fun

 Tuesday, September 19, 2023 (6:43 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You. Thank You for time to sit. And wonder. And wander.

(7:10 a.m.)

Time to think. And have fun.

I’ve been using that word a lot lately. Fun.

(8:22 a.m.)

Looking into Your Word, I want to honor You. Accept all You have to offer. Learn. Practice. Error. And laugh. Yes Lord. I read. I want. And I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to lead and guide me in our time together.

John 10:10. Jesus speaking. The Passion Translation. “A thief has only one thing in mind - he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect - life in its fullness until you overflow!”

Yes please Lord. I want to learn to accept and live in the abundance You provide. You are so incredibly good. Kind. Gracious. Loving. Glorious. And great. Keep me learning. Laughing. And having fun. With You!

Use me this day [that You have made (Psalm 118:24a)] that I truly “will rejoice and be glad in it” (v. 24b). Looking up synonymous phrases I find, “have fun and be delighted.” Yes Lord! I want to have fun and be delighted in and with You.

Do all You know is best. I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

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

motivated

 Monday, September 18, 2023 (5:56 a.m.)

A smile God! An honest, genuine, real, heartfelt smile. Thank You. It’s straight from You.

I went to sleep last night considering the word unmotivated. Remembering it just now I went right to Your Word. Thank You God.

And just like that [snap!] I’m singing. ♪My Life Is In You, Lord My strength is in You, Lord My hope is in You, Lord In You, it’s in You♪

How perfect You are Blessed God. Thank You that You are!

♪I will praise You with all of my heart I will praise You with all of my hope With all of my life, and all of my strength All of my hope is in You♪

How truly blessed we are to be loved by You, Lord. Thank You that we are.

Turning in Your Word, my face is still smiling as my heart experiences Your peace. That peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7). Thank You Father.

My emotions get easily twisted. Fretting…

How cool is this Lord?! Ready to describe degrees of distress, I remember this to be a musical term. Used to tell of the sounds made by the vibrations of stringed certain instruments. Many of which were used in Biblical times.

And here my mind goes off in search of lessons I’ve recently been practicing on the piano. Dearest God, how I thank You for the motivation You provide for me to continue learning new-to-me things.

Thank You for providing me with the desire to want more of Your presence in my life. Thank You for ready access to Your Word. Your Truth and promises that lead and guide us each day.

As we prepare to go out into this day, I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to go before, behind, beside, beneath, above and within us. Completely encompassing us as we go.

The apostle Paul said in his letter to the church at Rome, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

In his letter to several churches in southern Galatia Paul offered these words for Living by the Spirit’s Power. Galatians 5:16. “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness” (The Message).

Yes please, God. Motivate me in using any frets I may have in making music for You. I love, need, trust, and want You. Use me as You know is best. Motivated by Your Holy Spirit.

Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(450 words ~ 7:04 a.m.)

fully

Sunday, September 17, 2023 (10:26 a.m.)

Blessed God,

I’m bringing You a spirit of sadness. Downheartedness. Discouragement. Is it mine? Or the world’s?

Thank You Father that I know I am to “rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:24b). And at the very same, I want to come before You honestly. Openly. Willingly. Not perfunctorily.

No! I want to fully esteem and revere You. Yes! Thank You God. You take what I have to offer and change it to what You want it to be.

Thank You Lord. Yes. Thank You.

I want to be fully here. Fully Yours. Fully esteeming and revering You. Completely. Entirely. Wholly. Totally.

It’s taken me these past six hours to be willing to sit here with You. To be able to ♪enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart… enter Your courts with praise… say “this is the day that the Lord has made I will rejoice for You have made me glad♪

YOU make me glad! I don’t make myself glad. You remind me of the reasons to smile. The importance of standing on and staying my mind on the Truth and promises of Your Word.

Thank You that You do Dearest God. All I did 

(11:02 a.m.)

Oh! Isn’t this just perfectly YOU?

Checking my notes from our morning’s online church service. Wanting to find the reference to being still before You.

Perfect that the sermon’s title was “Finishing Strong” in the “Stay the Course” series. God You are SO good!

I barely have words Dearest Lord. There I was. Trying to think my way into praising You. Then all I did was confess. Wholehearted truth.

The very next thing I know I’m reading the lyrics of a song [Defender] I’d never heard before. ♪And all I did was praise All I did was worship All I did was bow down, oh All I did was stay still♪

You are so perfect God. Thank You that because You are, I don’t have to be.

Thinking I was going to be directed to Psalm 46:10a, I was ready. “Be still, and know that I am God!” Oh, but no!

It’s reference is Exodus 14:14. New Life Version. “The Lord will fight for you. All you have to do is keep still.”

Yes! Thank You. I will!

Your work in me brings about another song. ♪Here I Am To Worship Here I am to bow down Here I am to say that You’re my God You’re altogether lovely Altogether worthy Altogether wonderful to me♪

Thank You that You are Blessed God. ♪Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness Opened my eyes, let me see Beauty that made this heart adore You Hope of a life spent with You And here I am…♪

Yes Father. Here I am. Fully! Asking (Matthew 7:7) that You use me this day [which You have made (Psalm 118:24a)]. Exactly as You alone know is best. Looking for and listening to the sure words of hope and direction You have provided for us.

Illustrated Bible Handbook says this of the section that houses 2 Peter 1:19, “Chapter 1:12-21. God’s Sure Word …Peter views the Scriptures as ‘more certain’ than experience (19). The phrase ‘prophetic word’ (‘word of the prophets’) is an expression used to indicate the Scriptures as a whole. Paying attention to that Word will provide light and guidance in the present dark world (19). In Greek and Roman times the phrase ‘morning star’ was used of royal and divine persons. Here it refers to Jesus at His return. Peter stresses the importance of continuing to trust the Scriptures. God’s Word is not of human origin. It is from God, and its writers were ‘carried along’ by the Holy Spirit (21).”

Thank You that It is Dearest God!

“All this helps us know that what the early preachers said was true. You [all believers everywhere] will do well to listen to what they have said. Their words are as lights that shine in a dark place [like my heart or mind or soul at times]. Listen until you understand what they have said. Then it will be like the morning light which takes away the darkness. And the Morning Star (Christ) will rise to shine in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19 New Life Version).

Yes. Yes. Yes, Dearest Lord! Do all You must in, with, by, through and for me that I will come to fully esteem and revere You as You would have me (Psalm 33:8). I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(772 words ~ 12:08 p.m.)

 

curiosity

 Saturday, September 16, 2023 (3:23 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy God,

Thank You for Your presence. Thank You 

(3:53 a.m.)

… for curiosity.

Mm. Yes. Curiosity.

(4:58 a.m.)

Over an hour spent reading about being curious. How glad I am to have You lead and guide us Dear Lord.

With that gladness comes singing. ♪Holy Spirit, You are welcome here…♪ Followed immediately by smile after smile.

Lord, thank You that we have Your Word on which to stand and stay our minds. The Truth and promises of Your Word beckon us. Praise You God.

Mm. Yes! Psalm 34:8. The Message. “Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see - how good GOD is. Blessed are you who run to Him.”

Oh most Dear and blessed God, how gratefully I thank You. You teach us. You lead us.

Following thought after thought, here I am in Ephesians. The apostle Paul’s letter to the believers in Ephesus. Written to strengthen their relationships. With You. And others.

Led here because of the importance of speaking the Truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) I want to learn more. Thank You God that even here I find my curiosity growing.

What would it be like to live in unity? Ministering to other people. Living as children of Your light.

What an incredible calling. Father, thank You for inviting us to You.

The Message tells us “God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love - like Christ in everything” (Ephesians 4:15a). And goes further.

“We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love” (15b-16).

Another curious question forms. How is this even possible?

Thank You that I can trust You to provide answers as You know is best. When Your time is right.

In the meantime I get to continue learning more of Your Truth. Choosing and using my words to be good and helpful. Encouraging to those who hear them (v. 29).

Continuing to the end of this chapter, I want very much to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (31-32).

How perfect for me to come across a much simpler reminding phrase in this morning’s readings. “Be curious, not furious.” Yes, please. Teach me Father.

I love, need, trust and want You as Lord of my life. Use me as You know is best. Rejoicing. Being glad (Psalm 118:24). Loving You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). And my neighbor as myself (31).

Thank You Father. Praise You. Amen.

(490 words ~ 6:30 a.m.)

Forgive!

 Friday, September 15, 2023 (6:18 a.m.)

Forgive me Father,

I’ve been reluctant. Resistant. Refusing. Rebelling. Not the best way to end yesterday. Nor begin today.

Perfect song to wake up with though. Actually had to giggle a bit. ♪Fool♪ That would be me!

Allowing a slight to burrow in to a hurt. And holding onto that hurt over everything else. Almost like a game. Who will cave first?

Forgive me God. You HAVE taught me better than this. The easy route is to wall off. Block out.

Do in, with, by, though and for me Lord all that I am completely unwilling to do myself. Forgive.

There it is. I’ve known for almost a day that all I have to do is that. Just forgive.

And therein restarts the struggle. There’s a part of me that really wants to just let it go. It was so minor. An absolute slight. And I’ve continued adding to it ever since.

Withdraw. Turn away. Be polite. Not raise a voice. But still not forgive. Excuse. Or overlook.

Yet I keep coming back to You. Asking, seeking, knocking (Matthew 7:7) for Your forgiveness. ♪Your forgiveness Is like sweet, sweet honey On my lips♪

(7:15 a.m.)

Finally! After this song [♪Fool♪]. And that [♪Holy Water♪]. Looking here. Searching there. Reading in Psalms (51). Romans (2:4). 1 John 1:9. Here’s Mark 11:25.

Father, I cannot circumvent [bypass, get around, evade, avoid] Your will. Nor am I able to manufacture any degree of goodness on my own.

Thank You God that Your will is so much greater than my won’t! When I am not able, You are!

Easy-to-Read Version. “When you are praying and you remember that you are angry with another person about something, forgive that person. Forgive them so that your Father in heaven will also forgive your sins.”

Taking this Truth over to The Life Recovery Bible comment. “11:20-25 God wants us to pray for His will to be done in our life as much as He wants us to pray for fruitfulness in His Kingdom work.”

Thank You Father for the smile that comes as I continue reading. “It is God’s will, however, to remove mountains of resistance [thank You Lord!] or denial from our life. God has the power to do miracles - but not if we doubt Him.”

Yes Father! It wasn’t You I doubted. It was me. I knew I needed to trust You to do in, with, by, through and for me all that I could not on my own. Wondering if I couldn’t or wouldn’t, I lay myself before You Lord.

“If we want God to work a miracle of healing in our life, we must pray and believe that He will. We need to admit our helplessness and put our life into God’s hands. He will then walk with us as we face each new step in recovery.”

Interesting, God. Here’s another song. Thank You for the ways You provide.

♪God Will Make A Way Where there seems to be no way He works in ways we cannot see He will make a way for me He will be my guide Hold me closely to His side With love and strength for each new day He will make a way♪

Thank You that You do Dearest God! Whether I couldn’t, or wouldn’t forgive, You made the way. Laying aside the slight that led to the grudge, my heart is free to praise You.

Jesus speaking [in Names of God Bible]. “That’s why I tell you to have faith that you have already received whatever you pray for, and it will be yours. Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures” (Mark 11:24-25).

Father, thank You for doing that which I am unable. Opening and changing my heart. Breathing forgiveness in where I refused it. Empowering and enabling me to love as You would have me love.

You. With all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. My neighbor as myself (Mark 12:30-31). Do all You must to this end.

I love, need, trust and want You Lord. Forgive and use me as only You can. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(716 words ~ 8:42 a.m.)