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What about marriage?

1 Corinthians 6:20 (AMP) You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.

Hot topic on the social media pages right now is the people that are ministering in churches coming out with a polygynous marriage. I am just going to stick to the Word of God on this one and stick to what God said about marriage. Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthian church because they had a lot of questions about marriage and sex. What they came out of was wickedness and some tried to bring the that type of living back in to their new lives in Christ. They were so concerned that they were willing to live abstinent lives in marriage and divorce their unsaved spouses to keep from sinning and being drawn back to the old pagan customs. Read the letter in context (1 Corinthians) and you will see what their hearts were.

Matthew 19:11-12 (MSG) But Jesus said, “Not everyone is mature enough to live a married life. It requires a certain aptitude and grace. Marriage isn’t for everyone. Some, from birth seemingly, never give marriage a thought. Others never get asked—or accepted. And some decide not to get married for kingdom reasons. But if you’re capable of growing into the largeness of marriage, do it.”

1 Corinthians 7:7, 32-35 I wish that all the people were as I am; but each person has his own gift from God, one of this kind and one of that. But I want you to be free from concern. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but the married man is concerned about worldly things, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or the virgin is concerned about the matters of the Lord, how to be holy and set apart both in body and in spirit; but a married woman is concerned about worldly things, how she may please her husband. Now I say this for your own benefit; not to restrict you, but to promote what is appropriate and secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

Marriage should be making our lives bigger in a capacity to serve God greater. I have a wonderful marriage, and we consider each other before all people, but we do not consider each other before God. My husband does not complete me, only Christ can do that. When I was in my adolescent years, I wanted to fall in love and have a boyfriend. Boyfriends are not mature and will often leave you broken hearted. When I was fifteen, I prayed for a husband and promised God that we would serve Him for the rest of our lives. I met my husband on a blind date thirty-one years ago, at the age of fifteen. Did we serve God right away? Nope. We were not even living for God right then. I did not get saved until I was eighteen. Do you know what the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart to draw me in? The love that I sought from John (my husband to be) was not going to be what fulfilled me. I had to take him off that pedestal and allow God to be there. It took me years to grow in the deepness of that love. It took me years before I really understood it. The seed was planted many years ago, it is now rooted strongly in the love of Christ.

Revelations 2:2-5 (AMP) I know your deeds and your toil, and your patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have tested and critically appraised those who call themselves apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives, of Christ), and [in fact] are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors; and [I know that] you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth]. But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent.

This is the heart check moment that I have to keep within myself. We may point out the evil, and not tolerate it, but what sin have we committed against God? We are quick to judge yet will not submit the Word to judge ourselves in matters that can affect our ability to love like He commanded us to. Let us not forget our first love and who should be the center of our lives. Serving my spouse is a service to the Lord, when the Lord is put first, not my spouse. What we are called to steward was not meant to make the center of our lives. For example, marriages, finances, children, houses and jobs were not meant to be the center of our lives. They were meant to enlarge our capacity to serve God. If I cannot put God first place in my life with those things in my life, then I have made them an idol. When I influence my family to also put them first place above Him, then I have drawn them to idol worship. This is why marriage should not be looked at a way to fulfill ourselves, but to fulfill Him.

I believe marriage is between one man and one woman, joined together to glorify God (Matthew 19:4-5). Man and woman were created in the image of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:27). All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being (John 1:3). This is in reference to Jesus. Jesus is our bridegroom and we (as His church) are His bride. What we should be concerned about right now is being ready for His return. We should be concerned about the effect of the nonsense of the church has on the unsaved. That is what was on the hearts of the people in Corinth. We should be concerned that the world does not influence the church (Romans 12:2). Old customs are done away with, and we accept the new in Christ. Everything must point to Christ, not man.

Abba, Father, Lord of all, You are Marvelous and Wonderful. Your Name is Holy and Worthy of all Praise and Honor. Thank You for Your Son our Bridegroom. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit our Teacher. Our desire is to glorify You in all we say and do. We repent for thinking marriage was only for us, when marriage is about us worshiping You deeper. We want to be counted as faithful stewards to what You have entrusted us with. That includes our marriage, our children, our finances, our homes and even our jobs. We desire to glorify You with whatever we put our hands to. You said you would meet our every need when we put You first place in our lives. We are sorry for taking our eyes off of you and keeping our eyes on our needs. We repent for putting ourselves at the place of judge to the unbeliever, and for not holding up the mirror of the Word to ourselves as we should. Let us hold each other accountable to the standard of Your Word to bring those who have strayed back into the fellowship of Your Way. Let us do this with love and honor. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Jesus is enough

Psalm 73:26 (AMP) My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the rock and strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Every person in this world is going to have some battle they are constantly in regarding what they believe about themselves. Every person’s battle is different. Some of the big ones that gets a lot of attention are gender and sexuality, and for some species. There are the quiet ones that come out in how we interact with one another. They are being loved, wanted, cared for, secure, enough…just to name a few. If you are a believer and have confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you are desiring to follow a different way. I would hope so. Jesus gave us seven “I am” statements in the book of John.

  • Jesus replied to them, “I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually]. (John 6:35)
  • Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” (John 8:12)
  • So Jesus said again, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I am the Door for the sheep [leading to life]. I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security). (John 10:7,9)
  • I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His [own] life for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]. (John 10:11,14)
  • Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies;
  • Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6)
  • I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. (John 15:1,5)

With all these “I am” statements, how can we figure out who we truly are? Can I say Jesus is enough?

Jesus told us to feed His sheep. He told us to take care of His sheep. You may think that is only a job for a pastor, but it is actually what we are supposed to do for each other. Some do not like the term “sheep,” so feed His people, take care of His people. “But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” (Matthew 14:16) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) Initially when the disciples told Jesus there was no food for the 5000, He told them to feed them. Teaching is feeding. Discipleship requires care and sacrifice. To disciple we must have a heart of a shepherd. Jesus is enough.

He tells us we are lights of the world. “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) How do you want to reflect Christ to others. It is out of our own perception of who we are, or through the lens of who He says we are. That we are loved, that we are cared for, that we are wanted and we are chosen. Jesus is enough.

His resurrection power now lives in us. “We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory and power of the Father, we too might walk habitually in newness of life [abandoning our old ways].” (Romans 6:4) “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.” (Romans 8:11) Jesus is enough. He has broken us from the bondage of our old belief.

He tells us to lay down our lives, so why do we defend it? “By this we know [and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly] laid down His life for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our lives for the believers.” (1 John 3:16) “No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.” (John 15:13) “I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Can we put our trust in Jesus to die to ourselves? Is Jesus enough?

He tells us that we are not saviors. This is only reserved for Him. He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the vine. We have to be okay with being branches. Branches are cool though because they bear fruit. How are we supposed to feed His people and take care of His people without this fruit? I think the struggle with people not feeling like they are enough is because the enemy has planted the idea that we desire to be a savior. Do you know what we should do with the thoughts of not being enough? Release it. Jesus is enough. I am raising two boys who will one day be husbands and fathers. I am constantly reminding them that they are not those girls saviors, point them to Christ. Jesus is enough.

What do you believe about yourself? Whatever it is, make this confession: “Jesus is enough for me.” It will start to tear down the lies the enemy has been binding you up with for too long. Jesus is enough!

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We are standing

Romans 5:2 (AMP) Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power].

While in prayer the other day a song popped into my head. It still comes up randomly and is playing over and over again at this moment. It is just the chorus, but it caused me to ponder of the meaning of this song as I was praying.

We are standing on holy ground
For I know that there are angels all around
Let us praise Jesus now
For we are standing in His presence on holy ground

I do not want to start with the first line, I want to really stress that the presence of God is not earned, and you do not need a formula to get there. If you are in Christ, then where you are now standing in His presence. We as a church do not need to sing the right songs to enter His presence. Is your mind focused on Him? What is your heart aligned with? Our atonement has already been paid for with Christ. You may still believe that it is only the elect that can go into the presence of God. It is not reserved for your Pastor or even an earthly Priest.

Hebrews 4:15-16 (AMP)  For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

What did come to thought when I remembered the lyrics about standing in His presence? I thought of Moses and even though they were to be given the promised land, Moses desired His presence to go with them.  And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest,” Exodus 33:14 (MEV). Rest is found in His Presence. Rest is a place of peace. When they entered the promised land, they were physically going to have to work and fight, but they would be at rest. When I step out of who I am in Christ, that is when unrest happens. Worry, anxiety, disappointments and even a feeling of defeat can come over me.

Psalms 16:11 (AMP) You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Another benefit of His presence is joy. Not just a little bit of joy, but fullness of joy. Jesus even states in John 15:11 that the abiding and instructions of obedience was for, “I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.” An overflowing amount of joy. Does that seem too good to be true? What are you abiding in? What has your mind been focused on lately? Are you still holding on to the worries you said you had given over to Him?

We are standing on holy ground. This is not a literal ground we are standing on. This is the position we have in Christ. Moses was told to remove his sandals in Exodus because of the holy ground. This is not that. Are you good ground? Jesus referred to soil, seeds and roots. What makes it holy? When we consecrate ourselves to the Lord. When we surrender ourselves to His will and His purpose. I am good ground not because of me, but because of Christ in me. In the Old Testament the word used in Hebrew was qadash (קָדַשׁ). Garments, utensils and furniture were qadash-ed for use in the temple. It was because of Christ that we now have a different look at sanctification.

Romans 12:1 (AMP) Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.

In Hebrew, qōdesh (קֹדֶשׁ) means “holiness,” it is only after we consecrate ourselves that we can live in holiness. This is not an outward appearance. Why would He call us to abide in Him? For this very reason. He calls us His royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9).

1 Peter 1: 15-16 (AMP) But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”

Character is developed; it does not require us to change anything on the outside until we all the Holy Spirit to work on our inward nature. Too often we get excited of the new life in Christ that we want them to look the part. We want them to act the part. We do not point them to the one who transforms our thinking. We do not encourage them in the identity of Christ. Character is developed from the abiding. Roots cannot grow without the abiding. They will not know the deep love of Christ without the abiding. Looking holy is not being consecrated and does not lead to true holiness. We are holy ground because we have consecrated ourselves to the Lord.

Finally, I want to look at what it means to stand. Standing does not lack movement. Our knees are not locked. Our hearts are. Our minds are. We are focused on Jesus. Jesus said to go. We are to be open to the opportunities given to spread the gospel. We are standing prepared because we are standing in His presence. Angels all around is like with Elisha talking with his servant and prayed for God to open his eyes (2 Kings 6:17). We are never alone. The kingdom of God is not wishful thinking of heaven one day. When we pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in Heaven,” what do that mean to you? Are they religious words or our they what you truly believe? I truly believe that eternity started the moment I received my salvation. I truly believe that I am a tree of righteousness, rooted and grounded in the love of Christ. It took me a long time to realize all of it. I do not want others to have to take the long way that I did. I want to point them to the abiding. I want to tell them that consecration is not hard or complicated. I want to tell them about a choice of surrender leads to a different way of thinking. I want to let them know true character development happens when the Holy Spirit leads. I want them to really know what it means that we are standing in His presence on holy ground.

Abba, Father, Creator and Lord, You are Mighty and Glorious, worthy of all honor and praise. You are Holy. Thank You for Your Son, our Redeemer. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, Your manifested presence here on earth. Help us to keep from over complicating what it means to be consecrated. We repent for not allowing the abiding place to be where relationship happens. It is only here that the ability to walk in real consecration and holiness happens. We want to walk in victory over sin, but we cannot do it apart from You. Today we choose to humbly draw near. We desire to qadash ourselves to You. We desire the power of purity that flows freely from Your presence, it is our heart connection to You. The nature of Christ within is imparted when we keep in step with Your Presence. We declare with our whole hearts that we are standing in Your presence on holy ground. We choose surrender today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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What happens when we leave out bread?

Luke 11:3 (AMP) Give us each day our daily bread.

Today bread is one of the foods we like to take out of our diet to lose weight. There are those with gluten or wheat allergies and have to abstain or their bodies will not feel good. In ancient Israel bread was a essential at every table, as it was what provided the calories for daily life. Bread played a central role in Jewish life, symbolizing nourishment, divine care, togetherness, and spiritual meaning, making it both an everyday staple and a sacred tradition. It was considered a gift from God and a divine blessing.

Deuteronomy 8:3 (AMP) He humbled you and allowed you to be hungry and fed you with manna, [a substance] which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, so that He might make you understand [by personal experience] that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

Which bread is Jesus referring to in the Lord’s prayer? Was it literal bread or was it figurative bread? How about both. God does care about our physical needs. We cannot be so spiritually minded that we are no earthly good. God does not just care about spiritual matters. He cares about your entire self. Here is the thing, we get so caught up in tomorrow that we cannot focus on today. In Exodus 16, manna was provided with instructions.

Exodus 16:16 (AMP)  This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather as much of it as he needs. Take an omer for each person, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’”

This was to be done daily, and only the day before the Sabbath were they allowed to collect for two days. What would happen when they did not follow and tried to do it their way? The bread would start to smell sour and have worms in it. God desired for them to come before Him daily. They were still in the habit of seeking Him when they needed something. He does care about our needs. Here are some scriptures that I want you to ponder:

John 3:35 (AMP) Jesus replied to them, “I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually].

John 6:48-51 (AMP) I am the Bread of Life [the Living Bread which gives and sustains life]. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the Bread that comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the Living Bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread [believes in Me, accepts Me as Savior], he will live forever. And the Bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh (body).”

Jeremiah 29:13 (AMP) Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Psalms 27:8 (AMP) When You said, “Seek My face [in prayer, require My presence as your greatest need],” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I will seek [on the authority of Your word].”

Psalms 105:4 (AMP) Seek and deeply long for the Lord and His strength [His power, His might]; Seek and deeply long for His face and His presence continually.

Matthew 6:33 (AMP) But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

What happens when our bodies go without food for a long time? I am not talking about a spiritual fast from food. I am talking about a time when you just do not feel like eating. I recently took a trip to Disney World with my husband. I skipped breakfast because I planned to ride a roller coaster first thing, and it usually gives me motion sickness. I am not usually hungry until lunch anyways, so no big deal. Huge mistake! We had water, but I forgot the electrolyte packets, which is a benefit in July heat. It was the hottest day with a heat index of 102 degrees. I had a fan and some snacks for when we got hungry, like granola bars and cheese crackers. The ride was down when we got there and did not come back up until around noon. I felt the hunger pangs but ignored it to try to make it until we could get on (another mistake).

I got the notification that the ride was back up, but we were in line to take a picture with a character. That is one of my joy’s about visiting Disney is all the character meet and greets. I know I am a grown woman; I still like to be a kid sometimes. What was this ride? Rockin Roller Coaster and had just been redone with the Muppets band, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. We have watched all the Muppet movies and grew up watching The Muppet Show. I know, we are just big kids! We get in line and it is a ninety-minute wait, which ended up being two hours. We chose to wait it out because this ride has had multiple closures, as I had been following, and this was probably our only chance. Most of the cue for the line is outside, there are fans and shade umbrellas, but it was hot. I was doing pretty good until I was not. Here I am in a crowd of people, and I start to get dizzy. Then the nausea and sweat. What just happened? No electrolytes and no food. I had become weak and needed to sit down. I had a granola bar, could that help? Nope. I needed something with lots of sugar and fast. I called out looking for hard candy. Some sweet people helped me find some and even helped me up when the line started moving. Within minutes, with a cold towel around my neck and some candy, I was back on my feet. I let John (my husband) continue on the ride without me. I did not need the concussion from takeoff to be added to our adventure. We went back to our room and rested a few hours, then went back to the park to finish out our day.

What has this got to do with daily bread? It reminded me that trials and tribulations are going to come in our lives (heart waves). Do we have the sustenance from our daily bread to withstand them. If I had eaten that granola bar in the morning, like I did the next park day, I probably would not have had that sugar crash in line with the heat wave. The bread was not needed after the heat; it was needed before to prepare my body. We often look at our times with God as something we can fit in later. I can read my Bible another time. Then when we have times of trials, we become exhausted and want to fall down in defeat. If we are feeling the exhaustion more than we are feeling the abundance of joy, then we need to look at what we are not feeding on. Read John 15. It is true that Jesus never leaves us nor forsakes us, that does not mean we do not seek His face. I learned a very humbling lesson that day. It did not keep me from enjoying our week though.

Abba, Father, our Banner, You are Marvelous and Wonderful. You are Holy and worthy of all honor and praise. Thank You for Your Son Jesus and His steadfast love. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Friend and Teacher. Thank You for Your Word. We repent for not going before You and reading Your Word as if it was the best meal that You ever offered us. We are sorry for taking it for granted as if it does not nourish us more than the lusts of this world, with what we see, taste and smell. Let us come back to You with humble hearts, seeking Your face. You desire to fill us with everything You have and we so often look at Your hands and not Your face. We repent for looking at our circumstances and people as meeting our needs, when we should be seeking after Your righteousness first. You call us the trees of righteousness, on that tree is good fruit. Let us have good fruit, starting with the fullness of Your love, joy and peace. Let us no longer ignore the hunger pangs and turn back to Your face. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose surrender today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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How deep?

Ephesians 3:16-18 (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]

Earlier this week I had a group come over and swim. There was a young girl who is probably eight or nine and she wanted to know if I could touch the bottom. The deepest part of my pool is eight foot deep. That is pretty standard for home pools and what I grew up swimming in. When I was a preteen, I could hold my breath the whole length of the pool and swim from end to end under water. I showed her how to dive down and touch the bottom and use your legs to shoot yourself back the surface. I am much older and cannot quite make it from one end to the other in one breath, but I can still sit at the bottom for a moment and then shoot myself back up.

God desires us to know Him intimately and that takes us going deeper. I love the amplified translation here where it says to “deeply rooted” and the “depths of His love.” It reminds me of a vision that Ezekiel had as recorded in the Bible.

Ezekiel 47:1 (AMP) Then he [my guide] brought me back to the door of the house [the temple of the Lord]; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house (temple) toward the east, for the front of the temple was facing east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar.

The water flowing starts as a trickle coming from under the doors of the temple threshold doors, then it flows into a mighty river. We are individually and collectively the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19, Ephesians 2:21-22). Jesus, our Living Water, should be flowing through us (John 7:37-39). These waters should be enough to swim in. I love that visual.

I know some have a fear or feel insecure in water. So, this visual of swimming may not be as peaceful for you. What is a vision of peace that you do have? I love the beach and listening to the crashing waves as I read a book. When I was a teenager, I would get in a float and just let the waves take me out and down the coast. My grandmother was fearless, so I guess that is why I grew up so comfortable in the water. It was her pool that I learned to swim in, and it was she who let me just float in the waves.

The river in Ezekiel did not start off deep. It stared ankle deep, then knee deep, then waist deep, then deep enough to swim in. God calls us to deeper knowledge and relationship with Him. He wants you to be rich in His Presence.

Ephesians 3:19 (AMP) 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].

Along the banks, as we continue in Ezekiel 47, the fruit trees grow and never wither and produce fruit year-round, with leaves used for healing. In Isaiah 61:3 we are called trees of righteousness, because we are firmly rooted in God. Galatians 5:22-23 gives us the fruits if the Spirit that we should be cultivating in our lives. Fruit that is meant to be producing continually and to share.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (AMP) Blessed [with spiritual security] is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord. “For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out its roots by the river; and will not fear the heat when it comes; but its leaves will be green and moist. And it will not be anxious and concerned in a year of drought nor stop bearing fruit.

Why is this vision in Ezekiel so important? It depicts God’s power to restore and to bring abundance. The source of living water comes from our relationship with the Holy Spirit. He refreshes and sustains us. We are never separated from His Presence if we are in Christ. The river symbolizes His transforming power. What happens when we surrender fully and allow the deep waters to take over? Can you trust His transforming power? One of the biggest things about teaching littles to swim is that they can get splashed in the face. I taught my boys to swim at an early age, but the lesson did not start in the pool. It started in the home at bath time. I would pour a cup of water over their heads or let them sit in the shower with me, so the waters would trickle over their faces. It teaches them to remain calm. His waters also bring life where there was death, healing where there were sickness and blessings where there was barrenness.

I just love water. It is what I fill my cup with first thing in the morning and drink all day long. Nothing needed to add to it to taste better. I do not need a flavor, just plain purified water. My pool is crystal clear and ready for swimming at a moment’s notice. I rent it out sometimes, so I need to be ready at all times. Is that not what the Bible tells us about sharing our faith? We are to be ready in any season (2 Timothy 4:2). How can you do that without the deepness of His love? How can you do that without His living waters, the Holy Spirit that brings all things back to remembrance? I invite you to go deeper this year. My word for this year was joy; He gives it in abundance. It comes as a fruit of the Spirit. Dive deeper with me. Get into the overflow.

Abba, our Father, our Creator, our Banner, You are Holy and Marvelous. We are so enamored with Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your Son, our Redeemer. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Teacher. Thank You for Your Word, our knowledge of You grows deeper as we partake of reading Your Word. You have shown us the deepness of Your love. Thank You for loving us so richly. We repent for not spending time with You each day or putting our thoughts towards You. You are more than we could ever need. We commit to spending time in Your Word. We commit to a life of surrender to grow deeper into who You called us to be, ministers of reconciliation, rivers of living water flowing through us. As we continue to pursue You, You pursue us. Let us be fully aware of all the real, personal and practical ways You lavish Your love on us. We desire the deep. We are not afraid of the overflow, overtake us. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose surrender today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Identity Theft

Psalms 55:22 (AMP) Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail).

Way back in the early 2000s Facebook was emerging. I started out with MySpace as my first social media platform. Then came Facebook, it took me a year to finally join. In those days we did not have apps on our phones. We opened up and checked our profiles on our computers. The computer I most used was my work computer. It was in my office. If I did not log out of Facebook and someone else would use my computer, I would get a fun status update left. These do pop up on my memories every once in a while. Things like “is a goober monkey,” “thinks John is hot,” or “really needs to start logging out of her Facebook.” Most of them were left by my husband.

I remember a special post hid did because he used my phone to take with him to the bathroom. I had the better phone, and he wanted to scroll as our men tend to do these days. The number of responses I got from his post thinking that it was me.

So here I am after nearly fifteen years and how does this equate to what I am going through right now. I had a moment of allowing the enemy to put a new identity on me…”not wanted.” Where did that come from? Did it come from my need to be seen as good growing up? My own father chose not to be a part of my life growing up. After my parents divorced, he did not visit or call that much. He did not even send gifts for birthdays or Christmas. This weighed heavy on me growing up and that is where the “not wanted” came from. It surfaced from a text message that someone sent out. My question was, “why could they not call me?” Why did this text come from a third party? The identity of “not wanted” started to surface. I battled with it most of the morning and I had had enough.

1 Peter 5:7-9 (AMP) Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]

I am taking the groceries out of the car and talking waving my hands back and forth in a fit at the enemy. Casting my cares on God and just letting it all out. Yes, I am in the front yard. My husband calls and asks, “who are you talking to?” (He can see me on the Ring camera). I told him what I was battling and how I was handling it. He laughed and told me it was going be okay. The individual is rejecting me because of their own insecurities, and I told him I knew that, but it still hurts sometimes. I had to really allow God to do a deep work in me and had to repent even of my mindset towards this individual. I have to be careful not to assassinate their character just because of the way they are treating me. Keeping your words in check can be tough. However, I had to be reminded by the Lord that others battle this too. This was going on the same week that the SBC was voting on whether women should have the title of pastor. Guess what they call me in my church? We are not a part of the SBC, but it still was a main topic that was constantly on my news feed. I do have family that are. So, I intercede.

Acts 14:21-22 (AMP) They preached the good news to that city and made many disciples, then they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening and establishing the hearts of the disciples; encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, saying, “It is through many tribulations and hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God.”

What we put our minds on really has control over us; it can become an idol. Wanting to be someone to this person was taking over my mind. I had to release and pray. I can tell you that it did not disappear right away, but it has gone further from my mind. You can say that I am just really starting to get over it. However, you do not know how much this individual has hurt me over the years and is still involved in my life. I am standing firm on my faith. I am casting those cares to God; He actually does care about me. That is what I had to battle the “not wanted” identity with. He cares about me. Keeping my heart and mind on Him battles that identity theft that tries to come in. How about you? Do you battle identity issues? Have you believed the lie that maybe you are not loved, or that you are like me and feel like you are not what they wanted, or that you are a failure because of the mistakes that trip you up? None of them are true. That is why it is so important to read your Bibles. God also plants us in churches to build us up, especially when these lies are exposed. They need to be exposed so that real healing can come.

Why did this happen when I have come such a long way? I think it is because the enemy is looking to halt the discipleship that I have stepped into. He wants me hurt so that I cannot build up and point others to Christ. He wants me going back into dark places because there I cannot be a light. I am not ashamed of the battle. Those attacks are going to come. I would misuse His grace by living with that wrong identity. That is not who I am. I do not want to live with those thoughts, and I do not have to. What happens when they say it to my face? Recognize that it is not of God and who’s voice it really is.

1 Thessalonians 1:4 (AMP) Brothers and sisters beloved by God, we know that He has chosen you

I am chosen! I am cared for! I am wanted! I am deeply loved!

Abba Father, our Creator and our Banner, You are Marvelous and Wonderful. That You for Your Son, that put us into Your family. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, so that we can learn more about our identity. We come before You, recognizing that our true identity is found in You. Thank You for making us in Your image and us Your children.(Genesis 1:27; 1 John 3:1). Help us see ourselves as You do—loved, chosen, and precious in Your eyes. Guide us to live in the truth of our identity in Christ, free from the enemy’s lies and the burden of past mistakes. (Proverbs 4:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Help us see our true worth, not through the world’s standards, but through Your Word, knowing we are blessed, redeemed, and victorious by Your grace. (Ephesians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21). May we stand strong in the truth of Your love, and be empowered to walk confidently as Your children, sharing Christ’s love with others. (Romans 8:16; Ephesians 3:17-19). Help us to hear Your voice clearly and trust Your guidance, so we can live a fruitful life and fulfill the purpose You have set for us. (Philippians 3:20; Ephesians 1:9-11). May our lives be filled with Your love, and may we keep growing in understanding and embracing who we are in Christ. (1 Peter 2:9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:3-5). We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Look for the God moments

Philippians 4:13 (AMP) I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]

There are a few verses that we see people in general overuse and use in a selfish context. Philippians 4:13, Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:1 to name my top three over used and abused verses. Why do we do this? Have you ever asked yourself if you are looking for what God is doing or are you demanding He be where you are? There is a difference and it has to do with how we see God.

The Bible talks about a dangerous spiritual place of indifference that His body can lay hold in. We call it lukewarm, it can also be called apathy. It is when we have an “I do not care” attitude towards our relationship with God. Especially when it comes to our spiritual growth. Where does this come from? It is because we are consumed with self. Most of the times I see these verses abused is because they are used in the context of self. Do not get me wrong, the Word is for encouragement, but it is also for correction. Most importantly the Word is revealing who God is and who we are to imitate.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (AMP) Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

This is my prayer: God I want to be where I am supposed to be, doing what I am supposed to be doing with the people You have placed with me to do Your will.

Apathy or lukewarmness will cause us to become numb to the love and devotion that God instructs us to have. Love God. Love People. It is a numbness to our emotions and our fervor. How do we overcome? When were your thoughts last on surrender? When was the last time you submitted your heart to a searching and repentance? We are to die to ourselves daily (Matthew 16:24, 1 Corinthians 15:31, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:6, Colossians 3:5). When you die to self you will not be able to use these verses out of selfish motives.

Isaiah 30:21 (AMP) Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Let our hearts remain moldable by His Word. Out of our passionate love for Christ should flow humility, repentance, faith, obedience and thanksgiving. Fight apathy. Ask God to for you to join in what He is doing. Look for the God moments. Listen for opportunities to share about His mercy, His grace and His love. Let your sufficiency be in Christ.

Matthew 6:33 (AMP) But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

Abba Father, our Lord, our Creator, You are Marvelous and Wonderful. You are Holy, Merciful and Just. Let us stand in awe of You. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You that You sent Your Son out of Love for Your creation. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Teacher and our Comforter. Thank You that You still speak today. Give us ears to hear, hearts to trust and hands to act. We surrender the temptation to carry out our own plans. Help us listen for Your voice. We repent for being self-centered and misusing Your Word. You know us better than we know ourselves. Search within us Lord for any unclean motives. You know the adjustments we should make in order to do Your will and Your way. Holy Spirit, work in our lives. Create in us the image of Christ so that our character is made in Him. We want to obey Your voice and obey Your will. We choose to surrender today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Are we even looking for the harvest?

John 4:31-34 (AMP) Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus [to have a meal], saying, “Rabbi (Teacher), eat.” But He told them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to completely finish His work.”

Our church has been in Luke chapter eight about the parable of the sower. I love reading the Word over and over again. You may have heard this preached before and them talking about those receiving the gospel. What if it is anything that has to do with the Word of God? The Word is the seed. Do we hear it just once and are done? I like what it says in Mark chapter four.

Mark 4:24-25 (AMP) Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By your own standard of measurement [that is, to the extent that you study spiritual truth and apply godly wisdom] it will be measured to you [and you will be given even greater ability to respond]—and more will be given to you besides. For whoever has [a teachable heart], to him more [understanding] will be given; and whoever does not have [a yearning for truth], even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Jesus was all about us receiving the Word with all of our hearts and minds. You receive to the level that you set. What was the greatest commandment? To love God with all of our heart, soul and mind. You cannot love God unless you know God. We get to know Him through His Word (Bible). The second greatest commandment is similar, to love our neighbors as ourselves. Receive the Word, then give it. This is what the initial verse of this blog is about. Let us continue to what Jesus said to His disciples.

John 4:35-38 (AMP) Do you not say, ‘It is still four months until the harvest comes?’ Look, I say to you, raise your eyes and look at the fields and see, they are white for harvest. Already the reaper is receiving his wages and he is gathering fruit for eternal life; so that he who plants and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, ‘One [person] sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap [a crop] for which you have not worked. Others have worked and you have been privileged to reap the results of their work.”

We are a people who focus on the temporal, when Christ came to change our eternity. Now this is eternal life, that we may know God and Christ, who was sent (John 17:3). What is temporary? Everything that we build up for ourselves here. The houses we live in, the jobs we have, the income and savings. How about the relationships we have that we do not allow Christ into? Everything that we have because the reason is “this is for me,” all of that is temporary. None of it will bring us to completeness.

Jesus told what would make the disciples full. The harvest. Sharing the gospel. Sharing what we have in the eternal, is the harvest. What is keeping you from sharing all that He is to you? Is it the struggle of love? For most of us, that is a struggle. We have only known love to be conditional. He truly is a well that will never run dry. I will never be thirsty for love again. I am rooted and grounded in the Love of Christ. My life is full, not by the temporary because it never can fill me. It is when I receive the fullness of Him, the fruit will show. So many of us just stand on the edge of being fruitful and bringing in the harvest. It is up to you though. Seedtime and harvest will always be. Will you join in?

Acts 20:24 (AMP) But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].

So here is the prayer. It is simple and it is the answer to the Lord of the Harvest. Be an answer to the prayer and say yes to the greatest adventure you will ever be placed in. Be a part of the harvest!!

2 Thessalonians 3:1 (AMP) Finally, brothers and sisters, pray continually for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be honored [triumphantly celebrated and glorified], just as it was with you.

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Receive Like a Child

Mark 10:215 (AMP) I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever does not receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.

This past week I got to walk around with a soon to be two-year-old during prayer. He had a great time in exploring, as I took him to a room so his mom could intercede without having to be distracted. I prayed and walked around and he followed. We sat in chairs and I prayed. We laughed and I prayed. He was just full of joy. Then it came to me, he has no worries about what is going to happen next. He is not thinking about tomorrow. He is not even thinking about what happened yesterday. He is just in the now.

Matthew 6:33-34 (AMP) But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

My little buddy was eager just to walk and explore. Why are we trying to claim to be “adults” when He tells us to be more like children? What if maturity did not look like “adulthood” but if we are more like a child. Would that be the sign that we are really growing? I am not talking about needing only milk of the Word like babies. I am talking about being tender and responsive. The heart to be teachable and flexible and respond to correction. What if we welcomed correction? What if we humbled ourselves like children?

Hebrews 11:1 (AMP) Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].

John 17:3 (AMP)  Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the] Christ whom You have sent.

We have to accept grace for all that it is. Not just the avenue of our salvation, but as our teacher as well (Titus 2:12). Grace is the way God works in His might and power throughout our lifelong walk with Him. A heart that understands this will come to know the spirit of God’s love in Jesus Christ. That tender, teachable, touchable way to true power – to lasting, miracle-expecting, Christ-exalting power and blessing. This is what happens when we receive like a child. Keeping our hearts tender, flexible and expectant.

Father God, I come to You as someone with years of life experience, yet still so much to learn. I humbly offer myself for You to search my heart and mind. I submit to Your Body. Help me remain teachable, open to correction, and pure in heart. Guide me to focus on what You desire now, to seek Your kingdom first, and to stay mindful of You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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What about loyalty?

Isaiah 26:3 (AMP) You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].

Where our minds stay planted has to do with what we really care about? The link of the heart and mind has to do with our assurance of who Christ is within us. Honestly, we can tell who God really is and who our god is by what we think about the most. I know it has been a while since I have written, but that does not mean I have not been reading my Bible. I have been doing a deep dive in Galatians 5:17-23 and it is taking me some time to get all the good meat that comes from just sitting in these few verses. It really gives you a heart check, of which the Word is supposed to do.

Jonah 2:8 (AMP) Those who regard and follow worthless idols turn away from their [living source of] mercy and lovingkindness.

Jonah 2:8 (MEV) Those who follow vain idols forsake their true loyalty.

I have also been reading the minor prophets and the letters from Paul. Many might not like Paul’s writings, they may have never really read the Old Testament minor prophets either. The Israelites were constantly moving away from God as their heart center because they were selfish individuals. They were self-seeking, they were concerned about their wants, their desires, their pleasures. Taking care of themselves were their primary concern. They were disloyal to the precepts and principles of God because they hated rules, regulations and anything that wanted to put order in their lives. Sounds like what happens today when the body of Christ abuses grace, to give license for our self-life to rule and reign. Nobody likes being told what to do. However, I have found the most mature listen to correction. They truly honor God and their lives show it.

It is impossible for a true believer, a true person given themself over to Christ, to habitually live for themselves. The question that arose out of prayer was about loyalty. Are we loyal to family over Christ? Are we loyal to our jobs over Christ? Are we loyal to our pleasures over Christ? There is a divide happening and it has to do with loyalty. This was foretold by Jesus Himself.

Luke 12:49-53 (AMP) I have come to cast fire (judgment) on the earth; and how I wish that it were already kindled! I have a baptism [of great suffering] with which to be baptized, and how [greatly] I am distressed until it is accomplished! Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division [between believers and unbelievers]; for from now on five in one household will be divided [over Me], three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

This did not happen with His first coming, so do you think He was talking about His return? There are far more verses in the Bible about His second coming than about the first. If we look at how many were confirmed with His first, I think we need to pay more attention to the ones that talk about His second coming then. Our minds need to be fixed on Him and the mission He gave us, the ministry of reconciliation.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (AMP) But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 (AMP) For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness [to be dedicated, and set apart by behavior that pleases Him, whether in public or in private]. So whoever rejects and disregards this is not [merely] rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you [to dwell in you and empower you to overcome temptation].

What we treasure is where our hearts are. What we meditate on is our treasure. An alcoholic is going to think about drinking alcohol more than anything else. The same who is going to commit adultery in their marriage. Honestly, that is what God thinks of us when we say we are waiting on Him to come again yet live our lives like we never knew Him. It is what you would rather spend your tithe on rather than honoring God with it. I think of Him when I am in church and serving (so many can be in a house of worship and still think of only themselves). I think of Him when I am driving. I think of Him when I am working out at the gym. I think of Him when I am at the grocery store. I make time to spend with Him during the day at home, especially when I have down time. If I do not think on Him, I am thinking of other things. I can come up with conversations that have nothing to do with reality. Remember the initial verse that started this blog. Go back and look at it. Perfect peace. There is an abundance of peace not for just those who believe in Him, it says for those who keep their minds on Him.

I am at peace even in these last days. There should be no fear with the things happening in the news. God knew. Jesus told us about it. The Old Testament prophets wrote about it. The letters by Paul are filled with it. John got to see it. Why are we worried? Is it because our loyalty is really in question? Read Matthew 25. Do some research on what weddings were like when Jesus was telling His disciples about His return. A marriage contract was written before the bride was taken by the groom. There was weight to it and the bride had to stay prepared for the moment she was taken. She would be caught up unexpectedly. It was a joyous celebration. Her loyalty was shown off after she was taken to the bed chamber. It may have been a year of waiting, but she stayed prepared. Did she say that she was not married before she was taken away, so that she could live how she wanted? Or did she live her life as faithful to the husband that was going to take her up? She was loyal to him and only him, from the moment of the betrothal because technically she was his wife. Put that in perspective, we are His bride. Live like one! Are we loyal to our King and Husband? His love is not empty. Live a life that bears the fruit of that love.

Abba, Father, Creator, You are more Wonderful than we could ever imagine. You are Holy and Worthy of all Honor and Praise. Thank You for Your Son, our Redeemer. Thank you for the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Teacher. We desire You more than anything else. We repent for the idols that we put before You, whether it was family, jobs, pleasures or ourselves. We are excited to be living in the days that the prophets wrote about and dreamed about. We are so grateful for the grace You have given us to empower us to recognize when we need to shift back to You. You are truly a God of Mercy and Loving Kindness. Your Word says that You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is focused on You. Let us continually keep You and Your Word before us. Let us meditate on You and Your Word. Thank You for opportunities to turn back to You when our focus does veer off from You. Let us check our Peace. Let our hearts be renewed as our minds our renewed daily. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.