The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.  Zephaniah 3:17 NIV
One word: YES! 

These words have been rolling around in my heart ever since I heard them.  How many times have I been guilty of praying for relief rather than seeking Him for the strength and willingness to see beyond the struggle to the lesson that lies within it.  Hope these words encourage you today.  The link is to Laura Story's site.  It is an audio link to the song.

http://www.laurastorymusic.com/


BLESSINGS
We pray for blessings 
We pray for peace 
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep 
We pray for healing, for prosperity 
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering 
All the while, You hear each spoken need 
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things 

(Chorus)
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops 
What if Your healing comes through tears 
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near 
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise 

We pray for wisdom 
Your voice to hear 
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near 
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love 
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough 
All the while, You hear each desperate plea 
As long as we have faith to believe 

Chorus

When friends betray us 
When darkness seems to win 
We know the pain reminds this heart 
That this is not, this is not our home 

Chorus

What if my greatest disappointments 
Or the aching of this life 
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy 
What if trials of this life 
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights 
Are your mercies in disguise

March 1st Memory Verse

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."


Fear, wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  This should be fun!

Learning...Slowing, Surely, Patiently....I'm Learning

This is a rather lengthy post that I recently shared within a Ning group that I am part of.  I felt lead to share it here as well.  Hope it ministers to you as the passage did to me.

During my recent bout with sickness, I arrived at Monday of this week, I was once again finding myself bundled upin the same bed with the same symptoms and I decided it was time for me to ask God what I considered to be  rather fair and simple question at this juncture of my sickness.  So, I proceeded to simply ask Him, "Ok, what are you trying to teach me here?"  Often, I have found this to be a question better avoided.  LOL!

As some of you may know, it is a hard thing for me to relax.  Oh how awesome our Father is to find a cleaver way to get those of us who 'rest' (only for 8 hours a night and  then hit the floor running again) to actually 'rest'.   This word 'rest' kept rolling through my heart and mind.  'Rest.  Rest.  Rest.' "Ok", I thought, "this must be the lesson......'rest'...ok, God, I can do that."  Interesting to note her that my 'one word' from the Lord for last year was 'rest'.    Huh....

So, on Monday morning, Dale and I talked and we decided it would be best for me to stay home as I did not want to pass this sickness along to anyone attending the birthday celebration for Eloise.  Monday became Tuesday, and Dale and Alyssa headed out in the morning for Portland.  Somewhere in the late evening, I decided that I can't take it any more!  As many of you may know, I am also a very patient person.  Not!  So, I proceeded to state matter-of-fact to the Lord, "This is enough!"  I got out of bed and made my way to the kitchen where I was determined to run a load of dishes through the dishwasher.  I had put exactly three dishes into the dishwasher when I bent down to place the fourth one in and my head became so dizzy and painful that I fell to the floor holding my head as I let out a scream.  I had to literally crawl back to bed on my knees while holding my head the entire way.  My simple 'plan' was to load the dishwasher.  'Plan'...that is a funny word!  My sister-in-law posted on her

Facebook once that "We plan.....God laughs."  How true that is sometimes.

Anyway, Tuesday night was probably the worst evening of my life...no joke.  I felt physically horrible and I thought it was too late to call anyone to take me to the hospital.  The ambulance didn't seem to be an option for me as I did not have the money for that expensive ride, so out of bed I got, crawled toward the front door wearing my PJ's, a pair of slippers and a jacket, my purse dragging behind me.  My 'plan' was to drive myself to the hospital. I made it to the front door and the pain was  so bad that I almost passed out. Again, no exageration.  It was scary.  As I lay on the floor for about 15-20 minutes, I got an idea.  I thought to myself, "I'll talk to God until I can get to the car....brilliant!"  I mean, really 'talk' with Him......not the type of prayer that I have going on in my life throughout the day for a variety of things....nope, out loud, talking to Him as if He is in the room, on the floor with me...because technically, he is there with me...right?.  Anyway, great idea it seemed...my 'plan' seemed like the 'right' thing to do.  As I remained there on the floor, I began with something that went a little bit like this,"Ok, really, God.  What is it that you are trying to teach me here?  I am ready to listen....reallylisten.....but I really need to get to the car and get to the hospital.  I know you can help me out, I know you can do this, Iknow that You know I am really sick, so really, what is the deal here?"  (As if God makes deals.) The simple response He spoke into my heart was, "Go back to bed. Rest. Listen and rest. Trust me."    

As I have said when I have shared with you all before, I am usually one to obey God the first time I hear Him ask me to do something.  Occasionally, I will ask a few questions, maybe even a lot of questions, (yes, sometimes too many questions) before I 'do' what it is He is asking of me.  Sometime, as Tuesday becoming Wednesday, I made my way back to my bed....and I rested....I mean really rested. For my rest was now in His hands.  As I began to fall asleep praying to Him (for me, there is no better way to fall asleep) as I have each night since I became a Christian, I began to sing a Chris Tomlin song called, "I Will Follow".  The main chorus states:

"Where You go, I'll go; When You stay, I'll stay; When You move, I'll move; I will follow You.  Who You love I'll love, How You serve, I'll serve, though this life I lose, I will follow You."

What I was soon to discover, is that I really don't know much of anything and that what I really thought of as right thinkingreally isn't that at all. And what I thought I know to be true about myself is a far cry from the reality of myself sometimes. And that the words to this song along with the Word He was soon to reveal to me in a fresh, new way, was a far cry from where I would have been willing to go had I not been brought to my knees, literally, in obedience to Him.  I fell asleep fast as I felt Him close to me and safe in His arms, singing these words to this song as a prayer.

Walking up the next afternoon to use the restroom, I saw our Bible on the back of the toilet.  This is the one we have had since early into our marriage, our first 'our' Bible, and for some reason we have always kept it there on the back of our toilet. It is the one Bible we own that we always know where it is!  True, a strange place for a Bible and we always talk about getting a book shelf in there or something to put it on or in, but nope, there it is....in it's place on the back of the toilet. It is a torn and battered NIV version.  As I took the Bible in hand, I turned to the front inside cover to see where I written 'our' names in the upper left corner.  Headed back to bed, I return to my bed to rest again.  As I slip in and adjust the covers, I realize that at this particular stage of my sickness, I felt a bit better when laying in a somewhat upright position.  So I propped myself up a bit and as I opened our much used and looking-slightly-abused Bible, I ask the Lord to show me what it is He would want for me to learn from the passage I am going to dive into. 

Since I couldn't make it to church, I missed the sermon, but in talking with my mom on Sunday evening, she said that the lesson was about going to your brother when he/she has sinned against you.  Honestly, when she mentioned the gist of the subject, I did say to her, "Oh, then maybe it was a good Sunday to miss!" LOL!  We both laughed about my comment, but looking back now, there was some truth behind my thought.  Anyway, for some reason, I ended up in chapter 7 of John and continued reading through John 8:11.  This is the encounter that Jesus had with a woman brought before Him because she had been caught in the act of adultery.

Many times in my life, I have read this passage or heard a sermon on it or even thought about it when being attacked by another person verbally about something in my own life that they feel is 'not right' about me.   As I often do when reading Scripture, I imagine myself in the place of someone in the story.  Usually for me, I have identified with the woman in this story.  Not that I have been caught in nor participated in adultery, but in the fact that I have been 'called on the carpet' so to speak about a particular area of my life that needed a Godly encounter......a Godly realignment.  This was soon going to be just such a day.  The difference, however,  was that it was the Lord that was calling me on the carpet about my own sin.....just as He did in this passage with the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. 

Rather than placing myself in the shoes of the women of this story, on this particular day, I began by placing myself in Jesus' shoes. Yes, big shoes to step into, I know,  but what I discovered is that when I 'stepped into His shoes', I began to see the story in a very different light...for I saw it through the eyes of The Light.   As I often do when reading Scripture, I applied a method of studing the Bible known as the "S-O-A-P" method.   Some of you may know what this is, but if not, in a nutshell it stands for:

S=Scripture (read the passage)

O=Observation (observe what is taking place, rather info about people in the story, etc)

A=Application (ask myself "What is it that He has for me today from this passage?", ask myself questions as to how the passage, lesson, story can  be used to grow me and mature me spiritually)

P=Prayer (end by praying and thanking God for giving me insight into His Word and asking God to show me how to implement the lesson(s) I have gained from the passage)

As I broke this passage down, here is what the Lord revealed to me as I placed myself in His shoes as I read through it. 

John 8:1-11

(S) but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  

(O) First off, I observed the word "but" and went back to chapter 7 to see what everyone else was doing.  Putting myself in His shoes, I realized that Jesus was setting himself apart from the others and He was going to His prayer closet. He chose the wiser thing.  "Of course, He did!", I thought to myself, "He is Jesus!w Why wouldn't He have done the wiser thing?"  Still, I placed myself there, because just like you and I, Jesus always had a choice and a free will and I wanted to experience His view of this passage. 

(A) I need to become more disciplined in my prayer life.  I've always thought I was doing well in my prayer life as my day consists of constant dialogue between Him and I, but honestly, I could work on being more like Him in approaching the Father in the morning before I head into my day.  Just like falling asleep praying to Him, how sweet the day will be when I am waking up in prayer as well...whoot!

(S) At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 

(O) Jesus was an earlier riser!  He was up at dawn......oh, sweet!  Jesus and I do have something in common....LOL!  Oh, wait, reading on, I observed that others were there too, so I'm not that special. As I continued reading, I realize that Jesus had gone to His prayer closet (in verse 1) in preparation for something. From this observation, I learned that it is important to go to Him in the morning with my prayers and get equipped for the plans He has for me.  How often do I make my own plans and never ask Him, "What are Your plans for me today?"  How better my day is and the more I feel I do for the advancement of His Kingdom when I prepare in advance for the things and people He will bring to me each day. 

(A) I need to be better prepared!  For although I don't see what is just around the bend, He does and so therefore it would be best to follow Him (again, I remember the words in the song above.

^{(S) 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.} 
(O) This is where I began to have trouble with being in Jesus' sandals and to think and feel and react as He would. I observe that He is about His Father's business, as He always was.  He was 'prayed up' and teaching what I can only imagine was a perfect lesson since all that He is and all that He does and all that He says would be perfect as well. Observation accepted.  This leads me to think that if I accept this truth, then it would make perfect sense that all that Heisn't and all that He doesn't do and all that He doesn't say  would be equally important to observe in this passage as well.  Me being me, my first reaction would be to get upset that these teachers of the Law and Pharisees had interrupted my lesson!  But, I quickly remember that I am attempting to step into Jesus' shoes today, and so I try to wrap my mind around how He reacted the way that He did, why He reacted that way and what He did and didn't say or do in this situation.  I begin to read on and observe that not only did they intrude upon His lesson, they bring the woman up in front of all of the others there, and proceed to spill the beans about her sin!  At this point, I observe, Jesus has not done or said anything.  Seriously?  Knowing myself pretty well, I feel if put in this situation, I would simply freeze...then explode! Asking questions of them such as, "Who are you to judge anyone?" Honestly, I might ask, "Who do you think you are?  Do you think you are God?" But, I am trying to be in His shoes this time....not my own shoes, not in her shoes, not theirs in their shoes, but HIS shoes...so I read on.
(A) To be like Jesus is so hard!  I know that He said it wouldn't be easy and that it would be worth it (my paraphrase) but sometimes, I think, "Ugh.  I can't do THAT!  I mean I know Jesus did that, but come on, Lord.  You cannot possibly expect me to really be able to pull that off, right?"  Yes, He does!  He gives me all of the strength and the power and the ability found in Him to do anything that He asks me to do.  In fact, His word tells me that I will do even greater things than some of the things He has done.  Wow!  I need to be a person who seeks Him for ways to be more like Him.  To react more as He would and less like, well.....less like me.  I need to stop being the person that is so willing to put someone out there in front of everyone to show others how badly "so-and-so" hurt me or offended me or treated me or how they____________...well, I know if you are honest with yourself, you can fill in a few of the blanks that I may have missed. Ladies, I'm gonna get a bit more honest here, hope that is ok with everyone.  My 'hard drive' actions, my gut reactions and 'quick to judge' reflexes are something that are a part of me, hardwired in due to experiences all throughout my life, my upbringing, influences and situations that I have taken place.  My entire life, and yes somehow  even throughout the Genesis program, my drilled-in sense of 'right is right and wrong is wrong', my feelings that others need to 'own it' when confronted by me about a hurt, offense or action toward me, my inner questions of "why do they judge me when I know that they have done 'this and that' or 'such and such'.....well, frankly, they need to go by the way side.  They need to be left at the feet of the cross where they belong...not to verbally be driven around town posted on a neon flashing sign on the roof of my car for all to see as I yell through a megaphone the details of a time that someone else offended me and I feel that they need to be brought to justice. Hurts have turned into wounds for far too many years and I need to allow the Father to repair the damage, fix the wounds and I need to learn that people will say and do what they want.  The important thing is not 'fairness' or 'justice' or for them to 'do the right thing'.  The truth is, He has been calling me to a higher way of living and I have been so stinking mad at past situations (some as far back as I can remember), that I literally have not been willing to get beyond this to move forward and grow and mature and move into the things He has for me.  I have stubbornly stayed in this spot, arms folded, bottom lip out, leg crossed as screamed,"No I won't! Hmph!" I have justified myself (to myself and to others) by saying that what I am sharing is the truth...in fact it has always been the truth...my customer's often times are unfair and say untrue things about me, someone close to me may have hurt or offended me, someone may have spread a nasty lie or rumor about me, someone may have unjustly accused me of something I knew nothing about...but it is not my place to 'set them straight' nor is it my place to in a sense, drag them up in front of everyone else and ask, "Well, what should we do with this one?" During this time of sickness, I have released a lot to Him and He has shown Himself faithful to me time and time again.  I have cried more than I ever have, dug deeper than I ever wanted to, and grown more than I thought possible. Yes, there is still work to be done, but as my grandma used to say, "The truth is in the pudding." 


(S) But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 

(O) Looking at this from my standpoint my first obvious question is, "What did He write on the ground?"  But, when looking at it through His eyes, I guess it is something to be revealed on the other side of Heaven if it is important for all of us to know it.  The observation I made is that He didn't say anything at first.  Then when He did speak, it spoke to their sin, not hers.  Knowing that Jesus is without sin, I realize that His comment shut them all up.  Further pondering it, I realize that because Jesus is without sin, His statement made Him the only eligible person to throw a stone at this woman....that day or any day.  Jesus is the only One who is sinless and has the 'right' to throw a stone when I sin.  Yet, what I have experienced throughout my walk with Him is that all He has ever thrown my way is mercy, grace, love, peace, comfort, understanding and acceptance.  

(A) Who am I to throw a stone at anyone?  Afterall, the One who could throw a stone at me never has and if I claim to be striving to be like Him it is time that I put down the stones. 

(S)  ⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 
(O) Maybe the older ones went away first.  It seems that for me, the older I have gotten, the  more sins I have gathered and the more readily I become aware of these sins and are convicted of them.  Maybe this was the case with those who began to walk away after their 'Jesus encounter.'  Continuing to read, I see Jesus and there He is only with the woman brought before Him for judgement.  His reaction? Well, priceless!  Wait!  Back on track....getting a little ahead of myself here.  
(A) Seek the Lord and ask forgiveness for judging others.  Stop holding grudges and let God be God in every situation I face.  Remember my place in all of this and do not try to take over the seat that belongs only to Him.  Really grasp and take hold of His truth that I should "Judge not lest ye be judged."


  ^(S) Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” 
(O) Jesus turns to her asking where her accusers are....even though He knows full well where they have gone, and that none stayed around to throw a stone.  
(A) He desires for me to learn from this passage and just like this woman, caught up andcaught in her sin, I am to go now and leave my life of sin.

Memory Verse #4...Whoot!

Yes, this is the verse from the last post, but it will not leave my heart, so I know that this is what He would have me memorize for my 4th verse of 2011.  Love it!
The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

Ever have one of those moments when the love and acceptance of the Father is so overpowering in your life that you aren't able to fully take it in?   I had a moment like that with Him today as I way reading this scripture verse.  Oh the love of the Father...nothing compares to the greatness of knowing Him and partaking of His sweet, sweet fellowship.  To be wrapped in His loving arms anew this morning as I read this Bible passage was just what I needed in the depths of my questioning and doubting heart. 

As I read these words I was overtaken with the love He lavishes on me each any every day....while most of the time, I am completely unaware of His great, great love for me, His daughter.  So very thankful today that He is the One that is with me, mighty to save me, He takes delight in me.....yes, DELIGHTS in me, quiets me with His love (and how very often I need to be quieted!), and then He tops it off by singing over me as His words of love penetrate my cold and dreary heart.  

I am not alone in this love of the Father!  He has enough for me, for you and for everyone...if we but allow Him to love on us.  Praying that whoever may come across this post today would feel closer to God than they did a moment ago.   May He bless you ans keep you as your open your heart to Him and allow Him to take delight in you and rejoice over you with singing.  What a beautiful picture the words of this scripture paints for me today!  I pray this post encourages you as well.  

Putting on the Armor

Ephesian 6:10-17  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

This morning, I attended church and the Holy Spirit challenged me to make some necessary changes in my life to further my growth and maturity in the Lord.  Upon my return home this evening, I was once again drawn to this passage in Ephesians.  Pastor Arte briefly eluded to this passage today.  However, since the sermon was focused on loving others as God loves them, we did not spend a lot of time focusing on the message of the armor of God.  Whenever I have pondered this passage in the past, I always walk away encouraged.... challenged, yes, but oh so encouraged!   Today as I read this passage again, I once again am challenged, yet encouraged.  

Here are some thing I discovered today in re-reading this passage:

Notice that we are instructed to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."  This is a command, not a suggestion.  "Be strong".  Now Paul is not saying to us, "I think you should be strong...", or "Try to be strong..." or "You should strive to be strong."  No.  Simply put, Paul declares, "Be strong".  Then comes the second half of this command, "in the Lord".  Ouch!  He isn't saying to me, "in your self" or "in your own abilities", but rather, "in the Lord."   For the Lord is where I am to get my strength.  He is the Source of my strength.

Once I swallow this truth, there is immediately another command.  "Put on,".  Not "Hope for"," not "Pray for," and certainly not "Wish for,".....no, I am to "Put on".  How often I forget that as a warrior I must take the necessary steps to prepare for war.  Once my oh-so-human brain begins to wrap itself around this truth, I come to the second half of this command; "the full armor of God."  Yes!  It is when I put on the full armor of God that I will be fully protected!  Yes, indeed!  I am feeling encouraged at this point in the passage.  Next comes the challenge.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,".  Immediately, I am convicted.  Who is it that I have labeled as 'enemy'?   Who is it that I think I am going to be up against in this battle?  Who am I going into this battle against....really?   For if I go into a battle without realizing in my heart who my true enemy is in the situation, it is much like attacking the wrong enemy in a military war.  I must always remember in times of struggle exactly  who the enemy really is.  As I read through the passage a bit further, I come across verse 13 and read, "so that when the day of evil comes,".  Notice, is does read, "if the day of evil comes," nope....."when the day of evil comes."  Paul is reminding me, just as Jesus did, that in this life I will have struggles and strife.  Here is the encouraging part of this segment of the passage: " you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."  I am to be bold and courageous and strong in Him and then stand my ground against the true enemy of my soul.  Since I am 100% human, this is something that I can only due through the power of my loving Father.  While I know this in my head, knowing this truth and living it out in my life is another thing all together.  Anyone with me on this point?

The scripture goes on tell me exactly what pieces of the armor I will need.  One interesting sidenote to the armor, is that there is really no protection to my backside.  All of the armor is worn in such a way as to face the enemy head on!  Full steam ahead!  So as I read this today, I was pondering in the depths of my heart.  Some of the questions I feel that the Lord is asking me are: What part of the armor do I most struggle with putting on?  Who is it that I have somehow labeled incorrectly as 'enemy'?  When others look at me, what part of the invisible armor do they see evident in my life?  Do they see His truth around my waist, His peace upon my feet, His salvation upon my head?  What about the breastplate of righteousness, the sword of the Spirit or the shield of faith....are they visible in my life?

After answering these questions today during my prayer time....just between Him and I, I have a renewed strength; a strength that comes from the Father.   I prayed also that His life would be evident in my own on a larger scale than before.  And that each day I would be a person dressed to battle the things of the enemy that are allowed to come my way.  There is a new sense of expectancy as I head into what He has ahead for me.  I cannot wait to see what He has for me as I ready myself with His strength, His power and His love.  Asking Him in prayer that He help me to see things as He does...see others as He does....and yes, love others as He does.  To live and move and have my being in Him in such a way that others are drawn to Him.  This is my plea, my desire and my prayer. Looking up first and then looking forward to what He would have for me today!