Monthly Archives: July 2011

It’s Time For Truth

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One morning, I overslept.  The sun was already out, shining brightly through the window.  I ran to the garden, and as I ran down the sidewalk I saw that the dew was gone.  I had missed meeting with God.   I immediately had an old thought, a lie I had believed for years.  The lie was: “If I mess up, God will not speak to me.”  To my surprise, when I set down in the swing, I saw one drop of dew on the tip of a leaf.  I reached my hand out and the last pearl of the morning dropped into my hand as the Lord lovingly said, “I have been waiting for you.”

The enemy could not use this lie anymore. God did love me, and He wanted to bless me. The truth I received had finally replaced the lie that if I messed up He would not be the re for me. God’s presence was there.  The lie was exposed and the enemy was defeated.

The enemy plants many lies in our minds. One lie is connected to another like a chain; that’s why one thought leads to another, and then another. If you did not receive affirmation from your father as a child, you may have believed the lie of rejection. “There is something wrong with me” is just one example. If you have this lie, it is hidden away from sight, but is silently working to convince you that you are not good enough. If you struggle with this lie, it must been seen as a lie and not the truth. You must recognize the voice of your enemy and stop listening to him.

Fully receive the truth, deep in your innermost being, that you are deeply loved and fully accepted by God. God is for you, and He accepts you because of who you are, not because of your accomplishments. With this truth deep in your spirit, the motivation for everything you do will change. From this point on, you will serve God because you are accepted and not in order to be accepted.

Each lie has a structure of set behaviors and responses. We are transformed daily by the renewing of our mind. We tear down the old house and replace it with a brand new house full of the promises of God. Every thought that comes from a lie must be replaced with truth if you want to live in peace. Taking one lie at a time and replacing it daily with truth is key. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:16 that if we renew our mind daily, we will not faint when adversity comes.  Today, you can begin to tear down the lies that the enemy has planted in your mind.

Time to Choose the Right Path

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“That we may do those good works which God predestined for us…” Eph 2: 10

Predestined means something is preordained and appointed by God.  He has preordained and planned before hand what your purpose is on the earth.  And He has used the situations in your life up to this very moment to teach you and prepare you for His purposes.

We can’t see clearly what God sees.  It is only after we pass through a situation that we see it clearly, can look down from a higher perspective and see what good came out of it, what we learned and how God will use it.  I know how it is to be in the middle of a bad situation, wondering what could possibly be the good thing that will come out of it.  At that point we can not see what God sees.  That is why all along the way and in every situation we must learn to listen to His voice.  His ways are so much higher than our ways.  He has a plan that we can’t see so we must we listen to His voice and choose the right way; the high way.

I believe God sets up situations just for learning purposes. He wants us to learn from our past mistakes, so we will make different choices and take the right path the next time.  Paul said that if we take the path which He planned ahead of time that we will live the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live.  That does not mean we will not encounter difficult situations anymore once we learn to walk on the high way.  But it does mean we will always have a clear path to walk on during those difficult times.  That’s why we go through hard times so we learn how to identify God ways and God’s path that leads us though the valleys and hardships of life.

He Drew Me Out of Many Waters

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“He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.”  Psalm 18:16

“Send thine hand from above; rid me, and delivered me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children.”  Psalm 144:7

“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.”   Psalms 69:1-3

He drew me out of many watersIn these passages the Psalmist David is calling on the Lord to deliver him out of deep water.  In Psalm 18:16-17 the deep waters are referring to someone who hated him and have spoken words against him.

When I think of great waters I think of an ocean with huge waves crashing in one after the other.  When you have received too many critical words they can have this same effect.

If you are engulfed in these great waters you may feel like you are sinking.  You become overwhelmed like being in an ocean with one wave after the other hitting you and pulling you under.  If you take these critical words into your soul, it is like taking water into your lungs and after a period of time you can drown.

The Lord is reaching His hand down from above to lift you up.  His love is a life raft that He is throwing out to you, so reach out and let Him pull you up.  He will reach down and lift you up in many different ways.  It may be through a loving friend’s call or an act of kindness. Just when you are so overwhelmed the call will come in and you will be lifted up out of those critical words where you have been drowning.   Once you have been lifted up and encouraged in the love and kindness, don’t go back out into dangerous waters without a boat to hold you up.

Find security in knowing who you are in Christ so that the words of criticism cannot touch you.  Let the words that God says about you soak into your spirit. Then, you will be able to float on the top of the water, not allowing critical words to come into your soul.  Don’t let the words of men define who you are. Know who God says you are.

God loves you and will never leave you or forsake you. He is for you and not against you (Psalm 56:9). Spend more time listening to what God says about you and re-arrange your schedule so you are spending plenty of time with family or friends who also speak words of encouragement.

The Path: Find ways to encourage others daily and you will be encouraged.

Worship is the Key

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Surely or only goodness, and mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord (and His presence) shall be my dwelling place. Psalm 23:6

The Psalmist David devoted his life searching for the presence of God.  And he found what he was in search of.  Once he found God’s presence he never wanted to leave.  He wrote many times of his desire to dwell in the presence of the Lord all the days of his life.  He said that being in the presence of God was a dwelling place, a house that you know when you enter into His presence.

David loved to be in the presence of God, in the house where the glory dwells. David was a worshiper and he discovered that as he worshiped God, he would experience His presence.  He found the key that unlocks the door to the house of God.  The key is worship.

God inhabits praise and worship.  Worship builds the house, and God comes down and fills the house.  Where there is praise and worship He is present. As a worshiper David built a house for the presence of God. He discovered he could be in God’s presence all the days of his life as he worshiped Him. Worship therefore is the key to dwelling continually in His presence.

Lord I love the habitation of your house the place where your glory dwells. Psalm 26:8

One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord (in his presence) all the days of my life…Psalm 27:4

The Right Path:  If you are in search of His presence and desire to dwell in His house then worship and sing praises in your heart to the Lord. Put on a CD in your heart first thing in the morning and sing and worship the Lord all day. You will discover as David did that you can dwell in the house of the Lord (in His presence) all the days of your life.

In Troubled Times, He Sends Help!

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May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high and defend you. Send you help from the sanctuary and support, refresh and strengthen you from Zion.   Psalm 20:1-2

There are times that we need supernatural support and strength to make it through the challenge of the day.  When we call on the Lord He will dispatch help from His throne.  In Psalm 20:2 we read, He sends help from the sanctuary. He will send help, angelic assistance.

Scripture tells us that the angels of the Lord excel in strength at His command.  They are like an emergency back up support system that is on call twenty four-seven waiting for the next assignment.  When we call out to the Lord for help, He sends them forth in strength.

In the 2 Kings: 6:16, Elisha prayed and asked that his servant’s eyes would be opened to see what He saw.  God had sent thousands of angels.  The prophet looked and could see a literal army surrounding him.

Scripture tells us the angels of the Lord are encamped round about us.  A house cannot stand without a strong support system. You cannot see the support beams but you know they are there.  It would seem foolish to sit in your living room fearful the house will cave in.

When you put your trust in the Lord you can be assured the house will stand, the support system is in place and you shall not be moved. The Lord is our support He will give you the strength to stand even when the strong winds of adversity come.  We cannot see with our natural eyes but we know the support is there when the winds blow.

Turn Your Eyes

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Come to me, all you that are weary
and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
–Matthew 11:28

“Yeah, right.”

That’s surely the response some people have when they hear those words of Jesus. Sure, just show up in front of God and your burdens—your financial problems, your difficult coworkers, your longest-held prejudices—will be lifted away.

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,” the old Protestant hymn says, and— as I remember it—the “things of earth will grow strangle dim”.

But a lot of people have known about God all their lives and have always chosen Jesus as their path to God, but they somehow still seem heavily burdened.  How can that be?

You see, many people seem to look at God as somewhat of a “Cosmic Santa Claus” to be called upon whenever you want something.  They like the idea of having a supernatural hero to sweep in and save the day when things are a bit frustrating.

Here’s what I think people don’t always understand:  God doesn’t promise to take away our problems.  I mean, take a look at Job and you will realize that he wasn’t immune to problems.

God doesn’t promise to take us to such a high spiritual place that the things of this planet are no longer important.  The early disciples walked close with Jesus, but they weren’t exactly given a free pass void of difficulties.

God doesn’t even promise to protect us from pain or an empty feeling of hopelessness.  Many of the early hero’s of the Faith were persecuted, stoned, and even killed.  David shares often in the Psalms about feeling abandoned and hopeless.

God has reasons for allowing us to sometimes endure some difficulties.  I suspect we occasionally need an “adjustment” in our character, or perhaps a nudge for us to seek God.  Whatever the reason at the moment, God is always Faithful.

Giving us rest and peace — as well as hope, joy and a sense of Who He is – is perhaps more in line with what God does for us during difficulties.  And I believe, God is doing a pretty good job :).

You know, I wish I had more money.  And I wish I had a little more energy so I could cram even more into each day.  But when I pray, I’ve stopped asking God for money, time and abilities.  I ask God to quiet my sometimes-troubled soul.  I ask for God’s spirit of gentleness to blow through the wilderness of life and make it calmer and more sane. I n other words, I ask God for some much-needed rest from my heavy burdens.

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A New Beginning

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“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, I will hold thine hand, and I will keep thee. …Behold the former things are come to pass and the new things do I declare before they spring forth I tell you of them.”  Isaiah 42:6-9

 

Place of peaceI knew the Lord had told me that He would allow me to experience days of Heaven upon the earth, that I would be able to say that I have seen a glimpse of Heaven and it is glorious.

As the former things all passed away I soon realized that I was being prepared for the new thing God had prepared for me and my family.  The new thing that sprang forth was the fulfillment of a desire for a retreat ministry, a place where people could come and experience for themselves an earthly example of what it is like to live in the Father’s House, a special place that God has set apart where people can come and experience healing though His love.   In our Father’s House, love never fails and every person who receives His love will be changed.

Thank you for allowing me to share my journey of healing, and this wonderful discovery, with you.  I pray you will have a new beginning into a new way of life.

A new way of life, the abundant life of God’s love is possible for every believer. When we open our hearts and ask God to cleanse every area, we can love others with a pure heart as He loves us.

It’s a new way of life, loving others as God loves you.  A person who has been healed of the pain of the past can now live this abundant life.  It is the higher way.

If you have experienced healing, this is a new beginning for you.  It is a new way of thinking, feeling and acting, living in a higher place, a place of peace, trusting totally in Him.

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

You have said, in Revelations 21:5, “Behold, I make all things new.” I want to behold, and see the Lord.  So, I ask you to open my eyes as You make all things in my life new. Help me to continue trusting in You and expecting to see Your goodness. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Sink into God

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As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.
—  Isaiah 66:13

Some people and churches shy away from talking about God as a mother or a father—even though both are perfectly Biblical, if that matters to you—because so many people don’t have very good relationships with their parents.  Some people were so happy to escape the clutches of an abusive mother or abrasive father that they can’t face the God so many people think of as a father.  Others simply can’t relate to these parental images because they never had a parent.

For some reason, I’ve never really thought of God as a father. I’ve actually never thought of God as a mother either.  Amazingly, I was taught from an early age that the Bible refers to God in a variety of ways—and that God is much larger and grander than any one term onto which some people have latched in reference to the One who created this universe.

But I like this scripture from Isaiah.  To me, it simply says that God comforts us.

If your mother isn’t or wasn’t a comforting influence on your life, this scripture offers you the joy of knowing that like a mother should comfort you, God does.

If you were fortunate enough to have a mother to comfort you in times when little else could, this verse, I believe, asks you to recall that unrestricted love and remember that God offers it, too.  Or if your mother is no longer around, God offers it instead.

It is also important to me what this simple scripture doesn’t say.  It doesn’t say that God will keep us from hurting. When we are hurt, though, God comforts us.

Do you need comfort today? Maybe your mother caused the pain in your life that now needs comforting.  Whatever is hurting you today, God is offering you comfort.

All you have to do is spend some time doing whatever it is you do to bring yourself more into the presence of God—perhaps praying. Or if your pain is keeping you from feeling God today, remember that God is trying to break through.  If you try, too, maybe God can meet you halfway.

Just like a mother should, God is trying to comfort you.  Sink today into the calm, soothing, reconciling arms of the God who has been waiting for you.

Love, Not Commands

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The first is … ‘you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’   from Mark 12

When Jesus was asked which of the commandments was most important, his answer, According to Mark 12, seemed to suggest that he is a person whose ministry is based on love, not commands.

Sure, the two statements in the scriptures above are written like commandments – they say “you shall”—but what follows those words is much more about teaching people how to have a good life than telling them what God requires of them.

So what does Jesus say God commands?  That’s simple enough:  Love God and love everybody.  How hard is that?  In reality, of course, both of those simple teachings are difficult to live up to and sometimes even intentionally ignored.

Loving God should be easy.  God is responsible for our very existence, so we should have an innate, overwhelming joy for the one set our lives into motion. Too often, however, I’ve noticed people exhibiting contempt for God because they really aren’t satisfied with their lives.  They’re not perfect, so God gets the blame. Perhaps their energy would be better directed toward improving themselves rather than attacking God.

And what about loving other people? That should be easy, too, since we’re all siblings. We’re all joined together by God, our common creator. But if that isn’t enough reason to love the people around you, think of it this way: You can’t fully love God unless you love what God has created. And you can’t love the things God has created without a loving respect for the creator.

Try to see the people around you from what you imagine is God’s perspective.

To do that, you’ll have to love everyone just as they are. You’ll have to accept them, even if they’re flawed. You’ll have to affirm the worth of each person. You’ll have to help them grow to be better and encourage them to call up the very best they have inside themselves.

To love people radically and unquestioningly, you’ll have to use all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. God does. And showing that kind of love to other people is the best way to show it to God.

If you call that a commandment, then that’s what I think Jesus commands.

Stay in Your Seat

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“Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places” Ephesians 1:20

Jesus is seated by the right hand of the Father and He doesn’t get up out of His seat.  But we get up, just as a little kid has a hard time sitting still in church.  They squirm, wiggle and always need to get a drink of water or go to the bathroom.  Maturity is all about learning how to sit down, and stay seated in our seat, our place of authority, not distracted and pulled by our fleshly needs and the world around us.

Once you finally find your seat, your position or God’s purpose for your life, you need to stay seated in your seat.  God’s power that worked in Christ and raised Him from the dead also raised Him into His final seat of authority.  The power of God placed Jesus at His right hand in heavenly places.  That same power is working in me to lift me up out of sin and to break behavior patterns that have been learned and embraced due to generational iniquities.  As I overcome these sins and the pull of iniquity, I can feel myself getting lighter and lighter, until I am seated in heavenly places, high above my circumstances, high above principalities and powers of darkness.

“And He has raised us up together and made us sit together in Christ Jesus”.  Ephesians 2:6