Knowing and trusting

Trusting someone is naturally easier when you know them well.  When you know their characteristics, their values, the way they deal with different issues, how they treat you and other people....are they honest, do they keep their word, do they take their responsibilities seriously?  Relationships can be made or broken based on trust issues.

It's the same with trusting God.  It's far easier to trust Him if you know Him!  So how do you do that?  How do you get to know the Creator of the universe, our Heavenly Father, His Son, Prince of Peace, Messiah, Emmanuel, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter?

Isaiah 9:6b
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


Open your Bible and read it!  It is the Word of God!  In it you will find His personality, His love, His abundant grace.  You will find that He always keeps His promises.  That His love is unconditional, always there, and abundant.  You will find that He is merciful and protective of His own.  He is ever present, all knowing, all powerful, unchanging.  He wants to be in relationship with you.

Joshua 21:45
45 Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. 
 
John 1:14 
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

Psalm 3:3
3 But you, LORD, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high. 


Pray.  Daily....hourly...all the time.  Give thanks.  Give adoration.  Tell Him your needs.  Tell Him your feelings, your thoughts, your hurts, your happiness, your disappointments.  Tell Him everything...even your anger.  Tell Him.  Worship Him, praise Him.  Talk to him....and then watch for Him to answer.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.


Find a church home where you can worship and fellowship with other Christians.  One that has values that are Biblically based...where the Gospel is spoken, where the commandments to love God, love others, and spread the gospel is lived out through the members. Go to worship, go to Bible study groups, take part in activities.  Be a part of the Christian community.

Matthew 18:20
20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Get to know Him...and get to trusting Him! 

rejoicing comes in the morning

Psalm 30:5

⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
   but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
   but rejoicing comes in the morning. 


This morning, Lord God, once again I choose joy.  I release the pain, the frustration, the anger and I embrace Your joy.  Your peace, Your comfort, Your wise counsel.  I pray that today I will shine Your light, to Your glory, God.  Help me to stand straight and strong, to forge forth on the path You have set before me.  To put all disappointments, sadness, bitterness and fear behind me.  To reach out my hand and place it firmly in Yours, Father.  To stand against the lies of the enemy that he whispers into my ear...help me not to listen.  Help me to remember that in YOU, oh God, I am beloved, I am whole, I am strong.  Help me, hold me, lead me.   Give me wisdom to know the truth, humility to put others first, strength to do the things I must even when I don't want to.  Thank you, God, for always being with me.  Thank you for providing all I need.  Thank you for all the blessings You give.

Amen

You are welcome here...

I received a letter a few days ago from my heart-son, Godless, in Tanzania.  He is a child I sponsor through Compassion.  He is just recently turned 10 years old, and so very, very thin.  My hope is to have a picture of him someday with a smile on his face.  Both that I have of him?  He's so serious, sad.  I want to see him smile.

At the end of his last letter, his translator says "He says he loves you so much and says you are welcome so much to Tanzania."  When I read that, my heart flew across the world...to his little village, to be with him.  If only I could, little one.  If only I could come there, and see you face to face, and hold you close, and let you know how much I love you...a child I only know through letters and drawings and a couple of pictures.  A child who holds a part of my heart, there, in Tanzania.

And there is little Grelty, in Indonesia.  Who asks in her letter, "May I call you Mother Kelly?"  Of course, child.  Your very own mother loves you so much, but you are a child of my heart, and while I know I can never top the love of your own mother....I do love you so much.  She is a precious beautiful little girl who has grown so much since the first picture I had of her.  The second picture from earlier this year when she turned 8 - oh she is beautiful.  Her cheeks have filled out some and she looks healthier.  I love to see that!  I would love to hold her hand and sing songs with her, and hear her laughter.

And Vishal...my little correspondence boy in India.  His translator tells me his is weak in the last letter.  And my heart breaks and cries for him.  I pray that he gains strength and health. That he has enough to eat.  That the food they bought for his family with the last gift from his financial sponsor will bring him the nutrition he so badly needs.  I love him, too, you see.  This little boy who is growing up in hunger and poverty.  I want to hold him, too, and tell him that he will be ok.  That God loves him so much, as do I.

I pray for these three....just as I pray for my own three precious children.  I pray they will ALL grow strong, healthy, wise.  I pray that God will enlighten their paths, and keep them close to His heart for all their days.  I pray that they will find joy, peace, love.  I pray that I will be able to let them know always that I love them so very, very much.


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Please look at my side bar and click on the post from "A Holy Experience" and read her post called "When Compassion becomes a gold rush...."  Trust me, you will be blessed.

Chris Tomlin - I Will Rise

I will be singing this song with the Praise Choir at our church this morning.  Hit play, and close your eyes, and draw near to God....

God bless you today and always!

Pray continually...

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18  NIV

¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

As I go about my day...do I talk to God continually?  Um, no.  Much as I'd like to think I have a pretty good ongoing conversation with my Father...I'm thinking I don't pray continually.  In fact, some days I realize I've gone several hours without giving Him much thought at all.  Pray continually.  As in all the time.  Each breath in and each breath out.  He who formed us from dust, breathed His very own life into us, He who sent his son...Himself...to breath his last human breath on the cross for us, He who provides, who comforts, who guides, who lifts us up when we stumble, He who created all things, who was and is and is to come....He deserves our full, prayerful, attention.  Not just once in a while, but continually.  So, if I am not talking to him continually, how can I pray constantly?  Perhaps the way I live is a prayer...  Do I live my life as a prayer to Him?  If I look at what I do during the day...are all my behaviors in some way a prayer to my God?  Uh oh.  There are some things I don't really want to be saying to Him, right?  Was that my "out loud voice?"

I started out this post with the thought of thankfulness.  I had a whole different direction I was going to take this today.  But then I got stuck on those two words at the beginning of this verse.  And now, I find I have something entirely different to ponder today....

Called to pray...

...not now, Lord.  I have so much to do.  I don't have time to stop and pray.  Come on, Lord, I've been thinking about that person all day, and I know they probably need prayer, but isn't this good enough?  God, you know I am worried about this...and that...and how will I ever get through everything?  Oh and I think I forgot to eat dinner....  I want to talk to you, Father, but can we make it quick? 

Do you ever feel the nudging from the Spirit that tells you to slow down and pray a little?  To stop what you are doing and just rest in the Lord?  To tell Him about your day, and your worries, and the people you care about?  Are you called to pray?   Jesus took time out of his day to go to a quiet place and pray.  Jesus, who was already one with the Father, took time to pray.  He gave us example after example.

Sometimes, I realize a whole day has gone by and I haven't taken much time to talk to God.  Or I find excuses to put off the conversation.  I will even admit that right now, as I write this blog post...I am feeling pulled to pray.  To turn off the noise, the computer.  To just stop, sit down, close my eyes and come quietly before the Lord. And yet, I am avoiding it.  WHY??

He's been nudging me today.  Sending thoughts that say..."Hey, I want to talk with you.  Won't you take some time with Me?"  And I've been busy.  Busy, busy, busy.  And looking back over the day...I can't say I have accomplished a lot.  Except maybe worry, fret, forget to eat and take time to rest.  I am running behind and running late.  I need to go to bed, but have things that are unfinished that need to be done for tomorrow. 

What's keeping me from talking to God?  Maybe I am afraid of what He might say to me.  Maybe He has a task in mind that is too much.  Maybe He has no answers for today, but only that quiet, dreaded word...wait.
Why do I grieve His heart by keeping my distance?

Do you need to pray?  Do you have concerns to share with Him?  Is he putting someone on your heart who really needs intercession?  Are you worried about something?  Is your schedule too hectic? 

Stop. Rest in Him.  Give up all the feeble excuses and MAKE the time to talk with your Father.  He certainly has time for you.  He is waiting.  He will give you peace.  He will give you the strength you need.  He will give you a balance to help you get done what is important and know what can wait.  Stop.  Turn off the noise.  Sit with Him.  Seek His face.  Seek His heart.  Pray....

I'm going to spend some time with Him right now...will you?

Holy Spirit Intercede

When there are just no more words...when everything just feels like you are spinning out of control into a big black hole...when you are so tired you can't take another step...when you feel one more kick when you are already down...when you just can't even pray....what then?

Surrender.  Let it go.  Let the Holy Spirit work in and through you.  Let the Holy Spirit intercede in prayer for you in groans only God can comprehend.  He knows.  He knows how you hurt, what you need, and how to take care of it all.  He knows the answers you can't find.  He knows how to heal, how to hold, how to give you strength.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.   
Romans 8:25-27