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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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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.

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What do you treat as common?

John 4:23-24 (AMP) But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

The Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. Who are such people? Those are the people who search within themselves. Part of my growing deeper in my walk with God has to do with the inward change, not just the outward change. I do care about how I present myself, but it should matter more how I present myself to God. The biggest tell is how I treat going to church. In my culture we have watered down reverence so much to go so far from legalism that it has turned into lawlessness. What is the difference, not much, because neither reveres a Holy God. It is how we see God. We treat church as common, not really special, something ordinary. We have gone so far from the importance of it because of the few that abused their authority in it. So much so, that I am even watching how I approach people in my own church. The enemy has a done a good job of making sure that when we join together, we are still powerless. However, there is a remnant. There is hope. I am not writing just about my church, but the body of Christ in general.

Psalms 145:18 (NLT) The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.

Isaiah 29:13 (NLT) And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.”

He also requests that we worship Him in truth. That is the opposite of lip service. Lip service is not taking God’s Word as serious, but as common, no real change happens. It is not taking the promises of God as real. Those who offer lip service, and still go through the motions, have missed out on what reverence means. How we receive the Word (spoken and written) has all to do with the honor we give it. Reverence is shown in the fruit of our application. It has come to a point that a common treatment of attendance, in fellowship or even how we approach worship is normal. That reverence is now seen as radical Christianity. We have made it a point to get so far from the legalism that the church got into (that the building is not the church but the people) that it has turned out that we do not even attend services with a reverence for a Holy God. We treat it as common. Even if you do not show up for a service, it will be okay, I can catch it later online…but really what do I miss. That is a common thought life on what God tells us is important.

Ephesians 2:21 (NLT)  We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Hebrews 10: 24-25 (NLT) Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Acts 2:42 (AMP) They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers.

During my time in corporate prayer yesterday I was interceding for the body of Christ and God put this on my heart. He asked, “am I glorified in this?” How we approach our fellowship with the body, is He glorified in this? In how we gather together for worship and the teaching of the Word, is He glorified in this? When we meet each other in public, is He glorified in this? I had to admit to myself, no. He does not get glory when we treat what should be in spirit and truth as common, nothing special.

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.

Colossians 3:12-17 (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]. Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Nothing we do as born-again believers should be common. We should not treat anything as common. We should be excited to gather together. We should be in awe of the gifts in each other’s lives working together. We should be beaming with joy at the growth spiritually in each other. I was so excited to hear how God was speaking to each one of us individually during our corporate prayer yesterday. There are places that I go every day of the week, as a schedule, but my schedule should not be seen as common. There I can worship God in spirit and truth. Every day is another day to give Him glory. Every time I come into the house of God to worship, I expect to hear God in a different way than I did when I was seeking Him privately. He is the same, but it is never common. It may look radical to you, but it is definitely not common.

Abba, our Father, our Jehovah, You are Holy. You are everything we will ever need. You are so Marvelous and Wonderful. Thank You for You Son, our Redeemer and our Prince of Peace. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Comforter. Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your Presence that never leaves us nor forsakes us. Thank You for Your Mercy and Loving Kindness. We repent for treating our lives as common. We repent for acting like nothing special happens past us receiving Your Son as Savior. We repent for going through the motions of worship and not truly worshiping You in Spirit and in Truth. We repent for the lip service. Lip service does not glorify You. Our desire is to bring You glory, for Your Kingdom to be established here on earth. Check within us Lord, search within us, and remove anything that keeps us from growing deeper in You. You are anything but common to us. Your Word is a lamp to our feet. We take Your Word as special. Every day is special and new. We cannot wait to join in with other believers and glorify Your Name. We repent for not thinking meeting together as important to You. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Just like breathing

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (AMP) Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Let us just be honest, the world we live in is a negative place, if you allow it to continue. Do you know what happens to your mind when you rejoice always? It starts to shape your world differently. As we should be interceding for all people (Ephesians 6:18), we have to stay alert by looking at prayer as a continual thing like breathing. That is why I have turned to breath prayers throughout my day.

Prayer should not be formula driven. What do I mean by that? I have to be in a certain room, with a certain book (other than the Bible), saying the same words every time at the same time every day. Yes you can do that, but that is not the only time God hears you. Jesus gave us a model in Matthew 6 on how to pray. With that in mind, we are able to pray through our days. Prayer was not meant to draw attention to ourselves, but to Him.

Luke 18:10-14 (AMP)  “Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but was striking his chest [in humility and repentance], saying, ‘God, be merciful and gracious to me, the [especially wicked] sinner [that I am]!’ I tell you, this man went to his home justified [forgiven of the guilt of sin and placed in right standing with God] rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself [forsaking self-righteous pride] will be exalted.”

Pride has to be eradicated in order to pray throughout the day. To keep your eyes on the Lord is to keep your eyes off of self. A lot of negativity is because we think of self too often, how things will affect us. When we start to have those thoughts is where breath prayers become so vital. I am not saying I do not have a need; it is telling Him that I know He is the One I need.

Hebrews 4:16 (MEV) Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Where is the throne of grace? Wherever you go, you should be walking as if you are continually in the throne room (1 Corinthians 6:19). That is why breath prayers are so important. That is why every conversation you have with others about His goodness is being recorded (Malachi 3:16). We have this confidence that He hears all prayers according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). We are not to be double minded in our prayers (James 1:8), doubting that God’s Word is truth.

Are breath prayers biblical? I believe so. “Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being” Genesis 2:7). We were formed in the likeness of God. With four words creation began, “Let there be light.” Life and death are in the power of our tongues (Proverbs 18:21). Let everything that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6). It is the breath in our lungs that we are to praise Him, that is what a breath prayer does. Here are a few of mine, I hope it encourages you to find some of your own as you read the Word.

  • I count it all joy. I have mentioned this one quite a few times. It is taken from James 1:2. It reminds me to keep my mind on the promise that even in difficult times, He perfects the work. The biggest work is to be done within, so I count it all joy because developing my faith in His faithfulness means there will be nothing missing.
  • You are my strength. This is from Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 18:2, and 1 John 4:4. It is a great prayer to pray when change happens unexpectedly. He is my help. He has got me. He is my God. There is no one greater.
  • You are my rest. This is taken from Matthew 11:29 and Exodus 33:4. We are to work in rest. When we get too focused on the task, we can get overwhelmed. When we know that He is with us, then we can rest in the work. Do not be afraid to move, He goes before You. Work in rest.
  • To You all the glory. This is taken from Romans 11:36 and Colossians 3:23-24. So many times, when we succeed or do something really well, we get praised for it. Then we can get a puffed-up ego. Our ego’s like to be fed, that is where pride sets in. How do you starve an ego? Give the praise unto our God. Everything that has been put into my hands and into my mind is because of Him. To Him all the glory is given.
  • No other voice but Yours. Taken from John 10:16, 27 and Romans 8:14. There are so many voices that are screaming for our attention. What may sound good is not necessarily from God. I shared about our ego in the “To You all the glory” prayer, this is one of the voices that we can choose to listen to. That is not His voice, it sounds like it because it comes from inside of us. The still small voice that you are listening for will bring peace, joy, faith and love.
  • Whatever is lovely. Taken from Philippians 4:8 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. I have to remind myself to think better of people. We are given discernment not to be critical nor judgmental but to intercede. We are to cast down vain imaginations that exalt itself above the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). Our thoughts are very important in our love walk. How I think will reflect on how I act. True love seeks the best for others.

These are just a few that I use. As you study the scriptures, make note of the ones that impact you to want to change. 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). Let the Word do a complete work in you by keeping it on your lips throughout the day with breath prayers. That is why we meditate on the Word. The Word of God becomes a part of us and when times get tough, the next breath is a prayer. Peace be still.

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When fear comes knocking

Psalms 16:5 (AMP) The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, my cup [He is all I need]; You support my lot.

What happens when we are not certain of the future? I am not immune to the goings on in the world, even though I do not turn on the news (it’s mostly negative). I talk to people, not to take on their burdens, but to listen to how it is affecting them.

Galatians 6:2 (AMP) Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love].

There is a right way and a wrong way to take on burdens. We could take on and we become anxious, fearful and even full of rage, that is the wrong way. The right way is to bring peace by aligning our thoughts and our words with Christ.

Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP)  “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

What happens when fear creeps in because of what you are hearing? I need to know Who’s I am. I need to be rooted and grounded in the Truth.

About six and half years ago I was thrown into uncertainty. I lost my job without notice and without any prospects of another. There was a significant decrease in our income. I did start to drive for Uber during college gameday weekends. One thing we did not stop doing is giving our tithe. I could not see dishonoring God just because of the lot that I was currently in. The amazing thing was, I really did not need to be working in the traditional sense. I was needed elsewhere and just could not see it at the moment. If I had been where I was before, there would not have been anyone available to prepare for the transition our church was in. I would not have been able to meet with the wonderful people that I met during that time. The relationships I was able to develop helped us get to where we are now.

My husband and I went through a situation just recently where our friend pulled out of the business that we were in together. They did not quit; they just moved their business to do it on their own. Our expenses doubled without notice. Do you know what we did not do? Get mad and start slandering our friend. We could have questioned their intent. What looked like calamity in the moment could have caused us to get angry or even bitter. We kept our mouths off and still blessed our friend during the transition. We put them first. Why? We believed God already knew, really does anything surprise Him in what we do. Now on the other side, God knew we would be better than okay.

Psalms 23 (AMP) The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me],
I shall not want. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still and quiet waters. He refreshes and restores my soul (life); He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.

Keep your mouth off of man. When we question the intent of whether people are for us, then we have stepped into the role of judge. We judge fruit, not intentions. We give too much power to the enemy when we always talk about the ways he is against us. He has no authority, unless you give it to him. What about governing officials? God never gives us allowance to dishonor them either. We are to pray for them. The Lord already knows. Who is your faith in? The moment that you have allowed it to rob your joy, is the moment that you have given in.

What happens with fear comes knocking? I think about James 1:2-4, “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.” Practice one of my breath prayers, “I count it all joy.” I put my focus back on my Father. What if what looks like calamity actually brings you closer to the Father? What if it sparks a revival? That is exactly what happened with me six and half years ago.

My prayer for you today is taken from Colossians 3:15, “Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].” Let us continue to be thankful. We repent for our negative thinking and choose to count it all joy. Our trust in You. We choose love today. We choose peace today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Who do you want to be?

Do you remember the grade school assignments that we answered? The question about what we wanted to be when we grow up. I have a scrap book my aunt put together for me one year. It has all the things I wanted to be when I grew up. They were a school teacher, a nurse, a secretary, and even a model. I can see little pieces of each one of these in the person that I am today.

I was looking at something the other day and made the excuse that is just the way they are. Then God responded, “but is that who I Am?” Whatever excuse we use to act, say, portray or even react the question we should be asking, “Is that who I want to be?” Before you get upset about someone attacking how God made you, really ask yourself that question. “Is this who I want to be?” You really do not have to be that person. We have be empowered to be who we were really meant to be.

Ephesians 4:32-5:1 (AMP) Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you. Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]

Remember you are becoming, so it is a process. How does one imitate another? You first must study them. You would want to start imitating their speech and how they say things. You would imitate their actions and mannerisms. A good actor gets immersed in their character and they would not be able to tell the difference in who they are and who they are portraying. However, when we imitate God it should not be for just show. We should not be wearing Him as a mask. Our true selves should reflect Him.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AMP) Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].

Who do I want to be? I want to be genuine and caring. I want to be so full of His love that is all that flows out of me. I do not want to just be good, I want to be His. I want to think of Him more. I want to think of myself less (not less than). I want to reflect who I am, a beloved child of the King.

I was at an event the other night and noticed children running around just taking things. They were loud and demanding. They ate whatever they wanted or demanded it from us that were helping out. Come to find out they were the children of the leader. I do not believe they were imitating their parents, but they took advantage of who their parents were. That is not what it is to be children of God. The imitation we should reflect that we are growing in maturity.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (AMP) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. 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.

I reflect true freedom the more I reflect His image. Changing my behavior requires a decision to do things differently. I have to make a decision to think differently. You will not act like God the first time you try. We sometimes have the wrong idea of Him to begin with. That is why it is important to really study the Word. You are constantly going to be going through the process. So put your whole heart and soul into it. Care for others genuinely, not just because it looks good. Speak life to others in their presence and when they are not in the room. Find a way to forgive instead of finding ways to shift blame away from yourself. Own up to it when you are wrong.

Psalms 51:10 (AMP) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.

Matthew 5:8 (AMP) Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.

Who do I want to be? I want to be who He says I am. I want to reflect His image. I do not want to be like one of those who looks in a mirror and walks away forgetting what they have seen (James 1:23-24). I desire more of God in my life. I want to not hide behind a veil of excuses and put myself into a bondage of ‘what if’s’. I want to live in the complete wholeness of what Christ redeemed me for. The restoration process can be a little humbling, but it is worth it. My heart of surrender is what He desires.

So next time you do not like the way you responded or handled something, there is a reason for that. Ask yourself, “is that who I want to be?” The next time you see someone in need, ask yourself, “who do I want to be?” If you see someone come in to a room and they are all alone, ask yourself, “who do I want to be?” As children imitating our Father, one of the areas we should be reflecting is His mercy and loving-kindness. What kindness would you want shown and reflect that. Do not stop asking yourself “Who do I want to be?” It is a continual growing process so that we can mature in Christ.

Abba, Our Father, Our Banner, You are so Marvelous and Wonderful. You are more precious than all the jewels we could ever imagine. You are Holy. Thank You for Your Son, our Redeemer. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Comforter. Thank You for Your Grace, Your Mercy and Your Love. We repent for holding onto an image of who we were before we were Redeemed by Your Son. You have a big dream for us and it has nothing to do with getting things from You. We repent for only looking at You as Provider when You are so much more. We were created to reflect Your image. That is who we want to be. We want to forgive like You forgive. We want to love the way You love. Thank You for showing us that it is a process and that Your Kindness is full of Grace. You have empowered us to live a big life. We do not want to keep it small any longer. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Peace like a river

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

I had that dream again, the one where I am at on old job and I am utterly confused. In 2007, I opened a child care center to help with the finances of my church. We had bought this large facility and needed other forms of income. All profit went back to the church. About eight years ago I had to close it because of various reasons. Every once in a while I have a dream about still running it and being very confused. The confusion was that I do not remember buying the food to feed the kids and secondly, I do not remember making deposits and writing checks for payroll. Why are people still here? Then I remember that it is closed and nobody should be there. I woke up anxious.

What can give us anxious dreams? I have to remember that when I try to work out a problem, I am pulling on my own strength. When I seek the Lord about an issue, then I am getting His strength. I cannot divulge what is going on at this moment, but I can tell you that I am wrestling with my mind about an unresolved relationship. I have been in prayer about it for a little over a month, and God told me something yesterday that made me have to die to myself even more. I told God that I do not know if I can do it and be sincere. However, it is not about me, I want Him to get the glory for this.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In the books of Judges we read the story of Gideon, a man from the smallest tribe of Israel. God chose him to defeat the Midianite army. You can read his story in Judges 6-8. Gideon did not go looking to be a hero, he did not set out to bring peace to his land. However, there was a need and God knew that he could find someone faithful in Gideon. The army that he gathered was initially much larger than they ended up with. God did not want them to think they won the victory because of their strength, He wanted them to win it with His. So there goes Gideon with 300 men against an army. We know that there was victory for them and they had forty years of peace.

Judges 6:23-24 (AMP) The Lord said to him, “Peace to you, do not be afraid; you shall not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah, of the Abiezrites.

At the beginning of the story, Gideon called God by the name “The Lord is Peace.” In other translations it is “Jehovah Shalom”. While shalom does mean peace it carries a deeper meaning of completeness and wholeness. Jesus is our Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). We are whole and complete in Him. This is what Gideon was rooted in to go out against such a great army. It is Jesus within that I have the strength to do the hard things. It takes two people to stay in strife, it only takes one person to bring peace to a situation. I want to be that one person. I want the other person to know that peace too. I want them whole and complete. No other reason than that they are deeply loved.

Isaiah 66:12 (AMP) For the Lord says this, “Behold, I extend peace to her (Jerusalem) like a river,
and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you will be nursed, you will be carried on her hip and [playfully] rocked on her knees.

Colossians 3:15 (AMP) Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always].

I am thankful to God for this challenge, it will bring even growth in myself. Above all I desire His glory to be manifested in the midst of this situation. I am calling on my Jehovah Shalom and wanting the peace of God to over take me like a river. Notice I did not say a babbling brook. These waters are not calm but His peace is there. I do not need to be anxious for the future, because He is the God of Peace. I am complete and whole in Him. Today’s breath prayer has been, “Lord, You are my Rock and my Shield.” My body has completely loosened from the tension of the morning. No other conversation needed other than between God and myself. Peace like a river.

Adonai, Lord, Jehovah You are more precious than anything we could ever imagine. You are our Jehovah Shalom. Thank You for Your Son, the Prince of Peace. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Comforter. Thank You for the growth opportunities. Thank You for the challenges that You see before hand and have prepared a way. You made a way in the wilderness. You are the same God. We repent for thinking we have to it all on our own. We repent for keeping our minds on anything other than You. We know that there are complication in life, but we are not without You. Thank You for giving us the strength to stand. We thank You for Your Word. It is Your Word that we find our source of life and strength. Your Word is like the freshest water to quench the deepest of thirsts. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Jogging Interruptus

Proverbs 16:9 (AMP) A man’s mind plans his way [as he journeys through life], but the Lord directs his steps and establishes them.

The year of 2025 I have dedicated to “Here I am,” listening for the God moments to change direction. This Monday, as I was at the gym, it was time for me to get on the track. For the past few weeks I have been able to jog some of the track. I am really excited about the progress I am making on my time. However, I was just not feeling too good. I was a little queasy and my head started hurting. Of which I thought was strange because I had not changed anything on my diet. I kept going on the track, but I walked.

As I am walking the track, I am listening to my worship mix and praying. Thanking Him for another day to glorify Him. Praying over my body to come back in line. Then I notice one of my older gentleman friends step out of his cycling class. He has his back against the wall and we smile at each other as I walk by. My next lap around and he is still standing there, we smile at each other and I walk by. The next lap another gentleman is talking to him, they are exchanging pleasantries, but I notice a change in his complexion, we smile and I walk by. I am done with my workout, but I am going to walk by just one more time. He is still standing there and his color is completely gone. I go up to him, touch his arm and said, “How about we go sit down? The color is gone from your face, so let’s go get you cooled off.” So there I am walking him to the bench, my hand inside his arm (as if he is leading, but my body in place to catch him if he falls back). To give you a picture of our contrast difference in stature, my friend has clearly got a foot on me and he is at the gym daily. He is older by a few decades, but is the sweetest man. However, I am ready to shield his head with my body if need be.

We make it to the bench and I go grab him a cold towel to put around the back of his neck. I stand with him and exchange small talk until I see the color come back to his cheeks. He can stand again and is much better. I make sure to linger talking to other patrons and talking pleasantries about their going on’s, while keeping an eye on my buddy. He is able to leave and I head out the door as well. All of my previous symptoms of head ache and nausea are gone and I praise God for slowing me down to notice. Then I remember the time Paul was kept back from doing good for better.

Acts 16:6-10 (AMP) Now they passed through the territory of Phrygia and Galatia, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor]; and after they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them; so passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. Then a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man from [the Roman province of] Macedonia was standing and pleading with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” And when he had seen the vision, we (including Luke) tried to go on into Macedonia at once, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

What I love about this example is that Paul was in the process of moving when the Holy Spirit stopped him. All too often we tell God we are waiting on Him when we have stayed still. Paul went in another direction and yet the Holy Spirit stopped him again. In the movement Paul’s heart was still inclined to the voice. It is in our try that we can hear the voice of God, if we have ears to hear.

What if I had paid too much attention to my symptoms and decided to head back home? Before I leave the house every day I pray for God to give me an opportunity to glorify and honor Him that day. Looking for opportunities means I have to step outside of myself.

1 John 3:16 (AMP) 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.

Eli and I were reading our daily devotion before he goes to school and this was today’s verse: “An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends,” taken from Proverbs 18:1 in the New International Version. An unfriendly person isolates theirself was the message of today’s devotion. That is not the message of Christ. If I only serve in church and my family then I have missed the message of Christ (this is for me because my kids are grown). I am still only pursuing what matters to self. I have limited God with my availability. I praise God for the interruptions. There was no other reward that I received other than that man felt cared for by someone that did not have to. Do you know what I go the next day when I saw him? A great big hug and thank you.

In the midst of my self care I was still available. I was the vessel to tell him that he was seen and that he mattered. God says that about each one of us. It is in the moments like Monday that it became tangible. Are we paying attention? I am glad I did not jog that day, I may have missed seeing what was most important.

Isaiah 6:8 (AMP) Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Father, thank you that we have eyes to see and ears to hear. You tell us the direction to go, we only need to be willing to move. Thank you for the interruptions to our plans for the better. In Jesus Name, Amen.