Are You Tired?

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” ~ Matthew 11:28 MSG

I heard a couple of my co-workers talking yesterday about how they hate Christians, because they are so fake and, “Have you been to their churches?  It’s so dull and boring and they look miserable.”  I was going to turn around and say something, but then they parted ways and I didn’t get a chance to speak up, but thought about their comments a long time. 

Today’s scripture reminded me of their conversation.  As a church, what are we saying to a hurting and worn out world when we, too, are hurting and worn out all the time?  How do we get refreshed?  From what Jesus is saying, it’s by keeping company with Him and through those times, we’ll learn how to live freely and lightly and well-rested.

Maybe the holidays, with all the hustle and bustle, have left you feeling worn out and tired.  How do you reenergize?  Where do you get the motivation to keep going?  Some will exercise and other will drink coffee or one of those energy drinks.  God wants us to turn to Him as our source of refreshing.  When we walk closely with Him, His energy seems to flow off of Him and cover over us.  If you are tired and weary today, I encourage you to spend intimate time with the Father and let His Words encourage and refresh you.

Father, thank you that you are always available to us when we need you.  Thank you that you don’t get burned out and you’ve never turned us away.  I pray that we would remember to stay close to your side, always abiding in the shelter of your wings, drawing from Your strength to carry us through.  Be with us today and always.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

A New Song for Christmas

Have you ever heard a song before, but heard it for the first time as a message straight from God?  We were in church this morning, at our Christmas Eve service, and the band was singing “Little Drummer Boy”.  Having grown up in a Christian home, I’ve heard that song and even sung it year after year at Christmas time.  But this year, today, it was different.  Today it was as if I’d heard the lyrics for the first time.  The lyrics are, “I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum / I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum /… / Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum / Me and my drum.”  It was my own private, intimate message from my Father.  He said to me, “You don’t have to bring much.  Just bring yourself and bring your best.  When you do that, it makes me smile.”

Perhaps you’ve been feeling a little blue this Christmas season.  Maybe you’ve been looking around at all that you don’t have and can’t do for people due to a lack of funds.  But just like baby Jesus didn’t want from the little drummer boy things he didn’t have, Jesus doesn’t want that from us, either.  What He wants is for us to joyfully bring to Him what we do have.

I pray that today and in the days to come, you’ll remember that Christmas is not about presents, not about a tree, not about things you don’t have, but about what you do have.  And what we have is the love of a Savior and a chance to celebrate the victory that He has done in our lives.

Merry Christmas!

Need You

And my God will supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:19

Last night when we were changing Savannah and comforting her, the thought of thank you popped into my head.  It wasn’t sarcastic, though it was the middle of the night.  It was a thank you to the Father for these precious times of being able to completely comfort my daughter.  She’s at an age and stage where she’s on the move constantly, so I really and truly cherish those snuggle moments when I get them.  As I continued to rock her, the song I Need You, by Sonicflood, began to play in my head.  The lyrics are: You can tell when I need love / You know I’m in need / Love, I need love / You are love / I need You.

The above scripture says that my God will supply all of your need.  Sometimes all we need is the comfort of our Father.  Sometimes, it’s just a chance to stop the activity of the world and climb on up into His lap and be completely comforted.  During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, amongst the shopping, decorating, partying, and Christmas light hunting, don’t forget the One who should be the center of attention during this time: Jesus.

If your life seems a little chaotic and out of sorts, or if you are fighting with your spouse about colored vs. white lights, perhaps it’s time for a break.  Perhaps it’s you need some downtime, some snuggle time with the Father.  He wants to bring you complete comfort.  Take some time and crawl up into His lap; He’s always available to you.

Father, thank you for special moments with our family, the kind you can’t capture with a camera.  But even more than that, Father, thank you for special moments with You.  Father, thank you for the intimacy and closeness we are able to have with you.  I pray that during this season, we would remember you and look to you for our comfort and a breath of fresh air.  Thank you for being with us today and always.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Don't Forget Your Bread

Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever...” ~ John 6:35 MSG

When you go on a journey, what kinds of things do you need?  You need food, clothes, and hopefully a map or some kind of guide to get you where you want to go.  In the above verse, Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life and says that those who align themselves with Him will never again hunger or thirst.  That word align really stood out to me and drew a mental picture of a straight edge and a string.  The closer the string comes to the straight edge, the less we can differentiate between the string and the edge.  But as Christ-followers, isn’t that what we all want?  If we want to be a true reflection of Christ and His glory, shouldn’t we see less of us and more of Him? 

Sometimes our journeys in life have us walking through shadows.  But as we draw closer to the Father, we don’t have to fear the shadows, even those that overcome us, for the Father promises that as we walk closer to Him, His shadow will overcome us and it’s there we will find rest and protection.  Psalm 91:1, also known as the “emergency” verse says, “He who dwells [remains, lives, stays] in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow [covering, protection] of the Almighty.”  Walking through life's valleys can feel like endless roads, but with the Lord as our guide and His nourishment to keep us strong, I know we will never falter.  

Let’s pray:

Father God, I pray that You would continue to draw us close to your heart.  When we cannot find rhythm for our feet, I pray that we would fall into step with the cadence of Your heartbeat.   Lord, I know that You will never lead us down a path or a road that—as we draw closer to you—we cannot overcome and won't grow through.  Father, I know you've got "exceedingly, abundantly above" plans for us.  I thank You, that You have taken the time to get to know each one of us and because You love us so much You will grow us into Your greatness, a true reflection of Your glory as we continue to align our lives with Yours.  Father God, please be with us today.  Hug us tightly and hold us close.  Kiss us softly and gently wipe away our tears.  I know You will be with us today and always as you guide us out of the valley and into the promised land. Thank you, Father.  It's in Jesus' Name that I pray, Amen.

When Do We Need Perseverance?

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. ~ James 1:12

When do we need perseverance?

 When there’s opposition.

When is there opposition?

Whenever God is about to do something great.

Perseverance is “the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings,” (blueletterbible.com).  That means when God has made us a promise to do something great in our lives, we must stand firm on His Truth, press deeper into His Word, and put on the full armor of God as never before.  When God makes a promise to us the enemy is also aware of it and he will stop at nothing to ensure God’s promises are not fulfilled in our lives.

What does opposition look like?  It’s anything from people’s words and attitudes to mountains of bills to attacks on your home and your health.  Opposition is tailored specifically for you by an enemy who has studied you a long time.  He knows what things still make you tick and what things you’ve already overcome.  Any area you’ve already overcome, he won’t bother you with because the enemy’s purpose is to defeat you as quickly and as thoroughly as possible.

But do not lose heart, because God says, “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please…What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do,” (Isaiah 46:10-11).  God is on your side and wants nothing more than for you to succeed and have victory over the opposition you are facing.  And God knows we do and we will face opposition, which is why he prepares us in advance by sending us His Word and surrounding us with believers who will pray us through.  God knows that when we have victory over the opposition, when we persevere and do not give up, the praise and glory He receives is great.

Father God, many of us are facing great opposition today.  But as great as the opposition is, You are greater.  As strong and as hard as the battle, You are mightier.  Lord, Your Word promises that You will not allow the righteous—that’s us—to fall, but You will restore us.  Lord, as we press into You today, reveal to us the Truth or the promise that we need to succeed and overcome the opposition we face today.  Lord, as we read your promises, our faith and excitement grow as we move toward the great victory we will have over this opposition.  Lord, be with us today and reveal at least one new truth to us.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Jubmle-Scmrable

Words, words, words.

                Letters, letters.

All made up of letters.

Like pieces from a thousand-piece puzzle,

All in a jubmle-scmrable.

I look at it.

I sweep them up.

I pick them up.

I put them in a box.

“Daddy,” I say, carrying my box to where He’s sitting.

“I just can’t make it work. Can You help me?”

ALL SMILES!

My Daddy is ALL SMILES!

He smiles because I trust Him.

He smiles because I ask Him.

He smiles because I hand it over.

He smiles because it’s me.

Taking the box of mixed-up, messed-up pieces, He says, “Yes, My child, I’ll take it.  I’ll help you make it beautiful.”

He reaches behind His chair and grabs the box-top with a picture on it.

We sit down on the floor together.

He dumps all the pieces onto the floor.

Now it’s an even greater farrago!

He lays the box-top in front of me,

So that I can begin to visualize what the end result will be.

He works swiftly.

He works calmly.

He smiles quietly.

And before I know it, He’s done.

He gently slides a piece of sturdy cardboard underneath the piece of art before me.

He paints special glue over the top, to hold the pieces in place.

He covers it with a simple, but beautiful frame—just the perfect touch to complement the piece.

Still smiling, He says, “Here, My child.  Here is the work, all finished for you.  Please share it with those you know—and those you don’t.  Tell them it’s a gift of LOVE from Me to them.”

He rises to a kneel and pulls me to my feet.

We are eye-to-eye, He and I.

With nothing but pure adoration in His eyes, He says softly, “Child of Mine, thank you.  Thank you for loving Me back.  Thank you for trusting Me to help you with this.  I hope you know that you can always come to Me and I will always help you.  And more than that, I hope you know how very much I love you.”

He kisses me sweetly on the cheek and sends me off to play.

I will always remember today…

                And the words My Father had to say…

I will always remember His speed in turning my jubmle-scmrable into a beautiful piece of art.

                                But it’s His Words that touched me the most…

He said, “Thank you for loving Me back.”

Father, thank you for this message.  Thank you for the beautiful picture it painted.  Thank you that You do turn all of our messes—when we hand them over to You—into beautiful works of art.  But Lord, more than that, I thank You for Your desire to be in relationship with us.  I thank you that You created the way, so that we could have that relationship with You.  I thank you that You loved us first and because of our relationship, You are able to say—both softly and sweetly, with adoration in Your eyes—“Thank you, My child, for loving Me back.”

In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

By Persevering Produce a Crop

“A farmer went out to sow some seed. As he was scattering the seed, some…fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown…The seed is the word of God…The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. ~ Luke 8:5, 7-8, 11, 14-15

A farmer won’t say, “I’m believing for a harvest of corn,” when he’s planted, or sown, nothing.

A farmer won’t say, “I’m praying and believing for a harvest of wheat,” when he’s sown corn.

Farmers believe they’ll harvest what they’ve sown—wheat for wheat, corn for corn—and so should we.  But it doesn’t stop there.  A farmer’s work isn’t done when the seeds have been planted.  Look at what a farmer does:

He prepares the land.

He plants the seed.

He waters the ground.

He removes the weeds.

He chases off predators, such as rabbits, crows, and deer.

He waters the ground.

He protects the future harvest from inclement weather.

He waters the ground.

He removes the weeds.

And when the first buds pop through the dirt, he knows the harvest isn’t ready yet.

He continues to water the crop.

He continues to chase off predators.

He waits for the perfect timing.

He reaps the harvest.

And then he begins again.

I’ve been praying and believing God for some pretty lofty things in my marriage.  They are nothing that I think God can’t or won’t give us, but they are certainly things I know I can’t obtain or achieve on my own.  So I’ve partnered with Christ.  Daily, I make Him the Lord of my life.  I want Him to be the Author of my life’s story and the Master of this vessel’s journey.

I’ve come to realize that the prize, the victory, is not about “obtaining” those things I desire in my marriage, but about “maintaining” and “maturing” them once we get there.  If all we do is “achieve” the desired level and then stop or back off from the hard work we put in to get there, we will quickly lose all that we’ve accomplished.

Yes, that means continued work, but watching the example of the farmer, it should not be a surprise.  If the farmer planted the seed only, would the harvest have sprouted?  If he did all that work, brought the crop to the perfect timing and even reaped a harvest, but then worked no more, would he continue to have food in his field?  The answer to both is no.  And so it is in our marriages.  If we work hard to win the love of our lives—or even win them again—but then stop working at it, will we keep that same level of intimacy, that same joy, that same passion?

Just as the farmer continued in his field, so we must continue in putting God first in our lives, and work into our marriages.  But through God’s empowering grace, when we look and see all that the Spirit has done in our lives when we partner with Him, we will realize we have not worked at all, but have lived a love story.  And as we continue to put forth the effort, we can say to ourselves, “I am not working for naught, but am working toward greater enjoyment and victories in my marriage.”

Lord, I pray for marriages.  I pray that you would anoint our hands for the work you have called us to do. I pray that everything we put our hands to would prosper because we are more than conquerors. I pray that you would anoint our feet to follow where you call us to go.  I pray for strength in our bones, that our bodies would carry us where you desire for us to go, and we would be able to do the work you call for us to do.  Lord, I pray that we would fix our eyes on Jesus, running as you direct us.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus ~ Hebrews 12:1-2

Do You See the Blue Bird?

In the 1940 movie The Blue Bird, Shirley Temple travels in the past, present and future to find the Blue Bird of happiness.  While the overriding theme of the movie is contentment, as she finds at the end of the story that the Blue Bird was at home the whole time, I wonder if a minor theme is to not miss the obvious.  I remember early in the movie that Shirley Temple’s character saw the bird her mother had and her mother saw the bird as a Blue Bird, but Shirley Temple’s character did not. 

How often does that happen in other areas of life; in marriage, in the church, at work, with our friends and relatives?  Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home,” (Mark 6:4).  I think sometimes we get “used to” or “comfortable with” the ideas we have about people.  Not a day goes by that my brother does not amaze and astound me.  And why?  Because growing up, while he was quite intelligent, he didn’t apply it in many areas and barely graduated high school.  Many of his teachers were shocked that my brother was eligible to get his diploma.  But today, over 10 years later, he and his wife are living within their means, they are able to enjoy life with their two little girls, and he even has amazing vision and a financial plan for where he sees himself moving professionally. 

I’ve seen this with people we know, friends, acquaintances; they start out in life, hit some rough patches, stumble for a while, but through God’s wisdom, grace, & love are transformed into strong, God-honoring men and beautiful, passionate women.  Who are these men and women?  They live among us.  They are Blue Birds in disguise.  Not by any disguise of their own choosing, but by a shroud their slip-up, trip-ups, and give-ups have laid over them.  What do we need to do?  How do we keep these Blue Birds from flying away, seeking refuge and a chance to start again, seeking a chance to be seen as something other than their past failures? 

We walk with them in Galatians 6-style: restore them gently; carry each other’s burdens; don’t quit on them on or on trying to encourage and coach them along, (vv. 1, 2, 9, 10).  While it’s true that in all of each person’s tough and painful situations, the common denominator is that person, isn’t it sad to think that Blue Birds in disguise are wandering around among us, waiting to be seen as true, beautiful Blue Birds?

Father, open my eyes to the Blue Birds around me, those whose ways and past days have left them scared and broken.  Help me to follow your lead, Lord, to love them back to you, to encourage them, to allow them to blossom and to bloom.  Help me not to disregard the Blue Birds, Lord.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. ~ Isaiah 58:11

Changing Desires

Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ~ James 4:9

This scripture doesn’t sound Biblical…I’m sure it can’t possibly be in there.  Why would the Bible say this?  Because this verse isn’t speaking of healthy, biblical things.  James 4 is talking about what our flesh, our lusts, and our culture have told us we need to desire…not what our heavenly Father desires for us.  So when the Bible says to grieve, mourn, and wail, it’s talking about separating ourselves from the attitudes, desires, and “needs,” we had when we were more connected to the world than we were to our heavenly Father.  I’ll say that again, we are to separate ourselves from being more connected with the world than with God.  God wants us to shift our needs and desires from what our culture says we need and desire to what Father God says we need and what He desires for our lives.

Here’s a brief illustration of marriage.  The Bible is clear that the husband is to be the head of the household, even the head of the wife and he is to love her as Christ loved the church, (Ephesians 5:21-33).  Our culture has taught us that if our husbands don’t lead the way we feel they should, then it is up to the bold, vocal, and strong-willed women to lead the home “the way God would want it.”  Somewhere along the way, women were fed the lie that it is “biblically sound” to push our “weaker” husbands aside and take charge of the home and that by doing so, we are doing what is best for our marriages and our children.  But how is that living out anything in Ephesians 5?  Don’t misunderstand or misalign this message; God does not want abused families to continue to be abused.  God desires healthy marriages and healthy families.

So how do we make the shift from being more connected with our culture’s desires to God’s?  “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,” (James 4:7).  Our society has taught us that “submit” is a very ugly word, but it means to “voluntarily arrange ourselves under the command of a leader, to arrange under authority, to yield to one’s admonition [counsel, advice, caution],” (submission,blueletterbible.org; admonition,dictionary.com).  We are to go to God, ask Him what He desires for our lives, and then arrange our lives as such.  And if we do not understand what He is saying to us (if we don’t understand what it looks like or how to Biblically submit to our husbands), then we are told to ask God for wisdom, and He promises to give us an abundance of wisdom, (James 1:5).  God doesn’t want us to live a lie or live in misunderstanding.  God wants His kids to have victory!

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10

Don't Get Caught

The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. ~ 1 Peter 4:7

When we are not “on guard” we will always be caught “off guard.”

When hit with a pretty serious illness, or the loss of a loved one, or the loss of a job, or a huge bill, people often say, “I never saw that one coming.”  And they say that because they’ve been “caught off guard.”  But that begs the question, how does one stay “on guard,” so as not to be “caught off guard”?

The answer is in the gospels.  Jesus tells the parable about watchfulness, “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into,” (Matthew 24:43; Luke 12:39).  The point Jesus is making is not for you to sit on your front porch with a shotgun all day and all night to ward off intruders.  Rather, be watchful and alert through prayer.  It’s in those intimate times of listening that the Holy Spirit reveals what to be on the look-out for, or for what or whom you are to pray.

1 Peter 4:7 says to have sound judgment, which means to have control over your thoughts.  If your thoughts are running amuck, the still, small voice of the Lord won’t be able to break through the noise in your head or at least won’t be loud enough for you to pay attention.  Therefore, you need to take authority over your thoughts so that you may accurately perceive the Truth. 

This scripture also says to be of sober spirit, which means to be calm and watchful.  When your emotions are going here, there, and everywhere, you’re never able to be on guard and will always be caught off guard.  But the Bible declares that we should never be caught off guard.

The end of all things is near; therefore save your mind so that with full understanding you can accurately discern and decide authoritatively and remain calm and watchful—be on guard—so that you are able to pray. ~ 1 Peter 4:7

Answered Prayers

The all-inclusive condition of answered prayer ~ Finis Dake

Isn’t that what everyone longs for, for their prayers to be answered?  I know it is mine and I’ve learned some interesting and important tools along the way.

1) Pray in Jesus’ Name.  I know that may sound obvious, but it’s really quite important that it’s by and through Christ’s authority and not your own.

2) It’s not your reputation on the line.  When you pray in Jesus’ Name (vs. your own), it’s His reputation on the line and, therefore, His responsibility to answer the prayer and not yours.

3) Abide in the Father and His Word.  It’s important to know scriptures, but it’s even more important to know the Author.  When you walk daily with Father God, His Word changes from head knowledge to heart knowledge and from logos to rhema.  If you only have logos—head knowledge—of God’s Word, then it may happen to you as happened to the seven sons of Sceva, “One day the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?’" (Acts 19:15).

4) Pray God’s revealed Word.  Praying scripture has power, but praying scriptures the Holy Spirit revealed to you as promises from the Father is even more empowering.  It gives you the power to tell the devil, when he lies to you, that your God will answer your prayers just as He promised in His Word.

5) Follow the John 15:7 formula. Remain in the Father and His Son + Keep God’s revealed Word (rhema) with you + ask what you need or desire = it will come into existence and begin to happen.

The John 15:7 formula is the all-inclusive condition that Finis Dake was referring to, so try it out in your life and see what happens.  Let God blow your mind as He answers your prayers.

If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. ~ John 15:7

Takeover

As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ~ Exodus 17:11

Takeover

Such a simple word, and yet, so powerful!  I love it when God reaches down and touches us in simple, yet intimate ways.  When God calls you to greatness, calls you for His purposes and plan, it is His desire that you will take back and takeover the places in which the enemy has had control. 

Last Tuesday, God showed me that when we stand with our whole lives worshiping Him, the enemy is defeated, because he has no power.  It is in that time, that the army of the Lord begins to gain ground—to takeover—defeating the enemy.  The chains of pity, defeat, depression, anxiety and sickness are loosed from around you and begin to bind up your enemy.  Freed from those chains, with your heart stayed on the Father, He is able to promote you from glory to glory, as you grow in the image of the Son and the Father.

But when the details start to pick at you and you begin to notice them more than you do the glory of the Father, when your life of worship begins to fade and become stale, the chains that were binding your enemy become loosed around him and begin to bind you, again.  You stop gaining ground for the Lord and begin to lose the battle you are in. 

But there is yet hope, even for those bound in chains.

A life once lifted up in worship can be lifted up again!  One small step toward the Father is a giant leap toward victory.  Each step we take in our walk of faith is blow after blow in the enemy’s face.

Takeover

That was the word at my seat in a meeting that very same Tuesday.

Thank you, Father God for loving us so personally.  Thank you for taking the time to touch us in intimate ways, just to let us know that you are with us.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18

The Ah-Ha Moment

Ever had one?  It’s when all that’s been going on around you and the things that have happened and have been said to you make sense.  Mine was the other day.

In the midst of all the craziness and the trials we are facing, God said to me, “Don’t make this about you.”  What do you say to that?!  When I asked Him what He meant, I was met with silence.

God has been preparing us to face these trials for some time.  First, He led us to pray for Him to move MIGHTILY.  That’s not to say that the only way God can move is through or after trials, nor that God causes trials.  But God, being omniscient, knew the trials were coming, so He began to prepare us for victory over them.  He gave us a desire for something far greater than ourselves and then led us to read books and hear sermons about overcoming and victory over trials.  He reminded us that this is war and when—not if—we overcome, He gets all the glory.

One night, after a long week, I was being beaten up pretty badly.  The enemy was pouncing upon me, blow after blow.  And when I thought about reaching out for help, the enemy told me that to reach out was weak and I should be able to handle it on my own.  But then I remembered the picture of Moses being helped by his friends.  With Moses’ hands lifted up, the enemy was defeated and when they dropped, the enemy began to win.  And when Moses couldn’t do it on his own, two of his friends came, each holding up one of Moses’ hands, (see Exodus 17:11-13).  So at midnight, I asked my friends to pray for me, because I didn’t feel I had the strength to do it for myself.  And they did!

And after that came my ah-ha moment.  God spoke to me through one of my beautiful friends.  She said, “God is using this time to stretch you into a woman who depends on her faith in Him to get her through.”  God showed me that it’s not about my strength or my ability to get it done.  This time that we are in is about seeking and praying and praising.

God moves mightily when we believe mightily.

War is not for the faint of heart, but for the armed.  We arm ourselves through seeking and praying and praising.

With great intensity and mighty power, this war will be one—this trial overcome—through worship, prayer, faith, and courage to believe!

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. ~ James 5:16 AMP

All in a Game of Skip-Bo

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. ~ Romans 8:28-30

I’ve heard Romans 8:28 my whole growing up, as it was my mom’s favorite verse.  I was thinking about it again yesterday, in light of some recent teachings I’d heard.  I began to remember my Grandma Mary Erkilla, my mom’s mom, and how she loved to play cards.  We would play everything from Gin Rummy to Skip-Bo.  I remember when my cousins were just old enough that they could understand and grasp rules and so my grandma worked hard to teach them to play Skip-Bo, as they always wanted to play with us.  My grandma would sit them to her left—as play went to the left—so that what she did always benefited them.  Every time she would finish her turn she explained what she had done, reminded them of the cards they had in their hands and how the two working together would benefit them.  She always let them pick which card to play, so that they could learn.  But if it was going to be a very bad play for them, she would stop them and say, “Well let’s look at this,” and begin to point out how that one play would affect so many future plays.

Isn’t that what God does with us?  Doesn’t He send us teachers and friends to teach us things about Him and His Truths and then ask us to dig more into the Word and spend personal, quiet time with Him?  He allows us to make our own moves, but also sends the Holy Spirit to walk daily with us, giving us constant instruction to help mold and shape us, so that we begin to better reflect the image of His Son.

Thank you, Father God, for sending me friends and teachers, for my parents, my grandparents, my uncles and aunts, my cousins, and all the other relatives you have sent to help mold me to become more like You.  Lord, I pray that I will continue to draw closer and closer, so that I will be the best reflection of You, Lord.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Expect What You Accept

We can’t expect to walk in the fullness of God if we can’t accept the fullness of God.

In Leviticus 25, God talks about taking a “Sabbath” year of rest, once every seven years.  During this year, the people are to do no planting and no harvesting.  “But you might ask, 'What will we eat during the seventh year, since we are not allowed to plant or harvest crops that year?' Be assured that I will send my blessing for you in the sixth year, so the land will produce a crop large enough for three years,” (Leviticus 25:20-21).

Consider that you are a farmer and you have been given this decree from God to trust His Word.  Now, you’ve probably been sowing and harvesting crops a long time and so you understand how seed time and harvest time work.  You know that a specific amount of seed produces a specifically sized crop.  You also know that one year’s worth of seed to crop ratio does not produce a 1:3 harvest.  So in the fifth year, you have to make a choice.  Do you A) trust God’s Word to produce a 1:3 harvest in the coming year, or B) spend the next year fretting about how you only have enough seed to produce one year's worth of crop, forgetting God's promise to you?

Maybe your issue isn’t about trusting God’s promises, but rather accepting that His Word is final and when Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant it, (John 19:30).  Maybe you need to forgive someone.  Perhaps you’ve already forgiven them a thousand times, but for some reason, you can’t accept Jesus’ Words that it’s finished and let it go completely.  Who are you holding judgment and resentment against?  A friend, relative, spouse, child, parent?  Yourself?

In order to receive all that God has for you, you must first believe all that He’s said to you.  Jesus said, “It is finished.”  So nail that sin to His cross, allow His blood to cover over it, and let it go forever.  God’s Word says that He “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” (Ephesians 3:20).  But in order to receive it, you must first believe it.  When you no longer withhold forgiveness from anyone, including yourself and believe the Word of God without question, you will have truly accepted the fullness of God without exception.

©2012 Heather Potts

He is my Shield

Who is this King of glory? ~ Psalm 24:8

Who is this King we are to revere?  What has He done for us?

In Genesis 15:1, God said, “Do not fear...I am your shield…”  What is a “shield”?  God said, “I am your defense, your defender, your protector.  I will cover over you and keep you safe.”  When a soldier goes into battle he needs to protect his body from attacks from his enemy.  God said that He will defend us.

So when we are facing financial battles, hardships, emotional struggles, painful physical toils, and trials of every kind, we will know who is this King of glory and we will say, “He’s everything to me.”  Thank you, Father God, for financial provision, for comfort, for peace, and for surrounding us with your love.  Thank you that to the right and to the left, behind and before, and everywhere I go, you are there.  Thank you that during these hard times, I can call out to you and know that I am not alone, because the King of glory is ever by my side.

Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle…Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty— he is the King of glory. ~ Psalm 24:8, 10

Elimination: I can't

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ~ Ephesians 4:29

The phrase I can’t is coming out of my vocabulary.  I’m eliminating it.  Dictionary.com defines it as a “verb expressing incapacity, inability...” When I say, “I can’t,” I’m really saying, “I lack the ability and/or the capacity.”  Philippians 4:13 disagrees: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Jesus said, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing,” (John 15:5).  So Philippians says that I can and Jesus says that in Him I can, but when I’m apart (separated) or cut off from Him, that’s when I can’t. 

When and why do we live apart from Christ? When we buy into the lies and pretensions [claims of importance or merit] spoken by the enemy.  Jesus said when we live apart from and do not dwell in Him, we wither and are burned (see John 15:6).  Reflecting over the times in my life when I’ve tried to make through the day or week without having that closeness to God, I felt like I was withering away.  But we don’t have to stay separated. 

2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take those thoughts captive and to make them obedient to Christ.  And that’s exactly what I’m doing by eliminating I can’t.  And honestly, if I don’t eliminate I can’t, it will eliminate me from God’s blessings, because apart from nourishment—apart from abiding in Christ—I can’t live and I want to live!

If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified ~ John 15:7-8

©2013 Heather Potts

You Greatly Emboldened Me

When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me. ~ Psalm 138:3

I’ve been given a lot of opportunities to practice asking God for help and waiting for Him to give me the words to speak.  In these times of practice, there are some things I’ve learned.  1) He doesn’t reveal everything to me beforehand.  He’s building my faith.  He asks me to ask Him for help and then trust that He will give it.  Each time He does, it increases my faith. 2) The words aren’t always what I would have chosen.  Lately, I’ve been using the visualization that I’m an ant and God’s an elephant.  An ant can’t possibly see as far as an elephant and so has to trust the elephant for best direction. 3) It’s on His timetable, for His purpose and His glory.  This is probably the most important of the three, as it releases me from feeling like I have to be in charge and in control of it all.  A couple months ago when the Holy Spirit “poked” me and said, “Speak up,” I didn’t want to and was afraid to.  But He continued to “poke” me until I did finally build up the courage to speak up.  Looking back on it, I’m glad I did.

What is God challenging you to do?  In what areas is He “poking” at you and saying, “Speak up”?  Trust that when He does this, it’s not for your detriment, but for His glory.

But make up your mind not to worry…For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. ~ John 21:14-15

©Heather Potts

Sweaty Gym Socks & Wilting Roses

But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.” ~ 2 Kings 5:11

Has the following ever happened to you?  You went to church or small group and you hear a success story about how someone’s marriage was revived after being nearly dead and you think, “We need that.  I will find out what they did and do that and my marriage will also be revived.”  So you get your spouse to wherever you heard the message with the full expectation that because your spouse has arrived, the “magic” will happen and they will see all that they’ve done wrong.  So you bring them to the person who had the success story, waiting for them to “wave a magic wand” over your spouse—or perhaps you’re waiting for the person to beat your spouse with it—so that BAM! your marriage can be a success story, too.

But it never seems to go that way, does it?  In fact, it usually turns out worse and you end up leaving in a big fight, still pointing fingers at each other.  Why is that?  We do we look at our spouse as if they were sweaty gym socks or wilting roses?  I once heard a pastor say that the reason we don’t see the beauty in each other is because we judge them by their shortcomings and ourselves by our intentions. 

How do we restore sweaty gym socks and wilting roses to beautiful treasures? Through perseverance.  The dictionary defines perseverance as, “steady persistence in a course of action,” (dictionary.com). Perseverance produces character, which leads to hope, (Romans 5:4).  It also produces godliness, maturity, and a sense completeness-that you would not lack anything, (2 Peter 1:6; James 1:4).  When you got married, you entered into a covenant-relationship.  One of the main differences between a covenant and a contract is that you’ve got the laws of God in your court vs. only the laws of man.  If God is the one who is in your court, call upon Him to help you.  He promises He will.

Father God, help us to see our spouses as beautiful treasures.  Help us to see past mistakes and hurts.  Help us to forgive them and to cling to You so that we will be able to completely forgive each other for shortcomings.  Father, forgive us for each time we have fallen short.  Help us to persevere to the end, to finish this race.  In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

Therefore…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ~ Hebrews 12:1

© by Heather Potts

Cast All Your Cares

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ~ Psalm 139:23

It’s easy to say “I trust God” and “I’m not anxious at all” when you’re not waiting for anything.  Just a few days in on waiting on God to move and I found myself mentally pacing (it’s more exhausting to pace in your mind than to pace the floor).  But then each night as I put my daughter to bed, I sing to her a song about casting her cares on the Lord.  If I’m going to teach my little one to give up all her anxious thoughts and burdens to the Lord, shouldn’t I start by first exemplifying what I’m telling her to do?

Thank you, Father God for sending me a reminder of how my life should be lived in such a cute and cuddly package like my daughter.  Help me to teach her to follow after you by first living out that example in my own life.  And Father, help me to remember that my shoulders are not big enough to carry all that the world wants to pile upon them, but yours are.  Thank you, Lord.  It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:7

Peeling Oranges

I was trying to get, what I was told, was a simple answer to a complex question.  I went to the most logical "go-to" person first.  That lead me to another somewhat logical person, which lead me to a third party, which sent me doing research on my own, which got me nowhere.  Frustrated as I was, I looked at my co-worker and said, "Trying to get this answered is like trying to peel an orange with purple paint!"  It seemed impossible.

But then I prayed and said, "God, you make the impossible possible.  Show me what I'm missing.  Show me the way to get the answer."  And I believed He would.  A few more "go-to" people later, I had my answer.  And the answer came to that person very easily.  She walked me through the process and I was able to get done what I needed.

Are you looking at a situation or circumstance that feels like trying to peel an orange with purple paint?  Put it all down and say to God, "You control everything.  You can even make peeling this orange with paint possible.  Show me the way."  When you believe He will, the answer will be yours.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." ~ Matthew 19:26

Painting Glass Jars

I’ve been following instruction from a friend who said if you need and desire something from God, you must clearly state what you desire, what seed you will sow to have it, and then you must spend at least one minute visualizing it.  My problem wasn’t in writing the statement, or even deciding to sow the seed, but it was in the visualization.  Being asked to visualize something I’m not sure I understand or have ever seen is like being handed a glass jar with the instructions of painting something beautiful on it.

If you know me at all, you know that while I’m creative in writing, painting and drawing are certainly not my fortes. It’s been frustrating when it came time to visualize, because I didn’t know what I was looking for.  It wasn’t a lack of creative license, but more a lack of something familiar to assimilate to.  So, a good friend asked me to ask God what this vision looked like through His eyes.  That helped to push me in the right direction, but I still had no real picture…Until today.

This morning as I was having my quiet time, the time came to paint my glass jar and I was given a small glimpse of a portion of the drawing on the jar.  And then I was given instruction as to how to begin the drawing on the jar.  Painting on a glass jar takes great preparation and care.  If I were to begin painting right away without the full vision, I might be scrambling later to clean up a sloppy job.  I wasn’t told that painting my jar would be easy.  But God promised that if I sought Him, He’d show me both how and what to paint on my jar.

What do you need God to do in your life?  If He's calling you to paint your own glass jar, ask Him to show you how.  He promises He will.

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

Don't be a Distraction

For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. ~ Romans 7:22-23

A few years ago, my husband and I made plans with another couple to go see a movie.  As we were getting ready, the Holy Spirit convicted me about sneaking in snacks to the movies.  I wasn’t sure what to do—as we’d always taken in snacks and it had never been a problem before—so I called up my girlfriend for wisdom and advice.  She told me that if the Holy Spirit was convicting me that I shouldn’t do it.  She couldn’t tell me why He was convicting me now and not previous times.  She also couldn’t tell me if, in the future I’d “be allowed” to sneak in my snacks in the future.  She even said that she was going to continue to sneak in her own snacks to the movies, “But since the Holy Spirit is convicting you, you shouldn’t.  You never know what the Holy Spirit is trying to do in this other couple’s lives and you don’t want your actions to distract from it.”

And that’s the key thing with “to sin or not to sin.”  God doesn’t want me to not sin simply because He said so.  God desires that I would so cherish my relationship with Him that it would hurt me to know I had hurt him and our relationship.  That’s exactly what Jesus was getting at when He said, “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men,” (Mark 7:8).  For the Pharisees it wasn’t about a relationship with God or encouraging others in their relationship with God.  Unfortunately, it was more about a check list: Woke up √, Washed my hands √, Said my prayers √, and so on.

God, I pray that I will never be so far from you that I will miss how you want to use my life to speak to and touch someone else’s life.  But mostly, Lord, I pray that I will always be close to your heart.

In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.

Open Doors

What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. ~ Revelation 3:7

Have you ever prayed, “God concerning (this situation), open the right door—the one you want me to walk through—and shut all wrong doors”?  It’s an honest and sincere prayer, but it also requires a lot of faith and trust.  In asking God for help in this manner, patience and prayer will be your allies. 

Over a year ago, a friend of mine found out that her family would be forced to move at an inopportune time in their lives.  She and her husband prayed about all that their new home would need and then asked God to open the right door and close all the wrong ones.  Weeks of searching turned to months with no new home in sight.  My friend began to doubt, questioning God, “Have I not prayed hard enough?  Have I not believed enough? Why is there no door opening to us?” Then God whispered to her, “My child, you asked me to close the wrong doors and that is what I’ve been doing.”

It’s been almost a year since my husband had to make the hard decision of choosing what was right over his paycheck.  Even though he knew he was honoring God by his decision, he still felt as though he had hurt the family with the loss of his job and income.  But we prayed, “God open the door you want him to walk through and close all other doors.”  After sending out thousands of resumes, no jobs have been offered to him and all doors seem shut.  But the other day we realized that even though it didn’t look the way we thought it should, God had opened a door. 

Being a “stay-at-home-dad” leaves much to be desired for a man.  Even though he loves our daughter, he misses feeling like he’s making a difference.  About a month ago a friend presented my husband with the opportunity to help with a project at the church office.  He could bring in our daughter with him and volunteer at the church for a few hours each week.  Until God chooses to close these doors and open new ones, our current open doors have me at work full-time and my husband volunteering in something he really enjoys and raising our daughter.  While it’s certainly not what we would have chosen for ourselves, had God consulted us first, we have peace regarding this situation and know that when the time is right, God will move us.

Every time God closes a door He always opens a window, somewhere. ~ Sound of Music

Plan for the New Year

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last.  ~ John 15:16

As I was praying and reading day 1 in my Bible reading plan, I realized that God is always in front of the beginning of the things He creates.  When God speaks, things happen.  As it says in Genesis 1: “’Let there be…’ and there was…”  So if God is always in front of the things He creates and what He says happens, why do we sometimes feel as though we miss out on some of the things we thought He was going to do in our lives?

Isaiah 55:9 seems to have the answers as to why.  1) It’s not time yet.  God’s timing is always perfect, but it’s not always in our preferred timing.  2) It’s not the way you thought.  Just because God promised to get you from point A to point B doesn’t mean He’ll take the route you thought was best.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s] ways higher than your ways and [God’s] thoughts than your thoughts,” (Isaiah 55:9).

As we embark upon a new journey in a new year, prayerfully consider what God wants to do in and through your life this year.  John 15:16 says that you were appointed by God to go and bear fruit, but every plant must first be properly pruned if it is to bear healthy fruit, fruit that will last.  If you feel that God has called you to a place greater than your current position—could be in your job, where you are serving in the church, your relationship with your spouse and/or children—prayerfully consider spending some quality time with God to start this year.  Ask Him to show you how He wants to use you this year.

Father God, as I spend time with you this year, reveal to me how you want to use my life for your glory.  Lord, let my life be a light in this world which leads others to you.  Thank you Father.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Daily Bible Reading Plan: http://66books.wordpress.com/reading-schedule-2010/