I AM the God who is There

October 23, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Do you ever think about where God is? In the Old Testament God came to dwell in the wilderness Tabernacle filling it with His Shekinah glory. As they traveled in the wilderness God went with them guiding their way with a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. When they had their camp set up, God dwelt in the tabernacle in their midst. Exodus 40:34-35 “Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lordfilled the tabernacle. ³⁵And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” It is a beautiful picture of God’s abiding presence and guidance. Ezekiel had prophetic visions of the future and closes his book with the rebuilt temple and city of God in the future. Ezekiel 48:35 “The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The Lord Is There.,” Jehovah-Shammah. John’s prophetic vision of the City of God in Revelation 21:3 also speaks of God’s abiding presence there. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

It is God’s intention to live with us. He is Personal and desires a relationship with each and every believer. In the past God dwelt in the tabernacle and temple, in the future, God will dwell with us as described in Ezekiel and Revelation, but what about now? Jesus speaks of the benefits of abiding in Him, living with Him. We will be living free in His Word, John 8:31. We will be bearing much fruit for God, John 15:4. We will have the power to live for Him, John 15:5. We will be connected to God and see answers to our prayers, John 15:7. We will be surrounded by His love, John 15:9. We will be able to honor God by keeping His commandments, John 15:10. Jesus promised to send the comforter, counselor to guide us and abide with us after His death. Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 2 records the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and how God’s Spirit indwelt the believers giving them power to live for Him. Peter preached to the crowd that day, And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”Act 2:38. Later in Acts Paul and Silas were in prison and the Lord shook the prison and opened the cells. The jailer rushed in thinking they were gone and found them in their cell. “Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:30-31 Just like the Philippian jailer we can experience that indwelling power of God’s Holy Spirit and have God abiding, living within us. We can follow his example and believe in Jesus. When we abide in us do, God promises He will send His Holy Spirit to abide or live with us. He will be with us to guide and comfort, strengthen and love us from the inside out. God is There with us.

Abide in Him,

Linda

I AM the God who Provides

October 12, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

jehovah jireh This revelation of God’s character appears in Genesis 22:14. “Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Abraham was doing as God commanded on Mt Moriah, preparing to sacrifice his only son, when God provided the ram of sacrifice. Abraham believed God’s promise that from him would come a great nation so he must have believed God could resurrect his only son if the need arose. It is a picture of what God did in Jesus to save us all.

This name for God, Jehovah-Jireh, is one of my personal favorites. Think back in your life and recall a time when God provided exactly what you needed when you needed it and it seemed impossible for that to have happened. That was the type of moment Abraham experienced on Mt Moriah. He trusted God, and God answered in a miraculous way. It seems that God always answers ‘outside the box’. I think of ways God could answer my prayers, and it is always beyond my imagining. Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” reminds us that God’s ways and thinking are not human, not like us. His solutions or answers are always perfect in context and timing!

We can be encouraged today, as we serve a God who provides. Claim Philippians 4:19 in your life and let the stress and pressures of life rest in His hands. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Step out today with the faith of Abraham and trust God to provide exactly what you need when you need it.

Learning to walk in trust,

Linda

I AM the God who makes you Holy

October 5, 2018October 5, 2018 nofearlinda2 Comments

Holiness is an attribute of God that he desires that we emulate. In Leviticus 11:44 “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.” We can only do this through His power. In the Old Testament, Moses was instructed by God on Mt. Sinai to have the Israelites observe the Sabbaths and worship Him regularly. In Exodus 31:13 God tells Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.” God alone has the power to make us holy. During Old Testament times they performed sacrifices and brought offerings that all pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus was the great High Priest and brought the need for sacrifices to an end. Hebrew 7:27^“Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” Our pathway to righteous and holy living is through Jesus alone.

So how does one ‘be holy’? When we believe in Jesus we need to continually seek His forgiveness for the sins we commit daily. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Coming to God often to seek His cleansing is very important. Then we need to fill ourselves and our thoughts with good things. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” We need to stay in God’s Word, Psalm 119:9 and 11 “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.” “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Fellowship with believers, worship and serving others are all ways to immerse oneself in activities that point towards personal holiness in Jesus. Lastly, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 admonishes us “Abstain from every form of evil.”

Being holy is a life-time growing process that can only be achieved through faith in Jesus. It is not an option as God commands us “be holy because I am holy.” We can take heart in Jesus’ words, “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Striving to be more and more like Jesus,

Linda

I AM the God who Provides

September 21, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

I have always been fascinated by the I AM statements God makes about Himself in the Bible. They convey the power, majesty and greatness of God and increase my trust in who God is. The second I AM proclamation I’m going to look at is in Genesis 22 and was made before God’s revelation of I AM Who I AM in Exodus. This was made to Abraham on Mt Moriah where he went to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, by God’s direction. Isaac asked where the sacrifice was going to come from and Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” Genesis 22:8 Then they proceeded up the mountain together. This story has always troubled me as God had asked Abraham to do the unthinkable, sacrifice his only son. It is a picture to us of the anguish God must have felt in sending Jesus to die for our sins. He provides for us the ultimate sacrifice to remove our sins forever through His only Son’s sacrifice in Jesus’ death on the cross. I have thought that Abraham knew and trusted God’s promise of becoming a great nation, children as numerous as the stars and blessing the whole world which God had given him in Genesis 12 and 15. He trusted God to provide whatever was needed and even to the point of resurrecting Isaac if needed. Genesis 22:13-14 tells us what happened. “And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” God showed himself as the provider of life, of sacrifice, of hope, of the future and of faith to Abraham. He had great faith in his God who would provide.

Do you see God as the I AM who will provide? One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” God promises to provide what I need just like He did for Abraham on that mountain. It is a matter of trusting God to provide. Claiming and reciting this verse makes me focus and remember that God can and will provide for me even when it seems that the odds of that happening are very much against it. I believe Abraham would have said the same as he trudged up the mountain with the wood and his son. Take a step of faith closer to God today. Trust Him instead of worrying. Let the anxiety go and place it in God’s hands. “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Loving Jesus requires a walk of trust in His great provision.

Linda

Who is God? I AM

September 18, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Moses fled out of Egypt for killing a Hebrew slave, Exodus 2, and ended up in Midian. He married a Midianite woman and settled there as a shepherd. He was out in the wilderness when God appeared to him in a ‘burning bush’ that was not consumed. God told Moses he was to return to Egypt and bring the Israelite people out of Egypt to freedom in Promised Land of Canaan. Moses was reluctant to say the least and posed many questions to God as excuses as to why he could not possibly go and do this for Him. He objected with why me? Then what if they don’t believe me? I’m not eloquent enough. God patiently responded to each of his objections. In Exodus 3:13-14 Moses I am questioned who God is, His name. Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” ¹⁴God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Why is this answer of who God is important? It reveals God’s name YHWH, Yahweh or His divine name. It was written without vowels as they did not even speak the name of God because it was so holy. It tells us that God is who He is –self-existent and not dependent upon anyone for His existence. It tell us that God is the creator and sustainer of all that exists. It tells us that God is- unchanging and immutable, has been and always will be. It tell us that God is eternal, He always existed and will always exist. It assured Moses that God in His sovereign power can do all things and will be with him on this journey back to Egypt and beyond.

We too can be assured by the great I AM. He is immutable and we can depend upon Him. Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” He will never leave us nor forsake us. Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Knowing God is eternal and dependent upon nothing else gives us security and assurance of our future with Him. John 14:1-2 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ²In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”

Have a blessed day as you cling to the promises of the great I AM.

Linda

God looks at the Heart

September 7, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

I love studies of the Old Testament as I learn so much about the character of God. His attributes shine through as He exhibits His faithfulness and sovereignty over all creation. In 1 Samuel is the story of God sending the prophet Samuel to identify the son of Jesse that He has chosen to be the next king of Israel. The Lord gave Samuel some good advice that we need to take to heart as we look at others and even ourselves. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 When God looks at us, He looks at our hearts. Therefore, He desires that our hearts be transformed, renewed and cleansed. He wants more for us than we can even imagine. He sees what is truly in our hearts and knows our innermost thoughts. It is a humbling and sobering thought that God knows all and in His love and mercy He see what I can be not what I am at the present. God looks at our hearts.

I am comforted by Psalm 10:17 where the psalmist proclaims what God will do for him. “O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear” God will listen to me and the cries of my heart then He will strengthen me. He knows I need transformation and will listen to my heart cries and then give me strength to persevere in pursuit of His transformation in my life.

Our challenge today is seek His transformation for our lives from a heart filled with obedience and love and then to seek to see others as God does. We are limited and can’t see the heart of others but we can learn not to judge by outward appearances and seek to reach out to others with love and kindness. We can ask God for insight and wisdom in dealing with others.

Thankful for a loving God that will give me strength to live for Him,

Linda

A Transformed Heart brings results

August 24, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

1 Kings records a sobering charge from King David to his son Solomon. He is giving him wise advice when he is near death. 1 Kings 2 records David’s words, “²“I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. ³Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go.” His advice was to have courage to stand up for what is right and follow God’s ways. David goes on to say what the promised results of this type of life would be, “⁴If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’ David had been chosen by God to lead the people of Israel. He knew first hand what could happen to a leader who refused to follow God. He had been pursued for 14 years by King Saul who knew God had chosen David to be the next king, and God had removed His blessing from him because of his sinful life and poor leadership. David did not want that fate to befall his son, Solomon, and desired that his descendants would reign over Israel for years to come.

David knew that a transformed heart, committed to God would produce results. The results in this case would be a descendant continuing to be king. What about us? What are the results of our transformed and committed heart to God? Do you see God’s blessings on your life for following Him, reading and studying the Bible, going to worship and fellow-shipping with fellow believers? God promises results for committing our lives to Him and following Him faithfully. Take a look at your life today and take note of the many blessings that are the results of godly living and commitment to Jesus. Then take time to Thank Jesus for those results.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for touching my life and transforming my heart. I long to serve you and have the fruit of the Holy Spirit be evident in my life. Your results are eternal and show your great goodness and mercy towards me. Thank you, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Longing to produce godly results in my heart for Him,

Linda

A Transformed Heart is filled with commitment

August 7, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Commitment seems to be something that scares people in our day and age. They seem afraid to step out and say they will be there at a certain time, place or with you in a project. Are there so many choices in our lives that people cannot decide? Have they had experiences where they felt trapped by agreements they’ve made? Whatever the root of their fears, to love and serve Jesus we have to go beyond them, step above or over them and persevere. 1 Peter 3:15 appears in a portion of scripture where Peter is encouraging believers to persevere in their faith and not to fear doing good. He tells believers to hold fast to their faith in Christ regardless of where they find themselves. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” In addition to honoring Christ as Lord, we need to be able and willing to tell others about what Christ has done for us. The hope we have in living, the hope we have in eternity, the hope we have in being forgiven and cleansed, and the hope we have in His always being with us. We need to be prepared to tell others about Jesus. Being committed to Jesus with your heart demands that we are ready to speak about Him. This is not to be an argumentative discourse but words that speak of the Hope we have in Jesus with gentleness and respect that come from a heart of love and commitment to Jesus.

I love this verse in 1 Peter because it holds me accountable and tells me where my commitment needs to be. God wants us committed to Him, loving and acting in our world with words of Hope for unbelievers and words of encouragement in that Hope for fellow believers. Who will you tell today about the HOPE you have in Jesus?

May the Lord bring people to cross your path today that are in need of those words of hope and encouragement.

Linda

Seeking Heart relief from God

July 13, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

Two heart verses spoke to me this morning. Knowing our hearts are deceitful and driven by original sin, God promises to do a work in our hearts that is amazing. Proverbs 3:5-6 is a well quoted verse that speaks of God’s power to lead and guide if we will trust and acknowledge Him in our lives. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.  ⁶Seek his will in all you do,  and he will show you which path to take.” God is the one with the transforming power in our lives if we will seek to know and trust Him. My second verse is found in   psalm 34 18 Psalm 34:18 “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
    He rescues them from all their troubles.
¹⁸The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;
    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” David wrote these words during a very difficult time in his life. He knew God. He knew He would hear his cries for help. He knew God would and could rescue him. He knew from experience that God was near to him when his heart was broken and his spirit crushed. David knew God and had experienced His love and care during times of great need.

God knows our hearts and sees what we need even before we ask for help. God knows our desire for guidance and He alone has the power to mend our broken hearts and crushed spirit. Seek Him like David did and lay your sorrows, hurts and needs before Him. He promises that those who seek Him will find Him. Moses told the children of Israel just before they entered the Promised Land, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29 God promises to be found if we seek with and open heart. Seek Him today and tell Him about your broken heart, your crushed spirit or your desire to be guided by Him. God can and will answer your prayers, just as He promised.

Seeking His comfort and jclinging to His promise as I walk with Him daily,

Linda

God’s Character Proclaimed, can you?

June 15, 2018 nofearlindaLeave a comment

The psalmist reveals how he knows and sees God in this Qoph portion of Psalm 119:145-152. He is struggling with persecution and fears for his life, but he stands on the truth of God’s Word and character. Read this section from the Message and let it speak to you. ^145-152I call out at the top of my lungs,
    “God! Answer! I’ll do whatever you say.” The psalmist knew God is Accessible.
I called to you, “Save me
    so I can carry out all your instructions.” He knew God is a Savior.
I was up before sunrise,
    crying for help, hoping for a word from you.
I stayed awake all night,
    prayerfully pondering your promise. He knew God was with him 24/7.
In your love, listen to me;
    in your justice, God, keep me alive. He knew God listens.
As those out to get me come closer and closer,
    they go farther and farther from the truth you reveal; He knew God
But you’re the closest of all to me, God,   knew his enemies.
    and all your judgments true.
I’ve known all along from the evidence of your words God and His Word are
    that you meant them to last forever. eternal and trustworthy.

Do your words reflect what you know and believe about God? Is He Accessible to you 24/7? Do you feel that you can call upon Him to save you and preserve you in the difficulties of life? Do you know that God is omniscient and knows what you face each day? Do you stand on His Word with confidence and believe that His Word is eternal and will last throughout the generations?

god-always-has-something-for-you The psalmist was confident God would answer as he laid his heart open before Him? Will you present your difficulties and fears before God today and call upon Him for help? He will answer and bring you peace and comfort as you cling to the truth of who God is and what He can do. God is totally trustworthy and keeps His promises.