Good morning all-
Recently, I was challenged on a human level. I know, your wondering what that level is. It's the level called envy, desire, anger, redemption, that's what I'm talking about. Sometimes I forget I'm one step off from being sinful and then it happens and I realize, great I don't have it all together.
God has done some great things in my life over the last months. He's taught me how to be more trusting. He has built a confidence and desire in me to believe that He is who He says He is. He has stretched me, shaken me, molded me and purified me. So much so that I'm here today stronger and much better for it.
So you would think with all this growth straight off the main vine, this little sprouting would have developed stamina against anger, hurt, and envy. Guess not? I'm human with a whole lot of the Holy Spirit in me. So as I wished for things that were wrong, yes, I was convicted. Dang it, I wanted to stomp my foot like a two-year old and get my way. That's not in the plan though, God has a different path.
That's when I realized it was time to repent and pray. Instead of filling my heart with a grudge, hard feelings and whatever else comes with being two, I surrendered and heard "pray." Really, that's all I do lately. And yet, that one word kept coming in like a flood and I knew standing in the middle of an airport that's exactly what I had to do. And, I did. I prayed, repented and asked God to fill my heart with compassion to pray for the betterment of the person I wished got their just dues.
Who heard it? No one. Who benefits from it? Strangely enough, I think both parties will. That one person will never know that I prayed but I know and Jesus knows. At the end of the day, I boarded my plane happier and full of an excess of wisdom. I learned that I'm still very human and that through faith I knew exactly what I had to do. I will continue to capture every thought and move on from my feelings into the power of the cross. Feelings will fail me for sure. Hurt, anger and envy will destroy.
If your struggling today with something similar, sit down and really assess your motives. Do you really want something bad to happen to someone? Do you hate someone for being human themselves? Have you lost your love, mercy and understanding for others that are as sinful as yourself? Take it from me, it's time to talk to Jesus! He forgave me so it's time I forgave others. It is not a tooth for a tooth as the world would have us believe. It's grace in the face of hurt, that's where Jesus meets us every time.
Thanks for reading and if this blog helps you, help someone else and share Jesus with them. We all need to hear that He exists, He ministers, He's wonderful! May today bring you much joy as you examine the power of the Holy Spirit and the might of loving a Savior that forgives.
Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
God please help us to remember to pray for people that trespass against us and lead us not in temptation...We need YOU!
Friday, May 20, 2016
Monday, May 9, 2016
Has God been telling us something...
Good morning all-
I hope this Mother's Day finds you well and celebrating mothers all over the world. I know I am and that's why I want to wish anyone who takes care of a child, whether it's theirs or not a happy Mother's Day, you are molding the next generation and know that God is watching and smiling on you.
Over the last couple of days, I have really been thinking about the devastation of the Canadian fires and thinking about world events. And in my head, I'm wondering if they are all signs of what will come when the end is here on the earth. The videos of cars and homes burned has to penetrate your heart like nothing else. People have lost all worldly possessions, there will be nothing left but to rebuild. In Canada at least they have insurance but what about countries like Roatan where they don't have insurance. A fire hits and they're wiped out. Which brought me to the tsunami of several years ago, the bombings in the Middle East and the picture of the floods that took place in the last weeks in Mississippi and Houston. Images of mass destruction and I know we're human so we turn them on and then turn them off and walk away but God doesn't. He uses them to open our eyes to His greatness and out of vast destruction will come salvation.
I started this blog yesterday morning and got busy setting up my office and getting ready for my kids to come over but in the middle I went to church and guess what our pastor was talking about, something very similar but he used the examples of the presidential race, the enormous US debt and marijuana legalization. And then he talked about Paul and Nero and how Paul left us all a very important message about where we should put our trust and it wasn't in this world, it was in Jesus. So today, when I picked up my computer and my blog was unfinished, I realized I had the perfect Scripture and the perfect message.
So here it is to all the mothers who want to be, are, or have been, we are warriors. We are mothers for a reason and the children God puts in our care belong only to Him. So as I sit here, I find it important to emphasize that God is with us always. He has gone before us and our children. He promises that if we train our children up they will come back to knowing Him. So, right now, I'm praying that. I'm praying that every rebellious child would know the hand of God. I'm praying that each one of us impacted by the world scene would pray and not worry. We need to stand on the promises of God and not grow weary of praying and having faith. I know it's easier said then done but we must so that every child that comes into our path can see the power of the cross and the promises God bestowed on His people. He is the one true God and we are His chosen so it's time we acted like it.
Believing when everything is going your way is easy, believing when you can't see is very hard. If I have learned one thing this year, we have to believe even when we don't know where the staircase will lead. That's what I'm doing. I'm believing that some very confused people that I used to know come to Christ. I'm believing that Christianity will spread through the Muslim world. I'm believing that Canadians that had to watch the flames in Canada will know the beauty of our Lord and Savior and I'm standing on faith that our children that have been deceived will see the mighty hand of God.
It's time to stand firm and to remember the words of Peter. He knew he was going to die so he left words to his church about remembering. It's our time to remember because life is not easy and we must be there when people are questioning, why me? I look forward to the time when all of us are around Jesus and He speaks of the power of our prayers. Will you join me in praying for the church? I'm not talking about a particular religion that's for you to choose. I'm talking about praying for a holy revival where Jesus is seen all around the world. And where the blind will see and the deaf will hear the power of Jesus. We have the privilege of sitting in church, owning a Bible and writing a world-wide proclamation because we still live in a country that has liberty under God. We must pray for it to remain and for our Nation to stand up for the rest of the world where just confessing they love Jesus gets them killed. We don't have the luxury of closing our eyes and walking away. We are citizens of the one true God and we must stand firm and believe that He is who He said He was so many years ago.
2 Peter 1New International Version (NIV)
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I leave you today my sisters with love for you and the knowledge that God is with us, all of us. We honored our mothers yesterday and that was wonderful but more so, we must honor a God that chose us to pray for our men, our children and their children. It's time we understood our role on earth. We must be there and prepare the next generation to stand firm on the promises of God.
I hope this Mother's Day finds you well and celebrating mothers all over the world. I know I am and that's why I want to wish anyone who takes care of a child, whether it's theirs or not a happy Mother's Day, you are molding the next generation and know that God is watching and smiling on you.
Over the last couple of days, I have really been thinking about the devastation of the Canadian fires and thinking about world events. And in my head, I'm wondering if they are all signs of what will come when the end is here on the earth. The videos of cars and homes burned has to penetrate your heart like nothing else. People have lost all worldly possessions, there will be nothing left but to rebuild. In Canada at least they have insurance but what about countries like Roatan where they don't have insurance. A fire hits and they're wiped out. Which brought me to the tsunami of several years ago, the bombings in the Middle East and the picture of the floods that took place in the last weeks in Mississippi and Houston. Images of mass destruction and I know we're human so we turn them on and then turn them off and walk away but God doesn't. He uses them to open our eyes to His greatness and out of vast destruction will come salvation.
I started this blog yesterday morning and got busy setting up my office and getting ready for my kids to come over but in the middle I went to church and guess what our pastor was talking about, something very similar but he used the examples of the presidential race, the enormous US debt and marijuana legalization. And then he talked about Paul and Nero and how Paul left us all a very important message about where we should put our trust and it wasn't in this world, it was in Jesus. So today, when I picked up my computer and my blog was unfinished, I realized I had the perfect Scripture and the perfect message.
So here it is to all the mothers who want to be, are, or have been, we are warriors. We are mothers for a reason and the children God puts in our care belong only to Him. So as I sit here, I find it important to emphasize that God is with us always. He has gone before us and our children. He promises that if we train our children up they will come back to knowing Him. So, right now, I'm praying that. I'm praying that every rebellious child would know the hand of God. I'm praying that each one of us impacted by the world scene would pray and not worry. We need to stand on the promises of God and not grow weary of praying and having faith. I know it's easier said then done but we must so that every child that comes into our path can see the power of the cross and the promises God bestowed on His people. He is the one true God and we are His chosen so it's time we acted like it.
Believing when everything is going your way is easy, believing when you can't see is very hard. If I have learned one thing this year, we have to believe even when we don't know where the staircase will lead. That's what I'm doing. I'm believing that some very confused people that I used to know come to Christ. I'm believing that Christianity will spread through the Muslim world. I'm believing that Canadians that had to watch the flames in Canada will know the beauty of our Lord and Savior and I'm standing on faith that our children that have been deceived will see the mighty hand of God.
It's time to stand firm and to remember the words of Peter. He knew he was going to die so he left words to his church about remembering. It's our time to remember because life is not easy and we must be there when people are questioning, why me? I look forward to the time when all of us are around Jesus and He speaks of the power of our prayers. Will you join me in praying for the church? I'm not talking about a particular religion that's for you to choose. I'm talking about praying for a holy revival where Jesus is seen all around the world. And where the blind will see and the deaf will hear the power of Jesus. We have the privilege of sitting in church, owning a Bible and writing a world-wide proclamation because we still live in a country that has liberty under God. We must pray for it to remain and for our Nation to stand up for the rest of the world where just confessing they love Jesus gets them killed. We don't have the luxury of closing our eyes and walking away. We are citizens of the one true God and we must stand firm and believe that He is who He said He was so many years ago.
2 Peter 1New International Version (NIV)
1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I leave you today my sisters with love for you and the knowledge that God is with us, all of us. We honored our mothers yesterday and that was wonderful but more so, we must honor a God that chose us to pray for our men, our children and their children. It's time we understood our role on earth. We must be there and prepare the next generation to stand firm on the promises of God.
Friday, May 6, 2016
The light that guides me...
Good morning all-
As usual I'm drinking my first cup of coffee and getting ready for a new day. I've been very blessed in the last month so every morning I thank God for the blessings He has put on my life. I really don't deserve them but He's done it anyway and I just have so much thankfulness in my heart, which leads me to my title today.
The light that guides me is Jesus Christ. For years, I hid behind my faith worrying about telling people, screwing up and them saying, "She's not a Christian." Well I do screw up that's for sure and I do need forgiveness. Isn't that the definition of a Christian? I recognize I'm not perfect and if you read this blog you see that on a regular basis. Christianity is not for the perfect. The perfect believe in their religion, they don't believe in a Savior.
For over 20 years, I've thought I was in control of my life. I've planned, plotted and designed every detail and I really never looked back, until last year. Until an event that I had no control over happened and everything I planned, plotted and designed went into the biggest sink hole of my life and that's when I really met the light that guides me. Now, I've been a Christian for all that time with let's say many things that needed to be fixed. I guess I felt like I could control every element of my life and failure was not an option, ever. I was going to succeed if it killed me. And I thought last year was going to, until Jesus and I met on the road in my heart and I began to surrender all.
Surrendering all is not easy, especially when it comes to your livelihood. We all have sung that song at least once but did we even understand what it meant. Well, for me it became quite clear around February of this year. Surrendering all meant leaving my security blanket and diving into something head first without a safety net below. Well, that's not exactly true, I had Jesus and He became the only safety net I needed.
And what a safety net He is. I have never felt more peace in my life. Instead of my mind being a super highway, it started just concentrating on each moment with Him. I found myself slowly walking away from the negative and moving to the positive. It was beautiful and it was amazing. Believe me, I still have times of worry but I manage to recognize it faster, push it to the "God take this" compartment and move on with peace. It's been an enormous relief. I no longer am the one in control of every step, He is. And I think the greatest aspect of walking with the light that guides me is unlike me, He can see out past today. I only believed I could.
Nothing in life is easy. Whether you profess to know Jesus or not, life will have trials, that's just fact. With Jesus, at least you know that someone is going before you. I can't tell you how many times the Scriptures came to me about moving mountains, going before me and letting Him lead me. He was with me from sun up to sundown and I was the benefactor of watching the Almighty light my every step. It was an exhausting trial that I thought would never end. It did end and when it did the light constantly reminds me never to go back to the place where I thought I could predict the future. I am to remain in today and when I do that, He leads me.
If you don't know the light of Jesus Christ, you need to. This world will not get easier and the only one that knows tomorrow is God Almighty, who was and is to come. He will come back but until that hour when He takes His bride, we must proclaim that He exists, He's for us and as long as He is we have a light that guides all of us. Be well my sisters and know that God is for us and if He is, man has nothing on us. We are screw ups but who cares. We are the daughters of the King of Israel, who came to let His people free and to have eternal life forever. That's who we are and that's who we need to proclaim to be. Please say those words out loud today and ask Jesus to be the light that guides you, I am as we speak. Have a blessed day and please stay in today so you can enjoy every aspect of God's creation. We all proclaim this in Jesus name!
Psalm 25:5 NIV
Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.
Isaiah 60:19 NIV
"No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
1 John 1:17 NIV
But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
As usual I'm drinking my first cup of coffee and getting ready for a new day. I've been very blessed in the last month so every morning I thank God for the blessings He has put on my life. I really don't deserve them but He's done it anyway and I just have so much thankfulness in my heart, which leads me to my title today.
The light that guides me is Jesus Christ. For years, I hid behind my faith worrying about telling people, screwing up and them saying, "She's not a Christian." Well I do screw up that's for sure and I do need forgiveness. Isn't that the definition of a Christian? I recognize I'm not perfect and if you read this blog you see that on a regular basis. Christianity is not for the perfect. The perfect believe in their religion, they don't believe in a Savior.
For over 20 years, I've thought I was in control of my life. I've planned, plotted and designed every detail and I really never looked back, until last year. Until an event that I had no control over happened and everything I planned, plotted and designed went into the biggest sink hole of my life and that's when I really met the light that guides me. Now, I've been a Christian for all that time with let's say many things that needed to be fixed. I guess I felt like I could control every element of my life and failure was not an option, ever. I was going to succeed if it killed me. And I thought last year was going to, until Jesus and I met on the road in my heart and I began to surrender all.
Surrendering all is not easy, especially when it comes to your livelihood. We all have sung that song at least once but did we even understand what it meant. Well, for me it became quite clear around February of this year. Surrendering all meant leaving my security blanket and diving into something head first without a safety net below. Well, that's not exactly true, I had Jesus and He became the only safety net I needed.
And what a safety net He is. I have never felt more peace in my life. Instead of my mind being a super highway, it started just concentrating on each moment with Him. I found myself slowly walking away from the negative and moving to the positive. It was beautiful and it was amazing. Believe me, I still have times of worry but I manage to recognize it faster, push it to the "God take this" compartment and move on with peace. It's been an enormous relief. I no longer am the one in control of every step, He is. And I think the greatest aspect of walking with the light that guides me is unlike me, He can see out past today. I only believed I could.
Nothing in life is easy. Whether you profess to know Jesus or not, life will have trials, that's just fact. With Jesus, at least you know that someone is going before you. I can't tell you how many times the Scriptures came to me about moving mountains, going before me and letting Him lead me. He was with me from sun up to sundown and I was the benefactor of watching the Almighty light my every step. It was an exhausting trial that I thought would never end. It did end and when it did the light constantly reminds me never to go back to the place where I thought I could predict the future. I am to remain in today and when I do that, He leads me.
If you don't know the light of Jesus Christ, you need to. This world will not get easier and the only one that knows tomorrow is God Almighty, who was and is to come. He will come back but until that hour when He takes His bride, we must proclaim that He exists, He's for us and as long as He is we have a light that guides all of us. Be well my sisters and know that God is for us and if He is, man has nothing on us. We are screw ups but who cares. We are the daughters of the King of Israel, who came to let His people free and to have eternal life forever. That's who we are and that's who we need to proclaim to be. Please say those words out loud today and ask Jesus to be the light that guides you, I am as we speak. Have a blessed day and please stay in today so you can enjoy every aspect of God's creation. We all proclaim this in Jesus name!
Psalm 25:5 NIV
Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.
Isaiah 60:19 NIV
"No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.
1 John 1:17 NIV
But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
Thursday, May 5, 2016
The call to the muslim nation....
Good morning all-
Do you know that the Muslim religion is vast in Europe and the Middle East? You probably do but I want to make you really think about what that means. Once again in the year 2016 Christians are being martyred for what they believe in. Others before us believed that they could kill off those that believed in Jesus Christ and for centuries He has been proving them wrong.
Ishmael was Abraham's first son. He was loved by Abraham but when Isaac was born He was sent away with His mother. He believed in God just as Abraham did but He was angry and that anger has continued for thousands of years. Today, men and women in the Middle East are being called to love Christ. He is powerful and He is bringing them one by one and they will be persecuted for loving Jesus. So as I sit in my red chair writing this, I'm sad because I hope my faith in my God is that strong.
Recently, on Twitter there was a story about Najima. They used a fake name for a kings daughter that was under house arrest. She found Christ while away at school and when she began to profess the love she found through Him her brothers and father tried to electrocute her but they couldn't because the Bible on her lap she could touch and the power of Jesus was in that room. She's 16 years old, can you even fathom the courage of knowing our family had stripped us to electrocute us and we remained faithful to the God that had come before us. Jesus is one with God. We worship one God in a Holy Trinity but they think it's wrong to worship Jesus and yet, He saved us all from our sins. So I'm praying for her and for every single person like her. May the Word of God infiltrate a culture and a way of life so they may have the power of Christ.
On this National Day of Prayer in the US, I'm praying that we don't just pray for our country but that we pray for every country. It's not about politics or choices we will make. It's about people, people coming to know and love Jesus Christ. God gave us kings and presidents because we wanted to be led by man but all we ever needed was Him. May the God of Abraham who created Ishmael and Isaac protect His people and bring on more and more from the Middle East right to my back yard. Our children need to hear the call of Christ and be in awe that He gave His life for the sinner and it doesn't matter your color, race or nationality. He just wants you!
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
Thank You Jesus for loving us that you come to man in dreams, visions, and light. Thank You that Your powerful enough to keep a woman from being electrocuted and thank You for guiding men and women all over the world to You. We need You and we are thankful for Your mighty presence in our lives. In Jesus name we pray all power and glory go to You! PS. Lord we pray for Najima wherever she is that Your will be done on her life and that her entire family is brought to You because of her great faith. She is a warrior who has seen a Savior! We lift her up and ask that You continue by her side and through the tremendous trial she now faces because she believes in You.
Do you know that the Muslim religion is vast in Europe and the Middle East? You probably do but I want to make you really think about what that means. Once again in the year 2016 Christians are being martyred for what they believe in. Others before us believed that they could kill off those that believed in Jesus Christ and for centuries He has been proving them wrong.
Ishmael was Abraham's first son. He was loved by Abraham but when Isaac was born He was sent away with His mother. He believed in God just as Abraham did but He was angry and that anger has continued for thousands of years. Today, men and women in the Middle East are being called to love Christ. He is powerful and He is bringing them one by one and they will be persecuted for loving Jesus. So as I sit in my red chair writing this, I'm sad because I hope my faith in my God is that strong.
Recently, on Twitter there was a story about Najima. They used a fake name for a kings daughter that was under house arrest. She found Christ while away at school and when she began to profess the love she found through Him her brothers and father tried to electrocute her but they couldn't because the Bible on her lap she could touch and the power of Jesus was in that room. She's 16 years old, can you even fathom the courage of knowing our family had stripped us to electrocute us and we remained faithful to the God that had come before us. Jesus is one with God. We worship one God in a Holy Trinity but they think it's wrong to worship Jesus and yet, He saved us all from our sins. So I'm praying for her and for every single person like her. May the Word of God infiltrate a culture and a way of life so they may have the power of Christ.
On this National Day of Prayer in the US, I'm praying that we don't just pray for our country but that we pray for every country. It's not about politics or choices we will make. It's about people, people coming to know and love Jesus Christ. God gave us kings and presidents because we wanted to be led by man but all we ever needed was Him. May the God of Abraham who created Ishmael and Isaac protect His people and bring on more and more from the Middle East right to my back yard. Our children need to hear the call of Christ and be in awe that He gave His life for the sinner and it doesn't matter your color, race or nationality. He just wants you!
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Thank You Jesus for loving us that you come to man in dreams, visions, and light. Thank You that Your powerful enough to keep a woman from being electrocuted and thank You for guiding men and women all over the world to You. We need You and we are thankful for Your mighty presence in our lives. In Jesus name we pray all power and glory go to You! PS. Lord we pray for Najima wherever she is that Your will be done on her life and that her entire family is brought to You because of her great faith. She is a warrior who has seen a Savior! We lift her up and ask that You continue by her side and through the tremendous trial she now faces because she believes in You.
Monday, May 2, 2016
Inspiration through Scripture...
Good morning all-
I'm inspired today and that's because I started with my devotional and thanking our Lord and Savior. I realize more and more that every minute must be dedicated to at least thinking about what He has to say to me. So with that in mind and knowing where my mind often goes, I'm thinking more and more about Him and the result is inspiration through His word.
No matter where we go today, we can get our hands on Scripture. We are extremely lucky! Soon China will lock down, the Middle East will be hard pressed and North Koreans can forget it. In 2016, there are still underground churches and the people that make them up have to be inspired and how do they get that way, by reading the words that were left behind. Many enemies have tried to crush the Word of God but no one has and no one ever will. And although I feel like the world is turning back to a barbaric time, I realize that each event inspires us to pray more, seek more and ask the Lord we love to bring light on a fallen world.
Fears are all around. Many have turned off what is happening in the world, which in my opinion is a mistake. We must hear the cries so that we might pray and seek the Lord for redemption and deliverance. Imagine a world where we all turned the other way, it wouldn't be good. Even Moses, who was raised in the house of a King, eventually could not turn his eyes from the destruction of human life. Why should we be any different? We shouldn't. We should read the words of Jesus, Paul, Peter and John and remember that we are to love, to pray and to read so that God can inspire in us a heart like His.
I know what it's like to live with fear and I know what it's like to demolish that fear by being obedient to Christ. Walking in faith is so much more powerful than walking in fear and yet, we choose fear over faith more often. I'm not criticizing, I'm proclaiming that I understand if you do that because I fall into it too.
Every day we must read our Bibles, think about what Christ is saying and use it to break the bonds that live inside of us. The Word is inspired and we must live by drinking the water it provides to our hearts and minds. It should be our drug of choice and God should be the leader we choose over any man. It's time we were inspired to step out of our comfort zones and move toward a God that truly inspires greatness, love and mercy. We need Jesus to reign all over the world and we need our brothers and sisters to have power through our prayers so that they may lead the lost to the fountain. Jesus is waiting for us to be inspired so if you want to be inspired, choose to read daily!
Pick a Scripture and read it today!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm inspired today and that's because I started with my devotional and thanking our Lord and Savior. I realize more and more that every minute must be dedicated to at least thinking about what He has to say to me. So with that in mind and knowing where my mind often goes, I'm thinking more and more about Him and the result is inspiration through His word.
No matter where we go today, we can get our hands on Scripture. We are extremely lucky! Soon China will lock down, the Middle East will be hard pressed and North Koreans can forget it. In 2016, there are still underground churches and the people that make them up have to be inspired and how do they get that way, by reading the words that were left behind. Many enemies have tried to crush the Word of God but no one has and no one ever will. And although I feel like the world is turning back to a barbaric time, I realize that each event inspires us to pray more, seek more and ask the Lord we love to bring light on a fallen world.
Fears are all around. Many have turned off what is happening in the world, which in my opinion is a mistake. We must hear the cries so that we might pray and seek the Lord for redemption and deliverance. Imagine a world where we all turned the other way, it wouldn't be good. Even Moses, who was raised in the house of a King, eventually could not turn his eyes from the destruction of human life. Why should we be any different? We shouldn't. We should read the words of Jesus, Paul, Peter and John and remember that we are to love, to pray and to read so that God can inspire in us a heart like His.
I know what it's like to live with fear and I know what it's like to demolish that fear by being obedient to Christ. Walking in faith is so much more powerful than walking in fear and yet, we choose fear over faith more often. I'm not criticizing, I'm proclaiming that I understand if you do that because I fall into it too.
Every day we must read our Bibles, think about what Christ is saying and use it to break the bonds that live inside of us. The Word is inspired and we must live by drinking the water it provides to our hearts and minds. It should be our drug of choice and God should be the leader we choose over any man. It's time we were inspired to step out of our comfort zones and move toward a God that truly inspires greatness, love and mercy. We need Jesus to reign all over the world and we need our brothers and sisters to have power through our prayers so that they may lead the lost to the fountain. Jesus is waiting for us to be inspired so if you want to be inspired, choose to read daily!
Pick a Scripture and read it today!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Thanking You in the valleys....
Good morning all-
I've been blessed to be on my husband's business trip soaking in a little of Florida's beautiful sun and ocean scenes. It's been a fun trip. Honestly, my husband and I haven't been on a trip by ourselves since our honeymoon. We had kids right away and we took family vacations, which were absolutely wonderful. I can see though, that us spending time together, reconnecting and finding our way back to each other is even more wonderful. When you take time to connect good things happen.
So I'm connecting and it's not just with my husband it's with my Lord and Savior. I've learned a lot about how much time I actually was taking with God before, during and after my trial. I can tell you I spent a little time with Him before, I ramped up and spent hours and hours with Him during the trial and now, I can say I'm spending some time with Him but it's different. I find myself talking to Him throughout the day, thinking about the Scripture He gave me in the morning and going to bed thinking about all that He has done. And as I wake every morning, I say, "Thank you." It might not be about anything in particular but I'm just so thankful for my time with Him.
My biggest lesson learned this month, to believe in His will and have faith that He knows me and my circumstances. Why you ask? Because faith came from the trial and faith broke me of my idols and faith set me free from many of my fears. I'm still a work-in-progress so don't hear me wrong. It's just that I've learned to capture every negative thought, not believe in myself more than my Lord and really see things with His eyes not mine. Hard lessons win great rewards. My reward was to fall in love with my God stronger, harder and hopefully, deeper.
My greatest desire is to win the hearts of women for Him. He has taken me through many journeys in my life and my love for Him has grown day by day. Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the purification of my heart and ministry more than the journey of the last year. I have found Him in the valley and watched as He held my hand up the mountain, over it and to the promise land. I know I have never loved Him more because now I need Him first thing in the morning and before I go to sleep at night. Man has a way of infusing his own spin on life. He believes he understands all things but no one does but God. Jesus prayed for us, He gave us prayers to pray and He loved us unconditionally. No man can do that. Even if you can pray for your enemy, it's hard for us not to try to repair our reputation. Jesus knew that on the other side of this world was peace, prosperity and grace. He knew that the world we live in is evil and man's heart could be evil. Even with all that, He laid His life down for us and gave us a heart to yearn for Him.
I've never yearned more. I've never needed Him more. And I've never been this thankful about anything in my life. It's hard for us to forgive. It's hard for us not to want all the glory and power. We think we achieve that when we get to the top of our careers or make a bundle of money. The truth is that true success means you trusted in Jesus to make you His steward and that every step was guided by His hand, not for our individual glory, but for His.
I hope this day finds you well and I hope no matter your circumstance, you seek Him mightily. The only way to get through a trial is to hunker down, spend time with Him in reading and prayer and only look at today. Looking out past today will only make you more depressed. Tomorrow will come soon enough.
My heart is for you and every one of those that could hit this blog by accident. We are all on a journey full of valleys and mountains. Let's climb them together with our Savior. Day by Day, step by step, we will reach the pinnacle if we trust Him with all our hearts. I leave you with the Scripture He gave to me this week. It's a confirmation of my life's purpose and I am committed to see it through.
I've been blessed to be on my husband's business trip soaking in a little of Florida's beautiful sun and ocean scenes. It's been a fun trip. Honestly, my husband and I haven't been on a trip by ourselves since our honeymoon. We had kids right away and we took family vacations, which were absolutely wonderful. I can see though, that us spending time together, reconnecting and finding our way back to each other is even more wonderful. When you take time to connect good things happen.
So I'm connecting and it's not just with my husband it's with my Lord and Savior. I've learned a lot about how much time I actually was taking with God before, during and after my trial. I can tell you I spent a little time with Him before, I ramped up and spent hours and hours with Him during the trial and now, I can say I'm spending some time with Him but it's different. I find myself talking to Him throughout the day, thinking about the Scripture He gave me in the morning and going to bed thinking about all that He has done. And as I wake every morning, I say, "Thank you." It might not be about anything in particular but I'm just so thankful for my time with Him.
My biggest lesson learned this month, to believe in His will and have faith that He knows me and my circumstances. Why you ask? Because faith came from the trial and faith broke me of my idols and faith set me free from many of my fears. I'm still a work-in-progress so don't hear me wrong. It's just that I've learned to capture every negative thought, not believe in myself more than my Lord and really see things with His eyes not mine. Hard lessons win great rewards. My reward was to fall in love with my God stronger, harder and hopefully, deeper.
My greatest desire is to win the hearts of women for Him. He has taken me through many journeys in my life and my love for Him has grown day by day. Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the purification of my heart and ministry more than the journey of the last year. I have found Him in the valley and watched as He held my hand up the mountain, over it and to the promise land. I know I have never loved Him more because now I need Him first thing in the morning and before I go to sleep at night. Man has a way of infusing his own spin on life. He believes he understands all things but no one does but God. Jesus prayed for us, He gave us prayers to pray and He loved us unconditionally. No man can do that. Even if you can pray for your enemy, it's hard for us not to try to repair our reputation. Jesus knew that on the other side of this world was peace, prosperity and grace. He knew that the world we live in is evil and man's heart could be evil. Even with all that, He laid His life down for us and gave us a heart to yearn for Him.
I've never yearned more. I've never needed Him more. And I've never been this thankful about anything in my life. It's hard for us to forgive. It's hard for us not to want all the glory and power. We think we achieve that when we get to the top of our careers or make a bundle of money. The truth is that true success means you trusted in Jesus to make you His steward and that every step was guided by His hand, not for our individual glory, but for His.
I hope this day finds you well and I hope no matter your circumstance, you seek Him mightily. The only way to get through a trial is to hunker down, spend time with Him in reading and prayer and only look at today. Looking out past today will only make you more depressed. Tomorrow will come soon enough.
My heart is for you and every one of those that could hit this blog by accident. We are all on a journey full of valleys and mountains. Let's climb them together with our Savior. Day by Day, step by step, we will reach the pinnacle if we trust Him with all our hearts. I leave you with the Scripture He gave to me this week. It's a confirmation of my life's purpose and I am committed to see it through.
Isaiah 42:5-7 (NIV)
5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
Nothing in this life is easy. Whether you know God or not, you will go through trials. However, when you know God, your trials bear fruit. Something to think about today, don't you think? I want any hardship in my life to bear fruit for generations, don't you? Be well my sisters and pay this prayer out loud. We all should want to open the eyes of the blind! In Jesus name we proclaim.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Assurance in God...
Good morning all-
It's a glorious morning in Kansas. Last night I watched as the sun set into a beautiful pale pink and this morning the sun is rising with a blazing yellow. Isn't it good to be assured that every evening we will watch the sun set and every morning it will rise again. We count on it and we can tell everyone that we are assured that the sun will rise and set daily. If we are so confident in those two facts, why are we not assured in Jesus Christ?
Assurance is knowing that you can count on something. You believe in it 100%. Most of the times I think we hold onto assurance in our own ability but that's false. We are assured as long as we do a great job at work, we will never lose it. And then there's our kids, we feel assured that our parenting will make them pillars of society but even that statement and thought process is false. We can't hold any assurance in our ability or the world. As a matter of fact, the only thing that holds assurance is Jesus Christ and yet we flounder, doubt, worry and basically lack assurance. Why?
I think it goes back to the Israelites. I hate thinking I am like them but I've found myself being like them in the past and probably will be in the future unless I am 100% dedicated to my Lord and Savior Jesus! They took their eyes off the prize and once they did that the world enveloped them and they became a stiff-necked people. Think about that for a moment. I woke up this morning with a stiff-neck. For one it hurts, it's hard to turn my head and it's just a pain all around. When Moses describes his people like that you have to wonder how stubborn, obstinate and sadly unfaithful they were to God. Well, we know that they were and Moses was afraid for his people. Thank goodness God is a graceful God who is slow to anger. If it were not so, that entire people group of that time, along with all of us would be wiped from the earth. But God is patient and we can be assured of that. How do we know? Because we still live on the earth and we're still making the same dumb mistakes and yet, God has sat back for thousands of years waiting for all of us stiff-necked people to turn to Him.
The signs of being stiff-necked are simple, we believe we are in control, we lack faith and we plan our futures. Really? Do we have any idea what our futures hold? No. God does though and He reveals it to us little by little as we seek Him. God is the direction, not us. Oh, how I had to learn that lesson and it was painful but totally worth it. I never wanted to be an Israelite. As a matter of fact, as I read, I often thought how stupid they were. So imagine my surprise as God took me into the desert to test my assurance of Him and in those moments it was revealed, I was an Israelite. I might not have made a gold cow but my direction was owned by me and that control only brought worry, fear and frustration. Once I came to a place where I wanted water, needed water more than I needed anything, Christ met me and allowed me to drink from His eternal well. And oh how I did. I repented, tossed security out like you toss a dog bone and waited, wondering what the next day would bring.
Through that great trial, I began to see a God I never knew. I became assured that He went before me and that I was His child. That doesn't mean everything will be perfect, it just means that God has my back and I need Him to. I need Him every morning and every evening and now that I count on Him daily, I can be assured He is with me and that I have found favor in His sight. With my surrender and repentance, I found peace, direction and love. It wasn't easy, it never is. Just look at the Israelites if you want to see a journey of frustration and confusion. I repented and the confusion became a clear, concise direction that only God had control of. I don't care how hard I work as an employee or a wife and mother, I will fail if it isn't for the assurance that Jesus Christ is Lord. I still may fail in the world's eyes but I'm not looking for the world to give me a pat on the back. I need Jesus to be with me and to go before me. That's the only assurance in life that matters. So if you can't get past yourself, I suggest you pray about it, reach out to me so I can pray with you or talk to your best friend and repent. It's time we let Jesus bring in the catch and rely on the assurance that He came for us so that we might have eternal life. Everything else doesn't come close to comparing. I could win hundreds of awards but if Christ uses me to save one person, I have completed the race. Think about that today as you go to church.
Colossians 2:2 NKJV:
that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
I'm praying for you my sisters and thanking God that we have the assurance that He is with us. All we need is Him.
It's a glorious morning in Kansas. Last night I watched as the sun set into a beautiful pale pink and this morning the sun is rising with a blazing yellow. Isn't it good to be assured that every evening we will watch the sun set and every morning it will rise again. We count on it and we can tell everyone that we are assured that the sun will rise and set daily. If we are so confident in those two facts, why are we not assured in Jesus Christ?
Assurance is knowing that you can count on something. You believe in it 100%. Most of the times I think we hold onto assurance in our own ability but that's false. We are assured as long as we do a great job at work, we will never lose it. And then there's our kids, we feel assured that our parenting will make them pillars of society but even that statement and thought process is false. We can't hold any assurance in our ability or the world. As a matter of fact, the only thing that holds assurance is Jesus Christ and yet we flounder, doubt, worry and basically lack assurance. Why?
I think it goes back to the Israelites. I hate thinking I am like them but I've found myself being like them in the past and probably will be in the future unless I am 100% dedicated to my Lord and Savior Jesus! They took their eyes off the prize and once they did that the world enveloped them and they became a stiff-necked people. Think about that for a moment. I woke up this morning with a stiff-neck. For one it hurts, it's hard to turn my head and it's just a pain all around. When Moses describes his people like that you have to wonder how stubborn, obstinate and sadly unfaithful they were to God. Well, we know that they were and Moses was afraid for his people. Thank goodness God is a graceful God who is slow to anger. If it were not so, that entire people group of that time, along with all of us would be wiped from the earth. But God is patient and we can be assured of that. How do we know? Because we still live on the earth and we're still making the same dumb mistakes and yet, God has sat back for thousands of years waiting for all of us stiff-necked people to turn to Him.
The signs of being stiff-necked are simple, we believe we are in control, we lack faith and we plan our futures. Really? Do we have any idea what our futures hold? No. God does though and He reveals it to us little by little as we seek Him. God is the direction, not us. Oh, how I had to learn that lesson and it was painful but totally worth it. I never wanted to be an Israelite. As a matter of fact, as I read, I often thought how stupid they were. So imagine my surprise as God took me into the desert to test my assurance of Him and in those moments it was revealed, I was an Israelite. I might not have made a gold cow but my direction was owned by me and that control only brought worry, fear and frustration. Once I came to a place where I wanted water, needed water more than I needed anything, Christ met me and allowed me to drink from His eternal well. And oh how I did. I repented, tossed security out like you toss a dog bone and waited, wondering what the next day would bring.
Through that great trial, I began to see a God I never knew. I became assured that He went before me and that I was His child. That doesn't mean everything will be perfect, it just means that God has my back and I need Him to. I need Him every morning and every evening and now that I count on Him daily, I can be assured He is with me and that I have found favor in His sight. With my surrender and repentance, I found peace, direction and love. It wasn't easy, it never is. Just look at the Israelites if you want to see a journey of frustration and confusion. I repented and the confusion became a clear, concise direction that only God had control of. I don't care how hard I work as an employee or a wife and mother, I will fail if it isn't for the assurance that Jesus Christ is Lord. I still may fail in the world's eyes but I'm not looking for the world to give me a pat on the back. I need Jesus to be with me and to go before me. That's the only assurance in life that matters. So if you can't get past yourself, I suggest you pray about it, reach out to me so I can pray with you or talk to your best friend and repent. It's time we let Jesus bring in the catch and rely on the assurance that He came for us so that we might have eternal life. Everything else doesn't come close to comparing. I could win hundreds of awards but if Christ uses me to save one person, I have completed the race. Think about that today as you go to church.
Colossians 2:2 NKJV:
that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
I'm praying for you my sisters and thanking God that we have the assurance that He is with us. All we need is Him.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
My faith is restored...
Good morning all-
I left Wichita Kansas early this morning on my first business trip since I left the corporate world. I'm excited and full of anticipation. It reminds me of the day I got saved. I was so full of hope and excitement for Jesus and my heart was open wide. I'm there again just more mature, tried and tested. Life has away of doing that but then you put God into it and you get steel being sharpened. The heat has been hot for some time now. I have often felt like a piece of pottery being molded and re-molded. I can't say I loved every minute of it because I didn't. I put fear, worry, anxiety and obsession in front of love, peace and faith.
The lesson to be learned was that in order for me to have true faith, I needed to surrender all and live moment by moment. Anybody ever try that? It's just not that easy. Life is to be directed, drawn out and should go exactly to plan. Well, if you can say you're one of those people then you are truly blessed. I, however, haven't been that lucky.
As I give God all the glory for the doors He is opening up for me, I must also give Him all the glory for restoring my faith, helping me to release control and only live for today. The glory fully belongs to Jesus because there is no human way I could do it. I'm just too type A to give up everything.
Having time on my hands made me go through old notes, these notes consisted of prayers from 2015 and wow how I see God's hand in everything that's happening now. I prayed for adventure, so I quit my job. I prayed I would trust, so I quit my job. I prayed that I would have faith that moved a mountain, so I quit my job. Do you get the picture? And, yes, I know I sound crazy but I was on my knees the whole time. I was asking, seeking, reading, praying and getting Holy direction. My person was stretched to the limit and as I was stretched, the Holy Spirit started filling in the gaps. He reminded me that the only direction was one that He had for my life and fortunately, I don't have to figure out all the details.
Faith restored is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. I had become a product of the world. I looked at things and could project the outcome. I forgot the power of the cross, the beauty of the death and resurrection of Jesus and the supernatural. I was looking at the circumstances like a detective looking at evidence. If I'm not planning and plotting out my future, who will? Well, the truth is God couldn't get through to me. My cellular tower was intermittent and the signal was fading and then a trial came and I had to open up the channels and faith opened up. And that's the day Jesus met me once again. He didn't scold me for lacking faith. He didn't judge me for all that I had put in front of Him. All He did was meet me right where I was and when He did, my faith was restored in a God that is faithful.
I'm sure this journey will have many more turns. I will rest in today though, for tomorrow will come soon enough. Your peace for today resides in your faith for today. How do you get both? You accept that Jesus does have the wheel and you're part of the tapestry, living moment by moment with Him. That's what I'm going to do.
I hope today finds you well my sisters and if you don't know Jesus, today is the day! It's so simple. All you have to do is say, "Jesus, I believe in You. I believe You died on a cross for my sins and that I'm forgiven through Your blood." What is your gift? Your faith will be restored, not in man, but in God!
John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
I left Wichita Kansas early this morning on my first business trip since I left the corporate world. I'm excited and full of anticipation. It reminds me of the day I got saved. I was so full of hope and excitement for Jesus and my heart was open wide. I'm there again just more mature, tried and tested. Life has away of doing that but then you put God into it and you get steel being sharpened. The heat has been hot for some time now. I have often felt like a piece of pottery being molded and re-molded. I can't say I loved every minute of it because I didn't. I put fear, worry, anxiety and obsession in front of love, peace and faith.
The lesson to be learned was that in order for me to have true faith, I needed to surrender all and live moment by moment. Anybody ever try that? It's just not that easy. Life is to be directed, drawn out and should go exactly to plan. Well, if you can say you're one of those people then you are truly blessed. I, however, haven't been that lucky.
As I give God all the glory for the doors He is opening up for me, I must also give Him all the glory for restoring my faith, helping me to release control and only live for today. The glory fully belongs to Jesus because there is no human way I could do it. I'm just too type A to give up everything.
Having time on my hands made me go through old notes, these notes consisted of prayers from 2015 and wow how I see God's hand in everything that's happening now. I prayed for adventure, so I quit my job. I prayed I would trust, so I quit my job. I prayed that I would have faith that moved a mountain, so I quit my job. Do you get the picture? And, yes, I know I sound crazy but I was on my knees the whole time. I was asking, seeking, reading, praying and getting Holy direction. My person was stretched to the limit and as I was stretched, the Holy Spirit started filling in the gaps. He reminded me that the only direction was one that He had for my life and fortunately, I don't have to figure out all the details.
Faith restored is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. I had become a product of the world. I looked at things and could project the outcome. I forgot the power of the cross, the beauty of the death and resurrection of Jesus and the supernatural. I was looking at the circumstances like a detective looking at evidence. If I'm not planning and plotting out my future, who will? Well, the truth is God couldn't get through to me. My cellular tower was intermittent and the signal was fading and then a trial came and I had to open up the channels and faith opened up. And that's the day Jesus met me once again. He didn't scold me for lacking faith. He didn't judge me for all that I had put in front of Him. All He did was meet me right where I was and when He did, my faith was restored in a God that is faithful.
I'm sure this journey will have many more turns. I will rest in today though, for tomorrow will come soon enough. Your peace for today resides in your faith for today. How do you get both? You accept that Jesus does have the wheel and you're part of the tapestry, living moment by moment with Him. That's what I'm going to do.
I hope today finds you well my sisters and if you don't know Jesus, today is the day! It's so simple. All you have to do is say, "Jesus, I believe in You. I believe You died on a cross for my sins and that I'm forgiven through Your blood." What is your gift? Your faith will be restored, not in man, but in God!
John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Your praise is ever on my lips...
Good morning all-
I've been up since 3 am this morning so I've already spent my quiet time with Jesus, looked up recipes to make this week and will be praying for all of you. My time writing is one of my favorite times with the Lord. I sometimes feel as if He's writing through my fingers and when I read back, I'm in awe. Over the last months I couldn't write. I tried and maybe if I was having a good day, I wrote a couple times a month but all the creativity and energy it took to write was hard to summon. I was in the desert and the desert felt dry, dusty and if I'm honest, like quicksand. There was no brightness or rainbows. There was just me and God trudging day to day together, moment by moment. Those moments have turned into the best of my life. If you knew all the details, I don't think you would agree and either did I, in the moment. However, I now realize its been the best time of my life because I'm learning to rest in God, trust in Him even when I can't see and just praise Him with my lips.
It is easy for me to praise you for what you've done well. I like to be praised and I know that others do too. So praise comes easy for me, normally. God tested me in this over the last year. He pushed me to my limit and requested that I respond with praise. I'm surprised He heard anything through all that complaining but eventually, as I gave Him everything, the praise became my saving grace. I literally found myself, and still do, praising Him in the morning and in the evening. I praised Him when I was driving, cooking or cleaning. I praised Him whenever possible and little by little the light came through the clouds and what once was dry and dusty became beautiful and bright.
It didn't happen overnight. I really complained. I grew weary of complaining and of my negativity. Every day I had to choose to be nice, thoughtful, encouraging and uplifting. The smile on my face didn't capture the grumbling ogre within. I covered it by acting like life was great but over time people that knew me began to ask me how I was. I would answer with great, fine, why? And they would push until I talked. All I wanted to do was hide. I was ashamed that I was handling my life deplorably and I was ashamed that I was grumbling more than praising Jesus. I just felt dry and alone. That was the lie. I wasn't dry or alone. I was being stretched to believe. Jesus wanted me to put down all that I treasured for Him alone and He was showing me through others that my acting was awful. At least with people that knew me well. I couldn't con people that cared about me. It was freeing to humble myself and say, "I'm going through a rough time and need prayer." So little by little, day by day, the grumbling lessened and the praise increased.
As I praised, I saw Jesus in His true form. I saw a God that loved me for me. My heart broke and I began to see the beauty of the Lord in a way that I have never experienced before. I needed Jesus, not just for my token 20 minutes a day. I needed Jesus 24/7 and I still do. I now read my devotional morning and night. I wake up most days thanking Him for all He has done. I pray more for others and I'm more aware of the world and what Jesus wants the world to know. And through this beautiful transformation, I started writing again, reading more, loving more and really seeking Him in all things.
God is good and He is faithful. I've realized that my desert period, although very difficult, was the only way I was going to rest in Him, believe in Him for all things and have faith in the unseen. I had become jaded and I truly believed I was in control of my own destiny. I had to be broken from my world thinking that makes us believe that we are the final judge and jury. Many of us have fallen into this viewpoint and we must repent and let Jesus take the wheel again. We can't be women that seek Christ if we don't give Him all the credit, all the praise and all the direction. We must surrender all to see the world through His eyes. Surrendering does not make us weak creatures, it gives us strength, courage and perseverance. We go from being a lamb to a lion as we give our Lord all the control.
Today, I can say I'm thankful. I also realize that no amount of advice would have helped me during my trial. Only Jesus could show me my path. I needed human people to lift me up in prayer but what really got me through was praise on my lips. Praising and thanksgiving took me from the negative to the feet of Jesus!
If you don't know the Lord, it's time. Repent of your sins, tell Him you accept Him and love Him and He will give you the keys to eternal life. We will all have struggles but through those struggles He shows us His love and mercy. He's worth it, take the first step today.
Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)
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.
Psalms 119:171 (NKJV)
My lips shall utter praise, For You teach me Your statutes.
Lord we just praise Your name and thank you for your goodness. As the world repents, we pray You would continue to go before us. Help us to surrender all with our lips! We know You are good and that the things of this world must fall for us to see You in all Your splendor. Bring Your sheep forward and through their praise make them lions. We need You Lord in every facet of our life. Thank You for taking off the blinders and replacing them with Your eyes. May we praise You morning and night for all Your loving kindness. In Jesus Name, AMEN
I've been up since 3 am this morning so I've already spent my quiet time with Jesus, looked up recipes to make this week and will be praying for all of you. My time writing is one of my favorite times with the Lord. I sometimes feel as if He's writing through my fingers and when I read back, I'm in awe. Over the last months I couldn't write. I tried and maybe if I was having a good day, I wrote a couple times a month but all the creativity and energy it took to write was hard to summon. I was in the desert and the desert felt dry, dusty and if I'm honest, like quicksand. There was no brightness or rainbows. There was just me and God trudging day to day together, moment by moment. Those moments have turned into the best of my life. If you knew all the details, I don't think you would agree and either did I, in the moment. However, I now realize its been the best time of my life because I'm learning to rest in God, trust in Him even when I can't see and just praise Him with my lips.
It is easy for me to praise you for what you've done well. I like to be praised and I know that others do too. So praise comes easy for me, normally. God tested me in this over the last year. He pushed me to my limit and requested that I respond with praise. I'm surprised He heard anything through all that complaining but eventually, as I gave Him everything, the praise became my saving grace. I literally found myself, and still do, praising Him in the morning and in the evening. I praised Him when I was driving, cooking or cleaning. I praised Him whenever possible and little by little the light came through the clouds and what once was dry and dusty became beautiful and bright.
It didn't happen overnight. I really complained. I grew weary of complaining and of my negativity. Every day I had to choose to be nice, thoughtful, encouraging and uplifting. The smile on my face didn't capture the grumbling ogre within. I covered it by acting like life was great but over time people that knew me began to ask me how I was. I would answer with great, fine, why? And they would push until I talked. All I wanted to do was hide. I was ashamed that I was handling my life deplorably and I was ashamed that I was grumbling more than praising Jesus. I just felt dry and alone. That was the lie. I wasn't dry or alone. I was being stretched to believe. Jesus wanted me to put down all that I treasured for Him alone and He was showing me through others that my acting was awful. At least with people that knew me well. I couldn't con people that cared about me. It was freeing to humble myself and say, "I'm going through a rough time and need prayer." So little by little, day by day, the grumbling lessened and the praise increased.
As I praised, I saw Jesus in His true form. I saw a God that loved me for me. My heart broke and I began to see the beauty of the Lord in a way that I have never experienced before. I needed Jesus, not just for my token 20 minutes a day. I needed Jesus 24/7 and I still do. I now read my devotional morning and night. I wake up most days thanking Him for all He has done. I pray more for others and I'm more aware of the world and what Jesus wants the world to know. And through this beautiful transformation, I started writing again, reading more, loving more and really seeking Him in all things.
God is good and He is faithful. I've realized that my desert period, although very difficult, was the only way I was going to rest in Him, believe in Him for all things and have faith in the unseen. I had become jaded and I truly believed I was in control of my own destiny. I had to be broken from my world thinking that makes us believe that we are the final judge and jury. Many of us have fallen into this viewpoint and we must repent and let Jesus take the wheel again. We can't be women that seek Christ if we don't give Him all the credit, all the praise and all the direction. We must surrender all to see the world through His eyes. Surrendering does not make us weak creatures, it gives us strength, courage and perseverance. We go from being a lamb to a lion as we give our Lord all the control.
Today, I can say I'm thankful. I also realize that no amount of advice would have helped me during my trial. Only Jesus could show me my path. I needed human people to lift me up in prayer but what really got me through was praise on my lips. Praising and thanksgiving took me from the negative to the feet of Jesus!
If you don't know the Lord, it's time. Repent of your sins, tell Him you accept Him and love Him and He will give you the keys to eternal life. We will all have struggles but through those struggles He shows us His love and mercy. He's worth it, take the first step today.
Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)
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.
Psalms 119:171 (NKJV)
My lips shall utter praise, For You teach me Your statutes.
Lord we just praise Your name and thank you for your goodness. As the world repents, we pray You would continue to go before us. Help us to surrender all with our lips! We know You are good and that the things of this world must fall for us to see You in all Your splendor. Bring Your sheep forward and through their praise make them lions. We need You Lord in every facet of our life. Thank You for taking off the blinders and replacing them with Your eyes. May we praise You morning and night for all Your loving kindness. In Jesus Name, AMEN
Saturday, April 16, 2016
The Veil...
Good morning all-
I hope no matter what your journey is right now you woke up with thanksgiving in your heart. I'm excited this morning because you can hear and feel the rain coming. It's like God is preparing all His little creatures and sending them a message that provision is on its way. The birds are chirping to our king and we are all in anticipation for April showers. God is good and we are blessed moment by moment with His presence and peace. I pray there is never a time in our lives or those that will go on after us that God is not present. Actually, I pray that for the whole world because a world where God steps back would not be a world I would want to be in.
Well like always I'm a little off of topic. I really wanted to bring you into our title today. Why the veil? Well, I was reading in Exodus, not sure why, it's just where my fingers took me yesterday and God showed me something I'm sure I've seen before but you know when a word just jumps right out of your Bible and your like, Hmm, what is that for? And then you get into your devotional and you see the word again and your like, okay, this is not a coincidence, right? So as I made my coffee today it made me think about the meaning. A veil is to hide behind. It covers the unseen in the spiritual world and it's the picture we have of the temple when Jesus died and the veil was torn. The curtains tore from top to bottom, remember? I'm sure you do but the veil I'm talking about was of Moses and the experience he had with God and what none of the movies show. In this story of Exodus, it is revealed in Scripture that Moses wore a veil after he spoke to the people about what God wanted them to know. Interesting right? I found it so. Why a veil? I gather it was because he glowed with the power of God. Remember when God said that He found favor on Moses. In that Scripture, it reveals that Moses could see God's back but not His face. And because Moses was so close to the God Almighty, he glowed. And then this morning in my devotional (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young), which off the topic is one of the best I've ever read, it talked about the veil again and I thought, "Lisa you have to put two and two together." So I did. And what my human brain can gather is that when Jesus died the veil wasn't just torn in the church; it was torn from our eyes. Through His death and resurrection all of us today have the ability to participate in the same experience Moses had with God and if we let the Holy Spirit take over, the power of God glows within us.
Now that's mighty! Moses spent time with God and His glory changed Moses' face. We spend time with the Holy Trinity and we will be transformed in that glory. What a beautiful connection to make on a day when God sends rain to Kansas. I find delight in that, don't you? Because Jesus died on that cross, the veil between God and His people was torn, not just a tad but forever. We were given the Holy Spirit to be in communion with Jesus Christ so that we could experience God daily. We don't have to hide ourselves behind a veil, we get to live it, speak it and allow people to witness the full glory of God through our lives. I'm in a wow moment, how about you?
Often, I think Christians and non-Christians believe God has no idea what He's doing. I know there have been times in my life when I was like, "Really God, I think there should be another way." And of course there wasn't because God can see the future and the future is His to see, not ours. So as I sit and write today, I feel so much thanksgiving in my heart. I worship a real God. I worship a majestic God that knows every hair on my head, every step I take and every breath I breathe. I can look on the cross and see pain, mercy, love and devotion to a people that are blind, kind of stupid and really too self-centered to see Him half the time. And yet, He loved us so much that He gave His Son to death so that we may have life. I think sometimes we forget that the life we're living is the purpose but the purpose is for Him to live through us, so that we may have eternal life. There is no end for a Christian! Take that in today and thank God for tearing the veil and allowing us to be in His presence through His One and Only Son!
Exodus 34: 33-35 NIV
33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.
34 But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.
2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
I hope no matter what your journey is right now you woke up with thanksgiving in your heart. I'm excited this morning because you can hear and feel the rain coming. It's like God is preparing all His little creatures and sending them a message that provision is on its way. The birds are chirping to our king and we are all in anticipation for April showers. God is good and we are blessed moment by moment with His presence and peace. I pray there is never a time in our lives or those that will go on after us that God is not present. Actually, I pray that for the whole world because a world where God steps back would not be a world I would want to be in.
Well like always I'm a little off of topic. I really wanted to bring you into our title today. Why the veil? Well, I was reading in Exodus, not sure why, it's just where my fingers took me yesterday and God showed me something I'm sure I've seen before but you know when a word just jumps right out of your Bible and your like, Hmm, what is that for? And then you get into your devotional and you see the word again and your like, okay, this is not a coincidence, right? So as I made my coffee today it made me think about the meaning. A veil is to hide behind. It covers the unseen in the spiritual world and it's the picture we have of the temple when Jesus died and the veil was torn. The curtains tore from top to bottom, remember? I'm sure you do but the veil I'm talking about was of Moses and the experience he had with God and what none of the movies show. In this story of Exodus, it is revealed in Scripture that Moses wore a veil after he spoke to the people about what God wanted them to know. Interesting right? I found it so. Why a veil? I gather it was because he glowed with the power of God. Remember when God said that He found favor on Moses. In that Scripture, it reveals that Moses could see God's back but not His face. And because Moses was so close to the God Almighty, he glowed. And then this morning in my devotional (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young), which off the topic is one of the best I've ever read, it talked about the veil again and I thought, "Lisa you have to put two and two together." So I did. And what my human brain can gather is that when Jesus died the veil wasn't just torn in the church; it was torn from our eyes. Through His death and resurrection all of us today have the ability to participate in the same experience Moses had with God and if we let the Holy Spirit take over, the power of God glows within us.
Now that's mighty! Moses spent time with God and His glory changed Moses' face. We spend time with the Holy Trinity and we will be transformed in that glory. What a beautiful connection to make on a day when God sends rain to Kansas. I find delight in that, don't you? Because Jesus died on that cross, the veil between God and His people was torn, not just a tad but forever. We were given the Holy Spirit to be in communion with Jesus Christ so that we could experience God daily. We don't have to hide ourselves behind a veil, we get to live it, speak it and allow people to witness the full glory of God through our lives. I'm in a wow moment, how about you?
Often, I think Christians and non-Christians believe God has no idea what He's doing. I know there have been times in my life when I was like, "Really God, I think there should be another way." And of course there wasn't because God can see the future and the future is His to see, not ours. So as I sit and write today, I feel so much thanksgiving in my heart. I worship a real God. I worship a majestic God that knows every hair on my head, every step I take and every breath I breathe. I can look on the cross and see pain, mercy, love and devotion to a people that are blind, kind of stupid and really too self-centered to see Him half the time. And yet, He loved us so much that He gave His Son to death so that we may have life. I think sometimes we forget that the life we're living is the purpose but the purpose is for Him to live through us, so that we may have eternal life. There is no end for a Christian! Take that in today and thank God for tearing the veil and allowing us to be in His presence through His One and Only Son!
Exodus 34: 33-35 NIV
33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.
34 But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.
2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Thursday, April 14, 2016
What's in it for me....
Good morning all-
I'm watching the sunrise as I sit here and write this blog. The sun is rising in the East and I'm reminded that God is constant. I love the mornings because they remind me that everything is the same but different. How can that be you might ask? Life changes moment by moment. We can never be sure what today will hold but every day when we get up the sun rises and every night as we look to the West the sun sets. The best thing is it happens in every part of the world. God set the timing and although man thinks they control everything, they don't control that, ever!
Have you ever thought how wonderful it is that God arranged the morning to have a time and for our rest He gave us night? It really is interesting how every single detail in a humans life is orchestrated by a God many don't even believe in. And if we do believe, I think we ask way too often, what's in this for me? I know I have a time or two. This point was brought to light definitively for me. As you know my life verse has been Jeremiah 29:11. I walk by this verse because I need to know daily that God has a purpose for all the road blocks, windy turns, and rocky climbs. I need to know that I have support that's stronger and larger than me. I need to know that all of the craziness of this life boils down to one thing, Jesus and yet, I know, just like you, I have thought, "What's in this for me?" Right now as I sit and write I'm waiting to see what God is going to do in my life. It would be easy for me to say to Jesus, "I've spent more time with you, believed in you more, so where in the world are you and the blessing Jeremiah 29:11 promises?" Probably not a good question to ask. Why? Because He is with us always and because as smart as some of us feel, we just can't know what He's doing or where we're headed without Him aligning every step. For a person like me that's extremely difficult. I love to know and yet, every morning when I get up, my future and my finances are in His hands. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring and if I try to map out all the details, organize them and put them into compartments, I will miss out on the greatest blessing of my life and so will you.
The question should never be, "What's in it for me?" The question should be, "How hard do I need to seek you so that I can know your will?" It doesn't matter what's in this journey for me because it was never about me. If Jesus had that mentality where would we be? We would be lost and not saved that's for sure. Do you think He had the luxury of saying to His Father if there was something in it for Him? He should have been put on a pedestal. He should have been praised by the masses. He should have watched everyone kneel to Him and yet, His Jeremiah 29:11 was to lose His life for you and me.
This is the picture that has been placed in my mind over the last months and it's the only thing that has kept me directed and walking toward Him. My husband who is a sometimes believer lives by, "What's in it for me?" So when this journey didn't go as planned he really didn't understand. He even said to me that I was the one that read my Bible, prayed and went to church. He thinks God owes me because I do all those things. God never owed me anything. He walked beside me, He watched over me and He righted my path when I didn't even know if it could be righted. He has comforted me like no human could and He has given me more purpose, more passion, more verve than I've had in 10 years. He has taught me to rely on Him and not myself. He has given me hope when I was hopeless and rest when I was weary. He has molded me and reminded me that as I seek Him, I will find Him. There is no greater gift than Jesus. So if your asking yourself, "What's in it for me?" You might not get what you want but you will get something far better. You get to sit at the feet of the maker of heaven and earth. You get to stand next to the maker of the sun, moon, and stars. You get to feel the presence of the great one, the only one, Jesus, the Son of God and experience the Holy Trinity. You get to transcend this life to Him.
I don't know what today will bring. I can't even fathom what today will hold. What I can tell you is today will be as complicated and messy as the world makes it but I'm going to be led by a shepherd who has made me, who loves me and who will use me however He wants. He will get all the kinks and cracks out of me and eventually I will be a pot worthy to be with Him. Until then, I will pray that the word is spread throughout the world and that many will seek Him and find Him.
At the end of the day, there's really only one thing that's in it for me and it's not a new car, home, boyfriend, husband, baby or job; what's in it for me is Jesus. Take that to heart as you go along today and thank Him for bringing you to a place where you yearn for Him moment by moment.
The Scripture following Jeremiah 29:11 is Jeremiah 29:12-14 and here's what it says in the NIV version.
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
I'm watching the sunrise as I sit here and write this blog. The sun is rising in the East and I'm reminded that God is constant. I love the mornings because they remind me that everything is the same but different. How can that be you might ask? Life changes moment by moment. We can never be sure what today will hold but every day when we get up the sun rises and every night as we look to the West the sun sets. The best thing is it happens in every part of the world. God set the timing and although man thinks they control everything, they don't control that, ever!
Have you ever thought how wonderful it is that God arranged the morning to have a time and for our rest He gave us night? It really is interesting how every single detail in a humans life is orchestrated by a God many don't even believe in. And if we do believe, I think we ask way too often, what's in this for me? I know I have a time or two. This point was brought to light definitively for me. As you know my life verse has been Jeremiah 29:11. I walk by this verse because I need to know daily that God has a purpose for all the road blocks, windy turns, and rocky climbs. I need to know that I have support that's stronger and larger than me. I need to know that all of the craziness of this life boils down to one thing, Jesus and yet, I know, just like you, I have thought, "What's in this for me?" Right now as I sit and write I'm waiting to see what God is going to do in my life. It would be easy for me to say to Jesus, "I've spent more time with you, believed in you more, so where in the world are you and the blessing Jeremiah 29:11 promises?" Probably not a good question to ask. Why? Because He is with us always and because as smart as some of us feel, we just can't know what He's doing or where we're headed without Him aligning every step. For a person like me that's extremely difficult. I love to know and yet, every morning when I get up, my future and my finances are in His hands. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring and if I try to map out all the details, organize them and put them into compartments, I will miss out on the greatest blessing of my life and so will you.
The question should never be, "What's in it for me?" The question should be, "How hard do I need to seek you so that I can know your will?" It doesn't matter what's in this journey for me because it was never about me. If Jesus had that mentality where would we be? We would be lost and not saved that's for sure. Do you think He had the luxury of saying to His Father if there was something in it for Him? He should have been put on a pedestal. He should have been praised by the masses. He should have watched everyone kneel to Him and yet, His Jeremiah 29:11 was to lose His life for you and me.
This is the picture that has been placed in my mind over the last months and it's the only thing that has kept me directed and walking toward Him. My husband who is a sometimes believer lives by, "What's in it for me?" So when this journey didn't go as planned he really didn't understand. He even said to me that I was the one that read my Bible, prayed and went to church. He thinks God owes me because I do all those things. God never owed me anything. He walked beside me, He watched over me and He righted my path when I didn't even know if it could be righted. He has comforted me like no human could and He has given me more purpose, more passion, more verve than I've had in 10 years. He has taught me to rely on Him and not myself. He has given me hope when I was hopeless and rest when I was weary. He has molded me and reminded me that as I seek Him, I will find Him. There is no greater gift than Jesus. So if your asking yourself, "What's in it for me?" You might not get what you want but you will get something far better. You get to sit at the feet of the maker of heaven and earth. You get to stand next to the maker of the sun, moon, and stars. You get to feel the presence of the great one, the only one, Jesus, the Son of God and experience the Holy Trinity. You get to transcend this life to Him.
I don't know what today will bring. I can't even fathom what today will hold. What I can tell you is today will be as complicated and messy as the world makes it but I'm going to be led by a shepherd who has made me, who loves me and who will use me however He wants. He will get all the kinks and cracks out of me and eventually I will be a pot worthy to be with Him. Until then, I will pray that the word is spread throughout the world and that many will seek Him and find Him.
At the end of the day, there's really only one thing that's in it for me and it's not a new car, home, boyfriend, husband, baby or job; what's in it for me is Jesus. Take that to heart as you go along today and thank Him for bringing you to a place where you yearn for Him moment by moment.
The Scripture following Jeremiah 29:11 is Jeremiah 29:12-14 and here's what it says in the NIV version.
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.[a] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Lord we call upon You to guide us and to bring us out of captivity! Be well my sisters and pray this prayer for God loves when we spend time with Him.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Provision day by day....
Good morning all-
Well I couldn't sleep because exciting things are happening in my world. I am watching God's hand on my business and the movement has begun. It has been an exciting time but I must say, often I think, "What have you done?" And then I sit back, read my Bible with prayer and surrender. I love to know what tomorrow brings. I plan for the future in my head all the time but often, the future is not exactly how I pictured it. You have to know what I mean by that. Tomorrow comes whether we like it or not but truly, can any of us predict tomorrow? The answer to that is no, unless your a prophet and if so, everyone would want to hear what you have to say.
This week as I was driving, the words of my devotional came upon me and just like that I realized that God didn't design us to speculate about tomorrow, we were designed to remain in today. It's the world that wants us to live for tomorrow, next week, next month and fast forward on to retirement. Oh the world is ramping up so fast that no one can simply stay in today without hearing about the future. Now this doesn't mean we shouldn't pray about the future of people, nations and God returning. We are to pray about all of that for sure. What I'm saying is that God designed us to live in this moment, in this hour, in today. Gosh, I hope your light bulb went off like mine. I actually said out loud in my car, "Oh, that's what I've been missing!" And to be very honest, I was missing this very important fact.
When we worry or are anxious, we have followed the world's view of life. The world creates havoc, unrest and a general atmosphere of frustration and grumbling. If you don't believe me just look around at local, state and world events. Isn't everyone wondering who will be President? Of course they are and no one really knows the outcome. But the more it's discussed the more people worry about the future of the US, who will lead the country and what will happen to our children and their children. Am I wrong? No, I'm not. The more we look beyond today the more we get caught up in the uncontrollable circumstances in life and the less we focus on Jesus today and that's more of a problem then who will run a certain country. Not focusing on Jesus means we are trying to control circumstances we have no knowledge of. I would never have foreseen me leaving my company, starting my own business and connecting with key movers and shakers within one months time. As a matter of fact, the moment I resigned, I started looking out three months and wondering what in the world did I just do. But Jesus has worked and worked on me and every day I have found Him as I have sought His wisdom, knowledge and peace. The reason the Israelites started grumbling after He parted the Red Sea was because they started looking further and further out and guess what, they got to wander in the desert 40 years because they didn't stay with God one day at a time.
God is still working on me with the whole provision thing. It's a daily journey of capturing every thought and asking God to reveal Himself to me. I continue to pray for peace and courage and if I'm honest, trust. Not just any trust, a supernatural trust that transcends all my thoughts and feelings and little by little, I'm seeing Jesus in my thought pattern. Thank You Jesus! I need to rely on Him for all my provision. I need to rest in Him when I want to be weary and I need to give my life to Him, which includes my husband, children and business. I must not look at tomorrow, which to be honest will be hard but if I'm not made to look there, why am I? It definitely is a question we must all ponder.
Day by Day Lord, this is the song I sang as a young girl. It's the same song that came to mind on my drive to the store this week. Living day by day is what we were made to do. No wonder He talks so much about coming to Him as little children. Little kids don't wonder who they will marry, how much money they will make or if their parents can provide, unless of course you live in a country that is torn apart by war, hunger and terrorism. I think in those circumstances children probably do think about tomorrow and yet, we see African communities shouting to Jesus in the midst of their circumstances. We see Christians rising up in the Middle East and we have watched as men were walked to their beheading. Life is happening all around us and I think it's arrogant for us to believe we know what the future holds. Jesus said to come to Him as little children. If that's the case, then why aren't we? That's the very question I asked myself this week. If I believe that my Savior provides, then why am I looking toward the future. If He wants me to prepare for the future, He will definitely prompt me to do so, which was the case for Moses, Aaron, Noah and Jesus. He gave them insight into more than just today but when they started on the journey, it was day by day, walking and communing with Him.
So as I leave you today I am excited about today and wonder what in the world will Jesus do today. One of my good friends is moving and leaving friends she's made over the last 15 years and another is coming home for the first time in over 10 years. Life is evolving and so am I. I want to be present in today so that I can capture every moment God is giving me to be there for someone else. Our goal is not what this life can give us but what God wants us to do with it. I'm still learning and I'm glad that Jesus has opened my heart to believe in Him. I really don't want to be an Israelite but if I needed to for a time, to be closer to Him, then truly the trial has been worth it.
I'm praying that you capture every thought, that you slow down and are still and that in this moment you begin to look for Jesus day by day. He is our manna, thrown down from heaven to be taken up again. He saved you and He does love you. Try to stay in today for tomorrow will come I promise. Hoping that this day brings you a ray of hope and that Jesus is in the middle of all my words. I owe Him my life, today and my future. My purpose is to love Him and make Him known and I hope this blog is doing just that. If you like what you read, please share it with a friend. Have courage that He will speak through words to get to them in a way you can't. Jesus loves all of us and wants us to know it. It's our duty to tell someone how much they are loved even if they don't believe. Praying and holding you up today!
Please read all of Exodus chapter 15 but if you don't have time, here's an excerpt for you.
Exodus 15:20-25 NIV
20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.
Well I couldn't sleep because exciting things are happening in my world. I am watching God's hand on my business and the movement has begun. It has been an exciting time but I must say, often I think, "What have you done?" And then I sit back, read my Bible with prayer and surrender. I love to know what tomorrow brings. I plan for the future in my head all the time but often, the future is not exactly how I pictured it. You have to know what I mean by that. Tomorrow comes whether we like it or not but truly, can any of us predict tomorrow? The answer to that is no, unless your a prophet and if so, everyone would want to hear what you have to say.
This week as I was driving, the words of my devotional came upon me and just like that I realized that God didn't design us to speculate about tomorrow, we were designed to remain in today. It's the world that wants us to live for tomorrow, next week, next month and fast forward on to retirement. Oh the world is ramping up so fast that no one can simply stay in today without hearing about the future. Now this doesn't mean we shouldn't pray about the future of people, nations and God returning. We are to pray about all of that for sure. What I'm saying is that God designed us to live in this moment, in this hour, in today. Gosh, I hope your light bulb went off like mine. I actually said out loud in my car, "Oh, that's what I've been missing!" And to be very honest, I was missing this very important fact.
When we worry or are anxious, we have followed the world's view of life. The world creates havoc, unrest and a general atmosphere of frustration and grumbling. If you don't believe me just look around at local, state and world events. Isn't everyone wondering who will be President? Of course they are and no one really knows the outcome. But the more it's discussed the more people worry about the future of the US, who will lead the country and what will happen to our children and their children. Am I wrong? No, I'm not. The more we look beyond today the more we get caught up in the uncontrollable circumstances in life and the less we focus on Jesus today and that's more of a problem then who will run a certain country. Not focusing on Jesus means we are trying to control circumstances we have no knowledge of. I would never have foreseen me leaving my company, starting my own business and connecting with key movers and shakers within one months time. As a matter of fact, the moment I resigned, I started looking out three months and wondering what in the world did I just do. But Jesus has worked and worked on me and every day I have found Him as I have sought His wisdom, knowledge and peace. The reason the Israelites started grumbling after He parted the Red Sea was because they started looking further and further out and guess what, they got to wander in the desert 40 years because they didn't stay with God one day at a time.
God is still working on me with the whole provision thing. It's a daily journey of capturing every thought and asking God to reveal Himself to me. I continue to pray for peace and courage and if I'm honest, trust. Not just any trust, a supernatural trust that transcends all my thoughts and feelings and little by little, I'm seeing Jesus in my thought pattern. Thank You Jesus! I need to rely on Him for all my provision. I need to rest in Him when I want to be weary and I need to give my life to Him, which includes my husband, children and business. I must not look at tomorrow, which to be honest will be hard but if I'm not made to look there, why am I? It definitely is a question we must all ponder.
Day by Day Lord, this is the song I sang as a young girl. It's the same song that came to mind on my drive to the store this week. Living day by day is what we were made to do. No wonder He talks so much about coming to Him as little children. Little kids don't wonder who they will marry, how much money they will make or if their parents can provide, unless of course you live in a country that is torn apart by war, hunger and terrorism. I think in those circumstances children probably do think about tomorrow and yet, we see African communities shouting to Jesus in the midst of their circumstances. We see Christians rising up in the Middle East and we have watched as men were walked to their beheading. Life is happening all around us and I think it's arrogant for us to believe we know what the future holds. Jesus said to come to Him as little children. If that's the case, then why aren't we? That's the very question I asked myself this week. If I believe that my Savior provides, then why am I looking toward the future. If He wants me to prepare for the future, He will definitely prompt me to do so, which was the case for Moses, Aaron, Noah and Jesus. He gave them insight into more than just today but when they started on the journey, it was day by day, walking and communing with Him.
So as I leave you today I am excited about today and wonder what in the world will Jesus do today. One of my good friends is moving and leaving friends she's made over the last 15 years and another is coming home for the first time in over 10 years. Life is evolving and so am I. I want to be present in today so that I can capture every moment God is giving me to be there for someone else. Our goal is not what this life can give us but what God wants us to do with it. I'm still learning and I'm glad that Jesus has opened my heart to believe in Him. I really don't want to be an Israelite but if I needed to for a time, to be closer to Him, then truly the trial has been worth it.
I'm praying that you capture every thought, that you slow down and are still and that in this moment you begin to look for Jesus day by day. He is our manna, thrown down from heaven to be taken up again. He saved you and He does love you. Try to stay in today for tomorrow will come I promise. Hoping that this day brings you a ray of hope and that Jesus is in the middle of all my words. I owe Him my life, today and my future. My purpose is to love Him and make Him known and I hope this blog is doing just that. If you like what you read, please share it with a friend. Have courage that He will speak through words to get to them in a way you can't. Jesus loves all of us and wants us to know it. It's our duty to tell someone how much they are loved even if they don't believe. Praying and holding you up today!
Please read all of Exodus chapter 15 but if you don't have time, here's an excerpt for you.
Exodus 15:20-25 NIV
20 Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing.
21 Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”
22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.
23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.a )
24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. There the LORD issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test.
May the Lord of my heart write these words on our heart and help us to rejoice in today so that we can come out from the desert into the promise land where milk and honey flow. In Jesus name we pray!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)