In the past two weeks a number of people I know have been impacted by intentional suicide, some others impacted by 'accidental' overdoses of prescribed drugs. Some of these were friends, others were friends or family of friends. In the course of that time I've heard some comments that have set me off. I tried not to write about it, I really did.
But in some cases people were hurt by the comments and I think it needs to be addressed. I have a blog, I can. :-)
First, I hope no one reading this EVER feels the depression and oppression that drives you to even think of suicide. It is a dark, painful place that all you want is relief. There are many causes of depression, some is from the habits that are formed, like drugs or alcohol. In other cases, it is the inability to find good in anything, that critical spirit can lead to depression, the world is a horrible place, why would you want to be here? With still others it is caused by a chemical imbalance, so there are physical factors in addition to the mental factors. If you do find yourself there, PLEASE do not fail to get help. There is no shame in seeking help. Do not feel you are a bother, an inconvenience or a nuisance. You are a person that God loves and He wants to help you, at times He uses people to help.
Now on to the comments, 1) 'What a selfish act' - referring to the person who committed suicide. I don't have enough space to write how many ways that comment is cruel, judgmental and just plain mean! One of the very basics of us as humans is self preservation, to be in pain to the point that you overcome that need to survive, is pain that most people cannot imagine! In some cases, that person has someone in their life that has made them feel that they are of no value and that the world would be better off without them. In other cases, the depression and oppression they are living in is so thick and overwhelming that a coherent thought such as self preservation isn't possible. While it may feel selfish to those left behind, it isn't where that person is most of the time.
Now, let me clarify this, I'm not a psychiatrist or psychologist, I have no degrees in mental health. But I have life experience and I have suffered depression and these thoughts suicide. I have talked with others that have as well. Yes, in a small percentage of suicides the person really is trying to punish someone for something. Usually, in what I've seen those tend to be murder-suicides, a father/mother killing his/her family or just his/her kids, then himself/herself. In those cases, maybe it is a selfish act of an evil, cruel person. But don't confuse those acts, with the act of a person that is in incredible pain, confusion, despair and grief that results in them losing their life.
2) 'I thought they were saved' - really? how self-righteous, how stupid - sorry I tried to find another word but this is the only one that I really thought fit. The Bible tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Eph. 6:12 -
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We wrestle against rulers of the darkness of this world. That is demons, that is satan, that is a battle we are ill equipped to fight unless we arm ourselves with the armor of God. Often a person is saved, they ask Jesus to forgive them of their sins but they have no one to disciple them, no one to teach them how to stand in God's power. They have no spiritual friends to help them. Shame on us! We should be aware of those around us and pray that God will show us those we can help, mentor, teach. We are told that we that are older and wiser are to teach the younger. Sometimes that physical years, at other times the wiser and the older in Christ is the young in physical years, we need to be as willing to learn as we to teach. God wants us to be prepared.
3) 'I wish I would see them in heaven' - well the good news is this, if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and they had accepted Him as their Savior, you will. God's love and grace are able to forgive and His mercy is eternal. Suicide is not a sentence to hell. It is not God's choice for you. It is not the direction He wants you to go but when He says in Heb. 13:5 that He will never leave you or forsake you, that includes the lowest moment in your life. If you are a parent and you love your child, do you turn your back on them when they are facing their most difficult times? No, you don't, neither does God!
4) 'I wish I had seen they needed help/I wish they had talked to me'.- now I'm not as comforting on this one because sometimes they do show us but we are too self absorbed to realize it. Sometimes they talk and we don't listen. Sometimes, they say the same things over and over and we discount it and believe it is no different from the other times. We may be wrong and that leaves us with sorrow. Then we need to understand that in spite of the loss, the grief and pain we feel, we must learn to forgive ourselves. It's not easy and it's not a one time thing. It is a process. It is something we need God's help with.
5) 'Why did God take them? Didn't He know I need them?' Yes, He did and does, yet God is not a puppet master who just pulls our strings. You hear this not just in suicide but in many types of death. The Bible says it is appointed unto man once to die. We are all going to die. Sometimes we make decisions that hasten our death, whether that be by suicide, unhealthy living, driving too fast, taking unnecessary chances. That's not God's fault. In our world of free choice He allows it but it isn't His plan. Sometimes it is others who make bad choices, they drive drunk or too fast, they are evil and they kill. With Adam sin entered into the world and death by sin. Sin is not God's choice for us, but when we sin, it has consequences that impact others, sometimes even unto death. I have no answers for why people die when they do, yet I have trust that God sees the whole picture and I can trust Him in all things.
Suicide intentionally or accidentally impacts many people. Death by sickness or accident or even old age impacts people. You know what else impacts people? LIFE!!!! Live your life so that you leave a positive impact on others. Be the person they can come to for help. Be the prayer warrior that will not let go when interceding for others. Be the voice that speaks out against wrong. Be the person to stand and proclaim 'He is mine and I am His!'. Let your life touch others.
And when death happens, be compassionate to those who have lost someone, cry with them, share their grief. Don't be the person who makes comments that hurt. Don't condemn the person they lost for any act, even if it is suicide, that they did. There is no purpose in that. It may make you feel self-righteous and better than them but it shows your own lack of compassion and love. Don't be that person. Help them remember the good things, share the memories, let others know the joy you found in knowing this person.
Love others as you love yourself, let's follow Jesus command.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Are You Following Where He Leads?
A little less than two months ago, I realized that I was writing some long posts on FaceBook and I had a few folks say things like 'why don't you do a blog' or 'have you thought about writing a daily devotion'. Well, I had thought about it. In fact, a number of years ago I did a daily devotion that had a email list who got it every day. I'd also done a blog for a while. So I was a bit skeptical about doing either.
I enjoy writing but I wondered, do folks actually enjoy reading it. But I continued to get a nudge in my spirit that say 'I have things I want you to say'. Now I had a lot of excuses. What if no one reads? What if I misspeak or say something that is wrong? Where will the time come from? Who am I to write about anything? I've failed at many things and I'm just trying to learn how to do things better.
Just like with Moses, God had an answer. Now, I'm not comparing myself with Moses as a leader. But then again maybe I am, I was reluctant, I was afraid, I have failed and I have a temper. Yep there are some similarities there. Now Moses did great things and I don't see leading thousands in my future. But God showed me that wasn't the goal.
It doesn't matter if it is thousands or one, we just need to lead when He says lead. If I was a gambler, I'd bet that at the end of his life Moses would have learned a lot of lessons. I know I have learned a lot in mine. Some lessons it took me more than once. Have you been there? You wonder why the same types of things keep happening, then you realize God is saying 'you are going around this mountain until you learn this lesson'.
I realize my audience is small, I'm ok with that. I've been blogging when I write this just over 45 days. I've had almost 1,100 views of my posts. That's not huge, there are folks that have more than that in a day. But I thought it would take me a year to have that many, so I'm thrilled.
I've had folks tell me that what I said helped them, I've had folks say that they needed to hear it. What if I had continued to live in my world of excuses? I would have missed the chance to help someone. I would have missed the chance to give.
I've said this before but it bears repeating. I don't write because I know the answers, I write because I want to learn and I want to follow God's direction. Often as I'm writing, God will show me something, it may be something simple or it may be profound, at least to me. Would I have learned that if I were not writing? I don't know.
There are some topics God keeps bringing me back to 1) prayer, 2) praise and 3) following His direction. Yes, I think I'm still circling the mountain on those. But every time I go around that mountain, He shows me something so I'm good with that. In fact, those are topics I may circle the mountain on all my life because I'm not sure you can ever truly learn all there is to know on those subjects. Sometimes circling a mountain is a good thing.
Today's message is a simple one - God wants us, He wants all of us. He wants us to do what He says even if it doesn't make sense to us. He gives us talents and abilities and He wants them used for His glory. We aren't the ones that determine if it is a large audience or a small one. We shouldn't be concerned about anything other than doing what He tells us. He will use it as He sees fit.
I said I love to write and that is true. I'd love to have books published (I have one), I'd love to write a #1 song. I'd love to be published in major magazines. That may never happen, or it may, it's in His hands. But more important than any of those I love writing what God is telling me on a given day. I love sharing my 'finds' in the scripture or in my life. I love that feeling of knowing that I've followed what He told me to do.
I'm not Moses, I'm not Paul, I'm not anyone but me. My job is to be the best me that I can be. My job is seek His presence and to share what He gives me there.
I enjoy writing but I wondered, do folks actually enjoy reading it. But I continued to get a nudge in my spirit that say 'I have things I want you to say'. Now I had a lot of excuses. What if no one reads? What if I misspeak or say something that is wrong? Where will the time come from? Who am I to write about anything? I've failed at many things and I'm just trying to learn how to do things better.
Just like with Moses, God had an answer. Now, I'm not comparing myself with Moses as a leader. But then again maybe I am, I was reluctant, I was afraid, I have failed and I have a temper. Yep there are some similarities there. Now Moses did great things and I don't see leading thousands in my future. But God showed me that wasn't the goal.
It doesn't matter if it is thousands or one, we just need to lead when He says lead. If I was a gambler, I'd bet that at the end of his life Moses would have learned a lot of lessons. I know I have learned a lot in mine. Some lessons it took me more than once. Have you been there? You wonder why the same types of things keep happening, then you realize God is saying 'you are going around this mountain until you learn this lesson'.
I realize my audience is small, I'm ok with that. I've been blogging when I write this just over 45 days. I've had almost 1,100 views of my posts. That's not huge, there are folks that have more than that in a day. But I thought it would take me a year to have that many, so I'm thrilled.
I've had folks tell me that what I said helped them, I've had folks say that they needed to hear it. What if I had continued to live in my world of excuses? I would have missed the chance to help someone. I would have missed the chance to give.
I've said this before but it bears repeating. I don't write because I know the answers, I write because I want to learn and I want to follow God's direction. Often as I'm writing, God will show me something, it may be something simple or it may be profound, at least to me. Would I have learned that if I were not writing? I don't know.
There are some topics God keeps bringing me back to 1) prayer, 2) praise and 3) following His direction. Yes, I think I'm still circling the mountain on those. But every time I go around that mountain, He shows me something so I'm good with that. In fact, those are topics I may circle the mountain on all my life because I'm not sure you can ever truly learn all there is to know on those subjects. Sometimes circling a mountain is a good thing.
Today's message is a simple one - God wants us, He wants all of us. He wants us to do what He says even if it doesn't make sense to us. He gives us talents and abilities and He wants them used for His glory. We aren't the ones that determine if it is a large audience or a small one. We shouldn't be concerned about anything other than doing what He tells us. He will use it as He sees fit.
I said I love to write and that is true. I'd love to have books published (I have one), I'd love to write a #1 song. I'd love to be published in major magazines. That may never happen, or it may, it's in His hands. But more important than any of those I love writing what God is telling me on a given day. I love sharing my 'finds' in the scripture or in my life. I love that feeling of knowing that I've followed what He told me to do.
I'm not Moses, I'm not Paul, I'm not anyone but me. My job is to be the best me that I can be. My job is seek His presence and to share what He gives me there.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Resist the Devil - Have You Declared War?
James 4:7 - Submit yourselves therefor to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Read those words, I mean really read them!!! God tells us to submit to him and then he says RESIST the devil. What do you do when you resist? You fight!! You refuse to give up. You stand strong! What happens when you do that? The devil will flee.
Have you been guilty of saying 'the devil just won't leave me alone'? I have, I felt he was always on my back. I felt he was interfering with my thoughts. I have to admit to you that I now know that was because I had not submitted myself totally to God. So I was in no shape to resist the devil.
Submission to God is scary and serious business. But is joyful and delightful at the same time. God is a safe shelter waiting for you to knock on that door, and He will open it up and welcome you it. He will arm you to fight! He will give you strength to refuse to give up. He wants the devil off your back too. But just as a parent stands back to allow their child to grow and experience some things on their own, waiting to help where they are truly needed, God is right there, ready to help.
I have to give a shout out today to two friends who write blogs. They have been such an encouragement to me recently. At times what they were writing echoed the cries of my own heart and I was so overwhelmed that God would show me so clearly that the message He was giving is needed by us all.
One is Melissa Mann who writes Moments Along The Journey , oh how God is pouring out His spirit in her writings! And how much I understand the words and emotions behind those blogs. I have lived too often in those places.
The other is Allie Tanner and her blog Out of the Shadows--From Darkness to Light , I have seen growth, joy, sorrow but in all I have seen realness. They have showed me that resisting the devil is real and God gives that strength. They have touched my heart and encouraged me.
I love to read, I read whenever I get a chance. But for a time I found I wasn't reading things that helped me. Now, I know you can read just for enjoyment and I sometimes still do that. But time is limited, we are all rushed and we all have more commitments than we can make most days. So choosing wisely what I read is important. No book or blog is more important than Bible reading but reading books, blogs, magazines that help me understand the Bible, my own situations, my needs in my spiritual life can help me grow.
That is important to me. I wish I had realized how important sooner. I wish I had spent more time in Bible study, more time reading authors who would challenge me and encourage me. But the great news is it isn't too late. I still can do that. I want to be equipped to resist the devil. I can't do that on my own. I must submit to God and I must be battle ready.
I'm going to quote Mrs. Clara again 'Raise'em up Lord, Raise'em up'. If you don't know who Mrs. Clara is, go see War Room today!
Read those words, I mean really read them!!! God tells us to submit to him and then he says RESIST the devil. What do you do when you resist? You fight!! You refuse to give up. You stand strong! What happens when you do that? The devil will flee.
Have you been guilty of saying 'the devil just won't leave me alone'? I have, I felt he was always on my back. I felt he was interfering with my thoughts. I have to admit to you that I now know that was because I had not submitted myself totally to God. So I was in no shape to resist the devil.
Submission to God is scary and serious business. But is joyful and delightful at the same time. God is a safe shelter waiting for you to knock on that door, and He will open it up and welcome you it. He will arm you to fight! He will give you strength to refuse to give up. He wants the devil off your back too. But just as a parent stands back to allow their child to grow and experience some things on their own, waiting to help where they are truly needed, God is right there, ready to help.
I have to give a shout out today to two friends who write blogs. They have been such an encouragement to me recently. At times what they were writing echoed the cries of my own heart and I was so overwhelmed that God would show me so clearly that the message He was giving is needed by us all.
One is Melissa Mann who writes Moments Along The Journey , oh how God is pouring out His spirit in her writings! And how much I understand the words and emotions behind those blogs. I have lived too often in those places.
The other is Allie Tanner and her blog Out of the Shadows--From Darkness to Light , I have seen growth, joy, sorrow but in all I have seen realness. They have showed me that resisting the devil is real and God gives that strength. They have touched my heart and encouraged me.
I love to read, I read whenever I get a chance. But for a time I found I wasn't reading things that helped me. Now, I know you can read just for enjoyment and I sometimes still do that. But time is limited, we are all rushed and we all have more commitments than we can make most days. So choosing wisely what I read is important. No book or blog is more important than Bible reading but reading books, blogs, magazines that help me understand the Bible, my own situations, my needs in my spiritual life can help me grow.
That is important to me. I wish I had realized how important sooner. I wish I had spent more time in Bible study, more time reading authors who would challenge me and encourage me. But the great news is it isn't too late. I still can do that. I want to be equipped to resist the devil. I can't do that on my own. I must submit to God and I must be battle ready.
I'm going to quote Mrs. Clara again 'Raise'em up Lord, Raise'em up'. If you don't know who Mrs. Clara is, go see War Room today!
Sunday, September 27, 2015
My Intercessor is Jesus
There has been a lot of talk about the Pope coming to America over the last few days. I was frustrated when one of my programs I taped only showed me half as the first half of the program was taken with showing the Pope landing. Seriously, how many channels does it have to show on.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not downing Catholics, my grandmother was raised one, I have friends that are Catholics. Yet my Bible tells me that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, there is no other! The Pope is a man. I wonder if Jesus had come to America this week how much coverage He would have gotten?
Oh wait, He comes to America every day, He pleads for souls, He brings conviction, He shows love. And He is mocked, cursed and reviled. He is made fun of, defiled and those who follow him are called bigots and intolerant.
Today if Jesus is going to be well spoken of, it is going to have to come from you and me. We are going to have to stand for His word and be true to following Him. We must show Jesus and His love to the world.
Jesus is not like any other! He is our Lord or at least He is supposed to be. Yet how often do we put other things first. We are often quick to say Catholics 'worship' the pope but what do we really worship? Is our day spent at the idol of TV, sports and other things that have more importance than our Bible and prayer life?
I wish we could fully grasp (and I include me when I say we) the fullness of God's love and His power. He wants to be the center of my universe and if I allow Him to be that He will expand my universe more than I can imagine.
May I say today as Jabez of old 'expand my boundaries', realizing that doesn't mean that I will have more in worldly things but that I be able to reach more for my Lord. Lord, help me to be more like You and may others see You in me!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not downing Catholics, my grandmother was raised one, I have friends that are Catholics. Yet my Bible tells me that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, there is no other! The Pope is a man. I wonder if Jesus had come to America this week how much coverage He would have gotten?
Oh wait, He comes to America every day, He pleads for souls, He brings conviction, He shows love. And He is mocked, cursed and reviled. He is made fun of, defiled and those who follow him are called bigots and intolerant.
Today if Jesus is going to be well spoken of, it is going to have to come from you and me. We are going to have to stand for His word and be true to following Him. We must show Jesus and His love to the world.
Jesus is not like any other! He is our Lord or at least He is supposed to be. Yet how often do we put other things first. We are often quick to say Catholics 'worship' the pope but what do we really worship? Is our day spent at the idol of TV, sports and other things that have more importance than our Bible and prayer life?
I wish we could fully grasp (and I include me when I say we) the fullness of God's love and His power. He wants to be the center of my universe and if I allow Him to be that He will expand my universe more than I can imagine.
May I say today as Jabez of old 'expand my boundaries', realizing that doesn't mean that I will have more in worldly things but that I be able to reach more for my Lord. Lord, help me to be more like You and may others see You in me!
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Can We Revisit The War Room?
You're thinking, 'here we go again!' aren't you? Well today it is from a bit of a different perspective. Earlier today (well when this posts it would have been Thursday) I went to a Women's luncheon. Our governor Nikki Haley spoke. I like Nikki, I don't agree with her on many things but I respect her and understand the overwhelming job she has to do. I also know that as the first woman governor of our state she has more people looking at her and being critical that might be otherwise.
I do not know her spiritual condition but I do know she has a respect and reverence for God and Christians that many in today's society lack. I respect that. She has had to make hard decisions, she has made some good ones and in my opinion some bad ones.
So what does that have to do with our War Room you may ask. Good question. In her speech she told us some 'War Stories'. She talked of some defining times where she had at times a split second to make a decision that would define who she was and how she was viewed. She encouraged us to go home and think about at least 3 of our own war stories. How had they impacted our lives? What did we learn? Were we proud of how we reacted? If not, learn from it, instead of beating yourself up. If we were, congratulate yourself. Were there things we could have done differently to change the outcome? If so, again learn from it. If not, don't beat yourself up, you are not to blame.
Then she talked about how a group of women can make a difference. How women often look to others for validation before doing something rather than trusting themselves. Here is where I make a short side track from her speech. We often look for the confirmation of others rather than trusting GOD! God has called each of us, He has a work for us to do. Usually that work takes us out of our comfort zone and we are scared. We ask our friends and family to tell us what to do. They are not who called you. If rather than talking to God, you are waiting on others opinions, you are going to the wrong place for advice.
Don't get me wrong, good Godly advice from friends, family, counselors, teachers and pastors is awesome! But they should never replace trusting God when He tells you to step out in faith. And you will make mistakes, you will have 'war stories'. But if you spend time in your War Room, talking to God, asking Him for confirmation, asking Him for direction and then trusting Him for the outcome, you will have victories!
We all have those times of defining moments, as a Christian, how those play out is often a direct result of our prayer life or lack of a prayer life. I'm ashamed to admit how many times mine has been a lack. Or prayers that James describes as asking amiss, asking for what I want, what I think best. God please forgive me.
I want my War Room to be where my defining times come from. But for that to happen, I have to spend the time necessary there. It has to be a priority. Will you pray that God helps me as I strive to make that the case?
I do not know her spiritual condition but I do know she has a respect and reverence for God and Christians that many in today's society lack. I respect that. She has had to make hard decisions, she has made some good ones and in my opinion some bad ones.
So what does that have to do with our War Room you may ask. Good question. In her speech she told us some 'War Stories'. She talked of some defining times where she had at times a split second to make a decision that would define who she was and how she was viewed. She encouraged us to go home and think about at least 3 of our own war stories. How had they impacted our lives? What did we learn? Were we proud of how we reacted? If not, learn from it, instead of beating yourself up. If we were, congratulate yourself. Were there things we could have done differently to change the outcome? If so, again learn from it. If not, don't beat yourself up, you are not to blame.
Then she talked about how a group of women can make a difference. How women often look to others for validation before doing something rather than trusting themselves. Here is where I make a short side track from her speech. We often look for the confirmation of others rather than trusting GOD! God has called each of us, He has a work for us to do. Usually that work takes us out of our comfort zone and we are scared. We ask our friends and family to tell us what to do. They are not who called you. If rather than talking to God, you are waiting on others opinions, you are going to the wrong place for advice.
Don't get me wrong, good Godly advice from friends, family, counselors, teachers and pastors is awesome! But they should never replace trusting God when He tells you to step out in faith. And you will make mistakes, you will have 'war stories'. But if you spend time in your War Room, talking to God, asking Him for confirmation, asking Him for direction and then trusting Him for the outcome, you will have victories!
We all have those times of defining moments, as a Christian, how those play out is often a direct result of our prayer life or lack of a prayer life. I'm ashamed to admit how many times mine has been a lack. Or prayers that James describes as asking amiss, asking for what I want, what I think best. God please forgive me.
I want my War Room to be where my defining times come from. But for that to happen, I have to spend the time necessary there. It has to be a priority. Will you pray that God helps me as I strive to make that the case?
Friday, September 25, 2015
Is God's Grace Sufficient?
II Cor. 12:9 - And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
I've quoted this verse often, I've sung the song His Grace is Sufficient for Me but recently God has been showing me some things about His sufficiency. When we think of something being sufficient, we think 'it is enough', 'it will do what I need' or 'it will cover it'. Yet in thinking of God and His grace I have realized that His definition of being sufficient is far different from ours.
Sufficient from God is overflowing, it everlasting, it is unchanging, it is all we could ever need. Sufficient from God is so much larger, deeper and boarder than our minds can imagine. His strength is made perfect in weakness. His strength, the all powerful God, His strength is made perfect in weakness.
Paul says he will glory in his infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on him. So, seriously, when is the last time you GLORIED in your infirmities, your sickness, your weakness? Spending the last week being sick, not even having a coherent thought in my head to write, mumbling about how I miss this and that, I was NOT glorying in my infirmities.
Yet tonight it strikes me, God has been here every moment. He has shown me love and mercy. He has lifted me when I could not lift myself. He has comforted me when I was at the bottom. Tuesday night I did not sleep, not a minute, not even a quick snooze. I was awake all night long. I wasted a lot of that time grumbling and mumbling about how tired I was going to be.
Then I decided to check out some prayer requests and see if some folks had updates on situations we were praying for. I was humbled as I saw the horrible things many folks were going through while I grumbled about not sleeping. I was horrified to see people struggling to live while I complained about struggling to sleep. God gave me some real perspective. He also gave me strength.
I made it through Wednesday, having not slept since Tuesday morning. I'm sorry to say I didn't make it to church and I realize now that may have been lack of faith on my part. I had been up for 36 hours when it was time to leave for church and I was very tired and coughing a lot. I drive about 35 minutes each way to church. I would have had my granddaughter with me. I faced a serious and real question, could I stay awake to drive there and back safely. I wasn't sure. Because there could be lives at stake I didn't chance it. Was that the right decision? Or was it a lack of faith that the God who had supplied my strength all day, would give me strength for a few more hours?
I don't honestly know, but I do know that as I prayed that night, I was not plagued by the question, so I'm at peace with it. I also know God gave me a great night's sleep Wed night and again on Thursday I was able to function. I also know I missed being at church. I missed my church family.
I know that when my pastor was doing prayer requests on our phone on Thursday and he included my name, God showed me that I was not in this battle alone. As I went to our Stronger page (a page for a group of us that have gone to the Stronger Retreats) and saw prayer requests and had people tell me they were praying for me, I again saw God's grace in abundance.
You see everything God does is so much larger than we can imagine, when He says sufficient what that means in our lives is abundance. He gives freely and His love is boundless.
Today, think of His grace, what it has meant in your life, the times He has shown Himself to be Faithful and True.
I've quoted this verse often, I've sung the song His Grace is Sufficient for Me but recently God has been showing me some things about His sufficiency. When we think of something being sufficient, we think 'it is enough', 'it will do what I need' or 'it will cover it'. Yet in thinking of God and His grace I have realized that His definition of being sufficient is far different from ours.
Sufficient from God is overflowing, it everlasting, it is unchanging, it is all we could ever need. Sufficient from God is so much larger, deeper and boarder than our minds can imagine. His strength is made perfect in weakness. His strength, the all powerful God, His strength is made perfect in weakness.
Paul says he will glory in his infirmities that the power of Christ may rest on him. So, seriously, when is the last time you GLORIED in your infirmities, your sickness, your weakness? Spending the last week being sick, not even having a coherent thought in my head to write, mumbling about how I miss this and that, I was NOT glorying in my infirmities.
Yet tonight it strikes me, God has been here every moment. He has shown me love and mercy. He has lifted me when I could not lift myself. He has comforted me when I was at the bottom. Tuesday night I did not sleep, not a minute, not even a quick snooze. I was awake all night long. I wasted a lot of that time grumbling and mumbling about how tired I was going to be.
Then I decided to check out some prayer requests and see if some folks had updates on situations we were praying for. I was humbled as I saw the horrible things many folks were going through while I grumbled about not sleeping. I was horrified to see people struggling to live while I complained about struggling to sleep. God gave me some real perspective. He also gave me strength.
I made it through Wednesday, having not slept since Tuesday morning. I'm sorry to say I didn't make it to church and I realize now that may have been lack of faith on my part. I had been up for 36 hours when it was time to leave for church and I was very tired and coughing a lot. I drive about 35 minutes each way to church. I would have had my granddaughter with me. I faced a serious and real question, could I stay awake to drive there and back safely. I wasn't sure. Because there could be lives at stake I didn't chance it. Was that the right decision? Or was it a lack of faith that the God who had supplied my strength all day, would give me strength for a few more hours?
I don't honestly know, but I do know that as I prayed that night, I was not plagued by the question, so I'm at peace with it. I also know God gave me a great night's sleep Wed night and again on Thursday I was able to function. I also know I missed being at church. I missed my church family.
I know that when my pastor was doing prayer requests on our phone on Thursday and he included my name, God showed me that I was not in this battle alone. As I went to our Stronger page (a page for a group of us that have gone to the Stronger Retreats) and saw prayer requests and had people tell me they were praying for me, I again saw God's grace in abundance.
You see everything God does is so much larger than we can imagine, when He says sufficient what that means in our lives is abundance. He gives freely and His love is boundless.
Today, think of His grace, what it has meant in your life, the times He has shown Himself to be Faithful and True.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Joyful Song!
Psalms 100:2 - Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
In another Psalm (122:1) it says 'I was glad here they said unto me, let us go into the house of the LORD'. Do you love to go to the house of the Lord? Do you come to Him singing praise? Or are you one of those that go because 'I'm supposed to go but let's just see if you can bless me' folks?
God wants to hear us sing His praises, to make a joyful noise, to give Him glory! He never tires of hearing the praise of His people. There is a simple formula that I've mentioned before 'we praise, He is there with us'. As a Christian the Holy Spirit is always there, but our praise opens the door for Him to engulf us.
Until we praise, He is there, He is waiting on our call, He wants us to open all the doors that separate Him from us. When we praise and we are praising from our heart & soul, we begin to open those doors. We begin to tear down those walls. As we see what He has for us, our praise grows and as our praise grows He draws us closer, it is an eternal circle that comes closer with each loop around.
Not only does He want to hear our praise, He wants us to serve with gladness! Again we can do things our of duty and they are good things but until we do them with a glad heart we do not reap the benefits of His blessings. I can be busy all the time doing good, but if I'm grumbling and complaining the only reward I'll see is what man may give as he sees my good works. But if I am singing His praise and gladly doing His business, He gives me joy, happiness, peace and comfort as rewards. Let's sing a joyful song!
In another Psalm (122:1) it says 'I was glad here they said unto me, let us go into the house of the LORD'. Do you love to go to the house of the Lord? Do you come to Him singing praise? Or are you one of those that go because 'I'm supposed to go but let's just see if you can bless me' folks?
God wants to hear us sing His praises, to make a joyful noise, to give Him glory! He never tires of hearing the praise of His people. There is a simple formula that I've mentioned before 'we praise, He is there with us'. As a Christian the Holy Spirit is always there, but our praise opens the door for Him to engulf us.
Until we praise, He is there, He is waiting on our call, He wants us to open all the doors that separate Him from us. When we praise and we are praising from our heart & soul, we begin to open those doors. We begin to tear down those walls. As we see what He has for us, our praise grows and as our praise grows He draws us closer, it is an eternal circle that comes closer with each loop around.
Not only does He want to hear our praise, He wants us to serve with gladness! Again we can do things our of duty and they are good things but until we do them with a glad heart we do not reap the benefits of His blessings. I can be busy all the time doing good, but if I'm grumbling and complaining the only reward I'll see is what man may give as he sees my good works. But if I am singing His praise and gladly doing His business, He gives me joy, happiness, peace and comfort as rewards. Let's sing a joyful song!
Monday, September 21, 2015
Make a Joyful Noise
Psalms 100:1 - Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Praise Him, when all is said and done, praise Him! Do we understand what this means to God? Are you a sports fan? I am. I'm a vocal sports fan! When football or nascar are on tv, the neighbors may hear me. When I'm at an actual game, I've been known to lose my voice screaming and yelling.
Pulling for 'my' team! It's mine for a variety of reasons, I picked it, I know someone one on the team, I don't like the team they are playing. But if they are 'my' team, I'm pulling for them! I'm cheering them on! I'm groaning when they make a bad play or mistake. I'm giving them advice, not that they can hear me.
Well, I'm on the Lord's team, He is my coach, my leader! I need to lift my voice and cheer, praise! I need to encourage my 'teammates' the other Christians around me and cheer them on. When we fall or make a mistake, my groaning should be heard in the prayer room, calling out to God to help us.
God did not call for His people to be silent, He wants us to praise him - make noise! You know when a team is playing at home, they are said to have the home field advantage. What gives them that advantage? Those there cheering for them! Make a joyful noise, not only to praise the Lord to but let those on your team, fellow Christians, know that you are there, you are with them! You are cheering for them to make that next play, climb that mountain, cross that bridge.
The devil hates it when God's children make a joyful noise. While we are quiet, our brothers and sisters aren't sure we are there, they don't know if we have their back. But when we come out shouting, the devil knows the victory is ours!
Praise Him, when all is said and done, praise Him! Do we understand what this means to God? Are you a sports fan? I am. I'm a vocal sports fan! When football or nascar are on tv, the neighbors may hear me. When I'm at an actual game, I've been known to lose my voice screaming and yelling.
Pulling for 'my' team! It's mine for a variety of reasons, I picked it, I know someone one on the team, I don't like the team they are playing. But if they are 'my' team, I'm pulling for them! I'm cheering them on! I'm groaning when they make a bad play or mistake. I'm giving them advice, not that they can hear me.
Well, I'm on the Lord's team, He is my coach, my leader! I need to lift my voice and cheer, praise! I need to encourage my 'teammates' the other Christians around me and cheer them on. When we fall or make a mistake, my groaning should be heard in the prayer room, calling out to God to help us.
God did not call for His people to be silent, He wants us to praise him - make noise! You know when a team is playing at home, they are said to have the home field advantage. What gives them that advantage? Those there cheering for them! Make a joyful noise, not only to praise the Lord to but let those on your team, fellow Christians, know that you are there, you are with them! You are cheering for them to make that next play, climb that mountain, cross that bridge.
The devil hates it when God's children make a joyful noise. While we are quiet, our brothers and sisters aren't sure we are there, they don't know if we have their back. But when we come out shouting, the devil knows the victory is ours!
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Are You Broken?
Psalms 51: 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise .
A broken spirit, when I first read that I thought, why does God want me broken? Then He brought to my mind some of my favorite shows and movies as I was growing up. I was a big western fan. I remembered seeing the wild horses, the independent spirits that it would look like no one could tame. Then a big, gentle cowboy would begin to talk to the horse. He would calm him, he would pet him, he would usually feed him sugar or apples or some other treat.
As the horse calmed down, the cowboy would gently slip a rope over his head and get him used to be led, next would be a bridle to teach the horse to take direction. After a lot of patience a blanket would go on the horse's back and finally a saddle. At this point the cowboy would ease onto the horse, who would show his last stand of independence trying to throw the cowboy off.
Once the horse was broken he and the cowboy would be inseparable. The cowboy loved his horse, the horse loved him. Sound familiar? Does it remind you of what it took for you to come to know the love of God? Once the cowboy broke the horse, he provided for him. He fed him, provided him a stable and kept him groomed. Just the way God takes care of us.
We are wild, independent, stubborn and God works slowing, patiently and breaks that part of us so that He can take care of us. When we are bucking, running, pawing the air God cannot give us the love we need. But once we are broken, we can nuzzle up next to Him and He will feed and comfort us.
A broken spirit, when I first read that I thought, why does God want me broken? Then He brought to my mind some of my favorite shows and movies as I was growing up. I was a big western fan. I remembered seeing the wild horses, the independent spirits that it would look like no one could tame. Then a big, gentle cowboy would begin to talk to the horse. He would calm him, he would pet him, he would usually feed him sugar or apples or some other treat.
As the horse calmed down, the cowboy would gently slip a rope over his head and get him used to be led, next would be a bridle to teach the horse to take direction. After a lot of patience a blanket would go on the horse's back and finally a saddle. At this point the cowboy would ease onto the horse, who would show his last stand of independence trying to throw the cowboy off.
Once the horse was broken he and the cowboy would be inseparable. The cowboy loved his horse, the horse loved him. Sound familiar? Does it remind you of what it took for you to come to know the love of God? Once the cowboy broke the horse, he provided for him. He fed him, provided him a stable and kept him groomed. Just the way God takes care of us.
We are wild, independent, stubborn and God works slowing, patiently and breaks that part of us so that He can take care of us. When we are bucking, running, pawing the air God cannot give us the love we need. But once we are broken, we can nuzzle up next to Him and He will feed and comfort us.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Clean Me!
Psalms 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Do you know where the root of our problem is? It comes from our heart. The Bible tells us it is desperately wicked. But David prayed 'Create in me a clean heart, O God'. Our heart can be clean but only with God doing the clean up.
When our heart is clean our attitude or spirit is right. If you find yourself at odds with others, contentious and unable to get along with your Christian brothers and sisters, you may need a heart cleaning.
When Jesus comes in He makes you a new person but satan is constantly striving and pulling and trying to get us to give in to that old nature. The bad attitude, the judgmental spirit, they come from listening to the devil whisper his lies of discontentment. They come from hearing the world more than we hear the Savior.
I need to ask every day for God to create in me a clean heart. It only takes a moment to track the mud back in. It is part of our life. What of what we deal with on a daily basis. But God is faithful.
The clean heart is much like a clean house. If you clean it once and leave it at the very least it will get dust and cobwebs but more likely it will get dirt and mud tracked it. It will get things left around that make it untidy. How much more important is it that the heart in the temple of God be cleaned that the house we live in be cleaned.
Yet which one gets the more of our attention? Well, others see the house you may say. Yes, they do and from your actions, your words and your deeds they see the heart. You can't hide it when dirt begins to accumulate in and around your heart.
Lord, make us aware that we need You to daily clean us and make us acceptable in Your sight.
Do you know where the root of our problem is? It comes from our heart. The Bible tells us it is desperately wicked. But David prayed 'Create in me a clean heart, O God'. Our heart can be clean but only with God doing the clean up.
When our heart is clean our attitude or spirit is right. If you find yourself at odds with others, contentious and unable to get along with your Christian brothers and sisters, you may need a heart cleaning.
When Jesus comes in He makes you a new person but satan is constantly striving and pulling and trying to get us to give in to that old nature. The bad attitude, the judgmental spirit, they come from listening to the devil whisper his lies of discontentment. They come from hearing the world more than we hear the Savior.
I need to ask every day for God to create in me a clean heart. It only takes a moment to track the mud back in. It is part of our life. What of what we deal with on a daily basis. But God is faithful.
The clean heart is much like a clean house. If you clean it once and leave it at the very least it will get dust and cobwebs but more likely it will get dirt and mud tracked it. It will get things left around that make it untidy. How much more important is it that the heart in the temple of God be cleaned that the house we live in be cleaned.
Yet which one gets the more of our attention? Well, others see the house you may say. Yes, they do and from your actions, your words and your deeds they see the heart. You can't hide it when dirt begins to accumulate in and around your heart.
Lord, make us aware that we need You to daily clean us and make us acceptable in Your sight.
Friday, September 18, 2015
Create a Clean Heart!
Matthew 15:18 - But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Eventually what is in your heart will come out of your mouth. now there are folks that can 'play the game' for a while and talk the Christian life but they are not committed to it. But as time goes on the ability to talk the talk without walking the walk wears on you. Something will come out.
Now that doesn't mean that any time a Christian slips they are not striving to be to be a good Christian. But something that I have realized more and more as I grow older, what you put in your brain is what comes out most easily.
Those that know me, know that my preferred form of Christian/Gospel music is Southern Gospel. But until recently we didn't have a station here in the upstate so in the morning on my way to work, I had some options. 1) Country, 2) Contemporary Gospel, or 3) listening to CDs or 'my' music on my phone.
I loved option 3 but when doing that, I didn't get the weather updates or the traffic updates. That meant I might be late because of an accident that I could have avoided or I didn't take in the umbrella when rain was to rolling later that day.
I tried Country - I got weather and traffic updates, Bill & Beth were funny but what I found is that I was humming songs during the day that I didn't agree with the lyrics. So I went to contemporary, again it was my favorite but in the mornings they were putting good thoughts in my mind and the songs that stuck with me had a Bible base & I still got weather & traffic. So until March of this year when a SGM station opened in the upstate I stuck with contemporary.
What does this have to do with this Bible verse, you may ask. Well the heart and mind are very closely related, once we hear something it sticks, we may not realize it, with as hard as it can be to believe as our memories are at times fuzzy, really they do. What you put in is what comes out.
If you hear songs all day that curse or talk about conduct that does against the Bible, it erodes at the base of beliefs you may have just one sand at a time until you become immune to knowing what is wrong. They reach your heart. And the wickedness of the heart is what defiles us. Once enough 'stuff' has been put into your mind, without realizing it the devil can use it to make you question or to form 'your own opinions' of Biblical truths.
The heart is wicked, it will deceive you. It will pour wickedness from your mouth. The only cure is Jesus. Trust him to clean your heart. David prayed that God would create in him a clean heart. Is that our prayer today?
Eventually what is in your heart will come out of your mouth. now there are folks that can 'play the game' for a while and talk the Christian life but they are not committed to it. But as time goes on the ability to talk the talk without walking the walk wears on you. Something will come out.
Now that doesn't mean that any time a Christian slips they are not striving to be to be a good Christian. But something that I have realized more and more as I grow older, what you put in your brain is what comes out most easily.
Those that know me, know that my preferred form of Christian/Gospel music is Southern Gospel. But until recently we didn't have a station here in the upstate so in the morning on my way to work, I had some options. 1) Country, 2) Contemporary Gospel, or 3) listening to CDs or 'my' music on my phone.
I loved option 3 but when doing that, I didn't get the weather updates or the traffic updates. That meant I might be late because of an accident that I could have avoided or I didn't take in the umbrella when rain was to rolling later that day.
I tried Country - I got weather and traffic updates, Bill & Beth were funny but what I found is that I was humming songs during the day that I didn't agree with the lyrics. So I went to contemporary, again it was my favorite but in the mornings they were putting good thoughts in my mind and the songs that stuck with me had a Bible base & I still got weather & traffic. So until March of this year when a SGM station opened in the upstate I stuck with contemporary.
What does this have to do with this Bible verse, you may ask. Well the heart and mind are very closely related, once we hear something it sticks, we may not realize it, with as hard as it can be to believe as our memories are at times fuzzy, really they do. What you put in is what comes out.
If you hear songs all day that curse or talk about conduct that does against the Bible, it erodes at the base of beliefs you may have just one sand at a time until you become immune to knowing what is wrong. They reach your heart. And the wickedness of the heart is what defiles us. Once enough 'stuff' has been put into your mind, without realizing it the devil can use it to make you question or to form 'your own opinions' of Biblical truths.
The heart is wicked, it will deceive you. It will pour wickedness from your mouth. The only cure is Jesus. Trust him to clean your heart. David prayed that God would create in him a clean heart. Is that our prayer today?
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Gain for loss
Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
What is important to you today? Is it your job, Your home, your car, your money in the bank? Or is it your family, your friends? Maybe it is land or a vacation home. Paul was a man of influence before he came to Christ. He was regarded with respect in religious circles. He was feared for his religious zeal.
Then he met Jesus. He turned his back on all the things that had been important to him. Rather than pursuing Christians to kill them, he began pursuing Christ to preach his gospel. It was a very dramatic change.
I'm sure some of the folks in his religious circles thought he had lost his mind. Many of the Christians still feared him as they didn't trust the change. At that point, Paul had only Christ. But when God is all you have, you realize that God is all you need.
None of the things that he had held dear before had the same draw any more. When you start turning things over to Jesus that happens. You may find that TV doesn't have the appeal in many areas it had before. You know your time can be better used praying or encouraging those around you. You may not hang out with the same folks anymore because they don't understand the change in your life style.
Your focus changes, you realize that God alone can give you what you need and you long to have what He has for you. You look at the Bible and you realize that God will meet you when you open it. You realize that prayer is the answer, it doesn't matter what the question is.
You haven't come to that point yet? Do you want to come to that point? God is a gentleman, He will not force His best on you. He will have it for you if you are willing to forget what you held dear before and cling to Him.
What is important to you today? Is it your job, Your home, your car, your money in the bank? Or is it your family, your friends? Maybe it is land or a vacation home. Paul was a man of influence before he came to Christ. He was regarded with respect in religious circles. He was feared for his religious zeal.
Then he met Jesus. He turned his back on all the things that had been important to him. Rather than pursuing Christians to kill them, he began pursuing Christ to preach his gospel. It was a very dramatic change.
I'm sure some of the folks in his religious circles thought he had lost his mind. Many of the Christians still feared him as they didn't trust the change. At that point, Paul had only Christ. But when God is all you have, you realize that God is all you need.
None of the things that he had held dear before had the same draw any more. When you start turning things over to Jesus that happens. You may find that TV doesn't have the appeal in many areas it had before. You know your time can be better used praying or encouraging those around you. You may not hang out with the same folks anymore because they don't understand the change in your life style.
Your focus changes, you realize that God alone can give you what you need and you long to have what He has for you. You look at the Bible and you realize that God will meet you when you open it. You realize that prayer is the answer, it doesn't matter what the question is.
You haven't come to that point yet? Do you want to come to that point? God is a gentleman, He will not force His best on you. He will have it for you if you are willing to forget what you held dear before and cling to Him.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Is There A God?
Psalms 53: 1 - The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
We hear a lot of folks today doubting there is a God or worse declaring there is not one. Yet God says only the fool has said in his heart there is no God. I didn't call them a fool, God did. He says they are corrupt.
As we look around this world, we see so much corruptness, perversion, wickedness. It is everywhere. On the TV, the movies, radio, magazines, billboards. You almost want to put a blindfold on your children as you ride down the interstate.
Why? Because the fool said there was no God. If there is no God, then there is no right and wrong. If there is no right and wrong, then anything you want to do is ok. If anything you want to do is ok, then it doesn't matter who sees it, right? Why should children be shielded from the horrible things in life?
In the last few weeks 2 things have happened that have really set me thinking on the wickedness and perversion of today's society. One a lady I know told her story, it was a story full of sexual abuse and abandonment. It was a heart breaking story. In the second, someone I know well told details of a previously upsetting time. While it was upsetting from the first, knowing the details brought such pain to both the person involved and those that love them. Two women, whose lives are scarred because a man abused a child. Two women, who have painful memories because people they should have been able to trust defiled that trust.
God can heal but much of our healing is needed because first 'the fool said in his heart, there is no God' so he became immune to the conviction of doing what was right. Innocent children suffer because a fool has said in his heart there is no God. Babies are aborted because women put their wants (or the wants of some man) before the precious life they are carrying. Children are used as sexual pawns in a sick game because men and women are corrupt and have done abominable iniquity.
God help us in this day to recognize You are God and You are to be honored and obeyed.
We hear a lot of folks today doubting there is a God or worse declaring there is not one. Yet God says only the fool has said in his heart there is no God. I didn't call them a fool, God did. He says they are corrupt.
As we look around this world, we see so much corruptness, perversion, wickedness. It is everywhere. On the TV, the movies, radio, magazines, billboards. You almost want to put a blindfold on your children as you ride down the interstate.
Why? Because the fool said there was no God. If there is no God, then there is no right and wrong. If there is no right and wrong, then anything you want to do is ok. If anything you want to do is ok, then it doesn't matter who sees it, right? Why should children be shielded from the horrible things in life?
In the last few weeks 2 things have happened that have really set me thinking on the wickedness and perversion of today's society. One a lady I know told her story, it was a story full of sexual abuse and abandonment. It was a heart breaking story. In the second, someone I know well told details of a previously upsetting time. While it was upsetting from the first, knowing the details brought such pain to both the person involved and those that love them. Two women, whose lives are scarred because a man abused a child. Two women, who have painful memories because people they should have been able to trust defiled that trust.
God can heal but much of our healing is needed because first 'the fool said in his heart, there is no God' so he became immune to the conviction of doing what was right. Innocent children suffer because a fool has said in his heart there is no God. Babies are aborted because women put their wants (or the wants of some man) before the precious life they are carrying. Children are used as sexual pawns in a sick game because men and women are corrupt and have done abominable iniquity.
God help us in this day to recognize You are God and You are to be honored and obeyed.
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Rejoice!
Psalms 47: 1 - O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
People worship God differently but I for one like to clap my hands and lift my hands. Sometimes I cry, I may say 'amen', even an occasional 'hallelujah' but I believe we need to praise God daily. I've said it before but God inhabits the praise of His people. You don't feel close to God, when is the last time you praised Him?
It really is that simple. He inhabits praise, if we praise His word proclaims He will be there! Now I like a church that their praise is loud. It is a personal preference. I know there are those that may be loud seeking attention. Billy Kelly (an old evangelist for anyone young reading this) used to say 'don't worry about the wild fire, there will always be enough wet blankets to put it out'. Meaning, yes there will be some that just get 'caught up in the moment' but there will be enough 'looking to pull it apart' to take them down. If your praise is from the heart, don't worry about what others say. If it isn't, someone will call you on it sooner or later or God will reveal it for what it is.
But David is telling us here to clap our hands and shout with the voice of triumph! We are victors! We know how this ends and God is the victor and as His children so are we! So today, worship and praise the King of Kings. He is worthy of our praise and He loves to hear His children rejoice.
People worship God differently but I for one like to clap my hands and lift my hands. Sometimes I cry, I may say 'amen', even an occasional 'hallelujah' but I believe we need to praise God daily. I've said it before but God inhabits the praise of His people. You don't feel close to God, when is the last time you praised Him?
It really is that simple. He inhabits praise, if we praise His word proclaims He will be there! Now I like a church that their praise is loud. It is a personal preference. I know there are those that may be loud seeking attention. Billy Kelly (an old evangelist for anyone young reading this) used to say 'don't worry about the wild fire, there will always be enough wet blankets to put it out'. Meaning, yes there will be some that just get 'caught up in the moment' but there will be enough 'looking to pull it apart' to take them down. If your praise is from the heart, don't worry about what others say. If it isn't, someone will call you on it sooner or later or God will reveal it for what it is.
But David is telling us here to clap our hands and shout with the voice of triumph! We are victors! We know how this ends and God is the victor and as His children so are we! So today, worship and praise the King of Kings. He is worthy of our praise and He loves to hear His children rejoice.
Monday, September 14, 2015
My Refuge, My Help
Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Refuge - a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. You are save and sheltered no matter what storm or problem may come your way. God's word tells us so. We may feel buffeted like the disciples did when they were on the sea of Galilee but we are safe! We are sheltered by the Almighty God of Heaven.
That is shouting ground right there! God is a PRESENT help- He is not absent, we do not have to wait until He has time for us. Regardless of how we feel about our circumstances, He is there with us. God knows we have trouble and trials and He is there.
Well, why do I feel forsaken? Why do I not have peace and comfort? Why do I feel about to be destroyed? Oh my, how often do we feel like this. Yet the answer is simple, we have not given it to God. In the midst of the strongest storm we can have peace if we give the problem to God. When we are trying to handle it, the smallest battle can be so overwhelming.
Giving our battles to the Lord is a daily routine. Putting on the whole armor of the Lord is a daily routine. We must get our daily routines to be consistently done. When the armor is not on, it is easier for the devil to attack. When we have a hold on our latest battle, it makes it too easy to reach out and grasp those that we have previously given to Him as well.
Here is a 'secret', sometimes the devil will drag those burdens and problem reminders back into your mind hoping you will reach over and grab them again. He knows that is our tenacity. He knows that we hold on with a death grip once we get our hands back on it. And it is a death grip because it will kill your joy, your peace, our contentment when you are weighted down with those problems.
God is our refuge, He wants us safe and sheltered. He is a present help but we have to let go of the trouble and cares and allow Him to help us, allow Him to pull us into the shelter and keep us safe.
Refuge - a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. You are save and sheltered no matter what storm or problem may come your way. God's word tells us so. We may feel buffeted like the disciples did when they were on the sea of Galilee but we are safe! We are sheltered by the Almighty God of Heaven.
That is shouting ground right there! God is a PRESENT help- He is not absent, we do not have to wait until He has time for us. Regardless of how we feel about our circumstances, He is there with us. God knows we have trouble and trials and He is there.
Well, why do I feel forsaken? Why do I not have peace and comfort? Why do I feel about to be destroyed? Oh my, how often do we feel like this. Yet the answer is simple, we have not given it to God. In the midst of the strongest storm we can have peace if we give the problem to God. When we are trying to handle it, the smallest battle can be so overwhelming.
Giving our battles to the Lord is a daily routine. Putting on the whole armor of the Lord is a daily routine. We must get our daily routines to be consistently done. When the armor is not on, it is easier for the devil to attack. When we have a hold on our latest battle, it makes it too easy to reach out and grasp those that we have previously given to Him as well.
Here is a 'secret', sometimes the devil will drag those burdens and problem reminders back into your mind hoping you will reach over and grab them again. He knows that is our tenacity. He knows that we hold on with a death grip once we get our hands back on it. And it is a death grip because it will kill your joy, your peace, our contentment when you are weighted down with those problems.
God is our refuge, He wants us safe and sheltered. He is a present help but we have to let go of the trouble and cares and allow Him to help us, allow Him to pull us into the shelter and keep us safe.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Panting After the Word!
Psalms 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
Does your soul pant after God? Do you feel incomplete if you do not have your time with God each day? Do you long to hear His voice? Does your heart cry out to Him in prayer? Here David is saying that his soul is panting after God. Do you have a clear picture of what that means?
A hart is a deer, after it has run through the forest, he will be out of breath and longing for water. I've never seen a deer pant but I've seen a dog that has been chasing birds or squirrels and they will run themselves until they can barely walk and then they will head to the nearest water. They will drink, drink and drink so more. They just can't seem to get enough of it. Sometimes they will be really tired and they will lay down with their head over in the water bucket just gulping it up.
Is that how you come to God? You have been running and you are tire but you know where the refreshing is. You sit/lay down with your Bible in front of you, you do devour the Word looking for your spiritual thirst to be quenched? Do you fall with your face in the water of the Word seeking to cool your body with the water of life? That is the picture David is painting here and it should be the picture of our desire to reach God and what He has for us.
How long has it been since you went into Bible study with your soul thirsting for God's word and the message He has for you? Do you take notes as you study, run references to see how the verses relate to other parts of the scripture? What is your Bible study like? Do you have a set time to study each day? Do you have a time limit on that study?
In today's hectic world often we do good (in our minds) to read a few verses but how does that make God feel? He has feelings. I imagine at times He feels like that parent or grandparent that has been placed somewhere and the family doesn't come to see often. Oh they are glad to see you when you come but they miss you so when you don't. God misses you when you don't come to Him in prayer and you don't desire to hear from Him in Bible study. The holy God of heaven, He longs for you to want to be with Him. Yet we neglect Him, we fail to come to Him. He is often our source of last resort.
Lord, help me to pant after You. Help me to understand how much You want me to come to You. Make my desire be to be in the center of Your will.
Does your soul pant after God? Do you feel incomplete if you do not have your time with God each day? Do you long to hear His voice? Does your heart cry out to Him in prayer? Here David is saying that his soul is panting after God. Do you have a clear picture of what that means?
A hart is a deer, after it has run through the forest, he will be out of breath and longing for water. I've never seen a deer pant but I've seen a dog that has been chasing birds or squirrels and they will run themselves until they can barely walk and then they will head to the nearest water. They will drink, drink and drink so more. They just can't seem to get enough of it. Sometimes they will be really tired and they will lay down with their head over in the water bucket just gulping it up.
Is that how you come to God? You have been running and you are tire but you know where the refreshing is. You sit/lay down with your Bible in front of you, you do devour the Word looking for your spiritual thirst to be quenched? Do you fall with your face in the water of the Word seeking to cool your body with the water of life? That is the picture David is painting here and it should be the picture of our desire to reach God and what He has for us.
How long has it been since you went into Bible study with your soul thirsting for God's word and the message He has for you? Do you take notes as you study, run references to see how the verses relate to other parts of the scripture? What is your Bible study like? Do you have a set time to study each day? Do you have a time limit on that study?
In today's hectic world often we do good (in our minds) to read a few verses but how does that make God feel? He has feelings. I imagine at times He feels like that parent or grandparent that has been placed somewhere and the family doesn't come to see often. Oh they are glad to see you when you come but they miss you so when you don't. God misses you when you don't come to Him in prayer and you don't desire to hear from Him in Bible study. The holy God of heaven, He longs for you to want to be with Him. Yet we neglect Him, we fail to come to Him. He is often our source of last resort.
Lord, help me to pant after You. Help me to understand how much You want me to come to You. Make my desire be to be in the center of Your will.
Saturday, September 12, 2015
God Will Plead My Case!
Psalms 35:1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
We are at war but we are not in this battle alone! The Lord our God is there, He will fight for us! How often we miss this, we try to fight on our own. As Mrs. Clara said in War Room, just because you fight often doesn't mean you do it well. We try to go out and take on the enemy, instead of going to our prayer closet, our War Room and fighting on our knees.
It doesn't matter if it is your spouse or your children. It could be a co-worker or someone you don't like. It does not matter, if you are facing a battle the best thing you can do is fall to your knees. Do you have someone, something you can't forgive. Pray for each person involved for 30 days, pray that God handle the situation. Pray that God handle them and pray that if you are the one that is wrong that God will show it to you. Pray that God will help you each day to forgive. Now, forgiving doesn't mean you go back for more if this is some type of abuse. It just means that you free yourself from the anger of unforgiveness. Failing to forgive is poisoning you, not them.
Pray, tell the Lord, 'I am angry, I can't forgive, I can't forget but God I believe You are able to change my mind and heart'. The battles with ourselves are often the hardest because we don't want to admit we might be wrong. But God knows what our thoughts are so telling Him isn't going to be a newsflash for Him.
Is the person you have problems forgiving you? Do you feel worthless, useless? Did you parents fail to teach you how valuable you are or worse did they devalue you to the point that you cannot see any good in yourself? Turn to God, tell Him how you feel but then ask Him to show you how He sees you. Again, do this for 30 days or longer. It took years to put you where you are, in most cases it will take time for you to truly see and understand how God sees you.
When God sees you, He sees you through the blood of His precious Son. You are beautiful in His sight. Go to God, continue to go to God. As Him to reveal His plan for you and for Him to make your eyes open to see.
We are at war but we are not in this battle alone! The Lord our God is there, He will fight for us! How often we miss this, we try to fight on our own. As Mrs. Clara said in War Room, just because you fight often doesn't mean you do it well. We try to go out and take on the enemy, instead of going to our prayer closet, our War Room and fighting on our knees.
It doesn't matter if it is your spouse or your children. It could be a co-worker or someone you don't like. It does not matter, if you are facing a battle the best thing you can do is fall to your knees. Do you have someone, something you can't forgive. Pray for each person involved for 30 days, pray that God handle the situation. Pray that God handle them and pray that if you are the one that is wrong that God will show it to you. Pray that God will help you each day to forgive. Now, forgiving doesn't mean you go back for more if this is some type of abuse. It just means that you free yourself from the anger of unforgiveness. Failing to forgive is poisoning you, not them.
Pray, tell the Lord, 'I am angry, I can't forgive, I can't forget but God I believe You are able to change my mind and heart'. The battles with ourselves are often the hardest because we don't want to admit we might be wrong. But God knows what our thoughts are so telling Him isn't going to be a newsflash for Him.
Is the person you have problems forgiving you? Do you feel worthless, useless? Did you parents fail to teach you how valuable you are or worse did they devalue you to the point that you cannot see any good in yourself? Turn to God, tell Him how you feel but then ask Him to show you how He sees you. Again, do this for 30 days or longer. It took years to put you where you are, in most cases it will take time for you to truly see and understand how God sees you.
When God sees you, He sees you through the blood of His precious Son. You are beautiful in His sight. Go to God, continue to go to God. As Him to reveal His plan for you and for Him to make your eyes open to see.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Comfort For Each Need
John 14: 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;
Jesus loves me this I know, the Bible tells me so. Jesus told me so, He send the Holy Ghost to live within us to be there to give us comfort. Yet we still become discouraged, we still have pain, we still suffer loss.
You know if we were not going to have those things, there would have been no need for a Comforter. If everything was going to sunshine and roses, we would need no indwelling Holy Spirit to pray for us when we don't know how to pray.
Jesus knew what we would face, He knew there would be hard times. He knew that Paul and Silas would be put in jail, He knew that Stephen would be stoned and that John would be exiled. Just as He know what His followers would go through then, He knows what we face today.
The good news is the same Holy Spirit who was with each of them is with us! He lives within us. And He wants to be a part of every facet of your life. If you say, I don't really feel like He is here, ask yourself, are you allowing Him to be a part of your life or do you try to keep Him in the 'church compartment'. God through the Holy Ghost, they want to be fully encompassing your life. I saw a sign once that said, "God wants full custody, not weekend visitation". Single parents can fully relate to the difference.
Full custody means you are not just involved but you are the decision maker. God wants you to trust Him with the decisions in your life. He wants to seep into every nook and cranny of your heart and mind. He wants to move out the bad and the negative and fill it with Him. But He will not make you do that.
Now, even someone sold out to God has difficult times, look at the disciples and how they were treated. But each of them had the courage, the grace to stand and face whatever was ahead because they had a Comforter. Today, trust God and allow the Comforter to be just that to you.
Fourteen years ago, we faced some difficult times, the world as we knew it stood on edge. Many of us were separated from friends and loved ones. Today I want to honor the many brave men and women who gave their lives on that horrific day. Today as then we need a comforter, we need a Savior. Dear Lord, let us realize how great the need.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
He Wants Us to Get it!
John 14:
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do
, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
When you are talking to your children or maybe even co-workers, do you sometimes repeat the things that you REALLY want them to get or understand? Often that elicits "I heard you the first time" especially, if when we repeat it, we say it with an attitude.
But in these verses Jesus is telling us something important and He repeats it because He wants us to get it, understand it fully! When we pray in Jesus name, God answers! He may not answer how you want but He is bound by these verses to answer.
God cannot lie, He will keep His word. We can hold this promise. It may not happen right away and that is where our doubt may come in. Did your parents ever tell you 'wait and see' or 'I'll decide later' or 'let me think about it' when you made a request? It used to drive me up the wall! I'd imagine all the reasons they would say no, I would torture myself with all the negative outcomes without even knowing if it was going to be negative.
Don't we do that when God has us in wait mode? "He didn't hear me", 'He doesn't care", 'I must be out of His will" (now that is one that you need a heart check on), 'It was too big", 'It was too small to be important'. How many of those have you thought?
If you have read many of my daily blogs you are probably thinking - here she is on this prayer subject again, when is she going to move to something else. Well, I will move hen God says move. That may be when He thinks I have fully gotten it. It may be when someone who reads this gets it. But which ever it is, yes I have noticed that while God lets me move to another subject for a day or two, it comes back to prayer.
Because that is what is true in our lives as well. Your spiritual life is only as good as your prayer life. It hurts me to the core to write that because there are times my prayer life has been shoddy at best. It is still an area that I am working diligently on because I need to be more consistent, I need to be more dedicated. I have a lot of growing to do.
I'm praying that God help me continue to grow and that He put a desire to grow in each one who reads this as well.
When you are talking to your children or maybe even co-workers, do you sometimes repeat the things that you REALLY want them to get or understand? Often that elicits "I heard you the first time" especially, if when we repeat it, we say it with an attitude.
But in these verses Jesus is telling us something important and He repeats it because He wants us to get it, understand it fully! When we pray in Jesus name, God answers! He may not answer how you want but He is bound by these verses to answer.
God cannot lie, He will keep His word. We can hold this promise. It may not happen right away and that is where our doubt may come in. Did your parents ever tell you 'wait and see' or 'I'll decide later' or 'let me think about it' when you made a request? It used to drive me up the wall! I'd imagine all the reasons they would say no, I would torture myself with all the negative outcomes without even knowing if it was going to be negative.
Don't we do that when God has us in wait mode? "He didn't hear me", 'He doesn't care", 'I must be out of His will" (now that is one that you need a heart check on), 'It was too big", 'It was too small to be important'. How many of those have you thought?
If you have read many of my daily blogs you are probably thinking - here she is on this prayer subject again, when is she going to move to something else. Well, I will move hen God says move. That may be when He thinks I have fully gotten it. It may be when someone who reads this gets it. But which ever it is, yes I have noticed that while God lets me move to another subject for a day or two, it comes back to prayer.
Because that is what is true in our lives as well. Your spiritual life is only as good as your prayer life. It hurts me to the core to write that because there are times my prayer life has been shoddy at best. It is still an area that I am working diligently on because I need to be more consistent, I need to be more dedicated. I have a lot of growing to do.
I'm praying that God help me continue to grow and that He put a desire to grow in each one who reads this as well.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Way, Truth, Life
John 14: 5 Thomas saith unto
him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest ; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus is the way. It is that simple. There is no other way to heaven. Those that profess to believe the Bible and say there are other ways, they are denying the very basis of our salvation. I mean think about it, if there was a way to heaven without Jesus suffering on the cross, dying and being raised again, WHY would He have done it?
There is NO REASON for Him to go to the cross if there was another way. Anything other than Him is not truth. You might paraphrase it like this "He is the way, that is the truth and He gave me life". That puts it together in a nutshell.
So if it's that simple why do people try to make it so complicated? The simple answer is satan, if he can confuse it, dilute it or discount it, you go to hell and that is his goal. He knows he is going there and he wants to take as many with him as he can.
Our human (worldly) nature says 'anything that sounds too good to be true, it's not true- look for the catch'. But who is that human nature controlled by? The devil. And his goal is to get us to hell, right? So, of course, he is going to take something that we have learned from a human perspective and try to use it against Godly righteousness. But he is a LIAR!
God is too good to be true, yet He is TRUTH! His love for me and you is beyond anything our human minds can comprehend. We will never understand this side of heaven how truly awesome He is. We try, we think, we contemplate, we study and we just touch the tip of the iceberg. His holiness has a depth that cannot be measured. His love has no boundaries and it is all encompassing. His grace is given without merit and His mercy endures forever.
I don't understand it, but I accept it! I praise Him for it and I claim His promises.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
I Have a Promise!
John 14: 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,
I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am , there ye may be
also.
I don't know about you but I don't live in a mansion, I live in a comfortable home but it is no mansion. I've seen and maybe even 'drooled' a bit over pictures of big beautiful mansions. Mansions almost always have a big pool. I'd love a big pool, or a pool of any size to be honest.
But one day I'm going to have a mansion. I know it will be beautiful because Jesus is spending time preparing it. I heard a preacher say once 'If God created this whole world in just 6 days, imagine what our mansions & heaven that He has spent over 2000 years preparing must look like'. It boggles my mind.
But as excited as I am about those mansions, the most exciting part is He is coming for me that I can be with Him for eternity. Eternity with no pain, no sorrow, no sickness, no death, just joy and worship of the King of Kings.
There are times that Jesus can be so real to us down here, times when we get that special 'nudge' by the Holy Ghost that lets you feel the presences in a special way. But in heaven we will be with God for eternity. I know I have many friends and loved ones I want to see there but I have no doubt in my mind, when I get to heaven, those are not going to be the first thoughts. My first thought is going to 'get me to the One who made this possible'. Let me see Him. Let me worship Him.
The mansions will surely be impressive. The walls of jasper and street of gold will be awe inspiring. But to quote an old Gordon Jenson song 'Jesus, Will Be What Makes It Heaven For Me'.
I don't know about you but I don't live in a mansion, I live in a comfortable home but it is no mansion. I've seen and maybe even 'drooled' a bit over pictures of big beautiful mansions. Mansions almost always have a big pool. I'd love a big pool, or a pool of any size to be honest.
But one day I'm going to have a mansion. I know it will be beautiful because Jesus is spending time preparing it. I heard a preacher say once 'If God created this whole world in just 6 days, imagine what our mansions & heaven that He has spent over 2000 years preparing must look like'. It boggles my mind.
But as excited as I am about those mansions, the most exciting part is He is coming for me that I can be with Him for eternity. Eternity with no pain, no sorrow, no sickness, no death, just joy and worship of the King of Kings.
There are times that Jesus can be so real to us down here, times when we get that special 'nudge' by the Holy Ghost that lets you feel the presences in a special way. But in heaven we will be with God for eternity. I know I have many friends and loved ones I want to see there but I have no doubt in my mind, when I get to heaven, those are not going to be the first thoughts. My first thought is going to 'get me to the One who made this possible'. Let me see Him. Let me worship Him.
The mansions will surely be impressive. The walls of jasper and street of gold will be awe inspiring. But to quote an old Gordon Jenson song 'Jesus, Will Be What Makes It Heaven For Me'.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Heart Choices
John 14:1 - Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God believe also in me.
Do you have a troubled heart? Do you feel weary with the fight? Do you contemplate giving up? If you give up, what are you giving up to? Jesus told us if we believe in God, we are to believe in Him. And He said to not let our hearts be troubled.
I know in some ways I'm sounding like a broken record but you know the only way I've found to keep my heart from being troubled? PRAYER and lots of it. When I don't pray as I should, my human side moves in. It causes me to doubt, to question.
Same as I've talked about a lot lately, the whisper of 'why isn't it happening?', 'doesn't God care?', 'is God listening?', or my personal favorite (said with much sarcasm) 'maybe God doesn't think this is important enough to answer'. Well, as much as I hate it, 'Wait' is an answer. It's not one I deal with well. But God has a purpose and He doesn't make us wait to frustrate us, He makes us wait so that we can have the best.
Jesus said 'let not your heart be troubled'. He didn't say 'your heart will never be troubled'. He left the choice up to us. Worry is a choice. When the first thought comes up to worry or fret, that is a temptation but to follow through with it is a choice. Whether you make that choice by thinking about making it or you have just done it so much it is like breathing, it is still a choice.
With the same effort you can choose to trust.. You can choose to say 'God, I will praise you even though I don't understand'. You can choose to pray for God to give you direction and comfort. You have so many choices instead of worry. But you have to make the choice.
It sounds so simple doesn't it. But satan isn't going to take that laying down. He is going to pelt you with more doubts. He is going to throw circumstances in your path.
Did you serve in the military or know someone who does? War isn't easy, war isn't fun. But victory is rewarding, that is why you keep fighting. You have a goal. My goal these days is to learn what I've missed by not learning. Is that confusing enough for you? Every day there are opportunities to learn, especially in the Christian walk. Sometimes we don't even see them. At other times we are 'too busy' to take them. Still other times they 'look like hard work and I'm just tired'.
What have I missed because of those choices? Have I missed blessings? Have a missed opportunities to bless others? Have I missed opportunities to please God, make Him proud of me?
Rather than having a troubled heart, I want a yearning heart. I want a heart that strives to please God, to learn about God and to be a blessing to others. I believe in God, I know that Jesus is God. I know that God loves me. I know that He wants what is best for me and He is all powerful. If I am committed to Him, He will fulfill His commitment to me!
Do you have a troubled heart? Do you feel weary with the fight? Do you contemplate giving up? If you give up, what are you giving up to? Jesus told us if we believe in God, we are to believe in Him. And He said to not let our hearts be troubled.
I know in some ways I'm sounding like a broken record but you know the only way I've found to keep my heart from being troubled? PRAYER and lots of it. When I don't pray as I should, my human side moves in. It causes me to doubt, to question.
Same as I've talked about a lot lately, the whisper of 'why isn't it happening?', 'doesn't God care?', 'is God listening?', or my personal favorite (said with much sarcasm) 'maybe God doesn't think this is important enough to answer'. Well, as much as I hate it, 'Wait' is an answer. It's not one I deal with well. But God has a purpose and He doesn't make us wait to frustrate us, He makes us wait so that we can have the best.
Jesus said 'let not your heart be troubled'. He didn't say 'your heart will never be troubled'. He left the choice up to us. Worry is a choice. When the first thought comes up to worry or fret, that is a temptation but to follow through with it is a choice. Whether you make that choice by thinking about making it or you have just done it so much it is like breathing, it is still a choice.
With the same effort you can choose to trust.. You can choose to say 'God, I will praise you even though I don't understand'. You can choose to pray for God to give you direction and comfort. You have so many choices instead of worry. But you have to make the choice.
It sounds so simple doesn't it. But satan isn't going to take that laying down. He is going to pelt you with more doubts. He is going to throw circumstances in your path.
Did you serve in the military or know someone who does? War isn't easy, war isn't fun. But victory is rewarding, that is why you keep fighting. You have a goal. My goal these days is to learn what I've missed by not learning. Is that confusing enough for you? Every day there are opportunities to learn, especially in the Christian walk. Sometimes we don't even see them. At other times we are 'too busy' to take them. Still other times they 'look like hard work and I'm just tired'.
What have I missed because of those choices? Have I missed blessings? Have a missed opportunities to bless others? Have I missed opportunities to please God, make Him proud of me?
Rather than having a troubled heart, I want a yearning heart. I want a heart that strives to please God, to learn about God and to be a blessing to others. I believe in God, I know that Jesus is God. I know that God loves me. I know that He wants what is best for me and He is all powerful. If I am committed to Him, He will fulfill His commitment to me!
Sunday, September 6, 2015
There is Room in this War to Stand in the Gap!
Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among
them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the
land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
That should make a hedge and stand in the gap, what a picture this paints to me. God is looking for Christians that are willing to stand in the gap to save our land! You can't do that without some sacrifice. You may need to give up some TV time or play time for a time of prayer. You may need to miss a golf game or heaven forbid (speaking to myself here) a football game to spend time in Bible study.
It may mean you conquer your fear of speaking in public. It may mean you have to stand when no one is standing. God is looking for men and women that are willing to stand in the gap. It's great to talk about the needs of our country to turn back to God but what are we actually doing about? Are we ready to turn our lives upside down to spend time in prayer and God's word. Or are we just on that Christian bandwagon - 'nobody loves us, everybody hates us' of complaining.
Or worse are you in that 'well, God's in control so it doesn't matter what we do' complacency? God forgive us! God is in control! And He is telling us to stand in the gap! He is telling us to repent and call on Him and instead we use slick phrases that sound religious but accomplish NOTHING!
I'm sick of self-serving comments of how bad it is and I want to see us rise up and stand in the gap! Are you willing to stand in the gap? Or will you cower and hide behind the 'there is nothing we can do about it' phrases? Will you commit to pray for our country, our leaders? Will you commit to pray for your fellow Christians, our pastors, deacons, Sunday School teachers and youth pastors?
If so, God bless you! We can make a difference. We can stand in the gap! If you are not willing to commit, why not? Are you just lazy? Or is it more serious, you have no fear of the Lord? Sorry to be blunt but we are in a warfare and you can't stand in the middle during the battle. You will be shot by both sides! There is no middle ground in spiritual warfare. If you are on the fence, realize that the devil owns the fence. God tells us if we are not for Him, we are against Him. Failure to commit to God is allegiance with the devil.
Will you be that man or woman that will stand in the gap?
Saturday, September 5, 2015
War Room, Part II - We Must Pray
Ephesians 6:13 - Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
I don't care where you are in your spiritual growth, if you cannot see what dangerous times we live in, I pray God will open your eyes. Our homes are in danger, our families are in danger, our churches are in danger. We have sat back so long wanting to not 'stir the pot' that the stew is burned!
God forgive us for our apathy! God forgive us for our selfishness! God forgive us for our failure to honor Him!
When we have done all that we can, we must stand. The verses after this talk about the armor of God and I've written on these verses before. But today as I look at the news and I see how misguided and evil our world has become, I'm burdened that we do not know how to stand!
We cannot stand in our strength. We cannot stand for tradition. We cannot stand for denomination! We must stand for the truth of God's word. We must stand in His strength. He is our protector. His word is our weapon. It is not going to be popular.
But God is able and we must trust Him. We must praise Him. We must study His word and we must seek Him in prayer! There is no demon or devil of hell, much less this earth, that we can defend us if we are following Him, if we trust Him, if we are prayed up!
Our country needs prayer! Our leaders need prayer! Our families need prayer! Our children need us to pray as if their lives depend on it, because they do! Our grandchildren need us to storm the throne of heaven. How often do you pray more than 10-15 at a time? How often do you pour specific requests out to God, calling people by name? How often do you stay in your prayer closet until you know God has met the need?
Do you fast and pray? What is your prayer life like. Seriously, sit down for a minute and write out how you think God views your prayer life. Do you study your Bible daily? What does study your Bible actually mean to you? Is it a set amount you read? Do you do a written Bible study? Do you read the Word, looking for God to give you something?
I don't know about you but I'm ashamed when I look at what I call a prayer life and my Bible study isn't near where it should be. So what I'm writing isn't because I'm an example, it is because I know I need help! In our face-paced world where everything is rushed through, it is time to slow down, pick up our Bibles and get on our knees!
I don't care where you are in your spiritual growth, if you cannot see what dangerous times we live in, I pray God will open your eyes. Our homes are in danger, our families are in danger, our churches are in danger. We have sat back so long wanting to not 'stir the pot' that the stew is burned!
God forgive us for our apathy! God forgive us for our selfishness! God forgive us for our failure to honor Him!
When we have done all that we can, we must stand. The verses after this talk about the armor of God and I've written on these verses before. But today as I look at the news and I see how misguided and evil our world has become, I'm burdened that we do not know how to stand!
We cannot stand in our strength. We cannot stand for tradition. We cannot stand for denomination! We must stand for the truth of God's word. We must stand in His strength. He is our protector. His word is our weapon. It is not going to be popular.
But God is able and we must trust Him. We must praise Him. We must study His word and we must seek Him in prayer! There is no demon or devil of hell, much less this earth, that we can defend us if we are following Him, if we trust Him, if we are prayed up!
Our country needs prayer! Our leaders need prayer! Our families need prayer! Our children need us to pray as if their lives depend on it, because they do! Our grandchildren need us to storm the throne of heaven. How often do you pray more than 10-15 at a time? How often do you pour specific requests out to God, calling people by name? How often do you stay in your prayer closet until you know God has met the need?
Do you fast and pray? What is your prayer life like. Seriously, sit down for a minute and write out how you think God views your prayer life. Do you study your Bible daily? What does study your Bible actually mean to you? Is it a set amount you read? Do you do a written Bible study? Do you read the Word, looking for God to give you something?
I don't know about you but I'm ashamed when I look at what I call a prayer life and my Bible study isn't near where it should be. So what I'm writing isn't because I'm an example, it is because I know I need help! In our face-paced world where everything is rushed through, it is time to slow down, pick up our Bibles and get on our knees!
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