I’ve noticed so many in the Christian faith trying to “update” the teachings of Christ.  I honestly don’t understand it at all.  It seems obvious to me that the God Who we celebrate for never changing, never changes. 

His teachings and precepts don’t transform just because culture demands it.  He is steady and the truth is and will always be the truth.

Just today I saw the pope again talking about changing doctrine.  Now, I’m not catholic, but I do remember when the pope’s words meant something and were much more solid.  Now his words mean nothing. 

I also saw the Methodist church is making large changes to itself.  This will undoubtedly cause another rift within it’s walls and those following Jesus will go one way while those following folly will go another, while calling themselves inclusive. 

It’s shocking to observe so many once trusted Christian voices, now be bearers of folly and lies.

But I hold to this scripture…

Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.  John 8:31-32

We must remain faithful to His teachings.  That’s the only path to freedom. 

All these fad beliefs will eventually fall away.  All the liars will one day be exposed.  Where will you be found?  Floundering in folly or steeped in truth. 

I want to remain faithful to His teachings.  He is God.  He is incapable of lying.  When we are on His side, then we are on the right side, no matter what the world says.

The Bible made it clear that we would be hated by the world.  So why do so many “believers” work so hard to transform their faith into something the world loves?

That’s a provoking question.

I’ve noticed that many, motivated to be seen as loving, are doing the most unloving thing you can do.  Trading truth for a lie.

Buffering people in their sin isn’t kindness, it’s hateful. 

Speaking the truth in love is kindness. 

Folly brings joy to one who has no sense, but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.  Proverbs 15:21

There is something wonderful about spending time with those who truly love you, and with those you truly love.  It’s such a warm comfort to be around people that make you feel valued and understood. 

When you’re around people you love, it doesn’t seem to matter what you are doing.  Whether it’s dinner at a fine restaurant or a burger from a dive, it’s fulfilling.  It’s the person who brings the value to the equation, not the location.

My whole life, I’ve valued one on one relationship.  I don’t love crowds.  In crowds there are too many things happening for my discerning personality.  It’s overwhelming.  I’d pick a solid one on one time with a true loved one over a group any day of the week.

When we’re young people focus more on how many and not the quality of one. 

I will forever choose the quality of one.  I love the following verse…

A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.  Proverbs 15:17

This is so true.  I’ve been on group events at beautiful places and thought, “I wish I was somewhere else.”  The value of a day is certainly largely based on who you are spending it with.

I could be rummaging through trash with my husband and still have loads of laughs and leave feeling joy.  On the other hand, I could be in paradise with someone I don’t like and wrestle with feeling miserable.  You know it’s true.

Small and genuine is how you’ll find my circle. 

I remember when social media began, and all the focus was on who had the most “friends”.  Now I find myself constantly unfriending people who try to rob my peace with things they say and do.  It’s just not worth it. 

Quality over quantity.  That’s always been the way.  That will never change.

I encourage you to evaluate your inner circle.  Is it full over erroneous relationships designed to make you feel more popular or is it soaked in quality?  It’s important to be honest with ourselves about our choices. 

More than once I’ve found myself entertaining more people than normal but having more of a disconnected feeling.  Those people didn’t value me and the effort I was putting into our relationship and once I realized that and stepped back, it was clear.  Then peace returned.

It matters how and with whom we spend our quality time with.

Have you ever met someone who seems to be determined to live in misery their whole life?  They receive a good thing, and instead of praising the Lord for it, they immediately begin to imagine what trouble could come next. 

I’ve noticed there are people who live lives full of constant trouble and dissatisfaction.  They see the bad in everything.  They are usually very suspicious people, and they are generally miserable to be around.  I’ve never quite understood it, but scripture mentions it and this tells me that people like this have always been around.

For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.  Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.  Proverbs 15:15-16

Despondent means: in low spirits from loss of hope or courage.

That’s pretty revealing.  It takes courage to believe in God’s goodness.  It takes courage to stop waiting for “the other shoe to drop” and simply live a life of joy.  Courage has many forms, and this is one of them.  Believing God.  Receiving His blessings.  Even finding the joy and lesson in difficult times takes courage.  This is the childlike faith lifestyle.  We do far better when we decide to trust God like children.  When we trust Him, we can receive His blessings with joy, not apprehension.  It’s a much better way to live. 

Yes, what I’ve learned is that much of our lives is simply a matter of attitude.

We decide what kind of life we will lead.  Do you want to have success and live a full life?  Then do it!  Successful people have one thing separating them from others, they have determined that their lives will be a success.  When I decide I’m going to be successful, then I look for evidence of success all around me and when I find some, I build upon it. 

We truly do build the lives we choose.

You’ve heard the saying, “My mind is made up”.  This is true.  We make up our minds to forge ahead successfully or to remain encumbered by past mistakes and difficulties.  We make up our minds to see lessons in our failures rather than allowing them to dictate further failure into our life.  We decide.

I guarantee if you were to observe a handful of successful people and a handful of destitute people, the thing you would find is that attitude was a crucial element in both outcomes.

We can decide to be defeated.  We can decide to fight another day.

Which do you choose?

Today is a great day to realign with the victory of the Lord.  God never loses.  When we walk in His presence we can be assured of victory, one way or another.  Take stock of your attitude and then ask God to align you with His heart for your life.  I promise you won’t regret it.

I sense a theme to this week’s devotionals.  I didn’t realize it until I began to type them out.

When I was younger, I really struggled with feeling lonely.  It was a spirit covering me in all I did.  In a crowd I felt lonely.  At home alone, I felt lonely.  Loneliness was a constant in my life.  I worked hard to be set free from that spirit of loneliness, but when we first moved here to Oklahoma, I felt lonely.  I wondered why.  I struggled to avoid it. 

I became involved in activities to fill the space.  Then I realized that loneliness is often not what it seems.  At times, it’s us being preoccupied with others. 

Yes, you read that right. 

When we are constantly feeling like we don’t measure up with anyone else.  When we constantly feel left out of activities.  When we feel lacking and it becomes a feeling of loneliness, then we might just be suffering from a fear of man. 

Today is a good day to evaluate your motivations.  Are you truly lonely, or are you just worried about what others think?

Being overly concerned with others is the enemy of living a satisfied life.  We all want to live satisfied lives. 

God’s thoughts are the only ones that should matter to us. When we are most focused on His heart for us and our family, then we find true contentment.  When we break off that fear of man and instead walking in the healthy fear of the Lord, we find freedom.  Freedom to be.  Freedom to create.  Freedom to explore.  Freedom to succeed.  Freedom to live on God’s terms.

I implore you to consider your motivations in life. 

This may feel harsh, but it’s the kindest thing I can do.  Ask you to evaluate your why.  Why do you do all the things you do? 

Are you motivated mostly by what others will think? 

I encourage you to be honest with yourself and if you are, then ask God to realign you with His heart.  Ask Him to restore your confidence in Him so you can break free from the fear of man.  It’s never too late.

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”  Matthew 12:25

Sovereign Lord, You are God!  Your covenant is trustworthy, and You have promised these good things to Your servant.  Now be pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever in Your sight; for You, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with Your blessing the house of Your servant will be blessed forever.”  2 Samuel 7:28-29

There’s another very valuable lesson I’ve learned over the last few years. 

I don’t owe access to my life to anyone.  It’s a privilege.  Not a right. 

I never have to divulge any part of my life to others that I don’t want to.  It’s not dishonest to not give all the details to people we don’t trust.  It’s not dishonest to have healthy boundaries around our lives. 

We should be mindful to not throw our pearls before swine. 

This is something I’ve thought about at great length. 

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shared something special with someone then immediately regretted it because they didn’t have the character to appreciate it. 

We pray about who we should marry.  We would be wise to do the same with our friends. 

It matters who you share your life with.  It’s important to guard your heart and the hearts of your family. 

It’s not wrong, it’s wise.

The social media era we live in encourages us to share every bit of everything with everyone.  That’s so foolish.

The more I’ve pulled away from social media the more content I’ve become.  The more sensitive to God’s voice I’ve been.  The more aware of the spiritual battles that are raging all around us.  Less is truly more when it comes to social media.  It’s breeding generations of self-important and narcissistic people.

We can be the change we want to see if we pull away from it and simply live our lives, right where we are. 

I often think of the curse of “influence” culture.  People seem obsessed with being influencers of all kinds…yet they neglect influencing those closest to them.  The ones in their homes. 

For the sake of applause people share far too intimate details of their lives with complete strangers simply because they are desperate to feel heard or to feel important. 

We must stop.

Take heed.

We must mind who mind’s our business. 

There are sacred moments that occur within our families.  These moments were never meant to be prostituted for likes and shares.  It’s time to circle the wagons around our families again.  It’s time to become loyal to our own family dynamic again.  It’s time to restore the family.

Family is the next revolution.

Today I encourage you to observe who you allow to have unfettered access to you and your family.  Are these wise decisions?  If not, ask God how to create a little distance in those relationships.   Then adjust your life to do so.  Making more room for God and less for distractions is always a good idea.

For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.  Hebrews 3:4

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.  Isaiah 32:18

I’ve discovered a kind of peace that I’ve longed for all my life.  I’ve found a place where our family is content and full of joy and a feeling of fullness.  I’ve found a place where we are enough without others, but others are still welcome to join.  It’s a certain kind of satisfied feeling.

I found this place when I stopped being concerned with other’s opinions and focused on the hearts within my own household.  The moment I stopped seeking man’s vision for our family and started to embrace God’s.

I honestly don’t believe we can unselfishly serve others until we first learn to do that within our own four walls.  It’s not different than ministry.  I believe nobody should be a ministry leader of any kind without first having a strong and developed character, and if married, a strong family unit. 

God then family.  No matter what.  No matter how eager others are to see you in leadership.  No true leader should desire to promote others until they see they have firmly established character and thriving home lives.

I believe this very unapologetically. 

I have still not seen a church led this way.  I believe it probably exists, it’s just that I’ve yet to experience it.

God led our family into this rhythm.  His word clearly states that elders should have established and healthy families. 

In our eagerness to encourage and promote, we’ve sabotaged so many peoples character development.  It’s a real shame.  We set them up for failure then act surprised when it happens. 

With this in mind, I want to challenge you to mind your own business.

What does this mean?

It means, take care of your family first.  Consider how each decision affects you and yours first.  Then once your family is well in hand, extend into the ministry of others. 

Ministry is an obvious overflow of healthy family.  We teach our family how to consider others’ needs.  We have shown them how to bless others.  They know how to celebrate each other, and others. 

Extending our hearts outside our home has been an intentional part of teaching our kids the Godly way. 

Consider yourself and your family.  Do you mind you own business?  What is your family dynamic like?  If you are single, then what does your secret life look like?

Be honest.  Have you neglected your family in an effort to be influential at church?  Or to make a name for yourself at church? 

I urge you to take a moment to think about these things with sincerity. 

It’s only from a position of truly being grounded in God that we know the best ways to serve others…without being manipulative or self-serving.  It’s only through God that we discover a way to bless others and not enable them or cause them to stumble.  So many of our best intentions can be manipulated by our own emotions into something that’s self-serving and not at all helpful to others.

When we partner with God to discover how to properly prioritize our lives, then we truly break through into profitable ministry.

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.  Proverbs 14:1

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.  Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.  Psalm 127:1

I remember listening to my grandparents and great aunts talk when I was younger.  They had many tales to tell.  They had wisdom, some folly, but a multitude of stories that told of the legacy our family held. 

It’s like they held a key, and once they died, this key was gone forever.  It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to know the true stories of the past.

I worry sometimes that now we are far too dismissive and disrespectful of the elderly. 

We need to wake up and see that only the enemy would motivate such a lackadaisical attitude.  Once the past is forgotten we are doomed to repeat it.

There is safety in knowing the truth about the past.  If we don’t know the truth, then we can be fooled by any variety of lies about it. 

Think about it. 

Have you ever wondered how people know certain things about ancient civilizations?  Most of it is from writings and hieroglyphics.  There was once a written tale.  But we also know that, as proven in Jesus’ time, that some people write things that aren’t true.  To cover things up or to influence culture in their way, there have always been those bent on lies. 

The enemy is the father of lies.

There are many who are being influenced by the enemy to encumber our future by re-writing the past. 

We need the wisdom of elders.  We need the wisdom and knowledge of the past. 

Let’s find wisdom again.  Let’s stop thinking we are so far superior to those in the past that we don’t need anyone.  What foolishness! 

Come to the cross.  Bring your pride.  Lay down your attitude of self-greatness.  Lean into the Heart that has been around since before time.  God eternal.  Our original Elder.  Lean in and hear the history of the earth and heaven whisper into your ears.  Find your purpose this day and partner with all who have gone before you and leave a legacy for those to follow.

We must unite the ages.

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him Who sits on the throne and Who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him Who sits on the throne and worship Him Who lives forever and ever.  They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.”  Revelation 4:9-11

Today while I was driving, I was thinking about church and God’s people.  I was thinking about how God created me to be such a practical person, well, in every way except when I interact with Him.  I have placed no limits on my time with Him.  I believe He can do all things and in any way He chooses…so in this way I’m completely impractical.  Then I realized that often God’s people are too afraid to be impractical.  That’s why it’s so hard to find a church that is really led by Holy Spirit.  That’s why it’s hard to find friends who operate in Holy Spirit.

From my experience, many people consider the freedom Holy Spirit operates within, to be a nuisance.  Too impractical to cooperate with during weekly church services.  I have had multiple pastors tell me they can’t allow Holy Spirit to move during Sunday service because they don’t want to scare away unbelievers and those who are not comfortable with Holy Spirit.  Can you even imagine?!

I cannot.

I know this, Holy Spirit draws hearts and changes people.  Those who I’ve seen be most open to Holy Spirit are often those who are either not saved yet, or are young and saved but don’t know a lot about God yet.

My big question is if we don’t have time for Holy Spirit then why are we even going to church?  If God can’t lead, I don’t want to be there.

I’m worn out with man’s plans.  I am weary with man’s expectations.  I am tired of my own expectations and plans.  I want Jesus.

If I can’t have more of Jesus, then I’m out.  If a service won’t allow time for the Spirit to move, I’m out. 

I know God desires to give us so much more than we are currently experiencing.  I know He is drawing deep unto deep.  I know He is the One giving me this absolutely unquenchable and dissatisfied thirst for more, for purity, for letting go of all the pretentious nonsense.  I can’t even with it anymore.

I feel my insides constantly reaching for something more.  What that more looks like, I don’t even know.  I only know that it exists.  I can’t live without more.  Can you?

I encourage you to become desperate today.  Search for the Lord while He may be found. 

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.  Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.  Isaiah 55:6-7

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 a rich inheritance on those who love Me and making their treasuries full.  Proverbs 8:17-21

Today I was spending some time with God and was thinking about the prayers I used to pray.  I was thinking about how weary I’ve grown in some of my prayers, because after many years they still seem unanswered. 

Don’t get me wrong, I pray daily.  About all kinds of things.  But you know that sometimes we all get weary of praying for the same things over and over.  It can sometimes feel like nagging.  So we give it a rest for a bit, but when we take a break from them we often forget.  It’s so easy to forget.

Today I saw myself sewing a large tapestry.  The scene couldn’t yet be discerned but I could tell it was a lifelong tapestry.  Then I noticed that each stitch I made was a prayer I prayed.  When I stopped praying, the tapestry was left unfinished.  When I began again, it was making progress.  Each stitch was from another prayer.  It was a work of art.

Then I realized what beauty God finds in the tapestry of my prayers.  But I also saw the sadness from all the tapestry’s that others have left undone.  I told God, “If my life is cut short, please let me hand over my needle and thread to my daughters and my sons.  That would be true legacy.  That would be an honor.”

We each have one of these tapestries. 

Our lives are meant to be lived in constant prayer.

Pray without ceasing, scripture tells us.  I believe it.  I do it. 

This entire encounter with God makes me even more determined to rediscover all the things I’ve forgotten to keep praying about.  It also provokes me to search out more things to intercede for.  It’s all a worthy work.  A worthy process.  A holy exchange.

Today I encourage you to revisit your tapestry.  Pick up your needle and thread and begin sewing in prayer again.  It’s not too late.  Search your heart for anything God places within you to pray.  Be bold.  Be brave.  Be relentless.  Be grateful.  Remember that each of your prayers is a beautiful stitch in the tapestry of your lifetime.  What a beautiful picture.

Worthy is the Lamb.  So worthy.  Only a kind Father would give us such opportunities to partner with Him.

I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.  My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Colossians 2:1-3

For years I’ve felt like worship in the church, and as a genre, had fallen away from its true purpose.

Wow, that’s a bold statement to begin our day with.

I can’t tell you how many times I was leading worship for a church service and suddenly would realize that it wasn’t really doing anything.  People had stopped truly worshiping and instead acted as though they were at a concert.  The heart of that body was moving away from Godly reverence to celebrating the leaders.  It grieved me to the point of making huge change.  Walking away.  Leaving it all behind and returning strictly to the quiet place.  Just me.  Just Him.  True worship.

True worship leaves me behind as I become wholly focused on God.  True worship causes me to stop thinking of myself and to only seek Him.  True worship is when I become so focused on God that I stop noticing others around me. 

It’s all about Him.  If it’s not, then we are worshiping something else.  Usually, ourselves.

Yes, I said it.  So much of current worship culture, in church and on the radio, worships self over God.

Worship wasn’t mean to be a business. It was meant to be an offering to God.  It’s us walking in our authentic purpose…we were made to worship.

If you are worshiping all the world should melt away.  It’s you and Him.  It’s you laying aside all pride and self-importance and saying, “God, You are worthy of it all.”

In this long season of refining, I have stopped using the bulk of the “worship” songs that I used to sing.  I just can’t stomach them anymore, as I realized they were so self-focused.  I just didn’t notice it originally because the church accepted them, and I naively believed that the church knew best.

I don’t believe that any longer.  I believe the bulk of the current church is living under deception and worship of self.

Is this a harsh word?  Maybe.  But it’s not untrue.  If it provokes one of you to consider the state of your heart, then it’s worth it to offend a few.  The cost of self-worship is far too high.  I don’t want any of us to pay it.

Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders.  And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb Who was slaughtered- to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”  And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea.  They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.”  And the four living beings said, “Amen!”  And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.  Revelations 5:11-14

The wild animals honor Me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to My people, My chosen, the people I formed for Myself that they may proclaim My praise.  Isaiah 43:20-21