Joyfulwreath

For Christmas I purchased myself the daily devotional: Jesus Calling, Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young.   I am so thankful my friend Lois told me about this little book.   It has spoken to me each morning.

Here is a quote from today’s devotional:

Hope in Me, and you will be protected from depression and self-pity.  Hope is like a golden cord connecting you to heaven.  The more you cling to this cord, the more I bear the weight of your burdens: thus, you are lightened.  Heaviness is not of My kingdom.  Cling to hope, and My rays of Light will reach you through the darkness.

What a beautiful picture that paragraph paints.

The first scripture suggested to read was from the book of Psalms.

Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.

For those who are feeling fearful, hopeless, or depressed … be encouraged that God is EVER-PRESENT.  He hasn’t left your side nor will He.   He isn’t fickle like a human, but is ever-loving and longing for His creation to desire intimacy with Him.

The next two scriptures are from the book of Romans.

Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I think we often get so wrapped up in focusing on how we feel and look at the situations around us, that we don’t stand on what God’s Word says.   I have recently been guilty of being impatient during a strange season.  Of course I couldn’t rush it away – but I didn’t realize I should have been looking to for the lessons all around me.

As I have been coming out of that season, God has shown me deeper areas that need cleaning.  Pruning never feels great, but I THANK GOD for the pruning!

Be JOYFUL in Hope, PATIENT in affliction, and FAITHFUL in prayer.

I am constantly talking with the Lord, but since September I haven’t had my special quiet time with Him.   I mean a time when everyone has left the house and it is just me and the Lord.   I haven’t been FAITHFUL in having intimate time with Him.   I need that time to be still and know that He is God.

As a woman it is hard sometimes to be Mary and not Martha.  I see everything around me that needs to be done and I KNOW that if I don’t do it, it won’t be done …  I am torn between my desire to sit at His feet and my responsibilities here at home.  Often the weight of the responsibilities win.

FAITHFUL SERVANT

Yesterday I watched Sid Roth interview Patricia King.  She was given the opportunity to meet with Oral Roberts just before he graduated into heaven.  He told her to always guard her time with the Lord.  He said that his wife and family knew that once he entered his “closet” (whether it be his office, bedroom, etc ..) that they were to NEVER disturb him.  God came first and even if the president of the United States came to the door – he would have to wait.   He always guarded that time with God.  Wow, that convicted me.

In Romans 15:13, I believe it was Paul’s prayer that the people would experience God’s peace as they trusted in Him.   Is that they key for those who aren’t walking in peace right now?  Is it a lack of TRUST in God?

Perhaps.

I know I have been there many times and it is usually when I have my eyes on myself and not on Him.

I will wrap this post up by encouraging you to place your focus on Him today.  Carve out some time to sit as His feet and worship Him.  Your Abba Father, the Creator of all things knows the number of hairs on your head.  He knows you intimately and desires to have a relationship with you and with me.

BE JOYFUL, PATIENT, AND FAITHFUL.

God loves you!

I am linking with the lovely Beth at Simply Beth for Three Word Wednesday.   Please click on her button below: