Becoming an Expert

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battles, being an expert at the war of life, being an expert in war, embracing the battle, gentle reminder, good start for the week, good start to the week, how to become an expert at war, how to deal with difficulties, truth, war, war in life, why get close to Jesus, wielding our sword, winning the war

Song of Solomon 3:7-8 says, “Behold, it is the traveling couch of Solomon; sixty mighty men around it, of the mighty men of Israel. All of them are wielders of the sword, expert in war; each man has his sword at his side. Guarding against the terrors of the night.”

As I came across these verses last week, I realized that to be an expert in war, you have to have had some incredible experiences in battle. I thought about the battles that I would have rather not been through and the battles I would rather my family not have had to face, but I also realized that if we didn’t experience those battles, we would not become the experts in war God would have us to be.

We have to have battles before we can become experts.

Notice as well that these men surrounding the King held their own sword at their side. This reminded me that I need my own relationship with Christ. I can’t depend on someone else’s sword and expect to win my own, personal battles. I have to have my own sword ready to go. Ephesians 6:17 tells us that our sword is the Word of God. I have to know Scripture, memorize Scripture and know how to use it in battle. How exciting to know that Word isn’t just for information and to make us feel good, but to train and use in warfare!

Notice as well how close these experts in war were to the King. This shows us that being close to Christ is a requirment for becoming an expert in battle. When we follow Christ, we will see conflict. Christ Himself tells us to not be surprised when the world hates us because it hated Him (John 15:18-19). Sometimes, I think we have told ourselves that the closer we get to Christ the easier life will be. In one sense, we are absolutely right. The closer we are to Christ, the easier issues will be to handle because we are in agreement with Him and His power is enabling us to handle whatever He allows in our paths, but it does not mean that our paths will be clear of all problems.

As we start our week, let’s remember that battles are ways for us to become the experts in war that God has called us to be. Let’s remember that when one of our family members is facing difficulties we are called to encourage them in prayer, asking God to help them learn what they need to learn in that particular battle. I know that’s hard. I know we just want to pray to get them out of the fray, but for them to be the experts they need to be, the men and women that God has called them to become, they must carry their own sword and use it as battles arise.

Battles are tough and let me be clear… I don’t like them, but knowing that they serve a purpose in our own lives and in the lives of our loved ones helps, doesn’t it? Knowing that each battle makes us more adept at wielding our swords, knowing that each battle draws us closer to our King, is beautiful to think about. So, let’s choose to be thankful for our battles today knowing that each has a purpose, each has a lesson and before you know it we will become experts in war as God intended.

My Story

Seeking Hearts Ministries

*Image by Popular Mechanics

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When Faces Change

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anger, battles, christian journey, christian walk, disunity, faces, focus, freedom, others opinion, people's opinion, strife, trust

 

In chapter three of the book of Daniel, we find the famous story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and the fiery furnace. We read how a decree was made in Babylon which said when music was heard from the palace orchestra everyone was to bow down and worship the idol that represented the king. Everyone did just that, except for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They would not bow to the king’s idol and were brought before him for punishment.

In verse thirteen of Daniel three, we read that King Nebuchadnezzar was in a furious rage when he heard they would not bow, but when they arrived he gave them another chance. After all, he was a reasonable man. Verses fifteen and sixteen tell us that the orchestra was all ready to play so Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego could fulfill the law and bow to the idol, but the three still refused. In fact, they answered with an incredible amount of faith. They said, “Nebuchadnezzar … if the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of the blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Daniel 3:19 says, “Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with rage, and the expression of his face changed towards Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego…” Hmmm… “The expression of his face changed”.

Unfortunately, I think many of us have experienced something like this in our lives. The expression of someone’s face towards us used to be favorable, but now it has changed. Sometimes, the reason is obvious. Sometimes, not so obvious and we are left wracking our brain trying to think of what we have done or, what could have warranted the new expression, but we are drawing a blank. We want the relationship to return to the previous favor, but it is not happening. So, what should we do when someone’s face changes towards us?

Before anything, we need to see if reconciliation is possible. Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.” If you know the situation can be rectified, do it. If you are confused as to why their face has changed toward you, see if they are open to telling you what has changed. Sometimes, a simple misunderstanding can be rectified by open communication.

There are times though, when God has called you to take a stand and people simply will not comprehend it. They will not understand and it will cause them to look at you differently. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faced such a situation. There was no way they could agree with what King Nebuchadnezzar required of them. Their God was the one, true God and required monotheistic worship. They simply could not worship any other god and stay in right standing with their Creator. They could not straddle the fence. A stand had to be made. The result? The king’s face changed towards them.

When our beliefs go against the grain of our culture, oftentimes we find people’s faces changing toward us. When we stand up against homosexuality, pornography, promiscuity, gossiping or grieving the Holy Spirit, some people simply do not understand why we are so “straight laced”. Their faces change toward us. Do we like it? No. Do we invite it? No. We simply cannot straddle the fence any longer. We must keep standing and grow deeper in our walk with Christ. We must remember First Peter 3:10-12. It says, “For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it, because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.”

We obviously would rather have a human’s face turned against us than our God’s. We must pursue what is right before His eyes above all else. Many human faces may change toward us, but we must be focused on the face of our Lord.

For those of you familiar with what happens to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, you remember that they were not killed in the fiery furnace and that they, in fact, regained the favor of King Nebuchadnezzar. How did things turn around so quickly?

Daniel 3: 24-26 tells us. “Then King Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in alarm. He said to his advisors, ‘Didn’t we throw three men, bound, into the fire?’

‘Yes, of course, Your Majesty,’ they replied to the king.

He exclaimed, ‘Look! I see four men, not tied, walking around in the fire unharmed; and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.’”

This chapter goes on to tell us that King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that they come out of the furnace and declared that no one should say anything against Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s God. Verse 30 tells us that the King then rewarded the three and they became strong leaders once again in Babylon.

What a turnaround! What in the world happened?! How did the face of the king go from being against them to being for them? The answer is simple. He saw their close walk with God. He saw that God was with them and they were safe in His presence. He saw that his fury did not matter. What mattered was their God. His focus turned from the three to their God.

When someone’s face changes towards us, we need to use it as a time to press in closer to Jesus. When someone is so focused on us, we need to be so close to Jesus that when they see us, they cannot help but see Christ as well. We need to be willing to be where He is, even if it means going into a blazing furnace, so that others can see Him.

Oftentimes, I want to run around and try to fix things, try to make people like me again, when in reality, if I simply draw closer to Jesus He will take care of it. He will draw people to where they need to be. He will draw them in to see that we are walking free with Him in the middle of great adversity. They might rejoice with us and help us out of the fire or, they may choose to not see the “fourth man”, but we are where we need to be. We are in the arms of Jesus. His face toward us is delight. That’s our goal: His face. Psalm 105:4 says, “Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always.” If I am looking at His face, it is much harder to see others’.

Numbers 6:25 says, “May Yahweh bless and protect you; may Yahweh make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may Yahweh look with favor on you and give you peace.” That’s our goal. That’s our focus. Let’s remember Whose face we want looking at us with favor. Let’s strive to walk with Christ even in the fire. Let’s press in closer to Him so that others may see Him when they are trying to see us.

  O Lord, grant us the blessing of Your face shining on us. When others look at us in contempt instead of friendship, may we press in closer to where You are. Let others see You walking beside us, residing in us and un-fettering every chain as we walk unbound with You. O Lord, may all of our faces be ever turned towards Your grace. You are our only freedom.

Seeking Hearts Ministries         My Story

 

 

 

Spreading it Before the Lord

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anxiety, attacks, battles, burdens, choices, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, encouragement, enemies, family devotions, focus, hope, hurts, laying our burdens down, peace, perspective, trust, walking with God

So, Hezekiah is an interesting figure in the Old Testament. I love parts of his story and I’m not crazy about others…the norm for any human, I suppose. In Isaiah 36 and 37, we see Hezekiah come up against a vicious enemy. This enemy had destroyed many kingdoms and was now after Hezekiah’s. Actually, the enemy was now coming against God’s Kingdom. So, Hezekiah had a choice. He could choose to freak out, or he could lay his issues at the feet of His King. I love that Hezekiah did both.

Isaiah 37:1 says that when Hezekiah heard what his enemy had threatened he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. He realized the seriousness of the situation and acted accordingly. Then, the Word tells us he went to the house of the Lord. Isaiah 37:14 says, “Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the LORD.”

I can’t tell you how much I love this. Hezekiah took all the threats, all the accusations, all the hate and arrogance of his enemy and spread it before the Lord. Then, he prayed. He prayed about everything that was on his heart. He refocused himself by emphasizing God’s power, then he told God about what his enemy had said. He poured it all out knowing that His God was in control.

Can you imagine the fear and anxiety that were running through Hezekiah? Can you imagine all the issues and scenarios running through his mind? After all, he could still smell the sackcloth yet He chose to trust His God.

So, I ask you, what do you need to lay before the Lord? What do you need to spread before His feet? Who has assaulted you? Who do you think is out to get you? Who still stirs up anger when you hear their name? Write their names on some paper. Write every situation down and spread it before your God. Pour it out before Him. Psalm 62:8 tells us that He is a refuge for us and that He wants us to empty our hearts out to Him. Stay before the Lord for as long as it takes and then take every scrap of paper, wad it up, toss it in the trash and accept the peace from your God that only He can give. Feel the anxiety leave, the fear give way and the fresh hope of your Lord consume you.

Only our God can do that for us. Only our God can replace fear with trust and anger with love. Let’s spread all of our anxieties before Him and allow Him to do His perfect work today.

My Story       Seeking Hearts Ministries

When You Can’t Find Your Voice

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all things for good, battles, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, control, deep concerns, deep questions for the believer, devotions, encouragement, exhaustion, faith, faithfulness, finding your calling, finding your voice, finding yourself, God, God can so why won't He, health issues, hope, Jesus, mid-life crisis, struggle, struggle in the trusting, trust, why

Millfield Singing Praise My Soul  (BBC.co.uk)

When you’re trying to find yourself again, it’s hard to find your voice.

As many of you have probably realized, I’ve been less active on the blog lately. I’ve been feeling guilty about it, but at the same time I just simply haven’t had much to say. As I’ve been struggling in several areas of my life, I’ve just been needing to absorb some things and I’m learning that that’s okay. I’m learning not to panic over it. I will find my voice again. Actually, I will find His voice again and this I know…He is faithful to call. He is the same God yesterday, today and forever and sometimes life needs to slow down so that I can hear Him.

I have to remember that when I really want my kids’ attention, I usually have to whisper. Yelling just doesn’t seem to get their attention like a whisper. When I yell, they continue on with whatever they’re doing because they think they can still hear me, but when I whisper, they stop, they come closer, they lean in and their attention is focused on me. That’s what God’s been doing with me. He’s whispering and as I am pressing in closer, I can hear His sweet voice once again. He has never left me. He is still speaking to me. I just needed to attune myself to His volume. I still have no idea who I am right now, who I’m going to develop into, but I have confidence in the God who does know, my God, the one Who is Faithful and True.

For example…I have no idea who I am without sugar being key in my life (or flour for that matter), but my God knows.

I have no idea who I am without two boys at home, but my God knows.

I have no idea who I am without intense exercise in my life, but my God knows.

I have no idea who I am without the concentration to have long, intense devotional times with my Savior, but my God knows.

I have no idea who I am without being involved in EVERY single activity at church, but my God knows.

I have no idea who I am without being able to sing for as long and as loud as I want, but my God knows.

My God knows who I am and who He is developing me to be and I trust Him. I. Trust. Him.

As He is teaching me who He wants me to be in this season of my life, I’m starting to hear His whisper once again. I’m finally getting close enough again to hear. I’ve been a little mad and He knows that, but I’ve missed His arms. I’ve missed His voice. I LOVE His voice and now He is telling me that it’s okay if I give 30 minutes (or less) to Him each morning instead of longer. I find myself questioning this. After all, don’t you get closer to Him, don’t you become “better” the more time you devote to Him? I’m learning though that in times of fatigue, when you are simply trusting Him for the next step (literally), He actually likes that just as well. That knowing His presence is strengthening you, the minute-by- minute trusting, He’s really into that. I’m finally starting to rest in that knowledge, that whisper.

I’m also learning that it’s okay if boxes at church for a “good” pastor’s wife go unchecked. That’s a struggle…the wanting to be “the best pastor’s wife ever”. Good grief! Can you hear the pride? I finally can.

I’m learning that it’s okay if I have to lay in bed instead of walk some hills in order to reserve my energy to make supper later that day. I love exercise, but I’m learning that my priority is my family. I need to show it, not just say it.

I’m learning that it’s okay to feel His grace cover me when my concentration simply isn’t there to focus on Bible studies as before.

And, I’m learning that it’s okay to struggle with the want of sugar (and flour), but it’s also okay to know that He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond whatever I could ask or think in the area of my food choices.

I’m also learning that God places people in my path who are there to strengthen and encourage and it’s okay to be vulnerable. They aren’t the usual sources and I am continually amazed, but His kindness through others has been astounding. Most don’t understand and don’t want to know what’s happening and I’m learning that that’s okay; it just makes the ones that do reach out shine like the treasures they are.

So, as I find my voice through Him once again, I pray that you do as well. I pray that if you know exactly who you are in Him today that you will shout it to the rooftops, but I pray that if you are struggling to find yourself, you will press in closer to Him. He has not forgotten you. He has you in the palm of His hand. He is Your Resource, Your Hope, Your Future. Hear His magnificent whisper to you today.

Seeking Hearts Ministries          My Story

Helping to Build

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basics, battles, body of Christ, building, burdens, calling, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, covering each other, encouragement, family, fitly joined, focus, guarding, guarding each other, having each others back, helping each other, our swords at the ready, protecting each other, protection, standing together, wall building

Nehemiah 4:6 says, “So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”

I love the book of Nehemiah. There is so much goodness in it. The leadership of Nehemiah, the teamwork of the people, the enemies getting stronger but God’s people steadily plodding to build the wall anyway. All the prayers and encouragement of the leaders, the strategy…I love it all.

When I came across Nehemiah 4:6 the other day, I of course, focused on “for the people had a mind to work”. After all, that’s usually what pastors I have been around would preach about. The other day though I was asked to look at how smart Nehemiah was to build all the wall to its half way point. My devotional leader Kelly Minter said, “So instead of completing the sections that were easily coming along and leaving the more difficult chunks for later, they decided to get the whole wall to the halfway mark. This may have meant leaving certain portions that were well-along in order to fill the gaps that were leaving vulnerable holes. It was better for the whole wall to be shored up, even though incomplete, than to have fully built sections here and there while others lie disconnected. This feels like divine wisdom to me.”

It felt like divine wisdom to me as well and I couldn’t help but think about our churches. Each church has people who are great at “wall building”. They just seem to be able to pray and trust and have the kind of faith that everyone desires. They build great walls of protection around their loved ones by prayer and standing firmly on God’s Word. Through years of pressing in to Jesus they have faithfully built their section of the wall.

Others are more vulnerable. They haven’t gone through as much faith testing. They’ve trusted in other things until they have finally realized that only God can sustain. They forget to pray first when an attack comes. Their wall still has gaping holes where the Enemy can easily penetrate.

Nehemiah 4:6 tells us the smart thing to do is to come together and help each other build the whole wall until all sections are joined. We may not understand why their section isn’t further along, but we are still called to help. The people of Jerusalem knew that they were still vulnerable if any section was still crumbling. Just because their section was finished, they knew that in order for everyone to be safe all the walls needed to become one, big wall.  That’s just being smart. That’s wisdom. How many times have we heard that we are only as strong as our weakest link? It’s true and it’s true that our church is only as strong as the wall of protection around it.

There are many people in our churches who need help building. Many people are still too vulnerable to attacks. Their foundation is barely started and they need help. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of teaching. People need to know the basics of building a strong foundation through prayer and Bible study and they need a side by side mentor that helps teach them the building process.

Others once had a magnificent wall, but sin, tragedy, or just the pounding of life has reduced it to a crumpled mess. We need to be faithful to help those dear ones clear that rubble away and rebuild. Christian counseling may be needed, forgiveness is often required and the clearing away of lifestyle choices can often help the rubble to be gone and the rebuilding to occur. This often takes time and effort. A fresh build is much more exciting  than the clearing away of old debris, but it often takes rebuilding the old before the whole wall can be strong once again.

Then there are those who are building for all they are worth who need our protection. This is especially close to my heart right now because we have some friends who are being hit from every side imaginable. It’s not quite Job, but it’s getting there quickly. We need to be especially vigilant with these precious wall builders. Our wall is doing okay in the moment, our wall is standing strong, but our sweet brothers and sisters are being beat to death by the Enemy. They are trying to build, they are trying to learn, they are trying to keep the faith, but the fiery darts keep hitting their backs as they are trying to build.

Nehemiah 4 goes on to tell us that in order for the wall to be built and joined together, guards had to be stationed. Some would build and some would guard. Those building had their sword at the ready as well, but they knew someone else was guarding, so they were able to focus on building and not be as disctracted. They were encouraged to keep building because their fellow wall builders were taking the time to protect them. That is so beautiful to me.

That’s what we need to do for each other. Who in our churches needs to be guarded? Who can you hold your sword up for today? I’ll admit I look at my half built wall and think, “I still have so much work to do.” The sad fact is we will always have work to do. Our walls will never be finished completely, but God has called us to protect each other, to help everyone get their wall to the halfway point, to join all our walls together and become less vulnerable from attacks by the Enemy as a whole church fitly joined together (Ephesians 4:16).

That’s a wonderful picture isn’t it? Building and guarding. Building and guarding. Building and guarding. Loving each other like the family we are. Praying together as a true army and lifting our swords not just for ourselves, but even more readily for those around us. Let’s take the example in Nehemiah and make it true today. Let’s build, help, protect and love as we are called knowing that the vulnerable places in our brothers and sisters are our own. Knowing that buiding together is the only way our churches will be strong. Knowing that without the Master Builder we would all be lost. Knowing that our walls will never be perfect, but that fellow believers are raising their swords for our protection and we are raising our sword for theirs. May it be, Lord. May it be.

My Story          Seeking Hearts Ministries

We Didn’t Mean for it to Happen

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assumptions, battles, bitterness, burdens, calling, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, devotions, encouragement, exhaustion, faithfulness, fertile soil, God, laziness, overgrowth, sluggards, thistles, thorns, unkept fields, weeding, weeds

Proverbs 24:30-32 says, “I passed by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man lacking sense; and behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles, its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked and received instruction.”

When I read this the other day, I couldn’t help but think of a lot of areas in the lives of Christians today. I thought of the state of our families, our personal testimonies and our churches. We didn’t mean for things to become this chaotic, it just somehow happened. We didn’t mean for our lives to become so busy that the thorns and thistles of life took over, but now we look around and so many minor things have become major. We didn’t mean for our church fields to become fallow and weedy, but that’s exactly what they are. We didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did.

This passage in Proverbs tells us that the people involved didn’t mean for things to get as bad as they did, they just weren’t paying attention. They were tired. They were idle and the weeds grew. I’m sure the sluggard would have much rather the field still be ready for a harvest, but he had rested too long and things had gotten out of hand. He didn’t actually go out to his field and sow the thistles. He just didn’t do anything, or if he did anything, it sure wasn’t enough. Thistles took over and one day I’m sure he looked at his field and was shocked to see the work that it would take to remove all the overgrowth. He must have thought, “Is it worth it? Do I even need to bother to try to get this mess fixed? Is there still hope for a harvest?”

I think a lot of Christians feel this way today. We didn’t mean for a standard to fall. We just didn’t stop the progress of the weeds. We got tired of pulling the same stinkin’ thistles over and over again. We wanted to rest, but just for a little while. After all, that video game isn’t really that bad for our kids. That book is supposed to have great educational properties, so we’re sure it’s okay this time. We got tired of always being the parent that says, “No.” Or, we got tired of always being the one to apologize, so we decided that relationship was finished until they apologize. Unfortunately, they never did, so we allowed a root of bitterness to grow (Hebrew 12:15). We didn’t mean for it to happen. We were just too tired to continue the work.

Do you see how easy it is? How easy it is to simply do nothing? When we do nothing, the weeds come quickly and in abundance. The nettles grow and the next thing we know our wall is tumbling down due to the pressure from the weeds. Our ancient landmarks simply vanish (Proverbs 22:28) because we forget that our strength is in the Lord. We grow weary in well doing because we forget that God makes our feet like hinds’ feet to make us walk on our high places (Habakkuk 3:17-19). We forget that He is our Source and our Deliverer (Psalm 37:40). We forget and the weeds grow.

I’m sure all of us remember the famous quote: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Well, in the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah decided that he was going to stop doing nothing. We read that the Lord told him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. We see that Nehemiah was granted favor from the king, but of course, he had quite a bit of opposition throughout the process.

This is our plight as well. We have the favor of our King to rebuild our walls, but the opposition is great. When we start pulling the weeds of bitterness, anger and unforgiveness, it is going to get Satan’s attention and the opposition will be strong. We have to be determined to not give up. I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” When you are willing to start pulling the weeds, the Holy Spirit’s rain will fall and soften the soil. Hosea 6:3 says, “…His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.” The Word also assures that He will be pulling right alongside you and He will refresh your spiritual muscles when things get too rough. He is so faithful!

Satan will be an opposing force, but so will those we affect. If we have let our standards come down with our family, (our walls if you will), they will be a forceful opposition as well. If you have allowed a television show, a video game, a song choice, a book, or anything else in your home that shouldn’t be there and now you are pulling those weeds out….watch out….opposition is headed your way. Be sure and explain your stance and pray together about the situation. You may even need to ask their forgiveness for letting those particular weeds in, but don’t grow weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9). Keep pulling the weeds. Nehemiah said to the Israelites in Nehemiah 4:14, “… ‘Do not be afraid of them; remember the LORD who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.’” I know that nothing can cause more fear in the heart of a parent than a confrontation with a child about removing something they have fallen in love with, but it will be worth it. It may feel like you are fighting with your children, but remember you are really fighting for them. They are worth the work.

Another opposing force will be yourself. Weeding is hard work! And, the longer the job has been left unattended, the harder it is. Everything not of God must be cleared out and then the boundaries must be reset. Not only that, but once everything had been re-established, things must be maintained, or you are right back where you started. It sounds exhausting, but remember this is your calling. We are called to fight for our fields of influence. We are called to protect the land the Lord had entrusted to us. We are called to keep our fences up and our weeds out. But, we are not alone in the endeavor. We are never alone. Hebrews 13:5 tells us that our God will never leave us or forsake us. He never gets tired, or lazy. He never sleeps. Hebrews 13:6 goes on to say, “…we confidently say, ‘The LORD is my helper, I will not be afraid. What shall man do to me?’”

So, no matter how bad the prospect of weeding looks, God is calling you to get to it. Your fields are at stake. Your family is at stake. Your church is at stake. Your life influence is at stake. Determine not to be a sluggard. Determine to be the workman that He has called you to be (Ephesians 2:10) and know that the day you look at the garden of your life and just see beautiful, pliant, fertile soil that you will know that your God can do exceedingly, abundantly whatever you can ask, think, or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Then, you will be able to sing at the top of your lungs, “To God be the glory great things He hath done!”

Seeking Hearts Ministries

Getting off my High Horse

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arrogance, battles, being smart, Christian encouragement, Christian growth, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, control, dealing with deceptions, ego, encouragement, helping God, high horse, pride, smartest in the room, vengeance

As a bee searches for pollen, Lord help us to faithfully seek You alone.

I confess. I like for people to think I’m smart. I thought at first it was a stay at home mom thing, but when I think back I’ve wanted to look smart my whole life. I’ve always wanted to be the smartest person in the class and as I grew older it only got worse. In the workplace, I strived hard to be the best in any position I obtained. In every office I worked, I wanted people years down the road to have a tear in their eye as they thought of me, knowing that no other employee could ever measure up. Egotistical, I know, but it’s the plain truth. Today, things haven’t changed that much. When I am in a Bible class and the teacher asks a question, I am usually the annoying one who has all the answers (especially if no one else is quick to answer). I always struggle over whether I’m sharing something from a pure motivation of the Spirit’s prompting, or my own ego wanting to show everyone how much I know. I love Biblical discussions, so it’s hard for me to not engage in every little question.

Unfortunately, this tendency has played out in other areas as well. I especially seem to have an issue in the area of the spiritual correction of others. When you want to be the “smart one”, you must let people know that you aren’t fooled by them. You want them to realize that you are on to their tricks and that you see through their deceptions. You want them to know that you have them figured out. So, over the years, I have said things that I should not have said. I have pushed people in areas that I had no business in and worst of all, I have wanted to be a part of another’s exposure. I have wanted for others to know that I helped God in His punishment (for the glory of God, of course -HA!).

This morning I started reading the story of David and Saul and became engrossed. I started at I Samuel 18:20 and kept reading. I read for several chapters and was reminded of David’s conviction that only God removes His anointed. Only God punishes His people. In First Samuel 24:6, David says, “… ‘Far be it from me because of the LORD that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.” David didn’t make the choice to not touch Saul because of Saul, because of his great relationship with Saul’s son Jonathan, or even because of himself. He did not touch Saul because of the LORD.

So, I found myself asking God, “What’s the big deal if I help You out a little? What’s the problem if You are going to deal with them anyway? Why can’t I help?” His answer to my spirit was startling. I was reminded that every single time in the Old Testament an enemy of Israel wreaked havoc on God’s people due to their disobedience, later on that same enemy was punished severely for messing with God’s people. Did God use them for a good cause? Yes. Were they being allowed by God to take joy in getting rid of sin among the Israelites by helping them turn back to God? Yes. But, did God reward them for their “help”, or did He judge them for their vengeance? He judged. Harshly. Every. Single. Time.

So, I’ve decided (through the power of the Holy Spirit) to stop trying to be the “know-it-all” in the room. If God wants to run someone through the sifter, I will not be cranking the handle. If God needs to draw someone to repentance, I will trust Him to do it in the way He deems necessary (and I won’t be campaigning for my way of doing it). If I see a deception, I will pray and ask God to remind me that He’s got this handled and not manipulate things behind the scenes. After all, I do not want God to turn toward me after I have “helped” Him meet out the punishment and decide that it’s time for me to learn a lesson as well. I want to be on the sidelines. Every. Single. Time.

Romans 12:19 says, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the LORD.”

Even though I am not necessarily talking about an enemy, I think the same truth applies to my “know-it-all” status. I must leave any judgment, any punishment, any control of a situation to God and through the power of God’s Spirit in me, that’s just what I’m going to do. No more Ms. Smarty Pants; just a humble believer focused on her God and allowing her trust in Him to shine forth in any way He deems appropriate. A girl who realizes that she is never the smartest person in the room, that’s God job and I’m good with that. I’ve decided to stop travelling this road of life on my “high horse” and travel this road in the arms of my Savior instead.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

Strength Through Weakness

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a way of escape, battles, bearing our burdens, burdens, calling, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, coping, coping in stress, crashing under the load, crushing load, dependence on God, devotional, dieing to self, encouragement, God's plan, life source, loads, more than I can bear, plan, relying on God, relying on self, stress, temptation, too much to carry, too much to handle, true hope, truth, vine and the branches, when I am weak

First Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”

A few weeks ago I came across an article that talked about how over the years Christians have misinterpreted First Corinthians 10:13. We have superimposed its teaching over every circumstance of our lives, not just in the area of temptation. For instance, how many times have you heard someone say, “God will not give you more than you can bear?” Is that really what this verse says? Does it say that in every area of your life God will make a way of escape? Does it say that I will be able to endure whatever God places in my path?

In actuality, First Corinthians 10 says that God will never give us more temptation than we can handle. This was a huge “Aha!” moment for me. After all, the Lord has been teaching me for some time that I can do nothing through self, but anything though Him. If I believe that God will never give me more than I can handle, what’s the point in being able to do all things through Christ as Philippians 4:13 says? If God never puts on my back a heavier load than I can carry, why does He bother to say in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest”? So, when people would say, “God will not give you more than you can handle,” things just didn’t connect well for me. My spirit was torn between falling to my knees in full surrender, or “bucking up” and getting the job done. As I realized this verse only addresses temptation, the dots started connecting.

I am actually finding as I walk this journey of the Christian life (or as I crawl depending on the day) that God always gives me more than I can bear. It’s not to prove He can, or make my life miserable, it’s simply to help me realize that I truly can do nothing through self. He gives me more than I can bear to drive me to fellowship with Him. Not the kind of fellowship that’s short little prayers, but the kind of fellowship where I am desperate for His presence in my life. When I die to self and allow Him to live through me, that’s when all things are possible. When I am abiding in Christ, my Source is the vine and has nothing to do with me (the branch). It’s all Him.

Have you ever seen a branch that is able to hold much without its connection to the tree? I haven’t. When a branch is out by its lonesome, all I do is collect it for the burn pile. I would never think to depend on it to hold anything. If I needed to hang something, I would naturally go to a nearby tree where the branch is still attached. In the physical world, we realize that the branch has no strength on its own. We know that it must be attached.

We also need to be remember that sometimes, even when the branch has the appearance of attachment, it can still really not be connected at all. If it’s not linked, it will still have no power to hold anything no matter what it looks like. A strong, living, fully functioning branch is always totally dependent on its life source. It’s not just sitting there. It’s actually drawing its strength from its source. A branch has no strength on its own and neither do we.

Dependence is a full-time job. Can you imagine how strong the branch would be if it only connected to the tree once a week? How about three times a week? How about every day? Its connection to its source is the key to its strength. Its total dependence on its root is the key to its ability to hold any weight.

So it is with us. I’m sorry people, but even if you go to the best church in the whole world, depending on it will not bring automatic dependence on the Lord. Your church will help you stay accountable to that dependence. It will help you remember that God alone is your strength. It will encourage you to worship, but it cannot make you dependent on the Lord. Only you can do that. Only you are able to realize as Paul did in I Corinthians 15:31 that we must die daily. We are not called to stand strong. We are called to die. We are called to be completely and totally dependent on our God.

If you are going through more than you can bear, know that it’s a good thing. God is calling you to be totally and completely dependent on Him. He is reminding you that He wants all of you, all the time. He is calling you to enter into true intimacy with Him and stay there. He is calling you to death so that His resurrection can live through you.

So, let’s remember that in actuality, God always gives us more than we can bear and let’s praise Him for that today. If He didn’t drive us to our knees, we would never get there. I am going to leave you with a verse that sums all this up beautifully. Second Corinthians 12:10 says, “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Seeking Hearts Ministries

As a bee searches for pollen, Lord help us to faithfully seek You alone.

Hang Tight

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battles, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, encouragment, family, family blog, family devotional blog, forgiveness, God is able, God resurrects, God's plan, holding on to marriage, making marriage work, marriage, marriage advice, marriage is work, relationships, spouse

Right now, in this moment, at this very minute, my marriage is really good. I’m not predicting what it will be like in an hour, but right now I am totally in love with my husband and I love spending time with him. Why am I telling you this? Well, many times that has not been the case. Throughout the years of our marriage the last person I often wanted to deal with was my man. Even when I became resigned to stay no matter what, the last thing I could have imagined was being happy. So, today, I want to let you know that things are good and I want to encourage you to hang tight. If your marriage is not so great right now, I want to reassure you that it is worth it to stay.*

For whatever reason, I have been remembering lately a lot of what my husband and I have gone through over the years and been in awe that we are still together. We have been married for twenty-three years and seven months. I know it’s not as long as some, but I can at least share what I’ve learned thus far and what I know for sure is that every single month of togetherness is a miracle!  I’m not going to get into the gory details of our past hurts because they are Mark and I’s alone, but just know from the outset that they have been deep and we know for a fact that our God is the Great Physician. It takes a miracle for a marriage to stay put. Hurts in a marriage run deeper than most. When you are vulnerable enough to promise to spend the rest of your life with someone, the harsh reality is that you are open to being wounded. After so many wounds, anything will die, including a marriage. The truly awesome thing is that even death is not impossible to heal for our God. He specializes in resurrections. So, if your marriage has hurts, gaping wounds, or is completely dead, God can soothe, heal and resuscitate. He is able! Hang tight!

So, let’s get to the nitty gritty of some issues that often come up in a marriage. First off, saying your sorry is worth it, I promise. Are you always wrong? Of course not! But, relationships are always worth the apology. Which is more important, you being right all the time, or reaching a better place with your spouse? There is a time and place to stand your ground, but please listen to the Holy Spirit and ask for His guidance (not your grandmother, mom, or friend, God Himself). I know He tells you to cave in when you least want to, but I am promising you it is worth it! I understand wanting to be right all the time. You have no idea how much I understand this, but if we apologize often, when the Holy Spirit is telling us to stand our ground then our spouse will be more apt to listen. They will know that this is serious and not just our pride talking.

Secondly, the physical aspect of marriage is important. We all know this, but let me remind you that small touches throughout the day are super important as well as full on contact. If you are in a bad place in your marriage, sometimes simply having some physical contact can bring you back to realizing that this is the person you married. By touching their arm, holding their hand, giving a hug that lasts more than a brief second, or actually stopping the chaos and looking at them face to face can put you both in a better frame of mind. It helps us remember that we chose them and they chose us. We remember their touch. It’s familiar to our senses and it helps. Holding each other can be a good thing.

Third, (this is for the ladies), when is the last time you cooked for your guy? Before you freak out, or tell me I am crazy, let me remind you that “the way to a man’s heart is his stomach.” I’ve always heard this, but now I know it to be true. I have actually had my guy to tear up when realizing that I was fixing a favorite dish of his. It is not cholesterol free and I thought he was going to think I was trying to kill him, but he was so excited. It’s not just my guy, though. I have been watching a reality show about marriage lately and one couple completely broke up over the wife never cooking a meal. No joke! In this same show, another couple is facing this same dilemma. I can’t tell you why this is so important to guys, but it is. That’s how God wired them, so let’s not ask questions and just go with it. (If you google crockpot recipes, it will blow your mind and not overwhelm your already busy day.)

I know this blog seems like that I think things will be easily mended in your marriage by hugging and cooking, but let me assure you that I know marriage is rough. Sometimes, in our house it’s like two pieces of sand paper living together (loud pieces of sandpaper!). Everything we do seems to rub each other the wrong way. But, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of the written Word you can hang tight in your marriage. Galatians 6:9 tells us to not be weary in well doing. If God gives us the command, we know He empowers us to keep that command.

When you think that you can’t go on, remember that Christ in you can. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

When you think nothing can fix your marriage, remember that “Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26).

When you feel nothing for your spouse anymore, ask God to give you a new heart. Ezekiel 36:26 says, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” Often times, we just don’t want to work at our marriages anymore, but God can change our wants. He can resurrect feelings that we thought were dead long ago.

You can’t save your marriage and you can’t make your marriage better, but God can. Hold on to Him. Hold on to each other and hang tight! It’s worth it!

*This blog is not encouraging anyone to stay in an abusive situation. If you are in an abusive situation, do not stay in that relationship. Please contact the local authorities to help you find a place where you can be safe.

http://www.seekinghearts.org

Being Preserved

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all things for good, battles, canning, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, devotions, gardening, God preserving us, our future, preservation, trials

Psalm32:7 says, “Thou art my hiding place; Thou dost preserve me from trouble; Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.”

The Lord will preserve us from trouble. He is our hiding place. He surrounds us with songs of deliverance. You might be thinking, “Really? All I see is trouble. All I know is abandonment and all I hear is madness.”

Look closely, my friend. He is here. He is your hiding place. He was in your past. He will be in your future and He is here now, in your today. Even if your trouble surrounds you, you are winning your battle because He is on your side. In the midst of it, know that He is preserving you.

Remember what it’s like when you are canning vegetables from your garden; things get hot. This is all in the process of preserving, isn’t it? Through that process, things get hot and uncomfortable (for us and the vegetables). Just like those garden goodies, we would like to stay on the vine, being watered gently daily and basking in the pleasant sunshine. We don’t like the boiling water bath, but that’s the only way true preservation can take place. God’s preserving methods sometimes feel just as uncomfortable as canning must feel to a vegetable (if it had feelings), but rest assured you are being protected, preserved and sheltered for the winter ahead. I Peter 5:10 says, “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm,  strengthen and establish you.” What better preserving could we ask for?

To take our example a little farther, nothing tastes sweeter than fresh vegetables from your own garden. You can buy things from a local Farmer’s Market, but the absolute best is knowing that through God’s provision and your own hard work, the food you are eating came from your own plot. So it is with God’s spiritual provision for us, we can hear other’s testimonies (and they are encouraging), but there is nothing like experiencing our own tests and coming out victorious. We are then experiencing our own fresh fruit from our own God-given garden. Spiritual preservation can then provide fresh faith for us in the middle of our spiritual winters. We “open up” our jar of faith and remember God has already provided in times past and He can and will provide for our now. We just have to open up what’s already on the shelf. Ephesians 1:3 tells us that we have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing.

How frustrating is it to buy tomato juice at the grocery store only to discover another stack of homemade, well-preserved juice that has already been provided? Somehow, you had managed to shove it to the back and it was forgotten. Yes, it can still be used, but oh, how great it would have been in that homemade soup last week!? Just like those forgotten jars of juice, we need to remember that God has provided for us. He has preserved us and established us with exactly what is needed. Sometimes though, His provision gets relegated to the back. Let’s ask Him to help us remember what has already been preserved in us. Let’s open up what He has already established in us! Let’s feast on what He has already provided.

Psalm 32:7 also talks about God surrounding us with songs of deliverance. I really enjoy singing when I’m in the kitchen, don’t you? There’s nothing like humming (or belting out) a little tune while going about our tasks. So, just imagine that while God is in “our kitchens” preserving us for the coming winter’s trials, He is actually singing over us as He works. I love that! He is molding us and preserving us into the men and women that He designed for us to be. God is excited throughout the preserving process knowing that what He is making us into now is exactly what we need to be in our future. The process may be hot at times, but He is lovingly watching the clock, knowing exactly how many minutes we need in the boiling water to produce the desired results, all the while singing precious songs over us. When we allow Him to guide the process, He never allows a jar to crack; He never ruins a batch. He is the Perfect Preserver.

So, no matter if we are in the middle of needing to hide in Him, being preserved by Him for the coming winter, or hearing clearly His songs of deliverance, let’s rest in Him today. Let’s rest in Him knowing that He will never leave us, or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He will not ever stop loving us (I John 3:1) and He will always perfectly preserve us for the coming days (Psalm 41:2).

Seeking Hearts Ministries