My Resting Place...

"In those days and in that time," says the LORD,

"The children of Israel shall come,

They and the children of Judah together;

With continual weeping they shall come,

And seek the LORD their God.

5 They shall ask the way to Zion,

With their faces toward it, saying,

'Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD

In a perpetual covenant

That will not be forgotten.'

6 "My people have been lost sheep.

Their shepherds have led them astray;

They have turned them away on the mountains.

They have gone from mountain to hill;

They have forgotten their resting place.—Jeremiah 50:4-6

They have forgotten their resting place...i know these verses are from yesterday’s reading but the Lord put them front and center this morning.  When I was little (decades ago) my mom was my resting place.  When I was in school the church became my resting place...I attended a Catholic school and would spend most mornings before school attending mass with a very small number (5 or 6) of other parishioners.  I sat in the back and was the only child.  I really didn’t listen to the mass...being there and starting my day in God’s  house was my resting place.  There were no demands there...just sameness and peace.  His yoke was easy and his burden light.  As I got older my heart turned away, my feet became restless and my resting place was forgotten.  The Lord, however, did not forget me.   He drew me with cords of kindness out of the muck and the mire, clothed me with His righteousness and brought me home to his heart...my true resting place.  

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah --Psalm 32:7

 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. --Psalm 91:1

Light is Sown for the Righteous...

Light is sown for the righteous,

And gladness for the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous,

And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.—Ps 97:11-12

The WORD of God has been implanted in my heart. I have received it and its fruit will be holiness by Jesus Christ.  It is He Who LIVES in my heart. It is He Who is the light of life.  It is He Who came into the world to give me the joy of eternal life with Him.  He has clothed me with His righteousness. There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. I WILL give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!  

Psalm 18:28 (KJV)

28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

Proverbs 4:18 (KJV)

18 But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Isaiah 60:1,2 (KJV)

1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

Psalm 126:5,6 (KJV)

5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him].

Do Not Be Wise in Your Own Eyes...

Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.—Proverbs 26:12

Proverbs are hard for me to “get” right away.  My husband tells me that I really overthink them and reminds me to take my time, think on them and let the word of God speak to my heart.  Eureka!  I did that this morning and it worked. 🙃. 

Self-conceit blinds and puffs up. A man who is wise in his own eyes thinks he knows enough...he needs no more.  He stops seeing...he stops hearing and he stops learning.  He becomes unteachable as well as unreachable.

"Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked--Rev 3:17

Self-conceit...self-righteousness...self-made....self “dash” anything equal not good.  The Bible says that there is more hope for a fool than for him because a fool that knows he is a fool and owns it, is teachable.  He knows he needs instruction.  A man who is filled with himself and thinks he knows it all is in reality the greatest of fools and the most hopeless.  He must first admit he knows nothing and become a “fool” that he may then choose to learn and be wise. 

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.—1 Corinthians 3:18

He feeds on ashes;

A deceived heart has turned him aside;

And he cannot deliver his soul,

Nor say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"—Isaiah 44:20. 

2 Timothy 3:14-17

A sermon in itself...abide...persevere through trials continuing in and holding fast to what you have learned and believed AND been assured by experience that they are true.  

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it

15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17, ESV)

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4, ESV)

Your Comforts Delight My Soul...

Unless the LORD had been my help,

My soul would soon have settled in silence.

18 If I say, "My foot slips,"

Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.

19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,

Your comforts delight my soul.—Ps 94:17-19

The psalmist words in these verses resonate in my own heart.  Crying out to the Lord is what I do...He is my “Go-to” from before my feet hit the floor in the morning until sleep at night.  He is who I commune with during the day, moment by moment.  His unseen hand of mercy upholds me.   He is my help, my strength and my song.  It is so comforting to KNOW that the Lord is on MY side.  It is similarly consoling for me to KNOW that He is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be the same tomorrow as He was today.  My God IS the God who stays and who is my stay.  In the multitude of my anxieties within, the Spirit’s soothing word and His hand of grace bring me delight and peace in the midst of trouble.  John 16:32 says this: (Jesus is speaking)

Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

What grace I have been given.  Every trial I face drives me closer to His heart where I find my rest.  Spurgeon says this:

“Never is the soul safer or more at rest than when, all other helpers failing, she leans upon the Lord alone.”  So by His grace I cry out as David did in Psalm 142.  

1 I cry out to the LORD with my voice;

With my voice to the LORD I make my supplication.

2 I pour out my complaint before Him;

I declare before Him my trouble.

3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me,

Then You knew my path.

In the way in which I walk

They have secretly set a snare for me.

4 Look on my right hand and see,

For there is no one who acknowledges me;

Refuge has failed me;

No one cares for my soul.

5 I cried out to You, O LORD:

I said, "You are my refuge,

My portion in the land of the living.

6 Attend to my cry,

For I am brought very low;

Deliver me from my persecutors,

For they are stronger than I.

7 Bring my soul out of prison,

That I may praise Your name;

The righteous shall surround me,

For You shall deal bountifully with me."

A Sound Mind...

for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)

This was a good reminder for me this morning.  God has given me everything I need to live a godly life.  I have His power by His Spirit who dwells in me and is with me.  I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.  God has also poured out His love in my heart...By His grace I can love the people around me with His self-sacrificing love.  I, personally think the key to this verse is this last one...God has given me self-control...the NKJV calls it a sound mind.  The Bible tells me I have the mind of Christ!  His truth is hidden in my heart.  As I meditate on it and cry out for it in my inward being, I am rooted and grounded...sober-minded and self-controlled with right priorities.  My heart is sound in His statutes..obedient to His word.  As I go through trials, I focus on the sovereign nature of my God as well as His perfect purposes. The Spirit of God living in my heart uses the word of God to produce godly wisdom and confidence in every situation I face.  He gives me understanding and unites my heart to fear Him. 

"Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed."—Ps 119:80

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15, ESV)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27, ESV)

Godliness with Contentment...

But godliness with contentment is great gain, (1 Timothy 6:6, ESV)

John MacArthur says that the Greek word for contentment in this verse means “self-sufficiency,” and was used by Stoic philosophers to describe a person who was unflappable and unmoved by external circumstances.  I love that picture.  I want that to describe my own heart...to be satisfied and sufficient seeking no more than what my God has given me. He is my true source of peace and contentment.  

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.  Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, (2 Corinthians 3:4-5, ESV)

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8, ESV)

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11-13, ESV)

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19, ESV)

The Beauty of God...

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;

Mercy and truth go before Your face.

15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!

They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.

16 In Your name they rejoice all day long,

And in Your righteousness they are exalted.

17 For You are the glory of their strength,

And in Your favor our horn is exalted.

18 For our shield belongs to the LORD,

And our king to the Holy One of Israel.—Psalm 89:14-18

Ahhh...I love this.  Sometimes I just read thru a Psalm quickly not really taking in its beauty and its truth. I paused at this passage this morning, however, and reread...really trying to take a little bit of its glory into my heart.   Gods judgment is according to truth...He is altogether righteous. The good news for fallen man is that His judgment is tempered with mercy.  We serve a God of righteousness, truth, justice and mercy. Our God is sovereign and holy...never unrighteous or unjust. Spurgeon says that “if mercy had not paved the way, the coming of God to any man must have been swift destruction.”

Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound...what sound?  The sound of praise to our God!   As believers we walk in His divine favor...in the light of his countenance. In His name we rejoice because He has sent His Son to save us from death and eternal destruction.  We are clothed in the righteousness of His Son, Jesus.  We need no other reason to rejoice...His all sufficient Son is ours and we are His. He has become our all sufficient joy no matter our circumstances.  The Lord is my strength and my defense. My heart trusted in Him and I am helped. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices and with my song will I praise him.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--

that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."—1 Corinthians 1:30-31O

1 Timothy 4:12

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12, ESV)

The New King James also  includes “in spirit” in this list.

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

I read the “thru the Bible” readings for today last night before bed.  My heart focused here on the above verse.  I am the opposite of a youth and obviously not a pastor, but personally I think the advice is good for every age bracket.  It is especially good advice for pastors to be an example to the flock God has given them to shepherd, but is also important for parents and grandparents (me) who shepherd little ones and not so little ones to be a good example.  Paul lists six areas where we can example the character fitting of a child of God.

The first is ”in speech”.

34 "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."—Matthew 12:34-37

Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.—Ephesians 4:25

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.—Ephesians 4:29

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.—Ephesians 4:31

The second one is “in conduct”...righteous living

not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.—Titus 2:10

but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."—1 Peter 1:15

having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.—1 Peter 2:12

having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed—1 Peter 3:16

Being an example “in love“ is next...self-sacrificial service for others. Love should be both our motive and the spirit behind all that we do and say.

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.—John 15:12-13

“In Spirit” follows love...

The verse that came to mind here is Mark 12:30...

'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This [is] the first commandment.

“In faith” is next and has the idea of faithfulness...believing, faithful, true, trustworthy.

Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.—1 Corinthians 4:2

The last one is purity...sinlessness...esp chastity.  in thoughts as well as actions

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, (1 Timothy 3:2, ESV)

Is There Anything Too Hard for Me?

“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?—Jeremiah 32:27

Zedekiah, King of Judah, had imprisoned Jeremiah in the court of the guard which was in his palace for prophesying that the Lord would give Judah into the hand of the King of Babylon.  While there in prison God instructs Jeremiah to buy MY field (I like that the Lord reminded Jeremiah that it was His land) which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.  Now Anathoth was about three miles outside of Jerusalem and already under enemy occupation...not a wise real estate investment.  Jeremiah bought the property because the Lord had told him to do it.  

"Then I charged Baruch (Jeremiah’s scribe)before them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days." For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land."'—Jeremiah 32:15

God is promising here that He would bring His people back to their inheritance.  Now I cannot imagine the tennis match that is probably going on in Jeremiah’s mind.  He wants to believe God, but his circumstances are overwhelmingly against this desire.  What does Jeremiah do to counter his unbelief.  He prays.   He praises God for his faithfulness, he declares his greatness and he admits the failure of his people to obey.  Here is part of his prayer. 

Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.

Jeremiah reminds himself of the truth...God CAN do anything...there is NOTHING too hard for Him...He is God!  There are situations in my own life (and probably in yours, also) where I need to do this...I need to remember who my God is...I need to remember that He is on my side and that He truly WILL accomplish what He has purposed and planned. 

Jeremiah’s faith falters a bit in verses 24 and 25 but he continues to pray...in these verses he prays for understanding.

'Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it! And You have said to me, O Lord God, "Buy the field for money, and take witnesses"!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.'"

God answers in vs 26-35 promising both judgment and restoration.  Here is also where God affirms Jeremiahs declaration about Him in vs 27.  

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

I love how the Lord answers.  Ha! He takes a page out of Jeremiah's book and says, [I'm] the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Sometimes I look at situations in my own life that “seem” impossible to make right.  A quote from Dr Seuss’  The Cat in the Hat comes to mind.  

“And this mess is so big. And so deep and so tall, We cannot pick it up. There is no way at all!

And then in comes the cat and his machine and probably Thing one and Thing Two and they make short work of that mess.  God can and will do that for this world as well as in the microcosms of our own lives.  Praying that when my heart gets overwhelmed by circumstances that I, like the dad in Mark 9,  cry out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" 

John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."

Romans 11:33-34  Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!  "FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD? OR WHO HAS BECOME HIS COUNSELOR?"

When you think your situation is impossible and need to be reminded of who the Lord is, meditate on one or two of these verses.

Genesis 18:14  Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."

Job 42:2  "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

Luke 1:37  For with God nothing will be impossible."

Luke 18:27  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

 Isaiah 46:9  Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,

Isaiah 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,'

Daniel 2:22  He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.

Acts 15:18  "Known to God from eternity are all His works.

Lift up your eyes on high,

And see who has created these things,

Who brings out their host by number;

He calls them all by name,

By the greatness of His might

And the strength of His power;

Not one is missing.

27 Why do you say, O Jacob,

And speak, O Israel:

"My way is hidden from the LORD,

And my just claim is passed over by my God"?

28 Have you not known?

Have you not heard?

The everlasting God, the LORD,

The Creator of the ends of the earth,

Neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable.

29 He gives power to the weak,

And to those who have no might He increases strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

31 But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.—Isaiah 40:26-31

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.—Jeremiah 29:11

The exiles in Babylon did not know or remember that God thought about them...that His thoughts were “toward” them for their good...peace and not evil...to give them a future and a hope.  God wrote them a letter through Jeremiah to remind them. God has done the same for us...He has given us His word.  As a believer, God’s thoughts toward me are good, but like the exiles, I forget. 

Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered—Ps 40

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.—Ps 139:17-18

No matter where we find ourselves...no matter the trials we face here...He is with us to help us.  Our future is secured.  Eternal life in heaven is ours.  He gave His life to assure it. We have a hopeful end. 

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.—Ephesians 1:13-14

His Footsteps Our Pathway...

Righteousness will go before Him And will make His footsteps into a way [in which to walk].—Ps 85:13 AMP

Righteousness will go before Him,

And shall make His footsteps our pathway.—Ps 85:13 NKJV

I LOVE that the way to live is right here in the Psalms.  Jesus is the way the truth and the light.  No one comes to the Father but through Him.  When we believe, Christ clothes us in His righteousness and sets us in the way of His steps.  He goes before us and makes the crooked places straight.  He makes perfect that which concerns us and performs all things for us.  He brings us to the Father...He is our guide unto death and into glory.  

Psalm 119:35 (KJV)

Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Ephesians 5:1,2 (KJV)

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV)

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV)

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Hebrews 12:1,2 (KJV)

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 2:18-24 (KJV)

18 Servants, [be] subject to [your] masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this [is] thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory [is it], if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye take it patiently, this [is] acceptable with God. 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Eternal Comfort and Good Hope...

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, ESV)

I really like how Paul makes this benediction so personal in that he asks that the Lord Jesus Christ HIMSELF and God our Father comfort our hearts.  May  the One who gave Himself for us to give us ETERNAL consolation....may He be the true source of all our comfort, encouragement and strength.  When God comforts me, He also establishes me because the consolation I receive enables me to persevere in His ways and not waver in faith.  It is His faithful Presence with me that makes it possible for me to be established and to endure.  It’s all grace! 

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

May Fulfill Every Resolve for Good..

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, ESV)

There are so many good examples of prayer in Scripture and this one is no exception.  Oh, that I might behave in ways that are consistent with my identity as a follower of Jesus...that His will might be fulfilled in me and that my life might be marked by His goodness and His powerful works of faith.  Father, be glorified in me...make this the end and aim of all that I do and all that I desire. 

The phrase ‘may fulfill every resolve for good” really gave me encouragement this morning. 

I don’t know about you but my Bible journal is replete with my resolves for good...not because I am good, but because it is equally replete with my sin and failure.  My sin is ALWAYS  before me.   As it says in Psalm 38 my iniquities have gone over my head.  Like a burden they are too heavy for me.  It encouraged my heart this morning to know that God sees those resolves for good...remembers them...and by His Spirit that works in me, brings them to fulfillment.  

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.—Matt 11:28

My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.—Psalm 73:26

A Quiet Life...

that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you—1 Thessalonians 4:11

I have always been attracted to the picture this verse paints.   I want to be the one who leads a quiet life, who minds her own business and works with her hands.  1 Peter 3:4 is similar...it tells us to “let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.”  I want that too!  Spending time minding other people’s business and/or attempting to make me look good on the outside takes a lot of my energy and causes disquietude not only in my heart but usually in the hearts of others, also.  It uses energy that could be better spent more aspiring to lead a quiet life.  Energy that could be spent working with my hands to aid the smooth running of my household.  Energy that could be spent helping provide for the needs of others. Energy that could be spent focusing on those things that are above that bring stability and peace...that enable me to be the one whose soul rests easy even in the midst of difficulty.  My life is quiet...free from external disturbances...because I am minding my own business.  My life is peaceful...free from internal disturbances...because my has been spent staying focused on Him.  

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.  And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,—2 Corinthians 3:2-5

The Way of Man is Not In Himself - Jeremiah 10:23

O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself;

It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.—Jeremiah 10:23

When I read verses like this, I rejoice and settle down to read more about how incapable I am of directing my own steps. God had a plan for Jeremiah before he was even born...He has one for me too. (Ps 139).  I love knowing and being assured of that it is not in me to get through this life on my own. It takes the pressure that I lived with for far too many years off of me and that is such a good thing. (casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you). I looked up weakness in my Thompson Chain...posting pictures of some of the verses that brought comfort and peace to my heart this am. 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.—Prov 3:5-6

A man's heart plans his way,

But the LORD directs his steps.—Prov 16:9

Filled With the Fullness of God...

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,—Colossians 1:19

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.—Colossians 2:8-10

Praying this morning that none of us are deceived by the philosophies, lies and futility of life that is not according to Christ.  We who are broken are made whole in Christ.  We are complete in Him...accepted in the Beloved.  All His spiritual resources are ours.  Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount tells us, “Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.”  With what are we filled?  We are filled with the One who “brought us out of the land of Egypt”.   The One who tells us to open our mouths wide and He will fill them.  We are filled with the One that wants us to know the blessings of His gospel, the love of His Son and the knowledge of His will. We are filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding until we come to the unity of the faith, to a perfect man...to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.  

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.—John 1:16

But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. "Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."—John 6:68-69