Loving God, With all I've got.

Human strength. God's Strength. Who's is stronger?

Being brought once again to the realization of how finite I am is humbling. The realization, that I needed a realization once again, is also humbling.

Unfortunately as a human, I will always need to be reminded with realizations. I will strive to remember, but will fail again-and-again.

It is amazing, to realize how much grace and patience I am given on a daily basis. It is also sad, to realize how much is truly needed.

All I have, is honestly nothing compared to what God has. It never will compare. The only thing I can hope to do, is do as He has me do.

Jeremiah 1:4-7

New International Version (NIV)

The Call of Jeremiah

 ⁴ The word of the LORD came to me, saying,  ⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
   before you were born I set you apart;
   I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
 ⁶ “Alas, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
 ⁷ But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 

Even though I am this finite human, Lord you knew who I was before I was formed, Lord you chose me.

And again I say I am humbled.

Ezekiel 3:10

New International Version (NIV)

 ¹⁰ And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you.

I will listen carefully Lord, my heart is yours. 

Alyssa

"Tears were filling Heaven's Eyes, The day that True Love died..."

Tonight God wants you to be reminded of the love He gave for you. 

John 19:17-30

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

 ¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
  
²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
 ²³ When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

 ²⁴ “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
   This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
   “They divided my clothes among them
   and cast lots for my garment.”
   So this is what the soldiers did.

 ²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus

 ²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 

----

And after I've read that, I am led to this;

Ephesians 3:14-21

New International Version (NIV)

A Prayer for the Ephesians

 ¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
 

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. 

So rejoice in all the amazing love that He has given! And rejoice, that HE and ONLY HE can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!

Amen.

Alyssa

Search your hearts and be silent.

"How long will it take us to realize that we've been set apart?"

Usually it will take us far too long. 

"How long will it take us to realize God is screaming at us to listen?" 

Usually it will take us far too long. 

"How long will it take us to realize we chase after things that will not fulfill us?" 

Usually it will take us far too long.

Unfortunately we as broken humans, don't realize things very quickly. Thank God, we have Him.

God has led me to something that amazed me tonight, and is what I am told to share.

Psalm 4

New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 4

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.

 ¹ Answer me when I call to you,
   my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
   have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

 ² How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
   How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
³ Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
   the LORD hears when I call to him.

⁴ Tremble and do not sin;
   when you are on your beds,
   search your hearts and be silent.
⁵ Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
   and trust in the LORD.
  
⁶ Many, LORD, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
   Let the light of your face shine on us.
⁷ Fill my heart with joy
   when their grain and new wine abound.
 ⁸ In peace I will lie down and sleep,
   for you alone, LORD,
   make me dwell in safety. 

How long will we turn God's glory to shame? How long will we seek after false gods? 

Verse 4 was so amazing to me;

⁴ Tremble and do not sin;
   when you are on your beds,
   search your hearts and be silent. 

In one of my earlier posts I had said that my Dad has told me, at night, if you are laying there awake, pray and listen to God. He has you awake for a reason.

How awe-some it is to read that in my Heavenly Father's Word!

God, do not let us seek after things other than you. Hold us close, and let us keep close to you. Let our one true love be you! 

Praise God.

Alyssa

"I have now come to give you insight and understanding."

Why is it so easy for us to do wrong (sin), yet so hard for us admit we have done wrong? Why is it so easy for us to admit our wrongdoing when we can clearly see the punishment? Are we that foolish? Sadly the answer to that, a lot of times, is yes. We are so taken over by sin and shallow in our human nature, that we simply don't get it. 

And oh' how we should yearn for the day that we do get it! Lord, how we should yearn for the day that we are not so shallow in human understanding, but get it, You, in even a small way!

But, Lord, I do not want to be satisfied with only a small part of you! I want you to fill me to the brim! I want to overflow with you through me! I want to feel your aweful presence so much more! I do not simply want to "be satisfied." Lord, I pray you do not let me grow stagnant in you.

Here is what the Lord led me to tonight;

Daniel 9:1-23

New International Version (NIV)

Daniel 9

Daniel’s Prayer

 ¹ In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— ² in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. ³ So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.  ⁴ I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:
   “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁵ we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. ⁶ We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
 ⁷ “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. ⁸ We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, LORD, because we have sinned against you. ⁹ The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; ¹⁰ we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. ¹¹ All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
   “Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. ¹² You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. ¹³ Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. ¹⁴ The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
 ¹⁵ “Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. ¹⁶ Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
 ¹⁷ “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. ¹⁸ Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹ Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

The Seventy “Sevens”

 ²⁰ While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill— ²¹ while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. ²² He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. ²³ As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision. 

I want you to catch verses 20-23 --- God sent Gabriel, to give "insight and understanding." --- How thankful we should be that The Lord cares to give us insight and understanding!

And also verse 18 --- ¹⁸ Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.

We are not righteous, but it's because of God's great mercy that we come before Him.

And now the last thing I would like to leave with you;

Proverbs 14:34

New International Version (NIV)

 ³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,
   but sin condemns any people. 

Sin condemns, Righteousness exalts. 

Lord I pray that we would "get it" and "understand" before it's to late.

Have a conversation with God. Ask Him HIS plans for you.

Alyssa