still yes ...

‘... exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ask or think ...' Ephesians 3:20

Will you protect me and shield me?

Will you nourish me and comfort me?

Will you support & encourage me?

Will you see the best in me when I cannot see it in myself?

Will you provide my every need?

Will you respond to my cries?

Will you watch over me while I sleep, stay with me in the dark and reassure me when I am afraid?

 

But, will you sing to me?

 

Will you defend me when no one else will?

Will you listen when I need someone to talk to … no matter the time of day?

Will you help me when I am confused?

Will you know what I am trying to say when I cannot explain it myself?

Will you help me find the things I have lost?

Will you support my dreams and help me get to where I need to go?

 

Do I have anything to fear?

'As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.' Isaiah 66:13

Could a mother forget a child who nurses at her breast? 

Could she fail to love an infant who came from her own body? 

[Yet] Even if a mother should forget, I will not forget you. [says the LORD]

Isaiah 49:15 CEV

yes!

‘For as many as are the promises of God, in Him [Christ Jesus] they are yes’

II Corinthians 1:20

 

Every promise of God gets stamped with a ‘Yes!’ in Christ Jesus –

That is how The Message version of the Bible describes 2 Corinthians 1:20

I thought about this verse after seeing a preview for a movie on Netflix – Yes Day

The premise of the film is a day where parents must say ‘Yes’ to every request

Ice cream for breakfast? Yes …

Taking a day off to rest, relax and play? Yes …

You name it and it is getting a ‘Yes!’ on this imaginary day

 

But what if ‘Yes Day’ were a real thing?

What if you could ask your parent a question and be assured a positive response?

YOU CAN!

All the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ Jesus –

Why? Because in Christ we have covenant, relationship & fellowship

In Christ we are co-heirs

‘If we are God’s children, we will get the blessings God has for His people. He will give us all that He has given Christ.’ Romans 8:17

Now, those blessings are not without suffering with Christ, to the glory of God – but it is still a ‘Yes Day’ … every day

How amazing is that?!

That is not to equate God to some genie in a bottle –

He does not fulfill everything we want

But He does fulfill everything – and I mean every single thing – He promised

Anything we desire in accordance with His promise is assured

We have full assurance that what He has promised He is able and willing to perform

LORD, will You protect me from my enemies today? Yes …

LORD, will You shadow me with goodness and mercy? Yes …

LORD, will You supply my every need today? Yes …

LORD, can I trust that You will not fail me? Yes … Emphatically Yes!

 

Jehovah Promise Keeper

When asked, ‘Who do you say that I am?’, it would most definitely be among my responses

While not one of His names listed in the Bible, I know from experience it is who He is

There is a comfort in knowing that He has good plans for me – and that He is faithful to fulfill them

Not one of His promises has failed … ever

'He is not a man that He should lie nor the son of man that He should repent or change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?’ Numbers 23:19

His Word goes forth and accomplishes that for which it was sent [Isaiah 55:11]

His Living Word Jesus, came & accomplished all for which He was sent [John 1:1, John 1:14]

His spoken word, His promises, do the same –

'There has not failed one word of all His good promise.’ I Kings 8:54

 

So today I declare His Word over your life, and mine

The LORD will be our guide [Psalm 48:14]

His presence is with us always [Hebrews 13:5]

There is no need to fear – His perfect love casts out fear [I John 4:18]

His faithfulness – rich in mercy – is not dependent upon our faithfulness [II Timothy 2:13]

May the LORD bless you in accordance with His perfect will for your life – today & everyday

Have a Blessed Day!

 

‘He who promised is faithful’

Hebrews 10:23

A SURE RESPONSE

 

Good Morning & Happy Saturday – it is the weekend!

I started off my weekend with a nice ‘sleep in’

Normally up at 5:30 AM – weekday or weekend – I actually slept until almost 7 AM

I know it doesn’t sound like a major feat,

But any day I am waking up and daylight is just breaking,

it is a small sort of accomplishment for me

Yesterday, I wrote about the simplest of prayers

Today, I would like to focus on a sure response

 

It is one level of faith to reach out to the LORD in prayer –

It is another level of faith to have a confident expectation that He will respond

Yet, this is the exact degree of confidence to which we can cling

Isaiah 65:24 notes a declaration and promise from the LORD,

“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Is. 65:24 NIV

That has always been one of my favorite verses

The Good News Translation reads,

“Even before they are finished praying to Me, I will answer their prayers.”

That certainly is good news!

I love it because it shows the pro-active nature of God

It demonstrates His attentiveness to things that concern me –

            in many instances before I have even stopped to petition Him.

To have someone who know what you are going to ask before you ask;

To have someone who makes provision for what you need before you are needy;

How incredible is that?

 

HE IS AN AMAZING GOD!

 

Today –

If you have an issue which you need to bring before the LORD,

              take courage!

He knows what we need before we do and He knows what is best

Yet, He takes it a step further in that He not only identifies the need –

            He has taken steps to address it and provided what is needed

Rest in His promise today – He is on the throne and in control

He has heard your unspoken prayers and has already prepared a means of deliverance.

What a mighty God we serve!

 

Have a Blessed Day!

NOT BY POWER

Good Morning!

I pray all is going well with you this morning –

It is officially the last day of 2020

It is the official first day of 2021 for our friends in Tonga

We made it! 

And, I think most would agree, it has not been by our own power

It is certainly a time to give thanks to the LORD who has carried us by His strength – Who has sustained us by His power

 

I heard a verse yesterday as I was driving to pick my son up from work

The announcer was sharing their verse of the day:

She read, ‘The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.’ II Chronicles 16:9

It caught my attention because it is one of my favorite verses in the Bible –

It also caught my attention because that is not the version I have committed to memory

The New King James Version of that verse – along with other translations – reads:

‘For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him.’ II Chronicles 16:9 NKJV

 

BLESSINGS on PURPOSE

The LORD God Almighty, He looks for opportunities to show Himself strong on our behalf

This a reason why I often source multiple Bible translations to ensure I am doing everything I can to understand the truest intent of the scripture.

It is one thing when He strengthens us to accomplish a task

It is an entirely different matter when the LORD takes responsibility for the task Himself

We are thankful when He strengthens us but we are awestruck when He does it!

 

‘This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit’, says the LORD Almighty’ Zechariah 4:6 NIV

 

‘This is the word of Adonai to Z’rubavel: ‘Not by force, and not by power, but by My Spirit,’ says Adonai-Tzva’ot.’ Zechariah 4:6 CJB

 

‘This is the message from the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Your help will not come from your own strength and power. No, your help will come from My Spirit.’ This is what the Lord All-Powerful says.’ Zechariah 4:6 ERV

 

‘The angel told me to give Zerubbabel this message from the Lord: “You will succeed, not by military might or by your own strength, but by My Spirit.’ Zechariah 4:6 GNT

 

AND FOR YOU, MY DEAR FRIEND:

This is the word of the LORD to [INSERT YOUR NAME HERE], saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit’, says the LORD of hosts.’

 

It was not by our strength, power, military might or superior intellect in 2020

It will not be by our muscle, agility, prowess or planning in 2021

IT IS THE LORD – AND THE LORD ALONE

He has showed Himself strong on our behalf … He will continue to do so

 

This morning –

Whether you are enjoying the final hours of 2020;

Or whether you have just ushered in the start of 2021 –

May the LORD show Himself strong on your behalf and bless you abundantly in every way.

 

Happy New Year’s Eve & Happy New Year’s Day!

God Bless …

‘May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you. May the LORD show you His favor and give you His peace.’

Numbers 6:24-26

NATURALLY SUPERNATURAL

 Good Morning

We are just ten short days until Christmas -

A time where we recognize the birth of Jesus Christ,

A time where we spend time together as families & friends,

A time where gift giving abounds – much like the precious Gift that was given to all

I love this time of year!

 

We are also nearing the end of Hanukkah –

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival Of Lights, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the re-dedication of the second temple in Jerusalem

The legend of Hanukkah gives an account of oil – enough for one day – burning for eight days

This happening is considered to be a miracle and is commemorated in one of the prayers/blessings of the first night of Hanukkah:

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha'olam, she'asa nisim la'avoteinu ba'yamim ha'heim ba'z'man ha'ze  Translated ‘Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the universe, Who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time...’

 

As my son looked at the menorah in our home, a dialogue ensued

And the topic of the discussion turned toward the subject of MIRACLES

 

It was interesting in that my son made an observation that ‘there are not true miracles ….’

His statement took me aback somewhat –

Then he went on to state, ‘what we perceive as a miracle is actually God doing what He does … allowing something to happen.’

His comments caused me to reflect on the completely natural reality of the supernatural nature of God

 

You see – we request the supernatural, we look for and celebrate MIRACLES

However – the truth is that what we perceive as miraculous is actually very natural for God

 

When looking at definitions of MIRACLES, some of the most notable were:

 

‘A highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings very welcome consequences.’

 

‘An effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause.’

 

‘An extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment.’

 

‘A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws.’

 

But my favorite definition was this:

‘A divinely natural phenomenon experienced humanly ...’

 

That my friend is the best definition I can surmise 

What is completely natural to a God ... which we experience .... it termed ‘miraculous’  by us

But it is truly just God allowing us to experience the awe-inspiring, majestic, holy, righteous and omnipotent nature of who He is EVERYDAY

 

What we perceive as extraordinary is standard operation and completely ordinary to the LORD:

 

Our requests do not require any mammoth effort on the part of God – He who spoke the worlds into existence [Psalm 33:9]

 

It was not difficult for Him to make the sun stand still so that His people could emerge victorious from battle [Joshua 10:1-15]

 

He could cause the amount of oil for one day to last eight days

 

He could produce enough oil to eliminate the debt of a poor widow and provide an overflowing reserve for her and her sons to live off of [II Kings 4:1-7]

 

He could – and did –cause a virgin to bear a Child [Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23]

 

He became a man, to save us all, to reconcile us to Himself for all eternity [John 1:14, Mt. 20:28, John 3:16]

 

MIRACULOUS to us … but just God being NATURALLY SUPERNATURAL

May you experience in a very natural way, the supernatural presence, protection, provision and perspective of God in every area of your life – today and everyday

Have a Blessed Day!

‘… with God all things are possible …’ Matthew 19:26 

WSR REPORT: THE TRUTH

Good Afternoon Friends

I pray all is going well for you this Sunday afternoon

This is a blessed day – but if I am honest – it has been a challenging week.

The week began with a re-visit to urgent care,

And I still do not feel 100% - in the midst of a shingles flare-up

However, that being said, I still recognize how tremendously blessed I am

The truth is that the LORD has blessed me beyond my expectations

                And certainly more than I could ever deserve [if there is such a thing]

THE TRUTH –

This is a subject which has been on my heart and mind for a few days

It started Friday with my reading of the following verse:

‘And, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free’ John 8:32

Today – I will not be focusing on my long-held observation that,

                The truth shall generally make you mad, long before it sets you free

Neither will I focus on the traditional angle from which I have heard that verse preached

                That the truth of the Word of God, the Scriptures, will set you free

No – today I will be focusing on The Truth who is the Word, Jesus

This is truth –

John 1:1-3, 14 tells us, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.Through Him all things were made; without Him, nothing was made that has been made ...[and] the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.'

That Word, who was there from the beginning of time,

That Word, who was with God,

That Word, who was God – He is Jesus

However –

It is also a statement of truth that Jesus is The Truth

He, Himself said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life’ John 14:6

And as I read and studied Friday, this is the thought that occurred to me;

When we know the truth, the truth sets us free

My focus was on Jesus being the Truth in the context of that verse I read,

And it brought me a whole new level of comfort as I wrote in my journal:

 ‘Jesus is The Truth – therefore, no matter how many enemies come against me – no matter how many lies are spoken, no matter the attempts to bend the truth – Truth is my Defender, He is my Refuge, He is my Strength, He sets me free’

THE TRUTH – JESUS 

HE IS SOMEONE ON WHOM WE CAN DEPEND & TRUST WHOLEHEARTEDLY

There are a great many things that we have realized we cannot place our trust in:

Economies, health, traditional supports, employment and relationships,

                They are all subject to change

However there is one thing which never changes TRUTH

The Word which is truth does not change;

The LORD Jesus Who is Truth does not change.

In my book, When Storms Rage, I note that we can trust the LORD:

“Trust and call upon the One who works all things together for the good. He works the good and the bad, the things you get right and the instances where you completely miss the mark. He answers the call – every time. Be assured, He will protect and defend, effectively anchoring you through your situation and ensuring that you are not swept away or overtaken by the challenges that invade your life.”

As we delve into the Word of God –

As we read, study, meditate, memorize and put it into practice,

The truth of the Word truly does set us free.

As we draw near and get to know personally The Word who is The Truth –

As we pray, sing, listen and cry out to Jesus the Living Word, Who is Truth –

He, the Truth, truly does set us free.

He frees us from insecurity, fear, confusion, intimidation, anxiety, loneliness & brokenness

Therefore – I declare

§  No weapon formed against you shall prosper & every tongue which rises against you is already condemned (Isaiah 54:17)

§  The LORD shall cause the ground to rise and meet your feet in every place your enemy has dug a pit (Psalm 26:12, Habakkuk 3:19)

§  The Light of the LORD is exposing every wicked scheme (Luke 8:17)

§  Every mountain that stands is your way is reduced to rubble that you may walk through, unencumbered on smooth ground. (Isaiah 45:2)

§  Every fiery dart is extinguished before it ever comes near you (Psalm 91:5)

§  Every promise the LORD God has made to you & the truth of His Word is fulfilled and is flooding your life – right now. (II Corinthians 1:20)

It is an amazing thing – truth

He is an amazing LORD – Truth  

Take some time to get to know truth and The Truth –

You’ll be surprised the freedom which will impact every area of your life!

Have a Blessed Afternoon!

be blessed...

My prayer for all this morning...

‘The LORD bless you and keep you;
     the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;
     the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace.’
                                                                          Numbers 6:24-26
He is still in control,
     He is still on the throne
You are not alone!

Have a Blessed Day!

still in control, still on the throne

Good Morning Friends

Happy Saturday …

Yes – it is still a happy Saturday … even in the midst of COVID-19

Empty shelves, empty stadiums, empty venues, empty schools

                And still there is fullness

Some of that fullness is good and some not so good

People are full of anxiety, uncertainty and questions

And while I do not have all the answers, or even most, this I do know:

HE IS STILL ON THE THRONE – HE IS STILL IN CONTROL

I do not minimize the issues confronting us all – not just as a nation, but globally

It is one matter when you are struggling with where to find financial resources to get what is needed;

It is a completely different matter when you have the financial resources – but there is nothing to buy

Both are devastating in their own way – both have the potential to evoke feelings of fear

HE IS STILL ON THE THRONE – HE IS STILL IN CONTROL

This pandemic situation –

It became more tangible when two cases of COVID-19 were confirmed here in VA Beach

It became much more tangible when an alert showed up on my phone at work:

Potential COVID-19 Exposure Being Investigated in the Building

When I got home that evening, a call came from mom's nursing home;

They were taking a proactive step and canceling all visitation – indefinitely

And while I am thankful for the measure taken to protect the residents,

                It will be hard not being able to see my mom.

I am praying for my mom [and all the other residents]

HE IS STILL ON THE THRONE – HE IS STILL IN CONTROL

Faced with some of these situations this week,

I had to come face-to-face with the fact that … ‘I cannot control everything’

And I am either going to place my trust in Him or I am not

HE IS STILL ON THE THRONE – HE IS STILL IN CONTROL

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me’ John 14:1

Now – the ‘me’ in that verse is clearly not me … or any other ordinary person

No – the ‘Me’ in John 14:1 is someone extraordinary; the ‘Me’ in John 14:1 is JESUS

Jesus was comforting His disciples in the midst of trials.

How many of us could use that comfort now?

Contextually, Jesus was speaking of the place He had prepared for them

Well, He is the same yesterday, today and forevermore

And the place He has prepared – heavenly and earthly – is one of provision and protection

The All–Sufficient One is attentive to every one of your concerns

                He is well-able to supply every need

HE IS STILL ON THE THRONE – HE IS STILL IN CONTROL

Therefore, I speak to your heart this morning: ‘Peace, peace …’

‘The LORD will keep you from all harm – He will watch over your life;

‘The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.’

Psalm 131:7

Have a Blessed Day …

LOVE 2020: DEFENDING LOVE

Hi There – My Dear Friends,

I pray all is going well for you

Today’s post will be short – but powerful

At least to me …

And what is our topic this evening? DEFENDING LOVE

Several days ago, I wrote about LOVE THAT COVERS

Then we delved into the topic of UNFAILING LOVE

And for the past couple of days, we have discussed INTENTIONAL & AMAZING LOVE

Well – all of these aspects of love are essential when it comes to DEFENDING LOVE

I had something happen today – received some news

And, while I am not able to go into detail of ‘what’ it was,

I can share with you ‘who’ was responsible for what happened;

ONLY THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY

There is something powerful when you know that there is someone who loves you;

Someone who is willing to do everything in their power to defend you;

Someone who has made you their priority – who makes your business their business

Someone who cares about the things that concern you – One who cares about you

Because when you love someone,

You do what you are able to shield & protect them from harm – not expose them to it

‘See, I will defend your cause and avenge you’ Jeremiah 51:36

‘Behold, I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee’ Jeremiah 51:36

‘I will take up your cause and will make your enemies pay for what they did to you’ Jeremiah 51:36

‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

And the coolest thing was – while I was still praying about the situation;

He had already taken care of it – Three days ago!

His awe-inspiring action had overtaken my prayerful pleading ;

And I was not even aware.

“And it shall come to pass, before they call I will answer;

And while they are yet speaking, I will hear.’ Isaiah 65:24

What an amazing, intentional and DEFENDING LOVE!

I am overwhelmed ...

Have a Blessed Evening!

Cling to the Sword!

‘And after him was Eleazar … one of the three mighty men with David … He [Eleazar] arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.’ II Samuel 23:9-10 (KJV)

What an image!

This mighty man of valor fought so hard and long that his hand ‘clave unto the sword’. The word for clave in the Hebrew is ‘dabaq’ which means: to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to…

He was so determined in his fight against the enemy that his hand clung to the sword. It stuck to and with the sword. It stayed close to the sword. It cleaved unto the sword. His hand kept close to the sword. His hand followed closely and joined to the sword.

‘And the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.’

Because he remained focused, diligent and persistent – because he clung to the sword – the LORD brought about a tremendous victory. And the only thing left to do when it was all over was to collect the spoils from the enemy.

•Do you need tools to fight the battle you are in?
•Do you have a desire to annihilate the enemy?
•Do need a TODAY victory where you can take back all enemy has stolen from you and others?

DO WHAT ELEAZER DID … CLING TO THE SWORD!

Ephesians 6:13-18 tells us to put on the full armor of God when going into battle. But I especially like verse seventeen which tells us, ‘take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God’.
• As I stick to (and with) the sword, it enables me to cut down the enemies which have surrounded me
• As I embrace the truth of God’s Word and apply it to my life, I am equipped for an unrelenting battle
• I am empowered as I keep my hand close to the ‘sword, which is the word’ – as I allow it to direct the works of my hands, my actions
• When I am joined to and follow closely the Word of God, which is the sword of God, I have everything I need

The victory is sure if I will but cling to the sword of God, to the Word of God!

Understand, however, that dogged determination is not enough…

My determination must be accompanied by His sword, by His Word, by His Spirit.

This is the word of the LORD: ‘It is not by force nor by strength, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.’ Zechariah 4:6 (NLT)

CLING TO GOD’S SWORD – CLING TO HIS WORD
DESTROY THE ENEMY … WIN THE BATTLE … COLLECT THE SPOILS!

*Re-Post 4/12/19. Originally posted on this site 04/29/10

HE HAS ALREADY PROVIDED!

Happy Tuesday!

It is hard to believe that the end of another month is about to draw to a close. It feels as though this year has gone by in a whirlwind. 

Yet, it still stands true that we are getting ready for a season of wonder ... for family time and the joys of holidays. Holiday Decorations are already on the shelves at the stores. And, Hallmark has already started its countdown to Christmas! Not that I am complaining. I love what my always used to refer to as ‘sappy romance movies’. I love them even more if they have the gleeful goodness of Christmas worked in. 

People will always say how important it is to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. And He is! But I also like to keep in mind that it is a season fellowship, of community … and of giving.

‘God so loved the world that He GAVE ...’ (Jn. 3:16)

Everything we need, the LORD has given us in Jesus Christ. 

Everything we desire, Jesus Christ has made available to us - reminding us that He came not only so that we might have life, but that we might have an abundant life, one that is full and overflowing.

Everything we seek, in the way of wisdom and assistance, we have been provided in the Person of the Holy Spirit.

IT IS ALREADY DONE 

HE HAS ALREADY PROVIDED!

This past weekend, I had a phenomenal time at a women’s conference at my church - Womanhood Redefined 2018 ‘Wonder’

I was so excited Friday night!

But there was one thing missing. I had not seen a very good friend of mine the entire night. So I decided to text her. And this is how that exchange went:

We went back and forth until I finally had to send her a picture of the registration sheet with her name on it.

She felt terrible! She was disappointed that she had missed the first night. But then went on to share how she had been praying through the week and that entire evening that God would make a way.

Yet God had already made a way weeks prior. You see, you only got a conference tee shirt if you did the early bird registration. So whoever it was that was touched by God to sponsor my dear friend, had done it well in advance of the conference.

It reminded me of the time when Peter was sitting in prison and the saints were praying for his deliverance. Well, God moved to such a degree that they were still praying for his release while he was knocking at the door. It is actually a humorous story. You should read it if you get the chance. (Acts 12:1-19)

So why am I sharing all this?

Know that God is actively engaged in your situation

I believe this is a time for many where His answers are going to overtake your prayers

‘Before they call, I hear and while they are yet speaking I have formulated My response’

Isaiah 65:24

The New Living Translation says it this way:

‘I will answer them before they even call to me.

While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!’

How powerful is that!!!

As we enter into this season, know that many of things you desire He has already provided.

So this is my prayer for you ... and for me

Father, open our eyes that we may see where You have already made provision. And, let us have a heart of gratitude and rejoicing - even before we see the full manifestation of that which we seek. Let Your perfect will be done in our lives. And may we never forget that You are not just an able God but a willing God as well. We thank You and love You so much - asking all these things in the matchless name of Jesus. Amen

Praying you have a blessed day my friend....