Storms of Life

So this bird lives in the Keys. He is comfortable when a storm is coming and when it is bright and sunny or clear and dark. We saw a water sprout just before a storm. The bird was unconcerned.

From The Heart of Abba
Peace:
From the storm,
Within the storm,
Through the storm.

You are anchored,
Held safe,
Secure,
No matter what is swirling around you.

In my mind, I saw a picture of a storm path in a very poor area. Most houses were destroyed but one stood. Then began to “hear” this reminder.

Just as during a hurricane one house stands and another falls,
So also is it with my people.

Those who stand,
Both buildings and people,
Have a strong foundation.

I am your bedrock,
Your foundation,
And your cornerstone .

And beloved.
You see my smile.
(As I remind you of a deeper truth).

Even when a house is destroyed
Or my children falter,
I am He who rebuilds and restores.

Matthew 7:24-27 New Living Translation (NLT)
Building on a Solid Foundation
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

1Peter 5:10 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Hope

From The Heart of Abba Today

Beloved,
Hope is knowing something is true,
Even when all evidence is contrary.

Hope is clinging to My Word,
When life seems to contradict it.

Hope is based on faith and trust.
Trust is built over time,
One choice at a time.

When you feel hopeless,
Simply come to Me in Prayer.

When you pray, I hear.
When I hear, I respond.

Hope, even unfelt hope,
Causes you to recognize My Hand at work.

And that recognition,
Leads to Hope renewed and restored.

Do YOU Want an Ideal Week?

Of course we all long for an ideal week. A week we can look back on and realized we used each moment to the fullest. We used each moment to bless rather than curse ourselves or others. An ideal week for me is a week filled with ideal moments.

We can only live ONE moment at a time, within one DAY at a time. All we really have is this moment.

And we get to CHOOSE in each and every moment which thoughts we will entertain. A quote says, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. I find that interesting. We are invited to choose what sort of things to spend our time thinking about. Each and every moment of each and every day, we can choose which thoughts we “run with” and which we counter with Truth and reality.

Today, as those random thoughts pop into our heads may we CHOOSE wisely which ones we ponder and which ones we “capture”.

If you are a Christian you will recognize Biblical wisdom here based on proverbs 23:7, 2 Cor. 10:5 and Phil 4:8.

Relax?!?

how-do-we-relaxDownload

Grudge Pit

Daily prompt:

Grudge

Grudge is an interesting word….we can bear a grudge…but we can also live a grudge focused, grudge filled life.

It is both a noun and an a verb. Aa a noun it is a deep-seated feeling of resentment or rancor (bitterness over time).

As a verb it to “be reluctant to give or admit, or to resent what one had or begrudge”.

Either usage, either life choice, draws us into a pit of despair.

The Bible reminds us, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled”. (Hebrews 12:15)

Who wants to be defiled?

Who wants to defile others?

Who wants to be caught in the Pit of Despair aka the Grudge Pit?

No one.

Not me or you.

Therefore when we feel the tug of resentment attempting to draw us into the Grudge Pit, we have a choice. 

We can STOP and CHOOSE to let it go…by forgiving “them” and focus on something uplifting….or we can harbor the grudge and end up in bitterness and defilement.

The cure for the Grudge Pit, is CHOOSING to forgive and move forward. We do NOT have to jump in there. 

“It Is Finished”

“It is finished”

Jesus was in his final moments.

He took care of his mother and then knowing his task on the cross was complete he said, “It is finished,” and died.

And it WAS FINISHED and yet at the same time IT WAS NOT.

These trees look very dead. The entire tone is dark and dreary and pretty much devoid of life.

But we KNOW come Spring these trees will be full of life and leaves. Birds will perch there, we will enjoy their shadows and shade.

Jesus is NOT DEAD, he is alive. And we can be “alive” in and because he did die on that cross.

But he AROSE and IS ALIVE.

Because of that we have HOPE as the Anchor for our souls.

Verse: John 19:25-30

* 25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

It Is Finished

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

and

Hebrews 6:19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,

Saturday Leads to Sunday

Holy Saturday…

It seemed like… from the time between  the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus… God was silent. 

It was as if the prayers and hopes of many had fallen on deaf ears. 

No doubt people believed God had failed them, all was lost and their “hope” had been in vain.

The world WAS silent in a way, (or maybe not so silent),   and waiting… but no one knew what they were waiting for. 

Or even that they actually WERE waiting.

Looking back we do. The Resurrection. They were waiting for a miracle, for new birth, for love reincarnate. 

Palm Sunday the week before was a huge celebration…but then….The cross. Many had turned on the King they had welcomed just days before.

It probably seemed all was lost and like they had misunderstood God. 

In fact they had in some ways.

But God was STILL “God,” alive and well. 

      Often in our own lives it seems we have prayed and prayed and God is silent. 

But as surely as Sunday followed Friday, God is at work and his heart hears. 

We might feel like “they” sort of must have, alone lost, forsaken, or disillusioned.

Before that  glorious Sunday morning it seemed as if all was lost,  all was silent,  God was silent.  The world was waiting. 

In a similar way, at times,  in our lives with illness, unsaved family members, with  all sorts of things, it seems God is not listening.

Our prayers may seem to have fallen on deaf ears. 

It may feel like God is not hearing. 

But just as surely as Resurrection Sunday followed Saturday,  after a  pause, God is hearing and He is answering.

So today (as we end Friday of Holy Week and go through Saturday),  we  especially lift up all our unmet needs. 

Prayers we may have prayed for many years, as well as more recent prayers. 

Lord  help us remember that as surely as Resurrection Sunday followed  Friday,  you are hearing us, you are at work and you are going to touch, heal, and restore us. As well as those we love. 

Father  the world is waiting for it knows not what,  but you do know. 

During this time of  waiting may the Name of  Jesus  be lifted up in every life, especially for the lives of those we love. 

In  your name we pray.  Amen

But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” Habakkuk 2:20

Zechariah 2:13

“Be silent before the LORD, all people, for He has roused Himself from His holy dwelling.”

“Attitude of Gratitude”

For November, I am using a selection of Scripture to remind myself and others to be grateful for the things we have and enjoy.

It is so easy to get caught up in what is going wrong and forget to be grateful for all the blessings in this life.

God is the source of every good and perfect gift. Each day “little gifts” are scattered abroad.

Broken But Beautiful

Lately, people I know and care about have been through so much.

Then there is all the covid “stuff” and politcal upheaval and on and on.

For about a week, I found myself saying, “The world is just so broken” And it is. More so than I can ever remember. So I decided to write and post for us.

Abba the world is so broken.

Broken,

Shattered,

Torn,

Yet not devoid of hope.

For Yeshua is our Hope.

He said we are in the world, but not of the world.

So when our world, is broken, shattered and torn asunder in so many ways, 

We simply accept His invitation.

To come, 

Just as we are,

Knowing we are welcomed.

And we remain in that secret place,

As long as it takes,

For us to be ready to face…the broken, shattered and torn world around us.

There is a grace and dignity in moving along amongst the debris of life with hope and faith and love and joy.

We are His because He says, “You are Mine”.

From the Heart of Abba Today:
Beloved,

You are mine.
Good times and hard times,
You are mine.

When life is easy,
Or when life is difficult,
You are mine.

When resting in Me is easy,
Or when you simply “can’t”,
You are still mine.

When your world is full or peace,
Or when nothing seems right,
Remember you are mine.

No thing and no one
Can alter the truth that
You belong to Me.

That means you are
Always loved
Always cherished
Always provided for
(in every way)
Simply because,
YOU ARE MINE.

This flower generally only lives a day. In that day, it offers sustenance to bees and butterflies, provides beauty and fulfills its purpose. In the course of eternity, our lives as so short but when we are going through “stuff” sometimes we feel like that season will never end. It is good to remember that we are not alone during those times.

Isaiah 43:1- 3says:

But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.

 

The Sticky Trap

There is a sort of varmit/mouse/rat trap called a sticky trap. When the critter walks on it it gets stuck. Tight. Trapped. It can squeal and toss and turn all it wants but that only results in more of it being stuck on/in the stickness.

When we are not living in the Light, when we are participating in deeds of darkness or maybe even giving tacit  assent to those things by our silence, we are just like the little mouse or the big rat, we are going to get stuck in the mire and muck of “sticky trap”.

The good news is God reaches down and frees us.

All it takes is for our cries/squeals of anger, fear and frustration to change to cries even wails to the Living Lord. We do that by repentance. And then, He comes. He always comes. Then He lifts us out of the sticky trap and sets us on a, not a,  the Rock. 

Verses to Ponder:

Psalm 40:2

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Romans 10:13

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”