off.

Guard my mouth

This should be a regular prayer for those that follow Jesus: Psalm 141:3, 4 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies.