I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me his own. I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14 TPT
As I was praying this morning, I heard the Lord say, “Let go of what you’re holding onto so tightly. Unless you do, you won’t be able to grab onto what’s coming to you. There’s so much more. You think that if you let go, you’ll lose the blessing. But my blessings are limitless. Make room for what’s coming.”
What is it that God is asking you to let go of? Perhaps He’s asked it of you, and you’ve delayed. Let it go. Make room for the more He’s trying to get into your hands.
Father, not my will, but Yours be done. I release what I’ve been holding onto so tightly. I give it all to You, do with it as You will.
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3 NASB
When I looked up the word, blessing, google defined it as God’s favor and protection. “It means to be in favor with, of one mind with, and in tune with the will of God. Blessing is not about getting good things or experiencing happiness. It’s about aligning oneself with the Great Liberator–Jesus Christ.” (Carlsbad Current-Argus) I like that.
So often we misconstrue the concept of blessing as something we earn or perhaps deserve. But I sincerely believe that it is simply birthed out of the love God has for us. He loved us from the beginning and regardless of our choices or the path we’ve taken, He will love us to the end.
When I began to share the blessings of the Lord on my life, I should have simply called it, times of favor. That is truly what I feel. Those moments when God steps in and changes everything. When you sense the warm smile on His face as surely as the sunshines to warm you after a cold wind blows.
Abram (later Abraham), didn’t know God. But he somehow got His attention and spoke these words that changed his life forever. Get up, pack up your tent and leave your comfort zone and everything you hold familiar. Say bye to the family and move on down the road. He didn’t say go north, south, east or west. No He just said go to a land I will show you. Pretty vague for all those who need a sure thing before they move.
But Abrams example taught me to go where He leads and don’t look back. The life I have is His to do with as He pleases. I’m merely on a journey with Him, learning to trust Him until that trust becomes bigger than anything I face or any obstacle in my path. I don’t need it to make sense before I do it. I know His voice and choose to keep moving down the road even if the end isn’t where I thought it might be.
Just before I turned 18, our family moved to Haiti to start an orphanage in Dessalines. It wasn’t my calling, I didn’t want to go, but I went because it was what mom wanted. I wanted to stay in the States, meet a nice man, get married and have children. It was in my heart to do so and this was definitely not anywhere close to that goal. But I placed my dreams on hold and decided to get as close to God as I could and ready myself for what He needed from me.
I remember having times where the presence of God was so close I literally felt Him in the room with me. Our conversations were sweet and at times I felt I was being swept up out of the room. Such sweet communion. I sang songs to Him, told Him of my deep affection towards Him and after some time, I surrendered my hopes and dreams to His keeping. I decided that if what I wanted wasn’t what He wanted, I didn’t want them either.
A year later, Walt came to Haiti on vacation. As we sat sharing the Word together at a small table in the living room, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “This is the man you’re going to marry.”
I was a bit taken back to say the least. I remember thinking, “But God, I don’t even love him.” To which He responded, “I will give you My love for Him.”
It was like God removed my lid and poured love into me like I’d never felt for anyone before. When we finished our conversation, I excused myself, went into my moms room where she lay on the bed, and told her what had just happened. She looked at me and said, “Well, I guess if it’s God, He will bring it to pass.”
Eight months later I returned to the States and Walt and I began to date. A month later he asked me to marry him. On February 14, 1976 in a small church in Michigan, we began our journey as husband and wife.
I’m thankful for that blessing. I’m thankful I’ve learned to trust His voice, to go where He tells me. It isn’t always easy, but it’s always right. I wouldn’t want to live any other way than to be completely aligned with Jesus.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide food for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the entrance of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.” 1 Kings 17:8-10 NASB2020
Christmas is a difficult time to be unemployed. Anytime of year is hard, but Christmas time with children is especially hard.
I began looking around the kitchen to see what I could bake for gifts. Our church had started a food pantry and gave us 10 lbs of flour and a large bag of oatmeal. I remember thinking at the time, how about some milk and eggs to go with it? Because I can’t feed my children with this.
Our neighbors had chickens and gave me several dozen eggs. I found some shortening I didn’t remember buying and began making cookies. I got some crayons and colored some lunch bags with Christmas trees. Before long, I had dozens of bags of cookies to give to neighbors, friends, and teachers.
Our landlords owned a company that usually drew names and exchanged gifts. This year, they unanimously voted to pool their money and buy groceries for the Gregory’s. I’ll never forget when the car backed up to our porch and bag after bag was unloaded onto our kitchen table.
A week later, the local Methodist church, which we didn’t even attend, dropped off wrapped Christmas gifts for our family. Someone else brought us a Christmas tree and helped set it up in our living room. We often comment that it was the best Christmas ever.
This is kinda fun remembering all the blessings. Hopefully, you’re remembering too. Write them down so you don’t forget and read them to your children and grandchildren. Keep the blessings alive and make new ones by doing them for others.
I am convinced that my God will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of glory revealed to me through Jesus Christ! Philippians 4:19 TPT
I’ve been prompted to write a blessing book, recording times of miraculous provision over the years. I got out a journal one of my grandchildren had given me for Christmas a few years ago. It was relatively empty. I wrote the word “blessings” at the top of the page, then as so often happens, got distracted and walked away.
Two days went by, and the nudge came back, write the blessings down. So I picked up my pen and wrote till my fingers went numb. I’ll share a portion, and hopefully, it won’t be too long.
In the early 80’s, we moved to a small town west of Lansing called Sunfield. It was just before our oldest daughter started school and we wanted to raise the girls in the country.
Our landlords lived next door and we became friends. He had grown up in the house we lived in, and they were adding on an entire new structure where His grandparents lived.
Within 6 months, Walt lost his job when the Bakery he had worked at for 12 years closed down. It was the beginning of the recession, and there were no jobs to be found anywhere. Very quickly, we ran through our savings, and he took a part-time job down the road for a meat market working 20 hours a week.
Our landlord came to us and asked if we’d be interested in painting the exterior of the house we lived in for 6 months of free rent. That was the beginning of notable provision.
To be continued tomorrow. In the meantime, how about writing down some of your blessings so they’re not forgotten.
But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things happen to you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. Deuteronomy 4:29-30 NASB2020
I’ve been hearing a lot of comments from so many Christians that the world is doomed. There seems to be no hope for mankind. They say that it’s a sign that Jesus’s return is eminent.
Do I believe Jesus will come back for us? Yes! Do I believe it’s time yet? I hope not. Why? Because there are too many who are reachable and teachable and too few of us focused on that.
My goal is to pray for opportunities to influence others for Jesus. My goal, as should be all of ours, is not to focus on evil but to go about doing good and healing those who are oppressed.
I want to focus on light rather than darkness. I can only reflect what I daily stand in. If you’re with me in this, let’s stand together and be a great light that draws men to Jesus. Don’t verbally degrade what you see, but look for opportunities to direct the light of love, which changes hearts forever.
God has always used pressure to turn hearts. He will use these times to cause the hearts of people to turn back to Him.
“The true God is the Creator of all things. He is the owner and Lord of the heavenly realm and the earthly realm, and he doesn’t live in man-made temples. He supplies life and breath and all things to every living being. He doesn’t lack a thing that we mortals could supply for him, for he has all things and everything he needs. Acts 17:24-25 TPT
What are you waiting for? I believe that’s what the Lord is asking each of us. If you’re waiting on Him to do it all for you, think again. Everything was done when He died on the cross and rose from the grave.
With that act, He provided victory over every enemy, healing for every disease, provision for every need, it’s all been done. What are you waiting for?
He’s not going to die again. It’s a done deal. He sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding on your behalf. For what? So you will walk in the power He gave you. Sit at His feet and learn of Him for you are in dire need of direction, and the only way you’ll get it is by spending time in His presence.
He’s not a magician, He’s God! Unchangeable, undeniable, awesome, mighty, and powerful. He’s so good that He hid the treasure deep in His Word so that only those who seek Him will find Him. Deut 4:29
So what are you waiting for? Go after God with everything in you. Sit and be still, and hear the Word of the Lord. Phillipians 4:7, “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 2 Kings 2:2 NASB2020
Elisha faithfully followed Elijah till the very end. After watching the strong and powerful relationship Elijah had with God, he was determined to have that for himself.
He desired to carry what Elijah carried. To become a container of the glory of God and demonstrate signs and wonders to His people. He knew that he would become like who he aligned himself with.
Like Elisha with Elijah, we must also align ourselves with God. He can’t teach us if we don’t spend time with Him, in His word, learning His ways. We must hunger for His presence and allow ourselves to overflow onto others. It’s how disciples are made.
I want to be an influencer, causing others to want to be an influencer as well.
You cannot hate and be a Christian. Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.”
If you claim that God is your Father, then love will be your very nature because 1st John 4:7-8 says, “Dear friends, we should love each other because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become God’s child. And so everyone who loves knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love.”
There are a whole lot of people who confess God is their Father but hate. They say, “I don’t hate the person, I hate the sin!” But they don’t really know how to do that. Everyone is guilty, even me. But guess what? God loves us all; the rapist, the murderer, the gay, the Muslims, the lost, the found, the black, the white, the liar, the abuser, the lawyer, the politicians.
Jesus died for all sin and all sinners. It was a gift God gave us, His Son, to die for our past, present, and future sins. The ONLY thing we must do is this; Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, and your house! That’s it! Then, He sends the Holy Spirit to do the clean-up work and leads us into the truth. Not for you to take on the role of the Holy Spirit! But to love so that He can do His perfect work in us.
Love covers, it doesn’t expose! So do your part in the love game. Pray for one another so that you might be saved because what you do to others will come back to you.
Lay aside bitter words, temper tantrums, revenge, profanity, and insults. But instead be kind and affectionate toward one another. Has God graciously forgiven you? Then graciously forgive one another in the depths of Christ’s love. Ephesians 4:31-32 TPT
Unforgiveness is like a wound that’s hidden under the skin but keeps leaching toxins into your bloodstream. It affects you more than you realize.
It’s those hidden things that we’ve buried instead of dealing with that create infections that must be treated or can cause terrible damage. Sometimes, it needs to be lanced, drained & cleaned so that healing can happen from the inside out.
Just because you can’t see it on the skin doesn’t mean it’s not there. Examine your heart, lay it all in Gods very capable hands.
Sometimes, pain has purpose! It exposes the things that hinder you from walking in the love of God.
God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you—Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke. God guards you from every evil. He guards your very life. He guards you when you leave, and when you return, he guards you now, and he guards you always. Psalm 121:5-8 MSG
Get the picture? He’s all around you, above you, beneath you, in you, there is absolutely no way to get away from the fact that God is all about taking care of you. There’s no reason for you to think you’re ever alone, He’s there.
You simply can’t go by how you feel. The more you focus on feelings, the less time you focus on God. The devil will always try to distract you from your purpose. Shake it off! Gods got this! Place it in his VERY capable hands and renew your mind in the Word. Begin to speak it out loud. Declare it to the mountain, “God has this! He’s my Guardian! My steps are ordered, so back off devil! I will watch as my deliverer wipes the floor with you!”
Remember who you are. You’re a child of a mighty Guardian God. If that doesn’t empower you, I don’t know what will.
remnantposts by sandy gregory 