The Lord speaks and acts

Genesis 21 was my bible reading this morning. And the very first verse I read spoke volumes to me.

"And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken."
There wasn't a lot of fanfare or embellishment....simply the Lord did as He had said. The writer felt no need to explain anything more than that. It was not a surprise for the Lord to do as He said!

Yesterday, the Lord did as He said for me. And you know what? I wanted to shout it from the rooftops! I wanted everyone to know how marvelous my God is and how faithful. Because these days it seems people have forgotten that the Lord does as He says.

And that makes me sad. God hasn't changed. He's still faithful to do what He says. It's His people that have changed. We've lost sight of our assurance in God. We attribute to Him the same characteristics of man and that's simply not the way it is. 

The Lord did as He had spoken. The Lord does as He has spoken. The Lord is doing as He has spoken. 

Praise you Lord and thank you Jesus that you do as you say. I am awed by your glory and your majesty!!

Matthew 16:26

"For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

It's so easy to get distracted by the ways of the world. Our culture is always striving to have the best, to develop or possess the latest and greatest gadgets, clothes, etc. And we get so caught up in work trying to get attain what we're led to believe is ideal. But in the long run what does that really get us? It's been my experience that what you end up is misery. Why? Because we are not made for this world. And what our soul longs for is Heavenly things.

For myself I have to remember to choose wisely, to walk in the ways of the Lord, to do all things as unto Him.

Lord, help me to keep your face in focus. Guide me through this world show me how to remain in the world yet set apart from it.

Matthew 9:13

Matthew 9:13 in the New King James reads: But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."

When I read that I think about all the times I've "hidden" from the Lord because of sin. It's times when I've felt that I really failed the Lord with my sinful ways that I try to avoid Him. Yet those are the times I need Him most and the times He longs for me to return to Him.

I know the Lord longs for me to walk rightly and follow where He leads, but He's not a God who says this is your last chance or one more mistake and you're out. He's the one true God who desires mercy and calls the sinner to Him and to repentance.

Lord, help me to run to you at all times....even those times I feel dirty with sin. I know my only hope and salvation is in YOU. Amen

Matthew 8:13

"Then Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go your way, and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.' And his servant was healed that very hour." (NKJV)

The centurion believed. That was all it took! How often do we feel like we need to jump through hoops or figure out a magic formula for healing or anything we ask of Him? All it really takes is to ask and to believe.

I often find it easy to believe on behalf of someone else but let doubt creep into believing for myself. And just a tiny bit of doubt spoils the whole lot of belief. God says to me, just like that centurion believed and received immediately, so can you.

Lord, help my unbelief. Help me to stop coming up with plan b, c, d if you don't come through. I just need more of you Jesus! Amen