So, I have been M.I.A. all summer. (As far as writing goes) Wow, where did the time go? I haven’t wanted to be gone but God has been doing a grueling work in me this summer; much of which I hope to share as I feel led. But here is just a glimpse into what He has been working in me.
Isaiah 26:3 says “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Keeping that in mind…..Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
So, over the last year or more I have been learning to trust in Him at deeper levels with my “needs”; food, shelter, clothing, etc. I know that He will supply all my needs because scripture tells me that, right? Well according to Psalm 37:4, He will also give me the desires of my heart. The problem with that is; I don’t believe that. So how can I believe one scripture and not the other? So glad you asked. The problem is not scripture, it’s me!! Read again……DELIGHT yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. and the other scripture says, “I will keep in perfect peace when I keep my eyes steadfast on Him and trust Him”! So, what I am learning is that when I am not in perfect peace and I am not getting the desires of my heart…..who am I focused on and trusting in?? All of the time, it is ME or someone/something else.
A recent example of His faithfulness; I had asked God to give me confirmation on a situation. I did not “need” the confirmation, but I “desired” it. I had forgotten about asking for the confirmation, and yesterday morning God was speaking to my heart about how I trust Him for my needs but not my desires, so several hours later I was chatting with a friend and unbeknownst to her, she gave me the confirmation that I so desperately desired~~ that may seem insignificant but to me it was an ever so gentle reminder that He does give us the tiniest desires of our heart when we are delighting in Him.
I must admit that it has been a grueling summer because somewhere along the way I lost my peace because I quit focusing on Him and started focusing on me; my husband; my circumstances; you name it and I focused on it. We as Christians should be walking in the promises that the above scriptures tells us and if we are not, then I beg of you to look at what; who and where is your focus? Get it back on Him and feel the peace wash over you.
Desperately in need of HIM!!!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Friday Families
Dear Jesus, I invite You into my family tree. Where there is brokenness,
may You be the Healer. Where there is disease, may You prune so that
new life can begin. Come alongside me as a mom. Let me see the beauty of
these children You have placed in my heart and in my life. Thank you
for walking with me every day. ~~ Proverbs 31 article
may You be the Healer. Where there is disease, may You prune so that
new life can begin. Come alongside me as a mom. Let me see the beauty of
these children You have placed in my heart and in my life. Thank you
for walking with me every day. ~~ Proverbs 31 article
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Wednesday Wives Prayer
Lord, help my husband to realize where his help comes from, it comes from You. Help him to know that you will not let his foot slip, that you are always watching and helping him. I pray that he realizes that nothing will harm him because you are His shade, shelter and help. I pray that you keep him from all harm. (taken from Psalm 121)
Monday, June 7, 2010
Monday Moms prayer
Fill this generation with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I pray this in order that they live a life worthy of You & pleasing to You in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of You, being strengthened with all power according to Your glorious might so they may have great endurance, patience and joyfully giving thanks to YOU. Colossians 1:9
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
M-W-F Prayer
The purpose of the Facebook page (M-W-F Prayer) is to generate unity in prayer. Some friends and I have felt the prompting to join together in prayer for our children, husbands and families and likewise for the nation. So we thought if we are burdened about this, surely there are others that would be also......so, we are making an effort to call attention to specific times to pray:
Monday Moms will focus on our children and children of this nation.
Wednesday Wives will focus on our husbands and marriages....if you are not married, you can still pray for your future spouse and other marriages as prompted.
Friday Families will focus on the family as a whole.
You can pray anytime of the day or all day without ceasing. I believe in the power of prayer and believe that when we all unite in focused topics of prayer, mighty things can happen.
Please feel free to post prayers, answers to prayer, etc. Let's change our families; therefore, change the world!!!
Monday Moms will focus on our children and children of this nation.
Wednesday Wives will focus on our husbands and marriages....if you are not married, you can still pray for your future spouse and other marriages as prompted.
Friday Families will focus on the family as a whole.
You can pray anytime of the day or all day without ceasing. I believe in the power of prayer and believe that when we all unite in focused topics of prayer, mighty things can happen.
Please feel free to post prayers, answers to prayer, etc. Let's change our families; therefore, change the world!!!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
"Surrender does not equate to lack of faith or giving up
As I walk a journey with my husband of back injury, surgery and a possible second surgery; I realize that surrender does not equate to lack of faith. He asked me the other day, “Do you think it’s wrong for me to be okay with having another surgery?” My answer to that surprised me, “No, I think it’s God’s peace.”
See, I come from a previous line of thinking that if we just have enough faith…….
I don’t believe that way anymore. God never promised us non-existence of pain, but He said that His grace is sufficient in the midst of the pain or hard circumstances. (2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.)
Faith is not waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen supernaturally or happen AT ALL, but believing God to be God. Yes, sometimes God does heal or deliver us from circumstances supernaturally, but sometimes God uses the process of walking it out to help mold us and grow our faith and trust in Him. You hear many people talk about how “such and such” is the best thing that ever happened to them. Now, I don’t think they would have asked for “such and such” (or back surgery) and I am sure, given our choice, we would choose supernatural healing or deliverance, but the fact is; sometimes, the journey is the healing and deliverance…..we gain so much more from the Lord when we journey with Him through the process.
So, I encourage you to embrace surrender; that is where the peace is. Don’t believe the lie of the enemy to say that your faith is weak because you chose to surrender to the process….it just means you’re trusting your Daddy to take care of things and knowing that His path is the best path for you.
See, I come from a previous line of thinking that if we just have enough faith…….
I don’t believe that way anymore. God never promised us non-existence of pain, but He said that His grace is sufficient in the midst of the pain or hard circumstances. (2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.)
Faith is not waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen supernaturally or happen AT ALL, but believing God to be God. Yes, sometimes God does heal or deliver us from circumstances supernaturally, but sometimes God uses the process of walking it out to help mold us and grow our faith and trust in Him. You hear many people talk about how “such and such” is the best thing that ever happened to them. Now, I don’t think they would have asked for “such and such” (or back surgery) and I am sure, given our choice, we would choose supernatural healing or deliverance, but the fact is; sometimes, the journey is the healing and deliverance…..we gain so much more from the Lord when we journey with Him through the process.
So, I encourage you to embrace surrender; that is where the peace is. Don’t believe the lie of the enemy to say that your faith is weak because you chose to surrender to the process….it just means you’re trusting your Daddy to take care of things and knowing that His path is the best path for you.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
"The Disciplined Man is the FREE man"
I’ve been thinking about the quote, “The disciplined man is the free man” and so I decided to research it a bit and I found this online, so rather than recreate this article in my own words, I thought I would share its insight (taken from www.fillthevoid.org)……
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Proverbs 25:28
Discipline Defined
For purposes of this discussion, discipline is:
1. A branch of knowledge or learning (Christianity)
2. Strict control to enforce obedience (controlling flesh to do God's will)
3. Temperance/self-control and orderly conduct (results of discipline)
4. Acceptance of and submission to authority and control (to God and others)
We oftentimes think of discipline as punishment--but it is much more. Did you know that the words "disciple" and "discipline" are based on the same root word which means to learn? As disciples of Jesus Christ we must disciplined. It is imperative that we be:
• Disciplined in making a conscious decision to love the Lord everyday
• Disciplined in making a conscious decision to love our neighbor everyday
• Disciplined in making sure we read the Bible everyday
• Disciplined in listening and obeying the Holy Ghost's prompting/unction
• Disciplined in making sure we obey God's statutes and commands everyday
• Disciplined to resist sin every second
• Disciplined in praying for others and self
• Disciplined in using our spiritual gifts
• Disciplined in serving Christ in our ministries
• Disciplined in regular fasting
In order to become a strong, adult Christian, well hedged in and protected, you must exercise discipline in these areas. Otherwise, a lukewarm Christian life results and all the guilty feelings that come with willful disobedience.
Our theme verse for this discussion is Proverbs 25:28, He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
This scripture should be a wake up call for the disobedient. In the old days, a fortified city had big, thick stone walls around it to protect it. In the absence of these walls, invaders could come and go, at will, ravishing the city and its inhabitants. When a person has no discipline they are like that city with no walls. There is no protection so Satan, Beelzebub, and all other manner of foul spirit can invade your life and do as they please. (Remember when Jesus called Peter "Satan" in Matthew?) No wonder so many Christians are walking around defeated. They have exercised no discipline to know God and resist sin. As a result, they are a broken down city.
People oftentimes want a quick fix to their spiritual powerlessness. I've got it--read the Bible, obey the Bible, seek God's face. Once you get into it, it is not long before you begin to see the Lord move.
I hear Christians talking about needing some therapy for sin. This is one of the most ridiculous concepts I've heard. You don't need no therapy, you need forgiveness and discipline over yourself to seek Jesus and stop sinning. If your problem is overeating, say no to the chow and go pray. I had a problem with watching too many animal shows on television, so I stopped watching television and to this day, I rarely turn it on. Paul said some good stuff about disciplining/controlling yourself:
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. I Corinthians 6:12
Did you see it? He said, "I will not be brought under the power of any." You too can say it out loud right now. I will not be brought under the power of television. I will not be brought under the power of work. I will not be brought under the power of sin. I WILL be brought under the power of God. In Jesus' name, Amen. Paul also said:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. I Corinthians 9:27
Your inner man should dictate what the outer man is going to do as you are guided by the Holy Ghost. You have a part to play in your relationship with God. If you love Him, you will read His Word and obey it. He's not asking you to do anything grievous like cut your hand off! The scriptures say that it is your reasonable service to get to know Him through service and obedience.
Discipline Your Flesh
Paul said in I Corinthians 9:27, we've got to keep under our bodies by discipline. Let's look at the specific sin of adultery. How and why do Christians get involved in adultery? Because they do not discipline themselves to say "Yes!" to God everyday. There come days when they say, "I don't need you today, Lord. I can handle this." Notice I said, "days." Christians don't just jump into an adulterous relationship. There are early warning signs from the Spirit of God and they ignore them. Think about David looking at Bathsheba bathing in the moonlight. He knew he shouldn't have been watching her but he continued. In the end, he got her pregnant, killed her husband and the child died too. Not only that, but the sword never left his household.
How would you respond in the following situation:
You are alone in the church library selecting a book. Someone of the opposite gender walks in and makes a remark that you look nice. It doesn't seem like a run-of-the-mill compliment and you are a little taken aback. What would you do?
a. say "thank-you" and leave it at that
b. say nothing
c. tell your spouse what happened
The answer should be an overwhelming C. When you don't tell somebody about this seemingly harmless incident, you can hide it in your mind and roll it around later. Then it's like you and that person have a secret. Tell your spouse so the two of you can watch and pray together. Even though it wasn't your fault, I believe the following verse applies because it points to accountability:
Confess your faults one to another. James 5:16
Trust me, the above incident is not far-fetched. The Lord showed me that close interaction with people of the opposite sex (other than your spouse, of course) should be minimal. Titus 2:3-4 says that the elder women are to teach the younger women. I Timothy 5:2 says men are to treat the older women as mothers and the younger women as sisters with all purity.
Victory over the flesh comes by walking in the Spirit which requires that you discipline yourself to hear and do the Word of God, the Bible.
...Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
Are You a Teacher?
Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Romans 2:21a
If you are a teacher, you have an even greater responsibility to discipline yourself. How can you teach something that you do not know personally? Jesus said that the Pharisees be blind leaders of the blind and that when the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Don't take your students down with you. Discipline yourself. (This applies to any kind of teaching formal or informal)
When I first began teaching Sunday school, the above verse repeatedly went through my mind and galvanized me into action. Beloved, how can a person teach a Sunday school class when they have no clue about the Bible? How can they testify of God's goodness when they don't know nothing about it because they won't seek Him? How can a person go to church and say, "Amen" when they don't know enough about the Bible to agree or disagree?
You Have a Will
If you have a Bible sitting in your home on the coffee table, don't ask God to make you read the Bible. Just pick it up and read it. Now, if you want to ask God to give you increased desire to read, that's alright, but don't ask Him to make you read--that won't cut it. You've got to make the decision to read. I know that sometimes you're tired or your favorite t.v. show is on, but...
If you won't read the Word, you won't grow and bear the fruit you should. And when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give account of what you've done as a Christian, you'll be ashamed because you did practically nothing. This is shameful especially considering what the Righteous One did for you.
Examine Your Life Daily
When you see yourself slipping, get back on track--fast! One day as I pitty-pattled around the house, I found an old secular CD that I used to enjoy. I said, "Why not?" and played it snapping my fingers to the tune. I knew I shouldn't have listened to it, but I overrode what the Lord said. Two days passed and God made me realize that I hadn't read, or I hardly read, my Bible. That CD is in a garbage dump somewhere. It shouldn't have taken two days for me to wake up. When God tells you something ain't right, don't override what He is saying to you, make haste to make amends.
Be a Strong City, Built Up and Fortified
Don't live a spiritually powerless life. God can do for you what He did for His people of old. James said:
Elias [Elijah] was a man subject to like passions as we are...James 5:17
Yet that man, Elijah, was mighty in deed by God's grace. He submitted himself to the Lord. You were made to be a strong spiritual city too. Read about the mighty men and women of God. They were mighty because they believed God and did what He said. It is no different today. Believe God and do what He says and you too will be what God created you to be. Built up and rooted in His Son Jesus Christ.
Let's stop blubbering about our problems and become examples to other believers and the world of charity, peace, and spiritual might. Christ overcame this old world and He said that you are an over-comer because of what He did.
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. Proverbs 25:28
Discipline Defined
For purposes of this discussion, discipline is:
1. A branch of knowledge or learning (Christianity)
2. Strict control to enforce obedience (controlling flesh to do God's will)
3. Temperance/self-control and orderly conduct (results of discipline)
4. Acceptance of and submission to authority and control (to God and others)
We oftentimes think of discipline as punishment--but it is much more. Did you know that the words "disciple" and "discipline" are based on the same root word which means to learn? As disciples of Jesus Christ we must disciplined. It is imperative that we be:
• Disciplined in making a conscious decision to love the Lord everyday
• Disciplined in making a conscious decision to love our neighbor everyday
• Disciplined in making sure we read the Bible everyday
• Disciplined in listening and obeying the Holy Ghost's prompting/unction
• Disciplined in making sure we obey God's statutes and commands everyday
• Disciplined to resist sin every second
• Disciplined in praying for others and self
• Disciplined in using our spiritual gifts
• Disciplined in serving Christ in our ministries
• Disciplined in regular fasting
In order to become a strong, adult Christian, well hedged in and protected, you must exercise discipline in these areas. Otherwise, a lukewarm Christian life results and all the guilty feelings that come with willful disobedience.
Our theme verse for this discussion is Proverbs 25:28, He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
This scripture should be a wake up call for the disobedient. In the old days, a fortified city had big, thick stone walls around it to protect it. In the absence of these walls, invaders could come and go, at will, ravishing the city and its inhabitants. When a person has no discipline they are like that city with no walls. There is no protection so Satan, Beelzebub, and all other manner of foul spirit can invade your life and do as they please. (Remember when Jesus called Peter "Satan" in Matthew?) No wonder so many Christians are walking around defeated. They have exercised no discipline to know God and resist sin. As a result, they are a broken down city.
People oftentimes want a quick fix to their spiritual powerlessness. I've got it--read the Bible, obey the Bible, seek God's face. Once you get into it, it is not long before you begin to see the Lord move.
I hear Christians talking about needing some therapy for sin. This is one of the most ridiculous concepts I've heard. You don't need no therapy, you need forgiveness and discipline over yourself to seek Jesus and stop sinning. If your problem is overeating, say no to the chow and go pray. I had a problem with watching too many animal shows on television, so I stopped watching television and to this day, I rarely turn it on. Paul said some good stuff about disciplining/controlling yourself:
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. I Corinthians 6:12
Did you see it? He said, "I will not be brought under the power of any." You too can say it out loud right now. I will not be brought under the power of television. I will not be brought under the power of work. I will not be brought under the power of sin. I WILL be brought under the power of God. In Jesus' name, Amen. Paul also said:
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. I Corinthians 9:27
Your inner man should dictate what the outer man is going to do as you are guided by the Holy Ghost. You have a part to play in your relationship with God. If you love Him, you will read His Word and obey it. He's not asking you to do anything grievous like cut your hand off! The scriptures say that it is your reasonable service to get to know Him through service and obedience.
Discipline Your Flesh
Paul said in I Corinthians 9:27, we've got to keep under our bodies by discipline. Let's look at the specific sin of adultery. How and why do Christians get involved in adultery? Because they do not discipline themselves to say "Yes!" to God everyday. There come days when they say, "I don't need you today, Lord. I can handle this." Notice I said, "days." Christians don't just jump into an adulterous relationship. There are early warning signs from the Spirit of God and they ignore them. Think about David looking at Bathsheba bathing in the moonlight. He knew he shouldn't have been watching her but he continued. In the end, he got her pregnant, killed her husband and the child died too. Not only that, but the sword never left his household.
How would you respond in the following situation:
You are alone in the church library selecting a book. Someone of the opposite gender walks in and makes a remark that you look nice. It doesn't seem like a run-of-the-mill compliment and you are a little taken aback. What would you do?
a. say "thank-you" and leave it at that
b. say nothing
c. tell your spouse what happened
The answer should be an overwhelming C. When you don't tell somebody about this seemingly harmless incident, you can hide it in your mind and roll it around later. Then it's like you and that person have a secret. Tell your spouse so the two of you can watch and pray together. Even though it wasn't your fault, I believe the following verse applies because it points to accountability:
Confess your faults one to another. James 5:16
Trust me, the above incident is not far-fetched. The Lord showed me that close interaction with people of the opposite sex (other than your spouse, of course) should be minimal. Titus 2:3-4 says that the elder women are to teach the younger women. I Timothy 5:2 says men are to treat the older women as mothers and the younger women as sisters with all purity.
Victory over the flesh comes by walking in the Spirit which requires that you discipline yourself to hear and do the Word of God, the Bible.
...Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
Are You a Teacher?
Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Romans 2:21a
If you are a teacher, you have an even greater responsibility to discipline yourself. How can you teach something that you do not know personally? Jesus said that the Pharisees be blind leaders of the blind and that when the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Don't take your students down with you. Discipline yourself. (This applies to any kind of teaching formal or informal)
When I first began teaching Sunday school, the above verse repeatedly went through my mind and galvanized me into action. Beloved, how can a person teach a Sunday school class when they have no clue about the Bible? How can they testify of God's goodness when they don't know nothing about it because they won't seek Him? How can a person go to church and say, "Amen" when they don't know enough about the Bible to agree or disagree?
You Have a Will
If you have a Bible sitting in your home on the coffee table, don't ask God to make you read the Bible. Just pick it up and read it. Now, if you want to ask God to give you increased desire to read, that's alright, but don't ask Him to make you read--that won't cut it. You've got to make the decision to read. I know that sometimes you're tired or your favorite t.v. show is on, but...
If you won't read the Word, you won't grow and bear the fruit you should. And when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give account of what you've done as a Christian, you'll be ashamed because you did practically nothing. This is shameful especially considering what the Righteous One did for you.
Examine Your Life Daily
When you see yourself slipping, get back on track--fast! One day as I pitty-pattled around the house, I found an old secular CD that I used to enjoy. I said, "Why not?" and played it snapping my fingers to the tune. I knew I shouldn't have listened to it, but I overrode what the Lord said. Two days passed and God made me realize that I hadn't read, or I hardly read, my Bible. That CD is in a garbage dump somewhere. It shouldn't have taken two days for me to wake up. When God tells you something ain't right, don't override what He is saying to you, make haste to make amends.
Be a Strong City, Built Up and Fortified
Don't live a spiritually powerless life. God can do for you what He did for His people of old. James said:
Elias [Elijah] was a man subject to like passions as we are...James 5:17
Yet that man, Elijah, was mighty in deed by God's grace. He submitted himself to the Lord. You were made to be a strong spiritual city too. Read about the mighty men and women of God. They were mighty because they believed God and did what He said. It is no different today. Believe God and do what He says and you too will be what God created you to be. Built up and rooted in His Son Jesus Christ.
Let's stop blubbering about our problems and become examples to other believers and the world of charity, peace, and spiritual might. Christ overcame this old world and He said that you are an over-comer because of what He did.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Realizing God is all you need; when He is all you have.
During these times of such uncertainty, I KNOW God is still in control; however, I do believe He is calling us to believe Him like never before. I firmly believe He is raising up a people that is seeing and going to see a move of His spirit of biblical proportions. Lately, I have heard of and witnessed testimony after testimony of how God is moving; but also how people are believing Him to do what He says He’ll do. People are praying for divine appointments and they are getting them…..for example, praying for someone in a restaurant and the person being healed; houses being given for the purpose of ministry; words of encouragement and affirmation; the list goes on.
“If we want to see things we’ve never seen, we’ve got to do things we have never done.” And that is exactly what we are being forced to do; put our trust in an UNFAILING GOD! Not in man, not in a government system or even ourselves…..See we want something tangible to put our trust in, for example, this Healthcare Reform, it may look appealing to the eye now, but then, so did the apple in the garden and look where that got us. God wants to be our soul provider. We are seeing Him move in mighty ways, because we are coming to the end of ourselves and expecting Him to do what He said He would do if we only ask and believe…..
What divine appointment or intervention does He have for you today?
The Lord is a REFUGE for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9
“If we want to see things we’ve never seen, we’ve got to do things we have never done.” And that is exactly what we are being forced to do; put our trust in an UNFAILING GOD! Not in man, not in a government system or even ourselves…..See we want something tangible to put our trust in, for example, this Healthcare Reform, it may look appealing to the eye now, but then, so did the apple in the garden and look where that got us. God wants to be our soul provider. We are seeing Him move in mighty ways, because we are coming to the end of ourselves and expecting Him to do what He said He would do if we only ask and believe…..
What divine appointment or intervention does He have for you today?
The Lord is a REFUGE for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Exclusion
Have you ever felt excluded? Like me, I am sure that you have; but let me take that one step further, have you ever felt excluded in a person’s life that you thought you shared an intimate relationship with? If so, then you know the hurt and the questions that come with that. Questions like; “Are they mad at me?”~~ “Do I mean so little to them that they forgot me?” or “Maybe they just don’t love/like me anymore?” All these questions the enemy could use to taunt us with if we let him; however, let me put a different spin on it, “What if GOD asked all those questions when we exclude Him from our life??” {Ouch}.
See, I believe that God does, because He created us to be in relationship with Him. Think about it, when we are in an intimate relationship with someone, we want to be included in every nook and cranny of their life; it doesn’t matter what trivial thing it is….and when we are not, we feel a break down in that intimacy. It is the in’s and out’s of everyday life that build upon the relationship. So, just like it saddens us when we are excluded from relationships in our lives, God feels that same exclusion when we don’t include Him in ours.
See, I believe that God does, because He created us to be in relationship with Him. Think about it, when we are in an intimate relationship with someone, we want to be included in every nook and cranny of their life; it doesn’t matter what trivial thing it is….and when we are not, we feel a break down in that intimacy. It is the in’s and out’s of everyday life that build upon the relationship. So, just like it saddens us when we are excluded from relationships in our lives, God feels that same exclusion when we don’t include Him in ours.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Relationship -vs- Religion
Let me start by saying, “I am not setting out to bash the church. Or in NO way, imply that we should throw away the assembly of believers” However, God has really been doing a number on me and placing a burden, not only on my heart, but the hearts of believers all around me. And that burden is the issue of relationship versus religion.
I grew up in and out of church and have been in church my whole adult life. And to be honest, I love church. I love people. I love doing things. I love feeling like I belong. All of these things I have gotten from church and not to mention a wealth of knowledge; however, (in my case, and I can only speak from my experience) it wasn’t until God took me on a 3 year journey outside of the church, that I finally found a relationship with Him. {Please, please, please hear my heart, I am not saying, “leave your church to find Jesus.”} But it took me leaving the religion behind to find the relationship. I was so busy doing and being that I couldn’t find that intimate relationship with Christ that I so longed for and looked for in the church. See, I believe the “church” should be the manifestation of a relationship built with and through Christ not an organization to find religion.
I am saddened because we do so many “good” things and we are “good” people, but we wonder why we walk around in defeat and constantly longing for more. A religion keeps us busy and wondering around the same proverbial mountain but never entering the promise land and the satisfaction that only comes from a relationship in Christ alone.
I grew up in and out of church and have been in church my whole adult life. And to be honest, I love church. I love people. I love doing things. I love feeling like I belong. All of these things I have gotten from church and not to mention a wealth of knowledge; however, (in my case, and I can only speak from my experience) it wasn’t until God took me on a 3 year journey outside of the church, that I finally found a relationship with Him. {Please, please, please hear my heart, I am not saying, “leave your church to find Jesus.”} But it took me leaving the religion behind to find the relationship. I was so busy doing and being that I couldn’t find that intimate relationship with Christ that I so longed for and looked for in the church. See, I believe the “church” should be the manifestation of a relationship built with and through Christ not an organization to find religion.
I am saddened because we do so many “good” things and we are “good” people, but we wonder why we walk around in defeat and constantly longing for more. A religion keeps us busy and wondering around the same proverbial mountain but never entering the promise land and the satisfaction that only comes from a relationship in Christ alone.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
So I find myself at the edge of the cliff. Do I stay back where it’s comfortable and I feel certain of some things in my life (whether good or bad, but certain and routine) or do I jump into the unknown and unfamiliar? If I’m honest, I have to say that I am scared to jump and move into a place of sink or swim. I am reminded of a time when my daddy was teaching me to jump off of the diving board… He said, “Jump, I will catch you” well, little did I know that all he would give me is his pinky finger…..need I say it was “sink or swim” time for me. I think I am looking at God the same way, “Jump, I’ll catch you” only I am assuming He is going to allow me to sink or swim and not fully embrace me, that it will be up to me alone to survive the next season of my life. Never mind that He has proven himself over and over to me; there is still that little girl inside of me that is afraid He will decide that I am all grown up now and it’s my job to fend for myself. But that’s not Him, His word says He will never leave nor forsake me; that He provides and protects me in my times of trouble and my times of prosperity. If I didn’t know that to be true, I would never move ahead into the future and plans He has for me. I have to know that He will be there to catch me when I am tired, when I am afraid, when I don’t have the strength to take that next move….it is He that gives me my portion daily…..I need only to trust Him and surrender to Him.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sink or Swim
So I find myself at the edge of the cliff. Do I stay back where it’s comfortable and I feel certain of some things in my life (whether good or bad, but certain and routine) or do I jump into the unknown and unfamiliar? If I’m honest, I have to say that I am scared to jump and move into a place of sink or swim. I am reminded of a time when my daddy was teaching me to jump off of the diving board… He said, “Jump, I will catch you” well, little did I know that all he would give me is his pinky finger…..need I say it was “sink or swim” time for me. I think I am looking at God the same way, “Jump, I’ll catch you” only I am assuming He is going to allow me to sink or swim and not fully embrace me, that it will be up to me alone to survive the next season of my life. Never mind that He has proven himself over and over to me; there is still that little girl inside of me that is afraid He will decide that I am all grown up now and it’s my job to fend for myself. But that’s not Him, His word says He will never leave nor forsake me; that He provides and protects me in my times of trouble and my times of prosperity. If I didn’t know that to be true, I would never move ahead into the future and plans He has for me. I have to know that He will be there to catch me when I am tired, when I am afraid, when I don’t have the strength to take that next move….it is He that gives me my portion daily…..I need only to trust Him and surrender to Him.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Survival Mode
As I, and several people close to me, go through a season of trial and hardships I have observed that while these times should, and most times do, draw us closer to God and make our desperation for Him real. However, I have also witnessed and admittedly experienced times of separation from Him.
Scripture tells us in Nehemiah 8:10 “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is our strength”. So if that is true, why do we have a tendency to go away from the Lord during times of trial and hardships? We allow discouragement and the overwhelming pressures of life suck the joy and strength right out of us. We go into “survival mode” of just going through the motions, getting the job done and alienating those closest to us; including the Lord. So if scripture is true (which I believe it is) then we need to go after joy with everything in us, otherwise, we grow weak and weary.
Which brings me to the next scripture that the Lord laid on my heart…..
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
So, to summarize these two verses, I hear that IF/when I come to Him when I am burdened He will give me rest and taking it a step further, that His joy will be my strength….then why do I run in the opposite direction? I can’t speak for others, but I certainly have to admit for myself that maybe it’s because:
1. I think I can handle the situation all by myself and that I can’t “really” trust God to handle it.
2. Maybe I shouldn’t bother Him with this.
3. This one I hate to admit, but it’s because I am pouting. Things aren’t going my way or I am not getting the results I thought I should, so I withdraw my affections from Him. I punish Him. I give Him the silent treatment. Better said, I act like a brat!
By the way, all of the above scenarios are nothing more than pride issues; which also I believe is a trust issue. Because trust requires us to let go and believe Him and His word and honestly sometimes I just don’t trust Him, after all how can He care as much as I do about the results in my life?? That’s what the enemy would have us believe anyway.
However, He tells us to come to Him and He will give us rest, so I have to know that when I am not at peace, it’s probably because I am not trusting Him and I am taking on the burdens of my life and this world all by myself….He didn’t ask us to carry any of it. He came that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10)….so why am I settling for less than that? I would say it is high time that I humble myself and give my burdens to Him. How about you friend?
Scripture tells us in Nehemiah 8:10 “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is our strength”. So if that is true, why do we have a tendency to go away from the Lord during times of trial and hardships? We allow discouragement and the overwhelming pressures of life suck the joy and strength right out of us. We go into “survival mode” of just going through the motions, getting the job done and alienating those closest to us; including the Lord. So if scripture is true (which I believe it is) then we need to go after joy with everything in us, otherwise, we grow weak and weary.
Which brings me to the next scripture that the Lord laid on my heart…..
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
So, to summarize these two verses, I hear that IF/when I come to Him when I am burdened He will give me rest and taking it a step further, that His joy will be my strength….then why do I run in the opposite direction? I can’t speak for others, but I certainly have to admit for myself that maybe it’s because:
1. I think I can handle the situation all by myself and that I can’t “really” trust God to handle it.
2. Maybe I shouldn’t bother Him with this.
3. This one I hate to admit, but it’s because I am pouting. Things aren’t going my way or I am not getting the results I thought I should, so I withdraw my affections from Him. I punish Him. I give Him the silent treatment. Better said, I act like a brat!
By the way, all of the above scenarios are nothing more than pride issues; which also I believe is a trust issue. Because trust requires us to let go and believe Him and His word and honestly sometimes I just don’t trust Him, after all how can He care as much as I do about the results in my life?? That’s what the enemy would have us believe anyway.
However, He tells us to come to Him and He will give us rest, so I have to know that when I am not at peace, it’s probably because I am not trusting Him and I am taking on the burdens of my life and this world all by myself….He didn’t ask us to carry any of it. He came that we may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10)….so why am I settling for less than that? I would say it is high time that I humble myself and give my burdens to Him. How about you friend?
Promised Land
Over the last several years we have found ourselves in a wilderness state; and especially the last year. We have had to depend on the Lord like never before; therefore, we have seen God in a way we have never seen before. It reminds me of the story of the Israelites being in the wilderness. They depended on God for manna daily….if their God didn’t provide, they would not eat. Well that sounds like a bad thing, right? Well, I feel differently about that now….because in the last year abundance has been scarce, but security hasn’t. We know now in a very intimate way that the Lord is our provider and that He will supply all of our needs according to His riches and glory (Philippians 4:19)…BUT, as we embark on the next season of our lives, meaning the Promise Land…I would be lying if I said I was not afraid or a little apprehensive. Because with that comes great responsibility, and just like the day after the Israelites ate in the Promise Land, the manna stopped. Does that mean God’s provision stops? I don’t think so, because His word promises in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave or forsake us; but what it does mean is that He has been equipping and preparing us for the Promise Land. So I can go forward confidently and boldly knowing that, though the times in the wilderness were tough, it was Him preparing me for the responsibility that I will have in the Promise Land….To whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48)
Upon writing this, I am taken back and reminded of what it felt like leaving the security and comfort of knowing someone else was responsible. As I am sure many young adults must feel….exhilarated, excited; maybe nervous, scared, and quite frankly some days, you just want to go back to being that little boy/little girl that wants to curl up and let someone else be in control (daily manna). But just like God prepared the Israelites for the Promise Land; you too, have been prepared. And as we continue to follow God, He is still in control, none of that has to change. We just assume more responsibility but we can still crawl in our Daddy’s lap and rest. Just because it feels like we’re on our own now, doesn’t mean it’s true….remember Hebrews 13:5.
Upon writing this, I am taken back and reminded of what it felt like leaving the security and comfort of knowing someone else was responsible. As I am sure many young adults must feel….exhilarated, excited; maybe nervous, scared, and quite frankly some days, you just want to go back to being that little boy/little girl that wants to curl up and let someone else be in control (daily manna). But just like God prepared the Israelites for the Promise Land; you too, have been prepared. And as we continue to follow God, He is still in control, none of that has to change. We just assume more responsibility but we can still crawl in our Daddy’s lap and rest. Just because it feels like we’re on our own now, doesn’t mean it’s true….remember Hebrews 13:5.
Comfort or Character?
Yesterday as I was talking to someone, they said, “I don’t understand why God would allow this when He knows how I feel”. That makes me think of the saying, “God is more concerned with our character than He is our comfort”. That is not a very comforting statement, but it’s the truth. So often times we expect God to be easy, to make things easy for us and do things the way WE want it done. No harm, no foul and everyone’s happy, right? Um, no, think about the caterpillar transforming into a beautiful butterfly….what if it decided that going through the cocoon process was just too hard or not worth the sacrifice or doing away with selfishness? You see, it is during the cocoon process that the wings are strengthened and old cells are stripped away, cells that won’t benefit the butterfly. I am sure the process is not very comfortable and it would not have been the path the caterpillar would have chosen, but look at the outcome. It has wings to fly and beauty for us all to enjoy. Much like the caterpillar, we must go through a metamorphosis’ of sort so that when the process is over we can soar to higher levels and our beauty in the Lord can be seen by all to enjoy. So when we don’t trust the hand of God, we can trust the heart of God. Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. He knows the beginning to the end….and we must trust that He knows what best for us ~ the who, when, how and the where.
The Prodigal
Do you remember when the wonderful flip phones came out? You know? the ones that could finally take pictures and record videos? Well, my family loves all the latest gadgets and when one person gets “the latest”, they all want it. So once again, true to form, my husband just had to have the new Motorola flip phone, never mind that he never, and I mean never carried his personal phone; only his work phone. So needless to say, when he brought this new toy home, my son insisted on having this phone. He (and I ~smiles) argued our point very well…..”But Dad (Honey-with “that” look), you never carry your personal phone, why not let me have it.” So after much convincing, my husband let my son have the phone. Well the very next week my son had a trip to
Isn’t it sad that when we make a mess of things, we always run from the only source that can help us fix it? Isn’t it funny that we allow shame and condemnation to set in and keep us from forgiveness, grace and mercy? It reminds me of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)……..after the son had demanded his inheritance and left home to squander it all away and he was at the bottom of the pit eating with the pigs, he wanted to come home…..but the enemy tried to lie to him and tell him, “You can’t go back there, he doesn’t want you, you’ve messed up too bad, look at you~etc” Isn’t that the same thing the enemy does to us? Therefore, some of us keep running and never look back. But what did that father do? He saw his son from a distance, and immediately demanded the staff to prepare for a celebration. He ran to meet his son with open arms…..you see he just wanted his son home, safe, whole and healed. He didn’t want to condemn or punish him, he was just happy he was back where he belonged.
That is exactly the kind of Father God we serve, His desire is not condemn and punish us for the rest of our lives. His desire is that we be whole, restored, transformed and be in relationship with Him. (even when we smell like the pigs~wink)
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