Psa. 138:1-3 I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength. (NLT)

Let this day be a day of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord for who He Is. Let this day be a day when you give Him praise just because you love Him.  It does not matter what you are going through this day; it doesn't matter what the situation looks like, rise up heart filled with thanksgiving.

Show the Lord how much you love Him by praising Him in the midst of the trial.  When you give Him thanks and praise Him in the midst of your storm, you are telling the enemy, he is defeated, and the Lord has given you the victory.  Praise Me in and through every situation. When you are frustrated and discouraged, praise Me and sing a song of praise. That is how David found strength in the Lord; He praised the Lord.

Be encouraged this day.  Rebuke that spirit of heaviness and put on the garment of praise. Lift up your and decree victory over the enemy!  Tap into the joy that is already in your spirit and give God the praise. Laugh and smile. Rejoice and praise the Lord for how He has watched over you.  Praise Him; for He is more than worthy to be praised.

Now, take time today to smile, and dwell in His presence.  Rest in Him this day, and know that the joy of the Lord is your strength; and when you think about all that the Lord has done for you, give Him thanks and praise His Holy Name!  O’Lord we give you thanks. 

READ AND MEDITATE ON HIS WORD:

Psa. 145:2-3 I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.

Isa. 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

1Pe. 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1Th. 5:16 -18 Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you

IF MY PEOPLE

Yes, this is the season of expectation. However, some of My children have stopped expecting to receive because of the struggles in their lives. My child, what would have happened if those before you had stopped expecting Me to bless them?  What if Abraham had stopped expecting his son?  What if Moses stopped expecting Me to perform miracles for him? What if Joseph stopped expecting his dreams to come to pass? What if someone had stopped praying and expecting you to be saved from the hands of the enemy? And what if I had given up on My Father hearing My prayer and sending the angels to minister to Me so that I could make it to the cross?

Dear one, I am just as alive today as when I walked the earth with My disciples. The same miracles that I performed then, I will do again; if you believe and expect to see them. I went to My Father and sent the Holy Spirit so you could do greater things. However, greater things won’t happen if you don’t believe and expect them to happen.  Oh, ye of little faith.

ENTER MY COURTS WITH PRAISE

It is easy to stand in faith when My presence manifests around you. However, there must be times when you choose to trust in My faithfulness and to believe in Me even when you cannot sense My nearness.  It is easy to have joy and say you know My will when you are keenly aware of My presence; however, I want you to demonstrate that same joy and faithfulness even when you do not sense My nearness and tangible presence. 

Some may think that the happiest people are the ones who have the loudest praise. The loudest praise comes very often from the ones who are praising Me while passing through their hardships. This is the kind of praise that pleases Me the most. I don’t want men to praise Me only when they are on the mountaintop.  It is My desire to see and hear the praises of My people while they are walking through the valley of the shadow of death. This is true praise; and this is the type of praise that will lead you out of the valley.

Can you offer up a sacrifice of praise in the midst of your pain and suffering? Oh, that My children will continually praise Me through the circumstances.  Oh, that they would realize the joy that it brings Me when I see My children demonstrating their love and faith in Me while in the fiery furnace. Oh, to hear them say, though He slay me, yet will I trust Him; yet will I praise Him.

Yes, I know there will be times when you don’t feel like praising Me. However, it’s in those moments that you must not allow your circumstance to dictate to you whether you will praise. You should praise Me because I am worthy of praise. You should praise Me just because of who I am. Although you are in the midst of difficulties, I am still worthy to be praised. Although you are in distress, you should still praise My name. 

My child, if you desire to come out of that spiritual attack that you’re going through; open your mouth and give Me a sacrifice of praise.  You’ve prayed about the problem; prayer is a warfare, but praise is a victory. You say you have the victory; well praising signifies spiritual victory. Lift up your voice and praise Me. Praise Me for who I am, not for what I will do, but for who I am.  Praise Me because you want to see My face, not for what’s in My hand. Praise Me because you love Me.  Come before Me this day with a heart of thanksgiving; enter in My courts with praise and bless My Holy Name.

WHAT WILL THEY SEE

Those who know that you belong to Me are watching you, and they are watching to see what a difference it makes to have Me in your life. They are watching you in the good times, and even more in the bad times.  They are watching to see if your love for Me is strong enough to keep you holding onto My word.  They are watching to see whether you will praise your way out of this situation, or if you turn aside and doubt that My word is true. What will they see?

Will they see a life of blessed assurance or will they see a life of regret? Will they see evidence that My Spirit is sustaining you, and transforming you, or will they see no change at all?  Will they see you filled with My glory and able to overcome all that comes against them by the power of My word, or will they see someone who is defeated; and does not know how to walk in the authority that I have given them? What will they see?

My child, the question is not whether they will see you as My witness; the question is; what type of witness will you be for Me? Will your words and actions be a blessing to My name, or will they be a curse? The day you surrendered your life to Me, you became My witness.  And you are My witness at all times; it's not a part-time job.  It’s a life of commitment, and it lasts forever. Will they see this in you?

REST YOUR MIND TODAY

My child, let go of the cares and burdens of the world and spend some time with Me.  Come into My embrace and rest your head on My shoulder. There are too many things running through your mind, and it’s time to rest your mind today. Come away by yourself to a secluded place and just rest. Stop feeling that you have to be busy all the time.  How can you pour into others if you are empty?  Come and allow Me to refresh you and pour fresh oil into you.

STAY ON THE RIGHT PATH

Yes, you are going in the right direction. Now, don’t try to get ahead of Me; and don’t allow your flesh to cause you to say, “I got this now.”  For it’s when you step out of the spirit, and into the flesh that you will lose your place, and have to start over again.  

If you continue to listen to My voice, and be obedient to My directions, it will keep you on the path that I have laid out for you. And as you journey down this path, don’t be surprised when temptation comes to distract you from reaching your destiny. You’ve come too far to allow anything to hinder you. Therefore, keep your eyes on Me, and off of the worldly things that would pull you away from Me.

DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF "SHH! GOD IS TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING"

"Shh! God Is Trying To Tell You Something" is filled with words from the Father’s heart that will encourage and comfort you as you battle through your valley days. “Shh! God Is Trying To Tell You Something” words of encouragement will minister to your spirit and give you the strength to press your way. If your spirit is restless, all you have to do is spend some time meditating in these pages, listening to His voice, and He will bring peace into your spirit.  

This devotional journal will help you build a closer relationship with the Lord. The words of encouragement are filled with compassion and love, and will remind you that the Lord is listening.  They will minister to your spirit and help you through your darkest hour, and remind you that the Lord cares about even your smallest need.  All you have to do is listen and be obedient.

Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to win an autographed copy 

Shh! God Is Trying To Tell You Something

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Shh... God Is Trying To Tell You Something

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"Where Peaceful Waters Flow" and "Shh! God Is Trying To Tell You Something" will minister to their spirit with encouraging words from the heart of the Father. If their faith is dwindling, and there are times they feel like giving up, these devotionals are just what they need to ignite their faith and rekindle their love for the Lord. These devotionals are written as if the Father is speaking to you, and filling you with refreshing words to comfort and revive your weary soul.

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LET ME QUENCH YOUR THIRST

My Child,

I have not forsaken you, nor has my anointing on your life left you. You should know by now, there are times I will lead you into the wilderness for a season just as I did with the children of Israel. I allow these times to happen, so I can bring you to a place of being thirsty and reveal to you how I will bring water out of a rock for you. Therefore, do not become discouraged and feel defeated if you feel spiritually thirsty, because you are standing in a place that has been ordained and primed for a miracle.

I want you to realize that the anointing that you seek is still flowing deep within; it has not left you. You just need to dwell within My presence, and tap into My Spirit.  Seek Me this day and allow Me to refresh you with My water.  Let Me quench your thirst as I reveal to you My marvelous works.  Allow your thirst to thrust you into My presence and cause you seek Me like never before. Then the dryness you feel will be flooded from the wells of My living waters, and every dry area in your life will spring to life once again.

Now, come; come to Me and drink of My living water and let Me revive your weary soul.

Isa 35:6-37  Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water:

John 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 

JESUS

As I was praying this morning I found myself saying Jesus over and over again.  Then I heard the Spirit say, “Tell them to just call Me, say My name, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.   All you need is in My name.  Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.

Jesus, say it… say it often. Jesus.
Say it until you feel the peace of My love taking control.

Jesus… In My name there is love.  In My name there is peace.
In My name there is joy.

All you need is in My name. Jesus, say it…. Jesus.
There is power in My name.

Abraham called Me, Jehovah Jireh; I am your provider.

Moses called Me, Jehovah Ropheka; I am your healer.

Gideon called Me, Jehovah Shalom; I am your peace.

David called Me, Jehovah Rohi; I am your shepherd. JESUS

Call Me; I love to hear you call My name… Yes, I am Jesus

Oh Jesus, how I love to call your name. Jesus, Jesus, the heavens move at the sound of your name.  Jesus, my provider; Jesus, my healer; Jesus you are my peace. 

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

1 Jn. 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

THINK ABOUT YOUR BLESSINGS

Don’t allow anxious thoughts to steal your joy.  Spend your day being thankful, and those worrisome thoughts will drift away.  I made this day just for you, so don’t let worrisome or anxious thoughts steal your day.  I understand the problems which surround you, but the amount of time you spend worrying about them won’t resolve them.  Instead, spend the time you’re tempted to worry praising Me in advance for the blessing which is to come.  And if you must let your mind drift; let it drift to the blessings of the past, and how I came through for you.  Oh, so many blessed thoughts to dwell upon.

Remember to enjoy this day; embrace it with thanksgiving and love.  The enemy came to steal, kill, and destroy, but I gave My life that you may live in abundance.  So, don’t allow his anxious thoughts about what may happen tomorrow steal any more of your days.  He doesn’t know your future; he only knows your past.  Your past is behind you, and that is where he should be.  Tell him what I told him, “Get thee behind Me satan”.  Now you say it.  See, how much better you feel?   Oh, this is the day the Lord has made; rejoice and be glad, because I hold your future.

Matt. 6:24 "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. (NLT)

Luke 4:8  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Phil. 4:6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (NLT)

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WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO YOU

What is God telling you with the problems He permits in your life?

The problems we face will defeat, define, or develop us depending on how we respond to them. Unfortunately, most of us fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in our lives. We react out of our flesh and resent our problems, rather than seeking the Lord to learn His perfect will in the situation.  We never stop to consider what opportunities the situation might bring, because we’re so focused on the problem and not what the Lord is saying to us.

Here are some ways God wants to use the problems in our lives.  See if any of them apply to you:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT us.  Sometimes God must light a fire under us to get us moving from our place of complacency.  Problems oftentimes point us in a new direction and motivate us to change.  Is God using this problem to get your attention?  Is He trying to tell you to let go and move onto something greater?  Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart.  Prov. 20:30 (NLT)

2. God uses problems to INSPECT us.  People are like tea bags.  If you want to know what's inside us, just drop us into hot water!  Our true character will be exposed.  Is God testing your faith with this problem?  If so, what is the problem revealing about you?  Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  James 1:2-3 (NLT)

3. God uses problems to CORRECT us.  Some of our most valuable lessons come from suffering through pain and failure.  We were children our parents told us not to touch a hot stove. However, we probably learned not to touch the stove after being burned.  Sometimes we only learn the value of something; be it health, money or a relationship, by losing it or being burned by it.  My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees. Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver. Psalm 119:71-72 (NLT)

4. God uses problems to PROTECT us.  A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents us from being harmed by something more serious.  Before leaving your home one day; you overslept, spilled coffee on your clothes, kids wouldn’t get it together, and nothing is going the way it should. You say to yourself, “Why is all this happening today?”  Then you get on the road and come across a terrible accident.  You say to yourself, if you had left a few minutes earlier…  Lord that could have been me.  You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.  Genesis 50:20 (NLT)

5. God uses problems to PERFECT us.  Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders.  God is far more interested in our character, than our comfort.  Our relationship to God and our character are the only two things we’re going to take with us into eternity.  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation Rom 5:3- 4 (NLT)

Here's the point: God is at work in our lives, even when we don’t recognize it or understand it. Things will progress much easier and profitable when we stop striving, and learn to cooperate with Him by asking the Lord to reveal His perfect will in our situation.
 

"YOU ARE BLESSED -- THERE'S NO NEED TO BE STRESSED!"

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IMITATE THE FATHER

Please be at peace.  You are a joint-heir with Me to all that I have.  Now, be at peace and don’t worry.  Do not look at your needs.  Do not look at your storms or the winds that would try to steal from you.  Instead, look to Me; and do the things that please Me, and you will find peace. All that My Father gave to Me; I’ve given to you, so don’t worry.

 

When there doesn’t seem to be enough, do as I did when I fed the five thousand.  Look up to Heaven; give thanks and bless what you have, break it, and pass it out.  Watch what I will do with what you have given to Me.  It will be more than enough to meet your every need. I know what I’m saying seems too good to be true, but this is what My Father taught Me; so I am sharing it with you.  Do this with all you have; for I desire that you live above and not beneath. It’s time you become Kingdom focused. 

Start walking in the fullness of what I’ve given you.  You have yet to tap into all that I’ve imparted in you.  To walk in the fullness; you must do as I did; imitate the Father.  Imitate the Father, and soon you will be launched into a blessed realm where nothing will hold you back.

DON'T PRAY ABOUT IT ANYMORE

I heard your prayers last night; I say to you this day, those things you've been crying and praying about, surrender it to Me.  It doesn't matter what they say.  It doesn’t matter how big the situation has become.  It doesn’t matter if its finances, healing, family, or a relationship.  If you are finally exhausted and worn out from battling this problem day and night; if you tired of getting nowhere, and tired of being tired, then GIVE IT UP and SURRENDER IT TO JESUS! 

Release it to Me right now.  Don’t cry about it anymore.  Don’t even pray about it any longer.  You’ve cried, and you’ve prayed; but when do you start believing?  Say Lord this is just too much; Lord I surrender all, and allow Me to move miraculously on your behalf.

Then I want you to get up off your bed of sorrow and begin to praise Me.  Yes, praise Me even though you don’t see in the natural what you’ve asked for.  Give Me thanks for lifting this burden away from you.  Give thanks for the miraculous work that I HAVE DONE; for it’s done the moment you prayed and BELIEVED. 

When you completely surrender everything to Me, and start praising Me for the answer; you give Me the freedom to do what needs to be done in your situation.  When you enter into a spirit of praise and thanksgiving; you are saying, “That which I have prayed for I have ALREADY RECEIVED in the name of Jesus”. 

Therefore, stop binding Me with your actions.  Stop binding Me with your doubts.  Stop binding Me with your words and loose Me to have My way in your life.  I can do in a moment what you can’t do in a lifetime.  I say unto, don’t pray about it anymore.  Release it; believe you have received it; and praise Me for it.  Let Me have My way; you will be so glad you did.  

Mark 11:22-24   And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, WHEN PRAY, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Matt. 18:18   Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Psa. 98:1   O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory

THANK YOU LORD

A newly arrived soul in Heaven was met by St. Peter, and he took him on a tour around Heaven.  They walked inside a large workroom filled with angels working.  St. Peter stopped and said, "This is the Receiving Section.  Here is where all the prayer requests to God are received".  The soul looked at the section, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out prayer requests from all over the world.

They walked again until they reached the next section, and St. Peter told the soul, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section.  Here is where the graces and blessings the people asked for are packed and delivered to the persons who asked for them" The soul noticed there were just as many angels working in that room.

Finally at the next section the soul stopped, and to his surprise there was only one angel there basically doing nothing.  "This is the Acknowledging Section," St. Peter told the soul.  "How is it that there is no work here?"  "That's the sad thing”, St. Peter answered.  "After the people received the blessings very few send their acknowledgments".  "How does one acknowledge God's blessing?"  "Simple”, St. Peter answered.  "Just say, “'Thank you, Lord'."