Here is a new song the Holy Spirit just gave me.  It is three stanzas (five lines to each)

Remembering The Cross

Remembering Your cross

When You willingly died for me

To cleanse me from sin

Offering forgiveness within

You set me free through the truth of Your love

O the wonder of such love

You enfold me in Your heart

You calm my fears

You remove my tears

You sustain and uphold

I abide in You

The marvel of Your words

They’re deeply embedded in my heart

We are united as one

All that I have is from You

Enraptured through whispered words

                                   August 18, 2015

Last night I meditated on be courteous.  1 Peter 3:8 says, “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.”  My margin  uses humble for courteous.

Yesterday I was in a situation that was between a rock and a hard place.  I could feel my flesh wanting to rise, yet at the same time fully aware I’m a representative of Him.

There is no room for our flesh in the word courteous.  At all times and in every situation we are to walk in humility.  Humility ushers in the grace we need in the moment.  Our flesh thwarts grace.  Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.”  We block our flesh when we choose to humble ourselves.

Last night I meditated on “Look to the rock from which you were hewn…”  Isaiah 51:1 says, “Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.”  Think of the myriad ways the Lord has rescued you from things in your past that had kept you imprisoned.  He came to set the captives free!

The only way that we remain captive to something from our past is through our thoughts.  When we look back, we should only see the hole made when He rescued us.  The hole is the reminder of our redemption.  He redeems all things.  Remembering the hole should put a song in our heart. Such as:  I will sing of my Redeemer, and His wondrous love to me; on the cruel cross He suffered, from the curse to set me free.  Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer, with His blood He purchased me.  On the cross, He sealed my pardon, paid the debt, and made me free.

Last night I was meditating on “thorough work” from James 1:4 in the Amplified.  It says, “But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work…”  Thorough means: complete with regard to every detail; not superficial or partial; all-embracing, all inclusive.

Each time we become impatient, we are interrupting His thorough work.  Impatience starts with our thoughts.  Luke 21:19 says, “By your patience possess your souls.”  Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions.  However our mind leads off, our will and emotions follow.

We can always be grateful the Lord Jesus did a thorough work on the cross.  Yesterday I wrote Hebrews 10:10 in my journal. It says, “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Lord I ask You to help us remember that the next time we feel impatient we will stop and course correct.  Then embrace the thorough work You are doing to cleanse us from our fleshly reactions.

Last night I meditated on the word “assurance” from Colossians 2:2.  Assurance is that anchor of truth deeply imbedded in your heart that cannot be shaken by any circumstances.

Hebrews 6:18 says, “…we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.”  Verse 19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…”  Our mind, will, and emotions are anchored by truth.

Consolation in the Greek is paraklesis.  Strong’s says: the paraklete is a strengthening presence, one who upholds those appealing for assistance.  We know the Paraklete who is the Holy Spirit.

Last night I was meditating on walking worthy of the Lord (Ephesians 4:1)

Luke 4:22 says that they marveled at His gracious words.  1 Peter 2:3 says that the Lord is gracious. Are you a gracious person?  Gracious means: courteous, kind, pleasant, considerate, thoughtful; friendly, amiable (warm).

The way we talk to another reflects what we truly think about them in our heart.  In order to be a gracious person, we have to dwell on gracious thoughts.

Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”

Last night I meditated on “I learned contentment” from Philippians 4:11.  I wondered when Paul learned.  He went through such severe trials.  I rehearsed some of them: the shipwrecks, the beatings, stoned and left for dead at Lystra, the countless perils, etc.  Although the word doesn’t say, I wonder if it was when the Lord gave Paul the revelation that His grace was sufficient.

Contentment is an attitude which comes from our thoughts which comes from our focus.  Grace is an indescribable gift, freely and abundantly given to the humble who walks in the Spirit.  Therefore discontent is rooted in pride, focused in our fleshly way and time table.

Mark 4:19 says that the desire for other things are thorns that choke the word sown in our heart.  Yet John 15:7 says, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”  Abiding in Him and His word aligns our desires with His desires.  Ephesians 1:11 says, “…according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”  Masterful orchestration.

We are most content when we are in the center of His will.

Last night I was reading “Tramp For The Lord” by Corrie Ten Boom.  It was after the war and she had come to America as a missionary.  She was destitute and alone.  No one was asking her to speak.  She read Psalm 147:11 which says, “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.”  She said, “It was a thin web–a tiny filament–stretching from heaven to my little room on 190th Street in New York.  I fell asleep holding onto it with all my strength.”  I love her word picture.  The next day the Lord opened doors for her.

I meditated on that verse last night.  He reminded me that the Hebrew word is “hesed” so I looked it up this morning.  It means: His persistent, unconditional tenderness, kindness, and mercy.  Jeremiah remembered that God’s mercies were new every morning.  Everything in his life seemed hopeless, but God’s mercies remained.  His mercy endures forever!