The Great Intercessor

Don't you just have some situations that you just don't know how to pray over? I think we all have. And that's is okay, because our sweet savior knows our hearts and he loves us. We can however, continue to come before his presence with thanksgiving in our hearts and give him praise!

So when our hearts are broken, or we feel confused and alone, we can still trust Jesus because he loves us and he is always, always interceding for us!


Hebrews 7:24-25 NLT But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

Romans 8:26-27 NLT And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

I Peter 5:7 NLT Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Psalms 95:2 NLT

Mourning for the Believer

As believers of Jesus Christ we mourn for our brothers and sisters in a different way.
We know that we know we will see our loved one again, and yet we do not know how long that may be. We remember the happy times, the special moments and they may even bring us tears. But we have the hope of heaven and that brings us comfort.

However, even as believers we must allow ourselves time to grieve and adjust. No one touches our hearts in quite the same way. Their presence is no longer on the earth as it is in the presence of the Lord, and we surely feel their absence. But the Father is with us in our faith. We can cry on the Father's breast and in His loving arms.


I Thessalonians: NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died, so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.

2 Corinthians 5:8

We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.   Ps. 116:15 NLT The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.   Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 ;4 NLT For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven

A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Sunshine- Sonshine

February 12, 2014

What a beautiful morning!  The sun is shining brilliantly on the snow and it is brighter than a sunny, summer day. It does my heart good.

 

But I wonder, could there be a spiritual parallel? As believers we are children of the light. We don’t belong in the darkness.

 

I am hearing a lot of people say they are ready for their sandals. And maybe that is another parallel. If folks want to air out their feet and warm them in the sun, perhaps that is an indication that as children of the light we need to have the Light of the world direct our path.

 

When we are outside in the sunshine we can't truly escape it.  If we stand in the shade the sunshine is still everywhere. We can still see it, even if we have our sunglasses on. That too is a parallel. Jesus is always with us. We are never alone.

 

Prayer: Father help me to remember that you are with me in every single moment of every single day. Help me to remember to acknowledge your presence with praise and prayer. And as I do, I thank you for directing me and helping me to make wise choices and walk in joyous fellowship with you. Amen

 

Psalms 139:1-18

 

1 For the choir director: A psalm of David. O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away. 3 You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. 4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. 5 You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know! 7 I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. 9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. 11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night -- 12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you. 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous -- and how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! 18 I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!            

 

 

 

 

 

Unnecessary Strife: Thermometer or Thermostat?

 

Unfortunately strife is a part of our lives.  It may be because of our own behavior or due to the behavior of others. But the good news is we can by the power of the Lord turn it away.  We can deflect it.

Strife is defined as:  vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism, a quarrel, struggle, or clash

 

 

Sometimes we cause it by having to have the last word in and proving our point. We insist that our way is the only way. Sometimes we are the brunt of it because someone else’s doing.  Maybe we just had to have the last word.  I know there have been times I have!

 

Proverbs 16:28 NLT gives us some insight to this.  A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.  And Proverbs 10:19 gives another reason for strife: Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

We can have strife at home, at work and in any relationship. When we have strife in any area it is most important that we look for any source of it. Sometimes we carry it with us because we have strife at home. Sometimes we carry strife home because we have it at work. 

 

The good thing is we can turn it around.  I have seen it happen.  As believers in Christ I believe we are to be more like thermostats than thermometers.  Here is why I think that. James 1:18 says this:  Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  And   Proverbs 15:1 says that a soft word turns away anger but harsh words stir up anger. Proverbs 3:5 NLT Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:6 NIV in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

 

So the next time you find yourself in a stressful situation that is loaded with strife, take a breath and whisper a prayer. Don’t lean on your own wisdom, trust in the Lord. Be quick to listen and slow to speak.  Keep quiet until you can answer softly and kindly.  And you will find that strife ceases and peace will prevail.  Be aware though, this takes patience and practice.  Don’t get discouraged.  God’s not finished with us yet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love Never Fails

I think we have all been through struggles with different people. Let's face it some folks are easier to love than others.  But Jesus instructs us to "love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use" us. And we may think, "Well, that's not fair!" But Jesus says that if we love only those who love us what good are we. Even sinners do the same thing, but our righteousness must exceed that.*

You may ask, "How do I 'love' my enemies?" Well we can start by taking a look at I Corinthians 13:1-3. 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

We can do a lot of good things. Even do what we think of as "the Lord's work." But if it isn't done in love it is worthless.

 

I Cor. 13:4-8 Gives us the real meanings of love.  Love is patient and kind, it's not envious or boastful or proud. Love is not easily provoked; (to anger), it is not selfish or self-centered. Love hardly even notices when others do it wrong.  Love is not rude. Love never gives up, it never loses faith and it always hopeful.  Love never fails.

 

Love is an action word.  It is not an easy thing to do. We even have issues at home. Right? But never the less, love is the only way to get through those battles in victory.

 

I will try to elaborate more tomorrow.

 

*Matthew 5:46-47