Just Pray

May30

Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
James 5:13 NASB

Every person who has ever lived has suffered. It could be the everyday struggle to just make ends meet or as devastating as living life without a treasured love one. Troubles looming over us at every turn.

Our suffering, troubles, anguish have a purpose. It teaches us our need for our Sovereign God. It brings Him glory as we let Him lead the way. When we pray we ask God to intervene in, be a part of, our life. In turn we bless Him when we cheerfully sing His praise.

🌹Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”
Psalms 50:15 NASB

Thank You God for hearing my prayers, seeing me through hard times, and restoring me to the joy of You, Lord. I sing praises to Your name and glory be to You, Sovereign God. Amen.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

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Unconfessed Sin

May29

I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.
Psalms 32:5‭-‬6 NASB

Sin separates our fellowship with God.
Unconfessed sin makes us vulnerable to the troubles and evils of this world. Therefore let us, who are godly, confess our sin to the Lord while He can be found. Acknowledge our sin as soon as possible so the flood of troubles, temptation, fiery darts of the evil one will not reach us.

🌹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Times of Refreshing

May26

I came across a testimony I had written back in October of 2020. It was a sweet reminder of what an awesome God we have.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the day to day, the “old grind”, as some have called it, that we forget to notice God. We look inward at all the things going wrong around us and in us. We begin to become self-focused and then comes the “pity party”.

What are we to do then, face to face with our sin of self-focus? When our dependence and focus is on ourselves, we need to confess before God, ask forgiveness, and also ask God to help stop this pity party. Then, listen, accept the forgiveness and wait.

I have found that when I mess up big time and confess, God blesses.

I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
Psalms 32:5 NASB

How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
Psalms 32:2 NASB

🌹Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 3:19 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

TRUST, Simply Trust

May25

but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in the word of truth, in the power of God;
2 Corinthians 6:4‭, ‬7a NASB

Sometimes life is hard. There are times when discerning the Spirit is near to impossible. The weight of the world is pressing down on our life and we wonder, where is God? It is in these times when we just need to  trust. TRUST. . .
Trust that God is faithful.
Trust that if we are His —
He will never leave us nor forsake us.
He loves us.
He has a plan.
God is always at work in us sanctifying our soul.

Do you trust God?

🌹And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalms 9:10 NASB

Pray these verses:

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Psalms 55:22 NASB

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 NASB

Commit your works to the Lord And your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 NASB

Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
Psalms 37:5 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Holy Spirit Power

May24

and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:4‭-‬5 NASB

When speaking to others about God, we don’t need to rely on “churchy words”, make ourselves sound righteous, or use persuasive words. We simply need to rely upon the power of the Holy Spirit in us and His work in them. God will move a person to faith in Him by His power, not by our wisdom.

🌹For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.
1 Corinthians 4:20 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Vessel of Light

May23

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;
2 Corinthians 4:6‭-‬7‭ NASB

🌹God, thank you for filling this dark vessel with Your glorious Light. Shine Your Light through the broken pieces of this vessel to others around me. I am humbled by the surpassing greatness of Your everlasting power that resides in me. Help me not to waste opportunities to shine the Light of the knowledge of Your glory God in the face of Christ. In the name of Jesus and for His glory, amen.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Jesus, Sustainer

May22

Sustain: to keep (a person, the mind, the spirits, etc.) from giving way, as under trial or affliction.

But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. I was crying to the Lord with my voice, And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.
I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.
Psalms 3:3‭-‬5 NASB

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Psalms 55:22 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Decisions

May19

Warning: this is a long one.

Testimony:
I know you have been there, where you are faced with a circumstance you don’t know how to handle. In your carnal (fleshly) mind you think of a quick, rash decision. But . . . God.

Recently I was faced with a circumstance that made me angry. It brought me to tears. I cried out to the Lord for help. The next few events happened without my really being aware until I looked back over my day and saw the trail of guidance my Lord left for me.

I received a phone call asking for assistance if I could. I did. This godly, prayer warrior woman, without her even knowing, revealed that I needed to persevere. I needed to continue to pray, pray, pray. I needed to trust the Lord.

Before and after this encounter I had received a few texts from another friend regarding scripture references from a Bible Study she attended. It is here where God moved in a miraculous way and I can admit I am so glad that I am human and in the hands of my Lord.

I was given Psalm 53:7-12
This is not what I looked up and read, but this is:

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53:7‭-‬12 NASB

Not Psalm but Isaiah. My Lord Jesus faced life oppressed and afflicted and didn’t open His mouth. He had a mission to fulfill no matter the cost. Who am I to expect a perfect life when the perfect One suffered?

Oops, or was it really? It wasn’t Psalm 53, but 52:7-12 and again I was looking in Isaiah.

How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, They shout joyfully together; For they will see with their own eyes When the Lord restores Zion. Break forth, shout joyfully together, You waste places of Jerusalem; For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God. Depart, depart, go out from there, Touch nothing unclean; Go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves, You who carry the vessels of the Lord. But you will not go out in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Isaiah 52:7‭-‬12 NASB

God has made a way! He reigns! He will comfort! I am redeemed! Salvation is mine! Victory is coming!!

Again, another change. God at work. Psalm 51:10-12 but I read, again, Isaiah.

Was it not You who dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; Who made the depths of the sea a pathway For the redeemed to cross over? So the ransomed of the Lord will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away. “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies And of the son of man who is made like grass, That you have forgotten the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth, That you fear continually all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, As he makes ready to destroy? But where is the fury of the oppressor?
Isaiah 51:10‭-‬13 NASB

Praise God, I have something to look forward to, hope. My God is mightier than any circumstance so I will persevere until His return or He takes me home.

God’s word is so amazing and I would not want to neglect the Psalms that were sent to me. God is an amazing, wonderful, loving, caring God who is always a prayer away.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
Psalms 51:10‭-‬12 NASB

🌹“Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire.” But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. I will give You thanks forever, because You have done it, And I will wait on Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your godly ones. Psalms 52:7‭-‬9 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Undeserved Grace

May18

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear (revere) Him.
Psalms 103:10‭-‬11

God, I am humbled when I am faced with your grace. When I consider Your holiness in view of my sin I am ashamed. But God . . . You have not given me the punishment I deserve. Your lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For Your compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. I give glory to Your name, God, for Your mercy and grace. Amen
Lamentations 3:22‭-‬23/Psalms 36:5/Psalms 36:7 NASB

🌹I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever; To all generations I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth.
Psalms 89:1 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

True Reverence

May17

And if you call upon Him as [your] Father Who judges each one impartially according to what he does, [then] you should conduct yourselves with true reverence throughout the time of your temporary residence [on the earth, whether long or short].

You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold,

But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot.

It is true that He was chosen and  foreordained (destined and foreknown for it) before the foundation of the world, but He was brought out to public view (made manifest) in these last days (at the end of the times) for the sake of you.

Through Him you believe in (adhere to, rely on) God, Who raised Him up from the dead and gave Him honor and glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.

1 Peter 1:17-21 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

Am I walking through this life with true reverence for God?
Is my life fruitful?
Do I recognize that my life has been purchased with the precious blood of Christ?
Is my faith and hope centered and resting in God?

🌹Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.
Psalms 26:2 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon