My Silent Battleground

Dear Lord; Happy Wednesday Father!

Monday morning Father, I woke up to someone standing on my chest…

Or at least it felt that way.

No sleepy eyes calmly tip-toeing into the morning’s experience for me, but instead my heart raced; keeping time with my mind as it rushed frantically into the new week’s trials, struggles and fears…

The unknown had me firmly in it’s grip.

I tried to focus; to redirect my hectic mind and find Your peace, but those demons had caught me unaware as I slept and now were firmly entrenched within me…

So I went about my morning; moving from task to task in a determined effort to derail my inner turmoil, but in the dark recesses of my heart those taunting voices persisted…

Reminding me of my failures…

Seeding doubts about my choices…

Planting worries about those I love…

And introducing fears about the week that lie ahead…

“I’m already there Phil…” You whispered.

The voices calmed, finding diminished audience as Your truth set in, and the pressure in my breast began to ease…

The balance within had shifted… Your peace had won the day.

The assaults however, continue still Lord; timid declarations of dissent from the darkest corners of my mind, waiting once again to catch me off my guard…

Ever assailing me from the shadows… Seeking for an opportunity to regain that precious battleground.

It’s been said Father, that we can be our own worst enemy…

And in my case, I find this true far more often than I care to admit.

So thank You Lord.

Thank You for standing in that gap; aiding me in fighting back those unseen forces that threaten to pull me from Your peace.

For it’s in Your name I pray, and it’s bathed in Your grace I live…

Amen.

~Phather Phil

Your Promise, and My Prayer

““No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:24-33 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

I come to you this morning both to give thanks, and to pray for Your continued guidance as I begin the week ahead;

You know my needs Lord, as You know each hair on my head and every yearning in my heart.  Help me Father; aid me in seeing through the veil of my own perception of need, that I may clearly discern Your direction and desire for my life, and embolden my heart to embrace those opportunities that lie along that path You’ve laid.

As I endeavor to clear my thoughts today Lord; casting aside the “noise” around me to better gain Your presence, I pray You find me receptive; willing and driven to bring Your voice into sharp focus with everything I say and do, and allowing the deceptions of this world to fade into the background.

And as You guide my steps Lord, please help me share that joy with others; shining Your light from within that they may know the peace You bring, even when the world appears to be crashing all around us.

For it’s in Your name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

I Choose Contentment

This morning I wanted to share the great devotional message I read in the Joyce Meyer reading plan I’m following on YouVersion…

“Living with Contentment and Satisfaction

The Bible says that godliness accompanied with contentment is great and abundant gain. What I take from that is, a godly person who is content is in the very best place he can possibly be.

Joy doesn’t come from having your circumstances in order and under control; it comes from what’s in your heart. For example, the world is full of people who have what they think they want, and they’re still not happy. In fact, some of the most unhappy people in the world are people who seem to “have it all.”

Contentment is not about fame or being well-known, how much money you have, your position at work or your social circle. It’s not found in your level of education or what side of the tracks you were born on. Contentment is a heart attitude.

There’s nobody happier than a truly thankful person, a truly content person. The word content means ‘being satisfied to the point where nothing disturbs you no matter what’s going on, but not satisfied to the point that you never want any change.’

We all want to see things get better. But where you are right this minute doesn’t have to disturb you. You can choose to believe that God is working and things are changing, and you will see the result of it in due time.

Life is all about the choices we make, so choose contentment and satisfaction every single day of your life. You won’t go wrong when you do.

Prayer Starter: God, I want to be content and satisfied with where I am, right here, right now. Give me the strength to choose to be content every single day.”

I choose to believe God has all my situations well in hand, and that He’ll lead me where He wants me to go… I choose contentment through Him.

Deliberately Seek Joy

I’ve been chewing on some advice given in my Daily Devotional reading from the “Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life – A Daily Devotional” Reading Plan on YouVersion.com…

“…

God wants His children to have some fun. The Bible says a merry heart does good like medicine. I think we all need a healthy dose of laughter every day – many times during the day. You just can’t overdose on joy!

I encourage you to deliberately look for something to smile or laugh about every day, and be sure to share a smile or a laugh with someone else and brighten their day too!

Prayer Starter: Lord, Your Word says that a cheerful heart is like good medicine. Thank You for helping me to find the joy and fun in life!”

I think in many cases, we allow the trials, struggles and worldly requirements placed on us each day to detract from seeking the joys God places all around us. It’s important for us to remember that while we’re certainly going to have difficulties in our lives, God very much wants us to fully delight in the peace and joy He offers us as well.

Not Captives of Fear

Dear Lord; Happy Thursday Father!

They consume me sometimes Father;

Worry…

Fear…

Anxiety…

Painful reminders of the persistent earthly chains that fight to wrest me from Your side.

And yet Lord, against these restraints You reach for me…

Drawing me to You, and anchoring my heart to Your Heavenly foundation.

For in our very design, You fashioned us to resist that pull;

To live our lives as children of faith, not captives of fear.

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:31-33 (NLT)

I cast my cares at Your feet Lord;

Torn from my breast and washed in Your blood that my heart may pursue You unencumbered…

Embraced by Your love Lord, and emboldened through that union.

For it’s in Your Holy name that I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil