Category Archives: comfort

Search My Heart

Posted on by

 “Search me Lord and know my heart, try me and know my ways and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

All through Scripture we are encouraged by the Lord to examine our heart. In Psalms 139, David prays and asks the Lord to Search his heart.

David said, “any wicked way,” this would be any wicked way of thinking, feeling or acting.  The thoughts of our heart are sometimes hidden from view, but can be clearly seen by our actions and our responses. Psalm 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” You can have the right intentions and want to respond correctly, but find it very difficult if you have been hurt or offended.  That is why the prayer that David prayed in Psalm 139 is so important for us to pray today.

The thoughts of our heart determine our decisions, actions and how we respond to others. We need to examine the condition of our heart, especially after we have been hurt or wounded by someone and know we are offended.  I believe that taking up offenses is one of the greatest traps of the enemy today.

When you ask, the Holy Spirit will reveal the condition of your heart. Ask Him to reveal every area that is not at peace. Therefore, when you ask the Lord to search your heart, don’t be surprised when the Holy Spirit brings to your attention a relationship conflict that still needs to be resolved. The level of peace clearly indicates how much we have resolved heart issues so that, we are no longer controlled our circumstances. Peace is the inward witness of the presence God, as He leads us through every situation we face.

Drink From the Fountain That Will Never Run Dry

Posted on by

“Oh God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land….”  Psalm 63:1

There is a deep well within us that must be filled up daily.  When this well has not been filled, you will find yourself dry and thirsty.

Jesus said, “If any man thirst let him come to me and drink.” (John 7:37) Jesus is the fountain where we go to drink; He is a fountain that will never run dry.  When we spend time with Him praying and reading His Word, we are drinking from the “living water.”  The Word brings life and refreshing to our spirit just as a drink of natural water refreshes us when we are dry and thirsty.

Are you stressed, tired, and burned out from the pressures of life?

If so, I would like to encourage you to get up early in the morning and spend some extra time drinking from the Word of God.  Drink until you are filled up with a renewed strength.  As you spend time in the Word, you will also experience a renewed hope that everything is going to be all right.

Dwelling in His Presence

Posted on by

“Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.”   Psalms 140:1

Dwelling in the presence of the Lord is the lifestyle of a Christian and prayer is the only way to maintaining this lifestyle.  Prayer is how we connect to God and giving thanks is the key to keeping that connection.

The apostle Paul thought prayer was so important that he said to pray without ceasing. You may ask “How can I carry out the everyday tasks of my job, my kids, my home and still pray without ceasing?”

The prayer uttered out of a thankful heart is a prayer that will continue all day. “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving…”(Psalm 104).

When you enter into prayer first thing every morning with a prayer of thanksgiving and maintain an attitude of thankfulness, you will find yourself in His presence all day.  It’s all about how you enter in.  If we enter into His presence with a thankful heart, we will find it easer to continue thanking Him for the rest of the day.  When you stay focused on the blessings of God and thanking Him, your spiritual eyes will only see what He wants you to see. Your spiritual eyes see through thanksgiving.

The secret to staying in the presence of the Lord all the time is determined by the condition of your heart. A heart that is thankful is a heart that can see God in everything. That person can truly pray without ceasing because they are continually giving thanks. Ask God to refocus your eyes so you can see His blessings in everything and give thanks.

Refocus: “…What ever things are pure and whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:21)  

 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:2)

I Am Safe Under the Shadow of His Wings

Posted on by

Keep me as the apple of thy eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, Psalm 17:8

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his trust shall be thy shield and buckler. Psalm 91:4

We all can benefit greatly from experiencing the hidden side of life.  There are times in our lives when He takes us up and hides us.  He takes us up at a time when He knows we are tired and weary.

If you are a person who is committed to serving others, either your family or others in ministry, you will get tired. You may need a place and time to rest.  You may need a hidden place, where no one can pull you away to serve. You may have had enough of the hurried pace of life, you may need to hear what God spoke to Elijah, “Get the hence, and turn eastward, hide thyself by the brook Cherith…”(1Kings 17:3).

As Elijah did as the Lord said, his needs were provided for. He had bread and flesh to eat in the morning and evening and water to drink out of the brook. You may need a place like Elijah had where God will feed you and refresh you. Elijah hid in the ravine, a place of total peace and solitude, from which the crowds are turned away.

Our Lord Himself went through His ravine in Nazareth, in the wilderness of Judea, amid the olive trees of Bethany and in the solitude of the city of Gadara. So none are exempt from a ravine experience, where the sounds of human voices are exchanged for the waters of quietness that flow from the throne of God, where we taste the sweetness and soak up the power of a life “hidden in Christ”(Col.3: 3).

The Path: Find your own hidden place to rest and be refreshed.

Time to Choose the Right Path

Posted on by

“That we may do those good works which God predestined for us…” Eph 2: 10

Predestined means something is preordained and appointed by God.  He has preordained and planned before hand what your purpose is on the earth.  And He has used the situations in your life up to this very moment to teach you and prepare you for His purposes.

We can’t see clearly what God sees.  It is only after we pass through a situation that we see it clearly, can look down from a higher perspective and see what good came out of it, what we learned and how God will use it.  I know how it is to be in the middle of a bad situation, wondering what could possibly be the good thing that will come out of it.  At that point we can not see what God sees.  That is why all along the way and in every situation we must learn to listen to His voice.  His ways are so much higher than our ways.  He has a plan that we can’t see so we must we listen to His voice and choose the right way; the high way.

I believe God sets up situations just for learning purposes. He wants us to learn from our past mistakes, so we will make different choices and take the right path the next time.  Paul said that if we take the path which He planned ahead of time that we will live the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live.  That does not mean we will not encounter difficult situations anymore once we learn to walk on the high way.  But it does mean we will always have a clear path to walk on during those difficult times.  That’s why we go through hard times so we learn how to identify God ways and God’s path that leads us though the valleys and hardships of life.

He Drew Me Out of Many Waters

Posted on by

“He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.”  Psalm 18:16

“Send thine hand from above; rid me, and delivered me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children.”  Psalm 144:7

“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.”   Psalms 69:1-3

He drew me out of many watersIn these passages the Psalmist David is calling on the Lord to deliver him out of deep water.  In Psalm 18:16-17 the deep waters are referring to someone who hated him and have spoken words against him.

When I think of great waters I think of an ocean with huge waves crashing in one after the other.  When you have received too many critical words they can have this same effect.

If you are engulfed in these great waters you may feel like you are sinking.  You become overwhelmed like being in an ocean with one wave after the other hitting you and pulling you under.  If you take these critical words into your soul, it is like taking water into your lungs and after a period of time you can drown.

The Lord is reaching His hand down from above to lift you up.  His love is a life raft that He is throwing out to you, so reach out and let Him pull you up.  He will reach down and lift you up in many different ways.  It may be through a loving friend’s call or an act of kindness. Just when you are so overwhelmed the call will come in and you will be lifted up out of those critical words where you have been drowning.   Once you have been lifted up and encouraged in the love and kindness, don’t go back out into dangerous waters without a boat to hold you up.

Find security in knowing who you are in Christ so that the words of criticism cannot touch you.  Let the words that God says about you soak into your spirit. Then, you will be able to float on the top of the water, not allowing critical words to come into your soul.  Don’t let the words of men define who you are. Know who God says you are.

God loves you and will never leave you or forsake you. He is for you and not against you (Psalm 56:9). Spend more time listening to what God says about you and re-arrange your schedule so you are spending plenty of time with family or friends who also speak words of encouragement.

The Path: Find ways to encourage others daily and you will be encouraged.

In Troubled Times, He Sends Help!

Posted on by

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high and defend you. Send you help from the sanctuary and support, refresh and strengthen you from Zion.   Psalm 20:1-2

There are times that we need supernatural support and strength to make it through the challenge of the day.  When we call on the Lord He will dispatch help from His throne.  In Psalm 20:2 we read, He sends help from the sanctuary. He will send help, angelic assistance.

Scripture tells us that the angels of the Lord excel in strength at His command.  They are like an emergency back up support system that is on call twenty four-seven waiting for the next assignment.  When we call out to the Lord for help, He sends them forth in strength.

In the 2 Kings: 6:16, Elisha prayed and asked that his servant’s eyes would be opened to see what He saw.  God had sent thousands of angels.  The prophet looked and could see a literal army surrounding him.

Scripture tells us the angels of the Lord are encamped round about us.  A house cannot stand without a strong support system. You cannot see the support beams but you know they are there.  It would seem foolish to sit in your living room fearful the house will cave in.

When you put your trust in the Lord you can be assured the house will stand, the support system is in place and you shall not be moved. The Lord is our support He will give you the strength to stand even when the strong winds of adversity come.  We cannot see with our natural eyes but we know the support is there when the winds blow.

Turn Your Eyes

Posted on by

Come to me, all you that are weary
and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
–Matthew 11:28

“Yeah, right.”

That’s surely the response some people have when they hear those words of Jesus. Sure, just show up in front of God and your burdens—your financial problems, your difficult coworkers, your longest-held prejudices—will be lifted away.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,” the old Protestant hymn says, and— as I remember it—the “things of earth will grow strangle dim”.

But a lot of people have known about God all their lives and have always chosen Jesus as their path to God, but they somehow still seem heavily burdened.  How can that be?

You see, many people seem to look at God as somewhat of a “Cosmic Santa Claus” to be called upon whenever you want something.  They like the idea of having a supernatural hero to sweep in and save the day when things are a bit frustrating.

Here’s what I think people don’t always understand:  God doesn’t promise to take away our problems.  I mean, take a look at Job and you will realize that he wasn’t immune to problems.

God doesn’t promise to take us to such a high spiritual place that the things of this planet are no longer important.  The early disciples walked close with Jesus, but they weren’t exactly given a free pass void of difficulties.

God doesn’t even promise to protect us from pain or an empty feeling of hopelessness.  Many of the early hero’s of the Faith were persecuted, stoned, and even killed.  David shares often in the Psalms about feeling abandoned and hopeless.

God has reasons for allowing us to sometimes endure some difficulties.  I suspect we occasionally need an “adjustment” in our character, or perhaps a nudge for us to seek God.  Whatever the reason at the moment, God is always Faithful.

Giving us rest and peace — as well as hope, joy and a sense of Who He is – is perhaps more in line with what God does for us during difficulties.  And I believe, God is doing a pretty good job :).

You know, I wish I had more money.  And I wish I had a little more energy so I could cram even more into each day.  But when I pray, I’ve stopped asking God for money, time and abilities.  I ask God to quiet my sometimes-troubled soul.  I ask for God’s spirit of gentleness to blow through the wilderness of life and make it calmer and more sane. I n other words, I ask God for some much-needed rest from my heavy burdens.

Visit our training on Burden Bearing at:   www.burdenbearing.com

A New Beginning

Posted on by

“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, I will hold thine hand, and I will keep thee. …Behold the former things are come to pass and the new things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them.”  Isaiah 42:6-9

 

Place of peaceI knew the Lord had told me that He would allow me to experience days of Heaven upon the earth, that I would be able to say that I have seen a glimpse of Heaven and it is glorious.

As the former things all passed away I soon realized that I was being prepared for the new thing God had prepared for me and my family.  The new thing that sprang forth was the fulfillment of a desire for a retreat ministry, a place where people could come and experience for themselves an earthly example of what it is like to live in the Father’s House, a special place that God has set apart where people can come and experience healing though His love.   In our Father’s House, love never fails and every person who receives His love will be changed.

Thank you for allowing me to share my journey of healing, and this wonderful discovery, with you.  I pray you will have a new beginning into a new way of life.

A new way of life, the abundant life of God’s love is possible for every believer. When we open our hearts and ask God to cleanse every area, we can love others with a pure heart as He loves us.

It’s a new way of life, loving others as God loves you.  A person who has been healed of the pain of the past can now live this abundant life.  It is the higher way.

If you have experienced healing, this is a new beginning for you.  It is a new way of thinking, feeling and acting, living in a higher place, a place of peace, trusting totally in Him.

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

You have said, in Revelations 21:5, “Behold, I make all things new.” I want to behold, and see the Lord.  So, I ask you to open my eyes as You make all things in my life new. Help me to continue trusting in You and expecting to see Your goodness. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Sink into God

Posted on by

As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.
—  Isaiah 66:13

Some people and churches shy away from talking about God as a mother or a father—even though both are perfectly Biblical, if that matters to you—because so many people don’t have very good relationships with their parents.  Some people were so happy to escape the clutches of an abusive mother or abrasive father that they can’t face the God so many people think of as a father.  Others simply can’t relate to these parental images because they never had a parent.

For some reason, I’ve never really thought of God as a father. I’ve actually never thought of God as a mother either.  Amazingly, I was taught from an early age that the Bible refers to God in a variety of ways—and that God is much larger and grander than any one term onto which some people have latched in reference to the One who created this universe.

But I like this scripture from Isaiah.  To me, it simply says that God comforts us.

If your mother isn’t or wasn’t a comforting influence on your life, this scripture offers you the joy of knowing that like a mother should comfort you, God does.

If you were fortunate enough to have a mother to comfort you in times when little else could, this verse, I believe, asks you to recall that unrestricted love and remember that God offers it, too.  Or if your mother is no longer around, God offers it instead.

It is also important to me what this simple scripture doesn’t say.  It doesn’t say that God will keep us from hurting. When we are hurt, though, God comforts us.

Do you need comfort today? Maybe your mother caused the pain in your life that now needs comforting.  Whatever is hurting you today, God is offering you comfort.

All you have to do is spend some time doing whatever it is you do to bring yourself more into the presence of God—perhaps praying. Or if your pain is keeping you from feeling God today, remember that God is trying to break through.  If you try, too, maybe God can meet you halfway.

Just like a mother should, God is trying to comfort you.  Sink today into the calm, soothing, reconciling arms of the God who has been waiting for you.