Here we are at the end of another week.  God repeatedly told me to have another lighthouse devotional today.  So here we go.

Today, take some time and realign yourself with your word for the year again.  I know we’ve done this several times, but I think God’s trying to reiterate a point.  We have to continually remind ourselves of what He has promised.  If we don’t, then we could lose hope or forget it was His promise when it happens therefore robbing from Him the glory due His name.

So, look back to your word.  Like a lighthouse, you will see it sending light into your heart and mind.  Reflect on any fulfilled promises you’ve received this year already and thank God for those.  Now, consider the remaining promises, and thank God for what He is going to do.

His words are true.  He never fails.

Now I do want to take a moment to address one thing.  Sometimes, when we’ve heard a promise from God, we then “decide” the best way for that to happen.  Please be aware of this pitfall.  Don’t allow your earthly understanding to box in a promise.  He alone knows how and when He will fulfill His words.  What a privilege it was when He released a glimpse of His workings into your heart!  Remain in that state of awe and wonder as you yield the outcome to His hands alone.  Work with Him when He calls you to and if He doesn’t, then simply rest in the promise.

Everyday all you need to do is, whatever He says.  Nothing more and nothing less.  It’s in His hands.  So, yes, you should partner with Him.  But no, you shouldn’t begin to grab from His hands.

Now take some time and breathe in His promises.  Re-focus your gaze to His face and let the peace that surpasses all understanding wash away all fear and doubt.  He Who promised is faithful.

“To whom will you compare Me?  Or who is My equal?” says the Holy One.  Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:  Who created all these?  He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name.  Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.          Isaiah 40:25-26

For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.  1 Peter 1:24-25

 

 

(Note: As we enter into this new week, I will begin a study of the names of God.  Each day of next week will be a devotional on another name.  I hope you enjoy it!)

This week I had an encounter with the power of speaking the name of Jesus into a situation.

I had taken my two oldest to lunch because of an early dismissal at school.  We were enjoying our time together when suddenly I heard a scuffling noise and looked up just in time to see a man outside run up to a woman and begin to punch her in the face.  Immediately, I sprung up and began to quickly make my way to the altercation.  I was saying, “No!! No!!” as I practically ran through the shop.  When I neared the two scuffling, I had a split-second thought, “What am I going to do?  He is at least twice my size and I have nothing to help me, but the name of Jesus.”  That’s when I knew exactly what I would do.  I began to shout at the man, “Stop! In the name of Jesus, stop!!” After I yelled this twice, the man just stopped and started to walk away.  Others had come to the door by then and quickly pulled the woman inside and I stood outside with a few people watching the man.  At some point I knew my oldest son was right there by my shoulder and it brought me more comfort and courage.  Then he turned, very deliberately, back toward us and the woman.  I took a step forward and put out my hand and shouted, “NO!! Stop right now in the name of Jesus!!”  To my shock, he stopped and raised his hands to his side, as if in surrender.  We all stood there in awe for a second, then I saw something come over his face and he began to challenge me saying, “Who are you?” Then began to move forward.  Somewhere during this encounter, I heard the tiny voice of my daughter then saying, “Momma what’s going on?” Suddenly, I knew then I was to get out of the way and let someone else deal with it further.  The idea that my child was in danger was paramount.  The man ended up leaving and police came and took hold of things.

For the rest of the day, my two oldest and I struggled to process what had occurred.  But one thing was certain, we became very aware of the true power of standing firm on Jesus’ name.

My children ended up laughing as they re-enacted their momma storming through the restaurant to confront this “goliath” (that’s what they started calling him).  But the true beauty of it was they saw that I believe what I say I believe.  I believe there is power in the name of Jesus.  I believe He protects me.  I am certain no harm can befall me when I am standing in Him.  They saw the Lord move in power that day.  This was the opportunity of a lifetime.

There is power in the name of Jesus.

There is power in the name of Jesus.

I cannot recount how many times my prayers have been reduced to simply speaking, “Jesus, Jesus.” Over and over again.  I know there is power in His name.

I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You.  Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name- the name You gave Me- so that they may be one as We are one.  John 17:11

Have you ever used a GPS?  They are great, unless they lose signal and send the “recalculating” message.  If that happens while you are trying to navigate a city or time when you need to make a correct exit, then it can be a big problem.  This can also be a real problem if you didn’t realize it lost the connection, and you are happily driving ahead at normal speed only to realize much further down the road, you don’t know where you are anymore.

Have you ever been navigating life and somehow lost your connection with God?  Suddenly, you are traveling and realize you’re not hearing that still small voice that you once heard.  Or maybe you’ve made several decisions before you realized you no longer had a connection with Him.

What do you do?  It’s in these pivotal moments that we are defined.

It’s never too late to stop and allow God to reconnect with your heart.  His signal is never out of reach.

Take some time today and re-establish your connection with the Father.

I see you going into your quiet place and He’s already there waiting.  I see Him shining His light of love over you and suddenly you can see what, moments before, was obscured from your view.  He is loving you.  Right now, in the busy day to day, He is stable.  He is steady, watching over you and waiting for any moment that you will reach out to connect with Him.  Will you take that time today?

Will you take time to listen and receive, or will you continue to run Him over in your anxiousness to live out this day?  Yes, we can run right over the Lord in our effort to go and do our way.  He is steady.  He is stable.  A constant companion.  An endless Love.

Father, I come to You now and I lay before You all my steps.  Lord, recalculate this day and reset it in Your path and at Your pace.  I won’t demand for You to fit my timeline today, no I will wait on You.  You are worth my time.  You are worthy of every second spent in Your Presence.  Lord, You alone gave me life, now I give that life back to You.

Lord take me back into Your arms

Lord hold me close within Your wings

Lord set my heart aflame with passion

Lord lead me still where I should go, the way You alone will know

I surrender now my very breath, let it be filled with Your Righteousness

Lord take me back into Your arms, until my every storm is calmed

But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.  My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside.  I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.  But He stands alone, and who can oppose Him?  He does whatever He pleases. Job 23:10-13

This morning while on the treadmill, I was listening to a worship set from another church.  During a spontaneous worship moment, they started singing the kids song that says, “Our God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing our God cannot do.”  It really resonated with me in that moment and I flung my hands in the air as I sang and sang.

Then I saw God.  He stood up from His throne and began to dance as I continued to sing about His might!  I started to laugh out loud as I then saw Jesus and Holy Spirit, join hands with Him and they danced and danced in a circle joyfully.  It was amazing.

Today, I want to give you the opportunity to meditate on a few scriptures.  God does delight in you.  God does inhabit our praises.  If this feels like a stretch for you, and even if it doesn’t, I encourage you to read and re-read the following scriptures and let them wash away all of your doubt.  Let His words over you wash away all insignificance written on your heart.   Let the orphan spirit be completely removed from you today as you rest in the affection of the Father.  When He created, He looked at each thing and said, “It is good”.  These were His words upon your creation, as well.  Remember that today.  He loves you very much

God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.  And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.  Genesis 1:31

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.  Psalm 105:4

May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works- He who looks at the earth, and it trembles, Who touches the mountains, and they smoke.  I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  May my meditation be pleasing to Him, as I rejoice in the Lord.  Psalm 104:31-34

But You are a shield around me, O Lord; You bestow glory on me and lift up my head.  To the Lord I cry aloud, and He answers from His holy hill.  Psalm 3:3-4

His pleasure is not in the strength of a horse, nor His delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.  Psalm 147:10-11

But Thou art holy, O Thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.  Psalm 22:3

Recently I spent some time preparing to speak to the youth at our school, and in the middle of the night I woke up talking to God.  I was telling Him how hard it is sometimes because I see such hardness in some of their hearts.  Then I saw a brick wall and it started to rain.  God spoke, “Even brick can get wet.”  Then He showed me I was part of the process of them coming around to Him.  I don’t get to decide when or where they finally become soft, but I am to just rejoice in the privilege of participating in bringing some rain to their brick walls.

Wow.  That’s really something.

Ministry really is never about me.  If I’m really doing what He’s called me to do, then I will always be able to find myself coming around to this reality.  I’m not gonna lie, sometimes it’s a struggle to lay down my pride and make myself humble in the places where I lead.  As a person who is discerning, I am always well-aware of how people are perceiving or receiving me at any given moment, and it’s actually something I’ve had to spend time learning to navigate.  I cannot respond to every person’s whim.  Nor can I be subject to another’s disbelief.  I simply cannot bow to doubt.  But I am still always aware of it.

As a servant of Christ, I am only responsible to do my part.  Sometimes that “part” seems less glamourous than others.

But as long I as live I will be pouring out the water of Holy Spirit into any place I can go.  I will pour out that water in every store I walk into, into every hallway of our school, into the recesses of my church, and around the entire property on which I live.  I will pour out everywhere and at every opportunity.

You never know what season of someone’s life your pouring into, but one thing is certain, it’s never ever a waste of time.

For I will pour out water on the thirsty land and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants.  Isaiah 44:3

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.  John 4:13-14

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  1 Corinthians 3:6-8

There are times when I have so much going on that I don’t have time to sit at the piano and worship like I normally do.  Everyday, no matter what I’m doing, I am listening to worship music and having quiet time in the mornings, but I’ve learned I really need the release and interaction of my fingers tickling the ivories and God pouring out His Spirit over me.

This morning, after missing a couple of days, I sat at the keys and began to play.  Immediately, I felt a gentle rain begin to fall on my shoulders.  He had been waiting for me all along.  I felt quickly refreshed as I played the songs He had put on my heart to lead for worship at church this Sunday.  I hadn’t realized it before this moment, but each of the songs was a proclamation of His goodness and faithfulness, and I really needed to remember that because of where I am right now.  As I walk out some struggles and stretching in my life right now, Abba is pouring out songs that tell Him my heart and remind me of what I need to continue believing, even without me knowing.  If that’s not intimacy, then I don’t know what is.

I arose from the piano bench and felt a renewed sense of the Father’s pleasure and a keen feeling of how much attention He pays to me.  It’s really something, the King of the universe knows my every thought, and cares enough to show me how I’m feeling even when I don’t know.  He leads me to songs that will boost my faith and help me walk a little further.

I encourage you to go to your “watering hole” today.  Wherever it is that God is always waiting for you.  If you don’t yet have a place, then I encourage you to ask God where it might be.  You need to have an “always” place.  A place where you know no matter what, He will meet you there in a very real and intimate way.  I have a couple of such places, and they truly help steady my life, because I can count on Him to always be present there to minister to me.

Today, I pray a release of the gentle rain over you.  Abba, I ask that You lead each person who reads this to a place where You have already arranged to release Your refreshing rain over them.  Wash away their fears and disappointments.  Fill them from the inside with renewed strength and passion.  Jesus, walk with each of my friends today.  Thank You for being so near.  Thank You for being so gentle. In Jesus name, amen.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.  The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.  With joy you will draw from the wells of salvation.  Isaiah 12:2-3

You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down.  Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it.  Isaiah 45:8

When You went out before Your people, O God, when You marched through the wasteland, the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.  You gave abundant showers, O God; You refreshed Your weary inheritance.  Psalm 68:7-9

Recently I was thinking about something.  My husband’s name is Chris, not Christopher and my dad’s name is Joe, not Joseph.  Anytime I speak to someone for an appointment or home loan or business activity, I have to correct people because inevitably they say, “So your husband’s name is Christopher?”.  Then I reply, “No it’s just Chris.”  Every single time they question me about it as if I don’t really know my own husband’s name.  It’s funny.

What does this have to do with anything, you may be asking?  Well, it made me think of a correlation.  Not every person whose name is Chris, is a Christopher.  Not every person whose name is Joe is a Joseph.  Likewise, not every good singer is called to be a worship leader and not every good musician is called to the worship team.  Not every good speaker is called to be a pastor.  Not every good listener is called to be a counselor.  Not every good cook is called to be a chef.  Some are called to lead, all are called to serve.  Some are called to support, all are called to be humble.

We all, no matter what our gifting is, need to spend time in God’s presence to discover where and how He wants us to serve and use that gift.  I believe a lot of the gaps in ministry would be filled if we weren’t all trying to fill the same one.  If you have a gifting use it, but first ask God where and how He would have you do so.  I’m not led by my gifting, I’m led by my Father.

We’ve spoken about this some previously, but since it came up again I felt God wanted to speak on it a second time.

Friend, have you spent time with the Father and asked Him where and how He wants you to serve?  Do you simply serve where it’s easiest?  Because sometimes, I feel it’s hard so we can develop character.  Do you serve only where you perceive the popular ones serve?  If so, it’s time for a solid heart check.  Do you serve to be seen?  Oh, friend, if that’s you it’s time to step aside and ask God what is missing or hurt inside your heart that is causing you to “need” the limelight.

These are hard questions, and honestly, it’s hard for me to so blatantly point these things out, but I’ve been seeing this in God’s heart a lot lately.  I encourage you to once again go before the Throne and search out God’s heart for you.  He has created you on purpose and for a purpose, you wouldn’t want to waste your whole life pouring into the wrong place, would you?

God, open my eyes.  Show me where and how You want to use me.  Help me not be afraid to take the road less traveled.  Help me to embrace obscurity when necessary.  Place inside of me a servant heart, like Jesus had.  Make me so confident in Your love and affection for me, that I don’t search for it from the world.  Let me be solid in You alone.  I adore You.  I am Yours, in Jesus name, amen.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.            1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.  If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.  To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.  Amen.  1 Peter 4:10-11

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I feel like I’m itching to share with the world.  At times, when I hear from God, I feel an aching deep inside to share it immediately.  I believe when God touches us in the place we are created to have a voice in the world, we can be brimming with excitement to share.  Unfortunately, I’ve learned the hard way that sharing with everyone isn’t always the right response.  Sometimes, He shares with us in those deep places, simply to let us know Him better.  He uses it to try to connect with us more intimately.  When we rush out to share with the world, sometimes we rob ourselves, and Him of what could have been an intimate moment of connection with Him.

I’ve also been guilty of hearing part of a word from Him and getting so excited that I run off and tell anyone who will listen, but later realize He wasn’t finished speaking to me.  How sad is that?  It’s like listening to part of a story my husband is telling me and then speaking over him as he is trying to finish.

Other times God has shown me what is happening inside of another person, and I have learned He doesn’t always do that so we go and point out their flaws to them.  Sometimes, He calls us to speak directly with people, but more often He calls me to point out the good inside of a person instead.  He often has me “call out” whatever good thing He has placed inside of a person so they can begin to move toward that.  In other words, He often shows me the gold inside a person.  He often has me speak a word of life over them.  But I would never know, if I only listen when He shows me the mess He’s pulling them out of first.  No, I am learning to stop and listen.  I am learning to listen and keep listening until I am certain He has spoken all He wants to say.

What I’m getting at is we all need to discover the art of listening.  We all need to learn the fruit of the spirit….called self-control.

In our world today, it seems as if the words self-control is so taboo.  As if somehow, we don’t need to exercise it anymore.  “Exercise”, yes that’s the perfect word.  We must begin to exercise self-control.  Like a muscle we need to discover the strain of sometimes saying, “No” to things.  We also need to learn how to turn away from things that have the potential to rob from our purpose and calling in life.  They are not always bad things, but unnecessary and possibly distractions intended to de-rail us from God’s plan for us.

Today, take a minute and ask God to show you any areas where you are weak in self-control.  I’m pretty certain we all have some.  Then ask Him to help you exercise that place.  Let Him lead you toward growing with conviction to stand firm against distractions and unnecessary things.  Give Him permission to challenge your weaknesses.  He is the ultimate “Trainer”.  He knows exactly how to increase your strength.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.  2 Timothy 1:7

Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.  Proverbs 16:32

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.   Proverbs 25:28

The other day while out for a walk, I saw myself crouched down as if I was enduring a contraction.  I was holding in a squatted position and focusing on breathing regularly.  Then I heard, “Take it one contraction at a time.”  Then I saw this process of writing a year of devotionals.

For a while I thought the birth was coming at the beginning of this process, how naïve I was.  I didn’t realize that God has spent years cultivating a steadfast spirit within me so I could weather a year of labor.  I didn’t realize that as I write these devotionals I would face such challenges in life.  But I suppose if everything was easy, anyone would do it, right?

This year has been glorious and so hard already.  We are only in April and I feel like I’ve lived a year already.  Right now, our family is facing huge changes and God spoke to me on multiple occasions that He is teaching me to trust Him in a new way.

So I face each day, one contraction at a time. I face writing each devotional, one contraction at a time.

You can’t skip the birth process.  It’s impossible.  Before I gave birth the first time, I walked out an adoption process (that ironically lasted 9 months) and discovered the commitment and bond that is created through this process.  We bond with those for whom we fight.  We need the bonding process to occur because once the “birth” happens, the story is only beginning.  So much will be weathered.  So many triumphs and failures and emotions.  You need a solid foundation to weather so much life.

Having the commitment of writing a devotional for every day of 2018, is certainly a commitment.  But it all started with trust.  I had to trust, right from the start, God would give me things to say.  This is led by His Spirit, so I knew I would need to remain intentionally connected.

Are you walking out a season of birth?

Are you challenged to continue as each contraction washes over you with intensity and purpose?

Don’t give up!  Relax into it.

God, sometimes life is so uncomfortable and downright painful.  Instead of pretending that it’s not, I commit to confessing my full heart to You, and allowing You to comfort me.  I know You can handle the full scope of my emotions, so I won’t hide a single one.  I know You can handle my disappointment, so I will confess it.  You know when I struggle with anger, so I won’t pretend.  Lord, I trust You enough to be myself right in front of You, and I know You love me enough to begin to change the things inside of me that need to be transformed.  I also know You will not walk me through this labor process and deliver a still-born dream.  No, I know I am laboring toward a dream that will be full of life and promise!  Thank You.  You are so faithful.  In Jesus name, amen.

Therefore, we will not fear though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.  God is within her, she will not fall.  God will help her at break of day.  Psalm 46:2-5

Today, I was thinking about relationships and co-dependent personalities (as I am a recovering co-dependent haha)…..and I had this thought strike me like an arrow.

It’s hard for me to stand my ground or state my position if I don’t trust the other person to weather the storm of disagreement with me.  Oftentimes, I am afraid to speak out and even defend myself because I don’t want to be abandoned by someone.  I don’t want to lose the relationship.  So, in an unhealthy act, I would lay down my idea or my position to appease another person.

But, I have discovered how terribly unhealthy this is, not only for me, but for the other person as well.  Nobody benefits from thinking they are always right, or more important than all others.  Additionally, nobody has much respect for a “people pleaser” either.  No, usually pleasers are sucked dry by the more dominant personalities they interact with and later in a storm of bitter pent up anger they lash out and finally state their position, but by then it’s really too late for it to not cause a lot more damage than it would’ve if they’d just been honest from the start.

Here’s where I am with this, if a person in my life is so determined to be “right” that I am not allowed to have an opinion, then I probably don’t need them in my life anymore.  Not in some dramatic “break up” scenario, but in a drawing back and letting go situation.  Likewise, I need to find the courage to speak when I need to speak.  I need to value myself enough to know my opinion and heart matter.

What I’m looking for in life and friendship are people who are committed to walking out life with me, and I with them.  Someone who I can disagree with but remain loving towards.  Relationships where neither of us is required to conform to the other, but rather we celebrate our differences and embrace our similarities.  I don’t need you to be like me.  I don’t want to be like you. I want to discover the strength of us each being ourselves.

In this world, as it is today, there is a fake freedom.  People pretend to be open to other’s differences, but if we’re being honest, I think we would confess that’s largely untrue.  People seem to be ok with you being you if they agree with it.  That’s not freedom.  In this world of social media relationships, we’ve developed a disconnect with real relationship.  Instead, we’ve entered a world where friendships end with a click of the button, no heart needs to be involved.  And certainly, no responsibility for how that “unfriend” click is received.

You may be asking yourself, “Why is she going on and on about this?”

Well, if our relationships on earth have become so fickle, then how can we even begin to walk out commitment with God?

If we are largely in relationships only because they benefit us and flatter us somehow, then how do we walk out character building?

We need to think about these things.  Look around your life and ask, “Am I committed?” and “Do I only allow relationships in my life because they affirm me, alone?”  “Am I adding anything to those around me, or only taking?”

These are tough questions, but necessary.

I have certain people in my life, whom I trust so much (because we’ve walked through many phases of life) that I expect them to stand up to me if I am headed in a wrong direction.  I expect them to challenge me if they see me being led astray.  I long for accountability.  I long for relationships ripe with commitment on both sides.  Don’t you?

There was a season of my life when God showed me He wanted to have influence in who I became friends with, and ever since then I have committed all my relationships to Him.  This has led to some great friendships and a lot of growth. It has also led me to being willing to walk away from potential relationships (even if I really want them) because He says, “No”.  I encourage you today, invite God into your friendships and ask Him to show you where to commit.  Once He does, follow His lead and let Him build character in you through walking out life with the people He’s drawn to you.  Likewise, be willing to let unhealthy relationships go.  They can crowd out the good work He’s trying to do inside of you.

God, I surrender all my life to You, this includes my friendships.  Lord, remove any friendship from my life that isn’t supposed to be, and bless all relationships that You have intended for me to have and maintain.  I surrender myself to Your growth process.  Teach me to walk out commitment.  I long to be more like You, in Jesus name, amen.

But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the ways which I command you, that it may be well with you.  Jeremiah 7:23

Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the Lord our God to Whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the Lord our God.     Jeremiah 42:6

But your hearts must be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands, as at this time.  1 Kings 8:61