'...the LORD abides forever; A stronghold in times of trouble...
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.'
(excerpted from Psalm 9:7-10)
Trials and tribulations...rejection and persecution...it is during times like these our Lord desires that we know He abides forever, that He indeed knows the beginning from the end and that He is a stronghold that never fails in times of trouble. And His word tells us that there will be times such as these so we should not be surprised nor dismayed nor discouraged.
Let us be of good courage and resolute in our faith in the living Lord - may those who know His name stand strong in Him...trusting completely in Him...for the Lord will not forsake those who seek after Him with a whole heart.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
comfort zones
Moving out of our comfort zones - I think that is part of the sacrifice of becoming a bond servant of Christ. We, as the church, have become very comfortable in 'trusting in our ways' and over time we have become so inwardly focused and protective of 'our ways' that we have lost the hunger, the Spirit led fire, for the truth of the gospel and our call to be bond servants.
As Hosea writes 'for it is time to seek the Lord' - let us allow the Holy Spirit to overflow within us, to fill our hearts and minds with the grace and truth of God's lovingkindness, to exhort and encourage us to be living sacrifices for His sake and to rebuke us for straying from the truth and living within our comfort zones.
'Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the LORD
Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.
You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice,
You have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your way...'
(Hosea 10:12-13)
As Hosea writes 'for it is time to seek the Lord' - let us allow the Holy Spirit to overflow within us, to fill our hearts and minds with the grace and truth of God's lovingkindness, to exhort and encourage us to be living sacrifices for His sake and to rebuke us for straying from the truth and living within our comfort zones.
'Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the LORD
Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.
You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice,
You have eaten the fruit of lies.
Because you have trusted in your way...'
(Hosea 10:12-13)
Friday, November 6, 2009
are we a drift ?
'He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.' (2 Chronicles 12:14)
The path is narrow and the focus of our heart drives our walk along that path.
Just as Rehoboam let his focus drift from the Lord as he became 'established and strong' so in our day we have so many distractions as we attempt to control our daily lives that we lose our focus and drift. And when we drift we are apt to 'do evil' - which is to make idols in our lives that replace God. Those 'idols' can be as seemingly innocent as fighting for 'social injustice' which can become a passion that replaces our first love. Any cause that removes God from the throne of our hearts leads us a drift. If we do not, first of all love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and secondly love our neighbors, we will not have the proper focus in our lives.
Lest we not forget - loving our neighbor entails reflecting the lovingkindness of God in and through our daily lives (vessels filled with His Spirit) by sharing His grace and truth !
Is your heart set to seek the Lord ?
The path is narrow and the focus of our heart drives our walk along that path.
Just as Rehoboam let his focus drift from the Lord as he became 'established and strong' so in our day we have so many distractions as we attempt to control our daily lives that we lose our focus and drift. And when we drift we are apt to 'do evil' - which is to make idols in our lives that replace God. Those 'idols' can be as seemingly innocent as fighting for 'social injustice' which can become a passion that replaces our first love. Any cause that removes God from the throne of our hearts leads us a drift. If we do not, first of all love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and secondly love our neighbors, we will not have the proper focus in our lives.
Lest we not forget - loving our neighbor entails reflecting the lovingkindness of God in and through our daily lives (vessels filled with His Spirit) by sharing His grace and truth !
Is your heart set to seek the Lord ?
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