of Christ who gives me the strength and power. (TLB)
Paul wasn’t speaking of just physical hunger. Sometimes I hunger for … unconditional love … wisdom and clear sight in a particular circumstance … ‘gifting’ to accomplish a task I have been given. God is already there. He already knows the need. He can fulfill the need.
You are kind, LORD, so good and merciful.
You protect ordinary people, and when I was helpless,
you saved me and treated me so kindly that I don’t need to worry anymore.
Psalm 116:5-7 (CEV)
Questions: What ‘impossibles’ do I lay at God’s feet today? (Write them down and leave space for God’s answer.) Join together in agreement for God to do what He knows to do in each situation.
What are some ‘impossibles’ that BECAME possible because of God?
Week 3
The things that happened to those people are examples. They were written down to teach us, because we live in a time when all these things of the past have reached their goal. If you think you are strong, you should be careful not to fall. The only temptation that has come to you is that which everyone has. But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it…
“We are allowed to do all things,” but all things are not good for us to do. “We are allowed to do all things,” but not all things help others grow stronger. Do not look out only for yourselves. Look out for the good of others also. 1 Corinthians 10:11-13, 23-24 (NCV)
Are there things in my life that are “permissible” but not beneficial or constructive to my life? I could qualify that and say my ‘spiritual’ life but my spiritual life IS my life. Maybe it makes me feel better to try to separate my ‘spiritual’ life from the rest of my life but there really isn’t any separation possible. If I want God to be in my life (guide, director, protector) then do I separate my life into rooms and invite Him into some but then turn and say, “Hey, Lord, uh…I gotta go do something in here so why don’t You just hang out over there?!”
So as I look at the TOTAL rooms in my life are there ‘hairballs’ under the bed and ‘cobwebs’ in the upper corners that while not causing an overt health problem, they are not inviting the Lord into a clean house. AND when I invite others in (to hang around me) whether they are believers or not, they notice the ‘dirt’ and wonder just what kind of spiritual housekeeper I am!
I don’t want my life to be just a place for ‘SHOW’. I want my life to be a place that the Lord desires to use it as His dwelling. God is holy. There is no compromise. He comes closer to me as I leave behind the ‘sin that so easily entangles’ (Hebrews 12:1) and move closer to His holiness. God does not force His glory or His presence on me. He allows me to refuse His invitation. He desires that I choose Him and choose to be holy. He gives me the Holy Sprit that is the ‘voice’ inside of me reminding me of the Father’s words and wisdom. I have all I need to build a temple where God lives. It is a ‘glass’ temple that allows God to shine forth so that all others see, all that they remember, is Him.
So prepare your minds for service and have self-control. All your hope should be for the gift of grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ is shown to you. Now that you are obedient children of God do not live as you did in the past. You did not understand, so you did the evil things you wanted. But be holy in all you do, just as God the One who called you, is holy. It is written in the Scriptures: “You must be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NCV)
Questions: Are there things in my life that are “permissible” but not beneficial or constructive to my life?
Are there parts of my life that I do not allow Jesus to have total access?
Week 4
2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.
4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:2-5
Verse 2 of this Psalm is such a statement of fact: “I called and you answered.” Period. God did respond. He met my expectation that He would answer.
Verse 3 seems to say that God did even more than I expected. That His grace and mercy kept me from death (physical, emotional, spiritual) and from the “pit” that I was walking toward. I have been in situations that I KNEW was bad news and I seemed to spin in a circle or wander around and not be able to find my footing. The worse case scenario was rushing toward me and I couldn’t seem to change course. God saved me.
Verse 4 is a moment of relief and praise. HALLELUJAH!!! God is WORTHY of my praise!
Verse 5 is like a “philosophical review” of the event. I am a sinner. I chose an un-Godly path but I KNOW I am a Child of God, saved by grace. I know that He is a righteous parent – angry when I am disobedient but continues to show me love – may I always know that I am loved. I cry during the discipline. It isn’t fun. It isn’t fun when I have to go through the consequences of an “unwise” (I’m being kind to myself!) decision. And so I weep.
Joy DOES come. It may not be literally “in the morning” – like 8 or 12 hours from now. When I turn control over to God, joy does come. The “weeping” may last for a ‘season’ – and that ‘season’ may be hours, days, weeks, and yes, even years, but JOY, real JOY that has NOTHING to do with my circumstances WILL come. Yes, I argue with God’s timing when I am going through the un-joyful time. But I stand and testify today that God’s timing IS perfect and the joy, the relief, the “aahhh” of the cool water after being on God’s anvil, does come!
Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing it everywhere around the world! Sing out his praises! Bless his name. Each day tell someone that he saves.
Publish his glorious acts throughout the earth. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. For the Lord is great beyond description, and greatly to be praised. Worship only him among the gods! For the gods of other nations are merely idols, but our God made the heavens! Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty are in his Temple. Psalm 96:1-6 (TLB)
I will praise You today, Lord, for:
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Week 5
When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. Psalm 11:3-4
What is there to say in the midst of war? What do I say to my friends who have been notified that
