Five Minute Friday – OCEAN

When I was young we lived near the ocean – well the Gulf of Mexico.  One day I was dipping my two year old toes into the waves, barely.  My parents were laughing and talking together on the beach.  I looked at them having so much fun and said, “I guess you guys are just gonna let me drown!” (I based that on the tv news that shared a young boy had gotten caught in a rip tide and drowned recently)

Oh beloved, feel like you’re drowning in the ocean? Do you think God has forgotten you and is just going to let you be flung out to sea by torment, sadness and troubles?

Never fear!  You are safe in the ocean of your problems because God’s love is deeper and wider than any ocean you face. His love IS like the ocean!  Wherever you go you are safe in the Father’s hands.  Yes, troubles may come your way but nothing will ever separate you from His love.

Because God loves you bigger than the ocean He is for you wider than the sea.  You are safe and you are invincible.  Keep speaking the truth over yourself and rejoice that you can walk on the water with inconceivable joy as you swim in the Light of His Glory and Grace!

Isaiah 43:2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

1 Chronicles 16:34  Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.

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False Alarms!

Well the alarms didn’t work well this morning. So we are running late and trying to get Danny out the door. I’m so thankful that God never runs late nor does He consider our rushing mornings as something to worry about.

Oh beloved, you aren’t late when it comes to God’s plan. It may seem impossible for you to get where you need to get. But God is on time. And because you are His, you will always make it just when He wants you to and without fail.

The Lord wants you to know this morning that you are His and therefore everything that concerns you is covered by Him. He doesn’t fear, He won’t worry, He can’t quit and He doesn’t put out alarms when things go wrong. You are so precious to Him that He causes everything that worries you to be a vehicle for peace. He causes everything that has giving you tears to be a river of blessing. He gives you beauty for ashes – by lifting you up and out of the alarming circumstances and into His loving arms!

God loves you and He’s for you. Now listen, precious one. He chose you before you were born, He carried you through your life, He introduced you to Jesus, He filled you with His Spirit and gave you the Mind of Christ! What do you have to worry about? Today is your day to get up, get dressed, praise the Lord and carry on! Because your destiny is firmly settled in heaven and carried out on earth. Rejoice that you get to live in the Light of all this and more as you walk in the truth and never fall for false alarms

again!

Isaiah 41:13

For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you: “Do not fear, I will help you.”

Haggai 2:5

This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you; do not be afraid.”

2 Corinthians 3:4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ.

The Throttle of Our Lives – Wed, June 20, 2018

I saw a shared photo of one of my high school friend’s first car – a mustang fastback. One of her friends commented, “Several of us tried to set land speed records between Blevins & Nashville.” So true! There was something about that road that just made for smooth fast sailing. And when combined with certain music on the radio one could drive a whole lot faster. What I listened to certainly had an affect on the throttle of my car.

What we listen to certainly has an effect on the throttle of our lives.

Oh beloved, what are you listening to? The recordings of past mistakes? The playback of your former life? Neither of these things are being played to you by the Lord. He has buried your sins in the deepest sea called forgetfulness. When you listen to that old broken record you will always have issues with reckless driving – fear makes you veer away from the Lord. Regret causes you to be certain God won’t use you. What you listen to can either build your faith or tear it down. Don’t replay the same stuff – you can’t drive on a flat and your life will always be flat when you believe the lies.

Truth is, all have fallen short, all have exceeded the limit of God’s mercy and yet – His mercy is greater than all our reckless living. You aren’t the sum of the old life. You are the representation of the Glory of God that comes on people who have new lives in Christ! Others might remember your former life, and remind you about it often. But God won’t do that. It’s time to forgive yourself, to get the new message to listen to, to let God take the wheel of your life and throttle up for the most joyous ride you’ve ever encountered! Get back on the road of faith, don’t waste time thinking about your past, move on, let go and let God arise! He’s going to exchange your former wild life with His energy, His power and His strength!

God loves you and He’s for you. You are already given more than you can imagine for a lifestyle of faith, redemption, peace and purpose. Rejoice in all His promises, thank Him for Christ’s unspeakable gift and live in the Light of His wonderful matchless grace!

I Corinthians 6:11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Colossians 3:3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

I Peter 4:2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.

2 Corinthians 3:18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord–who is the Spirit–makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Psalm 33:18 Surely the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion

Five Minute Friday – RESTORE

 

It makes sense, and I believe God has encouraged this, to read out loud to help with restoration of conversational speech patterns.  Danny has recovered completely but there are times when he gets frustrated with getting those thoughts out in words. We laugh a lot about it.

Anyway, not to say that he hasn’t been reading the Bible – of course he has. But the combination of reading out loud plus reading the Word just seemed to me like a double shot of healing. “He sends His Word and heals them…”

So he opened his Bible the first day and it opened to Matthew 5.  Here are the words He read, out loud.  Matthew 5:3-12 –

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,^[a]
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
⁴ God blesses those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ God blesses those who are humble,
    for they will inherit the whole earth.
⁶ God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
    for they will be satisfied.
⁷ God blesses those who are merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
    for they will see God.
⁹ God blesses those who work for peace,
    for they will be called the children of God.
¹⁰ God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs

¹¹ “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. ¹² Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

Then he reiterated the blessings that come to those who belong to Christ, no matter what their situation is.   God spoke clearly to Danny and me. And He spoke clearly over us as well.

This morning he opened his Bible to I Peter 5, specifically verses 6 – 10

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.  Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.

Again, restoration spoken to Danny through the Word and spoken over Danny by God. And spoken into the atmosphere of our home!

Oh beloved, restore is one of God’s favorite words. He did this at the cross through Christ, He continues in our lives through Holy Spirit and He will keep on.  Read that Word aloud, into the atmosphere of your home and watch as God changes everything for your good and His Glory!

I Peter 5: 12 …My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.

Deuteronomy 11:19 …Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

 

 

 

God knows you & hand picked you…

Maybe you don’t think you’re worth a mention but listen – God knows you & hand picked you.

In my search on the internet for a picture of my dad for Father’s Day I came across a website about Young Stribling, a famous boxer who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996. If you read on down in the link, my daddy’s name is listed among his contenders. My daddy was an important part of a more famous person’s life. He was part of something much bigger than himself.

Oh beloved, we too are an important part of a famous person’s life – Jesus. Yes, it’s all about Him. Yes, the Word is more about Him than his contenders or His followers. But you are an important part of Jesus and as you spread His fame you become a member of faith’s hall of fame! You are part of something that is so very much bigger than you. This walk of faith is where we come out of a life of shame and walk into the Light of God’s Glory! You are worth a mention! You are worth being used by the King of Kings. Your history will not read about how your life was such a mess or catalog all the sins of your former existence. No, your history is completely entwined in His Story! You weren’t just a contender, you are a victory! The dark domain has lost permanently because you gave your life to Christ. There is no person who surrendered their life to Christ who has no amazing story. This leap from insignificance to extraordinary existence is phenomenal! You couldn’t have done it on your own. You didn’t even say yes to Christ without His Holy Spirit wooing you.

But now you live for Christ and even in this life you are victorious no matter what! For the Word tells us to live is Christ and to die is gain! Victory all the way. Although my dad was listed as a defeated contender in the website, you beloved will never be defeated because God has already seated you in the winning place of honor for believers! Whether here in this world or there in heaven it’s no loss on your part, for you put your faith in Christ and you live for Him alone! It’s time to live the victor’s party life! Rehearse God’s promises, speak them over your life, settle into the comfort of God and bust out of the confines of the enemy! You won’t just last 10 rounds as those you were in a boxing match. You’re going to make it all the way. These momentary light afflictions that want to engulf you and cause you to surrender are not the sum of your life! No, you are sealed, delivered, redeemed, set free, chosen, marked for heaven as well as being a portrayer of all God’s goodness! You are a winner!

God loves you and He’s for you. Oh how precious is your life to God. Jesus exchanged Himself for you so that you could live victorious with an overcomer’s crown of glory! Run to Him this morning and thank Him for your place at His table and your badge of honor as you live and move in His powerful Glory and unlimited Grace!

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

I Corinthians 1:30 It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Romans 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

I John 5:4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.