Rise Up Oh Men of God

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November 10
What a fun morning. Before I opened my eyes the hymn Rise Up Oh Men of God was on my brain.
www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh576.sht
Then the number 55 came to mind, which I thought was strange until I rolled over and looked at the clock and it was 5:55AM. What came next was a hilarious prompting from the Holy Spirit. The song...Do You Know the Muffin Man? It made perfect sense to me. I had forgotten to pack my husband's lunch last night and I had baked some wonderful muffins to go in his lunch. Also, I needed to "rise up" out of bed to make pancakes for his breakfast. I was in great spirits to preform this act due to God's sense of humor!

Quieting myself for my time with the Lord, my heart thrilled as I read a suggested scripture verse from the devotional, Jesus Calling.

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD. They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness. Psalm 89:15-16

"Now I don't care who you are "(as the Blue Collar Comedy Guys would say) that there verse is going to put a spring in your step and get you to celebrating who you are in Christ!

The number 55 was still lingering, so I looked up Psalm 55 and cried out for several friends in agony from chronic illnesses. I was still hungry for God to speak and tried to remember what other books might have 55 chapters. Ah, yes...Isaiah. This chapter had me hooping and hollering, well, actually singing praise and clapping my hands, by the time I finished it.

So get your joy on, grab your Bible and read along. Here are some tasty morsels to tempt your spiritual taste buds and draw you to the whole chapter.
Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. (v.3)
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. (v.6)
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the Lord. (v.8)
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands! (v.12)

Whew, sounds like a party to me!
Ugh. The thought just came to me that there is someone reading this who doesn't feel worthy to party with Jesus. We aren't worthy; that is His whole purpose and His joy...to transform us, to raise us up to be men and women of God. Part of the family!

Check out Jude 1:24-25 and believe today in the transforming love He has for you.
Make this our prayer today.

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen


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