Qavah: To Wait
6960 Hebrew word
To bind together, perhaps by twisting

When we wait upon the Lord, we can be sure He is acting on His Word. He is twisting together our circumstances to be bound to His will. Waiting allows circumstances, people, events, and places to line up with his ways, his timing, and his plans. He leads and guides us as we wait on Him. To wait empowers us to respond to the Spirit, rather than reacting to our flesh. Waiting brings us His best outcome, while hurry is the shortcut to temporary fulfillment, a counterfeit. Next time you find yourself in the waiting room of life, remember it is a good thing. God is twisting together all the ingredients necessary to line up your purpose with His wonderful plan.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Shalom,
Carrie George
January 8, 2006

See Him in Galilee
Galilee – The Place of Miracles

Matthew 28:1-10 “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus; who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: “He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

As I pondered this portion of scripture, I thought, why Galilee? Why did the risen Savior choose to meet his disciples there? I looked at the map in the back of my bible and noted that Galilee was up in the mountains, next to the Sea of Galilee. The bible concordance in the NIV states: Galilee – Jesus grew up, preached and did most of his miracles in Galilee. Suddenly, my eyes were opened and I saw the wisdom of this meeting place.

1) To fulfill what was spoken:
Jesus told the disciples to meet him there so he could fulfill what was spoken. In Luke 24:6-7, it says: “He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” He returned to the same place where this word was spoken, to fulfill prophecy.
2) A place rich in the Word:
Jesus preached many of his messages in this region, Galilee. It was a place that was rich in the power of His Word, giving life changing lessons to others through his teachings.
3) A place of prayer:
Jesus would sometimes slip away from the crowds to pray, one of the places he withdrew to, were the mountains to be with His Father. Spiritually speaking, Galilee represents a place of prayer, a time of solitude with the Heavenly Father.
4) A place of miracles:
Jesus performed many miracles in Galilee, an atmosphere rich in faith conducive for miracles to happen. In order to see the miracle of The Risen Savior, the disciples needed to return to Galilee. A place of divine revelation; rich in Word, prayer, and filled with faith.

Although the actual location of Galilee is Northern Israel today, in my prayer time I discovered there is a Galilee residing in my own heart. And, there is one in yours.
This place is our own personal Galilee…a place we can retreat to in our minds when we need our faith renewed. It is a simple place in our hearts, rich in the reflections of His Word, times in prayer, and a recollection of miracles He has done for you and me.

How do we get back to our Galilee?
1. Revisit the memory of when God did a mighty thing for you. Perhaps a loved one returning to their faith, a sickness that was healed, a financial situation impossible to overcome except for the power of God. Fill your mind with the wonderful things He has done.
2. Praise Him for all things every day. The key to intimacy with Christ is having a grateful heart.
3. “Take every (negative) thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” Replace those negative thoughts and doubts with His Word. “Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.” Philippians 4:8
4. “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong.” Romans 1:11 Surround your life with Believers who are strong in their faith and flow in their gifts. This will build your own faith as you see them walk out their own.
5. Walk out your miracle. Treat your day as though your miracle has already happened. Your behavior will be infectious, affecting those around you, and most importantly, yourself! When you are confident in His power, you can let go of the control so much better. Becoming weak allows Him to show Himself strong.

Retreat to your Galilee today, the place where your heart can see your Risen Savior!

Shalom!
Carrie George
January 8, 2006

What is grace? “It is an undeserved favor or gift; the undeserved forgiveness, kindness and mercy that God gives us.”

Reach for grace instead of fear.
Release grace by sharing it with others.
Grace Grip – hold on for life, it will sustain you.

~There is grace for every need…~

Reaching for grace is a choice we can make. It is an intentional decision as we face our trial, our tragedy, or trauma. Warfare can target our hearts with fear, but faith engages grace to flow, thus empowering us to rise above the circumstance.

Surrender is the key to releasing His grace. This step of faith, laying down our own will is the most powerful step we can make. We don’t give in, we simply allow His Sovereign Will to work.

His tender mercy supplies us with His grace. When we say we in His grip of grace, we are painting a picture of one being held securely in the Father’s right hand. His grace flows from His mercy, love, and compassion. Grip his grace, not bitterness.

We can loosen our own grip from His hand of grace when we:
? Circle over the ruins
? Revisit old wounds
? Rehearse hurtful events

We tighten our grip on His hand of grace when we:
? Set our mind on things above (Col. 3:1,2)
? Remember His goodness and His Word
? Treasure His Spirit, the Holy Spirit

Personal Reminders:
We encourage others when we grip onto His grace.
We release a fragrance of worship that draws others to the altar, to the Throne Room of Grace.
Spend the bulk of your time at the Throne Room of Grace.
There is immeasurable grace available to us in every circumstance, conflict, or trial that we face. Remember, grace is a choice, reach for grace always.

Some Scriptures on grace:
Psalm 45:2 (lips anointed with grace)
John 1:16-17 (grace comes from Jesus)
Luke 4:22 (gracious words)
Ephesians 3:7; 4:7 (gift of God’s grace given to each of us and works through His power)
1 Timothy 1:14 (grace is poured out abundantly on us)
Hebrews 12:15 (grace vs. bitterness)
1Peter 4:10 (gifts used to serve others and administer God’s grace)
2Peter 3:18 (we are to grow in grace and knowledge)

Cool, Still Waters

“He leads me besides cool, still waters….
The way to still waters…it is a pool of still waters where sheep can drink until their hearts are satisfied. What is it about still waters which have this quality of satisfying one’s heart? Perhaps the quality of rest and stillness indicates the environment which is best for our souls to receive this kind of nourishment.
Our Shepherd leads us to still waters, not deep waters, where we could drown, and not rushing streams, where we could be swept away by current.

Often we find ourselves as Christians rushing around in the life of ministry. We attend our bible study, prayer meetings, worship service, volunteer our time and gifting where there is a need, meet with others for fellowship, and then squeeze in our time with family, friends, work, and responsibilities. It is in these rushing waters, where we find our souls are least satisfied, hearts full, maybe, but spirits dry and empty. This is not the green pasture our Shepherd has prepared for us, but one that we stray to, when we follow our own path. Instead of resting and drawing from the cool, still waters that refresh our souls, we are standing against the current of time, busyness, and distraction…wondering why we feel dry and drained.

Ponder This…One of my favorite mentors and friend is a woman named Cricket. She asked me to remember the time when I was in Kindergarten. She reminded me that every day, the teacher would have the class take out our mats and take a nap for thirty minutes. I vividly recalled the quiet calm and sense of order in the room while we obediently laid there on our little foam mats. Cricket interjected, “This was a time where the teacher got most of her work done, planning, and preparing as you rested.” She said it was the same way with Our Shepherd. When we rest in Him, this is the time where The Teacher gets most of His work done in our lives. If we are so busy flittering around, we miss the still, small voice in which He speaks to direct us. The Holy Spirit invites us to come away and find that place in the green pasture of His provision and peace. He calls us to slip away with the Shepherd where He can lead us down by the cool, still waters. Celebrate the Discipline of Solitude one day this month, clear your schedule one day, to read His Word, journal our prayers and insights, and rest in Him.