He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God (Rom 4:25 NLT).
Happy Resurrection Day! Jesus is Alive!!!
Saturday, March 30, 2013
He's Alive
Sunday is coming! Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sunday we once again remember how great is God's love for us in that He allowed His one and only son to die for us. Today and not just Sunday may you be overwhelmed by God's great love for you. Take time out of your busy schedules to praise Him and thank Him for all He has done!
He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God (Rom 4:25 NLT).
Happy Resurrection Day! Jesus is Alive!!!
He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God (Rom 4:25 NLT).
Happy Resurrection Day! Jesus is Alive!!!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Treasures - Spring O Well
Have you ever stopped to consider the fact that a lot of earthly treasures like silver and gold are buried in the earth? Individuals seeking those treasures must work to dig them out sometimes in harsh unstable environments. There are numerous shows on television now about gold mining ,but the one that I first started seeing these nuggets of truth was Bearing Sea Gold. The Bearing Sea is mighty cold. The water temperatures average between 34-45 degrees and I believe the water can get even colder than that. Can you imagine mining for gold in this environment? God sure hid those earthly treasures good!
So if man is willing to go to such extreme lengths to reach a treasure that does not satisfy why are Christians not going to the same extremes to unearth Godly treasures? Why are we not digging into His word to reveal the treasures that lie within? Why are we not going to extremes to proclaim His truth to others? Why do we not worship Him with all that is within us? If we truly love God and desire more and more of Him than why is He not first in our lives?
If we developed such an intimate close relationship with God where His love flowed freely to us and through us then I believe we would not have to dig for the Godly treasures that lie deep within. I believe it will be as the first gold miners proclaimed: the gold is lying on the ground all you have to do is pick it up. We would truly understand how great is God's love towards us. That He lavishes not only His love on us but all good things. We would be walking in complete and divine healing and deliverance. We would be loving God and loving the one in front of us.
In Psalm 84 God's word proclaims one of the treasures available to His children, that He will withhold NO good thing from those whose walk is blameless. Now I know we are not perfect, but when God looks at us all He sees is Jesus in us. Guess what Jesus was blameless so that means we have everything we need in Him. Makes you want to dance!!!
The word says ask and you shall receive. Well God was great to answer my question. He took me to the story of Jesus and the Samaritan Women in John 4 and then He took me to John 7:38. God gives great answers, by the time I got to John 7:38 I was shouting and dancing it is that good!
John 4 contains the story about Jesus and the Samaritan Woman. Vs 10 If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. vs 14 Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 7:38 declares that Whoever believes in me as the Scripture has said streams of living water will flow from within him.
The Amplified translations says it well also:
Enjoy the song, it is a short one this time!
So if man is willing to go to such extreme lengths to reach a treasure that does not satisfy why are Christians not going to the same extremes to unearth Godly treasures? Why are we not digging into His word to reveal the treasures that lie within? Why are we not going to extremes to proclaim His truth to others? Why do we not worship Him with all that is within us? If we truly love God and desire more and more of Him than why is He not first in our lives?
If we developed such an intimate close relationship with God where His love flowed freely to us and through us then I believe we would not have to dig for the Godly treasures that lie deep within. I believe it will be as the first gold miners proclaimed: the gold is lying on the ground all you have to do is pick it up. We would truly understand how great is God's love towards us. That He lavishes not only His love on us but all good things. We would be walking in complete and divine healing and deliverance. We would be loving God and loving the one in front of us.
In Psalm 84 God's word proclaims one of the treasures available to His children, that He will withhold NO good thing from those whose walk is blameless. Now I know we are not perfect, but when God looks at us all He sees is Jesus in us. Guess what Jesus was blameless so that means we have everything we need in Him. Makes you want to dance!!!
- For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. Ps 84:11 NLT
- the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those who walk is blameless. Psalm 84:11
The word says ask and you shall receive. Well God was great to answer my question. He took me to the story of Jesus and the Samaritan Women in John 4 and then He took me to John 7:38. God gives great answers, by the time I got to John 7:38 I was shouting and dancing it is that good!
John 4 contains the story about Jesus and the Samaritan Woman. Vs 10 If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. vs 14 Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 7:38 declares that Whoever believes in me as the Scripture has said streams of living water will flow from within him.
The Amplified translations says it well also:
38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.
The well springs up and the stream flows! I believe the well symbolizes God's love within us. If we are filled to overflowing with God's love, if we believe in, trust in, and rely on Him then that love will begin to spring up out of that well to become streams of living water that will affect all those who come in contact with it. We will not only be able to pick up the treasures God has readily available for us such as healing and wholeness but we will have such an abundance that we will be able to give some of the treasure away as well.
Enjoy the song, it is a short one this time!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
The Way You Love Me (Jeremy Camp)
The Way of Love
13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
2 If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
11 When I was an infant at my mother’s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.12 We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
13 But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
I love how the message bible translates 1 Cor 13. We are given three things: faith, hope, and love but the greatest of these is love and we are to love extravagantly! We cannot totally fathom or understand how great God's love is towards us. We may try at times, we may even grasp a measure of it, but I do not believe we have really and truly experienced how great His love is for us. I know at times when I have tried I have been overwhelmed and completely undone by how great His love for me is. Imagine if He revealed all of His love towards me. I may still be on the floor enjoying Him!!!
The flow of love from God to me is simple I love Him and He loves me but that is only part of the great commission. In the second part we are commanded to love others as we love ourselves. I know personally I could not even begin to love others until I first began to love myself. Learning to love myself was not easy and is a process I am continually walking out with God. Daily I must remind myself what God says about me so I begin to walk out how love is described in 1 Cor 13. After all the word says "love cares more for others more than for self." I wish I could say I have it all down. I love God, myself, and others but it is still a process that is being worked out. But this is what I do know: God's love is a waterfall flowing down on us and then it becomes a river flowing out of us. My river may be small now but it is continually growing.
One way I believe that the river can grow is by putting God's love into action. Love is more than a feeling we have towards something, it is a verb. A verb, for all of you who may have forgotten, is a word that conveys an action. I have been praying on how I can personally put God's love into action and how I can take others along with me. God recently gave me a wonderful vision regarding this that I truly believe goes along with the prophetic word Corrie Ten Boom had over Northwest Arkansas. For those of you who do not know Corrie's word over this region was that she saw a great revival taking place here. For years I have heard this and for years I have always been told it would occur within a particular church. I am not saying this won't happen but God does not see us as as a particular denomination, He sees the "church" as His bride. The church is the believer and not a building or a denomination.
In my vision I saw two puzzle pieces, the two puzzle pieces represented two different churches in this area. In the vision the two pieces were joined together. Together these two churches were training and equipping the body of Christ to put God's love into action within the community. The impact they had was to such an extent that other churches (puzzle pieces) were joined together with the first two to create a great and bigger picture of the love of God in action. It was not just one church here and one church there, it was the body working together! With the churches joining together to put God's love into action in Northwest Arkansas revival was sparked and the atmosphere was changed and electrified to the glory of God.
What an amazing and awe inspiring image! I am honored that God would reveal this to me and pray continually that He would bring this to pass as only He can do.
As I prayed over this message I believe the new Jeremy Camp song The Way You Love Me conveys this message so well. If we showed the world around us how God loves us it would entice them to want Him to. Let His light shine through you now and always.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Matt Redman
Today I read online that the worlds ugliest woman was buried. The headline was enough to capture my attention as I wondered why anyone would deserve such a title. The woman actually lived in the 1800's and because of some medical defects that gave her an ape like appearance and facial hair the world deemed her the ugliest woman. The man who married her exploited her in a carnival freak show and even her son who lived a matter of days was embalmed and exploited because he too bore his mother's defects. When she died her body continued to remain part of the freak show until someone 150 years later said enough was enough and it was time for her to be buried.
The point of this story is no matter what this woman looked like she was created in God's image. To Him she was His beautiful creation, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made! I first heard the song Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Matt Redman in October at a women's encounter. I loved the song because it so greatly illustrates Psalm 139.
We are so fearfully and wonderfully made! We are all made in God's likeness, in His image. How can we call something ugly that is supposed to reflect what God looks like? How can we look at our flaws and maybe the things we most dislike about ourselves the most and not see the beautiful one that God created? When God looks at us He sees a beautifully wonderfully created being. Begin to see yourself as God does. Stop looking at the flaws and failures and begin to live your life fully for Him.
Because I use music so much in this blog I was disappointed that I could not find the song anywhere on YouTube so I created my own video and received permission from the record label to post online. I hope you enjoy my first attempt at creating my own video's.
The point of this story is no matter what this woman looked like she was created in God's image. To Him she was His beautiful creation, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made! I first heard the song Fearfully and Wonderfully Made by Matt Redman in October at a women's encounter. I loved the song because it so greatly illustrates Psalm 139.
We are so fearfully and wonderfully made! We are all made in God's likeness, in His image. How can we call something ugly that is supposed to reflect what God looks like? How can we look at our flaws and maybe the things we most dislike about ourselves the most and not see the beautiful one that God created? When God looks at us He sees a beautifully wonderfully created being. Begin to see yourself as God does. Stop looking at the flaws and failures and begin to live your life fully for Him.
Because I use music so much in this blog I was disappointed that I could not find the song anywhere on YouTube so I created my own video and received permission from the record label to post online. I hope you enjoy my first attempt at creating my own video's.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
I Still Believe Kim Walker Smith
Today when I woke up the song I Still Believe was on my heart. As I listened to the song the words began to overwhelm me and I had to stop what I was doing and allow the music to wash over me. I had to allow God to do a work in me. It is so easy to sing a song and even to feel and be moved by the power of the music but it is another to dwell on the words and say do I really believe them? Do I believe that God is still powerful? Do I still believe that God keeps His word? Do I still believe that He is sufficient and can meet my every need? Do I still believe He can heal the deaf ear and open the blind eyes? Do I fully trust God?
I realized as I tried to type this post that no I was not fully trusting God. I believe this was the song God wanted me to share today but I struggled to find the right words to put in this post. What message was I to share when I had not fully understood the message myself? I had to take time to finish allowing God to speak to me. I realized fear was holding me back. I was afraid I had stepped outside of God's timing on a situation and had messed everything up. That I was either trying to place myself or I had not heard God in that area. I don't know about you but every time fear raises its ugly head I start to doubt that I hear from God. Not only do I doubt I hear from God I fear that His promise of healing will never come to pass in my life.
I took some time as I was struggling with this post to pray. I asked for forgiveness if I had stepped outside of God's timing and to fix any mess I may have made of the situation. I also prayed and declared that God's word is true, even if I do not see a physical healing in my body today I know that God is still willing and able and His word will come to pass in my life. Last I declared that I do hear from God and I do believe He speaks to me. As I prayed, praised, and declared a peace settled over me that I knew was from God. To maintain this peace I may need to make this a daily act for awhile but I know that I will come to a place where the peace will stay, a place where I do not waver in doubt and unbelief, a place where I fully trust God.
God totally knew what He was getting into when He called and chose me. I was no surprise to Him at all. He knows how I will respond to His destinies He has spoken over me, that at first I may declare no way! But over time I will allow Him to soften my heart to His request because I know He only has good plans for me. My original response of no way is just fear raising it's ugly head because while God's plans are good and to give me a hope and a future they are also overwhelming.
Some who have heard my story about starting this blog are shocked that I argued with God. I said no way, no how was I doing this. I had allowed fear to enter. Fear I would have nothing to say and fear that no one would read whatever I posted. It took months for Him to work on me so I would get to a place where I said okay. I even recall I was in church one night when God gave me the name for the blog. Here is my response: "That is a great name God. I'll even right that down but I am not doing it." I even told God no one would read the blog because I wasn't telling anyone. Well guess what! That changed too. I personally like to think that through this whole process God would look down at me, smile, shake His head, and know He was going to have His way in me. I am so glad He did.
Despite all my fears and short comings I know that God still loves me, He has chosen me, He is doing a work in me, and yes He does speak to me. As we develop a more intimate relationship with each other I fall more deeply in love with Him. The voices of fear, doubt, and unbelief are becoming more distant as they are being evicted from my life.
I am thankful for each and everyone of you. I am thankful that God has connected us physically and/or electronically. I am thankful that God continues to speak to me and has given me a sensitivity to what He would have me post. I pray the posts bless you as much as they do me and I pray that you will each fall more deeply in love with God and develop a more intimate relationship with Him. Pursue and chase after Him because you will find Him. As Bill Johnson's brother stated we need to become hopeless romantic soldiers. We need to know the aroma of the one we love and desire that above all else.
Today I have shared the song I Still Believe by Kim Walker Smith. Listen to the words and allow them to change you. Know that darkness cannot stand in the presence of the almighty God. May our faith grow in leaps and bounds as we seek Him.
I realized as I tried to type this post that no I was not fully trusting God. I believe this was the song God wanted me to share today but I struggled to find the right words to put in this post. What message was I to share when I had not fully understood the message myself? I had to take time to finish allowing God to speak to me. I realized fear was holding me back. I was afraid I had stepped outside of God's timing on a situation and had messed everything up. That I was either trying to place myself or I had not heard God in that area. I don't know about you but every time fear raises its ugly head I start to doubt that I hear from God. Not only do I doubt I hear from God I fear that His promise of healing will never come to pass in my life.
I took some time as I was struggling with this post to pray. I asked for forgiveness if I had stepped outside of God's timing and to fix any mess I may have made of the situation. I also prayed and declared that God's word is true, even if I do not see a physical healing in my body today I know that God is still willing and able and His word will come to pass in my life. Last I declared that I do hear from God and I do believe He speaks to me. As I prayed, praised, and declared a peace settled over me that I knew was from God. To maintain this peace I may need to make this a daily act for awhile but I know that I will come to a place where the peace will stay, a place where I do not waver in doubt and unbelief, a place where I fully trust God.
God totally knew what He was getting into when He called and chose me. I was no surprise to Him at all. He knows how I will respond to His destinies He has spoken over me, that at first I may declare no way! But over time I will allow Him to soften my heart to His request because I know He only has good plans for me. My original response of no way is just fear raising it's ugly head because while God's plans are good and to give me a hope and a future they are also overwhelming.
Some who have heard my story about starting this blog are shocked that I argued with God. I said no way, no how was I doing this. I had allowed fear to enter. Fear I would have nothing to say and fear that no one would read whatever I posted. It took months for Him to work on me so I would get to a place where I said okay. I even recall I was in church one night when God gave me the name for the blog. Here is my response: "That is a great name God. I'll even right that down but I am not doing it." I even told God no one would read the blog because I wasn't telling anyone. Well guess what! That changed too. I personally like to think that through this whole process God would look down at me, smile, shake His head, and know He was going to have His way in me. I am so glad He did.
Despite all my fears and short comings I know that God still loves me, He has chosen me, He is doing a work in me, and yes He does speak to me. As we develop a more intimate relationship with each other I fall more deeply in love with Him. The voices of fear, doubt, and unbelief are becoming more distant as they are being evicted from my life.
I am thankful for each and everyone of you. I am thankful that God has connected us physically and/or electronically. I am thankful that God continues to speak to me and has given me a sensitivity to what He would have me post. I pray the posts bless you as much as they do me and I pray that you will each fall more deeply in love with God and develop a more intimate relationship with Him. Pursue and chase after Him because you will find Him. As Bill Johnson's brother stated we need to become hopeless romantic soldiers. We need to know the aroma of the one we love and desire that above all else.
Today I have shared the song I Still Believe by Kim Walker Smith. Listen to the words and allow them to change you. Know that darkness cannot stand in the presence of the almighty God. May our faith grow in leaps and bounds as we seek Him.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
It is good (Matthew West & Leigh Nash
I love spending time with my sisters in Christ. Every time we get together I am inspired. And no matter what I feel God has laid on my heart to share in this blog it seems to get changed after we meet. This morning during our time together we watched the video The Story. If you have not watched it I highly recommend, such an uplifting encouraging video that brings the Bible to life in such beautiful visual imagery with wonderful music. All the songs touched and moved me and to be honest I could possibly post a blog about each of the songs but since you probably do not want to read 13 blog posts back to back I chose one. For now! I can make no promises for later.
The song by Matthew West and Leigh Nash Good put to music the story of Adam and Eve. Throughout the song one phrase continued to be song: "it is good." As I listened to the song and heard the phrase "it is good" over and over I was reminded that everything God created He called good. When I think of God creating man and woman in His own image and calling it good then how can I look at myself and declare what is not good. How can I allow the negative hurtful words of my past or present be thought or spoken over my life by me? I know I cannot control others but I can control what I think or say, so why am I declaring words over my life that do not line up with what God says?
If negative words have been spoken over you and you have dwelt on that negativity then today begin to see yourself as God does because He has said it is good. I know this is a daily walk in my own life. It is not an easy path to begin to see yourself as God does because we have believed the lie far too long. Know that you are loved and chosen by a great, mighty, and powerful God. God looks at us, with His eyes shining full of love, and He says it is good!
Below are the words to the song. Read them before watching the video below. They are so powerful. As humans we want to rewrite history, we want to change out past and make it all sparkling and new but no mater how painful our past God has used it to shape and mold us into the people He wants us to be. I may still have many lessons to learn and stuff to overcome but with God at my side I can do it because He has looked at me and declared it is good. Not only does God sees us as good but He loves us with a love that is so powerful and overwhelming. Just rest in that love today. Know that God outrageously loves you and He has said it is good!
If I could, I'd rewrite history
I'd choose differently; if I could, I would
I'd leave out the part where I broke Your heart
In the garden's shade, fix the mess I made
If I could, I would
If I could, close my eyes and then
Dance around again; if I could, I would
Be who You adored, why did I need more?
When beauty was not trained to hide behind my shame
If I could, I would.
Can You hear us cry?
Wishing we could turn back time
To feel Your breath when branches move
Take one more sunset walk with You
Must each tomorrow hold
Such brokenness untold?
Can't imagine how You could
See all of me and say it's good
If I could hold one memory
It would surely be how You walked with us
I'd go back in time, untell my first lie
And let love's injury heal in spite of me
Can You hear us cry?
Wishing we could turn back time
To feel Your breath when branches move
Take one more sunset walk with You
Must each tomorrow hold
Such brokenness untold?
Can't imagine how You could
See all of me and say it's good
Say it's good
It is good. It is good.
You still love us more than we believed You could
Could there be something more?
Will it ever be the way it was before?
Can You hear us cry?
Wishing we could turn back time
To feel Your breath when branches move
Take one more sunset walk with You
Must each tomorrow hold
Such brokenness untold?
Can't imagine how You could
See all of me and say it's good
The song by Matthew West and Leigh Nash Good put to music the story of Adam and Eve. Throughout the song one phrase continued to be song: "it is good." As I listened to the song and heard the phrase "it is good" over and over I was reminded that everything God created He called good. When I think of God creating man and woman in His own image and calling it good then how can I look at myself and declare what is not good. How can I allow the negative hurtful words of my past or present be thought or spoken over my life by me? I know I cannot control others but I can control what I think or say, so why am I declaring words over my life that do not line up with what God says?
If negative words have been spoken over you and you have dwelt on that negativity then today begin to see yourself as God does because He has said it is good. I know this is a daily walk in my own life. It is not an easy path to begin to see yourself as God does because we have believed the lie far too long. Know that you are loved and chosen by a great, mighty, and powerful God. God looks at us, with His eyes shining full of love, and He says it is good!
Below are the words to the song. Read them before watching the video below. They are so powerful. As humans we want to rewrite history, we want to change out past and make it all sparkling and new but no mater how painful our past God has used it to shape and mold us into the people He wants us to be. I may still have many lessons to learn and stuff to overcome but with God at my side I can do it because He has looked at me and declared it is good. Not only does God sees us as good but He loves us with a love that is so powerful and overwhelming. Just rest in that love today. Know that God outrageously loves you and He has said it is good!
If I could, I'd rewrite history
I'd choose differently; if I could, I would
I'd leave out the part where I broke Your heart
In the garden's shade, fix the mess I made
If I could, I would
If I could, close my eyes and then
Dance around again; if I could, I would
Be who You adored, why did I need more?
When beauty was not trained to hide behind my shame
If I could, I would.
Can You hear us cry?
Wishing we could turn back time
To feel Your breath when branches move
Take one more sunset walk with You
Must each tomorrow hold
Such brokenness untold?
Can't imagine how You could
See all of me and say it's good
If I could hold one memory
It would surely be how You walked with us
I'd go back in time, untell my first lie
And let love's injury heal in spite of me
Can You hear us cry?
Wishing we could turn back time
To feel Your breath when branches move
Take one more sunset walk with You
Must each tomorrow hold
Such brokenness untold?
Can't imagine how You could
See all of me and say it's good
Say it's good
It is good. It is good.
You still love us more than we believed You could
Could there be something more?
Will it ever be the way it was before?
Can You hear us cry?
Wishing we could turn back time
To feel Your breath when branches move
Take one more sunset walk with You
Must each tomorrow hold
Such brokenness untold?
Can't imagine how You could
See all of me and say it's good
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Identity and Inheritance (Unchangeable)
Have you ever noticed that the main area the enemy attacks us is in our identity? This seems to be a never ending battle in my life. I recently went through a time of extreme battle in this area. The lies coming against me were rapid fire. It seemed as soon as I replaced one lie with the truth another would come and then another and another. It was never ending. I began to get discouraged and little by little the lies started to become truth. During this time I would pray, seek God, and look for the truth in His word to combat the lies. I acted like everything was fine on the outside but inside I was struggling.
During the midst of this battle my pastor started a series at church on covenant. In this series he used the illustration of Ziba and Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth did not understand his identity or his inheritance and because of that he allowed Ziba, the enemy, to steal his inheritance. In fact Mephibosheth identified himself as a dead dog to King David, not a very good self image. I think at times all of us can identify with this mentality and image about ourselves. We feel unworthy or like dead dogs or grasshoppers. In other words we feel small and insignificant, like our life has no meaning, value or worth.
Mephibosheth's low self image may have come because of his disabilities, but if he had totally understood the covenant between his father, Jonathan, and King David then he would have known that despite the disabilities he had a right and a privilege to enter the King's presence. There would have been a boldness to Mephibosheth instead of a lowly servant mentality if he had totally understood his inheritance and identity.
One of the reasons the enemy delights in attacking us in our identity is so he can steal our inheritance. He wants to keep us in a dry and barren place where we feel unworthy, unloved, and totally useless. A place where we feel we have to perform to earn God's love, to feel accepted by those around us, and earn our inheritance. In this dry and barren place we begin to become malnourished spiritually and cannot discover our identity or inheritance. There is no boldness in this place and it is a place we must leave before we can understand what is rightfully ours.
A few days before I heard the message on covenant there was a word spoken during worship practice that a time of release had come. The person who spoke this word did not understand it or why it needed to be spoken, but I knew it was for me. I was being released into a new level in my relationship with God and I was being released into a place of freedom. The tether that was attached to me, that only allowed me to go so far before I was yanked back, was being broken off of me.
Both the word spoken and the message were so liberating to me during my time of battle. I realized as Pastor Stan had said I had stayed in a conversation with the enemy too long and gotten into a place of deception. A dry and barren place where I could not feel God's presence, where I was identifying myself in how I acted and behaved and not who God had said I was, a place where I allowed my identity to become that of a dead dog. There was absolutely no life in that dry and barren place and it was time I vacated it. It was time for me to rediscover who God said that I am and to take back from the enemy all that God has given me.
In the dry and barren place I may not have been able to feel God's presence but He was there all the time. I was the one who moved away from Him and I was the one who would need to draw near to Him again. What freedom came with that realization. No more was I going to allow the pressures of this world and the demands and expectations of others rob me of hearing from God and sensing His nearness to me. As I began the journey to draw near to God I want to say the results were instantaneous, but they were not. Because God had said He is taking me to a new level with Him, I could not do what I had done in the past and expect new results. Every time God takes me to a new level I have to discover what will bring me to a new level of intimacy with Him. There is no set pattern and what works for one will not work for another. All I can say is don't give up because the end result is so worth it!
To wrap this up I desire for all of you to leave the dry and barren place you may be inhabiting. Do not become like Mephibosheth and allow the enemy to steal your inheritance and indentity. Begin to see yourself as God sees you. Speak those words over yourself, no matter how silly it may seem. Do not allow your present circumstances or situations continue to rob you of all the great and wonderful things God has in store for you. There is absolutely nothing you can do to earn God's love or to keep you from God's love. He loves you because you are you! I recently read in the book Pursued by Jud Whilite a passage this sums this up so well: "I can finally rest in the fact that I am not good enough for God, but He is absolutely good enough for me." Such a powerful statement. We are unworthy of God's love yet He loves us, chose us, and has called us by name. We just need to rest in that.
So do as Romans 12:1-2 says (see below) and give your all to God, you will not be sorry you did. He has a great and wonderful plan for each of you as Jer 29:11 states. Listen to the words of the new Matthew West song Unchangeable. You are not a mistake, God's love for you in unchangeable, and He knows the plans and purposes He has for each of you.
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1, 2 MSG)
During the midst of this battle my pastor started a series at church on covenant. In this series he used the illustration of Ziba and Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth did not understand his identity or his inheritance and because of that he allowed Ziba, the enemy, to steal his inheritance. In fact Mephibosheth identified himself as a dead dog to King David, not a very good self image. I think at times all of us can identify with this mentality and image about ourselves. We feel unworthy or like dead dogs or grasshoppers. In other words we feel small and insignificant, like our life has no meaning, value or worth.
Mephibosheth's low self image may have come because of his disabilities, but if he had totally understood the covenant between his father, Jonathan, and King David then he would have known that despite the disabilities he had a right and a privilege to enter the King's presence. There would have been a boldness to Mephibosheth instead of a lowly servant mentality if he had totally understood his inheritance and identity.
One of the reasons the enemy delights in attacking us in our identity is so he can steal our inheritance. He wants to keep us in a dry and barren place where we feel unworthy, unloved, and totally useless. A place where we feel we have to perform to earn God's love, to feel accepted by those around us, and earn our inheritance. In this dry and barren place we begin to become malnourished spiritually and cannot discover our identity or inheritance. There is no boldness in this place and it is a place we must leave before we can understand what is rightfully ours.
A few days before I heard the message on covenant there was a word spoken during worship practice that a time of release had come. The person who spoke this word did not understand it or why it needed to be spoken, but I knew it was for me. I was being released into a new level in my relationship with God and I was being released into a place of freedom. The tether that was attached to me, that only allowed me to go so far before I was yanked back, was being broken off of me.
Both the word spoken and the message were so liberating to me during my time of battle. I realized as Pastor Stan had said I had stayed in a conversation with the enemy too long and gotten into a place of deception. A dry and barren place where I could not feel God's presence, where I was identifying myself in how I acted and behaved and not who God had said I was, a place where I allowed my identity to become that of a dead dog. There was absolutely no life in that dry and barren place and it was time I vacated it. It was time for me to rediscover who God said that I am and to take back from the enemy all that God has given me.
In the dry and barren place I may not have been able to feel God's presence but He was there all the time. I was the one who moved away from Him and I was the one who would need to draw near to Him again. What freedom came with that realization. No more was I going to allow the pressures of this world and the demands and expectations of others rob me of hearing from God and sensing His nearness to me. As I began the journey to draw near to God I want to say the results were instantaneous, but they were not. Because God had said He is taking me to a new level with Him, I could not do what I had done in the past and expect new results. Every time God takes me to a new level I have to discover what will bring me to a new level of intimacy with Him. There is no set pattern and what works for one will not work for another. All I can say is don't give up because the end result is so worth it!
To wrap this up I desire for all of you to leave the dry and barren place you may be inhabiting. Do not become like Mephibosheth and allow the enemy to steal your inheritance and indentity. Begin to see yourself as God sees you. Speak those words over yourself, no matter how silly it may seem. Do not allow your present circumstances or situations continue to rob you of all the great and wonderful things God has in store for you. There is absolutely nothing you can do to earn God's love or to keep you from God's love. He loves you because you are you! I recently read in the book Pursued by Jud Whilite a passage this sums this up so well: "I can finally rest in the fact that I am not good enough for God, but He is absolutely good enough for me." Such a powerful statement. We are unworthy of God's love yet He loves us, chose us, and has called us by name. We just need to rest in that.
So do as Romans 12:1-2 says (see below) and give your all to God, you will not be sorry you did. He has a great and wonderful plan for each of you as Jer 29:11 states. Listen to the words of the new Matthew West song Unchangeable. You are not a mistake, God's love for you in unchangeable, and He knows the plans and purposes He has for each of you.
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1, 2 MSG)
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