Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckles around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.   Ephesians 6:10-18

If these words don’t open your heart to the battles around us, and encourage your spirit to stay steadfast and strong, then I don’t know what will.

This morning, I encourage you to re-read the above verses, and as you do imagine God clothing you with each piece.

Acknowledge that people are not our problem, rather our battle is against the enemy.  This single acknowledgment can absolutely change the way you see the world and how you engage those around you.

Ask the Father to give you His eyes to see the world around you.

Do you frequently encounter a person who stretches you in hard ways?  Remember, your battle is not against them, rather something inside their spirit.  Ask God to reveal to you what it is, and then ask Him to remove that negativity from them.  They need freedom, friend.  Those who are brassy and rude and down right hateful, need Jesus.  What do we have to lose by being kind to them and/or praying for their freedom?.

If you will only remember what you are truly fighting against, it will change your life.  Guaranteed.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith.  1 Peter 5:8-9

One of the attributes of love, as described in the Bible, is long suffering.

When I reflect on the life I’ve lived with my husband and children, I see that it is a very necessary attribute.  So many times, I have needed to walk out hard things in order to remain connected and in love with those around me.  It’s never been about my “happiness”.

I actually hate it when I hear people say, “I just want to be happy”.  It’s really just a way of saying, “I just really want to have my way.”  Instead, I strive for joy.  I make a decision to remain joyful and to see the world in an optimistic way.  It’s a real drain for me to be around a pessimistic person.

But I digress……

Doesn’t long suffering indicate that at times, love will look like hard work?  Even unpleasant?  It sure sounds that way to me.  But it’s not for nothing, because the longer I’ve walked out the long-suffering love that family requires, the more reward you eventually find.  Not short-term benefit, but long lasting life changes.

As I have committed to loving my husband in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, etc.  I’ve discovered, the reward isn’t in the honeymoon.  It’s in the lifetime.

I love my husband and kids at a depth that I didn’t know was possible.  Their love has become a safe place.  Our home has transformed into a sanctuary.  A place where we all know we are loved.  Where we share and grow together.  A place where we talk about what each of us is going through at any given moment, so that we all have extra understanding and grace for the individual journeys we face.  In our home we know we are never alone.

Long suffering love has cultivated a spirit of honor in our home.  A place where perfection is unnecessary because we know each one of us is in a process.

Then you look at the relationships in your life, ask yourself, “Do I have a long-suffering love for those nearest to me?”

But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5:22

Love is long-suffering, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

As I have mentioned before, our family is searching for a church home here in Oklahoma.  It can feel so daunting and vulnerable.  This last Sunday we visited a church for the second time.  When we arrived, worship had begun and something just didn’t feel right in my heart.  I stood, but had no song to sing.  Then I walked to the bathroom, honestly, just to try to clear my head and talk to God about what in the world was bothering me.  When I headed back to my seat they began to sing a song that I love and have lead many times, then I knew what was wrong.  When I visit somewhere and people don’t know me or my heart, I become nervous sometimes.  I don’t want to sing because I know if I worship in spirit and truth, then it will be loud and could draw attention.  Unwanted attention.  I don’t want people to misinterpret my worship for showboating.  It’s not.  Ever.  It’s the purest thing I have and is so sacred to me that it’s sometimes hard to share it with those who don’t know me.

But the neatest thing occurred right after all of this.  I went back to my seat and decided that I shouldn’t care where I was or how I was interpreted, and I sang.  I sang with all I have within me.  I sang the way I always do.  My legs shook, and I realized that the fear of man was what I was battling.  I stood arms stretched toward Heaven, eyes closed, fully worshiping.  Then I saw a bird come land on my shoulder.  No, not literally, but in a vision.  I felt the delight of the Father and heard “Songbird.  You are my songbird.”  A huge smile spread across my face and I felt so loved.

Lord, don’t ever let me hold back an offering to you because I’m afraid of being misinterpreted.  Lord, forgive me.  You know my heart, and that should always be enough.  It never really matters what others think, and if I remain focused in the right direction, I will keep sight of that.  I long for You.  You are mine, and I am Yours.  In Jesus name, Amen.

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he browses among the lilies.  Song of Solomon 6:3

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.  Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day.  Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among the peoples.  For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and glory are in His sanctuary.  Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.  Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering and come into His courts.  Psalm 96:1

 

So many things in our world, and more specifically our country, have become such a mockery of their original intent.  As I watch the political landscape in America continue to fall deeper into disarray, I am so saddened.  We are literally seeing what scripture spoke of…..

Remember this! In the last days there will be many troubles, because people will love themselves, love money, brag and be proud.  They will say evil things against others and will not obey their parents or be thankful or be the kind of people God wants.  They will not love others, will refuse to forgive, will gossip, and will not control themselves.  They will be cruel, will hate what is good, will turn against their friends, and will do foolish things without thinking.  They will be conceited, will love pleasure instead of God, and will act as if they serve God but will not have His power.  Stay away from those people.  2 Timothy 3:1-5

As I see America in a tug of war between light and darkness, I am more confident than ever in several things.  First, God is real.  His working in our lives is evident all around us.  Even those who adamantly oppose His existence don’t realize that by simply exercising their free will, they are providing evidence of our Godly makeup.  Second, The Bible is truth and has proved itself, time and time again with its accuracy and life.  It is the guidebook of life when read in partnership with Holy Spirit.  Third, evil exists.  Spiritual warfare is completely real, and denying it only sets us up for attack, which also serves it’s purpose.

Today as you bring your heart and spirit into focus, remember these three truths.  Let them serve as guideposts on your journey through life.  God is not a god to be mocked.  God is the Sovereign God reigning over all and nobody can ever change that.  No twisting of His word, or deception can change Who He is and what He has planned.  No political scandal can erase the Sovereignty of God.  No religious organization defines Him.

For these reasons, and many more, you can trust in Him.  You can know that He is stable and can be counted on.

Let our eyes not be veiled.  Instead let God open our spiritual eyes to see Him working all around us.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.  That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  Ephesians 1:18-21

To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.  Acts 26:18

I have a deep longing inside.  I can’t get away from it, and I can’t deny it.  I have a longing that I cannot truly define.  I don’t fully understand it.  I am always longing for more of God.

Do you have that longing?  Do you feel nagged inside by a constant need for more of the Father?

Is it something that keeps you pushing further into His heart?

I now believe that my life was meant to contain a longing.  I now see that longing is from God.  Like I long for a deeper and more intimate connection with my husband, from year to year, I also long for God.  Isn’t that how it should be?  We are called to be His bride.  So, I am certain that my longing for Him will only increase and deepen over the years.  The feelings of affection that I have for the Father are only intensifying as the years float by.

Just as in marriage, I sometimes think we can get so distracted by life that we forget our first Love.  It’s easy to be so busy that we simply brush off that small feeling of longing inside.  We brush it off because it can feel inconvenient.  I feel some of us can ignore that longing because we are hurting inside and fear that acknowledging that longing will make us cry or make us emotional.  But we should never fear the stirring up of emotion, especially if it directs us to a more open relationship with God.  I also feel some avoid that longing because of relationships separate from God, that have created wounds, some of those of a sexual nature.  It can be hard to let your guard down when you have had negative sexual encounters, because then all intimacy can begin to feel alarming.  I absolutely know this to be true.

I also know that the only way out of that roller coaster of feelings, is to allow God in and give Him permission to heal us.  It may feel awkward at first.  It may feel strange to be close, but over time and through His gracious and merciful and unrelenting love, it will become a safe place.

That place that the enemy tried to rob you of, is meant for God.

That safe place where Adam and Eve walked naked and unashamed with God through the garden.  Don’t you see, the enemy has always feared our intimacy with Abba?

Why?

Well, I propose it’s because the closer we are to the Truth, the less we will believe the liar.

Let that sink into your spirit.  Read it again.  Now let the Light of Love wash over you, as He restores your communion with Him.

Then the man and his wife heart the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord among the trees of the garden.  But the Lord called to the man, “Where are you?”  He answered, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”  And He said, “Who told you that you were naked?  Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”  Genesis 3:8-11

This began our separation, let today begin your restoration.

 

So often nowadays everyone wants to be a “world changer”.  It’s almost like a badge of perceived honor to proclaim that I will change the world.  Now, I agree, the world needs to change, but I also know that it’s not me that changes it.  I carry the World Changer within me.  It’s never really about me, it’s always going to circle back around to being about Him.  Since I carry the World Changer inside, then every single day as I walk out life, I should be leaving ripples of change all around me.

As He amplifies the effect of my footsteps on this earth, I see Him making change.  I am aware that if I walk in agreement with Him, I will see ripples of change around me at all times.

As we start out this week, I encourage you to stay focused on Who you carry inside. If you are consistently aware of the God in you, then you will indeed see the world around you changing every day.

I affect the greatest change when I walk in agreement.  I can speak with my own voice and some will hear, but if I speak out in agreement with what Holy Spirit is saying, then my words carry eternal impact.

It’s not so much about who you are or where you are or how large your group of influence is, it’s really about Who you carry inside.

I can change the world, as I walk in agreement with the World Changer inside of me.  Christ in me, the hope of glory.

God, today I pray that You would keep my heart and mind focused on Your Presence.  Help me to walk in agreement with You and not fight against You.  Fill me with a deeper baptism of Your Holy Spirit.  Let me be bold, because I am aware of You being inside of me.   Let me walk out life with the wisdom You place inside of me.  Let me not get carried away with who I am and what I can accomplish rather help me to better partner with what You’re doing on this earth, a work that will continue after my death.  I am finite, help me to partner with Your infiniteness.  Keep my eyes open to the trappings of the enemy.  Don’t let my foot get caught in a snare.  Let Your freedom reign within me.  I am fully Yours, now and forevermore.  In Jesus name, Amen.

We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.  I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.  And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.  As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.  For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.  So, I find this law at work:  Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.  For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.  Romans 7:14-23

Today, as I head out to church, I surrender.

I surrender Lord, to however you chose to move.  I surrender to being moved by You.  I surrender to allowing tears to fall.  I surrender to hearing Your call.  I surrender.

I won’t hold back as I feel Your gentle touch.  I will allow You anywhere You want to go within my heart.

I surrender Lord, I surrender to You.  Come and move me, move me closer into You.

This morning, as you greet the day, I challenge you to offer it as a sacrifice.  Sacrifice your time, and let Holy Spirit set the pace.  Throw your schedule away and embrace a move of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Imagine yourself breathing in the Holy Spirit with each breath.  See Him moving over your life.  Will you let Him have full reign?  Can you lay down your expectations and agenda today and let the Lord of all life move in and through you?

Surrender your rights to Him, and He will pour out upon you more than you could ask or imagine.  Surrender your mind to Him and you will find the peace for which you have been searching.  Surrender your heart to Him and you will be healed and whole.  The key to life with Christ is surrender.  And while you are surrendered, put on love.

Blessings to you this day.  I pray you feel Him swaddle you with His love and provision.  He cares for you.

Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God.  Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.  How long will people turn my glory into shame?  How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?  Know that the Lord has set apart His faithful servant for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him.  Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.  Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the Lord.  Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”  Let the light of Your face shine on us.  Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound.  In peace I will lie down and sleep for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.  Galatians 2:20

Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  James 4:7

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.  James 4:10

There is a spirit of division that is trying to rip America apart.  The fact that the enemy seems to be working so hard and focused to tear our country apart is never lost on me.  When you think about it, we are one nation, under God, indivisible…..

One nation, under God, indivisible.

Isn’t it clear that the enemy is trying to directly come against the basic principles God used when setting up this country in the first place?

Indivisible.

It’s almost a laughable statement at this point when we seem to be riddled with division.  But who also knows this, the enemy always fights with a spirit opposite of God.  He fights indivisibility by attempting to create division.  So, it makes sense that we would fight him by coming together.

I often get so exasperated with believers because we have allowed so much division to take hold in our country because it seems we won’t come together and have decided that nothing is good enough.  Instead of trying to qualify every single thing, what if we were led by the Spirit.  What if we simply believed what God said and then followed through.

The day of the election, God gave me a vision of Trump being president.  In that moment, I knew for certain that God had placed Him there.  It was not for me to worry and figure out how and why that was best, instead, with blind faith I came into agreement and every step of his presidency I have firmly stood in agreement to all God is doing through him.  This is not about being political, this about being led by the Spirit.  Just something to consider.

When God directs us toward something, then nothing else should matter.  We should stay focused on listening, and let God do the planning out and directing.  We have limited insight, He knows all.

Today I challenge you to ask God how you can partner with indivisibility in America, specifically.  Take time to bless this country we live in and to see God’s future for us.  Blessings to you!

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  Ephesians 4:3

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.  1 Corinthians 1:10

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Colossians 3:13-14

This morning I asked God what He wanted this devotional to be about, and immediately I heard the word “regurgitate”.  It struck me with awe and disgust, honestly.  Regurgitation isn’t a lovely thing, but I saw what the Lord was saying.

Regurgitate:  Bring (swallowed food) up again to the mouth.  Repeat (information) without analyzing or comprehending it.

Do you regurgitate the Word?

That’s the question that I hear God asking.  So often when I come across people, and I’ve also been guilty myself, I hear them spout off scripture to any situation, but I can feel that they don’t believe what they are saying.  Oftentimes, it just seems they’ve simply been taught what to say.  The problem with that is, it doesn’t work if you don’t absorb it.  Let the Word sit on your spirit and soak through your mind.

What good would it be if we put food in our mouths and chewed it a bit and then spit it out?  Would you then wonder why you were wasting away physically?  Most assuredly it would be because you were not receiving the nutrients you needed because the food was never reaching your stomach.

The Word of God is the same, we can’t expect it to fill us if we never allow it to work its way through our heart, mind, and spirit.

I know this is a heavy word, but it’s so necessary.

The Bible instructs us to meditate on the word.  This requires a time of absorption.  In a world where “fast” is king, we are to live counter to that.  This world is not our home, so why would we live according to it?  Instead of living according to scriptures you’ve just memorized, what if you took time and asked God to teach them to you?  The Bible is to be read in partnership with Holy Spirit.  That’s what gives it life.  That’s Who teaches you about what you are reading.  Holy Spirit is our Counselor.  If you are just reading the Word, to fulfill your daily quota and not asking God to speak to you and teach you while you are reading, then you are honestly mostly wasting time.  It’s when we lean into His heart and receive His teachings that we truly benefit, and it moves from head knowledge to heart knowledge.  There’s a huge difference.

Today, I encourage you to start fresh.  Take a verse or chapter in the Bible and pray before reading.  Ask Holy Spirit to really teach you about what you are reading.  Ask Holy Spirit to make it relevant to your life and to really absorb His Words.  Then as you walk out this day, remain aware of what you’ve read and learned, and you might be surprised at how God will work it into your day.

Blessings to you today!

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it- not forgetting what they have heard but doing it- they will be blessed in what they do.  James 1:22-25

I had a thought this morning, each of us processes God the Father through whoever our founding father was, in other words, our earthly father.  The foundation of your heart’s processing and view of life comes from those early interactions.  The good news is, even if you didn’t have a father present or maybe had a negative father, God is always able to rebuild that foundation.

What was your founding father like?  How were you treated and how do you perceive fathers?

These are super important questions to answer.  It may be hard to reflect and even harder to dig into the bank of your memories, but I promise, if you will muster up the courage to do so, then you will never regret it.

Today, I challenge you to search out the Father’s heart, but first search your own to see if you can receive the Father’s affection.  It just may be that God is pouring out love upon you and you are just not yet in a position to receive.

Ask God to peel back the layers of your heart to reveal the foundation.  What do you see?  Is it broken?  Is it on solid ground?  Does the foundation of your heart look dry and cracked?  Is it thriving?

Whatever you see, take it to the Father.  If your foundation looks and feels solid and refreshed, then praise God!  Thank Him for taking such good care of you.  If your foundation is withered or broken or dry, then thank God for revealing that to you and invite Him to come in and heal the brokenness and reestablish a firm foundation within you.

Lord, set my feet upon the Rock.  Establish Your rule and reign within my heart.  Let the foundation within me be solid and healthy.

For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.                               1 Corinthians 3:11 

My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.  Isaiah 48:13

And call no man your father on earth, for you have a Father, Who is in heaven.  Matthew 23:9

Father to the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation.  Psalm 68:5