"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12
Imagine with me for a moment that someone walks in your front door, through your living room and picks up your television and walks out. Then they return and grab your computer and leave again. Meanwhile you sit on your couch watching them. You don't protest. You don't try to stop them. You just sit there and watch. Once they are gone you say to yourself, "This sucks. My stuff is gone."
I doubt if someone came in your house univited and tried to take your stuff, you would sit by idly and accept it. So why then, do we pretend as Christians, that the enemy is not trying to take from us? Why do we wonder where our joy and peace went? Why do we wonder where the fruit of spirit went? Or worst, why do we accept it as gone?
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10
If we're not having life to the full then something has been stolen from us. If you don't have peace and joy, there has been a theif in your midst. Maybe you didn't recognize him. Maybe you thought it was just circumstances or emotions. Maybe you were duped into handing it over freely, believing it was natural consequences to a mistake. Maybe you forgot who you are.
If Christ came to give us abundant life then it has been given. Sometimes we assume he just meant heaven. We sit by idly accepting assualt because we think it is part of this world. Don't get me wrong. Jesus said we will have trouble in this world. Things will happen that threaten to steal our joy and peace, but he has overcome the world. He said he has given us life abundantly. He said we have his spirit. We are his. We have a restored relationship. So if he is what satisfies and we have him already, how can it be that abundant life waits for us in heaven and not now?
Why are we warned of the enemy and given the armor of God if we are not intended to use it? We are in a battle. How many fights have you seen where one side takes all the hits and the other side just limps on and does not defend or strike back? We're meant to fight back. We've been armed. We've been instructed. Don't just stand there. Don't delay. Don't say to yourself "This might be an attack, but I'm in the middle of something, so I'll pray later." That is not how battles are won.
We are more than conquerors. (Romans 8:37) We need to recognize our role here. We are meant to intervene. We've been equipped to stop the enemy, not just for ourselves, but for others. We aren't here to live our lives until we get our entry ticket into heaven stamped.
If you are bored, confused, complacent, worried, or fearful, then you have forgotten who you are and what is already yours. It is time to take it back.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Becoming Fully Satisfied Now
If you could have anything right now, the one thing you've been waiting for, what would it be?
For the Israelites it was the promised land. They wanted their promise without the journey. They were so focused on the promise, they lost focus of their purpose. Promises are great. Promises provide hope for a future and guidance towards your destiny. But promises are never meant to replace our satisfaction with God. The same God was with them in the wilderness that would be with them in the promised land.
I can pretty much tell when the promise is taking the place of God. I find myself discontent, impatient and confused. Instead of giving thanks and praying boldly, I succumb to complaining and praying as if I have no hope and no direction.
The journey is an important part of the promise. The journey allows time for growth in character and faith. It prepares you for what God's plan is. It creates a humble attitude and allows you to see exactly how incapable you are and how capable he is.
Our purpose is to delight in God, on the journey and in the promise. It is our choice how we walk the journey. We can complain, doubt and even turn back and let the promise die. Or we can let peace reign in our hearts, realize we already have all that satisfies with us where we are and allow God to prepare us for what he has in store. Its admitting God knows us better than we know ourselves.
Let the journey push you closer to God and share the joy with him when you reach what you have been hoping for.
"The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Deuteronomy 1:30-31
For the Israelites it was the promised land. They wanted their promise without the journey. They were so focused on the promise, they lost focus of their purpose. Promises are great. Promises provide hope for a future and guidance towards your destiny. But promises are never meant to replace our satisfaction with God. The same God was with them in the wilderness that would be with them in the promised land.
I can pretty much tell when the promise is taking the place of God. I find myself discontent, impatient and confused. Instead of giving thanks and praying boldly, I succumb to complaining and praying as if I have no hope and no direction.
The journey is an important part of the promise. The journey allows time for growth in character and faith. It prepares you for what God's plan is. It creates a humble attitude and allows you to see exactly how incapable you are and how capable he is.
Our purpose is to delight in God, on the journey and in the promise. It is our choice how we walk the journey. We can complain, doubt and even turn back and let the promise die. Or we can let peace reign in our hearts, realize we already have all that satisfies with us where we are and allow God to prepare us for what he has in store. Its admitting God knows us better than we know ourselves.
Let the journey push you closer to God and share the joy with him when you reach what you have been hoping for.
"The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.” Deuteronomy 1:30-31
Monday, April 4, 2011
Lift Up Your Eyes
"The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west."
We often base our decisions and measure our success by what we see. Whether it be our job, family, church or finances. We make an assessment of our life and live within it.
I love how God tells Abram, "Lift up your eyes from where you are..." He invites Abram to see beyond his current situation. There is more that God is doing. Abram's sight has a limit. Our sight has limits. Sometimes, all I see are my current cirsumstances, what is working and what isn't working. I see where I am falling short. My prayers become boxed into what I know, what I can see.
But God sees more. God is saying, don't get wrapped up in what is going on now and what you are doing. Look and see what I am doing. I'm not limited to where you are now. Lift your eyes up. There is so much more!
Seeing with God allows us to release our faith and pray based on his promises instead of our limitations. It reminds us he is leading the way and his view restores hope.
We often base our decisions and measure our success by what we see. Whether it be our job, family, church or finances. We make an assessment of our life and live within it.
I love how God tells Abram, "Lift up your eyes from where you are..." He invites Abram to see beyond his current situation. There is more that God is doing. Abram's sight has a limit. Our sight has limits. Sometimes, all I see are my current cirsumstances, what is working and what isn't working. I see where I am falling short. My prayers become boxed into what I know, what I can see.
But God sees more. God is saying, don't get wrapped up in what is going on now and what you are doing. Look and see what I am doing. I'm not limited to where you are now. Lift your eyes up. There is so much more!
Seeing with God allows us to release our faith and pray based on his promises instead of our limitations. It reminds us he is leading the way and his view restores hope.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Not Settling for Anything Less
Trying to cultivate a relationship without communication is difficult. I remember on my wedding day, the message was about the importance of communication in a marriage. Our pastor urged us to focus on communication as the cornerstone of our marriage to keep us strong and connected. So why would my relationship with God be in any different?
I would try to read scripture and it mostly felt like a chore. I would pray and it mostly felt like I was talking to a wall. Surely Jesus didn't die so I could talk to walls and drag around a large book that talks about a relationship that is waiting for me only after I get to heaven. Somewhere along the way I fell for a lie, that led to an agreement, that led to discouragement, that led to hopelessness.
I knew God was talking to other people. That only made the problem worst. If he is talking to them and not me then the problem is me. I don't pray enough. I don't seek him enough. I don't read his Word enough. I have some hidden sin that is keeping him from getting closer. The list could be endless. When I say it out loud I see how ridiculous it is. But it was rolling around in my head for years. For some reason if you never say it out loud you never get to hear how fully it contradicts his Word.
I wasn't recognizing who I was because of his grace. Deep down I believed I wouldn't be who I needed to be until I was in heaven. His grace was my entry ticket. Sadly, a lot of the Church thinks this way. A lot of the Church is still wondering around just as confused as the rest of the world, as if they don't have access to the throne room of a King who has it all the answers. It has rendered us discontent and powerless.
We were made to enjoy him. We were made to hear him. I'm already his. I can already hear him. I'm not settling for anything less than what I was made for and what he died to give me; a relationship with him.
I would try to read scripture and it mostly felt like a chore. I would pray and it mostly felt like I was talking to a wall. Surely Jesus didn't die so I could talk to walls and drag around a large book that talks about a relationship that is waiting for me only after I get to heaven. Somewhere along the way I fell for a lie, that led to an agreement, that led to discouragement, that led to hopelessness.
I knew God was talking to other people. That only made the problem worst. If he is talking to them and not me then the problem is me. I don't pray enough. I don't seek him enough. I don't read his Word enough. I have some hidden sin that is keeping him from getting closer. The list could be endless. When I say it out loud I see how ridiculous it is. But it was rolling around in my head for years. For some reason if you never say it out loud you never get to hear how fully it contradicts his Word.
I wasn't recognizing who I was because of his grace. Deep down I believed I wouldn't be who I needed to be until I was in heaven. His grace was my entry ticket. Sadly, a lot of the Church thinks this way. A lot of the Church is still wondering around just as confused as the rest of the world, as if they don't have access to the throne room of a King who has it all the answers. It has rendered us discontent and powerless.
We were made to enjoy him. We were made to hear him. I'm already his. I can already hear him. I'm not settling for anything less than what I was made for and what he died to give me; a relationship with him.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Confusion
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
I've learned confusion comes from a specific place for me. It comes from trying to figure out the answer to the question that is dominating my life at the moment. Everything I pray about, read, think on, seek and chase after surround that one question that I so desprately need an answer to. Not just an answer, the answer. Not ideas, or examples pertaining to, but the whole truth that leaves me satisfied.
My personality has always dictated that. Grey areas are hard for me to comprehend. If I want to know something, I want to know every bit of information. I am a introvert, type A personality. Which means I think a lot with an end result in mind.
My life over the past several years as yielded far more questions than answers. I have wrestled some questions endlessly. I've pouted, insisted, searched endlessly and cried for my answer.
This has resulted in two things for me. I have searched God's Word and his voice earnestly AND I have come to the realization that I wasn't searching for "the one true answer", but an answer that would eliviate the wondering and the doubt.
Turns out, God isn't that interested in explaining every little trial and questions I have in detail. I'll ask one thing that is so important to me and he will glide right over it and teach me about something I wasn't even wondering about. He stretches my questions instead of answering them. I will ask what about this? While I seek that out I discover that is the tip of a much more complicated question. Ugh! Ever have your question answered with a question?
After much of my asking and seeking, I am learning, God likes questions. Questions mean we care enough to know more. We want to understand how our life fits into his truth. He welcomes our questions and encourages them. But we have to remember who he is and who we are not.
He doesn't always answer the way I want or when I want, but he continues to teach me on things even if I didn't think they were applicable at the time. Turns out, what he thinks I need to know proves to be far more beneficial than the answers I think I want.
I will continue to ask, seek and knock and trust in his perfect timing, he will reveal all that I need to know. I'm learning to let all of my questions be satisfied with, "trust me and I will make all of your paths straight."
I've learned confusion comes from a specific place for me. It comes from trying to figure out the answer to the question that is dominating my life at the moment. Everything I pray about, read, think on, seek and chase after surround that one question that I so desprately need an answer to. Not just an answer, the answer. Not ideas, or examples pertaining to, but the whole truth that leaves me satisfied.
My personality has always dictated that. Grey areas are hard for me to comprehend. If I want to know something, I want to know every bit of information. I am a introvert, type A personality. Which means I think a lot with an end result in mind.
My life over the past several years as yielded far more questions than answers. I have wrestled some questions endlessly. I've pouted, insisted, searched endlessly and cried for my answer.
This has resulted in two things for me. I have searched God's Word and his voice earnestly AND I have come to the realization that I wasn't searching for "the one true answer", but an answer that would eliviate the wondering and the doubt.
Turns out, God isn't that interested in explaining every little trial and questions I have in detail. I'll ask one thing that is so important to me and he will glide right over it and teach me about something I wasn't even wondering about. He stretches my questions instead of answering them. I will ask what about this? While I seek that out I discover that is the tip of a much more complicated question. Ugh! Ever have your question answered with a question?
After much of my asking and seeking, I am learning, God likes questions. Questions mean we care enough to know more. We want to understand how our life fits into his truth. He welcomes our questions and encourages them. But we have to remember who he is and who we are not.
He doesn't always answer the way I want or when I want, but he continues to teach me on things even if I didn't think they were applicable at the time. Turns out, what he thinks I need to know proves to be far more beneficial than the answers I think I want.
I will continue to ask, seek and knock and trust in his perfect timing, he will reveal all that I need to know. I'm learning to let all of my questions be satisfied with, "trust me and I will make all of your paths straight."
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Rough Day
Waiting on God without asking, "when God, when?!" is a challenge. But I'm getting the hang of running to him, pouring my heart out and then asking what he has to say about it instead of racking my brain trying to figure out where I went wrong.
This is all...painful. And confusing. And difficult. I just want to see the harvest now. Or to hear the specifics of what the plan is...even just one small detail that I can cling too. But that is just it...I want something else to cling to besides him. Its a faith issue.
Do I believe he is who he says he is and will do everything he promised to do? Do I believe he loves me and intends to bless me, not harm me?
Sometimes when my circumstances are overwhelming, I have to stop and ask myself these questions. The rest of the questions are irrelevant.
Yes, God is who he says he is. Yes, he will do everything he promised to do. Yes, he loves me and desires good things for me.
If I want peace that surpasses all understand I have to give up my right to understand. Surrender to him even though the situation seems impossible. This is humility. This is peace. This is faith.
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
-James 1:4
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
-Proverbs 3:5-6
For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it[a] will certainly come and will not delay.
-Habbakkuk 2:3
This is all...painful. And confusing. And difficult. I just want to see the harvest now. Or to hear the specifics of what the plan is...even just one small detail that I can cling too. But that is just it...I want something else to cling to besides him. Its a faith issue.
Do I believe he is who he says he is and will do everything he promised to do? Do I believe he loves me and intends to bless me, not harm me?
Sometimes when my circumstances are overwhelming, I have to stop and ask myself these questions. The rest of the questions are irrelevant.
Yes, God is who he says he is. Yes, he will do everything he promised to do. Yes, he loves me and desires good things for me.
If I want peace that surpasses all understand I have to give up my right to understand. Surrender to him even though the situation seems impossible. This is humility. This is peace. This is faith.
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
-James 1:4
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
-Proverbs 3:5-6
For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it[a] will certainly come and will not delay.
-Habbakkuk 2:3
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Am I actually thankful for this?
You know you've learned something when you can look back over a long, difficult journey and recognize and appreciate what you have learned. Yes...I said appreciate. I'm even still in the midst of this trial. I don't like it. I'm not asking for more. But I am asking God to not stop until he has accomplished what he wants to accomplish in me. Yikes. Did I really just say that?
Growing is painful business especially if you try to resist or escape the trial that is meant to teach you. God exposing what is in your heart, bringing to light what is in your mind isn't a fun experience. I laugh at myself looking back to when we first started this thing. I was completely foolish. The amount I have learned over these 2 years and the level at which I have learned them, I would have never guessed was possible.
Last Spring I was at my breaking point with our circumstances. It came to a point that I either kept walking down this path with God or I said screw this and walked away from his plan for me (assuming he would let me). I was so confused, so angry, so tired and so hurt. I kept thinking why are you doing this?! You asked us to do this and now you've done nothing but strip us down. We look like fools to our friends. We look like fools to our family. We only tried to follow you and instead of blessings we get...this. No money, no job, no options, no guidance, no joy.
I sat on a patio with Mike, drinking a Starbucks coffee we couldn't afford and I said "If God doesn't do something soon, I am done." I wanted to cry right there. Sob. Lay down and give up. I've never felt that way. For those who know me well, I can roll with a lot of punches before I get pissed off. At least I thought that was the case. I got in my car to head to work and I told God I was sorry. I would follow him anywhere no matter what. For the rest of that day I had peace.
Things didn't improve any. We had more let downs, more disappointments and rode the roller coaster with them. I was committed to following God no matter what. Even though I had no idea what he was doing. I didn't even know what it looked like to follow him half the time. Do I take a right or a left or should I stand still? Silence usually followed. I grumbled, said sorry, grumbled some more, complained, was restored with hope through a song or verse and started the process over again.
During this time, I kept my radio tuned to Christian stations only. I listened to sermons online about 5 times a week. (I'm totally serious). I read 2-3 devotionals a day plus read books. Sounds extreme doesn't it? I had to do that to stay afloat. I had to immerse myself in him in any way I could and frankly I was too weary to pray all that much. Usually all I would get out was "Father....". I didn't know what to pray, but I knew he knew what I needed.
In September I was feeling discouraged again. I was still committed to follow, but had no joy. I resigned myself to following God even if he never spoke a word to me personally, even though I saw him speaking to so many others in new, personal ways. He was silent for me.
Then, when I was most desperate, he began to reveal himself in new ways. Suddenly I can look back and see what work he has been doing in me over the last 2 years. So much work in fact, that I am very thankful he didn't leave me alone when I begged him to. So thankful, I am willing to continue this, until he thinks I am ready for whatever blessings he has for me. I'm confident that he has something pretty fantastic and all of this is to prepare me for it.
I still don't hear from him as often as I would like. I am still broke as can be and I still have days when I want to say "You've got to be kidding me!" We still have no idea what his plan is exactly. We are still waiting for directions more specific than "follow me". He sustains us, provides for us, continues to take things away and I'm learning to count it all as joy. He hasn't given up on me.
Growing is painful business especially if you try to resist or escape the trial that is meant to teach you. God exposing what is in your heart, bringing to light what is in your mind isn't a fun experience. I laugh at myself looking back to when we first started this thing. I was completely foolish. The amount I have learned over these 2 years and the level at which I have learned them, I would have never guessed was possible.
Last Spring I was at my breaking point with our circumstances. It came to a point that I either kept walking down this path with God or I said screw this and walked away from his plan for me (assuming he would let me). I was so confused, so angry, so tired and so hurt. I kept thinking why are you doing this?! You asked us to do this and now you've done nothing but strip us down. We look like fools to our friends. We look like fools to our family. We only tried to follow you and instead of blessings we get...this. No money, no job, no options, no guidance, no joy.
I sat on a patio with Mike, drinking a Starbucks coffee we couldn't afford and I said "If God doesn't do something soon, I am done." I wanted to cry right there. Sob. Lay down and give up. I've never felt that way. For those who know me well, I can roll with a lot of punches before I get pissed off. At least I thought that was the case. I got in my car to head to work and I told God I was sorry. I would follow him anywhere no matter what. For the rest of that day I had peace.
Things didn't improve any. We had more let downs, more disappointments and rode the roller coaster with them. I was committed to following God no matter what. Even though I had no idea what he was doing. I didn't even know what it looked like to follow him half the time. Do I take a right or a left or should I stand still? Silence usually followed. I grumbled, said sorry, grumbled some more, complained, was restored with hope through a song or verse and started the process over again.
During this time, I kept my radio tuned to Christian stations only. I listened to sermons online about 5 times a week. (I'm totally serious). I read 2-3 devotionals a day plus read books. Sounds extreme doesn't it? I had to do that to stay afloat. I had to immerse myself in him in any way I could and frankly I was too weary to pray all that much. Usually all I would get out was "Father....". I didn't know what to pray, but I knew he knew what I needed.
In September I was feeling discouraged again. I was still committed to follow, but had no joy. I resigned myself to following God even if he never spoke a word to me personally, even though I saw him speaking to so many others in new, personal ways. He was silent for me.
Then, when I was most desperate, he began to reveal himself in new ways. Suddenly I can look back and see what work he has been doing in me over the last 2 years. So much work in fact, that I am very thankful he didn't leave me alone when I begged him to. So thankful, I am willing to continue this, until he thinks I am ready for whatever blessings he has for me. I'm confident that he has something pretty fantastic and all of this is to prepare me for it.
I still don't hear from him as often as I would like. I am still broke as can be and I still have days when I want to say "You've got to be kidding me!" We still have no idea what his plan is exactly. We are still waiting for directions more specific than "follow me". He sustains us, provides for us, continues to take things away and I'm learning to count it all as joy. He hasn't given up on me.
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