Each year I choose a piece of scripture to carry me through. It will hold a theme of an area I am trying to improve on or in. Last year, I wanted to build on my prayer life and it has been a beautiful journey and by no means is complete.
God has laid on my heart my need for two things to work on in 2010, two things that go together like chocolate and peanut butter or like a man and a women.....faithfulness (trust) and praise (thankfulness).
This will no doubt be a challenging year ahead of me. To be faithful enough to trust God in all circumstances is a life-long commitment but I recognize my need to focus on it. And God has been so good to me over the years and has brought me out of so much. He should have walked away, even ended my life due to my rebellion yet He CHOSE me and has continually loved me through the years. He is even using me in His ministry to others-totally Him, not me.
His patience, tolerance, forgiveness, mercy, and grace are more than I can comprehend. It is amazing. It is humbling. Yet, if I am honest, I have not acknowledged Him enough nor truly given Him the praises He deserved.
He is showing Himself to me so clearly these days. I am honored as I am not worthy. Faithfully seeking Him, a stronger prayer life, scripture memorization, and continual Bible studies have grown a deeper hunger in my soul to know Him and love Him more...
1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 2 I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. ~Ps 84 (NLT)
So this morning He took me to Psalm 85 and revealed to me my goal for 2010. The whole chapter is my life and the testament of how He took me out of the pit of despair I had fallen into and redeemed my life. His redemptive grace has yielded a peace that has allowed me to walk differently and to live differently. But one verse in this chapter was a sweet aroma of His love....verse 10 (NLT):
"Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!"
His unfailing love and the truth of who I am in Him have indeed met. His righteousness and the peace I now live in is indeed a heavenly kiss! The following verses depict how this comes about....
11 Truth springs up from the earth,
and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
When we live and walk by His truth, based on His righteousness, we are promised to experience His goodness in all situations....
12 Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.
Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
Our land will yield its bountiful harvest.
His glory will shine upon us, His plans in our life will come forth, His mission will yield fruit in the ministries He has called us to....
13 Righteousness goes as a herald before him,
preparing the way for his steps.
He is the model of right living. He has paved the road before us, written down the instructions, created life maps for us to follow. The fuel we need is faith, trust, and praise. The more we trust Him, the more we will see Him. The more we praise Him, the more He will show Himself to us.
These past 6 years have been spiritually transforming and yet it continues. I see a new transformation of my heart beginning in 2010. Daily I will seek Him, daily I will strive to trust Him like never before, and daily I will praise Him...even when it is difficult and satan is marring my vision. A trusting life, fueled by faith and nourished with praises of God in our everyday will remodel any heart.
I am up to this spiritual challenge.
Heavenly kisses....that is what I am seeking in 2010...what are you seeking?
His Maidservant ~ Pamela
6 comments:
Hi Pamela....our visits have been few and far between. This is a wonderful post. I have always been such a "live for the moment" child. Something about this has been stirring in me since I first saw the title of your post. Will put it before Him and seek what He may speak. He certainly knows me better than I know myself...what I need, what I'm struggling with, what I'm hungry for that can't always be put into words....He knows...I shall set my gaze towards Him and wait. Blessings of all His best!!!!!
I'm so glad you posted this challenge again. As last year, I will be paying attention to what God is saying to me over the next couple of weeks. I already know the area of challenge for me; just need a verse to perfectly fit it all together.
Thanks for checking in; I'm missed you.
Love and prayers to you and your family this night~elaine
Pamela, Thank you for visiting my blog and your sweet words.
I've sorta been pondering what my desire for next year would be. Each year at the end of the year I take my journal and review the things God has done and said to me. I then ask Him for the desire on my heart for the upcoming year. I haven't discerned yet what that desire is... but I know it's coming.
This year has been a year of stepping more fully into the finished work of Christ in me. I've never found anything like it... and I've known of God my whole life, walked with Him for 29 years now... This unending love takes my breath away.
I'm thankful for your visit. It's great to meet you!
Praying that 2010 is everything in the LORD for you and your family that HE has designed for you.
Merry CHRISTmas and blessed New Year dear sister.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20; video posted about it today. Happy New Year.
peace~elaine
Hi there! I'm not exactly doing an anchor verse, but rather an anchor prayer for the year. I can't wait to see what God puts on my heart for this!
I'm starting it late because I didn't know about a new year's prayer until after 2010 began. I had given up new year's resolutions long ago--so glad to know that I can petition God with a prayer based on scripture for 2010 and all the years to come!
Prayers and blessings,
Rebecca
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