Come & Sit

Do you know what I love about my mornings? It’s the quiet.

The only sounds I hear are the quiet hum of the air conditioning and the tick of the coffee maker. Other than that, it’s completely silent.

The first thing I do each morning is write my heart’s impressions in my journal, only a couple of sentences of gratitude and love. Then I say a short prayer for guidance before I open my Bible and begin to read. Many days during that writing and that prayer the Holy Spirit prompts me with what I should share with you, sometimes that comes once I begin reading.

This morning as I was writing, these four words were what I penned on the page. “Come sit with Me”. Oh, how I love that – time just sitting here, coffee cup in hand, when it’s just the Father and I. He bringing Scriptures to mind and flooding me with His presence.

Those of you who have read my writings for any length of time know that one of my most favorite old hymns is “In the Garden”.

  1. I come to the garden alone,
    While the dew is still on the roses,
    And the voice I hear falling on my ear
    The Son of God discloses.
    • Refrain:
      And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
      And He tells me I am His own;
      And the joy we share as we tarry there,
      None other has ever known.
  2. He speaks, and the sound of His voice
    Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
    And the melody that He gave to me
    Within my heart is ringing.

I know exactly what the writer of this hymn experienced.

“You will show me the way of life. Being with You is to be full of joy. In Your right hand there is happiness forever.” Psalm 16:11 NLV

Come, sit with me.

“Martha had a sister named Mary. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to all He said. 40 Martha was working hard getting the supper ready…42 Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:39-42 NLV

“Jesus told the people to sit on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread into pieces and gave them to his followers. He told them to give the bread to the people, and they did as he said. The followers also had a few small fish. Jesus gave thanks for the fish and told them to give the fish to the people.” Mark 8:6-7 ERV

Sitting with the Lord is a good thing!

Something to be chosen above all else. It’s a place of learning, of resting and refreshing. It’s a place of miracles.

Listen with your heart. When you hear the Lord say “Come sit with me”, take time to stop and enjoy His presence. It will fill you with joy!

Growing Joy

I’ve got joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

Where?

Down in my heart, down in my heart.

I’ve got joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.

Down in my heart to stay!

That’s a chorus I remember singing as a young girl in Sunday School. Little did I realize that the stories I was learning about Jesus and His love for me were planting seeds of joy in my heart.

“But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith, 23 being gentle, and being the boss over our own desires. The Law is not against these things.” Galatians 5:22-23 NLV

Joy: to experience great pleasure or delight REJOICE.

I can hear someone asking, “Kristi, do you expect me to be happy all the time? That’s just not possible.”

Let’s let the Bible answer that question.

“Be full of joy always because you belong to the Lord. Again I say, be full of joy!” Philippians 4:4 NLV

“Or the one who hates me will say, ‘I have power over him.’ And those who hate me will be happy when I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your loving-kindness. My heart will be full of joy because You will save me. I will sing to the Lord, because He has been good to me.” Psalm 134:4-6 NLV

“Our hope comes from God. May He fill you with joy and peace because of your trust in Him. May your hope grow stronger by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NLV

 The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. See! I bring you good news of great joy which is for all people. 11 Today, One Who saves from the punishment of sin has been born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11 NLV

“You will show me the way of life. Being with You is to be full of joy. In Your right hand there is happiness forever.” Psalm 16:11 NLV

 The Lord is my strength and my safe cover. My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. So my heart is full of joy. I will thank Him with my song. ” Psalm 28:7 NLV

We can be joy-full when people hate us or when they treat us badly. Joy is not predicated on our outward circumstances. It is a condition of the heart.

 For every tree is known by its own fruit. Men do not gather figs from thorns. They do not gather grapes from thistles. 45 Good comes from a good man because of the riches he has in his heart. Sin comes from a sinful man because of the sin he has in his heart. The mouth speaks of what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:44-45 NLV

When we plant seeds of joy because we belong to the Lord and dwell in His presence, our heart will produce joy no matter the circumstance.

I looked up the word joy in the NLV, New Living Version, this morning and found 444 verses on joy. That’s a lot of seed and it will produce a big harvest. Time to start planting.

Grateful for Peace

Last night I was talking with a group of friends and I reminded them that the Lord is committed to our peace.

All through Scripture we are instructed to fear not – be not afraid. Fear is the enemy of faith and it is the robber of peace.

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear. He gave us a spirit of power and of love and of a good mind.” II Timothy 1:7 NLV

In the beginning, man was created “fear free” but once they were deceived by the serpent they became “fear full”.

“Then they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the evening. The man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man. He said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And the man said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden. I was afraid because I was without clothes. So I hid myself.” Genesis 3:8-10 NLV

God dispelled that fear and reassuringly covered them with His love and protection.

 And the Lord God made clothes of skins for Adam and his wife, and dressed them.” Genesis 3:21 NLV

The blood that was shed for their sin came from an animal; the blood that covers ours comes from Christ. It’s that total forgiveness that brings us peace.

“Now that we have been made right with God by putting our trust in Him, we have peace with Him. It is because of what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us. By putting our trust in God, He has given us His loving-favor and has received us. We are happy for the hope we have of sharing the shining-greatness of God.” Romans 5:1-2 NLV

When fear bombards us, and it will, how do we combat it?

“Keep your minds thinking about things in heaven. Do not think about things on the earth. ” Colossians 3:2 NLV

 Be full of joy always because you belong to the Lord. Again I say, be full of joy! Let all people see how gentle you are. The Lord is coming again soon. Do not worry. Learn to pray about everything. Give thanks to God as you ask Him for what you need. The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 NLV

If there was anyone in the Bible who knew what it was like to be assailed by fear it would be Paul. He had been stoned and left for dead, beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, threatened, lashed with 39 stripes and many other perils. (Read II Corinthians 11) In spite of it all, he is the one who penned those words above.

He knew that having a heart of gratitude for God’s goodness and love drives out fear and brings peace to any situation.

“Be full of joy all the time. 17 Never stop praying. 18 In everything give thanks. This is what God wants you to do because of Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLV

Be grateful, be filled with God’s joy and peace!

Our Summer Home

We’re here!! Not completely set up yet, we’ll finish that today but we made it safely to the mountain yesterday. It’s good to be home!

I had so many things to be thankful yesterday. Not the least of which is my husband’s good driving. He is a PRO. I have no idea how many thousands of miles we have traveled in the last forty-nine years but with his skill and the Lord’s provision we have been almost 100% accident free.

It was so good to see the lake that holds so many memories of family. And then there were visits from friends within a few hours of arriving. It’s going to be a wonderful summer.

“Always be full of joy. Never stop praying. Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 ERV

I will be praying that all your summer plans with be filled with joy and with wonderment.

One thing that we didn’t get done was setting up our cell booster, so we are operating with a very weak signal. I am praying this blog makes it out this morning.

“‘May the Lord bless you
    and keep you.
25 May the Lord smile down on you
    and show you his kindness.
26 May the Lord answer your prayers
    and give you peace.’” Numbers 6:24-26 ERV

You are in my thoughts, my prayers and a love for you fills my heart!