This morning, during prayer, I asked God what he was thinking right now about his many wayward people – the modern church. He took me directly to Psalm 85. In fact, my Bible opened there, and my eyes were immediately focused on the words“You showed favor … You restored… You forgave…” . In that split moment, God did exactly what he did ten years ago: he took me to that exact same promise, in the exact same way. I wrote down today’s date there beside the date ten years ago, adding the words, “God reaffirms his promise to me.”

Another thought came into focus this morning while I was absorbed in thought, awestruck by the way God brought that scripture so directly to me, even bringing my eyes to focus on the keywords. I will share:

Ten years ago I really had no clue about revival, and what needed to happen. I was not aware of just how far the present day church had strayed from God. I was not aware of how far I, myself, was from God, and the joy of his salvation. I thought I was not too bad.

God has done a lot in my life in the last ten years. While he has been showing my own need for revival, he has also been revealing the many sins of the church. This has sometimes posed a problem. I have discovered that focusing on all that sin has been very draining. It has sometimes bogged me down with grief and discouragement. My eyes would get too focused on the troubles.

The palmist must have discovered that too. He asks God, “Will you not revive us again?” , vs. 4. Then, later, he answers his own question “The Lord will indeed give what is good.” v s 12 It seems that, through the rambling of his thoughts, God was refocusing his eyesight back to the promises of God rather than just on the problems of mankind. I too need to refocus on God’s eternal plan, rather than merely on what I see.

Have you ever noticed that if you are very involved in something during the day - perhaps a thought or an activity, then at night, just before you drift off to sleep, your mind repeats those pictures or thoughts – maybe over and over again? You find your mind “regurgitating” all the “stuff” of the day. And that can be draining. No wonder the Bible often tells us to actively focus on our Lord and his eternal realities, and NOT the dark clouds of this world. Then, when we drift off to sleep, God-thoughts will flow through our mind. What a peaceful way to fall asleep!

You can often tell what someone tends to be thinking in their private lives by what they talk about when you are with them. Sadly, you rarely hear Christ-centered words that reflect peace and joy in God’s eternal promises.

I challenge you and me to do a mind-check and examine our focus. Are we thinking God’s thoughts? We need to, or we will quickly stray away. And in the end, it will drain us.

I pray that God’s thoughts will be deeply branded in our minds, producing a far stronger imprint than anything in this world. The depth of this forging will be revealed in the things that our mind dwells on. They will be revealed in the things we tend to talk about. Are they the troubles of this world, including the church? Or are we focused beyond that - on the promises of God? We can’t change the world, and we can’t fix anything up. So let’s not waste mental energy trying to do that, but trust that God will do that. He may use us in a small way; but ultimately it is God who will bring about his promises in his time.

Why not meditate on Psalm 85 today and receive God’s thoughts for today?
Diane

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Diane

Outstanding sister!

David is just the.... articulation of so much, the wonder and awe that he expresses you would think that just logically musing on his words and deep expression would be enough to awaken a sleepy soul from slumber. What mere man could have ever concocted such a thing? I guess what I mean is, if there was ever a doubt about the existence of God ...

Of late, this has been my first and constant prayer;

Psa 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Primarily vs 25. But to come alongside your thought here, once again found myself in Ps 119, that incredible extraction of soul. My Soul! My soul! My soul! It is that same cry...

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Mike Balog

Amen! What a blessing.


"Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" Gal 5:16

This verse means that we need to be looking to God, walking in the Spirit and seeking His face, and we wont have to worry about sin. If our focus is on God all day, our day will be filled with God, but if our focus is on sin and self all day (even if the thought is "i dont want to sin" or "i shouldnt sin") then our day will be filled with sin and self.

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Joe E

Sis wrote:

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Jeff Marshalek

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Diane

Good post, Diane.
God used you today.
Thanks for sharing.
I'm going to read Ps. 85.
God Bless you
Nellie :-)

Beautiful, simply beautiful. Thanks for sharing I am inspired by these words Diane

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Eileen Teitsworth