No One But You

Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, “LORD, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.” 2 Chronicles 14:11 (New American Standard Bible)

God is working to bring each of us to the point of voicing Asa’s words to Him, “Lord, there is no one besides You to help.” We voice those words when all that we have trusted in is removed, when all that we possess is worthless, when all our strength is gone, when we stand with helplessness and hopelessness written over our situation and life. When we come to the point where we finally admit that no one but God can help us we are opening a door to growth and maturity in our faith. As long as we have anyone or anything to lean upon besides God, we will not embrace the truth that He is the only one who can help.

Asa was facing a battle of great proportion. He and his people had just been through ten years of rest from enemy attacks and now an army that is one million strong is descending upon them. Who but God could deliver and protect in such a time? Former allies are no where to be found. The story of deliverance is remarkable and well worth the time it takes to read in 2 Chronicles 14.

There will be times when the very people you have looked to for answers, guidance, and encouragement will be far removed from your life. Times when you become a wandering, solitary pilgrim in what seems like very unfamiliar territory. At first, fear and despair might mark your days. You might feel you have lost your compass and life jacket in the midst of a wilderness experience or storm of life. Know this, God is inviting you to a time of seeking Him and relying upon Him. If He is presently weaning you off or abruptly severing any source who has been used greatly in your walk with Him, it is because He is wooing you to enter a higher level of living with Himself. Up until this point people have been a gift from Him to you. If you allow Him to take you through this transition you will never be the same and neither will your journey. Once the transition is made there will still be people in your life but the relationships with them will be forever changed. Although they will still bring joy and encouragement into your life you will begin to seek God’s face, guidance, and counsel more than you will theirs. You will walk with a confidence and strength that you have not known up to this point. You will know the joy of intimacy with God on a level that has eluded you for so long. I stand with excitement over where God is about to take you and what He is about to do in you!

Father, complete the transformation in me. Amen.

Jesus, Lover of My Soul - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD-ZdMOx_HY&feature=related

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

A Right Response

Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. Matthew 16:24 (New American Standard Bible)

Feeling like I have lost control of a number of areas in my life can often cause me to go into a default mode in my thinking and behavior. This morning found me wondering how to get back on track with my life without taking the usual routes. Fearful of failing I often want to back away from anything that would challenge me or expose my imperfections. So in the midst of such thinking I asked God to help me begin to break the cycle of destructive thought patterns and conduct. To do something besides spiral into a pit and pull away from this week’s activities. He brought today’s verse to mind and then He honed in on one phrase within this verse…..”he must deny himself.”

At first glance it meant to tell myself no. When I want to eat in an unhealthy and unbalanced way I must say no. When I want to dwell on negative, condemning thoughts I must say no. When I want to stay to myself and avoid others I must say no. When I want to procrastinate on cleaning my house or balancing my checkbook I must say no. When I want to make someone besides God my primary source I must say no. When I want to spiral into a dark pit I must say no. When I want to do anything that would hinder or halt my spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, or social growth I must say no. Then finding the opposite of all those temptations is what I must say yes to.

I knew saying no was part of denying myself but I needed a bigger picture. A more profound definition to grab a hold of. A tool I often use to find the original meaning of a word is www.studylight.org. What I found there for the word deny is the very step I need to take and that I need to continue to take throughout today and into all of my tomorrows. Simply put, deny means “to forget one's self, lose sight of one's self and one's own interests.” In other words, get my eyes off myself and begin living outside of my default modes.

I will be the first to admit, this is a stretch for me. I am so use to dissecting my life, feelings, and thoughts until I am consumed by them. The end result is never peace but rather discord and confusion. It is no mistake that God chose to put denying oneself before taking up ones cross and following Him. It shows me where to start and which direction I am to head.

Father, at a time when I want to say yes to all that would be wrong for me, help me to say no and move forward in the direction You desire for me. With each no my voice will get louder and stronger. I trust You to increase the volume. Amen.

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

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

An Oak of Shechem

So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. Genesis 35:4 (New International Version)

When the children of Israel had made a golden calf and proceeded to worship it, Moses ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink it. When Jacob was handed the objects of false worship he buried them under an oak tree. Both actions represented a distinct closure of wrong turns and the opportunity to start fresh. Both actions showed in a tangible way a funeral of sorts.

My point is this. Sometimes an end of something has to be drastic in order for the door of freedom to open. Hence, the need for alcoholics to pour liquor down a drain, for individuals to burn piles of pornographic literature, for smokers to destroy and discard packs of cigarettes, and for other addicts to do whatever it takes to break free of their addiction. They go beyond getting rid of it or just giving it to someone else. They destroy what seeks to destroy them.

A month ago, I opened myself up to an area of addiction. It wasn’t wrong in and of itself. As a matter of fact, at one time it was a beneficial part of my journey. But that beneficial part eventually became an addiction and had to be removed from my life. Over the course of a year or so I sensed within me a strength to reintroduce part of it back into my life through a couple of avenues including the purchase of a book. That action was enough to throw me off track on a journey intended to bring me to freedom. I was once again in the throws of an addiction and it was affecting numerous areas in my life including significant relationships. Like Moses and like Jacob, drastic measures needed to be taken. What were they?

Confession of wrong choices and accepting once again the truth that this particular area is off limits to me. Not out of punishment but rather for freedom. Some things needed to be deleted from my computer. Then came the question of what to do with the book. Give it away? Throw it away? No, something more profound and tangible that would represent a dieing off. I proceeded to pull the book apart, shred every page in a paper shredder, and then with shovel in hand head to the back yard for the burial. Each scoop of dirt loosened the grip of addiction and released me to continue finding my way to freedom. I awoke this morning with the absence of the oppression and sadness that has marked my path for the past month. My thoughts are clearer and my heart is lighter because I went back to the place where I had veered off the path and repositioned myself to re-enter it with joy! This time I didn’t need a Bethel experience…I needed an oak of Shechem.

Father, You have wooed me back to Yourself in a powerful way. Thank you for the forgiveness and freedom that has resulted from it. Amen.

I Need Thee Every Hour - Selah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2ULhi1szjk

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

When We Want to Run

In the LORD I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your mountain.“ Psalm 11:1 (New American Standard Bible)

Do you ever wish you could go somewhere for a number of years and come back with evident changes in your life? Do you ever wish that the people who know you best could eventually see development that seems so slow in coming? Do you ever wish the person you have become would become someone different? Do you ever just not like who you are and what you are? If so, know that you are not alone. Although few will admit it, many feel the same way.


Have you ever shared with another person your feelings of inadequacy, depression, or sadness? Is there at least one person in your life who knows how much you struggle to walk in peace, joy, and love? If so, does your trust remain in tact that they have not changed their opinion of you, lost respect for you, or are on the verge of giving up on you and walking away? Do you wrestle with thoughts that had you not shared so much maybe things would be different? Do you entertain thoughts of backing away before abandonment is forthcoming?

Escape seems to be the “answer” that some of us feel would put us in a safe place. Like maybe if we just backed away from the places where we experience internal darkness and foreboding thoughts, we somehow believe things would begin to change for us. We can’t imagine the possibility that things could be any different without running away. David wasted no time in letting us know that doesn’t work. Refuge and safety is not a place you escape to. It is a Person you hide in. That Person is Jesus Christ and He longs to be your place of refuge. He longs to be my place of refuge as well. So how do we make Him that place and person for us?

Get honest with Him. Confide in Him and confess to Him all that is going on inside your heart and mind. Tell Him the things that fill you with shame as well as the things that fill you with joy. Let Him know your fears, disappointments, and aches, as well as your treasures, dreams, and laughter. He is not looking for you to stand in His presence only when a smile is on your face. He wants realness, authenticity, and intimacy with Him. Then listen as He tells you the things your soul longs to hear.

Father, help me to escape into You. Running is not the answer unless it is into Your arms. Amen.

You Are My Hiding Place - Selah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfUOLfBFFaU&feature=related

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

Strengthened and Straightened

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Hebrews 12:12,13 (New American Standard Bible)

Recently at a Bible study, the question was asked how we resist the enemy and his attacks on us. As I contemplated that question I “knew” the right answers to give but because I wasn’t doing any of them there was no ability to speak the words. Fighting the enemy is daunting and many times I wait for things to get dark enough and the pain to get excruciating enough before I put forth the effort. The problem is all the damage that takes place within that amount of time. Today’s verse came to mind as my weaknesses, feebleness, and lameness stared me in the face. It awakened in me a desire for strength, straight paths, and healing. That desire is what can turn my gaze back toward God as the only One who can do in me what needs to be done and I am the only one who can allow Him to do His work in me. Others cannot will it. Others cannot do it for me. Like salvation, I must choose growth and change for myself.

How the enemy loves to fill my mind with thoughts that hinder the growth and change. How he loves to convince me there is no escape or way out of situations, emotional pits, or personal problems. Earlier this week, he bombarded me with thoughts such as, “You will never come to the place where God is truly your Source. Sure, you might stop looking to people to meet your needs (maybe) but you will always struggle to embrace God as your true need meeter. You also have no business writing devotionals since failure and faltering steps often mark your path. At this point it would be best for you to step away from everything and everyone until God’s work is complete in you. Then and only then can you begin to talk or write about the Christian life."

Although his words can seem convincing they lose their effect when the light of truth shines on them. Truth from the Bible. Truth from fellow believers. Truth from God’s Spirit living in me. Truth from sound teaching. Truth from music. Truth from resources I have been blessed to read. The truth God used this week was a reminder that He will finish all that He has started in me and one of the things He started was a desire to know Him. As far as devotionals go, broken vessels are usable and out of this broken vessel will come the very things God wants me and others to hear. Stepping away or quitting are no longer options….they never were.

Father, You have strengthened me once again. I praise You! Amen.

Redeemer Savior Friend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r__K8E8y2SU&feature=related

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

When the Truth Sinks In

Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. Psalm 32:2 (New International Version)

Sometimes the full ramifications of Scripture can elude me. I can read it. Someone can tell me what it says and even explain what it means. But when it fails to become life changing for me I know that something is not getting through. God’s Word is meant to come alive to us and make a difference in us. The truths of Scripture should be anything but ineffective. Yet the question I have to ask myself when I am taking it in is, “Does it make a difference to me and what is that difference?”

I have often marveled at David’s ability to completely grasp God’s forgiveness of him. He delighted in it. He reveled in it. He acted upon the truth of it. When he knew he was forgiven he saw no need to live with a sense of condemnation, guilt, or shame. Just as surely as he knew he had sinned, he knew he had been forgiven. End of story!

One thing I appreciate about God is that He will go to any lengths to get us to see something we are missing. He knows just what to do to clear away the fog of our minds and the hindrances to His truths getting in. He longs for us to finally get it! He aches for us to fully receive what He is offering us.

Recently God amazed me with a concept of forgiveness that I just wasn’t getting but once it became clear I was astounded! The concept was this: When I fully realize that I am forgiven I get to live as if the offense never happened! The impact of that statement lightened the load of my heart tremendously. It took away the “I really blew it” mentality and allowed me to see the reality of a clean slate! It no longer defined me or confined me. It wasn’t me anymore!

Just ask yourself how differently you would think, feel, and act if the one thing that continues to hang over your head and torment you had never happened. Well, God has news for you. As far as He is concerned it didn’t and He invites you to come into agreement with Him. Let the truth of that concept sink deep into your mind and heart. Let it set you free!

Father, I never thought I could separate who I am today from what I did in my yesterdays. Thank you for the key that unlocked the prison door of my mind. Amen.

What Sin? - Morgan Cryar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaMIeOKQVDs&feature=related

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

An Important Component

Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart]. Matthew 3:8 (Amplified Bible)


The Pharisees and Sadducees had come to John to be baptized. He knew that much of their attention was on outward appearance rather than inward transformation. It was all about the heart and if the heart was real the actions would follow. Change was the fruit, proof, and result of true repentance. John the Baptist spoke a lot about repentance. By it he meant having a change of thoughts, mind, and conduct as well as regretting ones sin. Without those, the apologies and asking for forgiveness become empty words. Our lack of change can often cheapen our words when it comes to seeking another’s forgiveness.

Some of us know all too well the trail of “I am sorry will you forgive me” that exists in our history. Some may want to respond, “Don’t tell me, SHOW me!” They desire more than verbal acknowledgment of what we have done. They want to see change for our sake as well as theirs.

God is challenging me with that thought today. Because words of sorrow over sin can flow so easily with a desire to have things back to “normal” He wants me to begin holding off on those words. Not because I am not sorry and not because others will not forgive, but because change is necessary. Not perfection but definitely progress. When the change is evident the words will be precious to both sides.

The time will come for a conversation of confession and the giving and receiving of forgiveness but God wants me to take some time to allow for change. Not behavior modification but real change. It is still about the heart because that is the driving force behind the actions. What are the changes? He has given me a rather short but specific list. Not because more changes are not necessary but because true change is His desired outcome. The empowerment to implement the changes will come from Him but the willingness and cooperation lies with me.

For once I am not squirming at the idea of obedience. I am poised with anticipation of what He will bring about through the obedience.

Father, help me to bring forth fruit that is consistent with my repentance. May my eventual words spring forth from a garden of change. Amen.

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

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