A Loving Reminder: Keep Going

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8, 9 NIV)

Some think that becoming a Christian means that we will not face trouble. At the first sign of trouble, they become easily discouraged giving up. Thinking, 'I am a good person, I serve, why is this happening to me?' 

We will face many trials throughout our lives, physical and emotionally. Jesus himself tell us that we will face troubles, but at the same time reminding us that we are not to give up because He has overcome the world. 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

We need to condition ourselves to keep going. To keep it moving. To get up every time we fall.  God doesn't promise us that while we are in the world we will be trouble free.

He promises us:

He will never leave us

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV)

Peace in Him 

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3 NIV)

Strength in Him

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40:29 NIV)

Rest in Him

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1 NIV)

He will fight for us

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14 NIV)

Father, I come boldly before your throne, standing on Your promises!  We may be hard pressed on every side, but not crushed. Struck down but not destroyed! Father I lift up my lovelies that are out in the battlefield. I ask that you fulfill your promises over their lives. I pray that they be not afraid knowing that You are with them. I pray that You keep them in perfect peace. I pray that You strengthen my lovelies that are weary and in need of an increase in power. Give them rest where rest is needed. Let my lovelies be still as you fight for them! Father thank you for your promises. Your Word says that it will not come back void so we declare your promises over those that are in need of Your desperate touch! (so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11 NIV)) Father I pray this in your powerful name, Jesus. 

A Loving Reminder: Encourage Yourself

Answer me quickly, Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (Psalm 143:7-8 NIV)

So many of us find ourselves feeling like David did in Psalm 143. Feeling tired of waging in this spiritual war, and at the edge of sliding down into a pit. Needing a quick touch from God, a quick answer, and when it doesn't come speedily, our spirit starts to fail, and doubt starts to set in. 

What I love most about David, is that he encouraged himself. He had no problem saying 'Lord! Lord! I need you now! Come quick for I can't do this alone' (my paraphrase). But right after the expression of his pain, he would remind himself who God is! 

Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. (Psalm 144:1, 2 NIV)

Father, I come boldly before your throne, thanking you for your unfailing love. Father let us be more like David. When we carry our pain to you that we do it knowing, and reminding ourselves who you are! That you are our rock, our fortress, our stronghold, our deliverer, our shield. That you hide us in the shadows of your wings. That as we pray without ceasing, that we remind ourselves of your promises, of your unfailing love, and of our past victories. Father, I lift up those lovelies that have lost their hope, those whose spirit has failed. Let this morning bring them word of your unfailing love, let them put their trust in you. Let them entrust their lives to you and only You. In your precious name, Jesus, Amen!

Like You Promised - Amber Brooks

http://youtu.be/RIGdDTMWyZw

A Loving Reminder: Take Captive Every Thought

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV)

                            

This world is a noisy place. It's so easy to get wrapped up in all the 'he said', 'she said' we hear throughout the day. We base our beauty and our importance on what the culture says is beautiful, and how many likes we get on social medias. We fill our minds with junk from songs we listen to, and images we see. Even when the music stops and the images are long gone they remain in our thoughts. They become one with us, we eventually start acting out what we see and what we hear. 

Worse is listening to those who are suppose to love and protect us talk us down. I've had to ask myself why is it easier to focus on the things the world says than it is to focus on the things God says about us? Why is it easy to believe when someone says we are worthless, but it's difficult to believe that the Word of our creator says "We are fearfully and wonderfully made;" (Psalm 139:14 NIV)

Lovelies we must take our thoughts captive. We must start filling our thoughts with uplifting, Godly things. We should take inventory on what we feed on throughout the day, and make the necessary changes. 

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23 NLT)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8 NIV)

Father, I come boldly before your throne, thanking you and praising you for your unfailing love. I am fully aware that we are in a constant spiritual war. I thank you Father that you have equipped us with the divine power to demolish strongholds! (2 Corinthians 10:4). I choose to put on your full armor. The armor that is especially designed for us, for times such as these. I stand firm with the belt of truth, my breastplate of righteousness, my feet fitted with readiness, my shield of faith, my helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit -Your Word! (Ephesians 6:10-18) Father I lift up my lovelies whom may have put their guard down, those lovelies who are tired, who are walking hopeless, and faithless. I ask you Lord that You intercede on their behalf. Send a legion of angels to protect them. Cover their minds. Remove all things that are not of you! Father take over, take control, take over their thoughts, their hearts, their soul. Meet them exactly where they are. Reveal yourself to them in such a way that there be no doubt that You are the Great I Am! Restore their soul so all who know them will know that You are God! In your powerful name, Jesus! 

A Loving Reminder: Take up your cross

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24 NIV)

I pray that you all read this with spiritual eyes. There is nothing nice, or sweet about picking up the cross. It is painful, messy and sometimes hard to understand, but very necessary for our walk with Christ!

I believe the hardest part about being in Christ is dying to self and picking up the cross. I did not truly come to understand what it meant to deny myself, until the moment God asked me to give up something that I came to treasure; a distraction that takes me away from God. I found myself on a crossroad, standing there, just me and God. A place where I had to choose to go left onto the path that deemed more appealing, but clearly away from the will of God; or go right onto the path that was a bit rough but pointed to Christ. The moment where I felt God tell me 'You can take the left path, but it's not the path I want for you, it's seems appealing but it's full of destruction.'

In “The Pursuit of God.” A.W. Tozer writes:

“To rip through the dear and tender stuff of which life is made can never be anything but deeply painful.”

“The cross is rough, and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victim hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies. After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual spiritual experience the Presence of the living God.” 

As I read this, I can't help but to visualize myself as the victim on the cross. Picking the right road keeps me in peace, but it is heavy and painful. Everyday I am reminded of what God has asked of me. The temptation I face daily, to do 'my will' is like a lash that tears at me, and hurts me. The work is still not finished, but I trust that it will be, and I will be resurrected in glory and power. 

 Father, I come boldly before your throne, confessing that I am well aware of the work that you are doing in my life. I ask you that you give me the strength to endure my time on the cross. That I imitate You, my Christ. Keep me focused on the eternal and not on these earthly moments. Father I lift up my lovelies whom are on the cross and are tired. I ask Father that you give them the wisdom, understanding and peace that will sustain them. I pray you give them spiritual eyes to see beyond the now. That they focus on the eternal. Father I lift up those whom have yet to pick up their cross, that You lead them gently to the cross, reminding them that you will be with them every step of the way. Remind them that 'Love Wins' and there is glory beyond the cross. Thank you Father for the grace and mercy that you extend to us on a daily basis. In Your Precious and Powerful name, Jesus.

A Loving Reminder: Everlasting Love

the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. (Jeremiah 31:3, 4 ESV)

As I read Jeremiah 31, I identify so well with the people of Israel. I can think of the many times that I have fallen away from God's will and grace, losing my joy, losing my song, broken. I think of how God always draws me back and rebuilds me. Giving me a new song and filling me with joy and His peace. The only peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). 

It is in these moments of brokenness, that we can truly understand God's Grace, His patience, His faithfulness, and His everlasting love. It is when you are most 'unloveable' that God extends Himself drawing you to Him so He can rebuild You. 

Father, I come boldly before Your presence, thanking You for your everlasting love. Your love never changes. (Psalms 136, 138:8). Your Word says that You will never leave us, nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) Even when we are unlovable You still remain faithful, loving us, with an everlasting love. Over and over again You pull our souls back from certain destruction, so we will see the light. (Job 33:29-30msg) Thank You for your patience. Father, I lift up any lovely that is in need of Your love, that You meet them exactly where they are. That You fill them up with your everlasting love and put in them a new song. (Psalms 40:3) Let them bring forth dance full of praise for what You have done for them. Thank you for teaching us along the way, what 'True Love' is. Love builds and never destroys. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT) Help my lovelies and I to remain in 'Love' with one another. Always building each other up. I could certainly speak of Your love forever. (Psalms 89:1) In Your precious name, Jesus.

One Thing Remains - Jesus Culture

http://youtu.be/E3Rv9P92ebU

A Loving Reminder: Stand Guard

A Loving Reminder: 

But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:9, 13, 14 NIV)

I recall having a conversation with a loving sister in Christ about how hard life is. One thing she said still resonates in me. She said "Life is hard, but life without God is harder". I think often how much I run in prayer to God for refuge throughout my day, for myself and for others, and then I started to think of those who don't truly know, understand, or believe in the power of the one who created them. The power of the awesome God who fights for us and our homes. 

Lovelies, one thing is for certain, threats will come. They come in all shapes and forms, and sometimes they come disguised. We must remain united and diligent about being on guard daily through prayer and intersession, to meet the threats that come to us daily. 

But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:36 ESV)

Father, thank you for the reminder that you are the Great and Awesome God that fights for us and our families. I ask that you give us the strength and stamina to be on guard day and night in prayer, not only for ourselves but for each other. Let us meditate on your promises from morning to night, that when the heaviness of the world falls on our shoulders that we be able to withstand it through your grace. In your precious name, Jesus, Amen! 

A Loving Reminder: Grace and Mercy

A Loving Reminder: Grace and Mercy

Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me.” (Hosea 5:15)

My lovelies, I've been reading a study on the book of Hosea. A study on the disobedience and redemption of the people of Israel. It has been a little tough to swallow, convicting and bringing full awareness of how we grieve God. 

Hosea 5:15 penetrates my heart. I read it over and over again. The Lord says I will return to my place..... Until they admit their guilt..... For as soon as trouble comes.....they will earnestly search for me. 

Certainly I am no different than the people of Israel. Almost daily, I get consumed by the worldly things around me. Grieving God by desiring the things of the earth. Wanting more than that, that He has already given me. I have even walked away in pursuit of things that are not of God, and that is not in His will for my life. And as beautiful as certain things may seem, where God's will is not present, there is no peace. So we often find ourselves living in misery, in pain, in trouble, living the consequences of pursuing our own earthly agendas without the blessing from God. It is in these moments of pain that that we remember God and start calling out to him. 

The part of the verse that resonates in me is 'The Lord says I will return to my place..' I know what it feels like when God recedes, because of disobedience. He never left me, he remained present. But after warning me, He receded and allowed me to walk in my will. Walking against God's will is an uphill battle. And I battled alone. The entire time I knew in my spirit that He was present but He allowed me to stumble, fall and feel the heaviness of his absence, until I could no more. It was at that  point of hurt of being tired of going against God that I searched for Him and that I longed once again to be in His presence! 

How faithful and merciful is He, that he allows us to do what 'we' will after he tries to guide us and then waits patiently until we are ready to come to him, full of pain, anguish and full of regret, searching for him diligently. 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:1-9

Thank you Father, for I am redeemed! I know who's I am!  I wandered, I was unsettled but you gathered me. You relentlessly pursued me. You roared like a lion and back I was with trembling and fear, but in the hands of Unfailing Love! I lift up any lovely that may be walking on their own right now. I pray that they feel the heaviness of your absence as I did and run to You, searching for you diligently! I pray for true restoration where it is needed. I pray for a touch of your love where it is needed. I pray that you fill their mouths with a new song. Father I thank you because although you recede, you never leave. You are ever-present waiting to pick us up. Forgive us for grieving you.  In your precious name Jesus! Amen

A Loving Reminder: Walk by Faith not by Sight

My Lovelies, A Loving Reminder: Walk by Faith not by Sight

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

It is extremely difficult to be in a midst of the storm and visualize peace and stillness. Instead we, focus on what is physically in front of us, focus on the things seen. 

We focus on the chaos (our pain / or the pain around us). 

We focus on the strong winds (loss of control). 

We focus on the flooding, (the moments the waters feel so deep that you are just trying to keep your head above the water).

But the Word says that we should fix our eyes on what is unseen! We need to start walking around as if we are blind, acknowledging that God is in complete control! His purpose will stand, and He will do all that He please.’ (Isaiah 46:10)

His plan for us has a higher purpose. To bring us to eternal life! 

I love music so I like to visualize God behind the scenes orchestrating my life into a perfect melody that suits His purpose for me. I can't see Him but I know that in ALL things He is there!

My lovelies, we are constantly waging war, and it is not our battle to fight. During these times we need to pray, not only for ourselves but for each other and ask God to help us see with spiritual eyes, to help keep us focused, just like Elisha did for his servant! 

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked. “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:15-17 NIV)

Father, I come boldly before your throne in praise for you alone are God, The Author and Finisher of our faith. I pray that you give my lovelies spiritual eyes in the midst of the storms and battles that come through our daily lives. That you reveal yourself in each specific situation. That you instill in their minds and their hearts that they face every trial with 'The Lord of Host'! I pray this in your precious name, Jesus, Amen!