Heartache
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your
unfailing love;
according to your
great compassionblot out my transgressions.
~Psalm 51:1
When love seems to fail us and we lack compassion for ourselves and others, how comforting to know how our God has mercy on us. Heartache is excruciating, but yesterday I was reminded that heartache is not only related to failed romances.
True and unselfish heartache comes from loving a beautiful 9 year old and then having to wave good bye as she returns to her abusive family life. How selfish of me to have dwelled so long on the pain of a betrayed relationship(s), with worries, what if's, and why's. That may sound unsympathetic, but I've become numb to relationship heartache, I won't talk about it, it doesn't deserve my time. I want nothing to do with it...but I want all to do with this other type of love heartache. A heartache that means something larger than this world, a heartache of God's love for human kind.
MAY YOUR HEARTACHE AS GOD'S AND NOT AS MANS
Proverbs 3:5
Verse for the Day 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding
Trust is such a hard thing sometimes because I am so impatient. I want to understand why things are happening so I can plan and be prepared. But the truth is as long as I trust in God I know my life is in His hands. He knows the plans for me. That is what I understand, but because He is God and I am not I have to just lean on Him. To remember how faithful He has been and to know He will always be. I think trust is that place when you jump and know He will catch you with open arms.
All Pray
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18
Commentary to come within the next 12 hours. Thanks! or shall I say 48 hours?
We all need prayer and need to pray...no matter what is going on in our life, good or bad or unbearable. There are many types and ways to pray. David did in song when frustrated/disappointed/heart broken, Paul did in letters when in prison, some in recitation when in fear, I in normal conversation during my commute (God knows I'm not talking to myself!)...lists and examples can go on and on...pray when your in trouble, when your in middle of doing what you know you shouldn't (you'll need strength to stop and leave) ANYWAY I think you get the idea.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18What do you think defines who a saint is? The Pope? your mom? History books?
I think to me a saint can be(is) any believer in Christ, but most prominent I'd say any Christian leader/missionary. Those who are lead by the Spirit and daily take life/welfare risks to share God's word. I'm sure this could become a heated/opinionated/passionate discussion, what I really want to do is challenge you to come up with what/who you define a saint to be.
If you don't know who the saints are how are you to pray for them? How are you to be alert to their situations to know what to specifically pray?
Verse for the Day
Verse for the Day31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
I am so thankful that God is with us always. Even in the hard times, it is his strength that sustains us. He gives us hope and endurance. The motivation to pick up our head when we feel we simply cannot go on any longer. He brings peace and serenity to chaos, and is just there when we need Him most.
Let us...
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Psalm 95:2
Thanksgiving praise!
And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD:
“For He is good,
For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.”
Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Verse for the Day
Verse for the DayAnd Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the Lord:
"O Lord,God of Israel,you are enthroned between the mighty
cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth.You alone created the heavens and the earth."
2Kings 19:15
Oh yes our God reigns! He alone is the great King over all the earth. The same time,care,and piece of himself that went into making a mountain top is the same time,care, and piece of himself he took into making us. The oceans crash and swell at the sound of his voice, and the thunder booms in praise. He is awesome and beautiful!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Verse for the DayEnter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm100:4
Happy Thanksgiving! I'm so thankful for so many things and people. My life group and friends from Southland...I mean how often do you get to share your life with people who passionately pursue God. Fellowship is amazing! Then there is family...yes they can be annoying but in a way I am grateful for the annoiances b/clife would be so lonely without them. Then of course their is Christ and the cross,and what that means for me today.That my sins are forgiven and I am a new creation! Yes friends I am a grateful girl!
Faith that pleases
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6
This makes sense to me, how can you please someone if you don't think they exist? I cling to the promise that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him...oohh do I ever want to know what things He has planned for my life!
Verse for the Day
Verse for the Day 5 The Lord replied,
“Look around at the nations; look and be amazed![
a]
For I am doing something in your own day,
something you wouldn’t believe
even if someone told you about it.
Habbakkuk 1:5
Alison Littrell referenced this verse from her testimony at TSB and it has been resonating with me since. There are times when I feel like my Christian walk goes through a dull dry period, and I think gosh is God even moving at all. But all I have to do is turn on the news or listen to a friend dealing with the possible death of her father. I see and hear these things and I am brought to my knees again. He is moving and He is constantly doing things in me and around me that I would not believe. We can wait in anticipation because He is going to retun someday, and one day we will see His face. But until then there are daily reminders of his glory all around us. Sometimes I just have to open my eyes more, and shift the focus away from myself to see him.
Following His Voice
John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Is it the same to say that if you follow him you will listen to him? If you aren't listening then how are you following? Are you following someone else who listens to his voice? If so I hope that you learn to listen on your own...I think many times we as Christians are afraid to listen on our own and therefore become confused in trying to identify what our individual purpose or calling in life is. If we're following someone else who follows His voice, that's just it, your following someone else. Someone who NOT your Lord and Savior. I guess what I am trying to say is, if the voice you are listening to is so soft, yet what it is asking of you doesn't go against the Word. I want to encourage you to step out of the crowd/comfort zone and DO IT!
I've personally started to step out...I'm jumping out soon~gotta encourage myself sometimes too.
Our expertise is not His
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
Luke 5:4-5
Now Simon is an expert in fishing, for his livelihood was being a fisherman. I have no doubt that with his experience he knew where and what part of the lake was most advantageous for catching the best fish. Simon doesn't seem to understand or think that there is any use to going back out and into the deep water, but he Listened to what Jesus had said and did so. How often do we limit our lives by not listening to our Lord? By thinking that we're experts in a certain situation or even our own lives that nothing else could be done...but where's the faith? the obedience?
I'd rather be in the deep water with my Father than the shallow water by myself. -Dave Stone ~Tamara
Delightful desires
Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Have you ever sat down and really thought about what the desires of your heart are? If they change day to day, week to week, or month to month can you really trust that it is a desire of the heart? I've asked myself this before and have found myself asking again, wondering if it's still the same. I guess it doesn't matter as much as I may think, being happy in the Lord is the only way the things we desire can be a true delight. I highly doubt, no, I know they would not be as delightful if we didn't know His joy and glory.
Hope for the future
Verse for the Day 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.
Jeremiah 29:11
Being 2o something is really the age that I've found to be one of the most complicated. We are graduated (or going to graduate school) and some of us are in jobs we love but some are not. Some are married while others want to be. We are constantly bombarded with decisions and choices and the looming questions of "am I happy" or "what am I supposed to do with my life". It is in this time of confusion that we can make the choice to do it God's way, and just surrender to him because no matter what He does have our best interest in mind. He has a plan for us, and his plan is for us to prosper. Just like Abraham, if we trust him, we will mutliply our land in ways we never imagined. It takes courage to say "ok God I'm done here is the steering wheel of my life"...but the rewards are so great. He has come so that we may have life and have it to the full.
Wisdom and Glory
A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
~Proverbs 19:11
Patience seems to be key in many things. Patience to wait before you speak, to calm down before you act, to observe before you leave... How many things do we miss out on or regret because we weren't patient? It is truly wisdom that helps us to know when, how, and why to be patient.
I think in overlooking an offense, the wise aren't allowing emotions to distract them from seeing a truer issue. Whether it be someone who needs prayer(offender or not) for a situation, health concern, addiction, finances or any other stronghold. We must remember that ultimately our lives are for the glory and building of God's heavenly kingdom. No offence should be allowed to get in the way of our doing His work.
Thank you for being a friend
Verse for the Day 9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
I got part of this verse as my Verse of the Day from K-love, and it made me smile. One of the things I am so thankful for are the people God has blessed me with to do life. In just a short time I feel like I have met people who will be with me, either physically or in spirit, for the rest of my life. When I read verse 10 about falling and having someone to reach out and help, I think I don't just have one person-I have about 10 at least. So like they say on Golden Girls..."thank you for being a friend".
Peace and Comfort
"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
~Zephaniah 3:17
This verse has been a cornerstone of comfort for one of our good friends going through a very tough family situation. I am so inspired by their example of drawing strength and comfort from the written Word. When reading this how can one not feel the peace that flows from it? ...to be quieted with love and know He is mighty to save.
Encourage
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29
We aren't speaking for our benefit, no matter how much one may like to hear their own voice. We are to speak to bring praise and glory to our Heavenly Father, to encourage and uplift brothers, sisters, and unbelievers. It is so hard to think before we speak...but we need to try and do so...
True Love
Verse for the Day16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
1 John 3:16
I love this verse because it brings me back to the heart of worship everytime. I am humbled by the love that He gives, and I am forgiven so that I can forgive others. We know what love is. Agape love involves being unselfish and giving to others, even though you may not get as much in return. To love without a hidden agenda. Then we are to love each other in this way.
Do not worry
Verse for the DayTherefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34
So worrying is not something I have been very good at avoiding lately. To put it lightly...I am freaking out! I have my concluding project of my Masters due in a few weeks, and it is causing my a lot of anxiety. But, thru it all I have to keep my perspective on the Lord, and know that He will provide me with everything that I need. So I know this may seem so trivial, but could you keep me in your prayers from now until my exam is over at the end of the month. I appreciate it.
Faith brings joy
Verse for the Day1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.- Romans 5:1-2
What is really important
Verse for the Day7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7
It is funny to think how much money we spend to make our outward appearance look nice. I think the beauty industry is a billion dollar industry coupled with plastic surgery, it just amazes me how much we spend on something that really doesn't matter. Looks are deceiving and they fade, but inward beauty comes from a heart that loves the Lord. He fills us with radiant splendor and overflows into our lives. He thinks you are beautiful. Really his opinion is all that matters.
Point to Ponder
Read this previous post:
Love your enemies What do we do when our prayers for our enemy's prosperity come true...when good things happen to those who have deeply hurt us. Do we get frustrated and bitter because God has answered our prayer? If so, it makes you(me) wonder what exactly was I meaning when I was praying for my enemy? Maybe I didn't mind if he prospered a little, but when God takes it to the extreme, what is the reaction? I'm struggling with this lately again, as this is the month that my ex, of a 1.5 yr relationship, now 8 months later is marring a mutual friend...sorry to bear my baggage, but I've been feeling the need to voice my situation ...I've decided just to focus on how God has answered my prayers, as unknowingly I was of how powerful they indeed were.
He is the Lord our God...our Savior
Verse for the Day When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaish 43:2
He says "I am the Lord your God" do not fear. Not matter what happens, be content in your circumstances because He is with you. He was with the Israelities when they passed through the Red Sea, and He is with us. No matter how impossible our circumstances may seem we can take heart because He has overcome the world. I love this passage because I can hear God's voice resonating in my ear.
He is the Lord our God...our Savior
Verse for the Day When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaish 43:2
He says "I am the Lord your God" do not fear. Not matter what happens, be content in your circumstances because He is with you. He was with the Israelities when they passed through the Red Sea, and He is with us. No matter how impossible our circumstances may seem we can take heart because He has overcome the world. I love this passage because I can hear God's voice resonating in my ear.
Vine and the Branches
Verse for the Day5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-8
Romans 1:16-17
Verse for the Day 16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[
a] just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."[
b]
