Thursday's in the Truth: GO!

Often times, the assumption is made that ministry is in essence, merely a line of work. We truly fail to understand this term not defined within a title, but as believers, a way of life. In the Gospel of Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus’s earthly ministry has come to an end, and He delivers to the disciples His last words which are known as “The Great Commission.” Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Please understand something here. Jesus does NOT say you are required to be of a certain age or height, there is NO final exam to pass, and here’s the kicker…..you are NOT even expected to have all of the answers either. Christ instructed the disciples with one simple action….. GO!

Up until this point, the mission of the twelve had been restricted by Jesus mainly to the Jews. However, their message following, was to become worldwide. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior through baptism, discipleship is not something you acquire by learning an equation, but by living life through a covenant commitment with God’s people. The very significance of a covenant revolves around a relationship. Jesus explains the Parable of the Lost Coin in previous scripture reference, yet closes with “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” (Luke 15:10) Friends, the angels of God rejoice when ONE person comes to know Christ. Imagine all of the un-tapped joy to be found in churches and in communities if more people actually shared the love and concern for the lost, NOT just the righteous!

I caution you to avoid only exposing yourself with others whom are already saved, and I challenge you to higher levels of obedience. Who is it that He has placed upon your heart? Is there a co-worker at the office, a member of the PTA, a neighbor down the street, or someone within your own family? I urge you to shut down the whispers from the enemy that tell you you’re not good enough, or intelligent enough, or equip enough to disciple anyone. I am saying to you today that Jesus IS enough. Stop making excuses for all of the reasons why you “can’t” and in His love, GO!

 

~Stef

Thursday's In the Truth: Prayer

I was thinking about prayer today and how often we under value prayer.  We go to God and ask Him for something, but don’t believe He will actually answer our prayers.  Or maybe we don’t even ask, thinking it is too big or too small.  How often do we tell someone we will pray for them when they are going through a hard time, but never feel like it is enough?  We underestimate prayer. 

 In Acts 12, Peter is imprisoned.  As soon as Peter was placed in prison, the church earnestly prayed to God for him to be released.  While they were praying late into the night, an angel appeared to Peter and walked him right out of prison, opening all the doors needed to leave.  He walked straight to the house where people were praying.  “Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door.  When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”  “You’re out of your mind,” they told her.  When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”  But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.”  Acts 12:13-16

I laughed when I read this, but then I realized I do the same thing all the time.  I pray, asking God to answer my requests, and then don’t believe it when it happens.  These people were praying into the night, earnestly, yet they really didn’t believe there prayers would be answered.  If they had, they would have all run to the door when they heard Peter was standing there.  Or maybe, they believed it was possible, but it wasn’t answered the way they had thought it was going to be, so they didn’t believe it was really Peter at the door.  How often do we do the same thing?  We pray for an answer, but we expect it to happen exactly the way we want and when it doesn’t, we assume it has not been answered.  Or, we pray, but we don’t really believe God is going to answer our request.

Through out Scripture, we see all sorts of verses on prayer:

Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”  John 15:7

Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”  Matthew 21:22

Jesus said, “Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Matthew 7:8

God wants to be in communication with You.  He LOVES you and wants to bless you.  That does not mean He is going to give you everything you ask, but He will answer your requests, and it will always be in your best interest.  For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11

Ask Him! 

So what do you need to take to God today?  What conversation do you need to have?  What request do you need to lay at his feet?  Don’t take prayer lightly.  God is longing to hear from you.

Thursday's in the Truth: Beth Moore is my BFF

I just finished an amazing Beth Moore bible study a few weeks ago and I’m sad.  I miss it.  It was a truly amazing study.  If you ever get the chance to bring some of your favorite sisters-in-Christ together for a study, get “The Patriarchs: Encountering the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.”  We learned so much and felt so many feelings.  It was a special 11 weeks that I won’t soon forget.  I changed so much and really grew during this study like no other.  I miss those ladies too.  As a busy mom, I looked forward to my one night a week with other my friends.  And when I say friends, I’m also including Beth.  You may want to stop reading now; this is going to get weird.

I think Beth Moore loves me.  She is always so nice to me.  She calls me “Beloved” and “Dear One.” She always smiles at me and looks right at me.  She prays for me.  She tells me funny stories about herself and her family.  And truth be told, I think I love her too.  I’m not a stalker.  It feels good to hear those things.  She has a way of making you feel special even though the video was filmed almost 10 years before I watched it.  Plus she knows the Bible like nobody’s business.  I miss seeing her big hair and sweet smile and hearing her twangy, southern accent.  (How many of you respond back to her with a twangy, southern accent in your head?  Just me? )

Well, now that my study is over.  I miss her.  I also miss her teaching.  You know I devoted quite a bit of time to her throughout those weeks.  Her studies are time consuming.  But I missed studying the Bible too.  So I immediately jumped into a SOAP study (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer).  I love the ladies in my group (mwah-you know who you are).  The problem is I feel a little scared.  How am I supposed to study the Bible?  I have never been to Bible College and I don’t speak Greek or Aramaic or Hebrew.  You know what, I just so happened to find a book that I am devouring.  It is The Modern Girls Guide to Studying the Bible by Jen Hatmaker. By the way, I’m pretty sure it was not coincidence that I found this book when I did.  In this book, Jen (I call her Jen because she is also a new friend) is totally transparent about how difficult it can be to start studying the Bible without the help of friends like Beth.  Jen shared a verse that really stuck out to me, Psalm 119:10 “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.”  I can’t follow all of His commands by prayer only.  I need to immerse myself in His Word.  How do we do that? What does that look like?  Glad you asked.  Here are some tips I have compiled in all my wisdom, which really means I’ve seen them on blogs of other wiser women:

1. Don’t be random.  God was never random in his teachings or plans for us.  Be intentional when you open your bible.  Give yourself an “assignment” and read it.  It’s ok to start small but be ready to go big.
2. Find a sister-in-Christ who will keep you accountable.  And I don’t mean Beth.  Pick someone who is going to push you like a workout buddy.
3. Interact with the Bible.  Get a group together to talk about your reading.  Journal about your reading.  Heck, you can even do art journaling in your bible.  It’s a thing. Google it.  I’m totally obsessed with it and by obsessed I mean that I like to look at the beauty other people create because I can’t doodle to save my life.
4. Don’t give up.  God has great plans for you and He’s put everything we need into those 66 books that make up the Bible.  If you haven’t felt your blessings from reading the Bible, you need to read more.  As a great friend once said, if you aren’t sore from a workout, you didn’t really workout.
5. Pray.  Pray about your reading. All the time.  When you are in tune with God, it’s so much easier to see and hear His teachings in your life.

Listen, Beloveds, God put so many great stories in the Bible.  Way better than any soap opera.  They are scandalous, heartbreaking, and heartwarming.  And they were written for you. (and me too!)  As much as I like to think of people like Beth and Jen as friends, God truly is your friend and has so much to teach you. (and me too!)  Once you start reading the Bible without limiting yourself, you’ll desire to spend more time with God. He might even become your new BFF. J

Thanksgiving Week Special Edition: Are YOU Listening?

I recently had the opportunity and the privilege to speak during a recent valley Women’s retreat. I challenged the women who sat before me with one simple question……Are you listening? The title of the workshop I taught was Encounter, and we explored the three C’s of an Encounter with Christ. We first looked at the Challenge, (what gets in our way) the Conversation, (what does that look like) and the Conversion (how does it change you). Each day brings about many opportunities to see and hear from Christ but understand, you need to be intentional about seeking them out.

Ultimately, our greatest duty as believers is to know Him so we can make Him known.

Over the years I have met with, mentored, and sat in counsel with fellow women and one statement in particular has been stressed by the masses……”I just cannot hear Him Stef. How do I fix this?” My answer remains the same each and every time I respond. When do you take the time to listen?

It is imperative that in order to SEE Him, you make an intentional effort to SEEK Him.

 

 Hebrews 6:1-3 tells us “So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”

 

Certain elementary teachings are essential for all believers to understand. However, we are not designed to remain in a place of first encounter, we are required to dig deeper and move beyond these basics and into a more mature understanding of the faith. In turn, this allows for your personal relationship with Christ to remain nurtured and flourish.

Each one of us travels an individual road at an individual speed, but I ask you this…..Are you the same person of faith currently than what you were a year ago, or even six months ago? Do you desire to explore the road God has planned for your relationship with Him, or do you find yourself constantly getting in the car but never igniting the engine? No matter what your current level may be, it is so important that you intentionally seek out time with the Father on a daily basis. Make it a point to surround yourself with people more mature in the faith where you can draw from their Spirit filled well, and also people you can turn around and pour His waters into. Only then can the full circle of Christ be revealed, deepened and solidified. If you are reading this today and Christ has filled you with conviction, I want to encourage you to act upon that. Convictions Carry with them Change, and when you understand that your relationship with Christ is the most rewarding relationship you will EVER have, your life will NEVER be the same!

In Revelation 3:20-21 Jesus is preaching to the church in Laodicea and says “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.”

The Laodicean church had become complacent, so “busy” relishing in what the world had to offer they had missed many opportunities to see and experience Christ. It comes down to this friends, if you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, God, or even to His Word you have begun to shut Him out of your life. Only by leaving the door of your heart open to Him, can you guarantee that your own actions do not drown out His voice.  

So, what’s it going to be? Are YOU ready to listen? He’s knocking, are you answering the door?

~Stef

                                                      http://youtu.be/zBUQqLp6N24

Thursdays in the Truth: Serving others

Our church is currently doing a series called 40 days of Others. Each week, the church is challenging us to get involved and make an impact on the Southwest Valley (of Phoenix). There are different opportunities to help neighbors, the sick, orphans, prisoners, widows, and the poor. Learn more here (http://www.therefinerycc.com/#!about1/c20mc). 

You never know the impact your small service can make on a person. Often we serve and never know the long term outcome. We see the immediate need filled, but we sometimes never know the long term results of our service.

I recently got to hear about the impact I (and many others) made on a family over a year ago. I want to tell you this story not to boast about myself, but to encourage you to continue to do for others and serve, because you may never know what it means for them.

Every Veterans Day weekend (for the past 3 years), my husband and I go on a mission trip to Mexico with the organization 1Mission (see more at 1Mission.org). We sign up every year, not knowing the names of our family until a week before we leave. 

1Mission is an AMAZING organization that does so much footwork before we even arrive. They have people in the community who work with families and help them earn a home (which is really just a “shed”, but it’s a home to them). Families volunteer 200 hours and then we come in and serve a weekend and build them their home. Here's a picture of the conditions in the barrio:

Last year, we built a home for the Ramierez-Torres family- Manuel the husband, Lupita the wife, and their 3 kids. This build was a special one because this was a family of faith. When I heard Manuel and Lupita talk, it was clear they had a relationship with Jesus. Manuel even shared his testimony. He used to be a drug user and was homeless on the streets. He neglected his wife and his family, and then he came to know Jesus and everything changed. God helped restore his marriage and forever changed him. 

We finished our build last year and went home. I hadn’t thought much about Manuel and Lupita and their family until we started getting ready for this years trip. I decided I would purchase a few items for them and stop by and see how they were doing.

We pulled up in our truck and the family was outside working on building an outdoor kitchen. They at first looked confused and were wondering why this truck pulled up in front of their house. We got out and they all started smiling from ear to ear. One of the kids ran up to me and started hugging me. “Andrea!” she said. I almost started crying. 

We got to see what they had done with their house and got to talking. Manuel shared that he has never been better and they have never been more blessed since we help build their house a year earlier. 

Manuel shared that he thinks of us (the group that built their house last year) on a daily basis. He pulls out his bible and keeps a picture of our group in it. He prays to God for blessings on all of us and our children. He says that we were God’s angels that were sent to help him and his family.

Manuel also shared a vision he has. He wants to turn his home into a ministry center. He wants to invite the community into his home and share his testimony. He wants to teach others God’s word and use this land and home to help others, just as we helped him. The family is working on building an outdoor kitchen where they will be able to feed and help others and share God’s word with them. 

Who knew that when I signed up to help build a home in Mexico that it would have such “Kingdom” results? Manuel is turning his home into a ministry center for the community. I am so excited to visit next year to see what has taken place. Here's a photo of their family:

My whole point in sharing this story is that you may never know the full extent of what your service or giving is doing.  Your act of service can have eternal effects. I want to encourage you, especially during this holiday season, to give and serve others. It doesn’t have to be big, as simple act of kindness can go a long way.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

“17Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”

Thursdays in the Truth: Cast Your Cares

Have you ever been going about your day, a not so great day by the way, and one more thing happens?  You know what kind of thing I’m talking about.  It could be ever so small but it just drops you flat.  You have reached your limit.  I hit that one day last week.  Little things had been piling up emotionally.  I was chugging along through the “difficulties” trying to keep my cool.  Then BAM! One little argument and I could feel the tears prickle at the back of my eyes threatening a flood of biblical proportions. 

Whether it was a hormonally-induced breakdown doesn’t matter.  What matters is I felt I was no longer strong enough to carry everything I had placed on my shoulders.  I realized I had not given these things to God. Psalm 55:22 tells us to “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” 

We know we are supposed to hand things over to God.  We’ve all heard the saying “Let Go, and Let God.”  We may try to hand it over but if you are anything like me, you take it right back.  It’s like I’m saying God can look at my troubles but I’m ultimately going to be the one to take care of them. 

For me, I think the problem is a control issue.  It may be a mom-condition but I frequently run though the needs of the household and troubleshoot in my head.  I’m constantly juggling things in my head.  Then I had a brilliant idea.  If I need to constantly be managing something, then when I hand stuff over to God, I feel useless.  So I decided from now on, when I hand things over to God, I then have the duty to count my blessings.  It’s a total game changer for me.  I haven’t forgotten about my troubles.  I’ve just delegated them to God and refocused myself on the blessings. 

Some days are harder than others to find the blessings but they are there.  I’m brought back to my favorite verse, Psalm 118:24.  “This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” 

So what are some blessings that you need to focus on today while God is working on your troubles?

Thursday's in the Truth: Wisdom of a Woman

 

Currently, I am attending Bible College. The class I recently finished, took an in depth look at every single book written within the New Testament. I had the opportunity to study the spread of first century Christianity, the men considered closest to Christ, and most importantly the man, the ministry, and the Messiah himself. Week after week, we peeled away the layers of Scripture and the deeper significance behind the words. The Bible came alive and as I studied the Synoptics (Gospels) in greater detail, a particular set of Scriptures stood out. When Jesus hung upon the cross, the Gospel of Mark tells us in Mark 15:40-41 “Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Then they and many other women had come with him to Jerusalem.”

Before we go any further, I need for you all to understand one key aspect here. Women and especially children, were not even considered “second class citizens” but were among the lowest levels of society within the early Jewish culture. Women were not even permitted to speak publicly in church meetings. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

Looking back at the scene of the crucifixion in Mark 15:47 we are told that “Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.” Chapter 16 verses 1-2 opens with the following “The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb.” These women could do very little leading up to the crucifixion. They could not speak before the Jewish high council in Jesus’ defense, nor could they appeal to Pilate or the Roman guards who beat and mocked him. Yet, even when the disciples had fled for their own lives, these women remained at the feet of Jesus. They followed his body and prepared spices to take to the burial tomb. The preparation of such spices resembled a sign of love, respect, and devotion. Take note here, it is absolutely NO coincidence that these very women were the FIRST to encounter the angel at the opened tomb, and witnessed the miraculous wonders of the resurrected Christ. God blessed their diligence and devotion, as these women used the opportunities they did have, instead of dwelling on those they did not.

Do not for one second believe the lies of the enemy that you are “just a woman” for as I  briefly touched on above, women featured prominently in the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and at the Pentecost. Again, this is truly NO mistake. A woman’s testimony during this time period was considered to be worthless, yet God used these very ladies to inform the disciples of what had just occurred. Could you imagine the level of pure joy that must have ensued when they looked upon the presence of Christ early that Sunday morning? Their faithfulness was profound, and God surely rewarded them for it.

My prayer for each of you today is that you are able to better recognize the significance and importance you have not only as a woman, but a woman of God. We are so blessed to reside in a country where we can share our faith. Take FULL advantage of that! I pray that He grants you the ultimate wisdom to act upon the opportunities you do have to remain steadfast and devoted to being a witness for Him. The women accounted for here could have lost their very lives for exhibiting their faithfulness. What do you have to lose?

~Stef

 



 



 

Thursdays in the Truth: It's Fall, Y'all, Throw Open Your Windows!

Fall has finally found its way to Arizona.  It’s not fall like other places might define it but it’s our fall.  This is the season where your flesh doesn’t melt from the bone the second you step outside.  Native Arizonans may be heard to say there is a “chill” in the air.  We know you east-coasters and mid-westerners giggle every time we say it.  Seriously, over night lows in the 60’s are the best! 

It’s glorious.  I’ve been opening my windows and even “encouraged” the Mr. to install a new screen door.  Today, though, I saw something that gave me pause.  There have been a string of burglaries in several of our west valley neighborhoods.  Many people are on high alert.  Today a woman recounted a situation where a man knocked on her door even though she had a no soliciting sign on it.  She was certain he was up to no good.  She even listed tips to stay safe.  Among other things, she suggested keeping all windows and doors shut and locked, to keep all blinds closed, and never answer the door. 

I have been opening my windows and my doors every day.   Hello!  I just bought a new screen door.  That’s the whole reason I bought the blasted thing.   The first thing I do every morning is open all the blinds.  I love the sun pouring in the house, especially now that it’s not 120 degrees outside.  I was torn.  I wait all year to be able to enjoy nature from the bug-free comfort of my own home.  I didn’t really want to close it all up again. 

This got me thinking.  Don’t we do this as Christians?!  We are afraid of what others will ask of us or that maybe they will judge us or even worse, God may choose to use us in a way that is far from our comfort zone.  So we close ourselves up and life the comfortable life from deep within the confines of our safe “Christian” world.

I immediately had to go to the Word to find my encouragement.  I believe I was led to several verses. 

First, there is the question of worry.  A lot of us avoid stepping out of our comfort zones simply because we are worried about what we may find.  James reminds us in chapter 4, verse 14 that we do not know what tomorrow brings.  Jesus even says in Matthew 6:34 not to worry about tomorrow.  I don’t know about you but I have consumed a considerable amount of my life with worry.  You may ask yourself how to not worry.  That brings up my second point.

Now there is no question that there is evil in the world but God comforts us with Proverbs 3:5.  He tells us to trust in Him and not to lean on our own understanding.  So it’s ok that I don’t have all the answers.  He’s with me and if I step out in faith, He’s right there with me.  I can trust Him to see me through whatever situation I find myself in.

So what is the big problem with keeping in your comfort zone?  Well, quite honestly that’s not why God put us here.  He has plans.  Good plans.  And I don’t know about you but when I look back and compare my plans with His plans, His plans are always better.  We each have our own work in the Lord, but we all were given the Great Commission in Matthew 28: 19-20.  How can we “go and make disciples of all nations” from the comfort of our carefully crafted life?  The answer:  we can’t.  We’ve got to take risks and possibly get messy.  There is no way to enjoy the wonderful blessings of God without stepping out in faith.

Now, I’m not suggesting you should deliberately put yourself in dangerous situations and hope for blessings. That would be crazy.  I just don’t think that we should shut up the doors of our hearts to keep God all safely contained and hope for blessings. 

How are you opening up your heart and letting God in?

Thursdays In the Truth: Common Lies About Reading the Bible

Common Lies About Reading the Bible:

1.  I need a degree.

2.  There is a special way to read the Bible and I don’t know it.

3.  I am not smart enough.

4.  I need to know how to use lexicons and commentaries to read the Bible.

5.  I don’t understand the Bible so I am not going to get anything out of it.

6.  I read but it doesn’t make sense.

7.  I don’t have enough time.

Before we start, let's just get the time issue out of the way.  We all have 24 hours in a day.  We all choose to spend our time in different ways, but one thing is true for everyone, we spend time doing what is important to us.  We find the time needed to do what we want to do.  It comes down to your priorities.  If you want to make time for God, you will.  If God is not a priority, you won't find time for Him.

Above are just a few of the excuses and lies I hear for not reading the Bible.  Satan is good at getting us to believe his lies.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy… John 10:10  Satan’s whole goal is to convince you that you don’t have time, you are not smart enough, the Bible doesn’t apply today, the list goes on.  He will use anything he can to keep you from reading your Bible.

So where do you begin?  Spend some time praying before you open your Bible and ask God to help you to understand what you are reading.  Luke 24:45 says, Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  The Message says it this way, He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way.  Jesus is actually speaking here.  He had just been crucified on the cross and rose again.  He appeared to his disciples.  His DICSIPLES.  The men that knew him better than anyone else, the ones he had spent so much time with.  Jesus opened THEIR minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  If he is willing to do that for his disciples, who had spent so much time with Him and should have known by now, won’t he do that for you?

There is no magic way to read the Bible.  There is no set way that works for everyone, but I can tell you that if you open your Bible, and ask God to give you understanding, He will.  There are days I read and nothing pops out at me, and I might not even understand what I am reading, but I stay faithful.  Most of the time, something hits me when I read or I learn something new, whether it is gaining knowledge or being convicted or hearing a truth I needed to hear at that moment.  For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

Stop believing the lies.  Stop convincing yourself that you can’t read the Bible or don’t have time.  Make time.  Ask God for wisdom and understanding.  Get a friend to do it with you if you need the accountability.  We cannot expect to know what God is calling us to do or how to handle life and all the situations we are thrown if we are not investing our time and energy connecting to Him. 

Thursdays in the Truth: Manipulation

Manipulation

Isn’t it just a nasty word? For some, it may bring heartache or anger, reminding them of the past- maybe themselves or loved ones who have been manipulated by another person or situation. No one I know thinks manipulation of a person in a positive light.

But can manipulation be a good thing? A doctor can actually manipulate a “frozen” shoulder while a patient is under anesthesia to get it rotating again, and to regain function of the shoulder. That’s a good thing.

I just returned from a women’s conference featuring the famous bible teacher Beth Moore. The conference was amazing and 9,000 women strong. There was worship music, great bible teaching, and so much more.

One thing keeps coming up in my head is from when Beth prayed. In more than one instance, Beth prayed for manipulation. When she said it, it caught me so off guard. The word manipulation has such a negative meaning for me.  I am somewhat of a control freak, and that word means I am not in control. Beth prayed for God to manipulate our lives, circumstances and situations for His good will.  I often pray for intercession, or God’s hand to be in situations, but I have never prayed for God to manipulate me, or my life. What a thought!!!

Manipulation has been in my daily prayers since I left the conference. I want God to use me for good. I want HIS will for my life, not mine. I pray for God to manipulate me, my interactions, my circumstances, my friends, my family, and my whole world for HIS will.

My prayer for you today is that he does the same for you- Manipulation.

-Andi

Thursday's in the Truth: Oh Pickles!

Have you ever dropped a dish that shattered in a million pieces? Perhaps one of your favorites, a Le Creuset that was holding a potluck size batch of pasta salad that you spent at least an hour preparing? Perhaps in the driveway as you were rushing to get said pasta salad into the car so you could get it to the potluck previously mentioned? And when that dish hit the ground, did any unsavory words fill your head and shoot out of your mouth like word vomit? Yeah, me neither. ;)  Ok, fine.  I said it.  That was my word vomit.

I know how those words got in my head.  There was no slick invasion.  There was no Trojan horse.  I heard those words around the playground as a kid.  I heard them in movies.  I heard adults I knew using them.  And, as a kid, I thought it was quite cool to use them as well. 

Now, as a mom, I’m like the language police.  We don’t even use the “S” word in our house.  You know the one.  It rhymes with "lupid."  Even still, I can’t prevent my kids from hearing those other words outside of my house.  I mean, how can we have a rule against using the "S" word if they’d never heard of it.

Lately I’ve been reminding my kids that what goes in is bound to come out.  It’s true for farts and it’s true for bad language. 

Proverbs 4:23 tells us to “watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”  Luke 6:45 reminds us that “his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”  So if we allow it into our hearts, it will eventually come out of our mouths. 

That’s all well and good but you might be thinking along the same lines as my children.  How can you control what you hear?  Sure, you can monitor which TV shows or movies you watch or which music you listen to but you can’t control the people at the store who are spewing vulgar profanities.  You can’t un-hear the nasty way they speak to others.  So then what?

In Philippians 4:8, we have Paul telling the people of Philippi to look past all of the nasty stuff and focus on God.  I love the Message paraphrase of this verse: “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not to curse.  Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.  Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”

So whether it is bad language or mean thoughts or inappropriate thoughts about someone, we have to choose to filter what we allow our minds to dwell on.  He’s not saying you won’t have these things in your mind.  He’s saying fill yourself up with the good stuff.  We will see ugly stuff.  We’ll see the worst.  But we get to choose what we intentionally put in our minds and what we allow ourselves to meditate on.  As 2 Corinthians 10:5 says “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”

What do you allow into your mind and heart?  What do you need to filter out of your mind and heart?

Thursday's in the Truth: Wallowing in the Whispers

 

 

For those of you who truly know the inner workings of my heart, you can appreciate what it is I am about to say. And for those of you who are not familiar with my personality understand, I tend to convey no nonsense messages intertwined with the up most of love.

Each one of us has probably heard the phrase “time heals all wounds” at some point in our lives. However, when your wounds have remained unprocessed and unsealed, this very statement could not be further from the truth. The biggest obstacle to overcome is pain, whether speaking past or present tense. One thing however is for certain. Unprocessed pain will prevent you from fulfilling your God given purpose, and that my friends is what the enemy desires most! Do not for one second underestimate Satan’s ability to deceive you. Paul warns of this very same concept while preaching to the church in Corinth. It breaks my heart when I sit in counsel with a fellow sister in Christ and during the times of her deepest, darkest, unprocessed pain she feels lost and alone. I cannot help but to see it in her eyes, and feel it in her voice. Without fail, my initial question remains “When do you take the time to listen?” It saddens me to realize that the majority of the time this answer goes unspoken.

The problem is we ARE listening, but unfortunately to the WRONG voice. Author Jimmy Evans in his book titled “When Life Hurts” makes the following statement. “It’s no accident that the first recorded utterance from Satan in the Bible begins with Satan questioning the words of God, because that’s where the devil always begins. Satan can’t implant his own thoughts in our minds until he first causes us to question God’s thoughts. The two ideas CANNOT coexist.”  The same voice that spoke to Eve in the garden, twisting God’s words and confusing her mind, speaks to you and I in the midst of our pain. When you allow for pain to remain unprocessed while wallowing in your own misery, you not only can guarantee Satan will knock at your door, you might as well hand deliver him the invitation yourself.

God tells us in scripture "...........I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Friends, please understand something. God has given us complete access to not only know His voice, but also the ability to discern it. There is not a self-help book in this world that will quench the thirst of a soul quite that of scripture. When the enemy offers his whispers it is so easy to listen because we have not taken the necessary time to challenge the negative against the light of what God tells us is true.

 Peter was an ultimate example of this very point. In Matthew 16:21-28 Peter had just been given the best news he would ever hear yet, he wasn’t able to receive it. He just couldn’t fathom that through the deepest pain Christ would ever endure, that it could actually be a design of God’s even greater plan for all of humanity. This was a man who had walked side by side with Christ for the past three years, been a witness to numerous miracles, yet STILL questioned the words that Jesus spoke. And you know why……..because Satan’s ultimate goal was to keep Peter from fulfilling his purpose and accepting the destiny that God had in store for him. Satan saw the fear in Peter’s heart as Jesus explained to the disciples for the first time here that He had to die and carry the sins of the world. Satan used this pain against Peter. Jesus’ very response in verse 23 was “Get away from me Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God’s.” Jesus was not implying that Peter was in fact the enemy, but He knew the whispers upon Peter’s heart were not divine.

The enemy will continue to use your pain to disarm and defeat you until you decide to deal with it. You must fight this battle suited in the armor of the Holy Spirit. You can surely opt to remain wallowing within the whispers and the lies, we all have the free will to do so. Or, you can allow for even your deepest pain to ignite the purposes of your life which God has solely intended for good. If you are not active in the word the outcome is clear……you will provide a barrier between you and Christ, and that my friends is NOT His design. To know God is to first know Jesus. John 14:6 reminds us of Jesus’ words “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

My prayer for all of you today is that you will STOP listening to the lies, STOP listening to the deceit the enemy has to offer and START listening to what God is speaking, even in the gentlest of whispers. In order to accomplish this, you must make an effort to know Him. Remember, even Elijah encountered God in a whisper as recorded in 1 Kings 19:11-12. The ultimate gift God gave us derived out of the deepest pain Christ was called to endure.

 What makes you think God cannot accomplish victory through yours?

Thursdays in the Truth: SYATP, a reminder to pray

Today, my kids and I participated in “See you at the pole” at my son’s elementary school. See you at the Pole is an annual event that started in 1990 when a youth group in Texas started praying for their school, on campus at night. Word spread, and now students meet at their flagpole at the schools across the nation and world on the 4^th Wednesday of September.

I remember attending one SYATP in junior high, but had not been to one since then, until today.

It was such a beautiful sight. Parents and kids, student, teachers, and even district employees gathered together, held hands, and prayed to God.

Here’s a picture a parent posted on Facebook:

It wasn’t about what church you went to, or what your denomination was. It was a group of people meeting together to pray to God for our school, students, and community.

The pastor of our church often talks about the little c and big C church. Little c being our church, and the Big C being all the Christian churches around the world. We attend one little c church. But today was all about the Big C; People of all different denominations, holding hands and assembling in prayer. All praying to the same God, who gave us Jesus his son as a sacrifice, so we can live forever with him.

Today’s event sparked a fire in me. I need to be praying for my kids’ schools on a daily basis. I should be praying for the students, employees, the families of the students, and the entire community. Praying for protection, for guidance, and that God be glorified in the school.

Paul said it perfectly in his letter to the church in Ephesus:

Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

(This verse was also this year's theme for SYATP)

So friends, mark your calendar and get yourself and your kids to the pole next year (September 23, 2015).