Lo, I am with you ALWAYS, even unto the end of the world...

" The LORD your GOD which goeth before you, HE shall fight for you..." 

Deuteronomy 1:30

How often I am reminded of my weaknesses... it's not easy to face defeat or to see the flesh take control of actions or thoughts. This past week I saw myself succumb to the flesh... because I wanted to get my way ultimately. In reality, I went ahead in my own strength and placed God second. It didn't go well...

I repented and God in HIS mercy reached out to me and made me see that even when I fail, HIS compassions never faileth. Even when I falter in my faith, GREAT is HIS faithfulness.

He is just to forgive.

And while struggling with my failure, I was encouraged while reading through Deuteronomy that God is ultimately the One who goes before us and fights for us.

We are to be reminded of HIS faithfulness to us. All we have to do is to look in the past and see HIS mighty hand of protection over us. God never forsakes His own... even in the "wilderness" we often find ourselves in.

The "wilderness"... a desolate place, a place of fear. A place where others are bigger and stronger than us. A a place where we fear being defeated by the things around us. A place where discouraging words can paralyze us.

That's what the Israelites struggled with:

" Our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, 

The people is greater and taller than we; 
The cities are great and walled up to heaven;

 And moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there." 

Deut. 1:28  

But the "wilderness" doesn't have to be a place of fear. It can be a place of growth. A place where our faith gets strengthened. A place where God works in us... and through us.

We need not murmur or rebel against God's work and will for our lives.

Yes, God's ways can be painful. Yes, His perfect plan for us may not be what we desire. But trusting that HE knows what's best will make us rejoice even in the midst of sorrow.

" As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing... " 

2 Corinthians 6:10

And through my reading in Deuteronomy, I came upon verse 31... where God paints such a beautiful illustration of HIS Fatherly love to HIS children.

" And in the wilderness 
Where thou hast seen how that the LORD THY GOD bare thee, 

As a man doth bear his son, 

In all the way that ye went..."

 Deut. 1:31

I could not but thank Him for His great mercy shown to me in the verse... a reminder that His compassions never fail.

HE is with us ... ALWAYS... even unto the end of the world. What a wonderful promise!

May you trust the Heavenly Father today... that HE is faithful and just to forgive, a present help in time of need.  

~Ellie

With JOY shall ye draw water out of the wells of SALVATION...

" Blessed is the man whose strength is in THEE... 

who passing through the valley of weeping make it a well." 

Psalm 84: 5,6.

Have you ever read through Isaiah and found the small chapter in the midst of  the book? Chapter 12. Such a small chapter... only 6 verses. But chapter 12 was such a blessing to me when I read through it this past week.

I was encouraged to find so much "food for the soul" in the small chapter. A chapter that reminds us of God's goodness towards us... of His strength and salvation that comforts us... of the hope we have in the ONE who has done excellent things.  

But I was especially touched by one verse in particular:

" Therefore with JOY shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." 

Isaiah 12:3

My thoughts went to the well known passage found in John 4... where Jesus talks with the Samaritan woman at the well. There the LORD explains the true meaning of drawing water from the well. Not the physical water that shall make a man thirsty again...but a living water that shall satisfy. For eternity.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who gives us the water of salvation.. and He promises us that the water HE gives will spring in us a well of salvation:

"Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."  

John 4:14

Isn't that beautiful! What joy, to draw our strength from the living water found in HIM alone.

Then I thought of a couple of  verses, which made me think a bit. Made me think... because I often fail to apply them.

The verses are found in Psalm 84:5,6

" Blessed is the man whose strength is in THEE...who passing through the valley of weeping make it a well."

Now, I thought about the verse. Do I turn the moments of  "weeping"... into moments of joy?

How often I find myself in the midst of trials (or in the "valley"), and succumb to the surroundings... fretfulness, fearfulness, hopelessness. I fail to see those  moments as God's pruning, His grace....as He works to perfect that which is needful in my life.

O, to turn the valley of weeping into a well of joy.... and to praise Him. 

" Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for GREAT is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." 

Isaiah 12: 6. 

HE is in the midst of me.

And so, I was encouraged to trust my Heavenly Father to be my strength... to help me turn the "valley of weeping"  into a well that springs forth in joyfulness... only through HIS help. 

May you draw with JOY from the LIVING water today....

~Ellie

O, LORD... Thou hast redeemed my life.

" And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion,

THOU ART MY PEOPLE."

 Isaiah 51:16

Looking to start memorizing another set of verses, I was drawn to a few verses in Lamentations that are very familiar to many of us...  verses that speak of God's faithfulness and mercies towards us His people.

I need to be reminded that God's mercies are new to me ... EVERY morning. It becomes so easy for me to dwell on the past... or the future... and look with fear, disappointment, discontentment and even unthankfulness... and forget His faithfulness. 

God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes!

His mercies are new every single morning... and that's enough to give us hope in our Creator who knows what we need for the day. No need to look back at  the past or fear the future. God's compassion never fails. It sustains us for the moment. And His mercies are renewed every day. What hope! 

So I felt it necessary to re-learn verses that have been of great comfort to me in the past... but somehow been "forgotten". 

I think it's of utmost importance to recall to mind my Lord's faithfulness to me... and my need to place all hope in HIM who is merciful... each and every morning.

I need to start EVERY day right... in thankfulness;

... to the ONE who is always faithful. 

... to the ONE who has redeemed my life. 

... to the ONE who draws near to me when I call out to Him.

" This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope. 

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 

They are new every morning: 

Great is Thy faithfulness. 

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him. 

The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. 

It is good that a man should both hope and wait for the salvation of the LORD.

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."

Lamentations 3:21-26; 57,58     

May you be reminded today of God's faithfulness to you ... and that His compassions are new EVERY morning.

~Ellie

Come Ye, and let us walk in the LIGHT of the LORD...

" Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; 

Cease to do evil; Learn to do well..." Isaiah 1: 16-17

These past few days I've been meditating on a few verses in the book of Isaiah. Having just started reading through the first chapter, I found God's holiness and just character displayed in such powerful words. And it made me think...

God tells us how tired He is of our vain oblations(or offerings). He's tired of our ritual sacrifices that have no meaning to Him. He's tired of our prayers before Him... our "sacrifices" are iniquity before Him.

" Bring no more vain oblations... the new moons and sabbaths... it is iniquity. Appointed feasts my soul hateth, they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. When you make many prayers I will not hear them. Your hands are full of blood." 

Isaiah 1:13-15

The words sound harsh. God doesn't want to hear us. He doesn't want our sacrifices.

When reading through the chapter, I thought how easily we can go over these words. It doesn't pertain to us. It's the Lord's judgement on Judah.  

But no. It pertains to us as well. To me.

How many times we fall in the trap of doing things... for traditions sake, to appease our conscience, or because certain things are required of us. And our heart is not in it. We go to church, because we "have to". We read our bibles because we "need to".  We offer our services because it is "required" of us.

But God  knows our hearts. 

Do we truly honor God with our sacrifices... or are they merely a cover-up.

And then I read further. God doesn't require too much of us. He just wants us to cease from doing evil.... and learn to do well.

Learn to do well. 

How do we learn? I immediately thought of the verse in Matthew:

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart... "

Matthew 11:29

What a beautiful example to follow. The Lord Jesus Christ. Humble. Lowly. Meek.

Interestingly God doesn't require pompous sacrifices. He desires that we be humble before Him. That we put away evil. 

"... but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my WORD." Isaiah 66:2

Oh, Lord make us humble. Help us to walk in the light of your WORD.

"If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." 

Isaiah 1:19 

May you be encouraged to learn of Him... to walk in obedience to His word.

  

~ Ellie

The voice of my BELOVED!, behold HE cometh...

" I sat down under HIS shadow with great delight, and HIS fruit was sweet to my taste." Song of Solomon 2:3

This past week my husband and I were talking about various passages in the Bible and at one point in our conversation we ended up talking about Zacchaeus. 

I thought about Zacchaeus and of his desire to know more about the man Lord Jesus. To refresh my memory I went to the passage in Luke 19 and reread the account. And what a blessing it was...

Zacchaeus. Chief among the publicans. Rich.

And yet he desired to know who Jesus was. But because of the press, and because of his small stature, he wasn't able to see Jesus. Yet, he didn't give up. 

He ran.. and climbed a sycomore tree.... for he knew the Lord was to pass  that way.

As I was reading the passage, I stopped to think about Zacchaeus and how much he desired to see Jesus. He went out of his way to make time to see the LORD. And he ran to climb the tree, making sure he could get a good view of Jesus.... and not miss His coming. I am sure Zacchaeus was a busy man, being chief of publicans. But he cared not what others thought of him. Seeing the Lord Jesus was more important to him.... even above his riches.

And then I thought of my own life. How do I seek the LORD? Do I run to know more of Him... through His word, through fellowship with Him in prayer? Do I place the things of the world second... and make my time with the LORD a delight... tasting the sweet fruit of HIS word?

My thoughts then stopped a bit as I read further through the passage. Oh, the LORD's beautiful calling to Zacchaeus, 

" Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house." 

Luke 19:5

I thought of the Lord's calling to HIS own... how He calls us too. His desire is to dwell with us, that we might taste the sweet fellowship of His presence in our house.

Zacchaeus' response was so beautiful to see. His obedience to the calling of the LORD: 

He made haste. He came down. He received Him joyfully. His earthly riches were transformed... in knowing the riches of the LORD'S saving grace. 

Oh, what a precious example... that we should hear the BELOVED's voice calling... and heed His beckoning. 

Lord, help me to seek you above all else....to hear your voice. Let nothing hinder your coming in my house. 

" For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." 

Luke 19:10 

May you know the sweet fellowship of the LORD in your own house.

 ~Ellie 

For by Grace are Ye saved... it is the gift of GOD.

" The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. " Ephesians 1:18,19

Thankful to the Heavenly Father for His great gift of salvation to me. 

Today, in my time set apart for memorizing verses from Ephesians 1, I found great peace. 

What great assurance to know that God chose me before the foundation of the world to believe on His Son Jesus Christ. Father, I thank you for revealing your Son to me.

A purchased possession, through the blood of His Son. I'm sealed through His Spirit... forever am His. 

Chosen of Thee

Thank you O Father for Thy gift of salvation,

In Christ we are holy and found without blame.

Ours are the spiritual blessings in heavenly places,

And humbly we bow with praise to Thy name.

*

Our adoption as sons was predestined before,

Thou loved us in Christ, and giveth all things.

Chosen by Thee, made children of God,

Our heart in adoration now joyously sings.

*

Twas your good pleasure that we would be saved,

The eyes being enlightened, made able to see.

Thou drew us to Thee and called us by name.

Redeemed, forgiven all glory to Thee.

*

Bought by the blood of Thy Son, Jesus Christ

Our inheritance in heaven shall not fade away.

Sealed with Thy Spirit, your promise to us,

Awaiting redemption for that glorious day.

~Ellie 7/14/14

May you too know the greatness of His power, His love, His saving grace.
~Ellie

For we are to GOD the fragrance of CHRIST...

" For this cause I bow my knees unto the FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST... that HE would grant you according to the riches of HIS GLORY, to be strengthened with might by HIS SPIRIT in the inner man." Ephesians 3: 14, 16.

As I've started memorizing yet another section of God's Word, I've been dwelling much on how we've been immensely blessed through the LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

Sometimes I don't meditate enough on the great and marvelous work of our LORD Jesus Christ.... and what abundant spiritual blessings we have through HIM! 

I realize no access could be gained to the Father in heaven... had it not been for His Son. And that alone requires our love and praise.

Just overwhelmed with God's love. That's where I've been all week... dwelling and thinking about God's love poured forth to me, a sinner. So unworthy of His love, but ever so thankful for His mercy!

The verses I'm memorizing in Ephesians 1 relate extensively the position we have in Christ. We've been redeemed and reconciled to the Father:

"... who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." 

"... predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ."

"... in whom we have redemption through His blood."

"... that He might gather together in one all things in Christ."

Can you imagine that? God blessed us with ALL spiritual blessings. 

But then I thought about how the blessings were even made possible. It had to be through JESUS alone... " no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6.

And in His coming down on earth from glory... the Lord Jesus Christ took upon Himself the form of man. Interestingly, He didn't choose the nature of angels... but of mere man. (Hebrews 2:16)

He chose to be like us. What meekness. What humbleness.

"Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. " 

Hebrews 2:17

"... that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Hebrews 2:9  

And then, through His death, we could be redeemed... and given the adoption of sonship.

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." 

Galatians 3:26

Redeemed. Children of God. In Christ Jesus. What marvelous grace... unmerited! 

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." 

1 John 3:1

And so, I thank my Heavenly Father for His love to me... for the access I  have to His throne of mercy offered through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Boldly I approach the heavenly throne to find grace and mercy in time of need. 

  

May you know the love of the Heavenly Father... who hath blessed us with ALL spiritual blessings IN Christ Jesus.

~Ellie