“Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ “ Luke 8:24b-25a
“Truth is a Person, not a concept. Jesus said He was the Truth (John 14:6). That means that you can never know the truth of your circumstances unless you have first heard from Jesus. The disciples thought they were perishing in the storm. They were fishermen who knew the sea and knew what their condition was. They had allowed their circumstances to convince them that the “truth” was their imminent death. But they were wrong. Truth was asleep in the back of their boat!
Since some of the disciples were fishermen, they trusted in their own expertise and wisdom rather than recognizing that only Jesus knew the truth of their situation. At times, our human knowledge in certain areas of life can blind us to our desperate need to hear a word from Truth.
When Jesus spoke, the disciples saw the real truth of their situation. There was absolute calm. The disciples had seen Jesus perform other miracles, but they had not yet witnessed His power over nature in such a dimension. Often we are like the disciples. God may have recently demonstrated His power to us in a mighty way; we may have experienced many spiritual victories in the past. Yet, when a new and frightening situation comes upon us we, too, panic and say, ‘Lord, save me. I’m perishing!’ God will remind us of His provision, saying, ‘I can handle this situation, too, and you will know more of Me because of it.’
Have you become fearful instead of faithful? If you have, prepare for the rebuke, for it will come.”
“Experiencing God Day by Day”
Henry Blackaby & Richard Blackaby
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
HOLY MACKEREL!!
HUGE revelation this morning! A paradigm shift of the soul in this little office on Mockingbird Lane.
I hope I can articulate it.
Okay, so we all know that throughout our lives God will seek to grow us in our faith. He will continually bring me to times when I must trust Him. Like right now, for instance. When I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out why the first three years of the independent OMM has been what I term "so blessed" with constant work and a cushioned bank account. But not now. I know, I know, the economy, everybody's feeling it...but hear me out. All last year (year three), knowing that our lease would be up, we prayed diligently about whether we should find a cheaper place, stay here with the current space or stay here and expand. We also were presented with a three and five year option. We were clearly directed to stay here, expand and sign a five year lease. $$
Then almost immediately after all was signed, sealed and delivered, work stopped coming in. So we were frustrated and mad even because we weren't understanding why God would direct us down this road, but not provide. Well, I say "not provide" but here we are ¾ of the way through the year, we're still here, still open for business, still able to pay ourselves. But, you get the whole idea of stomach churning worry and sleepless nights. When what's in your face makes you forget what God is doing behind the scenes.
So we've been struggling with "trust" knowing full well that that's the lesson being taught here. It's been a roller coaster ride of emotions all year. Faith pretty solid, feeling stretched and trying hard to be confident in the Lord. Then other times feeling despair, anger, frustration...wondering how long this storm will be upon us and when the lesson is finished. But, regardless of where I am emotionally, whether I'm up or down, I am grumbling all the way as the storm tosses me about.
Every morning I try to read a little devotional book by Henry and Richard Blackaby called "Experiencing God Day by Day." This morning's reading knocked me off my "spiritual" chair. Here's what rocked me:
As I said earlier, God will seek to grow you in your faith.
"He will continually bring you to times when you must trust Him. He will lead you into situations that require a "little" faith, and if you are faithful, He will then take you into situations that require even greater trust in Him. Each time you are able to trust God at a higher level, God will reveal more of Himself to you. Your faith and experiencing God are directly linked.
The best way to tell if you are prepared for a greater revelation of God is to see how faithful you have been with what God has given you. This is a foundational principle in God's relationship with you. If you have been faithful with the little He has given you, you are ready to be entrusted with more. God will not lead you beyond your present level of trust and obedience to Him if you failed to trust God with the little He gave you."
WHOA!!! Wait a minute. So, we're in this present, what I call, "storm" because of how faithful and trusting we've been the last three years?!?! God took such good care of us. When we were badly hurting, feeling abused and abandoned, in our little faith we enjoyed such perfect provision. We were faithful, relying totally on Him, on our knees constantly seeking His face. So now He takes us into this situation (storm) because He feels we are ready to respond with greater faith and trust and the reward is that He will reveal Himself and we will know Him even more intimately.
Are you getting this? As the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians, "I DELIGHT... in hardships, in difficulties...for when I am weak, then I am strong."
Of course I knew all of this...what's shifted for me is that I should be DELIGHTING in this present state that I am in. D-E-L-I-G-H-T-I-N-G ! ! ! No grumbling, not moping, not depressed. DELIGHTING! For God trusts me. God has proved me faithful. So, He has rewarded me by taking me into a situation that He feels I am ready for. And I have this wonderful opportunity to prove Him right.
I went to a craft show with my Mom last Friday...bought a wooden carved plate that had this saying on it:
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain." Something about that saying struck home to me...I told my Mom I needed to get that plate because I felt that was a lesson I was learning right now. To not be knocked over by the trials and troubles that come my way...to learn to receive all with grace, peace and faithfulness.
This has been sloshing around in my mind and soul for months now. Why we Christians mope around and get depressed when we face trials and troubles in life. Because that's what I've been doing, and I've felt like I've been dishonoring God. People have asked me throughout this year, "How's business?" And, I've struggled with being faithful to God's provision and testifying to it and yet not feeling overly enthusiastic about our struggles and where we are right now. So, my response often ends up being a wet noodle testimony. Yuck! I'm sure God cringes every time He hears my response.
But, oh boy, not anymore!! Now my response and my life will reflect my DELIGHT in the knowledge that where I am right now, in this "storm"...it's where the Lord wants me to be and believes I'm ready to achieve the next level of faith and trust in Him. And if we are faithful, in return He will reveal Himself to us in even greater ways...WOW, WOW, WOW.
I hope I can articulate it.
Okay, so we all know that throughout our lives God will seek to grow us in our faith. He will continually bring me to times when I must trust Him. Like right now, for instance. When I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out why the first three years of the independent OMM has been what I term "so blessed" with constant work and a cushioned bank account. But not now. I know, I know, the economy, everybody's feeling it...but hear me out. All last year (year three), knowing that our lease would be up, we prayed diligently about whether we should find a cheaper place, stay here with the current space or stay here and expand. We also were presented with a three and five year option. We were clearly directed to stay here, expand and sign a five year lease. $$
Then almost immediately after all was signed, sealed and delivered, work stopped coming in. So we were frustrated and mad even because we weren't understanding why God would direct us down this road, but not provide. Well, I say "not provide" but here we are ¾ of the way through the year, we're still here, still open for business, still able to pay ourselves. But, you get the whole idea of stomach churning worry and sleepless nights. When what's in your face makes you forget what God is doing behind the scenes.
So we've been struggling with "trust" knowing full well that that's the lesson being taught here. It's been a roller coaster ride of emotions all year. Faith pretty solid, feeling stretched and trying hard to be confident in the Lord. Then other times feeling despair, anger, frustration...wondering how long this storm will be upon us and when the lesson is finished. But, regardless of where I am emotionally, whether I'm up or down, I am grumbling all the way as the storm tosses me about.
Every morning I try to read a little devotional book by Henry and Richard Blackaby called "Experiencing God Day by Day." This morning's reading knocked me off my "spiritual" chair. Here's what rocked me:
As I said earlier, God will seek to grow you in your faith.
"He will continually bring you to times when you must trust Him. He will lead you into situations that require a "little" faith, and if you are faithful, He will then take you into situations that require even greater trust in Him. Each time you are able to trust God at a higher level, God will reveal more of Himself to you. Your faith and experiencing God are directly linked.
The best way to tell if you are prepared for a greater revelation of God is to see how faithful you have been with what God has given you. This is a foundational principle in God's relationship with you. If you have been faithful with the little He has given you, you are ready to be entrusted with more. God will not lead you beyond your present level of trust and obedience to Him if you failed to trust God with the little He gave you."
WHOA!!! Wait a minute. So, we're in this present, what I call, "storm" because of how faithful and trusting we've been the last three years?!?! God took such good care of us. When we were badly hurting, feeling abused and abandoned, in our little faith we enjoyed such perfect provision. We were faithful, relying totally on Him, on our knees constantly seeking His face. So now He takes us into this situation (storm) because He feels we are ready to respond with greater faith and trust and the reward is that He will reveal Himself and we will know Him even more intimately.
Are you getting this? As the Apostle Paul says to the Corinthians, "I DELIGHT... in hardships, in difficulties...for when I am weak, then I am strong."
Of course I knew all of this...what's shifted for me is that I should be DELIGHTING in this present state that I am in. D-E-L-I-G-H-T-I-N-G ! ! ! No grumbling, not moping, not depressed. DELIGHTING! For God trusts me. God has proved me faithful. So, He has rewarded me by taking me into a situation that He feels I am ready for. And I have this wonderful opportunity to prove Him right.
I went to a craft show with my Mom last Friday...bought a wooden carved plate that had this saying on it:
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain." Something about that saying struck home to me...I told my Mom I needed to get that plate because I felt that was a lesson I was learning right now. To not be knocked over by the trials and troubles that come my way...to learn to receive all with grace, peace and faithfulness.
This has been sloshing around in my mind and soul for months now. Why we Christians mope around and get depressed when we face trials and troubles in life. Because that's what I've been doing, and I've felt like I've been dishonoring God. People have asked me throughout this year, "How's business?" And, I've struggled with being faithful to God's provision and testifying to it and yet not feeling overly enthusiastic about our struggles and where we are right now. So, my response often ends up being a wet noodle testimony. Yuck! I'm sure God cringes every time He hears my response.
But, oh boy, not anymore!! Now my response and my life will reflect my DELIGHT in the knowledge that where I am right now, in this "storm"...it's where the Lord wants me to be and believes I'm ready to achieve the next level of faith and trust in Him. And if we are faithful, in return He will reveal Himself to us in even greater ways...WOW, WOW, WOW.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
My Blessing to You Today
May Christ through your faith actually dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth of it; that you may really come to know practically, through experience for yourselves, the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled through all your being unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
Ephesians 3: 17-19
Ephesians 3: 17-19
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Day and Night
This year a group of G3 girlfriends have been meeting once a month on a Saturday afternoon to study God's Word. Jamee has taught us several study principles and techniques along with sharing some great study guide recommendations.
I read a devotional this morning by Henry & Richard Blackaby that talked about how critical meditation is to the Christian life. Psalm 1:2 says, "But her delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law she meditates day and night."
Blackabys state, "Meditation means 'to think deeply and continuously about something.' For a Christian, this means remaining in the presence of God and pondering each truth He reveals about Himself until it becomes real and personal in your life.
This certainly takes time and practice. But, when God's truth is allowed to touch the deepest corner of your soul, the Holy Spirit will transform you into the image of Jesus Christ."
I immediately thought of our monthly Bible study and how we read and study and take notes, but do we really "meditate" on the Word? Do we sit and be still before the Word that we've just studied? I do think about it...but do I meditate on it..."deeply and continuously?"
A challenge for us all.
I read a devotional this morning by Henry & Richard Blackaby that talked about how critical meditation is to the Christian life. Psalm 1:2 says, "But her delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law she meditates day and night."
Blackabys state, "Meditation means 'to think deeply and continuously about something.' For a Christian, this means remaining in the presence of God and pondering each truth He reveals about Himself until it becomes real and personal in your life.
This certainly takes time and practice. But, when God's truth is allowed to touch the deepest corner of your soul, the Holy Spirit will transform you into the image of Jesus Christ."
I immediately thought of our monthly Bible study and how we read and study and take notes, but do we really "meditate" on the Word? Do we sit and be still before the Word that we've just studied? I do think about it...but do I meditate on it..."deeply and continuously?"
A challenge for us all.
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