Have we forgotten who God is? His attributes are in His name through His word. He asks us to keep His name Holy, His name above all names.
He is all that we need. He provides for everything that we need to have to get through each day. He is a Healer that heals everything that afflicts us and keeps us from living a life serving Him. He keeps His promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Yet when trials come, we forget His name. We doubt that He has been with us from day one, and He will never leave us. He may turn His back on us for a time when we've sinned but when we repent, He receives us in His arms again.
We are a stiff necked people at times. We think we can fight the fight ourselves. We treat our God like an unknown God when we say "I don't think He hears me", and we think we have to fight the battle ourselves. We need to stand still and wait for the battle cry of God for those situations.
Over the last few weeks God's been showing me scriptures on standing alone waiting for the battle cry. The result when people waited on the Lord? The armies destroyed themselves! Jehoshaphat, with the army of the Lord stood along a hill side singing praises to God while the army below destroyed themselves as they did in the book of Judges when Gideon's army of 300 surrounded an army of several different nations that were as far as the eye could see also destroy themselves in the confusion when the pitchers broke and torches lit up the sky and horns blew. Both incidents the armies declared the name of the Lord!
Psalms 91:2 says "I will say of the Lord 'My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust.' "
God does not want us to be silent. However if we do not proclaim the name of the Lord with our mouths that which we have hidden in our hearts, we are not honoring Him for the works He has done. He is our refuge and our fortress. We do nothing without Him because we do fall on our faces when we do it on our own.
I've been reading the book of Acts for the past six months, and the last four months out loud each chapter corresponding to the day of the month. In the last four months I've watch the book come alive in circumstances in my daily walk with Him. He is a provider in all things. We need to declare His name in the stores, in the streets and in the workplace. Yesterday a friend and I were talking about God and that He always provides for His people and never leaves them stranded. A gentleman walked by and commented on our conversation and just wanted to stand and listen as it blessed him during a time he was going through.
This really is not a time to shut up! We need to start speaking out His Name and His works. Those who don't know our God see him as judgemental, angry, withholding and several adjectives that don't describe the God we serve. We need to speak up! We need to speak His name whereever we go!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
What if.......
What if in this journey of prayer someone doesn't agree with what I'm doing?
What if I haven't reached an area of spirituality that they are, that I'm still trying to press in to what God is calling me to be, does that make my journey less significant?
What if because I may veer a little off of a goal for a day because of something that was out of my control zone that someone will choose to not support me in my endeavor?
In asking myself these questions only one question stands out and its this: is my heart in line with His and am I seeking His heart fully with no desire to turn back?
We are all at different levels in the journey of our Christian faith. But the only question we need to be concerned with is whether our hearts are seeking after His heart.
Nothing else matters. Whether people accept us or not becuase we may or may not follow in their footsteps, it doesn't matter. Its where our heart truly lies.
Christianity started with the heart. It started with the heart of God seeking after those that He created and in turn began when His Son sacrificed Himself for our sins. And when Christianity comes full circle at the return of Christ it will the same reasoning except that God has the hearts of those who chose to believe, do we His chosen have His?
What if I haven't reached an area of spirituality that they are, that I'm still trying to press in to what God is calling me to be, does that make my journey less significant?
What if because I may veer a little off of a goal for a day because of something that was out of my control zone that someone will choose to not support me in my endeavor?
In asking myself these questions only one question stands out and its this: is my heart in line with His and am I seeking His heart fully with no desire to turn back?
We are all at different levels in the journey of our Christian faith. But the only question we need to be concerned with is whether our hearts are seeking after His heart.
Nothing else matters. Whether people accept us or not becuase we may or may not follow in their footsteps, it doesn't matter. Its where our heart truly lies.
Christianity started with the heart. It started with the heart of God seeking after those that He created and in turn began when His Son sacrificed Himself for our sins. And when Christianity comes full circle at the return of Christ it will the same reasoning except that God has the hearts of those who chose to believe, do we His chosen have His?
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
A mom’s life
A mother’s life is ever changing. From the time she marries and has her first child, her life is not her own anymore. Gradually she will be able to move into different stages of motherhood where she will find that the things she did or the dreams she had when she was single will come to pass and at times she will find others have joined her in her plans and she has found room for them in her dreams.
Even though the life is ever changing, the events don’t alter much. You still have sleepless nights whether your child is in the crib in the next room, or living 3 hours away from you. You still worry did you say or do the right thing in guiding them to being the responsible adult they need to be.
You wonder how as God changes you will the changes affect your child as you continue to grow in your relationship with Him, because the relationship you have with Him today is not what it was when you were first married or when your child was younger.
What I’m learning and still learning is that when our children are in His hands, we really don’t have to worry. We’ve given Him the control and to take it back means we are giving the control to the enemy. It is hard to do when you can remember your daughter crying in the other room to be picked up after you’ve put her to bed and you know you have to let her cry it out. The feelings are the same even though the situation has changed and she's move out of the home.
Psalms 91 is God’s promise that we are always in His hands no matter where we are in our lives. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us in Hebrews. He will always be there no matter what our children go through or what we as moms feel as we watch from the sidelines of their lives.
Even though the life is ever changing, the events don’t alter much. You still have sleepless nights whether your child is in the crib in the next room, or living 3 hours away from you. You still worry did you say or do the right thing in guiding them to being the responsible adult they need to be.
You wonder how as God changes you will the changes affect your child as you continue to grow in your relationship with Him, because the relationship you have with Him today is not what it was when you were first married or when your child was younger.
What I’m learning and still learning is that when our children are in His hands, we really don’t have to worry. We’ve given Him the control and to take it back means we are giving the control to the enemy. It is hard to do when you can remember your daughter crying in the other room to be picked up after you’ve put her to bed and you know you have to let her cry it out. The feelings are the same even though the situation has changed and she's move out of the home.
Psalms 91 is God’s promise that we are always in His hands no matter where we are in our lives. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us in Hebrews. He will always be there no matter what our children go through or what we as moms feel as we watch from the sidelines of their lives.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Stand alone and let God do the rest
This one's for me! I have trouble when things don't look like they are going to work out the way they should.
Its so easy to defend yourself. Its so easy to just react to situations around you when people say things about you and discredit who you are because of what they see and disregard anything you say.
There are several times in God's word where He says to do nothing when someone persecutes you. Its not that we are to just stand there and take it, we are to keep living the life He's called us in much more strength and vigor then before. When our lives are upright and honest, God will protect us!
We may have to stand alone in a field in the dark with just a torch covered with a clay pitcher in one hand and a horn in the other. But if you read in Judges, God didn't want anyone that was afraid to be on the battlefield. So in standing alone the soldier did not whisper "the sword of the Lord and Gideon." He shouted with all his might "THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND GIDEON!" The soldier had no fear and he stood there, with broken clay at his feet and his small torch illuminating with 299 torches and blowing a horn with all his might that surrounded a camp that was as far as the eye could see and innumerable. The enemy will destroy themselves without you having do step out of your spot.
We don't have to fit in with the "in" crowd. We can stand alone and we won't be alone. We will have an army of the Lord behind us in a crowd of thousands who will supply us with a horn and a torch covered in a pitcher. He will let us know when to break the pitcher.
Its so easy to defend yourself. Its so easy to just react to situations around you when people say things about you and discredit who you are because of what they see and disregard anything you say.
There are several times in God's word where He says to do nothing when someone persecutes you. Its not that we are to just stand there and take it, we are to keep living the life He's called us in much more strength and vigor then before. When our lives are upright and honest, God will protect us!
We may have to stand alone in a field in the dark with just a torch covered with a clay pitcher in one hand and a horn in the other. But if you read in Judges, God didn't want anyone that was afraid to be on the battlefield. So in standing alone the soldier did not whisper "the sword of the Lord and Gideon." He shouted with all his might "THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND GIDEON!" The soldier had no fear and he stood there, with broken clay at his feet and his small torch illuminating with 299 torches and blowing a horn with all his might that surrounded a camp that was as far as the eye could see and innumerable. The enemy will destroy themselves without you having do step out of your spot.
We don't have to fit in with the "in" crowd. We can stand alone and we won't be alone. We will have an army of the Lord behind us in a crowd of thousands who will supply us with a horn and a torch covered in a pitcher. He will let us know when to break the pitcher.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Preceptions and Judgements Pt 3
This is the final note on this topic. LIke I said as I'm walking I start working out things in my head the further I walk.
All perceptions and judgements that we have in our life that came from childhood during our adulthood through relationships we've had have not authority in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ.
2 Chr 10:5 says "Casting down arguments and every hight thing that exalts itself above the kingdome of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ".
Most of the preceptions we've acquirred are out of pride. We make our own excuses as to why we don't help out those in need because we think they can find ways to help themselves as they've done it for years. We make up excuses as to not to spend time with friends because then we don't have to get hurt if they don't agree with us. We would rather hide in a cave then face the world for fear we minght offend someone. All of this goes back to life of pride.
Offense is the issue in the church and it comes from preceptions from other situations. Its also an area of pride that needs to be brought back under the obedience of Christ because Christ never offended anyone with out a just cause that ruled above the Knowledge of God.
Putting pride under the obedience of Christ leads to humility. It leads to having to let go of yourself to take care of a person who at the moment has lost all dignity. Its the bringing them back up from the brink, even if its not what you were raised to do in your childhood. And its for every situation in life, not what you think you get to pick and choose.
All perceptions and judgements that we have in our life that came from childhood during our adulthood through relationships we've had have not authority in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ.
2 Chr 10:5 says "Casting down arguments and every hight thing that exalts itself above the kingdome of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ".
Most of the preceptions we've acquirred are out of pride. We make our own excuses as to why we don't help out those in need because we think they can find ways to help themselves as they've done it for years. We make up excuses as to not to spend time with friends because then we don't have to get hurt if they don't agree with us. We would rather hide in a cave then face the world for fear we minght offend someone. All of this goes back to life of pride.
Offense is the issue in the church and it comes from preceptions from other situations. Its also an area of pride that needs to be brought back under the obedience of Christ because Christ never offended anyone with out a just cause that ruled above the Knowledge of God.
Putting pride under the obedience of Christ leads to humility. It leads to having to let go of yourself to take care of a person who at the moment has lost all dignity. Its the bringing them back up from the brink, even if its not what you were raised to do in your childhood. And its for every situation in life, not what you think you get to pick and choose.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Perceptions and judgements Pt 2
Its funny how when you are on a walk, you begin to form things in your head of times when you perceived situations differently then they were and the longer the walk the more you start seeing where the perception started.
When we are children, we are told things that are just basic common sense. "Don't talk to strangers", "Don't wear out your welcome" "Say please and thank you" "Don't take the first piece" and so on.
Depending on how we were raised as children some of those "basic common sense" comments went a little deeper in the understanding. For example, I had been a shy child (I know surprising!) growing up. I've been coming out of my shell over the years and breaking off some of what I had perceived as a child. For example, the "Don't wear out your welcome". A lot of insecurity took place for me from that statement as when I would get into groups of friends I would want to leave first from the group so I didn't wear out my welcome. I for a long time had problems coming up to groups of people that I knew because I didn't want to either interrupt them or intrude. I've discovered over the years that it does go both ways but for the most part if its a private conversation, the parties will tell you. I had never let it get that far.
Some of it also came from a "class" issue. Low class, Mid class, Upper class ect. I've learned that it doesn't matter what "class" you are in, you hurt and bleed the same. I am so grateful to know people who see that and see past what a person has.
God is no respecter of persons. As I came to understand that thought it opened so many doors for me to know that if He isn't neither should I. I'm still working on this and haven't fully broken off old thoughts and habits but I'm getting there.
To repeat, when a person says something to another person, clarity is so important. Its no wonder that God has stipulated the importance of knowing what you teach when you teach the Gospel. I've heard so many people say that when we do good things we'll get a stone in our crown. I've studied it and no where in the Bible does it say that! (I studied both stones and crowns). And if you look up crowns like what we are throwing at the feet of Jesus that we do receive the word is the same as for "bind" in the Greek meaning like a crown of thorns are bound or a crown of daisies.
One of my favorite short film is "The eye of the beholder" perception is throughout the movie. Below is a short clip I found on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI7aV_SOeXA
When we are children, we are told things that are just basic common sense. "Don't talk to strangers", "Don't wear out your welcome" "Say please and thank you" "Don't take the first piece" and so on.
Depending on how we were raised as children some of those "basic common sense" comments went a little deeper in the understanding. For example, I had been a shy child (I know surprising!) growing up. I've been coming out of my shell over the years and breaking off some of what I had perceived as a child. For example, the "Don't wear out your welcome". A lot of insecurity took place for me from that statement as when I would get into groups of friends I would want to leave first from the group so I didn't wear out my welcome. I for a long time had problems coming up to groups of people that I knew because I didn't want to either interrupt them or intrude. I've discovered over the years that it does go both ways but for the most part if its a private conversation, the parties will tell you. I had never let it get that far.
Some of it also came from a "class" issue. Low class, Mid class, Upper class ect. I've learned that it doesn't matter what "class" you are in, you hurt and bleed the same. I am so grateful to know people who see that and see past what a person has.
God is no respecter of persons. As I came to understand that thought it opened so many doors for me to know that if He isn't neither should I. I'm still working on this and haven't fully broken off old thoughts and habits but I'm getting there.
To repeat, when a person says something to another person, clarity is so important. Its no wonder that God has stipulated the importance of knowing what you teach when you teach the Gospel. I've heard so many people say that when we do good things we'll get a stone in our crown. I've studied it and no where in the Bible does it say that! (I studied both stones and crowns). And if you look up crowns like what we are throwing at the feet of Jesus that we do receive the word is the same as for "bind" in the Greek meaning like a crown of thorns are bound or a crown of daisies.
One of my favorite short film is "The eye of the beholder" perception is throughout the movie. Below is a short clip I found on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI7aV_SOeXA
Friday, June 3, 2011
Perceptions and judgements
I had these thoughts going through my mind this morning. I was at a meeting yesterday talking about my weight loss project. As I was discussing it the thoughts that were going through my mind was what if these women choose to not support me and my project because I won't join their program? Granted, I supported all they had to say because I've been there as well with the challenge of losing weight and eating because I'm stressed and other issues.
Then as I was praying God was showing me that the issue is now how I lose the weight, the issue is what the goal is. The goal is to get medical supplies (and a facility of some sort) on Sigulu Island in Uganda. It would be hurting the procedure if something that is so vital for an area to preserve life and stability to a nation is decided to pledge or not pledge someone because they are on a different program then is being supported them.
I was thinking also about a comment I posted a few weeks ago about how you say something you are not responsible for the perception of the person receiving what you say. I totally agree. It is the responsibility of the speaker to say with clarity what they are conveying to another person.
However we can end up perceiving so many things from different events that our own human nature and health can be affected if we don't change our perception. The sad part is that perception becomes a way of life that may spiral out of control.
I'll write more on this topic later as I am thinking on several different scenarios that I've encountered over the years that I'm still sorting through as to why circumstances occurred like they did.
Then as I was praying God was showing me that the issue is now how I lose the weight, the issue is what the goal is. The goal is to get medical supplies (and a facility of some sort) on Sigulu Island in Uganda. It would be hurting the procedure if something that is so vital for an area to preserve life and stability to a nation is decided to pledge or not pledge someone because they are on a different program then is being supported them.
I was thinking also about a comment I posted a few weeks ago about how you say something you are not responsible for the perception of the person receiving what you say. I totally agree. It is the responsibility of the speaker to say with clarity what they are conveying to another person.
However we can end up perceiving so many things from different events that our own human nature and health can be affected if we don't change our perception. The sad part is that perception becomes a way of life that may spiral out of control.
I'll write more on this topic later as I am thinking on several different scenarios that I've encountered over the years that I'm still sorting through as to why circumstances occurred like they did.
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