Blessed be your name

Habakkuk 3:17-18

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

 

 Philippians 4:11-13

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Feeling challenged today to focus on God and praise him, regardless of how I feel or how I am doing with my mind and my health. He remains the same and deserves to be praised. Whether I am ill or whether I am healthy, I wish to praise the Lord every day. Regardless of how I am, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Isaiah 26:4

Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord we have an everlasting rock.

Deuteronomy 33

The eternal God is your refuge,
    and underneath you are the everlasting arms;
He will drive out the enemy before you,
    and will say, “Destroy them.”

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord, O my soul!

² While I live I will praise the Lord;
    I will sing praises unto my God while I have my life.
³ Do not put your trust in princes,
    nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
⁴ His breath leaves him, and he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.

⁵ Blessed is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
    whose hope is in the Lord his God,
⁶ who made heaven, and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
    who keeps faithfulness forever,
⁷ who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord releases the prisoners.
⁸     The Lord opens the eyes of the blind;
the Lord raises those who are brought down;

He’s my Dad…

At the risk of sounding repetitive…there are some things that I am mulling over quite a bit at the moment, as they sink deeper into my being. One of these is the concept of being adopted as a child of God, with all that that means. I think I have said before how easily we get used to saying “Father God” but I certainly am not sure I have allowed God to be the Father he wants to be to me, not fully, not the way he longs to.

Romans 8:15
‘The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”‘

That is exactly what Jesus calls God….we are given that same privilege to call him the same, for him to be our Father in the same way….

‘”Abba, Father,” Jesus said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” ‘Mark 14:36. He emptied himself completely, so that we could call out Abba Father too.

‘”I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty.’ 2 Cor 6:18

Wow…..What does it mean for my identity to really be changed in that way? Not just in theory, in language, but in reality, spirit and truth….what does it look like for me to allow him to be my Father in the way he wants to? Can I take on more of the adoption rights of this family! I’m not being fostered….I’m adopted! That is for life, changes my identity, I am HIs child forever…loved extravagantly….accepted completely… What a difference that could make. Teach me Father how to be your child!

Reaching for the Bible

‘Arise cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord.’ Lamentations 2:19.

‘Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.’ Isaiah 33:2.

‘Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people when they pray towards this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.’ 1Kings 8:30.

‘But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.’ Psalm 19:12.

‘ For the sake of your name Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.’ Psalm 25:11.

Fighting back with the Bible

‘Who is a God like you, who pardons sins and forgives the transgressions of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.’ Micah 7:8.

‘Help us, O God our Saviour, for the glory of your name. Deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.’ Psalm 79:9.

‘But with you there is forgiveness so that we can, with reverence, serve you.’ Psalm 130:4.

‘I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.’ Jeremiah 33:8.

‘Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay…’ Daniel 9:19.

Lamentations 3:19-24

I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is his faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:19-24

Psalm 103 (Message version)

O my soul, bless God.
From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless God,
don’t forget a single blessing!

3-5 He forgives your sins—every one.
He heals your diseases—every one.
He redeems you from hell—saves your life!
He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown.
He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal.
He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.

6-18 God makes everything come out right;
he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.
Men and women don’t live very long;
like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always,
eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
as they follow his Covenant ways
and remember to do whatever he said.

19-22 God has set his throne in heaven;
he rules over us all. He’s the King!
So bless God, you angels,
ready and able to fly at his bidding,
quick to hear and do what he says.
Bless God, all you armies of angels,
alert to respond to whatever he wills.
Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are—
everything and everyone made by God.

And you, O my soul, bless God!

Keep on through the storms

I can be quite up and down, having moments when I really struggle, others when I really have lots of faith and then I feel so ashamed of the moments when I struggle. I often find that things I read really affect me. I can be greatly impacted by encouraging (and discouraging!) things. Might as well make the most of the positive side of that double edged sword!

“And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” Galatians 6:9 

I need to keep going and not give up! I will reap the benefits if I do that! Take back everything that has been taken, one step at a time.  Come on!!! What can I learn through this? How can I best approach this in a positive way?

I read in a devotional by Greg Laurie, “Breakfast with Jesus”, (highly recommended) he talks about 3 different types of storms that come in life: Correcting storms, protecting storms and perfecting storms. A correcting storm, would be a storm in life as a result of disobedience, intended to put you back on the right path- like Jonah faced when he disobeyed God. But as soon as he learnt from his mistakes  and repented, the storm stopped. A protecting storm are there for some reason to shield us from something far worse. For example, Abraham was sent into a storm to sacrifice his son, (or so he thought, he didn’t actually have to in the end.) This was to prevent him from making an idol of his son, that was the danger there and God stopped that happening, though it must have been difficult for Abraham in the process it was for his good and he came out of it better, trusting God more etc. A Perfecting storm would be one like Joseph went through. God used hardship to develop Joseph into a real man of God. He could turn to those who had hurt him and say, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

I’m not too sure what sort of storm I find myself in….but in essence I’m not sure if it matters, interesting as I found that. The real point for me right now is that there is a purpose in the storm beyond what I can see and I can trust God through it. He has told me I am going to come out of it better off, so I MUST NOT DOUBT THAT, not even for a moment. I am safer with him through any storm, than I am without him in the calmest situation.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:2