I’ve had lots of conversations with people about the promises of God.  I’ve given and received many prophetic words, read promises in scripture, and heard them in sermons.  One thing I’ve noticed, and it grieves my heart, is how many people begin to value the gifts of God over God Himself.

Isn’t that a tragedy?

Can you imagine how you would feel if your family began to value you only for the presents you brought them?  Imagine if every time you saw them or talked on the phone, their first words were demands for gifts. 

I wonder how often all of our conversations with God are just like this.

This is a very convicting thought, even to me.  It stings a little.

In the same way that God doesn’t value our works over our hearts, we should value Him over what He brings to us. 

His word is not more valuable than Himself.

If we are honest, I believe we would all admit that at times we want from God more than we want Him.

It’s a sad fact.  But we can always change.  It’s never too late to recalibrate our relationship with God. 

I encourage you to begin to notice how you approach God.  Do you first recite your laundry list of requests, or do you first come to Him and simply sit in His presence and wait?  Do you let Him know how thankful you are and then after sitting and thanking…present your requests?

Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-7

It’s good and right to bring your requests to God…it’s just also good to remember to come before Him with thanksgiving.  To come to Him simply to be with Him.  To spend time with Him, not just to get things, but to simply be.

I encourage you to take some time right now and sit in His Presence.  Invite Him to come and then just be still and quiet.  Let Him have the opportunity to speak first.  Let Him have the opportunity to lead the conversation.  You never know what you may learn during this time.  Revelation is likely to come.  Peace will surely be there.  Fullness will be the result.  Then come to Him with all your needs and trust Him to provide.

I pray heaps of blessings over you day!

Our family has been watching a tv series that is now on Netflix.  I don’t really remember how long ago it aired on tv, because I never watched it.  But the more episodes we view, the more memories I’ve been having of hearing people talk about the show when it originally aired.

The main thing I remember hearing was that the little boy doesn’t believe in God and his mom does.  People criticized the show for this portion of the storyline…at least the people that I heard talk about it did.  At the time I’d never seen it at all and had no real thoughts about it, but now that I have, I realize something.

They totally missed the forest for the trees.

Sure, the boy keeps saying he doesn’t believe in God, but he also has many instances when he draws on his mom’s faith.  He even encourages her in her faith in one sweet episode.  In that episode he admits that it makes sense to believe in intelligent design.  He also admits, in another episode, that his mom had Jesus on her side in a certain situation, and that had to be considered.  Over and over again I see solid references to the validity of faith.  I also see the mom being real and working out her salvation.  I actually find the show encouraging in this way. 

You may be wondering why on earth I’m talking about a tv show.  The answer is this…

How often do we miss the forest for the trees, ourselves?

Sometimes we miss great opportunities to share our faith or walk out troubles with others because we become hyper focused on the wrong things.  Sometimes we miss opportunities because we deem them unholy, when they really are just opportunities to bring God into the bigger picture. 

Our lives can be like a pendulum. 

When I was living in the world, my pendulum swung waay over and I did a lot of really bad things.  I was a hurting person, who hurt others…and myself…and sometimes I did that intentionally.  Then I became surrendered to redemption and swung waay over the other way.  I was concerned about every single thing, and it was exhausting, and I stopped enjoying life for a while.  Until I eventually hit God’s grace and realized that my perfection was never the point, His is. 

Jesus is the only perfect One.  We will never achieve perfection.

No, this isn’t a license to sin, but it’s a license to get a grip.  We need to open our eyes to ourselves and be real.  Without Jesus none of us can be holy.  He is holiness within us.  I used to drive myself and my husband crazy trying to be the perfect Christian woman. 

Now I just try to belong to Him.  That’s easy to do.  And from that standpoint, I respond to Him. 

When He says no, then I respond.  When He says yes, I respond.  I let Him lead me to righteousness instead of me trying to create righteousness myself.

We aren’t saved by works, lest anyone boast…we are saved by Grace.

I wonder how this lesson could transform your daily life.  Maybe it’s time to relax into God’s grace and allow Him to be the righteousness you so desire. 

What shall we conclude then?  Do we have any advantage?  Not at all!  For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.  As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.  There throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.  The poison of vipers is on their lips.  Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.  Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.  There is no fear of God before their eyes.”  Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.  Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.  But apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.       Romans 3:9-22

I woke up with a headache this morning.  I noticed that I was feeling extra tired, but I shrugged it off as nothing.  I rose, began my morning routine, and it wasn’t until a couple of hours later that I suddenly thought, “I think I have a fever.”  I went and checked, and I did.

I sat down shortly after and was pondering how interesting it was that I didn’t realize I was feeling sick.  I came up with excuses instead and kept trying to move forward.  Then, the Lord began to show me some things…

He began to show me that many people don’t know how they truly feel because they have forsaken quiet.  Instead, they simply wake up and push through each day as if nothing is wrong.

The building could be on fire, so to speak, yet they simply move ahead with the daily plan…never taking a moment to inventory how they really feel.  Never considering that they might need some adjustments in their heart, mind, and soul. 

So many of us live life strictly on autopilot.  We live life as if it’s a factory.  We go through the same routine, day after day, whether it makes sense or not.  Even if it’s unhealthy or dysfunctional…some people are so afraid of change that they simply live dysfunctional lives forever.

What a horrible way to spend this life.

The only way to know how you truly feel, is to stop for a moment.  Develop the skill of pausing.

For years, I lived life through an immediate response.  Then I learned to pause.  Now when something happens, I will take a step back before I make a decision.  I take a step back before I get angry, except for the times when I slip up…nobody’s perfect.  I take a step back when my kids want to discuss something.  they don’t need a quick answer, they need a thoughtful answer.

Practicing the pause can revolutionize your life. 

In a fast-paced world, where busyness is king…the pause is like a superpower.  It doesn’t take much to bring yourself into alignment with God this way.  When I step back, I step into Him.  I ask for His eyes, so I can see the situation more clearly.  I ask for His heart, so I can move in compassion.  I ask for His ears, so I can hear what’s really going on. 

I encourage you to begin practicing the pause today.  It will change your life.

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 40:28-31

Nothing keeps a person down more than unforgiveness.  It’s like a poison.  A weight on your very soul.  A ball and chain around your ankle.  Unforgiveness is like carrying around an extra 200 pounds. 

I know we’ve discussed forgiveness a little, but I have found we can never discuss it enough.

I can’t tell you how many people will strong arm any idea that suggests that they might be carrying unforgiveness in their hearts. 

So often people say, “I’ve already forgiven (so and so).”  I always respond with, “Well, if it’s coming up again, it wouldn’t hurt to forgive again because you never know.”

I used to respond with pride too, until I realized how foolish it is. 

If you have forgiven, fine.  But would it really hurt to pray over it again if God brings it up?  He just might know something that you don’t.  Our hearts are deceptive, remember?

Praying forgiveness over something multiple times, pulls out the splinters of the event.  Sometimes pain leaves splinters.  Splinters don’t seem to be a big deal at first, but they will become infected over time if left unattended.  The space that splinters occupy becomes inflamed and much more painful than we could ever imagine.  Infected splinters make pain radiate.  It’s a way more intense type of pain.  But, it’s amazing how instant the relief is when they are removed. 

Yes, forgiveness leads to resurrection. 

We want to be fully alive, don’t we?!  I know that I do!!  Come alive dry bones! 

What was once held in the grave by splinters of offense can now be moved out into the light.  You can grow again.  You can truly live.  Mature.  Become who you were meant to be. 

Rise up!  Rise up!! Come out of the shackles and be free.

Today I encourage you to examine yourself.  Bring your whole heart into the Light and ask God if there is any unforgiveness in you.  No matter what He brings to mind, I challenge you to offer forgiveness right then and there.  Don’t try to shrug it off and say, “I’ve already forgiven that.” If God brings it to mind, then obviously there is more forgiving to do. 

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.  Matthew 6:14-15

Have you ever felt offended for God?  Have you heard others misunderstand things in the Bible or think they have been mistreated by God and felt that it was your duty to defend Him?

One day I had such a thought, and God took hold of me and showed me that He was my Defender, I’m not His.

Wow.  What a slap in the face.  In my naivete, I had felt that I needed to stand up for His honor, not realizing how ridiculous that thought is.  What He showed me was, in those situations, it’s most important for me to rest in the confidence of Who God is, not to defend Him.  Those are opportunities for me to invite Him in, not to try to become my Saviors savior. 

Ironic, isn’t it?

Standing for truth is good.  Wasting time defending God is…just that…a waste of our efforts.

We defend something that we feel has a weakness.  God has no weakness.  Even if God is being attacked by others, our response should be trust, humility, and grace.  All we need to do is respond in the Truth.

I honestly feel sorry for people who don’t believe in God.  They have zero hope.  No wonder they worship the earth and fear the climate change farce, they have nothing else to believe in.  No wonder they fell for covid and vaxxed themselves to high heaven.  They fear death so much because they don’t know what will happen when they die.  This is the real tragedy…a people who have no hope.

We know of heaven.  We have a hopeful expectation of eternal life with God.  There’s nothing better than that.  It’s such a gift. It brings peace and stability to our lives.  Unbelievers don’t have that.  It’s really sad. 

I don’t have to believe in myself, I believe in God.  Self is all they have. 

Next time you have the opportunity to jump up and defend God, instead, ask Him for the truth.  Instead of feeling offended for God, ask Him to show you what’s really going on.  How would He desire for you to respond.  God is not weak.  He doesn’t need our defending, but He has called us to be loving.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners do that.  And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.  But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”  Luke 6:32-36

Our walk with God is so opposite of the world.  It’s a unique and interesting thing to realize that maturity in Christ means becoming more and more dependent upon Him.  Everything in our worldly understanding would rise in direct conflict to this, but it’s true. 

The deeper I walk into my faith, the more I realize I am wholly dependent.  I know I have mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. 

The more mature I become, the more childlike I am.  I really can’t do anything without God…and I don’t want to.  This doesn’t mean I am not confident.  My confidence has increased immensely.  I am fully confident in Who He is, yet fully aware of who I am.  Don’t mistake confidence for lack of dependence.  It’s quite the opposite really. The more dependent I become, the more confident I also become.  It’s a stark reality.  A wonderful shadow of His presence.  God confidence.

The more I’ve learned to depend on God for everything, the bolder I’ve become.  It’s because suddenly I realized that I can’t do anything, but He can do everything.  So, I lean upon His greatness and discover what it means to truly be a daughter. He is the security that I desire.  He is the Protector that I long to have. 

He is truly my all in all.

I wonder if you’ve learned to depend on Him exclusively.  Are you still wearing yourself out trying to be strong and independent?  It’s such a waste of time to fall for this lie.  We are so much stronger when we are fully dependent on Him.

Another worldly paradigm. 

Today, I encourage you to lean into His heart and ask yourself if you are still depending on Him.  Or have you begun to pull away and live from your own strength?  It’s necessary to make consistent “pit stops” to ask ourselves these questions, because it’s in our nature to try to become independent.  It’s also in every message the world gives. 

The independence that the world parrots, isn’t actually independence at all…it’s slavery.  Slavery to the system of self-aggrandization.  Thinking more highly of ourselves than we should.  This mindset is corroding all of society, at present. 

If you find yourself guilty of this, simply repent and reset your heart…and begin again.  Wholly dependent, that’s the only way to live.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.  Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.  Psalm 62:5-8

To love and be loved is the greatest gift of all. 

This was the phrase on a picture in my home, growing up.   I’ve always thought about it.  Believed it.  Dreamed to have it. 

Love.

I saw this exact same cross stitch picture on a wall recently.  I couldn’t believe it, to be honest.  But it struck my heart and made me begin to think about that all over again.

To love and be loved…

It’s true that loving others isn’t enough.  Being loved isn’t enough either.  We need both.  The give and take of reciprocated love.  The love and loving. 

In my experience, it can be hard to love or be loved well.  Most of us are innately selfish…well, all of us are, if we’re being honest…and love is sacrificial.  Giving love is sacrificial, but I don’t think people often realize that receiving love in a proper way is also sacrificial.  Many of us feel undeserving of love, therefore we push it away.  Others feel they deserve all the love in the world, but don’t want to give it the same.  Both of these are selfish.  Yes, selfish.  It’s just as self-centered to push love away as it is to demand it from everyone around you. 

This can make it very difficult to move in true love.  I’ve begun to lean into the heart of it though…God is love…without Him love doesn’t exist.

To love completely we must first experience the love of God.  Without God as our anchor, our love will be self-serving.  Our hearts are deceitful, as scripture states.  We often fool ourselves into believing that we are the most selfless people on earth.  Only desiring to champion others, help others, and invest in others.  But I believe when we examine ourselves more closely, we’ll often find a selfish motive in a lot these things.  Not all the time, but quiet often.  Many times, we “champion” others because we need to feel important.  Sometimes we “help” others because we need to feel needed. 

We all want something.  Everything we do is for a reward of some kind.  It’s good to examine our motives on a regular basis. 

With our eyes set on heaven we can truly love and be loved.  When we give and receive love through a focus on God, we find balance.  When His approval is all that matters, then we can relax and love someone just because.  That’s the best.  To love just because.  I believe that’s when we are closest to getting the whole thing correct.  God loves us…because. 

I tell my kids, “I love you.  You don’t have to do anything to make me love you.  I love you because you exist.” 

We can be sure that if God took the time to create us, then He loves us.  We can also ascertain that if He created others, then the same is true of them.  We are each valuable simply because we exist.

To love and be loved is the greatest gift of all.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed His love among us; He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is made complete in us.  1 John 4:7-12

The world pretends to be wise, when they’re really so very foolish.  Then God uses the foolish things to confound the wise…I love the way God works. 

When the ways of the world leave you baffled…When even some in the church seem to simply fall in line with overtly obvious lies…remember that the wisdom of the world is a fraud. 

What is true wisdom?  This scripture gives us some understanding of that.

For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones.  Proverbs 2:6-8

When considering the lack of wisdom in the world, ask yourself this question…How can those who deny the existence of God and/or mock Him, ever know anything?

If God is the source of wisdom, knowledge and understanding then it would be very hard for atheists to have any of those things.  Acting out from the flesh, leads to death.  Acting from the influence of Holy Spirit, brings wisdom.

Let’s also consider this scripture…

Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  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.  James 3:13-18

We demonstrate wisdom in the way we live.  Humility is a consistent factor of godly living. 

But it’s striking how clear the Word is about where things like bitter envy and selfish ambition come from.  The are of the devil. 

It’s ok for things to be clear.  Black and white, if you will.

How many people operate from bitter envy and selfish ambition?  How many church leaders do?  How many Christians in the marketplace?  It’s always been shocking to me when you can see a person at church every week, then go to their business and discover they are living a double life.  Swindling, cheap skating, etc. It’s heart breaking really. 

Wisdom doesn’t leave us when we leave the church. 

It’s abiding.  Wisdom should abide in us.  It should set the compass of our lives. 

I encourage you to go to God and ask for His wisdom to wrap around you.  Guide you.  Instruct you.  Teach you. 

Let’s be wrapped in wisdom.

There’s a famous story told by Mr. Rogers.  He described seeing some bad things on TV, as a child, and when he did, his mom said, “Look for the helpers.  Always look for those who are helping.”

That struck me.  I think about it often.  It reminds me of this verse.

So, we say with confidence, “The Lord is my Helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:6

The other day while walking through memories during healing prayer, I suddenly had a realization.  Something that I had never noticed before.

I was recounting one after another difficult memory.  I was thinking that I hadn’t really had many people around to help me, then I began to notice in my recounting that there had often been a helper.  Someone, seemingly random, would be there to help me or protect me or to speak up for me. 

It revolutionized the way I began to process these different events. 

I wonder what might change in your life, if you retraced your difficult memories, and looked for the helpers.  Those helpers, I am convinced, are being prompted by our true Helper.  Holy Spirit.

That’s what we are really looking for in the hard moments. 

Where is Holy Spirit?  How is Holy Spirit working to protect, direct, and comfort?

People always say, “If God exists then why do bad things happen?”  Well, the answer is obvious to those who know Him, free will.  He gives us free will.  A cherished and wonderful gift.  A great responsibility that we avoid looking at directly.  We love that we have it, but then still like to blame God for the result.

I wish people would ask instead, “What good was happening around me…what evidence of Holy Spirit was there in this difficult situation?”

Always look for God.  Always look for the evidence of goodness, even if you can’t imagine finding it. 

One thing I’ve learned, one thing I’ve noticed…is that in every circumstance, if I search hard enough, I will find a golden thread woven through it. 

Look for the Helper.

“Now I am going to Him Who sent me, yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’  Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.  But I tell you the truth:  It is for your good that I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.  When He comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:  in regard to sin, because men do not believe in Me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see Me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.  I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.  But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.  He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.  All that belongs to the Father is Mine.  That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you.”  John 16:5-15

Dealing with real life, real people, real issues…can be messy.  I see many people who distance themselves from anyone who exhibits problems, or honesty about weaknesses.  On the other hand, I see lots of people who just congregate with all the problem people so they can live in a constant state of sharing and oversharing the same problems over and over again, with no desire or attempt at healing and freedom.

Life’s messy folks, grab a broom.

I implore you to not be a part of either of the groups I described above.  What if, instead, we created groups of people who are not afraid of other’s messiness, but are also willing and able to take their hand to walk into freedom?

That’s what I desire to do and be.  One who leads others out of pain and into healing. 

When we are walking as disciples of Christ, we can be assured that we will have many, many opportunities to help others come out of their mess and into Peace.  The Peace that surpasses all understanding. 

Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.  Proverbs 14:4

We need people in the kingdom of God.  People of all kinds.  With all sorts of troubles.  But with a clear plan to walk into healing.  Being made whole.  We can’t force them to do so, but we can make it available.  That’s the full gospel. 

I can remember so many times when I was in a lot of pain and needed a little hand, but none of the believers around me could be bothered.  That’s missing the gospel, for sure.  I know there have been instances when I should’ve reached out to someone in trouble, but I held back.  For that I am truly repentant.  The thing that has changed for me is that now I ask God.  I ask Him if He has brought this person into my life or if I need to let them move on.  That’s a great way to move forward in His Spirit.

Those who have changed my life are the ones who were willing to get in the mud with me, help me out of it and release me to grow and be changed.  It’s my greatest joy to help pull others out of the mud, as well.  We should always be willing to give, as it has been given to us.

Have you had those types of people in your life?  I sure do hope so.

I encourage you to look around today.  Ask God to help you notice anyone He desires you to lend a hand toward.  And then, simply make a small move.  Start with one gesture, then let God lead the rest.  If you’re the one in need, I pray God will bring a helper.  Someone to assist you in your time of need, and that you will have the humility to receive it.

Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so, they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs.  “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity.  In My faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.  Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples.  All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”  I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.  Isaiah 61:7-11