David Lee

“As you communicate with your Source of Being, know that you’re awakening a part of yourself that’s just like it.” – Jim Dyer

In the calendar “Quote of the Day,”  I am reminded how important it is to stay in contact with God and share my thoughts with Him.  Prior to becoming enlightened, I rarely prayed at all and when I did, it was usually half-hearted prayer.  But as the difficult times in my life became too much to bear, I found that God was my constant companion and I could talk to Him at any time I wished.

There are people in our lives that we consider friends and mentors and most are just a quick phone call away.  God provides those people in our lives that can help us decipher what’s going on in our minds.  Many times they have faced similar circumstances and can relate to the situation we’re going through at the time.

But then there are those times when nothing short of a conversation with God in prayer will do.  In the darkest hours of the night or the brightest rays of the sunny day, He is there to give us guidance, wisdom, and strength to face whatever might be facing us in that particular time.  He is the God of all consolation and wants His children to come to Him in prayer, both in good times and bad.

And as we do this, we awaken the Holy Spirit that dwells in each one of us and begin to think more with the mind of God and less like that of an Earthly being.  And while complete conformity is not to be attained, we certainly can become more God-like in our thoughts, words, and deeds.

David Lee

The following scriptures speak of God’s promises for all of His children:

“I will both lie down in peace and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:8

“In my distress, I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple and my cry come before Him, even to His ears.” -Psalm 18:6

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.” – Psalm 23:1

“Surely goodness and mercy and goodness shall follow me all the days of my life.” – Psalm 23:6

“The hand of God hath touched me.” – Job 19:21

“But as for me, I would ask God, and to God I would commit my cause – Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.” – Job 5:8-11

“As for me, I will certainly not sin against the LORD by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.” – 1 Samuel 12:23

Today’s Reading:

“Do not tremble; do not be afraid.

Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?

You are my witnesses, is there any other God besides Me?

No, there is no other Rock; I have not one.”

Isaiah 44:8

In the reading I chose for today, it speaks of God’s everlasting promise to protect us in all circumstances we might face.  It’s easy to look at our surrounding situations in life and become filled with terror and bewilderment.  I have found this to be true especially during times of transition in our lives.  The old and familiar gives way to the new and unfamiliar and it can take our minds and bodies a period of time to adjust.  And with those adjustments, as we face the “great unknowns,” that fear can begin to settle in once again.

I remember early in my recovery journey, I would wake up first thing in the morning and be filled with terror and bewilderment.  I didn’t know the exacts reasons, but at first thought it might be emotions left over from dreams that I had during the night.  But as the feelings of uneasiness increased, I began to question God and ask Him why these feelings persisted.  Especially given the fact that they were the very first thoughts that I had upon waking and I truly therefore had no pre-thoughts that would have invoked them.

We must always remember that God is by our side and even when our human minds cannot feel His presence, He is there nonetheless.  I began to do more intense morning devotions when my waking thoughts of anxiousness and unease increased and although it wasn’t easy, that thought process soon replaced the terror and bewilderment.

I realize  that our brains in wondrous creations of God’s handiwork, but sometimes our previous life experiences and thought processes can cloud our comprehension of His presence.  I must remember the disciples in the boat that were experiencing what they considered to be a life-threating storm as Jesus slept in the boat.  The tossing and turning of our lives will eventually cease as we learn to put our faith and trust in the one that can quiet the storm and make still the waves.

May peace be with us all this day,

David Lee

“Vow to have fewer conflicts in your life.  You came from no conflict, so you can return there and know heave on earth by refusing to let you inner world be conflicted by anyone at anytime.”  – Jim Dyer

This quote appeared on a daily calendar I use here at my computer desk.  It’s quite ironic and some would say not just coincidence that my personal life is experiencing some conflict of its own over the past week or so.  And while most all of the conflict comes from a source I rarely have contact with, it still can be a bit thought-provoking if someone has less-than-admirable thoughts about you.  This other person’s feelings also have an effect on those I care very deeply for, which in and of itself can cause conflict for me.

I have to remember that the only person I have any control over is myself.  And many times the thoughts and emotions I experience are beyond my locus of control as well.  I have to know that I can turn to God and He will guide my thoughts, words, and deeds to those He would have me to do in His name.  I know that nothing, absolutely nothing in His world happens by mistake and the only thing I can effectively change is me and my attitudes.

A simple lesson to learn, but not one that I’ve found is easy to put into practice… It’s a story of patient progress, not perfection.

David Lee

Psalm 55:22			Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Phl 4:6-7	Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Today’s Scripture Focus – Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

There are many promises God makes in the Old Testament scriptures that are fulfilled in the New Testament.  We also find that promises made to people in Biblical times apply to us today as well.  In this, the last chapter in Jeremiah, God gives those in captivity a light of hope for the future.

We also can find hope in these words that God gave to Jeremiah.  Many of us find ourselves in desperate straits from time-to-time, perhaps it seems most of the time.  But by keeping our focus on God and not our circumstances, we too can have hope for the future.  Our lives aren’t random patterns of unconnected activities.  Each part of our lives is designed with God’s purposes’s in mind.   If we will allow ourselves to search God’s Word and apply its principles, each part of our existence will work together for good, regardless of what our perceptions are of those situations we find ourselves in during our walk on Earth.

A good friend found himself in the throws of an addiction to cigarette smoking.  He had started as a teen and continued the habit for thirty-some years.  The desire for nicotine and the convenience of a “good smoke” had taken over his desire to live a healthy lifestyle.

It wasn’t until he admitted his powerlessness over the drug that he was able to make his headway in breaking the habit.  After several false starts in an attempt to quit smoking, he was finally able to put them down for good.  God had done for him what he couldn’t do for himself.  Constant prayers and reading in God’s Word as well as counseling from someone that had had a similar addiction had led him out of the woods.  He can now offer this hope to others caught in addictive behavior patterns, having been there himself.

The key to this scripture for me is the emphasis that God has great plans for each of us,,, if we are willing to follow the lead.  He is the grand architect and has drawn up a blueprint that will lead us to fulfillment of our earthly goals, as well as the ultimate reward of having a heavenly home.  No, it doesn’t always seem to fit the circumstances we find ourselves in, but if we stay the course, God will guide us into completion of His intended purpose for our lives.

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We’re supposed to have beautiful weather this weekend, but this song struck my mind on early Saturday morning and I decided to share: