Enjoy

 

 

Yesterday evening I had a bout of insecurity come over me out of no where. I started thinking of times when I had uncomfortably spoken to or written to other people about Christ and how awkward I had felt, how I had wondered if it were the right thing, how they must have thought I was odd, etc. So I prayed about it this morning, asking for confidence, and in scripture found God spoke to me with clarity about the condition of my heart.

I'm doing Beth Moore's David study and she was talking about a divided heart and how our hearts should be undivided in our devotion to Christ, referencing David instructing Solomon to be devoted to building the temple. She asked a question, I can't remember the exact words, but basically it was something like "Why do people feel they need to do things for God ?" The answers I thought of first were out of duty, responsibility, etc and I realized how I had lost some of the joy I have experienced walking daily with the Lord. I truly can remember a time of serving the Lord with so much joy I literally looked forward to finding someone I could show Jesus to each day. It was exciting and adventurous. The outlook for my day, my job, my family, and those I came in contact with really was different because I truly viewed it as a mission field and I had fun with it.

It made me think about the motive behind those awkward situations above . One instance in particular I had felt God wanted me to speak to an acquaintance I ran into and I missed the opportunity, then wrote to her later, which I see now was truly not how God intended. I think my motive was good, but my approach was wrong. I thank the Lord that He knew my heart and forgives my unwillingness.

I believe part of the problem is I have looked at sharing the gospel largely as a duty and not a joy and I believe this is due to a divided heart. I feel that if my heart was fully focused on God and my desires were His desires, the words would come so much more freely and naturally. And, that's not to say everything will come easy and there will be no awkward conversations if my heart is closer to being undivided, but surely words flow more naturally from the lips of one whose heart is in open dialog with the Lord.

Scripture says out of the overflow of the heart a man speaks. I want to be bubbling over with so much joy in the Lord I can't help but spew it out sometimes! I do very much enjoy praying to God in the mornings and doing bible study, and serving, but recently I have lacked the joy that comes from spontaneous praise and service. I had it for a time, but I think somewhere between routine, busyness, legalism, and perhaps laziness, I have lost the excitement of looking for and serving a living, active, spontaneous, communicating, unpredictable God and I am ready to get it back! God gives us joy and wants us to have it. He allows us to share in His work for our own good and fulfillment. Lord, help us have undivided hearts, always aware and looking for You in every situation. Show us where you are working and let us join with joy and excitement. Thank you for giving us so much hope, opportunity and grace.

I hope the next time the question is asked about why I feel I need to do things for God, I will immediately question why anyone wouldn't want to do things for God!

 Luke 6:45 NIV

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Psalm 100:2 NKJV

Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.

Deuteronomy 28:47 NKJV

"Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything,

<< 1 Chronicles 28:8

9 "And you, Solomon my son, get to know well your father's God; serve him with a whole heart and eager mind, for God examines every heart and sees through every motive. If you seek him, he'll make sure you find him, but if you abandon him, he'll leave you for good.

Psalm 86:11 NIV

New International Version

Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Nehemiah 8:10 NIV

Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Slaves

I saw an interesting comment in a news article yesterday that I've been thinking about in different contexts. A woman wrote in to an article discussing our government. Her quote was:

"People aren't made slaves because of over-whelming power; they are made slaves because they trust someone else to take care of them."

Although I don't agree in every situation this is truthful statement, I do agree with her in the context of government providing for the basic needs of a totally capable individual. Same goes for the one who depends on parents to sustain them or those who feel life owes them something so they don't work for what they have, etc. It may seem like an easier road but what blessings and freedoms they are missing for not living life for themselves! Christ says in 1 Corinthians below: If you are able, break free!

Then taken in the context of scripture, to become a slave of Christ is to find freedom. Christ doesn't want us to be bound by the world or people or circumstances. He wants us to find our freedom in Him. To break the chains of bondage, whatever that might be in each individual's life, and grab hold of Christ's overwhelming power and trust Him to provide what we need. To be a slave in Christ is to experience divine emancipation! What freedom we can find only when we shed the chains of earthly bondage and become a slave of Christ!

1 Corinthians 7:21   

Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you--although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave.23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.  

Romans 1:1 MSG

I, Paul, am a devoted slave of Jesus Christ on assignment, authorized as an apostle to proclaim God's words and acts. I write this letter to all the Christians in Rome, God's friends.

Titus 1:1 MSG

I, Paul, am God's slave and Christ's agent for promoting the faith among God's chosen people, getting out the accurate word on God and how to respond rightly to it.

Stand Firm

Gal 4:5-6 ...so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that they might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying, "Abba, Father!"

Because we are sons of the most high God, and have the privilege of crying out endearingly to Him, as a child would to his father. We can be provided with strength and utmost confidence in even the most intense times of doubt, pain, or confusion. Because of this hope, cry out to God to let truth resonate in us and give us strength. Why would we question such powerful message as the gospel? But at times we do, we doubt, we forget. Let us therefore be prepared for times like these so that our hearts will naturally cry out to God to help us stand firm when we are weak.

Reference: Eph 6:10 - 17

STAND FIRM! Remember the battle is not against people. Take a stance against: satan's efforts to produce distrust in God, disobedience, being wishy-washy and creating confusion about God's word, being fake, hindering service to God, bringing division, living hypocritically, being worldly, and anything that is contradictory to God's word and nature.

Gird loins with truth - sincerely committed and full of integrity. Tie up the loose spiritual ends that do cause confusion and doubt by searching God's word and standing on it.

Breastplate of righteousness - Pursue God's righteousness by living in obedience. This will protect your heart and vital organs against the guilt and wavering of disobedience. Strengthening and protecting against satan's attacks.

Shod feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace - You can't stand on something you don't know! Know the gospel so you can stand on it in times of struggle. Be ready to speak it and take it with you everywhere you go.

Shield of Faith - extinguishes the fiery arrows of satan. Remember who is shooting the arrows and trust God as our protector. Faith and trust quiets doubt & fear and chokes out the attacks so they don't destroy us.

Helmet of salvation - Hope of salvation. Even a blow to the head can be recovered from when we put our hope in the Lord. Stand firm in your salvation. A preacher, who has now passed, used to say "I've read the end, and we win!" We have victory already. Stand up and be victorious and remember the ending! Even in death we have the hope of heaven and seeing our Lord! This is the glory of our salvation, so live life fully and fight hard!

Sword of the spirit - Ultimate weapon, to be used defensively and offensively. Be prepared by it, strengthened by it, and use it effectively in battle times, growth times, quiet times, hard times, all the time!

Lord, protect us, strengthen us, and let us live our life vigorously and boldly, proclaiming and clinging to the hope we have in you!

Ancient of Days

Thought this was interesting...I'm reading Daniel and he calls God "Ancient of Days" several times. I looked it up in the concordance, and this was the description for what the words mean

Ancient - ancient
Days - day, time

I looked up the other instances in the bible of "ancient" and "days" and the other forms had paragraph amounts of description. The hebrew word for ancient in the name Ancient of Days is only used as the name of God, only three times in the bible, all in Daniel chapt 7 which is about his vision that corresponds with Revalation of Satan & the beasts/kingdoms overturned, Christ returning and having dominion, and God's white throne of judgement.

It's like God is saying He is what He is, no explanation necessary. Kinda like with Moses when He said to tell them "I AM" sent you! I love those words!!

The Ancient of Days, same from Daniel's time, through John's time, through ours, returning victoriously to fulfill His Word!

Hang in There

Do you ever reach a point where you think life would be so much easier if you just went along with the rest of the world? Sometimes I think I think too much and need to just be more laid back.

I'm not saying I follow the scriptures completely or live perfectly, far from, but sometimes when I know I'm following what God has said to do it just doesn't seem right. It seems things would be much easier living by God's word, then at times its not, in fact sometimes its really hard. I hope you don't fall into the trap like I have many times of thinking because things are hard and don't feel right you must be getting it wrong. I have struggled with that some the past couple weeks.

I had Psalms on my mind all week as I was thinking about this but didn't turn there. Yesterday finally I decided to just look at it and I saw what I had been needing all week! Why don't I just pay attention to God immediately!!?

Psalm 1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his law he meditates day and night...

These verses were such a consolation and encouragement to me to keep going, and yes, to think (meditate) about God's ways and delight in following the Lord. Not quit thinking so much or give in and run with world! God wants us to commit our way to the Lord and trust in Him (psalm 37:5) and to consider His ways and meditate on His precepts (psalm 119:13-16)

We really do serve a good God! One who wants us thinking and on our feet. Life is amazing with God, why would I ever really want to just chill and forget about trying to follow Him!? What a clever tactic of the enemy to entice us to think it must be easy to live without considering Him! We know better!!

Thoughts on Faith

I have a plaque in my office that reads “Faith is not believing God can, it is knowing that God will.” It has got me thinking a little bit. What do we KNOW God WILL do? Is that not presumptuous? I think it’s fine if the statement is portraying truths that we know about God from the scripture….He will deliver us, protect us, see us through & have what is best for us, etc. But I’m afraid it can be read in a way that promotes false and romanticized ideas about who God is. Not that I understand Him myself, but I don’t believe we can ask for anything we want or even things we feel we need, pray about it, believe enough that God will do it and have it automatically accomplished for us. This idea puts too much power in our hands and completely takes away the sovereignty of God. 

Even Jesus asked for the cup to be removed from him when faced with the cross. Unjustly sentenced to one of the most excruciating and humiliating forms of death, if there was a way out of it in God’s will he wanted to take it and he of all people deserved God's taking it away, but Jesus did not expect that God would certainly take it away. He knew if God's will was different than his own he would follow it, even to the cross. I think the plaque would be better worded “Faith is knowing that God can, but trusting Him when He doesn’t.” 

There are too many tragedies that God could fix that He chooses not to and too many paths that seem good that He says no to. I would hate to cause a weakening of faith in someone who reads it and portrays it in the wrong light. So, even though it’s cute and matches the color theme of my office and can be read the right way, I think I will take it down. Praise be to God Almighty, the author and perfector of our faith!

Proverbs for Life

I have realized there are things I have been praying for that I may not see changed the way I have been praying for them to. I have really sought God on this and have found that my heart can be at peace even so. He has lead me to Proverbs and allowed so many of those verses to penetrate my soul I wanted to share some of what I have embraced in His Word. I have to trust in God's sovereignty, I have to know He sees and knows and I have to trust Him with my heart and not harden it. I must not lean on my own understanding but acknowledge Him in everything. I won't give up or loose hope, but I will not continue to stay in the same spot and not grow because circumstances have not changed the way I expected. I'm submitting to God, in Him I will be strong, and I will stay faithful to Him even if He doesn't answer my prayers the way I think He should, the way I thought was best.

I have realized a Christian's need to sometimes pray for ourself to change doesn't always mean we are having to change because we are in the wrong. Sometimes we have to change in order to move forward.

The Lord watches our ways. He is our protector, not just over our physical bodies, but over our hearts and emotions and our whole lives. He will be our shield and He will watch over every aspect of our life.

Pray for wisdom and discernment, it is a healing balm to a hurting soul. It provides direction, encouragement, grace and purpose.

^{prov 2:7} He holds success in store for the upright,
   he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
⁸ for he guards the course of the just
   and protects the way of his faithful ones.