Rambles

I don't know what is going on in my brain right now but I can't concentrate.


Surrender means you have to quit doing things your way and do them God’s way — quite a paradigm shift...


Sometimes in the tumult of a testing time, or in even the busy-ness of day to day issues we need to stop our hearts and remind ourselves about God. We need to stop and be at peace, reassured and confident that we are children of the King, that there is an eternal purpose for our efforts and refinements.

Even if we have no answers or any other way to reconcile what is happening to us or around us, we can be secure that God is God, the God of mercy and compassion, love and peace, grace and hope, Jehovah our Provider, Jehovah our Healer, Jehovah our Breakthrough.

Even if we know nothing else we can have hope in Who God Is. He is the same today, yesterday and will be tomorrow. He will never leave or depart us, never abandon us. Our names are written on the palm of his hand, and there are nail scars to reinforce the point.

Be still. Be still. We can stop our mind rushing this way and that way with worries and fears and doubts. We can bring it to obedience, aligning it with the truth found in the Word of God, the truth that reveals Who God is. We can stop the dashing this way and that looking for answers, remembering that our help comes from the Lord, and Is the Lord. We need to be still.

Be still may not even involve praying or worship, just an attitude of heart that when the thoughts creep in that cause the stress and doubt and fears that we just turn our heart towards God. That we know who He is.

Knowing who God is will help immeasurably in the storm and the fire. Knowing His promises for those situations brings hope and faith. It causes trust to rise in our hearts, so we can be still and trust God. This is why knowing the Word is so vital. It strengthens us for the hard road, and refreshes us in the dry place. It teaches us who God is.

Be blessed tonight/today, no matter what you are experiencing in your life and your day, your Lord and Savior knows what is going on and loves you and is with you. Be blessed and be still, and know your God.

"We don't know all the tests God will give you, but we can predict some of them, based on the Bible. You will be tested by major changes, delayed promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers, undeserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies. In my own life I have noticed that God tests my faith through problems, tests my hope by how I handle possessions, and tests my love through people...When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God. Some tests seem overwhelming, while others you don't even notice. But all of them have eternal implications."
-Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life