Listening to God

By Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Listening to God
 

“The Son can do nothing by Himself; he can do only what He sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son does also.”
John 5:19 (NIV)

I want to be a woman who listens to God. But, sometimes I’m not sure if it’s God talking or just me thinking. And if I’m really honest, when I do sense Him whispering to my heart, I’m not always crazy about what I sense He’s telling me to do. Like the time I knew without a doubt God was calling me to share my testimony publicly. I pretty much ran from that assignment for a decade.

Yet, I’ve learned over the past twenty years that when I listen to God I discover His best for me. And, I grow my trust in Him. I’ve seen again and again that His ways lead to His goodness. And when I follow Him, His mercy follows me.

At the end of my ten-year spiritual sprint away from what scared me most — sharing the story of my brokenness with others — I surrendered to what God was calling me to do. I started listening closely to Him and trusting completely in Him, so that I could experience a day-by-day abiding in His presence and promises. From there, His plans unfolded day-by-day.

Honestly, I thought I had been listening to Him all that time. But one day while I was praying about God’s direction in some decisions, the Holy Spirit showed me that I had a habit of asking God what He wanted me to do and where He wanted me to invest my time. Then I went about doing that, without depending on Him for direction each step of the way.

Oftentimes, I would seek God for the larger plans in life, convinced that if I figured out what He wanted me to do then I could become the person He created me to be and fulfill the calling He had for me.
Have you ever thought: “If only God would show me what job to take; what man to marry; what church to attend, what ministry to serve in – then my life would be complete and I could trust Him with my whole heart”?

The problem is that sometimes we get a glimpse of where He wants us to go and then assume we know how to get there. Or we get a peak at what He wants us to do and think we know how He wants us to get it done. How many times have I made that mistake and then wondered why I wasn’t getting anywhere?

Over time, God has taught me that He wants my spiritual ears more than my spiritual efforts. He wants daily dependence, interaction and intimacy with me. And He is more concerned with my character than my calendar.

You know, Jesus depended on the Father for the large and fine print written in His life plan. He listened closely and obeyed quickly. In today’s key verse, John 5:19, we see  His absolute dependence: “The Son can do nothing by Himself; he can do only what He sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son does also.”

Like Jesus, we will discover God’s purpose for our lives through dependent hearts that seek to listen to His — day by day, moment by moment. Let’s position our hearts, minds and souls to hear Him speak to us today.

Dear Lord, I want to become a woman who listens to You. I come to You today with a seeking heart, asking not only for direction but for discernment, humility and dependence on You — each step of the way. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I Will Rejoice

I Will Rejoice

by By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page

Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls -Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." HABAKKUK 3:17-18

"At times it seems that everything around you is collapsing. Endeavors you invested in may fail. People to whom you minister may disappoint you. The business or career you worked hard to build may crumble. These times, as difficult as they are, are opportunities to stop and examine what is truly important to you.

Habakkuk witnessed the collapse of most of what mattered to him. Yet through the loss, failure, and disappointment, he was able to distinguish between what was precious to him and what was transitory and empty. He came to the point where he could sincerely say that even if everything around him failed, he still would rejoice in God. If the fig tree bore no fruit; if the vine produced no grapes; if the flocks and herds stopped reproducing; he would still praise God. His praise might not come easily, as he watched everything fall short of his expectations, but he would praise God nonetheless. Habakkuk could not make fig trees produce figs. He could not control the productivity of the flocks and herds, but he could control his own response to God. He chose to praise the Lord.

Do things seem to be falling apart around you? You can still praise God. Your praise for Him does not depend on the success of your endeavors but on God's nature and His love and faithfulness to you. Ask God to help you look past worldly concerns to understand the reasons you have to praise Him."

God's Timing

God's Timing

by By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake…” (2 Peter 3:9, NLT).

It doesn’t take very long to discover that God’s timing is not always our timing. It’s easy to question and wonder why you’ve been waiting for your breakthrough for 15 years and your neighbor got their breakthrough in 15 minutes! In the Bible, Abraham waited 20 years for his promise, and in the upper room they waited about ten days. I don’t know how long you’ll have to wait, but you’ve got to understand that God has your best interest at heart. He is being patient for your sake. He’s aligning things and waiting for the exact right moment! If you’ll just continue waiting with the right attitude, then at the right time, God will bring it to pass.

Remember, God is always working behind the scenes for your good. Just because you don’t see any changes taking place doesn’t mean they aren’t happening. Keep standing, keep believing, keep hoping because you’re breakthrough is coming for your sake! 

Making a Difference

Making a Difference 

by By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" (John 21:15)

Jesus has a wonderful way of restoring us when we fail Him! He does not humiliate us. He does not criticize us. He does not ask us to make a resolution to try harder. Rather, He takes us aside and asks us to reaffirm our love for Him.

Peter miserably failed his Lord when he fled with the other disciples from the Garden of Gethsemane. Later, he publicly denied that he even knew Jesus. Peter must have wondered if he had been capable of being Jesus’ disciple when he was unfaithful to Jesus in His most crucial hour.

As you begin a new year, you may be painfully aware that you have failed your Lord in many ways. Perhaps you were not faithful. Perhaps you disobeyed His word to you. Perhaps you denied Him by the way you lived. Jesus will take you aside, as He did Peter. He will not berate you. He will not humiliate you. He will ask you to examine your love for Him. He asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” If your answer, like Peter’s, is “Yes, Lord,” He will reaffirm His will for you. If you truly love Him, you will obey Him (John 14:15). Jesus does not need your resolutions, your recommitments, or your promises to try harder this year. If your resolve to obey God last year did not help you to be faithful, it will not make you successful this year. Jesus asks for your love. If you truly love Him, your service for Him in the new year will be of the quality that He desires.

By Proverbs 31 Ministries.

All of God’s Girls Have Issues

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1 (NIV)

Two years ago, I lost 25 pounds and for the first time in my life, I’ve kept it off.

However, my real celebration isn’t over the smaller clothing size and reduced numbers on the scale. My real celebration is over the spiritual insights I gained while losing the weight and maintaining my healthy progress.

For me, this has been a spiritual journey—a significant spiritual journey with great physical benefits. I had been overweight physically and underweight spiritually and finally tying those two things together was life-changing.

One of the richest lessons has been realizing the amount of mental and spiritual energy I wasted for years just wishing things would change. All the while, I was beating myself up for not having the discipline for making those changes.

If you have an issue with weight and food, you know what I mean. But no matter what issue you are currently dealing with, can I offer a bit of encouragement? Jesus wants to help you with that issue. He really does. But you’ve got to stop beating yourself up about it and determine to follow His lead.

Have you ever looked at other people and thought to yourself, “How does everyone else have it all together? And why is it I seem to have so many issues?”

We like to identify our shortcomings, form them into a club, and beat the tar out of ourselves mentally. Over and over and over again. We label ourselves and soon lose our real identity to the beaten and bruised fragility we call “me.”

We compare, we assume, we assess, we measure and most times walk away shaking our head at how woefully short our “me” falls compared to everyone else. How dangerous it is to hold up the intimate knowledge of our imperfections against the outside packaging of others.

If there is one thing that living 40-plus years has taught me it’s this… all God’s girls have issues. Every single one of us.

Now, hear me out.

Having issues isn’t the absence of victory in our lives. It’s simply a call to action reminding us victory is right around the corner.

I can make the choice to identify my shortcomings and instead of using them against myself, hand them over to Jesus and let Him chisel my rough places. The grace-filled way Jesus chisels is so vastly different than the way I mentally beat myself up. My mental scripts can so often be full of exaggerated lies that defeat. His chiseling is full of truth that sets me free.

Oh what a difference.

Jesus doesn’t compare.

Jesus doesn’t condemn.

Jesus doesn’t exaggerate.

He simply says, “Hey, I love you. I love you just how you are. But, I love you too much to leave you stuck in this. So, let’s work on it together. You can do this.”

There is something so powerful in really believing that with Jesus’ help you can do this.  Say it with me, “I can.” In my new book, Made to Crave, I wrote, “I can is a powerful little twist for a girl feeling deprived and defeated.”

I can helps me walk into the dinner party and find the conversation more appealing than the food table. I can helps me stay on the perimeter of the grocery store where the fresher, healthier selections abound and smile that I know this. I can helps me reach for my water bottle and find satisfaction in its refreshment. I can helps me look at the drive-thru menu and order a fruit tray without even giving a thought to the fried foods I used to snack on. I can reminds me to look up a restaurant’s nutritional information on the internet before going out, insuring wiser choices. I can reminds me no food will ever taste as sweet as victory does. I’ll say it again, having issues isn’t the absence of victory in our lives. It’s simply a call to action reminding us victory is right around the corner. Today is a great day to start believing you were made to walk in victory and to say to Jesus, “Yes, with Your truth as my guide, I can.”

Dear Lord, help me to see myself the way You see me. Please help me to remove the lies that defeat me more often than I want to acknowledge. You have set me free. Help me to live like I truly believe that. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Taking Responsibility

Taking Responsibility

By www.jesus-is-lord-the-way-the-truth-the-life.com's FaceBook page

"Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." GENESIS 3:12"

Adam and Eve did everything they could to avoid taking responsibility for their sin. Adam blamed his wife: "She gave me of the tree." He even pointed an accusing finger at God, saying it was ""the woman, whom You gave me."" Eve blamed the serpent saying: "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." God ignored their excuses and announced the judgment they would face as consequences for their disobedience.

One of the dirges of mankind is that we refuse to take responsibility for our actions. We want to blame others for our problems: Our parents did not raise us well; our friends let us down; our pastor was not a good enough preacher; our children are rebellious; our employer is not sensitive enough; our spouse is not understanding; there is not enough time in the day the excuses are plentiful! Yet forgiveness and restoration cannot happen until we accept full responsibility for our actions.

An obvious indication that we have not genuinely repented is that we make excuses for our sinful behavior. Nowhere in Scripture does God excuse one person's sin because of someone else's actions. If we make a habit of blaming others for our failures, we will not reach a point of honest repentance. God will hold us accountable for our own actions, not others (2 Cor. 5:10). Strive always to acknowledge and take responsibility for your own sins. It will free you to receive God's forgiveness and to press on to spiritual maturity."

Jesus: First in Everything

by Christian Resource Cafe (Facebook page)

Jesus: First in Everything


“That He might have first place in all things.”  Colossians 1:18b
I’m going to begin with a radical statement:  You will never experience the fullness of joy that you were created to know until Jesus Christ has first place in every area of your life. Again, you will never experience the fullness of joy that you were created to know until Jesus Christ has first place in every area of your life.
Now hang on to that for a minute.  First place.

• First in my home.
• First in my choices for entertainment.
• First in the way I use my money.
• First in my career.
• First in my thoughts.
• First in my decisions.
• First in my marriage.
• First in my singleness.
• First in my relationships.
• First in my dreams for the future.

“I will never experience the fullness of joy that I was created to know until I put Jesus Christ first in every area of my life.”
I think a lot of people would intellectually subscribe to that, but I wonder how many of us would truly embrace that into our behavior?  That doesn’t come easily. So here’s what’s in front of us.  The quintessential passage on the supremacy of Jesus Christ is Colossians 1:15-19. So much of what we believe about Jesus Christ, what we love and celebrate about Him, comes from this passage so it demands our complete attention.  Whenever you think, “Jesus first,” think “Colossians 1.” It’s all here.
Colossians 1:16, “All things were created through [Christ] and for [Christ].”  Through Him and for Him.  Some people have a hard time with that. They’re like, “I can handle the fact that He created the universe, but I have a hard time with Him creating the universe for Himself.  Who does He think He is?  His glory?  His pleasure?  His purpose?  Is that ever prideful!  How self-centered can you get?!”  Listen.  The amazing thing is not that Jesus Christ created things, including us, for Himself.  The amazing thing is that He could care less.  That’s the amazing thing—that He has chosen in His incredible grace to love us, to dwell with us, to forgive us—the list goes on.  That’s the incredible news.
Think about your life.  Think about His persistent, persistent love.  Think about how faithfully He pursues you in spite of yourself.  The next time you sin or reject or ignore Him, how amazing is it that He just doesn’t walk away and say, “Forget you!”  That’s amazing!  He is not here for us; we are here for him.  We are here to bring Him glory.  We are here to display His splendor.  We are here to make Him known.  He is our purpose and we find our greatest joy when He is at the center of our lives.
Several years ago, Forbes magazine invited scholars from around the world to contribute to its seventy-fifth anniversary issue by answering this question: “Why are we so unhappy?”  And in came the essays from a panorama of perspectives and from supposedly some of the greatest minds of our generation.  Surprisingly, they agreed on this one point.  The primary reason for the unhappiness of mankind, they concluded, was “we have lost our moral and spiritual center.”  Ding! I’m telling you that center is Jesus Christ the Lord.  You will discover your greatest joy and your greatest fulfillment in putting Him in the center of your life.

Now—what burden are you carrying that the Lord Jesus couldn’t carry better?
What problem are you facing that you can afford to face without complete continuous dependence upon Him?
What sin have you been struggling with that you wouldn’t renounce for His glory?
What area of defeat have you been circling in that you wouldn’t choose in this moment to move afresh toward His all sufficiency in all things?
Colossians 1: 18b,“That He might have first place in all things.”

Dr. James MacDonald ~ www.walkintheword.com