Live By Faith (Part 3) & Other Tidbits

Hi Sweet Friends! Let me start by telling you how blessed my Thursday was last week. My replacement cord for my computer came so yay I am back! The air conditioner was fixed Praise the Lord on Wednesday it was 90 degrees upstairs! And, we finished the guest bath downstairs! It looks so pretty I may even post a picture soon, since I did show it all torn out and Greg looking under the house. I also had dinner and a movie date with my husband that evening. So, I am a bit happier and relaxed now.
So, on with our topic.....

If you remember when we ended the last post I told you we would be discussing Hezekiah. Hezekiah became king of Judah during a very tough time for Israel. The Northern part of Israel had already been captured and now Judah was next on the list. Hezekiah had all good intentions to do Gods will, but when times got tough he became weak and his faith that God was in control began to fail. In walks a wise one, Isaiah, and gives Hezekiah a good talking to. Isaiah reminds Hezekiah that he needs to look to God for his strength not his men or the horses. You can read all of this part of the story in Isaiah 31. It was easier for Hezekiah to put his faith in what he could see and was tangible.

2 Corinthians 5:7 "We live by faith not by sight". By the time of the attack Hezekiah's faith had grown and he told his men in 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. If we are focusing on God he may give us a gentle reminder or something tangible that reminds us he is in control and hasn't forgotten you and this can be so sweet. Other times I bet you, just as I, can look back at trials in your past and see that God was right there in control the entire time.

Isn't it amazing how we can find such great wisdom from these individuals in the Old Testament? Lets write this down and keep it where we can see it all week:
“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”- Psalm 119:114. Then lets live it!

I hope you have a great week.

Sweet Blessings,
Margaret

Why Surrender All?

My Body so weary and achy
I am feeling I cannot endure
Then I remember His words
And begin to feel more secure.

So why can I not remember
That in my weakness he’s strong
That as long as I’m leaning on Jesus
Nothing can really go wrong.

As I feel I am losing control
I remember the words very clear
come unto me child for I am always near
Yet continuing to think my plan is best
I never stop to take a short rest

“Love Never Fails”
That’s what Corinthians tells
And if love did fail
what use was the nail
The blood shed scars he would suffer
“It is finished” he would say
That day on the hill so far away

So, His love for me should say it all
I should not even begin to question His call
What call you ask
The biggest of all
I surrender my all.

So often the old hymn "I Surrender All" comes to my mind and I think it is God trying to tell me, "okay time to surrender again". I am such a control freak, but it is definitely one thing (there are so many,ha)that he is working on me about. Well, the day that I wrote the poem above was one of those days He was at work on me.
Is there something you are not surrendering?

Sweet Blessings,
Margaret

A Thirsty Soul

It was one of those hot summer days, you know the kind we are really longing for right about now. My husband and I had spent hours outside doing yard work. When we decided to call it a day I found my way to the kitchen to get something cold to drink. I poured a glass of fruit juice, but that didn't help my thirst, then my favorite, a nice cold glass of Diet Coke with lots of ice, but still I was thirsty. I didn't start with the logical solution for a deep thirst which is water.
Our hearts can be much the same. We continuously try to quench our thirsty soul with many things. We think a big house will satisfy, new furniture, new car, new clothes, and sometimes even people. The list could go on, and it would be different for everyone. The only thing that will satisfy a thirsty soul is a relationship with Jesus. To feed our soul daily with His Word and a conversation with him through prayer. In John 4:13 Jesus says "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst."
If I had started with a glass of water first my thirst would have been quenched much quicker that hot day, and the only way to truly satisfy my thirsty soul is with Living Water.
How about you? Have you had a drink of Living Water today? I don't know about you, but I long for a spring of water to be welling up in my soul.
John 7:37-38 "If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."I hope you have a weekend flowing with Living Water!
Sweet Blessings,
Margaret