Would You Like to Find a Resting Place?

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“This is my resting place forever.” (Psalms 132:14)

Resting Place of GodWould you like to find a restful place that is quiet and peaceful, but more than that, a place where you can experience the presence of God?

According to Psalm 132:14, God has established resting places, literal places that are His resting places.  God is calling each of us to find a quiet place, a resting place where we can get alone to spend time with Him.  In the story of Noah, when the world was destroyed by the flood, the first thing Noah did was send a dove out to find a place to rest.

“Then he (Noah) sent forth a dove to see if the waters had decreased from the surface of the ground. But the dove found no resting place on which to roost, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were yet on the face of the whole land. So he put forth his hand and drew her to him into the ark” (Genesis 8:8-9).

Noah represents God, and the Ark represents the safety of the presence of God.  Only when you enter into His presence will you find that place of peace and rest.  I am sure in this account that the dove was weary of searching, so God stretched forth His hand and drew the dove back unto Himself.  We are all like that dove, needing a safe place to land… a resting place here on earth, where His presence can be felt.

When you find a resting place, you will know you have found it because your spirit will be at peace.  A dove will not land where there is no peace.  You may be like the dove, searching for the right place – a resting place, a peaceful place.

God has resting places here on earth where He has established a dwelling place of His presence, “This is my resting place forever” (Psalm 132:14). Trust Him to lead you to His resting place.

What is Your Destiny?

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You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Psalm 73:24 (New Living Translation)

What is your destiny?A person’s destiny is connected to identity which has already been determined by God.  He has chosen each of His children and called them to carry out a special purpose.  Therefore, identity is directly connected to their purpose. When a person does not know who they are, they will struggle with walking out their destiny.

The enemy has been quite successful in this generation to interfere with children coming into their destiny.  You will flounder and struggle with what you are supposed to do with your life until you find out who you are.

One of the roles in parenting is to help their children know who God created them to be, and call them into it.  Their gifting and talents should be recognized and encouraged.  A parent confirms the identity of their children through affirmation.

Many adults today are floundering because they received very little parental affirmation and encouragement.  The good news is… it is never too late to discover your destiny.

As you are in search of your destiny, watch as God places mile markers along the way to confirm you are going in the right direction. A destiny searcher will be encouraged by the Lord as He brings confirmation all along the way.

Destiny searchers are those in search of their destiny. Your destiny is directly connected with your identity, or who God created you to be. No one else is shaped, fashioned and molded like you are. You cannot know what you are supposed to do until you know who you are. Your identity and destiny are connected together. But you may ask, “How do I discover my destiny?” It can be found in several ways:

1)  Heritage – the family line may be a clue to your destiny. Look first at the gifting and abilities your father had.  Then look at your grandfather. There may be a pattern in their life that you will observe in your own. You may be following in your father’s or grandfather’s steps.

2)  Your name – sometimes your destiny is hidden in your name. When parents have named their children by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, there is destiny in the name. The Word of God does not return void; it accomplishes what God intends for it to accomplish. In the Bible, God put so much importance on the name that He even changed names when there was a major change in direction in a person’s life. In the New Testament, Saul’s name was changed to Paul after He met the Lord. In the Old Testament, Abram’s name was changed to be Abraham.

3)  Your heart’s desire – The third thing to consider as you search for your destiny is to know your heart’s desire. God places in your heart what He has called you to do. What has been in your heart for years? If there is a desire that is still alive in your heart, it could be that God has put it there. “It is God that works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.” This means He puts the desire in you to do His will.

A Thankful Heart is a Lifestyle

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Peace of GodHave ever walked through the woods on a beautiful spring day and marveled at the beauty?  Better than that, have you ever walked through the woods on a beautiful day and enjoyed it with someone you dearly love? As you admired the beautiful shades of new growth glistening in the sun you may never forget the day because you experienced it with someone you love.

The beauty all around you was created for you by the one who loves you. God created all this beauty that is all around you and when you enjoy the beauty and thank Him for it, you will experience a thankful heart.   Life will never be the same once you have experienced a thankful heart.

Look for something to be thankful for in every situation and experience the lifestyle that is the secret of a person that lives and walks with God.  Live in the Peace and Love He surrounds you with, and share His love with others.

Listen to the Holy Spirit

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Today, the Holy Spirit says, “Harden not your heart” (Hebrews 3:7-8).

Today, is a new day; a day that will be filled with many opportunities. The choices you make today can change your life from living in frustration, to living in a place of peace with God. The Holy Spirit is giving us a powerful key that will open the door and lead us into the life in the Spirit.  If you listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit as you read Hebrews 3:8, you will enter in. Use the key; it will work even during the most painful situations. If you resist the temptation to harden your heart when you are hurt by the actions of others, you will enter into the peace of the Lord; the resting place for your soul.
 
Our human nature works to automatically block out pain when someone’s actions are hurtful. We harden our hearts so we won’t feel the pain of their hurtful actions, words, or gestures. Even though this is a natural form of self-protection, God says don’t do it.
 
“Today, if you will hear My voice, harden not your heart.” At the moment of impact, when someone’s words hurt you, don’t give in and take up an offense. If their actions are unbelievably hurtful, don’t waver and give in; it’s a trap of the enemy.  Don’t step in the trap, watch and listen to the Lord. That’s when you need to hear His voice and know what He is saying. Listen closely, and don’t give in to your feelings.
 
When Jesus was being nailed to the cross, He didn’t retaliate, He forgave. At that point He was in His earthly body and felt every bit of the pain we feel but He didn’t give in to the feelings. He responded by the Spirit and He was taken up into the presence of God. The moment you respond God’s way you will notice a wave of peace. This wave of peace comes and actually lifts you up when you do the right thing. You will be ushered into the presence of the Lord, resting and comforted in His presence. Yes, that person’s words or actions will hurt, but the God of all comfort will always lift you up.

He Will Be With You!

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“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me…” (Psalm 23:4).

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:2).

 

God is With YouThe Lord has promised us that He will be with us even when we walk through the shadow of death.  He has already experienced every trial and every pain, even the pain of death.  He has gone before us and now lives to tell the story.  He can say with all authority, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10).

There is nothing to fear, because you are never alone. Your Father in heaven knows what you are facing and He has promised that no matter what you go through He will be with you. The light of His presence can be experienced even in the darkest night. A ray of sunshine always follows dark clouds, and the light of a new day always follows the night.

However, you must pass through the dark night to get to the next sunny day and the same is true of death. You must pass through death to get to resurrection life. Jesus passed through death and made life possible for all who will trust Him. When we put our trust in the Lord even death is but a shadow, something you simply pass through.

Put your full trust in the Lord, He will never leave you or forsake you.

Resist the Fleeting Thoughts

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A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.   The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others.   Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. Isaiah 35:8 (New King James Version)

Highway of HolinessHave you ever been driving down the interstate, and all of a sudden with one fleeting thought you decide to exit off and take the back road?  The back roads will slow you down and hinder you from getting to your desired destination.

So, we must all resist these thoughts.  Take every thought captive, especially those thoughts that lead you astray.  The thought may be as simple as, “I would rather take the scenic route,” but you fail to remember it was the scenic road that led you off course before.  We must learn from our mistakes so we don’t repeat them. Once you are on the Highway, stay on it and resist fleeting thoughts that get you off track.

Stay on Isaiah 35:8, the Highway of Holiness.

Are you Wondering Along Without Direction?

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“You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with your and that you may live long in the land which you shall possess.” Deut. 5:33

Have you ever been really lost and did not know which direction to go?  If so, you understand the insecurity of wondering along and perhaps the fear of not knowing where to go.

Recently, I was traveling and became lost in a big city.  It was a location I had never been, so I did not know which way to go. After completing my business at the courthouse, I asked the clerk how to get to the interstate. She seemed quiet annoyed at the question but hurriedly gave me directions. After circling around the city I realized I was very lost.  So I asked a businessman at the red light; he too was in a hurry, so his directions were equally as confusing. After circling around the city for the third time, I stopped and asked a little old man at the gas station. He wasn’t in a hurry; he had all the time in the world. He paid attention to my question and carefully gave me directions, which were very easy to follow. Within just a few minutes I was on my way.

In our world everyone seems to be in a hurry; we encounter people every day, the lady at the check -out counter or the man at the bank, who are busy doing their jobs and don’t have time for more questions.  So if you need directions, you simply need to find someone who has plenty of time. You will know you have found the right person; they will pay close attention and listen to your questions and take time to give you the answer.

When you need directions in life, don’t give up after the first person does not have time. Keep asking until you find someone who does. God has all the time in the world. He will listen to your questions, and He will give you clear directions. Don’t keep circling around and around like the children of Israel; listen to the directions of the Lord and obey His voice.

 

Deeper Than an Occasional Encounter

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“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord, and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple” Psalms 27:4, Amplified.

David was not satisfied to simply have an occasional encounter with God.  His desire was to dwell in the presence of the Lord always.  I have found that Psalms 27:4 holds a powerful key to dwelling in the presence of the Lord!  The key is to meditate on His Word. In Psalms 1:2, David said he meditates on the Word of God day and night.

As you dwell in the presence of the Lord and meditate on His Word, you will grow in a stronger relationship with Him.  You will begin to experience God in a deeper way.  His love will penetrate the difficult areas of your life, and bring healing to your innermost hurts.

As you go through your day, choose a verse and meditate on it, quote it over and over, and then write out the impressions you have regarding that verse.  Ask God to speak to you through His Word, and as you do that you will find your spirit is lifted up above your circumstances and you are dwelling in His presence.  As this becomes a daily practice, you will soon find that you can dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

The Power of God

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“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” Luke 23:34

power of GodHave you ever had to suffer because someone else disobeyed God? This was the life that Jesus lived on earth. His entire purpose was wrapped around paying a price He did not owe. Therefore, you can go to Jesus and talk to Him about you suffering because He completely understands how you feel.

Jesus suffered and died for the sins He never committed. He was innocent and never sinned, yet God required him to suffer and die.  What kept Him from saying, “It’s not my fault”, or, “It’s just not fair, why me?”  What kept Him from self pity? I believe that forgiveness was the “Power of God” that kept Jesus on the path headed to the cross.

Jesus walked on planet earth, feeling all the pain that we do, yet He did not give in to the pain. He walked before us and showed us how to walk daily in the Power of God as He walked in forgiveness. At the moment when He could have called down ten thousand angels to help Him, He instead cried out, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

This same power from God is available to you right now. Choose to forgive and you will see the “Power of God” released in your situation.

It is Time to Receive the Truth

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Do not believe the lies that the enemy throws at you.

Trust God, for his word is True!

“Receive and welcome the Word, which implanted and rooted [in your hearts], contains the power to save your soul.” James 1:21 Amp

receive the truthOne morning, I overslept.  The sun was already out, shining brightly through the window.  I ran to the garden, and as I ran down the sidewalk I saw that the dew was gone.  I had missed meeting with God.   I immediately had an old thought, a lie I had believed for years.

The lie was: “If I mess up, God will not speak to me.”  To my surprise, when I set down in the swing, I saw one drop of dew on the tip of a leaf.  I reached my hand out and the last pearl of the morning dropped into my hand as the Lord lovingly said, “I have been waiting for you.”

The enemy could not use this lie anymore. God did love me, and He wanted to bless me.  The truth I received had finally replaced the lie that if I messed up He would not be there for me.  God’s presence was there.  The lie was exposed and the enemy was defeated.

The enemy plants many lies in our minds. One lie is connected to another like a chain; that’s why one thought leads to another, and then another. If you did not receive affirmation from your father as a child, you may have believed the lie of rejection. “There is something wrong with me” is just one example. If you have this lie, it is hidden away from sight, but is silently working to convince you that you are not good enough.  If you struggle with this lie, it must been seen as a lie and not the truth.  You must recognize the voice of your enemy and stop listening to him.

Fully receive the truth, deep in your innermost being, that you are deeply loved and fully accepted by God.  God is for you, and He accepts you because of who you are, not because of your accomplishments.  With this truth deep in your spirit, the motivation for everything you do will change.  From this point on, you will serve God because you are accepted and not in order to be accepted.

Each lie has a structure of set behaviors and responses. We are transformed daily by the renewing of our mind.  We tear down the old house and replace it with a brand new house full of the promises of God. Every thought that comes from a lie must be replaced with truth if you want to live in peace.  Taking one lie at a time and replacing it daily with truth is key.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:16 that if we renew our mind daily, we will not faint when adversity comes.  Today, you can begin to tear down the lies that the enemy has planted in your mind.