And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter. Daniel 2:21-23

When I began reading this chapter, verse 3 came across in the voice of Martin Luther King with “I have a dream.” I had to laugh at myself. However, my next thought was, stay focused because that has nothing to do with the scripture today. Needless to say, after a few minutes, I began to write and I realized, yeah, it does. There is no doubt that it has to begin with a dream, a vision, a thought, or a revelation; something stirring in your spirit or that concern the Lord has put in your heart that will provoke change. Such is the case for today.

Nebuchadnezzarr, the king, had a dream, one of which he was troubled by; he could not understand its meaning and no one was willing to interpret for him out of fear. The king was so angry that he ordered the wise men to be killed, this included Daniel. If you know the story of Daniel and his life during this captivity, then you know that his faith and foresight in the God he served would prompt him to speak; and speak he did. He asked of the king if he would give him some time and he would show him the interpretation of the dream. Daniel had a stirring in his spirit at that moment because there was an opportunity to save himself and his friends from death by depending on the God of his salvation.

Daniel requested of God that he and his companions not perish with the rest of the wise men because he also knew that God was the only one that could save them from their present dilemma. Daniel had been faithful to God and he knew that he could go to Him and ask anything in prayer. The Lord revealed the vision to him that night and he began to bless the name of the Lord. Daniel reminded God who He was; His power to change the times and the seasons of all things; how He and He alone revealed the deep and the secret things to those with wisdom and understanding. He knew of all things and that which is done in darkness. Daniel began to thank God for giving him wisdom and the strength to seize the opportunity for his life. The chapter ends with the king making Daniel a great man with many gifts. His fellow companions were given positions over the affairs of Babylon. Daniel's season had changed.

We never know what situation will befall us and we'll have the need for the wisdom, understanding, and the strength to seize the opportunity to bring about a change in our life. The Lord revealed a dream to Daniel in this passage; a dream I might add, that was not even his, yet because of that dream, it changed his life, elevated him to a new plateau. When we realize that God is in control of all changes, how they occur and when they occur, we will be better prepared for them when they do occur; we will be thankful and begin to give God praise. God’s timing is always perfect, it may not happen as soon as you think and it may happen when you least expect it. Isaiah tells us that God’s thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways (Is 55). We have to know by His spirit and His divine direction, how and when to move and operate in His power. The Lord leads, guides, directs, and speaks in a dream, in a Word, or in your heart because you are the vessel that He has chosen for a time such as these. Strategically placed, positioned, and appointed; as well as determined by God to do a great work. Will there be opposition? Yes! Will there be persecution? Yes! Will God be there for you when you call? Yes again! The Lord is looking for a few good Daniels to handle the King’s business. Like this story, God can remove or move people, or obstacles and set you up to give you the desires of your heart and make them come to fruition ... definitely a season of change coming!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Psalm 143:8

Some days, if we are honest, simply overwhelm us. I would be the first to tell you that I am perhaps the strongest person I know, and even though I live and breathe the Word of God daily, some days are just harder than others. Especially, when we deal with being wronged, mistreated, offended, hurt, insulted, or deliberately humiliated, and that’s just to name a few. If I wanted to go deeper, I could say that some days we deal with being alone, empty, without hope, joyless, despondent, and yes, even depressed, and again I say, if we were honest with ourselves.

This is where David was in this passage; he was asking the Lord to hear his prayer. He tells the Lord in all of your faithfulness and righteousness; please listen to my earnest plea because the enemy has persecuted my soul and I am overwhelmed and in a dark place. Even though I remember how wonderfully and thoughtfully you have been to me in the past; I stretch out my hands and cry, “Lord please, hear me because I need you now. Help me to hear from you by the morning through your loving kindness; assure me through your grace and your tender mercies that, which I have asked, you have already taken care of. I trust that you will show me the way that I should go. Lord, as I lift up my soul to you, I am listening.

Does this sound familiar? Can anyone relate today? Has anyone cried out and asked the Lord to hear and answer without delay because you needed a right now answer? Because you were in a place of despair? Because you’ve been without strength, tired and the challenges have been great? Your cry, Oh Lord, comfort me through the midnight hours so that I experience your joy in the morning, and all that I’ve asked will have worked itself out and I am listening for your guidance. Then you began to remember and meditate on the power of God; how he has heard and delivered you from the distress of life so many times before.

Sometimes, the Lord might send a person with a word of encouragement, or you might read something that triggers a direction in your heart and you began to rejoice because you know that God is never short on His promises. He is faithful to us and He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. That is why it is important to have God’s Word hidden in our heart, so we know where to go to draw strength, encouragement and help to get us through those moments. Our trust and our confidence lie solely in God and we know that He will direct our paths, as well as give us the answers we need, so look towards heaven and say, Lord, I am listening.

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
II Chronicles 20:17, 20-21

What a wonderful word of encouragement this morning and it definitely spoke to my heart and encouraged me. Jehoshaphat finds himself up against a battle in this passage and because he had been given word that it was a great army that he was about to encounter, Jehoshaphat was fearful. So much so, that he positioned himself to see the Lord and then proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. I love how the people of God in those days were up against anything, their mindset went towards fasting. Definitely a lesson for us today because Jesus said, "some things only come through prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29). Then Jehoshaphat stood before the people and began to speak and remind God who He was and how powerful He was; he also reminded him of the promises He made to Israel. God comes back with verse 17, and tells him, "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle, just position yourselves, wait and watch!" Talk about an ever present help in the time of trouble … this was it!

God is the same yesterday, tomorrow and forever. He made the same promises to us, His people. I know that we are all going through individual trials and tribulations of various degrees, some are mild, some are hot, some are even fiery hot; and some, if not all, we are extremely fearful of because they are great in magnitude and bigger than we think we are capable of handling. Like Jehoshaphat, we are going to have to take our position, fast, pray and remind God of His Word, His promises concerning us. Then we can stand still and watch God move on our behalf. We can go up against whatever situation and know that He will be with us. Clearly, if He can be in the midst of every situation, we can certainly be assured that He is capable of fighting our battles.

The Lord tells us in this passage that we don’t need to fight this battle ... to take our position and stand still. Having the faith to wait to see how the Lord will keep us from being overtaken by hurt, harm, danger, destruction, or failure. Don’t doubt, don’t be fearful, and don’t be discouraged, just go in the favor and the strength of God. Most times our biggest fears don’t ever come to fruition. Truly, if we would just believe that the God of our salvation is with us always and through all things, whether large or small, we would be confident that He is always with us, just like He was with the Jehoshaphat.

Let’s take our position today and watch how God works it out for us!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Daniel 10:11-12

This is one of the most exhilarating passages that you will read in the scriptures to say the least. Today, it comes right after a breathtaking weekend for me whereas this chapter really tells the story. I was flabbergasted once again at God’s perfect timing in His wording to me. My experience was over- whelming in that I asked God to confirm some things for me and He answered above and beyond all that I could have thought or imagined. He said unto me, Cynde, a woman greatly beloved, understand the words that I am about to speak; thy words were heard and He spoke. I bless God because He came for my words!

In summation of this passage, Daniel, after fasting and mourning sees an angel of the Lord. He finds himself on his face after hearing his voice and goes into a deep sleep. While on his face, the angel touches him and it caused him to set up on his hands and knees. The angel tells him to "stand up because I need your full attention so that you might understand what I am about to say. You don't even have any idea as to what it took for me to get to you; I was in a struggle just to get here ... so listen up (Now … that alone will preach!)." Daniel stood up trembling and yet listened as the angel said “Fear not”, and let him know that from the first day that your positioned your heart to understand and you decided to be obedient and discipline yourself before God, He heard you and I have come because of your words!

Sometimes in the midst of our fears in our darkest hour, when we have been praying and fasting, the Lord will send a ministering angel with a word that starts off with “I am NOW sent”, to let you know that I have heard your words, I have heard your requests, I have heard your prayers. I love how God loves us, He is so mindful and thoughtful of us and He takes the time to let us know in so many ways. God sent a messenger to get the very words that I had spoken, the very words that I had prayed, the very words that I had in my heart. I don’t know about you, but every time He does that for me, I am awe-inspired and it strengthens me so that I can go on and do greater works.

Even when we think that God has not heard our cries, He has heard (Isaiah 65:24). We have no clue, just like this angel, what is happening in the heavenlies to hold up our blessings. Whatever it is, whatever you are praying for, whatever you are believing God for, trust me it is still going to get to you… I am reminded of the saying “delayed but not denied.”

What an encouraging word for today... just keep standing. He will come from your words!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, which hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. Joel 2:21-27

This definitely has to be one of most encouraging stories of restoration in the Bible. If you read the book of Joel, you know that God was angry at Israel and had sent plagues that destroyed the land. Because of God’s grace, mercy and love for His people, He tells Joel to tell the people to fast, repent and mourn of their past evils. He tells them He wants them to rend their heart and not their clothes and turn back to Him. Consequently, God acknowledges their sincere repentance and Joel begins to prophesy to them about the restoration that will come, both presently and in the future. He offers them hope and the assurance for all that had been taken from them over the years. Simply, Israel would be restored to even a greater state than they had been previously. This is also one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, well that I’ve heard, in regard to the Lord restoring what the cankerworm has eaten. If you know anything about the locust or the cankerworm, you know that they will eat and devour all crops, trees, vegetation, everything!

Before the beginning of the year, overflow and completion has been in my spirit, so I got excited when I read this chapter and these verses. I took the liberty of highlighting some key phrases that spoke in volumes. Fear not, be glad and rejoice for the Lord has rained moderately or slightly in the past but He is about to cause a torrential (falling fast and in great abundance) rain. Then He tells them that your substance shall be filled to capacity and truly your cup will runneth over… Joel’s word… OVERFLOW! God is going to give back over and above what you've had. Think of how you will be able to bless others! This reminded me of the words of Malachi... "prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." To add to the prophesy, he said that He will not only restore but re-establish you for all the years that the enemy has stolen, just like the locust and the cankerworm, he also seeks to steal, kill, and destroy as well as devour us. That alone is enough to praise God for and how he chooses to deal with so wondrously because of His love, that mercy and grace. We will know without a shadow of a doubt that it could only have been God that has done this and none other. Meditate on this for awhile and then I'd say get ready, rejoice, it's coming… take caution because there's a down pouring ahead!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God. II Chronicles 5:13-14

On this week, while driving to work, the Lord put a song down in my soul and I just lifted my voice and began singing. There was such a spirit of worship as the music from my lips ministered to my soul. I begin to weep, sing and tell the Lord thank you for your presence, thank you for your loving-kindness, thank you for being so mindful of me. I sang this repeatedly until the glory of the Lord came in and literally filled my truck. Did I mention I was on the freeway? Nonetheless the Lord allowed me to experience His presence as He took possession of my temple, without being a threat to anyone on the road. His glory sustained me even though after the moment, I thought, "my God, I should have pulled off the road!" Well, I was being selfish because I wanted to stay in that place.

In this chapter, David had finished all the work on the house of the Lord. He had brought in all the treasures from his father to beautify it; he assembled the elders, the chiefs, the singers and musicians, as well as the Ark of the Covenant. They were all gathered in the house of the Lord so that there could be a great celebration of completion. All the musicians began to make music and they were on one accord, so that there was one sound of praise as they thanked Him with their instruments and with their voices... making some soul music! They began telling Him how good He was and how His mercy endures forever until the Lord filled the house with His presence that even the ministers could not minister for God’s glory had filled the house to say that He was well pleased and dwelled among them. Now that is what I call having some church!

In my experience this week, the Lord's presence assured me that He accepted my praise; He accepted my worship as an acknowledgement that He was here with me and that He has established His name and that name shall reign forever! How could we not praise Him with that being said; God loves to inhabit our praises and He wants to dwell there. Unlike the days of David where the people experienced this in the physical building that day, the Lord comes directly to our temple. How? Our bodies have been set aside to be the temple, so that He can dwell there (I Cor 6:19-20). We don’t have to spend time adorning this temple outwardly to impress God because it’s what’s on the inside of that temple that concerns God. When we began to make music from our soul; lifting our voices with a song of praise, worshipping and thanking God because of who He is and how good He is, praising Him because of his mercy and grace towards us, then we will begin to see the Lord's presence in this way. The Lord will fill His house and by reason of His presence, we will see the glory! I encourage you to begin to make some music from your soul today and experience the glory!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! Psalm 139:14-17

Sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it? Only God could speak this phrase and it be used to describe how omnipotent and all knowing He is. I am in awe at how He gives a word that is so simple, yet so powerful. Perfectly meaning–exactly the way He desired but unperfect because it is not quite complete. This passage shows us a small portion of His infinite wisdom, creativity and authority not only in the earth but in all things. It is so beyond our measure of thought and beyond all that we could possibly fathom. David pens this beautiful psalm and gives us yet another glimpse of God’s magnificence.

I love how David formulates his words; they are poetic, as well as melodic to my ears. It is amazingly detailed to let us know that we were fearfully (in this instance, respectfully), wonderfully and pleasingly made with so much admiration; also that the Lord envisioned, deliberately planned, considered, purposed, and then created us to be for His glory. He saw us as substance as we were being made; clearly before we developed, before we were remarkably shaped and before we had taken on any form, or identity; before we could even be seen or identified by the doctor, we were already known and seen by God, written and recorded before our time was. He knew how our lives were to be for our future in Him. He already knew who we would be and had determined the manner of our lives. He already saw us as us even before there was a form of us … now that’s powerful!

If God had thoughts of us even before we were formed, when we were not yet of a tangible physical matter; when we were but substance; how much more valuable are His thoughts of us now, the ones who love and obey His Word. The scripture tells us that we should be confident of this very thing, that He which begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. By His word we are made perfect but He is not done molding and modeling us into what He would have us to be, so we are not quite complete. He is still working on us for our purpose in Him because we are His treasured and peculiar people (I Peter 2:9-10), we must continue to walk in Him as He leads and guides us throughout this journey. Please know that God works all things for our good, no matter what… our valleys, our storms, our trials, tribulations, situations or our circumstances come to shape us into that perfect creation that He intended for us to be, in spite of what it looks like; in spite of anything you may be facing, God has taken it all into consideration because He knows the thoughts He has for you (Jer 29:11) and they are great and innumerable. His plans are perfect and they have been since before we were even substance and yet still unperfect!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17

On last year, I heard quite a few words of slang that are popular among the younger generation. One in particular my daughter uses is the phrase “the truth”, which translates into there’s “no denying it”; how good or genuine something or someone is; for example, “Nana's greens are the truth." Now this is one that she would definitely use with much fervor, meaning her Grandmother’s greens are like “it, the best, good, or the bomb (for the older generation).” I love this phrase and would have to be of the same opinion as it correlates to this verse of scripture for today.

Here we find Jesus having dialogue with the Father during the final hours before his plight to the cross. You can feel the love, the compassion, and the concern in the words He speaks throughout this chapter. Unselfishly, Jesus is asking God to keep those that you have given to Me, preserve and protect them that they may be one as We are. He said, I come to you now because I have revealed to them who You are and they have seen Your glory. They know, understand, have obeyed and kept your word. They believe, that You have sent me, however, after I leave, they will still be in this world; so Father, please guard them, because I desire that not one will perish or be lost. Also Father, so that my joy may be full and perfect in them, fill their hearts and make them complete; keep them and protect them from the enemy; set them apart for your glory; I have given them your Word and Your Word is truth. Bless them with the truth, this reality, this certainty in You, since this truth will allow them live a holy and sanctified life in this present world. What a beautiful conversation Jesus had with His Father on our behalf. What a demonstration of love and devotion he shows in this passage.

Jesus desires that based on this revealed truth, that it can and will convert us to be just like Him, Christ like. This truth without doubt, allows us to validate the true and living God. We are then able to share with others, and speak this truth. It permits us to go into the world and spread the word because we can bear witness and testify of this truth because we have a relationship with the living God. Just like Nana’s greens are a revealed truth, because they have been personally tasted and we can testify to their goodness, the same as it is with God's word, it’s been revealed to us, we have personally tasted and we can testify of its goodness. We could definitely say that God’s Word is the truth or better translated, Jesus is the truth!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

Have you heard the old saying, “follow your heart?”; now normally it applies to the occasion when someone has to make a decision in regards to the love of another. In some cases, this following of the heart leads to detriment, hurt soon follows and rampant negative thoughts start to set in. The heart is fragile, both naturally and spiritually speaking, and gets easily hurt or wounded, even in our attempt to guard or protect it.

Today we are talking about following your heart for the Lord and keeping it with all diligence, which means to work hard, be persistent in your efforts to attend to the care of your heart. With all watchfulness, we want to shield it from the thoughts, concerns, problems, and cares that life can bring, and not letting our emotions cause it to become clogged, blocked, or stopped up with impurities.

Staying in the Word of God and unceasing prayer helps to keep a constant watch over our hearts, mind and mouth; frees us from the evils which can proceed from them (Matt 15:18-19). That is why it is essential to our wellbeing that the heart stays pure and we must strive at all costs to keep it holy.

Let’s be encouraged to be diligent in keeping our hearts as we walk this journey; the scripture tells us, "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Eph 2:4-10

I love this passage and while reading, I thought of the story about the dry bones (Ezek 37:1-6) and how those bones were not only dry but dead and dry. Naturally, there was no way those bones could live… (Imagine a hot desert or Death Valley with a bones lying around everywhere) Oh but God! He breathed and they quickly assembled themselves and they did live again! Such as it is with us; immersed in His rich mercy, embraced and wrapped with His love, He took my dead life, breathed, and made me alive and new; encouraged me in the process of coming together and being one with Him, so that I could share the richness of being in Him and not boasting, but knowing that all things are done by and through Him.

Certainly, by no goodness of my own, He has allowed me to sit in heavenly places in Him. He had established a quality of life for me even before I knew me (Jer 29:11). Most of the time, we live beneath our priviledges because we don't allow God to lead us into our purpose or our destiny. We are His masterpieces of creative artistry, his workmanship created, formed, shaped, and molded for good works unto Him. He ordained us even before from the womb just for Him, in order to partake of His overflowing riches and blessings. We were designed and crafted to share of His goodness, His majestic love, His unfailing mercy; to offer this free gift and encourage others to come and grab hold of life eternal made available only through Christ Jesus.

It is exciting to meditate and ponder on how we were creatively and artistically fashioned; we can rejoice in knowing that we are experiencing the showers of His grace, His kindness in abundance, and His intentional and unconditional love... His workmanship for a time such as these!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12

I had to laugh this morning when the thought came to mind regarding to how I sleep, now trust me it has been cold, but this is my normal mode of operandi; sleeping completely covered, from head to toe; in my own little cocoon, where it is warm and fuzzy (don’t laugh). Although my blankets are a wonderful thing and it makes me happy to be all wrapped up under them, it cannot compare, compete or offer protection as the covering of the Lord provides from head to toe.

This scripture tells us that we can rejoice and celebrate in the midst of danger or trouble, since we put our trust in the Lord because He fights for us. He tells us that we don’t have need to fight in this battle, just set yourselves and stand still… (2 Chr 20:17). We can shout with joyfulness because the joy of the Lord is our strength. He keeps, guides and covers us throughout our trials, our tribulations, and our storms of life. We couldn’t count the many reasons there are to be happy, however, we can simply be happy just at the name of Jesus! His name alone gives us reason to be joyous.

He blesses us with a covering like none other; shielding, defending, caring, and protecting us with His love. His blessings are not based on anything we have done but simply that we have obeyed His call to be righteous. His acts of kindness towards us are given out of His good pleasure … it is unmerited, undeserved, unwarranted, and unearned; simply put, its favor! It’s given freely to those who love and adore Him and take delight in doing His will.

Today, I can get that same warmth, comfort and fuzzy feeling knowing that I am covered with God’s favor.. I’ll take that over a blanket any day!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah!
Psalm 68:7-9, 19

When I began to read, I had need of writing this passage in the words that I was hearing in my spirit, it started by saying “Lord! when You march through my wilderness before me, You lead me and protect me from dangers seen and unseen, You provide the light by night and a shade by day; You make sure that I am fed as You send down food from heaven to nourish me; You move mountainous circumstances; cause situations to tremble; You send rain in abundance to shower and refresh my weary soul as You march me out of my wilderness experiences. You remind me, when I’m weary and worn during my journey that I am Yours and that You are my source for life; You supply all of my needs and that you never burden me with more than I can bear. This is not just occasionally, but each day you are making provisions on my behalf. You continually remind me that You are there for me and most importantly, You have made me a partaker of Your inheritance (Col 1:12)!

This psalm confirms His love and concern for us. It is filled with the moving presence of God and we are (well I am) constantly in awe at the presence of God and how His presence can change any condition. Change has to occur when His presence begins to move in our circumstance or our situation. He is God, and "is there anything too hard for Him?" If the heavens drop down food and rain at His presence; if Mount Sinai was shaking and moved by His presence, if the earth shook uncontrollably at His presence ... how much more should we, His creation, the ones He gives to daily with His many benefits, the ones that even the angels question as to why He is so mindful of, be willing to get into His presence, worship Him and watch Him move? As we begin this week, Let’s get in that place where we believe God will be a moving presence in our lives and where we will begin to take comfort in the fact that He is the God of our salvation! Selah!

Until the morning, be blessed!

Cynde

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
Psalm 9:1-2, 10-11

In 1986, a popular song entitled, “what have you done for me lately” was born. It's amazing how that phrase had such an impact and not to mention that I still hear it occasionally being used today. I can imagine David asking the people while penning this psalm, “What has He done for you lately?” Then proceed to tell them how he will praise Him with his whole heart and tell of his marvelous acts; how glad he was to rejoice in the Lord, the One who he puts his trust in. He tells them those who know God through His power and the majesty of His name will put their hope in Him because of His faithfulness. David said he will sing His praises and tell them just what He had done for him lately. He was happy to declare it among the people, sharing all of God's doings.

David had many things that he declared among the people, it reads throughout the book of Psalms, how God delivered him, forgave him, rescued, freed, supplied, provided and kept him safe time and time again. David declared all His wondrous doings while he confessed the good and the bad he'd done; his faults and lack of integrity at times, how he continued to give God praise even during his downfalls and his pit falls, and through his gallant deeds and his undesirable circumstances. He let it be known that God had been faithful through it all.

Nothing has changed in that respect; God is still faithful to us. I'm sure that there are a list of things that you could declare, many things that you could sing praises to His name for. I could name a few favorites: “He woke me up this morning,” "I'm still in my right mind," or "I have the activities of my limbs," Sound familiar? ... and those are just some basics. I’m sure that you could add to the list today; a list of all the marvelous works that He has done for you. Works that require great praise; works to sing about and works that we can rejoice in! If we seek Him and put our trust in Him, we are guaranteed that He will never leave or forsake us. That alone is comforting and worth sharing. Why wouldn’t we go tell the world, so that they can know of His goodness and His mercy? Let's go and declare it among the people today!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde

O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvelous things: Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
Psalm 98:1a,4-6

I give thanks unto the Lord this morning for He alone is worthy of my praise! Waking up with melodies or songs of joy in my heart is a wonderful way to start the day! It is impossible to have anticipated the things that transpired yesterday; however, it surely classifies itself as a “for He hath done marvelous things” moment.

As the day progressed, I received a wonderful testament from a Morning Lover, which caused me to reread what had been written, and her words brought me great joy. While reading, I noticed within the text a simple phrase that I don’t remember typing but it certainly caught my attention. This subject matter and scripture for today had been determined and sent home, so imagine my happyness when I realized that it confirmed what was already in my heart to write. Now this happyness is not to be compared with the joy that would come later in the day when I received a verbal “tangible” word in answer to a long standing prayer. This was yet another “make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise for the Lord has done marvelous things” moment.

I love how David expresses his joy and praise for the things that God has done for him and this is what God wants to convey to us, that it is Him and to Him alone that we make a joyful noise. There is a Hebrew word, patsach which means to break into pieces, to break forth, as a shout of triumph or joy, as if the joy could be no longer confined or repressed… yes, that is exactly how I’m feeling! I’m talking about making a loud noise because I can no longer contain myself; a “I’m about to break out and run, jump and leap kind of noise!” The Lord never ceases to amaze and astound me with His mighty acts! His wonders excite me sometimes beyond words, which is honestly hard to believe since I always have something to say.

Think on this for a moment, you are standing on top of the mountain and shouting, “thank you Lord”, because you are ecstatic at all the amazing things that He is doing in your life, prayers are being answered: family members are getting saved, finances have increased, that promotion is now yours, healed in your body, and you are hearing the sound of your words as they continue repetitively. Are you hearing them? That is how our joy will resound … with a long lasting, far reaching, and continuing effect. I've got joy, joy, joy echoing in head and in my heart! I don’t know about you but for me, I am singing praises to God for all of the marvelous things He has done, is doing and about to do!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
Psalm 57:5-11

David spends time in this psalm giving God praise for delivering him out of the hand of the enemy. He lets God know that He trusts Him and that he's comforted by the fact that above all else He is his only source for deliverance, support and certainly his contentment. He tells God that in spite of the fact that they are trying to hinder me, deter me, and press down my soul, as well as lie in wait to cause me to fall, I can always depend on you. We have all heard the familiar phrase “misery loves company.” Well tell misery to love on somebody else because you are not keeping company with him. Even during times of trouble, we know who we esteem above all else. We know who to call in our times of need; and we know that God reigns. He is to be glorified. The Lord is high above the heavens… you know the song!

We are confident that God will keep us safe and deliver us from all evil. My soul trusts in You Lord: yes, You are my very present help in the time of need; you send forth Your mercy and your grace; even favor follows, therefore I will wait. While I am yet waiting, my heart is fixed and settled; it is determined and unaffected; it is firm and sure, and it will not be moved. It won’t waiver or lean to its own understanding. As I wait, I will sing melodies of joy and rejoice because my heart knows that my confidence is positioned in Him and for this I will give Him praise!

I will wake and arise early in order to share your glory among the people… this comes by early morning worship to God in prayer, meditation in the Word and in praise. I want others to see the glory of God through me and to know His truth, for He alone is worthy of the honor and our praise. Today, I can truly say that my heart is fixed and my mind is made up!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Is 43:18-19

Every year, from coast to coast we hear the familiar wording across the pulpits that say “the Lord is going to do a new thing!” Every year we get excited and raring to go in anticipation of what the Lord is about to do in our lives, our families, our churches, and our ministries. Now, I’m not saying that He hasn’t done some wonderful and miraculous new things in previous years, because He has for all of us; but this will be a year of transformation, of change, both naturally and spiritually. The way we think and reason; the way we operate and work; and the way we react and respond to the call of God. He is going to bring about an inward change that will set a foundation for total commitment, dedication and devotion to His will and His purpose. There will not and cannot be “business as usual” from this point forward; thus bringing about an outward and tangible change.

In this passage, Isaiah tells Israel that they don’t need to remember the past or the former things that God has done because it cannot be compared to what He was about to do. That it would far surpass anything they had seen Him do on their behalf (He had done quite a bit for them both naturally and spiritually; they really had no clue as to what He was actually speaking of in the prophetic); however, it would spring forth and they would know. It would be some things that only God could have done with no uncertainty or doubt.

If God promised Israel, we can stand on that same promise still holding true for us today (Gal 3:26-29). He is telling us that there is change ahead. Neither remember or give thought to anything from your former situations, circumstances, trials, or tribulations; not even the outcome or the past deliverances. Although they may have been miraculous and glorious in your sight and in the eyes of others, those things will not be worthy of your remembrance and consideration in comparison to what I’m about to do. There are some new things about to take place; NOW, meaning at once, without hesitation, which shall spring forth in such a way that just like Israel, you will know that it is God. He even assures us that He is going to make a way while we are yet in our wilderness and as we make our way through our deserts, there will be a flowing stream of living water to preserve us.

This is what I love about the Lord; He is not slack concerning his promises and we can always take Him at His word. He is committed to our welfare and has already made provisions for us up ahead. There are some things that are happening in the spirit realm that the Lord needs to get His people ready for. We in turn have to be committed to His purpose, dedicated to His call and devoted to His will. The time is now for us to get ready and be prepared because there is change ahead!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde

Your words have held firm him who was falling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon you, and you faint and are grieved; it touches you, and you are troubled and dismayed. Is not your reverent fear of God your confidence and the integrity and uprightness of your ways, your hope? Job 4:4-6 Amplified

During my early walk with the Lord, I seriously thought that my name was Job. I felt as if the Lord had given the go ahead and said, “try my servant Cynde”, when a succession of occurrences began to happen in my life. First, I lost my job, then my car and consequently, my place of residence. Throughout that time, I was scared, confused, and alittle anxious; I cried out repeatedly and even felt that I had somehow failed God. The hardest thing to come to terms with was the fact that I had a young daughter who depended on her mother. I could not explain to her in any certain terms, what was happening. However, I had enough faith to let her know that God would bring us out of this, though I had no clue as to how or when. Yet, I never cursed or blamed God, never lost hope; I couldn’t see it and certainly couldn’t feel it but isn’t that what faith is? Through it all, I never stopped giving God praise and always danced in victory in spite of my circumstance.

The scripture today is one in which I can identify, although it's Job's story. Since that time in my life, I have been a strong witness to the power of God and His faithfulness to us. I have enjoyed being an encouragement to others; making it known that God can and will sustain you through any situation and it is simply a trial of your faith. At this time, Job was in a place of despair because of all the recent events that had transpired in his life. Prior to this, he was good at giving words of encouragement, comforting and strengthening others, but when this series of events came upon him, it left him “weak and distressed” according to his friends. Job was a devout man of God but it was hard for him to find rationale as to why this was happening; he was disturbed in his spirit to say the least. Where had the hope in God gone? Where was the confidence in the God he said he trusted? Where was his assurance? Where was his faith in his God? The One he said he loved and worshipped?

These questions certainly spoke to me and I often thought to myself, how is it possible to always have words of encouragement, or comfort someone so easily and not heed to the words I speak for myself. Those were the questions from the Lord to me and I could only say, “Lord please forgive me and help me to not fall into that state of mind again.” It’s wonderful to know that the Lord loves and cares for us enough to remind us not only who we are, but whose we are and that we must continue to put our trust and our faith in Him. He would have us not to worry or panic; not to become scared, confused or anxious, but to trust that He will make provisions and make ways that will take us from faith to faith. He lets us know that no matter the trial, He is counting on us and He gives us an assurance today that restores and renews our hope and our confidence in Him.

Until the morning, be blessed!

Cynde

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. Psalm 138

Happy New Year Morning Lovers,

I pray this first day of the year Morning Love inspirational finds you well and blessed.

It is refreshing, as well as rewarding to fulfill a purpose in which God intended. I am grateful for the strength and the new found power that only resting your physical and spiritual man (well woman in this case) can bring. It has allowed me the motivation and the resolve to continue on. As a result, there has been such an excitement in me as I can only describe as expectancy as we approached 2010, especially when I think of the endless possibilities that the New Year brings, not only for me, but for each of us.

According to several “scholars of Biblical numerics”, the number 10 represents “the perfection of Divine Order or completeness of order.” So of course, I asked myself, just what is Divine Order? Would it be safe to assume that it is a system set in place by God that consists in the order of things? Or is it simply the way God orders or arranges things so that they function properly according to His Divine will? Either way, it sounds exciting to me as I relate that process to my life. I take it to heart that the some things in my life are about to come to order, as well as to fruition and that the things that I have been concerned with will come to a state of completion in this New Year. So, would it be safe to say that if everything is in its order (and we know God is certainly a God of order) and if His Divine order never changes because it is perfect and based on His unchangeable nature, we can be assured that He has already made provisions for our lives because He operates in total and complete perfection? Because honestly, the only way anything can work together perfectly and precisely is if He determines how things ought to be, right? Okay, breathe Cynde.

If we look at the word perfection; it is defined in the Encarta as reaching the highest attainable standard, complete and whole, nothing lacking; while completion is defined as a state of being finished, closed, or bringing to an end. With that being said, I believe that God is going to bring us to a complete wholeness, in totality if you will and that nothing will be lacking for us in 2010. This year will bring an overflow; not just in a monetary sense but in all areas of our lives concerning our gifting, our talents, our ministries, and in all areas that God is called us to labor. Therefore, let us strive for perfection in all we do this year and continue to align ourselves with the Word of God; make positive life choices and changes necessary in order to keep healthy and positive mindsets, as well as an optimistic, it’s crucial to our spiritual well being and it helps to keep us in perfect harmony. We'll accomplish so much more if we allow ourselves to walk in that vein.

If we stay prayerful and trust the Lord at His Word, it will definitely be a year of succeeding and accomplishing more than we have previously on every level and in every aspect of our lives. I challenge each of us today; to let the words of the scripture, "the Lord will perfect that which concerns me" resonate in our spirit and make it a daily affirmation. Let's also continue to provide the support and love to one another and be determined to push further; encourage ourselves, as well as others to go, to do, and to be all that God has purposed us to be!

Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde