Riding out the storms

Earlier, there came a sudden storm.  The wind was blowing & some rain was splattering about and I felt God was speaking to me through it.  There is no storm now.  It is as if God whipped up one to teach me something and then once I got the gist of it the storm stopped.  However, He kept right on showing me things... and I just kept writing it all down. And at the end the tug came on my heart to write it out for you here. 

First off let me ask - when the storms of life hit you, where do you seek shelter?  Are you already sheltered under His wings or are you running in the opposite direction hoping you can ride this one out on your own?

I love storms... that was my first thought strange as it may seem but I do.  There is something about sitting safe and sheltered inside and watching a storm (rain, snow, wind, whatever it may be) raging outside.  Storms can be beautiful and tragic.  But what came to my heart was the beauty of watching a storm while safe & secure, with peace & calm surrounding and filling me.  It is a poetic example of our spiritual life in and apart from God.  With God we are sheltered under His wings, safe, secure, at peace, calm in the midst of a storm raging around us.  Whatever those storms may be (uncertainty, loss, confusion, etc.).  Whatever comes against us we are sheltered, shielded, safe and surrounded by Him who loves us, who is faithful, sure, true, strong - Mighty is my God to save!

Now without Him, you are out in the storm... needless to say let your imagination run with what all that means.  It brings to mind the story of Jonah who instead of obeying God ran in the opposite direction and well a big storm came a brewing!  (Just read through Jonah ch. 1-2).  It is amazing to me that even when we have deliberately disobeyed Him, He still will look after us.  Yes, there may be consequences - being thrown over board into a raging storm, that suddenly stops and being caught safe in the belly of a fish.  Um consequence - your in a fishes belly surrounded by stomach acid, stink and ... ugh!  But you are still alive and once repentant and willing to obey you are spit up safely on land back where you need to be to get going in the right direction!  How awesome is our God! 

It also brings to mind other stories of storms raging & Jesus calming them.  Check out Matt. 8:23-27, 14:23-33. It even reminded me of Elijah when all the "storms" came by but God was not in them... He was in the gentle blowing. (1 Kings 19)  God made sure Elijah was cared for, He came and spoke to Him and told Him what to do... He provided.  God is near, are you listening expectantly?  Do you believe He cares about you and will take care of you? In Christ we are His beloved, cherished, the apple of His eye... How amazing is His love!  How great is His faithfulness!  How tenderly He deals with us... we who are not deserving are chosen, blessed, redeemed, forgiven, adopted, accepted and continually being transformed to be more like Christ Jesus! Amazing! Inspiring!

But will this do more? Will it... Not only amaze and inspire you but also provoke you to action?! To love? To faithfulness? To obedience? To not stand still in complacency? Will it get you moving, going forward to walk with Him, follow Him, obey Him?!  There is so much more - are you ready?!  Can YOU wait EXPECTANTLY on Him?  Will YOU CHOOSE TO OBEY?  When all is said and done and you leave this earth what will be said of you? What will be remembered? What is your legacy?  Where did you invest your heart, time and giving...?  Was it in the eternal, the lasting? Was it in doing Kingdom living? Was it for Him? Loving and serving others? I am not by any means where I would like to be or think I have attained it... oh no, but God is working on me!  And what I cannot do, what you cannot do on your own - we have a God who can!  He can do anything! And we can do anything through Christ who strengthens us!

Jesus - God made flesh, came to earth - amazing in itself is that fact, but even more He came for us! To serve us. He lived for us. He came to teach us, to save us, to heal us, to help us, to redeem/ransom us.  He literally gave His life while living and in death and in rising again to life for us.  What is my response to that?  How will I live? Love? Serve?  Where is my treasure?  Is my greatest treasure Him or in earthly things?  I know and you should know that He is our greatest treasure!  Will I, will you - choose Him? My portion and inheritance - all I ever want and need... all you could ever want and need too!

He who paid so great a price to ransom us all - to call us His children, His beloved, to take away our sin and make us pure, holy and right before God.  In Christ we are a royal priesthood, given power and authority to bind up the enemy, to tear down strongholds, to fight the good fight (that is not against flesh and blood), to stand firm and be equipped with every offensive and defensive weapon and shield we need - we are victorious!!!  We can be strong and courageous because God is for us, so therefore who can stand against us!  Certainly not the defeated enemy... Think about it!  Believe it and live it out!  Through Him we can do the impossible because we are not doing it, He is!  We are partnered with Him and a vessel used to do the miraculous!  What is more, He does the miraculous in us... making us a new creation in Christ Jesus... free from sins hold and alive, victorious - free! Wow!  How much better can it get!

In this world let me not cling to old ways, thoughts or be held back from full out victorious, abundant living!  Not because I can do it but because He who is in me is greater & HE CAN!  Let's do it - no holding back, but holding on to Him as we take the most exciting and wildest, most wonderful ride of our lives!  And the thing we cannot even imagine or fathom is there is soooo much more ahead.  When we see Him face to face, when we are with Him in His kingdom - everything we now know or see pales in comparison!  Are you ready - grab on and hold on tight to Him, cling to the Rock and follow Him for the greatest adventure and more to come!  To His glory and for His name and His purpose and plan and Kingdom...  Come Lord Jesus, come!

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Hebrews 11:1,6 - NASB

There are so many thoughts swirling through my head…Thoughts of scripture urging me to live the life Christ set me free to live upon this earth – to live for eternity. Thoughts of where I fail and yet reminders that His grace is sufficient and it is He who strengthens, lifts me up and leads me on.

I haven’t written in a while, I haven’t felt too up to writing as I have struggled with morning sickness that seems to be now passing. And today I felt the urge to write… First to be honest and transparent with you because I struggle and struggle with perfectionism… and in its own way it is pride asserting itself because I want to be in control, I want to do it! Just like a two year old tells you at times – no, I can do it by myself! But I can’t… I can’t do (as Paul describes) what I want to do, instead I do what I don’t want to do… You know why – because I am trying to do it in my own strength! And I am weak! It is Christ in me that makes me strong. It is through Christ that I can do all things, nothing is impossible with Him. On my own I can do nothing… I cannot change my heart – positive think all you like but that isn’t what changes you from the inside out, it is the Spirit at work in you – It is Jesus! All this striving to do right, to love others on my own – I can’t do it! Not in a perfect love, not in truth… it is futility at work in my strivings.

When I let go and let God step in things happen; amazing, wonderful things happen! Not out of my own strength or ability but knowing as I do that it is all Him who enables me to walk rightly, to love, to serve… in truth and love. Sure I will mess up but He is faithful to be there to redirect me and lead me in the right direction, at times He has to carry me in the right direction but I know this, He is faithful and He will not leave me where I sit, He will not fail me, He will get me going in the direction I need to go. My future is secure in Him.

Do you have that assurance, that hope, the absolute conviction – faith – believing Him and His promises are true… not just in general but for you?! All His promises are true – ALL of them. Do not let the enemy or yourself convince you otherwise… do not let fear hold you back. Be strong and courageous and walk by faith not by sight! He is right there with you every step of the way! He is there!

I have been reading Hebrews 11 and it is perhaps such a read or known chapter that you can over look the significance, the promise, the hope, the truth that it teaches… God has again used it to speak to me in a new and fresh way… yeah, some of it I have gotten before… but maybe just in my head and not in my heart (?). Take a look at it for yourself with fresh eyes, pray for the Spirit to speak to you through it… to show you, teach you, rebuke you and mature you in your walk, in faith, to go deeper with Him… Because to these men and women listed in Ch. 11 God was much more than a religion or a standard of living – He was LIFE! They were surer of Him than of anything they could see, feel or have upon this earth. They knew Him, His Word – His promises and they believed God. They chose Him, they chose faith, they chose even in the face of pain and death to cling to what is true and lasting than the pleasures and sin of this world. They believed in our promised future that is with Him, our great reward that is everlasting. A far greater treasure than the fleeting and often harmful (to ourselves) pleasures of this world, that do not last but are here today and gone tomorrow. The world and what it offers cannot fill that void in you, it cannot transform you into the perfect you… it is surface and shallow and you will find it to be empty. For only God can and does complete us, make us whole, healthy, transformed… Only He can bring about true and lasting peace and joy. He is the real deal and yet often we choose what we see (this world) over Him, we lack faith, we lack focus, and it is heartbreaking.

Maybe that is enough of my wandering thoughts for today… I will ended it saying this – I don’t want it to be for earthly praise or reward that I live but for LOVE – for GOD… in the end it is not the praise of men I want to hear but the praise of God – well done My good and faithful servant. For those of you out there living it – press on… for those of you who struggle – seek to draw closer to Him and holdfast to what is true… for those of you who do not know Jesus – seek Him in truth and you will find Him – and there is no greater reward than to know Jesus! He is life changing!

Thank you Jesus for loving us so!

Give me Ears to hear, Give me Eyes to see - Truth

As I sat down today and opened up my quiet time with prayer the LORD laid upon my heart to read the first portion of Isaiah 59 and then blew me away. What He spoke to my heart is not something new to me however; it is very pertinent to what is going on in our Nation. I am here LORD, I am listening, I will obey… Here is what He shared with me:

(During the time of Isaiah the prophet there were parents sacrificing their children to idols. Today our Nation condones the sacrifice of the unborn to the idol called Choice. It is an industry that is full of lies and greed, it is corrupt and it leads the people astray – in its wake follows desolation, destruction and certainly not peace. –This is my side note).

Isaiah 59:3 – For your hands are defiled with blood
And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken falsehood,
Your tongue mutters wickedness. (NASB)

I have seen in our Nation a great evil called Choice (i.e. Abortion). It covers our Nation’s hands in blood. It is corrupt, this industry that tells falsehoods and lies (“it is not a baby”, “it feels nothing”) to make money never mind the destruction in its wake... The hurt, desolation, grief, guilt, and shame it reaps upon our Nation’s men and women. It tells them lies that they will be fine – that everything will be normal again (as it was before this choice) once this procedure is done. An untrue statement if I have ever heard one. This choice ends a life – no one in the Choice camp wants to admit this but it is true. And even if you don’t want to admit it somewhere deep inside you know it is true. This choice will often leave in its wake physical, emotional, and spiritual damage. It manifests itself in the lives of men and women in different ways… none the less the damage is there.

There are fathers who grieve the loss who had no choice. There are fathers who come to grieve who did. There are mothers who are led astray, who are fed lies and platitudes and who then are the ones who have to deal with the aftermath. The child is not the only victim in this sin we call Choice. Now our Nation wants to call this Healthcare!

LORD how far we have fallen from You! How can Your eyes bear to look upon this Nation steeped in sin, covered in the blood of babies?!

Verse 4 – No one sues righteously and no one pleads honestly. They trust in confusion and speak lies; They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.

How true are these words for the abortion industry. Show us LORD the truth, open our eyes to see – our ears to hear – LORD forgive us, may this Nation return to YOU in repentance. I grieve… As I know You must grieve too.

Verse 6b – 8. Their works are works of iniquity, And an act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, And they hasten to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, Devastation and destruction are in their highways. They do not know the way of peace, And there is not justice in their tracks; They have made their paths crooked, Whoever treads on them does not know peace.

WOW! LORD wow – it is so true. Why can people not see? Are their hearts so hardened and their eyes blinded to the truth!?! Let them SEE, HEAR and KNOW – Make them understand LORD please!

This is not what I expected to hear from you today LORD – yet I know it is right and it is exactly what needed to be read and heard. As our Nation’s elected leaders refuse to listen to the voice of the people and are pushing through their agenda. It seems the abortion industry and many in D.C. are walking hand in hand – their plan – their profit. The profit of the wicked made upon the blood of the unborn. It is wickedness!

How? How can this be?! How is this healthcare? How is this even allowed? Condoned? We are speaking of lives here – babies – humans! And yet it is as if they cannot see – they are blinded to this truth…hearts hardened and peace will not be found in this. How can it, when the cries of the unborn are heard by You LORD?! You hear, You know… Just as Abel’s blood cried out to you (Gen. 4:10) so does the blood of the millions of unborn sacrificed to the idol of Choice. You see … nothing is hidden from You. LORD I cannot get over it – and nor should I be able to.

O LORD if only we would turn to You in repentance, if only we would seek redemption and You would roll away the reproach of this Nation (Joshua 5:9)! LORD if we would repent and come to You there is forgiveness without measure and redemption. There is healing to be found under Your wings… Healing for men and women who are desolate and in pain… Healing for this Nation gone astray. You offer healing to hearts, minds and more… If we would but turn to You.

Forgive us and lead us in the ways and paths of righteousness. LORD make our paths straight and light the way before us that we may not stumble and fall. If we do, You are faithful and You are there to lift us up and set our feet again on solid ground.

(Isaiah 6:9-10).

LORD awaken this Nation. Bring healing to our land. Great are our trespasses but they cannot surpass Your grace and Your unfailing love to those who call on Your Name. Call on Him!

Living beyond our Flesh

Have you read in the OT about God bringing His people out of Egypt and taking them through the wilderness? ... They were headed to the Promise Land. However, not all of them made it... because even though God provided for all their needs and was with them, even though He had rescued them, even though He was going to greatly bless them... they didn't appreciate it, they didn't appreciate Him, they grumbled, they complained, they worshipped other gods, and they didn't believe... just to name a few.

Have you read the book of Hosea? In it is represented the story of God and His people... The Lord & His Bride - Hosea represents God and Gomer represents God's people... The book tells of Hosea being told to find a wife, and even beforehand he is warned that she will be unfaithful... and yet he will take her back. If you have a chance check out the Francine Rivers book called Redeeming Love, it is a fictional account based upon the book of Hosea and is so good. Any way... maybe you can see where I am heading with all this???

It is amazing to me the love and faithfulness of our God! His ways and thoughts are so much higher than our own! Because if that had been me I would have long ago said let me forget these people and move on... I wouldn't have wanted to take my unfaithful spouse back... no in our flesh we want what is easy, what makes us feel good even if it is just for the moment... we do not have an eternal grasp/big picture here... it is the here and now and I want, I want, I want... I don't deserve this, gratify me, serve me, please me, I am right, on and on I could go...

I have been reading James MacDonald's book LORD, CHANGE MY ATTITUDE - Before it's too late. If you have a chance it is a very good read and more importantly has a lot of biblical & applicable truth in it. He talks in the book about how God is displeased with (our unholy) attitude (our heart), and how we can never enter His rest, or our promised land when we are continually bringing this sin before Him. It is not just enough to see & recognize these attitudes that displease God but we also have to replace them with godly attitudes or we are worse off than before... Out with the "sin" in with the "spirit" so to speak... any way...

I have been thinking about all these things and I confess I need the Spirit to do some work on me... I can see now how I have been like these Israelites in my heart, attitude... when things are not the way I want them, when things are hard going through the "wilderness"... I want, I want. When I should be so thankful for what I have, for what God has done, is doing and is going to do!!! I have decided to believe God, not my flesh, not the lies of the enemy but God who is truth and love. God who is faithful, God who has promised me so much more than I can ever deserve... GOD IS FAITHFUL!!! Believe Him and hold tight to the promises He has given! Believe Him for your promised land and do not get waylaid now or permanently in your wilderness time...

The world and our flesh tell us differently... we are so temporal... but this life is nothing, and I mean nothing if we can grasp that, compared to eternity with our Heavenly Father! Oh the riches of that!!! I know someone going through a difficult time right now... and she was given some advice that just stopped me in my tracks... she was told to pray (yes that is good) but then she was told she deserved better and she should get a divorce! Whoaaaa! Wait a second... When we get married (in a Christian marriage) it is a vow, a COVENANT between you, your spouse and GOD!!! God takes this very seriously... this is not something to take lightly. God HATES divorce... When you vow to love, honor and cherish for better or for worse ... well God expects you to mean it. It doesn't mean as long as it is convenient for you, as long as you are happy, as long as you feel "love" .... Remember you vowed for better OR WORSE. Well right now might be a worse time... it might be an unbearable time to you but I tell you please take it to God... pray, pray, pray... pray blessings over the one who has hurt you, I ask you to do this not just for their sake but mostly for your benefit that you do not become bitter and hardhearted. Arm yourself .... put on the full armor of God. Take memory cards with verses that speak to you every where you go... and pray them! Do not let the enemy have a foot hold here... as much as you can - love that other person. We are commanded to love our enemies, we are told to preserver... it will not be easy!!! But you are not doing it for them... you are doing it for God and for you! Remember that you can do ANYTHING through Him who gives you strength - anything!!!! (See Phil. 4:13)

If you are struggling in your marriage or in any other difficult situation take it first to God and if you get counsel, make sure it is from a godly Christian and that what they advice you lines up with scripture!!! If it doesn't well think again... Do not take your commitments, vows, covenant lightly... God had told us as much as we can on our part to forgive, to love... He made the allowance for divorce in the case of adultery but even in that it was only because of our hardheartedness... He still doesn't want divorce... “I hate divorce,” says the LORD God of Israel" Mal. 2:16a. "Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning." Matt. 19:8. Notice Moses permitted it... because of what? Their hearts were hard! These are the same people who grumbled and complained and worshiped other gods and did not enter into the Promise Land!!!!

Remember that this life really isn't about us - you or me... It is all about GOD!!! We are not promised that living on this earth will be easy... However we have promises that we can take to the bank... Memorize scripture, pray it, pray, pray... God's word does not go out and come back void... Remember you have a mighty God who can do ANYTHING... believe Him, trust Him... and walk faithfully and obediently with Him no matter what circumstances you are in. Remember that what we do we are doing for God! Not to please man, not to make ourselves look better, etc... Please do not think that I do not understand how hard and difficult many of the circumstances are that surround the body of Christ - marriages, sickness, death, persecution, on and on... Go to the Word, get on your knees and pray... Remember that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God - not trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, death, life, angels, demons, on and on... nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39). He is always near... however we can by our thoughts, actions, hard hearts distance ourselves from the Lord.... we do it, not Him... if we turn around (repent) He is right there, open arms, loving, forgiving. But when our focus is not on Him, we should be careful... it is easy to stumble or fall. The great news is He is there waiting to lift us back up... arm out stretched and waiting ... Oh that we could just keep our eyes on Him!

Remember none of us are perfect, all have sinned... Yet in Christ we are forgiven a debt greater than we can ever repay... how can we then not forgive another (see Matt. 18:21-35). Love one another, pray and encourage one another, forgive... and give your burdens over to the Lord leave them with Him. We can not change another person, we can not even change ourselves - we need the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us for that. Honestly it is not our job... we are to called to love - yes that means speaking truth to others (in love), but we are not called to change them, we can not save someone, we cannot make them repent... all of that is between them & God. We are just called to be witnesses, to love - to do our part... we cannot do God's.

Thank you for letting me share my heart with you today... I hope that this may encourage you or benefit you in some way.... all to the glory of God!!!

Standing Firm

A peek inside my "strange" mind... Yesterday, I saw a piece of my hair attached to something...blowing... I saw it, then I didn't... it would at times blend in with the background and then I would see it again... Any way this led me to thinking about something....
About how at times in our lives we can be "blowing in the wind" or "tossed among the waves"... Are we blending in with our culture? Are we being swayed? Do you have times you feel like you are drowning in your circumstances or life? See Eph. 4:14 & James 1:6.

Honestly, if we are not standing firm (Gal. 5:1; 1 Cor. 16:13), putting on the full armor... if we are not abiding in Christ, it can be so easy for us to start to blend in... It wouldn't be all at once but little concessions here and there and all the sudden we are all the way down a road we are not even completely sure how we got on... Am I making sense to anyone? Allowing ourselves to be swayed by persuasive speech or our fleshly desires... To be swallowed up by the cares of this world and drowning in our present circumstances with no thought for our eternal future.

I pray my brothers & sisters you are standing firm and holding fast to what the Word has taught us (2 Thess. 2:15)... Be on guard and put on the full armor of God... that is how we can truly live, live free and experience the abundant life Christ came to give us. Seek Him and hold fast!
(Check out Jesus's comments on John the Baptist and his standing firm in Matt. 11:7-10).