REACHING OUT & WALKING BY HIS SIDE

HEARTACHE, CONFUSION, FRUSTRATION, BROKEN HEARTS, BAD NEWS, JUST ONE BURDEN AFTER ANOTHER AS WE WALK THROUGH THIS LIFE.  THIS WORLD IS A HARD PLACE TO LIVE.

LAST YEAR I ASKED THE LORD TO HELP ME WALK CLOSELY AND TO SEE THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES.  NOW I'M ASKING FOR SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING.  TO SEE WHAT I CAN'T SEE.  OR TO BELIEVE WHAT I CAN'T SEE OR TOUCH OR KNOW.  IT'S WALKING BY A FAITH THAT IS FIRM AND SUSTAINS AND LIFTS AND CARRIES ME; ONE THAT CAN ONLY BE GOD, BECAUSE IT'S WAY BEYOND ME.

JUST TODAY I FOUND THIS OLD SONG. "REACH OUT TO JESUS".  I'M AN OLD ELVIS PRESLEY FAN AND THIS IS ONE OF HIS GOSPEL SONGS.

I LOVE SONG LYRICS SO HERE THEY ARE:

Is your burden heavy as you bear it all alone?
Does the road you travel, harbor dangers yet unknown?
Are you growin' weary in the struggle of it all?
Jesus will help you with all His name you call

He's always there hearing every prayer, faithful and true
Walking by our side, in his love we hide all the day through
When you get discouraged just remember what to do
Reach out to Jesus, he's reaching out to you

Is the life you're living filled with sorrow and dispair?
Does the future press you with its worry and its scare?
Are you tired and jealous, have you almost your way?
Jesus will help you, just talk to him today

My favorite author, Stormie Omartian in her book "Led to Follow God"  says we are "Led to Follow God to an Intimate Day-by-Day Walk with HIm.  She goes on to say:  "Everyday the Holy Spirit will lead you to an intimate walk with Him.  And He will work on you so that your heart is clean before Him.  You don't have to be perfect, but your heart must be right.  You can't live your life doing what you want, when you want, you must be submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit."  "When you live by God's laws and walk day by day, you will always be headed in the right direction.  And it is not difficult, because He does all the heavy lifting."  "HE BECOMES YOUR STRENGTH WHEN YOU HAVE NONE" HE IS YOUR GUIDE WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.  HE IS YOUR COMFORTER WHEN YOU ARE HURTING AND DISTRESSED."  "We all have a tendency to bring suffering upon ourselves needlessly because we want to take complete control of our lives and not allow the Holy Spirit to perfect us."

"God wants us to live a life we cannot possibly live without Him."

"WE CAN FALL OFF THE PATH GOD HAS FOR US 

IF WE DON'T MAKE A DELIBERATE EFFORT 

TO WALK CLOSELY WITH HIM EVERY DAY."

"BE CAREFUL HOW YOU WALK."

"WALK SO CLOSELY THAT YOU HEAR HIS HEARTBEAT!"

REVIVING

This song was going thru my head this morning.  

I'm singing it for my family and friends.   

Oh, how we need Jesus.

HE IS OUR GREAT FORGIVER.

GRACIOUS AND COMPASSIONATE.

SLOW TO ANGER.

ABOUNDING IN LOVE.

HIS  KINDNESS TO US IS SO GREAT 

EVEN WHEN WE TRY TO RETURN TO OUR BONDAGES.

NEHEMIAH 9:17-21 

 17 They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. BUT you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, 18 even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies.

19 “But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night. 20 You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.21 For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!

LORD,

~HELP US TO OBEY

~RECALL TO OUR MINDS THE WONDERS 

YOU HAVE DONE IN OUR LIVES

~DO NOT LET US HARDEN OUR NECKS

~HELP US DESTROY OUR IDOLS 

NOT HAVE THEM DESTROY US

~MAY WE SERVE ONLY YOU, OUR LIVING GOD