THE DWELLING PLACE

If you make the Most High your dwelling- even the Lord, who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near you. Psalm 91:9-10

The other day I got to read Psalm 91 but incredibly it was the two verses above that drew my attention. For most of us Psalms 91 speaks volumes. But for me… in a different way God made me see another point: THE DWELLING PLACE and my choice in it either as a permanent residence or an occasional visitor.

You see, when things are going our way, our plans are following into place, our enemies are at peace with us… we tend to stray away from our DWELLING PLACE. We find pleasure in other temporary places which seem to offer the best deals and service. There seems to be no danger around us.

Then trouble strikes! We are bruised and broken. Then we remember…yes, there was a place for hiding. There was a shelter in SOMEONE greater than our troubles. What the Lord wanted me to understand was; as His Child, my home was with and in Him. I am not a guest but a permanent residence in His DWELLING PLACE. But I have to make the choice to stay and enjoy all the benefits that comes with the place.

Maybe like me, you have strayed from THE DWELLING PLACE. COME BACK HOME… the FATHER IS WAITING!!!!

A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no-one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Job 1:8

Think about it. The Lord is holding His morning meetings with His angels. Each has to report back on their earlier assignments on earth, while also waiting to be sent out to their newest. Satan also joins them from time to time….YES, he is the accuser of the brethren. Think about this! God has a very good report… about one particular man: JOB. He has a VOTE OF CONFIDENCE in him.

But Satan has his point to make. He thinks that Job’s loyalty and confidence in God is based on the exclusive protection he enjoys from God. As soon as the hedge is lifted…the enemy has the upperhand. Job is left standing alone EXPOSED. You may think this as tragic but wait until you hear the story.

You see, God’s vote of confidence in Job was not necessary based on Job’s ability to endure all the hardships but rather on GOD’S ABILITY and HIS ABUNDANT GRACE to see him through the trial. In his weakness, God became his strength.

As it was with Job, it still speaks well of you. A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE from God means you have the majority. Paul reminds us this:

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal body.  2 Corinthians 4:7-10

Take courage friend…the vote is for you!

 

THE PROBLEM OF SELF

Do not quench the Holy Spirit. 1 Thesssalonians 5:19

For sometime now, I have been battling these heavy and conflicting thoughts and opinions towards a certain matter. And while from outside, what I feel might seem right, inside there is no comfort in my spirit. For me, there was no way forward. It wasn’t until a few days ago that I finally brought my burden to the Lord. But to my own shock and surprise, He wake me up last night with this words in my mind…. DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

You see, the fact remains….the problem is still there. But the Lord made me understand this, that the problem was not the problem…the problem was ME. Yes… the PROBLEM OF SELF. At one point or another, there comes a time in life when we come at a crossroad…and our greatest obstacle is…. SELF. Self ego and all that comes with it seem to have the loudest opinion in the matter. The Bible clearly says this:  There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Proverbs14:12

Maybe that you? Just like me….God is asking not to push away His Spirit which is deposited in you to safeguard you and watch over your welfare. Its good to be reminded of these words by Paul to the Corinthians;

For our weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Choose well and LIVE!

 

 

 

 

A HEART CENSOR

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 18:14

A censor according to Oxford dictionary is: person authorizedo to examine letters, books and films etc…, and remove or ban anything regarded as harmful.

We live in a fallen world. It doesn’t take you a day or two before you hear that someone somewhere has just put themselves in the spotlight because of the words of their mouth. Yes….the WORDS OF THEIR MOUTH. Most of what is publicized or receives much public attention is when words are overly used or abused.  One wrong sentence or phrase and one’s life is suddenly ruined or permanently damaged.

It is interesting to note that most of us are careless with our words from time to time. And hence,  our greatest efforts to be courteous and civil are always being put to the test. For example, after being married for a while, a couple suddenly begins to be careless with their words. Before long, words that were unthinkable get exchanged in the hit of the moment. Teen children begin talking back to their parents etc.

But the Psalmist did not trust in his own ability to always keep his cool. He needed a HEART CENSOR. He needed the Lord to examine his heart and his words. He allowed the Lord’s full access into his heart’s affairs because he understood that when  God had access then only good could come out from his mouth. If you and I could allow the HEART CENSOR into our hearts today, we will removed all those little and seemingly harmless ways that can still cause much pain and heartache when not dealt with sooner.

Its my prayer that you and I will allow our hearts to go through the test because at the end…there is always a reward for a censored heart!

The tongue has the power of lifeand death, and those who love it will eat of its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

 

THE ONLY GUARANTEE

No-one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. Joshua 1:5

A Guarantee according to my Oxford dictionary is: formal promise to do something or that a thing is of specified quality and durability; thing offered as security.

It is just a little over 2 years when my family up stakes and moved from my husband’s home country, Poland and headed west to England in the UK. The excitement and hope we carried along with us was unprecedented. Of course, we had SOMEONE going before us to prepare the way.  Like Joshua’s time, we had done our homework. We had allowed ourselves to spy on the land we were going to settle in. And the report was all good.

But alas, as soon as we got off the bus…we were all on our own! There was no-one to meet us on the other side. We didn’t know where to start to begin us.  With limited resources in our pockets, we did eventually manage to get accomodation albeit with much difficulties attached to it. The challenge of looking for jobs and with money quickly running out made matters more complicated.

At the back of my mind….there was always the thoughts of GOD….yes, GOD. But…it wasn’t GOD as I had come to know Him. You see, faced with all these challenges, I couldn’t understand why God couldn’t come through when we need Him the most. My Father seemed as if He had failed to keep His word; I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.

But… truth be told. He was there. He was there when I questioned; He was there when my husband got his first job…and 2 months later, I joined him. He was there when we moved into our first house on our own; He was there when dad fell ill and later went to be with the Lord a couple of months later. He was there when I doubted His ability to deliver and above all… He was there to meet me on the OTHER END.

As a child of God, I now realised that His GUARANTEE does not cover me  from pain, death, lack, destruction and all kinds of adversity. His ONLY GUARANTEE is a continual everlasting presence from the beginning, in-between and at the end of whatever life brings my way. Read Romans 8:35-39 and be encouraged.

He is a covenant keeping God!

REOPEN THE WELLS

Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them. Genesis 26:18t

For the longest time now, I have been thinking about getting back into the blogging world. But the excuses kept on mounting.  For starter, I didn’t feel adequate enough to continue from where I had stopped. To be fair….life had changed quite dramatically ever since we moved from Poland over 2 years ago to come and settle here in England. The challenges, the tears, the doubts and the small but all the same, victories along the way…added into the sense of insecurity I had become accustomed to in this difficult time of transition.

However, of late, the Holy Spirit has been quietly stirring this desire in my heart to go out and start REOPENING MY FATHER’S WELLS. Like Isaac, I understand the importance of taking the baton from my father’s hand and doing my part to make the contents of the well fully known. The well stands for life, peace, rest, security and all things eternal. JESUS has gave you and me the well and its contents. Its yours and mine for the taking

Not that I have already obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 2:12  

I will trust the Lord as I step out in faith and pick up my shove to reopen the wells. I know its not going to be easy or smoothsailing. The Lord is my helper, my refuge and the lifter of my head. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me… and so can YOU.

 

 

 

 

 

WISDOM FOR SEEKERS

Let all who are simple come in here! she says to those who lack judgment. Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will LIVE; walk in the way of understanding. Proverbs 9:4-6

Last Sunday as I sat in church listening to the preacher, I heard the Lord put these words into my heart; SEEK ME.  Of course I knew exactly what He was asking of me. For a long while I have allowed my ways to be simple. I have allowed the ways of the world to dictate to me, to define me, to lure me into conforming to their way of thinking and doing things.

To my simple heart the Lord spoke once again…. SEEK ME. You need food… MY ETERNAL WORD,  You need drink…MY SPIRIT. I have to make a choice to leave my simple ways….and make another choice to walk in the way of understanding. You and I are invited to join the club of WISDOM FOR SEEKERS….and yes….YOU and I will LIVE.

Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to your towns.   Jeremiah 31:21

 

 

 

 

THOSE ANXIOUS THOUGHTS

Psalms 139:23-24 Search me , O God and know my heart: test me and know MY ANXIOUS THOUGHTS. See if there is any offensive way in me; and lead me in the way everlasting.

We all experience ANXIOUS THOUGHTS from time to time…if not most of the time. In the world we live in, we have been so accustomed to hearing negative and most often the pessimistic point of view that we have come to accept this as the norm. It is normal to think about the future…and of course plan forward. But of late, the Lord has been reminding me of the simple principle…TODAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN. Yes…those ANXIOUS THOUGHTS, long hours of sleepless nights will not and cannot change a thing.

As a baby Christian, it was easier to let go of those anxious thought…and trust MY DADDY for today. But as time pass by, as a mature Christian… I take charge of many things and like the foolish Galatians…I start mixing my faith with works. I feel the need to help God with my tomorrow. And hence….THOSE ANXIOUS THOUGHTS. Maybe that’s you. Maybe….like me you need to have BABY THOUGHTS but A MATURE HEART.  God wants us to have peace. To rest assured that the sky will always be blue, the water will always be colourless and yes…GOD WILL ALWAYS BE FAITHFUL to meet us in our tomorrow.

Friend…let THOSE ANXIOUS THOUGHTS rest!