When you think of wisdom, what comes to mind? Do you picture a person older than yourself sharing a lifetime of stories? Or maybe you envision an astute professor delivering information to a crowd? Our world often alludes to the idea that wisdom is found solely through life’s experiences or by poring over textbooks and gaining knowledge. The Bible, however, reveals the clear path to true wisdom. It also encourages us to live significant lives for Christ’s sake and God’s glory.
One way to find wisdom is found in Psalm 90:12. Moses cried out to God in prayer asking Him to, “teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Moses knew that in order to broaden his view on the brevity of life, he would need the Word of God. So what does it look like to number our days? Thankfully, the Bible gives us direction.
Numbering our days starts by remembering that our earthly lives are fleeting. Our lifetime is a passing vapor, which is leading us to our real destination: Heaven. The end point of our earthly lives is only the beginning of living in eternity with God. Understanding Psalm 39: 4-5 can help us have the proper view of the brevity of life and bring wisdom to our hearts.
"O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah”
While these verses may seem daunting, having the mindset that our lives will vanish like a vapor, can positively impact how we choose to live our lives today. If we bank on a guaranteed tomorrow, perhaps we’ll miss what God offers us today. Ephesians 5:15 reminds us to, “(make) the most of (our) time, because the days are evil.” If ever there was a verse to tape to the mirror, it is Ephesians 5:15. This verse is a great reminder that making the most of our time is vitally important to God.
We know God created us to bear fruit as well as to love Him. He receives glory when we occupy our limited time on earth to the fullest. Since Jesus’ ministry was focused on people, isn’t this a good indicator as to where God might desire we spend much of our time as well? Impacting the lives of others by being a thoughtful friend, a loving spouse or a caring co-worker speaks volumes to a listening world. And reaching out to someone that has been on your heart for weeks or stepping up to a challenge that seems beyond your ability to handle, will allow God to shine as we rely on Him for strength.
God also cares about our individual hearts and attitudes. Do we make regular church attendance a priority? Do we show up with an attitude of thankfulness for the opportunity to worship alongside the body of Christ? How about our quiet times with Him? Do we study His Word so we can learn more about His heart? After spending time in God’s Word, poring over its contents, we can find the strength to get up out of our comfortable chairs and make a difference around us.
True wisdom is to number our days and occupy our time until He returns or takes us home. Let’s move our hearts closer to the truth that God cares about what we do and say each day. He is worthy of a life lived fully for Him! With our use of time being an indicator of our hearts, how is your heart today? Let’s keep our focus on Him and make wise use of our time, thus revealing a heart of true wisdom to the world around us.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Monday, November 21, 2011
A Word Fitly Spoken
No one would deny that words are powerful agents of change. Our words can lift a broken heart, display God’s love, and empower others in the Lord. No where else in Scripture does the idea of encouragement paint such a beautiful picture, as in Proverbs 25:11, which says “A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in settings of silver.” Can you point to a word that was fitly spoken into your life? How were you encouraged? While many words swirl around us in a day, it’s the words of encouragement that truly make a difference.
In Scripture, Barnabas was one of Paul’s biggest encouragers. In fact, because his life was dedicated to encouraging others, the apostles gave him a fitting nickname. He went from being called Joseph, to Barnabas, which is translated Son of Encouragement.
One of the key characteristics of an encourager is that they reach out to the unlovely and unpopular. This might be someone who has a distant personality, a poor attitude or an anxious heart. After spending his life murdering and persecuting Christians, Paul remained a threat to the disciples even after he was converted. Because of his past, the disciples were afraid of him. Barnabas, however, “took hold of him (Paul) and brought him to the apostles and described his conversion,” (Acts 9:27). Barnabas saw the potential in people where others focused on the negatives. When no one wanted to step out toward Paul, Barnabas stood up and believed in him. He went after the underdog.
When the early church was forming, Barnabas was called upon to use his gift to encourage those who were new in their faith. When the word was preached in Antioch, many believed and were saved. When the disciples heard of the conversions there, they sent Barnabas to the people. “When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord,” (Acts 11:23). His message was one of perseverance in faith.
Being a person of encouragement takes a heart of genuine concern, love and focus. We must be willing to look beyond ourselves to provide a fitly spoken word to someone in need. Who in your sphere of influence could use an encouraging word this week? Maybe it’s the person that quietly comes and goes each Sunday, or the teenager who is struggling to fit in.
How can we reach out to the unlovely person or the new believer that needs to be encouraged in their faith? Let’s stay alert, active and engaged so that, like Barnabas, we too can be used as an encouragement to others.
In Scripture, Barnabas was one of Paul’s biggest encouragers. In fact, because his life was dedicated to encouraging others, the apostles gave him a fitting nickname. He went from being called Joseph, to Barnabas, which is translated Son of Encouragement.
One of the key characteristics of an encourager is that they reach out to the unlovely and unpopular. This might be someone who has a distant personality, a poor attitude or an anxious heart. After spending his life murdering and persecuting Christians, Paul remained a threat to the disciples even after he was converted. Because of his past, the disciples were afraid of him. Barnabas, however, “took hold of him (Paul) and brought him to the apostles and described his conversion,” (Acts 9:27). Barnabas saw the potential in people where others focused on the negatives. When no one wanted to step out toward Paul, Barnabas stood up and believed in him. He went after the underdog.
When the early church was forming, Barnabas was called upon to use his gift to encourage those who were new in their faith. When the word was preached in Antioch, many believed and were saved. When the disciples heard of the conversions there, they sent Barnabas to the people. “When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord,” (Acts 11:23). His message was one of perseverance in faith.
Being a person of encouragement takes a heart of genuine concern, love and focus. We must be willing to look beyond ourselves to provide a fitly spoken word to someone in need. Who in your sphere of influence could use an encouraging word this week? Maybe it’s the person that quietly comes and goes each Sunday, or the teenager who is struggling to fit in.
How can we reach out to the unlovely person or the new believer that needs to be encouraged in their faith? Let’s stay alert, active and engaged so that, like Barnabas, we too can be used as an encouragement to others.
Monday, August 1, 2011
The Balancing Act: Preserving Your Intimacy with God
Being a new wife, I have found that my newlywed days are filled with new situations and many learning opportunities. This life change has also prompted a very real and somewhat perplexing question about my personal devotional time with God. How do I balance my own study time with joint time spent in the Word with my husband? When I was single, I read my Bible, had my quiet time and enjoyed a lot of solitude with God. But what should happen when life changes?
While I wasn’t sure how or if my quiet times needed to be altered, I prayerfully considered some of the truths I already knew. I had previously experienced the vast blessings that come from studying the Word and praying alongside other believers. I knew that God built us for community and that we were never meant to live the Christian life in total solitude. Studying God’s Word with a spouse or friend is a valuable tool God has given us. I just love how Proverbs 27:17 explains this truth, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” What an amazing blessing to be in relationship with other believers who are willing to share their own God stories and lessons learned.
I have also found that that the reality of ‘iron sharpening iron’ is one of God’s greatest gifts in marriage. When I cannot see my heart as it is, my husband can gently sharpen me with the Word and with his understanding of God’s heart. I love the image presented in Proverbs 27:17 because I know that alone, iron does not sharpen itself, but when put with another piece, it can become a sharp, useful tool for God. God’s goal for our lives is that we would be useful tools in His kingdom. Surely one of the ways He prepares us is through this one-on-one fellowship with others.
Much like I had experienced the blessing of studying God’s Word with others, I also knew a thing or two about alone time with God. When we spend uninterrupted time with God alone, we are free to express ourselves in unique ways. I love how God tells Jeremiah in Jeremiah 33:3 to ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you.” The word call literally means to cry out with a loud voice. God’s desire is that we approach Him with vigorous lips, not mere whispers. When we are alone we are more apt to let our reservations fall away leading us to cry out, fall down, and bury our heads before our God, showing a deeper respect to Him as the Sovereign One.
In Matthew 6:6 we read, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” The Pharisees at this time were being rebuked for their desire to be “seen” as holy. While that may not be something you struggle with, this verse still lays out a valuable way to spend time with God: alone. It is in the quiet of my room, far from the voices of others that God has spoken the loudest to me. If you do not have a place of quiet retreat, I urge you to make a place available. It can become your meeting place with the Creator of the Universe.
In the big picture, each one of us is responsible for our walk with God. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly handling the word of truth." Scripture is calling us to study the Word to show ourselves approved unto God. The Greek word for approved is dokimos. This word is used to describe how metals have gone through the test of fire in order to become pure. This word is also used to describe someone whose faith is being tried. The process of dokimos is something each person much experience for him/herself. Our spouse or friends cannot maintain our relationship with God for us.
The beauty of God’s Word is that it is complete. While searching out answers to my questions about time in the Word, it became clear that balance is the key. Both aspects of Bible study are vastly important to God. However, I realized that while studying and praying with a spouse or friend reaps a multitude of blessings and pleases God immensely, nothing is more important than making our own time with God the number one goal of our day.
One of the most exciting realities in all of Scripture is that we have a God that longs to be intimate with us. He asks us to come to Him when we are weary saying in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” His heart for our relationship with Him is intimacy. When we spend quality one-on-one time with a close friend or spouse, our relationship deepens. It is the same way with God. As we spend quiet time completely alone with him, our relationship with God and with others will grow deeper and deeper.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Spiritual Strength
This morning I was filled with anxiety. It might sound silly but I have taken a long break from running and have found myself doing more interval and weight training instead. While I used to run almost daily, the length of time away from running has grown long. Today I decided I needed to at least try to run again. Immediately my anxiety sounded a little something like this, “Will I be able to run consecutively for more than five minutes? Have I lost all ability to run?” As I drove to the gym, I prayed, “Lord, give me the energy and stamina I need to run today. Help me to be thankful for a healthy body rather than grumble about doing something that may be difficult for me.”
Driving home an hour later I was filled with thanksgiving because God did give me the energy and ability I needed to run. But this afternoon I got to thinking. Have I prayed lately for spiritual energy? Have I asked God to revive the parts of my heart I haven’t used in awhile? It hit me that I haven’t. Why is it so easy to ask God for all sorts of requests that fulfill temporary problems, but when it comes to our spiritual lives we lose sight of His provision?
Today I read Luke 18:27 which says, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” It got me thinking about my spiritual purpose and it brought back to mind hat any ounce of strength or stamina I have is from Him! What task does God have for me that without Him I would never be able to accomplish? What impossible thing might He have for me in the next day or week?
My response will be prayer. I am going to begin praying , “Lord, open up my eyes to the possibilities around me. Give me daily strength that only comes from you to be obedient and to hear your voice. Lord, I want to feel spiritually strong today, help me remember where my strength comes from. Amen.”
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
A Reminder
I overheard a woman today, telling of her recent visit to South Africa. She shared that one of the biggest differences between here and there is that the people of South Africa live in the present. They rarely talk about tomorrow or next month or how next year they need to do this or that. She went on to say they commented on the flowers, they recognized the world around them. They appreciate today for all that it offers them, instead of anxiously stressing over tomorrow. This got me thinking about my own life. Where am I living? Is my mind already onto next summer, week or fall or am I enjoying what God has given me today? While making plans and preparing for the future is one of favorite things to do, I do not want my today to go by unnoticed. I want to allow myself to hear the sounds around me, notice the weather outside, and feel the joy of my newlywed days. In the blink of an eye, this season I am in now will vanish; what if I never stop to capture it? I want to take a lesson from the South Africans and be available for the present. The verse in Matthew 6:34 perfectly reminds me of this truth as well. “"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” I urge you to slow down, calm down and wind down. Today is the place that God has us, so let’s embrace what He has for us right here, right now and experience His gifts.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Good Friday Indeed
Reading through the Gospel of Mark this morning, reflecting on the crucifixion of Christ brought me to tears. The part that hit me the most was Mark 15:16-20. “And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.”
The striking thing about this passage is that I see myself in that battalion. I just sat reflecting on how lost I was before the Cross of Christ meant life and breath to me. Had the Holy Spirit not gripped my heart with truth, convicting me of my sin, and drawing me towards the Savior—I would still be lost in my sin. The reality of my need for a Savior is splashed all throughout these verses. These men of Jesus’ day needed a Savior, but instead of belief in Christ they chose to mock, spew hatred and spit of the Savior of the World.
Not everyone chose to hate. I love the picture of Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, who once Jesus was dead, desired to anoint His body with spices (Mark 16). They saw Jesus, for who He truly is— the Great I Am, The Son of Man and the Son of the Blessed One.
Today, as we head into Good Friday, a day set aside to remember His sacrifice, which group are you a part of; the unbelieving battalion or the ones wishing to rightly respect the Savior? Which one am I? This question seems so black and white. Truthfully, it is. Either we love God with all of our lives or we don’t. He’s either our everything or He’s not important to us. By the grace of God, and with gratitude in my heart on this Good Friday, I want to shout it out that He truly is my All in All!
The striking thing about this passage is that I see myself in that battalion. I just sat reflecting on how lost I was before the Cross of Christ meant life and breath to me. Had the Holy Spirit not gripped my heart with truth, convicting me of my sin, and drawing me towards the Savior—I would still be lost in my sin. The reality of my need for a Savior is splashed all throughout these verses. These men of Jesus’ day needed a Savior, but instead of belief in Christ they chose to mock, spew hatred and spit of the Savior of the World.
Not everyone chose to hate. I love the picture of Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome, who once Jesus was dead, desired to anoint His body with spices (Mark 16). They saw Jesus, for who He truly is— the Great I Am, The Son of Man and the Son of the Blessed One.
Today, as we head into Good Friday, a day set aside to remember His sacrifice, which group are you a part of; the unbelieving battalion or the ones wishing to rightly respect the Savior? Which one am I? This question seems so black and white. Truthfully, it is. Either we love God with all of our lives or we don’t. He’s either our everything or He’s not important to us. By the grace of God, and with gratitude in my heart on this Good Friday, I want to shout it out that He truly is my All in All!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Truth Revealed
I have a confession to make---I’m a total inspiration junkie! That may sound odd except that the only true inspiration in my life comes straight from the Word of God.
After recently going through a bout of lessons (the kind God desires to use to really change you-for good!), I came across a verse during my daily reading that radically inspired new right thinking in my life. I’m sure I had read it before, but on this day it was different. It was as if the words were penned just for me. I love when you claim a verse as if you’re the only one it's written for. Ha ha!
The verse that bounded off the page and into my heart was Romans 8:15 which says, “For you have not received the spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you have received the spirit of Sonship, and by Him we cry, Abba, Father.” The ramifications of this verse are huge! Let’s dig in.
The first truth brings me to my knees in gratitude. Before I claimed my need for Jesus’ blood, I was a slave. I was wayward, prideful, and spent my days selfishfully pursuing my own ways. When Jesus Christ peeled the scales from my eyes, called my name and I accepted His forgiveness, I began walking the road of truth. Being freed from slavery the moment I fully surrendered and trusted in His Name did not stop the enemy's tauntings. Recently, I went through a season of fearful and anxious thinking. I could hear the many lies of the enemy regarding my situation. Sadly, I forgot to utilize the powerful shield (2 Samuel 22:36), that is the Holy Spirit in my life. When fear comes into my mind, I have the ability to resist the enemy, choose faith over fear and walk in freedom. The reason I can do so is because I’m not a slave to Satan, but instead, I have been declared a Daughter of the King!
What does it mean to receive the spirit of sonship? In so many words it signifies that I’ve been chosen, forgiven, called out, set apart, declared righteous, given the Holy Spirit and loved more than ever before. It’s a picture of adoption. I was in need of a Savior and an eternal home. I was given righteousness in exchange for my sin. I was given a new heart (Ezekial 36:26) and adopted into the family of God. With adoption comes many family benefits. You are accepted, loved, and given privilege that comes from association. The beauty of adoption is that it has nothing to do with the one being adopted and everything to do with the one adopting. I did nothing, He did everything. I’ve gained everything, He sacrificed. It’s an exchange of total love. It’s a picture of grace, mercy and God’s heart for His chosen ones.
The blessings could stop there and that would be MORE than enough, but on top of freedom and adoption, He says, “You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart," Jeremiah 29:13. His fellowship is intimate, His love so tender. The name Abba Father is literally, Daddy, protector, nourisher, and upholder. The God of the Universe says I can have the kind of close relationship of a dad and daughter? The glorious truth is yes, that’s exactly what this verse is saying. On top of everything He offers intimacy, fellowship and availability unlike any other human being can offer or extend.
I’m free, I’m adopted, and I have a Father that says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,” (Matthew 11:28). I pray these truths from Romans 8:15 will seep into your very being and stir your heart towards a greater faith. Whatever fear lies in your heart, remember that if you are in Christ, you are no longer a slave to fear. Whatever questions you have about your identity, remember He has purchased you through His blood and brought you straight into His family. And lastly, whenever you feel heavy-hearted, remember that He has granted you VIP access to His heart where we can cry out, “Abba, Father.” In His presence we can lay our burdens at his feet and trust them to His care. Let’s revel in these truths, let’s rejoice in our inheritance and glory in what’s to come.
After recently going through a bout of lessons (the kind God desires to use to really change you-for good!), I came across a verse during my daily reading that radically inspired new right thinking in my life. I’m sure I had read it before, but on this day it was different. It was as if the words were penned just for me. I love when you claim a verse as if you’re the only one it's written for. Ha ha!
The verse that bounded off the page and into my heart was Romans 8:15 which says, “For you have not received the spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you have received the spirit of Sonship, and by Him we cry, Abba, Father.” The ramifications of this verse are huge! Let’s dig in.
The first truth brings me to my knees in gratitude. Before I claimed my need for Jesus’ blood, I was a slave. I was wayward, prideful, and spent my days selfishfully pursuing my own ways. When Jesus Christ peeled the scales from my eyes, called my name and I accepted His forgiveness, I began walking the road of truth. Being freed from slavery the moment I fully surrendered and trusted in His Name did not stop the enemy's tauntings. Recently, I went through a season of fearful and anxious thinking. I could hear the many lies of the enemy regarding my situation. Sadly, I forgot to utilize the powerful shield (2 Samuel 22:36), that is the Holy Spirit in my life. When fear comes into my mind, I have the ability to resist the enemy, choose faith over fear and walk in freedom. The reason I can do so is because I’m not a slave to Satan, but instead, I have been declared a Daughter of the King!
What does it mean to receive the spirit of sonship? In so many words it signifies that I’ve been chosen, forgiven, called out, set apart, declared righteous, given the Holy Spirit and loved more than ever before. It’s a picture of adoption. I was in need of a Savior and an eternal home. I was given righteousness in exchange for my sin. I was given a new heart (Ezekial 36:26) and adopted into the family of God. With adoption comes many family benefits. You are accepted, loved, and given privilege that comes from association. The beauty of adoption is that it has nothing to do with the one being adopted and everything to do with the one adopting. I did nothing, He did everything. I’ve gained everything, He sacrificed. It’s an exchange of total love. It’s a picture of grace, mercy and God’s heart for His chosen ones.
The blessings could stop there and that would be MORE than enough, but on top of freedom and adoption, He says, “You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart," Jeremiah 29:13. His fellowship is intimate, His love so tender. The name Abba Father is literally, Daddy, protector, nourisher, and upholder. The God of the Universe says I can have the kind of close relationship of a dad and daughter? The glorious truth is yes, that’s exactly what this verse is saying. On top of everything He offers intimacy, fellowship and availability unlike any other human being can offer or extend.
I’m free, I’m adopted, and I have a Father that says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,” (Matthew 11:28). I pray these truths from Romans 8:15 will seep into your very being and stir your heart towards a greater faith. Whatever fear lies in your heart, remember that if you are in Christ, you are no longer a slave to fear. Whatever questions you have about your identity, remember He has purchased you through His blood and brought you straight into His family. And lastly, whenever you feel heavy-hearted, remember that He has granted you VIP access to His heart where we can cry out, “Abba, Father.” In His presence we can lay our burdens at his feet and trust them to His care. Let’s revel in these truths, let’s rejoice in our inheritance and glory in what’s to come.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Looking Up & Pressing On
The gifts have been opened, the last of the Christmas cookies eaten and the Christmas music fading in the background. Yet one more gift remains if we’re willing to accept its invitation; the New Year full of endless promise, possibilities and outcomes! Of course with each New Year we’re reminded of those weighty New Year’s resolutions, both of the unmet goals from the previous year and the goals we have for the upcoming year.
If you’re anything like me, it is as if year after year, the same routine ensues: I feel a surge of new excitement and energy, almost dewy-eyed at what my life might look like in the coming year. I long to be disciplined, organized, motivated…and the list goes on and on. And of course, let’s not forget the yearly goal to lose 10 pounds while we’re at it! Sadly, it doesn’t take long before my goals seem far-fetched and my vision blurred. With discouragement crouching at our hearts’ door, let’s be reminded that it was God’s plan to provide newness and fresh beginnings for our lives.
Thankfully, we have a Creator God that knew exactly what our feeble hearts would need when He formed us. He knew we would need daily rest and a brand-new start to each day. Lamentations 3:22-23 offers us hope for the coming year. “Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” What a comfort to know that God designed our world with built in newness. It is by no accident that He created night and day, for He knew how discouraged we would become and remedied our hearts with promised faithfulness and a renewed heart each morning and every New Year.
With promised faithfulness and a fresh start, God also promises victory. Proverbs 2:7-8 says, “He stores up sound wisdom (victory) for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints.” What a promise! God is our Shield and Defender against another year of defeat. His grace and mercy is enough for all of our needs, throughout this year and everyday.
On the brink of a New Year, we have a choice. We can allow our past failures, missed opportunities and unmet goals to pour defeat over our coming year, or we can choose to press on into the New Year holding on to the truth that past failures do not equate future failures. We have the opportunity to yet again set goals, look forward with anticipation, trusting in God’s Word as our guide and compass. Proverbs 4:25-26 says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” God is calling us to ponder our steps, set goals for the future, all the while fixing our eyes on Him who is able to bring about success. The truth is this year doesn’t have to look like last year or the year before that just because that has been our life’s pattern.
This year can be different with a heart set on God’s agenda for a fresh beginning. Writing down a goal doesn’t have to equal defeat, not this time, and not this year. Defeat in the past does not equal defeat in the future. Defeat in the past expecting defeat in the future is true defeat. We can allow our unmet goals from the previous year to spur us on to victory as we rely on the Lord to direct us and give us the energy we need to do His will. This year as I thumb through my journal pages overflowing with the lofty ideals of last year’s unmet goals, I choose to forgo the usual solemn heart and defeated spirit and look forward and up with anticipation at all that God can do through a life fully surrendered to HIM! With Proverbs 2: 7-8 as our promise, let’s remember that although our track record might be failure, with God’s help, victory awaits us in 2010!
If you’re anything like me, it is as if year after year, the same routine ensues: I feel a surge of new excitement and energy, almost dewy-eyed at what my life might look like in the coming year. I long to be disciplined, organized, motivated…and the list goes on and on. And of course, let’s not forget the yearly goal to lose 10 pounds while we’re at it! Sadly, it doesn’t take long before my goals seem far-fetched and my vision blurred. With discouragement crouching at our hearts’ door, let’s be reminded that it was God’s plan to provide newness and fresh beginnings for our lives.
Thankfully, we have a Creator God that knew exactly what our feeble hearts would need when He formed us. He knew we would need daily rest and a brand-new start to each day. Lamentations 3:22-23 offers us hope for the coming year. “Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” What a comfort to know that God designed our world with built in newness. It is by no accident that He created night and day, for He knew how discouraged we would become and remedied our hearts with promised faithfulness and a renewed heart each morning and every New Year.
With promised faithfulness and a fresh start, God also promises victory. Proverbs 2:7-8 says, “He stores up sound wisdom (victory) for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints.” What a promise! God is our Shield and Defender against another year of defeat. His grace and mercy is enough for all of our needs, throughout this year and everyday.
On the brink of a New Year, we have a choice. We can allow our past failures, missed opportunities and unmet goals to pour defeat over our coming year, or we can choose to press on into the New Year holding on to the truth that past failures do not equate future failures. We have the opportunity to yet again set goals, look forward with anticipation, trusting in God’s Word as our guide and compass. Proverbs 4:25-26 says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.” God is calling us to ponder our steps, set goals for the future, all the while fixing our eyes on Him who is able to bring about success. The truth is this year doesn’t have to look like last year or the year before that just because that has been our life’s pattern.
This year can be different with a heart set on God’s agenda for a fresh beginning. Writing down a goal doesn’t have to equal defeat, not this time, and not this year. Defeat in the past does not equal defeat in the future. Defeat in the past expecting defeat in the future is true defeat. We can allow our unmet goals from the previous year to spur us on to victory as we rely on the Lord to direct us and give us the energy we need to do His will. This year as I thumb through my journal pages overflowing with the lofty ideals of last year’s unmet goals, I choose to forgo the usual solemn heart and defeated spirit and look forward and up with anticipation at all that God can do through a life fully surrendered to HIM! With Proverbs 2: 7-8 as our promise, let’s remember that although our track record might be failure, with God’s help, victory awaits us in 2010!
Monday, October 19, 2009
A Swollen Heart
There is nothing like a swollen heart. Sounds painful right? Wrong! When it comes to loving Jesus Christ it’s the best kind of heart to have; a swelling, overflowing heart of joy. I cannot even begin to explain or describe with enough adjectives what my heart feels for Jesus Christ. There are no words to give my bulging heart proper description. Sadly, it hasn’t always been this way for me, but lately it’s an ever-increasing reality in my life.
My heart isn’t overflowing with love because I’ve made a new best friend or found a new way to a million dollars. While those things are blessings all their own, they will vanish like a vapor, much like our lives. Lately I have been struck deep with the truth of Psalm 39: 4-6. This reality astounds me when I mediate on these few verses.
4 "O LORD, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!
Selah
6Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
With these verses before my eyes and entrenched in my heart, in terms of earthly gain, I am starting to care less and less. While my heart still desires earthly blessings, I am increasingly seeing that apart from a thriving, intimate relationship with Jesus none of the other “things” matter compared to eternity with Him. While I’ve known this for as long as I’ve called myself a Christ-follower I’ve never felt it so deeply and in such a real way (real in the sense that this truth can be lived out, not merely known). It directly connects to Ecclesiastes 3:10-12 which says: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
It’s as if Christ Himself has begun to more deeply etch the word ETERNITY on my heart over the last few months and the result is astounding. The deeper He impresses the letters, the greater my joy. It’s a word I never want to disappear from my heart's walls, for within this one words stands my future, my Savior and my HOPE.
How’s your heart? Swollen? I pray so.
My heart isn’t overflowing with love because I’ve made a new best friend or found a new way to a million dollars. While those things are blessings all their own, they will vanish like a vapor, much like our lives. Lately I have been struck deep with the truth of Psalm 39: 4-6. This reality astounds me when I mediate on these few verses.
4 "O LORD, make me know my end
and what is the measure of my days;
let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!
Selah
6Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
With these verses before my eyes and entrenched in my heart, in terms of earthly gain, I am starting to care less and less. While my heart still desires earthly blessings, I am increasingly seeing that apart from a thriving, intimate relationship with Jesus none of the other “things” matter compared to eternity with Him. While I’ve known this for as long as I’ve called myself a Christ-follower I’ve never felt it so deeply and in such a real way (real in the sense that this truth can be lived out, not merely known). It directly connects to Ecclesiastes 3:10-12 which says: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
It’s as if Christ Himself has begun to more deeply etch the word ETERNITY on my heart over the last few months and the result is astounding. The deeper He impresses the letters, the greater my joy. It’s a word I never want to disappear from my heart's walls, for within this one words stands my future, my Savior and my HOPE.
How’s your heart? Swollen? I pray so.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The Reality of My Words
I’m back! Well, I haven’t gone anywhere but after taking some time off from book writing to work on article submissions, I have begun to write for my book again. Finally, this week I sat down in my favorite chair, iced coffee in hand, and I got to it. I worked on my chapter regarding purity. It was so refreshing to be back writing, I couldn’t even stand it! I’ve so missed pouring out my heart on the topics that I feel so passionate about and want to cover in the book. Here is a snapshot of some of the things I am writing about (feel free to offer other suggestions you think would be of interest to singles).
Contentment
Finding Our Greatest Relationship/Treasure in God
Being a Part of a Community
Living in Fullness through Christ
Serving and using Our Spiritual Gifts
Like writing isn’t enough of a blessing in my life, God has been showing me the amazing blessing that is the Holy Spirit, in me, evidenced through writing. Right now in my Bible study, we are studying the ministries of the Holy Spirit. One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit that I have seen this week is God’s Word made alive in my mind. I cannot even count how many times as I write, my thoughts are filled with a verse that I didn’t even know I knew. It’s an amazing miracle when the Holy Spirit fills our minds with God’s Word. I just love when God plays out in my life what I’m studying in the Bible. It’s a reminder to me that His Word is Alive, Active, and Relevant!
As some of you may know, my article on Generosity was published on the Sage Ministry website last week. http://www.sageministries.org/site/3338080/
It was a very exciting and thrilling day as I read the words I pored over for days in preparation for submission. The thought that God can use my words, inspired by the Holy Spirit through me, is thrilling to say the least. It’s funny as I reread words that I previously wrote because so often I think “Who wrote this?,” because either I can’t imagine saying what I’ve written or I don’t remember even penning the words. I have to smile because I know who wrote it, while physically it was me; it is the work of the Holy Spirit through a weak and ordinary lump of clay (Isaiah 64:8). I’m thanking and praising God more each day for the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit, my Comforter, Teacher, Gift Giver, and my Deposit guaranteeing what is to come, (2 Cor. 1:21-22).
Contentment
Finding Our Greatest Relationship/Treasure in God
Being a Part of a Community
Living in Fullness through Christ
Serving and using Our Spiritual Gifts
Like writing isn’t enough of a blessing in my life, God has been showing me the amazing blessing that is the Holy Spirit, in me, evidenced through writing. Right now in my Bible study, we are studying the ministries of the Holy Spirit. One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit that I have seen this week is God’s Word made alive in my mind. I cannot even count how many times as I write, my thoughts are filled with a verse that I didn’t even know I knew. It’s an amazing miracle when the Holy Spirit fills our minds with God’s Word. I just love when God plays out in my life what I’m studying in the Bible. It’s a reminder to me that His Word is Alive, Active, and Relevant!
As some of you may know, my article on Generosity was published on the Sage Ministry website last week. http://www.sageministries.org/site/3338080/
It was a very exciting and thrilling day as I read the words I pored over for days in preparation for submission. The thought that God can use my words, inspired by the Holy Spirit through me, is thrilling to say the least. It’s funny as I reread words that I previously wrote because so often I think “Who wrote this?,” because either I can’t imagine saying what I’ve written or I don’t remember even penning the words. I have to smile because I know who wrote it, while physically it was me; it is the work of the Holy Spirit through a weak and ordinary lump of clay (Isaiah 64:8). I’m thanking and praising God more each day for the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit, my Comforter, Teacher, Gift Giver, and my Deposit guaranteeing what is to come, (2 Cor. 1:21-22).
Friday, September 4, 2009
Fragrant Aroma
Do you ever have one of those days where all you see is yourself? I recently found my heart in a place where my focus was off. My eyes were zoomed in on my feelings of disappointment and I was miserable. Like so many other times in my life, the Holy Spirit gently prompted my heart with truth. It may sound counter-intuitive but I realized the remedy of self-focus is love. Playing a dead-end game of self-focus was not the answer. I needed to draw my eyes upward, off myself, my emotions and ultimately away from my prideful heart. I just love it when God steps in and shows us a better way; His way.
Living in an apartment complex makes it difficult to meet neighbors. Lately, I have sensed God prompting me to initiate contact with those the Bible tells us to know; our neighbors. In the most literal way, I’ve knocked on a few doors around my complex, but on this particular day, I was in no mood to reach out. Like only a sovereign God can work, I read the exact verse I needed to hear. That afternoon, Ephesians 5:1-2 pierced my heart. It commends us to, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice of God.” As I sat there contemplating these verses, I knew I had a choice to make. I could either sit in my apartment and stink it up with thoughts of myself, or go out and be a fragrant offering of love to someone else for the sake of Christ.
What these verses are commending is a large call! To imitate the very God that created me and this entire planet sends my thoughts straight to defeat. But to imitate God is to love others, which is an act of the Holy Spirit through us anyway! I want my life to be a clear picture of verse two. I want my life to be a fragrant offering. Not a mere scent, but a fragrance that can be smelled from a distance. This image reminds me of being in France and smelling the rich lavender fields. Even after they were out of reach, the glorious aroma of lavender stayed with me. I could smell it a country away.
God is calling us to leave a mark on the lives we encounter on a daily basis by smelling like Jesus. How is your fragrance today? Is your life lived out as a scent others smell even after you’re gone or so barely recognizable no one knows you’ve been with Jesus? I urge us to be a fragrance in the lives of others, which leaves their nostrils, but more importantly their hearts, wanting more of Christ.
Thankfully, that afternoon, Ephesians five gripped my heart. I went and knocked on the door of someone new in my complex. Believe me, this is not usually my “thing,” but God has been stretching my heart in new ways and all I want to do is obey. I shared with my neighbor about my church and invited her to check out my Bible study group. It wasn’t anything big, but it was love. I pray my aroma remained, that Jesus was the scent I wore, and that His Name will be glorified through a small, insignificant act of obedience.
What started as a day focused inward, turned out to be an afternoon praising my God. As I lifted my eyes to the hills, I found the help I was in desperate need of (Psalm 121:1-2). If you are dealing with a difficult circumstance, like I was, I urge you to lift your eyes. Your situation may be difficult, burdensome or even scary, but God is bigger than ALL of our circumstances. He wants to show us a better way; living for Him by loving others.
We have a very real, daily choice to make. It’s a choice to live lives focused on ourselves, or lives lived out for Him. The choice is ours, but if we’re after a joy-filled life, eyes up and out is the only way to truly live.
I’ll leave you with a passage that has ministered to me as I’ve committed it to memory. Soak it in, chew on it awhile and allow the Holy Spirit to engrave it on your heart.
“If you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble recalling it only as waters gone by. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.” Job 11: 13-16, 18
Living in an apartment complex makes it difficult to meet neighbors. Lately, I have sensed God prompting me to initiate contact with those the Bible tells us to know; our neighbors. In the most literal way, I’ve knocked on a few doors around my complex, but on this particular day, I was in no mood to reach out. Like only a sovereign God can work, I read the exact verse I needed to hear. That afternoon, Ephesians 5:1-2 pierced my heart. It commends us to, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice of God.” As I sat there contemplating these verses, I knew I had a choice to make. I could either sit in my apartment and stink it up with thoughts of myself, or go out and be a fragrant offering of love to someone else for the sake of Christ.
What these verses are commending is a large call! To imitate the very God that created me and this entire planet sends my thoughts straight to defeat. But to imitate God is to love others, which is an act of the Holy Spirit through us anyway! I want my life to be a clear picture of verse two. I want my life to be a fragrant offering. Not a mere scent, but a fragrance that can be smelled from a distance. This image reminds me of being in France and smelling the rich lavender fields. Even after they were out of reach, the glorious aroma of lavender stayed with me. I could smell it a country away.
God is calling us to leave a mark on the lives we encounter on a daily basis by smelling like Jesus. How is your fragrance today? Is your life lived out as a scent others smell even after you’re gone or so barely recognizable no one knows you’ve been with Jesus? I urge us to be a fragrance in the lives of others, which leaves their nostrils, but more importantly their hearts, wanting more of Christ.
Thankfully, that afternoon, Ephesians five gripped my heart. I went and knocked on the door of someone new in my complex. Believe me, this is not usually my “thing,” but God has been stretching my heart in new ways and all I want to do is obey. I shared with my neighbor about my church and invited her to check out my Bible study group. It wasn’t anything big, but it was love. I pray my aroma remained, that Jesus was the scent I wore, and that His Name will be glorified through a small, insignificant act of obedience.
What started as a day focused inward, turned out to be an afternoon praising my God. As I lifted my eyes to the hills, I found the help I was in desperate need of (Psalm 121:1-2). If you are dealing with a difficult circumstance, like I was, I urge you to lift your eyes. Your situation may be difficult, burdensome or even scary, but God is bigger than ALL of our circumstances. He wants to show us a better way; living for Him by loving others.
We have a very real, daily choice to make. It’s a choice to live lives focused on ourselves, or lives lived out for Him. The choice is ours, but if we’re after a joy-filled life, eyes up and out is the only way to truly live.
I’ll leave you with a passage that has ministered to me as I’ve committed it to memory. Soak it in, chew on it awhile and allow the Holy Spirit to engrave it on your heart.
“If you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble recalling it only as waters gone by. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.” Job 11: 13-16, 18
Friday, August 21, 2009
Call Me A Dreamer
Two doors opened in one week and I didn’t even have to push a bit. There is no question that God’s hand is moving in and through this writing process. When I returned from the writing conference, She Speaks, in late July, I remember asking God to confirm this dream to write by opening up doors. I committed to waiting upon Him to do the work, instead of pushing forward out of determination. My determination was to let HIM provide opportunities, and while I waited, I wrote.
This week I received two emails with God’s fingerprints splattered all over them! The first was a letter stating an article I wrote about giving out our time generously (my first article ever submitted) will be included on the Sage Ministry newly launched website next month (http://www.sageministries.org/). The second email was from an editor of a small Christian newsletter, called Titus2. She asked if I would be interested in contributing a few articles with a single’s perspective throughout the year. Interested? Yes!
My heart is struck with the words of Psalm 37:23, “If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm." God asks us to listen to His voice, decide to be committed to obedience and then follow through with the plans He places on our hearts. He will do great things with our obedience, whether noticed or unnoticed by those around us, for the sake of His glory, His name, and His renown. I am praising His name this week as I celebrate this confirmation to write!
Have you ever sensed God calling you to something, but you quickly talk yourself out of it? Do you ever secretly long for God to use your life? Have you been holding onto a dream for so long it seems nearly impossible to realize?
I’ve known those feelings and I want to encourage you to open yourself up to what God may want to do with your dreams. So often we think of dreams as mystical but we can step towards our dreams and trust God because He created our hearts. The example of Nehemiah comes to mind as someone who had a dream, asked God to give him an opportunity and prepared himself in advance for action, waiting for God to move. When God opened a door of opportunity, Nehemiah spoke prepared words to King Artaxerxes, and was allowed to return to Judah to rebuild Jerusalem's walls. So often we hide the dreams in our hearts because we’re afraid. What if Nehemiah allowed fear to keep his mouth quiet before the king? I'm learning my dreams and God's will for my life can work together!
Not long ago I read Psalm 37:4 for the first time with deeper understanding. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I literally used to cling to this verse in regards to my then crush of the moment, thinking that surely if my heart desired my crush, God would grant me a date. I’ve realized this verse promises something so much better than dating a crush. God was saying to me that He would put within my heart desires for the things He had planned for me! I was astounded with the thought that as I sought Him, my heart would begin to desire the things He had for me. Delighting in God is loving Him, and when we love Him, we want to obey Him.
Sadly, we sabotage God’s greatness for our own comfort and end up losing out. What God wants to blossom, we so often bury. God doesn’t need us, but He has chosen to gift us and use those gifts for His purposes. I urge you to seek Him this week regarding your dreams. What if God wants to take us higher than we ever dreamed possible?
If we do have a dream, ultimately we have a choice. We can hide our dream, hoping no one finds out, or we can step out with confidence in God’s power. I don’t know what dreams you have or if it’s God that has placed them in your heart, but isn’t it worth the risk of finding out? In the process of pursuing your dreams, the best reward will not be the outcome, but walking the road with God as your Guide.
All I know at this point in my writing journey, is that God is at work because He has given me a dream, awakened that dream and is now helping me live it out. I will continue writing, waiting and watching in awe, as He opens doors I never imagined I’d get to walk through.
This week I received two emails with God’s fingerprints splattered all over them! The first was a letter stating an article I wrote about giving out our time generously (my first article ever submitted) will be included on the Sage Ministry newly launched website next month (http://www.sageministries.org/). The second email was from an editor of a small Christian newsletter, called Titus2. She asked if I would be interested in contributing a few articles with a single’s perspective throughout the year. Interested? Yes!
My heart is struck with the words of Psalm 37:23, “If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm." God asks us to listen to His voice, decide to be committed to obedience and then follow through with the plans He places on our hearts. He will do great things with our obedience, whether noticed or unnoticed by those around us, for the sake of His glory, His name, and His renown. I am praising His name this week as I celebrate this confirmation to write!
Have you ever sensed God calling you to something, but you quickly talk yourself out of it? Do you ever secretly long for God to use your life? Have you been holding onto a dream for so long it seems nearly impossible to realize?
I’ve known those feelings and I want to encourage you to open yourself up to what God may want to do with your dreams. So often we think of dreams as mystical but we can step towards our dreams and trust God because He created our hearts. The example of Nehemiah comes to mind as someone who had a dream, asked God to give him an opportunity and prepared himself in advance for action, waiting for God to move. When God opened a door of opportunity, Nehemiah spoke prepared words to King Artaxerxes, and was allowed to return to Judah to rebuild Jerusalem's walls. So often we hide the dreams in our hearts because we’re afraid. What if Nehemiah allowed fear to keep his mouth quiet before the king? I'm learning my dreams and God's will for my life can work together!
Not long ago I read Psalm 37:4 for the first time with deeper understanding. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I literally used to cling to this verse in regards to my then crush of the moment, thinking that surely if my heart desired my crush, God would grant me a date. I’ve realized this verse promises something so much better than dating a crush. God was saying to me that He would put within my heart desires for the things He had planned for me! I was astounded with the thought that as I sought Him, my heart would begin to desire the things He had for me. Delighting in God is loving Him, and when we love Him, we want to obey Him.
Sadly, we sabotage God’s greatness for our own comfort and end up losing out. What God wants to blossom, we so often bury. God doesn’t need us, but He has chosen to gift us and use those gifts for His purposes. I urge you to seek Him this week regarding your dreams. What if God wants to take us higher than we ever dreamed possible?
If we do have a dream, ultimately we have a choice. We can hide our dream, hoping no one finds out, or we can step out with confidence in God’s power. I don’t know what dreams you have or if it’s God that has placed them in your heart, but isn’t it worth the risk of finding out? In the process of pursuing your dreams, the best reward will not be the outcome, but walking the road with God as your Guide.
All I know at this point in my writing journey, is that God is at work because He has given me a dream, awakened that dream and is now helping me live it out. I will continue writing, waiting and watching in awe, as He opens doors I never imagined I’d get to walk through.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Victory Awaits
Every year, right about this same time, I go through the exact same routine. I sit before the Lord, and I write out goals for my year (being a teacher allows for this sense of renewal, newness and fresh beginnings each September--one of the many blessings of teaching). If I were to show you the pages of journal entries from year to year, you would see written on each one: Goal #1: Spend quality time in God’s Word each morning!
With the best intentions, I start the year off with fervor. I think, this year will be different! I will make God’s Word a priority and nothing will stop me! But, like so many zealous New Year’s resolutions, my goal often turns to defeat. I start to throw God 10-15 seconds each morning before I rush out the door, breakfast in hand and my hair still wet, hoping tomorrow morning will look a bit different. Then there are those really bad mornings where I merely glance over at my stack of devotionals and Bible and I say, “Lord, I am soooo sorry! You must really be disappointed in me! I’ll spend extra time with You tonight, I promise.” And then off I rush. Day after day it’s defeat. Ugh. Sigh.
The problem with defeat in this one area is that it essentially allows defeat to follow me throughout the rest of my day. If I throw God 10 seconds in the morning or worse, just a glance in the direction of my Bible, in essence I am telling God I’ve got the day covered, but thanks for the offer. What wickedness, what self-reliance.
So, as I sat to write my goals today for the upcoming year, I wrote down the goal that continues to follow me year after year but this time I meant it. See, God has been slowly, carefully, intricately changing my heart from one that was self-reliant to one that sees my need for Him like never before.
Just as I write these words, my mind immediately goes to Psalm 27:4. It is a well known verse with a fresh new meaning in my heart. “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” This is my heart's longing!
Writing down the goal to spend quality time in God’s Word doesn’t have to bring defeat, not this time, and not this year. Defeat in the past does not equal defeat in the future. Defeat in the past expecting defeat in the future is true defeat. I choose to put God first instead of fitting Him in when there’s room. With Psalm 27:4 tacked to my heart, my reward in victory can be gazing, dwelling and seeking Him each and every morning! My track record might be failure but with God’s help, I’m awaiting victory!
With the best intentions, I start the year off with fervor. I think, this year will be different! I will make God’s Word a priority and nothing will stop me! But, like so many zealous New Year’s resolutions, my goal often turns to defeat. I start to throw God 10-15 seconds each morning before I rush out the door, breakfast in hand and my hair still wet, hoping tomorrow morning will look a bit different. Then there are those really bad mornings where I merely glance over at my stack of devotionals and Bible and I say, “Lord, I am soooo sorry! You must really be disappointed in me! I’ll spend extra time with You tonight, I promise.” And then off I rush. Day after day it’s defeat. Ugh. Sigh.
The problem with defeat in this one area is that it essentially allows defeat to follow me throughout the rest of my day. If I throw God 10 seconds in the morning or worse, just a glance in the direction of my Bible, in essence I am telling God I’ve got the day covered, but thanks for the offer. What wickedness, what self-reliance.
So, as I sat to write my goals today for the upcoming year, I wrote down the goal that continues to follow me year after year but this time I meant it. See, God has been slowly, carefully, intricately changing my heart from one that was self-reliant to one that sees my need for Him like never before.
Just as I write these words, my mind immediately goes to Psalm 27:4. It is a well known verse with a fresh new meaning in my heart. “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” This is my heart's longing!
Writing down the goal to spend quality time in God’s Word doesn’t have to bring defeat, not this time, and not this year. Defeat in the past does not equal defeat in the future. Defeat in the past expecting defeat in the future is true defeat. I choose to put God first instead of fitting Him in when there’s room. With Psalm 27:4 tacked to my heart, my reward in victory can be gazing, dwelling and seeking Him each and every morning! My track record might be failure but with God’s help, I’m awaiting victory!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Reduced to Love
As I was reading from the book, Total Love, by Frances J. Roberts, she penned a thought that struck my heart. Speaking of joy, she wrote, “It doesn’t come from being popular or rich or powerful; it comes from being reduced to love.”
How can you or I be reduced to love?
The answer is experiencing joy through the avenue of a personal, thriving relationship with Jesus Christ. If I want to reach a fullness of joy, the one and only way there, is to know God. Not just know about Him, but learning and growing in an understanding of His true character and heart, as revealed in His Word. Out of knowing Him, I will grow deeper in love with Him. I am not speaking of a cheap kind of love we so often suffer from, but a true, intimate love that views everything else besides for His glory as filthy rags. In response then to loving Him, I will spend myself for Him, caring about what burdens His heart, and fully obeying whatever He asks of me. And if I have a fullness of joy, then my life will not so much be about me and my thing but about God and His heart. If I want this kind of life, if I desire to be reduced down to love, then I must look at what Jesus exemplified on earth.
Jesus was concerned about people and relationship building. He took the time to talk with the outcast, downhearted and despairing ones of His day. He slowed down to the speed of love, which by contrast to what we might imagine, is a slow, often meticulous pace. Bottom line: He came for us.
This brings me to question my motivation to write. Do I write for myself or am I writing for others? Is my writing about finding my own fame or spreading the fame of His Name? These questions must be fully asked and fully answered each time I sit in front of the blinking cursor. If the words I write have anything to do with me, then the words I write are simply consonants and vowels strung together on the page, void of any real message.
I want nothing more than for the words I write to bring His Name glory and encourage the hearts that read them. Love for Christ, expressed by loving others, through a reduction of me is the key to joy. I pray for a greater desire to touch lives, love others as Jesus modeled, thus experiencing a joy that cannot fully be expressed by any typed or spoken word but lived out in a radical obedient life.
How can you or I be reduced to love?
The answer is experiencing joy through the avenue of a personal, thriving relationship with Jesus Christ. If I want to reach a fullness of joy, the one and only way there, is to know God. Not just know about Him, but learning and growing in an understanding of His true character and heart, as revealed in His Word. Out of knowing Him, I will grow deeper in love with Him. I am not speaking of a cheap kind of love we so often suffer from, but a true, intimate love that views everything else besides for His glory as filthy rags. In response then to loving Him, I will spend myself for Him, caring about what burdens His heart, and fully obeying whatever He asks of me. And if I have a fullness of joy, then my life will not so much be about me and my thing but about God and His heart. If I want this kind of life, if I desire to be reduced down to love, then I must look at what Jesus exemplified on earth.
Jesus was concerned about people and relationship building. He took the time to talk with the outcast, downhearted and despairing ones of His day. He slowed down to the speed of love, which by contrast to what we might imagine, is a slow, often meticulous pace. Bottom line: He came for us.
This brings me to question my motivation to write. Do I write for myself or am I writing for others? Is my writing about finding my own fame or spreading the fame of His Name? These questions must be fully asked and fully answered each time I sit in front of the blinking cursor. If the words I write have anything to do with me, then the words I write are simply consonants and vowels strung together on the page, void of any real message.
I want nothing more than for the words I write to bring His Name glory and encourage the hearts that read them. Love for Christ, expressed by loving others, through a reduction of me is the key to joy. I pray for a greater desire to touch lives, love others as Jesus modeled, thus experiencing a joy that cannot fully be expressed by any typed or spoken word but lived out in a radical obedient life.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
An Unwanted Visitor
It’s not surprising immediately after starting this blog and really getting serious about writing this book, the enemy has paid me a visit. It was a visit I had expected but hadn’t looked forward to.
I sent off an article I had written for a teen ministry to get proofed from a trusted friend. I asked for real feedback and wasn’t looking to hear it sounded great if it didn’t. Thankfully, I received some really great guidance. This person had made suggestions for some of my more lacking sections and had given me brilliant advice in how to “show” rather than just “tell” the reader my message.
As I started to compare my writing against her suggestions, my heart sank. Here is a woman who doesn’t feel the call to write, yet her words and ideas were brimming with imagery, passion and voice. Immediately the enemy saw an opportunity to taunt, and taunt he did—of course, right at my most tender part, the thought that I really don’t have what it takes. I sat in front of my computer almost in tears. God, you've called me to this, yet I can’t do it! What am I thinking, wanting to write a book and be published? Surely I am totally off track.
As I ran (literally) to the source of my Hope, I got on my knees and asked God to renew my mind. What did He have to say about my feelings of inadequacy? As I searched through the Scriptures, I found His heart on the matter in the book of Zechariah. The Lord said, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit” (Zech. 4:6). That’s it! If He’s called me to write, it isn’t dependent upon me! It is the Holy Spirit’s work in my heart that the writing will flow.
I DON’T have what it takes in my own strength, but I believe with all of my heart that as God’s fingers points the way, His hand most surely will clear the path. He will provide each and every word that I pen. This book won’t be written by trying harder or wishing it to be, rather it will be an act of God through a willing daughter of the King.
Right then and there I recommitted to making this process not about me, my fears or inadequacies (because they’re there!) but about being obedient to a call, trusting my LORD to meet my needs, and finding joy in the process, no matter the outcome.
The next time the enemy comes to taunt, I've got Zechariah 4:6 posted right above my computer as a reminder that this battle belongs to the Lord and my strength is found in Him!
I sent off an article I had written for a teen ministry to get proofed from a trusted friend. I asked for real feedback and wasn’t looking to hear it sounded great if it didn’t. Thankfully, I received some really great guidance. This person had made suggestions for some of my more lacking sections and had given me brilliant advice in how to “show” rather than just “tell” the reader my message.
As I started to compare my writing against her suggestions, my heart sank. Here is a woman who doesn’t feel the call to write, yet her words and ideas were brimming with imagery, passion and voice. Immediately the enemy saw an opportunity to taunt, and taunt he did—of course, right at my most tender part, the thought that I really don’t have what it takes. I sat in front of my computer almost in tears. God, you've called me to this, yet I can’t do it! What am I thinking, wanting to write a book and be published? Surely I am totally off track.
As I ran (literally) to the source of my Hope, I got on my knees and asked God to renew my mind. What did He have to say about my feelings of inadequacy? As I searched through the Scriptures, I found His heart on the matter in the book of Zechariah. The Lord said, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit” (Zech. 4:6). That’s it! If He’s called me to write, it isn’t dependent upon me! It is the Holy Spirit’s work in my heart that the writing will flow.
I DON’T have what it takes in my own strength, but I believe with all of my heart that as God’s fingers points the way, His hand most surely will clear the path. He will provide each and every word that I pen. This book won’t be written by trying harder or wishing it to be, rather it will be an act of God through a willing daughter of the King.
Right then and there I recommitted to making this process not about me, my fears or inadequacies (because they’re there!) but about being obedient to a call, trusting my LORD to meet my needs, and finding joy in the process, no matter the outcome.
The next time the enemy comes to taunt, I've got Zechariah 4:6 posted right above my computer as a reminder that this battle belongs to the Lord and my strength is found in Him!
Friday, August 7, 2009
In the beginning...
Well let the ride begin...this is officially my first blog ever! I'm not an avid blog reader, so to be writing one seems a bit mysterious. Bear with me as I muddle through the ins and outs of blogging :)
Right now I am in quite possibly one of the most exciting times in my life. I feel like I'm on the brink of a new chapter (literally and figuratively). I have been living with the dream of writing a book for as long as I can remember. I never knew what to do with the dream until it's as if one day God just said-Go! Pursue this dream, do your part and I will do the rest. I hear the verse, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland," Isaiah 43: 18-19. I just love the freshness of this verse. So...here I am trying to follow through on my part.
I just returned this past weekend from the 'She Speaks' conference for women who feel the call to speak/write. After learning an intense amount of information this is the bottom line: It's NOT about me! Every aspect of wanting to write this book has to do with Him. It's about Him, for Him, and it will be through Him. Whether or not this book ever makes it to publication, is not important. The important thing is being obedient to a call. He's asking me to write, so writing I will do.
I hope you'll come along on this road with me. Only God knows where it will lead in terms of destination. I am learning though, that the end is really but a means to the journey.
Right now I am in quite possibly one of the most exciting times in my life. I feel like I'm on the brink of a new chapter (literally and figuratively). I have been living with the dream of writing a book for as long as I can remember. I never knew what to do with the dream until it's as if one day God just said-Go! Pursue this dream, do your part and I will do the rest. I hear the verse, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland," Isaiah 43: 18-19. I just love the freshness of this verse. So...here I am trying to follow through on my part.
I just returned this past weekend from the 'She Speaks' conference for women who feel the call to speak/write. After learning an intense amount of information this is the bottom line: It's NOT about me! Every aspect of wanting to write this book has to do with Him. It's about Him, for Him, and it will be through Him. Whether or not this book ever makes it to publication, is not important. The important thing is being obedient to a call. He's asking me to write, so writing I will do.
I hope you'll come along on this road with me. Only God knows where it will lead in terms of destination. I am learning though, that the end is really but a means to the journey.
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