"Ice Possible"

PATHWAYS What e’er I do, where e’er I be, still by God’s hand he...

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 11:30 PM PST

PATHWAYS

What e’er I do, where e’er I be, still by God’s hand he leadeth me. (Joseph H. Gilmore)

Photo by Kassandra Hassler

Sight Psalms is a ministry of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church.

Even on those "Ice Slicken Roads" roads of our faith walk....

Yahweh is there to help us. 

He will take the wheel and guide us to the shoulder without harm.

New Colors of Grace...

GRACE 

Posted: 28 Dec 2013 11:30 PM PST

GRACE

God brings new life out of our hard places.

Photo by Linda Gillis

Sight Psalms is a ministry of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church.

It is within our rocky places...within those desert times...that God beings the rain of new life and we begin to grow in new and exciting ways.

New color is applied to the landscape of our faith journey...colors that may not be seen until we look within the sands of our faith.

A Gift of Unconditional Love

We have all fallen short of the glory of God...we are all sinful in nature...we, as humanity, have done evil. awful, things in the name of God. We, as humanity, have slapped God in the face and ignored who He would have us be....who He made us to be.

Even though we have don all this, God still pours out His love...His compassion...His grace...from heaven upon us. Even though we have sinned against Him, Shopet (God the Judge) sent His Son, Yeshua (Jesus), to be sin for us...to die in our stead.

Now if that isn't unconditional love for humanity then what is? If that is not an offer for redemption from Go'el (Redeemer, Defender God) then what is? If that is not and offer for new life in Yahweh Ropheka (The Lord who Heals) then what is?

Thank you Yahweh for Your love, mercy, compassion and goodness for/on a sinner like me! Thank you for loving me so! Thank you for the new life you offer! I accept Your gift. Please help me to open it and use it as You would have me...to use the owners manual, Your living Word, to instruct me in how too use it to and for Your Glory!

Prayer for Wisdom (My Payer For the New Year)

1 Kings 3:5-14 Names of God Bible (NOG)

"5 In Gibeon Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. Elohim said, “What can I give you?”

6 Solomon responded, “You’ve shown great love to my father David, who was your servant. He lived in your presence with truth, righteousness, and commitment. And you continued to show him your great love by giving him a son to sit on his throne today.

7 “Yahweh my Elohim, although I’m young and inexperienced, you’ve made me king in place of my father David. 8 I’m among your people whom you have chosen. They are too numerous to count or record. 9 Give me a heart that listens so that I can judge your people and tell the difference between good and evil. After all, who can judge this great people of yours?”

10 Adonay was pleased that Solomon asked for this. 11 Elohim replied, “You’ve asked for this and not for a long life, or riches for yourself, or the death of your enemies. Instead, you’ve asked for understanding so that you can do what is right. 12 So I’m going to do what you’ve asked. I’m giving you a wise and understanding heart so that there will never be anyone like you. 13 I’m also giving you what you haven’t asked for—riches and honor—so that no other king will be like you as long as you live. 14 And if you follow me and obey my laws and commands as your father David did, then I will also give you a long life.”"

Lord God, you have asked me what gift you might give me..what I would require from you.

I only ask for what Solomon asked when given the same question.

Lord you have been with me through thick and thin, even when I don't feel you there.

Lord you have blessed me beyond measure.

So what do I ask?

You have placed me among Your people to share the Good News of salvation and redemption found through Your Son...our Risen Lord Jesus.

The only thing I ask...the only thing I require is the mantel of Wisdom that You placed upon the shoulders of Solomon.

May that same mantel fall upon me as I lead those whom You would have me lead. 

I pray for Your will to be done through me or in spite of me and my frail being.

I pray for wisdom and knowledge as I share Your Word with a hurting world.

I pray for the will to do Your will and not my own.

I don't ask for riches or for fame. Those belong to You and You alone.

I pray for the knowledge to make a difference in the lives of those who I come in contact with each and every day.

I pray for a deeper relationship with you so that I will know Your will.

I don't pray for the destruction of my enemies but for the wisdom to understand them.

I don't pray for a long life but for a life that will run it's course and purpose until they are accomplished an I am called home.

I may be asking for a lot but I know and trust that You will give me what I need. Thank you for the coming wisdom and knowledge. May I quiet myself so that I may listen for Your voice as You guide me...instruct me...on how to wear this mantel for Your glory.

I love You and need You. I want you to be the "star of the show" in my life and faith journey.

Amen...!

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Grow Where We Are Planted...

Jeremiah 29:4-7, 11 Names of God Bible (NOG)

"4 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Elohim of Israel, says to all those who were taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses, and live in them. Plant gardens, and eat what they produce. 6 Get married, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons, and let your daughters get married so that they can have sons and daughters. Grow in number there; don’t decrease. 7 Work for the good of the city where I’ve taken you as captives, and pray to Yahweh for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper.

11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares Yahweh. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope."

We may not understand the place we are at. We could be there because of what we may have done or because of what someone else has done. We may be in a place of pain and sorrow. We may even be in a place of fear.  But God us with us and wants us to not be "frozen in time." He wants us to grow where we are "planted"

We may not ever see the purpose of the place we are at in our own lifetime. But our actions have an eternal consequence. We never know who will be blessed by our actions in the midst of chaos...even as we walk through our "desert places." It is within these desert times...within our "exile" that we have two choices"

1. To give up and sit in our "ash heap" wallowing in our situation...

or

    2.  We can grow more into the likeness of Christ, to grow closer to God, to grow into that          beautiful "desert flower" in a desolate land.

Which will we choose? Will we trust Elohim or just sit in sack cloth? It may be "easier said than done" most times, but no matter what we go through in life...our God has a mighty plan for us. Which will you choose this day?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84LSLk3hfD4

A Quiet Presence

Job 2:12-13 Names of God Bible (NOG)

"12 When they saw him from a distance, they didn’t even recognize him. They cried out loud and wept, and each of them tore his own clothes in grief. They threw dust on their heads.13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him because they saw that he was in such great pain."

Sometimes the best help we can give others while they go through their trials in life is no advice at all but to sit with them...empathize with them...in their grief and just be present in the moment with them... to be that quiet presence if hope...presence of love...presence of joy...presence of peace. At time we just need to be that present from Elohim (God) to help them feel His love and hope...compassion and peace...in that moment of silence a midst the chaos of light. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klf_k_pxWoE

Good, Bad or Indifferent...

Job 2:10 Names of God Bible (NOG)

10 He said to her, “You’re talking like a godless fool. We accept the good that Elohim gives us. Shouldn’t we also accept the bad?”

Through all this Job’s lips did not utter one sinful word.

El, (God),never promised us a bed of rose. What He did promise is:

1. That He would be El Rio (The God Who Watches Over Me)
2. That He would be our Maon (Dwelling Place)
3. To ALWAYS be Yahew Shammah (The Lord Is There)

We need to trust in Him and His promises...then we may find peace in the chaos of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBv2cjTiBd8

Illuminate

ILLUMINATE

Christ’s light shines in our darkness. We are not overcome.

Photo by Shari Miller

Sight Psalms is a ministry of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church.

My Driving Force

Jesus is the truth in my life. God's word  influences my choices..it influences how I see and react to others. Both Jesus and the word of God help me center myself and helps me prioritize things in my life...what is important and what is not. But...do I walk the talk...do I live out the words I preach
'.
I have just one life to live..Am I living to please myself or to please God? What is my true ''driving force'' in life? Over the coming weeks I will be reading ''Souvenirs of Solitude'' (Finding rest in Abba's embrace). As I contemplate on these questions I pray to be used by God to speak a word of grace to all who read my ''musings''. What better time to do this then th'e time we prepare our hearts and minds for the child who changed the 'world with His first cry, our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. May we have an ''Advent"ure of a life time together.

Your Will Be Done

Luke 1:38a Names of God Bible (NOG)

38 Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”

Luke 1:45 Names of God Bible (NOG)

45 You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”

It can be so hard sometimes to answer as Mary did. Even though God may have brought us through trials. At times, when you are in the midst of your trial, it is difficult to see God working...the feel His presence with you. It may seem impossible to give Mary's trusting answer.

When we "try, try, again" and we still aren't seeing the answer...the out come...the good in the chaos...that we trial it is hard to keep going sometimes. When we feel that God is not listening it is hard to continue through to the end. We we feel that God has given us too much to bear...it is hard to trust in His goodness.

It is moments like these that we need to draw nearer to God...nearer to His heart. It is from this position that we can see and feel the light of His presence, feel the warmth of His love, feel the strength of "Elohim Migdal-Oz" (God the Strong Tower). It is then when we can call Him "Yaweh Tsur" (The Lord My Rock).

When we have that feeling of safety...that our God is there...we are blessed with peace  for believing the Lord's promises to His children...to be with them ALWAYS...