describe your river

Sunrise Paddle

What is in our daily water?

Deep thoughts and rich conversation are happening as I facilitate a class on Evangelism and Spiritual Warfare. Definitely has me more aware of what I’m storing in my river and what I’m using for my personal flotation device.

Jesus came to set us FREE – why are we not living from HIS freedom?
Are we letting HIM renew our minds, our actions AND our words?
Do doubts, lies and curses come out of our mouths?

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

Flu is going around…I’m next.
Well last year…it will probably happen again.
Even saying, “I’m worried” or  “I’ll never be…” or …”______”

Fill in your own…or maybe a better plan is DON’T! 
What are your thoughts and conversations usually focusing on?

Most news and updates with friends or family are what negative has been happening. We often need to know those things BUT He tells us not to be anxious and all things are possible. We need to recognize what is in our river and then it’s our choice if we focus on what Jesus really did to bring us LIFE or stay gazing on the one who seeks to muddy our waters.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

We don’t need to settle for only a season of thankfulness when He came to give us a life of abundance. Everyday should be a focus on the blessings God has so generously given. Let us look different than the world and be transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Romans 12:2)

thanks in all things

 

1 Thessalonians 1 – ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Seems like a mighty tall order and I ponder and ask,
“Am I doing this?”
“What does this mean to my life?”

What does it really look like to –
REJOICE ALWAYS?
PRAY CONTINUALLY?
GIVE THANKS IN ALL?

Then to read further that it’s God’s will…which says to me it’s not just a suggestion.

I think of John 10:10 – the bad of the thief or the abundance of God – where will we focus?Some may feel we need to rejoice, pray and thank for the bad in our lives. Which it does bring character, strength and more. But I feel Paul is saying for us to remember always God’s promises, His words of encouragement and Christ’s victory at the cross.

I think this verse brings some great leftovers to continue this Thanksgiving week.
May your days be filled with His goodness and grace! God’s blessings to you and yours.

thanks seasoning

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

Transition – Available

Several years ago I was having the word “gates” come up so much I did some study and prayer, this verse really impacted my daily life as I meditated on it. Add to that doing a “negativity fast” where you don’t speak negative things…my thoughts didn’t change overnight but my heart certainly had a turn around and the thoughts soon followed.

That wasn’t necessarily my goal but I did notice the difference in me and a great difference in my relationship with the Lord and others. My times with Him became much richer and earthly relationships much easier.

Being thankful brings LIFE to relationships.
Sharing gratitude shows VALUE to others actions.
Honoring others gives HOPE in the most trying times.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

I pray you will make thanks and praise part of every day! 

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6

towards the light

I don’t know about you but I do walk down the street and through the store looking to engage eyes with others and share a smile or hello. I’m finding more and more are either on the phone, looking at the phone or hanging their head to avoid everyone.

It was something I noticed years ago in the office hallways and see amplified in our techno world.

Distance and distraction that leaves others feeling less and less light in their lives.

Be the light! No matter who will or will not look. Someone is noticing.
Shine the light! You don’t know whose darkness will be dispelled.
Pray in advance for the LIGHT! God knows how to prepare hearts in advance so you can do your part as His vessel in every step you take.

Everything was created through him;
    nothing—not one thing!—
    came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
    and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
    the darkness couldn’t put it out.
John 1:3-5 MSG

 

 

grace and glory

Reflection

Do you ever have certain verses come in your prayers and you don’t know where they are in the Bible? I frequently look them up to find context and help me remember the reference.

I felt the Lord saying, “No good thing will I withhold…”

It brought me to beautiful Psalm 84 and I was even more intrigued with the first part of the verse and how the word “glory” is used.

We don’t question the Lord giving grace to us, but glory? 

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11 KJV
(ESV says favor and honor.)

Most often we are thinking of God’s glory or the eternal glory in heaven.

The Lord often tells me to go sit and listen. Yesterday He had me sit in the sun and as the intense brightness was on my face and closed eyes, He said, “The sun is a direct reflection of MY glory.” It made me think of Moses asking to see His glory and beaming so brightly the people couldn’t handle it so he covered his face.

We also are to be a reflection of His glory AND increasing in it!!!

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding (reflecting) the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

How have we been showing HIS glory in our lives lately?

I’m finding wonderful nuggets in here so will share on this more…

seeing new

I have been doing some occasional work with a company and the view is amazing. Even when I’m seeing the approaching storms – its glorious because I know I’m well protected.

Do you know God’s protection?
Do you feel secure in His plans, His timing?
Are you confident of how He has designed you?

I can’t always answer yes to these but I have definitely learned that what we look at and think on is as important as what we say.

If we focus on what is not happening, what is a mess, what the neighbors say or do – we are not keeping our eyes where they need to be – on the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Even focusing on ourselves – is not focusing on Him.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! Hebrews 12:2-3 The Message

Maybe this week you’ll invite the Holy Spirit – the Counselor and Friend – to let you see new things as you read His word, enjoy His creation and listen to His voice in the wind…

 

wonder of words

Do you ever have stray words come to your mind? They don’t relate to anything in the moment but you know you must pay attention. They are like invitations to explore, to dream and imagine where they will lead.

How about EXPECTANCY?
Google definition:  the state of thinking or hoping that something, especially something pleasant, will happen or be the case.

Not in a normal days conversation but makes you think further than the moment. I will hold on to expectancy through the coming days. I think it will bring something pleasant.

You might want to ask for a word…

Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
    or, whine, Israel, saying,
“God has lost track of me.
    He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
    He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
    And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
    gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
    young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
    they walk and don’t lag behind.
Isaiah 40:27-31 The Message

conform or transform

One of my most impacting verses…

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 NIV

I’ve prayed in these verses for years and still love how they challenge me. I kind of liked my mind before and was learning to conform well. But oh what wonderful things happen when you give up what you are comfortable with or what seems good to get God’s much better perspective!

Renewing is a continual process – not a once and done thing. And transformed – means a dramatic change in form, appearance or character. When I first “came to Jesus” my life still looked pretty conformed to the rest of the world. Now is a different kind of messy that is definitely dramatically different!!

The first circle encaustic painting (wax w/oil pigment) was later melted and transformed.

Blues

Wings

What does this speak to you today?

To me it says – “Don’t settle for a pretty puddle when God wants to give you wings!”

its spiritual

STOP one way

Some would say everything is spiritual.
Some would say spirituality is simple.
Others would say it’s complex.

The more I learn and the more the Holy Spirit reveals – the more I agree with all of these statements!

Lately my prayers include “renew a right spirit within me.”

Psalm 51:10 KJV “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

Maybe I’ll share another day on the pure heart part…

When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”But He turned and rebuked them, [and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”] And they went on to another village. Luke 9:54-56 NASB

Even those closest to Jesus, He still had to confront what spirit they were listening too.

I find it humorous that so many verses that come to my mind, I can’t find in my concordance because I remember the words from other versions and not the NIV I have studied for years. In Luke – the NIV does not even have this [parenthesis section.]

How did these other versions get implanted in my memory?
The Spirit – our Counselor – who guides us into all truth! John 16:13

With so many Bible versions, so many forms of spirituality; be sure to test and know the ONE Spirit of Truth.

May the Lord give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Eph 1:17

remain

Things of life don’t always remain the same. Change is guaranteed and all of our planning can be diverted quickly, often making life seem out of control. BUT…there is always a BUT to consider… even when we feel its out of control, God is still constant. We do have something we can count on never changing.

I was thinking of John 15 – verse 4 Message says, “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.”

How often do we feel that God is far from us?
Has He forgotten us, did we blow it, or is He too busy in some other country?

At His Feet

God can forget our sins, but He never forgets His children. Even those who stray far from Him. The story of the prodigal comes to mind and even parents that have been separated from their children for a time – they don’t forget.

So if you are feeling left out, alone – know that GOD IS CONSTANT, He never leaves, never forsakes and always loves. It is His nature – and thankfully – He never changes!!! Trust Him.

Blessings to your week. May you feel His presence encouraging you each moment and KNOW that as a lover of Jesus – Christ is IN you – never distant!!!