In the light of the King’s face is life, and His favor is like a cloud of the latter rain. Proverbs 16:15

How refreshing is that wonderful presence of God. You can have the most miserable week but turn your face to the King and be refreshed. Like tipping your head back in a gentle rain, feeling all clean and fresh as if the rain itself washed it all away.

I’m reminded of His goodness in so many ways. Hopefully this week, you’ve been reminded to be thankful, to worship and pray. May it challenge you to step up to the table and eat of the good things God has provided for you. His Word. It contains everything we need for life and godliness (II Peter 1:3). It leads us into all truth (John 16:13). It constantly arms us for battle (Ephesians 6:10-18) and assures of victory (Romans 8:37).

What great and precious promises we’ve been given to hold onto. Don’t let go! Not when opposition comes (and it will), when temptations come to conform (and they will), tests and trials (will come as promised). Stand firm on the Word and keep it before your face, going in your ears and coming out your mouth. Get the picture?

Don’t let anything or anyone separate you from the love of God and His promises. They’re more real than anything you can see with your physical eyes or hear with your physical ears. Let His report be louder than the report of your boss, your doctor, your friends and enemies. You are a child of a mighty, living and powerful God who will never leave you. His promises are yes and amen, now and forever.

Father, You will keep me in perfect peace when my mind remains fastened to You and all You have promised. Thanks for that peace! It has been the support I’ve needed through the storms of life. I will rest in You today. I speak to the storm that would rock my boat-Peace! I speak to the fear that what You’ve promised just won’t happen-Peace! Thank You for wisdom for today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sandy G

What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that,to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily. Galatians 2:20 Msg

This says it all! When I live my life trying to do right in my own abilities, I only frustrate myself and the grace of God. It’s a free gift, one that’s been paid for by Jesus Christ. You can’t buy something that’s free. You can make a donation-but you can’t buy it.

We are remnant. Let’s donate our lives to Jesus and experience the freedom to love and give. This world will only change if we accept His sacrifice as enough and stop trying to be like everyone else. Let’s be like Him.

Sandy G

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’ Revelation 2:2-7

Jesus is speaking to the church here and although they hate evil and worked for His sake and not become weary, they stepped away from their first love. Perhaps you are asking, what is that first love?

Do you remember the relationship you had with Jesus when you first knew Him as Lord and Savior? When your love for Him overwhelmed your love of the world and all it had to offer? When you offered yourself a living sacrifice and surrendered your life to His service? That love.

The love that made you lift your hands and heart in worship, shedding tears of joy as His presence filled you. One touch of His hand brought an unspeakable and overwhelming desire to share that same life with others. When was the last time you felt that? When was the last time you shared?

I believe they allowed life with Jesus to become something they did, not something they were. Like ignoring Him as He sat listening to you share your life with others instead of sharing His life. Somewhere along the way, it became religious, habitual and just plain boring.

When you become a direct reflection of the time you spend with Him, no one will need to ask you, they will know how much you love Jesus. They will know there is something different about you. They will desire the peace and joy that shows on your face because you took time to love on Jesus to start your day. You took the time to say, “Jesus, I can’t live without you. Where I am, You are. You’ll never leave me alone, never. I love you.”

It must be a constant dialog day in and day out. Don’t ever lose touch with Him. Don’t walk away from your first love.

Sandy G

But get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant. You are to tell others what you have seen of me today and what I will show you in the future. Acts 26:16 GNT

If Paul were alive today, I believe that God would still be revealing more to Himself to him. Paul wasn’t a quitter. Everything he endured, he simply found a way to learn and grow from it then share it with others. In prison, beaten, shipwrecked, you know his story, yet he was able to write letters of his deep revelation that we are still learning from today.

Where did this begin? From seeing Jesus. That one blinding experience, seeing the glory of God, changed him completely, forever. Revelation does that.

I believe that once we see who Jesus really is and what he completed for us on the cross, it will change us from pathetic to powerful, from losers to winners, from poor to rich. People can beat us with their words but it won’t affect our princely posture. Kings and priests. That’s who we really are! He doesn’t merely live, He lives in us!

Sandy G

I was just thinking, this is the morning after Easter. The morning when the two Mary’s went to the tomb.

“After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.

“The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.

““Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.” Matthew 28:1-7

That happened all before they had their first cup of coffee! I can’t imagine what that must have felt like. They must have thought they were dreaming. They probably were thankful they at least went together because they had a witness that they both saw the same thing.

Crazy, right? They had witnessed the most horrible weekend only to be blown away by angels on Monday morning.

So you see, your Monday could be worse. You could have watched your son be crucified and wondered what kind of Father would allow that? Not everyone understood even though Jesus warned them. Monday for Jesus was spent in hell taking back the keys of death, hell and the grave. He had an agenda; the will of the Father was His primary goal. Your Monday may be horrible. You may have a bad job, minus bank account or even lost everything. Count your blessings, you didn’t go through what Jesus did or the two Mary’s.

So happy Monday to all of you as you ponder this Monday morning. He is risen indeed!

Sandy G

So many people are wishing to be like someone else instead of being happy with who they are. Here are some examples;

1. I wish I was thin.

2. I wish I was rich.

3. I wish I had a big house.

4. I wish I could sing.

5. I wish I could speak.

6. I wish I could retire.

7. I wish I loved to read.

8. I wish I could clean like her.

Some of these things are silly when you look at them. Some things you could actually do something about and some you can’t, but to let it affect your happiness is something else completely.

I love what Paul said in Philippians 4:11; “I am not saying this because I lack anything; in fact, I have learned to be content in any circumstances in which I find myself.”

The dictionary defines this word content as being satisfied with what one is or has. Interesting. So many times I’ve heard people say, never be content with what you have but to strive for more. I may be playing with context here, but I think you get my drift.

Please hear me out. I’m not trying to bring confusion to anyone and I’m not telling you to give up on your dreams of trying to be a better wife/husband, mother/father or even a better person, I’m just saying that we can’t allow who we are right now to make us discontented, depressed and useless in the Kingdom of God.

Hey, I struggle with so many insecurities, I just refuse to give voice to them all the time. I want to spend more time focusing on the God who is in me and fortifying my spirit to be strong in the area’s I’m weak in so that someone somewhere can benefit from the gifts that are in me. What you focus on grows, what you starve dies!

As I’m typing this out, I’m thinking of an apple seed. I know, random, right? An apple seed is just that, a seed from an apple. Most of us discard them because who eats an apple seed? However, they are extremely useful when you want to plant an apple tree. If I want more apples, I plant a tree that yields apples, that way I can not only eat an apple, but I can sell some, give some away and perhaps make applesauce with them.

Do you see where I’m going with this? God made you you because He needs you to be you. Your good stuff, your bad stuff, the you no one else knows but He and you. The things you’re good at and not so good at. The skinny you, the fat you, the crazy talks too much you. God made you different than any other person on the face of the earth, so stop trying to change who you are and just be yourself. Plant yourself somewhere so others can benefit from the wonderful and tasty fruit you bear.

Father, forgive me for allowing my flaws to take me out of commission. The only time I fail is when I believe the lies the enemy whispers in my ear saying I’m not good enough. I am good because You are good and You live in me. It’s not about me, it’s about You. May I turn to You each time You ask me to do something I feel so unqualified to do, and depend upon Your ability to work through me. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

2 Kings 7:3-4; It happened that four lepers were sitting just outside the city gate. They said to one another, “What are we doing sitting here at death’s door? If we enter the famine-struck city we’ll die; if we stay here we’ll die. So let’s take our chances in the camp of Aram and throw ourselves on their mercy. If they receive us we’ll live, if they kill us we’ll die. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

Have you ever been in the middle of a situation that looked so impossible and had been going on for so long it consumed you? The pressure of people depending on you to feed them, provide for them. Add to that years of promises that hadn’t come to pass. Such was the state we find the King of Israel in after the Syrians had held the city captive for 7 years.

2 Kings 7:5-8; So after the sun went down they got up and went to the camp of Aram. When they got to the edge of the camp, surprise! Not a man in the camp! The Master had made the army of Aram hear the sound of horses and a mighty army on the march. They told one another, “The king of Israel hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to attack us!” Panicked, they ran for their lives through the darkness, abandoning tents, horses, donkeys—the whole camp just as it was—running for dear life. These four lepers entered the camp and went into a tent. First they ate and drank. Then they grabbed silver, gold, and clothing, and went off and hid it. They came back, entered another tent, and looted it, again hiding their plunder.

The people were so consumed with themselves that they hadn’t even realized their captures had fled. God used 4 unlikely lepers to pronounce freedom to the city and in one day everything that could change, overwhelmingly changed. One day you’re eating donkey heads, the next day filet minion.

Verse 16; The people then looted the camp of Aram. Food prices dropped overnight—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel—God’s word to the letter!

Who does that? God! He, the master planner has a plan. Its such a big plan that your mind can’t wrap around it. It’s a plan that people will be talking about forever. If THAT doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will. He’s the same God who delivered the 3 Hebrew children from the fiery furnace, the same God who sent His son, Jesus to buy us back so we could fellowship with him. If He’d do it for them, He’ll do it for you. For one tiny moment, get your eyes off your problem and worship the God who has your turnaround moment on His mind.

Father, the camp of my enemy is empty and I see it now. Your provision is visible, it’s tangible, it’s edible. You’ve had a plan all along and it was a good plan. You’ve opened my eyes and shown me that I was never an after-thought. I’ve been on Your mind from the very beginning. You made a way where there was no way and I praise and thank You for that. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

God, you have wrapped me in power and made my way perfect. Through you I ascend to the highest peaks to stand strong and secure in you. 

You’ve trained me with the weapons of warfare-worship; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You empower me for victory with your wraparound presence. Your power within makes me strong to subdue. By stooping down in gentleness, you made me great! You’ve set me free, and now I’m standing complete, ready to fight some more! Psalm 18:32-36 TPT

David had the ability to see beyond this natural realm into the supernatural realm. He saw what others could not see because he knew His God. He discovered as a lad tending sheep that God was a personal God and has always desired to speak to us personally.

I love the visual that presents itself in the first verse; God, you have wrapped me in power and made my way perfect. What we see as imperfect, must surrender because God has wrapped us in power. That is power over every foe, every curse, every sickness, every disease, everything lacking or broken. We have the power to overcome everything that would come against us.

And look at what our chief weapon of warfare is; worship. If you want to fight what is coming against you, worship. Worship loud so that it drowns out the voice that says, you lose! Worship so that your enemy trembles. Worship because you love your God. Exalt and lift Him high because there is no other like Him. Worship so that what is broken in you responds and mends.

You can do it on your face, in your bed, in the car, in the shower, but do it nonetheless. Expect it to strengthen you. Be empowered for victory in the presence of the King. He gives you power over all the power of the enemy and nothing will by any means harm you. Know that in your knower! Deep down in your spirit, allow His wraparound presence show you how He sees you and get ready to fight some more.

Sandy G

For when the cords of death wrapped around me and torrents of destruction overwhelmed me, taking me to death’s door, in my distress I cried out to you, the delivering God, and from your temple-throne you heard my troubled cry, and my sobs went right into your heart. Psalm 18:4-6 TPT

The greatest joy always comes out of the deepest sorrow if we choose to sit with the Father and talk with Him. You may not understand this right now, but if you’ve ever experienced true sorrow and gained His perspective, it really does give you unspeakable joy.

When my mom passed away last fall, I was grieved. Even though she was 90, I felt the world was cheated for all she could have shared of her faith and leaning on His arms through her amazing life. I cried on the way home and asked the Lord to show me the reason. Here’s what He said to me; “Because she asked me. She wanted to come home to sit at my feet and worship. Would you expect me to do anything less for those who have served me their whole lives? I welcomed her, wrapped her in my arms and told her, well done my good and faithful servant. Enter into my joy and let my peace envelope you.”

The only thing needed to make the transition is time and focus. Jesus’s death in itself brought deep sorrow, but when He came out of the tomb-what joy for what He accomplished for us. It is still a source of true joy today.

Keep your focus on the end, it makes your journey much sweeter.

Sandy G

There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 12:7 NIV

One moment in the presence of the Lord can change everything. Abraham met with God & was blessed beyond measure. David spent time in the presence of the Lord and overcame his enemies. Solomon spent time in the presence of the Lord and was given wisdom. The list goes on and on but what about you? Has your life been changed in His presence and if so, how?

To those who feel lost and alone in the middle of their swirling troubles, whisper the name that will calm the storms of your life and create peace at every turn. Jesus. He longs to hear you say, ‘I can’t fix this! I need you! Jesus, help!’ He will always run to your rescue. Greater than any hero in a storybook, His presence floods the room bringing peace you’ve only imagined. There is no problem too large that He can’t solve it. There’s no obstacle that He hasn’t already found a way around it. He has the answer to every question, you just might not like what you hear, but in your obedience, your problem will be solved.

It’s time to stop doing things your way because your way is the wrong way! Jesus I’m ready to surrender. Take me.

Sandy G