Growing, growing, and growing...

I serve a truly amazing God...one that brings me peace in turmoil, strength in weakness, happiness in sadness, and joy through it all. I was thanking God late last week after being terrorized by the enemy for days and I just knew that, even though I kept these trials, tribulations, and temptations a private thing between my lowly self and God, that He was and is above all things...the one true strength and refuge for all who seek His face. Saturday came around and I was speaking to a brother who told me that earlier last week, God had put me on his heart and that he had lifted me up in prayer all week. Is God truly awesome? Through prayer and study I survived, and as if God felt I needed more, He brought in reinforcements. Thank you, Jesus. Throughout last week, one of the Scriptures I concentrated on was one that is so overwhelmingly simple and yet so pointed and poignant that without God's perfect direction I would have missed it. The Scripture was Psalm 23...

1 The LORD is my shepherd ; I shall not want .

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies : thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever .

Two things have always hit me hard about this amazing and astounding part of God's word...one old and one new. The old thing that has always hit home is that we only walk through the valley of the SHADOW of death...not death, but a figment of what it is and that with Him in our lives we truly are protected. The second and new thing is that He doesn't ask, suggest, allude to, persuade, coerce, or point...He MAKETH us lie down in green pastures.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8.31

Thank You, Jesus...