Listening First

Monday, May 16, 2016 (6:21 a.m.)

Sweet, Sweet Jesus,

Thank You. You are working mightily in us at this house. Communication. A lessening of wills. Working together. Wow! Who knew? You did. All along!

Thank You Jesus. Thank You for Truth. Thank You for valuable information. Available at our fingertips. Thank You that You love us each. So very much.

Mm. Guide me in our time here this morning. Tune me in to where You would have me go in Your Word. Teach me what it is You'd have me learn.

(7:25 a.m.)

The Life Recovery Bible. Listening First. Acts 8:26-40. Philip. Angel. Eunuch. Spirit of the Lord. 

Mm, yes. Jesus, teach me to listen first. Let me hear what You would have me hear and share only what You would have me share.

I love You. I long to represent You well. Let me begin. Now. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(153 words ~ 8:00 a.m.)

Blessing? Or challenge?

Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2016 (7:01 a.m.)

Blessed Lord Jesus,

I am here again this morning for You to guide and to teach. I love You. I want to know You more. And to learn how to love as You would have me love.

So far this morning, we've sung, remembered dreams, thought, wondered, pondered, looked in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:19) and now I again turn to You asking that You would help me sort it all out.

You saved me from another hiccup last night. A few careless words. Some short tones. As I was setting myself to steel against them, I remembered, “Blessing? Or challenge?”

In very short order, I smiled. Sang in my soul. Stayed my mind on You. And stretched a little. These are my physical cues, reminding me that I am to “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.” And we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:29-30).

Thank You for every single time You change my thinking. Thank You for helping me remember that I must look to You. You are the One, the only One, who can truly change my thinking.

How I praise and thank You Jesus! Today is the day we celebrate the filling of the Holy Spirit into the lives of Your believers (Acts 2:1-4). Precious Jesus, continue Your work in teaching me exactly what this means to my everyday life.

As I turn from here to there in Your Word, Jesus I am asking You to guide me in my feelings, my being, my thoughts and my actions. Let me learn to love and represent You well.

Awesome God, Blessed Jesus, Comforting Spirit, do all You must that I would trust You with all my heart, not depending on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). I long to seek Your will in all I do, believing that You will direct my paths (v. 6).

Always before I have stopped at these two verses. Today I continue reading and asking You to guide me in not thinking that I am wise enough on my own, in respecting You and in turning my back on evil (v. 7). Thank You for my awareness of the promise found in this next verse, “If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains” (8.)

The word just jumped off the page at me! “Healing”. It's one of the words that came into our conversation very much earlier this morning. Thank You Jesus. Praise You.

As I prepare to go on into this day, let me pay close attention to all our blessings and turn all the challenges over to You. The Life Recovery Bible describes the PURPOSE of the book of Deuteronomy: “To assist God's people as they live in the present by reviewing what God has done in the past and considering what God has promised to do in the future.”

Live. Review. Consider. Yes! Bless me with the challenge of learning to live as You would have me live. I love You. Let my choices this day reveal that. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(533 words ~ 8:39 a.m.)

songs

Saturday, May 14, 2016 (6:37 a.m.)

Precious Jesus,

Thank You! Thank You for the songs that continue to fill my soul. ♫O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, And ransom captive Israel♫

Mm, You came to ransom us. And we get to ♫Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel♫ Thank You Jesus.

Thank You

♫Emmanuel♫

Friday, May 13, 2016 (7:26 a.m.)

“God with us”,

Emmanuel (Matthew 1:23). Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14, 8:8). ♫Emmanuel, Emanuel, His name is called Emmanuel; God with us, revealed in us; His name is called Emmanuel♫

Pentecost

Thursday, May 12, 2016 (7:10 a.m.)

Mm,

Big smile. Head nodding. Songs singing within. Sitting up straight. Shoulders back and set. Mind stayed on You.

Jesus, thank You. The song I have been singing and trying to find is ♫Jesus is Lord of All♫ I've already found some that say this but they are not the one.

Ah, again. Psalty the Singing Songbook. Volume 10. Salvation Celebration. Thank You Jesus that we are called to celebrate the salvation that Your death and resurrection have brought to us.

Thank You that singing often leads me to searching, then finding. Thank You that this morning it seems as though I have found the motherlode!

I entered “Lord of all” and one of the Bible sections listed is Acts 10:36-37. Turning in The Life Recovery Bible I find it under the title The Gentiles Hear the Good News.

Taking the time to read of Peter's experience with Cornelius I am even more excited than before. Glancing ahead to the title The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit (44-48) I mistakenly associated it to being the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).

the more

Wednesday, May 11, 2016 (7:58 a.m.)

Blessed Jesus,

Thank You! I don't know all the names there are for You. The more I look, the more I find. And the more confused I get.

At least 365 different references, phrases and actual names. My mind boggles and my heart seems to beat a little faster. There is an eagerness to learn more. A true desire.

“Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36), “Alpha and Omega” (Revelation 1:8; 22:13), even “the divine Yes” (2 Corinthians 1:19), I want to explore these names. I absolutely want to know YOU all the more!

Work with me today. In. By. Through. For me all the way. Open doors that have previously been locked. Do all You must in teaching me how to praise, worship, adore and serve You. I love You. Let me live this day exactly as You wish.

♫Jesus, Jesus, Jesus There's just something about that name♫ Teach me how to live each moment believing and standing firmly on Your name. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(176 words ~ 9:55 a.m.)

fixing my mind

Tuesday, May 10, 2016 (8:32 a.m.)

Blessed Jesus,

Yes, Jesus. I remembered to say Your name a lot yesterday. We had challenges and I wanted to see blessings. So I looked for them. Honestly fixed my mind on You. Your promises. Your Truth.

Awesome God, Blessed Jesus, Holy Spirit, I look to You to fix my mind. On You! Guide me in Your Word. I want to love You with all of my smiling [heart], singing [soul], staying [mind] and stretching [strength] (Mark 12:30).

Oh most dear and holy Three-in-One, thank You for the Truth You lead me to finding. Truly, I seek (Matthew 7:7) and You lead me to finding what You have for me. Praise You.

These are present tense verbs. You remind me to stay present. Keep my mind on You. Fixed.

(10:31 a.m.)

And here I get to return to a favorite verse.

“Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition).

So many ways of saying the same verse. Each speaking profoundly to my heart and to my soul.

“You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from Him. Just as you were taught the Truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. And never stop giving thanks to God” (Easy-to-Read Version).

“Keep your roots deep in Him and have your lives built on Him. Be strong [established] in the faith, just as you were taught, and always be thankful [abounding/overflowing with gratitude] (Expanded Bible).

“Sink your roots in Him and build on Him. Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught and overflow with thanksgiving” (GOD'S WORD Translation).

“Grow out of Him as a plant grows out of the soil it is planted in, becoming more and more sure of the faith as you were taught it, and your lives will overflow with joy and thankfulness” (J.B. Phillips New Testament).

“Let your heart be planted in Him. Grow up in Him. Believe with all your heart what you were taught. And be very thankful to God” (Worldwide English – New Testament).

(1:57 p.m.)

As I come back again, I am excited by Isaiah 26:3.

In this Song of Praise to the LORD I get to consider the blessing of having my mind stayed [fixed] on you. Holy Three-in-One, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Modern English Version).

I intentionally practiced smiling, singing, staying and stretching last night every single time I began fearing negative outcomes of circumstances. How I ask You to keep me practicing Your Truth.

It is by being reminded to smile that I begin to sing. Standing up straighter helps me stretch. And then I remember to stay present in the current moment. Not ruminating on the past. Nor anticipating the future. Just taking a deep breath and looking for the closest blessing.

Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Keep making me aware of the enormous blessings which surround me. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(550 words ~ 2:46 a.m.)