A Craving for Stillness

Every once in a while I find myself in need of a little down time, even within my time with God. I find that I just need to sit still, not think anything in particular, not seek any specific information, not read my Bible, not pray, just meditate on Him. I enjoy sitting in His Presence and letting my mind be completely still. There are times that this stillness is not even possible because my mind is so distracted by everything going on in it and around me. But there are times when I am so overloaded that the stillness with God is what I crave. Whatever it is you are dealing with right now, whether it be joyful or sorrowful, uncertain or assured, take time to let your mind go blank before God and see what He fills in. I've had both distracted days this week and stillness days this week with God. That's the way the journey works, my friends. Hang in there and keep seeking Him!

Willingly Give Up

Job 17:9 My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart.

Have you been there, done that with Job? Do you feel like God has led you down a path that seems to be completely opposite of what you had been hoping? I would say that was me not that long ago. There are certain places I have decided to sacrifice my own desires for that which God has called me. It's interesting, but since I made that decision and I willingly gave up my desires for God's, I feel a certain freedom I haven't felt before. I'm experiencing grace in a whole new way.  I am walking down a path that is completely new to me, uncertain is my way and unknown is the outcome. But still I walk knowing that as God is faithful to His promises and Jesus always has me by the hand. I'm experiencing a shift in my desires and I'm seeing plans form that are exciting and not my own. Life is not what I thought it was going to be, but with God the possibilities are endless. His ways are not my ways...Praise Him for that! My advice...hold tight to Jesus and wait with expectancy.  

It’s God Being God

It's Simply Presence

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

I don't know about you, but in my life things seem to change and move so quickly and suddenly at times. Of course, there are other things that don't seem to ever change even though I might like them to be different. There are no guarantees, even when we think there might be. This verse is a great place to rest my ever-changing and never-changing concerns about life. Jesus is who He is. There is no change in Him. I can come to Him everyday and He is the same. He is a constant calm in the storm. He is the peace in the chaos. He is the hope in the distress. There are so many more little phrases like that I could write, but the reality is simply that Jesus is present. Jesus is with me always, whether I feel Him or not. He does not leave me. He does not take a break. Jesus' presence is the one thing I can always count on, whether life is changing too quickly or is stagnant and slow. Jesus' presence is the only place I can feel complete rest and comfort when all else fails. I encourage you to try that for a several days in a row. Seek time with Jesus.  Ask Him to come and sit alone with you, even if it's only for a few minutes. You will find something extraordinary happens in your soul when you spend time with the Creator and Savior of the world.

Get Off Your Throne

1 Corinthians 16:14 Do everything in love.

The greek word Paul used here is agape, the selfless, sacrificial love. I'm pretty sure I don't do everything with that kind of intention. This is a high calling, only to be done with the help of Jesus. Jesus was agape. His entire life was lived for others, even in his death. What would it look like if every person removed himself/herself from the throne and exalted God as God? Ah, would we then see "on earth as it is in Heaven" and agape being lived out fully? Even if just a majority of us could act selflessly through Jesus, what would that look like? But to put God on the throne, we have to make room for Him there. And this isn't only in our "religious" life; it's demolishing the multiple throne rooms we've built for ourselves and building a single throne room for Jesus. He is a personal King. This will begin our journey to living out today's verse. I don't know about you, but I've got a ways to go on this journey. Praise be to God for being God!

Seek God

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

When we attempt to control our lives, we find ourselves completely at the mercy of the world around us. We can actually control very little of what really happens to us. We become reactionary and hopeless and have very little peace. The only way to get inner peace is to relinquish control to God. We must surrender ourselves and seek God. Once we see God in His omnipotence and sovereignty, we can feel his compassion and care. It is a journey that requires a continual effort on our part to let go of what we cannot control anyway and experience freedom in Christ. That is peace.

Rest.

Exodus 35:2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.

Sabbath is something that I have recently been studying and practicing. I guess it's important, when you consider what God told Moses to do with those who did not do it. ;-) Sabbath seems so foreign to our busy western culture. Many of us are workaholics and don't really like the feeling of being still. We don't always like where our minds take us when we actually have time to think.  Even consider how difficult it is to be still for an extended amount of time.  Even our vacations are full of places and people. We often feel the need for a vacation when we get home from our vacation. I think part of the issue is that we feel guilty for taking true Sabbath rest. It seems lazy. Well that's a great lie Satan has convinced us is true, which keeps us from taking time to be still and be with God. Rest is so important and rest with God is even more important. My challenge has been to take a full day of rest each week. I attempt to not do laundry or vacuum, meet with people, bake, write, among the many other things I find myself filling my time with. I try to take time and be still. When I do, I seem to get more accomplished during the rest of my days and I feel refreshed and ready for whatever the week brings. That's my challenge to our busy culture. Rest.

So Stinkin' Hard

3 John 5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.

This is the true test of our depth of love for Jesus, how we treat strangers. Our job is to love others. I have been thinking about this often as of late. We get so caught up in keeping others in check and/or reaching a particular standard for ourselves that we forget what Jesus asked us to do. He simply said to love each other. It wasn't about keeping rules or following a certain morality code. Actually, I think if He would have just given us a list of dos and don'ts, that would have been easier. So, why is it so stinkin' hard to do what He said? Why is it so hard to love people? Satan likes to get his little finger in there and work it around a bit. He likes it when we point out the faults of others or strain ourselves so hard to make ourselves "good" because then we lose sight of Jesus. We completely leave Jesus out of our lives when we do these things because our focus becomes the worldly attributes in ourselves and in others. When we love people, we have to see them with Heavenly eyes. We have to look on them with eternity in mind. That's why it's so hard. We fall prey to being of the world, rather than recognizing that this is temporary. Our eyes are to be fixed on Heaven, the eternal. As Paul said, "I fix my eyes on the prize for that which God has called me heavenward." That's how you love people, whether strangers, friends, or foes.

You're Worth It

I know I said I would have a little something for today, but I am honestly struggling to write anything worth anything. As fall approaches, and all sorts of activities start, please be sure to make time for yourself and make time for God. Each day needs to have a little time set aside for self care that includes time with Jesus. I'm speaking from my personal experiences over the last year with a change in the way I spend time with Jesus. It's intentional. It's personal. It's daily. You're worth it. Jesus knows it and He wants you to know it too. Much love to you all!

What Justice?

Jonah 4:1 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.

Have you been in Jonah's shoes? Have you ever hoped that someone would get exactly what they deserved and then the complete opposite occurs? Jonah wanted Ninevah to be destroyed, but God had compassion on them because of their repentance. Jonah didn't care. He was just mad and told God he knew that's what God would do, which was why he didn't want to go in the first place. I know I've been in this spot before. I've had moments where I really wanted someone to get justice and then grace was shown instead. I struggle to remember that justice in the world is not justice to God. The world's sense of justice is sometimes really messed up. People make horrible decisions, yet good things happen to them.  People are lovely and amazing, yet bad things happen to them. There seems to be no rhyme or reason. But with God, there is one assurance, among many. We can be sure that if we are truly repentant of our sins and come to Him with a contrite heart, He will have compassion on us and bestow His grace upon us. This is consistent throughout the Bible. And to give it a different perspective, think on it from the receiving end. If you deserve death and are given life, what kind of love, gratefulness, and hope must that bring. That's the message of the gospel. It is hope in despair. It is love in affliction. It is compassion in pain. We can walk in Jonah's steps, but we will not see the truth in those footprints. We see truth in the nail-scarred feet of Jesus. We experience truth when we receive the grace of God and the gift of life when death is what we deserve.

Oh, What Love! What Joy!

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Every time I read this verse, I am caught by the phrase "who for the joy set before him endured the cross". What joy could possibly make Jesus endure the barbaric beating and the accompanying suffering on the cross? The salvation of mankind. I can't even wrap my brain around that. I have no concept of what type of pain and agony such a death entails, and still I can't grasp the love that it took to keep Jesus on the cross. He was able to see past his horrific circumstance that my sin put him in so that God's joy could be made complete in us through Jesus. This isn't something to take lightly, obviously. The least I can do then is to fix my eyes Him, for there is nothing in this life that can possibly equal the suffering Christ endured. Even if I had to bear the weight of my own sin and seek my own atonement, that would not come close to the weight of the sin of the world, which is what Jesus carried. Some days there are no words for the immense gratitude and love I feel toward my Savior. I have been offered a gift that is more than priceless; it is my very life. We, my friends, are Jesus' joy. Eternity with us is God's joy. Oh, what love! What joy!

Eternal Point of View

Philippians 3:15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

Our view is heavenward. We are to press on toward the prize looking ahead, and forgetting what is behind. This isn’t always easy to do. We like to wallow in the past or even just reminisce on it. Memories are not bad and they definitely can bring hope, but our goal is always to be looking to what God has planned for us in eternity. We are not finite beings, even though we are in finite bodies. We are eternal and we are called to think eternal thoughts. Not easy. This verse reminds me of whose job it is to change the thinking of others. It is God’s job. God changes hearts, and therefore renews minds. When we are faced with a different point of view, our first reaction is to consider eternity in relation to the point of view and then love one another. Notice I didn’t say, “then share your argument”. Nope, just love each other and let God take care of the earthly points of view. Our eternal point of view is really all that matters in the end anyway. Have a great weekend!

Opinionated Is Not Becoming

Psalm 141:3 Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

This is something I have been asking God to do for me. The transformation of my heart is something that is always before me and my lips are what keep me informed that I have not turned over my entire heart to God. I am quick to have an opinion about things that I have been given the opportunity and TIME to master. I'm not referring to God things here, I'm referring to my earthly skills.  I struggle with holding others to a particular standard, and that really isn't my job. It is God's job. All I need to worry about is me. All I need to concern myself with is following Jesus and seeking His Kingdom and the rest of life will fall into place.  Will people do everything the way I would do it or to the level at which I would like it done? Nope. I need to get over it. Oh wait, I need God to transform my heart so that I don't worry about those things anymore. I need God to transform my heart to be about the heart of the others and not about the actions of others. My mouth is how I know God is changing me inside, so it is about my lips, but it's more about my heart. ;-)

Move Forward Confidently

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

This is a verse that I have held on to many times over the last year and a half. There have been so many moments of uncertainty and questioning, yet God has been ever-present. I'm not going to lie, there have been days of discouragement and days where I just wanted to cower in the corner instead of doing what God has asked. But as Joshua was commanded to be strong and courageous as he was called to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, we also are to be strong and courageous in our calling. God has gone ahead of us, as He did for the Israelites, and prepared the way for us so we can move forward confidently in the Spirit. It's not easy to answer some callings, and it definitely isn't going to be all unicorns and rainbows when we do, but when we walk with Jesus and have Him in us, we don't need unicorns and rainbows. We have someone greater within through whom we can be strong and courageous in any circumstance as we answer God's calling.

Preparing the Way

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I have a pencil written note beside this underlined verse in my Bible. I wrote, "Where I am in/on my journey is not news to God. :-)" I just smiled at this little reminder to myself today as I read this text. I always find it encouraging when I read past tense in scripture especially when it is in regard to something current or future. There is peace that comes from understanding that God is not on a linear timeline like we are. For God, time is not an issue. He takes care of what needs care when He sees fit. So things that need care in the our future have already been dealt with are are being worked for our good before we even get there. I feel the need here to make the distinction, as Dad did in church not that long ago, that God is in control, but He is not controlling. That is where the peace comes from, knowing that God is in control and He is working on my behalf. He is not controlling my steps and making me take a particular path. He is ahead of me making the way passable, not perfect or easy, but doable through Christ Jesus. My journey is not news to God. He is preparing the way, not reacting to my steps after they happen. What work does He have for me to do next, I wonder?

The Extravagant Show

Genesis 17:17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"

Have you ever had a moment like this after talking with God? You get a word from Him that seems ridiculous, beyond logic. Or maybe it's that something extraordinary happens which can only be explained as a "God thing" and you shake your head at the unbelievable way circumstances seemed to fall into place. Or it might be something that comes along at what appears to be the worst possible time, but you find you are completely at peace and the timing was impeccable. (past tense there to show that we only understand God's timing after it has passed) Abraham was in that moment. I am sure he was hoping God was going to do what He had promised, but also had that thought of "Well, if that's what you think is best." These are the moments when hope in God is very different than just a wishing for something to happen. This kind of hope is more in line with believing God is going to do something, and knowing that that something will only happen if God does it. It's a particular type of faith that rests in the hope of a promise fulfilled. It is rejoicing with laughter at God's extravagant showing of His almighty power with an anticipation of His faithfulness to His word. We can be assured that God does what He says He will do, even when, and maybe especially when, it has the look of impossibility. I'm starting to wonder if that's God's favorite way to work.

Salvation Secured

Tried something a little different today. Please forgive the hat. It's a Friday. ;-)

Trust

Psalm 116:7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.

This is a psalm of praise, but I don't really have a full list of praise right now. I needed this teeny verse in the middle of 116. I needed to remind my soul that I can rest in the Lord because He has done great things. There are times when I can see the great things God is doing, and then there are times, like now, when I have to rest in the fact that God is doing great things even though I cannot see them. When waiting for anything, it is easy to get impatient and attempt to move everything at a more desirable pace. The truth is, God has set the pace and our trust in His wisdom is a necessity if we want His best. I have a hard time leaving things alone when I know something is inevitable. I want to jump in and do what I can to help a situation along. But in the last year and a half, God has challenged me to leave my skills behind and trust in His perfect timing, providence, knowledge, and wisdom. He has been faithful so far, so I will trust Him longer still.

Made Perfect Through Suffering

Hebrew 2:10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Hmm...made perfect through suffering. I've never read that verse quite like I did today. The suffering Jesus is always hard for me, and yet, that is why we can go to him with everything. Jesus experienced life in the real world. I don't know that I have much to say about that at this point because my mind is circling this idea of perfection through suffering. It is the refiner's fire. There is much to be gained in the midst of a difficult journey, and God knows that better than we do.

No Guilt, No Shame

Psalm 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

These inspired words give relief and hope. I immediately thought of John 3:17, "For God did not send his son into the world to condemn it, but to save the world through him." In Jesus, we have no guilt and no shame. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Paul's words from Romans 8:1. We have been set free from the sin that entangles us. Because of the finished work of the cross, we get to be in holy relationship with our Father in Heaven. Jesus has taken care of it all, from redemption to resurrection. What mercy bestowed upon us!  The forgiveness of sin and the assurance of eternal life are an incredible gift. I hope you personally know the beauty of redemption and the blessed assurance of resurrection. If not, tell God you want to have a relationship with Him. Accept the gift of forgiveness He offers in Jesus' death on the cross, and receive the hope of eternal life with Him. Be set free from your guilt and shame and experience the deep joy that comes from a personal relationship with God the Father.

Whose Purpose Is It?

Acts 5:33-39 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.

This was in reference to the disciples spreading the word about Jesus. I have found myself enjoying the book of Acts. I have never really read much of it until the past couple of weeks and now I am drawn to it continually. These words embody the life we lead in Christ Jesus. If we are willing to follow Him and act when the Lord calls, we will be unstoppable in our mission for the Kingdom. It causes me pause when I consider the work I am doing. Am I spending time focused on Jesus and the work I can do for Him, or am I focused on activities I want to do and purposes I deem important? I know that I want God to go ahead of me and prepare the way in all things, but I also need to pay attention to my purpose. Am I living according to the purpose of God or the purpose of me? It is encouraging to know that if I am willing to follow the calling of the Father, then no one and no thing will thwart His plan. Now to seek His purpose for my life.

Self-Control

Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

I realize this verse does not have the exact words "self-control" in it, but it is exactly what Jesus meant. You do realize that self-control is FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT and not a practice of human effort, right? That always catches me with this one, but it is my favorite to write about. Now to connect the verse with self-control. The words "lead us not into temptation" refer to our self-control. God's purpose in these is that we would allow Him to change our heart so that the things that once were temptations to us are no longer temptations at all. The Spirit in us transforms our desires so that we desire things of the Spirit and not things of the flesh. Our self-control is not about controlling ourselves at all. It is about the Spirit doing the work inside, so that our self-control becomes an outpouring of our love and obedience to God. We just won't do or desire to do things of the flesh. We will walk by the Spirit and therefore, temptation becomes a thing of the old self. Our new self in Christ, through the Spirit, is self-controlled. I love that, especially since I am someone who does very poorly with my own willpower. I cannot do the things I ought and I do the things I should not. Sound familiar? But with Christ in me and the power of the Holy Spirit transforming my inner self, day by day, I have found that the things I ought to do have become a part of who I am. And vice versa, I don't even think about the things that once tempted me. It's a journey and I am not even close to having "arrived". It's a daily surrender to my Sovereign Lord and the His holy work in me. I love that story.

Gentleness

2 Corinthians 10:1 By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away!

Ah, the gentleness of Christ. Think on that today. What did he look like? He was kind and caring toward ALL people, even those who were awful to him. He encouraged others and lifted them up. When teaching and preaching, he spoke truth in confident calm speech. He was righteous before being right, every time. Christ's gentleness was showing love to all. I don't know about you, but I need the help of God to be gentle in this way. I need the Holy Spirit to infiltrate my thoughts, words and actions so that gentleness is an outward sign of His glorious grace. 

Faithfulness

Psalm 36:5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.

God's faithfulness is His unconditional care and compassion for our lives. He is completely in and His word is completely trustworthy. When we are faithful in the same way God is faithful, we are true to our word. Not only that, we are true to God's Word. Seek God and the Spirit will produce truth in you.

Goodness

Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

All of the verses I read to study God's goodness described His providence and graciousness toward His people. God gives good gifts to us. When we produce fruit in the form of goodness, we are bestowing God's love on one another. God is meeting the needs of others through us. What a humbling and holy experience! Goodness is truly the work of the Holy Spirit in us, around us, and through us. Simple, but oh, so sweet!

Kindness

2 Samuel 2:6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.
I have been considering God's kindness for some time now, trying to decide what it looks like and we can know our kindness is of Him. I've found Jesus to be the best One to look to in order to know the kindness of God. I guess that makes good sense. The kindness of Jesus was apparent to the outcast. He was loving and compassionate to those whom no one else would dare approach. He showed mercy on the weak and gave care to the sick. I hope by now you have noticed that the fruit of the Spirit has nothing to do with you trying to be these things. To show the kindness of Jesus, I have to pray that the Spirit would soften my heart to those around me who are different than me. I pray the He will give me the eyes to see them as Jesus did and to show His kindness to them, not my kindness, God's kindness. God's kindness brings along with it the Holy Spirit, which is life-changing for me and for those who receive His kindness.

Patience

Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.

Here again, Jesus is our example, but more than that, He is our very mind. If we are called to live a life that bears fruit, we must have someone to help us do so. Because Jesus came and lived among us as one of us, He is able to understand the struggle and the frustration. He lived with a mind of love and compassion, encouraging those who were downtrodden and lifting up those who were defeated. He endured much more on earth than any of us ever will. Therefore, if we have the same attitude of mind, a renewed mind, then patience will surely be visible fruit through our Lord.

Peace

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

The peace of Jesus is simply unimaginable. He says these words as if it is the easiest thing for us to tackle, don't be troubled and don't be afraid. Yeah, okay. The key here is that Jesus gives us peace in a heavenly manner, not as the world gives. What exactly does that mean? My experience is the world tends to give us what we need or want without the least bit of concern as to when. Jesus gives us peace as we need it. We are given His peace at the moment of greatest need. The peace Jesus had in his trial with Pilate is what we have access to through the Holy Spirit. Jesus at his trial was calm and collected. He took all that was said and didn't speak a word. We don't need to be troubled or afraid because our Savior has been there, done that. He is offering us His very self, if we will only put our trust in Him. The peace that passes understanding is available to all who seek Him. The Spirit will give freely if we would just ask.

Joy

John 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Again, Jesus talking here about giving us the very joy that He has. His words before and after this are about love and being in the Father's love. Interesting that they are essentially co-existent. When we grasp onto the love of God, the deep joy of Jesus is our blessing. Joy that comes from the Holy Spirit is pure. It needs nothing else. Joy rejoices with those who are happy and cries with those who are sad. Some of my deepest joy was evident through the heart-broken sadness of losing my mom. Through weeping and mourning there was a sense of happiness and wholeness like I had never experienced before. That is the beauty of the blessing of true joy. Jesus' joy is full and complete on the mountaintop and in the valley. We are only able to get this joy through Him, not because we choose joy, but because we choose Jesus. Only in choosing Jesus every time, will we begin to feel the deep satisfaction His joy brings. "You cannot steal our joy."

Love

John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another."

Loving others is not a human task. It is only through Jesus that this becomes attainable. Especially, if we are going to do it as he did. Jesus loved us in that while we were still sinners, he died for us. He loved us through our mess and in our brokenness. He laid down his life. That is the type of love we are called to have for one another. And, you better be sure that if we had that type of love for each other, it would be noticeable. So how do we do this? We must first lay down our own life for the love of the cross.  We must be crucified with Christ so that we can live with Him in resurrection. When we recognize our eternal need for the Savior and accept the love of Jesus on the cross, we are better able to love others. We see our own brokenness in others and we are able to love them through it, because we know that from which we have been saved. Love becomes humble and genuine in, around, and through us through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

For the next two weeks I'm going to tackle the fruit of the Spirit. I'll look at one each day, but I want to make sure that I make it clear that the fruit are really an entity. It is a singular term "fruit" not plural "fruits". When we are living in the Spirit, this is what our lives look like. We exude all of the attributes of Jesus when we allow Him to be our very life. I find it sad that the attributes above tend to be things we try to attain. We try to have peace. We work on our patience. We attempt to be kind and gentle. We practice self-control. Paul is very clear in his writing. These attributes are fruit of the Holy Spirit in us, not goals to attain. The Holy Spirit embodies the good that is the fruit. It is the radical goodness of God that we see, as Dallas Willard said. Oh, what impact we could have if we would embody the Spirit of God! I kind of wanted to type "in-body the Spirit of God" because that's really what I mean and that's a word I want to make up. ;-) Enjoy our two week look!

Eternal Not Temporal

Psalm 103:6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

I'm sure there would be some who would read this verse and say, "Yeah, right. That's not what I see." We are quite short sighted as a whole. We do exactly what the Pharisees did when Jesus came. They expected him to overthrow the Roman government and fix everything on earth. Unfortunately, they completely misunderstood what Jesus came to do. He came to fulfill the law and be a new covenant. Jesus was focused on our eternal redemption, not our temporal earthly circumstances. Our challenge then is to accept the eternal work he did for us and surrender our temporal life to him. We need Kingdom eyes that focus on Jesus, in whom the power to redeem the world was manifested in His resurrection and is now available to us through the Holy Spirit. The Lord has done the work for each of us. May we have eyes to see and minds to comprehend.

Expectancy and Hope

Ephesians 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory.

I have been learning a ton about the power of the Holy Spirit, not only in my life, but in the world. God has been introducing me to the Spirit in new ways throughout the past six months. It has been an interesting experience. God has invited me to spend time in prayer to the Holy Spirit, speaking directly to that part of the Godhead. I have been challenged with walking differently with the Spirit and seeking the Spirit differently as I learn more about who God is and my relationship with Him. My mom knew the Holy Spirit so well and I got to see glimpses of that relationship throughout my life. I'm excited to be building that relationship on my own and seeking God with a new fervency for who He is and how He works. My prayer for you is that you would open your heart to the Holy Spirit's work in your life. It seems odd and a little unsettling, but that's only when you don't have an understanding of who the Holy Spirit is. Once you get to know peace and holy fear (which is true love) replace scared and unsure. I have so much more to grow in this area, but I am finding the immense power of God to be full of expectancy and hope. I need that.

Pray

Get on your knees and pray today. Make that your time with God.

Encouragement

Today I'm needing to write a word of encouragement, for my own sake. I'm needing the reminder of who God is. There are times in life when circumstances seem to overwhelm or drown out the voice of Jesus. We are caught in the waves life's storm and feel like Jesus is asleep. We need to wake Jesus in our hearts. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to calm the storm within and make things happen. Some descriptors of our Lord...

He is... faithful, hope, love, compassion, truth, just, honorable, eternal, holy, redeemer, Lord, triune, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, creator, light, way, life, victor, provider, worthy, sacrifice, perfect, almighty, peace, joy, patience, kindness, good, gentle, Father, transformational, grace, living, true, caring, salvation, forgiveness.

Such a great list, not an exhaustive one, but a great one. I needed these words today, to remind me of who God is to me and for me. May I rest in Him today amidst the storm.

Providence and Timing

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I don't personally experience much anxiety, but when I do, I have found that just spending time with God is the quickest way to find rest for my spirit.  I take time to sit and focus on Him breathing the name Yahweh. I lay those troubles at the foot of the throne and ask God to give me His peace and comfort. I don't do well with petitioning God for the things I want, but I am getting better at understanding what to request. I've found over the last year that my requests have become about time with God and not so much about the earthly things I need. I still have earthly needs, but God gives me assurance of His providence and his timing in ALL things. It's a journey.

Justice and Love

Luke 1:68 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.

I am reminded weekly, as I read through different scripture passages, that our salvation is from God. He never seems to let me look past His incredible justice that called for death due to our sinfulness and His amazing love that kept Jesus on the cross in my place. This is our focus. This is where our minds and hearts have to live to remain humble and to grow in the grace which we have been given. For we know that to live is Christ, but we tend to want to live in ourselves and claim Christ when it's convenient. God calls us to live Christ all day, every day. We have to focus our minds on Him and set our hearts on Him in order to do this, and the Scripture leads us back every time. We are redeemed because of our Lord. We have no power except through Him. He leads us on. He is our victor. He is our lifeblood. We are His and He loves us unconditionally. Jesus paid the price so we can have union with God. I am thrilled to be reminded so often of God's justice and love. Lest we forget!

A Little Rebuke

Job 42:2-3 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know."

Hey, I am all for praying a frustrated psalm to the Lord, but today, this is where God took me. He reminded me that He is God and I am not. I do not have a full grasp on the work God is doing in my life. I know some of what's going on, but there is so much more that has little to do with me that He is working into place for my benefit. I needed God's harsh words today, the reminder that I do not and cannot possible know all things. Heck, I don't want to know all things! I'm glad I serve a God I cannot fully grasp on any level! This doesn't mean that I was in a happy go lucky mood after my encounter. I was still frustrated with my situation and just wanted some relief. It did, however, remind me of the sovereignty and faithfulness of my Lord. He has a plan. He is working on it. He will do it. I only need to trust and have faith in Him, Jesus.

Answered Prayer

1 Samuel 1:16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.

Eli thought Hannah was drunk as she prayed to God for a child. But Hannah assured him it was simply that she was downhearted because God had not given her that for which she had prayed so fervently. Following the above statement, Eli tells her to go and says, "may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him." God does. This is one of those moments in the Bible where I think, now why did God grant her what she asked for? Did Hannah say something fancy? Did she pray so long and ask so often that God just gave in? I don't have an answer as to why God responded to her prayer with a son, Samuel. Our prayer life can be so difficult sometimes. We seek God and ask for what we think would be the proper way, but God doesn't always do what we ask. Often, it seems He does something so completely opposite of our hopes. Yet we still come to Him with our prayers and our requests. So, I have to ask, what is petitioning all about? Why does God want me to come to Him with my prayer requests? I think it is simply this; I believe God wants us to be in His Presence, even if, for a while, it means we are only asking for things. Once we get past the initial requests, God can move and speak in ways that our hearts can understand. We can understand His answers when they are completely beyond what we meant or hoped. Spending time in prayer is about spending time with God. Hannah was given Samuel and in return, she gave Samuel to God. What a thank offering for an answered prayer!

Who's Got Control?

Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, My Rock and my Redeemer.

The psalmist already knew that the Lord looks not only at our actions but at the heart. Jesus came to show us that the thoughts we have are part of our sin. We cannot possibly control every aspect of our being, even if we are disciplined enough to control our outward action. Our inner thoughts get the best of us. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can our hearts be transformed so that our minds can be renewed in the holiness of our Father. For me, the hardest part is stepping back and letting God have every bit of who I am. This may mean that there may be times when I have to admit I've been wrong in order to move to a new journey. God does the refining, as long as I will allow Him at my heart. It's not easy, but if I want my words and my meditations to be pleasing to God, then I have to let Him do the refining.

God Will Speak

Psalm 12:6 And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.

I have been challenged by God to stop trying to figure things out and, instead, listen for His voice and His words as He speaks them. I have this habit/need to try to problem solve everything, whether that be to look at all that has transpired in my life and figure out what it all means, to read specific scriptures and try to make it fit my current situation, or to ask my spiritual mentors what they think and find an answer. I am an answer seeker, a sense maker, a problem solver. God shared this nugget of truth with me today. He will be clear and He will speak when there is something I need to know or do. He is working tirelessly on my behalf to bring about the best for me and for His Kingdom. All I have to do is spend time with Him, know Him, and listen for Him. He will speak when the timing is right and He will take care of all of my needs.

An Un-tempt-ible Heart

Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, an serve him only.'"

Do you ever feel the need to say these very words to Satan? Do you ever feel attacked or annoyed by his attempts to thwart you? I certainly do. We all have moments that we need the courage and the reminder that God is in charge. We are not, and Satan is not. Satan even has to ask permission of God. This alone should confirm who our one true Lord is. As we are tempted, we must stand firm in our Lord and remember that Jesus experienced it all too. We have someone we can turn to who understands our struggle better than we understand our own. Jesus was in the desert for 40 days without food, in great need, when Satan showed up to bring Him low. Jesus responded out of His love for us with every temptation. "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word from God." "Do not put the Lord your God to the test." "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." He quoted scripture, the Word of God, every time. What scriptures do you lean on when Satan comes to tempt you? How do you withstand his ploys? Is Jesus your go to? As Jesus said, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil". I ask the Lord to change my desires so that those things that once tempted me no longer have any power over me. That's what the words from the Lord's Prayer mean to me. I don't want to have to defend myself against Satan's attempts. However, I am a work in progress so I use the words of the Lord's Prayer along with others God provides in my times of need. Getting to know Jesus and becoming familiar with God's Word are great defenses against the evil one, but transformational grace is what I'm really after. A heart that is un-tempt-ible. (I don't think that's a word, but I'm gonna use it anyway. 😏)

Guaranteed

Romans 4:16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring - not only to those who are of the law by also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

I just read a devotional that talked about this very verse. It fascinated me to consider that the "promise comes by faith, so that it may be...guaranteed". Faith doesn't seem like something that guarantees anything at all. Faith is a being sure of what we hope for and believing in something unseen. This type of hope isn't like, "Oh I hope I get this job". That's a hope that is unsure and considers luck as a part of the equation. This type of hope is absolute assurance, a guarantee, of something we know, not with our minds or eyes, but with our hearts. This hope is spiritual in nature, not physical or emotional. Faith is the guarantor. Example, our faith in Jesus is what guarantees our salvation. Seeing faith as the guarantor of the fulfillment of a promise, that is a new way to seek the will of the Father.

Just Be Together

I'm struggling to write today. I have read several passages, including full chapters out of Kings, Psalms, Hebrews, and none of them are hitting me with anything particular. See, this is what happens to all of us. We have moments where we seek God intentionally and He seems to elude us. Don't get me wrong, there are great things in all of these scriptures and they are truths that need to be shared. It just so happens that today, I'm not hearing the words to share. Sometimes God is silent. Sometimes He is simply seeking to just be with us, not talking or anything. At times like this God reminds me that He just likes me. He likes to sit with me. He likes me to sit with Him. He doesn't always want to have to tell me something or have me tell Him something. He simply desires my presence, just as I desire His. I am my Beloved's and He is mine. (There's a little scripture reference for you. 😉) Sit with Jesus today, not talking or anything, just be together.

It's Not Crowd Energy

Joel 2:29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Have you experienced the Holy Spirit? How do you know? Where were you? What was it that let you know it was the Holy Spirit? I think there is a surprising disconnect we have when it comes to the Holy Spirit. We may have the wrong idea of what it feels like to be in the presence of the Holy Spirit. You see, we mix up the Holy Spirit with the energy of people. A group of people at a sporting event can have a massive effect on your feelings. You can become excited or angry, happy or sad, based on the energy of the crowd. This can make it difficult to discern what actually is the Holy Spirit. However, if you've ever actually been in the presence of the Holy Spirit, you won't ever get that mixed up again. You will have a great sense of His Presence. My first real and personal experience with the Holy Spirit was in a worship setting in college at a large convention. I knew it was the Holy Spirit and not the energy of the people around me, because it felt differently from every other experience I had ever had. There was incredible peace and joy, a fullness of my spirit. I didn't want to leave the space, not because I was energized by the people, but because I didn't want to leave the presence of the Holy Spirit. It was incredible. After that moment, I sought out situations where I felt the Holy Spirit. I have found that you can meet the Holy Spirit at any time, in any place, with or without people. I have spent time with Him in corporate worship settings, in solitude, with a friend, at my job, at the workout center, and the list goes on. The key is that I had to have that first encounter. Words cannot explain what is different about the presence of the Holy Spirit, it's a heart thing and it is obvious when it happens. Seek Him and you will know Him when you find Him.

Reason for the Hope

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

I always hope that people will see my hope in Christ and ask me about it. It has happened a time or two, and what's amazing to me is that it is usually in a situation where I am unsure whether or not speaking the name of Jesus will be accepted. I find that after being able to speak it aloud, I am renewed with an even deeper hope. It's not easy to set your heart apart for Christ, much less tell someone about it. As I have grown in my relationship with God, I have found that the more I am willing to talk to others about it, the closer I become to Him. I spent time practicing those types of conversations with others that I knew were believers. Talking with other believers helped me to practice the gentleness and respect needed when sharing with a nonbeliever. I became comfortable with speaking out about my reason for hope simply by responding to people who asked, when I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to be honest. Pay attention to those inner prompts and those thoughts that come to mind when someone begins asking you about your hope. Give God the glory He is due and you will find something amazing happens between you and Him. I can't explain it, so go live it! 😊

Freedom

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

This is one of my absolute most favorite verses. I often need the reminder that my relationship with God is not based on anything I do or don't do. God's love for me is the same always, no matter who I am. I cannot win God over or get Him to do anything for me by being "good". God is always for me and He is always doing good on my behalf. Sometimes I get the gumption to work on my own sanctification and try to make myself holy. For instance, I notice I have frustrated emotions or words about a particular situation and I think that I should try to control those emotions or words. Paul's words here are a strict reminder that if I decide to start trying to be in control of my own holiness, then I negate Jesus' work on the cross. If I'm going to take control of one part of my salvation effort, then I have to take control of it all. I don't want to do that. This verse reminds me to turn my holiness over to God and let Him sanctify me and make me beautiful through the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus. I must ask Him to do the work in me, as I can no more make myself holy in action and thought than I can make myself a cat. I am a new creation in Christ because God has made me such. I am transformed by the Holy Spirit because of the gift of grace God has given me. And this is the freedom Paul writes about over and over. We are not bound by the law on stone tablets. We are free in Christ, who writes the law on our hearts through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Remain free by asking God to continue the good work He began in you. He will complete it. He has promised.

When God Moves

Have you ever experienced a time where the only one who could get credit for something was God? Have you ever had unexplained happenings where you think, this has to be a God thing? I love when God moves like that.  I love when He gives us the opportunity to see His handiwork. Over my lifetime, I have been given plenty of these opportunities, but I have to admit that His current work is just unreal.  Now, I don't mean that everything is going exactly how I want life to go,  or that I'm not experiencing any hardship. No, what I am experiencing are things that can only be explained as God things.  They are situations, happenstances, circumstances, coincidences, plans, whatever you want to call it, that can only be explained as something God has been doing. For some things, I can tell that it has been God working for years on a particular detail. For others, it's as if He just did it on quick notice. And these aren't just things that are directly related to me or Dalton. These are things I'm noticing in the world around me. It's hard to explain, which is how I know it to be God. I want to encourage you to search for those things in your day that are unexplainable, those things that are seemingly ridiculous because the chances of it happening are just so minuscule, and give God the praise. Start looking and you will see His work.

The Greatness of Hope

Psalm 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Aren't there just days that you can't wait for them to be over so you can go to bed and start with a fresh day? That's one of the beauties of following Christ.  His mercies are new every morning.  He brings word of his unfailing love at the dawn. The evenings can be lonesome and the nights can seem so long, but there is light coming. The hope that rises the sun is the same hope with which the Son has been risen. When the darkness falls and your spirit seems to lie down in the depths, renew your strength with the hope of Christ. Pray for His living Spirit to come close and carry you through the deep into the new day, where hope is seen in the dawn. For if we trust in God, He will lift us up on earth as it is in Heaven. We have assurance through His Word that He will lead us on, as He has done for His people throughout the ages.

Faith Worth Losing

Psalm 111:2 Great are the works of the Lord: they are pondered by all who delight in them.

For some reason, today I was thinking about the phrase "faith worth losing". I once heard someone say that anyone who would walk away from God, had a "faith worth losing". His point was, have a faith that means more than anything else on earth. Of course, I think about this long enough and I start to realize that some of the reasons people might walk away from God are seemingly legitimate. A loved one dies of cancer when you prayed for them to be healed. Did God even hear you? Does He even care? You've sought something particular for a very lengthy amount of time waiting on God to do something, everything from material possessions to familial hopes. God didn't do anything, or at least didn't do it the way you wanted. You see people who claim to be Christians who do horrible, awful things to other people, maybe even actually being a hypocrite. Does God do anything? God allows so much evil to happen in the world. Does He have any justice? Here is the one thing I will say. In order to have faith, and definitely in order to have a faith worth keeping, one has to let Jesus in. One has to spend time with God in more ways than praying for a particular thing fervently. Purposeful, intentional, sincere time with God is all God is seeking from you. He's not asking you to do anything particular or believe a particular thing, or even act a particular way.  He is simply asking you to spend time with Him. There are lots of ways to spend time with God. Praying, yes, but there are many others. Going to church can be positive, and it's not simple to find a good one either, I know. Started with a positive attitude will help tremendously. And if you're going to go to church, if that's going to be a way that you are going to spend time with God, then you have to be ready and willing to meet Him there and do what you're prompted to do. You can spend time with friends who are Jesus followers. Read the Bible. Do a daily devotional. There are so many ways to get close to Jesus.  I realize that sometimes the issue isn't so much that we don't want to get close to Jesus, it's more that we are uncomfortable with Him getting close to us. Unfortunately, that's the only way to have a faith worth keeping.

A Job Moment

Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet I will hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.

Job is a fascinating study. He was a man of God who did everything for God. And God allowed Satan to mess with him, in a very substantial way.  Everything Job ever had was taken from him, except his life. His friends were horrible advice givers. His wife told him to just give up. Yet Job held firmly to God. Even in his statement here, that if God would kill him, Job would still have hope in God. I love it! I talk about "Job moments" with my sister.  We discuss the fact that Job was faithful to God in and through all things. We talk about whether or not we are all-in for God in the same way, that no matter what happens in our circumstance would we cling to God? Have you had your Job moment? Is God bigger in your life than any circumstance? Have you built a relationship with Jesus that is worth fighting for and clinging to in the midst of great trial like Job? That's the goal for me, to reach a place in my relationship with my Lord where nothing on earth can tear me away from Him.  He has already promised that nothing will separate Him from me because of Jesus. Now to make God big enough in my life so that I never want to separate from Him. It's a journey for sure.

Be Clothed With Power

Luke 24:49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.

How difficult it must have been for the disciples to not tell everyone about what they had seen and heard with the risen Christ! Yet Jesus knew that they needed to wait for the Holy Spirit before they began their journeys with the gospel. This is a part of my journey that I sometimes forget to let God establish. I realize what I am called to do or recognize a passion I have and I want to just go do it. Instead I need to wait, be still, and let God clothe me with the power of the Holy Spirit in order that His calling and passion within me do the complete work that God intends. Being patient is not simple. Waiting on others can be even worse. Yet this is what we are called to do. We are to wait on the Father for His timing and His gifts in order that the Kingdom work can be completed. Do you know what Kingdom work God is asking you to do? Do you know have a passion that needs the Holy Spirit's power to be eternally impacting for those around you? Seek God. Ask for the power that raised Jesus from the dead to be made real and visible in your life, and then hang on for the ride!

Unbelievable Joy

28 Psalm 72:28 But as for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

I feel like I may have recently posted on this exact verse, but God has challenged me with telling of His deeds. Here is the sticky point.  I don't want to share it on the internet for privacy issues. Nothing weird, but I don't want random people to know my very personal information.  So, all of that to say, I can't share details but I can tell you that God has done an unbelievable act in my world and I'm probably going to share with you if we come into contact one on one. ;-)  It's super cool!  So what's my point in posting such a cryptic message?  Well, I'm being faithful to God asking me to share His story, and I want to remind you that God is working on your behalf.  He is always doing something for your good even if it takes three years. Trust Him for He is in control. Be faithful to Him and see what unbelievable joy follows.

Shout from the Mountaintops

Daniel 4:2 It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.

I just love this statement from Nebuchadnezzar.  How often I find myself wanting to shout from the mountaintops about what God has done! There is so much sadness and tragedy in the world, and sometimes we just need the positive Word. God is always at work, sometimes it's small things like running into someone and having a nice conversation to big things like cancer-free declarations.  I have spent a lifetime looking for what God is doing in my life and where He is doing it.  I have gone through valleys where it seems as though my circumstance could not be any more awful and yet the closeness of Christ in that moment I cannot begin to describe.  I have been on the highest mountain elated beyond all expectations and felt the Presence of the Holy Spirit through the goosebumps on my arms and the happiness in my soul. Yes, the miraculous signs and wonders are things I think we forget to enjoy.  We forget that God is in all things, even when it seems He is not.  I would love to share all of the ways God has been faithful and providential in my life, but there are just too many.  I do keep track in certain situations because sometimes it is literally unbelievable, even to me, how He works out details.  So, what are the miraculous signs and wonders you have seen God do for you?  If you think He has done none, look again, talk to a friend, seek Him and you will see Him.

Feeling Blue

Psalm 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Sometimes I feel blue when there seemingly isn't any reason for it.  I find myself feeling down and a little lost in my own world.  The psalmist, in 42, talks about how he remembers God's work from before and how his life was in days past. That tends to be my go to as well, although at times that makes me feel worse, not better.  For me, the best thing I can do is look to the times where God has been faithful and present.  I seek time with God and ask for His presence to wash me.  It doesn't always help my feelings, but it often does. Seeking to be in God's Presence changes my perspective.  It reminds me that I am so much more than the earthly existence I experience. I take comfort in knowing that I am made for more and that God has a plan and purpose in mind just for me. My hope in God is that He is doing something, even when I can't see it, and He is actively working for my good, even when I can't feel it. When my feelings are getting the best of me, I do my best to remember who God is and what He has done.  I seek Him and ask that He free me from the lies that seem to hold my feelings hostage. Only He can give me true, deep joy no matter my circumstance.

Follow Them All Then...Good Luck

Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

I really like the whole book of Galatians, and today I'm going to write about the above.  Sometimes I fall into the trap of trying to make myself better.  I find a "God law" I think God wants me to follow, ie stop swearing, and try to do it on my own.  In these verses in Galatians, Paul reminds me that if I'm going to choose to do my own transformation by following one of "God's laws", here he discusses circumcision, then I am bound to follow all of them on my own as Jesus lived (not only outwardly, but inwardly). Good luck!  And if that is the road I choose, to live life by following rules, then Christ died for nothing; again, according to Paul's words. So there becomes the hard part of trying to stop taking over the transformation of my life and let the Holy Spirit do the work it is sent to do, transform my life. I've learned that when I catch myself in these self improvement modes, I have to spend time in prayer each time it pops up and give my desires, my actions, my words, over to God and pray that the Holy Spirit works in my life to transform me into the person I know God wants me to be.  No matter how hard I try, I will fail.  No matter how strong my will, it isn't perfect.  No matter how righteous I can become on my own, I will  not be fit to enter into the Presence of God.  Only in Christ do I have hope and only through the work and power of the Holy Spirit will I be transformed, from the inside out. It's a journey and it's not easy to give up control, but it's a must when you walk with God in Christ.

In a Whisper

I don't know that I have so much to say on this Friday.  It has been an interesting week with many ups and downs.  I never seem to adjust to the way that life takes us to the heights in one moment and drops us to the depths in a whisper.  I am very thankful that I have the constant love and peace of Jesus to keep my path straight and to even out the craziness of life's circumstances. I rest in the fact that nothing can separate us from that love. Life isn't always easy to understand or explain and neither is God, but at least I know in the depths of my soul that I am loved, I am saved, and I am okay in any and all circumstances through Christ who gives me strength.

But Why the Suffering?

1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.

But why the suffering? That's the real question, isn't it? I understand that God will restore me and make me better than before, but why does He have to use suffering? I actually think I may have an answer. I don't know that it's completely correct, but it makes sense in my life for what I have seen and experienced personally and in watching the lives of others.  So, let's get to it. When we suffer we typically draw closer to God because we find that we have to.  We are driven to our knees in prayer when we truly experience suffering.  We spend time in prayer building a stronger, deeper relationship with God.  Our suffering connects us to others as well.  None of us ever go through an experience that no one else has ever had.  We find people who have similar stories with similar struggles and we build relationships with them.  Suffering produces a softening of the soul. It makes our hearts malleable and vulnerable. In this vulnerable state, the Holy Spirit is able to transform our hearts and bring an eternal focus to our souls that we cannot gain otherwise.  When life is going awesome, we remain focused on our earthly circumstances in a way that can't produce eternal wisdom.  This is the reason for suffering.  Suffering causes our focus to become eternal as we are transformed by the Spirit, held by the Savior, and comforted by our brothers and sisters in Christ giving us eternal wisdom and peace.  And on the other side, a strength and authority no person could ever gain on his/her own.  It is of God. That's what I think anyway. :-)

Thought Replays

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

I'm not sure I'm always thinking "about such things". I find myself wasting my time on things that are not excellent or praiseworthy.  Lately, I've caught myself thinking about things from the past that still have sting.  I've been spending time in prayer with God about this, as I don't want to spend my time in thoughts that are over.  It's amazing to me how easily I find myself sliding right back into those thought patterns though replaying all of the things that transpired.  I spoke with God about that today, asking Him what it is that causes me to struggle and think back on these things at this point.  I am happy where I am today.  God has done huge work in my physical, emotional, and spiritual self and I have deeper joy now than I've ever had.  And yet, my mind draws back to the former things.  This verse is a great reminder to ask God to train my brain.  I have started to seek Him when those former thoughts come to mind, and He definitely falls under all of the topics Paul lists here.  It's not easy to move beyond our past, even when we have moved beyond our past.  Satan is quick to pull it out whenever he can.  Dad has been putting a particular quote from the Matthew Henry Commentary on Ezra 3:8-13 in his sermon series and it is now a pic on my phone screen saver.  It's perfect for what I'm dealing with in my thoughts these days. "Let not the remembrance of former afflictions drown the sense of present mercies."  Amen!

Being Actively Still

Psalm 21:7 For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

Trusting in the Lord has been something I have been working on over the last 9 months or so.  I have written about it in the past, I believe, about the fact that I had faith in God, but that trusting in Him is so different.  In a similar way, I have learned also that I was good at trusting in God's timing but didn't really trust in His providence.  All of these have been pressed in the last 9 months: faith, trust, timing, and providence.  I had the faith that God was going to do something, but I didn't want to trust Him for it fully.  I wanted to take matters into my own hands and do the things that I have skills to accomplish.  God had me be still and wrestle with trusting Him to do the things I wanted so badly to do on my own.  He challenged me to trust Him in a way I had never done before, by being actively still. It's an oxymoron, I know. Then came the challenge of trusting in God's providence.  Because of prior experience with God, I knew that His timing would be perfect and that He had that under complete control.  However, the providence piece was something I had not considered. It was easy to wait for the timing when I knew what was coming.  It was a completely different experience to wait for the timing when I had no clue what was coming, and it didn't seem like anything was going to come.  That was when God mad His providence known.  He brought things to me in a way I would have never concocted and did it at a time that seemed completely ridiculous.  It has been an incredible journey.  Have you ever considered your own walk in terms of the faith, trust, timing and providence of our Lord? Only when we have wrestled with our own humanity and God's divinity can we truly understand the psalmist.

Go and Grow

Joshua 8:1 Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land."

I love this verse.  God speaks in the future tense, "I have delivered", before it actually happens.  So often I believe God has gone ahead of me and done the thing He plans to do.  All I have to do is go.  This is so hard though.  It is hard to go when we can't see the outcome.  Of course, this is where faith comes in.  I have to seek the faith from God that He is carrying out His plan and that in my going I will see His faithfulness, His providence, and His sovereignty.  Easier said than done. In my experience, after each time I go when He tells me and I see the fruit of His action with my faith, it becomes easier to go the next time.  Oh, there are still moments where my faith is weak and I have to pray for a strengthening of that, and God is faithful. Faith is a journey. We grow with each going.

Patience Is Fruit of the Spirit

This week's reflection comes out of a week of seeing God's faithfulness to His promises come to fruition.  For the most part, I feel like I am an impatient person. This is something God has worked on in my over the years, after all, patience is fruit of the Spirit.  In my most recent promises from God, He spent 5 years for one and 3 years for another to bring them to completion.  I'm learning to watch for the details along the path that reiterate God's promise.  There are moments when I see His handiwork and recognize that He is on the move.  It isn't easy to wait.  As a matter of fact, it's really hard.  I've been seeking the very next point on my timeline, so to speak.  I've been asking God each day to show me what is the very next step I need to take, rather than looking down the line and trying to get to the finish as quickly as possible.  There has been invaluable experience in the slow movement of God.  I see Him working out details that I would never have thought to want or realized that I needed. When God seems slow, I've learned to watch carefully for Him in the seemingly mundane and recognize those moments that you know only God could have orchestrated.  It's been an interesting week, but a good one. The promise is being fulfilled and the Lord's faithfulness has not failed.  Spiritual fruit comes in the midst of a great journey, rarely on the fast track.

Become Uncomfortable

Daniel 9:3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

In looking to the 70 years of desolation for the nation, this was Daniel's response. What is it that you are pleading to God right now?  How are you going about it? Daniel humbled himself before the Lord and made himself uncomfortable in order that he could call on God in a very particular way. This isn't an easy task.  Petitioning God for something is not simple.  We want to ask Him for what we need, but we always seem to fall short of asking for the actual need we have.  What would our experience be if we were to humble ourselves like Daniel and become uncomfortable in our prayer?  How might that change our perspective and our intercession to God? Remembering that we can come to the throne in freedom and confidence that God will do something on our behalf and remaining humble in our plea, ah, that is the difficulty of prayer indeed!

Unmatched By Human Effort

1 Timothy 1:13-14 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Two thoughts about this one.  What was I like before I met Jesus? I don't feel like I have an awesome testimony where I could talk about how lost I was and how Jesus turned my life in a completely new direction, like Paul here, for instance.  I was brought up with the knowledge of Jesus from my earliest memories.  However, I know what my heart and mind were like before I met Him, and I am so very thankful for the way God has transformed my heart and renewed my mind in Christ.  Sometimes I get so busy thinking ahead that I forget to take a look back just to thank God for His mercy and faithfulness along my journey.  I want to forge ahead and move with such great speed, that I don't take the time to consider the foundation and growth in Jesus that got me here. I am also reminded, as I read this passage, that people can and do change, or rather that God changes people.  When I find myself frustrated with the behavior of others, I am challenged by verses like this to pray for God to bring those people near to Him and change their hearts, instead of grumping and wishing/praying ill will on them.  The grace of God is unmatched by any human effort.  If we can accept it for ourselves and pray it on others, we will experience a very different world.

Freedom and Confidence

Ephesians 3:12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

I read this verse today and it really stood out to me.  I'm not sure why I have never noticed it before since the verses following this are some of my all time favorites.  We have so much to be thankful for in the person of Jesus Christ.  We have been given the forgiveness of sin through him, the gift of transformational grace through him, and the hope of eternal life through him just to list a few.  I don't know that we, being post crucifixion and resurrection can truly understand the incredible words of Ephesians 3:12.  The Jewish nation would read these words very differently than we do.  I think we might take our reconciled relationship with God for granted at times, unintentionally maybe even.  Jesus has closed the chasm that sin created between us and we are now able to speak to God with freedom and confidence.  We no longer have to be ceremonially cleansed or be a particular type of priest or rabbi to be in the presence of God and speak to Him.  We are able to go to the Throne of Grace anytime we have great need or praise. This is because of Jesus. His finished work of the cross has given us a freedom that we can't completely grasp in our 21st century life. Take advantage of this opportunity today by asking Jesus into your life and every day you can speak to God personally.

Empathy Goes Both Ways

Ecclesiastes 3:4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

I'm drawn to this verse the day after Mother's Day.  There were many posts about the fact that we need to be careful about how we go about Mother's Day, making sure to be careful and empathetic toward those who don't have moms anymore, who want to be moms but can't, who don't have great moms, and so on.  I agree with this. It is wise to think of all aspects of life in all situations and not just blindly/selfishly go about life.  I'm going to go down this road though, so hang with me on this until the end.  For everything there is a season. There is a season for sadness. Some days sadness is going to overtake you, and it should. Embrace sadness and shed tears, instead of avoiding the celebration altogether. Tears are not a sign of weakness.  They are an outpouring of healing love. We want to run from hurt and keep sorrow and suffering at a bare minimum. We tell others to 'consider my suffering and my pain'.  Well yeah, but if you're the one who's sad, go there a bit. If we embrace the sadness, let the tears fall when they may, and accept the season of sorrow, then we will come out stronger on the other side. We won't be hurt by the joy of others when we do not feel it personally. We will rejoice with those who rejoice and cry with those who cry. Empathy goes both ways. 😊 We will truly live out the verse above.  When we walk through our sorrow, rather than trying to avoid it, that is where we find Jesus.  We are met with a grace from God that is only found in the valleys, in the dark night of the soul.  Once we experience the light of Christ in our darkest hour, we will discover that we do not need to fear the valley.  David knew this when he wrote the 23rd Psalm, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."  Amen! We have got to stop avoiding pain and sorrow or we will never find nearness of Jesus.  We will never experience true blessing until we are in great need.

I'm Embarrassed

I'm going to use Friday as a reflection post. I hope you don't mind.

Why is it that we are so slow to sit down and be with God? What is our trepidation in spending time with Him? Are we afraid of what He will ask of us? Are we unsure of what to do with Him? I think for each of us the questions that keep us from this time with God are as unique as we are.  We may pull the classic excuse routine with "I don't have time." or "What good would it do anyway?". But the reality, as I have come to learn over the last four months, is that once I consistently started to spend time with God, I now cannot stand to miss it.  I dread days when I know I will have something to do during my typical time I sit with Him because I know I will not have time anywhere else in the day.  And what is sad is that what got me to this point is that I was somewhat forced to make time with God because all of my excuses were gone.  I didn't have a job to take up my time.  I don't have kids to run everywhere. My house was clean. My errands were run. My laundry was done. I was well rested. All I had left was to spend time with God. I'm embarrassed that this is what it took for me to spend consistent, meaningful time with Him, but it is.  And now, I cannot function without it.  My days are rocky at best when I miss my morning time with my Lord.  It's a great place to be, in the presence of my Lord, and I've come to seek Him daily.  I just wish it wouldn't have taken me so long, nor taken such a harsh circumstance, to get me here.  Thanks be to God for He is the reason I have a relationship with Him.

We Can't Do It

Matthew 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

What a sobering statement for Jesus to make to the Jewish people! The Pharisees and teachers of the law kept the 613 laws (not just the 10 commandments) perfectly.  So when Jesus is saying this, I'm sure people listening were very concerned.  How could anyone keep the law more than perfectly? His point exactly.  We can't do it. We, in our brokenness, cannot begin to keep the law.  Even the Pharisees and teachers were not keeping the law to the standard Jesus described later.  Jesus would go on to teach that even our thoughts are considered sinning, not just our actions.  So the Pharisees, who were keeping the law on the outside were not doing so hot on the inside.  Their hearts were not changed at all, they just had great self discipline.  So, what are we to do with this information then? We cannot do it, and that is what we must first recognize and admit.  Once we do, then we can begin to live a life in Christ where our thoughts and actions are affected by the Holy Spirit.  We tell God we are sorry, we ask Jesus to come into our life so we can die with Him and be resurrected to a new life in Him.  We enter the kingdom of heaven through the finished work of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  His death on the cross we accept as ours and we can live in the power of His resurrection now and for eternity.  On our own we cannot follow all of the rules and do all of the good deeds to the standard God requires.  That is why Jesus came. Seek Him and accept Him today.

He Is Life Giving

Psalm 50:1 The Might One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.

Sometimes I am just in awe of the work of God. It is incredible to me that He created all that we see, and so much we can't. Then not only did He make it from nothing, He set it in motion and controls all of the motion. He knows every single person on the earth better than we even know ourselves, whether we "know" Him or not.  I find myself looking at people as I drive and thinking, "God knows them and loves them like he knows and loves me."  It's unfathomable to me.  I just have no concept of what that takes on His end. It seems so vast, and it is. I think of the love that He has for each of us and the way He gave us free will to choose Him or not.  He set the world in motion and gave us the gift of freedom of choice.  Then to redeem it, when He wasn't chosen by us, He sent Jesus, His son, to die for us while we were still sinning. The justice of the Father through the love of the Son is a beautifully humbling relationship to experience.  There is nothing like our Holy God.  There is none other like Him, nor will there ever be, and we get the opportunity to spend eternity with Him in glory. He is so much bigger than I can grasp, and yet, I will try with all that I am to seek Him and know Him as fully as He knows me. You are so loved by the Creator of the universe, not by the universe, but by the Creator of it.  That's, no, He is life giving.

When Life Kicks You

Isaiah 42:3-4 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.  In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.

I didn't have an awesome day today.  Sometimes life kicks you around a bit and it's not always easy to take the hits.  I'm sure you know what I mean.  Things just don't seem to go well, small or big.  Your pants have a stain in a spot you didn't even know was possible.  You pull up to the wrong side of the pump with your car. You balance the checkbook and realize there is not nearly enough money to make it through the month.  Your spouse is having his own bout with life. And whatever else you need to add to the list.  Some days are just crummy.  You miss those who've gone before you to be with Jesus. You miss your own time with Jesus. Life seems to be more than you want to deal with, but you keep trudging along (even if your attitude might stink a bit). These are days when my only response is, "Well, at least my salvation is secure." I know I've written and spoken about this before, but these days happen randomly.  There really isn't a silver lining to the storm clouds, that is in view anyway. You need time to pass in order to really see the forest for the trees.  Then I read Isaiah 42 and I am reminded not only of my secure salvation, but the suffering of my Lord to complete the redemption work of my soul. There is more to my day than just the physical and emotional things that go awry.  There is a spiritual aspect that is full when I seek Jesus on my crummy days. When I attempt to be with Him when all else seems to be failing me.  He does not fail.  He is always the same. He loves me even when my reaction to my stained pants is a little over the top. ;-) He cares for me when I'm frustrated with my schedule.  He prepares a plan of providence when the finances aren't so awesome. He carries me and my husband when we just can't handle anymore.  He is our redeemer and our sustainer. I'm learning to turn to Him quicker on those days that aren't awesome and when I'm not awesome with them.  It's a journey, a lifelong journey.

Don't Forget

1 Samuel 16:11 So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?"
"There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep."
Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives."

As I read the story of David's annointing, there were connections to Jesus that stood apart.  I knew that, but for some reason today it really struck me.  David's family was from Bethlehem and he was out tending the sheep.  This great king was doing the lowest activity, shepherding.  He wouldn't have been seen as anything amazing.  He was the baby of the family. He was not even deemed worth having at the table with Samuel requests the meal with Jesse's family.  This is who God chose to lead Israel.  This is who God made to be the greatest earthly king. We get all caught up in our success, status, and stature and we forget to look to the one who makes kings great.  We forget that God takes the lowest of the low, the outcast, the fallen, the downtrodden, us and brings us a life of greatness.  Jesus does that.  He was bruised for our transgressions. He bore our iniquity. He was a man of sorrow. And God raised Jesus above all. We are called to seek God and follow Jesus.  We are to do the tasks we are given and do them for the glory of God. And not only will we receive our future glory in Heaven when we do these things, but we will also experience the glory of God on earth, as David did.  God is for us. He showed us through His son. The Son of man is not only our example, He is our very life. Who needs success, status, or stature when the living Christ is in you? Christ in you makes you great. Don't forget that.

Growing or Decaying

I've just got a reflection for today.  As I was sitting with God this morning, I was a bit convicted about the amount of time I spend on my phone.  Really, any free time I have, I am on my phone.  I'm checking email, looking at Facebook, exploring Instagram, reading articles, and what have you.  I'm not addicted in the sense that I need to have likes and shares or compare myself to others.  It's just literally a waste of time.  It's doing something so that I'm not "bored".  I'm changing that.  I will no longer be on my phone at any and all down time. I want to do things with my time that grow my relationships with others and with God.  It doesn't mean that I won't go on Instagram and explore or that I won't read about England's royalty. ;-)  It just means that I am going to be more purposeful with my time. I'm going to let myself be "bored" and use that time to talk to God, connect with a friend, or talk to my husband.  I was reminded today that my relationship with God is either growing or decaying, it is never just stagnant. And being on my phone is probably not growing me most of the time.  Just a thought for today.

Waiting Patiently

Hebrews 6:15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Promises are something I have been praying about lately.  I've been seeking promises God has made to others in the Bible, promises He has made to people I know, individual promises, corporate promises, and even personal promises.  I have been trying to discern and remember any promises God has made to me over the years.  It's not an easy topic to seek in prayer.  It seems like I am looking for a way to get something from God. And yet, I know I God has promised me certain things.  He has promised me salvation through Jesus.  He has promised me hope in Him.  He has promised me grace sufficient for all of life's twists and turns.  He has promised me His love and affection.  I currently am being challenged with what kinds of things God has promised me in the realm of my physical need.  I can easily understand and relate to the emotional and spiritual promises, but the physical ones are harder for me. I believe He has personal promises for me, some of which I am struggling to wait patiently to receive. Only by continued prayer and time with Him am I able to wait on the Lord and deeply know that He is faithful to His promises. What has God promised you and are you waiting patiently for their fulfillment?

Grow Up

Ephesians 4:13 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Paul often talks about getting into the real "meat and potatoes" (my paraphrase) of life in Christ instead of only talking about "milk".  To get there, he talks prior to this verse about the grace given us by Christ, that He apportions each of us what we need.  This is a pretty incredible gift.  We are given the grace we need for each and every situation we encounter.  The key is to live in that grace and allow it to change our hearts so that we can grow past the infant stage in our Christianity.  Following Jesus is so much more than just getting into Heaven at the end of life.  Yes, that is definitely a part of it.  However, we can experience Heaven on earth if we allow the grace of God to penetrate and change our hearts.  We can have so much more to our lives when we let grace work.  Paul also says, "to live is Christ and to die is gain."  Living in Christ is taking on his death and getting new life through the forgiveness and grace of our Lord.