When Jesus Is in The Room

 

As I was reading Matthews chapter 8, I became overjoyed with this thought:

What happens when Jesus is in the room…

Within the text, when Jesus came to Peter’s house, his mother-in-law went from sick to healed.  She then got up and served him.

His presence on a ship with his disciples calmed the storm.

When he would come into town, deliverance would take place on the people.

Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with me.

When we open that door and let Him in, peace enters the room, joy enters the room, and strength enters the room.

Psalms 16:11

You will make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy, in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

So here is a question to ponder on, how do you respond when HE enters your room?

Be encouraged.

 

In One Day

 

Zechariah 3:9

For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Two words that so simple, yet has such an impact. 

One day.

In one day you can go from being single to being married.

In one day you can be carrying a child in your arms for the first time.

In one day you can see your dream become a reality.

In one day you can also experience lost.

One day.

As I was reading Zechariah, the last part of that scripture pierced my heart.  He removes the sin of the land in one day.  He did by the cross.

In one day Jesus took on our sins.

In one day Jesus was acquainted with sorrow and grief.

In one day Jesus redeemed us.

In one day he fulfilled the old and birth the new covenant.

Just in one day he made away that can change men lives forever!

 

Just think about how HE can change things in one day.

 

 

 

God Is Already in Our Tomorrows

 

 

I was reading a passage about King Herod built this huge fortress on top of the Masada Mountain where it could space 10,000 soldiers.  Years later, David found himself fleeing from Saul.  In Psalms 18:2 David writes:

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.

As David was writing this, he was hiding in the desert where he set up camp near natural mountain fortress in the wilderness.  The Hebrew word for fortress is Metzod which in English means Masada.  So, the mountain where King Herod built was where David was.  What a tangible representation of God’s protection in David’s time of need (Adamson, Dave. 52 Hebrew Words, p 107)

This reminded me how God is already in our tomorrows, so we can already praise Him in our today.

Be encouraged.

 

 

He Offered

Isaiah 50:6

 

I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.  I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting.

 

The part that touched my heart the most of this scripture was HE OFFERED.

 

Think about all the things HE OFFERED for:

 

He offered for our salvation

He offered for our mind

HE offered for our emotions

He offered for our endurance

He offered for our gifts

He offered for our peace

He offered for our joy

He offered for our intimacy with him

He offered for our grief

HE offered even for all the things we take for granted.

 

What a humbling thought to realize that Jesus offered so we can be free.  What a beautiful God we serve!!

Another Day

 

It’s another work week and I found myself dragging along.  The thought of having to deal with a new week of co-worker’s complexities, system upgrades that don’t feel so user friendly, and management just didn’t quite put that step into my day.

Yet today the scripture that I quote all the time during my prayer really hit me:

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24

See it’s another day that the Lord has made!!  Another day he granted breath in our bodies to say thank you.  Another day to be a blessing in any way we can to someone.  Another day to share the gospel or talk about God’s goodness to someone.  Another day of new mercy.  Another day to cleanse our hearts before Him.  Another day to commune with Him.  Another day to learn from Him.

So it not the day that I have made, it is the day that the Lord has made.  Oh how I just love how the Holy Spirit comes in and changes a perspective.

Be encouraged!

Wavering Between Faith & Fear

So here I am at a stop sign on this unknown journey of life.  Do I turn left and take the avenue called fear, or do I turn right and take the street called faith? The answer sounds simple, but it’s the acting upon it that can be complex.

See the avenue of fear can sound like your friend.  It can be your familiar which makes you comfortable like a nice snuggly blanket where you find yourself not wanting to leave. In addition, it doesn’t mean you will be wrong in that decision. We even have examples of settling in the familiar in God’s word.  Abraham’s father Terah was set to lead his family to the land of Canaan, the land of promise.  Yet halfway there, he saw a place called Haran.  It was the same name of a son he lost in death.  He ended up settling his family there due to his comfort, his familiar (Genesis 11:31).  Was he wrong to settle, no, but think about the promises God had for him that he never got to see.

Another example we can look at is Orpah with Naomi and Ruth.  There she was at a crossroad.  Does she continue into the unknown with her mother-in-law Naomi, or does she return to her familiar?  She chose to go back to Moab.  Was she wrong to do so, no, but we don’t hear about her again either. Yet Ruth decided to give up her norm in the land of Moab and turn to the unknown with Naomi.  As a result, she ended up being a descendent of Christ.

Changes in life can be wonderful.  Engagements, weddings, road trips, children, or a new home all are exciting steps to leap towards.  Yet some changes can be considered scary, as they can be birth out of pain like a widow having to move on.  I admit I find myself struggling with this stop sign.  Part of me wants to take that avenue of fear, cause its comfortable.  Yet at times comfort zone can be our enemy that can block the bigger picture God has plan for us.  Yes, this street called faith doesn’t feel good.  Its stepping into the unknown.  Yet at the same time, that is when we are tested in our trusting in God.  Do we trust HIS will or our own?  Do we want to choose the path like Orpah and never be heard of again, or do we want to choose like Ruth and watch God go beyond what we could even ask or think?  The choice to be honest isn’t an easy one, but the core to it is trust.  Do we trust God in all things?

David gave us the antidote to those fear moments:  remember God is with us, trust him, and praise him for fulfilling his promises.  See I realize that God is already in my tomorrow so the best thing I can do is trust him for my today.

Be encouraged.

 

A Woman of Inspiration

 

We all are familiar with Jacob and Rachel story.  I always felt complex with how Rachel’s father did him.  Yet it always showed me the lengths a man would take for a woman he truly desires. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until recently another element of the story was highlighted to my heart.  That is Leah.

We tend not to think much on the surface with Leah.  We are told how she was not highly desirable as her sister Rachel, and how Jacob wasn’t really doing labor to be with her.  It’s mentioned how Rachel became jealous of her when she was able to do something she couldn’t, which was produce children. However, Leah’s story thickens as you dive deeper into the contents of the story.

Leah’s friends were rejection, jealousy, and mockery.  Imagine sleeping with a man you know doesn’t really love you.  Imagine your own sister despising you for something that is not your fault. Imagine having to live with being told you are less than with your looks.  Leah even started off giving her sons names based on her circumstances.  Yet something happened to Leah along with way.  She got to know El Roi, the God who sees.  Leah realized that even though her life journey didn’t seem fair, God was yet there with her.  She went from focusing on her circumstances to a I will praise the Lord attitude.  This was even shown with the name of one of her sons Judah, which means praise. 

Out of son Judah came the birth of King David who linkage will be to Jesus, the Messiah.  In addition, let’s take a moment to think about the linkage.  Christ too experienced rejection, mockery, and not even being recognizable on the cross.  Think about that, Christ can relate to Leah’s circumstances. In her choice to praise the Lord, she became linked to our Messiah.  What beauty came out of her ashes!!

Leah story has become my inspiration.  We can decide to look beyond our circumstances and focus on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!  For He can truly do above we can even ask or think!  Just look at what He did for Leah.

Be encouraged!