The Wrong Conclusion

And he said: “ Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21 (New King James Version)

The question was asked at a study I attended last night that seemed easy to answer…at first. It went as follows: “Deep down inside, do you believe God is a giver or a taker?” My mind instantly went to today’s verse and I chose to say He is both…Job said so! Then something dawned on me. I had to consider the fact that Job’s perspective was faulty due to his limited view of things. He spoke those words of the Lord giving and taking away, after the loss of his children, property, possessions, health, reputation, and human support. At first glance he seemed to have a healthy view of things. After all, he served a sovereign God. Yet, I am struck by the fact that the one who actually took the things and people out of Job’s life was not God but Satan. Job didn’t mention that or think of it because, quite frankly, he wasn’t aware of Satan’s involvement in his life or of the conversation that led up to that involvement. He simply believed all his loss was at the hands of God when it actually wasn’t.

This realization is causing me to rethink my original answer to the Bible study question. Even as I ponder other Biblical accounts of people losing things I am coming to see the “other” hands besides God’s at work. Not only was there Satanic involvement but there were many aspects of just living in a fallen world. People take things, sickness takes things, nature takes things, and economic down turns take things. Sometimes, God chooses to intervene with healings. Sometimes He replaces what is taken. He teaches us things through the losses. He helps us see Him in a whole new light after the loss. But all of those are examples of giving. If I see God as a taker I get scared. Fearful that if I make a wrong move He will grab something from me.

For the longest time, when I thought of a significant relationship that had ended, I thought God had taken the person out of my life as a means of punishment. I displeased Him and therefore He took. How far from the truth that is! The broken relationship was the result of my own dependency issues and the other person’s change of heart. After the loss, God in His graciousness showed me aspects about Himself that were precious. He taught me many things. He brought other individuals into my life. He continually gave and He will continue to give. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Some who are reading this have experienced great losses. If those losses have caused you to view God as a taker (like I had viewed Him), I encourage you to ask Him to show you who really did the taking and to also show you how much He is giving!

Father, Jesus was the ultimate display of Your giving nature. Thank you for the many giving moments You continue to have. Amen.

My Praise - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwPeud_V7cg&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

It is Okay to Ask

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 (New King James Version)

I am sure most of us have heard the saying, “God helps those who help themselves.” I have often had that mentality when it came to living the Christian life. I knew when I received Christ as my Savior that it was apart from any works I could muster on my own. The only thing I could bring to God was an open heart to receive His gift of salvation. But somewhere along the line it seemed (in my mind) that the rules had changed and I was expected to pull my own weight so to speak. The Christian life became daunting because it was viewed through what I was doing for God rather than who I was in Christ and what He was still doing in me. I felt “on my own” in many respects and mistakenly thought God was looking for me to go through life seldom asking for His help. Commands were something I should obey in my own strength. Change was something I should incorporate on my own through behavior modification. While I might have prayed for strength, patience, and grace I knew little of getting specific in the areas in which I needed help. So I floundered….for decades.

I am encouraged this morning by what I am seeing David request of God in Psalm 119. In a day when I hear so much about free will and choice I am relieved to know I can ask God to intervene and make changes in me! David had no trouble asking God to take over in the following areas: Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from your law (v.18), make me understand the way of Your precepts (v.27), remove from me the way of lying (v.29), make me walk in the path of Your commandments (v.35), and incline my heart to Your testimonies (v.36). Somehow David knew it was okay to ask God to do in him what he was unable to do for himself. While it was necessary for David to cooperate with God, he knew he could ask God to change him as well as infuse him with the desire to change.

As I consider areas such as forgiveness, love, compassion, kindness, diligence, witnessing, submission, and right thinking, I am encouraged to know that I can ask God to “make me” walk in His ways and turn my heart to follow Him. He is not offended that I should ask….He is delighted that I would! He knows my weaknesses and propensity toward sin. He knows on my own I will not choose His ways. And He invites me to bring the cries for help to Him so He can masterfully do what needs to be done in me. He is the potter, I am the clay. He is the vine, I am the branch. He is the shepherd, I am the sheep. He is the initiator, I am the responder. What precious roles!

Father, how You must ache when I possess wrong perspectives of You and the Christian life. How You must delight when I finally ask for help. Amen.

Power of Your Love - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga6Qtxzd6vk&feature=fvw

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Taking Pleasure in What?

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 (New King James Version)

I take pleasure in a lot of things. Spending time with special people, watching another person awaken to the truths of God, discovering new facets about my heavenly Father, reading emails that fill my heart with joy and my eyes with tears, listening to music that captures the essence of my spirit and my journey, experiencing the breaking of a stronghold, making spiritual progress, and being overwhelmed by God’s mercy, love, and grace, all bring me pleasure and great delight! But the hardships and heartbreaks of life (like the things Paul listed in today’s verse)? Pleasure in those? Prayed against, maybe. Avoided or delivered from, definitely. Unwanted, absolutely. But take pleasure in? Not without the help and revelation of God!

In and of themselves, these things cannot bring pleasure. But what Paul had learned and what each of us must learn is the richness of what can come of those things. For it is in the very center of difficulty that we turn to God. When we stand in our own strength and experience a comfortable day we tend to not see our need of God. But when life falls apart and our platform of security crumbles, we are left with no choice but to cry out to God for strength, comfort, and encouragement. It is in our loneliness that we most seek His company. It is in our deepest loss that we seek His comfort. It is in our sin and regret that we seek His forgiveness and restoration. It is in our weakness that we finally seek His strength.

Hardships and handicaps keep me in constant touch with my limitations and my need for God’s strength. Instead of cringing at them, God desires that I fully realize my limitations, weaknesses, and propensities to sin in order to drive me straight into His arms to receive His strength and power. What I lack is what God graciously makes available to me. THAT is what I can take pleasure in! It is in seeing where troubles, tragedies, and trials lead me that I can begin to take pleasure in them. I don’t have to wait until it is all over before I can dance in delight. I simply have to fix my eyes on the end of the story that I know is coming! No matter what life throws at me, I KNOW God will infuse me with the grace and strength to stand in it or walk through it. I am limited…..He is NOT!

Father, I choose to embrace all that You gift me with each day. That which causes me to run to You is what I treasure the most. With my tears come Your comfort. With my weaknesses come Your strength. With my losses come Your gains. Pleasure indeed!!!! Amen.

His Strength is Perfect - Steven Curtis Chapman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC_lld_vUCY

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Accusing the One Who Loves Us Most

Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me. Luke 10:40 (New American Standard Bible)

When was the last time you accused God of not caring about you? You might have said it out loud or it might have been buried in your thoughts, but the feelings were there. Many times the idea arises due to how others are treating us or due to the circumstances in our life.

Martha had graciously invited Jesus into her home. A hospitable gesture. Then why the complaint? Mary wasn’t helping her! She felt on her own and probably neglected. Ever feel like her? Ever look at the people in your life and wish they would do more? Ever want to cry out, “Does anyone care?” When the people in our lives don’t give us what we want it often causes feelings of insecurity, neglect, and even rage to surface. If we are not careful we allow their actions or lack of actions to define our own worth and value.

I find it interesting that the first words out of Martha’s mouth were actually spoken against the Lord. The same was true of the disciples when they were caught in a storm at sea. Jesus was asleep and they were fearing for their lives. When they finally decided to ask for His help, the first words out of their mouths were, “Lord, don’t you care about us?” Where in the world do those thoughts come from?

Often we are trapped in our own stories so much that we fail to see the bigger picture. When human sources fail us or the difficulties of life assault us that is NOT the time to second guess God’s character and His involvement in our life. It is imperative that we realize the enemy of our soul will use any and all opportunities to tarnish God’s reputation in our mind. Pain, disappointment, discomfort, and discouragement can cloud our thinking, dull our senses, and raise our suspicions about God’s care for us. If our response to people or circumstances causes us to view God negatively we must realize we are buying into a lie. A lie that says God doesn’t care, God doesn’t notice, and God doesn’t love me. How far from the truth those words are. Let God’s word tell you what He is like. Start with I Peter 5:7 and ask God to allow its truth to penetrate your life in a powerful way!

Father, may I no longer allow the enemy of my soul to malign Your character. May I see Your attentive ways at every turn. May I allow the truth about You to renew my thinking. Amen.

Your Grace Still Amazes Me - Phillips, Craig, and Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNClAJO2tnQ

Fixing my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith!

Seeking Enslavement

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? Galatians 4:9 (New American Standard Bible)

Paul was astounded that those who had come to know Christ would seek to place themselves back in the realm of being a slave to the law. At first glance, I can find myself questioning how they could do such a thing. How could they go from the standing of a child to the position of a slave? Who would do that?

If I take this passage of Scripture and see it only as an indictment against the Galatians I fail to let Scripture become applicable to me. I fail to see myself and therefore fail to see change. Scripture is meant to shine the light of truth on me. It is meant to get personal! So where is it getting personal for me today? Right now?

In my 36 years of being a Christian I have never once desired to go back to the way I was before becoming a Christian. In the almost 6 years of being on a journey that led me out of legalism, I have never once desired to return to a performance-based way of living my Christian life. So what is it that I do find myself turning back to? What is it that I desire to be enslaved to all over again? What is it I fail to let go of completely? A relationship with and connection to a former mentor. Like the children of Israel leaving Egypt, I am physically removed but the emotional pull is still present. Like an alcoholic who refuses to abstain completely from alcohol, I find myself still doing things that will allow me a continual taste of her influence and teaching. It is an addiction and a powerful one at that!

Last night, with the help of my accountability partner, I came to see this as much more than an area of addiction. I saw it as competition for who would sit on the throne that rightly belongs to God. I saw my “giving in” moments as testing God much like a child will test the boundaries set by her parents. I saw it as a willful, determination to keep it a part of my life when God has clearly shown me it is off limits. What I saw was not pretty or comfortable but necessary. It was a serious matter and one that required attention, brokenness, repentance, and a fresh commitment to walk in obedience.

This morning, the tears of last night have dried but the determination to follow through with what I prayed is growing! I no longer wish to reserve a place in my heart to that which has been my enslavement to idolatry.

Father, Your mercy, patience, and forgiveness have been and continue to be amazing! Thank you for persistently working to bring me fully to Yourself. Amen.

Painting Pictures of Egypt - Sara Groves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcIA4Cnj6j4

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

Tears and Joy

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2, 3 (New American Standard Bible)

James penned these precious words to believers who were facing extreme persecution in the early days of the church. They knew the taste of trials in their life. Persecution, separation from loved ones, imprisonment, even death. What could possibly be the joy in that? Some would say joy in the trials but James is pointing toward the result of the trials…the development of endurance. So too for us. Each circumstance of our life, each difficulty we face, each trial that comes upon us, as believers, become the seeds for the fruit that will be produced later on. THAT is what we can joy in as the tears fall, as our heart breaks, as the questions persist, and as our minds race.

Many today wake with pillows soaked from tears that have fallen in the night. The Bible has 175 verses that speak of weeping, crying, and tears. One of those verses is John 11:35 which simply says, “Jesus wept.” It was his response to the tears of Mary and other Jews at the death of Lazarus. He wept even though He knew there was to be a resurrection. He wept even though He knew the end of the story. Rather than condemn Mary’s tears, he mingled them with His. He knew that her tears were a matter of her emotions, broken heart, desperate situation, confusion, and unanswered questions.

For those of you who read this devotional today with tear stained faces and broken hearts, I hand to you two support beams of comfort. Beam #1, God has things He is producing through your trial, trouble, or temptation. It is not in vain that you are facing whatever you are facing. It is not a dead end street. It is not for nothing. What God does with it all is yet to be seen, but please know that the production of endurance and strength is part of what will take place in your life because of it.

Beam #2, God mingles His tears with yours. He knows your sadness. He knows your questions. He knows your ache. He sees it for the emotion that it is…not a lack of faith but rather an appropriate response to your plight. He has not forgotten you. He has not abandoned you. He is not condemning you. He is not waiting for you to “get your act together.” Like in the case of Mary, He is right there with you in the midst of what feels like death. He will give beauty for your ashes, joy for your sorrow, and praise for you heaviness of heart. (Isaiah 61:3) In that you can joy. Even when the tears fall with His.

Father, for each person who hurts today, I pray for Your strength to be upon in. Thank you for what will come of their trial and thank you for Your tears that fall with theirs. Amen.

With All I Am - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns&feature=PlayList&p=2FB126D48DF4B086&index=80

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Taking the Plow and Mantle

Another also said, "I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home." But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:61, 62 (New American Standard Bible)

Each of us must determine what, if anything, follows our statement of “I will follow You, Lord.” A certain man voiced those words to Jesus but wanted a little more time with his family before doing so. That “but first” clause constituted putting his hand to the plow and looking back. Back at his family. Back at his roots. Back at his life. Jesus knew that until the “but first” was no longer the condition of his heart, he would not be fit (useful) for the kingdom of God. Divided hearts make us unfit for that which God wants to do in and through us in His kingdom.

Is there an area in your life that divides your heart when it comes to total commitment to God’s call? Is there something you keep looking back to or at? Mine was evident yesterday as I once again gave in to the longings to sit under the teachings of my former mentor. What once fed my soul and spirit profoundly, is now forbidden fruit which can so easily tempt me. Why is it forbidden? Well, I assure you it isn’t because the teaching is no longer profound, relevant, or practical. It is all of the above and more. This woman and her ministry are both very blessed by God and very used by God. The problem is the dependency issues that still reside in me. God is continually reminding me that any contact or connection reopens doors that are meant to stay closed in order for me to live in freedom rather than bondage. I might enjoy a handful of grapes at her vines but it comes at the cost of intimacy with my Heavenly Father. The minute I linger in the fields of her ministry I become acutely aware of God’s silence. That is when I once again realize I am looking back…looking away from Him. That is when the desire to reconnect with Him outweighs the desire to reconnect with a person.

If I close my eyes, I can see myself in a field with my hands on a plow handle. Just a few feet in front of me is a mantle on the ground (much like the one Elijah threw down for Elisha) placed there by my Heavenly Father. It is His invitation for total commitment, total submission, and total loyalty. Usefulness in His kingdom is at stake when a divided heart resides within me. There is no looking back or going back to what once was, there is only a looking forward to what is meant to be of Him. I choose once again to step away from my mentor’s vineyard and into His.

Father, I am so aware of Your forgiveness once again. Each time I stray, fall, or fail You reach down to pick me up and start me on the path meant for me. I take a hold of the plow and mantle and follow You. Amen.

All to Jesus I Surrender
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x2IpLSfqp8&feature=related

Holiness is a furnace that transforms the men and women who enter it. - Eugene H.Peterson

Purposeful Goal Setting

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Daniel 1:8 (King James Version)

Daniel’s ability to stay true to his heart and conscience was birthed out of the decisions he made ahead of time. He knew going into each day what he would do and what he would not do when it came to moral, ethical, and even dietary choices. Temptation was fought before it arose because he had already purposed in his heart what he would do.

I am not one to do a lot of planning out things ahead of time. I don’t plan out weekly menus. I don’t have “to do” lists. I tend to face things as they come. While that works fine for certain areas of my life, I have learned it has caused some difficulties when it comes to doing battles in the emotional arena. Last week, a friend suggested that I write out my goals. First I was to write out my life goals and then write out my daily goals. These goals were to represent the direction I wanted to head. Both of us knew that if I didn’t purpose to do things they most likely would not get done. We both knew that my “winging it” mentality was not having good results. Each day seemed to be filled with up and down moments and the spiraling was evident. Emotional battles were usually lost before they even took place. In short, I was in trouble. It took a week to finally start the goal lists but once I got started I was amazed at the difference it made.

My life goal was as follows: To be pleasing to the Lord in my words, thoughts, and actions. To love Him with all of my heart, soul, and mind and have Him as the center of my life. To delight myself in God and enjoy the people in my life. To take my thoughts captive before they take me captive. To find my significance, worth, and value in who I am in Christ and to live out of that realization.

My daily goals are specific ways to bring about my life goals. That list gets tweaked each day. It gets added to throughout the day. Today’s goal list already looks like this… Do what is right, loving, and good toward others. Think on what is true and encouraging. Smile when I talk to others.

This is what I have noticed. When I put something on my daily goal list it is predominant in my thinking as I enter the day. As temptations come up during the day to dwell on negative things or past hurts, to put myself before others, or to have a complaining spirit, the goals for that day come to mind and I switch gears internally. If it is not demonstrating a goal I have set then it needs to be halted immediately. Does it work? Absolutely! For me, it is the difference between victory and defeat.

Father, I purpose in my heart to do the things You are laying upon my heart. Help me to continue to set the goals that will change the direction of my life. Amen.

Be Thou My Vision
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EYYbwEqDlg

Did you miss a past devotional? My blog site now houses over 900 former devotionals with the theme and book of the Bible at the end of each. Click on to the theme or book and you will then see every devotional written on that theme or from that book. Or click on to the date at the left and see what was shared a month ago or several years ago. Enjoy!

Renewed Hope

Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 (New American Standard Bible)

My heart is heavy this morning for a friend who faces uncertainties with her job. Throughout the night I have awakened with her on my mind and lifted her up in prayer at those times. Her situation has become a concern of mine and that concern has birthed some anxiety in me. It has caused me to think long and hard about my view of prayer and God. There is turmoil that has its roots in worry and God is working gently to show me the reason for the worry.

I asked Him this morning what my turmoil is revealing about my prayer life and view of Him. He was quick to answer. While I know the verses and truths about God and His love for us, deep down there is this thought that abandonment is forth coming. That my friend will be left on her own to survive this storm of life. That somehow the situation is not on God’s priority list. As I saw and acknowledged my thoughts God also began to bring truth to mind. While I don’t know how things will turn out I now have truth to stand on with confidence and boldness.

In regards to my friend, these are the truths I am now standing in: God will never leave, forsake or abandon her. He knows the beginning from the end. He is aware of every detail of her life. He will work all things out for her good and His glory. He cares for her. He is faithful to her. He will meet ALL her needs (physically, spiritually, emotionally, financially, and mentally). He holds her in the palms of His hands. His ways are higher than her ways and His thoughts are higher than her thoughts. He is her defender, protector, provider, shelter, and shepherd. His plans for her are for good. He is holding her by the right hand and guiding her steps accordingly. He loves her even more than she loves her own children and grandchildren (and that says a lot). He is not limited in any way by her situation. He is covering her with His wings and feathers. He is hovering over her. He has His eye on her. He knows what He is doing.

As I pray for her I am free to ask that her job stay in tact but along with that I rejoice in the truths that abound for her. She is dear to me but even more so to God. I look forward to the incredible ways God will work on her behalf.

Father, You have settled my heart in a precious way. All that You have shown me regarding my friend is true for all Your children. I rest in You this morning right along side my friend. Amen.

Prayer for a Friend - Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN3D0Carn3U

Fixing my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith!

Heading in the Wrong Direction

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:3 (New American Standard Bible)

Jonah’s steps in the wrong direction were many. He purposefully headed away from God, went down to Joppa, found a ship, paid the fare, and boarded the ship to get to Tarshish. The verse begins and ends with the same phrase, “from the presence of the LORD.” At any point along the way, Jonah could have assessed what he was doing, changed his course of action, and headed in the right direction. If you are familiar with this Bible story you know all that transpired before the change came. He made matters worse with each choice he made. All of it could have been avoided had Jonah at any time headed toward God instead of away from Him.

Have you ever seen yourself in the person of Jonah? I certainly have! I find myself making wrong decisions and then proceed to make wrong choices on top of those decisions. Rather than stop at the first wrong step, I (like Jonah) just keep taking the wrong steps….making matters worse. I was in the midst of wrong choices this past weekend and even had my mind made up to make more wrong choices. What stopped me? I knew I would only make matters worse and that would lead to painful consequences. It wouldn’t be a large fish as in Jonah’s case, but it would be something that could easily swallow me up until I was ready to head in the right direction. So I stopped my planning. I stopped my running. I changed my heart and my mind. In essence, I rose to flee but decided to return.

In moments like this I feel like such a boomerang Christian….going the wrong direction and then turning around and heading back. Fortunately for me God is consistent in His love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. The lessons He is teaching me are difficult and uncomfortable at present. I don’t like the person I continue to be most of the time. I don’t like what others know about me. I don’t like the mistakes I keep making and the slip-ups I keep having. I do, however, take comfort in the fact that God loves me too much to allow me to stay this way. He will go to any length to reach, touch, and change my heart. He will stop at nothing to woo and win me to Himself. He will never give up on me even when I have given Him more than enough reasons to do so.

Father, forgive me for my thoughts and actions. I want to stop running and adding to the wrong choices I have already made. With You all things are possible and I rest in that truth. Amen.

Oh How He Loves Us - Kim Walker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF9uG-zR2Kw&feature=related

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

Seeing it for Myself

Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see " And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17 (New American Standard Bible)

Elisha’s servant is in a state of panic when he sees his city surrounded by the enemy. He looks to Elisha for assurance and advice. Elisha’s first response is to speak truth. But his servant needed more than Elisha’s perspective, he needed his own experience and that is what Elisha prayed that God would give him. I can only imagine the servant’s eyes opening wide with wonder as he saw for himself the mountain filled with God’s army of horses and chariots of fire!

I have been in this servant’s shoes before and for too many years. I have spent decades looking to others for assurance and advice. Let’s face it, Christians are great comforters, nurturers, and advisors. When I became a Christian it didn’t take me long to see them as the ones to run to when life got hard, hurts came, and heartaches persisted. It was easy to allow them to be my pain relievers. It never took the pain away but at least it eased it. Here’s the problem though, as long as I run to others I fail to experience God as my comforter. People become a type of panacea for what ails me. Then I wonder why seeing God as my refuge, strength, and stronghold are such foreign concepts for me. If I want to see God as the One who is passionately involved in my life I have to start allowing Him to be involved in my life and that includes the times I am afraid, hurting, and empty. When I have the experience of God soothing and calming me it strengthens my bond with Him.

I have also spent too many years listening to others describe the Christian life to me and longing for their description to be mine as well. God wants me to know that listening to others will never be as life changing as experiencing Him for myself. He knows how empowering it will be for me to see things for myself rather than just take other people’s word for it. While I can learn a lot from others, God wants me to find my own unique relationship with Him. Not patterned after another person’s experience but birthed out of a daily walk with Him. I am free to stop trying to duplicate other lives. God knows, and I am learning, that personal experience will always be my greatest time of learning. It is all about running to Him, listening to Him, learning from Him, and living for Him. God and me…what a thought!

Father, I willingly turn this new corner with You. I am finally ready to see what You have been longing to show me! Amen.

Through It All - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33aGaYAZvL4&feature=fvw

Thank you to those of you who held me up in prayer this week. Your prayers were needed, appreciated, and effective.

God's Longings

Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you. And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him. Isaiah 30:18 (New American Standard Bible)

Each of us have things we long for and desire to receive. We not only want it but do whatever we can to get it. I find it interesting that God also has longings. His expectancies run high, just like ours.

Isaiah 30:18 tells me two things God longs for. He longs to be gracious to us AND He wants to have compassion on us. This certainly is not the picture of a stingy, angry God. When I look in His eyes I see them sparkle with love, joy, and laughter. He actually looks forward to the times when He can lavish His grace and compassion on us.

Since God wants more than anything to show these attributes to us, what hinders Him from doing so? I believe it comes down to our inability or refusal to receive the gifts from His hands. When I walk in disobedience, follow my own agenda, look to other sources to have my needs met, or fasten my eyes and attach my heart away from Him, I shut out His attempts to show me His graciousness and compassion.

Instead of opening my hands to Him, I close them tightly. Instead of running to Him, I back away. Instead of receiving from Him, I live deprived. So how do I reverse these tendencies? It too is found in my longings. This verse speaks of longing for Him. That longing is a deep heart desire to know Him, please Him, serve him, and totally embrace Him. Think of the person or people in your life that mean the most to you. That desire you have to spend time with them and to talk with them. They bring you joy and delight. You have a longing to be in relationship with them.

May God help us to cultivate that very desire for Himself. When spending time with Him and thoughts of Him become our greatest delight and priority we are then able to receive what He is longing to bestow upon us……His graciousness and compassion.

Father, may my longing for You become as strong as Your longing to be gracious and compassionate toward me. I was created in Your image ~ may I live in Your image. Amen.

One Day at a Time

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34 (New King James Version)

Worry and the thoughts of what lies ahead can become distracting, discouraging, and daunting to the process of our journey. For some it may be the futuristic worries of finances, health, or security. Twelve step programs have it right. Their mantra is often, “One day at a time” and THAT day is the one being presently lived!

While I do not struggle with worries over physical issues, I recently caught myself being worried about the breaking of addictions and how I would be able to continue to walk in freedom for the rest of my life. I was becoming overwhelmed until God reminded me that I do not have to think about the “rest of my life” but rather just focus on His provision and power TODAY. That simple redirection of thought put my mind and heart at ease.

“Today” is a manageable amount of time. I have been through some changes and made some changes in my life and God’s instruction to me is to walk in obedience and cooperation with Him moment by moment for victory. Will there be setbacks and sidetracks? Absolutely! Will there be times when what seemed complete suddenly seems to come unraveled? Yes! Those are a given due to the fact that I am human and live in a fallen world. God’s reminder to me is to realize anew that it is all a process….a journey. He alone knows the full scope and end result of where He is leading me. He alone provides the where with all that empowers me to make right choices and live victoriously. He alone brings about the wholeness and fullness He has promised.

My responsibility is to do what He tells me to do and when I fail to quickly confess, repent, and embrace His forgiveness. It is not about perfection! It is about being in relationship with Him and walking in dependence upon Him. The problems come when I allow any thing or any one to come between me and His will and His ways. He is my Source! He is my Provider! He is my Necessity! Those are my “starting point” phrases that are meant to place my hands on the plow and feet on the path once again.

I cannot afford to think beyond today when it comes to living out His plan and purpose for me. The deliverance I seek is not to be found in a “moment” but rather in a life time of connecting to my Abba Father!

Father, thank you for giving me a life time to get it right! Amen.

One Day at a Time - Christy Lane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ExFtojY4Y0&feature=related

He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. Job 36:16

An Incredible Combination

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in You. Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:8-10 (New American Standard Bible)

Trusting God, lifting up my soul to Him, taking refuge in Him, and acknowledging Him as my God are the essentials for hearing Him, learning from Him, and being led by Him. One does not happen without the other. How glad I am that He has not left me to figure things out for myself. He has not intended for my Christian life to be lived in a self-learning or self help mode. So much of what I want to learn from Him, He is willing to teach me. As I read today’s passage I decided to make it my personal prayer. God in His graciousness answered it with Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. My prayer…His answer….what a precious combination. I don’t have to wonder if God will do this. I have His word, His promise, His commitment to do so.

Lesson one for today has involved steps of obedience to take in order to break free of continued dependency issues. I can see now what I have been doing that hinders the freedom from coming. His instructions have been clear to me with the assurance that as I act upon them I will see good results. Not only has He shown this to me, but He has assured me of His help and enabling to do what He says. I am not on my own and I am not helpless!

How much I miss when I fail to see God as my personal Instructor for all areas and issues of my life. Nothing is off limits to Him. Nothing is too much for Him. Nothing taxes or tires Him. With His eye watching me and His hand holding me and guiding me, I am ready to step into this day with all the assurance, confidence, and strength I will need. These do not come from me but rather are gifts to me from my Father. He is true to His Word to be my Helper, Defender, Deliverer, Refuge, Shelter, and Teacher.

Father, I am eager to learn that which You are eager to teach me. Amen.

Have Your Way - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZiCf2-0xJ8&feature=PlayList&p=20545CC92CF8C7ED&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=11

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Accepting the Oil

Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked. Psalm 141:5 (New King James Version)

In the middle of a Psalm where David is acknowledging the works of his enemies and asking God to take action against them and not allow their agendas to be successful, lies this precious verse that is an aspect of authentic friendship. It speaks volumes to me and allows me to see rebuke and correction in a whole new light.

When an individual has to call me on the carpet for wrong attitudes and actions, my natural tendency is to back away and feel hurt. To me it doesn’t feel kind or soothing. I can quickly draw the conclusion that their rebuke comes out of a dislike of me rather than a heart of love for me. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t even have to be a verbal rebuke….it can simply be the withholding of what I want from them. Yet they and God have better plans for me. Plans for success and wholeness.

Relationships are so much a part of my life. I thrive in them. Lately though, God is shifting some things and the scenes of my life are taking on a whole new look. I keep seeing myself on a frozen lake attempting to ice skate. The falls are many and often painful. It was easier when others stood next to me and kept me on my feet. Their help was a necessary part of my journey, but the time has come for them to take some steps back so that I will truly learn how to skate on my own. That is the only way for me to gain necessary skill, coordination, and muscle development.

So where does today’s verse come in? Last night, a person who knows me better than most came out on the lake, gave me words of correction and instruction, pulled me to my feet again, and reminded me of the necessity to make wise choices. Not all of her words were easy to hear but they were definitely oil on my head. Oil that would have a profound affect on my thoughts and motives. She didn’t stay on the lake with me. She is purposefully and wisely standing at a distance to watch and pray. She knows that what was helpful at one time would be a hindrance now. She and God both want me to experience free style skating with all the turns, whirls, and grace that is possible.

This morning I am starting my day with the oil still on my head and thankful for the one whom God used to put it there. Today will be a day of staying on my feet a little longer as I continue to master the art of skating!

Father, keep showing me any debris on the lake of my life that hinders me from truly skating free. I look forward to the day when freedom of movement marks my path. Amen.

In His Time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo-rGzx2OZk&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Temporary Times

When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent) So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. John 9:6, 7 (New American Standard Bible)

I have been thinking today of not only this miracle account in Scripture but many that played out in similar fashion. Every physical situation imaginable… blindness, deafness, leprosy, cripples, paralysis, demon possession, epilepsy….were no match for Jesus’ pronouncement of healing. What I find fascinating is that in each case the problem was permanently gone! This man who was blind from birth and received his sight, did not spend the rest of his life battling any trace of blindness. His sight was his from that point on. In each case where a miracle had happened the healing was permanent…excluding the raising of the dead who later died again. Their healing was complete and permanent.

I long for Jesus to apply a type of clay to my soul and heal me of my internal issues as profoundly and permanently as the physical healings I read of in Scripture. To no longer be confronted with returning bouts of sadness, emotional dependency, loneliness, and heartaches. When I have a good day I mistakenly think it is permanent. I have felt healed and even proclaimed it, only to eventually see the “healing” fade and the issues resurface. I have come to realize one thing. What I often deem as a healing is more of a temporary reprieve. It is a restful time but not a permanent place. At those times, it feels good to laugh and smile. How disheartening when the laughter dies down and the smile subsides. How anti climatic to realize I am living in a fallen world, with a fallen nature, and weaknesses too numerous to count. I despise the patterns and cycles!

Today has been a day of understanding the ebb and flow of my emotions. I am accepting the fact that permanent relief will most likely not be mine until I leave this world and become a permanent resident of Heaven. Strangely enough, this is comforting for me to realize. It takes away the pressure to be perfect and puts a stop to the condemning thoughts that I am doing something wrong. I want to begin noticing the many emotional reprieves God blesses me with throughout each day rather than cringing at the failures. While I cannot claim a healing for now, I can rejoice in progress made and with that I smile.

Father, just when I think the abundant life is out of reach for me, You come and comfort me. In the midst of every emotional battle, move me forward. Amen.

I Have A Shelter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhmS6VvPm84&feature=PlayList&p=F0BA1ACD8C2BFC55&index=54

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

God's Word to Me

The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalm 138:8 (New American Standard Bible)

I absolutely love it when I read a verse and know without a doubt that it is God’s Word to me right now….right where I am at! It may answer a question or show direction or fill a need. It may be the summation of what He has been doing. Whatever the case, it re-ignites my faith and hope for the journey. Those are the two major things that take a hit when I fail or struggle with a heart issue. Yet, when I come away from the failure and the struggle subsides, God is there with a lesson, with instruction, with assurance, and with a word.

The past few days have been wrought with wrong thinking and conclusions. Questioning where I was at on the journey and feeling more of a failure than a success, I so badly wanted to crawl back under the care of others, have them strengthen me emotionally, and make them responsible for me. The pull toward depending on others and giving into that pull will only serve to strengthen the very addiction I want to be free of. Yet, God blocked that from happening last night. He blocked a conversation from taking place, He blocked a phone call from being made, and He blocked an email from being sent. Why? He knew that each would only be done as a way to feed off a substitute for Himself. That is not what He wants for me. That is not what is good for me. That is not what this journey is about. I went to bed with one prayer voiced, “God, show me where I am at on this journey.”

When I awoke this morning what had such a strong pull on me last night was weakened and I was strengthened. I began to see the truth of who I am in Christ. A victor not a victim. Whole not incomplete. Healthy not in need of healing. A precious vessel in His hands not a broken piece of pottery in the hands of others. Then I came across today’s verse and heard His word to me. He is working on me, loving me, and sticking with me. The answer to my prayer of last night of where I am at is this…..right in His hands, under His care, and close to His heart. Am I in need of care, emotional strength, and change? Yes, His!!!!

Father, You never give up on the work of Your hands. You never deem me an impossible case. Keep teaching me. Keep showing me. Keep molding me. I give You praise. I rest in Your love. Amen.

Shout To The Lord - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I71XhjqoHvs

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.