Monday, September 30, 2013

Focus on God the Most High


My Comments: When you're feeling down and discouraged, where is your focus? When I feel that way, I'm usually focused on me--my problems, my worries, my pain--and I really can't see anything else--including God. But as long as we stay self-focused, we can't receive any help. Help comes only when we set our eyes, our hearts and our hope on something better. And “Better is God…”
"Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?"
"Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God" (Psalm 42:5-6, English Standard Version, ESV)

"My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you" (Psalm 42:6, ESV).

"May we shout for joy over your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our banners!" (Psalm 20:5, ESV).

My Comments:I am not sure why we wait so long to turn to God in trials and tribulations well at least until things happen often enough so we get into the habit of doing it automatically. I do not mean praying becomes automatic so we are praying without being involved. No, I mean automatically we turn to our Abba and seek His protection, help, guidance, or instruction in what ever matter is before us. He asks us to pray unceasingly and that is not just mindless words or chatter. It is from the heart to the God of the Universe and our Daddy and our Friend. It is not repetitive prayers like some churches promote nor is it saying something over and over as a mantra. Again I repeat it is from the heart yet it can be in a song or a quiet moment of just sitting with Him or enjoying the scenery as we pass it and thanking Him or praising Him when something is precious to us like the smile of a child. When we turn to Him we find the hope the Most High God offers.

God is our hope, He calms turmoil, He raises us up, remembers us even when sometimes like Joseph of the Old Testament it might seem like He has forgotten. Yet when the time is perfect as He knows it to be He will act in the best interest of souls. He never forgets us. He is never late. He has our best interest in the palm of His hand. He is our salvation so we know our destination if we accept His gift of salvation. This gives us joy. Once we accept His mantle covering us, we become aliens in this world because our home is with the Lord. Our banner proclaims His love for us and our love for Him.

The following are a few verses which you might like to take a look at and see how the Most High speaks to you. I encourage you to write down what you feel Him saying to you through His word. If you have a Bible search the Scriptures (online use sites like this, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/) and see if you find more verses that speak to you through His word as these verses do. Listen to where the Lord is leading you. I pray you are in a good solid Bible believing and teaching church that teaches verse by verse, precept by precept so you will grow daily in the Word of God.
Deuteronomy 7:9 New King James Version (NKJV)
“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;
Psalm 86:15 (ESV)
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:20-24 (ESV)
20 My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
Hebrews 10:23 (ESV)
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Psalm 91:1-6 (ESV)
91 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
Psalm 143:1-2 (ESV)
143 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
 give ear to my pleas for mercy!
 In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
2 Thessalonians 3:2-3 (ESV)
and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
1 John 1:9 (ESV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
My prayer,
Abba we praise and glorify Your blessed and Holy Name. We seek Your help in learning what You would have us to learn from and through Your Word. Guide us to a true understanding and knowledge of You and Your word, and give us discernment to know truth when we hear or see it. Abba, help us to seek Your face at all times whether the times are painful or sweet. Help us to trust You and to look for the opening that allows us to flee temptation. Keep us close to You especially during the difficult times and times that feel like we just cannot make it another day. Abba please shelter us under Your wings and help us to hear the sweet beat of Your heart and comfort our souls in times of trials and tribulations. We thank You Father for all You are doing in our lives and how You are growing us through the difficulties in our lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

Rebishka

4 comments:

  1. Wonderful things to ponder & chew on... what a mighty God we serve!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree He is a mighty God and I love serving Him. Thanks for commenting. Appreciate it Off The Cuff Cooking. Love your recipes as well.

      Delete
  2. Two sentences into your latest post, and God is already confirming a message He has been giving me lately about taking the focus off of myself. Often times I do not even realize my thoughts are so focused on myself, but the point is that they have a place, or person rather, upon which they should be focused. When I feel problems, discouragement, and fear creeping up on me, I know I need to focus on what God has for me so He can focus on my problems for me. He has already told me not to worry about my problems, but rather to cast them on Him. So I need to do just that, and spend my time working on His "problems." I know He does not really have problems, but for the sake of exemplifying the way things ought to work I wrote it as such. Spending my time working on His "problems" just means doing His work He has appointed for me. (: I love you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Craig it is easy no matter how long we are walking with the Lord, to get caught up in our lives or our problems and essentially on us. God uses many means to bring us back into right relationship and it is always a good thing when we catch ourselves and refocus our eyes (spiritual or otherwise) on Him. When we do we can find peace that passeth understanding and true joy even in trials or sorrow. He has much for us to join Him in and there are many souls that need help finding the Lords call on their lives and He has set us the task of taking His word to the world. He could do it yet He calls us to do it. We get the joy of taking our eyes off of us and putting them on Him and His plan of redemption.
      Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I so appreciate it and am glad when I hear I have been true to the words God impresses on my heart to write. Love you as well and be blessed.

      Delete