Don't Sleep Your Night Away!

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life;

Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

To be honest when I was getting ready to write this blog the title of it was completely different. It was different because I was focusing on the wrong part of the scripture. I wasn’t focusing on what God wanted me to focus on. The title was “Joy Comes in the Morning,” but that’s not what the Lord would have me to contemplate upon today. Normally when we read “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” we tend to concentrate on the morning part. But there is something to be said about the “night” seasons of our lives. First off, what is the “night” season? Many times in the bible the word night would refer to a time of pain, suffering, sorrow, despair and/or disappointment in one’s life. This is the season when nothing that God is doing seems to make any sense. In fact, it may seem as if He is doing nothing at all in your life. The “night” seasons are those seasons where God doesn’t appear to be present or moving on your behalf. It may seem as if God has completely forgotten about you. It can be painful and hard to smile in the “night” season. But as I began to study this scripture, the Lord began to highlight some important elements about the “night” season.

Many times we are too focused on the night being over. We pray for the morning, fast for the morning, weep for the morning to come, but never take the time to fully understand the purpose of the night.

God speaks to us in the night season.  In 1 Samuel 3:1, the bible declares that, “…the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.” God was rarely speaking to His people and there was no divine revelation at all in that time. But something miraculous happened as young Samuel lies in bed. The Lord begins to speak to him giving him divine revelation and the word of the Lord. Notice the Lord did not speak to him in the morning or in the day, but at night. It was in the night that Samuel began to hear the Word of the Lord. It was also in the night that the Lord began to establish Samuel as the Prophet of God. Two things happened that night: Samuel began to hear the voice of God and his calling was revealed to him. It is in your night season, your darkest moments that God will speak if you will listen. It’s in your night season that the Lord will reveal the calling on your life and unlock your spiritual gifts.

In the night seasons of our lives we should be studying the Word, listening to the Word, fasting, praying, and listening for the voice of God. Some of us have given up and are not doing these things anymore. Many of us are too busy waiting for the morning to come and we are missing what God is saying in the night. My friend, there is more to gain in the valley than on the mountain top.

We know that joy comes in the morning; it’s a promise which means it’s for certain. So why do we sleep our nights away? Why are we sleeping? Spiritually I mean. Many of us are spiritually asleep in our night season. Consequently, we’re not receiving all that God has for us in the spirit realm. I say “we” and “us” because I’m first partaker of this Word.

There is much that God has to say to us if we will seek Him despite of how we feel. There are spiritual gifts waiting to be unlocked if we would press in His presence a little further. Don’t waste this time in the valley. Get all that God wants to give you. Morning will come, but don’t dare go into your next season empty-handed. Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light. (Eph. 5:14). So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober (1 Thess. 5:6). Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God (Rev. 3:2). Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed! (Rev. 16:15). Don’t sleep your night away.

 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Rev. 3:22

Be Blessed.

A.M.

Hold On to the Word of God

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Matt. 24:35

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Is. 40:8

I didn’t know whether to title this, “Stay with God” or “Hold on to the Word of God”. Either way, we need to do both now more than ever. With all that is going on in the world it’s easy to become distracted, discouraged, and down right depressed. Life and all its cares make it easy for us to take our eyes off of God and His Word. Hopelessness and despair can overtake us if we are not reading our bibles, applying the Word to our lives, and staying before God in prayer.

Sometimes we can look around at the world and even our own lives and notice things seem to be getting worse, not better. Sometimes it can seem as if God is not even present or listening to our prayers. But I’m reminded in 2 Corinth. 5:7 that we are to live by faith and not by sight. He is a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). I want to encourage you today to stand. Stand on the Word of God and on the promises of God that have been spoken over your life. We know that the promises of God in Christ Jesus are Yes and Amen (2 Corinth. 1:20). So, stand. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6 that after we have done all, to stand. After you have taken up the full armor of God, after you have believed and prayed, cried and prayed, fasted and prayed, you stand.

Matt. 24:35 and Is. 40:8 reminds us that the only sure thing in this life is the Word of God. The Word is the only thing that will last and prove to be true. Don’t give up on the Word, don’t give up on His promises for you, and don’t give up on God. How will you know if you really have faith if you’re not tested? You say you have faith, so be strong and stand.

I know it’s easier said than done but I’m convinced that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). He honors faith. And He honors His Word (Psalm 138:2). You have to be like David as he encouraged himself in the Lord. He said in Psalm 138, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me… The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” No matter what it looks like, feels like or seems like, you have to know that God will perfect that thing that concerns you. You must have faith to know that God will perform His Word. He said that He watches over His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12)

As Balaam said in Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Be encouraged in these last days and hold on to the Word of God. He is faithful to perform it.

Be Blessed.

A.M.

Stay At the Feet of Jesus

For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. Matthew 6:32-33 Amplified Bible (AMP)

It’s been awhile since my last blog. So I wanted to write something that will not only encourage the person reading but something that I know that the Lord is saying to me personally. I received this word in church on Sunday and as my week began I realized this word was just for me. This is just a word of encouragement to you who are reading - Stay at the Feet of Jesus.

In Matthew 6:32-33 we see Jesus giving the cure for anxiety. With the many roles that we play in life, sometimes we can become consumed and distracted by all the different things we face, whether it’s ministry duties, paying our bills, taking care of our loved ones, etc. Life can be a bit overwhelming at times. But Jesus is the cure. We are not like those who are without God and don’t have a prayer life. We are not pagans. We are citizens of God’s Kingdom. Therefore, we need not worry about life’s cares as if we don’t have help. God tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. Moreover, God promises that if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, all these things will be given to us … and more. What are those things? Well, only you know what you are worried about.

In Luke chapter 10 we see two sisters but two completely different focuses. The one sister Martha was entirely focused on ministry (serving).  And the other Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus. I can imagine all she wanted to know was, “What is God saying?”  Martha complained that Mary wasn’t helping her, but Jesus corrected Martha saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her” Luke 10:41-42 (AMP).  In other words, Jesus was saying, “You’re putting too much emphasis on the wrong things. Come and sit at my feet. What I have to say is going to keep you in this life.” We can be so busy serving & worried about things, but not have the slightest idea of what God is saying in this hour. I’m not saying don’t serve or take care of your responsibilities, but it shouldn’t take priority over spending time in God’s presence. Additionally, we shouldn’t be so worried about the issues in our lives that we become anxious over them.

Like Martha you may be concerned with this and that…this person and that person. You may be worried about family members, friendships, or even naysayers. In the end, it’s all earthly and carnal. Only what we do for Christ will last. So don’t worry. Realign your focus.

Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. Colossians 3:2

Be Blessed.

A.M.