The Blessing of Silence...sometimes its best not to say anything at all. Even telling the truth or being honorable can have the opposite effect and place you in a position you never intended to be. However, in time, truth & honor always wins out.. Though they can bring you low and humiliate you, truth and honor set you up for the higher & better life... These are the things that promote you..For God has said the promotion comes neither from the East, West or South, but it comes from the LORD.. Mercy, humility, truth & honor are taken quite seriously by our Father, Who sees all and knows all.
Consider the story of Joseph. Gen 37 - 39. To his family and brothers, he told dreams of being in authority. He was just sharing a dream, not a desire of his heart, but a dream, and that him got kicked out the tribe and sold into slavery (Whose he going to rule over now?). But God was with him and gave him favor..
Joseph was lusted for by Potiphar's wife, but stayed in honor to His God and His master. His honor was doubted and a lie was believed that cast him into prison. But God was with him and gave him favor...
Joseph now doesn't tell his dreams but interprets those of others. His talents and honor are remembered even to the head of the state: Pharoah himself needs his troubling dreams interpreted and God magnified Joseph's integrity, wisdom and administration to him. He saved an entire nation from death by famine and was promoted to #2 because Joseph stayed in the administration of the Spirit. He kept his integrity before God. He stayed truthful.
So sometimes, your being truthful may bring you into negative circumstances, but God is faithful. He is not like man. He will always remember and recognize your love for Him in being truthful and honorable. He will always promote!
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
God hears you!
Ye that fear the LORD, praise Him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify Him; and fear Him, all ye the seed of Israel. For He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath He hid His face from him; but when he cried unto Him, He heard.-Ps 22:23-24
I didn't purposefully find this scripture this morning, but as I looked towards Ps 23, my eyes fell upon this portion. I read it several times. What an awesome promise! The psalmist commands us to praise God and glorify God if we fear Him. Truly God is worthy of our praise! He is worthy to receive glory! In fact, the word tells us to give unto Him the glory that is due to His name!
Check this out... These verses are connected by the coordinating conjuction "for." This suggests that we should not allow afflictions to close our mouths to His praise and giving Him glory. Time and time again, the New Testament books include information on how to carry yourself through afflictions because they will surely come. In fact, Jesus closes His classic Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7) with the importance of grounding yourself in the Word of God. How do you ground? You hear and do what Jesus said! Many of us only give mental assent to the Word they are hearing, but in order to have a strong foundation that will withstand anything, you must read it over and over, listen over and over, and lastly, do it over and over! These are the things that moves you from mustard seed to great faith. Hearinng and doing the Word of God causes your roots to anchor and grow deep. Deep roots is similar to concrete foundations that anchor large and tall buildings. The Word of God calls you Trees of Righteousness! And not just any kind of trees, but Oaks! Oaks are known for being strong & lofty & beautiful! Look at God! Don't you feel better just hearing that? Praise God!
So praise God! Glorify God! No matter what you're going through. The verse continues that God deos not hid His face from the afflicted person. He hears the cry of the afflicted! When you praise through affliction and trial, those praises are special to God! Those praises and offerings of glory tell God you trust Him no matter what you're experiencing! You see, God knows what those praises are. He knows where they come from. He knows the depth of the affliction. He knows how strong it is on you. He knows what it took for you to open your mouth and give Him glory in the strange land. In the hard place. Those praises and offerings of glory are actually sacrifices that come from the broken spirit and contrite heart. Afflictions attempt to close our mouths to praise and open them to release complaint, offense, and speak the situation. However...we will not do that! We are going to praise the Lord at all times.* In every circumstance. For every reason, and no reason at all! So, your praise in the place of affliction is speaking something to the LORD God that opens His ears. Know that your deliverance is on the way! Our afflictions are working on us, in us and for us! Hallelujah!
May this be light for you!
I didn't purposefully find this scripture this morning, but as I looked towards Ps 23, my eyes fell upon this portion. I read it several times. What an awesome promise! The psalmist commands us to praise God and glorify God if we fear Him. Truly God is worthy of our praise! He is worthy to receive glory! In fact, the word tells us to give unto Him the glory that is due to His name!
Check this out... These verses are connected by the coordinating conjuction "for." This suggests that we should not allow afflictions to close our mouths to His praise and giving Him glory. Time and time again, the New Testament books include information on how to carry yourself through afflictions because they will surely come. In fact, Jesus closes His classic Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7) with the importance of grounding yourself in the Word of God. How do you ground? You hear and do what Jesus said! Many of us only give mental assent to the Word they are hearing, but in order to have a strong foundation that will withstand anything, you must read it over and over, listen over and over, and lastly, do it over and over! These are the things that moves you from mustard seed to great faith. Hearinng and doing the Word of God causes your roots to anchor and grow deep. Deep roots is similar to concrete foundations that anchor large and tall buildings. The Word of God calls you Trees of Righteousness! And not just any kind of trees, but Oaks! Oaks are known for being strong & lofty & beautiful! Look at God! Don't you feel better just hearing that? Praise God!
So praise God! Glorify God! No matter what you're going through. The verse continues that God deos not hid His face from the afflicted person. He hears the cry of the afflicted! When you praise through affliction and trial, those praises are special to God! Those praises and offerings of glory tell God you trust Him no matter what you're experiencing! You see, God knows what those praises are. He knows where they come from. He knows the depth of the affliction. He knows how strong it is on you. He knows what it took for you to open your mouth and give Him glory in the strange land. In the hard place. Those praises and offerings of glory are actually sacrifices that come from the broken spirit and contrite heart. Afflictions attempt to close our mouths to praise and open them to release complaint, offense, and speak the situation. However...we will not do that! We are going to praise the Lord at all times.* In every circumstance. For every reason, and no reason at all! So, your praise in the place of affliction is speaking something to the LORD God that opens His ears. Know that your deliverance is on the way! Our afflictions are working on us, in us and for us! Hallelujah!
May this be light for you!
Monday, February 13, 2012
A Heart That Rejoices
Psalms 105:3, 4 says for us to Glory in the Holy Name of the Lord. Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD and His strength. Seek His face evermore!
I notice that there is a joy in the hearts of those that seek the Lord in the midst of great seasons of difficulty. You can see it in their eyes. You can hear it in their voices. They have moved from the place of complaint to the place of quiet belief. They know that God will do what He said He would do and are assured of it. They move from unsettledness, doubt, and anxiety to trust.
When your heart trusts God, God releases a joy into your life. The apostle Paul said that we which have believed do enter into rest.* He wrote in another location that we have joy and peace in believing.* The Lord Jesus taught that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, would be filled.* What's in the hunger? What's in the thirst? There's a seek! When someone is hungry, they seek for food. When someone is thirsty, they seek for drink. They are satisfied and contented when that desire is accomplished.*
Today, I want to encourage you to seek the LORD. Seek His face and His strength! As you seek Him, begin to experience the Joy of the LORD's presence. His number ONE desire is spending time with you. When you seek for Him with all your heart, He begins to share His heart, His wonderful plan, with you.* When you begin to realize the awesome destiny He has designed for you, your own heart begins to rejoice! As He shares His heart with you, an image of what He is saying to you begins to develop in your mind. You begin to see yourself in what He shows you. You begin to place yourself in that image and begin to speak what He's speaking. Proverbs tells us that the word of God is life for us. It's health and healing to all our flesh.* As we spend time in His presence and meditate on what He's speaking, the word of God goes to work in our hearts and heals our brokeness.* The word stirs us and improves our outlook, our inlook, and our looks. We are renewed day by day!
When your heart is happy, you are happy! Your mind an spirit is lifted! Your energy is renewed! Your vitality restored! So...embrace the Presence of God. Press into that place where it's just you and God. Seek the LORD! Let your heart rejoice! And, again I say..Rejoice!*
*Scriptural references. Hebrews 4:3, Romans 15:13, Matthew 5:6, Prov 13:12, Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 4:22, Psalm 107:20, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Philippians 4:4
I notice that there is a joy in the hearts of those that seek the Lord in the midst of great seasons of difficulty. You can see it in their eyes. You can hear it in their voices. They have moved from the place of complaint to the place of quiet belief. They know that God will do what He said He would do and are assured of it. They move from unsettledness, doubt, and anxiety to trust.
When your heart trusts God, God releases a joy into your life. The apostle Paul said that we which have believed do enter into rest.* He wrote in another location that we have joy and peace in believing.* The Lord Jesus taught that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, would be filled.* What's in the hunger? What's in the thirst? There's a seek! When someone is hungry, they seek for food. When someone is thirsty, they seek for drink. They are satisfied and contented when that desire is accomplished.*
Today, I want to encourage you to seek the LORD. Seek His face and His strength! As you seek Him, begin to experience the Joy of the LORD's presence. His number ONE desire is spending time with you. When you seek for Him with all your heart, He begins to share His heart, His wonderful plan, with you.* When you begin to realize the awesome destiny He has designed for you, your own heart begins to rejoice! As He shares His heart with you, an image of what He is saying to you begins to develop in your mind. You begin to see yourself in what He shows you. You begin to place yourself in that image and begin to speak what He's speaking. Proverbs tells us that the word of God is life for us. It's health and healing to all our flesh.* As we spend time in His presence and meditate on what He's speaking, the word of God goes to work in our hearts and heals our brokeness.* The word stirs us and improves our outlook, our inlook, and our looks. We are renewed day by day!
When your heart is happy, you are happy! Your mind an spirit is lifted! Your energy is renewed! Your vitality restored! So...embrace the Presence of God. Press into that place where it's just you and God. Seek the LORD! Let your heart rejoice! And, again I say..Rejoice!*
*Scriptural references. Hebrews 4:3, Romans 15:13, Matthew 5:6, Prov 13:12, Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 4:22, Psalm 107:20, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Philippians 4:4
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