Tag Archive | glory

Are You Prepared?

Aug24

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” — Isaiah 6:8

Are you prepared to go? If not, why not?

Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. — Matthew 9:37

There will come a time when the harvest will be over.  “Harvest is past, summer is ended, And we are not saved.” — Jeremiah 8:20

The world needs salvation.

How can you prepare to go? Open the Bible. Read. Pray for understanding and wisdom. Pray for a heart that sees the lost. Pray for a mouth that speaks truth. Pray for a willing heart.

What you put in your mind and heart from Bible study and prayer will come out for the betterment of mankind and the glory of God. Fill your mind and heart with the love of God. Walk with Jesus and let Him transform you into a willing soul ready to go.

 

Continually seeking Him, 

Sharon

Anticipation

Aug22

Have you experienced being called by God to do something and you are so excited and are confident that things are moving forward toward that goal God has placed on your heart? Well about a month ago God rekindled in my heart a vision I had about 3 years ago. I have prayed, planned and waited on God’s go ahead. When God is ready to use you it is so exciting, scary, exhilarating, challenging all at once. But God doesn’t just drop a plan in your lap and expect you to fulfill His plan alone. No, He continues to walk with you revealing His plan as you trust in Him.

Last night I had some young women over to my house to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. Now this plan had been moving forward for a month now and I kept praying that God would use me for His glory and that I was not going to expect anything but would anticipate that God would do something this night. As of Wednesday I had confirmed that 3 women would be coming. I continued to trust the Lord that even if it was just those 3 that God had a plan for them.

Wednesday morning He sent me this scripture passage via a text that is sent to me each morning:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” — Luke 4:18-19

What affirmation that Jesus is with me and still fulfilling His purpose through me. Jesus came to preach the gospel, release the captives, free the oppressed and He is still doing it through His followers. Seeing and reading this passage encouraged me so much. I heard God telling me that Jesus would be with me and through me He would continue what He started many, many years ago.

Then yesterday’s scripture was:

You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. — John 15:16

I took full advantage of this verse believing that God has chosen me to share the gospel with these young ladies and I was bound and determined not to let my Lord down. I would bear fruit, fruit that would remain. I prayed some more for these ladies and the night. God leads through scripture. God encourages through scripture. And through prayer He used me last night to His glory. He blessed me with a very receptive group of women. That group totaled 7 of us. Is my God not amazing?

Seven women. Anticipating His greatness and work He blessed me. Of those 6 beautiful women, all participated in the activities and listened intently to what I shared. Best of all . . . they all want to come back next month. I am overjoyed at the work of the Lord through this imperfect person He calls His child.

I can’t wait until next month to see what He has planned. I will wait in anticipation of His work. No expectations, just anticipation. God is awesome and I am blessed. Thank you Lord for using me.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

God Really Cares

Aug21

casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. — 1 Peter 5:7

What are you worried about? What in your life is causing you anxiety? Do you know that God cares for you and that you can take anything and everything to Him in prayer?

God is Sovereign which means He is in control of all things and knows what is happening in your life. If God is in control of your life, that means you can trust Him. Who else can you trust with every aspect of your life? God says He can and He will. If we trust Him than it is a sin to worry/have anxiety. Our faith is weak when we worry. Why are you carrying the burden of worry when the Lord is waiting to hear about all that makes you anxious? He cares for you.

Okay, lets say that we are good at taking our worries and anxieties of life to God and spilling it all out to Him. That is wonderful. But do we take it back or leave it in His capable hands, trusting Him to see us through and give us direction? Take each specific worry or anxiety to God telling Him all about it. After each specific statement tell Him you trust Him to take care of that which is worrying or causing anxiety in you. Then trust Him for the outcome knowing He cares for you. To God be the glory in your life as you cast ALL your anxiety and worry on Him. He really cares for you.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith. The beginning of faith is the end of anxiety” — George Muller
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength” — Corrie ten Boom

B.I.B.L.E.

Aug19

With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. — Psalm 73:24
For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death. — Psalm 48:14

God’s counsel is for all of life. He has not left us to flounder in this world without Him. It is His character to guide us. What comfort it is to know that He loves us, desires us to trust Him as He guides us, and will not stop guiding us until death when we are ushered into glory.

Remember that God’s word is truth. Those times when you feel like life is overwhelming and you have no direction, cling to God’s promises. His counsel is what guides. Where do we find His counsel? In the Holy Word of God, the Word of Truth, the Bible. God has a wealth of information, counsel, guidance right at our fingertips. What is stopping you from receiving His counsel? Seek Him today and know the counsel of our Lord to guide you until death.

One of my sons has an acronym for Bible:
Basic
Instruction
Before
Leaving
Earth.
I thought it fit for this devotional.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

How About You?

Aug16

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? (Some messages read see the face of God) — Psalms 42:2

I don’t know about you but I am so looking forward to seeing the face of God, standing before Him, seeing His glory. All fear gone, all hope fulfilled, O glorious day! There is only One living God and my soul thirsts for Him. My soul is quenched by reading His word and spending time in prayer with Him. But then I get thirsty again. I need the thirst quenching words of God daily. How about you?

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Make Me A Servant

Aug12

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Matthew 20:26-28

Jesus changed the world by His radical teachings. Jesus came to serve. This was as contrary in Biblical times as it is today with so many people looking out for number one, themselves. “It’s all about me” mentality is the norm today. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. . . hmmm.

If Jesus is our example how are we to be in the world today? Servants to all — to those who say thank you for your kindness and those who don’t. Those who you think deserve it and those who don’t. Those who are lovable and those who aren’t. Our deep love and gratitude to the Lord God should fill our hearts with the desire to serve.

Our servant-hood in the world can make a change in those around us — those observing how we tend to others and those to whom we attend. Serving not for attention, acknowledgement or reward but for the glory of God and the changing of hearts toward God. And no good deed goes unnoticed by our heavenly Father. For He will make you great and first, exalting you for His glory. Jesus was exalted by the Father as He humbly served to the point that He gave His life for many!!! God was glorified and Jesus as well.

Lord, make me a servant I pray
Guide my feet in your way
As I serve others today
May they see Your glory
And follow You. Amen

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Keep Seeking

Aug11

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. — Colossians 3:1-4

“IF you have been raised up with Christ”, keep seeking, keep seeking . . .
Being in Christ is more than just having the security of heaven eternal. It is a responsibility. We must keep seeking and setting our minds on the things above, “not on the things that are on earth”. What profit is there of the things on earth when they all will be nothing when Christ returns? And compared to the light of His glory they are nothing now.

“And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

Seek Him daily in Bible Study and prayer.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Step By Step

Aug8

Now the Lord said to Abram,

“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing; — Genesis 12:1-2

Four days a week I walk four miles in the morning. On two of those days I take a very long path down hill at the beginning of my walk and, you guessed it, I have a very long hill to climb at the end of my walk. That can be pretty taxing the last quarter mile of your walk.

The other day my walking partner and I took that particular route walking a total of five miles and it was a chore to get up that hill. I thought I was going to pass out and for the next two days, thank the Lord it was the weekend, I paid a price with a very painful hip. That is not why I am writing this. On this particular day I looked up the hill desiring the top to come but it seemed so far off. It was as if the top kept creeping away the more I walked. It was grueling trying to keep my eyes on the top of the hill and realizing I still had so far to go to get to the top.

The following Tuesday I took that route again but when I got to the end I didn’t look up the hill. I focused on my feet and each step I took. As I went along I kept focused on the moment and enjoyed each step. By the time I looked up I had conquered most of the hill and so the short distance left was not much of a challenge.

As I thought about the difference in these two days my mind wandered off to how God gives us instruction as we need it. With Abram it was go. Abram under the direction of the Lord set out to “the land which I will show you”. How is that for direction? All Abram was told was to “go forth from your country and from your father’s house”. All Abram had was the Word of God and a promise. How’s that for trust? One step. One step of faith. Trust in the One God.

God directs our steps, path, each day. We only see a portion of the picture He is painting of our lives. I think that is a good thing. If we actually saw some of the things God has planned for us I think we would turn tail and run down the hill. On the other hand sometimes we long so much for what God wants us to do that we tend to not notice each step along the way. We miss out. God is building us into His perfect child one step at a time. Each step draws us closer to the fulfillment of His plan. Let us not forget to enjoy the journey. Trust each step to the Almighty. The reward is still waiting when we get there but let us not regret the steps it takes to reach it.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Be Careful Little Eyes

Aug6

For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, — Romans 8:5-6

Remember the children’s song “Be Careful Little Eyes”? As I read this verse today this song came to mind. I have often wondered why this song is considered a children’s song.

For those who may not know the song:

Be careful little eyes what you see
Be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little eyes what you see.

Be careful little ears what you hear
Be careful little ears what you hear
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little ears what you hear.

Be careful little feet where you go
Be careful little feet where you go
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little feet where you go.

Are not the things we as adults put into our minds as important as what children’s minds are exposed to? If we are honest with ourselves we would do so much better if we read, watched, listened to and went places that were not in contrast to God’s Word. What we fill our minds with will effect where our feet walk, what comes out of our mouths and our actions.

A few years back when my children were young, (okay, more than a few years back), I removed offensive movies from my house. I stood on the belief that if it wasn’t good enough for my kids to see, it wasn’t good enough for me to see. Since then I have wandered from that but was quite convicted today when I read this verse. Am I being careful what I feed my mind? What am I watching on T.V.? What am I reading? Would I be doing these things if Jesus were standing or sitting right next to me in the flesh? Hmmm. I wonder.

If I am to be obedient to God’s Word and bring Him glory through my life, then I need to be careful what I see, hear and where I walk.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. — Philippians 4:8

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

Worship In Holy Array

Jul27

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him; Worship the Lord in holy array. — 1 Chronicles 16:29/Psalm 29:2

What do you bring to the Lord on Sunday (or your day of congregational worship)? Is your offering of worship an offering of praise? A fruitful offering?

God wants us to worship in holy array. Is “holy array” your physical appearance or is it a heart ready to worship in spirit and truth? Is your offering a fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?*

God does not see as man sees for God looks at the heart, a heart that has been circumcised. You can come to church all dressed up and looking good but what does your heart look like? Put aside the flesh and worship as you have never worshiped before. Worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus. Totally surrender to the Spirit of truth with a heart full of the fruit of the Spirit.

Continually seeking Him,

Sharon

 

 

But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. — Leviticus 19:24

*Galatians 5:22-23

for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, — Philippians 3:3

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7

God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” — John 4:24