Isaiah 55: ⁶ Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

¹² For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Some believe that salvation and following Christ can wait until tomorrow.  They may say that they are not ready to seek Him or to give up some treasure they think He might demand of them.  "When I accept Him I might have to give up all the fun I am now having" say some people when they hear of the Gospel of Christ.  Such foolish thoughts because there is no guarantee that you will have another chance tomorrow.  The Holy Spirit will not always strive with each man, today if you feel the Spirit calling you seek him today for there is no guarantee that tomorrow His presence will be there to enlighten you again.  God’s thoughts are righteousness, justice and purity which is so much higher than man can ever reach in his state of unrighteousness and self centeredness.  Only by seeking a relationship with God (while the Spirit is calling) can a person find Salvation purchased by Christ in which our faith is counted for righteousness.  For those of us who know Christ as our Savior let us be reminded that He is there to hear our prayers and that we can trust Him for the Grace we need today and the Future Grace that will guide our lives into that place of peace and great joy.   God is on His throne.  Have you talked with Him today?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSf65y4B20w

Deuteronomy 32: ¹⁰ He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

¹¹ As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:

¹² So the Lord alone did lead him

This scripture was in reference to Jacob; but is so true of each of God’s children.  Anyone who has studied the life of Jacob would realize that Jacob could not stand on any valor of his own; yet, God kept him as the "apple of his eye" and led him. Such a beautiful illustration is shown in verses 10 and 11.  In the desert land of my spirit and the howling wilderness of my life; he led me, he taught me of His Glory, and He kept me even when I tried to pull away.  He built a secure nest within His presence in which I might rest protected from all the predators that might try to injure me.  He fluttereth over me with cries of hope and joy.  He fed me with the words of His mouth.  He spreads forth His arms to cover me with His comfort and protection from all the pains and sorrows of this world  (sorrows and pains do come, but they cannot harm me with Him covering me completely in love and hope).  He takes me up and carries me into the highest heavens so that I might soar with the power and strength that is His.  More than that, the Lord alone leads me each step of this journey.  I must take my eyes off of my feet and the rocks that surround me so that I might follow after Him–looking only to Him to be assured of each step. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIQe0uj7u_8&feature=g-all-a

I Peter 1: ² Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

⁶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

⁷ That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

⁸ Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

⁹ Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

So often after I have chosen a verse, I realize how precious each word in that verse truly is.  Read these verses very slowly and let the Holy Spirit Guide your understanding.  Each believer, elected according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.  He saw me, before the earth was ever formed.  He drew me out and continues the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.  He has ever so gently, step by step led me into a life of obedience.  He sifts out the chaff.  He is ever about the work of transforming me into the beautiful bride that He sees me to be.  Each transforming trial of my faith leading me ever closer to Him.  The closer I am drawn to Him, the more my heart resounds with praise and the more my joy abounds–knowing that He is my greatest treasure.  I have found that then my trials (when I see them through His eyes and I am able to praise Him in the midst of them) lead to other people seeing the honor and Glory that is Christ.  For that reason, I rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of His magnificent Glory.  Not only was I called by God, saved by His Grace (Christ having paid my price), I am being transformed into His Image by His work in me and I am "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."  Hallelujah, Amen I have no need to worry because all this is dependent on my Omnipotent Heavenly Father’s  power and not dependent on me.

I truly hope that you listen to the following song so skillfully written and sung.  It expresses this scripture so beautifully. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DulUJxJ1Ldw

Philippians 3: ¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

            Throughout this life we develop goals for which we strive to complete.  Many times our goals are life stages—finish high school, go to college, find a career, get married, or start a family.  For some, it may be to excel in some sport. Some want an Olympic Gold Medal.  Whatever goal we seek, our success depends on how passionate are we to complete that goal in life.  What are we willing to sacrifice in order to complete that goal? Passion is an intense emotion compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something. The term is also often applied to a lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity or love.  Passion can be expressed as a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or compelling emotion towards a subject, idea, person, or object.  Great athletes generally must rise above the crowd in a passionate pursuit that drives them far beyond the average man.  Often they are immune to realizing pain, as they drive themselves past injury, past fatigue in order to finish the race first.  They stay focused on the final goal and will sacrifice anything to accomplish that goal.  They spend hours and hours in constant hard sacrificial training with the final goal always pressed before them.  It is no wonder that Paul used such an analogy to the Christian walk.  I am not there yet; but this one most important thing is the only worthy goal for which I place all my passion toward completing.  I must forget all the former failures, sorrows, and pains so as to constantly stretch forward to reach that most important of all goals.  I press ever forward with training, self denial for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  Keeping Christ Jesus as my goal ever before my eyes, I lay aside everything else as unimportant in comparison to knowing Him in all His Glory.

            Take a look at the passages just before 13 in Philippians 3: ⁷But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

⁸Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Throughout the journeys of my life (all the leaps of faith, the moments in which faith eluded me, the sorrows, the losses, the joys) it has been the glimpses of God’s Glory ever so dim at moments and shining brightly at others that has drawn me out.  Each tear along that path has lead me to this moment of great and wondrous Joy in which I now reside.  My greatest treasure is Christ Jesus my Lord.  Nothing matters so much as my growing in my knowledge of Him.  To see the glimpses of His magnificent Glory.  To have the privilege to be His servant.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty1WwPT0RqU

2 Chronicles 7: ¹⁴ If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I have been at the most amazing conference this past weekend at the Church of the Apostles with Dr. Michael Youssef.  I met missionaries from Indonesia, Australia (who are working in the refugee camps) and those who are stationed in the middle east.  True Christianity is alive and growing in the middle east, even in those areas where it is underground.  There was this incredible humble servant of God whom I met that is doing amazing things for God in Indonesia.  43 of his family members were murdered by the Muslim leader; yet, God empowered him with the grace to forgive.  He met with the very leader who had murdered his family and told him that he forgave him;  amazingly, this humble servant of God is now being asked to speak as a guest in some of the muslim events.  He is invited to the president of Indonesia’s home to pray for the president.  Amazing things are happening because of this ministry.  They are able to broadcast into the remote areas of the middle east and are broadcasting in dual language.  One of their major satellites broadcasts in French, Arabic, and English.  It is called the Kingdom Sat   http://thekingdomsat.org/

Additionally, we as Christian need to pray for this our nation.  We need a true Revival of the Truths of God.  We need ourselves, our churches and all Christians to examine themselves.  We cannot be content with counterfeit christian lives, clinging to counterfeit joys; but, we should be the body of Christ representing Him in love, service and humility.  We must show forth Christ, our Risen Savior, in all that we do and all that we say.  We must pray to represent Him and we must pray for our nation before it spirals so far away from God that it falls in total destruction. 

I am attaching a song written and sung by an amazing artist from Lebanon who left all the stardom of being a pop artist to follow Christ.  The English subtitles are present so you can understand the words (unless you understand Arabic)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5H2P8019gA