“The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork, day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night knowledge. There is no speech or language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun. Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoice the as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heave and his circuit unto the ends of it and there is NOTHING hid from the heat thereof.” Psalms 19:1-6
What a beautiful scripture.
Thanking God for a new day and the opportunity to share what is on my heart. I woke up at 5am to take my daughter to work…. I am turning and turning (it’s not worth going back to sleep) and then the above scripture came to mind and I was prompted to write and to flow. I am the Lord’s vessel and he has asked me to write. May what I share be edifying.
It has been a week of challenges and spiritual attacks – both on the left and on the right, but I am more than conqueror.
Thanks be to God, I have proven the scripture that ‘before we ask he answers’.
I was troubled on Wednesday night on my bed (about a matter) and was preparing my stand and to take on a system. By the time the morning came, the answer I was seeking, was delivered… It was incredulous. The word truly says ‘you will not have to fight in this battle, it belongs to the Lord’. (2 Chronicles 20:15-20).
Praise be to our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Many, are the afflictions of the righteous, but He delivers us from them all. (Psalms 34:19).
I was sharing with a dear sister this week the scripture ‘touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm’ (1 Chronicles 16:22; Psalms 105:15). This was because at the moment, I seem to be everyone’s tar baby….. attacks raining down from all sides. If it were not for the Lord Jesus Christ and his keeping power I would have become discouraged and stumbled and fell. Like David, I have had to encourage myself in the Lord. An old Pastor (now late) once said to me ‘ Linda, a boy does not throw stones at a fruitless tree’. We need to see the attacks from that perspective. That said, we also need to know, when we throw stones, or indeed touch God’s people, we are actually poking God in his eye.
The word says be careful how you entertain strangers, for many have entertained angels unaware (Hebrews 13:2). Be careful how we treat those sent amongst us. Be careful how we treat the seed of God. I speak first to the church and the Body of Christ . I say this as Father will judge them who are outside.
As children of God, we are the light of the world. Father uses the metaphor of us being candlesticks throughout His word, but we need to take heed, lest we allow gross darkness (from our partialities, double mindedness and double dealings) to snuff out our light, or our candlestick moved out of its place. (see Revelation 2:5)
Repent and forgive.
Thank God for my sisters in Christ who have encouraged me over the past week. You know who you are. The word says, He (Father God) sets the solitary in families (Psalms 68:6) . I have not been without consolation or comfort. May Father reward you richly.
One dear friend sent this beautiful scripture this morning which prompted this piece: ‘Rob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the Lord will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.(Proverbs 22:22-23)
Prayer
And so we ask the Lord for forgiveness if we have hurt or harmed anyone this week. If we have fallen short of his glory, we just lay it down at the cross.
None of us are exempt from the light of God on our dark places and thank Him for that. Give respect to the dark places of the earth. Help us to respect the seed of God.
We ask Lord to protect the gate (our eye gate, our ear gate, the doors of our hearts, our physical home and work places, our going out and our coming ins). We ask for covering and protection over our minds, soul, spirit and body . Whether we are at home or afar – be our rest and stay Holy Father. Teach us to number our days and to apply our hearts into wisdom. We plead for mercy for our oppressors and ask that mercy triumphs over judgment in all situations concerning us.
We do ask for your intervention, in a week of tumultuous personal and political changes, uncertainties , attacks and new seasons. In a week where we hear of another young person (my daughter’s friend) taking their own life. Where others have been given negative or bad reports in life and death situations. You say Father, that you rather not the death of a sinner. Your heart is pained for our soul. You are touched with the feelings of our infirmities. As your children, (sons and daughters), we cannot but be moved too with compassion ie knowing the eternal perils that await those who have not made their call and election sure, or those that have fallen foul, or short, of your glory and those who seek to remain stuck there.
Lord your word says ‘great peace have they that love your law and nothing, shall offend them’ ( Psalms 119:165). Help us to abide in your grace. Let us examine ourselves. Let us not sweat the small stuff, but let us address the weightier matters in this hour and which concerns Kingdom.
Help us to stop calling the kettle .. Let the trumpet sound. It is very late. Your word has gone out to the ends of the earth. It won’t return empty.
Your word says: that your law is perfect, converting the soul, your testimony is sure , making wise the simple. Your statutes are right and is a rejoicing of the heart, your commandments are pure, enlightening the eyes. (Psalms 19).
Enlighten our eyes. Help us to see. Let your word flow and take root into our hearts. Let there be rejoicing in You. Change our hard stony hearts.
Help us to love one another in sincerity and truth, not through feigned lips or hypocrisy, not through eye-service, back-biting , back-scratching, or men pleasing.
Lord, wisdom is justified of her children. We are your children and the sheep of your pasture. Take away the snap and the bark, the veiled/cut eye and the tut tut tut.
Help us to seek the peace of the city in all we say and do. Help us to look each other in the face. Help us to do something nice for someone else, without seeking return or reward.
Father, You have good plans for us. It’s time for us to grow up and mature and to take hold.
Our fight is not against each other or even the world’s dictates, leaders politicians or politics, but against principalities and powers, rulers of darkness, spiritual wickedness in high places. Well do we know and quote the scriptures again and again. Help us now to see . To see how late it is in the hour , to see the harvest waiting , ready for reaping.
Away with the rote, rhythm and rituals. Take us back to a place of prostrate, prayer in the spirit, for that is where the battles and souls for men are won.
I close with:
“Great peace, have they that love thy lay and Nothing shall offend them… ”
Pray for us
Linda J