I am far more than my past and will be so much more in my future

Was reading this verse today and realised that it means that even adversity is used to achieve God’s plans for our lives.  So, what the enemy means for harm, God uses for our good, to build us and lead us to greater things.  We are called for a purpose and whatever happens, I believe God will get us back on track and in the right place, as we are obedient and love him before all other things.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose

 NO STOPPING ME

You can’t stop me, throw me a curve ball and I’ll throw it back to you, mock me and taunt me and I’ll block my ears to you, speak lies and deceit to me and I’ll tighten my belt of truth, tell me I’m not good enough and I’ll show you my breastplate of righteousness, as you try and get into my head, your words of elation are blocked by my helmet of salvation, wipe that smile off your face, no matter how much hate you put in my path I will laugh without fear, cos my God is near to me, my shield, my fortress, I have been called according to his purpose, I will not be defeated, I will not fail, I am far more than my past and will be so much more in my future, I am a new creature, child of God and no matter how hard you try to knock me off balance I will not be challenged, if God is for me who can be against, he is my strength and my defender, I am his daughter, his beloved, his splendour

Live beyond what if and find the Joy in what is

Sunday morning, a joyous day of praise and worship of our awesome God.  Sometimes I like to praise God iNs worship and song, other times in quiet prayer, but whatever I do and however I do it he never fails to fill me with a sense of immense Joy.

1. Nehemiah 8:10 –  Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
3. Psalm 16:11 – You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
4. 1 Peter 1:6 – In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials
5. James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance
6. Psalm 4:7 Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound

JOY

Joy, the embrace of life in all its turmoil, consider it joy when you face the trials of live, live beyond what if and find the Joy in what is, for to me the joy of knowing the Lord is my strength, thankful in all circumstances, truly glad, I sing and dance, because of the wonderful joy ahead, drenched in the grace and mercies of God, filled with joy in his presence, joy is the serious business of heaven, keep seeking God in all you do, on earth as in heaven joy will come to you, for God has filled our hearts with greater joy, a Spiritual fruit that cannot be extinguished, relinquish your worries and your fears, embrace the joy as God wipes your tears.

It doesn’t have to be a loud booming voice

 I had a great walk yesterday, about 6 miles, me and the dog and of course God.  I find that sometimes walking and praying is a great way to hear from God and I always spend some of the time listening to worship music and singing quite loudly (hoping that no one comes around the next corner while I’m in full flow!)

So yesterday I had been praying and then put on some music, I was in a small wooded area and I just felt God telling me to turn off the music and stand still.  I looked up at the beautiful blue sky praising God in silence when a bird of prey came out of nowhere and flew into the distance.  Now I’m not kidding myself that it was an eagle but God’s words came to me, a verse that is written in my journal on the page dedicated to my future – Isaiah 40:31 – Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

God talks to us and reminds us of his promises in a myriad of ways but that was kind of special to me.  There are other verses about eagles that mean a lot to me too that just go to illustrate God’s immense love for us.

• Deuteronomy 32:11 – Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them on His pinions.
• Psalm 103:5 – Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
• Exodus 19:4 – You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.

HELLO GOD

Have you ever heard from God?  It doesn’t have to be a loud booming voice or even a tiny whisper, it may be a picture or a verse, a thought in my head that says listen to me, or something that speaks out of his wonderful creation that causes elation cos I know it’s for me, he hears me, he loves me, my prayers do not go up unanswered they are not scattered about in the universe, they are heard and God’s word tells us that he hears our cries and we shall rise up like eagles as he sustains us, he watches over our progress as a mother hovers over its young, he spreads his wings around us and carries us until we are ready, when we hear his voice and make a choice to seize the moment and take a leap of faith just see how he holds you up on eagles’ wings and brings you to himself.

God’s love in action towards man who deserved a different reaction

• Judges 16:6 – So Delilah spoke to Samson. She said, “Tell me the secret of why you are so strong
• Judges 16:20 – He woke up from his sleep. He thought, “I’ll go out just as I did before. I’ll shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that the Lord had left him.

I have been reading the story of Samson and these two verses kind of stuck out.  It doesn’t matter how strong we think we are if we don’t have God we lose all our strength.  In our weakness his strength is perfected and he gives us strength in all situations.  So I acknowledge that I am strong because God is with me and I will honour him so he never leaves me.

• Daniel 10:19 – Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”
• Psalm 121:2 – My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
• Psalm 27:14 – Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD

I AM STRONG

I am strong as long as I have you in my heart, well founded, well made, hard as nails, unyielding to Satan’s lies, eyes wide open, so here’s how it works, God takes a broken life and makes it better, he takes it from mediocre or even dire to a higher place, you see God gives us grace daily and that’s not the kind of grace before you eat your meals, this grace well it’s a major deal, like God’s love in action towards man who deserved a different reaction, love for man who did not deserve it, for sinners who could not lift a finger to help themselves, God sent Jesus to descend into Hell and I can’t oversell that concept, the prospect of eternal life because of that selfless sacrifice, you know the score, Jesus was crucified because of our lust and pride, because of the tide of sin that swept over mankind, I think you’ll find not one could be found who was free of sin except Jesus of course and his act underpins the foundations of love that only God could demonstrate, he put hatred in its place and now we can face life with a new perspective with God in our hearts we are no longer broken or defective, irrespective of our past behaviours we are filled with God’s Spirit, we are at one with our Saviour, when God speaks we are strengthened, at the mention of God’s name every knee will bow so how can we fail to be invigorated when we realise that we are part of God’s story, our history written before we were born, we are strong in our weakness, made in the likeness of the Lord God most high, arise and be strong, take heart our God will never be apart from us as long as we honour and obey, trust in all that God does and says.

Clothed with Splendour and Majesty by the Saviour of humanity

One of my favourite Bible verses is Proverbs 31:25 – She is clothed with strength and dignity, she laughs without fear at the future.  I was looking at other references in the Bible yesterday to “being clothed” and the positives were amazing:

• You Clothe me with Joy
• Clothed with Salvation
• Clothed with Gladness
• Clothed with Majesty
• Clothed with Righteousness
• Clothed with Power from on High
• Clothed with Christ
• Clothed with our Heavenly Dwelling
• Clothed with Splendour

CLOTHED

Those who fear the Lord lack nothing, do not be afraid cos you have been made special, you are clothed in righteousness, goodness and respectability, you are part of God’s Nobility, clothed with salvation, a member of his heavenly nation and that fills me with joy and gladness, clothed with Splendour and Majesty by the Saviour of humanity, he has filled you with power from on high, supplied with a new Spirit that fills and renews us there are no limits to our capability now we are clothed with strength and dignity.

Who else provides shelter 24/7?

I was talking to God yesterday about a lot of my past and the thoughts that surround it and I felt him direct me to Psalm 71.  So now after a lot of underlining and notes in my Bible I have put my own twist on part of it.  One verse stood out to me in the NASB version

Psalm 71:7 – I have become a marvel to many, for You are my strong refuge.

I kind of read that as a positive affirmation of me and my testimony, through God’s strength and power at work in me my life can be a sign of his grace and his mercy and for that I am so happy.

SHELTER

Oh God who else is like you, who else provides shelter 24/7, who else offers me a taste of heaven here on earth, who else shows me my worth and although I have had many troubles you were there to restore me, pick me up, dust me down, increase my confidence and comfort me and my hope is continually in you, you have taught me well and my heart swells with pride that I can testify to generations to come the power of God and his only son, I want to declare and proclaim your power to every nation, your mighty acts to those who are to come, my God a powerhouse of strength and love, so Father God I ask that I may never be put to shame, as I call out your name turn your ear to me, hear me and as I shout for joy and praise raise me up to a higher plain, my hope continuous and my blessings immense, and I have become a marvel to many because of your power at work within me, my life declares your wondrous deeds and all that you have done for me, I have hope, I will walk in your strength forever, you are my God, my love, my pleasure.

 

Misplaced childhood, misunderstood, enemy taunting me

Been blogging one year today WOW that’s gone quickly and as I look back over the posts I can see an amazing journey of ups and downs but mostly an amazing walk with God.  So although today has been a tough day I believe when I have difficulties now I am writing more from a place of victory than the early days when at times I was writing from a despairing place.  God is indeed good.

However, when the enemy comes for you he comes hard.  I was unsure about blogging this today, but you know life is hard at times, the enemy will attack and that’s part of my journey so I wanted to journal it.  I had counselling last night and I have an issue in my past that I just can’t seem to address and move on from, and the logical head says this is the work of the enemy seeking to keep me bound to the past but the emotional head is not quite ready to handle it.  So after a long night and morning of processing and praying I know I can hand this to God and ask him to open me up to receive his peace and his healing which is what I really need right now.

John 16:33 – I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’

Exodus 15:2 – The Lord is my strength and my defence, he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

 

RECONCILED

Misplaced childhood, misunderstood, enemy taunting and goading me, overloading me, but you see this is what Jesus is telling me, he saved me, Jesus fought the mightiest battle to save me from the claws of the enemy, a battle raged for me throughout my years of pain, my years of emptiness were years where God fought for my redemption, he never gave up on me, never said that’s enough, never shook his head or waved his fist, I was top of his list he wanted me, he’d chosen me before time began and no way was the enemy spoiling his plans, so now as I sit here head in my hands reflecting on what might have been or why these things happened to me I see Jesus and remember I am free, I see Jesus and he loves me, I focus on my Saviour’s face, I focus on his amazing grace, his outrageous love for a fallen child, for I am reconciled with God and OK so looking at the past is incredibly hard but I am a new creation, relation to our Heavenly King, nothing and nobody can take that away from me, I shake off my self-pity I sing praise to my Father, I am stronger, I am no longer a slave to fear, I live for Jesus and he holds me near.