Tag: Religion and Spirituality

“Lead Me.”

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Lead me to the cross where
I can lay my burden down.
Lead me to Him who will
never let me drown.

Lead me to the Rock
that is higher than I.
Lead me to the One who
bottles the tears I cry.

Lead me to Him who knows
all my cares and sorrow.
Who holds my future and
all of my tomorrows.

There, I find solace in
the grip of His embrace.
So, lead me where I can rest
from this exhausting race.

He’s my source and my shield;
my covenant and mercy.
Lead me to God, whom I love
to the bursting.

When life is overwhelming and
I don’t know what to do,
Lead me to Your arms, O Lord.
Lead me to You.

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

Father God, we need You.  We cannot find the strength or wisdom on our own to properly care for the things and adversities we face.  But this we do know, You are our Rock.  You are the peace we find in the midst of all that overwhelms us.  Take us by the hand and lead us to You – our safe sanctuary, our hiding place, from all these storms that blow our way.  In the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!

“If God opened our eyes…”

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“Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them,” 2 Kings 6:16. (Read 2 Kings 6:8-17)

If God opened our eyes,
what would we see?
Armies of heavenly hosts
championed to defend me.

Armed and geared
in heaven’s glow and might,
commanded to protect
through the perils of the fight.

Unseen, yet seen,
through the eyes of faith.
Chariots of fire
to protect the way.

Real guards, by heaven’s charge,
stand at the ready.
Heirs of salvation to keep,
and help hold them steady.

In this fight,
we are never alone.
We see that God protects us
from His heavenly throne.

“And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

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Taking Care of House Mess

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when my house is a mess

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

Some weeks can be like a crazy schedule gone wild. The rush from one thing to another can drain us of any free time and we fall behind in our daily upkeep. When that happens and you wake the next morning after all the rushing about, you realize the evidence of your busyness is staring you in the face. What in the world happened here! Do messes multiply at night while we are asleep because we really believe it did not look that bad the night before? It always amazes me how easy it is for things to get disorganized and cluttered when we’re not giving them the attention they deserve.

Disorganization throws me off big time. When I’m trying to concentrate on a task and I lift my head up to look around and am spattered with a mess, my mind keeps going to the mess instead of getting back to the mission. Clutter is its own monster to deal with because when schedules grow out of hand, and stuff gets tossed to the side, the clutter monster gets fed and continues to grow and grow. Then, I wonder, “Where did all of this come from?”

When I first got married many years ago, I used to be a perfectionist. While I’m not as uptight as I used to be about a messy house, I still like cleanliness. A place for everything and everything in its place. Calm. Peaceful. Quiet. Yeah, that’s how I like it! It’s an environment that supports what I want to do in life.

Our spiritual lives operate in much the same way. When we are going off in many directions and not taking care of our home, our “temples,” things become disarrayed. We become less focused on taking care of the “home” business, and in our pursuits, our spiritual house becomes a mess.

Inattentiveness will do that. There are so many things that can capture our attention in our day-to-day activities. We have to be diligent guardsmen of the temple that keeps everything running smoothly. Take a museum for instance. It is probably one of the cleanest and most orderly establishments I have ever visited. The stuff that it holds inside is very valuable and some of it could never be replaced. Because of that, there are guards posted everywhere to ensure that everything is kept that way. When the sign says no photography, the guard will make sure no pictures will be taken. Flash does something to some of the works. You will not eat, drink, touch, or sneeze on any artwork. Our local museum has a line around each item and you better be careful not to cross it, or else.

Being that the Spirit we have in us is of more value than any artwork, irreplaceable and priceless, ought we not to guard it with even more diligence? Shouldn’t we be concerned about any messes or clutter that could disrupt the Spirit’s flow of working within us?

Paul thought so. The concern is that since God’s Spirit resides in you, you have the responsibility to keep the house clean. This body is a rental. It’s not permanent. The last part of our above verse tells us, “And ye are not your own?” We don’t hold the deed: “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s,” (1 Corinthians 6:20). But we are responsible for the upkeep of the property.

What mess of the spirit has us so cluttered and disorganized that we are less attentive to the things of God? When the spiritual house is a mess it’s hard to function and find peace to complete the task that God is leading us to. We need to respect this spiritual house as one does when visiting a museum.

How do we keep it in order? First, start by having a made-up mind to set priorities. Know that above all else your relationship with God has to come first. One way to do that is to find out what has been sidetracking you and make it fall into place. Then, change your focus of thought to allow the Spirit freer access to move. Unclutter your thought life from that which does not profit to something far better. The Bible advises us: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things,” (Philippians 4:8). Using this as a filter will help keep the clutter out and rampant thoughts under control.

In verse 9, Paul goes on to explain if they listen to this advice and follow his example, “the God of peace shall be with you.” That means the house is clean and uncluttered, free for Him to move!

If you feel like you are having a hard time connecting with God or you don’t feel the Spirit moving and leading like you once did, check the environment. If you find a need to pick some things up off of that spiritual floor and get things back in order, then do so. There is nothing more precious or powerful than God being able to work in a “house” unhindered, with no messes or obstacles in the way.

Photo credit: Clipart by Ron Leishman – http://clipartof.com/1046553 Used By Permission Click to view original

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“Watch What You Eat!”

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What we put into our bodies matters.  The foods we eat can either help or hinder our health.  Sometimes, in our house, we stop at fast food restaurants to eat, but it is not an everyday occurrence.  I value what goes into my body.  Is every food choice the best choice?  No, but I try to make it a point to have the majority of what I eat be of nutritional value; to be something that will build me up and not tear me down.

Our spiritual lives work in the same manner.  We are what we eat, spiritually.  If all that we ever digest is the negatives of this world then we are robbing our spirit of the vital nutrients that can increase our awareness and spiritual health.  The Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” (Rom. 10:17).  What we assimilate in our being is what will be produced in our spirit and in our lives.

God’s word has everything we need.  A daily diet of letting Him speak to us through His word, through His preachers and teachers will enrich our spiritual lives and make us stronger in Him.  When adversity and the storms of life arise, His word, which has already been deeply instilled in us pops into action and carries us through to the other side.

We need God’s word every day.  We need it to grow.  We need it to learn.  We need it to increase our faith.  We will never be the healthy Christians that we need to be if we leave the word of God out of our daily routines. God’s word will build you up and make you stronger in Him.   Many are diligent about their natural health but watch what you eat spiritually.  It can make the difference between spiritual health and spiritual sickness.

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It’s a Promise!

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“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth,” Genesis 9:13

This morning I was reminded of a day long ago when I woke up feeling, well . . . .  blah!!!  That day, I had a headache, no energy, and not feeling really with it.  It had been a hard week and it took its toll on my body.  That day, and the original post I wrote, came to mind this morning and I decided to share some of it again here.

I remember looking for something to wear and I reached into my closet and pulled out a white shirt (black and white shirts are a standby for me because they usually don’t have to be ironed 🙂 – telling on myself, I know).  But, even though it didn’t need to be ironed, I put it back declaring, in my dreariness that day that I needed a pop of color.

As I was going through the drudgery of ironing my pop of color, I wondered if that’s why God made His covenant with Noah and all the earth in the form of a rainbow.  After the rains and the storms of life, after the hardships and turmoils, after being tossed about to and fro, maybe we all need that promise in a pop of color. We all need that beautiful and colorful covenant to gaze upon to let us know that despite what we are going through, God’s got this and His promises never fail (Joshua 21:45).  

Today, I don’t know where life may find you or what you are going through.  I don’t know if you have rain and storms with the possibility of seeing a physical rainbow at the end.  I don’t know how your day begins or ends, but God does.  I don’t know how it will all turn out, but our Heavenly Father is still watching over His children.  He is sovereign, beautiful, and perfect in plans (Jeremiah 29:11), and He does all things well. 

Friends, the rainbow is just one of the beautiful reminders of God’s hand and promise in our lives.  Never are we left to fight these circumstances alone (Isaiah 41:10; Hebrews 13:5).  Never are we left without the assurance we have in our God who is for us (Psalm 56:9; 118:7; Romans 8:31).  So today, if you need it, here is your promise in a pop of color.  

Blessings ~

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Help Me to Always See My Jesus

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“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith . . .” Hebrews 12:2

Lord, help me to keep my focus trained upon You all the days of my life.  Through difficulties and times of joy, there is no sight more beautiful to behold than the Savior who loves me and is for me.  In times of sadness, His strength, understanding, and compassion holds me and comfort me amid the troubles I see.  In times of gladness, I can enjoy my day because Your Word says, “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11). 

No matter what disposition or state I may be in, help me always to see my Jesus.  Help me to see the words He chose to speak and the actions He carried out before men.

Help me see how He cared and loved and how His total devotion to God marked the way before Him. 

When I see Jesus, help me to really see the life You want to live out in me. 

Looking unto Jesus

there are so many things

I can see.

Mostly, looking unto Jesus

helps me understand

what His life should

look like in me.

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A Light from Heaven

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Lord, I thank You for the day You shined Your light into my life. Perfection is far from where I was. I, too, was in a fit of rebellion, intent on getting to my Damascus to do what I was pleased to do.  But one day, You interrupted all of that in a good way. You introduced me to Your Son, Jesus. Humbly, I had no choice but to hear that voice that called out to me and fall to the earth in worship and gratefulness that You took the time to step in the pathway progressing to more sin and spoke in me a life brand new.  

Friends, if you are a Christian, then you have been in Saul’s position. While we may not stand guilty of persecuting the Church, we all once stood guilty before grace.  We were all miscreants without the benefit of mercy. Transgressors while ignoring the truth. On our way to being up to no good, we were hell-bound until Jesus stepped in and saved us. 

Romans 5:8 reminds us, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Who we were, does not compare with what He did for us.  But isn’t that the point? Never would we have been able to pay the debt we owed.  Never could we earn our way to heaven.  Only by “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24) are we able to say today that we are saved, born-again believers, washed in the blood of the Lamb, welcomed as a member of His holy family, and given a new life with a new purpose.  

Sometimes, we absolutely need to remember where we came from and how we got here. It is nothing we can take credit for. But thank God for the day a light from heaven shone in my heart, and He saved me. 

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Acts 9:3,4

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“Location, Location, Location” – Word For Life Says

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Photo: Pixabay/Geralt

“Location, location, location,” that’s the real estate mantra.  No matter what a house looks like or the sad condition it may be in it can always be repaired or rebuilt.  The location, however, is not so easily changed.  Particularly, if there is a certain view that can’t be matched with landscaping caressing the horizon which can’t be found in another location.  So, location for some is the deciding factor of whether or not they want to purchase a certain property.

As I was thinking about this and I realized location is really involved in many areas of our lives, not just our actual residence because location is where we center things.  It’s where we place and position our stuff.  It’s where we are established.

When it comes to our Christian faith, where we are established and what is placed in position in us speaks volumes about where our heart is, and in it, what resides there?

The Bible tells us, “For in him we live, and move, and have our being…” (Acts 17:28).  “In Him” is the location of the believer.  Our hearts readily admit that God is our source and reason for existence.  Every fiber of our being recognizes that because He is, we are.  In the innermost parts of us, we see not only our physical lifeline being shored up in Him but our spiritual as well.

As the source of all life, God is also the source of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  He is the reason we believe (Hebrews 11:6).  In Him, we are located.  In Him, we are found.  God is the reason for us, and we, by faith, plant ourselves in that truth.  Through Jesus Christ, our eternal lives are secured in Him.

When we get connected with God in such a way, God gets connected to us.  He dwells in us (John 14:23; Ephesians 3:17) and He strengthens us by His Spirit in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16).

Plain and simple, when we are found in Him, He can be found in us.  It’s all about location.  And, in order to have Him here with us, we need to be where He is.

The first step is to make sure you are “in Him.”  That you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.  That your eternal life is secured on the foundation of God’s loving sacrifice of His Son.

When you do that, you open the door of your heart to receive Him, to receive His Spirit in you.  Acts 2:38 explains it like this, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,” (see also John 3:5).

God’s Spirit locates Himself in the crevice of your heart and soul and you move and order your life according to His leading and guiding.  “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you,” (John 14:26).  When we are centered in Him and Him in us, our eternal location shall be established forever and we can live this life with full assurance that we will not be moved from His everlasting promise.  On that coming day, as we come into our heavenly home, we can say we are there because we allowed Him in our hearts while we were here.  It’s all about location.

Grace: God’s Five-Lettered Golden Word

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GRACE: God’s five-lettered golden word. We don’t deserve it, but His unmerited favor toward us gives it to us. Grace was 100% His idea. We can roll over in our heads to see how we are fit to earn it, but you will not find the answer there. We can search the paths of our days and try to find the good that pats us on the back, making us deserving of this honor, but you won’t find it there either. You will only find true grace in the God of all grace, Himself. He extends it to us, never based on us, but on who He is and what He has done for us.

Grace is not to be taken for granted or abused. Instead, it is to be appreciated and respected as the treasure it is. Every day we are allotted time and space here, it is a day where we see grace working for us and in us. Lord, we thank You today for every drop of grace You have bestowed in our lives. We thank You for being the God of all grace.

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1 Peter 5:10

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” 2 Timothy 1:9

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What a way to start the day!

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Therefore, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

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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