Archives

Evil is Good and Good is Evil

Sep22

You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him? “In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?” Malachi 2:17 NASB

So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.'” Malachi 3:15 NASB

Unfolding before our very eyes. The day of the Lord is near. What are we to do?

Consecrate a fast, Proclaim a solemn assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land To the house of the Lord your God, And cry out to the Lord. Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, And it will come as destruction from the Almighty. Joel 1:14‭-‬15 NASB

🌹Cry out to the Lord!!!

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Name of God

Sep21

For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations,                      Malachi 1:11a NASB

If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.  Malachi 2:2‭ NASB

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;                       1 Peter 2:9 NASB

“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. Malachi 2:2‭, ‬5‭-‬7 NASB

God takes His name seriously and your role in the priesthood of the saints. We are His possession for the proclaiming of His excellencies.

How do we do this? By speaking truth from our lips, which comes by the reading and study of God’s word and walking with Him in peace and uprightness. We are the messengers of God to turn many back from iniquity, sin.

You can’t help but stand in awe of His name when walking intimately with God. And you can’t help but speak His truth when when you do.

🌹Do you stand in awe of His name?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Is

Sep18

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
Zechariah 4:6b NASB

“But by My Spirit”

“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin;”
Isaiah 30:1 NASB

“but not of My Spirit,”

“Thus says the Lord, “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the Lord.”
Jeremiah 17:5 NASB

We make plans. We put our trust in alliances that are not of God. We trust in our own intellect, our own weak strengths. But did not God give us His Spirit to teach, guide, protect, strengthen by His power and might? Our hearts are turned away when we trust in anything or anyone other than the Lord Himself.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord.”
Jeremiah 17:7 NASB

Not only trusting IN Him but whose trust IS Him.

Is: be: continuous action

🌹 Is your life demonstrating that God IS your trust?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Abundant Mercy

Sep16

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
Isaiah 55:1a NASB

“Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David.
Isaiah 55:3 NASB

Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:6‭-‬7 NASB

God of abundance. Abundant mercy to still be reaching down, calling our hearts back to Him. Abundant mercy He desires to pour out on His children.

Now is the time to seek the Lord, while He may be found. Today may be the day when time runs out for you. Don’t delay. Come experience God’s abundant love, grace and mercy.

🌹 Praise God for His abundant mercy. Who do you know that needs to hear?

Seek or Forsake

Sep15

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty.
Ezra 8:21‭-‬23 NASB

Then we journeyed from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was over us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way.
Ezra 8:31 NASB

Is the God you trust in stronger than earthly troops and horsemen?

Ezra and the people with him made a bold statement to the king regarding their God.

“The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.”

They backed those words up by seeking the Lord and His protection. And God in His faithfulness protected them.

How big is your God? Is He big enough to conquer your fears and worries? Do you trust Him enough that you are at peace in fearful situations? Do you seek His protection against the evil around you? Do you love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? I hope that you know the mighty, powerful, BIG God who conquers sin and delivers His own. Are you His?

🌹 Seek the Lord and His strength. Seek His face continually.
Psalm 105:4

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Disciple

Sep14

And they spent a long time with the disciples. Acts 14:28 NASB

From the moment we are born we begin to learn. Learn to eat, walk, talk, etc.

Disciple: A student, learner.

Within 2 years of a child’s life, he learns all the basics that over time are fine tuned. Christians are the same way. For years we have prayed, hoped, and got excited about people coming to know the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Many have come to that decision and yet our churches are dwindling in numbers. Why?

Could it be that we have left these Christian babies to fend for themselves? We introduce them to the Savior and then expect them to survive in a hostile world with satan who seeks to devour them. They need instruction. They need to be mentored by a mature Christian who can show them the ropes.

Discipling someone is taking the time (long time) to mentor them in how to seek the Lord, teaching them the spiritual disciplines, encouraging them in their walk, listening, answering their questions, being their friend. It costs to disciple. It cost Jesus His life so that we may be discipled by the Holy Spirit. He discipled 12 who could carry on.

🌹Can we disciple one? Is there someone in your life you could disciple? Would you pray for someone that you could disciple? The answer may not come right away, but God has someone for you to disciple or He would not have commanded us to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Extraordinary Spirit

Sep10

Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom. Then the commissioners and satraps began trying to find a ground of accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; but they could find no ground of accusation or evidence of corruption, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption was to be found in him. Then these men said, “We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.”
Daniel 6:3‭-‬5 NASB

“We will not find any ground of accusation against this Daniel unless we find it against him with regard to the law of his God.”

Today’s religion is often taken lightly in the sin department. “God is a forgiving God.” “Jesus died for my sins – past, present and future.” Although these are true it is so much more.

We tend to think that a little lie is okay, talking about others, or speeding over 5 is alright. But sin is sin. No such thing as a little sin versus a big sin. Sin is disobedience against God.

Here Daniel was displaying himself as a child of God who wanted to bring honor and glory to his God. He was obedient to God which overflowed into his personal life.

🌹O that we walked in such a way that there would not be found any negligence or corruption in us. That we would display an extraordinary Spirit. The Spirit of God Himself in us for all the world to see.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Life as Usual

Sep9

Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.
Daniel 6:10 NASB

Do we allow situations in life dictate our walk with God?

Daniel spent time with the Lord three specific times a day – bowing in humble thanks. A decree came down that any man who bowed down to anyone besides the king himself would be thrown in the lion’s den. Daniel’s choice was God over anyone else and any situation. His priority was God.

🌹How about you? Is God above all others and every situation in your life? Is He your priority? Are you God-centered? Is your life “as usual” no matter what is going on around you?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

The Writing on The Wall

Sep8

but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; . . . and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and all your ways, you have not glorified.
Daniel 5:23 NASB

King Belshazzar saw the writing on the wall and that night his life was taken. He had gone too far defaming the name of God.

He trusted in his own ability and ways. He was secure in his own fun and games with absolutely no regard to the things of God.

🌹Is God glorified in your life? Are you aware that He is your very life-breath and all your ways?

🌹Don’t wait until you see the writing on your wall. Turn to God (repent) and seek His forgiveness, truth and way. Let Him breathe new life into you for His glory.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

You Are My Everything

Sep8

I am nothing without You.
You are . . .

My Justice
My Eternity
My Savior
My Unity
My Sustainer

My Compassion
My Holiness
My Righteousness
My Inspiration
My Shepherd
My Truth

None of these do I possess but by Your love and righteousness.

Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
John 5:19 NASB

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NASB

If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
John 9:33 NASB

🌹Who is Jesus Christ in you?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon