It’s easy to know someone and hold their mistakes against them. But what if that’s how God saw us. But he doesn’t.
When we accepted Jesus sacrifice. God wiped our slate clean. He doesn’t see our mistakes. He sees Jesus and who we can be if we let Jesus live through us. We need to look at people like God does.
God can teach us through everything. Like the story of “The Grinch.” Cindy-Lou Who saw potential in the Grinch for good and brought it out. Someone who everyone else had written off. She saw hope for change and growth. That’s how God sees everyone. He sees them as redeemed through Jesus or as having the potential to be redeemed.
God doesn’t look at us and say we are beyond hope. So why would we ever do that to someone else. We need to see people the way God does with the potential for a change of heart.
Nowhere here does it say we have to manufacture our own joy, peace and hope. Because it comes from trusting God. I don’t put my hope in myself because I will fail myself. I don’t find my peace from within. I find peace and hope in God and that gives me joy.
What a relief it is that we don’t have to find joy, hope or peace in ourselves but we can trust in the one that is bigger then us, stronger, kinder, more generous and loves us beyond our understanding. Our Heavenly Father. On our worst day and our best day, he will still always welcome us with a huge hug and a smile and provide all we need.
God always does what he says he will. But rarely is it how we would think he would or in the time that we think is best. Do you think that the people expected their savior to come as a baby. That he would grow up like them and wouldn’t start his ministry till he was thirty years old.
I’m sure most people thought he would come charging in on a cloud bold and strong, pushing all the kings and rulers out of the way and declaring his kingdom with thunder and lighting.
But God’s ways are not our ways.
He had a different plan. To show all of humanity love and compassion. To serve us and give us the opportunity to be made new in him.
What circumstance are you looking for God to move in? Are you only looking for him to do it as you expect, or in the timeline you prefer.
Stop looking for the answer and look for God instead. He’s there. You just have to look for him and trust him to do what he promises.
As the Christmas season begins. Remember the reason for the season. Don’t let yourself become overwhelmed with the shopping, decorating, gift giving and parties.
Instead keep your focus on Jesus. He is the reason for the season. Make him the focus of all you do.
If your shopping for gifts ask him what gift that person really needs and trust him to help you. Ask God to give you opportunities to share about him to the store clerk or the people in line with you. While decorating sing Christmas songs as worship songs.
With all the gift giving this season. Don’t forget the reason for the season, Jesus.
What gift could you give him?
You may think you have nothing to give. But like the little drummer boy you give what you can, you give your gifts, your talents, your time, your life. Everyone has a life to give. And he deserves it because he gave his.
Even if you think you have nothing to give, Jesus says otherwise. He created you, he gave you gifts and talents you may not even know exist.
When you follow God’s plan for your life he uses those gifts and talents for his glory.
God called me to ministry in 2008. And I didn’t start this devotional until 2018. He took me on a journey to teach me and grow and develop me into the woman that I am today. I am a very different person then I was when he first called me to ministry. Because he had to mold me into who he made me to be. And he’s still molding me.
That’s why I started this devotional blog to use the gifts he’s given me to help others see God in their everyday lives.
God can teach us through anything if we let him. I love all the claymation Christmas movies and ‘The Year without a Santa Clause’ (1974) was running through my head the other day. In the story two brothers are quarreling too much to be generous enough to help Mrs. Claus. So she turns to their mother ‘mother nature,’ and the two brothers decide to compromise and help Mrs. Clause.
The Christmas season can easily become about the hustle and bustle of parties and getting gifts for everyone. Worrying if this family member will get along with that family member. Worrying about having the funds to provide gifts for everyone.
But that’s not what this season is truly about. Its about celebrating the King of Kings. So when you start to get caught up in your own stuff. Ask Jesus how he would handle it. How would he promote peace between family. How would he provide to bless people with a gift. I would even suggest you ask him what he would like to gift them with. Jesus knows us all and loves us all. So focus on him and he’ll guide you to get it all done with his peace and his wisdom.
Looking for a gift that shares your faith in Jesus check out Seeing God Designs!
Do you think people knew who Jesus was as he grew up in front of them? Mary and Joseph knew and Mary’s cousin Elizabeth. But when did others notice that something was different about him?
Jesus choose to be born as a baby, to live as we live. He didn’t come to be worshiped and lifted up. He came to be a sacrifice for us.
He lived a normal life, he was born to normal people. He could of had whatever he wanted but he choose to be like the rest of us. He didn’t live an extravagant life or demand anything from anyone.
He came to serve, not be served. To show us love in his every word and action. He came to be an example of love.
Love is not about us but about how we care for and treat others. Jesus was never concerned about whether his needs would be met. His focus was always on the people around him. So why do we think being loved is about us? If we love others by being more concerned about them then ourselves our Heavenly Father will take care of all our needs and shower us with his love. Just as he did for Jesus!
“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Mary rejoiced in her suffering. Yes she was blessed to carry the son of God but that didn’t come with welcome arms from her family, fiancé or community. Having a baby out of wedlock during her time period was punishable by being stoned to death or at the least being considered an outcast.
Mary knew all this could happen when she said yes to the angel. But she considered it a greater honor to carry Jesus inside her and took the risk of being ridiculed.
Her faith was why she was chosen.
Photo by Arteida MjESHTRI on Unsplash
We are all blessed with the opportunity to carry Jesus inside of us too because of his sacrifice. If Mary was willing to endure ridicule and being outcast and the possibility of being stoned. Why can’t we risk being made fun of for our faith.
God provides for what he call us to. Just like provided for Mary and Jesus. Trust him when he asks you to speak to someone and take a risk for Jesus. I bet you’ll be surprised at the outcome.
The humility of Jesus birth speaks volumes to his character. Jesus is the very creator he is the word that was spoken that created us. And he choose to be born in a glorified cave surrounded by animals, by his creation not by man made structure.
He came to do his fathers work not what we thought he should do. He came to bring peace, joy and gentleness. So that all may know him.
Read about him, really study his words and actions, not what man says about him but he said and did. Learn who he is.
Listening to O Holy Night, always helps me stop and focus on Jesus to feel the peace and calm that he brings to the atmosphere. To remember that Christmas is about him and bringing glory to our savior.
He changed everything that night when he choose to come down to earth not as a king, but as a baby, to humble himself and live a life of service to his people.
Jesus didn’t come down to be served but to serve. He came to restore relationship between us and Father God.
The Christmas Shoes song and movie inspire putting others before yourself. Just as Jesus did when he came here to save us. He put others before his needs and desires.
In this season of gift exchange, look for opportunities to bless others. Pray and ask God what each person needs. He knows each one of us and the desires of our hearts. Trust him to provide for what he asks you to give, even if you don’t know how. Or give to a stranger or someone you barely know, it could make all the difference in the world to them.
Like the Christmas shoes. Even if we don’t understand why. Simple bless others because Jesus blessed others.
What do we keep locked away in a cupboard? What is the one thing that we are holding back from God? Saying you can have everything, but this. This hurt or this pain I’m keeping it because it hurts too much to give it to you.
Because we are afraid of where it came from, why its there or what we’ll have to do to let it go.
Pain can control us if we let it.
But some pain is good, if we control it. Working out can be painful but it helps build muscle and burn fat. It makes us healthier and removes toxins from our bodies through sweat.
But if we say it hurts too much then we allow those same toxins in our bodies to sit and stay and pollute our bodies.
When we let old hurts and pains stay locked away we allow them to have control. But when we surrender them over to God and say we don’t want to live with that pain anymore we find freedom.
Isn’t freedom from pain better then keeping it locked inside us.
The pain of letting go is worth it if we truly want to be free.
Today is a great day to put that into practice. As you go about your plans today look at your surroundings, at the people you are with and find new things to be thankful for.
You may find that you appreciate things or others more then you have in the past. Ask God to reveal to you how he see your friends and family, or if your alone ask him to show you what he would like you to do today.
Thankfulness is about perspective so change your perspective and let the joy of Jesus fill you.
Thankfulness builds joy. Just saying the word brings a smile to my face. There is always something to be thankful for, the sun on your face, the song of a bird near by, the beauty of the trees turning.
Somewhere in some way in your life God is always looking to bless you, to share his love for you, with you.
Thankfulness is about perspective. We can choose to be miserable and focus on what we don’t have or we can choose to find joy regardless of our circumstances.
We all have had times of need and times of abundance, but its how we react that make the difference. We should be thankful in all things big or small blessings. Each day we wake up we can be thankful we have life. Each day is an opportunity to change our perspective.
A good marriage has to be worked at and fought for, it’s easy to take your spouse for granted because of the natural ease that brought you together in the first place.
Just because something is easy and comfortable, doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be cared for. The movie Fireproof is a great example of how going though the motions and taking advantage of a comfortable situation can result in collapse.
Marriage is a bond that makes the two, one. Your spouse is your other half and when you neglect them, it’s like not taking care of yourself.
I have to be honest, I don’t have a perfect marriage, and I don’t always put my husband first. But when I do, I never regret it. I have, regretted not putting him first and neglecting him.
A strong marriage has to be built and maintained. But it also has to have something that binds you together. God is that binder. Putting God at the center of your marriage draws you closer to Him and each other.
On my drive to work I see lots of people walking on the side of the street to go to the bus stop or kids going to school. I get cut off by people and stuck behind buses. I could and have let this is get to me and frustrate me.
Until I started doing drive by blessings. Every time when I see a pedestrian instead of being upset that I have to stop for them to use the cross walk. I pray for them.
And when I get cut off or have to stop because the person in front of me is turning into one of the many business driveways that I pass. I pray for them.
When I get stuck behind the bus, I pray for the passengers getting on or off.
It’s not about being holier then thou. It’s about a perspective change.
Instead of seeing people as an annoyance we can see them as God sees them. As his kids. He loves each and every person on the planet, so we should too.
The deep intimacy we experience when surrounded by God’s presence can only be called holy. Holy by Jesus Culture perfectly describes how his presence can engulf us, how intoxicating it can be, to the point of never wanting to leave it.
I call it the ‘jello effect’
When his presence is so thick in the room you feel as if you suspended in jello.
Don’t you want to experience that? Don’t you want to know and be with a God that can melt all your cares away, who can give you such peace and joy that it feels as if it will never end.
That’s the God that I worship.
Yes, he is Holy!
And he invites us into his presence, to the place where our whole world changes because he is Holy.
All you have to do is open the door and let him into your life, and believe in Him.
Take a moment to listen to this song and open yourself up to God, take down all the barriers and just focus on him.
When we walk around with unforgiveness that anger and
bitterness spills onto everyone else in our lives. Because we haven’t dealt
with it, it just builds and builds until, it explodes on some unsuspecting
person that may have done the tiniest thing.
Acknowledging God’s existence is the first step toward forgiveness. Acknowledging that he does love us and it’s because he loves us that he gave us the free will to choose him or not. And it’s that free will that causes us to hurt each other.
Even those that choose him are not faultless. We all still make mistakes and no one is perfect except God.
Many people’s distrust of God is because others have misrepresented him. None of us are faultless. Only through knowing God ourselves can we really know who he his.
Don’t let others misrepresentation of him keep you from knowing a loving and trustworthy God that sacrificed his very life for you.
Seek to know God for yourself and let him show you who is he and the freedom that comes from his forgiveness.
Why do people want God to be dead? Because they don’t like him, they don’t agree with him, they think he doesn’t care about them or the people in their lives. It’s much easier to say someone is dead then to deal with the hurt they may have caused us. People say it all the time ‘your dead to me’ but saying it doesn’t make them any more dead then you or I.
Avoiding or ignoring someone does not make them not exist, but that avoidance can cause bitterness to grow in us that will affect those around us.
That’s why forgiveness is so powerful. forgiveness isn’t about saying what the other did was right, but about freeing ourselves from allowing that hurt to control us.
If we walk through life always mad and angry about what others have done to us. What kind of a life is that?
That’s why Jesus died AND rose back to life. So that he could pay the price for our mistakes so that we could be forgiven and we could forgive others.
Way maker, miracle worker Promise keeper, light in the darkness My God, that is who You are -Way Maker by Leeland
God keeps his promises and takes care of his people. His promises may not be fulfilled when and how we think they should. But he keeps his promises. He cares for our needs and the desires he has put in us. But in his timing and his way.
We are not meant to take care of and provide for ourselves. We are meant to trust God and follow his leading. So he can provide for us.
God shows us this is how Jesus lived his life and sacrificed it for us. Jesus put others before himself. And trusted his heavenly father to provide all he needed.
If even Jesus did not plan and provide for himself. Than why do we? We need to seek God in all things and everything and follow his plan. He will lead us to reach people we would have missed otherwise. He will daily show us how much he loves us by providing for our needs. And he will bless us with the things that bring joy to our life, if we just look for his blessings.
God has brought me through so many trails that I have lost count. The only times I have truly struggled was when I was trying to do it on my own. But when I stopped trying and started trusting, his provision came. God doesn’t want our hard work. He wants our hearts.
I can’t imagine a world with out the ability to have a personal relationship with him.
As the celebration of his birth approaches there are a million things running through my mind, a million uncertainties so many unknowns that should worry and scare me. But the one constant is Jesus and my trust in him.
I am beyond grateful that no matter what happens in life the he is always there for me. No matter what I know that he has me. He will take care of my every need, worry and concern.
How do I know this? Because he’s done it before countless times. And I know he will again.
So no matter your thoughts. Thank Jesus for who is he.
Because we can always find hope in him. Just like when its hard to see because the skies are grey and cloudy and the outlook looks bleak. But when the sun comes out and sheds light on things. We can see the beauty where we may have missed it before.
Jesus is the light of the world, look for him to change your perspective.
Pain is something we all have in our lives. We have all been hurt and we all try to escape it. But avoiding, ignoring, overcompensating, deflecting and straight out running in the other direction regardless of what that is doesn’t remove the pain. It only distracts or numbs.
But what if instead of holding onto that pain we could be free from it.
Forgiveness is powerful and it frees us from pain.
Many see forgiveness as excusing the one who hurt us or saying it’s ok. But it’s not. Forgiving someone does that make what they did right. But it does free us from letting that pain control us.
Holding on to the pain of the past gives that pain power over us. We give it the power to influence our decisions. We let pain control our actions. Keeping us from things because we are afraid to face the pain.
Holding onto our pain instead of forgiving really controls us, not the other person.
But we can make the decision to stop letting that pain rule us and surrender it over to Jesus. He came to free us from our pain and free us from allowing unforgiveness to control us.
Stop letting your past determine your future and let go of the pain.
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'” Luke 23:34
When we face times of stress or trials in life it’s easy to give up and give in to temptation for quick fixes that scratch an itch or satisfy for a moment but leave us feeling guilty and full of regret in the long term.
But because we know God loves us and he has a plan for us and that plan is way better then what might be right in front of us. We don’t take those quick fixes.
We trust that his plan is better. Because God is good and he provides. It seems counter cultural, but it’s the way he designed us. He has given each of us passions and skills. But they are meant to be used to share his love with others not for selfish gain or ambition. What has God blessed you with? Are you using it for his kingdom?
Speaking the name of Jesus out loud is powerful. It brings an emotional response from us. Some fear, some worry, some peace, some joy, his name invokes something inside us.
We each have a different response when we hear his name.
But we can only truly know him. And learn to love him and be loved by him. If we develop a relationship with him.
I can tell you all day about how amazing he is, that he’s completely changed my life. I can tell you how hearing his name brings so much peace and joy to my heart that it can be overwhelming at times.
But you can never truly know him, until you know him yourself.
It’s so easy to get caught up in our thoughts. To become overwhelmed and insecure when we turn to our own opinion of ourselves or others opinions of us.
But the only opinion that should matter is Jesus. What he says is what matters.
He says we are loved, we matter, we belong.
If we depend on getting our value from others we will always feel like we are not enough. But Jesus says we’re priceless.
He paid everything for us, because he loves us.
It doesn’t matter what anyone else says about us. What matters is what Jesus says and he says we are loved.
Take a moment and refocus your thoughts as you listen to this song. Let the words speak to you and let Jesus remind you of who he made you to be.
Hearing God is something so many of us are looking for in our lives. What is he saying? Am I really hearing him? What does he sound like? How do I know when or if I’m hearing him?
A few pastor friends of mine produced a great documentary with real life testimony on how people hear God, how to know if it is him and if someone else is really hearing him.
We are all capable of hearing God if we listen, but we need to know what we are listing for.
God speaks in so many ways, through images, nature, others, audible, a still small voice within us, through emotions, feelings, impressions and so many other ways.
He is the creator of the universe and we cannot box him into just one way of speaking, we each hear him in different ways, but one thing is always the same the heart of his expression to us is always love.
God is love and he can never not be loving.
Test what you hear him saying against the bible. Talk to other believers and be willing to be wrong. But know that no matter what he will always be speaking in love.
*The Voice of God documentary is powerful and there is also an Activation Manuel check them both out here.
God’s peace is not something you earn, but a gift he freely gives.
Jesus is always looking to bless us, to shower His love on us. We are the ones who hold Him back, by trying to keep control of our lives.
His blessings are peace of mind, peace in our heart and peace in our soul. By finding our confidence and identity in Him. He teaches us to be without fear or worry.
When you know who you are in Jesus, nothing can shake that and no one can take it.
Worship crosses all boundaries, language and cultural. We all have the capacity to worship God.
It doesn’t matter if we know the words to a song, if we like the style of the music, if we’re rich or poor, what we look like or where we grew up. We all can worship.
Worship is about putting God first in our hearts. It’s about surrendering to Him and giving Him the glory.
It doesn’t matter where we are or who we’re with we can worship God anywhere anytime, with anyone anywhere in the world. Because we are all His children and He loves each of us.
We worship Him because of His who He is, not what He’s done for us. Just as He loves us not for what we’ve done but who we are to Him. His beloved creation.
Rehearsing our mistakes over and over again in our head allows guilt and shame to have control over us. Even rehearsing the wrong doings of others against us gives them power over us. When we allow these things to dictate our decisions we give them control over us.
But when we surrender them over to Jesus and accept His forgiveness for us and for them, we find freedom.
When we die to ourselves and allow God to live through us. His love and his grave cover our mistakes so that we can be free of guilt and shame, because we are dead and the dead can’t be offended, guilty or ashamed.
Instead we can rejoice in the freedom, joy and peace of God’s grace.
Surrender over to God whatever is holding you back, whatever stops you from being who God made you to be.
Its easy to skip over verses like these, but its part of the bible and we can’t pick and choose, but we can read in context. The previous verses talk about servants submitting to masters; then it talks about consequences for actions which is all this verse is talking about, it’s a natural progression.
Many would wonder well what if my master/boss/parent is rude or mean or cruel. Most likely they are that way because someone was like that to them and being rude back only perpetuates the cycle. But when we submit to authority in our lives God bless us, regardless of whether that authority deserves it or not. Maybe that person has never experienced the love and grace of God. We can be that to them. By showing honor and respect.
None of us deserved God’s forgiveness, but he gives it freely. We can’t earn it. That’s why Jesus came to a be sacrifice in our place. Because as hard as we try we can’t earn our salvation. So if we are given a gift that we didn’t and can’t earn how can we hold back that gift from others.
We should not be afraid to share our faith in God, we should shout it from the rooftops. There is nothing wrong with it and we should not be afraid to share it. Our faith in Jesus changed our lives and we should share that.
Our fear comes from worry or fear of acceptance, but we are sharing about our God who takes those away from us. He accepts us and that is what defines us and matters most. He came to give us peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and joy. Our confidence comes from him and who he is in us and that’s what we should share.
God knows what were going through, he knows ever ache and pain, every anguish and he’s in it with us holding our hand, leading us, guiding us, holding us, because he always knows what we need, when we need it.
He’s with us when were having our worst day and our best day. He will comfort us when we need it and rejoice with us in our triumph’s. God does life with us. Because he is our life.
We pour out to others all day, at work, at home or when we’re out. But what are we poring out? We are meant to pour out Jesus. So when someone tests our patience, it’s his patience that shines though. His love, his mercy. But to pour him out we need to be full of him. And when we pour out. We need to refill. Even Jesus sought time to pray and seek the Father so he was ready to pour out to others. And when he had ministered to people he would go back to his Father for more.
Holy Spirit is our constant companion, our best friend and the one who loves us. We need only to focus our attention on him and let him flow through us.
Everyone fills their heart and their head with something.
What we focus on in the morning will be with us all day and what we focus on at night will be with us in our dreams and may even wake us up. Starting our day with God sets the tone for the day. Putting him first gives us the energy, wisdom and stamina to not just get through the day but to thrive.
When we let God fill us up in the morning and ask him to direct our steps through the day, our days go smoother. We have more peace and calm. Because he gives us all we need. He helps us do what we need to better, more effectively and efficiently. And helps us to avoid the pitfalls that can drain us or steer us in the wrong direction.
Let God direct your steps and you’ll be surprised how amazing your day will go.
The love of God transform us. It gives us boldness, strength and confidence in the toughest moments. God’s love not only cancels fear, it removes it. God’s love is all encompassing.
It gave David the strength to face Goliath. Daniel the stamina to face the lion den. And Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego the confidence to face the fire.
God’s love gives us all we need to face or overcome the trials we face in life. He gives us peace in the storm. If we fix our eyes on Him. Like Peter walking on the water. When his gaze was fixed on Jesus he was able to do what defied logic and understanding. But when Peter took his gaze off of Jesus and focused on the storm around him (his circumstances) he began to sink.
So no matter what your surrounded by, fix your gaze on Jesus and He’ll teach you to walk on the water and find peace that surpasses understanding.
Paul was imprisoned for his faith in Jesus but that never stopped him from sharing his faith with people. He wrote letters to believers from prison, encouraging them to continue in their faith in God. He shared his faith with those he was imprisoned with. He never stopped or allowed his circumstances to change him, who he was or what God had called him to.
It’s easy to allow our circumstances to dictate our mood, our behavior and our decisions. But when we surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit, he can change our attitude, our perspective and lead us to make better decisions.
We can either choose to let life dictate to us or we can be the change that makes a difference.
To know the character of God you need only look at the fruit of the spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Who wouldn’t want to be around someone that exudes all these all the time. God is personal and we get to have a deep intimate relationship with him. He is not far off and distant but close and intimate. My favorite moments with him are listening to songs like the one posted below and just letting his love surround me to feel that deep intimate closeness with him. Neither of us has to say anything its just being in his presence that is enough.
He’s sweet and kind, comforting and peaceful with bouts of joy. He’s everything we need if we just surrender ourselves to him. Many people like to have a prayer closet or close the door to the bedroom. But I love open spaces with him. A walk in the woods or at home I prefer to be in our living room. For me I think its mental I don’t like to limit God or put him in a box so I think the spaces I enjoy with him most don’t have those limits. You can encounter God and have a deep intimate moment with him anywhere (more open areas are just my preference.)
We each need this daily if possible. To have a moment in our day when we forget everything and just be in his presence. No reading requirement, no set time just a moment we steal away and make it all about being in his presence.
Take a moment, listen to the song in the video below and just let the words sink in and open your self up to feel God’s presence.
Why do we doubt God’s forgiveness? We say oh, he can’t forgive me, he can’t, you don’t know what I’ve done, I don’t belong.”
I used to think the same thing.
In my late teens till my early twenties I choose to walk away from God and pretty much did whatever I wanted. But when I finally decided to give my life back to God, I was terrified.
The first Sunday I was so scared that I clung to my best friends arm digging my fingernails into her arm as I walked back into the sanctuary of the church I had grown up in.
I truly believed everyone knew exactly what I had been doing during those years and I was convinced that everyone was going to turn, look at me and shoot fiery red darts out of their eyes.
But I was wrong. Everyone greeted me with smiles, hugs and open arms. No judgement, no questions, just people happy to see me.
That is how God sees us. When we choose to invite him into our lives, he greets us with open arms and a huge smile.
God loves us.
He is always ready and waiting to welcome us into his family.
So what is holding you back? Fear? Worry? Anxiety?
Well good new those thing are not of God so won’t find them in him.
God is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithful and he has self control.
He’s not up there waiting to strike us down. He’s right next to us waiting patiently for us to allow him into our lives. He’s constantly there wanting to spend time with us, talk to us and show us who he made us to be.
Trust me, who he made you to be is beyond anything you could ever imagine. When I began writing I knew that it was what I was meant to be doing. God had been telling me for years but it wasn’t until I took the leap of faith to really pursue it that I felt like this is it. This is what I was meant to do.
Ask God who he’s made you to be and trust that he knows what suits you best, he made you.
I find so much inspiration through movies. Different scenes and certain lines remind me of what Jesus did for us.
In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Eustace is transformed into a dragon because of his greed, but it leaves him in a precarious situation where he can’t interact with others like he used. In the end Eustace tries to remove the scales to return to being human, but he can’t do it on his own. He needs Aslan to do it for him. To shed his tough outer shell created by the decisions that transformed him in the first place.
We all do this in life. We seek to take care of ourselves and in the process build up an armor to protect us from others. But does it really help us or hinder us from having relationships with others.
We may be protected but we are alone.
Even a dragon with his thick armor can fall prey to attack, but when we allow others in, to help us and protect us we aren’t alone anymore. Having a support system is so much better then doing it all on your own.
Jesus like Aslan wants to protect us, but we first have to be willing to let him in. To let him help us shed our old habits that got us where we are in the first place.
Saul is a great example of this. He tried to achieve salvation through earning it. He followed ever rule but he was callus and hard, not allowing himself to see the truth of who Jesus was, the savior he had been waiting for his whole life. He was too wrapped up in trying to protect himself and others from who he thought was a false savior to see the truth. Until Jesus revealed himself to him. Paul was then humbled by his experience with Jesus as was Eustace, they both shed their old skin to find the truth in Jesus.
What façade have you put on to protect yourself? What has it cost you to keep your outer shell of protection? Are you willing to pay the cost or are you ready to let Jesus to pay the cost for you and be your protector? Are you ready to not be alone anymore?
Being a willing vessel is about God’s plan not ours, God’s power not ours, God’s words not ours.
So when he asks us to do something it’s his words, his plan and his power. So we don’t have to worry about our iniquities. Because it’s not about us it’s about him
Moses didn’t part the Red Sea with his own ability. Peter’s shadow didn’t heal people because of his ability. It was God’s work in and through them. That’s why he asks us to be a willing vessel, for him to work through us. Not for us to do the work on our own.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. -2 Corinthians 4:7
If your faith is dependent on your ability or lack of ability it’s not faith. Faith is in God and his ability not our ability.
What are Gods abilities: He multiples food He can part the Red Sea He overflowed two boats with fish He heals the sick He raised the dead
What about his record makes you doubt his ability to work through you? Him working through us is about us surrendering and being a willing vessel. Spending time reading the Bible, worshiping God and praying is how we hear him. But we have to be surrendered. Willing to hear him and do as he says.
When I prepare to preach I ask God what scripture he wants me to share. Then I read it over and over for days asking him to reveal it to me. So his word and his message are ingrained in my heart. I pray asking him to speak his heart through me. And I worship surrendering my heart, mind, voice and body to him for him to speak through me.
It’s the same when God asks us to speak to someone in the grocery store or at work. But we often don’t have time to stop pray read and worship first. That’s why prayer, worship and reading the Bible should be part of our lives everyday. So we are prepared when he asks us to do something. Prepared to be a willing vessel.
There have been many times I didn’t feel like worshipping because I was worried about something or didn’t understand why. Because I was too much in my head and in my abilities. Not focused on God and his abilities.
When we choose to ignore our feeling, insecurities ad worries and still surrender to God in worship. He gives us peace that surpasses understanding and tells us not to worry because he will provide. So I worship him anyway because by the time I’m done he’s changed my perspective and I have his peace.
Surrendering all to Jesus is about laying down our plans and following his. God created everything. He perfectly placed earth in our solar system so that we would not be too hot or too cold. He designed the seasons to show us what death and resurrection look like. He shows us how seeds can be planted, grow and spread through creation. He provides for us in ways we take for granted every day. So why wouldn’t we trust him to plan our life. When he planned the universe.
It’s about God and his kingdom, not ours. That’s why we die to self. So that he can live through us.
There is a story about a servant carrying two pots from the river each day to bring water to his master. One pot is broken and only brings half the water from the river that the other pot carries. But along the path the servant planted wildflowers for the broken pot to water as he carried it.
Jesus does the same in our lives he uses our brokenness to pour out his life giving water. He fills us up so that we can water the seeds in others that he has planted along our path.
Jesus sacrifice gives us the opportunity to come into right relationship with God. This relationship makes us heirs with him so we can experience his blessings.
But God’s blessings are not all tangible, like we so often look for. Most of them are spiritual. Peace that surpasses understanding, freedom from guilt and shame, being loved more than we can imagine. These things can’t be taken from us.
The next time your looking for God to provide. Seek his kingdom and know that he provides and blesses us with the things that really matter. Love, hope, joy and forgiveness.
No one is beyond redemption. No one is beyond forgiveness. No one is so lost that God doesn’t want them. None of us are beyond hope. God always want us. He loves us. He always seeks us.
He is constantly in pursuit of each and ever one of us. He pursues us on our best day and at our worst moment, seeking relationship with us in every moment.
When we yield ourselves to his leading things change. Our perspective, our attitude, our mood, all change to that of God.
Yielding to the Holy Spirit is a game changer!
That simple decision in each moment of each day. Can change our whole day if we stop for a second and listen. If we take that moment to make the Holy Spirit the most important thing in our lives. We can change how we speak and how we act towards our friends, our family, our co-workers and the world around us. Let the Holy Spirit be your game changer and see what he can do in and through you!
How many times have you wished you could have a fresh start, a clean slate?
You can, when you accept Jesus sacrifice you get a clean slate. He wipes away all your past mistakes and starts you fresh and the best part is you an have a fresh start everyday.
From the moment you choose to follow Jesus, you can have a fresh start.
Jesus died so that we would not have to be bogged down by our past mistakes. So that we wouldn’t have to feel guilt, shame and condemnation.
He came to set us free.
Jesus makes us new in him. We die to our old ways, our old habits and our old mindset and take on his mind.
You don’t have to be what you used to be you don’t have to be restrained to your past you can be set free.
You may have heard some preachers or myself say to die to self. But what does that mean.
Dying to self, is just that dying to self. It’s putting to death your selfish desires, wants and even needs and putting others before yourself.
Sound crazy right, but that is what Jesus did in his life and death. He came to serve not be severed. He paid the price of his own life so that we could have his life in exchange for ours.
When we surrender our lives to Jesus and let him live through us. He provides for all our needs and fulfills many of our desires beyond our wildest dreams.
You may think, I still need to live, to eat, to breathe, to sleep. So don’t I have to be selfish at someone point. No, because when we following the leading of the Holy Spirit he takes care of those needs. I have never regretted putting someone before myself, but I have regretted not putting someone else first.
Marriage is a example of how our relationship with Jesus is supposed to be. We are supposed to put our spouses needs before ourselves. They are supposed to do the same, which brings balance. I can’t tell you how many times I have been doing something for my husband and he surprises me by taking care of the other things I needed to do after I took care of him.
It’s the same with Jesus. When he asks us to do something for someone else he already has something in the works to take care of us.
So dying to self is simple putting God first and trusting him to take care of all that he has promised us.
Years ago I made a choice to drastically change my life and gave my life back to Jesus. The one thing that has been consistent since is my heart cry to God “Thy Will be Done.”
I tried life without God and I screwed it up royally.
But when I made the choice to follow Jesus and made Him Lord of my life. I now ask Him what he wants, instead of what I want.
Every time I choose to trust God and follow His lead. He provides abundantly more than I could of imagined. The path to get there can sometimes feel uncertain, strange or even impossible, but God always provides.
Many times in the past years His way has proved better then what I would’ve chosen.
He has moved my husband and I all over the country, to multiple jobs, unemployment and through some rough financial patches. One constant reminder that God’s will is the better choice is my husband!
That’s right, I let God choose my husband!
My track record with picking boyfriends for myself was terrible, just ask my friends.
But when I choose to let God take the lead, I stopped dating and waited for God to bring me ‘the One’
I know it sounds crazy, but it worked.
My husband is the perfect partner for me and God has truly blessed me with little surprises in him that I didn’t even know I wanted or needed in a spouse.
It’ all because I said to God “Thy Will be done”
What has God been asking you to take a step of faith in?
There’s no magic formula to prayer. Its just a conversation between you and God. Meaning you talk and he talks back. When we talk to God we should expect an answer. We are not just throwing our prayers into the air and saying well if he wants to he’ll do something. He wants to be with us, share with us and show us who he is and what he has planned for us. He wants our openness, our vulnerability, our mess, our fears and our worries. He wants to talk to us and let us know that he is all we need.
Why do we feel we have to fix ourselves or have just the right words to talk to him? He loves us and he wants to talk to us.
If we have to be all cleaned up just to talk to him. Then why did Jesus sacrifice himself? If we could achieve perfection, then Jesus sacrifice was in vain. So why do we keep thinking we have to achieve it before we can talk to him.
God is our Heavenly Father and like any good father, he wants to be there for us even when we are at our worst, in fact especially then. That’s when we should depend on him the most, when we are at our worst. Because he is the one that can make it better, he can heal the hurts and the pain, and he has already forgiven us.
We need to stop trying to be perfect first and let him perfect us instead. Next time your at your worst or you don’t know what to do. Talk to God about it and listen for the answer.
