Just Do It!

I don’t believe I am taking anything from Nike™ when I say this. Rather, I believe God implemented this policy many centuries ago, and I am confident that it is still His message to us today. The Scripture is full of numerous instances where the Lord simply says “Do this,” and makes no allowance for all of our wonderful excuses. Nor does He say, “Unless of course you were just born that way and can’t help yourself.”

Check out just a few of these examples below:

·        “Let this same mind be in you…” Philippians 2:5-6

·        “Set your mind and keep it set…” Colossians 3:2

·        “Rejoice. Pray. Give thanks.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

·        “Humble yourself…” 1 Peter 5:6

·        “Strip yourselves of the old nature and put on the new.” Ephesians 4:22

·        “Let your light so shine…” Matthew 5:16

·        “Trust in the Lord.” Proverbs 3:5

·        “Love one another.” John 13:34

·        “Do not let your heart be troubled.” John 14:1

·        “Fear not.” Matthew 10:31

·        “Do not fret or be anxious about anything.” Philippians 4:6

Maybe this year it is time to get tough with ourselves. Refuse to bow down to every whim of your flesh (or “humanness” as I like to call it).When you feel those wrong attitudes and mindsets rising up in you, stop and say, “No! I will not allow this attitude to take over, and by the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of me I will overcome this temptation.”

I challenge you…leave this year and face the new with the right attitude, a peaceful, joyful heart, a commitment to the things of God and a deep love for His people. If you want the life Christ died to give you, you must follow His commands. Enough complaining about what your life and your walk are not until you are holding up your end of the bargain. I don’t believe God has given us these instructions merely to torment us with a daunting list of commands, but rather because He knows that in doing these things we will “have and enjoy our lives, in abundance, to the full, till they overflow!” (John 10:10)   

So get out there, and just do it!

If you got something out of today's post, please share it with others that we may continue spuring each other on and that we can encourage each other to enter 2012 with great attutides and a determination to glorify our great God!

Love 'em Good!

"I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another." John 13:34

"This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you." John 15:12

Hummm....two verses, same words....must be important! :) What does it mean to love someone (everyone) the way Christ loves you? Wow...not just love them, but love them the same way Christ loves. This is a powerful thought (practice) to take into this week sure to be filled with friends, family and strangers.

I can’t help but think that when Christ shows His love to me He likely over looks my faults, knows I’m not perfect, but doesn’t let that affect the way He loves me. He loves me not because of how I act or treat Him, but in spite of it. You know what…there is some serious grace involved in His brand of love.

 We are called to show this same love to others…not just those we like, and not only when they are acting like we think they should. People should not have to earn our love. They should receive it whether we think they “deserve” it or not. We are human. There are some people we are going to like more than others. But every person should receive the same, unconditional, selfless, generous, overflowing love from us. Because loving others is less about them and more about us fulfilling a commandment of our Lord and letting Him use us to reach the world.

I have a dear friend who once shared a struggle she was having with being nice, gentle and loving towards some family members. She was preparing for a visit with them and praying about it. The Lord spoke to her heart and said, “You are there to be a blessing to them.” You see, it didn’t matter how they acted. She was on a mission and had a job to fulfill. Regardless of what happened, she was to bless her family. I challenge you to keep this in the forefront of your mind as you prepare to interact with so many through the next two weeks. Your mission is to love everyone with the love of Christ. If you go into this time with the goal in mind to bless other, regardless of what is said or done, you will see a difference in how much you enjoy this precious season and how much better your relationships will be when you look past what people do and choose to love them as Christ loves you.

Take some time to sit quietly. Lift your heart to God, and make a commitment to love, really love, everyone you come in contact with this Christmas season. You are there to bless them!

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” John 15:10

Are you different?

“So this I say and solemnly testify in [the name of] the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds. “Their ^[a]moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is beclouded. [They are] alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the willful blindness) that is ^[b]deep-seated in them, due to their hardness of heart [to the insensitiveness of their moral nature]. In their spiritual apathy they have become callous and past feeling and reckless and have abandoned themselves [a prey] to unbridled sensuality, eager and greedy to indulge in every form of impurity [that their depraved desires may suggest and demand].” Ephesians 4:17-19

So let’s ask ourselves…do we look any different than the world around us? To be holy means to be set apart. Once we have accepted Christ the scripture says we are made holy. But this passage definitely indicates that we must choose to live like it. It also makes it clear that we can make that choice and execute it. God would never command us to do something we are incapable of (with His help of course).

In this season that is all due to the birth of our Lord and Savior, be sure you look different. Smile while you’re out there in the crowds. Be patient and gentle with the harried clerks. Give from a joyful heart out of the abundance that Christ has placed in you. In the midst of all the decorations and lights let the Light in you outshine them all.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matt 5:16

“ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” Phil. 2:15

Peace?

So how are the Christmas plans coming? Finished decorating? Know what to get for everyone on your list? Invitations out for your party? Have you bought your Christmas cards? Have all your supplies for the baking you plan to do? Feeling stressed yet???

You know what the very first Christmas greeting was? “Fear not. Rejoice. Peace to all men.” Peace…do you feel peace right now? Are you rejoicing in this season? Or do you find yourself overwhelmed, burnt out, and focused on everything but the Reason for it all?

Our pastor had a great message this past Sunday about finding true peace and joy this Christmas. To paraphrase Pastor Tim…If Christ came back today would He be concerned with all the “stuff” you have or have not done to prepare for Christmas…how many lights are on your house, how many gifts you’ve bought or cards you’ve sent? Or do you think He may be more concerned with whether we have prepared our hearts and are taking advantage of this special time of year to share His love and His peace with the world?

Perhaps we need to take an inventory of the things we “have to do,” and see if just maybe we and the Lord may not be best served this year by leaving some of those things undone. Perhaps some of those decorations still not up would be best left in their boxes. Or maybe just sending out of town Christmas cards would be in order this year to allow you and your family some more time to relax and enjoy. Maybe even buying refrigerated cookie dough would be permissible…I hear Santa likes them just as well. J I encourage you to take this inventory. Cut out the things that are robbing you of the joy of Christmas. Take some time to just sit by the light of your tree and lift your heart to God in thanks for all He has done for you, remembering first and foremost the wonderful gift of His son.

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." Colossians 3:15 (NKJV)

In this very exciting time of year, let's hold this verse close and remember in all things to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. Take some time to think about how that might look in your life. Spend some time praying over this scripture this week and ask for the Lord's help in this area. If we are at peace we put others around us at peace. Definitely one of the greatest gifts we can give to those we love this Christmas season!

Go on...give Him praise!

Ok, back from a Thanksgiving, terrible cold (round 2), major home renovation, working to get my house in order hiatus! J

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for.

Today I want to just encourage you with a little verse you may know well. One that is very straight forward:

“Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)” Psalm 150:6

This is the very last verse in the book of Psalm. After so much power and insight, this is the final thought. When all is said and done, let everything that has breath praise the Lord! The scripture tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. This isn’t merely singing a song, though that is a powerful way to give Him praise. Praise comes from deep within and is expressed by our words, our actions, our attitudes and the way we live our lives. But I encourage you…Open your mouth!!! Speak your praise to your great God as this is the most “out there” way we have to boldly declare Whom we have believed.

As we enter the exciting Christmas rush, let your first thought each morning and your last thought each evening be this, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” Let praising Him be your focus this season, and I know it will be the greatest yet - regardless of your circumstances, because we know we serve a God Who is bigger than anything we face.

Merry Christmas!

Give Thanks

Well, it is no surprise that this time of year has us evaluating our lives and what we have to be thankful for. This year has been difficult for many. The economy is bad, tragedies have struck, lives have been forever changed. But please be encouraged…our God is the same as he was in the roaring 20’s, the boom of the 80’s, the day you married the love of your life, the day you welcomed your babies into the world. He is still there and He still reigns! Remember that this world is not our home. And the things we possess or don’t possess are just “stuff.” With each trial comes opportunity for growth and for the power of God to be made perfect in us! That is why we are told to rejoice in trial! Anyone can be happy when all is well. But a person who can stand under tremendous pain, loss, and struggle and boldly say, “God is in control, and I will rejoice in Him.” is a person who can make a tremendous impact for the kingdom.

Christ told us we would have tough times. But He also told us He has overcome this world! It doesn’t mean that bad things won’t happen to us, but it does mean they can’t rob us of the power and joy and peace that He has placed in our hearts. The world, the enemy, can only take from us what we allow it to. So stand firm. Be bold. And decide that what Satan intends for evil God will use for good!

Now, I know we are not all going through tough times, but let those who aren’t encourage and intercede for those who are. Let us remember as we take an inventory of what we can be thankful for this year to start with the gift of salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Please take a minute to read the passages below and just take some time to sit a while with your Father this Thanksgiving.

1 Thes 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

James 1:2-12 “Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. ³Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. ⁴But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. ⁵If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of ^[a]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. ⁶Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. ⁷For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, ⁸[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. ⁹Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God], ¹⁰And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. ¹¹For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits. ¹²Blessed (happy, ^[b]to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

1 Cor 10:13 “For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not ^[a]adjusted and ^[b]adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to ^[c]a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.”

Faith Vs. Worry

Well, for those who haven’t yet heard…we are expecting a precious new addition to our family in the spring! J I’ll be 4 months on Tuesday and all is going well. God is so good! (Please join us in praying for a healthy baby and a routine, full term pregnancy.)

I have a peace about this pregnancy, and am believing God for this fulfillment of a promise, this restoration of what we lost. But having lost the last baby, there are days when worry begins to creep in for no good reason, and I have to work overtime to take every thought captive. (2 Cor. 10:5) Yesterday was one of those days.

I was in the kitchen doing some cooking and cleaning and my mind was going round and round. I was earnestly trying to not worry, but it was a battle. Then, the Lord spoke to my spirit and this phrase came to my mind, “Your worry can accomplish nothing. Your faith can move mountains!” WOW! I instantly went to write it down. It is so amazing when God gives you one of those “moments of awe.”

I hope that you will take this phrase with you this week and into the rest of your days as I hope to do. Write it down somewhere where you will see it often. This phrase is yet another example of how the Truth can set you free!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:6-8 (AMP)

“…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Reasons to Relax: #10

Reason #10 – If you are continually in His Word you will grow!

And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you--and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.” Mark 4:24 (AMP)

I love this promise. And I may have already blogged about it, but it bears repeating. Christ himself was perhaps the first to implement the “You get out of it what you put into it” policy. Only, in true God-like fashion, he went a step beyond and promised that not only would we get out of it what we put into it, but even more, because that’s just the kind of God He is. J

I know that many times in my journey I have been shown a new weakness (not new as in recently occurring, but new as in recently brought to my attention) and in my disgust I have grown impatient to see the desired change in myself on my time-table. In other instances I have had questions plague my mind, things I just don’t get. (Often times non-believers think they are the only ones who have questions and doubts, but as humans, especially my fellow analytical reasoners, questions are just part of it.) In times such as these I can find wonderful peace and guidance in scriptures like Mark 4:24, John 14:26 and James 4:8.  

Just remember, God is not trying to hide Himself from you. He delights in a growing relationship with you and He promises that “you will find Him when you seek Him with your whole heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) So keep on keeping on and remember, the growth comes in the journey not only in reaching the destination.

Reasons to relax: #9

Reason #9 – He sees and He will reward!

And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

Glatians 6:9 (AMP)

On several occasions Christ told us, “and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.” (Matt. 6: 4,6, 18)  That is true integrity…doing what is right even when no one is watching. And our Heavenly Father doesn’t give the standard answer that is so tempting to us as earthly parents, “Because I said so!” No, in answer to why we should continue doing what is right even when it seems to no avail, God says, “Because I am watching. And I will reward you far beyond your wildest dreams. (Ephesians 3:20, Matthew 7:11)

These verses also show us something else about our great God. He understands that it is not always easy to keep on doing good. He knows that we will get tired and weak and weary. He does not condemn our weakness, rather He encourages us with His Word and the promise of great things to come. I feel a lesson in parenting here…

So take a deep breath. Push the restart button if you have to, and then follow Christ’s example and go about doing good. (Acts 10:38) Your good works will not get you to heaven. Only Christ can do that. (John 14:6). But our good works are the outward expression of the inward change Christ has made in us. We are commanded to love others as Christ has loved us and it is by this we show Christ to the world.

Reasons to relax: #8

Reason #8 – He will do better for us than we could ever think of doing for ourselves!

"Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]--" Ephesians 3:20 (AMP)

There is such power in this verse! Our God is so amazing and He loves us so much. He truly wants great things for us. Paul was encouraging the Ephesians here about just how far reaching the power and love of God are.

Often times we have desires, and if we don’t get exactly what we are asking for we are upset. But please, remember this verse. Trust that God is in control and wants to do wonderful things in your life. I would encourage you to hold your dreams loosely. Absolutely let the Lord know the things that are on your heart and the desires you have, for we are also told “You have not because you ask not.” Yet remember as you present your requests to God, He sees all and knows what is the absolute best for us. He is able to do far above all that we could ever even dare to imagine.

It may just be the case that your vision is too small and what He wants to do for you is greater than what you’ve asked for. Begin the see the answers of “no” or “wait” as wonderful promises that He has something better in mind and trust Him to pull it all together at the perfect time.

Remember, His blessings are not always of a material nature. But He knows what we have need of before we ask, and He knows us better than we know ourselves.  We can lay our hopes and dreams at His feet and trust that He wants greatness for us.

 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

Reasons to relax: #7

Reason #7 – God has already given us everything we need!

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." 2 Peter 1:3

This is one of the most incredible promises in scripture. This tells us that God has already given us everything we need to live the life He has for us. We are not waiting for anything…which also means we have no excuses! J

Galatians 5 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control. And 1 Cor. 6:19 and 2 Timothy 1:14 (and several others) tell us that once we accept Christ the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us. So if you have accepted Christ, you have everything you need. Even when you don’t “feel” like it, it’s there. We just have to put time into our walk with the Lord so that these things can be fully developed. It doesn’t happen all at once, lest we forget our need for our Lord, but rather He changes us from glory to glory (little by little). And you can trust that He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. (Philippians 1:6)

So instead of believing the lies of the enemy that you are lacking and don’t have the things you need, give thanks to God that He has blessed you with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3), and He is bringing you into completion as you walk daily with Him.

“And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure[of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you--and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.” Mark 4:24

Reasons to relax: #6

Reason #6 – God is there!

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8 (Don’t forget the second part…we have to confess our sin and turn from it. We’ll still make mistakes; it’s not about being perfect. But we must get out hearts right.)

“If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.” James 1:5

“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.” Isaiah 43:2

There is not much I can say that these verses and countless others do not say outright. God has made it no secret that if we will come to Him He will never leave us. He will guide us, love us and protect us. It doesn’t mean life will be easy. We will undoubtedly go through difficult times. But He is right there by our side in the midst of those times. He is constantly teaching us and making us into more usable instruments for His work. He will strengthen us and never hide Himself from us. As Mark 4:24 says, the more time and study we put into His Word, the more understanding and wisdom we will receive. No matter what you may be going through, you can trust that God has never left you. Draw near to Him and He’ll be right there.  

Sorry!

My sincerest apologies for the delay since my last post. For various reasons I have not been around my computer much over the past two weeks. You can expect a new post in the next 24 to 36 hours.

Reasons to relax: #5

Reason #5 – Because He will never leave us.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

I love these words to Joshua. And this is the same great God we serve. The same One Who said in Matthew 28:20 “…lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

And again in Hebrew 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

He never promised us that our life would be easy if we follow Him. Just the opposite, in John 16:33 Jesus told us that in this world we will have troubles, but to be encouraged because He has overcome the world! So no matter what you are going through, know that He is right by your side. Even in the midst of a fiery furnace, He is there. He will not always take us out of the storm, but He can give us peace in the midst of it. And as we come through the other side He gives us powerful testimony of how He brought us through, and He can use us to speak hope to the world.

Reasons to relax: #4

Reason #4 – Because He said to!

In Philippians 4:6 Paul writes, “Be anxious for nothing.” Simple as that. I know what you’re thinking: But…But…But…. I know because it is the same response I often have. However, the word "nothing" is pretty all encompassing. The more I have worked to keep this verse in the forefront of my mind, the more frequently I have heard the Lord say, “Jenny…I said worry about nothing.” “But, Lord…” “I said nothing.”

I have found that somewhere along the line I, we, our society has equated worry with caring; when in fact the Bible equates worry with sinning! The fact is worry is a sign of - 1. Pride…thinking that if I try hard enough or work hard enough I can somehow fix this issue, and 2. A lack of faith…not recognizing God as capable of handling the situation (far better than I ever could, I might add). Now, I am still working with this one every day, and as a mother I have to work on it even more than ever before in my life. But the fact is, we serve an all-knowing, all-loving God who wants good things for us and is going to work things out for our best, even if that means going through some hard times along the way.  

In addition to all of this, this command not to worry comes with instructions and has an incredible promise attached to it. I love the way the Amplified Bible puts this scripture:

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

 So, we give Him our worries, and He gives us His peace. Pretty good trade, huh? So the next time you feel the ugliness of worry threatening to overtake you, quote this verse out loud. Say, “Ok, Lord.” Thank Him for all He is and all He’s done in your life, and tell Him exactly what is on your heart. Then leave it there. As humans this is not always easy, but if we can wrap our minds around the fact that we don’t actually have any control anyway, but we serve the One who is Lord over all, this will become increasingly easier. And as it does our quality of life will also improve. I guarantee it! So relax! Regardless of what you’ve come to believe, worry is not your obligation!

Reasons to relax: #3

Reason #3 – His plans are better than ours!

Isaiah 55:8-9 have been very powerful verses in my life for many years.

“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

 So the next time a relationship doesn’t work out or you don’t get that promotion you were expecting or something else happens to cause your life to take a different path than you’d expected, remember these verses. I encourage you to memorize them. These upsets in life can be very tough times and can cause us to become hurt and even sedentary for a while. Which of course makes the enemy very happy. But I challenge you to set your mind on things above. Remember that we serve a God who sees the end from the beginning. He has great plans for us and even at this moment He is at work, orchestrating great things on our behalf.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

You see, it is not simply that His ways are different so just get over it! No, not only are His ways different, they are higher…they are better!! The next time something doesn’t work out the way you had planned, stop and give God thanks, standing on the promises of these verses and knowing that He’s got great things ahead for you.

I hope that over the next week you will take some time to look back on your life. Let God show you how He was at work the entire time, putting things together for you that you never even imagined! Ask Him to reveal to you His hand and His providence at work in your life. And thank Him for giving you even better than you’d asked for and sometimes even saving you from yourself! J

“Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]” Ephesians 3:20

Reasons to relax: #2

Reason #2 – If we commit our works to Him, He will make them succeed!

I want us to look at this verse in two different versions.

“Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.” Proverbs 16:3 (Amplified Bible)

“Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” 

Proverbs 16:3 (New Living Translation)

WOW! What a promise! Right now, as the 2^nd Annual Women of Providence* women’s conference draws very near (Sept. 24^th), I have to go back to this verse many times. And I am sorry to say that over the past few weeks I have not stood on this scripture as I should and have been given to much anxiety. But why?? Why would I do that? This scripture is a promise from the Lord, and because of it, God has given me permission to relax!

You see, it is not my job to make everything work or to make tons of ladies show up. God told me yesterday that I have been trying so hard to move people for the Lord, but the fact is the only way people are moved and touched for Him is by the power of His Spirit working in and through me. (I knew this, but I found myself thinking that maybe if I just tried a little harder, worked a little more…) Only He can really touch hearts. I’m just an instrument. No amount of work on my part can do it. I must faithfully do the things the Lord gives me to do and trust Him for the results. And with a promise like the one above, that should be easy!

 So we can relax knowing that He promises that, if we commit all we do to Him, He will make it succeed. Now, keep in mind that His definition of success may be different than ours, but as we’ll see in another post very soon, His ways are always better. It’s all about Him anyway. So do with joy the work He gives you to do, and do it all for Him and His glory. Leave the results to Him. It’s not yours to worry about! Do your best and let God handle the rest!

*I do hope that you ladies who are local will be able to join us for the women’s conference. You can find all the details and get registered today on our website. http://www.wix.com/providencetoday/liveit This is an awesome day of fun, fellowship and power! Now I’ll just trust God to make you want to come! J

Reasons to Relax: #1

We’re going to start a little series on the reasons we can relax!

Reason #1 – God is not going to let me miss or mess up any of the plans He has for me as long as I am truly seeking Him.

“A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

This verse became a huge changing point in my life during my last year of college. I was so worked up about what I was “supposed” to do. Where was I supposed to go? What job was I supposed to have? If I took the wrong path would I miss God’s best for me and (God forbid) miss “the one” I was supposed to marry and the family I was supposed to have?

I lived under such stress and anxiety and then one day the Spirit led me to this verse. I know that God knows my heart. He knows that my greatest desire is for His plans to be worked out in my life. This verse helped me realized that God was going to take care of it! I could finally breathe!!!

So my new policy was (is) to seek God, go in the direction I felt most excited about (after having prayed) and then trust that God would shut and open any doors along the way to ensure that His will was done in my life. (Ps. 37:4-5) And so far it has worked beautifully!

WOW! What a relief!

True Love

“For the love of Christ controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died; And He died for all, so that all those who live might live no longer to and for themselves, but to and for Him Who died and was raised again for their sake. Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value].” 2 Corinthians 5:14-16a (emphasis added)

WOW! This scripture really grabbed me this week. What if we were completely controlled by the love of Christ? What if, in being thus controlled, we no longer sought to live for ourselves but for the One Who gave Himself for us? And what if we no longer viewed others as mere humans (seeing first their flaws and shortcomings) but rather we first saw each person in light of the fact that Christ loved them enough to die for them?

This perspective could change my life! It could totally revolutionize how I relate to others and how they relate to me.

In John 14:34 Christ issues a huge challenge: “I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another.” He doesn’t just tell us to love one another. He tells us to love others the way He loves us!

Let’s spend the next few days keeping these verses in the forefront of our minds. Meditate on them. Think about how you think about others. How do you see them? Regardless of what we like or don’t like in another person, Christ saw them as special enough to die for. And we are called to love them with that same love.

Think about it…

Be on Fire!

So, I just found this verse, and it has become my new theme! I have tried to explain this burning, passionate, greater than myself, feeling I have inside for God and for seeing people come into a powerful walk with Him, but never have I been able to put it as well as Jeremiah did here:

“If I say, I will not make mention of [the Lord] or speak any more in His name, in my mind and heart it is as if there were a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I am weary of enduring and holding it in; I cannot [contain it any longer].” Jeremiah 20:9

WOW!! That just makes me want to shout! For those who know me well, you have witnessed the fact that the more I feel the Spirit, and the more “holy excitement” I get, the more I start to bounce. J And this verse explains exactly why. There is a fire in my bones that I simply cannot contain!

So, you may be asking, “How did you get it?” Maybe you don’t have that excitement. Perhaps you even feel bored with your walk with the Lord. Trust me…my zeal is not something that comes from myself but from the power of the Living God on the inside of me. If you have accepted Christ, you have that exact same Spirit in you. But you have to stir yourself up! (Jude 1:20; 2 Tim. 1:6)

Go on, let it out!! Raise your hands in worship to your God, not because you feel like it, but because He is worthy of your praise. Let Him have all of you. The scripture says that our God inhabits the praises of His people. (Psalm 22:3) So you don’t wait to feel Him and then praise, rather you praise and then you’ll feel Him!

Give it some thought. And also know that again, none of this just happens overnight. To develop a real, on fire excitement for God you have to spend time getting to know Him. Talk to Him. Read His Word. Commit your entire life to Him, not just a few hours on Sunday morning. Then watch and see what He does in you as you become more and more sold out for Him. Hold on to your seat…if you can stay in it!

Hey Now...

When Mikaela was a little younger, too young for conversation, but old enough to understand “no,” I learned a phrase that my sister was using with my niece. It was comical, yet very effective. When the girls would begin to get into something that was off limits or start to through a little tantrum, we would say, “Hey now…” It sounded funny, but that quick little phrase, said in a nonthreatening tone, was enough to grab their attention and make them stop what they were doing.

It occurred to me one day that this is much the way God deals with us when we start to get off course. We learn that, in 1 Kings 19:11-12, despite what we may wish for, God’s most frequent method of speaking to us is a still small voice. Rarely does He grab us by the shoulders and shout His directions, correction, or plans into our ears. Nope, He is more likely to just give a gentle warning, and we have to be still enough to pay attention (Psalm 46:10). That is a huge reason why being in the Word and giving time to prayer is so important. If we are not getting to know Him on a regular basis we may not recognize His voice. And this is why being still (quieting our minds and our souls) is so important. If we are completely engulfed in our own thoughts and actions we could miss that gentle nudging.

The point is, our lives would be a lot simpler and easier to navigate if we would learn to heed the “Hey now...” warnings of our Lord.  Think about it.