IfYouGiveAMindensenABlog

Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25 record the story of Jesus calming the storm. This amazing story depicts Jesus' FEARLESSNESS even in the face of a TERRIFYING situation. Last week the Mark story was brought to my attention a lot, along with Mikeschair's song "Let the Waters Rise". Two lessons have come from the mediation on the passage and the message of the song.

1- God is WAY bigger than any worldly situation. Even if to us the situation seems grim. God is not startled/frightened, He's calm/collected and IN CONTROL. He has the WHOLE world under His authority, and there is NOTHING GREATER than HE! Praise God!

2- because He is this GREAT and POWERFUL God, who really does hold all authority in heaven and earth, HE IS the ONE to FEAR. May's theme is "Humility", and the first step to humility is recognizing our proper place in relation to God. For things to work out right, we need to allow God to be our ALL, to step-out of ourselves, and let God take over. It sounds constricting, but really when we reach that perfect state of humility, and fully become the empty vessels for God to use, and fill with HIS glory, that is when we are able to really LIVE; live in the peace/joy/goodness...(the Fruits of the Spirit Galatians 5:22-23)the blessings that come from living in perfect harmony with our Creator! and we're promised glory with (THROUGH) HIM in the end.

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11"

"...the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and one who rules like the one who serves." Luke 22:26b

"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. when Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:3-4

God is Good! ♥

Like a baby wrapped in its mother's womb
I lie on the floor while my tears consume,
all the pain inside my heart,
as I watch my world start to fall apart.

The phantom of control now gone,
I look for something to lean on.
I need someone strong to hold me,
Who'll never leave me, or forsake me.
Someone who'll put my life back together,
Someone who can make it better.

Jesus, You're the one I need.
You're the one who's EVERYTHING.
Through You, all things were made.
Through You, everything is saved.

Take my heart and hold it closely.
Cleanse me Lord, and make me holy.
Set my life apart for you.
Transform my heart, and make it new.

Give me joy I can't describe.
Peace and patience in hard times.
Grant me wisdom when I pray,
and strength to face each new day.

And lastly Lord, please give me love,
the kind that only comes from above.
Love that only you can give,
but the love I need, so I can live.

This past Wednesday, I was able to refocus on God, and like the popular Christian song says 'and all of a sudden, I (was) unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory, and I realized just how beautiful You are, and how GREAT Your affections are for ME"!

These are the words God gave me that night...the 2nd one was started at an early time, but God let me finish it (and REDEEMED it!) =D YEAH God!

***

Who am I without You?
Who am I without Your love?
Who am I without You near me,
without your great plan?
Who am I but Your creation;
clay inside the Master's hands?
Who am I, but how You made me?
Who am I, but who I am?

***

It's hard to pray
when I'm trying to convince myself that everything's OK

Once I stop pretending,
then God can start His mending.

Once I stop focusing on the need,
then God can start to lead.

Once I start to trust in God's plan,
then I'll be able to rest in His hands.

Once I start counting the blessings I've received,
then true joy can be conceived.

When I stop resisting,
then you become my everything.

when I think about what Jesus has done,
that's when I remember how much I AM LOVED!

***

Another month has flown by, and the winner for the most used phrase this month; 'God is working on it'.

Speaking honestly here, April has been one of the hardest months for me. I've probably cried more in the last 2 weeks, than all of last year. Also, these weren't just tears, this was full-out crying to God in pain, seeking His guidance, asking for forgiveness, begging to see His presence in my life. I have a really hard time expressing myself, and what I express generally doesn't accurately reflect what is going on inside me. What I've learned is that I also tend to do that with God, which is bad because He is the ONE who already knows EVERYTHING (more than I do!). This past month, I had what I would consider to be my first REAL lesson on what it means to cast all of my cares on the Lord (Psalms55:22/1Peter5:7)

'Rees Howells INTERCESSOR' was April's book for the month. It's a challenging biography of a man who lived a life of faith in total dependence on God, who had an understanding of what it meant to daily pick up his cross and follow Jesus. It challenges me to seek to have that kind of relationship with God, and to strive to surrender more and more of my life to God's will. The hardest moments/my biggest struggles are ALWAYS harder when I'm trying to control my life. I ask God 'why?', when all I need to do is remember WHO HE IS! Life isn't working out how I WANTED it to turn out...it's OK, because GOD is the one in control, and HIS way is the BEST way!

A verse God gave me this past month was Psalms 55:12 "Restore to me the JOY of your SALVATION and grant me a WILLING spirit to SUSTAIN me"

No matter what happens God is still on HIS THRONE!
"Praise be to the Lord, to God our SAVIOR, who daily bears OUR burdens" (Psalms 68:19)

God is GOOD! ♥