MaggieBelle

Beloved–

Memorizing scripture is very important!  It sustains you spiritually.  

I had nourished my soul as a young girl by memorizing the 23rd Psalm; so that as a spiritually starved twenty-something woman I became a babe in Christ.

Memorizing the 34th Psalm showed me that I shouldn’t stay a babe but that I needed to grow in my faith.  And the only way to grow in faith is to read, listen and meditate on the Word of God!

I pray for you daily that you submit yourself to the Lord each day.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

“So the battle against evil is not to constantly say “No, no, no. Bad, bad, bad.” There’s no power in that. The power of the flesh is coming at you, the power of the devil is coming at you, and you’re going to [muster] up your willpower and make that the victory? You’re not. You’re not. One thing will give you the victory: Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. And faith is a being satisfied in all that God is for us in Jesus Christ. You’ve got to stoke that engine every morning so that the evils that are clawing at you loose its fangs. You can’t have me, I’ve seen Jesus this morning. Lust, you can’t have me. Greed, you can’t have me. Fear of man, you can’t have me. Bitterness and anger, you can’t have me. I’ve seen Jesus this morning.” -John Piper

That’s the power…opening your eyes every morning with the knowledge that you can see Jesus!

I pray for you every day that you, through your daily reading of the Word, can say this morning and every morning I’ve seen Jesus!

Luv ya!

Beloved–

Memorizing scripture is very important! I memorized the twenty third Psalm as a sixth grader.

When I reached the end of my rope in my twenties the only way I knew to call out to God was by reciting the only Bible verse I knew by heart.   “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”   But I did want…I wanted peace of mind and heart.  Subsequently, because God is gracious, I confessed that I was a sinner and asked Jesus into my heart.

I pray for you daily that you not only read the word daily but that you memorize scripture.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

Today I spoke to a friend who is trying to discern God’s will.  All three choices have as many good points as there are drawbacks.  Praise and prayer were my first thoughts.  But for what exactly?

I thought about my 4-year-old grandson who usually volunteers to pray before meals.  When he first started (before he was 3) praying he said. “Thank you Jesus for my family and the food, Amen”    Now, his prayers are more specific and fervent.  He thanks Jesus for all the people sitting around the table, for the activities just completed and for the activities that are going to happen when the meal is over, especially dessert.

Specific and fervent* prayer is what I think the Lord wants from me.  His word in the book of James tells me that he wants a close relationship with me; its OK if I want to vent or explore ideas with him.  Because he is my heavenly father, he wants what I want if its best for me.

…Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. James 4:2nlt

I pray for you daily that God blesses you with a desire for a close relationship with him and that your prayers are specific and fervent.

Luv Ya!

*comes from the Latin root: to boil as in super enthusiastic

Beloved—

In chapter 2 of Proverbs I am urged to seek wisdom because

Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
Seek his will in all you do,  and he will
show you which path to take

52 years ago today I learned, that after all my careful planning and understanding that I always had to do the “right thing” even when I didn’t want to; my wisest choice was trust the Lord and praise him for his loving care.  52 years ago today I delivered a healthy baby boy who now has a beautiful daughter and three handsome sons of his own.       

I pray for you every day and that you seek wisdom and learn to trust him by feeding on the Word.

Luv Ya!

Beloved—

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.  Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.  Don’t assume that you know it all.  Run to God! Run from evil!  Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!  Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best.  Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over.  But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction.  It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this. Proverbs 3:5-12 MSG

I pray for you daily and that you and I will always give God our first and best.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

Part of my daily Bible reading for the last six months of 2012 is to read through the Old Testament.  

The Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him?  And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?  “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. Deuteronomy 4:7-9 (NLT)

As I read the above passage in  Deuteronomy, it made me see how much I have taken the Lord my God”s blessings’ for granted.  When I had children at home I constantly reminded them that the Lord loves us and enjoys our loving praise and worship.   Now that all of my children have homes and children of their own I have slacked off passing out the Good News!

The Israelites were told to always remember God’s laws even to write them on their doorposts.  So I am going to memorize God’s word and then ask God to show me where he wants me to share what I have learned.

I pray for you daily and that you will commit his word to memory so that you are prepared when the opportunity comes to share the Good News.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

I know the power of praise and prayer is undeniable!  The solution to all my concerns comes in the knowledge that God Almighty is ALMIGHTY and my job is to trust in that knowledge.  The knowledge that the Lord willingly paid for my redemption also causes me to believe that he can be trusted with my cares.  

Yet, how many times have I spent hours and even days attempting to find the door in the very next blank wall I hit.  With the developed habit of praising him for who he is and daily prayer and reading his word most of my blank walls tend develop openings just as soon as I stop searching for solutions.  

Hint: be careful what you pray for; it is better to ask the Lord for his solution rather than a rubber stamp on your idea.  Believe me I know!

I pray daily for you, that you will trust the Lord with all your cares.

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

The power of praise and prayer is undeniable.  For the last two years (with health issues) I have experienced that power.   There were times when (in my discomfort) the only prayer I could manage was, “have your way with me, Lord.” and “thank you Jesus!”   The only way I am able to praise the Lord with prayer (in all circumstances) is by staying connected with him by reading his Word daily.   

I pray that, you too, can feel my peace of mind and heart by reading the Word daily and praying and praising the Lord God, your heavenly Father.  

Luv Ya!

Beloved–

The Lord God Almighty has promised that he will never leave or forsake me.  I know I must never get in a place that I feel alone, so I pray.

(Answer me when I call to you,  O God who declares me innocent.  Free me from my troubles.  Have mercy on me and hear my prayer psm 4:1  O Lord, hear me as I pray;   pay attention to my groaning.  Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,  for I pray to no one but you. psm 5:1  O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage.  Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.  Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.  I am sick at heart.   How long, O Lord, until you restore me? psm 6:1-3).

Does God allow pain and chaos to reign in our lives so that we can see eternity with him is better than the best on earth?  I know the Lord’s plan for my life is for my good and that all things (good and bad) work together for good.  If this then is your plan for me O Lord my God, I pray you hold my hand so that I can  bloom for you in the midst of this chaos.

I pray for you daily that you never feel alone and always feel the Lord’s presence.

Luv Ya!