Category: Surrender

Jehovah Nissi - The Lord is My Banner

6/27/2015

He is still Jehovah Nissi today. He fights battles on our behalf and provides the victories. What are you battling today? Drugs, sex, abuse, anger, unforgiveness, fear, a false sense of identity? Whatever it is, God will fight this battle with you and give you victory. Do you trust Him? Are you willing to surrender control of your out-of-control life, and place your battle into His hands?

I'm writing about the game Capture the Flag, Sgt. York, and Moses over at Laced With Grace. I invite you to join the conversation over there.

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Taking Inventory of Life

5/30/2015

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Great wealth is not related to money. It is an attitude of satisfaction coupled with inner peace, day-by-day, moment-by-moment walk and talk with God that declares, ‘Lord, You are enough.’ To summarize this in a word…Contentment.

Contentment isn’t something we’re born with. In fact, we’re born with the desire for more…more food, more stuff, more of whatever makes me happy…that craving for more is actually an inner craving for more about the Who and not about the what. And so we must learn to seek contentment, to seek the Who of the craving rather than the abundance of having more. Now don’t get me wrong, having “stuff” isn’t wrong unless we desire it more than we desire God Himself.

I love my collection of books and teacups, and my home. But lately I’ve been looking around and asking myself, what would be my bear necessities? What could I subtract from my life and still be content. I entered this world empty-handed; and I’ll leave the same way. I don’t plan on getting rid of everything while I’m alive barring a catastrophic storm. I want to enjoy those things that bring me pleasure, but not at the expense of being controlled by them. And so I've asked myself:

If I strip life down to only the essentials, simplify my lifestyle;
something to eat, something to wear, and a roof over my head, could I be content? WOULD I be content?

Everything beyond the essentials I’m considering as non-essential. No matter how I classify it, it’s all given by His gracious hand. It goes without saying, my husband, children and grandchildren are important to me, they're my heartbeat. I don't even want to think about life without them. But I know many who have lost a part - even all - of their "heart." As I’ve learned from the life of Job, the Lord gives and He takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. It’s foolish for me to trust in any abundance I may have for security. Ultimately, my loved ones and all my possessions could be gone in the blink of an eye. That leaves me with this truth:
The only lasting satisfaction is being content with God alone.

I’m thankful for my family. I'm thankful He has chosen to supply me with things to enjoy. I’m content. But should I ever lose a part of my heart or have to pare down and live with less, I pray I will remember this conversation I’m having with myself and anyone reading this. My life is blessed not because of things. My life is blessed because I know the Giver, and that possession, that Gift, can never be taken from me.

Verses to Ponder:
Psalm 63
1 Timothy 6:6-19

Have you taken inventory of your life lately?
What are your essentials and non-essentials?
What could life be stripped down to and you'd still be able to say,
Blessed be Your name.

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The Hard Prayers to Live and Die By

5/27/2015

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My heart breaks for those suffering persecution. Would to God I could rescue them all. But they already have a rescuer, a redeemer, who has not abandoned them even though it may appear He has to some who have suffered for so long.

Having a daughter and her family serving as missionaries in a third world country, I find myself continually surrendering them to God, asking Him to protect them, and to also give them (and Mike and I) the grace they need should He call them to give their lives. It's a hard prayer, a prayer for grace to live and die by.

And that is my prayer for all Christians everywhere. That we would be given the grace to stand - to live for Him even if it's to kneel before the enemy and be beheaded...then Lord, grant us dying grace. The world is moved by the testimony of the saints as they point to the Savior. May God grant us all grace and peace in the midst of horror, and perseverance in the midst of persecution (and mounting persecutions in our own country.) We simply must fix our eyes on Him, the author and finisher of our faith. He calls us to action, and so we do what we can amidst evil and corruption, but we can't rely upon human governments to fix the world. At best they can put a band-aid on it. This battle has been going on since the fall of man. Some are called to be martyrs, but they are not redeemed by their martyrdom, nor are they capable of redeeming others through their heroic act of courage. There is only One who can redeem the world.

Here is the hard truth...

Jesus came to rescue and redeem EVERYONE! Not just the ones we deem as worth saving.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Try to wrap your mind around the full essence of truth found in this verse. He bore the sins of the world...the WHOLE world. Those people doing all that persecution of Christians around the world, groups like ISIS...He died for them. God is grieved by sin, He abhors it. And yet He desires all men to be saved and made it possible through His Son, Jesus Christ. Me, I'm ready to send every last one of them to hell.... how self-righteous of me! Those politicians that we can't stand because they're making a mess of our country....we criticize and get angry at them, we ridicule, point fingers and place blame. Yep...He died for them.

I just can't fathom His fathomless grace.

Mark Mosley is a Christian inspirational speaker. He shared a humbling reminder of just how vast His infinite sacrifice for all mankind is.

Jesus bore the sins of the Assyrians, who gloated over the captives they had skinned alive; the sins of SS troops, machine-gunning women and children running from burning synagogues with clothing ablaze.

Jesus bore the sins of child molesters, making sure their victims never have to testify; the sins of the Pharaohs, sacrificing thousands of laborers' lives, to build themselves deifying tombs.

Jesus was tossed about in these endless storms: enraged fathers beating toddlers to death; pimps seducing runaways into lives of drugs and prostitution; church ladies cannibalizing other church ladies over coffee; Canaanites throwing their children to Moloch, their sun god; impoverished parents in China selling their children into slavery.

Jesus bore the sins of embezzlers; gangsters; bullies; rapists; liars; the indifferent; the sadistic; the self-righteous Bible-believing leaders praying long and loud, while their wives sat in back pews praying that heavy make-up covered their bruises.

It is a scene of unbearable horror and unspeakable madness. He is the accused for us all, bearing the weight of abused children; families destroyed by adultery or apathy; civilizations decaying; wars ravaging victims. Yet, through it all, deep in the terror of hell, He keeps His eyes wide open.

He is not just a bystander caught in the accident; He has come deliberately. He will accept it all, absorbing the full force of this storm of wrath in His body, His mind, His heart, and His soul, until there is nothing left to feel.

Finally, the tumbling will slow a bit; the storm will slacken, and Jesus will lift Himself on His nailed feet to snatch a gasp of air and force His swollen tongue to shout, "It is finished—I've come; I've seen; I've paid for it all."

Won't you join me in praying for the persecuted church? Here are some helpful prayer points to lead us in praying effectively for them...and their persecutors.

I would add to that last line, "And I have borne all this for them." The mercy that God expended upon mankind at the cross was immeasurable. Christ died for the worst of sinners, and loved the most hateful of enemies. What a powerful reminder of God's enormous love! Christ bore our sin and our punishment so we could bear His righteousness and His reward.

I'm humbled...perplexed...overwhelmed by His grace and mercy. What an amazing grace.

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Whose Is It Anyway? Thoughts on Stewardship

5/1/2015

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I didn't mean to eavesdrop in on a phone conversation between my husband and the person who called, but we were sitting in the same room making me privy to him kicking his Dave Ramsey financial counselor training into gear. That and hiking are his two passion areas and he's good at both. I could tell the person on the other end was listening intently. They know Mike's been out of work since mid October and we're not behind or starving because he's practiced what he's preached over the years about the importance of having an emergency fund for true emergencies, and also having a 'sinking fund' for saving towards larger purchases (i.e. a refrigerator, living room furniture, boat, car, travel, etc.).

One of the areas they talked about was getting out of car debt. I know this is a "sacred cow" for many people. But let me tell you from experience, what a blessing it is to have 2 fairly new cars that we were able to pay CASH for...and one of them is the one he bought for himself AFTER he lost his job. What wisdom and stewardship. I'm so thankful to be doing life with this man!

Anyway, this morning I'm going through my emails and this one from Dave Ramsey appears. I just have to share this with you. I firmly believe that ALL of life is a stewardship and that includes all things God has given us - our time here on earth, the talents He's equipped us with, and the treasures He's entrusted us with.

There seems to be 2 extremes in Christianity today regarding money, and both of them are in error.
1) The prosperity gospel - God's wants to bless us and give us lots of money, so serve Him and spend, spend, spend! He didn't raise any beggars.
2) I'm going to live by faith and not save or plan for the future, He's going to take care of my needs. Now that sounds right and spiritual, but there is error in that thinking as well. Saving for the future is wise. We can live by faith and STILL save and plan for the future as a good steward should. That's biblical - read The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28.

The Ultimate Question

Stewardship defines our practical obedience in the administration of everything under our control, everything entrusted to us. It is the consecration of one’s self and possessions to God's service. Stewardship acknowledges in practice that we do not have the right of control over ourselves or our property—God has that control. It means as stewards of God we are managers of that which belongs to God, and we are under His constant authority as we administer His affairs. Faithful stewardship means that we fully acknowledge we are not our own but belong to Christ, the Lord, who gave Himself for us.

The ultimate question, then, is this: Am I the lord of my life, or is Christ the Lord of my life? In essence, stewardship expresses our total obedience to God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Oh, and PS... I HIGHLY recommend reading this Dave Ramsey article onHow to Eliminate Your Car Payment and Save for Retirement. EXCELLENT quick read!

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Saint Patrick's Breastplate

3/17/2015

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In 1999 my husband and I took a trip to Ireland for our 25th wedding anniversary. It’s green rolling meadows lined with ancient stone fences mesmerized us. We fell in love with the people, the culture and the food. We both dream of being able to return some day.

One of the places we visited was St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It is believed that at this location St. Patrick baptized early converts to Christianity. (His approximate dates were 385-461 AD.) There is an amazing stone cover over what they think was his baptismal pool. Of course the large, majestic stone cathedral is not the original building. It was a meager wooden church at that time. It has long since been replaced.

Over the years I've researched the life of St. Patrick trying to sort out the true stories and the legends. The truth is an amazing story of a young man stolen from his home in Roman Britain by slave pirates, served as a slave of a Druid Chieftain for six years and then escaped back to his family in Britain. The call of God upon his life to return as a missionary to the heathens of Ireland, to the very ones who enslaved him, and the phenomenal founding and growth of the church is an amazing testament of God's grace upon His life. I have a great admiration for his life and ancient writings.

One of the most famous writings that is attributed to him is now called “St. Patrick’s Breastplate”. Whether or not he actually wrote it is debated today. Some believe monks influenced by St. Patrick's words wrote it. That is more than likely the case and explains why you will find variations of the prayer. Apparently the Apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians had an influence as well. There are undertones of the book throughout the prayer. Either way, I'm inspired every time I read it. This is the translation I enjoy meditating on. Its words are a beautiful prayer of protection to pray for ourselves and our loved ones. It actually reminds me of Ephesians 6:13-17. It makes me ask myself, "Is your armor on?"

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, and One in Three.

I arise today
By the power of faith and
Through the strength of Christ’s birth,
His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection
and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all His power to stand
Against all Satan’s spells and wiles,
Against false words and heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the hear’s idolatry,
Against the wizard’s evil craft,
Against the death-wound and the burning,
The choking wave, the poison’d shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ in breadth,
Christ in length,
Christ in height,
Christ in quiet,
Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty name,
The strong name of the Trinity,
By belief and confession of
The Three in One, and the One in Three,
The Creator of creation.
Eternal Father,
Spirit Word,
Praise to the Lord of my salvation:
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
O Lord, be ever with me.

Amen.

If you would like to print a copy of St. Patrick's Breastplate, I've created a printable pdf over here.

Michael W. Smith with Leeland Mooring
Christ Be All Around Me

Please feel free to stay and worship with me through this beautiful rendition of the Breastplate by Michael W. Smith.

Father, I only want to be bound to You and You alone, the strong name of the Trinity. Protect my family and equip me so I may give them aid in knowing how to equip themselves with your armor.

In the Strong Name of Christ, Amen.

As a postscript, "A St. Patrick's Day Devotional" by the Irish Christian Band, Rend Collective is a great short read. It's a story about St. Patrick I've never heard before.

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My Morning Prayer and Meditation

2/23/2015

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Reflections from Psalm 143

O Lord, hear my prayer! Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me!

I recall the old days;
I meditate on all You have done, are doing, and going to do;
I muse on the works of Your hands.
I spread my hands out to You in prayer,
My soul longs for You, as a parched land.

Let the morning bring me word of your lovingkindness,
For in You I put all my trust.
Show me the way in which I should walk,
Because I long for You!

Deliver me from anything that takes me from Your side.
I run to You for protection.

Teach me to do what pleases You,
For You are my one and only God.
May Your kind presence, lead me in Your footsteps.

O Lord, for the sake of Your reputation, revive me!

Rescue me from anything that takes my focus off of You

As a demonstration of your loyal love,
Destroy anything in my life that takes me from Your side.

I am here on earth to serve You only!

May Your will be done in my life, on earth as it is in heaven.

I love You my Abba Father, with all my heart, soul, and mind!!

Amen

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Pleasure That Satisfies In a Shades of Grey World

2/16/2015

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How precious is
Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men
put their trust under
the shadow of Your wings.
They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house.
And you give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
For with you is the foundation of life; in your light we see light.
Psalm 36:7-9

We live in a culture with an insatiable appetite for pleasure. With the pleasure seeking comes an attitude of “if it feels good, do it.” There is no right or wrong in the eyes of cultural pleasure seekers, thus we have a shades of grey world that does not recognize right or wrong, black or white.

Do you know God designed us to seek pleasure?

That may sound strange when I just equated pleasure with sinful selfishness. Seeking pleasure is only wrong when we try to find it in the wrong place. We go to sex outside of marriage, food, people, activities, or possessions. But those things can never satisfy the deep longing in our hearts. That’s why the shades of grey continue to grow more varied and deviant.

When we surrender to God, we find the pleasure that truly satisfies. Have you fully surrendered yourself to God? Are you finding your happiness in Him?

Several years ago I was searching the Scriptures regarding the topic of pleasure. I wrote down a paraphrased version of some of the verses I was reading as if He were speaking them to me. Listen to the words He spoke to me through His Word. Jeremiah 31:14 Ephesians 3:19 Colossians 2:20

You have looked for satisfaction in other places, but I am the one that satisfies you. You have given yourself to endeavors, projects, labors and relationships, but never experienced the feeling of satisfaction you crave.

The child of God desires the feeling of satisfaction and to know and be familiar with My words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” You are My child, and I want you to feel content and satisfied.

I gave My life so that satisfaction could be yours. I conquered dissatisfaction and discontent. I have begun a work in you which I promise to complete.

I have given you a new sense of purpose. Be confident that I am with you. Take My hand in yours and hold fast.

I am faithful and I establish you and I keep you from evil that keeps you dissatisfied.

The secret of living a satisfied life is to know My love, which passes human knowledge.

In Me you are perfectly accepted

and cherished. I love, forgive, strengthen and renew you. To know My love is to know the mercy of God. It is My joy to give you My satisfaction.

Hear My loving words to you. In Me you are complete. See yourself as having died with Me to the hunger for material things. You have escaped from the world’s crude desires to own everything that pleases and attracts your eye.

Do not live as if you still belong to the world. Know how much I enjoy your love; enjoy My goodness and My love toward you and be satisfied.

A life lived in surrender to The Lord experiences pleasure that truly satisfies–something a shades of grey world can never deliver.

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Jehovah Nissi - The Lord is My Banner

Taking Inventory of Life

The Hard Prayers to Live and Die By

Here is the hard truth...

Won't you join me in praying for the persecuted church? Here are some helpful prayer points to lead us in praying effectively for them...and their persecutors.

Whose Is It Anyway? Thoughts on Stewardship

The Ultimate Question

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Michael W. Smith with Leeland Mooring
Christ Be All Around Me

As a postscript, "A St. Patrick's Day Devotional" by the Irish Christian Band, Rend Collective is a great short read. It's a story about St. Patrick I've never heard before.

My Morning Prayer and Meditation

Pleasure That Satisfies In a Shades of Grey World

Do you know God designed us to seek pleasure?

The Muser

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Archives

Have each new post to this specific blog page emailed to you, or use your own RSS Feed Reader.

Please Respect the Muser's Work

Jehovah Nissi - The Lord is My Banner

Taking Inventory of Life

The Hard Prayers to Live and Die By

Here is the hard truth...

Won't you join me in praying for the persecuted church? Here are some helpful prayer points to lead us in praying effectively for them...and their persecutors.

Whose Is It Anyway? Thoughts on Stewardship

The Ultimate Question

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Saint Patrick's Breastplate

Michael W. Smith with Leeland Mooring Christ Be All Around Me

As a postscript, "A St. Patrick's Day Devotional" by the Irish Christian Band, Rend Collective is a great short read. It's a story about St. Patrick I've never heard before.

My Morning Prayer and Meditation

Pleasure That Satisfies In a Shades of Grey World

Do you know God designed us to seek pleasure?

The Muser

Categories

Archives

Have each new post to this specific blog page emailed to you, or use your own RSS Feed Reader.

Please Respect the Muser's Work

Michael W. Smith with Leeland Mooring
Christ Be All Around Me