Words of Inspiration BlogInspirational and Uplifting

The Refining Colors

Psalms 103:2-6– Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

A CHANGE OF COLOR 

I walk among the meadows, grasses deep and shiny green.

Wildflowers paint the landscape, none so fair I’ve ever seen.

As I take in all this beauty, my breath’s near taken back,

to think of the Creator, all He’s made, there is no lack.

For He can paint the meadows, wash them clean with heavenly rain,

and He can take a hurting soul and bind up all its pain.

He can take the vilest life and cleanse it for His pleasure.

He can take the coldest heart and warm it beyond measure.

A broken spirit He accepts, a contrite heart He’ll mend,

if we’ll but give our lives to Him and all our burdens rend.

He’ll paint our lives anew, afresh, with colors brightly shining.

Our lives once dark, in pain so drear’, will glisten with refining.

 Dear Friends – The colors of life take many forms in our everyday existence. There is the red of anger that is both harmful to ourselves and others, and most destructive if not brought in check. Of course, the green of jealousy and suspicion is similarly harmful and destructive to relationships when ignored and left to run rampant. There is the blueness that comes when one is absolutely depressed, despairing and in dis-ease. And there is without a doubt the blackness of loss and destruction.

But all of these colors can be beautiful when Jesus is made Lord of our lives and we learn to trust Him with emotions and pain. How beautiful are the sunsets with deepest reds in glowing  hues? How inspiring and renewing are the meadows thriving with green grasses, dotted with wildflowers; the azure blue sky; the blackened sky at night with stars like glitter blown. It’s all in our perception of life. The beauty is always there for our enjoyment, but in painful circumstances we often lose our ability to see the glory of God, to see the things that really matter in life.

In the human experience it rains on the just and the unjust, bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to “bad” people, in our estimation. But the common denominator here, and the often overlooked solution to any malady, is our God. He is in control of all. His way is the best way at all times. And blues are little more than anger turned inward, a depressive state fed with self pity, perhaps confusion, maybe even a “life isn’t fair” attitude; certainly we become angry with ourselves when we feel used and abused, rejected or discarded. Our reaction is usually one of shock and dismay that we could have been so short-sighted as to allow someone else to get the “upper hand” in our lives and circumstances.

In the pain of life, no matter what form it may take, we are easily distracted and soon find ourselves looking for a way out. The severity of the stress and anxiety is a good indicator of how quickly we will take our eyes off of our Savior and begin to dwell on our circumstances. How precious though that we have a God that loves us so  much that none of the tangled web we feel trapped in can keep us from His “lovingkindness and tender mercies”. He never leaves us and is pouring all His “benefits” into our lives daily. He forgives all our iniquities, heals all our diseases, redeems our life from destruction, crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies. So why do we miss it so often? I believe a great part of our “missing it” in life is simply unbelief and guilt. Perhaps we don’t feel worthy of so great Love. Maybe we’ve tried to earn our way to Christ through works and good deeds. Whatever keeps you on the path of disbelief and condemnation needs to be examined. For scripture says Christ didn’t come into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.

Beloved, scripture says in Psalms 103: 10-14 – that “He hath not deal with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” So knowing this, that God doesn’t treat us as we deserve, He knows we’re only human with human frailties and weaknesses, but still He has pity on us, should give us pause to reconsider the state of our emotions in trying circumstances. These “ugly” colors can be beautiful and even useful when committed to Christ. And as regards self pity, I figure if God pities me I can’t spend too much time feeling sorry for myself. After all, His pity must certainly accomplish a good in me my own self pity cannot even touch. And above all, after you’ve walked with the Lord for a long time, you come to the point that you can commit the “mess” you’ve made of your life to God knowing He can turn it into a message, a message that you can share with others in their time of need. You accept the trials and testings knowing this too shall pass and your test will become a testimony, again which you can share with those God has brought into your life to further their progress and give encouragement. If hard times come don’t be shocked or dismayed. If the bottom drops out, do not give up or get discouraged for God is right there with you, always leading, always loving, we just have to let Him have His way. Yes, it all becomes worth it in the end because the gospel is furthered and you allowed God to get the glory, all because you chose to submit to Him and trust Him with your life, the good, the bad, and the ugly, the trials and tests, and every mess you may find yourself in that seems utterly impossible to fix from a human perspective.

So let God execute righteousness and judgment in your life, for according to scripture, if you have made Jesus the Lord of your life then you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Let Him vindicate you for revenge is not ours to take, it is His and He will repay. But above all, take your eyes off the pain, the problems and distractions, and fix them on Jesus, our healer and deliverer. Let Him settle you and establish you. He said He would never leave us or forsake us so know that He is with you in the pit or on the pinnacle. Let that refining fire do its work in your heart until the glistening becomes a reflection of Christ, all of His beauty, His love, His compassion and care, His undying devotion to His children. Let your colors so change that Jesus is all those around you can see. You’ll be blessed to be a blessing, your life will become a testimony of God’s grace and mercy, and in the sweetest of ways you’ll never be the same. No matter what color your life is now, Jesus can paint you “beautiful and precious” as my friend, Jon Freeman, so eloquently states in his poetry. “Do unto others” is still the golden rule, and still the best way to let your Light shine to a dark and hurting world.

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Num 6:24-26

In His Love,

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Proverbs 18:24 - A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Scripture says there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. This friend is Jesus. When one considers the closeness of brothers, brothers biologically, brothers in combat, brothers in tragedy, a bond is realized that lasts for a lifetime. This is the bond that Jesus wants to have with each of us. He gave His life to do away with the separation between man and God, to close the chasm, if you will.

He brought us the dispensation of grace, the new covenant, and man never has to feel separated from God anymore. For His grace covers all our sin, past, present and future, and His love is eternal and unconditional. We only have to believe Him and receive Him into our hearts today and as we walk with him and fellowship with Him, faith leads us to our divine purpose and ultimately our heavenly home.

Dear friends-If you don’t know Jesus, I invite  you to take a moment right now and ask him into your heart. Let Him be the Lord of your life, give him first place in everything. You’ll begin a journey to last a lifetime that is full of life and love.

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The Stirring

2 Timothy 1:6-9 – Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God: 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Dear Friends-Never let discouraging circumstances destroy your testimony. Never let negative situations overwhelm you or cause you to doubt in such a way that you fall into despair and depression. We serve such a big God but we seldom can even comprehend that these unwelcome events in our lives, these tragedies or moments of failure, will catapult us to reach ever higher for the things of the Lord if we are trusting in Him. These times in our lives when we seem lost and out of touch with God are allowed to show us who moved, and are permitted only to draw us closer to Him, to force us, if you will, to rely on Him and Him alone.

It has been my experience that times of lukewarmness are often felt in the lives of even the most faithful and loving servants of Christ. As humans we lose passion and strength when the battle has raged for such a time that we have become weary and perhaps doubtful as to what our purpose in life really is, what God is up to in our lives, and what we are to be doing as our feelings wax and wane as the moon changes, and that sense of slipping away to someplace we desire not to go sets in.

Beloved, often in our journey with the Lord, these times of turmoil and feeling out of control are allowed to simply encourage us to rest. Just rest and get alone with the Lord for a refreshing, a time of healing and rejuvenating the spirit. It is not always that we have failed or chosen a wrong path, or tried to develop a gift that is not ours.  God is keenly aware that we all have limits physically. We all come to the realization at one time or another that we cannot do all and be all to everyone at all times, nor has God given us that calling because He is aware of our human frailties and limitations. That is why His Word instructs us to rely completely on Him in all situations because His strength is perfect when ours is gone.

Often times when we’ve reached a point of frustration and fatigue in our spiritual journey, when things just don’t seem to be working in the way we would desire anymore, I feel this is a time when we need to stop and consider where we are and what we’ve been doing. Is it our way or God’s way? Our way may prosper for a while, but ultimately will fail. Perhaps in our eagerness to serve God and experience more of the Lord in a deeper way, we charge out ahead of His plan and end up out of His plan, or at best exhausted and questioning, “What now?”

It is at these times that we need to stop our busy-ness, steal away with God, and stir up those God-given gifts on the inside of us. For me it is writing, writing to encourage others, writing to share that with God truly all  things are possible.  I write to share hope and inspiration for even though I have been cast down I have not been destroyed. The moments in my life when I felt the enemy would surely destroy me I’ve committed to God and allowed Him to teach me my place in His tapestry. What the enemy means for evil, God uses for the furtherance of the gospel, thus what the enemy sends for my harm, God uses for my good and the good of those around me, as it becomes a living testimony of the love and constant care of God in our lives.

You too have God-given gifts whether it be the gift of encouragement, intercessory prayer, gifts of teaching, words of knowledge, I can’t speak concerning your gift as only God knows. But let God help you develop His specific gifts in your life. Truly you are unique, deeply blessed and highly favored, and your gifts will show you that. You have a unique way of speaking, a unique way of loving, a unique way of reaching others that is yours and yours alone.  Often, only you can reach those around you. At times you are the only light others see in their lives.

So if you’re feeling a lack of satisfaction in life it is a good sign you may be off track. And if you are recognizing the dis-ease and/or lack of peace, it is a wonderful conviction of the Holy Spirit that God wants to give you a better and more peaceful way. It isn’t hard to acknowledge that perhaps we allowed ourselves to be led astray, but it is much more difficult to lay down our will and allow God’s way in. It is there that we acknowledge our wonderful, loving Savior knows what is best, that our “works” don’t matter but our obedience does.

Beloved, turn today and ask Him into your heart. Let Jesus be the Lord of your life. With God at the helm your gifts will make room for you in places you never dreamed you could go. And when you get there, you’ll have energy and strength to enjoy it all. So humbly ask God to reveal your gifts to you today, then with a thankful heart begin to use these gifts for the Lord, and  experience the abundant life He has given each one of us. Let these gifts be refined and polished to such a brightness that God’s love is seen in all you do. In this I promise, you will never regret it. You can have a satisfied mind and in today’s society this is a rare gem, much sought after but seldom found.

In His Love,

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The Peaceful, Restful Arms Of The Spirit

1 Corinthians 3:3 -  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Dear Friends – The love of God is so all-encompassing in one’s life. There is nothing we can do, think, say or feel that is hidden from Him. And if we are seeking Him and desirous of a more intimate relationship with Him, His presence becomes even more evident in our everyday lives and circumstances. Scripture says in Luke 17:21b the kingdom of God is within you. Beloved, I say to you, when the kingdom of God resides on the inside of you your whole world is going to change. Where once you walked in hopelessness and despair, the word of God brings hope and glory. If you live in darkness and isolation, the Holy Spirit will come alongside to comfort you, and the Lord shall enlighten your darkness. There is no greater love this side of heaven, no truer friend, and no greater promises than God’s promise to us of eternal life through faith in Jesus, His Son, and the finished work of the cross.

Dear ones, today we must ask ourselves are we operating in the flesh or in the spirit? It seems like a harmless enough question. Perhaps it seems hardly worth considering if we are doing our utmost to be the best we can be for God, for others, and allowing God to transform us with the beautiful light of His love. But I recently had a first-hand experience with how easy it is to end up in the flesh and not even realize it.

I had been experiencing deep emotional pain for some time. I had been relationally injured but truly had sought God’s will in this. Earnestly prayed for help and guidance. Ultimately under the weight of the pain and turmoil, I went to speak with a dear pastor friend of mine in another city, followed by a phone conversation at a later date. I had not seen him in quite some time but our meeting was as if it had been divinely orchestrated, and in retrospect, circumstances told me it was. I always greet him when I see him as “the man of God”. He always smiles at me when I say this,  but this greeting hardly does him justice. For he always has just the right “word” for any circumstance. His words are sharper than any two-edged sword and able to divide asunder between flesh and spirit for his words are always God’s words, aiming straight for the heart and never missing their mark. Sure enough after a few moments of explaining my dire circumstances, he told me I was in the flesh.

Now wait a minute, I had been doing all I knew to get right and stay right, how could I have slipped into the flesh? I reiterated the pain and all the circumstances of how I wasn’t fighting with anyone else, just myself, thinking maybe he had misunderstood my first dissertation, and looking for some sort of empathy. But alas, he simply said to me again I was operating in the flesh. Yep, after explaining 1 Corinthians 3:3 to me it was as if I had never read that scripture before. Suddenly my eyes were opened and my heart understood. I might have been beating myself up for it but I was angry and my emotions were out of control. Yes I was trying to be stoic, perhaps even robotic, but this isn’t the life God desires for us, and isolating oneself in painful situations is hardly profitable. The battle was within me, the turmoil was simply a refusal to accept a hurtful situation, deal with it, and move on. For in isolating ourselves we create divisions, and divisions in turn create strife and the list goes on. So if you are struggling in any area today, ask yourself could it be you have slipped over into the flesh, gotten out of the peaceful, restful arms of the Spirit, and created an atmosphere of strife and division in your life? May these words of inspiration encourage you that there is a way back. If you are seeking God’s help, trust that your “man of God” is on the way. It may come in  another form but it will be the answer  you have been seeking from a true and faithful God.

So be encouraged today my friends. Understand that life hurts sometimes and sometimes life hurts unbearably. But God will make a way of escape. God will see you through your darkest hour. The greater your suffering, the greater will be the blessing when He brings you safely through and gives you a new song to sing. Remember this verse of scripture 1 Corinthians 2:9 – But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

In His Love,

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Galatians 3:20 - I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Dear Friends – These words of inspiration are to encourage you today to make a quality decision to make Jesus the Lord of your life. The decision you make for Christ will determine the quality of your life. Every decision in life carries with it either consequences or blessings.

So often in life our decision for Christ is spotty at best. We call on Him when we need Him but in the good times we often forget He is still right there with us, loving us, wooing us to His side, protecting us and providing for us. It is only when all of life has failed us and all the people in our lives have either walked away or simply do not understand us that the quantity of half-hearted decisions we’ve made for Christ previously are so evident. It is in those times of total aloneness that a quality decision for Christ is usually made. When you’re standing all alone with just yourself and your thoughts, when all the clamor of life is quieted by the loneliness, and all the clutter of life just doesn’t matter anymore then God’s love can be felt the deepest. That longing for someone to save us is a cry from the depths of the soul and is answered in Jesus, and always answered in the affirmative. And when you stand before Him with tears flowing down, take heart dear one, for those tears are washing the soul. He never leaves us or forsakes us, just as He promised, though we often walk away at will. But through this inspirational message may we be reminded that He’s promised if we draw nigh to Him, He will draw nigh to us (James 4:8).

I believe we are often allowed to fall to the lowest levels, to remain in the pit for an indefinite time, until our hearts are awakened to our overwhelming need of Him, and it is in this dark night of the soul that conversion from quantity to quality is best achieved. There is nothing sweeter than to turn to Him in a prolonged winter season of life and feel the warmth of His love. And what rest must be needed for the troubled, anxious soul that has been through a prolonged struggle in life. God’s word declares “in rest and returning shall ye be saved”. Beloved if you want to see God at work in your life and feel His presence as never before, just turn to Him with all your heart, mind, body and soul, and trust Him. Let go and trust Him with everything in your life. He can and will lift you up. He can and will give you a life that is exceeding, abundantly above all you could have ever asked or thought. If this inspirational message has touched your heart today, why not turn to Him now and be saved, delivered and healed. He is waiting for that quality decision, and to open unto you all of His good treasure.

1 Corinthians 2:9 - But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

God Bless!

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Inspirational Article

God’s Glorious Tapestry

1 Corinthians 2:9 – But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the hearts of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Dearest readers – On this spiritual  journey it is easy to lose sight of the beauty in life. In trials and tribulations we tend to lose our focus on the things that really matter in life. Even when we are trusting God with all that we have and all that we are, during times of pain and discouragement questions will arise as to the why of it all. And these questions can lead us down a path that dulls our spiritual awakening.  These questions, if not kept in check, can cause us to lose sight of Jesus and to lose focus of the love and life He died to give us.

It is at these times that we need to look at the bigger picture. Our lives are like multicolored threads so lovingly and precisely being woven into God’s beautiful tapestry.  Our problem is from our perspective we can only see the underside, which is not generally appealing to the human eye and not embraced by the human mind.  But beloved, from God’s perspective, as He is looking down, He sees an overwhelming beauty in each one of us.  He sees us not as we are but as all that we can be and all that we are becoming in our daily walk with Him.

As the above scripture references, our eyes have not seen, nor our ears heard, neither can our hearts even imagine the loveliness and light He is weaving into our daily lives.  What love is this that man struggles to fathom? What grace and mercy so undeserved are poured into our hearts and circumstances without limit and without any works on our part? We simply have to trust Him.  We simply have to trust that He’s loving us and caring for us, and yes even in these uncertain times, that He is providing for our every need.  And when you trust Him, by faith you rest in Him, and ultimately you see parts of His tapestry that beforehand perhaps appeared dull and lifeless but  now the beautiful scenery is taking shape. Now through faith and trust the colors of your life are brighter, you approach each day anxious to see where this Divine Weaver will lead you next.

If your search for significance has seemed lackluster lately, if your spiritual growth and spiritual discernment have not brought you the joy you have been seeking, then submit to Him totally. If you are not happy as you are then what can you lose by giving all to Him? The price for our happiness was paid for at the Cross. The peace we so long for was Jesus’ gift to us at the Cross. It is not something we can in anywise earn by good works or deeds. We can receive it by trusting Him and Him alone.

If you have not made Jesus the Lord of your life today, I invite you to take a moment and ask Him into your heart. If you have already done this at some point on your spiritual journey, I invite you to rededicate your life to Him.  Rededicate your innermost desires to be the best you can be and receive of His best in ways you never imagined possible.

I pray these words of encouragement have spoken to your heart today and blessed you, but most of all I pray these words have inspired you to have a closer walk with God through Jesus.

God Bless!

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Give Me Liberty

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths

Beloved – We’ve all heard the phrase “Give me liberty or give me death”, but how many of us in life have stopped to consider just what that phrase means. Through many years of struggle, I have finally come to learn that the liberty we have through faith in Christ is a freedom few experience in their lifetime, and yet it is one of the greatest gifts God has given us. To experience liberty in Christ we have to first believe that He is and that He came to save us, thus our faith is activated and strengthened as we continue to acknowledge that fact. Following faith though is trust, and experientially I find trust a bit more difficult to walk in, nevertheless the word of God says in 2 Samuel 22:33 – God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

Relationally we may have gone through despairing difficulties, loss of loved ones through death, or loss of faith and trust in a marital relationship, if not loss of the relationship altogether. Whatever the overwhelming difficulty has been in one’s life, trusting God and believing He has our best interests at heart when we are in so much emotional pain or physical pain, it is certain that the greater our suffering, the greater our need to trust God and stand in faith, believing He loves us no matter how one’s situation may be playing out. The word of God says in Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So God is in essence saying to us while we may not see it, we can believe Him for it, we can trust in Him to sustain us till His help arrives, His answers come, and we are brought through every trying and painful situation and able to walk in the liberty that comes only in Jesus, for again the word of God says in Luke 4:18 – The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…

God is our salvation and our rock. We can depend on Him knowing He will come to our defense and our aid as we are standing on His word and waiting for Him.  We can stand on His word knowing it will not fail. He will come to our aid and do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Dearest friends, remember that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  Scripture says, “if now I have found favor in thy sight, I pray thee, oh Lord, show me YOUR way.”  Yes, God’s way is the best way and God’s way will lead us on a path of sure footing and sure victory.

It is my prayer that these words of inspiration have brought you encouragement and comfort on your spiritual journey. May the God who created all things bless you today with His love and mercy, and may the words of inspiration found herein give you pause for thought as you reflect on your life and the will of God for your situation. And may you especially know the love of God and receive God’s grace to help in time of need and be filled with inner peace.

God Bless!

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