Vision or circumstance

 

 

I heard a comment in Church the other day about Vision.

Are you living in the Vision or are you living in the circumstance?

Proverbs 29:18

18 Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law. (NASB)
Hebrews 12:22 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NASB).

As I was driving to work this morning my stomach was in knots.  I had several issues that raised their ugly head Monday.  One was very major and it had to do with concrete.  Which affected the framing which affected the roof.   As I drove I would pray and talk and worry about what I was going to face with my customer.  I had myself so worked up I caused my own pain.   There was judgment as well.   I was deciding what the outcome was going to be and had made myself sick to the point I did not want to go to the job.  I kept thinking about that quote.  Am I living in the vision or am I living in the circumstance.  The way I was feeling I was most definitely not in the vision.  I was unrestrained.  I was walking that line of   ………   God this is your business and you got this …. But what if??????   Or what if they say this?????

Then I received the email from my concrete guy.  Problem solved.  Then I got the call from my framer, problem solved.  As I got closer to the job (which is an hour away) I started to get peace.  When I spoke with my customer they loved the garage door (that was another issue) the solution to the concrete was all good which made the framing all good.

So as I drove to the job this morning I went from living in the circumstance to living in the vision in a span of 1 hr.

So my question to you is this ….. Are you living in the vision of what Jesus did or are you living in the circumstance that you are in? 

Freedom is not in the absence of something but in the presence of someone.

Be Blessed

James 1 : 4

Anyone read James lately?

Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing —James 1:4

 I read todays devotion it really hit me and it brought me back to what I have been writing the last few days.  I am thinking we don’t need Jesus stickers or shirts.  You just need to be Jesus with skin on and stop grieving the Holy Spirit with your actions.  He is with us wherever we are.  In the truck, car or sitting at the computer. 

Be blessed today!

Many of us appear to be all right in general, but there are still some areas in which we are careless and lazy; it is not a matter of sin, but the remnants of our carnal life that tend to make us careless. Carelessness is an insult to the Holy Spirit. We should have no carelessness about us either in the way we worship God, or even in the way we eat and drink.

Not only must our relationship to God be right, but the outward expression of that relationship must also be right. Ultimately, God will allow nothing to escape; every detail of our lives is under His scrutiny. God will bring us back in countless ways to the same point over and over again. And He never tires of bringing us back to that one point until we learn the lesson, because His purpose is to produce the finished product. It may be a problem arising from our impulsive nature, but again and again, with the most persistent patience, God has brought us back to that one particular point. Or the problem may be our idle and wandering thinking, or our independent nature and self-interest. Through this process, God is trying to impress upon us the one thing that is not entirely right in our lives.

We have been having a wonderful time in our studies over the revealed truth of God’s redemption, and our hearts are perfect toward Him. And His wonderful work in us makes us know that overall we are right with Him. “Let patience have its perfect work . . . .” The Holy Spirit speaking through James said, “Now let your patience become a finished product.” Beware of becoming careless over the small details of life and saying, “Oh, that will have to do for now.” Whatever it may be, God will point it out with persistence until we become entirely His.

Jesus bumper sticker

I remember once driving around with some type of Jesus sticker on my truck.  It was back in 2000.  I will never forget what happened.  I cut someone off (not meaning to) and he pulled up beside me and yelled Nice Jesus sticker and then he flipped me off.  I got home and took that sticker off because of the shame I brought Jesus.  I don't drive around with anything like that on my truck for that reason.  Isn't that the wrong thinking though?  Shouldn't I drive around with it on there and be proud of who I am?
Maybe I leave it off so I can be that jerk without bringing shame to Jesus in the public view.

I wonder how / we would act if we had to wear a shirt that said, "I love Jesus and walk with Him everyday?"

Thoughts?

I am crucified with Christ it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me ...............

You who you say you are?

You are armed with the knowledge that you can be free and choose not to live it. DT

20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

So you can read this and interpret this any way you want.  Today I submit this.  If you are crucified with Christ and He lives in you then who are you?  You are nice to people at church, but an jerk to your spouse?  Let say you own a business, do you treat your employees’ the way you want to be treated? 

Do you choose where you want to be crucified with Christ?  Think about this for a moment.  If I asked your employees, your spouse or the people you do business with if you were different than whom you say you are,   what would they say?    I have to be on guard all the time.    We are constantly given opportunities to either be Jesus with skin on or to be the person who says he is Jesus with skin on but acts contrary to what he says.

One more example:  the easiest place to be the jerk is with people who don’t know who you are.  How many times have you been a jerk to someone because you knew they did not know you walk with Jesus? 

I have that hat and shirt…….. been there and I am embarrassed to say that,  but it is true.  Lord please forgive me

Be blessed today!

Lately I have spoken with men who don’t find it important to meet with other men.  The y find other things that are more important than sharpening or being sharpened.  I seem to remember a scripture.  Proverbs 27:17 as iron sharpens iron:  so one man sharpens another.  Are you getting sharpened or are you just too busy.  It has taken me a long time to realize I need men in my life.  Men to sharpen me!

I want to tell you a little story about a little dog that I had in 2006. She was a rat terrier that was very precious to me. When we moved to our house in Saginaw we had a wrought iron fence. The fence had a bad place that would allow my dog to get out. I kept hearing you better fix that fence before your dog gets eaten by coyotes, but I put it off.  One morning when I let her out she didn't come back and I had to leave. I told my wife to check on Duchess but she had to go to leave and she had not come back yet.   My wife called me around noon and said Duchess has still not come home.  I had a very bad feeling about this. When I was driving home and turned into my neighborhood. There were buzzards flying over my roof. Now I had a really bad feeling. So I went to my house and put on my pants and my boots and went out into the field to search for my dog that I feared was dead.   As I got out there into the field I asked the Lord where's my dog? I didn't hear anything and I just stood there and then I heard turn left. So I turned left took about five steps and there was the head of my dog with two buzzards eating  on her.   I was heartbroken and I was pissed.  I just stood there in disbelief at what I was seeing and then I hear the Lord say this, “your procrastination killed your dog" well..... That did not sit well with me in fact it wounded me. That was a direct word from the Lord.   I also heard, “do you still love me" of course I said,” Yes I do.”   So here is what I took from this incident.  My dog Duchess was under my protection in my backyard inside of the fence. That was where she was protected, Surrounded by family, but the moment she stepped out of the backyard,   she became alone all by herself in the vast wilderness of the field behind my house.  She was alone; she had nobody to watch her back.  She could only rely on herself.  She got out of the protection of the backyard and isolated herself.  Then the enemy was able to pick her off and kill her.  There are strength in numbers this was the day that I learned the importance of meeting with men on a regular basis and not isolating myself.  I stopped believing the lie that I am too busy to meet with men on a regular basis.  Meeting with men to get sharpened is as important as anything in my life.

Have a blessed day

So I have questions.   Are you meeting with people that sharpen you on a regular basis or are you isolating yourself.  I am not talking meeting at church or meeting once a month.  

Who are you doing life with?

Choose

. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . —Joshua 24:15

I didn’t have to read very far today to be impacted.  I just wonder what in your life is being impacted when you choose to serve something other than the Lord?  Serving the Lord is a choice.  Waking up in the morning and saying “YES” is a choice.  When the person pulls out in front of you today………. Who will you serve?  When something doesn’t go your way …….. who will you serve?  When everything is going right…… who will you serve?

Worship the Great “I am” today!

Psalm 37.8

Do not fret— it only causes harm —Psalm 37:8

It has been a while for my writing.  I have been very busy….. Crazy busy.  I ask every morning to write, this morning I did not ask and then I get this.   I have caught myself at times worrying or fretting about “can I get all this done?”  There are a lot of what ifs.  I have great people around me that help to get things done.  I have mentors in the business that speak truth into me.  That does not change the fact that I worry and fret.  I was thinking yesterday that if this is the Lord’s business then why do I worry?  After reading this morning’s devo from Oswald I realized that even though it is God’s business there are parts that I want to control.  Parts that I feel I could do a better job than Him.  (What do we call that?)

I pray for favor every morning for the business that He has trusted me to run.  I pray for favor that He would bring the customer to me that want me to work for them.  I pray that His decisions are better than mine(I know his decisions are better than mine)  and that I would listen to his voice and not my own.  Below is today’s devotion.  Sometime it just takes one line of scripture to give you peace about something in your life.  That is why we spend time in the word.  Sometimes that time could be less than 30 seconds. 

Fretting means getting ourselves “out of joint” mentally or spiritually. It is one thing to say, “Do not fret,” but something very different to have such a nature that you find yourself unable to fret. It’s easy to say, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people. Is it possible to “rest in the Lord” then? If this “Do not” doesn’t work there, then it will not work anywhere. This “Do not” must work during our days of difficulty and uncertainty, as well as our peaceful days, or it will never work. And if it will not work in your particular case, it will not work for anyone else. Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstances at all, but on your relationship with God Himself.

Worrying always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God.

Have you been propping up that foolish soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God to handle? Set all your opinions and speculations aside and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.

What land is in front of you?

Deuteronomy 1:21 Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go and occupy it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’   22 “But you all came to me and said, ‘First, let’s send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take and which towns we should enter.’  23 “This seemed like a good idea to me, so I chose twelve scouts, one from each of your tribes. 24 They headed for the hill country and came to the valley of Eshcol and explored it. 25 They picked some of its fruit and brought it back to us. And they reported, ‘The land the Lord our God has given us is indeed a good land.’ 26 “But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God and refused to go in. 27 you complained in your tents and said, ‘The Lord must hate us. That’s why he has brought us here from Egypt—to hand us over to the Amorites to be slaughtered. 28 Where can we go? Our brothers have demoralized us with their report. They tell us, “The people of the land are taller and more powerful than we are, and their towns are large, with walls rising high into the sky! We even saw giants there—the descendants of Anak!” ’ 29 “But I said to you, ‘Don’t be shocked or afraid of them! 30 The Lord your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt.  31 And you saw how the Lord your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Now he has brought you to this place.’   32 “But even after all he did, you refused to trust the Lord your God, 33 who goes before you looking for the best places to camp, guiding you with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day.

Verse 21 and 22 -                                                                                                                          God has place something before you, you know it is God, you heard God and he says don’t be afraid or discouraged.  So what do you do?  You decide you need to pray about it.  Really?????   God spoke you obey, why do you need to pray about what the Lord has already spoken or shown you? It is just like going on Quest, why do you need to pray about spending 5 ½ days with the Lord?  This goes for serving on quest as well.  Do you have to pray about serving the Lord?  If the door is opened to you then walk through it and don’t throw out excuses.  It is like this; if you are being called to go to serve in the mission field, then GO!  The Lord will direct your path and he will protect you while you are away!                                                                                                                                                       Exodus 34.23 Three times each year every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord, and the God of Israel. 24 I will drive out the other nations ahead of you and expand your territory, so no one will covet and conquer your land while you appear before the Lord your God three times each year.  This passage is about getting away and the Lord not letting your enemies get the upper hand while you are a way.  It is also referring to taking a sabbatical three times a year I feel.  That is for another day of writing

23 – 25 so what did Moses do, he listened to man.  God had already spoken, but he listened to man and sent out the scouts.  The scouts reported good things, but it wasn’t good enough and so they made up more excuses for why they didn’t want to do what the Lord said.  THEY REBELLED! 

Jeremiah 17.5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, (or one man) who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.   6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,   with no hope for the future.  They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.  7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.  They wanted to do it there way and in their timing and even though the Lord had brought them through the wilderness and out bondage they walked back into bondage because they would not trust the Lord.                                                                                    Deuteronomy 1:32 “But even after all he did, you refused to trust the Lord your God, 33 who goes before you looking for the best places to camp, guiding you with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day

I will finish with this, trust the Lord and do not operate out of fear.  If or when you hear the Lord then do what He says.  If He opens a door then walk through it. 

Trust Him!  This was as much for me as it is for you!

Encouragement

 “Father, give me wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus.” For to know Jesus is to have grace and peace multiplied to me. To know Jesus is to receive all things pertaining to life and godliness!

Psalm 91-22  That I would  dwell in the shelter of the Most High

   That I will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]

2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.”

Eph. 17 so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith—that I, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled with all the fullness of God.  20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within me,

Amen

Abide in me

John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

 …………………………………………………….Think of the things that take you out of the position of abiding in Christ. You say, “Yes, Lord, just a minute— I still have this to do. Yes, I will abide as soon as this is finished, or as soon as this week is over. It will be all right, Lord. I will abide then.” Get moving— begin to abide now. In the initial stages it will be a continual effort to abide, but as you continue, it will become so much a part of your life that you will abide in Him without any conscious effort. Make the determination to abide in Jesus wherever you are now or wherever you may be placed in the future. O.C.

Can you relate?  I have been hear so many times.  I remember almost thinking those exact same thoughts.  It is a very dangerous place to be in I think.  One way of looking at this could be pride.  I got this Lord my way will be better than yours.  Besides I don’t agree with you.   I will listen next week.  (what if there is not a next week?)

If you are not abiding in Him,   then just how well do you think your fruit will taste?  Will anyone want any of your fruit?  I want abiding in Him to be as much of my life as sleeping, eating or speaking.

Getting up in the morning and saying “YES LORD”  I am yours.

Be Blessed today

Ephesians 5:31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

So I have a question.  If you believe in you heart that you are hearing the lord about a situation in your life.  A situation that directly affects your spouse.  Do you immediately go to your spouse and say “This is what I am hearing from the Lord about what we are supposed to do, what you think?”  or maybe it goes like this,  you hear from the lord about something and you don’t  say anything and you wait to see if the Lord puts it on your spouse’s heart and then they come to you.  What if you wait and your spouse never says anything?   Do you still proceed?  Here is my point; if you feel like you are supposed to do something then you should be in agreement with your spouse.  Don’t be a Lone Ranger. Being a Lone Ranger will get you shot.  You must have Tonto.

Here is another question, If you feel like you are hearing from the Lord about a job and your wife says “I don’t feel good about that job I don’t trust them.”  Do you still take the job?  If your spouse says, I feel like the Lord is telling us to move, what do you do?  I think the first thing you do is pray about it.  Pray together and separately but pray.  So what happens if you are hearing stay and your wife is hearing move.  Who is hearing the Lord?  Maybe you both are.

One more scenario:  If you feel like you are hearing the Lord and you speak with your spouse about it and she does not agree with you and you go ahead and do it anyway ........... what is that?   If the decision you made without your spouses approval is going south  .........   why do you suppose that is?

Here is what I know for me.  My wife and I must be in agreement.  I talk to her all the time about my clients.  If she gets a bad feeling about an estimate that I am doing then we talk about it and if I need to  then we cut them loose.  We always collaborate on everything.  We do our best to be in agreement or to live as one flesh.

So hear is another view  (I have written about this before)  Widows and orphans.  If you don’t listen to your spouse,   could you be making him or her a widow in your home?  It is my opinion that if you are in agreement with your spouse then you are ministering to her.

 How many times as men, especially those of us who are married are so quick to minister outside of our home before we minister inside our home.  Holy Spirit showed me through a man that I was making my wife and my children widows and orphans in my own home.  I said that is ridiculous I am alive!    He said “I understand that”  “here is what I mean; you are always doing outside of your home …. Church, men’s group, Serving on Quest, Helping other people, but when it comes to your family, they get the crumbs or they do not get anything from you.  Well that did not sit well with me …… again.  As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another.  A couple of nights went by and I was sitting at the table and my wife was helping me with memorizing this passage.  I told her what I just shared with you and said “are you a widow in this home?”  She looked at me and said without blinking an eye.  Yes I am pretty much a widow.  Then she said, “I never get the minister voice that I hear you speak to other men on the phone,   I want you to talk to me that way and you never do.  It was a sad day for me but a good day.  Now I look for opportunities to minister to my wife.  

So basically to me what verse 26 means is if you don’t minister in side of your home then what you do outside of your home is worthless  ( doesn’t taste good)

Verse 27 means minister to your family then you will be pure and unblemished in the sight of God and there will be not a widow or any orphans in your home (taste really good)

James 1:26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart; this person’s religious service is worthless (futile, barren).

27 External * religious worship [* religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.

Are you a Thief?

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 

So I am having a conversation with a friend of mine yesterday and I hear something that I just have to share.  He was telling me a story of a conversation he had with a friend of his about being robbed.  Not in the way that you are probably thinking.  We all do it …….. We steal from our brother or sister.  You think …. What does that look like?  Simple,   the scenario goes like this.   You sin and you keep it to yourself.  (You’re only as sick as your secrets)  You meet with your brother and he says, how are you doing is something wrong?  You say, nothing is wrong we are all good (poser) what you have done is several things.  You have robbed your brother of the opportunity to bless you with his ear or bless you with comfort or bless you with wisdom.  Most of all you have robbed him of the opportunity to pray for you so you may be healed.    Get the picture?  By keeping your stuff to yourself you have In essence stole from your friend and gave to the enemy.  You have given the enemy something that he can hold over your head.  Wouldn’t you rather steal from the enemy and give to your brother?

So confess!  Pray! Be healed!  Allow your friend to bless you,   don’t steal from him.

James 5:16-18 Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

 

Hebrews 11:29

Hebrews 11:29 It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.

I read three chapters this morning before I got to this and It made me pause.  It made me think of what my Red Sea is ….. what is coming.  As I ponder this passage over and over I see my enemies drowning as I walk through my Red Sea….. whatever that may be.   I have a bunch of work coming a lot of work ……. this will be my busiest summer ever.  It will take lots of careful planning.    Maybe this is my Red Sea?  It is uncharted territory.  You don’t know what is under the water until after it has been parted.

So it is about faith …. Do you / me have the faith that you need to walk into the Red Sea when the Lord parts the waters?  When the waters do part are you going to stand there and pray and ask God shall I walk through the parted waters? 

The sea parts …….. the door has been opened for you to walk through and your enemies are coming …. Don’t hesitate …….walk.

Be Blessed

He did evil

He did evil

2 Chronicles 12:14 He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord.

I had to pause when I got to this scripture.  All kinds of things ran through my mind.  It is a choice.  I would like to think that I set my heart on seeking the Lord.  There are days when I make bad choices.  The majority of the days are good choices.  Yesterday was a good choice.

Galatians 6:7 do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Yesterday afternoon I was in a battle and I had to make a choice.  My choice was to seek the heart of the Lord.  And that heart was in a phone call and a text message for prayer.  Within one minute I had received 6 text messages and one phone call and got instant peace.

I made the right choice.  I did not do evil because I had set my heart on seeking the Lord.

I say “YES” today

Pray without ceasing

God will hold to our account the souls that have gone uncured, unhealed, and untouched by Jesus Christ because we have refused to keep our souls open to him.  He will reprove us for the times we were not ready to present the Lord Jesus Christ to them by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Yet, we deal with some people at great length without seeing any results; and we are tempted to quit trying.                          Let us never despair of any soul under heaven.  If you have a chronic case (by “chronic case,” I mean someone who is always coming to the same place spiritually and never getting anywhere—always coming forward at the alter call but getting nowhere),  thank God for that one.                                                                                  .              I have found out that God uses those chronic seekers to educate me.  If they will keep chronic long enough, the Lord will be able to manifest His patience with me as He never could otherwise.  And, all of a sudden, these souls come into the light.  Praise God!  Oswald.

1^st Thessalonians 5:16 rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

I came across this yesterday as I was moving some books around.  It just nailed me.  What caught me was what I had written at the top of the page. “OMG this is strong …. Never give up!”  So I read and it made me think of certain people that I have given up on because they are stuck.  They are not moving fast enough in the direction I want them to go.  (Closer to Jesus)  Then I have to remember all those who did not give up on me when I was stuck.  Thank you Lord.  Do you have someone like this in your life?  Maybe it is your spouse or child? 

So today I am also reading in today’s devotion which coincides with what I read yesterday.

Our thinking about prayer, whether right or wrong is based on our own mental conception of it. The correct concept is to think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts. Our blood flows and our breathing continues “without ceasing”; we are not even conscious of it, but it never stops. And we are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect oneness with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. Prayer is not an exercise; it is the life of the saint. Beware of anything that stops the offering up of prayer. “Pray without ceasing . . .”— maintain the childlike habit of offering up prayer in your heart to God all the time.

Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer. He had the unlimited certainty of knowing that prayer is always answered. Do we have through the Spirit of God that inexpressible certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do we think of the times when it seemed that God did not answer our prayer? Jesus said, “. . . everyone who asks receives . . .” (Matthew 7:8). Yet we say, “But . . . , but . . . .” God answers prayer in the best way— not just sometimes, but every time. However, the evidence of the answer in the area we want it may not always immediately follow. Do we expect God to answer prayer?                                       .              The danger we have is that we want to water down what Jesus said to make it mean something that aligns with our common sense. But if it were only common sense, what He said would not even be worthwhile. The things Jesus taught about prayer are supernatural truths He reveals to us.. Oswald

So for myself I am thinking that I don’t pray enough.  Have an Awesome day today and have peace in your heart!

John 17

. . that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us . . . —John 17:21

If you are going through a time of isolation, seemingly all alone, read John 17 . It will explain exactly why you are where you are— because Jesus has prayed that you “may be one” with the Father as He is. Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or do you have some other goal for your life? Since you became a disciple, you cannot be as independent as you used to be.

God reveals in John 17 that His purpose is not just to answer our prayers, but that through prayer we might come to discern His mind. Yet there is one prayer which God must answer, and that is the prayer of Jesus— “. . . that they may be one just as We are one . . .” (John 17:22). Are we as close to Jesus Christ as that?

God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn’t ask, “Do you want to go through this loss of a loved one, this difficulty, or this defeat?” No, He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding, and more insistent on our own way. The things that happen either make us evil, or they make us more saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy. If we will pray, regarding our own lives, “Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42), then we will be encouraged and comforted by John 17, knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom, accomplishing what is best. When we understand God’s purpose, we will not become small-minded and cynical. Jesus prayed nothing less for us than absolute oneness with Himself, just as He was one with the Father. Some of us are far from this oneness; yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him— because Jesus prayed, “. . . that they all may be one . . . .”

I keep hearing in my Spirit where Jesus says “I tell you the truth,  anyone who obeys my teaching will never die”.   Pray the way Jesus prayed in John 17.

Oswald poses a question in the beginning of the devo.  He says, “Are you helping God to answer that prayer, or do you have some other goal for your life? 

This question has really caused me to think.

Prayer is not about getting things it is about refining your relationship with Jesus so you can become one with Him.

I found comfort in this Psalm this morning and I just wanted to share.

As I read over again I see choices.

Psalm 91

¹ Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
³ For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
⁵ Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
⁶ Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
⁷ Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
⁸ Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

⁹ If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
¹⁰ no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
¹¹ For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
¹² They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
¹³ You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

¹⁴ The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
¹⁵ When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue and honor them.
¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life
and give them my salvation.”

Roots by the stream

Jeremiah 17:8  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Jesus said there is only one way to develop and grow spiritually, and that is through focusing and concentrating on God. In essence, Jesus was saying, “Do not worry about being of use to others; simply believe on Me.” In other words, pay attention to the Source, and out of you “will flow rivers of living water” OC

 Psalm 1:3  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-- whatever they do prospers.

I am reading this and wondering just how deep are my roots?  As I read the devo this morning it made me wonder do I focus more on Jesus or more on the things I feel will help  me get closer to Jesus.  I woke this morning thinking “yes”  I will do what you say.  Let people see Jesus with skin on.  I have noticed lately that I have been having anger issues.  It is hard to be Jesus with skin on and have anger issues at the same time.  I know my roots are deep but I think they need to be deeper.

Be blessed today and walk in your freedom!

Love Today

………………………………………“The Lord . . . is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish . . .” (2 Peter 3:9). I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me. The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way. I may get irritated because I have to live with an unusually difficult person. But just think how disagreeable I have been with God! Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through me? Neither natural love nor God’s divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline.  Oswald Chambers

John 15:12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

2 Peter 3:9  The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

Romans 2:4 – “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

I have been silent for a while, but not because I have been in a bad place.   I have been given stuff just for me.  This morning I woke to hear “YES” Lord!  I was excited to get out of bed.  Sometimes I just have to be reminded.  The other thing was this mornings devotion.  It really struck me.  The last couple of weeks at night I have been prayer walking out in my driveway.  Every night one of the things I do is repent.  Sometimes I repent for sin I have committed that I don’t even remember,  I just want to have a clean slate when I go to bed.  I have been sleeping very well.

The last thing I want to say Is “I want to love people the same way He loves me and I find that difficult many times”  I am working on that.

Peace today for you.

  I  wanted to reflect on yesterday on what I wrote.  I want to clarify something,  I am NOT a sinner saved by grace but I am a righteous man of God who has been called and commissioned, Anointed and appointed, blessed and Highly favored. 

2 Cor. 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

I am a son of the Most High God.

 I feel  like what I was trying to say yesterday was more along the lines of …….  The importance of being in the word.

As I listened to this song this morning. I had an overwhelming presence of His love like I have never felt before. Very Awesome.

Seems like all I can see was the struggle

Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past

Bound up in shackles of all my failures

Wondering how long is this gonna last

Then you look at this prisoner and say to me

son “stop fighting a fight that's already been won"

 

I am redeemed, you set me free

So I'll shake off these heavy chains

Wipe away every stain

Now I'm not who I used to be

I am redeemed... I'm redeemed

 

All my life I have been called unworthy

Named by the voice of my shame and regret

But when I hear you whisper "child lift up your head"

I remember oh God you're not done with me yet

 

I am redeemed, you set me free

So I'll shake off these heavy chains

Wipe away every stain

Now I'm not who I used to be

 

Because I don't have to be the old man inside of me

'cause his day is long dead and gone because

I've got a new name, a new life I'm not the same

and a hope that will carry me home

 

I am redeemed, you set me free

So I'll shake off these heavy chains and

Wipe away every stain

Now I'm not who I used to be

 

I am redeemed you set me free

So I'll shake off these heavy chains and

And wipe away every stain

Now I'm not who I used to be

Oh God I'm not who I used to be

Jesus I'm not who I used to be

 

'Cause I am redeemed

Thank God redeemed

 

 

Psalm 81

Psalm 119:20 my soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.

Psalm 81.10 I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.  Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

I read this passage and it makes me wonder just how open my mouth is?   I think sometimes it is just closed completely and that is not who I am.  I have to remind myself who God is …. Someone who loves me in spite of all the crap that I have.  That I am a sinner and I miss God’s ways constantly.  I have made a lot of mistakes in my life and will make more if I am not in constant communion with Him.  The word of God is here for a reason  …. To help me to be a better son.   To give me an avenue to hear Him.   I must stay in contact with the Lord, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all the time.

What is the best way to do that?  Scripture is very clear …….  Joshua 1.8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Lord, I ask for a thirst and hunger that would surpass anything I have felt before.  My mouth is open wide to receive all that you have for me.  I am redeemed and you set me free.  I am not who I used to be.  In Jesus name

 

Be blessed today and walk as Son’s and Daughters of the King

Washing Feet

John 13:14 and since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.

Washing someone’s feet is such a simple thing, yet so powerful.  I think many times we hear “wash his feet and we choose not to for some reason or another.”  It is not about washing feet though is it?  It is about serving,  it is about Loving one another.

I was reading this morning and came across a quote that just froze me.  The quote said this, “It’s the simple things, like carrying my child to bed---- his sweaty little mane of hair resting on my shoulder.  His entire life leans on mine.  I am moved by that truth like no other.” 

When was the last time I relied on Jesus in that way?  It is really not that hard we just make it that hard

Bless you today!