From the beginning I revealed to you what would happen. These words came out of my mouth, and I made them known. Suddenly, I acted, and they happened. Isa 48:3.
Don’t think that God won’t do what He said He would. It’s only a matter of time before you see it. Distractions and discouragement will come and try to get you to quit but DON’T DO IT! Only those who finish the race receive the prize.
God doesn’t ever go back on His Word. It’s living, powerful and will come to pass. Suddenly!
Suddenly-healing will manifest!
Suddenly-peace will show up!
Suddenly-miracles will happen!
Don’t miss your sudden moment. Stay focused and in agreement with what has been spoken over your life. It’s all in God’s timing, not yours. Keep your head up. Watch and wait for it. God does not disappoint.
“God never changes his mind when he gives gifts or when he calls someone.” Rm 11:29 Gods Word
I watched a man over the years who had a call on his life but would not yield to the call. I asked him, “Why are you running from your call, Jonah? Did you not read your own story? You do know he got swallowed by a whale, right?”
I’m not sure he ever answered the call of God but I know this, God is not the one responsible to make things happen in your life until you are willing to obey that call. The prophet Samuel was a mere boy when He heard the voice of God. He finally said, ‘Speak Lord, your servant is listening!” Look how God used him to speak to kings.
Gods gift or call on your life is waiting for your answer. You don’t have to finish school or be perfect, God will perfect the thing in your life He has need of. If Jesus would come back tomorrow, would He find faith in the earth?
You never know what your words will do if you simply yield to that call.
You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you’re still one body. It’s exactly the same with Christ. By means of his one Spirit, we all said good-bye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything. (This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized.) Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain—his Spirit—where we all come to drink. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 Message
I love how this is written. It simplifies what changed in me when I surrendered my life to Jesus and became a part of the family of God. He gathered me into Himself and gave purpose and meaning to my life. No longer just another human being wandering aimlessly in life, but a part of a family much bigger than anything imaginable.
My own spirit, which kept me alive and breathing, has become one with His Spirit and now we live together in my own body, making a difference in the world around us. He has taken the small gifts I had and boosted them in order to fulfill His purpose in the earth. I understand what Paul meant when he said, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
We are a gift to this world because His Spirit is in us. For no other reason but that alone, we should be jumping for joy as to the purpose He gave us to live here. Laying down our own desires, hopes and dreams, knowing that His are far greater than anything we could ever imagine.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17
Walt regularly asks me, “Do I show you that I love you enough?” It’s his way of making sure my needs are always met, that I know I’m a priority in his life. There have been times that we’ve been so busy with other things that we’ve neglected each other in some way and I’ve always answered him honestly.
When I read this passage above, it reminded me of how we should ask this same question honestly of ourselves. Father, do I show you I love you enough? Are you always a priority with me? Have I allowed the cares of this life and the busyness of the world to shift my attention? If so, I’m sorry. I will try to be more diligent in making sure you have my full attention.
You, oh Lord are the source of love and all of my devotion is for you. You daily watch over me, hiding me with protection against my enemies. Sometimes I’m oblivious to what goes on around me, but you, Lord are a shield to me, my glory, the protecter of my heart.
Just like when Walt and I are at the grocery store and I’m focused on something else, he holds me back from being run over by another shoppers cart. I’m so glad he pays attention for me. Oh how You love me! Thank you for the man you’ve given me that shows me in tangible ways the great depths of your love. Bless him today in every way, spirit, soul and body. Strengthen and lift him to a high place. Reward him for his deep love.
Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise. Psalm 51:7-15 Message
This is my prayer today, that God would unbutton my closed lips. I just want my worship to bring pleasure to Him. Can you see Father God looking down, bending His ear to you as you worship? I can! I see Him jump up and do the happy dance.
There’s nothing like watching your children sing, dance and worship. I’m pretty sure God feels the same way when He sees us.
If you’re finding it hard to let loose and worship, let me help you for a brief moment. He took you at your worst and turned your life around. He wiped away all of your sin and set your feet to dancing. He loves you and there’s absolutely nothing you can do to change that.
Father, unbutton our tongues so that You may enjoy all of our worship today. May you find pleasure in us today.
But Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don’t doubt God, you’ll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you’ll tell, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God.” Matthew 21:21-22 Message
Kingdom life is meant for each and every one of us. But to live in this Kingdom, we must study Jesus’ example, His way of doing and being. He never apologized for being a Son of the King. He knew who He was and what His purpose was.
His purpose is our purpose–to do the will of the Father who sent us. Yes, He sent us into all the world to show the world what Kingdom living looks like. Signs, wonders and miracles follow us as they did Jesus. You, my dear friend, are called to a life you haven’t even begun to live.
Wouldn’t you love to triumph over huge obstacles. You can! Say it and don’t doubt and it’s a done deal.
Know you are His and no other’s, than place your complete trust in His ability to finish what He started in you.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10
I looked this up on dictionary.com and discovered something about the word, still:
remaining in place or at rest; motionless or stillness; to stand still.
2. free from sound or noise, as a place or persons; silent; to keep still about a matter.
I think I need to practice this ‘be still’ thing. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t mean, stay busy and distracted until something happens. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t mean listen to the news or keep the music loud. No, that word means that regardless of what happens in the natural, remain at rest and know that He is God.
I’ve found that when things around me become very big and scary, I must pull back, remind myself that God is bigger than this mountain I face, and I exalt or make bigger who He is in the nations and in the earth!
In fact, I usually start singing the old song written by G. Jensen:
Bigger than all my problems Bigger than all my fears God is bigger than any mountain That I can or cannot see Bigger than all my questions Bigger than anything God is bigger than any mountain That I can or cannot see.
Once you establish that God is bigger, it’s easier to be still, resting in the knowledge that there isn’t anything God can’t do.
And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103:1-5 NASB
Just before I was married, I lived with my Grandpa and Grandma Smith (my moms parents). They truly loved the Lord with all their hearts. They had started at least 2 churches in Lansing, Michigan before I was born, would give their last dime to help someone in need. Good people! But the thing I loved to watch the most was that before they lay down to sleep, they would sit on the edge of the bed and say a Psalm they had memorized. This was one I happened to be home for and was asked to sit on the bed and join in.
It didn’t matter that I didn’t know all the words, it was the words themselves that made the huge difference. It was the declaration to never forget that God is always faithful. Faithful to forgive, to heal, to redeem me from the pits. Who actually crowns me with lovingkindness and compassion, two very important things to have in my life.
I don’t ever want to forget who satisfies my life with good things and renews my youth like the eagle. I remind myself that things could be worse. I’m not sick. I’m not homeless. I have friends and family who love me even in my weirder moments.
Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. James 5:16 AMPC
Wow, I could write a book of confessions, and that’s only my own observations. I can’t imagine what would be written should someone else grab a pen. But I’m so thankful that because I confessed my sins to God and believed on His Son, Jesus, all of my sins were wiped out, cast away, forgotten and everything in my life became new. That right there is a very good thing!
Our pastor spoke on Luke 15, the Prodigal son, and something he highlighted was the kiss of the father when the son came home. It wasn’t a peck on the cheek, it was passionate kisses all over his face. He was so happy to see him back that the rest was dismissed. It didn’t matter that he’d squandered his inheritance or that he’d played the fool with harlots. He unconditionally loved him.
That’s what God does for us. He simply loves us. That love isn’t based on us keeping the rules, it’s based on something bigger and deeper than we can even imagine. He’s not trying to record every wrong step we make so He has reason to keep us out of heaven, He’s prepared a place for us so we can eternally be with Him.
I think that James was writing this to remind us that confessing our faults to one another helps everyone to understand that it’s not by what we do, but by what He did. He made a way for us to talk with God as our Father, the Father who loves us regardless.
Who wouldn’t want to sit and talk with a Father like that? You may not have had a good earthly father, don’t compare Him with him. If you really want to know Him, read the story in Luke 15:11-31 and think about God as that father. Now run to Him. Sit on His lap and love on Him this morning. It will totally change your day!
Wake up, you sleepyhead city! Wake up, you sleepyhead people! King-Glory is ready to enter. Who is this King-Glory? God, armed and battle-ready.
Wake up, you sleepyhead city! Wake up, you sleepyhead people! King-Glory is ready to enter. Who is this King-Glory? God-of-the-Angel-Armies: He is King-Glory. Psalm 34:7-10 MSG
Don’t hit that snooze button again! Get up, pull up your Bible App or open your actual hard Bible and read a Psalm. Than close your eyes and smile at Jesus. Tell Him you love Him and invite Him to accompany through your day. He loves it when you do that.
Then get ready to experience a day like no other. He will find ways to hug you that you’ll just know was a God wink. How exciting to live life with Jesus.
remnantposts by sandy gregory 