I am tenderhearted. That is how the Lord made me to be. He has given me a tender heart. It causes me at times to be hurt easily. It takes little to bruise my spirit. That is how He made me to be.
BECAUSE He also made me to be tenderhearted! I can feel His touch so easily. I sense His presence quickly. I can feel Him cradle my heart and feel surrounded by His love for me. I can feel the tie of my heart to His. Because I am tenderhearted. Because He made me to be tenderhearted!
We must always look at why God to be who He made us to be. What is His purpose? It is not for me to be hurt easily. It is for Him to be able to touch my heart and cause me to feel His presence!
Hallelujah!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Come!
Come to the Father all who are thirsty. Come! I spoke to my family and to myself to "Come!" to the Father.
Revelation 22:17 "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, thy love unknown
hath broken every barrier down;
now, to be thine, yea thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Come to Him who is faithful. come to Him who is just. Come to Him who has all you need, all you want, all you desire. He will satisfy your thirst. He will give you grace. He will give you all that you need. Come to Him.
Revelation 22:17 "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."
The Lord has given us a precious gift - to choose. We can choose life or death; we can choose to obey or to go our own way; we can choose to come or not to come. When we choose to come to Him, there is power that of our own free will, we chose to follow and to come to God. Sometimes I think we forget what a precious gift this is. I choose to follow Him!
When the Lord calls you to come, it is necessary to respond. We need to say, "I come!" and then yield to Him. As I come to the Lord, I hear this song:
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, thy love unknown
hath broken every barrier down;
now, to be thine, yea thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Come to Him who is faithful. come to Him who is just. Come to Him who has all you need, all you want, all you desire. He will satisfy your thirst. He will give you grace. He will give you all that you need. Come to Him.
Monday, January 26, 2009
What should I meditate on?
Joshua 1:8 "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it [Book of the Law] day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful" NIV
Psalms 48:9 Within your temple, O God,we meditate on your unfailing love. NIV
Psalms 119:15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. NIV
Psalms 119:27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. NIV
Psalms 119:48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees. NIV
Psalms 119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it [law] all day long. NIV
Psalms 119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. NIV
Psalms 119:148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. NIV
Psalms 143:5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. NIV
Psalms 145:5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. NIV
Psalms 48:9 Within your temple, O God,we meditate on your unfailing love. NIV
Psalms 119:15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. NIV
Psalms 119:27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts; then I will meditate on your wonders. NIV
Psalms 119:48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees. NIV
Psalms 119:97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it [law] all day long. NIV
Psalms 119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. NIV
Psalms 119:148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. NIV
Psalms 143:5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. NIV
Psalms 145:5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. NIV
Seek First
My purpose, that which I should place first in my life: to seek His righteousness.
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." NIV
His righteousness, His kingdom, my purpose. No matter what the world says, what my family says, what is politically correct, I need to listen first to God and ask Him my purpose is for Him. How would He have me talk, behave, feel, believe. The world is closing in on us and the pressure increases to bow tot he politically correct. The TV shows, the news, the politicians and the "thinkers" all tell me how I should behave, believe, tolerate and uphold that which God has not called me to follow. The pressure is at times intense: at work, at the dinner table, in discussions with friends, while researching a paper for class -- all these things war at me with the purpose that God has for me. I feel alone...until I am reminded that He is with me. My purpose, no matter what the world may say, is to first seek Him, His kingdom, and His rigtheousness. In that way, I am fulfilling all that He has called me to do in my life.
Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." NIV
His righteousness, His kingdom, my purpose. No matter what the world says, what my family says, what is politically correct, I need to listen first to God and ask Him my purpose is for Him. How would He have me talk, behave, feel, believe. The world is closing in on us and the pressure increases to bow tot he politically correct. The TV shows, the news, the politicians and the "thinkers" all tell me how I should behave, believe, tolerate and uphold that which God has not called me to follow. The pressure is at times intense: at work, at the dinner table, in discussions with friends, while researching a paper for class -- all these things war at me with the purpose that God has for me. I feel alone...until I am reminded that He is with me. My purpose, no matter what the world may say, is to first seek Him, His kingdom, and His rigtheousness. In that way, I am fulfilling all that He has called me to do in my life.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Hope Against Hope
Against all hope, I will believe in all that the Lord has promised; I know that He is for me and will not fail me. I will not stay in the place of a sick heart, but I will rejoice in the Lord my God!
Hope deferred can sicken us. For me, passion and joy and energy are robbed by the despair and hopelessness. I have been here before and I am back again. But I will hope in my God! I will tell my heart to beat again! [from the book by Dutch Sheets of the same name.]
What follows are some Bible passages that speak to my heart to day:
Romans 4:18-19: Against all hope , Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." NIV
Proverbs 13:12: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. NIV
Romans 5:4-5: And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. NIV
Romans 8:24-25: For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. NIV
1 Peter 1:3-5: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. NIV
Psalms 39:7: "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. NIV
Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. NIV
Ps 31:24: Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. NIV
Ps 42:11: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. NIV
Ps 147:11: the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. NIV
Hope deferred can sicken us. For me, passion and joy and energy are robbed by the despair and hopelessness. I have been here before and I am back again. But I will hope in my God! I will tell my heart to beat again! [from the book by Dutch Sheets of the same name.]
What follows are some Bible passages that speak to my heart to day:
Romans 4:18-19: Against all hope , Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." NIV
Proverbs 13:12: Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. NIV
Romans 5:4-5: And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. NIV
Romans 8:24-25: For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. NIV
1 Peter 1:3-5: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. NIV
Psalms 39:7: "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. NIV
Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. NIV
Ps 31:24: Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. NIV
Ps 42:11: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. NIV
Ps 147:11: the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. NIV
I Will Remember
I Will Remember
by Terry Butler
by Terry Butler
I will remember your deeds, O lord
And I will meditate on all your works
I will remember your deeds, O lord
And I will meditate on all your works
Your perfect ways, are Holy and just
Can any compare to You
Your works display your power and might
There is no one as great as you
There is no one as great as you
from the Psalms:
Psalms 77:11-13 "I will remember the deeds of the LORD;yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?" NIV
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...
Today, I began my "chewings". I asked the Lord to show me where I should start. I heard John 1:14 from Him almost immediately.
The Word refers to God, Jesus, the logos word of God, the power of the spoken word of God that created the entire world with a word.
Became flesh of course refers to the incarnation, of Jesus being born into the world as a baby. I meditated on the flesh of his childhood. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, right? He never changes. But in the flesh He grew. Cells were formed, bones grew, all the hormones that create growth and development were in His body on earth. God doesn't grow, but Jesus did here on earth. I'm not sure why this was so startling to me, but it was.
I've known for sometime that the word used for "dwelling" is that same as the word used for "tabernacle" and this is the way in which my meditations were directed. To be the dwelling of God, of His Holiness, of His Fullness. Oh, my! He is in me and I am in Him.
He is among us. Among means "in or through the midst of; surrounded by; in company or association with". He is in us, through us, surrounding us and in our company - today, always, forever.
So I will chew on these thoughts this evening and as I go to sleep tonight!
John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (NIV)
The focus today was on the first part of the passage: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. I kept this word in front of my eyes, mind and spirit all day.The Word refers to God, Jesus, the logos word of God, the power of the spoken word of God that created the entire world with a word.
Became flesh of course refers to the incarnation, of Jesus being born into the world as a baby. I meditated on the flesh of his childhood. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, right? He never changes. But in the flesh He grew. Cells were formed, bones grew, all the hormones that create growth and development were in His body on earth. God doesn't grow, but Jesus did here on earth. I'm not sure why this was so startling to me, but it was.
I've known for sometime that the word used for "dwelling" is that same as the word used for "tabernacle" and this is the way in which my meditations were directed. To be the dwelling of God, of His Holiness, of His Fullness. Oh, my! He is in me and I am in Him.
He is among us. Among means "in or through the midst of; surrounded by; in company or association with". He is in us, through us, surrounding us and in our company - today, always, forever.
So I will chew on these thoughts this evening and as I go to sleep tonight!
"Re"
Re could be "in reference to" or "regarding", but it really is a pet name my dad used to call me. Re was short for Rebecca and Dad was the only person who ever called me that. The times he used the name I remember tenderness, care, and affection. So today, when the Lord spoke to me about "refocus, remember, and remind" I remembered the name Re my dad used for me.
I have had an infection in my salivary gland and have been on antibiotics for 6-8 weeks now. I asked a friend what might be the spiritual meaning behind this infection. He reminded me that the salivary glands predigest food that is then sent on to the stomach where nutrients flow to all parts of the body. He suggested that I meditate on the Word of God and ask the Holy Spirit to show me [remind me] how to meditate.
In doing this this morning and throughout the day, I was struck with all the "re" words that applied to me, or needed to apply to me.
I have had an infection in my salivary gland and have been on antibiotics for 6-8 weeks now. I asked a friend what might be the spiritual meaning behind this infection. He reminded me that the salivary glands predigest food that is then sent on to the stomach where nutrients flow to all parts of the body. He suggested that I meditate on the Word of God and ask the Holy Spirit to show me [remind me] how to meditate.
In doing this this morning and throughout the day, I was struck with all the "re" words that applied to me, or needed to apply to me.
- remember
- repent
- remind
- refocus
- reconcile
- reform
- re-experience
- rebirth
- resolute
- restore
Hidden in My Heart [Oct 2006]
I did devotions for AWANA TNT on Wednesday using the verse, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalms 119:11) I did the "take one word away at a time" method of Bible memory using Power Point.
The verse had been on my heart and in the morning during my time with the Lord, He spoke to me using this verse.
"What is hidden there, deep in your heart? Can you not see what I have placed there? My Son, My Word is hidden in your heart, that you might not sin against Me. Dwell in My Word. Let My Word surround you and rise up within you. Yes, I mean the verses and truths you read in the Bible, but I also mean My Son – let Him surround you and rise up within you – and My Holy Spirit – let Him surround you and rise up within you.
The verse had been on my heart and in the morning during my time with the Lord, He spoke to me using this verse.
"What is hidden there, deep in your heart? Can you not see what I have placed there? My Son, My Word is hidden in your heart, that you might not sin against Me. Dwell in My Word. Let My Word surround you and rise up within you. Yes, I mean the verses and truths you read in the Bible, but I also mean My Son – let Him surround you and rise up within you – and My Holy Spirit – let Him surround you and rise up within you.
These are some of the things I have hidden in your heart. I have sown seeds that are yet to grow. I have deposited jewels that are yet to shine. I have hidden a crown of life that I will personally place on your head on the last day and it shines and glows even now.
All this and more I have hidden in your heart, buried deep and known to Me.
Ask Me to open your heart to let the world see these treasures, to reveal My Beloved son to others, to release the power of My Holy Spirit in your life."
Psalms 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” NIV
Do not grow weary -- keep your eyes on Jesus [Aug 2006]
Blogging -- I don't know if this is something for me. But, as a journal, even if I keep it to myself, it could have merit.
Yesterday's reading -- Hebrews 12-13. The verse that caught my eye -- "...so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Heb 12:3b NIV
I do grow weary and lose heart as time goes by and as I lose sight of Jesus. The verse before says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." Heb 12:2a NIV Usually when I am weary it is because I have lost my focus. I lose my focus because I am looking down. When I get stuck in the mire and call out for help, my eyes look up, to the heavens, where my help comes from. Then I receive; then I see. I lost God's perspective on my life. I lost God's perspective on who I am. I am a child of God. He is perfecting me and makng me holy. There is hope, because I trust in Him.
Of course, I also read one of my favorite passages yesterday:
Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken — that is, created things — so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire." NIV
Yesterday's reading -- Hebrews 12-13. The verse that caught my eye -- "...so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Heb 12:3b NIV
I do grow weary and lose heart as time goes by and as I lose sight of Jesus. The verse before says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." Heb 12:2a NIV Usually when I am weary it is because I have lost my focus. I lose my focus because I am looking down. When I get stuck in the mire and call out for help, my eyes look up, to the heavens, where my help comes from. Then I receive; then I see. I lost God's perspective on my life. I lost God's perspective on who I am. I am a child of God. He is perfecting me and makng me holy. There is hope, because I trust in Him.
Of course, I also read one of my favorite passages yesterday:
Heb 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." 27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken — that is, created things — so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire." NIV
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