God’s Wisdom ~ Give Up What’s Good for What’s Best

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GIVE UP WHAT’S GOOD FOR WHAT’S BEST

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  Hebrews 12:1

Learn to obey Me in difficult matters.  This will result in My blessing being poured out upon your life.  Allow Me to prune everything that holds you back.  Though there are losses, what you gain will outweigh the sacrifices.

Obedience puts you out of step with a church that is falling away in the great deception.  You make decisions others don’t understand.  When they say something is acceptable, you walk away.  When they don’t give something a second thought, you abstain.  With the growing darkness, it will be natural to cling to anything that numbs out the pain but that will also dull your appetite for Me.  Stay awake.  Cling to Me as things decline.

Salvation will come and You will finally see My face and step into your inheritance.  Child, the goal is in sight.  As you run the race today, I am preparing your eternity.  It’s that close.

 

The Rub of Cohabitation

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THE RUB OF COHABITATION

All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies.  Psalm 119:118

     In the process of refining silver, the dross and the pure silver must co-habitate.  It is at the end that the dross is isolated and removed.  Though I am called to mingle with others for a time, and though we appear to be made of the same substance, eventually the two of us will be separated.

    As God’s child, I feel the pain of this kind of cohabitation.  It happens in a subtle and not-so-subtle form.

    1.) Everyone in church looks the same.  They carry similar bibles; even tote the latest bible study workbook.  It is hard to tell silver from dross.  Only Jesus really knows who is His and who is not.  Yet, I can feel the spiritual rub when I pray or attempt to fellowship with someone.  The values of the kingdom are bent to their advantage and the smell of idolatry is faintly evident if I am prayerfully discerning.  To have to co-exist is uncomfortable and often confusing as I try to fellowship with those who privately reject Christ and use the church as an institution to fool themselves and gain a platform.  The kingdom clash is not perfectly clear as pretenses veil the state of their heart.  What I have often chalked up to a personality clash can be far more serious.  Dross and silver are in the same pot but not yet separated.  Continue reading “The Rub of Cohabitation” →

God’s Wisdom ~ No Longer Refused

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No Longer Refused

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.  John 6:37

Cast out ~ To expel a person from society, to banish from a family

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You know the pain of reaching out and of being refused; extending your arms only to be turned away.  Don’t allow the memories of that to keep you from experiencing Me.  I heal all former rejections, every single one.  No widow need be without a Husband.  No orphan without a Father.  No spouse without a Lover.

When you live in Me and dare to believe that all I have and all I am is yours, you will find a joy unspeakable.  I won’t turn My back on you when you seek Me.  If you come, I will be found.   If you reach, I will embrace.  So need Me courageously.  I won’t disappoint you.  Trust Me even though it may feel reckless when weighed against past experience.  I’m different.  I won’t cast you out.

 

Which Way The Wind Blows

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WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS

Ephraim feeds on the wind, and pursues the east wind continually.  Hosea 12:1

            The ‘east wind’ in all countries, is a parching, injurious wind.  What does it mean that God’s people are pursuing and feeding on a wind that is self-destructive?  They make alliances that are bad for them.  They feed off deals and agreements that are made by their own ingenuity, created without prayer and without regard for what God might have in mind.

            To hear many talk, ‘the big deal’ is always around the corner.  They’re always working on it and are quick to let others know that it’s going to be prosperous.  Continue reading “Which Way The Wind Blows” →

Checked Out

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WHEN I’VE EMOTIONALLY CHECKED OUT!

Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. And he blessed Abram and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” Genesis 14:17-20

             Abram had been traveling by faith for a long time now.  He had entered many foreign territories and encountered king after king.  They had all been unrighteous, whether by deed or in whom they worshiped.  Not one had been a follower of Yahweh!  Yet, out of nowhere comes the King of Salem to meet Abram after his battle for Lot and his family.  Abram is weary and, most-likely, vulnerable.  He has just risked the lives of himself and his men for a spiritually wayward family member.

            The thought of meeting a righteous King was out of the realm of his experience.  He had probably never thought there was such a thing.  Say the word ‘king’ to Abram, and he’d think ‘enemy’ or ‘heathen’.  Yet, here was a king who came to refresh him with a meal, encourage him with God’s very words, and give him a blessing.  He was the first to bless Abram other than God!  Abram had not grown cynical with his previous experience of other kings.  He did not approach Melchizedek warily and refuse his affection.  This, to me, is one of the miracles of this story.

            When life has always been one way for 40 years, the thought that it could be different is often beyond hope.  I quit praying.  I stop dreaming.  My faith shrivels.  I simply cease believing that God will do a new thing.  Technically, I may know He can because He is God.  But dangerously, I believe His heart for me has switched off.  He doesn’t love me enough to bless me with a different experience. Continue reading “Checked Out” →

Prayer For Protection From The Liar

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But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.  2 Cor. 11:3

Corrupted ~ Changed from good to bad, destroyed, degraded.

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Lord Jesus, when I love You completely, no one can talk me out of it.  When others tell me my faith in You is foolish, weak or misplaced, I shake it off easily.  At those times, my love is like iron and cannot be corrupted.

But what about other times?  Satan is always lurking.  He knows what has happened to me in my life.  He knows that, in certain areas, it will be harder for me to believe that you are caring, fair, and loving.  He knows exactly where I could find it hard to trust you.  So, he comes and accuses You to me.  He knows just how to word it and just what event to target.

Help me be strong against his accusations.  He is a liar after all.  He weaves vicious rumors with NO foundation.  Each one is designed to corrupt my love and make me back up from you.  If I don’t trust You, I have nothing.

I need Your voice in my ear and I know where I need to go to hear it.  I vow to preserve my time with you at all cost.  Your Word is Your story, and my story, and I live in the wonder of it.  When Satan comes accusing, I will say what I have taught my children and grandchildren.  “Be gone, in Jesus name.”  It’s pretty simple.  Give me spiritual backbone, holy cunning, and airtight strategy.  In Jesus name, Amen

Prayer For Deliverance From Fear

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PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM FEAR

Since then the children [of God] share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.  Hebrews 2:14-15

Deliver (yasha) ~ avenge, preserve, save

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Lord, I am Your child.  I am flesh and blood.  Before I was Yours, I was completely at the mercy of the evil one, Your enemy.  I was his, not Yours.  So You came and took on flesh and blood, too.  You put Yourself at risk, within Your Father’s will, at the hands of fallen men.  You were misjudged, physically abused, rejected, frustrated by the religious arrogant, and in every way, you experienced whatever I face today.

Oh, but we are not alike.  You died as the perfect Lamb in order to make a way for my adoption.  Once I said “yes” to You and asked You to rescue me from slavery to my own sin and make me Yours, You acted immediately.  You didn’t leave me in Satan’s hands for one more minute.  All the things I was deathly afraid of were no longer threats.

I am not afraid of You.  We are at peace.  I am not afraid of Your anger.  You call me Your friend.  I am not afraid of dying.  My first sight will be of Your face.  I am not afraid of failing.  You redeem all things I put in Your hands.  I am not afraid of being hated.  No matter what, You love me.  I am not afraid of being disowned, no matter how much I sin.  My adoption papers were finalized, sealed by Your hand.  I am not afraid of an enemy who is parading around as though he is victorious.  You already defeated him and his charade is short-lived.

Whatever threatens me today, remind me that I am no longer a slave to the fear of it.  There is no threat that can destroy my soul when I live in the truth of Your love and power.  The body, they can kill.  But my eternal future is untouchable and incorruptible.  In Jesus name, Amen

Prayer For The One Who Lives With Criticism

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PRAYER FOR THE ONE WHO LIVES WITH CRITICISM

Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who hate me, O you who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may recount all your praises. Psalm 9:13-14

Recount (tanah) ~ to commemorate, rehearse

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         It is lonely to walk in Your footprints, Jesus. In these days, not only am I despised by unbelievers but those who call themselves Your children. My pride is easily wounded and I forget that the friction I feel is a holy one. Why am I feeling shame? This is the cross I promised to carry when I became Your disciple.

         It is not Your intent that I should be weighed down by other’s rejection. It is not Your desire that I be crippled by their criticism, though it is hard to hold my head up in the company of those who censure nearly everything I do. They take issue with most of my words.

         I realize that this is not about me at all. It is about You and the way I will teach others how to thrive in Your love amidst condemnation. I will be energized to recount how You care for me; how You lift me up when I am cast down. You modeled this journey. You lived amongst enemies and forgave them even though they didn’t ask for it. You didn’t retreat and hide from their anger. You didn’t choose silence because You feared the repercussions of opening Your mouth. You spoke when it glorified Your Father and You withheld language when it glorified your Father. Shame and fear didn’t dictate Your strategy.

         Let me learn what I need to learn in this school of contempt. Pride and ego are not mine to manage. You hold my heart in Your hands. I am secure in Your love and held high in Your esteem. For every note of sarcasm directed at me, You are rejoicing over me with singing. Your songs resurrect me from condemnation and I will rise to praise You. I will rehearse the promises You give me in the dark so that others may see Your light.

         Through this crucible, You are fashioning me into a dazzling witness of grace. The more I am oppressed, the more I will discover that I am the apple of Your eye and the greater will be my testimony. I am tall and robust in Your light. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Prayer For Grace, Even Deliverance

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PRAYER FOR GRACE, EVEN DELIVERANCE

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 

Help (boetheia) ~ At the first cry for help, there is the sound of running to give aid.

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         Lord, I can hear Your people singing as they make their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The stress of their lives had been unbearable but they held on to hope. They knew that they would be making their way to Your holy city. When they looked up to catch their first glimpse of the city walls, they no longer felt fatigued. They were infused with new strength to run the last mile.

         I am on my way home to you.   My heart has been weighed down by the what’s in front of my eyes. My vision has been earthbound as I’ve watched the unrighteous prosper. Cries have been stuck in my throat. Right now, I lift my eyes to the hills of Your holy mountain. Draw my soul out of the despair of deep waters. Lift my head to behold Your dwelling place and hold my gaze. Lock Your eyes upon mine. I choose to believe that with Your help, I will be able to prevail. Send help from Your sanctuary and support me from Zion. Psalm 20:2

         Thank you for taking my cry seriously. You don’t tell me to wait. You don’t rebuke me for needing You. You don’t promise help for another day. You don’t send less than I need. You are my Perfect Father. You hear Your child’s cry and You run immediately with grace to sustain. You even promise deliverance when it’s perfect timing. Don’t let me judge You when you send grace instead of deliverance. How often I have felt disappointment and stumbled over Your perceived inactivity. My hope plummeted when my expectations were not met.

         If today’s answer is grace instead of deliverance, I keep my eyes fixed on the hills of Your dwelling place. I rest in Your promises and rehearse Your comforting words that impart supernatural strength. My legs are no longer collapsing beneath me.

         Oh, but if today’s answer is deliverance, come with haste O righteous King. Deliver us with power. Expose evil. Save Your people. Save me. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Prayer For Staying Alert

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PRAYER FOR STAYING ALERT

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. I Peter 1:13

Girding up the loins of your thinking, gathering in the strength of your spirit. To spiritually optimize your way of thinking so you can be on full alert.

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         Holy Spirit, let me hear You praying for me. Give me Your words as I seek to expand this scripture.

         These times are perilous and frightening. Don’t let me do what I naturally do. Frightened and overwhelmed, I try to distract myself and escape the stress. Instead of feeling alert, I welcome numbness. Instead of seizing opportunities, I run from them. Instead of focusing on the hope of seeing You, I embrace despair. I’ve never functioned well in emergencies but Your Spirit does and You want to fill me and live through me. It’s not about how I react but how You react.

         You planned my birth from before the foundation of the world. You designed for me to live at this time in history. You had a plan for me and I am in the center of my destiny. You have equipped me with everything I need to spiritually thrive, to know the joy of seeing You shine through my life. Though the world is entering lawlessness, You increase order and stability in the life of Your child.

         So expose my mindset. Is it hopeless or hopeful? Is it faithless or faith-filled? By the power of Your Spirit, harness my mind for Your glory. Let every scripture planted there rise up to wield its influence. Let Your Words kill the weeds of deception. Let Your Words shape the way I process the news and current events. Let Your Words give me victory over my own flesh. Let Your Words give me the discipline to watch well, to wait well, and to make the most of these days.

         I hug Your Word tightly. I breathe it. I meditate on it. I study it. I let it judge every thought and emotion. I invite You to gird up the loins of my thinking. I will be submissive to whatever that process means. I won’t resist. Don’t let me miss one single part of what You intended for my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen