trustfallwithgod

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Trust me... God won’t let you down! He will bring justice. He will pay you back for what you have lost or was stolen. While you wait, be thankful and know that God’s timing in your life will be perfect.

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Let Go and Let God; Build, Replenish, Restore

Psalm 128

  ¹ Blessed are all who fear the LORD,

   who walk in obedience to him.

  ² You will eat the fruit of your labour;

   blessings and prosperity will be yours.

  ³ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

   within your house;

  your children will be like olive shoots

   around your table.

  ⁴ Yes, this will be the blessing

   for the man who fears the LORD.  ⁵ May the LORD bless you from Zion;

   may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

   all the days of your life.

  ⁶ May you live to see your children’s children—

   peace be on Israel.

June 22

John 14:21 He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.

Psalm 119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word.

Psalm 119:7 I will praise Thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned Thy righteous judgments.

Psalm 121:7-8 The Lord will keep you from all harm— He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 As for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

Psalm 27:14 Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.

May you seek the Lord with an eager heart to learn all that He would have you do, for He has a life-long work He wants to do in your heart. 2 Kings 3

May you willingly seek the Lord early, rather than be driven to it later by necessity. 2 Kings 3

May you prepare by faith for the promises of God and take action in obedience to be ready for His blessings. 2 Kings 3, 2 Kings 4

May you offer kindnesses and refreshing to those who come your way, laboring in the ministry of the Lord, for He knows the desires of your heart and the blessings of God will repay your faithful and humble service. 2 Kings 4

May you bring others the good news of the gospel, telling them to turn from worthless things to the living God, Who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. Acts 14

May you strengthen the disciples and encourage them to remain true to the faith as they go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14

   My child, look unto your heart and know that it is turned toward Me in silence, listening, in patience, waiting. Do not seek to gain My approval for your plans, and do not try to shape Me to your desires.    I live within you, but I am not contained by you; you have been crucified with Me and it is no longer you that lives, but the life you now live in the flesh, is lived by faith in Me, for I have loved you and given Myself for you, dying so that your life may be hidden with Me in the Father.    Therefore, you are a new creation, and your old ways of living have passed away – the old methods of thinking and the old patterns of behaving; look for the new things to come.    Put on the mind of Christ, hear with the ears of the Spirit and understand with the heart of the Father, realizing that you have died to sin and are not required or expected to live in it any longer – you are freed from that lifestyle.    You are seated with Me in the heavenlies, as you live for Me on earth as an individual member of My Body, one in purpose and in motivation with the rest of My Body. I and My Father desire to dwell in you through the Spirit in order for the world to see your love one for another and believe that I have been sent by God.    Step aside from the tumult and turmoil of the world, stop speaking your own mind, and listen for the Father. Honor Him by giving your attention; lay down your agenda, empty your hands, your heart, and dwell on His goodness to you, filling your thoughts with quiet thanksgiving.    In due time He will respond, showing you what to do and giving you words to say, when you are resting quietly, contentedly, humbly, in His presence, reluctant to leave.

May the Lord rescue you from evil men and protect you from men of violence who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day with tongues sharp as serpents and a viper's poison on their lips Psalm 140

May the Lord keep you from the hands of the wicked, protecting you from men of violence who plan to trip your feet with hidden snares and nets spread along your path. Psalm 140

May you say to the Lord, “You are my God,” as you cry for mercy to the Sovereign Lord, your strong Deliverer Who shields your head in the of battle, lest the wicked receive their desires and see their plans succeed. Psalm 140

May the Lord cover the heads of those attackers who surround you with the trouble their lips have caused, throwing them into the fire with burning coals and into miry pits, never to rise, and not let the accuser of the brethren be established in the land, but let disaster hunt down those who have given themselves to violence. Psalm 140

May you praise the Name of the Lord with the rest of the righteous and may you live before Him with all the upright, for the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. Psalm 140

May God in His mercy replace a smitten and sorrowful spirit which drains your strength and give you a cheerful and joyful heart which promotes healing and a merry mind which makes age flourish. Proverbs 17:22

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Resting in the Lord and Letting Him Guide

21 June 2025, Saturday, Singapore - I attended vigil mass at Church of the Blessed Sacrament. In doing so, I coincidentally attended a mass which included a procession of the Blessed Sacrament as it happened to be a feast day for the church. The Solemnity of Corpus Christi is a celebration of the recognition that the body and blood of Christ is substantially present in the Eucharistic celebration.

Having spent the better half of the day with my father-in-law who had to be rushed to NUH for emergency dialysis, i decided to duck out late afternoon to a nearby church to pray for the family.

Coincidentally, I had long wanted to take a look around Church of the Blessed Sacrament as it was near where i was going to be working. If i was not able to get back to my home parish in time, at least there would be a church a 10 minute drive away to attend days of obligation. I arrived early enough to discover an abundance of available car lots and so parked and entered to pray the rosary. You see, I had been feeling spiritually desolate and distant from the Lord, a sign of my ending season of wilderness.

Imagine my surprise to discover the extended celebration of the corporeal presence of Jesus at the source and summit of the Catholic faith. I took it as a sign of the Lord's leadership.

Sometimes it can feel like the Lord isn’t leading you toward anything significant in life. Or worse, that He has overlooked or abandoned you. But more often than not, for the life of his faithful, what seems like chance and happenstance are really God's choices, nudging you in a particular direction. Remember Ruth?

So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz (Ruth 2:3)

The original Hebrew reads: “her chance chanced upon the portion of the field belonging to Boaz.” According to biblical scholar Tim Mackie, when the hebrew language places emphasis on a particular point, it repeats the word. The field where Ruth chance chanced upon Boaz, is really God's sovereignty in our lives and in the places we “happen” to go.

Therefore, what we call coincidences are really the Lord’s providence. Ruth took the initiative to work—not to hunt for a husband—and the Lord directed Ruth to come particularly to Boaz’s field.

Our plans and the will of God are not mutually exclusive. Rather, the Father uses our plans in the accomplishment of His will. He even uses the malicious plans of others for good (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28).

June 21

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Psalm 91:1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Ecclesiastes 8:12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.

May you seek the Giver of life, that you may live. 2 Kings 1

May you humbly approach God in reverence and fear, realizing your personal inadequacies and fully aware that you represent no authority or power that can stand in the presence of the Creator of the universe, acknowledging His majesty in praise and worship before making your requests known. 2 Kings 1

May you follow the path of righteousness as the Spirit leads, never stopping when tired or turning back when struggling, but remaining focused amidst the distractions, knowing that you will receive the promise of God if you endure to the end. 2 Kings 2

May you bring the presence of God into every situation you are in, seeking His face and speaking His praise, changing the atmosphere as the light and the fragrance of God is imparted to those around you through the power of the Spirit and the love of the Son, sweetening bitterness in relationships and make barren hearts productive. 2 Kings 2

May you teach the young by example to respect all and honor those who are occupied with showing compassion to those God loves, so that the ones who will listen may preserve their lives. 2 Kings 2

   My child, know that My abundance is available for the asking, My wisdom is provided freely when requested, My gifts are given without repentance, and My strength is within reach of all.    My disciples preached salvation through My name first to the Jews at Jerusalem, the chosen, the ones who bore My name, before ever going to the Gentiles. Many Jews received Me in faith and rejoiced, but those who rejected Me were often the ones whose earthly needs were so well-supplied through entrenched tradition that they could not see the spiritual needs they shared in common with all people. I was then received gladly by the Gentiles who knew they were in bondage and rejoiced to see My light in their darkness.    Even so today, My hard worker, you find many who are called by My name rejoicing to find that a deeper walk with Me is available, but so many who profit from the form and tradition that has been established around My truth refuse to see their own need, not realizing they are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked in their spiritual walk. Those appointed to salvation have often been mistreated and rejected by the world system, pushed to the fringes, hungering and seeking for more than they could find in tradition.    Do not be blinded by your natural sight, My dear one, but learn to see as I see, understand with My understanding, and recognize the seeker for My truth within the battered frame before you. Learn to trust My Spirit when you hear the whisper and feel the nudge to speak to someone who has followed a different path than you and bears the marks of their journey. They have stepped through doors you have eschewed, and can reach others who will not listen to you.    Do not call common or reject as impure those who are heeding My call and seeking My path. I have accepted them, and who can gainsay My choice?

May your words be sweet and your heart toward God, so that when God moves in a new way, you will not be found resisting the Lord or following the flesh. Acts 13

May you try the spirits in any dissension, not looking to the personalities, but seeking the purposes of God, to know the way you should follow. Acts 13

May you be filled with the strength of His joy and the power of the Spirit when following Christ in the discipline He leads you through. Acts 13

May you speak boldly in favor of the Lord when you minister in the face of opposition, for He will confirm the message He gives you with signs and wonders, polarizing the people who hear. Acts 14

May the Lord search you and know you, from your sitting down to your rising up, when you are traveling and when you are at home, perceiving your thoughts from afar, and understanding all your ways intimately, knowing your intentions completely before you say a word or take an action, for you are the apple of His eye, and He desires to be known by you even as He knows you. Psalm 139

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The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you - Hebrews 13:5

Psalm 119:

145 I have called with my whole heart.

Answer me, Yahweh!

I will keep your statutes.

146 I have called to you. Save me!

I will obey your statutes.

147 I rise before dawn and cry for help.

I put my hope in your words.

148 My eyes stay open through the night watches,

that I might meditate on your word.

149 Hear my voice according to your loving kindness.

Revive me, Yahweh, according to your ordinances.

150 They draw near who follow after wickedness.

They are far from your law.

151 You are near, Yahweh.

All your commandments are truth.

152 Of old I have known from your testimonies,

that you have founded them forever.

June 20

Proverbs 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Revelation 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;

1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Romans 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us

Ephesians 4:2-3 I…entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

May your fellowship with the wayward not extend to include their ways. 1 Kings 22

May you minister in love to the material needs of those God brings to you before you speak His truth in kindness to minister to their spiritual needs. 1 Kings 22

May you walk in the grace of God, restrained and motivated by the Word of God, so you will respond from the Spirit when attacked in the flesh, for the sinful nature is always hostile toward God. 1 Kings 22, Romans 8

May you know that, though you are basely used by the wayward, God's judgments against their sin are inescapable apart from repentance. 1 Kings 22

May you do good in the eyes of the Lord, not following the ways of those who do evil by causing others to sin, but serve and worship the Lord God Almighty, knowing that the enemy of your soul will be provoked to anger. 1 Kings 22

May your ministry be of Christ, Who was crucified by men, buried by friends, and resurrected by God, giving victory over death and the hope of eternal life. Acts 13

Just as David served his generation, may you serve yours in the strength and the power of Christ, Who has served all generations, shedding His love abroad through all who yield to and follow after His will. Acts 13

May you first know, and second share, the forgiveness of sin through faith in Christ's atonement without injury to God's honor, and the justification from guilt, which the law gave awareness of, but the gospel gives atonement for. Acts 13

   My child, the enemy desires to separate you from Me as a farmer sifts the husks from the grain, but know, My precious one, that I am in charge of the flail and I control the winnowing basket. Be assured that the chaff will be burned in My fire, but not the least grain of My harvest shall fall to the ground to be lost.    There is much separation going on in your life, My dear one. I have spoken of it, and it must come to pass. In the field of your heart, My enemy sowed tares, and you have struggled to know why the springs of your soul bring forth both fresh water and salt. The growing season is not the time of separation; the harvest is the time appointed.    The husks and chaff are those who have no grounding, who have sought the entertainment and joys of the flesh and emotions; but as you have sought Me, you have formed full, solid grains that will not be blown about by every wind of doctrine which scatters.    I have been drawing you by My Spirit to a closer walk, a deeper relationship, a more intimate knowledge of Me, not just knowing My acts, My near one, but understanding My ways. You have responded, My eager one, by growing and maturing, storing up the richness of My Word and gathering the strength and life of My Spirit, ripening into a bountiful harvest that I can rejoice over.    There is, at the same time, a separation among the people in your life, My caring one, for though I have allowed the young plants to grow mixed in the field, those who have chosen repeated and persistently to reject My water of life and My sun of strength, are destined for separation, binding, and burning.    The grief in your heart for those headed that way is My grief, My sorrowful one. Allow it to express itself in tears and sorrow, with intercession and prayers for mercy and grace, knowing it is My Spirit crying through you in effectual, fervent prayer, for in this manner will the last harvest be the greatest, and many will be saved, as by fire.    All who will receive Me will be kept, for they are precious to Me, just as you are. No more than a shepherd would lose a sheep, a jeweler a single diamond, or a mother one of her children, however many she has, so I gather each of you under My wings in love.    Do not let the striking of the flail be a terror to you, nor the ups and downs of life which blow the chaff from you. Cleansing is needed, My love, but as you cling to Me, you are in no danger.

May you praise the Lord, the Almighty God, with all your heart and sing praise to Him before those mighty in the world and possessing authority among men, bowing down in worship to the Father Who, through His love, has defeated all His foes and, through His faithfulness, has rescued you from the grave, for He has exalted above all things His Name and His Word, making you bold and stouthearted when you call upon Him. Psalm 138

May the words you speak unto the kings of the earth about the glory of God bring forth praise from them to the Lord, Who is great. Psalm 138

May you walk before the Lord, Who is on high, in humility, for He looks with favor upon the lowly, though the proud He knows from afar. Psalm 138

May the Lord preserve your life, though you walk in the midst of trouble, for He stretches out His hand against the anger of His foes and will save you by His right hand. Psalm 138

May the Lord fulfill His purpose for you, for the love of the Lord endures forever and He will not abandon the works of His hands. Psalm 138

Even as you have found Christ to be the Friend Who is always loyal, loving at all times and closer than a brother in times of adversity, may you express the same bonds of love, compassion, grace, and acceptance to those who need it, as He leads you and works through you. Proverbs 17:17

May you look to God for wisdom in your decisions and compassion in your actions, seeking the way which leads to life and not relying on your own understanding of good and evil. Proverbs 17:18

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Don’t Complain Aloud, Take it to God

20th June 2025, Friday, Singapore - I’ve been wrestling. I’ve been waiting for the Lord to reveal Himself. The Navy SEALs have a saying: “embrace the suck”, it’s their philosophy of treating the hardships as friends, not enemies, and driving on.

For the faithful, the book of Isaiah tells us “like a sheep before its shearers is mute" emphasizing meekness, submission, and a peaceful acceptance of one's fate. 53:7 describes the Suffering Servant as "like a lamb that is led to the slaughter" highlighting our Lord’s willingness to suffer and die for others, without protest or complaint. And we are to be mirrors of Him.

But God isn’t a sadist, the exhortation to “take everything to Him in prayer and thanksgiving” is a call not to internalize or suppress pain but to go before Him. Think about it, what can other mortals do? Invite the Father, the designer and author of your life to come and steward what is ultimately His, like a good servant.

So, I’m going to “embrace the suck” and go to the Father in prayer, keeping in mind Tzadi (צ).

Hebrew letter Tzadi (צ) has several meanings, most notably "righteousness. Tzadi can also represent the idea of pulling towards something, a desire, or even a difficult situation. Some interpretations link it to the idea of a humble person who is bent in humility before God.

Psalm 119:137

137 You are righteous, Yahweh.

Your judgments are upright.

138 You have commanded your statutes in righteousness.

They are fully trustworthy.

139 My zeal wears me out,

because my enemies ignore your words.

140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested,

and your servant loves them.

141 I am small and despised.

I don’t forget your precepts.

142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness.

Your law is truth.

143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me.

Your commandments are my delight.

144 Your testimonies are righteous forever.

Give me understanding, that I may live.

June 19

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Matthew 25:29 To all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

Luke 12:31 Seek [God’s] kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

Luke 6:30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

1 John 4:18-19 But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

May you humbly accept that God will move sovereignly in your circumstances, not because you are deserving or worthy, but to show to all that He is Lord. 1 Kings 20

May you be willing to let God work in new ways in your life, taking a different approach than normal, relying on the untried and untested, that He may reveal Himself Lord, strong and in control. 1 Kings 20

May you understand that if you take up the name of God and bear it before the world, He will defend His reputation against the outside attacks of the enemy, and will also purge you of all that is not of Him, for He is holy, and will not allow His name to be handled unworthily. 1 Kings 20

May you fully obey the Lord in the battle for your soul, leaving nothing undone that He has spoken, and yielding fully to the purging of your heart as you surrender to His love, releasing all to Him that you may receive all from Him. 1 Kings 20

May you be content with that which God had allotted you, whether it be a palace or a prison, for that honors God, and frees you from the grip of vexation and anxiety, leaving no entry for the enemy to attack. 1 Kings 21

May you commit the keeping of your life, and living, to God, trusting Him to safeguard you from evil and uninformed zeal, knowing any injustice will be used to His glory and the strengthening of His kingdom. 1 Kings 21

May you not consider the one who brings you the rebuke of God's word to be an enemy or adversary as Ahab did, but accept the word with repentance and the messenger with honor as David did. 1 Kings 21, 2 Samuel 12

   My child, remember, it is My will that shall be established on earth, just as it is in heaven. My Holy Spirit is given to you that you may have a teacher Who will show you how to align your will to Mine, and comfort you in the process as you experience the trials and tribulations of being at cross-purposes with the world's system.    My promises are fulfilled in Christ, and as you leave behind the former lusts and appetites, which were yours in ignorance, and grow into maturity to bear My image, taking your place in My Body, you realize and receive the benefits of those promises.    Do not think it is for your personal rescue and ease of discomfort that the might of the legions of angels will be turned, or that the consequences of poor judgment and bad choices will be erased without turning a hair, for walking that out is the time of the most useful training and most effective learning, My special one. The bruises to your ego and the sprains to your pride are moments of clarity and times of choices.    However, know with certainty, My dear one, that none of the bones of your character, faith, or hope, or love, will be broken but, instead, will grow stronger. The times of silence between My promise revealed and My promise received are times of discipline and duty, not of displeasure.    My kingdom principle is still the same as when My servant, Paul, wrote in his letter, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Just as when I walked the earth in flesh, it is the principle of love to empty yourself and accept the will of the Father over your own, considering that the sufferings of this present time of learning and growing and working are not worthy to be compared with the glory that I will reveal in you.    Then all the forces of heaven and authority from the throne will be available to meet the responsibilities of the assignments from the Father, for I have chosen you from before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Me in love.

May the Word of God flourish and multiply in your life, renewing your mind and cleansing your heart, strengthening all who share your company. Acts 12

May the Spirit of God sanctify you for the work to which God has called you, making you both able in His power and willing in your heart. Acts 13

May you be ready and willing to speak the truth in love, as guided by the Spirit, and not in the passion of the flesh, allowing the Spirit of God to touch each heart in the way needed to achieve His redemptive purpose in their lives. Acts 13

May you steadfastly rejoice in the Lord through your suffering, giving God the freedom to complete His work in you and bring defeat and vengeance to His enemies, resolutely relying on His grace to bring you through into the victory of His kingdom. Psalm 137

May you never forget the Lord, Who dwells in the city of God, and may you consider it your highest joy to dwell with Him in the presence of God. Psalm 137

May you have a heart for learning and a desire to get wisdom from the Lord, for He gives generously to all who ask, without finding fault or criticizing Proverbs 17:16, James1

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What Denying Yourself and Carrying Your Cross Actually Means

While it means prioritizing your relationship with God over your own desires and worldly pursuits, it's not about depriving yourself of basic needs or being miserable, but rather about putting aside selfish desires and ambitions that conflict with God's will even when it's difficult or painful.

Jesus is not saying ignore yourself. God is not a sadomasochist, there are dreams, thoughts and desires which are good and more importantly, some of them are God’s promptings. Take your thoughts captive and understand what your desires are telling you. There is value in understanding whether your desires and wants are in God’s order and will or disorder and might lead you to sin.

It's about surrendering your will to God's will and embracing the challenges that come with following Him because there is a temptation to turn yourself into an idol - my desires, my wants, my plans when it is His we must submit.

Remember your “self” is not yours, you were bought and paid for by Jesus and the cross - that’s why you have to be able to say “No” to “yourself”. The self has worth and value, when we say no to it, we are saying YES to something greater.

June 18

Ephesians 2:8 By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Galatians 5:14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

1 Corinthians 13:13 These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Psalm 103:11-12 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

2 Corinthians 6:18 "And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty.

Though you may fear for your life when the enemy threatens, may God provide you strength and meet with you in a quiet place, hearing you and giving you wisdom, understanding, and direction, not allowing you to be distracted by outside events. 1 Kings 19

May you know with certainty that honest work and hard labor does not disqualify you from God's calling, for if your heart is open to Him, you will recognize His voice when He speaks to you, so seek Him daily, draw near through His Word and pray without ceasing lest you be distracted and inattentive when the moment comes. 1 Kings 19

May you be willing to accept the call and anointing of God when it comes, embracing the changes and counting the cost as not being worthy to be compared to the glory which is soon to be manifested in you. 1 Kings 19, Romans 8

May you be confident in the Lord, trusting His care and provision, accepting His will and purpose for you, even when circumstances constrain you, for through the grace of the Father and the prayers of the saints, you will be brought out into a broad and open place where you can stand firm in the Lord and be about the Lord's business. Acts 12

My child, I have opened the way for you to come before the Father. The separating walls have been removed, the obscuring veil has been rent, the forbidding statutes have been fulfilled, that you may approach the mercy seat and find grace to help in times of need, joy to strengthen in times of fellowship, and authority to overcome in times of battle. Do not back off or be reticent to approach, for you are fully accepted in Me, the Beloved of the Father. You are clothed in My righteousness, which is not of obedience to the law, but of faith in Me; you are right that you have not earned it, but only pride would insist that you must. Humble yourself as a servant, acknowledge you own nothing of worth and possess nothing of value, and that the only things you have which are of any use come from your Lord and Master; then realize that because all which you have has come from Me, the salvation, the redemption, the sanctification, the faith, the fruit of the Spirit, the righteousness, the armor and weapons, the wisdom and understanding, you have the best, the strongest, the most efficacious there is in heaven and earth and under the earth. There is no place for proud refusal or false modesty, simply honest acceptance and obedient progress. Just as the moon willingly uses the light of the sun to have dominion over the night, so My Body, and each member individually, faithfully stewards the light of My grace with those in need, and the radiance of My glory to push back the works of darkness, not claiming it as your own, or trying to hold on it for later, for the sun has no shortage of light. My love for you, My child, is not based on performance. You are of Me, My precious one, created in My heart, shaped by My hands, ever in My thoughts. Even if a mother could forget her child, still I could not forget you or stop caring for you. Trust Me for My promises toward you, even as you have accepted My works for you. I do not change, and My compassion for you will never die. All that I am, king, priest, prophet, shepherd, captain, physician, even man, is for you and to your benefit. Do not hesitate to call on Me for all you need, and keep calling as often as you need, for there is no one who cares for you as I do.

May you give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever. Psalm 136

May you give honor to the God of gods and the Lord of lords, Who alone does great wonders and, by His understanding, has made the heavens and spread out the earth upon the waters, placing the sun and moon to govern the day and night. Psalm 136

May you humbly revere and respectfully obey the One who destroyed the strength of the world's system in your life and redeemed you out of it with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, making a way where there was no way and leading you through it, closing off and cutting free all ties with the enemy which tried to reclaim you. Psalm 136

May you joyfully and gratefully follow your Commander, the Captain of the hosts of heaven, into battle as He trains you in the desert, striking down great powers and disarming mighty principalities, giving you His victory as your inheritance, making you more than a conqueror. Psalm 136

May you walk in the temperance and self-control of the Spirit, demonstrating the meekness and humility of a child of God about his Father's business, for against the fruit of the Spirit there is no law. Proverbs 17:14

May you walk in agreement with the judgment of God, for two cannot walk together except they be agreed. Proverbs 17:15

[trustfallwithgod]

[trustfallwithgod]

Restore our fortunes, LORD,

   like streams in the Negev.

  ⁵ Those who sow with tears

   will reap with songs of joy.

  ⁶ Those who go out weeping,

   carrying seed to sow,

  will return with songs of joy,

   carrying sheaves with them. - Psalm 126

The Almighty works marvels for me, Holy is His name.

There are plenty of tears in the Christian life. If life is tough for you at the moment, pray that God will restore your fortunes. If you are sowing in tears right now, there will come a time when you will begin to reap with songs of joy.

Hebrew letter "Pey" (פ, ף) primarily means mouth (peh). It also represents speech, expression, vocalization, and breath. In the Hebrew alphabet, "Pey" follows "Ayin" (ע), which symbolizes the eyes and understanding, suggesting that speech should follow awareness and thoughtful consideration. In a deeper sense, "Pey" symbolizes the power of speech, both for good and for potential harm, and the importance of using it wisely.

Psalm 119:129

129 Your testimonies are wonderful,

therefore my soul keeps them.

130 The entrance of your words gives light.

It gives understanding to the simple.

131 I opened my mouth wide and panted,

for I longed for your commandments.

132 Turn to me, and have mercy on me,

as you always do to those who love your name.

133 Establish my footsteps in your word.

Don’t let any iniquity have dominion over me.

134 Redeem me from the oppression of man,

so I will observe your precepts.

135 Make your face shine on your servant.

Teach me your statutes.

136 Streams of tears run down my eyes,

because they don’t observe your law.

June 17

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Psalm 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.

Psalm 68:4 Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him — His name is the Lord.

May you not be as Ahab, who worked hard caring for his animals, but cared nothing for the condition of his heart, searching across miles through the heat for grass to endure the drought, but taking no time to seek God in repentance to end the drought. 1 Kings 18

May you know that God will always have His remnant, in places both high and low, as His Spirit draws those who, in faith, will love and fear His Name. 1 Kings 18

Even as you do the works of God, as Obadiah did, may you continue to grow in the knowledge and understanding of the ways of God, so that your love for God will banish all fear and you can obey His word faithfully without struggle or worry, never doubting. 1 Kings 18

May you steadfastly express your faith in and love for God, never halting or wavering between two opinions, nor varying in your obedient service to your Creator and Savior, not merely convinced that the Lord, He is God, but converted to follow your Master and Redeemer whole-heartedly. 1 Kings 18

May you gladly honor the Father as He requires, in discipline denying the flesh's appetites, in worship speaking words of praise and affection to the King, in faith deeply desiring to bear the image of the Son of God, in obedience expressing His love for the souls of all people, in humility seeking the glory of God and the good of His people. 1 Kings 18

May you seek the Lord as you serve Him, trusting He will answer your obedience, so that the people will know that He, the Lord, is God and that He is turning their hearts back to Him. 1 Kings 18

   My child, the called are many, but the chosen are few. You know tales of those who heard and heeded the call of the sea or the call of the wilderness, the call to battle or the call to service; the only ones who hear those calls are those whose spirit, or nature, identifies with, and resonates to, what is calling.    My call, however, expresses My nature, not yours, and comes to you in undeniable, manifold witness through many channels, isolated from each other, known, heard, and received only by you, the one it is directed to, and is unrelated to your qualifications, experience, or temperament.    As you submit to My call, yielding obediently to the Spirit, you find that the expression of My call in your life is in a different direction than you would have selected, for the way you have gone before is the way of the carnal mind, which is enmity to the Spirit and caters to your fleshly comfort. The way My calling leads you is one that brings Me glory while denying the frantic warnings and urgent pleadings of your own earthly understanding and experience.    Once you settle in your mind that I, the Lord, am leading you in love and guarding you in grace, you find that the intrinsic, basic, often suppressed and ignored, needs and innate yearnings of your spirit are satisfied in ways you have never known before by the expression of My compassion and righteousness through the ministry I bring you by the Holy Spirit.    I call forth that which I have formed in you, and you find that I have placed abilities, shaped talents, and given gifts within your spirit and soul that have never been expressed in this way until My redemption restored them to their intended use and original purpose under My will and to My praise and glory.    “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created.” Revelation 4:11

May you not be nearsightedly critical of abandoned traditions and broken boundaries when God's mercy and grace has overflowed them, sweeping them away to show His love to others in new and bountiful ways. Acts 11

May you rejoice when others gladly receive God's truth, though you would not have chosen them, and God's blessings richly embrace those you would not have selected, and His power is seen in the lives of those you thought were beyond His reach. May you embrace the love of God which brings unity among the diversity of His Body. Acts 11

May you praise the name of the Lord as you minister in the house of the Lord as servants to the people of the Lord, for the Lord is good and it is pleasant to sing praise to His Name, the One Who has chosen us for His own, His treasured possession. Psalm 135

May you know that the Lord is great, high above all other powers and principalities, and He does what He wills, doing what pleases Him in the heavens, on the earth, and in the seas and their depths, sending His servants the clouds, the winds, and the lightning with the rain from His storehouse to execute judgments of His mercy to lift up the downtrodden and His grace to humble the haughty. Psalm 135

May you receive the vindication of the Lord to His people and God's compassion on His servants wherein He has destroyed the strength of the world through His signs and wonders, and struck down the nations, consuming the enemies of God, which exalted themselves against the glory of God, giving the territory they controlled back to His people as their eternal inheritance. Psalm 135

May you praise the Lord with reverential awe and respectful obedience to the One Who is in Zion, dwelling in Jerusalem. May you spurn the idols of the nations, made of silver and gold by the hands of men, unable to speak, see, or hear, and completely without the breath of life, for those who trust them will be like them. Psalm 135

May you set a watch on your emotions and a guard over your passions, walking in the wisdom of God and the understanding of the Lord, lest you give free rein to your carnal nature and cause more harm than a mother bear robbed of her cubs. Proverbs 17:12

May you return good for evil, blessing for cursing, showing and sharing the compassion of God the Father, for those who need it the most often seem to us to deserve it the least; then God's favor will abide on your house. Proverbs 17:13

[trustfallwithgod]

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

In Psalm 125:2 it says, ‘As the mountains surrounded Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and for evermore.’ What a metaphor for God’s overarching presence. What about Psalm 23? When you’re walking through a valley surrounded with mountains, you don’t have any opportunity for decision fatigue because your pathways are kept to a manageable number of decisions - forward or back

Closed doors are often God’s protection.

The only way to make ‘straight paths for your feet’ is to keep looking ahead at the goal rather than looking down at your feet. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.

Fix your eyes on Jesus… so that you will not grow weary and lose heart - Hebrews 12:2–3

Hebrew word ayin (ע) means "eye" or "to see". It can also refer to a spring of water, as the earth was thought to "cry" or produce water. Beyond the literal, ayin carries symbolic weight, representing sight, understanding, and even spiritual perception.

Psalm 119:121

121 I have done what is just and righteous.

Don’t leave me to my oppressors.

122 Ensure your servant’s well-being.

Don’t let the proud oppress me.

123 My eyes fail looking for your salvation,

for your righteous word.

124 Deal with your servant according to your loving kindness.

Teach me your statutes.

125 I am your servant. Give me understanding,

that I may know your testimonies.

126 It is time to act, Yahweh,

for they break your law.

127 Therefore I love your commandments more than gold,

yes, more than pure gold.

128 Therefore I consider all of your precepts to be right.

I hate every false way.

June 16

Psalm 91:1-2 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

John 3:16 God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 3:14-15 Paul wrote, “I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.”

Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

2 Corinthians 1:4 …so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

May you not be zealous in purging sin from others which you allow in yourself, lest you receive the same judgment you mete out, but humble yourself before God in repentance, allowing Him to cleanse you by His Word and His Spirit that you may walk in the righteousness of Christ, purchased by His blood, and show His mercy to others. 1 Kings 16

May you be willing to move in the times and seasons of the Lord's work, for when He says to go and speak, it is time for obedient action, but when He says stay and rest, it is time to wait on the Lord and possess your soul in patience. 1 Kings 17

May you have eyes to see in truth God's provision through His ministering spirits, though they come in the fashion that men's tradition and custom declares is unclean and undesirable. 1 Kings 17

May you realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. Acts 10

   My child, the law of Moses and the words of the prophets spoke of Me to the Israelites. It showed My love and mercy which leads you in the way of escape from the judgment which was inevitable once the Fall occurred in the Garden of Eden.    “Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Because of the hardness of many hearts, restrictions were specified and the “do nots” were detailed.    The Israelites were not a unified people, of one mind and one accord, My child. Many came out of Egypt reluctantly, looking back over their shoulders, taking the idols and appetites of their slave-masters with them. “He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”    To keep the Law is to love Me with your entire being, heart and mind, soul and spirit, and your neighbor as yourself. Those who did so when I walked the earth, could recognize the Father's voice when I spoke and received the Father's words when I taught.    My way is not one of lists and processes and traditions; rather, My way is out among the highways and byways, in the market place and work place, the homes and the schools, wherever there are those who still need to know that My hand is stretched out, open, willing, inviting, accepting.    My congregation, My assembly, is not a building, but wherever two or more come together, in My name, to honor Me and encourage one another to good works by the word of their testimony, for there, I will be, also. “Can two walk together unless they have agreed to?” No longer be childish, My dear one, but be childlike. Abide in Me by My Spirit, as I abide in you.

May you bless the Lord, praising Him as you serve Him, even as you minister in the house of the Lord during the night of the world's darkness with your hands lifted, for the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth will bless your from Zion. Psalm 134

May you not keep track of wrongs or feel resentful, for love covers a multitude of sins. Proverbs 17:9, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 Peter 4

May you be receptive to rebuke and reproof from God through His people as a wise and discerning person is, allowing the work of righteousness to bring peace, for the heavenly wisdom is peace-loving and pure. Proverbs 17:10, Isaiah 32, James 3

[trustfallwithgod]

Take Comfort that The Lord appoints you

John 15:16, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you," emphasizes that Jesus chooses his followers, not the other way around, and that their purpose is to bear lasting fruit and to pray in his name.

The only fruit that will last is the fruit that grows on the cross.

The sheep hear his voice and he calls his sheep by name (he chooses them) and leads them out" (John 10:3)

The Hebrew letter Samekh primarily signifies support, protection, and being upheld. Its root meaning is "to lean upon," "to uphold," or "to support".

113 I hate double-minded men,

but I love your law.

114 You are my hiding place and my shield.

I hope in your word.

115 Depart from me, you evildoers,

that I may keep the commandments of my God.

116 Uphold me according to your word, that I may live.

Let me not be ashamed of my hope.

117 Hold me up, and I will be safe,

and will have respect for your statutes continually.

118 You reject all those who stray from your statutes,

for their deceit is in vain.

119 You put away all the wicked of the earth like dross.

Therefore I love your testimonies.

120 My flesh trembles for fear of you.

I am afraid of your judgments.

Lord you chose me! You are not fickle. You are not shortsighted. You are not impulsive. Your choices have the weight of eternity in them. You will not let your chosen one be ruined. Help me, Lord for you called me and you know me by name.

June 15

2 Corinthians 4:6 God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” … has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Mark 16:15 [Jesus] said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.”

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord, it will stand.

John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me.

Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

May you not seek to know your fortune, but desire that God reveal your fault, that by turning from it in repentance to God you may fulfill your duty as you receive the whole counsel of God. 1 Kings 14

May you keep an account of God's mercies before you, always offering praise to the King Who cares so abundantly for you, that you may walk in thanksgiving toward the Lord and live in the blessings He bestows on those who acknowledge Him as their Source and obey Him as their Master. 1 Kings 14

May you ever exercise care and practice caution regarding your heart, realizing that simply being present when others seek God, and walking in traditions that once held meaning, will not keep you close to God, yet a single, honest, sincere cry to the Savior will never be drowned out or lost, for the King of kings is always alert to your needs and has prepared a way out when you turn to Him in repentance, desiring to know and obey His will. 1 Kings 14

May you do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, cleansing the temple of your heart and rooting out those things which are contrary to the worship of God, that you may trust Him in times of testing and peril, having learned of Him and drawn close by obedience. 1 Kings 15

   My child, I have given you gifts, precious gifts, of great value and rare beauty. They are a part of your life, and, in so many cases, you have grown accustomed to them, thinking nothing of them, treating them as common-place, ordinary, and of no account. You ask yourself, “They have always been here, what benefit can they have?” You use your gifts, your talents, your innate skills for amusement to entertain or in a trade to earn a living, but you do not look to Me in acknowledgment as the Giver and in thanksgiving for receiving your gifts. This is a part of your redemption, My valued one, that the functionality which the potter shapes the vessel to have may be realized as it is placed in the part of the house it was made for and used as it was designed.    That which is done through your talents is blessed, for I am the Source of what you have, but so often it is squandered on your lusts and given away to satisfy your appetites, bringing no lasting results or eternal changes. Do you think that those who rise to the top of their field do so on their own, My curious one? No, they have turned that which I gave them to the obedience of their own will and gone their own way. The people of the world recognize it as greater than their own ability, and honor it in their own way, but they are not pointed to Me for it was done in the flesh.    Quiet yourself, calm yourself, draw near to Me and receive the peace that comes from submission to My Spirit and cease from your efforts. Learn of Me, and know My voice, that you may follow in humility. A pitcher does not pour itself lest the contents go all over the floor and be wasted, My dear one. Instead, it waits until the host pours to offer refreshment to a guest. Let Me fill you, and let Me pour you out, that others may know the true living water that brings cleansing and comfort to their troubled souls, and joy to your heart.

May you be willing to follow the leading of God outside of the boundaries of tradition so that you may discover pure and undefiled devotion where you would least expect it and be enriched by the unity of the Spirit as the prayers and mediation of Jesus brings the Body of Christ together. Acts 10

May your heart be always toward the Father, attentive and listening, always thankful, that you would not miss what He has to say by His Spirit and His Word, giving no room to doubts or prejudices, but in humility, as a servant, accepting His directions and learning His ways that His kingdom may be established and increased. Acts 10

May you dwell together in unity with God's family in the anointing of the Spirit for that is where the Lord bestows His blessing of life forevermore. Psalm 133

May lying lips and false utterances be as inconsistent and unbecoming to you as refined speech and eloquent words are to a godless fool. Proverbs 17:7

[trustfallwithgod]

[trustfallwithgod]

Pray until It breaks - The enemy never quits, Neither should you

14 June 2025, Saturday - throughout the Bible persistent, fervent prayer until a desired outcome is achieved or a breakthrough is experienced calls to mind the kind of constant connection to the source of life advised by Jesus. Whether using vine and branch terminology as in Ezekiel, or vine and branch terminology as in John, or in the words of our Lord Himself, using the analogy of the widow’s unceasing supplication to an unjust judge or the woman “begging for scraps from the master’s table” as in the case of Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman. She comes to Him asking Him to heal her daughter who was demon-possessed. Jesus was silent. She continues to ask Him to help her daughter. The disciples ask Jesus to send her away. Jesus honors the woman's faith and heals her daughter, the emphasis is on the importance of perseverance in prayer, not giving up easily, and seeking a powerful, transformative result through consistent communication. This approach to prayer is often associated with the idea that prayer can move mountains and bring about significant changes

In Hebrew, the letter Gimel (ג) generally represents giving, kindness, and generosity, often depicted as a rich person running to give charity to a poor person. Here, Gimel opens Psalm 119:17-24

Psalm 119

17 Do good to your servant.

I will live and I will obey your word.

18 Open my eyes,

that I may see wondrous things out of your law.

19 I am a stranger on the earth.

Don’t hide your commandments from me.

20 My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times.

21 You have rebuked the proud who are cursed,

who wander from your commandments.

22 Take reproach and contempt away from me,

for I have kept your statutes.

23 Though princes sit and slander me,

your servant will meditate on your statutes.

24 Indeed your statutes are my delight,

and my counselors.

The will to persevere is often the difference between success and failure, perseverance is key to the Christian life. Perseverance brings hope. This is a motif repeated throughout the entirety of the Bible as well. Especially Psalm 123.

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to you,

  to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

 ² As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,

  as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,

 so our eyes look to the Lord our God,

  till he shows us his mercy.

 ³ Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,

  for we have endured no end of contempt.

 ⁴ We have endured no end

  of ridicule from the arrogant,

  of contempt from the proud.

Like the psalmist, wait patiently for God to help. Stick at it in the face of opposition and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings.

Lord, whatever happens, help me to endure, persevere and keep my eyes fixed on you. Let us “hold unswervingly unto you, the hope that we profess” (Hebrews 10:23)

June 13

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Colossians 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Romans 6:13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.

Psalm 63:1,6-8 David wrote, “God, … earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, … On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night. Because You are my help, … I cling to You.”

May your confidence never rest in what the strength of man can complete, or in what the wisdom of man can conceive, or even in what the gifts of God can accomplish, but may you only and ever rest your confidence and security, your trust and your faith, in God alone, acknowledging that you cannot stand in your own sufficiency, always soberly dependent on God's grace, ever watchful for the traitor in your own heart. 1 Kings 11

May you be a servant to the people and serve them as the Lord directs, walking in His ways and sharing His wisdom in compassion. 1 Kings 12

May you use the times of inactivity that come your way as preparation for the next season, for after Saul was three days without sight, and fasting, he immediately began to preach after he regained his sight and strength. Acts 9

   My child, I am a God of relationships. I do not desire your offerings; I long for you.    Your money is no substitute for your time, My busy one. By your efforts, you can make more money, but time is My gift to you.    Slow down, breathe the breath of life that I give you, and take time to turn and align yourself to Me. Just as a compass seeks the north, so you will find that you know the way. Let My Spirit bring you in tune with My heart.    Time is an irreplaceable treasure, My special one. Where you spend your treasure, there your heart will be. Let your heart come unto Me, My seeking one; know that there is no better place or way to invest that which you cannot make or keep than in My presence, knowing My heart, touching My face.    I will be your shelter, My fragile one, during the time of the storm. I will be your defender, My bold one, when I send you out to do My work. Know Me, so that you will be able to recognize Me when you look in the eyes and listen to the heart of others I bring you to. You cannot trust the arm of man, My confident one, but you can rely upon My Spirit in those who are Mine.

May your heart be humble before the Lord, and your eyes not be haughty, lest you concern yourself with great matters or things too wonderful for you. Psalm 131

May your heart be pure and washed clean by the Lord so that you will heed and obey the truth in righteousness. Proverbs 17:4

May you know the compassion of Christ toward the poor, sharing the sorrow of those who weep, that you may be the hands of His love extended. Proverbs 17:5

[trustfallwithgod]

Holiness not Happiness

Lord, I long for your holy presence. I long to praise the name of the Lord. Thank you for the peace and security that comes from your presence in the house of God.

13 June 2025, Friday - why are we so afraid of the Father? When we hear a term like “holiness not happiness”, we feel anxious that the Father has not planned a life of purpose and meaning. Yet, it is a repeated motif that even when it comes to tests, God provides the answer. He always does.

Look at Abraham and Isaac on the mountain? “God will provide,” said Abraham and indeed, a ram was found in tangled in the bush to be used in place of Isaac. In Hebrews 10,  we are reminded “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.” - day after day, Jesus is the high priest who performs his duty, he is the sacrifice paid, one time for all sins, for all time.

Holiness is now possible for you through the sacrifice of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit who comes to live within you.

But here’s the kicker… Jesus was completely obedient and it is God’s will that we be reflections of Christ. The anxiety therefore comes when we assume (and rightly so as St Paul said) - that we will die to ourselves, as Jesus did - “It is not I who live but Christ who lives in me.” - what then does this mean for our own personal happiness?

Just like “Eli Eli lama sabacthani” is a clarion call from Jesus hanging on the cross, pointing us to Psalm 22 ultimate salvation and restoration, the Lord’s final cry, “Into your hands, I commend my spirit” points to Psalm 31.

1 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge.

Let me never be disappointed.

Deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Bow down your ear to me.

Deliver me speedily.

Be to me a strong rock,

a house of defense to save me.

3 For you are my rock and my fortress,

therefore for your name’s sake lead me and guide me.

4 Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me,

for you are my stronghold.

5 Into your hand I commend my spirit.

You redeem me, Yahweh, God of truth.

6 I hate those who regard lying vanities,

but I trust in Yahweh.

7 I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness,

for you have seen my affliction.

You have known my soul in adversities.

8 You have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy.

You have set my feet in a large place.

9 Have mercy on me, Yahweh, for I am in distress.

My eye, my soul, and my body waste away with grief.

10 For my life is spent with sorrow,

my years with sighing.

My strength fails because of my iniquity.

My bones are wasted away.

11 Because of all my adversaries I have become utterly contemptible to my neighbors,

a horror to my acquaintances.

Those who saw me on the street fled from me.

12 I am forgotten from their hearts like a dead man.

I am like broken pottery.

13 For I have heard the slander of many, terror on every side,

while they conspire together against me,

they plot to take away my life.

14 But I trust in you, Yahweh.

I said, “You are my God.”

15 My times are in your hand.

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

16 Make your face to shine on your servant.

Save me in your loving kindness.

17 Let me not be disappointed, Yahweh, for I have called on you.

Let the wicked be disappointed.

Let them be silent in Sheol.*

18 Let the lying lips be mute,

which speak against the righteous insolently, with pride and contempt.

19 Oh how great is your goodness,

which you have laid up for those who fear you,

which you have worked for those who take refuge in you,

before the sons of men!

20 In the shelter of your presence you will hide them from the plotting of man.

You will keep them secretly in a dwelling away from the strife of tongues.

21 Praise be to Yahweh,

for he has shown me his marvelous loving kindness in a strong city.

22 As for me, I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before your eyes.”

Nevertheless you heard the voice of my petitions when I cried to you.

23 Oh love Yahweh, all you his saints!

Yahweh preserves the faithful,

and fully recompenses him who behaves arrogantly.

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who hope in Yahweh.

Psalm 31 is a reminder that “our times are in His hands” and that even as our Lord hung in pain, blood spilling out from hundreds of wounds, Jesus has every confidence that He will not be disappointed.

It is true that God is not interested in our comfort but remember the enemy we face - he is relentless and he wants nothing short of our complete destruction because this is the only way the enemy can hurt God. Satan gets to the Father through His children.

Look at Hell week for the Navy SEALS, look at the Green Beret Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) - the trainees might not have enjoyed their pain and their trial, but when the enemy came for them later, they found great joy in the fruits of their wilderness season - greater strength and resolve. These men found themselves meeked. How blessed are the meek?

You know what’s even more incredible? Even when we continue to misbehave, God provides:

Also with uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land I had given them—a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands — ¹⁶ because they rejected my laws and did not follow my decrees and desecrated my Sabbaths. For their hearts were devoted to their idols. ¹⁷ Yet I looked on them with pity and did not destroy them or put an end to them in the wilderness. - Ezekiel 20:16-17

Strive for holiness because the happiness that comes from the Lord after, is ever sweeter. The Lord proved Job, proved Abraham, proved Moses, proved Joseph, proved David, the Lord proved all these men righteous. Let Him prove you righteous today.

June 12

Acts 1:8 Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, … and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 20:24 I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Romans 13:11-12 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Proverbs 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence; for from it flow the springs of life.

May you ever live repentantly before God, that you may live and not die, for at the feet of the Lord Almighty, who can claim to be righteous in themselves? 2 Samuel 12

May you always watch and pray, keeping your eyes on the Father and your heart open to the Spirit, so that you will not enter into temptation by obeying the flesh as David did but, yielding your spirit to the Lord, you will obey God as Jesus did, rather than react to the circumstances and give the enemies of God opportunity to bring reproach and contempt. 2 Samuel 12, Mark 14

May you ever make it your practice to do in private that which you are willing to have proclaimed before the world and those things for which you are willing to be repaid before all, for God knows your heart and will honor those who honor Him, exalting those who humble themselves and repaying those who give to Him of themselves for the sake of others. 2 Samuel 12, Matthew 6, Matthew 10, Luke 12

May you submit all you have, all you are, and all you love to the will and purpose of God, Who acts justly and in love, and sins not, for if He removes some from your hand, He is also gracious and will bring to you that which will grant greater glory than you can imagine. 2 Samuel 12

May you not be troubled in your heart over what caused the troubles that come or which source produced the trials you face, but rather seek to know what task the Lord would have them fulfill and what glory they will bring to His name as they run their course in your life. John 16

May you remember that as the seasons of your life progress, the sorrows will dissipate and the joys will accumulate through the office of the Holy Spirit, Who is your Comforter, for when you look back to the time of distress and the rejoicing of God's foes, where is, now, their joy and what has become, now, of your sorrow? John 16

May you have peace in the Lord through His Word - though you have trouble, tribulation, and distress in the world, take courage, for Jesus has deprived it of power to harm you and has won the victory over the world. John 16

   My child, do you wonder why you were selected and picked out for My blessings, My presence, My salvation? Do you question the choice I have made to train and equip you, placing you in the work I have called you to? Do you marvel over how the One Who knows all things could have erred so profoundly and slipped up on this occasion when you were assigned the task and given the responsibilities that you now find yourself surrounded by and feel incapable of meeting?    My dear one, I understand the confusion you feel when you huddle on the throne-room floor before the great and high King, from Whom comes all life and blessings, and Who brings swift and total destruction upon His enemies. The knowledge of yourself, of your behavior and thoughts, the fightings within and the conflicts without, give you no assurance of being one who can qualify to receive the outpouring of favor that others are granted, but only to expect the quick flash of displeasure and anger leading to the doom and destruction that is the sure end of those who have displeased Him.    My precious one, do you not know? Have you not realized? I am well-pleased with My Son, Who was obedient to My wishes unto death, even the death of the cross, emptying Himself of His rights, His privileges, His entitlements, His opinions, His choices, and taking on Himself the form of flesh so that He could walk in all that mankind faces, knowing and understanding the temptations and weaknesses that humanity is heir to, so that He can rescue whosoever will. I have given Him all that is Mine, and made His name higher than every other name.    Do you still not understand? When I look on you and see your heart, I find that you bear the image of My Son. To see you is to be reminded of the One I love most of all. That guarantees you a perpetual place at My table, and ensures that you are provided for in perpetuity from the riches of My grace and the abundance of My compassion, for your disabilities will be healed and your shortcomings will be made whole because of the One Whom we both love.    Do not hesitate, My beloved one, but enter into the joys of the kingdom!

May you believe in the commands of the Lord for He is good and what He does is good, therefore He will teach you knowledge and good judgment so that you may obey His word, and no longer stray lest you receive the affliction and chastisement of His love. Psalm 119

May you keep God's precepts with all your heart, for though the arrogant have smeared you with lies because their hearts are callous and unfeeling, yet you delight in His law. Psalm 119

May you learn the ways of the Lord as you are taught to walk in humility with God. Psalm 119

May the truth from God's mouth be more precious to you than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. Psalm 119

May you put your hope in the Word of the One Whose hands have made you and formed you and given you understanding to learn His commands, for when those who fear God see you, they will rejoice at the blessing of God. Psalm 119

May you comfort yourself in God's unfailing love, for the Lord's laws are righteous and He has disciplined you in faithfulness, meeting your need according to His promise. Psalm 119

May you meditate on His precepts with a blameless heart so that you will not be put to shame, but rather the arrogant will be disgraced for wronging you without cause. Psalm 119

May you delight in God's law so that His compassion may come to you and let you live even as those who fear God and understand His statutes turn to you in delight. Psalm 119

May you trust in the wisdom of the Lord, Who has made everything for His own purpose and works everything out to its proper end for those who submit to Him, for all things are answerable to Him, including the wicked at the day of disaster. Proverbs 16:4

May you walk in God's ways with humility and justice, foregoing any agreement or pact with the arrogant and proud of heart, for everyone with a conceited heart is disgusting to the Lord and will not be without chastening. Proverbs 16:5

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