Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us ~ Ephesians 3:20
A lot of times this verse is talked about regarding financial provision, but God doesn't use the word "all" sparingly. When God's Word says He is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to His power, He means more than just money. All includes health and healing for your body and your family; the best marriage you can imagine; kids who are happy, healthy, and living out their dreams for God's glory; a career that is fulfilling, satisfying, edifies others, and more than covers the bills. When God says all, He means everything!
This morning, on my way to work, I heard a woman tell a story about how she read this scripture over herself as she prayed to God, calling Him on His Word. You see, she'd been given a 20% chance to live after being hit by a car. She knew that her God was able and she called Him on it. Today, she alive, healthy, and getting ready to run a marathon with TobyMac (www.thejoyfm.com/asheard/2010-03-09)! My God is able, too. When all hope was lost, and I didn't know where to turn, I turned to the cross. I asked my God to fill me up with a love for my husband again. That was three years ago. Last year was the best year of our marriage and I fully expect this year to be even better than the last.
What do you need God to do in your life? Do you need a healing? Are you struggling in your marriage? Are your finances not making ends meet? Do you feel alone and abandoned in this world? Call on the Lord, for He meant it when He said He is able. Not only is He able, but He is willing. Call on Him today and see Him move in your life!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
That We May
This past weekend, Pastor Randy talked about healing meaning "wholeness." He said healing isn't just physical, but it's also emotional and mental. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life," (John 3:16). Why did God have to send His Son? He had to send Him because there is sin in this world, so that we would not "perish," as it says in that verse. John 10:10 tells us that the devil came to the earth to do three things: kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus, however, came so that we may have life to the fullest.
In John 10:10, when Jesus said He came so that we may have life to the fullest, what what did He mean? What about all who are suffering and dying? What about those who are hit by tragedy? What about them? Jesus didn't say that we are living a life to the fullest or, even, that we will live a life to the fullest. He said that we may have it. The word "may" is used to express a possibility, an opportunity, permission, or a contingency, (dictionary.com). In other words, we are allowed to live a life to the fullest, but we don't have to have it; we don't have to choose it. I know what you're thinking, who wouldn't choose to live a life to the fullest if it were available to them for the taking? Just trek with me for a minute.
Think about abuse victims. Think about someone who has lived with an overbearing disease for many years. Think about those with depression. How much hope do you think they have? How much change do you think they expect to see? They may hope for hope, but when they are on the precipice of life-altering change, they back away. Why? Because change is scary. An abuse victim does not want to be abused, nor does someone who is sick, hurting, or scared want to stay that way, but, as strange as it sounds, there is comfort in familiarity. Change is scary, because it will take a person to a place they've always desired to be, but have never been. When they come face to face with this possibility for change, for something new and different, some think, "What will I do if this doesn't work out? How will I handle it?" For some, that's too difficult to go near.
Jesus said He came that we may have life to the fullest. God said He sent His Son so that we may choose to believe in Him and not perish. It is available to us, but we have to do the simplest, but hardest thing: we have to receive it, we have to accept it, we have to make that choice, we have to seek it out, we have to believe in it, and we have to live it out. Whether it's the first time or the hundredth time, we have to go for it. Jesus has offered it to you. How desperate are you for it? How much do you want life to the fullest?
Let's pray:
Lord, this thing in my life--you know what it is--I don't want it anymore. I'm reaching out to the hand you extend, that I, too, may have life to the fullest. Lord, there's a part of me that's afraid, even though I know that fear is just a lie; still, I'm nervous. Lord, I pray that you would walk with me, all the way through this process of change. Lord, I want to have life, and life to the fullest, like you promised. Lord, I see the hand that you have stretched out to me for so long, that I have ignored. Lord, today is different, because today I'm reaching out to grab your hand, that you will pull me out and pull me through, that I will be forever different after today. Lord, thank you for this gift that you have so freely given me. It's in Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
In John 10:10, when Jesus said He came so that we may have life to the fullest, what what did He mean? What about all who are suffering and dying? What about those who are hit by tragedy? What about them? Jesus didn't say that we are living a life to the fullest or, even, that we will live a life to the fullest. He said that we may have it. The word "may" is used to express a possibility, an opportunity, permission, or a contingency, (dictionary.com). In other words, we are allowed to live a life to the fullest, but we don't have to have it; we don't have to choose it. I know what you're thinking, who wouldn't choose to live a life to the fullest if it were available to them for the taking? Just trek with me for a minute.
Think about abuse victims. Think about someone who has lived with an overbearing disease for many years. Think about those with depression. How much hope do you think they have? How much change do you think they expect to see? They may hope for hope, but when they are on the precipice of life-altering change, they back away. Why? Because change is scary. An abuse victim does not want to be abused, nor does someone who is sick, hurting, or scared want to stay that way, but, as strange as it sounds, there is comfort in familiarity. Change is scary, because it will take a person to a place they've always desired to be, but have never been. When they come face to face with this possibility for change, for something new and different, some think, "What will I do if this doesn't work out? How will I handle it?" For some, that's too difficult to go near.
Jesus said He came that we may have life to the fullest. God said He sent His Son so that we may choose to believe in Him and not perish. It is available to us, but we have to do the simplest, but hardest thing: we have to receive it, we have to accept it, we have to make that choice, we have to seek it out, we have to believe in it, and we have to live it out. Whether it's the first time or the hundredth time, we have to go for it. Jesus has offered it to you. How desperate are you for it? How much do you want life to the fullest?
Let's pray:
Lord, this thing in my life--you know what it is--I don't want it anymore. I'm reaching out to the hand you extend, that I, too, may have life to the fullest. Lord, there's a part of me that's afraid, even though I know that fear is just a lie; still, I'm nervous. Lord, I pray that you would walk with me, all the way through this process of change. Lord, I want to have life, and life to the fullest, like you promised. Lord, I see the hand that you have stretched out to me for so long, that I have ignored. Lord, today is different, because today I'm reaching out to grab your hand, that you will pull me out and pull me through, that I will be forever different after today. Lord, thank you for this gift that you have so freely given me. It's in Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Takes Two I's
Ever heard the phrase, "If you don't use it, you'll lose it"? Usually, this phrase refers to every day things, like a fit body, being able to do complicated math, being fluent or at least half-way decent at a foreign language...things like that. What it usually doesn't refer to, but applies to is intimacy, intimacy with your spouse, intimacy with God, and intimacy with fellow Christians. Achieving intimacy can be a slow process, but once it's achieved, it's better to maintain it through a little bit of extra effort, than to let laziness or wrong priorities let you slip from that level of intimacy.
The word "intimacy" means "detailed knowledge or deep understanding of," (dictionary.com). The word intimacy has two "i's" because it takes two individuals to make it work. Intimacy with God is probably the easiest to achieve or move back into, because God is always open and desiring intimacy with us. If we have hurt or become distant from a spouse or a friend, it may take more work to achieve intimacy again.
What should we do if we've fallen out of intimacy with God, our spouse, or fellow Christians? First, we must confess our part. Since intimacy takes two, then no matter how big or small, we had a part to play in losing it. We need to go to the party with whom we want to regain that intimacy and confess our part. Second, we need to ask for forgiveness. If there has been any hurt, whether intended or not, asking for forgiveness helps to lead the way back to achieving intimacy again. And third, we need to make it a priority. What ever you put your most effort into, where you set your priorities, those things usually get done. With making it a priority, ask Jesus to be in it. There is strength where two or more are gathered, (see Matthew 18:20).
Let me encourage you, if you don't feel as close to God as you once did, spend extra time alone with Him. Wait on Him, to hear what He has to say. God longs to have a close relationship with all of His kids. He already knows us intimately--He knows the number of hairs on our head and knit us together in our mother's womb, (Matthew 10:30, Psalm 139:13). And just like a spouse or a friend, He wants to come first, He wants to be a priority. Pray, today, and ask the Lord to show you the way back and He will guide your steps.
The word "intimacy" means "detailed knowledge or deep understanding of," (dictionary.com). The word intimacy has two "i's" because it takes two individuals to make it work. Intimacy with God is probably the easiest to achieve or move back into, because God is always open and desiring intimacy with us. If we have hurt or become distant from a spouse or a friend, it may take more work to achieve intimacy again.
What should we do if we've fallen out of intimacy with God, our spouse, or fellow Christians? First, we must confess our part. Since intimacy takes two, then no matter how big or small, we had a part to play in losing it. We need to go to the party with whom we want to regain that intimacy and confess our part. Second, we need to ask for forgiveness. If there has been any hurt, whether intended or not, asking for forgiveness helps to lead the way back to achieving intimacy again. And third, we need to make it a priority. What ever you put your most effort into, where you set your priorities, those things usually get done. With making it a priority, ask Jesus to be in it. There is strength where two or more are gathered, (see Matthew 18:20).
Let me encourage you, if you don't feel as close to God as you once did, spend extra time alone with Him. Wait on Him, to hear what He has to say. God longs to have a close relationship with all of His kids. He already knows us intimately--He knows the number of hairs on our head and knit us together in our mother's womb, (Matthew 10:30, Psalm 139:13). And just like a spouse or a friend, He wants to come first, He wants to be a priority. Pray, today, and ask the Lord to show you the way back and He will guide your steps.
Ordained Praise
You have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. ~ Psalm 8:2
In his sermon last weekend, Pastor Jordan explained to us about praise. This scripture tells us that God, the Lord of all the heavens and the earth, has ordained praise. Pastor Jordan said that "ordained" means, "to set apart for specific use." Why would God need to ordain praise? And if He needed to ordain it, why not include it in the Ten Commandments? I believe He did. God's First Commandment was, "You shall have no other gods before me," (Exodus 20:2). The Lord knew that in a world with so many choices and free will, we might choose to worship other things, such as money, our bodies, our work, etc. Anything we worship or put first, is something we've set up as a "god" ahead of the Lord. By ordaining praise, the Lord called us to put Him first.
Once sin entered the world, we were no longer automatically connected or naturally centered around God. Instead, we became very selfish, and thought about ourselves first; what will satisfy my desires, what can I do for me? When we praise, we become last and must put others first. Praise is two-fold: it's the thanksgiving we give to God and it's the testimony we share with others about what God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives. Praise is no longer automatic, which is why God knew He had to set it up as something specific for us to do.
God also knew that if He did not ordain praise, we would get so wrapped up in the lies and attacks of the enemy, that we would never move forward, let alone move His Kingdom forward. This verse tells us that praise was ordained to silence the foe and the avenger. Who are these creatures? The foe is the enemy before us, the one who keeps us from moving forward. The avenger is the enemy from the past, the one who tries to hold us back.
The Lord knew we needed a solution, a formula, to follow to defeat these enemies. That is why He gave us praise. The Lord knows it is harder for the devil to keep us trapped in his lies when we are sharing with others the goodness of God. The Lord also knows that it becomes easier to block out the lies the devil whispers to us when we are shouting praises to our King.
What is holding you back? What is stopping you from moving forward? Ask the Lord to give you an ear for His voice, that you will hear no other. When I first began daily time with God, a good friend gave me a "recipe" to follow. It has helped me to stick to it, even though it was very hard, at first. She said do the following every morning: 5 minutes of thanking God (praise), 5 minutes of reading God's Word, 5 minutes of listening for God's voice, and 5 minutes of writing in my journal (this would be any thoughts, words, or phrases I heard God say to me, or impress upon my heart). Let me tell you, the listening part has always been the hardest for me, but the most worthwhile. Can you give God the first 20 minutes of your morning? I hope that you will. And I pray that as you do, you will hear more and more of God's voice and His truths and less and less of the devil's lies. I pray, also, that God will make you His mighty warrior, as you go forward, thanking Him and sharing with others all He has done for you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
In his sermon last weekend, Pastor Jordan explained to us about praise. This scripture tells us that God, the Lord of all the heavens and the earth, has ordained praise. Pastor Jordan said that "ordained" means, "to set apart for specific use." Why would God need to ordain praise? And if He needed to ordain it, why not include it in the Ten Commandments? I believe He did. God's First Commandment was, "You shall have no other gods before me," (Exodus 20:2). The Lord knew that in a world with so many choices and free will, we might choose to worship other things, such as money, our bodies, our work, etc. Anything we worship or put first, is something we've set up as a "god" ahead of the Lord. By ordaining praise, the Lord called us to put Him first.
Once sin entered the world, we were no longer automatically connected or naturally centered around God. Instead, we became very selfish, and thought about ourselves first; what will satisfy my desires, what can I do for me? When we praise, we become last and must put others first. Praise is two-fold: it's the thanksgiving we give to God and it's the testimony we share with others about what God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives. Praise is no longer automatic, which is why God knew He had to set it up as something specific for us to do.
God also knew that if He did not ordain praise, we would get so wrapped up in the lies and attacks of the enemy, that we would never move forward, let alone move His Kingdom forward. This verse tells us that praise was ordained to silence the foe and the avenger. Who are these creatures? The foe is the enemy before us, the one who keeps us from moving forward. The avenger is the enemy from the past, the one who tries to hold us back.
The Lord knew we needed a solution, a formula, to follow to defeat these enemies. That is why He gave us praise. The Lord knows it is harder for the devil to keep us trapped in his lies when we are sharing with others the goodness of God. The Lord also knows that it becomes easier to block out the lies the devil whispers to us when we are shouting praises to our King.
What is holding you back? What is stopping you from moving forward? Ask the Lord to give you an ear for His voice, that you will hear no other. When I first began daily time with God, a good friend gave me a "recipe" to follow. It has helped me to stick to it, even though it was very hard, at first. She said do the following every morning: 5 minutes of thanking God (praise), 5 minutes of reading God's Word, 5 minutes of listening for God's voice, and 5 minutes of writing in my journal (this would be any thoughts, words, or phrases I heard God say to me, or impress upon my heart). Let me tell you, the listening part has always been the hardest for me, but the most worthwhile. Can you give God the first 20 minutes of your morning? I hope that you will. And I pray that as you do, you will hear more and more of God's voice and His truths and less and less of the devil's lies. I pray, also, that God will make you His mighty warrior, as you go forward, thanking Him and sharing with others all He has done for you. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
White Stone
To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. ~ Revelation 2:17
A couple of years ago, I wrote a short story called S.A.M. It's the story of a girl with pain in her past, and she just can't seem to let go of it all. One day, she's visited by an angel named Sam. Well, Sam tells the girl her story, which is very similar to the girl's story, about how she used to carry her baggage around until Jesus rescued her and she left all her baggage at the cross. The girl said that was what she wanted, too. The angel told the girl that once she gave everything over to the Lord, that He would change her and give her a new name. So the girl dragged her baggage up a hill and hurled it over to Jesus and when she turned around, she had her new identity intact. The girl became known as SAM, Saved And Mended.
When God makes changes in our lives, they won't be so small as to go unnoticed. God wants the world to know that He's responsible for the changes in you. That's what He did when He changed Abram and Sari. We read the story of Abram and Sari in Genesis. When God called them forth for His purposes, and they submitted to His Will, God gave them new names. He said from that time forward, Abram (exalted father) would be known as Abraham (father of a multitude, or father of many nations), and Sari (princely) would be known as Sarah (queen of princes), (see Genesis 17:5, 15).
The white stone that is referred to in this scripture is significant. In the days of the ancient world, when they would have had public games, it was the victor or conqueror to whom the white stone, on which his name was inscribed, was bestowed. The white stone was a public proclamation of the victor, the conqueror, the "overcomer". Jesus wants to bestow that stone upon us. Now, Jesus warns us that the road to being an overcomer will not be easy. In fact, the easy road leads to our death, demise, and destruction, (see Matthew 7:13-14). But Jesus has also said that when we walk with Him and follow His guidance, He will show us the way to victory, (see Matthew 11:30; John 16:33).
The last thing this scripture talks about is the "hidden manna." The Greek word for "hidden" is "krypto," meaning concealed. And "manna" is "that which is kept in the heavenly temple..for the blessed." Proverbs 25:2 says "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the honor of kings to search it out." To him who overcomes, to kings and men of honor, God will reveal the secrets that are kept in His heavenly temple. God blesses all His children, but He reserves the hidden treasures for those who search it out and overcome the battle.
God has laid before us a promise: If we will overcome this battle, He will be gracious and reward us with the secrets He keeps in His heavenly temple. Not only that, but He will also proclaim to the world that we are victors and we are His. This road to victory starts with one small step: ours.
A couple of years ago, I wrote a short story called S.A.M. It's the story of a girl with pain in her past, and she just can't seem to let go of it all. One day, she's visited by an angel named Sam. Well, Sam tells the girl her story, which is very similar to the girl's story, about how she used to carry her baggage around until Jesus rescued her and she left all her baggage at the cross. The girl said that was what she wanted, too. The angel told the girl that once she gave everything over to the Lord, that He would change her and give her a new name. So the girl dragged her baggage up a hill and hurled it over to Jesus and when she turned around, she had her new identity intact. The girl became known as SAM, Saved And Mended.
When God makes changes in our lives, they won't be so small as to go unnoticed. God wants the world to know that He's responsible for the changes in you. That's what He did when He changed Abram and Sari. We read the story of Abram and Sari in Genesis. When God called them forth for His purposes, and they submitted to His Will, God gave them new names. He said from that time forward, Abram (exalted father) would be known as Abraham (father of a multitude, or father of many nations), and Sari (princely) would be known as Sarah (queen of princes), (see Genesis 17:5, 15).
The white stone that is referred to in this scripture is significant. In the days of the ancient world, when they would have had public games, it was the victor or conqueror to whom the white stone, on which his name was inscribed, was bestowed. The white stone was a public proclamation of the victor, the conqueror, the "overcomer". Jesus wants to bestow that stone upon us. Now, Jesus warns us that the road to being an overcomer will not be easy. In fact, the easy road leads to our death, demise, and destruction, (see Matthew 7:13-14). But Jesus has also said that when we walk with Him and follow His guidance, He will show us the way to victory, (see Matthew 11:30; John 16:33).
The last thing this scripture talks about is the "hidden manna." The Greek word for "hidden" is "krypto," meaning concealed. And "manna" is "that which is kept in the heavenly temple..for the blessed." Proverbs 25:2 says "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the honor of kings to search it out." To him who overcomes, to kings and men of honor, God will reveal the secrets that are kept in His heavenly temple. God blesses all His children, but He reserves the hidden treasures for those who search it out and overcome the battle.
God has laid before us a promise: If we will overcome this battle, He will be gracious and reward us with the secrets He keeps in His heavenly temple. Not only that, but He will also proclaim to the world that we are victors and we are His. This road to victory starts with one small step: ours.
Learn Daily
John 8:31 If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
Ever had to learn a foreign language? I remember when I was little--we're talking 1985 or 1987, something like that--there was a commercial for some interactive video to teach kids a foreign language. They would always show the same two cartoon characters who were saying hello and how are you in French. So that was my first taste of a foreign language. Then in fifth grade, we had some French foreign exchange students in our class, so I learned how to count up to 10. Unfortunately, 1-8 is all that stuck. So then in middle school/high school I took on German, because I had a German pen-pal and I thought it would be cool if we could talk. I never did too well in German. However, just to complicate matters more, in college, I took up French again. So, I had 1-8 down, but anything after 8 and I would start counting in German. And just in case I hadn't complicated matters enough, my last two semesters in college, I took German, again. If you ask me today how much I remember of either language...yeah, not much. But my flash cards make great scratch paper.
So what does that have to do with what Jesus said? Jesus said, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples, indeed." A disciple is another word for student, someone who diligently and purposefully studies something. In this case, Jesus was telling them they must study, or learn what Jesus was teaching them. He knew this His Word, actions, and concepts would be "foreign" to them, so He told them they must "abide" in His Word. The word "abide" comes from the Greek word "meno," which means "to remain." If His disciples were to learn Jesus' ways, they had to daily, walk with Jesus and learn what He was teaching them. Jesus was giving them the tools they would need to continue on their journey. This teaching is also needed for being married.
When a couple is first married, they are "in love" and their spouse can do no wrong. Check again after three years and things might not be as rosy as they were before. Check again in 7 years and things could be worse, perhaps rocky. Check again in 5 years, and they could be divorced. It happens all the time. The divorce rate is at 50%. Why is it so high? It's because being married is like learning a foreign language. Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a book called, The Five Love Languages, to try to give us one tool to help us learn how to speak this foreign language. Now, this book does not have all the answers and one should not expect that it is the end-all-beat-all cure; it is simply a tool. Like so many other great books, it is an aide to help you along the way, but you and your spouse must still put in the work. I asked my grandpa once--he and my grandma had been married 54 years when she passed away--what made their marriage so successful. He said that he gave everything he had for her and she gave everything she had for him. They had a strong marriage. They had taken the time to learn the "languages" of love and marriage, and then they followed the examples that Jesus gave.
Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you," (John 15:7). What do you desire? A successful marriage? Your dream job? Your health restored? Your kids living for Jesus? Restoration for your family? It can all be yours, but you must put in the work. You must spend daily quite time with God. You must tell God your desires. You must confess your sins when He reveals things to you. And, finally, you must allow Him to work in your life.
Are you ready for some great changes? Let's pray:
Lord, I confess that I haven't learned the most important language of all: Your language, Your Word, Your Truth. Lord, forgive me for not studying as regularly as I need to. I realize the only one it hurts is me. Lord, give me a desire and a hunger, once again, for Your Word, that I would feast on it daily. Lord, I too, want You to give me the desires of my heart, but Lord, I also want to do the desires of Your heart. As I spend time with you each day, please reveal to me what they are, so that I can truly learn Your language, Lord. I pray these things in Jesus' Name, Amen.
Ever had to learn a foreign language? I remember when I was little--we're talking 1985 or 1987, something like that--there was a commercial for some interactive video to teach kids a foreign language. They would always show the same two cartoon characters who were saying hello and how are you in French. So that was my first taste of a foreign language. Then in fifth grade, we had some French foreign exchange students in our class, so I learned how to count up to 10. Unfortunately, 1-8 is all that stuck. So then in middle school/high school I took on German, because I had a German pen-pal and I thought it would be cool if we could talk. I never did too well in German. However, just to complicate matters more, in college, I took up French again. So, I had 1-8 down, but anything after 8 and I would start counting in German. And just in case I hadn't complicated matters enough, my last two semesters in college, I took German, again. If you ask me today how much I remember of either language...yeah, not much. But my flash cards make great scratch paper.
So what does that have to do with what Jesus said? Jesus said, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples, indeed." A disciple is another word for student, someone who diligently and purposefully studies something. In this case, Jesus was telling them they must study, or learn what Jesus was teaching them. He knew this His Word, actions, and concepts would be "foreign" to them, so He told them they must "abide" in His Word. The word "abide" comes from the Greek word "meno," which means "to remain." If His disciples were to learn Jesus' ways, they had to daily, walk with Jesus and learn what He was teaching them. Jesus was giving them the tools they would need to continue on their journey. This teaching is also needed for being married.
When a couple is first married, they are "in love" and their spouse can do no wrong. Check again after three years and things might not be as rosy as they were before. Check again in 7 years and things could be worse, perhaps rocky. Check again in 5 years, and they could be divorced. It happens all the time. The divorce rate is at 50%. Why is it so high? It's because being married is like learning a foreign language. Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a book called, The Five Love Languages, to try to give us one tool to help us learn how to speak this foreign language. Now, this book does not have all the answers and one should not expect that it is the end-all-beat-all cure; it is simply a tool. Like so many other great books, it is an aide to help you along the way, but you and your spouse must still put in the work. I asked my grandpa once--he and my grandma had been married 54 years when she passed away--what made their marriage so successful. He said that he gave everything he had for her and she gave everything she had for him. They had a strong marriage. They had taken the time to learn the "languages" of love and marriage, and then they followed the examples that Jesus gave.
Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you," (John 15:7). What do you desire? A successful marriage? Your dream job? Your health restored? Your kids living for Jesus? Restoration for your family? It can all be yours, but you must put in the work. You must spend daily quite time with God. You must tell God your desires. You must confess your sins when He reveals things to you. And, finally, you must allow Him to work in your life.
Are you ready for some great changes? Let's pray:
Lord, I confess that I haven't learned the most important language of all: Your language, Your Word, Your Truth. Lord, forgive me for not studying as regularly as I need to. I realize the only one it hurts is me. Lord, give me a desire and a hunger, once again, for Your Word, that I would feast on it daily. Lord, I too, want You to give me the desires of my heart, but Lord, I also want to do the desires of Your heart. As I spend time with you each day, please reveal to me what they are, so that I can truly learn Your language, Lord. I pray these things in Jesus' Name, Amen.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Defining Moments
What is a defining moment? Who decides? Who gets to choose? They happen in every one's life. Some lives have multiple moments, but every life has at least one. When do you know it's a defining moment? Usually, you don't look at it as defining until you are looking back on it.
Throughout the Bible, we see many people who walked through their defining moments. Some of those moments left the people hurting, after they "chose poorly," to borrow the phrase from Indiana Jones. Adam and Eve chose poorly and they were kicked out of Eden and the life they knew was over. Others, however, were carried into much love and success, as was Joseph and Daniel and many others, who held faithful to God even in the midst of events that could have ended their lives.
My favorite of all the defining moment stories is the one told of Esther. Esther, a.k.a. Hadassah, was kidnapped in the night, from her home and taken to the palace, along with all the other virgins in the village. The girls were pampered and given queen lessons, but it was Esther who won the heart of the king. Her uncle, who had raised her from the time she was a child, sent a message to her, that the king and his men were plotting to wipe out all the Jews in the land--being Jewish, herself, that struck fear in her heart. However, in those days, to approach her husband the king, without being summoned, would have cost her her life.
After a short time, her uncle send her a second message: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. and who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). Esther's future and the lives of the Jews stood at a precipice. Do nothing and all was lost. Speak up, and who knows...?
What about you? Have you ever faced a decision that could change your future forever? Perhaps the decision you had to face was not "life or death," like Esther's, but maybe yours would bring about the death of your dreams.
I had a decision like that to make. I had stopped at a friend's house on the way home one night and when I was about to leave, I was upset because I didn't know what I wanted for my future. My friend asked me what I wanted to do with my life and I said I didn't know. She looked at me and said, "Yes, you do." So I began to cry and said that I wanted to write. I've always wanted to write. Being able to write was my saving grace as a child, it gave me a stress release as a young adult and teenager. Writing has always been my companion. When I stood in my friend's entryway, crying, I was fearful. I had this passion deep inside of me and I wanted God to bless it, but I didn't know if He would. My friend looked at me and said that I needed to give it over to God to do what He wanted to do with it. I said I was afraid, because what if He didn't want me to write anymore? She said that if He didn't want me to write anymore, He'd take away the desire from my heart. I cried and we prayed and I gave my gift to God that night. Since that night, I've been writing things for God's glory. Thank you, Lord, for this gift you've given me.
The reason that such stories, like the story of Esther, who did go against tradition and approach the king without being summoned, are in the Bible, is so that they can teach us. We will all have at least one defining moment in our lives. Your most important one might still be before you. I pray that as you approach decisions that make you hold your breath, that you would think back to Esther and remember, "And who knows but that you have come...for such a time as this."
Throughout the Bible, we see many people who walked through their defining moments. Some of those moments left the people hurting, after they "chose poorly," to borrow the phrase from Indiana Jones. Adam and Eve chose poorly and they were kicked out of Eden and the life they knew was over. Others, however, were carried into much love and success, as was Joseph and Daniel and many others, who held faithful to God even in the midst of events that could have ended their lives.
My favorite of all the defining moment stories is the one told of Esther. Esther, a.k.a. Hadassah, was kidnapped in the night, from her home and taken to the palace, along with all the other virgins in the village. The girls were pampered and given queen lessons, but it was Esther who won the heart of the king. Her uncle, who had raised her from the time she was a child, sent a message to her, that the king and his men were plotting to wipe out all the Jews in the land--being Jewish, herself, that struck fear in her heart. However, in those days, to approach her husband the king, without being summoned, would have cost her her life.
After a short time, her uncle send her a second message: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. and who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14). Esther's future and the lives of the Jews stood at a precipice. Do nothing and all was lost. Speak up, and who knows...?
What about you? Have you ever faced a decision that could change your future forever? Perhaps the decision you had to face was not "life or death," like Esther's, but maybe yours would bring about the death of your dreams.
I had a decision like that to make. I had stopped at a friend's house on the way home one night and when I was about to leave, I was upset because I didn't know what I wanted for my future. My friend asked me what I wanted to do with my life and I said I didn't know. She looked at me and said, "Yes, you do." So I began to cry and said that I wanted to write. I've always wanted to write. Being able to write was my saving grace as a child, it gave me a stress release as a young adult and teenager. Writing has always been my companion. When I stood in my friend's entryway, crying, I was fearful. I had this passion deep inside of me and I wanted God to bless it, but I didn't know if He would. My friend looked at me and said that I needed to give it over to God to do what He wanted to do with it. I said I was afraid, because what if He didn't want me to write anymore? She said that if He didn't want me to write anymore, He'd take away the desire from my heart. I cried and we prayed and I gave my gift to God that night. Since that night, I've been writing things for God's glory. Thank you, Lord, for this gift you've given me.
The reason that such stories, like the story of Esther, who did go against tradition and approach the king without being summoned, are in the Bible, is so that they can teach us. We will all have at least one defining moment in our lives. Your most important one might still be before you. I pray that as you approach decisions that make you hold your breath, that you would think back to Esther and remember, "And who knows but that you have come...for such a time as this."
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