Yesterday we had the unique pleasure of attending a Houston Astro’s game.  One of Floyd’s patients has the most amazing box there right behind home plate and she graciously gave us seats to see our favorite baseball team play …Go Rangers!  And this being Jackson’s first major league game Floyd went all out and ordered us hats and t-shirts to aptly celebrate.   Floyd (the warrior as I like to call him) and Jackson (the ninja as he likes to be called) were excited for over a month to go cheer on their boys.  Me, I am not much of a sports fanatic.  I know the names because they say them constantly when giving each other the daily report.  This usually includes how many home runs Josh Hamilton hit or catches that Ian Kinsler made the night before.  I am content to be there watching the warrior and the ninja enjoy this beautiful gift of life and to take all of these experiences in.

As I sat there in this incredible atmosphere, the lavish buffets, Jackson’s oohs and aahs and the amazing view I couldn’t help but ponder a parallel to our spiritual life.  Here God has seated us in heavenly places in Christ, given us this amazing view, seats us at His banqueting table with His banner over us as love yet plops us (as Texas Ranger’s fans) right in the middle of Astro territory!!  Hilarious!!  Yesterday, I said my definition of spiritual warfare was Ranger’s fans sitting in Astro’s box seats trying to ENJOY the game!!  And yes!! the Rangers won and yes we enjoyed every minute!!  I love God’s sense of humor and His view!!  He is amazing!!

What really cracked me up was this gentleman behind us and his son.  He just became so fascinated with us wearing all of our gear boldly, in this clearly Astros hangout, that he had to pick at us a little.  Jokingly, he told us that we needed to keep down our cheering and kept reminding us that we were going to lose.  Then later on in the game, he brought us a set of rules that visitors should abide by!!  He further went on to read those with us and we all had a terrific laugh.  He then gave Jackson an Astros ball to commemorate the occasion.  He made it interesting, but in all of his tactics, he still didn’t persuade us to become Astro’s fans nor get us to stop living the dream.

It did get me thinking even further…isn’t that how the enemy is…I mean certainly not as well-meaning as this man was, but the same principle.  Here we are in this world which Jesus tells us to be in it but not of it, and the enemy wants us to be fully informed of all of the rules to peaceable living here because sticking to your way will cause conflict.  So, he bids us to resolve in our hearts that we are trespassers and violators and he even has the nerve to accuse us of not walking in love when we proclaim the truth.  Even going so far as to threaten us with “hate crimes” if we continue on speaking the truth in love…  That is why it is vitally important to understand WHOSE you are, what He has done for you and died to give you, the truth of His word, to know that you are seated in heavenly places in Christ for a reason, to keep your eyes on the prize, to cheer loudly for team Jesus and of course, don’t forget to buy the t-shirt!! Ha!

“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in  Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”  Hebrews 11:23-26

Be encouraged today my friends.  Look to your Great reward!  You might be positioned as a sheep among wolves but the GREAT shepherd is yours and you are HIS!!  Follow Him as He leads you further into Him!!  Keep your eyes on Him and no matter what is going on around you or to you nothing will compare to His Glory!  Nothing will love and refresh you amidst the long journey like His voice and His peace.  And nothing will satisfy like His love.  Let not your heart be troubled; He goes to prepare a place for you where He will call you heavenward, but never forget that He is here with you NOW to accomplish His will and purposes.  He is before you in all things and in Him all things hold together! Root! Root! Root! for the home team…Jesus!!  And don’t forget to read Revelation, WE WIN!!!

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”  Romans 8:1

I picked up my son from school a couple of days ago and I could see instantly that this normally happy-go-lucky little guy was very troubled.  I greeted him as usual and asked how his day went, to which he uncharacteristically replied, “I don’t want to talk about it.”  I could see then that he was fighting back the tears.

I held my tongue until we got home.  When he put down his back pack, I just knelt down beside him and offered him a hug.  We just sat there and embraced with no words exchanged.  I then broke the silence with, “Buddy, no matter what you are dealing with right now, facing it together will make it so much easier.”  I just had a knowing at that moment that he had gotten in trouble at school.  I tried to bring further comfort, “Whatever happened at school today, no matter how bad it was, I want you to know that I know your heart and I know that you always want to do the right thing.  We will work through this.”  He began to sob and then his sobbing turned to wailing as he was finally able to release his emotional pain.    The amazing thing for me was as I was comforting him, I too was being comforted.  I could just hear the Lord saying to me the exact same words…I want to work through everything in your life WITH you.  No matter what you are facing, facing it with Me will make it so much better.

When I opened his backpack, I saw the check mark on his daily planner and a handwritten note by the side that said a one word sentence about what had happened.  Then I found an additional note with the same explanation of what had happened with the addition of pictures.  It was a form for behavior which gave the teacher three options to choose from similar to the photo below:

The middle picture had been circled and the words written, “was drinking juice box in line while leaving the cafeteria”.  I was doing everything I could to not laugh out loud due to the ridiculousness.  All of this dread and condemnation and anxiety from my child, who has a spotless behavior record, over finishing a juice box…  I asked him to tell me what happened and yes he could have handled the situation so much better and yes I affirmed our expectations of his heart toward obedience to authority and yes I wrote the teacher back and told her I would have a talk with him concerning this and yes I did talk with him, but inside I was feeling so cynical about all of it and a little offended because he is a great kid and this was his first check mark all year and on and on and on…   Right in the middle of my internal justice dialogue over this juice box I was met with God’s voice speaking to me about me!

“Don’t you know that I love you?  Don’t you know that I see your heart’s motives for good? Don’t you know that you are anxiety laden and condemn yourself for things that I look at and think, “Juice box!”  It was all so clear.  I had been walking in condemnation and fear and anxiety and worry over God’s punishment for things that yes I could have handled better and that yes I should yield differently to the next time but in the perspective of His love seemed as small to His justice as the juice box infraction did to my sense of justice.  In the context of His love and relationship He doesn’t expect perfectionism He looks at the heart.  He knows that we are in training mode and that we are HIS workmanship, not our own.   He has so much for grace for us that we do not have for ourselves.  In fact, did you know that the Bible leads that His sense of justice/judgement has been satisfied in His Son? He never ever sends messages of condemnation…NEVER!!  He never accuses us, enacts punishment on us or operates in darkness.  The Bible says that He is light, therefore He brings all things to light.  He is perfect love, therefore only disciplines (corrects and shows us His way) never punishes us and when God speaks to us He always provides options of hope, not condemnation.  My lack of understanding about who He is and His nature, had brought a cynical way of thinking in me that was met at the cross.  It reminds me of the old hymn, “At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away.  It was there by faith, I received my sight and now I am happy all the day.”

Receive your sight today in Jesus name!!  Receive His messages of mercy and grace and love and comfort!  Receive His acceptance of you and your heart towards Him.  Receive His heart of complete and unblemished love.  His love can never be earned and never be lost.  Nothing can ever separate you from it or Him!!  I said NO THING!!!  Bring all of your self/world-perceived failures, losses, screw-ups, melt-downs, and mindsets to Him.  Allow Him to hold you and whisper His love to you so that you can face each moment of this life together.  Let Him put your life in His light and in His perspective and watch all of the fear and dread and condemnation and cynicism and anxiety melt away.  Allow all of your judgements to be satisfied in the Lord Jesus and be free!  Run to His arms today and live!!

“Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 5:14-21  

“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”  Psalm 103:1-5

Don’t forget His Benefits!!  Even if you must post notes everywhere; let your mind continually think on His benefits.   Even if you must forget other insignificant information to make room, even if you must tie a string on your finger, or set your watch alarm as a reminder!!  Whatever it takes DO NOT FORGET!!!

In order to get the most out of the message of this passage we must grasp the two things I see He is highlighting.  First, He gives us Himself and second He gives us the benefits that come with having Him.  A lot of our problems lie in striving for what we get without first understanding who we get and the value that comes from the who.

You don’t just get forgiveness, you get a God who forgives all your sins.

You don’t just get healing,  you get a God who heals all your diseases.

You don’t just get redemption, you get a God who redeems your life.

You don’t just get crowned with love and compassion, you get a God who crowns you continually with love and compassion.

You don’t just get satisfaction, you get a God who satisfies your desires with good things, and as this actively happens your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Having each of these events happen is a beautiful experience, but having life-giving relationship with the creator of these events is beyond exceptional.  It is the crux of everything we are as believers.  When the world is stripped away and all the fluff is stripped away and all of the things we think we HAVE to have deteriorate and lose their luster we see that all that STUFF doesn’t matter.  What really matters is Him and knowing Him and being known by Him!  And what really matters is relationship and giving and receiving love!

After getting my dream car a few years ago and then watching problem after problem arising from it and the cost of the repairs on it; I gladly let it go!  As silly as it sounds, I came to this epiphany that the car did nothing to change my life…  It couldn’t comfort me during loss, celebrate me, cheer me up, or hold my hand when I was lonely.  Yet I wanted it so badly for years and worked so hard for it…  Why?  In contrast, when we first moved to Houston, my neighbor was struggling and God allowed me to walk through a lot of difficulty in her life with her.  Myself and my neighbors surrounded her and we entered into a beautiful relationship with her that will continue on forever in Christ.  She recently moved and I was so sad to see her go.  She called me on the phone and said that in all her life she had never experienced love like she did from all of us.  We had comforted each other, celebrated each other and were just there for one another.  Now that is what life on this Earth is all about!!!  That is the good stuff!  That is the real beauty of the power of Christ and His love on this Earth!!

Friends, today, remember Him.  Sometimes I just reach over and make a motion like I am grabbing His hand.  Just to sit with Him is such a treasure to me.  Just knowing He is always with me is my greatest comfort.  Let it also be yours today!  No matter what you are facing in your life you are not alone.  He is always there, never forget your greatest benefit of all is Him and as is His nature, you also get to enjoy all of the wonderful ways He shows His love to you!!

Have a beautiful day together!!

“14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. 15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness…” Psalm 107:10-15  

” Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:  “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”  James 4:1-10

“Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for  “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because  your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may  the God of all grace, who called us  to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”  1 Peter 5:5-11

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.”  2 Cor. 10:3-6

You must know today that there is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain!!  EVERY CHAIN!  There is no chain too great for Him.  Submit yourself to Him.  Humble yourself and ask Him for His help and then wait upon Him.  Learn to listen.  He is waiting for you.  All of Heaven will be discharged at His command when you go to Him.  Oh, your deliverance may not come like you expect or want, but it will come.  And with it will come an understanding of His love and care for you.  A new trust will awaken with the breaking of each chain.

As I meditated on this song and these scriptures this morning, I began to feel this heaviness sitting right on my chest begin to leave.  Sometimes you get so used to pushing through that you don’t even realize how great a heaviness you have carried until it is gone!  What a great relief Jesus brings.  What a peace, what a calm, what a love…

Let His love wash over you today and restore your soul…

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.  So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.  And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”  Romans 8:5-11

When you accept Jesus into your life you get set in right relationship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit dwells in you.  Though you were once led by “the flesh” you are now led by” the Spirit”.

Those in “the flesh”  CANNOT please God.  Not through their sacrifices, their goodness, their philanthropy or their benevolence.  No matter what, they cannot please God.

But, you are not in “the flesh” when you accept Christ and are in-dwelled by the Holy Spirit, you are in “the Spirit”.  Those in “the Spirit”  please God!!  Not through their sacrifices, their goodness, their philanthropy or their benevolence.  No matter what, you cannot please God more than you already do by simply having Christ in you.  It is all because of Jesus you are alive!!  It is all because of the grace of Jesus Christ….nothing else.

So, praise Him like never before.

You can walk around all day long just saying, “I please God.  I am pleasing to God.  God is pleased with me.  God loves me.  Jesus has given me a free gift.  I am a child of God.  He is my daddy and my daddy is happy with me.  I have the Holy Spirit.  I have power.  I have supernatural power working in my life.  I have hope and life because of Jesus and I have power to overcome everything that comes my way.  I am never alone.  I am never forsaken.  I am more than a conqueror.  If I don’t have the solution today, I will tomorrow; It has already been released.  If I don’t know how to pray, that is okay too because He is interceding for me according to the will of God.  Whatever I have need of, He is my supply.  Nothing shall have dominion over me!  I am strong in the Lord and the power of HIS might.  In Him I live and move and have my being.  I cannot flee from His presence.  I am led by the Spirit of God, I am HIS dearly loved child and I am resting in His love for me!   In Jesus Name!!”

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”  Romans 8:13-14

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.  What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!  Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?  But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.  And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”  Romans 6:14-18

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;  Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah”  Psalm 46:1-3

Ever wake up and just wish you had a different life?  I don’t mean, a life of the rich and famous, I mean you literally wake up one day and can’t believe that your life has produced this nightmare that you are now living…after whatever face devastation has taken for you personally… death, divorce, disease, abuse, financial demise, all of the above… This is the picture I get when I read this Psalm.  The picture that God understands a life where everything you know is being removed.  Your world is being thrown upside down and everything you know and have felt comfort in and leaned on or even enjoyed is somehow slipping through your fingers…And not only what is in your grasp, but what is also in your heart and dreams.  Your future is in complete jeopardy and being re-written before your eyes; you watch as your hopes are being picked up and kicked into the midst of the sea and this trouble brings with it repercussions of greater and greater trouble, as an earthquake with the aftershocks that follow.   Psalm 93: 3 does a beautiful job of painting a picture of the panic and feelings of being overwhelmed one can feel while trouble is near.  “The floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves…”  You see floods destroy, floods drown, floods demolish everything they touch.  We know this fact in the natural and we see that God understands this by His choice of words when He describes the incoming threat and He gets what it does to your body when David said in Psalm 38:6-8, “I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.  For my loins are full of inflammation, And there is no soundness in my flesh.  I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.”

You see, God understands trouble.   But even more importantly, He understands the power available to you because of what Jesus did for you.  The resurrection power of God.

” For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.  Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us…”2 Cor. 1:8-10

He wants you to know that no matter what is going on in your life, He is a very present help right in the middle of your trouble.  Not after you get it cleaned up by yourself or deal with it by yourself, but right in the middle of it where it is the ugliest, the hardest and where it seems the most impossible.  My Bible defines “a very present help as that He has been found to be reliable, or proven to be a reliable stronghold in the past, so that any future calamity is no reason to fear.”  No matter what nightmare you woke up to I want you to know that He is present for you, that He loves you, that He is willing to help, and can be trusted to help.   The way I see it, you have some choices as to how this all plays out because He will not force Himself on you.  You have to choose…

1. To run to Him not away from Him.
2. To receive His help.
3. To read His word and accept that it is true, no matter what your feelings or mind are saying.   When your thinking and the word of God are playing tug of war, who wins?
4. To open your heart to Him and let Him show you His love for you in a new way in the midst of your trouble.
5. To keep your mind in today, not yesterday or tomorrow.

If you say today that the Psalm I opened up with is the beginning of your story.  That you are in trouble and despair and cannot find your way. Know that the beginning does not have to dictate the end.  We serve a mighty God and with His resurrection power, the Psalmist’s conclusion can be your conclusion too…

•  “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.  God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.  The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted.  The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah”  Psalm 46:4-7 
•  “The Lord on high is mightier Than the noise of many waters, Than the mighty waves of the sea.” Psalm 93:4
• “He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.  He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me.” Psalm 18:16-17

Friends, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.” 1 John 5:4

“1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs– O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth! 2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth; Render punishment to the proud. 3 Lord, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph? 4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things; All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves. 5 They break in pieces Your people, O Lord, And afflict Your heritage. 6 They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless. 7 Yet they say, “The Lord does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob understand.” 8 Understand, you senseless among the people; And you fools, when will you be wise? 9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? 10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? 11 The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile. 12 Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, And teach out of Your law, 13 That You may give him rest from the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked. 14 For the Lord will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance. 15 But judgment will return to righteousness, And all the upright in heart will follow it. 16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? 17 Unless the Lord had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence. 18 If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. 19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. 20 Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, Have fellowship with You? 21 They gather together against the life of the righteous, And condemn innocent blood. 22 But the Lord has been my defense, And my God the rock of my refuge. 23 He has brought on them their own iniquity, And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The Lord our God shall cut them off.”  Psalm 94

This past month I lay in bed with a bad case of the flu and several ribs that I separated from vomiting so hard.  It was so painful and so frustrating both physically and emotionally.  Not only could I not move without severe pain, it brought some painful memories of the years of isolation and rejection I felt being sick for so long.   As I lay there, this scripture just rang through my ears as God reached down to my heart and spoke His truth.  It enabled me to rise up against the hopelessness, the voices of torment from the past and the victimization that wanted to keep me down and not focused on Him and His plans.  He spoke exactly what I needed to hear.  I see you…I hear you… and I have greater plans for you…

Oh friends, there is no one like our God.  There are greater things awaiting you no matter what you are facing.  Turn your eyes upward, turn your ears upward, trust Him and believe Him today!!!

Yesterday, Natalie Grant led praise and worship at our church and she told the story of the song I have posted here today.  It was written by a group out of Ireland called Blue Tree.  These guys were available to the Lord and God gave them this incredible view of His victory that I have included for you.

God is saying to the world and to you today, I see you…I hear you…I have not forgotten you…I have not forsaken you…you matter to Me and I have greater plans for you and for this city, this nation and this world!

Let this prophetic proclamation wash over you today and drive out all of your  hopelessness, rejection, victimization and apathy.  No matter what you are facing or what you are fighting, you can be sure that God is bigger!!  He sees you!  God hears you!  You are not forgotten nor forsaken!  Neither are those girls in Thailand, the orphans of the world, nor anyone else facing the many atrocities of Hell.  Begin to rise up in your spirit and proclaim His victory.  Begin to speak into the darkness, His light.  Begin to allow yourself to be His hands and His feet of help to the world…however He might lead.

Our pastor laid out an interesting challenge yesterday:  Be the kind of Christian that makes God stop you rather than motivate you.  What he meant was to be so active in your faith that if God needs you to rest or to not be active in a certain way, let Him be the one to put the brakes on for you instead of the one to constantly inspire you to move out of your comfort zone and do something.

Just as He did me, let Him minister to you right where you are and bring you hope.  It is amazing, when you have hope for yourself and your situation, how much hope you have for the world and you truly do believe… “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Matthew 19:26 and “You will see greater things than these.” John 1:50

 His blessings are yours today and always!

“A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.  So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.  Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.  Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.  My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.  When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.  Because You have been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.  My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.  But those who seek my life, to destroy it, Shall go into the lower parts of the earth.  They shall fall by the sword; They shall be a portion for jackals.  But the king shall rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him shall glory; But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.” Psalm 63 

David wrote the above Psalm while fleeing from Saul in 1 Samuel 22.  I encourage you to read this passage.  It gives a great glimpse into his words and how he was able to continue moving forward towards what God had called him to.  The richness of His feelings for God were continually being birthed as he was escaping for his very life.  He was living firsthand that God’s loving-kindness was better than his own life and his praise was released accordingly. He had to walk out his victory step by step.

I love, love, love what verse 2 in 1 Sam. communicates,

“And everyone who was is DISTRESS,

 everyone who was in DEBT, and

everyone who was DISCONTENTED gathered to him. 

So he became captain over them…”

They gathered to him because they knew he would get it!  They knew he would get them!  He knew the pain of distress, indebtedness, and being discontented and he knew what he was called to do and how to lead them forward…

In Hebrews, Jesus is referred to as the captain of their salvation.  Seems fitting that this story of David is a probable foreshadowing of Christ.  A prophetic glimpse of what Jesus would bring…

I am writing this today to encourage you to gather to Him.  He has tasted everything you are going through or ever could go through.  He took it upon himself at Calvary and He gets it and He gets you and has given you a way to overcome.  As David set an example of praise and pressing into God during the most difficult times of his life, continue on.  Open your Bible, put on some praise music, raise your hands in praise, receive His free supply and apply it to your life.

In Psalm 63:11, David even reminds himself of what role GOD has called him to play and says, “But the king shall rejoice in God;”  Remind yourself of what God is calling you to today, if you are waiting on someone else to do it, STOP!  Remind yourself!  But the woman shall rejoice in God!  But the mom shall rejoice in God!  But the wife shall rejoice in God!  But the man of God shall rejoice in God!  You get the picture!

Lastly, no matter what you are having to face, no matter what has been released to try to stop what God is doing through you, you can rejoice and be joyful in His salvation!  You can know without a shadow of a doubt that what the Bible says is going to happen will happen.  And you can know, in faith, that there is an ending, “…But the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.”

“Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”  And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.  He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.  But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Revelation 21:5-8

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”  And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”  So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.”  Matthew 14:22-32

I love how LOVE lifted Peter.  I love how the wind ceased but not until THEY got into the boat.

Jesus whole entire language is Love.  It is who He is.  And yes, He did correct Peter in love,  and notice that after He pointed out Peter’s error, He did not reject him for it, He joined Him in the boat!  “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8

Whether you are at the end of your rope or the beginning, cry out to God for understanding of His love for you today.   Don’t be afraid of His correction.   If you are in error, don’t be afraid of rejection, let Him speak truth to you and then watch Him get in your boat.   God’s correction is not rejection…He gets what no one else gets and He gets you.  It is my desperate cry that we comprehend His love.  This is my prayer daily for myself, my family, and for you my friends…

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height–  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”  Eph 3:14-21

Now Jesus, I receive Your free gift of Love.  I did nothing to deserve it, it is free and I long to be filled with all the fullness of God.  I change the song to sing to You the anthem of my heart,

You lifted me.  You lifted me.  When nothing else could help, you lifted me.  You lifted me.  You lifted me.  When nothing else could help, you lifted me.

Thank you for lifting me.  Thank you for being in the boat with me.  Help me be rooted and grounded in your love.  I want to comprehend it.  I want You to teach me.  I have let the world teach me…  I want You to teach me and I open my heart.  I open it wide to You and ask You to fill me with Divine understanding.  I want more than just relief from my fears, I know You died to give me more…  Help my roots grow deep in Jesus Mighty Name!!  Amen