Quiet Joy

JOY is the whole being's attitude of "Thank You" to Me. Be glad. Rejoice.

A father loves to see his children happy.
 (A.J. Russell,1989, God Calling)

I truly believe that God is in control. I know He has set a path before me and made a commitment to me that WE will gloriously walk to the end on this destined path. I know that His great mercy and loving-kindness have made choices available to me. I believe His love never fails. I believe He sees my desire to surrender my soul fully to His will; His will that has been birthed from the greatest heart...the heart of all hearts, that sings the song of all songs, from the King of all kings, straight to my heart. God touches the human heart, He touches my heart. He loves to touch. He never leaves us alone.

So why do I doubt? Why do I complain about my circumstances? Why are my thoughts drifting to possible scenarios? He is near. Drawing near to God, He will draw near to me. What could be more possible than His Truth? What could be more pleasurable than knowing Him? How can I still have desires for anything less than His heart?

Lord Jesus, thank You that I can come and ask of our Father in heaven. Holy Spirit of our Living God, create in me a pure heart, give me an undivided heart, a merry heart, a burning heart, a repentant heart, a grateful heart.....a silent heart.

Psalm 39:2I was dumb with silence, I held my peace without profit and had no comfort away from good, while my distress was renewed. 3My heart was hot within me. While I was musing, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: 4Lord, make me to know my end and [to appreciate] the measure of my days--what it is; let me know and realize how frail I am [how transient is my stay here].

Lord I must become intimate with You! God help me to sit before You in silence......so that while I am musing, absorbed in thoughts of You, in awe and wonderment concerning You....Holy God...pondering and marveling over You, who was, and is, and is to come. OH that my heart would burn, that I would know You, All Consuming Fire! Then I would never be void of knowledge to be grateful for. Oh that I may have unending insight into Your heart, that I may continuously sing Your praises, crying out, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11


Lamentations3:25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Isaiah 30:18
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Ask, No Doubt

Many times we wonder how we know that we know what the Lord is thinking or telling us. I don't know. I mean don't have the end all answer for that one, but I have been trying to listen more than I talk. I have had a tiny bit of success with that, but it has led me to the revelation that it takes time. Time is necessary. Experiences, building a history of interactions develops relationships and causes us to know God better.
We can always rely on His word and we are chosen to receive powerful wisdom and understand through His Holy Spirit. He is giving us good gifts, because He is our good, good Father.

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Luke 11:13NIV

This same spirit that Jesus sent to us after He went back up to heaven, God's Holy Spirit, is the exact one that Jesus operated in power to do great works, and we will do greater works. (Luke 4:vs1,14,18)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.John 14:12
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. John 16:7

Holy Spirit, the third person of the the Trinity, is our designated helper. He will help us remember all the things Jesus says. (Jn 14:26) So we ask the Lord for encounter, experiences, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and He gives it through His Spirit inside us.
Just like my beloved friend just wrote to me, (James 1:5,8) "If you want to know what God wants you t do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him, He will not resent it...If you don't ask with faith, don't expect the Lord to give you any solid answers."

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting......

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11
Praise God! Thank You Jesus for wisdom, more Lord, I ask for more Lord. Thank You God for faith, more Lord, I ask for more. Thank You Holy Spirit for powerful revelation, more Lord, I ask for more! Fill us!

Commitment

Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth and faithfulness. Psalm 31:5

I have been thinking about commitment. Many, including myself feel a little fear when faced with commitments. I just transitioned from Media Apprentice to Full Time Operation Staff here at the International House of Prayer. The difference is really just in the title, yet as the documents and such came to completion, I began to feel anxiety about it. I felt inclined to hold on to my time and tried to micro-manage my schedule, and even began to doubt if the Lord wanted me to do this.
Then God began to talk to me about my fear. HE reminded me that Jesus had made the biggest commitment ever when He took on flesh, became a man, and descended from heaven to suffer and die to have us with Him forever. The ends justifying the means, has still yet to be fully seen, and yet Jesus is fully committed to us and His plan for our redemption, and restoration. I am His beloved, so all that I have is His, and likewise, He is my Beloved!

If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord. Romans 14:8

Also the Lord just now reminded me that there is no fear if I am trusting in His love. His love casts out fear. So I will pierce His heart with my gaze. I will search and pray for revelation of this love, because I know it will all be worth it in the end.

Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous--possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God! Matthew 5:8

You have ravished my heart and given me courage, my sister, my [promised] bride; you have ravished my heart and given me courage with one look from your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. Song of Solomon 4:9

Even now I can look back over my life and see the worth of it already. I used to be living in darkness, sin, and death, and now I have opportunities popping up left and right to glorify Jesus, by trusting in, relying on, and clinging Him, our God. Thanks Jesus! I do love and trust You, and I shall love and trust You with all my heart forever. Only You can satisfy my desires, squelch my fears, and awaken me to a life that is vibrant, full of color and glory! All glory, honor, blessing, and power be to You forever! Jesus is Risen, God is alive! Be in me!

Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed. Psalm 37:3

So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].Isaiah 26:4 AMP

Order

"Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven.

Job 25:2 NIV

I have been feeling out of order, ya know, like when you think you should be doing things and you are not, or you wish you would do things you don't. I keep thinking, 'If I could just get my life in order....' Then the Lord spoke to me about what He thinks, when I inquired of Him, 'Tell me the truth about how You see me, Jesus.'

He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. Psalms 18:19 NLT


Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. Proverbs 27:5
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Psalms 37:23 NKJ
Father God made if very clear to me, first of all that He loves me, even in my weakness. He reminded me that He had pulled from the pit, saved me because He delighted in me. He has an orderly plan for my life, for good, and He is faithful to complete it. He will shower me with love, even while He points out useless and harmful actions I participate in. His plans are detailed, and as I look to Him, my steps are ordered by God.
When I was living the life according to the rules of the world, I used to wear two different colored socks every day. If you looked in my drawer you probably couldn't find a matching pair. My boss called me 'two-socks', and my life reflected this fashion statement. There was little order in my days, I would jump at the first opportunity to for 'fun' or 'trouble', and planning for the future was not on my priority list. Whatever I would see first that was which sock I would put on, which party I would go to.
The Lord reminded me of this, not that wearing two socks is a sin, but that He had already been ordering my steps. Some time shortly after I began following the way of Lord I naturally began wearing matching socks again, and now all my socks match. I didn't make a decision to do this, it just happened. God spoke to me that He will bring my life into order with His will, as I stay faithful to follow His Word. God delights in leading me after His Son Jesus, and giving me success. The enemy may try to confuse me, telling lies that I am not on the path of righteousness, but the Lord will not let my feet stumble. Thank You God for ordering my steps, leading and guiding me. Thank you for the gift of faith, and increase my endurance to keep my eyes on You, and not my situations. Give me the strength to change what I need to, because I long to love You more, and be wide open to Your perfect leadership. I love You Jesus! Thank You for salvation, confidence in love!

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
1 Corinthians 14:33 NKJ

For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

James 3:16 NKJ

I am dust, yet I ask

Then Abraham answered and said, "Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Genesis 18:27 NKJ

Abraham knew the Lord, so he entreated God to have mercy on Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham knew that the Lord was a generous, compassionate, Holy God. He had walked with God his whole life, being chosen from among his people to be the father of a great nation. God called him out, and Abraham obeyed faithfully the Lord's commands, knowing that it was the best thing for him to do, and having proper fear of and love for the Lord. Although Abraham rightfully feared the Lord, he humbled himself, admitting his insignificance, and took it upon himself to speak with God Almighty, who possesses the heavens and the earth; And God would visit him.
Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. Genesis 17:22 NKJ

Lord, I admit that I am but dust, and my life is a fleeting vapor, I desire to humble myself in Your sight, that You will uplift me, and I may walk before You blameless to know and experience Your love. Thank You for the blood of Your Son Jesus. I ask Lord that You prepare my heart to receive all of Your generous indwelling Spirit, and have mercy on me Jesus, that I will be empowered to keep Your commands, and my family too. Oh God, creator and possessor of all heaven and earth, all glory and praise and dominion is Yours forever. May I experience Your presence daily, Holy Spirit.

Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, Genesis 14:22

And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. Genesis 17:9 NKJ

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10 NKJ

Gentle Love

28 For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; the Lord my God illumines my darkness.29 For by You I can run through a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.30 As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. Psalm 18

Lately I have been blessed to hear the Lord saying to me that He will shine through me. I'm sure we all contemplate our destiny, and the alignment with His will; therefore if He has our heart we are eager to have them unified, to stand in obedience with the Lord's plan for our lives. So we love the Lord with all our heart, and lean not on our own understanding. If we acknowledge Him in all we do He WILL show us the paths to take. (Prov. 3:5-6)
He has confirmed this to be by showing me through His word that He is the Light that shines in the darkness. Even though my flesh is weak, my spirit is willing, and it's Christ living in me that gives sure hope of glory. So I praise God! I praise Him for His word, that we will never exhaust. I praise Him for being a gentle shepherd and leading me beside the still waters, and saving me from the snares. Thanks and praise be to our God forever!!!!

1 John 1:5.This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.