a new thing

One of my friend’s favorite sayings is,
“God is doing a new thing!” 

After hearing this many times and knowing it was part of a verse, I looked it up and committed more if it to my memory bank.

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

And then you start to notice same and very similar words are used in many more places. God has always been making something out of nothing, bringing life where there was death and flowing water even from rocks. Nothing is too hard for Him. He loves the impossible, the improbable and taking the foolish things to confound the wise. And many days – I’m confounded in ways that bring me even more AWE and WONDER at His great creativity!!

The Message version is fabulous here – verses 16-21
This is what God says,
    the God who builds a road right through the ocean,
    who carves a path through pounding waves,
The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—
    they lie down and then can’t get up;
    they’re snuffed out like so many candles:
“Forget about what’s happened;
    don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
    It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?
There it is! I’m making a road through the desert,
    rivers in the badlands.
Wild animals will say ‘Thank you!’
    —the coyotes and the buzzards—
Because I provided water in the desert,
    rivers through the sun-baked earth,
Drinking water for the people I chose,
    the people I made especially for myself,
    a people custom-made to praise me.

I pray even this week, you will see God making a way where there seems no way and will recognize His hand at work in your life and relationships. He is so very generous and loves to give good gifts to His children! 

 

 

not all changes

Seasons are changing and bringing me to a place of comparison/contemplation of what was and what will be. I do understand the timing and reasons to focus on political political things but we won’t find the best answers through the media….

Seasons change, people change, cultures change, stories change…

If we are looking for stability, truth, peace and direction – we won’t find it in things or people of this world.

There is only ONE we can rely on as a constant in our lives. God does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17), He is faithful, just, true.

God is not human, that he should lie,
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?
I have received a command to bless;
    he has blessed, and I cannot change it.
Numbers 23:19-20

words make a difference

I’ve learned the hard way that words can hurt deeply. Growing up I didn’t FIT in since I grew quickly – both tall and wide. You might actually go WOW if you saw the growth chart from the Dr. I can still see that line showing normal development and mine. LOL

I also developed that wrong sense of getting back at others for the hurt I felt. So wrong and how I wish I could take my words back…but I can’t and you can’t.

BUT…We can start NEW- every second we can start NEW! Change can begin with you!

Did you know there are more negative adjectives than positive ones?
It takes LOTS of positive words to overcome a negative already said?
Sometimes it takes LOTS of years to defeat the words spoken to us.

Many people have been more impacted by negative words than fists. News media, social media and more are affecting us each day as we listen and read words.

In the beginning God created GOOD things with His words. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21

If we are going to make a difference in this world – just like our Creator – we need to start with our words.

Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14 in prayer

glory to another

leaning in

In yesterday’s post I wrote on God giving to us, His grace and glory. Another of those places in scripture where yes and no are both true.

I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 42:8

For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another. Isaiah 48:11

The Glory of Zion
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:1-3

Guide us Lord in understanding what it really means to fully be Your children, Your beloved, Your church, Your disciples. Your words have been covered and twisted for too long. Give us wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. Let the scales come off and the eyes of our hearts be enlightened to really see the right reflection of Christ in us, the hope of glory!

a promise

Sword

How often are you making promises to others?
Do you find yourself unable to fulfill them?

I’m being more careful with this. I have a promise to my mom still undone. Helping her with woodchips. They are still a calendar item, but put aside due to rain, our availability and more. We both know it will be done and I’m thankful for her grace in the timing.

An internet search shows a range of 3000 to over 7000 promises from God. I’m not out to prove a number…but do you think we can rely on His words?

How often are we incorporating these promises in our prayers and conversations instead of whining, complaining and saying God is distant (when He dwells in us)?

As I am reading the Bible, I’ve been listing some of these promises and using them in my prayers. Very impacting to me.

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV

God is faithful to complete the work that he has begun. Philippians 1:6
No weapon formed against us will prosper. Isaiah 54:17
Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you. Matthew 7:7
God is not a man that he should lie. Numbers 23:19
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

Many are relying more on the words of people than the Word of God.
Who should really be trusted and relied on the most?

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 ESV

His Word is trustworthy and His promises are definitely worth praying! 

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

right spirit

Yesterday morning I woke with these words…

God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

shortly after…

…Renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

They stayed with me through the day and gave extra things to pray and ponder while we helped my aunt with her first day in her memory care facility.

There are many spirits in this world but only one Holy Spirit of God.
How can we tell the difference?

Psalm 51 starts with, Create in me a clean heart… Sometimes it’s very apparent and sometimes it’s a part of our “flesh” we have become comfortable with. We often use the phrase “I’m only human” to excuse it.

Well – if we are created in the image of God (Gen 1) and being conformed in the image of Christ (Rom 8), should we “be” like the rest of the world?

We can learn things everywhere but should our main textbook be the world? Should we compare or measure ourselves to it or to something/someone else?

A good measuring place is John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Does it bring life or condemnation?

The testing of spirits – 1 John 4:2-5 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.  You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.
It’s important that we can hear and know the difference. You don’t have false unless a truth exists too.

It’s not just what comes AT us but more importantly what comes OUT of us.

Lord, I pray we all can see Christ in us – the hope of glory. That we will carry Your power, love and sound mind in every step we take, each word we speak and really know the Spirit of Truth in a more intimate way. May it all be for Your glory!

 

its a process

triptych in process (3 squares)

Good paintings and not so good ones take time. We regularly seek immediacy. Drive-thru’s are not just for burgers anymore.

We recently exhibited at Great Legs Winery where they shared the process of their wine – it’s been aging five years in anticipation for their business.

How long have you been bottled and waiting?

Do you think our Creator, knows the best time for release?

A regular question we ask God is, “Why?”
I’ve found much better results in asking, “What am I to learn through this?”
Yet Jesus’ first miracle made the BEST wine in a very short time.

Our preparation time, used wisely, sets us up for the right release.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Luke 2:52

If Jesus, David, Joseph, Abraham and Sarah had to wait a bit, why do we think everything should be immediate? Do we learn listening, patience, peace, and self-control when we rush, whine and demand? 

I am definitely a believer in the power of prayer and God acting immediately but impatience often holds us from the wisdom we need more than our answer.

I pray we will be expectant for His answers and patient in the process as He continues to create the masterpiece of our lives!

lights on

hearts

There are so many verses on the impact of our hearts. We often look so close at our thoughts, feelings, actions and forget our heart…

No one would think of lighting a lamp and then hiding it in the basement where no one would benefit. A lamp belongs on a lampstand, where all who enter may see it’s light. The eyes of your spirit allow revelation light to enter into your being. When your heart is open the light floods in. When your heart is hard and closed, the light cannot penetrate and darkness takes its place. Open your heart and consider my words. Watch out that you do not mistake your opinions for revelation light! If your spirit burns with light, fully illuminated with no trace of darkness, you will be a shining lamp, reflecting rays of truth by the way you live.
Luke 11:33-36 TPT

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Ephesians 1:18-21

glory search

Proverbs 25:2-3

God is honored for what he keeps secret.
Kings are honored for what they can discover.
No one can measure the height of the skies or the depth of the earth.
So also no one can understand the mind of a king.
ICB (International Children’s Bible)

God delights in concealing things;
scientists delight in discovering things.
Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth,
the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep.
Message

It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out.
As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
ESV