Seek HIM And HE Will Not Forsake You

This Week's Combined Readings
from "The One Year Devotional Guide":
Genesis 20:1-32:12
Matthew 7:15-11:6
Psalm 9:1-13:6
Proverbs 2:16-3:18

Next Week's Combined Readings
from "The One Year Devotional Guide":
Genesis 32:13-45:28
Matthew 11:7-14:36
Psalm 14:1-13:6
Proverbs 3:19-4:13

Focus Verse(s) for this week's thoughts: Psalm 9:11 "And let those who know Your name put their hope in You; For You, O Lord, do not forsake those who seek You." (The Orthodox Study Bible) {If reading NIV please refer to Psalm 9:10}

Lot's of people know the name "god" but how many of them truly know God on a personal level? How many truly put their hope in Him? Do I, do you? These are the kinds of questions that ran through my head as I was reading this week's verses. It is usually my cue that "this one is the focus verse" when I start being drawn to meditate on one particualr verse or another. I have learned (and relearned and relearned...) that when we do set our hope in God and fully trust Him for all our needs than He truly does not forsake us. God tells us in this week's verse's from Matthew that not even a sparrow, worth merely half a penny in chapter 10, will fall to the ground apart from His will and we are worth more than many sparrows. We are so priceless to God that He sent His one and only Son to die a painful and humble death that we might live eternally with Him in heaven. Truly He will not forsake us, He will never let us down but we must hold up our end of the deal here. We cannot truly know God without fully loving Him for all He has already done...and through fully loving God we will want to strive to seek Him in all that we do. Let us seek God in everything we do this week, in every moment of our daily lives. Please join me in praying:

Dear Lord, We are thankful to You that You do not forsake us when we seek You and set our hope in You. Please send Your Spirit to guide us to live a life that seeks You in all things. We also thank You, Father, for the many blessings you have granted to us and we praise Your holy name for Your grace is more than we deserve. Lord, we know there are so many people in need of Your healing touch; spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. We ask that as our great Healer You please grant Your grace, mercy and divine healing and comfort to those most in need of it and especially to Lee, Pam, Helen, Larry, George, Karen, Gary, Tim, Jeff, Mark & Lynn. We thank You that You never leave us and are always with us until the end of days, especially through our valleys. We ask Your guidance to our leaders, both political and theological. Grant them Your wisdom that they may lead us all in the right direction, towards You. Father, we especially thank You for those who serve You and us in every arm of the military. Please grant Your extraordinary favor, protection and deliverance to all the soldiers and their families. We thank You for the blessing of prayer and the connection to You that it brings. We ask that this prayer please be carried out not according to our will but to thine. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

I pray you each have a blessed and awesome week!!!
Love through Christ,
Niki

Serving God Wholeheartedly

This Week's Combined Readings
from "The One Year Devotional Guide":
Genesis 1:1-19:38
Matthew 1:1-7:14
Psalm 1:1-8:9
Proverbs 1:1-2:15
Next Week's Combined Readings
from "The One Year Devotional Guide":
Genesis 20:1-32:12
Matthew 7:15-11:6
Psalm 9:1-13:6
Proverbs 2:16-3:18

Focus Verse(s) for this week's thoughts: Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches)."

It is a very personal and spiritual decision to want to serve God through our daily lives. I know for myself it is one I must prayerfully reaffirm every morning or I fall away a little at a time. If we choose to serve God then we must decide to make this a wholehearted decision. Jesus warns in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot serve both God and money. We cannot fully love God and love earthly posessions. We must realign our perspective to focus soley on God and all else needs to fall under the category of blessings we are thankful for rather than treasures we are striving for. God has blessed us all in different ways, with different talents, families, friends and material things and when we are serving God wholly we will not be looking to our neighbor to see what they have that we do not or what we have that they do not. Rather, we will fall to our knees in humble prayer and thank God for all He has blessed us with through His grace that we do not deserve. We have to let go of the media hype for "more, better, different" things that "everyone must have" and we need to place our lives in God's hands asking Him that His great and perfect will be done in our lives and through us. The more we focus on serving God and on praising and thanking Him for what we do have, then the more we will step toward true peace and happiness. I tell you from experience that it is difficult to praise God through your tears, fears and pain but I can also tell you it is worth it because then you can truly feel His presence through all of life's storms. Please join me in prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We ask You to open our hearts to Your Spirit that You may dwell within us and we may serve You and You alone. Please help us keep You as our daily focus as we strive to serve You in all that we do. We thank You for the many blessings you have granted to us and we praise Your holy name for Your grace is more than we deserve. Lord, we know many need Your healing touch, spiritually, mentally and physically. We ask that as our great Healer You please grant Your grace, mercy and divine healing comfort to those most in need of it and especially to Lee, Pam, Helen, Larry, George, Karen, Mark & Lynn. We thank You that You never leave us and are always with us until the end of days even through our valleys. We ask Your guidance to our leaders, both political and theological. Grant them You wisdom that they may lead us all in the right direction, towards You. Father, we especially thank You for those who serve You and us in every arm of the military. Please grant Your extraordinary favor, protection and deliverance to all the soldiers and their families. We thank You for the blessing of prayer and the connection to You that it brings. We ask that this prayer please be carried out not according to our will but to thine. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

I pray you each have a blessed and awesome week!!!
Love through Christ,
Niki

Niki's Thoughts Update!

To my beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I can't believe that it has been 4 months since I have typed a "Niki's Thoughts" email. A lot has happened to my family since then as I am sure has in each of your as well. I have kept you all in my thoughts and prayers and have been continuing to ask God how He will use me to serve Him and do His will. I feel His prompting to begin the weekly emails again...with a "new" format. I'm going to explore a Bible in a Year reading plan and each week's message will come from the passages explored throughout that week's planned reading. With Saturday just two short days away there is not much time to do any pre-reading however at the end of each message I plan to give the following week's reading plan in case anyone would like to read along throughout the week. If you no longer have an interest in receiving "Niki's Thoughts" please reply to this email so I may remove you from the list. Otherwise, I look forward to beginning this journey with you again.
Love through Christ,
Niki

The Son Has Set Us Free

John 8:34-36 "Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.""

 

Imagine what we do know about slaves and how they were treated and then compare that to how we feel when we are chained down by numerous sins we've not repented for...until I read this verse today (and this is not the first time I've heard or read it) I still didn't fully get it.  Now it's the most clear picture in my head, God has shown me what my sins are physically doing to me!  He is also showing me how He has set me free through repentance and the cross!  Yet God does not stop there, He has not just set us free to go out into the world free but without family and roots, He has adopted us into His family permanently!  It blows my mind wide open to think about the amazing love He has for us and how long I was not fully taking Him at His Word.  I know the lessons I've learned are valuable but I can also see that some of what I've gone through was perhaps unnecessary...however, God has taken it all and worked it for good!  Had I not lived what I've lived I would not be who I am today, I would not desire to serve Him in the ways I am now and hope to someday be...and I think I would definitely not have the same perspective that I have and let me tell you, from my experience in working positions where you have to deal with all different kinds of people on a daily basis, perspective is seriously important!  God wants to shift our perspective to focus on Him, His promises and on the freedom He has already given us.  He has set you free, what will you do with your freedom today?  Will you please join me in prayer?  (If I have removed a name from this list that you would like me to continue praying for please let me know, thanks so much!!!)

 

Dear Father, 

We have been long burdened by the shackles and chains of sin, enslaved to the evil one through our stubborn nature which kept us from repenting to You and asking for and accepting the forgiveness You have made available to us through Your precious cross.  Please help us to see that we are not only hurting ourselves but also You as You watch us ignore the help You have offered.  Please forgive our sins and cleanse our souls accepting us into You loving arms once again.  Lord, we continue to thank You for the blessing of protection You grant us through our soldiers, police, firefighters and paramedics.  Please protect and bless them and their families abundantly.   We also thank You for those who serve You and serve us through Your calling to be our clergy.  We ask that You please bless them to keep us in Your Word and Your Truth many years to come.  Please bless all of our leaders to make the right decisions.  Lord, we believe You are the one true and Triune God and we believe true healing comes only from You, spiritually, emotionally, physically or mentally it is You who heals and we ask that You please grant Your awesome healing to all those in need, but especially to Summer, Sharon, Amber & Michael, Ward, Karen, Kim, Abby, Lynn & Mark, Heidi, Pam, Suzy, Mrs. Beaver, Mary, Meg, Mike, Deanna, unborn baby Lauren and to all those who we may name to You now.  We ask that You not only heal them but also please bless them with everything You know they need most right now.  We pray that all we've asked here may be done not according to our desires but according to Your will and in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Fear Not

Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

 

There are many verses in the Bible where God or His angel(s) tell His believers not to fear...there is a New Testament passage {the book escapes my memory this morning} that tells us we have not received the spirit of fear from God rather it is the work of the evil one.  Our purpose here is to bring glory to God and we cannot glorify Him if we let fear overtake faith.  I still have some fears I am battling, but ask me a year or two ago and I would not have been able to count them they were so numerous.  God has been teaching me to let go of that fear and let Him direct the entire path of my life.  He is in control, our purpose is to glorify Him and He will protect us unless tragedy or storms are meant to come to our lives to strengthen us or to refine us.  We need to cling tightly to our faith in God that He is Sovereign and He will not forsake us and we must allow Him to teach us to pray away any fears that do try to creep in.  God has never forsaken His people who set their hopes and faith in Him and He's not going to start breaking His promises now...but we must have faith in Him, we must battle away any fearful thought in our minds through the gift of the power of prayer.  You will be amazed, as I have been, at the slow changes that eventually have you looking back on how far you've come and how much better it feels to have built an instinct to pray at the first hint of any fearful thought.  Please join me in prayer now:

 

Dear Lord,

We come to You this morning in thankful amazement at the power of Your gift of prayer as our lifeline to You and as a weapon against fear.  Please help us to build our instincts to bring us to You in prayer if the evil one tries to invade our minds with fearful thoughts or feelings.  Help us to remain patient as we journey to this trusting place with You.  Father, we thank You again for the blessings of those who You use to protect us here in this world, soldiers, police, firefighters and paramedics.  Please bless and protect them and their families abundantly.   We also continue to be thankful for those who serve You and serve us through Your calling to be clergy.  We ask that You please bless them to keep us in Your Word and Your Truth many years.  Bless our leaders to make the right decisions.  Lord, we believe You are the one true and Triune God and we believe true healing comes only from You, be it spiritually, emotionally, physically or mentally and we ask that You please grant Your awesome healing to all those in need, especially Summer, Sharon, Melissa, Morgan, Phyllis, Carolyn, Randy, Emily, Brenda, Sheila, Mr & Mrs Jones, Darlene, Brandy's Mom, Nancy, Fran, Rob, Cathy, Alex, Melissa, Benjamin, Amber & Michael, Ward, Karen, Kim, Abby, Lynn & Mark, Heidi, Pam, Suzy, Tammy, Mary, Meg, Mike, Deanna, unborn baby Lauren and to all those who we may name to You now.  We pray that all we've asked here may be done not according to our wants but according to Your will and in Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

I pray that you may each have a safe, awesome and blessed weekend and week ahead.  I have a request for prayer updates.  I apologize I have not been better of keeping track of these myself but if I could get an update from everyone on who we should continue praying for and who we should rejoice in healing for than I will work to keep up with weekly updates before each "thoughts" email.  Thanks so much for allowing me the honor of praying with you for your loved ones and friends!!  I am truly blesses through each of you and through your continued interest in reading these emails.  Thank you again!

 

Love through Christ,

Niki

Facing The Storm

Genesis 9:16 "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind in the earth."

The announcement of a Tornado Watch used to tie me up in knots with fear and anxiety, forget about a Tornado Warning - that would send me to the kookoo farm!  But the amazing thing about giving over control of your life to God is that those things which used to scare me the most seem insignifigant because I know if it is not your time for tragedy than God will protect you...and if you are to face the storm than He knows you are ready for it and He will not leave your side as He guides you through it.  So instead of freaking out and running in crazy circles wondering where the safest place in our house would be, I grabbed the camera and ran out on our porch...nuts, I know!  However, had I not reacted in that way, my family and I would have missed out on one of God's awesome paintings...a double full arc rainbow!  Sometimes life is like that, we have to face the storm, or the possibility of the storm in order to fully receive the blessings and good things God has planned for us.  God has made us so many wonderful promises and His Word is solid and sure...and according to His precious Word, He will never leave us, He will never give us more than we can stand up under and He will credit our faith to us as rightesousness.  Sure, when we hand over our life to God and let Him guide our steps there is not a guarantee that the path with be smooth, but "if God leads you to it, He'll lead you through it."  Whatever storm you may be facing today I pray that God grants you the strength to get through it, comfort to stay peaceful during it and the wisdom to see His blessings shining through the clouds.  Please join me in prayer:

Holy Father,
We know in life there are and will continue to be many storms.  We thank You, that by Your Word's promise, You will turn all our storms to good because we love You.  Please help us to always stay faithful enough to look for Your blessings even in the nmidst of immenent tragedy.  Lord, we are ever grateful to You for those You have chosen to serve Your churches, please grant that they may continue to spread Your love and Your Word for many blessed years.  We thank You also for all our service men and women and ask that You grant protection and favor to them all and their families.  God, we acknowledge that Your healing is the only true and needed healing for our souls, bodies, minds, and hearts.  Please grant Your supernatural healing to all of us but most especially to Summer, Sharon, Melissa, Morgan, Phyllis, Carolyn, Randy, Emily, Brenda, Sheila, Mr & Mrs Jones, Darlene, Brandy's Mom, Nancy, Fran, Rob, Cathy, Alex, Melissa, Benjamin, Amber & Michael, Ward, Karen, Kim, Abby, Lynn & Mark, Heidi, Pam, Suzy, Mike, Deanna, unborn baby Lauren and to all of those whom we may personally name to you now.  We know that Your way is perfect, and therefore we ask that all our requests may be done not according to our wants but rather according to Your will and in Jesus' precious name.  Amen.

Have a blessed and awesome week!  Christ is Risen!  Truly He is Risen!

Love through Christ,

Niki 

P.S. Here's a picture of the awesome work of God's hand!!!

 

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Doubting or Believing?

John 20:27-29 "Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."  Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"  Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.""

 

How often when things do not go the way we planned it do we become doubting Thomas,' questioning God's plan or maybe even His existence?  As the road of life gets rocky and rough do we ask for proof before we believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel?  Or do we, as the myrrh bearing women who were greeted by the angel instead of Jesus lifeless body, believe and go to proclaim to the world that Christ is risen!  Truly He is risen!  Just as Jesus said to Thomas so also I believe He is saying to us when we waiver, "Stop doubting and believe."  God has filled our lives with countless blessings and innumerable possibilities but we must have complete faith in Him and not limit Him with our doubts.  I really know that this is way easier to say than it is to do!  However, I believe it is so rewarding to have the kind of relationship with God that puts our trust in Him completely.  I have found the more I believe without seeing, the more I see all that I am already blessed with that I used to take for granted...the less I doubt like Thomas, the less I worry about what the future holds because I know my redeemer lives and He is coming back for me someday to bring me to His paradise!  Christ is Risen!  Truly He is Risen!  Please join me in prayer:

 

Holy Lord,

We have all sinned and doubted You and Your awesome, merciful promises at some point in our lives.  Please forgive us and help us to open our hearts to Your Spirit that You may guide us to cling to You and believe even without seeing.  Lord we thank You for all Your blessings, especially the people whom You've blessed us with, our clergy, soldiers, police & fire fighters.  Please bless them all through Your divine grace, mercy and protection.  Father, we know that Your healing is the ultimate and true healing for body, mind, soul and heart.  Please grant Your supernatural healing to Summer, Sharon, Melissa, Morgan, Phyllis, Carolyn, Randy, Emily, Brenda, Sheila, Mr & Mrs Jones, Darlene, Brandy's Mom, Nancy, Fran, Rob, Cathy, Alex, Melissa, Benjamin, Amber & Michael, Ward, Karen, Kim, Abby, Lynn & Mark, Heidi, Pam, Mike, Deanna, unborn baby Lauren and to all of those whom we personally name to you now.  We recognize that Your way is perfect, and we ask that all our requests may be done not according to our wants but according to Your will and in Jesus precious name.  Amen.

 

Have a blessed and awesome week!  Christ is Risen!  Truly He is Risen!

Love through Christ,

Niki