Tuesday, June 28, 2016

And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD...

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Is the Lord's hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. " Numbers 11:23

You know, sometimes I find myself so weak in faith. Sometimes I find myself complaining and murmuring... just as the Israelites did long ago.  Oh, I may not  want to admit it... I may not consider it as complaining or murmuring... because I may be blind to my own folly.  

How often we've thought back to the "good times" and fall prey to discontentment of a present situation...  and murmur against God's goodness.  That's just what the Israelites did.... and that's we we do today. 

" We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; 
the cucumbers, and the melons and the leeks, 
and the onions and the garlic." 
Numbers 11:5

We fail to see God's grace and mercy offered TODAY... and consider it as nothing.. even when He offers manna from above!

" But now our soul is dried away; 
there is nothing at all beside this manna, 
before our eyes." 
Numbers 11:6

And how often we may find ourselves in the shoes of Moses and say, " This burden is too heavy to carry, I cannot do it alone."  

Yes, Moses complained before the LORD... but so do we.

" I am not able to bear all this alone, 
because it is too heavy." 
Numbers 11:14

However, I was extremely encouraged when I read once again the account  of God showing His mercy and proving His promises to be true... even to a people that was full of murmuring and complaining. 

And the Lord said unto Moses, "Is the Lord's hand waxed short? 
Thou shalt see now 
whether my word shall come to pass 
unto thee
 or not. " 
Numbers 11:23

" For all the promises of God in Him are yea,
 and in Him Amen, 
unto the glory of God by us."
2 Corinthians 1:20

Oh Father, forgive our murmuring and complaining against you. Remind us how much it displeases you. Help us to see your goodness today and trust in your promises that are true and faithful.

May you find rest in the preciousness of God's love and care for you today.
~Ellie

Thursday, June 23, 2016

...and under HIS wings shalt thou trust.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: 
Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: 
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;
Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 
Isaiah 41:10

Sometimes I am overwhelmed with God's precious promises. This morning I read the above verse and rested in God's love. 

How beautiful to be still in the presence of the ALMIGHTY GOD!

I couldn't but think how often we  fail to to remember the promises of our God and Saviour... that He will be with us even unto the end. 

And so today I cling to the beautiful reminder that God is with me... 
... as I find rest in His power and strength,
... as I trust Him to guide and protect me,
... and wait upon Him to lead me.

UNDER HIS WINGS
Ira Sankey

Under His wings I am safely abiding;
  Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me;
  He has redeemed me, and I am His child.
 
Under His wings, under His wings,
  Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
    Safely abide forever.

Under His wings—what a refuge in sorrow!
  How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
  There I find comfort, and there I am blest.

Under His wings—oh, what precious enjoyment!
  There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me;
  Resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore.

Precious Father, Thank you for your promises that are true and faithful. Help us to rest in your presence and be comforted through your Spirit and Word. 

May you be encouraged today to rest in the Lord Jesus and trust in His care for you.
~Ellie

Thursday, June 16, 2016

... Having FORGIVEN you ALL trespasses.

" Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to HIS cross." Colossians 2:14

Do you ever find yourself unworthy of God's love? Do you ever see yourself a sinner?  

Sometimes our sin is so evident... that we can see our wickedness quite plainly... no one has to tell us we've wronged God in our actions. 

And yet, there are times when we may be unaware of our sin. It may be that we've compromised so much that we are immune to it.... we don't see our proud look, or we may not be aware of the words that come out of our mouths. Sometimes we may even fall prey to doing something that makes "life" easier for us by being dishonest in one form or another.

The truth is that we are all sinners. All of us have sinned. We all have to fight against the flesh. 

And yet, had it not been for God's precious love, we would all have remained dead in our sins. 

" And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, 
hath He quickened together with HIM, 
having forgiven you all trespasses." 
Col 2:13

So I found myself one afternoon reading through Colossians... what joy, what comfort to know I've been forgiven!  

The Lord Jesus Christ - Colossians 2: 13,14,15 
... forgave all my trespasses,
... blotted out the ordinances that was against me, 
... took all my sins out of the way,
... and nailed  them to His cross,
... while making a show of them openly,
... and triumphing over them in it.

Oh, how I should praise Him! I am humbled that Christ Jesus would die for me, have mercy and remember my sins no more. What a Saviour!

" For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, 
and their sins and their iniquities 
will I remember no more." 
Hebrews 8:12

Holy Father, Thank you for your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who has broken down the middle wall of partition between us. How thankful we are that we have been forgiven of our trespasses and that the Lord Jesus has abolished in His flesh the enmity, bringing peace to us. 

May you be encouraged today to thank God for His goodness to you... in offering forgiveness of sins through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
~Ellie

Thursday, June 9, 2016

... I will STAND on the TOP of the hill...

"... I will stand ON THE TOP of the hill with the ROD of GOD in mine hand." Exodus 17:9

Do you ever find yourself in moments of fear, struggles, discouragements, oppositions from all sides? Sometimes we find ourselves so deep in our thoughts that we forget that we have a SHEPHERD who by HIS ROD comforts us in all our trials.

I was so encouraged a couple of days ago when I read the verse in Exodus where Joshua was fighting Amalek... and there Moses raised the "rod of God" to prevail against the enemy. 

I thought about the ROD, representing our God, the great I AM... our stronghold.

Isn't it wonderful to be able to raise and trust in the WORD of GOD as our ROD? 

The great I AM can fight our enemies... and prevail against them.   

Yes, indeed our Shepherd, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, comforts, guides and drives away all our fears... because HE protects us from all evil.

And we also know that when Moses' hands were heavy... Aaron and Hur interceded by holding them up... and Moses' hands were steady. 

" But Moses' hands were heavy: 
and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; 
and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, 
the one on one side, and the other on the other side, 
and his hands were steady 
until the going down of the sun." 
Exodus 17:12

How wonderful to know that we too can ease the "heaviness"  and intercede for those around us who are heavy in spirit and fighting battles of their own.  

PSALM 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: 
He that keepeth thee will not slumber.
Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD is thy keeper: 
the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: 
He shall preserve thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in 
from this time forth, and even for evermore. 


Heavenly Father, Thank you for being the great I AM in our lives, Thank you for preserving our souls from all evil. We trust in your power and faithfulness to accomplish your purpose and will in our lives for your glory. Help us to raise the rod of your Word continually as we face the many battles that come our way. 

May you be encouraged today to lift up God's name and His promises... for yourself and others. 
~Ellie

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Let us put on the armor of LIGHT...

" Owe no man anything, but to love one another..." Romans 13:8

These past several weeks have been weeks of growth for me. Weeks that have marked my life with a renewed adoration for my LORD and my GOD. I have been in awe to see the presence of my LORD in my life. 

It isn't that I haven't seen God's power in the past, far from it... but these several weeks have been so special to me... because God is answering my deepest prayer... that He would increase my faith.

I don't know about you, but I find myself like the disciples... in need of having the Lord increase my faith. Because I know how easily I can falter, how easily I can stumble, how easily I can lose my focus... all because I look unto the things of this world, the vain things that mean nothing in the scheme of eternal life. 

So these past several weeks I have seen the Lord work in my life in ways that have simply amazed me. 

He gave peace in the midst of sorrow...
He answered when all was "hopeless" according to man,
He made His power known to the amazement of all involved... accomplishing His perfect will.
He increased my faith in a God that keeps His promises.

Yes, His WORD is truth... "ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

And through this all, I'm finding how important it is to live our lives filled with love from above. 
I have seen how important it is to be "dressed" with the armour of LIGHT... and owe no man anything... but LOVE. 

LOVE from above covers over a multitude of sins. 
LOVE from above melts the heart of stone. 
LOVE from above works no ill to his neighbor.
LOVE from above looks beyond self and cares for the needs of others.
LOVE from above is made perfect in us when we abide in CHRIST.
LOVE from above casts out fear.
LOVE from above is the fulfillment of the law.

God is LOVE. He that dwelleth in LOVE dwelleth in GOD and God in him. (1 John 4:16)

"...because AS HE IS so ARE WE  in this world." (1 John 4:17)

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ and that through Him we can live. Help us to be filled with love from above, that we might bring glory to you. We are so thankful for your Word, that it is truth. Help us to be grounded in your Word. Work in our hearts that we would desire to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

" But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and make no provision for the flesh
to fulfill the lusts thereof." 
Romans 13:14

May you be encouraged to walk in humbleness of heart and to desire His Word above all else...
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

~Ellie