Category Archives: Christian Living

Christian Living, Just Chatty Today

Respectively

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Perhaps it’s a rogue thought, yet I am moved to write.

“I divided time into days and nights, so that you would have manageable portions of life to handle.” 
From Jesus Calling for July 15 – Sarah Young

This is not an endorsement of the book or the author – rather a springboard for a thought.

The day is for work (and play), respectively; the night is for sleep and rest.
And what is rest anyway?

Quiet; repose; a state free from motion or disturbance; a state of reconciliation to God.  source 

What have we done?

Lights are powerful enough to keep the work day or play day going well into the dark.
Added to the lights are toys of every sort. Even when the body reclines, the mind continues to spin. And so under the cover of night with its artificial light much evil thrives; be it just the evil of bodies, souls, and minds who refuse to oblige The Maker of the Day and the Night, respectfully.

Selah  ~ ~ ~ Kathie

Christian Living, The Loft

Still – The Loft

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The subject matter at The Loft today is STILL. At this typing it’s after 10:00 PM and I’m void of writing inspiration – perhaps we could say I am ‘still’ :)

So I searched The White Stone to see if the subject of STILL could be found. It could! More than once. I settled on this one. How about a cut and paste?

August 22, 2008 
Stand Still and See

Do you love some one who is teenaged or all the way up to senior citizen age who thus far just has not surrendered all to Jesus? Does this loved one of yours love dogs? Then I have a book I strongly recommend you pray about purchasing and give to them. I am only on page 21 and thus far this book is extraordinary! I think for any dog lover, Lessons From a Sheep Dog by Phillip Keller, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit will hit a home run!

Returning to 2 Chronicles 20:15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. [source]

The message given to Jahaziel to give to the people was for ALL of them. From the lowest level servant on the street to the King himself; all peoples of Judah and Jerusalem were to receive the same message. And Yahweh said, do not be afraid or dismayed. Obviously, they were afraid or He would not have instructed them to not be. And from a natural view, they had reason to be afraid. There was a multitude of folks out there wanting to take their lives and their land. Not much has changed, huh? A multitude continues to try to take from Israel. I am confident you know my constant prayer is for America to continue to stand with Israel. But I’m not going there today, at least not right here. So. They had reason to be dismayed. I wonder if we know how strong a word is dismayed? My on-line dictionary describes it this way: a complete loss of courage in the face of trouble or danger. I thought first to describe dismay as being paralyzed but I think that does not accurately describe their condition here. Yes, I think they were rendered immobile to move forward but not paralyzed from retreating. The absence of courage often causes us to run and hide from the ‘multitude’. It takes a Word from the Lord to infuse courage into us. Let me tell you why I think Israel was paralyzed from moving forward but not from moving back.

17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you.” [source]

What do you see in that text? STAND STILL. Often the most courageous and the most difficult thing for us to do is STAND STILL. We want to run away from the ‘multitude’. We want to hide from that necessary holy confrontation; we want to close our eyes and wish away the adversity. Here Abba told them to STAND STILL. He said the battle is HIS – He will handle it. And I believe that is Always true. The battle is always HIS. There are times, I think, we are called to STAND so close to the battle field it seems like we are doing the battling ourselves, but we are not. Hold this thought. I want to come back to it. For a moment look with me at this. I love it.

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. From the King to the servant, ALL bowed before the Lord and WORSHIPPED Him! [source]

Did you notice verse 14 read all Judah and all Jerusalem and then King Jehosphaphat? And in verse 18 Jehosphaphat is taking the lead in worship! How good is that?! The King leads the servants to worship. The natural tendency of people is to go the way of the Leader. It takes a rebel pumped up by the Evil One to refuse to follow a king who is bowing to worship THE KING. And it takes a ‘rebel’ empowered by God to refuse to follow an unholy king. I urge you to ponder that one!
Lets look now to see how Israel was to Stand Still before The LORD.

20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever.” 22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.[source]

When the people began to sing and to praise Him, the LORD set ambushes against the ‘multitude’ and they were defeated.
Do we want to see our ‘multitude’ defeated? Then we must believe the LORD and praise Him. That my Dear Ones is the way we STAND STILL and see the Salvation of the Lord on our behalf.

Father, from this I understand the battle is Yours and our contribution is only to believe You and praise You. That is more than our minds can conceive. Thank You that is it so. We believe You and we entrust ourselves and all our battles to You. Amen and amen.

GOD has made The Way ~ ~ ~ Kathie
Christian Living, KWT Paraphrasing

Tickled Pink

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Psalm 16

It’s been coming to mind since this morning.

If you would like to read it, click HERE.

5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup: you safeguard my share.

This one wraps me in security and comfort even though I search for words to properly and adequately describe it. My assigned portion, my cup; all that falls to me, the stuff of life, family, relationships, all of it He safeguards this for me. I don’t have to defend my stuff. I don’t even have to defend me!

6 Pleasant places were measured out for me; 
I am content with my heritage.

I am content with my heritage. Amazing! The penman of this passage was content with his heritage. Me too! Pleasant places were measured out for me. Does this mean I have no skeletons in my closet? Are you kidding?! The bones are rattling! But all that was before made the path for where I am. And I am more than content about that! I am tickled pink those skeletons and the pleasant places and the unpleasant places ALL pointed, directed and got me to JESUS! And HE has become my heritage! And my future!

Oh yeah I am lovin’ Psalm 16 and my ABBA Who had it penned for me!

For you too if you like. :)

GOD has made The Way ~ ~ ~ Kathie
Christian Living

Apprehended

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I Samuel 12.

I’m reading and rereading it. Some words and phrases have apprehended me today.

7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord . . .  (KJV) source

This! A people standing still to cease the mind garbage and reason before the LORD, together, asking for His purposes and means about family, friends, politics, spending, budgeting, work, pleasure, leisure, discipline; for child and adult. The list is as endless as our needs and wants.

16 “Now therefore, hold still; and see the great deed which Adonai will perform before your very eyes. (CJB) source

Again hold still and see. Anybody besides me want this? Yet how much do I want it? Enough to hold still?

. . . I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, . . . (KJV) source

Thunder and rain that we may perceive our own wickedness. A gift or a curse? We will choose and our choice most likely rides upon how often we have stilled ourselves before the LORD. And are we faithfully praying this for one another? Praying that ABBA will grace us with what it takes, even thunder and rain, so that we will own our own sins and be forgiven and rescued from them? Can you think of anything more needful and more precious than a friend who will pray this prayer for you? Me either. 

And finally this:

23 As for me, far be it from me to sin against Adonai by ceasing to pray for you! Rather, I will continue instructing you in the good and right way. 24 Only fear Adonai, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for think what great things he has done for you! 25 However, if you insist on doing wicked things, you will be swept away — both you and your king!” (CJB) source

Far be it from us to cease to pray!
Far be it from us to cease to instruct in the good and right way. And what is that way? To reverence ADONAI Who is the LORD GOD, JESUS the CHRIST, to serve Him faithfully, not halfheartedly, but with our whole hearts. 
Far be it from us to insist on any other way (for any other way is wicked) for both ourselves and our leaders. 

I Samuel 12 and still apprehended.

GOD has made The Way ~ ~ ~ Kathie