remember me with favor

Nehemiah 5:19 Remember me with favor O my God for all I have done for these people.

I just love how Nehemiah prays - he prays continually and unceasing

and he prays for everything; he prays his heart

for protection, provision

for God to remember him as he is helping others

realizing his reward will come from God, not caring about the praises from me

he prays to strengthen his hands (chapter 6, verse 9) when others were coming in opposition against him, saying he/crew would be too weak to finish wall repairs

he prays about those who oppressed/intimated him (chapter 6, verse 14), telling God to remember them for what they did against him; he was not afraid to bring anything and everything to God

boldly and with confidence that God heard his prayer

I need to pray the same way

unceasing, continually

my heart to God

help me to do so Lord

God is More Than Enough - a book review

For Blogging for Books through Multnomah, I picked God is More Than Enough by Tony Evans, which is a delightl 90-page book about Psalm 23.

Mr. Evans breaks down Psalm 23 into six short chapters covering the topic of why God is More than Enough.  Starting in Chapter One, he lays a foundation of who God is and the thought that we need to truly make God our Shepherd as Psalm 23 starts with "The Lord is My Shepherd, I shall not Want". He says we need to make sure that we have made God our Shepherd, that we know that we are sheep, and believe that he is able to meet each and every one of our needs, to become totally 100% reliant upon him.

Each subsequent chapter Mr. Evans continues on with more lines from the psalm describing how God can meet our spiritual needs, emotional needs, directional needs, physical needs and eternal needs.

I did enjoy this book so much and found it to be rich in information and encouragement that with whatever I was facing, God was there and was more than capable to meet my needs.  Mr. Evans related stories from his own experience as well as others in emphasizing points that helped make what he was saying easy to be understood.  This is a book of encouragement for anyone who is facing any struggles in their lives and is short and to the point and can easily be read over the course of a couple of hours, but the information shared in it will last a very long time. I would highly recommend this book to anyone in need of such encouragement or is just interested in reading a perspective about God meeting our needs based on Psalm 23.

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."

Why?

We see a senseless tragedy like what happened early Friday morning in Aurora, Colorado and we ask "why" but stop and think a moment. Perhaps we should be asking ourselves "why not?" and "why doesn't it happen more than it does" because truly as so many people have thought over the past few days, there is evil in the world. Yes, there is evil in the world. We don't want to think about that. We want to think about good and love and compassion and mercy but our world is nothing like that. And it never will be anything like that until Jesus comes to restore it.

The reality is the moment Adam and Eve disobeyed God and took the bite of the fruit, against his command, evil entered the world. It is here to stay. God cannot take evil away from the world without Jesus coming back and until he is ready to do that, evil exists. Always has and always will.

Jesus himself, when tempted by the enemy, the devil, Satan, Lucifer, whoever you want to call him, but definitely the one not on our side and definitely evil, Jesus did not refute him when the enemy said he could give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would just bow down and worship him. (Matthew 4:8)  Of course Jesus didn't, but the fact is God allows the enemy to be in this world and where there is the enemy there will be evil. Jesus has all authority over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:19) and is totally in control. And one day he will restore it all. His word says it and I believe his word, because his word is trustworthy and true and he always keeps his promises. (unlike the father of lies, the enemy).

But until he restores the world, we will have evil. Its sad, but it is the truth. We will have murder, rape, stealing, lying. People will be robbed of their lives, their loved ones, their dignity, their possessions, and so much more.

We will stop and wonder why, why, why. What could we have done differently? Didn't we see the signs? How could this have be allowed to happen?

I think it all stems down to what happened in that garden so many years ago when Adam and Eve stepped back and thought about it all and wondered if God was more than enough for them or did they want something more? Did they deserve something more? Forgot the fact that he walked with them in the garden in the cool of the day. Fellowship with their creator in a perfect garden. Yet that was not enough for them. They were tempted by the very same things we are tempted by today, power, possession, pleasure.

The fact is God is more than enough. He truly is. He's been trying to tell us over and over again in his word and by his actions. We just need to stop believing the lies of this world and believe the truth of our Father, our Creator, the one who knitted us together in our mother's wombs, the one that counts our hairs, stores our tears, knows our very next breath and is totally in control of this world and us.

And then there may be less "why's" and more hope and more people coming to see the saving grace of Jesus and the security we have in him for all of eternity because of his willingness to die for our sins and his willingness to merge heaven and earth together and his willingness to one day restore the earth completely to how it should be. In the meantime, we live in this sin infested, dirty, evil world. And we, who are called by his name, try to do our best to be his light to others, to share his word, share his love, share his compassion to the least, the lost, the last and to all we come in contact with.

Lord Jesus, I thank you for what you did for us on the cross, I thank you that you are totally in control even when it doesn't make sense with what goes on around us. But I trust in you, trust in your word, and I know I have hope in you for all of eternity and for that I am so thankful. Be with those affected by this horrendous crime, the victims' families, the wounded, the recovering, the community. In your precious name, I pray. Amen.

He is more than enough

I'm reading God is More than Enough by Tony Evans to review. He takes Psalm 23 and breaks it out how God is more than enough and how God will meet all one's needs, spiritual, directional, emotional, physical and eternal needs. This is not the review of it, because I'm not done reading it, but absolutely love how he lays it all out. 

He says we need to really truly grasp and commit to the first line of the psalm.  The Lord is my shepherd, defining who the Lord is, God, creator, sustainer and so much more, that he is my shepherd, that I am a sheep, that I'm dumb, defenseless and dirty and I need someone to look out after me. That I need to be still, to listen to him. That he will put me in situations so that I learn to be totally dependent on him and not self sufficient. That I need to be still, that he will restore me, give me rest.

This book is so rich. It has helped me with some things I've struggled with over these past 18 months, but I'm ready to say "Here I am Lord....." Lead me where you want me to go; I relinquish it all to you; I definitely need you my Good Shepherd guiding me".

And I think that is why that song, Awake My Soul, has been such a part of me the past few days. Awake my soul Lord. Glorify your name in me. I trust you know what is best. You already showed me how much you love me when you died for me. Help me to rely on you completely in everything thing I do..for you truly are worthy of it all.

Thank you Lord that you have awakened my soul.......You truly are awesome and I will trust in you......

sheep and shepherds

Ezekiel 34:31

You, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God declares the Sovereign Lord.

It is comforting Lord that you are my shepherd

and I am your sheep

I'm not a smart sheep, but sheep are not known to be smart

I need a shepherd who watches over me

closely
continually
constantly

and you are that shepherd

you boldly and proudly declare

you are my shepherd

I thank you for that

You aren't afraid to call me your sheep

You acknowledge me

you protect me

you lead me

I need to remember to listen to your voice

to know it well

in word

in prayer

to not venture out on my own

but to wait for your lead

on where I should go

thank you Jesus that you are the Good Shepherd

awake my soul

Awakening - by Chris Tomlin

In our hearts, Lord, in this nation
Awakening
Holy Spirit, we desire
Awakening

For You and You alone
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done, let Your will be done in me

In Your presence, in Your power
Awakening
For this moment, for this hour
Awakening

For You and You alone
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done, let Your will be done in me

For You and You alone
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
For the world You love
Your will be done, let Your will be done in me

Like the rising sun that shines
From the darkness comes a light
I hear Your voice and this is my
Awakening

Like the rising sun that shines
From the darkness comes a light
I hear Your voice and this is my
Awakening

Like the rising sun that shines
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
From the darkness comes a light
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing

Like the rising sun that shines
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing
Only You can raise a life
Awake my soul, awake my soul and sing

(awake my soul O Lord, awake my soul.........)

freedom

Freedom is you Lord
surrendering to your will
letting you take control
our desires you fulfill

true freedom comes in knowing you
seeking you with all our heart
spending time with you daily
giving you all of us, not just a part

I am free Jesus
because of the price you paid
thank you for going to the cross
and that freedom you gave

physical death

For Booksneeze, I'm currently reviewing What You Need to Know About Bible Prophecy by Max Anders. This isn't the book review because I'm not done with the book yet; still have four more chapters. Won't say much about the book until the review, except that it is a good book, but I read this tonight. I literally wanted to outline it in the book and tattoo it on my heart.....

From What You Need to Know About Bible Prophecy by Max Anders, page 126, (talking about death).

Physical death is merely the final outcome of living in a fallen world, for when Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree sin entered the world, and along with it both spiritual and physical death. But just as a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, Jesus said, so it will sprout again into new life. We must die so that sin can be eradicated and we can be physically born again to new life, just as we have been spiritually. It is through death that we are finally completed in our union with Christ (Romans 8:22-23). Physical death is a wonderful gift. Without it, we would have to live eternally in sin-corrupted bodies. So regardless of what causes our death, the actual process of dying is the closing of our eyes in this world and a moment later opening them in that far, far better world - a world where all that is not good is excluded and all that is good is included and where we will live with our Lord forever. No problem with that.

Is that awesome or isn't it? I just love how he describes death. I'm not "eager" to die just yet, but I need to physically die so I can get rid of this sin infested body and be with Jesus forever, for eternity, FOREVER!

It also helps to put into perspective deaths of loved ones. While I grieve their loss, they are no longer in that sin corrupted body. Those that believe in Jesus are with him forever.

So very comforting.

so very hopeful

Of course one must believe in Jesus and accept him as their Lord and Savior and acknowledge they are a sinner and that he died for their sins.

I believe in you Jesus; I know I will get to spend eternity with you.

When it is my time, I am so ready!