Is it desirable?

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.~Joshua 24:15

I love the nuggets of truth found in the Word of God.  I love the way it removes the veils over my hearts and mind and prompts me to examine my attitudes towards my beliefs.  I choose God because He chose me.  The love I have for Him is a direct result of the amazing incomprehensible love that He has poured into my life.  So as I read this familiar verse I had to ask myself if my attitude towards worship and service of God reflects one of pleasure?

I have the awesome pleasure of knowing the King.  He is ruler of all things.  Like Abraham, He took me away from a world where people served other gods ( Joshua 24:2-4). He has given me a life that I did not build( Joshua 24:13).  I have an eternal inheritance with and through Christ ( Colossians 3:24). He sacrificed His own Son so that I can be reconciled to Him.  ( John 3:16) So that I can live in freedom.  He fights all of my battles ( Exodus 14:14).

He desires me to walk in faith and in humility with Him.  He ask me to show my love for Him by obeying Him( John 14:15).  His charge is not heavy.  It’s to love Him and to love others ( Luke 10:27).  To seek those things that are just, noble, and pure ( Micah 6:8).  To live a life of surrender.  He wants these things for me.  Not to control me, but to bless me.  

Yet,  He still gives me the choice to decide if I will serve Him.  

He gives me a choice to accept or reject Him.  Why would it ever be conceivable that serving God and worshipping only Him would be undesirable?  There should be no hesitation or debate.  He is too good for me to turn and go the other way.  BUT when I treat my time with Him as a chore, when I forsake the assembly with other believers, or when I am complaining of murmuring about the circumstances of life I indicate dissatisfaction rather than love.  I am not serving with an attitude of joy.  I must go back to the beginning.  Count my blessings and acknowledge all that He does for me daily.  I must guard my heart against selfishness and pride.  I must decrease and He must increase.  I must choose to follow Him daily, put away and keep away those idols that harm my relationship with Christ.

I must sing songs of praises for Jesus who intercedes on my behalf.  I thank Him for bring the propitiation of my sins.  I am not perfect, but glory to God He is, and He loves me.

Father may I serve you with joy.  May my sacrifice be matched with obedience.  Thank you for choosing me and my life reflect gratitude for that choice.  Thank You for saving me.  Forgive me for those times when I complain.  Keep my eyes focused on You.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen

Don’t You Know?

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”~Psalm 46:10

Be still. Stop look around you.  Breathe it in.  Breathe me in.  Don’t you know?  Do you still not comprehend that I am God?  I am not just a god, but I Am the great I Am( Exodus 3:14).  I am both Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end( Revelations 22:13).  All things start through me, exist because of me, and will end by my command.  ( John 1:3)

Yes, I see this world.  Better yet, I see you.  I see each of my children.  I know every thought and concern.  I am aware of you struggles and your feelings of inadequacy.  I see your heartache and your pain and I am here.  I am here for you. I can fix it, but will you let me?  Will you be still enough to hear the words I am speaking to your heart?  Will you be present in the moments I lay at your feet to receive the help I am sending your way?

You say you are worried about your job, the bills you have to pay.  The phone is always ringing with another debt collector.  You don’t know how you are going to do it.  Have you forgotten my promise to you?  I am God, the Good Shepherd, and I will supply all of your needs( Philippians 4:19).  I will show how to get out of debt and give you wisdom to manage your blessings.

Your relationships are fractured and your health is shaky.  Stand firm in my word.  Trust in me.  I know your battles.  I have already won them for you, but you must believe( Deuteronomy 20:4).  Stop batting at the air.  Stop striving and striving to defeat the enemy in your own strength.  Your enemy is not flesh and blood and not be battled in the natural( Ephesians 6:12).  So lean into me.  Rest in me.  Trust me.  I got this.  I am God.  Will you let me be yours?

Yes, Lord!

Subject to Authority

This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.~Romans 13:6-7

So when I received this scripture in my inbox this morning I was not exactly shouting “Amen” and Hallelujah”.  Rather my thoughts immediately jumped to our current leaders and I thought seriously.  I read the Word through a lens of judgement by way of pride and God quickly corrected it.

Just because someone else is not following through with instructions of God does not mean that I don’t have too.  God told me to submit to those in authority over me( Romans 13:1).  They are in a position of authority because He has allowed them to be there.  My job is not based my willingness to obey based on what they do or don’t do.  The “what about them” rationale is not going to satisfy what God has instructed me to do. 

Therefore, I must give to everyone what I owe them because God demands it.  I can not usurp my thinking or opinions for His word.  I don’t get to pick and choose what commands I will follow.  I must surrender all to God.

Applying this in practical terms means that I don’t argue my my boss or supervisor.  I don’t disparage their name behind their backs.  I am not critical of ministry leaders in my church.  I don’t choose politics over the truth of God’s word.  I pray for those who govern and trust that He is working it all out for my good.

Father I thank You for your Word that governs every aspect of my life.  Forgive me for wanting to cherrypick the parts that I think are good.  Keep me humbled and surrendered to your will.  In Jesus name. Amen

When Your Spirit is Crushed

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.~Psalm 34:18

It would be absolutely fantastic if every day was full of sunshine and roses because on those days you feel like you can conquer the world.  Your emotions are in check and nothing is bumping your happy. 

Unfortunately, this view of life is a misconception that many have.  We assume because we are connected with Jesus that everything will just fall into place.  However, the reality is that in life we experience the rain and clouds along with the sunshine.  

Some days will be more challenging than others.  You may feel like nothing is going right.  It might be hard to understand or accept why this “dreaded” thing had to happen to you or to someone you love.  There are days when your heart takes a beating and your spirit is crushed.

Today was a spirit crushing kind of day for me.  I felt misunderstood, dismissed, and lost.  Sometimes it seems like the Lord is testing me on the very things that I am in the midst of studying.  So as I reflect on my day, I seek the lesson that God is trying to teach me and I reach for the comfort that only He can bring.

Today He taught me that my labor is not in vain and that who I am is not based on what others think I am.  My heart might be bruised, but He truly is close to me. He whispers His love and guides my steps.  He is teaching me how to stand in the midst of adversity so that I am able to withstand the larger battles that are coming.  He is preparing me for my next phase of life.  Most importantly He is teaching me to remain in His love.

Father I don’t always like the rain, but I thank You for the growth that it brings.  I cast my cares and concerns onto You Lord and ask that You give me the will to endure.  In Jesus name. Amen

Shake the Dust Off Your feet

If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.~Mathew 10:14

In Mathew 10 Jesus sends the disciples out to proclaim the message that the Kingdom of Heaven was near.  They were to drive out demons, raise the dead , cleanse lepers, and heal the sick.  What they had freely received they were to give ( Mathew 10:7-8).  Jesus knew that everybody would not receive them or want to hear the truth, but He sent them anyway.  They were to handle rejection by shaking the dust off of their feet.

I imagine the rejection and even possible taunting has to sting, but they had a mission to proclaim the good news.  It wasn’t their task to make others believe, but rather to present the opportunity of knowing Christ to others.  

Christ has also sent us out.  We are to proclaim the good news of redemption and restoration through the life, death and resurrection through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Some will not want to hear it.  They will try to silence you or minimize your relationship with Christ to mere religion, but it’s okay.  They are not rejecting you, they are rejecting Christ.

I am so happy in the Lord. He is a good and loving God.  Faithful and true and I know this for myself.  Jesus turned my life around.  I know He is the answer and I want everyone to know Him like I do, especially my loved ones. However, things don’t always turn out like I want them too.  Sometimes rejection is inevitable.  I felt that rejection recently and it took a lot not to recoil from the pain of it all.

It is difficult to watch and hear others deny the truth of who God is.  It’s breaks my heart to witness the rejection and denial of the only One who can save and heal the broken places.   I desperately want them to know and receive the love of the Father.  They want no part of it.  They don’t want to hear me talk about God. So what do I do? 

I stand firm on my faith, continue to love them, and turn it all over to God.  I shake the dust off my feet.  I don’t yield to the temptation to let my emotions dictate my response or diminish my faith.  I love harder, but I refuse to leave God out my conversation.  I can’t separate myself from Him, not even for those I love.   I watch and I pray  that their eyes will be opened to the truth.  I take up my cross and continue to follow Him and go where He sends me.  I ask Him for help and walk in peace.

Father,  please soften the hearts and minds of those who are lost.  May they come to You before it is too late.  Lord, please pierce their hearts so that they will come to realize just how much You care for them. Give me the wisdom needed to minister to the unsaved and a heart of love.  Save them Lord and keep  me close to You. In Jesus name. Amen

Confidence in God

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.

Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?~Deuteronomy 23:19

We can trust that God is going to do what He says He will do! He will fulfill every single promise  that He has made to us.  Just knowing my this truth settles my soul because it reminds me to trust Him.  I can believe with confidence that whatever He has spoken or declared over my life will come to pass because He is not a man.  God is above all and can do all.  He is not bound by human frailty.  What He speaks is already in existence.  He doesn’t have to strive to make it happen, He just speaks a word.

So if I know these things to be true I must begin to operate in that truth.  I have to take the head knowledge of who God is and transfer it to my heart; walking in faith.  I must move and act with the assurance that whatever God has planned for me will happen.  I must trust that whatever He has called me to do, whatever mission He has set before me will happen because He has said so.  He has spoken it.  Therefore my job is to trust Him and to abide in Him.  

I must give up control.  Just because He called me doesn’t mean I call the shots.  I have to learn to wait on His commands.  You called me to do “this” Lord, how do you want me to do it?  I ask the question and then I must wait on His answer.  I must trust that He will act on my behalf for His purpose.

Father you know your daughter.  I twist myself in knots over little things.  I struggle with trying to do everything right instead of just trusting that what You have declared over my life will be done.  I want to see how, but God just help me to trust You.  Help me to wait on your instructions.  Let your word shine a light in the path that You want me to take.  Thank You for being God.  Thank You for being all that I need.  In Jesus name. Amen

Tossing Out Guilt

The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.~ Psalm 138:8

I am a very analytical person by nature and sometimes I am my own worst enemy.  I beat myself up over not doing the "right thing" all of the time.  I set unrealistic expectations and allow my thinking to be thwarted and misconstrued.  I begin to condemn myself rather than repent and simply receive God's love and grace.  Maybe you can relate?

There is nothing wrong with seeking righteousness, but I must guard my heart against self-righteousness.  I must rebuke the thinking that I have to be perfect.  Yes, God tells me to be holy;to live a life that is set apart, but for His glory and for my good.  He is not expecting me to be perfect, but to long for His righteousness.  

He wants me to trust Him with all that is me, the good and the needs improvement pieces.  He wants me to trust Him to perfect that which concerns me.  He just wants me to continue to yield to Him and allow the Holy Spirit to transform me.  Guilt is not what He desires for me because He is merciful and kind.  Guilt is a trick of the enemy.

I am the work of His hands and He will never leave me nor forsake.  The enemy wants me spinning my wheels, beating myself up, operating in false humility, and trapped by pride. He wants me to feel defeated.  He wants me stop moving forward in Christ and to give up. 

But I am a conqueror in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37)and MY Father just wants to hold me and say that it is okay. " Slow down.  You don't need to leap, just take life one step at a time.  I will get you where I need you to be.  Relax.  Breather.  Trust me."  ( Psalm 46:10)


Father I thank You for your word that reminds me to be encouraged and to trust You.  Thank you for allowing me to cast my cares and concerns upon your shoulders.  Let me not seek to live a life or "perfection", but rather one of excellence that seeks to please only You.  May I take one day at a time and rest in the knowledge that You will guide me on my journey and take me where I should go.  Let me not fret, but trust.  In Jesus name.  Amen.