by Alisha | Apr 14, 2014 | Uncategorized
Living to please Him. It’s what I want my life to consist of. And I’m sure it’s what you want for your life too.
Anyone who has walked with the Lord for any length of time knows what a truly wonderful God He is. He is perfect Love. He is incredibly generous in His giving. He’s unbelievably gracious and merciful in every way. He is simply amazing!
He has told us in His Word that He will give us the desires of our heart – whatever we ask – if we will seek Him and delight in Him.
“Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart.” ~ Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
And…
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.” ~ 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)
He has bestowed marvelous blessings upon us: salvation, healing, provision, wisdom, direction, and anything else we need in life. All we have to do is receive these blessings from Him.
But in the midst of all the wonderful things He gives us each day, let’s not forget to give back to Him. Let’s find out what pleases Him and seek to pursue those things.
In Colossians 1:10 (AMP) the Apostle Paul prays, That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things…
This should be the biggest desire of our heart to be fully pleasing to the Lord and to desire to please Him in all that we do.
And in Ephesians 5:10 (AMP) we are told: “Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him].”
So how do we know which things are pleasing to the Lord?
The most important way to find out what pleases the Lord is to consistently spend time in fellowship with Him. We do this by reading and studying the Bible and coming into His presence through prayer and worship on a regular basis.
Living in continual fellowship with the Lord changes us. We become more and more like Him. We learn to hear His voice more clearly. We begin to sense the things that are important to Him.
Time in His presence separates us to Him. It brings our will into agreement with His will. It aligns our thoughts and ways with His thoughts and ways. We grow to love Him and desire to please Him more and more each day.
In fact, the Bible tells us about a man who lived in continual fellowship with God. His name was Enoch:
Genesis 5:24 (AMP) says, And Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God…
And do you know what else the Bible says about Him?
Hebrews 11:5 tells us, By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
How did Enoch please God? By walking in continual fellowship with Him. He had a genuine, living, thriving relationship with Almighty God.
We only have a few verses that even mention Enoch, yet we can see that because of his love and hunger for the Lord, he pleased Him so much that he was allowed to step on over into His very presence.
What an incredible testimony!
So, we understand that the first step in living to please the Lord is to live in unbroken fellowship with Him. Staying connected to Him is vital to pleasing Him.
Over the next few weeks, we will look at other attributes that please the Lord. Let’s make it our greatest ambition in life to live to please Him!
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by Alisha | May 27, 2013 | Uncategorized
1. Morning time with the Lord
My days always seem to run a bit more smoothly when they begin in my study — the one place in our home that is solely mine. This is the place where I spend reading and meditating on the Word, and fellowshipping with the Lord in prayer. This is the time when my spirit is strengthened, my soul is restored, and my attitude is adjusted. I crave this precious time when the Lord speaks His tender love to me, showing me His mercy and grace, and romancing my heart. Time in His presence is vital.
2. Hot tea
A nice hot cuppa always accompanies my morning time with the Lord. It’s also a lovely little “pick-me-up” for the kids and me around 3pm. (Hey, we’re not Brits, so we don’t have to wait til 4- or 5 o’clock!) My daughter, Olivia, and I also usually have another cup around 8pm. And depending on what kind of day it is, we may have another sprinkled in there. I must say, I thoroughly and completely agree with the following statement:
3. Quality time with my husband
Ahh…I love this man! And I love spending quality time with him. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be “quality” time as long as we’re together. Whether we’re on a date at a nice restaurant, having a heart-to-heart discussion in which we share our hopes and dreams together, or just sitting in front of a Braves baseball game at home while he reads and I write, I just love being with him. And now, since he travels overseas ministering so often, time with him means even more to me!
4. Spontaneous hugs from my kids
They’re not so little anymore…not under my feet like they used to be. In fact, they are all involved in their own little worlds and their own interesting hobbies. But it sure does this mama’s heart good when they come up to me and give me a big ole hug! Two of them are taller than me now, so it’s not the same as it used to be…but they’re still my “babies.” And they still know how to make my day!
5. Family time
Another thing that makes my day is our family time. We enjoy game nights, family dates out, movie-a-thons (we’re currently in the middle of a Doctor Who fest — for the 3rd or 4th time), or getaways whenever we can. Most of these times are spent laughing with or at each other! We love to laugh!
6. A hard workout & dripping buckets of sweat
Well, I must admit it has finally happened. The girl who couldn’t stand to sweat or do cardio of any sort has fallen in love with it! I must say I amaze myself! 😉 That awesome feeling after giving 100% during a strenuous workout totally makes my day. I know I am doing something wonderful for me as well as for my family.
7. Rainy days
There’s nothing so wonderful to me as the sound of the heavy downpour of rain, and especially when it’s accompanied by rolling thunder. As a teen, I loved to wrap up in a blanket and sit on our front porch swing during a thunderstorm. Unfortunately, the position of the porch swing of our current home would leave me drenched if I did that now. So, I’ve settled for curling up on my comfy sofa under my goose down comforter to listen to it pour outside my windows.
8. My down comforter
And, as mentioned in the above point, I love to snuggle under my down comforter — even in the summer (as long as the air conditioning is on). Soft, fluffy and extremely comforting, it makes my day and night. The joke in our family is, the moment I lie down on the sofa and cover up with it, I am “out like a light” — even during the middle of an extremely LOUD action movie.
9. My laptop (and iPhone)
Is it weird that my laptop or smart phone can make my day? As a writer, it’s hard to be without my laptop since I can type faster than I can write out by hand (although, I’m not so fast on the iPhone). But I thoroughly love having the “world” at my fingertips through the internet. I love to be able to connect with friends near and far. I love being able to encourage others with the Word of God through this blog on my little laptop. A couple of times I have left it at church or at my mom’s overnight, and it felt like I had left a child there. (Hmm…I guess that is a little weird, huh?)
10. Anything that reminds me of England
As I’ve mentioned many times before, I am an Anglophile. And anytime I get to read an update or see a picture that reminds me of the time my husband and I spent in England, I get a little bit of a thrill. I can’t wait to be able to go back and take my kids there to visit! Hopefully, it will be very soon! (The picture below is of Dove Cottage, the home of poet William Wordsworth. It is located in Grasmere, in the beautiful Lake District of England.)
What are some of the little — or not so little — things that make your day? Leave me a comment below to let me know!
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Linking up with the lovely ladies of iHomeschool Network for the “10 in 10 Series” & with Many Little Blessings for “Top 10 Tuesdays.”
by Alisha | Apr 29, 2013 | Uncategorized
How do you smell? I’m sure you’ve probably had a shower this morning – or if you’re a mother of small children, hopefully you’ll get one sometime this week! 😉 But that’s not really what I’m talking about.
What sort of spiritual fragrance are you giving off?
Have you ever hugged someone wearing really “loud-smelling” perfume, then afterwards walked away reeking of it? Perhaps you regretted that embrace for the rest of the day!
Or a much nicer scenario: Maybe you’ve put on your husband’s jacket to warm up and the moment you wrapped yourself in it, you smelled his cologne, so strong and masculine, like him! The jacket smells like him because he’s worn it close to his body on a regular basis.
The same thing can happen to us as we spend time in the presence of the Lord. By being close to Him on a continual basis, we can become “fragranced with His presence.”
Let’s look at a verse from the Song of Solomon. Remember that this is a story of marital love, but it is also an allegory of God’s love for Israel and Christ’s love for the Church (His Bride). So, when we read of the man (or bridegroom), we can apply those words to Jesus:
Song 1:3 (GNT) There is a fragrance about You, the sound of Your name recalls it. No woman could keep from loving You.
Jesus has a fragrance about Him. And Ephesians 5:2 (AMP) speaks of His fragrance: Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and it is a sweet fragrance to God the Father. The New Living Translation says it is “like sweet perfume to Him.”
2 Cor. 2:15-16 (NLT) says, Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God… a life-giving perfume.
As we spend time in the Word, fellowshipping with the Lord in prayer, being obedient to His will, and walking in love to the people around us, we become more and more like Him. We pick up that sweet fragrance of Christ which is a life-giving perfume to others.
When we live our lives in union and communion with Him, we become fragranced with His presence. People around us may not realize that fragrance with their physical sense of smell, but they will sense His sweet presence and peace emanating from us.
We will radiate a confidence, an assurance, a peacefulness, a joy – even in the midst of trials and tribulation. Why? Because we’ve been in His presence. We know He will care for us and provide for us no matter what. We don’t have to worry or be afraid. We know from being in His presence that He loves us and will always be faithful to us.
Determine to spend time in His presence so that you will be a sweet perfume to the Lord and to those around you. Become fragranced with His presence!
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by Alisha | Jan 21, 2013 | Uncategorized
Philippians 3:10 (AMP) For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly…
You have a God-given purpose for your life, and it’s a purpose that only you can fulfill. That purpose will bring you great joy, contentment and a deep sense of satisfaction. It will be a place of fruitfulness and a source of pleasure and delight!
However, there is another purpose that we all must have: We must be like the Apostle Paul and have a determined purpose to know the Lord. I love the wording of this verse in The Amplified Bible: “that I may…become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him…”
What better purpose in life is there than to become intimately acquainted with the One who loves us unfathomably – the One who gave His very life to bring us back in fellowship with Him?
“Intimacy” suggests a closeness and familiarity with someone, a confidentiality, a sense of love, understanding and affection.
Imagine how beautiful life would be if each day we were to purpose to know the Lord more deeply and to become more intimately acquainted with Him! Every day would be a progression of spiritual growth and immense joy.
How do you know the Lord more deeply? You start by establishing a foundation of the Word of God in your life. Make a daily habit of reading, studying and meditating on the Word each day. But don’t just stop there, you can know the Book from cover to cover without really knowing the Author of the Book. Therefore, it is vital that you spend time in daily fellowship with Him as well. Through prayer, praise and worship, and by learning to be led by His Spirit, you will come to know Him more intimately.
Having the Spirit of the Living God abiding in our hearts is an honor and a tremendous gift. We should never lightly esteem that.
Ephesians 4:30 (MSG) says, Don’t grieve God. Don’t break His heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for Himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.
I refuse to take His presence in me for granted! My determined purpose is to know Him more and more each day, to become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, so that I can be more like Him, and so that I can please Him. What about you?
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(Image credit)
by Alisha | Oct 8, 2012 | Uncategorized
Over the years, this has been the one subject that I love to study and talk about more than anything else. However, I have not always been so faithful in the execution of it. I have failed many times. But, each time I’ve entered into His presence, my Father has been there, waiting for me with open arms and unfathomable love!
Psalm 84:1-2 AMP says, How lovely are Your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God.
My heart’s cry is to dwell in His presence. He is the Source of true contentment and peace. He is the Source of all strength. Nothing and no one else can ever satisfy. He is what our spirits crave.
But we can be so easily distracted. (See my blog post, Get Rid of the Weeds, for more on this subject.) There always seems to be someone or something demanding our time and attention. And if we go too long without pulling ourselves away, we can become “dull” to the things of God.
To avoid becoming “spiritually dull” we must learn how to dwell in His presence continually. But how do we learn to do this? Anytime you are “learning” something new, you must practice. And we have to practice remaining in the presence of God.
It is daily decision that we must make to seek Him. We can make the decision that we are going to “dwell in His presence all the days of our lives” (Ps. 27:4) one moment and then the next moment feel as if we are as far away from His presence as we have ever been. We must choose His presence. It is a daily (sometimes moment by moment) choice.
This is where “practicing the presence of God” comes in. We must practice focusing our attention on Him. We must practice turning our hearts to Him. In this world, it doesn’t come naturally or easily. But the more you spend time with the Father, the more you begin to crave Him.
One way we practice His presence is found in Psalm 84:4 AMP: Blessed are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long.
When we sing His praises – songs of love and worship to Him throughout the day, it helps us to keep our focus on Him. Our hearts are turned toward him and our eyes are fixed on Him.
I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. How many times have you been down or discouraged, but you made yourself sing to the Lord? You know that wonderful, uplifting, burden-removing feeling that His presence brings!
Another way we practice His presence is by simply talking to Him throughout the day. I don’t mean a monologue where you’re the only one talking—I mean a dialogue where you speak to Him and then listen for His voice speaking to you. He will speak to you. He desires your company. He created you for fellowship!
When you listen for His still, small voice and learn to obey it, things will change in your life. You will change. Your relationships will change. Your circumstances will change.
You can experience God’s presence throughout the day – every day – as you learn to focus your attention on Him even in the midst of your hectic life. In fact, He will even show you what things to lay aside so that you can have more time to be with Him.
Psalm 26:8 AMP says, Lord, I love the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells.
I want to be in the place where God’s glory dwells. I want to know Him and His ways. I want to be changed in His presence from glory to glory. I want to grow in the things of God. I want to be in the place where He can use me for His glory. Don’t you? Then begin to practice His presence on a daily basis. In His presence is fullness of joy!
(For further insight on this subject, I recommend the book, The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence.)
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