Graduation Time! Or Moving Ahead Time!

 This is the time of year we celebrate students of all ages, race, religion for pressing on and pushing forward.  Whether it be graduating from High School, college, post grad school, and on, they deserve our praise for their hard work.  Others may be moving forward in work with a promotion they have worked towards for many years.  And even more, some may be ready to become full time missionaries.  With all of these it takes, faith, hope, and trust in our Lord Jesus. 

 Here are a couple of verses that spoke to me.  

“I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭2‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Both of these verses stood out to me as I was thinking of the graduates and praying for them.  Then I realized, it’s not just for graduates. It is for all of us at different times in our lives.  Whether our careers, or furthering education as we are older, or something simple we are facing. 

Jesus is always with us.  He walks through the fire with us, even before us.  He clears the path for us to walk straight and not veer off of that path.  Jesus has plans for us.  But those plans are not to be done alone.  We must include Jesus. He gives us those visions, those dreams, those goals.  Do we have to include Him?  No.  But He sure would like to be included. After all, He gave you the goal.  

Think about it this way.  If you and your best friend make plans. You decide to go home and change your clothes.   You run back to your friends and her mother tells you she isn’t there. When you asked where she was her mother explained where she went with someone else.  The very same plans you had just made with her. You were extremely hurt.  She went without you, and went with someone else.  The idea you came up with.  You were heart broken. Just think of how Jesus feels when we do that to him.  He loves us so much.  He wants to be a part of our lives.  

He doesn’t just give us the strength to go alone, or to press forward alone.  But to be comforted knowing He is right there with us.  

As you go out and press forward graduates, remember Jesus.   Don’t leave Him behind.  He loves you. 

A Day of Rest

 “Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

For most of us, all of our lives we’ve learned about one day a week is set aside for our day of rest. For some it is Saturday, and others it is Sunday.  It depends on what our belief is within the church we call home.  

I never thought too much about it. I knew people that chose Saturdays, and others Sundays.  But I’ve also heard many get hung up on that.  When in reality, if you are following Jesus as your Lord and Savior, does it matter that much.  Well, it may for you.  I know for me and my family the day we choose is very important.  But we also choose to live every day for Jesus. My husband worked most of his working years on shift work.  What that means is every week his days off would be different.   So he worked either 2 or 3 weekends a month.  That meant he would have to miss our weekly gathering for our sabbath day at church.  Did this mean he was not walking with Jesus? Of course not.  But what it did mean is he had to be very disciplined to choose one of his days off to study God’s word, and worship him.  

Was he distracted or farther away from Jesus because of that? Absolutely not.  Unless he got lazy with being in the Scriptures, praying, and worshiping Him.  Then it would be very easy to get distracted. 

Is this only for those on shift work? No, this is for every single one of us.  We all must be disciplined and diligent in our walk with Jesus.  We all are responsible for asking Jesus to forgive us.  Nobody else can do this for you.  

I know there are days we get very busy and distracted. But we are not excused from that day.  We need to be close to Jesus more on those days.  Even if we do not have a big block of time that day. We can still pray to him.  It doesn’t have to be an hour long.  But it does have to be from the heart.  

So I encourage you this week readers, always remember to stay close to Jesus.  Wherever you are in this world, I pray you have a home church that helps you stay on track.  I pray for you all that you have your time with our Lord every day. We need His word in our lives.  We need His Holy Spirit filling us and guiding us. Then enter into that Sabbath Day feeling full, and ready to receive the rest the Lord has for you that day.  

God bless you faithful readers.

#sabbath #rest #walkwithJesus #savetimeforJesus 

Pray for Our Country! Pray for Your Country! Pray for the Land that is Important to You!

 I am continuing on with my focus of praying for our countries we call home. My homeland is the USA.  Your homeland may be Australia.  And so on.  It doesn’t matter where we are or what country we call home.  But what matters to God is that we call on Him, seek His face, and pray.  

“and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

This is so encouraging and hopeful.  Knowing Jesus hears our prayers.  Not only that but He forgives us.  He truly cares about the things that are so important to us. 

“My eyes will now be open and My ears attentive to prayer from this place. And I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that My name may be there forever; My eyes and My heart will be there at all times.”

‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

He will be there forever.  Just think, whatever we are praying for our country Jesus will always be there with us.  I totally believe He answers every one of our prayers. The answer just may come in a different way than we expected.  We may be expecting a total restoration immediately.  But Jesus may answer differently. The answer may take weeks.  And it may be a completely different answer than we expected.  But  that’s ok.  Because Jesus answers in the best way so that we see the fruition coming from our prayers.

Wow, that’s amazing!  Jesus loves us so much, and He cares about all of our concerns .  

As you recall I had some major shoulder surgery one month ago.   I wanted the pain to go away instantly.  When it didn’t I prayed more, please Lord, take it away.  I knew He would.  Just not in my timing.  And as I look back, if that pain wasn’t there, and in some instances still is there, I probably would not have been obedient to the do’s and don't s of post-op  care and use.  My Physical Therapist is very strict about that.  Because of this, I am thankful Jesus is healing my shoulder His way.  

I encourage you all, seek His face, listen for His voice, and follow His leading.  He will hear your prayers.  I believe He will heal my country when He believes it is time.  Pray for your country, pray for your leaders, pray for your neighbors.  Jesus promises He hears us and will answer us.  

We know Jesus is faithful. We know He is true. And we know He loves us.  Amen! 

#pray #country #neighbors #yourself #prayforwhatmatterstoyou