PLACE of PRECIOUSNESS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

How blessed the man you train, God, the woman you instruct in your Word,

Providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil, while a jail is being built for the wicked.  God will never walk away from his people, never desert his precious people. – Psalm 94:12-15 (MSG)

Last night was “SWEET FREEDOM”, an event to generate awareness and inspire assistance to the advancing challenge of human trafficking. And while I have been “involved” with efforts inspired and designed to help those who have been victimized and trafficked, it is just recently I have begun to more deeply educate myself about the problem. 

And while sadly trafficking and addiction are often bed-fellows, it is still stunning that in our society of 2016 trafficking not only exists but continues to evolve.  It generates big money and leaves tremendous devastation in its wake.

That is why efforts like Oasis House, Roosevelt Coffee, Safe Harbor, Aubrey’s House, A21, and the like are crucial.  And just as in the opiate and drug epidemic, the CHURCH must engage.  

Lives are being marginalized and are at risk!

And part of the theme from last night was derived from this Psalm.

Therefore, I opted to share just a portion of the entire Psalm above as an assurance and instruction that we MUST not only embrace ourselves but also be WILLING TO SHARE with those who likely are not experiencing its truth.

My friends, we ARE blessed when we follow the WORD of GOD.

That in that obedience GOD will provide a CIRCLE of quiet.

And one of the common issues those who have been trafficked or traumatized is that life has become unbearably noisy and chaotic.  There is no peace.  There is no tranquility.  Hence the need to self-medicate.  We must be quick to remember and quick to share that GOD through His amazing WORD can quite the chaos and bring peace.

…a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.  – Philippians 4:7 (MSG)

It will.

Yet I believe the more impacting snippet from this passage is the PROMISE that GOD will never desert us, never walk away from us.

For those to whom we were raising awareness and funds for last night, GOD does feel as if He has deserted; has walked away from them.  They would say so. 

But the truth is He hasn’t.  He never will. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

It is our job to remind them of that.

Yet sometimes we TOO need to be reminded that GOD’S WORD, that GOD’S presence does quell the noise, that GOD is in the business of protecting our hearts and minds, that we TOO need to take assurance that GOD finds us precious and would never consider leaving us on our own to deal with the drama and trouble of this life and world.  

God’s a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you’re never sorry…

Psalm 9:9-10 (MSG)

So, my little message today is twofold.

Lift in prayer the work of those dedicated folks who are helping those who have been disenfranchised, trafficked and traumatized. 

And if you are one who has been feeling “apart from GOD”, if your world has become so chaotic, noisy and lacking peace, pause. 

Grab your Word.  

Get back to remembering and doing what it says, and trusting what it promises.  

Be reminded of GOD’S insanely intense love for you.  

Be reminded of your place of preciousness.

Isaiah 43:1,4 (ESV)

But now thus says the Lord…

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine….you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you…

Have a blessed day!

I love you all…

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE