DELIBERATELY LOVED

and believing it.

I posted on a social media site a few weeks ago about a conversation I had with our oldest son one night. He had basketball practice, and his brother and I had to leave in the middle of it to run an errand. Knowing our MCs are pretty attached to me, I wanted to make sure he was alright with us leaving him alone. I explained that we would be right back and that I wanted to make sure he was okay with it. He informed me that he had been alone before (mind you he was in a gym full of people), and then he said the most profound thing,

"Besides, Mom, I know you would never leave me."

I've got to tell you, a few tears welled up in the crinkles of my eyes. The purity of the faith in that statement was too much. My heart was tender to the fact that he knows I love him; that he knows he will not be abandoned; that he knows I will come back for him.  Sometimes as a mama, who in the midst of the training up has made mistakes, there is a piece of me afraid those truths might have gotten lost. I was relieved to know they hadn't.

My tears weren't just of relief, though. Some were of conviction. Could I, or more importantly have I, acted out of such pure faith toward my Heavenly Father? At times, yes, I have. At times, no, I have not. There have been those moments when I have felt I have been abandoned and forgotten.

I have learned, however, that what I feel is not always the truth.

The truth is that from the opening lines of Genesis 1 to the final words of the book of Revelation, God Almighty has declared these truths -

He deliberately loves me.

He will not abandon me.

He will come back for me.





I must be deliberate in believing them, not just knowing them. 
I must be deliberate in acting and reacting out of those truths.
I must be deliberate in not letting the voices of fear and doubt drown out those promises.

When I don't "feel" Him, when I don't "see" Him, when it appears I am alone, I must be deliberate in reminding my flesh the truth of God's word. I must purposefully remind myself that Christ sacrifice was a deliberate plan to conquer the enemy and restore me unto Himself.

Deliberately delivered from sin and death,
because I am deliberately loved.

And so are you.

Let us walk forth today not only knowing that, but believing it.







GALATIANS 3

Galatians 3:13
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law....

The curse of the law is not that the law is bad. The curse is our inability to keep the law in our own flesh.

Galatians 3:19
What purpose then does the law serve. It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to who the promise was made...

The law is a mirror. Looking into it we can see our sins. Our capacity to sin. No matter how good we have been or how well we were raised or how long we have been in church. We need to know how wrong we will go without Jesus.

Galatians 3:23-25
But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was out tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Once we accept Jesus, we are made righteous through faith in Him alone. Doesn't negate the law, but satisfies it. We are no longer required to fulfill it in order to attempt maintaining at right standing with God. That is done, finished, and completed through Jesus.

A good reminder for this rule follower.

SAUL or ANANIAS...

I am sure other people have made the comparison I am about to make, but I am going to make it anyway, because it hit me afresh last week.

Acts 9:3-5
As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Acts 9:10
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”
And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

Here we have Saul. Religious leader extraordinaire. He knew all the rules. He could read the scrolls. He was as good a Pharisee as one could be. Yet, he had no relationship with God or Jesus. He didn't even recognize the voice of the Lord when He spoke to Him.
Then there is Ananias. A disciple. Maybe he didn't know and keep all the rules. Perhaps he couldn't read all the scrolls. He knew Jesus though. He knew His voice when He called.

One of my concerns is that I don't become more like Saul than Ananias.
I know the rules, I know what and what not to do, I know the Scripture and can quote it, yet I miss the voice of the Lord. I don't even recognize it.

I think it is a healthy concern. Yes, it must be kept in check and not become a window for the enemy to get a foothold in my thoughts, but it is something to be aware of. Even Paul, formerly Saul, warns about it.

1 Timothy 6:20-21
O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

Guarding my faith. The entirety of it.
What I know the Scriptures say.
What I know to be the heart of God.
What I know He says about me.
Guard it.
Be on guard.

How?
By being in relationship with Him.
By reading the Word, hiding it in my heart, and knowing what it says to be true.
By talking with Him, not in rote prayers, but in honest conversation.
By being quiet before Him and listening.

By being deliberate in my pursuit of Jesus.

John 10:27-28
 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 


May we be found following our shepherd and led not astray by another.

WHAT'S YOUR STORY...

And the Lord said,“Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
Luke 22:31-32 (NKJV)


Tears. The beauty of this verse moved me to tears.

But I have prayed for you.....

Christ prayed for Peter. Just let that sink in. Christ went to His Father on behalf of a man who would soon deny Him. He does the same for us.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should
pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 
Romans 8:26

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Romans 8:34 


That your faith should not fail....

Knowing full well that the man was about to do that very thing, but believing that His faith would survive. Isn't amazing how He sees us? We look at Peter's story as an epic fail in the faith department. Y'all, I mean, EPIC! Yet Christ didn't.
Peter's faith might have been battered, but it made it through to the other side.
We can look at David and see an adulterer. A conspirator. A murder. A father who doesn't deal well with his kids. Even a coward at times.

And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—
Acts 13:22-23

God sees "a man after My own heart"?

How about Abraham? We see a man who had a child by another women in an attempt to gain the promise. God....He says,

And not being weak in faith, he [Abraham] did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.  He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,  and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.  And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Romans 4:19-22

Really? Dude who followed his own path to obtain the son God had promised him never wavered in His faith? A tough one for us to see, but not for God.


And when you have returned to Me....

The mere fact that Peter even could is enough to move you to tears. Christ, with open arms, is taking back into the fold a man who denied Him publicly, not once but three times. Christ is longing for Peter to come back. He has plans for Peter when he does.

^"I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,
And like a cloud, your sins.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”
Isaiah 44:22

...who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
Titus 2:14

Strengthen your brethern...

Peter had a story to tell. His story was encouragement. His story strengthened others. Hearing of his mistakes, God's grace, and Christ's redemption stiffened the spiritual backbone of those who were walking life out with him. It does the same for us and those we are walking with. It contributes to how we overcome.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 

Revelation 12:11

Y'all, Christ is so for us. Not that we get what we want and not that we are glorified, but that in our pursuit of Him, He is found. When we fall seeking Him, He picks us up. He is so for us being with Him each and every step of the way. He is for our story being one about Him...about victory... about our deliverance through Him.
He was and is deliberate about it.
Choosing then....choosing now.

You and I can have a story like Peter's.
Like David.
Like Abraham.
You and I just need to choose now.
We need to be deliberate in choosing what our story is going to be, and Who we are going to let write it.
So I ask you-
What's your story?

WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Luke 4:13 (NKJV)

Underneath I wrote -
Be ready - he comes again.

Again. The enemy comes again. At a time that works best for him, not me. He doesn't come when I am on my game. Nope, he comes when my game is compromised. Maybe after a victory. When that sense of pride and self-sufficiency comes in. When I forget Who was the source of that very victory. Maybe after a shocking blow. One that has knocked me to my knees. One that has shaken the very foundations of my faith. Maybe somewhere in the middle. Where I have just gotten lazy and comfortable. Where the battles seem easy. Where the road seems wide and level. The enemy doesn't care. I had better. I must be deliberate in keeping myself submitted Jesus, deliberate in keeping my armor on, and deliberate in fighting the good fight.
I don't fight, as Paul says, as "one who beats the air", but as one who has great hope because all though the enemy will come again, so will Jesus.

Revelation 19:11-16

(NKJV)

¹¹ Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

And our deliverance will be most definitely be deliberate.

A BEAUTIFUL MIND

Luke 8:35 (NKJV)

..." came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind"...

If you, like me,

face some of your strongest battles in your thought life,

this scripture brings a world of hope.

Hope that I can have a right mind.

One not given over to thoughts of

fear

anxiety

insecurity

vain imaginations

worry

hopelessness

panic

loneliness

jealousy

you can add your own to the list.

Hope of where such a mind can be found.

At the feet of Jesus

where we find this promise

 For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

See yourself.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Clothed in His righteousness.

In your right mind.

Confident of the One whose feet you sit at.

It is a beautiful picture.

It can be yours.

In Christ Jesus,

You, and I, 

 can have a beautiful mind.

Oh dear ones, let's deliberetly give it over to Him.

He can deliver us.

2 Corinthians 10:5 

"casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,"

ARE WE HEARING?

Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Mark 4:24-25 (NKJV)

I have written this post at least three times. There is so much I could say. So much I thought to say. The bottom line is this-

If we think we aren't hearing from God, maybe it is because you and I didn't use what we heard previously. Whether it be in a general act of obedience or a specific call to faith - did we use what we heard? I know for myself, the times I haven't, I did feel as though I lost something. The times I did, I heard Him even more clearly the next time.

Deliberately listening.

Deliberately using.

So that you and I can be deliberately delivered.

FALTERING

Right now I am working through Lysa Terkeurst's Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl participant's guide sans video. My lesson a couple of weeks ago had me reading 1 Kings 18:20 -39.The story is about the showdown between the prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. It is a familiar story to me. I have read many times. Yet, in doing so, I somehow missed this -

And Elijah came to all the people and said,"How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Ball, follow him." (vs. 21)

See that up there in the bold? It has been with me since I read it.
How long will I falter between two opinions? How long will I stumble going between the two? How long will I allow the going back and forth to weaken me in my purpose? How long have I been doing this? How long will I let it keep going on?
I find myself running between the opinion of man, which changes on a dime, and the opinion of God, which is eternal truth. I worry what people think at times. I have let people's opinion define me. I have been nice and turned my head at sin because the world says that is how a Christian should act instead of speaking the truth from a heart saturated with the love of Christ as God has told us to.
To give you a minor example, the other night in life group (or house church or small group or whatever your church calls it) our leader ended our time together by reading a story from The Voice of the Martyrs about children from the Sudan who were beaten for not renouncing Christ as the Lord. C...H...I...L...D...R...E...N. Then we were asked, if we wanted, to pray out loud for our group and our brothers and sisters in Christ. Sort of a round table time. I wanted to, I did, and I bawled like a baby through the whole thing. Tears freely flowing. Not a big scene mind you, but a steady stream of water running down my cheeks. We finished up, headed our separate ways, and it started. (Now let me tell you upfront we are new to this group and they don't know us very well and we don't know them.)
You are such a baby. They are going to think you don't have it together. They are all thinking you are just a big mess. You are an embarrassment to your husband. You made everyone uncomfortable. Do not EVER pray out loud again. You need to apologize to your leader and his wife.
That is how it goes, isn't it? I, mean, that was in the first 3 minutes after we got in the car to go home.
But while I was going back and forth in my mind, these thoughts came to me....
Do not apologize for your heart being broken for this. Your heart should be broken for this. Do not apologize for weeping while you pray for them.
Even now, I think to myself I sing the song lyrics that say break my heart for what breaks Yours and yet I felt the need to apologize when it happened? Because I was worried what my life group might think?
I could take on those words said by the enemy and could never speak again in the group. I could listen to what I think the opinion of man might be. Or I could keep pressing on seeking the opinion and truth of God, tears and all.
I don't know which two opinions you might be going between, but I do know this, you are faltering. You are stumbling. You are falling. Just like I am.
We need to choose today to stop it. We need to choose today to pick who we will serve. We need to choose Christ. We need to stop running back and forth, turn our faces toward Christ, set our feet to walking on the steady ground He provides and move forward!
With purpose.
Sure-footed.
Each step...
DELIBERATE.

Sweet Jesus, help us.

CONTENT WITH MY CROP

Matthew 13:3-8

(NKJV)

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

I have told you before that we raised watermelons when I was a kid growing up in Arkansas. A 30 fold crop would have been nothing to sneeze at. We would have been happy with a 30 fold crop. Until we met the guy who had a 60 fold crop. Then we would have wanted more. Of course, the 60 fold guy would be happy until he met the 100 fold guy.

Now, good can come from wanting a bigger harvest. You can learn ways to improve your planting. You can learn ways to improve your watering and tending to your plants. You can learn ways to utilize what you have to work with to best of its potential.

Bad can come as well. The competitive drive can cause you to over work your land and your workers. You can damage the land for future crops in the drive for the one big crop.

The question that I had was am I as content with my 30 fold as I would be with 60 or 100? Am I satisfied to be the good ground that produces 30 fold? Is it enough? Or does the comparison to other's harvest get me? Does it cause me to stumble in my planting? In my laboring for the "number" instead of the harvest I was made for?

I think it is clear from this verse we are not all going to achieve the same harvest. But that doesn't make one better than the other. After all, it was all good ground. What I need to strive for, and ask Christ every single day to help me with, is making the most of my seed and the land I am to plant in. To work hard and diligently in the planting season I have. Nurture those seeds and then watch as the harvest is reaped.

And be content.

Because the crop He has given me is enough.

For Him.

And it's all for Him.

WARY OF THE IMMEDIATE

Matthew 13:3-8 (NKJV)

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Two things in this passage have my attention and my heart right now.

Today, I'll just hit on the first one.

Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

How many times a day do I wish for immediate results? Immediate financial security? Immediate health? Immediate weight loss? Immediate fame? Our culture is all about immediate. Immediate status updates on Facebook. Immediate tweets. Immediate news coverage. Even in churches we have a desire for the instantaneous. The desire for immediate recognition or leadership roles sound familiar? Immediate "feel good" message from the pulpit that boosts my flesh and not my soul? Immediate acceptance of whatever lifestyle we choose to bring in?

As women, do we ever want immediate friendships? Especially with the popular people?

What I think this says, and what most of us have found out, is that "immediate" doesn't usually last. Immediate doesn't have what it takes to stick around when things get difficult. Immediate without any depth isn't going to cut it.

Don't misunderstand- I believe God can do immediate whenever and however He desires. And I believe He has, does and will. But man...well, man's track record is not so good.

And by man I mean me.

I am challenged by this in my own life to be alert to immediate. I need to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance in not only looking for times I seek the immediate, but also for the times I actually get it. Because getting it is sometimes much more dangerous than seeking it.

So while I am guarding my heart against my own flesh, I can be encouraged. Why? Because those times when I am having to dig deep into my faith are growing my roots. Those situations which force me to bury my head in the Word of God are only solidifying me in that very Word. I am encouraged to grow my roots in the good times as well as the bad. The roots I am planting are going to be what sustains me. They are what will keep me fed by the Bread of Life and watered by His Words.

Deliberate.

In digging down deep.

In securing my roots on Christ Jesus.

Roots that are not easily pulled up.

By this world.

By man.

By circumstances.

Deliberate Lord. Let me be, Lord, let me be.

REJECTING WHAT I KNOW...

My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge;

I also will reject you from being priest for Me;

Hosea 4:6a (NKJV)

WARNING! WARNING! Complete Rhonda thinking things out post ahead...Enter at your own risk.

Heard it a million times. Destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Cure, or preventative measures, for that....get knowledge of God. Get knowledge of Christ.

Rejecting knowledge though? I am thinking that is a different ball game. It is one thing for me to just not know. It is completely different when I know and I don't do. I reject the knowledge He has given me. Reject. As in my way is better than Yours Lord, and I am just not going to __________ like You told me to. You fill in your own blank.

Yep. That is a whole new deal right there.The question is how many times have I done just that? More than I care to count. More recent than I want to recall. Do I still have some things I am pretending I didn't hear Him about?

And when I do that, He rejects me from being priest. Not that I am rejected. That won't happen. But the ability for Him to use me to minister to others, that gets shutdown maybe? My ability to serve Him fully in impaired.

A lack of knowledge is not often deliberate. A continued lack could be. A rejection of knowledge is a choice I make. A deliberate choice.

The good thing about choice is when you have chosen wrong, the next chance you get you can choose right.

I can choose to not reject the knowledge Christ has provided.

I can choose to submit to that knowledge.

I can be deliberate about making my decisions based upon that and not my own knowledge.

I don't think it will be easy.

I am willing to bet it will come up soon.

I can guarantee that it will go against everything my flesh wants to do.

So I must be deliberate.

In order to be deliberately delivered.

MY PASTOR DONE GONE AND DONE IT NOW...

The young whippersnapper we call Pastor Todd said something last Sunday that, well, I just didn't like. Not one bit. Not to take it out of context, or argue prosperity, he basically said that for some of us, financially this is a good as it is going to get. Some of us may very well be called to live by faith our entire lives. (FYI, you can listen to the sermon to get the full picture).

I can't say I disagree with him, but I can't say I liked his answer right then.

I thought on it all day Sunday and pretty much everyday this week. The questions that kept coming back to my spirit were:

What if he is right?

Will that be enough?

Will I be satisfied?

All questions that go right along with my memory verse for the past two weeks,

Proverbs 27:7

A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, but to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

What am I finding my satisfaction in? Is it food? If I am satisfied in Christ, then I won't need that brownie or third piece of pizza to "fill' me. If not? Then I go on one of those rampages where I want to eat everything, no matter how bitter it is. What about the other way? What if my satisfaction is in how small that scale number says? Am I willing to do anything, no matter how bitter, to get there? And what about that money? Is my satisfaction in having just a little bit more and am I willing to do the next thing to make more? Always looking for that next big opportunity. Or am I satisfied with what I have and commit to using it to the glory of God?

I didn't like what he said because it hurt. It did. It stung a bit. It caused me to look at my own heart and it wasn't pretty. I do tend to want more. I don't like having to worry about money. But there in lies the sin...the worry. When I give that area completely to Christ, the worry goes away. Sure it doesn't go away quietly, but it has to submit to Christ when placed before Him. When placed before Him.

For any area you want to apply this verse to, and I think I can safely say that is pretty much all of them, my satisfaction has to be in Christ. Satisfaction that comes from being confident in who He is, who I am in Him, submitting my all to Him and obeying. Following through with what He has called His followers , of which I do profess to be, to do.

Easy to do? Not always. It is a choice to say it is enough....food, money, fame, status....

It is a deliberate choice.

In that choice, though, comes a deliverance you will never get from any number on a scale or in a bank account.

And that is pretty sweet.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

Yea, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also that the honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them your servant is warned,

And in keeping them is great reward.

Psalm 19:9-11 (NKJV)

BATTLE READY...

"These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any wars in Canaan (He did this only to teach warfare to the decedents of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience)...And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses."

Judges 3:1-2,4 (NIV)

I have spent days trying to think of what to say with these verses. What clever opening can I use? What examples can I share from my own life? How can I relate it to you in a blog?

What I came to realize this morning was the fact I can't say it any better than the Word does.

So I will give you my two cents:

1. Some stuff, or people, are left in your life to prepare you for warfare. Not with them, but with our real enemy.

2. You are not going to get through this walk with Christ without engaging in spiritual warfare. If you have so far, maybe time for a gut check.

3. Some battles, as much as we hate to think of them as so, are tests. Tests to see if we will stick with the plan.Tests to see if you and I will stay faithful to Christ Jesus when things get hard or scary.

I guess here is my point. Look at your life today. Whatever you are battling may just be a strategic skirmish to help prepare you for warfare. It is beneficial. It is purposeful. Yep, it may be difficult, but most battles are. Stay in there. Stand your ground. Wield your sword. (Ephesians 6)

He is deliberate in preparing you. Be deliberate in letting Him.

He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. Psalm 18:34 (NASB)

THE LEVITE PRIEST

Judges 17-18 has an interesting story about a young Levite priest. Here are some thoughts of mine after reading it and the corresponding footnotes.
1. He wasn't where he was supposed to be.

The Levites had designated areas, and he was out of them. How often have I found myself in trouble while being out of my designated area? Times when I have literally been places I was not supposed to be. I am sure I am not the only one. Spiritually, as well. When I try to take over a role that is not mine. In my marriage. In my church body. In my relationships with others. I have designated boundaries in my life. Boundaries I don't cross because I am a wife. Lines I operate within because I am a mom. Boundaries I respect because I am a Christian. The word boundaries sounds so restricted, but it is really not. Those lines are laid out for not only my good, but for the good of the body of Christ, and as with everything else, laid out to bring glory to God. Within those lines I am free to act, free to live, free to serve and love.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. (HCSB, Psalm 16:6)

2. He settled for man's security.

He was wandering. He was just looking for anywhere to stay. Anywhere he could feel secure. Can we relate? How often do we just look for that place in which we feel secure? Security is a good thing, and you should feel safe in your life. The problem is when we settle for that security from man and not from God. When we elevate our need for earthly security above God's call on and in our lives. We are not called to wander aimlessly in this life looking for things that make us feel secure. Not relationships, and how many times have we done that, not churches, not jobs. I may love my job, but I cannot put my trust in that above my trust in Christ Jesus. I love my husband and family, but my security cannot be tied up into one man and two little men children. My church or your church may be the best church ever! It can not replace the security I have in Jesus. My security is to be tied up in One...Christ Jesus ... God our Father. Settling for anything else is compromising the very security I am looking for.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (NIV, Hebrews 6:19)

3. His let his ego rule him.

They promised him status. How much better to be over many than just one? So the priest's heart was glad...(Jud. 18:20). Listen, I think promotion is a great thing, when it is a God thing. When we do our jobs like we are supposed to, promotion will often follow. He did not get promoted. Keeping in mind he had already taken two huge steps away from God, he simply took the next one. When you and I step away from where we are to be, when we settle for security of man, our flesh gets a whole lot more vocal, and we end up listening. I end up listening. When that happens, my ego starts making decisions and that is never good. Never.

I can't tell you I would not have been tempted to do exactly what he did when they offered him "more". More people. More money. More influence. More status. I know my weaknesses too well.

I know my flesh too well. The good news, I am not my flesh's. It does not own me. It is a dead man walking.

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24 (NKJV)

However, I must stay diligent in my walk with Jesus Christ. I have to tune myself to listen for His voice over the loud shouts of my dying flesh. I have to do it from the start.

Deliberate.

In seeing what my true motivations are.

Deliberate.

In making sure I stay as close to Him as I can.

Deliberate.

In laying it all before the Lord.

Deliberate.

In trusting Him above all else.

He will deliver.

YOUR OWN DOT DOT DOT

1 Chronicles 28:9-10 (NKJV)

"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it."

"for the Lord has chosen you to ....."

...be in that particular office, even though it is a battle on some days.

...mother those kiddos even when the days are long and the nights are short.

...love that man even when he drives you absolutely insane.

...be single at this time in your life for a greater purpose that, right now, only He can see clearly.

...be the only saved person in your entire family, so that you may extend the love and truth of Christ.

...serve those women in ministry.

...pastor that flock.

...teach that class.

...witness to that friend.

...go through whatever hardship you have now.

...celebrate whatever joy is blessing your socks off today.

...be in this generation, this time, right now, to spread the gospel of Christ to the dying world.

"If you seek Him, He will be found by you..."

...any day.

...any time.

...any where.

"be strong and do it."

FRESH EYES

One of the verses I often quote to myself is Psalm 4:8,
I will both lie me down in peace and sleep; For you alone , O lord, make me dwell in safety.
To lie down in peace. To have my mind shut off and stop with all the what ifs. To have all the anxieties and worries and taunts of the enemy silenced. I have laid in bed and not been at peace. I have laid in bed and had my mind go on and on and on. To have prayed for sleep. Safe sleep. Knowing that I am looked after by the Most High God. He alone is the What, and more importantly the Who, my safety depends on.
Earlier this week I started reading the Proverbs again. One day I asked the Lord to give me fresh eyes to read His word with. New revelation. New hope. I came across Proverbs 3:24,
When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
In all my searching for passages about sleep, I don't remember seeing that one, yet there it is.
And it brought me peace. Sweet sleep gives me fresh eyes. Fresh eyes to see others instead of myself. Fresh eyes to see the goodness of God in my own life when the world wants to dish out a lot of bad. Fresh eyes to see needs I can meet, joys I can celebrate, and burdens I can help carry.

If you have tired eyes, eyes that have their vision blurred by any number of things thrown your way, ask Him for fresh ones. Ask Christ for sweet sleep so that you may wake up in the morning with eyes ready to see the glories of His creation in and around you.
He will deliberately deliver.

NO HEIGHT OR DEPTH (OF EMOTION)

I have been reading about David the past month or so. Reading a lot of Psalms. David felt it all didn't he? Felt it all deeply. He mourned deeply. He praised deeply. When he was angry at people he deeply asked God to wipe them off the planet. Some of the angry prayers I am not sure I could pray for God to do to someone else, but our boy David is right there in the mix. He is so human. So flawed. So much in need of God. So in love with God. Knowing all of that brings me comfort. David is just a reflection of us. He was just as messed up as the rest of us. He acted out of fear at times. He showed great courage and restraint one minute and was a selfish pompous punk the next.

Yet while it brings me comfort to know we are so much alike, what brings me peace and hope is that God stuck it out with him. God never abandoned David, even in David's worst moments. God still loved him. God still shepherded him. God was still the Rock David could cling to, even in the middle of his own personal storm.

God chose to be there.

He deliberately made Himself available for David.

He does the same for you and I.

He chose to send Christ so you and I could be in relationship with them.

He deliberately set out the path Christ would walk which would end in His own personal pain for our salvation.

Nothing separated David from His love.

Nothing separates us....except us.

Turn to Him.

Kneel before Jesus.

Call on His name.

Tell Him everything.

It won't be too much for Him.

He will be more than enough for you.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

IT'S A NUMBERS GAME

"And the Lord said to Gideon,"The people who are with you are too many for me to give the Midianites in to their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying,'My own hand has saved me.' "

And He dwindles it down from 32,000 to 10,000.

"But the Lord said to Gideon, " The people are still too many;...." "

And He cut it from 10,000 to 300.

Can you imagine? Having an army of 32,000 men cut to 300? I would be a bit nervous myself. Imagine if it were 32,000 dollars cut down to 300?

Or 32,000 followers on twitter suddenly down to 300?

How about 32,000 church members down to 300?

Just put what ever you want in...32,000 _____________ cut down to 300___________.

32,000 of whatever you put your trust in.

Whittled down to 300.

Why?

The Lord will weed out your "security" in numbers, so that you know it was Him.

In this numbers game called life,

His number is One.

He is the One our security is in, not that bank account.

He is the One we should be following, and not following us.

He is the One we go to church to worship, not having them worship us.

He is the One we can trust.

He is the One we seek to please.

He is the One.

He should be my One.

Forgive me Lord when I have put other things in that position.

May I be deliberate in choosing to elevate nothing else above You.

WHINERS...YEP....THAT IS WHAT THEY WERE

and so am I. My bible reading plan has me just finishing up Joshua. I couldn't help but notice a contrast between Joshua and Moses. When Moses was called out back in Exodus 3, he had every excuse possible why he shouldn't and couldn't be the one to deliver the people. Skip on over to Joshua and we see a different leader. Joshua seems to be a man of action. I read no whining by Joshua when he was called to be the leader. The Lord said do it and Joshua went at it. Full force. Right up until chapter 7, when Israel got their tails handed to them. Then we see a different Joshua. A tad bit of a dramatic Joshua. A whining Joshua. And Joshua said, "Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all - to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!" Joshua 7: 7 (NKJV) He is ripping his clothes, throwing dirt on his head, lying on the ground....whining. Echoing the complaints of the generation before. And the Lord had heard enough. So the Lord said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?" Joshua 7:11 (NKJV) Having kids, I can put my own inflection on those statements. I have said similar words to my own boys. I have been frustrated with them at times with their fits. I have been embarrassed by them. I get how He feels a little bit. These passages reminded me of several things. First, I am not alone in my pity parties. I am not the first to have them and I won't be the last. Second, the Lord gets tired of them. He gets to the point where He has heard enough of my whining and calls me to get up. Thirdly, even though He may be frustrated with me or embarrassed by the fit I throw, just like me with my boys, He always loves. In the very midst of my pity party He loves me. In His correction to get up, He loves me. Deliberately....

WHO NEEDS TO SEE?

"And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments or not."

Deuteronomy 8:2 (NKJV)



Kinda stinks doesn't it. The thought that the Lord our God would deliberately deliver us into a "wilderness" to test our hearts. We have to admit, though, we can understand why. Why He needs to know if we have such a heart. Nevertheless, not exactly warm fuzzies. It should give us hope though. Hope that He is still working on us. Hope that the state of our heart still matters to Him. Hope that He is testing us, to see if we are ready for what's next.

The seeing, however, is actually ours. He already knows. We need to see that He is it. Jesus Christ is to be our overriding focus. We need to see we need Him. We need to see God doesn't leave us. Even in the barren land, when we can't see anything for miles, He still provides. In the thick forest, when we can't see anything 2 feet in front of our face, He is still leading. In either case, all we need to see is Him.

If you are feeling a wilderness season coming on, or perhaps are in the thick of it now, don't get caught up in what you don't see.

Be deliberate in what you do see.

See Jesus.

He sees you.

And every step you need to take.