Encouragement from my quiet times...

The Lord has really encouraged me during my quiet times the past few days and I just thought I would share the scriptures that ministered to me in hopes that they will minister to some of you...

This is a quote from a book of devotions I am reading, the author quotes Oswald Chambers in the following, and it absolutely jumped off the page and into my heart, I was meant to read this today...

"If we obey God, it is going to cost other people more than it costs us, and that is where the sting comes in... We can disobey God if we choose, and it will bring immediate relief to the situation, but we shall be a grief to our Lord. Whereas if we obey God, he will look after those who have been pressed into the consequences of our obedience. We have simply to obey and to leave all consequences with him."

This encouraged me to continue to strive to obey my Lord and what He speaks to me through His Word, even though sometimes it is terribly hard. I do not know about you, but I definitely do not want to be a grief to my Lord and Savior.

The following are scriptures that the Lord spoke to me through...

Numbers 11:23 "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Is the LORD's power limited? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.' "

Praise God that His power is not limited!! Amen to that!

And from Isaiah, chapters 43, 44, and 45, these messages are continually re-occurring:

The Lord is:
The LORD, Your Redeemer, who made you, who formed you from the womb, who will help you...

I am the LORD, and there is no other... there is no Savior besides me...

The Lord has:
Wiped out our transgressions- for My own sake I will remember them no more (for the Lord's sake, isn't that good!)

Wiped out your transgressions like a heavy cloud and your sins like a heavy mist...

And from the Psalms this morning...
Psalm 5:3 "In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord; in the morning I prepare [a prayer, a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart]."

This led me to ponder whether or not I prepare a sacrifice daily for my Lord. The sacrifice should be my life, my expectations, and my plans for the day. I was convicted that I need to lay down my agenda, and my plans for my time, and offer my day and my life as a sacrifice to my Lord, to be used as He would desire for me to, for His honor and glory.

I was further convicted that I am not just to go through the motions of offering myself and my life as a sacrifice to my Lord, I am to watch and wait for Him to speak to me, to give me guidance; and then through the power that He provides in my life through His Holy Spirit, I am to be obedient. So I will be doing things a little differently in my quiet times now, thinking of how I can offer myself to my Lord daily in a sacrificial way, and watching and waiting for Him to speak to me and give me guidance and direction.


One more bit of encouragement came from Proverbs 21:30-31

"There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the LORD. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance and victory are of the LORD."

Isn't God's Word just so good, so rich, so full of treasures, encouragement, hope, and comfort? I encourage you to take some time to open His Word and allow Him to speak to you today... and let me know what He tells you, it may just be something I need to hear too!