Prayer and the F word

Say, have you fasted and prayed lately?

God has really been speaking to me this morning on this topic.
Josh and I have been praying intentionally about some things lately and not seeing too much movement..
So the Lord spoke to me this morning through His Word and how when the Disciples wanted to see something happen-- they prayed and fasted to see a shift.

Just some of my thoughts this morning.
Is there something you want to see happen for the Kingdom?
Why not pray-- and fast.

Deep Peace.

Growing and Left Out.

So here are some ramblings from me this morning...

Before reading this morning I made myself a nice hot beverage to sit down with and enjoy while I read. I grabbed the newest addition to my mugs-- it is this really cutsie looking mug from Starbucks that says on the front of it, 'grow', with a little tree branch. I liked it and since I have such a nice discount there decided to take it home with me...

Sat down with new mug in hand and pulled out the word and asked the Lord where He wanted me to start off this morning: "James". Okay so I turned to James. Within the first few verses I knew the Lord was speaking in a loud way:

"Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy! (I added the exclamation point there) For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to GROW. So let it GROW, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything." James 1:2-4

Here I am holding a mug that says 'grow' on it and then reading these verses on 'grow, grow, grow'... You think the Lord was saying something here? Of course, I don't doubt it. The Lord knows me and really likes to appeal to all my senses every now and again-- in such creative ways. Amen.
Hope you can pull something out of my experience this morning.

Then there is another verse in James that I came upon and realized most of the time we don't really look at the whole verse.

"My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and SLOW TO GET ANGRY."
James 1:19

Most of the time I think it is fair to say that we only look at the first part of this verse and live our lives by that. Living our lives by the first part of this verse is amazing, don't get me wrong, but I think that when we leave out the last part of the verse we are leaving out the vital organ of the text. After it says 'slow to get angry' James goes on to expand on that further:

"Your anger can never make things right in God's sight."
James 1:20

I think it is so important to make sure to include all of these verses together. "Slow to get angry" can be a really hard thing, I know from my own experience, but it doesn't help our relationship with others or God.

There you have it--
Some random morning ramblings.
... hope God can speak to you through something here.

Deep Peace.

Hope Above.

I usually end my time with the Lord in the morning by reading a Psalm.
I read Psalm 42 this morning and looked forward into Psalm 43.
It is quite interesting to see that in Psalm 42 the Psalmist says this over twice:

"Why am I discouraged?
Why so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again--
my Savior and my God!"
(Psalm 42:5-6 / Psalm 42:11)

Then again the Psalmist repeats it again at the end of Psalm 43:

"Why am I discouraged?
Why so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again--
my Savior and my God!"
(43:5)

I look at this and think that this was the writer reminding himself of the Lord's goodness to pull himself out of a rough time.
Rather than sitting in depression, doubt, worry, anxiety-- the psalmist writes this over and over to remind his spirit of the Lord's goodness and how he should respond in times of trouble. I picture the psalmist starting of with a small voice saying this over and over-- and then ending in a victorious SHOUT!

It encourages me to do the same in my rough spots-- because the Lord is good. May our spirit's arise in praise in times of sadness and discouragement.

Deep Peace.

Sweet Poetry, Sweet picture.

"Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness springs forth form the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
The Lord will indeed give what is good,
our land will yield its harvest.
Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps."
Psalm 85:10-13

What does that look like to have love and faithfulness meet together?
Or for righteousness and peace to kiss each other?
Even though I don't seem to know exactly what the Psalmist meant when writing this poetry-- it appeals to my senses and I understand it more than ever.
What a beautiful picture.

Deep Peace.

Psalm 78

"They remembered that God was their rock, that their redeemer was the Most High. But they followed him only with their words..."

Lord may I not ONLY follow you with my words but with my whole life.
My heart.
My actions.
My life.

May I always remember you in all I do-- you are my rock, my Redeemer, Most High.

reminder.

"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you..."