In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the season – I pray that you will join with me in receiving the truth of God’s word to strengthen us for the New Year ahead! I am going to send to you an expression some of my favorite scriptures as my gift to you. I pray you be as encouraged as I have been from the greatest gift I ever received – God’s word!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul
Oh my God, I trust in You.
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed:
Let those who be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause
Show me Your ways, O Lord,
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation:
On You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25: 1- 5
For many of us these are trying days. We are trying to hear the voice of our Father tell us what to do so we will not fall victim to the chaos that is sweeping the earth. Fear is a powerful force and it will grip us as ten men and can cause us many times to be as immobile as if we were wrapped in chains!
Past failures can also cause us to remain rooted in a place of fear and turmoil. We never want to walk in the same failures of our past so we refuse to do anything!
God’s word comes to us and tells us that our trust in Him will never let us be ashamed. Only those who have wrong motives should be concerned about being ashamed. If our heart and our desire are set toward doing the will of God, He will make even our failures (or poor decisions) to rise up as victories in our life.
For many years when I was at Phillips H.S. trying so hard to make a difficult situation work (because I knew I had to work) – situations that were new territory for me – places I had never had to walk before – I held to this Psalm – I would say over and over – “God please don’t let me be ashamed.” I was so overwhelmed most of the time because so many depended on me making right choices and I was not hearing that sure word of prophecy that comforts us – I was walking blindly down a path I had never walked before. Over and over I would ask the Lord – please lead me into Your truth – please teach me what to do and how to do it – there is no other help that I know.
That was many years ago – I call it my “proving ground” – that season prepared me for all the ones that have come since – causing me to rise above the companion of fear and doubt that has always tried to stop me – I was not mistake free during that season and certainly have not walked mistake free since – but I have not been ashamed – for I do know that God loves me and is so merciful and gracious toward me that even in my mess – He gives me a message!
Even in my failure – He gives me victory and I say unto you this day – what I have certainly learned from 38 years of walking with the God of my salvation – YOU CAN’T LOSE WITH THE WORD OF GOD THAT I USE!
Have a great day!
Maria