He Is Our Comfort

Psalm 23:4 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." 

David walked through the valley of the shadow of death. Many times. Whether he was fighting Goliath, being hunted down and running for his life from King Saul, or mourning the death of his children. He walked through the valley of the shadow of death - but he was not alone. He walked with God. He mourned, but did not fear. He wept, but was comforted by a peace that only God can give.  

Our community is grieving the loss of an amazing 18 year old young man, due to a drowning accident on Monday, May 28.  I pray for God's comfort and peace for this precious family.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You that You are our comforter. LORD, shelter and comfort ones who have lost people they love. Make them lie down in green pastures, lead them beside quiet waters, restore their souls. God of comfort and strength, gently be with this family as they mourn this tragic loss, and let them find their hope in You. Amen.

His Voice

John 10:2-5 "The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."


John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me."


Revelation 3:20 "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."


How can we know God's voice when all we know and hear is the voice of the world?  


Our Heavenly Father wants us to know Him by spending time with Him reading His Word. And when you know Him, you will know His voice. I encourage you to read your Bible daily and get to know Him...  Let Him speak to you through His Word.  

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I will know Your voice and follow You. I thank You that Your Word will never lead me astray. Thank You for being my good shepherd. I pray that when You knock, I will know Your voice; and without a doubt, will open the door to You. Amen.

Safe

Psalm 27:5 "For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."


This song beautifully compliments the Scripture above.  Be blessed today.


Safe by Phil Wickham

To the one who's dreams are falling all apart
And all you're left with is a tired and broken heart
I can tell by your eyes you think your on your own
but you're not all alone

Have you heard of the One who can calm the raging seas
Give sight to the blind, pull the lame up to their feet
With a love so strong he'll never let you go
oh you're not alone

You will be safe in His arms
You will be safe in His arms
'Cause the hands that hold the world are holding your heart
This is the promise He made
He will be with You always
When everything is falling apart
You will be safe in His arms

Did you know that the voice that brings the dead to life
Is the very same voice that calls you to rise
So hear Him now He's calling you home
You will never be alone

These are the hands that built the mountains
The hands that calm the seas
These are the arms that hold the heavens
They are holding you and me

These are hands that healed the leper
Pulled the lame up to their feet
These are the arms that were nailed to a cross
To break our chains and set us free

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promise that when I am in days of storms and trials, you will keep me safe. Your dwelling place is where I want to be.  Praise You for holding me, always.  Amen  

All Scripture is God-breathed...

2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 


How can you be equipped for everything God has planned for your life?


Read His Word daily. 
Know what the Scriptures say.
Truly know Him through His Word.
Apply the Scriptures to your life. 


There is a fountain of truth, guidance, correction, and comfort  just waiting to be revealed to you through the pages of His Word.  


God wants to give you a deeper knowledge of Him. A maturity of knowledge. This knowledge is received by daily reading of His Word. When I sit down to spend time in the Scriptures, I always pray for His blessing upon my reading, asking for His understanding and guidance. I encourage you to ask Him for a hunger for His Word. He will give you that hunger...  and He will feed that hunger with truths and insights and understanding. 


Often, we rely on others to tell us their opinions of who God is. Don't just rely on what others tell you about God -- read His Word and find out for yourself. Spend time with Him, one-on-one, learning His truths and let Him show how you can apply His Word to your life.  


Dear Heavenly Father, Jesus was called "Teacher" when He was walking among us. LORD, be my Teacher. Teach me Your truths and Your Word. Equip me, through your God-breathed Scripture, for every good work You have planned for me. I pray that You lead me to a deeper personal knowledge of You. Amen.

The Peace of God

Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
     
"Spoken For" by Mercy Me is one of my very favorite songs that has a special meaning to me. I wanted to share a portion of the lyrics that remind me of His incredible love and the undeniable peace that comes with knowing, without a doubt, that I am His child.  


Spoken For by Mercy Me


...Covered by your love divine
Child of the risen Lord
To hear you say "This one's mine"
My heart is spoken for

Now I have a peace
I've never known before
I find myself complete
My heart is spoken for

Oh and I praise you
Oh and I worship you...


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You said, "This one's mine."  I praise You and worship You for the incredible peace You give me -- in all circumstances. Thank You for Your divine love that You have showered upon me.  Amen.  

Spread The News

Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"


2 Thessalonians 3:1 "Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you."


Philemon :6 "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."


While I was reading the book of Acts, I was greatly reminded that God doesn't want us to keep Him to ourselves.  He wants us to share Him with others!  


Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I do not keep You to myself...  Please give me the words to spread the good news about You!  Help me tell others how a relationship with You can transform a life.  My life, and their life!  I pray that You continue to help me spread Your life-changing Word.  Amen.

Time

Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him..."


In our society, it is usual -- almost expected -- to be busy. All the time. Last year, I learned about the importance of stillness and the benefits that stillness brings. The benefits of actually having "time."  


Time to be close to God.
Time to spend in His word.
Time to pray.
Time to minister to others.
Time to spend with someone who needs an encouraging word.
Time to let God work out His plan for me.
Time to be still and hear His voice.
Time to discern His counsel.
Time to spend with the incredible gift He gave me... my family.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your gift of time. I pray that You help me to wisely use the time You have given me. Please show me a balance -- of busyness and of stillness -- so that I will always have time for what You are calling me to do and to discern what is important to You. Amen.

Wisdom From Heaven

James 3:17 "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."


Oh, how I have prayed for wisdom. Many, many times!  James, the brother of Jesus, tells us how we can determine whether our wisdom is from the LORD.  And I so desire God's wisdom, not mine!  My wisdom can be faulty, but His wisdom never, ever fails.


Dear Heavenly Father, Your wisdom is perfect.  Help me to recognize Your heavenly wisdom as I pray for Your guidance in the decisions I make, the counsel I provide, and the encouragement I give.  Thank You for telling us how to discern what truly comes from You.  Amen.

Paul & The Storm

Acts 27:25  "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me."


As I was reading in the book of Acts today, I was reminded once again, of how God is always with us, has His plans, and is in control. Even when we feel like we are sinking. In Scripture, over and over, God reassures us, through accounts of His presence during our storms.

Paul was on a ship as a prisoner, heading to his trial in front of Caesar in Rome. It had been a long trip already, and as they passed near the island of Crete, a violent storm came upon them with winds of hurricane force. For days they were battered by the wind and driven across the Adriatic Sea. The 276 crew, soldiers, prisoners, and passengers gave up all hope of being saved. Yet Paul stood up before them and said, "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.'  So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.  Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island."  (Acts 27:21-26)


God's angel told him to not be afraid. God knew what was happening, and He knew the outcome. Paul went through the storm, but God was indeed with him. I love that Paul stated "for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me."  He trusted God.


Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I will have the faith of Paul. I praise You that You are in control. I trust You, and believe You through any storm that comes my way.  Amen.

His Manna, His Word

Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.


Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"


While food can sustain our bodies, only God's Word can sustain our souls.


Dear Heavenly Father, I need Your Word. Every day. Your Word is spiritual nourishment, and it feeds my soul as nothing else can. Thank You for Your gift of Scripture -- it is my manna from You, each day -- it sustains me, teaches me, and fills me.  Praise You for Your timeless Word.  Amen. 

Joyful Songs

Psalm 100:1-2  Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.


We sang one of my favorite songs in church this morning.  Everytime I sing it, I am so inspired by His awesome power and love.  It reminds me that He is sovereign and He is in control. There is nothing for me to add to these beautiful lyrics.  Be blessed today!  :)

The Stand - Hillsong United


You stood before creation
Eternity within Your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
Carried the Cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon Your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your Spirit alive in me
This life to declare Your promise
My soul now to stand

So what can I say
What can I do
But offer this heart O God
Completely to You

So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all

So I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours


Dear Heavenly Father, I stand before You in awe. All I am is Yours. Completely. Thank You for Your undeniable presence in my life.  I Praise You today and always!  Amen.

The LORD Carries You

Deuteronomy 1:30-31 The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries His son, all the way you went until you reached this place.  


Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.


Our Heavenly Father carries us through our trials and storms.  Not just part of the way -- Scripture tells us He carries us all the way. No matter what we are going through, we can feel safe knowing He holds us in His mighty, powerful and comforting arms.


Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for carrying me through my storms. What a comforting, safe place to be! LORD, You made me, You carry me, You sustain me and You rescue me. I praise You, for You are always with me.  Amen.  

Sharing His Love

John 4:11-12 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.


"When we love others, we are living the truth of God out loud. Since every person needs love, it may open the door for us to share that God is the source for our love."
-- Lysa TerKeurst


Dear Heavenly Father, help me to love others as You want me to love them. I pray that You open my eyes to people in my path who need to experience Your love and truth. Prompt me to share Your love through an act of kindness, an encouraging word, a hug, or a smile. Help me to share with others that the source of my love is You. Thank You that Your love is made complete in us. Amen.

His Will

Psalm 143:10  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.


Psalm 40:8  I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.


Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.


It is so easy to interpret my strong feelings toward a situation or decision and confuse those feelings with God's will. I often think, "I feel so strongly, it must be God's will!" Unfortunately, this is not always true and can get me in trouble when I use this logic! 


He knows the right answer to the decision you need to make. The more we spend time with Him by praying, reading and studying the Bible, the more we can discern His voice and His will. He knows the way we should go. He wants to point us in His direction, so we can follow His path and plan for our lives.  


Dear Heavenly Father, teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.  Amen.  (Psalm 143:10)

Wait for the LORD

Psalm 27:14  "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."


We live in a time where things happen quickly. We communicate with each other in an instant and we can cook our food in seconds. Oh, it can be very hard to wait!  Especially when we are waiting on God. We pray, but we may not have answers immediately. God's time is not our time; and even while we are waiting, He is working. And while we are waiting, we are to be strong, take heart, continue to pray, and trust in Him.


Dear Heavenly Father, please teach me to wait. Patiently. And while I am waiting, LORD, I pray that You remind me to be strong and take heart. I praise You that You work for the good of those who love You. I know that while I am waiting, You are working. I trust You and Your promise.  And I will wait on You with peace in my heart.  Amen.

Power of Our Words

Proverbs 12:18 "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."


Proverbs 15:4 "The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."


James 3:10 "With the tongue we praise our Lord and father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers, this should not be."


God speaks of the power of our words. He tells us to choose them wisely. Our words have the power to lift people up or tear them down -- to soothe or to wound. Words, once spoken, cannot be retracted... they can live on in the minds of the people who have heard them -- even after we apologize. 


Dear Heavenly Father, I pray I always choose healing words, not ones that pierce like a sword. You have made my mouth, and I pray that whatever choice of words I make, they will always be honoring to You. Help me to use my tongue to speak words of encouragement to people in my path; and to build them up, not tear them down. May my words always be pleasing to You.  Amen. 

God Works for the Good of Those Who Love Him

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."


I have experienced the truth of this verse. I know this promise to be true, without a doubt. Last year, after being hit squarely on the head with a heavy metal pole which should have either killed me or left me with severe injuries -- He truly worked for the good. He used the time of recovery to teach me about trusting Him, His faithfulness, His power, His love, His healing, His protection, and the importance of being still and drawing close to Him.  And the fruit of Him working that accident for the good has been abundant.  He has led me to know the importance of sharing Jesus with others and encouraging people on their journey with Christ. When you are going through a trial or storm in your life, please know that He is indeed, in all things, working for the good.  


Dear Heavenly Father, You have restored me, and I am so very grateful.  Thank You for clearly showing me that in all things, You work for the good of those who love You.  Let Your fruit be abundant in me.  Help me to share Jesus with others and encourage people on their journey with You.  Amen.

Seek Him

Deuteronomy 4:29  "But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul."


Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."


About a year ago, I began truly seeking Him with all my heart and soul. I stopped seeking Him only if I had time after my trip to the grocery store, or after I checked e-mail and after all the other things I had to do during a particular day. I purposefully stopped just squeezing Him in, if I had time.  I began to make quality time with Him a priority.

Over this year, He has taught me that His promise in Scripture is undeniably true. I  encourage you to seek Him with all your heart and soul. The difference is life-changing. I promise.


Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that I keep You as my priority in life. I want to always seek You with all my heart and soul -- not just when I can fit You in.  Thank You for Your promise that is undeniably true.  And thank You that I found You!  :)  Amen.

"He Walks On The Stuff That Drowns Us"

John 6:16-21

The Message (MSG)

 ^16-21 ...They were maybe three or four miles out when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, quite near the boat. They were scared senseless, but he reassured them, "It's me. It's all right. Don't be afraid." ...

As I was driving home from my Bible study the other day, I was listening to my favorite radio station, KLOVE. The DJ's were talking about Jesus walking on the water... and described that event in this simple, unique way:

"He walks on the stuff that drowns us."


That was a great visual for me. Jesus has authority over the "stuff" of life. Sometimes we have situations in our life that threaten to drown us.  We can feel overwhelmed by the tossing of the waves of our particular storms.  But Jesus is not affected by these storms. He simply walks over them because of His power. He wants to take our hand, and pull us up out of the waters of "stuff" that threaten to drown us and guide us through these storms, walking with Him, across the water.


Dear Heavenly Father, You are stronger than any "stuff" in our life. Thank You that You want to save us from drowning in those trials of life by inviting us to walk side by side with You.  Amen.