"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
So hopefully none of you fell into the trap of selling all your worldly possessions and quitting your jobs last week in lieu of the rapture taking place this past Saturday. Did you know the scripture tells us that we will not know the day or the hour upon which Christ will return? It's actually stated several times, but Matthew 25:13 is pretty simple and straight forward to those who claim to know differently... “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Can't be anymore clearer than that can it? I have troubles sometimes understanding what the word is telling me but this I know for certain, I simply am to be on watch and ready for his return.
The past few weeks have been pretty hard on many hit by the storms that have been raging in our country. Tornadoes seem to be everywhere and causing such devastation. Many believe this is because its the end of the world, who knows it could be but I really can't know and neither can you. That's why I find the scripture in today's post so relevant even more so than I do the scriptures of his coming. God reminds us that HE is our refuge and strength.... EVER-PRESENT help in trouble. I sit here and I think about that promise and realize that no storm that comes my way, that comes your way, is bigger than that promise. We serve a faithful God and he never breaks a promise.
Some of you may have been impacted by the storms that have destroyed homes, families, lives, towns and created history. Some of you may have faced storms in a different way the past few weeks, maybe your storms have been with someone or in some situation that you feel is just spinning out of control and wrecking your life. But no matter the type of storm, God is still EVER-PRESENT in our time of trouble and he gives us strength to face whatever giant is trying to tear us down.
I'm sure many of you have read the story of David and Goliath over and over again as children and as adults, but I read it again this weekend. David created so many storms in people's lives but yet God remained faithful to him and God remained his strength. Can you imagine standing before Goliath, a mighty assassin with just a smooth stone and slingshot and knowing, having no fear, no doubt nor reservation because you knew your God was bigger and mightier than the one that stood before you? The story became more real to me than it ever has, David had faith that brought down that giant...it wasn't just the stone or the slingshot... it was his faith and God reaching down to quiet the storm standing in front of him. Our strength comes from the Lord, our help comes from the Lord and our hope comes from the Lord.
Some days when we are in the midst of these life storms its hard to find the strength that we know is within us because of the one who placed it there...but hold fast dear friends, he is faithful to his word and to us. He is our rock and fortress, the strength of all that we are. Don't allow the storms to break you down, sure they may take away things you love or maybe they will blow hard and knock you down or off track but get back up standing firmly in His strength and not that of your own. Dig deep into his word and not that of false prophets who claim to know what scripture says is impossible to know. Remember your faith is strength, it comes from the father the EVER-PRESENT help in time of troubles.
What storms are you facing today? Are you standing before the giants with knees shaking or are you standing boldly knowing your strength is greater, far greater, than anything that could possibly come against you? Please stand in faith with me praying for those that have been hit by the storms recently, pray for strength of mind, body and soul as they attempt to pick up the pieces of their lives and rebuild.
Blessings,
Heather
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Growth; 2 Peter 1:5-6
"Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness."
Today I played hooky from work so that I could be in my flower beds prepping them for another season of beauty. Last year the drought in the area took its toll on them and by the end of the growing season they looked like they had come through a drought. Have any of you ever felt like you've come through a drought spiritually? Your very soul feels parched and void of the holy living waters that dwell deep within your soul. It's a difficult time isn't it, to feel parched and thirsty for the holy spirit to rain down on you? You look in your spiritual mirrors and long to see the beautiful rose of sharon standing before you, but instead you see something that looks more like a thistle or a weed ready to be plucked out of the garden and discarded.
The good news is there is spring rain. We've all been complaining about the over abundance of rain that we've been receiving here at home but honestly without the rain we would not have the gorgeous green grass on our lawns with the dead spots caused by the drought from last year revitalized. Almost all those spots have somehow been restored. That's how it is with our spiritual dryness too. We take our little faith seed that we know is within us and we begin to fertilize it with goodness by reading the word and gaining the knowledge we need to grow, to learn self-control, perseverance and godliness...holiness.
In everything there are seasons of life. The plants and trees in our gardens, yards and parks that surround us experience a dormant time, a dying/pruning season and what we enjoy the most...the new life that burst forth. I don't know about you, but my favorite time of year is watching the buds form on the trees, seeing the flowers begin to bloom, watching the little bees go from flower to flower spreading the pollen helping life to continue. It's a beautiful thing to see nature at work, to know that we have a creator who orchestrated the whole thing. It's an even greater thing to see growth in one another, to watch a brother or a sister come through their drought and to begin to bloom again. Or maybe it's us, maybe we were the ones that God quieted for a moment, for a season to bring us to full bloom again in our spirit.
I can't say that I enjoy the pruning or the weeding in my gardens nor can I say that I enjoy the pruning or the weeding in the gardens of my soul but it is necessary. This weekend was a weekend of great growth for me personally. I was able to take that small seed of faith along with a lot of watering cans called prayer warriors to grow this past Sunday. I was able to see small buds appear on a branch of my tree that has long been dormant. I think I'll continue to water it and see what God wants to do from there.
What season are you in today? Are you growing in the fruit of the spirit or are you in a drought that is in desperate need of some healing rains? Call on your watering cans, they are waiting to pray with you...to be the stakes in life to support you until you are strong enough to stand mightily on your own basking in the sOnshine.
Blessings,
Heather
Today I played hooky from work so that I could be in my flower beds prepping them for another season of beauty. Last year the drought in the area took its toll on them and by the end of the growing season they looked like they had come through a drought. Have any of you ever felt like you've come through a drought spiritually? Your very soul feels parched and void of the holy living waters that dwell deep within your soul. It's a difficult time isn't it, to feel parched and thirsty for the holy spirit to rain down on you? You look in your spiritual mirrors and long to see the beautiful rose of sharon standing before you, but instead you see something that looks more like a thistle or a weed ready to be plucked out of the garden and discarded.
The good news is there is spring rain. We've all been complaining about the over abundance of rain that we've been receiving here at home but honestly without the rain we would not have the gorgeous green grass on our lawns with the dead spots caused by the drought from last year revitalized. Almost all those spots have somehow been restored. That's how it is with our spiritual dryness too. We take our little faith seed that we know is within us and we begin to fertilize it with goodness by reading the word and gaining the knowledge we need to grow, to learn self-control, perseverance and godliness...holiness.
In everything there are seasons of life. The plants and trees in our gardens, yards and parks that surround us experience a dormant time, a dying/pruning season and what we enjoy the most...the new life that burst forth. I don't know about you, but my favorite time of year is watching the buds form on the trees, seeing the flowers begin to bloom, watching the little bees go from flower to flower spreading the pollen helping life to continue. It's a beautiful thing to see nature at work, to know that we have a creator who orchestrated the whole thing. It's an even greater thing to see growth in one another, to watch a brother or a sister come through their drought and to begin to bloom again. Or maybe it's us, maybe we were the ones that God quieted for a moment, for a season to bring us to full bloom again in our spirit.
I can't say that I enjoy the pruning or the weeding in my gardens nor can I say that I enjoy the pruning or the weeding in the gardens of my soul but it is necessary. This weekend was a weekend of great growth for me personally. I was able to take that small seed of faith along with a lot of watering cans called prayer warriors to grow this past Sunday. I was able to see small buds appear on a branch of my tree that has long been dormant. I think I'll continue to water it and see what God wants to do from there.
What season are you in today? Are you growing in the fruit of the spirit or are you in a drought that is in desperate need of some healing rains? Call on your watering cans, they are waiting to pray with you...to be the stakes in life to support you until you are strong enough to stand mightily on your own basking in the sOnshine.
Blessings,
Heather
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