In the Waiting

For many years, we have been waiting.  It has been an ongoing struggle.  I won’t go into details, but I will say it has been a battle that for me has been emotionally exhausting at times.  And it has to do with the health of someone in our family. (Nothing life-threatening. ) 

We are finally getting some answers and are at a place of peace with what we must do.  Last week we sat in a doctor’s office waiting to see the doctor.  I was sure she would confirm what we felt the Lord was leading us to accept and the step to take next in this journey. 

Glancing at my phone, I read the prayer request responses from a few faithful prayer warriors I knew would pray during this appointment.  Then I opened a book to pass the time and began to read.  Within the first paragraph, tears splashed onto the pages below.  My hand reached into my purse and waded through a variety of items in order to find the soft package of travel tissues.  Finding my tissues, I wiped my eyes, temporarily slowing the leaking. 

I again, turned to my phone and quickly texted a prayer request,

“We are still in the waiting room.  I just started tearing up while reading a book.  Please pray. I don’t know why I’m crying.”

As I typed the above request, my eyes fixed on the word “waiting”.  I couldn’t look away from it.  “We are still in the waiting…”

Still in the waiting.   For years, we have been in the waiting.   Perhaps I was emotional because I could sense we were almost done waiting.  Or perhaps it was because the wait has been long. 

Yes, we would have loved for the Lord to choose to heal our family member quickly and supernaturally.  Yes, and amen!  However, it doesn’t appear that is the road the Lord has chosen for this particular journey.  We have been seeking the Lord and praying about this particular issue for years, waiting and then moving when led, and then waiting some more.  We have seen God move and have seen progress.  However, we have not seen complete deliverance.  What we have seen, though, is our God being faithful to answer what the next step is, directing and guiding us every step of the way and helping us prepare our hearts for His next leading. 

At the doctor’s office that day, what we felt the Lord saying to us was confirmed by the doctor and we do have a clear path forward as we follow the Lord in His next step. 

Are we still in the waiting?  Yes.  But I have a peace that passes all understanding knowing we are in the waiting room of the Great Physician.  He is altogether good, loving, and trustworthy. It isn’t that He is too busy or doesn’t care or just wants us to wait.  If we are in the waiting room, there is always a higher purpose in it.

     

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.” Ps 130:5

“My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.  In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart belfore Him; God is a refuge for us. “ Ps 62:5-8

Are you in the waiting room today?  The Lord is with you in the waiting. 

Father, I thank you that you are right in the middle of the waiting.  Lord, it is in Your Word that I hope.  I wait silently for You alone, O Lord!  My expectation is from You.  You are my rock and salvation, my strong defense and I shall not be moved.  I trust in You and I pour out my heart before You, O God.  You are my refuge, strength and shield.  Deliver by Your mighty hand.  Lead and guide me in your path of deliverance, healing, and restoration. And if waiting is part of the journey, I ask to see You in the waiting and for your full and perfect plan to be fulfilled.  I ask for complete healing, body, soul and spirit, In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

You are Salt

Day 1:

"You are the salt of the earth."  
Matthew 5:13a

Have you ever sat down to a delicious looking meal and bit into it only to realize that it was missing something....salt?  Salt is an important ingredient and without it, there isn't much taste to most foods.  

I did some research on salt.  In ancient times, salt was considered extremely valuable and the lack of it could effect the health of an entire population.  In a world without refrigeration, salt was the only means of preservation.  This fact made it a popular trade item worth its weight in precious jewels and ounce per ounce in gold.   

I found it particularly interesting that about 2500 years ago, salt was a highly valuable commodity in Rome. Roman soldiers were paid with "salt money" or "salarium argentum", which is where the word "salary" was derived. 

So, when Jesus was teaching that we are the "salt of the earth",  "salt" was viewed as one of the most valuable resources of the day.  

However, like food without salt in the ancient times, if we are not sprinkled with the seasoning of God's Word, our spiritual health will decay.  

We are valuable, and as a result, we need to stay in God's Word so we don't lose our "saltiness".  Food without salt is just bland.  As children of God, we need to show the world that God brings flavor to our lives so they too will want to "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Ps 34:8)

Our saltiness or lack thereof, can also effect the health of the population around us.  Please pass the salt...

Would you consider "passing the salt" by sharing this post with your friends today?  

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40 Days of Finding our True Identity

 

This summer I wanted to spend some time going through different scriptures discovering our true identity in Christ.

Currently, I am reading two books.  I am reading Limitless Life by Derwin Grey with Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies and Victory over the Darkness by Neil Anderson.  Both of these books focus on finding our true identity in Christ.

Through Derwin Grey's book, I am finding that I have believed labels about myself that simply are not true. Labels such as failure, afraid, rejected, unloved, unlikable.  These labels or other negative labels, if believed, limit our lives.  These labels are false and do not define us.  God defines who we are and He says we are complete, courageous, accepted, loved, and His friend.

In Neil Anderson's book, he states, "It is not what you do as a Christian that determines who you are; it is who you are that determines what you do."

When we have the wrong labels on us, it determines what we do and like I said above, it limits us and what God wants to do in our lives.  When we believe what God says about us and replace wrong labels with the truth, our actions will reflect our beliefs and God is able to work more effectively through our lives.

So, for the next 40 days or so, I want to focus on identity.  I want us to see ourselves differently, through new lenses by the end of this summer.  I want us to see ourselves as Christ sees us, a perfect reflection of His grace and love.  Who is with me?  Who is in for this 40 days of finding our true selves?!  

True Love Conquers All {With a Frozen Twist}

Love...

The most powerful force there is.   I love Disney movies and princess analogies.  : )

The evil villain places a spell on the princess that can only be broken with... true love's kiss.  The prince comes in to rescue his love by giving her true love's kiss.  She awakens. Evil is defeated.  And true love conquers all.

However, the most recent Disney movie, Frozen, places a new twist on true love breaking a curse, a more accurate depiction of true love.

"Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."  John 15:13

I don't want to spoil the movie in case you haven't seen it, but in it there is a selfless act of true love that saves the princess.  She lays down her life in love for another.

Where fear had once dominated and controlled, love set the curse free and true love overcame fear.

Love conquered fear and broke the curse.

Jesus defeated fear and every other scheme of the enemy on the cross.  He demonstrated His perfect love for us by laying down His life for us.  His act of true love conquered fear and redeemed us from the curse of the law. (Galations 3:13)

The enemy wants to hold us in bondage to fear. Faith and love work together to conquer fear.  Galations 5:6 says "Faith works through love."

Perfect love casts out fear, and it takes faith to operate in that love.

 "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.

But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."   1 John 5:10 

We have Jesus' conquering kind of love inside of us!  (1 John 4:12)  Fear flees when we choose love.

Rest in His love today, His love abides in you.  Give it away.  Love will drive fear away.

True love conquers all.  

  

Flower Pot Pens {and Other Hidden Talents}

Five years ago, my daughter, Sarah, made a beautiful craft for me in Mother's Day Out.  It was a flower pot with 2 silk flowers in it.  I love it and have had it on my windowsill in the kitchen for all these years.

Well, the other day I was at the doctor's office and there was a flower pot on the counter.  Inside of it were   flowers that were actually pens.  I thought it was the niftiest idea!  When they weren't being used, the incognito pens could double as flowers in the pot and add a touch of beauty!  Amazing!

I left the office and didn't think much else of these miraculous pens.

A day later I was standing in my kitchen and my flower pot with the silk flowers caught my eye.  Hmmm.  I thought, "I wonder if those flowers are pens."

I walked over to the pot and took out one of the flowers.  They were pens!! All these years I had pens in that flower pot and didn't even know it!  I thought it was just a pretty decoration.  I had no idea of its practical use!  (Please don't judge me)  {Smile}

We are all flower pot pens. We all have talents that are hidden beneath the surface, however, may not realize our full potential and usefulness.

"For we are all His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them"  Ephesian 2:10

When God made you, He made you with a specific plan in mind.  He designed you thoughtfully and purposefully.  Whether you see it or not doesn't matter, it is there, hidden temporarily until you are ready to discover it.

"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should  come to light."  Mark 4:22

I want to encourage you today to ask the Lord if anything is hidden in you that needs to be brought to light. Ask if there are any hidden talents or gifts that He would like you to discover to reveal your true purpose.

Perhaps God has called you to be a "pen" for Him and write for His glory.

For years I was like that flower pen and didn't even know I could write.  Don't be like me and have a perfectly good pen not fulfilling its writing destiny.  If you are a pen, write!

Whatever is hidden, God will reveal in His timing.  One thing is certain, there are hidden talents in every one of God's flowers.

How to Handle Fear {Part 2}

Yesterday, I shared in How to Handle Fear {Part 1} how David triumphed when others were paralyzed with fear.  Today, we will look at Joshua and how he handled fear.

In the book of Joshua, Moses is dead and God tells Joshua to prepare to enter the promise land. God tells Joshua 3 times in the first 9 verses of Joshua Chapter 1 to be of “good courage”.   Each of the three verses coincides with a reminder from the Lord later on in the book of what is needed to help his people “be of good courage” to face their fears.   

What the Israelites did to prepare their hearts for belief is an example we can follow to prepare our own hearts to believe and conquer fear. 

“Be strong and of good courage for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. “  Joshua 1:6

1.       Remember God’s promises.   God swore to their fathers to give them the land.  Anytime God makes a promise, we can expect Him to deliver on that promise.  We do not need to be afraid.  God will do what He said He will do.  Before Joshua led the Israelites to Jericho, he reminded them of God’s promise.  “The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.”(Joshua 1:13)  We too must remember and remind ourselves of what God says when we are afraid. 

“ Be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, My servant, commanded you; do not turn form it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:7

2.       Obey God.  Living pure and holy lives helps us overcome fear and walk in boldness.    In Joshua 3:5, Joshua exhorts the Israelites the day before the Lord opened the waters for them to cross over the River Jordan.  Joshua said, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”   When we are living in the truth of God’s Word, we can have confidence to do what God has called us to do and believe that the Lord will do wonders!

 “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1: 9

3.       Remember God is with you.  Throughout Joshua 3 and 4 there is an emphasis on the Ark of the Covenant being with His people and going before them as they crossed over the River Jordan on dry land.  The Ark is mentioned in in Joshua 3:3,6,8,11,13,14,15 and Joshua 4: 5,6,7,9,10,11,16,18. Of course, the Ark of the Covenant is symbolic of the Lord being with them. 

When facing difficult circumstances or overcoming fears, it is important to remember our God is with us and goes before us (Psalm 139:5).  We must keep our eyes on Him.  They had a physical symbol of the Ark.  We don’t have an Ark, but we have something better, the living Word of God.

    

4.       Watch your words.  The last truth I want to point out from the book of Joshua is that God had the Israelites remain silent until they shouted for the walls of Jericho to come down.   “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth until the day I say to you, “Shout!” (Joshua 6: 10) 

What we say and don’t say will help us overcome our fears.  Words of unbelief and doubt reap actions of unbelief and doubt.  Words of belief and faith, reap actions of belief and faith.  Yesterday, we saw how David spoke words of faith to the giant and how it built his confidence and courage.   Words of doubt feed fear.  Words of faith feed courage. 

Again, like David, we can see the train of thought--belief-faith-courage-action-success, in the example of Joshua.  He believed God’s promise, He had faith and encouraged himself and others in that faith through God’s Word, He took action on what God said to do, and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down in the end.  Any giant or wall of fear cannot stand against our God and the truth of His Word!   

Hemmed In

This is the memory verse for Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study "A Confident Heart" this week.  I love this verse. 

The NIV translation says, "You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me."  

"You hem me in"...mmm... doesn't that sound lovely? 

Today we are digging in deeper...

Part 1: "You go before me and follow me."  

In the original Hebrew, "hem" is the word tsuwr, and it means to enclose or secure.  Wow!  How comforting to know the God of the universe has us tucked in tight and secure.

"You go before me."  The Hebrew word for "before" is qedem.  It means aforetime, from the beginning.

God knows the future.  He is already there.  He has known it from the beginning.  He goes before us.

"...and follow me." The Hebrew word for "follow" is achowr.  It means the back side or rear.

 He is our rear guard behind us.  He hems us in secure in Him.

He is before us and behind us.  As my friend, Melissa Taylor, says, "We are a God-sandwich".

Now for Part 2: "You place your hand of blessing on my head."

The word "hand" is from the Hebrew word kaph.  One meaning is palm of the hand.  He not only inscribes us in the palm of His hand (Isaiah 49:16), but He also places His hand on us.  Again, God-sandwich!  

Another meaning for kaph was power.  God places His hand of our head and when He does, it is full of His glorious power!  Of course it is, after all, He is God, full of power and majesty!!

Wherever we go, He goes.  He goes before us.  He is already there.  He stands behind us to protect and guard and hem us in.  He places His Almighty and powerful hand of blessing on our heads!

Father, we thank You that You go before us and follow us, that You place Your hand of blessing on our heads.  Thank you for hemming us in and keeping us secure in You and Your power.  We need not fear the future, worry about the present, or fret about the past because You surround us as with a shield.  We are secure in Your love.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.   

Happy Endings

 I am currently leading a facebook small group for Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Studies with Melissa Taylor.  We are on Chapter 5 of Stressed-Less Living by Tracie Miles. 

This book was God ordained for this time in my life.  Chapter 5 is no exception. There were so many treasures in this chapter, but if I had to remember only one point, it would be that the Lord remembers.  

In Chapter 5, Tracie explains the story of Hannah from 1 Samuel 1.  If you haven't read the story of Hannah, I encourage you to go and read it now. Hannah's heart desire was for a baby.  She was childless. 

"And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish." 1 Samuel 1:10

"...and the Lord remembered her."  1 Samuel 1:19

I love that..."and the Lord remembered her".

Do you feel as if the Lord has forgotten you?  Hannah may have felt like the Lord had forgotten her and her desire for a child.  He did not forget.  No doubt she had asked the Lord for a child before this day.  What was different about this request?  Desperation. 

There is something powerful that happens when we come to the Lord in desperation. 

Recently, I heard Karen Ellison, the founder of Deeper Still, explain that Jesus didn't go knocking on people's doors asking if He could heal them.  Everyone who received healing from Jesus was desperate and sought Jesus desperately!  When they sought Jesus desperately, He healed every single one who came to Him.  It wasn't even the healing they were seeking, they sought the Healer! 

Hannah was desperate.  Hannah sought the Healer and entreated Him to remember her.  He did. 

What are you desperate for today?  What part of your  life do you need Jesus to touch?  Your marriage?  Health?  Job?   Finances?  Children?  When we finally come to the end of ourselves and realize we cannot fix our problem, and we fall to our knees in desperation, He meets us and touches our lives and heals what only He can heal.

He has not forgotten you. 

Hannah's story has a happy ending and as Tracie wrote "I believe that our heavenly Father wants us all to have happy endings." (pg. 96) 

"As we make faith a priority and learn to trust in God's plans, even if we do not understand them or like them, the doors will be flung wide open for God to enter our lives and begin his mighty work.  During the wait we are called to fall on our knees just like Hannah and pour out our hearts to him.  We are called to live life in a state of dependency on Him, believing that His peace is available in any situation."  (pg. 97) 

The Lord wants us to seek Him.  I need Him to hold me, to protect me, to comfort me, and keep me shielded in His love.  When I curl up in His presence and seek His face, I feel safe, secure, and full of peace. He always guides me.  He always remembers my requests.  He remembers yours also. 

While we are waiting for the positive outcome, we can rest knowing He is working on our happy ending.  Even when the endings don't turn out exactly how we would have written them, we can trust that His ending is better.   We can trust Him for a happy ending.  He writes the best Books! 

What Are You Looking At?

As a mom, the words "Do not!" come out of my mouth often.

Do not forget to put down the toliet seat!  Do not leave your clothes on the floor! 

Do not eat the dog food!  Do not pick your nose!

Do not....!

We moms know we mean business when the words "Do not" come out of our mouths.  This analogy is what I thought of when I read the verse above.  

God is our heavenly Father and just like we earthly parents tell our kids "Do not" for their own good, He tells us "Do not" for our benefit.  But, do we listen?

"Do not fear;  I am with you;"   

The great "I AM" is with us.  We don't have to fear because He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  His presence is always with us.  

I remember a time when my daughter, Sarah, was attempting something new and she was afraid she would fall.  I told her "Don't be afraid.  You can do this, and I am right here to catch you."  She continued to go across.  She kept her eyes on me, she knew I was right there with her and she made it across.  We need to keep our eyes on Jesus to make it across. What we keep our eyes on determines our reaction.  I looked up the word "anxious" in the Hebrew in the next part of this verse and I found it very interesting. 

"Do not be anxious:  I am your God."  The word "anxious" here is translated in other translations "discouraged" or "dismayed".  These words come from the Hebrew word "sha'ah" and it means "to look away, cause gaze to turn away". He is telling us, "Do not look away from me.  Do not turn away and look all around you.  LOOK AT ME dear child. I am your God and I love you so very much."


When we are anxious, discouraged, or dismayed, it is because our gaze has turned away from our heavenly Father.  We have looked away from Him and set our eyes on our circumstances, problems, or fears. 

"I will strengthen you and help you."

 He is our God.  When we keep our eyes on Him, we can remain steadfast, secure, and courageous.  We can be full of faith that our Father will safely help us to the other side.

"I will hold you up with My victorious right hand."  

We don't have to be afraid of the path ahead.  In fact, God says, "Do not fear".  God will lead us steady and strong and He will hold us up.  We can move forward in faith knowing that we will not fall.  We are victorious in Him.  We will make it to the other side.  Just keep your eyes on Jesus and do not fear. 

"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3

Do not fear.  Just trust. 
 

Lean On Me

I will say of the LORD, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! Psalm 91:2 AMP

The year was 1988.  Big hair was in with the puffy bangs sprayed stiff with White Rain.  I was in middle school.  My friend, Challie, and I were inseparable with our collars turned up and jeans rolled tight.  We were two teenie-boppers at the Peoria Fair.  We jolted to a booth boasting star-sighted singers could record a "tape" in a real music studio (Yes, I said "tape". I am that old.).  The tune we chose to record was, "Lean on Me",a popular song at that time.  Perhaps you are old enough to remember it?  

Lean on me, when you're not strong.  I'll be your friend.  I'll help you carry on.  Lean on me, for, for it won't be long and I'm going to need somebody to lean on.  Just call on me, brother, when you need a friend.  We all need somebody to lean on.

I"ll spare you and won't sing it. {smile} Thankfully, this was long before American Idol.  Simon would have chewed us up, ate us for lunch, and then spit us out!  (Sorry Challie, we were not good!)

However bad our vocals may have been, it doesn't negate the goodness of the song. 

When I look at the verse above, I see how our God wants us to run to Him and lean on Him.

He promises to be our refuge.   Merriam-Webster defines "refuge" as a shelter or protection from danger or distress.  He is our protection from danger or distress.  (Yes, He even protects you from my singing.) 

He promises to be our fortress.  A fortress is a secure place.  He promises to be a place of security.  

On Him I lean and rely, and in Him, I confidently trust. 

I need to know He protects me.  I need to know I can be secure in Him.  I need to know that He is my friend and I can lean on Him and rely on Him.  There are things I don't understand.  There are uncertainties that loom and threaten to quake my confidence.  No matter the circumstances, I will not waiver!  God is my certainty!  He is my confidence! I will confidently trust in the Lord, my God! 

God is inviting you to hear His sweet voice today. Won't you join Him in the quietness of His studio and record His voice in your heart...

Lean on Me when you're not stong.  I'll be your friend.  I'll help you carry on.

One Man

In the last two posts, I have been journeying through the book of Nehemiah.  In case you are just joining in the fun, here are the links for first two posts.

Grab a Brick and a Bible

You Have No Right

The Holy Spirit desires to rebuild the broken areas of your life.  There will be Sanballats and Tobiahs in your life who will try to discourage you.  Many times, our thoughts can be that discouraging voice.  Be mindful of your thoughts.  Do they line up with what the Lord has said to you?

Just today those thoughts came in an attempt to discourage me. Then, I remembered the post and what I wrote about and I know those discouraging thoughts are not from the Lord.

I am standing on the Word of the Lord.  His Holy Spirit is helping me rebuild and I will arise and build!  The Word of the Lord will be accomplished.

If you remember, in the last post "You Have No Right", Nehemiah had just finished telling Sanballat and Tobiah that they had no right to Jerusalem, so in other words, "Shut it!"  That was at the end of Chapter 2.

Moving on to Chapter 3, I noticed that Sanballat and Tobiah were nowhere to be found.  They are not mentioned again until Chapter 4 and there it says that "when they heard that we were rebuilding the wall", which tells me they left.  The enemy will leave when you speak the truth.  He may return again, but he has to leave at that time! 

Now Chapter 3 is all about rebuilding the wall.  At first glance it appears to be a lengthy list of people who helped build the wall.  It could be easy to just skip over it and not pay much attention to Chapter 3.  I know when reading through parts of the Old Testiment it is tempting to skip over lists of people (like the "begats" lists), but it is all in there for a purpose.

What do I see when I read Chapter 3?  Well, first of all I notice that there were a multitude of people who helped with rebuilding the wall.  In addition, all the materials they needed to rebuild were already there. What does this mean?  To me, it means that these people were there all along and they could have rebuilt the city at any time. They were already in Jerusalem.  Why did it take over ten years for them to decide to rebuild?

To me this indicates how one person, Nehemiah, can make a difference.  It took Nehemiah going to Jerusalem and inspiring the Israelites to rebuild in order for the walls and gates to be rebuilt.  One man made a difference with his belief and enthusiasm.

The other factual nugget revealed in Chapter 3 is that the Lord will bring the right people with the right skills and materials to accomplish His will and plan.  The list of people who helped with the wall is remarkable.  It appears that the whole city came out to help, given all the names listed.

Do you realize that the city walls and gates that had for all practical purposes been destroyed for one hundred and fifty years were rebuilt in fifty-two days!  And it all transpired with the inspiration of one man who listened to the voice of the Lord and inflamed enthusiasm in a nation! 

Wow!  Nothing is impossible with God.  We need to always remember how one person can truly make a difference in others, their nation, and the world!

And that, my friends is Chapter 3...isn't Nehemiah a hidden treasure?!  Chapter 4 is good too!  I will be discussing Chapter 4 next time.  {smile}

"Let us rise up and build" Then they set their hands to do this good work.  Nehemiah 2:18b

"Let us rise up and build"!!  

God is Never Late

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life."  Proverbs 13:12

The word "deferred" above is the Hebrew word mashak and is means "draw out, prolong, or continue".

Last week my heart was beginning to get "sick" with waiting... waiting for a heart's desire.

The desire seemed to be at the top of a slippery rope of hope.  The desire was just out of reach.  Hope continued to show me it was there, but I was unable to attain the grip needed to reach the top of desire.

Fulfillment of the hope was just dangling in front of me saying wait a little longer.  When we can see the hope, but it alludes us, it can be exasperating.
 
Faith whispered for me hold on to hope. Don't let go of the rope, you will attain your heart's desire!

However, disappointment turned into discouragement...

I prayed...God answered.

This post by Lysa Terkeurst was in my email inbox "The Place Where Disappointment Grows"  It was God speaking to bring encouragement to my worn down heart.  

Then, that night as I was reading the kids their devotional, God spoke again...My eyes overflowed with tears in awe of His presence and love for me.

My kids have Sarah Young's Jesus Calling 365 Devotions for Kids. These words were the words of the Lord printed on the page of September 27...

"I am constantly working in your life, even though you may not realize it. Especially when you are tired or hurt, or the day has had too many troubles, you may not notice Me at all.  But I am there.  

When you are tired, I am the One who is gently urging you on. When you are hurt, I am the One who is softly whispering, 'It's going to be okay.' And when you are overwhelmed, I am the One who is running before you, clearing the path of the things you just can't face today." 

Then, as if that wasn't enough, it suggested reading Psalms 27:14.  Again God spoke to my soul.

"Wait on the Lord; 
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!"  Psalms 27:14

"Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!".  What music to my ears!

 He strengthen my heart that day.   A heart that had begun to grow weary with waiting was made new and strengthened with the encouragement of His Word.  His Word helps us be of "good courage" or encouraged. 

God says those who endure with faith and patience inherit the promise (Hebrews 6:12).  Even when your heart's desire seems continually out of reach, keep waiting, keep believing, and keep hoping expecting a positive outcome.

Be of good courage, and WAIT on the Lord.  He is never late.   

A Confident Heart {Week 6}: When I Fail

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God.  Ephesians 2:8

Grace.  It may be the sweetest word I know besides the Word, Jesus.

My daughter's middle name is Grace.  When we were naming her, people would ask if she was named after anyone.  She is named after the Lord's grace. 

We fail.  We mess up.  We blow it big time at times!  I am so thankful for God's grace which covers our failures and gives us room to grow.

This week, we read Chapter 10 in A Confident Heart by Renee Swope, "When Doubt Whispers, 'I Can't Follow God Consistently.'"

I used to be terrified of what others thought of me.  I was afraid they would realize I wasn't perfect and then not like me. I use to think I had to pretend I didn't mess up or hide it when I did.

The truth is... we all fall short.  So, why all the pretense?

"'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' 

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest of me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake.  for when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I am not as spiritual as Paul.  I cannot say I take pleasure in my weaknesses.  Although, I should take pleasure in them because it is through these weaknesses that I realize my need for Jesus. 

Paul said he would rather boast in his weaknesses.  He wasn't afraid of what people thought.  He knew God would be glorified when people saw his humanness and God's POWER at work in him for overcome his weaknesses.  God's strength shines through our weaknesses.

However, Renee points out most prudently that grace is NOT a license to sin. 

"Some people ask if grace is a license to sin.  A confident woman knows that it's not.  Instead, she realized grace is the security of knowing God's love is guaranteed for her because she trusts in Christ.  Really understanding His sacrificial gift accomplishes the opposite of granting a license to sin.  When we grasp what Jesus did for us, we want to return the gift of His life by offering ours to Him, even if our offering isn't perfect or even perfectly consistent."  pg. 187-188.

God knows we are not perfect.  He sees us as who He created us to be, not as who we are.  He sees the potential in us.  If we will allow Him to work in our lives, He will mold us to become all He designed for us to be before the foundations of the world! 

Renee uses Gideon in the Bible to demonstrate an example of God's grace in taking someone from weak in themselves to strong and confident in Him.  For length sake I won't write the story here, but you can read about Gideon in Judges 6:12 through Judges 7: 25.

"God is not looking for a woman who is perfect.  He is looking for a woman who wants to walk with Jesus and find her confidence through her daily dependence on Him."  pg. 201

Reflection and Discussion Questions (pgs 201-202):

1.  Have you ever blown it and felt like God was ready to give up on you?  Do you sometimes doubt God's grace and patience with you?  If so, describe what happens and how doubt perpetuates more doubt and distance from God?

2.  Sometimes life's hardships make it hard to follow God consistently.  Do you ever ask God why life has to be so hard?  What did you learn from Gideon's story?  How can his experiences about asking why and trusting God's promises help you as you take the next step He may have for you?

3.  Have you ever prayed for God to change your circumstances and instead He changed you through your circumstances?  If so, describe what happened and how it helped you grow closer to Him.

4.  What did you learn about the importance of knowing God intimately and experiencing aspects of His character to build your trust in Him?

5.  Describe an area of your life, or role you have, where you feel like a wimp and you want God to make you a warrior.  Through dependence on Him, what would it look like for you to be "more than a conqueror through Him who loves you."  (Rom. 8:37) in that area or role?

I would love for you to share your thoughts on any or all of these questions in comments. 



 

Finishing the Race

Last week I wrote in the post Running the Race about how running buddies can encourage you and keep you going strong.

In the post, I mentioned how my son, Joe, was a great running buddy.  However, he is not running with me currently.

Allow me to introduce my new running buddy to you.  This running buddy is 105 lbs of fur.  He has four legs, a wet nose, and likes to stop and sniff occasionally.  Yes, it is our lovable Golden Retriever, Sammy.

As soon as I grab the leash, he is ready!  Excited about starting the race, he pants with tongue wagging.  He runs and jumps in anticipation.  He circles round and around waiting for me to put the leash on him.  He gazes up and me and pulls on the leash seeming to say, "Come on, let's go!" 

So, we go.  Like a horse out of the starting gate, he merrily trots along.....until....we reach about a quarter of a mile from our house.  Then, the excitement comes to an abrupt halt.  The eager pup then turns into a lagging dog.  He loses steam.  A blade of grass or a squirrel easily distract.  He spots a shady area and longs to wander off the running path and rest in the grass. 

What happened?  He was so excited, so full of enthusiasm for this run.

Let us lay aside every weight, and sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.  Hebrews 12:1

Many times, we are like Sammy.  We get excited about doing what God has called us to do.  We are full of anticipation and hope, trotting merrily along....until....we get a quarter of a mile down the road.  Then, we lose steam.  We get distracted.  We realize this run is not as easy as we originally thought it would be and we long to wander off the path. 

In the verse above, the word translated "sin" is "hamartano" in the original Hebrew.  It means "to wander from the path of uprightness and honor."

Doubt and unbelief may tempt you off your path.  Distractions are all around us competing for our affections.  Sloth or complacency may try to sway you off God's path to one that seems easier.

You may hear the faint sound of a voice coercing you, "It is ok to wander off this path.  You couldn't make it anyway.  It is too hard of a path.  You can't finish this race.  You might as well stop."  This voice is NOT of God.  This voice is the deception of the enemy trying to discourage you off the path God has for you to run.  If it is not God's path, it may appear easier, but there will not be victory at the finish.    

I want to finish my race victoriously!  I know you do too. 

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.  Gal 6:9

Now, back to my running buddy, Sammy.  Even though he sees the shady spot off the path, he keeps going with a little encouragement (and a tug on his leash).  He may go a little slower and even walk some of the way, but He keeps going.  At 105 lbs,  he does have some "weight" he needs to lay aside to finish the race. 

However, something miraculous happens when we reach the home stretch.  As soon as he sees our home, he springs back to life.  His strength and energy is renewed.  He goes faster and faster with the goal in mind. 

Are you getting this?  I am sure you can see my point.  We must keep our goal and our end in mind.  We must keep our focus on our "home".  Heaven is our home.   Earth is not our home, we are just passing through here. 

We must keep our eyes on the Kingdom of God.  It is the finish line, it is the reason we run the race.  With our eyes on the prize of our HOME, we will have the strength and energy to finish the race.  We may need a little encouragement and a tug now and again, but God will give us the strength to finish the race victoriously!




 

Running the Race

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.   Hebrews 12:1-3

I like to run.  There is something about pounding pavement that produces peace and alleviates stress.

In February, Joe and I signed up to run a 5K together.  Joe is my nine year old son.  We began training two months before the race.  At first, he was not the greatest running buddy.  He would get discouraged and say, "I can't do this, it is too hard." 

I would then encourage him and explain to him that it is important to talk to yourself when you run.  You have to encourage yourself and talk to your body.  Tell yourself, "I can do this.  I am almost there, just a little more. I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me."

I would encourage him too, I would tell him, "You can do this.  We are almost there. Come on, you can do it! Keep going!"

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls.  For he has no one to help him up....Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.  And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12

Joe learned to encourage himself, I would encourage him, and the Lord also encouraged him through His word.  If he had been running by himself, he may have quit.  But the Lord gave him a running buddy to encourage him.

By the end of our training, he became my encourager!  When I would lag behind, he would say, "Come on Mom, you are almost there.  You can do it! It is just around the corner."

In April, we ran the 5K together.  I was so proud of him.  He actually beat me!  Here is a picture of us.

He was a great running buddy. 

I am still running, but he isn't running with me right now.  I miss my running buddy.  It is empowering to have someone to cheer you on and encourage you. 

However, we all have a running buddy that will encourage us as we run the race that is set before us.  We all have a race to run, and we all have the greatest running buddy ever, Jesus.  Hebrews 12 instructs us to look to Jesus and  "consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself".   We are to consider what Jesus endured so that we don't become weary and discouraged as we run our race. 

As we run and aim toward the finish line of the plan and purpose of Christ, there will be times when we are excited about the race.  However, there will also be times when we need encouragement to continue on in our race.

There may be times when we need to encourage ourselves just as Joe needed to encourage himself to keep going. We need to "talk" to ourselves and encourage ourselves. 

However, God knows when you need a flesh and blood person in your life to encourage you and He will bring you running buddies.  Ask Him. 

A three fold cord is not easily broken.  When we look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, we are sure to finish our race.  He is the third strand in the cord, the strength the helps us endure and holds us strong.

Remember, in whatever race you are running,  you have the best running buddy.  As my friend, Crystal, once shared with me, "You have Jesus in tennis shoes running right beside you!"  There is no greater running partner!  Run your race. You can do it!  You are almost there!  Just keep going!