Expecting Day #6 Spiritual Blessings....

Today is Tuesday -- well, Tuesday is almost 'done'.

I am writing today -- inspired by a Beth Moore devotional.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ.     Ephesians 1.3



Blessings -- come on this earth all the time...but in reading this...thinking....of all the spiritual blessings that I can't even fathom within heaven.    And HIS Word says we get EVERY spiritual blessing.


God is using HIS powerful word to call me by my name and speak a blessing over me through Jesus Christ.

Some bless us with encouragement.
Some bless us with gifts.
Some bless us with  mercy.

And how cool is it that Jesus Christ has blessed us  - and spoken over us?

We can speak blessings over others.

At the end of yesterday, my sister in Christ got a blessing a BIG one.  She has a few specific prayer requests that I am in prayer with her but she also has secret desires that only she and God knows....

Yesterday I witnessed one of those secret desires being given.  God gives us those - so we can WAIT on the HARDER stuff.....or we can wait long enough to see HIS mighty hand upon those prayer requests that we pray and pray for......

Lord, I just pray right now, that the women reading this will understand that Jesus has spoken blessings over them.  And I pray that they will speak blessings over their children, loved ones, and even their enemies....believing that is what God wants them to do.  I pray these women will speak life over others, and Lord, as we speak life over others....we can count on the fact that YOU have already spoken blessing over us.  And I thank you for that - In Jesus' perfect name - amen. 

Waiting on God

Waiting on God is one of the hardest lessons or trials that a person can face.
Or maybe it is not the HARDEST but it is still hard.

Isaiah 40:31 

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.    They will soar high on wings like eagles.They will run and not grow weary.    They will walk and not faint.

Waiting  is hard.  

Waiting is NOT....Telling God to come ... this could be explained maybe by when you come to a stop sign and you are not paying attention and when it turns 'green' to go, you are still sitting in your car and the car behind you HONKS their horn... to "go".    Maybe with your friends, they are always telling you to GO forward...and that is NOT waiting.  

Waiting is NOT ...saying "I am done.".  ....this could be explained maybe by thinking of  a grandmother  making soup and as it cooks, you continually check on it to see if it is done ....as if by each check you do - it just might be done!    Maybe with your friends, you or they are always checking on the situation and that is NOT waiting.  

Waiting is NOT .... bruised fruit...this could be explained maybe by there is a bowl of fruit on your counter and you continually check it each day to see if there is a bruise on it...or maybe a bunch of bananas and check on them each day as to when they are ready to use for banana bread!   Maybe with your friends, or another is always checking to see if something got worse...as that is NOT waiting on God.  

Waiting is NOT ... "to go with the detour"....this could be explained as if you were driving down a road and you saw the detour sign but you ignored it and take your own path.  Maybe with your friends taking a different path is NOT waiting on God.  

And finally,  Waiting is NOT the pizza burn....this could be explained as you head to the pizza joint to pick up supper and you place that delicious pizza in your passenger seat and decide to take a quick bite before it cools and you end up getting the worst burn on your tongue.  Maybe with your friends, they try and get to to act too quickly and you get burned...and THIS is NOT waiting on God.  

Waiting on God is tough.  

The thing is..I can't wait for you  -- I can wait with you.  

The thing is...if you can't really wait on God -- I bet you can't really TRUST HIM either.  

And maybe if you are trying to force or RUSH God....than maybe you believe YOU can do your life better than He.  

??  Maybe??  

¹⁴  Psalm 27.14  

Wait patiently for the Lord.
    Be brave and courageous.
    Yes, wait patiently for the Lord

The thing is..I can't wait for you  -- I can wait with you.  

The thing is...if you can't really wait on God -- I bet you can't really TRUST HIM either.  

And maybe if you are trying to force or RUSH God....than maybe you believe YOU can do your life better than He.  

God's word tells us to wait patiently.  

God's word tells me to trust HIM.  

How long can you wait on God?  

Can you be joyful as you wait?  

Can you believe that one day this wait is OVER?  

I have found that in my most HARD times, God always provided that 'flower' among the thorns...HE always seemed to manage to SHOW up JUST in the nick of time and encouraged me.  

If you are waiting on the Lord this eve...for something...

Don't give up.  

Psalm 57. 2  Says:  " I CRY out to God Most High, to God, WHO fulfills HIS purpose for Me!  " 

If we are tired of waiting...cry out to HIM.  HE will fulfill HIS purpose for YOU.  

Lord, I bet there is a mom waiting on her heart to heal from a death of some sort. 

Lord, I bet there is a great grandmother trying to sleep this eve and wait on news about the baby going under the knife in the morning. 

Lord, I bet there is a beautiful young woman that has been hurt several times by men that she just wants to give up.  

Lord, I bet there is a couple that falling apart because of love that seems lost. 

Lord, I bet there is a wife that believes she can't forgive.

Lord, I bet there is a husband that wants his marriage but she does not...

Lord, I bet there is a young child - just wanting their mom and dad to be nice...

And Lord, I bet there are many that have NO idea that maybe a part of this waiting is because YOU are drawing them in to YOU...once and for all.... maybe this is that 'last' chance....will they grab ahold of You?  

I do know this Lord... YOUR timing is perfect and I end this prayer tonight for all of those that are waiting on YOU Lord for a move or they are waiting on a loved one in sin....Lord, I know You heal and I know You restore...Meet the needs this eve but I pray that the one reading this tonight or today - the one that YOU wanted to read this....God I pray that person will SEEK YOU and do it.  

ONLY YOU and that person -- will stand face to face in heaven one day ....

it is up to THAT one to SEEK and grab ahold of YOU and wait on You.  Amen.  

The MEEK will inherit the earth...am I meek?

Christian Character is formed NOT by outward compulsion but by inward COMPASSION.

I want to be meek.  Did some study on this and shared it with some sweet ladies -- have to share on this blog too so I can come back and read it again and again.

Webster's Dictionary says being meek is being humbly patient or compliant, spiritless and tame
Most contemporary translations in the bible changed meek into gentleness and humility.

The King James version of Galatians 5.22-23 uses the work meekness....as a fruit of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

King James Version (KJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

²³ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The New Living Translation says...

Galatians 5:22-23

New Living Translation (NLT)

²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

The New Living Translation uses the work gentleness -- 

There are many and many more studies and articles about the Fruits of the Spirit. 

I found this in a commentary by Matthew Henry that  the original work MEEK as it was intended in the GREEK ....is not merely a natural virtue but a Christian 'grace'.

It clearly states in Matthew --

Matthew 5:5
New International Version (NIV)⁵ 

Blessed are the meek,    for they will inherit the earth.

There are two essential components for this quality to come into play in the Bible: a conflict, in which an individual is unable to control or influence circumstances and then we'd get frustrated and maybe bitter and angry, but the one who is guided by God's spirit accepts God's ability to direct events.  And then two -- an action.   Meekness is therefore an active and deliberate acceptance of undesirable circumstances ...that are only part of a bigger picture.  

In the Greek, this word when applied to animals makes  clear,  it means 'tame' when applied to wild animals  - such animals have NOT lost their strength but have learned to control the destructive instincts that prevent them from living in harmony with others.   

So, like a wild horse that has to be broken...as we allow the fruit of meekness, then we are broken before Him and then 'tamed' for service for Him.  We have GREAT power.

The Spirit of the meek Christian is not broken but broken in and harnessed for service.  

Meekness is calm confidence. 

Meekness is settled assurance. 

Meekness is a rest of the soul in a place of peace. 

Meekness spring from a heart of humility.  

With meekness we can rest in storms...See Matthew 11. 28-30

Others wil be fearful - See Mark 4. 35-41 but those with Meekness will react with peace and trust...See  Isaiah 26. 3-4

And... when fretful or fearful people try to manipulate, see James 4. 1-3 - a person with meekness makes ALL life choices based on Psalm 119.105. 

HIS word is a LIGHT unto my feet.

I can write and list at least 10 more illustrations where fretful people.....but meek people.....

I believe MEEKNESS is vital for a marriage...for a relationship with a co-worker, a character trait to be taught to our children and practiced.  

I did not realize HOW important it was to be meek.   And the other fruit of SELF- Control is RIGHT there will it.  God listed it last...sort of like a 'summary' in a sense.  

Without Self-Control ...the other Fruits of the Spirit can be unused or misused. 

Love can become saccharine sentimentality - 

Joy becomes heady euphoria - 

Peace become complacency - 

Patience become leniency - 

Kindness becomes blandness - 

Goodness becomes self-righteousness - 

Faithfulness becomes slavishness - and 

              Gentleness becomes weakness.  

Christian Character is formed not by outward compulsion but my inward compassion. Not by legal regulation but by spiritual reformation.  It is the Holy Spirit who lives within me...lives within you...If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will produce the fruits of the Spirit as surely as an apple trees bears fruit!  It will happen. 

Be Meek.  

Lord,  as I come to you I pray -- show me if I am 1/4, 1/5, or even a 2%...into  my 'meekness' level.  Lord, I want to be 100% sold into You ...and displaying the meekness you so stated in YOUR word.   Lord, I thank you for this lesson and what it has taught me.  God as the ladies in our Cell group heard the lesson - may it be knowledge for them to help them LIVE according to YOUR will with such joy! 

Lord, I pray that I will be humble and meek..towards my husband, my children, and then my church and school families...Lord, I pray that anyone reading this will stop, reflect and ask themselves - do I need a meekness check up?  Am I meek? 

 Lord, I am not timid or mousy, I believe I am 'tamed' and under control.  Lord, meekness is FAR too often confused with weakness -- If I am strong enough to inherit the earth ( See Matthew 5.5 )...then, I am capable of displaying meekness to  my fellow warriors.  Lord, I pray I will be meek in all circumstances but mostly I pray that I will be a Spirit - filled Christian that is meek before GOD.  God I continue to ask you to bless this blog as I write...it is such therapy and healing and I pray it will be a good lesson to the one that reads it as well.  In Jesus name.  Lord, I pray  that as You TAME me...I yield.  Amen.

Meekness..Humble...I can tell you this - this safety course ( which I passed ) was the HARDEST thing
I ever did and it HUMBLED me!!!  BUT now I have this 'power'..I have a legal cycle
license...wow...'tamed' -- with power and ready to serve!