The Book of Isaiah was Prophesy as most will know.
To quote the NKJ Study Bible:
“In an extraordinary vision of the heavenly court, God Himself called Isaiah to be a messenger to his people.”
The calling was glorious and challenging. Isaiah was charged with confronting the people of Judah with the truth! Even while warning the wicked of a tragic fate, he encourage the repetitent and sorrowing to place their hope in God! Even though the nation would face discipline, salvation would come!
Isaiah means: ” the Lord saves”
Isaiah 55 is an invitation to Abundant Life.
It is God, a loving Father, speaking to His children to return. There are 2 invitations in the beginning of Isaiah 55…to come to the Lord and participate in the blessings of David. The Davidic kingdom. And to seek the Lord and receive the pardon of sin. Because God’s grace is unfathomable the promise is guaranteed.
I chose to memorize Isaiah 55 for two reasons.
I am in a season in my life where I desire only the Word of God in reference to any area of my life. I have been blessed with the ability to audibly hear God’s voice, and like the scripture say…His sheep will hear His voice. This is one way I know He loves me special! I can hear Him! I used to think it was because I was so very stubborn, but now, in my spirit, I know it is because my life has been such that I was graced with this lovely and very loving gift.
Secondly, when our associate Pastor began her series on Hearing the Voice of God; the first few passages of this chapter were referred to as God speaking! That was on July 1st…and I had decided to spend the week reading the passages that she had used for a foundation for these messages. So there it was, God’s voice again, choosing what I would spend the month doing in His word.
I can only imagine what I will gain in this study and memorization. I am quite excited about it! So as I ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten me while I listen to God speak I expect the heavens to impart peace and understanding. In it I hope to find a deeper understanding of my salvation and a quieter, more humble personality in the Lord.
We Have God's Promises...in His Voice!
Isaiah 55
1 Come all you who are everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy and eat! Come buy, and eat wine and milk without money and without cost.
This is my progress today…I try to read the chapter several times a day…then I will begin to write it down repeatedly once or twice a day…that is my memorization process…However, there are a few ladies who participate who have awesome methods of memorization, and quite impressed me with their video and audio presentations of their pieces in January! Here is one such method from Amy on her blogspot Lavendar *Sparkles*
In expectation of huge things I move forward! 
Blessings!
I found Mega Memory Month a great way to stay connected with God and on WordPress. So I return (if a bit late 
) to the challenge once again. I’d like to thank Ann Kroeker for hosting the challenge and I invite my friend’s to join. Click the link above and check how to join us!
It’s amazing!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As for Hopeannfaith I will be memorizing …
Isaian 55
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Come to the Lord
1 “Come, everyone who is thirsty, (A)
come to the waters;
and you without money,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost!
2 Why do you spend money on what is not food,
and your wages on what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
and you will enjoy the choicest of foods. [a]
3 Pay attention and come to Me;
listen, so that you will live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you, (B)
the promises assured to David. (C)
4 Since I have made him a witness to the peoples, (D)
a leader and commander for the peoples, (E)
5 so you will summon a nation you do not know, (F)
and nations who do not know you will run to you. (G)
For the LORD your God,
even the Holy One of Israel, (H)
has glorified you.” (I)
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found;
call to Him while He is near. (J)
7 Let the wicked one abandon his way,
and the sinful one his thoughts; (K)
let him return to the LORD,
so He may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for He will freely forgive. (L)
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not My ways.”
[This is] the LORD’s declaration.
9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, (M)
so My ways are higher than your ways,
and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven,
and do not return there
without saturating the earth,
and making it germinate and sprout,
and providing seed to sow
and food to eat, (N)
11 so My word that comes from My mouth
will not return to Me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please,
and will prosper in what I send it [to do].” (O)
12 You will indeed go out with joy
and be peacefully guided;
the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap [their] hands. (P)
13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up,
and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up; (Q)
it will make a name for the LORD (R)
as an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.
~~~~~~
At our church we our Pastor Carol is doing a Wednesday Evening series of teachings on…
Hearing the Voice of God!
The series began on July 1st. God is interesting…here’s to exercising our minds and making new friends!
And for Hopeannfaith…deepening my walk with God!
...Praise the Lord!
Blessings!
In the last few years we had come into covenant with God and each other for unity in all areas of our lives. Of course the trials of life do not end…so we weary at times and waiver. I’ve learned not to nag, I think, you’d have to ask Don,
- My Love
I just pray…and for many months now I have learned only to pray the Word of God. In my turmoil I cannot get His Word wrong, and He tells me that His Word does not return void…so there I am!
The Little Things
On June 23, several people sent me an email from The Elijah List with a prophetic word and teaching by Mark Chironna.
For several days I have read and re-read this article and there is one part that I feel impressed of the Lord to share with you. I will put the complete prophetic word in the next section of the motivation but I want to point out this one part, if I may.
“Pay attention to the signposts, for they are the meaningful coincidences that I bring you through to let you know that this is Me. This is Me. This is Me. These are the things I will do,” saith the Lord, “and I will not leave them undone for this is a season of the acceleration of momentum and the beginning of small that leads to large miracles.
“Despise not the small miracles. If you will celebrate them, they will get bigger. Begin where you are. Take the next easiest step of faith and discover that what is being stirred up in you is about to be manifest in the events of your life,” saith the Spirit of Grace.
A signpost is defined as a guide, a beacon, an indication. God is saying to look for the little things – little miracles, little provisions, little improvements in your marriage, little improvement in your health.
He is saying to look for these little things because they are a guide to the big things, they are an indication that you have stepped into a new place of blessing and it is the little things that lead to the big things.
You know, it is like a dam that holds back tons of water – the breaking of that dam will begin will a small hole in the dam, the size of a pin, with just a little water trickling through – however, before long more and more water pushes its way through and before you know it all the water has broken through.
God is saying this is how it is going to be in this season – it will begin with little things. But we have to pay attention to the little things. We have to recognize the little things because it is only when we celebrate the little things that God will cause them to get bigger and bigger until the fullness of the blessing of this season is released upon us.
As we celebrate the little things – we will see an acceleration of things and they will become bigger and bigger. If we don’t recognize and celebrate the little things – we will not see the big things.
Have you seen the evidence of small things in your life lately? Have there been MOMENTS when you could see the hand of God at work in your marriage? Did it seem better just for a moment? Did your health appear improved, just for a moment? Did you receive a small financial increase? Did you experience a moment of hope that you haven’t felt in a long time?
If you have experienced any of these ’small’ things – I encourage you today to celebrate them – make a big deal over them. Appreciate them as you would if they were really big miracles – tell God how very grateful you are for these little things. These little things are your indication that the bigger things are here too – but first, we must be thankful for the little things.
If you are faithful over little – God will make you ruler over much. Are you being faithful to praise Him for the little things?
I had never really thought about it like this until last night – but I can assure you that from now on I will be as thankful for the little things as I am for the big things – they are my signpost – leading me to the fullness of my blessing – they are my indication that the fullness of my inheritance and my promise in God is here.
‘Father, today, I thank YOU for the little things!!!’ ‘I take today and celebrate the little things!’
Kim Potter
Handling My Day to Day
I feel deep apprehension today. It sickens me that I feel the way that I do. My grandma should be coming home from the hospital today (again, this is her 3rd admission in just short of as many months). This is a good thing!
So why do I feel like I do?
Because it means being overwhelmingly busy, which is fine, except that will be mixed with having contact with my mother and other family members who I’d rather not deal with. I actually feel a foreboding! The seperation from my husband and boys, where I am safe from the chaos that is my parents and others, feels very overwhelming.
I wish grandma lived with me. Then I could avoid contact with the others. I began to feel, or I should say hear, my mothers disgust in my head. Her venemous words describing what she truly feels for me, when she is not being observed by others. I find I also dread the thought and the presence of my fake mother, the one who professes to love me when she is in the company of others.
This situation is truly trial by fire. Remembering to stay in prayer, to guard my heart from those who are supposed to love and protect me…well, it has always been this way.
I searched for scripture to pray and found one for handling the day of trouble or calamity! Maybe it’s a bit over the top in some opinions, but I assure you this apprehension is deep. I am going to adapt it to my prayer. I believe one must do this or you are just simply praying someone else’s petition. I, also, pray in thanksgiving. Because even when I am feeling this foreboding I realize that God’s promises are still intact for me.
In my emotional upheavel, my deep and overwhelming pain, God is still God. What I am going through does not change that He has control in all of the situations that involve me! Isn’t that incredible. So while I have trouble wrapping my head around the concept, I am in His care. Further, I haved the victory, no matter what is swirling around me or in my head!
Father, I come to you in Jesus’ name and in complete thanksgiving. I thankfully acknowledge You as my refuge and high tower. You, alone, are a refuge and a stronghold in these times of trouble.
In these times You hide me in Your shelter; in the secret place of Your tent will You hide me; You will set me high upon a rock. Now I will lift my head above my enemies rounding about me; in Your tent I will offer sacrifices and shouts of joy. I will sing, yes! I will sing praises to You, O’Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud and I thank You that You answer me!
I declare that I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, according to the Word of God! When I cry for help, only You, Lord, hear me and deliver me out of all distress and trouble. I thank You that you are close to me and save me from this crushing sorrow. Lord, many are they who confront me, yet You deliver me from them all.
I humbly thank You for being so merciful and gracious to me, even when I do not extend the same to my enemies, O’ God, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of Your wings. I find refuge and I am confident until troubles, destructive storms and strife are past. You act on my behalf and reward me. You, alone, bring to pass Your purposes for me and surely You complete them!
Father, thank You, You are my Refuge and Strength, mighty and impenetrable to temptation, my very present and well-proved help in this, my time of turmoil. AMEN
I’m off to meditate on these things. To swing the sword of God at my circumstances.
Blessings!
As I spend time with my Heavenly Father and honor His dedication to me and mine, I wish honor to all of our earthly Father’s for a job well done.
Our families and children thrive upon the Love of God shown through our men in their fatherhood.
Have a Blessed Day Men!
Happy Father’s Day!
Peace
I haven’t been here in a bit. In fact writing continues to be an issue for me…stress and being too busy has blocked the writing. So I am trying with this blog to get the juices moving again! I did manage to write an article on Helium.com check it out for me and let me know…I thought it might be good. How to Define “Sacred.
Yet, I have two other articles on my heart that I am having trouble getting onto the page. In fact Sacred took me three weeks to get on the page. These articles, in the past, have taken me mere hours to write. Why, because I did them at the urging of the Holy Spirit…I was not blocked by my circumstances.
As in my last few blogs I have been dealing with family the last 3 months. Now, God has had me put my parents and siblings at arms length because the relationships were not healthy, for me. They are content with the way the conduct their relationships, but I am here to tell you our family relations were not and are not of the healthy kind.
When I got the revelation from God about what to do in regard to how I dealt with my family issues I began the long road to healing and good mental health. This process was complicated by (sorry guys!) menopause and my immediate family issues. It took a good 4 years to bring it all into working order.
God bless my husband and boys…they stood by me when I was insufferable. I am grateful for their dedication and love for me.
God succeeded in me and I came under obedience. Now…trial by fire!
One morning I awoke to my day to day and realized I was whole. Oh! What a joy that was…upon that realization the Holy Spirit washed over and through me as a confirmation that I was healed! My goodness there are no words for this sensation, this wholeness, this knowing that I had been instantly healed by the hand of God. In that moment I realized a knowing tha I have been successful in retaining…that only the Word of God is to be prayed.
Along with the healing and the wholeness, I had an instant lifestyle change! Think about that…an instant lifestyle change…that easy!
Now you may be thinking…Hope, you said 4 years of turmoil and work…that is true, but I went to bed the night before ill and mentally and emotionally broken and awoke the next morning whole and healed…over night.
I began to pray only the Word of God in all circumstances. When I awoke to another stressful day to day I went to the Word to find the answer and I prayed in all thanksgiving that the problem was solved. I put all of my trust in my God! I put all of it in His hands! And He moved…He moved mightily!
Again there are no words to describe this. However, I can testify that when we are obedient to the voice of God…not just the words in the book, but the Voice of God through the Word of God, when using the book to guide our lives. There are those of you who know exactly what I am saying! And will join me in the testamony that the results is out of this world…it is truly supernatural!
So my testamony!
I have been caring for my Grandmother. She has been ill for going on 3 months. In and out of 3 different hospital in two months…3 different incidents.
Finally with this last bout with her pacemaker (the last 2 incidents were pacemaker failure) brought her children together. Like my parents and siblings, they do not communicate well. My mother, being mentally ill, has issues dealing with the stress. And often feels like she is not loved or respected, enough.
I prayed the Word heavily about all of this for these long months. And God moved. They discussed what it is they all can or cannot do for my grandmother. Some of it was not to the liking of each of the siblings, but hey, that is none of my business. I managed to calmly stay out of it…until…
At the beginning of June I called my mother to see how my grandmother was doing…she was staying with my grandmother on a night when I had a church function I was obligated to. My mother, who had really not spoken to me since her arrival, was colder than usual so I asked the question. I had prayed about this conversation and thanked God that he would guide me in this conversation.
I asked if she had issues with me caring for my grandmother. The answer was like repeatedly being punched in the gut. She let out a venomous litany of scorn upon me…I was at a church fundraiser at the time. Thank God I am the church secretary and was in my office! She claimed disappointment and discouragement in me because she had been told that I was being paid to care for my grandmother! Like I said my family is not a healthy one.
I told her she was mistaken and asked why she had not asked me, and she simply continued to believe the gossip that had obviously been misunderstood. It made me physically sick for literally 24 hours! And I kept praying.
I called a “sane” Uncle so that I could return the gas money my grandmother had made me take, on the threat she would not call me for help if I didn;t take it. I knew she wouldn’t take the cash and I knew my Uncle could deposit it. My Aunt and Uncle were very upset by these circumstances and put me straight about the fact that what was between me and grandma was our business and noone else’s!
My mother had, once again, made me feel like an unloved 5 year old. I was so very hurt by the lies! She does this well. I know now it was how I was built by her. I was seasoned to take this from her and she relys upon my reactions…it’s her illness primarily. However, it does not stop the pain.
I was so very hurt by the disappointment that my mother professed. That I was a disappointment crushed me. Please realize that this is not the first time these things had been spilled upon me. So, inbeknownst to me it opened an old wound, in all of that pain I did not realize it. I kept hearing in my head that I was useless and a disappointment, that I shamed my family! It just kept rolling and rolling for 24 hours!
And then I prayed. With the help of my Aunt, Uncle and dear friend, JR, I finally remembered to pray for me and the circumstance.
Oddly, the morning after the phone call with my mother, my grandmother had the 3rd and final incident with the pacemaker. She went to Deborah and had surgery. That is when her children began discussing what it was would be done to insure their mother’s quality of life.
The surgery went well, and I am back to caring for grandma,. Mainly medical appointments and some overnight stays with her. Mom (mine) has had a change of heart (as much as she can, we will see, I don’t hold out a lot of trust in this as here illness usually interferes) and I continue to pray for peace in our entire family. And God is moving!
The greatest thing ever is my grandma! We were sitting in the surgeons waiting room for a followup yesterday and she was looking quite tired. I said something, and she said ” I don’t feel as well as I did 3 days ago, and I knew why this morning.” I indicated that I was listening and she continued, ” I realized that it was because you have not been over to lay hands on the surgery site and pray!” I pulled her wheelchair to me and held her hands and I prayed right there in the doctor’s waiting room. She closed her eyes and appeared to relax. When I finished we talked about God and the Word. She was feeling guilty because she had not been reading the bible much anymore…she said ” I can remember some parts of scripture and then I don’t remember the rest.” I told her what the word says about the Holy Spirit bringing the Word that we hide in our hearts to our rememberence, when needed.
I reminded my grandmother that she had spent many decades reading God’s Word and now God was keeping the promise to bring what she needed to her. Through memory, through me and through my cousin Pete who is a new and hungry Christian!
I am awed by the favor God has given me to be one of her grandchildren that has brought a new understanding of God’s love and the gift of healing to her. I’ll say it again! There are no words.
So all is going well. I am tired and stressed, yet the stress is somehow dull and not effecting me. I rely upon God and His Voice through the Word to sustain me…because God’s grace is enough for me!
Blessings!
Looking up...Above the Circumstances
The last several weeks has seen me taking care of my grandmother. Actually this is not a complaint, I am honored to be able to do this. About four years ago I had the honor of caring for my grandfather before his passing. The last several months have been quite stressful.
In fact it has drastically effected my ability to write and blog…the one thing I could do was the photography and edit my photos. Partly because there is no deadline, and also because it only relied upon me to find the beauty in my surroundings. This realization brought to my recollection the following scripture, and for that I thank the Holy Spirit who was faithful to God’s promise to do so.
Philippians 4:7-9
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus 8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
So I must testify to the fact that God keeps His promises to us. I have been blessed to have these promises proved in my life continually.
I must testify, also, to the fact that in my extended time of stress and turmoil God brought His peace to me in a way that I would see His hand. He turned me to the beauty of His hand! Flowers, Birds and Sky. In my great desire for peace and freedom from the distress within me, Father pointed me to those things that are eternally free in the heavenlies.
His faithfulness and love for me brings me to tears. I am so very grateful that I cannot find the appropriate words, prose or phrases to express it to anyone.
As my circumstances continue to swirl around me I will continue to do what Hopeannfaith continually has done in such times. The difference, I LOOK UP FOR MY HELP, not out of desperation, but from a place of God’s peace. That peace that He desires for each one of us.
I encourage you to LOOK UP with Me…Father is gazing down on us,
Psalm 121: 1-3
A Song of Ascents.
1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
For me this has become lifestyle. I know this because I am not in the place I would normally wander to in these circumstances. I am in the place God would have me wander to…His arms.
Blessings My Friends, always!
I have been having quite the busy life of late! Stress and lack of sleep have left me weary, yet I remain in prayer and stand upon the Word.
Writing has fallen by the wayside and I must get over this last hurdle with family issues and get my life back on track. I hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel very soon….I know I will. Being fatigued I am able to work with my photography…its like art therapy…requiring only my desire to make things pretty….Here is a sample:
Soaring - Original Photo
Soaring ~
Serenity ~ Original photograph
Serenity ~ The Peace of God
My journey to Serenity in Christ….
Blessings!
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
I’m coming off of several weeks of ciaos.
At work (Church) we moved the offices upstairs…spent a few weeks that felt incredibly unproductive. During which the church hosted it’s 1st Antique Car and Truck Show, held a Women’s Conference and has our favorite traveling Minister in for 2 weeks!!!
We literally had 2 weeks of Sunday! Actually this is a wonderfully Spirit filled time…yet it is incredibly exhausting as God does surgery within!
I’ve been in God’s surgery suite for several years now. You younger readers start now, is my educated advice. After 40 years of garbage cluttering and infecting my Spirit, Body and Mind, the surgery appears, on the surface ,to be quite debilitating. In the end it is worth every cut and stitch…however, during the process that is hard to see!
Coming off of all of these God centered activitites I have been filled, refreshed, renewed and blessed. God graciously confirmed, daily, within these events, that I am on track with what He is doing in me. I say “in me” because it is literally my “self” that He is transforming. The rest of my life, apparently, follows quite obediently!
Apparently, I have graduated from dealing with my emotions and mental state, and to focusing on my physical health.
For many years I completely ignored that my weight issues were a health problem and that they were, in fact, a result of the emotional and mental malady. Even as a seasoned social worker I was able to deny that I had these issues. Basically I simply ignored it! Proof that we live daily under the Grace of God!
I say this because I am literally morbidly obese at this moment, and that is a definate health issue! You can read my article here, along with other articles in the same title.
God revealed to me at the age of 40-ish that I had to deal with the emo-mental [ a new word for my dictionary ], first, to be equipped for my calling and ministry. Still don’t know what the ministry is, but know the callings! Hey, I’m blessed like that! Yet, still I was able to ignor the physical, figuring if God was going to focus on the emo-mental,that the physical was not an issue. Further proof that my humanity can even cloud what God is doing directly in me!!! Can anyone say Grace?
Recently, somewhere in the past several weeks of ciaos, I realized my emo-mental was healed. I WAS WHOLE!!! I felt the Holy Spirit bubble up…like a boil, nothing soft and complacent goes on in me! The Holy Spirit has a distinct personality in me, a full and rolling boil
The Holy Spirit in me...
Still better than that, I clearly know that the boiling sensation has healing properties. In the last months time I have felt this sensation constantly, and with each beat of my heart I can feel it more intensly. The revelation came, somewhere in the ciaos, that as my heart beats the Blood of Christ reaches ever part of my body with healing! How awesome is that revelation? With each beat of my heart I feel (physically) the presence of the Spirit; John 14:25-27
The Gift of His Peace 25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Reminding me and healing me with all God has given me in my meager 8-ish years of obedience! And if anyone thinks that I was, somehow, superobedient every second of that 8 years, I ask you to open your eyes! Not one of us is obedient, even unto the Lord, at all times! He knows He made us human, and our humanity is a daily battle. Knowing thought that by The Christ we have victory over this battle, daily, makes for a quick win each morning. These days, it was not always like this for me. Be encouraged though, knowing that if God will do these things for me, they are already done for you!
So there you are. I am working on my Quest of Healing, with the best trainer available! He is with me each day, we talk, we plan and we enjoy the company of one another with no stress or condemnation in the relationship.
I feel great today! And there are things of loss and sorrow going on in my life! There are many things that are happening that are would have totalled me, devestated my being. God has alerted me in the ways that I hear Him. Devotional, waking me and bring to my spirit, in His comforting voice that things are going to be a bit hard for a time. Always faithful to let me know that I know that He is with me at every corner. That He has gone ahead and prepared things so that I will not be harmed in what it is I have to encounter. This gives me peace and the courage to face those things and those people who are going to be in my path.
I thank my Lord and Savior right now for His faithful and skilled hand. I am grateful and humbled that the All Mighty God takes the time to give me the heads up, while the comfort of the The Holy Spirit boils up within me! So in this time of transition and transformation, this time of loss and sorrow, I will strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and Man. Acts 24:16
In Jesus Name.Amen.
Finding joy in my relationship with God, in my circumstances.
Psalm 42:10-11
10 My adversaries taunt me,
as if crushing my bones,
while all day long they say to me,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God.
I will praise Him, I will sing Praises to my Savior and my God!
Blessings.
Good Sunday Morning My Friends!
I felt the urge to start a thing this morning! I will call it:
Sunday Survey: Hopeannfaith’s What Do You Think?
I am curious about the things of God…as are many of you. Therefore I thought we could discuss things through the comment or a Mr. Linksey if I can figure it out.
I am curious to see What you think as well. I am curious to see if this idea takes flight.
So here is my question:
In James 4:8a the Word says:
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
Survey Question: What do You think would happen if the Whole World drew near to God today?
Blessings! See You after Church!!
