~ The Silent Treatment ~

"Keep quiet before Yahweh and wait patiently for him." Psalm 37:7a

Silence is golden, the old saying goes. But not when we need answers, are seeking help or are feeling overwhelmed. 

Do you find being still with/before God a challenge for you in your days? Or do you feel like God is giving you the 'Silent Treatment'? Could there be some of each happening?

"The busyness of things obscures our concentration on God", Oswald Chambers reminds us.

We are running in so many different directions trying to attend to our people, places and work that it can truly be difficult to slow down, sit down and calm ourselves down long enough to focus on God.

If you are like me in this regard, you may have wondered how many times God has been eagerly waiting to quietly speak hope, strength and true life into your hurry-scurry life but you were too busy otherwise to even notice or hear His voice. You also might have thought He wasn't ever going to answer you as you threw bits of 'SOS' messages at Him.


Sometimes God does seem to give us the silent treatment. He did oftentimes throughout scripture with other members of our Heavenly Family! We can read about these times in the lives of many of those who are now gone ahead such as Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, David, Habbakuk, Simeon and even God's dearly beloved and risen Son, Christ Jesus.

However, God wants to commune with us, His children. Many scriptures, including, "Call to me and I will answer you, and will show you great and hidden things that you do not know." from Jeremiah 33:3 prove this to be true. But when He is seemingly 'silent' His word gives us reasons for it being so ...

... He wants us to increase our level of trust in Him

... He is waiting for the right time to intervene

... He needs us to stop and make time for Him

... His will not ours must be done

Let's not forget that He never leaves nor forsakes us but is always working behind the scenes on our behalf. He desires that we call, come, and commune with Him! Every day!

So, may we, my sisters and brothers, sincerely commit to carving out precious time - "time to be silent," (Ecclesiastes 3:7b) as we await the treasure He surely will bestow into our whole being, His temple!

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Take good care to find stillness, keep listening and sing out His praises!

👣 💖🙏🏼🙏🏿🎶

Rose Naomi

~ Fully Dressed for Success ~

"Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." Ephesians 6:11

While pondering, praying and researching the verse above I found this succinct quote ...

"As soldiers in the army of the Lord, we must be suited with the finest armour available to mankind. That armour is of God. It is a complete outfit, for it is the “full armour” of God. Not a portion of it but to the fullest extent. Being outfitted this way, allows the soldier to be protected from head to foot and has a variety of resources at their disposal, both offensive and defensive." Warren Curry, 2005

My friends, as I write this morning, I know without a shadow of a doubt that it is only in Yahweh, our Father's strength and power that I/you can stand against the wiles of the devil ... withstanding and standing in the faith of what Jesus did for me & for you! Through fervent prayer ... being fully attired, we are able to persevere by the Holy Spirit of God.

"And He who searches our hearts knows what is the mind of the spirit, because it makes intercession for the holy ones according to the will of God." Romans 8:27 

Without the Full Armour of God, I would not be strong enough to sit upright each morning! Such is the magnitude and reality of His love and protection in my life!

This is a tremendous gift to be worn by all of His children in each and every phase of our lives. Fully dressed, we are equipped and alive in Yahweh alone! Halleluyah!

Today and each day forward may we knowingly be 'dressed for success' as we walk forward clothed from head to toe in His spiritual armour, fully equipped for any battle which may ensue! Halleluyah! 

As we look and read together the entire section devoted to Spiritual Armour in Ephesians 6:10-18 let us ask our God for fuller understanding and relevance to our day-by-day living!

The Full/Whole Armour of God

"Finally, Finally, be empowered in the Lord, that is, in the might of his strength.
Put on the whole armour of God so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the Devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 
Because of this, take up the whole armour of God so that you will be able to stand your ground in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand.
Stand therefore, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the good news of peace, and in addition to all this, taking up the shield of trust, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the Wicked One, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Be praying at all times in the spirit with all kinds of prayers and petitions. And to that end, be watchful with all perseverance and petitions for all the holy ones."

Did anything jump out at you as you read through? For me, one thing did, actually, one 'piece' did. The sword! This is not God simply telling us to put it on and use it. Without taking up and using God's Word we enter into each day of life and service quite content to do so but in our fullest capacity minus God's power and wisdom. 

Does this seem like a small thing for you? I hope not. Without the wisdom we gain from the Word, we, His children, as His people will find ourselves working against Him when we thought we were working for Him on any given day. Christians are called to stand for God, and the Sword of the Spirit is the only 'offensive' weapon the believer can take up as we come up against and combat evilness. Dressing for lifelong success means taking up and speaking God's Word, the Sword of the Spirit each and every day!

My prayer for successful dressing for today and each day forward:

I call to You, Yahweh, and ask this day, that You would ready me for battle. You are fully aware of what I will face so I ask for successful attire for any battle I am headed into. I am confident You are with me in Your mighty strength and power. All day through, may I be reminded that Your Word says, 'The battle belongs to the Lord'. In Jesus’ name, I pray. 

May we be equipped and attired each day to go forth singing, "The Battle Belongs to the Lord", that power-filled song written and composed by Jamie Owens-Collins in 1985.

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Take good care, keep growing, and sing out His praises!   
Rose Naomi

~ A Voice In His Garden Ministries ~
Growing Mind, Body, Soul & Spirit
~ Praise People Plants Possibilities ~
Blogspot: https://avoiceinhisgardenministries.blogspot.com/

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Email: rosenaomiobrey@gmail.com 

"I will sing praise to ADONAI, my God, as long as I live." Psalm 104:33a