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Love is a Weapon

Isaiah 52:2 (AMP) Shake yourself from the dust, arise, O captive Jerusalem; Rid yourself of the chains around your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion.

A little over six year ago I really dug deep into the Word. I had read it here and there. I had devotions, but I had not really just sat and read the Word on a daily basis. What changed? I was going through a rough time of rejection and humiliation. That song Surrounded, This is How I Fight My Battles really was my anthem. It was not a pity party song. It was a song of surrender. We hear about the love of God. We know the scripture of how God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, so anyone who believes will be saved and have eternal life (John 3:16). There was a dept of that love that I did not know yet, and I am sure some of you have been there or are still searching for that fullness.

In the summer of 1998, a short time after my husband proposed to me, we went to California to attend a Camp Meeting (weeklong revival) that his parents were ministering in. My husband came back changed. He was completely sold out to Jesus and had quit drugs cold. I had never known him like that in our two and half years of dating. He was a different person, yet he still loved me. I was sitting in a service listening to his testimony, really uncertain of how I now fit into this new life of his. God spoke to me in that moment, he told me that the pedestal that I had John on was not for him, that He belonged there. That if I would surrender what I thought love was, He would show me a love that would never leave me empty. I gave my life to Christ that night.

However, I did not know the fullness of that love until I surrendered the broken pieces of myself. Even the stubborn pieces.

Ephesians 4:21-24 (MEV) if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off the former way of life in the old nature, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that you put on the new nature, which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness.

I have been given everything to live a dynamic spiritual life in Christ (1 Peter 1:3), I have to put it on. What was I lacking? The Fullness of His Love. The love we are so familiar with is transactional. That is how I knew it. When you are pleasing and do what is right then you are rewarded with affection. If you do not do right, then you are punished with silence. In transactional relationships love is used as a weapon, but the wrong kind of weapon. It is meant to harm in all the ways that it is meant to empower you and make you strong. This kind of love is warped and is the cause of many of the emotional battles we are facing. The love we knew did hold onto hurts, was jealous and envious. It rejoiced when we failed with “I told you so’s”. It never believed we would succeed. It could not be our cheer leader. It would not bear with us. It would never admit they were wrong. They never asked for forgiveness.

You do not have to live with that definition of love. You can let that go. I did that when I finally surrendered everything and just sought God on His Word. Here is the scripture that I started to hold onto:

Ephesians 3:16-19 (AMP) May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

This is the love that I longed for. This is the love that is available to all of us. This is the love that we put on with the garment of love (Colossian 3:14). What happened when I started reading the Bible and searching for God? He revealed Himself is such a deep way. I started to take hold of this truth and make it my own. I was able to start defining myself in this truth. The fullness of God was a practical reality to me. It was not just some abstract quoting of scripture anymore. The fullness of God and dwelling in Christ made me complete in Him. I was made whole through the grace of Christ. This was a process that I had to go through and am still going through day by day (2 Corinthians 3:18), but I will forever be changed by His love.

Ephesians 3:19 (TPT) How enduring and inclusive is it! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding – this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!

Abba, Father, our Banner, You are Holy and Marvelous. You are the Creator and Sustainer of all life. Thank You for sending Your Son, who became the fullness of all You are in bodily form, through Him we are made whole. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Through Him we are able to know the fullness of who You are. Through Him we are empowered to grasp Your love in all of its entirety. We repent for allowing the spirit of fear to warp how love is defined. Your love is not conditional and not transactional; we are sorry for belittling the power of Your love. Thank You for the ability to grow in our understanding of this love, through our continual surrender we will meditate on what it means to be fully loved by You through Christ. We desire for all people to have the power to comprehend the largeness of Christ’s love, which without the Holy Spirit is beyond comprehension. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Airline Mishap

John 16:33 (AMP) I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

I just spent the week traveling with my husband. We celebrated our 25h anniversary with a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada. We had not had such a smooth traveling experience in such a long time. Usually, TSA takes a very long time. This line we were in just kept moving. Then when we were looking for our gate, it was right in front of us as we exited TSA. All flights were on time. Coming and going we had connecting flights, and out pilot had to divert the route a little to go around a storm on the way there. It was amazing. When we got to the room, it was perfect. We even had a beautiful view of the Las Vegas Strip.

As we were unpacking our bags is when we hit a little snag in our trip. All of my husband toiletry bags were not in his suitcase. Did I forget to pack them? They were the last things that I remember putting in his bags before we left, but did I really do that? It was his deodorant, his colognes, his toothbrush and toothpaste, his hair product, our sunscreen and all of our medications. Did I leave then at home (did the perimenopause brain make an oops)? A frantic call to our youngest son, who I knew would be sleeping in our bed, and he did not see them. I did not leave them in the bathroom. I remembered packing them. So where were they? Our bags had been opened after we checked them in Atlanta. All we can think is they saw something in one of those bags and wanted them.

Our next step was to call the airline right away and tell them what happened. I was exhausted at that point. My brain was in overdrive from keeping up with everything for the trip and then I was going to have to explain to someone in my deep southern accent (because that is how I talk when I am either excited or exhausted) what happened. Thankfully, my husband took over and handled that part. My husband looked at me and said, we are not going to let this ruin our trip. We went to sleep.

The next day I made a call to family medicine group back home; the nurse was able to send the request to a pharmacy close to where we were staying. Great, we can pick it up after some time sight-seeing. It was not ready. Another two hour wait in Target, exhausted, and trying to hold it together as my husband’s head is throbbing. The last thing our seventeen-year-old said was, “don’t bring back another one of me.” So, I really needed to be my birth control filled, even if I had to pay extra, which I let them know.

James 1:2-4 (AMP) Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.

The trip was amazing! We explored and went on tours. We got to see the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam (even the inside). It was a trip that we will be talking about for years. We are foodies and there were too many places and not big enough stomachs. We spoke each other’s love languages and just enjoyed being with each other. We have become the best of friends over the years and that is all because we have allowed each other to grow. Everything we lost could be replaced. None of this would have happed without learning to find the joy, to allow peace to be what we hold onto, and nothing is worth getting angry about. It was not always like that. It is possible though. It was not getting each other to change; it was about each of us deciding to submit to the One who makes the change. We grow at different speeds and that is okay. The airline denied all responsibility, what can you do? We are responsible for how we respond. We count it all joy. We are not lacking in anything. That is my prayer for you too.

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Garment of Love

2 Peter 1:3 (AMP) For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

Last week I celebrated my forty fifth birthday. This week I am celebrating twenty-five years of marriage with my husband. In all my years of life I have never felt more loved. It was not because of those that told me happy birthday and celebrated me. It is not because my husband spoils me with extravagant gifts. It is the security of who I am in Christ. It has been a journey to get here. I have more growing to do but I have a new outlook on what it means to grow glory to glory.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP) And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

In the garden, at the beginning, Adam and Eve were clothed with the glory of God. It was when the glory was gone that they realized they were naked. Did He remove His glory? No, they took it off. My husband and I have been talking about the garment of love for some months now. Our base scripture came from Colossians 3:12-14. In the Message translation it says, “And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” What garment were they wearing, the Love garment. What happened when they took it off? They were clothed with pride and fear and shame came in; they hid. God asked them, who told you that you were naked? Pride did.

Pride tells us that we are too broken. Pride tells us that we should isolate ourselves. Pride tells us they we are protecting ourselves with the criticism before they judge us. Pride tells us we to defend how we are. Pride tells us that others just have to accept this is how I am. Love does not need to defend. Love does not take an account of wrongs. Love always expects the best of others. Love does not get jealous because someone else is getting attention. Love celebrates other’s successes. Love lays down their life for a friend.

1 John 4:8 (AMP) The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.]

When Moses asked to see the glory of God, God responded that all of His goodness would pass before Him (Exodus 33:18-20). All of His lovingkindness would pass before Him. In the book of Psalms David writes, “Your lovingkindness endures forever,” over and over again (26 times just in Psalms 136). It was the reminder he put before himself and meditated on when he was in the good times and the bad. God is love. The garment of Love what he has laid out for me, so I need to put it on. My dynamic fulfilling life is all because of His great love. Otherwise, the garment of pride would be inviting, and self-pity, fear, shame and guilt will start to be my armor instead of the armor of God. His armor has all of His strength backing it. He is strong so that I can be strong. Stand fully clothed! Be rooted and grounded in His love, immoveable and powerful. Put on the garment of Love.

Father, Adonai, our Banner, You are so Wonderful and Marvelous. Thank You for Your Son, You Loved us so much that You sent Your only Son to die for us. Thank You for the resurrection power that raised Him from the dead for dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has because our dearest friend. He reveals the Love of Your Son and You to us daily. Thank You that Your lovingkindness and mercy are new every morning. It is like You have set out fresh clothes for us to wear every day. We repent for choosing other garments to wear that have brought shame and fear into our lives. This is not what You wanted for us. You desire the best for us. You desire for us to live in the fullness of who You are. When we stand fully loved, Your glory cannot help but to be shown everywhere we go. We choose to forgive ourselves and others today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Teach us how to love well

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (AMP) And may the Lord cause you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you

This has been my prayer for the last few months for my church. As the pastors of Connect Church, we admit that we have not loved well. We want to be better, but we know we cannot do it in our own striving. We have to surrender that part of us to God. Why? The Lord will get the glory.

For the past few weeks, we have used Colossians 3:12-14 (MSG) as our base scripture and have been building on it in new ways. We are asking God to show us all directions of it, so that we may get the fullness of it for ourselves and in turn for our church.

Colossians 3″12-14 (MSG) So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

Too often we have walked away from relationships that could have encouraged each party to grow closer in the Lord. We often forget that the promises that are found in God’s Word were written for imperfect people, and we can be the most imperfect of them all. We have this hope, “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).” We often hold close to this for personal reasons, but I cannot help but notice the next verse, “It is right for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart…” Do we really think this for ourselves and not for others? I want to love better. So, I have changed my thoughts when negative ones come up about someone else, no matter what happened in the past. The first step in loving well is to think better.

The most important place to learn to love well is to abound in the presence of God. John 15 tells us about abiding. Jesus tells us that part of the abiding is the surrender. I have to surrender the hard things too, so that He can make them bear the fruit of what a relationship with Christ looks like. He says in John 15:10 (MEV), “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.” In order for me to love well, I have to remain in the love that can never run dry. This is the garment of love that I have to put on. In His love, I can love well.

Galatians 5:22-23 (AMP) But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

The opposite of love is fear, which is rooted in pride. It was the first acceptance of Adam that sin had entered the garden. Pride was what brought fear, the desire to be God (to judge right from wrong) had brought death and with it fear and shame (Genesis 3:10). When people do not meet my expectation and they disappoint it is because I am still trying to be judge. I have to surrender that. In order to love well, I have to think better. I know not everyone is going to do the same with me and that is okay. I will not take an account and hold it against them; I am going love well. Not everyone is going to keep their word, I am going to love well. There are going to be those that purposely count you out, I am going to love well. Instead of repeating the matter and get people on my side, I am going to love well.

Here is my prayer now, it was taken from Paul’s writing in Philippians 1:9-11: “This I pray, that our love may abound more and more, growing deeper, in real knowledge and in practical insight, so that we may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent. That we identify with wisdom the best for each other. That we may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. We have a desire to lead others out of darkness and into light. That we are filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ. Our desire is to the glory and praise of God, that His glory may be both revealed and recognized. In Jesus Name, Amen.“

I really have a desire for all to grow deeper in their relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it comes to admitting that in order to grow, I have to love better. Father, teach me how to love well.

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Hope: Women of Joy

Romans 12:12 (NIV) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

This past weekend I had the joy of driving nearly six hours, to and from, the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I was in the car by myself to meet up with a friend. We keep up with each other via Facebook, text and an occasional phone call. We met when I opened up a childcare center, eighteen years ago. Her oldest daughter and my oldest son are the same age, and she coached tiny tikes’ soccer for them that year. It has been over ten years since they moved out of the area, but we kept in touch. So, when she called me last year to ask if I wanted to attend this event with her, a year in advance, I said yes. She made all of the lodging arrangements and all I had to do was show up, she even purchased my ticket for the event. Coming from the planner in the family, it was a big deal of trust to allow someone else to do it for you.

I used to think you had to be special for God to use you, but now I know you simply need to say yes.

Bob Goff

I knew three of the four speakers on the line up for the weekend, Lysa Terkeurst, Lisa Harper and Jackie Hill Perry. The last time I attended the event I heard from Lisa Bevere. With Lisa Harper I have been able to attend other of her meetings. This was the first time to hear Lysa Terkeurst in person. I am a big reader when it comes to the Christian Living genre and those three Lisa’s are my favorites. Annie F. Downs was the unknown to me, however, I did enjoy hers a lot. The theme for the weekend was “Hope.” All four of the speakers had a unique message on the theme.

Lysa Terkeurst was the first night. If you know who she is, then you would know that she had gone through some heart break with the ending of her marriage the past few years. Her book “Uninvited” is what really helped me through the time of feeling like I was thrown away when I lost my job at a Christian non-profit over six years ago. Her base scripture was Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” When she found out her husband was being unfaithful, she hoped that God would keep her family together, she did not want to lose what she had. She had to be joyful in hope. She explained that God has told us to steward what He has given us, not to control it. Control led to anxiety, inviting in fear, depression and resentment. To steward meant she was going to trust God with the outcome, which led to greater faith, surrender and peace. She reminded us that we are to take heart, to take courage and to count it all joy. Then be patient in affliction. Look for ways and opportunities to bless others, keeping the focus off of yourself. Finally, and most importantly, pray continually. It is safe to present our requests to God. Pray for Him to show you someone to forgive. Pray for Him to show you someone to bless. Pray for Him to show you His goodness today. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8).” Lysa announced that she has remarried to an amazing man that has taken her family as her own. He cheers her on and she knows she is loved.

Lisa Harper was our opening speaker for Saturday morning. She makes the who room light up and will have you laughing so hard with her hilarious adventures. 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (AMP).” We have a living hope. We can rejoice because of this living hope. She read the story of Peter returning to fishing after Jesus was crucified, found in John 21. Jesus went to Peter before Peter said he was sorry. One of the biggest problems we have in the church is that we are quick to judge and slow to forgive. The key to living hope is to never forget that we need mercy.

The third speaker, Annie F. Downs, was new to me. I did purchase her book, “Looking for Lovely,” and am looking forward to reading it soon. She is a big fan of looking for fun and inviting others in. She often looks for opportunities to bring in non-believers. “The joy of unbelievers in your life is the joy of seeing God pursue them.” I am one of those who will look for opportunities to hang out with non-churchy people. How can I be the light if I only hide within other lights? When you live in the fullness of who Jesus is, you will change the rooms you enter. Her key verse was Romans 5:3-5 “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (NLT).” We chase hope, by chasing joy, so chase fun. Fun always requires vulnerability. When you are vulnerable then you know that you are known and loved. Fun invites connection. Fun will help you remember what you may have forgotten. We need joy in us, for others. In Christ we are not without hope. “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it (1 Peter 3:15).” Be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have. We cannot only be friends with each other.

The closer for the event was Jackie Hill Perry, on Sunday morning. Jackie spoke of hope from the story of Hannah, as found in 1 Samuel. She talked about the importance of prayers of petition. Her first point was that they must be a problem. Before we send up a prayer to heaven it is because we have identified a problem on earth. Hannah’s problem was her infertility. She felt both internal shame, and external shame. When everything is bad, God is still good. Do not be tempted to redefine things by your circumstances, stick to the scriptures. Her second point was to identify the pattern. Hannah’s issue was not short lived; she struggled for years. Every year when she was supposed to worship, she was reminded and was provoked. Although she was experiencing the love poured out by her husband and his favor, she allowed the irritation of his other wife to depress her. She was not able to eat, means she was not able to commit to worship, she held back her worship. All she had space for was the grief. God is committed to eliminate all avenues of boasting in our lives. Jesus did not go immediately to Lazarus, so that God would the glory. What if God is committed to your sanctification more than your comfort. Her third point was the Petition. Hannah gets up and does not go to her vices to numb her anxiety, she goes to the temple to pray. Instead of bringing her emotions, she brought her whole self. She starts off her prayer not by addressing the problem, not by addressing the pattern, but the Person of God. She calls Him the Lord of Hosts. A name to boost her confidence. The Lord of Hosts can give joy where there should be grief. Everything we have is a gift, and she was going to commit to give her child back to Him. Sometimes we are asking God to give us things that we have not intention on giving back to Him. God will not give you an idol. Nothing we have is ours to keep. When she prayed, she prayed out all of her cares. When she released it, her countenance changed. Prayer of petition is more than getting what you want, it is putting yourself in position for peace to come. Are you desperate enough for Him? Hannah was made to be His created before she was made to be a mother. She worshipped freely in the release, before she had her son. The Lord is faithful.

I hope you enjoyed my notes from this weekend. They do not do it justice from being in the atmosphere of 10,000 women worshiping together. If I can encourage you to do anything is to say ‘yes’ to things that bring you out of your comfort, that will challenge you. In doing so, look for opportunities to bless others. Look for someone to love, to forgive and to show His grace.

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What sting?

1 Corinthians 15:55 (AMP) “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Do you know what happened on the other side of the cross? Victory! Victory over anything that death brought into the garden that day. Paul continues to tell us the Corinthian church and us, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose] (verses 56-58).

I worked in the garden this past week and now I have a rash from either poison ivy (of which I did not think I was allergic to), or the dye in the wet mulch that I was handling. It showed up after being hot because of no air conditioning for Sunday’s service (is that not enemy fighting). I was in prayer and praising God for the feeling of abandonment and rejection no longer being there. Healing comes through praise. Then a thought popped in my mind that I hope that I have not been calloused and the reason was a wall I had created. He told me I had not and assured me that death no longer had victory in that area of my life. I heard, “O death, where is your sting?” The stings were gone. Peace has taken its place. Thoughts of rejection have no power any longer. I can walk into a room and just because no one is speaking to me, not feel completely alone.

I am sure that I will be tested in it again. The devil does not have any new tricks, but he is not good at letting go. He loses his power when you face the obstacle, he laid out head on. That means no more walls and no more running.

Colossians 2:6-7 (TLB) And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote “What shoes are you wearing?” In it I shared about binding your feet with the gospel of peace, from Ephesians 6:15.

“and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news].” These shoes were a part of the weaponry of the Roman soldier. They started at the knees and were made of metal and leather. They were vicious weapons. They wrapped around the calves. Why, because the enemy does not fight fair and looks for weak points. The bottom of the shoe was affixed with sharp, dangerous, protruding spikes. They extended beyond the front of the shoe. The spikes were intended to hold the soldier in place during the battle, making him virtually immoveable.

This is what happens when your roots grow down into Him. This is why we are to meditate on the Word. Making us strong and vigorous. He is my strong tower. I am not hiding from what could possibly be an attack of rejections because I am hidden in Him. I am immoveable.

About six years ago I was sharing something that I was reading from a book by Joyce Meyer. She wrote, “You can spend your entire life dealing with outward symptoms, but the bad fruit will manifest somewhere else if the root is not eliminated. The principle never fails: rotten fruit come from rotten roots, and good fruit comes from good roots. To really deal with bad fruit, you must follow Paul’s admonition to the Colossians to be “deeply planted” in God. You may need to carefully examine your own roots. If they were unpleasant, harmful and abusive, don’t be discouraged; you can be uprooted from the bad soil and transplanted into the good soil of Christ Jesus, so that you become rooted and grounded in Him and in His love. Remember, uprooting can be painful. Being planted and becoming grounded is a process that requires time and effort, but it is by faith and patience that we inherit God’s promises.”

It was a little over six years ago that rejection wanted me to hide. That humiliation wanted me to give up completely. I decided to hide in His Word. There was a battle going on and the victory was going to take my surrender. It has been a process. I have had moments of darkness. The enemy wanted to keep me in a broken state, that relationships are not for people like me. I had to let the walls down so that the roots could be dug up. I am rooted and grounded in Him. My soil is made new because it is not just me in it, it contains the fullness of Christ. Dead things had to go. That is why He reminded me that death no longer has a hold on rejection. There is no sting, because I am free through His victory!

Lord, our Redeemer, our Banner. You are so Marvelous and Worthy of Praise. Thank you for Your Son, our Victory. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Friend. We desire to deeply rooted in Your love. We repent for forming our own weapons and not putting on what You gave us, Your love garment. We desire to be deeply planted and rooted in Christ. With this we will produce good fruit wherever we go. We want to glorify You in everything we say and do. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Mind on the Cross

Psalms 22:1 (NKJV) My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?

We are in what we like to call Holy Week. It is the week from which Jesus entered the city on a colt and ending with Him on the cross, but we all know that was not the end. During this week, Jesus would have fulfilled nearly thirty prophecies from the Old Testament. He fulfilled nearly twenty on just the day of His crucifixion. Over three hundred during His earthly ministry.

I am drawn to His final words on the cross. For as long as I can remember, I have been thinking that He was in anguish, and physically He was. How was His mind? I have just completed Job this week and starting to read in Psalms. I have a love hate relationship with Psalms. I had never been big into listening to other people whine. As I have grown in Christ and in His love, my compassion has grown. However, I do tend to stay away from negative people. Negativity can be contagious. I have my moments of complaining like others, but I am quicker to correct it than before.

There are two quotes from Psalms that Jesus spoke on the cross. One is above, and the other is from Psalms 31:5, “Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” One to some may be of anguish, the other of peace. What if He was always at peace? Even in His physical anguish, He was at peace. We have heard the adage, “while He was on the cross, you were on His mind.” Christ was not double minded.

James 1:8 (AMP)  being a double-minded man, unstable and restless in all his ways [in everything he thinks, feels, or decides].

What if when Jesus quoted from Psalm 22, He was pointing to scripture for hope to His followers? Jesus often taught from Psalms, He quoted scripture all the time. So why this Psalm? Check out the last few verses:

Psalms 22:25-31 (AMP) My praise will be of You in the great assembly. I will pay my vows [made in the time of trouble] before those who [reverently] fear Him. The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who [diligently] seek Him and require Him [as their greatest need] will praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down and worship before You, for the kingship and the kingdom are the Lord’s and He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust (the dead) will bow before Him, even he who cannot keep his soul alive. Posterity will serve Him; They will tell of the Lord to the next generation. They will come and declare His righteousness to a people yet to be born—that He has done it [and that it is finished].

What we center our minds on will be the direction our lives go. I could go one of two ways while reading Psalms. I can allow my pity and anguish to overtake me, or I can read it in its entirety and get the heart of what the writers were saying. Our hope and our fullness is in our God. Who is my greatest need? Is it my husband? Is it my kids? Is it that I have friends? Is it that I have money? My greatest need is my Lord.

When Jesus had us on His mind, He did not give Himself an opportunity to focus on Himself. Christ was the perfect example of humility. He literally died to self that day, the agony of it all was worth it for us. For the glory of the Father. They will tell of the Lord to the next generation. They will come and declare His righteousness to a people yet to be born (that was you and me), that He has done it and that it is finished.

So now when I read that part of scripture in Mattew 27:46, “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud [agonized] voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” What He was going through physically was not what He was allowing Himself to feel mentally. He won the battle that day and let the enemy know it. He was not double minded. He was firm and secure. He was seeing it to completion.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (MSG) And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. That is what Jesus wielded that day on the cross. That is why we are to bind it on our minds. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith and salvation are our weapons. They were the same weapons Jesus used on the cross. God is strong, and He wants you strong. Reflect on the hope of it all this week. Jesus in our King and our Conqueror!

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What shoes are you wearing?

Job 17:9 (AMP) Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his ways, and he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

I am in the book of Job right now. Job had gone through some rough days, days I do not know how I would have responded myself. It all stands on how you think. I have hopes that I will be strong. Weakness causes us to make permanent decision in temporary discomforts. God is my strength. God makes you stronger and stronger as you go through things with a godly attitude.

I am also going through a verse-by-verse study of the book of Ephesians. In Ephesians 6:13-18 we are told to put on the full armor of God. In verse 15 is states, “and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news].” These shoes were a part of the weaponry of the Roman soldier. They started at the knees and were made of metal and leather. They were vicious weapons. They wrapped around the calves. Why, because the enemy does not fight fair and looks for weak points. The bottom of the shoe was affixed with sharp, dangerous, protruding spikes. They extended beyond the front of the shoe. The spikes were intended to hold the soldier in place during the battle, making him virtually immoveable.

That is what happens when you keep your mind and attitude right. You become less affected by the difficulties and challenges you face. The enemy cannot move you. The peace of God protects and defends you from the hassles and the assaults of the enemy. The peace of God is what holds you in place. If the enemy is foolish enough to get in your way, just keep walking.

We are to be prepared for this. How? Keep the Word of God bound to your mind. You cannot do that if you do not spend time in it. In other translations it says to “shod your feet.” It means to bind. It did not say to slide on the shoes. Most shoes today we wear for comfort, and we tend to pick the ones that are easy to slide on and off. These shoes were formed and bound so that they could not be slid off easily. That is how the Word is supposed to be planted in our minds.

Deuteronomy 11:18 (AMP) Therefore, you shall impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul, and tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as bands (frontals, frontlets) on your forehead. 

What is the opposite of peace? Stife, fear, pride…. It all stems from being out of balance with the love of God.

Proverbs 15:18 (AMP) A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger and patient calms disputes.

Proverbs 29:22 (AMP) An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered and undisciplined man commits many transgressions.

Ephesians 4:31 (AMP) Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence].

Here are some definitions of what some of these words mean:

  • bitterness: a negative attitude that can cause problems with others
  • wrath: a hot, fierce and passionate emotion
  • anger: a worldly type of anger that can result form frustration
  • clamor: noise, commotion and uproar
  • malice: a negative feeling or state of mind.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV) Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.

The Greek word for wrath here is orgidzo. Meaning someone who’s mood is so upset that they become so upset and bent out of shape over any issue. Someone will hold onto something quietly, slowly allowing it to build up inside of them. It becomes stronger and stronger inside of them until they explode and make permanent decisions in temporary circumstances. Instead of pushing it away and asking for their strength to come from God, they will hold onto it, embracing it, nourishing it. Wrath becomes their companion. They have given up peace and the enemy has their foothold into their mind.

I had a night recently of uneasiness and did not get much sleep. I was not at peace. I was not angry, but there was some strife that wanted to play with my mind. It went on into the next morning. My imaginations were just going, and I had never given the opportunity for the answer to be given, because I did not ask the question. As soon as I asked the question, the answer brought me peace. In Philippians 4:8 we are told, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” I did not use the excuse that I could not find anything virtuous and praiseworthy, so I went searching for it. I asked the question. My imaginations were squashed. No man knows the intentions of another mans because we do not know each other’s hearts. Do you want to? Then ask. Refuse to give the enemy a foothold into your mind. Prepare before hand with the weaponry of footwear, preparation of the gospel of peace.

Abba, Father, Adonai, You are so Marvelous and Wonderful. Your Name we lift up within our hearts and minds. Thank You for Your Son, Love incarnate. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Teacher. Thank You for the revelation and gift of Your Word. We repent for holding onto to wrath and strife as a comfort to us, believing it will give us strength. We understand that it is not a weapon of Your warfare, but of the devil’s. We choose today to bind our minds and our hearts with Your Words. Peace is a position that You gifted to us and anything that tries to rob us of that should be seen as an enemy. We repent for not putting on Your Love and standing out of our position by trying to win the battle on our own. We are not fighting against flesh and blood. We repent for allowing rejection and strife to take a foothold, when that is no longer something we should be receiving. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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First Quarter of 2025 Reads

Psalms 119:130 (AMP) The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light; their unfolding gives understanding to the simple (childlike).

The year of 2025 has been a great start for reading. I may have missed only a few days, but no more than one day at a time. Along with these 16 books, I have committed to reading the Bible from cover to cover this year. I have read Genesis through Nehemiah and have gleaned something with each read. Someone asked me “when did the Word become alive to you? When did God start speaking to you through His Word?” It was when I stopped defending who Amanda was and started to surrender to who He wanted me to be. It was when I just gave up myself and surrendered to Him. So here are my books so far this year and a little about why I chose them:

  • The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller
  • Humility: The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness by Gavin Ortlund
  • Changing the Seem and Shaping the Unseen by Charles Capps
  • Ask Big by Terri Savelle Foy
  • Power Words by Joyce Meyer
  • Life Without Strife by Joyce Meyer
  • Restless by Jennie Allen
  • If Not for the Grace of God by Joyce Meyer
  • Built by the Spirit by Jack Hayford
  • For Better or For Best by Gary Smalley
  • The Names of God by Marilyn Hickey
  • Fruit of the Spirit by Greg Zoschak
  • Intercessors Arise: Personal Prayer That Changes the World by Debbie Przybylski
  • The Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore
  • Walking in the Spirit by A.B. Simpson
  • What About Me? by Joyce Meyer

First of my reads were What About Me? by Joyce Meyer, Humility: the Joy of Self-Forgetfulness by Gavin Ortlund and The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller. These are all books about dying to yourself. “And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] (Luke 9:23 AMP).” There is so much joy that comes into your life when you live a surrendered life. Pride is a killer of joy, and we combat that with learning what real humility is. Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. I have read the humility books by Timothy Keller and Gavin Ortlund three times now. Why do I read books like these? The enemy wants us to be obsessed with ourselves. You may think that is how you grow in your abilities and your giftings. Actually, the opposite with happen because we will look to ourselves as our strength. Let go of who you think you are. Ortlund stated, “Humility means you don’t interpret everything in relation to yourself, and you don’t need to.” Keller wrote, “a person who keeps saying they are a nobody is actually a self-obsessed person. The thing we would remember from meeting a truly gospel-humble person is how much they seemed to be totally interested in us.” Joyce Meyer wrote, “Self-preservation is a strong trait in all of us, and letting go of making sure we are taken care of and trusting ourselves to God cannot be done without much prayer and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.”

I read Fruit of the Spirit by Greg Zoschak and Walking in the Spirit by A.B. Simpson at the same time. (You will often find me reading multiple books at one time, at the moment I am reading three). “If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit] (Galatians 5:25 AMP).” My life should be changed. One thing I have learned is that you can either care or not care about your growth in Christ. A. B Simpson stated, “When the heart is fully surrendered to Him, He becomes its personal, permanent, indwelling Guest; bringing Him the manifested presence of the Father and the Son, leading into all truth, guiding in all the will of God, supplying all the needed grace, unfolding the life of Jesus Christ in the believer’s daily life, and developing all the fruits of the Spirit in their full variety and complete maturity.” Simpson talks about really discerning the voice of God and growing in maturity. He talks about pride and offense being a choice and that God looks at our heart behind our words. Zoschak’s book talks about the Fruit of the Spirit being a way others can tell we have been transformed by Christ. “Being led of God’s Spirit (His nature) implies not only being obedient to the voice of the Spirit, but also developing the character of God.” We must develop the awareness of God’s love for the fruits to grow in our lives. Self-preservation is the enemy to our growth. He wrote, “The reason Jesus was able to hear the Father’s voice so clearly was because He was faithful.” God speaks clearly to us when we are obedient to His Word. Confusion is not a fruit of the spirit, and neither is stress or strife. If those are in your life, get back to your position of love.

Intercessors Arise by Debbie Przbylski and Names of God by Marilyn Hickey were two more books that I read together. Our prayer lives should not be passive as believer’s. Prayer is another way when learn the heart of God. We often think prayer has to do with us speaking, it has more to do whether we listen to Him or not. The Word of God is vital to a vibrant prayer life. “With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people (Ephesians 6:18 AMP).” Intercession is one part of our prayer lives and is often neglected or seen as just for those called to prayer. There are some that love it more than others, but that is only because they have cultivated it in their lives. I was one of those who did not enjoy corporate prayer, mostly because when I joined the group it was hard to concentrate because of all the noise in the room. That is when I had to learn who the most important voice was in the room. It is His. Debbie wrote, “How can we grow in godly character? How can the words we say and the way we live demonstrate holiness and humility? How does our character affect the way we pray? When we discover the beauty of humility and brokenness and learn how our tongue can bring grave into the lives of others, we also discover joy in the secret place that breaks through into fruitful and effective prayer.” She takes you on a journey of her learning about growing strong through intercession as she was a young missionary with Operation Mobilization, a mission ship Doulos, ministering to sixty countries. Marilyn Hickey is another champion of the faith and this book, Names of God, was one of my required readings back in seminary. I recently loaned it out in church and when I got it back decided to read it again. I believe God is everything we ever will need; it is up to us to hunger for Him. In the chapter titled Jehovah Rophe she stated, “God’s Word is like medicine. When you take the Word, you are taking in health. That is why God told His people to harken to His Word. God wants His people to be full of His own life. You may believe in healing, and that’s great, but there is more to it. You must receive healing. And you will receive it only by reading and meditating on God’s Word. You must continuously feed upon His Word of life, health and healing.” Books that point back to the importance of getting in His Word for ourselves are my favorite. We should not depend on another man’s revelation.

In 2025 I decided to make this the year of “Here I Am.” A statement of surrender. A statement of what You say goes. A statement to state that I will go where He says go. In doing so, as I read this year it is coming up more and more that He desires us to seek Him as our vital necessity. Nothing else. I have a shirt that says, “I love Jesus and Naps.” Another says, “I love Jesus and Chocolate.” I need one that says, “Jesus is Everything.” Nothing to add, I do not need anything else.

I urge you to read more. Get in the Word for yourself. He is still speaking today, are you listening?

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Why is my neck so stiff?

2 Chronicles 30:8 (AMP)  Now do not stiffen your neck [becoming obstinate] like your fathers, but yield to the Lord and come to His sanctuary which He has sanctified and set apart forever, and serve the Lord your God, so that His burning anger will turn away from you.

Stiff necked really got my attention. My body takes the brunt of stress. Some areas I have felt it is in my lower back, but lately it has been the right side of my neck. Which makes it really hard to look for other cars to change lanes. I have to turn my whole upper body. Yesterday I was able to move my neck fluidly with ease and it was wonderful. Then I remembered the position of peace that I have been in lately. That happens when thanksgiving is what you think of more and you count it all as joy.

2 Chronicles 24:19 (AMP) Yet God sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord; these prophets testified against them, but they would not listen.

What happens when we start allowing the Word to do the work in and through us? “For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12)” My mind is the gateway to my soul. My soul is what needs to be renewed daily. My mind will affect my heart, my attitude and eventually my body (3 John 1:2). I have to remain teachable. I have to put myself in a position to be challenged so that I can continue to grow. Part of this cultivating that God is doing takes change within us (1 Corinthians 3:9).

The Israelites were God’s chosen people. What happened to them when they would not listen? They started losing wars. They would have tribes captured. They even fought amongst each other. We are also called God’s chosen people.

Colossians 3:12-14 (AMP) So, as God’s own chosen people, who are holy [set apart, sanctified for His purpose] and well-beloved [by God Himself], put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience [which has the power to endure whatever injustice or unpleasantness comes, with good temper]; bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in [unselfish] love, which is the perfect bond of unity [for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others]. 

Colossians 3:12-14 (MSG) So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

As God’s chosen people we need to be wearing the wardrobe that sets us apart. I talked about wardrobe on Sunday. How we dress reflects how we feel about ourselves, whether you want to admit it or not. We can be defensive and say it does not matter how I dress; God loves me for who I am. That is true, but do you love yourself? One of the biggest signs that we set the standards in our lives and not God is being defensive. Which is another way of nicely saying living in offense. That is what I thought about when I read the “stiff necked people.” I really did an inward look at myself. I do not want to live in a way that I am looking only at what offends me. Worry is the reason for my stiff neck, and it is offensive to God. Which means I need to be putting on another fresh garment of love.

Seeking God as my vital necessity is the quickest way to put on the right set of clothes. What we wear is important to God. He tells us to put on the garment of love. This is not some love power that the enemy has twisted. This is a garment that we never have to worry about outgrowing, actually, we get to grown more into it. It will never be out of style.

What if what I choose to be offended at stops the growth in the lives of the people I love? Or even myself? So, ask yourself, am I wearing the right garment? Yielding to the Lord is not a bad thing, it a place of strength. Going back into the opening verse, come to the sanctuary that He has sanctified and set apart forever. He is talking about His chosen people. We are the temple (together as a body) being built up in unity for His glory. A unified temple cannot stand if it is filled with strife and offense. I have to take those garments off and put on the garment of love. It will work on that stiff neck and move the way God created it to.

Abba, Father, my Adonai, You are so Marvelous and Wonderful. Your Holiness cannot be compared. You set all of creation in motion and we cannot help to speak of Your Goodness and Mercy. Your Loving Kindness is the Banner over us. Thank You for Your Son, to be the Restorer of our Purpose. Thank You for the Holy Spirit to be the Comforter, Teacher and Cultivator. We take Your Word as Truth and we worship You in Spirit and Truth. Let nothing we do be looked at as mere lip service, but You have searched the deep things in our lives. We repent for putting on garments that we were no longer to wear, such as offense, strife and selfishness. We repent for putting on the garments of worry. All of those result in a stiffness and rigidity that keeps Your temple (Your body) from unity and glorifying You. We are choosing to clothe ourselves in Your perfect Love. We are choosing to forgive freely. We are choosing to walk in Your Peace and Joy. We desire You as our vital necessity. In Jesus Name, Amen.