Tag Archive | God

For His Namesake

Aug25

The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy.
2 Chronicles 36:15‭-‬16 NASB

God warns before punishment. Why? Because He has great compassion on His people. But there comes a point when enough is enough.

and the Lord has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people sinned against the Lord and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you. Jeremiah 40:3 NASB

Remedy:

For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me,” declares the Lord.'” Jeremiah 39:18 NASB

The world is going through some scary, hard, uncertain times. But God. . . It is all about Him. Until we confess, trust and realize all things happen for His namesake we will continue to live in fear and uncertainty.

Then you will know that I am the Lord when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.'”
Ezekiel 20:44 NASB

He is the way, the truth, the life. It is all about Him. We have the awesome privilege to walk and work along side THE Almighty God, but He will not force Himself upon us. The choice is ours.

🌹Does your life demonstrate the fact that life is all about God? All for His namesake?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

His Eternal Covenant

Aug24

“Thus says the Lord , ‘If you can break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers.”
Jeremiah 33:20-‬21 NASB

What a promise! Thank God we can’t change night and day. We would be foolish enough to try. Just as we can’t change God. He is the same today, tomorrow and forever. Thank God for His Son, Jesus, who reigns forever.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 NASB

🌹 Thank God for His new covenant in Christ.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

For Debbie B.

Aug21

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord And whose trust is the Lord. “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.                     Jeremiah 17:7‭-‬8 NASB

Sometimes we have to face the heat of unexpected, unwanted circumstances. Fear can grip us, immobilize, and draw us to a dark place.

But God. . . Jesus. Light of the world who makes the darkness light. He is Almighty God. He knows us intimately. Our every hurt, fear, joys, ups, downs – our every thought, our very soul. He knows us better than we know ourselves.

That is why we can trust Him. That is why trusting Him is peace for the soul. Dig deep into the sweet water of His word, flowing with wisdom, peace, the revelation of God Himself.

As we trust God, especially in the heat, we can be fruitful. Peace beyond the world’s understanding shines the Light for others to see God as we trust in Him.

🌹 Trust and obey.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

No Other

Aug19

The Lord has made known His salvation;
He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations. Psalm 98:2

Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” Acts 17:30‭-‬31 NASB

“Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation” 2 Corinthians 6:2b NASB

“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:22 NASB

🌹 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:8 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Light

Aug11

“No longer will you have the sun for light by day, Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, And your God for your glory. Isaiah 60:19 NASB

As a kid do you remember chasing your shadow or trying to run from it? Or watching your children at play chasing or running from their shadow?

We watch daily the sun moving and setting to bring darkness upon the earth with just the moon for light at night.

But one day, as children of God, we will experience a day when all darkness will vanish because all we have is the light of our God forever in eternity.

This verse is still pertinent in the here and now in the light of salvation. Jesus is the light of the world. Today. Now. We have no need to chase our shadows, or fear the darkness that seems to envelope us when in the mighty presence of the Lord all darkness and shadows disappear.

Turn to the Light and let Jesus conquer the shadows and deep darkness within you. Let His light shine so bright that it dispels the shadows of those around you.

🌹 Be a light to the world.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17 NASB

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Our Abode

Aug10

“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”. . . Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.”              John 14:21‭, ‬23 NASB

What wonderful words, “We (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) will come to him (me) and make Our (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) abode (residence; dwelling; habitation; home) with him (me).

God making His dwelling place, His residence, His home in us. Wow!!!

BUT. . . there is a stipulation. If we love Him.

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15 NASB

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”           1 John 5:3 NASB

“And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.”                           2 John 1:6 NASB

We must be obedient to God. How can we be obedient to Him if we don’t know how? He makes Himself and His will known in His word. We have to open the word of God and read it under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Every chance you get to read and apply God’s word will open the door for His appearance in your life.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”                      Revelation 3:20 NASB

Feast upon His word and hold fast to the promises He gives us.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.”                        John 8:51 NASB

The word opens the door to the presence of God indwelling in you. Obedience to God’s word brings promise and the love of God that will overflow to the world around you as they see you walking in His commandments.

Strive for the perfection that can only be found in God.

“but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”
1 John 2:5‭-‬6 NASB

🌹Walk as Jesus walked.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

What Are You Professing?

Aug6

They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.         Titus 1:16 NASB

What are people in the world seeing in you? Do they see themselves? Living life in discontent, fear, greed, selfishness, pride, disobedience?

Or do they see Jesus? Contentment, peace, godliness, righteousness, giving, loving, mercy, grace, obedience – the qualities of Christ living, abiding in you?

Is God’s word planted in your heart? Is He your constant companion? Are you fully aware of His presence throughout your day? Are you clothed in His righteousness? Obedient at all cost to His will, His plan, His purpose?

The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 1 John 2:4 NASB

A sure gauge, plumbline to assess ourselves. Jesus is the Truth. If He is abiding in you then obedience to God will be evident. The Holy Spirit enables us to be obedient to His word, His commandments, His will and His purpose.

Without Him we are nothing, able to do nothing. With Christ in us we are able to be content whatever the situation, be fearless in the unknown because we are secure in the One who knows all and able to be obedient.

🌹 Are others seeing Jesus in you?

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Everlasting Rock

Jul31

Who is among you that fears the Lord, That obeys the voice of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. Isaiah 50:10 NASB

The darkness of the world is all around us. People are living in fear and uncertainty. This environment can cause the one who fears the Lord, that obeys Jesus, is a child of God, to walk in darkness and fear just as the world fears. What is the answer?

“trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.”

Long for the presence of the Lord. Seek Him diligently. Learn God’s righteousness. Experience His sovereignty.

At night my soul longs for You,
Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently;
For when the earth experiences Your judgments
The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. Isaiah 26:9

God is at work. Let Him fulfill His will.

I will go away and return to My place
Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me. Hosea 5:15

Prayer:

“God, You are my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For You, Lord God, are my strength and song, And You have become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2

🌹Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the  Lord, we have an everlasting Rock. Isaiah 26:4

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Not My Fault

Jul29

Yet you said, ‘I am innocent; Surely His anger is turned away from me.’ Behold, I will enter into judgment with you Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’ Jeremiah 2:35 NASB

Isn’t that our first inclination, to put blame elsewhere? God’s judgement upon the world is not “my fault”. And yet the decline in morality, salvation, growing churches, is not because of disobedient believers, is it?

Let us lie down in our shame, and let our humiliation cover us; for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day. And we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.” Jeremiah 3:25 NASB

Did God not instruct all believers to go make disciples?

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19‭-‬20 NASB

Could it be our disobedience to God that we see the world in mass chaos?

“For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know.”
Jeremiah 4:22 NASB

Where does your mind wander when you look at the turmoil around you? Does your mind turn toward your own self preservation so that you will do whatever it takes, including evil, ungodly action for yourself? Or is your spirit stirred within you to turn toward God where you will find true preservation?

What is the solution?

Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem, That you may be saved. How long will your wicked thoughts Lodge within you? Jeremiah 4:14 NASB

My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart! My heart is pounding in me; I cannot be silent, Because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war. Jeremiah 4:19 NASB

Are you listening?

O Lord , do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent.
Jeremiah 5:3 NASB

Are you ready to turn back to God and follow Him in obedience?

🌹Repentance is necessary for restoration.

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon

Words Of My Mouth

Jul22

Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, And in whose ways they were not willing to walk, And whose law they did not obey? So He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he paid no attention.
Isaiah 42:24‭-‬25 NASB

Because lawlessness is increased,  most people’s love will grow cold. Matthew 24:12

God does not take lawlessness lightly. He has called His saints to be holy. He has called His saints to be upright, obeying the law. He has called us to be light to the darkness of the world. He has called us to freedom in Him.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  Galatians 5:13

My heart is so heavily burdened with the response of “God’s people” to the events happening in the world today. We are so self focused, worried about ourselves and the injustices we see all around us. Making known our own opinions about what is right in our own eyes. Taking our freedom of speech so far as to bring dishonor to God’s name.

I believe God is using the events of today to call His people back to Him. To repent of our sin, the greatest of which is:

But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Revelation 2:4

🌹Repent. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your words to bring life to the unsaved and glory to God.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon