Focus

I’m not sure about you, but I feel like distractions abound lately. It’s almost like a tornado of information and data. Whether it’s social media, current news, events, strife, opposing opinions, politics, etc.. but God wants us to pause. Take a step back from the distractions and fix our eyes on what’s really true.

He is the way the truth in life. He is the way to peace. He’s the way to wisdom. We need His direction. The battle with distraction starts in the mind.

“Send out your light and your truth; let them be my guide; let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the places where you live. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and delight; I will praise you on the lyre, God, my God. My soul, why are you so downcast? Why are you groaning inside me? Hope in God, since I will praise him again for being my Savior and God.”
‭‭Tehillim (Psa)‬ ‭43‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭CJB‬‬

Visualize yourself sitting at the feet, Jesus. His smile lights up His eyes as He extends His hand to you. He wants to be in relationship with you. It’s your choice. He brings joy, peace and hope.

What is your happy place? Your favorite places could be next to a rolling river, listening to the sounds of the wind blowing through the pine trees. Could it be taking a hike in the mountains, the gravel crunching beneath your feet. Or is it sitting on the beach, listening to the waves crash at the shore. Wherever you find peace and can observe His creation is a happy place. For me it can be sitting in the middle of a horse pasture, listening to the neighs and whinny of a happy horse calling to its herd. Those beautiful, happy places reflect the gifts of the only One who can give you rest. God wants you to fix your mind, your soul and your body on Him alone.

He is lovely, He is excellent, He is the King of Kings, He is wisdom, He is waiting for you.

If you already know Jesus as Savior, and have declared Him aloud as Lord of your life. Let Him direct your steps to a great destiny. Filter your day with your eyes, mind and heart on the message of Philippines 4:7.

If you have stepped away from God, it’s time to reconnect, call on Jesus. He knows all the details of your life.

“He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the earth is from the earth and talks from an earthly point of view; he who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies about what he has actually seen and heard, yet no one accepts what he says! Whoever does accept what he says puts his seal on the fact that God is true, because the one whom God sent speaks God’s words. For God does not give him the Spirit in limited degree — the Father loves the Son and has put everything in his hands.”
‭‭Yochanan (Jhn)‬ ‭3‬:‭31‬-‭35‬ ‭CJB‬‬

If you have not called on Jesus and humbled yourself before Him as Savior and Lord. I must say there is no better place to rest in this world than to feel His Presence.

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So get caught up in the whirlwind of the breath of God. Breathe Deeply, and receive rest for your soul, and remember where there is peace when we rest in Him.

Photo credit by M. Mesikapp and scripture photo by Youversion.

Who gave the horse its strength?

Lately, I find myself reading a chapter of the Bible called Job. A little background on Job. He was a follower of Adonai (The LORD God) who had many blessings in the standards of the world. God gave Job the blessings, family, land, material things.

However, one day, the Adversary (devil) asked Adonai if Job really was a follower of Him, and in challenging trials, would Job be able to stand up under the pressure?

I chose the Complete Jewish Bible as the resource for today. Iyov is the Hebrew word for Job.

Job 1:6-12 It happened one day that the sons of God came to serve Adonai, and among them came the Adversary. Adonai asked the Adversary, “Where are you coming from?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “From roaming through the earth, wandering here and there.” Adonai asked the Adversary, “Did you notice my servant Iyov, that there’s no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil?” The Adversary answered Adonai, “Is it for nothing that Iyov fears God? You’ve put a protective hedge around him, his house and everything he has. You’ve prospered his work, and his livestock are spread out all over the land. But if you reach out your hand and touch whatever he has, without doubt he’ll curse you to your face!” Adonai said to the Adversary, “Here! Everything he has is in your hands, except that you are not to lay a finger on his person.” Then the Adversary went out from the presence of Adonai.”
‭‭Iyov (Job)‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭12‬ ‭CJB‬‬

So God allowed trials and challenges to be a part of Jobs’ life. I challenge you to read the Book of Job!! Job ended up losing family members to death, his wealth in livestock and property diminished, losing prosperity by world standards and his friends questioned whether God was really with him anymore.

In chapters 38 and 39, the LORD ( our personal Creator God named in Genesis) speaks to Job. The Lord asks Job who made all things on earth, in the skies and heavens? The LORD reminds Job who He is as Creator God.

“Then Adonai answered Iyov out of the storm: “Who is this, darkening my plans with his ignorant words? Stand up like a man, and brace yourself; I will ask questions; and you, give the answers! “Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Do you know who determined its dimensions or who stretched the measuring line across it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
‭‭Iyov (Job)‬ ‭38‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭CJB‬‬

I love when I read scripture and find a new insight or instruction in new ways. I found the following description on horses, hawks and eagles.

Job 39:19-30 The Lord said, “Did you give the horse its strength? Did you clothe its neck with a mane? Did you make him able to leap like a locust? Its majestic snorting is frightening! It paws with force and exults with vigor, then charges into the battle; mocking at fear, unafraid, it does not shy away from the sword. The [rider’s] quiver rattles over it, [his] gleaming spear and javelin. Frenzied and eager, it devours the ground, scarcely believing the shofar has sounded. At the sound of the shofar it whinnies; as from afar it scents the battle, the roar of the chiefs and the shouting. “Is it your wisdom that sets the hawk soaring, spreading its wings toward the south? Does the eagle fly up when you say so, to build its nest in the heights? It lives and spends its nights on the cliffs; a rocky crag is its fortress. From there it spots its prey, its eyes see it far off. Its young ones suck up blood; wherever the slain are, there it is.””
‭‭Iyov (Job)‬ ‭39‬:‭19‬-‭30‬ ‭CJB‬‬

What I am trying to express in this post today? Just like Job, when we are going through trials it can seem our Adonai ( personal Lord God) has left us. Perhaps a better reflection would be remembering our LORD may be teaching us something about His promises and there can be deeper relationship with our Father Creator God, our Adonai, our Jesus and listening to the Holy Spirit developed when we are open to growth.

Spending time to rediscover and grow our faith in a God who sees all things, created all things, knows the future and loves unconditionally is powerful, life changing and eternal.

Jamie MacDonald has a great song, Desperate that describes well the need to be restored by the Lord. Praise Him in the trial.

Prayer: Father God, Adonai, please forgive our human desire to be independent and falsely believe we can do life alone. All things are possible through You LORD. Show us through the trials what You want us to learn about Your love and promises. Just like Job, the sifting of our trials can be a place of deepening faith in You. Thank you for loving unconditionally and being our personal LORD. We need You, in Jesus mighty Name, Amen!

Horses and faith : Doing life

We have an eight year old gelding and a 25-year-old gelding, observing their relationship over the past six weeks has brought me amazing insights into many things emotional and spiritual.

Horses are the most amazing animals. They’re huge and could be scary to some people. Yet they are able to calm humans who have had trauma or need emotional support.

Horses are mentioned throughout scripture. God must have loved horses, He made them with a sense of understanding human emotion. I have experienced this personally and I know many therapeutic horse riding facilities exist because of the horse/ human connection which calms people.

Horses are animals who love relationship and yet they also love time alone. When one horse is tired and chooses to lay down the other horse stands at attention and is on duty against predators.They have each other‘s back basically.

It reminds me of our relationship with God, our Jesus! Jesus wants to be in relationship with us as people created in His image. He, Jesus, at times, would step aside and be with God ( as at Gethsamane) and yet Jesus, also loved community. Jesus is our protector and our comfort.

Just as a horse doesn’t prefer being alone we don’t prefer being alone. There needs to be a herd leader in a horses pasture. There needs to be a leader in our walk with Jesus, and it can’t be us.

Psalm 59:16-17 NLT
But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. [17] O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

The leader of the herd is the one that the others follow for safety and for survival. The leader of the herd provides a wall of protection against others who may want to hurt.

Is Jesus not an amazing refuge, our leader and shelter for us in stormy and challenging times? Yet our relationship with Jesus can bring peace and happiness when we spend time in His presence. Horses are no different, they bring similar calming emotion.

As I watched our gelding horses share a drink of fresh water, I thought how much more happiness I have in sharing life with Jesus. His living water brings refreshment, restoration and fills me with liquid joy.

Psalm 16:11 AMP
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Just as horses need a herd, we need a community of faith to sharpen us in truth and bring His wisdom.

Proverbs 27:17 NLT
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

My fellow Christian’s friends in life, in community and on this blog community bring a joy and love that reflects the love of Jesus to me!

I am grateful to all the amazing interconnections by my God that encourage and nurture daily life.

Psalm 20:7 AMP
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, But we will remember and trust in the name of the LORD our God.