Tag: look up

Conversation with the One Enthroned in the Heavens Who Lives in Our Heart

Our Advent Prayer Walk, 2021

In a day where news clips and billboards seem to scream in our every direction, the Lord speaks in the sunrise of the morning and the sunset of the night sky, Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth Psalm 46:10.

“As we walk forward, slow with the challenge of keeping steady, we pray and cry aloud to You ‘who are enthroned in the heavens!'”

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To you, I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens.

“Psalm 123 is our prayer, word for word, dear Lord,

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.

Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease, of the contempt of the proud.

“As empty gloves on the table become alive in our hands, help us put the promise of Your presence to give us strength now, for what comes today, to stand. Your Word is our comfort in our affliction,” (Psalm 119:50).

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go Joshua 1:9.

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed Deuteronomy 31:8.

“Help us remember Lord, our weakness as in empty gloves. To agree with You is surrender, yet this is our hope for strength in the battles. We are nothing on our own without You. Your Spirit gives us life.

Your promise to be with us wherever we go is repeated more than 18 times. Obviously, You don’t want us to forget this foundational truth. Keep us looking up, not all-around at every voice that speaks.

Your voice is not heard unless we are willing to hear:

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?‘ Hebrews 13:5,6.

Help us remember this. We are like sheep and forget the foundations of our faith.

Keep us faithful . . . to believe You . . . now, today!

…’ And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age‘ Matthew 28:20.

We know this, but we forget. Help us remember:

You were dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and Your name is the Word of God” Revelation 19:13.

If it had not been for the LORD who was on our side when men rose up against us, . . . Our help is in the Name of the LORD who made heaven and earth Psalm 124. (Calligraphy, tonirypkema.com)

“Our prayers are Your Word, dear Lord:

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, Let Israel now say – ‘If it had not been the LORD who was on our side when men rose up against us;

Then they would have swallowed us alive, When their wrath was kindled against us;

Then the waters would have overwhelmed us, The stream would have gone over our soul; Then the swollen waters Would have gone over our soul.‘

Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;

The snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth” Psalm 124.

And the hymns and spiritual songs are our meditations:

Why should I feel discouraged
Why should the shadows come
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home
When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He watches over me

Cevilla D Martin, His Eye is on the Sparrow

Renew.

Restore.

We walk with ears to hear Your voice today. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.”

Bless or Curse? That is the question.

Do I remember all the benefits of God?

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” John 12:24.


Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

How can we bless the Lord at a time of trial or loss? We can . . . when we remember all His benefits as Psalm 103 reminds us:

 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:

Circumstances change continually. We’re tempted to fret. We try to figure things out. We become angry and impatient.

Will we remember our great and mighty Lord?

 He forgives all (y)our iniquities,
Who heals all (y)our diseases, . . .

The struggle is great, . . .

to fret, or choose faith?

God waits. He’s patient and kind. It’s one thing to be patient, but patient and kind? That is glorious. That is the Lord. Fret brings on a deaf ear. Faith opens the hearing,

“Look up. Let go. Turn around. Follow Me.”

The struggle is great. There’s a war in our spirit. We have a choice to make.

When we look into His Word, we’re reminded that He who is faithful and true, keeps His promises:

He redeems (y)our life from destruction,
He crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
He satisfies (y)our mouth with good things,
So that (y)our youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Emphasis mine).

What will I think on today? What will I remember? The losses, the hurts? Or the promises of God?

Do I choose to believe the Lord, this moment, this day? Who is my Lord? Is it my own understanding or God’s proven character:

 The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
 He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water” Jeremiah 2:13.

Selfishness and a stubborn spirit steal and bring thirst to my soul. But to all who seek Him, Jesus, He gives benefits:

” . . . but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” John 4:14.

If I’m aware that I’m full and overflowing with the Lord’s love and sufficient grace, then my eyes see the green pastures the Lord has made me to lie down in, ( even in the storm), then I understand He restores my soul, yesterday, today, forever. He is God.

Circumstances change, but God doesn’t.

Who is God that I should bless?

 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

He is a gracious and compassionate Lord whom we can trust at all times.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Is He “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name?” Do we agree and ask to surrender as His children under His will?
 As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

 As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.

Do I bless the Lord and remember His Word? It is light and life to our soul when we choose Him, Jesus.

Yes, when we remember His benefits toward us, those who choose to be children, forgiven and free:
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
 To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

The battle is won in prayer and praise.

Dear Lord, with all that is within me, let us remember all Your benefits:

 The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all Psalm 103: 1-19.

Amen. Amen. And again, amen.

What are we listening to? Fear? or God’s Voice? Let’s STOP and hear:

“Trust Me now.” I hear a still small voice speak. “Trust.” When the waves are huge, and blinded eyes can’t see.

“Trust Me.

Put on faith’s glasses, take off  fear’s clouded goggles, and . . .
B-R-E-A-T-H.

Don’t panic.

Remember, I walk on the turbulent seas.”

Don’t caress thoughts that are sharp and dark. Don’t linger in pits of past regrets—STOP.

Speak instead, faith thoughts.

Let—suffer, allow, the Holy Spirit to sing in your heart.

So I open the Hymn book at the Spirit’s prompt.  It opens, Doxology, page 1:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

And I think right away,

“Oh God, how can You patiently watch my faith so quickly, fly away?

With an envelope from the mail. With a headache in the morning. With the world’s events spinning. Each and everyday, dear Lord, You watch my faith take flight. As if it’s always night, and never day.

Oh God,  . . .

lead me to P-R-A-I-S-E.”

So I turn in the hymnal to Page 2. If only I could always remember this hymn proves time and again to be a “faint heart’s” rescue.

Fanny Crosby, though blind, could see. Spiritually, her words help my weary heart sing:

All the way my Sav-ior leads me; What have I to ask be-side? Can I doubt His ten-der mer-cy. Who thro’ life has been my guide?

Heav’n-ly peace,

di-vin-est com-fort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell For I know what-e’er be-fall me,

Je-sus do-eth all things well;

All the way my Savior leads me;

Cheers each winding path I tread.

Gives me grace for every trial,

Feeds me with the living bread:

Tho’ my weary steps may falter, And my soul a thirst may be,

Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! a spring of joy I see;

Thank you Fanny for your pen and song. My eyes are lifted from the earth to the Son.

All the way my Savior leads me; Oh, the fullness of His love! Perfect rest to me is promised In my Father’s house above . . .

Will you join me in entering God’s rest? Can we seek accountability to trust.
We can rise above earthly trials. Trusting that our Savior leads the way.

And while we wait, we praise our Savior. And He fills our hearts and minds with His peace.

Your Faithfulness Reaches to the Clouds, Ps. 36:5

Your mercy, O LORD is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds, Psalm 36:5.
This Word makes me look up. Something happens inside, yet outside nothing changes.

I’m stirred, something’s awakened. My heaviness is pushed off,  my soul is lifted to  new heights.

I can believe again.

I can see something not seen. My heart still beats. My lungs still breathe.
I’m restored enough to dream.

By faith, I’m moved from strife and unrest, to hope, and a peace that goes beyond my comprehensiveness.

Your mercy, O LORD is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds, Psalm 36:5 proves to resuscitate my being.

Curious, I seek to find, “What is the rest?” Though the dark clouds remain, I ask God, speak now to my brokenness:

I have a message from God in my heart
    concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
    before their eyes.

 In their own eyes they flatter themselves
    too much to detect or hate their sin.

 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
    they fail to act wisely or do good.
 Even on their beds they plot evil;

    they commit themselves to a sinful course
    and do not reject what is wrong.

 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the skies.

 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.

    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!

    People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
 They feast on the abundance of your house;

    you give them drink from your river of delights.
 For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light we see light, Psalm 36:1-9.

His unfailing Word speaks deep and  through time.

Faith pours in me. As water fills an empty vessel. I ask of the Lord, “Increase my faith. Help me feel Your healing touch. O God of the heavens, help me look up at the clouds, and in You, fully trust.”

"Can we reason together?" asks the LORD

“Oh world, are you angry and troubled? Do you forget to walk careful with fear … not ‘fear’ as you listen to restless thoughts of man, but ‘the fear of the LORD’,  which is the beginning of wisdom. (1)
“Look out!” they yell and seek their own view. “Look up!” My voice speaks. I give peace, hope, and understanding to you.
“The church has caused great pain and appears to have pointing fingers.”
“Don’t you see, it’s the sin of man that brings condemnation? I have come. I AM Savior. There is no condemnation to those who are in Me.”(2)
“Come, and let us reason together. Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” (3) I was sent by My Father, and willingly died on a tree.”
But that could not hold Me. I rose from the dead.(4) Where do you set your mind? Where is your mind set?  Look to Me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest.” (5)
“I will show you great and mighty things that you know not yet. (6) I Am the LORD.”
Don’t look out toward the strife and the wars, Look Up to find wisdom to cope. “Set your mind on things above, not on things of the world…”(7)
“I didn’t leave you as orphans alone, (8) I left you with My Spirit and the Word. Receive Them. Don’t reject. “Be still and know that I Am God.” (9) Pull the Good Book from off of the shelf. Have an open heart and mind, and see …
for …
yourself.
I love you with outstretched arms forever. If I seem distant, I dwell in thankful hearts and praises.
Look up to Me. My name is Jesus.”
(1) Proverbs 9:10.
(2) Romans 8:1.
(3) Isaiah 1:18.
(4) Matthew 28:6.
(5) Matthew 11:28.
(6) Jeremiah 33:3.
(7) Colossians 3:2.
(8) John 14:18.
(9) Psalm 46:10.