We worry, fear, stress, and feel alone. If we are in the hands of God, creator of Heaven and Earth, why then wouldn’t we trust He knows our needs?
God loves us so very much, we are included His workmanship.
Next time you feel like you have no purpose, consider the One who gave you one. Consider the power, the wisdom, and love of God. He is always the same, never changing. Although we may change, our circumstances may change, and as the seasons change, God orchestrated it all from the beginning. We need to trust Him not our own understanding.
We may be small, but our God is bigger than our problems!
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Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. (Genesis 1:5 NKJV)
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 (Ephesians 3:20 – 3:21 NKJV)
It is so very important for us to remember who we are and why are here. Many people are so lost and unable to see that we are not here by accident or for no reason at all. We are part of God’s very powerful, very purposeful and very real design.
The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
For You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, As in the day of Midian. For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.
For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
(Isaiah 9:2-7)
Just as the farmer sows seeds, tends to his crops with care, and in time reaps a bountiful harvest, our time here should be taken very seriously. God has placed us here to tend to the work of Lord who is the Lord of the Harvest.
As we go through the various seasons of our lives we can rest easy knowing that He has given us the promise of reaping an eternal reward for our efforts in the Lord’s absence and in His Name. We all have a place in service for Him, we all have the opportunity to partake in the harvest, but there are many people who will refuse to work.
We are each seeds planted here by God:
We are to nourish ourselves with the Word, grow in our faith and spiritual maturity in order to bear the fruits of the Spirit. Like the seasons of the year to the seed, our lives should repetitively consist of growing, maturing, enduring, and bearing fruit in Jesus Name.
MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT!
DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME OR TAKE IT FOR GRANTED
THE ONES WHO ARE IN THE FIELD WILL PARTAKE IN THE FEAST WHEN IT IS TIME FOR THE HARVEST. THE ONES WHO REFUSE TO WORK WILL BE LEFT WITH NOTHING TO EAT
-BRANDON HEATH- THE HARVESTER
“But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,
“so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’ “
And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? “
The sower sows the word. “And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
“These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.
Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
“Maturity is: The ability to stick with a job until it’s finished; The ability to do a job without being supervised; The ability to carry money without spending it; and The ability to bear an injustice without wanting to get even.” -Abigail Van Buren
When the path grows dark and the wind blows cold,
when our bodies ache and we feel so old.
When our way is lost and we begin to fear,
when we want to just give up and run right out of here.
When we can’t find the strength to keep walking,
when the tears burn our eyes.
When we pray for a way out of our trials,
when Jesus hears our cries.
O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come. Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You? You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
Shall revive me again,
And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness,
And comfort me on every sides (Psalms 71:17-21)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith – the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-6)
“They who sing through the summer must dance in the winter.” -Unknown
When winter surrounds you,
when you are longing for spring.
When you feel like it is hopeless,
when you’ve lost everything.
God sees you in this season,
He knows what you need to grow.
God loves you for this reason,
He is teaching you things you did not know.
We have to trust the Lord at all times, even during the war of winter in our lives.
We will be victorious in all battles and in all seasons.
Keep walking, you will get there. In God’s timing.
“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” -Hal Borland
“God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.” William Cowper
On the days the water rises and the winds blow cold,
When my eyes fill up with the tears I can no longer hold.
I take a deep breath and I call Your name,
I remembers so many storms before this I have done the very same.
When escape feels impossible, I know You will provide a way out.
When clarity seems unattainable, You remove all of my doubt.
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying:
“I will sing to the LORD,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and its rider
He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. The LORD is a man of war; The LORD is His name
(Exodus 15:1 – 15:3 NKJV)
My heart is so weathered, its pieces scatter with the breeze.
I need you to come collect them and put me back together please.
I don’t need to do much other than allow You to lead,
You see these cuts and bruises I have from crawling on my knees.
The world keeps me down, but only when I let it.
Your Word burns through the lies that try to make me forget it.
No matter the conditions, You promise Ill make it.
You strengthen me as I go so I’m able to take it.
If I listen to You then I will hear.
If I trust you there is nothing to fear.
“Times of general calamity and confusion have ever been productive of the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace, and the brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storm.” -Charles Caleb Colton
“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” -Martin Luther
“Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.” -Alice M. Swaim
Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,but the rich in his humiliation, because j as a flower of the field he will pass away.For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
After I read the quote above , by Tina Turner, I had the very strong desire to actually take an inventory of the things/people in my life., (just to be certain that they were good for me and not in some way hindering my progression.
I thought about it awhile and could not come up with anything or anyone, literally, that made me unhappy. I figured surely there has to be something wrong some where, but thanks be to God, no. There wasn’t anything. I considered myself blessed and went about my day.
Later on in the afternoon, that quote popped back into my head like one of those very annoying song lyrics you have stuck on repeat in your head even though you don’t know the words. I sat down and took another look at the blank list I had attempted to create and realized there was someone I had failed to inventory. I could not believe I did not think of her right off the bat! The only person who gets the best of me when I am down and the only person who has the ability to trip me when I am up… ME!
The reality of all this quickly struck a nostalgic chord on my heart. Immediately I was taken back to my childhood. I recalled when I was truly care-free, unashamed, and free. These feelings reminded me of the child-like way in which the Lord stresses we behave, even in adulthood. The way we relied on our parents with complete abandonment of fear as children should be no different than how we rely on Jesus when we are all grown up.
The birds, the insects, the helpless and even the trees, all are perfect examples of what the peace of having Jesus looks like. As adults we no longer require our parents to make our decisions for us and with this freedom to decide comes our freedom to deny.
We now are able to put aside the advice, the care and the power our parents so we can make a way on our own. Just because we can, does not mean we should abandon the instruction of our parents. Same concept applies to our relationship with God. We want the freedom so badly, but what do we actually need freedom from? Now that I am older, I can say the only things my parents gave me were chances and moments to enjoy the time I had, free of all the responsibilities they knew one day I would ultimately also carry myself.
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The whole idea the Lord put on my heart to share is this : We are the only ones responsible for making the correct choices in manifesting a great life for ourselves. He is very much there to guide and help us to be the best we can be, just like our parents, regardless if we are 10 or 100.
Do not allow others or even your ideas of being happy lead to unnecessary places simply because we are able to decide . We have the ability, and the right to be happy, successful and very much free of worry on our own, but really all we are fighting to be is on our own. It is not necessary to desire freedom when it is already ours. Like the flowers wither without the nourishment of the soil, we too get weak without the spiritual nourishment God provides.
God wants us to be happy, to be healthy, to be free. We all need little reminders sometimes that while we feel we are doing so much on our own, looking back on it as we grow up, we realize we very much are not alone and we can feel, for even just a minute, that peace we did as kids if we allow ourselves to trust Him. Be blessed kids!
“God is waiting eagerly to respond with new strength to each little act of self-control, small disciplines of prayer, feeble searching after him. And his children shall be filled if they will only hunger and thirst after what he offers.” –Richard Holloway
The Lord has taught me a few different things this week, but I have noticed that fear has been the common denominator of each lesson. This post is what I took away from the subject and hope it reaches some of your hearts who may be going through a season of fear or insecurity.
I have talked a lot about fear both here at My Message and on my on line radio show Turning Your Mess Into Your Message, but when the opportunity of addressing the issue presents itself I take it.
We are very much loved by a powerful and protective God. He asks very little of us yet paid a very big price for us and our salvation. We should acknowledge Him first in all things, be obedient when hearing His instruction and constant in our application of the wisdom He provides so that we may share it with those who need and deserve to know the power of His love is for them and everyone. The Lord showed me of course, the desert to illustrate the point. We get caught up in and with things that seduce us and cause us to start seeing things which do not really exist. Such mirages are used by the enemy to take us deeper into the desert of our lives only to leave us lost there stranded and scared to death we can’t get back. You all remember 40 days and 40 nights as well as the enemy trying to run the same game on Jesus in the wilderness!
It is so important to know that no one is perfect and God knows when you’re going to get a bit lost sometimes. God does not expect us to be perfect, but He has given us the tools needed to better our lives. He teaches us daily through His Word, has blessed us with the ability to pray and communicate with Him and has promised that no matter how deep the waters or big the desert, we are with Him. Do not get stuck on stupid when the enemy baits you with false fear.
“Any existence deprived of freedom is a kind of death.” -Gen Michel Aoun
A particular song has really resonated with my spirit this week and while I was writing this post. Oceans, by Hillsong United, is featured below for you to hear. The lyrics are also provided because they beautifully express to you the main idea behind this message and the concept of living boldly in your faith. We need to put serious thought into the roles each of us play during our time here and be confident that God is with us at ALL times. He is preparing us for any and every thing the enemy may try to use to keep us from peace and keep us in pieces.
Oceans
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and You won’t start now
So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine
A life following Christ does not guarantee us a life free from dark moments, but it guarantees us God will always be the light in the midst of them. We all need to remain strong in faith and prayer during times of persecution as the world pushes harder in these days to eliminate God from daily living.
Father, help us to be moved by the plight of those who are prepared to suffer and even lay down their lives for the sake of Christ. We remember them in our prayers and remember them as warriors of the faith, who for the joy set before them endured the suffering, shame and agony of their tormentors. As they endured the humiliation they also overcame by the blood of the Lamb. Many of them have received the crown of life in heaven that is rewarded to those martyred for their faith. On Coronation Day when we all gather in heaven we look forward to enjoying earnest fellowship with these tried and true saints of our faith who did not give up meeting together to worship You. Keep us faithful when tested by fire, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
1 Peter 1:2 (Photo credit: [Share the Word])“I look back on my life like a good day’s work; it was done and I am satisfied with it.” –Anna Mary Robertson Moses
national museum of american art and portrait gallery-59 (Photo credit: krossbow)
Father, help us to be moved by the plight of those who are prepared to suffer and even lay down their lives for the sake of Christ. We remember them in our prayers and remember them as warriors of the faith, who for the joy set before them endured the suffering, shame and agony of their tormentors. As they endured the humiliation they also overcame by the blood of the Lamb. Many of them have received the crown of life in heaven that is rewarded to those martyred for their faith. On Coronation Day when we all gather in heaven we look forward to enjoying earnest fellowship with these tried and true saints of our faith who did not give up meeting together to worship You. Keep us faithful when tested by fire, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
