AND A GOOD NIGHT'S REST.....

Lord, You are my shield, my strength, my portion, my deliverer, my shelter, my strong tower, my very present help in time of need. Thank You.



Good morning! My name is Charlotte and I am writing to help us give our first thoughts to the Lord.

I would ask you today to please pray for me. I am really under attack from the enemy and I know that anytime we do something for God, there is persecution, and I really need your prayers. Thank you.

This week seems like every scripture I have opened to has been about crying unto the Lord. This one - Psalms 4 says Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?

How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?

But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him.

Tremble, and do not sin, meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the Lord.

Many are saying, "Who will show us any good?"

Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and new wine abound.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

Life gives us a choice at all times. This scripture admonishes us to live righteously no matter what. To return good for evil - to turn the other cheek - to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. To keep our thoughts and our actions righteous - as God would have us act and think - and that is a choice we make.

There have been a lot of situations in my life that I simply would like to slam-dunk. People who have wrongly accused me of things that are not so, and I can think of more than one time in my Christian walk, when if I didn't serve the Lord 24/7, I could have just gone off the deep end. There have been times on my job in dealing with associates that if I just would, I would cause havoc, but the very first sermon that Jesus preached, He set the rule to turn the other cheek - to do unto others as you would have them do unto you - to not return evil for evil - to love the unlovely - and when people do you wrong, to do them right. God's ways are different from our ways. And when we serve Him, then we have to become different also.

This scripture says HOW LONG WILL MY HONOR BECOME A REPROACH? HOW LONG WILL YOU LOVE WHAT IS WORTHLESS AND AIM AT DECEPTION? Don't you know that if we get weary in doing good, etc. how much more so does God. If we suffer persecution, which we will in serving God, it is not because of us, it is because of HIM. His honor becomes a reproach, and when we stand for Him, the things that come against us are not coming against us, but against the God who is working in us. Because we stand for Him, the enemy persecutes us.

But (there's the but) this scripture tells us to trust in the Lord. He has put gladness in my heart so that it will be easy for me to lie down and sleep in peace, why? because the Lord makes me to dwell in safety.

It is amazing to serve the Lord - to do things His way and not my own.....to trust in Him and know that He makes me to dwell in safety.

When fear knocks, faith opens.

Thank you, Lord, for providing gladness and peace and a good night's sleep for us. Thank you that just knowing that we trust in You, makes everything in life easier. Help us to live for You 24/7 - just the way You want us to. Our lives are in Your mighty hands. In Jesus name we ask. Amen (it is done)

Have a blessed day!

Charlotte