Do you know God?

God has been revealing Himself to me as More Than Enough. A few months ago I asked God to reveal Himself to me as El Shaddai, which means More Than Enough, in a certain area of my life- and He has been, and is still, showing me more of Himself. It is a wonderful journey of getting to know God better every day.

Who do you need to know God as right now in your life? Your Healer? Your Provider? Your Peace? Your Strong Tower? Your Father? Your More-Than-Enough?

Ask God to reveal Himself to you. He will. He loves you.

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super abundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]- to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).” Ephesians 3:17-21

“I can’t! I have to…”

Recently the topic of being diligent and faithful has been brought to my attention several times. As I’ve been thinking about things that have been said, the Holy Spirit has been reminding me of different verses from the Bible. So, here we go…


“The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slothful will be put to forced labor.” (Proverbs 12:24)

“The hand of the diligent will rule.” Does that sound like something you would like in your life? It is an amazing thought to me because it may seem that you’re just plugging along doing what you’ve always done, because you just do what you’re supposed to do, but that diligence somehow prepares or positions you to rule!


“Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings, he will not stand before obscure men.” (Proverbs 22:29)

How about that! Standing before kings because of diligence- that’s pretty powerful stuff. What an opportunity!


“And he said to him, Well done, excellent bond servant! Because you have been faithful and trustworthy in a very little [thing], you shall have authority over ten cities.” (Luke 19:17)

Here’s an example of someone who has been faithful and trustworthy in little things. Because of that trustworthiness this person was put in authority over ten cities! That is a big responsibility to be given! Yet, it’s because of the faithfulness in the little things that this person was placed in that authority!


“He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]?” (Luke 16:10-12)

So then, if you’re faithful in the little things you will be faithful in much. It’s like because you’ve developed the pattern and habit of being faithful in the little things, you’ll just keep being faithful in the bigger things. The habits you develop in your private life then will affect your public life. Habits of faithfulness, even in the small things that no one sees except God, develop you to be faithful and trustworthy in the spotlight.


“Moreover, it is [essentially] required of stewards that a man should be found faithful [proving himself worthy of trust].” (1 Corinthians 4:2)

For someone to trust you with something valuable of theirs they want to find you faithful. If they’ve seen that you’re trustworthy then they can feel confident giving their possession into your care. They know that you’ll take good care of it because they’ve seen your faithfulness.


“His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys.” (Matthew 25:21)
May we each be found faithful by God Who has entrusted us with so many things. May He be able to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” to each of us when we stand before Him.

Help!

Have you ever felt like you can’t handle or fix a situation that you’re facing? Some people respond by ignoring the whole thing in one way or another and stuff all their emotions down deep inside. Others explode and everything comes out all over everyone, or whoever is closest.

This past week, especially the beginning of the week was a hard one for my family. As the week went on it improved; Monday, however, was very hard. I couldn’t do anything about the situation myself, actually none of my family could. I found that the only thing I could do that would actually help in anyway was to completely rely on God and pray. God was the only one who could intervene in the situation…and He has and is at work in the situation!

[Added note: I am very grateful to all the people that have and are standing with me and my family in prayer in this situation.]

There was another situation recently where I felt so inadequate- completely unable to do what was before me to do. Have you ever felt like that…totally inadequate, unequipped, useless in the situation, ready to give up and let someone else take over, maybe even that you’ve already messed up the situation. I felt like that.

As I thought about the situation and began to cry out to God that I was unable to do this without Him and how I felt like I’d messed things up, He spoke to me. It wasn’t an audible voice, but He spoke all the same. At the time I was in the kitchen. We have random pieces of tile with pictures of different things on our backsplash…and as I cried out to God I looked down and saw this one tile that is a picture of clusters of grapes. The picture sparked something in me and God reminded me of some verses in the Bible, and I looked them up:

“I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves as true followers of Mine. I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me]. If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love.” (John 15:5-10)

In my Bible there is a comment by Joyce Meyer about these verses, I’ll include part of it:

“God wants us to depend entirely on Him. He wants us to lean on, trust in and rely on Him. Actually, that is part of the definition of faith. We are partners with God, and that means we both have responsibility. But we must lean on Him in order to do the things that are our part. God called me into the ministry and He anointed (enabled) and gifted me to do what I need to do, but I still have to trust Him and remember how much I need Him at all times….When the Lord says we can do nothing apart from Him, He means things will not work properly in our lives unless we invite Him into everything. His presence can eliminate much of the struggle we experience in life. It makes impossible things possible, hard things easy and frustrating things peaceful. Do not ever be afraid to say, ‘Help, Lord, I can’t do this without You.’” (The Everyday Life Bible p1716)

After reading that I looked over at the cabinet door and saw this on a piece of paper:

“Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.” (Ephesians 10:35-36)

Through these verses I saw the answer to my situation. Really, it’s true, I can’t do the things that are before me on my own. I need God. I must abide in Him, completely rely on Him, to be able to accomplish anything meaningful. My confidence must be in God alone. He will keep me from tripping as I go along this journey.

If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t know what to do, or things look overwhelming, call out to God. He is waiting for you with arms open wide to receive you. He loves you and accepts you. He has the answers you need. He is the answer. Abide in Him. Call out to Him. Throw yourself at His feet in complete dependence on Him. He is able to do amazing things in your life.

I’ll leave you with this:

“May He [the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ] grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth of it]; [that you may really come] to know [practically, through experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the rich measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]-” (Ephesians 3:16-20)

If you didn’t understand this post reading it the first time, try reading it again. If you have questions, leave a comment and let me know. I’ll do my best to explain.

Longing...

There is a longing in the heart of God…and it’s for you!

All Prepared

Have you seen My bride?
Has she come by here?
I’m ready.
The place has been prepared.

Are you ready, My bride?
My heart longs for you.
I desire to be with you.

Are you ready, My bride?
I can’t wait for our wedding day to come.
All has been made ready.
Are you ready, My bride?


Jesus Christ is longing for His bride. Do you take the time to stop and feel your heart aching for Him? That really is the deepest cry of your heart, whether you recognize it or not. It sometimes seems like a desire for something else- food, friends, music, or entertainment- really any number of things. Yet, the real cry of your heart, if you take the time to hear it, is for God.


Aching for You

I look into the clear night sky,
and I yearn for You.
I see the trees silhouette,
and I yearn for You.
I gaze at the moon,
and I yearn for You.

My heart is aching,
and when I’m still I feel it.
I’m aching for You.
There’s no place I can go,
no place to fill this desire,
only in You, I am satisfied.


God really is the only One who can fill the deep longing of your heart. Only He can fill your deepest desire. Do you feel the longing? Let it out- cry out to God and let Him fill you and satisfy that longing. He is waiting and longing for you too.

Injustice cries out...

These writings come from a heart broken for the children:


“Whose child is this laying in the trash heap, covered in the blood of her birth? Why was she left here? How long can she survive? Who will love her? Will anyone save her? Death is approaching…will you stop the approach? Do you hear the cry? It is getting weaker. Does anyone care? Does anyone hear? Why do you walk past and do nothing? Are you deaf to the cry? Is your heart hardened by the suffering? Soften your heart. Reach out in compassion. Do something of value.

The heart of God is crying. He is the Father of the fatherless. Will you be His hands extended?

How many children die everyday because they’re abandoned? How many world changers never have a chance?

Do you see her? She is precious in God’s eyes and she is precious in my eyes. Her pain was great, but now she is loved. Her eyes sparkle. She knows she is loved. This is my child, my daughter. She was lost, but now she is found. The Father of the fatherless cares for her. He led me to her.”
-(April 28, 2006)


Injustice

“You see the injustice;
it breaks Your heart.
You weep,
I weep with You.

You love justice,
for You are good.
You love justice,
for You are Just.
You love justice,
for You are God.

You see pain,
You sent Jesus.
You see pain,
You sent us here.

In the midst of the injustice,
You are Just
and You are love.”
-(July 13, 2006)


"Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;" (Isaiah 49:15-16)

I died...

Strange title I know…let’s just dive in and explore the following quote a bit:

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

I understood this quote from the Bible in a whole new way this week than I have previously. I’ll do my best to get it across to you. Read all the way through so you can get the whole idea. There is probably more that I don’t understand yet, but this much just became so clear to me that I have to share it with you.

Basically, in short, I died.

That reminds me of a quote from “Finding Nemo”, where Marlin says, “I’m dead I’m dead I’m dead I’m dead I’m dead I died I’m dead.” (He of course was not dead, but I am.) Okay, let me try to clarify: I’m not a ghost or anything like that. My body is still functioning. My brain is still active. I still have emotions and so on. Looking at me you probably couldn’t tell anything is different- unless I act or talk differently. I could say the change is more unseen.

I guess the change is partly in the way I look at life, and how I respond to it. For example, it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks about me. I don’t have to be intimidated by anyone or anything because it’s not me and it’s not about me.

Instead of me living my own life however I want, it is Jesus Christ that lives through me. It’s not about me; it’s about Him. I can be completely surrendered to God. (Though there may be some other things I’m not aware of right now, I have surrendered everything I know of…and when God shows other areas to me, I’ll surrender those areas too.) I can do whatever God says because it’s Him in me. It’s His power giving me the ability to do what He says.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

It may sound strange, but it is amazingly freeing to completely give up control to God. It’s not up to me to figure out how I will do what He tells me to do. I can just trust Him. For example, if God told me to pray for you to be healed, it’s not about me nor is it my own power that would heal you. It is God’s power flowing through me. When I’m completely surrendered it’s like I’m a water pipe that is clean- nothing blocking the water flow- and God can just flow through me. (My pastor has been mentioning this idea a lot in his sermons lately.)

All this, my dying and Christ living in me, didn’t really happen this week. I wasn’t crucified with Christ this week. I just understood it so much better this week. It really all happened long ago. When Jesus was crucified, I was too. When I was born again I died and was born into the Kingdom of God. (You can find out more about being born again in “The Bride” post.)

Why am I telling you all this? Well, this was so monumental to me that I want to share it with you. You can completely surrender your life to Christ and experience His life in you too. I’m not at all suggesting that you commit suicide. Please, don’t even consider it! God has such an amazing plan for your life! What I’m talking about it completely different. I hope you can see that from what I’ve written. If you haven’t COMPLETELY surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, join me, and many others, in this new life of Christ living in you.

“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27, emphasis added.)

If you’d like to go deeper into this topic or if you have questions, let me know.

In love...

Have you ever been in love? Do you remember how all you wanted do was just be around the person and spend time together? A look or smile in your direction made your day a million times brighter. A special gift was held dear to your heart. You treasured every little thing that told you of the love between the two of you.

Well… I’m in love. The One I’m in love with is so far beyond amazing. There are no words to really accurately describe Him, but I’ll do my best… He’s my Prince of Peace, the best looking of ten thousand, the Beginning and the End, the Light of the World, my Redeemer, my Fortress, my Deliverer, my Rock, my Shepherd, my Portion, my Strong Habitation, my Banner, my Shield, my Strength, my Hiding Place, my Comfort. He is everything to me. He’s my ALL. I enjoy our time together. I read His letter to me every day. I talk to Him whenever I think of Him. There is absolutely no one who matches up to Him.

The best part about it is that He loves me even more than I love Him! What an amazing thing!!! He actually loved me before I even knew He existed. He patiently waited for me. He sent messages to me of His love. He waited expectantly for the day when I would recognize that He was calling to me. Now I know of His love. It is so far beyond anything I can even wrap my mind around. It’s way EXTRAVEGANT! I mean, some of the things He does He really doesn’t have to do, but He does them anyway because He loves me. He tells me He loves me all the time. He shows me He loves me in soooo many ways. He sends me flowers. He sends warmth to my heart. He holds me close to Himself. He dries my tears when I’m sad; He even cries with me, and He comforts me. I am never alone because of Him. As a matter of fact, He even died for me- but He’s alive again. His love is extravagant! He paints beautiful sunrises and sunsets for me. He lights my morning.

Oh, His name! I forgot to tell you! My love is my God, Jesus Christ, my Savior, my Creator, my Father, my Teacher, my Everything. There is no one who compares to Him!

Not only does He love me, but no one can separate me from His love. Check this out:

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?…Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:32,35,37-39)

You know what, as amazing as this sounds, He loves you too! He loves you as much as He loves me and yet it isn’t a strange thing. He loves the whole world. He loves each of us individually. So everything I wrote about God loving me is true of you too. Have you realized His love for you? Have you responded to His love? (If you need to know how to respond read “The Bride” post.) He is waiting for you. He loves you so much more than you can imagine. Open your eyes and see all He does to show you His love and you’ll be amazed! Yes, I’m in love. Are you?

If you have any questions regarding this love God has for you, let me know. Better yet, ask Him to reveal His love to you. You can still contact me and let me know about the love He shows you.

“…May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [that you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!” (Ephesians 3:17-19)