Tag Archives: Jesus

The Right To Rest

9 Nov

“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army.”    2 Samuel 11:1

Spring was a good time to go to war because the roads were dry, making travel easier for troop movement. David had just successfully defeated the Ammonites. But immediately following victory, David abandoned his purpose, passed off his responsibility, and stayed home to soak in the victory instead of being alongside his army in battle.

I’m sure David was simply enjoying the many luxuries of being king.  It seems as though he began to build security on his own strength. Forgetting that it was the Lord who enabled him to win in the first place. Instead of being forward thinking, He began to rely on his previous victory. His priorities were out of line, and he failed to face the next task at hand. While most of us think of David as a man with a worshiper’s heart and a warrior’s will; this story portrays him as someone entirely different.

Distraction comes easily if you aren’t focused on your purpose. And distraction precedes failure. I remember the first (and hopefully the last) time I played dodge ball. Six fellow peers of mine dragged me onto their team after realizing that they had to have at least one girl on their team in order to play. I told them I wasn’t too grand at sports, but they were convinced otherwise- and wow were they ever wrong.

I was a miserably pathetic throw and exhibited incredibly poor hand-eye coordination skills to boot. But, for a split second, I experienced my fair share of glory. Three or so minutes into the game, (The anxiety made it feel more like 40) one of the styrofoam balls was launched up in the air, luckily high enough so I could catch it. I caught it, everyone cheered, and my opponent was out. But, I was so overcome with the pride of my new found victory, that I failed to notice the second ball. Lethally headed in my direction. Being entirely distracted made me an easy target. And that was the end of my dodgeball career; just as soon as I had tasted victory; I was out.

I’ve since learned that looking back to soak on your victory too often will only distract you from the next challenge at hand. I don’t know of a time in the Bible where Jesus used his energy recalling all that He had done. He was always forward thinking. Looking for the next person to touch, heal, or save. He had bigger fish to fry than to use his valuable time thinking, praying, or addressing the past. He was always in the Spirit, always in warfare, always on call, accessible, and ready.

“One evening, David got up from his bed and walked around the roof…and saw a woman bathing. David sent someone out to find her…she came to him and he slept with her.” 2 Samuel 11:2-4

Like me, in light of victory, David had let his guard down. I’m sure he did indeed deserve some R&R. After all, he’d served diligently, patiently, and  faithfully all those years. He’d single-handedly killed the giant, destroyed opposing armies, and remained in communion with God. So, hadn’t he earned it?

We mustn’t depend on our past victories to pull us through tomorrow’s challenges, we still have to face them. Every war has a price.  Anytime you lose sight of your mission, you can rest assured that distraction is lying on the next rooftop.  Opportunity is always knocking, and if you don’t have a worthwhile cause to obtain your focus, your own desires will overcome your purpose.

You see, this snowball effect began as a decision; to fight, or not to fight. Never underestimate what hiding from your battles will cost. No matter how great the recent victory is, we should never feel entitled to lay aside our weapons. A friend of mine put it this way “As Christians, we shouldn’t ever feel as though we have the right to rest spiritually.” We can’t let up, give in, or back down. There’s a task that has been assigned to us. The moment we lose sight of it, we will fall, and eventually distraction will destroy us.

If you feel as though you’ve lost sight of your purpose, don’t worry! David blew it- royally at that. Yet, he turned his life around and we still speak of him today. God will honor a man who returns. It’s never too late to come back.

So, let’s face tomorrow. Let’s kick the crud out of our lives. Let’s become so overwhelmingly consumed with the God who loves us, and the task at hand, that distraction has no place in our lives. Contend; it’s what we’re born to do.

“The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12

Consider This:

15 Aug

Obedience is the outward expression of your love for God.
If you have an obedience problem, you have a love problem.  It’s more important to understand what God is doing where you are than telling God what you want to do for Him.

Luke 11:28,  John 14:15,  1 John 5:3,  Micah 6:6-8

Visionless Trails

27 Jun

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Proverbs 3:5-7

I’m learning to trust. Wholeheartedly. Even when it doesn’t make sense. Recently, I’ve found myself smack dab in the middle of transformation. Growing inwardly, yet not necessarily moving forward or backwards. Just different. I’m simply changing. God is removing old habits and creating new ones. He’s altering my thought patterns and challenging my routines. He’s destroying fear and anxiety and exchanging them with peace. It’s refreshingly fresh. Yes, it’s new, but it’s only just begun.

I’m living with my family for the summer, but I’m fairly familiar with the area. Last week, I opted out of going to the gym and decided to run through the neighborhood for a little more scenery than the typical treadmill. In order to get a good run in, I usually run as far and fast as I can. This way, I have no choice but to finish the distance back. Headphones in, with Cory Asbury and Rick Peno blasting, I started my day right. About forty-five minutes in, I realized I had lost track of time and ended up a few miles from my house. I was running full force in a random direction when out of no where, it started to rain. This wasn’t your typical cute little downpour either. It was the tropical storm kind. The clouds rolled in, there was thunder and lightning and I panicked. I couldn’t see where I was going, and I couldn’t remember where I had been. I had no idea where I was.

So here I was, drenched from head to toe, in hot pink shorts and a yellow tank top. Running nearly blind, in an area which I no longer recognized, doing my best to keep my phone dry. A pathetic sight I’m sure. A few cars stopped out of pity and tried to lend a helping hand, but “stranger danger” was faithfully engraved in my head and kindly reminded me to steer clear. I did eventually find my way home, and thankfully, I didn’t fall on my face in the process.

This somewhat comical experience has reminded me of a few things. Like it says in Proverbs– I can’t be wise in my own eyes. You see, the very environment I knew to be familiar, instantaneously changed and seemed to be entirely different. The tools I formerly leaned on for guidance failed me– miserably. And the atmosphere changed, dramatically. It all happened in one quick motion, and just like that, all confidence in myself was obliterated. I didn’t lack determination; that I had. What I lacked was direction.

Sometimes, it takes an engine failure to realize just how much we’ve relied on a spark plug. You never really think about what you’ve leaned on until it crumbles.  It’s funny really. The old song ”you never know what you’ve got til’ its gone” is fairly relative. It always seems to be the little things that fight to ruin my day.Whenever I get a papercut (I seem to get these often at work) I’m always shocked at how suddenly aware I am of my pinky. I never really notice it unless it’s injured. In one way or another, everyone and everything will eventually fail us. But we decide how much the gravity of the failure will affect us. It’s all relative to how closely we’ve trusted or depended on them.

The storms of life test our vision. They reveal to us what we’ve truly set our eyes on. They show us who our heart has clung to. Maybe God allows people, circumstances, or environments to fail us so that we will recognize how reliant on them we truly are. He desires for us to take our eyes off of the counterfeit, remove all false security, and trust in Him. Only Him, above everyone and anything else. Without Him we are running through the storms of life blind without direction. This is no way to live.

So, if you find yourself in a panic, ask yourself; why am I frazzled? He is incapable of stress, anxiety, fear and failure. He is stable. Through the madness, chaos, and confusion. He will not be shaken. Check your eyes– What are they focused on?

Back From India

8 Jun

I just returned from my trip to Chennai, India. I feel so incredibly blessed to have been able embark on this amazing experience of a lifetime. Thank you SO much to everyone for your support, prayers, and encouragement. I couldn’t have done it without you!

There is so much to write! I thought I would first post a few of my favorite pictures to give some perspective!

Take It Off

24 Dec
“Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.  Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you…”

But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me.  I don’t know anything.”

God told me, “I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there.  I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it. Don’t be afraid…I’ll be right there, looking after you.
Jeremiah 1:5-10 9 (The Msg).

I’ve recently found myself facing MYSELF–who am I?  Really?  Apart from relationships.  Agendas aside and cameras off.  What do I like?  What’s my “calling?”  What’s my communication style?  How do I cope?  What annoys me?  And why on earth am I so indecisive?

I’ll never forget my first identity crisis.  It was so blatantly obvious it blew up in my face and triggered a meltdown that took me months to come out of.   It was my first semester at CFNI, I had just broken up with my boyfriend and was perfectly content on my own.  My best friend, Cara bravely stood by me as I began a three-day saga of finding, choosing and purchasing the perfect new camera.  My previous one had broken and I needed a new one.  I’m picky, like to spend my money well and don’t settle for cheap.  So, it was clear that poor Cara had her work cut out for her.

Sure, you may laugh at this, but to me, it was a big deal.  I don’t like to splurge but I’m big on quality “more bang for your buck” kind of purchases.  Six stores, a gabazillion price comparisons, one-hundred-something online customer reviews, and three store reps later; I narrowed all of my options down to two cameras; A sleek black one, or a slightly chubbier pink one.  Both at the same store: Best Buy had lived up to its name.  But I was torn.  Here I was, trying to make a decision and I just couldn’t seem to decide.  My stubborn indecisiveness refused to take the day off.  Discouraged and frustrated with myself, we finally left—without purchasing so much as a camera case.

Three days later, I went back.  This time, I was determined to leave the building with a slightly lighter wallet and the perfect camera in hand.   I bee-lined it to the camera section but my determination wasn’t enough to cancel out my indecisiveness.  I quickly found myself begging a 40-something year old rep to just make the decision for me.  Not because his taste was anything like mine (I’m quite sure of this) but because I just didn’t want to be responsible for making the “wrong decision”.

This older man looked me in the eyes and asked a simple, uncomplicated and perfectly ordinary question, “What do you want—why can’t you just pick one?”  This question prompted the most painfully transparent answer that shocked even me.  I replied, “Because I’ve always had a boyfriend to tell me what I should do because I can’t decide for myself.  I just broke up with my boyfriend and now I don’t know what to do.  I feel lost.”  A flood of tears quickly followed.  Here I was, water works on full blast and causing a scene in the middle of Best Buy.  Not because I was heartbroken, but because I realized I hadn’t allowed myself to choose independently from anyone else.

I had gone the previous six years always having a boyfriend.  They came and went, but I always had someone help me form and direct my “opinions”.  My mind immediately began to recall all of the things I thought I “liked”.  The Boston Red Sox- for one.  Did I even like them? No! I could care less!  Steak? I don’t even like steak, as a matter of fact, I hate steak!

Sadness started to diminish as anger began to rise within me. “WHO IN THE WORLD AM I?” was stuck on repeat and screaming in my head.  I felt like I had amnesia as I realized that a lot of my personality and preferences had been shaped by those who I had allowed in my life.  I was so overwhelmed, the only thing I could settle in my mind was that I loved God, missed my family and dog, and liked pink.

As I’m writing this, one of my good girlfriends recently broke up with her boyfriend of six years.  Their relationship was the definition of serious.  They had settled down and made a home for themselves, but after a turn of events it was made clear that they were headed in different directions.  After their split, she expressed her despair about this new-found identity crisis.  “I don’t know who I am, what to do, or how to live.  Even the stupidest things get to me.  Right down to toilet paper.  Extra soft or ultra strong?  I feel like I can’t decide anything on my own independent from him.”

What happened to us?  How did we get here?  How have we allowed others to determine who we were for so long—even after they’re long gone?  Where is God in us? How did He originally design and intend for us to be.  What are our heart’s deepest desires?  Ultimately; who are we and what do we want?

It baffles me how easy it is to pick up a burden that wasn’t ever ours to begin with.  I have a favorite pair of tennis shoes.  Everyone knows they’re my favorite because, despite my four other pairs, I always wear my white and pink Nike’s.  Last week, I was at the gym when my right foot started to fall asleep.  My first reaction was to be annoyed with myself.  You see, my left foot is 1/4 size bigger than my right foot (yes, I know—it’s embarrassing).  I was immediately flustered.  My stupid foot!  Why couldn’t it have just grown enough to at least match the other?  I thought to myself, “over my dead body am I going to solve this little problem by purchasing two different sized tennis shoes.”  Not everything is about comfort.  I would just suck it up and deal with the pain.

I sat down to loosen my shoe and give my foot some breathing room.  Then I realized it.  For the past three years, I’ve been putting on, wearing, walking, and running in these shoes.  While all this time, the right shoe wasn’t fully laced.  After purchasing this preferred pair, I had failed to lace four of the loopholes.  They were tied wrong.  All wrong.  To my dismay, my feet weren’t the issue.  As a matter of fact, the problem wasn’t me at all—it was what I was putting on.  Instead of examining my footwear, I had mistakenly blamed it on myself.

How many times do we wear, take, or own something that isn’t ours to begin with.  We blame ourselves for not being outgoing enough, funny enough, witty enough, extroverted enough, quiet enough, smart enough, pretty enough, articulate enough, educated enough.  While all the while, we aren’t meant to take it on.  Have we been trying to wear something that’s all wrong to begin with?  What, who and where on earth is the real me?  The undone, unmasked, untainted Rachel?

To be honest with you, I’m still discovering me.  Everyday is an adventure.  I have no idea who I am in myself.  I find myself in Jesus Christ.  Apart from Him I am entirely lost.  Aside from His love, I am messed up, severely fragmented and desperately damaged.  But He completes me and reveals who I am in Him.  I’m confident that I’m growing into the person that He has called me to be.  I am by no means perfect, I’m simply striving to be what He had in mind when He created me—And no human being on earth can define that for me.  So, take everything other than Him off.  He completes me.  You can run and tell that.

“There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish.”  Philippians 1:6 (The Msg)

Everlasting Love & Temporary Fairy Tales

17 Oct

Fairy Tales & Everlasting Love

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. -Jeremiah 31:3b

I distinctly remember my first crush. Ah preschool; running around in a plaid shirt, coveralls, boots and a cowboy hat– his name was Riker. Throughout the duration of my preschool career, he was the only boy taller than me. From the moment I met him, he instantly caught my eye and I thought he was amazing. Despite the fact that he couldn’t spell, I whole-heartedly cherished his letters. I didn’t care that his mother had to translate over half of them. Reading them now, they honestly look more like finger-painted hieroglyphics. It was at this stage in life that I didn’t care about his spiritual beliefs, personality, calling, family, or background. I was more interested in regular playground activities; playing tag, making mud pies, and jumping rope. And he stood far above the rest when it came to them.

Despite our obvious connection; our relationship was cut short when he moved out of state. For a little while, I still received letters. It was an exciting “pen-pal” kind of relationship. While I’m sure long-distance relationships can work for others, in our case, the letters eventually stopped. I remember this gut-wrenching, heart-breaking reality. He was no longer mine. I seemed to be somewhat of a quiet drama queen- Holding my breath when I was angry, until I passed out. Writing depressing songs that consisted of phrases such as “all it is to you is another heart beating, another person breathing.” Yes, I was a rather odd child, crammed into a glass case of emotion, with no sense of reality, and a peculiar passion for life.

Though I may no longer be attracted to coveralls, care for mud pies, or pass out for attention, some things still remain the same.  After talking to some of my girlfriends, I’ve found a few feelings of ownership which we claim to have the right to. I’ve discovered, whether the dumper, or dumpie; we seem to think that the particular boy we are no longer with shouldn’t ever move on. As if, we are God’s special gift to them or something.

We think to ourselves; “Surely, they will never be blessed with another girl as good-or God forbid- better, than us.” For instance, if our best friend gets harshly (or nicely) dumped, we assure her that he has made a mistake. We convince our poor & miserable friend not to worry, that he will never find anyone as talented, beautiful, or caring. After talking to some of my small group girls, I found a few things we had in common. Whether we were responsible for the heartbreaking or not- in both scenarios we were still bitter and confused when they moved on. Over and over in our heads, we think to ourselves- “What, how could he move on just like that, that’s impossible, he’s not actually happy.”

We allow those around us to determine the weight of our self esteems. We build our confidence on people who were never created to define our value. Lets face it ladies, this is a pathetic attempt to justify building our worth on something which should never have been built on to begin with. We have a tendency to immediately compare and evaluate ourselves. Somehow, we weren’t enough; we didn’t cut it. Not pretty enough, not nice enough, not funny enough, not caring enough, not skinny enough, not talented enough, etc…Because if we were, he would be incapable of moving on and thus, he would still be madly in love with us until the day we die. This is painfully pitiful.

Or, maybe you were more like me in another sense; known to have “daddy issues” as a highschooler. I grew up with an abusive father who eventually walked out of my life completely. I lived trying to earn a father’s love and attention which seemed to come so easily for other girls. Growing up, this drastically influenced me to answer the question; “why am I unlovable, and what will make me likeable”. As a girl, this was a dangerous question to wrestle with- especially in our society.

At a young age, I realized that I wasn’t able to get my dad to love me but I could get guys to like me. I grew comfortable with wearing a mask on the outside which displayed an inaccurate picture of a girl whose life was perfect and had it all together. I became the unattainable tease that was never broken up with first. I vowed I would never be hurt again. I went to any length to be assured of it and have my way. Break up first; this was my motto. Unfortunately, just because I broke up first and hurt others, it never made me feel any better- or made life any easier. I was now the one hurting not only myself, but others as well. The fairy tales I read as a child- and my life had absolutely nothing in common.

I remember skipping meals, throwing up, and working out for hours at a time to keep up with models in the industry and the plastic barbies on TV. All this in hopes of being prettier, in order to gain power to get any guy I wanted. But then again, I also remember trying to gain acceptance from my own father. Dancing my heart out in order to receive approval from him. The few times he was able to make it to my performances, it made the 40-hour rehearsal weeks in point shoes worth it all. I was manipulating everything on the outside, in order to fix a deep wound on the inside.

Whether you’ve been hurt, hurt others, both, or are simply human. I believe we all feel the need to belong. We each desire to be wanted. This world shoves diet pills, sex, plastic surgery, and success, in our faces- implying that if we follow their easy step plan for lovability; we’ll be happy. However, at the end of the day, while our attempts at improvements might grow our likeability; true love’s essence is hard to come by. We eventually rationalize that we aren’t like the characters in a storybook. And, somehow, we are to blame for being unlovable.We forget that as humans, we are incapable of loving someone fully, extensively, and exclusively apart from God and His love. Unfortunately, because of our naivety, we still do our best to earn other’s love and approval by any and all means possible.

I believe that true Love doesn’t fade, grow weary, die, or ever give up. This is what it’s supposed to look like. And I believe True Love Himself, died on a cross in order to prove just how long suffering REAL LOVE is; any length, any width, any depth, any height. When we realize just how everlasting HIS love is for us, man’s version of fake and phony love pails in comparison. Cheap imitations aren’t and won’t ever be enough to fill the void. No person, job, fame, weight, hobby, or relationship will ever bring as much fulfillment as acknowledging and accepting His exclusive love. His love doesn’t hinge on our actions. He just simply loves us. Forever. It’s that simple. It’s this simplicity which makes God’s love so hard to understand. Why? Why, does He love us this way? He just does. Because He wants to. And that’s all there is to it.

I was set free when I recognized that He is the only one with the capabilities of this powerful love. It makes sense that others fail me. It is not because of what I am, or am not. It is because we are simply incapable of loving others unless we ask God for His innate ability to love. This agape love is the glue originally designed to hold marriages together. Marriages fail, not because they are supposed to, but because the relationship is most likely founded upon man’s feeble desires and indecisive “feelings”. While man’s heart can be fickle and untrustworthy at times, there is a Love worth absolutely everything in my being. This love chooses by its own will to love me steadfastly, exclusively, and despite any obstacle. When we accept that God is the only one capable of loving, and offering this kind of love—we take our eyes off of ourselves in having to earn love. I choose to rest in His unending, everlasting love that will stand against any and all odds. Who needs likeability when you have True Love?

I hope this has inspired you to embrace the One who will love you more than any one person ever will. Walk in confidence; you are loved with an everlasting love.

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

Consider This:

24 Aug

Consider This

You’re covered where you’re called.
So don’t worry! If you are called, rest assured; you will be covered!

Proverbs 21:30, Jeremiah 29:11, Job 42:2, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 John 5:18-21, Proverbs 10:29, Proverbs 16:3, Isaiah 29:15

Transferring Ownership; The Underlying Prerequisite

25 Jul

Transfered Ownership;

“I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing.” 2 Samuel 24:24

Why is it that our own minds fail us- we somehow draw the conclusion that we can make the outcome better if we do it our way- instead of God’s. I’ve been reading a fantastic book entitled Dry Bones Dancing by Tony Evans. It has inspired me to learn from Abraham. I’ve been stuck on Genesis 22; where Abraham is tested.

“Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.’” Genesis 22:2

The Lord had already promised Abraham that his offspring would be “as numerous as the stars” (Genesis 15:4-5) Isaac was the answer to his prayers, yet for some reason; The Lord was asking Abraham to sacrifice the very seed of promise. This command was a contradiction to everything the Lord had said would surely come to pass. I wonder if most of us would have been able to go through with it.

Surely, it would have been easier to have ignored the gentle whisper. Since after all- it contradicted everything he was promised. I can’t imagine giving up the only answer to all of the questions; the answered prayer we thought was His perfect will. The Lord was testing not only his willingness to sacrifice, but his faith as well.

Here is where a lot of us would have called it quits. I can almost see the alternative response from Abraham; “Really God? I left my family, my mansion, my job, my livelihood, my religion- and traded it for what? Thieves, camels, tents, and the desert? You’ve demanded everything, and yet, You still have the audacity to ask me to sacrifice my only son; that is where I draw the line.”

But, Abraham puts us to shame with his instant reaction: “But early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey.” Genesis 22:3

Apparently, Abraham had the impression that delayed obedience was disobedience. He didn’t take a few days to spend some quality time with his son. That was it; he was going through with it. He didn’t delay taking several weeks putting it off or explaining it to others- he simply obeyed. He didn’t even have exact instructions yet “on one of the mountains I will tell you about” -that seems fairly vague to me. But it was enough direction for Abraham to pack his saddle, son, servants, and head out.

The fact that he was able to surrender it all so quickly truly gives us a picture as to how devout he was the Lord. He realized from where his blessings came. He must have kept this in mind daily in order for his decision to have been so easy. Lord help us. Are we at a place where we can sacrifice everything we’ve been promised because He simply requests it of us?

We complain about letting the things go that hurt us; the things that cheapen our worth, the things that shouldn’t have been there to begin with. How much more so if we were put in Abraham’s position? Are we strong enough to sacrifice the very things the Lord has destined and willed into our lives which bring us joy?

Still not convinced that Abraham was pretty straight up faithFULL; “When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an alter there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the alter, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” Genesis 22:9-10

Through his actions, Abraham proved that nothing God could ever give him was worth keeping from Him. He was confident that regardless whether God’s plans had changed or not- the benefits of His blessings would far outweigh his sacrifice. Abraham knew it was impossible to ever find favor with the Lord if he was withholding anything from Him. He went past the point of no return; he was willing to lay it all down. Everything he had been promised; the answer to all of his prayers; everything he loved and held dear; he decided to let it all go.

What a beautifully painted picture. This was a life altering decision to make. The choice was his alone, and in one instant; he was the epitome of complete and total surrender.

“‘Do not lay a hand on the boy…Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son.’” Genesis 22:12

This is so powerful, here we see that Abraham completely let go of what he deeply loved- Only then did God intervene. He had stepped past the point of no return. In his heart, Isaac was already completely surrendered to the Lord. Abraham had faithfully transferred any rights of ownership to God. He had given up full custody. He truly “died to himself”.

It’s amazing to me that even though Isaac wasn’t a “worldly or fleshly” desire; the Lord still requested that he completely surrender him. God doesn’t require just the bad from us- He demands it all. But it is here where we see that the Lord provided- only AFTER he offered Isaac compeltely.

“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burn offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will Provide’ (Jehovah Jirah) And to this day it is said ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided’” Genesis 22:13-14

God set before Abraham a test, I wonder what would have happened if he hadn’t obeyed. Many times promises come with prerequisites which we haven’t been informed with at the beginning. God didn’t tell Abraham that he would have a son which whom he would have to sacrifice before the promise could fully come to pass. He just let him in on it when He saw fit. We can’t assume just because we have a promise, everything will play out without any tests. There are usually underlying prerequisites that we must meet.

Why does God test us? I love what Evans says; “Tests reveal to us where we stand. They let us know whether we really love Him as much as we say we do in our songs and our prayers.” Is there something that God is asking you to put on the alter? Are you in the middle of a test and can’t figure it out? God’s command wasn’t to only take his son up the mountain or build an alter- He commanded Abraham to offer his son Isaac up as a sacrifice. “If you have approached God in worship, but you’re still waiting for Him to come through. The reason may well be that you haven’t finished the test.” Are looking for an out before following through- stop thinking or trying to make sense of it- simply follow directions and follow through!

You have to go all the way. When you let it all go, that’s when it’s difficult. Worship the Lord all the way, even when it’s difficult! And there at the alter God will show you His way, He will come through for you!

I’m not saying that God will allow you take your sacrifice back- but He will ALWAYS bless your effort to please Him with everything.

I think we could learn a thing or two from Abraham. And possibly think twice the next time we whine about surrendering our petty, simple things in life that make our self-consumed worlds go around. Nomatter how big or small; the blessing will always outweigh the sacrifice! You can count on it.

Be Intentional; On Purpose

19 May

Be Intentional; On Purpose

What if what we said, did, felt, acted like, lived as; was all on purpose. What if instead of passing it off to be “a mistake in the moment” or “something which we didn’t mean” we actually thought about it, prayed for it, anticipated it. What if every word, every thought, every prayer, every second; was utilized to its maximum potential. This is truly how Jesus lived. Not in fear of what missing a moment would cause; but with expectancy for the outcome of what His awareness for each minute would bring.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”  Romans 12:2

It begins in our minds, that is where we have the power to kill what is negative, and nurture what is positive. You see, we frame our references around our own experiences. If our experiences in the past, have been distorted; our ability to discern and examine the present circumstances can be off center. If we’ve been victims of the past either forced upon us or chosen by ourselves; what do we do when we have been poorly programmed by life’s events?

In the above verse, the Greek word metamorphoo is translated as “transformed” in this text. Literally, it means to change into another form. We have all the tools necessary to turn our attitudes, reactions, moods, and lives around!

“May the God of peace…equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

If your actions, responses, attitudes, and moods are not a reaction to the Holy Spirit’s gentle leading, then you are operating according to the subtle taunting of the enemy.

Eve could have chosen to be intentional; she could have lived by what she had known to be the Truth, instead of acting on impulsive desires which were deviously planted in her. Instead of doing her job of resisting, she accepted the offer and agreed with what she would have previously recognized as deceit.

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

Don’t allow the devil to get away with his camouflaged prompting. It’s his job to distract, accuse, and deceive-it is your job to resist! The devil loves phrases such as “I’ve had enough” “I can’t stand her” and “I’m just in a terrible mood today”.

“Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27

Don’t be so ignorant to believe that the devil has devices strong enough to destroy your power and authority. We’ve been given absolutely every tool necessary to overcome. No questions asked, no excuses. Never allow yourself to settle for anything less than the attitude, response, mood, and lifestyle that God wants you to have. I love what T.D. Jakes says in his book Woman Thou Art Loosed; “Lips that say ‘I’m in a terrible mood today’ accept what they ought to reject.”

Countless times I’ve found myself walking away from a heated discussion realizing my failure. I responded in anger, instead of love. Instead of turning away wrath with kind words- I added fuel to the fire. I furthered the problem, and brought new issues to the table.

How many times do we find ourselves wishing we would have grabbed hold of our moment. How many times do we walk away wishing we would have been intentional in our conversation. How many times do we inconsiderately do what’s convenient or seemingly satisfying, instead of accomplishing the task assigned to us. How many times do we rush through life, ignorantly overlooking our cues and missing the mark. I find myself painfully looking back; seeing divine appointments which were intentionally put in my path. They have come and gone.  Oh, how easy it is to pass it off for someone else to accomplish, without even a second glance or thought.

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ -Matthew 25:23

But how rewarding it is to know that you passed the test; you were given a choice. You were intentional in the way in which you handled yourself. You weren’t raging in anger, caught in a fit of emotions, or found having a bad case of impatience. You were simply walking in the spirit; at peace.

What if the gravity of our words brought harmony and restoration, instead of conflict and destruction. How different our world would be. What if we thought before we spoke, listened before we answered. What if our actions made the path straight, instead of adding questions and confusion. What if we prayed and observed before we acted. What if we were led by what we know to be truth aside from the present circumstances.

What if we weren’t power hungry, greedy, superficial or materialistic. What if our words didn’t reek with bitterness, vengeance, pride, or resentment . What if we recognized that there is a common goal. A mission at hand, and countless opportunities to further develop everything we’ve ever learned. Since the beginning, we were created to live purposefully every day, every hour, every moment- to it’s fullest potential-it’s original design.

After all, our world won’t change for the better on accident, because of a lucky streak, or by chance. I encourage you–  Be Intentional; on Purpose.

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