Direction Without Fear

“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. Genesis 46:3

I am God and I am also your father. I have prepared many paths for you along your life’s journey. When a path is presented to you seek me first to confirm it is my path and not yours or the enemy’s. If you have peace about your decision or direction, believe I will guide you. "I have gone before you and I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged," Deuteronomy 31:8. Whatever comes your way I will be with you and give you the strength you need to endure and grow to be more like the character of Jesus along the way.

Today when you feel uncertain of your direction or the outcome, cast your cares on me and say, “God I may not see or understand but I will continue to walk in your ways and believe you will reveal the right paths for me because I know you love me.”

My Flower Garden

The early spring weather called me to my flower garden. My first glance revealed the dead leaves from the fall and winter. Looking closer I saw sprouts of hope amid the decay. I knelt down and began to pull away the dead remains and discovered shoots of weeds, grass, and flowers stretching toward the sun. I wondered how I had let the weeds get so out of control. Was I too busy at the end of summer? Had I lost interest in the beauty?

I began to wonder what weeds in my heart and soul I have also let get out of control in this season of winter. With each pull of a weed I prayed for God to revel any weeds in my heart just waiting to grow. I asked Him to help me keep a closer watch in my garden and take care of the weeds at the start. I have spent way too many years ignoring them, only to find myself fighting them for years to get them out so I could see the SON once more.

With the help of Christ and the forgiveness of my sins, I can pull my weeds out root and all. Not only has God helped me with weed control, he has planted some new flowers. It will be exciting to see them reach for the SON, and I anticipate their glorious colors and shapes this coming year. 

My prayer for the garden of my life and yours as we make Christ the center is found in Isaiah 58:11, “The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

 What is the condition of your heart garden?

Gifts from Heaven

“It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks;” Genesis 43:23 NIV

I am your Father and I have given you treasures—gifts from heaven. I have personally designed and imparted them to you. On your journey through life, please discover them, learn about them, embrace them, and grow in them. Don’t allow the whispering of Satan to create fear of failure or of success. Come to me first through prayer and my word to gain wisdom, understanding, and confidence. You have a choice to trust in me and forge ahead on the path I’ve made for you or to let fear rob you of the potential and possibilities these gifts will enhance in your character, your life, and your destiny. I smile when I see you enjoying your gifts and especially when you share them with others as I have shared with you.

Today when you feel fear pressing you to hide or pull back from your gifts, stop for a minute, look heavenward, and say, “God, I will use my gifts to encourage one person today and to grow. My faith and gifts from you are greater than any fear in my head. Thank you for my gifts and the smile I will bring to your face.”

Life’s EKG

Have you ever seen the printout tape from an EKG? It shows the rhythm of your heart beat. It has highs and lows and times right in the middle. As I have looked at the events in my life and mapped out the highs and lows, I began to see the resemblance to an EKG. 

One of the interesting things I noticed while I mapped out my life appeared when I added where God showed up along the way; He was everywhere. I am alive today because of the hope Jesus planted deep in my soul when I was very young. Even though my early life’s circumstances and experiences often brought pain, in my core I still believed God was with me and things would somehow turn out for the good in the end. 

God was especially in the low parts of life when all was stripped away. I learned to trust and lean on Him. In the valleys I came heart to heart with God and I began to trust and believe He loved me for me and not for what I was or could be. He loves the imperfect human me and he has a plan for me. This is where I began to crave more time with God to get to know him more each day. I dove into His word, and that is where I want to remain. The growth of my personal relationship with God has brought revelation and confidence in knowing who I really am in Christ. 

I realized the course of my life’s journey created the “me” I am today - and I like me! In the past I rarely felt this way. I have embraced my past and I am thankful for the lessons and strength Christ gives me. I’ve come to understand that as long as I am on this earth, my life’s journey will continue to go up and down so I can learn and continue to grow. I pray my life’s lows will never be as bad as the ones I’ve experienced in the past, but I choose to release my control and will to allow God to work His will.  Only in that way I will turn out to be all He had planned for me to be. I won’t fight the rhythms of change and challenge; I will ask what I need to learn so I can grow. 

Being a child of God is about serving and sharing with others so they can see Christ in me and desire to connect with Christ personally. It isn’t about my comfort and happiness. Besides, no one can steal my joy or hurt and imprison my spirit. In Christ I am free indeed. I want to get to my home in heaven and run into the arms of Jesus.  I want Him to hug me and tell me how pleased He is that I embraced and learned from the rhythm of my life. This is my ultimate focus and goal.

What do you want at the end of your life’s read out?

Our Weakness

We all have a weakness. Satan knows them, too, and he is patient and persistent to start the groundwork for temptations that appear and feel good.  We discover they cover a barbed hook that gets lodged in our flesh. The only way the hook loosens is through the power of Jesus Christ. 

We, too, must be persistent and constantly pursue a personal relationship with Christ through prayer, praise, music, and studying his word.  Joyce Meyer says, “Our battlefield is in the mind,” and I find that to be true. The creator of the universe has given us the weapons to fight our spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-18.

No matter how long we have known God, we all have a weakness Satan relentlessly pursues. His whole purpose is to get us to doubt God, turn away from Him, and live in our flesh. This process happens little by little until one day we wake up to find ourselves encased in arrogance or self destructive behavior (this is pride either way).  We are empty inside, alone, bitter, addicted, and caught in an ever spinning wheel of sin, shame, regret, and trying to escape by our own power.

The only way to freedom, the only way to fight the war, is through Christ. We do not have the power or wisdom to wage the war between our flesh and spirit on our own. It’s like taking a knife to a machine gun fight. It breaks my heart to see people, especially famous people, being deceived by Satan to believe the drugs or other forms of escape they are offered will help them. I know from experience when you look only to yourself and have no one to help ground you to Christ and His example, you are walking into battle naked and unaware. Cling to Christ, your rock, savior, and defender. He is the only way truth and life. 

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;  Psalm 121:1-3 NIV

                   *      *      *

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
   don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
   he's the one who will keep you on track.
Don't assume that you know it all.
   Run to God! Run from evil! Proverbs 3:5-7 MSG

Who is your wisdom and strength in your battles of the flesh?

Journey

It’s a great feeling to climb to the top of a mountain and see the amazing view. Many times in my life I have experienced the same elation and freedom after Jesus has helped me pass through a storm in life. It may last a few minutes, weeks, or even a season. But, the reality of living on this earth keeps reminding me that this is not our home. We will never live in pure jubilation until we are in heaven with Jesus. I’m so grateful earth is not as good as it gets. 

Now I view my life as a journey with a specific path for me. To reach my full potential and complete the part God has designed for me to play, I must be diligent to keep moving forward. I realize this means I will be on the mountain tops but I will also be in the valleys, deserts, plains, and bogs. My journey is not about my comfort and happiness. It’s about showing others the love of Jesus through my service, words, and attitude.

In my early Christian state, I thought that because I was a child of God I would have an easier life. This thought was prideful and rang with a sense of entitlement. Who am I to think I will avoid temptation, trials, and pain when the savior of the world didn’t? 

As my relationship grew with Christ and I discovered who I am in Christ, I realize God can only work through me when I am willing to love and serve others no matter how I feel. When Christ works through me I learn to care, listen, and serve others without benefit to me. 

I have determined in my spirit not to let fear or the pain of the past keep me from experiencing walking on the water, parting my seas, or witnessing God’s miracles. I will persistently pursue the commands, precepts, but most of all the character of God Jesus himself modeled for us. I will not back down and shrivel up only to look back on my life with regret and disappointment. I will finish my race well and then I will enjoy eternal ecstasy with God in heaven.

How do you see your life’s journey?

New Buds

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17

A soft breeze caressed my face on my beautiful sunny afternoon walk. The kiss of the sun on my stale winter face infused my flesh with warmth and promise. Right about now the winter starts to feel like a cage, and yet there is faith and anticipation for the coming spring and newness of life waiting around the bend. 

I noticed the trees shared my faith and anticipation with the formation of the first signs of their buds. They have their hard protective casing intact, but I can see the new life that is to come. I, too, feel new life in the living God who dwells in my heart. His promises are ever new and His word is life giving. 

I asked God to help me see this new promise everyday and never lose sight of the new buds He’s continually forming in my life. I pray God will let your heart and soul feel and see the newness He’s creating in you too.

Take heart for this weather season or spiritual season of cold and dark will pass. Let not your heart be troubled. God is going before you. He will never leave or forsake you, do not be afraid or discouraged sons and daughters of God.

What are some of the new buds forming in your life?