Showing posts with label God blesses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God blesses. Show all posts

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Drop Every Restraint and Take Every Chance with God!


Our 3 year old grandson, Caleb loves to play on my phone. When I enter the room he walks up to me with the sweetest face and says, “I want to pay you pone”. Sometimes I let him. Other times the battery is too low. Occasionally I will try to get something from him in exchange. “Okay, if you give me a kiss!” Rarely do I get one of those. But sometimes when I say, “Okay, give me a hug” he’s willing to make the exchange.  Other times he just says “hmph!” folds his arms and walks away. He weighs the give-and-take in the balance and just can’t let go even though he desperately wants to play a game on my phone. We’re both disappointed. Me, because I really wanted that hug or kiss and I so wanted to bless him. Caleb - because he really wanted to receive the blessing of getting to play on my phone.

We’re like that with God sometimes.  He speaks to our heart about moving out or moving on or simply letting Him choose the road we need to take. It’s just a little east of our comfort zone. We look at the request from God, we look at the desires of the heart, we look to Him and we look at ourselves. It’s just too much to give.  We weight it all out and find ourselves walking away after deciding the exchange is too costly.  It’s a huge disappointment for us – for we who are in the household of faith ought to be more willing to let go.  Not sure if it’s a disappointment to God, for He knows all about us and He already knows what we’ll choose. But He has to wonder why His children don’t just give the hug and receive the blessing!

Unlike Caleb, who is simply thinking with his mind, we are able to pray about our decisions and look at them from a spiritual aspect. If we let ourselves see with the eyes of the Lord, then we’ll say sure to God and move with Him!

Caleb will outgrow his toddler thinking. He will grow out of being so shy and unsure of the consequences of letting someone have a hug or a kiss. As children of the Lord, I hope we outgrow our restraint with God.

Oh beloved, I pray for you today! I pray that you will see the Lord and run to Him willingly and give Him your whole heart! I pray that you will not hold back one piece of yourself from Him. I pray that as you give yourself entirely to Him you will see all the amazing blessings that come from a willing heart. I pray that you will measure carefully what God is asking of you and do it with all your might!  I pray that as He speaks to you, you will listen with the ears of faith and see with the eyes of trust and hold out your whole life with the hands of service. I pray that you will feel the hug of His amazing love and hear the joy in His heart as you give it all to Him.

I want to encourage you to drop every fear, worry, concern and control and take every chance that God presents to you. I know in your heart you want to receive every blessing, every mission, and every plan from God. You’ll have to drop your guard in order to receive completely from the Lord. But I’ll let you in on a little secret – it’s more than worth it!  Why? Because God loves you and He’s for you and that’s where the real blessings are received.

 

2 Samuel 7:28 For You are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and You have promised these good things to Your servant.

Psalm 119:32 I will [not merely walk, but] run the way of Your commandments, when You give me a heart that is willing. (Amplified)

2 Chronicles 25:2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.

Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.

1 Chronicles 29:9 Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly.
 
Jeremiah 17:7 But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

Monday, April 29, 2013

God is Closer Than A Phone Call!



When I’m working I don’t always go home for lunch. But yesterday I did. I went across the street and visited with one of my daughters and then I went over to my house and grabbed my phone charger.




As I stepped to the door to go outside a young man was walking up into my driveway with a spray bottle in his hand and a rage on his shoulder. I first thought, wow, detailers can sure spot the dirty c...ars, as mine was still littered with dead bugs and dirt from our thousand mile trip.



But I became uneasy right away and realized that most people aren’t home in my neighborhood during the day and the few neighbors that are home are women and small children. I let him know that I didn’t want any cleaning supplies and he walked on down the street. Now I live out in the country and there was no car, no signs, nothing. Still feeling uneasy, especially with elderly widow neighbors, I just called to talk to the sheriff’s department.



They said they would check it out. Do you know that before I could lock my house and drive a block the sheriff’s patrol was already driving by? That’s a real comfort.

I felt so relieved driving back to work. Relief came because I knew who I was calling. That I knew the dispatcher’s voice, I know our sheriff by name, know the deputies because my kids grew up with most of them and they responded quickly. I had heard we have a great county sheriff’s department but I’d never personally needed them.



There may be nothing to it; he could have been someone really trying to get by, make a living or get some extra money. I hope I was mistaken and that he’s a very nice young man. I’ll probably never know. But I do know now, by experience, that Clark County residents can rely on the system. They can rely on the sheriff and his deputies as well as the dispatcher and others who work to keep us safe.



I also whispered a quick thank you to the Lord when I realized that He is always available for any need I have. The sheriff’s department for me was a great reminder of God’s ever present help. I know that God is just a whisper away because He’s proved it over and over to me!



Are you feeling uneasy and fearful about your circumstances? Are you wondering what you’re going to do? It’s impossible to lock out the world. It’s impossible to stay behind closed doors. It’s hard sometimes to believe that God is for you when life is hard and surroundings feel suspicious. But you can relax and rest in the Lord!



Oh beloved, He speaks to you this morning with authority and love I AM closer than a phone call, quicker than a deputy and full of wisdom, power and might. When you call on Me, there is no lag time, no waiting in line and no stranger on the other end. I AM the Lord Who watches over you, sends my angels to guard you, sends my Spirit to guide you and sends my Peace and Comfort to be with you always!

You can thank Him ahead of time for His watchful care and immediate response when you call No lag time, no waiting in line, no stranger on the other end of the line.

Rejoice that no matter the situation, God is with you and He is an On Time God! He loves you and because of His great love He will be right by your side as King of Kings and Lord of Lords all the days of your life!



Psalm 34:7 For the angel of the LORD is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.



Psalm 139:5 You go before me and follow me. You place Your hand of blessing on my head.



Psalm 138:7 Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out Your hand, and the power of Your right hand saves me.   ---Saturday, April 27, 2013