MY PLEASURE!

Where Do You Seek Pleasure?

Pleasure – I love that word. Just saying it brings a smile to my face. It can’t be helped. Seriously, stand in front of a mirror. Relax your facial muscles completely, then speak the word pleasure or the other form of the word, which is please. Did you notice? Your entire expression changes. A smile forms quite naturally. The smile, however, is just the external manifestation of the feeling within. Where do you seek pleasure? Where do you find it? Are the two answers the same or are they in contrast? Psalm 147 suggests where it is not likely found, telling us “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior . . . “ and that’s all well and good, but where do I find it? The dictionary defines pleasure as that in which I take my delight. When I get up in the morning, I can’t wait for a cup of coffee. I have friends who look forward to a glass of wine at the end of the day. There’s nothing wrong with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. The Bible is full of mention of wine and our Lord performed the well known miracle at the wedding changing water into wine, so surely a glass is not wrong. However pleasant these things may be though, they do not provide the lasting pleasure I seek. My delight is not truly found there. Nor are they that in which I can place my trust or seek refuge. Where then?

I looked for the answer to this question in Scripture and the answer started to come to me in the book of Daniel 4:2 “It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.” His words got my attention causing me to thirst for further wisdom on the source for these miraculous signs and wonders. I found my answer in Ephesians 1:8-10 when I read “He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.” The answer I was searching for! I know that, for me, the only one in whom I can seek refuge, place my trust, and find true pleasure is in Christ. In giving my heart fully to Him, I found life! He is my Savior, the lover of my soul, and the source of such amazing, undeserved and unconditional love and it is only in Him that I can ever find true and lasting pleasure! Amen! Come Lord Jesus!

Who SAID I Was SCARED?

Gosh, it is so difficult to face our fear(s) and this is made still more difficult since most of us cannot or will not admit to them.  They can be crippling though.  In seeking strength to face and be delivered of some challenges I’m dealing with just now I turned to the Bible.  Thanks to technology andBible Gateway I can assure you that we are not alone in this.  The Lord knows our hearts and desires to make us new creatures.  In the NIV translation of the Bible this word “fear” is mentioned 336 times.  Clearly, He desires to deliver us.  I want to be all He wants me to be for Him.  Here are a few encouraging verses:

 

 

You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes.

Job 5:20-22

then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear.

Job 11:14-16

You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

Psalm 91:4-6

“Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults.

Isaiah 51:6-8

to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear

Luke 1:73-75

The Winner Is?

Hate speaks in a loud voice, while love often whispers . . . but love always wins. Not unlike the light from a tiny candle . . . how it lights the darkness! John’s gospel tells us: 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.

Believe, trust, listen quietly, shine!  

 

Be Still . . . I Don’t Feel Too Still

 

The weather, as I write this is stormy.  My life has its storms of other sorts . . . all the “how am I” and “what if” and “but things look so” and on it goes.  Then, not for the first time He made me read this:

Psalm 46:9-11

King James Version (KJV)

⁹ He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

¹⁰ Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

“Be still . . .” and “ . . . our refuge.”  Wow.  A refuge is a place of safety.  A protective place, free of danger, free of trouble.  A place for relief, a place of escape.  I don’t always feel safe and protected, and actually often feel like I carry the whole world on my shoulders as the cliché goes.  Not sure about you, but it’s not working all that well for me, this carrying it myself.

I love the Lord my God so much and I know He loves me and has the best in mind and heart and plan for me.  He is all powerful.  “Be still.”  He truly is with me and is my refuge.  So why do I so often tremble at the hurtful and disappointing things people near me say and do against me?  He is my refuge .  . . they don’t necessarily mean to hurt me yet I try to persuade them to see things differently, I want to please them so they’ll . . . what?  Like me?  Love me? Approve of me?  To what end?  My dear Lord loves me and wants the very best for me.  He will give me all I need and more . . . His timing is perfect.  It sure differs from MY sense of timing  . . . but looking back, things in life that hurt me were always resolved.  Ultimately, the result was better than I had dreamed of.  “Be still” oh, my hands shake . . .  “refuge” yet I stumble and fall . . . “The Lord of hosts” is with me . .  . But I have trouble sleeping  . . . maybe I will sleep tonight.  “He maketh wars to cease . . . “ My troubles, so hard for me, are not hard for Him. I need to give it all over to Him.   He’s got it under control.

Time for bed.  Good night.  Sleep well.

Nourished! Quote, Poem, Photography!

It has been gray and raining all day and promises to be like this for days. I decided I needed to see another color but gray, so I looked at my garden photographs from years past and thought I’d share a few as many of you are still buried under in lots of snow, or maybe getting tons of rain like me, or may just need to look at what God spoke into being  . . . words are powerful!  Enjoy!

²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing,

why do you worry about the rest?

²⁷ “Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was

dressed like one of these.

²⁸ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field,

which is here today,

and tomorrow is thrown into the fire,

how much more will he clothe you,

O you of little faith!

Luke 12:26-28

Nourished  – A Tanka Poem

Rain . . . falling, falling

By my window day and night

Dry, hard ground softened

As gray tones shine with water . . .

Brings to mind Spring’s new flowers!

Poem and pictures by Martha L Shaw © 2-10-2013

 

Quote of the Day – His Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Wilderness

 

When you are lost in the wilderness, you have two choices. You can focus on how many trees there are and so close together  that they are blocking most of the sun light . . . . or you can focus on the Light that breaks through and know that you are being provided with direction . . . and follow that path.

 

John 1:5

King James Version (KJV)

 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

The Importance of Being Steadfast

It seems to me that most of my friends are being tested, tempted, challenged just now.  I know I’m not having an easy time of it – and I know I’m not alone.  So, there are things we can do.  We can moan, we can shake with fear, or we can seek Christ.  Well, the first two aren’t working for me, so I’m getting back on track and finding out what I’ve always known.  Jesus is here with me and rooting for me.  Those who would try to distract us can drown out His voice if we let them.  We do not have to let them.  Here are some verses to uplift  you:

Jeremiah 29:11-13

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.

 

James 1:2-3

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

 

1 Timothy 4:16

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers

 

James 5:11

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

 

Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 

Philippians 1:6

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

 

Hebrews 10:36

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

 

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

 

2 Peter 1:5-7

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

 

Revelation 2:2 

“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

 

Colossians 2:5

⁵ For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

 

Hebrews 4:14

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,^[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

 

1 Corinthians 16:13

¹³ Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

 

1 Peter 5:9

 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.