Tag: Your way

Kicking and Screaming

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The LORD is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.”

Psalms 86:16  Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalms 69:16     Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

Psalms 90:13     Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!

Psalms 119:132    Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name.

Psalms 84:5     Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Psalms 138:3     On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.

Isaiah 40:29     He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;  but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Zechariah 10:12     I will make them strong in the LORD, and they shall walk in his name,” declares the LORD.

Ephesians 3:16     that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Philippians 4:13     I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Why is it important to have the right source for inner strength?  Where does true inner strength come from? How does it appear in our life?  Living this side of eternity will have it’s battles.  Walking into these battles there are times we walk with God, times God carries us through them, and times when He drags us kicking and screaming through them.  In Him alone will there be strength to face whatever comes our way.  In Him we have no fear of tomorrow.  In Him there is peace that passes all understanding.  The times we walk with God to face head that which is before us are during times when His Holy Spirit fills us, we are listening and in tune with His leading, we walk fully trusting and relying on His power.  The times He is carrying us are during those times when life hits us with a punch so hard it takes the wind from our sail and we can’t seem to move or find out way through it.  He picks us up and carries us in His power, strength, might, and love.  His arms wrap around us and we find comfort, refuge, and hope.  The times He drags us is when we don’t listen, we shut Him from our life, we walk apart from Him and try to go our own way.  We think we are in control and have no need for Him or His word of truth.  It seems as though God drags us into a battle so big with so much uncertainty, where we truly can’t seem to find our way through it.  Our own strength is drained to a point we quit kicking and screaming and seek Him for we have tried to handle it on our own.  We find peace, hope, joy, and comfort.  I don’t know where you are but the best place to be is humbly serving, honoring, following, and obeying God.  Spend time in His word and build your faith in Him who can do all things. In Hi who can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

Teach me

“True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.”

Psalms 86:11  Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

Psalms 5:8     Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

Psalms 25:4    Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.

Psalms 25:12     Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

Psalms 27:11    Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Psalms 119:33      Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.

Psalms 119:73   Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

Psalms 143:8     Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.  Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD! I have fled to you for refuge.  Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

Job 34:32     teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

Jeremiah 32:38     And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.  I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them.

Colossians 3:17     And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Having the right mindset is key to fearing God and seeking His way for your life.  How many times can you give stories on people who have the mindset they can figure it out themselves and do not ask to be taught?  It is easy to fall into the trap believing the current amount of biblical knowledge and understanding is all that is needed when things seem to be going fine and without many issues.  This easily leads down a path of complacency and neglect.  Note these scripture references;  “Teach” me – let me “Hear” – make me “Know” – give me “Understanding” – “lead” me – He will “Instruct”.  The heart, mind and soul of these people were humbly seeking God.  They did not necessarily set time aside to give thought to God and about God, but rather this was their mindset foundation and permeated every second of their life.    With this foundation their mind, heart, eyes, and ears were open and actively seeking to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey God’s purpose in and through their life.  Trying to please God with our own purposes on our own path takes us further away from God rather than closer.  Desire, seek, and choose to be led by Him.

Crying and burdened heart

Psalms 77:1   I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, and he will hear me.  In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted.  When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints.  You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.  I consider the days of old, the years long ago.  I said, “Let me remember my song in the night; let me meditate in my heart.” Then my spirit made a diligent search:  “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable?  Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time?  Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”  Then I said, “I will appeal to this, to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”  I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.  I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.  Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?  You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.  You with your arm redeemed your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.  When the waters saw you, O God, when the waters saw you, they were afraid; indeed, the deep trembled.  The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder; your arrows flashed on every side.   The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.   Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

An aching and burdened heart lost in trials and troubles, seeking God.  You can hear their cry throughout this Psalm.  Searching for comfort that seems not to come.  You can sense the battle between what they know about God’s steadfast love and what they are feeling in the moment.  Focusing on God and not the issue is the answer but if you have ever been so low and felt so unworthy everything is out of focus.  It is a reminder also for each of us to be there for our brothers and sisters and help regain this presence / focus of God.  The old hymn as a verse “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”