Wednesday Whisper ~ Prayer & Petition

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Arrow

Philippians 4:6a “Do not be anxious about anything …”

Uuh, my “Wednesday Whisper” is due to be published in a few hours, Lord, and I have no ideas.

Philippians 4:6b “… but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving …”

Thank You, Lord, for the opportunities You have provided to touch lives with words of encouragement.

Philippians 4:6c “… present your requests to God.”

Lord, I pray that You would make clear the message You want me to share this week. Open my eyes and ears. Help me to be sensitive to the leading of Your Holy Spirit.

Philippians 4:6c “… present your requests to God.”

The world is hurting, Lord. I ask that You would do a mighty work, that You would move in such a way as to inspire a great awakening, that Your power would be released, and that miracles would take place displaying evidence of Your great love for all You created.

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I pray the world would know and experience Your peace, Lord, that we would understand You are not the enemy, but that surrendering to You is an alignment with our greatest ally, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

Thank You for a peace I don’t understand that guards the hearts and minds of those who choose to live for You. Thank You for always listening and caring about our needs and for providing another “Wednesday Whisper”.

Now, it’s your turn … He’s waiting to hear your prayers and petitions.

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Wednesday Whisper ~ What a Day!

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Arrow

We wake each morning, most likely with some kind of plan, but never fully knowing what the day will bring. Birth, death, blessings, struggles, heartache, joy, or a mixture thereof.

Next week, my family will have a memorial service for my step-dad. While simply trying to stand, he lost his balance, fell, and underwent surgery for a fractured femur. Three days later, at age 92, Dad experienced a cardiac event. As he died, we knew he was going home to the Lord because Dad believed Jesus is the Son of God.

We who believe likewise will join him in heaven one day. The comforting words from the hymn, “What a Day That Will Be”, echo in my mind.

“What a day that will be
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be!”

I pray that you believe or will choose to believe and accept God’s gift of salvation from the eternal consequences of our disobedience. That one decision determines our eternal destiny. “For 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” ~ John 3:16-17

May we be ready for our ‘day’.

 

 

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Wednesday Whisper ~ Press Pause

Posted on January 22, 2020 by Arrow

1446 B.C. ~ The nation of Israel is sandwiched between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. Their response? Terror, panic, and anger. Clearly, they were doomed … until God intervened and split the sea, allowing them to escape across dry ground! Three days later they faced what they viewed as a drinking water crisis and the following month, a food crisis. Israel’s reaction to each challenge was panic. If God had given Israel the Red Sea test again, they probably would have fared better.

Typically, the tests of faith we experience vary, but sometimes, we face the same challenge repeatedly until we pass the test. We haughtily view Israel’s lack of faith, but most likely follow a similar pattern. Increasing stress builds until at the panic point, we implode or explode without a thought given to the One who could intervene for us.

James 1:3 says “…the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” As believers, we will be tested. When we find ourselves at the panic point, when we see no way out and no sensible answer, may we remember that we have a God who is working on our behalf, who has good plans for us, and who can make a way. Instead of panicking in the face of difficulty, let’s ‘press pause’, pray for His peace, and persevere.

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Wednesday Whisper ~ His Name

Posted on January 15, 2020 by Arrow

All of us have a first and last name and most have a middle name, although I acquired mine as an adult. My illustrator, originally from Brazil, has five last names. I hope she doesn’t have to write that signature often!

When we think about our Creator God, our Heavenly Father, the One True God, clearly many names come to mind. Depending on their experiences with God, characters in the Bible referred to Him differently. The same thing happens to us. Some are comfortable with calling Him ‘Daddy’ or ‘Abba’, others know Him better as their Provider, Helper, Healer, or Defender. When meditating on His character, other names come to mind:  Lover of My Soul, Almighty One, God of Mercy and Grace, Faithful and True. The list lengthens with the additional names for Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Be challenged this year to consider God’s names in striving to know Him better. Whether you are spending time in worship, taking a walk, driving, or sitting in a waiting room, meditate on the names of God that touch your heart. If you wish, go through the alphabet and see how many different names you can think of and then identify your favorites.

“Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory.” (Psalm 115:1a)

To view my list that blossomed into a song, go to my website, http://pointingtheway.live, and find “Sing Out Your Name” under the ‘Song Lyrics’ tab.

 

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Wednesday Whisper ~ Beyond Me, Beyond Now

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Arrow

No! I can’t! I quit! I’m out! I’m done! The task is insurmountable, the cost too great, the request unreasonable!

When I am called to ‘do the difficult,’ my initial response is often negative because I am completely focused on self. If I would pause instead of panic and take a step back, I could gain a better perspective. The key seems to be to look beyond me and beyond now. When I stop focusing on me, I gain a sense of the One who is with me, the God who is my Hope, my Strength, my Provider, and my Friend. When I look beyond now, I am reminded that this is only a speck in time, and there are eternal rewards awaiting believers.

From this new point of view, my “no” becomes “maybe.” “I can’t” transforms into “I can do it with God’s help.” “I quit” turns to “I can take one step.” “I’m out” changes to “I’m in this for Him.” And, “I’m done” elevates to “There is something He wants me to accomplish.”

So, the next time we want to slam the door on what seems to be ‘mission impossible,’ let’s  bring the request to our Father in prayer, surrender the cost, and begin the task in His strength and for His honor. May we look beyond me and beyond now and meditate on, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

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Wednesday Whisper ~ Vision 2020

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Arrow

What do you see as you look toward a new decade, a new year, a new day? Newness may invoke feelings of hope and/or fear. Remembering God’s promises helps conquer the fears Satan fires at us and replaces them with God’s peace. Those who believe in God, who have accepted His Son Jesus, can be confident in knowing we have good reason to hope. God promises to do life with us, provide for our needs, give us strength, and offer guidance and counsel all 366 days of 2020.

Look and experience how God speaks to His children. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’” (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV)

May we go forth with a reverent fear of the Lord rather than fearing the future, trusting in the One whose vision surpasses 20/20.

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Wednesday Whisper ~ God’s Gift

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Arrow

Christmas is the day we rejoice and celebrate God sending the greatest gift, Himself, in the form of baby Jesus. The very Presence of God with us in the form of His Son and later the Holy Spirit is an indescribable gift, a gift that includes eternal life with Him.

Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman at the well, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you …” (John 4:10), then she would understand that Jesus was the Son of God offering her eternal life. The Apostle Paul shares this description, “… the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

To experience life with God by our side is the greatest gift ever! He is our joy, our peace, our hope, our strength, our comfort, our guide, our help, and our Savior. Who doesn’t want and need that?

May we know and accept this incomparable gift from God by believing Jesus is His Son and accepting His grace that makes our lives new, looking forward to eternal life with Him.

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Wed. Whisper ~ Destination: Bethlehem

Posted on December 18, 2019 by Arrow

Talk about inconvenient! I’m almost nine months pregnant, basically due any day, and Joseph and I are now required by the Roman government to go to our ancestral ‘home’ and register for the census. For us, that means at least a three-day journey to Bethlehem.

There is much I do not understand. These days have been difficult, but I know God has a plan and purpose, and I know He is faithful. From the angel’s first visit, I agreed to be the Lord’s servant and I earnestly put my trust in Him.

I pray that this Holy Son of God I’m about to give birth to is One you come to know and worship as well. May you serve Him even when it’s not convenient, trust Him during difficult days, and experience His immeasurable love.

“Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!” ~ Philippians 2:5-7 (The Message)

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Wednesday Whisper ~ Glory to God

Posted on December 11, 2019 by Arrow

When:  The night watch.
What:  Protect the sheep from predators and thieves.
Why:  The flocks outside Bethlehem were reserved for sacrifice at the nearby temple in Jerusalem.

And one holy night, more than 2000 years ago, shepherds were the ones blessed to receive a birth announcement from heaven, witness the glory of God, and hear His angel choir. As the shepherds went to find the infant King, did they try to echo the song they heard? Did they describe and repeat the refrain of ‘Glory to God’ to Mary, Joseph, and Jesus? The shepherds were so jazzed, their praises continued even after they returned (Luke 2:20).

May our hearts join them this Christmas as we, too, celebrate the coming of our Savior. It may be an ancient song, but we can make it new by adding a melody and offering it to the One most worthy. The angels’ lyrics were “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14 New Living Translation). Let’s bring Him our best, and who knows, we may be joined by a behind-the-scenes back-up choir, or at least we can imagine we are!

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Wed. Whisper ~ 9 Months Before Christmas

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Arrow

God had been on earth many times. He had walked in the garden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8), revealed Himself in a burning bush to Moses (Exodus 3:2), and led the Israelites through the desert in pillars of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21). He had spoken clear messages to the prophets and communicated through numerous visions and dreams, but He had NEVER left His throne in heaven to become a microscopic infant.

How can we comprehend the Creator of all becoming a created being, the King of kings exchanging being worshiped by multitudes of angels for being acknowledged by three people, Mary, Joseph, and Mary’s relative, Elizabeth (Luke 1:43)? Jesus chose to leave behind the blinding brightness of His vast glory to live inside a small, dark womb for nine months and He traded the majestic symphonies of angelic choirs for the songs of His mother (Luke 1:46-55). Why? To demonstrate His immeasurable love for us!

May we pause to ponder the wonder of it all, that God sent His one and only Son as a gift to this world, to every person in this world, because He wants a relationship with us. “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’–which means, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:22-23 NIV)

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