Against All Odds

Yesterday during praise and worship at church, the Lord dropped a word in my heart: "Speak the things which aren't as though they are." I began to declare things in my life that align with God and His plan for my life, even though I can't see it happening yet. When I got home, I looked up that scripture and found it in Romans.

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and

calls into being things that were not.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Romans 4:16-24

Since we are called to be imitators of Christ, (1 Corinthians 11:1), and Jesus spoke the words of the Father, (John 12:50), we too should speak what the Father has spoken to us, even when we haven't seen even a trace of it coming to pass. I love in the verse above how it says, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him." Against all hope! Is there anything that seems to be against all hope in your life? I think about my Dad, and how his physical condition is right now. Looking at his situation logically and pragmatically, it seems that all hope is lost. I suppose Lazarus being dead for four days posed that same perplexing state. I suppose Sarah at the age of 90, well past childbirth years did as well. I guess Naaman and his incurable leprocy adds to the list. And don't forget Shadrach, Mechach and Abednego..and Daniel with those lions...and even Jesus, as he hung, lifeless, on the cross. What do you need to speak today, AS THOUGH IT WERE, even though at the moment it most definitely is not? Let's do it, and see what the Lord will do. Let's provoke the Lord with our faith and watch Him work miracles in areas that we had previously deemed hopeless.

New Eyes

I finished reading our Pastor's new book, The Necessity of an Enemy in three days. For those of you who know how much I love to read (note the sarcasm), that's saying something in itself about the book! Part of it's attraction is that it was written by Pastor Ron who has been our Pastor for almost a year now and has deposited so much life changing word in us it's unbelievable. But more so, this book has revolutionized the way I view the reasons for enemies and difficult situations in my own life.

Today, in my daily Bible reading, I read the part in Genesis about the story of Joseph. (If you are unfamiliar with this story, I encourage you to click here and read it again.) I have read this passage probably hundreds of times, as I really love the old testament accounts. But this time, I read it with new eyes. Let me explain. If you recall the passage, it starts with Joseph, and his dreaming self. It made me remember all the dreams I have had...all the words spoken to me from God that I have hidden in my heart even though I still see no way for some of them to come to pass. Sometimes I just resolve that maybe it wasn't really from God, maybe it was just my imagination and my own desire to be used by God. I try to dismiss it, but deep down inside, there is just an unshakable feeling that it is still part of the plan God has for me to walk through. I imagine Joseph might have felt the same way, especially when he was riding in the caravan of merchants to Egypt as nothing more than a slave. I bet he was saying something to the effect of, "Why did I open my mouth to my brothers in the first place? Look at the mess that my dream has gotten me into now!" But looking back on it, his brothers, appearing as enemies, were actually the tools needed to reposition Joseph-to bring him to a place where he never would have reached, had he stayed in the comfort and security of his father's house. When we view enemies in that light, they appear to be more of a friend than a foe! Of course, this made me think of the time when Luis and I moved to Arizona. At that point in our newly married life, we were in desperate need of a complete overhaul. Every road in South Carolina lead to a dead end. There was no help in sight. Then God used what appeared to be a bad situation to reposition us so that we could stay on the path intended for us. Oh, I am sure that many people would say that we were in rebellion, not hearing from God, and ignoring Godly counsel, but the fact of the matter was that God had something for us in a different place, and ultimately, our trials and conflicts were the very stepping stones that put us on the right path again. I no longer detest the conflict that we experienced, although it was so painful at the time. I know that because ultimately we loved God and wanted to follow him completely, He worked the seemingly horrible situation into something beautiful. I don't view the people who came against us as enemies, but rather tools that God used to move us on to our next position on the pathway towards the destiny planned for us. When we take this view, and look back at Joseph, suddenly everything changes. Potipher's wife, who tried to seduce Joseph, was merely a tool used by God to move Joseph from the position of being a servant to one of Pharaoh's officials (which was probably a pretty comfortable place to be) to being second in command of all of Egypt after Pharaoh (which is where he was destined to fulfill the dream God had given him many years prior.) In our fleshly minds, we think it would be so nice if life was pleasant and comfortable all the time, but what if in settling for comfort, we never reach the destiny God has for us? NOT WORTH IT!!

So, in looking at my life right now (and yours), are there things that are acting like enemies in the way?  Does it seem like there is a road block and no way out? As Pastor Ron says in his book, be thankful! It's a sign that you're season is about to change and your position is shifting. That gets me so excited because we have been facing a tough battle for a while now-and it may be the same for you, too. Hold on! Don't give up! Don't settle for comfort, but push through the tough times, the pain and the frustration! The season is about to change!
 

Heaven on Earth-David and Nicole Binion

This song really epitomizes what I have been feeling for the last few days. There has been a shift in the spirit and I feel like something is about to break loose. Here are the lyrics:


Heaven on Earth
David and Nicole Binion

The spirit of the Lord is upon me
His anointing is empowering
The Kingdom of the Lord is within me
And He’s calling me to the heavenlies

Be seated in heavenly places
Just like Heaven, just like Heaven on Earth
To be walking in His favor and grace is
Just like Heaven, just like Heaven on Earth

Heaven, Heaven on Earth
Heaven

Marching in the spirit of unity
To our community, show His ability
The will of the Lord for His children
Is to demonstrate perpetuate

Be seated in heavenly places
Just like Heaven, just like Heaven on Earth
To be walking in His favor and grace is
Just like Heaven, just like Heaven on Earth

Heaven, Heaven on Earth
Heaven

Something’s moving! Something’s changing!
See His glory! Feels like Heaven on Earth!
Something’s moving! Something’s changing!
See His glory! Feels like Heaven on Earth!

Lightning and thunder! Miracles and wonders!
The sound of many waters! Heaven on Earth!
Lightning and thunder! Miracles and wonders!
The sound of many waters! Heaven on Earth!

Heaven; Heaven on Earth

Heaven is calling for you to come higher!
To see everything from a new point of view.
To be seated with Jesus in Heavenly places
From His perspective everything is made new

There is Lightning and thunder! Miracles and wonders!
The sound of many waters! Heaven on Earth!

Level Up

The first of January, I started reading the Bible in chronological order. Starting in Genesis with creation through Noah and the flood. Then it jumps to the book of Job. Let me just say that I was following a reading plan from Bible Gateway that would take me through three to four scriptures a day. Have you ever read the book of Job? There are 42 chapters, 37 of which depict his physical and emotional suffering, and the less than constructive words of his well meaning, dreadfully misguided friends. As I read according to the plan, I found myself so discouraged right along with Job. I could almost feel his anguish. Then, I would stop after three chapters, and come back the next day to feel it all over again. As strange as this may sound, I started to decline right along with Job. OK, I'm sure I have no idea what Job actually suffered, but I found myself just empty after reading everyday. So, today, I read through about 20 chapters and finished the book. The more I read, the more I knew I needed to keep reading because once I got through all of Job's bitter account, and after wading through all of his friends two cents worth of bad advice, I knew God was going to set all things straight. I knew eventually, if I didn't stop reading, as tedious as it was to process all of the words and accusations and grasping at straws, of everyone trying to figure out why Job was passing through this horrible life of heartache, agony, ridicule, and reading the words of Job himself despising the day of his birth, wishing he could just go to his grave, I just knew God would speak. I reached chapter 38, and read the words I had longed to hear, "Then the LORD answered Job..." YES! There it was. Finally, I had reached the mountain top!

I am still amazed that it was actually God who initiated the whole deal with the devil, and suggested Job be the target of Satan's next attempted demise. It's so easy to blame the devil for everything, and don't get me wrong, I am sure that Satan loved every minute of the torture he was allowed to inflict on Job, but that's just it-GOD allowed him to do it. While Job was living "the good life" on one level, here was this conversation in the heavenlies, a battle for devotion, a holy wager, if you will, going on in a place completely unbeknownst to Job. Then, as if out of nowhere, he was blindsided by the deaths of all his children, losing everything he had and becoming so sick, so detestable that even his closest friends had to sit with him a whole week before daring to utter a single word because his suffering was so great. (And I whine when I break a nail.) Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that throughout this period of Job's devastation, not once did he take the advice of his wife to "Curse God and die". (Interesting wife...a whole other lesson there!) Would I have been so strong? I hope so, but until you are faced with it, no one really knows. I do know that I have sat in the seat, as Job did, while people's accusations flew, knowing they had no idea of that which they spoke, and had to bite my tongue and just trust that there was some purpose in all that I had experienced.

After all was said and done, I think one of the most powerful things that came from Jobs mouth was found in Chapter 42:5-6 that says, "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Wow. Even though Job, in his own eyes had not caused all of this to come upon him through any sin or wrongdoing, once his eyes were opened and he saw God with spiritual eyes, he knew that even his righteousness was as filthy rags compared to the righteousness of God. At that moment, Job no longer thought it important to defend himself against false accusations. All that mattered was that the Most Holy God was there in all His glory, and suddenly the tiny piety that Job might had an inkling of seconds before suddenly melted away like wax in the presence of the great I AM. This excerpt of passage taught me two very valuable lessons:

1. No matter what good I do, compared to the goodness of God it's nothing, so get over it and stop feeling so puffed up over it.
2. God lives on a totally different level than I spend most of my time, even though I am doing "good" things.

The amazing truth is that God wants us to join him on his level, see things with the spiritual eyes that we were created to use, and experience God's kingdom here on earth. The sad truth is that most of the time I am content right where I am, rely far too much on these physical defective eyes, and settle for the "way less than satisfying earth's system" of living. I am thankful it doesn't have to be this way, and when I passionately seek God, He will be found. Another important lesson that can be taken from this passage is that no matter how bad our situation is, how much we seem to be suffering, how far gone we feel, God will always speak, eventually. If we can just hold on, and press through and not give up, He will talk to us. It might not be when we think he should and it might not be in the way we would do it, but in His way and His time, he promises that if we call on Him, he will answer. Holding that thought in the foreground of our mind, and seeking Him wholeheartedly, we will have momentum to keep on and not give up.

From the Inside Out

Today was a monumental day-the crib is gone. For over two years, my sweet little girl has spent just about every sleeping moment in that crib. I finished cleaning out her room, and getting her "big girl bed" made with her freshly laundered linens. She tried out her new bed at nap time. It took her forever to settle down, but finally she drifted off and I snuck out of the room. A couple hours later, I heard her stirring and jabbering. I wondered what she would do, since it was the first time she had the ability to get out of bed herself. After about five minutes, I sent my middle son (who was dying to go in and see what his sister was doing) in to her room. To my surprise, she wasn't even out of the bed. With all the toys in her room, and stuffed animals to pretend with, she decided to stay right there in her bed. It was as though there were still crib walls surrounding her, and she didn't even attempt to get out. In her mind, I guess she was still the little baby who needed someone to lift her out of the crib.

When Luis and I moved to Arizona, we physically picked up everything and left. We didn't just change our surroundings, but also the way we viewed our marriage. We left all the defeated labels back in Beaufort, all the nay saying remarks that doomed our relationship, all the misguided words that did nothing to build up. We realized that true change meant that we had to change from the inside out. Only then, would the change be long lasting. Only then would we be an invincible team, and with God, a three strand cord that is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

On the contrary, there are so many people who live just like my sweet girl in her bed. They change their hair style, wardrobe, zip code...sometimes even their spouse, but they still look at everything with the same eyes as before. Consequently, even when freedom is well within their grip, the imaginary walls of pride, stagnant status quo attitudes and preconceived notions are their mental jail. Even though everything has changed all around them, they themselves are still just the same. All the effort expelled to make the gigantic life alterations only amounted to wasted energy, time and money. Same old attitudes. Same old problems. Same old everything.

Thank you Lord, that you desire to change us from the inside out. You are more concerned with our heart, and its condition than what we wear, where we live or what our net worth amounts to. The funny thing is, when the change comes from the inside, all the other external areas change with time for the better. Two for the price of one-I'll take it!

Just had to add this picture from tonight. Lily fell asleep right away! (Looks like Barney is enjoying his new bed as well!)