No Longer an Ostrich

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all things through Christ, breath of God, denial, denying reality, encouragement for the weary, encouraging words to get you going, head in the sand, how do i stop denial, how to stop denail, living free, living in continual victory, relying on God, relying on God's strength, stopping denial, the armor of God

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Armor of God. You know, in Ephesians 6, where God reminds us this life is an all-out war, all of the time. I avoid dwelling on that too often and it leads to more issues than if I just admit the war and deal with it. I’m like an ostrich in the sand instead of a soldier ready for war.

Ephesians 6:10-11 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Yep. There it is in black and white, but I often act like an ostrich with my butt up in the air and my head in the sand instead of putting on the armor God has provided.

Peace time is much easier and that’s where I want to believe I am.

In peace time, I don’t I don’t have to wear armor. In peace time, I don’t have to live prepared. In peace time, I don’t have to think about a war.

What I’m learning though is that living like an ostrich is suffocating. I’m not designed to breathe in sand. I’m not designed to live in denial. I’m designed to fly and breathe the air in deeply. I’m really designed to soar like an eagle, not hide like an ostrich.

Isaiah 40:29-31 says, “He [God] gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

So, how do I switch from living like an ostrich to flying like an eagle?

Eph. 6:10 says that it’s about being strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might. It’s not about my strength. It’s about His.

When I have my head in the sand, I’m focusing on the darkness surrounding me, praying no one notices me, thinking the enemy won’t think I’m worth the trouble…not being able to breathe.

When I am depending on God’s strength, He renews my energy and makes me soar…armor and all. All denial gets me is sand in my face, but depending on God’s strength gets me the pure breath of the Spirit of God.

Job 32:8 says, “But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.”

When I am breathing in the breath of God, I have understanding of the war I’m in, the subtle nuances that would otherwise go unnoticed of the battle around me.

When I have my head in the sand, I don’t understand anything because I can’t see clearly, or breathe deeply.

The breath of God equals understanding.

Head in the sand equals denial and, dare I say… stupidity.

The choice is mine (and yours) …

Head in the sand, or head up breathing in all God has for me today?

I’m ready to get my head up, breathe in the breath of God once again and receive the strength that not only gets me to the front lines, but wins the war.

http://www.seekinghearts.org

 

 

 

*image by Pixabay

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How to Spot a Fake

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being like Jesus, fake versus the real thing, fakes, how to say the right thing, how to spot a fake, how to spot the real thing, looking like Jesus, real christianity, resting in God, the mouth, truth, what am i saying, what am I supposed to say

Last week, our oldest celebrated his 22nd birthday. He decided that instead of cake, he wanted fruit. He’s always wanted strawberries, but this was new. The morning of the big day I set the fruit on a large, white platter, but it just wasn’t nearly celebratory enough. So, I went back downstairs to gather my crystal. I set fruit in several crystal bowls, stuck a candle in a massive strawberry, and this momma was finally satisfied that the display was birthday worthy.

After the festivities, my husband and I were washing up all the pretty little dishes. We hit one of them with a fork, and ‘DING’, that perfect sound rang all over the kitchen. Mark said, “That’s a good piece of crystal.” I looked at it and said, “Really? I thought this one was.” We took the other piece and hit it (gently) and it kind of sounded like a ‘Dung’ more than a pretty little ‘Ding’.

It was so interesting. The good quality crystal didn’t look as fancy as the poor quality. It was just sitting there, unassuming, knowing what it had going for it. It didn’t have as fancy as a pattern. It didn’t have the decorative features of the other piece. It just sat there, knowing that what it was made of was right for the occasion.

The not so quality piece of crystal was ornate, decorative, and very showy. It screamed, “I’m here.” When it made a sound though, the truth came out. I realized that all the ornamentation was to distract me from knowing the truth.

These pieces of crystal reminded me that I need to make sure the sounds that I make are in keeping with who I am in Christ. They also reminded me that even when I’m impressed with how someone looks, or sings, or even preaches, the sound they make when they get “hit” proves what’s on the inside. Is it praise, or complaint? Is it a temper, or grace? Is it Christ, or self?

So, what sound should come out?

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no filthy talk come out of your mouths, but only what is good for building up as the need may be. This way you will give grace to those who hear you.”

I confess, I often get caught up in the first part of this verse. I say to myself, “Well, I didn’t actually cuss, so I’m good.” I lose the next part, the part where I am ONLY to say things that build people up.

Sound impossible? If I am just using my best effort to look like a great quality Christian instead of actually being one, it is. Just like the crystal at Wes’ birthday. The sound I make tells on me every time. Just because I’m not cursing doesn’t mean I’m building people up. In fact, if all I’m doing is biting my tongue, the sound I am supposed to make (building people up) never happens.

Watchman Nee, in his book Sit, Walk, Stand – The Process of Christian Maturity, says this: “Too many are caught acting as Christians. The life of too many Christians today is largely a pretense. They live a “spiritual” life, talk a “spiritual” language, adopt “spiritual” attitudes, but they are doing the whole thing themselves. It is the effort involved that should reveal to them that something is wrong. They force themselves from doing this, from saying that – and how hard they find it all! It is just the same as when we Chinese try to talk a language that is not our own. No matter how hard we try, it does not come spontaneously; we have to force ourselves to talk that way. But when it comes to speaking our own language, nothing could be easier. Even when we forget all about what we are doing, we still speak it. It flows. It comes to us perfectly naturally, and its very spontaneity reveals to everyone what we are.”

When I depend on Christ, through the Holy Spirit He has already placed inside of me, the sound I make is Him, not me. Instead of a pretender, He makes me the real thing. Instead of just appearing to be Christ-like, He makes me like Him through and through. Still sound impossible? It would be without assurances like these:

Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us.”

Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God who is working in you, ⌊enabling you⌋ both to desire and to work out His good purpose.” He gives us the “want to” and the power to actually accomplish it.

Let’s stop pretending and let Him do His perfect work in us. Let’s rest in the fact that when we are resting in Him, He cleans us up, cleans us out, and replaces us with Him. Then, when a hit comes our way, the sound we make is something that would bring Him glory and will come as naturally as speaking our native langauge. Only God can do that in me, and in you. Let’s allow Him do it.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

 

 

 

*Photo by iStock

Issues with Idols

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am i wosrhipping an idol, christian journey, do we still worship idols today, focus, God's strength, reflections, What's wrong with idolatry, worshipping God alone

 

Isaiah 40:18-20 says, “To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him? As for the idol, a craftsman casts it, a goldsmith plates it with gold, and a silversmith fashions chains of silver. He who is too impoverished for such an offering selects a tree that does not rot; He seeks out for himself a skilled craftsman to prepare an idol that will not totter.”

In the blog Even Though we discussed how the children of Israel worshiped a golden calf while eating the provision that God had provided (manna). Although we didn’t discuss the fact that the Israelite people gave the gold of their earrings to be used for the idol, we read it in Scripture. The provision that God had given them when they left Egypt, they threw away on an idol they asked Aaron to fashion for them. God had given them a savings account to buy whatever they needed in The Promised Land and they blew it in servitude to something that only God Himself could provide.

Every idol we choose to serve takes God’s provision from us as opposed to serving God who continually gives back to us. Have you ever heard the phrase “you can’t out give God”? It’s true, but an idol will take everything you have… and then some.

In Isaiah 40, the Lord tells His people that the gold and silver that He provided is nothing compared to Him. They molded the provision of the Lord into objects of worship and ignored the “real deal” of God Himself. Even those who could not afford gold, silver or another precious medal went out into the woods and gathered pieces of trees to give to a skilled craftsman. At their request, he then fashioned it into an object that “would not totter” for them to worship. Once again, we see people taking the provision of God and shaping it into objects of worship for which they were never intended.

Isaiah 40, verse 20 says that wood was fashioned into an idol that would “not totter”. An object that “does not totter” would take skill, would it not? What would you prop it up with? At first, I’m sure the wood itself would be stable enough to withstand the elements. A little wind, a little rain…no problem, but as time wore on and the rains kept coming, what could be used to prop up the idol then? Would it take a few more pieces of wood? Would a few nails have to be driven into a more sound structure? Would you cunningly place flowers all around to hide the props? After all, what would your family and friends think if the item you worship is falling to the ground?

If the job God gave me is my idol, but I have been demoted, how would I prop it up? How would I spin the situation so that others would not notice that the object of my worship is now face down on the ground? How would I trick people into thinking that my job was still giving me the fulfillment that I claimed?

If the ministry God entrusted me with is my idol, but God’s Holy Spirit is not evident, would I create emotionalism to prop it up?

If my spouse is my idol, but my marriage is falling apart how can I hide it? Do I get the help I need, or cover it in flowers?

 Propping up human idols is hard work, work that God never intended for us to bother with. His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11). When we worship the one true God we do not have to make excuses. He does not totter. Verse 25 and 26 of Isaiah 40 says, “‘To whom then will you liken Me that I should be his equal?’ says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and see who has created these…” God will not allow our idols to continue. They will topple, whether they are fashioned from gold, silver, or wood. The only true Source of strength is Jesus. The only thing worthy of our worship is our Holy God.

There will always be rain and there will always be things in our lives that cause instability. Matthew 5 tells us that it rains on the righteous and the unrighteous, but when we are worshiping the one true God, we become stable because He is stable. Matthew 7:24-25 says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it DID NOT FALL, for it had been founded upon the rock.” We are secure because He is our security.

God loves us too much to allow us to worship things other than Him, things that were intended for blessing, not worship. Are we made to worship? Yes! Let’s just be sure we are worshiping the Creator and not the creation.

We have to remind ourselves to thank God for His provision, but also to thank Him for His character. We have to make sure that we want God Himself and not what He can do for us. He is not a genie in a bottle. He is God Almighty, worthy of ALL praise. Let’s remove the idols that totter and replace them with the one, true and living God.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

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*Image by DailyMail.com

All Things Are Possible

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all things are possible, being sure of God's faithfulness, believing God, Can I belive God, casting the net, encouragement for the brokenhearted, encouragement for the weary, faith, God is able, God is for me, God is for you, God is limitless, how to stay encouraged, Is God worth believing, our limitless God, trust

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

How can this be? Is this for real? I mean, I’m looking at what’s in front of me, I know what God has promised, but how in the world is it going to happen? Jesus said it, but did He really mean all things?

I’m reminded of Joseph in the book of Genesis. Remember that poor guy? His brothers hated him so much they sold him into slavery, lied to their father about what happened to him and he ended up in Egypt. He did pretty well for himself until a false accusation landed him in prison. Then, after several years, Joseph went from prisoner to vice-pharaoh. Overnight! How?

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

I’m reminded of the Israelites building the Tabernacle. They were instructed to use certain materials in certain ways with precise specifications. Once they completed it, God’s glory came and dwelled with them. They went from God speaking to them through a prophet to God dwelling in the same enclosure. In the blink of an eye! How?

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

I’m reminded of a little boy with a sack lunch. It contained 2 loaves and 5 fish. Jesus blessed it, broke it, and turned it into a meal for thousands of people…and there were leftovers. How?

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

I’m reminded of some disciples who had toiled all night trying to catch fish to provide for their families. They had thrown the net over and over and over and caught nothing. Jesus told them to cast their nets one more time and they caught so many fish they had to call partners in to help them because the catch was so great. After one more throw of the net. How?

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

That’s all it takes with our God…one night, one blink of an eye, one offering of all He’s provided, one more throw of the net. How?

Our God is limitless.

Our God is for us.

Our God is the God who takes the impossible and makes it possible. 

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26

Rest in that today.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

*image by Amazon.com

How to Get Through Your Day – Easily

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abiding, His burden is light, His strength, Jesus, Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever, no stress, staying connected, stress free living, truth

John 15:5 says, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.”

In Andrew Murray’s book Absolute Surrender, Murray says that the branch’s only job is to stay connected to the Vine. In other words, the branch doesn’t have to worry with where its nourishment will come from. It doesn’t concern itself with how much fruit it’s producing. It doesn’t even have to fret over what the future will look like. The branch’s only job is to stay connected to the Vine. In Scripture, this state of being connected is also called abiding.

Watchman Nee, in his book Sit, Walk, Stand, describes abiding as sitting in a chair. When you sit, he explains, you have faith the chair will hold you up. Your whole weight is depending on the chair.

I love that picture! It sounds easy. After all, I sit in chairs all the time. But, I confess, spiritually speaking, sitting, abiding, staying connected to the Vine does not come naturally. In this season of my life though, I am learning that this truly is the best way to live.

When I am connected to the Vine, to Jesus Christ alone, when I am abiding in Him, I am not filled with stress, I am filled with Him – His strength, His joy, His love.

So, whatever results happen (or don’t) I’m great with… because it’s all up to Him. If He decides I need lots of strength for what He has for me today? No problem. I’m attached to Him already, so I already have what I need at my disposal.

If He decides it’s time for me to forgive? No problem. His forgiveness is already flowing through me.

Need some love today? No problem. His love is already in me.

See how simple it is? Yet, most of the time, we make it so complicated.

Jesus says in Matthew 10:28, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…” He goes on to say in verse 30 of this same chapter, “…For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Let’s choose the easy path today, the less complicated perfect will of our Father and simply stay connected to our Vine, Jesus. Let’s sit in His presence, breathe Him in and de-stress knowing He’s got it all and simply abide as He has called us to knowing that all the branch has to do is stay connected to the Vine. He does the rest.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

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** Photo by Kerry Vale Vineyard  “Adopt a Vine”

When Your Youngest Leaves the Nest

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all things are possible, changes, dealing with change, dealing with changes, dealing with retirement, empty nester, faith, family, God's faithfulness, grateful, home, homeschooling, how to deal with an empty nest, how to handle change, how to love the journey, how to trust God, it's a God thing, journeying on, only God, our faithful God, sending your kid to college for the first time, sending your kids to college, trusting God, trusting God with our children, what now, Who am I

I remember in late July of 2000, my oldest son Wes and I sat in a little corner alcove in a second floor apartment in Albany, Georgia, and began our school career. I say, “our” because my husband and I felt called by God to home school our kids. We never took for granted the call and prayed before each school year whether it was still the right decision for our family. In fact, at times, I may have even begged God that the call would change! That little alcove was the perfect size for a student desk, so we stacked our little books, prayed, and began our journey.

The reason why we started in July was because I was pregnant. Our second baby boy who was due in October, so I wanted to get a jump on things. I wanted to understand how this homeschooling thing was going to work before a new baby entered our world.

I could go on and on about my oldest son, Wes. He is so smart, y’all. He zoomed through Kindergarten and First Grade in the same year, graduated high school at sixteen, had me answering questions I never knew existed, and still to this day is one of the most motivated people I know. He’s amazing, but today, this blog is about my God, and that baby boy who we named Gabe.

Both of our boys are all grown up now, and as of tomorrow, my husband and I will officially be “empty nesters.” I can’t even describe all the emotions taking place. I am so proud of Gabe, so excited for him, and so looking forward to sharing with him this next journey of life, and yet, I’m sad. But more than being sad, I am in this incredible state of awe because I absolutely know that taking these kids from not being able to read and write, to the incredible, intelligent individuals they are is completely due to God’s empowerment.

I remember back in 2000, and often thereafter, reminding God that I’m great a starting things, but not so great at finishing them. I remember reminding Him that this is His call, so He has do it. And do you know what? He did. He always had my back.

I would hit a snag with curriculum that wasn’t quite what we needed, we would pray, and He would show us another path to choose.

I would teach a lesson and one of the boys would still have a glazed-over, no idea what I’m talking about look, I would pray, and God would give me an idea to come at the lesson from a different angle. Oftentimes, these ideas were so creative, that I knew it was not coming from me!

I would need strength to get up in the mornings and stick to our agenda. He would provide.

I would need flexibility to do what worked for us and not what a certain “expert” suggested. He would always give the grace to relax and depend only on Him.

I could fill page after page and give example after example of how God and only God homeschooled these boys for all these years. I just simply had the privilege of joining Him in the endeavor.

Mark 10:27 says, “Looking at them, Jesus said, ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God’.” I have literally seen this verse be absolutely true in every single day of every single school year, but especially this last one. It reminds me of King David in II Samuel 7:18 where he says, “…Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me this far?”

So, on Saturday, the day we drop our baby boy into the world of college life for the first time, I choose to remember that God has always had my back, He’s always had my boys’ backs, and He loves my kid even more than I do.

Not only that, but I am choosing to run into this next phase of life with joy, excitement for each day, and an expectation to see what God has for me, this homeschooling mom who’s now retired and knows without a doubt that her God can do anything.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

 

 

When Your Husband Gets Beats Up By Your Blender

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annoyances, being grateful, being thankful, clean story, encouragement, first world problems, frustrations, funny marital stories, how to deal with common annoyances, how to deal with frustrations, how to handle annoyances, staying grateful, stories with a lesson, vitamix story, what really matters, when things just happen, wholesome entertainment

So…a few Sundays ago my amazing husband asked me what I wanted for supper and I said, “Actually, I think I need a smoothie. My nutrition hasn’t been what it should be today. I’ll fix you and G whatever, but that’s what I’m going to have.”

A few minutes passed and he said, “Don’t worry about G and I. I’ll fix us both supper and I’ll fix your smoothie too.”

I was super thankful and stayed seated on the couch taking in this awesome gift that I was receiving from my man.

A few minutes later, I heard my Vitamix start up. (If any of you have heard a Vitamix you know that the WHOLE HOUSE knows when it starts. It sounds like a jet engine and is AMAZING at crushing ice, but I digress.) Then, I heard this horrible crunching sound. My heart dropped and I calmly said, “I’ve never heard it make that noise before.”

Nothing.

Crickets.

Finally… “Yeah. I messed up.”

Gulp.

“What do you mean? What happened? Did the Vitamix break? Is my smoothie okay?” (I do have priorities, y’all.)

“Well,” he says, “the plunger got caught in the blade and about ripped my hand off, but I’m okay.”

I would love to tell you that at this point I totally laughed it off, ran to my amazing husband and kissed him, thanking God that he was okay, but that’s not what happened. In fact, I was very angry. I could not for the life of me understand how my man had bypassed the safety guard and managed to plunge the specialized accessory into a roaring jet engine. I had to explain how these smoothies are all I can eat (exaggeration), how this accessory cannot easily be found (slight exaggeration), how I couldn’t understand how in the world he had managed to go out of his way to figure out how to ruin my plunger (ridiculous statement number 27). My emotions went nuts.

After a few minutes, I did calm down. I began to realize it’s just one of those things. I even acknowledged that I, at times, have had the safety lid to slip, and I even asked if his wrist was okay.

After he ordered me a new accessory on Amazon, I took a breath, thanked him for trying to make me supper, and life went on. After all, I’m a Prime member and my accessory was getting here on Tuesday. That would be two smoothies at the most that I would have to “tough it out”.

That was July 24^th. Still no special accessory. You guessed it…lost in the mail.

Now, I do laugh. What else can you do? It takes me at least 8 cycles of stopping and starting the Vitamix each time I want a smoothie. I specify “stopping and starting” due to another part of my man’s Vitamix beat down that I haven’t mentioned yet.

After the first fiasco, my guy remade my smoothie (without all the plastic remnants of the special accessory floating around). As he was stopping and starting the machine, so he could adjust the ingredients to finish blending, he removed the lid a little too soon. I hear, “Ugh! Your Vitamix just spit all over me.” At that point, he just walked away… and who can blame him? I finished up and noticed there was smoothie splattered EVERYWHERE! All over him, the counter, the Vitamix itself, and even the ceiling. I had never seen anything like it. I truly think that Vitamix was mad at him for destroying his friend. It was weird, and I was truly thankful that my smoothie was orange and not red. (Think about that one!)

He wasn’t ready to laugh yet, so I just turned away and giggled to myself.

I totally know that this is a “first world problem” and in the scheme of things, whether I have to stop and start my Vitamix fifty times a day is not even the point. The point is that little annoyances pop up every day. Some are a lot more annoying than others, but as children of God, let’s not let those annoyances cause us to be annoying. Let’s shine like stars instead. Philippians 2:14-15 says, “Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.”

Let’s look around and be grateful for what we do have. Whether we have a $20 blender from Wal-Mart, a Vitamix, or simply food on the table, let’s allow God’s Light in us to shine through so that all others see is Him.

P.S. – We re-ordered our accessory and are told it should be here tomorrow. When it arrives (I’m believing in faith, y’all), I may take a picture of it to celebrate!

*image by 123RF.com

Seeking Hearts Ministries

Overworking the Dough

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Christianity, contentment, faith, God's faithfulness, how to trust God, is contentment possible, laziness versus resting, let go ad let God, letting go, our christian journey, peace, resting in God, resting in Jesus, truth, what does God expect, working hard, working out our faith

Contentment is something none of us like to talk about, or maybe it’s just me that doesn’t like to talk about it. It is definitely not part of the American Dream and is often seen as a lifestyle with no goals, no ambition and a “going with the flow” kind of an attitude like that not too smart surfer dude we’ve all seen on T.V.

Biblical contentment is so different from this picture. In fact, I think that the Biblical rendition of contentment is some of the hardest work we are called to do. There is nothing lazy about it. The apostle Paul says in Philippians 4 that he had learned to be content in whatever circumstances he found himself. He says in verse twelve, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” Notice he says there is a secret to contentment and he had to learn it. He admits to us that contentment does not happen naturally. It takes work, but Paul doesn’t leave us in suspense. In the very next verse he tells us how he has learned the secret of contentment. It says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Paul willingly admits that only through Christ’s strength can contentment be a part of who he is and who we are. That doesn’t sound lazy to me. In fact, contentment sounds like hard work if it can only be accomplished through the strength of Christ.

We see that contentment is not defined by laziness, it’s defined by resting in Christ’s strength. There is a big difference. Laziness is simply sitting on your bum and not doing the work you are called to do. Resting is completing necessary tasks and then, you guessed it… resting.

It reminds me of baking bread. When baking bread, you get your recipe out that the great recipe creator of all time designed (Betty Crocker). You put your ingredients on the counter. You mix all of the ingredients at their proper time and in their proper way, checking your recipe continually and then, you work the dough. You knead it until your wrists are going to fall off. Then, you let it rest. You might go to another task, or you might read a book for a while, or even watch T.V., but you leave that dough alone. Are you being lazy? No! You are content with letting the bread rise. When the time is right, you go back to the dough, work with it some more and once again allow it to rest. At the proper time, the dough finally gets put in the oven where once again you will rest while the bread is doing its thing. The awesome aroma of baked bread fills the space and you are content knowing that the recipe you followed has helped produce the results you want.

In our spiritual life, just like in the process of physically making bread, we get the recipe out (the Word of God) and we get the ingredients together for the task He has before us (Don’t worry. His Spirit will tell you through His Word what those ingredients need to be). As we check the recipe continually, we are sure to mix the right ingredients at the proper time and in the right amounts. Then, we work the ingredients until His Spirit in us says to let it rest. I think this is the hardest part. We look at the lump of dough and then back at God and say, “But, it’s not finished.” We try to work the dough more and finally He has to stop us in some way knowing that we will ruin the dough if we don’t allow it to rest. This is what contentment is all about. Trust. We have to know that even though we aren’t “working the dough”, He is.  Second Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” This verse tells us that we are called, but ultimately, He does the work. He is completing the perfect work while we rest in Him. Are we lazy? No. Some of the hardest work we will ever do will be resting in Him, learning contentment and not over-working the dough.

I might just nail that phrase to my forehead: “Don’t overwork the dough!” If there is something that drives me to distraction, it is an uncompleted task. Learning contentment is knowing when to step back and let the dough rest in Him. That doesn’t mean it’s unfinished. It just means He has it handled. Contentment is remembering that if I keep working the dough it will become an unusable, elastic mess, but when I allow it to rest in Him, it will turn out perfect every time.

Let’s press in close to Him this week, allowing Him to speak to us as we read the recipe of His Word over and over again, teaching us what ingredients to place on the counter (knowing that He has already provided every one) and then allowing Him to gently remove our hands when our part is completed in the task knowing that He who began the good work will complete it (Philippians 1:6). That’s the secret of contentment Paul was referring to. That’s allowing Him to be strong in us. That’s allowing the dough to be perfected. Rest in Him today.

 

Seeking Hearts Ministries

My Story

 

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Staying Broken

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In Watchman Nee’s book “The Breaking of the Outer Man and the Release of the Spirit”, he expresses that in order for Christ to flow freely out of us and into the world around us, we must be broken vessels. He gives example after example of life being released only once a vessel has been broken.

One example Nee uses is a seed. In John 12:24, Jesus says, “Unless the grain of wheat falls in to the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” He explains that it’s not a matter of whether the grain has life, but whether the outer shell is broken. How does this happen? Through temperature, rain, and the earth itself. All come together to break the shell of the seed, so the life of the grain can be exposed and grow.

Another example Nee uses is the alabaster flask in John 12. Unless the flask had been broken, the pure oil would not have been released. Without the breaking, the precious ointment would have still been inside. The value wouldn’t have been released without the breaking of the outer shell.

As I was contemplating this first chapter, trying to absorb new truths, I remembered that Nee asked, “What if the broken places in our lives, the very wounds that we try to keep covered, what if those are the very places Christ can shine through?”

Wait a minute. You mean all those injuries, all those hurts, all those cracks in this hard shell are supposed to stay open? You mean I don’t have to “pick myself up and dust myself off”? You mean as I lay broken in complete surrender at the foot of the Cross, that’s when people see God in me? It’s not about “having it all together”, but really about falling apart?

Wow. Just wow.

I’ve always thought that putting my broken pieces back together made me a “good Christian”, a stronger Christian, when in reality that was defeating the purpose. When I cement the pieces that God has broken away from me back with self-recrimination, doubts, discouragement, self-judgment, or whatever adhesive I’m using that day, all I’m doing is removing the places that the light of God can shine through. Then, He has to get His chisel out once again.

When I realize all the wounds, the hurts, the disappointments that have become broken places in my life are for God to shine through, then it’s all worth it. Why would I try to put pieces back together that have always been meant to be exposed? How can I be the light of the world if I’m not willing to let Him shine through my broken places?

I’ll admit, this is completely foreign territory for me. I’m really into “having it all together”. Believe me. But, I’m more into what God wants me to be, and this feels right. This concept of staying broken before Him makes sense. It’s about absolute surrender. It’s about being the branch and depending on our Vine. It’s about being the light in a dark world. If I have a hard shell, that doesn’t happen. If my alabaster flask stays closed, His life-giving ointment cannot flow onto others. I’m not talking about staying a victim. That’s unhealthy. What I am talking about is allowing God’s hand to remove the dry, crusty shell of a girl who has places in her life that are hard as a rock. Nee says that we can’t speed up the process, but we can extend it. I have definitely seen this in my own life.

So, my prayer has changed quite a bit over the last few weeks. Instead of praying for ways to “get it together”, I’m praying for the places that need to be broken to be removed in His time and in His way. I’m praying for the continued willingness to let the pieces fall where He wants them to fall, and allow them to stay that way in order for His presence to shine through me.

Let’s be broken together so that all people see is His light shining through.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

*image by prayers4america

 

Can You See Me?

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Scripture has so many mandates for us to live by. For example, “Be ye holy, for I am holy,” I Peter 1:16; “…overcome evil with good,” Romans 12:21; “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love,” Romans 12:10a. We have MANY more, not the least of which is the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. An example in the Beatitudes is found in Luke 6:27, “…do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Scripture is full of expectations for the Christian life. We are not to touch certain things, look at certain things, or even dwell upon certain things. AAAGH!! Is anyone else feeling overwhelmed? I mean seriously, “do good to those who hate you”?

We also have MANY Scriptures that assure us that the Lord’s yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew11:30). That everything He calls us to do, He is faithful to complete in us (I Thessalonians 5:24). So, what’s the deal? Are we required to fulfill all the regulations and rules that overwhelm us, or is His burden light? The two seem to be polar opposites. After all, being devoted to one another and not our own desires is not easy. Overcoming evil with good is a full time job as well. What is easy and light about those things?

When I was feeling overwhelmed about all the seemingly impossible expectations that God had place on me several years back, God led me to remember some Scripture that I would have rather not remembered. Isaiah 64:6 says that my righteousness is as filthy rags. Romans 7 reminded me that I constantly have this war within me between God’s Spirit and my flesh and must come to the conclusion that, “…nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh;”.

So, if God is faithful to accomplish what He asks, how does all of this rectify? How am I to be holy when nothing good dwells in me? How is He completing His good work in me when I am so full of struggle?

Isaiah 61:10, says, “I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with jewels.”

This verse tells me that God clothes me with His robe of righteousness. Only His righteousness is clean, mine is filthy. Only His righteousness is holy, not mine. My works are nothing, His are pure and perfect.

Think of Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak. Yes, Harry Potter. If you have seen any of the movies, you will recall that when Harry placed the cloak around himself, no one could see him. He roamed around the school and no one knew that it was him. They didn’t see Harry as long as he was wearing the cloak. Harry chose to wear the cloak, or robe if you will, and it changed how others viewed him.  

So it is with the robe of righteousness that is given to us. It is our choice whether we wear it, or not. Just as the verse in Isaiah describes a bride adorning her own self with jewels, it is the bride’s choice whether she places them around her neck, or hair, or leaves them off entirely. She made the choice to wear the jewels and we make the choice whether to wear the robe of righteousness that is freely given.

Isaiah 45:24 says, “…Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.” Jeremiah assures us in chapter 33 that the LORD is our righteousness. II Corinthians 5 reminds us that just as Harry disappeared under that cloak of invisibility and he was completely changed, so our old man dies and our new creature in Christ now reigns in us. Verse 18 of this chapter says, “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled Himself to us through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” Even our “new man” and the things that our “new man” accomplishes are given to us by God. Nothing in us is good. It is ALL Him.

Now, when I see a Scripture that seems to have a commandment that is overwhelming, I use it as a checkpoint. I ask myself, “Do I remember that nothing good is in me except the Holy Spirit?”

“Have I been taking credit for anything that only God can do through me?”

“Have I submitted myself and bowed before Him in order that He can place His robe of righteousness over me today?”

“Am I feeling overwhelmed, or do I know that God has got this?”

When I am out from under His robe, I think it is all about me. When I am under His cloak, His influence, I remember that it is all about Him. When I am covered in His righteousness, His burden is light because it is all up to Him. Whatever He wants accomplished through me that day, it happens. Other things being on hold are okay because I am under HIS cloak, HIS righteousness. When I poke my foot out, there are problems, but when I am totally under His robe, I am exactly where He wants me to be.

A beautiful picture of this is found in Revelation 19:7-8, “ ‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.’ And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints (holy ones).”

Here, we see another bride (us) making ready for her (our) wedding day. She chooses to clothe herself in garments that were GIVEN to her. She didn’t have to work for them. She just had to accept them. The garments are fine linen, but the Scripture goes on to tell us that the fine linen is the righteous acts of the holy ones. Yet again, we see that acts that we think we have accomplished on our own were given to us. We see yet again that there is nothing good in us. It is ALL God. If we have ever accomplished the smallest task for His kingdom, He gave us the idea, the strength to do it, the time and desire to accomplish it. Everything good, pure and clean is from our God. He will give us fine linen, bright and clean just as He has given us His robe of righteousness for today.

Let’s allow Him to cover us fully so that others will only see Him. Let’s choose to disappear into His cloak of righteousness. Let’s willingly submit to what He wants to accomplish through us and see the pleasure on His face when he says to us, “Well done. That’s just what I envisioned you wearing today.”

*image by CNN.com

Seeking Hearts Ministries