Without Words

Silence is golden, so they say. Today I felt that wealth. In the silence, my entire b
eing was at rest. It seems like with the best of friends, words aren't always crucial. Do you agree?

Sometimes when God speaks, he does so, so loudly, without words.

 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

-Psalm 19:1

For what can be mknown about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

-Romans 1

God, you are so vast. I look to you, for you see me even amongst it all. Thank you for your intimate ways!!! Thank you for speaking, at times, without words. Today I enjoyed every bit of your creation pointing back at you. Thank you for reminding me how great you are.

Grace

The tongue can bring death or life;

    those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

-Proverbs 18:21

Dwelling on this today... maybe some more words tomorrow...

If we give up on him, he does not give up - for there's no way he can be false to himself. 

-2 Timothy 2:13 in the MSG version

Remember that song, "I'll be there?" Good song... 

Today I am reminded by the faithful God that He is always for me, he has never left me, and he doesn't stop believing and loving, even when I do. 

He is constant.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Thank you, Jesus! 

Thank you God for your grace because your love doesn't come from my earnings. For my earnings were death and yet you stepped in and gave me salvation... a way out... And thank you that it's not just some "escape," but its a LIFE. 

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. -John 10:9

May I live this life you've given. May I truly live it.

Thank you for pasture. Thank you for life abundant. Thank you for your sacrifice.

Grace

Awaken Me

AWAKEN ME!!!

Romans 13:11-14

Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 

To "wake up" is to arise! To arise is to get up, rise up, awaken, move upward, or ascend. Arise can also mean to come into being and/or to proceed forth. Asleep, I am unaware to the war of good and evil. Asleep, I forget I am a part of the body of Christ. I have purpose to fulfill. I must love, I must war, I must worship, I must fall down before thee. Ouch, I've been far from this, so often. God, may my spirit follow your lead. May I live alive, for this Spirit of God is dwelling within me.


The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. -Romans 8:11

Papa, help my unbelief or lack of concern to read into and dwell on truth. For without you, I am dying to survive. But you, Holy Spirit, you propel me to thrive- to truly live this life, to live for you, and to love you and others.

Oh, God, how I need you! Help me to rise above. Help me not to compare myself to worldly standards and to set myself in alignment with your loving touch and affection. I want to get away from living off of feelings and live in truth. I want to remain in truth. 

Thank you Father God, thank you for being holy and set apart and stooping down to make me great. Thank you for shining light on my darkness and beckoning me to you with gentleness and concern. I am yours. Help me to behave as yours, in surrender, on the daily. 

Your love is what fuels me to love. May I lay in your love each day. May I draw from you well that never runs dry. May I remember, first, that you are what/who I need most/first. I need to hear from you. I need to call on you. I need to come when you whisper my name. Thank you for your INVOLVED love. Thank you for being so far from a stand-off-ish Father. You are my friend, who is closer than a brother. And you are still The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Beginning and The End. 

“Listen! Every one who is thirsty, come to the waters. And you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend money for what is not bread? Why spend your pay for what you do not enjoy? Listen well to Me, and eat what is good. Find joy in the best food. Listen and come to Me. Hear, so you may live. -Isaiah 55

Awake & Listening,

Grace

Slow Down

 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. -Romans 13:7

Honor: showing of usually merited respect.

Respect comes from appreciation. 

Appreciation says, "You are of great worth to me."

Don't assume people know their worth in your life.

Christ went out of His way, being moved by compassion, stopping in his tracks, taking time to notice and listen, and respond to people. He served those closest to Him, washing their feet and setting an example of how to lead with a heart of humility. The Spirit of God takes time to lavish love on me, remind me of what Jesus said, and draw me near to Him. 

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are... -1 John 3:1

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. -John 14:26

 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day -John 6:44

So slow down, self. Take time to serve, to lead, to listen, to minister, and to walk in obedience, and to love. Take time to give honor where honor is due and show appreciation.

Lately, I've found myself in a few situations, small moments, where I've encountered a quick decision- will I do this for so and so or not... I find that I've more often defaulted to- "Nah, no big deal." And I've carried on without going "out of my way." But this is so opposite of Jesus, wouldn't you agree? 

Mark 5

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

I want to learn to listen again and be patient to love. For love is patient. Love turns you around.

Grace

Stopping for directions?...

Are you thinking about it?

-->Stopping for directions, I mean.

They say if you're a man, you're probably just not gonna want to do that. They say if you're a woman, you are.

Oh but that's just what they say...

Who are those theys anyways?

Right?

And who stops for directions anymore?

Seriously.

GPS on your phone?

Oh America.

Oh technology!

For you, I am thankful.

So back to directions...

You're lost and you get your directions, whether it be from a gas station clerk (if your stuck in the past) or from you talking telephone (if your in touch with tech) ;)...either way, you get 'em. ...Now you know the way. You know which turns to take in order to arrive at your destination. You now know you can get where you need to be. So all you gotta do is do it--> drive there. Go!

Well, ok, track with me...

What if you got the directions to your destination and decided to just sit in the car. Like, to just sit, and not to drive to where you need to be. Weird, right? What if you were so glad to receive the directions but instead of turning the key and pulling that little handle into "D" and pressing on the gas peddle, and getting there, you just sat there and missed out, for no good reason.

There was nothing stopping you from what awaited, but, your lack of action.

What if you received directions and shared the directions with someone else who was looking for the same party, same event, or meeting...

You gave them the way, but didn't even take it for yourself...

What if you did something like that and then got upset that youv missed the party/event/meeting...

What if you blamed someone else for your lack of following directions? Odd.

That's what direction is given for, right?

It's given to be followed.


Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,

Psalm 1 shares some direction here. You can think 3 truths, right? It's almost like 3 steps... If you want to be blessed- don't walk here, stand here, or sit here. Easy, right? Nice little Psalm to mull over a few times.

I can do so much with this verse! I can read it and memorize it and write it out and tell it to someone. I can preach it, blog it, tweet it. I can tattoo this verse on my arm for all to see. I can write a song about this verse and sing it in some beautiful/melodious ways.

Just like stopping for directions for driving, if I stop to seek direction/word/truth from the Lord, and I sit on it... if I don't put it into action, if I don't receive, past the correction/conviction, if I preach & share it but don't live it...I am missing the greatest part!

Ya see the next part of the Psalm goes like this:


but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

This part speaks to me, "Grace, you don't have to just hear what NOT to do. I have ACTION for you to take! There is delight and indulgence in this instead of that. And there is great reward/blessing that follows." It's not all about not going this way...it's about going that way...a better way, the way that leads to life. (Not always easier or prettier or more popular, but, surely->the far greater way.)


For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.-Mat.7:14


It's not just about rules, it's about relationship. And in order to develop this beautiful, vast relationship with God, we've got to slow down, seek, listen, and obey Him. I've gotta dig deeper than regulations and don'ts and find the "dos." 

That's part of the beauty of relationship. It's enjoyable, challenging, adventurous and new.

I'm convinced that when we begin to stop, listen, and follow directions, we make it to some out-of-this-world-blessed places.

I wanna go.

Grace

High-Impact

Ok, first, check out this video-

 Interesting? Yes, I'd say so.

Today I'm thinking about "high-impact." Hence the vid. What is it? ....One definition for high-impact is "to have great effect." This kind of effect is grand-eee-ohs! Great effect is unusually large in dimension or considerable in intensity. We're talking BIG time effect! 

Isn't God high-impact?!? God's Word is so high-impact. 

...so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. -Isaiah 55:11

When God is speaking, it's time to tune in, shut out whatever else is begging for attention, and to listen carefully. His word comes with high-impact purpose from the King...

...alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. -Hebrews 4:12

I appreciate God's word! This word alive sheds some hight-impact lighting, opening eyes and hearts to truth... high-impact truth. This truth that changes us and sets us free!

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” -John 8:32

And then I think about the different types of promises we find throughout the bible, God's word... Here's just one example:  

I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior. I will give you good crops of grain, and I will send no more famines on the land. -Ezekial 36:29

I am thinking about this truth statement, above. When God spoke through the prophet to the people...these were not, in any way, empty words. These words were sure and choice...chosen with a definite purpose...a purpose that would unlock the curse of sin and death and bring light and love and life to all who believed.

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” -Mark 9:23

Father, Thank you for the WORD! I need you. I want your word. I love to remember the high -impact life changes that have followed the revealing of truth in my life. May I consume and search and hunger for your truth with growing desire and reliance each day. Moment by moment, help me to turn to you. In every season--when circumstances feel desperate and when they don't, remind me how your faithfulness is constant. I NEED YOU ALWAYS! Please forgive me for acting, speaking, believing anything contrary.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. -Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus, thank you for making this high-impact encounter so very personal. Help me not to miss you in all the moments. I want to respond to your powerful Word with obedience, belief, and discipline. 

...I also want to converse with the one I love and walk hand-in-hand with you today. 

Grace