Tag: God’s Presence

Inspirational and encouraging picture about trusting God even when we can't see it based on Joseph's story of being sold into Egyptian slavery

“Your Behind-the-Scenes Success!”

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Genesis 37-41

Details. You either love them or hate them. When it comes to daily tasks, details can be a bit overwhelming when you are trying to figure out the minutest specifics of all that needs to be done.

Yet, when it comes to our future, especially regarding its outcome, details can be beneficial in planning and preparing. Our hopes are to receive a favorable ending to our story. And while details help us along toward specific goals in the natural world, when it comes to our spiritual walk, specific details of every move we make or every journey we walk through aren’t often given to us.

Take the story of Joseph, for instance. He was next to the next-to-youngest of twelve exceptional boys born to Jacob. Exceptional because they would become known later as the twelve tribes of Israel.

Being the firstborn of Rachel (the woman whom Jacob loved and willingly worked for to marry), Joseph received favors and preferential treatment from his father. If the evidence of his being treated favorably wasn’t there before, surely the multi-colored coat given to him signaled it loud and clear.

Joseph was not only unique in being Rachel’s firstborn and Daddy’s favorite. He was also blessed with a special gift revolving around dreams. Unfortunately for him, this gifting led to acquiring ire from his older brothers, who were more than likely already miffed at his exalted treatment.

This, in turn, provoked a plan of deception that would rid them of their problem with this bothersome brother. Deviating from killing him because their hatred so stirred them, they sold him into slavery.

There, his story pans out over several years of slavery, work, favor, and imprisonment. It seemed that when Joseph tried to do right, he was rewarded with lies, accusations, and being forgotten by those he helped. But while he was doing right and being a help to others, God was working behind the scenes to bring his story to a successful conclusion.

God was marching Joseph forward, unknown to himself, to the place of his maximum usefulness for that era. Whether it is readily apparent or not, God was with him even in a place where he may have felt alone, forgotten, and abandoned.

The details we see before us are obvious. They are obvious because they are visible. But like Joseph, our stories have more layers to them than just what the eye can see or human reasoning can understand.

In Genesis 39:2, we read, “And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.”

In Genesis 39:21, it tells us, “But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”

And in the New Testament we are told, “And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him” (Acts 7:9).

Joseph lived his life in an honorable manner. He did not have the benefit of Scripture that would let him know that everything was going to work out in his favor; that the LORD was with him in the unseen details.

But He was. And God is with us also. Numerous times Scripture reminds us of this beautiful fact:

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee…” Isaiah 43:2

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God…” Isaiah 41:10

“… I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20

“… the upright shall dwell in thy presence.” Psalm 140:13

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16, and so many more.

In the extraordinary moves of life, we may readily point out, “God is with me!” But what His word assures us of is that in those moments where we cannot easily feel Him or understand the hardness of the situation we are dealing with, He is there.

Joseph’s story shares this truth with us, as well as Job’s, and many others who endured hardship, suffered trials, fought battles, and more.

But even when you can’t see how God is working things out behind the scenes, know that He is. What may not be apparent in details to others or even to you is clear before God, who knows the beginning from the end.

He has a plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Just keep living honorably and in faith. Grab hold of the truth of Scripture laden with the promise of His presence, and believe, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

In the end, Joseph, who was sold, accused, and forgotten, was elevated to the second-highest position in the land. I can’t promise your story will end with such exaltation. But what I can tell you is that no matter how your story unfolds, keep your faith in God, not in the details you can see, and know that in the end, God can make it work for good (Romans 8:28).

Your behind-the-scenes success is in God. Trust Him even when the details aren’t apparent.

More Inspiration:

“God is Working It Out!”

“Forget, and Be Fruitful!”

“You Don’t Need to Know Everything!”

“… Because of God”

“Dream Big!”

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, X, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details. 

Quiet

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Friends, there is a stillness of heart and soul one must appreciate and long for. When the world demands noise and roars its desires, the Lord beckons us to steal away in His presence and just be still (Psalm 46:10). It is in the quietness of this moment where we shut out the world’s demands and wrap ourselves in the familiar embrace of knowing our God.

~Word for Life Says

Journeys

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Friend, as we are drawing closer to the end of this year, contemplating days and times past, realize through it all our Heavenly Father has been present, even when we could not comprehend everything or feel Him. Journeys take us through many avenues of life – some roads bring pleasure and some pain. But the journey we take with Him shall never be in vain. With God, we are never forsaken or need to feel dismayed. He is our ever-present Rock to stand up and Refuge to tuck ourselves away when the cares of this life seem too much. God, our Heavenly Father, loves you. Look to Him when you can’t figure it out. He’s there, and He’s waiting: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

~ Word for Life Says

Good Morning, God… | Inspirational Poem

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Good morning, God,
my hope is in You.
Even in the next step
when I’m lost what to do.

So, before You, I come.
Before You, I bow.
Before this day starts
I lay it all down.

To pray and to praise
before it all begins.
Your presence saturates
my heart within.

Filling me up
from the inside out,
carrying me through,
relieving all doubt.

Teaching me
before this day begins,
Who is my Source
that never ends.

Now, into this day
I confidently go,
for mornings shared
with Your presence in tow.
©WordforLifeSays.com

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee…” Psalm 63:1

Call for the King!

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Our King is not so high that He cannot hear. Our King is not so secluded behind palace walls that He doesn’t see the plight of His people. Our King has granted us an open access policy to reach Him when hard times weigh us down. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” (Hebrews 4:16). Therefore, we cry out, “Save, LORD! May the King answer us when we call,” (Psalm 20:9, NKJV).


Adapted from “The King to My Rescue!”

Praise and the Peace of God’s Presence

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“O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3

Psalm 22 is known by all as the Messianic psalm prophesied of and quoted by Jesus Christ as He died and gave up His life for all mankind on that old rugged cross.

In the tragedy that would occur on Calvary, David tucks in this verse describing God dwelling in the place where His people praise Him.

If you are living a life of praising God, then no matter what circumstance you face, you are drawn near in heart and soul to Him, and the peace of His presence is never far from you.

One psalmist once declared, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all” Psalm 34:19, knowing that at the end of his course, victory was on the other side.

But on this side of life, we may still face many challenges and difficulties we are not keen on.  For the very word tells of the distress it brings in one’s life.  But it is in the midst of these struggles the individual must train themselves where the thoughts of their heart will lie: in the bosom of God’s faithfulness, or in the logic of human thinking.

The first would always be the winning choice regardless of one’s current condition, for in the bosom of God’s faithfulness, these moments of hardships, with the tears and turmoil they may possess, give way and make room to be refreshed in the fire by the God who will step in with you – to have one’s heart lifted with peace above the circumstance because praise has elevated you.

Oh, my friends, praise is powerful!  Praise can lift you from the deepest pit and the direst of occasions.  Though physically one may not experience the immediate relief they long for, but when our thoughts and intents of heart are transferred from viewing the troubles before us to the faithful God who has always been with us, we are raised by the power of His presence in the midst of the storm.

Naturally, we may be down, but inside we rise to the place where His glory dwells.  Inside, we seem to soar into the heavenlies, leaving the cares of this world behind.

“O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel,” will He not also come near to you and me when we sequester ourselves with Him, lean upon His bosom of faithfulness, and just praise.

Tears may mingle there, but let praise be not absent.

Cares may be cast there but let not the Hallelujah’s be silenced.

“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

“O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people” Psalm 117:1.  You do not have to be Israel’s biological child to praise the LORD.  The heart of the saint, His redeemed one, crying out, “Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6) knows that “praise is comely for the upright” (Psalm 33:1) no matter who they are or where they hail from.

“Give unto the LORD the glory due his name…” Psalm 29:2

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:” Psalm 92:1

We may not be before the ark decorated with cherubim, but we can come before the “Throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in times of need” (Hebrews 4:16) which is decorated with His undeniable glory.

And while there before that place of His presence, let us not just ask from Him, but let us offer to God our genuine, heartfelt praise.

Difficulties, struggles, and hurts – with great compassion for the trials some face, I will never downplay their experience.  But according to Job, regardless of our present experience, we can still find a place of praise, for he said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” Job 1:21. 

“Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised.

The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,

Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.” Psalm 113

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Know Him!

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“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

Be still…

Sit…

Don’t talk…

Meditate… on Him, on God, on His ways, on His goodness, on His love, on His mercy and grace, on His kindness, on His guidance, on His providence, on His gift, on His truth, on His creative power, on His deliverance, on His Word, on His victories, on His praise, on His adoption, on His redemption, on His salvation, on His power, on His Kingship, on His honor, on His glory, on His majesty, on His promises and provisions, on His holiness and His righteousness, on His protection, on His omniscience, on His forgiveness, on His beauty, on His wonder, on His might, on His peace, on His wholeness, on His healing, on His help, on His anointing, on His Incarnation, on His name, on His immutability, on His shepherding, on His strength, on His Sovereignty, on His faithfulness, on His exaltation, on His presence in your life and so much more.

Our God is beautiful beyond words, more than the heart or mind could even imagine.

“Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.” Psalm 86:8-10

“Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have preferred: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” Isaiah 43:10

Father God, I pray for many hearts and lives to come and know You for themselves. “Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee,” Jeremiah 10:6-7.

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” 1 Corinthians 8:6

Draw near and awaken the sense of the fullness of who God is in your life, and know Him.

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Copyright © Word For Life Says.com (Sharing any posts or lessons can only be done through the share buttons provided on this site from the original posts, lessons, and articles only. You can reblog from the original posts only using the reblog button provided, or share using the share buttons provided from these social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, etc., and they must be shared from the original posts only. All other repostings are prohibited. Posts and other items of interest found on this site MAY NOT BE COPIED AND PASTED, downloaded, uploaded, etc to another website or entity not listed (physical or electronic).  See COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.

Where Can I Go?

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“Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” (Psalm 139:7-12)

There is no place, O God, that can keep me from Your sight.  Your eyes see me.  Your heart knows me.  Your love shelters me.  Your mercy follows me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6).

Help me to walk through my days in this holy confidence: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee,” (Hebrews 13:5).

Your Word has assured me, for it cannot lie (Numbers 23:19).  Your Spirit comforts me (John 14:16; 16:7).  With Your hand holding us, You tell us not to fear (Isaiah 41:10).

Although some days seem dismal, You are the Light that shines in my life (Psalm 18:28).

Where can I go . . .?  You have the words to eternal life (John 6:68), therefore, I will most gladly plant myself in Your presence, at Your feet alongside Mary (Luke 10:39).

Thank You, for Your knowledge of me, O God.  Thank You, for Your precious thoughts toward me (Psalm 139:17).  Thank You, for anchoring me and not leaving me on the waters of this life to drift about aimlessly (Hebrews 6:19).  And thank You, for leading me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:24).

Text Free Image by Jan Alexander from Pixabay

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com articles/lessons/worksheets may not be copied or redistributed without the express written permission of WordforLifeSays.com.  Please see the COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.  Blessings to you.

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Make God’s Word Louder!

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With arms loaded with bags, I walk toward my car in the grocery store parking lot.  I have been jumping about from store to store all day and the exhaustion is wearing on me.  Daily tasks, daily chores, and daily work – we all have them.  Life does not allow us to be sedentary.  So, off we go on the adventure and calling of the day’s demands.

Carrying my bags, I approached the car when a gentle reminder of God’s presence appeared to me.  There, bouncing about underneath, a little sparrow getting on with his day reminds me of the sovereign and omniscient hand of the Lord in my life.  The thought of Him that knows the life of that little sparrow knows me also, even to the point that all the hairs on my head are numbered, fills me with encouragement.

Jesus, Himself, tells us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31). 

Yet, many awake to experience news that shatters and devastates their day.  And in the middle of it all, fear tries to have a voice.  Through uncertain and unsettling times, fear tries to magnify itself. 

But I want to encourage you today, no matter how many bags of stuff you are carrying and no matter how hard the work of life before you may be, make God’s Word louder!  If there was ever a time when we needed to drown out the world’s noise and build ourselves even more in the Word of God, that time is now!

God’s Word contains the perfect recipe for a well-ordered life, with its challenges and successes.  Our response and reaction to the times we live in are found in the perfect truth written in those pages.  It is always right and always true, not only for the days in which it was physically written but for today as well.  God’s Word never goes out of style.  The psalmist said, “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Psalm 119:160). 

What that means for us is it is never faulty (Psalm 33:4) and it will never fail (Joshua 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56). 

So, Jesus speaks comfort in the Word against the chaos around, and He speaks faith and strength against fear.  His word can build you up (Acts 20:32), encourage you, and save you if you let it (James 1:21).  Paul taught, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” (Colossians 3:16).  Fill yourself with more of Him.  The more we are filled with the Word, the less room we have in our being for junk.  A healthy Christian fills his/her appetite with the good, nourishing power of the Word of God: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16). 

Friend, make God’s Word louder in your life.  One surefire way to do that is to get it into your heart richly, overflowing His joy, truth, peace, and comfort in your life. 

Here are some promises of assurance to store in your heart and turn up the volume of your faith today to make God’s Word louder against all the other noise you hear:

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” – Isaiah 41:10

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:” – Isaiah 26:3, 4

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” – Proverbs 3:5-8

“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31

Who indeed?  Friend, there are so many written promises God has deposited and inspired in His Word that I cannot possibly write them all here.  But if you desire more, and I hope that you do, just read the Word, for the whole of His Holy Book speaks of Him and His promises both now and forever.

His Word is speaking louder against the troubles we see.  It is saying, that He is with us and that we don’t have to be afraid: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). Believe it.

The Great Acts of the LORD

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“But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did.” Deuteronomy 11:7

How would life look for us, or how much more would our faith be fed if we were intentional about remembering “the great acts of the LORD?” We don’t need to see the seas part, the ground opened to swallow, or mighty plagues – but surely, there are moments in our lives when we know that it was nothing but God. There are miracles, blessings, the moving of His holy hand, and His Holy Spirit that could be nothing short of His intervention for us.

As Moses recaps God’s commandments in Deuteronomy for the wilderness wanderers, he also wants them to remember personally what their eyes have seen, the things they have experienced during this time with God.

Days gone by supply us with a life full of the stories of His deliverance, His patience, and His constant and consistent work in our lives. Sometimes too numerous to tell, but when we think back, our eyes of faith behold them and we see that it is nothing we have done, nor can we take the credit. We see a God who has done more to love us, so this is where our trust should lie. This is where we should look in hope also for the days coming ahead.

If you look back into your bygone moments, what can you see? Can you see His hand showing up unexpectedly in a moment of grace? Can you see where His mercy touched what was once believed to be untouchable? Can you see where His promises came alive more vividly when you thought it was all over?

There are big things and there are small things – events and seasons that grow our appreciation all the more for the wonderful God we serve.

It takes nothing more than for us to simply appreciate that our eyes have awakened to a new day, and our lungs are breathing what He provides, to see God’s wonderful acts at work in our lives even right now.

His presence and concern for us are marked by the care He invests in us. Every prayer is heard. Every prayer responded. The feelings of His love wrapped around us – yes, He is there.

Even in times of tears and upset, His comforting presence saturates the atmosphere with His reassuring peace.

Throughout your life your eyes have seen many things and many things have been your experiences. Some may have been wonderful and good. Some may not have been. But if you pick through all you have witnessed, your testimony would call to mind: “I have seen the great acts of the Lord in my life.” In that, God’s faithfulness and neverending love for you shines through, holding you in faith through the days when it’s hard to see anything positive.

Take a walk down memory lane today and see those moments where He has faithfully made a way. Pray for God to show you Him in that walking and may your faith be increased as you take in the great acts of the Lord, for wherever He is, it is always great.

“I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.” Psalm 77:11

Copyright © Word For Life Says.com articles/lessons/worksheets may not be copied or redistributed without the express written permission of WordforLifeSays.com.  Please see the COPYRIGHT PAGE for more details.  Blessings to you.

Please Note: Ads below or referenced on this site are prefabricated and mass-produced (of which I currently have no control over) and DO NOT necessarily represent the views and/or beliefs of this site and its admin.