ENCOURAGMENT IN DISCOURAGING TIMES (What To Do Between The Point of Prayer (request) and the Point of Provision (answers)

 Greeting O Ye Saints who are currently walking in the Land of Nitty Gritty.

In class we speak of a Land of Promise...and another land called the Land of Nitty Gritty.  Both have something in common.  Sometimes...all we have is a promise and CAN'T SEE the Lord anywhere.  In both of these lands we are either walking toward the Land Of Promise...ore we are walking in circles or just sitting around thinking about our problems in the nitty gritty land of wilderness.

POINT OF PRAYER--------------------------------------------->POINT OF PROVISION
(REQUESTS)                                                                           (ANSWERS)

A lot of times when you cannot see any movement of God or answered prayers...we tend to get OVERWHELMED by worry, tension, fear, doubt, unbelief, despair, a senses of hopelessness and a tenancy to stop and set up camp in the land OR we just walk around in circles.  We are called to ABIDE...but not in the Land of Nitty Gritty or in the wilderness.  We ARE called to ABIDE in Jesus' WORDS and to Jesus' WORDS ABIDE in us. (John 15:7)

ABIDE:  meno (men-o)= A primary verb (action word); to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.

What can we DO...what positive ACTION can we set into motion...as we WAIT for the POINT OF PROVISION?  I'm glad you asked.


TOP TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO BETWEEN THE POINT OF PRAYER/PROMISE (REQUESTS) AND THE POINT OF PROVISION (ANSWERS)...not necessarily in order of importance.

10-Walk by faith and not by sight. (II Corinthians 5:7)

09-Please God: Come to Him, believe that He is/exists, believe He is a rewarder, diligently seek Him (not just passively inquire)  (Hebrews 11:6)

08-Give thanks in everything (aka the will of God) (I Thessalonians 5:18)

07-Rejoice always in the Lord (I Thessalonians 5:16; Philippians 4:4)

06-Pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17)

05-Wait upon the Lord and renew strength, mount up with wings as eagles, run and not get tired, walk and not become weary. (Isaiah 40:31)


04-Seek and keep on seeking the Kingdom (rule of God) and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33)

03-Raise some HALAL (praise)...Halal-yah (hallel-ujah) and get clamorously foolish, rave on, celebrate, exult, jump up and spin around, have a party (Psalm 150 and throughout the Psalms)

02-Do not let/allow anxiety (being anxious) for nothing (no thing, nada, zip, zero, zilch, nuttin' honey No Thang)...BUT...in everything (all the nothings)...pray, (talk to God), supplicate (humbly be specific requests) with thanksgiving (giving of thanks before you see anything happen). (Philippians 4:6)...with the cause and effect of peace that surpasses all comprehension (Philippians 4:7)

01-Let/Allow your mind to dwell on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, good report, excellence, anything worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8)

NOTE:  The Top Ten cannot begin to scratch the surface of all that you can do...so here are a few BONUS things you can do.

-Let/Allow your mind to dwell on the Spirit (life and peace) and not the flesh (death) (Romans 8:5-6)

-Begin to SPEAK like Abraham who spoke like God and called things that are NOT as thought they were...instead of calling things that ARE as though they will NEVER CHANGE. (Romans 4:17)

-Implement the actions in Psalm 37 including:  fret not (because of evildoers, be not envious (toward wrongdoers), trust in the Lord, do good, dwell in the land (before you reach the land), cultivate faithfulness/dwell in and feed on His faithfulness, commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him, cease from anger, forsake wrath, depart from evil, dwell in the land, utter wisdom, speak justice, keep His ways, take refuge in Him (Psalm 37:1-40)

NOTE:  There ya go.  You do not just sit back and let the devil roll over you.  These are just a few of the things that you can do between the point of prayer and the point of provision as you are walking THROUGH the land of nitty gritty...the shadow of death and fear not evil...for the Lord is with you as Shirley and Goodness follows you (oh...that is surely not Shirley) all the days of your life.

If you are GOING THROUGH hell...GO THROUGH it and don't stop in the middle of it.  In the words of Dogwood (with Steve and Annie Chapman and Ron Elder)..."Keep on walkin'...you don't know how far you've come...keep on walkin'...for all you know it may be done...and the Father is standin' up right NOW...to give the call...and end it all...keep on walkin'" (Keep On Walkin' by Dogwood)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

"And let us NOT LOSE HEART in doing good...for in DUE TIME (that would be God's timing)...we shall reap...IF we do not grow weary." (Galatians 6:9)

Love and Positive Action Kisses
Rodney "I Really DO Love You Mooers and Chewers of the Cud of the Word of God" Boyd

JOYFUL THANKSGIVING

Greetings O Ye Thankful People...

I love this graphic.  It is done my brother in the Lord Rufus Walsh... whose name is found in the Romans Hall of Faith (versus the Hebrews Hall of Faith found in Hebrews 11).  "Greet Rufus...a CHOICE MAN IN THE LORD..." (Romans 16:13).  Well...I saw this picture on Facebook on Thanksgiving morning. It was done by the "choice man in the Lord"...Rufus for Lent.  How inspiring...to turn to Psalm 100 and reflect during this Thanksgiving season.

As I read through Psalm 100 (A Psalm for Thanksgiving)...I noticed all of the ACTION/VERBS words.  Thanksgiving is an act of action as we GIVE THANKS.    I circled the action words and am inspired to do them in my life.  Here's an overview of actions that we can do.

1.  SHOUT:  This shout is a joyful shout...and it is directed to the Lord.  The encouragement is not just an individual shout...but for ALL the earth to join in this JOYFUL SHOUT. 

2.  SERVE:  To serve the Lord...should not be a heavy burden, but a GLAD event.  Being under sin and serving sin as my master was an arduous thing, but serving the Lord with a burden lifted is a GLAD THING.

3.  COME:  Don't stay away...we have been invited to come into His presence by a new and living way...through the veil of His flesh and the blood of Jesus.  What an invitation to come before Him.

4.  KNOW:  We don't have to wonder if the Lord is Himself is God...we can know that we know that we know that we know that He is God.

5.  ENTER:  This was a Psalm to be sung as they came in to to sacrifice and receive forgiveness... and the entrance was made with the GIVING OF THANKS....BEFORE they actually received the forgiveness.  It was a Psalm of ANTICIPATION...and HOPE...CONFIDENT EXPECTATION of what the Lord said would happen would happen.  Also as we enter the gates...we can press into His courts with PRAISE and into His presence...thanks to Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice.

6. GIVE:  Thanks cannot be taken...but must be given.  The question is why?

Because...the Lord is good...His loving kindness is everlasting...and His faithfulness to all generations. 

Well there ya go...on this day of GIVING OF THANKS.  It is way beyond Turkey...even though they both start with the letter T.

Love and Thankful Kisses
Rodney "Making A Joyful Noise" Boyd