be still | Find Hope @ The Hem

Category: be still
- Peace! Be Still!
  
  Posted at 9:36 am by sneuhofer, on October 15, 2021
  Mark 4:39 (ESV) And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
  
  This morning has been a doozy of a morning already. It’s mornings like these when I don’t even pause to spend a moment with the Father that chaos will inevitably ensue. This morning though, I took a breath and heard a gentle whisper in the middle of my raging sea.
  
  “Take a moment. Take a breath. I am with you.”
  
  At that moment I was reminded of Mark 4:35 – 41. It’s the story where Jesus and his disciples get in a boat and face a terrible storm. In this story, Jesus was asleep on a cushion while the boat was filling with water and the disciples were afraid. What we sometimes miss in this story is the promise found at the very beginning…in verse 35. Jesus says “let us go to the other side.”
  
  Jesus has already promised to get them to the other side! Yes, they are going to go through some tough stuff while they are getting there…but they will get there because Jesus has already said they were going to go.
  
  I have to believe that the same Jesus who was with the disciples in the boat that day, is with me today. I may forget that He is there sometimes and try to strike out on my own and handle things my own way…but it is so much better when I let Him take control of things. There may be a raging sea…but I know that He will ultimately get me to the other side.
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  Posted in be still, Jesus and disciples, Jesus in my circumstances, Jesus is with me, trusting Jesus | 0 Comments
- I need a revelation!
  
  Posted at 8:45 am by sneuhofer, on August 16, 2017
  Galatians 1: 11 – 24 (NIV)
  
  “I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man (emphasis mine), nor was I taught it (emphasis mine); rather, I received it by revelation (emphasis mine)from Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man (emphasis mine), nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.”
  
  After Paul’s Damascus road experience (Acts 9), these verses in Galatians tell us that he went into Arabia to spend time alone with God – to be taught, not by human experience but by revelation from God himself. Paul was taught first-hand by the God of the universe…and we can be too. As difficult as a few minutes of spare time may be to find, it is essential that we set-aside a part of our day to listen and learn from Him. Getting quiet and actually listening is a vital part of our walk with Christ.
  
  I realize we all have busy lives. There are so many “things” competing for our time; schedules to keep, kids to get to school, soccer practices get to, spouses to spend time with, animals to feed and walk, bosses that needed things done yesterday, bills to pay… and the list gets longer and longer. No wonder we’re so overwhelmed and exhausted. For me personally, sometimes it feels like there is nothing I can do or no where I can go to get away from the never ending chaos. I feel exhausted just writing about it.
  
  Don’t be dismayed; there is hope. The Bible teaches that there is somewhere we can run and find guidance and direction as well as comfort and rest for our dry and thirsty souls. Psalm 42:1-2 says “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” The Psalmist recognizes his deep need for God, he longs to spend time with him on a daily basis – to drink from the eternal well that never runs dry.
  
  He also recognizes that God will quench his thirst and in that fact he finds hope and renewal for his soul. In the same way, God will quench our thirst – He is continually with us and longs for us to know him intimately. In order to establish this type of relationship with God we have to be in His word and apply the truths of it on a daily basis.
  
  Have you set aside a few minutes during your day to sit at the feet of Jesus and discover all He has for you?
  
  Related reading:
  
  Deuteronomy 32:47; Joshua 1:8; 2 Timothy 3:16 – 17; Psalm 63:1; Psalm 119:105
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  Posted in be still, Godly revelation | 0 Comments
- STOP the NOISE!!!
  
  Posted at 8:45 am by sneuhofer, on August 12, 2017
  We live in a world of constant chaos. There is never enough time for anything or anyone. From the time we’re so rudely awakened by the annoying sound of the alarm clock, our lives are nothing but constant motion. We have so many outside distractions demanding our undivided attention and every little second of our time.
  
  Our day begins and you’re in constant motion. There is no time for anything or anyone. The world is passing you by in an instant and it seems that you cannot get anything accomplished on your daily list of things to do.
  
  Your family, friends, co-workers and boss all need a piece of your time.
  - “Mom., she hit me!”
  - “Mom the dog is barking at the cat.”
  - “Hon, can you take my suit to the cleaners before you head to work.”
  - “Oh, by the way, I asked my boss over for dinner tonight – can you stop and pick something up on your way home from work?”
  - “This document has to be complete by the end of the day, we are under a strict deadline… you will have it to me right?”
  Everything fiber of your being want to scream until the madness stops. “What do the words be quiet mean anyway? My life is just too busy to be still… it’s just not possible – the noise is too much!” It’s so hard for me to just focus. I need silence so I can think. Around and around and around you go where you stop no one ever knows.
  
  Have you ever felt like your life has gotten so that you can’t function unless there is noise at every turn? What would you do if it were actually quiet? It’s hard to imagine isn’t it? It’s the constant motion that has you running out of breath. “Something has to give” you plead. Where is the release? Have you ever longed for a quiet place you can go to find refreshment/renewal? Perhaps the word “quiet” doesn’t even exist in your vocabulary.
  
  Does being still and being quiet sound like a foreign language? In this world full of noise, how will we ever hear God’s truth unless we are listening to Him? The sound of silence is not a frightening thing… we must embrace it! It is in this place of “silence” we are able to unplug and relax in the presence of our Heavenly Father.
  
  Jesus wants to spend time with us alone – one on one time with Him – no interruptions – no distractions.
  
  I know what you must be thinking… “every second of my day has something in it… there is absolutely no time for me to slow down and get quiet!”
  
  Yet, it’s in this quiet place that we are able to “let go” of our over committed schedule and focus our energies on the Creator the Universe and His purpose for our lives. Yes that’s right… HE has a purpose for us. But how will we ever know of the abundance He has for us if we aren’t able to clearly hear His voice? Our days are filled with people, places and all sorts of stuff – but if we don’t leave room for Jesus – we depend on ourselves and not Jesus to get us through the tough times.
  
  On the other hand, if Jesus is our priority we can have the personal relationship with him that he wants with us. We were created to be in fellowship with God every day. He wants to be included in our goals, dreams and daily activities. He is the only one who is there for us when the rest of the world checks out – and if we let Him – he will renew strength if we would only unplug from the noise and plug into a daily quiet time with Him. He is our source for strength and our defense against the lies we hear from this world.
  
  He’s calling us to come away and spend a little piece of our day with Him. Perhaps the best time to give him is in the morning when you’re fresh and your mind is less cluttered. So in this place of no distractions, prepare your heart to spend a few minutes with God.
  
  Christ did so much for us when He gave his life so that we could be forgiven and live eternally with Him. Is it too much to give him just a few minutes out of our day? The choice is yours – believe the lies of this world (“I don’t have time!”) or unplug and learn the truth (God loves you and wants to help you with your daily To-Do list.) .
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  Posted in abundant life, be still | 0 Comments
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Category: be still

Peace! Be Still!

Posted at 9:36 am by sneuhofer, on October 15, 2021

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I need a revelation!

Posted at 8:45 am by sneuhofer, on August 16, 2017

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STOP the NOISE!!!

Posted at 8:45 am by sneuhofer, on August 12, 2017

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