Light and Joy

Light is sown for the [uncompromisingly] righteous and strewn along their pathway, and joy for the upright in heart [the irrepressible joy which comes from consciousness of His favour and protection]. Psalm 97:11 AMP

Light and joy for the uncompromisingly righteous and the upright in heart. Who are these people who are uncompromisingly righteous and upright in heart?

The Message Bible puts it this way, 

Light-seeds are planted in the souls of God's people, Joy-seeds are planted in good heart-soil. Psalm 97:11 The Message

The uncompromisingly righteous and upright in heart are God's people. The people who are in right-standing with God.

For You, Lord, will bless the [uncompromisingly] righteous [him who is upright and in right standing with You]; as with a shield You will surround him with goodwill (pleasure and favour). Psalm 5:12 AMP

And how is it then that we, you and me, the sinners, get to be in right standing with God, the creator of the universe, the creator of us? There is only one way - believing in Jesus and acknowledging Him as your Lord and Saviour.

May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right-standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honour and praise of God [that His glory may be both manifested and recognised]. Philippians 1:11 AMP

So, as believers in Jesus, we are in right-standing with God. We are righteous, so this scripture about light and joy is true for our lives.

Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.

Psalm 97:11 NIV

Maybe today, you believe in Jesus, but you don't feel like there is light shining on you, and you don't feel that there is any joy in your life. If that is you, I encourage you to declare Psalm 97:11 over your life - many times a day if you need to, until those feelings submit to God's truth. Be expectant of what God will do in you.

Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30:5 AMP

And always remember to give shout of praise and thanks to God.

So, God's people, shout praise to GOD, Give thanks to our Holy God! Psalm 97:12 The Message

Growing in understanding

But grow in grace (undeserved favour, spiritual strength) and recognition and knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him [be] glory (honour, majesty, and splendor) both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (so be it)! 2 Peter 3:18 AMP

When walking daily with God there is always something else to understand, something new to learn. The question is are we willing to learn? Are we teachable? Or are we closed to understanding the ways of God as they don't fit with our 'neat, ordered' current understanding.

Right now God has me on this journey of growing my understanding of His healing ways. The number one lesson I have learnt so far is...

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 AMP

I am learning that with God, this scripture is always a good place to start - complete submission to His thoughts and His ways. The Message Bible puts it this way,

"I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work." God's Decree. "For as the sky soars high above the earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think." Isaiah 55:8-9 The Message

Here is a healing testimony from Derek Prince's book, God's Word Heals. It is the sort of testimony that makes you think, when I declare this scripture, do I really believe that all things are possible with God?

But Jesus looked at them and said, With men this is impossible, but all things are possible with God. Matthew 19:26 AMP

The testimony ..

Contrary to plan, I started to speak about legs.... So, at the end of my sharing, I said, "Now we'll do it. Demos, you take one chair over there, and I'll take one chair on this side." It seems the more nerve you have, the more God backs you up. The first person Demos prayed for was a chiropractor, and his leg grew out. From then on, he was our cheerleader. He would stand up there and say, "It's growing out. The ankle's turning. I can see it."  (page 223, 233)

Of course, this healing journey is a very personal journey with our daughter Victoria. But I am excited to learn and understand more of God's power in the area of healing, and what it will lead to in our lives, and the lives of others.

Question for today, what is it that God is wanting to grow your understanding in? Are you yielding to what He wants to teach you? Let's ask God to help us to listen more, and grow in the understanding of His ways, so we can be better vessels for Him in this world.

Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes! 2 Peter 3:18 The Message

The Lord on high is mightier

The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; the Lord is robed, He has girded Himself with strength and power; the world also is established, that it cannot be moved.
Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.
Psalm 93:1-2 AMP

The first truth - The Lord reigns. Do you really believe this? Does He only reign when things are going well? Or does He reign no matter what is going on? These first two verses of Psalm 93 are a declaration of who our Lord is:
He reigns
He is clothed with majesty
He has strength and power
He is the creator.
He is - always.

The Message Bible puts it this way,

GOD is King, robed and ruling
GOD is robed and surging with strength.
And yes, the world is firm, immovable,
Your throne ever firm - you're Eternal!
Psalm 93:1-2 The Message

Sometimes we can lose sight of who He is, the King, surging with strength, because of the 'floods' that come into our lives.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up the roaring of their waves. Psalm 93:3 AMP

Our perspective changes as we see and hear the roaring of the waves around us. Once again in our lives, we have a choice - focus on those waves, or look up. Look up and see someone who is mightier that those waves.

The Lord on high is mightier and more glorious than the noise of many waters, yes, than the mighty breakers and waves of the sea. Psalm 93:4 AMP

I have had the literal experience of these roaring waves off the coast of Sydney. The relentless crashing of waves all around us - completely surrounding us for hours upon hours with no 'let up' in sight. There was only one thing we could do - call out to God - hours upon hours of singing (actually yelling) the words from Shout to the Lord,

'Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing
Power and majesty, praise to the King
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of your name.

Eight hours later we literally surfed in through the Sydney heads. The King had bought us through. The Lord showed that He was mightier and more glorious than the noise of many waters, than the mighty breakers and waves of the sea - in a very literal way. We were not one of those devastating 'drowned at sea' statistics. A testimony of His strength and power.

Your testimonies are very sure; holiness [apparent in separation from sin, with simple trust and hearty obedience] is becoming to Your house, O Lord, forever. Psalm 93:5 AMP

Question for today, are there floods and roaring waves in your life? They may not be the literal kind, like we experienced. They may be metaphors for other circumstances that appear to be relentless in your life. Be encouraged, our God is greater. He is stronger. He is the King.

Therefore David blessed the Lord before all the assembly and said, Be praised, adored and thanked, O Lord, the God of Israel our [forefather] forever and ever. 

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all.

Both riches and honour come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hands are power and might; in Your hands it is to make great and to give strength to all. 

Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name and those attributes which that name denotes.

1 Chronicles 29:10-13 AMP

Who are you close to?

The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent. Psalm 34:18 AMP

I have been reflecting on the wonderful celebration we had on Thursday night and the people that have come alongside us, stayed close, blessed us and helped to share the burden of this journey. We have been blessed by so many people in so many ways. Key message - when the going gets tough, don't isolate yourself for too long. We need each other.

My thoughts then go to the One who has been closest of all, every moment of the day and night.  The One who hears the cry of the broken-hearted and meets us in that place. The Message Bible puts it this way,

If your heart is broken, you'll find GOD right there; if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath. Psalm 34:19 The Message

But it is always a choice. Just as we have the choice to isolate ourselves from people, we also have the choice to either isolate ourselves from God, or draw closer to Him. He always encourages us to come closer.

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. James 4:8 NLT

And look what happens when we choose to come close to God, when we choose to wait and rest in Him.

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired. Isaiah 40:31 AMP

We will change. Our strength and power will be renewed. We shall rise up. We shall run. We shall not faint or become tired. I can testify to all these outcomes in my life - praise God.

Question for today, who is it that you are closest too? When the tough times come, who do you call out to? Who answers? God has given us His Holy Spirit to be with us always - to live in us - can't get much closer than that! He will always answer, we just need to make sure we are listening

However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. John 16:7 AMP

Our very own counselor, helper, advocate, intercessor, strengthener and standby, living in us. What a truly awesome God we have.

He turns it whichever way He wills

The King's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as are the watercourses; He turns it whichever way He wills. Proverbs 21:1 AMP

Earlier this week I went to a meeting. As I drove to the meeting I had a sense that my thinking on a particular 'topic' was going to be challenged - by God. As I walked into the meeting I said a silent prayer, 'God please help me to have a teachable heart and really hear what is being said.'

When the scoffer is punished, the fool gets a lesson in being wise; but men of [godly] Wisdom and good sense learn by being instructed. Proverbs 21:11 AMP

Sure enough, during the meeting some instructions were given that challenged my thinking on 'the way God does things'. Yes - very dangerous territory on my part. Who am I to 'know the way God does things'? Enter humility.

There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord. Proverbs 21:30 AMP

At that point I had a choice - keep 'stewing' in my mind, or surrender my thoughts to God, and let God be God. He was reminding me once again that He doesn't fit in a neat little box. He prefers to work outside the box - and do things His way. I just needed to be humble, listen and obey.

The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the Lord. Proverbs 21:31 AMP

Since surrendering my thoughts, the channel within my heart has been opened to hearing more of God's thoughts on the 'topic', and learning more of His heart for His people. It is amazing what He can do in us if we let Him. I am very expectant now for what He will do with this 'turning of my heart'.

Question for today, is there some area in  your life that you have put 'boundaries' around the way God can and will operate?  If yes, then why not take time today to ask God to help you remove those boundaries in your thinking, and give Him time and room to show you more of His ways.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgements (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)! For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor? Romans 11:33-34 AMP

Together

For wherever two or three are gathered 

(drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, 

there I AM in the midst of them. 

Matthew 18:20 AMP

This photo is so much more than a picture of two little girls standing at the edge of the lake. From their gesture we can see a story of the love between them.  From the magnificent sky and it's reflection we can see the majesty of God's creation. 

And then we consider the 'back story'. Who are those little girls? Two sisters who  know that life isn't all 'roses', and have built a strong bond out of those circumstances. Two sisters who know they are children of God and that He is in their midst. Two sisters, who because of God's love for them, can laugh together.

Two sisters who know and have seen God's grace in their lives. Two sisters who have some understanding of the truth of this scripture.

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labour] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. Romans 8:28 AMP

Why are those little girls out so late? The next day one of them is going for a brain scan (her 20th one). She knows what is going on. There is fear. She is human. But there is also joy. Joy, when her focus is elsewhere, on life.

What a lesson for us all. 

Question for today, where is your focus? Is it on your circumstances or is it on the giver of life?

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed - that exhilarating finish in and with God - he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. Hebrews 12:2 The Message

Christ is our example of how to do this life, together with God, and together with people. He is worthy of our praise.

Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance (steadfastness) and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may [unanimously] with united hearts and one voice, praise and glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). Romans 15:5-6 AMP

Blessed are those who dwell in Your presence

Psalm 84 - before we read, lets ask God to reveal more of Himself to us as we read.  Ask Him to help us be vulnerable to what He wants to show us about Himself, about ourselves. Let's read in expectation of growing closer to Him, and indeed yearning for more of Him in our lives.

How lovely are Your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!

My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God.

Yes, the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young - even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca) they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills [the pools] with blessings.

They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each of them appears before God in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God to Jacob! Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

Behold our shield [the king as Your agent], O God, and look upon the face of Your anointed!

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell [at ease] in the tents of wickedness.

For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favour and [future] glory (honour, splendor, and heavenly bliss! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You [leaning and believing on You, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving]!

Now, let's read it again, meditating on the phrases the Holy Spirit quickened to you.  These verses will be different for each of us. Here are some He quickened to me.

My soul yearns, yes even pines ......

Holy Spirit - Have you noticed that the more time you spend praying, reading and worshipping, the more time you want to spend with me?

Yes, the sparrow has found a house ....

Holy Spirit - Have you noticed your 'sense of belonging' growing stronger every day, the more time you spend with me?

Passing through the Valley of Weeping (Baca), they make it a place of springs ...

Holy Spirit - Remember how your life was tough, so tough, and now it is so different. That is the God's goodness and mercy in your life.

For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield

Holy Spirit - I will always protect you.

No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

Holy Spirit - this is my promise to you

O Lord of hosts, blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts in You [leaning and believing on You, committing all and confidently looking to You, and that without fear or misgiving]!

Holy Spirit - keep trusting in Me.

I pray that God has revealed more of Himself and His love for you, to you as you have read this scripture this morning. And that you have gained encouragement and strength from His word - No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.