calm in the storm

Often our lives seem to mirror the stormy seas in the movie the perfect storm.  The harbor seems calm, but the further out to sea we get the stormier the sea becomes.  There are times where it may appear that our boat may capsize.  There are some that go out to sea...and never find their way back to safe harbor.  How is the sea in your life?  Are you in safe harbor or are you lost at sea?  

The following lyrics are my prayer.  I invite you to click on the link and close your eyes and listen.  The image  i opened this entry with is chaos.  Without christ in our lives the sea of our life often seems like it did in the perfect storm.  the waves won't always be calm with christ in your life...but you will have someone to hold onto when life seems to be out of control.  

  My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14)
It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:8)
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. (Psalm 46:1-3)


Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
[x6]

I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Have you ever asked him to be your savior?   some will say...i am far beyond gods help.  some will say if he knew the sins i have commited he wouldn't forgive me.  It's never too late, and there is never a sin he can't and won't forgive.  If you are tired of running in circles, tired of fighting the roaring waves alone...I invite you to pray the following prayer:

Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.

I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.

You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.

Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved.

Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself.

Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.
Amen.   



hillsong - oceans

creation

How often do we actually sit and relax?  This past weekend i was enjoying lunch with my family.  The girls went to play on the playground.  I sat at the table staring out the window.  I had gotten to thinking about all the different species of plants, animals, and even how different each one of us people are.  I got to thinking about how complex that even one species is.  Not to mention the thousands of species of plants and animals.  I am in awe that god loves me, even with the complexity of his creation, to not only know the exact number of hairs on my head...but that he would send his only son to earth to be brutally beaten, and ultimately die for me.  When was the last time you really sat and thought about what can i do?  or is it more like what can be done for me?  there are many people who will never have the pleasure of a warm home in the winter, or plenty of food to eat.  There is always something we can do.  The family at the corner is making it on one income...couldn't we take them a meal?  a co worker is having problems at home...they really need to talk about it...but they are scared to say anything...can we lend a ear to them and a prayer?

All of our sins and shortcomings he already nailed to the cross.  We all have our ways that are opposite of what god wants for us...all we need is to make sure they stay nailed to the cross...and that we don't try to rip them down again. 

As a parent our children will follow our example, godly or not.  We can't both be the hand...key is for us to be the glove and allow the holy spirit to be the hand!



jesus you have already taken the punishment for my sin and shortcoming,  i pray that i forever leave my way nailed to your cross, and forever live in your way!  Father this christmas season i pray that i become more like the glove, and less like the hand.  I want you to guide me totally, for i want what you want. 

I surrender
I surrender
I want to know You more
I want to know You more

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

amen

John 3:16-18

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.


hillsong - i surrender

Thirst

About a week ago i was in a restaurant in northern Virginia.  I noticed a family in there at the bar.  The mother and father were at the bar drinking, the mother was tore up, to the point she could hardly stand.  Meanwhile their son was sitting alone in the booth behind them, watching them drink.  There aren't words enough for what i felt.  Most of all i was hurt for their son who had to watch his parents live a poor example.  I could almost see Jesus standing behind them crying.  

John 4:14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.


Have  you ever been really thirsty?  So thirsty that you think you could drink a gallon or 2 of water all at once?  we live in a dry and thirsty land.  Some people seem to want to drink the sand.  This kinda confuses me when Jesus came and died on the cross to give us living water.  To give us the kind of water where we would never thirst again.  Father revive us.  reign down your holy presence on us.  I pray for the lost of this world that are drinking the sand.  May I as a beleiver be a light so bright that they would find the living water that Jesus provided for us!  All we need is to as him to fill us with his water, and we will never thirst again!    Revive us oh father!


you revive me - passion 2012

what is your strength?

 ^{Psalm 46}

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
² So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
³ Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude

⁴ A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
⁵ God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
⁶ The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
⁷ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel^[b] is our fortress. Interlude

⁸ Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
⁹ He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.

¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

¹¹ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

what is your strength based on?  do you base your strength of what you know from the world?  do  you base your strength on what you yourself  can do?  We as humans seem to want to beleive we are self sufficient.  we seem to beleive that we are in control of all around us.  We are not, nor never have been in control!  I for one am glad that jesus assumed control of all in this world.  I can do nothing by myself...but with him in my corner there is nothing i can't do!  I pray that i never start to think that I am in control.  Jesus is in my drivers seat...who is in yours?

white flag - chris tomlin

Treasure

2 Corinthians 4

New International Version (NIV)

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ² Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.





Some here in this life work day and night year after year to store up treasure.  Not a single piece of which will matter in the Eternal life.  Jesus doesn't care how much wealth we have, or what kind of house we live in...what car we drive...All he wants is for us to be sanctuaries.  He lives in us already....he wants us to stop acting like the world does...he wants us to be the glove and let him be the hand, leading the glove where it is needed.


Lord i pray that I am never too stuck on this life to lay down all i have to let you be the glove!

in jesus name, amen