Favour from the Father in 2017

My word for 2017 is Favour. The angel told Mary she was highly favored (Luke 1:28). Joseph responded with grace to each of his trials and found favour with God and others (Genesis 37,39-50). Jabez prayed for favor (be blessed indeed) with God (1 Chronicles 4:9,10). Hannah's name means favored (1 Samuel ch1). I think about these different people and one thing they all had in common were life struggles. Mary was shunned because she was a virgin with child. Joseph was forsaken by his brothers and sold as a slave, wrongfully accused, sat in jail for many years but each step of his journey God gave him favour. Jabez was a sorrowful burden to his mother and had no father. Hannah daily had to face her adversary while she endured years of waiting and praying for a child..she wondered if God would ever answer.

There were times when these different people didn't feel favoured. Today as 2016 comes to an end I'll be honest I don't feel very favoured. I kind of feel forgotten. I feel left out. I feel discouraged and disheartened. I shouldn't feel this way but I do. Just as year after year passed while Hannah waited and prayed and got no answer, so have the years passed for me. Still no answer. Each year it seems to get a little harder. But no one ever said waiting on God was easy. The most miraculous things come from the hardest struggles. The wait and the years can make a persons faith weak. But "when I am weak..then am I strong!" (2 Corinthians 12:10) Only through Christ can my faith be strengthened through the hard stuff. When I try to bare this burden alone it overwhelms me, pulls me way down, steals my joy and consumes my focus.

I recently started reading Wendy Pope's book, Wait and See, Finding Peace in God's Pauses and Plans..I haven't read much but I've already been convicted about my attitude towards God about making me wait. See I just said "MAKING me wait." He doesn't make me wait. A few months ago for the first time in my life I was perfectly content about waiting. I've always struggled with waiting for things. I've never admitted that I am impatient but I am beginning to think that word describes me perfectly. In 2017 I want to get back to being grateful that I "get to" wait. I want to get back to the peaceful place of contentment. I am praying for the Lord to 1. Empower me to WAIT WELL 2. Help me to be PRESENT IN THE PRESENT 3. Allow me to EXPERIENCE GOD IN MY DELAY (page 37,38 in book) 

I am praying for favour with God. I am claiming 1 Samuel ch1 for myself. I'm praying God will remember me just as he remembered Hannah. My petition isn't the same as Hannah's but we serve the same God. He came through for her and I choose to believe he will come through for me too!

Time stands between was is and what will be. The hard part is the not knowing how much time the wait consists of. I look around and see many others experiencing the blessing I'm cry myself to sleep at night begging God to give me. I see people who did it the wrong way yet they have what I really want. But like I said above, my focus has been wrong. Isaiah 49: 18 says, "Lift up thine eyes.."

The truth is I AM favored. I'm no stranger to grace. Goodness and mercy have and continue to follow me each and everyday (Psalm 23:6). When I'm looking at what others have instead of all I already have I will not feel favored. I will not be content with my eyes on others. When we start down the path of dissatisfaction we will begin to believe our feelings. Once that begins we will start thinking our feelings are the only thing that really matters.

Lamentations 3:25,26 tell us the Lord is good to them who wait for him and it is good for us to wait. It sure doesn't feel good. Lately the idea of "waiting" has felt like a waste of time. But feelings usually fail us. My feelings have lied to me too many times. When I've let my feelings lead me they've always led me wrong. In January (2016) just a few days before I flew to Nicaragua for my second mission trip we were singing "living by faith" at church. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said "when are you going to walk by faith?". It's easy to walk by my feelings. It's even easier to listen to my fears and let them lead me. My fears are a lot louder than my faith but oh the peace there is when I let go and let Jesus lead me. Waiting on the Lord requires letting go and living by faith. Faith is content with not having all the answers.

As I look back over this year I see a roller coaster ride. Lots of high places but also some low times. 2016 started with a whole lot of tears. Literally the deepest valley I've ever faced. I remember going to the Potter's Place in Central laying on the floor sobbing not being able to breath because God wouldn't answer me, because he didn't give me what I thought I was suppose to have. I begged and begged and he wouldn't tell me "why?". For months I thought I deserved an answer to my question. Along the way I learned he's with me through the Ups and Downs of life and I do not have the right to demand answers from God. I remember when he showed me Psalm 147:3 {He healeth the broken in heart, he bindeth up their wounds.} For months I begged God to sew me back together and eventually he did. Time does heal wounds if we allow it to. I remember that July summer night when I let go of the past and my dream and told the Lord I wanted to live and not just exist. That night I told my heart to beat again. I accepted God's "No." I chose God's will over my own. It's been a few months since then and I've been hurt by another "No". It seems that's the only answer I ever get. But I trust my Jesus. He knows best for me. Elisabeth Elliott said God will only give us his best..no matter where I am He is giving me his very best. Today his best is singleness. I must accept that and learn to love what He blesses me with. I am favoured even in the midst of my wait. I am favoured even when I don't feel like it. He gives more grace! No matter my need, my desire, my brokenness, or my request He has more than enough grace for me. And the same goes for you. Hannah, Joseph, Mary, and Jabez are just a few people from the Bible who were favoured. These are the ones God brought to my mind as I've thought about this word today.  He's no respecter of persons, so what he did for them He can and wants to do for us..we must learn to rest in Him and wait patiently for Him! Don't let your feelings, fears, trials, waiting season etc. consume you..Fretting over things does not give us any power over the trial. It only causes problems, doubt and further discontentment.

Like Hannah, you might be barren now but God will remember you when the time is right. Joseph was forgotten for years but when the time was right he was remembered and promoted to second in command under Pharoah. That expected end that only God knows will come to pass when it's the perfect time..Jeremiah 29:11 {For I know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.} Happy New year! You are favoured and He will remember you when it's time. Trust On in 2017! God's will WILL!

Luke 17:11-19 Where are the nine?

{Luke 17: 11-19 King James Bible}
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Jesus always asks questions that make us think! "But where are the nine?" Only this leper..who was an unworthy Samaritan took time to say thank you. Ungrateful people are one of my pet peeves. It's not that hard to say "thank you". These 10 men were diseased, defiled, disgusting, and had to live alone outside the city. I wonder how many years they'd been lepers. One wonderful day Jesus passed through the middle of where they were. Nothing is coincidence with the Lord. Although they had to stand "afar off" due to the law they knew this Jesus could heal them. They lifted up their voices and cried out for help. Jesus gave them a command and as they obeyed they were miraculously healed. One Sunday night, May 10,2009 Jesus passed through where I was and had mercy on me! I want to be the one who turns back to thank him and give him the glory he is due. I was a stranger just like this Samaritan..Unworthy, undeserving..just a nobody headed nowhere but God changed that! He's been good to me!!! Everyday he walks with me, talks with me and reminds me I am HIS own. I am so thankful he wants to fellowship with me, take care of me, hear my prayers and answer them with His very best! I'm glad I gave up religion that night I truly met Jesus and got a relationship with him instead. I fail Him everyday but He's never failed me!🙌🏼

Thankful: impressed with a sense of kindness received and ready to acknowledge it. Are you impressed with his loving-kindness and ready to acknowledge His goodness? Be thankful. Bless His name.  "Thinking turns to thanking"- Pre Tommy Hayes #thinkonHim #bethankful🍁 ~Take time to turn back and thank Him~

What the caterpillars taught me

A few weeks ago while running on a Saturday morning the Lord literally stopped me in my tracks. I was at the track I always go to. It is nothing special but has become one of my favorite places. While running my knee started to hurt so I stopped for a minute to do some more stretching, because that usually helps. While stretching I looked down and seen a caterpillar. It was about 2.5 inches from the grass. It was dead. It had dried up and died on the hot track. Right then Lord spoke to my heart through this dead caterpillar. {It amazes me how he uses little things to speak to us!} I stood there and thought to myself, "This isn't what God wanted for this caterpillar." It never reached its full potential. It never became the beautiful butterfly God had planned for it to be. I wondered why the caterpillar was out on the track..where the dark pavement was hot and there was no shelter or moisture. This little caterpillar had dried up because it wasn't in the right place. I then noticed another dead, lifeless caterpillar. And then another. They were all over the track. I felt conviction set in. Would I be like one of these caterpillars that ruined and wasted their life? Would I leave where I know I need to be to go where it looks fun, interesting, new etc.? Why did they all go to the track? Did they not understand it was too hot for them? We all at times like the caterpillars can be foolish. We think our way makes the most sense..but just as the caterpillar didn't know he would dry up, so will we when we head our own way.

As I kept running I kept seeing more and more that had died. Honestly, it broke my heart. I then noticed one moving so slowly on the track. I knew what would happen if he stayed where he was. The temperature was rising and the dark pavement would get hotter and hotter. He wouldn't make it out there. I got a stick, knelt down in front of it and the little caterpillar willingly climbed aboard. I carried him to a safe place...right where he could find all he needed; food, shelter, water. I put him near a tree and I hoped one day this caterpillar would become the special, one of a kind butterfly God desires it to be.

Here is some caterpillar knowledge for ya!.. A caterpillar at birth is called larva. It is born starving and eats everything in sight (literally). Growing more and more full of itself and junk everday. Over time as it gets fatter and fatter it takes more time to move. As it grows it sheds its's skin again and again. This makes me think of a lost person..continually "turning over a new leaf" again and again while nothing ever changes. I did that many times before the Lord saved me. Caterpillars are destructive insects. They can not help it..it's their nature.

And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them. -Isaiah 33:4

Chaciyl is the hebrew word for caterpiller in this verse. It means ravager, and also means a locust. A ravager is one who lays at waste, a plunderer (thief) or a spoiler (one that corrupts). The caterpillar moves it's own way, and does what it wants to do. Plant after plant they devour and spoil. Imagine never doing anything good..that's the life of the caterpillar. One day it must get sick and tired of being nothing and going nowhere.

In order for the caterpillar to become a butterfly it must climb a tree and hang upside down and spin its chrysalis (cacoon). When a person gets tired of the way they're going they'll head to a new place..along the way your life might get turned upside down (like the caterpillar) and you'll start spinning in circles. You think you're not going anywhere and nothing will ever change. It is almost as if the caterpillar dies in the chrysalis. Time passes and on the outside it seems like nothing is happening. When it is time the once fat, good for nothing, destroying caterpillar will emerge and must break free from the chrysalis. If anyone helps the butterfly in this process it will never fly. It seems impossible to break free but once free the new butterfly must flap its wings and get the blood flowing through them. Next is flying time. What was once impossible is now possible for the butterfly. As a caterpillar it looked like everyone else, now it is a one of a kind butterfly.

It can take from 7 days to even a year for a caterpillar to become a butterfly in its chrysalis. Beautiful things take time. I wonder why God made caterpillars..why not just make the butterfly first and bipass the caterpillar having to go through all the trouble just to get wings? I dont know the reason but I know God likes to spend time on things. He likes changing things to make them better. From the little things like caterpillars to butterflies to changing us day by day with the things he places in our path. He has a one of a kind design for us all.

God told Noah to put one small window in the ark. He didn't want it in the door or on the side but in the top of the ark..During those 40 days and nights all Noah could see was UP. He couldn't see the death and destruction all around him below. His eyes were directed upward inspite of the darkness surrounding him and his family. Just like Noah God wants us to look above and live above!!

As I was leaving I seen a butterfly flying around the track..this butterfly was living above the destruction and death (of all the dead caterpillars I seen on the track) below..One of God's purposes for the butterfly was to fly to new heights.

Because it allowed the working of God's hands in its life the butterfly was now able to go where it never could before. It had freedom to be what it couldn't be before, and do what it only dreamed of before.

Maybe that caterpillar I seen so close to the grass was going to try to do things itself. Maybe it got bored and thought things were taking too long. Maybe things looked better across the way. Maybe it thought it didn't need anything or anyone. It was headed nowhere and that is exactly where it ended up. It never became what God intended. This caterpillar was only a "could've been". It "should've been" and it "would've been" a butterfly if it hadn't done its own thing.

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. -1 Corinthians 6:20
I said all that to say this. Please don't leave where you know is right to go to a place you shouldn't be. The world looks fun. Sin looks fun. The Devil works overtime on his commercials..and they are good!! But it'll leave you and dry, empty, and dead with nothing to show. Don't be a thief of giving God the glory due to Him. Stay where HE is. You might be a mess tonight but soon you'll be like that butterfly going to new heights, giving Jesus more and more glory. YOU are His work, His design. YOU are not your own, He bought you with the highest price!

-Stay in the Word

-Stay with Jesus

-Stay away from sin

-Stay where God has purposefully placed you

-Stay at His feet

-Stay with the stuff

Just stay and be still. Wherever He leads follow. Whatever He says Do. He will take you to new heights.
Our full potential is to help things grow everywhere we go. Give life to all those around us. Be a helper, not a hinderer. For God to be given all the glory.

Instead of full of ourselves, may we be full of God, full of good, full of grace, full of glory FOR Him and not ourselves. In the midst of darkness all around us may we shine a light in someones darkness.
 
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. -Habakkuk3:17,18,19

I want what God wants for me. On my own I am nothing but with Him anything is possible. I desire to live above! Even if that means staying still for a while. Do you?

Exodus 15: Bitter Sweet

Exodus 15:22-26 

So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.

3 days earlier the children of Israel had seen God destroy their enemies and move the Red Sea just for them. The greatest miracle they'd ever seen! Now they were in the wilderness wondering if they'd done the right thing. It was hot, empty, and dry. The thought of turning around and going back seemed like a good plan in their heads. They began murmuring and Moses started crying out to God. I'm glad God hears us when we're murmuring and when we're crying out to him for help. For some reason God lead Moses to a tree in Marah..there the waters were bitter. Still nothing to drink, BUT God had a plan. Moses had to cast something into that bitter water. It doesn't say what it was..but something was cast and that casting allowed those waters to be changed from bitter to sweet. 

I've been there. Marah..that dry, bitter place, not at all what I wanted or prayed for.  I've wondered why and what God is doing..I've even thought at times he wasn't doing anything at all. I'm so glad I can cast my burden, my cares, my fears, and worries on him. No matter how much I cast He is more than able to turn the bitterness into sweetness. Oh taste and see that the Lord is GOOD. In the wilderness God was still good. When the waters weren't fit to drink God was still good. It was in that bitter place that he made them better! He made a promise to them, he proved them, he showed his power to them once again! There in that bitter place is where they learned who Jehovah Rapha is..the Lord who heals. Sometimes we need reminding that He is still able no matter what the problem is. All they had to do was learn to trust Him. He was trying their faith and longing for them to just obey each step of the way. 

"Does Marah deserve to be talked about four times as much as Elim? Perhaps it does. Per- haps there is four times as much fruit to be obtained from the bitter waters of Marah than from the 12 springs of water, and 70 palm trees at Elim."- Charles Spurgeon  I love this quote from Spurgeon. Why do we only seem to remember the hard times, the bitter places, the broken times. "I've had more gains than losses, I've known more joy than pain, no other way to say it than to say, Gods been good in my life.." Elim was beautiful and easy but God did no miracles there. Elim is a placet of rest and shelter. Elim wasn't a bitter place but Marah was a better place because of the casting into the water. God changed them in Marah. 

Exodus 3 Turn Aside and See

Exodus 3:1-4

Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

Moses was in a desolate place..in the desert leading the sheep. Something he'd done for many years. But this day was different. He was in the mountain of God and God had something for him to see.  I'm sure this wasn't the first time he'd seen a burning bush, but he'd never seen a burning bush that wasn't consumed by the fire. 

God was trying to get his attention. It wasn't about the fire. It was about what was in the midst of the fire. The angel of the Lord had appeared (appear: to be manifest) unto Moses. It says Moses "looked"..In the next verse it says he seen. Both of these words have the same meaning in Hebrew (ra'ah: to see, to consider, enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, be near, discern.) In our language the words look and see have different meanings. To look is to direct the eye towards an object with intention of seeing it. To see is to perceive by the eye, to be effected by, to behold, to know, understand and observe.  We can look at something but are we really seeing what we're looking at? God wanted Moses to see him.. He isn't satisfied with us looking his way, he wants us to really see him. He wants us to be in his presence and let his presence effect us. God had something to tell Moses but he needed to know Moses wanted to to really see. 

By the act of "turning aside" God knew Moses was serious. Only when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see did he call out to him. How many of us are missing him calling because we're too busy to turn aside and see him as he is..Holy! Take time to turn aside and see. Stop what you are doing and get in his presence even in the dry desert!God wanted to be real to a shepherd on the back side of a desert and He wants to be real to you too! The Lord is watching and waiting for us to turn aside and see his power and be in his presence. He has so much of himself that he wants us to enjoy, experience and gaze upon. 

Thoughts for the day: What all does God have to do to get my attention? Will it take a burning bush for me to finally look and see God? Am I really seeing what I'm looking at? God is not interested in us going through the motions. Go beyond the intention to see and really see God as he is. He has a burning bush experience for us too!