He's All

There's something about fervent prayer. You just can't do it, you've got to live it. You've got to breath it. Its got to become a part of who you are. You can't play with it. I've taken to wearing a reminder. I don't usually wear anything when I get home...I'm notorious for taking off all my jewelry as soon as I walk in the door. Its kind of like a ritual of sorts. I wear a whole lot of jewelry and for some reason it doesn't bother me at all when I 'm in public but as soon as I get home, I take it off. My reminder remains. Not because I won't remember but because there's something about looking down at my hands and seeing it. I mean the first words I uttered today were "Lord be with her" and that was before I did anything else. She's constantly on my heart and the word says out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." There's something about it being always there and the only thing on my hand. The contrast is startling to look at. When I got ready to write this it was the first thing I saw when I placed my hands on home row. I usually call it my commitment because its just that, a commitment. Its a commitment but its also an act of faith. Its amazing how God can use something that you gave some meaning and give it much bigger significance. I was personally committed but fervent prayer? I wasn't there...but I am now.

Chapter 33:2

O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited [expectantly] for You. Be the arm [of Your servants—their strength and defense] every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble

Expectantly. To wait is a faith walk all by itself but to do so expectantly or with hope? That's a place I'm in on good days. Really good days. Expectantly requires focus and a clarity of thought. I say that because for me, I have to be very clear about who God is AND who He is for me. Its a lot easier sometimes to believe God for someone else but to believe Him for yourself? The self you know sinned not 3 minutes ago and was mean yesterday, ignored your mother's phone call, and decided to be less than holy a few nights ago? Yea....believing God will come through for that me isn't easy. I don't know anyone else's sin but I know my own. The reality of who God is and what Jesus did on the cross for me, for me when I KNOW me? Mind blowing. But it happened and it was for me and for you. God is the very definition of grace. He's overflowing with it. He's giving it in abundance and without ceasing. Its grace. Its all grace.

Chapter 33:5-6

The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).

And there shall be stability in your times, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the reverent fear and worship of the Lord is your treasure and His.

Worship is my stability. At any time I can seek it, I can find it, and I can enter into. You know I almost finished that sentence with thanksgiving but you know I don't always enter into worship with thanksgiving. I spent months this past summer entering into worship through pain. You can enter into worship with anger, with despair, with pain, with sorrow, with disparaging. Can I offer that God can handle all of that? Can I offer that there's something more in the sacrifice of praise? God knows exactly how you feel. He can handle whatever you're bringing but you've got to bring it. When I didn't think anything of myself, I brought God nothing and He gave me everything I needed. Often times, it was all I could do to get through one day but I turned on "I am What You See" every morning and tried to replace the nothing I thought of myself with the thoughts He has of me. I think God rewards that type of worship. I think there's something you can't get any other way in your relationship with God in a praise that comes despite. Despite my situation, despite what it looks like, despite my pain, despite my suffering. I think despite moves God. I love that this scripture says worship is His treasure also. He doesn't need worship to be God but He does want your worship. I know it moves Him because He's moved on my behalf when I've given a despite praise. 

Stability doesn't mean for me that what's out there is stable, it means what's in me is stable.  It hasn't always been that way and it won't always be. Good days are just that and on those I run after Him. On the not so good days, its all I can do to say "Lord I stretch my hand to thee. No other help do I know." <---Despite praise

Chapter 33:13

Hear, you who are far off [says the Lord], what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge My might!

Salvation is for everyone. Its for those who know Him now and for those who will come to know Him. Its for me. Its for you. Jesus made a full and complete sacrifice on the cross for our sins. He is our atonement. Can I offer that if you believe that's the game? Cause it is. Its the game. There's nothing else required. If you believe on Him by faith that he is the sacrifice for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world, you've inherited the kingdom. Your name is in the Lamb's book of life. Period. Nothing can take away from your salvation except not believing it. I think many believe you can lose your salvation but that's not Bible. That's not God. The God I know is loving beyond the scope of comprehension, gracious farther than the eyes can see, merciful without ending, kind with a depth past that of the seas. My God is. If that's not the God you know, slide back to Psalms because He's right there for you. Having an accurate view of the nature and character of God isn't possible but trying will blow your mind.

Chapter 33:24

 And no inhabitant [of Zion] will say, I am sick; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity and guilt. 

Zion is where God dwells. No one up there is sick or hurting or any of those earthly conditions that aren't pleasant. My initial reading of this scripture from last night didn't really impress me. I wasn't sure why I was underlining this scripture...ah but this morning. Oh how a night of sleep changes things. This scripture is about heaven. I didn't even see that last night. Not at all. I think about one of its recent additions, who I didn't know well but I know she loved the Lord and believed on Him. <--- Admission to the kingdom is right there. Love the Lord and believe on Him and the finished work of the cross....Game. Set. Match. The Word is clear. Believe it.

For me, scriptures like this support and undergird the beliefs I have about my loving, gracious and holy God. On a number of occasions recently, I've needed to give some clarifying words about who God is. I'm so glad I know Him for myself because that allows a different perspective. I can talk about my God and not just God. Living by and through the Spirit affords a personal vantage point about God that I didn't have before I started to seek Him more. Before I really learned to cling to Him, He was God. When I found Him to be my only help, He became my God. In those clarifying moments, I've seen peace come over a number of my friends who were worried and concerned. God's got all of it, y'all. Even when it feels like He doesn't, He does. I'm so glad my faith practice through the Spirit is confirmed by the Word so often.  Even after I've said what's true in the Spirit, to find its truth in black and white in my Bible is so relationship affirming.

Chapter 34:16

 Seek out of the book of the Lord and read: not one of these [details of prophecy] shall fail, none shall want and lack her mate [in fulfillment]. For the mouth [of the Lord] has commanded, and His Spirit has gathered them.

LISTEN.....that brought tears to my eyes. Seek out the book of the Lord. The Phil version of this verse says " READ YO BIBLE!" But seriously, read it. I crack mine open all the time because there's something for me there. I don't believe in coincidences, I believe in divine intersections and appointments. Iv'e never gone to the Word and not gotten something. Often I get something I don't even expect. God never fails. His mercy endures. His grace is always. And if you've got something from God, something He's promised you, its real. Its happening. He never fails. 

Chapter 35:8

And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes, the simple ones and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way.

The simplicity of faith is one of the beautiful things about it. I think about this guy that's served in my church all his life. He's got some deficits but last week we honored the doorkeepers of the church. Those are the ushers. We honored them and Brian was right there. He's been an usher my whole life. I don't know of another place where his service will ever be honored but we did that at our church last Sunday. I know he knows God. I know he believes and even though he's always a beat behind in the recitation of the Apostle's Creed, he's right there. The way to the Father is simply. Salvation isn't complicated. The inheritance of the Kingdom of God is for everyone. Go get you some!