Faith N.O.W.

Everything in life is a choice. Do we worry or do we worship? Something I recently read in What happens when women say yes to God really hit home. When we worry we feel we have to come up with justifications and careful explanations for the naysayers. We listen to the voices of acceptance and rejection. We lay awake at night and ponder all of the lies that Satan throws at us. We have pity parties and do alot of self-talk. At least I know I do. Do you?

But we can choose to worship. I’ve noticed that my attitude takes on a whole different personality when I choose to worship. I choose to find the good among the bad. By doing this it reminds me that it’s not about me – it’s ALL about God. My focus is off of myself and turned back to God and his people. We all worship something. What or whom do you choose to worship today?

Back to A Busy Woman’s Guide To Prayer… the author Cheri Fuller talks about having to move and dreading it. She prayed, “Lord, you know I’m a nester by heart, I’d just love to remain where we are. I don’t even need to move the furniture to be content, much less change houses. Staying right here would be just fine with me.” As she mentally wrestled with God about why they were making the move, he gently whispered, Yes, I know you’ll miss the house, but remember - I am your dwelling place - not the house youlive in or the rooms where you eat and sleep. You’ll live in other houses here on earth, but don’t get attached to any of them; they are all temporary. I am your permanent dwelling place!

Checking her Bible when she got back to the house, she read, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations” (Psalm 90:1 NIV). Yes, that was definitely God she’d heard while strolling around the block! Fortunately, she had no idea how many other houses he was referring to. When she moved again, for the twelfth time, storing some furniture, she heard God’s gentle reminder once more: I am your dwelling place. 

This is  comforting to me and hopefully to you as well. Have a blessed Tuesday!

Mere superficial pressures never determine life’s outcome…If you are intimately linked with the living God of the universe, you don’t need to worry about what the crowd is doing – or even what the king is doing. The same God who created the world is able to carry you through and to work out every situation of your life, no matter how impossible it may seem.    -   Ray Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible.

I love this book written by Max Lucado, “It’s Not About Me”.  Sometimes I conveniently forget this. A lot of time I wish it was about me. All about me. My flesh whines and cries. It complains and casts judgements. Notice I’m talking about it as a third party. I don’t want to claim it. I don’t want to admit that I walk in the flesh. But, lets face it…we all do it.

On page 84 of Lucado’s book he’s talking about beholding God. He says, “Beholding leads to becoming. Becoming leads to reflecting.” and “What does it mean to behold your face in a mirror? A quick glance? A casual look? No. To behold is to study, to stare, to contemplate. Beholding God’s glory, then is no side look or occasional glance; this beholding is a serious pondering. As we behold his glory, dare we pray that we, like Moses, will reflect it? Dare we hope to be mirrors in the hands of God, the reflection of the light of God? This is the call. ‘Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God’ 1 Cor. 10:31 NKJV.”.

 ”The Bible says, “God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he’s rich in love. He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. Psalm 103:8-11 MSG.

This is what we should be striving to do. To reflect Gods glory. Matthew 5:16 NIV says this, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”. Wow!

I pray Lord that you will continue to be patient with me. Show me when I’m in the flesh or headed in that direction. Help me to shine your light before all men, and women . I don’t want to be a complainer. Help me to be nice. Even when someone ticks me off. I want to behold you, to study you, to know you more. Only then will I be a reflection of you.

Okay, so I have I think about 6 different books that I’m reading right now. Depending upon what I need for that day. Today, it’s “A Busy Woman’s Guide To Prayer”. This is such a blessing to me and I want to share it with you.

It says, “I guess I’d always thought it was just a ‘girl thing’ to worry. I’d assumed it was part of the job description for being a mother. But the more I read in the Scriptures, the more encouragement I found to bring my burdens to the Father through Jesus:

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God” (Philippians 4:6 AMP).

“Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22 AMP).

Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him” (Psalm 62:8 AMP)

Again and again I was struck by what an incredible and gracious invitation this is. These verses tell us that when we take God up on the invitation to cast our cares upon him, he does more than send us a bit of comfort and then go on about his business of running the universe. Instead, the Bible says, when you come to God, weary and burdened, and give him your cares:

• He will give you peace that will guard your heart and mind from panic or anxiety.
• He will sustain you – which means he won’t just help you a little, he will give you the perfect measure of grace and strength so the problems won’t weigh you down.
• He will be your “refuge and strengeth, a very present help in trouble”.

Once you release the situation or person or burden to God, letting go and taking your hands off the problem, then God can really get going. He can intervene, change hearts (including your own), and work things out according to his plan when we stop trying to engineer things ourselves and start trusting him fully.”

Isn’t this an awesome devotional? I pray the Lord blesses you and your family today. And I encourage you to cast all of your cares upon Him and His shoulders. Only then are we able to live life to the fullest. The Lord has so much that He wants to give us if only we will open our eyes and our hearts to His will for us. Not my will Lord, but thine be done!