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Purpose and Side Effects
Labor is a much easier thing to deal with knowing that the purpose of it is to bring forth a child. It is much, much easier to bear when that child is passionately wanted and desired. Those hard and fast contractions don’t seem quite as painful when we hold that living, breathing, bundle of love in our arms. Can you imagine being a woman in the depths of childbirth not knowing that there is a child coming? Being unaware of the purpose of the pain? Having no idea of the end result? I believe most of us would just ask to die, or maybe that’s just me! Purpose makes things bearable. Purpose gives us something to hope for, to hold out for.
So what is our purpose in this life? Why did God create us and give us free will, allowing us to screw up, get into messes, feel pain and grief, experience disease and hunger? His eternal purpose, and yes, it is that we would fill the gap of worship around the throne, but even more simply put, that we would know His love and love Him back!
Wait a minute… The purpose of our pain, grief, disease, hunger is to know God’s love? How does that make sense? Remember that free will? Have you ever given a group of children free will to do whatever they want? What normally happens? Usually, not good things. They eat everything that’s bad for them, they make a mess beyond any you’ve ever seen, they hurt each other, they destroy the things around them… mass chaos is what happens! I don’t think we, as mankind, are much different. So why did God give us free will, causing us to fall into such chaos? Remember His purpose? LOVE. Love is not love without the choice. So in everything we go through and face, we can remember that we have the opportunity to CHOOSE God: to choose His love and to choose to love Him. All the rotten things in this world are simply the side effects of our God-given free will. (That would make a pretty long medicinal commercial! “Side effects may include, but are not limited to, disease, famine, pain, war, death, depression, failure, hatred, impatience, brutality…”)
BUT, guess what? God has a purpose in our lives as well, and here it is: God is determined to persevere persistently with single-minded resolve to work ALL things together for the GOOD of ALL who love Him and are called according to His purpose!! (My own version of Romans 8:28.) So, all of those afore mentioned side effects can now be turned for our good! Because our God, who is greater than ALL things, who created the entire universe and every natural law within it, who loves us beyond measure, is turning that particular side effect into something for our good, our betterment, our growth. No matter if that side effect was caused by our own exercise of free will, an attempt of the enemy or someone else’s exercise of free will.
In everything that we face we can hold tight to the promise of God’s purpose overwhelming every bad, uncomfortable, painful experience. No matter what it may be, we can have faith that in some way, it will contribute to His ultimate and eternal purpose of drawing mankind to Him, so that He may love us and we may love Him, even if it is more about His eternal purpose for our children than it is about ourselves. Hold tight! I believe that one day, even if it is in eternity, you will see how God was at work within your circumstances, or “side effects.”
Staci Pace
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
8-17-09 Wisdom for the Trials
Wisdom for the Trials
James 1:5
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
WISDOM:
American Heritage Dictionary – Understanding of what is right, true, or lasting; common sense or good judgment.
Greek word “sophia” – Practical wisdom, prudence, skill, comprehensive insight, a right application of knowledge, insight into the true nature of things.
As I pondered on God’s promise of wisdom, I thought there was an interesting contrast in our definition and the Greek definition of God’s word. We generally think of wisdom as intelligence, good judgment or the “wise old owl”. But God’s promise of wisdom is much richer than that, it is spiritual and the practical of how to apply His knowledge, power, and guidance and an “insight into the true nature of things”.
How often do you find yourself asking, “What in the world is going on with my life, with my family, with my job, etc,”? Most of us probably find ourselves asking those questions often especially when coupled with, “God, what in the world are you doing and how am I going to handle this?”
This promise is given freely as stated in James 1:5, but is preceded by James explaining that there will be various trials and a testing of our faith. God did not decide to put us into situations that we couldn’t handle, but where we would grow in perseverance and faith. This scripture tells us that if we lack wisdom (in our trials, etc.) we should ask of God and He will give liberally without mocking or judging. Now that is a very reassuring promise we can rest on!
Sometimes it is hard to ask for wisdom or think that you just might be able to apply wisdom in a given circumstance, but this is not based on intellect, but on God giving us His knowledge and insight into what is really going on in a situation or with another person. How refreshing that all we have to do is ask God to give us His wisdom and He will direct us generously.
So, how can we go about living in this promise?
• Know that all true wisdom has its source in
God alone
• Relax, God’s wisdom requires no formal education, but the proper application of knowledge which He will provide freely
• Wisdom is available, we just have to ask for it and seek it out in His word and in other godly and wise people around us
• Having a worshipful attitude will cause His wisdom to become ours as we allow Him to be the controlling influence in our lives, living in awe of who He is
• We must desire His wisdom and pray for it as King Solomon teaches, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain than fine gold” (Prov 3:13-14)
I don’t know what trials you are facing today or where you could use some wisdom or insight into the true nature of things, but I do know that you can ask God to give you wisdom to handle and understand what He might be doing in and around you.
On the journey of persevering faith,
Jenny Loveland
James 1:5
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
WISDOM:
American Heritage Dictionary – Understanding of what is right, true, or lasting; common sense or good judgment.
Greek word “sophia” – Practical wisdom, prudence, skill, comprehensive insight, a right application of knowledge, insight into the true nature of things.
As I pondered on God’s promise of wisdom, I thought there was an interesting contrast in our definition and the Greek definition of God’s word. We generally think of wisdom as intelligence, good judgment or the “wise old owl”. But God’s promise of wisdom is much richer than that, it is spiritual and the practical of how to apply His knowledge, power, and guidance and an “insight into the true nature of things”.
How often do you find yourself asking, “What in the world is going on with my life, with my family, with my job, etc,”? Most of us probably find ourselves asking those questions often especially when coupled with, “God, what in the world are you doing and how am I going to handle this?”
This promise is given freely as stated in James 1:5, but is preceded by James explaining that there will be various trials and a testing of our faith. God did not decide to put us into situations that we couldn’t handle, but where we would grow in perseverance and faith. This scripture tells us that if we lack wisdom (in our trials, etc.) we should ask of God and He will give liberally without mocking or judging. Now that is a very reassuring promise we can rest on!
Sometimes it is hard to ask for wisdom or think that you just might be able to apply wisdom in a given circumstance, but this is not based on intellect, but on God giving us His knowledge and insight into what is really going on in a situation or with another person. How refreshing that all we have to do is ask God to give us His wisdom and He will direct us generously.
So, how can we go about living in this promise?
• Know that all true wisdom has its source in
God alone
• Relax, God’s wisdom requires no formal education, but the proper application of knowledge which He will provide freely
• Wisdom is available, we just have to ask for it and seek it out in His word and in other godly and wise people around us
• Having a worshipful attitude will cause His wisdom to become ours as we allow Him to be the controlling influence in our lives, living in awe of who He is
• We must desire His wisdom and pray for it as King Solomon teaches, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For its profit is better than the profit of silver, and its gain than fine gold” (Prov 3:13-14)
I don’t know what trials you are facing today or where you could use some wisdom or insight into the true nature of things, but I do know that you can ask God to give you wisdom to handle and understand what He might be doing in and around you.
On the journey of persevering faith,
Jenny Loveland
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
8-10-09 God's power
God’s Powerful Promises of Power
“The greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the Living God.” This is on the foreword page of this chapter on Power. I really had to laugh at the two choices that I have to work with this time: Power and Victory. When I first chose my three promises to write on, I really felt that all three choices were things that I know and lived. Funny how things turn around and we aren’t where we thought we were.
I have not felt very powerful or victorious lately. I realized that I haven’t been standing in the power that I have in the Lord. Since I was not walking in victory at this time, I realized that the power in the Holy Spirit was my stepping stone to my victory. I only had to be led by Him. I have been saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit for 36 years. I have gone through so many things but the Lord has and is always there—“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” Acts 1:8. The Holy Spirit has come upon us and is in us. He doesn’t leave us when things get rough or when they don’t go the way we want. The Holy Spirit loves us, teaches us, guides and directs us in the things of the Lord. That brings us through those hard times. Jesus knew what we would go through and that is why He sent us the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave us the power from the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit.
When do we get God’s power? We get it at salvation and then we get more of this power when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. This power helps us in all aspects of our Christian walk. We don’t just keep this power to ourselves. We are to use this power to serve others and to witness. We aren’t to keep this power to ourselves but to tell others what we have seen, heard and learned through God’s word. Just calling out the name of Jesus is power. We are made strong through Him. In writing this devotion, I have realized that I have been trying to do things in my own strength. I have turned this weakness of mine over to the Lord and am exchanging it for His power.
The power that we have is also for service. We are empowered with ‘spiritual gifts’ to help others. We are to put this power to work not hold on to it. Without using it we become weak and inadequate. We need to know and realize the importance of living a Spirit-filled life. To be used by the Holy Spirit we need to be obedient believers—staying on top of things in our lives, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us.
My son, Shawn, and I made a pact to fast ‘negativity’—to not allow ourselves to slip up with our negative communication. I didn’t follow through the way that I wanted to and the way I knew I should have. I allowed myself to believe the lies of the enemy in certain areas of my life. I knew the power that I have in my life but I didn’t stand in victory the way I should have. This allows sin to enter in. We then need to get things right with the Lord by confessing our sin and asking for forgiveness. We need to rely on the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to show us the power that we have within ourselves.
The Holy Spirit never leaves us and is fully available to us all the time. We need to remember why we were given this power—to be an example of what God can do in our life. God enables us with His wisdom and His power to minister to others. The less that we try to do things on our own the more there will be of God’s power and limitless abilities. Respond to God’s call to serve. Pray and see what He would have you do.
Just by seeking Him on what He wanted me to write in this devotion He has set me free. I was able to see the errors of my way—not out and out sinning but sinning just the same by not walking in the power that He has given us and listening to Him and staying in His word. Don’t try to walk in your own power but in the POWER of the Holy Spirit.
Diane Harper
“The greatest unused power in the world is the Holy Spirit of the Living God.” This is on the foreword page of this chapter on Power. I really had to laugh at the two choices that I have to work with this time: Power and Victory. When I first chose my three promises to write on, I really felt that all three choices were things that I know and lived. Funny how things turn around and we aren’t where we thought we were.
I have not felt very powerful or victorious lately. I realized that I haven’t been standing in the power that I have in the Lord. Since I was not walking in victory at this time, I realized that the power in the Holy Spirit was my stepping stone to my victory. I only had to be led by Him. I have been saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit for 36 years. I have gone through so many things but the Lord has and is always there—“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” Acts 1:8. The Holy Spirit has come upon us and is in us. He doesn’t leave us when things get rough or when they don’t go the way we want. The Holy Spirit loves us, teaches us, guides and directs us in the things of the Lord. That brings us through those hard times. Jesus knew what we would go through and that is why He sent us the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave us the power from the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit.
When do we get God’s power? We get it at salvation and then we get more of this power when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. This power helps us in all aspects of our Christian walk. We don’t just keep this power to ourselves. We are to use this power to serve others and to witness. We aren’t to keep this power to ourselves but to tell others what we have seen, heard and learned through God’s word. Just calling out the name of Jesus is power. We are made strong through Him. In writing this devotion, I have realized that I have been trying to do things in my own strength. I have turned this weakness of mine over to the Lord and am exchanging it for His power.
The power that we have is also for service. We are empowered with ‘spiritual gifts’ to help others. We are to put this power to work not hold on to it. Without using it we become weak and inadequate. We need to know and realize the importance of living a Spirit-filled life. To be used by the Holy Spirit we need to be obedient believers—staying on top of things in our lives, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us.
My son, Shawn, and I made a pact to fast ‘negativity’—to not allow ourselves to slip up with our negative communication. I didn’t follow through the way that I wanted to and the way I knew I should have. I allowed myself to believe the lies of the enemy in certain areas of my life. I knew the power that I have in my life but I didn’t stand in victory the way I should have. This allows sin to enter in. We then need to get things right with the Lord by confessing our sin and asking for forgiveness. We need to rely on the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit to show us the power that we have within ourselves.
The Holy Spirit never leaves us and is fully available to us all the time. We need to remember why we were given this power—to be an example of what God can do in our life. God enables us with His wisdom and His power to minister to others. The less that we try to do things on our own the more there will be of God’s power and limitless abilities. Respond to God’s call to serve. Pray and see what He would have you do.
Just by seeking Him on what He wanted me to write in this devotion He has set me free. I was able to see the errors of my way—not out and out sinning but sinning just the same by not walking in the power that He has given us and listening to Him and staying in His word. Don’t try to walk in your own power but in the POWER of the Holy Spirit.
Diane Harper
Thursday, August 6, 2009
8-3-09 Dreams
Dreams…..
Two years ago at our wonderful ladies retreat, we were encouraged to dream. What kind of dreams and desires has God placed in us, so we can reach our destiny, or just plain because He wants us to have it all?
My whole life I have known that God has called me to the ministry. From the time I was little, I knew without a shadow of doubt that I was His and He had a special place for me among the body. I just didn’t know where or how or even why.
I’m going to rewind a bit for all of this to make sense. I grew up in a missionary/pastors family. From the time I can remember God was my Father. I officially accepted Him at the age of 6 and was baptized shortly after.
I got married at 21 to a man who was going into ministry. Ahh, I thought “here is my ministry”. I helped him get through Bible School and Seminary. One day shortly after his graduation my “ministry” came crashing down. He left me for another woman. “How dare he”, I thought. “Now I will never be able to go into ministry.”…You see, I came from a “faith” that didn’t believe that a woman could minister like that, especially alone.
God is so gracious…10 years later, I met a wonderful Christian man, who had the same dreams that I did, who had gone through the same things that I had. Please listen, I in no way advocate divorce, but it was not our choices. Our spouses made that decision for us.
Oh did I try to find a place to be in ministry! I even went out and got myself a Master’s in counseling and Bible. I was still single then) “I’ll show them, I’ll still be in ministry”, and I was…but I really didn’t love it. I kept saying “IS this all there is?” So Rich and I went through numerous ideas. We would approach friends and say “We think God has called us to do this”. They would smile and say “we’ll keep praying”.
Several years ago, God opened our eyes and hearts and said “Honor my ministers, It’s hard out there.” I thought “what?” I know that, I grew up in ministry. I want to be a part of that, I want to stand before thousands of people and tell my story. God said “listen” that is NOT what I said. “Honor those I have called”. Rich and I talked at the end of the day, and God had placed the same thing in his heart earlier that day. How awesome is our God.
Sure there have been times that we wondered if the call is real. But God has kept that BURNING desire in our hearts.
Cheryl Stevens
Two years ago at our wonderful ladies retreat, we were encouraged to dream. What kind of dreams and desires has God placed in us, so we can reach our destiny, or just plain because He wants us to have it all?
My whole life I have known that God has called me to the ministry. From the time I was little, I knew without a shadow of doubt that I was His and He had a special place for me among the body. I just didn’t know where or how or even why.
I’m going to rewind a bit for all of this to make sense. I grew up in a missionary/pastors family. From the time I can remember God was my Father. I officially accepted Him at the age of 6 and was baptized shortly after.
I got married at 21 to a man who was going into ministry. Ahh, I thought “here is my ministry”. I helped him get through Bible School and Seminary. One day shortly after his graduation my “ministry” came crashing down. He left me for another woman. “How dare he”, I thought. “Now I will never be able to go into ministry.”…You see, I came from a “faith” that didn’t believe that a woman could minister like that, especially alone.
God is so gracious…10 years later, I met a wonderful Christian man, who had the same dreams that I did, who had gone through the same things that I had. Please listen, I in no way advocate divorce, but it was not our choices. Our spouses made that decision for us.
Oh did I try to find a place to be in ministry! I even went out and got myself a Master’s in counseling and Bible. I was still single then) “I’ll show them, I’ll still be in ministry”, and I was…but I really didn’t love it. I kept saying “IS this all there is?” So Rich and I went through numerous ideas. We would approach friends and say “We think God has called us to do this”. They would smile and say “we’ll keep praying”.
Several years ago, God opened our eyes and hearts and said “Honor my ministers, It’s hard out there.” I thought “what?” I know that, I grew up in ministry. I want to be a part of that, I want to stand before thousands of people and tell my story. God said “listen” that is NOT what I said. “Honor those I have called”. Rich and I talked at the end of the day, and God had placed the same thing in his heart earlier that day. How awesome is our God.
Sure there have been times that we wondered if the call is real. But God has kept that BURNING desire in our hearts.
Cheryl Stevens
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Devotional 7-30-09 The Wall of Fire: A place of peace, strength and rest.
The Wall of Fire: A place of peace, strength and rest.
Good afternoon lovely ladies of The Rock!
Today I am supposed to be writing a devotional about Strength or Peace, and I’m going to, but I am going to get there in a very round about way, so please bear with me!
On Sunday I had a funny song in my head when I woke up in the middle of the night. He gave me a word about entering into a season of "wall breaking" which I gave during church on Sunday. Then, He also gave me a CRUCIAL key in order to break down the walls, and that key was THE SHOUT.
I had another middle of the night encounter with the Lord last night (the bible isn’t kidding when it says He doesn’t sleep or slumber!), and He really impressed something upon me to share with the rest of you!
He told me, “Heather, I never ask you to lay something down, that I am not going to replace with more of myself or give you something better.” You see walls aren’t always just obstacles placed in our path by the enemy, sometimes they are walls you and I have built with our junk. Sometimes I picture these walls as being something Oscar the Grouch would be proud of, because they are just made out of garbage.
And while this is not a pretty picture I have painted (this is where the bear with me part comes in!) what the Lord wants to replace these walls with most certainly is a SIGHT TO BEHOLD!!!!
He led me at around 3 am to Zechariah 2: 5 & 10 and these verses say:
5Then I, myself, will be a protective WALL OF FIRE around Jerusalem, says the Lord. And I will be the GLORY INSIDE THE CITY!”
10The Lord says, SHOUT & REJOICE O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to LIVE AMONG YOU!”
Now, I want you to think about your walls, the ones the enemy has built to block you and the ones you have built that hinder you. Do they not pale in comparison to the amazing wall of fire and His glory? Talk about a place of PEACE, STRENGTH, and REST!
Ephesians 2:14 (NKJV) says: He himself is our PEACE, who has made both one, and broken down the middle WALL of separation.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am ready to PLOW THROUGH SOME WALLS! My love for Him dictates that NOTHING is worth holding on to if it’s going to come between myself and Him, my TRUE LOVE! He deserves so much more of that, I owe my devotion to Him, and He can have whatever He wants!
So are you looking for rest in your life? Are you looking for peace & strength? He is all those things and more! Pastor Al followed up the word on Sunday with the reason for these walls coming down. That reason is deeper intimacy with the Father. Papa Dan talked about SWIMMING in the river. Walls can act like a dam sometimes.
If you are serious about plowing through walls and going deeper, I want you to pray this prayer with me:
“Father today I recognize my need to go deeper with you. I want to embrace everything you are, and everything you have for me. I want to love you like you love me and I want that love to spill over onto others. Show me the walls Lord; show me the areas in my life where you want to bring freedom & healing. I surrender to your loving and mighty hand in my life.”
AMEN! Now get ready for the Lord to just love on you! He is not harsh, He is gentle and He is patient and kind, He is the Master Potter, you are the clay. Let Him make something beautiful!
Heather~
Good afternoon lovely ladies of The Rock!
Today I am supposed to be writing a devotional about Strength or Peace, and I’m going to, but I am going to get there in a very round about way, so please bear with me!
On Sunday I had a funny song in my head when I woke up in the middle of the night. He gave me a word about entering into a season of "wall breaking" which I gave during church on Sunday. Then, He also gave me a CRUCIAL key in order to break down the walls, and that key was THE SHOUT.
I had another middle of the night encounter with the Lord last night (the bible isn’t kidding when it says He doesn’t sleep or slumber!), and He really impressed something upon me to share with the rest of you!
He told me, “Heather, I never ask you to lay something down, that I am not going to replace with more of myself or give you something better.” You see walls aren’t always just obstacles placed in our path by the enemy, sometimes they are walls you and I have built with our junk. Sometimes I picture these walls as being something Oscar the Grouch would be proud of, because they are just made out of garbage.
And while this is not a pretty picture I have painted (this is where the bear with me part comes in!) what the Lord wants to replace these walls with most certainly is a SIGHT TO BEHOLD!!!!
He led me at around 3 am to Zechariah 2: 5 & 10 and these verses say:
5Then I, myself, will be a protective WALL OF FIRE around Jerusalem, says the Lord. And I will be the GLORY INSIDE THE CITY!”
10The Lord says, SHOUT & REJOICE O beautiful Jerusalem, for I am coming to LIVE AMONG YOU!”
Now, I want you to think about your walls, the ones the enemy has built to block you and the ones you have built that hinder you. Do they not pale in comparison to the amazing wall of fire and His glory? Talk about a place of PEACE, STRENGTH, and REST!
Ephesians 2:14 (NKJV) says: He himself is our PEACE, who has made both one, and broken down the middle WALL of separation.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am ready to PLOW THROUGH SOME WALLS! My love for Him dictates that NOTHING is worth holding on to if it’s going to come between myself and Him, my TRUE LOVE! He deserves so much more of that, I owe my devotion to Him, and He can have whatever He wants!
So are you looking for rest in your life? Are you looking for peace & strength? He is all those things and more! Pastor Al followed up the word on Sunday with the reason for these walls coming down. That reason is deeper intimacy with the Father. Papa Dan talked about SWIMMING in the river. Walls can act like a dam sometimes.
If you are serious about plowing through walls and going deeper, I want you to pray this prayer with me:
“Father today I recognize my need to go deeper with you. I want to embrace everything you are, and everything you have for me. I want to love you like you love me and I want that love to spill over onto others. Show me the walls Lord; show me the areas in my life where you want to bring freedom & healing. I surrender to your loving and mighty hand in my life.”
AMEN! Now get ready for the Lord to just love on you! He is not harsh, He is gentle and He is patient and kind, He is the Master Potter, you are the clay. Let Him make something beautiful!
Heather~
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
7-20-09 Hope
HOPE
Hope is a very powerful thing. Without it the most powerful people have fallen, defeated by despair. With it the weakest, most beaten and run-down people have risen and conquered. We all have things we hope for: things we long to see for ourselves, our children, our church. My question for you today is: Where have you placed your hope?
Our country recently voted a man into office based on the HOPE that he would change things. Because the hope was placed in carnal man, that hope was simply a wish, desire, a CHANCE; nothing more. When I have placed my own hope for a better life in a worldly job, I had only a CHANCE to see the promise of success. When we place our hope for a longer, healthier life in the foods we eat from this fallen earth, we have only a CHANCE to live disease free and our ideal weight.
But, if what you hope for today is placed in the One who promised, “I know the plans I have for you: plans to give you a future and a hope.” then your hope is not just a chance, but can be an EXPECTATION! Something that we can rely fully on, knowing with certainty that IT WILL HAPPEN! Our heavenly Father loves us immeasurably, without restraint, and He wants the very best for us. Every promise He has ever made to you, your family, your church, will come to pass and we can HOPE in that.
When we hope in those things that have been promised by our Father (love, deliverance, freedom, joy, forgiveness, success, eternal life, salvation, prosperity, etc.), we find strength to face even the darkest days, knowing that no matter what we may see or may NOT see, God is working it out for our good, our growth, our salvation.
So, within your cocoon today (as we have been talking about in the Ladies’ Ministry at The Rock) remember to HOPE for the day that will SURELY come when you immerge an incredible, unmatched, glorious butterfly.
From the inside out, one caterpillar to another,
Staci
Hope is a very powerful thing. Without it the most powerful people have fallen, defeated by despair. With it the weakest, most beaten and run-down people have risen and conquered. We all have things we hope for: things we long to see for ourselves, our children, our church. My question for you today is: Where have you placed your hope?
Our country recently voted a man into office based on the HOPE that he would change things. Because the hope was placed in carnal man, that hope was simply a wish, desire, a CHANCE; nothing more. When I have placed my own hope for a better life in a worldly job, I had only a CHANCE to see the promise of success. When we place our hope for a longer, healthier life in the foods we eat from this fallen earth, we have only a CHANCE to live disease free and our ideal weight.
But, if what you hope for today is placed in the One who promised, “I know the plans I have for you: plans to give you a future and a hope.” then your hope is not just a chance, but can be an EXPECTATION! Something that we can rely fully on, knowing with certainty that IT WILL HAPPEN! Our heavenly Father loves us immeasurably, without restraint, and He wants the very best for us. Every promise He has ever made to you, your family, your church, will come to pass and we can HOPE in that.
When we hope in those things that have been promised by our Father (love, deliverance, freedom, joy, forgiveness, success, eternal life, salvation, prosperity, etc.), we find strength to face even the darkest days, knowing that no matter what we may see or may NOT see, God is working it out for our good, our growth, our salvation.
So, within your cocoon today (as we have been talking about in the Ladies’ Ministry at The Rock) remember to HOPE for the day that will SURELY come when you immerge an incredible, unmatched, glorious butterfly.
From the inside out, one caterpillar to another,
Staci
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
7-15-09 God's Promise of Worth
God’s Promise of Worth
As we go about living everyday out for the Lord, we think we have a handle on things and …there it goes again…..
We battle with our self-esteem again. We didn't mean to but we did it again. We started listening to the lies of the enemy. Then something happens….we feel we’re not good at being a mom, a friend, an employee, a servant for the Lord. We couldn’t stay consistent in our goals. Why aren’t things going right?
We all have different challenges and talents.
Everyone is different.
Everyone has strengths and limitations. Accept them and know that in Romans 8:28 God says...”We know all things work together for the good of those who love God: those called according to His purpose.
We sometimes feel our limitations are bad. In II Corinthians 12:9 says “My strength is made perfect in weakness.
God wants you to know that He has wonderfully made you. You are unique.
In Psalms 139:13-14 God says…”For you formed in my inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s Womb. I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”
As a Christian, you must know that your worth is not in what you do, but from who Christ is in you. John 15:5 Christ says …”I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
My sister’s true worth comes only when we abide in Him. Jesus alone is truly worthy and it is in Him, in Christ, that we possess our worth. I pray that when frustrations and low self-esteem come, you will take captive those thoughts and remember how wonderful you are.
Blessing in Christ,
Susie K. Blake
As we go about living everyday out for the Lord, we think we have a handle on things and …there it goes again…..
We battle with our self-esteem again. We didn't mean to but we did it again. We started listening to the lies of the enemy. Then something happens….we feel we’re not good at being a mom, a friend, an employee, a servant for the Lord. We couldn’t stay consistent in our goals. Why aren’t things going right?
We all have different challenges and talents.
Everyone is different.
Everyone has strengths and limitations. Accept them and know that in Romans 8:28 God says...”We know all things work together for the good of those who love God: those called according to His purpose.
We sometimes feel our limitations are bad. In II Corinthians 12:9 says “My strength is made perfect in weakness.
God wants you to know that He has wonderfully made you. You are unique.
In Psalms 139:13-14 God says…”For you formed in my inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s Womb. I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”
As a Christian, you must know that your worth is not in what you do, but from who Christ is in you. John 15:5 Christ says …”I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
My sister’s true worth comes only when we abide in Him. Jesus alone is truly worthy and it is in Him, in Christ, that we possess our worth. I pray that when frustrations and low self-esteem come, you will take captive those thoughts and remember how wonderful you are.
Blessing in Christ,
Susie K. Blake
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
6-29-09 A Life of Change
A Life of Change
2 Corinthians 5:17
“If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature’ the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
How well do you like the word change? I mean it can be used in many different contexts: change your outfit, change the sheets, change your hair, change the furniture around, change your attitude, change jobs, etc.
I think for me I embrace it in many areas, but there are those few that I just don’t like, especially if it has to do with changing the inner person I am! The thing is, God did not create us to remain the same; He wants us to be in a continual process of changing and more importantly, changing into a reflection of Him.
Pastor Jim Isakson was our guest speaker this past weekend and he said something that stuck with me, “If you are spiritually the same as you were a year ago, something is wrong, you might be sick.” This is a very big statement to digest, but is so true! There are many scriptures that reference God’s promise of change: to give us a new heart, to give us a new spirit, and as 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, to make us a new creation! Once we come into a relationship with Jesus, we are promised a radical change in our lives. Like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, beautiful and free from what previously held us down.
This is not an easy process, but a necessary one in our walk so that we might become closer to the Lord and reflect His glory more brilliantly. Start by looking back at where you were spiritually and maybe even physically a year ago. Have you grown? Have you seen blessing and victory in some areas of your life that you never thought possible? If your circumstances haven’t changed much, has your heart and attitude toward them changed?
Change does not always happen quickly and is a constant process. Don’t give up if you desire to change in an area that just hasn’t hatched from the cocoon yet! Thank God for the quick changes and ask Him to strengthen you for the journey through the rest. We will be changing all our lives- until we are home in His glory and perfection, but He is with us every step along the way.
Tomorrow is a new day and you can make a new change. Maybe it is to eat breakfast every day this week and then maybe next week you add to your breakfast a chapter of the bible you haven’t read in a while…..or maybe ever! Maybe you start saying, “I love you” more often to those around you, or maybe you try to actually listen to what your husband or children are saying without interrupting. Whatever it is that you want to see change in your life, start small, start tomorrow, but by all means start it in prayer and START!
On the journey of becoming a beautiful and new creation,
Jenny Loveland
2 Corinthians 5:17
“If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature’ the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
How well do you like the word change? I mean it can be used in many different contexts: change your outfit, change the sheets, change your hair, change the furniture around, change your attitude, change jobs, etc.
I think for me I embrace it in many areas, but there are those few that I just don’t like, especially if it has to do with changing the inner person I am! The thing is, God did not create us to remain the same; He wants us to be in a continual process of changing and more importantly, changing into a reflection of Him.
Pastor Jim Isakson was our guest speaker this past weekend and he said something that stuck with me, “If you are spiritually the same as you were a year ago, something is wrong, you might be sick.” This is a very big statement to digest, but is so true! There are many scriptures that reference God’s promise of change: to give us a new heart, to give us a new spirit, and as 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, to make us a new creation! Once we come into a relationship with Jesus, we are promised a radical change in our lives. Like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, beautiful and free from what previously held us down.
This is not an easy process, but a necessary one in our walk so that we might become closer to the Lord and reflect His glory more brilliantly. Start by looking back at where you were spiritually and maybe even physically a year ago. Have you grown? Have you seen blessing and victory in some areas of your life that you never thought possible? If your circumstances haven’t changed much, has your heart and attitude toward them changed?
Change does not always happen quickly and is a constant process. Don’t give up if you desire to change in an area that just hasn’t hatched from the cocoon yet! Thank God for the quick changes and ask Him to strengthen you for the journey through the rest. We will be changing all our lives- until we are home in His glory and perfection, but He is with us every step along the way.
Tomorrow is a new day and you can make a new change. Maybe it is to eat breakfast every day this week and then maybe next week you add to your breakfast a chapter of the bible you haven’t read in a while…..or maybe ever! Maybe you start saying, “I love you” more often to those around you, or maybe you try to actually listen to what your husband or children are saying without interrupting. Whatever it is that you want to see change in your life, start small, start tomorrow, but by all means start it in prayer and START!
On the journey of becoming a beautiful and new creation,
Jenny Loveland
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
6-22-09 How He Loves
How He Loves
I’ve been meditating on a song the last couple of weeks called “How He Loves”.
You see around this time last year I was walking on the clouds having recently been to Lakeland, FL where the Lord just blew my heart wide open.
One of the things He did while I was there was touch me in a place very deep inside of my soul, a place that had been locked up for a very long time. I literally burned for HOURS after this encounter, and although at the time I couldn’t tell you why it was happening, I can now.
I fell in love with Him in the deepest, most profound way I ever have. It RADICALLY CHANGED ME!
But I had to do something first before that could happen, I had to lay ME down. All my pre-conceived ideas, all my hurts, all my anger, all my JUNK!
SO what is the purpose of all of this? I’ve learned in the last year that my first priority is Him. I don’t ever want to lose that first love. My 2nd priority is that it spills over onto every person I come in contact with!
The first verse of the song paints a beautiful picture of what this love is like:
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane; I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us so!
WOW! Can you imagine such love? Have you ever experienced such love? Can you imagine what that kind of love can do to a broken and hurting and dying world?
The 2nd verse also paints a beautiful picture of this love:
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…
He loves us!
This love is available TO ALL of us! No matter where you are or where you’ve been this love is YOURS! It is the very nature and heart of our Daddy!
If you would like to watch an amazing performance of this song click on this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps
Before you do though, I want to encourage you to open your heart and allow the Lord to just love on you! Also have some tissue handy!
Have an AMAZING, LOVE FILLED weeks my sisters!
Heather Neil
I’ve been meditating on a song the last couple of weeks called “How He Loves”.
You see around this time last year I was walking on the clouds having recently been to Lakeland, FL where the Lord just blew my heart wide open.
One of the things He did while I was there was touch me in a place very deep inside of my soul, a place that had been locked up for a very long time. I literally burned for HOURS after this encounter, and although at the time I couldn’t tell you why it was happening, I can now.
I fell in love with Him in the deepest, most profound way I ever have. It RADICALLY CHANGED ME!
But I had to do something first before that could happen, I had to lay ME down. All my pre-conceived ideas, all my hurts, all my anger, all my JUNK!
SO what is the purpose of all of this? I’ve learned in the last year that my first priority is Him. I don’t ever want to lose that first love. My 2nd priority is that it spills over onto every person I come in contact with!
The first verse of the song paints a beautiful picture of what this love is like:
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane; I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us so!
WOW! Can you imagine such love? Have you ever experienced such love? Can you imagine what that kind of love can do to a broken and hurting and dying world?
The 2nd verse also paints a beautiful picture of this love:
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…
He loves us!
This love is available TO ALL of us! No matter where you are or where you’ve been this love is YOURS! It is the very nature and heart of our Daddy!
If you would like to watch an amazing performance of this song click on this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps
Before you do though, I want to encourage you to open your heart and allow the Lord to just love on you! Also have some tissue handy!
Have an AMAZING, LOVE FILLED weeks my sisters!
Heather Neil
Thursday, June 18, 2009
6-15-09 Jesus our Deliverer
JESUS: OUR DELIVERER
I Corinthians 10:13 "But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it."
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Jesus has provided a way to escape. To deliver us from those things that stand in our way, that we just can’t seem to plow through. I sometimes find myself asking the Lord, “Why is this happening, I can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel”. As a Christian, that is not TRUTH. Our Father has always provided a way for us to escape. We don’t have to go looking for it, as HE has already provided it. What does that mean? We just have to trust in Him to take care of it. If we give it to Him, it is no longer our problem.
We live in a fallen world and life will never be perfect as long as we live. The key is where and in whom do we trust. My Dad used to always say, “what C are you trusting in? Christ or Circumstances”. I can’t tell you how many times in my life I have said that little saying to myself and it has gotten me through.
God doesn’t always remove the temptation or the obstacle, BUT He ALWAYS provides the way through, around or over it.
Jesus, as our deliverer offers more than deliverance from whatever is holding us back. With the deliverance comes freedom. I can remember the first time I truly felt FREE and delivered. It was as though I had received Christ all over again. I felt washed clean. Sometimes I have to remind myself, that this “thing” no longer has a control over me… that just offers the freedom feeling again. What an awesome Father and Savior we have!
Love, Cheryl
I Corinthians 10:13 "But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it."
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Jesus has provided a way to escape. To deliver us from those things that stand in our way, that we just can’t seem to plow through. I sometimes find myself asking the Lord, “Why is this happening, I can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel”. As a Christian, that is not TRUTH. Our Father has always provided a way for us to escape. We don’t have to go looking for it, as HE has already provided it. What does that mean? We just have to trust in Him to take care of it. If we give it to Him, it is no longer our problem.
We live in a fallen world and life will never be perfect as long as we live. The key is where and in whom do we trust. My Dad used to always say, “what C are you trusting in? Christ or Circumstances”. I can’t tell you how many times in my life I have said that little saying to myself and it has gotten me through.
God doesn’t always remove the temptation or the obstacle, BUT He ALWAYS provides the way through, around or over it.
Jesus, as our deliverer offers more than deliverance from whatever is holding us back. With the deliverance comes freedom. I can remember the first time I truly felt FREE and delivered. It was as though I had received Christ all over again. I felt washed clean. Sometimes I have to remind myself, that this “thing” no longer has a control over me… that just offers the freedom feeling again. What an awesome Father and Savior we have!
Love, Cheryl
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
6-8-09 Forgiveness
Forgiveness
When we receive salvation, we receive the promise of God that our sins are forgiven and He removes them from us and remembers them no more. That is so wonderful that He forgets them—why can’t we do that!!!
We ask for forgiveness and then we wonder if we are really forgiven for them and has God really forgotten them. It doesn’t matter to Him if our sins are little or huge they are still sin in His eyes and when we ask forgiveness for them, He forgives and forgets them. His forgiveness is complete because Jesus’ work is complete. Because of the cross, God can show His mercy and complete forgiveness to us.
God is not like us. We remember hurts for a long time. In our mind we say that we have forgiven someone who has hurt us but then we keep remembering the hurt. I have heard many Christians say that they have forgiven someone who hurt them but they just can’t forget it. If we can’t forget that hurt, then we really haven’t forgiven them either. When God forgives He also forgets. Being His child that is what He expects us to do also. His forgiveness is unending. He never stops forgiving. We know that He will always forgive.
As His forgiveness is unending and is to be shared with others as He has shared with us.
Sometimes, the hardest place to start is in our own home. Jesus tells us in His word that we are to forgive one another “Seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22) and this is just for one sin. We ask ourselves, “How many times do we need to forgive someone for the same thing over and over?” God doesn’t put a limit on the number of times He forgives. Therefore, we just keep forgiving and praying that they will learn to avoid that same sin and grow from their mistakes. God’s forgiveness changes us as it changes others.
How can we learn from our mistakes? We need to learn to take these sins to the Lord and ask for forgiveness and then accept His forgiveness for them. Trust in His promise that He has forgiven you and that you have received His mercy through Jesus Christ. Our sins have been forgotten and we have a clean slate and second chances. We know that only God can give us that. Ask the Lord to bring to your remembrance people who have wronged you and make a list of them. Then pray and forgive them and the hurt that you felt. Ask the Lord to help you forgive each person and that the resentment will be gone. Forgiveness is a two-way street. God has forgiven you and now you need to forgive others.
It is sometimes hard for us to accept that we have been the cause of hurt to anyone. We all have been guilty of this at times. After praying this through and giving it to the Father, we may need to go to that person and make things right whether it is in person or by calling them or even writing them. This will set both of you free.
After you have done these things, you can begin to praise and thank the Lord that you are free indeed. Now you can become a forgiving person and not a bitter person. The Lord tells us to “be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).
The Lord is an awesome God and we are His children and are to be like Him in all His ways. Be set free so the love that you have within you can be given to others. Truly be His disciple and lead others into a forgiving and loving way.
Rejoice and claim the forgiveness He has given to you.
Diane Harper
When we receive salvation, we receive the promise of God that our sins are forgiven and He removes them from us and remembers them no more. That is so wonderful that He forgets them—why can’t we do that!!!
We ask for forgiveness and then we wonder if we are really forgiven for them and has God really forgotten them. It doesn’t matter to Him if our sins are little or huge they are still sin in His eyes and when we ask forgiveness for them, He forgives and forgets them. His forgiveness is complete because Jesus’ work is complete. Because of the cross, God can show His mercy and complete forgiveness to us.
God is not like us. We remember hurts for a long time. In our mind we say that we have forgiven someone who has hurt us but then we keep remembering the hurt. I have heard many Christians say that they have forgiven someone who hurt them but they just can’t forget it. If we can’t forget that hurt, then we really haven’t forgiven them either. When God forgives He also forgets. Being His child that is what He expects us to do also. His forgiveness is unending. He never stops forgiving. We know that He will always forgive.
As His forgiveness is unending and is to be shared with others as He has shared with us.
Sometimes, the hardest place to start is in our own home. Jesus tells us in His word that we are to forgive one another “Seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22) and this is just for one sin. We ask ourselves, “How many times do we need to forgive someone for the same thing over and over?” God doesn’t put a limit on the number of times He forgives. Therefore, we just keep forgiving and praying that they will learn to avoid that same sin and grow from their mistakes. God’s forgiveness changes us as it changes others.
How can we learn from our mistakes? We need to learn to take these sins to the Lord and ask for forgiveness and then accept His forgiveness for them. Trust in His promise that He has forgiven you and that you have received His mercy through Jesus Christ. Our sins have been forgotten and we have a clean slate and second chances. We know that only God can give us that. Ask the Lord to bring to your remembrance people who have wronged you and make a list of them. Then pray and forgive them and the hurt that you felt. Ask the Lord to help you forgive each person and that the resentment will be gone. Forgiveness is a two-way street. God has forgiven you and now you need to forgive others.
It is sometimes hard for us to accept that we have been the cause of hurt to anyone. We all have been guilty of this at times. After praying this through and giving it to the Father, we may need to go to that person and make things right whether it is in person or by calling them or even writing them. This will set both of you free.
After you have done these things, you can begin to praise and thank the Lord that you are free indeed. Now you can become a forgiving person and not a bitter person. The Lord tells us to “be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).
The Lord is an awesome God and we are His children and are to be like Him in all His ways. Be set free so the love that you have within you can be given to others. Truly be His disciple and lead others into a forgiving and loving way.
Rejoice and claim the forgiveness He has given to you.
Diane Harper
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
6-1-09 Promise of Success
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have SUCCESS. (Emphasis mine.)
God made this promise to Joshua many, many years ago, but still this principle remains true and is available to us today. So, what is success?
SUCCESS:
Webster’s says success is the gaining of wealth and fame.
The Hebrew word for success is sakal which means to have insight, wisdom, and understanding; the potent capacity to understand and so exercise skill in life, a state caused by proper training and teaching, enhanced by careful observation. (Wow! Cool! You should read that again.)
Two very different definitions if you ask me. I think we can all see by looking at the lives of “successful” Hollywood stars that you can gain plenty of wealth and fame without wisdom, understanding, and certainly without exercising skill in life. I believe success is truly more like the ancient definition than the modern. I believe that you can be successful without having riches. I believe that you can have riches and not feel successful at life at all. So, let’s for now completely erase Webster’s misguided and worldly definition and search for what God truly meant in this promise.
Does God want you to succeed? A million times, yes!! He desires for you to live a life of fulfillment and one which you can look back and say, “I did all that I was called to do and succeeded at everything God gave me.” Are you successful? I believe you are! I believe we all are. Any moment that we have shown the love of God, any time we gave of ourselves, any time we stood when others would have faltered, any time we had faith, etc. we were successful! Any time that you have applied God’s word to your life or listened and obeyed the Holy Spirit’s prompting, you were a success! Even in those times when the world called you a failure for what you did. So, go ahead and say it, “I AM a success! I AM successful!”
Now that we have that down…, I believe, though, that this promise offers more than just temporary or momentary success. I believe that God wants for us to be successful in ALL things at ALL times. Unfortunately, this promise works more on a principle and it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. No guarantee that we will become millionaires in 30 days. (Bummer!) So what is the principle? I’ll tell you now: it’s simple but not easy.
I used to paint with my dad. I love to paint. I love that you can see your progress as you go. I love that, as long as you’re painting with a beautiful color, the transformation is AMAZING! The part that I don’t like, as my dad would put it, is the 3 Ps of painting: Preparation, preparation and preparation. This is the part where you have to do all the taping, the sanding, the repair (which can be a whole lot if the carpenter wasn’t any good), the caulking, removing any hardware that should be removed, etc. I do not like the prep work because it normally takes just as long as the painting! But, if you skip the prep, your paint job will show it. Trust me, I’ve tried to take shortcuts when painting cabinets before, and the result is disastrously ugly! But, if you put in the work and time beforehand…Beautiful SUCCESS!!
Why am I talking to you about painting? Because when I saw the steps in this principle of success I felt the same thing I did whenever my dad asked me to start taping up the windows, or pull out the sandpaper. Groan… You will see these steps outlined in the very scripture that this promise originates.
Step 1: Study God’s Word constantly.
NLT of Joshua 1:8 begins with “Study this book of the law continually…” Success at anything starts with a desire for knowledge.
Step 2: Ponder God’s Word continually.
“…you shall meditate on it day and night…” Success at anything involves understanding.
Step 3: Apply God’s Word completely.
“…so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it…” Success at anything requires precise repetition.
If you master these steps each day you are a much more successful person than I am. Even if I get through Step 1, it’s a miracle if I make it all the way to Step 3 when I’m in the middle of a potty battle with my two year old, or walking through the destructive path my four year old left behind. But, I believe that it’s within reach. And I believe that God is proud of me each time I succeed at these three steps, even if it is days, weeks or months between successes.
Let’s take this one step further. In looking at “success” I found a few definitions for SUCCEED that I found interesting.
SUCCEED:
Hebrew word qum means to get up, arise, stand, establish; confirm, restore; to be set up, be raised up.
Webster’s definition is to follow next in order or next after another; especially to inherit sovereignty, rank, title, or property.
Whoa!! So here is the revelation that I have received in this short study of God’s promise for success:
When I take the time to study and understand God’s word enough to apply the wisdom found there to my everyday life in a skillful manner, keeping my eyes and ears attuned to the Holy Spirit who is my heaven-sent teacher, God will establish me as Christ’s successor, in line to inherit all He has!
I don’t believe that anyone could possibly see that as anything but success! So, be it difficult, tedious, even boring at times, I am going to work as hard as I can to take hold of this promise!
Staci Pace
God made this promise to Joshua many, many years ago, but still this principle remains true and is available to us today. So, what is success?
SUCCESS:
Webster’s says success is the gaining of wealth and fame.
The Hebrew word for success is sakal which means to have insight, wisdom, and understanding; the potent capacity to understand and so exercise skill in life, a state caused by proper training and teaching, enhanced by careful observation. (Wow! Cool! You should read that again.)
Two very different definitions if you ask me. I think we can all see by looking at the lives of “successful” Hollywood stars that you can gain plenty of wealth and fame without wisdom, understanding, and certainly without exercising skill in life. I believe success is truly more like the ancient definition than the modern. I believe that you can be successful without having riches. I believe that you can have riches and not feel successful at life at all. So, let’s for now completely erase Webster’s misguided and worldly definition and search for what God truly meant in this promise.
Does God want you to succeed? A million times, yes!! He desires for you to live a life of fulfillment and one which you can look back and say, “I did all that I was called to do and succeeded at everything God gave me.” Are you successful? I believe you are! I believe we all are. Any moment that we have shown the love of God, any time we gave of ourselves, any time we stood when others would have faltered, any time we had faith, etc. we were successful! Any time that you have applied God’s word to your life or listened and obeyed the Holy Spirit’s prompting, you were a success! Even in those times when the world called you a failure for what you did. So, go ahead and say it, “I AM a success! I AM successful!”
Now that we have that down…, I believe, though, that this promise offers more than just temporary or momentary success. I believe that God wants for us to be successful in ALL things at ALL times. Unfortunately, this promise works more on a principle and it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. No guarantee that we will become millionaires in 30 days. (Bummer!) So what is the principle? I’ll tell you now: it’s simple but not easy.
I used to paint with my dad. I love to paint. I love that you can see your progress as you go. I love that, as long as you’re painting with a beautiful color, the transformation is AMAZING! The part that I don’t like, as my dad would put it, is the 3 Ps of painting: Preparation, preparation and preparation. This is the part where you have to do all the taping, the sanding, the repair (which can be a whole lot if the carpenter wasn’t any good), the caulking, removing any hardware that should be removed, etc. I do not like the prep work because it normally takes just as long as the painting! But, if you skip the prep, your paint job will show it. Trust me, I’ve tried to take shortcuts when painting cabinets before, and the result is disastrously ugly! But, if you put in the work and time beforehand…Beautiful SUCCESS!!
Why am I talking to you about painting? Because when I saw the steps in this principle of success I felt the same thing I did whenever my dad asked me to start taping up the windows, or pull out the sandpaper. Groan… You will see these steps outlined in the very scripture that this promise originates.
Step 1: Study God’s Word constantly.
NLT of Joshua 1:8 begins with “Study this book of the law continually…” Success at anything starts with a desire for knowledge.
Step 2: Ponder God’s Word continually.
“…you shall meditate on it day and night…” Success at anything involves understanding.
Step 3: Apply God’s Word completely.
“…so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it…” Success at anything requires precise repetition.
If you master these steps each day you are a much more successful person than I am. Even if I get through Step 1, it’s a miracle if I make it all the way to Step 3 when I’m in the middle of a potty battle with my two year old, or walking through the destructive path my four year old left behind. But, I believe that it’s within reach. And I believe that God is proud of me each time I succeed at these three steps, even if it is days, weeks or months between successes.
Let’s take this one step further. In looking at “success” I found a few definitions for SUCCEED that I found interesting.
SUCCEED:
Hebrew word qum means to get up, arise, stand, establish; confirm, restore; to be set up, be raised up.
Webster’s definition is to follow next in order or next after another; especially to inherit sovereignty, rank, title, or property.
Whoa!! So here is the revelation that I have received in this short study of God’s promise for success:
When I take the time to study and understand God’s word enough to apply the wisdom found there to my everyday life in a skillful manner, keeping my eyes and ears attuned to the Holy Spirit who is my heaven-sent teacher, God will establish me as Christ’s successor, in line to inherit all He has!
I don’t believe that anyone could possibly see that as anything but success! So, be it difficult, tedious, even boring at times, I am going to work as hard as I can to take hold of this promise!
Staci Pace
Thursday, May 28, 2009
5-25-09 Self-Discipline
Self-Discipline
Oh, how that is my favorite trait. Right? …lol. Some people say it is the character trait that everyone hates. However, did you know it is a quality that God wants for you?
So how’s your self-discipline today? Did you stick to all you needed to get done today? I know I didn’t. Did you have something come up & interrupt your day?
I did. Did you get your devotion time in? I’m still working on it. Your exercise time? Nope. Time with your family? Kind of.
As I ponder on "self- discipline", I discover it is a key trait. For without self -discipline you will not have the ability to have self control, patience, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, or faith. The very things we want in our lives depend on our self-discipline. For example, if we are not disciplined in our anger, we won’t have peace. For me, two of the hardest areas in my life to stay disciplined in is quality time with the Lord and exercise.
In II Peter 1:5-8 it says, "It is a quality you want to have, a quality that will make you useful and fruitful in the kingdom of God.” Of course this is not a quality Satan wants us to control.
In this world and in our lives we will have trials, heartaches, and interruptions. It is not only in these times we lose self-discipline, it is also in times of blessings. Yes, even in the good times. We get so caught up in the events of things going well, we can get too relaxed or too busy, sometimes even lazy. You can lose self-discipline in both areas, good or bad. It is a constant task to keep self-discipline.
I am reminded and encouraged of Paul when he said, "Why do I do the things I don’t want to do and the things I want to do, I don’t do”. I have always taken great comfort in Paul’s honesty in this statement. How he also struggled in continuing to achieve this quality.
So what can cause this? It can be as simple as everyday requirements of life of our work, family, and school among other things. In II Timothy 1:7 the word says, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." He has given us the ability to have discipline. I have had to call on His help lately myself. Right now in my life, I have had a hard time balancing:
Another example: Have you ever lost your control and snapped at your kids? I know I have. Thank the Lord there is no condemnation in those who are in Christ Jesus, that He is still perfecting us. This is an area for patience and peace and we all know it takes self-discipline to have patience.
When we have a soundness of mind, we will have joy, peace, love, kindness. We will be able to achieve the goals God has for us and to walk the path Christ has laid before us. I was reminded tonight of Abraham & Isaac, how through his faith and self-discipline he offered his most precious gift to God, his son. That took a lot of self-discipline and how God rewarded and blessed Abraham through this! It was through Abraham's devotion to the scriptures, setting his mind on God, and making his body obedient to do the will of God that he became the Father of many nations. Unlike another man named Samson who had lack of self-discipline and it cost him dearly. He had been a strong and mighty man, but lost it when he had lack of self-discipline and was foolish. However, in the end even Samson obtains self-discipline.
So my charge to you is to embrace self-discipline and run the good race! You won’t be disappointed.
Blessing to you,
Susie K
Oh, how that is my favorite trait. Right? …lol. Some people say it is the character trait that everyone hates. However, did you know it is a quality that God wants for you?
So how’s your self-discipline today? Did you stick to all you needed to get done today? I know I didn’t. Did you have something come up & interrupt your day?
I did. Did you get your devotion time in? I’m still working on it. Your exercise time? Nope. Time with your family? Kind of.
As I ponder on "self- discipline", I discover it is a key trait. For without self -discipline you will not have the ability to have self control, patience, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, or faith. The very things we want in our lives depend on our self-discipline. For example, if we are not disciplined in our anger, we won’t have peace. For me, two of the hardest areas in my life to stay disciplined in is quality time with the Lord and exercise.
In II Peter 1:5-8 it says, "It is a quality you want to have, a quality that will make you useful and fruitful in the kingdom of God.” Of course this is not a quality Satan wants us to control.
In this world and in our lives we will have trials, heartaches, and interruptions. It is not only in these times we lose self-discipline, it is also in times of blessings. Yes, even in the good times. We get so caught up in the events of things going well, we can get too relaxed or too busy, sometimes even lazy. You can lose self-discipline in both areas, good or bad. It is a constant task to keep self-discipline.
I am reminded and encouraged of Paul when he said, "Why do I do the things I don’t want to do and the things I want to do, I don’t do”. I have always taken great comfort in Paul’s honesty in this statement. How he also struggled in continuing to achieve this quality.
So what can cause this? It can be as simple as everyday requirements of life of our work, family, and school among other things. In II Timothy 1:7 the word says, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." He has given us the ability to have discipline. I have had to call on His help lately myself. Right now in my life, I have had a hard time balancing:
- Time with God, carpool, school ,homework (my son), family, church, exercising, wedding planning and the list goes on.
When you get overloaded you can loose your self- discipline. Let’s look at what self discipline is. It means, “a calling to a soundness of mind or to self -control."
So how do we obtain this? First and foremost we are to commune with the Lord and seek him in every area. I even have the Lord helping me to learn to run. I know that sounds strange but I can’t run very far, yet. So, he has me run short distances and walk in-between. It is hard to be disciplined in new areas of your life! Stick to it, the reward is great!Another example: Have you ever lost your control and snapped at your kids? I know I have. Thank the Lord there is no condemnation in those who are in Christ Jesus, that He is still perfecting us. This is an area for patience and peace and we all know it takes self-discipline to have patience.
When we have a soundness of mind, we will have joy, peace, love, kindness. We will be able to achieve the goals God has for us and to walk the path Christ has laid before us. I was reminded tonight of Abraham & Isaac, how through his faith and self-discipline he offered his most precious gift to God, his son. That took a lot of self-discipline and how God rewarded and blessed Abraham through this! It was through Abraham's devotion to the scriptures, setting his mind on God, and making his body obedient to do the will of God that he became the Father of many nations. Unlike another man named Samson who had lack of self-discipline and it cost him dearly. He had been a strong and mighty man, but lost it when he had lack of self-discipline and was foolish. However, in the end even Samson obtains self-discipline.
So my charge to you is to embrace self-discipline and run the good race! You won’t be disappointed.
Blessing to you,
Susie K
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Devotional 5-11-09
Standing on His Promises
This week, as I was thinking about what to write and knowing that we were going to be looking at the promises of God. This song came back to mind that I sang a lot in church growing up. I have to say it has much more meaning to me now than it did then. I sang it because it was the song they picked for the day to sing not because I was truly standing on God’s promises. I sang it without meaning.
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
through eternal ages let his praises ring;
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of Christ my Savior;
standing, standing,
I'm standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
bound to him eternally by love's strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
listening every moment to the Spirit's call,
resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)
I have to say that I am learning more each and every day about truly standing on the promises God gives us. There are many of them in His word. I am thankful for a Pastor and leaders of our church that have encouraged us to declare the promises in our lives. It is a daily declaration in one way or another. The enemy does not want any of us to serve the Lord and he will bring circumstances and temptations that can cause us to not look to God our Savior.
I have been faced with some things over the last few months that I cannot go into detail about. I can tell you God has been faithful in fulfilling His promises. Just declaring them when the days were tough brings new light and perspective to the circumstances. It brings strength and peace in the midst of the storms. I know in my own life fear has been a big issue. It has held me back at times. This is an area that the enemy knows and tries to bring back all the time. I have learned not to let fear come in because I know what God’s word says about it. There are many verses in the Bible about fear but my favorite one is Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."
Wow, there are many promises in that verse.
One of the definitions of promise is:
an express assurance on which expectation is to be based: promises that an enemy will not win.
Every promise has a foundation, even God’s promises. He is the foundation.
In a book I read recently the author stated “Every divine promise is built upon four pillars.”
God’s holiness, will not allow Him to deceive:
His goodness, will not allow Him to forget:
His truth, will not allow Him to change;
His power, will make Him able to accomplish!
Can you sing the song with meaning? If not I urge you to learn the promises of God and then begin to declare them in your life. It will set you free. Freedom from this world is what God wants for all of us.
It begins with “Are you willing to stand on His promises?” It begins with us doing our part.
- a willingness to follow God even though at times you stumble and fall (Philippians 3:14)
- a willingness to ask for forgiveness when you falter (John 1:9)
- a willingness to stay in the battle of becoming a man or a woman after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22)
I believe the author of the song above had learned the meaning of standing on God’s promises. He learned that God’s promises cannot fail, God's word will prevail. In the last verse he refers to standing on God’s promises -“I cannot fall”. Why, because by standing in God’s promises we are resting in our Savior. I do sing this song now with meaning and praises to the one who gives me strength to stand.
Love in Christ,
Sandy Heberlein
This week, as I was thinking about what to write and knowing that we were going to be looking at the promises of God. This song came back to mind that I sang a lot in church growing up. I have to say it has much more meaning to me now than it did then. I sang it because it was the song they picked for the day to sing not because I was truly standing on God’s promises. I sang it without meaning.
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
through eternal ages let his praises ring;
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.
Refrain:
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of Christ my Savior;
standing, standing,
I'm standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
bound to him eternally by love's strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
listening every moment to the Spirit's call,
resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)
I have to say that I am learning more each and every day about truly standing on the promises God gives us. There are many of them in His word. I am thankful for a Pastor and leaders of our church that have encouraged us to declare the promises in our lives. It is a daily declaration in one way or another. The enemy does not want any of us to serve the Lord and he will bring circumstances and temptations that can cause us to not look to God our Savior.
I have been faced with some things over the last few months that I cannot go into detail about. I can tell you God has been faithful in fulfilling His promises. Just declaring them when the days were tough brings new light and perspective to the circumstances. It brings strength and peace in the midst of the storms. I know in my own life fear has been a big issue. It has held me back at times. This is an area that the enemy knows and tries to bring back all the time. I have learned not to let fear come in because I know what God’s word says about it. There are many verses in the Bible about fear but my favorite one is Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."
Wow, there are many promises in that verse.
One of the definitions of promise is:
an express assurance on which expectation is to be based: promises that an enemy will not win.
Every promise has a foundation, even God’s promises. He is the foundation.
In a book I read recently the author stated “Every divine promise is built upon four pillars.”
God’s holiness, will not allow Him to deceive:
His goodness, will not allow Him to forget:
His truth, will not allow Him to change;
His power, will make Him able to accomplish!
Can you sing the song with meaning? If not I urge you to learn the promises of God and then begin to declare them in your life. It will set you free. Freedom from this world is what God wants for all of us.
It begins with “Are you willing to stand on His promises?” It begins with us doing our part.
- a willingness to follow God even though at times you stumble and fall (Philippians 3:14)
- a willingness to ask for forgiveness when you falter (John 1:9)
- a willingness to stay in the battle of becoming a man or a woman after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22)
I believe the author of the song above had learned the meaning of standing on God’s promises. He learned that God’s promises cannot fail, God's word will prevail. In the last verse he refers to standing on God’s promises -“I cannot fall”. Why, because by standing in God’s promises we are resting in our Savior. I do sing this song now with meaning and praises to the one who gives me strength to stand.
Love in Christ,
Sandy Heberlein
Monday, May 4, 2009
Devotional 5-4-09
More than Conquerors
Romans 8:37-39 NKJV
Well if you have been joining in the all-church scripture reading through Romans this month, you might have been reminded that in Christ we are “more than conquerors”!
Paul is writing to his Roman audience in this chapter about living life according to the Spirit and that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). He then goes on to talk about the everlasting love of God and this is where Holy Spirit nudged me to pay closer attention!
Verse 37 begins, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (emphasis mine). Let me stop here for a moment and tell you about “more than conquerors” translated from the Greek word, hupernikao. This is taken from the word huper, “over and above”, and nikao “to conquer”. The word together describes one who is super victorious, who wins more than an ordinary victory, but who is overpowering in achieving abundant victory! That is an awesome confidence of the power of Christ’s love!
Now continuing in verses 38 and 39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Wow, we are super victorious and unable to be separated by ANYTHING from the love of God!
I had to ponder this for a moment and I thought about how often I don’t talk or think like a “super victorious, inseparable woman of God”. Let me take our recent news of becoming pregnant and how I am blown away by the amazing love of God.
My husband and I just decided to stop trying to not have a baby and let the rest take its course. Well, six weeks later we had a positive pregnancy test! I had a feeling it wouldn’t take long (thank you Holy Spirit), but when that little stick said “pregnant” I had a hard time believing it was true. In fact over the next couple of weeks I could not stop asking God why was I so blessed after all the bad decisions I have made in my life and yet this came so easily. I was often brought to tears that my Father in heaven loved me so much that even the fears I had that I would never bare a child didn’t stop His outpouring of love and blessing. When we finally went in for the first ultrasound and I saw that tiny heart beating away, I knew I was and am more than a conqueror that cannot be separated from the love of Christ!
I think sometimes we get so caught up in the things that could separate us from God that we don’t see how He is always at work around us and working all things together for our good because we are called according to HIS purpose. NOTHING can separate us from the love of God which means He will NEVER stop working things together for good! Let that soak in for a minute…seriously! Where do you think God is not at work, what are you about to give up on? Take a closer look my friends, God is always at work and no matter how hard times feel or how far away you feel, NOTHING can separate you from His love and His goodness!
Lord God, help us to walk in your truth, in your Spirit, and know that we are more than conquerors who will rise up in abundant victory in all circumstances in Jesus name, amen!
Be blessed, Jenny Loveland
Romans 8:37-39 NKJV
Well if you have been joining in the all-church scripture reading through Romans this month, you might have been reminded that in Christ we are “more than conquerors”!
Paul is writing to his Roman audience in this chapter about living life according to the Spirit and that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). He then goes on to talk about the everlasting love of God and this is where Holy Spirit nudged me to pay closer attention!
Verse 37 begins, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (emphasis mine). Let me stop here for a moment and tell you about “more than conquerors” translated from the Greek word, hupernikao. This is taken from the word huper, “over and above”, and nikao “to conquer”. The word together describes one who is super victorious, who wins more than an ordinary victory, but who is overpowering in achieving abundant victory! That is an awesome confidence of the power of Christ’s love!
Now continuing in verses 38 and 39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Wow, we are super victorious and unable to be separated by ANYTHING from the love of God!
I had to ponder this for a moment and I thought about how often I don’t talk or think like a “super victorious, inseparable woman of God”. Let me take our recent news of becoming pregnant and how I am blown away by the amazing love of God.
My husband and I just decided to stop trying to not have a baby and let the rest take its course. Well, six weeks later we had a positive pregnancy test! I had a feeling it wouldn’t take long (thank you Holy Spirit), but when that little stick said “pregnant” I had a hard time believing it was true. In fact over the next couple of weeks I could not stop asking God why was I so blessed after all the bad decisions I have made in my life and yet this came so easily. I was often brought to tears that my Father in heaven loved me so much that even the fears I had that I would never bare a child didn’t stop His outpouring of love and blessing. When we finally went in for the first ultrasound and I saw that tiny heart beating away, I knew I was and am more than a conqueror that cannot be separated from the love of Christ!
I think sometimes we get so caught up in the things that could separate us from God that we don’t see how He is always at work around us and working all things together for our good because we are called according to HIS purpose. NOTHING can separate us from the love of God which means He will NEVER stop working things together for good! Let that soak in for a minute…seriously! Where do you think God is not at work, what are you about to give up on? Take a closer look my friends, God is always at work and no matter how hard times feel or how far away you feel, NOTHING can separate you from His love and His goodness!
Lord God, help us to walk in your truth, in your Spirit, and know that we are more than conquerors who will rise up in abundant victory in all circumstances in Jesus name, amen!
Be blessed, Jenny Loveland
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Devotional 4-20-09
I don’t know about anyone else, but I feel like I have been battered by the waves a bit in the last week.
And you know what really bothers me? That I still get so easily discouraged at times. I’m one of those vicious cycle people. I feel bad for feeling bad!
It took me about a day or so to get back on track. And of course it was a song that did it! That’s right I have a new song! It is called “Your Love Never Fails”
Verse 1:
Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails
I know I still make mistakes, but
You have new mercy for me everyday
Your love never fails
Chorus:
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that you love me
And your love never fails
Verse 2:
The wind is strong and the water’s deep, but
I’m not alone here in these open seas
Cause your love never fails
The chasm was far too wide
I never thought I’d reach the other side
But your love never fails
Bridge: You make all things, work together for my good
You see that last part there? “You make ALL THINGS work together for MY GOOD”
So why in the world did I doubt? After a lengthy repentance session I got squared away once again. I set my focus on Jesus, the lover of my soul who has NEVER let me down, EVER!
Now I’m not going to tell you that everything was peachy from that point on. I still had a battle with my mind so to speak. And I battled with that 10 times a day, or so it seemed! There were even times where I would literally just tell my mind to SHUT UP and submit!
Now here we are, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with this little roadblock I hit. And the Lord has already done EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY, ABOVE AND BEYOND what I asked or thought of!
So here’s my goal: I am really going to work on not wigging out when a roadblock comes up. Really! Jesus has mine, my husband’s and my children’s best interest at heart so I’m going to let Him handle whatever comes my way from now on!
So, what’s your roadblock right now? Can you see it? Now picture you and Jesus hand in hand plowing through that thing like it is not even there!
God bless you all as you plow through!
Heather~
And you know what really bothers me? That I still get so easily discouraged at times. I’m one of those vicious cycle people. I feel bad for feeling bad!
It took me about a day or so to get back on track. And of course it was a song that did it! That’s right I have a new song! It is called “Your Love Never Fails”
Verse 1:
Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails
I know I still make mistakes, but
You have new mercy for me everyday
Your love never fails
Chorus:
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that you love me
And your love never fails
Verse 2:
The wind is strong and the water’s deep, but
I’m not alone here in these open seas
Cause your love never fails
The chasm was far too wide
I never thought I’d reach the other side
But your love never fails
Bridge: You make all things, work together for my good
You see that last part there? “You make ALL THINGS work together for MY GOOD”
So why in the world did I doubt? After a lengthy repentance session I got squared away once again. I set my focus on Jesus, the lover of my soul who has NEVER let me down, EVER!
Now I’m not going to tell you that everything was peachy from that point on. I still had a battle with my mind so to speak. And I battled with that 10 times a day, or so it seemed! There were even times where I would literally just tell my mind to SHUT UP and submit!
Now here we are, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with this little roadblock I hit. And the Lord has already done EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY, ABOVE AND BEYOND what I asked or thought of!
So here’s my goal: I am really going to work on not wigging out when a roadblock comes up. Really! Jesus has mine, my husband’s and my children’s best interest at heart so I’m going to let Him handle whatever comes my way from now on!
So, what’s your roadblock right now? Can you see it? Now picture you and Jesus hand in hand plowing through that thing like it is not even there!
God bless you all as you plow through!
Heather~
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Devotional 4-13-09
It seems that the Lord is taking me out of my comfort zone. All my children have taken after their father with the ability to write. I lack the ease with which to write my feelings down. I guess that I should have done something with those journals that Amy always gave me.
I really needed this retreat more than any retreat before. The last 12 months have been very difficult for me and my family. Jerry has had 3 major operations and 2 of them came right before the ladies retreat.
The Lord ministered love to me in a greater way, not only the love He has for me but love through two ladies, Betty Wendt and Katie Richey, whom I roomed with.
I really believe that all the sessions were aimed at me and most of the drama episodes. I love the Lord and have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit since Amy was a baby. There are times that I was closer to Him than I was this past year. You would think that I would have been smart and drawn closer and not away from Him. Carrie’s teaching hit me right in the face and that was—every woman will be changed to the degree she wants to be changed. I was at that point of desperation of needing to be changed. God is still working on me. I am having a hard time allowing things in me to be changed by Him. We all go through that "giving it to the Lord" and then we take it back. Once it is in the Lord’s hands LEAVE IT THERE. It doesn’t do any good to want it back. It is the problem that we are trying to give up.
The word “retreat” means many things but the one that I really like is “a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy. Our going to Estes Park is our place of refuge—our way of getting things back on track with the Lord. Looking forward to being stronger and desiring to be used of the Lord in a greater way. John 15:16 tells us that we didn’t choose Him but He chose us. Because He loves us so much he wants us to ask for things in His name so that He may give it to us. He wants us to bear fruit and keep on bearing fruit. I pray that the Lord will bless you abundantly as we continue to draw close to Him. I am thankful for His constant love and watchful eye over us. I can see the changes that He is making and I want to continue growing. Let us remember to be at that degree of change so that we don’t get to a point of desperation.
I am looking forward to seeing the fruit in all of us and receiving it from one another as the Lord continues His faithful watch over us.
Love you all, Diane Harper
I really needed this retreat more than any retreat before. The last 12 months have been very difficult for me and my family. Jerry has had 3 major operations and 2 of them came right before the ladies retreat.
The Lord ministered love to me in a greater way, not only the love He has for me but love through two ladies, Betty Wendt and Katie Richey, whom I roomed with.
I really believe that all the sessions were aimed at me and most of the drama episodes. I love the Lord and have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit since Amy was a baby. There are times that I was closer to Him than I was this past year. You would think that I would have been smart and drawn closer and not away from Him. Carrie’s teaching hit me right in the face and that was—every woman will be changed to the degree she wants to be changed. I was at that point of desperation of needing to be changed. God is still working on me. I am having a hard time allowing things in me to be changed by Him. We all go through that "giving it to the Lord" and then we take it back. Once it is in the Lord’s hands LEAVE IT THERE. It doesn’t do any good to want it back. It is the problem that we are trying to give up.
The word “retreat” means many things but the one that I really like is “a place of refuge, seclusion, or privacy. Our going to Estes Park is our place of refuge—our way of getting things back on track with the Lord. Looking forward to being stronger and desiring to be used of the Lord in a greater way. John 15:16 tells us that we didn’t choose Him but He chose us. Because He loves us so much he wants us to ask for things in His name so that He may give it to us. He wants us to bear fruit and keep on bearing fruit. I pray that the Lord will bless you abundantly as we continue to draw close to Him. I am thankful for His constant love and watchful eye over us. I can see the changes that He is making and I want to continue growing. Let us remember to be at that degree of change so that we don’t get to a point of desperation.
I am looking forward to seeing the fruit in all of us and receiving it from one another as the Lord continues His faithful watch over us.
Love you all, Diane Harper
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Devotional 4-7-09
My dear sisters in the Faith,
As I sit here at my computer, I overlook the city of Denver. How fortunate we are to live in this beautiful place. Generally we have mild winters, warm summers, and we are sooo close to our beloved mountains.
We just got back from a family wedding in Texas. While Texas is a place that many people in our body love, I am glad to be gone from there. Besides numerous car problems, rainy weather, and family issues, the closer we got to Denver, I kept saying, “we are almost home”.
Before our trip, Rich and I prayed that God would reveal to us the next step to our future, confirmation that we were in fact, on the right path. Although lightning bolts never fell on us, we got the answers. We love it here. We love our church family. (Who came through for us like never before. You know who you are) We love the call that God has placed on us.
Most of all we love His Word. God continually speaks to us through it. Scripture has been preserved for us for thousands of years because God wanted it to be. No other literature in the world can boast that. Thousands of years later, and more than 5,200 preserved manuscripts have given us the letter that God wanted us to have. Please don’t take that lightly. Although our country is not free from problems, we have the freedom to have as many copies, translations, and paraphrases that our hearts desire. They are God’s love letter to us. No matter how many times we read it, it is fresh and new. Through it, we receive personal messages from the Holy Spirit to fit only our circumstances. How special is that?
I pray for you all today, that God will reveal Himself as never before. That as you read His Word, His love will grab your heart. I pray that His call on your life will be confirmed. Please keep in mind….”we are almost home”. Let’s make the time we have here on earth productive for Him. Nothing else really matters.
I love you, and am glad to be home.
Cheryl Stevens
As I sit here at my computer, I overlook the city of Denver. How fortunate we are to live in this beautiful place. Generally we have mild winters, warm summers, and we are sooo close to our beloved mountains.
We just got back from a family wedding in Texas. While Texas is a place that many people in our body love, I am glad to be gone from there. Besides numerous car problems, rainy weather, and family issues, the closer we got to Denver, I kept saying, “we are almost home”.
Before our trip, Rich and I prayed that God would reveal to us the next step to our future, confirmation that we were in fact, on the right path. Although lightning bolts never fell on us, we got the answers. We love it here. We love our church family. (Who came through for us like never before. You know who you are) We love the call that God has placed on us.
Most of all we love His Word. God continually speaks to us through it. Scripture has been preserved for us for thousands of years because God wanted it to be. No other literature in the world can boast that. Thousands of years later, and more than 5,200 preserved manuscripts have given us the letter that God wanted us to have. Please don’t take that lightly. Although our country is not free from problems, we have the freedom to have as many copies, translations, and paraphrases that our hearts desire. They are God’s love letter to us. No matter how many times we read it, it is fresh and new. Through it, we receive personal messages from the Holy Spirit to fit only our circumstances. How special is that?
I pray for you all today, that God will reveal Himself as never before. That as you read His Word, His love will grab your heart. I pray that His call on your life will be confirmed. Please keep in mind….”we are almost home”. Let’s make the time we have here on earth productive for Him. Nothing else really matters.
I love you, and am glad to be home.
Cheryl Stevens
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Buckle Up!
Buckle Up!
Right about the same time as the Ladies’ Retreat this year, God gave me a picture of my walk with Him, and how I tend to, or not to, rest in Him:
I was walking along the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere. There was a car driving slowly beside me with the passenger side window down. The driver kept remarking politely, “Are you going to get back in the car? You can get back in anytime you want.” It didn’t take me long to realize the driver was God, and that I was throwing a little temper-tantrum. I turned to God and declared, “I don’t want to get in the car! You keep making ridiculous stops and detours that have nothing to do with where I’m going!” Still, God kept His voice soft and controlled, “I know where you’re going. I want to take you there. And my way will be better. But, if you choose to walk the whole way, I’ll be right here, waiting.” How could He stay so calm and faithful when I am behaving like such a child?
I realized then that I was not resting in God. I realized that much of my life had been spent outside the car. And I wondered why my feet were so sore and bruised and why I was so exhausted. I decided then that, even if God takes me to my “promised land” in a way I wouldn’t have chosen myself, I am much better off in the car, passenger’s seat, with my seatbelt securely fastened.
I want to share with you a little bit of my trip with God over the past year, Ladies’ Retreat to Ladies’ Retreat. Some of it is awesome, and it’s obvious that I was right where I was supposed to be, buckled in, but I must say, those times were really all sandwiched by my little temper-tantrum walks on the side of the road.
• LADIES’ RETREAT 08: Someone gives Andy and me a word from God that shakes my world more than that person will ever know.
• SPRING 08: I have my own Abraham/Isaac moment and have to lay my dreams on the altar, some of which stemmed from that innocently given word at the Ladies’ Retreat.
• SUMMER 08: Andy gets promoted at work. A raise is imminent.
• JULY 08: Andy’s company declares bankruptcy. So much for that raise.
• AUGUST 08: Just as we are about to question where our rent money is going to come from, Andy is given a construction job that pays an advance for the exact amount of our rent. Hallelujah!
• FALL 08: We have been so blessed by various members of the church who have poured out blessings, money, groceries, etc. on us. We have never felt more loved!
• OCTOBER 08: Our landlord cuts our month’s rent in HALF!! Praise the Lord!
• NOVEMBER 08: I begin to see those dreams that I put on the altar come back to life again, and this time it wasn’t me who made it happen.
• THANKSGIVING 08: Despite many, many resumes and applications to various job fields and positions, Andy still has not even been called for an interview. We head to Texas to celebrate the holiday.
• DECEMBER 08: We leave Texas after working our butts off for 2 weeks with way more money than we expected to leave with.
• DECEMBER 08: We receive a Christmas card from our landlord with a grocery gift certificate for $100. Landlord of the year!!
• CHRISTMAS 08: Andy has several paint/construction jobs on the horizon and we actually have excess money for Christmas gifts.
• JANUARY 09: All but one of the jobs falls through. Still not one interview.
• JANUARY 09: Despite no job interviews, and no steady employment, we still lack for nothing. Every bill is paid and current, we are still in our wonderful home, we haven’t missed one meal, and our children are completely covered by Medicaid. We are blessed!
• FEBRUARY 09: TAXES – I file our taxes early, because despite being self-employed for half the year, we still get an enormous tax return that carries us through the next couple of months.
• FEBRUARY 09: TAXES – I find out that despite losing our major income in July, we still make just as much money in 2008 as we did in 2007. God is so AMAZING!!
• FEBRUARY 09: TAXES – For the first time in our marriage, our giving record shows that we gave OVER 10% for 2008. If that’s not a testimony of the blessings in giving, I don’t know what is!
• FEBRUARY 09: Surprise!! We’re pregnant! At the same time as my sister! This changes all the plans I had made for the coming year. Seriously.
• LADIES’ RETREAT 09: The women of The Rock are AWESOME!! Every speaker at the retreat is INCREDIBLE! We all receive amazing revelation and leave changed!
• LADIES’ RETREAT 09: My dreams really are beginning to come true and I am in awe of how God works things out when we get out of the way.
• LADIES’ RETREAT 09: I screw up. Big time. I am embarrassed and appalled at myself, and leave feeling that I am not anywhere near the “good” and “righteous” person I thought I was. After all this time and all the many things that God has done in me this entire year, have I not learned one thing?? Could I really be so selfish and ugly??
Why did all of that end on such a terrible note? Although I know that God didn’t cause that last part to happen, I know that He used it to teach me yet another one of those lessons, along with many others, that I thought I had learned a long time ago.
The lesson: I AM NOTHING WITHOUT GOD. I CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT GOD. I CAN BE NOTHING WITHOUT GOD.
At the retreat we learned about Unleashing the Power of God within us. I think that sometimes we get our thinking backwards. I think sometimes we see the power of God as being something that holds us back or binds us from being ourselves. But, that’s all wrong. God’s power unleashes us from that sin, that part of us that doesn’t measure up, that part of us that messes everything up. It gives us freedom! It is there because we can’t do it on our own and ONLY God IN us can do all those things that God has called us to. Take a look at this retreat scripture:
Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through HIS MIGHTY POWER at work WITHIN US, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (NLT – Emphasis mine.)
That should take the pressure off. Does it? It is only by HIS MIGHTY POWER that we can do anything! So all those times that we squirm against the seatbelt of His protection, safety, and His plan, it does nothing but make us more uncomfortable. It doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t make us more capable, just uncomfortable. When we rest securely buckled in that car, we are denying our own selfish desires, incapable strength, and hopeless plans and surrendering to His righteous desires, unmatched strength, and divine plans.
Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and experience the MIGHTY POWER that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will EXPERIENCE THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD! (NLT – Emphasis mine.)
So, I hope that you have a new outlook about sitting in the passenger’s seat, and that you can find the rest that is available in knowing that without Him, we are nothing, and that’s okay. We don’t have to be anything, because He is everything! He knows where we’re going; knows how to get us there in perfect timing; knows the way that is the safest and most secure; and He will even wait for us when we childishly demand to get out of the car and try our own way. What does your trip look like for the rest of this year? Mine, I have decided, will look like this (barring any more temper-tantrums):
• MARCH 09 AND ON: I’m getting in the car, buckling up and throwing my plan out the window forever. I’m deciding right now, that if I can’t arrive with God, I don’t want to arrive at all. I’m forgetting and forgiving myself for all the mistakes I’ve made thus far: for all the times I stepped out of the car and stuck out my bottom lip; for all the times I strained against the seatbelt only to find the air taken out of me; for all the times I tried to jerk the steering wheel out of God’s hands; for all the times I tried to hijack my own ride… I’m going to let go and let God and see His mighty power move in my life in ways I never thought possible!
So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life, literally! God had great things in store for you, regardless of any mistakes or plans you’ve made on your own! Rest in Him. Rest in His power, rest in His anointing, rest in His control.
Right about the same time as the Ladies’ Retreat this year, God gave me a picture of my walk with Him, and how I tend to, or not to, rest in Him:
I was walking along the side of a highway in the middle of nowhere. There was a car driving slowly beside me with the passenger side window down. The driver kept remarking politely, “Are you going to get back in the car? You can get back in anytime you want.” It didn’t take me long to realize the driver was God, and that I was throwing a little temper-tantrum. I turned to God and declared, “I don’t want to get in the car! You keep making ridiculous stops and detours that have nothing to do with where I’m going!” Still, God kept His voice soft and controlled, “I know where you’re going. I want to take you there. And my way will be better. But, if you choose to walk the whole way, I’ll be right here, waiting.” How could He stay so calm and faithful when I am behaving like such a child?
I realized then that I was not resting in God. I realized that much of my life had been spent outside the car. And I wondered why my feet were so sore and bruised and why I was so exhausted. I decided then that, even if God takes me to my “promised land” in a way I wouldn’t have chosen myself, I am much better off in the car, passenger’s seat, with my seatbelt securely fastened.
I want to share with you a little bit of my trip with God over the past year, Ladies’ Retreat to Ladies’ Retreat. Some of it is awesome, and it’s obvious that I was right where I was supposed to be, buckled in, but I must say, those times were really all sandwiched by my little temper-tantrum walks on the side of the road.
• LADIES’ RETREAT 08: Someone gives Andy and me a word from God that shakes my world more than that person will ever know.
• SPRING 08: I have my own Abraham/Isaac moment and have to lay my dreams on the altar, some of which stemmed from that innocently given word at the Ladies’ Retreat.
• SUMMER 08: Andy gets promoted at work. A raise is imminent.
• JULY 08: Andy’s company declares bankruptcy. So much for that raise.
• AUGUST 08: Just as we are about to question where our rent money is going to come from, Andy is given a construction job that pays an advance for the exact amount of our rent. Hallelujah!
• FALL 08: We have been so blessed by various members of the church who have poured out blessings, money, groceries, etc. on us. We have never felt more loved!
• OCTOBER 08: Our landlord cuts our month’s rent in HALF!! Praise the Lord!
• NOVEMBER 08: I begin to see those dreams that I put on the altar come back to life again, and this time it wasn’t me who made it happen.
• THANKSGIVING 08: Despite many, many resumes and applications to various job fields and positions, Andy still has not even been called for an interview. We head to Texas to celebrate the holiday.
• DECEMBER 08: We leave Texas after working our butts off for 2 weeks with way more money than we expected to leave with.
• DECEMBER 08: We receive a Christmas card from our landlord with a grocery gift certificate for $100. Landlord of the year!!
• CHRISTMAS 08: Andy has several paint/construction jobs on the horizon and we actually have excess money for Christmas gifts.
• JANUARY 09: All but one of the jobs falls through. Still not one interview.
• JANUARY 09: Despite no job interviews, and no steady employment, we still lack for nothing. Every bill is paid and current, we are still in our wonderful home, we haven’t missed one meal, and our children are completely covered by Medicaid. We are blessed!
• FEBRUARY 09: TAXES – I file our taxes early, because despite being self-employed for half the year, we still get an enormous tax return that carries us through the next couple of months.
• FEBRUARY 09: TAXES – I find out that despite losing our major income in July, we still make just as much money in 2008 as we did in 2007. God is so AMAZING!!
• FEBRUARY 09: TAXES – For the first time in our marriage, our giving record shows that we gave OVER 10% for 2008. If that’s not a testimony of the blessings in giving, I don’t know what is!
• FEBRUARY 09: Surprise!! We’re pregnant! At the same time as my sister! This changes all the plans I had made for the coming year. Seriously.
• LADIES’ RETREAT 09: The women of The Rock are AWESOME!! Every speaker at the retreat is INCREDIBLE! We all receive amazing revelation and leave changed!
• LADIES’ RETREAT 09: My dreams really are beginning to come true and I am in awe of how God works things out when we get out of the way.
• LADIES’ RETREAT 09: I screw up. Big time. I am embarrassed and appalled at myself, and leave feeling that I am not anywhere near the “good” and “righteous” person I thought I was. After all this time and all the many things that God has done in me this entire year, have I not learned one thing?? Could I really be so selfish and ugly??
Why did all of that end on such a terrible note? Although I know that God didn’t cause that last part to happen, I know that He used it to teach me yet another one of those lessons, along with many others, that I thought I had learned a long time ago.
The lesson: I AM NOTHING WITHOUT GOD. I CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT GOD. I CAN BE NOTHING WITHOUT GOD.
At the retreat we learned about Unleashing the Power of God within us. I think that sometimes we get our thinking backwards. I think sometimes we see the power of God as being something that holds us back or binds us from being ourselves. But, that’s all wrong. God’s power unleashes us from that sin, that part of us that doesn’t measure up, that part of us that messes everything up. It gives us freedom! It is there because we can’t do it on our own and ONLY God IN us can do all those things that God has called us to. Take a look at this retreat scripture:
Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through HIS MIGHTY POWER at work WITHIN US, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (NLT – Emphasis mine.)
That should take the pressure off. Does it? It is only by HIS MIGHTY POWER that we can do anything! So all those times that we squirm against the seatbelt of His protection, safety, and His plan, it does nothing but make us more uncomfortable. It doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t make us more capable, just uncomfortable. When we rest securely buckled in that car, we are denying our own selfish desires, incapable strength, and hopeless plans and surrendering to His righteous desires, unmatched strength, and divine plans.
Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and experience the MIGHTY POWER that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death, so that one way or another I will EXPERIENCE THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD! (NLT – Emphasis mine.)
So, I hope that you have a new outlook about sitting in the passenger’s seat, and that you can find the rest that is available in knowing that without Him, we are nothing, and that’s okay. We don’t have to be anything, because He is everything! He knows where we’re going; knows how to get us there in perfect timing; knows the way that is the safest and most secure; and He will even wait for us when we childishly demand to get out of the car and try our own way. What does your trip look like for the rest of this year? Mine, I have decided, will look like this (barring any more temper-tantrums):
• MARCH 09 AND ON: I’m getting in the car, buckling up and throwing my plan out the window forever. I’m deciding right now, that if I can’t arrive with God, I don’t want to arrive at all. I’m forgetting and forgiving myself for all the mistakes I’ve made thus far: for all the times I stepped out of the car and stuck out my bottom lip; for all the times I strained against the seatbelt only to find the air taken out of me; for all the times I tried to jerk the steering wheel out of God’s hands; for all the times I tried to hijack my own ride… I’m going to let go and let God and see His mighty power move in my life in ways I never thought possible!
So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life, literally! God had great things in store for you, regardless of any mistakes or plans you’ve made on your own! Rest in Him. Rest in His power, rest in His anointing, rest in His control.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Unleashed: The Power Within - week nine
John 1:14- And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld the glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
Did you know that when you surrendered your life to Christ an unlimited resource of power was given to you? Know what that resource is? It's the "Word".
I want us to look at the first part of the verse where it says "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" The Greek word for "word" is "Logos" and there is a special definition for logos just for this very verse and it states this: "denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God"
Secondly I'd like to give you the definition of the word "dwelt" it means to abide (or live) in a tabernacle or temple. How many of you know that we are temples???
Thirdly I'd like to look at the word "among" it means: IN, BY, WITH"
So we are a temple, and what lives in us is Jesus Christ who is the wisdom and power and is in union with God! This is our spiritual DNA!!! This is our inheritance!!! Can you imagine what a church that recognizes this and WALKS in that knowledge would do to our world???
I think the latter part of the verse shows us what we would see. It says "we beheld the GLORY, the glory of the ONLY begotten of the Father FULL of GRACE and TRUTH!
The word Glory here is "doxa" and one of the definitions of this word states: magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace. How many of you know that this is what the world needs to see???
The bible says that "The earth will be filled with the KNOWLEDGE of the GLORY of the Lord like the waters cover the sea" Who's job is it to make His glory known? It's ours!!
Heather Neil
Did you know that when you surrendered your life to Christ an unlimited resource of power was given to you? Know what that resource is? It's the "Word".
I want us to look at the first part of the verse where it says "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" The Greek word for "word" is "Logos" and there is a special definition for logos just for this very verse and it states this: "denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God"
Secondly I'd like to give you the definition of the word "dwelt" it means to abide (or live) in a tabernacle or temple. How many of you know that we are temples???
Thirdly I'd like to look at the word "among" it means: IN, BY, WITH"
So we are a temple, and what lives in us is Jesus Christ who is the wisdom and power and is in union with God! This is our spiritual DNA!!! This is our inheritance!!! Can you imagine what a church that recognizes this and WALKS in that knowledge would do to our world???
I think the latter part of the verse shows us what we would see. It says "we beheld the GLORY, the glory of the ONLY begotten of the Father FULL of GRACE and TRUTH!
The word Glory here is "doxa" and one of the definitions of this word states: magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, grace. How many of you know that this is what the world needs to see???
The bible says that "The earth will be filled with the KNOWLEDGE of the GLORY of the Lord like the waters cover the sea" Who's job is it to make His glory known? It's ours!!
Heather Neil
Monday, January 19, 2009
Unleashed: The Power Within - week eight
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18-19
This scripture is actually Jesus quoting from Isaiah 61. It’s easy to picture Christ reading these words and taking them literally. After all, He was and is the Savior, the Messiah: The One to usher in the favor of the Lord! But how often do we read this, and take it literally for ourselves?
It’s kind of a scary thing to think about:
First of all it says “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” In some translations it’s the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord! Wow! Quite a Spirit! And this says “upon me,” as in, all over me, covering me. I get the picture of something weighing me down when I think about it. One definition of this word here is “superimposition,” which can sometimes even mean taking unwarranted advantage of, or establishing authority by force. This isn’t some passive, ho-hum Spirit of God. This is a Spirit who takes action!
The second action here in the scripture is the anointing. Of course God anointed Christ, but me? I’m not an ordained preacher or evangelist with a degree and certificate. I haven’t really been trained to minister any news to anyone, much less the poor who are wary about anyone who comes to the door. How can this verse possibly be talking about me?
And although the rest of the verse in this translation is a little less aggressive, in other translations it doesn’t say simply to proclaim but it says to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering sight to the blind (and yes, that means walk them through that deliverance & recovery), to set at liberty them that are bruised… Easy enough… IF YOU’RE JESUS!! But really, God? Me?
The last part, though, is by far my favorite, and most definitely what puts me at ease. The time of the Lord’s favor has come! Not will come. Not might come. Not is available to all who go to heaven. No! It says: The time of the Lord’s favor HAS come! Here are some definitions for the word favor: approval, partiality, gracious kindness, a token of love usually worn conspicuously, a special privilege, endow, prefer, support, sustain, facilitate.
I don’t think that this verse would be meant for us without the favor of God. It is only by His favor, His grace, His blood, His righteousness, His holiness, etc. that we are able to be any form of Christ to the world. When we take into account that when we walk in the favor of God, we are literally putting on Christ and all the work that He has already done, it makes this verse far less scary to apply to ourselves! The favor of God even puts a whole new spin on that active Spirit that was mentioned before. Now it’s more of a relief that the Spirit rises up within us and takes over in those times that God calls us to minister His good news. (Hopefully, for most of us it isn’t taking unwarranted advantage of us all the time! If you’ve ever gotten a word for the church during worship that God just won’t let you keep to yourself no matter how long you wait, you know what that “unwarranted advantage” may feel like. I know I do!)
Because we have that promise of His favor, we can be assured that as we go out to the world, we can be effective in ministering His good news, which is that complete package of salvation. And by world I mean your office, school, home, next door neighbor’s, the park, the gym, wherever your “world” is. It is because of His favor that we can minister life, hope, healing, freedom, and love to the lost.
Take a moment and proclaim the promise of His favor by reading aloud the sentences below and remember that this is what the Lord has for you today, right now, in your daily life.
· God approves of me enough to give me the responsibility of His good news.
· God showed me partiality in anointing me with His power and might.
· God has gracious kindness in store for me even if I forget to minister the good news today.
· God has given me a token of love that I should wear out in the open for all to see.
· God has given me the special privilege of carrying His glory to the world.
· God has endowed me with the ability to minister freedom and healing to those around me.
· God prefers me the way He made me with my giftings, abilities and talents.
· God will support me as I work toward His calling.
· God will sustain me even when I feel lost and alone.
· God will facilitate the work that I am doing and will do for His Kingdom.
(I encourage you to look up the meanings of some of these words. I was amazed that facilitate means to make easier! That’s a promise I definitely want to take hold of!)
Walk in His favor today and remember: You have been called, you have been anointed, and you can be effective!
Much love & many blessings!
Staci Pace
Monday, January 12, 2009
Unleashed: The Power Within - week seven
- II Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. NLT
This may be a small verse but it is loaded with promises. Power, love and self-discipline. How many of us live in fear and are timid. I know I did for many years. I let fear rule me and that will definitely make you timid. That is not what God wants for us.
II Timothy 1 beginning in verse 3 thru the end of the chapter is a letter from Paul to Timothy. Encouraging him to be faithful and reminding him of words spoken over him the last time Paul was with him. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline". Paul then urges him to never be ashamed to tell others about the Lord.
Power, love, and self-discipline are all characteristics of a christian leader. We are all called to spread the gospel and be a leader. These are available to us because the Holy Spirit lives in us. We must believe we have the Holy Spirit in us and He is our power, love, and self-discipline. Galatians 5:22-23 lists many other products the Holy Spirit will give us.
When I came to the point in my life that I finally said " I am not just going to sit, Lord you can use me". It was scary and I even questioned if it was His voice, but with practice and asking Him to reveal himself to me, I knew it was His voice. I can now give words in church and pray with someone and not be afraid or timid. God has so many times given me what a person needed prayer for and they are so amazed at what happens. It is learning to have confidence in our Lord and the Holy Spirit He left for us.
I am reminded of the verse in Phillians 4:13 "For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need." (NLT) I remind myself of this verse all the time. There are many other verses that remind us of the strength God supplies us. I urge you to look them up and grab ahold of the strength so the fear and timidity will not have root in you.
This is how the dictionary describes the word timid:
lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed; timorous; shy
characterized by or indicating fear: a timid approach to a problem
There is that word fear again. Isaiah 41:10 says "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand". Here He promises again to strengthen. He will give us what we need to do His work. Claim His power, it is yours.
Love In Christ!
Sandy Heberlein
Monday, January 5, 2009
Unleashed: The Power Within - week six
Matthew 10:7-8
"And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give."
Does this sound like an overwhelming task that Jesus gave to his 12 disciples? Well, I believe He also meant it for all believers.
I used to think, "I'm just one person, how can I do these things?" But at a recent conference on healing & deliverance, the speaker Rodney Hogue reminded us that it's not our job to take care of tearing down entire principalities or cities on our own, or to raise the entire graveyard. Our command is to focus on one thing at a time, pray for one person's freedom from oppression, step out and pray for one sick person, show God's love by simply sharing genuine concern and spending time in prayer with them and for them. Will the healing or miracle take place instantly? Sometimes, but often it's a process.
In a book I'm reading by Mahesh Chavda, he says, "Every time you pray under the anointing, something happens." So let's be encouraged to freely give what we've received through Jesus: freedom, healing, resurrection life and most importantly, His love, grace, and message of the kingdom!
May God's richest blessings be yours this week!
Janna Ver Miller
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