Posted on

Surrounded

Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP) The Lord bless you, and keep you [protect you, sustain you, and guard you]; The Lord make His face shine upon you [with favor], and be gracious to you [surrounding you with lovingkindness]; The Lord lift up His countenance (face) upon you [with divine approval], and give you peace [a tranquil heart and life].’

Yesterday started off pretty rough. I am not going to go into all of the details of it. Just know it was getting my stress level up. Then I had my emotions get in a mess with a statement my husband made. My biggest stressor was getting tickets to see our youngest son play in the game this week.

The tickets for our home games go on sale the week of the game. This week’s game is on Thursday, but the tickets were not going on sale until Tuesday because Monday was a holiday. The tickets were not going to be released until noon. We live in the south, in central Alabama. We do not have professional sports here. We have college sports and high school sports. Football being the biggest fan base. Our youngest has been playing full tackle since he was five and this is his senior year. This game is the biggest rivalry game in our city. It is the 100th game for Opelika verses Auburn. This is usually a sold-out game. Being a stay-at-home mom, you might say, then just get there early and get in line.

Tuesday’s we also have Corporate Prayer. The only time I miss is I am out of town, then I ask someone else to open up the building so it can still happen. I believe the church should not just gather for teaching, but for community and for prayer. Prayer starts at eleven in the morning, and we usually wrap up around noon, giving time for the Word to come forth and not rushing out. It is very important that when we pray, we also listen.

Ephesians 2:22 (AMP) In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Before going into prayer, I handled the business side of things, so my mind would be clear. Then I settled things that were going on with my husband. If you have an offense or in strife with someone, settle it. The Bible talks about before you bring an offering to the altar, and you have offense or know of someone with an offense to you, make it right before presenting your offering. We can nurture an offense and hold onto things that will result in interfering with our relationship with God. All of these are from the teaching of Jesus in the first five chapters of Matthew. I just read those chapters this week, and would you know it I would be tested in it.

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.

We had a great time in prayer. We encouraged each other in the Word, then it was time to make my way to buy tickets. I checked the parent football messaging board, and they said the line was around the building. On the way there I am praying, “God, You know that seeing his son play is a big deal to his father. You said that if I put you first that You would take care of everything else. I did not cancel prayer to get in line for tickets, I put You first. I do not know how, but You will give me favor.” I get there at ten minutes after twelve and the sign on the door says, “SOLD OUT.” I am upset and just praying for the one ticket for my husband. I am thinking about putting my plea on the messaging board. I type it out and another message pops up deleting mine before I can send. I am just going to run in and ask for advice. They advised that they reserve some tickets to sell at field on game day at five thirty. I am disappointed, my face shows it. I tell them I have a senior playing. One employee calls me to the side, she has a booklet of tickets in hand, pulls out two. She says, “I see you mama, you can buy two of mine.” Right then it was if God said, “I see your faithfulness.” I gave her my gratitude, but He is getting the praise. He is getting the glory. He is good. He surrounds us with loving kindness. He even cares about the little things like football tickets.

Jehovah, our Father, You are so Wonderful. You are Holy. Thank You for Your Son, the One who brought us into adoptions to be Your sons and daughters. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit, our Teacher and Comforter. Thank You for Your Word, so that we may know You more. We repent for the times we have placed ourselves before You. The god of ‘self’ has to be dethroned. We choose to surrender our thoughts and our ways to You. Thank You for the grace to grow in letting go of offenses and not living in anger. The most precious relationship we have is with You. Thank You for caring about even the little things. You deserve all of the Honor and all of the Praise. In Your Presence is fullness of Joy. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

Do You Trust Him?

Jeremiah 18:1-6 (AMP) The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will make you hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and saw that he was working at the wheel. But the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled by the potter’s hand; so he made it over, reworking it and making it into another pot that seemed good to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” says the Lord. “Look carefully, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel. 

As I was reading my Bible last week, I came across this text. The potter was working with clay that had already been made into something. He decided to make it into another pot, because he saw fit to make it over. God asked Israel, if He could do the same thing with them. This was a passage of hope for me. We can never be too far gone to give it back to Him. I have to keep reminding myself that I am still in the Potter’s Hands. There are two illustrations using this passage that I would like to share. I did not write them, but I thought you would enjoy reading them.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold — built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. Every break is unique and instead of repairing an item like new, the 400-year-old technique actually highlights the “scars” as a part of the design. Using this as a metaphor for healing ourselves teaches us an important lesson: Sometimes in the process of repairing things that have broken, we actually create something more unique, beautiful and resilient. (Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/how-japanese-art-technique-kintsugi-can-help-you-be-more-ncna866471)

When life is unfolding in hard ways, it can feel impossible to understand why God would allow hurt upon hurt. How could His mercy not fix all of this? How could He possibly use any of this for good? We see more and more unnecessary heartbreak. But God sees the exact pieces and parts that must be added right now to protect us, provide for us and prepare us with more and more of His strength working through us. I learned about these very necessary “pieces and parts” one day with a friend whose mother is a professional potter. I was sharing with her about how, when we place the dust of our shattered places into God’s hands and He mixes it with His living water, the clay that’s formed can then be made into anything. She smiled so big. She’d seen clay being formed into many beautiful things when placed into her mother’s hands. And she shared something with me that made my jaw drop. She told me that wise potters not only know how to form beautiful things from clay, but they also know how important it is to add some of the dust from previously broken pieces of pottery to the new clay. This type of dust is called “grog.” When shattered just right, the grog dust added to the new clay will enable the potter to form the clay into a larger and stronger vessel than ever before. And it can go through fires much hotter as well. Plus, when glazed, these pieces end up having a much more beautiful, artistic look to them than they would have otherwise. (Source: Lysa TerKeurst, It Is Not Supposed to Be This Way)

I love both of these illustrations. There is so much hope in knowing that I can never be so broken that I would no longer have any value. I am preparing my message for Mother’s Day. I have been doing so since God placed the topic in my heart at the first of the year. It is a message of putting our lives back into the Potter’s Hands. When God asks us, “Can I do with you as the potter does?” He is asking us, “Do you trust me?” When calamity and folly comes our way? When we do not get the house we wanted? When we did not get that job? When the bills keep piling up or the car breaks down again? Do you trust Him?

I have been the woman sobbing into my pillow at night because I was worried about where we would live. Or, I was so exhausted from everything that I could not hold it together any longer. I have to remember to be still (rest in His peace). Do you trust Him? When we have done all, stand on the promise of His Word. He will take you the rest of the way through. He will fill in the cracks. He will make it over if He has to. Trust!