In Psalm 57:7, we read from David, "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." Now we know that David has such a fixation with God, such focus...that his outward expression of that was to lift up his voice an sing and to give praise.
Now, it's on record that David was not a "private" praiser. He literally danced until he had exposed himself and all he had to offer and even desired to offer...was himself...uncovered...unhindered...nothing added to or taken away from what God created him to be. Raw praise! So that would lead me to believe that when David decided he would sing...it wasn't alone in the shower or off somewhere in a corner. He was not an out of site, out of mind kind of guy..atleast that's not the impression I get.
So, when David gave sang his song, would God have been the only one recieving from the praise David was giving? No, if others heard him and were listening, their hearts were changed. They had to have been asking, "Who is he singing to? Who is the object such loud love?" With Davids focus on God and his song released for God...praise was given. A gift was distributed and other hearts no doubt became fixated as well. He drew their focus...their attention to Father.
This is my song today...for all to hear! (or read) My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise. Notice that David had to say it twice. Sometimes, with all the distraction, we have to go back to our heart and remind it that it is fixed on God and capture it's attention again...return to your first love!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Beloved!
The other day, as I was driving home from a rather difficult appointment faced with choices that I had no clear answer to, God spoke a very familiar scripture to me. 3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers." And for the first time I heard something in this that I have never heard before. The emphasis was not on prosperity or health but on BELOVED. I realized that God was addressing me. He said, "BE LOVED" and in this is my identity! He had my full attention!
I've just begun looking at this word and there is much to take in but one thing I want to note is that when God addresses us as "beloved"...He is saying lovable one!
To prosper means to have success or to thrive. And to have success by definition is the following:
1 a: to come next after another in office or position or in possession of an estate ; especially : to inherit sovereignty, rank, or title b: to follow after another in order
2 a: to turn out well b: to attain a desired object or end
3 to pass to a person by inheritance
1: to follow in sequence and especially immediately
2: to come after as heir or successor
This just explodes on the inside of me! Here is the SBV of that passage, "Be loved! I wish above all things that you would come after my dear Son in office and take possession of His estate! Reap what He has sown for...the fields are white for the harvest! Inherit My sovereignty...see it, hear it, say it, do it, as I see it, hear it, say it, do it! See them, hear them, say to them, do for them as I have seen them, heard them, said for them and done for them! Take rank! Take your title as a executor of My will! Follow after my order! It's my desire that you will turn out well and obtain My desired end for you...everything I have expected for you because the moment you were formed, I became an expectant parent once again! Great Expectations! Greater than you have yet to know! You are heir to the Kingdom!"
"...as your soul prospers!" As my mind, my will, my emotions...all of the above!
I've just begun looking at this word and there is much to take in but one thing I want to note is that when God addresses us as "beloved"...He is saying lovable one!
To prosper means to have success or to thrive. And to have success by definition is the following:
1 a: to come next after another in office or position or in possession of an estate ; especially : to inherit sovereignty, rank, or title b: to follow after another in order
2 a: to turn out well b: to attain a desired object or end
3 to pass to a person by inheritance
1: to follow in sequence and especially immediately
2: to come after as heir or successor
This just explodes on the inside of me! Here is the SBV of that passage, "Be loved! I wish above all things that you would come after my dear Son in office and take possession of His estate! Reap what He has sown for...the fields are white for the harvest! Inherit My sovereignty...see it, hear it, say it, do it, as I see it, hear it, say it, do it! See them, hear them, say to them, do for them as I have seen them, heard them, said for them and done for them! Take rank! Take your title as a executor of My will! Follow after my order! It's my desire that you will turn out well and obtain My desired end for you...everything I have expected for you because the moment you were formed, I became an expectant parent once again! Great Expectations! Greater than you have yet to know! You are heir to the Kingdom!"
"...as your soul prospers!" As my mind, my will, my emotions...all of the above!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
It's All Confetti
Isaiah 41:15-16
Look, I have made you like a new threshing board with many sharp teeth. So you will walk on mountains and crush them; you will make the hills like chaff.
You will throw them into the air and the wind will carry them away; a windstorm will carry them away. Then you will be happy in the Lord; you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.
I was reading this last night and I want to make note of two things….the first being, can you see yourself taking this mountain that is in front of you, threshing it and crushing it under your feet? What ever it is, whether it’s an infirmity, relational difficulties, financial, etc. I couldn’t possibly name every possibility but to thresh it? What a way to look at that! Threshing is to separate the seeds from a plant harvested. Do you realize that this mountain you are facing is for your harvest? It is for you to “strike repeatedly” and take the seed from it? Wow! What a concept! I have always just wanted the mountain to get out of my way. I don’t want to have to strike it, especially not repeatedly as sometimes seems necessary in prayer but according to this…every time I hit that mountain with the word of God…seed is extracted from it for me! I harvest it! And you do too!!
And then, vs. 16 says that we will throw them into the air and the wind will carry them away! It’s a celebration! I got this picture going in my head right now of that mountain just turning to confetti and taking handfuls and throwing it in the air! God says, then will you be happy!
One more thing…off the beaten trail…no pun intended! Hee! Hee!
God had me to begin reading a different version of the bible recently because I am an avid KJV & Amplified reader and I love to study that way. I still study there but just to read, I am trying the New Century Version. Well, when I read in vs. 16 where God says, "Then…you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.", do you know how that touched me? As children, we so desire for our parents to be proud of us? Well, for the very first time, I heard Him whisper to my heart… “Are you proud of Me?”
I am so proud of my Lord! My heart just swells every time I think of Him!
Look, I have made you like a new threshing board with many sharp teeth. So you will walk on mountains and crush them; you will make the hills like chaff.
You will throw them into the air and the wind will carry them away; a windstorm will carry them away. Then you will be happy in the Lord; you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.
I was reading this last night and I want to make note of two things….the first being, can you see yourself taking this mountain that is in front of you, threshing it and crushing it under your feet? What ever it is, whether it’s an infirmity, relational difficulties, financial, etc. I couldn’t possibly name every possibility but to thresh it? What a way to look at that! Threshing is to separate the seeds from a plant harvested. Do you realize that this mountain you are facing is for your harvest? It is for you to “strike repeatedly” and take the seed from it? Wow! What a concept! I have always just wanted the mountain to get out of my way. I don’t want to have to strike it, especially not repeatedly as sometimes seems necessary in prayer but according to this…every time I hit that mountain with the word of God…seed is extracted from it for me! I harvest it! And you do too!!
And then, vs. 16 says that we will throw them into the air and the wind will carry them away! It’s a celebration! I got this picture going in my head right now of that mountain just turning to confetti and taking handfuls and throwing it in the air! God says, then will you be happy!
One more thing…off the beaten trail…no pun intended! Hee! Hee!
God had me to begin reading a different version of the bible recently because I am an avid KJV & Amplified reader and I love to study that way. I still study there but just to read, I am trying the New Century Version. Well, when I read in vs. 16 where God says, "Then…you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.", do you know how that touched me? As children, we so desire for our parents to be proud of us? Well, for the very first time, I heard Him whisper to my heart… “Are you proud of Me?”
I am so proud of my Lord! My heart just swells every time I think of Him!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Disappointment or Divine Appointment?
All of us experience what we call disappointments…these are the things that fail to meet our expectations but what if disappointments are Divine?
Not that God caused them but that he will use them to bring us to a place of what He has expected for us, rather than what we expect!
Ezekiel 13:2 says, that we are capable of prophesying our own minds…speaking to our future from a seat of emotions and being deceived into thinking that this is what God wants for us. Even to the place of saying, "The Lord has said..." Making appointments for something to take place that never was meant to be to begin with. And when the appointment never happens or when someone fails to meet us at the appointment that we have contrived in our mind, we enter into what is called “disappointment”. Disappointment is our appointment with God! A hidden appointment with love because He loves us too much to allow us to settle for anything that is less than His for us! A time for Him to reveal a greater plan for our life!
Not that God caused them but that he will use them to bring us to a place of what He has expected for us, rather than what we expect!
Ezekiel 13:2 says, that we are capable of prophesying our own minds…speaking to our future from a seat of emotions and being deceived into thinking that this is what God wants for us. Even to the place of saying, "The Lord has said..." Making appointments for something to take place that never was meant to be to begin with. And when the appointment never happens or when someone fails to meet us at the appointment that we have contrived in our mind, we enter into what is called “disappointment”. Disappointment is our appointment with God! A hidden appointment with love because He loves us too much to allow us to settle for anything that is less than His for us! A time for Him to reveal a greater plan for our life!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)