Studying the Word of God is needed for every believer’s growth, renewal and daily living. Psalm 19 is a great Chapter to mediate on this week. Take time to be refreshed and spiritually renewed in studying His Precious Word. Blessings!

Psalm 19

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Survival Kits may contain several items such as; flashlights, matches, cutting utensils, first aid items, food items and so much more. One thing remains a necessary item for survival, and that is the Word of God! Daily studying and reading God’s Word so that it becomes planted in ones heart and mind in order to proclaim scripture to others. It can become a tool that helps one be prepared with sharing in times of crisis and disaster. Below are just a few great survival scriptures that will enable one to study and glean from God’s Word. Take time to meditate upon His Word today!

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

2 Chronicles 20:15 “This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Lamentations 3:21,22 “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”

Isaiah 41: 10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Philippians  4:4-7 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ whom strengthens me.”

“How excellent, or majestic, is your name in all the earth.”

In reading this Psalm over several days it just makes one want to read and re-read it for daily bread. Take time to ponder this great Psalm of David.

Psalm 8

A Psalm of David.

 O LORD, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on [or above] the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?

Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet:

All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth!

1 Peter 2:21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Followers of Christ do just that; follow step by step. We walk daily one step at a time asking the Lord to lead and guide us every step of the way. It’s imperative that we take some time daily to seek the Lord in prayer; this is essential for Christian living. All too often we lead such busy lives and forget the very important task of taking it one step at a time, moment by moment, prayer by prayer. Being a follower of Christ is being a lover of Christ. Will you take time today to fall in love with Him all over again and share His love with others? People need the Lord more than ever today, and until we have Him in our life completely and unreservedly we cannot begin share His love with others. Spend time with the Lord daily, seek Him in much prayer, and spread His love abroad. Jesus Lives and others need to see this, hear this and know this. If we are followers of Christ, then we are His living letters.

Dear Lord, today I pray that we would stop for a moment and seek You taking it one step at time. Help us to not be too busy to pray, but let us come to the altar of prayer and lift up the needs of another, yet desiring to enrich our walk with You as we seek you throughout our day. Give us a burning passion to follow in Your footsteps, and help us to diligently follow after You. May Your will would be done in our lives, not our will.

In Jesus Name I pray! Amen!

We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. (Hebrews 6:12-18)

A friend shared this with me and I thought I’d share it with you.

We may believe that a Power greater than ourselves can restore our sanity, but still wonder how long it’s going to take. Over time, we may grow discouraged at the length of the process. We may have our spirits dampened by the chaos we can’t seem to escape. Some people report instant release from their addictions and the accompanying craziness. But for most of us, it will take patience to inherit the promise of a sane new life.

The book of Hebrews tells us: “You will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. . . . God took an oath in his own name, saying: ‘I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.’ Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised” (Hebrews 6:12-15).

The key point to consider here is that Abraham had to wait twenty-five years to see God’s promise fulfilled. There were times he took matters into his own hands, times he probably wondered if he had really received the promise at all, and times he laughed in disbelief to think that the promise would ever come true. In the end, “Abraham was now a very old man, and the LORD had blessed him in every way” (Genesis 24:1). Just because our restoration takes time doesn’t mean our faith is in vain. Let’s keep holding on!

Since God is Truth, we can rest securely in his promises.

Blessings,

Joyce

So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. . . (Joel 25:a)

Have you ever had a bad day or week that seemed to never end? For some people, it may have been an entire year that brought nothing but heartache and despair. Most of us have experienced periods of bad times in our lives that just wouldn’t quit.

In the book of Joel, the prophet describes how a cloud of locusts settled on Judah, killing and stripping every green thing from the land. During his day, locusts ate up all the peoples’ crops and green plants, leaving nothing behind except brown and empty lands. This was pure devastation.

Joel sees the locusts as a judgment from God and begs the people to turn away from their sins and repent. He calls on the priests to declare a fast and gathers the people to God’s house to cry out to the Lord. The people respond and beg God to spare His people.

God responds by driving the locusts from the land. He then promises His people that He will restore the years the locusts have eaten.

I’m not saying that the hardships you may be going through has been caused by some sin in your life. What I am saying, however, is that you do need to cry out to the Lord and keep calling on His name until relief comes or He gives you peace about your situation.

Only God can restore what’s been taken away from us. We try so many other things to ease our pain or help us when we’re in distress. God should always be our first choice when things in our lives are going badly. If you find yourself in a place where your need restoration, don’t lose hope. All is possible with God.

Blessings,

Joyce

Gal 5:22,23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Being diligent in our daily walk bearing up the fruit of the spirit is much needed…

Are we wearing the garments of fruit today?

Do we walk with the adornment of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self control?

We can be adorned with this beautiful cloak of colors when we are walking with the fruit of the spirit. The Bible displays this life verse with a beautiful picture of God’s love for us…

Fruit are not only delightful and healthy for the body, but in a study on these verses it will help one understand the attributes of what God intends for us to walk out in the spirit. As you research the words in scripture there are so many verses that pertain to them.

Love: 1 Cor. 13:8 “Love never fails”

Joy: Neh. 8:10 “for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.”

Peace: Romans 12:18 “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Patience: Luke 21:19 “By your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win the true life of your souls.”

Kindness: Col. 3:12-13 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Goodness: Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who trusts in Him”

Faithfulness Psalm 36:5 “Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the Skies”

Gentleness: 1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

Self Control: 2 Peter 1: “and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;”

In seeking the Lord this week ask Him to show you the ‘fruits of the spirit” and how to share them with others as well. Placing your focus on God and His attributes will help to produce the fruit in our lives. Just think of a garden; when an apple orchard is pruned, and well taken care of it produces luscious apples, but if left alone and unattended it will produce foul fruit. So are the fruits of the spirit, we must tend to this precious garden God has placed within us. We cannot manufacture the fruit of the spirit; it must truly be a well watered garden. Now its time to get planting…

At a time when so many people are hurting and searching for an answer, Believers have the one thing that can help them — Jesus Christ. Do you struggle to share the gospel with those in need? Sometimes I do, but I’ve come to understand over the years that the Holy Spirit always helps me when I step out in faith. I’m encouraged when I remember the Christians from the first church.

The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ” ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:1-20)

How can we not share Jesus with those who may need Him most? My prayer daily is that the Lord will give me a spirit of boldness to tell others about Him so that they too, can be saved. God’s been too good to me for me not to share the gospel with those who need to hear it. I love Jesus with all my heart and I want to take as many people with me to meet Him one day. Consequently, I have no choice but to be bold for Christ.

Blessings,

Joyce

1 Thess 5:11 Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.

Determined to stay on course and not neglect the things of God is a goal for this year, and as I pondered two different devotionals this week it seems to have taken a different turn. This is a letter of encouragement filled with scripture to all who may be weary and heavy laden.

• Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest.

As I ran into a dear friend this morning it seemed her need for encouragement was as sure as the day has light. It impressed me to write a few scriptures to all who may read Prayer Spa today, this week or this year. Knowing the love and faithfulness of God is so important when one is experiencing deep pain and sorrow. The kind and pain that only Christ can bring healing too:

•  2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

As I carry the pain of my friend’s family to the prayer closet I know the Lord will sustain them in this trial they are facing. To all who may be experiencing a trial and suffering know that the Lord sees your heart and hears your cry.

Trust in Him to see you through it all

•  Psalm 61:2-4 From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.
• Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
• Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
• Psalm 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.
• John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Blessings in the name of the Lord!

Thinking of the word ‘Sanctuary” it can be a gentle reminder of safe haven feeling we get when entering the solitude of our homes. It is a shelter, a solitary place, a refuge, a temple, a church, a tabernacle, a consecrated area, an altar just to name a few. In the scriptures there are many verses that correlate with the word Sanctuary!

The Wilderness Journey was a type of Sanctuary as we read in the book of Exodus when God told Moses to tell the people;

Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them”

The temple in Jerusalem was referred to as the Sanctuary.

1 Chronicles 22:19 “Now set your mind and heart to seek The Lord your God. Arise and build the Sanctuary of The Lord God, so that The Ark Of The Covenant of The Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a House built for The Name of The Lord.”

The Promised Land is a type of Sanctuary.

Exodus 15:7 Thou wilt bring them in, and plant them on Thy own mountain, the place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thy abode, the sanctuary, Lord, which Thy hands have established.

As we enter a new year with new beginnings, new dreams, and a renewed hope we can take time daily to worship God. The Psalmist David wrote:

Psalm 15:1, 2 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts.

May we find the Sanctuary of God present in our daily lives as we worship Him today! A peace that passes all understanding in the midst of wilderness journeys as we sojourn in 2010!