Deuteronomy 30:20 GW “ Love the Lord your God, obey him, and be loyal to him. This will be your way of life, and it will mean a long life for you in the land that theLord swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

I John 2:3-6 NLT “ And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.  But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.  Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.”

How did Jesus live? He was the Son of God that served his Fathers plan for the world. He came to show us how to live life by laying down his own. He refused to speak unless the Father told him what to say and refused to do anything unless he first saw the Father do it. He became God to us. He was and always will be light, all we must do is plug into him and do what he did.  Paul said it well in Galatians 2:20 NIRV; “ I have been crucified with Christ. I don’t live any longer. Christ lives in me. My faith in the Son of God helps me to live my life in my body. He loved me. He gave himself for me.”

Last night, our church went down and did this for the poor, lonely and lost of our city. All of them were people just like you and me. Some had fallen into hard times and through no fault of their own ended up with no home or people to take them in. Some had made poor choices and because of drugs or drinking had lost their jobs, homes and family. But where they had landed was a gift to them because it brought them to a place of brokenness and openness to receive the gift of love we offered. So many ‘Thank You’s’ from sincere faces. One mother looked back at me as I handed her hotdogs for her and her spouse and caught my eye as she said, “Thank you. No really! You have no idea what you’ve done. Thank you again!” 

Jesus met the needs of all who came to him, one person at a time. That boggles my mind! Each person he touched went away with more then healing or deliverance, they were touched by love. No wonder he said that when we do it to the least of these, we’ve done it unto him. It’s what he came for-it’s what we’re called to. I’ve been forever changed by his love, how dare I keep this contained within myself. I have no right. I have no rights. He lay down his life for me, it’s my turn to do the same.

Today as you do life in your job, your home, your community, remember that when you gave your life to Christ you promised to live life for him. Don’t miss an opportunity to love deeply-as deeply as the well of love inside of you which is Jesus himself, your hope, your glory.

While reading in the book of Hebrews CEB, I noticed the title of this portion of scripture said, “Run The Race With Discipline” and continued with these verses 3-6: “Think about the one who endured such opposition from sinners so that you won’t be discouraged and you won’t give up. In your struggle against sin, you haven’t resisted yet to the point of shedding blood, and you have forgotten the encouragement that addresses you as sons and daughters: My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline or give up when you are corrected by him, because the Lord disciplines whomever he loves, and he punishes every son or daughter whom he accepts.”

Sometimes, when you’re going through an exceptionally hard trial, it’s good to remember what Jesus went through. The only ones who accepted him were those who needed what he provided. They were also the first to turn on him and yell ‘crucify’ when given money by the religious leaders. Fickle people. And such were some of us! When we don’t get what we want, we just give up, thinking that maybe God doesn’t love us as much as he does someone else. He calls us sons and daughters BECAUSE he loves us and as Paul said, he disciplines the ones he loves.

No one likes discipline. Sometimes I think that from a young age till my early teens, I had enough of all that in the form of a paddle on the hinder parts! I remember thinking, ‘When I have kids, I’m NEVER going to spank them!’ Yeah, that didn’t happen. Discipline is good for us, thats where we learn boundaries and self control, some of us just struggle to find the line. Hey, sometimes I would like to go back for the spanking than to have to endure the consequences of my wrong actions as an adult. Don’t think that God will make you do whats right, he won’t. We still are free to make our own choices, God won’t force us to obey. He wants a people who will love him as much as he loves us and to obey out of that intense love. 

So when things aren’t so perfect in your life, you need to yell out, “HE LOVES ME! I’M HIS OWN!” He’s only setting us on the right path so that we’ll be where he needs us when he returns to take us home. Home sweet home. Lets keep in mind that where we are today is not our home, we’re merely leasing for a period of time. Someday, He will call out to us, “Lease is up! Time to move on!” Don’t be so comfortable with your surroundings that you lose sight of who’s you are and where you’re going. Lots wife looked back with longing and it turned her into a salty statue. Lets keep our eyes longing for our prize; Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus said.

I’ve read this teaching of Jesus so many times. It’s where he shares with his disciples the power of their words by showing them if they say to this mountain, be gone, be cast into the sea and don’t doubt in their heart but believe, they will have it. But the key to this whole concept is found in the 22nd verse; Have faith in God. Unless you believe that you are Gods child, created in his image and likeness with his ability to create with your words, you’re like a light bulb thats turned off and you don’t know where the switch is.

I recently heard a pastor state that God is like a power company and we are the consumers, without the transformer (Holy Spirit), the power can’t get to the people.  Direct current to the house would blow all the appliances because it’s just too much raw power. The Holy Spirit was sent to lead us into all truth. What truth is that? Truth of who God is and what is available through him. Transform means to change in form, appearance or structure. In the light of power, it’s to change it into a usable form so that we can cook with our stoves and use fans to cool us in the evenings. II Corinthians 3:18 NASB says it like this, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” He’s transforming us into usable power to touch the world around us. Thats why it’s so important to know God because if you don’t know God, you won’t have faith in him and without faith, it’s impossible to please God.

I love reading about how Jesus healed the sick, delivered those bound and raised the dead, but I want to participate in those same things today. I want to be meet the needs of those around me regardless of who they are. The only way I can do that is having faith in God to transform me into usable power.  I need to be a conduit of the power of God. Raw power is to be feared. Never touch a live wire or you’ll be electrocuted for sure! But you’ve been wired for Gods power, the Holy Spirit will transform you to use the power of God in you wisely and correctly. Gods power changes lives. It heals, saves, delivers or sets free those who are bound. It’s nothing you can do in and of yourself, have faith in God. Keep your eyes fixed on him and go where he leads you, do what he tells you, touch who he wants to and be a power-house for God.

Philippians 4:6-7 “ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” 

Be anxious for nothing; don’t worry about it, don’t wring your hands wondering if, when or how it will happen. But in everything by prayer and supplication;  a humble prayer. With thanksgiving; the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God. Let your requests; the act of asking for something to be given or done, especially as a favor or courtesy; solicitation or petition. Be made known to God; to have established or fixed in the mind or memory; to have knowledge or clear and certain perception, as of factor truth. And the peace of God; that word peace means completeness, wholeness, nothing missing or broken, which surpasses all understanding (that’s because the peace of God is so vast, we as humans cannot comprehend it completely). Will guard; to keep safe from harm or danger; protect; watch over, through Christ Jesus.

Wow, there is a whole lot more to that verse than meets the eye, right? This little portion of scripture tells us we don’t have to worry about anything. We ask in humility, giving thanks and acknowledging that he is faithful to watch over His word to be our provider in every sense of the word. And during the waiting time, you know, the time between the asking and the show up, the time when you’re tempted to give up, to quit, throw in the towel, when the pressures on you to speak what you feel instead of what you know are trying to push you to say, “I don’t understand why God didn’t hear me! I don’t understand why it takes so long! I don’t understand!” Yeah, that time. When you’re forced to stand on the limb thats being separated from the tree knowing that your God is well able to hold the limb on it’s own. THAT peace. THAT assurance. Knowing who God is and what he’s capable of.

For years I’ve spoken favor over my children and my grandchildren. I proclaim things over them that they’re not even aware of but things that God has ordered me to declare. Yesterday at work, a doctor who works in the next building came over to ask if I had any resume’s for receptionist because hers had just quit. I told her that my daughter had experience working in a doctors office and had in fact covered for me on occasion. I just happened to have her resume on my computer and quickly printed it out.  When she glanced at it, she noticed Shannon was from Michigan and mentioned she had attended M.S.U.. I responded that we too were from Michigan and that my children were born at Sparrow Hospital. Her children were born there too. As we chatted, we discovered that she lived in the subdivision I used to ride my bike in as a child. Small world, we agreed. 

An hour later she had her office manager contact Shannon and set up an interview for that evening. Last night Shannon called me to say that she got the job, got the money she wanted and starts this morning. For two years we’ve held fast to the promises of Gods provision but in the mean time, even though the pressures were overwhelming at times, she held fast to the confidence that God would take care of the details. In those two years, I’ve watched in wonder as she grew in her walk and confidence that God would provide. It wasn’t easy, it never is. You don’t just instantly trust someone, you must get to know them, walk with them, talk with them, do what they ask, be available, willing, watchful. 

Her journey has taken her from the unshaped, dark lump of coal the world saw, to the beautifully multifaceted diamond that God saw. There are many who are in this process; we have all been there or are in some part of that period of pressure, buffing and forming. It’s not easy, but its worth it. Who is God getting you ready to be and are you willing to stay in the game to the end, unwilling to quit in the middle of your mess. Are you willing? Are you ready? Will you give into the pressure and say I can’t do this anymore or will you wait a little bit longer. God wants you to be at the right place at the right time because he has big plans and you’re a small part of that big plan. He knows your end from the very beginning, allow his peace to protect his promise to you.

John 14:12-14 GW This is a part of what Jesus said to us, his disciples: “I can guarantee this truth: Those who believe in me will do the things that I am doing. They will do even greater things because I am going to the Father.  I will do anything you ask the Father in my name so that the Father will be given glory because of the Son. If you ask me to do something, I will do it.”

There are some keys here that we need to see: 1. This is a guarantee, defined; to make oneself answerable for (something) on behalf of someone else who is primarily responsible. 2. We will do the things Jesus was doing and even greater things. This includes; walking in unconditional love always; forgiving and letting things go; compassion that moves us to give of ourselves without complaint; no murmuring; forfeiting your own will and desires for the good of the Kingdom. 3. We can ask anything of the Father in Jesus Name that will give the Father glory. WHAT? We can’t just have anything we want? We can’t ask for a million dollars and have it drop magically in our account? According to this it can have no selfish ambition attached to it at all. Jesus did everything he saw the Father do, it was all for HIS purpose.  Jesus went about doing good and healing ALL, how many of us live our lives like that? How many can really say that our minds are SO toward God that we never think of our own needs or wants because we know the Father will take care of us.

I must admit that I’m not there yet. I find myself still looking at the problem and glancing at God instead of focusing on God and glancing at the problem.  Father, forgive me. I’m so not like Jesus. My eyes are still glued to my bills. I still want for wrong reasons. My faith is still so small. The more I read about you, the smaller I feel. So this morning as I sit in your presence I ask one thing; be big in me. Bigger than every noise, bigger than my circumstances, bigger than my problems. Help me to just hunger and thirst for your presence. To overflow onto others the love and compassion that Jesus had for the lost you love. May I not be critical of others and their motives because I don’t know what their motives are! Open my eyes to try to find the good in ALL those around me, not just those who are nice to me. Only then will you be able to break through the walls they’ve formed from rejection and hurt. Only then will my own walls come down so that you can touch them through me. Jesus, give me your eyes. I’m broken, please fix me.

Have you every needed a vacation? Just to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and watch the waves lap up on the shore. To let your mind rest, not have to solve problems, perpetually clean the house, do the laundry or take care of anyone else. What would THAT be like! Some of us are so weary that even the thought of planning a vacation is a chore. Well, what if I were to tell you that you can take vacation each and everyday right in the privacy of your own home. Yeah, right! Sandy, you simply don’t understand what my home is like. I have small children, the only time I have any peace is when they’re asleep. I remember those days all too well. My mom spoke these words of wisdom to me back then; “When your kids nap, you nap, it’s the only time you’ll get rest. The house can wait but YOU need your rest.”

Beyond that, even as our children grow or leave home, life gets so busy and we lose our ability to really rest. Don’t forget that there is only one you and you are no good to anyone if you don’t take care of you. We know we can’t vacation everyday and sometimes an hour is too much of a sacrifice so whats the solution to this stress we carry with us? I loved how Jesus said it in Matthew 11:28-30 MSG; “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Did you catch that? “Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it.” When I first began carving out time for the Lord, I had to examine my day and where I would have the most quality time of fellowship with Him. That time for me was mornings because for me, that was my best time and I wanted to give God my best. Perhaps for you it’s evenings when everyone is in bed and you’re alone, or when the kids all leave for school and you can grab 20 minutes before dashing out the door. Maybe your time is in your car on the way to work, whenever you choose to do it, take time to ‘learn the unforced rhythms of grace.’  If we don’t take time to learn His rest, we will have nothing of value to give out to those around us.

We will always find time for fun things, vacations, lunch with friends, etc., but the thing we need the most we just can’t seem to fit in our busy schedule. Jesus invites you to learn how to rest in him, follow his example but we can’t do that until we sit with him, read his story, be his friend. Grab your cup of coffee, glass of tea or water and just sit with him for awhile. Allow him to pour into you what you need to make it through your day. I ask God to show me what I need today, sometimes a word or verse comes to my mind and I search for it, read it and close my eyes and think on it. Sometimes I write it in my journal and put down my thoughts or make it into a prayer for the day. Then something wonderful happens; the sweet fragrance of Grace washes over me like the waves on the shore and I come away feeling rested and refreshed. Try it. Once you experience it, you’ll do it everyday. The presence of the Lord has a ‘more taste’ to it. Once you’ve tasted, you’ll just want more and more and more. 

Isaiah 54:2-6 “Clear lots of ground for your tents! Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big! Use plenty of rope, drive the tent pegs deep. You’re going to need lots of elbow room for your growing family. You’re going to take over whole nations; you’re going to resettle abandoned cities. Don’t be afraid—you’re not going to be embarrassed. Don’t hold back—you’re not going to come up short. You’ll forget all about the humiliations of your youth, and the indignities of being a widow will fade from memory. For your Maker is your bridegroom, his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! Your Redeemer is The Holy of Israel, known as God of the whole earth. You were like an abandoned wife, devastated with grief,  and God welcomed you back, Like a woman married young and then left,” says your God.

This reminded me that I serve a BIG God who has BIG things planned for me. What he dropped in my spirit this morning was this; I think too small. What I’m believing for will not accommodate the plans God has for my future. I thought I was thinking big! I mean, Lord, we’ve had this conversation before and I DID enlarge my vision. It’s way out there, isn’t that big enough? Evidently not. If your vision doesn’t measure up to Gods vision, it’s time to upgrade your vision. Gods plans will never be something you can do by yourself. If He shows you something you measure ‘impossible’ take a deep breath because He’s going to show you how to ‘clear the land’ and ‘gather the supplies’ so that building may begin. Don’t shake your head an walk away because you don’t feel qualified. God qualifies who he chooses and trust me when I say this, he just loves to use those with no building experience to oversee the largest construction projects. Why you ask? Because He will get the glory, not you.

Perhaps God has asked you to lay hands on someone who needs healing but you’re not a ‘pastor’. You’re qualified through the blood of Jesus to lay hands on the sick and they WILL recover. Maybe God asked you to give $1000 and you don’t have it, perhaps he’ll provide an extra $100 a months for 10 months, he’s simply waiting for you to commit to his plan. How about committing to pray every morning for your pastors because of what God has instructed them to do? Thats big for some folk, especially if mornings are not your coherent time of day. I think you see where I’m going here, don’t you. Each of us are asking for God to use us in some way so don’t balk at the request. If God asked you, he will show you what to do and give you the faith and resources to do it.

When God gave Noah instructions to build and ark, it had never rained. It took him years to complete it, but rain it did and who remained safe in the ark? The man and his family who obeyed Gods plan. I may not quite get what God wants from me, but I’m willing to put my faith out on a limb to believe for it. I will begin to clear the land by interceding for those in my city, my neighborhoods, binding principalities and every evil spirit that would hold back the plans of God. Thats what we’ve been doing at our church for years now, clearing the land, making room for God to bring His Kingdom plans to our part of the nation. 

I just don’t want to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, I want to be Gods ‘go-to’ woman, who listens to his voice and proclaims his plans to the atmosphere. I want to move when he says move, stay when he says stay, be what he needs me to be in these final days before he returns. I want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful daughter, enter into the joy of the Lord. Task complete!” Obedience requires sacrifice, what are you willing to give up for Him?

Is your life a struggle sometimes? All the time? I was reading in Galatians this morning and realized the reason we struggle is because we trust in the law not in grace. We think that if we do everything right we’ll be blessed, that our obedience in keeping the commands of God will gain his favor. WRONG! Read Galatians 4:28-29 “And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.” We are born of the Spirit, made free by what Jesus did on the cross. Our obligation is to believe that what He did was enough. Enough to make us free and keep us free. Enough to heal every disease, meet every need, take away our yoke of bondage once and for all.

Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-9 that its a gift that we must receive by faith, not works. Man can’t boast or get the glory for such a freely given gift. A gift is something given with no ulterior motives and it’s usually thought out to bring joy to the receiver.  That was Gods plan all along.  He planned to redeem us from the curse brought on by the fall of Adam and Eve at the beginning by freely giving his only son to buy back what was lost. You can’t buy whats been purchased! He gifted you the ability to come into His presence and talk with Him anytime you want. Not timidly but boldly! When we walk into the Throne room of God, we go in knowing we have the right to be there, we’re children of the King. The most awesome thing about this is that God has a way of making you feel you are the most important thing on his agenda at that moment you enter in. 

I declare! I will not struggle anymore! I’m made perfect because HE is perfect. I’m special to my Father. I know who I am and I know whose I am. I will come boldly to the throne of Grace and will walk in the authority as a child of the King of Kings. It doesn’t matter that I’m adopted, that only makes me more special because I was chosen out of many. Who do you see looking back at you when you look in the mirror, because who you see yourself as is what others will behold.

Psalm 18:6 “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” When I cry out in desperation, when my heart is heavy and my peace is disturbed because of some external situation, He hears me. How comforting to know we matter to the Lord. When my children were in trouble and they would cry out to me, I heard them, their voice was not lost in a crowd, I searched for them and found them and took care of them. If I, being less than a perfect mom would do that for my own, how much more would our heavenly Father search us out and deliver us? My dear friend, I want you to know you’re not alone. God has heard your pleading, your moaning, your cry for help and He wants you to know that He has sent angels to surround you and deliver you (Psalm 91:11).

I was doing some research on the word ‘peace’ this morning. It has been aptly defined as; completeness, soundness or safety, welfare or prosperity. As one pastor put it, nothing missing or broken. That is the place he longs for us to rest, its where our deepest longings are fulfilled, where every provision is positioned. Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Perfect peace, nothing missing or broken is only found when our minds are stayed or settled on God. You couldn’t change it if you tried, so don’t frustrate yourself by continually trying. Your job is simple but profound; think on God, do what He asks, trust His plan.

Most Holy and loving Father, here you go, I place it all at your feet; my bills, my pains, my cares, my worries, my children, my grandchildren, our home, our vehicles, every need, every burden, I lay it all down, Lord. It’s too much for me to carry, you didn’t make me for this. I was made to worship you, to commune with you and trust in you. Remind me throughout the day as I try to pick it back up that you have this. Thank you.

Your daughter

I am no stranger to hard work! My dad didn’t have a son until we adopted my brother Brian when I was 12 but he had 3 daughters and we helped do exactly what you see in this picture. We helped carry cement blocks, lumber, washed the car, mowed the lawn because being a girl didn’t exempt us from doing what needed to be done. I’m thankful for those lessons in life, they instilled a good work ethic and a strong value of the inner strength we possessed. I also learned that what seemed impossible to me was NOT impossible for my dad, therefore it was NEVER an option for us to disobey.  To say no to my dad always led to a trip to the bedside with a paddle, therefore, NO was not an option. If I was going to get paddled, it was going to be for something I enjoyed doing, like talking! 

We had a healing service yesterday at church and many people were touched by the power of God. Not just physically, but emotionally healed and set free from bondages and hopelessness. This morning when I sat at my desk, I was reminded of what God showed me yesterday: Faith was designed to work, not lay on the couch and watch tv. Don’t allow your faith to get lazy. If you won’t use it for yourself, use it to connect with what someone else is believing for. Work it,  because faith without works is dead and dead things stink.

You see, faith is the active ingredient to your end result but if you don’t use it, it becomes lazy. Faith was meant to work. I remember listening to a physical therapist explain to a patient about muscles that remain unused, lose their ability to function the way they were intended. In other words, if you don’t use it, you lose it. Funny how when we need something desperately, we work hard to get it but if there’s no need, we get lazy. James 2:26 says it best;  “A person’s body that does not have a spirit is dead. It is the same with faith—faith that does nothing is dead!” You can believe for something all month long, but if you don’t spend time with God and do what he tells you to do, you just have your faith. Working faith means different things to different people, it’s called a ‘personal’ walk with God for a reason. Abraham had a personal relationship with God that began with God asking him to leave his home and family to go on a journey with him. Trusting God for that journey developed a working relationship; God spoke, Abraham did it. Even though he couldn’t see the end result, his doing was the work needed to create a trust or faith in God by walking in obedience. That trust in God gained him great wealth and established him as the father of many nations. 

What has God asked you to do? Did you brush it off as silly, foolish because it didn’t make sense? My friend, your faith will always look foolish to the world! Who takes his people to a seemingly dead end then splits the sea so they can walk through? God does. Who allows someone to die just to raise them up on the third day? God does. We need to stop questioning the why’s and start doing the what’s. There is nothing that stirs your faith greater than obedience to God. The result may not look like what you’re asking for, but it will have far reaching results for the Kingdom of God. So work those faith muscles! Ask that daring question as you talk with God this morning, ‘What would you have me do?’ Whatever he asks of you, please do it. Using unused faith may leave you sore and tired but press through, soon your faith muscles will be large enough to support the big things you’re believing for.