The Great I AM

This blog is in response to week one of the Stressed - Less Living Bible study through Proverbs 31 Ministry, led by Melissa Taylor.

 

 

The Great I Am. “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NLT

 

Here are some thoughts on what this Scripture means to me...

 

"Don't be afraid, for I am with you."

If God is for me, I needn't worry about who is against me. Who can harm me? What can they do to me?

I have the great I AM by my side; watching over me 24/7. He never sleeps; He never slumbers.

 

"Don't be discouraged, for I am your God."

I needn't ever feel disheartened: for God is mine. "I am your God." He is my God. Hallelujah....how could I ever feel discouraged while knowing that truth?

 

"I will strengthen you and help you."

I am not alone. I do nothing on my own strength, for God is always with me. He knows when I need His help. He enables me to call on Him, and, when I do, He is there immediately, responding with the strength I can obtain only from Him. And this is how I can accomplish His will and my goals for my life; through Him.

 

"I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.”

He promises to hold me up; not to let me fall...ever. And, His hand is at all times victorious! Praise the Lord! What does this mean for me?? I can be victorious at all times providing I turn to Him to glean from His power.

 

When I completed the above, I thought I would open my Bible and read verses 9, and 11; the verses just before and after the above Scripture. I was hungry to hear more of what the Lord had to say....

 

When I read the verse prior in Isaiah, (9) I read where the Lord says, He has chosen me and He will not throw me away.

What a promise! First of all, He chose me! He chose ME. What a powerful statement. What an act of Love. AND He will not throw me away. No matter how much I mess up, He loves me and He will never toss me aside.

 

 He won't give up on me...so why would I ever even think of giving up on myself?

 

I have the God of the Universe on my side; working with me; cheering for me! The Creator of ALL.....Wow!! And He loves me so much, He would never throw me away. Praise the Lord!

 

I want to give Him my best!

 

In the verse following, (11) the Lord says that all my angry enemies lie there...confused and humiliated. He says that anyone who opposes me will die and come to nothing.

 

 

"All my angry enemies....will die and come to nothing."

 

Unforgiveness, anger, bitterness, slander....it is all in opposition to God.

 

I need to be in prayer for my enemies.

Compunction

Definition of COMPUNCTION

 anxiety arising from awareness of guilt <compunctions of conscience>

distress of mind over an anticipated action or result 

: a twinge of misgiving

 

 

It was about 2:30 a.m. I had been tossing and turning for awhile. Since I couldn't sleep, I began talking to the Lord. I asked, at one point, if He had anything to say to me. Maybe that is why I was having trouble sleeping...the Lord was trying to get my attention. It couldn't hurt, right?

 

Wrong...dead wrong.

 

Now, I don't know about you, but there are words I understand the meaning of but rarely if ever use because they are simply not my everyday language. I like to use simple speech; I have never been impressed by those who hurl their education around using large language. I prefer simple speech; that way, no matter who I am speaking with, they can easily understand.

 

Having said that, "compunction" was not a word I have ever used. To be completely honest, I would have to admit that I didn't know this word at all until around 2:30 this morning.

 

I have been experiencing little peace lately.

 

I have had a lot of trouble sleeping lately.

 

The Lord told me I had "compunction." Shocked and disturbed, I asked Him to bring this to my attention when I awoke this morning so I could look it up in the dictionary. If compunction was actually a word, then I would know this was in fact from the Lord.

 

Yes, it is a word.

 

And yes, I am convicted.

 

My dictionary read this: Compunction: stabbing of conscience; slight regret. (the above definition was from the internet).

 

Oh yes, my conscience is indeed being stabbed.

 

I know the Lord has given me this for my own good; my health. I have been losing my peace and allowing myself to be agitated over and over again without even trying to protect myself.

 

I know better.

 

I am so thankful that He has intervened in my life. He is always there for me and I should have called on Him earlier.

 

My focus has been wrong of late.

 

I need to return to focusing on Him...you know, the important things...

 

and leave the worldly stuff in His capable hands...

 

Oh, I forgot to add....He added that I must walk in the Spirit and I had ceased to do so.

 

Now there is good advice to begin anyone's day! Agreed?