LEAP DAY

Give God your LEAP (extra) DAY!
Leap into PRAYER today as you take a leap of FAITH. TRUST God for something huge and wait in expectation (Psalm 5:3) for Him to deliver it - then leap with JOY! Last but not least - leap into PRAISE for our God - burst into song and let your heart LEAP!

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.

Psalm 40:1-4a

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;

He turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

He set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear

and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man

who makes the LORD his trust.

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Out of the Mouths of Babes

A woman in one of my Bible studies was relating an incident in her life from several years ago. She was driving in her car and crying over something she had prayed about thinking what's the use? From the back seat of the car her nine year old son spoke up and said, "Mom, you have to believe in your prayer." She said his words hit her like a ton of bricks because he was so right. She needed to believe that what she was praying for would happen. If she didn't believe that God could, should or would answer her prayer then there was no sense in praying it at all. God's answers are either "yes", "no", "wait" or "I have something better!"

James 1:5-8

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man [the one who doubts]should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. [emphasis mine]

Luke 11:8-10

8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. [emphasis mine]

There are no if's, and's or but's with prayer........... take it to the heavenly realms and..............

Pray in FAITH........Believing!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

A NEW THING

I see over and over again that when God is getting ready to do a “new thing” in our lives – He does not allow “old things” to go with us. He shows me that I cannot take those old things to the new place He’s taking me. Only He knows the way so I must depend on Him for His direction. TRUST in the biggest issue – it’s where our FAITH becomes reality in the heavenlies – even before we see it laid out on the topsoil of earth. We often hold onto the old things out of fear of the new. But over and over God tells us not to be afraid. He knows our fears are real - He's asking for our trust in exchange. That's a deal of a lifetime!

Isaiah 43:18-19

18 "Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. [emphasis mine]


Joshua 1:5-7,9

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous. Be strong and very courageous. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. [emphasis mine]


Joshua 3:1-5

Crossing the Jordan

1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it."
5 Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." [emphasis mine]

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

3 Strikes - More Grace

Today ends a "sifting season" that has lasted over a year where I have come to bat and now struck out three times - in denial of My LORD. Oh, not in so many words did I deny Christ - but my actions and my choices denied His will for me and what I knew He desired in and for me. Yesterday, He showed me that if I made that same choice one more (3rd) time - His Presence would not go with me. That scared me so much. I even felt Him remove His Presence from me for a few hours. I hated the thought of it - let alone the action of that. The LORD has been so close to me and remains my Protector, Judge, Defender and Father.

I am thankful that He has more grace and more good things ahead as this has now come to its end. I've been examining the life of Peter and the other Disciples this week.

Luke 22:60-62

60 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!" Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown Me three times." 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly. [emphasis mine]

I don't think that look that Jesus gave Peter when their eyes met was one of judgment or condemnation - on the contrary it was one of compassion and mercy - as Jesus' eyes may have said, "It didn't have to be this way."

Fortunately for Peter, the LORD had already told him what would happen and Jesus even knew that Peter would turn back in repentance. That's why Christ gave him the command, "when you turn back strengthen your brothers."

Luke 22:31-32 [Jesus speaking to Peter]

31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Oh, may our faith not fail us when Jesus prays for us in our own crisis situations. And may we remember to repent - and then strengthen our brothers with what He's taught us.

Have you been through a "sifting season" in your life recently? Then there was something that needed sifting. Let the Holy Spirit blow away the chaff and may only the whole kernels of wheat remain.

Turn on the oven - because now you are ready to bake the bread of life!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

A Thankful Body

A friend sent this passage of scripture to me in a card yesterday. I wanted to pass it on to all of you out there who are called to the body of Christ - as a prayer for your lives.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

Thanksgiving [Paul writing to the Corinthians]

4 I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in Him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6 because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. [emphasis mine]

Praying God's Word:

Thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Because of Him they overflow in every way - the way they speak and think - because of what we share in Christ - the very thing that seals us to Him. May they participate by using the spiritual gifts He has given them until Jesus comes - for "kingdom" purposes. May they depend on Him for strength so they can walk in Him - always choosing what is right before Him. Thank you God, for calling us into fellowship with Jesus, You are always faithful in all Your ways! We praise You!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

Photo: God's glory - confirming my pledge to get up at dawn to pray. (He knows how much I love purple!!)

Jehovah Shammah

Ezekiel 35:10, 14-15 [speaking to Edom]

10 " 'Because you have said, "These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession of them," even though I the LORD was there... ' ”

14 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate. 15 Because you rejoiced when the inheritance of the house of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, O Mount Seir, you and all of Edom. Then they will know that I am the LORD.' "

In His presence lay the special security of the chosen land - but God still calls us to hand-to-hand combat where our enemy is concerned. God will not give us - what we are not willing to fight for. When we are willing - HE promises to be right there with us. Then ALL will know that HE IS THE LORD!

Jehovah Shammah = The LORD is THERE!

The LORD is there to insure the victory - so that all will know that HE is GOD!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

In the Beginning... GOD

In case you need more than the title of today's devotional to inspire the AWE of our Creator - let me share further some blessed truths from God's Word.

Job 38 (selected)

The LORD Speaks

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
2 "Who is this that darkens My counsel
with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you,
and you shall answer Me.
4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
Tell Me, if you understand.
5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone-
7 while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?
12 "Have you ever given orders to the morning,
or shown the dawn its place,
13 that it might take the earth by the edges
and shake the wicked out of it?
32 Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the Bear with its cubs?
33 Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?
36 Who endowed the heart with wisdom
or gave understanding to the mind? [emphasis mine]


Job 40 (selected)

1 The LORD said to Job:
2 "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?
Let him who accuses God answer Him!"

Job's reply to the LORD

3 Then Job answered the LORD :
4 "I am unworthy—how can I reply to You?
I put my hand over my mouth.
5 I spoke once, but I have no answer—
twice, but I will say no more."

Job 42 (selected)

1 Then Job replied to the LORD :
2 "I know that You can do all things;
no plan of Yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures My counsel without knowledge?'
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.
4 "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,
and you shall answer Me.'
5 My ears had heard of You
but now my eyes have seen You.
6 Therefore I despise myself
and repent in dust and ashes."

Deuteronomy 13: 3b-4

The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the LORD your God you must follow, and Him you must revere. Keep His commands and obey Him; serve Him and hold fast to Him. [emphasis mine]

Let's do it with JOY undending! Praise the LORD of all Creation!

Choosing JOY,

Stephanie