Cultivated Hearts

   Cultivated Hearts

“The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of everyone who passes by. They will say, “This land that was desolate has now become like the garden of Eden.” Ezekiel 36:34

What could the Lord do with cultivated hearts? 

I am not a gardener. I kill every living plant that anyone gives me. It doesn’t matter how “easy’ that plant may be to keep alive I will kill it. I used to laugh when I got plants from preschoolers.  I could keep the kids alive but not the plants. I had a friend one day give me one after teaching. It was a goodbye teaching gift. The next words out of her mouth were, “Angela I know you can keep this alive because it is an easy plant.” A succulent is not an easy plant to keep alive especially when all you do is let them die. But I trusted I could do this and then I waterered it. After a quick google search I saw this particular plant needed to be watered a certain way. To properly water you are to water it “from the roots up” meaning placing it in a pot and tray and allowing the soil to absorb water from the bottom. Not wetting the stems and leaves and I just watered it from the top down. I killed it. I really wasn’t surprised by this but it should have lasted much longer and instead it had a very short life span.

Preparing our hearts takes time and work. Not an “easy” process and instead a daily asking the Holy Spirit to give you a respondent heart even when it can feel so dead around you. Those roots have to grow deep in our relationship with God in order to receive the nourishing we need to survive and thrive. We have to feed our hearts with the Word of God and allow the Living Word to work in us to change our hearts and minds. 

God works from the inside out. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”Ezekiel 36:26

“Read all the instructions all you want, but in order to be a gardener, you must put your hands to the soil. Words read must translate to actions taken.”(c3forchrist@wordpress.com)

I will receive more plants during my time on earth and I will once again try not to kill them. I would never recieve something and then just let it die on purpose but it will always be a process of learning how to keep them alive.  Satan wants our hearts stubborn, single minded, and hard. If we allow God to stir within us readiness to go and be used with hearts that have gratitude, joy, humbleness, thankfulness think of how different this world would be. 

Father,

Give us responsive hearts. Full hearted devotion to what you desire. Allowing our roots to grow so deep within you we thrive and flourish. Let our hearts burn for the things of you and what we see around us. Cultivate our hearts. Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. 

Amen

Light of Life

  Light of Life

“You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lamp stand, and gives light for all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:14

Light is one of those triggers for me when I get close to another infusion. I have recognized that the closer I move toward time to receive infusions, sensitivity to light will occur. A sudden beam of light outside or inside will startle me and cause me to refocus. The light is normal but sensitivity to the light can be more profound so I’ll adjust and have to recognize the light. When I used to lead worship on stage I would practice letting the stage lights hit my eyes so I would become accustomed to how my body would react to it and prepare for it. As we ran through a practice before service I would remind myself that the light was about to go out at the end of a song service right before we would walk off the stage. Sometimes the light to darkness would make it harder to walk afterwards and so I always made sure I remained steady and anticipated the change. I was walking the other day in the dark with our dog and started to see the lights from a car coming down the street to once again recognize the need to adjust because the light was going to be brighter than usual. 

Before the light of Jesus was on earth as in the passage above the light of God was placed in the tabernacle of God. The lampstand was the only light in the holy place. I was reading that the placement of that light was arranged so the light fell in front of the Bread of Presence. The location of everything in the tabernacle was placed specifically where the Lord had instructed it. The table of showbread which was also called the bread of Presence and the golden lamp stand worked hand in hand. The bread represented Jesus because He is the bread of life. The lamp stand represented Jesus because He is the light of the world. The Light has always pointed to Jesus. It is up to us whether we will allow that adjustment for His Light to shine in the darkness around us. Sometimes the adjustment will need to be made to lock in and remember what we see around us so we can still focus on the One who holds us steady. 

That is what the Lord has been teaching me lately. What will I do with the Light of Life inside of me? Will I choose to allow that to shine brighter than all the enemy wants me to think and feel? Will I allow the love of God to shine brighter in the darkness? 

“For you were once in darkness, but now you are the light in the Lord. Live as children of the light- for the fruit of the lights consists of all the goodness, righteousness, and truth testing what is pleasing to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:8

Father,

Don’t let us miss the opportunities to go out and be your Light in the darkness. Help us to adjust our hearts and minds ready to go and let you lead us knowing that Your Presence is so much brighter when we go to places allowing you to be Goodness, Righteousness, and the Truth this world desperately needs to know. We know Jesus you light the way for what you desire to do. So lead us as we follow knowing that you are the Life of Life and our lives are placed securely in yours.

Amen

 

Stay Awake

 Stay Awake

How do I stay awake to what Jesus wants to do within me in a world that wants to lull me to sleep?

“They came to a place named Gethsemane, and he told his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake.” Mark 14:32

The disciples walked with Jesus. So close to him listening to the words of the Father. Watching Jesus perform miracles, healings, and they saw lives that had been transformed. The time was coming for Jesus to go to the cross and he said, “Sit here while I pray. Remain here and stay awake.” Even hearing those words that Jesus was distressed and troubled and grieved brings pictures to my mind of what he was about to take on and asking the Father to take from him and the Bible says his next words were, “Neverless, not what I will, but what you will.” Jesus was asking the disciples to stay awake and pray for their sake not his. The Son of Man was going to the cross. There was no other way for redemption except the cross. And just like those disciples couldn’t stay awake my spirit is willing but my flesh is so weak and I forget that power within me. The Living God’s plan was redeeming us and giving us that FULL power. 

Stay awake. The enemy is hoping we will just fall asleep and forget. He is hoping we just stop praying. And when those prayers aren’t answered he is hoping we stop all that craziness of following Jesus. I can hear his mocking voice sometimes, “Really aren’t you going to give up?” or “You really think that is even worth asking?” Jesus chose the cross so we could let go of that old life and receive a new life. A life that chooses to remain and stay awake even as everything pulls at us to go to sleep.

“Jesus will not be an add-on to our lives. He will be everything, or nothing.” Caleb Mathis 

Do you know how close the Father desires to be to you? 

He can’t be just a addition to my life. The Holy Spirit in me is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave. Making him everything is allowing His Presence to bring me so close that there won’t be distance to hear his voice and follow him. Jesus lived in the Spirit’s power. I am called to do the same. 

Abba,

Don’t let us fall asleep and forget our Kingdom purpose. Holy Spirit give us hearts to be fully devoted to you, not half hearted. You don’t want that because you desire all of us. Remind us to lean in and listen and follow you Jesus.

Awaken our hearts and minds to hear from you. 

Amen

We Join Together

 

 

“And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” Luke 22: 19-20

The First Lord’s supper before Jesus went to the cross to become the final sacrificial Lamb he sat and ate with them. Reminding them as he demonstrated what was to come. The new covenant. “Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Luke 22:17-18

 Jesus was the divine connection to the “True Vine” and there would be no other way to obtain Righteousness. The glory of God came into the flesh to give us Righteousness. Have you ever thought about that? We are made right because of Jesus. 

The table that Jesus reclined would be the table where he sat and ate and fellowshipped so we could receive fellowship with the Father. I love that word picture of reclining. Lean back. Sit and receive all the Father has for you. I picture leaning back into the arms of Jesus when it gets really hard. Leaning into his embrace. The Father’s arms. Held close and secure and Jesus taking it all for me. 

The enemy doesn’t want me to remember to lean in. He hates when we realize that we were made to have an intimate relationship with God. The cross was the reason that we can join together and we get to commune together. That is another thing the enemy will try and get us to do. Go alone. I have started recognizing this more. The thought, “Don’t bother them to pray for you” is actually a reason to reach out to ask. We were made to join together with one another to pray with one another. When we commune with one another we are joining with His Spirit in agreement of prayer and petition for one another. And when we encourage one another with the written Word we are allowing that Word to penetrate places within us that begin to realize the power of the Living Word. 

The cross is the reason for our connection with one another. The remembrance that we are operating as One as His body. It is an ongoing  way of living together as One Spirit. 

Father,

Your goal is to know us and for us to know the power of resurrecting power within us. We get to fellowship in our sufferings together and be conformed together. So help us to be bold and step out and ask for prayer. Help us to come together and encourage one another. Help us to join together and remember we are One in Christ.

Amen

Before We Were Born

 

 Before We Were Born

“For he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.” Ephesians 1:4-6

Before we were born we were chosen in Christ. Because of Christ we have received grace that is continually lavished on our everyday lives.

Kids are a unique thing. They are made in such different ways but they all somehow display the same characteristics. Working among preschoolers for the last twelve years I have gotten to interact with many different faces and personalities. Being around them for years I can now see new ones and their personality for a bit to recognize one I had many years ago. That one reminds me of fill in the blank. I love watching the way they do things and that is probably one of my favorite things about being in a classroom. Today I got to watch them do an activity involving painting. The instructions were to paint in the dots of an apple. Two different colors and a Q-tip to be set out on their own to accomplish a task. Even before they started I could tell which ones were going to go out on their own and the ones who wanted to do the task according to the instructions.  Some of them mixed the colors together and some just painted their own picture avoiding the instructions all together. At the end their work was hung and once again it reminded me of how unique they each were but how it was accomplished in the way that they all finished the project to their own will. 

Like those kids we were uniquely created in God’s image. God made us different in the way we look at things and approach this world. My sin nature will want to not listen and think I always know better. But I can begin to recognize what my will is and the will of the Father when I invite God into all my everyday tasks.  Like those preschoolers we will constantly want to do things our own way and forget to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. Those preschoolers were all kids and that didn’t change, but as I interacted with them I could see how individually they had been made. Uniquely made by the One who created them in Christ Jesus before the world began. We are the same.

Our entire life is held by our Father. Our position of rest is seated in Christ. We were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when we heard the word of truth of the gospel of our salvation and when we believed. So as One we can be reassured that we are alive together with Christ.

Like those preschoolers that painted together to produce something so unique as one they were working with their different abilities God had given them to accomplish the task. We can do the same when we realize we are His Beloved Ones and accept our gifts given to us to accomplish all the Lord has for us to do here on earth. It is because we have been uniquely created by our Creator He has placed us in classrooms, homes, workplaces to show others they too were chosen in Christ.

Father,

Holy and blameless aren’t things that come to our minds when we look around. You make us Sons and Daughters of the Most High. Our lives are hidden in you Christ Jesus. We get to rest because of what you did. When we look around, help us to see others in the eyes of “before the world began” because you see them. It is all for your glory Jesus.

Amen

 

God Desires You

  God Desires You

“The LORD your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love. He will delight in you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

The promise of Restoration has been occurring since the beginning of time. Restoration was made available because of Jesus. Even before God walked in flesh His heart was always for His people. Even during this time of waiting for that Restoration the promise was made to His Chosen people. The return would soon come. God always reassured them time and time again like He does for us. I will restore you. I haven’t forgotten you.

Repentance is part of the journey. I used to think it was a one and done. I am saved and therefore I am good. Just try and do good and all will be well. I learned real early on that wasn’t possible to just do good. And trying to fix myself and do better would never allow the Lord to meet me to do the work I needed. Repentented hearts are always the requirement for the Lord to work. I must acknowledge my sin in order to turn away from what is distancing me to turn towards all God desires to do within me. This is a life long journey. But in the journey it grows me closer to hear His voice and towards knowing His desire more and more. 

We are precious and embraced by God. God’s love is what transforms us. Restoring us to become more like Jesus everyday is something the enemy will fight against us as we continue to live here on earth. Intimate communion and fellowship is something we can rest and be quieted in knowing we are His heart’s desire. We are His GREATEST desire. You are. 

Father,

Turn our hearts toward you. Your greatest longing is that we would know you. The distance we create between you isn’t your plan for us. Walking and following closely helps us to recognize those things we have tucked away and not repented of. We lay them before you Lord. Joy comes from receiving forgiveness and living in a way that remains in a heart posture of knowing that fellowship is only because of Jesus. Thank you that you desire us. 

Amen

He Has Not Forgotten

 He Has Not Forgotten 

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live.” Psalm 23:5

God’s Presence has always been there. At the beginning of time He has dwelled in EVERYTHING He has created. That is what I was reminded of yesterday listening to a book about seeking God all the days of our lives. At the same time my neighbor approached me to ask if I had heard what had just happened in Utah. I hadn’t and he quickly filled me in. I sat there. Once again the reminder of living in a fallen world was brought quickly back to my mind. Honestly I don’t watch much news because fear will easily grip me and I know this about myself. But this one couldn’t be dismissed. And once again I sat with the Lord realizing how far this world has gotten away from all He desires. 

I will never be able to understand why God does things the way He does. So many times I feel myself wanting to go before Him trying to fix something myself. But the closer I grow with Him is the reminder of His Ever Present Spirit that dwells within all of it. And in the middle of all the evil He chooses to allow His Presence to bring me Peace and Assurance. Not because my mind can make sense of any of it but because He is my Peace and Assurance. 

Even before my neighbor had shared that with me God knew. Even sharing this writing with my neighbor he responded back with, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of salvation, my stronghold.” Jesus has always been the plan for Restoration. In the Presence of our enemies God is working. 

Jesus doesn’t expect me to be just ok with all I see and hear. It breaks my heart knowing what people experience living here on earth. I can never understand why things happen the way they do but I know that something is always being worked out in the middle of all of it. The reminder to keep allowing God to write His story in and through us. How will we react? I know how the enemy wants me to react.

God tells me to remember. God tells me that He has not forgotten. One look back at His Word is the reminder of His faithfulness among a generation that forgot. “Father, don’t let me forget and keep my eyes on you.” 

Father,

We are unconditionally loved by you. It is a lifelong process of becoming more like your Son but in that we can live in a way that gives us Hope. Having a relationship is showing us what that means to trust you in a world that doesn’t understand your love for us. Fear wants to grip our hearts. Abandonment wants to grip our hearts. Lord, we surrender those lies. You are Sovereign. You are in control. You are our Refuge. Secure. Stronghold. Safely held in your arms. Above it all. You reign Jesus..

 

Walk in His Paths

 Walk in His Paths

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things have been created through him and for him.” Colossians 1: 15-16

I have been studying sheep lately. God of the Old Testament is the same in the New Testament. He talks about sheep so much. And that word Shepherd is the reminder of who provides for us. Some findings about sheep were that they have excellent vision, smell, and good hearing. They also have remarkable memories. Only when they are together because left on their own they are susceptible to all the dangers of being prey. Another finding was that they are susceptible to fear and panic and stress. If they are left to follow one another they follow aimlessly and are prone to wander. They can’t find food and water on their own and when left on their own they search in the wrong places. 

That is me without the constant guidance of Jesus. The invisible God chose to come down in the flesh and live as Jesus to show us how to follow Him. But just like sheep I am looking other places and following other things instead of following the One meant to Shepherd my thoughts and ways. Anything that competes for my heart robs me and steals the abundant life God has for me. 

“Worship. Submission to Jesus leads to obedience to His Truth.” Zach Neese”

We become worshippers with our lives. God IS the firstborn of ALL creation and shows us how to keep our lives centered on Jesus and allow him to lead but it will be the daily heart of seeking that. Will I allow the world to shepherd my heart or will I ask God? The choice is mine.

Someone said today, “Sometimes we gotta move then God moves.” Asking the Holy Spirit to move us toward something and then start to take those steps. Not following other people or listening to other people’s voices but trusting that the Presence of God is leading us all the way. His word tells us that is living in a way that allows him to lead us and guide us. Going where He wants us. Believing that His guiding hand will take us to the places where we can receive His Peace. Living our lives in small acts of obedience. That is another thing I heard today. Following our Shepherd helps us to stay close and keep seeking and asking and following. Giving God all the Authority over our hearts and minds..

Father,

Help us listen to your guidance. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10: 10 Lies rob us. Lies keep us from moving forward. Living our lives in obedience is how others see you, Jesus. Walking in your way leads to lives that follow closely. We were created for you and for you to have a relationship that invites you in each day. Your path Jesus.. Not mine.

 

Way Maker

 Way Maker

“I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. That they will be my people, I will be their God because they will return to me with all their heart.” Jeremiah 24:7

To encounter the words of Scripture is to encounter God is action. Those were words from a recent book I have been reading. Kristi Mclelland goes on to say, “I believe the Bible is telling the story of who God is, what He’s like, and what it means to walk with Him. Through being invited to follow Him, walk in His ways and participate in the grand coming of the Kingdom of God.” (Feasting on God’s Word)

God all along has wanted us to understand His heart for us. The Living God chose to reveal Himself through the written word known as the Bible. The quote above is a reminder how the Bible is God’s plan for us and how we are invited to participate in what He is doing is a mindshift.

 In this world we have  access to God’s Word in so many different ways and yet we continue to go to other sources than the Source Himself. Allowing God to be our source of where we go can determine how we live our lives. The choice is ours. It is a daily choice but God promises that He is ready and willing to meet us to provide. 

“He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger for you are with me; your rod and staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:3-4

Understanding the heart of God is understanding His ways are good, and pleasing, and perfect. He speaks to us through His written word and reveals His Character in ways that can resonate in a new way of thinking. You renew my life. You lead me along the right paths for the kingdom of Jesus. Even when it feels dark and scary I can fear no danger because I know I am never alone. You fight my battles and I can know whatever I face I can lean in and know you will bring me comfort. 

He is a Way Maker that makes His way for us to know Him more. 

Father,

Help us to seek you more. Spending time with you is how you reveal your heart to know more. You desire to know us and make yourself known. 

Amen

 

The Voice of God

 The Voice of God

“But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel did not obey me. So I gave them over with their own plans. If only my people would listen to me and Israel would follow my ways.” Psalm 81:11

How do we hear the voice of God?

I was listening to a Christian artist do a podcast recently. This man knew the highs of highs  and lows of lows and when asked his favorite song he said, “The Voice of God.” Out of all the songs that I know are so much more popular he named this one.  Hearing his story I began to understand that he had something so much deeper than popular worship songs he had an understanding about the heart of God. He understood that voice was louder than everything that continued to tell him the opposite. During the hight of his career one mistake he made resulted in his lowest time of his life. He said it was the worst day of his life. He mentioned someone in his life that taught him the love of Jesus and that was his grandma. But even as that day that he said was the worst he had to remember the voice of God. His grandmas taught him about faith but he had to learn how to listen to the voice of God. His voice never leaves.

The voice of the Creator is the same voice that saved us. 

Listening to the voice of God is that still small voice that leads us. The voice that spoke creation into place is the same voice that leads me when it becomes so hard to see beyond myself. That Holy voice of God cannot compete with anything that tries to attempt to drag me down. Not my anxiety. Not my doubt. Not my insecurities. 

God’s voice responds to everything that He speaks to. So why do I quiet that voice? Why do I choose not to listen to that voice? Because I forget. 

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech; night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” Psalm 19: 1-4

God can’t stop speaking it isn’t His nature. But it will take my ears tuning in to hear what He speaks. It is the only thing that will draw us back to Him. Even as He continues to speak and stand alone it is the remembrance my heart will have to choose to surrender to His voice. Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty…

Where do you need to respond to His voice? 

Father,

You are patiently waiting for us to respond to your voice. 

Give us respondent hearts for you Jesus.

Amen