It’s Your Break Out Time!

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break out moments, dreams, goals, holding back, it's time, ministry, pulling back, the right time, timing, when is the time, your dream, your goal, your ministry, your time

Hosea 13:13 says, “The pains of childbirth come upon him; he is not a wise son. For it is not the time that he should delay at the opening of the womb.”

How many times have we, as Christians, held back from what the Lord was calling us to do? We come upon a setback, fear takes over and we decide that the timing must not be right? We don’t ask God, we just assume. We stop because it hurts. We must realize that pain does not mean it’s time to stop pressing forward. Believe me, I wish it did.

Hosea 13:13 gives us the great illustration of childbirth. Listen, any smart woman would stop childbirth if she could once the first pain hits, especially at the “opening of the womb” as this verse describes. So, we know from this verse that pain is not a good indicator of knowing the will of God. It is not the gauge to tell whether or not a ministry is going well. It’s not even an indication of when to slow things down. In fact, in childbirth, pain is when things are supposed to speed up! So, we find that only God’s direct Word can be trusted. Our pain indicator is just telling us something hurts and should bring us even closer to our God. As a woman in “travail” keeps hanging on to her husband during the worst of the pain, we must keep clinging to our Savior, listening to His voice.

In Genesis 38, we find another situation that’s pretty graphic, but it really drives the point home in another way. Judah’s son Er was married to a girl named Tamar. Er died before an heir was produced, so as was the custom, his younger brother Onan was to produce an heir for his brother, (That’s all I’m going to say about that. You can look it up yourself for the details!). Onan though, decided in his own wisdom to not follow through. The Bible says in verse nine that, “he wasted his seed on the ground.” Verse ten goes on to say that this did not please the Lord and Onan died. We see here, quite vividly, that God takes holding back seriously! We see that there are consequences to holding back even if it is done in secret.When God wants us to pursue a task, He means it! We should be serious about it as well.

So, I ask you, “What are you holding back from?” What do you know God has called you to pursue right now, but you have decided in your own wisdom that the pain is too great, the task is too hard, or you did agree to follow through with an undertaking and then later decided to pull back secretly as Onan did? You are playing the part, but your heart is far removed. Is any of this ringing a bell? If so, please, don’t dismiss it. That’s the Holy Spirit in you reminding you to not give up. He is telling you that this is the time. This is your break out moment!

Isaiah 58:8 says, “Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.” In other words, when you have your breakout moment, He’s got your back. That’s what “the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard” means. He’s got more than just your back, but I think this verse is a great reminder that He’s got things handled. Whatever the task, He’s got it covered.

So, are you scared to talk to that co-worker that seems so aloof? Are you nervous about discussing religion with a relative? Are you freaked out to tell your fellow Christians about a call on your life? Are you still clinging to a past hurt? Are you sick and tired of fighting where God has placed you in ministry? Guess what? He’s there. He’s holding your hand through the pain. He is your rear guard and your Mighty Warrior. So, get on with your break out moment! Pursue the task that God has laid out for you in this season. If you’re not sure, that’s okay. Rest in Him until He gives you clarity, but when He does, go for it! Give Him as much of yourself as He has given you. This is your moment! Go for it!

Seeking Hearts Ministries

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Our Perfect Father

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a perfect dad, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, dad, devotions, father, Father's Day, God sings over us, God the father, my dad, your dad

Do you know that your heavenly Father sang over you last night? He wasn’t busy in other places; he was right by your side resting in His love for you. He was speaking life into your soul and singing lullabies of grace. He was strengthening you for the day ahead, this very day. That’s who your Father is. That’s His heart for you.

Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” This verse almost seems like a contradiction in a way. Our God is mighty, yet He rests in His love for us. Our God will save, yet He joys in the fact that He must save us. What a wonder our God is. He is powerful, yet loving; strong, yet gentle in His way with us.

I can’t help but think of my own dad when I read this verse. When I was little, no one was as strong as my dad. He could lift me high on his shoulders and help me reach any object I couldn’t grasp, yet when I needed his loving arms he was the gentlest of all men. I was able to crawl in his lap and rest in his love for me. And, even though he wouldn’t sing a lick for anyone else on the planet, he would sing for me. We would ride in his truck and belt out country tunes, or when we had chores in the kitchen, he would sing songs like “California Dreamin’ ”, “Yes, We Have no Bananas”, “Where the Soul Never Dies”, or “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”. I was constantly learning a new song from him. His song library was vast and varied and I loved every minute of it.

My dad was so strong, yet he was also filled with tenderness and affection. He was able to save me from precarious situations, yet we were also able to have times filled with laughter and love. He was a contradiction, but that’s what made him such a great father.

Thinking of my dad helps me to grasp Zephaniah 3:17 a little better. God, our ultimate Father, lifts us high on His shoulders as we go through valleys that are too deep for us. Sometimes, He lifts us up so we can simply see a glimpse of hope in the horizon. He knows just what we need to see. Our God is also mighty to save in any situation. He will protect us and lead us and give us victories in areas we never dreamed possible, yet His loving arms are so tender that when we just need to crawl in His lap and rest in His love for us, He opens His arms wide. He allows us to rest in Him. In fact, He calls us to that very place continually. And, on top of all that, He sings over us. Not just at night, but all through the day as well. He rejoices over us. He takes joy in our relationship with Him. What an amazing God He is. What a perfect Father!

When I think of great fathers, I also can’t help but think of my own husband and his relationship with our boys. In their eyes, he can do anything. He consistently blows their minds with his knowledge of mechanics, carpentry, farming, God’s Word and yes, a country song or two. He is mighty in their eyes, yet they also know that he is there for them when they need a hug, or a word of encouragement. I can’t imagine that they don’t know to the core of their being how proud he is of them because he tells them often. They know that they can rest in his love for them. They never doubt it. My boys and their dad joy in each other’s company and he sings over them whether they want him to, or not. Grin! He can’t help but run to their rescue when they need him. It’s just who he is. His love for them compels him. He can’t help himself.

That’s the same with our Savior, our perfect daddy. He can’t help but save us because His love for us runs so deep. He is the ultimate Father, our ultimate daddy. Whatever dad you have dreamed up over the years, He is it. In fact, He is more than you could ever dream up. He is the God of the universe and He loves you. Yes, you. If you have received Him as Lord and Savior, than He is rejoicing over you knowing that soon He will be able to hold you in His arms for all eternity. He knows that you will mature into the child He knows you were designed to be. He knows that soon He will hold your sweet face in His hands and say, “Well done my beautiful child; enter into the joy that I have stored up for you since the beginning of time.”

If you have not yet received Him as your Savior, He is singing songs of salvation over you. He is reaching out to rescue you. He can’t help Himself because His love for you runs so deep. Second Peter 3:9 says that He does not want any to perish, but for all to have eternal life with Him. He has not returned to earth yet so that you can be saved. He is wooing you in every way imaginable. Receive Him today. Allow Him to rejoice over you with the joy of salvation. He is the ultimate Father, trust Him.

“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.”

Rest in your ultimate Father today. Hear Him rejoicing over you. Hear Him singing that you are His. Allow His blessing to cover you today. Praise Him that even if no man on earth has treated you as a father should, you’ve still got Him. You still have your perfect Father.

Visit us at: Seeking Hearts Ministries

R.E.S.P.E.C.T

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authenticity, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, demanding respect, devotional thought, devotions, getting respect, influence, Jesus follower, respect, witness, worthy of respect

A few days ago, as my family and I were getting ready for our Sunday night church service, a certain man in my life that shall rename nameless (ahem) appeared ready to go out the door with his shirt untucked. No big deal, right? Absolutely not, unless for years you have been trying to get this same nameless person to loosen up a little, to be a little more stylish and “go with the flow”, to be a tad more trendy. Had I finally convinced them? Had they finally started thinking along the same lines as myself? Had they “seen the light”? Let me assure you… that was not the case. What made the difference? Well, a few months back, we attended a conference. A very well respected conference that was filled with an amazing time of teaching and worshipping and a time where (you guessed it) a few of the speakers wore untucked shirts.  I did not say one word about it…not one… yet, when we returned home I noticed that this unnamed person starting wearing his shirttail untucked at times. I wondered if it would last and surprisingly, it has. What’s the difference? Respect.

Respect is a powerful thing. It cannot be demanded; it can only be earned. I often wonder what people think when they say things like, “You need to respect me.” We can show respect to someone without actually respecting them, but we can’t respect someone simply because they demand it. It must be earned.

Influence is a powerful thing as well. Respect and influence often go hand in hand. If my children respect someone, oftentimes they will want to dress like that individual, or talk like them, or like the same things as the person they respect without even realizing it. My youngest son got a major haircut the other day. When he showed me the picture of what he wanted the final result to look like, I realized it was just like his guitar teacher. He didn’t realize it, but I knew in that moment how much he respected his teacher. It went beyond simply liking him. His subconscious was molding him into the person whom he valued. I didn’t tell my child to respect his teacher; it simply happened because his teacher is worthy of respect. And, the respect led to influence.

For this reason, First Timothy 3:8 tells us that leaders in the church need to be worthy of respect. It reads, “Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money.” God knows and so did the Apostle Paul that people who are respected are natural influencers. In the church, this can be a very good thing. When someone is worthy of respect in every area, our children respect them and want to be like them. Young men and women of faith rise up because they have godly men and women to repsect.

First Timothy 3:11 says, “Wives, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything.” This verse tells us that respect is not only vital in the church, but in the home as well. We see that whether you are a leader in the home, or church you are called to be a person worthy of respect, worthy of being a person of influence. If people respect you outside of your home, but not inside, it creates bitterness in your family. Something doesn’t add up and your kids are the first to know. They need authenticity in order to count you as worthy of respect.

First Timothy 6:1 deals with the workplace. It says, “All who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters to be worthy of all respect, so that God’s name and His teaching will not be blasphemed.” Now, we are not actually slaves today, but this still applies. Anyone who is in charge of what we do, anyone who can stop a paycheck from coming to us, can be considered our boss, our “master” to an extent. So, the verse applies. We are to respect those in authority over us. And, as “masters” we need to be worthy of that respect. Let’s pray about how we can be consistent and godly in the workplace to garner respect and shine the light that Jesus has called us to. Without Christ, being worthy of respect on a consistent basis is impossible.

Titus 2:2 says, “Older men are to be level headed, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance.” This tells us that young, or old, being worthy of respect is always expected. We can never give up on the pursuit of being a person who is worthy of respect. We will mess up, but when we humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness instead of covering up our mistakes, respect from others will continue to grow. Our influence will develop as well. We will never be the ambassadors for Christ we are called to be (Second Corinthians 5:20) without being worthy of respect.

Obviously, I want to be a woman worthy of the respect of others. I don’t want to have to remind people to treat me with respect. I want to be a woman that people value overall. Jesus’ influence was so great because He was respected. Jesus was authentic to the core, people noticed and respected Him. Many of the religious leaders of the day demanded respect, but were not worthy of it. That’s why people were so hungry for authenticity. They were hungry for Jesus. People are the same today. They are hungry for authentic Christ-followers worthy of respect.

So, whether you influence people to untuck their shirt, or cut their hair, know that being worthy of respect is critical. It’s your God-given priority to be an authentic worshipper worthy of the call placed on your life.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.   It does matter.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

Hosea 10:12-13

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Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, devotions, fallow ground, family devotions, fruit, it's time, loyalty, plowing wickedness, reaping, reaping injustice, resping injustice, seeking, seeking the Lord, sowing, trusting in my own way, view to righteousness

Hosea 10: 12 and 13 says, “Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you. You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors.”

I just love these verses. They hold such conviction for me, but there is encouragement with the conviction. Let’s pull it apart and see what we get.

“Sow with a view to righteousness.” When I read this, I find the Spirit of God asking me if I am sowing things in my life right now with His righteousness in mind. What ideas am I allowing to sink deep into my soul? What thoughts am I allowing to run free in my thinking? Am I destroying speculations and every thought that is not God honoring? Am I taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ as Second Corinthians 10:5 says? Is every television show, book, conversation and thought pattern sowing righteousness in my life? If not, why is it there? What I am sowing will not necessarily be perfect at all times, but am I at least making some progress in that direction. In the book “Unglued”, Lysa Terkuerst calls it “Imperfect Progress”. I like that. Am I making at least “imperfect progress” in the right direction? Am I sowing more seeds in view of righteousness today than I did yesterday, last week, or even last year?

The next part of this verse says to “reap in accordance with kindness”. The original translation of the word kindness can also mean loyalty. So, I must ask God’s Spirit to show me if what I am reaping in my life is loyal to those I care most about. Is what I am reaping today (from the seeds sown earlier) showing that I am faithful to Christ, my husband and the priorities that God has called me to in this season of my life? Would someone looking from the outside in know who I love and cherish? Could they easily see my loyalty, or would I have to tell them who matters most? Could they see my devotion to Christ and my husband without a word spoken from me?

“Break up your fallow ground” is the next phrase in this passage. When I think of fallow ground, I think of ground that has been left dormant. Sometimes, ground is left fallow for good reasons, but for me these words represent something that I have given up on. What area of my life have I left dormant due to my lack of faith? What have I ceased to pray for simply because God didn’t move on my time table? What area have I not touched in a while simply because I am discouraged? Where have I ceased to cultivate faithfulness as Psalm 37:3 says?

Fallow ground for me may also represent areas of confusion, hurt, or places in my life that I just don’t want to deal with; areas where I think victory is just not going to happen. Fallow ground could also be an area where dreams and excitement have slipped away, or died out due to neglect. But, this verse tells me it is time to break it up. This verse tells me that the hard places and the dry patches where I would rather not talk about need to be broken before God. I am finding that fallow ground is much better broken than left unattended. Fallow ground is ground that is being underutilized for the Kingdom and God is saying, “It’s been fallow for too long. Now is the time to break it up.”

Oh, that I would allow God to till my hard places. Oh, that He would break up the places in me that pride has kept unfertile and unusable! I pray that my fallow ground would be placed in Him today so that His gentle hands can break it up, His seeds can be planted and His harvest can be produced. I pray that my rigid places of fallowness be turned into great fields of harvest for His Name.

Hosea goes on to say “it is time to seek the LORD.” This verse begs the question, “What am I truly seeking?” Am I only seeking the Lord, or am I seeking anything and everything that I believe will make things more satisfactory in this moment? Am I trying to hear what God says on the matters at hand, or do I seek people’s advice and authors’ interpretations? Hosea is clearly telling me that it is time to seek the Lord and to quit playing with other ideas that are not of God. I need Him and it is time, right now to seek Him. How long do I seek Him? “Until He comes to rain righteousness on you.” This next section of Hosea tells me to never give up, to never settle for less than Christ’s righteousness. I am reminded in Isaiah 64:6 that my righteousness is as filthy rags, so why would I possibly settle for anything other than His righteousness? I need His Spirit to give me the perseverance to keep seeking Him until He rains His righteousness, His grace, His beauty on my life.

The next part of these verse say, “You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies.” This passage assures me that I have some repenting to do. I must ask the Holy Spirit to show me areas where I am plowing wickedness. Just because I have decided to till the fallow ground doesn’t meant that I am naturally going to sow the right things in the soil of my life. Where am I sowing bad seed? Where am I allowing sin to reign? Where is wickedness playing a role in my life?

This verse also causes me to ask God where injustice has played a role in my relationships lately. Where have I judged people without love? Where have I allowed social biases to go unimpeded? Where have I allowed prejudice to over-ride kindness and grace? I need to listen to His voice and change accordingly.

This verse also causes me to ask myself what lies have I eaten lately? What programs have I watched, or books have I read that has fed me propaganda which I readily ate simply because of the individual who said it? What false teaching have I allowed in my circle simply because I liked what they said and wanted it to be true? What deception of Satan have I allowed in my heart that caused my relationship with God to falter?

Plowing wickedness, reaping injustices and eating the fruit of lies takes a lot of effort. When we sow the wrong things, there’s no time to sow the good things! But, how does this happen? How does a girl who wants all Jesus has for her develop fallow ground, plow wickedness, stop seeking the Lord fully, reap injustice and eat the fruit of lies so readily?

The latter part of this passage in Hosea answers my questions. It says, “Because you have trusted in your way, in your numerous warriors.” Ach! It’s that trust thing again! If I am eating the fruit of lies, its’ a great indicator that I have stopped trusting in the God of the universe that empowers me with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). When I am trusting in the Spirit of God in me, His fruit abounds and I am satisfied. I won’t have room in my spiritual tummy for the fruit of lies. I will be filled with Christ. Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that He came to give us an abundant life; that means a life that is fully satisfied in Him. Psalm 81:10 tells us to open our mouths wide and He will fill them. If we are filling ourselves with anything other than Christ, we are trusting in “other warriors” as the book of Hosea says. Psalm 141:3 says, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.” Verse four goes on to say, “Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who do iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.”

I pray that God will guard my mouth from eating the fruit of lies. I pray that He will break up the fallow spaces in my heart and that He will empower me to seek Him until He rains righteousness on myself, my family and my church. I pray that God will show me the areas where I trust in my own way and not His and that when others see my life they will not guess where my loyalties lie, but will know that I am a Jesus’ girl through and through.

Oh great God, let us only eat of the fruit of Your vine. Break up our fallow ground and help us to seek You until You come and reign over us for all eternity. In the mighty Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Seeking Hearts Ministries