I don't want to come off as a fair weather Christian who only writes in time of trouble, but is seems this excerpt is brought to you from the valley. The same relationship I last wrote about has caused recent trauma in my and my family's life and well being. As I focus on healing and trusting God, I come to Sheep Notes as a mentor of encouragement - not because I am such an awesome Christian but because I know the source of all my joy and where to go to replenish. As I share I must remember and remind you to focus on making God your first stop every morning - this way the need to replenish is in small daily dosages due to the firm foundation on prayer and communion every morning. Last month I completed "The Daniel Fast." It was surprisingly the best 21 days in my life. During that time I was still going through a tumultuous time emotionally and was considering a huge transition in my family's life. Despite the trials I found myself at peace and happy. During the fasting period I lost a little over ten pounds, I was thinking correctly (in line with the word of God) and was hopeful about His expected end. Once the fast ended and I went back to my regular diet (which was no diet at all) I resorted to old ways of thinking and feeling. Not because I no longer wanted to eat well and feel good but because my special time with God wasn't focus based. I want and need to get back in line with God and I continue to rely on His help as I climb my way out of this valley and hopefully to a place of restoration, peace and blessings. I will be plummeting into the book of Job (a favorite of mine) and hope to come out the same way job did. I am going to follow the Daniel Fast guidelines (all fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and water)for the next 21 days (or more)and will add a light meditation and stretch daily. Every evening before bed I read some of Job and again in the evening. I make it my business to share that I'm fasting with as many of the right people as possible because I was inspired by someone else and I love to see people grow to the next level. Tonight's reading - Job 1 Best wishes and I'll spend some time with you all tomorrow. Here's a note from Daily Word to keep you focused today: Serenity - Monday, August 19, 2013 Nothing can disturb the calm peace of my soul. Like the eye of a storm, the center of my being is a place of peace and quiet. I turn to this inner sanctuary any time I need to go apart from the world. In this sacred space, nothing can disturb the calm peace of my soul. In moments of prayer and meditation, I focus on the light within me. By gently turning within, I can achieve serenity anywhere, at any time. I am filled with the love of God. I feel the strength, wisdom, and light of God enfold me and prepare me for what’s ahead. I center myself with a simple inhale and exhale, and I rest in the awareness that God and I are one. God is my assurance that all is well. I am at peace. Live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.— 2 Corinthians 13:11
I am having a difficult time managing the issues in my relationship. In my past I ran, I left, I closed doors and I didn't look back. Now that, that's not the best option I'm struggling to make it through. I constantly feel as if I am compromising and giving and barely receiving the full benefits of love and intimacy. It's so frustrating and I want to just shut down but I know there is another way. There has to be... right?
I keep telling myself to look to you. To believe your plan and purpose for my life even when it isn't so clear but I must admit there are times when I just want these issues to be resolved. I remember Job and all the trials he had to face. He was so strong in his faith. Even though he complained a bit he acknowledged you and your presence. I pray that I am able to get through the trials that come about with the strength of Job knowing that in the end your plan is always perfect.
Job 42:2 says, "I know you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." - It's one of my favorite verses.
Help me to live a Job 42:2 life. To quote one of the pastors at World Changers, "I have no bad days and no sad days," because I know that this is the day that you made for me to live in your light and I will rejoice and be glad in it. Help me to focus on my faith life and not my sight life. To know that when I stand in your shadow I am hidden from hurt and pain.
Thank you now for the blessing. I am in awe of your power and ability.
Amen!
I keep telling myself to look to you. To believe your plan and purpose for my life even when it isn't so clear but I must admit there are times when I just want these issues to be resolved. I remember Job and all the trials he had to face. He was so strong in his faith. Even though he complained a bit he acknowledged you and your presence. I pray that I am able to get through the trials that come about with the strength of Job knowing that in the end your plan is always perfect.
Job 42:2 says, "I know you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted." - It's one of my favorite verses.
Help me to live a Job 42:2 life. To quote one of the pastors at World Changers, "I have no bad days and no sad days," because I know that this is the day that you made for me to live in your light and I will rejoice and be glad in it. Help me to focus on my faith life and not my sight life. To know that when I stand in your shadow I am hidden from hurt and pain.
Thank you now for the blessing. I am in awe of your power and ability.
Amen!
Though it took us almost 6 months to complete a 30 day fast, I am proud of our progress. Today's imprint is the very last and I think it sums up our work to date.
Romans 5: 1-6
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Because we have peace with God, from God and know how to access it, we can tap into that spirit power and conquer fear, worry, rejection, and hurt feelings. I will never forget when my pastor said if our feelings are constantly hurt by others it's because our feelings are invested in the wrong things. That's not to say people won't do things that are not right or offensive and just plain wrong but that the peace we have should cover our reaction to those attempts. Last night in Bible study Pastor Dollar reminded us of the grace of God and how it is given the moment we are saved. Grace is the unmerited mercy of God given to us which makes us full in him, without lack. We know we have this grace by faith and that knowledge in itself should bring us peace. We stand firm in our peace because we believe. We believe in God's promises of Hope which will not put us to shame. We know that even in times of trouble and adversity, God's perfect plan will prevail. Once we can see through God's eyes we can relax in the blessed assurance that everything will be OK. Have peace with that fact!
Maybe we should focus on Grace next???
Romans 5: 1-6
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Because we have peace with God, from God and know how to access it, we can tap into that spirit power and conquer fear, worry, rejection, and hurt feelings. I will never forget when my pastor said if our feelings are constantly hurt by others it's because our feelings are invested in the wrong things. That's not to say people won't do things that are not right or offensive and just plain wrong but that the peace we have should cover our reaction to those attempts. Last night in Bible study Pastor Dollar reminded us of the grace of God and how it is given the moment we are saved. Grace is the unmerited mercy of God given to us which makes us full in him, without lack. We know we have this grace by faith and that knowledge in itself should bring us peace. We stand firm in our peace because we believe. We believe in God's promises of Hope which will not put us to shame. We know that even in times of trouble and adversity, God's perfect plan will prevail. Once we can see through God's eyes we can relax in the blessed assurance that everything will be OK. Have peace with that fact!
Maybe we should focus on Grace next???
Mark 9:50 - Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
I had to go back and do research on this passage in order to ensure I fed you accordingly. This lesson turned out to be just what I needed today as God is right on time!
In the scriptures prior to this Jesus talks about leading people to sin and how it is better to detach a member of your body than to allow it to cause you to sin and go to hell. I'm going to assume this part of the message is either for non-Christians or to those followers that choose to ignore the discernment of spirit.
Salt is used for a number of reasons today including to add to, to preserve flavor, and to end grease fires. Verse 49 says everyone will be salted with fire. Fire here refers to trials we will face and salt refers to the quickening of the spirit which helps guide us away from temptation. Jesus calls us to have salt among ourselves - to preserve our faith and limit our desire to sin (of course by renewing our minds in the spirit/ the new identity we've taken on since giving our lives to Christ). He also cautions us not to lead others into temptation and therefore expects that we will be the salt of the world (Matthew 5:13), helping to put out the fire in others that causes them to walk in darkness.
If we lose our passion for Christ and live a life of sin how can we be seen as examples of his mercy, kindness and peace? As we walk in His light, as salt of the earth, we too must caution ourselves and heed to our spiritual instincts that bring peace not only within ourselves but with others.
I had to go back and do research on this passage in order to ensure I fed you accordingly. This lesson turned out to be just what I needed today as God is right on time!
In the scriptures prior to this Jesus talks about leading people to sin and how it is better to detach a member of your body than to allow it to cause you to sin and go to hell. I'm going to assume this part of the message is either for non-Christians or to those followers that choose to ignore the discernment of spirit.
Salt is used for a number of reasons today including to add to, to preserve flavor, and to end grease fires. Verse 49 says everyone will be salted with fire. Fire here refers to trials we will face and salt refers to the quickening of the spirit which helps guide us away from temptation. Jesus calls us to have salt among ourselves - to preserve our faith and limit our desire to sin (of course by renewing our minds in the spirit/ the new identity we've taken on since giving our lives to Christ). He also cautions us not to lead others into temptation and therefore expects that we will be the salt of the world (Matthew 5:13), helping to put out the fire in others that causes them to walk in darkness.
If we lose our passion for Christ and live a life of sin how can we be seen as examples of his mercy, kindness and peace? As we walk in His light, as salt of the earth, we too must caution ourselves and heed to our spiritual instincts that bring peace not only within ourselves but with others.
Malachi 2:6 - True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.
Memo
Please Remember:
God is with you and will never forsake you. His Word is truly His bond and He will not mislead you, lie to you or teach you to do something or behave in the wrong manner. You can truly trust Him. When He stands by and whispers in your ear, you can trust that your walk will be in His perfect peace. Your ways will be ye and ye, and your heart will find pleasure in doing what is right and turning from sin.
Any questions? Feel free to contact the site supervisor: sheepnotes@gmail.com. Thank you.
(wink wink)
Memo
Please Remember:
God is with you and will never forsake you. His Word is truly His bond and He will not mislead you, lie to you or teach you to do something or behave in the wrong manner. You can truly trust Him. When He stands by and whispers in your ear, you can trust that your walk will be in His perfect peace. Your ways will be ye and ye, and your heart will find pleasure in doing what is right and turning from sin.
Any questions? Feel free to contact the site supervisor: sheepnotes@gmail.com. Thank you.
(wink wink)
Malachi 2:5
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
I'm glad the conversation of fear and God has come up. There is a little confusion about how we are to respond to God's presence. He doesn't want us to have feelings of distress due to danger or harm in his presence because that is not His objective. Like any "natural" father God has high expectations of a positive future for us all. He wants us to feel comforted and at peace before him regardless of the topic of conversation. I think we are fearful before him sometimes because we have to be accountable for our sins and that can be scary when you're trying to do your best and feel bad about falling short. We will never be perfect. Meditate on that as you strive to be more like Christ. He isn't setting us up to fail but expects us to lean on him for guidance and growth.
When the Bible refers to fearing God, it mostly means to be in awe of, to revere, or hold in high regard. He wants us to respect Him, His Word and His voice. We need to be mindful to remember Christ in our daily lives showing and proving that we serve the real power over the earth. God wants us to understand the importance of this difference and to confirm His promise of love He again reminds us of the promise of life (given to live) and of peace (to be still, in harmony with, secure, free from). We have been redeemed by Christ to live our lives to the best of our abilities in peace and with a heart that loves like he does.
With 3 days left let us revere God and his genuine consideration and grace towards us that we may understand in the spirit realm how perfect we are in his eyes.
Amen!
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
I'm glad the conversation of fear and God has come up. There is a little confusion about how we are to respond to God's presence. He doesn't want us to have feelings of distress due to danger or harm in his presence because that is not His objective. Like any "natural" father God has high expectations of a positive future for us all. He wants us to feel comforted and at peace before him regardless of the topic of conversation. I think we are fearful before him sometimes because we have to be accountable for our sins and that can be scary when you're trying to do your best and feel bad about falling short. We will never be perfect. Meditate on that as you strive to be more like Christ. He isn't setting us up to fail but expects us to lean on him for guidance and growth.
When the Bible refers to fearing God, it mostly means to be in awe of, to revere, or hold in high regard. He wants us to respect Him, His Word and His voice. We need to be mindful to remember Christ in our daily lives showing and proving that we serve the real power over the earth. God wants us to understand the importance of this difference and to confirm His promise of love He again reminds us of the promise of life (given to live) and of peace (to be still, in harmony with, secure, free from). We have been redeemed by Christ to live our lives to the best of our abilities in peace and with a heart that loves like he does.
With 3 days left let us revere God and his genuine consideration and grace towards us that we may understand in the spirit realm how perfect we are in his eyes.
Amen!
Peace Fast Day 26: The Coming of Zion’s King
Zechariah 9:9-10
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River[a] to the ends of the earth.
This verse reminds me of Kirk Franklin's song STOMP. That song gets me excited it's a Holy Ghost Party. They are excited and can't explain it or contain it. When they think about the goodness of God it makes them want to clap their hands and want to dance. Zechariah 9:9-10 is a celebration. Everyone is rejoicing for our king is at hand! God comes to us with the victory and it is ours. People don't see it coming because he rides through on a donkey not a Maybach or Benz, so the gold diggers aren't checking for his glory. Though he is rich in houses and land he is humble in is approach drawing those that are weary and heavy laden because he has the power to bring them peace in a moment - in a breath. The bows are broken, the peace is ours and our ruler has come to set us free. STOMP!
Zechariah 9:9-10
9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River[a] to the ends of the earth.
This verse reminds me of Kirk Franklin's song STOMP. That song gets me excited it's a Holy Ghost Party. They are excited and can't explain it or contain it. When they think about the goodness of God it makes them want to clap their hands and want to dance. Zechariah 9:9-10 is a celebration. Everyone is rejoicing for our king is at hand! God comes to us with the victory and it is ours. People don't see it coming because he rides through on a donkey not a Maybach or Benz, so the gold diggers aren't checking for his glory. Though he is rich in houses and land he is humble in is approach drawing those that are weary and heavy laden because he has the power to bring them peace in a moment - in a breath. The bows are broken, the peace is ours and our ruler has come to set us free. STOMP!
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