“Do what I tell you; live what I tell you. I am God.” Leviticus 22:31 MSG I’ve always considered myself to be a great listener, but I now realize that I was only hearing what was being said, and not sincerely listening. There is a profound difference between the two, one is a habit, and the other is intentional. Hearing requires very little effort on our part, but listening forces us to get over ourselves and focus on others. I believe that God speaks to us through His Word, it is inspired and is our road map for life. But in my daily…
“From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety” Psalms 61:2 NLT Is there anyone else out there who is afraid of heights? Surely I can’t be the only one whose knees go weak even looking at a picture like the one above. Sure, the view is spectacular, but also breathtakingly terrifying. I have the hardest time to try and wrap my mind around the idea of climbing a rock like that, for fun. My feet do much better planted securely on the ground. I am not naturally drawn to heights, but there are moments in my life when I need to rise above and go a little higher. We all encounter seasons of adversity and struggle, and it can cause us to naturally become overwhelmed. For some, our immediate reaction is to withdrawn and shrink down. When our hearts and spirits are overwhelmed, we can cry out for help to the One who has all the answers and everything we could need. Standing at the bottom of a towering mountain will most likely cause us to feel instantly defeated, but the view and…
“So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.” 2 Samuel 16:13-14 ESV I admire people who hold to their convictions and stand up for what they believe in, and Shimei was one of those people I think. He seems to be having a hard time letting go of the past though, and accepting David as king. While David is passing through his town, Shimei begins cursing David and throwing rocks. I once had a childhood friend throw a rock at me, and I can say with certainty that it hurts. The cursing continues and David allows it, stating that the Lord may look on the wrong done to him and repay him with good. I’m not quite sure what my response would be to someone violently calling me out and throwing rocks at me, but I hope and pray it would be similar to David’s. He had incredible faith that God was paying attention and would work…
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 How many times have you cried out to God, in heartbreak and despair, that you just don’t understand His ways. I’ve done it plenty of times. When my life wasn’t turning out the way I thought it would. When I miscarried the first time, then the second time, and especially the third time. When my heart hurt so badly I wasn’t sure it would ever heal. I’m…
I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:1-2 NLT) This Scripture beautifully reminds me of one simple, but absolute, TRUTH: that when I pray, God is near. I may not FEEL Him near. I may not SENSE His presence. I may not HEAR His voice. I may not SEE an answer to my prayer. I may not KNOW His purpose for my pain. But THIS I KNOW … that WHEN I pray, GOD IS NEAR. How can I KNOW this? Because God’s Word tells us TWO indisputable facts: 1. GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US. Every moment. “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 BSB) “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV) “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we…
Ever feel unaccepted? “When God has selected you, it doesn’t matter who else has rejected you, or neglected you. God’s favor outweighs ALL opposition.” – Author unknown The angel Gabriel was sent by God to visit Mary (Luke 1:26-28), and he had three high compliments for her: (1) “You are favored highly, (2) the LORD is with you, and (3) among all women, you’re blessed.” We have no information as to Mary’s mother, and scarcely more about her father, but one thing is apparent: she was RAISED RIGHT. Mary was still young—a virgin—but it is evident that her character was already well-balanced. When Gabriel declared her to be “highly favored” (meaning: lovely, charming, especially acceptable), it wasn’t just his observation—this was a message from Almighty GOD. Her behavior, demeanor and reputation were apparently above average. Today, we might say that Mary was proclaimed by the angel … to be “an angel.” Although—from Gabriel’s assessment—Mary was attractive physically, faithful spiritually, and well-loved socially, YET mentally, she became troubled at his very first words. She was “cast in her mind”—lost in thought and presuming up a storm. (And Gabriel hadn’t even gotten to the bombshell message that he came to deliver!) But…