Teaching Children to Love Jesus

When I think about teaching our children how to love and trust Jesus, I’m reminded of an incident with my grandson several years ago.

As Durham’s mom dropped him off at school, he remarked about the name he saw written on her
hand. In answer to his inquiry, she told him it was the name of a friend who did not have a relationship with Jesus. She’d written it there to remind her to pray for this friend throughout the day. Later that afternoon when Durham hopped in the car
after school, she saw his little hand with his friend’s name written across it.
His words – along with his heart – matched hers. I want him to know Jesus.

In their family, this practice of looking to God and praying
throughout the day comes from a consistent practice of reading the Bible,
talking about the Bible, and practically following God’s instructions given
throughout His Word.

In the days of Jesus, the Jewish custom of Bible study
linked with prayer was very defined. Jewish boys were taught the greatest of
all Jewish commandments, the Shema, as soon as they could speak. It’s certainly
safe to assume that Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, taught Him to pray this
passage from the scriptures.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I
give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk
about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie
down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on
your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates
(Deut. 6:4-9).

See the practicality in those instructions?

When you read and discuss Bible passages with your children,
they’ll come to experience God’s supernatural power in their lives at home, at
school, as they play sports and interact with their friends. As you impress
God-Truths upon their hearts, and talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk (and drive) along the road – they will develop a dynamic and practical
relationship with Him. As Bible reading becomes more than a casual glance at
God’s Word, you’ll be equipping them to live life by the principles laid out in
scripture.

Take a look at this simple approach to enjoying the scriptures with your children:

1. Select a passage to read together. 

2. Ask your child to tell you what it means to him (her).    

3. The, discuss ways you both can practice sharing God’s love based on the scripture you explored.

The LORD delights in those who fear Him, who put their
hope in His unfailing love.

Psalm 147:11

Law and Grace

God used a recent personal experience to teach me in a deeper way the doctrine of Law and Grace. It lasted only moments, but the impact of it was seared into my heart.

After a great morning with the gals who’d gathered at our Myrtle Beach location to dig deeper into God’s Word, I was headed to find some lunch. Pulling off a side road I began merging my car onto busy HWY 50l traffic, entering the stream of other drivers barreling down the freeway.

It was then I was busted by the long arm of the law!

Noticing the flashing lights behind me I thought, Surely he doesn’t mean ME -  after all, I’m just driving like everybody else is. The siren was the clue that it was time to pull over.

As I nervously made my way to the shoulder of the road, I whispered my “caught off guard default prayer” . . .

Lord, teach me something in this.

Looking in my rear view mirror I watched the patrolman’s authoritative approach. He patted my FBC window sticker as he asked why I was in such a hurry.

I felt locked in the vice of the law. I WAS.

I felt convicted and guilty. I WAS.

I felt helpless to exonerate myself. I WAS.

It made not one sliver of difference to him that I’d been teaching the Bible all morning, that I’d never had a ticket, and that I was a church-going gal. I’D BROKEN THE LAW.

A few minutes later I drove a couple of blocks and pulled into a parking lot to settle my nerves and examine the ticket I’d been given. There it was; my offense spelled out, along with my fine and court date. I felt horrible about the ticket, but I felt worse about telling my husband who was back home praying over this women’s retreat!

With a deep breath, I laid it all out in one quick text . . . caught speeding, ticketed, and fined.

His response came back in seconds, and I realized my Father had answered my prayer to “teach me something in this”. Through my tears I read . . .

Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. It’s ok.

That was it. No condemnation, no reprimand nor criticism.

In that moment, I caught a holy glimpse of the Authority of the Law and the Extravagance of Mercy.

Holy God, Forgiving Jesus, Loving Husband – That’s GRACE!

The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more.                                    Romans 5:20 CSB

Creating Godly Habits

As we discipline ourselves to praise God, memorize scripture, study the Bible, along with any other spiritual behaviors that we do consistently – we will create great habits. What you begin as a “habit with God’ can lead you deeper into your love relationship with your Lord. When you faithfully and consistently meet Him at that quiet place, worshiping Him with a heart full of love, that godly discipline will turn into a love gift, one you can hardly wait to give to Him.

As you enter into this time of daily commitment, it may feel awkward. For me, it took a while to learn exactly how to be quiet and still. Just keep at it. It will get easier, the distractions will lessen, and you’ll get more comfortable in “this place”. Remember, the Holy Spirit will help you in growing this love relationship too. Just relax and enjoy each day of the journey.

You may find it helpful to have a guideline to follow. The following list helped me establish an early morning routine. As time passed, I added some other things as well.

·      I pray Psalm 143:8 “Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.” (AMPC)

·      Next, I spend time thanking Him. Often, I mentally go through the previous day, thanking Him for how He was involved in each event, conversation, errand, and so forth. I thank Him for saving me and for pursuing a love relationship with me.

·      I offer Him a repentant heart seeking forgiveness for specific sins and for missing the mark of holiness in certain thoughts and behaviors.

·      I welcome the present-day ministry of the Holy Spirit – asking Him to intervene in the specifics, whatever they are, in the day ahead.

There’s no perfect plan or magical formula for spending time with Him. For as the seasons have changed, so has my approach to being with Him.

Just make the effort to be with Him, drawing near with a spirit of eagerness. He’ll bless you in ways you simply can’t imagine!

God Reveals As We Obey

God spoke directly to me over an obedience matter this week. He instant-messaged me right in the middle of reading His Word. Yep, I just happened to be reading exactly what I needed to be reading at the time I needed this word of encouragement from Him.

Imagine that!

In the passage about Abram in Genesis 12, several principles were highlighted right before my eyes and transferred to my heart.

God called Abram to do something that required movement on Abram’s part.

Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. (vs. 1)

Abram obeyed God’s instruction.

So Abram went, as the LORD had told him. (vs. 4)

Then, God revealed more of the plan.

The LORD appeared to Abram and said … (vs. 7)

Abram worshiped.

So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.

 (vs. 7)

Do you see the principle at work here? It’s simple:

1.   God tells us to do something.

2.   We obey.

3.   God reveals more, once we obey.

4.   We worship.

What a model from scripture showing us how God lays out His plan for us, incrementally. He usually doesn’t allow us to see the future result which a simple & obedient act of faith – and then another, then another - will eventually produce. He only calls us to be obedient step by step. And as we obey each step, He reveals more of His plan.

I’ve imagined Abram’s faith walk, step by step. He was 75 years old when God first presented His plan of blessing his descendants. It was a quarter of a century later that Isaac, his promised offspring was born.

Abram did take some side steps, veering off the path. He was assisted by his wife, Sarai. You can read about them in Genesis 16. But he kept on, trying to remain faithful. He believed what God had told him, and the scriptures say God credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

Now, I don’t have it all figured out. But I KNOW when God tells me to do a thing, and I know He expects me to do it. As I move in a little obedient step, He reveals more of His plan. Sometimes, it’s only the next step. But I’ve learned to worship along the way, expecting more and more of His revelation to come as I move forward and praise Him in each new moment of hearing from Him.

May I just give a word of encouragement?

Listen for God to speak regarding family, career, friends, church, ANY circumstance that unfolds before you. And if He tells you to DO something, obey quickly and wholeheartedly. Then praise Him that He gave you the fortitude to trust Him as your Father, as you obeyed Him as His child.

And in it all, WORSHIP! Get excited that you are part of God’s plan, and know that when you trust & obey He credits it to you as righteousness.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (Psalm 32:8 NIV)

Choose What's Healthy

Recently our five year old Lily, along with her three year old sister Sadie, joined us for an overnighter while their parents attended a soccer game in Charlotte, NC. The 30 mile ride to our Kings Mountain home was quite eventful, because I was reminded in a huge way of the importance of teaching children early in life to make wise choices.

We were headed for a quick meal at Chick-fil-A before getting tucked in for the night. Discussing our food choices before we got there, Lily piped up;

I’m going to get WATER with my meal. I’m choosing to do what’s good for my body. Then she encouraged her younger sister to make the same healthy choice. Sadie was at first resistant, but then decided to go along with her sister’s plan drinking water instead of the coveted chocolate milk.

I was impressed as I listened from the front seat. First, really amazed at the deliberate choice that Lily made, and then pleased that Sadie decided to get onboard.

Of course, there are important lessons here for us BIG KIDS too!

Regarding HEALTHY Food Choices

Do you make an intentional effort everyday to choose foods that are packed full of vitamins and nutrients? You know – foods that will give you plenty of energy to accomplish all the things you need to get done?

Regarding HEALTHY Spiritual Food Choices

Do you make an intentional effort everyday to choose to fill your mind with Bread of Life things? You know – God things that will give you a positive outlook and replenish your hope as you face what’s ahead?

It’s so important that we intentionally make “good and healthy” choices each day – for Body, Soul, and Spirit!

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Be Still While God Fights!

I’m convinced God really enjoys seeing us latch onto a new dealing strategy – especially when it’s straight from His Word.

Recently He brought two verses that had been in my memory files for a long time, alive in a new and powerful way for me.

I was attending a conference. Surrounded by women worshiping and seeking God, the enemy took the advantage of those moments to stir up my mind and emotions with distractions and negativity. I had no doubts about the supernatural fight that was taking place.

Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world. (Ephesians 6:12 NIRV)

As Believers it’s important to pay attention, knowing when the devil is attacking so we can quickly and deliberately stand our ground in the spiritual fray. For me, the process during those moments was to leave the crowd for a few minutes to deliberately and wholeheartedly focus on God, asking Him to do what only He could do. 

I hope I’ll never forget what happened next. I took a short walk and eventually propped against my car as I prayed over the attack in my mind. It was totally the counsel of the Holy Spirit calling me to focus my attention on the following verses, considering them in a holy tandem where God was AT THAT VERY MOMENT engaging in spiritual battle for me.

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.  (Exodus 14:14)

Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

Now I’d called out both those verses many times in my past, with each event asking God to take over the fight – whether relational or circumstantial. But I’d never before considered them, or applied them to the spiritual warfare that goes on in my mind and emotions.

Yielding every thought of harassment from Satan to Jesus, the image became so vivid as I “saw Him” capturing and dissolving those fiery darts from the evil one – and all on my behalf!  All I was called to do was to . . . be still and know!

I rejoined that crowd of women with a new song in my heart and a different kind of battle cry in my arsenal. For as the days have stacked one upon the other since that event weeks ago, the practice of deferring to Jesus in every chaotic mindset has only gotten stronger.

Let’s Get Personal

1. When’s the last time you had critical thoughts you couldn’t seem to be able to let go of?

The LORD will fight for you - you need only to be still and know that He is God!

2. When’s the last time you were so distracted and couldn’t even pray?

The LORD will fight for you – you need only to be still and know that He is God!

3. When’s the last time you felt such agitation in your soul, making it difficult to focus on what was right before you?

The LORD will fight for you – you need only to be still and know that He is God!

4. When’s the last time you were filled with such worry that you couldn’t sleep?

The LORD will fight for you – you need only to be still and know that He is God!

Do you see this spiritual principle at work here? We have the conquering power of Jesus to lead us victoriously in each and every battle that takes place in our minds.

Simply . . . Be Still and Know!

Free!

I’d be quick to tell you I’d been forgiven of my sin – all of it. But in reality, through the years I’ve lived much of my life as a skeptic.

I’ve sung about the power in the Blood without comprehending its significance. I’ve intellectually accepted the fact of the forgiveness of my sins, but I’ve not mostly lived in freedom from the burden of sin. Seems I just couldn’t quite get in the flow of accepting His tremendous sacrifice for what it was – freedom and rest.

Even though I know that Jesus has penetrated straight into the mass of sin in my life, there are days I simply refuse to release sin’s grip over my soul. My emotions remain knotted and gnarled because I refuse to release them into the heart of God who has given His life so that I may live in the freedom of forgiveness, for which He paid so dearly.

Satan loves to torment God’s children. He’s drawing you into his trap if you continually allow yourself to dwell on and think about how badly you’ve messed up. He knows the truth, though – the truth that Jesus came not only to take away your sin, but to relieve you from the burden of it. If you want to walk victoriously with God, then you must accept the freedom that is yours through the removal of sin, along with the removal of the guilt that accompanies it.

But you can’t do it on your own. You’re not equipped. No amount of determination or self-will will make that happen. You can have victory, however, over the evil schemes of Satan. There’s absolutely no reason for a child of God to live under a cloud of guilt. It’s not scriptural to do so.

THE ENEMY HAS BEEN DEFEATED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS!

You are living in New Covenant times. This Covenant is sealed with Christ’s own Blood. With the removal of sin, you’re free to talk to God and enjoy His presence. A lifestyle of joy,freed from harassment of sin and its accompanying guilt is yours through your relationship with Jesus, The Christ.

Freedom is yours – freedom from sin and from sin’s burden!

Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again.  (Galatians 5:1 CEB)

Seeking, REALLY seeking God!

In Jeremiah 29:13, this great prophet tells us that we will find the Lord when we seek Him with our whole heart. I’m learning to do that, and with my learning comes a great longing to know Him more and more. As I visit this secret place, I long to stay there. It seems that all the words in the world can’t describe the joy, peace, and fulfillment I experience being so close to Jesus.  

This place of intimacy is not a mysterious place in the sense of having to work your way through a maze to get there – but it IS mysterious in that the depth of Jesus is unexplainable and indescribable. I don’t mean to make our relationship with Jesus seem magical, but it indeed is supernatural. Paul talks about “secret wisdom” in the books of Corinthians. He tells how believers can understand God’s truth because of the Spirit living in them.

“We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God.” (1 Corinthians 2:12)

Maybe you’ve never experienced this kind of depth with Jesus Christ. It’s OK! You should not feel guilty but excited with the reality that you can certainly experience a deeper intimacy with Him if you want to. It’s your choice

It’s an unnatural choice, from a worldly viewpoint because it requires that you get still and quiet before God, studying His Word. Everything in our lives today calls us away from that “quiet and still” place. So you’ll have to put some determined spiritual muscle behind your choice to know your Lord more intimately. But I can tell you, it’s worth the effort. Growing your relationship with Jesus will calm your nerves and refresh your spirit – even in the midst of the daily clamor of life.

Truthfully, I don’t know how He does that – but I can vouch that He does!

God Has No Plan B

There have been times when, without warning or announcement, my plan was abruptly halted – forcing me to move with Plan B.

I see this phenomenon most often presenting itself in the form of “interruptions to my schedule”. Now truly, a lot of these occurrences are little things in the whole scheme of life. But honestly, don’t these interruptions have a way of driving you berserk?

They’re  just LIFE THINGS, living on the 21st Century fast-track things. I believe that God uses these “little things” to remind me that He is ultimately in control of my schedule and my circumstances.

By nature, I’m an organizer. When I organize, it puts me in control of schedule, my circumstances, my day . . . at least that’s the plan. So when things don’t go according to my organizational system, I get a little miffed. And when things get turned completely upside down (which happens quite often), I can get really stressed. The bottom line here; I like to be in control!

So what’s a control person like me – maybe YOU, to do?

Give these tendencies to the Lord! Ask Him to help you turn to Him in ordering the events of your day. Now, that’s not to say you don’t make lists and you don’t plan. It’s just a reminder that there will be plenty of times when your plans get annihilated -  and you don’t have to get carried off with the debris when that happens.

Your God is in control.

He wants you to rest in the security of His presence instead of the security of your plans. Spending time worshiping my Lord and meditating on Scripture is helping me flow in the lifestyle of experiencing the presence of God during the ins and outs of my day. Now, when the unexpected happens (which is expected), I’m learning to relax in Him and move in His spiritual flow, so to speak.

Honestly, most of life is just not worth freaking out over. And besides –freaking out doesn’t do one thing to help me regain the control that I lost.

The LORD works out everything to its proper end. (Proverbs 16:4)

Making Scripture Memory a Priority?

The “whys” and “hows” of memorizing scripture have been a topic of interest lately in my teaching and posts on social media. The following post from Dr. Alice Cullinan, retired professor at Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC - struck a chord with many.

She writes . . .

When I was teaching a class at Gardner-Webb to ministerial students, I gave them two 20 question quizzes the same morning. One of the quizzes consisted of themes or statements made in commercials, and they had to name the product. The other quiz consisted of very basic biblical questions about people or places. Which one do you think they did the best on? Yep, the commercials. I asked them why they knew more commercials than Bible answers. I asked them if they had made an effort to memorize the commercials. Nope, was their response. We then concluded that the difference was simple exposure. Our lesson? We should read the Bible often enough, and verses we want to learn often enough, that they become a part of us!

I know by experience, that applying a scripture word by word or phrase by phrase, to a current life situation – helps me to memorize it. As I work my way through the situation at hand, I intentionally think of the portion I want to memorize, making it relevant.

The challenge is clear. Become familiar enough with God’s Word to know the scriptures that apply to what you’re going through. Then, MEMORIZE THEM.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword!

(Hebrews 4:12)

Got Scripture?

3 file folders where people place their thoughts regarding memorizing scripture:

File #1   Can’t Memorize

File #2   Not Important

File #3   Working On It

Which file’s active for YOU?  If you’re like many I’ve come in contact with recently, you’re thinking you have some sort of defective gene in the scripture memory department, which leads you to eventually just dismiss even trying.

Let me share my most efficient technique – the one that has helped me consistently deposit scripture into my heart and mind – and KEEP it there:

LITTLE BY LITTLE

I take a phrase at a time - mulling it over for a couple of days and                   applying it personally to what’s going on with me.

i.e. When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. Psalm 56:3

Grasping that first phrase, When I am afraid, I talk to the Lord about it during the day and even when I wake up during the night.

“Lord I’m afraid about this commitment I’ve made; it makes me nervous and consumes me with dread and anxiety…”

After a day or two of saturating that phrase in my mind and heart, I continue on with the next one.

“I’m trusting You Father, for You and You alone will help me do this thing . . . “

The scripture gradually becomes a part of me because I’ve “owned it”, making it personal and active in my life and in my conversation with the Lord throughout the day.

CARRY IT WITH YOU

My method, although not elaborate, has always worked for me. I write the scripture on an index card and carry it with me wherever I go. Side note; it’s impossible to be impatient while standing in a checkout line, sitting in a waiting room or being stuck in traffic . . . when you’re focused on that scripture in your hand.

 .    .    .    .

For many years, my thinking about scripture memory was not an active part of my life – jumping between File Folders #1 and #2.

But when I became determined enough to not stop trying to memorize, something glorious happened. My persistence and discipline were rewarded with an increasing ability to commit scripture passages to my heart and apply them to my daily walk.

You can do it too, my friend. I’m reminded of the words of our Lord when He said . . .

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Don’t let that ol’ devil rob you of the richness of God’s Word in your life, by making you think scripture memory is unimportant or impossible for you. Push on through and experience the fullness of Jesus in His Word.

You can choose right now to move your thinking about scripture memory to File #3. Honestly, when you do that, it’s Life Changing!

Do you ever think about getting older?

A well-toned, healthy and in shape thirty-five year old shares the comment from her doctor during a recent physical exam. “Welcome to aging”, he said with a smile. She did not smile back. 

During the same week a sixty-five year old woman hears these words during her exam, “Things just happen as you age”. 

Even though 30 years apart, both these women felt the same sting when faced with the reality of their aging.

Okay, the good news is – you ARE getting older. If you weren’t you’d be dead. So with that Reality Snippet out of the way, let’s take a look at how God views the aging woman. Perhaps doing so will help you gracefully accept your current status in life.

He has made YOU beautiful in His time. There’s a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens (based on Ecclesiastes 3:1).

YOU are beautiful in His time! Whatever age you are, it’s the right age for you right now. Don’t allow comments from others, along with that inner negative self-talk, discourage you about getting older.

You’re supposed to age. It’s part of His Designer-Love for you.

All my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began (Psalm 139:16).

He planned out every single day of your life before you were born. He has a plan for you, Friend.  Don’t spoil this day on your timeline by being sour about getting old.

Oh I understand, and I also fight against those “getting older darts” hurled my way. But when I remember that maturing means becoming fully developed and perfected – it sounds a bit classy, right?

Worship Activity for Graceful Aging:

Find a picture of yourself as a child and study the “you from yesterday”, thinking of your innocence and desire to be loved and to feel secure. View yourself before the hardness of the world perhaps, settled in and changed you. God understands and deeply loves you then and now. Remember; to The One who lives outside of time, you’re the same to Him at this moment as you were as a child.

As you age and change costumes for each season of your life,

i.e., wife, mother, grandmother, care-giver – know that your identity, the REAL YOU is secure in your Father Who created you and calls you His daughter.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.

(1 Peter 3:3-4 NIV)

Now relax Daughter of The King. Your body is aging, but your True Self is doing back-flips in Jesus. Enjoy the ride!

Someone Praying for You...

We don’t know how Jesus looked, but this picture touches my heart as I think of Him praying for those He loves. 

Is there someone praying for YOU today?

Your friends and family may be distracted, busy, and not REALLY into your needs.

But there’s One who knows your thoughts, concerns, anxieties & frustrations, your misery in waiting, along with your joys, dreams, excitement - well ANYTHING about you...

And HE’S THE ONE praying for you!

Can you stop for one moment and simply let that reality stagger you?

However, there is a condition. You must be aligned with Jesus. In humility you must say, “Lord I accept Your provision for me procured by your death on the cross”.

Then you can know He’s got your back and He talks to the Father about YOU, and they Both delight in you.

Crazy to believe, but unmistakable Truth!

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me” (John 17:9).

If you’re in relationship with Jesus, rejoice!

If you’re not, there’s no condemnation from Him, only a welcoming invitation to believe Him and enter into a relationship where your eyes and heart will be opened to unseen realities.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, and what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Discovering the Secret Place

There's a SECRET place.

I don't know how to describe it, and I can hardly give description to it in my own mind - but I know it's there.

It's that "secret place" where every single one created by God (and that's every person) has ability to connect with His heart.

Ps. 91:1 (AMPC) states that when we go there - live there, there's a stability and resistance against our enemies (people, circumstances, cancer, and etc.)

Now, if apparent blessings are evident in your life right now, you may have no trouble at all believing this. However; if you've had a life of trouble and even going through horrible circumstances now, then this concept is difficult to accept and quite honestly, easily dismissed.

Hang on and go a little further with me in diving into this "secret place" exploring.

2 STEPS:

1) The entry-way into this place is a simple, but genuine  ACT OF FAITH. You must let go of all pre-conceived notions of Who God is and why He allows such evil in this world. He can't be defended, nor explained. Let go of this convoluted thinking that the enemy has planted and grown in your heart and mind to keep you from experiencing what God has for YOU right here, right now and forever in a life with Him.

2) When you release your heart's struggle and those "But God...." questions, there's a freedom that settles in your heart. As you give up, into Him saying . . . "I don't at all understand Your ways, but I surrender to YOU LORD trusting You as my Savior from it all. I believe by faith, that You defeated sin with your death & resurrection on the cross - even though I see evil all around me. I'm done with trying to figure things out, and I just release my heart and mind to You as an act of my will."

2 LASTING RESULTS:

1) As you offer your tangled heart and emotions to God, you will come to know - again, by FAITH - that nothing, not one thing in this life will be lost in Him. It's when you hang on to these hurts and disappointments, that you lose it all. Jesus gave His word.

"Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it"
(Matt. 10:39 NIV).

2) Trusting God by releasing your troubles that are holding you captive, will result in eternal rewards & blessings that far outweigh any and every angst that you have experienced here on earth.

SPOILER ALERT - EXCITEMENT AHEAD!

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later" (Romans 8:18 NLT).

In the terrible events you are perhaps going through RIGHT NOW, can you just practice a little delayed Spiritual gratification?

God has promised, and that means you have His Word - that He will far outweigh your present suffering with glories - far beyond compare - to the heartache you are experiencing.

- - - -

You must AND YOU WILL bow down to Him - either now in this life, or in the life after earth time. Choosing Him NOW will not answer all your questions, but will make you victorious, anyway.

Avoiding the "now" and proclaiming Him later will result in eternal separation from God and from ALL those who have chosen to be in relationship with Him in this life.

YOU DON'T WANT THIS!

"For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will give praise to God"
(Romans 14:11 HCSB)

Not scare tactics, simply TRUTH - whether you agree, or not.

Living in the SECRET PLACE will change your life here - and simply blow you away in the life ahead!

Joyfully Thankful!

The joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

 That was the message from Nehemiah to God’s people as they were moved to fits of tears of repentance. As Ezra and some scribes read God’s Word from dawn until noon that day in Jewish history, revival broke out. That’s the result of the heart that feels badly for failing God, and there’s a place for that. But the children of God are never encouraged to stay in that basin of remorse, guilt, and shame. For as recorded in Nehemiah, the great prophet urged the people to let go of their mourning and enjoy the feast, and according to the Nehemiah 8 text, that’s what they did!

 I cannot think of a more appropriate message for us as we enter into the season of Thanksgiving. Personally, I think neither THANKFULNESS, nor JOY, nor STRENGTH stand alone. When you become truly thankful your heart erupts with joy. Then strength rises up through your spirit and pours out from your flesh.

 Take a few moments before continuing to simply be thankful. 

I first discovered the practice of being intentionally thankful as a teenager. I’d pulled up to meet a group of my friends on a day that happened to be the “worst day of my life” (teenager talk) you know. I remember parking the car and just sitting. It was the Spirit – I now know, who prompted me to begin a mental list of people and things I was thankful for. As I did, the change that came over me was one I never forgot. I could literally FEEL the warmth of God’s joy all over me and His strength filling my sluggish body. Since that day those many years ago, intentionally being thankful has become a way of life.

It’s not always easy to spur ourselves into being thankful, but it’s the very thing we must do if we are to walk in step with God. It’s how He moves us into higher realms of faith, for it’s a THANKFUL heart that pleases Him. It’s also a thankful heart that disables Satan in his attempts to fill our minds with negativity.

Getting Practical

Set aside five minutes each day to focus on being intentionally thankful.

Are you thankful for your job? Your friends? Your family? Tell Him and enjoy pleasing the heart of God as you lift your thankful heart to Him - when you feel like it and when you don’t.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Happy Thanksgiving,

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Get Your FRUIT on!

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.( Galatians 5:22 CEB)

Take a moment and let the “eyes of your heart” linger on each quality in this verse.  Are there a few of these you are especially longing to experience in your life right now? I have good news! If you are a daughter of God through relationship with Jesus Christ, then every single one of these qualities belongs to you. In fact, each holy virtue is alive and well right now in your spirit.

When you confessed that you were a sinner and accepted the provision of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the payment of your sin debt, then your spirit came spiritually alive in Christ. As you trusted Him as your Lord and Savior, God’s Holy Spirit moved in and took up residence in your spirit.

All of you surely know you are God’s temple and His Spirit lives in you.

(1 Corinthians 3:16 CEV)

So if God’s Spirit lives inside of us, why do we so often exhibit such unholy behavior?

The answer to that question comes with the understanding of your spiritual and fleshly natures. In fact, it’s critical that you differentiate between the two, if you want to exhibit more Christ-like behaviors.

When I move into moments of  FREAK OUT (you understand those moments, right?), I find it extremely helpful to pause and consider what’s going on in my flesh in contrast to what’s going on in my spirit. In my spirit there’s perfect peace, gentleness, and patience. It’s my fleshly nature (mind, body, and emotions) that wreaks havoc. So when I have those flashes of anger or impatience, it’s my fleshly nature, not my spiritual one, that is leading. I’ve gradually trained myself to stop and pay attention, differentiating between these two natures. When life is taking me under, I pray . . . Lord, I want my spiritual nature – YOUR NATURE – to lead right now. Give me strength to yield my fleshly nature to my spirit, rather than allowing my flesh to sling me around.

It takes being alert and determined to live in the powerful reality of who we truly are as God’s daughters. We don’t have to be victims of a crazed mind or erratic emotions. God has given us the ability and every spiritual resource needed to take charge of our fleshly reactions and live with the fruit of the Spirit leading us.

Make it Practical

The next time your stress buttons are pushed, STOP and PRAY. Ask God for strength to exhibit His Holy Fruit living inside of you.

Through Him, you can do this!

Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD Almighty.

(Zechariah 4:6 NIV)

A Quiet, Invigorating Rest!

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
(Mark 6:31 NIV) 

Ladies, ever feel this way? So  much to do - you don't even have time to EAT? I love this invitation from Jesus - and want to share an opportunity for rest and relaxation.
 
I invite you to join me March 23-28, 2019 for an amazing cruise and retreat with Cruise Chics! We’ll be heading to Jamaica and Labadee, enjoying a week of sunshine, fellowship, fun, and worship! 
 
There's an incredible line-up of speakers ranging from fashion experts, to Christian yoga influencers, and women’s ministry leaders.

This cruise is ALL about enjoying God's Heart for the women He created. It's also about enjoying being together with sisters who share struggles, hopes, and find encouragement in Jesus. Are you part of a women’s group, bible study, or even just a big family? We want to bless you! Right now if you help us spread the word and get 9 girlfriends to join you, we’ll cover your cruise for FREE! How great is that?! 
 
Join me for a girls get-a-way of a lifetime by heading to www.cruisechics.com now to register! Can’t wait to see you there!



 

Pleasing God

I have a longing to please my Heavenly Father, and it’s not because He demands it or I’m trying to earn His favor. I just love Him with increasing love, and want to delight His Heart by pleasing Him.

Recently I realized in a fresh way, the importance of “the blood theme” throughout scripture. And as I’ve studied and considered . . . I could sense the pleasure that it brought to God’s heart.

Perhaps you’d like to share this THANKFULNESS JOURNEY with me during these days before we celebrate what Jesus did for us on The Cross. So I offer the following Blood Reflections for your Easter worship and praise:

    From the closing of the gates of Eden (Genesis) to the opening of the door of Heaven (Revelation) it’s all about The Blood. Like a scarlet thread running through the Bible, blood sacrifices occupy a prominent place in scripture. If we don’t pay attention, we’ll miss something important!

    After sin entered the world and Eden’s gates closed, Abel brought the first sacrifice which included the shedding of blood. (Hebrews 11:4)

   NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD

    1600 years pass, then came the flood. Once again God pronounced His judgment on sin with the destruction of mankind. The first recorded act of Noah after he stepped off that boat was the offering of a burnt sacrifice. This signified a new beginning. (Genesis 8:20)

   NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD

    God’s divine command to Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac, was the revelation of Divine Truth, that only through death can a life be truly consecrated to God. Since Isaac could not be resurrected because death would “hold him down”, God substituted a ram in his place. Here we find the great lesson of substitution, giving us the picture of what Jesus did for us on the Cross. (Genesis 22:1-19)

       NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD

    400 years pass and Isaac’s descendants are the Israelites in Egypt. By the sprinkling of the Blood on the doorframes of their houses, the angel passed over their families, sparing them from death. Only because of the Blood were they allowed to live. (Exodus 12:12-13)

       NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD

    50 days later at Mt. Sinai, God laid the foundation for His Covenant by the giving of the Ten Commandments. The Law, The Altar, and The People were all sprinkled with the Blood. (Hebrews 9:18-22)

       NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD

    Immediately afterward God commanded that a sanctuary be built, so He could dwell among His people. The Blood was central throughout. (Exodus 25:8)

    Looking deeper I find that the Blood was needful for everything – the birth of a child, the consecration of a house, and the penitence for sin. The FB status of the Hebrew of the day might have read . . . TODAY MY FAMILY IS CLEANSED AND MADE RIGHT THROUGH THE BLOOD!

       NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD

Then came Jesus, and John recognized the significance of His coming . . . Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

The significance of all of this? It celebrates the Life and Mission of Jesus The Christ!

                  Old Testament – New Testament – Throughout Eternity!

Everything the Old Testament teaches about Blood and Sacrifice had to be fulfilled before the Once For All Sacrifice of Jesus took place. Then followed the Indwelling of His Spirit within all Believers.

Oh my, The Blood of Jesus is the deepest mystery of Divine Wisdom! We don’t grasp it all at once. In fact, we’ll never fully get it (I’m convinced) during our earthly living.  After all, God took 4,000 years preparing man with this sacrificial system before the birth of Jesus.

But, we CAN live a life of gratitude without fully grasping this Mystery. Taking the time and trouble to “pay attention to The Blood” will lead us to deeper thankfulness for all He’s done without understanding the spiritual nuts and bolts of it all.

Yep, my theological understanding of The Blood and The Cross are pretty limited, I freely admit. But my thankfulness is growing daily . . . and I know that pleases my Heavenly Daddy!

The Cross. You Get It?

What does The Cross mean to you?

I was invited to share the answer to that question earlier this week with a Bible study group. The moment I sat down to jot notes, tears filled my eyes. 

“Everything, The Cross means EVERYTHING to me” raced through my mind.

Pen and paper aside, I began to think about why that’s true. Through the tears the following realities challenged me to new levels of thankfulness for what Jesus accomplished for me personally on the day He opened the door of relationship between God and those He created. With a humbled and joyful heart, I offer the following considerations to stir YOUR heart with thankfulness.

·       God created a perfect world, and enjoyed a perfect relationship with Adam and           Eve.

·       Sin entered God’s perfect world, shattering the perfect relationship.

·       God set up a sacrificial system to teach about forgiveness of sin through a blood         offering.

·       It was all about the blood . . . 

And that’s where I used to stop. You know, mentally disengage and think about something else. In my growing up going-to-church-years, blood talk was pretty much absent from my spiritual jargon.  Oh, of course I knew that Jesus had shed His Blood for me, but the concept of it all held no practical meaning or application to my daily Christian walk.

Truth is, like many New Testament believers I heard the word blood and thought death. The Old Testament Hebrew however, heard the word blood and thought life! Living under the Old Covenant they understood that the term “covered in the blood” meant life and forgiveness of sin through the sacrificial system.

They also understood that they were guilty and that they could not, on their own merits, approach God. They knew that because of God’s perfection and ultimate judgment, they couldn’t even worship Him due to their own impurity. Their guilt needed to be “paid for.” This payment for their sinful imperfection took the form of a ‘blood sacrifice” (which meant a life sacrifice).

The best that they had – the most perfect lamb, ram, bull, whatever – they took to the altar. The priest would kill the animal, allowing its blood to drip over the altar, symbolizing that their sin-debt, for the time being, had been covered by the blood.

Yes, they were definitely at home with this practice and all the conversation surrounding it. Their FB status read, “My family is right with God today, thanks to the precious blood of our sacrificial lamb!”

So, when John saw Jesus and called Him . . . The Lamb of God who comes to take away the sins of the world . . . the people there with him understood the concept.

You see when Jesus left Heaven and came to earth, everything changed. He plainly declared that His life, bloodshed, death, and resurrection was His purpose for coming. God’s plan all along was that Jesus would become the once and for all sacrifice for all humanity. 

For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, He said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But You have given me a body to offer.”(Hebrews 10:4,5 NLT)

Now here’s the part that puts a lump in my throat. THIS WAS NOT EASY FOR JESUS! This willing act of love was torturous for Him mentally, emotionally, AND physically. He, in His 100% humanity, would have avoided it if there’d been any other way. How do I know that? Because it’s recorded in scripture. 

“My soul is crushed by sorrow to the point of death” . . . He fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the awful hour awaiting Him might never come… “Father, Father, everything is possible for you. Take away this cup from Me. Yet I want Your will, not mine.” (Mark 14: 34-36 TLB) 

He did the HARD part so that I could SIMPLY come. 

I’LL always remember the fresh grace that washed over me during the moments right after I’d realized I’d been taking the price He’d paid all for granted. Yes, I knew about the Cross, but I didn’t really CARE about the Cross.

You can start caring right now . . . He said

 And I did, and I do!

I don’t understand it – can’t explain it nor fully describe it. All I’m left with is to thank Him and enjoy what He’s done.

Because of The Cross I’m joyful when my hopes are dashed, encouraged when my dreams are unfulfilled, energized when I’m bone-tired, and filled with anticipation when it looks like it’s all over.

So as we wrapped up our sharing time that morning in the Bible study group. My new friend who is in the trenches fighting the physical, emotional, and mental skirmishes of the chemo/cancer war remarked…

I’m peaceful. I’m not afraid. He is my peace.

Oh, SHE gets The Cross. Do you? 

There’s a place where sin and shame are powerless

Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness.

Where all the love I’ve ever found

Comes like a flood – comes flowing down…

At the Cross, at the Cross I surrender my life,

I’m in awe of You – I’m in awe of You.

Where Your love ran red and my sin washed white

I owe all to You, I owe all to You . . . J-E-S-U-S

         (At The Cross, Chris Tomlin)

Addicted (Part 1)

 - adjective; devoted or given up to a practice or habit or to something psychologically or physically habit-forming.

This morning, the following question played through my mind…

Am I addicted to my phone?

As twinges of Yes surfaced, my mind hurled reasons in defense of my disguised addiction:

My Phone Is . . .

§  Where I research important topics. This includes Bible commentaries, Lexicons, Greek Dictionaries, Bible-Hub, etc. 

§  My connection with those who follow the Frazzled-Female ministry. So . . . FB, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, all a must.

§  My Go-To. I check news, weather, use calculator, store coupons, and keep up with the time. I also store my pictures, passwords, and take notes here.

§  My interaction with family and friends. Phone calls, Instant Messaging, texting, and face-timing – all a part of daily contact for me.

§  My alarm clock, flashlight, friend-finder, and timer.  And on the rare occasion I get bored, I can just pull up a game and PLAY.

So, AM I given up to the psychologically & habit-forming practice of being devoted to my phone?

OH YEH!

Now, with that assessment I don’t mind stating that MY PHONE is useful and a real positive tool in my life. So, I guess it’s okay to be “devoted” in that sense.

However, I readily admit (and confess) that I’m heading toward a full-blown addiction. It’s difficult to go very long without “checking in” for social media blurbs, messages, and instant gratification from responses to posts and shout-outs from others.

As I think about that, I’m reminded that good, helpful behaviors and tools are POSITIVE until they are overdone – and that turns them into NEGATIVES.

Martha, for example (Luke 10:28-42) was doing something wonderful - preparing her home along with a scrumptious meal for Jesus. But it appeared she carried on a bit too much, getting side-tracked with preparations instead of focusing on Jesus in her midst.

“But Martha, overly occupied and too busy was distracted with much serving.” (Luke 10:40A AMPC)

And you know the rest of the story . . . she becomes irritated at sister Mary, insisting that Jesus put her in her place for not helping in the preparations.

Lord, is it nothing to You that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me - to lend a hand and do her part along with me! (Luke 10:40B AMPC)

Here’s The Point

Your phone, tablet, portable-mobile device . . . all good, but used in excess can turn you into . . .

an addict totally dependent upon this extra body part at the end of your arm, leaving you functionless without it!

Just like Martha it’s tempting and easy to take our “good access” to modern technology to extreme measures, becoming overly occupied, too busy, and distracted.

But take heart. There’s HELP available for the one who wants to be set free! And I am one in that number of people who is irked at the way social media has tip-toed in and taken control of my life. . . and quite often turning a good thing into a controlling thing.

 - - - - 

Chomp on PART 1 for a while. Mull it over, asking the Holy Spirit to direct YOU if you need to make some changes in this particular area of your life. 

Oh, He’ll tell you – He sure will.

Then in Part 2, we’ll explore some steps of recovery.

In the meantime, determine to control your technology devices . . .

instead of letting them control YOU!