NO QUITTING ALLOWED

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

SAME PASSAGE...

From: [The Message]

So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

From: the [NIV]

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

From the [NLT]

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

From the [KJV]

16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

From the [HCSB]

16 Therefore we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

No matter how you cut it - God's Word is clearly spoken... in case you thought there was an 'out'... Quitting is NOT an option with God!

**************************

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - the One I Worship]

WORSHIP Like THAT

The gene of "invention" comes early in life!
********************************************


And... it is being put to worhipful use!
*******************************************

Ephesians 5:1 [The Message]

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that.

2 Chronicles 5:12-14 [NIV]
12 All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang:
"He is good;
His love endures forever."
Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God. [emphasis added]

I wonder? Is this how it starts? Worship in its purest form! How God is so pleased - that His glory excludes all else?

PRAISE HIM - with hearts and lips and voices - and even drum sets made of food cans!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie
[JESUS - the One I Worship]

TIME... WELL SPENT

John 6:41-46 (The Message)
At this, because [Jesus] said, "I am the Bread that came down from heaven," the Jews started arguing over Him: "Isn't this the son of Joseph? Don't we know His father? Don't we know His mother? How can He now say, 'I came down out of heaven' and expect anyone to believe Him?"
Jesus said, "Don't bicker among yourselves over Me. You're not in charge here. The Father who sent Me is in charge. He draws people to Me—that's the only way you'll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End. This is what the prophets meant when they wrote, 'And then they will all be personally taught by God.' Anyone who has spent any time at all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning, comes to Me to be taught personally—to see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, from Me, since I have it firsthand from the Father. No one has seen the Father except the One who has His Being alongside the Father—and you can see Me. [emphasis added]

******************************

In light of the last post 'SATURATED' - this post is a response to some of those who searched their hearts and have desired more - yet have not 'found' the time to spend in God's Word as they truly desire.

***********************

TIME... [to be SATURATED in God's Word - perhaps?]

• You can't FIND time......because time is not lost.
• You can't MAKE time......because only God can create time.
• You can only TAKE time...... from the 24 hours that God has allotted in the perfect day He created.

TIME... Use it wisely - to embrace GOD HIMSELF - through His Word and through PRAYER!

************

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS - The One I Worship]
This is my 350th post and my 2-Year Blogiversary [not sure how to spell that?!?!]

SATURATED

IF...............
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

**************************
Psalm 119 (selected)
14 I rejoice in following Your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on Your precepts
and consider Your ways.
16 I delight in Your decrees;
I will not neglect Your word.
g Gimel
17 Do good to Your servant, and I will live;
I will obey Your word.
18 Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in Your law.
31 I hold fast to Your statutes, O LORD;
do not let me be put to shame.
32 I run in the path of Your commands,
for You have set my heart free.
h He
33 Teach me, O LORD, to follow Your decrees;
then I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I will keep Your law
and obey it with all my heart.
35 Direct me in the path of Your commands,
for there I find delight.
36 Turn my heart toward Your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to Your word.
45 I will walk about in freedom,
for I have sought out Your precepts.
46 I will speak of Your statutes before kings
and will not be put to shame,
47 for I delight in Your commands
because I love them.
l Lamedh
89 Your word, O LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
m Mem
97 Oh, how I love Your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
n Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
that I will follow Your righteous laws.
107 I have suffered much;
preserve my life, O LORD, according to Your word.
108 Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth,
and teach me Your laws.
109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands,
I will not forget Your law.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19
Fix these words of Mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. [all Scripture emphasis added]

IS TRUTH - THEN...

Those who do not believe God speaks specifically will simply ignore or explain away the times when God communicates with them. However, those who spend time each day in the profound awareness that God does speak are in a wonderful position to receive His Word.

~ Henry and Richard Blackaby

Are we SATURATED in God's Word or just ordering from the 'sampler' menu? What are our ears hearing? Profound AWARENESS or Happenstance?

May God's Holy Word SPEAK loud and clear to us today in profound awareness so that we will love it , delight in it, meditate on it, be taught by it, declare it with our families, and always obey it without reservation.

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS - the One I Worship]

Look Ahead with JOY

Isaiah 65:17-25 The Message

New Heavens and a New Earth

************

"Pay close attention now: I'm creating new heavens and a new earth. All the earlier troubles, chaos, and pain are things of the past, to be forgotten. Look ahead with joy. Anticipate what I'm creating: I'll create Jerusalem as sheer joy, create My people as pure delight. I'll take joy in Jerusalem, take delight in My people: No more sounds of weeping in the city, no cries of anguish; No more babies dying in the cradle, or old people who don't enjoy a full lifetime; One-hundredth birthdays will be considered normal— anything less will seem like a cheat. They'll build houses and move in. They'll plant fields and eat what they grow. No more building a house that some outsider takes over, no more planting fields that some enemy confiscates, for My people will be as long-lived as trees, My chosen ones will have satisfaction in their work. They won't work and have nothing come of it, they won't have children snatched out from under them. For they themselves are plantings blessed by God, with their children and grandchildren likewise God-blessed. Before they call out, I'll answer. Before they've finished speaking, I'll have heard. Wolf and lamb will graze the same meadow, lion and ox eat straw from the same trough, but snakes—they'll get a diet of dirt!Neither animal nor human will hurt or kill anywhere on My Holy Mountain," says God. [emphasis added]

************************************

*********************

Oh - somebody needs this Word today!

***************************

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - The One I Worship]

RESCUED

Matthew 28:5-7

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." [Scripture emphasis added]

Early Sunday morning [Mother's Day] the air was more brisk than the day before. I had hung a red hummingbird feeder outside with fresh made nectar to attract the hummingbirds that were already feasting on my azalea bushes. As I peered out the window at the feeder, I heard that familiar sound of chatter among those 'hummers'. Only this time, it seemed louder and more boisterous than usual. Something caught my eye just beyond the feed. Under the mesh net over my pond was a bright colored hummingbird with a red throat. He was STUCK. He seemed to be patiently waiting for someone to rescue and release him as he flew from one wire to another, resting in between and primping his feather. A female was hovering over top of him [above the net]. I could imagine her saying, "How on earth did you get stuck in there?"

I waited a few more minutes to see if he could find where he came in but to no avail. As I walked outside to help him, his female companion hovered over me as I unfolded and rolled up one side of the net [temporarily] so the male could make his escape. Nothing happened. He just kept flying around and landing and flying some more. She was hovering over the entire time. Finally, I went back in the house and watched from the window. A few minutes went by and out he flew. Apparently the female was too impatient to wait for his release. She was nowhere to be found.

They were gone when went back out to roll down the net and put it back in place. All of a sudden the female appeared again, hovering over top of the net. I smiled at God's wisdom as the words came from my lips to her ears, "He is not here, He is risen!" The entire scene of Jesus' resurrection flashed in my mind and I thought about how patiently the male hummingbird waited for his release. Just like Jesus! The female was eager for his release. Just like Mary. I was standing over it all watching from the window. Just like the Father - Who is Sovereign and in control of the entire situation.

************************

Are you stuck somewhere? In need of release? Rescue? Your freedom? The Father knows all about it. He sent the Son to bring it to you. The SAME POWER that conquered the grave - lives in YOU! Plug in to it.

PRAY!...... ASK!....... WAIT!...... BELIEVE!!

Then give Him praise and thanksgiving and go and tell of all He has done!

************************

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[JESUS - The One I Worship]

Oh, The WONDER of God

Psalm 31:19 [The Message]

What a stack of blessing You have piled up for those who worship You, Ready and waiting for all who run to You to escape an unkind world. You hide them safely away from the opposition. As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces, you silence the poisonous gossip. Blessed God! His love is the wonder of the world. Trapped by a siege, I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But You heard me say it, You heard and listened.

Acts 3:6-11 [NIV]

6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Peter Speaks to the Onlookers

11 While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade.

Mark 9:15 [NIV]

As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet Him.

*********************************

As people come and go from my house they stop and sniff and remark, "What is that smell?" Outside my front door the lily of the valley are in full bloom. Their fragrance hits like a windswept rain. Visitor's senses are awakened to the 'wonder' of the aroma.

As I thought about how, each day, they capture someone's attention who was not expecting to notice the sensation, the wonder, or the joy that knocked them over... I thought about Jesus. Worship may come at random moments when God reveals Himself through His creation. It should make us stop, look, listen, smell, taste, ponder, feel and see - WHO GOD IS! Then - we may [with JOY] respond in PRAISE to His Holy Name... and give Him thanks!

May we join the lilies of the valley and EXTOL our King Jesus with Praise in the newness of Spring.

****************************

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie
[JESUS - The One I Worship]

*********************************************

I was nominated by Alleluiabelle at http://www.alleluiabelle.blogspot.com/for this award. She is a blessing to me as we share life’s journey of faith! I am honored to receive this award. Please go meet Alleluiabelle and take some time to visit her site and say hello. She has quite a story [HIS-story] to tell!! I always break the rules because I just desire to honor ONE person at a time for an award. Many deserve this award. But I am choosing to pass this one on to my dear friend, Beth over at: http://aninstrument4hisglory.blogspot.com/ Beth was one of my first blogging 'sisters' who came along side me to encourage me along the way. She is a faithful sister in prayer and blesses me daily with her writings and her genuine care . She loves God with all of her 'golden' heart! Now you [Beth] can award this 'Golden Heart Award' to 5 blogs that mean something meaningful to you.

ENJOY THE RIDE

Sometimes we just need to STOP - LOOK - and LISTEN!

I hope you enjoy this:

Click here: enjoytheride

***************************

Psalm 34:10-15

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to Me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 Whoever of you loves life

and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from speaking lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous

and His ears are attentive to their cry...

[Scripture emphasis added]

***********************

Choosing JOY for the Ride,

Stephanie

[JESUS - the One I Worship]

"V" for VICTORY

Psalm 44:3
It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, for You loved them.

Psalm 44:5-8
5 Through You we push back our enemies;
through Your Name we trample our foes.
6 I do not trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but You give us victory over our enemies,
You put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise Your Name forever. Selah

Proverbs 21:30-31
30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the LORD.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the LORD.

I've been trying to get this post up for the last two days. As I drove over the bridge to Ocean City, NJ for a Titus 2 meeting on Friday morning I saw this huge crane in the form of a "V". When I drove back over the bridge coming home the Lord said, " 'V' is for VICTORY!" So I grabbed the camera and shot through the window as I was driving - probably not a smart thing to do but there is no where to pull over on the newly constructed causeway heading back home. I had no idea if the "V" crane would turn out but this is what the Lord gave along with these Scriptures about Victory.

1 Corinthians 15:56-58
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. [All Scripture emphasis added]

Oh, somebody reading this today will shout in Praise to our God over the VICTORY that God will bring! May it BE - as God has said!

Choosing JOY,
Stephanie
[JESUS - The One I Worship]