Watched

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John 13: 34, 35.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
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As Christ loved and does love, so we must love and accept others unconditionally. It’s been said that pastors and leadership live in a fishbowl, and it’s true as every action is pretty much known by the flock, but really, whether we like it or not, all Christians are transparent. We are watched, sized up and evaluated by other believers as well as non believers. If they don’t like what they see, we quickly get labeled as the hypocrite. What do others see when they view our lifestyle, and our attitude towards others? Evidence of love for others in our lives is far reaching and will affect the way we live our lives. It will affect our behavior, our grace giving, our values, our trust and our attitude. Love is the base of our salvation and is truly evidence of an authentic, true relationship with a God who IS Love.

pumping Heart

Promise To Protect


Psalm 18:1, 2.
“For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

God’s promise to protect His people rings loud and clear through the ages and pages of history and still remains strong for us to claim today. He had rescued David from his enemies and David was filled with gratitude and awe for God’s hand of protection and divine intervention. In these verses he used five military symbols to characterize God and His divine care. He is like a rock (safety) that can’t be moved by anyone who wishes to harm us. He is a fortress (a place of peaceful defense) where we can find rest yet the enemy can’t follow. He is as a shield coming between us and danger. He is as a horn of salvation; a symbol of might, power and victory and a stronghold, lifting us high above our enemies.
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Oh beautiful soul, What an awesome place to be in times of trouble when the enemy is preparing weapons for battle against us. In such times we must remember God is all we need! He is “ALL” we need! His love is steadfast, faithful and unending. His love is secure, His grace is sustaining and immeasurable and yeah, His victory is already won! If you will find rest in Him you will find peace, because Isaiah 54: 17 gives the promise that no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.”

Our God is a faithful God and in His almighty hand of deliverance, and sure victory we can join in David’s victory and praise as we find protection, shelter and salvation from the storms that threaten.

❤ ❤ ❤

Seeing More Clearly

Seeing More Clearly

Some days after the storm settles somewhat, the light comes and the mind sees maybe a bit more clearly after the gale dies down.

Has it happened to you? You know, when you’ve been beaten up against a brick wall of hopelessness, in just plain, crazy, life situations and then God comes through with His take on the picture, and whispers into your heart some kind of peace and some kind of courage even in the midst of whatevers going down? A new light on the subject, a new promise, a new scripture verse, a new way of seeing things, a new angle, a new thought or a few new thoughts ~ thoughts more powerful than the battle itself because God enlightened and His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.

There is hope in every situation
hope in every situation

His battles are won without wars and His peace passes all understanding. Yeah, even in the midst of everything and in the heat of dreadful battle, His peace trumps the churning strife and turmoil of what the world threatens. So, trust then and rest when the storm settles, and let Him speak in His still, small voice into your beautiful soul. Let Him enlighten your mind and open your heart to a new thought, a new counsel, a quiet view, a tranquil heart. Allow Him to renew your tender spirit and free it to soar to new heights regardless of that bleak and daunting stuff lurking in the corners. Yeah, just rest now, and wait for His timing and His winning team to play it right and come out on top.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31

❤ ❤ ❤

Be Still And Know

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So it’s a heavy day of just plain nothing but “All gone wrong” and everything seems so misshapen and outta sorts. Where’s the joy when the world’s in a mess and your world follows close behind in its messed up footsteps? The joy you knew yesterday took a nose-dive into the deep and it kinda seems like it’s gone forever. Here in this dreadful “now” moment, you’re emptied of even emotion and the pain of the heart can’t feel the hurt any more because it’s just too weary to feel any more. Where do you go when worries have numbed your spirit and hung your beautiful soul out to dry? Where is your refuge when your world hangs by a frazzled thread, and the thing you feared most has taken it’s position?

The Psalmist in Psalm 46: 1,2,3 tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though it’s waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”

Beautiful soul, when all is lost, the Psalmist goes on to bring words of hope to the reader in verses 4 and 5, “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the Holy Place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day….and on to verse 10, a quiet moment with God, When He whispers into your heart, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” He’s got it!

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What comfort for your crumpled spirit, your broken world and your anxious heart! He’s got it! God is in charge and He will be exalted in the heavens and on the earth in your situation and in your circumstances if you rest “Still” in Him and know that He is sovereign over all. Rest your beautiful soul then today ~ You who are broken, and shattered in your brokenness! Just be still in Him.

❤ ❤ ❤