Know What You Have

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10, NLT

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8, NLT

 

One of the greatest weapons you and I possess is to know the things you possess as a Christian.  Every day I am learning that there are just some things that I don't need to be worried or stressed out about. I was just sitting here today thinking about how many times I have wandered around aimlessly, confused, and disoriented, unsure of myself and the direction I was headed when all I needed to do was tap into my source.  All this for nothing when I have the Holy Spirit in me to guide and direct me.   Some rights I have inherited simply because I am a child of God.  The problem that I have had in the past was that I didn't use my God-given power.  I have left my armor in the closet instead of gearing up from head to toe.  Everything from having my feet shod with the Preparation of Peace, my Sword of the Spirit, my Shield of Faith, my Breastplate of Righteousness, and my Helmet of Salvation, were all left in the closet.  And if you are anything like me there are days when you put it on as emergency gear instead of everyday wear.What good do they do me in the closet?

Today I want you think about taking a different approach to how you deal with Satan's tactics.  You do realize that as a child of God, 'This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent. You are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world'. (Ephesians 6:12, God's Word Translation)  One of my biggest failures as a Christian has come in not recognizing my true enemy. My life became much better when I realized that my true enemy was Satan and that I could not fight him in my own strength. He wants nothing more than to distract you and to throw you off course.  He wants to get you so bogged down with conflict and confusion that you no longer hear the voice of God or feel the urgings of the Holy Spirit.  A precise reason why you must know what you have.  You have the promises of God and they are all 'Yea and Amen'.  But you would only know that if you spend time in the Word of God.  Be honest with yourself.  How often do you read God's Word throughout the week or  do you only open your Bible on Sunday's?  If so, you are missing out on so much.  How are you expecting to grow if you are not in the Word of God allowing it to perform its designed duty?  There are things God wants to share with you along this journey of trust that you can use in your daily walk.  He does this in part through His Word. I can't tell you how many times I have opened up my Bible and there on the pages was a relevant Word to my current situation. And by the way the Word of God is always relevant, whether for your current situation or something for your future. There are scriptures that let you know that you serve a God Promise, a God of Wisdom, a God of Strength, and a God of Refuge.  He left You His Holy Spirit who is there to guide you and direct you.  The Holy Spirit is there to help you deal with your circumstances but you have to know that He is within You and heed His warnings and direction.  Consult God in everything.

Another tool that is so not used is the power of prayer.  The scripture says that you have not because you ask not.  How can God do anything for you if you don't bother to ask Him?  I don't know about you but many times I walk around trying to do things in my own strength but it never works out.  It isn't until I turn it over to God that things begin to change.  I don't know what is going on in your life right now but I challenge you to tap into your source.  Know what you have!  Tupac sang a song that said "It's just me against the world."  He had it all wrong.  In order to make it in this world it needs to be You and God against the world.  It's the only way you're gonna make it. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being a God of promise, reminding me that I don't need to fear.  For You have given me power to tread upon serpents and scorpions and nothing shall by any means hurt me. Forgive me for being so naive and not turning to You for my every need.  Being silly enough to try to do it in my own strength.  Help me to be faithful in reading my Bible and in my prayer life.  Strengthen my commitment.  Help me to prioritize.  I know that I have what seems to be a million things pulling me in so many directions but I know that unless I have plugged in to You I will be no good for any of them.  I want to do better so that I can be of service to You.  In Jesus' Name I pray Amen.

Character

What does it mean to have 'character'.  Character is defined as 'the distinctive nature of something; having moral or ethical quality'.  I have always been taught that it is not just about what you say; it is about how you behave.  I can say all day long that I am a Christian but if my behavior contradicts those words then my character is in conflict.  I have heard many people say that God doesn't expect me to be perfect as though that is an excuse to continue behaving like those in the world.  I am not going to argue with this statement but I will say this: You will never be perfect but God has given you the tools to be better than you were.  You and I were born sinners but we are saved by grace and the blood of Jesus cleanses us and makes us white as snow.  We are going through a 'sanctification' process but that is by no means an excuse to sin.  I have been reading in the book of Philippians in my morning devotion time and I love how Paul put this very thought in Philippians 2:13-16. 'Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure. Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing. (Message Bible)

So the question that I had to ask myself was "Am I doing this?"  Am I 'working hard to show the results of my salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear'.  (v.12)  I must make the choice to make a change and trust that God will help me honor my commitment to Him.  That is what His Word says.  And I am hear to tell you that it is not an easy process.  Sometimes there are family members and friends who don't understand your decision...your choice to no longer participate in the negativity.  To boldly say "I really don't want to hear that when someone is always spewing venom about others not caring if it is true or untrue."  We all know those individuals who always have something negative to say about everyone. If you say a name, they have a story. I know because I have done it.  Not to that extent but I am just as guilty as the next person of either saying or listening to negativity about someone else. But it is not about what you have done; it is about are you allowing the Word to do its work (as a two-edged sword), cutting away and healing all in one.  This is by no means you trying to be better than anyone but instead I am working out my salvation.  Does is mean that I no longer slip up?  Definitely not!  What it does mean is that I am aware of my weakness and what tempts me and because of this I am more aware of the things that may make me slip up along this journey of trust. 

As a Christian I am supposed to be a light that shines in darkness.  Having character means this light shines brightly.  I cannot choose  when I want my light to shine.  When I'm with this group my light is shining bright. When I am with this group there is only a dim light flickering. On Sunday morning I'm in character, singing and praising God.  Before I get out of the sanctuary I've taken off my spiritual hat and put on one of the world.  Having character is about consistency.  It is also about refinement.  The word 'refine' has several different definitions.  There are two that stuck out to me the most. 1. To free from moral imperfections 2. To improve by pruning or polishing  You and I did not come into this world ready to conquer our sinful nature.  It is our natural state.  So God puts us in the furnace of affliction and exposes us to difficult situations.  Sometimes this means making decisions about those you keep company with. It means not participating in the latest gossip, having to be in the know about everything that is going on.  It means submitting to God and asking Him to remove those things from you that are not like Him.  Praying 'create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me'. (Psalm 51:10) You can't do it on your own, but you can do it with God's help.  I don't know about you but I want to be a person of character and I am willing to go through whatever process God wants to take me through.  My challenge to you is to take a God-look in the mirror and ask Him what are the areas that He wants you to get better.  What does He need to remove in order to make room for those things that change you into the child of God that He wants you to be in His service?

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your refining process.  Thank you for loving me enough not to leave me in my messed up sinful condition.  Lord I submit to the process.  Your will be done.  Search my heart and cut out anything that is not like You and at the same time replace it with those things that I can use to be of service to You.  In all that I do I want your name to be glorified. Help me to display the character that is befitting of a child of the King.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.

What's It All For Anyway?

Sometimes the storm last so long it makes you wonder what is it all for.  You've heard all the sermons and read all the Bible verses.  You've even had a few personal conversations with the Father and yet you find yourself asking what's it all for?  At this point none of the regular scriptures that you have used in the past bring you to any comfort. Scriptures like Romans 8:28, 'And we know that all things work together for the good of them who love the Lord, who are the called according to His purpose'.  Genesis 50:20, 'But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive'.  Psalm 30:5b, 'weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning',  It doesn't matter that in the end it is going to turn out for your good.  You need relief right now.

As I am sitting here reading in the book of Philippians I come across a verse that helps me to put things in an entirely different perspective for this journey of trust.  This journey of trust has never been about me but all about God being glorified.  Philippians 1:12-14 helped to make things more clear. 

'And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.  And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear'.

Paul was locked in prison when these verses were written.  But in spite of obstacles, dangers, and distractions, the message of Jesus Christ was still spread.  During this period of Paul's life, his faith was apparent.  When others can see you continuing to praise God in the midst of everything you are going through, they are encouraged.  And I have learned that when you praise God while you are going through the storm it changes your would be fatalistic outcome to one of hope and restoration. That's what is all about?  Sometimes the reason we go through is for others, so that they might see first hand the goodness of the Lord.  It's alright to read the stories of the Red Sea, the fiery furnace, the lion's den, a ram in the bush.  You can even shout over it.  But when I see my brother standing and testifying about how the doctors had given up on him and after a year here he stands singing praises to God.  When I hear my sister talking about how she hadn't paid a mortgage payment in a year and then she went to the bank and they had lost the paperwork so now she is living in a house that was paid in full.  These are stories that bring the goodness of God a little closer to home and it's most definitely something to shout about. 

Yes every trial that we go through is for our benefit but it is also for the building up of the body of Christ.  'Therefore we do not lose hope.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary inflictions are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal'. II Corinthians 4:16-18 So what is it all for anyway?  To strengthen us.  To grow us up.  'Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth'. Ephesians 4:14  God loves us too much to leave us in the condition we were in.  Accept His plan for your life.  Dig into the Word in times of weakness. Admit that you do not know everything and you need an Omniscient God.  Trust Him. Obey His commands.  And even in the midst continue to praise Him for He's worthy!

Most Gracious Heavenly,

Lately I have started questioning the purpose behind all this I am going through.  I know what the Word says and I know that I need You in order to make it.  But I'm weak.  I need something to go my way.  It's hard not to look at the circumstances staring me in my face and continue to have hope.  Yet and still I do have hope.  I have hope in You.  In spite of what it looks like I know that everything is going to work out for my good.  Give me strength Father to stand, to relinquish my own power and trust in You.  I will forever give Your name the praise You so richly deserve.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

It Is Possible

There is a simple sentence that has been stuck in my head all day today, "My God has no limitations!"  It is as simple as that.  Whatever the situation, no matter what roadblocks others may have built, no matter what circumstances you may have created yourself through disobedience, God can turn the situation around.  I know that what you see right now may be a mountain that is too high to climb.  But my question to you is "Where is your faith?"  I swear sometimes I am my own worst enemy, tying the hands of God because of my own impatience and unbelief.  Have you been there?  Sometimes all we need to do is believe.

I am reminded of the story of Jesus and His disciples on the boat when the storm arose.  What did they do?  They panicked.  They knew that Jesus was on the boat with them but at that moment when the waves were breaking into the boat and filling it with water, Jesus seemed far away.  And besides it was His suggestion that they go to the other side.  Didn't He know the storm was coming?  I believe He did.  I also believe that this was a test of their faith.  Apparently the disciples did not yet realize the power of being in the presence of the Lord.  And while you and I may not have His physical presence you do have Him living on the inside of You.  You also have the promise that 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'. Having God in your corner is better than an entire army on your side.  No matter how dark the night, how strong the storm, or how high the mountain, take comfort in knowing that God is with you.  Believe that whatever change that you need to happen, pray about it and believe.  Your faith should be consistent.  Others may count you out but take comfort in knowing that God has your back.  In the end He will be glorified.  Why is it that  You can trust God with your health but take your finances in your own hand by not trusting Him with your tithe?   Or maybe finances are not the issue but maybe your marriage has hit a rough patch and you've already given up instead of praying and asking God for restoration.  Maybe that's not your story maybe you can't sleep at night because you are afraid of what might happen, you are not believing God for protection.   How often, like me,  do you put natural limitations on a supernatural God? Doesn't the Bible say, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. (Isaiah 55:8)  All too often I place God in my comfortable box, not believing that He can do the extraordinary.  Instead I believe that He will do what is safe and my prayers mimic these thoughts.  I make decisions based on what I can see with my natural eye.  I give up too soon, when God is just getting started.  I forget that there is always a purpose behind the pain. That for every trial God has a reason and I just need to hold on.  There is no situation that God cannot work out.  One thing you can rest assure is that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that you could ever ask or think , but you must have faith. 

What have you written off as impossible?  Have you decided to accept the doctor's report?  Have you made up in your mind that your spouse will never change?  Have you decided that you will forever be stuck in this horrible job?  That you will never get ahead financially?  Whatever it is, my challenge to you today is to pray about it and then believe.  Believe that IT IS POSSIBLE.  After all the God I serve specializes in the impossible. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your Word that comes to me in the midst of all my doubts and fears.  I am reminded that You know me better than I know myself.  You know what I am made of and what I am able to endure.  I keep reminding myself that this is a process, a journey of trust where you are shaping and molding me into the person You need me to be so that You will be glorified.  I may not understand it all the time but it's not about me.  Lord increase my faith.  Help me to be strong and find safety and stability in Your presence.  I'm giving it all to You Lord knowing that in the end it will all work out for my good.  In Jesus' precious name I pray Amen. 

Speak to my Heart

Speak to my heart, Holy Spirit
Give me the words that will bring new life
Words on the wings of the morning
the dark night will fade away
If you speak to my heart

Speak to my heart, Holy Spirit
Message of love to encourage me
Lifting my heart from despair
How you loved me and cared for me
If speak to my Heart

Speak to my Heart Lord
Give me your Holy Word
If I can hear from you,then I'll know what to do
I won't go alone, I'll never go on my own
Just let your Spirit guide and let your word abide
Speak to my Heart

I love the Word of God! It is a book that I can read over and over and each time the Holy Spirit may reveal something new to me.  Most recently verses that I have known since I was a child now have new meaning.  It is such a wonderful thing when the Word becomes a huge part of your life and you allow it to serve as that two-edged sword.  Sometimes it pierces and other times it heals.   Take for instance the scripture..Romans 8:28. You are familiar with this verse. 'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose'.  It is one of the verses quoted most often when you are going through something and someone wants to encourage you to 'fight on'.  I remember my first thoughts on this verse.  I thought it meant that if God is working it out for my good then I am getting what I want.  After all a loving God wouldn't deny me what I want.    So I was going to get the job, the house,  the car,  the man,  the woman. Whatever I was asking for I should receive. Give me, give me, give me what I want! And not in God's time but in my time.  I have been living a pretty good life.  However, as Christians we know that is not always the case. In fact, sometimes it is the exact opposite. The question that I want to pose to you today is one very similar to the one the minister posed last night. Is this scripture talking about comfort or maturity? Is it truly about us getting what we want in the end? And if it is about getting what we want....do we only want material things? And if we don't get what we want, how do we respond?

Those of you that have been reading this blog from the beginning know that one of the things I stress is that our lives on this earth should be used so God can get the glory. And this should be done by any means God's deems necessary. Even through our trials and tribulations. Even in the eye of a storm. We have heard the preacher say time and time again that you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm or getting ready to go into a storm. But have we come to grip with this reality? Yes, God blesses us and hopefully we thank Him for His blessings. Do we thank Him, on the other hand, that the storm that we are in is going to used as a testimony that will help someone else? Or are we looking for that silver lining? That end result that means I have a better job...a bigger house...a nicer car. For me, it depends. On what? How bad the storm is? Did I get a breather in between storms? How badly wounded was I in the last storm? I think about all of this. Am I sitting there thinking that God is going to get the glory? Am I thinking that I am going to be STRONGER, WISER, BETTER, SO MUCH BETTER? Not at all. But I should be....because His promises are true and it will work out for my good. And if I faced every storm, every obstacle with this very attitude, I do believe things would be better. If I could say like David said, 'I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging for bread'. If I could 'hold to God's unchanging hand' or if I could just 'Keep Swimming' (Finding Nemo) I have often times heard myself say that 'I can make it through this situation because I know God has something better for me when it is over'. I have even made out my list of what that better should be. But the things on that list are things I can see and touch. They are not intangible things. Although it is those intangible things that make us survivors.

It's time to change it up.  Instead of always looking for the next big thing, learn to be content with what you have.  And if there is something that you stand in need of ask God to speak to your heart and give you the patience to HOLD ON until your change comes.  Life is difficult at times but God did not leave you out there to fend for yourself.  He left resources for you to pull from anytime you need it.  It doesn't cost to pray.  It cost you nothing to pick up your Bible and read it.  Stop looking for that temporary fix. That thing you want at the moment instead of what will be with you for a lifetime.  Allow God to make permanent changes within your heart and help you to see things from an eternal perspective.  It then end you will not only have comfort but maturity also.

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

stretched in order to receive.  Whatever the cost Lord, your will be done.  In Jesus' Wonderful name I pray Amen. 

Self-Evident

We hold these truths to be self-evident...

I borrowed these words today from the Declaration of Independence which goes on to say that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  I thought about these words as I sat and reflected on the goodness of God.  And as I begin to think about these things I couldn't help but begin to worship God.  You see, there comes a time in your life when you stop praising God just for what He has done for you. You mature spiritually to the point that you praise Him simply for who He is. 

So what things do you know to be true?  Are there things, spiritual truths, that you hold to be self-evident; meaning that they need no proof or explanation?   Have you had that experience in your life that when someone asked you how did that happen and your response was "Nobody but God.....enough said."  That experience where you are sitting on your couch or driving along in your car and you think for one second about who God is and you can't help but start to praise His name.  In fact, right now just say to yourself  "God is..."  (and fill in the blank with whoever God is to you) One of you reading this might say that God is a healer.  Another one of ypu might say that God is a provider.  Someone else might say that God is water in dry places.  That sister that just lost a loved one might know Him as a Comforter.  That brother who lost his job might know Him to be a Sustainer.  God is whatever it is that you need Him  to be.  And that is a truth that is self-evident. 

Exodus 3:14 says it best when Moses asked "Who shall I say has sent me?" and God replied unto Moses, "I AM THAT I AM."  Simply meaning, “I AM what I want to be, when I want to be it, in whatever revelation I choose. … I will do whatever I choose in what ever form I desire!” And all for your good and His glory.  It signifies that He is self-existent; that He is eternal and unchageable, always the same, yesterday, today and forever; that He is incomprehensible, there is no searching or understanding of His power; and finally that He is faithful and true to all His promises, unchangeable in His word as well as His nature.  And that is what this journey of trust is all about.  When times are hard and it seems that you have no where to turn, no way out, a bad doctor's report in one hand and a pink slip in the otehr hand, in the midst of all this you are still smiling.  The devil doesn't rob you of your joy.  Why? Because this joy that you have the world didn't give you and even though they may try there best to knock ypu down, you are not counted out because you serve a risen Savior.  There may be moments in your life where you feel discouraged, upset or even angry about your situation but don't stay there.  Stand on those truths that you know to be true.  Trust God who never changes.  He is able to be everything that you need Him to be. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank You for being 'I am'.  Thatnk You that no matter what situation I may be facing in this life, You ar there to be whatever I need. In Jesus' Most Precious Name I pray Amen.

Trust and Obey

I started this journey of trust almost two years ago.  I have always been a person who loved to write but then one day the Lord spoke to my spirit and out of that conversation came this blog.  In the beginning I wrote many entries on the journey of trust that you and I as Christians walk each and every day.  When you get up in the morning, you make a conscious decision to give the day back to the Lord and allow Him to lead, guide and direct you or you decide to go about your day making your own decisions.  As I sit here now and reflect over the past year and a half, I can see so many times where I failed.  I didn't allow the Lord to be the 'Decision Maker' in my life.  How many times I spoke before I prayed.  I moved without allowing the Lord to direct my path.  I based major decisions on an emotional feeling when I felt the tugging of the Holy Spirit saying 'Be still'.  I had constant conflict within myself because in my mind God was taking to long.  I was leaning on my own understanding and giving God credit for things that He had not blessed and I had orchestrated on my own.  And time after time I found myself in situation that God had never intended for me to be in the first place. 

As I sat and reflected I was led to the story of Abram and Sarai.  Abram, who God had made a covenant with (Genesis 15:5) and Sarai who, after ten childless years after the covenant was made, became impatient.  An impatience that caused her to act.  An action that led to problems based ultimately on a lack of trust.  I can only imagine Sarai's frustration, perhaps feeling like a failure to her husband,  and then Abram who only wanted to make his wife happy. It was time to make a choice.   He could have just as easily told his wife 'no', that he was going to trust the covenant that God had made with him.  But instead, he did like I have done countless times, I did something to try and help along God. 

Today I stopped by to tell you one simple thing.  It isn't anything that you haven't already heard.  'God doesn't need your help'.  He has carefully and lovingly designed a plan for your life.  All He needs for you to do is trust Him.  To have a' firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, and strength of the one, true and living God'.  He hasn't promised you something and then forgotten about it.  He is not working to give you sloppy seconds, instead He was to give you the best of everything.  And this sometimes requires time.  It requires some preparation of your blessing for you and you for your blessing.  It requires some time spent in the valley so that you will learn to appreciate the mountaintop.  When I think of this analogy, I think about my children.  While I could spoil them and give them everything they want, I'm not.  There are some things that they are just not ready to receive right now.  They wouldn't appreciate it.  There will be things I give them that they don't necessarily deserve but I'm going to give it to them because I love them.  It is in this same way that God blesses you and I.  'While we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly'. Romans 5:8 You and I will never live a life that is good enough to receive the blessings of God.  And while I'm on this, let me put a damper in a misconception that I have been saying for many years.  Y'all know the saying,'I'm striving to be better'.  There was even a song that was sung in the choir.  The lyrics went something like this, "Lord, I'm striving, trying to make one hundred because ninety-nine and a half won't do".  There is one word in both those phrases that is biblically incorrect.  Can you guess what it is?  Striving.  The definition of striving is to 'make great efforts to achieve or obtain something'.  This word implies that you are using your own strength and anytime you are using your own strength that means God is not standing up in you.  (Blame my Pastor for that one.  He always said that as Christians we were always going around quoting and saying stuff that was biblically not sound.)  In other words, if you are striving then you can't possibly be leaning.  You most certainly aren't trusting because there is something in you that still believes that you can do this on your own.  Well, you can't.  The time has come to 'trust and obey'  Give up your rights.  Surrender to the will of God.  Give Him complete control of your life and then learn to enjoy the peace that comes from knowing that He has it all under control. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I have a confession to make.  I haven't been completely relying on You.  Instead I have been trying to work out my future in the way that I think it should go.  I don't want to do this anymore.  It's tiresome.  I'm giving up my rights and want You to take control of my life.  I don't want to make one decision without asking "Is this Your will for my life?"  And Lord if I don't hear from You then let me 'be still' until Your will is clear to me.  You promised Lord that You would give me what I need daily.  All I have to do is ask.  So Lord I'm trusting You.  You know what's best for me.  Thank You for being everything I need. Help me to rely on Your strength.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Empty

I have a confession to make.  I do not like going to the gas station.  I honestly wish that my car would magically fill itself up with gas.  Unfortunately that doesn't happen and because of this I drive around on 'E' quite often.  Now I can usually gauge how many miles I can go once the red light comes on but on one occasion I didn't guess right and so when I was less than two or three blocks away from the service station, I found myself on 'Empty'.  Why was I on empty that day?  Because I had run around all over town taking care of things for myself and for my family. I had my own personal agenda and stopping for gas, even though I knew it was necessary, would get me off schedule. I just kept telling myself I'll make it.  Each time I passed a service station I just kept driving.   I am sure many of you reading this have found yourself in a similar situation.  Maybe you didn't actually run out of gas in your automobile but you have found yourself drained mentally and spiritually. And you may have even told yourself that you'll fill up soon enough.  The problem arises when that time never comes and before you know it you find yourself overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed about things that at the end of the day are beyond your control. So what do you do when you find yourself on empty?

The Word of God is one place I turn when you find yourself on empty.  One particular place I like to go is the book of Psalms.  Many times throughout the book you find the Psalmist in a very similar situation, depressed, despondent, pretty much on empty.  Psalm 42 shows David, a man after God's own heart, was depressed.  His mind was full of doubts and fears yet he longed to be in the presence of God.  To David this was the only solution. He had learned the secret.  He found hope in God.  Life's experiences had taught him the value of true communion with God.  It didn't matter what was going on around Him; there was a peace and a joy in being in the presence of God, so much so that it was not an option but a necessity. 'As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God'. Ps. 42:1  As the human being needs water for survival, so does the child of God need to dwell in His presence.  In fact you should 'seek after' or 'pursue' the presence of God daily. 

Now there is one important thing that I must point out.  Being in the presence of the Lord has nothing to do with how you  are feeling. It has nothing to do with whether you are in the valley or on the mountaintop.  It's simply where you should want to be because you realize who God is.  To 'dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty'. (Ps. 91:1)  In that place where you find protection from ever-present dangers, seen and unseen.  It doesn't matter about the supervisor or coworker who is out to get you, God protects you.  It doesn't matter about that person who wants to continue to use your past against you, God protects you and continues to elevate you to a place where they can't touch you.  It doesn't matter about the negativity in your own mind, the pressure that you put on yourself, that need to be perfect in all things...because as a dear friend said to me on yesterday, striving to be a perfectionist doesn't allow God to stand up in you.  You get to the place in your spirit when you realize that God is your 'All and All'.  He is EVERYTHING that you need Him to be and then some.  There is nothing that He cannot do for you and in fact, He is the only One who you never have to wonder about His motives.  So, you praise Him in the good times and the bad.  You learn that He is not just a Sunday morning God but He is a God in the midnight hour when you cry 'out to Him,  at two or three o'clock in the morning when you can't sleep, when all hell is breaking loose on your job, when you are wondering if it's all worth it.  When you are driving to work in the morning or if you are stranded on the side of the road on empty, cars passing you by and you throw your hands up in frustration, God is still God.  And yes, He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you could ever ask or think, but that's not what this is about.  This is about praising Him even if the situation doesn't change.  Accepting His will for your life above your own desires.  You no longer have a personal agenda.  Your agenda is to do the will of God.  It's that simple.  There is no other place to go when you are on empty but to the presence of God.  In His presence there is fullness of joy.  There is protection. There is peace.  There is liberty in the presence of God.  In His presence you will find rest. You will find yourself going from empty to full.

Most Graciou Heavenly Father,

O how I long to be in Your presence, to experience all that You have planned for my life.  I submit myself to Your will and the plan You have for my life.  My prayer is for my trials to strengthen me and not to weaken me.  To realize the joy and benefit in serving the one, true God.  Forgive me for the times when I have tried to do things in my own strength.  I don't want to do this on my own.  I need Your strength and power to sustain me.  Feel me up Lord.  I know that in Your presence there is fullness of joy.  I praise You today for who You are, and for all that I know You are able to do. But today Lord I say that if you choose to leave me right where I am, that's alright because I just want to be where You are.  To remain in Your presence.  In Jesus' precious name I pray Amen. 

My Help

Difficult times in our lives not only reveal who we are but also sets the stage for who we are becoming. I call these times the 'In Between Times'. The time between deliverance out of Egypt and arrival into the Promised Land. Usually during these times we allow ourselves to become bitter and resentful over the smallest things. One of the easiest places to develop these emotions is when dealing with loss. Whether it be the loss of a loved one to illness, the loss of a child to drugs, the loss of a job to someone younger but less experienced than you or the loss of a spouse to another man or woman. All of these losses affect your deepest emotions and it is easy to allow your heart to become hardened. We, of course, think that the decisions we are making now will only affect the present but I beg to differ. It is those decisions that shape who we are in the future. Take for example the loss of a spouse in a divorce. Often times there are court battles over who gets what...the house, the car, the children. Want to see the worse in somebody just sit in divorce court one day. People are fighting so hard to get even that they lose sight of God altogether. Think about the loss of a dear friend. Someone you have trusted with your innermost thoughts only to have them share them with someone else. Realizing that person can't be trusted. It is during these times that we must really rely on God to guard our hearts and our minds. To keep our tongue from harsh words. To keep our ears from ungodly advice. To keep our feet from evil. Yes, we all go through the necessary grieving stages but we cannot use that as an excuse to treat others wrong. This is actually the time you should spend dedicated to prayer and reading your Word. You should surround yourself with spiritual friends, those who will pray with you and pull you back in when you are out there on that ledge about to put something in concrete that should only be in the sand. One of the most valuable assets you can have are Godly friends. Those that will pray with you and for you.

Each and every time we go through a difficult season of life God is waiting to see if we are going to trust him. Will we stand still and see the salvation of the Lord? If we are going to hold our peace and let the Lord fight our battles? We are ensured victory when we trust Him. The thing that I have learned through my failure is that my attitude while riding through the storm helps to determine how long I have to spend in the situation and also how much repair work has to be done after it's all over. A while back I was watching TBN and the minister who was talking asked a question that is very relevant to the subject matter I am talking about today. 'Is is possible to possess a vital faith that prompts you to be at your best while passing through a season of profound disappointment, unnerving chaos, or deliberating pain? If you had asked me this question six or seven years ago I would say no. Six or seven years ago when I was going through what I thought was my worst wilderness experience yet, I didn't see many positives. In fact, I crumbled. I couldn't take it. I wasn't prepared to fight with Satan. I wasn't strong enough to hold on to God's unchanging hand. I locked myself up in my house and did nothing else. I had my own private pity party, shut everyone out of my life and just gave up. I still remember the exact moment God spoke to me and told me to get myself up, He had work for me to do. It took me a minute to move in obedience but eventually I did. My life hasn't been the same since. So why am I telling you all this because that experienced increased my faith.  It was a part of the preparation process.  God was getting me ready to be a witness for Him.  Now when difficult times arrive in my life they really aren't that unexpected.  In fact, I know that as long as I am striving to do what's right in God's eyes and following His commands, Satan is going to come up against me.  I will have struggles.  At times I will become overwhelmed.  Yet in the midst of all my suffering, I still have hope.  My experiences taught me that whatever God places within you, no one can take away.  There may be times that you do not use what God has given you.  Nevertheless, it is always available.    I

Don't be fooled and think that  my faith in God has just helped me blaze right on through my suffering.  It has not.  It has, however, helped me to know where my help comes from.  I know what my resources are.  I find them in reading my Bible and in continuous prayer with God.  That is what I believe maturing in this Christian walk is about.  You allow God to change the behaviors in you that are not like Him.  You allow Him to give you a clean heart and a new attitude on life. You take the valleys in stride knowing that God is always at work and He is there to meet your every need.  You simply have to trust Him.   He had to show me that I am not just the God of your mother and father but I am your God. The one who you can depend on. There is one verse that I believe sums all this up.   "I AM..." (Exodus 3:6)

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

God who sees and knows everything that is going on in my life right now. I confess that I am weak. The flesh keeps telling me to give up but I know that I can make it because I have You, O Lord living on the inside of me. I'm asking you today to guard my mind. Guard my heart. Forgive me of all my sins and remove anything within me that is not of You. Lord I am doing my best to hold on. Help me not to do permanent damage while in a temporary situation. I am leaning and depending on You. I know You will see me through. I thank you God because You are gracious and merciful towards me. I love you and I praise You. In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.

From Good to Great

What makes an athlete great? Is it his/her desire to be great? A lot of people desire to be great athletes but very few achieve this status. Are they simply born with great physical ability, so that one day they just get up and win the gold medal in the 500-yard dash? I don't think so. They may start out okay at the beginning but pretty soon you will see them on the sideline, breathing heavy, bent over and begging for water. Why? Because they have not had the right kind of conditioning.

We've heard the saying 'the race is not given to the swift, neither the battle to the strong but to the one who endures until the end". (taken from Ecclesiastes 9:11 and Matthew 24:13) So how do we make it to the end - with the right kind of conditioning! This life we live is a marathon, not a sprint. We have to pace ourselves daily. We have to know when to pick up the pace and when to run slow and steady. We must rely on the Holy Spirit within us to guide us and direct us.

What is conditioning and why is it necessary? Conditioning is a process of behavior modification where a subject comes to associate a desired behavior with a previously unrelated stimulus. Some people believe that you can get in shape just by playing a sport. Not true. Just as in our Christian walk there are those that believe that things will be okay if I go to church on Sunday, read my Bible every now and then and pray sometimes. Now don't get me wrong, those things are necessary to your Christian walk. But the question that I want to ask you is are they going to get you across the finish line? If you only desire to get by with a passing grade then continue to do the bare minimum, but if you want to achieve greatness then you must put in the work. The bottom line in conditioning is stress, not mental stress but adaptive stress. As more pressure is applied your muscles become stronger and your build up the necessary stamina for endurance. You come to a hill, you know how to adjust your speed. You see when trials come in our life they are to make us better. They are teaching us to rely on God. These trials apply just the right amount of pressure at the right time to build up our strength so that the next time the devil throws something our way we are not easily swayed and ready to give in. We pray more. We read our Bible more.

Conditioning is a necessary part of your race. My challenge for you today is to work on your consistency so that you will be ready when the trial comes. There are times in this life when Satan will think he has you defeated. It's the end of the third quarter and you're down by fourteen points. Most teams give up. They go into the fourth quarter with a defeated attitude. But not you! You know that the secret to making it to the end and winning the race comes down to your conditioning and defense. When you know that you've been in the gym and exercised your faith, been a connoisseur of the Word and maintained a regular prayer life, you have no doubt that you are gonna be victorious! Your endurance is measured not by how you start the race but how you finish.


Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I'm running this race called life and I need your help. I'm trying to get to the finish line but I've grown tired. Sometimes I just feel like giving up. I know I need to work on my conditioning, so I can achieve my goal. Thank you for the trials in my life. I know that they only come to make me strong. Help me to keep my eye on the prize. In Jesus' Wonderful Name. Amen.

A Safe Place

For the most part I am a private person.  I don't share much about my life and what is going on with too many people.  In fact,  I spent half of my life pretending to be this well put together person who has this 'crazy' faith.  No matter what I was facing I had to remain strong, never showing a sign of weakness. Now it may be okay for me to behave this way with people around me but it poses a problem when it comes to my relationship with God.  I begin to develop a pattern of  holding on to the very things that God so dearly wanted me to give to Him.  I found myself trying to solve problems that were way beyond my control.  I prayed but, even in prayer, I was guarded. It wasn't until I had a conversation with my Pastor that I realized that my being strong and trying so hard to act as if everything was okay was not giving God the opportunity to stand up in my life the way He wanted to.  In fact, it was hindering God from being glorified through my life.  I knew that this behavior was exhausting and so many times made me feel as though I was a failure when things didn't turn out the way that I had hoped.  There I was trying so hard to be all things to all people.  Fighting to live up to the expectations of people who at the end of the day didn't relly matter, all the while suffering silently.

When I was a little girl my mother had me and all of my siblings memorize the 91st Psalm. There were several other chapters that we had to memorize but this one has stuck with me my entire life.  I think of it now as I realize that the problem I experienced all those years (and even now tries to sneak back in) was a lack of trust.  I didn't feel safe so I tried to control as much of my life as I could.  Unfortunately I had been on the receiving end of several false friends. And there were times when I was not the best friend that I could have been.  Sidenote:  How easy it is to get caught up in a whirlwind of gossip and betrayal.  The next time you find yourself spending so much time talking about the lives of others, take a minute and look in the mirror.  What do you see?  Unless it is the image of the Son of God then I would advise you not to be so quick to talk about someone else's misfortune. All of us stand in need of God's forgiveness, His grace and His mercy.    Now back to our regularly scheduled program.... Let's take a look a the first couple of verses of this Psalm. 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust (Ps. 91:-2)

Here the Psalmist paints a picture of the safety you will find in the arms of God. These verses give a vivid description of an intimate place of divine protection. There is no better place to be. In this place you can lay out all of your fears and insecurities. You can share your deepest, darkest secret without being afraid that it will be repeated.  It is in this place that you will find safety.  I often wondered why my mother had us learning all these scriptures.  I guess she was trying to share with her children the one treasure that a bad economy could never take away....and that treasure was the Word of God.  She realized the value of hiding it in our hearts.  She knew that there would come a time when we could not be comforted.  Those people and things that we had come to rely on would let us down.  She had a pretty good idea that we would grow weary because life would get hard.  She knew that our best laid plans may get crushed, that our hearts would be broken, that sometimes our money would get funny, friends would turn their backs on us and some friends we would simply have to walk away from.  All these things she knew and wanted us to know too. 

You see, there is value in realizing that as  a Christian you  have a safe place  that you can go to.  A place where you can speak freely.  You can let down your guard and not feel like you have to be 'okay' all the time. It is in this place of safety that you can let go of false realities.  You can scream and shout that sometimes life is unfair.  You're doing the right things and yet and still you are suffering.  It is okay to be broken sometimes.  God knows that you hurt and sometimes you are sad; that sometimes you don't feel like smiling.  And that's alright.  It's okay to acknowledge that you don't always have it together.  That you grieve differently than the next person.  That you wish you had 'the wings of a dove so you could fly away'.  It's time that you let all of this go.  Let God help you be the wife, mother, husband, father, sister, brother, friend, and coworker that He would have you to be.  It's time to stop living in the land of Should Be and start trusting in the One Who Is.  It's time out for leaning on your own understanding. Instead practice leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus.  It is in those arms that you will find safety and security.  Rest in Him.

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I come to You today in the humblest way that I know how, confessing my sins to You.  Lord for so long I have worn a mask, afraid to show my limitations and my weaknesses.  But now I turn them over to You. I don't want to be the strong one anymore.  In fact I want to be fully exposed so that You can continue to make the necessary changes in my life that make me more like You.  Lord I thank You in advance for the changes You are making in my life.  Help me to use them for Your glory to continue to help others along life's journey.  In Jesus' Name I pray Amen.

Let It Rain

Yesterday my daughter asked me a question.  She asked, "Mama is the rain necessary?"  I wasn't surprised that she was asking about the necessity of the rain because in her mind it was ruining her play time.  Saturdays are her time to spend outside with her sisters riding their bikes and playing kickball with the other children in the neighborhood.  My response was, "Baby if God decided to let it rain, then it is necessary."

Often times we experience periods of pain and sorrow, when our lives are topsy turvy.  We cry out to the Lord and are confident that He hears us but nothing changes.   Sort  of like this latest rain.  It began Saturday afternoon and on Sunday evening it was still raining.  The rain would be okay if it were just for a few hours or at night while I was sleep.  However when it starts to put a kink into my daily routine then it becomes a problem.  A continuous shower makes me wonder are there sunny days ahead?  So what is the purpose of rain?  Is it just to make us miserable?  To mess up our freshly done hair?  To dirty up our cars?  To keep us discouraged and depressed?  Even though it may seem that way on the surface, I stopped by to let you know that positive results can come from the rain. 

“And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. And he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you shall eat and be full. Deuteronomy 11:13-15

Why is rain necessary?  For growth.  Those of you who are babes in Christ need rain in order to become more mature.  And furthermore, if you are a mature Christian you need rain in order to bear fruit.  Without rain you are unable to fulfill the purpose that God has designed for you.  So don't be surprised when the rain comes.  Instead be thankful.  Begin to see the opportunity in the rain.  Thank God for the rain.  Tbe rain is reassurance that God has not forgotten you.  It is a fulfillment of the scripture that 'He who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns'. Phillippians 1:6  You may not know when the rain will start but you can count it a blessing.  There is one requirement though...that you obey the commandments of the Lord.  It doesn't matter how good you are in the eyes of man, what matters is how God sees you.  I read this quote in one of my daily devotionals that said, 'Where showers fall most, there the grass is greenest'.  So the next time the rain is falling in your life don't think that God has forgotten you. You may have to wait a while but just know that 'Waiting exercises our grace; waiting tries our faith; therefore, wait on in hope; for though the promise tarry, it can never come too late'. C.H. Spurgeon

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I confess to You that right now I don't completely understand the purpose of the rain in my life but I accept Your divine providence and know that the rain must be a part of the process so that I may fulfill the purpose You have for my life. Help me to be obedient to Your commands and to be an example to those around me who may not be as mature in their Christian walk.  Thank You for the rain because I realize that without it I would not grow. One thing I know for sure...no rain, no rainbow.  And no matter what I will continue to give You all the praise You so richly deserve.  In Jesus Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 



A New Outlook

Sitting here today in my quiet time I have made a decision.  My decision is to have a new outlook on life.  Instead of fighting so hard to get out of my bad situation, I have decided to seek God more so that I can learn the valuable lesson that He wants to teach me.  Not only that  but I have decided to follow the Word and 'Rejoice always' (I Thessalonians 5:16) This means that I will be joyful always especially in the difficult times, no matter how long they may last, knowing that a loving and gracious God is working on my situation.  The last thing that I want to do is move before God tells me and then have to suffer the consequences.  I've done that before and the results have not been the best.  Learning to hear the voice of the Lord requires being still and listening.  God doesn't necessarily speak to you in a booming voice waving a big stick.  He can. However, more often times He speaks in a whisper.  But how can you hear Him if you are in an uproar and complaining constantly.  You can't hear what He is saying.  You can't hear Him telling you that He loves you more than anyone you know.  Everything He does has your best interest at heart.  Now that is something to shout about!  I am sure that you have had an experience where someone who said that they loved you really didn't.  They said that they had your best interest at heart but you found out later that they were working against you the entire time.  God loves you so much that He began working on your behalf even before you were born.  Then you gave your life to Christ and He began working to meet your specific needs.  Isn't He awesome?  I will answer that for you.  YES HE IS! 

I don't believe that we are instructed to 'Rejoice always' because God is wanting us to think unrealistically.  In fact, it 's the total opposite.  Rejoicing always is about having the confidence that an All-wise and All-powerful God is not only capable but willing and able to meet your needs.  I don't believe that you can truly rejoice until you have acknowledged where you are and decided to give up control to God.  That simple, yet sometimes, difficult act is the reason you can rejoice.  When you are in need do you go to someone who might meet the need or do you go to someone you are confident will meet the need?  Seems like a simple question with an obvious answer.  So why do we spend so much time getting frustrated with individuals who are incapable of meeting your need to begin with.  When you submit your request to God, you are placing them in the most capable hands.  Your acknowledgement of your helplessness give regard to the will of God.  There are several things that I do not know how to do and so I have know problem picking up the phone and calling a specialist.  For plumbing needs I call a plumber.  When my car breaks down, I call a mechanic.  This same concept applies to my mental and spiritual ailments.  When I'm depressed, I call on Jesus.  When I need healing, I call on Jesus.  When I am lost, I call on Jesus.  When my money is funny, I call on Jesus.  He can work it all out.  What is His specialty....the impossible.  Situations are what they are but even in the midst you can rejoice knowing trouble don't last always.  You might be in the valley now but praise God for mountaintops.  God did not bring you this far to leave you.  If that were the case He would not be true to His Word.  And I read that 'all scripture is inspired by God' and God is not a man that He should lie.  If He said it in His Word, it will come to pass.

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

The battle may not be over but I am going to shout right now.  I know that victory is on the way.  I'm going to praise You for Your faithfulness.  If you said it in Your Word, it will come to pass.  I'm going to trust You Lord.  I am not going to move to my right or to my left without direction from You.  Lord if you decide that I need to stay in this situation a little while longer I am going to do just that and cherish the valuable lesson that you are teaching me so that I can be a blessing to others.  Through it all I am going to praise You.  In Jesus' precious name I pray Amen. 

Exposed

Today while talking with a co-worker of mine, she made a statement that I couldn't get out of my mind.  Her statement was, "I thought that the more mature you become as a Christian, the less temptation you have to face."  My response to her was quite simple, "Actually. it's the opposite."  I honestly believe that this way of thinking is why so many of us fail in the area of consistency in our walk with God. We become comfortable in our religious routine.  We read the same scriptures, say the same prayers, go to church on Sunday and maybe even Wednesday and then have the mindset that life should somehow be easier as if we are doing everything God requires.  But are you? 

The Word of God is full of so many wonderful truths that God wants to expound on individually to each of us.  Yes, it is wonderful what we get from the preacher, teacher, books, daily devotionals, blogs, etc.  But there is nothing like one-on-one conversation with the Almighty God.  He is truly amazing.  Psalm 119:130 says, 'The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple'.  Clarke's Commentary on the Bible put it this way - 'Every sermon, every prayer, every act of faith, is an opening by which light is let into the seeking soul'. Think about it.  How does God speak to us?  One definite way is through His Word.  And one primary purpose of the Word is to expose darkness.  This is not a shameful process but one in which God is able to expose our sin in order to change us.  He wants us to become better Christians.  It's that process of sanctification.  You know the story.  First, you were justified. My Pastor used to say, "just as if I never sinned."  Romans 5:8 states, 'But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners'.  That wasn't all He did.  As we live our lives in this journey of trust, you continue to go through the sanctification process.  John 17:17 says, 'Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth'.  Here in this verse Jesus prayed for His disciples.  But I say we all go through this process.  A process of us becoming more and more like God and less attached to the world.  A process where we allow the Word to deliver us from things that are evil, expose the ugliness in our hearts, and give us the strength to fight off temptation. And believe it or not this process continues until the day that we die.  For it is at that point that we will be glorified. 

I can remember my Pastor saying on more than one occasion,"If the devil isn't bothering you, maybe you should be worried.  You never become so holy that the devil stops bothering you.  My life has shown that the closer I try to get to the Lord, the more satan comes at me.  And the weapon I use is the same one Jesus used when He was tempted of the devil - the Word of God.  As a mature Christian you should be little bit stronger than a babe in Christ.  But don't get cocky.  All this means is that satan is going to pull out his big guns.  He will be even more deceptive, cunning and conniving.  He will start to use those closest to you.  He will wait until you have that argument with your spouse to send temptation walking your way in the form of long legs or deep, dark chocolate.  He will use finances or sickness to discourage you, preoccupy your thoughts so that you spend more time worrying and less and less time in the Word.  My challenge to you today is for you to turn to the Word and not away from it.  Counteract the devil's schemes with the Word of God. Stand your ground.  Be proactive.  Pray and ask God to 'search your heart, remove those things that are not like Him'. Make this your daily prayer.  This Christian walk is not all blue skies and roses.  Sometimes there are periods of rain and weeds.  But thank God that in the midst of darkness we have been exposed to the light and the cleaning process never ends. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I thank You today for the process of sanctification.  A process where I am being set apart, growing in grace.  Thank You for not leaving me in the dark.  Instead You died for me just because You loved me.  I am so very grateful.  Lord I am asking that You continue to search my heart for those things that are not like You.  Help me to move in the same direction instead of fighting against the changes You are making in my life.  Help me to stay in Your Word, allowing it to expose the sin in my life.  I ask forgiveness for those sins that I have committed on this day in word, thought, or deed.  Thank You for your forgiveness.  I will continue to give You all the glory, honor and the praise.  In Jesus' Name I pray Amen. 

Eternal Perspecitive

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith...' Hebrews 12:1-2a, ESV

Today just want to say, "Thank you Lord for the process.  Even though many times I have wanted to quit, it has been through the promise of Your Word and the Holy Spirit that I have hope."  You see, I decided a long time ago to follow Jesus.  No turning back, no turning back.  I read a quote today in my devotional that said, 'When the events of life are viewed with an eternal perspective, things that initially seemed important are unimportant, and things that seemed unimportant become important'. (author unknown)  I sat and pondered this statement for while, thinking about those things that at one point were extremely important to me and now that God has changed my life just aren't that important anymore.  Truth be told I have lived my life as a 'people pleaser'.  You know the type, never wanting to rattle any feathers, keeping things bottled up inside.  I was the friend who always wanted to keep the peace so I sat back and allowed and sometimes participated in behavior that I knew was not living a life that was pleasing in the sight of God.  I was, in fact, living beneath the calling God had placed on my life.  I was that person in church who was always participating in everything.  If the doors of the church were open  then I was there, even to the point of neglect in other areas.  I allowed people on the job to walk all over me, just taking it, while feeling miserable on the inside.  I put aside doing the things I loved in obedience to the call that was on my life in order to please others and make them 'happy'. 

As God continued to change my life for His benefit and ultimately His glory, I realized that there are so many things that I thought were important that just aren't that important anymore. Things that contributed to ungodly behavior.  I could easily be like the Pharisees and Sadducees and boast about the things I don't do.  Now before I start to think of myself more highly than I ought to think, let me say that there are things that have taken the place religiously over those things that should be a priority in my life. Recorded television over quiet time with the Lord.  Working over quality time with my family and friends.  Holding a grudge over forgiveness.  Worry over peace.  Depression over joy. Fear over faith!  And then one day I decided 'NO MORE'.  It's time out for living below my calling.  I decided that I was ready to live the victorious life that God had planned for me. 

And this is my challenge to you today: start living an abundantly life, keeping an eternal perspective. It's time to throw off all that dead weight and to start living above the mess. You see, it's easy to get suckered in to behaviors that are not like God.  Satan is working a full-time job plus overtime trying his best to distract us, confuse us, keep us discouraged and depressed, wanting us to give up.  This is why we must look at our circumstances with eternal vision.  The easy thing to do is to give up or sometimes to give in.  To have a defeatist attitude. I know that you see the difficulties and problems that are staring you in your face.  But instead of focusing on your problems I dare you to look up to Jesus.  I am amazed at how many people constantly complain about what is wrong in their life and have never taken a moment to pray.  I heard my Pastor say  that is why we get on our knees to recognize our position, where we have to look up and acknowledge our dependence on God.  That is why  I encourage you to wake up each morning and put on your armor.  You must pray continuously, asking God to protect you.  To order your steps.   You must ask God to bridle your tongue. (I don't know about you but that is the one thing that often gets me into trouble.) Help you to make wise decisions.  Ask Him to remove those people who mean you evil and not good. One important thing for me was to stand my ground.  If God has delivered you from something why continue to participate or stand around silent as in agreement.  I am a witness God will make it where the transition is easy and you won't even have to explain.   Remember this nugget of wisdom:  Only what you do for Christ will last.  Be careful how you build your life's work.  And y'all I'm working to make heaven my home.  It's not about pleasing people.  It's about keeping God's commandments and following His Word.  I know that the difficulties of life will make you want to throw in the towel.  Don't!  God will give you just what you need to make it through.  Have faith.  Keep looking to Jesus and ask God to help you stay on the path.  The road may be narrow and not many will stay on it with you but those that do will be instrumental in helping to give you strength for your journey. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I just want to thank You today for those things that I don't understand.  I have come to find out that it is those things that show me just a bit of Your glory over and over again.  It is those things that reminds me that I can do nothing in my own strength.  That my victory comes in being obedient to Your Word and leaning and depending on You.  Lord I'm grateful for every mountain that You've brought me over.  I thank You for the journey.  I thank You for Your grace that is sufficient.  I thank You for new mercies. You have given me an eternal perspective.  I realize that as I look up to You my problems become smaller.  Instead I am able to see Your blessings.  I am reminded just how amazing You trully are and I just can't help but praise You.  This is what it is really about.  Thank you!  Lord I love You.  For the rest of my life I'm going to serve You. You have been just that good to me.  In Jesus' Precious name I pray Amen.