YOU, LORD, Keep My Lamp Burning

(Psalm 18:28-36 NIV- YOU, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my GOD turns my darkness into light. With YOUR help I can advance against a troop; with my GOD I can scale a wall. As for GOD, HIS way is perfect: THE LORD’S WORD is flawless; HE shields all who take refuge in HIM. For who is GOD besides THE LORD? And who is THE ROCK except our GOD? It is GOD WHO arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. HE makes my feet like the feet of a deer; HE causes me to stand on the heights. HE trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. YOU make YOUR saving help my shield, and YOUR right hand sustains me; YOUR help has made me great. YOU provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way.)

Today’s focal passage was a beautiful reminder for me of all that GOD brings to my life. I thought about how HE truly is perfection; incomparable and all-powerful, yet loving, gracious, and faithful.

The verse above says, “For who is GOD besides THE LORD?”. That truly fueled my spirit this morning because there is no one greater than our GOD. HE loves us to the core of who we are. HE knows our hearts from it’s greatest joy to it’s deepest burden and provides the strength we need accordingly.

The other day, I told a friend of mine that I just love when GOD provides exactly what we need in the exact and very moment that we need it most. So, when I tell you that I am continually amazed by HIM, I mean that with all of my heart because what HE gives, only HE can give. I have learned to trust that HE’LL supply all of my needs whether it’s in the exact moment that I feel I need it most or not. I know that HE is unwaveringly faithful, HIS promises endure forever, and HIS timing is flawless.

“YOU, LORD, keep my lamp burning” … What a powerful and incredibly beautiful truth to allow our hearts to take a hold of. To me that means if I cry out to HIM and HE doesn’t immediately give me the provision that I seek, HIS LIGHT will sustain me until HE does. (Psalm 119:105 NIV- YOUR WORD IS a LAMP for my feet, a LIGHT on my path.) I find that truth absolutely amazing!

Today, I just want you to know that our GOD is sovereign! Even when you don’t get the instant or immediate response that you seek, know that when HE does answer it will be perfection. HE IS THE LORD and HE will keep your lamp burning! You will radiantly shine by HIS LIGHT!

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” ~ Og Mandino

I love you guys!

Believe, Be Beautiful, Be Brilliant, and Be Blessed! 🙂

You can send me your prayer requests by simply clicking here.

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When You Are Weakest, You Are Strongest

(Philippians 4:13 AMP- I have strength for all things in CHRIST WHO empowers me; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through HIM WHO infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in CHRIST’S sufficiency.)

When we’re feeling troubled, weak, and torn or let down our first thought or initial assessment is usually not that we’re positioned in a place of eternal strength. In all honesty, our initial response emotionally is usually a sense of brokenness, hopelessness, and despair. But THE WORD of GOD says, when we’re at our lowest and weakest point, that’s when we’re able to truly experience the perfection that is HIS grace; that’s when we’re able too see the strength and glory of CHRIST come to fruition in it’s greatest form within our lives. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NOG- But HE told me: “MY kindness is all you need. MY power is strongest when you are weak.”. So I will brag even more about my weaknesses in order that CHRIST’S power will live in me. Therefore, I accept weakness, mistreatment, hardship, persecution, and difficulties suffered for CHRIST. It’s clear that when I’m weak, I’m strong.)

I often tell people that they are gems in whom our GOD treasures, but I think more often than not they take it as just a kind gesture and not as the love and life that I speak it forth in faith over their lives as; not as a promise of truth that is to be sincerely embraced within their hearts. I don’t think they realize or understand that I say it because GOD has gifted us the treasure of CHRIST’S SPIRIT to live within our hearts and we then in turn radiate and glow of the very essence that is HIS beauty and majesty. (2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT- For GOD, WHO said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of GOD that is seen in the face of JESUS CHRIST. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from GOD, not from ourselves.)

Though JESUS endured brutal suffering, HE overcame and conquered it all, even death itself. And HE loves and values us so much that HE chose to instill that same power within us by sending us HIS perfect HOLY SPIRIT. My point is, there is nothing that shall come against us in this world that we don’t hold the power to conquer. GOD so treasures us that HE allows us embody very the light, love, and life of JESUS within us ensuring that nothing will be too difficult for us to bear or too hard for us to endure and that we will always overcome victoriously through THE SPIRIT of our SAVIOR! (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT- We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by GOD. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.)

Today, I pray over you and encourage you with my whole heart to take ahold of the truth of this great promise from our HEAVENLY FATHER: When you are at your weakest, you are at your strongest because THE SPIRIT of CHRIST living on the inside of you will eternally be your strength!

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.” ~ Peter Marshall

I love you guys!

Believe, Be Beautiful, Be Brilliant, and Be Blessed! 🙂

You can send me your prayer requests by simply clicking here.

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Hope In THE LORD Never Disappoints

(Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT: GOD has made everything beautiful for its own time. HE has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of GOD’S work from beginning to end.)

Our GOD has made everything beautiful for its own time. Did you know that that includes you?

Today’s focal verse says, “HE has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of GOD’S work from beginning to end”. I think the eternity that HE’S planted in our hearts solidify that we have the capacity to infinitely place our hope in HIM even when we can’t see or feel HIM at work in our lives. In other words, HE created us with the capacity and power that our hope would forever increase and never fail.

I find it pretty amazing that HE instilled this incredible gift of hope in our hearts that we would forever be encouraged and uplifted through our faith in HIM. (Roman 5:1-5 MSG- By entering through faith into what GOD has always wanted to do for us—set us right with HIM, make us fit for HIM—we have it all together with GOD because of our MASTER JESUS. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to GOD and discover at the same moment that HE has already thrown open HIS door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of GOD’S grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever GOD will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything GOD generously pours into our lives through THE HOLY SPIRIT!)

You guys our GOD is faithful! HE created us with the beauty of being able to hope in every situation and circumstance. Imagine how much HE loves us that HE would bestow such a gift upon us. HE never promised that our life’s journey would be free of troubles, trials, and tribulations, but HE did promise to love, protect, and be with us every step along the way. (John 16:33 AMP- I have told you these things, so that in ME you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer, take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted! For I have overcome the world. I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.)

My greatest prayer for you today is that you would embrace the gift of hope that GOD has placed within your heart and entrust that hope within HIS care allowing HIM to make the beauty that HE has prepared for your life your reality. I can’t promise you that your life will be perfect, but I can promise you that hope in THE LORD never fails or disappoints. (Hebrews 10:23 AMP- So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for HE WHO promised is reliable, sure, and faithful to HIS WORD.)

“Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.” ~ Samuel Smiles

I love you guys!

Believe, Be Beautiful, Be Brilliant, and Be Blessed! 🙂

You can send me your prayer requests by simply clicking here.

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Trade Your Ashes For HIS Crown

(Isaiah 61:3 NIV- Bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of THE LORD for the display of HIS splendor.)

One of my favorite songs to listen to as I’m praying in the mornings is a song called “Glorious Ruins” by Hillsong. More so than music itself, I am a lover of lyrics. I listen to every single word of a song. And so as I’m praying, I like to listen to songs that will relay the worship and the cry of my heart to the heart of GOD because sometimes I’m in such awe of HIM and so amazed that I have the honor and privilege of being in HIS PRESENCE that I simply can’t find the words to speak forth on my own. If you’ve followed my blog then you know that I am a crier and my deepest and most intimate form of worship is displayed through my tears.

This morning as “Glorious Ruins” began to play and I began to sing, I felt those words truly take root it my spirit. I was filled with THE PRESENCE of THE LORD and I just wept. Part of the song says: “When the mountains fall and the tempest roar YOU are with me. When creation folds still my soul will soar on YOUR mercy. I’ll walk through the fire with my head lifted high and my spirit revived in YOUR story. And I’ll look to the cross as my failure is lost in the light of YOUR glorious grace. Let the ruins come to LIFE in the beauty of YOUR name. Rising up from the ashes GOD forever YOU reign. And my soul will find refuge in the shadow of YOUR wings. I will love YOU forever and forever I’ll sing”.

Those words truly translate my gratitude for all that GOD is and has brought to my life. They reminded me that at the cross our failure is lost and replaced with the honor and privilege to stand, walk, live, and breathe in HIS incredible purpose for our lives. They reminded me of the truth that lies within today’s focal passage and the beauty that it relays from GOD’S heart to ours. We get to trade in our ashes to behold the beauty of HIS crown!

GOD wants to take all of the ruin, ash, and despair that burdens us and replace it with HIS crown of beauty, HIS oil of joy, and HIS garment of praise. HE created us in HIS glorious image. HIS splendor rests upon and within us and we should never be ashamed or afraid to embrace that and look, live, and love as such. Through JESUS our ruins radiantly come to LIFE in such magnificent form. Where we see ruins within ourselves, GOD sees treasure because HE knows the beauty that HE created within us.

So today, I want to encourage you to not focus on your ruins, but to focus on JESUS and allow HIM to show you the beauty and LIFE that lies within you through HIS HOLY SPIRIT. Today, I want you to make the choice to trade your ashes for HIS crown! Live in the light, love, and LIFE that HE provides! HE’S worth it and so are you! (John 8:12 NLT- JESUS spoke to the people once more and said, “I AM THE LIGHT of the world. If you follow ME, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have THE LIGHT that leads to LIFE.”)

I love you guys!

Believe, Be Beautiful, Be Brilliant, and Be Blessed! 🙂

You can send me your prayer requests by simply clicking here.

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