Love For His People: Paul

Showing posts with label Paul. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Ahava Love Letter (#63) - "Anxious"

"Anxious”

“My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my
enemies and from those who persecute me. Make Your face
to shine upon Your servant; Save me in Your lovingkindness.”
Psalm 31:15-16 NASU

Dear family of friends,

“When I find myself in times of trouble…” Words from a popular song, even these many years after being recorded by Paul and his friends. I used to think he was talking about Mary, the birth mother of Yeshua (Jesus). I later learned it was about his own mother. I guess that was whom he turned to when he needed help, and I would think she provided some.

When you are anxious, who do you turn to? Yourself? A family member or friend? Your pet Fido? Your favorite glass of wine or the TV comedy show?

We all seek comfort in someone or something more often than not it seems these days. Just trying to relieve the stress of the daily grind on the job; having that financial lack, with more bills piling up; or the relationship that constantly churns away in our awaken and even nightly thoughts.

The words that I have learned to speak during these moments of anxiety are simply, “My times are in Your hands.” A simple prayer to the Lord (Adonai), asking for His intervention in what is troubling me at the moment. Whether I am in distress over the next mortgage payment or the situation at work for which I need better understanding, my heart cry often is to the Lord, saying “My times are in Your hands.”

The singer Paul continues in his own words, “speaking words of wisdom, let it be, let it be.” Let it be what? Make it just go away?

Sometimes our stress release choice doesn’t hold up under the continuing load that befalls each of us. And then ruin comes, resulting in poor health, broken marriages, or lost time in doing anything worth the eternal value it could and should have.

Our faith, or as the Complete Jewish Bible puts it, our trust, must abide in that Person Whom has proven to give peace and security. If you want a Rock to stand on, I know of no other that has been shown stronger. Who can compare? None can compare.

We need not to just endure another day, and end up with wasted years. Our Creator has a good plan for each of us, and also a good path He will take us on, if we keep our eyes fixed on Him, and our faith in His purposes.

As I daily speak His promise - that my steps are ordained by Him - my confidence grows. Especially as I see His hand guiding and leading me in the way I should go, and grow.

My trust in His provision also expands, as I see Him provide in unexpected ways. This builds on the expectations of His constant love and direction.

As I walk the enduring walk, I find myself not asking mother Mary to help, but speaking to Him Who alone gives us our heart’s desire, declaring “My times are in Your hand.” Thank you Jesus.

Learn to rest in His abiding peace. Give Him the opportunity to show Himself strong on your behalf, as you continually call upon His name. He will be there for you. Even today.

Ahava (love in Hebrew) to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

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Ahava Love Letter #63 “Anxious”

Date: In the year of our Lord 2013 (07/30/13 Tuesday at 5:00 am in Charlotte, NC)

All previous editions of Ahava Love Letter can be found on this Blog:

http://loveforhispeople.blogspot.com

Here are the last few:

Hidden (#62)

Get Back in the Boat (#61)

Need Money? (#60)

Rejected? (#59)

In Your Building – Guard Against Distractions (#58)

Connections (#57)

Your Name (#56)

Lost, But Not Forgotten Friends (#55)

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (#54)

We Speak To Nations (#53)

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Ahava Love Letter (#58) - “In Your Building - Guard Against Distractions”

“And it came to pass, when the time was come that He
should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go
to Jerusalem (Yerushalayim) (Luke 9:51) KJV

Dear family of friends,

As I sit in my favorite chair, in the front “library and prayer room” of our house, I hear the pounding outside. The neighbor is having a crew install outdoor carpeting on his new deck. There is a lawn mower cutting the overgrown grass. And oh yeah, the cute poodle dogs are barking at every passing walker. Bless them all Lord!

Even the TV is going on in the family room. Not loud enough to hear what they are saying, but enough to distract from this at hand. Distractions abound.

I received an email yesterday from a good, long-time friend, who knows me pretty well. He wrote, from his prophetic perspective:

“I believe the Lord showed me that you are experiencing life, and you will need to be aware that the enemy has provided busyness to distract you from experiencing the full measure of His provision.

This doesn't mean you are not to enjoy activity, but if it is a distraction from what the Lord is placing His grace on in your life, it is simply that - "a distraction". You will pay a higher price than you realize at the moment (Steve's interpretive addition: "if you allow them".)

The experience of His life is of greater value that you can measure in completing His purpose and walking in His passion for His heart for you. Keep this in your heart and consider if anything you are involved in is a distraction. If so, be suspect of what is the benefit of that activity in comparison to what you really should be doing.” Michael

In thinking further about that word, and pondering what the Lord is currently speaking as a "now" word to me, and I am sure possibly others, I will share this.

In the work of constructing a building, a project, an organization, or even a life-long dream, in the long haul many obstacles come up. You see it in the natural, with the new office complex arising amidst a cement shortage; the city park being laid out but having to wait on the final turf; the neighbor’s back porch crew dodging the rain pellets. It happens. In the natural and the spiritual. Sometimes it is a long, hard fought battle to complete the job. Excuse me…most of the time!

We can become weary in the building, but through the grace of the Lord, Who does point out the distractions, and obstacles, that we allow ourselves to be further burdened with, we can be as Paul did and press on, for the joy set before us, and complete the building, the assigned task, we have been given.

Jesus (Yeshua) set His heart and mind, for Jerusalem in His last days on earth, with a purpose to complete His Father given assignment. Let us strive, in a good way, to be as Him, and keep focused on the path we are to walk on. Then we too will finish the "building", and enjoy the eternal reward.

Ahava (love in Hebrew) to my family of friends,

Steve Martin

Founder/President

P.S. The pounding is still going on next door. But now the air pump for the nail gun is running intermittently. At least the TV has been turned off!

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