February 12, 2016

The Lord bless and keep you - Numbers 6:24

This Valentine's Day, I want to wish this wonderful old blessing to you:
"The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD  make his face shine on you and
be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace." 

We see from the text this is what the Lord wanted Moses to tell Aaron how he should bless the Israelites.   This has been the priestly blessing used for many years.  As the priests chanted this over the people, they would lift their hands in the air - thumbs together - and it was believed that the Lord's presence would shine through their fingers upon the people.

We are in much need of the Lord's blessing today and every day.  Are we praying for our leaders - in the church and in our country - to seek wisdom and blessing from the Lord?  We will not prosper unless the Lord blesses...the Bible is full of instructions to seek Him and Him only.

Are we blessing each other by seeking the Lord to be at work in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our schools?  There is such hostility everywhere you look today, we can be a part of pleading for blessing...not cursing.

This is what D.L. Moody said about this verse:

Here is a blessing that can give all the tme
without being impoverished.  Every heart may utter it,
every letter may conclude with it, every day may
begin with it, every night may be sanctified by it.  Here is a blessing -
keeping - shining - the uplifting upon our poor life of
all heaven's glad morning.  It is the Lord Himself who
(gives us) this bar of music from
heaven's infinite anthem."

Happy singing, sweet friends!

For further study: Gen. 12:2-3, Deu. 30:1-3, 15-16, Psalm 1:1, Psalm 33:12, Psalm 112:1, Ezekiel 34:26, Matt. 5:3-10, Romans 12:14, Eph. 1:3, James 1:12.  

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word~

Happy Valentine's Day,
Holly  

 

February 3, 2016

In all things God works for the GOOD of those who love him - Rom. 8:28

Maybe it's because it's winter; maybe it's because the political season is here; maybe it's because we're too busy, but there seems to be a lot of complaining and negative talk going on.  I don't thrive in a negative environment...do you? Why do we let negative thinking make us negative?

One of the reasons may be because our minds have been too distracted to change the way we think.  Steven Parton has written an article saying:

 "The thoughts you have actually reshape
your brain connections and make your brain more 
likely to have those thoughts again...and again..." 

In other words, the more we think negative the more ingrained our brains become at thinking that way.  We can do as Phil. 4:8 says: "if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."  John Lubbock says:  "What we see depends mainly on what we look for."  What are you looking for today?

One of my favorite sayings is: "God is GOOD all the time."  He has set the standard for goodness - in the beginning what He created He described as "very good".  Not only that, He has given us his Holy Spirit at salvation to indwell us and to develop His fruit in us. Gal. 5:22-23 says we can exhibit goodness because He is goodness!  We can think goodness.  We can share goodness.  We can choose goodness!

Sherry Surratt, MOPS International President, says:

Imperfect thoughts...are going to come.  But
I can choose to meet these thoughts head on with what 
God says.  He made me. On purpose...He  promises to
 help me if only I will ask.  Then he gave me  a choice.
  I can sit and soak in all that's wrong and imperfect or 
I can notice what I have been given and how much God loves
me.

Today, I choose goodness because God is good!

For further study:  Ex. 33:19, Neh. 9:33-35, Psalm 23:6, Psalm 145:9, Matt. 19:17, Eph. 5:8-10, Phil. 1:4-6, 2 Thess. 1:11, 2 Peter 1:3, James 1:17.

Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.

Love,
Holly