The child grasped her father's hand as they hurried down the darkened path. Her tiny fingers intertwined his, pressing into the strength of her Daddy's hand, leaving her fear behind. Peace settled on the child's heart. Confidence and comfort replaced the dread.
The child merely spoke her daddy's name. Immediately she felt the strength of his hand taking hers.
We speak the Name of Jesus and, immediately, He responds with His Presence, holding our hand, giving us courage, and leading us out of the fear.
"And He [God] said, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'" ~ Exodus 33:14
SELAH. Pause and calmly think about it.
Father God, You are closer than the air we breathe. Open the eyes of our hearts to understand and walk in this Truth. At the mention of Your Name hell begins to tremble, angels are dispersed, and the heavens are opened to reveal Your face. O Lord! Help us to get this in our knower! YOU, the Lord our God, are with us. Thank You Lord. Bless Your Holy Name!!
********************************************************* Would you like for me to pray with you specifically? Please feel free to contact me at nan@jubilantlight.com. I would be honored to lift your name before the Lord.
********************************************************* If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory page. The featured music video is Kari Jobe's, "Here". You will be blessed beyond measure.
If you have read Morning Glory for any length of time, you know how much I enjoy the devotional, "God Calling" by A.J. Russell. This morning the word from the Lord, through this precious book, was: "And seeking you shall find. None ever sought My Presence in vain. None ever sought My Help in vain. A breath of desire and My Spirit is there - to replenish and renew."
I rested on this for a while - pondering, seeking, considering.
You know what I realized? I realized that God has been teaching me volumes about this so that I, in turn, can teach and share with you. About three years ago I set out to seek God with my whole heart. I had walked with Him for over thirty years, but I knew that there was much I had not grasped.
So, I began to seek Him. Thoroughly. Openly. Earnestly.
And I seek Him still today.
I ask Him lots of questions. I have prayed over and over that He would open my eyes that I might see Him - that He would open my ears so I might hear His sweet whispers. I have prayed that He would enlighten the eyes of my heart with understanding.
I have asked my Lord to take me deeper in my walk with Him.
"The Lord confides [as a friend] in those who revere Him; He makes His covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare." ~ Psalm 25:14,15, NIV
I believe the Lord delights in making Himself known to us. Can you wrap your mind around that thought? Elohim, the Creator of the Universe, wants us to know Him intimately! El Elyon, the Most High God, loves us with an everlasting love - a love beyond comprehension! He wants us to understand that, not only is His Spirit within us - the Believer, but His Presence surrounds us much like the pillar of fire that led the children of God through the wilderness when He delivered them from Egypt (Exodus 14). He encompasses His children round about. He holds us by the hand. We find shelter in the shadow of His wing.
It's quite amazing, isn't it?
He wants you to know that if you will seek Him, He will be found.
Father God, Your love still amazes me and I am so very thankful for that. I pray that I will never grow complacent in my love for You. I pray that I will search for You with all my heart until the day I leave this earth, for it is in the searching that we learn the glory of Your Name, the power of Your might, and the depth of Your love. Thank You Lord. Thank You.
********************************************************* I am currently booking speaking events for fall and winter. No group is too small nor is any group too large, for where two or more are gathered He is in our midst. I am available for WMU meetings, Embrace, Ladies Circles, Christmas teas, prayer retreats...whatever your ladies need. For more information visit my website: Jubilant Light Ministries. The following is an excerpt from a message I gave in Sugar Grove, Virginia.
********************************************************* If you received Morning Glory via email, please go to the Morning Glory page to worship with Rita Springer as she sings a powerful song, "All My Days". I promise you will be blessed.
The muted grays of the afternoon sky reflected my weary spirit. I sat on the front porch watching the clouds and begging God for a glimpse of Himself.
I wasn't asking for much - just a hug from my Heavenly Father.
I closed my eyes and set my heart to seek Him. "Jesus. Jesus," I whispered His sweet Name. "Be near, O God. Renew me Lord. Strengthen me Lord. Bathe me in Your Presence."
I opened my eyes. The clouds had parted to reveal a glorious periwinkle sky. The fringe of the heavy clouds bubbled like the froth on an ocean wave. Layers of light stretched their radiant beams toward me. My spirit leaped in recognition of my Savior's love.
"The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments. Look upon me and be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your Name. Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over
me. " ~ Psalm 119:130-133,NKJV
"The entrance of Your words..."
My goodness how those words spoke to me.
God's Word is tangible. His Word is living, powerful, merciful and true. I opened my mouth in praise and His Word entered in, filling me with His Presence, stirring a hunger within me.
I turned the pages of my Bible and feasted on the table set before me.
********************************************************* Sweet friend, you are so precious to the Lord our God...so precious. Do you have a personal prayer request? You may contact me at nan@jubilantlight.com. I would be honored to pray with you.
********************************************************* If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory page to be drawn into God's Presence as Shane Bernard sings, "Be Near O God". I know you will be blessed.
While walking Blue, our gigantic hunk of love, I came across a hillside bursting in golden splendor. The beauty of the flowers drew me in. I sensed a God-moment.
"Yes, Lord. I'm listening," I whispered.
I stood silently in His Presence.
Listening.
Seeking.
And then He opened my eyes to see.
The black-eyed susans were preparing for the impending fall weather. For two or three months the bright yellow of their petals had made passers-by smile. New flowers were popping up each day continuing the happy visual. But now, the brightness was beginning to fade. The yellow petals were beginning to wither and drop from the stems. AND the cone of the flower - the part beaded with a kazillion little black seeds - was becoming more prominent.
As the cooler weather drifts in, signaling an end to summer and the glory days of the black-eyed susans, the seeds begin to scatter and hide themselves beneath the fallen grasses so the winter chill will not kill the life within them. I was reminded that after the bitter days of howling, frigid winds, the earth would once again thaw, the seeds would take root and the burst of golden splendor would, again, adorn the mountain hillside.
Such is the rhythm of life.
Strangely enough, I began to think about the fruits of the Spirit - those evidences of God in our lives, those characteristics of Jesus that woo and draw others to the cross much like a field of black-eyed susans warms the heart of a weary soul.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." ~ Galatians 5:22
Black-eyed susans. A kazillion seeds.
Fruits of the Spirit. A kazillion seeds.
There are times in our lives when we feel as though we are doing nothing for God. There are times when we wonder if the joy of our salvation will ever again leap and dance over us and through us to give the world a glimpse of a loving God.
Know what I mean?
In this God-moment, the Lord made it very clear to me that, even though we think our "fruits" are withering, it is GOD within us that produces them and therefore, as long as we do not sever our relationship with Him, His Spirit courses through our being. We may be in the season of glory. We may be in the season of needing rest. We may be in the season of winter's howling winds. But, regardless, we are ALWAYS in the season of His love and purpose.
And a kazillion little seeds bearing His fruit are being scattered and preserved by His mercy and grace.
Oh Lord, let us sow Your love, Your joy and Your peace in and out of season.
Are you looking for a speaker for your ladies' group this Christmas season? I am now booking speaking events for fall and winter. Please visit my website, www.jubilantlight.com for more information. The following is an excerpt from a message I gave in Virginia.
********************************************************* If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory page to worship with Sarah McLaghan as she sings, "Make Me A Channel For Your Peace". There is also a BONUS! I have included a link to an excerpt from one of messages. I hope you are blessed by the words of my heart. Please share this with your friends. Thank you and sweet blessings!
The warm water soothed my aching muscles. It washed over me in a deluge of refreshment, pooling at my feet, making me clean. I turned the faucet and, just as easily as the water had been released, it shut off instantly.
No more refreshment.
No more washing clean.
No more comfort.
The water was still there contained within its vessel - the pipe. But the water was now no longer serving its purpose.
Not until I once again turned the faucet to release it.
I think the Holy Spirit is like this. He dwells within us, but unless we release Him to work in our lives He just remains quiet within.
"...For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." ~ Luke 17:21
Selah. Pause and think about it.
Father, Forgive us for trying to contain You rather than releasing Your power within our lives. Fall afresh on us, Lord. Cause us to overflow with Your love into a hurting world. Let faith arise in our hearts and praise pour forth from our lips. We love You Lord and stand amazed at Your faithfulness. You are an awesome God.
********************************************************* If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit the Morning Glory page to immerse your spirit in a beautiful prayer sung by Malcolm Fletcher and Sarah King. Please share with your friends. Sweet blessings to you!
The doctor stared at me intently. I teasingly said, "Stop that! You're intimidating me." To which she replied, "I'm concerned, Nan. Something is wrong and we've got to find out what is going on."
My world stood still. Images of chemo and radiation, bed rest, death - yep - they all fought for center attention in my mind's eye. WHY do we do that? I am a strong woman of faith and yet I crumpled under the weight of fear.
The nurse came in with her barrage of equipment. She inserted the needle and I watched the red flow of life ooze out of my body into three vials. As she left, I knew that in her hands were the answers to my future.
Sickness or health.
Life or death.
I looked into my precious husband's eyes and I knew that he, too, was afraid.
For the next three days we prayed. Our friends prayed. Our family prayed. I ran to my Jesus, crying out for peace in the midst of my battle of fear. I clung to Him like my daughter clung to me when she was a toddler and she felt afraid.
And then the Lord spoke to me through His Word and calmed my spirit.
"For thus says the Lord, [the One] who created the heavens, [the One] who is God, [the One] who formed the earth and made it, [the One] who has established it, [the One] who did not create it in vain, [the One] who formed it to be inhabited: 'I AM the Lord and there is no other.'" ~ Isaiah 45:18
"I AM the Lord and there is no other..."
When God speaks, I listen.
As I pondered this Scripture, a cross-reference took me to Genesis 1:2 - "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." I learned that the Hebrew word for void is the same word Isaiah used in reference to God's creation not being made in vain. The Hebrew word is tohu (toh-hoo) which means - are you ready? - it means "a formless, chaotic mess, emptiness and desolation; describes a scene of disorder and confusion."
Well...I can relate to that. Those three days of waiting felt like a whole lot of tohu! I was swirling around in a chaotic mess of desolation, disorder and confusion and the label on the container read FEAR!
Look back at Genesis One with me. After the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters that held no form and was a "chaotic mess", what happened next? Verse three begins, "Then God said, 'Let...'"
LET there be light. (vs. 3)
LET there be a firmament between the waters. (vs. 6)
LET the dry land appear. (vs. 9)
LET there be grass, herbs and fruit trees. (vs. 11)
LET there be a sun, moon and stars. (vs. 14)
LET there be sea animals and birds of the air. (vs. 20)
LET there be be beasts of the earth. (vs. 25)
LET there be man in His own image. (vs. 27)
LET there be peace in Nan's heart.
LET My perfect love casts away all of her fear.
LET Nan feel my protection and provision all about her.
LET her hide beneath the shadow of My wing.
God spoke it and I lived it.
He gave me the peace that passes all understanding. He let me hide beneath the shadow of His wing until the calamity passed me by. He calmed my racing heart.
About 2:00 in the afternoon, the phone rang. The lab results were back. All of the results appeared normal. Apparently, my fibromyalgia has been flaring off the charts because of stress and I have been having a long-term adverse reaction to one of my medicines. My meds have been changed so that I should begin breathing easier, the coughing should subside and I should be able to swallow without choking.
God has a way of bringing order out of chaos. He is no respecter of persons. The peace of His Presence that He gave me, He will also give to you.
********************************************************* Are you living in a whirlwind - a chaotic mess - too? If you need personal prayer, please feel free to contact me at nan@jubilantlight.com. I would be honored to lift your name before the Father.
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I am currently booking speaking events for fall and Christmas. Visit my website at www.jubilantlight.com for more information. I would love to spend time with you and your ladies.
********************************************************* If you received Morning Glory via email, please visit Morning Glory to worship along with Bethany Dillon as she sings, "Sing Over Me".
The following excerpt from God Calling, by A.J. Russell, blessed me so much, I feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to share it with you.
"Lord, come to us and heal us.
"I Am your Healer, your Joy, your Lord. You bid Me, your Lord, come. Did you not know that I am here? With noiseless footfall I draw near to you.
"Your hour of need is the moment of My Coming.
"Could you know My Love, could you measure My Longing to help, you would know that I need no agonized pleading.
"Your need is My Call."*
"For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." ~ Matthew 6:8, NKJV
My goodness. He knows our need even before we ask Him.
God is with us! If we would only open our eyes to see Him, open our hearts to receive His grace. I implore you to take a moment and let this reality sink in. We love a totally awesome God - full of splendor, mighty in power, overflowing with mercy. And, best of all, He is with us.
...with noiseless footfall I draw near to you...
I love that image.
* A.J. Russell, God Calling ( New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1945), 154. ******************************************
I would love for you to share this with your friends and encourage them to subscribe. With a subscription, Morning Glory will come to their inbox - free. Please help me spread the word.
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If you received Morning Glory via email please visit the Morning Glory page to worship the Lord along with Matt Redman as he sings, "1000 Reasons (to Bless the Lord). Hopefully it will be there as promised this time - **grin**
As you walk through the trials of fire, sickness, foreclosure...failure, let the words of the psalmist, King David, lift you up to the One who sees and knows all about it.
"Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, Who covers Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
"He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind, Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire.
"You who laid the foundations of the earth, so that it should not be moved forever, You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the mountains. At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away. They [the waters] went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, to the place which You founded for them. You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, that they may not return to cover the earth.
"O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions.
"May the glory of the Lord endure forever; May the Lord rejoice in His works. He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the hills and they smoke.
"I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the Lord." ~ Psalm 104:1-9, 24,31-34
Father, we yearn to know Your greatness, to grasp the beauty of Your
Holiness. Teach us that it is in praise for Who You are that we catch a
glimpse of Your greatness. When we open our eyes to see the magnitude of
Your power, the enormity of Your love - it is there that we find our
peace. Stir up a hunger and thirst within each of us - a hunger to
devour Your Word. Reveal Yourself to us, Lord, that we might worship You
in spirit and truth. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Bless Your Holy Name!!
The holidays are just around the corner. I am now booking fall and Christmas speaking events. Together, let's stand in awe at the greatness of our God. For more info visit my website, www.jubilantlight.com or contact me at nan@jubilantlight.com.
If you received Morning Glory via email, please go to the Morning Glory page and worship with Matt Redman singing 1000 Reasons (to Bless the Lord). Sweet blessings to you!
