REFRESH

The cool air felt wonderful as I walked onto the back porch this morning.  There was a definite temperature change from yesterday. The cool breeze was the reminder of how we may be in the scorching heat one minute, but the Lord will bring us the refreshing air of the new season in due time. 

Have you been in the heat of the season?  Have you been boiling on the inside?  Do you need to be refreshed?

No matter what season you are in God loves you.  He is never far from you.  All we must do is turn to Him and He will lead us out of the scorching heat and into the cool breeze. 

In the book of Jeremiah the prophet Jeremiah tells of the people of Judah and their sin.  He tells about their 70-year captivity in Babylon and their return from exile.  Years of obedience made Jeremiah strong and courageous.  He stood in Gods presence even though no one would listen to Him.  Jeremiah knew God through faith and obedience.  He knew what God could and would do for Him and others.  Jeremiah states, in chapter 31 vs. 25, that God will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.

God reaches towards His people with His kindness that is motivated by His love.  He wants the best for us and He wants us to breath the fresh crisp air.  The crisp air lingers around us when we are committed to God.  He wants to refresh us when we are weary or faint. 

Be like Jeremiah and withstand the heat knowing that He will bring us the cool breeze when we draw close to Him.

DECISIONS

The high school girl’s Bible study is studying the word joy.  We have dissected the word and its origin now we are looking at the letter J.  J represents Jesus and everything about Him.  This week we discussed how we should be like Jesus in every decision we make. 

As I read the First5 app today this was the challenge question: Do I want to gather blessings today or sprout unfortunate circumstances tomorrow?

After I read the First5 app I moved to my Bible study lesson.   Lori Merrill said before every decision we should pause, ponder, and pray.

Do you think something is leading me towards decision-making?  Have you ever had to make a decision?

These three lessons all lead us back to being like Jesus when we have to make decisions.  We should ask ourselves before we react if we are reacting like Jesus would?  Are we bringing blessings to others with our action or are we bringing difficulties? 

How do we do this?  It takes time and practice to go to God during our decision making process. Lets go through some steps. 

First we should stop and pause before reacting (so difficult to do).  Go to our quiet place and pray about the situation.  You may be saying, “I don’t have time for that.”  Remember you have nothing but time and the Lord is waiting on you to ask for His advice and wisdom. 

Jesus always removed himself from the distractions when He needed to make a decision.  When He removed himself what was He going to do?  He was going to spend time with His father.  You will find through visiting with God that you will be restful and relaxed. You will make this time with the Lord a priority because Joy will be evident.

After you have spent time with the Lord and He has helped you make the decision it is time to follow through.  Did you know it is a sin not to do what the Lord tells you to do? If He tells you no He means no.  If He tells you to go ahead He means it.  So when He tells you to do it, get to it! 

These two things are very easy to write down on paper, but will you do what the Lord wants you to do? 

I was drawn to the scripture in Jude.  Jude 1:2 “Relax, everything’s going to be all right; rest, everything’s coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way! The book of Jude, in a nutshell, is saying that Gods word is the truth.  Those that abide in it will have rest and eternal life.  We must build up our faith through prayer, helping others and hating sin. 

Isn’t this what decision-making is about?  Go to Him through prayer in your quiet place so that your decision will remove all sin from the situation allowing you to only bring joy and peace. 

SOME OF MY DECISION MAKING QUOTES I LOVE:

When in doubt do nothing….what is easiest isn’t always best…. Sometimes the answer is no……take your time, time is never wasted…..it can always wait…..patience is a virtue….

HE WILL REVIVE YOU!

MY STORY

http://www.myhearts-song.com/2015/09/our-hearts-song-mistis-story.html

REVIVE

All week I have been following baby Barrett around the house moving things, getting rid of things and rearranging things that are in his reach.  Two of my inside plants had to go outside.  They sat on the front porch for a few days and their leaves wilted.  I brought them back in to see if I could revive them.  Jay laughed and had a smirk when I said, “No worries they will perk up again.”  Well I have been working on them for a few days and one bounced right back, but I thought I had lost the other one.  When I woke up this morning two smalls leaves were standing upward.  Saved!

Have you ever felt that you were dying on the inside?  Your leaves had wilted and your soil was dry?  You didn’t think you could get up and face another day?

God has a different plan for you.  You can be revived!

The word revive means “new life.”  You can have new life when you go to the Lord. 

So how do we begin this new life? We begin by digging deep into the Bible.  This is the place where we will be drawn close to God.  This closeness is the first step in becoming renewed.   The bible is the pathway straight to Him.  It is where we learn God’s truth and where He instructs us on what is right and wrong.  It is in His words that we find the purpose for our life and the plan for our future.  We understand how forgiveness is granted and how we can be saved from the wickedness of the world. 

It was amazing to me as I read in an article about Psalm 119 how many times the Psalmist cried out “Revive me!”  Even a person who seems to be strong in faith may realize that he is spiritually impoverished like the Psalmist did.  It is when we realize our real need for renewal and we cry to the Lord that he will renew us.  It is through the constant cries that He will answer. 

Psalm 119:25 my soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Thy word.

Psalm 119:37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in Thy ways.

Psalm 119:40 Behold, I long for Thy precepts; revive me through Thy righteousness.

Psalm 119:50 this is my comfort in my affliction; That Thy word has revived me.

Psalm 119:88 Revive me according to Thy loving-kindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Thy mouth.

Psalm 119:93 I will never forget Thy precepts, for by them Thou hast revived me.

Psalm 119:107 I am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O LORD, according to Thy word.

Psalm 119:149 Hear my voice according to Thy loving-kindness; revive me, O LORD, according to Thine ordinances.

Psalm 119:154 Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Thy word.

Psalm 119:156 Great are Thy mercies, O LORD; Revive me according to Thine ordinances.

Psalm 119:159 Consider how I love Thy precepts; Revive me, O LORD, according to Thy lovingkindness.

After we begin to study His word the Holy Spirit will begin to speak to us stirring us on the inside.  It is through this prodding that we will become new.  It is through this that we are living through faith and not relying on ourselves.   We are then depending on the one that carries us. 

You may be screaming, “Water me!” just as my plants were.  You can be watered with God.  Your body can begin to function properly and your whole life can be restored. 

Cry out to Him to be renewed and your leaves will perk up again!  It is only through Him that we will be watered! 

SING

It makes me nervous.  I drink water, eat peppermint altoids and smell Doterra peppermint oil.  I hope that all of these things will open my vocal chords and my throat.  My allergies have been awful and singing in church is something I love, however this time of year the ragweed holds me back. 

It was time.  Amy started to play and I prayed that the words would spill out into the congregation without cracking.  Just as always He took over.  The song rolled off my tongue easy and smooth.  My throat gave me no difficulties. 

I think I could sing in church even if I had laryngitis.  Why?  Because it isn’t me that sings it is He.  He has given me the gift because I follow Him.  He allows me to sing through the hoarseness because I pray that others see Him through me.  It is that easy. 

No need to be nervous, no need to worry because He takes care of everything.

 The last hymn we sang was “His eye is on the sparrow.”  Yes His eye is on the sparrow and on us at all times.  No need to be anxious, feel lonely or feel He is distant.  He is always present.  No need to feel discouraged He is always there to encourage.  He watches over us all the time. 

So today even if you are hoarse, have allergies or laryngitis sing.  Sing because you’re happy.  Sing because you’re free.  Sing because you know He watches over you!

Matthew 6:26New International Version (NIV)

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

BE STILL

The butterfly garden has plenty of flowers, however I haven’t seen any butterflies until yesterday.  There was one huge Monarch flying around.  I got so excited and ran to get my camera.  When I got back it had landed on my Lantana.  What a gorgeous picture it was going to be, the orange and black of the monarch on top of the vibrant pink and yellow.  Just when I started to snap a picture off it flew.  I stood there for a while thinking to myself, “just be still.”  Of course I couldn’t’ stand it and started to walk over to the other flowers.   When I did the butterfly flew back to the Lantana.  If I had only been still.

Do you stop and be still?  We say we do but do we really?  What does it really mean to be still?

I found these two words to be very interesting while researching them.  This one small verse is part of the larger scripture that reminds us of the power and security we should have with the Lord.  When God spoke and said, “Be Still,”  he didn’t actually mean restrict mobility.  He meant for His people to realize that He has given unfailing promises to them.    God wanted them to understand that He is here and He does the work.  It is He who can move the mountains. 

The words “Be Still” are to draw us back into our relationship with Christ.  Don’t go running down the road where the Lord isn’t present, but find the path where He is and be still on it.  Be filled with trust in God.  Have the understanding that it is only He that we can have faith.

 When we are still and surrender to Him  we find peace while our lives are busy and overwhelming. Just be still in His word and have trust in Him. 

When the world demands you to be busy obey God and be still!

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God