Sunday, September 30, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Today I bring you encouragement from Psalm 139
The words here give us the reassurance that someone is with us all the time.
It is strange, we can see God's presence when we look at others be it a talented singer bringing a crowd to it's feet or that everyday person of little prominence. Both in their own special way let God shine through them. It can be so clear how God is manifested through their lives.
This Psalm helps us to look for that presence in our lives. We look for as the Psalm says "God squeezing us in." He is so close, we are never alone, we never have been and we never will be.
When God does know us this well, we need not fear Him for He is a part of all we do. He uses us with all our weaknesses and faults standing with us every step of the way.
Perhaps we struggle to see God in our lives because He is just that close and He accepts us just as we are, His children. We are in a constant state of being molded and refined.
Amen
Musical Encouragement: "Just as I am" Brian Doerksen
Psalm 139
O LORD, you examine me and know. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O LORD, being thoroughly aware of it. You squeeze me in from behind and in front; you place your hand on me. Your knowledge is beyond my comprehension; it is so far beyond me, I am unable to fathom it.
Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Ps 139:1–6). Biblical Studies Press.God's presence in our walk here often astounds us. So often the world tries to convince us we are on our own. That we are separate and that no one knows our trials.
The words here give us the reassurance that someone is with us all the time.
It is strange, we can see God's presence when we look at others be it a talented singer bringing a crowd to it's feet or that everyday person of little prominence. Both in their own special way let God shine through them. It can be so clear how God is manifested through their lives.
This Psalm helps us to look for that presence in our lives. We look for as the Psalm says "God squeezing us in." He is so close, we are never alone, we never have been and we never will be.
When God does know us this well, we need not fear Him for He is a part of all we do. He uses us with all our weaknesses and faults standing with us every step of the way.
Perhaps we struggle to see God in our lives because He is just that close and He accepts us just as we are, His children. We are in a constant state of being molded and refined.
Amen
Musical Encouragement: "Just as I am" Brian Doerksen
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Encouragement: I chose you....
Today I bring you words and thoughts of encouragement from Jeremiah 1:4-10
The Lord said to me,
“Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you.
Before you were born I set you apart.
I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
I answered, “Oh, Lord God,
I really do not know how to speak well enough for that,
for I am too young.”
The Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am too young.’
But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you,
for I will be with you to protect you,” says the Lord.
Then the Lord reached out his hand
and touched my mouth and said to me,
“I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me.
Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority
to announce to nations and kingdoms
that they will be uprooted and torn down,
destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.”
Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Je 1:4-10). Biblical Studies Press.
It really encourages me when I look into the bible and find all these dudes that try to find excuses that they are not good enough to be God's person for the moment.
I have struggled being a "Blog writer for Jesus". Doing this blog has pushed me to points where I am thinking "Who am I to be writing encouragement notes? I am not ........ {insert excuse of the moment here}. I am the one who needs encouragement!!!" However, if God wants something seems He gets His way with or without your cooperation.
So how does God treat those He has called for action.
First He reassures His agent.
Then He basically says and I paraphrase here "Hey you, I choose you and I gave you the tools to what I have called you to do. Now get to it!"
"Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, "
“I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for Me.
Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority"
So given all this do I think I am called?
I think God calls us all. We must each search ourselves to look for the signs of God's hand in our lives.
It is important to remember and to know that when we have even the slightest interest in the things of God be assured you are called.
So with all this do I think I can do what God calls me to do?
No! but with His help and guidance and the touch of His grace, I will submit to Him and try to allow Him to order my steps one day at a time, one step at a time. The ultimate goal is to bring glory to God in all we say and do.
Praise Him, walk in the freedom of grace only He can provide. Let Him order your steps. Take it all one day at a time and in each day strive to make a difference in this old world.
Amen
Music Encouragement: Order My Steps
The Lord said to me,
“Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you.
Before you were born I set you apart.
I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
I answered, “Oh, Lord God,
I really do not know how to speak well enough for that,
for I am too young.”
The Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am too young.’
But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you,
for I will be with you to protect you,” says the Lord.
Then the Lord reached out his hand
and touched my mouth and said to me,
“I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me.
Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority
to announce to nations and kingdoms
that they will be uprooted and torn down,
destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.”
Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Je 1:4-10). Biblical Studies Press.
It really encourages me when I look into the bible and find all these dudes that try to find excuses that they are not good enough to be God's person for the moment.
I have struggled being a "Blog writer for Jesus". Doing this blog has pushed me to points where I am thinking "Who am I to be writing encouragement notes? I am not ........ {insert excuse of the moment here}. I am the one who needs encouragement!!!" However, if God wants something seems He gets His way with or without your cooperation.
So how does God treat those He has called for action.
First He reassures His agent.
Then He basically says and I paraphrase here "Hey you, I choose you and I gave you the tools to what I have called you to do. Now get to it!"
"Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, "
“I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for Me.
Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority"
So given all this do I think I am called?
I think God calls us all. We must each search ourselves to look for the signs of God's hand in our lives.
It is important to remember and to know that when we have even the slightest interest in the things of God be assured you are called.
So with all this do I think I can do what God calls me to do?
No! but with His help and guidance and the touch of His grace, I will submit to Him and try to allow Him to order my steps one day at a time, one step at a time. The ultimate goal is to bring glory to God in all we say and do.
Praise Him, walk in the freedom of grace only He can provide. Let Him order your steps. Take it all one day at a time and in each day strive to make a difference in this old world.
Amen
Music Encouragement: Order My Steps
Monday, July 2, 2012
Encouragement: A shield that protects me.
Today I bring you encouragement from Psalm 3
It is so easy to lose our way. We start out with great goals to serve God and some where along the way we will lose our focus and wander down a trail that God perhaps did not want us to go down.
In the fog we walk until something awakes us. A loud call to return to the Lord. A call to repent. We then may find ourselves in over our heads surrounded on all sides. When we are on this edge we often exclaim this in our hearts. "Rise up LORD! Deliver me my God!"
We then can only refocus, and return to the Lord, clinging close to Him and even though many exclaim "Many say about me, “God will not deliver him.” " We need to trust in His grace and mercy, knowing that we are not worthy of His love. But that is why Jesus went to the cross, to pay for all our sin, that we may have standing before God under the covering of Christ.
When we reach this point it can be very hard because
there is nothing we can do to justify where we have wondered. It is then that we can take hold of the words of the Psalm
"But you, LORD, are a shield that protects me;
you are my glory and the one who restores me.
To the LORD I cried out,
and He answered me from His holy hill. (Selah)
I rested and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD protects me."
I often ask "Why did you let me go my own way Lord" Perhaps He lets us go so that, He may impart iron into our being, that from the bumps, bruises scrapes of our wondering we will have the reminders of His Grace that will allow us to serve Him better.
Every day is a fresh start, God promises "As thy day so shall thy day be." Just enough strength for each day, nothing more nothing less.
What is behind we can not change.
We need to learn from yesterday, that we may try to hold our focus on Him and make a difference in the world with all the Glory of our efforts to be directed at Him.
God does take us as we are and fills us with His Spirit which starts to mold us on the wheel of life, changing us from within to become more and more like His Son.
Amen
Musical Encouragement Just As I am Brian Doerksen
Psalm 3
1 LORD, how numerous are my enemies! Many attack me.
2 Many say about me, “God will not deliver him.” (Selah)
3 But you, LORD, are a shield that protects me;
you are my glory and the one who restores me.
4 To the LORD I cried out,
and he answered me from his holy hill. (Selah)
5 I rested and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD protects me.
6 I am not afraid of the multitude of people
who attack me from all directions.
7 Rise up, LORD!
Deliver me, my God!
Yes, you will strike all my enemies on the jaw;
you will break the teeth of the wicked.
8 The LORD delivers;
you show favor to your people
Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press.
It is so easy to lose our way. We start out with great goals to serve God and some where along the way we will lose our focus and wander down a trail that God perhaps did not want us to go down.
In the fog we walk until something awakes us. A loud call to return to the Lord. A call to repent. We then may find ourselves in over our heads surrounded on all sides. When we are on this edge we often exclaim this in our hearts. "Rise up LORD! Deliver me my God!"
We then can only refocus, and return to the Lord, clinging close to Him and even though many exclaim "Many say about me, “God will not deliver him.” " We need to trust in His grace and mercy, knowing that we are not worthy of His love. But that is why Jesus went to the cross, to pay for all our sin, that we may have standing before God under the covering of Christ.
When we reach this point it can be very hard because
there is nothing we can do to justify where we have wondered. It is then that we can take hold of the words of the Psalm
"But you, LORD, are a shield that protects me;
you are my glory and the one who restores me.
To the LORD I cried out,
and He answered me from His holy hill. (Selah)
I rested and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD protects me."
I often ask "Why did you let me go my own way Lord" Perhaps He lets us go so that, He may impart iron into our being, that from the bumps, bruises scrapes of our wondering we will have the reminders of His Grace that will allow us to serve Him better.
Every day is a fresh start, God promises "As thy day so shall thy day be." Just enough strength for each day, nothing more nothing less.
What is behind we can not change.
We need to learn from yesterday, that we may try to hold our focus on Him and make a difference in the world with all the Glory of our efforts to be directed at Him.
God does take us as we are and fills us with His Spirit which starts to mold us on the wheel of life, changing us from within to become more and more like His Son.
Amen
Musical Encouragement Just As I am Brian Doerksen
Friday, June 1, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Encouragement He sustains all things by his powerful word
Today I bring you encouragement from Hebrews 1 1-3
There is something about the book of Hebrews that always draws me back. Each time I spend some time in this book I find myself stabilizing in my faith. I am not sure if any of you can relate to feeling like you been out aimlessly wandering in a forest, but over the last 10 months, that is just how I feel. So here I am back in Hebrews yet again to stabilize.
The start of Hebrews lays out some pretty important foundations. " in these last days He has spoken to us in a son" the New King James version words this a bit better. "has in these last days spoken to us by His Son" This is in an illustration that we can understand and relate to by our earthly walk. Hebrews goes on to say that "whom He appointed heir of all things" This outlines the power that Jesus has. It is not just some things, it is ALL THINGS. God created the world through His Son, His word. That is you, that is me, that is the sky above, the ground below.
"The Son is the radiance of His glory and the representation of His essence" Hebrews goes on to show us that we can see God's glory through the Son. Jesus is our imaginable view, a view with reference to something that we can Grasp, a view that allows us to experience God's essence.
So Jesus is our view of God that we can relate to, He is all that God is, Heir to ALL THINGS, the question is why did He come down to earth?
Hebrews tells us "so when He had accomplished cleansing for sins, He sat down at the right hand"
These are just 3 verses of scripture but they say so much. Through the Son we can see the essence of the Father, we can experience God's Power, and the love He has for us through the cleansing of our sins that we may stand before Him.
You may have had a look of my pictures over on the right here of the mountains. I like to go up into the mountains to experience the grandeur of God's creation It shows me just how small and insignificant I am in the whole picture. The picture can be only a reminder of the experience, they can only remind me of the feeling I get when I am there . Then in looking at it all, I look at myself, I am so small, yet God loved me so much that He would cleanse my sins.
We all face the struggles of this world every day, it is part of the trip. I think too often I forget just how powerful God really is. I try to do things on my own in my power instead of in His power. It is not that our own power is useless, we have to make effort to do what we are to do, but when we participate with God He becomes our power steering. When we are in Him then the wheel of life turns easier. Funny thing is after we turned the corner and are going down the next straight away and do not have to turn the wheel for a while we quickly forget how important the power steering is to our lives.
So my words to you are, each day is a new start. Walk with Him and remember you do have power steering.
Amen
Musical Encouragement: Make Me Over ~ Natalie Grant~
Heb 1:1 After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets,
2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.
3 The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his
essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Biblical Studies Press: The NET Bible First Edition; Bible.
English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2006; 2006, S. Heb
1:1-3
There is something about the book of Hebrews that always draws me back. Each time I spend some time in this book I find myself stabilizing in my faith. I am not sure if any of you can relate to feeling like you been out aimlessly wandering in a forest, but over the last 10 months, that is just how I feel. So here I am back in Hebrews yet again to stabilize.
The start of Hebrews lays out some pretty important foundations. " in these last days He has spoken to us in a son" the New King James version words this a bit better. "has in these last days spoken to us by His Son" This is in an illustration that we can understand and relate to by our earthly walk. Hebrews goes on to say that "whom He appointed heir of all things" This outlines the power that Jesus has. It is not just some things, it is ALL THINGS. God created the world through His Son, His word. That is you, that is me, that is the sky above, the ground below.
"The Son is the radiance of His glory and the representation of His essence" Hebrews goes on to show us that we can see God's glory through the Son. Jesus is our imaginable view, a view with reference to something that we can Grasp, a view that allows us to experience God's essence.
So Jesus is our view of God that we can relate to, He is all that God is, Heir to ALL THINGS, the question is why did He come down to earth?
Hebrews tells us "so when He had accomplished cleansing for sins, He sat down at the right hand"
These are just 3 verses of scripture but they say so much. Through the Son we can see the essence of the Father, we can experience God's Power, and the love He has for us through the cleansing of our sins that we may stand before Him.
You may have had a look of my pictures over on the right here of the mountains. I like to go up into the mountains to experience the grandeur of God's creation It shows me just how small and insignificant I am in the whole picture. The picture can be only a reminder of the experience, they can only remind me of the feeling I get when I am there . Then in looking at it all, I look at myself, I am so small, yet God loved me so much that He would cleanse my sins.
We all face the struggles of this world every day, it is part of the trip. I think too often I forget just how powerful God really is. I try to do things on my own in my power instead of in His power. It is not that our own power is useless, we have to make effort to do what we are to do, but when we participate with God He becomes our power steering. When we are in Him then the wheel of life turns easier. Funny thing is after we turned the corner and are going down the next straight away and do not have to turn the wheel for a while we quickly forget how important the power steering is to our lives.
So my words to you are, each day is a new start. Walk with Him and remember you do have power steering.
Amen
Musical Encouragement: Make Me Over ~ Natalie Grant~
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Encouragement: You also are among them
Here are some encouraging words and thoughts. Today I bring you encouragement from Romans 1
Romans
From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. This gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh, who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. You also are among them, called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Ro 1:1–7). Biblical Studies Press."You also are among them, called to belong to Jesus Christ."
I often struggle with being called to belong to Jesus Christ. I am just another person walking the ground of this planet we call earth. This old planet is full of folk and we are expanding in numbers day by day. Each day as I stumble and stumble through the wilderness of the day, I keep encountering the grace and peace that Paul talks about in the letter to the Romans.
When we look at the writings of the bible we can see again and again the work of God when He enter into lives. When He enters into your life your life as you know it changes. Part of it is becoming aware that you are, part is that you become aware of the connection that you have to God.
There is a drive within us to be independent, to be the kid with the new bike and the training wheels. We so desperately want to get rid of the training wheels. We ride that bike for many many years with out the training wheels but sooner or later we reach the point where we again need the training wheels to ride.
It is like that with our relationship to God. We try so hard to make it under our own strength and we run so so hard until we reach a point where we have no choice but to accept the training wheels of God's love, God's peace and the grace He so freely gives.
So later today when you stumble, thank God for His "training wheels", the peace the love and the grace that will see us through the day.
Amen..........................
Musical Encouragement: I will carry you.......Michael W. Smith
Sunday, January 8, 2012
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