06-06-13 Take Away My Difficulties

Psalm 55:22 "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."

The Lord Jesus says that we can cast our cares on Him - our difficulties - our problems - our issues and He will sustain us. But doesn't it seem like sometimes, we go to throw the difficulties down at His feet and they stick to our hands like some kind of goo that stretches and comes straight back to our hands? 

Why is that? 

1 - We don't really want to let it go as we've become quite accustomed to it.

2 - We are afraid to deal with the pain it may cause.

3 - We don't think He will really take it away.

4 - We feel unworthiness and shame and just want to hide it.

5 - It doesn't want to let go of us, until we tell it to go.

You could probably list a few others.

So, let me explain why I chose to list those above.

Regarding 1 - It's like a captive not wanting to leave a captor because it's all they've ever known.  The Lord wants to show us what that difficulty really looks like in His eyes and then show us how much more HE has to offer.

Regarding 2 - Some difficulties are quite painful - and they will stay that way until they are dealt with. They come up - we bury them. They come back up - we bury them again... they will just keep coming up until we come to the place where we're sick and tired of being sick and tired. The Lord knows how to deal with pain, and He is a Gentle-Healer. He's waiting to take the difficulty and deal with the 'roots' that may accompany it.

Regarding 3 - We don't believe that He does what He says He will do. We may lack faith, we may have seen Him not do what we've asked in the past. But by faith, we need to believe that He is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves... and maybe literally picture putting that difficulty into His hands.

Regarding 4 - If the difficulty is something that we've initiated or was initiated against us, we may be shame.  If it's something that we've given to Him over and over and over again, we may feel unworthy to come before Him AGAIN. But He forgives each time we ask - when we truly want to repent for our unbelief and for agreeing with shame and unworthiness.  He then clothes us with Honor and Righteousness.

Regarding 5 - God sets us free from our enemies, not our friends. If there is a demonic entity behind the difficulty, then we need to tell it to get the heck out and away from us, in the Name of Jesus. That we are no longer going to listen to it - agree with it - be friends with it. Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed! John 8:36

Lastly, and I didn't list it above, but at times the difficulty doesn't go away - because we're meant to go through it - leaning on the Lord's strength and mercy and grace.... leaning on our support system... not withdrawing. Sometimes we may feel like we're going around the same mountain... and we are.  But it's more like a spiral - we start at the bottom and we go around, but we're also going higher and closer to the top. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus! Romans 8:37

So, when I pray this prayer, I pray "Lord, take away the difficulties that you know I can't handle or keep them from me - and give me the grace and strength to go through the difficulties that you know I can handle.

The end of this sentence in the prayer says, "So that victory over them may bear witness of Your Power, Your Love and Your Way of Life to those I would help.  We overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony! Revelation 12:11   ---- So that we may bring glory to God and bless others with Who He is!!

How exciting is that!

So, let's begin to look at our difficulties in a new Light - and ourselves as the overcomers that we are!

Overcome - Desperation Band 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sjYWrpNoCs

06-05-13 Bondage of Self

Colossians 3:5-10 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."

Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Your will... - AA Third Step Prayer.

Actually, that's what I'm doing this week - breaking down the 3rd Step Prayer. In a nutshell, it's giving our lives over to God.

Again, here we are asking the Lord to take away the junk inside of us to make more room for Him to fill. 

The prayer asks the Lord to relieve us of the bondage to self. There are probably many more ways we can be in bondage to ourselves.  How about self-protection, self-hatred, selfishness - for starters? God can't release us of them until we're ready to let them go.

Once we're ready to let them go, then the Lord is over-ready to take them away and help us to put on a new 'robe of righteousness'. We don't need all that clutter in our lives - it just makes us weighed down and weary.

Then Jesus comes in and fills us with good things, like love and purity, cleanness and wholeness, faithfulness and calmness.  

The thing is, we need to stop picking up the same thing over and over again. We shed the robe of righteousness and exchange it back for the chains of bondage to our own desires and wants. If we want to better do His will in our lives, to know His will for our lives, then we need to be very close to Jesus. Once we start to heed the voice of self, then we are on a slippery slope down the slide of sin, which leads to despair.... and our separation from hearing the voice of the Lord.

Let's all continue to shed the old rags and to keep on the Royal Robe of Righteousness that Jesus has given us.

06-04-13 Do and Build

Psalm 139:23-24 "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Galatians 5:22-23 "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Another part of the prayer I pray in the morning is for the Lord to take my life and do with my and build with me what He will.

Do you ever notice that we ask the Lord in song or in verse or in just talking to Him to search us, know us, test us with our anxious thoughts; to see if there is any sin in us and to lead us.... but the HE ACTUALLY DOES IT???

If you are anything like me when He starts messing around with that heart area, I'm like, "God, WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" I was going to tone that down a bit, but that's really what I and I think others actually think or say.  He comes back and says, "Only what you asked me to".  Oh, really?? Like I asked you to bring all this junk from the past back up into my life - like I really asked to be turned inside out to where my heart doesn't even feel like it's where it supposed to be physically!!  I asked for that?? He says, "Fortunately, yes." 

I get mad at Him! Like He's doing something to me and exposing my vulnerabilities and defenses and self-protection.... oh, well.... I guess He is.... and well, He's right, I asked Him out of my love for Him and my desire to give Him more of me so can have more of Him to do just that.

WHAT WAS I THINKING?????? 

I was thinking about Jesus and how much He gave for me, and how much I want to love Him in the same way He loves me.

To build with me and to do with me - in me - what He wills. I think of letting Him lead my day and to build in me the fruit of the Spirit. To build in me love towards others and myself - joy, that is my strength - peace, that guards my heart and my mind - forbearance, patience with people around me who act like... well, you know - kindness, doing something nice for someone, even smiling - goodness, having a purity of thought and deed - faithfulness, know Jesus is our center and following His Voice alone - gentleness, showing compassion to those who need it, but also learning to be gentle in reproof - self-control or temperance (don't particularly like the word self-control - it implies we are doing it ourselves, when in fact we need Jesus for everything), keeping ourselves through the power of the Holy Spirit away from sin and doing what's not sinful in moderation.

Just my belief of what He wants to build in us... along with the various gifts He wants to pour out on us. When we act in accordance with the Spirit, nothing can harm us. Think about it.

Search Me - Know Me - Travis Cottrell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ4dVPPmUWc

06-01-13 Giving Our Lives To God

Romans 12:1-3 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

So, I was talking with the Lord this morning. One of the lines I pray daily is that I give myself, offer myself to God - as a living sacrifice - to be holy and pleasing to Him and for Him to do and build with me as He will.

I immediately thought, 'This isn't going to work'. Why? I'm not holy - I'm far from being holy.  Not just feeling like I wasn't holy - but that I wasn't holy enough even be offering myself as a sacrifice to our Father. 

I pray that part of a prayer every day... the rest of the parts I'll explain the rest of the week. I ask Him to burn off the dross and the fat for a sweet smelling aroma (oh, how I wish that could be true in the physical also ;)). But I've been very guarded for approximately the last day. Just happens whenever the Lord does what I ask (i.e., burns off the dross and fat) - it doesn't set well - like it's so unnatural to let the Lord into those places where the dross and the fat are. Am I talking to myself here??

If I'm not open, then how in the world can I let Him do in me and build with me as He wills? I took it by faith that at least I was talking with Him and continued on with my prayer. That is, after He said, "Do you think you need to be wholly holy in order to offer yourself to me? Because, you know, from My standpoint, I'm seeing you already as holy in my sight. The dross and fat that has been burned away already has revealed some holes that need filled and patched; some wounds that need to be healed; some forgiveness that needs to be given; some sin that needs to be made rid of. But I have seen in the past that even those are beautiful in my sight when you have given them over to Me.... a sweet-smelling aroma of freedom and my songs of deliverance go forth. What is still bothering you, I see as the same way. Don't be afraid to go where I lead. Peace, be still. You are Mine."

Our true act of worship is to offer ourselves to God - not conforming to the world and its 'programming', but being transformed in our minds by the Word of God and the Power of Holy Spirit. Only then can we know what God's good, please and perfect will is for us, maybe not for our whole lives, but for that day, that hour, that minute.

Many Blessing of peace, grace and mercy to you. Let's all keep moving ahead to have open hearts before the Lord.... let His peace overtake the anxiety and fear of letting Him in to heal the broken places.

I Offer My Life To You - Don Moen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-JJg-8qPso   Lord, please let this be so in our lives.

05-31-13 Cedars of Lebanon

Psalm 92:12-15 "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, "The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him."

I know - last verse same as the first ;) Well, same as yesterday's anyway. 
Since we seem to be on the theme of trees and how they mirror attributes of Godly character, I figured it would only be right to talk about 'growing like a cedar of Lebanon'.

First of all, a cedar tree is actually in the evergreen family - it has greenish-blue needles instead of leaves. These are replace every two years or so. It can grow to approximately 80-100 feet tall and 50-100 feet across at the top. I say 'at the top', because a cedar tree left in open space will reach out in a wild array of branches and will be flat-topped. If it's in a densely populated space or the resources aren't sufficient for it to grow that way, it will grow straight up - sort of like a pine tree.

A Lebanon Cedar won't grow it's fruit (cedar cones) until around it's 25 year, when it reaches maturity.  They are not prone to disease and require much sun and water to thrive, but over-watering can make the roots begin to rot. That is why it needs to be planted in an area with full sun.

Its oils are said to have properties to repel insects, cure leprosy (Leviticus 14), be made into perfume or cologne, reduce stress, lessen acne. The hardy wood was used to make the interior walls for Solomon's Temple, and many other items for Kings, including thrones.

The cedar does not need to be pruned. It can grow freely. Saying that, the flat-top variety will drop a branch now and then (obviously, it just doesn't need it) which could be hazardous anyone standing underneath, as they can be very heavy.

Green is said to mean life - growth to be ever green is to have life forever, which we, as Christians, do. Blue is grace - so we live a life of grace - favor towards others. 

When the Lord thinks us ready - when we reach that age of maturity in the Lord, we begin to bear our fruit. In Christ, we are not prone to disease and sickness, because Jesus paid for all that on the Cross - though there are times  when disease and sickness occur due to reasons that we may know or may not ever find out until we 'go Home'. 

We need Jesus - the SON to thrive... ever-flowing through and around us through the power of His Spirit. If we receive too much of the Spirit (meaning we receive - but never give out) our roots or our spirits can begin to rot - we may begin to be prideful or see ourselves as superior to others, etc. That is why we need to follow the Lord's leading and be planted where He wants us to be - talking and living among the people He wants - that way we stay in the Son. 

We grow not only upward towards the Lord, but at outward towards those in our span of influence to bring them into saving grace. Left in the open - when we are open towards the Lord, we are free to grow and expand our 'territory' taking back what the enemy has stolen in our lives. Since we have branched out - we can soak in more of the Son, to give to the world. But, we can also conform to our surroundings, and grow straight upwards towards the Son. Like Jesus did eating with sinners and prostitutes and those mean, old tax collectors ;) 

Each of us is usable for something in the Kingdom of God. Just as there are wide varieties of use of the Cedar, each of us has a use - a path the Lord has laid before us - our work to do.

Cedar is very heavy - it dense and strong - it can grow in fertile soil or sandy soil. It's versatile. As Christians, we have our strength from our Lord Jesus. When we are ready, He will let us know what we are to do...  listen - always be listening for His Voice calling out your name.

05-30-13 Palm Trees of Righteousness

Psalm 92:12-15 "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, "The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him."

Staying on the theme of trees, this passage of scripture talks about palm and cedar trees. Of course, there are many varieties - just like any other tree... just like us.

The scripture above states that we will flourish like a palm tree. Palm trees grow from the center outward to form the 'leaves' or fronds.  Our Center is Jesus, He is our source from whom we grow stronger.  It's interesting that the fronds die off and are replaced by other fronds as the tree grows. As we grow in the Lord we shed off the old sinful nature as the new righteous nature comes forth. 

When the tree reaches maturity, its fronds are at the top of the tree, fully exposed to the sun and elements of the sky. BUT this is where it's fruit can be found. They produce all different kinds of fruits: coconut, dates, peach-like fruit and acai berry; however, some of them are poisonous except to squirrels and foxes.

When we reach a certain point in our walk with the Lord, He reveals to us our gift(s) - our calling - our service for Him in the Kingdom of God.  This doesn't mean we're all done with being transformed into the likeness of Jesus though. The higher the calling the more exposed we become to the Lord's gaze through the power of Holy Spirit. The more we push through whatever the Lord is showing us that needs transformed, the more we begin to see fruit growing from the fronds. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, and gentleness - all of these begin to germinate and grow within our lives.

The fruit is good for others to eat and to be nourished by. The fruit of our lives should bless others - they should see something in us that is different from the world. We lead people to Christ and/or we disciple them and/or we help them to grow having Jesus as their Center in some other way (maybe it's emotionally, mentally, or spiritually).  Healing comes in all shapes and sizes.

The thing about palm trees is that they flourish in different climates. Some flourish in deserts and dry areas, some flourish in rain forests.  They flourish where they're planted. We all have our unique place of residence in the Garden of the Lord - that we call 'Earth'.

All the while thanking and praising our Father.  

Praise The Lord!!

05-29-13 Oaks of Righteousness

Isaiah 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor."

Blessed to be a Blessing... to others - to God, our Father. The evidence that Holy Spirit is on us is manifested when we proclaim the Good News of Jesus whether by talking or by action.  

The evidence is made manifest by binding up broken hearts, freeing captives of the enemy and the world's system, releasing prisoners from darkness, showing others the Lord's favor while letting them know that God will take vengeance on those who have hurt them.  It's washing away the ashes of mourning and showing them how God the Father sees them - giving them joy. No spirits of despair allowed, but garments of praise to the God and Father of all, Who loves everyone with an everlasting love.

The same that others and the Lord has done for us, we turn around and do for others. Who else is better qualified? We learn from the best Teacher in the world! We all become oaks of righteousness - planted by the Lord for others to see HIS SPLENDOR AND GLORY!

After saying all that I did yesterday on Oak Trees... this is truly amazing to me. We are planted firm and grow strong towards the Son.  We become safe to those who have no one safe to go to - spreading out our arms in welcome as giant branches of shade and refuge. We yield food for others - discipling those who come under our care.  Though the storms rage around us, don't break....we may bend, but we don't break, because there is Life in us.  Only dead trees break, not those that are fully alive and grown.

This is what I strive for.

Youth Alive WA - Spirit of the Lord

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkJaFhdUHh8

05-28-13 Tree by Water

1 

Psalm 1:1-3 "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers."- NIV

I woke up thinking about oak trees. Probably because oak trees are usually massive, strong, long branches, and the roots are remarkable in their own way (sort of reminds me of Father).

So, true to nature, I looked up some facts about oak trees.  There are many varieties, with different kinds of leaves - some do better around water, some are fine in the middle of a field. We basically have a good idea of what oak trees look like above ground, but what going on underground?

They have what's called a 'taproot' that goes deeply into the earth - perhaps several feet. The taproot searches for nutrients and water.  As the tree grows, other roots grow off of the taproot.  Sinker roots form about the same depth of the taproot, as the taproot recedes. These then start bring up the nutrients and water. Buttress roots are a little more closer to the top and grow from the taproot horizontally to give support to the tree so that it will not topple when the winds come. Lastly, Winter Feeder roots grow several feet beyond the tree.  These are horizontal and are the most shallow, most vulnerable, but very vital when the keep the tree alive with water and helps with bringing in some nutrients during the winter months.

Another fascinating fact is that an oak can live for around 1,000 years if left alone. The provide shade and even living quarters for certain animals (shade for humans also - and something to climb if so desired).

So, let's see what all of this means to us.
Well, for one - we're all different and we all have different gifts or service that we do for the Lord.

When we first become a Christian, is our Taproot. He nourishes us and sustains us with Food (The Word of God, being discipled by a more mature Christian) and He quenches our thirst with Living Water (The Word of God, Holy Spirit).  He wants His Truths to go deep inside of us.

We receive power and illumination and the ability to see our own lives (resentments against others, unforgiveness, woundedness) from His Holy Spirit. So, those 'sinker roots' - Holy Spirit strategically places Himself right next to those areas to help (or is it prod) us to do something about them.  Because Father doesn't want His little tree to become decayed in one place or another.

Jesus begins to pull back a bit - temptations and trials of life come at us and we have to rely on what we have been taught. Speaking the Word outloud, praising Father or Jesus for what He's already done and that He will get us through this also.  Those Words that have been put into our spirit are the 'buttress roots'. If the Word isn't there - when the winds come, we more than likely will topple.

The during the winter months, the times we totally do not sense the Lord's presence around us and wonder what we've done wrong, the 'winter feeder roots' pulls in encouragement from friends, from sermons, from reading our Bibles, by remembering what the Blood of Jesus did for us, and reminding ourselves and others Whose we are, Who He is, and Who we are in Him.

Now, we may not be on this earth for 1000 years, but we will someday live thousands, upon thousands of years.

05-25-13 Soldier's of Faith 2

Matthew 8:5-10 "When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."

 Christian Soldiers from over the world - some with guns... all with prayer.....

Particularly fond of this one.....

Being Memorial Day Weekend in the United States, we remember those who have fallen for our freedom. Other countries as well, can join in and remember those who have fallen in literal battle, as well as for their Christian beliefs.

My absolute favorite pic I found is this one... it's all of us. 

“Soldiers that carry their lives in their hands, should carry the grace of God in their hearts.”  ~ Richard Baxter

Faith can carry us a long, long way into the heart of God.

Blessings today, my friends.

05-24-13 Soldiers of Faith

It just occurred to me that Hebrews 11 - the 'faith' chapter lists a whole bunch of people who had faith to believe and did mighty things in and for the Kingdom of God. As you see, I didn't start with a scripture today, because there are many scriptures I could have put up there... but not just scriptures, real-time newspaper articles of everyday 'normal' people having faith in God and doing what seems impossible.

Biblically-speaking, what about the woman in 1 Kings, who had nothing but a handful of flour and a small amount of oil. She was about to fix it for herself and her son to eat one last meal before they had nothing and would die. Elijah came along and asked for some water and bread. The woman said, she didn't have enough flour or oil. Elijah then said first make a loaf for me, then for you and your son - and the flour and oil will never run out. What about her faith? Can you imagine what you would've been thinking on your way back to the house? No matter what she was thinking, she made that loaf for him. THAT is faith. Then to her surprise, she made more for herself and her son. Then, to top it off there was more left!

What about the jailer in the Acts. He had a couple of prisoners, Paul and Silas who were supposedly really bad news. So much so that, the night before they were stripped and SEVERELY flogged, then they were beaten with rods. So they were literally torn up, battered and bruised, maybe even had broken bones. They were a mess. They started singing at midnight, really? Singing? Yeah. Singing and praising God. But it wasn't their faith that gets to me, it's the faith of the jailer.  Maybe other prisoners around them started to sing and believe also, I don't know.  The jailer hears a rumbling as an earthquake that shook the prison down to it's foundations. He sees the prison doors open - and no one around!  Acts says that 'everyone's chains fell off'. It wasn't only Paul and Silas that were set free, EVERYONE was set free! He thought himself already dead because he was negligent in his duties as guard as he was sleeping. He was probably in a state of shock so much so that he was in despair, so he was about to kill himself - But God....   Paul and Silas (and amazingly all the other prisoners - who had to have some faith in Paul and Silas) - they yelled to him not to do it, they were all still there. The jailer - seeing the demonstration the faith of Paul and Silas - and that it was their 'God' who set them free, came and fell on his knees before them and asked how he could be saved!  He and his household became Christians. THAT is faith. Paul and Silas stuck around - went to the jailer house - and in the morning the magistrate called for the jailer to set them free.  Of course, they were already free...  I'm just wondering if the Lord did all of that just so the jailer and his wife could be saved (and probably a few prisoners got their lives turned around also). Did he go after that one lost sheep (or a few) to bring them home?

What about today.... the news is filled with terror and turmoil and negative acts happening all around the world. What about the stories that get through once in a while that tell of someone's act of kindness and gives the glory to God. Or of Christians in other countries and even our own at times, who are persecuted for holding onto their faith. There are still good people filled with faith in our God and Father, in the Lord Jesus Christ, who by the power of the Holy Spirit do remarkable things.... some huge - being filled with the Spirit and having supernatural faith and strength to rescue someone from burning buildings...  some not so huge in the natural, such as believing that God can heal not only physical issues, but deep emotional pain and watching it happen.

We are all called to be soldiers of faith. Let's put on our armor today and exercise it.

Inspiring.... I almost want to watch and read it everyday for the rest of my life!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz_VA8ER1I4