God's Way of Doing Things

Let all things be done decently and in order. I Corinthians 14:40 (King James Version)

I appreciate the fact that God leads by example. He faithfully demonstrates the very things He commands, demands, and expects of me. He is definitely not like many parents who say, “Do as I say, not as I do.” With God it is always “Do as I say and as I do!” I look back at the account of creation and I see things being done decently and in order with specific creation on specific days.

I am currently reading the book of Numbers and what started out as repetitive and seemingly boring details quickly gave way to seeing God set up tabernacle worship and the placement of His people in a decent and orderly fashion. When I look at the vast number of Israelites in the wilderness (over a million) I realize the necessity of God doing things decently and in order.

But the words of I Corinthians 15:40 are taking on a new dimension for me. I am resting in the fact that what God does in my life is being done decently and in order as well. His daily plan for me is being carried out with precision, dignity, and individuality. There is design and purpose in the things He has me do, the people He has me meet, and the way He interacts with me. I am gaining a new appreciation for the way He orchestrates my life…..one day at a time.

There is a sense of security and peace when I take in the words of Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD; and he delighteth in his way. The word ‘ordered’ comes from a Greek word that means to set up, establish, fix, prepare, direct, fashion, ordain, perfect, prepare, and provide. Talk about significance! Seeing God’s watchfulness and detailed ordering of my life is the reason I can then delight in His ways. It is a delight He revels in as well.

I may not always understand God’s choices for my life but in this truth I choose to live…..God is faithful, good, loving, attentive, involved, and in control. His Word is filled with examples of that! Nothing He does is haphazard or half-hearted. Who better to arrange my life than the very One who created and sustains life?


Father, I feel cared for by You! I joy in the fact that whatever You have planned for my day as well as my life will be done decently and in order. Thank you that I need never expect anything less! Amen.

Ppotter's Hand - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSyKUoCxFMU&feature=related

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

What an Offer!

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13 (New King James Version)

If I were facing a difficulty, attempting something new, stepping away from my comfort zone, or feeling completely overwhelmed, and someone I looked up to, admired, and respected offered to help me, I would readily accept their help and walk with a bit more confidence and assurance. I would welcome not only their help but also their company. As a matter of fact, when I began this journey 7 years ago, I had someone do that very thing….walk with me and help me. It felt wonderful and yet it was temporary. There came a time when that help was no longer offered, available, or in a true sense, necessary. What did I learn from that? The helpers in our life are usually in our life for a specific time and need. When that time and need change so do the ones helping. That is comforting to me because I know God can be trusted to continue to cross my paths with His instruments of help.

Having said that, I am also aware that God Himself promises to walk with me and help me. How He longs for me to see that and rejoice in it even more than when people are helping me. Recently He asked me the question, “If certain individuals offered to be with you and help you, you would be thrilled beyond words. Why is it you do not respond the same to the offer of My presence and My help?” It was kind of question that stopped me in my tracks and forced me to admit the truth. The truth? Help from people can often seem more real, more present, and more desirable to me than God's help. That is NOT the way I want it to be, but nothing will change if I don’t see the reality of it in my life. Denying or hiding it will not help me to reverse that statement. I know this is not the way it is suppose to be but in reality that is exactly how it is.

I love God. I get excited when talking about God. I have a passion to know Him. Yet, I long for change in this area. Asking another person to help me is not my answer. I need God’s help with this one. He and He alone knows why I think the way I think about Him and my relationship with Him. He and He alone can bring me to the place of seeing Him above and beyond any person in my life….even the very ones He has used or presently uses in my life.

Father, may the truth and reality of You set me free! Amen.

Mighty to Save - Laura Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYqogpLpC5Q

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

The Avenue of Help

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high [and defend you]; Send you help from the sanctuary and support, refresh, and strengthen you from Zion. Psalm 20:1, 2 (Amplified Bible)

I cannot tell you the number of times I have read a verse and exclaimed, “Why didn’t I see that before?!” I am so use to David speaking of his help coming from the Lord that I can sometimes miss the avenue God chooses to send that help. I would expect today’s verse to read, “May God send you His help and strength.” But instead it states from where God is going to send the help and support. It will be coming from the sanctuary and from the city of Zion. God’s house and God’s city! Within both are His people.

Many have been the times God has chosen to use His people to deliver His help to those in need…..to me when I am in need. It is not a sign of weakness to accept that help but it is a sign of trouble to refuse it. I stand amazed each time I struggle through problems only to eventually find the answer from the wisdom and counsel of others. They are willing to help if I but ask. They have so much to offer if I am willing to receive.

With that said, I must also be aware of who God has actually placed in my life for that help. Receive the help, yes. Hold on to the one who helps as if they are the only one each and every time, no. I have had the joy of knowing some incredible women of faith in my nearly 40 years of being a Christian. If I had a personal wall of faith numerous portraits would be on that wall. Yet, many of them are no longer the helpers God is using presently. Their season of involvement in my life is a treasure of my past and they still hold a special place in my heart and mind. God used them to help shape me into the woman I am today. At times, I have wanted to still be helped by them, but it is clear God’s intentions are different for them as well as for me.

So when I face my own personal days of trouble it is God I must first look to and then I must perceive who it is He has purposefully placed in my life as the much needed helpers. They may not be in the picture at future moments, but for now I praise God for the treasures that they are.

Father, You have hand-picked the help You’ve sent…each and every time. I love You and I love them. Amen.

You Never Let Go - Matt Redman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y83-vMeWc9E&feature=related

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

Coming to My Aid

And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:29-31 (New American Standard Bible)

I find it interesting what Peter did not do when fear filled his heart and he started to sink. He did not attempt to swim back to the boat he had stepped out of. He did not attempt to return to the position of walking on the water. He did not consult the other disciples. He did not give up. He did not beat himself up for failing to stay on top of things. He did however direct his attention back toward Jesus and asked for His help. That cry for help did not fall on deaf ears. Jesus’ first response was to take hold of him to lift him up and then He spoke the necessary words of instruction and correction to him.

Peter’s plight was progressive. He took his eyes off Jesus and fixed them on his circumstances. He drew wrong conclusions about his ability and God’s availability to keep him from sinking. He sunk in fear rather than walk in faith. Yet he knew enough to ask for help from the One who was present and poised to give him help.

I relate all too well with Peter. I can be impulsive and full of adventure one minute only to be filled with fear and spiral down the next. I can too easily allow circumstances and emotions to get the best of me. My answer? Do what Peter did and cry out to Jesus for help with full assurance that He will come to my aid.

I am learning how easily I can turn away from the One who invites me to abide in Him, come to Him, rest in Him, trust Him, and follow Him. Staying focused is a challenge for me and when I allow my mind to wander and heart to stray I sink. When I beat myself up for past failures I sink. When the opinions of others take precedence over God’s opinion I sink. When I fail to bring issues to God I sink. When I refuse to release my grip on that which needs to go I sink. But just as quickly as I sink I can be rescued, revived, and restored. At no point does God say, “Stay there!” At no time does He turn a deaf ear to my voice. When I want His help He gives it with an outstretched hand and heart of love. Then and only then does He begin to instruct me with words of correction. May today be a day for wave walking!

Father, it is what You do AFTER I fail that astounds me. Keep correcting the distortions I have of You. Keep showing me the truth about Yourself and allow it to change me. Amen.

Help Me, God - Kathy Troccoli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sksuqT1lCUY

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

Overshadowed By His Power

The Holy Spirit will come upon you , and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Luke 1:35 (New American Standard Bible)

When Mary wanted to know how she (as a virgin) would conceive the Son of God, an angel spoke these words to her. The impossible would be possible because of the Holy Spirit coming upon her and God’s power enveloping her. As a believer, it is imperative that I hear God speak these words to me as well. They become the ‘how to’ behind Philippians 4:13 which says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I found it interesting that the word overshadow appears in only two other instances in Scripture. It is mentioned at the Mount of Transfiguration in reference to the cloud overshadowing Christ, Moses, and Elijah. And it is mentioned in Acts 5:15 when people placed sick people along the street desiring Peter’s shadow to overshadow them. But when I stop to think of the displays of God’s power throughout Scripture I see the essence of His Spirit and His power overshadowing people, circumstances, and events. God is still in the business of investing His power and strength in us in order to bring about His fruit, healing, restoration, salvation, and purpose.

Each of us step into this day with the need for God to intersect our world and intervene on our behalf. Whatever we are called upon to do will only be possible with His Spirit in and upon us and His power overshadowing us. It is His power and presence that supercedes our own. He must be predominant and preeminent in our life.

I want to bring this truth down to our every day life. What is it we must have God’s power to do….today? What is it we must ask God for the ability to do? It could be any number of things: witnessing, showing love, overcoming an addiction, embracing forgiveness, surviving a loss, standing in faith, overcoming a fear, taking a stand for righteousness, living outside comfort zones, changing jobs, extending a hand in friendship, breaking off an unhealthy friendship. The list is endless. But when I know God has put me in any number of situations I know the ability to do what He calls me to do is found in His Spirit working in me and His power overshadowing me. Overshadowing my weaknesses, my limitations, my fears, my hesitations. God will make sure I can do all things through Christ.

Father, life is less daunting when I hear You whisper Your promises to me. Amen.

Power of Your Love - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA4narr2wyE&feature=related

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

Two Hearts in the Hands of God

Jacob said, No, please, if now I have found favor in your sight, then take my present from my hand, for I see your face as one sees the face of God, and you have received me favorably. Genesis 33:10 (New American Standard Bible)

Jacob’s reunion with his brother, Esau, is the Old Testament equivalent of the New Testament story of the Prodigal son. Unexpected favor. Unexpected acceptance. Unexpected change. Astounding picture of the heart of God! It follows a time of Jacob wrestling with his own fears, perceptions, and limited knowledge. After 20 years of separation from his family, Jacob feared meeting up with his brother again and understandably so. He had not left him on the best of terms. Hatred and a desire to see him dead were Esau’s attitudes. Yet, the reception Jacob got was far from what he hoped for or even dared to dream. He expected the worst but Esau “ran to meet him, and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.” Apparently, in the midst of Jacob’s thoughts he never entertained the thought that God was working on Esau as much as He had been working on him.

Do you have an Esau in your life? Someone you fear coming face to face with because of the way things were the last time you saw them? You live with a certainty that all has been lost and remains irreplaceable and irreparable. You can’t imagine a favorable reception like the one described between these two brothers. It is beyond your realm of thinking.

If so, I want to encourage you to do what God is leading me to do with my Esau person, and that is to believe Him for change. Believe that all the while He has been working on me, He has been working on the other person. As I have been changing, she has been changing. Believe that God is right now continuing to make all things new. Believe that if there ever is a reunion in this life, preparation is being made for that reunion. It is a looking forward with anticipation rather than holding on to the past. It is basing my thoughts and feelings on what God is doing rather than on how things were at one time.

I don’t want to spend another day with fear, dread, or hopelessness. Instead, I want to rejoice in the fact that God’s ways are higher than my own and His thoughts are too. Jacob’s reunion experience has become my new perspective as I enter a time of trusting God to do what He has been doing all along in both our lives. His ways are the epitome of multi-tasking!

Father, my thoughts are lining up with You today. What a joy to know that NONE of us are who we use to be. I needed this assurance and choose to embrace it. Amen.

God Will Make a Way - Janet Paschal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAz7K72a8ks

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

What I Do and Don't Know

Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed. Joshua 23:14 (New King James Version)
　
Joshua’s words to the children of Israel as he came to the close of being their leader, are words full of assurance for me. They are reminders to me of the faithfulness of God. I need those reminders as a close friend of mine goes through some foreboding circumstances in her life. As she shared those circumstances with me I found myself becoming fearful for her and deeply concerned. It didn’t take long for the “what if’s” to start cropping up in my mind. That is when I had to begin acknowledging what I did and didn’t know.

I don’t know how her story will end. I don’t know what her future looks like. But I do know what God has spoken concerning her and I know not one word of His promises will fail. What has He spoken? He has promised to meet all her needs, to never leave her, to guard and guide her, to fulfill His purposes for her, to glorify Himself in everything that transpires in her life, to uphold her with His grace, to strengthen her, to protect her, to give her beauty for her ashes, to be her constant companion and wise counselor, to equip her for what is ahead, to establish her goings, to do a good work in her, and to hold her in His arms like no person is able to do. God knows her story from beginning to end and this is simply a chapter in comparison to the whole.

I know too that He loves her deeply and has not allowed anything into her life that has not first passed through His hands. Her circumstance took her by surprise but it was no surprise to God. Although people were involved in the process God has been and will continue to be in control.

These are the truths I will ponder in the weeks and months ahead. They are the truths I will continually share with my friend. They are the truths I will voice in prayer on her behalf. And they are the truths I will let sink deep into my bedrock of thoughts in preparation for the day I face circumstances that cause me to press in harder on God.

Father, keep reminding me and my friend of the kind of God You are and the kind of promises You have made. Amen.

Still - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXywFuTf65I&feature=related

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

Seeing a Heart of Stone

And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. Ezekiel 11:19, 20 (New American Standard Bible)

A number of things come to mind when I think of a heart of stone. Hard, unchanging, immovable, cold, lifeless, dark, rigid, fixed, and set in ones ways are just starters for me. This passage is full of hope and promise yet there are times when the condition of my own heart keeps the hope and promise at a distance. Times when I look at the people around me and feel like an observer rather than a participant in the full scheme of life. Times when relating with their joy, delight, and pleasure eludes me.

How can it be that mountain top experiences in the Christian life end up being followed by such low valley experiences? When I am excited about something I feel I can conquer anything and walk victoriously during the next time of testing. When the “high” seems to evaporate as quickly as it came and the tests are upon me the once strong confidence seems to go as well. When I am called upon to walk out newly learned or revisited truth and I fail, THAT is when I see my heart of stone. When love does not mark my path in light of others, THAT is when I see my heart of stone. When mindsets and thought patterns veer away from the Philippians 4:8 list, THAT is when I see my heart of stone. When I hold on to wrong attitudes, THAT is when I see my heart of stone. How can it be when one has been given the promised new Spirit, that a heart of stone still exists?

The One who inspired these words to be penned through Ezekiel centuries ago is whispering them to me anew. I bring Him my doubts and questions. He gives me assurance that the journey is not over yet and He is still fully invested in my growth process. He hasn’t given up on me even when I wonder why. He hasn’t considered me a lost cause or a hopeless wreck even when I am tempted to. He doesn’t respond with a lecture, pet phrase, or stern look even when I expect Him to. Rather He invites me to come to Him and find answers, reassurance, and hope. I am not alone. I am not forsaken. I am not forgotten. I am loved and I am in need of Him.

Father, You haven’t closed Your arms or turned Your back on me yet, nor will You. You continue to woo me to Yourself. Amen.

Change My Heart, Oh God
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYD65-nLDPo&feature=related

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

Even When I Didn't Know

Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” Genesis 28:16 (New King James Version)

God’s presence is not limited or eliminated by my lack of knowledge or acknowledgment. Just as in the case of Jacob, God is always present whether I know it or not. My awareness of His presence is for my benefit. Seeing that for myself brings Him into focus….not existence. Jacob had to come to the place where he could see and understand God’s companionship in his everyday life. The realization of it all set him on a path of change and direction.

Each of us could look back at times in our life when we failed to know God was in the places of our life. Not just the physical places, but the seasons, circumstances, and circumference. Whatever I am going through, He is there. With each issue that I wade through, He is there. Through every failure and success, He is there. He is with me in all of my places. Not just present, but involved and interested. That is a concept I sometimes find hard to wrap my mind around.

For most of my Christian life I lived with the false idea that I was unimportant to God….a lost face and soul in the crowd. It was the very essence of feeling insignificant and invisible. At my lowest points, God wanted me to know that He has always been present with care, concern, and compassion. I am not unknown or unnoticed by Him. Time and time again He invites me to know that, because it is the key to living the abundant life He promised.

It is too easy to define the quality of my life by the things I possess, the people I know and am known by, the personal accomplishments I master, and the way I think and feel about myself. God wants me to know that those are parts of my life but they are not the essence of my life. He is the essence and He doesn’t change. He alone defines me and refines me. My quality of life is dependent upon Him and connected to Him. The more I know Him the more that quality grows. I don’t have to wait until everything in life works out the way I want it. I don’t have to wait until I have all of life’s lessons down pat. Beginning today, in this moment, I can live my life the way God intended. Perfect? Hardly! Fully aware of His presence and Person? Absolutely!

Father, You have never stood at a distance. Help me to sense the nearness of You. Amen.

Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTX5lcxRIwg&feature=related

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

Being Aware of His Presence

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." Genesis 28:16 (New International Version)

Her words struck me. While listing for me all the pressures of life that were mounting up for her….online college courses, young children, settling into a new home, wading through marriage issues, etc… she admitted to having relegated God to the “back burner”. She was over whelmed with much of what had to be done and felt that if she could just get organized enough she could resume the walk with Him that she had a one time. The conversation ended before I could ask what the “back burner” meant to her, but I imagine it may have had to do with Bible study, prayer life, and such. Those activities which center around spending time with God and focusing on Him.

Ever feel like that? Maybe at one time spending time with God was higher up on the list of things to do. Maybe the thought of the energy it would take to get back to that point is daunting in itself. Someone once said that “God is not to be our top priority…He is to be our life.” We miss that if we view our time with Him as merely a certain part of each day. Like Jacob, we need to wake up and become aware of His presence in the very place we are standing. Not just the physical place we are standing, but where we are in life. Every task, every responsibility, every relationship, every conversation, every moment of the day and night we can proclaim with confidence, “Surely the LORD is in this place.” He is never on the “back burner” so to speak. The problem is that when it comes to His presence, like Jacob, we are not always aware of it. He is with us even when we don’t know it, recognize it, or acknowledge it. What a difference it makes when we wake up to that truth!

So how do we live with a consistent realization of God’s presence in our life…in the place we are at? Talk to Him throughout the day. Don’t think of prayer as being relegated to just a particular time set aside but rather as a continual conversation with God where you talk and listen. When life gets hectic, thank Him for being there with you. Verbally invite Him into each aspect of your day. See Him as not only present but involved in your life. Take time to read His Word…even if it is simply a verse or two…and then think on what you read throughout the day. Have Christian music playing while you are in the car or cleaning the house. Visualize God right along side you during every task you are called upon to perform. One person even suggested that at the top of each hour, stop whatever you are doing and say, “Abba, Father, I am Yours!” It will be the start of experiencing God at the forefront of your life rather than the proverbial “back burner.”

Father, I welcome You into my day just as You have welcomed me into Yours. May my awareness of You grow with each fresh realization of Your presence. Amen.

Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place - Don Marsh Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP1kYuOLYqg

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

His Calling

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:2(New American Standard Bible)

I was called and chosen before the foundations of the world. God formed me in my mother’s womb and called me by name before I took in my first breath. His involvement in my life didn’t start when I trusted Christ as my Savior. His call on my life was not dependent on me. I don’t have to try and figure things out or come up with a plan for how to bring about His call. The call comes from Him, the equipping comes from Him, the realization comes from Him, and the bringing it to pass comes from Him. My job? To cooperate with Him.

I look back at some of my spiritual ancestors whose lives are recorded in Scripture. I think of people like Moses, David, Ruth, Esther, and Samuel. Each had a call and each had a time of preparation before that call was fully realized. God’s time table was never off. That encourages me! For I am at the point in my life where I could not tell you the specifics of God’s calling on my life. I don’t know what it is He will eventually have me doing. I entered a journey with Him six years ago that has radically changed my life but I know there is more to come. In the mean time, what is it I am suppose to be doing?

I remember a couple of years ago, asking a woman in ministry that very question. Her answer was full of wisdom. She said, “Keep doing what you are doing.” She was teaching me a valuable truth. God will open doors and bring about the right opportunities. I am simply to daily connect with Him and follow His lead. I am to faithfully carry out the assignments He gives to me. Right now God is developing my character, strengthening my spiritual muscles, teaching me truths about Himself, urging me to speak the truth in my heart, increasing my dependency upon Him, withdrawing support systems that hinder growth, honing my communication skills, and taking me through numerous transformation processes.

With Him I am learning to cry, celebrate, dance, leave comfort zones, confide, and open my heart. The terrain of my journey has changed as have the individuals who intersect my world. I look forward to the day I passionately proclaim, “It has all been worth it!” Until that day comes, I accept it by faith. I am not a numberless face to God. He has never lost sight of me in a crowd. His call is specific, His timing is impeccable, and His work in me will be completed. I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Father, keep reminding me of the significance of each day, the necessity of each trial, and the reality of Your call on my life. Amen.

The Voice of Hope - Lara Martin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbk1TGe5k0Q

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

A Promise to be Rebuilt

The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness. Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt. Jeremiah 31:3,4 (New American Standard Bible)

Amidst Israel’s coming judgment God gave this precious word through the prophet Jeremiah. It was a proclamation of His love as well as a promise of future work. We must be aware of God’s love in the midst of whatever He is doing our life. His intervention in our life varies. As His children, we experience storms, calmness, chastisement, correction, direction, peace, turmoil, pain, disappointment, joy, and much more. There are times God tears down the things we have built our life upon and then there comes the rebuilding.

I have been through the tearing down process. It wasn’t enjoyable in the least. At times I felt there was too much loss and grief to wade through. I felt there would never come a time when life would feel “right” again. Sadness marked most of my waking hours and sleep was a welcome relief. During my time of tears and sorrow there were some necessities for me. I had to stay in the Word, accept the counsel of friends, and continually ask for God’s grace. Difficult? Yes! Worth it? Absolutely. For I have just recently begun to experience some freedom with a sense of hope.

Now I am entering a time of rebuilding. God has removed my idols and shaken up my faulty foundation of security and now He is rebuilding my walk with Him from the ground up. He is using the truth He has been teaching me all along but this time He is the main Architect. He wants my life to be centered on Him and firm in Him. My growth has to come from my relationship with Him rather than significant people in my life. What is built in that way will never be torn down by Him. It will be lasting!

He is not finished with the renovations that need to be done in me but He is faithful to do it all in love. He knows I will still make mistakes but He does not look at my life as a mistake. This life is short compared to eternity but God will use my remaining days to continue to build me up in Himself. For His loving kindness, tearing down, rebuilding, and watch care, I praise Him!

Father, I joy in You today! Amen.

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) - Chris Tomlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I

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

To Whom Credit is Due

What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. I Corinthians 3:5,6 (New American Standard Bible)

Each of us who are believers in Christ have individuals we consider as the spiritual influences in our life. They were either involved in our salvation experience or in subsequent times of spiritual growth. Maybe it was a pastor, Sunday school teacher, ministry person, author, or just a special Christian God used in a great way to help us along on our journey with Jesus. They would be the first to come to mind if someone asked us who has had the greatest impact on our life. They may have gone on to be with the Lord or they may still be living on this earth. It may have been years since we last saw or spoke with them or we may still get together with them frequently. Whatever the case may be, their specialness and importance to us remains.

This was the kind of relationship Apollos and Paul had with the early Christians. Paul evangelized and established churches and Apollos worked faithfully with the congregations. It was easy for people to grow dependent on them and attribute their spiritual growth to these men. Who of us does not have our preferred speakers, preachers, and authors? Paul’s words are meant for any of us who have our ‘list’ of favorites.

Paul reminds us that any person who has helped us in our Christian life has simply been a servant through whom we have believed. They were the avenue or vessel God chose to use in our life. Then he quickly adds that although they were highly involved in the preaching and teaching of God’s truth, the growth itself was caused by God. Appreciate them? Yes! Highly esteem them? Absolutely! But the real credit goes to God. He is the one who caused us to listen to them. He is the one who caused their message to get through to us. He is the one who nudged us to open ourselves up to them as a person. He is the one who gave growth to the seeds they planted.

Certain individuals will always be special to me for the role they have played in my life. While my love, appreciation, and respect goes to them….the credit for growth goes to God!

Father, for so long I have given others the credit I should have been giving to You. I now see them as the vessels You graciously selected and used in my life. But all the glory and tribute belongs to You! Amen.

Thank You - Ray Boltz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrdJ2V3r7Y

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

Still Under Construction

Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished. Ezra 5:16 (New King James Version)

Due to opposition, the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem had ceased for a time. Formerly, the king of Persia had ordered it to be rebuilt and it was to be funded out of his own treasury. When a new king came on the scene, a false report led to his ordering the temple work to cease. Subsequently it did cease until that order was reversed. It was reversed when he saw that in truth his predecessor had given the original order. Prior to that discovery, a letter had been sent to him and it included a report on the temple work….the foundation was laid, “but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished.”

When I read that phrase I instantly thought of my life as a Christian. The foundation was laid in Christ. All that would follow would be built upon it and it is more than adequate to sustain me. But I am still under construction…..I am still not finished. If I fail to see that or fail to understand that the construction will continue throughout my entire life, I will place undo pressure upon myself to reach a finished product. Discouragement will set in as I see the many things that still must be done.

This morning I am resting in some truths. God is the Master Designer and Builder of my faith. He has His eye and hand on me as He molds, prunes, and forms me into the image of His Son. He has assured me that what He starts He completes. His plans and purposes will be fulfilled through His working. Yet the aspects of the journey are often subject to my obedience, submission, and cooperation. As I make choices throughout each day, consequences will result. Lessons to be learned may have to be extended due to my own attitude and attention. Despite even that, I know that I know He will get the job done. He will take this lump of clay, this sheep, this fragile vessel, this marred person and will one day present me faultless, blameless, and complete before His throne. I look forward to that day and I joy in the thought!

Father, indeed the foundation has been laid! Thank you for continuing what you started in me. I praise You for what You will accomplish. Amen.

Potter's Hand - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDAITgJXO1I

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

He Is Not a Withholder

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You! Psalm 84:11,12 (New King James Version)

A statement that Beth Moore once said is continually being brought home to me. She said the area that continues to trouble us and cause us distress is the very place we are distrusting God. I find there may be many areas I readily trust God in with abandon. No question mark lines the halls of those corridors. It is exclamation points galore! Yet I am in agreement with what she said regarding the areas of turmoil. When it is all said and done the bottom line really does come down to trust in God’s ability to take me through storms, trials, and difficulties, and to bring me out on the other side having experienced today’s passage.

I looked at today’s verses and God pinpointed the very phrase that was meant for my eyes and heart. NO GOOD THING WILL HE WITHHOLD. There are many things I may want but whether I receive them or not, His word remains. Whether I experience a loss, rejection, or sorrow in no way is He withholding a good thing from me. He remains my sun and shield. He faithfully gives grace and glory. He is the author and finisher of my faith and although I may not always understand what He is doing I can stand in confidence that it is being done out of love with right motives and extraordinary purpose.

Any trial I may face only comes upon me when God knows that He has fully prepared me for it. I loved something else Beth Moore said along these lines. “The very area where you are most tempted to distrust God is the very place He has most chosen to trust you. Maybe all along He was saying, I knew you could. I know what’s in you. Because I am in you and I am your all surpassing power in a jar of clay. Watch me show off from the inside out.”

As I step into a new day it will be better for me to take my eyes off the people who might disappointment me and the circumstances that hurt me at the core, and look to see where God Himself is working in the deepest parts of me. He has many tools He uses to mold and shape me. He does not allow me to pick and choose which tools He will use. If He did that, I would never select the ones that would be the most beneficial. The trust comes in to play as I once again see Him as the potter and myself as the clay. He knows what He is doing and why He is doing it. I yield.

Father, be the One to consume me. Let my attention, passion, and heart be centered on You. Amen.

Be Still and Know That He is God - Steven Curtis Chapman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C01lLxEo3xM&feature=related

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

He Hasn't Changed

And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!” 2 Chronicles 14:11 (New King James Version)

For ten years Asa reigned as king over Judah. He did what was good and right in God’s eyes, removed the idols and places of false worship from the land, directed the people to seek and obey God, and put up walls of protection around his city. He ruled his life and his kingdom under God’s authority and with God’s authority. So when an enemy nation came against him, he knew enough to cry out to God and seek His help.

He knew how to flesh out the words of Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” He was facing an army that was nearly twice his size. One million strong to his 680,000. His prayer was extravagant, his trust was complete, His expectancy was great, and His deliverance was miraculous. The very next verse says it all. “So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.”

How often do we read the accounts in Scripture and fail to see God as being just as powerful or just as involved in our own life? We might be thinking something like, “Sure, God, You divided the Red Sea, turned water into wine, brought water out of the rock, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, fed millions with manna EVERY day for 40 years, etc….but my problem is bigger!” While we may not come right out and say it, we often limit our limitless God. Or we think we have to help God out. Asa knew no such mindset. He brought His problem to God and placed it in His hands.

God is still in the business of delivering His people! He will still move heaven and earth to come to our aid. He has not run out of power, ideas, or creativity. His hands are not tied, His heart is not closed, and His arms are not folded. He is available and willing to help us. He has given us countless examples in Scripture to strengthen our faith, broaden our view of Him, and implement into our prayers. He specializes in the very things that seem impossible and daunting. Like Asa, we can approach Him with confidence and trust. His name, His Word, and His help are still available to us on a daily basis. Will we dare to take Him up on His offer to come to Him, cry out to Him, confide in Him, and call on Him?

Father, whether I come to You for wisdom, companionship, direction, or help, You remain faithful, available, and active. What an awesome God You are! Amen!

How Great Is Our God - Chris Tomlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxPG_mRHDs&feature=related

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

What to Feed On

Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Psalm 37:3 (New King James Version)

I can feed on (meditate, fix my thoughts on, and mull over) many things. I wouldn’t call myself a worrier, but my mind can become preoccupied with energy-draining, spirit-weakening, heart-burdening things that have absolutely no value or benefit. I can become consumed with thoughts of inadequacy, failure, what others think, unfulfilled desires, and limitations, but none of those serve a good purpose. They distract me from all that God would have me focus on and direct my attention. They rob me of the peace, contentment, and confidence that God would have me walk in and live out of on a daily basis. As one friend put it when I shared with her my tendency to dwell on a particular situation, “You have no business going there!” She was right, because allowing my thoughts to be on unnecessary things robs me of energy needed to do the right thing.

A sermon I once heard helped me to realize that what I focus on determines the direction of my words, actions, and attitudes. Today’s verse sandwiches my actions between God’s invitation and command to trust Him and feed on His faithfulness. His faithfulness is my sustenance, provision, and power for living. It might be His faithfulness toward me or other people. It might be His faithfulness so clearly seen in Scripture. There is not a story in the Bible that does not display the faithfulness of God. Many are the individuals who experienced God’s faithful call on their life and His faithfulness to carry out that call. I love the verse that says, “Faithful is He who calls you, who will also do it” (1 Thess. 5:24). True also, is His faithfulness demonstrated in the lives of those I know or about whom I read. That encourages me because I know God will act faithfully on my behalf as well.

Trusting God and feeding on His faithfulness are the extensions and benefits of being in close relationship with Him….one of intimate friendship. What He is doing on a continual basis is removing all that hinders me from enjoying such a rapport and connection with Him. His desire is that my associations, mindsets, and motives be conducive to growth and strength. That which weakens me is what He is working to weed out of my life. Is the process easy or enjoyable? Not usually. But whether I cooperate with or strain at His hand, His faithfulness continues. That’s what I carry with me into today. Let the feasting begin!

Father, Your faithfulness is beyond my ability to fully grasp but that does not stop me from reaching out to You. Thank you for Your demonstrations of faithfulness which are new and abundant each day! Amen.

What a Faithful God - Robert Critchley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLEgyKpzyUw&feature=related

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

Finding the Answer to the Question

Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah? 2 Kings 2:14 (New American Standard Bible)

These words were voiced by Elisha just after Elijah was taken to heaven by a chariot of fire and horses of fire. He had walked with Elijah long enough to see God’s mighty work and involvement in his life. He had no doubt God’s hand was on Elijah’s life and ministry. He knows he is to succeed him as the next prophet to Israel. This question is his request for God to be as powerful in his own life. I know how he feels!

I too have looked at the characters in the Bible and at the lives of Christians I have known and marveled at God’s work in their lives. There is no doubt of God’s calling on them. I enjoy looking at their life as a whole and seeing how God orchestrated the details of their life in a profound way. How He weaved the color schemes of their life into a magnificent portrait. But when it comes to my own life it is easy to miss God’s involvement unless I purposefully go back and see what has transpired so far.

Whenever I sing the song “Great is Thy Faithfulness” my mind immediately begins to play back the scenes of my life. I close my eyes and the “movie” begins to play out itself in vivid fashion. I marvel at the scenes that unfold: my salvation experience, graduating from high school and then Bible school, moving to Colorado to teach in a Christian school, meeting and marrying my husband, Tim, giving birth to our three children, making our move to Indianapolis, stepping back into teaching, finding freedom in Christ six years ago, resigning from teaching and seeing God provide full time employment, and daily learning to walk with Him in a whole new way. I also review the precious people He has brought into my life. This simple exercise never fails to bring me to tears as I become fully aware of God’s personal and powerful involvement in my life.

The same God who lived in the lives of Bible characters and demonstrates Himself in the lives of precious Christians I know today, is my God and heavenly Father! He is just as involved, just as personal, and just as interested in me as any of His other children. In that I rejoice and take great delight! Where is the God of Elijah? Living right in each of us who know Christ as Savior!

Father, You have once again over whelmed me with Your touch, favor, and presence. Today is another opportunity to see Your face, feel Your hands, and know Your heart. I love You! Amen.

He's Been Faithful - Damaris Carbaugh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNoLUVTtr98&feature=related

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

A Promise Keeper

Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. 2 Kings 19:6-7 (New King James Version)

I find delight and comfort in God’s words for Hezekiah. As king of Judah, he and his people were being threatened by the king of Assyria. They had a track record of defeating many nations and boasted of that track record to Hezekiah. Their desire was to intimidate, distract, and eventually defeat God’s people. Yet God gives specific promises to Hezekiah that come true by the end of the chapter. In essence He says the king of Assyria will leave and be killed by the sword in his own land. What transpired was on a certain night 180,000 Assyrians were killed by the angel of the Lord and the Assyrian king went back to his homeland. While worshiping his god, Nisroch, his own sons killed him with the sword. Promise given, promise kept!

So why my delight and comfort? For the simple fact, that while God does not give me specific details for my daily situations, He nonetheless gives me promises to cling to. When faced with fears, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will never leave you.” When faced with disappointment, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will work all things out for good.” When faced with needs, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will meet all your needs.” When faced with loss, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will restore the years the locus have eaten.” When faced with difficult tasks, He says, “Do not be afraid, I will strengthen you and uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

He does not give me the specifics but He does give me the promises. Just as His promises were fulfilled countless times in Scripture they will continued to be fulfilled to me. As I look back I can attest to promises already fulfilled. Those reviews give me added assurance of future fulfillments. Walking by faith and not by sight does not mean I won’t see, it simply means I won’t see it ahead of time. So in times of testing, trials and troubles it is imperative that I verbally proclaim His promises to me and passionately claim them as His precious words to me. His desire is that, like Hezekiah, I bring the situations to Him and then listen as He reminds me of what He has promised to do.

Seeing the promises, accepting the promises, and living under the certainty of His promises is how I want to live my Christian life. No one but God offers such a gift!

Father, thank you that I am not left on my own to battle or survive this life. You are the ultimate promise Giver and Keeper. In that I rest. Amen.

I Will Sing - Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw9CcLGjouM&feature=related

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

Seeing Him

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. Hebrews 11:27 (New King James Version)

It is imperative that we begin seeing Him who is invisible. Seeing Him as the ever present, ever involved God that He is. I am asking myself the question this morning, “How do I see God?” What view and perception do I have of Him?

Do I see Him as my Provider? The One who knows every need of my heart, mind, body, and soul? The One who has promised to meet those needs in ways that far surpass the ways I would go about meeting them myself? He longs for me to rest in His awareness, availability, and ability.

Do I see Him as my Protector? The One who guards me and hovers over me as a mother eagle does her young? Nothing escapes His notice or supercedes His ability and desire to keep me from and in all forms of danger and harm. He stands ready to defend me, secure me, and protect me in any and all situations. My physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional well being are in His hands and He will never fail at the job of having my back!

Do I see Him as my Potter? The One who is molding my life into a portrait of His Son? Though marred, broken, and misshaped at times, He is not limited by my past failures, insecurities, or wounds. He has promised that the end result for me will be a masterpiece of beauty and a unique display of His craftsmanship. I may not always enjoy the process or tools that He wisely chooses to use, but I trust the outcome of His handiwork.

Do I see Him as my Pruner? The One who cuts away and removes all that is harmful or no longer necessary in my life? The change of relationships, the removal of comfort zones, the development of His gifts and calling, the altering of personal plans, the elimination of anything that is not of Him. He is the skilled Husbandman who has His eye and hand on every area of my life. He knows the fruit that will result with every clip!

Do I see Him as my Planner? Absolutely nothing intersects my world without first passing through His hands. He has planned the path and the pattern of my walk with Him. He has a call on my life and a purpose for me being here. I don’t see the full picture yet but He does. I rest in Him.

Father, open my eyes to all that You are. I want to see You as all of these and more. Amen.

Knowing You - Robyn Mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGbuz8QuhmE

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