I will praise you... Hillsong

 https://youtu.be/1vXd_cSEPN4

 To be totally honest,  there are some lyrics in songs that are hard to sing, and some verses in The Bible that are hard to say Amen to.  As I am going through the process of waiting another 6 months to get a mammogram to check on things.  God has been continually speaking to me the words.. Hope, faith, trust, be still.... 

I remember when my husband passed,  it was hard for me to sing... "It is well with my soul"...  I know that God understands that, and he would do a work in me to bring it to when I sing it, I mean it. He continues to do that with me on a daily basis.

 Right now the scripture that is hard for me is,  Psalm 112: 6-8. " Surely he will never be shaken, a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news, his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord, his heart is secure, he will have no fear,  In the end he will look in triumph on his foes".....  No fear of bad news?  That's a tough one. But as you continue to read,  it is exactly what the Lord wants to build within me, within us. A heart that is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. A heart that is secure.  I want that! 

 In life we are always running into trials that build our character. They are either going to mature us, or break us. By that I mean. We could let the darkness continue to bring us down. Or we can focus our eyes, and seek Christ, hope in Him, and wait for Him patiently to reveal what is happening. John 12: 35 “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going."

 We go through things that can bring us to a dark place. Sometimes it's health issues. Sometimes it's marital issues. Sometimes it's problems with our kids. Whatever it may be. Remember what is spoken to you in the light. But that I mean. The time when you are desperately seeking God for answers and He either gives you one word, or one verse. Hold on to that. Because that is the very thing that He is trying to build in you. 

Even when we are not faithful, God remains faithful to us. Its Who He is.  Even when our hope runs low, God's hope in us never does. Even when our faith is small, God's faith in us never fails.  He is always looking our way even when our eyes wonder in every direction. Hes a good Father!

 Lamentations 3: 22-26, We are not consumed because his compassions never fail us. They are new every morning and great is His faithfulness. Never give up hope in the Lord. Never stop seeking him. He is faithful to complete the work that he is doing within us.

 For your glory Lord

Kim D

I've got joy... CeCe Winans

 https://youtu.be/JYuBzCuuj14

 There is nothing, absolutely nothing that can compare to having a love relationship with Jesus Christ. 

 I've got joy in the struggle, and the struggle is real.  I've got peace in the storm, because storms of life are real.  I've got strength in the battle, because the battles in life are real.  But I know one thing for sure. I'm a child of heaven and my "Hope" is secure.

 I went for a mammogram a couple weeks back and they called me back to do another mammogram and an ultrasound. I'm human, and of course it makes you nervous. But I know one thing for sure, I don't fear anymore.  Even when not knowing the outcome yet. Truly, if you know me, I have changed. I don't get shaken to the core anymore. I don't dwell on it daily.  I know my Jesus is my peace when I don't have the answers.  I know that prayer Warriors are praying.  I know that my love for Jesus is genuine. Not for what He can do for me. But what He's already done and continues to do in me.

 All I know is during the few weeks before getting in to be checked again, all I heard Him telling me was hope. Hope and pray.  Nothing wrong with hoping and praying. Nothing wrong with calling people and asking them to pray along with what you're hoping the outcome is. 

 The word "hope" has been in my head daily.  When I went in the changing room for my first exam, the mamo do over, only more extensive. The sign on the wall that my eyes went right to was hope. Could it be a coincidence? No, it was not.  I sensed it in my spirit and giggled along with God. The next room that I had to go into for the ultrasound, I got to have a conversation with the tech because that exam takes a little longer.  So of course I asked her where specifically they were looking, and if it seemed like anything. Of course she couldn't give me any answers except for, "there's one side that they were looking at that wasn't the same as last year." That would usually shake me. But this time it didn't. I kept hearing in my spirit,  "people are praying and you just keep your hope and peace in Me."  So talking a little more with her, she told me that sometimes they see things and people come back and they are gone. I asked her if she believed in prayer. She said "oh yes I do."  I said "so do I." I told her people are praying for me now and I won't give up hope. I told her the sign that was in the other dressing room that said hope. She said "well look at my wall."  Well there it was. Another picture that said "hope."

 All I know is, God broke my chains of fear in this area. Things are what they are going to be and you can't change that. But you never give up hope. You never give up trusting. And you never cease praying. 

 He's got all of my worship, all of my praise, All of my honor, and I've got joy, because I've got Jesus.

 For your glory always Lord

 Kim D

Embers..... Hillsong

https://youtu.be/OjRuXu58B8Q

Philippians 2: 12-13, The bible tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Take very serious the word of God. Work it out, because the power of the Holy Spirit is within, and it fights with the flesh to come out. Like the caterpillar, there is a beautiful butterfly inside this body that struggles from within to come out.

2 Peter 1: 3, "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

Most people work out to get tone ,strong, and some to loose weight. This takes time, but the more you stay consistent at it, you will see changes.

Galatians 5: 16-18, This verse reminds me of when I was a personal trainer and people would tell me, "I want to turn this fat to muscle." You can't do that. They are two different identities. But you can build more muscle to burn the fat. Just like our flesh and spirit are always at war with one another. The flesh is never going away, but you can build your inner spirit by your intimate relationship with Jesus. Spending quality time with Him to melt away those fleshly desires. You can't just go to church on Sunday and expect to have a strong spiritual soul. It's going to become flabby.

1 Peter 1: 23, "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." In Christ we are a new creation in the making, 2 Corinthians 5: 17.

We have this living power of the Holy Spirit. But when we received Jesus Christ as our Savior, it was in seed form. That seed needs to be nourished to grow. Like a fire that's dying, but the embers are hot and glowing. Fan the flame and bring the fire alive. His Spirit is within all who believe. He wants all the earth to see that He is Lord through our lives. Be a soul on Fire. Strong in Him from the inside bursting out.

For Your glory Lord

Kim D

Sovereign.. Shane and Shane

 https://youtu.be/Dl9a7sE4bcM

  The lyrics of this song just strengthen me so much. It's so true. Our God is Sovereign, and nothing takes Him by surprise. He makes no mistakes. He has a plan and a purpose for each of us.  We have The Bible which is our roadmap to life. The end of the story shows the victory that has already been won. So as we travel through His..tory, lets hold the Banner high.

 Even what the enemy means for evil, God is always working it out for our good and His glory, Genesis 50:20.  Even in the valleys He is faithful, Psalm 23:4.

 In my prayers the other day, I asked God to help me hear His "why not be my witness" louder than my my "why" to things that are happening today. Well He did, and as always through His living and active Word.

I am reading the book of Revelation, chapter 12:12-17. Verse 12"  Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the Earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.".....The enemy knows his time is short so hes stepping up his game. We are truly living in the last days. Even though the devil is very powerful,  as we can see by the condition of our world, he is always under Gods control. This is one of the reasons why God allows satan to work evil and bring temptation,  is so that those who pretend to be Christ followers will be weeded out from Christ's true believers. 

Verse 17, " Then the dragon, (saten) was enraged at the woman, (Mary) and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring, (we who believe)  those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus".... 

 We are in a spiritual battle, Ephesians 6 versus 10 through 12. We know from the word of God that Satan and his followers have been defeated and will be destroyed. Yet Satan is battling daily to bring more into his ranks, and even causing believers to be lukewarm christians, Revelation 3:15-16.  When you are in a battle, you don't want to be lukewarm. You want to be on fire and ramped up for the one you are fighting with.  God will not lose the war, but we must make certain not to lose the battle for our own souls. Don't waver in your commitment to Jesus. There is no time for indecision.

For Your Glory Lord always

Kim D

Someone's praying... Brad and Rebecca

 https://youtu.be/NZGlRspD0Ic

Prayers of The Righteous: The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16 

 I pray that if you don't believe in the power that prayer has, that you will come to believe.

 I can't even count, the countless times I have reached out to the body of Christ, to lift me, or a family member, or a friend up in prayer. I don't hesitate to reach out for prayer. I believe in it with all my heart. Because I have experienced the power that comes from it.  The peace and the strength that comes from it. I can be down in the dump's one minute, and lifted up the next. 

I know all too well, that just because I am a Christian, a follower of Christ, does not mean that hard times are not going to come upon me.  But I also know, that a Christian's most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer.The results are often greater than we thought are possible. Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried. Prayer should come first, because God's power is infinitely greater than ours. It only makes sense to rely on it. Especially because God encourages us to do so.

 I serve God in an awesome Bible study with ladies. We have a text message group prayer chain.  I can't tell you the countless times that we have carried each other to the throne room of God, and have experienced peace, strength,  and miracles.  There is nothing like knowing, someone is carrying you, when you can't carry yourself to the feet of Jesus. 

 There is another scripture I absolutely love. Romans chapter 8: 26-27, " In the same way, the spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."...... Even when we don't know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for us, and God answers.

 Like the lyrics of this song... Mountains can be moved,  Lift your faith, the miraculous can overtake the room.  When we cry out there is power. Call upon the King, He is listening.  At the right hand of the Father, Jesus is listening to make a way for me."

 Pray for one another. There is there is power.

 For your glory Lord

Kim D

Revival.... Chris McClaren

 https://youtu.be/FMxtKrT5jd8

 We know that only God can heal our land. That only God can make things right again.  Over and over again, from the Old Testament to the New Testament, God says, "return to me" in one way or another. 

Zechariah 1:3..2 Chronicles 30:9...Isaiah 44:2...Joel 2:13.. John 15:4...John 14:23

 As christians, when are obedience to God begins to disintegrate, so goes the family, so goes the nation.  When we stop letting God lead us, we become no better than the evil people around us. When we make our own laws for our own benefit, we set standards far below God's. When we leave God out of our life, we may be shocked at what we are capable of doing. 

 I believe the horrible crimes we are seeing, are not just based on the failure of the government to have Godly principles. But because Christians are luke warm. Looking more and more like everyone else.  We are compromising. When we need to submit to the authority of Christ, 2  Corinthians 6:14-17.

 Revelation, chapters 1, 2 and 3, should really awaken the church! Revelation 3:2, "Wake up!".....  Revelation 3: 15, " I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are a lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I'm about to spit you out of my mouth." 

WOW,  that's actually how it feels, and looks in this crazy world. God's not playing. It's time for us to stop playing church, and playing Christian. 

 Just like our pastor taught last Sunday, "you can't call yourself a Christian if you're not following." Bold truth spoken from the pulpit. 

 Whenever we get away from God and his word,  all sorts of evil follow. Our drifting away from God may be slow, but it is for sure to affect the future generation. We must continually call our nation back to God.  God's moral and spiritual reign must begin in the heart of each and every one of us.

For you glory Lord

Kim D

High and lifted up.. Hillsong

 https://youtu.be/slLSH7ntjxw

Isaiah 6: 1," I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted"...

 When God removes things from our life, how do we handle it? It could be a death of a loved one. It could be a divorce, family issues. Anything that is allowed to happen in our lives is for a purpose. 

 When God removes things to put Himself in that place, that is usually when we don't understand, and start to fall apart. But that's when we should seek Him deeper and see the Lord like Isaiah did. 

Our vision is dependent on Christ being formed in us......

From My Utmost: His use of external circumstances to bring about internal purification.

Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face to face with God and no one else is taken into account whatsoever. Your prayer will then be, “In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You.”

Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.

For Your glory Lord 

Kim D