Turning From Our Way

      Turn From Our Way

“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because of the gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.” 1 Thessalonians 1: 4-5

My mouth reminds my heart. 

We just finished reading 2 Kings and as hard as that was to read it was a constant reminder of God’s relentless love. As He sent the prophets to warn time and time again the continued message of turning back was rejected time and time again. 

The end of 2 Kings ends with captivity but the reality is they always were in captivity not living for the Lord. But this time God is dealing with their sin as He always does. He deals with it so we will recognize our need for a Savior. If it wasn’t for my captivity I wouldn’t sit here writing my story for all to see but because of the captivity is the reason I write and share. 

As I read more and spend time with the Lord He reveals things through His word that I never would have caught. Like all through those many kings He was continuing to send all those people to warn them to turn back to God like He did with me. I will never forget those people in my life they didn’t just preach the word they lived in a way that made me realize I was missing out on so much more than what God wanted for me. 

I had a decision to make. Was I going to turn from my way of living a life that was producing shame and guilt? Or was I going to believe when I chose God’s way He would give me mercy and Grace?  The people that God placed within my life were imitators of Jesus. They showed me the love of Jesus in a way that made me want more. Thank God for those people God placed in your life.

Father,

The choice is ours. We can live for you Jesus or we can live for ourselves. We can choose to surrender or we can keep on ruling ourselves. You don’t push us into having a relationship with you but you did design us to worship you alone. Anything else apart from that is useless and dead. It doesn’t produce joy and hope, it produces dissatisfaction and longing. Thank you for coming to save us and redeem us Jesus! I pray if someone reading this longs to know you as their personal Savior today is the day. It is never too late Lord to turn back. Turning away from our old life and turning towards you. You are always ready to meet us there with mercy and Grace. Because that is what you do. Thank you for that gift. 

Amen

Evidence Of Our Faith

        

                                                Evidence of our Faith 

“We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing.” 2 Thessalonians 1:3

I love Paul and I love that even during this time of persecution their faith was flourishing. That word flourish brings so many word pictures to my mind. It is a special word that I would keep hearing and even as God had me start writing devotionals that became my title. “Flourish In the Journey.” Even as the writing started what seems so long ago the message remains the same even though the circumstances continue to change. Because that is the reality living within these bodies and minds that will always try to make sense of everything we experience here on earth. And as this verse reminds my heart our faith flourishes when we understand none of that matters only that God never changes. Age to age He still stands the same.

We tend to throw that word “faith” around like all the other words that have taken on taking a new meaning. What does that mean to have faith? When do we get to that point of believing no matter what everything will be ok?

My faith is a ongoing thing that continues to flourish in spite of the enemy. Not faith in myself but faith in God who never fails. Not faith in MS. Not faith in everything around me that doesn’t make sense. Not faith is understanding why God does the things He does or why He doesn’t answer our prayers in ways that we think we should. But faith that is IN a unshakable God. 

“They will fight against you but will not overcome you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 1:19

Once again these were words that comforted me this morning. As we read our bible together as a community we keep going from the Old Testament and the New Testament. This back and forth is this reminder that the God of the Old Testament is still the same God and the enemies that they fought are still the ones that we fight against today. But the words will not overcome and I am with you is a reminder of the Great I AM. 

Someone commented on this chapter as we read it together. “I have appointed you not just to survive- but to build and to plant.  Don’t fear the resistance. I have made you resilient. My Word is in your mouth. Keep walking in My truth, and you will see fruit.” 

That is what faith is. That is what flourishing in our faith looks like. Remembering that we were called to walk with Jesus. My flesh will always be in this constant battle with my Spirit. Everyday is another opportunity to praise Him anyway.

Father,

Your heart is always for us it was back in Jeremiah and it is still holds true today. We were made to flourish in you Jesus and that means that no matter what we can hold steady to you. You are the Rock we are not. Help us to remember the heart posture when it gets really hard. You are taking our faith and building us to become more like you Jesus. Thank you for always being right beside us and allowing your Holy Spirit to give us the ability to stand firm. Help others around us see evidence of that kind of faith that can only be found in you King Jesus.

Amen

One More Day

                                               One More Day

“We recall in the presence of our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3 

Paul was delivering a personal testimony to the church of Thessalonians. Thanking God for them and reminding them that they were chosen. The gospel message he brought in a way that was showing them grace and peace. To become imitators of Jesus by living by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul was chosen by God so that God would be magnified. No special qualifications and every reason not to be chosen. Except one. His willingness to make that exchange. An old life made new for a Savior that would prepare the way for every challenge he would come against.

Today was my day to turn in the keys of my workplace, I’ve grown to love and served at for many years. The doors I have come through so many mornings. No more keys. I went into that classroom and finished up straightening things for the next teacher. As I was finishing up cleaning my faithful prayer partner approached me. A text had come, and she wanted to pray. A situation that happened in an already difficult life of someone close to her. Something that doesn’t make sense and made things even more challenging and her knee jerk reaction was to pray. So, I got to pray before handing those keys in. Little did I know as I hit my knees, she was capturing that last moment of that last day. And that situation didn’t change in that moment, but our focus did. That is what prayer does.

Distractions were all around us. We could hear voices but above it was the prayers from our heart.

“How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD of Armies. I long and yearn for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh cry out for the living God.” Psalm 84:1-2

More than anything I will miss those willing hearts of my faithful prayer warriors praying in person. The longing of our hearts together and submitting every morning to allow the Lord what He wants to do. I could picture it some mornings as we gathered. In the heavenlies the Lord as He looked down on His girls. “There they are ready to pray I hear you girls.” And then the Lord would move in the way He always did. Moving us towards Him. “Remember girls I hold all the Authority.”  

I am thankful for all those years with those faithful people that God gave me. Turning in the keys was not goodbye, just something different. But knowing I had to make that exchange still gives me a peace. 

Father,

We can find comfort knowing that you always go before us to prepare the way. I am so thankful for those people you place right beside us. We can have confidence that you will strengthen our hearts and minds to whatever you have called us to. Teach us to take each day before you. One more day here on earth is an opportunity to glorify you. Every day is a day to testify of your grace. Thank you, Jesus. 

Amen

Fight On Your Knees

                                                   Fight on your knees

 “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

This came right after the dedication of the temple. What David wasn’t allowed to build for the Lord Solomon was. The bible says, when Solomon finished praying, fire descended from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. As God was giving them the instructions once again to worship only One God and to keep His statutes and covenant shortly after that they forgot. And even as the warning was given that if they turned away and abandoned His commands came and the consequence they still chose not to follow with whole hearts. They allowed the other gods to start to slip in. 

Why do we do that? We don’t just see the glory of the Lord fill the temple as Solomon did, but we get the glory of the Lord within us. We GET to be filled, and we settle for half filled.

“Don’t leave the enemy possession in the field.” A.W Tozer

Reading the Old Testament in Kings has been this constant reminder of how the Israelites forgot. They didn’t worship the One true God instead thought that they could live with idols and God which resulted in halfhearted obedience. They thought they could fear the Lord and fear other gods. And they didn’t choose obedience to the one true God. We do the same. 

“Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:7

I don’t want to be halfhearted for the Lord. When I am in that place it is me trying to figure out how it will all work out. It is my restless spirit in a back-and-forth mindset attempting to sort out what I am supposed to be doing and how I am supposed to be feeling. If I am just depending on my mind that causes me to get into a spiral and all the questions will begin to come. But when I submit to God, I am resisting my mind, and His Word promises that those thoughts will flee. When I am drawing near to Him, I am separating myself from what I am feeling and thinking. I am choosing not to have a divided loyalty and a divided heart. “Lord I am so scared about this next season, but I know you are with me in all of it.” Instead of, “Lord what am going to do and how is this going to work out?” 

Drawing near to God is releasing all my insecurities and fears. It is allowing those everlasting arms to embrace me. 

Father,

I don’t want to fight against your embrace. Help me to pray and believe and pray and believe. Your Word is there so that I can know your heart. I turn from my thoughts and say I have your Authority for the enemy to flee my mind. Help us remember that you fight for us. Help us to stand still and move out of the way of what you desire to do within us. We bear your name Jesus. Your name brings us Peace. Your name brings us Assurance. We can trust in you Jesus.

Amen

God Goes Before Us

                              God Goes Before Us

“In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it.” Daniel 1:1

When the enemy thought he had the upper hand, God was showing off His Sovereignty. The plan of the enemy was to train Daniel and his friends in the Chaldean ways. The Chaldeans were a smart bunch, and they were highly educated and influential. And Daniel and his friends were very young, some say 15 years old, but they possessed something the Chaldeans didn’t have. They knew God.
 The Bible talks about how they were renamed to Chaldean names but even the renaming didn’t make them fit into their culture. As much as the enemy wanted them to take on this identity, they stood solid in the identity of the One True God. Yahweh.

“God gave this four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom.” Daniel 1:17

God went before them. Reading Kings I discovered that it was during King Jehoiakim that they were captured. The Lord was making a way for these young men to come into a culture that believed in all the many different gods and equip them to stand for Him alone. 
He does the same for us.

“In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in the entire kingdom.” Daniel 1:20

Why do you think this happened? Was it in his own strength that this resulted?

The Bible talks about how he determined that he would not defile himself. Determination is one of those tricky words. Because it is done on my part, but it is also understanding that God is the One who strengthens. And it is in every matter that I must seek His guidance. 

I have an opportunity every single day to come before the Lord. Knowing that He goes before me gives me permission to ask Him, “Lord what do you desire I seek today?” It doesn’t matter what the enemy of my mind wants me to do I can determine to set my mind on Christ. That is what Daniel did, and God pulled him from the fire. 

How has God pulled you from the fire? Thank Him.

Father,

The enemy wants to isolate us, and your eyes are always on us. You go before us to prepare us for the challenge. The enemy wants to captivate us in our thoughts, and you tell us to allow you to search us. You know our ways and you go before us. You prepare a table in the presence of our enemies. It is because you live within us. The presence of our enemies. From Genesis to Revelation the story remains the same. You are in control and Sovereign over our lives. Thank you, Jesus.

Amen

The Wonder of the Word

                                                       The Wonder of the Word 

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8

What are you thinking about?

 This version says dwell and I like that. Dwell speaks to what is within me. The Holy Spirit dwells take up space within our hearts and minds. When I think about things it is allowing the Holy Spirit to take those thoughts and align them with God’s Word. Making them true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, moral, praiseworthy. But how in the world do we do that?

The Holy Spirit knows the will of God. If I am doing things by His Spirit that will align with His will. I recently heard a quote by A.W Tozer.  “The whole life must pray.” I can’t exist in two worlds. I must take prayer into everything I do. My whole life must be a continual conversation with the Lord. Allowing the Lord the process of showing me what that looks like on a daily basis. Taking my every ordinary thoughts to the Lord. It is a discipline. I started trying this when I was first diagnosed. If the Lord says pray about everything I was going to try that. It wasn’t just those shotgun prayers or thinking I had to be a certain place for Him to hear me  prayers it was, “I believe you live in me and will guide me prayers.” I started talking to God like He was right there with me. Understanding the answers I needed would be found in Him.  Did he say out loud what needed to happen? No. But He provided in ways that I wouldn’t have understood. Through doctors that said exact words  what I had been praying and asking. Through His Word that would affirm me time and time again. Through people or songs or something that was said and I knew that He was answering. It was during that time that I had a peace that surpassed all my understanding. It is still there even as I leave something I have always known to venture out to a journey I am unfamiliar with. 

Where is the Lord asking you to trust Him? 

Father,

We are your new creation is Christ Jesus. That is the example we must follow. It is about having constant communion with you that gives us the ability to understand your power within us. Walking in the spirit and drawing near to you in everything that we do and say. Help us to linger before you. Help us to get quiet with you. You have so much wonder for us all throughout your Word! When we allow that to take root in our hearts and minds we can SEE your goodness and faithfulness. You are good and true and like nothing else in this world King Jesus. All the praise and glory to you alone.

Amen

Watching and Praying

   

                                       Worship in the waiting

“There was also a prophetess, Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and she was a widow for eighty-four years. She did not leave the temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.” Luke 2:36

I recently heard that the fruit of worship is a lifestyle. We have to choose to worship it isn’t something that will automatically happen. It is a learned thing to worship especially when everything in us wants to tell us give up. But the continual heart that chooses to worship is one that is an overflow of His goodness. Waiting is a part of the call and when we wait it makes us more like Jesus. 

Anna had every reason not to worship God. But the bible says she didn’t leave the temple and worshiped God night and day with fasting and prayers and she got to see Jesus. She got to place her eyes on God in the flesh. In the temple where she was night and day the Son of God that she had been waiting, praying and fasting for she could now see. 

Prayer is where our faith muscle develops. That is also something I recently heard and that also made me think of fruit. If my life is lived in a way that glorifies the Lord, no matter what I encounter my choice should be to worship. My choice should be to pray and thank God in advance. 

“Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning, I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.” Psalms 5:3

I wonder what Anna prayed. Even as she stayed in the temple did she get discouraged waiting?  I wonder if she ever felt like giving up or that her prayers would never be answered. Or maybe she just kept reciting what she knew to be true. And once she encountered the Christ the bible says, “She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” Luke 2:38 

God wants to work in and through us. We give Him that permission when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our hearts in worship. I can almost envision it in the temple. The dedication she had to stay and then the One that she had been told about was there. Her everyday normal life suddenly came into focus. She recognized Jesus and knew his significance for redemption because she was worshipping in the waiting. She was expectant, IN the waiting.

Do I recognize the Redeemer in the waiting?

Father,

Help us have that heart posture of remembering and praising you. You redeemed us so that we can know that we are spoken for. You chose us before the world began. Your Holy presence lives in us. That temple was destroyed so that we could experience redemption through Jesus. The final sacrifice gave us the freedom to live beyond ourselves. Thank you, Jesus. Help us to wait with expectant hearts. Amen