Posted on December 8, 2011, 9:47 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
By Bill Gaultiere © 2011
This Christmas season maybe you need to appreciate that God bestows his favor on you personally? Maybe you’ve been feeling discouraged or insignificant and need to lift up your head to Christ? I did. So God led me to meditate on the shepherd’s place in the Christmas story as it’s recorded in the Bible (Luke 2:8-20).
In Jesus’ day shepherds were poor and disregarded. In public they hung their heads or stood off to the side. Isolated from the rest of society, they lived out in the fields caring for sheep day and night, rain or shine, heat or cold. They had to be constantly on [...]
Continue reading Lift Up Your Head!
Posted on October 7, 2010, 11:14 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
By Bill Gaultiere © 2010
I have a spiritual vitamin for you – a little, power-packed prayer that’s a Gospel of Jesus in miniature. It’s based on a favorite Bible verse of mine that most Christians I talk to have difficulty practicing: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
First, let’s meditate on these paraphrases of Psalm 46:10:
“Quiet your heart, rely on me – the Spirit of Christ, the I AM – living and breathing in you.” (my paraphrase)
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God.” (MSG)
“Our God [...]
Continue reading Be Still and Know Christ
Posted on September 16, 2010, 9:16 am, by Bill Gaultiere.
By Bill Gaultiere © 2008
I know a secret safe place always available to you. When you feel guilty or sad, when you feel alone, no matter what is going on for you there is a refuge for you in the arms of Jesus. His Spirit will encircle you.
You can embrace the risen Christ right now. You can rest in his arms of love. It only takes a few minutes. Quiet your soul… Open your heart…
My Psalm 32 Breath Prayer will help. Breathe in: “Jesus…” Breathe out: “You are my Safe Place…” Breathe in: “Selah…” Breathe out: “I’m still in your grace…”
The [...]
Continue reading A Secret Safe Place for You
Posted on August 23, 2010, 9:09 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
Usually its better to slow down!
By Bill Gaultiere © 2010
I was coming down the stairs this morning with my arms full and heading out to an appointment that I was going to be late for when I spilled my cup full of cereal all down the stairs and across the entry! This is a parable…
Most pastors and leaders that my wife Kristi and I minister to have the same problem I had this morning – they’re carrying too much and they’re moving too fast. They’re under tremendous stress and have difficulty making time for the intimacy with Jesus that they crave and [...]
Continue reading Hurry to Spill Mercy
Posted on August 3, 2010, 8:22 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
By Bill Gaultiere © 2010
Is your heart smiling? Are you appreciating that God is with you? The risen Christ is beside you as you read these words and he breathes his Spirit into you. So take a deep breath to behold Christ… Smile as you breathe out!
What joy it is to pause and appreciate Christ in our hearts! What grace comes to us and others as we pray the name of Jesus Christ! Try praying with me the name of Jesus in Psalm 73:26:
Lord Jesus Christ
Be the strength of my heart
And my portion forever.
Try praying for God’s [...]
Continue reading Smile with Jesus in your Heart!
Posted on June 15, 2010, 8:48 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
Your identity, worth, meaning, and joy are in Christ alone – not in your performance or what people think of you. 110 times the Apostle Paul urges us to place ourselves “in Christ.”
Practicing my “In Christ Alone” prayer will help you to enter the Sabbath rest of Jesus’ Christ’s embrace: “In Christ alone my soul finds rest… Selah” (inspired by Psalm 62:1,5).
Pause to take a breather now… Refresh your soul in Christ… Form your heart around the desire to seek Christ alone as your source in all that you do… Pray slowly, over and over,“In Christ Alone my soul finds rest… Selah.”
Try it as a Breath Prayer. Breathe in slow [...]
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Posted on March 27, 2010, 9:22 am, by Bill Gaultiere.
On Palm Sunday Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people didn’t recognize him (Luke 19:41). Later in Holy Week Jesus cried out for us all: “O how I have longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings!” (Matthew 23:37, paraphrase).
Do you desire to be that close to Christ? David sought to take refuge under the wings of the Lord, snuggled up to his chest. We can “take heart” from him.
In Psalm 61:1-4 David is in a desert wilderness and he prays: “Hear my cry, O God… From the ends of the earth I call to you… Lead me to the rock that [...]
Continue reading Jesus is My Refuge
