The Light

Psalm 27:1 NKJV The Lord is my light and my salvation;Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? We know that…

The Light

No Fear

For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline. (CJB)

For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control. (TPT) —2 Timothy 1:7

Fear… Something we all face at some point in our lives.

Fear… False Evidence Appearing as Real

Fear… The Word clearly states we are NOT supposed to be afraid or fearful.

And yet, it happens. Worry creeps in. Events in our lives cause us to overthink.

We watch “power” be abused and wonder and question…

Love; what does it mean today?

Self-control – does anyone even have this? We see riots and mobs… self-control is becoming less and less evident.

So, how do we really overcome?

It is a battle in our mind. It is a battle of BELIEVING that what HIS WORD says is TRUTH! It is stopping and claiming HIS authority over the enemy when the thoughts creep in.

I had to do this last week. Sitting at work, blessed to look out at sunshine and His beautiful creation, doubts crept in and I began to let fear and worry bring negative thoughts to my mind.

Immediately I began to pray and rebuke those thoughts. I reached out to friends and asked them to pray with me. Those actions brought peace, not as quick as I would have liked, but it came. Friends messaged me back and spoke TRUTH to me to help me overcome.

Friends, the verse above is HIS WORDS to you. Know that YOU can overcome. Know that YOU can walk in humble power, love that knows no limits, and self-control.

Next time the fear begins to creep in and doubts begin to try and overtake, STOP and claim HIS Promises. PRAY in the Spirit, with HIS understanding as you magnify and glorify His Name.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rose Horton

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

God Doesn’t Promise to Be Our Superhero (He’s Actually Even Better)

I’ve been thinking about our love of superheroes. This world has no shortage of comic books, movies, and TV shows based on them. My family and I …

God Doesn’t Promise to Be Our Superhero (He’s Actually Even Better)

Chaos Or Peace

God is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order. —1 Corinthians 14:33

Stop getting stuck in the chaos.

Don’t get comfortable with the chaos and confusion around you.

You CAN choose peace and order.

— XXOO Michelle Bollom

RestoredMinistries.org

Steward>Service

It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are held accountable. ~Moliere

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. —Colossians 3:23

In God’s kingdom the steward is more important than the service.

— XXOO Michelle Bollom

Psalm 51

I went back and forth about what to write about this week. My mind is still spinning a bit with last week’s thoughts. A friend posted something similar on FB and is pondering some of the same questions.

In the middle of all that has been in my brain and on my heart, I received an email from The Passion Translation. For some reason those emails always come at exactly the time I need them. This one had a verse from Psalm 51 in it that spoke to me. I put it on an image and shared it on FB, than tonight read it again, and again… I also read more verses around it.

Sometimes reading a chapter in a translation that is not a normal one is good. New ways of understanding… Something to “hit the heart.” Here is Psalm 51 from The Passion Translation. Let it sink in. Let it resonate to your spirit.

If you can, go to biblegateway online and read the notes at the bottom of this chapter. I believe you will learn something new. Here is the first one:

“This psalm is based on the incident that is recorded in 2 Sam. 12–13. This is a psalm of confession that has been sung for ages. Imagine composing a song about your failure and making it public for all time. David was not so much concerned about what the people thought but about what God thought. He wanted to be clean before God.”

God is WILLING to make everyone clean. God is WILLING to remove ALL guilt and shame. All we have to do is REPENT and BELIEVE.

I am SOOOO thankful for HIS Words and Promises! Verse 12 is my heart.

Let my passion for life be restored, tasting joy in every breakthrough you bring to me. Hold me close to you with a willing spirit that obeys whatever you say.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rose Horton

Pardon and Purity. For the Pure and Shining One. A prayer of confession when the prophet Nathan exposed King David’s adultery with Bathsheba.[a]David’s Confession

Psalm 51 1–2 God, give me mercy from your fountain of forgiveness! I know your abundant love is enough to wash away my guilt. Because your compassion is so great, take away this shameful guilt of sin. Forgive the full extent of my rebellious ways, and erase this deep stain on my conscience.[b] 3–4 For I’m so ashamed. I feel such pain and anguish within me. I can’t get away from the sting of my sin against you, Lord! Everything I did, I did right in front of you, for you saw it all. Against you, and you above all, have I sinned. Everything you say to me is infallibly true and your judgment conquers me. 5 Lord, I have been a sinner from birth, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 I know that you delight to set your truth deep in my spirit.[c] So come into the hidden places of my heart and teach me wisdom. David’s Cleansing 7 Purify my conscience! Make this leper clean again![d] Wash me in your love until I am pure in heart.[e] 8 Satisfy me in your sweetness, and my song of joy will return.The places you have crushed within me will rejoice in your healing touch.[f] 9 Hide my sins from your face;[g] erase all my guilt by your saving grace. 10 Keep creating in me a clean heart.[h] Fill me with pure thoughts and holy desires, ready to please you.[i] 11 May you never reject me! May you never take from me your sacred Spirit! David’s Consecration 12 Let my passion for life be restored, tasting joy[j] in every breakthrough you bring to me. Hold me close to you with a willing spirit that obeys whatever you say. 13 Then I can show other guilty ones how loving and merciful you are. They will find their way back home to you, knowing that you will forgive them. 14 O God, my saving God, deliver me fully from every sin, even the sin that brought bloodguilt.[k] Then my heart will once again be thrilled to sing the passionate songs of joy and deliverance! 15 Lord God, unlock my heart, unlock my lips, and I will overcome with my joyous praise! 16 For the source of your pleasure is not in my performance or the sacrifices I might offer to you. 17 The fountain of your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before you. You will not despise my tenderness as I bow down humbly at your feet. 18 Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her. Be the protecting wall around Jerusalem. 19 And when we are fully restored, you will rejoice and take delight in every offering of our lives as we bring our sacrifices of righteousness before you in love![l]

Photo by Jackson David on Unsplash

Integrity Test

“Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones.” —Luke 16:10 GNT

What you did yesterday is of far less concern to God than where your heart is today. ~ Andy Stanley

Your public blessing as a person comes from your private integrity that nobody will ever see.

God uses little things to test our integrity. ~ Rick Warren

Unload Baggage

There is great power in getting quiet before the Lord and visualizing yourself handing over ever trouble, worry, and difficulty.

We are not designed to carry them…He is!

So let Him take a load off. Unload all that baggage today!

—XXOO Michelle Bollom

Cease striving and know that I am God.~ Psalm 46:10

Do You Have Lion Vision?

“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1 (NIV) Lately I’ve been praying for the eyes of a lion…

Do You Have Lion Vision?

Joy And Sadness

Joy and Sadness… can the two work together?

We so often hear that we must be joyful. In everything give thanks! Joy comes in the morning!

And yet, I believe that God’s heart had sadness as well. That in the middle of all He created, when people disobeyed and went against His will, He experienced sadness and/or anger. We know He got angry at the Children of Israel when they built the golden calf. He did not want His children, created in His image, to go against His Word.

Different personalities will struggle with sadness in different ways. Some people seem to live in it. Others always seem joyful.

How should we handle it when grief comes? Should we allow ourselves to “live in the moment” of our feelings? Feelings and emotions, real as they are, usually do not reflect the creation God made us to be.

I’m asking myself questions this week as I have been “quarantined” and resting. I’ve forgotten what it means to “stop.” My mind keeps spinning. In these moments of continuous struggle in my head, I’ve felt guilt, happiness, sadness, breakthrough, and so many other emotions.

Last night it came to a head and I literally just felt like giving up. Wondering if there really are answers to the questions. Asking myself if I really make a difference… Knowing in my head that what is happening here on earth is NOT what reflects His heart. Realizing that what I “feel” is NOT what He says I about me…

In the midst of all the questions I still have this sense of peace and even joy. I know WHO my Creator is and WHO loves me more than anyone else does…

Can my heart and mind really have all this dichotomy in it?

In these times of questions I often find myself turning to the Psalms for support and encouragement. As I read them I find comfort in the fact that David often felt the same way I do. David was a man of ups and downs. He lamented the fact that people had turned from God. He rejoiced in the blessings of God.

So, I found yet another Psalm that was my encouragement for the moment. We live step by step and moment by moment. Day by day…

Psalm 61 For the leader. With stringed instruments. By David: Hear my cry, God; listen to my prayer. From the end of the earth, with fainting heart, I call out to you. Set me down on a rock far above where I am now. For you have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength in the face of the foe. I will live in your tent forever and find refuge in the shelter of your wings. (Selah) For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. Prolong the life of the king! May his years go on for many generations. May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever!Appoint grace and truth to preserve him! Then I will sing praise to your name forever, as day after day I fulfill my vows.

Thank you, friends, for listening to my rambling today. May we all encourage one another each and every day to really TRUST Him and find FREEDOM in Him.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rose Horton

Photo by Noah Silliman on Unsplash