What does it mean to delight yourself in the Lord?
I love the end of this verse but to comprehend its meaning is a bit of a challenge.
Here's the challenge: Ps. 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
So many people never seem to attain the desires of their heart. They pine, long, yearn, suffer, dream and seemingly never feel fulfilled or satisfied. Even many Christians!
While in college years ago, I studied Chinese culture and its major religions. I read about Buddhism, and about Buddha, himself. Basically, he modelled a life of self-denial and taught "meditation". Meditation is the process of making a mental assent into another "consciousness"; thus losing the desires of this life. I began to understand the reasons for all of the self-abasement and "monk" lifestyle.
They are trying to satisfy the longings of their souls. They try and THINK themselves out of this world filled with frustrations and passions and into peace which some of them call "nirvana".
May I be blunt? This teaching is demonically inspired and is damnable!
We were made in the image of God and we are made with a longing for GOD. When we are filled with God's presence, we are infused with THE ANSWER we long for. God wants us to chose HIM. We must humbly invite him into our lives. He that hungers and thirsts after righteousness shall be filled!
People filled with the spirit of God have found the ANSWER. When in his presence, we are free! We can fly like a bird!
We begin to love what God loves; thus our desires change and we begin to see that what we used to long for has lost its attraction. We begin to be attracted to the things of God. When we delight or get "happy" about the things God is thrilled about, the former desires fade and we begin to desire new things. And these new and different things are very fulfilling.
God does give us the desires of our hearts.
Yes, he has peace and joy for us, families,love,promotions, education, freedom, travel, material possessions, healing
whatever YOU desire, he wants to give us.
BUT, we must seek the things of God first. All these things will be added unto us.
Does this mean that you become a little peculiar? To the world's perspective, yes. Be willing to swim upstream, get a backbone!
If that doesn't interest you, go ahead try and fill your soul with "things", or love affairs or false religions....it won't last and it won't work. IT IS A TRAP for your soul.
God himself fills our hearts and as we grow in the Lord and in the knowlegde of his Word, we get more and more joyful and happy. We have so much to look forward to. The sun shines brighter and brighter even on a cloudy day.
Delight thyself also...in the Lord....and HE shall give thee the desires of thine heart.....it's true, it's true, it's true.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
ONE would've been enough....but he bought more....
The Hebrew brought their sacrifices to the priest. The animals were killed carefully with as little trauma to them as possible. The priest then offered them on the altar of sacrifice to atone for the sins of man who brought them.
BUT WHEN JESUS, the supreme and perfect lamb of God, OUR sacrificial lamb, gave himself to purchase our salvation, he not only willingly laid himself down, but he allowed his tormentors to abuse, torture, defame and humiliate him.
Why?
He wanted to buy some things for his BRIDE. Gifts of great value.
He bought our HEALING and PEACE.
Isa. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
It cost him dearly. His face was so disfigured, he was unrecognizable.
His back was ripped apart by a whipped laced with instruments designed to lash and cut.
Why would he do this? He had fallen in love with his bride and he knew that she needed redemption but also that she would suffer mental anquish and physical pain at times.
We are his bride; the bride of Christ.
What a God we serve, how I worship him today!
Why should we be filled with doubt and fear when we know of his ultimate love for us?
Be healed in Jesus' name. Be at peace in Jesus' name.
BUT WHEN JESUS, the supreme and perfect lamb of God, OUR sacrificial lamb, gave himself to purchase our salvation, he not only willingly laid himself down, but he allowed his tormentors to abuse, torture, defame and humiliate him.
Why?
He wanted to buy some things for his BRIDE. Gifts of great value.
He bought our HEALING and PEACE.
Isa. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
It cost him dearly. His face was so disfigured, he was unrecognizable.
His back was ripped apart by a whipped laced with instruments designed to lash and cut.
Why would he do this? He had fallen in love with his bride and he knew that she needed redemption but also that she would suffer mental anquish and physical pain at times.
We are his bride; the bride of Christ.
What a God we serve, how I worship him today!
Why should we be filled with doubt and fear when we know of his ultimate love for us?
Be healed in Jesus' name. Be at peace in Jesus' name.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
When we create, we are really alive, and we are like God.
Many times in life all we can do is stay afloat. Either emotionally, financially or physically, we are working so hard to just keep level; just keep from drowning...and that is totally normal and to be expected. However if we never have time to create, we may fail to feel well or whole. See, we were made in the image of God..and he is greatest Creator that ever will be.
It feels sort of silly to name some of his creations but for the sake of our very poor memories I will.
His animals, music, scenery, intricate flowers, sunsets and rises, love, atmosphere, heavens, languages, seasons....endless list....
But his greatest and most "challenging" creation of all was us; the human body and mind and soul.
So, since we were made in God's image, we may feel unfulfilled if we do not create. Find your calling and passion.
We know that getting saved and having a relationship with God is the best of the best and nothing will match that new life, settling, peace and joy to our souls, but we also need to fulfil our personal purpose...so, be like your maker....CREATE something, God will get the glory and you may feel more fulfilled than you ever have been before.
It feels sort of silly to name some of his creations but for the sake of our very poor memories I will.
His animals, music, scenery, intricate flowers, sunsets and rises, love, atmosphere, heavens, languages, seasons....endless list....
But his greatest and most "challenging" creation of all was us; the human body and mind and soul.
So, since we were made in God's image, we may feel unfulfilled if we do not create. Find your calling and passion.
We know that getting saved and having a relationship with God is the best of the best and nothing will match that new life, settling, peace and joy to our souls, but we also need to fulfil our personal purpose...so, be like your maker....CREATE something, God will get the glory and you may feel more fulfilled than you ever have been before.
Friday, September 23, 2011
one day fine..the next day...horrendous.
Our dear Bro. Haney is suffering a disease that is all too common. Just a few days ago our neighbor was diagnosed with the same condition: inoperable brain tumor.
It is remarkable to me how quickly these things come about. My neighbor worked full time and one day just forgot how to drive to work. When her daughter suggested she go to the clinic, she remarked that she did not know how to drive there either. A few hours later at the ER, she was given the grave diagnosis.
One day fine; another day incapable of most anything.
I hear you Lord, you are reminding me to fill each day with love and joy and deal with difficult circumstances that come our way with GUTSY faith.
Dear Lord, touch our dear Bro, Haney, he is such a fine man with such integrity. And touch my neighbor Bev, who really needs your comfort and peace.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Who do people see when they look at you?
Strange question, unless you are a sold-out follower of Jesus.
If you have a made-up mind about this walk with the Lord, then you want people to see Jesus through your face.
You want your spirit to be under Holy Spirit control. Paul said he, "died daily", why?, because his flesh kept wanting to be in charge. He "died" out to the flesh through prayer and reading the Word. It works!
Our flesh usually drags us down paths leading AWAY from God.
If we had our way we would:
hold grudges,
live for the moment,
get even with our enemies,
follow after lustly pleasures,
watch and listen to anything that seemed pleasureable to our mind and body,
live for money, or power, or pride,
anything enticing...need I go on?
But.....we rise up after being in the WORD and in prayer.... with power and joy which gives us strength to live above sin.
And we may not even know it, but OUR FACES WILL SHINE.
So, truly, we look different to others when they see us.
Before my husband was saved, he ran into a newly spirit-filled friend and this friend's face was shining. He saw the light of God in his face. And when his friend invited him to a revival service, there was a pull on his heart. He was not turned off by the encounter; it was like a MAGNET to his soul.
He went to the service, heard the singing and the preaching, felt the love of God so strong, he fell to his knees in repentance and began speaking with tongues (filled with the Holy Spirit) in just a few minutes.
He has never been the same!
Please read this:
John 1:18 KJV
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father,he hath declared him.
God has made himself known to us, how?
By wrapping himself in the human body of Jesus the Christ; his ONLY body, flesh or Son.
Read the same verse in the New Living Translation:
No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us.
Even Jesus, as he walked this Earth wanted people to see God when they looked at him. He didn't want people to say, "oh, there's Mary's son, the carpenter!" John the Baptist, who was his natural cousin, even saw Jesus as God, when he walked toward him one day. John declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"
Who do people see when they look at you?
If you have a made-up mind about this walk with the Lord, then you want people to see Jesus through your face.
You want your spirit to be under Holy Spirit control. Paul said he, "died daily", why?, because his flesh kept wanting to be in charge. He "died" out to the flesh through prayer and reading the Word. It works!
Our flesh usually drags us down paths leading AWAY from God.
If we had our way we would:
hold grudges,
live for the moment,
get even with our enemies,
follow after lustly pleasures,
watch and listen to anything that seemed pleasureable to our mind and body,
live for money, or power, or pride,
anything enticing...need I go on?
But.....we rise up after being in the WORD and in prayer.... with power and joy which gives us strength to live above sin.
And we may not even know it, but OUR FACES WILL SHINE.
So, truly, we look different to others when they see us.
Before my husband was saved, he ran into a newly spirit-filled friend and this friend's face was shining. He saw the light of God in his face. And when his friend invited him to a revival service, there was a pull on his heart. He was not turned off by the encounter; it was like a MAGNET to his soul.
He went to the service, heard the singing and the preaching, felt the love of God so strong, he fell to his knees in repentance and began speaking with tongues (filled with the Holy Spirit) in just a few minutes.
He has never been the same!
Please read this:
John 1:18 KJV
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father,he hath declared him.
God has made himself known to us, how?
By wrapping himself in the human body of Jesus the Christ; his ONLY body, flesh or Son.
Read the same verse in the New Living Translation:
No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us.
Even Jesus, as he walked this Earth wanted people to see God when they looked at him. He didn't want people to say, "oh, there's Mary's son, the carpenter!" John the Baptist, who was his natural cousin, even saw Jesus as God, when he walked toward him one day. John declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"
Who do people see when they look at you?
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Grasshoppers and Giants.
Grasshoppers have a view of the lowest particles on the ground, before they jump of course. Then they briefly see things through the eyes of a four or five foot tall person. But then they fall down again to see just the pepples and grass next to them.
I loved the sermon Bro. Toney preached at NAYC 2011. He asked the question: "Who told the Hebrew spies that they were the size of grasshoppers, anyway?" Joshua and Caleb didn't that is for sure!
Someone put that in their minds. They were normal, healthy sized men; all of them. Of the twelve spies, though, ten listened and believed the report that they were grasshoppers compared to the giants in the promised land they were spying on.
Numbers 13:33 "And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight."
Satan lies to us...he whispers in our consciousness that we are small, powerless and insignificant. It is so true. For so long I thought it was just me that he lied to in that manner. But no, he's been playing that trick on people for thousands of years.
I want to see myself how I really am. I am made in the image of God.
He filled me with His spirit. Our great God lives in us, so he makes us great and big and powerful. We really are .....giants....!
Thanks Bro. Toney for that great thought.
I loved the sermon Bro. Toney preached at NAYC 2011. He asked the question: "Who told the Hebrew spies that they were the size of grasshoppers, anyway?" Joshua and Caleb didn't that is for sure!
Someone put that in their minds. They were normal, healthy sized men; all of them. Of the twelve spies, though, ten listened and believed the report that they were grasshoppers compared to the giants in the promised land they were spying on.
Numbers 13:33 "And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight."
Satan lies to us...he whispers in our consciousness that we are small, powerless and insignificant. It is so true. For so long I thought it was just me that he lied to in that manner. But no, he's been playing that trick on people for thousands of years.
I want to see myself how I really am. I am made in the image of God.
He filled me with His spirit. Our great God lives in us, so he makes us great and big and powerful. We really are .....giants....!
Thanks Bro. Toney for that great thought.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
God swore.
God made two promises.(In Hebrews 6)
In order to make it more trustworthy and official-sounding he sealed his promises with an oath. He swore not "on a stack of Bibles" nor on "his mother's grave" as we have heard people do, HE SWORE ON HIMSELF...Hebrews 6.
God cared so much that we would believe His Word that he came down to our verbal level and SWORE that he would keep his Word.
People let us down...all the time. They say one thing and do another. Businesses let us down. We have become a society suffering from mistrust.
I recently heard a friend telling of her home country where they have had to resort to hiring armed guards to patrol her fenced (gated) community to keep them safe. She chooses not to live there. Those that live within the fence have imprisoned themselves for safety. People cannot be trusted.
God has promised to bless us as his children and to multiply our lives. He swore he would. How much more proof do we need? He cannot lie. God will bless and multiply your life.
In order to make it more trustworthy and official-sounding he sealed his promises with an oath. He swore not "on a stack of Bibles" nor on "his mother's grave" as we have heard people do, HE SWORE ON HIMSELF...Hebrews 6.
God cared so much that we would believe His Word that he came down to our verbal level and SWORE that he would keep his Word.
People let us down...all the time. They say one thing and do another. Businesses let us down. We have become a society suffering from mistrust.
I recently heard a friend telling of her home country where they have had to resort to hiring armed guards to patrol her fenced (gated) community to keep them safe. She chooses not to live there. Those that live within the fence have imprisoned themselves for safety. People cannot be trusted.
God has promised to bless us as his children and to multiply our lives. He swore he would. How much more proof do we need? He cannot lie. God will bless and multiply your life.
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