Weekly Spiritual Meditations - 2/6

[bluidkiti]

"Until we have learned to be satisfied with fellowship with God, until he is our rock and our fortress, we will be restless with our place in the world." - Erwin W. Lutzer

No matter who you are or what your life has been like so far, the rest of your life’s journey can be different. With God’s

help you can begin again. --Billy Graham

The work which His goodness began, the arm of His strength will complete. – Augustus Toplady

God's investment in us is so great He could not possibly abandon us. --Erwin W. Lutzer

Mark it down, things do not "just happen." Ours is not a random, whistle-in-the-dark universe. There is a God-arranged plan for this world of ours, which includes a specific plan for you. And through every ordinary day and every extraordinary moment, there is a God who constantly seeks you. --Charles Swindoll

God puts His ear so closely down to your lips that He can hear your faintest whisper. It is not God away off up yonder; it is God away down here, close up—so close up that when you pray to Him, it is more a kiss than a whisper. --Thomas DeWitt Talmadge

May not a single moment of my life be spent outside the light, love and joy of God's presence and not a moment without the entire surrender of myself as a vessel for Him to fill full of His Spirit and His love. --Andrew Murray

************************************************** *********

Fixers by Sally I. Kennedy
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
I am into fixing things. If something breaks, get out the scotch tape, superglue, or bandages. I come from a long line of fixers. We all knew my dad could fix anything, from a picture frame that fell apart to a table leg that had broken. All you had to do was take it to him and you knew he would get it fixed and back to you.
My husband is a fixer, too. Our granddaughter says emphatically, when something like a flat tire on her bike needs fixing, or a splinter in her finger, “Go to PopPop. He can fix that.”
There are some things we just cannot fix, though, no matter how hard we try. We cannot fix broken hearts. That is a real tough one, but not too hard for our God.
Luke 1:37 tells us, “nothing is impossible with God”. The Lord himself said, “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26)
When we take our broken hearts to the healer, the One who created our hearts, we can have them fixed. The only real fix for a broken heart is the Lord….His mercy, His kindness, His gentleness, and most of all His loving presence. He is not only the ultimate creator, He is the ultimate fixer.

************************************************** *********

One day a woodcutter took his grandson into the forest for his first experience in selecting and cutting oak trees. These they would later sell to the boat builders. As they walked along, the woodcutter explained that the purpose of each tree is contained in its natural shape: some are straight for planks, some have the proper curves for the ribs of a boat, and some are tall for masts. The woodcutter told his grandson that by paying attention to the details of each tree, and with experience in recognizing these characteristics, someday he too might become the woodcutter of the forest.
A little way into the forest, the grandson saw an old oak tree that had never been cut. The boy asked his grandfather if he could cut it down because it was useless for boat building - there were no straight limbs, the trunk was short and gnarled, and the curves were going the wrong way. "We could cut it down for firewood," the grandson said. "At least then it will be of some use to us." The woodcutter replied that for now they should be about their work cutting the proper trees for the boat builders; maybe later they could return to the old oak tree.
After a few hours of cutting the huge trees, the grandson grew tired and asked if they could stop for a rest in some cool shade. The woodcutter took his grandson over to the old oak tree, where they rested against its trunk in the cool shade beneath its twisted limbs.
After they had rested a while, the woodcutter explained to his grandson the necessity of attentive awareness and recognition of everything in the forest and in the world. Some things are readily apparent, like the tall, straight trees; other things are less apparent, requiring closer attention, like recognition of the proper curves in the limbs. And some things might initially appear to have no purpose at all, like the gnarled old oak tree. The woodcutter stated, "You must learn to pay careful attention every day so you can recognize and discover the purpose God has for everything in creation. For it is this old oak tree, which you so quickly deemed useless except for firewood, that now allows us to rest against its trunk amidst the coolness of its shade.
"Remember, grandson, not everything is as it first appears. Be patient, pay attention, recognize, and discover." Author Unknown

************************************************** *********

"Boll Weevils" by Senior Living Ministries
It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. --Psalm 119:71
Farmers in southern Alabama were accustomed to planting one crop every year—cotton. They would simply plow as much ground as they could and plant their crop. Year after year, they made their living by growing cotton.
Then one year, the dreaded boll weevil devastated the whole region. The next year, the farmers mortgaged their homes and planted cotton again, hoping for a better harvest. But as the cotton began to grow, the insects returned and completely destroyed the crop—wiping out most of the farms that grew cotton.
The next year, the few farmers who survived decided to plant a different crop in hopes of regaining their livelihoods—peanuts. The new crop proved to be so hardy and the market so ravenous that it enabled the farmers to pay off all their debts from the two previous years of failed crops.
Every season thereafter, the farmers planted peanuts…and they prospered greatly. And eventually, the farmers spent some of their new wealth to erect a monument to the boll weevil in the town square! They figured if it hadn't been for the pesky insect, then they never would have planted the prosperous peanut crops.
As believers, we have the assurance of knowing that God can use the "boll weevils" in our lives for something good. In fact, Romans 8:28 says, "in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
No matter what trials may come knocking on your door unexpectedly, know God is in control and working behind the scenes for your ultimate good!
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Thank God for being in control of all the situations in your life—good and bad. And ask Him for the patience you need to wait for the light after the darkness of your trials.

************************************************** *********

Will You Wait? Author Unknown
God has provided the Holy Spirit to teach His children about His will for them. (John 14:26) So why do we have trouble understanding what the plan is?
1 - We make decisions based on emotion. When life presses in on us, our instinct is to move away from the source of the stress or pain. Our need to remove turmoil and difficulties from our lives takes precedence over God’s plan. We figure He could not want us to feel this way, so we act and hope we are in His will. Our emphasis is on ourselves rather than on God’s will.
2 - We focus only on the immediate. Many times we come to God troubled about the choices we or our loved ones face. We do not see how this situation could possibly be His will. Our short-term focus prevents us from seeing God’s long-term purposes.
3 - We conduct a superficial search. In our desire for an answer, we can treat finding God’s will like a checklist: Read the Bible; pray; fast; serve; worship; give. Then, satisfied with what we have done, we press the Lord for His answer now. But we have neglected to give God the time and stillness needed for hearing from Him. (Psalm 46:10) Investing time with God is a necessity, not a luxury, and listening without distractions is essential.
How much Bible study is required to find out what God wants for us? What amount of prayer? What quantity of time? The answer is simple: however long it takes to hear from God. He will answer. Will you wait?
“Hear the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You do I pray. In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].” - Psalm 5:2-3 (Amplified Bible)

************************************************** *********

Judging A Book Author Unknown
An interesting number of antique leather-bound books are being purchased for their covers and not their content.
Interior designers buy them by the linear yard and use them to create a warm, old-world atmosphere in the homes of affluent clients. Of prime importance is whether they match a room’s decor. One wealthy businessman purchased 13,000 antique books he will never read just to create a library look in his renovated home. Those books are just for show.
Focusing on outward appearances can be a pleasing way to decorate a house, but it’s a dangerous way to live. Jesus reprimanded many religious leaders of His day because they did not practice what they preached. “But all their works they do to be seen by men...” (Matthew 23:5a) They were addicted to receiving praise and feeling self-important.
We are to be people of inner substance, not just outward appearance. Our content is far more important than our cover. We are here for more than show.

************************************************** *********

Passionate About God’s Will Author Unknown
“So we continued the work... from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.” - Nehemiah 4:21
In the face of overwhelming odds, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 days. How? Because of a single-minded passion to do so. Some of us are afraid to pray ‘Lord, I’ll do what you want me to do,’ in case He sends us somewhere we don’t want to go or asks us to do something we don’t feel ready or qualified to do. You’ve got it wrong! The Bible says God’s will is “good, and acceptable, and perfect” (Romans 12:2). What is there to be afraid of in that formula?
Now, while God’s will for us is ‘good’, it’s not necessarily easy. But He gives us a passion for it. Jeremiah said that when he tried to stop speaking about the Lord, God’s Word became “like a burning fire shut up in my bones” (Jeremiah 20:9 NAS). You can’t contain a fire that God lights. When He sets your heart ablaze, you begin to see things you never saw before and get excited about them. He can even take your chapters of regret and write a story of grace.
But it’s not likely you’ll experience much of a passion for anything if you’re just sitting on the sidelines waiting for something to happen. James says “Don’t just be a hearer of God’s word, be a doer” (James 1:22). You’ll get a passion for God’s will once you begin doing it! You’ll think ‘this is what I was made for’. And when you have a compelling reason for doing something and know that God is watching and smiling on you, it makes all the difference.

************************************************** *********

God Meant It For Good Author Unknown
Joseph’s life was anything but peaceful. It was complicated by youthful folly, broken dreams, and the mean-spirited actions of others. He was sold into slavery by jealous brothers. He was thrown into prison on false charges. Yet he remained a man remarkable for his lack of bitterness or regret, always seeing God as the “Great Engineer” behind even the worst of circumstances.
In a final confrontation with his brothers, he graciously noted, “You meant it for bad; God meant it for good.” The theology packed in that statement is astounding! “God meant it for good” means…
You can accept the past! No sin, no action, no choice on your part is too big for God to handle, or too big to be worked for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) Ask his fearful and famished brothers, who were forced to rely on him for survival.
You can embrace the present! There’s no need to play the “what if” game. The past is gone, and no energy you expend will ever change it. The future is in God’s omnipotent hands, so you’re free to focus on the present. Your job is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, trusting him to forgive the past and transform the future. Jim Eliot once wrote, “Wherever you are, be all there!” - not living in the past and not fantasizing about the future. God wants you in the present because that’s where his grace will flow.
You can look expectantly toward the future! Even if you make mistakes today, God still controls your future. Walking in the Spirit, you can live life to the fullest, unafraid of making mistakes and unconcerned that you may stumble into some terrible circumstance that takes you out of God’s control. Even when things appear to be terrible, you can trust that God is working out some divine plan through you.
So what? No matter how bad things get, God is still able to bring good out of it. Today, thank God that nothing – no disaster, no delay – is bigger that his ability to turn it into something good and godly. Thank God and let go! Thank God that He is sovereign over your past, your present, and your future. Give God the circumstances, disasters, hindrances, hurts, and sins from your past. Give God your current situation, your disasters, hindrances, hurts, and sins of today.
Praise God that he can work anything in your future for godly good, that you can walk in confidence that there is nothing anyone can do to you, or anything you can do that will be beyond the reach of God’s grace and redemption. Look for God’s hand. Walking by faith means you see God’s hand even in the most difficult of circumstances. You trust His ability and his willingness to transform the bad into godly good.
God is not limited by people’s motives. In other words, it doesn’t matter why someone hurt you, God still can transform a deliberate, mean-spirited situation into something for His good.

************************************************** *********

Small Straws In A Soft Wind by Marsha Burns
You are embarking on a new phase of existence, and spiritual understanding is vital to your well-being. If you will quiet your inside chatter and listen, I will give you wisdom and instruction. You cannot hear My voice unless you take control of your thoughts and emotions. I want to be able to lead, guide, direct and protect you, says the Lord. Be calm and yield to My leading. Psalms 131:2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

How can you rule and reign with Me in My kingdom when you cannot rule over your own soul? I have given you the power to overcome the works of the flesh and all the power of the enemy, says the Lord. But, you must exercise that authority in order to be free and effective. Be diligent to do what it takes to walk in liberty of spirit, soul, and body. Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Change is in the air, and portions of your life experience that you have grown accustomed to are in the process of change. You will need to pay attention to the signs that suggest a different direction. Be flexible and position yourself to accommodate the unfamiliar so that you aren't fighting against the inevitable, says the Lord. Everything will be all right. Isaiah 55:12 "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

Ignoring unpleasant issues will not make them go away. Take the time necessary to assess your situation and make decisions. Be mindful that what you decide needs to be based on truth and what is right to do; not on how you feel. Exercise self-control so that godly attitudes and motivations will rule in your life, says the Lord. Let Me direct your steps so that what has the potential to be a disaster will actually be a victory. Psalms 98:1 Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

Now is the time when you can bring many things to completion and tie up loose ends. You will need to do this before you can progress. There is a spiritual flow in your life, and it would be of great benefit to you to detect that flow and move with it, says the Lord. When you are in the "flow" everything works easier and smoother. For most of you, My people, finding it will be a matter of awareness and making small corrections. 1 Corinthians 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

************************************************** *********

The Trumpet by Bill Burns
"Set the trumpet to your mouth!" Hosea 8:1
Let the journey begin. I have identified for you the way in which you should walk. I’ve spoken to you ears so that you could hear. Now you must allow your spirit to respond and react. My great desire for you is to walk on My pathway in this season. Enjoy the journey and see My mighty work. Let My glory come down, let My wisdom come, and you shall indeed abound in the promise of all I have spoken, says the Lord.

************************************************** *********

Reason For Life by Leenee
I don't know how to say it,
But somehow it seems to me
That maybe we are stationed
Where God wants us to be.
That the little place I'm filling
Is the reason for my birth.
And just to do the work I do,
He sent me down to earth.
If God had wanted otherwise
I reckon He'd have made
Me just a little different,
Of worse or better grade.
And since God knows and understands
All things of land and sea,
I fancy that He placed me here
Just where He wanted me.
Sometimes I get to thinking,
As my labor I review,
That I should like a higher place
With greater things to do.
But I come to the conclusion
When the envying is stilled,
That the post to which God sent me
Is the post He wanted filled.
So I plod along and struggle
in the hope, When day is through,
That I really am necessary
To the things God wants to do.
And there isn't any service
I can give which I should scorn,
For it may be just the reason
God allowed that I be born.

************************************************** *********

God Is Never Far Away Author Unknown
God isn't far away;
He surrounds you
with His love.
It was He who opened
your eyes this morning.
It is His strength
that will carry you
through this day,
and it is in His peace
that your heart will
find rest tonight.
God isn't far away.
He is the light of this day.
He is the sky above you,
the earth beneath you,
and the life of every living thing.
He is in every smile,
in every thought that gives you hope,
in every tear that waters your soul,
and in every moment you can't
face alone.
He's the love on your loved one's face.
He's in the friends along the way...
in strangers you have yet to meet
and blessing you have yet to receive.
He's in every good thing
that touches you.
He is in every step you make
and every breath you take.
He's not far away,
for He is with you always

************************************************** *********

I may not be where I want to be,
but I'm not where I used to be,
I'm heading where I'm meant to be
and God is watching over me.
-- Terri McPherson

************************************************** *********

“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a good hope and a good future.’” Jeremiah 29:11

I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields - and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first
will be last, and the last first." Mark 10:29-31

"The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-27

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

The Word of Life
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
Walking in the light
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1 John 1

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:1-8

But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." John 12:32

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

************************************************** *********

In The Morning by Cassandra Wessel
The birds beneath my feeders are busy. Several times a day, they dart back and forth between their home in my neighbour's rhododendron bush and my feeders. Yet, as busy as they are feeding themselves during this cold weather, they always seem to find time to sit on a branch or in the snow, and soak up whatever weak rays the sun may cast upon them. Sometimes, they raise their beaks heavenward, probably checking the sky for hawks. Yet, their attitude seems as if they are praying. In spite of their busyness, they pause.
Do we ever feel as if we are too busy to pause and pray? We rush hither and yon. We lay a steaming strip of rubber as we pull from the driveway, screech around a corner, and squeal to a stop at a red light. We are in a hurry. We have things to do, places to go, kids to pick up or deliver. We have no time to stop, or we will be late for our next urgent task or job … and we dare not be late. Where will we find the time to add in one more thing to our busy schedule … like pray?
In the Psalms, we find the answer to our quandary. King David sang:
Psalm 5:3 – My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (KJV)
Praying in the morning is good advice for anyone down in the dumps or struggling with an overly busy life. We can copy King David and look up in prayer. When we slide our feet into our slippers or drop to our knees, our thoughts or voices can wing heavenward. As we take our requests, troubles, and struggles to the Lord first thing in the morning, God promises to take note of our need. The Lord will either answer our prayer, or provide what we need, or walk with us, holding our hand while we go through whatever assails. We can lift our hands in prayer, saying something like this:
Prayer: Good morning, Lord. Thanks for giving me a new day. Bless this day, and let me be a blessing to someone today, in Jesus' name. Amen.

************************************************** *********

Dearest Lord, give us a strong faith in your ways, letting go of ourselves, relying on your grace more each day. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

************************************************** *********

Read Through The Bible
Nehemiah 13
Principles of Separation
1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, 2 because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
The Reforms of Nehemiah
4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah. 5 And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests. 6 But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. 8 And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. 9 Then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense. 10 I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers who did the work had gone back to his field. 11 So I contended with the rulers, and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their place. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services! 15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. 16 Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? 18 Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” 19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy! 23 In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. 25 So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin. 27 Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?” 28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me. 29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. 30 Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. I also assigned duties to the priests and the Levites, each to his service, 31 and to bringing the wood offering and the firstfruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my God, for good!

************************************************** *********

Gracious God, I rejoice in knowing You are my hope, my strength, my courage. With You at my side I can endure anything. Amen

Wherever you are in life, whatever you've done, you can begin again. If you do not have Jesus in your life and wish to ask Jesus into your life please go to this link now to do so: http://www.bluidkiti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130 .
Jesus is calling you to live a life that matters.