breathing room for my soul

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Worthy Thoughts

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise... then the peace of God will be with you.

Philippians 4:8-9 NLT

We are constantly surrounded by the opposite of what the Scripture calls us to keep in our minds. The world is full thoughts that are false and reckless, thoughts against God and tainted, ugly and lacking merit. There are so many unworthy ideas and activities that catch our attention or capture our time. Chaos thrives in these things ~ not peace. You will not find God in these places ~ unless He is reaching through for a lost soul. Even then, He is far above the ugly and dark; He is Beauty and Light. God is peace.

The commentary of the Transformation Study Bible offers these thoughts:

The Christian who fills his heart and mind with God's Word will have a "built-in radar" for detecting wrong thoughts. . . Right thinking is the result of daily meditation on the Word of God. (Philippians 4:8 commentary)

Our sacrifice of praise ~
Whatever is worthy of praise, meditate on these thoughts of Beauty and Light. ~ dho

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Be My Vision

“Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart . . .

Thou my best thought by day or by night

Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light

Be thou my wisdom and Thou my true word

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord . . .

Heart of my own heart whatever befall

Still be my vision O Ruler of all”

"Be Thou My Vision" is a hymn that has its roots in Ireland. Written in the 8th century as an Irish poem, it was translated in the early 1900's and later put to music. In Hosea, God is reminding Israel who He is:

It is I who answer and look after you. I am like a luxuriant cypress; from Me comes your fruit. Hosea 14:8 NASB

God is where we are to look for our best thoughts, our wisdom; His presence is with us. What comfort to know that whatever happens we can find God's Vision. Heart of my own heart whatever befall, still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

The Message translates the Hosea verse: Everything you need is to be found in Me.

Our sacrifice of praise ~
My "best thoughts" will reflect God's wisdom if He is the "Lord of my heart". Let God be our Vision in this world of darkness. ~dho

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Dependence on God

So those now who live by faith are blessed along with Abraham, who lived by faith - this is no new doctrine! And that means that anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure. Galatians 3:9-10 The Message

"The nearer Abraham came to God in his intercession the more he recognized his entire unworthiness; 'Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord.' Genuine unworthiness is never shy before God any more than a child is shy before his mother. A child of God is conscious only of his entire dependence upon God." from Not Knowing Where by Oswald Chambers

The Thesaurus gives these synonyms for dependence: trust, reliance, confidence, faith. As a child of God, we must acknowledge our entire dependence upon God. This requires that we trust God with all the circumstances of life. Finding confidence in His Power and relying on His Promises demonstrate our faith, our dependence on God.

Our sacrifice of praise ~
Contemplate a time when you did not demonstrate complete dependence on God. What more does God have to do to gain your trust? ~dho

Friday, April 10, 2020

Good Friday - Ransom - Lent 2020

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15 During this season of reflection and renewal (Lent February 26 - April 12), join me as we examine what "sacrifice of praise" means and how this should and can be our offering to God. What is your sacrifice of praise? – dho

Good Friday
Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly the Man was the Son of God!"
Mark 15:38 NKJV

Today we must look to the cross of suffering that Jesus endured as a ransom for our sin. Until that day, the Jewish people, the Chosen of God, worshiped Jehovah with blood sacrifices and burnt offerings. At the time Jesus breathed His last breath and died, the High Priest sacrificed the unblemished lamb, preparing the sin offering of Passover. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies to place the blood offering on the Mercy seat for forgiveness of sins.

On this day, when Jesus died, the curtain of the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. The Scriptures do not say what happened to the High Priest or the blood of the slain Passover lamb. We are not told the thoughts of the High Priest who witnessed the torn curtain that represented a veil between sinful man and the Holy God. Until this moment in history, the High Priest would have taken the blood sacrifice into the Holy of Holies as an offering for the forgiveness of sins for God's people every year at Passover, but now, the altar of the Lord was exposed.

These historic religious customs tell the God-story of Jesus, a Perfect Lamb slain for the forgiveness of sin. The once veiled Holy of Holies, the Presence of God, is now revealed. To all who seek a relationship with God, Grace is given through Jesus, the True High Priest. What remains? Our confession, "Truly the Man [is] the Son of God!"

Our sacrifice of praise ~
Who will you share the God-story of Jesus with today? ~dho

Thursday, April 09, 2020

Maundy Thursday - Betrayal - Lent 2020

Maundy Thursday services celebrate the giving of the Lord's Supper to the Disciples of Jesus, but the evening of fellowship and teaching and prayer ends in betrayal. As Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, leads the arresting soldiers to Him. He identifies Jesus with a kiss ~ a kiss of betrayal. Perhaps the ultimate betrayal always comes from someone close to our inner circle. Not much different from Judas, we too betray Jesus, with our pride, our apathy, our selfishness, our busyness.

And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man. Seize Him and lead Him away under guard."

And when he came, he went up to Him at once and said, "Rabbi!" And he kissed Him. And they laid hands on him and seized Him.
Mark 14:43-46 ESV

Our sacrifice of praise ~
Let your tears of betrayal celebrate the Bread and the Wine ~ like Oswald Chambers wrote many, many times, "Be the broken bread and poured out wine." ~dho

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

Vision - Lent 2020

Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him here." So they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you." Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. And answering him, Jesus said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And the blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!" And Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road. Mark 10:46-52 NASB

Jesus is always calling to us; He desires that we have a relationship with Him. I wonder how many of us are really like this blind man? Do we desire the mercy that Jesus offers? Is our faith truly evident? And maybe most of all, I wonder, do we really KNOW what we want from Jesus? And, if we know, do we boldly ask? When Jesus answers us, do we respond like this man with new vision?

Our sacrifice of praise ~

Ask Jesus for new vision ~ and follow Him on the road! ~dho

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Relationship - Lent 2020

In Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest, these words describe our failure to truly worship and offer prayers to God: Worship and intercession must go together, the one is impossible without the other. Intercession means that we rouse ourselves up to get the mind of Christ about the one for whom we pray. Too often . . . . we [pray] in dispute with God - "I don't see how You are going to do it." This is a sure sign we are not worshiping. . . We hurl our own petitions at God's throne and dictate to Him as to what we wish Him to do. We do not worship God, nor do we seek to form the mind of Christ.

It is true that we often "tell" God what we want. Praying with an open and humble heart that desires God's purposes is not easy. When we "tell" God what we expect Him to do, we do not demonstrate a relationship with Him that is built on faith and love. We must seek to know the mind of Christ. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD. Ezra 3:11 ESV

Our sacrifice of praise ~
Spend time building a true relationship with God. This is His delight. ~dho

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Rescued - Lent 2020

He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me...
Psalm 55:18 NASB
As long as we live in this world, Satan will battle for our souls, battle for our attention. He seeks to destroy and distract; he desires to interrupt our focus on God. Satan interferes as often as possible. There is comfort and security in knowing that God will always offer peace to our seeking souls.
God rescues us in the battles that surround our daily life, sending angels to defend and protect. In the heavenly realms, constant battles between darkness and light, between God's angels and Satan's angel-followers rage. And us - as Believers and disciples of Christ, we stand redeemed and find peace even in the middle of the chaos.
The Message uses these words: My life is well and whole, secure in the middle of danger. (Ps.55:18)
Our sacrifice of praise ~
God-of-the-Angel-Armies sends peace ~ it comes on
angel-wings. LISTEN! ~dho

All rights reserved, copyright Donna Oswalt 2020 BreathingRoomForMySoul.com

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Be Still and Wait - Lent 2020

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
Psalm 37:7 NIV

The world is full of noise; it delights in its fullness of distractions. Time for stillness eludes us; it escapes our attempts at quiet. In fact, we have become so programmed to noise and multi-tasking several technologies at the same time, we rarely recognize these as distractions. Rather, we question the moments of quiet and stillness, "What, no WiFi? Is the Internet down? How long will the cable be off? Why is this download so slow? Wonder why no one is texting me? Did my cell phone die? Where is my Ipad?"

Nothing in all creation is so like God as stillness. Meister Eckhart

We value busyness; we do not respect stillness! We are afraid of the stillness; we are missing God in the hurry. We have grown accustomed to fast; we are drowning in distractions. Often patience or waiting feels like the enemy. This endless loop of busy and hurry interferes with our intimate relationship with Jesus we should be growing. Be still and wait!

Our sacrifice of praise ~
As our sacrifice of praise, we should slow down and seek stillness. We would discover we are not alone; rather, God is patiently waiting for us. ~dho

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

Hungry for More - Lent 2020

The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn't diminish or weaken over time. It's the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you've been hungry for more. Colossians 1:6 MSG

Fasting takes many forms and is a common practice during Lent. Some will sacrifice chocolate or sweets, others will give up sodas or TV. During Lent, many Catholics fast every Friday, giving up meat. The purpose of fasting goes beyond ritual; it is to draw us closer to God.

Richard Foster, in Celebration of Discipline, devotes a chapter to fasting and gives Christians insight into this discipline of faith: "Throughout Scripture fasting refers to abstaining from food for spiritual purposes... Biblical fasting always centers on spiritual purposes." Foster points out that Jesus never commands believers to fast but acknowledges that we can. In Matthew 6:16, Jesus says, "When you fast". Foster continues, "So, although Jesus does not say, 'If you fast,' neither does he say 'You must fast.' His word is, very simply, 'When you fast.'"

So why fast? Foster explains, "Fasting must forever center on God... More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. David writes, 'I humbled my soul with fasting' (Psalm 69:10). Therefore, in experiences of fasting we are not so much abstaining from food as we are feasting on the Word of God." Foster/Celebration of Discipline, pg 47-61

When seeking ways to offer a sacrifice of praise to God, fasting is one way. However, fasting does not have to mean "giving up" something; it can be "giving more." Consider "giving more" as your sacrifice of praise, such as: spending more time in God's Word, fasting FROM the world by spending MORE time serving people in need, making time to attend special worship programs or visiting the homebound and sick folks.The possibilities of "giving more" for God are endless.

Listen for His Voice to direct your energies. Richard Foster notes, "Outwardly, you will be performing regular duties of your day, but inwardly you will be in prayer and adoration, song and worship. In a new way, cause every task of the day to be a sacred ministry to the Lord. Cultivate a gentle receptiveness to divine breathings."

Our sacrifice of praise ~
Do you hunger for more? How will your fasting be more like feasting on the Word of God? ~dho

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Ash Wednesday - Lent 2020

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15 During this season of reflection and renewal (Lent February 26 - April 12), join me as we examine what "sacrifice of praise" means and how this should and can be our offering to God. What is your sacrifice of praise? - dho

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God proclaiming our allegiance to His name. And don’t forget to do good and share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.Hebrews 13:15-16 NLT

"So many of us limit our praying because we are not reckless in our confidence in God. In the eyes of those who do not know God, it is madness to trust Him, but when we pray in the Holy Spirit we begin to realize the resources of God, that He is our perfect heavenly Father, and we are His children."
from If You Will Ask by Oswald Chambers

Lord, today we find ourselves kneeling at the altar, humbled by Your Divine Love, marked as a sinner in need of Your Grace! Take us on a spiritual journey these next weeks, teach our hearts how to give more as we offer a sacrifice of praise to You!

Our sacrifice of praise ~
Will we sacrifice our anxieties and be reckless in our confidence in God? ~ dho

All rights reserved, copyright Donna Oswalt 2020 BreathingRoomForMySoul.com

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Joy - 2020 Words to Refresh the Soul

Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

Jeremiah 15:16 ESV

In Eugene Peterson’s A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, he writes that joy is a mark of the “authentic Christian . . . [one who is] on the way of salvation. Joy is characteristic of Christian pilgrimage.” Peterson continues, “Joy is not a requirement of Christian discipleship, it is a consequence . . . it is what comes to us when we are walking in the way of faith and obedience.” Jeremiah’s words reflect the decision to live in God’s abundance. Despite circumstances, God is constant and certain. His word speaks to us today, just as it did to Jeremiah.

"The inevitable result of genuine salvation is joy! The joy found in Christ is like an inexhaustible well, satisfying the most desperate thirst." [Blackaby Study Bible Notes] As you journey through your current season, are you finding Real JOY? If not, perhaps you are looking in the wrong places. You don't have to wander alone in the dry, dark places. The Holy One is here! Christ is Real JOY! Let the promises of God mark you with joy!

Lord, Your words have been recorded for me, gathered to encourage me, endured to restore me. Increase my faith so I can see Your abundant blessings in all times. Let Your Joy be my joy to share! - dho

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Compassion - 2020 Words to Refresh the Soul

But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and come to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and then he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii and gave then to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and what ever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.' [Jesus asks] "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" [the expert in the law said] "the one who showed mercy toward him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."
Luke 10:33-37 NASB

In one of the most familiar parables in the Bible, the Good Samaritan, Jesus takes us to the virtual scene of the crime. There on the side of a treacherous section of a winding, steep, rocky road between Jerusalem and Jericho well known for its perpetrators, the victim lays unconscious, bleeding and left for dead. Jesus describes two others who pass but neglect to help the man. The third passer-by stops. A Samaritan, having compassion on the man, bandages his wounds, takes him to the nearest inn, cares for him, pays the innkeeper for future needs, and plans to check on him when returning home. Jesus' investigation asks us, "So, who saw the need and responded? Who demonstrates true compassion? Who was able to love without judgement?"

Jesus draws us into this senseless brutality, calls us out of our comfort zones, shows us how we are to love others. As always, political correctness tries to give its answer - or excuse - for not helping. After all, the priest follows the law keeping himself "religiously clean" while the Levite, too, keeps about his religious responsibilities. Jesus reaches beyond mere religious order and steps directly into a cultural and societal conflict. The Samaritan helping the victim crosses all kinds of social barriers; the centuries old mutual hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans highlights a dilemma. Jesus asks if we really see the needs of people or pretend not to notice. Jesus asks if we truly love others like He loves or just quote Bible verses about God's love? Jesus asks if we have genuine compassion for people or attempt to evaluate according to race, gender, or creed?

Listening to this investigation does not tell us anything about the injured person. We do not know if he simply falls prey to some robbers, or perhaps, he, too, is a thief himself who loses an argument with a fellow robber. On this road known for crime and opportunity, hurt finds a helping hand. Every day we take a similar journey. Sometimes disappointment targets us; other times, need calls from the other side of the road. Sometimes we are overlooked or excluded; other times, unexpected love sees beyond public opinion. Jesus calls us to lay down outward appearances and stop beside need. Jesus calls each of us to develop compassionate hearts and unselfish spirits, to love fully and unconditionally. Reach beyond; go and do the same! ~dho

Thursday, February 06, 2020

Gratitude - 2020 Words to Refresh the Soul

Loving God,

The night sky is filled with luminaries that

light the darkness. Angels whisper evening

songs to my weary soul. I do not notice.

As sleep gently calls, I forget that I have

breathed the morning air, listened to laughter,

seen the evening sky appear. Another day!

Something disturbs the rhythm of my sleep,

summons my soul. In these sleepless moments,

the Holy Spirit is waiting and listens for my

response. I whisper, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Holy Father, when I fail to see the beauty of Your day, remind me with a glorious morning to take my breath away, a soul-laugh that only a listening heart can find, and a night sky crowded with stars like diamonds that demand a lingering look.

My heart bursts with unmeasured thankfulness! These are Your ordinary gifts! I simply miss them in my hectic hours, my scheduled chaos, my saturated time.

Give my heart the desire to breathe,

listen, and see the ordinary with extraordinary intention. Grant my soul the desire to breathe, listen, and see Your Extraordinary Gifts of Love, Grace, and Joy!
Let me seek Your extravagant gifts in every day!

Let me shout, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

Refresh my spirit! Refine my faith!

Restore my love! Renew my strength!

Rebuild my trust! Reclaim my soul!

To God be the glory! Amen. ~dho

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Hope - 2020 Words to Refresh the Soul

I pray to GOD - my life a prayer -
and wait for what He'll say and do.

Psalm 130:5 The Message

The Living Bible uses these words ~ I wait expectantly, trusting God for help, for He has promised. When we wait expectantly, that is called hope! In A Long Obedience in the Same Direction Eugene Peterson writes this about Psalm 130 and hope:

Hoping . . . means going about our assigned tasks, confident that God will provide the meaning and the conclusions. . . It is the opposite of desperate and panicky manipulations, of scurrying and worrying.

[Hope] is imagination put in the harness of faith . . . a willingness to let God do it His way and in His time.

Is it our lack of trusting in God's faithful promises or our cynicism towards hope that binds us to despair? Do we worry more about not being able to control circumstances than confidently going about our assigned tasks? Allowing God to work in His way and in His time often requires us to wait. By studying the Scriptures and through prayer, our relationship with God grows; our understanding of His character increases. In His presence we find a peace within the uncertainty; we are embraced by His comfort through the waiting. We must wait expectantly on God ~ the One who is Faithful, who is Promise, who is HOPE!

Gracious LORD,

I come to the altar shouting praise for

all the blessings in my life. You are the Light

that writes the words of my soul-song. It is

You that gives my heart its desires. You are Hope!

Faithful Father, I am God-strong; my blessings

abundantly exceed my needs. Creator, gather the

details of my life, take Your holy threads and weave

a tapestry of Your design. . . You transcend all

circumstances, expose all evil, reveal all love but

never measure Grace. I am God-strengthened! ~dho

A New Beginning

"This is my [new] life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details . . . God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities.

And so here I am . . . writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along."
Ephesians 3:7-10, The Message

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