PRAISE THE LORD!

Staying one step ahead of the “enemy” is easy with God.  After all, God defeated death, that is to say the enemy, and He is with us always, promising never to leave us. (Matthew 28:20)

The enemy wants us to suffer, to doubt ourselves, and to cause misery and chaos in all we do.  The darkness that the enemy lives in and by, obviously, is the antithesis of the LIGHT of the world.  That blasted enemy wants to do all he can to bring us into the ‘dark’ and conform us to all things not of God.

What do we do?

We stay positive, despite our circumstances.

We praise God even more.

And we trust Him with all of our being, every single second of our lives, now and always.

And we stay in HIS WORD.

Being in His Word, is the most powerful weapon we have in our fight in this spiritual warfare.  We have to be armed, and forewarned in all things we see, engage in, and hear.  In order to be successful against the maneuvers of the enemy, we must seek God in all we do, and align with His Word, (Armor) while putting it into practice on a daily basis. (Ephesians 6)

Meditating on His glory, while celebrating His love is essential to being prosperous in “life.”  And ostensibly, being in His Word, essentially is “LIFE.”

Without God, we are “dead” spiritually, and consequently vulnerable to the wiles of the enemy.  The world is “the enemy,” and to be outside the realm of God, is to be in treacherous and dangerous ground.

When we are encompassed and wrapped in the foundation and Love of God and His Word, we are held up by His right hand of righteousness.  We are afforded the significance of His power, while surrendering to His will.  We are acknowledging that He is in completely and undeniably in control at all times.

Giving Him due praise all day long, is something that should be as natural as breathing. Yes, there are times, we are hurting physically, mentally, emotionally or all of the above…and the noise of the world shuts down our progression of our spirit.

Don’t let that happen!

God is with us always. When we go through the fires, armed with His Word and truth, we are victorious through Christ, each and every time, and we send the enemy running, and fleeing all battered, and bruised. (James 4:7)

Hallelujah, praise God and Amen!

“Father God, thank You for Your glory, Your love, Your promises, and Your Word, I honor and adore You and offer You praise, now and forever, in Jesus name, Amen.”

Psalm 37:4

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

The special moments of “speaking” with you are always the best part of my day. No matter where I may be, or whom I may have been with, you are always the quintessential highlight of my day.

Enjoying my time with You, is my way of “staying positive” in a world of negativity, where the focus seems to be “casting dispersions” on those who have different ideologies other than what they might believe.

Enjoying my time with You, is my way of “staying focused” on what is real, and what is truly important in the overall scheme of things.

Enjoying my time with You, is my way of “staying steadfast” in promoting Your glory and Your love.

The incidentals in life are like akin to the flow of a river. It keeps moving, sometimes smoothly, sometimes with a ripple effect, and at other times turbulence at best. But during these times and all the in-betweens, You, my LORD, are my “Lifeboat” that keeps me afloat, irrespective of circumstances.

I wouldn’t trade the special, and delightful moments that I spend “with You,” for anything in this entire universe.

For I need You to breathe.

I need You to think.

I need You to love.

Well, Father my LORD… I just “need You.”

“Thank You for another day, and another delightful day of loving You, may I be ever mindful in all I do, and may I always find time to sit alone and talk with You, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Matthew 22:37 (GNT)

So, this is Father’s Day, and although my “dad” passed some 21 years ago, I still think of him with memories that are indelibly marked in my heart and mind. He was an amazingly kind, loving, and compassionate dad.  I was his ‘baby girl’ even as he walked me down the aisle over forty years ago.

Later, during the reception of my wedding he hugged me as whispered in my ear, “You will always be my little girl, I will be here for you the rest of my life. You may have become a wife today, but you’ll always be my little girl. Don’t ever forget that.”  I never did, up until he left this world.

God gave me the gift of life, and blessed me with a wonderful adoring dad, and mother.

I am so happy knowing he is with my Abba Father right this moment. My dad…whom I loved and always will…is with the Great I AM!

Gifts from above, all center around “love,” and love is what Jesus commanded us to fulfill, “love them as I have loved you.”  John 15:12

He sent His Son to die for us and our sins, and to set us free.  He wanted us to be cleansed and to join Him forever and not to be separated by ugly sin.

Salvation, and eternal rewards when we’re called home.

Wow!  Now, that is what I call LOVE!

So, my LORD above, “Happy Father’s Day!”  You are the most amazing Father in this Universe, and I acknowledge there is none like You anywhere.  You are my Abba Father, whom I’ll love, cherish worship and adore forever and always.

And Lord, thank you for my dad!  He was all the things a dad was supposed to be, and really so much more.  Can you tell him, “Hello” for me? And tell him, “I love him?”

Today in celebration of you Abba Father, and Your unparalleled love… I lift my hands up high and say, “Praise You LORD for all You’ve done in my life, I couldn’t have done any of it without You!”

And to my earth dad, “Thank you, for all you’ve done, all the days of my life, from birth until your very last breath.  I love you daddy, and I always will. Until we meet again, enjoy being in the presence of the LORD!”

Amen!

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NJKV)

No matter how many times I’ve read Matthew 28:20 this important verse from Christ Himself, never ceases to uplift and fill me with love, and a deep abiding appreciation for my Savior.  “…And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

In God, we live, move and exist.

God is closer than we could imagine.

For those of us who have accepted Jesus as Saviour, we’ve become the dwelling place for The Holy Spirit.

God dwells within all His believers.

The fact that He is with us everywhere we go, in everything we do, or say, is monumentally overwhelming, when we take the time to really “grasp” the enormity of what it truly means!

He knows all of the things we are going to do or say, before we even know we’re going to do it or say it.

I’m sure many of you reading this, have said things that you’ve come to regret later on.  Something that just “escaped from your lips” and within seconds you groaned inwardly, and thought, “yikes, why did I say that?”

Guess what? God already knew you were going to say it, and He also knew that you were going to be upset and regret having said it.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God gave us a “clear indication” and/or warning that we were going to do or say something beforehand?

Maybe if he sent a text message or email once in a while… “Dear Beloved Child of Mine, on Monday afternoon at 1:14 pm, please don’t say anything, just keep your mouth safely closed during an encounter between you, your cousin, and co-worker. Trust me with this one.  With Lots of Love, God.”

Wouldn’t that be great? Huh? Well, that’s not going to happen anytime soon.  However, we already have something that’s close to an email or text from God, and that’s a discerning spirit.

We will usually make the right decisions with His guidance, and gentle nudging to walk the straight and narrow.  Not to say that we won’t fall short at times, because if we don’t, we wouldn’t have the strong connection with God, making us realize just “how much we really need Him in our lives.”  

And with each mistake, or wrong word, we grow innately closer to Him, and our spiritual roots become further entrenched in the soil of Christ’s foundation.

Knowing He is “right here” with us, right this very moment is powerful!

He is never away from any of us. NEVER!

He is next to me, and probably smiling as I exalt Him and promote His glory through my words and actions. Amen!

Remember this, God is never far from us, He is closer than we think. Not just today, or tomorrow…always.

And when we move on from this life, we will be with Him forever.

Now I ask you this, “How amazing is it to be a follower of the One and only true God?”

“Father, I know You are with me always, and I ask that You speak over those who don’t know You yet, that they would realize that You are present, here and now, and I pray that they would know Your glory, and Your love, and welcome You into their hearts, as I have welcomed You so long ago into mine, I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.”

Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm!

Jeremiah 32:17 

Sundays are a day of rest and quiet for us.  Although each day of the week is filled with meditation and thoughts and love for God, Sunday is an extra heaping of such, and greatly welcomed.

Irrespective of the way we choose to w0rship the LORD, with whatever “denomination” or “non-denomination” or affiliation we have or don’t have, it is always an honor and gift to proclaim His glory.

Filling up on the Word is one of the most satisfying ways of feeding our souls. The depth of satiation is apparent each time I finish “speaking” to the LORD and reading His Word.  Even while feeling “physical” pain, the transformation of self is evident when I submit to His Word and surrender to His will in all I do.

Taking time to be with Him is fundamentally one of the greatest gifts we can receive other than of course, our very salvation.  And without saying, His unconditional and unwavering love.

What an amazing God we serve, today and always.

Enjoy your Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!   Just remember that “any day” spent with the LORD is a good day indeed!

“Father, thank You for today, tomorrow and all the days of my life, I exalt You and praise You always, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Psalm 136:25

He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.

While out back this morning, I delighted in hearing the precious sounds of nature.  The perfumed garden provided delicious aromas to add to the sensational surroundings. Two chipmunks were frolicking about, three squirrels patiently waited for their “breakfast” and two beautiful Cardinals swooped down directly in front of me, and stared for what seemed like an eternity, in actuality it might have been about 30 seconds. It was a female and male Cardinal.

My soul immediately stirred with compassion and love for these precious creatures of God. I love God so much so, that all of His creatures fill my heart and soul to overflowing.

I know a lot of people of faith will say, God is everywhere.  And of course, He is.  But I wonder, how many really take the time to embrace all facets of this world (despite the ugliness that is going on at this time) and see, hear and acknowledge the pure beauty of God’s Magnificence.

The world is “noisy” troublesome and “chaotic.”

But have you ever noticed how “peaceful” God’s landscape is?

How melodic the birds are?

How regal and resplendent the Cardinal is?

It’s been said, look for God’s beauty all around you, irrespective of the “unrest” and uncertainty in this world.  But did you realize it doesn’t have to be found in a perfectly manicured backyard?  It can be a flower growing in the crack of a sidewalk peeking out from amidst the weeds surrounding it.

It can be a mud flower sitting majestically in the middle of muck and mire.

God is everywhere and there is nowhere that God is not!

He is the quintessential essence in which “we breathe” and which we exist.

He is the foundation upon which we walk.

He is the pinnacle of substantial heights of love within us all.

He is the “Great I AM” so great that it is impossible to measure.

His love is endless. It always was and always will be.

Just as He “always was and always will be” for all the ages, and for Eternity.

Look around and see if you can take notice of God’s splendor along the way, today, and every day.

I am in awe of Him and His prolific love.

Tomorrow morning when the “creatures begin their day,” and the Cardinals and other little ones come calling, I will rejoice and loudly proclaim, “How awesome is my God?”

Amen!

“Father, how grateful I am for all of Your creatures, for all of Your works, for Your relentless and unwavering love and protection, I just want to honor and love You, my precious LORD, today, tomorrow and always, may I always be in awe of You and acknowledge You in all I do, I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Psalm 145:15-17 The eyes of all creatures look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand, and You satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is fair in all His ways and faithful in everything He does.

Psalm 145:9-10 The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.

  For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timonthy 1:7 (ESV)

Phobias can truly paralyze individuals and hinder their full potential to actually “live.”   It can literally stop them in their tracks, and create havoc and mayhem in their lives, both physically, and emotionally.  It can stunt the growth of the Spirit and suffocate your very being.

An estimated 9.1% of Americans, more than 19 million people, have a specific phobia, and many people have more than one specific phobia. The prevalence of specific phobias in teenagers is higher at 15.1%. More than twice as many women as men have specific phobias. And with this Pandemic “winding” down, it brought many “new people to the table of anxiety.”  It created a steady emotional trickle-down effect of a different type of reality for many people.

Harsh images, horrific scenarios ringing out on a daily basis throughout our land, both near and far, is a fertile breeding ground for “phobias” to be born. And not only those in the non-secular population…but those of faith as well.

Myself included, if truth be told, I became overly cautious and stopped doing many things I had done prior to this pandemic.  And even though I have a deep abiding and passionate love and belief in the LORD, it happened to me as well.

I reach for the Bible, I talk with God daily, and I open my heart and soul to Him and His will…yet there were specific times where my mind (battleground) starts thinking of scenarios of “what if?”  Which can be detrimental to overall well-being in terms of healthy living without stagnation in a cloud of “fear.”

Fear is NOT from God!  It is not what He wants for us.  It is not what He set us free for.

Adrenaline can be helpful in certain situations, and that is how God designed our bodies to work.  But in everyday life, “fear” has no place for those of faith.  It is a cancer to the soul and can produce guilt in knowing “we should know better” –— so it can become a cycle of residual ups and downs.

I have many dear friends. However, I’d like to share about one in particular who lives overseas, who from afar touched my heart, and touched my soul.  I’ve no doubt God used her to deliver an important message.  “Go out and start doing things you did prior to the Pandemic. God is with you and will protect you from all things, isn’t He the One in control of your life?”  

That and several other things she shared with me opened my heart to the reality, that of course God is in control!  Something I’ve always known but needed a “fresh touch” and God showered me with this message, and my cup overflowed.  And he used my beloved friend to get it across to me.  It’s so amazing when he uses the “angels” here on earth to do that. I’m always in awe when that happens.

He wanted me to know, “Hey, I’m with you always. No matter where you go, no matter what you’re going through, I have you in my arms, and only I am in control of you, and what happens in this world, no one else. Just Me.”

This vivid “fresh touch” pushed me to move in the right direction, and be thankful for all the seconds, minutes, hours and days of my life.  I have work to do here on earth, until He says, “come on home” whenever that is, but until such time. I have things to accomplish and do, through Him, and for Him.

For those reading this, that have been affected by a traumatic event, or exposed to an issue that has rendered you into a mass of “fear” and “anxieties.” Please don’t be hard on yourself, or feel guilt, just place yourself in His mighty capable hands.  Realize that He has been with you since your first breath, and He will be with you when you draw your last.

So, all of the days and moments in between, hold on to His hand.  He will guide you…and He will love you, unconditionally. He will show you the paths to walk upon. Just trust Him. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

Immerse yourself in His Word and meditate on His promises (which are many—especially Psalm 91) and grasp the reality that He is fully in control.  He is the King of this Universe, and He is our loving Father at all times.

Thank you to my beautiful friend, and sister in Christ on the other side of the world.  I am blessed that God used you to get to me! Bless you sister!

When you feel like you are stuck…ask God to “give you a push” in the right direction.  I assure you; He hears you at all times and will help you.  Sometimes it’s from the least expected sources. In my case…a friend from the other side of the world!

“Father God, thank You for bringing me back to the forefront of what is important.  Living life to the fullest, without components of fear, but to trust You every second, all the days of my life, in Jesus Christ name, Amen.”

Caring note:

Please realize this is not meant to be taken as medical advice, but merely as a “caring” Christian to Christian concern.  I am not a medical doctor, just a Christian who loves God, and my fellow brothers and siters.

If your phobia is severe to the point where it may be interfering with your life, you may need to seek help from your qualified medical professional.