But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. 

My question, or challenge to you today is, what wisdom do you operate from?  Do you use the wisdom of the world or the wisdom described in the Bible?  It is first of all pure.  The last time you sought out wisdom in a tough situation, was your first thought to keep your heart pure?

Then peace-loving.  Do you live out of peace?  When faced with a conflict or difficult decision do you put peace before your rights?

Considerate, submissive, full of mercy……Is this starting to sting?

Good fruit.  Our wisdom should bear good fruit.  Our daily walk should be full of promised land sized fruit.

If you are reading over this description and thinking, “I don’t feel any of that.  My life feels stressed and from one obstacle to the next.”  Then it’s time to ask God for His wisdom to invade your life.   The Lord gives wisdom very differently than the world.  It’s easy to get swept up in pride, masquerading as wisdom.  Just because you yell louder or talk more, doesn’t mean you are wise.  I seek to move past fake wisdom and into the true wisdom of heaven.

Oh Lord, tune my ear to hear Your grace.

Living from God’s wisdom will take deliberateness on your part.  It’s not for the faint of heart.  It’s for the strong.  Those who were willing to be forged in the fires we spoke of earlier in the week.

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.  Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.  Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom.  Though it cost all you have, get understanding.  Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you.  She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.  Proverbs 4:5-9

Did you read that?  Wisdom will protect you.  Wisdom will watch over you.  Let that sink into your heart and mind.

Lord, let Wisdom set a guard around my life.  Teach me to follow the path of Wisdom.  Let Her watch over me.  Teach me to embrace Wisdom, that I may walk closer to You.  You are the path of Wisdom.  To You I hold.

(The verses below are from Wisdom’s Call in Proverbs)

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.  With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.  My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.  I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.  Proverbs 8:17-21

Another aspect that I perceive from the forging process is this, anything that can’t withstand the fire doesn’t need to be a part of you.  I keep hearing the word “sleg”.  I looked up the meaning and it’s bad, foul, decayed…..you get the idea.  I was thinking that anything that comes off you during the forge is sleg.

I believe sometimes we are forged to be strengthened, but also to remove negative things.  To be purified.

How open are you to God when He needs to point out flaws within your heart?  Are you willing to invite His gaze upon you so that you can allow Him to remove anything from within you that doesn’t need to be there?   We all have stuff.  But what I’ve observed in many people is they often dismiss their flaws by saying, “That’s just how I am.”  That statement never sits well with me.  I feel as followers of Christ, we should be in a constant growth process and I don’t want to accept anything less than being totally refined.  I realize the process will literally take a lifetime, but I never want to get comfortable with my flaws.

I’m not talking about driving yourself crazy trying to be perfect.  I’m just saying I don’t want to “own” my flaws as something that cannot be changed.  No, I’d rather see my flaws and daily give God access to mold and change that part of me so I can be more like Him.

I want to be like Jesus, don’t you?

Take a moment and ask God to pour His refining fire over you heart.  I see a blacksmith with the hot liquid pouring out.  Does it seem to burn anywhere?  Let any impurities be burned away and let them leave your spirit as the Father of lights brings wholeness to the place it used to live.  We were not meant to walk out fear, jealousy, loneliness, anger, selfishness, etc.  Let God’s loving gaze pour over that place and ask Him to come and fill the emptiness you are trying to cover up by using negative emotions and habits.  We often use negative things to keep people from knowing us.  You can choose to be known today.

God, I give You full access to me.  I choose today, to let my guard down wherever I’m using a negative emotion or behavior to strong arm You and others away from me.  I know I can trust You.  I know my mess doesn’t scare or intimidate You.  Thank You for loving me in ways that only You can.  You are worthy.  You are worthy of my whole being and my whole life. I love You, in Jesus name, Amen.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  1 Peter 1:6-7

Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.  Daniel 11:35

Have you ever felt you were being forged in the fire? Have you ever felt life pressing in on you in such a way that you are certain you will be changed when it’s all said and done? Have you ever felt like your soul is screaming for relief, and then a moment comes when that scream of helplessness becomes a cry of victory and an unwillingness to be defeated by the world?  That shift in your heart and soul when you discover a stream of strength that was tucked deep in the caverns of your soul?  Would you have ever found it if life was always easy?  Aren’t you glad you found it?

I looked up a description of the forging process and discovered that forging produces a piece that is stronger than a machined part.  When the metal is shaped during forging, its internal grain texture is changed.  It sounds to me like it strengthens the part from the inside out.

We must be forged in the fire if we are to withstand the pressures and temptations of this life.

My grandparents lived through the great depression.  My grandmother would occasionally talk about what life was like during that time, but not often.  I could tell it was so hard and seemed unworthy to bring into remembrance.  But they lived through it and were likely stronger because of it.  My mom has walked out some extremely challenging life situations during her life, and none were of her own choosing.  But now, she is one of the strongest people I know.  Life brought some hard situations my way too, some of my own consequences and others put upon me, but none defeated me.  I have something so solid in my heart and soul that I am aware God has made me moldable to Him, but unbreakable to the world.  It’s beyond stubbornness, it’s a God forged part of my character.       I fully intend to carry on the legacy of my family line by not only being a survivor, but always finding a way to thrive.  That character was only burned into me from being forged in the fire. And the courage to withstand the forging came from knowing my mom and grandmother had already withstood the flames.

This came partly from deciding not to turn away from a challenge.  It came from not being a victim.  It came from countless hours on my knees before the Father and at the piano worshiping my heart into a place of surrender.

Even now, while walking out the unknown, I am forcing my heart to stay steady on God.  I am completely honest with God about how I am feeling, but I’m making daily decisions to remain grateful and to remember His promises over my life.

Have you been forged in the fire?

It’s hot and it’s uncomfortable.  At times I have felt like I would literally die, but just then Relief comes.

This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold.  They will call on My name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’  Zechariah 13:9

For You, O God, have tested us; You refined us like silver.  You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.  You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.  Psalm 66:10-12

I have been thinking about my ideas and plans for life.  Scripture says: Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”  Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.  What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

Often without meaning to do so, we begin to plan God out of our lives.  With well meaning hearts we sometimes decide what God’s best is for our lives and refuse to listen to the still, small voice inside that is directing us in a way that maybe we find offensive or discouraging, even though it’s the voice of Wisdom.

I am increasingly aware of my challenges with hearing God say things I don’t really desire to hear.  Have you been guilty of this as well?

When God seemingly changes direction, I often feel it’s because I have done something wrong.  Why would I feel this way?

Change in our life keeps us from getting stuck in a rut.  It helps us to not confine God to a box.  It is necessary.

Change.  It can seem like a cuss word.  Can’t it?

Do you trust God in your ever-changing seasons?  Are you willing to remain flexible?

I know we’ve looked at this verse before, but God is saying it again…..

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Our God desires such close intimacy with us that He will keep things flowing so you must listen and be near.  Isn’t it often when we feel we have a good hold of life, we draw further away from Him.  It’s foolishness.  Choose today what is better, intimacy with the Father.  Take a minute and go before Him.  He is here.  He longs for you.

God, forgive me for the times I have become inflexible for one reason or another.  I want to always heed Your voice.  Let my ears ever be tuned for Your slightest sound.  You alone are God.  I am Yours.  In Jesus name, Amen.

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He.  Before Me no god was formed nor will there be one after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from Me there is no savior.  I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—I, and not some foreign god among you.  You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.”

Today as we focus on these verses, I hope you will see you were created to be a witness.  You are a witness to the world that He is God.

You may be asking, “How do I witness to the world?”

It’s simple really, just walk in the fruit of the Spirit.  Where the world would act in hate, you respond with love.  When the world is bitter, be full of joy.  Where fear abounds, walk in peace.  When confronted with a quick-tempered person, respond with patience.  When someone is rude to you, respond with kindness.  When someone cheats, act in goodness.  If a person is unfaithful, be faithful still.  Where the world pushes and bullies, be gentle.  And finally when the world says, “I do whatever feels good.”, you can respond by demonstrating self-control.

You are a witness, if you’re not a witness for God, then I imagine you are witnessing for the enemy.

I want to shine God’s light and love into the earth to drive out all darkness, don’t you?

It all starts with a hundred tiny yeses.  It continues with acting in the opposite spirit of the world like we listed above.  It ends with an endless outpouring of His spirit into your life.  And every day the cycle continues.

Lord, give me the wisdom, humility and restraint to demonstrate the fruit of Your Spirit to the world today.  Let me be so full of You that I leak into the world.  Fill me to overflowing and tip me over to spill out the goodness of Your mighty name to the ends of the earth!  You alone are worthy.  You alone are righteous and holy.  I want to walk in You today.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.  Galatians 5:22-26

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave himself for me.  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.  Galatians 2:20-21

O Lord, be gracious to us, we long for You.  Be our strength every morning, our salvation in the time of distress.  At the thunder of Your voice, the peoples flee; when You rise up, the nations scatter.  Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts; like a swarm of locust, men pounce on it.  The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.  He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. 

I wanted to take time this morning to meditate on the above scripture.

Today, I see you allowing this verse to root you in the Lord and His sovereignty in your life.  Life is much easier and less stressful when we stay rooted in Him and His promises.  It’s good to begin our day longing for the Lord.

So, this morning as you get ready to start the day, focus on Him as your strength.  Now remember Him as your salvation in times of trouble.  Acknowledge that authority of His voice and how all creation responds to hearing Him speak.  Imagine yourself lacing up boots that enable you to walk out the day on His firm foundation.  Now, I see a door and behind it is the storehouse of salvation, wisdom and knowledge.  Remember the fear of the Lord is your key.

What is the fear of the Lord?

I believe it’s walking in true acknowledgment of Who He is and the magnitude of His awesome power.

Let His faithfulness kiss you this morning.  Don’t head out into the world until you feel hope bloom in your heart.  You may have to wait for a bit, but it will be worth it.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40-31

Now look to this scripture.  Place all your hope in Him this morning.  Do you have an obstacle in your day or life and you feel it’s hopeless?  If you will hope in the Lord, He will strengthen you.  Have you been struggling with disappointment?  Ask God to breathe on you so you can soar like an eagle today, above all the troubles of the world.  Do you have a big life decision to make?  He will sustain you through the season and you will not grow weary or be faint.

Trust.

Trust is the key to joy.  I read that recently, and it really resonated with me because God had just been showing me that I was struggling to rejoice over some things because I was always trying to go ahead of His leading and plan everything out immediately.

When I walk at God’s pace I never grow weary.  When I don’t charge ahead of Him, I arrive just in time.  The waiting is less if I walk in His stride.

Won’t you align yourself with Him this morning?

Let Him set the pace and guide your steps.

Following our reading and devotional from yesterday, you may be asking how to continue to move forward and not forsake the promise.  Let’s look at God’s words to Joshua.

After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead.  Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them- to the Israelites.  I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.  Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates- all the Hittite country-to the Great Sea on the west.  No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.  As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.  Be strong and very courageous.  Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:1-9

Go through and count how many times, in this one tiny portion of scripture God told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous”.  I believe He was trying to make a point.

The only way to move forward into our promise is to be strong and courageous.

Friend, you were not created to live in defeat.  You were not created to tremble in fear at every turn.  NO! You were called to be strong and courageous, just like Joshua.

For you Biblical scholars, I am fully aware God was talking directly to Joshua, but I will be honest, I believe every promise in the Book is mine.  Is it in line with God’s character for me to live a strong and courageous life?  Yes.  Is it in line with God’s character for me to walk in the fullness of my salvation and His blessing over my life?  Yes.

Knowing that, along with the fact that God has directly given me this word to hold as my own, I will walk in full confidence that I am strong and courageous, and I will see the fullness of my promised land.

Has this reading stirred your spirit today?  I hope it has.  Let God continue to stir that deep place inside of you.  That place that longs to live a full life.  A life without compromise.  A life that reaches for more even if everyone around you is satisfied with settling.

Take a minute and meet with God.  Ask Him to give you a glimpse of your promised land.  Not as you imagine it, but as He does.  Let that sink into your heart.   Will you believe Him?

Spend some time today, soaking in that promise.  He Who began a good work will be faithful to complete it.

Yesterday while running, I saw a large land.  I knew the land right past the river was the promised land, but I saw many different family units stopping just short of entering and settling.  They were setting up homes and lives just outside of God’s promise.  Only a few were strong and courageous and went after the full blessing of the Lord.  Don’t get me wrong, the land outside the promise was still pretty and it felt safe, but it wasn’t living in the fullness.  Man, I want to live in the fullness.  I want the whole promise.

I have always been an “all or nothing” type of personality.  I have just a few friends because I am all in when I befriend someone.  In marriage, I’ve been fully committed to not only staying married, but living the best life we can together.  As a parent, I am constantly striving to become better.  To know my kids better and learn better ways of shepherding their little hearts.  In worship, well, I think anyone who has watched me worship would never say I am not all in.  I worship with every fiber of my being, whether I’m alone at home or even the only one in the crowd worshiping in the fullness.  So, when it comes to believing, embracing and walking in God’s blessings, I am all in.

I don’t want to only live on the outskirts of the land flowing with milk and honey.  No, I want to be in it.  I want to walk with God.  I want to see how His mighty hand will move in my life when I choose Him.  I am all in.

During this particular season of life, being all in means walking out on the water with no clue what’s ahead of me.  Nowhere in sight do I see how God will provide.  I only know He will.  The funny thing is, as I have surrendered and made conscious decisions to remain at rest, He has skillfully orchestrated every step.  I only need to stay right with Him, not charging ahead and not lagging behind, but right by His side.

Are you willing to allow God to orchestrate your steps even when you can’t see ahead?  Even when it all seems scary and life as you know it is at risk?  I never want to hold so tight to what I have and where I am, that I miss out on something better He wants to give me.  We don’t always move forward because what we have is bad, no sometimes we give up something good for something better.

God, right now I surrender to partnering with Your best plan for me and my family.  Lord, forgive me for anytime I have allowed fear to take the wheel.  I give You full control of my life and my family.  I relinquish my post at the helm and ask You to be my Captain.  I know You are a good Captain and will watch over me.  I am fully surrendered.  I am Yours.  I love You, in Jesus name, Amen.

The story below is a continual reminder to me about not settling.  I don’t want to miss out on anything, I want the promise!!

They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran.  There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.  They gave Moses this accout:  “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey!  Here is its fruit.  But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large.  We even saw descendants of Anak there.  The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.  Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”  Numbers 13:26-30

When we face challenges in life, especially as believers, we can often think we’ve done something wrong and God is punishing us.  But in my experience, I’ve learned that’s not normally the truth.  Actually, I believe He allows certain things to happen, so He can cultivate us and grow our character.

As a parent I have become increasingly aware of the necessity to let my kids walk out challenging situations.  My first response is often to try and “soften the blow”, but many times God has called me out on that and shown me He was planning to use the situation to build their character and draw them into a closer relationship with Him.  I wonder, sometimes, how often we parents knock away the hand of Holy Spirit as He’s trying to do the intimate work within our kids, only to later wonder how our kids got so screwed up.  Never realizing we were partly to blame because of our “loving” interference.

Several times as a parent, I have had to hold one of my kid’s hands as they walk through an unjust situation.  What I’ve learned to do though, is stand far enough away so God has ample room to do His work within them.  Even with my husband I’ve had to learn how to stand out of God’s way as He’s working on and growing Chris.

And then there’s me, I’ve had to learn that just because a situation becomes hard or unpleasant, doesn’t mean I need to escape it.  No, I need to press into the Father so I know when to stay and when to walk away.  Without enduring multiple situations of extreme discomfort, I don’t know if I’d be who I am today.

What am I saying?

The work of creating character within a person is a hard work.  It can be uncomfortable and seem downright unbearable, but that doesn’t make it unnecessary.

Man, the church (universal) needs character now more than ever.  We need to learn how to weather a storm, not just avoid it.  We need to exercise our spiritual muscle, not just wait for God to deliver us.  I mean, God delivers us, but sometimes He puts us in situations that require us to flex a little muscle.

Come on! Let’s get busy growing.  Let character development run its course.  Don’t be afraid of hard things.  Don’t be afraid to let Him move you out of your comfort zone.  Are you ready?

God, please forgive me for anytime I have avoided Your character building hand in my life.  I pray You would make me more aware of how and when You are moving so I can cooperate with You.  Lord, forgive me for anytime I have blocked Your hand from moving in the lives of my loved ones.  I don’t ever want to stand in the way of what You’re doing.  Lord, forgive me for times when I’ve stood in Your way.  I give You freedom to move in me and in those around me, even if it’s uncomfortable.  I trust You.  I know Your plans for me are good.  I love You, in Jesus name, Amen.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us; because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the holy Spirit, Whom He has given us.  Romans 5:3-5

Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:2-4

 

Did you know God wants to draw you out into deep waters?  Did you know He does this so we can learn how to rely on Him as our only hope?

The longer I walk in full surrender with the Father, the deeper He takes me.  I know what it is to walk out situations that appear impossible.  To know that my only solution is to have God divinely intervene.  To truly know and believe that God is my only Hope.

This is the life I now lead.  Lately, I’ve encountered several life challenges where I have had no other recourse, but to say, “God, You are the only way out of this.  I can’t make anything happen, but You can and if You don’t I have no way out.”

Are you willing to live this way too?

Today is an invitation.  God is calling you out into the waters.  The deep, deep waters.  Past where your feet can touch and into the depths of the ocean where there is no land in sight.  Will you go?

So often we love to talk about how God delivers us and provides for us, etc.  But if our life is void of any risk, ever, how will we truly know we believe that?

I’m not really talking about intentionally walking out, but I am talking about letting the God of adventure call you out into the depths.  When’s the last time you went on an adventure with God?

How about today?  Why not now?

If you are willing, ask God to lead you into a new adventure.  Ask Him to give you new levels of courage and bravery.  Are you willing?

God, I am willing to go on an adventure with You.  I don’t want to live out the status quo and die never having tried new things or experienced the impossible.  My walk with You is an unending adventure.  Thank You.  Remove all fear from my life.  Give me courage to stand and boldness to go where You send me.  Thank You for always keeping me safe in adventure.  In Jesus name, amen.

When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the Lord, Your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior.  Isaiah 43:2-3a

“Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to You on the water.”  “Come,” He said.

But now, Lord, what do I look for?  My hope is in You.  Psalm 39:7

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. 2 Corinthians 2:14