Monday, March 14, 2016

Seedlings

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some…seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted…” ~ Mark 4:3, 8 NLT

Seedlings (in essence) are the sprouts that poke out of the ground, the product of planted seeds. A light bulb moment feels a lot like seedlings, the product of thoughts that have been planted over time which finally come together to illuminate the light bulb. But a light bulb is only enough light to brighten up a small area, it’s not enough to help you see the whole picture. And that’s where I feel like I’m at right now: God’s been planting all these little seeds—seeds of knowledge, wisdom, and truth—and they’ve been in the fertile soil long enough that they’ve planted roots and have begun the ascent toward the light. There’s no fruit on them yet. They certainly aren’t full-grown, but the idea has begun to sprout, the light has been turned on, and life is growing.

“When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty,” (Jeremiah 15:16 NIV). For years, God’s been planting kernels of knowledge from His Word, anointed speakers, book studies, etc. and they keep bringing me back to the idea of bearing the Lord’s Name, being His bride, and being His daughter. I had a girl ask me a couple weeks ago why my last name was Potts. I told her it was because when I got married, I took on my husband’s name.  She then asked what the name meant. I said I don’t know…maybe it means, “Good cook.”

As the King’s daughter and the bride of Christ, I bear the Lord’s Holy Name. Shouldn’t I know what it means? Shouldn’t I know and walk in the power and authority that His Name carries with it? Spend some time with God, asking Him to show and teach you what it means to bear His Name.

©Heather Potts 2016

Monday, March 7, 2016

Nothing Wasted

God doesn’t waste your pain. ~ Tim Tebow

Ephesians 2:10 says we’ve been called for God’s good works and we are His poem. As a writer, I love that last part. But the enemy comes and spews his lies over me, saying, “Who are you?! They will see right through you, will see that you’re nothing! You’re not a Beth Moore or a Christine Caine. Who are you to tell your story?”

Jeremiah 15:19 has always resonated with me, “if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman.” In Romans 8:28, we’re assured that God causes all things to work together for our good. Not everything in our lives will be good—I have seen my share of pain and deep sorrows—but God is calling us to something greater. First, we must separate out the precious things from the worthless. In one hand we hold the lessons, blessings, times of growth, times of victory, times of walking closer with God and of being completely humble before Him. And in the other hand is everything else—this is the stuff we are to discard, never considering again. We are to give over to God the precious things and allow Him to finish working us into His masterpiece.

When the enemy lays out before me all the pain, hurt, suffering, failure, trials, mistakes, and heartbreaks and demands I give an explanation of who I think I am to dare share my story, it’s my turn to speak up:  I was created to be God’s love story, His poem. I choose to separate the precious from the worthless, casting off the spirit of fear and walking in the Spirit of life, power, love, and self-control, recognizing and fully receiving the truth that I have been adopted as His precious daughter. It’s true I’m not the women and authors I look up to, and that’s ok. I am a daughter of the King, which makes me a princess. I am God’s Princess! I am valued, treasured, loved, and precious in His sight. I don’t know who the world will say that I am and I refuse to listen to what the enemy says about me. Because my God, my Abba Father, says that I am His!

©Heather Potts 2016

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Seeds of Victory

Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. ~ Joshua 1:1-9 MSG

Through Jesus, God has given us victory. We must take the seeds of victory He’s already planted and, following the instructions in His Word, help them grow into beautiful fruit-bearing plants. Joshua 1:1-9 gives us some of those keys.

All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. ~ Joshua 1:5 MSG
Jesus said that because we are called by His Name, people will come against us (Matthew 5:11), but He also says that He has overcome the world, so we need not fear, (John 16:33).

I’ll be with you. I won’t give up on you; I won’t leave you. ~ Joshua 1:5 MSG
Over and over, God promises to never leave us, never abandon us, never forsake us. He says He is with us and He is for us, (Romans 8:31). On our good days and rough days, in our celebrations and our set-backs, He’ll be there. We need to reject the lies of the enemy that we will ever be abandoned or alone! Our Father God promises to never leave us. He is for us and He loves us!

Don’t get off track…get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. ~ Joshua 1:7-8 MSG
The enemy fights hard to steal the victory. But we have been given both power and authority to overcome the enemy, (Luke 9:1). Throughout His Word, God gives us instructions to live by and promises to stand upon so that we are able to live victoriously!

God, your God, is with you every step you take. ~ Joshua 1:9 MSG
“You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me,” (Psalm 139:5 NIV). God goes with us, protects us, and guides us. From the highest height to the deepest valley and every place in between, He will be there if you are there, because He loves you!

©Heather Potts 2016

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Preparing the Land

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 MSG

I like words… I like to look them up and see all that they mean. I enjoy creating pictures using words. I like to paint on the canvas of people’s minds using a collection of strategically placed words.  I desire to share with others what I see when Father God speaks to me.

I love to read my Bible and have Holy Spirit shine a light under a certain passage as He says, “Write this one down and hear what I have to say.” And down it goes into my journal. Sometimes the words are a refreshing spring to my soul, pouring on just what I need in a moment of desperation and need. But sometimes the words taste bitter and feel harsh. And when I read them I think, “Why this word, God? Why not some fun promise or refreshing psalm?” Oftentimes, in the moment He doesn’t tell me those answers. He just makes a deposit, a little seedling in the dirt.

“When your words came I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty,” (Jeremiah 15:16 NIV). The first time I read this verse, I thought, “Of course, because Your words bring me life,” but I only thought of “fun” passages. God brings life by having us cultivate all untilled land. We do that through examination and allowing His Word to divide the places of our hearts that need His light. If I am to be a student of the Word, I can’t just consume what I deem as “good” words. I must also ponder and chew on the “difficult” passages, in order that He might break off of me any waste material. When I’m not weighted down by waste, I’m free to shine His light in dark places.

©Heather Potts 2016