DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLES!

So many things have been happening in all of our lives for the past couple of years that we never thought we’d have to deal with. I know for me that it is of the utmost importance that I am aligned with the Lord, walking in peace, and taking every situation and decision to Him, so I can walk in faith, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit in my life.

Some of the following are simple reminders about staying centered in Jesus and grounded in our faith as we walk in love in all of our relationships and in all circumstances.

1. Daily personal time with God

Psalm 100:4-5 states: “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations,” (NKJV) .

Here is how I “enter His gates:”

• I begin every day with thanking God for so many things: the new day, the sunshine; His beautiful creation, my children and grandchildren and so many friends, for answering my prayers, etc.
• Then I begin worshiping God for His goodness and His personal involvement in my life. I praise Him for who He is as my husband, my righteousness, my sanctifier, my provider, my peace, etc. I praise Him, because He is worthy to be my Savior, my Lord, my friend.
• Sometimes I sing along with worship songs from others; other times I sing my own songs to the Lord. I also really love the Scripture choruses from the Jesus revival days.

2. Spending time in the Word and in the truths the Lord has spoken in times of encounters.

I love daily reading the Bible. It feeds me and gives me life and hope. I generally read the Proverb for the day. I also read the Psalm corresponding with the day’s date, and sometimes I read 5 Psalms each day.

• For instance, on the first of the month, I read Psalms 1, 31, 61, 91, and 121. That way, I can read through the Psalms and Proverbs each month. God always speaks through His Word. I also love reading Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount, to hear what is so very important to Jesus. I love reading every part of Scripture: old and new testaments. I also love praying the Word. I’ll share more about prayer another time.
• For people who have been through Transforming Hearts Ministries, It is very important to absorb the truths God has spoken to your heart, so you can grow up emotionally and walk in faith and in your true identity in Christ.

“Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. Then, as you unwrap my words, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being. So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life. Avoid dishonest speech and pretentious words. Be free from using perverse words no matter what!” (Prov. 4:21-24, TPT).

3. Let faith and love fill your speech.

There is such a lot of divisive speech in our environment today. It is very important that we pay attention to God’s Word to “love one another” and not give into a spirit of division. This is also a reminder for those couples who have been ministered to at Transforming Hearts Ministries to pour love into one another to connect heart-to-heart and grow up emotionally.

“Nothing is more appealing than speaking beautiful, life-giving words for they release sweetness to our souls and inner healing to our spirits,” (Prov. 16:24, TPT).

A favorite Scripture of mine to put to memory and to apply is: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen,” (Eph. 4:29, NIV).

4. Trust in the Lord and fear not.

The enemy is trying to get each of us to be afraid of so many things: even sickness and death. He is trying to get us to focus on that. It is critical to pay attention to which thoughts are from the Lord and which ones are from the enemy. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (2 Cor. 10:4-5, NKJV). Make our thoughts obey God’s Word.

To trust in God, we have to know Him personally. GOD IS LOVE! Get into His presence; spend time with Him, and you will not fear. I always ask the Lord to open the eyes of my heart for revelation and my ears to hear what His Holy Spirit has to say. He is always faithful.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (the word of God revealed) (Romans 10:17, NKJV) When we hear what God has to say, we can trust and obey Him, and that’s how we walk in faith.

I love the definition of “faith” that my spiritual father and mentor, Jim Argue, taught me: “Faith is an unshakable confidence in the character of God.” Jim has a great, free online teaching called, “God is Love” at: (godisloveseries.com). I highly recommend it.

The foundational scripture of my life is: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil,” (Prov. 3:5-7, NKJV).

Enjoy your awesome time with the Lord!