Archive | September 2015

Good Times/Bad Times

Sep17

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; — Genesis 45:4-8a

God always has a plan. In good times and bad. Joseph had some good and bad in his life but he always stayed faithful, loving the Lord.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. — Romans 8:28

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Feast Or Famine

Sep16

It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do. Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land. So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe. — Genesis 41:28-31

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Joseph’s Bad Rap

Sep15

His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. — Genesis 37:4

When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. — Genesis 37:18

Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own  flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. — Genesis 37:27

Now in Egypt.

Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned. So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail. — Genesis 39:19-20

So here is Joseph, the adored son of Jacob, facing the jealousy of his ten brothers, and the wiles of his master’s wife. From what I could tell he was respectable, a good Jewish boy, a follower of God. So why all the struggles? Because life is hard.

I admire Joseph and have always loved his story. He doesn’t handle obstacles, misfortune, struggles like most would. Look at his brothers and Potipher’s wife when they faced issues in their lives. Joseph faced them with God. How are you facing life’s issues? We should follow Joseph’s example and solely lean on God. He sees the big picture as you would see if you read the whole story of Joseph’s life.

The choice is yours.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

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You Are Loved

Sep14

!!!!!Jesus loves you!!!!!

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. — John 15:13

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Choose To Worship And Praise

Sep13

“All the earth will worship You,
And will sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name.” Selah.  — Psalm 66:4

It is inevitable that all, every knee, shall bow in worship and sing praises to God. What are you waiting for? Worship Him today at a church near you.

We have a free will to worship now. Better to prepare now to worship with a pure, willing, joyful, open heart than a heart of fear when you find yourself before the mighty, awesome, holy, pure God who you never took the time to freely worship.

The choice is yours but don’t deprive yourself of the privilege to worship Him today with others who believe in the only true God through His precious, loving Son, and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Perseverance Has It’s Reward

Sep12

These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had not been for me, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, so He rendered judgment last night.” — Genesis 31:41-42

20 years Jacob put up with Laban’s oppression and scheming ways. I believe he did it for the love of his family. He wanted them well taken care of. He was looking out for their welfare.

How long would you endure with a self-seeking, oppressive, unfair boss just to ensure the well-being of your family? Sometimes we are quick to run, give up when treated unfairly.

God blessed Jacob with a large family and great wealth to care for that family. When God said it was time to return to the land of his father he went.

Perseverance has it’s reward. Thank God that Jesus persevered on the cross for us. Thank God that we are well taken care of by the blood of the Lamb and that one day we will reunited in the homeland of our Father.

Persevere to the end because perseverance has it’s reward.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

 

911

Sep11

Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.
Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit.
You love evil more than good,
Falsehood more than speaking what is right. Selah.
You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.

But God will break you down forever;
He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent,
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.
The righteous will see and fear,
And will laugh at him, saying,
“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. — Psalm 52

On this, the 14th anniversary of the World Trade Center bombing, let us remember that God is still on His throne. Trust in the lovingkindness of God and of great importance — thank Him. The ungodly will not prevail. God has a plan.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Broken And Contrite Heart

Sep10

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.
Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

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.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.
For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

— Psalm 51:1-17

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

— Psalm 34:18

Continually seeking Him,

         Sharon

Isaac and Rebekah’s Prayers

Sep9

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why then am I this way?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. — Genesis 25:21-22

Two phrases here stood out to me this morning, “Isaac prayed on behalf of his wife” and “She went to inquire of the Lord”.

In this self-centered, self-focused world it is refreshing to read how a husband prayed for the desire of his wife, according to God’s will (that man should procreate).

And I find it so true to life that sometimes when we get what we desire it isn’t always pleasant or as we expected. As is the case with Rebekah. But don’t miss this. Where did she go in her distress? To inquire of the Lord.

Today we are so quick to pray for ourselves and our desires, for things of this world instead of for the ways or purpose of God. When was the last time you prayed sincerely for your significant other (spouse, fiance, boy or girl friend)? Or your parent, sibling, mother-in-law? Do we even know their spiritual desires or needs?

When was the last time you went to God first with your distress, worries, problems? Or is your significant other, best friend, co-worker, therapist, etc. the first one you run to?

We have an all knowing, all loving God who would love to hear from us on a daily basis. Even a minute by minute basis sharing our burdens, desires, requests for His will in our lives as well as in the lives of others.

Who do you know that needs your prayers today?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Eyes Wide Open

Sep8

Abraham’s wife and her maid, the mother of Abraham’s son Ishmael, did not always get along (to say the least). Sarah finally said, enough is enough, and went to Abraham to have her and Ishmael sent away. In great distress, but in obedience to God, Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away.

So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba.

When the water in the skin was used up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “Do not let me see the boy die.” And she sat opposite him, and  lifted up her voice and wept. God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” Then God  opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink. — Genesis 21:14-19

Have you been there? I’m sure you have because life is not always kind. You are at the end of your rope, as Hagar is, and so you just distance yourself from the ones you love and focus on the situation before you. Have we forgotten the promises of God as Hagar did?

Moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” The angel of the Lord said to her further,

“Behold, you are with child,
And you will bear a son;
And you shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.

“He will be a wild donkey of a man,
His hand will be against everyone,
And everyone’s hand will be against him;
And he will live to the east of all his brothers.” — Genesis 16:10-12

God made His presence know and when she was reminded her eyes were open to God’s provision.

Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.

Our focus needs to be on God so we can see His provision. His way. His purpose. Seek Him through His Word where His promises will encourage us, strengthen us and lead us for our good and His glory. And when our focus shifts, we must seek Him in prayer to return our hearts to Him.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon