Sit At My Right Hand

Today’s. message comes to us from Psalm 110. It is an awesome one! I’m reading from the ESV, or course.

“The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” he LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.”

I want to focus on the first verse. “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Not too long ago, I was recalling some of the things I learned at my dad’s right hand. I once told someone that the powerful queens in the world were the ones who sat at their fathers'(kings) elbows, quietly doing their handiwork (embroidery and such), and learning about the business of running a kingdom, while nobody thought they were listening. LOL There’s truth! If you’ll notice, God’s telling us that it is by learning at His right hand that we will triumph over our enemies. We are told to rule in the enemies’ midst. That means we need to know the business of the kingdom, doesn’t it? We need to know everything that God does, and how to do it. We are to shatter those kings (powers, principalities, and hosts of spiritual wickedness in the heavenly realms), execute judgment among the nations, shatter chiefs over the earth, etc. Those chiefs are the same powers principalities, and hosts of spiritual wickedness again, but we need also to be concerned with whom we put in power here on earth, the laws that are enacted, etc. At first glance, someone will say, this is about Jesus, the Lord. It sure is. And, Jesus said it is the Father’s good pleasure to give us the Kingdom. Thank, you, Daddy! I’ll be right there with my crochet work!

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

How Great Thou Art

Today’s message comes to us from Psalm 104; another one extolling God’s great love and power.

I hope you’ll read the psalm, and check each and every thing listed in it out. This psalm reminds me of a day when I stood in the ocean’s tide. Let me tell you how to get a clear picture of how immense God is: Stand in the ocean for a few minutes. I was absolutely overwhelmed with awe; awestruck, I was! I can also recall more than a few nights spent looking up at the moon and stars in the sky. In Montana, you can see them quite clearly. They blew me away every time I looked at them.

As you begin to think about all the things God does, and how much He loves His creation, you can suddenly find yourself snuggled up really close to Him. LOL Oh, my goodness, what an awesome God, and what an awesome love. And, oh, LORD/Lord, thank you so much for everything you are, and everything you do! If this psalm doesn’t stir your spirit up to absolute awe and sheer joy in being God’s child, I don’t know what will. Read it from the ESV; that’s the most up to date translation.

I can only think of one song to go with this message. Thank you, Lauren Daigle, for this beautiful rendition.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Sowing & Reaping

Today’s message comes to us from Psalm 85. It’s very encouraging, and hopefully, it will strengthen your faith and your commitment to God.

“LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.” These are verses 1-3 of the psalm. (ESV) This is a reminder of our salvation; of God’s love for, and toward us. Look closely. God covered ALL of our sin, and withdrew ALL of His wrath, turning from His anger. That means when you do mess up, you can go boldly to the throne of grace, confess to Him, and be, not only forgiven, but be instructed and helped to make it right. (Heb. 4:16) Is that awesome?! Yes!

Verse 5 asks the questions: “Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?” That was answered in part, in the first three verses. God does not punish the generations behind us for our sins, or for the sins of our fathers, and so on. (Deut. 26:24) There’s a promise regarding generational curses in (Jeremiah 31:29). “In those days they shall no longer say: “‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’” That’s a promise that we can, and will overcome those generational curses, and all the dysfunction that comes with them, in our own generation, if we’re willing. Yay, for me and my kids, and so on, and so on!

Verses 8 & 9 are the key to making that happen. “Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.”

The last four verses of the psalm show us the sowing and reaping part. “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.” When we show steadfast love, we reap faithfulness, because we’re empowering trust. “Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.” The world around us (from inner circle to community) reaps the benefits, as well. “Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way. When we follow in God’s footsteps, which Jesus gave us a picture of, we’re leaving footprints for others to follow.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

You Are Hotly Pursued

Today’s message comes to us from Psalms and Proverbs 7. The first part of Psalm 7, 7:1-9 is a prayerful song sung by King David regarding his enemies. Verses 1&2 give a very clear picture of how hotly you are pursued by the hosts of spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places. “Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.” (1Peter 5:8) tells us: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” When you watch lions hunting, you’ll see they go into hot pursuit of their prey; they don’t stroll after it. Never take your souls safety for granted. Satan wants to destroy it.

What’s really awesome in this psalm is verse 8: “The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and integrity.” You know that saying, “and idle mind is the devil’s playground?” Yeah, ever find yourself battling with the same thoughts over and over? My battle with that when I quit smoking comes to mind. Even long after I’d given cigarettes up, Satan was lurking and waiting to lure me back there. I had an argument with my husband one day, and the first thing that came to my mind was: “I should just start smoking again; that will show them!” The next thing that came to mind was, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!” I knew that my smoking would hurt me; not anyone else. (See how the Truth rushed in there?) The Holy Spirit nipped that one in the bud! When I think of this vindication, I think about catching my children doing right. Praise is doubly as important as reproof. Here’s why: Verse 9-“Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and mind.” The more we celebrate our doing right, the stronger the desire to do right becomes, and the less power the lure of evil, the wicked, and sin has over us. *This works on adults who are being renewed in the knowledge of God, as well.

Proverbs 7 Speaks of the adulteress, but when in spiritual context, it is the lure of sin and sinners. This includes false religion, idolatry, peer pressure, etc.) When we make our children strong against these in the LORD/Lord and His Word, they’re better able to resist and walk away. (2Cor. 10:5) tells us: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” The more truth you have within you, the stronger you are to stand against the wiles of the devil; and against deception.

Love you from Cafe du Mondieu

Right There, God Had Us!

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that we do not need to plead with God to come to our aid. He says, “Your need is my call.” – quoting directly from the message at twolisteners.org

During my studies regarding generational curses, I discovered a couple of things in the story of Adam and Eve and the devil, in Genesis 3:1-20. I used the NIV Bible. First, we’re all living under that curse. Secondly, that curse is also a blessing that saves us. Here’s how: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” What happens to those who embrace evil and wickedness? That enmity just might save your life. God ordained in us a loathing of evil and wickedness, to keep us from falling into it. God went one step further: “To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” This is exactly how our need for salvation, right then and there in that garden, was taken care of by God. Right then and there, God had us!

You see, if you look at that in the spirit, and remember that the church is the Bride of Christ, you see the woman that surrounds man. And who rules over the body of Christ? Is our desire for our husband? YES! YES! YES! Lord, Jesus, YES! Isn’t that awesome?!

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The Foretaste of Divinity

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, reminds us that God’s standard is the only standard we are to strive to live by, and up to.

Isaiah 53 comes to mind when I read the message. It speaks of Jesus Christ, our Lord. He is the firstborn of many. That many includes you and I…because, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12-13) (ESV)

Isaiah 53:2 is a powerful revelation about how God can take you, from the dry ground of living under a generational curse, or under sin, and cause you to be the root of a new generation. A new generation under the love and admonition, and walking in the power and authority of Jesus Christ. Isn’t that awesome?! You can have a better life; your children, and their children…generations after them, can have better lives. Isaiah 53:11 is a confirmation of that: “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” (ESV) That means God can take all that turmoil and pain within you, and give you His knowledge. That will give you the power to help others to stand and walk uprightly (in power and authority). That’s what it means to “bear the iniquities” of others. We help them to overcome the adversities and barriers that keep them from living successfully.

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Be Quiet And Praise Him

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to trust God. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46) -and I encourage you to read the whole Psalm; it’s awesome. Psalm 27 is also a great one. There, King David asks, “Whom shall I fear?” “Of whom shall I be afraid?”

I discovered sometime ago that reading these out loud not only stirs my spirit up in faith, courage, and even patience, but it also puts the spiritual realm on notice. The powers and principalities, and hosts of spiritual wickedness are very real. (Read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis) In Jesus’ Name, we have authority and power to over-rule them. (Luke 10:20) All that being said, put whatever it is in God’s hands, and just be quiet and praise Him. It is, after all, the Lord’s Day! This is one of my favorite praise songs. Thank you, Chris Tomlin.

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Walking In Love Is A Twofold Thing

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Today’s message from God Calling – A.J. Russell, bids us to walk in God’s Love. We sometimes forget that this is a twofold thing, and that we must put first things first.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30&31) We all do our best to walk in love toward our fellow man. We pray for them, we give where and what we can, we try to lift others up, etc. But, we don’t often really think about exactly what that second greatest commandment says-about loving ourselves.

That’s step one in regard to this commandment. The most important part of loving yourself, is to love the LORD/Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. But, do you know that you are also to walk in His love toward you? We don’t really give that a lot of thought; because we’re usually busy trying to do good things, to do the right things, etc. That’s one of the reasons we get weary and suffer from burnout.

I couldn’t believe how much my life changed-for the better-when I made time every day, just to be with Jesus. Just to bask in His love for me wipes the whole world away from my spirit. It fills me with such strength, with peace, and with joy. There is a joy that nobody can take away from you. It’s the joy of knowing how very loved and cherished you are by God Himself. Yes, God Himself loves and cherishes us. One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 8. It tells us about God’s love for us. Sometimes, it still leaves me awestruck. I encourage you to make a little time each day, just to be with the Lord. Read about His love for us. Listen to the praise music that tells us of His love. Just bask in the knowledge, the peace and joy, of being a child of God Most High. Then, walk in that knowledge, staying mindful of it always as you go along. It makes the second part of that commandment so much easier! It also makes loving yourself, being good to yourself, and making better choices for yourself easier.

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