Waiting ... what does it mean??

currently reading: "Intercessory Prayer" by: Dutch Sheets

An excerpt from the book that spoke to me. His study of the word wait in the O.T. - three of the meanings summed up in one sentence ...

"Silently waiting with a strong, calm trust, longing for His presence and eagerly expecting Him - for you know He'll show up - anticipating and then experiencing the oneness that results as your hearts become entwined." Hallelujah!!! - Dutch Sheets

I am so glad that my God is faithful, that I can calmly trust Him, because I know that He will show up, because of His faithfulness in the past!! What a promise to claim!

God is RICH IN MERCY ...

Last night as I was finishing up work the lady I work for asked me ... what is the meaning of mercy? This question got me thinking ... and this is what I came up with.

After pointing out to the Ephesians what they were before Christ, Paul writes to them these encouraging words...

But God, being rich in mercy (eleos: this Greek word denotes action, not based on feeling alone), because of the great love (agape: the love that chooses to love) with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV)

The greatest act of mercy was God sending His Son ... He not only had compassion for mankind, He acted on his compassion.

Paul writes to the Romans ...
For He said to Moses, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will pity whomever I will pity." (Ex. 33:19) So, then, it is not of the one willing, nor of the one running, but of the One showing mercy, of God.
Romans 9:15-16 (LITV)

God has given His mercy to us ... He has a genuine heartfelt compassion for our well-being, and He chose to exercise His feelings for us and ACT, by sending His Son.

What a wonderful thought. Because of God's mercy for me, out of His love, Jesus died. But the story does not end there! He Lives, He conquered death and the grave! Praise God, Hallelujah! He is Risen!

May you feel His Love this Resurrection season!

The war fought within ...

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? James 4:1 ESV

I saw this earlier this evening, the "old man" fighting the ways of the Lord. It's a struggle. It's never a fun struggle, every ounce of your energy is spent in defiance, you are miserable.

How often am I like this? When I make choices how many times do I drag my feet, stomp them, or just stop in my tracks? Much like the child that wants their own way and will do everything, even go as far as to make themselves miserable, just to get their "own way".

My passions, or what I think is right, war within me. Isn't this what causes contention? The strife that was unnecessary to begin with?

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days ...
Deut. 30:19-20a

I am striving to choose life, to go against the "passions that war within", it's an uphill battle. But I have the victory through Him, my risen LORD, Yahweh, Messiah, The Christ. I will not give up, though the going is tough, through the grace of God I will carry on ... may He grant me the strength I need.

"He was, He is, He will be."

Jehovah, Yahweh - (translated LORD in your Bible)

"In Himself, God is beyond all "predications" or attributes of language: He is the Source and Foundation of all possibility of utterance and thus is beyond all definite descriptions."
(www.hebrew4christians.com)

Think about that statement. Isn't it hard to wrap your mind around? This God, The God of the universe ... is my personal God. He is your personal God. But you & I can't even begin to describe Him, because He is the Source of all descriptions, and is therefore beyond any descriptions we will ever imagine (for lack of a better word).

Job 1:21 (ESV) - And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."

Psalm 8:1 (ESV) - O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

Zeph. 3:17 (ESV) - The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.