Rekindling the Fire, Seeking the Spirit-filled Life

 

I have had it on my heart for a very long time this subject of God’s call on my life, and the life of every believer, to live a life of holiness and completely set apart for His purpose. So many believers put their life, all that it’s consumed by, ahead of God’s purpose for their life. We don’t know ultimately what God’s total plan is for our lives, but if we study His Word, then we know many commands He gives us that are already there…we just aren’t obeying them. If we can’t obey the commands He has already given, why would He entrust us with the next phase of His plan for us? We have to show we are at least faithful to do the things He has already given us to do. He desires us to be His light in this dark world. Do we desire that same thing? Today, I read from 1 Timothy and Galatians, to be reminded by Paul how we can and should rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us, help us, comfort us….guide us through everything so that we can be victorious even in perilous times. He has a lot to say in all of his writings about the cost of discipleship, the price we pay to truly live for Jesus, losing our lives for His sake.

 

1 Timothy 1:6-7 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

These verses reach me in more than one way. Most people quote part of verse 7…”but God gave us not a spirit of fear…”. You will hear that a lot. And, it’s true. My faith in God has taken away my fear in man and many other “spirits”, I suppose we could say. I like to focus on verse 6, though, also. It brings the entire section into a different light, but it also encourages me in a different way.

 

1 Timothy 1:6 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,”.

This encourages me to strive to keep the flame alive in my heart, the flame that burns in me for Jesus. That fire is a gift from God. Not every Christian you meet is full of passion or zeal. This verse shows that Paul was reminding Timothy that he had this gift and he needed to focus on it, to keep it alive and never let it die down. I never want my fire to die down. Do you? Too many people let theirs die down before it ever really gets going good. Some let theirs die down even after their flame was burning for many years. It can happen. I pray, I mean I actually pray, that this never happens to me. I want to stay strong and faithful to the end. I already know that the troubles of life can cause a person to become weak and, at times, go astray. I know that because it happened to me. It happened to me when I was very young in my new faith and many trials hit me at once. Once I stepped off the straight and narrow path, it was a battle within me to get back into a right relationship with God. You see that I didn’t say it was hard to get back “into church”. No, there’s a difference in those two actions. You can get back into the church building and still not be the Church, at least, not a functioning member of the Body. That is a serious mistake to believe that all is well because you attend church again. A right relationship with God involves the inward relationship and communion restored with Him, not the outward acts of trying to “be good” and following a strict set of rules. The very rules you try to obey cannot be obeyed without the help of the great Helper Himself! Why, you will know those true believers who have daily fellowship with the Lord and love Him above all else because there are certain signs, which I’m going to point out after I share what Paul says to Timothy next…

1 Timothy 1: 8 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

 

Now, there’s a lot of big messages that could be expounded upon in this one paragraph, but focus on a few small ones for now. Paul is urging Timothy, a young preacher, not to be ashamed of the Gospel nor of him (Paul) as he was a prisoner for the reason of preaching and teaching the message of Christ Jesus, as he was an apostle. He tells Timothy that this Gospel message, this holy calling he has to preach it, is the very reason why he suffers so greatly. And, he doesn’t care about the suffering! He understands that that is the price we pay when we serve God and deliver the message of the Gospel to the world. Paul wouldn’t and didn’t back down. He even held his own praise and worship sessions in jail, much to the amazement of the guards and other prisoners, as well. He tells reminds Timothy, in a way as if he warns him, that he, too, has this holy calling on his life. Times were hard for Christians back then, especially the devout ones that liked to share their testimony of the power of our Lord…and Paul certainly had a great testimony. But, don’t think that they lived in such a different world back then, because they really didn’t. They preached the Gospel in a part of the world where paganism had dominated for many years. They were the real deal when it comes to worshiping false gods. Our trials now aren’t all that different though. In fact, in some sense, it may be worse. No, we aren’t, in America, being imprisoned simply because we say we are Christians. But, hasn’t it grown worse, in other ways? I don’t want to go into a whole separate topic, but in this modern day world, there are so many more who have let that fire die down in them. There’s a lot of temptation in our world now. The god of this world has made it so easy and comfortable, even, to just walk away from your true relationship with God. He has made it easy to say no to God’s calling or to just become stubborn or deaf to the Spirit…not answering your call properly. It’s hard to be a Christian because the flesh is weak, it wants to fit in and be accepted. The flesh wants to look like the world and act like the world…or, I could just say, the flesh wants to avoid saying “no” to many things it should say no to. This spiritual battle, warfare, has been going on forever. It was a battle when Paul was living and preaching and it’s a battle today. Back then, they were killed because of their faith. Today, under normal circumstances, we aren’t killed because of our profession of faith. I consider it worse because of those great numbers of ones who are professing Christians, but, by way of their own life as their witness, continue to crucify Jesus and turn more people away from the Church than being a Light in this dark world. I realize that sounds harsh, but it’s not un-Biblical. People don’t like to hear the truth about things, but even more don’t want to talk about it. Today, we do have many gods that replace God. We have many false teachers that are so deceiving that Christians are listening to them daily and buying out their books, replacing, in large part, the Bible with the babblings of other books. We’ve bought into lies that are so numerous that I’m not even going to get into it here. But….the great news, the Truth….God is faithful to forgive us if we confess and turn back to Him. How do we get back to the place we need to be and have the power to live strong in the faith? Paul tells Timothy in the last part of that paragraph….”13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

Paul says to Timothy “Don’t be ashamed of me or of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, I’m a prisoner because of my faithfulness in preaching this Gospel, but you need to share in this suffering—suffering for Christ. This Word was entrusted to you to deliver to the people who have been entrusted to you. BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO DWELLS WITHIN US, GUARD THE GOOD DEPOSIT ENTRUSTED TO YOU.” (This is my version)

The characteristics that are supposed to be obvious in the lives of Spirit-filled believers are characteristics that are impossible to have without a source of power beyond your human nature, the Holy Spirit. Christians live in defeat every day because they don’t walk in the Spirit. Some believe they don’t need to seek the Spirit constantly for help, guidance, or comfort. I’m not going to criticize you if that’s what you believe. As for me, I believe what the Bible says, which is what God says, about living in and walking in the Spirit. His Word combined with our faith and the Holy Spirit can give us victory in areas of our lives where we would otherwise remain defeated. It’s His power that gives us courage and power to overcome the world. It’s not our own power. Paul knew how hard this life was, he suffered more than most, or probably all, of us ever will. He never forgot where he came from, where God brought him from…literally Jesus blinded him and he was led out of darkness into Light. He never missed anything he lost because he was so grateful for what he gained in Christ, and so sorrowful for the life he lived before that Divine intervention. We need to remember often what He has done for us so that our love doesn’t “grow cold”. We have a great mission field right here in our own homeland, but the workers are few. Let’s rekindle the fire we once had and develop that love that we are called to have. We can show God’s love every day if we will seek Him and walk in the Spirit daily. The Holy Spirit promised to all true believers will guard your heart and mind and empower you to live the holy, sanctified life we are called to live. I never want to stop seeking after Him and having that hunger and thirst for Him.

Yes, there is a lot of loss involved in complete surrender of your life to Christ once you have received His salvation. What does it mean when Jesus says that we have to sacrifice everything, lose our own life, in order to be worthy of being His disciple? Well, it means you will give up all that you love that isn’t Godly and you will commit your life to His will. You will put Him first in your life, in a literal way, not just in words. You will continue to grow more Christ-like and begin to despise the things you once loved or accepted as good…and in doing that you will lose even more things you hold precious—friends and even family. But, though they ridicule and shun you, you keep moving forward with Christ, knowing that losing relationships is just a price you pay—people prefer what’s evil over what’s good. That’s why He said (I’m saying this in my own words, not quoting directly) that you must hate all these relationships or you won’t be worthy to be called His disciple. He knew this opposition would occur. He didn’t literally mean to hate your mother, father, wife, kids, and everyone else. That word—hate—was used to emphasize strongly that you have to love Him more than any other relationship or anything else in your life. If you can’t love Him the most—truly, in your heart, because He knows the intentions of the heart—then you won’t be able to fully commit to Him the way He commands you to.  The person who lived their life in complete rebellion and then transforms into a devout saint of Jesus Christ…they have a lot of chains to break, bondages to be freed from, ridicule to face, friends to lose, lives to lose. That’s correct; we lose our life for Him. If we call Him Lord, and He says that if we call Him Lord then we become His disciples, then we must lose our life for His sake. All the things in our lives that are against God’s holy calling, against His righteousness, those are, in large, the things which make up that life that we have to die to. If we fall into a trap of believing that it is as simple as saying, “Well, I believe in Jesus”….and that’s it, we are saying that the suffering of Christ and God’s plan of redemption is cheap. I find it so saddening that every day people live their lives no differently than before their salvation because they aren’t willing to suffer any ridicule, any discomfort, or make any sacrifice—even though the One they now call their Lord sacrificed it all for them, for us all. Are you willing to step out of your own will, your comfort zone, and sacrifice your life for Him? I have made many sacrifices in my own life. I’ve been ridiculed and criticized by people I care about and love…and it hurts.  But, there are others who have suffered physical persecution; some who put their lives in danger and some who even die because they sacrificed it all to deliver this message that has been entrusted to all believers, just as it was entrusted to Paul and Timothy…and every believer since Jesus died and rose again—to be the ultimate sacrifice for us, so we could live in right relationship with God and have eternal life with Him. Looking around, I believe the biggest sacrifices we have to make right away is surrendering our lives to the Lord and truly placing Him first in our lives. Once we do that, then God will surely entrust us with other things, things that will bring us joy and fulfillment. I want those things, those holy callings upon my life, to be revealed. I ask the Lord to prepare my heart for His will daily. He is faithful to do so and I’m excited about anything and everything He has in store for my life!

I will end on this note: This speaks volumes about the power of the Spirit in our lives. And, note that Paul says “if we live in the Spirit, then let us also walk by the Spirit”. That says to me that we do have to seek and rely upon the Spirit daily for power to live victoriously in this world.

Galatians 5:1-26 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.7 You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. 12 I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

That says a lot. We live by the Spirit indeed, but let us also walk by the Spirit daily. Are you walking in the Spirit daily? Use verse 22-23 as a checklist and do a self examination. Those characteristics are not natural to man, therefore they are considered “Fruits of the Spirit”.  If you try to live by works (the law), you won't stand firm. It is our "faith working through love" that means something in Christ.

I pray we all have the desire to rekindle the fire within our hearts that burns for the Lord, that very fire for Him will keep our eyes on Him. If you have no passion for Him, you will have no honest desire for Him. Let us seek Him and move forward, walking by the Spirit, and giving Him our everything! And, remember, Christ set us free--don't turn back to that old yoke of bondage. If you know a friend who is weak or in a place where you know they will face opposition and persecution, then pray for them and encourage them, just as Paul did to Timothy...and many others. <3

 

In His Arms......

I found this, amongst some other meaningful and sentimental writings, in an old journal from 2002. I have songs I was writing for a Christian music artist, but never gave to him. Also, sermon notes, personal notes on scriptures, and poetry. That's why I love note booking and journaling....when you find an old journal from years ago, you find such meaningful memories--some you may have even forgotten about.........

When I look out in the world
I see sin has taken its toll
Then I look again, and I
understand God's role. Every living, breathing thing
has been touched by God's hand
We were all placed on this earth
to live out God's plan.
So, when your faith just isn't strong
There is power in our prayers,
In His arms is where you belong.

In His arms there is comfort,
His peace is finally found-
In His arms there is joy, the
place where love abounds.
His arms, they are strong;
For just the touch of His hand
Can lead you down the path of righteousness,
into the Promised Land.

There's so many who haven't heard
All the promise of God's Word.
We are followers of Christ-
we have work to do,
His Spirit is here to guide us,
to help us follow through.
It's our job to let them know:
In His arms is where to go.

In His arms there is comfort,
His peace is finally found-
In His arms there is joy, the
place where love abounds.
His arms, they are strong;
For just the touch of His hand
Can lead you down the path of righteousness,
into the Promised Land.

Keep in mind this was in 2002, when I had first turned to God. I didn't have any experience in writing anything that wasn't dark and depressing. I was quite pleased to find this treasure among the others I will also share at some point.

It is so wonderful when your inspiration turns from the corruption and destruction of the world to the beauty and majesty of the Most High. My King is my heart's desire and that desire flows out of my heart and onto paper ........

Hope you all enjoy!

....For Such a Time as This?

There certain verses of scripture that inspire me to write about specific times or parts of my life. This morning, as I was reading this particular section from the book of Esther, I was flooded with thoughts I wanted to share. This part of scripture has come to me many times and I've been led to it many times since I moved to Albemarle last May.

Here, in this passage, Mordecai is speaking to Esther’s servant, sending her a message to let her know that, as the queen, she could use her position to save the Jews (her own people) from being killed. He tells her, even though he doesn’t say God’s name, that God has set this all up, put her in this position, for this very purpose and if she kept silent and allowed the Jews to suffer, someone else would rise up to rescue them, but her and her family would all perish because of her failure to do what God had chosen and called her to do:

Esther 4:13-14 (The Voice) 

Mordecai: 13 Tell Esther, “Don’t be fooled. Just because you are living inside the king’s palace doesn’t mean that you out of all of the Jews will escape the carnage. You must go before your king.  14 If you stay silent during this time, deliverance for the Jews will come from somewhere, but you, my child, and all of your father’s family will die. And who knows? Perhaps you have been made queen for such a time as this.”

[Of all the books in the Bible, Esther is unique because God is never once mentioned explicitly. Still, for those who know God and who know history, God is in the story, behind it, above it, beneath it. He is the main actor in history, even if He is not acknowledged. Here, Mordecai shows great wisdom. The Jews, God’s chosen people, will be delivered whether Esther involves herself or not. Divine Providence has ways and means that go beyond human understanding. Still Providence has made Esther queen for a purpose, a purpose she cannot easily escape.]                    --The Voice—

I like the way The Voice translation explains it, but I will include the same verse from the Amplified version also, because I like the Amplified Bible, J 

Esther 4:13-14 AMP  “13 Then Mordecai  told them to return this answer to Esther, Do not flatter yourself that you shall escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise for the Jews from elsewhere, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?"

Have you ever been in a position in which you knew that God had set it up and put you there for just that time or just for some situation that had arose? I certainly have. The story of Esther really inspires us because she was put in a very peculiar and dangerous situation. She was confused, heartbroken, but also afraid. Yet, Mordecai’s message to her reminded her that she had to be courageous because, even though she would have to risk her life, she was put in a position in which she could influence the king.

God calls us to do things that are uncomfortable and even scary to us at times, but He will sustain us. We have to willingly obey His call, but He will never call us to do something and then leave us to do it alone. He will provide all that we need to do whatever He calls us to do. I was afraid when God called me to leave everything I knew, everything that was familiar and comfortable to me, and move far away, to a place I couldn’t even pronounce the name of, and much less know anything about it. I was comfortable where I was. I had a home that was still new to me and I had loved since the day we saw it. I loved the wide, open fields and the wooden fence posts that went down the property line and was covered with blackberry bushes and grape vines, and home to baby birds in their neat little nests. I was mesmerized by the skies at sunrise and sunset. And, the hummingbirds that fought constantly, right before my eyes, as they tried to feed on the nectar of the tiny buds that were on the “Hot Lips Salvia” bushes I had planted and had flourished, each one hosting hundreds of blooms. Those hummingbirds, each amazing me as I watched them, made a nest in a nearby tree and had a family there. The tiny hummingbird babies, first appearing to be bugs, locusts in particular, were beautiful miracles that I was so fascinated with. I may never see a baby hummingbird that small again, so young that it wasn’t yet afraid of us humans. God blessed me by displaying His gentle, yet powerful, hand in the creation of something so beautiful, detailed, and fragile.

There were many other wonders and small things alike that I adored about this place I called home for a year. However, although I had the ability to see and admire the beauty of these gifts from God, that same home had also been the place where I dwelled during the biggest storm of my life; a storm which brought me to my knees, crushed my heart, and led me straight back to my God, my Father, who would carry me through it all and create a new heart in me and prepare my heart for His purpose. Not only did this storm set the stage for God to transform my heart, it also set the stage for God to move in my son’s heart as he watched me overcome many trials and knew it was God, God alone, who was working the miraculous in my life. So, that home has bittersweet memories. There are many memories of unspeakable pain and chaos I had never experienced, but there were the most magnificent displays of God’s handiwork all around it and there were some of the most joyful memories made there with my children, most specifically my oldest son. As I always tell people, God indeed transformed the inner me in a rapid “tear down-rebuild” or “destruction-reconstruction” project that year, as I completely surrendered to Him and asked Him to change me and prepare my heart for whatever His plan was for me. He answered that prayer request and I am thankful. An extra blessing added to all He did for me, though, was that He began this great work in my oldest son. I had no idea, could have never dreamed it even, that God was going to drastically change our lives in nearly every way, just a year down the road. Had it not been for the very meticulous way that God set everything up, the happy moments and the hurtful ones, my spiritual growth would have been much slower and my oldest son would have fallen to pieces when we moved away.  God had blessed him with self-confidence, courage, and a measure of understanding of Himself that he never had before. I suppose that it could be described of him the way Job once said to God…Job 42:5 “  Before I knew only what I had heard of You, but now I have seen You.” He saw God’s power in my life and in our lives in many ways over this one year period, he had come to understand that, even though it was not easy and was confusing, God was truly our Jehovah-Jireh and was all we needed. He would pave our ways and provide all we needed in life.

Aside from this place I had called home, I had this church I was attached to greatly; it was my spiritual home, I suppose. I had prayed a year earlier for a church that met the needs of my whole family, everyone’s spiritual needs. We left the church I had attended, on and off, since I was thirteen years old. We tried a couple other churches, but God led me to this church and the first day we attended, God let me know that it was the church He wanted me a part of. There is where my two oldest sons began thriving spiritually and socially, as they were meeting new friends while they were learning more about God. I personally felt at home and never wanted to miss my women’s Sunday school class. I loved to see the joy of my children as they fell in love with their church family also and, for the first time, were truly becoming acquainted with God on a deeper level. The pastoral staff and all the church family were so important to us and played such a vital role in our lives during this stormy season we were going through. We always felt God’s presence and peace when we were there, no matter what was going on in our lives at the time. So, it was terribly difficult for me to leave that church. I knew I would always have an attachment there, but it was also there that God spoke through others and gave me confirmation (as I was struggling with knowing for sure that God wanted us to move) that He had a purpose for me in Albemarle, NC. It was one particular night that a person on the pastoral staff gave me a message, a scripture to meditate upon, that drove the message home to me, was the “writing on the wall” for me, so to speak. Perhaps we were just temporary guests there and maybe we weren’t noticed by a lot of people even, but, to us, that church was monumental in our life journey, leaving a lifelong impression upon our hearts.

Now, family is always hard to be separated from, whether it is blood family or spiritual family. I don’t want to get too far off track by going into detail here, since I could write a lot on this subject alone. I will say that I learned two major things in the area of saying goodbye to people. First, God has a way of “drying up your brooks” in some cases, making it easier to say goodbye and walk away. Secondly, you have to just trust God in all other cases. He calls you to go somewhere, to do something for Him. He will take care of you, in everything that concerns you He will be concerned for also. There were loved ones that I said goodbye to and as I walked away, I knew I probably wouldn’t see them again here on earth. The other loved ones in my life, I just pray and put my confidence in my Provider, that He will keep them safe and well. And, if something difficult comes about, He will perfectly work it all out just the way He always lays out plans so detailed and perfectly. Every little detail of every single aspect of creation is in His mighty hand and He, being perfect in knowledge and all powerful, knows exactly what He is doing. If knows the number of hair on our heads, He certainly knows every other detail about us and constantly has our best interest in His plans. I am a lover and advocate of Psalm 139, always telling people to read it in order to get an idea of how well God is acquainted with us, yet, no matter how many times I read it myself, it still blows my mind…I can never wrap my mind around it-how intimately He knows us and is actually present with us all the time.

The months leading up to our move were bittersweet. The excitement of a new life in a new place was overwhelming, but so were all the heartbreaking moments…such as the long ride home the day I picked my oldest son up from his last day at his school, the school that had been such a huge part of his life since he was 7 years old. The staff loved and nurtured his once broken heart and made him feel secure and safe. He had teachers that encouraged him in special ways that truly touched his heart. He had friends that he had known for many years and, since it was a small school, they were a tightly knit group. So, that whole day I prayed and thought of how hard it probably was for him. When I picked him up, I could tell he was sad. Then he told me that, for the most part, no one acted like they even cared. Those words broke my heart and we were silent all the way home. I knew he would be okay, but right then, he was hurting. It was similar our last day going to church. He didn’t want to leave. I cried in the sanctuary, but only one person was there to speak to me and she told my son and I that we would be okay, that all we need is Jesus and each other. I was grateful that this particular one was there to say those words because she happened to have a special connection with my son already, prior to attending this church. He knew her well. We finished our goodbyes over that last week and drove out of our yard, with all we owned packed in a moving truck following us, at 4 o’clock in the evening on a Friday. It was strange watching that familiar town fade away in the rearview mirror as we kept driving, but my heart was full of hope for whatever it was that lay ahead. We drove all night until, at about 4 o’clock Saturday morning, we drove into Albemarle, North Carolina. The moment we drove into town, I felt something come over me and I knew it was God’s Spirit telling me that this is where we belong.

Our life here has been absolutely amazing. I feel God has blessed me for my obedience to Him. When I felt lost, I sought Him for wisdom. When I was afraid, I stood strong on His Word and knew, because of my faith in His goodness and power, that He would take care of everything. I took the biggest step of faith ever and He has rewarded me greatly. He has given me prosperity; prosperity in the sense which I believe He truly means when He says He will prosper His people…prosperity of my soul, the growth of my relationship with Him, the gift of a wealth of wisdom and knowledge that He generously gives to me as I continue to seek Him.

By no means would I compare my circumstances to the extremity of Esther’s circumstances, where her decisions could have determined whether she lost her own life or saw many lives of her own people lost. I’m very thankful that I haven’t faced those types of situations, where the confusion still clouds your mind, but the decision you make has such an impact on lives…as in whether there would be life or loss of life. But, in a sense, I compare the situation in the way God aligned everything, set it all up just right, to put Esther in this position. She was no one of special status, yet God chose her to be a person who would save her people, He chose a person who the world then probably considered a “nobody” and put her in this important place. There was something special about her. God knew that, ultimately, Esther would keep her faith in Him and make that bold decision to go before the king without being invited; an act that would either result in the rescue of her people from an impending slaughter or her punishment by death. I didn’t face that sort of complex decision with those serious results. Or, perhaps I could have. From the moment we arrived here, our lives have changed completely in nearly every aspect. I have felt like this is where my home has been all along, but I just wasn’t physically here yet. My children have thrived here and their lives have been so blessed in many ways. I just can’t go into all the ways we have been blessed here, it would take far too long to write it all out. I will just say that I have always felt that this place was perfect and also that God has brought me here for some purpose. I don’t know what that purpose is yet, but it’s a strong urging in my heart that won’t die down. I know, without a doubt, that God has brought me here for something specific and I know that something great is about to take place in this city. I have known that since late July, and God has confirmed it over and over again. To me, doing anything that God wants me to do is great. I know that this assignment is different, though; it is a special assignment. I’m embracing every moment, everything He teaches me, every gift He bestows upon me, every opportunity He gives me to serve Him…I know we had to leave everything we knew, everything familiar and comfortable to us, and we had to move to this place we never knew of and never heard of—and I once worried and doubted, but I stepped out in faith and I now know that we were brought here “for such a time as this”.

How might our lives have been had I not stepped out in faith and followed God's will for my life, leaving all behind and moving to a strange territory? Would our lives be so blessed had I refused to obey my God?

Esther's story is a story of destiny being determined by faith-her story is in extreme circumstances. We all face decisions that come down to whether we are willing to trust and obey God or choose to trust our human reasoning, which goes against God's nature. Those of us who know Him well, we know that, even if it is scary, we have to obey because He knows what He is doing and our destiny as He plans is the destiny we all long for deep inside....even those who don't know or understand Him long for the destiny only He can give us. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone when God calls for you to. He never promised He would keep our lives comfortable, He did promise to keep us, though.

Thank you for reading! I pray you were encouraged or inspired in some way as you read it. Please take the time to leave feedback, if you would. <3

 

God's Love: Incomprehensible

This morning I woke....well, back up...as I was drifting off to sleep last night, I had some thoughts flooding my mind. I usually write, proofread, rewrite, and repeat steps several times before I share anything I write. So, be warned that I didn't do that today. I probably should, I realize. However, I am eager to start writing more in my blog. I am constantly writing, but I just haven't written any of it in my blog, which I started with a purpose-to encourage and build up people by sharing my experiences and thoughts. This post may be unorganized, maybe even off topic at times. That's okay because, as you will be reminded in the Scripture at the bottom of the post, it will reach someone--and if it reaches one person, then praise God. In the future, I will, as in the past, plan and organize my writings before sharing them.

May you be blessed!

Deuteronomy 7:9 (AMP)

"Know, recognize, and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations..."
~*~God's love and mercy goes on forever and He is faithful to keep all His promises to those who love Him AND keep His commandments.

Matthew 16:24 (AMP)

Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].

If people may wonder what is different or peculiar about me, why I have a view of most things that is far from the normal views that others have, the reason is Jesus. I'm writing this piece on a "spur of the moment" basis, but I feel certain that I have an acceptable explanation for my way of life, or way of thinking-whatever you may label it. I was obedient to the Lord when He opened these doors to bring me to this place, so far from our "homeland" and what was our comfort zone. Though He has definitely blessed me in my obedience, I find myself unsure of my surroundings at times. I love certain aspects of this wonderful new life He has blessed my family with, but find that most often, it is just us and God here. We have acquaintances, we have those brothers and sisters God has given us here, yet when our life is hit with calamity or trials or holidays roll around--it is us and God. The great blessing in it all is that God taught me a couple of years ago that He is all we need. He kept me-held me-through some serious times of trials-trials that I cannot put into proper words of expression in this short blog, but have been slowly writing it out chapter by chapter. When I hurt the most, He would be the only One there to hold me and pick me up. He sent people into my life to bless me and help me. He was my shield when I came under attack. He transformed my life in such drastic measures that my life itself spoke to others that I was His daughter. As a result, I did become unpopular among the people who I was once cherished by. I won't claim I had many friends, but I did have a few dear people in my life-ones who slowly slipped away or began acting strangely around me. This is the time that He revealed Himself to me even more...and because He loved me so much, even when I was unlovable and faithless, and when I was alone and rejected,  I pour myself out to God and I'm never hesitant to do so or worried about what He's doing or going to do. I can love Him freely and without boundaries or fears. As I journey through each day - each week, each moment of life - I know He is with me and I am never alone. I see His face in everything. I feel His presence every moment. Whatever His plans are, I know they are great and perfect, just like His love for me. All of this is a beautiful thing for a girl who was once insecure, empty, broken, and hungry for love. God's love changed my life, transformed me from the inside out. He is not like humans who are nowhere to be found when you're in the deepest valley or battling your way through a wilderness. No, His love is absolutely perfect and He is the only One I am certain is the true lover of my life and soul. I'm so certain that I never question Him, His presence, His work, His plans....I pour my life out to Him so naturally and purely that I never think of Him as anything but my Father, my true and authentic BFF, and my King. If everyone else turns against me, if everyone else shuns me, if everyone else abandons me--it's okay. God loves me perfectly and made me just the way I am. He has shown me that all I need is Him. He loved me so much that I learned what true love was, to the point that His love caused all my insecurities to vanish. I consider it a joy to live for Him every moment of my life and to strive to be holy and acceptably display Him in my life, in my very heart.( Matthew 10:38And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me. ) He called us who are His to live completely surrendered to Him. What did I really lose because of my constantly growing relationship with Him? I lost my old self. I lost people who didn't truly care for me, who don't even know how to love. I lost all the worldly things I formerly loved, but kept me in bondage, even unto physical and mental torment. I lost pride, perfectionism, depression, insecurity, shame, anxiety, fear of rejection, and a long list of other issues, none of which were good or positive. In short, I didn't really lose anything of value. I will continue to live my life completely surrendered to Him and if the whole world begins to hate me--I have Him and I will do His will and do it with boldness....if God is for me, who can be against me? If you are one who has considered me crazy or strange, you may be right from a world's point of view, but don't be fooled---it's Christ you are rejecting, shunning, and hating. If you are just a skeptical or unfaithful friend who has no time for brothers or sisters, it is Christ you don't have time for or are skeptical of and unfaithful to--for He commanded you to behave opposite of that. Praise God for His goodness, mercy, grace, faithfulness, and LOVE. I vow to live my life for Him and will serve Him in all pureness of heart---and I don't need a certificate to prove I'm a true servant and disciple--just look at my life, I invite you to. God is first! Jesus is truly my Lord. I only desire to walk like Him, talk like Him, and live like Him. That makes me unpopular and I know that. That's just one cost of being His disciple. No matter what I may suffer, even if I was to only suffer the rest of my days here, it would be small in comparison to what He suffered and it would be worth it for the eternity I would spend with Him afterward. I pray that, even if I lose people in my life because of my faith, that God would continue to prepare my heart, reveal things to me, and give me a great measure of discernment. I pray to only see with spiritual eyes and to have all my thoughts held captive by Him. I hope that I will always be courageous, no matter what I face, and be bold in speaking His Truth. I have struggled with speaking boldly at times, but He is making me stronger. I look forward to each day because I know it is another with Him, a day He has ordained and planned long ago, so it is a day of importance and value. We don't always understand everything in our lives, but we can be at peace if we would just know that God has good plans for us, but His thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts. His will for our lives is beautiful and full of His joy. If we have Him in our hearts, we can always have joy in any circumstance. For those of us who pray constantly and are often saddened by the conditions we see daily all around us, remember this Scripture below. Continue to seek Him and follow Him, He is working through us even when it may not seem so. His Word is alive and it is powerful, it does not proceed from our mouths with no purpose-it is reaching His purposed destination. 

Isaiah 55:6-116 Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have love, pity, and mercy for him, and to our God, for He will multiply to him His abundant pardon. 8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. 9 it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make 

Prayerfully consider where your heart is, how you truly display Jesus in your everyday life. Don't get caught up with life and forget about God; He will never just forget about you, and you will need Him. Take time to be kind and think about others. Be sure to thank the Lord for all that you have, for it did come from Him and all things belong to Him. And, please, remember the teaching of Jesus everyday. If you will remind yourself daily of His very words, you won't have the desires of the worldly things....to look or act like the world. In all things, in every decision to be made, pray and ask God for His desire to be revealed...that should keep your life in check. We live by faith, not by emotions. 

God bless you and leave feedback if you read this, please. I would like to know how many are interested in this blog. Thanks so much!