Scripture for Memory and Mediation #18 AUTUMN

Isaiah 55:12 NIV

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field with clap their hands."

Okay, this may seem trivial, but I turn 50 this month. One day I'm at peace with this changing season or my life and the next I want to hold it at bay. As the earth season is now changing from summer to fall, I feel in a sense that my life is going from summer to fall. I have never worried about a birthday before this one and I have been determined for the past 350 plus days (since turning 49) that I would not succumb to being blue over this one. I don't fear death or anything like that, I'm just seeing this birthday as a real change of season for me and I've had a few bouts of the blues. Praise God though, He is faithful to lift me out of this place quickly.

I've always loved this scripture, Isaiah 55:12, because it speaks of joy and hope in change. God first laid this Word on my heart when I left my hometown to move with my husband's job promotion. I looked at it as a God adventure.

Even as I'm writing this and thoughts of this becoming the autumn of my life, I am reminded that every day for the past two weeks with cooler weather I've exclaimed that I love the fall and I love the change of season. I think God may be trying to tell me something. (Big smile)

Maybe this autumn season is going to be my most favorite of all since it is my most favorite season in the earth cycle. Today, I go outside and stand in the fall weather and lift up my head to the heavens and exclaim, I will go out, from the spring and summer seasons of my life, with joy and in the presence of my loving Father, I am being led forth in peace. This will be a most joyful season and the mountains and hills will burst into song before me and the trees of the field will clap their hands.

I love autumn!

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #17

Psalm 62:5-6 NIV

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Fortress, I will not be shaken."

In a world full of turmoil, in our lives full of turmoil we often try to find solace, direction, counsel, or guidance from those around us and they may or may not be able to give us some comfort, some guidance, some encouragement. Ultimately though, they will not be able to meet the deepest needs within us.

I and my family have had to walk through many journeys over the years that have been trying and at times devastating; probably no more than anyone else has had to endure. Individually and as a family we have been immensely blessed to have the love, support, encouragement, and counsel of godly friends. But when push comes to shove and our back is against the wall, there is no other like the Lord, my Rock, my Salvation, my Fortress.

When I used the word “endure” in a preceding paragraph, it short changes the experiences. Yes, we do endure, but we also have the opportunity to grow in our own faith and trust in God. We go beyond leaning on the faith of our faith-strong friends and family to a place of leaning on our Father in a very personal and intimate way. If we press into Him and His Word, we will find He is faithful, loving, and sovereign. In fact, He is the epitome of faithfulness, love, and sovereignty. I have found Him to be these and in this I have found I can trust Him and His work in and through life’s circumstances. He has never left me nor forsaken me. Through the trials of life, He has taken the situation, the issues, the pain, the brokenness and transformed me to the very core of my person and character. He has comforted me in His love, He has weeded out things that needed weeding out of my life and character, He has grown more of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in me, He has been my guide through the turbulent waters, He is my God and my Friend.

I have found my rest in Him, my hope in Him. He is my Rock, my Salvation, my fortress and in Him I will not be shaken. Glory to God!

If you are traveling in rough waters presently, run to Him as if running into a fortress from your enemy. Lean into Him as John leaned upon His chest at the last supper. Rest in Him as Elijah did after His confrontation with the priests of Baal. You will find His agape love, His endless faithfulness, and His royal sovereignty!

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #16

1 John 3:1 NIV

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

I just love this verse. It has always made me feel so precious when I read it, almost like a princess. I'm honestly not the princess type, but this verse makes me feel that way.

Our Father, Heavenly Father, loves each one of us so much that His desire is to lavish His love on us. Lavish meaning, abundant, profuse, generous, excessive. Synonyms: extravagant, liberal, shower, heap on, unsparing, magnanimous. Are you starting to feel it? He wants to shower His love on us excessively, extravagantly.

I used the phrase above indicating that this was His desire, but in fact this scripture says, "He HAS lavished His love on us." He has already and continues to lavish His love on us. Sometimes we just get so wrapped up in our world, our problems (and granted many of the problems people experience are tragic and heart-breaking), our busyness, and even ourselves, that we tragically miss seeing this lavish love. Our pain has calloused our hearts, our busyness has swept right passed it, ourselves have been all-consuming and didn't allow room for Him.

I'm encouraging you today to stop where you are and focus on His love that He is lavishing on you...His love in the gift of salvation, in the spiritually abundant life He wants to give you, in those relationships of those close to you, in nature, in your needs being met, in the precious gift of the indwelling presence of Holy Spirit. I could go on and on and on...but I hope you get the point.

He has and is lavishly pouring His love on you and on me. Sometimes, we just have to take the time to refocus-stop focusing on the negatives and even legitimate pain, and focus on Him. I speak/write from experience.

I hope you begin to feel like a princess (or prince, if any guys are reading this) today as you recognize the extravagant love that has been lavished on you.

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #15

Psalm 57:2 NIV

“I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who fulfills His purpose for me.”

Just the Word I needed.

I've been going through somewhat of a funk lately.

Hate to admit it, but it's true.

I needed to be reminded, as God does most every day, that He does, indeed, have His purposes for my life and
He will fulfill them.

Speak, Lord, in Your perfect timing for Your servant listens with great anticipation. I surrender All to Jesus, I surrender ALL.

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #14

Psalm 63:3-4 NIV

"Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.
I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift of up hands."

Post coming....

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #13

Psalm 16:11 "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy."

"You will show me the path of life..."
Who doesn't want to know the "path of life" as set out by God? Wouldn't we all love to see the path of our life? Our Father has made that path know to us in part through His Word. In Psalms He reminds us that His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Rarely has He given me long-term details, but He does guide me and show me the way bit by bit as I seek His heart on the matters of my life and as I obey Him in the step I'm on. Of course, there are times when I'd like the light to shine a little farther down the path and show me what's ahead, but there is an element of faith involved in trusting Him, in trusting His love for me in what's ahead and trusting that He's provided all I need for the next steps. He has always proven to be faithful in His love and plan for me and those I love.

"In Your presence is fullness of joy."
My Father's Word tells me that joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit, His Spirit that lives in and through me. He also tells me that my joy in Him is my strength in this life.

So what is joy? My Oxford Dictionary and Thesaurus says this of joy, "pleasure; extreme gladness. Delight, elation, ecstacy, rapture, bliss, happiness, enjoyment, glee, treasure."

Let me interject these in the scripture, "In Your presence is fullness of

[pleasure,
extreme gladness,
delight,
elation,
ecstacy,
rapture,
bliss,
happiness,
enjoyment,
glee,
treasure]."

Are these not two incredibly encouraging and stimulating promises from our Father, to show us the path of life and to fill us with the fullness of joy in His presence?

Can I encourage you to get away and spend some time devoted solely for you and Your Father to be alone. That may be in your prayer closet, a garden, the mountains, your car, a park, a room with the door closed, whereever you can find that time to simply sit at His feet as Mary did.

Worship Him,
Love Him,
Enjoy Him.

I pray that as you spend this time in His presence without the distractions of your world that you cling to His promise to receive the fullness of His joy.

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust Him and He will do this." Psalm 37:4 - 5

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #12

Psalm 62:8 NIV
"Trust in Him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."

There are times in our lives when we are surrounded by a great host of friends and family. Some of those are so precious and allow us the latitude in friendship to pour out our hearts to them. There are times that that's what we need because it's like a relief valve and the stresses, pain, and pressures are released in being able to share our heart with someone who cares.

Other times we are alone or at least it seems that way. In these times, the stresses, pain, and pressures expand within us so much that we think we are going to burst for lack of being able to release them.

As children of God and Christ followers we know that He is there and cherishes His children pouring out our hearts to Him so that He may pour out His heart to us. But often, we forget that because we need or want someone in the flesh to help us through.

When God had me "stumble" onto this Word, I stood back and spiritually shook my head at myself. He invites us to pour out of our hearts to Him. He is the ultimate friend and listener and really He is THE ONE WITH THE ANSWERS; He is our refuge. I'm just now reminded of the old hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". I am a great lover of Contemporary Christian music and also Praise and Worship music, but having grown up in church the lyrics of the foundational hymns seem to always come to mind to remind me of the truths I've know all my life.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Lyrics: Joseph M. Scriven

"What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer! In his arms he'll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there."

Excuse me now, I think Jesus and I have an overdue appointment.

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #11

Psalm 25:10-11 NIV

"All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant. For the sake of Your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great."

"All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant."

Loving and Faithful...what a precious gift we have received in our God. When life is a challenge, when hopes are dashed, when questions go unanswered...Our God remains Loving and Faithful. Hold on to it, cling to it, stand on it. Even when you may not feel it or see it in your circumstances...it remains true. He sees and knows the beginning from the end and He, in His sovereignty and in His love for you, sees the big picture and will work all things out for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28).

"For the sake of Your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great."

Because His grace flows so generously, I too often forget how great even my "smaller" sins are against His holiness and purity. I understand that God doesn't see sin in degrees, but in our human minds we see the consequences of our sin in degrees. But my sins, whatever they are, are set against the backdrop of His holiness and purity not against my concept of sin.

Picture this:

In the beginning a canvas covered with these-the holiness and purity of Almighty God; not a flaw or impurity in it. Then...SPLASH across this pristine canvas our sins...anger, envy, coveteousness, bitterness, lies, laziness, neglect of His temple...careless, hateful, or judgmental words, self-focus, prayerlessness, grumbling, idolatry, ungratefulness, waster of God given time...and so much more.Do our sins not stand out in glaring contrast-ugly and painful? Now picture Jesus stepping into the scene and draping the ugliness with a red cloth symbolizing His blood sacrifice covering our sin.

Precious Jesus, THANK YOU!

Scripture for Memory and Mediation #10

Matthew 12: 34-35
"For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him."

Our words reveal much about us.

I heard a lady say that our words and actions come from the premeditations of our heart and mind. I like that phrase. What are we allowing our minds to think? We have the power to control our thoughts and, therefore, we can control our words. I believe this because Jesus continues as He tells us in Matthew 12:36 "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." We would not be accountable if we did not have the ability to choose and take control of our thoughts and words.

If our words are not revealing the good of God stored in us, what are we thinking about? I have been trying very hard to monitor my thoughts. When I realize a string of thoughts are marinating in my mind that are not inspired by God, but inspired by the enemy or inspired by my flesh, I am trying to intentionally take them captive, putting a halt to them. I'm finding that it's not nearly as hard as you would think.

When Jesus said that our words reveal the overflow of our heart, He is speaking of all our words. Words spoken to someone, about someone, to ourselves, or about ourselves. There's enough in that last line to bleed into another post, but it will have to wait.

Again, Lord, May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be pleasing [exceedingly pleasing] in your sight O Lord, my ROCK and my REDEEMER. Psalm 19:14

Father, I thank You for Your correction and direction in my life. I thank You that You love me enough to send Your Spirit to reveal to me anything, everything in my life that is not pleasing to You-"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way, everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #9

Psalm 26: 3-4
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You.
Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the ROCK eternal.”

Sometimes there are just seasons of pain, worry, turmoil, fear, or unrest in our lives. I am going through one of those presently. Some issues have been brought to me that have unsettled my spirit.

In my past, I would have prayed, fretted, prayed and fretted. As I've journey along with my LORD, I have hopefully matured in my faith and over the many years I've walked with Him, I pray more than fret. PRAISE GOD. I am crying out to God in faith, hope, and trust...IN HIM.

Last night when another situation was brought to my watchman spirit, I rushed to the Father and have been standing in my trust of Him every moment. When the enemy tries to come in and shake me, I am running to the LORD, the LORD, who is the ROCK eternal.

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #8

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Just a brief moment to post concerning scripture number 8.

I do believe that satan, my enemy, uses my thoughts to cause more havoc, defeat, and destruction in my life. First the thought then the actions follow. Proverbs 23:7 says, "As a man thinketh (KJV) in his heart, so is he."

To take our thoughts captive requires a conscious, deliberate, purposed action. I want my thoughts to be pleasing to my Father (Psalms 19:14), I want my thoughts to be true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), and I want my thoughts to be of victory and life through Jesus not defeat (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Father, help me to recognize and be aware of the weak places in my armor where satan attacks my thoughts and in that awareness and in my choice to be obedient to you, help me to take every thought captive. All to Your glory and my freedom and victory!

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #7

Colossians 3:12 NIV
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."

Every morning we get up, wash our face, shower, "put on our makeup", "put on our clothes" and begin our day. Have you ever considered how much time we spend doing our makeup, hair, clothes, jewelry etc. so that we look good? For various reasons we sometimes have to go through this routine more than once a day. We put a lot of effort into clothing ourselves and there's nothing wrong with wanting to look your best.

However, God wants us to also clothe ourselves with the things that are of lasting value, things of true worth-

compassion
kindness
humility
gentleness
and patience

When these things drape our lives, we are moving outside ourselves and touching the lives that cross our paths each day. We are bringing God pleasure. Can you imagine for a minute what it means to bring God pleasure?

At the end of our lives, or even at the end of the day, will people remember the outfit we were wearing or will they remember that we had compassion for others, were kind to those around us, that we were sacrificially humble instead of selfish, arrogant and proud, or that we were gentle and patient when it was hard? Will they wonder were we bought our stylish clothes or will they wonder about the God that makes this difference in our lives? I hope the latter.

Each morning as we "put our outer trappings on to look our best" why don't we start a new habit of praying through our morning routine...

Brush my teeth and and pray for God to give me a spirit of compassion and to
notice those in need.

Comb my hair and pray for God to comb
kindness into the way I treat others.

Wash my face and ask God to wash away every trace of selfishness or arrogance from my life and instead fill me with a humble heart.

While gently putting on my jewelry, ask God to help me to be gentle rather than harsh or demanding.

As I put my clothes on pray for God to weave patience into the testings and
irritations that come into my day.

And why do we do all of this? Because we are God's CHOSEN people and we are holy and dearly loved by Almighty God, Creator of all things, The King of Kings.

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #6

Isaiah 50:4 NIV
"The Sovereign LORD has given me an
instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught."

My husband says I've been blessed by God to be "a listener." He says people have always come out of the woodwork to talk to me about life issues and
sometimes just to talk. I rarely go to the grocery store without a stranger
stopping to talk to me about something from "what isle is the olive oil on?
And then continues with "my wife sent me to the grocery store and I'd better come home with the right stuff. We've been married for 53 years and she is the love of my life. We met..." I've been sitting at the doctors office when someone starts telling me about their painful memories of serving in WW II or Vietnam. Often people come to me to share their struggles and
want a word from me from the heart of God.

I don't say this in arrogance as I have too often carried the many burdens brought to me until I learned to release them to God. It just seems to be an area where God has me serve Him and I'm thankful to serve Him this way. I used to worry that I might have directed someone wrongly or that I didn't fully understand the issue, and then God gave me this Word from Isaiah 50:4. I now pray to have an instructed tongue, to know the Word from God to sustain the weary.

All to His Glory!

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #5

Today's Scripture:
Psalm 16:7 (NASB)
"I will bless the LORD who has counseled me;
indeed, my mind instructs me in the night."

As someone who has bouts of not being able to sleep at night this scripture has meant a lot to me. For anyone who has struggled through a sleepless night, you know how the mind is assaulted. Sometimes it's assaulted with worry or fear, fretting or even planning out the next day; sometimes it's just a mangle of thoughts hitting you from all sides with no rhyme or reason. It is encouraging that I can hold to this promise that my LORD will counsel me and instruct my thoughts in the night. I don't have to succumb to the assault. Thank you Jesus!

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #4

Today's Scripture:
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I Am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland."

This little daffodil in my yard today was a first sign of the coming spring.
It brings to mind His "new thing springing up" in our lives. Seeing the first bulbs peeking up through the soil each year makes me all excited to get to work in my flowerbeds. I start dreaming about what I'll plant and how beautiful they will look with all the colors and smells of the different flowers. This is only a hint of the feelings I should have when I think about God doing a new thing in my life, something that will be unlike what's He's done in my past. I love the way He says, "Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it?" It's almost as if He's so excited about what He's doing that He wants us to perceive it, get excited about it, anticipate it.

Have you ever had the joy of buying the most wonderful, absolutely perfect gift for someone you love at Christmas. You're so excited you don't think you can wait until Christmas Day for them to open it. You can't wait to see their pleasure. You're about to burst with anticipation. That's how I see God when He says, "Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it?"

Father, give us Your vision and Your dreams for our lives. We want to get onboard with You and feel Your anticipation and pleasure over what You are about to do in our lives. Where there has been desert, You are making a way. Where they have seemed to be wasteland, You are making a stream.

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #3 (#1 and #2)

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #3
Song of Solomon 2:14 NIV
"Show me Your face,
Let me hear Your voice;
for Your voice is sweet,
and Your face is lovely."

I don't know how many of you have been blessed to be in a Beth Moore study, but I know I have been over and over! Beth has a blog that she and her two young married/mom daughters write on. I found it last week. I've been blessed, challenged, and entertained already. I'm sending you the link that begins in January, 2009. They are even doing a scripture memory "thingy". I think she posts those on the 1st and 15th. I'm starting with January 1 and trying to catch up to date on the blog so I can follow what's going on. It may take me a couple of weeks to get up-to-date, but it's been fun. Thought some of you might enjoy their short blogs during spare minutes of your day. http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

I'm playing catch-up so here are my first two scriptures to memorize so I can memorize 24 scriptures from God's Word by the end of the year.


Scripture for Memory and Meditation #1
"Isaiah 33:6 NET
"He is your constant source of stability;
He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom;
He gives all this to those who fear Him."

Scripture for Memory and Meditation #2
Psalm 63:6 NIV
"On my bed I remember You. I think of You through the watches of the night."

ABOUT SNIPPETS

I send out an email about once a week (no regular schedule) called "Trina's Snippets". It began in 2003 when I was reading and thought of all the insights I've received from reading Christian writers. I've always highlighted and underlined things that stood out to me so I decided to send a short quote to friends every so often. That list of recipients has grown and many, if not most, of the people I've never met. Some of those have since emailed me and we've become friends through email. It's been a real blessing to me. I'm inserting into this post one of the recent Snippets. It is a prayer by A.W. Tozer from "The Pursuit of God". I think it is a beautiful expression from a hungry heart.

Trina's Snippets
The Pursuit of God
A. W. Tozer

“O God, I have tasted Your goodness,

and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more.
I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace.
I am ashamed of my lack of desire.
O God, the Triune God, I want to want You;
I long to be filled with longing;
I thirst to be made more thirsty still.
Show me Your glory, I pray, that so I may know You indeed.
Begin in mercy a new work of love within me.
Say to my soul, `Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.'
Then give me grace to rise and follow You up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.
In Jesus' name, Amen.”

*"Snippets"--clips, morsels, fragments from something
I've read recently...something that has ministered to me
or someone else. They may simply be something God has
impressed upon my heart to send. They are meant
to encourage, challenge, and cause us to ponder.
They may even cause you to run to the nearest
Christian bookstore and pick up a copy
of the book they are snipped from.

If you forward "Snippets" to anyone,
please send it in its entirety,
not deleting the original source or author.