Darkness will not overcome you

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  ~John 1:5

Jesus is the light of the world ( John 8:12)! Notice the present tense of the verb.  He is the light and the light shines.  Darkness has not and will not overcome the light.  John 8:12 tells us that those who who follow Him, Jesus, will never walk in darkness because He is the light of life. 

So do not fall for the lies of the enemy that would have you believe that there is no hope.  Don’t let the fear of the dimming of this world terrify you because God is with you.  This is not our home and we can trust that He will take us through.

No matter what closet or cave you may find yourself in you have a light bulb living in you.  Turn it on and the darkness will not overcome you. Do not fear because His word tells us that that the spirit He gives us does not make us timid ( 2 Timothy 1:7).  

So we don’t have be afraid of the dark clouds of financial woes, family dysfunction, erratic jobs, or the unknowns of tomorrow.  We don’t have to cower because our Savior lives!  He is the light that dispels all darkness.  And as we walk with Him  through the shadows of the valley we can rest assured that He will get us safely to green valleys.  He is not just our light at the end of the tunnel, He is our light in the tunnel.

Let His light shine in your life. Shine it over hidden pain.  Shine it over the lies that enemies tells you so that the truth can set you free.  Shine it over His word as you let it soak into your heart so that you may be strengthened by His power.  Shine it over your mind so that you can release worry and embrace His confidence and walk in hope.  Shine it bright in your home and in your jobs so that they may see the goodness of the Lord working in and through you.  

Father I thank You for the light of your word.  I thank You for placing your light in me and my brothers and sisters.  Lord you are the light of life. The light and source of my life.  Your light is true and will never distinguish or be blown out.  Keep me connected to You.  Keep me plugged into your word and may I shine bright for You in my little corner of this world. I give abs will give You all the glory and all the praise.  In Jesus name. Amen

Our Refuge

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”and you make the Most High your dwelling, 10 no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;12 they will lift you up with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against the stone.~Psalm 91:9-12

God really does love me.  I know this to be true, but sometimes the stillness and the depth of His love just makes me stand in awe.  I can’t help but say to myself, “Wow, you really do love me.”  His word and His truth causes me to step back from an intellectual understanding of His sacrifices for me to take a deep breath and absorb spiritually the depth and the nature that is Him.  To understand deep within my heart and soul just how many hidden treasures there are of His love for me and for you. The very ocean itself is not deep enough to compare to His live for me. 

For all of this love that He lavishes on me, on His people, what does He asks in return?  What does He desire from me? He asks that I believe in Him ( 1John 3: 23)  and dwell in and with Him. He asks that we trust Him, knowing that if we walk in this truth that we will be safe.  He asks us to let Him be our refuge; to proclaim this truth.  

When God is our refuge, our shelter, He is our defense.  He is our protection from all the seen and unforeseen dangers in this world.  He is our shield of faith against the attacks against our families, health, finances, and peace.  He says no harm will come to our tents, but the tent pegs must be grounded deep in Him.  We must pitch our tents in shelter of the most High.  That is where we will find our strength.  This is where we will know that all that this world throws at us will not overtake us.  All of the garbage that has been dumped on our souls will be removed and put in its proper place- outside of the tents because we dwell in the shelter of the Most High God.

Remember God loves us.  He has already promised us protection.  He has already promised us peace( John 14:27) and safety.  Yet, there is more.  He promises us that He will command His angels to guard us in all our ways(Psalm 91:11).  Wow! He saved me from myself.  He gave His only Son to redeem me my soul.  He has sealed me with His Spirit ( Ephesians  1:13) and now I have angels watching over me. They hold up their hands so that I will not strike my foot against the stone ( vs12) They keep my foot from striking the stone that would cause me trip because of temptation or lack of understanding.  They keep me from striking the stone that represents the very stone I stand on- my faith in Jesus Christ ( Isaiah 28:16).  He opened my eyes to the truth of Who He is so that I would see and not stumble ( Romans 9:33, 1 Peter 2:8). That’s love.

His life, His Word. His angels in exchange for my trust in Him-the one Who Saves.  I’ll take that and praise Him all the day long.

Father I thank You for your amazing love.  I will never ever be able to repay You, but I can praise You.  Father, let me not forget just how much You love me.  Keep me under your wings.  May I dwell in the shelter of your love and truth.  May I stay humble and obedient, not taking for granted all that You do.  May I walk in peace knowing You are with me.  May my steps be sure because of You.  Lord let me say it and believe it... for You are my refuge.  In Jesus name. Amen

The Mercy of Forgiveness

The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;~Daniel 9:9

What do you do when you hurt someone?  You apologize, sing “Kum-ba-yah” and all is well right?  While I would love for that to always be true, the fact is that reconciliation is not always easy.  Yet, even when it is difficult God is present and He speaks. God spoke to me through a recent circumstance and opened my eyes anew to beauty and mercy of His forgiveness.

I hurt someone and sought to apologize, but my apology was not accepted.  My efforts for reconciliation were rejected.  What do you do when your effort to repent is rejected? How do you move forward and walk in peace? These are questions that I asked myself and God.  In my searching for the answers and attempts to deal with the sting of it all, God brought me back to some truths.  He gave me a fresh perspective on forgiveness and stripped away a layer of pride and, for lack of a better word, complacency that was lurking underneath.

Through this circumstance, God allowed me to realize just how much I have taken for granted His compassion and the mercy of His forgiveness.  God in His great compassion has forgiven me over and over and over again.  He blots out my transgressions for His namesake and remembers them no more(Isaiah 43:25).  I came come to His throne of grace and receive mercy and hope(Hebrews 4:18).  I come to Him in reverence, but never fear because His love is perfect (1 John 4:18).  And while I might be chastised because He loves me ( Hebrews 12:6),  I am never rejected.  

That part is easy because it’s between me and God and He is absolutely great!  But what about the person I hurt and the lack of reconciliation?  Well, this is where the “work” comes in.   In a way the tables have been turned and I now I am hurt. What will I do with it?  Will allow the enemy to sow further discourse and strife or will I follow the example of my Father and let love deeply allowing love to cover a multitude of sins ( 1 Peter 4:8)? I choose love. It’s my turn to forgive whether it is received or not.  

I can’t be prideful and sit in a seat of judgement patting myself on the back because I put my big girl pants on and apologized.  I only did what God commanded me to do.   It was rejected, just as I once  rejected the love that God was pouring out me.  Just as I have rejected the freedom of His peace because I wanted to feel justified in my misery.  God tells me to be compassionate.  They are where they are, I contributed to their pain, and now  I am to keep loving them whether it is received or not.  That is the true essence of love, loving not because you are getting anything back, but simply loving as God loves me.

In the meantime I will sing Kim-ba-yah because I want God to come by here.  I want Him to always be in the midst and guide me to walk in peace. I will offer praises of gratitude for His abundant grace and mercy.

Father I thank You for your compassion and the mercy of your forgiveness. Thank You for reconciliation and redemption.  May I follow in your footsteps and spread the mercy and the grace of You with others.  May your peace abound. In Jesus name. Amen

Finding your center

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”~Exodus 14:14

Ever wonder how a dancer is able to make so many spins or pirouettes and then just stop on dime without loosing their balance?  It is because they have their eyes fixed on a spot.  With every twist they keep their eyes focus on the spot and it allows them to turn with an assured steadiness.  They are also  balanced as they are pulled in tight.  Dancers are confident as trust their bodies to do what it has been trained to do.

How can this fascination with dance apply to my life? Well, while  I may not be able to do a triple pirouette, I can learn to keep my eyes on the Lord when it is feel like my life is spinning out of control.  Instead of striving and looking for the exit signs of the misery of current circumstance or going rigid with anger and limp with fear I can stand with my eyes fixed on the spot of peace that resides only in Him.  I pull myself together with the truth of His Word and I can let go and twirl in confidence knowing that God is handling all that is around me and within me.

I don’t have to flail my arms as I reach out to try to steady myself.   No, I can let go and remember who His holding me up abs holding me close.  I can dance with freedom to whatever Ruthann life is throwing at me because I am following the beat of His drum.  I am listening to His voice and I am following the lead of my partner.  I can trust that He is leading me safety through the twists and turns of this life.  I only need to keep my eyes fixed on His and let Him fight for me.

Lord, thank You for drowning out all the noise of my impatience and frustration and pulling me back to the center of my peace-You.  Forgive me for trying to fight my battles in my own strength.  Thank you for another day and chance to look at my circumstances through your eyes and not my own.  Lead Father and guide me as I trust in You.  In Jesus name. Amen 

The Lover of my Soul

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

—Ephesians 3:1

God loves us so much! His love is so deep and wide and it can not be contained by our limited understanding.  It is not emotional. His love does not shift with circumstances of the day.  His love does not grow weary.  His love is long suffering and patient.  It is not rushed.  His love is gentle like a cool breeze on a hot summer day.  His love conquers the impossible and lifts the improbable soul.  He love is rich and allows us to soar heights that we once thought imaginable.

My sisters and brothers, please get this down in your spirit and let it soak your soul.  God loves you.  He died for you.  His love is real and alive.  It is redeeming and freeing.  It is accessible and available. He stands with open arms, just waiting to embrace you.  The fragrance of His love is not fleeting.  His flower of peace and joy does not wither.  The gift of His love is unending and it is for you and for me. His love is not just for one day, but last am eternity.  Accept His love.  Let it wash over You and fill your heart to the brim.  Let it overflow into every area of your life. He is your valentine and the true lover of your soul.

I know from past experience how difficult this day can be when the world is pushing a commercial love.  One that is highlighted and purchased for a day.  It can be isolating for some.  It can conjure up emotions of rejection and disappointment. If this is you today, may you remember just how much you are loved.  Loved by the One Who is always with you.  The One that will never forsake you.  By the One created you, wants you and loved you enough to give His very life for you. The One who loves you beyond this life.  Reject the lies of the enemy and accept the truth of His love for you.

May God shine His face upon us today as we reflect in the goodness of His love and share it with others.  Lord the world is hungry for your love.  Give us your Word, Spirit, and heart so that we can do our part in leading them to You.  In Jesus name. Amen

Believe the ridiculous in expectation of the miraculous!

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.~Romans 4:20-21

A good friend of mine once told me that “ you have to believe in the ridiculous in order to see the miraculous.”  It might seem strange to some, but if you have faith in God, you know that the impossible is possible through Christ Jesus.

If we step back for a moment and just think about Salvation itself.  Is not ridiculous to believe that all I have to do to be forgiven for all my sin, to be pardoned from the death I deserve is to believe that Jesus Christ died for me?  To believe that He died and rise again on the third day so that I can experience a full life, one of hope and live. It sounds strange and foreign to the world that my salvation would personally cost me nothing and all I have to do to receive this free gift purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ is to believe!  Ridiculous to those who doubt, but miraculous to those who choose to simply believe.

You see the believing requires you to accept some truths like: I cannot save myself. It is out of my power and reach, I fail over and over again in my own strength. I need help, I am lost and without hope. I am desperate and I need God.  I need Him to do what is impossible to do myself.  So I choose to believe in what may seem to be ridiculous because I am expect the miraculous.  I am that miracle.  

I am that lost sheep that God sought and brought back home.  I am the woman at the well who has received living water.  I am the leper who Jesus healed.  I am one of the five thousand He fed.  I am the man who was one lame and can now walk.  I am Peter who denied Him when things got sticky, but now love Him with a renewed passion leading His sheep.  I am evidence of the miraculous power of God.  And so are you.  

Have faith!  Be persuaded that God will keep His promises to you. We are the Abraham’s and Sarahs.  God has not stopped working miracles.  He has not stopped working things out on our behalf.  Just believe it and receive it.  Whatever ever He brings you to He will bring you through.  Our ridiculous is miraculous when our faith is in God. 

Father may our desires align with the truth of your Word,  May the dreams you have placed inside of us come to fruition.  Increase our faith and remove our doubts and we believe in You.  In Jesus name. Amen

Don’t Fret, Pray!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.~Philippians 4:6

I am a “fretter”!  I hate to admit it, but the truth is I am prone to stress over things that are in and out of my control.  It is often driven by a false need to be perfect and approved.  If I don’t keep myself in check I allow my conscientious nature drift towards obsessive worry and fear.  I begin to be believe the lies of the enemy, but God has told me not to be anxious about anything.  

This means I am not going to be anxious about having a bad hair day or the increasing number of gray ones.  I am not going to be anxious about what I am wearing.  I am not going to be anxious about job evaluations.  I am not going to be anxious about my impending bill.  I am not going to be anxious about my health.  I am not going to be anxious about children or my family.    

How am I going to do this?  By following the instructions found in His word.

Step 1:  I will go to Him in prayer. I will humbly talk to my Father about my situation.  I will do so in faith because I know He loves me and hears me.  He already knows my needs ( Matthew 6:8), but talking to Him creates an intimacy in our relationship as I trust Him and worship Him.

Step 2:  I am going to petition Him.  I will ask for help from the One who has all authority and power over every single part of creation.  There is nothing impossible for God ( Luke 1:37).  So I am going to seek His face and ask Him for guidance.  I am going to trust Him.

There goes that word again: trust.  I must firmly believe that he hears me and will respond.  I am not worrying because I am trusting Him and not man our my own abilities.

Step 3:  I am going to pray and petition with an attitude of gratitude.  God has already done more than enough for me.  He sent His Son to die for me so that I can live and do so abundantly ( John 10:10).  So I am not going to Him to demand anything.  I am going to Him in love and praise for just being God; a Father I can talk to and trust with my issues.

Step 4:  I am going to be still.  The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still ( Exodus 14:14).  So I am going to wait on the Lord ( Psalm 27:14) He doesn’t need my help.  He desires my obedience as I put my faith in Him; the one who Saves.  The One who rescues.    I will remain confident that I will see His goodness (Psalm 27:13).  My “red seas” will also part.  I will walk on dry ground.  I will not drown in worry.  

Our Father did not give us a spirit of fear ( 2 Timothy 1:17)  So we can rebuke worry or anxiety.  We can cast our cares unto Him (1Peter 5:7).

Father thank you for loving us so much.  Thank you for opening doors and closing the ones that we need not enter.  Thank you for your guidance and patience.  I confess that I have allowed myself to worry.  Forgive me and help me through your Spirit to overcome anxiety as I trust and wait on You Lord.  May I follow your Word and be freed from this stronghold.  In Jesus name. Amen

In His Word

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.~Proverbs 21:5

You listen to sermons and read devotionals that tell you over and over again that the answers to any situation or circumstance can be found in the Word of God. I have nodded my head and said Amen, but not until recently did I truly understand how it all worked.  I always wondered how one could even know where to start looking? Could you really just open the Bible and wham find what you need to know?  

I have lots of situations and I need lost of answers, so I need to know.  I need a word from Him; a sense of the direction that He wants me to take.  God being faithful to His and true provided me  exactly the answer I needed and yes, it was found in His Word.

I have found myself in a state of fatigue.  My body as well as my mind are weary.  The alarm goes off and I groan.  I just want to rest.  I don’t want to do anymore.  I want to lay aside my responsibilities and pick them back up tomorrow or the day after that.  Maybe you have been there or are in this place today. This physical state and attitude of my mind and heart  is impacting my life.  I know what I want, but my desire is to do what He wants.  So I get up.  I pray and I God revealed this Word to me.

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.~Proverbs 21:5

So I looked up some of the words within this passage of scripture.  Diligent is characterized as being constant and steady.  A diligent person is hard-working, industrious, and meticulous.  They are described as being attentive and persistent in whatever they are seeking to accomplish.  A person who is diligent is committed.  

A diligent person is thoughtful, slow and steady.  They consider the cost of what they are doing.  They make a plan to achieve it. As I wrote these down in my journal, I heard the Lord tell me to not grow weary in well doing.  My season of rest is coming.  I will reap a harvest. I will see a profit, the little I invest will not compare to the prosperity of the harvest He is going to provide m.  His favor is upon me.  Keep at it.  Wait on Him!  Hope in Him.  He will increase my strength.  He will see me through.

Haste on the other hand is associated with hurriedness and speed and while I hasten to Him, my strength and my strong tower, I do not need to be so quick to move away from the work at hand.  I don’t need to rush and make decisions based off of what I feel in the moment. I need to prudent and diligent, walking by faith and not by sight.

I can honestly tell you that since I got up out of my bed today that I already have more energy. I have a renewed since of purpose and hope.  A hope placed squarely on Him.

Father,  thank you for your Word.  Thank you for revealing your plan for my life on this day.  Let me not worry about tomorrow, but keep my focus on You.  May I be diligent in my assignment for this day and may it bring You glory.  In Jesus name. Amen