Hope Eternal

Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col 1:27)

Grow Show Know

Everything in our spiritual development isn’t up to God.  Is that something you already knew?  It is our responsibility to grow up spiritually on the Word of God.  As a baby we aren’t expected to know much.  A baby can tell when he/she is hungry and cries out for food.  Spiritually we also know when we are in need of food.  Oftentimes we sense an inner emptiness or a dryness that only can be satisfied with the Word of God.  I remember being so hungry when I first gave my life to Jesus I could hardly wait for my time of Bible reading.  I would sit for hours reading just to absorb what God had to say.  There were times I would get so excited I had to share my revelation/insight with those who would listen.  It’s like it had to bust out.

God would show me things.  The more I read the more connections I would see between different books of the Bible. A word would often trigger my thoughts to something I had read elsewhere.  It was like a tapestry being revealed in my spirit.  I trusted a living God would talk to me.  He knew just what I needed to hear and was more than able to show me where to look.  Someone suggested to me to underline scriptures so I could go back and remember what God had said. My Bible became my textbook.  I underlined, highlighted, wrote thoughts, connected Bible verses and became totally convinced if I could have only one thing as a possession in my life it would be my Bible.  It had everything I ever needed.  My Bible had God’s words/thoughts written down for me to read and study.

As we mature in God, there comes a time (in fact many times) when you need to press into what you know.  When I’m talking know, it’s not what we know in our head but what we know in our heart.  These are the things that we know that we know; things unshakeable no matter what.  Life will have challenges.  As silly as this might sound, I was kind of surprised to discover that.  I somehow got the idea I would be exempt from sickness, disease, poverty, lack, relationship challenges – oh, you get the idea.  But we are not exempt.  God’s promises carry us through those times.  Psalms 23:4 says we walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death.  As children of God, it’s our responsibility to take the word of God and attack the problem. We become the TRUTH enforcement officer by saying.  Just like Jesus, we declare “it is written.”  If sickness comes our way we boldly say NO sickness – “By Jesus’s stripes I was healed.”  “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” “On the authority of God’s Word you have to leave.”

Whatever the need, the Word of God has the solution.  I trust most of you reading this post will have already discovered the importance of spending time in the Word of God, but if you haven’t today is a good day to change that!

Choices, Decisions, Habits Oh My!

How My Decisions Took Me Where I Did Not Want To Go

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, “How did I get HERE?”  This phenomenon is associated with the mid-life reassessment (crisis) stage. When young(er), you made a choice. Then life becomes hectic and presto, 10 years later you are not where you thought you would be. Tangible example? The two of you married. Suddenly you have two children and another on the way. Both of you have taken your careers for granted as well as your relationships.

This scenario can happen with any choice in any arena of life. The lesson I did not learn early is that decisions will either take you toward your choice or away from your choice. Decisions do not dance around your goal. In the example above, pre-marital counseling would help determine family goal(s) and individual goals (that uphold the family) to provide “training-wheels” while adjusting to the new norm of life. It will not relieve the chaos of having children in the house, but it will help the family as a unit and as individuals make decisions to move in an expected direction.

Personally, I like to relate choices and decisions to the university course catalog. Degree programs equal your choices. Classes required are the decisions. If you choose to major in Accounting, you must pass the required classes listed in the catalog.  If you declare Accounting as your major, then take art classes you will at the end of four years NOT receive an Accounting Degree. You may have an Art Degree—but that is not what you chose as your major.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Psalm 32:8

[In my first blog, I encouraged you to choose Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you have not made this choice yet, see the July 31 post. Do not miss this opportunity. We move forward under the assumption that you have made Jesus your Lord and Savior.]

Decision-making can be difficult—not as dry as the course catalog example. Some decisions require time so don’t be in a hurry. Ask for help, ask for counsel, pray. Consider each decision an opportunity to keep your biblical values as an honor to God.

Let’s start with the daily decision to follow Jesus. Please, I am not asking you to be perfect or to give up anything. Just know that some days choosing to follow Jesus is easy and some days you have to remind yourself that you are following Jesus—as an imperfect human being. Remember that you have already made the choice for eternity. Everyday is an opportunity to move closer to Jesus by building the relationship.

First steps

Read the Bible. Start in the New Testament. Don’t speed-read, maybe one chapter a day.

  • Attend a church that teaches the Bible.
  • Attend a prayer group in that church to learn to pray.
  • Remember that your decisions can bring you closer or take you further from your walk with Jesus.

I Took A Walk Today

I took a walk today

Walking the usual way

Soon the path split

Which way should I go?

Then Jesus took my hand

And led me on a path only He knew

“Do you trust me? Will you remain faithful?”

Shut The Front Door!

As I sit down to share insight and revelation with you today I am reminded of a simple but profound statement the Lord shared with me during a health challenge I faced a number of years ago.  When facing something that could be life threatening it’s easy to retreat into thinking about all the negative possibilities.  If you are facing an uncertain challenge in any area of your life right now, you are at the door of decision.  Are you going to turn to God or turn away from God?  No one can make that decision for you. 

I decided to press into God.  For most of you reading this post, I trust you will understand when I say God seemed distant at that moment in time.  I needed to remind myself that He promised to never leave me or forsake me [Heb 13:5; NKJV].  It didn’t matter how I felt, God promised and He doesn’t lie.  I needed to know what to do.  Being a teacher, I think of things in a linear fashion; step 1, 2, 3, etc.  So what I am about to share is the beginning of my healing journey.  It’s what God showed me.  I caution each of you to press into your own personal journey.  We may have similar experiences but always remember God knows just what each of us needs and how to get it to us.

The challenge presented itself!  My response:

Step 1:  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you [James 4:8; NKJV].  Remind yourself that He will never leave you or forsake you. If other thoughts try to take your attention off that TRUTH, refuse to believe them. 

Step 2:  Our God is a living God.  Living means communication.  Get it settled that God will guide you into the truth.  He has THE way of deliverance and wants us to experience His salvation.  God is not trying to hold things back from us.  He is trying to get things to us.

Step 3:  Turn off distractions and focus on hearing from God.  For me, this meant creating a God atmosphere.  Saturate the atmosphere with praise and worship music.  Sing and worship to Him not because of what He could give me but because He is worthy of my praise [2 Samuel 2:24; NKJV].  Turn my focus to Heaven to be in His presence.

Step 4:  In prayer ask Him for wisdom and be willing to do what He says.

And then God said “Shut the front door.” [James 4:7; NKJV]  In an instant I knew I had allowed the enemy access into my life at his will because I harbored anger and unforgiveness.  I saw the specific people I needed to forgive.  I was again at a decision point.  Was I willing to shut the front door on the enemy’s access so God could intervene on my behalf?  I was!

So today you may be facing a challenge that needs a God solution.  Whatever you need to get settled, get it settled.  In your time of trouble turn to God not away from God.  Trust He will guide you into the truth [John 16:13; NKJV] you need for this moment in time.  And I highly recommend if He tells you to do something, do it.  It is time to shut the front door on the enemy.

I Took A Walk Today. . .

Choices

I took a walk today

          Taking the same old path, going the usual way

Soon the path split

          Which way should I go?

We (Americans) take for granted the number of choices available to us. And those choices are available in a variety of categories. Sensory overload!  Choices are the result of living in a free nation.  Choice equals responsibility—voting comes to mind. If you don’t make a choice, the choice is made for you. 

Today let’s look at personal choices. If you are stuck in a rut do you know how many choices you have to get out of that rut? We always have one choice and that is to keep the status quo. Do you want to get out of that rut?  Then something must be done differently to produce the change you are expecting. Reviewing the choices available at the time promotes movement in the direction you want go.

God also gives every person a choice.  It is written in Deuteronomy 30:19-20, “I call the heavens and the earth to witness about you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life so that you and your descendants may live, by loving Adonai your God, listening to His voice, and clinging to Him.” (TLV) Because God wants us to live a blessed life, He highly recommends choosing life. According to this scripture all choices fit into one of two categories: life (blessing) and death (cursing).

Many of us don’t consider that choices are limited to life or death.  As a matter of fact, our thought process considers only the affect on me. Some may include the affect on family, but mostly it’s about ME. For now, let’s look at the most important choice you will ever make.

Have you chosen Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Making this one choice will get you out of the rut and on the road walking with Jesus. How many more life-giving options will you recognize once you accept Jesus in your life?

For me, Jesus is my everything. He died a horrendous death on the cross because He loves me and YOU so much. His death paved the way for all of us to become part of His family, to live the blessed life our Father planned, and to know that they–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–will always be with each of us.  Jesus loves you so much He died so you can spend eternity with Him, The Father, and Holy Spirit.

Truths to believe about Jesus:

He was born of a virgin, and he walked as man during his time on the earth.

He was fully man and fully God.

He was crucified; he was dead; and he was buried.

On the third day he rose from death to life, ascended to heaven, and sits at the right hand of God.

You now have a choice. Do you choose to receive Jesus now?  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”  And verse 13 continues, “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”” (ESV)

SALVATION PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

I come to you today in the name of Jesus. You say that all who call on Jesus will be saved. I am calling on the name of Jesus. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that He was raised from the dead. I believe with my heart.  Thank you I am saved! Thank you, Lord!

English Standard Version Study Bible. (2008). Crossway. (2001)

Tree of Life Translation of the Bible. (2015). The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.

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