Follow My Ways

And so, my children, listen to me, 

for all who follow my ways are joyful.”

Proverbs 8:32 NLT

Wake Up, My Heart

“My heart is confident in you, O God; 

my heart is confident. 

No wonder I can sing your praises! 

Wake up, my heart! 

Wake up, O lyre and harp! 

I will wake the dawn with my song.”

Psalms 57:7-8 NLT

Lovely Logic

“But when I am afraid, 

I will put my trust in you. 

I praise God for what he has promised. 

I trust in God, 

so why should I be afraid? 

What can mere mortals do to me?”

Psalms 56:3-4 NLT

Love this logic. :) 

Fly Away And Rest

“Oh, that I had wings like a dove; 

then I would fly away and rest! 

I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. 

Interlude”

Psalms 55:6-7 NLT

The gift of speaking in tongues 

The rest and the refreshing.

Fly Away. 

Fly high above every name that is named. 

Quiet my soul. 

But Who Do You Say I Am?

“Then he asked them, 

“But who do you say I am?” 

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah. ”

Mark 8:29 NLT

The # 1 question to answer.

In the midst of what you're going through right now, ... 

"BUT who do you say I am?" 

I say, "Jesus, you're my Lord, my Wisdom, my Favor, my Peace."

Like An Olive Tree

“But I am like an olive tree, 

thriving in the house of God. 

I will always trust in God’s unfailing love.”

Psalms 52:8 NLT

Like a fresh and fruitful olive tree. 

Rooted deeply in His vast love. 

Receiving His undeserved favor 

with trust, confidence and assurance. 

I get to be blessed according to His goodness, not mine.

Grateful. 

Everything He Does Is Wonderful

“They were completely amazed and said again and again, 

“Everything he does is wonderful. 

He even makes the deaf to hear 

and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”

Mark 7:37 NLT

Listen To Wisdom

“Listen to me! 

For I have important things to tell you. 

Everything I say is right,”

Proverbs 8:6 NLT

Says who? 

Says Wisdom.

Wisdom is a Person. 

This is so beautifully shared by pastor Joseph Prince: 

"Beloved, as a child of God, you are most blessed to have Jesus, 

in whom resides all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

Take Him as your wisdom every day 

and watch Him guide you into good success 

in all that you do!"

Like Rain

“Let my teaching fall on you like rain; 

let my speech settle like dew. 

Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, 

like gentle showers on young plants. 

I will proclaim the name of the LORD; 

how glorious is our God!”

Deuteronomy 32:2-3 NLT

Love Song

These words remind me of the love song I would cling to while my darling was on exchange in the US a very long time ago: 

"Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you..."

But you know what, I imagine The Lord singing this love song over us: 

"Wherever you go, whatever you do, you will be blessed." 

Deut 28:6 NLT

Such love! He took upon Himself all the curses we deserve, so that we may receive all the blessings He deserves.

Only Believe

“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, 

He said to the ruler of the synagogue, 

“Do not be afraid; only believe.”

Mark 5:36 NKJV

Any negative reports today?

Let's not waste our time, our energy, 

our peace and joy by giving it weight.

But rather look to Him in His love for us 

and give weight to His promises. 

He alone heals and restores.

DON'T BE AFRAID, 

JUST KEEP ON BELIEVING. 

Looking to Him in trust.

Speak And Meditate

“My mouth shall speak wisdom, 

And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.”

Psalms 49:3 NKJV

Pierced Ears

Every 7th year the Israelites were to release their slaves. 

But if the slave didn't want to leave, but would rather remain a slave in the household... 

"then take an awl and pierce through his earlobe into the doorpost, 

marking him as your slave forever." 

Deuteronomy 15:16-17

Jesus is the great fulfillment of this willing bond-slave of God the Father (see  Psalm 40:6) 

and is perfectly shown in His sufferings at the cross: 

The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, 

nor did I turn away. I gave My back to those who struck Me ...

(Isaiah 50:5-7)

Amazing love! For you and me.

As a believer, my response to His great love is to be a willing slave - a doulos - of The Lord. 

I find it such a privilege and honor to serve in the House. 

I got my ears pierced, too. 

A True Friend

A True Friend

A true friend brings you to Jesus. 

"While he was preaching God’s word to them, 

four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 

They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, 

so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. 

Then they lowered the man on his mat, 

right down in front of Jesus." 

Mark 2:2-4 NLT

Enjoying A Long Life In The Land

Enjoying A Long Life In The Land

"If you obey, you will enjoy a long life in the land 

the LORD swore to give to your ancestors and to you, their descendants

—a land flowing with milk and honey! 

For the land you are about to enter and take over 

is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, 

where you planted your seed and made irrigation ditches 

with your foot as in a vegetable garden. 

Rather, the land you will soon take over 

is a land of hills and valleys with plenty of rain

— a land that the LORD your God cares for. 

He watches over it through each season of the year!"

Deuteronomy 11:9-12 NLT

Why is God so passionate and obsessed about the Israelites 

looking to/obeying/loving Him?

Because He wants them to draw near to Him in His love for them, 

so that they may be BLESSED, 

have abundant supply, 

be protected and cared for, 

succeed 

- and that is only possible if they LET HIM. 

If they turn their backs to Him and worship other gods, 

He cannot be there for them. 

They will be like sheep without a Shepherd. 

And that breaks His heart.

Being a believer is living a life of UTTER DEPENDENCE upon the Lord. 

That's how we let Him shepherd us, like in Psalms 23.

That's how we live the abundant life. 

Be Still

Be Still 

“Be still, and know that I am God!"

Psalms 46:10a NLT

Be still. 

And know. 

I am.

We might have to arrest those lying thoughts: Be still!

Psalm 46:10 in the MSG version goes like this: 

STEP OUT of the traffic! 

Take a long, LOVING LOOK at me, 

your High God, above politics, 

above everything.

Get My Words Inside You

Get My Words Inside You

“Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. 

Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. 

Talk about them wherever you are, 

sitting at home or walking in the street; 

talk about them from the time you get up in the morning 

to when you fall into bed at night. 

Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; 

inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.”

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 MSG

Eat And Be Encouraged

Eat And Be Encouraged

Paul, the crew, and all the prisoners were in the midst of the storm, and all hope was seemingly gone as they didn't see a way out - that's when Paul took the bread, gave thanks, broke it, and ate - and they were encouraged and assured once again.

Just as the day was DAWNING, Paul urged EVERYONE to eat. "You have been so worried... Please EAT something NOW FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. For not a hair of your heads will perish." Then he took some BREAD, GAVE THANKS to God before them all, and BROKE off a piece and ATE it. Then EVERYONE WAS ENCOURAGED. 

Acts 27:33-36 NLT

Partake of the bread and wine today, give thanks for the cross - and be greatly encouraged. He is the way out. He bore your judgment so you could be immensely blessed. 

Your Platform

Your Platform

“I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said. 

And Festus replied, “You will—tomorrow!”

Acts of the Apostles 25:22 NLT

Paul is still imprisoned. But what was meant to judge and execute him, became his PLATFORM to preach the good news to kings and mighty leaders of the Roman Empire! He is actually - in imprisonment - living out what God had planned for his life. To bear His Name to the Jews, the Gentiles, and kings. (Acts 9:15) Isn't that amazing?

I speak that over us today, that the very circumstance that seems to be an obstacle to us, that seems worthy of our complaints, that stresses us - maybe, just maybe, that is our very platform to show His love, His grace, His wisdom and healing to the people that He loves so deeply.