Open Our Eyes

We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

God is so amazing!  He moves heaven and earth and orchestrates all things to work together for my good (Romans 8:28).  Now, when we are walking through the valleys in our lives, it doesn’t feel good, it doesn’t look good, and we may not see how it will ever be good.  But we can rest assured that if we are in Christ and He is in us that we have the power within us (through Christ Jesus) to turn this situation around.  It’s all about perception and having our eyes opened to more truth.  God said, “Lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes,” (Isaiah 54:2).  When God makes us a promise, it’s also a call in our lives to make more room and time for Him and what He wants to do in our lives.  It’s a call for us to go deeper than ever before with Him.  As we go deeper, He opens our eyes wider and shows us more truth.  It’s all about perception.  The things I see and know today, I wasn’t ready for even two months ago.  The things He will teach me tomorrow will be built upon the things He’s teaching me today.  Psalm 23:4 says that even though today I might be walking in the shadow of the valley of death, tomorrow, God may reveal that the shadow I thought was death was really the shadow of the cross and He had to open my eyes so I could see it clearly.  2 Corinthians 1:8-9 says that I had to be brought to a point in my life and walk to realize that I can’t do it on my own, but must rely completely on God.  And that’s ok, because God longs to work amazing miracles in my life!

Life is full of light and shadows.  Oh, the joy and oh, the sorrow, oh, the sorrow / And yet will He bring the day from night.  And yet will He bring dark to light / When shadows fall on us, We will not fear, We will remember, When darkness falls on us, We will not fear, We will remember, When all seems lost, When we’re thrown and we’re tossed, We’ll remember the cost, We’re resting in the shadow of the cross. ~ “Shadows” David Crowder Band

Power Thoughts

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect* the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18

Last night I visited the small group “Power Thoughts,” where several amazing women are taking charge over their thoughts and their lives.  This book, by Joyce Meyer, teaches us to take our thoughts captive.  It forces us to examine the things we’ve heard and believed about ourselves.  It asks us to look at ourselves through the eyes of a loving God, who wants nothing but the best for us.  And it asks us to walk in boldness—boldness to believe that God loves us enough that He would not want us walking in anything less than in knowing the Truth about how He sees us.

This verse says that we are being transformed into God’s likeness—this is a process and doesn’t happen all at once or even in a few days.  A process takes a certain amount of time, and even Paul said that he didn’t have it all together, but “I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me,” (Philippians 3:14 TM).  That’s what God asks of all of us, that we would keep reaching out for Him, keep our eyes fixed on Him, and keep moving toward Him.  The one thing all the women had in common last night was their desire to live for a God who called them to reflect His glory in their lives by learning who they are in Him.  Amazing women, all of them!

When I Call

When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted. ~ Psalm 138:3

One of the things I love about my God is that He always answers me when I call.  Now, I don’t know if He answers me because I expect Him to, or if I expect Him to because He always answers me.  Sometimes His answers are simply to show me He loves me:  “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me,” (Isaiah 49:16); and “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do,” (Ephesians 2:10).  Sometimes, He answers me with gentle encouragement: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint,” (Isaiah 40:29, 31).  And sometimes He answers me with bold and challenging encouragement: “Therefore, thus says the LORD, ‘If you return, then I will restore you— Before Me you will stand; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman,” (Jeremiah 15:19); and “They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.’ [But I prayed],’"Now strengthen my hands,’” (Nehemiah 6:9).

No matter what situation I’m in and no matter what I’m going through, I know, without a shadow of a doubt that my God will answer me when I call Him.

Even Though

Even though I walk through the darkest valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. ~ Psalm 23:4

This scripture starts out by saying, “Even though…”  Even though is a conjunction meaning, “despite the fact,” or “regardless.”   In other words, “While I recognize that I’m currently in this situation, I fully expect it to change.”  In this scripture, the speaker recognizes that he is in the “valley of the shadow of death.”  The word “death” can be a physical death, an emotional death (such as distress), a mental death (such as depression), a relational death, it doesn’t give complete clarity.  Regardless of what you are facing or feeling, you don’t have to stay in that place. 

Romans 8 talks about life through the Spirit versus life through the flesh: “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.  The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace,” (vv. 5-6).  Regardless of how you got into this valley, if you have the Spirit of Christ living in you, then you already have the power within you to come out of it.  That is why the speaker in Psalm 23 can say, “I will not be afraid.” 

Whatever you are facing today: trials in your marriage, with your kids, with your family, health issues, financial issues, others, know that even though this trial may seem insurmountable, God is with you.  He is walking close beside you and you don’t have to be afraid.  He longs to comfort and protect you and show you the way out.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but [a Spirit] of power and of love and of a sound mind. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

~Heather Potts~

Don't be afraid; just believe

While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler, "Your daughter is dead," they said.  "Why bother the teacher anymore?" ~ Mark 5:35

There is a passage in the Book of Mark that talks about the dead girl and teaches us some things we need to remember when we ask Jesus for something.  1) Go the distance.  Jairus asked Jesus to come to his house to heal is daughter but before they got there, several people tried to get Jesus' attention.  However, Jairus didn't just give up and go home, he continued to wait for Jesus to make His way through the crowd and come with him.  2) Block out the nay-sayers.  After Jesus agreed to go with Jairus, two men came and reported that his daughter was dead.  But Jesus ignored them and said, "Don't be afraid; just believe," (v. 36).  When we've prayed for something, people are going to try to tell us to give up.  We must learn to block them out and keep focused on the power we have with us in Jesus.  3) Keep just a few close and put out the rest.  Ever heard of crowd mentality?  It's when one person in a crowd gets everyone else in the crowd to go along with what they say.  Keeping just a few people around you, sets up a barrier between you and those who would laugh at you and tell you it can't be done.  And those around you can remind you of the promises of God when you are feeling low and wanting to give up.  When Jesus went to the house of Jaius, there were many who were crying and wailing because they saw that the little girl was dead.  Jesus said that she wasn't dead and put out all who said she was.  Then He went inside with the few He had brought with Him and commanded the girl to rise...And she did.

Whatever you are facing, whatever you've asked and believed God to do in your life, following this example will help you get there.  And in the end remember the words of Jesus, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
~Heather Potts~

Expectation Builds Strength

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. ~ Isaiah 40:31

My two favorite holidays each year are Christmas and my birthday--and my birthday is Flag Day, so it's an actual holiday.  Every year, I look forward to them with great anticipation and excitement counting down the days till one of these two holidays arrives.  I know that it's going to be perfect!  I may not know everything that's going to happen on the day, but I know it's going to be amazing!  The anticipation builds as the day draws closer.  And when the day finally arrives, I'm not let down.  This scripture says, "they that wait upon the Lord shall have their strength renewed."  At first glance, that seems a bit off to me.  "Waiting" is generally not a fun act, because it's defined as being inactive and as something neglected for a time.  That sounds completely different than something that would build strength and encouragement.  But remember, the original text was in Hebrew and the original word is qavah, meaning "to expect."  We understand expectation.  When we are expecting something, we are looking forward to it and anticipating that it will happen.  Anticipation and expectation all build excitement and that, I can see, as building strength!

In his blog, Be Life Giving, Alex Anderson said that Jesus expected that His prayers would be answered and as sons and daughters of God, and as the body of Christ, we should expect nothing less, (http://belifegiving.blogspot.com/2011/07/ladies-and-gentlemen.html).  He said that as Jesus expected, we, too, should expect to have our prayers answered.  Don't just wait around--as the world waits--for your prayers to be answered.  Instead, expect that they will be answered.  Expect it, with great anticipation, as you would expect your favorite holiday to come this year.  Expect it; picture it; look forward to it!  Those who look forward to something with great expectation and anticipation will have their strength renewed.  They will be able to keep moving forward, because their expectation motivates them.  Keep looking in expectation!
~Heather Potts~

See by Faith

The more I seek you, the more I find you.  The more I find you, the more I love you. ~ "The More I Seek You," Kari Jobe

Five or ten years ago, it was common to see WWJD everywhere, on bracelets, Bible covers, t-shirts, etc.  The concept was if Jesus was here, what would He do or how would He respond.  What if we rearrange that a little bit and change our focus.  What if we determine to see and hear Jesus in everyone; how differently might you respond?  You see, when you focus on Jesus, and look at the world through spiritual eyes, you're no longer seeing fleshly earth suits, you're looking past that into the pain or the joy of who they are underneath.  Now, by faith, cover them in the love of Jesus.  Do they become easier to love if you see Jesus instead of whatever their earth suit is doing?  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me," (Matthew 25:40).  We all want to do everything for Jesus, but sometimes, there are people we don't have that same attitude toward.  If you saw the face of Jesus instead of theirs or recognized His affect instead of theirs, would it make it easier to act and respond in love?  Ask God to anoint your eyes, to give you spiritual eyes, that you may see by faith instead of by sight.  Even Star Wars knew, "Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them."

We live by faith, not by sight. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:7
~Heather Potts~