Ready?

Are you ready to be expanded beyond recognition? ~ Day 20, Awake21.org

A prayer that I've had--that many others have brought to the altar--is that I want to make sure I'm walking God's path, that I don't step off to the left or to the right when He wants me to go straight. Like the Israelites were under God's cloud cover and only moved when He moved and stayed when He stayed, I want my walk to be like that, only moving when and where God directs, (see Numbers 9:15-23).

This has been a heavy burden on my heart for some time. I even remember last April, Pastor Randy said, "Lord, don't let me mess up what you want to do in my life." That's been my heart's desire, too. But it became more than a desire; it became an overwhelming worry, that I would mess up God's plans and I'd miss the opportunities that He had for me. Then I was having lunch with one of my best friends yesterday and she said that she could spend her time worrying that she would mess things up or miss opportunities. Or, she could live the best that she knew how, praying and listening for God's voice and trusting that He would take care of the details.

This morning I was reading the daily devotional for the 20th day of our time of prayer and fasting and it was talking about how new wine is not put into old wineskin, but rather into new wineskin, because it would expand and not break under the pressure. It said, "God's new wine always changes us by expanding our faith, enlarging our purpose, and bringing renewed vision." But it asked the question, "Are you ready to be expanded beyond recognition?" If my desire, my longing is to be used by God, to be expanded by recognition, then I need to move myself--my worries, my fears, and even my perception of how I think my dreams will be made reality--out of the way so that I don't mess up what God wants to do in my life.

God I'm ready to be used by You, for Your purpose and Your glory. I'm trusting that You know what You're doing and will do so in my life to bring You all the praise and glory You deserve. Thank you, Father God, for choosing me to be a vessel for Your glory. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

I'm ready now. Do what you will. ~ Ready Now, Desperation Band

It's Personal

Have you ever heard someone say, "God will meet you where you're at,"? But what does that mean? It took me a while to figure that out. I've heard many pastors and leaders say that when I spent time with God, I was supposed to be very still, not moving or thinking at all. They all had good reason; they said it was because in 1 Kings, the voice of God was not in the wind, the fire or the earthquake, but in the gentle whisper, (vv. 11-12).

I understood that, but I still struggled, until my good friend said that God talked to her in the way that she would hear Him and she believed He'd do the same for me. She said sometimes we do have to be still to hear Him, but she said that God still spoke to her when she was driving down the interstate with her radio on and kids in the backseat. Why? Because God met her where she was, where she was in her walk and where she was in her life.

I don't know about you, but I actually have conversations with God and until yesterday, I thought I was the only one who talked with God like that. But then I was reading Psalms 15 and 16 and David was speaking to God, and then about God, but I think the words he was saying--the wisdom that had been written down after his questions to God--were actually the words that God had spoken to him, or had impressed upon his heart and David was just the one who got to write it down. In Psalm 15:1 David asks, "Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?" I really wonder if the next four verses were God's answer to David's question.

The point isn't how God talks to us, but to know that He is talking to us and He longs to spend time with us, just as David spent time talking to God and asking Him questions, God wants to talk back and answer our questions. If how you've been listening to and for God isn't working, try something different and see what happens.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. ~ Psalm 16:7

Knowing Jesus

Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is epileptic and suffers severely... So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him. ~ Matthew 17:15-16

This morning's devotional talks about humility, that prayer and seeking after Jesus is a "posture of humility," (Day 17, Awake21.org). I was thinking about what that means. It means trust, and trust is both the result of love and the process for love. When I was 26, I was healed of a disease that I'd suffered with for at least ten years; it was a disease that all the doctors said could not be cured, but could be "treated." My body went through every kind of treatment option that they had. Now I grew up in the church and I had Jesus in my heart since I was a little girl, but I never thought to ask Him to heal me. Growing up, I knew that Jesus loved me and that He died for my sins, but I didn't really know what that meant. I knew that He listened to my prayers, but I did not "know" He answered them. I don't think I started to "know" anything until I spent time, on my own, getting to "know" Jesus.

On the day that I was healed, I wasn't praying for healing for me, but for my grandma, from her cancer. My friend, who'd prayed with me for my grandma said that that we'd received a healing from God--everyone in that room. And I believed it, and claimed it, and walked in it, and was healed because I trusted Jesus. Like the man with his epileptic son, I'd sought others for a cure, but only Jesus could heal me.

Other people will let us down. Our parents will disappoint us, our friends will say hurtful things to us. Sometimes we will become disheartened, at other times, we'll lose our trust in them. But one person you can be sure to always have faith in, always believe, and always trust is Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. As you seek more of Jesus, you'll come to trust more of Jesus and you'll understand--you'll know--more of the love of Jesus.

Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. ~ Matthew 7:8

Praying & Waiting

God does not merely want to answer our prayers; He wants to spend time with us to prepare us for the answers that will come. ~ Day 11, Awake21.org

While we are waiting and praying for the answers we seek from God, He is preparing our hearts, our minds, and our lives to receive the answer. Matthew 13:8 says, "Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." As we pray more and seek more and expectantly wait, our prayers are answered in increasing measure. God does not want us to fall into sin or temptation. That is why when we pray, God may not answer our prayers the first time, the first seven times, or even the first 100 times. Why? Because He is preparing our lives to receive.

Waiting is never a fun or easy task. But the Bible says we are to do more than "wait around." We are to "wait with expectation." Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they that wait," which is the Hebrew word qavah, meaning, "to wait, look for, hope, expect," (blueletterbible.org). So they that wait with great expectation will have their strength renewed; "they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint." As you're praying and waiting, wait with great expectation. Otherwise, what's the reason for praying?

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ~ James 1:4

Refresh Me

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. ~ Psalm 51:10

I'm always amazed at how well my God knows me! Whether He's talking to me through His Word, or whispering to my heart, my God knows me. He knows me so well, in fact, that He knows what I need to hear before I even realize that it was a need. My mom knows the inflictions in my voice. My husband knows my facial expressions and body language. My best friend knows a lot of my secrets, my moods, and what cheers me up almost instantly. But my God knows more.

In this scripture, David is asking God to purify him, to cleanse him, and to refresh and recharge within him a spirit that is ever seeking after God and God's desires. If you attend Bayside Community Church, you know that we are in a time of prayer and fasting. The devotional, that they've made available, has been walking us through these days. Yesterday's devotional spoke specifically on cleaning house. I knew, physically, that fasting purges the toxins that have been stored in your body. I was reminded that it does the same thing spiritually. The devotional said, "The different temptations, pressures, and cares of this world can build up quietly and end up consuming our lives. Without even realizing it, we can lose our peace, joy, and passion for the things of God," (Awake21.org, Day 9).

People don't turn to drugs and alcohol, fall into depression, quit jobs, quit relationships, etc. over one minor thing. But the build up of many minor things eventually cause people to snap. Unless they can find a release. In essence, through a time of fasting and prayer, we are bringing the hidden things out from the nooks and crannies in our lives and bringing them before God so He can help to cleanse us, restore us, and revitalize us.

David's prayer was that God renew him, restore him, and refresh him. Let that be our prayer, too.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. ~ Psalm 51:12

No Percentages

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. ~ Matthew 18:10

I once heard a pastor say, "A father doesn't have the luxury of percentages." He said a father won't look at his kids, no matter how many he may have, and say, "99% are going to heaven," or "at least half of my kids know Jesus". In the gospels, Jesus talked about this concept. That's why, in the parable of the prodigal son, the father was grieved when his one son ran off and was overjoyed when he returned. Why? Not because he never noticed his other son's obedience and love, but because he didn't have the luxury of percentages. For a father, it's all or nothing.

When God, our heavenly Father, looks at us, He doesn't see just our faults, our sins, or our disobedience. He sees His kids. In heaven, God doesn't tell the angels, "Never mind that 75% over there. Because, over here, you'll see that 25% are obeying my commands and are living the life I called them to." No, in heaven, God rejoices over His kids and He grieves over His kids. He is heartbroken when we turn from Him and devastated when we reject Him. But He is overjoyed and celebrates when we return.

In Matthew 18, Jesus talked about the parable of the lost sheep. He said that a shepherd will leave the ninety-nine on the hills to go and look for the one that wandered off, (v 12). We were once all those lost sheep. God took that time with all of us to woo us and cherish us and bring us back to Him. And now He celebrates and dances over us. He wants to have the same celebration over all His kids, not just a percentage of them. And even when the percentages get to 1%, He will keep going until He can bring them home.

Thank you, Lord, that when we were the ones who wondered off, who were lost, missing, hurting, you stopped at nothing to get us to turn and seek your face. Lord, I pray that as we venture out for you, we would stop at nothing to bring your love to your kids--the ones you long so desperately to have a relationship with you. I pray that you would place a burden on our hearts, that we wouldn't look at your kids as percentages, either. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

And if he finds it...he will be happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. ~ Matthew 18:13-14

Change Your Clothes

Get rid of the foreign gods...and purify yourselves and change your clothes. ~ Genesis 35:2

It's a new year and it ushers with it a new season. As with all new seasons, it's a chance to make a fresh start. Whatever you've collected in the past, what ever you've still got lying around, now is the time to throw it out. Get rid of it. Making any kind of a change in our lives calls for action on our part. The Bible says that we are to "put off" our former selves and "put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness," (Ephesians 4:22-24). How do we do that? Through purifying ourselves and changing our clothes. We do it through reprogramming our minds, hearts, and mouths. Romans 12:2 says we must not conform to the old patterns (put off the old self), but we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds (putting on the new). We are to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and contain virtue and praise, (see Philippians 4:8). As you think on these things, speak them out of your mouth, and let the words sink into every crevice. Let the Word of God change you. When we make a commitment to God and we allow Him to work in our lives, we will no longer be called shameful, but beautiful.

After Jacob returned...God appeared to him and blessed him. God said to him..."You will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel." ~Genesis 35:9-10

I am with you

I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham. ~ Genesis 26:24

Isaac's life, living in Gerar, was hard. The land was in famine and when he would have gone down to Egypt for supplies, the Lord told him not to, but He promised to be with Isaac and to bless him. After the Lord began to bless him, others became envious of Isaac and made him and his family leave the land. Every place he went after that, people always wanted what was his, and so they were forced to move on. This continued until they arrived in Beersheba. It was there the Lord spoke to him and said, "Do not fear, for I am with you."

How is it with you? Do you feel as though you've been shuffled around? You've been moved from job to job, home to home, place to place. You feel as though you're in no-man's-land, as you search for your niche, the place you belong. The Lord says to you, as you are shuffling around, "Do not fear." So what are you afraid of? Are you afraid of not being accepted, of being abandoned? Today you can begin a new journey--a journey of peace instead of unrest, of hope instead of fear, of joy instead of despair. For the Lord your God has promised you that He will be with you and will bless you.