"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
Faced with some big decisions and some big confusion in my life, this verse has been in the front of my mind for several days now. And this is why. I find it easy to trust the Lord some of the time and sometimes acknowledge Him in some of my ways. But the key to the Lord straightening my path is me trusting Him with ALL my heart and in ALL my ways acknowledging him.
ALL is ALL. The Lord will guide me and direct me. But if I'm not giving Him ALL, I'm keeping the control for myself. When I get in way, God moves but I resist. So I need to remember that He is the Lord of ALL. No less. And if I give him less, then I get less. Not because He doesn't desire to give me all, because He does.
For what it's worth, that's what I wanted to share today.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Freedom
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Galatians 5:1
I'm heading home tomorrow to spend the 4th of July holiday with family and friends. There will be food, there will be fun, there will be people I haven't seen in quite a while. We gather to celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Mostly we gather because our jobs give us a day off. Our celebration of freedom occurs in excess sometimes and people get hurt. Freedom does not give us permission to do what we want, when we want. Freedom is not a license, it is a privilege.
Freedom really isn't free. People lose their lives in the quest for personal and national freedom. Jesus died for my freedom. For several years, I lived with knowledge of Jesus but not a passionate love for Him. The price he paid on the cross didn't matter much to me. I did what I wanted, when I wanted. Since I knew about Jesus I could come to Him anytime I wanted and confess my sin and all would be okay. I, in my eyes, was not worth the price He paid on the cross. I didn't respect the gift of grace or the Giver. Needless to say, my life was a wreck.
Now I've been wrecked. I am passionately in love with Jesus. He is my "one thing" desire. I want nothing more than to know Him and make Him known. He guides me, graces me, grants me wisdom, greets me in the morning and sings me a lullaby at night. In Him I find everything I need. I am truly free. And for that reason I celebrate.
I'm heading home tomorrow to spend the 4th of July holiday with family and friends. There will be food, there will be fun, there will be people I haven't seen in quite a while. We gather to celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Mostly we gather because our jobs give us a day off. Our celebration of freedom occurs in excess sometimes and people get hurt. Freedom does not give us permission to do what we want, when we want. Freedom is not a license, it is a privilege.
Freedom really isn't free. People lose their lives in the quest for personal and national freedom. Jesus died for my freedom. For several years, I lived with knowledge of Jesus but not a passionate love for Him. The price he paid on the cross didn't matter much to me. I did what I wanted, when I wanted. Since I knew about Jesus I could come to Him anytime I wanted and confess my sin and all would be okay. I, in my eyes, was not worth the price He paid on the cross. I didn't respect the gift of grace or the Giver. Needless to say, my life was a wreck.
Now I've been wrecked. I am passionately in love with Jesus. He is my "one thing" desire. I want nothing more than to know Him and make Him known. He guides me, graces me, grants me wisdom, greets me in the morning and sings me a lullaby at night. In Him I find everything I need. I am truly free. And for that reason I celebrate.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Qualified
"God does not choose the qualified, he qualifies the chosen."
I was sitting in a meeting the other night and these words hit me across the brain with great power. I have been struggling for sometime now with what the Lord is calling me to do, words that have been spoken over me, leading me into eventual ministry. I have been wrestling with the fact that I am not an eloquent speaker nor am I studied in Biblical matters. All I know is that God has saved me from the fires of hell, he has destroyed the works of the devil in my life and now I know peace.
In my mind, I don't see myself as qualified for anything. But God uses my exact weaknesses and shines through them so that all around will see that it is Him and not me. I don't have to be qualified, I just have to be willing to learn and to move in the power of the Holy Spirit. I am chosen just because I am a child of God. My Daddy is teaching me the family business, which is to save others from the fires of hell, destroy the works of the devil and teach of the peace only Christ can give.
I don't need to know everything, I just need to know one thing: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
I was sitting in a meeting the other night and these words hit me across the brain with great power. I have been struggling for sometime now with what the Lord is calling me to do, words that have been spoken over me, leading me into eventual ministry. I have been wrestling with the fact that I am not an eloquent speaker nor am I studied in Biblical matters. All I know is that God has saved me from the fires of hell, he has destroyed the works of the devil in my life and now I know peace.
In my mind, I don't see myself as qualified for anything. But God uses my exact weaknesses and shines through them so that all around will see that it is Him and not me. I don't have to be qualified, I just have to be willing to learn and to move in the power of the Holy Spirit. I am chosen just because I am a child of God. My Daddy is teaching me the family business, which is to save others from the fires of hell, destroy the works of the devil and teach of the peace only Christ can give.
I don't need to know everything, I just need to know one thing: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Washed by the Water
One of my favorite songs today contains the words, "Even when the rain falls, even when the flood starts rising, even when the storm comes, I am washed by the water."
Ephesians 5:25-27 says: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
Now the Word is Jesus, so technically we are being washed by Him. And if that is the case, I'll take the water any way it comes.
Sometimes God has gently washed me, like a daddy washing his baby. Sometimes I'm cleansed in the midst of chaos, the winds and rains of a storm cleansing me, even in the midst of the pain and confusion. And other times, because I've been so dirty, God has power washed me. Sometimes it hurts to be made clean. But when all the nastiness is stripped away, God can use the being He created to shine as a living beacon of His love and righteousness.
Father, I just ask that you would cleanse me to the core. Wash away all that is unattractive to you that I may shine forth as a living testimony to the power of your cleansing work. Wash away the grime of the world and allow me to live a pure life for You. For although I live in the world, I am not of it. I am a citizen of Your heavenly kingdom and I desire to walk with You in all in my ways. Amen.
Ephesians 5:25-27 says: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."
Now the Word is Jesus, so technically we are being washed by Him. And if that is the case, I'll take the water any way it comes.
Sometimes God has gently washed me, like a daddy washing his baby. Sometimes I'm cleansed in the midst of chaos, the winds and rains of a storm cleansing me, even in the midst of the pain and confusion. And other times, because I've been so dirty, God has power washed me. Sometimes it hurts to be made clean. But when all the nastiness is stripped away, God can use the being He created to shine as a living beacon of His love and righteousness.
Father, I just ask that you would cleanse me to the core. Wash away all that is unattractive to you that I may shine forth as a living testimony to the power of your cleansing work. Wash away the grime of the world and allow me to live a pure life for You. For although I live in the world, I am not of it. I am a citizen of Your heavenly kingdom and I desire to walk with You in all in my ways. Amen.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Darkness vs. Light
I have probably read the book of Ephesians at least 20 times. I've probably heard countless messages on what Paul had to say. Why then did I not see what was written in Ephesians 5:8 when is says: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord." I had always read this verse as "for you were once IN darkness, but now you are IN the light of the Lord." Craziness!!
The eyes of my understand not yet opened, I read this passage to understand that I was in darkness (which I was but that's a whole other story) and now I am in the light of the Lord (which I am, but again, a whole other story.) This verse clearly says that I was the darkness and now I am the light. Quite a concept to grasp, yet another to live.
I know that the things that I did were in the darkness, as most evil things are, and those things have been exposed by the light of Jesus. Once they are in the light, they can be dealt with accordingly. However, I don't think I have had a concept that not only was I in the darkness but I was the darkness. It's a little easier to grasp that I am the light in the Lord now (once again, a whole other thing to live it) because there are verses elsewhere that say this. I've read them, I know that they are there. But I don't think I've ever read that I was the darkness.
I'm going to take a little journey into learning more about this. Any insight that others have is obviously more then I have now. Please feel free to comment here about what you have learned in regards to this. I will do my best to share what I have learned with you later.
For what it's worth, that is what I wanted to share today.
The eyes of my understand not yet opened, I read this passage to understand that I was in darkness (which I was but that's a whole other story) and now I am in the light of the Lord (which I am, but again, a whole other story.) This verse clearly says that I was the darkness and now I am the light. Quite a concept to grasp, yet another to live.
I know that the things that I did were in the darkness, as most evil things are, and those things have been exposed by the light of Jesus. Once they are in the light, they can be dealt with accordingly. However, I don't think I have had a concept that not only was I in the darkness but I was the darkness. It's a little easier to grasp that I am the light in the Lord now (once again, a whole other thing to live it) because there are verses elsewhere that say this. I've read them, I know that they are there. But I don't think I've ever read that I was the darkness.
I'm going to take a little journey into learning more about this. Any insight that others have is obviously more then I have now. Please feel free to comment here about what you have learned in regards to this. I will do my best to share what I have learned with you later.
For what it's worth, that is what I wanted to share today.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Held Captive By Hope
Once again, I'm going to pass along a couple of paragraphs from a message sent through in an Elijah List e-mail. This message is by Victoria Boyson. I am constantly amazed by God in how He places things in my life at the exact moment I need them. This message this morning was another time He did just that. The entire message was really poignant to me, however, I'm going to share just the following two paragraphs:
" There are times during the birth of your destiny that you feel as though you would like to give up hope, but God will not let you. If feels as though you are held captive by hope. 'Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope...' Zechariah 9:12
There are times during the development of your dream when your hope seems to have turned into a prison. You cannot make your dreams come true, and you find it impossible to stop believing in them. You cannot go forward any faster than God will let you, and you cannot return to where you once were before you became pregnant with the promise from God. God will not let you give up! During this time you might feel like saying, 'Okay, God, this is enough! I don't want to hope anymore! I am tired of being pregnant with this promise! I want out of this prison of hope!'
It is during this time that your dreams feel so real to you, yet to others they are not. The conflict between what you feel in the Spirit and what is evident in the natural grates at your soul. You feel much like you are on a Ferris Wheel. You have your up times when you can see your dream's fulfillment far into the future, but you also have your down time when you cannot see anything. You think to yourself, 'Am I crazy to think that God could use me?' The enemy comes in like a flood and you begin to doubt, causing anguish to your soul. This is the time when God is doing His greatest work in you."
I was powerfully touched by this. God has His perfect time and perfect place for the release of His destiny into my life. I just have to trust that God is doing His perfect work in me and not give up hope. I have to keep my eyes and my heart towards the things of God. If my eyes are anywhere else, I will likely give up on hope because my hope is found in Him.
The message went on to say: "You may not like the circumstances you are in now, but do not run from it. It may be what is saving your life! The second half of Zechariah 9:12 gives us the answer to what we are looking for. Why are we going through what we are going through? It says, 'Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.' God says, 'Even now I announce to you that not only will I restore to you all that has been taken from you, but I will give you double for all the trouble you have endured.' He says, 'Don't stop now...keep trusting Me, because I can see your future and it is very blessed. Keep walking with Me and keep trusting in Me and I will give you rest.'"
My hope is found in Him alone. He is faithful. What He says will come to pass. So I believe that I will be restored, that God will bring me into the fullness of my destiny in Him and that I will have rest. Praise God for that!!
" There are times during the birth of your destiny that you feel as though you would like to give up hope, but God will not let you. If feels as though you are held captive by hope. 'Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope...' Zechariah 9:12
There are times during the development of your dream when your hope seems to have turned into a prison. You cannot make your dreams come true, and you find it impossible to stop believing in them. You cannot go forward any faster than God will let you, and you cannot return to where you once were before you became pregnant with the promise from God. God will not let you give up! During this time you might feel like saying, 'Okay, God, this is enough! I don't want to hope anymore! I am tired of being pregnant with this promise! I want out of this prison of hope!'
It is during this time that your dreams feel so real to you, yet to others they are not. The conflict between what you feel in the Spirit and what is evident in the natural grates at your soul. You feel much like you are on a Ferris Wheel. You have your up times when you can see your dream's fulfillment far into the future, but you also have your down time when you cannot see anything. You think to yourself, 'Am I crazy to think that God could use me?' The enemy comes in like a flood and you begin to doubt, causing anguish to your soul. This is the time when God is doing His greatest work in you."
I was powerfully touched by this. God has His perfect time and perfect place for the release of His destiny into my life. I just have to trust that God is doing His perfect work in me and not give up hope. I have to keep my eyes and my heart towards the things of God. If my eyes are anywhere else, I will likely give up on hope because my hope is found in Him.
The message went on to say: "You may not like the circumstances you are in now, but do not run from it. It may be what is saving your life! The second half of Zechariah 9:12 gives us the answer to what we are looking for. Why are we going through what we are going through? It says, 'Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.' God says, 'Even now I announce to you that not only will I restore to you all that has been taken from you, but I will give you double for all the trouble you have endured.' He says, 'Don't stop now...keep trusting Me, because I can see your future and it is very blessed. Keep walking with Me and keep trusting in Me and I will give you rest.'"
My hope is found in Him alone. He is faithful. What He says will come to pass. So I believe that I will be restored, that God will bring me into the fullness of my destiny in Him and that I will have rest. Praise God for that!!
A Prayer in a Time of Trouble
I was cleaning my apartment on Wednesday morning, preparing for a yearly inspection that our city does on all of its apartment buildings. As I was going through the process of cleaning, I found a book that I had bought several months ago called "Life-Changing Moments with God: Praying Scripture Every Day." I honestly thought I had lost this book so to find it was quite a surprise and in reading the prayer yesterday, I know that God had planned for me to find that book on that very morning to read that very prayer to help me walk through the very situation I find myself in. God works that way. And so, because I needed to see it, I'm putting it out there for whoever else may benefit from it as well.
"Lord God, You are my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore I will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. I will enter my chambers, and shut my door behind me; hide myself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, You, Lord, come out of Your place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. In the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. My life is hidden with Christ in You, Lord God.
I will not be afraid of evil tidings; my heart is steadfast, trusting in You, Lord.
Jesus has spoken to me, that in Him I may have peace. In the world I will have tribulation; but I will be of good cheer, for You have overcome the world.
You are my peace and hope, Lord God, my Refuge and my Strength - and I praise You."
For what its worth, that is what I wanted to share today.
"Lord God, You are my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore I will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. I will enter my chambers, and shut my door behind me; hide myself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, You, Lord, come out of Your place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. In the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. My life is hidden with Christ in You, Lord God.
I will not be afraid of evil tidings; my heart is steadfast, trusting in You, Lord.
Jesus has spoken to me, that in Him I may have peace. In the world I will have tribulation; but I will be of good cheer, for You have overcome the world.
You are my peace and hope, Lord God, my Refuge and my Strength - and I praise You."
For what its worth, that is what I wanted to share today.
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