Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. ~ Luke 4:1-2
Have you ever been in a place where you thought to yourself, "Lord, what in the world are You doing? Do You have any idea what's going on in my life right now?"
I wonder if Jesus had any thoughts like this? He had been baptized by John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased." (Luke 3:21-22) Then, the next thing we see is that He is filled with the Holy Spirit but led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil. I can imagine Him saying something like this..."OK God, You just told me You were well pleased with Me, and now You send me out into the wilderness to fight the enemy? This is not what I expected!" Have you ever felt that way?
Jesus was led out into the wilderness to prepare Him for His ministry. He went through this period of being tempted by the devil and He won as He used the Word to defeat the enemy. The next time we see Jesus, He returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and He begins teaching, healing the sick, casting out demons, and performing all kinds of miracles.
God does the same thing with us. We find ourselves in the wilderness and a lot of times the enemy starts trying to convince us that we've done something wrong that caused us to be in this place. We may think that God is mad at us. We wrestle with all the wrong thoughts when in reality, sometimes God Himself led us there to prepare us! What kind of struggle are you in? What is the enemy tempting you with? That may be the very thing that God wants you to use to help others. If you're being fought physically with sickness, etc, He may be preparing you to minister to others who are sick. We must change our perspective and find out what God is trying to teach us while we're in the wilderness. We must also find out how He wants us to use the knowledge that we've gained.
God doesn't get pleasure out of watching us suffer. There's a purpose for our pain. He wants to use us to impact our world and if we will allow Him to do a complete work in us and we will learn to cooperate with Him, we will be amazed at the work He does in and through us. Our wilderness experiences will completely transform us if we will surrender to His will and trust Him to lead us every step of the way! These experiences will equip us to reach more people than we could ever imagine! Remember, it's not about us! God has a plan and He wants to use you to change your world!
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Wisdom
For whoever finds me [Wisdom] finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from the Lord. ~ Proverbs 8:35
Have you ever been in a situation and you just didn't know what to do? Sometimes life throws some things our way and we really don't know which direction we are supposed to take.
James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." How encouraging to know that we can ask God for wisdom and He will give it to us! However, we must read on. James 1:6-7 continues..."But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
When we ask God for wisdom and direction for our lives, do we really ask in faith? Are we truly seeking Him for direction or do we just throw some meaningless words in the air hoping that He will come down and fix everything? We must understand that God wants us to have wisdom. He wants to lead and guide us in every step we take. Walking with Him is not supposed to be a mystery. He loves us and it is His desire to show us things and to share His heart with us. We have to make sure that we are seeking Him. We have to make sure that we are laying aside all the hindrances and distractions and seeking Him with an undivided heart.
Proverbs 8:35 says that if we find wisdom, we find life and obtain favor from the Lord. That sounds to me like He wants us to have wisdom! He wants us to enjoy abundant life and to walk in His favor! That is part of His plan and that comes with walking intimately with Him.
Make it a point as you begin this new year to start seeking the Lord as never before. Be serious about your relationship with Him and may He be your first priority. Go to Him first, not as a last resort. He holds your future in His hands and it is His desire to let His favor and blessings overtake you!
Have you ever been in a situation and you just didn't know what to do? Sometimes life throws some things our way and we really don't know which direction we are supposed to take.
James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." How encouraging to know that we can ask God for wisdom and He will give it to us! However, we must read on. James 1:6-7 continues..."But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
When we ask God for wisdom and direction for our lives, do we really ask in faith? Are we truly seeking Him for direction or do we just throw some meaningless words in the air hoping that He will come down and fix everything? We must understand that God wants us to have wisdom. He wants to lead and guide us in every step we take. Walking with Him is not supposed to be a mystery. He loves us and it is His desire to show us things and to share His heart with us. We have to make sure that we are seeking Him. We have to make sure that we are laying aside all the hindrances and distractions and seeking Him with an undivided heart.
Proverbs 8:35 says that if we find wisdom, we find life and obtain favor from the Lord. That sounds to me like He wants us to have wisdom! He wants us to enjoy abundant life and to walk in His favor! That is part of His plan and that comes with walking intimately with Him.
Make it a point as you begin this new year to start seeking the Lord as never before. Be serious about your relationship with Him and may He be your first priority. Go to Him first, not as a last resort. He holds your future in His hands and it is His desire to let His favor and blessings overtake you!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
With All Your Heart
Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ~ Jeremiah 29:12-13 AMP
Years ago the Lord gave me this illustration...
You're up one morning and you're all ready to head to work. You have everything in hand and you're about to go out the door. All of a sudden you realize you can't find your keys. You throw everything down and frantically start going through the house looking for your keys. You know your car is sitting outside but without those keys, you can't go anywhere. You don't want to be late for work so you are in a desperate search for them.
Then the Lord began to speak to my heart. He began to so sweetly tell me how He wants His children to seek after Him with that same desperation. He wants us to be so dependent on Him that we know we can't take one step without Him. He must be a vital necessity in our lives.
We put so much emphasis on earthly things. People panic if they walk out the door without their cell phone. We depend on so many things that really aren't a necessity. They have just become a priority in our lives. It's not wrong at all to enjoy all the technology and the things that make life much simpler. But we can't afford to put God on the back burner and think our cell phone or any other thing is more important than Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 says that we will find Him when we search for Him with all of our heart. As we begin each day, do we jump out of bed and frantically begin the busyness of the day that awaits us? Or do we slow down just to spend some time with Him before all the craziness begins? He wants to be first in our lives. If we will take the time each day to give Him our undivided attention, our day will go so much smoother! Begin your day with Him. Spend time in His Word and talking to Him. Also take time to listen to what He wants to say to you. You will be surprised at the strength that comes from spending time with Your Father. Don't try to tackle the day all alone. Don't walk out that door without ever acknowledging Him. Start your day with Him and let Him walk with you through everything the day brings. Then you will find joy, peace, and His grace that is sufficient for each day!
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ~ Jeremiah 29:12-13 AMP
Years ago the Lord gave me this illustration...
You're up one morning and you're all ready to head to work. You have everything in hand and you're about to go out the door. All of a sudden you realize you can't find your keys. You throw everything down and frantically start going through the house looking for your keys. You know your car is sitting outside but without those keys, you can't go anywhere. You don't want to be late for work so you are in a desperate search for them.
Then the Lord began to speak to my heart. He began to so sweetly tell me how He wants His children to seek after Him with that same desperation. He wants us to be so dependent on Him that we know we can't take one step without Him. He must be a vital necessity in our lives.
We put so much emphasis on earthly things. People panic if they walk out the door without their cell phone. We depend on so many things that really aren't a necessity. They have just become a priority in our lives. It's not wrong at all to enjoy all the technology and the things that make life much simpler. But we can't afford to put God on the back burner and think our cell phone or any other thing is more important than Him.
Jeremiah 29:13 says that we will find Him when we search for Him with all of our heart. As we begin each day, do we jump out of bed and frantically begin the busyness of the day that awaits us? Or do we slow down just to spend some time with Him before all the craziness begins? He wants to be first in our lives. If we will take the time each day to give Him our undivided attention, our day will go so much smoother! Begin your day with Him. Spend time in His Word and talking to Him. Also take time to listen to what He wants to say to you. You will be surprised at the strength that comes from spending time with Your Father. Don't try to tackle the day all alone. Don't walk out that door without ever acknowledging Him. Start your day with Him and let Him walk with you through everything the day brings. Then you will find joy, peace, and His grace that is sufficient for each day!
Friday, January 4, 2013
My Hiding Place
You are a hiding place for me; You, Lord, preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! ~ Psalm 32:7
As I sit here this morning meditating on the Lord and seeking a Word from Him that will give me strength for this day, I stumble across this verse. I have read it before, but today it has a special meaning for me.
You see, I am in the midst of a battle right now. As we go through life, we have our mountain experiences and then we have to go through the valley. We will never stay in either place. We are constantly moving and growing and it takes going through both places to reach our destination. There is a purpose for the mountain as well as the valley. We can't grow comfortable in either place. God does not want us to set up camp in these places. We have to keep moving and trusting that both places will help perfect the work that He is doing within us.
When I read this verse, it reminds me that trials are inevitable. They are going to come. But my comfort comes when I read that He is my hiding place! He preserves me from trouble! Though the war may be raging all around me, and sometimes even within, I can be assured that I am safe and secure in His arms! The winds may threaten to destroy me, but I shall not be moved!! He is my Strong Tower! My Fortress! My Rock! My Deliverer! My Healer! My Peace! Whatever I need Him to be for whatever situation comes my way, HE IS!! He is called the great I AM! He is EVERYTHING I NEED HIM TO BE!!
So what are you facing today? Maybe you're on the mountaintop and life is wonderful right now! Or maybe you're in your own valley. Take courage! He is surrounding you with songs and shouts of deliverance! He is your hiding place! The storm that is raging will not overtake you! This storm will pass and once again you will be standing on the mountaintop! Rest in His peace and let Him do a deep and thorough work inside of you. The most life changing moments I have experienced always came while in the valley, in the midst of the wilderness where no one but God could help me! We would never have great victories if we didn't have to go through trials. Trials strengthen us and help us know God better! They mold us and conform us to His image! It's always darkest right before the breakthrough so keep hanging on! I see the light beginning to break through the storm clouds! Sunny skies are on the way!!
As I sit here this morning meditating on the Lord and seeking a Word from Him that will give me strength for this day, I stumble across this verse. I have read it before, but today it has a special meaning for me.
You see, I am in the midst of a battle right now. As we go through life, we have our mountain experiences and then we have to go through the valley. We will never stay in either place. We are constantly moving and growing and it takes going through both places to reach our destination. There is a purpose for the mountain as well as the valley. We can't grow comfortable in either place. God does not want us to set up camp in these places. We have to keep moving and trusting that both places will help perfect the work that He is doing within us.
When I read this verse, it reminds me that trials are inevitable. They are going to come. But my comfort comes when I read that He is my hiding place! He preserves me from trouble! Though the war may be raging all around me, and sometimes even within, I can be assured that I am safe and secure in His arms! The winds may threaten to destroy me, but I shall not be moved!! He is my Strong Tower! My Fortress! My Rock! My Deliverer! My Healer! My Peace! Whatever I need Him to be for whatever situation comes my way, HE IS!! He is called the great I AM! He is EVERYTHING I NEED HIM TO BE!!
So what are you facing today? Maybe you're on the mountaintop and life is wonderful right now! Or maybe you're in your own valley. Take courage! He is surrounding you with songs and shouts of deliverance! He is your hiding place! The storm that is raging will not overtake you! This storm will pass and once again you will be standing on the mountaintop! Rest in His peace and let Him do a deep and thorough work inside of you. The most life changing moments I have experienced always came while in the valley, in the midst of the wilderness where no one but God could help me! We would never have great victories if we didn't have to go through trials. Trials strengthen us and help us know God better! They mold us and conform us to His image! It's always darkest right before the breakthrough so keep hanging on! I see the light beginning to break through the storm clouds! Sunny skies are on the way!!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Peace in the Storm
Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “ Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ~ Mark 4:39
Just imagine the fear the disciples must have felt as they were out in the boat in the middle of a terrible storm. The Bible tells us that the waves were beating the boat to the point that the boat was starting to fill up with water. While this was going on, Jesus was asleep! Now I don't know about you, but I have to admit that I would probably be pretty afraid if I was in that boat about to sink. Drowning is not something that I would like to do!
Look at Jesus' response after they woke Him up. He rebuked the wind and commanded the storm to stop! It did exactly what He said. But that's not all. He looked at the disciples and said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4:40) Wow, what a blow! They were about to lose their lives and Jesus wants to question their faith!
The point is, they were NOT about to lose their lives! When we go by what we SEE, we forget that we already have the answer right there with us. We focus more on the storm instead of the solution. The disciples were focused on the storm and forgot that Jesus was right there in the boat with them. They allowed emotions to cause them to react with fear instead of calling out to Jesus and letting Him help them.
We do the same thing. The doctor may give us a bad report. Our kids may get in trouble. We may be having financial difficulty or our spouse may have walked out on us. We face situations on a daily basis and we have a choice to make. Are we going to be like the disciples and allow fear to overtake us? Or are we going to exercise our faith and cry out to Jesus? Jesus is our peace in the midst of the storm and He will help us in whatever situation we find ourselves in. Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
We have to keep our minds on Him. We have to remember His Word and know that His Word will not return void! Don't try to handle the pressures of life all by yourself. Don't allow fear to consume you when something comes that you can't handle. Give it to Jesus and let Him speak peace to the storm! Rest in Him and trust that He will bring you safely through!
Just imagine the fear the disciples must have felt as they were out in the boat in the middle of a terrible storm. The Bible tells us that the waves were beating the boat to the point that the boat was starting to fill up with water. While this was going on, Jesus was asleep! Now I don't know about you, but I have to admit that I would probably be pretty afraid if I was in that boat about to sink. Drowning is not something that I would like to do!
Look at Jesus' response after they woke Him up. He rebuked the wind and commanded the storm to stop! It did exactly what He said. But that's not all. He looked at the disciples and said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4:40) Wow, what a blow! They were about to lose their lives and Jesus wants to question their faith!
The point is, they were NOT about to lose their lives! When we go by what we SEE, we forget that we already have the answer right there with us. We focus more on the storm instead of the solution. The disciples were focused on the storm and forgot that Jesus was right there in the boat with them. They allowed emotions to cause them to react with fear instead of calling out to Jesus and letting Him help them.
We do the same thing. The doctor may give us a bad report. Our kids may get in trouble. We may be having financial difficulty or our spouse may have walked out on us. We face situations on a daily basis and we have a choice to make. Are we going to be like the disciples and allow fear to overtake us? Or are we going to exercise our faith and cry out to Jesus? Jesus is our peace in the midst of the storm and He will help us in whatever situation we find ourselves in. Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
We have to keep our minds on Him. We have to remember His Word and know that His Word will not return void! Don't try to handle the pressures of life all by yourself. Don't allow fear to consume you when something comes that you can't handle. Give it to Jesus and let Him speak peace to the storm! Rest in Him and trust that He will bring you safely through!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Only Believe
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “ Do not be afraid; only believe.” ~ Mark 5:36
In the midst of all that life throws our way, it is so much easier to believe what we see with our eyes. We know that the Bible says, "By His stripes we are healed" but our body is still in pain. The Bible declares that "He will meet all of our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" but we have no money in the bank and they're about to turn our power off. We keep reminding ourselves that "no weapon formed against us will prosper" but we were wrongfully accused and let go from our job and everything seems to be going in favor of those who mistreated us.
So what do we do when we stand on the Word of God and everything still keeps going wrong? ONLY BELIEVE! No matter what happens, we have to keep believing. We have to take God at His Word and know without a doubt that it is true. Truth will prevail. We just have to keep believing and refuse to be moved by what we see!
Psalm 34:19 reminds us that "Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all." It doesn't say we won't have to fight before we get there. It doesn't say when He will deliver us. It is a simple reminder that we WILL face lots of difficulties in this life. It doesn't mean we are out of God's will. It says "many are the afflictions of the RIGHTEOUS." And it promises that He will deliver us...we have to keep believing that He will deliver us in His way, in His time!
It's not our place to make the rules or have everything figured out. We will waste a lot of time of we spend our days trying to figure God out! In order to have peace, we must keep our mind on Him and know that He is working on our behalf. We have to keep believing that His Word is true regardless of what circumstances tell us. He is there and He will deliver us, either out of the situation or through it. Either way, He causes all things to work together for our good! Believe that He knows what He's doing and He will bring to pass His perfect will for your life!
In the midst of all that life throws our way, it is so much easier to believe what we see with our eyes. We know that the Bible says, "By His stripes we are healed" but our body is still in pain. The Bible declares that "He will meet all of our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" but we have no money in the bank and they're about to turn our power off. We keep reminding ourselves that "no weapon formed against us will prosper" but we were wrongfully accused and let go from our job and everything seems to be going in favor of those who mistreated us.
So what do we do when we stand on the Word of God and everything still keeps going wrong? ONLY BELIEVE! No matter what happens, we have to keep believing. We have to take God at His Word and know without a doubt that it is true. Truth will prevail. We just have to keep believing and refuse to be moved by what we see!
Psalm 34:19 reminds us that "Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all." It doesn't say we won't have to fight before we get there. It doesn't say when He will deliver us. It is a simple reminder that we WILL face lots of difficulties in this life. It doesn't mean we are out of God's will. It says "many are the afflictions of the RIGHTEOUS." And it promises that He will deliver us...we have to keep believing that He will deliver us in His way, in His time!
It's not our place to make the rules or have everything figured out. We will waste a lot of time of we spend our days trying to figure God out! In order to have peace, we must keep our mind on Him and know that He is working on our behalf. We have to keep believing that His Word is true regardless of what circumstances tell us. He is there and He will deliver us, either out of the situation or through it. Either way, He causes all things to work together for our good! Believe that He knows what He's doing and He will bring to pass His perfect will for your life!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
A New Creation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17
Today is the first day of a brand new year! Whatever happened last year is now in the past. Today is the beginning of a fresh new start!
As we go through life, years change. Seasons change. We have birthdays that mark another year that we've been alive. With each change, there is usually lots of excitement as we approach something "new." We celebrate on New Year's Eve to bring in the new year. We celebrate birthdays. We generally make a big deal out of these days.
There is another day we need to celebrate! When we give our heart to the Lord and make Jesus our personal Savior, this is cause for a huge celebration! When we become a Christian, we are a new creation! Whatever happened prior to that time is in the past forever. Whatever we did or whatever happened in our lives does not matter. We are completely forgiven. Our sins are removed from us and remembered no more. God washes us clean and we are made brand new! Now isn't that cause for celebration?!
We can stop worrying about what once was. It is over. From this day forward we can walk in newness of life. We can experience the abundant life God has for us. His mercies are new every day. As we start each new day, it's a brand new start with Him! He gives us strength and wisdom to go throughout our day. He leads us in the way we need to go. He walks with us. We can rest in His peace. He is continually transforming us and changing us so we begin taking on His character.
Accept this newness of life. Stop walking around under a load of condemnation because you don't feel like you "fit the part." His Word tells you that you are a new creation. Receive that by faith. It will take a while for your mind to be renewed according to the Word and for you to change your behavior, but that doesn't change the fact that you have already been made brand new! It is already done! It is finished! Now walk with Him and trust that He will help you every day to become more like Him!
Today is the first day of a brand new year! Whatever happened last year is now in the past. Today is the beginning of a fresh new start!
As we go through life, years change. Seasons change. We have birthdays that mark another year that we've been alive. With each change, there is usually lots of excitement as we approach something "new." We celebrate on New Year's Eve to bring in the new year. We celebrate birthdays. We generally make a big deal out of these days.
There is another day we need to celebrate! When we give our heart to the Lord and make Jesus our personal Savior, this is cause for a huge celebration! When we become a Christian, we are a new creation! Whatever happened prior to that time is in the past forever. Whatever we did or whatever happened in our lives does not matter. We are completely forgiven. Our sins are removed from us and remembered no more. God washes us clean and we are made brand new! Now isn't that cause for celebration?!
We can stop worrying about what once was. It is over. From this day forward we can walk in newness of life. We can experience the abundant life God has for us. His mercies are new every day. As we start each new day, it's a brand new start with Him! He gives us strength and wisdom to go throughout our day. He leads us in the way we need to go. He walks with us. We can rest in His peace. He is continually transforming us and changing us so we begin taking on His character.
Accept this newness of life. Stop walking around under a load of condemnation because you don't feel like you "fit the part." His Word tells you that you are a new creation. Receive that by faith. It will take a while for your mind to be renewed according to the Word and for you to change your behavior, but that doesn't change the fact that you have already been made brand new! It is already done! It is finished! Now walk with Him and trust that He will help you every day to become more like Him!
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