Isaiah 26:8-9 ERV, “But, Lord, we are waiting for your way of justice. We want to honor you and your name.  At night my soul longs to be with you, and the spirit in me wants to be with you at the dawn of every new day. When your way of justice comes to the world, people will learn the right way of living.”

Have you ever tried to give subtle signals to someone, hoping they would ‘get’ what you’re trying to convey without actually opening your mouth and saying it? I think a lot of husbands and wives do this everyday. Those who have learned to effectively communicate their desires are rewarded by intentional action. Men are not good at guessing or reading minds, but when you clearly let your needs be known, they are usually more than eager to oblige.

Sometimes we tend to make vague signals to God without actually telling Him how we feel or what we need. Our assumption is, “God knows our heart, so I shouldn’t need to ask.” But Jesus clearly stated (John 16:25) that anything we ask in His name, we will receive and have the fullest joy. Sometimes we don’t have because we haven’t asked. God wants us to know joy, joy that only He can give, but in order to have that kind of joy, we must communicate with Him, not assume He will give us what we think. Ask and you will receive, Seek and you will find, Knock and the door will be opened unto you.

Communication with God isn’t just a need that God has, it’s a desperate need our spirit has to connect with His Spirit. If we don’t fellowship with Him, we will try to fill this void with people or things, but nothing will satisfy our spirit but His Spirit. As Isaiah said in the opening passage, “At night my soul longs to be with you, and the spirit in me wants to be with you at the dawn of every new day.” It’s something that nothing else will ever complete or fill. Without it, we will never be fulfilled in anything we do. We must connect with God daily.

Father, forgive the times I was too busy to stay and soak in Your presence. Forgive the days I rushed off to something important. I knew You were waiting for me, excited to spend those moments connected to me, loving me, sharing revelation so that I could be a better woman, wife, mother and friend to those You placed me with.  My soul longs for You and my desire is to tell You all that is on my heart and mind. Thank You for caring for me, for protecting me and what is mine. My heart belongs to You and someday, when You call me home, I will be in Your presence forever. Until then, may I please You with my words and may my ears always be open to Your voice. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

I’m going to be sharing something that has been stirring in me since yesterday’s part 2 of the series our pastor is doing called, “The Struggle is Real”. We’ve been studying about Gideon in Judges 6-7, I’m sure you’re all familiar with the story. The Midianites were severely oppressing the people of God, taking all of their grain and they were starving to death. So Gideon was found by the Lord, in the winepress crushing wheat. He was doing the right thing in the wrong place. But here’s what I want to touch on this morning. Although Gideon was a very ordinary man, least in his family, his name meant ‘warrior’ so we see that he was not living up to his name.

After the Lord convinces Gideon to fight the Midianites and that He would be with him and defeat his enemies, chapter 7:1 shows a name change. “Early in the morning Jerub-Baal (Gideon) and all his men set up their camp at the spring of Harod. The Midianites were camped in the valley at the bottom of the hill called Moreh, north of Gideon and his men.” His new name meant, ‘Defeater of your enemies’, so Gideon went from a warrior to a defeater.

A warrior is someone who does battle. Many of us have been in a battle, fighting to survive, to pay our bills, provide for our families, fighting for health and healing, but today, God is changing your name. You are now a defeater of your enemies. Why? Because the Lord your God wants you to see He has given you all you need to win. He will fight the battle for you, all you need to do is listen and obey His voice.

God is trying to reposition you to a place of victor, not victim, but He can’t do it until you stop striving and rest in the Secret Place of the Most High. You’ve tried everything else, why not trust in Him? There’s nothing He can’t do or hasn’t already done to pay the price for your healing, your deliverance and your victory. He wants you to listen to Him so He can position you at the right place at the right time. Stop the vicious cycle. Stop trying to fix things yourself. That’s self effort and God is not pleased with self effort. He wants you to see He’s changed your name. You don’t have to fight anymore, you are a defeater of your enemies.

Father, I’m so grateful that you see me differently than I see myself. When I look in the mirror, I see my flesh and I don’t like it. But when You look at me, You see my spirit and what I am in You. Help me to see my spirit and not my flesh. To know who I am and operate from my position in You, not my natural position on earth. I am Your daughter, a princess of Your Kingdom. I must learn what my position entitles me to so that I can do Your will here on the earth. I’m ready, Lord. Change my name! You are with me and I will defeat my enemies. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Proverbs 10:12, Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins. Proverbs 17:19, He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

In Genesis 6-9, we read about a 600 year old man named Noah who was a man of integrity and walked with God, received a HUGE assignment to build an ark because it was going to rain, even before anyone had ever seen rain. We all know the story! What some may not remember is that after the rain subsided and Noah and his 3 sons left the ark and began to repopulate the earth, Noah became a farmer. How many know that with God, you’re never too old to have purpose in the earth! So Noah planted a vineyard and began to drink the wine from the grapes and lay naked in his tent. Verse 22-23; Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and told his brothers who were outside the tent.  Shem and Japheth took a robe, put it across their shoulders, and walked backward into the tent. Then they covered their father without looking at him.

Did you see that? Ham exposed his father. He talked about it, probably got a good laugh out of it, but Shem and Japheth did what was right, they covered their father without looking. When Noah woke up and found out what Ham had done, he cursed him. Why? Because he dishonored his father to others. Dishonor places us under a curse rather than a blessing. It’s the reason God says to honor our mother and father that our days may be long, because dishonor shortens our life span.

I’ve been sickened in my spirit by so many who talk dishonorably about our president, people in authority over us, our pastors, husbands and wives, moms and dads. I’ve even heard people talk about God in a common and ordinary way, like He’s their best bud they ‘high five’ with. REALLY? If you were to stand before the true glory of God, you would die. How’s that for bringing into perspective our God. We pray, “Show us Your Glory,” but are we prepared for what that would look like?

We have a very familiar opinion about the Creator of the universe. We are to honor God with awe and wonder, reverencing Him, worshiping Him in spirit and truth. The Bible says to pray for those in authority over us, not bash them, tell jokes about them, wish them dead, talk about them and expose their faults. It doesn’t matter what you think, how you feel, whether you agree or disagree with what’s going on, our job is to pray for them. Love covers! It doesn’t make excuses for or try to justify, it simply prays for and honors. It doesn’t speak of the wrongs, it hides them. Remember the tree in the garden that Eve partook of, the one called the knowledge of good and evil? It’s not always good to know everything, it’s better just to commit it to God and allow Him to handle it His way.

Father, I honor you as King. I will stand for You and pray that Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in the earth as it is in heaven. I pray for our president as he attempts to lead this great nation, that you will give him wisdom and guide his steps. May he know You and may You speak to him and show him the plans. You raised him up to be our president and even though we don’t see the big picture, I trust YOU and commit to YOU this man. I also lift up Walt, my husband you gave me. You have placed him over me to lead our family to know more of You and to serve You all the days of our lives. Bless him. Give him wisdom and strength for the plans you have in place for his life. May he seek you first, knowing that You will bring everything into place. Bless my parents. Thank you for the life they’ve lived sacrificially for You. May their later years be greater than their former years. May You bless them with long life and satisfy them with Your salvation. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Romans 8:28 TLB, “And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.”

I believe every Christian on the face of the earth has had this verse quoted to them or has quoted it to someone along the way. When someone is going through something hard, “All things work together for good,” is easy to say, but hard to hear.  I think we overlook the two conditions in this verse: 1. If we love God, and 2. Are fitting into His plans. So next time you throw that verse like a missile, aimed to destroy every doubt that the hell they’re going through has purpose, let’s ask ourselves these two questions and see what the answer is. Let’s take care of the beam in our own eye before helping remove the speck of dust from our brothers eye.

Do you love God? Jesus said, “If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments.” What did he say the greatest commandments were? To love the Lord your God with all our heart, soul and mind and secondly, to love your neighbor as yourself.  If you don’t love God like that, then perhaps what you’re going through has no other purpose then to turn your head from the things YOU want to the things GOD wants.

Are you fitting into Gods plan or are you trying to get God to fit into yours? Is this thing you’re pursuing something you want or is it something God wants? We somehow lose sight of our purpose here and that is to serve God. Our first job is working for God, our second job is working in the world. We must not do anything that would jeopardize our first job. Being fired by God is never something we want to hear, so why are the things of this world more important then working for His Kingdom? Honoring God by keeping His Word must be our number one priority. I’m amazed at how many people tell me they’re too busy to go to church, serve in church, tithe to the church. They don’t have the time! Seriously? God can make that happen!

Jesus was serious when He said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, then all these things will be added to you.” Notice He didn’t say, ‘God will give you whatever you want if you’ll work hard at your job. He’ll understand if you miss church and don’t pay your tithes. He’s a merciful God, full of grace.’ He is merciful and full of grace, but if you put Him first and treat Him with respect and honor, making disciples, healing the sick, raising the dead, loving one another regardless of their choices, only then are you fitting into HIS plans. His plan is that the world will be saved. His plan is that no one would perish but all would have everlasting life in Him. If your plans don’t line up with His plan, you’d better take another look at where you plan to spend eternity.

Father, I set aside my agenda today. I will seek You and find You when I seek for You with all my heart. My goal today is to find You. You’re not hiding from me. You’re just waiting for me to lay aside my cares, my burdens, my plans and spend time in fellowship with you. So I wait for You. I’m falling on my knees, bathing Your feet with my tears, assured that You respond to my sincere repentance for my selfishness. You are more important than my home, my husband, my children or grandchildren. You’re more important than my job, my personal business, my money, anything and everything that I’ve placed before you. I will wait until I hear Your voice clearly, giving me direction that I so need in this hour. I pour out my love to You. It’s in Jesus Name I pray, Amen

Isaiah 42:16 ERV; Then I will lead the blind along a path they never knew to places where they have never been before.  I will change darkness into light for them.  I will make the rough ground smooth.  I will do these things for them; I will not abandon my people.

Have you ever been in an unfamiliar territory, taking a path you’ve never been on before? Usually, if you’re unsure of your path, you keep your eyes down, right? Watching for holes in the road so you don’t turn your ankle, rocks that might cause you to fall. But when you’re familiar with the path, your looking around because you know where those things are in the path, your brain has it mapped out, you’re comfortable. You glance down now and then, but for the most part, you’ve got this!

But this verse states that God will lead the blind along a path they never knew and to places where they have never been before. THAT takes a whole different level of trust, doesn’t it? Relying on our spiritual sight instead of our fleshly sight. Trusting God to change darkness to light, make smooth the rough ground. How many of us have been on a walk with God where that has taken place. Where He says, go, and we follow blindly along the way? I daresay, not many.

But those who do, have been overcome with awe and delight at the way God works. Remember, His is a backward Kingdom. He uses the foolish things of this earth to confound the wise. He takes the uneducated and puts His Words in their mouths so that they astound the educated. He overlooks the qualified and uses the unqualified. Why? So that no man may boast, ‘It was me!’ I love that about God because it gives me hope.

This journey we’re on is simply a trust journey. God wants our complete and total trust. When He commands us to leap, we know He will catch us. He’s waiting for us to take this trip with Him, but we’re hesitant to leave the familiar path, the one where we can walk looking up because it’s well known. God wants us to know Him in ALL His fullness, not just when we’re desperate and in need of something. Our spirit wants to run with God but our flesh is holding us back to the familiar, safe path.

Father, I want to run with You. I want my face to shine with the light of Your glory. I want my life to reflect Your love, grace and mercy. I want my scars to be visible, my hair to be messy, my clothes to be mismatched. I want to be nothing so that YOU can be everything in me. I trust You with my life, but if there be any part of me that doesn’t, show me that I may know You fully in all Your glory. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Isaiah 36:1; In Hezekiah’s fourteenth year as king, King Sennacherib of Assyria attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them.

This was not a good year for Hezekiah, but it got worse when the field commander of the Assyrian army threatened to take Jerusalem. When Hezekiah got the news, he tore his clothes and sent a message to Isaiah the prophet; “This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day filled with misery, punishment, and disgrace. We are like a woman who is about to give birth but doesn’t have the strength to do it.  The Lord your God may have heard the words of the field commander. His master, the king of Assyria, sent him to defy the living God. The Lord your God may punish him because of the message that the Lord your God heard. Pray for the few people who are left.” Isaiah answered them, “Say this to your master, ‘This is what the Lord says: Don’t be afraid of the message that you heard when the Assyrian king’s assistants slandered me.  I’m going to put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own country. I’ll have him assassinated in his own country.’”

But the best part takes place when Hezekiah goes to the temple of God and spreads out the words of Isaiah before the Lord. He tells the Lord what’s going on and in 37:20 he says, “Now, Lord our God, rescue us from Assyria’s control so that all the kingdoms on earth will know that you alone are the Lord.”

You see, if Hezekiah had only listened to the report of the enemy, the cities he had taken, the people he had slaughtered and not remembered to go to God, he would have fallen to the same fate as all the other cities. We must take a lesson from this great king of Israel, we must NEVER think that we’re defeated, that God doesn’t see or care. We must never trust in the words of man, but the Word of God. We must ALWAYS go to God and trust in His unfailing grace. We cannot react to what we see, but only to what we KNOW. God is on the throne and He is in control. There is nothing He doesn’t know, He is merely waiting on YOU to call on Him, remind Him of His promises and TRUST Him.

Father, forgive us for striving and fighting against flesh and blood when clearly, we as Your children fight against spiritual wickedness in high places. May we YOUR people, made in YOUR image and that image is Love. May we love regardless of what we see, because what we see is subject to change. You are our King and You operate from a place of victory, so we Your subjects stand with You and declare that if God be for us, who can be against us. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Galatians 2:17-21 MSG; “Have some of you noticed that we are not yet perfect? (No great surprise, right?) And are you ready to make the accusation that since people like me, who go through Christ in order to get things right with God, aren’t perfectly virtuous, Christ must therefore be an accessory to sin? The accusation is frivolous. If I was “trying to be good,” I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a charlatan.

“What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.

“Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.”

This is such a wonderful picture of what our lives should look like; It’s living life in Jesus’ skin. He paid the price for our sin so we wouldn’t have to. He is our righteousness (he made us to be in right standing with God), our healer (he took our sickness on himself-by His stripes we are healed). He came to fulfill the law because we never could. He built a bridge between us and the Father made up of his own flesh and blood. He showed us the road to life, joy and peace. He gave us a gift of eternal life. Such grace!

That last statement Paul made says it all; “To go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God.” And like Paul, I refuse to do that! It would repudiate God’s grace. The word repudiate means; to cast off or reject as having no authority or binding force. I could no more live without His grace than to live without air to breathe. I need His grace, His undeserved, unmerited favor in my life each and everyday. I refuse to beat myself up for not being perfect when all I have to do to be perfect is slip into His robe which placed me in right standing with God.

Father, I thank you for everything You did and continually do for me. I thought I knew, I thought I understood, until I saw what Jesus went through to pay the price for my sin. It was very clear to me that I owe Him my life. Anyone who would do that for someone they’ve never met, deserves all of me and not just a part. It will never be convenient to pick up my cross, but Your plan had nothing to do with convenience, did it? You have a plan and that is to bring us all home to live with You. I can’t wait to lay at Your feet and thank You. I love you with the life I live, may it bring You glory, in Jesus’ Name, Amen

Psalms 37:7-11 ERV; Trust in the Lord and wait quietly for his help. Don’t be angry when people make evil plans and succeed. Don’t become so angry and upset that you, too, want to do evil. The wicked will be destroyed, but those who call to the Lord for help will get the land he promised.  In a short time there will be no more evil people. You can look for them all you want, but they will be gone.  Humble people will get the land God promised, and they will enjoy peace.

Three things I’ve highlighted in the verses above because I feel that they are extremely important in the age we live in. Trust in the Lord, don’t be angry or upset, be humble and enjoy peace. I can always tell what people spend their time reading, watching or meditating on by what comes out of their mouth or what they write or share. I’m extremely picky with what I allow to influence me! I try to make wise choices with what I watch on tv, what books I read and even the preachers and teachers I allow to sow into me. Each word is a seed and just because it sounds good or looks good doesn’t mean it’s good.

I measure everything I hear and see against the Word of God, it’s my yardstick. If what you say doesn’t line up with the Word of God, I will shut you down either mentally or verbally, depending on my relationship with you. I expect the same from those who treasure my friendship and surround myself with people who I can hold myself accountable to. On the occasion I feel the need to vent, I try very hard no to sin with my words against others. It’s too easy to judge someones actions or words based on your interpretation of what they did or said without knowing the intent of their heart. I know that as I do to others, it will be done to me, so I try to be intentional with my words.

What we see happening in the news and around us cannot cause us to fear, speak against or be angry about. We can’t let it steal our peace, trust and hope in our God who is well able to deliver us. We have to know that whatever happens, God has a purpose and plan for it. Many an evil man has tried to steal, kill and destroy Gods people, but ultimately, God always takes the plans of the enemy and uses them for our good and His glory. What you amplify loudly in your mind will ultimately be what determines the level of your peace you and rest you enjoy. Amplify God and His ability to keep His Word or amplify the problem and let it zap you of your joy and strength.

Father, I thank You for this reminder to keep my eyes on You. Regardless of what happens around me, Psalm 91 says, I will see it happening but it won’t affect me because I’m in the secret place of the Most High God. I’m surrounded by Your angels and they won’t allow anything to destroy me. My trust, my hope is in You constantly. Though the enemy is constantly trying to trip me up with my words, I will get back up, dust myself off and go on to speak Your Word everyday, in hopes that someone will be helped, encouraged and their strength renewed. Thank You for Your abiding love that lasts forever. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Jonah 1:1-3; One day long ago, God’s Word came to Jonah, Amittai’s son: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.”

But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get.

Obviously Jonah had other plans for his life and it didn’t include being an evangelist to Nineveh! I mean, God didn’t even ask him, He TOLD him to go. Seems like God would have at least consulted Jonah, found out if it was on his bucket list. But Jonah was a marked man. First of all, let me point out that God’s Word came to Jonah. When God speaks, you can try to ignore it, but it won’t go away. Secondly, Jonah didn’t argue with God, he simply got up and went in the opposite direction, probably thinking he could escape somehow or make God think he hadn’t really heard him.

But then God sent a storm, wild and raging, just to remind Jonah that there was no where he could run to escape Him. The men on the ship were afraid, found Jonah sleeping and woke him up (side note; reminds me of Jesus on the boat with the disciples), told him to pray. Finally he confessed it was his fault and they needed to throw him overboard and the storm would stop. As afraid as these men were, they refused to do this until the storm became so bad they had no other choice. Watch what happened next: They took Jonah and threw him overboard. Immediately the sea was quieted down. The sailors were impressed, no longer terrified by the sea, but in awe of God. They worshiped God, offered a sacrifice, and made vows.

Even though Jonah disobeyed God, turned tail and ran, good came out of it in that these rough and tough men of the sea turned to God and believed. The story doesn’t end there. We know God sent a large fish to swallow him up, take him back to the shore close to Nineveh and spit him out.

God doesn’t mess around! He said we are to make disciples, to become fishers of men, to go into the world and preach the gospel and we’re still doing our own thing, going our own way because it makes us uncomfortable. What kind of storm will God have to bring in order to get us to obey? The time is short, Jesus is coming soon. It’s time to get the Word out there that there’s a God who loves, heals, saves and forgives and He wants to be a Father to you.

Father, I honor you this morning and make an offering of my life. I ask that as I go about my day, You would lead and direct my steps so that I may be Your mouth, Your hands, Your arms to a lost and dying world. May countless men, women and children come to know You in all Your greatness because we, Your people are willing to obey. It’s in the name of Your Son, Jesus we pray, Amen

I Kings 19:7 MSG; The angel of God came back, shook him awake again, and said, “Get up and eat some more—you’ve got a long journey ahead of you.”

What is a journey? The dictionary says, a traveling from one place to another, usually taking a rather long time; a distance, course, or area traveled or suitable for traveling. Each journey is different, some long, some short, to this place or that place, but most generally a journey takes us to a place from a place, wouldn’t you agree? This journey above was one Elijah took when he ran from Queen Jezebel and King Ahab after killing all the false prophets. Think about that for a moment. God had responded to his faith, rained down fire to consume the altar, gave him strength to kill all the false prophets but when the queens word came to him, he turned tail and ran. I’ve never quite understood that, until recently that is.

It seems that when God reveals His great plans for us, we’re so excited. We could scale walls with our faith, run into a burning building to save someone, give generously to help others, but when God opens a door for us and the light’s off and there are no windows to warn us what’s inside, where does our trust run off to? We end up running from what could be the biggest blessing of our lives simply because of the unknown.

Elijah knew God. He knew that God would back him up in anything he spoke in faith, so why did he run? Fear. He listened to the wrong voice and was afraid. God had to prove Himself again to Elijah before he could move on but notice this thing that happened as a result of his fear, verses 19-21 shows that God sent him to train his replacement.

Don’t let fear keep you, from where your faith in God can take you. Keep your eyes on God regardless of what you see or don’t see. If He says go, go. If He says stay, stay. The only way you’re going to succeed on this journey of faith is to constantly commune with God, build up your confidence in His ability by reading His Word, and regardless of where the path goes, be determined to stay on His heels. If your path takes a sharp right and you can’t see around the corner, keep going. As soon as you round the bend, you’ll see Him there.

Father, I remember the first time I took a roller coaster ride, the steep inclines, the hard lefts and rights, the cliff like drop offs, they all made my stomach jump and fall but when I got off, I wanted to go again. There’s something about life with you that’s full of hope and promise. There’s no place I’d rather be at any age, then stepping out with faith in You. You are my constant companion, my umbrella in a storm, my blanket of warmth, my place of refuge. You infuse me with strength as I climb the high mountains and your peace in the valley restores my soul. I will not be distracted by the unseen enemies of selfish ambition, pride of life and the safety of the ‘known’. I have set out in pursuit of you and there’s no going back now. It’s with trust in what Your Son Jesus did for me that I give a resounding AMEN.