Your love is overwhelming
A tidal wave
A warm breeze
A mother's kiss
You catch tears
And wipe them with Your hand
A soft caress
A breath
You laugh with joy
At happiness
A giggle
A chuckle
You speak with thunder
Rumbling inside
A trembling
A quiver
Your word is fire
Bubbling up from within
A searing
A all consuming flame
Your love is overwhelming
Friday, January 18, 2013
God-Shine
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,And give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV)
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,And give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV)
This is one of my favorite songs. It is a powerful prayer as well as a blessing. It ministers to my core, enabling me to picture God shining and smiling down up me. It has often been my prayer for God to shine down upon me and those I lift up to Him. When He does, I am reminded of the grace with which He covers me.
"Shine down" is a powerful phrase. When something is illuminated in such a way, you see every detail. The best it has to offer is highlighted, and every side is brought into focus. The same thing happens when God shines upon us! We are illuminated and spot-lighted, allowing for the best of Him in us to be brought to the fore-front. God-shine is empowering and encouraging!
In my former church, I was blessed with the opportunity to lead worship alongside other talented vocalists. Sometimes I would record our rehearsals on my cell phone to make sure I knew my parts backwards and forwards, and often God would show up, bringing spontaneous songs to minister to our team. I was able to capture one of those moments where God used me and one of the other vocalists to minister. No matter how many times I listen to it, I can feel Him shining down and sense the smile on His face.
Enjoy!
Turn us again to yourself, O God.
Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved (Psalm 80:3 NLT).
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Self-Control
A few years ago I determined to work on exhibiting the fruit of the spirit. I decided self-control was a fruit I had not fully eaten and been satisfied with, so I would take each day to work on it along with one other portion of fruit, such as kindness or gentleness. To say it was an epic fail on my part would be an understatement. My discipline in cultivating this area only lasted a short while and then petered out. There are a few areas in which I tend to lack sufficient self-control and discipline, allowing for distraction and my own selfish desires to take precedence. What I have only recently come to realize is where I have no self-control, I also don't have love, joy, patience, peace, kindness, gentleness and faithfulness.
Every translation of the bible I have (which is only a few) speaks of the fruit of the Spirit in the singular, meaning they are all in one. So, what I have found is if I don't have one in an area, I don't have all. I gave some thought to this a few weeks ago, but put it out of my mind until it boldly smacked me upside the head this morning.
How we sometimes need those blatant reminders?! How I often need a reminder! I have been on a journey for the last few years (notice I said years) to lose weight. This journey has been long and arduous with little to show for it. As I was smacked reminded this morning about it, I realized it's my own fault for not fully understanding how important self-control is. I saw my human frailty and how selfish I have been for wanting to satisfy my taste-buds and not nurture my body the way I should. Food has become an idol, of sorts, to me and it's time to break the idol of food, consuming it as nourishment for my body and not my soul.
When I put food in my mouth just because I want it, not because I need it, I am not only lacking self-control, but I have no joy in it, nor am I being loving and kind to my body. All I am focused on is satisfying myself. Guilt has a way of overshadowing spiritual fruit and it really does rob joy. How can I function properly if I'm stuffing my face and feeling guilty? I can't!
It takes a new mind and heart-set to begin to fully understand and walk in Spiritual fruit. I believe when we walk in it one area, it will become easier to walk in it in others. In answer to my revelation today, I am taking over my thought process and changing it. I am going to get to the root of my selfish problem so I can begin to walk upright and with confidence. I cannot change on my own, but need to rely on the Lord to give me strength.
Today, I declare I am walking in the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit, and not in part! When I put my hand to my mouth with food in it, it will be because I need to nourish myself and not because I think I need it and will die without it!
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things (Galations 5:22-23 NLT)!
A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls (Proverbs 25: 28).
Monday, January 14, 2013
Thinking Differently
I have come to a point in my walk with Christ where I need to challenge my thinking. I used to limit myself to what devotionals I read, to certain preachers, even to specific worship music, as well as how to pray. Over the last few months, I have begun to challenge myself to pursue spiritual food from other sources and allow the Holy Spirit to filter truth from man-made truth.
My husband and I have been attending a new church since October. We visited there last Spring, but wound up becoming too lazy to go to church. We knew early last year God was going to send us elsewhere for a more deeper teaching of Himself; however, we allowed ourselves to get comfortable where we were. I found myself missing some fundamental things - fellowship, women's prayer, study and fellowship (the kind where you can share and not be judged, yet know the women around you understand and pray), but most of all - teaching which promotes deeper thought and the pursuit of God. Where we go now has met all of these cravings, and even more!
I have discovered some really great teachers, and while I still have trouble accepting some of the teachings, I allow the Holy Spirit to filter everything I hear. The more I open my mind and my heart to different biblical perspectives and chew on them, letting the Holy Spirit burn away the chaff, the more I notice God's grace and the change He is doing in me. I am also less likely to judge another because Scripture is so much more alive to me, and my hope is to bring grace to them instead of pointing fingers at their sin, condemning them to hell because they aren't saved.
I have never believed it's my duty to tell others they are going to hell if they don't pray a prayer and "get saved", I believe it's my duty to share the love and grace of Christ, and to allow the Holy Spirit to work through me in showing others their need for Christ. Make no mistake, I am not denying the existence of hell, nor am I down-playing it, but this world has heard so much about sinners going to hell and not enough about Christ's love and grace for the sinner. I work with people who have always been condemned, and it's difficult for them to accept Jesus as a loving, living person, when they've only had hell shoved down their throats. Do I agree with their lifestyle? No, and they know this, but they also know I am not condemning them for it. I have made it my purpose to show love and extend grace when all they've known is condemnation and ridicule.
I am grateful for this year of deeper contemplation of God and for the teachers I have chosen to help me walk this path. I am grateful for grace and truth, and for learning just how important my thought life is to my spiritual life. I've listed some teachings I have found interesting enough to ponder on.
The Father's House - Identity Theft
The Father's House - Step Into Life
New Testament November 25 - I Am
My husband and I have been attending a new church since October. We visited there last Spring, but wound up becoming too lazy to go to church. We knew early last year God was going to send us elsewhere for a more deeper teaching of Himself; however, we allowed ourselves to get comfortable where we were. I found myself missing some fundamental things - fellowship, women's prayer, study and fellowship (the kind where you can share and not be judged, yet know the women around you understand and pray), but most of all - teaching which promotes deeper thought and the pursuit of God. Where we go now has met all of these cravings, and even more!
I have discovered some really great teachers, and while I still have trouble accepting some of the teachings, I allow the Holy Spirit to filter everything I hear. The more I open my mind and my heart to different biblical perspectives and chew on them, letting the Holy Spirit burn away the chaff, the more I notice God's grace and the change He is doing in me. I am also less likely to judge another because Scripture is so much more alive to me, and my hope is to bring grace to them instead of pointing fingers at their sin, condemning them to hell because they aren't saved.
I have never believed it's my duty to tell others they are going to hell if they don't pray a prayer and "get saved", I believe it's my duty to share the love and grace of Christ, and to allow the Holy Spirit to work through me in showing others their need for Christ. Make no mistake, I am not denying the existence of hell, nor am I down-playing it, but this world has heard so much about sinners going to hell and not enough about Christ's love and grace for the sinner. I work with people who have always been condemned, and it's difficult for them to accept Jesus as a loving, living person, when they've only had hell shoved down their throats. Do I agree with their lifestyle? No, and they know this, but they also know I am not condemning them for it. I have made it my purpose to show love and extend grace when all they've known is condemnation and ridicule.
I am grateful for this year of deeper contemplation of God and for the teachers I have chosen to help me walk this path. I am grateful for grace and truth, and for learning just how important my thought life is to my spiritual life. I've listed some teachings I have found interesting enough to ponder on.
The Father's House - Identity Theft
The Father's House - Step Into Life
New Testament November 25 - I Am
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Tapestry
Tapestry
Intricately woven as a colorful tapestry
I am
Colors and threads skillfully chosen
Expertly woven
Hands that fashioned earth and sea
Knit me
Gold and silver, red and blue
Purple royalty
Decorative and functional
I am
Created to bring love and joy
Tapestry I am
© 2013 Prudence Ramos
Intricately woven as a colorful tapestry
I am
Colors and threads skillfully chosen
Expertly woven
Hands that fashioned earth and sea
Knit me
Gold and silver, red and blue
Purple royalty
Decorative and functional
I am
Created to bring love and joy
Tapestry I am
© 2013 Prudence Ramos
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)