Monday, December 6, 2010

Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 3

Wisdom Speaks:
My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
(Proverbs 3:11-12 (KJV)

Love is a funny thing. Depending on the source of love, the object of love, it carries with it a wide variety of emotions. Love makes you feel – joy, happiness, excitement, nervousness, fear. Most of these emotions we welcome; some we do not care for at all. But there is one emotion, one feeling, that most of us despise. Unfortunately, it is the one that God uses to shape us into what he wants us to be.

According to Wisdom, love – real love - makes you feel pain. The thing we have to remember is that it is not needless pain. Love’s pain is for a purpose. Wisdom says that we are chastened because we are loved. The analogy here lets us know that God is to us as a father is to his children. It is he who is responsible for our upbringing, our provision, our protection. In his role as our father, he is also responsible for training us to walk upright.

When I was a child, I didn’t always have a father – my stepfather was around for a time – but I always had discipline. My mom firmly believed in applying the rod, the extension cord, the belt – well, you get the picture. Unfortunately I did not always appreciate her fervency. So I did what most children who despise discipline do – I ran away from home. But I found out that other people don’t treat you like your parents. They may let you go without discipline, but it’s really because they don’t have a vested interest in how you turn out.

Wisdom warns us not to get tired of the Lord’s discipline – don’t run away from God when you are chastised. Just take your punishment and get back in line – repent and change. Nobody you can run to will love you like your Father. He has a vested interest in your outcome – he wants to see you make something of yourself with all of the gifts and abilities he has placed inside you. He delights in you; therefore, he does what is necessary to keep you on the right track. We are loved so much that we are not allowed to ruin ourselves. Some people say there is no love stronger than a mother’s love – but I disagree. The Father’s love is stronger still.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 2

Wisdom Speaks:
1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 2:1-6 (KJV).

There is a lot of meat in this passage, but I want to focus on the verse that sums it all up: verse 6. It lets us know that even in our earnest desire for wisdom and understanding, we can mess up if we go to the wrong source. Don’t get me wrong – wisdom does not just sit there waiting for you in an obvious place. It is something that must be sought after diligently. But again, it must be sought in the right place.

The scripture lets us know that the Lord gives wisdom. But it doesn’t come from his hand – it comes from his mouth. We can spend our time seeking the Lord without ever seeking wisdom because we are looking to tap into the wrong source.

We seek the Lord’s hand for provision, protection, healing, and deliverance. But it is his mouth that we must seek for wisdom. Wisdom comes only from the mouth of God – the word of God. You cannot have true wisdom without the word.

Wisdom says that when you are seeking God’s wisdom on an issue, you must look to the source – the word of God – the mouth of God – the express representative of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Tabloids and television, magazines and novelties, cannot give you the wisdom of the Word. It cannot be found in celebrities or personalities.

True wisdom is given – by God’s mouth – sit at his feet, please. But while you’re there, please pay attention to his mouth. Get into God’s Word. Don’t just look; listen. Wisdom speaks, but it uses a mouth to do it.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 1

Wisdom Speaks: My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. (Proverbs 1:10).

This instruction is so simple, it seems that it shouldn’t even have to be given. But even as the writer was instructing his son, this simple direction is relevant to us today. “If sinners entice thee…”

As people of God, we have to be able to distinguish, and be distinguished from, sinners. It is important that we know whose advice to take, whose plans to buy into, whose decisions to uphold. You can tell by their activity. Sinners entice. They make bad look good – evil look righteous – ugly look pretty. They flatter and flirt until you see things their way. They are the people who will tell you, “Nobody else will know,” or “just do it this one time” or “what can it hurt?”

The writer says we have power over the enticement. We are admonished, “Consent thou not.” In other words, don’t give into suggestions that will take you outside the will of God. Run if you have to, pray if you have to, cry if you have to, but don’t consent. Do not give in to the enticer.

It is wonderful to know that we are the ones with the power. We can resist! The Bible tells us what will happen if we do.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (KJV).
That is good news! But it only works if we follow the first part of the equation: submit to God. It is He who gives us the power to resist the devil and to withstand the ridicule of those who choose to live contrary to God’s ways. Enticers cannot withstand the power of a life truly submitted to God.

Something good to think about when someone other than Wisdom speaks.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

A friend shared this with me, and I thought I would share it with you:

This was first published in a book called "Ancient Prophets" written by Samuel Logan Brengle, an Indiana Methodist who joined The Salvation Army in the 1890's. Because of his desire for holiness and his call to teach, he became known as The Salvation Army's "Prophet of Holiness" and wrote several books on common everyday holy living. My prayer, is this can be used to help someone who is struggling.

AN OPEN LETTER TO A YOUNG MAN SEEKING SPIRITUAL HELP

My dear Comrade,

Your letter has just now reached me, and I hasten to reply.

You say: 'I have sought and found Holiness many times, but the longest I have been able to keep it was seven weeks,' and then you mention some besetting sin against which you have struggled for five years.

Let me ask, did you yield to this besetting sin? And then feeling condemned, did you come to the penitent-form seeking a Clean Heart? If so, you have probably made the great mistake so many make of claiming heart purity, when what you received was the peace of pardon. If I fall into sin, I must first confess my sin with a penitent heart and trust for pardon through reliance upon the Blood of Jesus, and if I do this the peace of pardon will fill my heart, but I must not mistake this for Sanctification.

When I am pardoned I am then called to consecrate my redeemed life to God, and when I wholly consecrate myself to Him who has loved me out of my sins, my guilt, my condemnation, I must trust Him to purify my whole being, to sanctify me wholly and fill me with the Holy Spirit. And if I believe, He can and will do the wonder work of grace in me. He will make me holy; He will perfect me in love; He will fill me with passion for His glory, so that I sing from my heart:

Take my love, my Lord, I pour At Thy feet, its treasure store;

Take my life and it shall be Ever, only, all for Thee.

And with joy I sing:

The Blood, the Blood is all my plea; Hallelujah! for it cleanses me.

You speak of keeping the Blessing seven weeks. How did you keep the Blessing so long? Was it not by walking with the Blesser? If your attention is fixed upon the Blessing instead of the Blesser; if you think of Holiness as separate from the Holy Spirit, you will lose all. If you fail to recognize, honour, love, trust, and obey the Blesser, you lose the Blessing, just as you lose the beauty of the rose when you turn your eyes from the rose, or the sweetness when you take away the honey, or the music when you lose the musician. Why and how did you lose the Blessing after seven weeks? Was it not because under stress of temptation you took your eyes off the Blesser? You forgot the sweet, sacred presence of the Blesser. and turning from Him you yielded to sin, or you doubted, and then the enemy robbed you of the Blessing. 'Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation.' When temptation came you should have said, 'Get behind me, Satan.' You should have resisted the Devil, and drawn nigh to God. The Blesser was there. The Holy Spirit was present. The infinitely loving Redeemer, with all His redemptive power, was with you, but you forgot Him, and so lost the Blessing.

You should have turned to Jesus in love and loyalty and trust, and said, 'O Lord, I am Thine; keep me! I trust Thee. I love Thee. I praise Thee, and I will not fear mine enemy.' If you had done this, you would not have lost the Blessing. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from thee. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to thee.' That is the way, and I know of no other way of victory. In that way, and that way only, I have been getting victory for nearly half a century, and in that way you can get victory, and get it quickly, and get it always. Hallelujah

You are discouraged. You wonder if you can ever gain and keep the victory. You can, bless God! You can. The victory is at the door now. The Victor is at the door. Open and let Him in, and victory is yours. Drop on your knees now, just now, and tell Him all; then trust Him, thank Him, praise Him, whether or not you have any great feeling. Just keep on trusting, thanking, praising, and obeying Him, and peace and victory will come.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, and guard yourself against the beginnings of temptation and sin. Keep your mind pure. Fill it with clean thoughts, loving thoughts, and holy affections. Lift your thoughts above fleshly and low things to spiritual levels. Sing songs and make melody in your heart to the Lord.

Deal promptly and sternly with your eyes and your ears. Turn away your eyes from beholding evil, and your ears from listening to evil. Make a covenant with your eyes as did Job. Stand on guard at eyegate and eargate lest sin get into your heart through those gateways.

Sin does not leap upon us fully armed. It steals in through a look, a swift, silent suggestion or imagination, but love and loyalty to Jesus will make you watchful and swift to rise up and cast out the subtle enemy. Do this and you shall live, and live victoriously.

Often drop on your knees or lift your heart in secret prayer, and do not forget to mingle thanksgiving with your prayers. You do not praise God enough. Begin now. Thank Him now and praise Him, for He is worthy, and you are much behind in this sweet duty.

When you wake up in the morning ask Him for some verse of song to cheer you through the day, and find some verse of Scripture upon which to stay your mind. Finally, seek to pass some of your blessing on to some other soul, as the widow of Sarepta shared her bit of oil and handful of meal with Elijah and found it multiplying through the months of famine. So will you find your blessings multiplying as you share them with others.
May you be encouraged to share this with others as well.

Monday, November 22, 2010

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Saturday, November 6, 2010

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Friday, October 15, 2010

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Alive and Well

I just wanted you to know that I am alive and well. By alive, I mean that I have been quickened by the Spirit of the Lord. The circumstances of life have tried to triumph over me, tried to make me feel that my purpose was dead. But thanks be to God! He let me know that if I have the Spirit of God inside of me, I can be raised, even from the dead.

Romans 8:11 says, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." This word lets us know that if we have been filled with the Spirit, the same power that raised Christ Jesus will also raise us. The power that raised Christ can pick you up even when the weight of the world is piled on top of you.

And not only am I alive, I am well! My soul is prospering. I am encouraged to move forward in the Lord, despite (or maybe because of) the challenges I have faced. The word of God gives us power to continue to make progress. Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." He wants us to live life to the fullest extent.

My wish for you is the same as that expressed in 3 John 2: "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." Be encouraged to consider yourself alive and well no matter what is happening in your life. You can make it!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Prayer Break

Father, I am writing this in obedience to your command. I thank you for your covering over your people even when they are in the throes of sleep and dreams. Thank you for dispatching your angels to stand guard around us, protecting us from danger that is hidden, as well as that which is clear and present. Lord, I pray right now for those who are standing in the valley of decision, trying to decipher what they are to do. I ask you to give clear direction, release wisdom from on high, and send your warrior angels to deal with demonic resistance.

God, you are calling your people to arise and take authority over all the works of the enemy. Even now some of our coworkers are contemplating violence, living lives of quiet desperation. Lord, help us to see their need and address it by the power of the Spirit. There are some whose relationships are torn, and we have not mended them. Hearts are broken, and we have not applied the Balm of Gilead. Even in Your Kingdom, Lord, there are those who are in need of healing and restoration. Let your people arise to become an instrument of restoration. We know that you are allowing us to be tested and tried, we know that our hidden sin is being exposed, and we repent for harboring any thought, attitude, or action that is contrary to your will. We acknowledge that false religion is rampant, and that even the very elect is being deceived by watered-down forms of Christianity. Your word declares that many of us have zeal, but not according to knowledge. Your word also tells us that some of us have a form of godliness, but we have denied the very power that godliness provides. Help us to turn from our wicked ways. Heal our land. Forgive our sin. Help us to reclaim our children, and our children's children, for you. We declare that we will no longer sit idly by and speak negatively about our youth; rather, we will embrace them and teach them about you with purity and Godly sincerity. We will not shake our heads in despair over our situations - over challenges - over disappointments - over failures - but instead we will arise and praise you.

God we bless you for healing in our families, friends, and surroundings. We believe in prosperity of mind, body, soul, spirit, finances, homes, businesses, employers, ministries, churches, pastors, leaders - all that you desire to bless. Our prayer is collective - we believe, and we receive. We thank you, we honor you, we adore you, we trust you, Lord, we bless you! You are indeed the source of our strength. You are without a doubt the strength of our lives. Even now we lift our hands and bless you. We give you total praise. We thank you for sending your Son to die for us, and we thank you that he has risen from the dead. We thank you for the gift of eternal, abundant life. We thank you that both now - in this time - and in the life to come, you will restore all that has been taken from us by our enemies. Let God arise, and the enemy be scattered! And teach us, again, to fight together, warring on each other's behalf, for release and for increase. Let your prophets speak, and your anointing flow, until the glory of the Lord is revealed throughout the earth. In the powerful name of Jesus, we offer this prayer. Amen.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 31

Wisdom Speaks:
Pro 31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
Pro 31:2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?

Even though there is the much-lauded description of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31, the first two verses are my favorites. I love the acknowledgment of King Lemuel's mother, the mention of the fact that she taught him, prepared him to be a king. The Bible does not say when she taught him; it only tells us that she did. She acknowledged him as her son, but she did not stop there: she said "son of my womb," which implies that he was the product of her own body, not borne to her by anyone else. And finally, she calls him "son of my vows," which implies that he was born to a marriage which she honored and treasured. Our children may not have been born to such ideal circumstances. Perhaps you have not had a natural child. But you are still endued with the power to instruct kings. Be it your natural children or children of God who need help, you can honor your vows to God by instructing kings. Help them learn to exercise authority, to operate in wisdom, to use good judgment. If you read the next verses in Proverbs 31, you will see that King Lemuel's mother instructed him to avoid things that would taint his kingship. This is a valuable lesson that should be taught to all of God's kings and priests on the earth. Wisdom says that kings have to be prepared, taught how to be what they already are before it is manifested to the world. We used to have church mothers, called by many "mothers in Zion." They taught us holiness, whether we wanted to know about it or not. They prepared us to live in the kingdom of God. I submit you do not have to be elderly to fit the bill. Dispense wisdom to the kings in your sphere of influence. Many of them do not recognize who they are - who they should be. The next generation needs Godly mothers in order to learn how to become kings.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 23

Wisdom Speaks:
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;
18 For surely there is a hereafter,
And your hope will not be cut off.
Proverbs 23:17-18 (NKJV). Sometimes it seems very hard to keep things in perspective. It is far easier to be distracted by what appears to be the progress of someone around you, especially if they do not follow the Lord. Believers sometimes get frustrated, thinking that it is unfair that those who don't regard the Lord are having a better time of life than they are. But the truth is revealed in the Bible. Wisdom says it is better to be consistent in your zeal - in your fear of the Lord - knowing that you have an expectation that is far greater than anyone's temporary gain. There is a powerful promise - your hope will not be cut off. Keep in mind that the moment you are in is just that - a moment. It is not the end. I can't say it any better than the word, "For surely there is a hereafter." After this, I will still be here! And so will you.


Search Amazon.com for proverbs

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 21

Wisdom Speaks:
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Proverbs 21:1. This is good news for those of us who have matters resting in the hands of someone in authority over us. It is great that your affairs appear to rest in this "king's" hand, but it is greater still that that king's heart is in the Lord's hand. Now I ask you to consider, whose hand is bigger, stronger, more powerful? The King of Kings has authority over any king on the earth. Wisdom says that you should ask your Heavenly King for favor - trust Him to turn the heart of someone who seems to be reluctant to decide in your favor. Remember what wisdom said - your situation is just like the rivers of water which are controlled by God. He can turn things around at any time.Search Amazon.com for favor of god

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 19

Wisdom speaks: "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." Proverbs 19:18. Does anybody else remember the days when we knew we were going to be physically chastised for wrongdoing? And the discipline session that started with,
"This hurts me more than it hurts you"?
You know I never believed that one! Or how about this:
"I'd rather beat you now than have the police beat you later."
Didn't understand that one either, that is, until I had a child of my own. What is happening nowadays? Parents are afraid to discipline their children. Even those as young as two or three are allowed to say and do whatever they want with no adverse consequences. No wonder they become spoiled and self-centered and place very little value on human life. Wisdom says that parents should instill discipline in their children before they get too old for change. While there is hope that they will become well-mannered citizens of society, we have to provide the loving guidance that discipline really is. It is not just punishment, although sometimes that is necessary. Discipline involves teaching. Who better to teach your child to become someone you can be truly proud of than you? It is hard sometimes, for we do not ever want to see our children hurt or deny them anything they desire. But we must have hope that our loving teaching and training will help them to fulfill the will of God in their lives. Thanks, Mom, for all those times you brought me back into line - you had hope! I just wish hope hadn't hurt so bad. :-)
Search Amazon.com for dare to discipline

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 18

Wisdom Speaks: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Prov. 18:10. One of my favorite songs back in the day was "Who Can I Run To?" by the Jones Girls (yes, I'm that old). It was actually remade by a couple of times that I know of, the last by a gospel group, Ricky Dillard & New G. Their version finally answered the question - even though the Bible had the answer all the time. I can run to the Lord no matter what situation I am facing and so can you. His name, applied correctly, is a STRONG tower that no enemy can penetrate. Wisdom says learn to hide yourself in the name of the Lord. Run into it when life's issues are trying to overtake you. You will be safe.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

My Scars Remind Me

The other day I spent a long time looking at the bottom of my left foot. Yes, the bottom of my left foot. Not both feet, but the left in particular.

You see, the bottom of my left foot is quite different from the right. It is scarred - the result of a staph infection that left me on antibiotics for over a year. That foot hurt so bad when the infection first started that I could not stand on it. It got so bad that I had to have surgery to remove the skin. The infection was so serious that when the skin grew back, the infection came back with it.

But you really don't need all the details. What I was thinking of as I stared at the scars on my foot were the days that I went to work and church with a house shoe and bandages. The days that I sang on the praise team seated on a stool because I could not stand. The day that I cried because I was finally able to wear a shoe - a flip-flop - for the first time in months.

The scars remind me of the news report I saw that profiled a woman my exact age who died as a result of the same type of infection. The reports said she got it at a nail salon and the infection traveled to her heart and killed her.

And I love my scars. I love them because they remind me of God's faithfulness. They remind me that God's report takes precedence over what the "experts" say and think. The scars remind me how I was told that the infection would spread, but miraculously, it stayed confined to that one foot. The scars remind me, sometimes by hurting, that I am still alive despite what I went through.

And they will do the same for you. I was thinking that perhaps Thomas wanted to see Christ's nail-scarred hands because he knew that scars would prove that healing had taken place. You can only be scarred, after all, if a wound has healed.

Be encouraged to take some time to observe your own scars. They will remind you that even though you were wounded, you were also healed! You lived to fight another day. And you have the victory over what hurt you, because you are still here and the pain, the sickness, the disease, is gone.

Jesus' scars were for our healing (Isaiah 53; 2 Peter 2), but He is alive and lives forever! Our scars may be our witness to others of the healing power of Jesus.

So yes, I stared at my scars, but not really to be reminded of the pain. My scars are my reminder that God is able - that He is a healer - and that He delivered me! When things threaten to overwhelm me, when sickness comes upon me, I remember the scars - mine - and the stripes - Christ's. Both of them remind me that whatever I am going through is not permanent - it is only for a moment.

And I will live again. So will you.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Pride, Step Aside!

I have been thinking a lot lately about pride. It seems to me that this small word can actually describe a debilitating illness that keeps us stuck. Pride operates in our lives in a variety of ways, manifesting arrogance and self-exaltation. It convinces us that we are right no matter the circumstances, that our way is best as opposed to any other at all times. Pride convinces us to hold our position, choosing to throw away good relationships so that our pride can remain intact. Pride causes us to hold on to bad relationships because pride won't let us admit that they are toxic and draining us of life and vitality.

It is this pride - the extremity of pride - that keeps us from receiving all that we need from God, for pride hinders our ability to seek God.

Psalm 10:4 KJV - The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek [after God]: God [is] not in all his thoughts.
So why to do we hold on to pride? Mainly because pride appeals to our vanity - it makes us feel right, and that's what we want. We don't understand that pride is the enemy - a subtle enemy, but real. Pride cancels out humility - pride keeps us from submitting ourselves to anyone or anything. Pride makes us feel superior, but it hides from us the fact that will eventually become known to us: God resists the proud.

James 4:6 KJV - But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

1 Peter 5:5 KJV - Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
That's what the Bible says. And who is strong enough to prevail when God is resisting them? No one. It is the truth. When you let pride direct you, you find yourself doomed to fail. The Word of God, the Bible, tells us that too.

Pro 16:18 KJV - Pride [goeth] before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Pro 29:23 KJV - A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
None of us want to fail, yet we let pride fool us into thinking that somehow we are so special that we will not meet that fate of those who have risen up against God. Against God? Yes. Pride causes us to seek our own way, and that is against God.

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. {17} And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
I am not writing this to condemn anyone. All of us have a little bit of pride, and that's not altogether bad. It's when our pride begins to override God's will and God's word that we are in trouble. I just want to encourage you to check yourself out. Are you holding on to relationships that don't please God because you can't admit that they are wrong? Are you denying the will of God for your life because you want a certain person to approve of you? Have you refused to apologize to someone because you don't want to give them the "upper hand"?

If these or any similar attributes are yours, it's time to tell pride to step aside! Confess to the Lord the reasons that you are holding on to pride and if you don't know what the reasons are, confess that also. Ask him to deliver you from pride's destructive influences. He is willing and able to help you return to reality. And it is better that you come to him voluntarily. Don't wait for him to humble you.

Luk 14:11 KJV - For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
I don't think any of us really want to go through God's humbling process, although often the adverse circumstances of our lives are just that. We have to guard against overarching pride by maintaining our love relationship with God. It is hard to be lifted up in self when you are continually lifting up the savior. Worship, prayer, and praise make pride step aside. Humble yourself before God today, so that in due time, the Lord can lift you up. When it's God's doing, you will be able to walk in confidence, not arrogance. I know that's my prayer.

Pride, step aside!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Time Brings About a Change (from August 2009 Reflections on Eternity)

Right now I am thinking about the hymn that says, "time is filled with swift transition, none on earth unmoved can stand; build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God's unchanging hand."

It seems to me that one thing that is sure is that time will bring about a change. No matter what your current state, you can remain hopeful, because with the passage of time, things will change. Now I know that all change is not for the better, but still, even the worst circumstances can change and improve over time.

What troubles most of us, I think, is that we do not know how long it will take for the change we desire to take place. We watch so many television commercials - beloved "infomercials" that promise instant results - that we think everything should happen as quickly as promised on tv. But we fail to read the fine print on those ads that always states "results not typical."

This is the reality of life. Quick results - getting rich quick, quick weight loss, instant happiness - are not typical. Quick results are the exception, not the rule. The rule is that we have to learn to endure, which implies the passage of time in a situation.

I am instantly reminded of Job. In the middle of his distress he began to think about the end of his life and what was going to happen to him. You should take some time to read the 14th chapter of the Book of Job. In it you will find statements like these: "Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil." (v. 1). "Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; and his limits You have set so that he cannot pass." (v. 5). And then he says, "If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes." (v. 14).

Job knew that his deliverance was in the hands of God, and would be worked out in God's time.

In Psalm 90, a psalm attributed to Moses, the writer lets us know that God's time is dramatically different than ours. He writes, "For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night." (v. 4). What seems in our mind as an eternity is merely a drop in the bucket to God.

We have to learn to entrust ourselves to Him in such a way that we can endure the test of time. What does the song say? "Build your hopes on things eternal." This is our mandate in this dispensation, where things are not moving favorably in the economy and the national and political landscape is suspect. We must begin to turn to the Lord with a determination to wait for our change to come.

I want to encourage you to try to see God's perspective because to Him, your years of struggle have only been a moment of time that He is using to refine you and to birth His purposes in you.

The day of the Lord is surely coming. He will avenge you, uplift you, establish you. But in the meantime, He gives us a chance to make sure that we get things right with Him and truly put our faith and trust in Him. But don't take my word for it. Here's an expert on the subject:

"But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:8-9).

Time brings about a change. The Lord will perform His promises to you, but only in His time. Step out of your own timetable and into God's and watch Him move!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Overcome ANY Obstacle with 3 Simple Questions

I thought this was worth sharing:

Overcome ANY Obstacle with 3 Simple Questions
by Jack Canfield

What stands between you and what you most desire?

Your answers might relate to a lack of money, time, support from family, or all of these. Obstacles can seem so numerous, so obvious, and so tough to change.

You can relate to obstacles in many ways. Typical responses are to explain them or resist them.

Both responses take a lot of time and energy. And both anchor you firmly in the past, keeping your focus on areas of your life that are not working.

To immediately generate alternatives, remember a simple analogy...

Imagine that you’re driving down a scenic highway. Suddenly you come to a huge rock in the middle of the road.

At this moment you have several options. You could try to explain how the rock ended up there. You could also go into resistance mode, complaining about the carelessness of highway construction or the lack of state funding for rock removal.

Or, you could bypass all this negativity and remove the obstacle from your life at once. Instead of explaining the rock or resisting it, just drive around it.

When faced with obstacles, people often respond with questions based on explanation and resistance, such as:

- Why am I so alone?
- Why does this always happen to me?
- Why am I such a failure?

However, you always have another option. You can ask questions that help you drive around any obstacle in your life.

Questions have uncanny power. Questions direct your attention— and along with it, how you think and how you feel. If you want to create different thoughts, feelings, and results into your life, then ask different questions.

Start now by skipping the why questions and begin asking what questions, such as:

1) What’s the lesson here?

There’s an old saying about learning from experience: Beware the person with twenty years of experience. This may consist of one year of learning and nineteen years of repetition.

The point is that experiences do not come prepackaged with empowering lessons. Everything hinges on how you interpret experiences, and your interpretations can change over the years. A single event can take you a step closer to emotional contraction or expansion. It all depends on how you interpret that event.

Psychologist Martin Seligman has made a career by studying how human beings interpret their experience. He notes that each of us has an explanatory style. People who chronically feel helpless tend to explain events in ways that are:

Permanent: “I always get confused when trying to learn something new.”
Personal: “I’m just no good at meeting people.”
Pervasive: “I’m just the kind of person who fails to follow through, no matter what kind of goals I set.”
Optimistic people use a different style. They explain events in ways that are:

Temporary: “When I feel confused, I ask questions that lead me to understanding.”
External: “I find it hard to talk to people in bars, so I invite them to quiet restaurants instead.”
Specific: “I find it challenging to meet long-term goals, so for now I will focus on achieving short-term objectives.”
You should interpret these obstacles as yield signs rather than stop signs.

These are signals that the world is expanding to accommodate your growth. Instead of resisting a challenge, just lean into it. Ask yourself: How can I interpret this event in a more powerful way? What’s a positive lesson that’s waiting here to be learned?

2) What’s great about having this problem?

There’s an easy answer to this question: “Nothing!” However, looking beyond that knee-jerk response can quickly open up your perspective.

Tony Robbins offers an example in his book Awakening the Giant Within. He recalls a time when he’d been on the road for nearly 100 days out of 120. Returning to his office, he found a stack of urgent memos and a list of 100 phone calls that he needed to personally return. Before making these discoveries, he was tired. Now he felt exhausted.

Tony managed to shift his internal state simply by asking: What’s great about having this problem? He then realized that just a few years ago he would have been grateful to get calls from twenty people—let alone one hundred people with national reputations.

This insight was enough to break his pattern of frustration. He found himself feeling grateful that so many people he loved and respected were willing to connect with him.

3) What’s my next action?

This question shines a spotlight on solutions. No matter what happens, you can choose what to say and do in response. Rather than manifesting resistance or explanation, you can choose your next action.

Successful people hold a bias for action. Add inspiration and intention to the mix, and you gain an unstoppable momentum.

* * *

I'll be back in two weeks with another edition of Success Strategies. Until then, see how you can discover ways to immediately implement what you learned from today's message!

© 2010 Jack Canfield
* * *

Are you "stuck" in this area?
Join me this summer at the Breakthrough to Success Retreat where we'll work together to overcome any unconscious blocks holding you back from your ideal life.http://www.breakthroughtosuccess.com

* * *


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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Excerpt - Surviving Your Season of Shame by C. M. Blount

"Surviving Your Season of Shame" will be published soon! Look for it online. In the meantime, enjoy this excerpt:

Let Him be Crucified!

The prime example of purposeful shame is the Lord Jesus Christ. Can you imagine the scene in Jerusalem? If you’re having trouble, just indulge me for a moment:

The cry rang out from among the people, the same people Jesus healed, fed, and taught. Pilate was trying to release Him! Jesus knew this, yet He did or said nothing which would aid Pilate’s attempts. Pilate was under strain. His wife had told him not to bother with this man of righteousness. She said her dreams had been troubled because of Him!

Jesus just stood there, giving the most minimal, but powerful, answers to Pilate’s questions. Pilate knew he had to act – the people were thirsty for blood. But did it have to be this man’s blood? In a last-ditch effort to save the Galilean, Pilate addressed the people. Surely they would want to see the murderer Barabbas crucified rather than this man!

But alas, the people had another plan. The Bible tells us that when given the option of which prisoner should be released, they cried out for Barabbas. And when asked about Jesus, they shouted, “Let Him be crucified!” Pilate was stunned – he washed his hands of the whole affair after delivering a stern warning. Pilate told the Jews he would not be called into account for the blood of this man.

The Jews, however, responded with a statement that has puzzled me for some time. They said, “Let His blood be on us and on our children!” Why would they curse their children with the consequences of their actions? I still do not really understand, but I submit it is something to think about: are the seasons of shame our children experience brought about because of our actions? Maybe.

But that’s not the point. The point is Jesus knew he would be crucified. He explained to his disciples that he would be lifted up the same way Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness so that multitudes would be healed. Jesus knew that he had to die. It was the reason that he came into the world.

But such a death! He was humiliated – stripped, mocked, spit upon, beaten, and then crucified. He was publicly destroyed (from a human standpoint), but He understood that it was all for the purpose of reconciling man to God.

Does that mean that it was easy? No! It is not easy to bear the cross. It is not easy to fulfill God’s purposes. And knowing that it is God’s will does not necessarily allow you to breeze through the process. Jesus prayed! He truly prayed asking God to let this particular cup pass from Him if there was any other way God’s purpose could be accomplished.

But after He let God know how He felt about what He was going to have to go through, Jesus uttered a sentence that has become another part of my daily prayer, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thy will be done.” That is a hard prayer to pray, but if you can get to that stage, you can walk through your season of shame without batting an eye. As long as you know that what you are going through is to accomplish the will of God, you will be able to handle it.

The writer of Hebrews explains it this way, speaking of our Lord, “who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame….” What was the joy set before him? Simply, God’s will being done and man being reconciled to God.

Ask any church founder or pioneer, I’m sure they would tell you they had to learn to endure so that they could perform the task God laid on their hearts. Many of them were ridiculed, harassed, and abandoned by friends and family. But the conviction that they were moving in the direction of God’s purpose carried them through. He has not changed, He will do the same thing for you.

Have you given any thought to what people might learn about God by watching you walk through your season of shame? I know I didn’t – not at first. The revelation of that truth did not come to me until years later. And guess who it came from? My first husband. He told me years after our divorce that I had been a good wife and that I taught him how to hold his peace instead of arguing and fighting. It had never occurred to me during our trials that he was watching my reaction and learning from me. It turns out that what we went through made us both stronger and better. And it led me to the place where I am today, walking into my purpose with no fear of the past.

From Jesus’ example, we discover the high price that God was willing to pay for our redemption. Christ’s picture of sacrificial love should elevate our spirits and reveal to us just how much we are treasured by our creator. As one of my former pastors used to say, God took what He could not replace and traded it for what He could replace. He could have wiped us out, been done with us, divorced us if you will.

But through Hosea, Mary, Jesus, me, and you, people can learn that the love of God is richer, fuller, and deeper than any human love. Now that’s purpose!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Insomnia (an excerpt from "Go to Sleep" by Catrina Johnson-Bloun

Insomnia–the inability to go to sleep, or to stay asleep for a full night of rest. This has plagued me for most of my adult life. It seems like a mixed bag of blessing and curse. Lack of sleep, sustained over a period of time, hinders you in a lot of ways. It breaks your concentration and impairs the body’s ability to repair itself.

On the other hand, my wakeful moments are sometimes my most brilliant. I write a lot of my poetry during the midnight hours. A few restless nights isn’t too bad, but I have realized that a sustained period without rest is not a good thing. Not only that, if your lack of rest is brought on by worry and fear, you are working outside of God’s plan for your life.

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Psalm 127:2.

Not only that, the Lord Himself keeps watch over us, so there is no need for us to stay awake!

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121:2-4.

Even though God does not slumber or sleep, He created in us a need to do just that. Sleep is needed so that the body can rest, replenish, and dream. I began to think about that. Many of us are exhausted and over-stressed. In our high-tech, fast-paced society we are always driven to do more and to see more. It is no wonder that we can’t turn off our minds when it is time to go to sleep. So how do we conquer this problem? If you watch television, you’ve surely seen the myriad of commercials advertising things designed to help people sleep. But are sleeping aids, as helpful as they are, the best answer? Perhaps we need to ask the Lord to help us sleep. That’s what I am learning to do. And I have learned that God desires sleep for us, and for our enemies. In fact, He uses our sleep, and our dreams, to accomplish his purposes in us.

In the creation which crowned the head of man, woman, the Bible says that God caused a “deep sleep” to come upon Adam.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
Genesis 2:21-22.

This sleep was deep enough to allow God to take a rib from Adam and create Eve. This sleep was so deep that God was able to cut Adam open, extract the material that would fulfill his deepest need, and create that fulfillment without interruption and human intervention. Notice that God already had in Adam everything he needed to make Eve. All it took to pull it out was a good sleep. I dare you to go to sleep and let God go to work on you. There’s no telling what He might bring to you in the morning!

Monday, May 31, 2010

A Little Late for Mother's Day (from May 2010 Reflections on Eternity)

To all my readers that are moms, Happy Belated Mother's Day! It is so hard to know what to get for mom or what to say that can adequately capture the depth of feeling you have for your mother. Mother is our first nurturer and teacher, the one who we learn about the world from. Mother is the first person who meets our every need and responds to our cries. I am thankful for my mother.

I know that not everyone feels this way, and it is sad that this is the case. But whatever the current circumstance, at some point, you had a mother. And even if all she did for you was bring you into the world, that was still a great sacrifice on her part.

This year I was particularly touched by the thought of life without my mother as I witnessed the mixture of joy and pain experienced by some of my friends whose mothers have gone - Hallelujah! - to heaven. There is a feeling of joy that the suffering of this world is done, and yet a sadness that her comfort and care are no longer a phone call or drive down the road away.

I want to encourage each of you to remember the good things about your mother and be sensitive to those missing theirs. And if you are a mother, please let your joyful experiences color your attitude toward your children instead of letting the negatives take control.

For God never promised us that every day of motherhood would be easy; he only entrusted us to be caretakers of his creation and to nurture lives that he ordained. This is a great responsibility but one that he knew you could handle. And if you have not been a mother in the natural sense of the word, I would encourage you to look for someone who has been placed in your life for nurturing. There are naturally and spiritually motherless people all around us. Some of them rejected their mother's counsel and advice and are now seeing its value for the first time.

Pray for them, and for me. My mom said to me on Mother's Day that I was not a hard child to raise. That's not the way I remember it, but it really did something to my spirit for her to say that. For a long time I felt guilty about things I had done that I know caused my mom unnecessary pain (such as getting pregnant at 13, skipping school, fighting, and much more). Not to mention that fact that she had five other children (including my child) to be concerned about while I was in my wild phase.

For her to bless me like she did, and to say to me that I turned out to be a good mother and that my daughter is being a good mother to her children, is tremendous. I will always remember that. And as I shared with my friends who have been sharing memories of their mothers, now resting in the arms of Christ and viewing the Holy City they lived to see, "I remember Mama in a happy way." Thanks, Pastor Shirley Cesar, I couldn't have said it better.

A little late, but somehow, I believe, right on time.

Can I Get a Witness?

Friday, May 28, 2010

No Matter What (from May 2010 Reflections on Eternity)

One of the things people start thinking about during the spring and right before summer is gardening. I have seen many people going all out, adding color to their landscaping, sprucing up and fertilizing their lawns, and generally enjoying the rebirth of nature. It got me to thinking about the kingdom of God. Because in his kingdom, we are planted, rooted, grounded, and nurtured. And no matter what, we're gonna get cut.

Scripture bears this out:

John 15:1-8 (KJV)
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Notice the power in Christ's words. He teaches his disciples using an analogy that is familiar to all of the Jewish people: a vineyard. The people of God were likened to a vineyard in various places throught the Old Testament. But here the Lord reveals that HE is the true vine and that we, as his people, are merely branches. Then he gives a startling truth: no matter what, we're gonna get cut.

I don't know how this fits into the theology of those that believe that as Christians we should never experience pain. I don't know what they do with Jesus' teaching. But what he says is clear, and it works in natural gardening as well. Every plant must be cut, but the cutting is not always for the same purpose.

Those that do not bear fruit are cut completely away - some scholars say in the positive sense of being lifted up to a place where they can receive greater light, air, and water, bringing them to a state where they may be able to bear fruit.

Those that fruitful already are also cut, to the end that they may bear more fruit. This cutting entails thinning out the branches and leaves, scraping away fungus and parasites, insects and invaders, so that the fruitful branch is not sucked dry of all of its ability.

Wow! No matter what, you're gonna get cut. It is important for us to understand that not every painful experience is because we are unfruitful. Some things happen because we are bearing fruit. Why would a parasite latch on to something already dead? It attaches itself, rather, where it may receive life. And the Father, that divine vinedresser, cuts it away.

I want to encourage you to take a look at what is happening to you. Are you being cut, or is the Father cutting away something that is stealing life from you? If you are being cut away, look for the opening that offers the opportunity for you to be nourished back to health and fruitfulness. And if leeches and other hindrances are being cut away, trust the Lord to be able to distinguish good attachments from bad ones in your life. He is able to do it.

Our job is to abide in him during the process. To trust him and to immerse ourselves in the word of God. For it is the ointment that can be applied to every wound - the word can heal every place that we are cut. It is a powerful sedative that takes the pain out of every one of life's cutting moments. Jesus promised that if we abide in him, and his words abide in us, we can ask what we will. I believe that is because our will conforms to his will to the extent that we abide in his word. And he will not deny himself.

Just a thought on being a part of God's garden - the beauty that he looks at each day - the blooms that he inspects and displays with joy. It's a privileged position to be in, but it is not without pain.

Remember, no matter what - you're gonna get cut!
Can I Get a Witness?

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

"Today I have time to do everything I need to do today." - Cec Murphey. Check out Mr. Murphey's info found at http://ping.fm/tov4C

Thursday, April 29, 2010

"Let the weak say, 'I am strong'." Joel 3:10. What you speak about, you bring about! Be careful what you say.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

No Phone Zones & A Start on A New Career

I am not a fan of Oprah, but I am passing on something I received that might be what you need to get started on your next career! I have several FabJob guides and they have given me tremendous insight into fields I have interest in. Getting one free is a treat. Here is the email I received the other day:

How you (and the people you care about) can get a free FabJob guide simply by agreeing to drive safely.

As a valued reader of the FabJob® Newsletter or member of the FabJob community of friends, we have a rewarding offer for you that includes a free FabJob e-book of your choice - if you act now.

Your free gift is your choice of any one FabJob® e-book! FabJob guides show readers how to start getting paid to do what they love NOW - without a degree, and regardless of bank account size. It's like having a good friend - who happens to be an expert in the career or business you want to break into - tell you their insider advice so you don't have to spend years struggling to get started.

Whether you want to be a Boutique Owner, Cake Decorator, Coffee House Owner, Event Planner, Fashion Designer, Florist, Home Stager, Image Consultant, Interior Decorator, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Personal Concierge, Personal Shopper, Pet Business Owner, Professional Organizer, Published Writer, Virtual Assistant, Wedding Planner or break into any of the more than 120 other dream careers at FabJob.com, you can have the FabJob e-book that will help you achieve your dream (up to $29.97 value, yours free!)

Now, here's how you can get your complimentary FabJob e-book... for doing one simple thing today....

We (Tag and Catherine Goulet, co-founders of FabJob.com), are joining forces to support Oprah Winfrey in making our roads safer and taking a stand against distracted driving by making cars a No Phone Zone! Oprah recently announced the first National "No Phone Zone" day, which will take place on Friday, April 30th. We would like to support this movement and encourage others to take a stand as well.

So, we're giving away free FabJob e-books to do just that. We have never done anything like this before, but safe driving is a cause we feel strongly about.

Each person that signs the "No Phone Zone" pledge and submits their signed copy to FabJob now (before April 30, 2010) will receive a complimentary FabJob e-book (electronic book).

How's that for a win-win? PLUS, we all win when our roads are safer!

So sign the "No Phone Zone" pledge today and send it to us and we'll send you the complimentary FabJob e-book of your choice!

All you have to do to get your free FabJob e-book is follow the simple steps below:

Go to www.FabJob.com to decide which guide you would like to receive for free.


Click on the link below and print a copy of Oprah's "No Phone Zone" pledge:

http://static.oprah.com/images/tows/nophone/no-phone-zone-pledge.pdf


Sign and date the "No Phone Zone" pledge AND write your email address and FabJob guide selection (in legible printing) anywhere on the white portion of the "No Phone Zone" pledge.


Either fax or email FabJob a signed copy of the "No Phone Zone" pledge (make sure you include your FabJob guide selection together with your email address on the signed "No Phone Zone" pledge) by Friday, April 30th, as follows:
If sending your "No Phone Zone" pledge by fax, please fax it to 1-(403) 201-7088

OR

If sending your "No Phone Zone" pledge by email, please scan the signed "No Phone Zone" pledge and then email it to NoPhoneZone@FabJob.com

After we receive your signed "No Phone Zone" pledge we will send you the complimentary FabJob e-book of your choice. Remember to include your e-book selection and email address on the white portion of your "No Phone Zone" pledge and make sure to send it in by Friday, April 30, 2010!!

We feel so strongly in supporting Oprah in this movement that we want you to pass this offer on to all of your friends, family and colleagues. Feel free to write about this free FabJob e-book offer in blogs or newsletters, on your Facebook or Myspace page, in your tweets, etc. Remember that the offer ends on Friday, April 30th though so you will have to act now!

Remember the way to get the free FabJob e-book of your choice is to sign the "No Phone Zone" pledge and get it sent over to us at FabJob (either by fax sent to (403) 201-7088 or by email sent to NoPhoneZone@FabJob.com) as soon as possible but no later than FRIDAY, APRIL 30th!

Join us now in supporting the movement towards safer driving!

Tag and Catherine Goulet
www.FabJob.com

P.S. Act now to receive your complimentary e-book of choice from www.FabJob.com!

P.P.S. The link to print your copy of the "No Phone Zone" pledge is:
http://static.oprah.com/images/tows/nophone/no-phone-zone-pledge.pdf

P.P.P.S. Remember to get as many of your friends and family involved as possible. Don't forget to tell your friends, partner, siblings, parents, grown children, and other loved ones about this offer and more importantly about the "No Phone Zone" pledge. Our goal is to get at least 1,000 people to sign and send us the "No Phone Zone" pledge and we will happily pass these on to Oprah and her staff. We appreciate you being part of the movement to make our roads safer.

Please forward this email offer to anyone else you think may enjoy it!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Delayed is Not Denied

Sometimes it seems to take so long for our dreams to come true that we get discouraged and begin to think that God has stamped "NO" all over our prayer requests. But I want to encourage you that God's timing is completely different from ours, and the fact that our blessing is delayed does not equal denied.

I am immediately reminded of Abram/Abraham, who was promised by God that he would become a great nation. (Genesis 12: 1-3). He received this promise when he was 75 years old.

At the time God promised him that his seed would outnumber the sand on the shore (Genesis 13:16), Abram didn't have a single child! Can you imagine how he felt? Promised millions, when he had none!

It would have been easier had his wife immediately become pregnant with a child. But that was not to be. Abram and Sarai (later named Sarah) traveled through many lands and remained childless year after year. Finally, after about 10 years, Sarai got fed up with waiting and came up with an alternative plan to get the child she so desperately wanted. In Genesis 16, Sarai talks Abram into moving into her plan rather than waiting on God. Have you ever done that? Has it ever seemed that maybe God forgot what he promised you, or has it been so long since you received the promise that you feel like it will never come to pass?

Don't forget - delayed is not denied! God takes us through a process of time in order to refine and purify us before placing His promises into our reality. We have to be careful not to move outside of God's plan for us. Abram and Sarai's alternate plan has been a source of contention ever since Ishmael was conceived. We cannot afford to get tired in the waiting process.

It was years later, when Abram was 99, that God decided the timing was right for the blessing. In Genesis 17, God re-established his covenant, changing both Abram and Sarai's names. God also reminded Abram (now Abraham) that it was through his wife Sarai (now Sarah) that the child that was promised would be born.

Here's something to ponder: Abraham got the news and it was too incredible! He thought (Genesis 17:17-18) that at their ages, it was just incredible. He even asked God to accept his "plan B" offspring in place of what had been promised to him years ago. But before you criticize Abraham, ask yourself how many times you've settled for less than God's best, and then asked God to bless it.

But that's not the point. The point is that when God spoke the original promise, he meant it. He did not put a time limit on when it would happen, he just promised that it would. What we have to do in the meantime (that time between the promise and its fulfillment), is maintain our faith and patience.

Faith and patience are the ingredients key to our possessing the promises of God (Hebrews 6:12). We have to be fully convinced that the God who made the promise is faithful to bring it to pass. Romans 4:20-21 puts it this way, speaking of Abraham: He did not waver in unbelief at God's promise, but he was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, because he was fully convinced that what He has promised He was also able to perform. (HCSB).

I pray that you are encouraged by this -- even though it may take a while for God's promises to come to pass, he has not forgotten you! Grab ahold to your faith! Gear up to ride out the entire process that God has designed for you, no matter how long it takes. Remember, delayed does not equal denied!

Friday, April 16, 2010

Something to remember when life gets hard: "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." 1 Thessalonians 5:24, NASB

Friday, April 9, 2010

Instead of putting others in their place, put yourself in others' place (John C. Maxwell).

Sunday, March 21, 2010

This is the day that the Lord has made! I am rejoicing in it and praising the Lord for the gift of salvation. My soul loves Jesus - bless His name!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The March 2010 issue of Reflections on Eternity is available. Check it out: http://ping.fm/6eJQK

Monday, March 15, 2010

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word! Just to rest upon his promise, just to know thus saith the Lord.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Jesus, Jesus! How I trust him! How I've proved him o'er and o'er. Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! Oh for grace to trust him more.
Praising God - He is the only one that never changes! I know that I can safely trust in him at all times. He is great! Hallelujah!

Friday, March 5, 2010

About to go to sleep - I hope. But first I want to thank God for all of the awesome and anointed women of God I know. You know who you are.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

This is a very difficult time for me, but I will take on the challenge and see it through with the Lord's guidance, grace, and strength!

Monday, March 1, 2010

I am excited about my God! I would rather follow the Lord than anything else in life.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

The Lord shows himself strong to those who trust him. I pray that you have placed your confidence in him. He never fails!

Friday, February 19, 2010

I am grateful to God for my new author page on Amazon.com. Please visit http://ping.fm/Kj2IE I would appreciate it! God bless.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

As always, blessing God for His faithfulness. Things aren't ideal, but it's well with my soul right now. Sleep in peace, God's in control!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Ending my day with a heart filled with praise. New ideas and opportunities are coming my way. I thank God for it!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

About to be on my way home to Texas from South Carolina! I love to travel, but there's no place like home at all!
Visited Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia, SC. Message was "Don't Doubt the Lord." Amen! That's good advice for all of us today.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Anointed Pace Sisters - When God Is In The Building

What do you expect when God is in the building? Have you experienced the presence of God lately? Let's set the atmosphere for God to move!

Monday, February 1, 2010

I feel a breakthrough coming your way!
Give God praise! Hallelujah! He is worthy! There is no one else like Him in all of the earth. He has blessed you - bless him back!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Wondering if people will wait until I'm dead to recognize my impact on their lives. Have I made an impact for God???

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Commissioned - Will You Be Ready? 1988

Here is a question that still needs to be answered. Will you be ready when Jesus comes? Rest assured He is returning. Pray and ask God to forgive you of your sins. He will do it. Repent - turn away from evil and press toward God.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The love of God is deeper than any human love. I plan on diving into it today. Anybody wanna come with? 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; 1 John 4:7-8.

Monday, January 4, 2010

We Need to Right What's Wrong

Hi there, my friends!  I know, I'm not a consistent blogger.  I have been working for many years to change that, but I am finding that m...