Last week was a really tough week. I was short tempered and snappy. I knew what was wrong with me, but didn't take the time to fix it. I needed to have my quiet time and get down on my knees to pray.  I don't know why I ever skip that time because it makes me a completely different person when I do it. 

Yesterday I started back and got down on my knees to pray. I pray daily sometimes in my chair where I do my quiet time, sometimes in the car, sometimes getting dressed, off and on all day pretty much. However, there is a difference when you are on your knees. 

As soon as both of my knees hit the ground yesterday morning, tension released out of my body and immediately I knew that this had been my problem last week. I felt the Lord's presence cover me and my joy return. Like I said I have been praying daily, but the difference is in the position. I can't explain how much better I feel, like a dark cloud has lifted off of me.

Thank you Lord, for waiting patiently on me as I tried to do things my way, taking short cuts. He was there once again waiting patiently to restore me and I am so thankful for a God that loves me this much despite all my shortcomings.

Give it a try if you don't pray on your knees daily, you will be surprised at how much closer you will feel to God.

Staying on the narrow path, have a blessed day! 

 

 

Here are some wonderful verses God showed me today.  The verses are in red ink and my explanation will be in black ink. 
2 Peter 1
    ¹Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
      To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: (we have been given an equal portion of the inheritance of God)   ²Grace (this is God's favor) and peace be yours in abundance through the (intimate) knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

³His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our (intimate and personal) knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. (We have His divine power in our lives when we have a personal daily relationship with Him)

⁴Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (On our own we do not have the power to keep ourselves from sin.  In order to help us live Godly lives, God allows us to share His divine nature.  Through the Holy Spirit living in His children, God empowers us with His own morals.)

    ⁵For this very reason, make every effort (combine your diligence with His divine power) to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; (when you exercise faith it will develop goodness, when you exercise goodness or virtue it will develop knowledge or intelligence)⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; (exercising knowledge will develop self-control, exercising self-control will develop perseverance or the ability to endure and endurance will develop Godliness)⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Faith is more than salvation and salvation is more than a one time event.  Living a Godly life means growing in your faith and knowledge of God daily.  You must have a personal relationship that involves reading your Bible and praying (you guessed it) DAILY. 

Staying on the narrow path and growing in Him daily - have a blessed day!

This post is going to build on my last one.  Here is another huge key to success, inquiring of God.  In Joshua 9:3-16 we are told about how all the nations were afraid of Israel, so the Gibeonites decided to try to trick Israel into a peace treaty with them. 

Even though their country was close to the promised land that Israel was overtaking they came to them and pretended to be from a far away land.  They asked Joshua and the leaders of Israel to make a treaty of peace with them.  After questioning them a little, they decided to make the treaty.  Here's the moral of the story, "The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.  Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath." (Joshua 9:14-15).  They made a very important decision without inquiring of God. This ended up being a decision that went against what God had commanded them.

We will have the most success in our life if we pray about every decision we make.  I can honestly say that I have never looked back on any decision I made that I prayed about and thought it was the wrong one.  Even decisions that seem small and simple should be prayed over.  It is very difficult to make the wrong decision once you've prayed about it.  It is very easy to make the wrong decision if you make it in your own wisdom or on impulse.  God knows all and sees all - decisions are easier made if you know the future and God does. 

So for 2008 don't forget to inquire of God daily, hourly, and minutely.

Staying on the Narrow Path, have a blessed day.

I rediscovered a wonderful passage in the Bible this morning that goes right along with New Year's aspirations.  This is what God told Joshua the key to his success was, and I believe is true for us today.  One thing I've learned is when you have a "don't" then it needs to be followed with a "do."  In other words replace the bad with the good.  This is exactly what I see in God's word. 

This is my paraphrase of Joshua 1:6-9 and the keys to success:
1.  Do not be afraid - replace fear with strength and courage. 
2.  Do not turn from the path - follow God in obedience.
3.  Do not forget God's word - mediate on it day and night so that you may be careful to follow it.

In these three verses God says, "Be strong and courageous" three times.  Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

I believe one of the reasons God repeated the command to be strong and courageous so much is because the road ahead was not going to be an easy one.  Some people falsely believe that being in God's will means smooth sailing.  Most often than not God's path is going to be a little rocky, thus the command to be courageous and strong. Notice it is a command and not a suggestion, which means failure to be strong and courageous is a sin. 

So exactly what does it mean to be courageous?  According to Webster's Dictionary, courage means, "mental or moral strength to persevere, resist opposition, danger, or hardship. It  implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty.  It suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened."  God is telling us is that the key to success is knowing His Word and standing up for it.  God is telling us to have moral strength, know Him, know what the Bible says, know what is right and wrong, and stand for right no matter the cost.  How do we have courage in the face of opposition?  By knowing and following God's word, keeping in mind that He is always with us, and prayer.  Don't forget Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Staying on the narrow path, have a blessed Day!