Asking For and Receiving Help

So Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me to my allotted territory, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I will likewise go with you to your allotted territory.” And Simeon went with him. Judges 1:3 (New King James Version)

After the death of Joshua the children of Israel still had land to conquer. Each tribe knew which area was portioned to them and it was up to them to drive out the inhabitants and occupy their territory. The tribe of Judah was wise to ask for help from the tribe of Simeon. Each would help the other in their particular battles. How like them we as believers need to be!

The Christian life is not meant to be lived with a lone ranger mentality. Let’s face it, there are times when situations, circumstances, trials, and problems necessitate the need for help from others. In the course of my Christian life, God has faithfully brought individuals into my life to help in significant ways. Many were the times I had no trouble acknowledging my need or accepting help. Looking to people for wisdom, counsel, and direction was like second nature to me.

Yet, there was a day when I found myself attempting to survive a difficult time “on my own!” When a substantial relationship fell apart and waves of emotions seemed intent on doing me in, I spent six months floundering in the darkest world I had ever experienced. Due to shame and fear I struggled to do what use to come so easily…ask for help. I wasn’t sure anyone could or would help. I thought I could somehow manage on my own. I was wrong! My journey out of darkness began the day a friend offered to come along side and help. That help came in the form of prayer, listening, counseling, and a two year long accountability partnership. She was every bit a “Simeon” to this “Judah.” Although there are times an ache will jab me about my former relationship, the darkness has passed and I am daily moving forward into the life God intends for me to live.

So is help still necessary? Absolutely! As I am confronted with new issues and obstacles I am more aware than ever of the need for help. I continue to ask questions, request prayer, and sit under wise counsel. As I have been helped, it is now my desire to help others as well. I can think of no better way to show that the help given to me in my time of need was not given in vain.

Father, when I needed it most help came. Use me in someone’s life as one was used in mine. Amen.

Count On Me - Whitney Houston & CeCe Winans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zMbhfQwfyY&feature=related

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

It's Not What I Thought

They said to Him, "Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory." "But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." Mark 10:37,40 (New American Standard Bible)

James and John made a request of Jesus that opened up an opportunity for learning. Jesus had just revealed His future suffering, death, and resurrection to them and their first response is to ask for prime seating in His kingdom. Jesus’ answer is a quick reminder that many things are left up to the decision of God the Father to make and He has no intention on usurping that position. Not only are the seating arrangements in Heaven prepared for specific people but so are arrangements here on earth.

There are certain things I would like to do that are not for me. They have not been chosen and ordained by God for me. I watch as others step into rolls and relationships that I desire for myself. The ache of disappointment and the sting of dissatisfaction reveal my own heart attitudes that need God’s redemptive touch. The enemy of my soul wastes no time in parading his lies across the foreground of my thinking. Not good enough, not favored enough, being punished, the list goes on and on. When it is all said and done God’s character, heart, sovereignty and wisdom are what come under attack.

He longs for me to trust Him and His plan for me. He stands ready to remind me that His plans and thoughts are better than my own. He has had His hand and eye on me from the moment of my conception and He knows the end of my story. But I keep squirming and straining. I keep thinking my plan would be better and that I would be happier if given the things I want. How foolish and how childish of me. I am limited in my perspective, my abilities, and my vantage point. I have the “here and now” view and God has eternity past, present, and future.

Each day I am invited to exchange my thoughts for His. To believe His intentions for me are good, honorable, and precious. To open my closed fists and reserved heart to the very reason for which He created me. To poise myself for His work and design in my life. I am not looked over, ignored, invisible, or forgotten by Him. I am loved and I am His.

Father, You keep showing me these truths with the purpose of changing my view of You and myself. Thank you that You continue to invest Your time and heart in my life. Help me to stop looking at the things You have not prepared for me and start embracing the things You have! Amen.

Your Name - Phillips, Craig, & Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=othYj8jWSwc&feature=related

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

Called to be Changed

When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness.” And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. Luke 13:12,13 (New American Standard Bible)

Instantaneous change! Just like when Jesus commanded the storm to be still at sea. Just like when He commanded Lazarus to rise from the dead. Just like when He performed any number of other miracles during His years on this earth. This woman was freed from 18 years of spiritual and physical bondage. She could finally stand erect and proclaim her praise to God. She had no doubt of her complete healing. She had no doubt God had moved on her behalf and brought immediate change to her life.

Can you imagine this woman experiencing all of this, leaving the synagogue, and then telling herself, “That was great but I am not use to this new way of life, so I choose to return to the way things were. The way I have grown accustomed to living my life.” Then proceeding to place herself back into her former bent over position! The sheer absurdity of that thought leaves one laughing. Not this woman! She would spend the rest of her life embracing, delighting in, and celebrating the change! There is no question the improvement was worth holding on to. Every day would be a reminder to her of a new way to live her life….in freedom of posture, mobility, and capability.

Is that not God’s desire for each one of us? Many times we look at the moment when we received Christ as a turn around point in our life. We instantly went from being alienated from God to becoming His son or daughter. The indwelling of His Spirit in us instantly gave us the ability to understand His Word, to live differently, and to communicate with God on a personal level. But God wants us to know that many changes will continue to take place in our lives on a daily basis. Just like Jesus saw this woman’s condition and called her over to Himself, He continually sees our conditions and calls us to Himself. There is a process of transformation, renewal, and growth that is on going. May we never think God is finished with the changes He has in mind for us. Some are slight and some are drastic. I want them all!

I wrote this devotional just over four years ago. God continues to work His changes in me. Of late, those changes pertain to relationships. Continuing to learn the balance between what to take to people and what to take to God alone. Learning to trust God to be enough when I am so use to looking to individuals for the meeting of needs. Learning to be content in times of solitude that God initiates. Ever learning. Ever changing.

Father, You still have much to do in me. Sometimes the process is delightful and sometimes it is painful. But I trust You. Amen.

Potter's Hand - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRy79VQh-KI

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

Even When It Doesn't Make Sense

Simon answered and said, Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets. Luke 5:5 (New American Standard Bible)

I love Simon Peter! Jesus has just told him to prepare for a miracle and Peter is giving him reasons why it won’t work. After an entire evening of fishing with zero results, Jesus tells Peter to drop the nets one more time. Simon has limited vision. Jesus sees and knows what Simon can’t imagine…a haul of fish so great that the nets will begin to break and two boats will be filled! But more than fish are caught that day. While Simon and the others are after fish, Jesus is after their hearts. When it was all said and done three would be disciples left everything and followed Him.

God wants the stories of Scripture to be more than interesting reading to us. With each encounter we witness He wants us to see ourselves and our situations within the story lines. There are times He will come to us with a request that does not make sense to us. Maybe it has to do with an area where we have failed in the past. Maybe it has to do with something we feel unqualified or unable to do. Maybe we hear the instructions but fail to see how it will ever work. Maybe we are filled with more doubt than faith because we can’t imagine God would actually be calling us to a position whereby He is preparing us for something great. It might be a long time desire of our heart and yet we begin to formulate all the reasons we don’t see it ever working.

But there is a combination in this story that encourages me today. Like a match and a stick of dynamite it is very affective when put together. After giving his opinion, Peter ends up doing what Jesus tells him to do. It is his cooperation that opens the door for a miracle. Like Peter, God is not calling us to understand it all or have it all figured out. There are times in our life when we know what God is suggesting, we see what it is He wants us to do, and in the end we must simply cooperate. It is okay to tell God how we feel, to give voice to our doubts and concerns. God understands our turmoil. But in the end our cooperation will join our hearts with His work and life will never be the same!

Sometimes faith has to lead the way and sometimes actions have to precede faith. I am not sure what was going through Peter’s mind when he finally did the very thing Jesus told him to do. His past experience told him it wouldn’t work, but his Creator told him it would. He had to learn what we all have to learn. It is Christ, not our feelings, not our opinions, not our experiences, that matters…even when it doesn’t make sense.

Father, You and I have had similar conversations. May today’s Scripture bring me that much closer to following You with abandon! Amen.

With All I Am - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns&feature=related

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

That Which Hinders Change

The people answered and said, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods.” Joshua 24:16 (New American Standard Bible)

This was Israel’s answer to Joshua’s challenge to choose between following the Lord or following other gods and their words astound me. Why? Because throughout the first six books of the Bible that which they state to Joshua is not what was lived out in their lives. Theirs was a constant forsaking of the Lord to serve other gods. As a matter of fact, after their professed choosing of God, Joshua tells them in verse 23 to put away the foreign gods that are among them. I know that the next book, Judges, is filled with the sad statements of the children of Israel doing evil in the sight of the Lord, forsaking the Lord, and serving other Gods. Theirs was a continual forsaking of the Lord and a continual serving of other gods.

What I see lacking in their statement to Joshua is confession….honest confession of what has been a pattern for them. It would have been encouraging to hear them say, “Yes, we have forsaken the Lord many times and, yes, we have served other gods. We acknowledge that and ask God’s forgiveness and from this point on determine and choose to serve Him and Him alone.” But no such declaration is made. What they failed to admit continued to be a problem and a stronghold to them.

It is no different for you and me today. God calls each of us to a place of confession , transparency, and repentance. That call requires that we get very honest with ourselves, with God, and with others. What we refuse to talk about, admit, and bring to the surface will remain a snare to us. Will it be comfortable? Not really. Will it ever be embarrassing or cause us to squirm? Most likely. But when we give voice to what we would rather deny or hide, several things take place. We become empowered to no longer live in our rut of choice. We lighten ourselves of the load of secrets and guilt we have carried. We take responsibility for our actions and attitudes. We take steps toward the freedom that we are meant to have. We garner the prayer support of those who finally see the truth about us instead of the image we have so persistently crafted and displayed in the past.

The Israelites were experts at saying what they felt sounded good but their lifestyles exposed the truth. Joshua saw this and admonished them to have heart changes. God sees the contrast of what we are saying and what we are doing and He too longs for us have heart changes.

Father, I have tasted the bitter fruit of living in denial and I have feasted on the rich reward of acknowledging and agreeing with You on the condition of my heart. Continue to bring me to the place of crystal, clear transparency at all times. Amen.

Change My Heart, oh God
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUjUvoynGMM

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

They Are Not the Enemy

John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him, for he who is not against you is for you.” Luke 9:49,50 (New American Standard Bible)

There was a time in my Christian life when I felt like these disciples. It was hard for me to accept differences among believers. If I were to go to a women’s event and during lunch sit at a table with 6 or 7 other women I was rapidly doing some calculating in my mind. I somehow had to figure out what they believed doctrinally and what standards they held. My findings would help me determine to what degree of fellowship I could enjoy with them. I have shared that aspect with others and they stand amazed that I would ever have such a rigid view.

What was my problem? I could not conceive of the fact that within the body of Christ there is much variety. I felt a need to constantly figure out who was “right” and who was “wrong” in many scenarios. I had to be the judge and the jury when it came to determining the validity of another person’s walk with God. Heaven forbid that someone should talk differently, walk differently, think differently, believe differently, and live differently than myself! I had set up a standard in my mind and with that standard I had built wall upon wall. Brothers and sisters in Christ were treated more like the enemy than family…..even within the same denominational circles.

Today’s passage brings things into perspective. The disciples knew this person was casting out demons in Jesus’ name but they were hung up because he did not do things the way THEY did things. Jesus’ answer? Leave him alone! He is not the enemy! I love the reading in the KJV for it says, “He who is not against us is for us.” If Christ says they are for us then I am free to enjoy fellowship with them. Fellow believers no longer have to listen to the same music I listen to, read the same version of the Bible I read, duplicate the same list of boundaries I have established, attend the same church I attend, hold to the same opinions on gray issues that I hold to, or worship in the same style I worship in. It is no longer my desire to live divided or separated from others within the body of Christ as I spent so many years doing. The joys I missed! The joys I now have!

Father, the day You helped me to remove the first bricks to the walls I had built within Your body of believers was memorable for me. I love Your family! I love You! Amen.

If We Are The Body - Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SExJ9od-0zQ&feature=related

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

The Inward Truth

But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness, slanders. Matthew 15:18,19 (New American Standard Bible)

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day not only wrapped themselves in cloaks of man made laws and traditions but sought to bind others as well. They lived 100% of their lives out of external performance. They went to great lengths to perfect the outside of their existence. That is on what they hinged their walk with God. Right actions, right words, right standards equaled righteousness and right standing with God….to them. But Jesus summed their lives up with the words of Isaiah when He said, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.”

They had a system for worship that depended on living up to their standards. A defiled person could not worship God, as far as they were concerned. And defilement came with something as small as not washing your hands before you ate. This was one of many beliefs they held to that said the outside of my life affects my internal world and thus affects my relationship with God. They had it backwards!

Jesus wanted them (and us) to know defilement comes from the heart. Every word we speak, every action we take, every sin we commit comes from our heart. Our heart is the very essence of who we are. It is the center of our being….our command post if you will. We are driven by our own lusts, desires, and depravity. The thoughts behind the actions Jesus listed speak volumes to me. Jesus put no difference between hateful hearts and murder, lustful thoughts and adulteries and fornication, covetousness and theft, evil thoughts and lies.

His point? If a person understands where the actions are coming from they will begin to understand where they need God’s transforming touch on their life. In myself, I can change my behavior but it will simply be like changing my clothes. True and lasting change comes through a changed heart and a changed heart is what God desires for me. How? Through the work of His Spirit in me and through the renewing of my mind. When? The moment I acknowledge my problem and turn to Him for the solution.

Father, I have lived as deceived as the Pharisees. It is only before You and through You that I can finally experience a changed heart. Amen.

The Power of Your Love - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PLAWhr1o1A

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