Through the year

I Remember the days of old Psalm. 143:

Sometimes our minds run back through the years and yearn for that better time and place the "good old days."
     But for some, the past harbors only bitter memories. Deep in the night they ponder their own failures, disillusionments, and fantasies, and think of the cruel hand life has dealt them.
     It's better to remember the past as David did, by  contemplating the good that God has done, to mediate on all [His] works:. . .  muse on the work of [His] hands" (Psalm 143:5). . As we call to mind the lovingkindness of the Lord, we can see His blessings through the years. These are the memories that foster the highest good. They evoke a deep longing for more of God and more of His render care. They transform the past into a place of familiarity and fellowship with Lord.
       I heard a story an elder women who wouldn't be in silence for hours in her rocking chair, hands folded in her lao, eyed gazed off into the far distance. One day her daughter asked: " Mother what do you think about when you sit there so quietly? " Her mother softly with a twinkle in her eye. "That's just between Jesus and me."
        I pray that our memories and meditations would draw us into His presence.
I have promised you My presence with you everywhere you go; i will never leaves you As you travel here below

HEART ATTITUDE

Not with eyeservice, as man pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Ephesians 6:6

I love watching the skill of great athletes as they give their all on the field. It shows their love for the game. Conversely, when a long season is winding down and team is already eliminated from the opportunity for championship or playoff games, sometimes it seems that the players are merely "going through the motions." Their lack of passion can be disappointing to fans who have paid to watch a good game.
       Passion is a key aspect of our personal lives as well. Our heart attitude toward the Lord is revealed in how we serve Him. The apostle Paul said that our service includes the way we go about our daily work. In Ephesians 6:6-7 we read that we are to approach our work, not with eyeservice, as men pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ  doing the will of God from the heart with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord and not men."
      For me, the key in that verse is "from the heart."  I have a heavenly Father who loves me deeply and sacrificed His Son for me. How can I do anything less than give my very best for Him? The passion to love for God that comes from the heart"  Provides our best response to the One who has done so much for us.
Father every day offers opportunities for me to express my love for You. May the passion with which I live, work, serve, and relate to others be a fitting expression of my gratitude for Your love for me.
In Jesus name, amen.

Gabe the movie

https://youtu.be/-YZMvuPLpmg

A kick in the pants

"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, to not hold back, lengthen your cords, strengthen  your stakes
Isaiah 54:2

The Old Testament kingdom of Judah needed a kick in the pants, a shot in the arm, a knock on the head. They had rebelled against God, for which God plainly and directly judged through the prophet Isaiah and through foreign nations.
      They deserved to be scolded or punish, but God was as wise then as He is now. He simply opened their eyes.
      "Your vision is too small because of pain," He said. "You've focused on your lack---,---lack of a nation, lack of power, lack of unity, lack of an army, Hang it all! Expanded your tent pegs out a fee notches and live as if you have it all. Because you do! You have my prophecy of a mighty nation. You have my undying love. My forgiveness. My power, you have me!
      There are days when I need such a vision, I tire easily at times. And when I tire I want to go in my "tent"  of pity and frustration and anger. My small tents are comfortable. Though it's dark and cramped, I feel a sense of comfort.
       But not for long God tells me in Isaiah 54:5 that my Maker is my husband, and He desire my company under a large tent. That I might expand His Kingdom with Him. And as I do so, I find the fresh breezes of new strength to deal with my pity, frustration, and anger I am renewed.
       Lord, expand my vision today. Let me see the light of day from Your perspective. Drive homes the tent pegs hope deep and far. Stretch my life to conform to the potential You see.

HUNGER

"Remember how the Lord hour God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your father's had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread along but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."
Deuteronomy 8 :2-3

Humans get hungry, and not just for food but for a whole range of desires and dreams. Hunger to have hoped fulfilled and longings answers seems to be built into us.
      Sometimes our hunger gets us into trouble, and we wish we could curb our appetites. But in Deuteronomy 8:2, you'll be surprised to learn who gives us these longings. The Lord is the one who causes us to hunger. He is the one who has put within us our desires and yearning. AF first, this seems odd. Doesn't God know that the hungries" often get us into trouble?
      God has good reasons for giving us such large appetites. He has placed within us desires in order to test us and bumble us, to see what is in our heart, to see whether or not we would follow Him. He causes us to hunger so that we might learn to feed on the Bread of  Heaven, to live on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
      To hunger is to be human, but to hunger for God is to feed on Him, Hunger and thirst after His righteousness and feed on Him in your heart. Taste and see that the Lord is good; it is He who will film you to satisfaction.
I am prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. I'm prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, please take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above

PRAYER DISCOVERS GOD'S AGENDA

Now in the morning,having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place: and there He prayed

It was common knowledge among disciple that they would find Jesus praying during the early morning hours. When they needed Him, they knew to go to the place of prayer. When Judas betrayed Jesus, he led his cohort to Jesus p!ace of prayer.
      Every time the Lord Jesus faced an important decision, He prayed. When He was being tempted to do things by the world's method instead of the Father's He prayed (Matt .4). When it was time to chose His disciple, He prayed the entire night (Luke 6:12). If the Son of God required a night of prayer in order to determine the Father's mind, how long might it take us in prayer to clearly determine our Father's will?
     Because Jesus was so often surrounded by crowds, He knew He must find a quiet place so He could hear His Father's voice. Jesus had many people seeking to influence the direction of His life. His disciple wanted Him to go where the crowds were (Mark 1:37). The crowds wanted to crown Him king (John 6 : 15) Satan tempted Him to make compromises in order to draw a following (Matt, 4:3,6,9,). Jesus knew that His mission was not attract a crowd, but to remain obedient to His Father. It was prayer that set the agenda for Jesus' ministry (Luke 6:12). Prayed preceded the miracled (John 11: 42-43) prayer brought Him encouragement at critical moments (Luke 9 :28-31); prayer enabled Him to go to the cross (Luke  22: 41-42); and prayer kept Him despite excruciating pain (Luke ,223:46(. Following the saviour's example, and let your time alone with God, in prayer, set the agenda for hour life.

"GORGEOUS INSIDE"

To be spiritually minded is life and peace.
ROMANS 8:6

It's a rather nondescript house that sits on a busy thoroughfare. With no distinctive characteristics. thus rather plain  home is easy to ignore. But as I passed other day. I noticed a "For Sale" sign in the  yard. Attached to the sign a smaller notice that happily announce: I'm gorgeous inside." While I'm not in the market for a new house, that sign intrigued me, what could make this otherwise forgettable house gorgeous inside?
      It also made me wonder could that sign apply to us as followers of Jesus? Think about it. No matter what we look like on the outside. Shouldn"t there be within us a a beauty that reveals God's love and work in our lives?
      What does the Bible say about inner beauty? We might Start with Roman 7:22, which says, "in my inner being I delight in God's law. A few verses later in Romans 8:6 Paul speaks of a spirit controlled mind that is characterized by " life and peace." And in Galatians,we see that letting the Spirit take charge of our inner being will build the Spirit take charge of our inner being will build in us the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal.5:22), a beautiful array of qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness. Delighting in Scripture and allowing the Spirit to work in our heart will make us look good on the inside and will pay off in a life that honors God.
Dear Lord, I pray that through the work of Your Spirit dwelling within me I will be transformed into a grand display of the fruit that will attract others to you and reflect glory back to You.