Come Join Me on the Pathway of Praise

Carol’s Praise, Prayer & Worship Invitation

PRAISE, PRAYER & WORSHIP WEDNESDAY

Without doubt, we are living in difficult times. Governments come and go. Economic systems are proving unsustainable. The cost of living is such that some people are facing the difficult choice of whether to eat or heat their homes.

After the unexpected disruption of our lives by Covid 19 and the global pandemic, we were perhaps looking forward to some semblance of normality. Alas! For many people this is not to be.

The good news, however, is this: wherever we happen to live in the world and whatever challenges we face, God remains the same. He is an unchanging God. He is a covenant-keeping God. It would be natural to look around us and despair but as people of God, we are asked to put our trust in the One who knows the end from the beginning.

Dear reader, will you accompany me today on the pathway of praise?

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Praise

I will love you O Lord with all my heart

I will worship you my God, in Spirit and in truth

I will draw closer to you my Lord and Saviour

I will celebrate your goodness, steadfast love and unfailing mercies

For you are worthy of all glory, honour and praise.

Therefore by Him [Jesus] let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.

(Hebrews 13:15 NKJV)

Prayer

Father God, your Word says we should not be anxious about anything but through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make our requests known to you. Your Word also states we should not be concerned about our material needs for you are aware of these.

Heavenly Father, the psalmist David declared he had never seen the righteous forsaken, nor their descendants begging for bread and the Apostle Paul said that you would supply all our needs. We therefore hold onto your Word and stand upon your promises during these difficult times.

Gracious God, remember our obedience in giving tithes and offerings for the purposes of ministry and for the poor. We ask that you demonstrate your ability and willingness to bless us and thank you in anticipation of your generous provision. Jehovah Jireh, we declare that you are our source of supply.

We believe that just as you provide for the birds of the air, so you will also meet our material needs for we are your children, and we are of more value to you than a sparrow. You said we should ask, and you promised our request would be granted.

Bountiful God, we thank you in advance for your timely provision. Thank you for your faithfulness, Father God, and thank you for this opportunity to exercise our confidence in you as our provider. Amen.

© Carol Hind (Adapted from: Petitions From My Heart)

When you’re ruled by circumstances and emotions you live on a rollercoaster. But if you look to the Lord of your circumstances and praise Him, you move from weakness to strength. (UCB Word For Today – written by Bob and Debbie Gass)

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*UCB Word For Today – For the current online version of this devotional please click here:

Worship

Wishing you all a peaceful and victorious week.

With love,

Carol – Author, Blogger and Prayer Advocate

Thank you for taking the time to visit today. Would you be so kind as to share your response to this post in a comment box below? And if you know anyone who would benefit from its message, please don’t hesitate to share it. Many thanks!

RESOURCES:

Do you long to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q

AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1

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Have you lost your spiritual verve? Has your Christian life become somewhat humdrum? Discover the secret to a vibrant and victorious spiritual life, through Holy Communion.

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A Gospel According to Moi?

Q:        What is Five Minute Friday?

A:        It is a 5min free write blog event hosted by Kate Motaung. Every Thursday Kate announces a one-word prompt at 10pm EST. The link-up is open for a full week, until the following Thursday evening. For further details on how to participate click HERE. 

—–oooooo000oooooo—–

 

Five Minute Friday Prompt: ANOTHER

It took me a little while to come up with something to fit this theme – ANOTHER!

In the beginning nothing suggested itself to me. Nothing came immediately to mind. What can I write about that would be personally meaningful to me as the writer and to you, as the reader?

I looked up the Oxford dictionary meaning to see if this would give me some inspiration and do you know what? It did!

I saw that one of the meanings of this word is: something different and then Paul’s words came to mind about “another gospel”. Now I have an idea of where to take this theme!

Do I, do you, believe or live our lives according to another gospel?

A gospel not according to Christ, or even according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John but according to my, or your convenience. A gospel that fits in with our ideas of who God is and who we want him to be, not as he actually is. And a gospel that makes less demand upon us than that which the true gospel requires.

No?

You think?

Let’s see.

For instance, the gospel according to Jesus demands that we forgive. Not just once, or even three times, but 70 times 70!

END OF 5 MINS

So, if you examined your life, if you were absolutely honest with yourself (not the sanitised honesty that you present for the scrutiny of others), but the true, raw honesty of “it-is-what-it-is!” would you emerge squeaky clean?

I know when I look at my heart and assess myself in the light of God’s Word in this particular regard, the picture I see is not so pretty. It’s a picture marred by the stain of an unforgiving spirit. A picture that presents a detailed record of wrongs against others. A picture that ought to have been cleaned with the emulsion of forgiveness, mercy and compassion and should have been repainted with the brushes of obedience.

Instead it’s a picture that has built up a steady film of grime and dust. And instead of that picture being framed by the beauty of humility and mercy, it is stretched upon the canvas of a critical and judgmental spirit.

This picture is the result of a gospel according to moi… a gospel according to Carol. A gospel that is man-made and mixed, prompted by the devil’s goading input, along with my rebellious and self-righteous response to those who offend me.

Another gospel!

But as I examine my heart and life in the uncompromising light of God’s Word, as I look within my conscience at the picture of Jesus hanging upon his cross, as I regard the image of his marred face, his broken body, as I recall all that he suffered, so that I can enjoy a new destiny, a happy-ever-after scenario of complete and utter peace, yeah, everlasting joy in Heaven, I feel convicted. I feel ashamed.

How could I continue to behave like the protagonist in Christ’s parable of the ungrateful servant? How could I fail to forgive those who have trespassed against me, when God my Father, when Christ my Saviour, has forgiven and continues to forgive me of so much more?

No matter how big, how deep the wounds of those offences, what deception, what seed of arrogance could cause me to choose this other gospel—a gospel according to my sanctimonious standards, a standard which fell far, far short of God’s measure of righteousness in the first place? A standard which failed to satisfy God’s wrath, who required the shedding of innocent blood, the burden-bearing of an entire world’s sin and depravity before he could be appeased, before the atonement for Adam’s act of treason could be accepted?

Father-God forgive me (there I go again – needing forgiveness!).

Lord Jesus forgive me. Thank you for your wonderful example of forgiveness towards those who hated, humiliated and killed you.

Holy Spirit help me. Remind me to take up my cross and die daily to the ungracious demands of my flesh, to my unmerciful requirements for personal vengeance, to my unforgiving heart.

Help me to walk God’s highway of holiness with humility and help me to paint a Christ-like image over the offences of others, even if it requires me to do so, seventy times seventy each day, even each hour!

Friends and followers, have a blessed weekend and may God’s divine peace and protection rest upon you and upon your loved ones, as we negotiate the paths of these unprecedented times.

Best wishes,

Carol (aka Lady Cee)

Are you looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life? If so, don’t hesitate to check out the links below.

 

AMAZON UK – Print: click here; E-book: click here

AMAZON US – Print: click here; E-book: click here

 

Did you enjoy reading this post? If so, please share your thoughts in a comment box below. Do you know someone who would benefit from its message? Then please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.

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You are Served!

 

 

Ever been watching a film or TV drama when someone going about their business is approached by a stranger, or hears a knock on the door? They are asked their name and when they reply, an envelope is thrust into their hands whilst they are told: “You are served!”

I don’t know your name but I know you are either a follower or visitor to my site. And since you are, I suspect you have come for a reason. Whoever you are, and wherever you may be, I have a message for you. You are served!

You’ve been served with a summons to pray… to build yourself up on your most holy faith… to walk confidently in life as a victorious over-comer.

So what’s your response?

Don’t delay – take action TODAY!

And before you rush off, may I invite you to visit God’s throne-room?

 

Women of Warfare followers and visitors, have an abundantly blessed week!

 

CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com

 

 

Spring Has Arrived – Twice!

 

The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.

Harriet Ann Jacobs

 

Because there seemed to be a difference of opinion about the official start of Spring, I decided to do a little research on the matter.

I discovered that there are two perspectives.

If you took the meteorological view, Spring starts in accordance with the Gregorian calendar – i.e. on 1 March each year.

But if you go with the astronomical viewpoint then the start of Spring occurs when an equinox takes place. This changes each year but usually falls on either the 19, 20, or 21 of March.

I’m not particularly bothered either way. In fact, being greedy, I’m happy to embrace both perspectives!

However, what I do love about, and take from my recent discovery is this—there is more than one opportunity to welcome Spring into our lives.

And so, in a metaphorical sense, I’m opening my heart, my life to the season of Spring. I’m inviting the Holy Spirit to come and bring freshness, growth and an abundance of fruit.

Spring, you are welcome!

Come burst into our lives with blossom and buds, soft showers and sunshine.

 

QUESTION:

Are you welcoming a new season of Spring? Are you preparing for and expecting spiritual growth?

 

 

CREDIT: the above CCO image comes courtesy of Hans Braxmeier of Pixabay.com

 

O Come Let Us Adore Him!

Image: CC0 Public Domain – Pixabay.com

 

O Come…

Come. This requires us to leave our present situation, or move from our current location. It requires effort and a firm resolve on our part. It requires us to move from the position we are currently occupying – wherever that may be, whatever we may be doing. As well as it being a move from a physical place, it could also apply to a shift in our psychological state, or spiritual stance.

O Come…

The shepherds had to temporarily leave their duties in order to come. The wise men had to leave their country, their interest and preoccupation with astrology, their theories and text-book assumptions.

O Come…

Come. It requires us to respond to and accept an invitation. The invitation is to come, see and adore the Lord Jesus Christ. It requires humility – an admission that we don’t have it all… don’t know it all. It requires us to have ears to hear what God, or His servant, or the Holy Spirit is telling us. It requires us to let go of any desire to control our lives and be willing to take that journey, travel that path, which our Father God has predestined for us to walk in. It involves leaving our comfort zone.

O Come…

Come. What does it take for me or for you to respond to this invitation? What will it cost? It involves coming away from one location and arriving at another (usually an unknown), destination. It sometimes involves coming away from fear and arriving at a realisation of God’s unconditional love, or moving away from doubt and arriving at a place of faith. It could involve stepping away from a place of ignorance… from a place of passively waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promise(s), to a place of revelation… a resolve to passionately pursue the manifestation of God’s power.

What situation, paradigm, or religious stance do you need to come away from in order to “see” Jesus as Wonderful, Counsellor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace? (Isaiah 9:6)

What hindering mindset do you need to move away from in order to receive the rich resources of heaven, which Jesus’ birth has made available to you?  Will you come away from doubts and distractions and adore this holy child Jesus? Will you accept the invitation and come today, tomorrow, whenever, for whatever you may need? Will you approach him in humility, receive his precious offering of love, forgiveness and unqualified acceptance, adore him as your grace-giver, healer, intercessor and Saviour?

Dear reader, don’t hesitate, don’t listen to the voice of your arch enemy, don’t question, don’t doubt – just come!