Let Me Teach You Thankfulness

LET ME TEACH YOU THANKFULNESS.  Begin by acknowledging that every thing–all your possessions and all that you are–belongs to Me.   The dawning of each new day is a gift from Me, not to be taken for granted.  The earth is vibrantly alive with My blessings, giving vivid testimony to My Presence.  If you slow down your pace of life, you can find Me anywhere.

 

Some of My most precious children have been laid aside in sickbeds or shut away in prisons.  Others have voluntarily learned the discipline of spending time alone with Me.  The secret of being thankful is learning to see everything from My perspective.  My world is your classroom, My Word is a lamp to your feet and a light for your path.

 

    Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for out “God is a consuming fire.”  Hebrews 12:28

 

   Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.   Psalm 119:105

 

Godly Sorrow Leads to Repentance

GODLY SORROW LEADS TO REPENTANCE

Mark 6:12, “And they went out, and preached that men should repent.”

MARK 6:7-12

“Repent” comes from the Greek word, “metanoeo,” and literally means to have another mind. Repentance is a necessary part of salvation. Repentance may include Godly sorrow, but sorrow does not always include repentance.

Repentance is simply a change of mind accompanied by corresponding actions. There is a Godly type of sorrow and an ungodly type of sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to repentance. Ungodly sorrow, or the sorrow of this world, just kills.

Our culture has rejected all “negative” emotions. But God gave us the capacity for these negative emotions, and there is a proper use of them. Ecclesiastes 7:3 says, “Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.” People should feel bad about sin. There should be sorrow over our failures. However, this sorrow should lead to repentance. Then, when forgiveness is received, our sorrow should be cast upon the Lord (Isa. 53:4).

The Lord’s statements to His disciples, the night before His crucifixion, caused them sorrow (Mt. 26:21-22; Jn. 16:6). If they would have let that sorrow lead them to repentance, then they wouldn’t have denied the Lord. Peter’s sorrow after his denial of Jesus changed him and, certainly, he never regretted the tears he cried.

The sorrow experienced by those who do not turn to God produces only death. They grieve over their situation because they don’t turn to God (that’s repentance). Christians should only have sorrow until they repent. Once repentance has come, we need to appropriate the forgiveness and cleansing that are already ours through Christ. Godly sorrow that produces repentance leaves us with no regrets. The positive change that our sorrows led us to, changes our attitude towards the things that caused us sorrow. Let the negatives in your life become positives through Jesus.

Love and Trust

LOVE AND TRUST

Matthew 9:18, “While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.”

MATTHEW 9:18-19

Jesus could have healed this girl by His spoken word, but He did as He was requested to do. This illustrates how the Lord ministers to us according to our faith. Jesus ministered to him at the level where his faith was and didn’t rebuke his little faith (Jas. 1:5).

There is a human faith which is limited to believing only what we can perceive through our five senses. But the supernatural, God kind of faith goes beyond what we can see, taste, hear, smell, and feel. God’s kind of faith calls those things which be not as though they already were.

We exercise faith almost daily in such things as sitting on a chair and driving a car. But our faith is no better than the object in which it is placed. If I were to sit in a chair made of cardboard, I would go crashing to the ground. Regardless of how much faith I had, my faith would fall flat because the object of my faith was faulty. Hebrews 12:2, tells us that we are to be “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” We must transfer our faith from human self reliance and independence, to reliance upon, adherence to, and trust upon Jesus Christ in all areas of our lives. Faith, in its simplest definition, is to trust, to rely, and to depend upon the resource of another. God’s Word declares that the object of our faith, Jesus Christ, can never fail or disappoint us.

Love produces faith, or is what makes faith work. We naturally trust those who we know truly love us. A revelation of God’s unconditional love for us will make faith just naturally abound in us. Are you struggling with faith? You have a deficiency in understanding how much God loves you. Let Him reveal His love to you today.

Keep Your Eyes On Me

  Not only for directions but for empowerment.  I never lead you to do something without equipping you for the task.  That is why it’s so important to seek My will in everything you do.  There are many burned-out Christians who think more is always better, who deem it unspiritual to say no.

 

In order to know My will , you must spend time with Me–enjoying My Presence.  This is not an onerous task but a delightful privilege.  I will show you the path of Life; in My Presence is fullness of Joy;  at My right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

 

But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge–do not give me over to death.     Psalm 141:8

 

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.     Psalm 16:11

Listen To Me CONTINUALLY

   I have much to communicate to you, so many people and situations in need of prayer.  I am training you to set your mind on Me  more and more, tuning out distractions through the help of My Spirit.

 

Walk with Me in holy trust, responding to My initiatives rather than trying to make things fit your plans.  I died to set you free, and that includes freedom from compulsive planning.  When your mind spins with a multitude of thoughts, you cannot hear My voice.  A mind preoccupied with planning pays homage to the idol of control.  Turn  from this idolatry back to Me.  Listen to Me and live abundantly!

 

John 8:36   So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed

 

 

Proverbs 19:21  Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the Lord will stand.

 

John 10:27  27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;

 

 

Let Me Control Your Mind

LET ME CONTROL YOUR MIND.  The mind is the most restless, unruly part of mankind.  Long after you have learned the discipline of holding your tongue, your thoughts defy your will and set themselves up against Me.  Man is the pinnacle of My creation, and the human mind is wondrously complex.  I risked all by granting you freedom to think for yourself.  This is godlike privilege, forever setting you apart from animals and made you in My image, precariously close to deity.

 

Though My blood has fully redeemed you, your mind is the last bastion of rebellion.  Open yourself to My radiant Presence, letting My Light  permeate your thinking to My radiant Presence, letting My Light permeate your thinking.  Where My Spirit is controlling lyour mind, you are filled with Life and Peace.

 

    Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them ride over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female He created them.     Genesis 1:26

 

    The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.      Romans 8:6

 

           

Do Not Be Afraid

DO NOT BE AFRAID,  for I am with you.  Hear Me saying Peace, be still to your restless heart.  No matter what happens, I will never leave you or forsake you.  Let this assurance soak into your mind and heart, until you overflow with Joy.   Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, you need not fear!

 

The media relentlessly proclaim bad news for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  A steady diet of their fare will sicken you.  Instead of focusing on fickle, ever-changing news broadcasts, tune into the living Word–the One who is always the same.  Let Scripture saturate your mind and heart, and you will walk steadily along the path of Life.  Even though you don’t know what will happen tomorrow, you can be absolutely sure of your ultimate destination.  I hold you by your right hand, and afterward I will take you into Glory.

 

      Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still! ”  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.   Mark 4:39

 

     Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Deuteronomy 31:6

 

    Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.    Psalm 46:2

 

  Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Psalm 73:23-24

 

Peace My Gift

PEACE IS MY CONTINUAL GIFT TO YOU.    It flows abundantly from My throne of grace.  Just as the Israelites could not store up manna for the future but had to gather in daily, so it is with My Peace.  The day-by-day collecting of manna kept My people aware of their dependence on Me.   Similarly, I give you sufficient Peace for the present, when you come to Me, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving.  If I gave you permanent Peace, independent of My Presence, you might fall into the trap of self-sufficiency.  May  that never be!

 

I have designed you to need Me moment by moment.  As your awareness of your neediness increases, so does your realization of My abundant sufficiency.  I can meet every one of your needs without draining My resources at all. Approach My throne of grace with bold confidence, receiving My Peace with a thankful heart.

 

     Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.  This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs.’  ……No one is to keep any of it until morning.”   Exodus 16:15

 

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in every thing, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present  your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus…And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

 Philippians 4:6

 

    Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.    Hebrews 4:16

 

I love You

LOVE YOU  regardless of how well you are performing.  Sometimes you feel uneasy, wondering if you are doing enough to be worthy of My Love.  No matter how exemplary your behavior, the answer to that question will always be no.  Your performance and My Love are totally different issues, which you need to sort out.  I love you with an everlasting Love that flows out from eternity without limits or conditions.  I have clothed you in My robe of righteousness, and this is an eternal transaction:  Nothing and no one can reverse it.  Therefore, your accomplishment as a Christian has no bearing on My Love for you.  Even your ability to assess how well you are doing on a given day is flawed.  Your limited human perspective and the condition of your body, with its mercurial variations, distort your evaluations.

 

Bring your performance anxiety to Me, and receive in its place My unfailing Love.  Try to stay conscious of My loving Presence with you in all that you do, and I will direct your steps.

 

  The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” 

       Jeremiah 31:3

 

   I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me  in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  Isaiah 61:10

 

    Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

                     Psalm 31:16

 

    Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.     Psalm 107:8

 

I Am Training You

I AM TRAINING YOU IN STEADINESS.  Too many things interrupt your awareness of Me.  I know that you live in a world of sight and sound, but you must not be a slave to those stimuli.

Awareness of Me can continue in all circumstances, no matter what happens.  This is the steadiness I desire for you. 

 

Don’t let unexpected events throw you off course.  Rather respond calmly and confidently , remembering that I am with you.  As soon as something grabs your attention, talk with Me about it.  Thus I share your joys and your problems; I help you cope with whatever is before you.  This is how I live in you and work through you.  This is the way of Peace.

 

     He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. 

           Psalm 112:7

 

   “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you.  You, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10