Up To Me

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assuming, blessings, inheritance, Joshua, our part, Promised Land, responsibility, up to me

                                          

While reading some verses with my youngest this morning, we came across Deuteronomy 31:7. It says, “And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.”

HCSB puts it this way, “Moses then summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land the LORD swore unto their fathers. You will enable them to take possession of it.”

In both translations we see that Moses told Joshua that in order for the Israelites to take possession of the inheritance that God had provided for them, he must enable them, “cause them” to receive it. He was also told that he couldn’t just point the way. He had to go with them.

Can you imagine receiving that information? You know these people. You love them. They are your family, but you KNOW these people. You know their worries. You know their tendencies. You know that inheriting the land is impossible without God and now you know that without your co-operation, the dream that God has for them is not happening. Whoa! That kind of pressure must be some kind of scary. That kind of burden is what drives a man to his knees and that is exactly what we see Joshua doing over and over again. That’s why I think God chose Him. Joshua knew inheriting the land was impossible without God. He knew leading these people without killing them was impossible as well. (Sorry if that’s a little too blunt.)

As my son and I read through this verse, I was hit with these questions:

-What land am I leading people to inherit? Is it a land with milk and honey, or a trash heap?

-What group of individuals will not receive their inheritance if I give up on them?

-Who am I being asked to stand for in the gap?

These were staggering questions for me. I had never allowed myself to think that I was impossible to replace. I don’t mean that in an egotistical way. I mean it in a way that made me realize my responsibility to God’s plan. I mean it in the way that God told Moses the children of Israel’s inheritance would only come through Joshua. He would be the one to enable them to receive the blessing. If Joshua had said, “no”, how much longer would the Israelites have wandered? How many more would have died not receiving the Promise? God had created Joshua for that task. He was to enable them to take possession of the land and he had to commit to being with them every step of the way. He couldn’t just point. He had to be in the trenches, getting messy, doing life with the people God had called him to and strengthening the arms of those who had grown weary.

Words cannot describe how convicting this is for me. In all honesty, there are some days when I want to totally walk away from a group of people that God has called me to lead into their Promised Land. I want to turn my back and find a group that actually like me and understand who I am. But you know what? God wants me on my knees knowing that anything good, any step in the right direction is His doing and NOTHING is due to my own ingenuity. He wants me digging ditches, not just pointing my finger to what “those people” should be doing. He wants me to pick up trash and hand out clothes. He doesn’t just want me to congratulate people when they’ve done a good job. He wants me to lead these precious saints to the inheritance that God has for them here on this earth. He wants me to go with them, enabling them to receive their greatest blessings.

Over the next few weeks, as I find myself looking around in judgment condemning those around me for not being where they should be, I am praying to God that He will convict me to look inward. I am going to ask God to show me if I am the reason this group has not received their blessings. Am I the reason that they have not received their inheritance? Am I the reason that they are still wandering in the wilderness and have not crossed over into their Promised Land? As I pray for discernment, I might learn that it is God’s time for these people to receive their Promise and it might just be up to me to get them there.

Lord God, You really blew my mind this morning. I pray that I can hear You clearly. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Keep me on my knees physically and mentally. I love You, Lord, but help me to love You more. In Jesus’ Name I pray.

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Focus

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busyness, focus, hand of God, maid, Master, obedience, servant

 

I’ve had to ask myself a lot lately, “Where is your focus?” I’ve had to make sure that the eyes of my heart have been concentrated in the right direction, on the right Person. I’ve had to ask the Holy Spirit yet again to take every thought captive to be obedient to Him as stated in II Corinthians 10:5. And as I have asked those questions, I have come to the conclusion that sometimes busyness has taken the place of God.

As I was praying about this a few weeks ago, I came across Psalm 123:2. It says, “Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of their mistress; so our eyes look to the LORD our God, Until He shall be gracious to us.” That’s who I want to be. I want to be ever focused on the hand of God. I want to be such a servant that when He moves, I obey. When His finger twitches, I am immediately aware. I am anticipating a move of God because my eyes are focused on Him. But, when I am so busy that I don’t even know where He is much less when His hand moves, I am too busy. Things must change. I must remember that nothing is more important than time with my Savior. Nothing is worth not being where God is working. Nothing is worthy of my attention but Jesus.

So, as I anticipate another busy week I pray that I will choose to see Jesus. I pray that I will be in humble service to my Maker watching and waiting for His hand to move me in the direction that He has for me. I pray that He will smile as He starts to move a finger knowing that I am watching, waiting and willing to obey.

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This I Know

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assurance, God's character, good

As I was reading through a hymn by William Fullerton this week, I saw these words:

“I cannot tell how silently He suffered,As with His peace He graced the place of tears, Or how His heart upon the cross was broken, The crown of pain to three and thirty years. BUT THIS I KNOW, He heals the broken hearted, And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear, And lifts the burden from the heavy laden, For yet the Savior, Savior of the world is here.”

This beautiful hymn reminded me that even if life is intense and confusing, even if things around me are murky and unclear, there are many things that I do know. Many things that I can still trust. Many things to be encouraged by. Here are just a few:

God is love.

1 John 4:16 – “And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.”

Jeremiah 31:3 – “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.”

God is good.

Psalm 136:1 – “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love is eternal.”

God is light. No darkness dwells in Him.

I John 1:5 – “Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him.”

God is my protection.

Psalm 36:7 – “God, Your faithful love is so valuable that people take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.”

God is my sanctuary.

Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your burden on the LORD, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

Psalm 71:3 – “Be a rock of refuge for me, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for You are my rock and fortress.”

God is my portion.

Psalm 16:5 – “LORD, You are my portion and my cup ⌊of blessing⌋; You hold my future.”

Psalm 119:57 – “The LORD is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words.”

God is faithful.

Psalm 36:5 – “LORD, Your faithful love ⌊reaches⌋ to heaven, Your faithfulness to the clouds.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 – “Know that Yahweh your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.”

God is present.

Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

God is glorious and righteous.

Psalm 97:6 – “The heavens proclaim His righteousness; all the peoples see His glory.”

God is sovereign.

Psalm 138:8 – “The LORD will fulfill ⌊His purpose⌋ for me. LORD, Your love is eternal; do not abandon the work of Your hands.”

God is kind.

Romans 2:4 – “Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

God is peace.

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.”

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

Philippians 4:9 – “Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

God is Healer.

Psalm 103:3 – “He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases.”

Luke 6:17-19 –“After coming down with them, He stood on a level place with a large crowd of His disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. The whole crowd was trying to touch Him, because power was coming out from Him and healing them all.”

God is trustworthy.

Romans 4:20, 21 –  “He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

God is incomparable.

Psalm 40:5 – “LORD my God, You have done many things— Your wonderful works and Your plans for us; none can compare with You. If I were to report and speak ⌊of them⌋, they are more than can be told.”

God is greater.

1 John 4:4 – “You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

God is for me.

Psalm 56:9 – “Then my enemies will retreat on the day when I call. This I know: God is for me.”

God is worth it.

2 Samuel 22:4 – “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.”

Revelation 4:11 – “Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You have created all things, and because of Your will they exist and were created.”

So, be encouraged. Even when life is bombarding you with situations out of your control and you are struggling to keep your head afloat, cling to what you know. Cling to the God you know. He will not fail.

Fullerton went on to write in his hymn:“I cannot tell how He will win the nations, How He will claim His earthly heritage, How satisfy the needs and aspirations of East and West, of sinner and of sage, BUT THIS I KNOW, all flesh shall see His glory, And He shall reap the harvest He has sown, And some glad day His sun will shine in splendor when He the Savior, Savior of the world is know.”

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Lunar Eclipses and Other Things

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alarms, Christ's return, lunar eclipse, people of light, sleep walking, sleeping, slumbering, time is up, wake up

                          

                          

I hear  there was a lunar eclipse Wednesday morning. I wouldn’t personally know because I slept right through it. I am usually up at that time (it was 5:30 in my time zone), but that morning I slept right on without a care in the world. I thought it would be awesome to wake up and see this remarkable phenomenon of God’s creation, but obviously I didn’t care enough to set an alarm. In fact, I had planned on waking up my youngest son so we could experience it together. He was excited, but didn’t care enough to set his alarm either. Apparently, we both preferred sleep.

As we went about our day, I wondered how often I have missed God’s voice because I was simply asleep. How often have I missed a great work of God because I chose slumber instead?

Physically speaking, there have been many times throughout my life when I had big plans for morning devotions, but due to late night activities, chose to sleep instead. Lamentations 3 tells us that His mercies are new every morning and I can’t help but wonder what new mercy I missed for those days simply because I viewed sleep as more important.

Spiritually speaking, I know there have been times when God has tried to speak to me, but I was totally asleep. In my daily Christian walk, I have often gone through the motions with no real destination in mind just as a sleep walker would do. I have mistakenly thought because I was checking all my “good girl” boxes I was on the right path. In reality, I was asleep at the wheel.

Psalm 86:8 says, “Lord, there is no one like You among the gods, and there are no works like Yours.” I must ask myself how often I have been asleep instead of viewing the wonders that God has created around me, in me and through me.

When I am asleep spiritually I am not being wise. I am missing out on God’s plan for that time in my life. Ephesians 5:14 says, “Awake, sleeper…Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time…” I am not being sensible when I am asleep. My time is short and I am missing the opportunities that God has for me that day. I need to WAKE UP!

You might remember that I was not the only one who missed out on the eclipse. I also failed to awaken my son. Romans 13:10-12 tells us, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

This verse reminds me that not only do I need to wake up for myself, but also for those around me. Since I chose to sleep through the eclipse, I caused my son to sleep through it as well. Yes, he could have set his own alarm, but he trusted me to help him see it.

How many times have I missed an opportunity to tell my neighbors about Jesus because I was asleep? My own family? How many times have I been numb to the realization that JESUS IS RETURNING and I only have a few days to share Him with others? God has entrusted my neighbors to me to help them find their way to Him, but I find myself tired and wanting more sleep. I am not just drowsy to that fact. I am sound asleep. I need God’s Holy Spirit to wake me up!

I Thessalonians 5:2-6 says, “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.”

  We do need to be aware from these verses that even when we are awake, others around us may still be sleeping.  I don’t know about you, but my experience tells me that people who are sleeping do not like to be disturbed. We need to remember that people will not like us waking up and they for sure will not like us trying to wake them up, (Christian and non-Christian). No matter what though, we need to be about our Father’s business. We need to wake up ourselves and then help others do the same. Remember, they are groggy from sleep. That means they are most likely grumpy. Keep trying, keep praying and keep sounding the alarm UNTIL they wake up fully.

It may seem like a desperate situation around you right now. In every direction you may only see people asleep. Rest assured God can handle it. We see no more desperate situation than Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37). Those dead, dry bones were no match for the Holy Breath of God. Those brittle, dry, undernourished, sleeping individuals became a mighty army through Ezekiel doing what God called him to do. He was commanded to speak over those bones and God used him to revive the sleepers. So, do not be discouraged. Even if you are the only one awake in your surroundings, keep pressing forward. Keep listening for God’s voice amongst all the snoring and obey His every prompting. You never know when God’s Spirit will break forth, the bones will start rising and a mighty army will prevail.

“Wake up, O sleeper!”

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A Time of Contemplation

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boys, children, contemplation, daily bread, Ebenezer, encouragment, God, homechooling, parenting, prayer, remembering, younger mom

 

October is an unusual month for our family this year. Our youngest is turning fourteen. To actually put that down in black and white makes it even more real. It may not sound like a big deal to you, but for us it is major. Our youngest will be fourteen, y’all! Crazy. So, I’m finding myself in a place of contemplation and a place of remembrance.

As I think over the earlier years of parenting, I have been wondering what truly would have helped me as a younger mom. What would I say to myself when in the midst of nurturing those two little guys? What would I have benefited from knowing?

I think the first thing I would tell myself would be to read “Grace Based Parenting” by Tim Kimmell earlier. It changed my parenting style and my whole outlook on parenting in general. Before reading this book, I was so uptight about what people thought about our kids and I would always automatically say “no” to everything. That book changed my life and in turn, the life of my boys. I am forever grateful.

The next thing that I would tell myself is to trust God for daily bread. Honestly, I have just learned this in the last two years. Concentrate on the needs for today, lay them in God’s arms and He will provide. I would tell my earlier self to quit trying to devise ways to provide for your family. I would tell myself to spend that time on my knees thanking God for the provision of the day instead. He is faithful! He is Provider! He can be trusted for daily needs. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 “each day has enough trouble of its own”.

I would also tell my younger version that you will never regret staying home with your boys over a “career”. You will get to the end of rearing two amazing human beings and know that you made the right investment. You will not regret leaving singing options behind because your oldest boy will be the lead in several college musical productions. You will never regret not becoming the next fitness guru because your youngest is now running down the road with you three times a week. You will never regret investing in your family instead of your own wants. You are making the right choice.

As my younger self, I would also like to know that homeschooling is worth it. Yes, the burnout will come, the frustration will be often, but it is more valuable than gold to see and hear your little ones read and to know that the only reason they are reading is because God gave you the ability to teach them. You will have many precious moments when you know God is your Ebenezer, the only way you have come this far.

The last thing I would tell my younger self is to not worry about praying for the right thing. Don’t worry with the latest book, the newest article, or even the most recent “in thing” to pray over your kids. Simply pray. Pray for them to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, that they would be men of God’s Word and men of prayer. Everything else will ‘come out in the wash’. So, wad up the massive list to pray over your kids each day and realize that as long as you are praying, you are doing it the right way. Romans 8:26 assures us that “…the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” We are assured that the Spirit takes our heartfelt groanings for our children and molds them into the prayers that God wants prayed over them. So, relax, pray and leave it in God’s hands.

We have not finished rearing our boys, but we are close. Before I know it, my youngest will be going to college and my oldest will be graduating college and beginning his own, independent journey. So, for now, I need to be reminded to finish my race well. The Lord laid out a journey for our family that seemed overwhelming at the time, but He has been so faithful and I know He will continue to be. I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He who calls you, and He will also bring it to pass.”

Through the Lord, the journey will soon be complete. But, for now, I also need to be reminded of Deuteronomy 31:8. It says, “And the LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear, or be dismayed.” God will be with us through the upcoming decisions, temptations and paths to cross. He is before us paving the way.

I likewise need to be reminded of Isaiah 66:11. It says, “‘Shall I bring to the point of birth, and not give delivery?’ says the LORD.” I need to remember that God has brought us to the point of delivery with our boys and He will allow their birth into this world to be completed. He will sustain them, provide for them and be faithful to them just as He has been their entire life. He will not bring us to the point of their adult birth and leave. He will deliver! That’s our God.

So, as I finish thinking of our parenting journey, I am left is awe of the provision that God has given to us over the course of this amazing voyage. I am left in such a state of gratitude and wonder that God is indeed faithful and true to the promises of His Word. I am left with increased faith knowing that if God has done so much in the past, I know He has great things in store for our future. I am left in awe of the daily bread, the answered prayer, the deep, abiding friendship that He has provided over the years and I am left with such an intense love for a God that cares about every detail, every nuance of each day in this crazy family. I am left knowing that God is a God of comfort, insight and truly the best teacher of all time.

God of all gods, I give You praise today for the two amazing men that You have provided for us. I praise You today for all of the children all across the world who love You. Help them to stay strong in Your power. I pray that they are men and women of courage and strength through the power of Your Spirit. I pray that they will love You with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength and I praise You that they will become men and women of Your Word and of prayer. In Jesus’ Name…

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