Sunday, March 17, 2013

Your Purpose

"Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5 :8

Webster defines purpose as this: intended or desired result determination resoluteness resolve intentionally

So often we unintentionally take the role of bystander in our lives. We may hope for the best but we accept what ever happens as "well that's just the way it was meant to be" or "it must have been Gods will."

When we accept Jesus as our Savior and we make Him Lord of our lives we can no longer just be spectators. We have entered the ranks of soldier. Though this is not our battle we are still called to fight. And what is this fight? It is spiritual warfare. Why else would we be instructed to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6 :11) if we were not called into battle? Stand firm against the tricks of the devil.

My sister, the devil is not all knowing, but he is clever. He is a trickster. He knows what makes you tick. He knows how to get under your skin and make you feel defeated. He doesn't care if you are a born again Christian, he just wants you to be an ineffective Christian. He knows if he attacks you and you fall for it, you will not be bold in your faith or your witness. All he wants to do is plant a little seed of doubt. But God said faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains.

So, how do we fight that attacks of the enemy?

  1. Prayer! Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 6 :18
  2. Fellowship! Where two or three are gathered together because they are His, He is there among them. Matthew 18 :20
  3. Read the Bible! You must know His word. For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our inner most thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4 :12
  4. Confession! If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 1 John 1 :9 The devil likes secrets. Secrets live in darkness. Jesus brings light! Confession will silence the devil, because then he will have nothing on you.
  5. Love! The greatest love is shown when people lay their lives down for their friends John 15 :13. You may never be called to lay your physical life down, but are you willing to be inconvenienced? Can you pray with and for someone into the midnight hour? Are you willing to step out of your own comfort zone?
I will ask again. What is your purpose? You are purposed to be more than conquerors through Him who loved us Romans 8 :37

I challenge you now, get up! Arise! Come away from the depression, addiction,unholy relationship, lethargy, whatever is holding you back and take your rightful place as joint heirs with Christ. God says no more! The devil must stop manhandling His daughters!

Assignment: Find a prayer partner. Someone who is strong in faith and you trust. Agree to be accountable to one another and pray like warriors. true warriors fight on their knees.

Prayer & Meditation: Show me anything in me that hinders my prayers. Lead me in your way, O' God. In all I do, I will acknowledge You first. Let Your will be done in my life and in this earth, in me and through me, I submit to you.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Here I Am

"For I know the plans I have for you. "says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for Me in earnest, you will find Me when you seek Me." Jeremiah 29: 11-13

I remember a very stressful time in my life. It just felt like everything and everyone was being stripped away from me. I felt so alone. Ironically this was also at a time when I was very close with the Lord. Funny how that happens. It is easy for us to think the closer we are to God, the easier our lives should be, right.

One particular night, after everyone was asleep, I turned out the lights and headed upstairs to go to sleep myself. On my way, I stopped and looked out the window at the sky. It was a clear night and the stars were out. I was burdened with so many decisions, some in my control, some not. I looked up at the sky and sighed and said "God, are You even out there?"  What a funny question. It was like I was looking into space for God to be floating around. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever wondered if God is really paying attention and does He really care? I mean after all, how small are my problems when compared to others. God has a whole planet to look after, how could He possibly be concerned over my seemingly petty problems? Not to mention some of my problems I created myself. So should I really expect Him to come to my rescue each and every time?

The thoughts that go through our minds of being unimportant and unworthy are contrary to what God has to say about us. He has plans for us. Certainly if He has plans for us, He will see us through. If we were important enough to be created for a purpose, then we can believe we are important enough and He cares for every detail in our lives; small and big.

Here is something we need to understand about our God. He will not force His will on us. We always have a choice. He says He has a plan for us, plans for good and not disaster. But we are required to do something. We are to seek Him! He is not hiding from us, He is right here, but we must seek Him. What does that mean to seek Him if He is not hiding? This is what I think it means. I think He is saying to pay attention to Him. Don't ignore Him. Acknowledge His presence. Have you ever been with someone who was so preoccupied that if you left they would not even notice? If they did not notice your presence, then surely they wouldn't notice your absence.

When we care about someone we want to make time for them. We want to talk with them. We want to know them. Their thoughts matter to us. We respect their opinions and we listen to them. This is what we do in a healthy relationship. This is what God wants in a relationship with us. He wants a conversation. He wants to hear us and for us to hear Him. He said that when we pray He will listen. What is prayer? It is a conversation with our God.

So, back to my story.... I am looking out the window and I sigh and I say, "God are you even out there?" His answer, "I am right here."

Assignment: Take time for prayer. Everyday for the rest of this week, set aside time to get alone and sit in Gods presence. Share your heart with Him and then be still and listen for Him to share His heart with you.  

Prayer & Meditation: Thank you, Jesus, that you will never leave me. I am in awe that the creator of the heavens and earth cares enough about me to know my every concern and need. Help me, Holy Spirit, to learn to be still and wait on Him. Teach me how to pray. I acknowledge your presence, O' God, I love you and I thank you for loving me.

Monday, March 11, 2013

The Shame Game

There was a woman who looked for love in all the wrong places. Her marriage failed, she had one boyfriend after another. I imagine she was probably with so many men, heard so many empty lies, that she resigned herself to thinking that this is as good as it gets. No doubt, she felt ashamed and like a fool. She could not hold her head up and walk proud. Even when she was arm and arm with her lover, she felt judged, condemned and laughed at.

Yes, she felt like an empty shell, only to be used and discarded when she was no longer of use. Throughout all of these relationships, she forgot who she was. She lost her dreams, buried deep inside of her.

Then one day she met someone who changed her life. He was like no one she had ever met. He knew about her past and her present, yet He promised her a future. He didn't want her for what the others wanted her for. In fact, He only wanted one thing from her: her heart. Even if she refused, He was willing to love her anyway.

Can you imagine how she must have felt? Could this be real? Could someone possibly love us despite our past? Even the things that we have kept secret. So secret, that we are ashamed to even remember? Yet, here was this man, asking for a drink of water and wanting to give her so much more.

"....she said to Jesus, "you are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?" Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask Me and I would give you living water." John 4:9-10

Are you weary? Does carrying that shame and hurt around wear you out? Do you wish someone could just see your heart and come to your rescue and tell you how precious you are and you matter?

My dear sweet sister, lay that shame down. He knows everything. There are no secrets with God. Some of the pain you suffer may be from willful choices you made and some of it may be from choices others made for you. It doesn't matter. He said "Come to Me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest". He said if you confess your sins He will throw them into the sea of forgetfulness, as far as the east is from the west, He will remember them no more. He will give you beauty for your ashes.

You matter. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and you are His beautiful daughter. Come away from what, or who, is holding you back from being the woman God has created you to be. Trust in Him, He will never let you down.

Assignment: Read John 4:1-26

Meditation & Prayer: Jesus, reveal to me Your truth. I confess all of my sins to You and I thank You for cleansing me and making me a new woman. I thank You for Your Holy Spirit as my reminder and teacher of how to be the the woman that You have created me to be. When I am weak and tempted, I will focus on You and I will trust Your strength and Your love. You are the creator and lover of my soul and I thank you for Your gentle kindness towards me.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

What Are You Worth?

What are you worth? Do you know your value? Many of us do not know our value and we accept what we think we are worth. That is why we find ourselves in unsatisfying and sometimes toxic relationships.

Do you find yourself jumping from one relationship to another? With each new relationship, do you realize it is just a continuation of the last relationship? Oh sure, the names may have changed, but that too familiar feeling is still there. You know the feeling, loneliness, insecurity, fear, sadness, emptiness...

Are you asking yourself why? Are you wondering what is wrong with you that you just can't find the right person? I believe our present day troubles come from root causes. Sometimes the root cause can be buried so deep we may not even know what the root is. As long as you can remember, it has always been this way and you have just come to accept and expect that it will always be this way. So you adapt.

My dear sister, it is not suppose to be this way. You are a valuable treasure. You have been bought with a price. You must stop giving yourself away.

We were created for relationships. The desire you have to be loved and to be loved is natural. The most important relationship we were created for is with our Creator. When we do not have a relationship with Him, a truly intimate relationship, we begin to seek out substitutes to fill that void. That emptiness can swallow us whole and we self medicate through toxic relationships; all the while convincing ourselves that this is what we want and deserve.

Sweet sister, let's begin this journey by looking in the mirror. Let's be honest with ourselves and with God. You are not an orphan or a mistake. He does not make mistakes and He has promised to never leave you.

Assignment: Write down what makes you unique. What do you like about yourself? Now, if you are feeling low, you still have to write something. Don't be shy or ashamed. This is just between you and God. By recognizing the good qualities you like about yourself, you are acknowledging His handiwork.

Meditation & Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for completing the good work you have begun in me. You are the author and finisher of my faith. I trust in You and I thank You for loving me. Help me to see me the way You see me.