Seek

"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, have never abandoned anyone who searches for you." Psalm 9:10 (NLT) 

We are all seeking for something.  For some it is happiness.  For some, peace.  For some, fortune or fame, recognition for who we are, someone special, someone unique.  We all want to be important.  We all want our lives to mean something.  Many don't even care what it means as long as they don't fade into oblivion.  They act out, show off, cave in, or give up.  Some strike out and do horrible things.  For their five seconds of fame...

This world is a mixed up self centered place for most people.  They have no purpose or direction, no reason for their existence, no peace.  There is a saying that most of you have heard or seen on a bumper sticker.  "No Jesus, No Peace.  Know Jesus, Know Peace."

Jesus came to seek and save the lost.  That is all of us.  Without Him, we don't know what to do when something tragic occurs.  Without Him, we struggle and grasp and try to cope with all of the cruelty, injustice, violence, and sadness in the world. Without Him, we become depressed, confused, hopeless, useless.

Through Jesus, we have everything!  Without Him, nothing.  No matter how little or much you have, you have nothing without Him.  No matter how little or much you do, you have nothing without Him.  We won't find real happiness, true peace, new hope, or our life's meaning without Him.   We need to stop looking in all the wrong places for the answers to the questions that we have.  We need to seek answers from the only source of truth, and love, and peace, and hope that really exists in the world.

"Everything was created through him; nothing—not one thing!— came into being without him. What came into existence was Life, and the Life was Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out."  John 1:3 (The Message)

"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."  Jeremiah 29:11-13 (The Message)

"My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live Him. You're deeply rooted in Him. You're well constructed upon Him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving. Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that's not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in Him, so you can see and hear Him clearly. You don't need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without Him. When you come to Him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything."  Colossians 2:7-9 (The Message)

"Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long;  we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:34-39 (NIV)

Dear Lord,  Thank you for what You have done for us.  Thank you that nothing shall ever separate us from Your love.

Image courtesy of Photobucket.com. 

This is the Land of the Truly Free...

Please watch the You Tube video also posted today entitled "Did you Feel the Mountains Tremble?" and worship the Lord.  Open up the door and let the music play.  Let the music penetrate your heart and bring you to His throne room.  And then read these verses all of the way through.  Let them speak to you and change you and make you truly free.

"'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,' says the Lord, who has compassion on you." Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)  

Psalm 34

¹ I bless God every chance I get;
  my lungs expand with his praise.

 ² I live and breathe God;

   if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

 ³ Join me in spreading the news;

   together let's get the word out.

 ⁴ God met me more than halfway,

   he freed me from my anxious fears.

 ⁵ Look at him; give him your warmest smile.

   Never hide your feelings from him.

 ⁶ When I was desperate, I called out,

   and God got me out of a tight spot.

 ⁷ God's angel sets up a circle

   of protection around us while we pray.

 ⁸ Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—

         how good God is.

   Blessed are you who run to him.

 ⁹ Worship God if you want the best;

   worship opens doors to all his goodness.

 ¹⁰ Young lions on the prowl get hungry,

   but God-seekers are full of God.

 ¹¹ Come, children, listen closely;

   I'll give you a lesson in God worship.

 ¹² Who out there has a lust for life?

   Can't wait each day to come upon beauty?

 ¹³ Guard your tongue from profanity,

   and no more lying through your teeth.

 ¹⁴ Turn your back on sin; do something good.

   Embrace peace—don't let it get away!

 ¹⁵ God keeps an eye on his friends,

   his ears pick up every moan and groan.

 ¹⁶ God won't put up with rebels;

   he'll cull them from the pack.

 ¹⁷ Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,

   ready to rescue you.

 ¹⁸ If your heart is broken, you'll find God right there;

   if you're kicked in the gut, he'll help you catch your breath.

 ¹⁹ Disciples so often get into trouble;

   still, God is there every time.

 ²⁰ He's your bodyguard, shielding every bone;

   not even a finger gets broken.

 ²¹ The wicked commit slow suicide;

   they waste their lives hating the good.

 ²² God pays for each slave's freedom;

   no one who runs to him loses out.  (The Message)

"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;  they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:21-23 (ESV)

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."  John 8:36 (ESV)

Amen to that!  Have a wonderful weekend and a blessed Thanksgiving holiday!  "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.  His love endures forever."  1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)

Photo courtesy of Photobucket.com.

The Hope of the World

"Nothing and no one is holy like God, no rock mountain like our God. Don't dare talk pretentiously—not a word of boasting, ever! For God knows what's going on. He takes the measure of everything that happens. The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces, while the weak are infused with fresh strength. The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts, while the hungry are getting second helpings. The barren woman has a houseful of children, while the mother of many is bereft.  God brings death and God brings life, brings down to the grave and raises up. God brings poverty and God brings wealth; he lowers, he also lifts up.  He puts poor people on their feet again; he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, restoring dignity and respect to their lives—a place in the sun! For the very structures of earth are God's; he has laid out his operations on a firm foundation. He protectively cares for his faithful friends, step by step, but leaves the  wicked to stumble in the dark. No one makes it in this life by sheer muscle! God's enemies will be blasted out of the sky,  crashed in a heap and burned. God will set things right all over the earth, he'll give strength to his king, he'll set his anointed on top of the world!"  1 Samuel 6:5-7 (The Message)

"Pay attention, my people. Listen to me, nations. Revelation flows from me. My decisions light up the world. My deliverance arrives on the run, my salvation right on time. I'll bring justice to the peoples. Even faraway islands will look to me and take hope in my saving power. Look up at the skies, ponder the earth under your feet. The skies will fade out like smoke, the earth will wear out like work pants, and the people will die off like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my setting-things-right will never be obsolete."  Isaiah 51:4  (The Message)

"Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face."  Job 13:15 (NIV)

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence." Psalm 42:5 (NASB)

"For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.   Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:24-28 (ESV)

The Lord is My Shepherd

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever. (NIV)

Dear Lord, Thank you that You are ever with us, through the valleys, beside still waters, and on stormy seas. Thank you for Your comfort, Your restoration, Your righteousness, Your provision.