Sunday, April 24, 2016

IN HIS PRESENCE: A Motivation to Keep Praying!

When all around me is in total chaos and fearful thoughts betray the faith that I know I have in God;  I can think of only one place to run and find sweet relief...In His Presence! 

My Sisters, have you been there?  Overwhelmed, discouraged, and confused. Tired of praying to God for a change in your circumstances but seeing none. Tired of the one-sided sacrifice.  Tired of the endless days of joylessness!  Tired of the preaching.  Tired of the same old platitudes of well meaning Saints who assure you that, weeping endures only for a night.....But never telling you how to make it through that ONE night!!   JUST PLAIN TIRED AND READY TO GIVE UP!  

Do me a favor...before you throw in the proverbial towel, find a quiet place, take 10 deep breaths, clear your mind, click the arrow on the video above, listen with your heart to this short song by Sandy Patti. (If you have trouble activating the video, paste this link into your browser:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKbCJJ3fcE0 )

Afterwards, pray a fresh prayer of surrender...placing all your concerns in God's capable hands.  Reinforce your thoughts with the promises He gives in His word...read one of the  passages below each day.  REFOCUS, REFLECT, REPOSITION YOURSELF....In the Presence of Your Heavenly Father!!

IN HIS PRESENCE THERE IS.....

  • Power  - (Psalms 68:8; 97:5; 114:7)
  • Courage - (Exodus 33:15)
  • A Time of Refreshing - (Acts 3:19-20)
  • Fullness of joy; pleasures evermore - (Psalms 16:11; I Thess. 2:19)
  • Glory and honor -( I Chron. 16:27)
  • Protection -( Psalms  17:2; 2 Chron. 20:9)
  • Rest - (Ex. 33;14; Mat. 11:28-30)
  • Grace - (Heb. 4:16) 
  • Healing - (Isaiah 63:9)
CONFIDENCE, ASSURANCE, CLEANSING, HOPE, AND ENCOURAGEMENT, AND MORE WAITS FOR YOU !!!(Hebrews 10:19-25)

KEEP PRAYING, KEEP FAITHING THROUGH IT...COME INTO HIS PRESENCE TODAY!!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

If you would like to leave a comment please send an email to: sisters4sisters@att.net OR  scroll to the bottom of my blog page at  http://alittlewiser63.blogspot.com  click on the  no comments by the pencil and it will change to a writing space.


Monday, April 11, 2016

A NATION UNDER DIVINE JUDGEMENT?

Judges 21:25
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 

Wow! seems like a million years since I had to recite this pledge in grade school.  We were taught it meant one thing back then but it sure has a different meaning now!

In theory it sounds very patriotic evoking sentiments that inspired lyrics found in songs like... America the Beautiful and  The National Anthem.  Words like home of the brave, land of the free.  Yet, in practice we have fallen, far, far short of that ideology.

First of all, , which god are you referring to? It's anybody's guess any more.  I thought I knew until the move to take the Ten commandments (a visual reminder of Jehovah's moral and civic laws) off the premises of public schools, government buildings and other public places.  I guess doing so did make room for those metal detectors, in-house police, and security cameras that catch teachers and students, having sex with each other and the underaged! 

This pledge assumes that we are a people unified over important things affecting our country.  Things like national security; the widening economic gap between the rich and poor; the rise of crime, violence and drug use; our failing education system, and the constant threat of a government unable to pay their bills in this wealthy country of ours each year!  We are more divided than ever...not just politically, but socially and morally!

I'm not a political pundit by any means, but like that Turbo Tax, commercial  says...you don't have to be a genius...to know our country is in trouble!!  Big  Trouble!!!

It's got me wondering if we might not be a country under Divine Judgement!!!  It's not the first time this has crossed my mind, but it really hit me when I read the book of Judges, as part of my  Reading through the Bible In A Year  plan.   I know the book well, but chapter 19,  A Levite and His Concubine, shook me to my spiritual core!!!  You could not miss the parallels of the moral and political conditions of  the nation Israel and our country!

I purposely will not recount the story here....I want you to read it for yourself. ( For those of you who like a little edge to your reading, put down your sexual thriller and read this instead!)
Then come back if you will and examine these points of similarities between the two nations:
  • A nation in the throes of  moral failure: sexual perversions, and exploitation in the name of personal desires and assumed rights (Romans 1:26-28). 
  •  A nation with a growing indifference to human suffering of the innocent, who have no voice in the matter (Judges 19: 24-26).
  • Factions and schism existed between governing bodies of the nation. Political and social infighting leading to the point of possible civil warring.
  • Prevailing attitude of acceptance or apathy as it involves violence against women 
  • Lack of integrity in leadership both secular and religious. Would rather  side with infidelity than defend righteousness.  Everyone doing what is right in their own eyes. Having personal or political agendas (Judges 21:25)
There are so many more examples but this gives you a general idea.  After reading from this book one must ask the question:  How much longer can we survive as a nation before we reach the end of God's Grace?  I pray that Our Nation will come to their senses soon! Don't you?


Hebrews 10:26-39The Message (MSG)

26-31 If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned, all we’ve been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.” Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe me.
UNTIL NEXT TIME...

If you would like to leave a comment please send an email to: sisters4sisters@att.net OR  scroll to the bottom of my blog page at  http://alittlewiser63.blogspot.com  click on the  no comments by the pencil and it will change to a writing space.