Streams of Water

My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!

So, as the deer longs for Streams of Water, so I long for You, O God. I thirst for You my God, the living God. 

When can I go and stand before You? Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?”

• Why am I discouraged? 
• Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God! I will praise You again my Savior and my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember You even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar.

I hear the tumult of the raging seas as Your waves and surging tides sweep over me. But each day my Lord You pour out Your unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing Your songs, praying to God who gives me life.

“O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have You forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?” Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”

• Why am I discouraged? 
• Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God! I will praise You again my Savior and my God!

I really love the harmony of that song "As the deer Panteth;" it's a beautiful rendition, one of the sweetest I've ever heard!!!  This is really what our LORD and Savior JESUS Christ is like. He'll lift us from our burdens and fills our heart with joy and gladness!!!


It's reassuring to know that, the one who does not walk in-step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night is blessed. 


That person is like a tree planted by Streams of Water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither and whatever they do prospers.


For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Therefore, I trust in You my Lord and my God.


Taken from Psalm 1 & 42

JESUS LAUGHING!

Beautiful pencil drawings, of an artist impression, of Christ laughing!

Jesus said, "Don't stop children from coming to me! Children like these are part of the kingdom of God." (Matt.19:14)

(Contributed: The artist Jean Keaton says she wants the works to speak for themselves.)

Look carefully and see the drawings were signed, 'Jesus Painter'

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN

"Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world,
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in his sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world."

Many who read this post doubtless are familiar with the song, "Jesus Loves the Little Children." Even a good number of folks who weren't brought up in church know it.

Perhaps you were brought up in a Christian home, as I was, and like me, you sang that warm and assuring little chorus in Sunday School nearly every Sunday.

Interestingly, it tells of a loving relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; and how He loves us regardless of our nationality or ethnicity. It is true today, as it has ever been, that He still loves us (John 3:16). 

May Jesus be ever real to you today as He was when you first sang it. God bless you always!

Dare To Take A Stand

In an age where anything goes and moral standards are rapidly decaying, Christians should endeavor to take a stand for Holiness. We should stand for Righteousness and be ready to be counted among them that shall reign with Christ. We can stand with Him when our friends are gone, and stand when we’re all alone with the confidence that we’re His own.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, 

that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day,

and having done all, to stand.” (Eph. 6:13)

As I read Ephesians 6:13, I was reminded of an article in the “Our Daily Bread,” of January 2008 about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who when he was confronted by opposition sought Divine direction to determine what he should do.

The article written by Dave Egner stated that in late January 1956, during the tense days of the Montgomery Boycott, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could not sleep. A threatening phone call had terrified him.

 So he prayed, “I am here taking a stand for what I believe is right. But Lord, I must confess that I’m weak now, I’m faltering. I’m losing my courage. Now, I am afraid, the people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers… I can’t face it alone.

Dr. King later wrote, “At that moment I experienced the presence of the Divine as I never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear the quiet assurance of an inner voice saying, ‘Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever.’ Almost at once my fears began to go. My uncertainty disappeared. I was ready to face anything.”

Dr. Martin Luther King’s mission was to see people of all ethnicity FREE of injury caused by racism and prejudice. He said, "I have a dream that one day people will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." So, you stand!

If we face opposition when we’re trying to do what’s right, we too must cry out to the Lord for help. He alone is our rock of refuge and fortress of defense (Psa. 31:2). He is our reliable source of strength and protection.

“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Eccl.4:12). Let us dare to take a stand.

Discovering My Purpose

Many times we get caught up in our work, families, children, circumstances, the economy, our personal achievements or failures; that we become overly concerned about what to do next, what we have or don’t have, our limitations, and failures.

But we seldom stop to consider the question, why I am here? Or most importantly, what is God’s purpose for my life? 

Sadly, many people go through life without knowing their purpose in life. But, can we really know what our purpose in life is? To answer this question let's go to the Bible, God's word, to find out "WHY" He created us. Here we find God's purpose for creating us printed on its pages. 

• Firstly, He created us in His image. Having the “image” or “likeness” of God means that we were made to resemble God who is spirit (John 4:24), and therefore we were created in perfect health and was not subject to death. 
• Secondly, we were created as rational beings to reflect God's intellect, and freedom. As free moral beings we can reason, make choices and commune with Him in worship. The Lord gives Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding (Prov. 2:6). 
• Thirdly, God created us to rule. He made us different from the rest of His creation with the intent that we should have dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:28). 
• Fourthly, we were created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God’s holiness. "The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them" (Hosea 14:9). 

Having answered the why question, we can now move on to discover "WHAT" is my purpose in life? But before we can go any further we need to hear what God has to say to us.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. 

"They are plans for good and not for disaster, 

to give you a future and a hope" (Jer. 29:11).

Yes, God created us in His image, but He has a specific Plan and Purpose for our lives. Here is what He had to say to Jeremiah, "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appoint you as my prophet to the nations (Jer. 1:15). 

God's will is good and perfect; therefore, His desire for us is always good (Rom. 12:2). He Loves us and wants us to have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4). 

The Christian's way of life is one of commitment and total surrender. We're expected to die daily to the world and sin. Jesus said, “If anyone would come to me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). 

The bible instructs believers to be doers of the word, and not hearers only (James 1:22). God's word helps us make right choices that we might not sin against Him (Ps.119:11). However, our obedience to God's word keeps us safe and gives us direction in life. David in the Psalm said:

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
      and a light for my path” 

(Psalm 119:105).

In Matthew 4:4, Jesus stated, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema] that comes from the mouth of God.” Therefore, it's important for us to read, meditate and obey God's word. 

God's will for us is known from His word. But we'll not know what our purpose is without first consulting God, through His word. To understand what God's word is saying to us we need to rely on the Holy Spirit. God gave us the Holy Spirit to help us. He's the Spirit of truth (John. 16:13); He will not lie to us, because "God is not a man that He should lie" (Num. 23:19).

God answers pray, and all that we need to do is pray to God and ask for wisdom to understand His word. James 1: 5 says, “If any of you lack wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” 

Therefore, we should heed this scripture “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6). 

Another important requirement in knowing God's will and purpose for our lives is; God's word gives us confidence. In Philippians 1:6 we are admonished, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." 

God's ultimate purpose for all of us is that He would be glorified (1 Cor. 10:31) and that the gospel and God's kingdom would be advanced (Phil. 1:12); and as such He equips us to do His will. 

As I was preparing this article my mind reflected on the Hymn given below, "God make my life a little light." It meant so much to me then as it does now because it was my prayer asking God to direct my life. I do hope it will minister to you also.

Hymn: God Make My Life

1. God make my life a little Light within the world to glow; a little flame that burneth bright, wherever I may go. 
2. God make my life a little Flower that giveth joy to all, content to bloom in native bower, although the place be small. 
3. God make my life a little Song that comforteth the sad that helpeth others to be strong, and makes the singer glad. 
4. God make my life a little Staff whereon the weak may rest, that so what health and strength I have may serve my neighbors best. 
5. God make my life a little Hymn of tenderness and praise, of faith, that never waxeth dim, In all His wondrous ways.

As you set out to discover God's purpose for your life, you'll know if you're on the right path because doors will open. Things will come together without much effort and you'll have good success. In all your ways acknowledge God and He will direct your path.

An Awakening is Coming

The buzzword that I've been hearing in Christian circles in recent time is “Awakening.” It seems to me that something is about to shift in the atmosphere, thus ushering in a new move of God. In his article “Seven Components of a Great Life this Year and Some Celebrities will Prophesy” posted on the Elijah List, Brian Simmons stated that an awakening is coming.

He disclosed that recently he had a dream-encounter where he saw stadiums filled with prophets speaking with such power and confirmation that fireworks actually exploded in the meetings!” “It was like Fourth of July and New Year's Eve times 10!” he remarked.

He believes that “God is prophetically speaking to His people telling them to arise, awake, and accept the light of a new day!” This move of God he said “will make the wicked tremble and the truth-seekers humble. God will begin something powerful this year that will open doors of evangelism with signs and wonders.”

So what is it saying to us mainstream Christians who have become so accustomed to the mundane way of life? It may be that God is about ready to do a new thing in our day. Such as a great Worldwide Youth Awakening where youth evangelists, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, will preach to thousands in packed-out churches and arenas, resulting in thousands being saved, healed and delivered.

But we shouldn't be surprise because that’s like God; He has done it before, and He will do it again. His ways are not our ways, and He'll do whatever it takes to establish His purpose in the world.

People allover the world is searching for God, and the time is right for an outpouring of His manifold presence in the earth. This video "Awakening" shows how hungry people are for the true meaning and purpose of life.

This is a powerful video that demonstrates people’s hunger for God. There isn’t one single person that I know who doesn’t believe that something monumental is happening. Everywhere you go people are searching for that spiritual high! Some are search for it in drugs, while others seek for it in reveling or meditation. But regardless of what they have tried, deep down in their innermost being they know that there's more to life than what they have.

Obviously, as you have seen, God is the answer to what they're seeking. He's the answer to all our problems. The question is will we invite Him to be Lord of our lives? You see, when God formed man from the dust of the ground, He created us as worshipping beings to bring glory to Him. Outside of that life is meaningless, empty and hopeless.

God is going through the earth searching for hearts that are broken and desperate for Him. He's looking for someone who will give Him their all; yes, He wants it all. I believe that He's looking for men like Gideon, Mighty man of Valor (Jud. 6:12), that He can use to bring about a new wave of revival which is long overdue; not men who are overtaken with pride believing that they are all that, and a bag of chips.

Here's the amazing part of what Brian Simmons saw. He observed that the prophets were:

• Not the prophets that are already accepted and known for startling accuracy with their declarations.
• Television stars and movie stars that had come to Christ.
• Actually prophesying with such power that the stadium was shaking!

However, there’s a great joy coming even as there’s great distress in the nations. Shouldn’t the Church above all others, demonstrate a calm, a peace, even a JOY that the world has never tasted? Jesus said, "My Peace I leave with you" (John 14:27); In Nehemiah 8:10 we're told "the Joy of the Lord is your strength," and the Apostle Paul writing to the church at Philippi encourages the believers "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19). There is no need that God cannot meet.

In conclusion, according to Brian Simmons God wants this year to be the best year we’ll ever have! We may ask how could it be with economic distress, waywardness among many, discouragement rampant and depression? Well here is his message, an “Apostolic word for what’s coming!” which he is encouraging us not to spend a day in disappointment.

Seven Components of a Great Life this Year
A Sense of Family
God is going to release this year a new focus on the   family

A Passion for God

Make a crazy sacrifice for Jesus this year! Get ready to lay it all down for Jesus! He's worth it!

An Obvious Grace for Outreach
Be ready to be a witness of Jesus' joy to the unhappy and disappointed people around you!

Empowerment of Others to Fulfill Their Ministry
People who really know the power of God are now called to empower the people to know it, too to fulfill their ministry.

A Servant's Heart Modeled by Leaders on All Levels
God will challenge us to be a leader of others that loves and leads with mercy. Sacrifice, love, forgiveness, and tons of inspiration for others!

Unity
Expect to see more unity among leaders and churches than you've ever seen in your lifetime!

A Positive Expression of Inspiration (Praise and Thanksgiving)  
Your praise will go to new levels as a greater gratitude grips your soul with God's goodness!

Are you ready my friend? An Awakening is Coming!


Source: Brian Simmons
 Apostolic Resource Center (ARC) & Stairway Ministries
Brian Simmons is a prophet, the author of numerous books, which   reveal depths of insight that the Holy Spirit has released for the last days.
Email: bwsimmons@msn.com