Tuesday, July 31, 2018

AMBIENT NOISE

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.



“Be STILL and know (recognize, understand) that I am God

Psalm 46:10 (AMP)



Be still.

I am not very good at that.

Being still.



Being busy, now I am pretty good at that.

But in the busy I am afraid I miss a lot.

And the trouble is that when I try to be still, my mind often doesn’t cooperate. 

The phone beckons.

The feed beckons.

The laptop beckons.

Pick your distraction it vies for my attention and often commands it.



Hybels commented once that,

If you lower the ambient noise of your life and listen expectantly for those whispers of God, your ears will hear them. And when you follow their lead, your world will be rocked.



We often reference that “still small voice” the gentle whisper encounter with GOD recorded in 1 Kings 19:12.

But do WE tune to it?

I will admit, I don’t.



Those of you who know me well know that to tune out all the ambient noise in my life is especially challenging.  I can’t even sleep without something on in the background.  In fact, when things get quiet my brain often goes into overdrive waking me up even.



Yet it is in quiet that GOD gets the floor.

In the stillness GOD commands the attention.

And with that sometimes comes conviction but often affirmation and direction as well.

That is why the Psalmist encouraged us to…

Quiet your heart in his presence and pray – Psalm 37:7 (TPT)


It is for good reason. 

It is in the quiet that GOD speaks. 

It is in the quiet that we can hear.



So, quiet things down today if even just for a few minutes.

Tune your heart and ear to GOD.

Correction may come.

Direction will come.



My times of silence before God are very important to me now. I put everything else down, every word away, and I am with the Lord. When I'm quiet, life falls into perspective for me. I have a very active mind and I'm a worrier, but in those moments when I choose to put that away, I rest beside the Shepherd in still places. Why don't you give yourself a gift today? Turn off the television or the car stereo, put down the newspaper or the business plan, and in the quietness, rest for a while beside the Shepherd of your soul. – Sheila Walsh





HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

LOVE YOU ALL

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

Monday, July 30, 2018

TRAVEL TO THE TOWER

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.



The name of the Lord (says the Scripture) is a strong tower; thither the righteous flee and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). 
Let us secure His favor and He will lead us through the journey of this life and at length receive us to a better. - Samuel Adams

That Proverbs says that the…

The CHARACTER of God is a tower of strength,

    for the lovers of God delight to run into his heart and be exalted on high. (TPT)



I know it seems a little odd to have the namesake of one of the largest breweries in America as our opening “quote” today, but it is a good one.



Our LORD is a strong tower; a place of safety and refuge.



I have some friends in Gallia County, Ohio who have leaned on that truth as the foundation for their RECOVERY ministry, that the LORD is VISIBLE, rising above the CHAOS and NOISE of life; a beacon of SAFETY and REFUGE for the exhausted, hurting, and troubled.



But I love what BOTH Solomon and Sam surmise. 

That this TOWER is ACCESSIBLE!
No moat. No guarded drawbridge. 

That at this TOWER we will encounter the CHARACTER of GOD.

GOD who is loving.

GOD who is gracious.

GOD who is merciful.

GOD who is wise.



GOD who is anxious to bestow favor and forgiveness.

GOD who is ready to BETTER US as Adams concludes.



The question is will we TRAVEL to this Tower today?

All that is required for entry is to be a LOVER of GOD.



Friends:

Righteousness peeks from its windows.

Favor is the front door.

Safety is in the foyer.

Refuge is knitted in the mortar.



I don’t know what you may be experiencing today, but if you are feeling rickety, alone, or vulnerable, TRAVEL to the TOWER today. 



GOD wants to elevate you and your circumstances. 

You LORD are a strong tower for those who are near and the trust of those who go far. I have sought to come near you; I have called to you with all my heart; and when I went out towards you, I found you coming towards me. – Halvi 

For...

You (LORD) take me and surround me with yourself. Your glory covers me continually. You lift high my head… – Psalm 3:3 (TPT)







HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

LOVE YOU ALL

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE