Get off your rump

Do you ever find yourself in moments where you want to hear from God. You sit, you listen, you read what other people say about God… and nothing is sticking. I was praying that this morning, when He said, ‘Do what I called you to do.’

How many times do we let others take the lead in what God is saying to us? He has something to say to me, and He wants me finding that answer through doing what He called me to do. Write. Do you get what I’m saying? I tend to listen to others, or watch others do the very thing I was called to do – instead of me doing it. I know this sounds like I am belaboring the point, but maybe that is the point.

What are you called to do? God has so many things laid out for us. He has a clear walk that He wants us on, and sometimes we are too busy watching others do it, that we forget to do the very thing He put in our hearts.

Half of me is excited that He has a plan and calling for me, the other half has regrets for sitting on my lower half and letting others lead.

I feel like this goes back to insecurities… will I have the right words? Will I say the right thing? Does God really want me to do this?

The answer is Yes. If God has called and purposed it, then you are to do it. What’s lacking? Courage and confidence.

Here are some scriptures that God has given me about His callings and His promises:

2 Corinthians 1:20: ‘For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding "Yes!" And through Christ, our "Amen" (which means "Yes") ascends to God for his glory.’(NLT)

Romans 11:29: ‘For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.’
2 Timothy 1:17 is powerful. ‘For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.’

Here is the catch with scripture. Do we believe it? Is it truth? Does it hold? Again, the answer is yes.

Romans 11:29 says ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,’

I love the words ‘God-breathed.’ I looked up the Greek word for God-breathed and it is theopneustos. It means God-breathed, inspired by God, due to the inspiration of God. In other words. Scripture is from God. He ‘breathed’ it out. How powerful is it?

Let’s look at Genesis for this… Genesis 1:2 says ‘Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” To put this into perspective, He spoke light into being. He spoke the earth into being. He spoke day and night into being. In the count of creation, I counted nine times the words “Then God said” being spoken. This didn’t included blessing and other words uttered out of His mouth during creation.

Elohim, one of the names of God is translated creator God. El is used in association with God as ‘mighty God.’ You see this in many of his names, like El Shaddai –which means all sufficient God.

If He can speak life into being, is He not mighty? Or sufficient? Would the words that were ‘God-breathed’ not be viewed in the same power?

The point? We have a great gift given to us in the Bible. It is ‘God-breathed.’ It is His word given to us to understand this life as Christians. Why do we not use it? Why do we not trust it? For goodness sake – why do we not read it? His word is impenetrable. If He has given you a word, then hold on to it as truth!

I have been studying the life of Joseph recently and God brought a little nugget to me today. (The story of Joseph is Genesis 37-50 and I encourage you to read it.) In brief, it’s the story of a man that God gave a dream (actually a few dreams) to – then He fulfilled it. The fulfilling came 15-17 years later. We see many encounters that Joseph went through to prepare him for the fulling of this dream. It hit me that Joseph could not walk into this fulfilling until he was ready. The Lord was preparing Joseph to be the great leader he was. What struck me as interesting was a Psalm that I came across today.

Psalm 105:19: ‘until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him.’ (Read the full context in Psalm 105: 16-22.)

This entire story fits into plan of the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land – but we are looking at the Joseph section of the story for a moment.

God had a plan (and still does) for His people. Everyone person that played a role was key... Abraham, Isaac, Jacob… Joseph. This led to the role of Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua. What if any of these guys just stopped believing God? Was it hard? Yes. Were there moments of giving up and frustration? Yes! What did all of these guys do? Held on.

Is the promise of God worth holding onto? Is His word worth it?

Y.E.S.

God tested Joseph with the very word He had given him. There was day however, that the dream came true. The promise was fulfilled. The vision complete.

We have a life to live full of faith. We have promises to take hold of. We have a word for us. The question is…. Are you going to live life with God or are you going to sit and watch reruns?

What was He saying to me today? I have given you a word. I will complete it. Let’s get off your rump and do what I called you to do.

Who’s up for a little adventure?

Jesus

Are you tiring at all of the voices screaming out right now to be heard? Are you unsure of sides to take and opinions you want to state?

I spent some time on facebook today and it wore me out. I got on there to see some cute posts, and I saw about 3 of 50. Most of the rest were hate storms. People jockeying for positions and violent words spoken on every side.

What started as a good mood landed me in depression – and it hit me. This was the intent.

My husband recently attended an incredible worship school, and came back with a life change. He brought a song back from Housefires, and I want to recount the words.

oh and I've seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we're all searching for answers only you can provide
'cause you know just what we need before we say a word

You’re a good good father, that’s who you, who you are, who you are,

And I’m loved by you, that’s who I am, who I am, who I am…

Perhaps if I had taken that time to get in the word of God instead of barreling through every post, I might have received sense of renewal, of peace, of confidence in our Creator – Elohim. Perhaps if I had taken time to pray over each situation instead of reading others opinions, I could rest in the fact that God sees (El Roi). I might remember that he is our Healer – (Jehovah Rapha) That He will provide – Jehovah Jireh. Do you know where that name is mentioned? In Genesis with the story of God providing the perfect sacrifice for Abraham… right before he was going to sacrifice his son Isaac. (Genesis 22:14)

God has provided a sacrifice. Perfect. Holy. Blameless. If a creator can form the earth with his mere words (Elohim,) if he sees and knows (El Roi,) then we can trust Him. I can’t explain why we see things going on… but I know that there is a concentrated effort on pushing Him and His word out of America. I see a country turning away from one of the core reasons America was founded – in God we trust. If we have stop trusting God, and start trusting ourselves… then I think we might be seeing the effect of that decision.

My prayer is that we get out of the hate storm and hit our knees. Our job – as Christ-followers – is to follow Him. To know Him. To do his good and pleasing will. The way to do that is to dive into the word he has given us. The Bible. It’s a love story about that perfect sacrifice sent for us. Is anyone thinking of that during this time?

Exodus 14:14 says: ‘The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.’

Take the fight to Him and let Him do His work. Your job is to know Who you are talking to. Find out His will, His dream for you, His way. You do this by studying His word – and talking to Him. That may sound cliché – but that’s what Jesus modeled for us to do. He knew the scripture. He quoted his Father’s words. He took time away to pray. And he served. He stood on the word – and he died for us anyway. He died for every person I saw being talked about today. Love is hard. The word ‘Love’ is misunderstood and thrown around to achieve self-serving purposes.  Yes – Jesus loves all and died for all – we need to get to know Him. I may be pitied, and seen as a fundamental who is stuck in my beliefs I was taught from early on. I make mistakes. I say and think things I shouldn’t. I am not perfect. I did, however, choose to get to know Him. And in this journey, I have learned from going to him directly – not from others words. I have been challenged in tradition verses truth. I have clung to the One who created me. I speak now on what I have been learning as I attempt this walk with Him.

I am believing Him. I am working on Trusting Him. I am attempting to go to Him to find out what He wants to say to me.

Here are a few things I believe are truth from His word.

‘In the beginning was the Word. And the word was with God and the word was God.’ (John 1:1)

‘I am the way the truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ (John 14:6)

These are referring to Jesus. God’s one and only son.

Call on Him. That name is greater than any there is.

‘at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11

Jesus.

Let’s use that name as a prayer- instead of a curse. Let’s go to knees and talk to Him.

‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’ (2 Chronicles 7:14)

I believe in the power of prayer. I believe in hitting our knees. I believe that He answers when we call as His word says: ‘I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.’ (Psalm 34:4)

I believe He will protect when we ask Him.

‘Ask and it shall be given you.

Seek and ye shall find.

Knock and the door will be opened unto you.’ (Matthew 7:7)

Why?

‘Because everyone who asks receives, everyone who seeks finds and everyone who knocks, the door will be opened unto you.’ (Matthew 7:8)

These words aren’t a free for all to get what you want… The point of this is a relationship with Him. He created us with freedom of choice. It’s a choice to Believe him, and walk with Him. He’s not forcing us.

God forgive us. Lord Take pity on us. Father guide us and show us your way.

A Time to Learn

“I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10. 

What a wild few months. Since the last blog was written… a lot has happened. I did write another blog, and it was lost in a computer crash – that took everything that was on my computer… I had 3 months of continual nauseousness… Which is something I have prayed for for years and here we are!

So how are you? What has God been doing with you? Take a moment to write down the work of God in your life.

I feel like I am back in teaching mode – but I also have to be in learning mode. God has answered one of my biggest lifelong prayers – a baby. You may never know why he chooses the time he does – but he has chosen this time. I am excited – and challenged. I now have new things to worry about. Do we ever stop worrying?

But God is using this time to work. I only have a few months before this baby comes – and I have a lot going on in my head – can anybody get what I’m saying? There are pressures mounting, bills mounting, baby items mounting – a lot mounting – therefore my stress is mounting. And in the middle of this, God comes to work.

What is holding me back from abundant life? I have prayed about that. Circumstances leave us wondering where God is, and He is wondering – why are you living like you are living? In defeat – under pressure, and depressed. I have one of the greatest blessings I could imagine coming to me – and I can’t enjoy it because I let life and people beat me down. I have people in my life that want to control me. I have people that want to hurl insults (in a joking way…) every time they see me. I have people ignoring me – and I let it get in my head.

The word of God says “I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10. When I went to look up this scripture reference – I saw the first part of this verse.

‘The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy.’  There are two parts of this verse – and hence – there is a battle. I want to live life abundantly – but I am choosing to listen to the first part of the verse. I have let people rob my dignity – due to their insecurity. Instead of ignoring them, and praying for them – I let it get in my head – make me miserable, and then ask God – where are you? Do any of you do this? I am choosing to listen to and believe the thief – not the creator. And it has cost me much. I have lost joy, satisfaction, identity, courage, confidence. 

I listened to an amazing simulcast that talked about being a blessed woman of God – because of belief. I started thinking - Who do I believe? Who do you believe? It hit me that it is easier for us as women to cave to insecurities, to words, to fears. It’s time to realign our Faith. My prayer is that you would also hear what the Father is saying to you – and to live for Him. Believe Him. You are a woman of God. He chose you. He created you. Why should you let anyone steal that from you? Woe to that theif when God arrives. And – while I’m on this – let us not be women that would try to steal from others. You are here for a purpose that God has ordained – and you are to carry out your purpose. Let others carry out their purpose. We have no need to be jealous. You are unique. Special – a child of God. Live like it – Believe like it. You are an heir to the throne when you take that step to align yourself with Christ. The one true son of God. Your belief in Jesus as God’s son – opens the door to your abundant life in Him. Your life God created for you- to live out a destiny full of adventure, joy and satisfaction. It’s time to regain our trust in Him.