Gracious Uncertainty

Dear Sisters,

One of the things I love about the devotional method that I use for my 20 minutes a day is that often the message is directly applicable to issues I am dealing with at that very moment.  One of my biggest struggles is the desire to control as many aspects of my life as possible – and my family’s as well!  I want to be certain about every outcome in any given situation.  And that is truly exhausting and stressful and takes a lot of the excitement out of life.  And it is not of God. 

So when I opened my Bible this morning, guess what I found…a copy of an Oswald Chambers message that I want to share with you in part called “Gracious Uncertainty”.  It was a refreshing read for me and I hope it will be for you as well.

“Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life – gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life.  To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring.  This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation.  We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God.  As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.  When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies.  That is not believing God – it is only believing our belief about Him.
 In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
 The spiritual life is the life of a child.  We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next.  If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled.  But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy.  Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how he will come in – but you can be certain that He will come.  Remain faithful to Him.”

In Christ, 
Susan 

Alive

Hey Sisters,

As a night owl, I just generally don't feel my best in the morning. I feel like a groggy zombie, and, yes, that's worse than just a normal zombie. However, the sunshine we've been getting has been helping me to feel a little bit more awake and alive! Have you heard of the worship band All Sons and Daughters? I'm especially loving their song "Alive," and have been using it as my alarm in the morning. A good reminder of the gift of a new day, the blessing of waking up to sunshine, and not waking up as the newest member of the undead...even though I may look like it (no picture for your protection).

You can listen to "Alive" on you-tube. Here is the link for you!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-vmvVnRPlY

Fellow night owls, what helps you wake up in the morning? Songs, thoughts, or Bible verses? Comment on Facebook or in the "comments" section below this post.

In Him,

Grace

When the Master Gardner Prunes

Pruning is a vital step in gardening. We cut back dead branches as well as branches that are crossing or invading other branches.  Pruning can also create a desired shape. How we prune will determine the health of the plant and/or the blossoms. For example, if we prune a hydrangea to the ground, it will not kill the bush but we will have no flowers the following spring.  Flowers bloom from the previous year’s growth, therefore, removing the entire bush’s beauty for the next season.

So, why all this pruning talk on this particular blog? It stems from an old book that is sadly no longer in print. The premise of this great read was to live decisively for Jesus and to live focused on Jesus. The author suggested periodically taking time out of life to sit before God, evaluating life’s activities and responsibilities. She viewed her life like a tree but I have adapted her idea to the following.

·        The trunk of the tree represents my relationship with Christ.

·        The roots are what feed that relationship: prayer, Bible reading, Bible study and worship.

·        The limbs represent my family, job, ministry, and personal development.

·        The branches are the activities and opportunities of life.

Our lives, just like trees, get out of balance.  Over time one limb becomes too dense and another too sparse. Or there may be branches that are taking nutrients from the main limbs, translated as activities taking nutrients from my relationship with Christ. Or the root system is not healthy enough to support the tree. This is the time to take out my pruning shears.

The first thing I evaluate is the root system. Am I spending quality time with Jesus every day?  If this area of my life is not healthy, then I know that the trunk of my tree is skinny and the limbs are not being supported spiritually. Then I evaluate my main limbs (responsibilities of life). These change over life’s seasons. During one season, I may have an occupation but, during a later season, I might be retired. Or during one season, I have no children.  In the next season, my home is full of children. Therefore, the limbs have to be evaluated as well. Some are removed and some might be added.

Next, I evaluate the branches looking for dead branches.  These lifeless activities do nothing to feed the responsibilities of life or my relationships with family, friends and Jesus. These branches are cut out first.

After that, I search for branches that are crossing over one another, choking the life out of one or both of the branches.  An example might be heavy ministry requirements choking out family life.  One of those branches needs to be pruned back. It does not remove the major limbs of ministry and family life but it does cut off a branch or two that is taking nutrients that other limbs need.

Finally, I try not to prune away too much in order to reap a harvest for future seasons as in the hydrangea. Taking careful time to choose which branches to prune and which ones to keep requires godly wisdom.

When I put my shears away, I access the roots of the tree once again. I want to insure that time and energy have been set aside to spend time in God’s word, in prayer and in worship. Typically, I am pleased to find that through pruning at the top of the tree, I discover plenty of time for the bottom of the tree. Then my trunk becomes healthy again, feeding the limbs and branches of life.

As I write about this process, I am looking at my life with shears in hand. What needs to be removed?  Do I need to water and fertilize the roots? Just like gardening, I need to schedule regular time to spend before the Lord praying and listening for he is the Master Gardener of our life! What about you? How does your tree look today? Is your root system healthy?

Bev

Though You Slay Me, by Shane & Shane

This week, let's focus on some more worship.  We all feel as though we've been slain in our lives.  But can we truly worship God in those trying moments?  Take a few minutes during your 20 minutes today to worship with Shane & Shane as they lead us and focus our thoughts on God Almighty!

Click here:  Though You Slay Me, by Shane & Shane

Google Or Jesus?

We are fortunate to live in a time when we have access to the Internet.  We can Google anything from how to fix a dishwasher to finding a new recipe we desire to try.  The list is endless.  And just like a web, one search leads us to countless of others.  Not only is there an abundance of information, it’s also quick, accessible, and immediate. 

But I must ask: where do you go for “searches” like a broken heart or relationship, a broken family, illness, and other life events that seem to completely sideline us?  Where do you turn when answers aren’t necessarily abundant or immediate and when there seems to be no hope? 

Turn to Google and we find just a blank space…a place where we click refresh, yet no refreshment follows.

We have been challenged to take 20 minutes a day spending intentional time with God.  Of the numerous methods in which to follow, I have found that simply reading my Bible has been the most effective for me.  My Bible “Google” search consists of looking in the concordance for the areas in my life where I am burdened to learn and grow, as well as areas in which I am challenged. 

It’s a process that isn’t necessarily quick or immediate as with the Internet. I have learned that reading the Bible is not so much about searching for answers, but, rather, facing the truth that I need Jesus.  In finding Jesus we come to know just how much God loves us. In this process, we discover that there is hope, joy, and peace in any circumstance or situation we encounter because we come to know God.  Our hearts are opened to more of God, his love for us, and his son Jesus Christ.  

God’s Word is complete, timeless, and accurate. His Word is abundant, immediate, and thorough.  It tells of the past and shows us the future.   I have learned through “searching” that my focus has changed from searching for answers to seeking God.  I encourage you to take the opportunity to spend time in the Word, seeking Him.

Stephanie

 

Fighting Back!

Hello sisters!  

I recently finished a Bible study on spiritual warfare. I've been contemplating how Satan tries to attack in this world (from which he will ultimately be destroyed).  But he seems to have such power here, doesn't he? Are you recognizing Satan's attacks for the lies that they are? Here are a few things to watch for! 

Satan's plan against us:

-     Doubt - makes us question God's Word, his goodness, and His promises.

-     Diversion (temptation, lies, deception, and deceit) - makes the wrong things seems attractive so we will want them more than the right things.

-     Defeat (accusation, condemnation, hand to hand combat) - makes us feel like a failure so we do not even try.

-     Delay (discouragement, battle of our minds) - makes us put off something so it never gets done.  

However, we are NOT left without a defense...Our defense in the Lord is perfect! (Ephesians 6: 10-18)

God's defense plan for us: 

-     When you doubt - Shod your feet (understand the gospel and walk in its truth).

-     When you're being diverted by lies, temptation, or deceit - Put up the shield of faith (have absolute confidence in God, his promises, power, and plan).  Put on the belt of truth (be honest with God).

-     When you're feeling defeated or in a battle - Put on the breastplate of righteousness (apply what you know to be true).  Use the sword of the Spirit (know God's word). The Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is living in you (Romans 8:11).

-     When you're being delayed - Put on the helmet of salvation (be certain of your deliverance because of Jesus' sacrifice for you). 

Don't let these attacks scare you; God's perfect love drives out fear! (1 John 4:18) Use God's plan to have confidence and to fight back! 

In Him,

Grace

Give Ear to My Word

I was reading through a booklet of devotions the other day and came across this verse:

 “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;

in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

 It is part of a Psalm that David wrote as he prepared to pray to God for protection from enemies.  While the devotion focused on the first part of the verse, it was the second part that got my attention: 

 “…in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.”

 Webster’s definition of expectation is as follows:  to anticipate the occurrence of the coming of; the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.

So, David was praying and looking forward to hearing back from God regarding answers to his prayers!  Do I pray with that same attitude…am I looking forward to hearing from God? Am I anticipating answers from him?  To be honest, not really.  I may pray boldly, but do I really believe that God will answer my prayers?  Why not?  If I lay my requests before someone, I expect an answer.  Why wouldn’t I not only expect an answer from God, but also look forward to it?  After all, He has only my best interests in mind.  His answers are always the best – maybe not always what I want – but the best for me.

 Just for fun, I checked out some other Bible translations of “wait in expectation” and found the following:  

“In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”  (NASB)

 “Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend.” (The Message)

“In the morning I will order my prayer unto thee, and will keep watch.”  (ASV)

“In the morning I will direct my voice to you and look up.” (NKJV)

“In the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.”  (ESV)

Am I eagerly watching?  Am I watching at all?  And what about watching for fire to descend?  No, I’m not, but I should be.  God is listening to me and I need to be looking for and anticipating His answers!

Susan