Good morning all-
I'm on my son's computer today so we'll see how my typing goes. As usual, I have made my coffee and am ready to write to you today. I'm going to stay on the same theme because when God prompts me; I want to listen. I don't know why I need to be courageous and strong but He does. He wants us all to be, so I thought I would give you some more Scripture to get you through the week.
It's amazing to me how Scripture provides peace to our soul. Whenever I'm truly full of fear, walking in desperation or totally out of control inside, I know I haven't read enough, prayed enough or spent enough time on my knees. I'm sure you would agree that only when we are at His feet do we truly feel peace.
The question today isn't whether we understand God; it's are we willing to spend time with Him to be fed? Our lives in the US remind me of a train going from New York City to San Francisco, non-stop and at a hundred miles an hour. We have to slow down, look at the beauty and the wonder around us and contemplate the beauty that was sent for us by God. Otherwise, life is just a moving picture, rarely enjoyed and often, wasted.
That's how I perceive our lives without Christ and without His word. It is meaningless. You may have the same things as your neighbor, you may give of your time to charities and people and you may be very good at organizing your life but if you haven't sat down and read something in the Bible, you really missed out. The Bible is full of wisdom, beauty and love. The picture of Jesus at the cross is just one example of the transparency God had for our lives. He wanted us to see the beauty of His love and the selfless way we should live. Jesus gave His life so that His story would live in the hearts of many generations after He was gone. He didn't do it just for that moment thousands of years ago. His life story is about living strong, living courageous and living for God's will, not His own.
I read Scripture now to get a sense of who I am in Christ. If I'm going down a slippery slope of self-pity, I pull out the Bible and look for ways to remember that my life is no different than Christ's. I was put on this earth with a God-spoken purpose. He wants all of us to realize that we are part of the story. Our lives might not be written on any headlines or in a best seller but our lives are being watched by future generations, peers and perfect strangers. They look to see how our faith will change and what we will do during trials. They watch to see if we will give credit to God or to ourselves and they watch to see if we know where our strength comes from.
We are a watched generation. If we aren't in the Word, how will we minister to the lost? Part of being strong and full of courage is understanding what God has for our lives, speaking clearly about Christ and knowing that He is directing us. I will never be strong in myself but I can always be strong in Him.
Times are tough all over the world and my heart cries for the lost, the broken and the destitute. It cries for the beaten and the broken and especially for women that are being tortured and raped. We have areas in the world where women are useless pieces to be killed. It is a shame that we must stand in trials like this, where men are being deceived. We were created for them by God. We came from them and have continued to be made for them. We are partnered together to provide a strong bond in marriage for populating the world. We are significant warriors of Christ, maybe that's why evil has taken over and women are being persecuted. For many of us, we live in places where this isn't the norm. We are equal in society but behind closed doors unspeakable crimes are happening and those women have to be silent, strong and courageous.
I have experienced what it's like to talk to someone that was beaten down, who believed she deserved it and in the end, God did release her from her abuser. It doesn't always happen that way but that's why I call all of us to pray for our men and now, I'm asking all of us to be strong and courageous. We need to fight through prayer for those that can't fight for themselves. We need to understand as women how much God loves us, not just when prayers are answered but when they aren't. It might take ten years before we see the results of prayer but we need to stand firm and rely on God to work miracles as we grow to know Him more.
Part of my journey has been to realize who I am in Christ and not to be afraid of others that would criticize me for what I believe. It hasn't always been easy but the more I read, the more I see myself through God's eyes. I am far from perfect and on daily reflection I have to repent but the one thing I know is that Christ is in me and I am His. I don't have to go looking for my strength in other places because I know that when I sit with Christ; I will find Him. My life is His and I am willing to give it to Him for the relationship I now have. He is my maker and I am His chosen child, broken but not crushed.
I'm praying for all of us and asking God to lift us up and make us more than we have ever been before. He needs to make us strong and courageous. Just like the eagle that sits on the crag, I'm waiting for Him to reveal to me the many wonders of this life. Stay strong my sisters and spend time in the word and prayer, He is near but you have to go before Him. All the food in the world won't make our bellies full if we don't have the manna that comes from His word. We need Him to feed us, water us and be with us, in order to do His work. I hope today finds you well and as always may God bless you today.
1 Corinthians 16:13 NKJV:
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
Deuteronomy 31:7 NKJV:
Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it."
Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV:
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
My prayer today:
O, Lord, Your comfort is all I need. I love to sit at Your feet to see what Your will is on my life. I know that I am weak but You are strong. As You minister to each of us, lay Scripture on our hearts thatwill minister to us and that will minister to Your people. We are a piece of Your gigantic puzzle and we are blessed to be led to You. There are times in this journey where we are distant, weak and full of selfishness. We come to You today asking You to feed us with enough manna to be strong and full of courage for the task ahead. You are the Savior, come to earth to save us from our sins. You depleted our enemy by shedding Your blood and all You ask is for us to love You and follow You all our days. And yet, like sheep, we wander with no true direction, so today, we ask You to lead us in the right direction and to feed us with wisdom and strength. We are Yours to do Your will. Please speak to us today through Your mighty word and give us the courage to speak Your name all over the world. We are waiting for Your coming but until that day, be with us as we seek You. Help us memorize Your word so that we can be the mighty warriors You need to free Your people. We thank You for every living person and for every country around the world. Forgive us for our weakness and lift us up to be known by You. We love You Lord and are looking for You in this gigantic, chaotic world. Free us from ourselves and grant us Your friendship for all our days. We are in awe of You! In Jesus name, AMEN
Until tomorrow...
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