Summer Time

Looking forward to getting back on track with God more consistently in prayer and seeking Him first. I think I want to use my Reflections blog again this summer. My goal is a quiet time every morning... before the kids get up. True quiet. Then a reflection.

This morning, God hit my heart with an amazing passage from one of my favorite books, Jesus Calling. I am realizing that anxiety is my stronghold right now as it has been my pattern to have a hundred things on my mind. I am praying to slow down, listen, put God first, see those around me more clearly including the blessings that God has given, and move as God moves me instead of moving by vain impulses. Love this passage from JC.

Bring me all your feelings, even the ones you wish you didn’t have. Fear and anxiety still plague you. Feeling per se are not sinful, but they can be a temptation to sin. Blazing missiles of fear fly at you day and night; these attacks from the evil one come at you relentlessly. Use your shield of faith to extinguish those flaming arrows. Affirm your trust in Me, regardless of how you feel. If you persist, your feelings will eventually fall in line with your faith.

Do not hide from your fear or pretend it isn’t there. Anxiety that you hide in the recesses of your heart will give birth to fear of fear; a monstrous stepchild. Bring your anxieties out into the Light of my Presence, where we can deal with them together. Concentrate on trusting Me, and fearfulness will gradually lose its foothold within you.

Love Spurgeon! Really into this book. :)

Sunday, November 06, 2011
Faith's Check Book, Daily Entry
C. H. Spurgeon

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November 6
Delight and Desires

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Delight in God has a transforming power and lifts a man above the gross desire of our fallen nature. Delight in Jehovah is not only sweet in itself, but it sweetens the whole soul, till the longings of the heart become such that the Lord can safely promise to fulfill them. Is not that a grand delight which molds our desires till they are like the desires of God?

Our foolish way is to desire and then set to work to compass what we desire. We do not go to work in God's way, which is to seek Him first and then expect all things to be added unto us. If we will let our heart be filled with God till it runs over with delight, then the Lord Himself will take care that we shall not want any good thing. Instead of going abroad for joys let us stay at home with God and drink waters out of our own fountain. He can do for us far more than all our friends. It is better to be content with God alone than to go about fretting and pining for the paltry trifles of time and sense. For a while we may have disappointments; but if these bring us nearer to the Lord, they are things to be prized exceedingly, for they will in the end secure to us the fulfillment of all our right desires.

you are.

you are my strength when i am weak. you are the treasure that i seek. you are my all in all... seeking you as a precious jewel, Lord to give up I would be a fool. you are my all in all. Jesus, you're my lamb of God. Worthy is your name... Jesus... your my lamb of God... worthy is your name. when i fall down you pick me up when i am dry you fill my cup you are my all in all. seeking you as a precious jewel. lord to give up i 'd be a fool. you are my all in all.

Deut. 33:12

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders."

Love this!

Spurgeon's comments: (all credit to Spurgeon)

-no safety like being with the Lord
-there is no surer or safer place.... "Let me always abide under thy shadow."
-What a covering is that which the Lord gives to His chosen. The Lord himself covers him (not an angel, a shelter, etc). "Lord, let me abide this day consciously beneath the canopy of your love, this pavilion of sovereign power.
_The Lord is the support and strength of His saints. "Lord, let me ever enjoy Thy help, and then thy arms will be sufficient for me."

Matt. 10:42

And whosover shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no way lose his reward. Matt. 10:42

"For the sake of their Master, I love the disciples." - Spurgeon

Do this humbly, do this cheerfully. A small act.

"Evidently it is not the cost, nor the skill, nor the quantity, that He looks at, but the motive: that which we do to a disciples, because he is a disciple, his Lord observes and recompenses. He does not reward us for the merit of what we do but according to the riches of His grace. I give a cup of cold water, and He makes me to drink of living water. I give to one of His little ones, and He treats me as one of them. Jesus finds an apology for his liberality in that which His grace has led me to do, and He says, 'He shall in no way lose his reward.'" - Spurgeon

Wow! So good. WTs=
1. Build up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Not here.
2. First give to His disciples.
3. It is not the quantity, it is the drink.
4. Minister to those around me, and notice who needs a drink.

Help me today, O God, take my eyes off of self and notice who needs a drink of cold water. Amen.

2 Cor. 1:12 - "We conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God". Simplicity and godly sincerity. Simplicity.

love this verse. need to memorize it. It reminds me of a song a friend wrote.

Keep it simple.
Let your faith show through.
Worship in spirit and truth.
Keep it simple.
Be real with him.
For He knows the heart within.

Don't lie when you can speak truth.
Don't speak when quiet reigns.
Don't cry when tears aren't falling.
Don't march in your own parade.

A humble spirit
is enough to please the Lord.
So don't speak louder
than any written word.

Don't run when you can walk.
Don't swim when you can wade.

And I don't remember the rest. :)

Need to remember Simplicity today.

Make the most of EVERY opportunity. Thank God for ALL things.

It is a lovely day!

In my quiet time today, God is speaking to me about redeeming the time, amongst other things to reflect upon as well.

Ephesians 5Ephesians 5:14-20
New International Version (NIV)

14 This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.




Reflect:
1. Be careful how I live.
2. Make the most of every opportunity.
3. Understand what the Lord's will is.
4. Do not be drunk on wine.
5. Speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
6. Sing and make music in your HEART to the Lord.
7. Always be thanking the Lord.

Good stuff. Thank you God for leading me to this passage today. I think I needed this to perk me up a little. You are the giver of all we need and I am grateful. Bless this day.

Amen