Only In His Strength

How often we look within ourselves for the strength to overcome circumstances, large or small, in our daily lives, when instead we should look beyond to our Father and seek the power of His strength!  I find that at times I war against myself, striving to solve it all on my own.  This devotion that I'm sharing below has encouraged me to keep on seeking His strength instead, when that weariness begins to set in and I'm feeling worried, or just plain exhausted.  So today, whatever you are going through, take a moment to stop and confess the LORD as your strength ... then rest in Him, and trust! 

  
* Living by grace involves depending upon God to work in our lives.  For the greater part of his life, David was an outstanding Old Testament example of such living.  This was certainly evident in the way David frequently confessed the Lord as his strength.

Everyone in this fallen world needs strength just to deal with the daily responsibilities and challenges of life.  When you add the calling and desire of believers to please and honor God, much strength is needed day by day.  David confessed the Lord as his strength for living.  "The LORD is the strength of my life."  How wonderful to know that the Lord is with us to impart His strength in us for every aspect of our lives, whether home, or work, or ministry, or whatever.

In our earthly pilgrimage, we need strength to stay on course.  The world, the flesh, and the devil want to prevent us from progressing down the Lord's perfect path.  David found in the Lord the strength for this need as well. 

"It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect" [Psalm 18:32]. 

At times, when walking along our designated path of life, we get trapped in circumstantial nets, laid by the enemy of our souls.  When David experienced these traps, he cried out to God for the necessary strength.

"Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength" [Psalm 31:4]. 

At other times, along our path, the problem is not a trap, but an all out battle.  Once again, David found the strength he needed in His Lord. 

"For You have armed me with strength for the battle;
You have subdued under me those who rose up against me" [Psalm 18:39].

Sometimes the need for strength pertains to what is going on within (or flowing forth from within).  The thoughts we are thinking and the words we are expressing might need to be anchored again in the will of the Lord.  David also knew how to turn to God for this essential strength as well. 

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer" [Psalm 19:14]. 

When he weakened within and stumbled in failure, David still knew where to turn for the only help that will ever prove sufficient. 

"My flesh and my heart fail;
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" [Psalm 73:26]. 

Whatever the need for strength, David learned to rely upon the Lord. 
"The LORD is...my strength, in whom I will trust."

O Lord, my strength, I need your strength for daily responsibilities, strength for staying on track with You,
strength for periodic battles, strength for weaknesses within, strength to please You. 
You are my strength; I trust You! 

Thank you if you've made it this far!! I know it was a bit lengthy, but I do hope you found encouragement in these words, as I did.  In His Word will we find the strength to rest in Him! 

I'm linking up with Heather over at a Scripture and a Snapshot, and if you have some time this week, do click the link below and drop on over to join in or just enjoy looking through the other entries!  Hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day, and a blessed week!

Hugs,
- Deborah

Scripture and a Snapshot | ... dwell on these things

It's so easy to focus on the negative in our world these days, isn't it?!
Rarely, do we hear of any real positive news.
I find that this scripture, along with others,
helps to bring my mind back around

and I begin to dwell on all that is good and right in, and through, Him!

Ultimately we know that God is in control,
and in His Word we can find the truth, the hope,
and encouragement this world so desperately needs!

So, today, this week,
whenever you find your mind tending toward the negative,

dwell on these things!

So happy to be sharing with Heather again this week!
Come and join in for more of what is true, honorable, just,
pure, commendable, of moral excellence, and praise,
at a Scripture and a Snapshot!

Blessings,
~ Deborah ~

Delight yourself in the Lord,
and He will give you the desires of your heart.
-- Psalm 37:4

This verse sounds too good to be true!
Could it be?
Would the Lord give us whatever we want?!

But God is not a heavenly Santa Claus who always delivers everything on our wish list. 

Neither is He an indulgent grandparent who lives to spoil the grand kids by giving all we want. 

Nor is God a weak parent who, annoyed by whining and tears, gives in to us to keep the peace.

So what exactly does this verse mean?

God will give you the desires of your heart, but the prerequisite is setting your heart to delight in His ways.

Are we able to do that ... to rejoice in the things that give God joy?

Is your heart broken by agonies in the world, by the very things that break God's heart?

Is regular scheduled time with the Lord nourishment for your soul?

Do you love being in His presence in times of worship, both in church, and in private?

As you delight yourself in the Lord in these and other ways,

God adjusts your heart to be in tune with His. 

Then the longings that grow in your hearts ...

the seeds of which are sown during your time with your Heavenly Father ...

will be His desires for you! 

Your godly hunger, He will surely satisfy!



*This framed verse was a gift from a very special friend a few years back  It meant so much to me as I was going through a very difficult time with our only son growing up and then leaving to work on the opposite coast ... so many miles away.  She had walked through much the same thing with her son, and what had encouraged and strengthened her, she passed along to me.  My son has returned home after 4 years, but not before holding those precious, life giving, words close to my heart, and setting my delight in the Lord.  Overtime, I came to realize that what I really wanted was what He desired for my son's life ... not what I desired or wanted!  We all have hopes and dreams for our children, but often they are not what God has planned!  And oh, how much better and more fulfilling are His plans!!  Once I gave all those desires to the Lord, He completed a work in me, and not long after, brought our son home again!  I am sad to say that my friend did not see that day ... did not see how God used what she had passed along, and how it grew me ... then again, I believe she did! This dear friend lost her battle with breast cancer over two years ago, and went home to be with the Lord. I miss her dearly, but she left me with the longings, the seeds, that adjusted my heart to be in tune with His!  I've learned, and yes, I'm still learning, to seek His desires for me, and not my own! 

Thank you so much for reading this far ... praying that the longings that grow in your hearts this week, will be His desires for you!! 

I'm linking up with Katie again this week ... click below to join in, and to be encouraged!

pondering a lesson from the dandelion

This especially spoke to my heart today.

The Bible tells us to ...

"Cast all your care upon Him because He cares for you." - I Peter 5:7

"Therefore; do not cast away you confidence, which has great reward." - Hebrews 10:35

We do not want to reverse the process:
casting away our confidence and carrying all our care!
His desire is that we roll all our burden on Him and not be anxious about anything ...
most of our time and energy go into carrying what God asked us to cast on Him ...
We experience freedom and His amazing peace when we cast it all upon Him ...
knowing that He is in complete control of the circumstances we walk through!
We are never alone, and we never need to carry the burden!
He gives us that choice!

So why wait ... let's all roll that which concerns us over onto Him ...

You keep your confidence ...
He will keep your cares!!

(Words in italics from Meet Me in The Meadow by Roy Lessin)

I may be one of the few who do, but I love how pretty the dandelion seed heads are!  Oh, yes, they may be a nuisance, but they do make for some pretty pictures!  I've seen quite a few on line this spring, so, I just had to join in!  I took some images of a few I picked from our front yard ... (for some reason the back yard has escaped this springtime fate)!  Have to say, they do seem to be extremely hardy this year, lasting far beyond their allotted time, and stubbornly popping up again after mowing!  Normally, our landlord sprays the yard before they have a chance to pop their little heads up, but maybe this year he's cutting more out of his budget, as well.

I wanted to share the above devotion with this photo. 

Remembering as a young girl making a wish then blowing and watching the seedlings breaking free and floating away ...
if only we could cast our cares off as easily as we blew those dandelion seeds away! 

I am learning ... He is patient with me, full of love, and ever faithful! 
For that, I am ever grateful!

This week I'm praying your cares are few, and encouraging you to be care-free, not care-full, and to give those you are carrying to Him, for He truly does care for you!  Prayers to you all for a blessed week in Him!

~ Deborah

It's been awhile since I linked up to the photo challenges ... I've been walking through some life challenges of my own that has kept me away, but this week I'm happy to be back over on Katie's site, again!  I always get encouragement from the other entries!  Click below to join in!