Psalm 34:1 – 34:10

I will bless the LORD at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear it and rejoice.
O Magnify the LORD with me and let us exalt His name together.
I sought the LORD, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried and the LORD heard him.
And saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
O taste and see that the LORD is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
O fear the LORD, you his saints;
For to those who fear Him, there is no want.
The young lions do lack and suffer hunger,
But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.

Life has an ebb and flow.  There are definite seasons.  When I am overwhelmed or not in good spirits, I read the Psalms.  They bring great comfort.  Seek God, and call on him.  He is there for all of us.

Most gracious and Holy God.  You are my rock and my strength.  I stand in awe and in fear of the maker of heaven and earth; the most high God. 

I pray for those who feel they are without hope.  I pray they will seek you even in their despair.  I seek you now.   Fill me with grace and wisdom.  Your word says if I seek you I shall not want for any good thing.   I seek you, LORD.  Hear my prayer. 

Photo by Kathy King

 

Psalm 150:1 – 6

Praise the Lord!  Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse.

Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre,

Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;  Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe,

Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.  Praise the Lord!

Photo by Rudy Matthiesen

The key is to not do too many things at one time.  To move to a life of significance, we must focus on one thing at a time.  Big dreams, daring adventures, exciting lives are available to us as we seek a higher purpose.

The problem I find in myself is, if I am not quite sure the next step on my significant task, then I distract myself so I don’t have to continue to step forward.  I look through a cookbook, or call someone. “Hi there, no, nothing new.  Just checking in to see how you are doing?” And the big important thing vaporizes at that point.

We want our lives to count for something.  We know we are capable of being a positive change for good.  We could leave this world a better place.  The clock is ticking.  We are aware of it most at the close of a year.  How can we make the coming year count?  What significant action could be part of our higher awareness, our higher calling?

Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Photo by Chrissy Oldham

If Grace was a garden, I’d walk there with you. Like a child from the wilderness, whose spirit has been renewed, if Grace were a garden.

If Grace was a word, I think it would sound like a prayer from a grateful heart, rising and unbound, if grace were a word.

If Grace was a moment in the presence of God, filled with his favor, protection and his love if grace were a moment, if grace was a word, if grace was a garden…

All we need is enough for today.  Let it enfold me, define me, Gift of Grace.

Jesus hold us close and let us walk by faith.  Grace is a moment, Grace is a word, Grace is a garden. Gift of Grace.

From a song I wrote about 10 years ago.

Photo by Christine Oldham

This lake contains a lot of algae.  Life has a number of challenges.  It is messy.  Our spiritual journey is messy.  As much as we want it to be a straight and simple line, there are detours, places we trip, fall down get hurt and bruised. We have lessons to learn, places to go and lives to touch. We get covered in algae, mud, paint, tears and joy.  But what ever you go through or get beat up by, or covered in; you are a radiant Child of God.

Father God, I pray  today for people to overcome.  Let there be light and guidance and blessings for all your children.  Let us all, regardless of the hardships we bear or burdens we carry or stuff we fell into, look and act like your children.  We are made in your image, we are worthy.  Let us find the joy in each day.  Amen

Holy and wonderful God, give me ears to hear the sound of the birds with song, the voices of children playing, and the universal music of the spirit.  Let me rejoice in all you have done.  I feel so blessed. Praise to you God.  Amen

 Nehemiah 8:10  Do not grieve, the joy of the LORD is my strength.

In the bible, joy is referenced over 200 times.  Difficulties in life, negative people, and being off balance can squish the joy right out of us.  We must find and keep the joy in each day.  Take it with us in our spirits always.

Psalm 51:12  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain.

Romans 1:11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong –

We are supposed to become strong in spirit.  We live in a house with many rooms.  We exercise to strengthen our bodies, we study to strengthen our intellect.  Visiting the spiritual room does not make us weak.  It makes us strong.

You would not walk into the gym for the first time and throw 300 pounds on the bar to lift.  The same with your spirit, start small.

The prayer of rejoicing is an easy, comfortable way to start.

Deuteronomy12:7  There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

Try first thing this morning to think of a couple of blessings in your life.  Do you have terrific kids, great friends, good health, a job?  Is there something like sports, music, walking, or being with friends that bring you great joy? 

 Then say: “I am grateful and rejoice in the LORD because…(Tell him the thing you are grateful for). 

Like push-ups or any training, you keep going.  Tomorrow think of a couple of things.  Experiment with different spiritual muscles, by using different types of prayer.  Be strong.  Be God’s.

Why do we deny answered prayer?

I have heard people attempt to explain away, in a scientific manor, the manifestation of  a miracle or even a minor answered prayer.

Examples of some explanations I have heard:

“The Red Sea is not very deep, and the wind blew really hard and you could actually walk across at that point and when the Egyptians got there the wind stopped blowing.”

“The cancer is gone, but I don’t know why.  I guess the doctors got lucky.”

“I lost weight because of a diet.”

Most significant things and a multitude of insignificant things in my life have happened because I called on the power of the living God, I Am that I Am,  and humbly ask for what I needed.

Not all prayers were answered in the way I thought they would be, or the way I expected.  They are also answered in God’s time.

Maybe we forgot that we asked God for assistance. Maybe we are afraid to give God the credit.  Maybe people will think we are delusional.  Maybe it would change all the things we think we know about God, or science, or anything else.  If God exists does gravity stop working?  Science and God are not mutually exclusive.  What if you could have them both?

Maybe we don’t look for answered prayers.  Sometime we get so caught up in the crazy, busy day to day we don’t see any miracles large or small.

Holy and powerful God, help me to be present in the moment today.  Let me see the wonder of answered prayers.  Let me understand the nature of our relationship through prayer. Know Father that I rejoice in you and I am grateful for the answered prayers and miracles.  Thank you for being my God and being available to me.  Amen

Ephesians 4:1 – 4:4

1 Therefore I implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,  2  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love,  3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  4  there is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling.

I am so grateful to live where I am allowed to pursue Christ and practice my own religion.  I live in a place where freedom of thought and ideas are valued. I am blessed.

 I have friends who have far different views than I do, but enjoy listening to their point of view.  Some of the people I hang out with are: artists, teachers, construction people, small business owners, veterinary technicians, database and software engineers, writers, ministers, graphic designers, and bankers.  Some of my friends are conservative, some are quite liberal, some are Christian, some are athiests and I have a friend who is Muslim. 

There are times we break bread together,  have spirited debates, have fun relaxing or doing outdoor sports together.  We share books, hugs, dreams for our future and the future of our children.  We also share the sorrow as well as the joy of day to day life. We encourage each other with all humility and gentleness with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love (see above scripture for the day).

I don’t want them to all think like me, or be like me.  We must all think for ourselves and walk in a manor worthy of our calling.

Holy God, be with me today and I go into the world.  Allow your love to shine through me to others in tolerance, gentleness and grace.  That is how they will know who I am as your child.  Amen

Ephesians 4:7   But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.