Lord, You Are__________
Matthew 28:20(AMP)
20″ … behold, I am with you [a]all the days ([b]perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. [c]Amen (so let it be).”
Luke 24:36 (AMP)
36 Now while they were talking about this, Jesus Himself took His stand among them and said to them, “Peace ([a]freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as the result of sin in this world) be to you!”
Hebrews 13:15 (AMP)
15 Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
The promise of His Presence brings Peace that ushers in Praise.
This is a statement that can be so difficult to reconcile with the “reality” of our lives. This is a statement that provokes me to joy as I choose the allow His favor and happiness to rule in my life as a “superior reality”.
I choose to live my life as a celebratory worshiper of the One and Only Living God. I choose to worship from my point of origin — from Heaven to earth — and I choose not to allow naturally based circumstances to dictate the purpose and the posture of my praise.
I’m often asked “How do you maintain your hope and joy when life has served you a rotten bowl of lemons that aren’t worthy of lemonade?”
My answer is that I ask the Lord “What is this rotten bowl of stinking lemons for and where are You in this?” 🙂 I mean honestly, if I really BELIEVE that He said He’d be with me always, then He’s somewhere very near these lemons, I just need to see where! I just need His Peace to open my eyes so I can see through the current foggy haze of a rotten situation. I must have my vision adjusted to see from His perspective…this takes supernatural faith.
Acts 16:23-26 (Amp)
23 And when they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.
24 He, having received [so strict a] charge, put them into the inner prison (the dungeon) and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them,
26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors were opened and everyone’s shackles were unfastened.
I’d say Paul and Silas certainly had a stinking bowl of lemons! Can you imaging SINGING PRAISES after you’d been beaten within an inch of your life?! They KNEW the secret weapon of supernatural warfare — it’s PRAISE inspite of their situation. They KNEW the PEACE that comes from hosting the PRESENCE of the One who’ll never leave you or forsake you.
“Suddenly” in Paul and Silas’ case was prison doors that swung wide open, our “suddenly” might be supernatural healing or it could be a shift in our attitude and approach to whatever our “prison” is. Either way PRAISE is still the key!
Begin by completing this sentence “Lord, You are______!” fill in this blank as many times with as many descriptions about who He is both to you and for you as you can.
My list started like this: Glorious, supernatural, more than abundant – super abundant proportions of Your Presence & Your Peace are the gifts that You daily shower upon me Lord. You are my joy, my song, my comfort, my hope! You are faithful, my laughter, my authentic identity, my “Strong Tower”…You’re astonishing Lord!…
My list went on and on, and I’ve done this exercise more times than I can count. Why? Because, we’ve all got problems…practicing telling God who He is to me and for me makes my God BIGGER than my problems. 🙂
Beloved, I gently and tenderly ask, what kind of fruit are you serving up with your lips? (Heb 13:15)
I challenge you to start a list…even though life may have given you a HUGE bowl of stinking rotten lemons… 🙂 and get ready for things to “suddenly” change from the inside out as God becomes BIGGER in your sight than that wretched bowl of sour lemons!
Blessings friends!