Walk in the Word

October 26, 2012
New EVERY Morning
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;  they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. - Lamentations 3:22-23

There is a plant that grows in the garden in front of our house.  It is a small bush, I guess you could say.  I noticed it early one morning when I was hanging laundry as the sun was rising.  The flower on it was beginning to open.  It's blossom is delicate and about the size of my thumb.  The dew is fresh and I just give thanks that God brought it to my attention.  Later in that same morning I passed by and noticed that the bush is now in full bloom.  The bloom is a pale yellow with a dark purple center.  It has opened but appears very fragile.  In the afternoon,  I am pulling in the laundry and look for my new favorite flower, but I find that the harsh sun has withered all of the blossoms.  I thought how sad that they have such a short life and I could not have enjoyed them longer.  Well the next I morning, I am up at the same time and hanging laundry and I discover that new blossoms are on the bush, right next to the one that has died the day before. I was then reminded that God makes all things new.  It made me smile.  I have now watched everyday as blossoms wither and die in the afternoon and new blossoms are there with the morning dew.  God's promises are beautiful to me and the fact that He promises me new mercy each and everyday to go with His love that never leaves me is my life. 

 
August 14, 2012
Looking for Balance
The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. - Exodus 33:11

I have been looking for a way to find a balance in my life.  God desires that we rest in Him, but what does that rest mean.  I don't believe that it is the absence of work, but I also don't believe that it means working 24/7 so  how do we find the balance, especially for situations like the one I am in now, where my ministry is my life.  If I am living my work how do I find balance in that.  When am i resting and when am I working.  So I have been praying over this and I have talked with others.  The common response I hear is, "Yes God wants us to rest, but he also expects us to do our work."  Now is that clear as mud as what.  So this week I was walking from the house to La Aljaba at 6:30am and I was talking with God about this.  He suggested that I look to Moses as an example.  So I did.  All over Exodus he is continually meeting with God.  As the scripture above tells us, he met with God face to face.  The thing that I find fascinating is that God told Moses EVERYTHING he needed to know to lead the people.  He did not have to come up with strategies or plans, he didn't have to have a board meeting to draw up the plans for the tabernacle, he only met with God and then told the people what God said.  I know my mouth dropped as this realization hit me.  Don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting we not have meeting or that we should all go around saying "God says this, so we do this..."  I am know that God and Moses had developed that relationship over time.  I am however saying that we should meet with God daily face to face and that we accomplish only what He has for us to do each day.  It is in the meeting with Him daily that we develop that relationship, we hear His voice, we understand Him, and we find the balance He desires  for us.  I give thanks to God for this realization and I would appreciate your prayers as I attempt to put this into practice.   Ok, now as I read back over this for grammer, I am thinking Duh!  You already knew this.  LOL  Yes, I did, but I guess it is nice to have a new prespective on it.  

 
July 25, 2012
Deuteronomy 4:29
"But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul."

I am learning so much while I am on this journey.  I expected to, but not in the wonderful ways that I am learning and hearing from God.  We have a carambola (starfruit) tree in our back yard and we pick from it about every other day.  It produces a good amount of fruit for us which we turn into fresh juice and jam.  Kimberly and I went out to pick just the other day and when I first looked up, I didn't see any fruit, then I moved my head only inches and saw a bunch.  We ended up picking about a bushel of fruit.  In our search for fruit, I learned that you have to look at all different angles.  There were even times that I saw the fruit and Kimberly did not so I stood behind her and got on her level and pointed to the fruit from her perspective.  While we were picking God gently nudged me and told me that it is sometimes like that with Him.  His word promises that when we look for Him, we will find Him.  The above verse comes from Moses summarization of their journey in the wilderness.  He reminds the people of Israel that they are not to turn to idols and to seek God with all of their souls.  This caused me to look at myself and ask what kind of idols do I have in my  own life that are getting in the way of we seeking Him with my entire soul.  What I found was not pretty.  I realized that at times that I allow other people to get in the way and many other things to take priority over my relationship with Him. Of course God loves us even when we put other things ahead of Him, but when I seek after those things first, I miss precious fruit hanging there ready to be picked. God loves it when we pursue Him.  He always rewards the pursuit.  There are many ways we can pursue God and has been a fun process for me to discover new ways of seeking him.  Prayer has always been my "go to" when I want to hear from God, but He is teaching that you see more fruit when you seek with your entire soul.  You see more fruit when others come along side of you and show you where God is at work, when you seek Him in His word, when you sit and praise Him for who He is.
Father, I thank you for this Starfruit reminder that you alone are the maker of the stars, you alone desire my passion and my pursuit.  You alone should be my heart's desire.


June 26, 2012
Ephesians 1:18-20

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know...his incomparably great power for us who believe.  That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,"

In this past month, God has really been working with me on the idea of believing Him and trusting in Him.  Sometime in May I came across this verse and have been going back to it over and over again.  I am not sure exactly why I am drawn to it but I am.  Verse 19 contains the wording that I have struggled with.  His power is for us who believe.  So what does that mean?  There are many Christians who believe in Christ, myself included, who have not had some incredialbe manifistation of his power and strength.  I don't even speak in tounges.  So does that mean we don't have it, or does it mean we don't believe in Him?  As I have wrestled with this, He as been very patient with me and has begun to 'englighten the eyes of my heart'.  He has taken me to other scriptures to show me what He wants me to see.  In Mark 9:23, Jesus himself says, "Everything is possible for him who believes."  There is that word again...believe.  Believe what?  I believe in Christ, so why am I not raising the dead?  I even believe that the Holy Spirit resides in me.   

So I went to Acts to see what made the difference in the early church.  I re-read the story of Peter healing the crippled begger at the gate called Beautiful.  It was such a simple thing.  Peter said, "In the name of Jesus walk.", and the man did. 

I have come to conclude two things.  First, Action combined with belief activate the power.  It is not enough to say the words, 'In Jesus Name', you must believe that you have the power and that God will move, with no dobuting, and then act!  Even if it is as simple as hearing him speak, believe He is speaking.  Know that He created you, loves you, and wants to speak to you.  "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, becuase he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." - James 1:6

Second, I believe that God has a plan and agenda that we do not know about.  I laugh as I write that because it seems so simple doesn't it.  Of course He does.  With that being said, I am reminded that it does not mean I don't have his access to His power, or that I am a weak believer if He chooses not to move through me on any given occassion.  When you look at the story with Peter and the crippled begger, you see clearly that about 5000 came to believe in Christ as a result of that one act.  So what is on God's agenda determines the outcome of your actions.  It does not mean you are less than a Christian if you are not perfoming miracles.

We are called to go out in faith and with the power of God and put ourselves in positions to be used.  If we never believe we have access to his power, we will never act in faith, and we can not be used by Him.

I admit that I am still processing what all of this means.  God is still teaching me and challenging me each and everyday to BELIEVE!

May 29, 2012

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

⁴ I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
⁶ This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.

⁸ Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
⁹ Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
¹⁰ The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

¹¹ Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹² What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
¹³ Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
¹⁴ Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
¹⁶ The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁷ When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
²⁰ He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
²¹ Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
²² The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

There are several things that stand out to me in the psalm. 

First in verse 6 we see that the Lord will save us out of all of our troubles.  Not some of them, but all of them.  I was really excited about this so I looked up what the word troubles means in the Hebrew.  It means that He will save us from all of our anguish or distress, not that He will pull us out of struggles, but that He will remove the anguish and distress from the situation.  So I may have troubles like today when I have no water in my apartment because we have not had rain, but I simple rest in Him and he will take the distress and replace it with Joy. 

Next in verse 7 we see the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.  It is widely accepted that this is speacking of God himself.  We see this with Gideon, when the Lord apears to him as well.  I love the picture of God himself standing guard around me.  That is such a sweet place to be.  Everytime I picture that, I have such an overwhelming feeling of security.  Even now as I am living in an unknown place with unknown dangers,and much spiritual warfare. I have nothing to fear.  Satan can not come near to me.

Finally, in verse 18, we see that God is close to the brokenhearted.  The Hebrew word for brokenhearted is Shabar. It means to be shattered.  Have you ever been like this?  Ever felt that you were broken into so many pieces that you will never be put back together?  I know I have.  There are parts of my life even now that feel shattered.  God is close to us, and in verse 22 He makes us a promise.  He will put us back together.  He redeems His servants.  I have learned this means more than salvation.  It means that He cares about each part of us and He will redeem each and every part of us.  None of the kings men could put humpy back together, but God certainly can and will.  This is his promise to us.

Father, Thank you that you are guarding me, thank you that you will take away all of my anguish and distress, and thank you for your promise of redemption.  I so many times forget how much you are for me.  This world wants me to believe many things that are lies. I confess that I give into my fear and anguish.  Thanks for this reminder that you are always there and you are for me.

May 4, 2012
Psalm 46

God Is Our Fortress

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present^[b] help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
⁵ God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
⁶ The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
⁷ The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

⁸ Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”¹¹ The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

I had no trouble deciding what Psalm to chose for this devotion. In the past couple of the years I have come to love this scripture. In order to truly understand verse 10 fully, you need to read the entire psalm. In order to be able to "Be still" in Him, we need to have a full understanding of who He is and His character. We can be still in Him because He speaks and the earth MELTS. He is in control of EVERYTHING and He is good, so we can sit back and rest, knowing He loves us and we are protected by Him.

This Psalm reminds me of what Moses said to the Israelites when they were "hemmed in between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea.

"Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring to you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." - Exodus 14:13-14.

We all know how this story ends. God parts the sea and His people move through it, and then the Egyptians drown behind them. God fights for us and because of this we have NOTHING to fear or even be anxious about.

Father God,

Help us to learn to truly rest in You. Teach us more about Your love, Your power, Your strength, and Your desire to be our shelter. As we prepare to go to Colombia, remind us that You have already gone before us and that You are good.

___________________________________________________

April 23, 2012 - Born Again

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

- John 1:12:13

As I have studied more about my own identity in Christ, I am blown away.  My mind cannot contain the magnitude of God.  As a child we always learn to see our identity in our parents.  I have my mom’s “cat” eyes, I have the same hair as my dad, I have the same height as my mom’s side of the family.  But when we become a Christian, things change.  We learn how to see our identity in Christ. 

I think you would agree with we are “children of God”, but what does that really mean?  Is that symbolic?  Is it talking about adoption?  How can we understand it?  In verse John 1:13 we see something that stumped me the first time I really read it.  “We were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. 

This is telling me several things.  I will work backwards, because my mind thinks like that a lot of times.  We do not become children of God by the will of man.  I feel like this means we are not adopted children.  This was not something that happens because anything that we have control over.  When you are adopted, you have the ability to accept the parentage.  Yes, legally, you are the child of the adoptive parents, but your perception controls how you see those people, and we all know that perception is reality to the perceiver. 

Next, is the “will of the flesh”, what does that mean?  I believe it is saying that this is talking about a human fleshly desire for sex.  Yes, I know that is reading into it, but when you break down the words in the original language, that seems to be what it indicates.  So it is not a mistake we are His children.  We are not the result of human desire.

So now, we see that we are also not born of blood.  I believe in looking at this scripture more closely, that God is talking about DNA here.  “We were born, not of blood…but of God.”  We see it is not a physical birth, but a spiritual one.  So now, for the kicker…the one that blows my mind.  I looked up the word born in this verse to see what the original language had to tell me.  I have a hard time comprehending what I saw.  It is the same wording that tells of the virgin birth of Christ, meaning that we are born of God in the same miraculous way that Christ was born.  This tells me that when we are born “in Christ” we are literally born anew as we are filled with the Holy Spirit.  WOW!!!!  How is that for identity?

Father, Help me to see this identity day in and day out.  Give me eyes to see and an open heart to know that I am your child.  Not like your child, or adopted into your family, but that I carry your DNA and all that comes with that.  I love you and I am amazed by how much you love me.