Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 3/6

[bluidkiti]

Use your story as a testimony to God's ability to free you from the past. Andy Stanley

Keep praying, but be thankful that God's answers are wiser than your prayers! --William Culbertson

The Heavenly Father does not ask for golden vessels. He does not ask for silver vessels. God asks for yielded vessels – those who will submit their will to the will of the Father. And the greatest human attainment in all the world is for a life to be so surrendered to Him that the name of God Almighty will be glorified through that life. --Kathryn Kuhlman

God has a purpose for my life. No other person can take my place. It isn’t a big place, to be sure, but for years I have been molded in a peculiar way to fill a peculiar niche in the world’s work. --Charles Stelze

We do not understand the intricate pattern of the stars in their courses, but we know that He who created them does, and that just as surely as He guides them, He is charting a safe course for us. --Billy Graham

An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself. --A. W. Tozer

Lift up your eyes. Your heavenly Father waits to bless you in inconceivable ways to make your life what you never dreamed it could be. --Anne Ortlund

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Do It Anyway by Mother Theresa
People are often unreasonable,
Illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind,
People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful,
You will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank,
People may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building,
Someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness,
They may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today,
People will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,
And it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis,
It is between you and God;
It never was between you and them anyway.

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18 WAYS TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS by Stacy Wiebe, Editor, Christian Women Today
Encouragement goes straight to the heart. In fact, the word itself comes from a combination of the prefix "en" which means "to put into" and the Latin word "cor" which means heart. Knowing what a big difference encouragement makes in your own life, what can you do to help others "to take heart" when the going gets tough?
1. Become aware of what encourages you and do those same things for others.
2. Learn individuals' "love language" - the special way in which they feel most valued. In his book, The Five Languages of Love, Gary Chapman explains that not everyone's emotional needs are met in the same way and that it's important to learn to speak others' love language. The five love languages are: words of affirmation, spending quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.
3. If an encouraging thought comes to mind, share it! It may not have the same effect if you wait. Don't let shyness hold you back. Instead, form a new habit: "Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today." (Hebrews 3:13).
4. When you introduce someone, add a few words of praise for the person's abilities, accomplishments, about how they've helped you or about the nature of your relationship. It's encouraging to be praised in front of others.
5. When someone is discouraged or hurting, offer specific, practical help. If you ask, "How can I help?" the person might be at a loss to answer. It's better to ask, "Would it help if I.
(specific action) or say, "I would like to.(specific action)?
6. Remind fellow Christians of the specific promises of God and characteristics of God. We may know something with our mind, but need to be reminded in our heart. The Apostle Peter wrote, "I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have" (2 Peter 1:12).
7. Write someone a note to tell them that you're praying for them. Tell them what you're praying. You can pray specific Scriptures for individuals such as Romans 15:13, "[I pray that] the God of hope [will] fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
8. Make celebration a more regular part of your relationships. Celebrate others' victories, large and small, with a note, with coffee together, with a special meal, a congratulatory phone call or just a high five!
9. Be specific when you offer words of praise; it makes your encouragement more credible and concrete. "You did a great job at.." "I really appreciate that you.." "I was really impressed that you.."
10. Encourage other believers with a reminder of Christ's coming. It redirects our thinking to an eternal perspective and ultimate deliverance from the sin and death. "We who are still alive and are left will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words" (1 Thessalonians 5:17b-18).
11. Realize the power of presence. Just being there is encouraging! When you're with others, you're telling them that they're important. The Apostle Paul closed his letter to the church at Colosse promising to send his friend Tychius, "that he may encourage your hearts" (Colossians 4:8b).
12. If you're part of a church, Bible study or fellowship, be committed to showing up. Your simple presence encourages others that they are part of a community of faith and that they are not alone. That's why the writer of Hebrews says, "Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as we see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25).
13. If someone you know is working on a large project, send her a single flower to encourage her at the beginning of the project, and a full bouquet when it's done.
14. Use encouragement as an outreach. If anyone should be known for being an encourager, it should be the Christian. Write a letter of appreciation to people at work, your apartment manager, your child's teacher or your doctor. Often when we interact with these people, we are asking for their services. Take time just to say thank you!
15. If you really want to encourage someone who gives you excellent service, write a letter of commendation to the person's boss.
16. When you see someone making positive changes in their lives, affirm them. "You seem to have a really great attitude about.." "It may be that I'm just starting to take notice, but I see that you're.." "Do you think that you are becoming more.?"
17. Tell people how they've encouraged you!
18. Walk daily in the power of the Holy Spirit, asking Him to give you what you need to encourage others. Just as it is impossible to live the Christian life in one's own strength, it's also impossible to freely, unselfishly pour out encouragement without the help of the Holy Spirit who is our Encourager.

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Stay Focused!
On July 4, 1952, Florence Chadwick waded into the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island. Her goal? Swim to the California coast. The fog was so thick she could barely see the boats accompanying her. After fifteen hours she gave up, despite her trainer telling her she was close to the coastline. But all she could see was fog, and she quit — only a half-mile from her goal. Later she said, “I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the land, I might have made it.” Two months later, on a day with no fog, she did.
Keeping our “eye on the ball,” as they say in baseball, is the only way to accomplish our goal. When we let our eyes waver to the right or to the left (Proverbs 4:27), we run the risk of losing our focus. If your goal is to become more like Jesus (Romans 8:29), keeping your eyes on Him is the secret. The fog of this world is that which is most likely to obscure our vision of Jesus. We start looking at the creation instead of the Creator (Romans 1:25) and suddenly lose sight of the One who is our goal in life. If you feel like quitting... feel like you have lost your way... feel lost – refocus! Get back in the Word daily and watch the fog disappear.
A goal you can’t see is a goal you’ll never reach. --Dr. David Jeremiah

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It’s Only a Quarter!
Several years ago a preacher moved to Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.
As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, you better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it. Then he thought, “Oh, forget it, it’s only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet.”
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, “Here, you gave me too much change.”
The driver with a smile, replied, “Aren’t you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change.”
When my friend stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, and held on, and said, “O God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.”
Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. --Author Unknown

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The Omnipresence of God By John MacDuff, "The Night Watches"
"Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Where shall I flee from Your presence?" Psalm 139:7
The omnipresence of God! How baffling to any finite comprehension! To think that above us, and around us, and within us--there is Deity--the invisible footprints of an Omniscient, Omnipresent One! "His Eyes are in every place!" On rolling planets--and tiny atoms; on the bright seraph--and the lowly worm; roaming in searching scrutiny through the tracks of immensity--and reading the dark and hidden page of my heart! "All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do!"
O God! shall this Your Omnipresence appall me? No! In my seasons of sadness and sorrow and loneliness--when other comforts and comforters have failed--when, it may be, in the darkness and silence of some midnight hour, in vain I have sought repose--how sweet to think, "My God is here! I am not alone. The Omniscient One, to whom the darkness and the light are both alike--is hovering over my sleepless pillow!" O my Unsetting Sun, it cannot be darkness or loneliness or sadness--where You are. There can be no night to the soul which has been cheered with Your glorious radiance!
"Surely, I am with you always!" How precious, blessed Jesus, is this, Your legacy of parting love! Present with each of Your people until the end of time--ever present, omnipresent. The true "Pillar of cloud" by day--and "Pillar of fire" by night, preceding and encamping by us in every step of our wilderness journey. My soul! think of Him at this moment--as present with every member of the family that He has redeemed with His blood! Yes, and as much present with every individual soul, as if He had none other to care for--but as if that one engrossed all His affection and love!
The Great Builder--surveying every stone and pillar of His spiritual temple; the Great Shepherd--with His eye on every sheep of His fold; the Great High Priest--marking every tear-drop; noting every sorrow; listening to every prayer; knowing the peculiarities of every case: no number perplexing Him--no variety bewildering Him; able to attend to all, and satisfy all, and answer all--myriads drawing hourly from His Treasury--and yet no diminution of that Treasury--ever emptying, and yet ever filling, and always full!
Jesus! Your perpetual and all-pervading presence turns darkness into day! I am not left un-befriended to weather the storms of life--Your hand is from hour to hour piloting my frail vessel. The omnipresence of God--gracious antidote to every earthly sorrow!
"I have set the Lord always before me!" Even now, as night is drawing its curtains around me, be this my closing prayer, 'Blessed Savior! abide with me, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent!' Under the shadowing wings of Your presence and love, "I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me live in safety!" Psalm 4:8

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He Will Lift You Up by Sarah Young, Jesus Calling
My Face is shining upon you, beaming out Peace that transcends understanding. You are surrounded by a sea of problems, but you are face to Face with Me, your Peace.
As long as you focus on Me, you are safe.
If you gaze too long at the myriad problems around you, you will sink under the weight of your burdens. When you start to sink, simply call out, “Help me, Jesus!” and I will lift you up.
The closer you live to Me, the safer you are. Circumstances around you are undulating, and there are treacherous-looking waves in the distance. Fix your eyes on Me, the One who never changes. By the time those waves reach you, they will have shrunk to proportions of My design. I am always beside you, helping you face today’s waves.
Stay close to Me.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:7
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” — Matthew 14:29–30
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. —Hebrews 12:2
Your Turn: How do you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus throughout the day?

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The Likeness of Love by Charles Stanley, Every Day in His Presence
He formed you with profound love
God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him." – Genesis 1:26-27, emphasis added
Have you ever thought about how profoundly God loves you? You could spend a long time considering it and never plumb the depths of how intensely He cares for you. But one thing is sure — pondering His love will transform your life.
Just think about the fact that the Father made you in His own image. This was a purposeful choice – so important it’s repeated four times in the biblical account. He created you with unimaginable potential and unquestionable worth – with the ability to experience Him in a deep, intimate relationship. In fact, He wants to pour His life into you and work through you in astounding, eternal ways. His desire is that when people see you, they are reminded of Him (Matthew 5:16).
So no matter how you feel about yourself, embrace the truth: God loves you, longs to shower His goodness upon you, and calls you His own (Isaiah 43:1).
Lord, thank You for loving me. Help me know You better and understand what it means to reflect Your likeness, amen.
In His presence… realize He formed you with profound love.
Your Turn: Sometimes we need a simple reminder of God's love. Ask Him to give you understanding so you can embrace His love and the unique way He created you.

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Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
In a vision I saw a car stuck in the mud. At first, the driver just sat in the car, but as time passed he realized he needed to do something about his situation. He got out of the car and started walking to get help. And, the LORD says, "Many of you, My people, are currently stuck in a rut. Nothing is going to change until you do something about your situation. Choose to move forward. Ask Me for help, and I will provide it. Seek Me for wisdom and direction and I will give it." Psalms 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

To those who suffer monotony, I tell you the truth that My kingdom is anything but monotonous. However, you will have to give up your mindset that nothing will ever change or be different for you. And, you must stir yourself and awaken to curiosity and a sense of desire before you will rise up in the realm of My Spirit and discover true life. Shake off the bonds of boredom. Seek Me with all your heart, and enter into a glorious adventure with Me, says the Lord. Psalms 38:9 Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You.

Establish yourself in strong faith by believing in Me and believing that I reward those who seek Me. Every difficult situation that you encounter has the potential to strengthen your faith and provide a firm foundation for victory. Know that I am with you to give you wisdom and bring you through, says the Lord. Only believe! James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Some things are just not predictable because of free will and change. In these matters you will just have to wait and see. This is a time when you will be able to learn to let go, stop trying to control, and exercise patience. You can only respond to these situations when you have strong faith that everything will work to your ultimate spiritual benefit, says the Lord. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

It is My desire for you to edify, to build one another up. There is a myriad of ways you can do that, but you must give from a genuine desire to see others receive help and not from wanting to feel better about yourself. Some of you may be able to give financial aid while others may encourage with kindness or help with tasks. Take a step in the right direction by truly caring for your fellow man, says the Lord, and I will reward you in kind. Romans 14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

When circumstances become difficult, and you want to run and hide, run to Me. Find your refuge in Me. Regardless of how tough life gets, I will receive you and comfort you. I will be your port in the storm and will show you what to do about your current dilemma. Come into peace in My presence. Quiet your soul. Know that you are going to be all right, says the Lord, for I am with you. Psalms 61:2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

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The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
I am calling you, My people, to a higher level of living, to a higher place of believing--a place in which you will be trained to rule and reign with Me over the nations, over those things that are to come. So, I encourage you to begin today by ruling over your own life, over your own situations and circumstances. Exercise your kingship today over the arenas that I have placed you in so that your habitations become the habitation of Christ. And, let those habitations become anointed. May it happen today, says the Lord.

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HEARTS FOR CHRIST by Jo Ann Kelly
Have you a heart for the lonely
those who are hurting or rejected?
Do you think of those who are homeless,
aged, despised, or neglected?
Hearts for Christ will love others
with a love which only God can give,
they will care about others, as Christ did,
share the gospel, to give others reason to live.
Jesus was the world's greatest Valentine
for He alone gave His life and great love,
without His supreme sacrifice,
we'd have no way to heaven above.
Hearts for Christ must be humble
we must depend on God's grace every day,
when we see a brother or sister stumble,
we should be willing to help them and pray.
What this world needs most is Jesus
His love and sacrifice will set them free,
People need to hear of salvation,
our Savior died for souls, on Calvary's rugged tree.
Love is the greatest gift of all
and although everything else may fail,
we know the love of God is freely bestowed,
His love shall always and forever prevail.
There is someone who cares, my friend
there is a God who truly loves you
your every burden He will bear,
our Precious Lord will see you through.
So reach out today with love
and let others know someone cares,
As you touch other hearts for Jesus,
you'll find God's love is always faithful and true.

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The Calm After The Storm by Ann Hart Feb. 8, 2005
Into each life some storms come hounding
And some do a damage then leave,
But some storms linger around forever
And some hearts will always grieve.
Into each life some raindrops fall
Ripping you of your pride,
The pain in your heart never heals
And the scars just sneak and hide.
But Jesus told me to ride out my storm
And remember I am not alone,
And He promised there will be victory
For me, when I reach my new home
For now my storm is a heavy storm
But it won't last too long,
For I was told to hold onto Jesus
And He will fill my heart with a song
There will be a calm after the storm
When Jesus is in control,
All the trials of tomorrow will cease
When we reach Heaven that new land of gold.

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"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. 2 Corinthians 10:17-18

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Anyone who is among the living has hope - even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! Ecclesiastes 9:4

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. Psalm 20:6-8

The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matthew 13:22-23

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We Can Have Resurrection Power by Rick Warren, God's Power to Change Your Life
The word power occurs fifty-seven times in the New Testament. It is used to describe the most powerful event that ever happened, an event that separated AD from BC — the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And that resurrection power is available to change your life!
The most important thing in life is knowing Christ and experiencing the power of His resurrection.
Paul writes, I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. - Philippians 3:10
In another letter he tells his readers, I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great His power is to help those who believe Him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in heaven. - Ephesians 1:19-20
Paul uses the Greek word for power, dunamis, which is the root of our word dynamite. So Paul is saying, “God wants to give you dynamite power that can change your life.” Yes, the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead two thousand years ago is available to us right now to transform the weaknesses in our lives into strengths.
God’s Power Will Cancel Our Past
First, resurrection power is the power to cancel our past — our failures, mistakes, sins, and regrets. When I say “cancel,” I’m not talking about denying the past as if it never happened. Cancel means to eliminate, to neutralize, to offset something.
Have you ever gotten halfway through a project and wished you could start over? Suppose you are painting the living room, and you step back and look at the color that seemed perfect on the sample chart. On the wall, however, it doesn’t look so perfect. You wish you could start over.
A lot of people feel that way about life: “I’ve made so many mistakes. I wish I could just wipe them out and start over.” Failures, problems, bad decisions — we have all suffered from them. But some people just can’t seem to let go of the past, and as a result, they let their past limit their present opportunities. They live in a constant state of regret, continually lamenting, “If only I hadn’t done that” or “If only I had made these changes.”
They repeatedly second-guess themselves. And they are tormented by painful memories. “I blew it, and I’m going to be paying for it the rest of my life.”
God says that it is unnecessary for us to go around with a heavy load of guilt, old hurts, and memories of mistakes. In Colossians 2:13-14 He says He has forgiven all our sins and canceled every record of the debt we had to pay. He did it by allowing Christ to be nailed to the cross.
Jesus Christ knows the things we have done wrong, but He did not come to rub them in. He came to rub them out.
He did not come to condemn us; He came to change us.
A clean slate is possible! Think in terms of my son’s Etch A Sketch. If he makes a mess of a design or picture, all he has to do is flip it over to wipe the slate clean; then he can start all over again. The Bible says this is what God does with the mistakes we have made. When we come to Him, He wipes the slate clean.
In Jeremiah 31:34 God says to the Israelites that He “will remember their sins no more.” This has to be one of the most amazing statements in the Bible — that the God who made the world “forgets.” When we come to Him, admit our sins, and ask Him to forgive us, He cancels our past. God chooses to forget our wrongs, our mistakes, our failures. That’s good news! Even if we were to die tonight and stand before God in heaven, we could ask Him about some sin we committed yesterday, and He would say, “What sin?” He has canceled our past and set us free to get on with the present.
Why God Can Cancel Your Past
What is the basis of this forgiveness? When Jesus died, one of His last statements from the cross was,
It is finished. - John 19:30
That phrase consists of just one word in Greek, tetelestai, literally meaning “paid in full, canceled.” It was the word merchants wrote on bills when they were “paid in full,” and it was the word stamped on a document declaring that a prison sentence had been commuted. Jesus says this is what He did on the cross.
He paid the price in full for every sin we have ever committed.
Romans 8:1 tells us, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Jesus was crucified on the cross so that we could stop crucifying ourselves. The question is, if God forgets a sin the moment we confess it, don’t you think we ought to forget it too? How long do you remember a bill you have paid? I forget my bills as soon as I have paid them. I don’t worry about last month’s electric bill. Likewise, since Christ has paid our bill in full, we don’t need to think about it anymore.
Someone has said that when we give God all our mistakes and failures, He throws them into the deepest part of the sea. Then He puts up a sign that says No Fishing. He doesn’t want us to keep dredging up our sins.
Paul says, Forgetting what is behind... I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14
However, we can short-circuit God’s power in our lives by not believing that God has truly forgiven us or by choosing not to forgive ourselves.
God’s power is the power to cancel our past.
Your Turn: Regardless of what you have done in your past, your future has been redeemed because of Christ's sacrifice.

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Teach Me
Teach me, God, so that I might know
The way to change and the way to grow.
Give me the words to ask You how
To handle the here and live in the now.
Tempt me not with the valleys of death,
Give me freedom from fear in every breath.
And though mistakes I make in my daily life,
Deliver me from aiding strife.
Understand me, God, as I am now
And show me the furrows I need to plow.
To reach my goal as a ripening food,
So I might feed others all that is good.
Fill me with energy known as the Power,
Until I come to rest at the midnight hour.
from the book: Twelve Step Prayer Book - Second Edition

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Read Through The Bible
Esther 4
Esther Agrees to Help the Jews
1 When Mordecai learned all that had happened, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter cry. 2 He went as far as the front of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and told her, and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and take his sackcloth away from him, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther called Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and she gave him a command concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why this was. 6 So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the city square that was in front of the king’s gate. 7 And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Shushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go in to the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people. 9 So Hathach returned and told Esther the words of Mordecai. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.” 12 So they told Mordecai Esther’s words. 13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” 17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.

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Dear Lord, I am running the course. I want to be energetic in my response to Your commands. You have set my heart free and I love that I don't get weary as You have promised to replenish me and set my heart free to run the race set before me. To see the finish line and not give up. I love You Lord. I love Your Word. Amen.

Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.

[MajestyJo]

http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible...-to-glory.html

Paul clearly spells out the problem from his own experience in Romans 7. Here Paul writes,

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. (Romans 7:15-21)

[MajestyJo]

http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible...our-heart.html

Perhaps you’ve been told that as a Christian you must learn to “trust in the Lord with all your heart.” But this famous passage from Proverbs 3 contains more than just a general statement about living. Instead, you’ll find the steps you need each day to truly walk with God.

Follow these 7 daily steps to make sure you’re leaning on the Lord:

1. Don’t Depend on You
We live in a world where trust must be earned and seems to be in short supply. But Solomon, the famous king who wrote Proverbs, knew that trust is exactly where we must start:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)
Most of us have faced disappointments, which have taught us that we can only depend upon ourselves. But living the life God has called us to means unlearning that lesson. Instead, we’re meant to rest in God’s understanding.

We may know in our minds that He possesses all wisdom:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans 11:33
But sometimes trusting Him completely like that can be tough. So, each day we must consciously lay aside our own plans and expectations—and surrender to His plans.

What if we don’t feel like we can trust Him like that? That’s where step 2 comes in…

2. Cry out to God
Surrendering to God begins with our lips and our thoughts. We need more than a commitment to depend on Him; we need to cry out to Him to show that dependence.

“in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6)
When we pray, we admit that His ways are higher than ours. We show that we’re leaving our troubles and burdens and dreams in His capable hands. In fact, the Bible promises that when we reach out to Him in prayer, He hears us:

“Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. ” (Psalm 55:17)
We handed the keys of our lives to Him, and we know that He’s able to lead us. But in order for that to work, we have to…

3. Run from Evil
So much in this world can clutter up our relationship with God. John, the writer of the fourth gospel, describes them as the desires of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride in our lives (1 John 2:16). In other words, our blessings can easily become our stumbling blocks when we think of them as what we deserve or what we need to be happy.

Instead, life works best when we remember the true source of our blessings—God—and focus on the things that please Him:

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” (Proverbs 3:7)
Sometimes, the only way to live the life God wants us to live is by separating ourselves from the bad influences that keep dragging us down. That works the best when we start pursuing something else in their place:

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
Is that easy? Not at all. Fleeing from the evil desires that pull at us means spending a lot of time crying out to God and leaning on Him. But our Creator promises to honor our commitment to Him when we shun evil:

“This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:8)
When we pursue Him, we find life—abundant life. Running from evil and pursuing God doesn’t come naturally to most of us. Instead, it means we have to make a serious change:

4. Put God First in Your Life
It’s easiest to put ourselves first. When something good happens, we want to congratulate ourselves with a reward. When something bad happens, we want to console ourselves or find someone to blame. In other words, we often have a “me-centric” starting place.

And when it comes to money, the struggle is even harder. But Solomon, who had quite a bit of wealth himself, knew that his money didn’t belong to him:

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9–10)
If we can trust God with the first of our wealth, we’re truly showing how much we depend on Him. Handing over the first part of our paycheck takes a huge amount of faith, after all. But doing so means being God-centric.

To get there, though, make sure you…

5. Check Yourself by God’s Word
Let’s be honest. We aren’t so good at evaluating ourselves. We will go to great lengths to excuse our behavior, our actions, and our sins. Who needs a defense attorney when we can pretty much find a reason for any bad thing we do? The prophet Jeremiah captures this very well:

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
If we’re ever going to truly trust in God and flee evil, we have to know exactly where we stand. We have to find an objective measure that tells us the truth. And that truth comes from God and His Word.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we’ll always like what we see or how we see it:

“My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke” (Proverbs 3:11)
That’s right. Sometimes it takes something bad happening or seeing ourselves in a bad light before we finally admit that we need to change. And the more we’re in the Bible, the more likely this is to happen.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
When we have Scripture planted firmly in our hearts, God will often use that to deal with us.

6. Listen to the Holy Spirit
When Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the church, He told His disciples that this Counselor would be their spiritual compass or GPS:

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
As we go through our day, this same Holy Spirit guides us, too. That means we don’t have to go it alone or hope we’re getting it right. No, the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and protects us:

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:14)
After all, the gift of the Holy Spirit to us believers reminds us that we can truly…

7. Rest in God’s Love
When we face a difficult world each day, we can sometimes wonder if God even cares. Why do bad things happen? Where is God when I need Him? Solomon reminds us that God never takes a break or leaves us to fend for ourselves:

“because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12)
Even in the midst of turmoil, God sticks with us and uses those challenges to shape us. When we understand that, our perspective completely flips. No longer do we see our setbacks as failures; we see them as moments when God, as our loving Father, works on us.

And that’s exactly why we can trust in the Lord with all our hearts. He cares for us each and every day. He gives us what we need to thrive. He pours blessing after blessing upon us.

Of course, following each of these daily steps isn’t easy. That’s why Jesus said we have to deny ourselves and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). Trusting God takes a whole-hearted commitment from dawn till dusk. But we’re never alone in it:

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

[MajestyJo]

When You Don’t Know What to Do

“We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” - (2 Chronicles 20:12 NLT)

Have you ever faced problems that confronted you with the intolerable, the undeniable, the unthinkable and the impossible? Throughout Hebrew and church history the people of God have often been confronted with these overwhelming realities. Scripture supports the thought that God sometimes not only permits but creates these circumstances (Isaiah 45: 7). According to Isaiah He does this because He wants us to learn that He is our only hope and our only help as we live for Him in this world.
The Word of God teaches that God is our Mentor and He does His most effective mentoring when we are coping with calamities and trials of every possible description. The confession quoted above is proclaiming that the people of God have two problems. They do not know what to do and they do not have the power to do it when they know it.
Scripture tells us God will give us all the wisdom we need when we confess that we do not know what to do (James 1:5). And Scripture teaches that God will give us the power to do what He wants us to do because He is God and He always completes what He begins in us (Philippians 1:6; 2:13).
There are times when it is wrong for us to put God to the test. Then there are times when God invites us to prove Him. God wants to give us the gift of faith. He also wants to give us immeasurable degrees of the grace to overcome the greatest possible obstacles. That’s why He permits and designs calamities or trials that force us to access His all sufficient grace.

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