A Victor Instead of a Victim

That they may see and recognize, and consider and gain insight as well, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it. Isaiah 41:20

It is a comforting thought to see God's involvement in our lives. Many people live under the dread of feeling they are victims to the control of others. I can think of many Bible characters who could have easily felt like pawns and puppets forced to endure other people's treatments, whims, and choices for their lives. Joseph from the Old Testament and Paul from the New Testament easily come to mind as well as Jesus Himself. But each was able to see God's fingerprints in every circumstance and situation they found themselves in. They desired to keep their eyes on Him until the full story was revealed.

I know God is up to something in my life as well as in my family. How reassuring that He wants me to see His hand and creation in all of it. I may not be able to trust every person I come into contact with. I may not enjoy the consequences of my choices and other people's actions and choices toward me and for me, but there is a peace and strength that come from realizing they are not really in control. Compared to God, they have small parts in the drama of my life.

It is an amazing feeling to realize I no longer feel like a nobody in God's kingdom. Like a lost face in a crowd. Each one of us holds a special place in God's heart and mind. We are precious and unique to Him. I don't want to miss any part of His plan for my life. I want to sense that each day is an adventure with Him. Each difficulty is an opportunity to draw close to Him and be strengthened by Him. If I go through a situation now and feel attacked I know He will not reject me. When I face the uncertainties of life I know He is my security. In His kingdom, in His hands, and in His design I am not a victim ~ I am a victor!

Father, I am Yours and my life is Yours. I love You. I trust You. Amen.

Making A Visit

Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new. Now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? Isaiah 43:18 & 19

It is important to understand the purpose behind God's words. Some would look at this verse and conclude we are never to recall things that have happened to us in the past. They live with the mindset that their past does not matter, is not important, and is to stay buried. I certainly lived life that way for years.

That is until I came to realize how much of the healing in my present can only be accomplished as I go back and see where I have been wounded. What were the actions, attitudes, and words that shaped the way I think about myself, others, and God? As things happened to me, the enemy of my soul was more than ready to tell me what it all meant. For years, I bought his interpretations and story lines. I accepted the lies.

Part of my own healing process has come by revisiting the past and asking God to rewrite the messages of events and words. I have also had to ask Him to show me where He was when things happened to me. The pictures of Him standing close by have helped tremendously.
Once this process is complete and I have His message to embrace I am free to behold the new work He is doing in me. The goal is to deal thoroughly with the past so I can mentally, emotionally, and spiritually move forward. I will know this has taken place when there is a sense of release and freedom within.

When I refuse to go back and allow God to reveal and heal wounds, I simply allow infection to be sealed over with a scab. It is still there and it is still doing damage. The same is true of past sins. I must go back and allow Him to walk me through the process of receiving His forgiveness and cleansing. Then I can move forward. No more beating myself up over what He has dealt with.

Father, You are teaching me how to walk in freedom and how to embrace truth. Within Your classroom I am safe, secure, and settled. Amen.

A Choice of Habitations

Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: Thou hast given commandment to save me; for Thou art my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:3

I went for a walk last night and had an encouraging time with God. I felt close to Him, strong in spirit, and at peace. It was “our” time together and I was enjoying the moment. Toward the end of the walk I asked Him what it was He wanted me to take with me from our time together. His answer was incredible! He simply said, “Remember this place with Me. Come to it as often as you want.” No second invitation was needed. My heart just wanted to stay in that place all night and that is just what I did.

When I saw this verse this morning I realized it was the capstone of what I had experienced last night. My place of abiding, my place of resting must be found with my Father. If I am in turmoil or distress I can make that my place of habitation. I can also make worry, anger, discouragement, and a host of other emotions my habitation. Being with people can become my habitation. They can become the places I frequent and remain in far too often and far too long.

I must be careful about making a habit out of inhabiting the wrong places. My mind can so easily take me to wrong thoughts, wrong motives, and wrong memories. The consequence will be turmoil for my spirit. The longer I stay the worse it will get. But I have a choice to either not go there in the first place or leave it to find my habitation with God.

I must choose to do what David did on a continual basis. As I desire to go to that place throughout each day it will become a habit for me and something I will eventually do instinctively. It doesn’t take a fancy prayer or a long time of meditation. When I simply tell God, “I want to go to our place” He knows what I mean and I am instantly there.

It is imperative that I see the importance of resorting to this place no matter what my mood or circumstances might be. I can come with joy and I can come with tears. I can come during difficult moments or events of great delight. In April I have two events I am planning to attend. During the events I can whisper to God that I want to go to our place. That way the events become yet another personal time with Him.

Father, David spoke much of dwelling places. May You become mine! Amen.

The End of the Story

Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish. Isaiah 41:11

Scripture is full of examples when God reveals to us the end of the stories. Once He has declared it, we can rest in its reality. Just as surely as He has written down a victorious ending for his children, He has also recorded the defeat of those who oppose us ~ especially the enemy of our soul.

Satan loves to mock us when the circumstances of our life overwhelm us. A friend of mine shared with me a list of arrows Satan uses to wound and injure us. Allow me to share the arrows and their definitions:

Doubt ~ Makes you question God's Word and His goodnessDiscouragement ~ Makes you look at your problems rather than at GodDiversion ~ Makes the wrong things seem attractive so that you will want them more than the right things
Defeat ~ Makes you feel like a failure so that you don't even tryDelay ~ Makes you put off doing something so that it never gets done

I must admit that doubt, discouragement, and defeat are the arrows he has been attacking me with recently. But God has given me some darts and a shield of my own to use against his tactics. I can now remind him of his own demise.

When it comes to people, this verse shows me the outcome of their attacks. If they walk in emptiness and blindness they may unknowingly be on the attack against me. Even Jesus had many such individuals in His life when He walked on this earth. So did many of the people we read about in Scripture. God will faithfully carry out the "end of the story" for their words and actions. While I joy to show Satan his end, the scenario changes when it comes to people.

I am called upon to pray for them and bless them. To ask that God's goodness and favor be upon their lives. Why? Because God desires to work in them just like He works in me. He is poised and desirous to bring about change in their life. When that happens their words and actions will change.

Father, You have written the end of the story in very dramatic fashion! Continue to be the Author and Finisher of my faith. Amen.

Friendship At Its Best

You are My witnesses, declares the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. Isaiah 43:10

Friendships are built on mutual interest in each other. We come across new acquaintances all the time. Some remain merely acquaintances. Conversations remain shallow and deep heart sharing never takes place. Some acquaintances become friendships. You recognize each other in passing, smile, and have brief conversations. Then there are the intimate friendships. You have shared with them parts of your story that few people have heard.

I love making new, deep friendships. I can tell when a friendship moves to that level because I am filled with a desire to really get to know the person. I want to hear their story so I can begin to see how their life was shaped. I want to hear of their blessings as well as their wounds. When I am allowed to see where they have been hurt and what hardships they have been through, and when they see the same revelations about me, there is a closeness and bonding that is experienced. I never feel we know everything about each other. There is the continual desire to just keep knowing them better and to be known better by them.

God is no different. He chooses us so that we can begin to know Him, believe Him, and understand who He really is. The day I opened Scripture and said, "God, show me Your heart," was the day God became a deep Friend rather than a mere acquaintance. He knows me thoroughly and wants me to know Him as well. I want to be passionate about Him. I want to feel each talk we have is like opening a treasure chest of His heart.

Father, may I hunger and thirst after You. Share the secrets of Your heart with me. The best human relationships I have are mere shadows of what I can have with You. Amen.

A Continual Process

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. Luke 2:52

If ever there was a verse I would want to hang over my life it would have to be this one. If ever there was a verse to pray over my life and the life of my loved ones it would have to be this one as well. It is fascinating to see the effect of inserting one’s own name in a verse. I did it with Luke 2:52 and would encourage others to do it as well. And _________ kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. My desire is that daily those words would be alive in me and become my quintessence.

This verse reminds me that mental, physical, social, and spiritual growth was a continual process for Jesus while He lived on this earth. Therefore it is a continual process for me as well. None of those areas are a culmination of a one time event. There is never a point in this life where one can sit back and say, “I am finished learning, growing, and developing in my mind, soul, or spirit.” There is always room and necessity for more!

These same words of growth were spoken of Samuel as a child. He grew in the presence of the LORD (spiritually), in stature (physically), and in favor with God (spiritually) and men (socially). As a child! And look at the profound impact he had on an entire nation in his adult life! Our spiritual growth will ultimately affect others. Our internal world affects our external world. So if you are one who is experiencing growth in your Christian life, anticipate the manifestation of that growth in tangible outward ways.

As you draw near to God, spend time with Him, and make Him the focal point of your life, people will notice! Just like Moses’ face shined when he came away from meeting with God, your countenance will display the rich relationship you have with your heavenly Father. It will change the way you interact with others and even the times you are alone. May we keep growing!

Father, continually cultivate, nurture, and develop in me the essence of Yourself. As I stand in someone’s presence may Your presence in my life be evident. Amen.

A Good Example to Follow

Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 2 Kings 19:14

Hezekiah knew what to do with the threats brought to him by the enemy. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, flexed his muscles and his mouth, proclaimed his supposed victory, reviewed his past victories, and dared anyone to defeat him. His arrogance was as evident as his ego was inflated. His scare tactics were delivered with intimidation and lies. It had worked before and he was confident it would work again. The only problem was this time he was coming against the living God who was poised to defend His people and God’s servant who trusted in that defense.
Hezekiah had no problem taking the threatening letter out of the hand of a messenger and placing it into the hand of the God of the universe. He knew he served the one, true God. He knew his God loved His people and would fight for them. It is obvious that Hezekiah was a man of prayer. He knew how to come to God with confidence and to spread out the specifics of his situation.

How well do we do at times of turmoil in our own lives? How quick are we to take our situations to God with an expectancy that He desires to act on our behalf? Hezekiah leaves me an example to follow, because I love and serve the same God he loved and served. What is it I can learn from my ancestor of Bible times?

Prayer is a weapon of offense! I must learn to take everything to God and anticipate His loving response to me. Just like with Hezekiah‘s prayers, my prayers move God to act on my behalf. Nothing is too hard for God. Nothing is beyond His reach. As I place my situations, worries, and problems in His hands I can rest assured He will handle things in the right way. I trust His heart! Although He may not always act in the way I want, I know He is always loving, always good, always right, and always in control.

Whatever it is I bring to Him today, His hands are already reaching out to take hold of it. I am not bothering Him with my requests. I am inviting Him to intervene on my behalf and interact in my life.

Father, You are still God! Your Word shows me Your interaction with Your creation. You are still that personal, that involved, and that willing to act on my behalf today. I come to You! Amen.