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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Day 985 of Giving Thanks

The alarm went off - snooze. The alarm went off - snooze. "Seriously, you have to get up..." dropped off to sleep again... The alarm went off - snooze. The alarm went off - snooze. Crying out, help me LORD. I felt like Trinity in the movie The Matrix when she had to make a run for it, knowing that it was going to take all of her strength and speed to move out of danger... she kept saying, "Move Trinity, move".

I hear that often, and for me it's so appropriate, for I know my "Trinity" will continue to move in me, for me and give me strength and courage to face another day.

The alarm went off - snooze. The alarm went off - snooze, but I then immediately turned it off and got up.

Our flesh lives in enemy territory, but our will, our hearts, our thoughts and our eternity belong to our Creator, because of our Savior, BECAUSE HE LOVES US SO MUCH.

I am up and moving and grateful for a new day.

Albert Einstein said, "You can never solve a problem with the same kind of thinking that created the problem in the first place”.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." ~Corinthians 10:5 (New International Version)

His instructions says,, "BE"... in "Be strong and courageous... Not "Wait".... we are to be strong in Him. We are strongest in our weakness... this morning, that old 'feeling' of weakness in the flesh arose - I cried out LORD, "I need You! O' how I need You". And that was it... I dive into His Word, listen to His Words through worship and praise music and get still.

KNOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS, HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT HERE. Whether we 'feel' Him or not, when we submit, trust and abide, we recognize Him, realize His presence. I so desire that time when it will be a natural part of me... but I relish every opportunity to grow more toward Him and relinquish this flesh.

Thank You LORD for all the healing I have received and that, "By Your stripes", is enough... that although this life is filled with all kinds of pain and heartache, I know I can always get through what comes my way. Because of You Jesus, my life is whole, I am complete and this is just the beginning... so much to take in, look forward to and hold on to. Thank You for bringing me home so often on this narrow path and reminding me that it's You - in You, abiding in You, because of You - I have so much.

"By Your stripes", is definitely enough!

Let's try it this way...

The enemy is telling you, "Be afraid"... God is saying, "Don't be afraid"... who do you want to listen to?

The enemy is telling you, "God is not here for you"... God is saying, "I will never leave or forsake you"... who do you want to listen to?

Who do you believe?

Satan is the master of lies. The king of deception... it's time to start changing who you listen to.

Help me Father to be wholly seeking You... through the exhaustion and rumbling of circumstances.



©2013 Giving Thanks Daily, Shawn Boreta

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Day 983 of Giving Thanks


Thought has been a big focus for me for so many years. How we think, impacts how we 'act'. How do I impact other's lives when I am positive and encouraging, compared to when I am needy and complaining. I believe there is no comparison. It is us to us to decide how we impact those around us. It's up to us how we interact, encourage and edify our faith.

Let me be impactful by living out my faith Father; help me to grow in holding every thought captive in Your light and according to Your desires.

Keep talking God... I have ears and heart way open tonight.

The enemy will pursue your thoughts to destroy and demolish all that is good and love.

Our Heavenly Father will correct, guide and draw us nearer... in love. Our might God will always be here, protecting us... Preparing us. It's time to step out of fear and press in to hear His voice, know His grace and mercy. He will never leave you.

We reflect God in the way we are made. In some ways, we are "like" God (Genesis 1); let us desire to be more like You LORD. We belong to You. You do not need us, but You can enjoy us... and He can enjoy us as we seek Him, desire Him, emulate Him and glorify Him in all we do.

Let Him help us here… God provides us amazing hope through His Word. Let us stand in hope through faith that we belong to the Creator of the universe, daughter or son of the King. Loved beyond measure, created wonderfully in His image, through love, in love and because of love.



God’s Protection in Times of Crisis
“One who lives in the secret place of the Most High
will lodge in the shadow of Shaddai.
I will say to Yahweh, “You are my refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler,
from the plague of destruction.
With his feathers he will cover you,
and under his wings you can take refuge.
His faithfulness will be a shield and a buckler.
\You need not fear the terror of the night,
or the arrow that flies by day,
or the plague that spreads in the darkness,
or the destruction that devastates at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side,
and ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes,
and see the punishment of the wicked.
 For you, O Yahweh, are my refuge.
You have made the Most High your dwelling place.
No harm will befall you,
and no plague will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you,
to watch over you in all your ways.
In their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on lion and viper;
you will trample young lion and serpent.
Because he loves me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will protect him because he knows my name.
He will call upon me and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
and show him my salvation.” ~ Psalm 91 (Lexham English Bible)

Move us LORD for darkness to light... brokenness to hope. 

© 2013 Giving Thanks Daily


Friday, February 22, 2013

Day 984 of Giving Thanks

Accurate thought, not common sense is what we are called to live out.

We show love and shine truth by sharing the hard facts and accuracy of scripture. Let us not be afraid to stand firm and trust that His Word is sufficient, and the Holy Spirit is at work as we minister to others. Help us LORD to be salt and light... preserving Your Word and sharing Your hope through our actions. Let us remember who we serve in every moment.

Heaven... have you ever thought about what it really is?

Through scripture we can see the heaven that awaits. Let us prepare in whole heart, in right motives and through the truth of the Word. Let us not see Heaven as the world sees it, but as we were created to have it revealed.

“but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory,  which none of the rulers of this age knew. For if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But just as it is written,

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” ~1 Corinthians 2:7-9 (Lexham English Bible)

Don’t miss this, “God has prepared for those who love Him.”

I think of "test everything"... I think about Heaven often; and really praying for wisdom as I go through the scripture to support accurate thoughts about my eternal home – my prayer is you desire the same.

There are two places we can go in death from this life - Heaven or Hell... both are very real and Jesus described them both. We must not diminish this as we minister to others.

The thought and command of "Test Everything!!!" once again comes to mind.

We do not wait 'til death to choose... because we are born set out for hell, but created for Heaven...

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." ~2 Corinthians 12:9-11 (New International Version)

I just want to be in His presence, for in His presence "all this" (the world) fades away, and "all this" (illness, strife and uncertainty) are no more, and "all this" (pain and exhaustion) disappear into nothingness. For in His presence all is gained, nothing is lost. I just want to be in Your presence O' God, wholly in Your strength and mercy to experience Your abundant, extravagant love.

Others will project their view of you on and toward you, don't let their lenses, which are flawed keep you from seeing who and what God intended for you to be. This is the enemy’s ploy to keep your eyes on your circumstances, rather than your destiny of hope. Hope eternal.

When we are working for others, not in our strengths, it is a fight. Lord I pray for those in this situation, just as I am - that a new opportunity will arise and present itself and joy can return. But in the meantime, we are to work in the strength of God if we cannot muster of the strength. And, revel in the hope that God's got this.

Love can do anything...
Who is Love? Love is God.
“We are free on our knees” (not sure where I heard this, but what a great line.

The Excellence of Love
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
“Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also)have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. (New American Standard Bible)


We must see "LOVE" as God sees it.

“but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.” ~Philippians 3:20-21 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Let me end with a quote I heard last night on my way home on the radio, read again this morning, and hear once again on my way to work earlier today. C.S. Lewis said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” 

Appropriate and absolutely confirmed over and over.



©2013 Giving Thanks Daily

Friday, February 15, 2013

Day 982 Giving Thanks

I know You are working God... for as the good days come through and the great experiences are recognized, the enemy, not only lurks, but lunges and pounces often... Help me in these moments that the enemy's voice, antics and attempts to discourage come up. Help me to use all I know about You to PUSH THROUGH, PRESS IN AND BELIEVE YOUR PRESENCE.

God, I need Your BOOM and wisdom now. I am seeking guidance, direction and clarity of the "one" move I feel I need to make. Today, although was a good day, there is that "one area" that is so difficult for me to work through. I am tired of this circumstance and tired in general. I have prayed, pleaded, begged and requested and I am ready... I have been told to ask boldly, while asking often. Let me hear You Father, help me in my weariness and moments that require all of You to be acknowledged deeply in my heart, my thoughts and throughout my actions. Help me LORD to know that this circumstance is temporary, and part of my learning opportunities. Help me mighty and faithful God to exercise even MORE FAITH... more trust... more power and strength in You. Coming to You Father in the name of my precious Savior, amen.

When burdens are heavy... lean on God and give it all to Him.

I know the LORD, yet I still find myself dealing with depression and despair... I have found great exercises that help me get through these moments... I do not allow the enemy to take hold... I do give thanks and praise my heavenly Father often during these times. That is the key to standing in faith - this I wholly believe I need to keep the focus on Him and leaving my emotions behind.

And, in the process, HE DRAWS ME NEARER AND NEARER.

“Hallelujah! Praise God in His holy house of worship, praise Him under the open skies; Praise Him for his acts of power, praise him for His magnificent greatness; Praise with a blast on the trumpet, praise by strumming soft strings; Praise him with castanets and dance, praise Him with banjo and flute; Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum, praise him with fiddles and mandolin. Let every living, breathing creature praise GOD!  Hallelujah!” ~Psalm 150:1 (The Message)

God's refining of us is the greatest gift in this life.

In the midst of God's refining beauty for each of us, it appears ugly and hardened with impurities... but with His tender guidance, correction and unending work in us, we are His masterpiece... today and every day I pray we can all be grateful for the journey.

So you think you 'need' to 'process' your anger, your worry, your complaints about your spouse or children... well let me share what I believe...

When you do this, you INVITE the enemy to that table... he sits as a filter between your mouth and your friend's ears. Not only are you speaking harm to your friend, but you are giving fuel and future material for the enemy to use against you in your own life.

Think about and pray on this... 

Grumble in silence, give it to God... Rejoice aloud and share with others.

I find that so many want to minister to specific groups of people, by pointing out that particular sin. Shine your difference through Jesus, not pointing out why they are sinners, for you too (as are we all) are a sinner, unable to not sin, but thankfully covered by the blood of Jesus. It's when they see we love them, truly love them they see the difference... Let me tell you about one of my 'old' sins that the LORD removed, but let me not name it (because it really doesn't matter if it was a sexual sin, addiction, prostitution, lying, thieving, abusing myself or others, right).

But I will tell you anyway... I had an eating disorder (bulimia, anorexia)... People were harsh... (believers to a then, nonbeliever), "how can you not eat, throw up... don't you know it's wrong... harmful..." The "sin" was not the real issue, the real issue was the pain that caused the sin and NOT KNOWING I WAS LOVED IN AN AMAZING WAY BY MY CREATOR... God used godly people to come along side of me to remind me of who I am, whose I am.

We cannot show love if we are continually 'sharing' statues on how much we "don't hate you because of.... but you have to stop doing it 'cause it's wrong".

Can we get down to shining Jesus in love, relationship and letting God convict the heart of others? Be real.

In the process of "being real", share your story, share your heart, and love them, use what our mighty God has gifted you in to relate, love and trust the Holy Spirit speaking in and through you. My greatest prayer, "God, help me with this"...

“Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” ~1 Timothy 4:14-16 (English Standard Version)





Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Day 981 of Giving Thanks


Today I once again ponder the wonder of my Savior! I am grateful for the days that I need to seek Him more, whether because of my circumstances or my physical pain - for those I are times I hear Him best... He is working in my life in ways I never dreamed possible, and for all of it, I am thankful.



“For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved." ~John 3:16-17 (Complete Jewish Bible)

God has loved you since the beginning of time... and truly wants you to be His... but it is you who has to go to Him; run to Him; believe in Him; know that you cannot do it on your own; trust His plan, which He reveals in time; but and again, to only those who are His....

Believe? or Believe!

That you and I are sinners. We all sin and will sin. That to be in God's presence we must be without sin...

Impossible? or I M possible with Him! 

The sentence for sin is death (death equals separation from God). Jesus lived a sinless life, knowing that we cannot. Jesus gave us the LORD's promises though His life. Jesus was tried, convicted and put to death for my sins, your sins (unjustly). On the cross, moments before He died in the flesh, all my sin, your sin and the world's sin of history was carried by Him - and in that moment, He was separated from God. Torture, even beyond the snap of the whips; beyond the thorny crown; beyond the hatred of the accusers (whom he died for too). And then, as the darkness lifted, it was finished. He finished it for you and me.

Knowing that we could not, He did... Knowing that you may not choose, He did... Knowing that you might turn away, dismiss, disbelieve, He did... Knowing that you would choose Him, He did...

Is it you He "did" this for?

Copyright © Shawn Boreta 2013

Monday, February 11, 2013

Accepted - Chapter 1 - Rear View


A few years ago while sitting in a writing class, I wrote these words, and the LORD put it on my heart to write my own adoption story... my earthly one, as well as my heavenly adoption. And, with this writing exercise, God showed me I was no longer the child I was before. He equipped me in a new way, power through words.

Praise God for what he has done for us Christians!
"Praise be to God for giving us through Christ every possible spiritual benefit as citizens of Heaven! For consider what he has done—before the foundation of the world he chose us to become, in Christ, his holy and blameless children living within his constant care. He planned, in his purpose of love, that we should be adopted as his own children through Jesus Christ—that we might learn to praise that glorious generosity of his which has made us welcome in the everlasting love he bears towards the Son." ~Ephesians 1:5 (J.B. Phillips New Testament)



Chapter 1
Rear View

I barely remember the details, but peripherally there were smells of fabric, that starchy, sizing smell, saw dust tickling my nose, making my eyes water, the steady hum of his sewing machine and the soft voice of my dad saying “baby doll, grab that end, will you?” My Poppy, actually everyone’s Poppy, my dad was the gentlest in voice and spirit. Only once can I remember him raising his voice in anger, and the details are non existent. He was good at the no talk discipline. I, on the other hand, always talked; talked back on occasion. I vividly remember the snatch of my three foot pony tail, as I tried to run from his reach – you know those pre-teen nudges to a parent?

It amazes me how I have spent a life time trying to remember the little things, because it’s the little things that are such a big thing; the words, the expressions, the images – to envision a life passed to a place I know to be heaven, where we will be together – my dad is always with me.

My fondest memories are of spending time with my dad in his workshop, our garage; where he resurrected the dead – chairs, sofas and the discarded furniture of Southern California. Whatever could be picked up on garbage day or from an empty lot; other’s trash, my dad’s glorious treasures and that is how I see all of his life. I was placed in his care, broken, tattered, tiny and alone; dependent in every way. An infant, whose birth parents could not care for, but love enough to make sure she was cared for: no words, no past, no cry; left out of love to be resurrected, reborn and accepted – to be the recipient of an ordinary life.

They had finished their careers as foster parents, until the baby Foster arrived. When I arrived in the arms of Mrs. Barnette, I was to be temporarily placed with this family. The bundle delivered – Shawn Delia Foster – tiny, in a brace for the congenital hip dysplasia, and still in an infant seat at over a year old. As a baby with great needs, there are many things to consider in the care and feeding of. Not even a concern for the woman, Justine Therrien, whose arms I ended up in. She grabbed that challenge and fell in love with her new daughter. Their home was home to many other children who had come through those same doors and eventually went back out. Some stayed for days, others for years and a few for decades.

Copyright © Shawn Boreta 2009

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Day 980 of Giving Thanks


“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” ~Psalm 31:24 (New International Version)

““Hope forward” is how I will live. “Hope forward” is how I will pray. “Hope forward” is how I will expect.” ~Day 493

I can focus on the honesty of my circumstances or the honesty of His amazing promises... I choose the latter. 

Although there is so much room for improvement in my circumstances, holding onto what is true through His work helps me work in resting in His plans to get me out of the desert; for even in the desert, I am in His presence with so much hope.

 I did a study a few years ago and the mantra that came from it, and resides so deeply in my heart is, "Hope Forward"... knowing that hope is in the knowing that no matter what is behind me, my God is always before me.

I trust You Father for where I am and what needs to be accomplished. I trust You that I am on Your path, and although I may falter, run myself off the road and hit enemy potholes, I have You as my navigator and fuel...

It is Your will LORD I seek daily. Your hope I find in all my circumstances and joy through the process. Thank You.

Our job, is to live for Him daily... encourage others in their walk... edify Christ through our actions... love the unlovable... forgive the unforgivable... live the impossible in His strength, while trusting His presence through it all.

I love You LORD, my Creator... Lord Jesus, my Redeemer and so grateful for the all of that and who You are living inside me.

Have you ever noticed that when we are in sin, or doubt, or denial in some form or another, we tend to hide (or want to hide) from our brothers and sisters who only want to help us walk righteously?

 They offer to pray for us... we run.
 They offer to help us... we run.
 They offer to be with us... we run.

 What is that?

That is the enemy prodding us to choose aloneness under the guise of humility to avoid God and Godly people.

When you start to "run"... STOP. REQUEST God's intervening and tender guidance to ask for prayer; to ask for help; to ask for company and comfort through friendship.

You are not alone, and when you push others away, and "feel" alone, know that is the enemy working hard to be your company... you don't need that company, do you?

If you are turning away from Godly advise and wisdom, and dismissing the Word of God to do something "you want to do"... you are turning to sin, and away from God... pray for conviction in this area - it may be sex, addiction, even unforgiveness - know this...

OUR GOD IS GREATER THAN YOUR DESIRES AND YOUR SIN. He loves you and desires a clean heart and a holy walk. He also knows that we will sin, and that is why we have the Holy Spirit, ready, waiting and available to reverse those thoughts to those of God and Godly things.

Let us be wholly Yours in our thoughts and hearts Father, so we can lead holy lives.

FAITH...

It takes our efforts in control, discipline and the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. As believers, His children, we have all of the Holy Spirit the moment we accept Him as our Savior... and it takes prayer, relationship, petition, submission, belief, trust, conviction faith and more faith to recognize the amazing and true power already within us. Thankfully, He is faithful... and will grow the smallest of our faith to be the giant faith of our God in us.

Wonderful news and should be the daily assurance that brings us closer as He draws us nearer.

“May I continue to have a beautiful perspective and everyday as I step into the world, storm or not, I am expectant of “hope forward”.” ~Day 493 (click to read)

I originally had Hope Forward revealed on Day 493… often, it is Hoping Forward. 


© 2013 Shawn Boreta, Giving Thanks Daily


A Thought to Ponder by Vicki Maskell


A Thought to Ponder
by Vicki Maskell



When I'm feeling low... I just have to reflect on what my life was before the Lord gave me the Greatest Gift in my life. He died so I mite live.....

So to honor him, to show how thankful I am for saving even me, for never leaving me alone, for carrying me when I felt I couldn't bear another moment, for not allowing me to end my life when I was in such a dark place, for showing me even I have a purpose here, for allowing me to mother two amazing children... that were worth every single heartache... and the overwhelming oy they added to my life.

For using me to reach out to lost that most would pass to share how Great Our God is, that there's a better way, there's hope, endless love, forgiveness, healing, peace, joy and He'll never leave or forsake you ever!

So as a new chapter of my life has started... I'll try to be patient knowing He'll never leave me .. or allow anything I can't walk though... and if needed... He will carry me! That's where just the tiniest fleck of faith is all that's needed.  Thank You Father for loving even me.


Vicki is a wife, mother, a beautiful child of God and one of our edifiers for Ps139 group

Monday, February 4, 2013

Day 979 of Giving Thanks

 My heart strains to wrap around all that needs to be done, yet knows, His will be done. Pray expectantly for the things you know God has promised, are words I hear often in the recesses of my thoughts.

Oh how I hunger and thirst to be in Your presence... How I love to be in the moments that this world disappears from my senses, my heart and my peripheral... let those times be so much more than seeking them.

Our circumstances are all different, but we can related on many levels with others - don't hide in your circumstance, HIDE in the LORD, carry His promises on your heart and revel in His goodness - Give praise.

 Sometimes in our walk, we need to listen.... and listen some more...

 Let us be good listeners to Your instructions Father. Help us to hear You and others as You guide us to minister in Your strength. Let us be more like You from the inside out.

 Hold on to all the moments of thanksgiving, knowing that God knows your pain and your trials and remember that it is when we come out of the storm we can see all that He has done. By no means do I claim to understand how you feel or even related to what you are going through, but I can pray in expectation to see amazing things as you come out of this storm.

 We must continually forgive those who hurt us, in the moments, not as they pile up and trust that God will continue to heal us from all the things that break our hearts and desire to move forward. Keep the past in its place and His love and promises as your focus. Maybe small changes at a time, but changes, nonetheless. Ladies, keep growing your faith and relationship with our heavenly Father (grow, grow, grow) and leave your husband's faith in God's hands. But we must grow and flourish in the Spirit...

Stand firm, pray diligently and expectantly. Do not let the circumstances of your life rule your heart. Let the Creator of the Universe, the Savior of your eternity and the Lover of your soul direct your days.

 "The Christian can even welcome trouble When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realise that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence. And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him. But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from God, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn.” ~James 1:2-8 (J.B. Phillips New Testament)

I am once again reading through the 1-3 books of John... I keep getting "His Light"... "in the light", "His light".... and His light shining through us. My prayer is that you will be encouraged... We can use any translation or version, I find that I bounce between several of them.

 NASB, ESV, AMP and NIV are the staples for me, however I know many prefer others... If you have a preference, that's great, if not, know the LORD will help you, guide you and prepare you with His Word no matter the format. When studying, I believe it's best to use a literal translation, and refer to the others like Lexam and Phillips also as more of those types.

 "We are writing to you about something which has always existed yet which we ourselves actually saw and heard: something which we had an opportunity to observe closely and even to hold in our hands, and yet, as we know now, was something of the very Word of life himself! For it was life which appeared before us: we saw it, we are eye-witnesses of it, and are now writing to you about it. It was the very life of all ages, the life that has always existed with the Father, which actually became visible in person to us mortal men. We repeat, we really saw and heard what we are now writing to you about. We want you to be with us in this—in this fellowship with the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son. We must write and tell you about it, because the more that fellowship extends the greater the joy it brings to us who are already in it."

 Experience of living “in the light”
"Here, then, is the message which we heard from him, and now proclaim to you: GOD IS LIGHT and no shadow of darkness can exist in him. Consequently, if we were to say that we enjoyed fellowship with him and still went on living in darkness, we should be both telling and living a lie. But if we really are living in the same light in which he eternally exists, then we have true fellowship with each other, and the blood which his Son shed for us keeps us clean from all sin. If we refuse to admit that we are sinners, then we live in a world of illusion and truth becomes a stranger to us. But if we freely admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable and straightforward—he forgives our sins and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil. For if we take up the attitude “we have not sinned”, we flatly deny God’s diagnosis of our condition and cut ourselves off from what he has to say to us." ~1 John 1-10 (J.B. Phillips New Testament)

 
 "I will fulfill my promises to you, God. I will present thanksgiving offerings to you because you have saved my life from death, saved my feet from stumbling so that I can walk before God in the light of life." ~Psalm 56:12-13 (Common English Bible)

 "Your words are a doorway that lets in light, giving understanding to the thoughtless." ~Psalm 119:130 (Complete Jewish Bible)

 For it is in the light we overcome darkness and when we know this, we can begin to understand the power and strength of the Holy Spirit that indwells in us.

A normal routine, although that is so not my personality, is really what I need. As I begin this week, I am working on several changes to my days. And, listening to my heavenly Father is a must... Sometimes in our walk, we need to listen.... and listen some more... Stand firm, pray diligently and expectantly. That is what I will do.

© 2013 Shawn Boreta, Giving Thanks Daily

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Broken and open by Shawn Boreta

While sitting in some teaching this morning and in some of the silent times the following words flowed through...

Don't fake it.
He knows it.
Desire it.
He desires it for you.
Don't indulge in distractions.
For He is the main attraction.
What is the place of, ahead of God, away from God?
Do hope and pray for the desire of knowing all He desires for you.
Broken and open.
Saved and free.
Me alone.
God all around, all about me.
My heart devour.
What He desires.
Empty me of me.
Fill me of You.
Give me more.

For more, always, more, He is always enough, but I will never know enough.
Me for You.
In Him alone.
Let Him take it all.
Let me hold nothing and release all.
Remember His goodness., but hold new times of passion.
Dig deeply in His well.
Pursue after my heart's desire.
My heart's desire be Yours.
Let me thirst to hold all of You LORD!
Hear Him in all the leading.
LORD, fully occupy me.
Let You soak through deeply, wholly; completely.
Unearth all Your treasures in you.
When we thank God in all things, we can do all things.


© 2013 Shawn Boreta, Giving Thanks Daily

Shawn Delia Boreta

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