So I’m letting you peek into my personal journal for twenty thoughts I hope encourage you and bring life to your soul. Some thoughts the Lord gave me in the past, but are helpful now. While others are fresh inspiration from the Lord.

Wholeness And Forgiveness

(1.) If people add injury to my pain, they are broken people in need of wholeness from Christ. Broken people break people. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3 ESV.

(2.) I must cling to the only sure hope in the darkness. Jesus. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” John 1:5 ESV.

(3.) Lord, place the cross and the blood of Jesus between me and the enemy, and between me and difficult people and circumstances. There’s nothing Your redemptive blood doesn’t cover. And there’s nothing it can’t redeem.

(4.) When we refuse to forgive others or even ourselves, we are limiting God. We are saying He’s not able to give us supernatural ability to forgive. We are putting ourselves as a god above the God who is so loving, so merciful, and so kind that every time we repent, He gladly forgives.

If people add injury to my pain, they are broken people in need of wholeness from Christ. Broken people break people. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” Psalm 147:3 ESV. #journal #broken @FridayKaren
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New Mercies And Promises

(5.) I’m so thankful for the power of prayer: that mountains still move, seas still part, mana still rains from heaven, and because God can raise the dead, ashes turn to beauty again.

(6.) Even if the world seems to stop spinning. Even if dark clouds seem to hijack sunny days. And even if life seems void of another sunrise or sunset. The Son holds the world and me in His hands (Psalm 95:4). The Son shines His face on me and gives me peace (Numbers 6:25:-26). And the Son rises with healing in His wings and with new mercies every morning (Malachi 4:4, Lamentations 3:22-23).

(7.) Lord, I know all your promises are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ. So help me trust that there are countless and hearty yeses and the loudest Amens at the end of this path (2 Corinthians 1:20).

(8.) God IS a good, good Father and I am confident goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6). Lord, as I walk through a valley, help me to turn and see the footprints of goodness and mercy behind me every step of the way.

Strength And Restoration

(9.) The Lord is my strength, my song, my salvation. The LORD is a Warrior! MY warrior! (Exodus 15:2-3).

(10.) Lord, I’m claiming a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit, that You may be glorified (Isaiah 61:3).

(11.) In Joel 2:25, the Lord promised to restore the years the locusts had eaten. And if you know the total, devastating damage caused by locusts. And how they consume everything in their path…any form of life and vegetation. If God can restore that kind of damage and death and nothingness back to life and wholeness…He can do it in my life.

(12.) I am loved. I am chosen. And I am redeemed. I am free.

Grace And Open Arms

(13.) Romans 12:1-2 calls for me not to be conformed to this world. Instead, I’m called to offer myself as a living sacrifice. But it’s hard to be a living sacrifice when I keep crawling off the altar of God’s holiness.

(14.)  Whether it’s hard circumstances, unfulfilled dreams, strength for new things, or hope for the future: God is faithful as God. God is faithful to His callings on my life. God is faithful to me. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” Hebrews 10:23 ESV.

(15.) Rules never saved anyone. Rule-keeping never provided grace. But the blood of Jesus covers my sins and provides amazing grace…saving grace! It’s not about rule-keeping, but obeying the Almighty God and His Word.

(16.) God’s always waiting with open arms. There’s no better, safer, or stronger arms than the arms of the Almighty.

Romans 12:1-2 calls for me not to be conformed to this world. Instead, I’m called to offer myself as a living sacrifice. But it’s hard to be a living sacrifice when I keep crawling off the #altar of God’s holiness. @FridayKaren
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Battles And Victory

(17.) The Christian life isn’t about “arriving” as if there’s nothing more to learn or overcome. It’s about arriving to a better place—a stronger place as a believer.

(18.) God steps into my mess as soon as I decide to step out.

(19.)  I stand as victor because Christ was victorious.

(20.) In a spiritual battle, the enemy holds no power over me. Satan is not God’s equal, he is powerless before the Almighty who fights for me.

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Linkup is open, share your blog! @FridayKaren lets us peek into her journal for thoughts about wholeness, forgiveness, God's mercies and promises, valley journeys, and grace. #blog #journaling
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The post 20 Life-giving Entries in My Journal {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

We can keep praying after.

God doesn’t say “cease praying” after the test results suggest the worst or the conversation ends terribly or the morning rush causes us to forget what we even read in the Bible that morning.

In our limited sense of time, praying after things seem “finished” can feel futile.

We sometimes act like prayer has a deadline before it’s “too late.”

Because, really….why pray about something that has already happened?

Can the Lord change even that which is in retrospect? Is He sovereign over history when it’s already been written? Scripture doesn’t suggest God retroactively answers prayers or puts us all in a supernatural time machine to perform miracles past (though God did turn back time once!)

Unlike our concept of “changers” in sci-fi movies that erase and replant memories to “change history, “the Lord is in the business of changing hearts. And while that may not change what has already happened, it does change our perspective. That makes all the difference.

Just because something is over to us doesn’t mean God’s done working it into good.

After you complete that nerve-wracking conversation, pray. Turn to the Lord. He can work in your heart to use that conversation for good. He does, after all, work all things together for the good of those who love Him according to His will and great purposes (Romans 8:28.)

He can also change the heart of the one you spoke to. Or the loved one who faced the tragedy. And even the course of that decision you made that you’re not so sure about.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO TURN TO THE LORD.

That should affect how we live in this world and how we relate to others. Forgiveness is all the more possible when we live according to the truth:

Grace has no expiration date.
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So pray after it all goes crazy, it all goes well, and you have no idea how any of it could go anywhere.

He remains faithful and is reigning over it all- past, present, and future.

“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 in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.” –1 Chronicles 29:11

{A version of this post originally appeared on First and Second blog}

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LINKUP party is open! Today, @BethanyMcIlrath reminds us that Just because something is over to us doesn't mean God's done working it into good. JOIN US?
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The post Keep Praying When It’s “Over” {Recharge Wednesday LINKUP} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

“The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…” Matthew 4:24 – 5:1,2

He spent the night in prayer, seeking the Father’s heart before appointing the Twelve disciples who would later start His church on earth. At that point in His ministry, Jesus was incredibly popular, and therefore, a great crowd greeted Him as He came down from the mountain where He selected the Twelve. The multitude came from Judea and Jerusalem, as well as the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, both to hear His words and expectant to witness His work. They had heard about the miracles, which validated Messiah’s message. The Kingdom was near.

People from every walk, both Jews and gentiles, crowded the Mount of Beatitudes, located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Capernaum and Gennesaret. It what there that Jesus gave his longest and most quoted sermon. Matthew dedicated three chapters to the words of that sermon.

Jesus saw these followers as sheep, longing to hear their Shepherd’s voice, ready to fill the emptiness that religion had failed to satisfy.

Jesus' followers longed to hear their Shepherd’s voice and were ready to fill the emptiness that religion had failed to satisfy.
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The Pharisees sought to help those who wanted to seek righteousness by codifying the Law into 365 prohibitions and 248 commandments, thus making the righteousness of the law impossible to obtain.

Jesus, in offering Himself as their King, demanded the same righteousness as a prerequisite to enter God’s Kingdom. The difference was, however, incommensurable. Christ’s measure of righteousness had nothing to do with attending the feasts, nor following the Sabbath’s laws. In the New Covenant offered by Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, righteousness would be obtained by repenting and putting one’s faith in His Person.

Christ’s measure of righteousness had nothing to do with attending the feasts, nor following the Sabbath’s laws. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional #Jesus
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The multitude on Mount Sinai agreed in one thing: Righteousness is needed to enter the Kingdom of God. They had heard the same thing since their toddler years, preached on the synagogues and every gathering where Jews would meet. The question in their minds was not: “What is required to enter God’s Kingdom”, but rather: “What IS righteousness.”

Jesus summarizes the contrast on verse 20:

“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

To the Pharisees, His words were heresy. They even accused Him of being demon-possessed. But Jesus did not back down. He had come to fulfill the Law by becoming their righteousness – The righteousness they could never attain, as hard as they may work in keeping the Law. But in a seemingly simple, however deep discourse, the Savior explained to those following Him what true righteousness looks like.

That is the heart of the Sermon of the Mount: an exposition of the holiness of God, and His expectations for those who believe in His Son and are accepted into His Kingdom. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional #Jesus
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The sermon is fascinating… and challenging. For as many other things the Savior said, there is much more in its words than what meets the eye. This sermon is not a simple agglomeration of disconnected teachings. It is believed that it is one harmonious unity, seamlessly progressing in rational order. It was Jesus’ inaugural sermon, delivered soon after His return from Galilee, where He had performed His first miracles, and strategically delivered at a time when His followers had enough evidence given by His supernatural miracles to substantiate His Messianic claims.

I want to invite you to join me on a journey for the next several weeks, as we unfold the Sermon of the Mount together.

It will inspire and make you think. My main objective in this blog series, however, is to challenge our walk as followers of Jesus, for a deep study on His words on the Mount of Beatitudes should challenge anyone who calls himself a Christian.

Because, even though it’s true that His amazing grace is vaster than the ocean and salvation does not depend on anything you and I do or don’t do, there is no doubt that He longs to find His church walking in righteousness when He returns.

Even though it’s true that His amazing #grace is vaster than the ocean & #salvation does not depend on anything we do, no doubt He longs to find His church walking in righteousness. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional #Jesus
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So, I invite you to come back next week as we start unpacking Jesus’ Words… to understand what the “blessed” in The Beatitudes really look like.

In the Meantime, I invite you to read the Sermon, found on chapters 5 through 7 in the gospel of Matthew, and rejoice in the fact that you and I do not have to abide by endless prohibitions and laws. Jesus’ blood, our righteousness, is all we need to enter the Kingdom of God. And His Spirit, our Guide, is all we need to be able to live as Christ taught us to live, that we may experience and further His Kingdom, right here on earth.

Come back next week for the continuation of the series!

Question: Is there any part of the sermon of the Mountain that challenges you in particular? Share your thoughts below!

Have a blessed week!

The post The Most Challenging Sermon of All Time {Blog Series} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Anyone could see by the expression on my face that I wasn’t ok. My people always know when a cloud descends upon my spirit. It simply wasn’t a good day.

The day turned into a week of gloom.

I had a hard time opening my Bible, and, when I did, the words sounded like a mantra, rather than true comfort.

Silence is a refuge when sadness permeates my days. I’m not one to voice disappointments regarding my circumstances.

But my heart was complaining.

Pitching a fit.

Borderline angry.

After a couple of days living as a recluse in my own house, I decided to talk. And so I voiced my disappointment regarding the circumstances.

I voiced what was hiding in my heart all along: My lack of understanding. The lack of apparent meaning for the valley we face.

And right there, as the words that were clouding my heart came out of my mouth, I could feel His Presence in the room.

Watching… Listening…

The One who doesn’t need my words, because He reads my heart.

And even as I spoke, I knew the answer.

“My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways My ways.” Isaiah 55:8

My lips may not have questioned Him…

But my heart certainly did.

Have you ever found yourself in that same position? When you know the answer, even before you pose the question?

When you look back and see God’s faithfulness displayed, over and over again, and yet, your heart rehearses a tantrum when a new trial comes along?

Are you nodding right now?

You’ve seen His hand in the desert. His miraculous mana falling down from Heaven. Just enough for each day.

You’ve experienced His peace in the midst of the fiercest war.

You’ve witnessed His healing in your body, and soul.

Until there comes along a new trial… and although you KNOW… your heart forgets.

And instead of telling your heart the Truth, you allow it to be distracted by the lies. So you find yourself acting like someone who doesn’t know better…

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.” Philippians 2:14-16

When Paul wrote these words, I believe he had these moments in mind.

These very human moments in the life of the believer. Moments when we know the right answer, and yet choose to deny our faith with our words… or deeds.

Moments when the enemy of our soul smiles, accomplished. Because he gets from us exactly what he wanted:

Questioning Yahweh’s sovereignty…

Doubting His unchanging goodness and grace.

And, often, shaking the strength of our testimony to those who watch us walk through the storm.

But, you know what I found out?

I found out that God’s gaze towards me that day was not one of reprimand and judgement.

It was one of Grace.

Instead of looking down on me, He lavished me with compassion, as if to say:

I know you. I love you. I understand. I forgive you.

Now look up. Pick up the pieces. Refocus.

On ME.

I guess that’s one of the reasons He calls me His child.

Because sometimes, on some of those hard days, I act like one. A child, that is.

And that’s ok.

Really.

That’s why grace is so awesome, you know? Because it doesn’t matter how many times we mess up, His Grace always restores, forgives and forgets.

And this Grace is what makes me smile again.

No – the trial isn’t over. There’s not an end in sight.

Still, the Sun is shining down on me, lifting my spirit as the rays of springtime pierce through the window.

So I rise, refocused and replenished by the promise that nothing escapes from Yahweh’s sovereign grasp.

So I rise,refocused & replenished by the promise that nothing escapes from God’s sovereign grasp.
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And if He allows it, then It must be good.

Oh, it must be so good!

That’s why I choose to make the certainty of God’s promises the anchor of my heart.

“When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. “Hebrews 6:13-16

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The post I KNOW You Are Sovereign, BUT… appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.