Tag: Scripture

Continued Refinement

Featured ~ Denise ~ Leave a comment

A lot has happened since my last post and once again I find myself right back here acknowledging my lack of posting.

However this time it is more an accountability confession as I had sensed I was being prompted to post before now by the Holy Spirit, yet put it off.

I tried to justify and console myself with the fact that I had indeed been writing, just not posting. Sort of half the job.

I wouldn’t particularly accept that excuse myself; yet here I was thinking He would.

These words spring to mind:

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

Holy Spirit promptings are for obedience. I had not listened.

What should one do when one realizes this?

The scripture goes on to say:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10

What a loving and merciful Lord we serve! One who refines us, teaches us, prompts us and does not condemn us when we fall short (because we will in our imperfections).

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:1

I let too many things prevent me till now.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Cor 12:9

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26

I’m leaning into the fire.

I hope and pray you stick along for the refinement with me.

Blessings to you!

Denise

Jeremiah 29:11

~ Denise ~ 5 Comments

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Sunrise.

New beginning.  New plan.  What will each day bring?

These words in my daily devotion from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young were a great reminder to this “planner”.  Sarah talked about approaching the day with the awareness of who was Boss.  “…..on days when things go smoothly, according to your plans, you may be unaware of my sovereign Presence.  On days when your plans are thwarted, be on the lookout for Me!”

I was reminded that God may be doing something important that may be quite different than what I’ve expected.  His ways are always better than ours.   Instead of trying to figure out what all is happening, simply trust Him and thank Him in advance for the good that will come out of it all.

“For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.  Jeremiah 29:11

Ezekiel 34

~ Denise ~ 1 Comment

Ezekiel 34

The LORD Will Be Israel’s Shepherd

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

7 “‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, 9 therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. 14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD. 16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

17 “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats. 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? 19 Must my flock feed on what you have trampled and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away, 22 I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another. 23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. 24 I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.

25 “‘I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of savage beasts so that they may live in the wilderness and sleep in the forests in safety. 26 I will make them and the places surrounding my hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing. 27 The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. 28 They will no longer be plundered by the nations, nor will wild animals devour them. They will live in safety, and no one will make them afraid. 29 I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. 30 Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them and that they, the Israelites, are my people, declares the Sovereign LORD. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign LORD.”

I know I have been very quiet on here as of lately.  That is because I wasn’t sure exactly what to say or how to start.  So, I thought I’d just start today, with some of the verses that I have been reading for the last few months.

The Lord has been talking to me about trust.  Trusting in Him.  He has reminded me of how He has been faithful to me in the past, how I can depend on Him.  He has pushed me to confront unloving behavior.  During my quiet time we have compared notes on how I have handled past hurts with recent ones.  I praise Him for the refining work he has done in me over my life, and the grace He extends and continues to do.

This is what I have been remembering:

F orsaking

A ll

I

T rust

H im

The Lord will always take care of His sheep.  We I just need to trust Him.

Post A Week Topic…Well what do you know!

~ Denise ~ 2 Comments

As I’ve mentioned, before, I’ve been part of this Post A Week experiment, and they send these topics to you to help give you ideas to blog about.  I’ve seen many good ones, just haven’t gotten around to writing about some of them.  Well the topic the other day that came across my phone was “Should you help the homeless?“….my first reaction…

Well, duh…

If you have been following this blog, you pretty much know where I stand on the topic…

Then I had to really think about how much my thoughts and opinions have changed about the homeless over the last years.  God certainly has been working inside me!

So, I realize that this topic is something that will create much discussion.  This is a good thing!  The more blogs I’ve been reading, the more I see God at work in the homeless community.  I see His name praised and glory given to Him through the trials and valleys.

These scriptures came to mind, as I was thinking of this topic:

Matthew 22:34:40

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The second greatest  commandment:  Love your neighbor as yourself.

If we are really seeing the homeless, then how can we not help the homeless?

How we help is our choice.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support with Operation Soup and Smokes!  This past week we served over 135 at the park!  We saw some people that we haven’t seen for awhile, heard that some have moved to be with family, some are in temporary housing, and unfortunately some in trouble.  We will continue on helping as we can, one bowl, one smile, one conversation, one friendship.  We have always had enough to serve everyone.  God has been faithful!  Yeah God!