Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Ephesians 4:1-3

Thankful to a sweet friend for sharing this timely Word from Ephesians this morning,

"In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk - better yet, run!- on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline -  not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences." 

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Even when it's hard, I pray this is always my prayer.

Monday, March 11, 2013

ENOUGH for today.

I recently listened to an incredible podcast by Louie Giglio titled, "Enough for Today" (if you have a chance, listen to it here.) It was an incredible teaching. I realize how quick we are to jump to future things and not rest in just today. We can say yes Jesus is enough for today AND tomorrow, or today AND forever. It's like we bust at the seams to put that "and" in there. Yes He is enough always, faithful always, good always, but we are only promised when we wake up what He has for us in this day now and so often we miss it because we are anxious about the next day or the next month. We cannot access those promises yet. We cannot access tomorrow's promises today. He is sufficient for the day. Just like the manna He gave the Israelites in the desert, He told them He would supply all they needed for the day. However, some of them stored up to make sure they had enough for the next day and "it bred worms and stank" (Exod 16: 20). How often are we like these Israelites? I am guilty of this often, wheeling my mind over and over trying to plan this and that and get things done, get ahead. When the Lord is saying to me, "Be still, daughter, I am working on your behalf. Trust me. Depend on me, not your own strength. I am here today. Present with You now."

He is perfectly provisional for the day.
"Give us this day our DAILY bread." Matthew 6:11

Instead of manna, we now have the bread of Life. By His son. His blood covers everything that happened and we get to stand a new every single morning, and so often we do not claim that. So often we do not operate in the promises the Lord has for us in the day. It is so important to remember that we have a Father that knows what we need BY day, BY moment.  I pray that we SHIFT our mindset to instead of worrying about how things will work out tomorrow, or next week to saying I KNOW You, Oh Lord, will provide for me today; I need not worry about tomorrow - You WILL be faithful - You WILL come through. Let us rest in that the Lord is fighting on our behalf in our stillness (Exodus 14:14).

When I fail to let Jesus be enough for me today, I fail to reflect His sufficiency to others.
Let us live in all the fullness He grants today. 

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

In the wait.

In the wait.

Something our generation hates to hear. Wait. We can hardly stand commercials, or a website loading, much less an entire season of "wait"appointed from the Lord. We are used to having everything at our immediate request. Honestly, I am guilty of liking everything to be done efficiently and quickly. However, that's not exactly how the Lord operates all the time.

For instance, King David was no stranger to waiting. He was anointed to be king by the prophet Samuel, as the youngest of his father Jesse's sons. Instead of rushing to take the throne, it would be years before he was set to be king. The Lord had to prepare him to be king. David was a shepherd boy, and that's what he did day in and day out. David waited on the Lord to take him from the pasture to the palace. Even though David was appointed and anointed didn't mean he didn't have to wait for the right time. His waiting was a extremely important intimate time with the Lord that would set the stage for the rest of David's life. Even in the wait the Lord was moving on David's behalf. He does not delay.

To feel, doubt, or not trust the Lord is faithful or that He will not provide is denying that He has done it in the past. The Lord is who He is all the time, never changing, without shadow. He is FAITHFUL that is WHO HE IS. He is a PROVIDER, that is WHO HE IS. He does deliver. He is a DELIVERER. He did not leave Jonah in the whale. He did not leave Hannah barren. He did not leave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire. He did not leave David stranded when fighting Goliath. He did not leave Moses and the Israelites staring at the Red Sea not knowing how to cross, when the Egyptians were approaching. He did not leave His only Son in the grave. HE PROVIDES, HE IS FAITHFUL, and HE DOES DELIVER. We can't stand here now and doubt His faithfulness now because we would have to say He wasn't faithful then. He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. We have to remember His faithfulness. Feed on faithfulness like it says in Psalm 37:3. Just because He has spoken something into our life that we have not seen come to fruition does not mean it won't. There is a time. There is a season. He will come through.

We also have to give up "trying to help God out" in our own flesh because it accomplishes nothing and may even prolong the time until the promise is fulfilled. We need to just receive from Him, which is often much easier said then done, which of this I am guilty myself. We must rest in the fact that He has it, always has, and always will.

It's hard in waiting seasons to see the purpose, especially if it feels like it has been dragged out. However, we must rest assure the Lord is weaving something incredible. He is always working things together for our good. Our best. Refining us to depend on Him, alone. Trusting Him with everything we've got. Persevering. Continuing to know WHO He is and what He says. Even through the heat of the process it is such an incredibly beautiful thing - and the coolest thing, the Lord never lost sight of the beauty that is coming. It has always been His focus and will remain until we see it fulfilled.

We must HOLD the VISION, and TRUST the PROCESS.

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6