I have been pondering these last few days/weeks why hurt around certain situations keeps rearing its ugly head - mostly when we least expect it. While I am not certain if I have the answer, what came into my thoughts almost immediately (and actually made me stop and ponder it) was that every time pain creeps into our hearts bringing up tender aches inside of us, we have a choice. We have the choice to allow it to hurt us again, or we have a choice to work on being the overcomers that God has created us to be and face the situation with confidence that this too shall one day pass.
Sometimes those aches become addictions to our soul. Almost as though we can't live without the hurt. Or, moreso, we are incapable of coping without that yoke of pain inside of us.
I quit smoking 1 1/2 years ago. I had a dream 1 1/2 years prior to the time I quit. In this dream, God spoke to me directly and said, "Kelli, Beloved, you need to quit smoking. It will be really hard for 3 months. But, when you do, you will reap eternal blessings." And you know, when I woke up, the only thing that resonated with me was that it would be really hard for 3 months. Not the fact that the King of Kings spoke to me in a dream. Not that I would reap eternal blessings. It was fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not having my crutch to lean on any more. Fear that Daddy would really let me down. Fear, fear, and more fear.
I wish I could tell you that my heart changed, that I was a willing participant and didn't give Daddy any crap...but that would be a lie. It was hard. Harder still after the first 3 months. Probably because my attitude stunk, making it harder for God to tear down the barriers of my addiction. I was still driven by fear. I was angry that Daddy didn't take the cravings away from me (because I knew He could!). I was angry that He hadn't blessed me with all the abundance I thought I deserved (with a heart of stone, no less). I don't know how long it took for me to finally lay my will down (throwing my hands up in frustration that I wasn't making head-way under my own understanding) and humbling myself to a point where I could hear God's voice of reason. I remember with every craving, whether crying, contending or whispering, I would speak out the name of Jesus. And, He never failed me. Today, I think about the agony that I put myself through by just wanting to do things my way. I tell people constantly that pat me on the back for quitting, that it certainly was not by anything I did, but by His grace, His mercy, His patience. The only thing I did was to make a choice daily to listen to the voice of Jesus instead of the voice of the enemy and the voice of my pain. HA! That almost makes it sound easy. And, it wasn't. But, God is faithful and if His children call out to Him...He answers.
There are things in all of our lives that He is willing to remove if we allow Him to enter in. But, let's be honest, it isn't going to feel good. It is going to hurt and you are going to want that pain to stop the very moment it enters you (at least, that has been the case with me!). THE PAIN IS TEMPORARY! You are not alone! Your Daddy, the creator of the universe is standing with you. He is not only holding you, but He is delighting in you through your process. He sees the final outcome ... The victory! The freedom! The deliverance! The courage to overcome! Every time we overcome, we heal!!
I encourage you during those times of pain, to look at where that pain is really coming from. And, give it to the Lord. He can handle it. You and I will come out the other side of this grief stronger and better able to overcome it the next time it invades our thoughts. We will believe more in the power of prayer because we are on our faces in desperation. We will know that our Daddy fights for us and if He is for us, who dare be against us.
Beloved, know this. With every problem, God gives us a promise and a provision.
He created us to be salt and light and this process is to get us there faster.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Baby steps
I have been spending a lot of time in the presence of God, lately. Desperation does that. When you are desperate, it is best to be desperate for God. I have been on my face pleading with Him to show me His glory, His forgiveness, His love, His pleasure, His faithfulness and His sufficiency. What He has done is He has lifted me from the miry clay, rinsing me in His oil of joy, drying me with His tender hands, and pushing me back off the ledge to "try again".
I have found restoration within my soul. I have a sense of freedom. Although I am not always happy about what is going on around me, I have a joy bubbling up inside of me like a wellspring. I am excited that God's desire is for me to be the fullest version of who He created me to be. I feel the dead weight of my baggage being carted away from me - bit by bit, not all at once, mind you.
I pray the same for you... Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine drinking deeply of His truth. Opening your hands and releasing your burdens to Him who died for them. And, being free...
I have found restoration within my soul. I have a sense of freedom. Although I am not always happy about what is going on around me, I have a joy bubbling up inside of me like a wellspring. I am excited that God's desire is for me to be the fullest version of who He created me to be. I feel the dead weight of my baggage being carted away from me - bit by bit, not all at once, mind you.
I pray the same for you... Close your eyes for a moment. Imagine drinking deeply of His truth. Opening your hands and releasing your burdens to Him who died for them. And, being free...
Identity
As you may have noticed, I take breaks in between the stories of my life. I think it is self preservation. This is hard stuff being completely transparent…and, so publicly as writing a blog. But, I know that the purpose of this blog is bigger than me and my hope and prayer continues to be that while this may be painful to lay out the story of my life at times, it will ultimately be a blessing to those who read it. I truly hope that while you read this blog you will find freedom in those tender places. I ask that you prepare a place where our Daddy can come in and massage your heart. What I know to be true is that our Daddy is a good Daddy. He is patient. He awaits the day when we come to Him with all of our pain. When we lay our hurts down at the foot of the cross. When we open our hands into a receiving position and give Him everything. When we posture our hearts in a way that He can fill in that God shaped hole.
I have had a vision that I want to share with you. Please let this permeate your very being…
I have been battered, broken and beaten. I am bloody, my clothes are torn and stained. I am a mess. I am weeping, I hurt so badly. I see my Daddy in the distance and I start running toward Him. Tears are streaming down my face. I don’t know if I can make it to Him, but I use every last bit of strength I have. He is dressed in fine robes. He is royalty, you know. He opens His arms to me and I run into Him weeping, broken, bloody, battered and beaten. He embraces me. He doesn’t pay any attention to his robes getting dirty and bloody. He holds me and He cries with me. He lets me stay cradled in His lap until I am spent and can cry no longer. Then, He gently wipes the blood and dirt off of me. He dresses me in robes. He calls me His bride…
I have had a really hard time realizing that my identity comes from my Daddy and not that of this world. My entire life I have felt as if I were a throwaway. That I was actually a mistake and there was no purpose for my existence.
When I was around 6 years old, I was adopted by my parents who I call my parents today. It was my 6th birthday present, I think. I was so excited that I finally had a family to call my own! Trying to start a new life, they gave me a new name. I was born as Vanessa Marie. I had to put that identity behind me and grow into Kelli Sue. I remember the endless tape recording that it took to “memorize” my new identity. “My name is Vanessa Marie…no, no, sorry, my name is Kelli Sue Ward.” My parents never meant any harm by renaming me – they just wanted a fresh start, but in my childish mind, what was really happening, was that I needed to be changed into someone brand new because the old me wasn’t good enough. Maybe this new identity would make me worthy, to make me someone of value. I wanted to be accepted for who I was…
When I was around 6 years old, I was adopted by my parents who I call my parents today. It was my 6th birthday present, I think. I was so excited that I finally had a family to call my own! Trying to start a new life, they gave me a new name. I was born as Vanessa Marie. I had to put that identity behind me and grow into Kelli Sue. I remember the endless tape recording that it took to “memorize” my new identity. “My name is Vanessa Marie…no, no, sorry, my name is Kelli Sue Ward.” My parents never meant any harm by renaming me – they just wanted a fresh start, but in my childish mind, what was really happening, was that I needed to be changed into someone brand new because the old me wasn’t good enough. Maybe this new identity would make me worthy, to make me someone of value. I wanted to be accepted for who I was…
I am in process. What I am slowing (snail like) coming to realize is that God doesn’t make crap. He thought up each and every one of us. He personally chose our gifts, abilities and talents. He formed us in our mothers wombs. But, the most important thing is that HE, the Creator of the universe, wanted and desired us to be here, in fellowship with Him as part of the Bride. We are not accidents.
It wasn't until later that I realized, through theophostic prayer, that God used both identities to form me into who I am today...Vanessa means butterfly. For those who really know me, butterflies bring me face to face with Jesus. I have been that way for as long as I could remember. Whenever I see a butterfly, I delight in the fact that Jesus is with me. My heart expanded as I realized that Daddy knew (and treasured/delighted in) that intimate detail about me. Kelli means warrior. (smiling) That is me. I war on behalf of those I love. I war in the spiritual and I war in the natural - through prayer and intercession, not physically. I fight for people to be free...
God made me a worshipper, so music speaks volumes to my spirit. This is one of my fave’s…
LeCrea - Lyrics to The Bride :
Yeah she may look gritty
When her man come back she gone look so pretty - She the Church
You might see her acting crazy, be patient with her tho cause she still God's baby - She the Church
Before you dis her get to know her, Jesus got a thing fo her and died just to show her - She the Church
She ain't bricks and buildings
She all of God's people Men women and children
[Verse 1:]
A building of beings being constructed
Christ is the cornerstone, foundation build on another and you's a goner holmes
She' built on em, supported by him, conformed to him, now she's a body of bodies who transform through him
A temple that breathes we are the halls,
We are the floor board or more we are the walls
Manifold wisdom of God no longer a mystery
The church is the pinnacle of our salvific history
One flesh union homie
The Tri-union is glorified through our corporatized communion
Still the present reality is she was born a casualty though she's made alive
She's affected by depravity
Once lived in sin and enslaved by her lust and
Folks catch her slippin and they turn away disgusted
She's a work in progress Christ is the head of her
And He wash her clean with the words that he done said to her
She's already pretty but she's really not dressed and sometimes she look silly but she's far from a mess
Yes, please so don't be dissin cause Jesus done paid grip an
And if you didn't then should caller her Misses. I'm talking bout the church
[Verse 2:]
Her name is ecclesia meaning the the assembly
Bows to (the Trinity) No other Divinity
A body family and community she is all one
But on earth you see her in congregational small ones
A microcosm or a small scale example
But yes it is the church even though it's just a sample
Invisible spiritual
Physical visible
Not a brick temple never that simple
This a not a building
She is not bricks
She's a world changer but ain't bout getting rich
Perpetrating fakes cause a lot of folks to hate
Plus her hands get dirty and her feet get scraped
And sometimes her body parts start acting outa place
Legs tryna be arms
Arms thinking they the face
But she'll never be replaced with a one man band or a small Taliban with no body in command
[Verse 3:]
Some don't get it so they hate
They say she's on a paper chase they say she's really fake
So they go start a ministry so they can do the work
But they don't understand how Jesus feel about His church
And yeah they make disciples
They got plenty conversions
They take care of the widows and the orphans they be workin
But none of them are churchin
No church structure
No elders and no discipline
They don't have a conductor
And they so they don't submit
But quite a few of them baptize
People how I pray that you'd look at this thing from God's eyes
Take responsibility inside the whole council not just the area where you might have a mouthful
Who should people submit to
Who will conduct the discipline
If excommunicated what body will they be missing then
Look at Ephesians 4 where Paul gets practical
1st timothy and Titus if you thinking I'm irrational
When her man come back she gone look so pretty - She the Church
You might see her acting crazy, be patient with her tho cause she still God's baby - She the Church
Before you dis her get to know her, Jesus got a thing fo her and died just to show her - She the Church
She ain't bricks and buildings
She all of God's people Men women and children
[Verse 1:]
A building of beings being constructed
Christ is the cornerstone, foundation build on another and you's a goner holmes
She' built on em, supported by him, conformed to him, now she's a body of bodies who transform through him
A temple that breathes we are the halls,
We are the floor board or more we are the walls
Manifold wisdom of God no longer a mystery
The church is the pinnacle of our salvific history
One flesh union homie
The Tri-union is glorified through our corporatized communion
Still the present reality is she was born a casualty though she's made alive
She's affected by depravity
Once lived in sin and enslaved by her lust and
Folks catch her slippin and they turn away disgusted
She's a work in progress Christ is the head of her
And He wash her clean with the words that he done said to her
She's already pretty but she's really not dressed and sometimes she look silly but she's far from a mess
Yes, please so don't be dissin cause Jesus done paid grip an
And if you didn't then should caller her Misses. I'm talking bout the church
[Verse 2:]
Her name is ecclesia meaning the the assembly
Bows to (the Trinity) No other Divinity
A body family and community she is all one
But on earth you see her in congregational small ones
A microcosm or a small scale example
But yes it is the church even though it's just a sample
Invisible spiritual
Physical visible
Not a brick temple never that simple
This a not a building
She is not bricks
She's a world changer but ain't bout getting rich
Perpetrating fakes cause a lot of folks to hate
Plus her hands get dirty and her feet get scraped
And sometimes her body parts start acting outa place
Legs tryna be arms
Arms thinking they the face
But she'll never be replaced with a one man band or a small Taliban with no body in command
[Verse 3:]
Some don't get it so they hate
They say she's on a paper chase they say she's really fake
So they go start a ministry so they can do the work
But they don't understand how Jesus feel about His church
And yeah they make disciples
They got plenty conversions
They take care of the widows and the orphans they be workin
But none of them are churchin
No church structure
No elders and no discipline
They don't have a conductor
And they so they don't submit
But quite a few of them baptize
People how I pray that you'd look at this thing from God's eyes
Take responsibility inside the whole council not just the area where you might have a mouthful
Who should people submit to
Who will conduct the discipline
If excommunicated what body will they be missing then
Look at Ephesians 4 where Paul gets practical
1st timothy and Titus if you thinking I'm irrational
Monday, April 4, 2011
Verses to live by
2 Thessalonians 3 – Prayer/deliverance
1 Timothy 2:8 – Lift up holy hands without anger
2 Timothy 1:6-7 – Fan God’s gift into flame
2 Timothy 1:14 – Guard the good deposit
Ephesians 6:10-20 – Armor
Ephesians 4:17-32 – Live as children of light
Ephesians 4:2-4 – Be humble, gentle. Keep unity.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – God’s grace is sufficient; His power in our weakness
2 Corinthians 4 – Treasures in jars of clay
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – God comforts us to comfort others
1 Corinthians 12:12 – One body, many parts
Romans 5:3 – Rejoice in our sufferings
Hebrews 3:12-15 – Guard our hearts, encourage one another
1 Timothy 1:18 – By prophecy, wage a good warfare
1 Corinthians 13:8 – Partial/Progressive
Exodus 6 – Conditional; dependent on human behavior
1 Timothy 2:8 – Lift up holy hands without anger
2 Timothy 1:6-7 – Fan God’s gift into flame
2 Timothy 1:14 – Guard the good deposit
Ephesians 6:10-20 – Armor
Ephesians 4:17-32 – Live as children of light
Ephesians 4:2-4 – Be humble, gentle. Keep unity.
2 Corinthians 12:9 – God’s grace is sufficient; His power in our weakness
2 Corinthians 4 – Treasures in jars of clay
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – God comforts us to comfort others
1 Corinthians 12:12 – One body, many parts
Romans 5:3 – Rejoice in our sufferings
Hebrews 3:12-15 – Guard our hearts, encourage one another
1 Timothy 1:18 – By prophecy, wage a good warfare
1 Corinthians 13:8 – Partial/Progressive
Exodus 6 – Conditional; dependent on human behavior
Forgiveness - Releasing anothers debt
Can we talk about forgiveness today? During my counseling/theophostic sessions, I have realized that I have harbored (am harboring) unforgiveness when remembering certain circumstances brought up from my past. So, to embrace healing, I need to embrace forgiveness and what that really entails. These are my sermon notes from a 2006 message that Joel Alberti preached at Mad City Church. I pray that we all glean from this wisdom, that we partake in forgiving those who have hurt us, and that we release them from the debt against us.
Forgiving others:
Do not ignore what happened
Forgiveness is not excusing people for the wrongs they have done
It is not reconciliation or restoration
It is not forgetting
Forgiving is:
The act of setting someone free from a debt. Giving (freely) mercy
We have been TOTALLY forgiven by God.
We should look to how Christ forgave us and use that as our guideline.
Matthew 18:32-33
Pay it forward (forgive as we have been forgiven)!
Leave a legacy. How do you want people to remember you? I don't want to be known as a bitter person. I want to be known as someone who lived freely because they allowed others to live freely.
Colossians 3:13
Qualities of forgiveness:
Choice to forgive – Forgiveness is a choice to give up resentment and offer a gift of mercy to someone who doesn’t deserve it. Act of will. Obedience to Christ. This is a process.
Willingness to face reality – Be wise. Do not have a hardened heart, be honest with yourself. Forgiveness promotes strength and obedience.
Condition of the heart – God is in control. Do I trust Him to take care of things?
Matthew 18:15, 21-22
Refuse to punish others for their wrongdoing against you.
Refuse to remember the wrongs against you. Do NOT use weapons against those who have hurt you.
Refuse to pass on offense. Do not gossip, go straight to the person who hurt you and work it out with them face to face.
Ask for blessings upon those who hurt you.
Matthew 5:43-44
Develop God’s perspective. See the bigger picture. Love as God loves. Leave ME out of the equation. Allow God to soften my heart. Have grace on others because they are hurting too. God loves everyone. We are all sinners. Love your enemies and pray for them.
God is sovereign! God knows what He is doing. Trust Him! Don’t question Him.
Matthew 6:14-15
How do I know if I have truly forgiven?
Faced reality and released debt.
Knowing someone is not sorry.
Relinquish the right to keep score (keep no record of wrongs)
Empathize with the other person.
Know God forgives them as He forgives you.
Consequences of unforgivness:
Prison and torment for me, not the person who hurt me.
Inner torment
Bitterness/resentment
Strongholds
Robbers of peace and joy.
Inability to get along with others.
Untrusting, blaming, critical, pessimist, victim mentality
Breach in relationship with God.
Daddy, I want to pray for the grace to forgive others freely. To free others from their debt against us. Help us to forgive as you forgive. I pray peace over every individual situation we are faced with. Daddy, I pray that every time a seedling of bitterness or a seedling of offense rises up inside of us, we remember the sacrifice You made on our behalf. I pray that we are teachable. I pray that our hearts are filled with compassion instead of spite. Daddy, forgive me for not forgiving others.
Forgiving others:
Do not ignore what happened
Forgiveness is not excusing people for the wrongs they have done
It is not reconciliation or restoration
It is not forgetting
Forgiving is:
The act of setting someone free from a debt. Giving (freely) mercy
We have been TOTALLY forgiven by God.
We should look to how Christ forgave us and use that as our guideline.
Matthew 18:32-33
Pay it forward (forgive as we have been forgiven)!
Leave a legacy. How do you want people to remember you? I don't want to be known as a bitter person. I want to be known as someone who lived freely because they allowed others to live freely.
Colossians 3:13
Qualities of forgiveness:
Choice to forgive – Forgiveness is a choice to give up resentment and offer a gift of mercy to someone who doesn’t deserve it. Act of will. Obedience to Christ. This is a process.
Willingness to face reality – Be wise. Do not have a hardened heart, be honest with yourself. Forgiveness promotes strength and obedience.
Condition of the heart – God is in control. Do I trust Him to take care of things?
Matthew 18:15, 21-22
Refuse to punish others for their wrongdoing against you.
Refuse to remember the wrongs against you. Do NOT use weapons against those who have hurt you.
Refuse to pass on offense. Do not gossip, go straight to the person who hurt you and work it out with them face to face.
Ask for blessings upon those who hurt you.
Matthew 5:43-44
Develop God’s perspective. See the bigger picture. Love as God loves. Leave ME out of the equation. Allow God to soften my heart. Have grace on others because they are hurting too. God loves everyone. We are all sinners. Love your enemies and pray for them.
God is sovereign! God knows what He is doing. Trust Him! Don’t question Him.
Matthew 6:14-15
How do I know if I have truly forgiven?
Faced reality and released debt.
Knowing someone is not sorry.
Relinquish the right to keep score (keep no record of wrongs)
Empathize with the other person.
Know God forgives them as He forgives you.
Consequences of unforgivness:
Prison and torment for me, not the person who hurt me.
Inner torment
Bitterness/resentment
Strongholds
Robbers of peace and joy.
Inability to get along with others.
Untrusting, blaming, critical, pessimist, victim mentality
Breach in relationship with God.
Daddy, I want to pray for the grace to forgive others freely. To free others from their debt against us. Help us to forgive as you forgive. I pray peace over every individual situation we are faced with. Daddy, I pray that every time a seedling of bitterness or a seedling of offense rises up inside of us, we remember the sacrifice You made on our behalf. I pray that we are teachable. I pray that our hearts are filled with compassion instead of spite. Daddy, forgive me for not forgiving others.
Friday, April 1, 2011
More on love...
I know many of you have heard me say that God has me in a season of "loving better". I am not even certain what this means or entails, but I know that God is working in and through me to make me into the "lover" that He has created me to be. The process has been surprisingly intense, painful, refining and lovely, all at the same time. God has enlarged the expanses of my heart. He has brought me face to face with the lies that have bound me since childhood. He has literally ripped shrapnel from my past, has bandaged those broken places with His tenderness and His oil of joy, and is massaging my heart back to wholeness.
Is God calling you to "love better"? To have a little more grace for that co-worker that gets on your nerves. To provide "random acts of kindness" to someone. To pray a blessing over someone you don't get along with.
My daughter's teacher pulled me aside at the beginning of the year and told me a story of how Lexi loved well. There is a girl in Lexi's class named Cassie that has special needs. She struggles with anger and had been physically abusive in prior settings. Every day, Lexi came into school and hugged Cassie. Her friends made fun of her, but she kept doing it. She always included Cassie in her recess activities and offered to sit by her at lunch. Lexi's teacher told Lexi that it wasn't safe to hug on Cassie like she did because Cassie had anger problems and could really hurt Lexi. Lexi felt really bad, but listened to her teacher. That very day, at the end of the school day during "Gratitude Attitudes" (telling who/what they are grateful for), when it was Cassie's turn, Cassie said, "I am grateful for my only friend Lexi. Because she hugs me everyday. And that makes me not want to hit anyone." Lexi was allowed to hug Cassie everyday thereafter. God is speaking to the hearts of our children, as well as into ours.
Daddy, give us opportunities to love better. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear the needs of those around us. Bring us to a place of preferring others over ourselves. Help us to be sensitive to the situations you bring us into at home, in our places of fellowship, at church and at work. Use us Lord to love the unlovable, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, encourage the despairing, and rescue (pray for) the oppressed. We give you our hands and feet, we give you our hearts and minds, we give you our finances and our possessions. We acknowledge that everything we have has been given to us by You, our loving Daddy. We cast our eyes on You, the source of our peace and our hope; the author and perfector of our lives. Draw us near so that we may know You more deeply, so that we have even more to give back to You and to others... Amen.
Blessings, my friends. May you be refreshed by the love of our Daddy today.
Is God calling you to "love better"? To have a little more grace for that co-worker that gets on your nerves. To provide "random acts of kindness" to someone. To pray a blessing over someone you don't get along with.
My daughter's teacher pulled me aside at the beginning of the year and told me a story of how Lexi loved well. There is a girl in Lexi's class named Cassie that has special needs. She struggles with anger and had been physically abusive in prior settings. Every day, Lexi came into school and hugged Cassie. Her friends made fun of her, but she kept doing it. She always included Cassie in her recess activities and offered to sit by her at lunch. Lexi's teacher told Lexi that it wasn't safe to hug on Cassie like she did because Cassie had anger problems and could really hurt Lexi. Lexi felt really bad, but listened to her teacher. That very day, at the end of the school day during "Gratitude Attitudes" (telling who/what they are grateful for), when it was Cassie's turn, Cassie said, "I am grateful for my only friend Lexi. Because she hugs me everyday. And that makes me not want to hit anyone." Lexi was allowed to hug Cassie everyday thereafter. God is speaking to the hearts of our children, as well as into ours.
Daddy, give us opportunities to love better. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear the needs of those around us. Bring us to a place of preferring others over ourselves. Help us to be sensitive to the situations you bring us into at home, in our places of fellowship, at church and at work. Use us Lord to love the unlovable, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, encourage the despairing, and rescue (pray for) the oppressed. We give you our hands and feet, we give you our hearts and minds, we give you our finances and our possessions. We acknowledge that everything we have has been given to us by You, our loving Daddy. We cast our eyes on You, the source of our peace and our hope; the author and perfector of our lives. Draw us near so that we may know You more deeply, so that we have even more to give back to You and to others... Amen.
Blessings, my friends. May you be refreshed by the love of our Daddy today.
Bridges, not walls
"Building bridges, not walls" - Joyce Meyer
Ephesians 2:14 - For He is our peace. He has made us both one, and has broken down the hostile dividing wall between us.
"One day while I was praying, the Holy Spirit showed me that my life had become a bridge for others to pass over and find their place in God. For many years, I erected only walls in my life; but now where there were walls, there are bridges instead. All the difficult and unfair things that have happened to me have been turned into highways over which others can pass to find the same liberty I have found. I have learned to build bridges instead of walls.
In Hebrews 5:9 Jesus is referred to as "the Author and Source of eternal salvation." He pioneered a pathway to God for us. He became a highway for us to pass over. It is as though He faced a giant forest and went in ahead of us so that when we came along we could drive right through it without having to fight all the elements and the density of the forest. He sacrificed Himself for us; and now that we are benefiting from His sacrifice, He is giving us a chance to sacrifice for others so they can reap the same benefits we enjoy.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross for the joy of obtaining the prize that was set before Him. I like to remind myself of that fact when the way seems hard. I tell myself, "Keep pressing on!" Ther is JOY ahead."
Make a decision to tear down your walls and build bridges. There are many, many people who are lost in their messes and need someone to go before them and show them the way. Why not be that person for them? Walls or bridges? The choice is yours."
I hope you choose to be a bridge…I have.
Ephesians 2:14 - For He is our peace. He has made us both one, and has broken down the hostile dividing wall between us.
"One day while I was praying, the Holy Spirit showed me that my life had become a bridge for others to pass over and find their place in God. For many years, I erected only walls in my life; but now where there were walls, there are bridges instead. All the difficult and unfair things that have happened to me have been turned into highways over which others can pass to find the same liberty I have found. I have learned to build bridges instead of walls.
In Hebrews 5:9 Jesus is referred to as "the Author and Source of eternal salvation." He pioneered a pathway to God for us. He became a highway for us to pass over. It is as though He faced a giant forest and went in ahead of us so that when we came along we could drive right through it without having to fight all the elements and the density of the forest. He sacrificed Himself for us; and now that we are benefiting from His sacrifice, He is giving us a chance to sacrifice for others so they can reap the same benefits we enjoy.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross for the joy of obtaining the prize that was set before Him. I like to remind myself of that fact when the way seems hard. I tell myself, "Keep pressing on!" Ther is JOY ahead."
Make a decision to tear down your walls and build bridges. There are many, many people who are lost in their messes and need someone to go before them and show them the way. Why not be that person for them? Walls or bridges? The choice is yours."
I hope you choose to be a bridge…I have.
WHOOT!
I don't know about you, but these last few weeks have been a time of refining (iron sharpening iron). God is lengthening, strengthening, deepening and widening my heart for others. He is speaking truth where lies previously resided. He is painfully picking away the shrapnel of my past, and replacing it with His tenderness, His mercies, His grace and His abounding, unconditional love. Mmmmm... Can we rest in that for a moment? The God of the universe, that created life, created us. He desired us. He formed us to be in relationship with Him. All because He loves us. I pray that God captivates your heart as He has captivated mine. I pray that your soul is refreshed. That God replaces the shrapnel in your life, with His tender truth.
"God is love and all who live in love live in God and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect." 1 John 4:16-17
My heart aches with joy and excitement to be on this adventure. My hope for you is that during the coming months, you are restored to a whole version of who you were meant to be in Christ. In that wholeness, we can really witness to those around us. In that wholeness, the light of Jesus/Spirit/God will shine forth. In that wholeness, people will be drawn to us and want what we have.
"God is love and all who live in love live in God and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect." 1 John 4:16-17
My heart aches with joy and excitement to be on this adventure. My hope for you is that during the coming months, you are restored to a whole version of who you were meant to be in Christ. In that wholeness, we can really witness to those around us. In that wholeness, the light of Jesus/Spirit/God will shine forth. In that wholeness, people will be drawn to us and want what we have.
To love or not to love
My heart hurts today for everyone that I have ever hurt...willingly or unwillingly. Talk about a yoke of bondage! (No wonder Jesus says to lay all of our burdens at the foot of the cross! In order to live/walk in freedom, we must release our yoke and put it upon Him who suffered and died for it.) Maybe God is convicting me to really think before I act/speak. Yet again, He is peeling me back layer by layer, bringing to the surface all the hidden shrapnel that has laid waste inside of me.
God has called me into a season of “loving better”. I am not sure if I really like this season. Not that I don’t long to love better…it’s just that I don’t like coming to terms with how I haven’t loved well in the past. I feel guilty and condemned for not being a perfect lover. But, that doesn't come from the Lord. Those are the remains from lies past... God isn't doing this to spite me, but to reveal to me how to love with HIS pure, unconditional love. A heart that loves without judgement. Imagine this - being loved for EXACTLY who you are. No if’s, and’s or but’s about it. I love you. Period. No strings attached. Tears gather in my eyes just thinking of that. To be honest, I think the reason I can’t love like this (yet!) is because I have never experienced it myself. Or allowed myself to. There is only One who can really love me/you in that way.
I think what it boils down to, and this is me owning my issues, is that I have had unreasonable expectations on those I care about. I have sought perfection and when I didn't find it, I got disappointed. No one can live up to to perfection, because no one is perfect. So, Daddy...work in me! Heal me! Deliver me! And teach me to love both the lovable and unlovable things in others. I want to be loved wholly for who I am. Guide my thoughts, words and actions. Heal my heart so I can love with wholeness. Tether me to truth, Daddy.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (NIV)
God has called me into a season of “loving better”. I am not sure if I really like this season. Not that I don’t long to love better…it’s just that I don’t like coming to terms with how I haven’t loved well in the past. I feel guilty and condemned for not being a perfect lover. But, that doesn't come from the Lord. Those are the remains from lies past... God isn't doing this to spite me, but to reveal to me how to love with HIS pure, unconditional love. A heart that loves without judgement. Imagine this - being loved for EXACTLY who you are. No if’s, and’s or but’s about it. I love you. Period. No strings attached. Tears gather in my eyes just thinking of that. To be honest, I think the reason I can’t love like this (yet!) is because I have never experienced it myself. Or allowed myself to. There is only One who can really love me/you in that way.
I think what it boils down to, and this is me owning my issues, is that I have had unreasonable expectations on those I care about. I have sought perfection and when I didn't find it, I got disappointed. No one can live up to to perfection, because no one is perfect. So, Daddy...work in me! Heal me! Deliver me! And teach me to love both the lovable and unlovable things in others. I want to be loved wholly for who I am. Guide my thoughts, words and actions. Heal my heart so I can love with wholeness. Tether me to truth, Daddy.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (NIV)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)