He Spoke & Listened Well

“And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly hand them over to you.” (2 Samuel 5:19)

19 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly hand them over to you.” 20 So David came to Baal-perazim, and he defeated them there, and said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” (2 Samuel 5:19-20 AMP)

King David may have had mishaps where he went against the Lord and sinned greatly and he may have not laid down the law with his sons, yet God Almighty said that David was a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). What made the Lord say so? Well David had feared the Lord and cared for His anointed even though the king was his enemy mirroring the Lords compassion and lovingkindness and holding God in the place of utmost respect and worshipping Him with awe and reverence.

In these verses from 2 Samuel 5:19-20 we see David asking the Lord what his next moves should be and we see the Lord blessing David with deliverance from his enemies as David says, “like a breakthrough of water.” Two things we can learn from king David is to seek the Lord with all that we have before we make a decision and when we need direction. I know for myself that it can be easy to run to other people for advice because they will most likely provide us with their answer right away and we have trouble waiting on the Lord. In this instance God answers David right away and the beauty of God is that sometimes He answers us too immediately, however we are to still wait on His answer even when it seems long in the arrival. It’s important to remember that Gods timing is ALWAYS perfect and right on time and that surely when we

1. Listen

2. Hear

3. Agree & Accept

THEN,

4. Act

surely victory will come. But let us not also forget that the victory is the Lords! (Proverbs 21:31, 2 Chronicles 20:15, 1 Corinthians 15:57)

May you ask the Lord for His guidance today FIRST and FOREMOST in all things relying on Him and having faith in His faithful and sovereign answer even when you have to wait on Him to reply. May He give you the victory over your enemies when it’s time and may you give Him all the glory, the honor, and the praise when it comes. In Jesus name. Amen.

Let us pray:

Lord, king David always inquired as to what You would like him to do and what would be the outcome of a situation. He had faith in You for the answer You provided him and he knew the victory was Yours. Because of his trust and faithfulness You delivered David from the hands of his enemies. Lord, this day please give me a heart of David to seek You FIRST and Your direction in all things, to hear You and to listen, to heed and to respond, to act and then to offer praise up to You as You deliver me from harm. Increase my faithfulness in You O God for even in this I am reliant on Your help. Thank You Lord for Your leading by the power and the presence of Your Holy Spirit. Please guide my way today all to Your honor and glory. In Jesus name I pray, and thank You for the victory. Amen.

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On The Narrow Way

Lord keep me on the narrow

I am like an arrow, wavering with the wind

But Lord I know You will and that

You can Keep me on the narrow

Where the waves, aren’t rushing in

The wrong way is a broad and crowded road,

I depend on You to keep me on the narrow

I can already see You there, carrying my load

With nail holes in Your palms

With a spear gash in Your side

I know You will never steer me wrong,

Your wounds, have never left me dry

I see You and I know, my time has, now arrived

You are holding out for me a crown of glory

I have gained the prize

You have been faithful

For You are able to lead Your sheep to pasture

You have set my feet in the narrow way

Knowing it was all, that I was after

Lead me on Lord though I have strayed,

I see the brighter day

The Lord leading me on to the narrow,

He has my arrow pointed straight.

Heaven’s Scent

“for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
(Romans 14:8)

The sunrise in my eyes in the evening, is caused by, His love alone.

The heat wave in my heart in winter, is because within His Spirit, I’m always home.

When we dance mornings in tangible joy through, until the afternoon,

The world gets caught on fire, ruby red, as a roses fair spring bloom.

My eyes are jungle rainstorms: quiet, peaceful, warm and lush.

With life breathed in, from the happiness of His presence, and the comfort of His touch.

Dynasties of devotion are footprint paths; His sheep walk within His steps.

We kneel down praying in the aroma, of His sweet love’s heaven scent

My Times are in His hands

I don’t know of tomorrow

In Your hands are my times

You ask me, why worry

When it doesn’t add a day

To my life

We came from the dust

To dust I’ll return

Your word says,

To be at a funeral, is better

This much I have learned

For when at a party we think,

Not much of our end

But wisdom is found,

In the memories,

That we’ve left

O Lord my God

Tender and true

Help me to seize opportunity

To serve others and You

For the day is evil

Serving others serves You

As I trust in Your name

Knowing You shall,

Pull me through

We came from the dust

To dust I’ll return

I trust not in princes

Nor in the life Of a man

Keep me and take me

My life is counted as loss

I surrender my desires

Suffering in Your death on the cross

May I lose my hold on the world

As You send me to do

My times all in Your hands

Trusting in You.

Precious Promises

Are you afraid? There is a promise from Jesus of peace.

“May peace be with you; my peace I give to you: I give it not as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled; let it be without fear.” (John 14:27)

Are you depressed? There is a promise from Jesus of rest.

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Are you mourning over your sins? There is a promise from Jesus of comfort.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

Are you troubled by troubles? Trust in the Holy Spirit to solve them.

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26)

Are you troubled or burdened by something and in need of prayer? Let me know and I will pray for you. God bless you. Amen.

Blessed Rest in the Blood of The Lamb

“And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” (Revelation 5:6)

Blessed rest in Your blood, covering me, in the winter

Blessed rest in Your blood, like silk, flowing upon me in summer

Blessed rest in Your blood, a color more beautiful, than changing leaves in the fall

Blessed rest in Your blood, which in spring, is falling in love after all

Resting in You Lord makes my heart a new song,

Resting in the sweet scent of Your love that carries, me along

How sweet how pure is the joy found in the compassion, of Your eyes

Eyes that burn with truth, and the heavenly skies

I am not worthy, yet I am chosen

Mysteries, of the divine, and no one can solve them

You made a world for us so organized, and complex

You show Your existence in the stars,

Putting our hearts to the test.

The question is this: who will we serve with all nerve?

The World who rejects or Your Son sent to serve?

The question is as follows: who do we believe?

The world or Your Son whose blood did achieve:

An everlasting relationship to You our Father, through His death on the cross

Everlasting life and power, through His resurrection:

Your Son, by whose blood we are bought?

Blessed rest in His blood,

Now we can rest,

On the promise of Your word,

In Him who knows best

Blessed rest in His blood,

That has come to save,

Through His blood,

Which has the authority,

To still every wave

Blessed blood,

Blessed rest,

More beauty than seasons,

He has loved us more than the best,

Almost, without reason.

Blessed blood.

Blessed blood.

Blessed rest.

Blessed rest.

He has loved us much more,

Than even the best.

Shove Me Into Love

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

Loving is sometimes a hard task and a most difficult command from our Savior, yet He never makes one command without promising His love and His power to guide and pull us through. We were made for relationship. The entire bible points us to the love of God in Christ Jesus. When we read the bible with a heart of willingness to see and to learn the love of God we become better able to share His love with someone else. In doing so we become doers of His word. We will find that His word becomes alive to us when we become more than hearers, seeking to make disciples rather than just be one.

Love can lead us into tricky and vulnerable places but when we hold on to God we also can say with Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) Love is never easy and yet it never fails and is always beautiful. We can learn many things from one another and although it can feel like we are shoved into it by God we must remember dear brothers and sisters that He loved us so much that He paid the price for us with His very blood. Our appreciation and true worship is found when we love others. After all that’s how the world will know that we are His disciples.

So who can you love today? Accept the shove, engage in the love, and He will be pleased. When facing difficulty in loving someone drop down to your knees recalling to mind your dependency on Him. The world needs you and you were made for a purpose. So encourage, uplift, and persist in loving others.

“Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:8)

Shove me into love

Help me to love Lord as You do,

And I will be Yours always,

Just show me what to do

People out there are crying

As people close to them are dying

Others are sick and wounded

Water beds made, from, flooded tears

People crippled in pain

Minds, tormenting them, throughout the years

So many ask where are You, in all this?

So many seek for answers

Lord they have a need to know, where You are in all of it.

But I have seen Your beauty in the radiance of the sun

I have felt Your peace invade me, when I was on the run

My struggles are a threshold, that You pull me through

So even in the thick of it, all I see is You

Lord if I can feel Your eyes from heaven, looking down on me

Please help me feel Your love and share it,

So others might be free

Lord I’m certain You have saved me, so I might come to look, more and more like You

But Father if that’s true and I believe it, I need Your help, please

Show me what to do

Shove me into love Lord

Until it hurts my arms, with every hug

Shove me into love Lord

As in love, You drained out,

Your very blood

You say I can do faith, I can do prophecy, but all is nothing without love

So show me how to love so much

That the world may see Your love.

Themes Change

Prior to my becoming a Christian I was a love sick puppy chasing after love in all of the wrong places. The theme of my life was a repetition on my tongue and in mind, “I will die for love.” Perhaps you have never voiced your yearning quite as I did but we are all searching for love in someone or something.

The theme of my life is still very much the same, only now the meaning is different. I have learned that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) and I now know that the maker of the heaven and the earth loved me so much that He sent His Only Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. How awesome is that? Someone died for me so much that He didn’t allow me to die in His place but took the punishment I deserved before a Holy God and placed it upon Himself! So today my “I would die for love.” translates to “I would die for God.” because of His having loved me so much, because of His dying for me, because of my belief in what He did 2,000 years ago on the cross. I love Him because He first loved me (1 John 4:19). Oh how sweet it is to know Him. Amen.

“And He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

Lord we thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Only begotten Son Jesus Christ to submit to the punishment and to pay the penalty for our sins. We thank You for loving us so much that even while we were rebellious against You, You chose to make a way to restore our relationship with You once and for all time. Lord I will die daily for You and if it comes to it for me to die one day forever for my faith I would do so. Lord help me to be able and ready to die daily for You and to pick up my cross and follow You knowing that as I do I am not left alone for You are always with me. This life is a struggle Lord and You never promised that it would be easy but You did make the promise that You would be with me always even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Thank You Lord for all the times that You have proven yourself so faithful. Lord I want to know You better this day, teach me Your way, show me Your Salvation, and lead me on the way everlasting. In Jesus name. Amen.

Come Our Lord! Our Lord is Coming!

“So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:28)

Maranatha! Maranatha!

I say, O Lord, Come

To free Your children,

To heal the sick,

To share the, victory, that You’ve won

Maranatha! Maranatha!

Lord come from the sky, in the clouds

Maranatha! Maranatha!

Your people wait,

For You to come down.

Maranatha! Maranatha!

We cry now, out loud

Maranatha! Maranatha!

In hope for Your return

To come down.

Maranatha!

Sharing, of Your love

Maranatha! Maranatha!

With power sounding aloud, from above

With confident hope we wait, for Your return

With ears and eyes open, with hearts that have burned

On fire for Your second coming,

From Your Word we have learned.

We arise in the morning,

In the night praying, in our beds

Eagerly waiting for our Lord

Who many, have left, for dead.

But we know the mystery of heaven

That You left revealed,

A resurrection revealed now, through us:

Our Savior is real!