There is no test like solitude. Fear takes possession of most minds in the stillness of the solitary place. The heart shrinks from being alone with God who sees in secret! (Google image, Getting alone with God)
Who shall abide in His presence? Who can dwell with God who is shadowless light? Heart must be pure and hands clean that dare shut the door and be alone with God.
Isaiah 61:3 “To grant those who mourn in Zion,
giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil
of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of
praise instead of a spirit of fainting, so they will
be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of
the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Ecc. 5:2 (NKJV) "Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily
before God. For God is in heaven, and you
on earth; Therefore let your words be few."
Ps. 28:7 (NKJV) "The LORD is my strength and
my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am
helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him."
~ Oswald Chambers- Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline—it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time. (emphasis added)
~ James W. Goll- #3 Praise: Is A Garment of the Spirit "Through the exchange of the cross, God gives us garments of praise for the garments of heaviness. He exchanges the dark, the gloomy, and the negative for that which is beautiful, glorious, and uplifting. Praise is a mantle, a type of clothing we put on. We cast off heaviness by entering into the sacrifice of praise. You will look differently, act differently and talk differently when you put on the
garment of praise!
#12 The Inner Room and the Closed Door
14th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
True Humility
16th- Saturday's post by Mrs. Frannie Erb
Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)
It would revolutionize the lives of most men if they were shut in with God in some secret place for half an hour a day.
For such praying all the faculties of the soul need to be awake and alert. When our Lord took Peter and James and John with Him to the secret place of prayer, they were heavy with sleep.
It was the same on the Mount of Glory and in the Garden of Agony, and it was not until they were fully awake that they saw the glory or realized the anguish.
There are some silent places of rare wisdom where men may not talk but they find it possible to sleep. Daydreaming is not meditation and drowsy repose is not praying. The secret place of prayer calls for every faculty of mind and heart.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me
Bless His Holy Name."
As for praise, so for prayer the whole being is called. There is a vital difference between private and corporate prayer. Each kind of prayer brings blessing after its kind, but there is a difference.
Corporate prayer is less exacting. There is a sense of fellowship that gives courage and inspires expression. Guided prayer is companionable, but it has a tendency to do its thinking by proxy.
In private prayer the soul stands naked and alone in the presence of God. Thought is personal, prayer is original, motive is challenged. Corporate prayer gives a spirit of fellowship; private prayer disciplines personality. Who can measure the influence of an hour a day spent alone with God?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Let's pray-
Father, help us seek a silent space, where we can learn to pray, and be shut in with You.
May our hearts be pure and our hands clean, as we come into Your Presence, knowing that You see into our hearts, and You know us individually.
When we take time to meet with you in some secret place for a specific period of time, we may be revolutionized; changed more into the likeness of Christ Jesus.
Help us realize that praise, as well as prayer, calls for our whole involvement of heart and mind.
Corporate prayer is less exacting, as others do the praying, but there's the fellowship that gives courage and inspiration that's absent when we're alone.
When we pray in private, our souls are naked in Your Presence. Our thoughts are personal and original, and we find that we're inwardly changed by these private times.
May we be more open and willing to avail ourselves to moments of prayer alone, with the understanding that our lives will be greatly enriched by them.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, and for His glory. Amen.
May our hearts be pure and our hands clean, as we come into Your Presence, knowing that You see into our hearts, and You know us individually.
When we take time to meet with you in some secret place for a specific period of time, we may be revolutionized; changed more into the likeness of Christ Jesus.
Help us realize that praise, as well as prayer, calls for our whole involvement of heart and mind.
Corporate prayer is less exacting, as others do the praying, but there's the fellowship that gives courage and inspiration that's absent when we're alone.
When we pray in private, our souls are naked in Your Presence. Our thoughts are personal and original, and we find that we're inwardly changed by these private times.
May we be more open and willing to avail ourselves to moments of prayer alone, with the understanding that our lives will be greatly enriched by them.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, and for His glory. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
Isaiah 61:3 “To grant those who mourn in Zion,
giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil
of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of
praise instead of a spirit of fainting, so they will
be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of
the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Ecc. 5:2 (NKJV) "Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily
before God. For God is in heaven, and you
on earth; Therefore let your words be few."
Ps. 28:7 (NKJV) "The LORD is my strength and
my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am
helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him."
Today's quotes-
~ Oswald Chambers- Get into the habit of saying, “Speak, Lord,” and life will become a romance (1 Samuel 3:9). Every time circumstances press in on you, say, “Speak, Lord,” and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of discipline—it is meant to bring me to the point of saying, “Speak, Lord.” Think back to a time when God spoke to you. Do you remember what He said? Was it Luke 11:13, or was it 1 Thessalonians 5:23? As we listen, our ears become more sensitive, and like Jesus, we will hear God all the time. (emphasis added)
garment of praise!
Lessons from a Leaf Blower and Fallen Leaves
Nate Stevens- "How like fallen leaves we are. While working in the yard one blustery autumn weekend, I blew the fallen leaves from the driveway of our home. Most of them fluttered away with the first pass of the blast from the leaf blower. Other more stubborn leaves flitted into the air and settled back to where they originally lay. After several arcing blasts, I noticed some leaves didn’t move at all . . .
The Holy Spirit blows across our lives to clean and transform our landscapes. In His ever-transforming work, He speaks His truth and clears the clutter."
Today's sermon spotlight-
APRIL 10, 2015
Prophetic Vision for Church
Speaker: Charlie Sweet Series: Prophetic Prayer Topic: GCC Moira
Upcoming posts-
Successful Families Don't Just Happen by Chance
9th- Saturday's post by James Dobson
#11 The Hill of the Lord
12th- Tuesday's post by Samuel Chadwick#12 The Inner Room and the Closed Door
14th- Thursday's post by Samuel Chadwick
True Humility
16th- Saturday's post by Mrs. Frannie Erb
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| Cat in snow |
Helpful ways the Lord helped me in my marriage
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