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: 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: Always on His Mind

A Loving Reminder: 

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! (Psalms 139:7, 17-18)

Lovelies, one of my favorite Psalm's is 139. It reminds me that I am always on my Father's mind, and that no one knows me better than He that created me. In life we sometimes connect with people in such a way that sometimes words need not be spoken, but no one knows you better than your maker. He examines our soul. Our lives are written in His book. Nothing can happen to us, without Him knowing about it. This includes our grievances and our joys. 

If possible, take time today and read Psalm 139 ( http://bible.us/116/psa.139.1.nlt ) and reflect on your connection with God. Indulge in the facts that:

He knows everything about you.

He knows every thought even when we stray from Him. 

He is with you every waking moment. 

He goes before you and behind you. 

There isn't a place you can run to hide from Him. 

He guides you.

He supports you with His strength. 

He made you wonderfully complex!

And His thoughts of you are like the sand and cannot be numbered! 

I don't know about you but His thoughts about me get me excited!

Father, I come boldly before your throne full of praise. I thank you for You know us well. You knew us in our mother's womb. It was in that place where You created us. 

There is not a thought or a word that we speak forth that you didn't already know. You know our success and our failures, our joys and our grievances. Thank you Father that we cannot escape you. That in All things (not just some) and in all places we are in your presence. Father continue to examine our hearts, to guide us and strengthen us. In your precious name, Jesus, Amen!

A Loving Reminder: He Gathers Us

A Loving Reminder: 

They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. Hosea 11:10

Lovelies, I have wandered in the desert, where the land is dry and I was left thirsty and hungry, never satisfied. One morning I heard the Lord roar at me. I heard him tell me about me. Tell me about my wrongs, and warning me about changes I had to make.  He didn't use anyone to speak into my life. It was a personal encounter during a fast I was doing in preparation for a testimony I was to share. With fear and trembling I understood everything He spoke into my spirit.

I am not perfect. I am work in progress, but I am certainly not where I use to be. When I thirst I know where to draw water.

When I'm hungry I know where to be fed. 

Father, I come before your throne with a grateful heart, for I am redeemed. I know who's I am.  I wandered, I was unsettled but you gathered me. You relentlessly pursue me. You roar like a lion and back I am with trembling and fear, but in the hands of Unfailing Love! This is my story Lord, you have brought me to a place where I'm settled. As David said in Psalm 40  I proclaim your saving acts....; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness... Father I pray that you gather those hearts that are wandering from east and west, from north and south. Hear their cries and show them your unfailing love. Do not withhold your mercy from your children, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect us. In Your precious name, Jesus, Amen

A Loving Reminder: First thing in the morning

A Loving Reminder: 

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:3 NIV)

How I start my morning makes all the difference on how my day develops. When I start my morning with a grateful heart, praising God and covering myself with His Word, my day seems to go smoother. I have spiritually nourished my soul and I am better prepared for the attacks of this world.  But on days that I'm rushing out my door and I don't give God my first, I am ill prepared and I am a mess. 

Father, I come with a grateful heart before your throne. I give you thanks and praise that You gently wake me up each morning before sunrise and I get to spend that waking moment with you. You hear my praise, my thoughts, my desires, and my sorrows. I lay them down on your throne early in the morning, and in exchange You sustain me through my day. Thank  You father, that you never fail me. When I sleep you are there and when I wake your presence is the first thing that greets me. I pray that my lovelies experience what it is to be greeted by You every morning. In your precious name, Jesus, Amen! 

A Loving Reminder: Never Changing

A Loving Reminder: 
Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Psalm 86:11 NIV

Lovelies, so often we depend on the ever changing things of this world. Things like jobs, money, the homes we live in, people we love and trust. Putting all of our energy into them, not thinking that from one morning to the next it can all change. We can lose our jobs, we can go bankrupt, our homes can be destroyed in an unexpected natural disaster, we can lose a loved one or become disappointed by someone we loved and trusted. 

One thing is for certain, our circumstances will change, people will walk in and out of our lives; But, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Thus says the Lord : "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:5-9 ESV)

Father, I come boldly before your throne, grateful for your faithfulness, and your unfailing love. Forgive us for the many times we rely on the things of this world, and putting our trust in man, rather than relying and putting our trust on You and what your word promises us.  Teach us your way, teach us to rely on Your faithfulness. Lord give us an undivided heart. Father I pray for a heart that aligns with Your word and Your will for our lives. Your word says Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7) Thank you Father for giving us something solid to stand on. I pray that You may dwell in our hearts through faith, so we grow rooted and grounded in your love.  In your precious name, I pray, Jesus, Amen.

A Loving Reminder: Resting on God's Promises

A Loving Reminder: 

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:20-22)

How beautiful is the Word of God. I love that this verse says 'for no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.'  It doesn't say His promises are a maybe (uncertainty) but that they are "Yes" (definite) in Christ. 

Through Christ, God fulfilled the most important promises of all. The promise of a savior, the promise of salvation. Guaranteeing whats to come!  

Gods Word is full of promises to us. They are treasures, full of declarations that are infinitive. 

'I AM': Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. (John 14:6)

'I Will': I will walk among you, and I will be your God and you will be my people. (Leviticus 26:12)

'So Have I': As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (John 15:9)

Remind yourself who God is and what He promises you. 

Personally, I hold on to the promises behind His names. I rest knowing that He is who His Word says He is.

He is Yahweh Tsebaoth - Lord God of Host 1Samuel 17:45-46 

He fights for me!!

He is El Kanna - The Jealous One Exodus 34:14 

He relentlessly pursues me!!

He is Sar Shalom - Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6

He covers me with His peace!!

He is Elohim - God Mighty Creator Genesis 2:4 

He made me wonderfully and with a purpose!!

He is Yahweh Roi- The Lord is my Sheperd  Psalm 23:1 

He brings me back everytime I wander!!

He is Yahweh Tsuri - The Lord My Rock Psalm 62:2 

He steadies me, I will not be shaken!!

He is El Roi - The God Who Sees Me Genesis 16:13

I cannot hide from him! He sees me in my strengths and He sees me in my weakness!!  

He is Yahweh Rophe - Our Lord who Heals Psalm 103:3 

Your my healer!!

He is Logos - The Word John 1:14

He stands behind his name!!

He is The Great I AM - Exodus 3:14

What is difficult for The Great I AM. He is everything,  in everything, at all times.. 

Father, 

I come boldly before you thanking you for who You are. You are everything to me! You are my maker, my healer, my protector, my strength, my peace. I thank you for the many promises you left behind for me. It is written that You are not a man that You should lie so, I choose to stand firm on your promises. I surrender myself completely to you knowing that you created me for Your purpose and that you know what's best for me, even if I don't always understand it. Always give my lovelies and I spiritual eyes to see beyond what is physically in front of us and to never lose focus of you and your promises. You remain the same yesterday, today and forever. Thank you Lord for you are good and your love endures forever and ever. In your precious name, Jesus, Amen