A Blessing

May 7th, 2013 dsisler

I’ve not thought much about sharing a blessing with those I come into contact with or praying a blessing on a home upon entering, but I’ve recently read of how it was (and is) an important element for the Israelite nation.

 

We see examples of blessings in the Old Testament. One you’ll recognize immediately is found in Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV).

 

“The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn his face toward you

and give you peace.”

 

Wouldn’t that be a wonderful greeting? Or maybe those final words spoken as you depart? Yes, I believe this would give great comfort to those who hear it.

 

Another example of a given blessing in the Old Testament was by King Solomon at the dedication of the Temple. This one is a bit longer, but there are some wonderful words in this section of Scripture.

 

“Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.

 

“May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us.

 

“May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers.

 

“And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.

 

“But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” (1 Kings 8:56-61 – NIV)

 

I love this section because we see how God does keep His promises and that God will never leave us, but it also tells us that we must do something as well. Verse 61 shows us that we must be committed to God, live by His decrees and obey His commands. After all He has done, this really is a little thing.

 

But these blessings don’t end with the Old Testament. Jesus mentions one in Luke 10. In this section, Jesus prepared the way for His arrival by a group who were sent out two-by-two. They were to go into the towns Jesus was preparing to go.

 

When they entered a house, Jesus told them to say, “Peace to this house.” (Luke 10:5 – NIV) Jesus offered further instruction on this phrase. “If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.” (Luke 10:6 – NIV)

 

I believe this one is totally doable. What a blessing our friends, family and acquaintances would receive by our speaking this blessing. Even if we don’t enter into a home, as we are walking (prayer walking), we can pray this upon the homes we pass.

 

How are you blessing those you come in contact with? Do you practice this on a regular basis? If so, I’d love to hear about it. If you are willing to share, my ears are open!

 

I never thought of it this way, but I end each blog post with a blessing. A blessing for you. To you from me. Today will not be any different. I offer this blessing to all who read it and accept it.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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“Too”

May 6th, 2013 dsisler

My grandson Percy turned two in February. Since learning to talk, there is one phrase that has remained the same. It hasn’t changed. There is no variation.

 

“Percy, I love you!” This statement could be spoken by any number of people in this little man’s life, but his reply is always the same. “Too.”

 

Percy’s love for those of us in his life can be seen in his smile, his excitement, his determination to be held, his jubilation, his bright eyes, his energy…all of these things are seen when he walks into a room and locks eyes with someone he loves.

 

I can see these same traits in God’s love for mankind (and for me personally). I read it throughout His Word. I see it in creation. I notice it when I’m in communion with Him.  I know it when His grace covers me. I rely on it when I feel unlovely.

 

Today I offer you verses that speak of God’s love for us. Enjoy the riches of His love. Bask in the fact that you are loved. There is nothing like it!

 

“Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.” (Psalm 17:7 – NIV)

 

“Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” (Psalm 36:5 – NIV)

 

“I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.” (Psalm 52:8b – NIV)

 

“Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.” (Psalm 63:3 – NIV)

 

“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:5 – NIV)

 

“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.” (John 3:16 – NIV)

 

“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5 – NIV)

 

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17b-19 – NIV)

 

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1a – NIV)

 

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” (1 John 4:7a – NIV)

 

“Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” (Jude 1:21 – NIV)

 

As a result of God’s love for us, we in turn love Him. Perhaps these are verses you can repeat to God to tell Him of the love you have for Him!

 

“I love you, O Lord, my strength.” (Psalm 18:1 – NIV)

 

“I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells.” (Psalm 26:8 – NIV)

 

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 116:1 – NIV)

 

These verses are not an exhaustive list of the what is contained in God’s Word, but it’s a start. Dig deep. Look for the passages about God’s love and see if you too will agree that God’s love is indeed better than life!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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A Good Idea

May 5th, 2013 dsisler

While working through the A to Z challenge in April, I used Sunday as a day to repost an earlier piece from my blog. I’ve decided to stick with that for a while. Sunday’s are usually the most difficult day for me to write, so for now, I pray you’ll enjoy some of my earlier posts.

 

And maybe, if you’re like me, you won’t even remember that you read them once before. So today, let’s talk about a quiet place. With God.

 

There is a Quiet Place

 

As you all know, I’ve been with my Mom at the hospital for over a week. I’ve had some great experiences, some unusual ones, and of course, comical happenings. Maybe someday I can write about them, but today, I want to write about a sign hanging in the hallway.  “A quiet environment promotes healing.”

 

Naturally because of the location of this sign, it refers to physical healing. But I began to think of these words in relation to my spiritual life.

 

Yes, I’ve had times spiritually when I’ve needed healing. But that is a process. And I believe, along the way, there must be some quiet in order for healing to take place.

 

So let’s talk about the healing process and what needs to be considered.

 

Healing

We must acknowledge that our spiritual healing can only come from God. He is the Great Physician for our soul and He alone is able to make us whole. These verses show us just how He wants to

 

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

 

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

 

“Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” Jeremiah 17:14

 

Through our humility and repentance, God’s forgiveness brings healing to our lives.

 

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

 

Meditating

Through the healing process, we should utilize meditation upon God’s Word. Spending quiet time with God in this way will bring peace and comfort to our ill souls. David knew how to meditate on every aspect of God. Listen to a few of his insights.

 

“On my bed I remember you; to think of you through the watches of the night.” Psalm 63:6

 

“I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:12

 

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.” Psalm 119:15

 

“I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.” Psalm 143:5

 

“They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will mediate on your wonderful works.” Psalm 145:5

 

Waiting

After you’ve acknowledged your spiritual illness, asked for spiritual healing, and then meditated upon God’s Words, wait. Wait to see what God has in store for you. Wait for His strength. Wait for His hope. Wait for His compassion. Wait for His healing.

 

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

 

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130:5

 

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:18

 

“Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

 

There is no reason to live with spiritual illness. Quietly look to God for healing. In that quietness, He will meet you there. He will restore your soul. He will heal.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

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My Shield

May 4th, 2013 dsisler

My husband and I watch the television program Blue Bloods. In a recent episode, one of the detectives mentioned that in New York City they don’t call their police badge a badge. They call it a shield because they protect the citizens of the city.

 

While it gives me comfort knowing that there are those in this world who are willing to protect me, I know that my greatest shield is God and that it is only through Him that I have true protection.

 

And while I may find physical protection from these men and women in blue, my God is the only one who can protect my mind, my emotions, and my heart.

 

Let’s look at a few passages of Scripture to see how God can be our shield and how we are to use our shield.

 

Abraham was promised that God would be his shield in Genesis 15:1 (NIV). “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” What a promise! How wonderful that we can cling to that same promise because we find this idea throughout Scripture.

 

Moses told the Israelites of God’s shield in Deuteronomy 33:12 and 29 (NIV). “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders…Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword.” God loves us, therefore, we know He is our shield of protection.

 

David sang songs of praise to God on multiple occasions and there are a few that show us how God is our shield. Let’s look at them.

 

In 2 Samuel 22:3 (NIV), David said, “My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.”

 

And in verse 31 of that same chapter he said, “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.” (2 Samuel 22:31 – NIV)

 

Then we can turn to the Book of Psalm and see David’s use of this word. Psalm 3:3 (NIV) begins this journey. “But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”

 

Take a look at some of the other references in Psalm. Psalm 7:10; Psalm 18:30; Psalm 28:7; Psalm 33:20; Psalm 91:4; and Psalm 119:114.

 

We see this concept in the New Testament as well. Peter speaks of God’s power as being our shield in 1 Peter 1:5. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is read to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5 – NIV)

 

So what are we to do with this shield?

 

Prepare the shields

In Isaiah 21:5 (NIV), the officers were told to prepare their shields for battle. “Get up, you officers, oil the shields!”

 

And in Jeremiah 46:3 (NIV), we see another call to arms. “Prepare your shields, both large and small, and march out for battle!”

 

Just as those heading into Old Testament battles prepared their shields, we too must prepare our shields. Through faith, Bible study, prayer, and meditation. Read this quote from one of my favorite books. “A Bible at home does us no good unless we carry God’s teachings in our hearts and apply them when we are hit with a fiery dart.”[i]

 

Take up the shields

After preparation, we must take up our shield. We are under God’s protection, but we must do something. We must take up the shield prepared and provided for us.

 

Paul speaks of the shield of faith in Ephesians 6:16 (NIV). “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

 

This shield of faith will do us no good unless we pick it up and use it. However, when we use it in combination with God’s protective shield, the evil one is powerless against us!

 

By far, on the very tippy top of my favorite songs is Hillsong’s “Made Me Glad.” The words remind me of the protection I receive through God. So I’ll share it with you (yet again). Sing it today. Live it today. Believe it today.

 

“Made Me Glad”

 

I will bless the Lord forever
I will trust Him at all times
He has delivered me from all fear
He has set my feet upon a rock
I will not be moved
And I’ll say of the Lord

You are my Shield, my Strength
My Portion Deliverer
My Shelter, Strong tower
My very present help in time of need

Whom have I in heaven but You
There’s none I desire beside You
You have made me glad
And I’ll say of the Lord

You are my Shield, my Strength
My Portion Deliverer
My Shelter, Strong tower
My very present help in time of need[ii]

 

Click here to hear Hillsong sing this glorious song…over and over again if you like.

 

If you’d like to leave me a comment, please click here. I’d love to hear from you!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna


[i] Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion, Debbie Williams, Howard Books, 2006, pg. 193.

[ii] Made Me Glad, Darlene Zschech, Hillsong, 2002

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Prayer Warriors?

May 3rd, 2013 dsisler

I’m working through a Bible study on prayer right now. It’s actually the third time I’ve read through the book and the second time I’ve done it as a study, this time with a group that I’m leading. The book is called “Follow Me” by Randy Sprinkle and I know I’ve mentioned it before.

 

I also have a book sitting here on my desk that is called “Pray with Purpose, Live with Passion” by Debbie Williams. I have used this book as a Bible study on two occasions and pick it up often to read about a particular issue.

 

I’ll admit, my prayer life hasn’t always been where it should be and even now, there is room for improvement. But after seeing some statistics, I have found that I’m not alone.

 

In Mr. Sprinkle’s book, he shared a 2000 survey conducted by George Barna which showed that in America, the average daily prayer time was less than five minutes per day.[i]

 

While other spiritual activities such as Bible reading, church attendance, small group involvement, volunteerism, and Sunday school attendance has increased according to a more recent survey, prayer and evangelism did not reflect significant change since the 2000 survey.

 

The survey says, “Slightly more than four out of five adults (84%) claimed they had prayed in the past week. That has been the case since Barna began tracking the frequency of prayer in 1993.” To read information the article that includes this information, click here.

 

Wow…that is astonishing. Mr. Sprinkle puts it this way. “Two truths regarding prayer are obvious: 1) God’s Word urges us to pray at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and 2) By and large, we don’t.”[ii]

 

Maybe we’ve become disillusioned by prayer. We ask for something and we don’t get it, therefore prayer doesn’t work.

 

Maybe we aren’t disciplined enough to pray. It’s just one more item to add to our long list of “to-do’s” and we don’t have time for it.

 

Maybe our brains are on overload and it becomes difficult to pray. Just too much information flowing in and out for us to settle down and have some quiet time with God.

 

Maybe we feel inadequate. Our prayers are not nearly as beautiful as “so-and-so’s,” so why try?

 

Are there more excuses? If you fall into the statistics above, why? What reasons are there for missing out on this time with God?

 

Mr. Sprinkle offers a couple of concepts that have changed my way of thinking on prayer. Let me share them with you and see if it makes a difference for you.

 

“Prayer, contrary to popular opinion, is not primarily asking God for things, but rather being with God.”[iii]

 

God desires to have a personal relationship with you. He wants to be your BFF! God walked in the garden with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8) and Jesus talked about how He wants us to remain in Him (John 14:1-17). That is the relationship He wants with us. Prayer brings us to that relationship.

 

Here’s another quote. “Prayer is not incessant talking to God but unceasing walking with God.”[iv]

 

Jesus continually called the disciples to grow in faith. He does the same with us. We must trust God with everything in our lives. As our faith grows, so does our prayer time with God. That’s when we are walking with God.

 

There is much more I could share about prayer from these two books I’ve mentioned, but I would encourage you to read these books and then figure out how to create more communication with God in your life. But I would also encourage you to read through God’s Word and see what He has to say about prayer.

 

So, give up the excuses. If you came up with some others above, what steps can you take to remove those obstacles? It’s time to get our prayer life straightened out!

 

One more quote and then I’m finished. “Prayer is not an option, an ornament for the well-decorated Christian life. It is to be our life.”[v]

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

If you’d like to leave a comment, you can do so by clicking here.


[i] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 36.

[ii] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 36.

[iii] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 25.

[iv] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 25.

[v] Follow Me, Randy Sprinkle, New Hope Publishers, 2001, pg. 36.

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    "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19


    I am a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. I lived in the beautiful state of Colorado for 20 years where I found great inspiration for my novels and devotional writings. Currently living in southwest Ohio.

    I am passionate about helping women find their way to Jesus through Bible study, teaching, speaking, inspirational writing and creative Bible journaling.

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    In September 2012 I went to SE Asia on a service trip. For more information, check out preachitclearly.blogspot.com.

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