Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.Proverbs 16:9 TPT
Planning a job change? Planning a vacation? Planning to go into ministry? Planning to buy a house? Well you can plan what you want, but remember it’s God that chooses how you’ll get there. Everything in your life, God has purpose for, but the lessons of trust you’ll learn as you move are guaranteed to change your life.
There is nothing wrong with having goals and dreams, but allow God to be involved in developing them. He wants to be a part of your process. To bring you to a depth of relationship you’ve only dreamed of.
Don’t rush through life wishing and hoping. Take your time and bask in His presence. Tell Him, “Father, I only want your will in my life, but I know you also want to give me the desires of my heart. Direct my steps. Keep me in peace and help me to enjoy this walk with You.”
So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot. Jeremiah 18:3-4 Message
Have you ever made a mistake? Perhaps you’ve messed up so bad you thought, “God will never be able to use me again!” There is nothing wasted with God. Nothing that He can’t make over if needed. He didn’t just forgive your past sins when you believed in Him, He forgave your future sins as well.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says; I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about.
Stop allowing the past to condemn you and keep you from launching out in obedience today. That ship hasn’t sailed, it’s still waiting for you to step on board. Untie the lines, pull up the anchor and go. You’ll never feel qualified! You’ll never feel able. But with Christ giving direction, you’ll make it.
Father, thanks for making something beautiful of the mess I created of my life. When you saw I was marred, you gave me a new look and a new purpose. You make beautiful things out of the worst messes and I’m so thankful You found purpose in me. All for Your glory in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Just wanted to take a moment this morning to shout out the word, COURAGE! The dictionary defines this word; the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
Whatever you’re facing today, God goes with you. He won’t leave or forsake you. So face it without fear! You are courageous
Father, we rely and depend on your faithfulness. You always go before us and make our paths straight. Give us courage to do what you’ve commanded us to do, knowing that in time, we will reap if we faint not. In Jesus’ name. Amen
When I sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, I can say this: “God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!” That’s right—He rescues me from hidden traps, shields me from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect me— under them I’m perfectly safe; His arms fend off all harm. I fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around me, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze me. I’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God’s my refuge, the High God my very own home, evil can’t get close to me, harm can’t get through the door. He ordered His angels to guard me wherever I go. If I stumble, they’ll catch me; their job is to keep me from falling. I’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party. I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!” Psalm 91 Message (Personalized by Sandy Gregory)
I love personalizing this Psalm. It gives me ownership and convinces my spirit that regardless of the circumstances that surround me, I’m protected on every side. He’s commanded His angels to guard me. That means even things I can’t see I’m protected from. Can I get an AMEN?
What are you experiencing today that can stand against this contract God has made with you? Read it again. When you sit in His presence, spend the night in His shadow, than you can say this with assurance. You must know Him to know He will keep His Word. You must come to a place where in your heart and in your mind, you are totally convinced that what He said, He will absolutely do.
It could be something you’ve done or said that’s got you in this jam, but He said, “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life, I’ll get you out of any trouble.” Did you see that? Any trouble. “I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party. I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!”
You can’t trust who you don’t know. I can’t trust who I don’t know. It’s impossible. You must be 100% sure of who He is to you and rest in that knowledge. Each day you sit in His presence, give Him your worship, talk to Him as your very best friend, that percentage increases until no one or nothing can convince you otherwise.
God, King of Israel, your Redeemer, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, says: “I’m first, I’m last, and everything in between. I’m the only God there is. Who compares with me? Speak up. See if you measure up. From the beginning, who else has always announced what’s coming? So what is coming next? Anybody want to venture a try? Don’t be afraid, and don’t worry: Haven’t I always kept you informed, told you what was going on? You’re my eyewitnesses: Have you ever come across a God, a real God, other than me? There’s no Rock like me that I know of.” Isaiah 44:6-8 MSG
I needed to hear that this morning; “I’m first, I’m last, and everything in between.” There is certainly no one like our God. No one compares to Him. His love is everlasting. What does that mean? It outlasts everything. It will go on for eternity and beyond. When we lie cold in the ground, He gathers our spirits to live in Him forever. God is Love.
Let us keep thinking those thoughts throughout our temporal life today. He’s all we need in the beginning, in the middle and all the way to the end. Every breath we breathe comes from Him. He’s aware of what will transpire today and is there with us. He’s the light in our darkness. The joy in our sorrow. He’s the peace in our turmoil and everything in between.
He fills us up with Himself so that we are never left wandering or wondering. He lights us like a candle when we talk of Him to others. We need never fear or worry for He informs us in the secret place about what’s going on around us. We are His covenant remnant ones, those who can’t live one day without Him.
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27
I remember singing a song in Sunday school class about this. Perhaps you’re too young to remember, but it went like this: “The wise man built his house upon the rock. The wise man built his house upon the rock. The wise man built his house upon the rock and the rains came tumbling down. The rains came down and the floods came up. The rains came down and the floods came up. The rains came down and the floods came up and the house on the rock stood firm.” The second part was about building on the sand and when the rains came down and the floods came up, the house on the sand fell flat. The things that come to mind…
But it’s really more than that, isn’t it? It’s about doing what He said. That’s really what Jesus was talking about, wasn’t it? Those that hear and do will be likened to a wise man who built his house on the rock. Why? Because if you live your life on His Word, even when the rain comes and the winds beat against your house, trying to shake you and make you quit, you will remain standing because you’re standing on the Word that never fails.
So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” John 5:19 NLT
Please note that He didn’t say He does only what the Father says, rather He said He does only what He sees the Father do. You may think, ‘Well, that was Jesus! They have a different type relationship then we do with Father.’
If that is what you believe, you are misinformed! We are all sons and daughters of God, adopted because of what Jesus did on the cross and God is no respecter of persons. Remember when Moses told the children of Israel that they could hear from God as he did? They were entitled to the same relationship but they wouldn’t have it. They chose to do their own thing and let Moses be their spokesperson. It’s the same thing we do today, we go to church and expect a man to hear from God for us and relay that word to us.
Sort of explains the verses in Matthew 7:21-23; “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
We need to be so close to the Father that we see what God does and we do what we see. God is our example to follow closely, not a man. It’s when relationship with God is a priority, not just when we desperately need Him. We tend to want what we want, but when asked to do the hard things, we turn a deaf ear. We can’t call ourselves ‘remnant’ if we don’t separate ourselves from the world and surrender completely to Him.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not satisfied with where I’m at right now. If it’s possible to be crazier then I already am, I’m game! I hear Him calling right now, ‘Come closer! Come higher! Leave the cares behind, come unencumbered into My presence and spend time with Me. Seek My face; for if you seek Me you will find Me if you seek Me with all your heart.’ Deuteronomy 4:29
Jesus said, “The voice didn’t come for me but for you. At this moment the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out. And I, as I am lifted up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me.” He put it this way to show how he was going to be put to death. John 12:30-33 Message
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and a loud voice broke forth in heaven, saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our God and of his Anointed One! He will reign supreme for an eternity of eternities!” Revelation 11:15 TPT
Look around and know that Jesus talked about these times and seasons we’re currently in. It’s nothing to fear, for we know that this world is but a temporary home for us. We are His remnant people. Those who are sold out, completely His. Holding back nothing of ourselves but completely surrendered for His purpose.
Hold fast to the knowledge that you have His DNA and are a part of something so much bigger than this world can offer. Don’t be distracted by riches and fame. You can depend upon Him to carry you through this season just as He’s carried you in every other season of your life.
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,” even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. For You formed my inward parts;You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:1-14 NASB
I hope as you read these words this morning, that your heart swells as mine did. Not in pride, but in humility, knowing that the God of the universe is intimately acquainted with me. I have to make it personal because it always is with Him.
Hear me this morning; God knows you. He has known you from the very beginning. He formed you inside and out. No one else understands you like He does. What you see as flaws, He sees as flavor. What you count as waste, He counts as wins. There is no place you have walked that He has not walked with you.
From beginning to ending, that’s my story. What He chooses to do in that span of time, that’s up to Him. The choices I’ve made, good and bad, He works with, all for His glory. I remain His regardless.
I will rest in the knowledge that He knows. I don’t need to know the ending because He does. I don’t need to know how this or that situation will work out because He does. I can trust Him with my husband, my children and my grandchildren simply because He knows.
Faith in Him isn’t driven by my knowledge of what lies ahead, it lies in my intimate knowledge of who He and that He knows.
Father, I’m overwhelmed by how much You love me. If my life is like a rollercoaster, at least You’re on the ride with me. I will hold on tightly to You as we make our way through the twists and turns. Even when the sudden drops take my breath away, I know I’ll breathe again as I look up into Your face and see You smiling. You know what’s ahead for me and I know and trust in You.
“Yes, indeed—God is my salvation. I trust, I won’t be afraid. God—yes God!—is my strength and song, best of all, my salvation!” Joyfully you’ll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation. And as you do it, you’ll say, “Give thanks to God. Call out his name. Ask Him anything! Shout to the nations, tell them what He’s done, spread the news of His great reputation! Sing praise-songs to God. He’s done it all! Let the whole earth know what He’s done! Raise the roof! Sing your hearts out, O Zion! The Greatest lives among you: The Holy of Israel.” Isaiah 12:2-6
I was prompted to look up the Greek definition of the word ‘salvation.’ It was surprising that it’s the same word that is also translated as ‘healing.’ The word, soteria, and its related verb, sozo (to save, to heal), simply refers to freedom from both physical danger and the effects of sin.
Another translation of the word, sozo, is wholeness. But hear me, it’s not just wholeness in one area, it’s wholeness in spirit, soul (mind, will and emotions) as well as wholeness in body. It completely encompasses the entire being. Everything needed anywhere at anytime and leaving nothing out. Just another confirmation that God never leaves anything out, nothing missing or broken in His plan for wholeness.
So how do we access this wonderful salvation? By believing in Jesus. Acts 16:31 says, They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Now that you understand what salvation is, put that definition in where you see the word, saved. He didn’t just come to save us from sin although that is a great and amazing thing, but from everything that would keep us broken.
Now go back and read those verses again and understand what you’re praising God for. Your whole worship should change, exploding with joy in the knowledge of what is yours. It’s key to your healing, your lack, your torment and everything else that has you heavy under the weight of oppression. He has saved you from it all.
remnantposts by sandy gregory 