Anxiety still managing to make its way into your daily life, even though you have been crying out to Jesus? What else can we do, besides turn off the television and cry out to Jesus to help us manage the chaos we are experiencing? The writer to the Hebrews encourages us to go before God with confidence with the expectation that we will receive exactly what we need when we need it (specific grace). Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace , that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need - Heb 4:16 (KJV); Let us with (privilege ) approach the throne of grace (that is God's gracious favor) with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy (for our failures) and find (His amazing ) grace to help in time of need (an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment)-Heb 4:16 AMP. We are urged to go to the throne of grace to receive what Jesus has already ordered and prepared for us. We can go boldly before the throne of grace when we start to feel anxious and overwhelmed because we have a Great High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us: but on the other hand, Jesus holds His priesthood permanently and without change, because He lives on forever. Therefore He is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf (with God) - Heb 7:24-25 AMP. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens - Heb 8:1. . When life overwhelms us we are to look up to the throne of grace, knowing that Jesus has cried out and is crying out on our behalf, and is praying for us, and has already secured, and prepared the grace and mercy needed for our situation. His prayers for us are not general ones, like Father bless them, or like the ones we often pray for people when they ask us to pray for them. His prayers for us are not only specific but they are sympathetic. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted (knowing exactly how it feels to be human) in every respect as we are, yet without (committing any) sin - Heb 4:15 AMP. In other words, Jesus knows exactly how to pray for us because He has been through and felt all the things we are going through and are feeling? Yes He too felt forsaken by the Father, as He cried out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me? So He knows how we feel and He knows how to pray for us. Jesus' earthly life and ministry prepared Him for His heavenly ministry of Great High Priest. He became flesh and experienced uncertainty, anxiety, stress so that when He returned to heaven He could pray for us because He knows how it feels to be anxious. So no matter what we are feeling, anxious, forsaken, angry, confused or whatever, we have to drag ourselves, if need be, to the throne of grace looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. He will pour out the mercy and grace needed to make it through another day. Honestly some days I am so empty, I have to crawl to the throne, but I always receive the mercy for my failures and grace that has been custom designed for my dilemmas. crawling to the throne, Diane p.s. practice going to throne with the expectation to receive, everything you need to make it. Fear. Worry. Stress. Anxiety. Unfortunately, these are emotions that we are all way too familiar with right now. While these emotions and thoughts attempt to arrest our joy, remember that we not only have a God we can cry out to, we have a God who hears and answers our prayers. Hear my cry, O God, Listen to my prayer. From the the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher than I - Ps 61:2. In the midst of this pandemic: God is our refuge and strength (mighty and impenetrable), A very present and well-proved help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change ...Ps46:1-2a AMP. In this midst of this crisis: Trust in Him at all times ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us- Ps 62:8. We have a place where it is safe to bare our souls and to wring out our fears and worries, and a Person who has the power to deliver us from them. Fearful? Cry out to Him: Jesus! Ridden with anxiety? Cry out to Him: Jesus! Worried about the health of loved ones? Cry out to Him: Jesus! When my children were small, I remember times after a day filled with sibling arguments, saying to them if you call my name one more time...Thank God I can wear out the Name of Jesus, knowing He is inclining His ear toward me every time I call upon His Name: Jesus! The Name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe - Pro 18:10. When we call upon His Name, He provides a safe place in Him where we are protected! Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily - Ps 86:3. In my distress, I called upon the Lord, And cried unto my God for help. He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help came before Him, even into His ears - Ps 18:6. As we brace for these next couple of weeks, Cry out: Jesus! Be Still, and Know that I am God...The Lord of host is with us: The God of Jacob is our refuge -Ps 46: 10a-11. crying out, Diane p.s. when fear, stress worry, anxiety or any other negative thought or emotion overwhelms you cry out: Jesus! There is power in His Name! #cryout #SaytheName Wow it's been way too long since I last checked in with you. Forgive me. Like you, I struggle to stay focused, and to not get distracted and derailed by the enemy or self. But I remain confident. Remember that was my word for 2018, because He who hath begun a good work in us shall continue to perform it until the day of Jesus Christ - Phil 1:6. Let's continue to have confidence when we pray not just because the Lord hears us: I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live - Ps 116:1-2; let's also have confidence because the Holy Spirit helps us. Ever feel like you don't know how to pray or what to say to God? Frustrating right? During these times we must keep talking to God, letting Him know we don't know how to pray. The Lord knew we would have times like this. Times when we just can't find the words to pray while we wait for Him to come through: we groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body- Rom 8:23. We can continue to pray with confidence even we can't find the words. Why? Because the Holy Spirit groans with us, feeling the burdens of our weaknesses and sufferings. In His groaning He prays that we would be led to the will of God. Even when we don't know what to say or when we pray for things outside of God's will, the Holy Spirit feels our pains and overrides our prayers with prayers according to the will of God on our behalf. The man in the image is called a Sherpa. In China these Sherpas met us to carry our bags up the mountain because our loads were too heavy of a burden for us to carry. So too the Holy Spirit comes to our aid and bears us in weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. And He Who searches the hearts of men knows what is in the mind of the (Holy) Spirit (what His intent is), because the Spirit intercedes and pleads (before God) in behalf of the saints according to and in harmony with God's will - Rom 8:26-27 AMP. During those times when all we can do is moan, we can remain confident because the Holy Spirit is translating our moans and groans into the will of God; therefore, we can know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose - Rom 8:28. Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God who is our salvation - Ps 68: 19. so glad I have help, DIane p.s. spend some time this week thanking God for the Holy Spirit. Whenever you are confused about how to pray or frustrated when you pray, know that the Holy Spirit has grabbed your load, wrapped it in God's will, and carried it before God on your behalf. As we put our full trust and belief in the power, trustworthiness and reliability of the Lord Jesus Christ, we gain confidence for the journey. Not only are we are confident because He who hath begun a good work in us shall continue to perform until the day of Jesus Christ ( Phil 1:6), we can also have confidence when we pray: And this is the confidence that we have in Him,that if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And we if we know that He heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him (I John 5:14-15). We can pray with confidence because the Lord hears us, the Holy Spirit helps us, our High Priest intercedes for us, and our hearts our kept by His peace. Today let's begin praying with confidence knowing that the Lord hears us.. Have there been times when you prayed wondering if God is even listening? Ever been tempted to stop praying because you don't feel any better, or because nothing seems to change? It is easy to doubt and to become discouraged, but don't ever stop praying, keep talking to Him because He hears us. Every time we cry out to God we can cry out with confidence and assurance because He sees our affliction and hears our cries. In my distress (when seemingly closed in) I called upon the Lord and cried to my God; He heard my voice out of His temple (heavenly dwelling place), and my cry came before Him, into His (very) ears - Ps 18:6 AMP. I waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry - Ps 40:1 AMP. I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live - Ps 116:1-2. When we cry out to God He inclines (bends) His ear toward us. Picture God the Father in heaven pulling His ear forward so that He can give our cries His undivided attention. I am sure that is why David wrote: I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out out of all his troubles - Ps 34:4,6. We pray with confidence because the Lord hears us. Our cries go into His ears, so we must keep praying. praying with confidence, Diane p.s. this week when you pray envision the Lord leaning forward and bending His ear as your cries go into His ears. My emphasis word for 2018 is Confidence. Confidence means the full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing. As we continue our journey this year let us fully put our trust in and believe in the power and trustworthiness of the Lord. So this year, I am encouraged and excited because my confidence is in the Lord. We should have confidence in 2018 because being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ - Phil1:6. Maybe you started this year looking back with regret because another year has come and gone and you are still not where you thought you would be at this point in your life. Or perhaps after a month into the new year, a year that started with such promise, you find yourself falling into the same habits you promised to change. Well, ...forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, let us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus - Phil 3:13b-14. This is our year of confidence. So when we get down on ourselves. Or we look around and feel stuck, discouraged or frustrated at our lack of progress, let's ask ourselves: why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God - Ps42:5. Remember that we are God's masterpiece still being created by our Divine Creator. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me... Ps 138:8. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them - Eph 2:10. We are instructed to put no confidence in the flesh - Phil 3:3. Instead of confidence in self, our confidence is the Lord. He has a begun a good work in us and He will continue to do that work in us. When we can't He will. Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts will be established -Pro 16:3. putting my confidence in the Lord, Diane This journey is certainly not for the faint at heart; therefore, we have to call upon the Name of Jesus not just daily, but throughout the day. I don't know about you, but I wear His Name out. It's a good thing the Lord is not like us because I know He would be like "you again, really?". We call on His Name because He pays attention to our cry (Ps 116:2), because there is provision in His Name, for our help is in the Name of the Lord ( Ps 124:8), and because there is protection in the Name of the Lord; The Name of the Lord is a strong tower ( Pr 18:10). I am so glad we have the privilege of calling on the Name of Jesus. There is fourth reason to call upon the Name of Jesus. Calling upon His Name invokes His presence. He shows up and becomes our very present help in trouble (Ps 46:1b). We want Him to show up because when he shows He shows up with all that He is and becomes: our Refuge (Ps 46:1,11), our Redeemer, our Rock, our Fortress , our Sustainer, our Strength (Ps:46:1, Ps 19:14), our Fortress and our Deliverer (Ps: 144:2). I call on the name of Jesus because I need Him to show up. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower - Ps 18:2. The prophet Jeremiah invoked the presence of the Lord when he called upon His Name. Waters flowed over mine head; then I called upon thy name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: Thou saidst, Fear not. O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life - Lam 3:53-58. You managed my affairs and You protected my person and my rights. You have rescued and redeemed my life - Amplified Bible. Jeremiah thought his life was over, then he called upon the Name of the Lord. When we are low, down in the dungeon, we can call on the Name of Jesus. Not only is He the lifter up of our heads, He is also our Rescuer, Rock, Redeemer, Strength and Deliverer, so say the Name! Wearing His Name Out, Diane p.s. when you are in the dungeon call on His Name and keep calling until He shows up! #SaytheName, #WearitOut Have you been calling upon the Name of Jesus daily? We can call on His Name with confidence because we know that He pays attention to our cry (Ps 116:2) and because there is provision in His Name, for our help is in the Name of the Lord (Ps 124:8). The third reason we can confidently call on the name of Jesus is because there is protection in the Name of Jesus. The name of the Lord is a strong tower that the righteous runneth into it, and is safe - Prov 18:10. His Name provides the protection of a strong, impenetrable tower.The kind of protection a military fortress provides. When we find ourselves in the midst of trouble we can call on the name of Jesus, run to the name (wholeheartedly put our trust in it) and find safety. The Psalmist in Ps 34 declares:This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them - Ps 34:6-7. Sometimes it feels like trouble is chasing us. For when were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears - II Cor 7:5. We are chased by troubling external circumstances, relational conflict, as well as our own internal fears, failures frustrations. grief and temptations. No matter what external or internal trouble is chasing us, when we call on the Name of Jesus, He provides an elevator to the top of the tower, and we are able to look down from the top at the fears, foes, and frustrations that were chasing after us and say, " you can't get to me up here". So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him - Is 59:19. The name of the Lord is strong tower that righteous runneth into it, and is safe. What is chasing you? Call on the Name of Jesus! from the top of tower, Diane p.s. #saytheName Hopefully by now you have developed the habit of calling on the name of Jesus. We discovered the last time we connected that the first reason we should call upon the Name of Jesus is because He pays attention to our cry: He inclines His ear toward us (Ps 116:2). The second reason we should get into the habit of calling upon His Name is because there is provision in the Name of Jesus. Our help is in the Name of Lord who made heaven and earth - Ps 124:8. But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through His Name - John 20:31. Provision for eternal life and for the abundant life is in the Name of Jesus. I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly - John 10:10. Abraham learned that there was provision in the Name of the Lord when God commanded him to take his son Isaac, his promised seed, to Mt. Moriah, to sacrifice him. And Abraham rose up early...and went unto the place which God had told him. And Isaac spake unto to Abraham his father, and said, My father:..Behold the fire and wood but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering - (Gen 22:3,7-8). Just as Abraham lifted his hand to slay Isaac, the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven telling him not to slay his son. Abraham looked and saw a ram caught in the bush and he took the ram, offering him for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh.The name Jehovah-Jireh means the Lord who provides. Literally the name is the Lord who sees or the Lord who will see to it. He is the Lord who sees our need and will see to it providing what is needed to meet our need, We call upon the Name of Jesus because He is Jehovah-Jireh the Lord who provides, the Lord who will see to it that our need is met. But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus - Phil 4:19. I hope you are encouraged to call upon the Name of Jesus with confidence. Not only does He pay attention to your cry, He hears you; but He sees your need and He will provide. Do you have a need? Call on the Name of Jesus! still calling on the Name, Diane p.s. Practice saying His Name out loud when you are faced with a situation! Most of us are very familiar with the song There is Power in the Name of Jesus. Some of us know the traditional one and others the more contemporary version that let's us know His Name has the power to Break Every Chain. In the next few posts I want to share several reasons we should get in the habit of calling on the name of Jesus, calling on His Name not in our head but saying His Name out loud. The first reason we should call on the Name of Jesus is because He pays attention to our cry: I love the Lord because He hath heard my voice and my supplications . Because He hath inclined HIs ear unto me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live -Ps 116:1-2. Have you ever noticed that when someone is trying to listen intently they will bend their ear toward the person they are trying to hear? As matter of fact, I don't know why but if they wear glasses, often they will remove their glass and bend their ear forward to ensure they hear what is being said correctly. When we call on the Name of Jesus He inclines His ear unto (bends His ear toward) us so He can listen intently to us and hear our cry. I often imagine Jesus in heaven when I call on His Name, and by the way I do say His Name out loud, signaling the angels, like a heavenly choir director to silence their praise as He leans forward bending His ear forward so He can hear what I am saying. The Psalmist in Psalm 116 was in great distress. Life had become like hell for him: The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow - Ps 116:3. He resorted to the only hope he knew, the Name of the Lord: Then called I upon the Name of the Lord: O Lord I beseech thee, deliver my soul - Ps 116:4. The first reason we should call upon the Name of Jesus is because He pays attention to our cry, so say the Name! If you find yourself in place where you don't know what to say and you at a lost for what to pray for, I encourage you to say the Name! We can say His Name with confidence because He is bending His ear forward listening intently every time we call on His Name! saying the Name of Jesus, Diane Glad to reconnect with you. It has been awhile. It is so easy to get distracted along the way. Daily we must fight to not allow things, like fear to distract or derail us (...but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus - Phil 3:13-14). We must learn to press pass our fears. Fear is something we all experience. We fear failure, fear being alone, fear the unknown, fear what might be, what could happen, what might not happen. We have a fear that things won't change, the fear of ... and the list goes on. Fear is real and if we are not careful, and quickly learn to deal with it, it can derail us (For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of sound mind - 2 Tim:1:7). Many of our relational issues can be traced back to fear. Unfortunately, because we are fearful, we attempt to control everything and everyone. We operate in life and in our relationships in weakness, selfishness, and faulty thinking; rather than through God's power, love and sound thinking. So as we attempt to press pass our fears, and it is a press, we find help in Psalm 27:1. Fear enters when we focus on our situation and see our inability to change or control it. David refused to focus on his fears: The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear; The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? - Ps: 27:1. Certainly he had fears during this difficult and dangerous time in his life, but he stop looking at them and put his focus on the Lord instead. He did not focus on his fear of darkness or the unknown, because the Lord was His light. He did not focus on his fear of his demise or destruction because the Lord was his salvation. He did not focus on his fear of failure because of his weaknesses, because the Lord was his strength. The key to David's victory over his fears was his focus (What time I am afraid, I will have confidence in and put my trust and reliance in You - Ps 56:3 AMP, and Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation - Is 12:2). We must work at not focusing on our fears but shift our focus to our God who is Faithful. Fear is the opposite of Faith. When we give attention to our fears we give life to them. Left unchecked, they grow and eventually entangle and immobilize us. We have to remind ourselves that the spirit of fear is not from God and remember that the Lord loves us (And we have known and believed the love that God has for us,...There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment - I John 4:16a, 18a). Let's stop allowing our fears to taunt and torment us and start looking to the Lord who is our light, salvation and strength. shifting my focus, Diane p.s. This week let's face our fears, acknowledging the areas that we have been in operating fear and shift our focus. Meditate on Ps 27:1. Every time a fear arises within us, let's shift our focus, look to the Lord. Repeat Ps 27:1 and II Tim 1:7, aloud if necessary. p.p.s. Don't forget to subscribe to receive post automatically by entering your email in box, top, right . |
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