As I pull up my blog, I am completely shocked to find that I haven't posted anything since April??? I don't know what to say....so sorry!!! Lately, I've gotten kinda stuck all because I've always heard that in order to do something really well - you need to focus more completely on that one thing. So because I have about a zillion different interests....I just stood at a stand still because I couldn't seem to choose which thing God wanted me to do. But ya know what? I just realized that because we are all unique, maybe I'm just different in that I can do many things well. So I'm gonna just give it a go & talk about it as well. You in for the ride?
So lately - God's been putting this statement in my mind over & over, "mix it up." I am passionate about many things, first & foremost Jesus & my relationship with Him. Then through all the things He's had me walk through - there's our health & preventing cancer as well as other troublesome ailments. Then there's my passion for music, learning more about that & being a better vocalist is at the forefront as well. Then there's writing & talking about it in a blog or youtube video - so many things to learn about in order to do it with excellence! In the middle of all this, I'm looking for a job as well! Kinda overwhelming when ya think about trying to juggle all of that - but He's shown me His anointing is more than enough to help me through it. So I'm gonna trust in His power to work through me - it's my resolution. Choices are so much easier than they appear.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him & He will direct Your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes: fear & worship the Lord & turn away from evil." " Proverbs 3:5-6
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Jim Caviezel's Passion
Recently, Jim Caviezel who played Jesus in the 2004 movie The Passion of the Christ came to our church as our guest speaker. As Pastor Hayes interviewed him he started off seemingly unsure of what to say or how to answer the questions given. But throughout the entire interview a boldness would come over him and he would speak passionately about the profound truths he believed in. These moments that came at various intervals were truly anointed moments from God. His words had so much power they shook me to my core.
This man was destined to play the role of Jesus in this hugely successful Mel Gibson production. However, neither Mel nor Jim knew what kind of vicious demonic attacks would come against them as they accepted their part in producing the movie that would change millions of lives and their eternal salvation.
After leaving the service I contacted a close friend of mine to make sure she wouldn't miss this interview. Her reaction was surprising. She said she figured, "Oh it's just a dumb actor who happened to play Jesus, no biggie." Although she was in too much pain to sit in a pew at the time and was trying to rationalize why it would be okay to miss it - I still wondered how many other people possibly take this assumption about this particular actor.God chose him to go through the things he went through and play this part knowing he wouldn't give up. Jim was struck by lightening during the production of the film, went through double pneumonia and suffered a dislocated shoulder. Then after the film was finished he had to endure a heart surgery as well to repair the damage incurred from the lightening strike.
It must be noted that this particular movie was and is - by far the closest any movie has ever come to accurately showing the sufferings of Christ just before during and after the resurrection. Isaiah 52:14 talks about Jesus prophetically saying that he was so marred he was unrecognizable as a man. Even in Pilate's writings he records that he had never seen any one's face more marred than Jesus'.
Just the other day I watch a documentary on the History channel about the shroud of Turin. No doubt, there's a lot of convincing evidence in the Shroud of Turin that it is indeed the grave clothes of Jesus - they have technology today that shows huge evidence of the beatings Jesus endured throughout his entire body. In addition, they even have proof of the explosion of light that happened when the resurrection occurred. This is news that is both exciting and hugely intriguing!
Back to the impact that Jim Caviezel made on us. He blessed us with interesting stories and he both corrected and encouraged us greatly. Some of his profound statements were:
This man was destined to play the role of Jesus in this hugely successful Mel Gibson production. However, neither Mel nor Jim knew what kind of vicious demonic attacks would come against them as they accepted their part in producing the movie that would change millions of lives and their eternal salvation.
After leaving the service I contacted a close friend of mine to make sure she wouldn't miss this interview. Her reaction was surprising. She said she figured, "Oh it's just a dumb actor who happened to play Jesus, no biggie." Although she was in too much pain to sit in a pew at the time and was trying to rationalize why it would be okay to miss it - I still wondered how many other people possibly take this assumption about this particular actor.God chose him to go through the things he went through and play this part knowing he wouldn't give up. Jim was struck by lightening during the production of the film, went through double pneumonia and suffered a dislocated shoulder. Then after the film was finished he had to endure a heart surgery as well to repair the damage incurred from the lightening strike.
It must be noted that this particular movie was and is - by far the closest any movie has ever come to accurately showing the sufferings of Christ just before during and after the resurrection. Isaiah 52:14 talks about Jesus prophetically saying that he was so marred he was unrecognizable as a man. Even in Pilate's writings he records that he had never seen any one's face more marred than Jesus'.
Just the other day I watch a documentary on the History channel about the shroud of Turin. No doubt, there's a lot of convincing evidence in the Shroud of Turin that it is indeed the grave clothes of Jesus - they have technology today that shows huge evidence of the beatings Jesus endured throughout his entire body. In addition, they even have proof of the explosion of light that happened when the resurrection occurred. This is news that is both exciting and hugely intriguing!
Back to the impact that Jim Caviezel made on us. He blessed us with interesting stories and he both corrected and encouraged us greatly. Some of his profound statements were:
- "Freedom exists not to do what you like but to have the right to do what you ought."
- We are not called to a mediocre Christianity - just good enough to get into heaven, this is "fence riding," but be the best Christian you can be.
- The prosperity of gaining souls is everything to Jesus. Launch out into the deep and get ready for a catch.
- Love is important - indeed the most important of all things. Learn about true genuine love.
- Marital love is a constant merging of one will to another, that calls for sacrifice and compromise. You must continue to give, give and give to experience the sacrament of marriage. You communicate with Jesus through your spouse.
- Jesus wants you to pray from your heart not your head.
- He says that God let him know that the more popular words for today are "liberty, freedom & choice" but people need to decide who is it that they want freedom from - is it God?
- "You were not made to fit in, you were born to stand out."
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
With Hands Upraised
Unfortunately, many denominations have taught against lifting our hands to the Lord, saying that it's just an emotional trip people get into. But according to the Bible, hands are an EXTREMELY POWERFUL weapon in spiritual warfare, in addition to worship and praise unto the Lord. There are literally hundreds of scriptures that teach us the importance of our hands and the different ways to use them in our spiritual exercises. Currently though, we will focus on the lifting of our hands up or outward in praise, worship, adoration, and prayer to the Lord.
One scripture I did not list, but is really more of a biblical story to read found in Exodus17:8-13, is the time when Moses had to lift his hand (& staff, the staff represents the Holy Spirit) until the Israelites enemies were defeated, but Moses was getting tired, and when his hand would fall downward, the Israelites would begin to get defeated, so Aaron & Hur came and helped Moses by holding his hand (w/his staff in it), higher up into the air, as a result, Joshua and his troops were able to crush the army of Amalek.
I have heard it explained that when we lift our hands to the Lord, it can be an act of surrender to Him and His will for our lives. When the police arrest someone, right when they first catch them, what do they tell them to do? “Put your hands up! Higher!” Granted, that is for them to make sure they are free from weapons in their hands, but when you lift your hands, you are signaling to them that you are not going to fight them, you are surrendering to be in their captivity. This totally relates so well to our relationship to this holy God that is worth all that we can possibly give. This is an act of humility, showing that we are giving up our prideful ways that cause us to fight against God, instead of allowing Him to be Lord of our lives and show us His WAY.
Next, the lifting of our hands has been related to the fact that God is our Daddy, scripture has called Him our “Abba”—which is a Greek term that is slang for “Father” but meaning a more endearing type of word than that, which relates to our English word, “Daddy”. Jesus said that we are to have the faith of a child, concerning our relationship to Him. So when you were a small child, how do you think you showed your daddy when you needed him, & your desire for him to hold you in his arms? You most likely raised up your hands high for him to pick you up! Likewise, we NEED God, we need His protection, His grace, His love, His peace, His healing, His intervention in our lives, His vision, His wisdom, His patience and understanding, His strength, and His discipline and correction. Let’s face it, we NEED Him BIG TIME! Let’s worship Him w/ ALL of our heart, soul, mind, body and strength, and demonstrate how much we want and need His help and love in our lives.
The last one I will mention, though there are many more examples, is that when we are lifting our hands are to heaven. We are physically demonstrating our stretching forth our hands to touch the throne of God and receive His love, power and grace into our spirits. Like a car needs gas refilled regularly to keep going, we need to be filled with His Word, His power and all that He knows we need often. Or we will get spiritually pooped and give up the fight against the enemy of our souls.
Since the Word of God is our instruction book for life, let’s now look at the verses below to support the belief that it IS indeed God’s will for us to lift our hands toward Him in our times of praise & worship.
2nd Chronicles 6:12,13,29~ Then Solomon stood with his hands spread out before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire community of Israel Temple Temple
Each day I call upon You, I lift up my hands to You for Your mercy.
Psalm 143: 6~ I stretch forth my hands unto You; my soul thirsts after You, as a dry and thirsty land. Selah.
His Amazing Grace Still Rescues Today
This is my testimony presented to you with the intention of encouraging anyone who is in the middle of life’s difficulties. Ultimately, for the purpose and plan of Almighty God, to draw all men & women to Jesus~ our source of all we need. This story of God’s grace has been shortened for your benefit. Also, to show love and respect to my family members I have chosen to leave out portions of the horrid fire I came through.
Shortly after I was conceived out of wedlock, I was almost aborted. Thank God, my mom backed out on the day of her appointment for fear of the risks involved. Since it was illegal then, abortions were a very risky procedure. By the time I was eight years old, I had been almost aborted, almost murdered, abused physically, emotionally, mentally and sexually by various members of my family. Up to that time, I had never attended a church on any regular basis, only periodically. Whenever I went to church it was with various friends that God put in my life. I never met my biological father, he committed suicide when I was two before he even got to see me. When I was four, I found out the guy I had been calling “Daddy” was not my dad. Little by little, it began to soak in though. My “daddy” was a violent alcoholic. He was only violent when he drank, but that was most of the time. My mom married and divorced him twice. We had moved fourteen times by the time I was fourteen years of age. I remember choosing to receive salvation and getting baptized at the age of twelve, which was the only time my mother and I actually went to church regularly for two years. Yet around that time I had already begun believing that I couldn’t be happy until I had a steady boyfriend. So the dreams began and the motives behind all I did. My mind was headed in its own direction and receiving Jesus and getting baptized wasn’t going to stop it, YET anyway.
As my mother began to get distracted in her commitment to Christ, she married a man who actually turned out to be an alcoholic and a liar. I was about thirteen at this time. Mom thought this guy could take care of us well, because appeared to be wealthy, which apparently was all a deception.
Things got a little better for me when I made cheerleader at age 15. I began to feel a little more accepted and confident about myself. But my achievements would not keep me for long. After making some very naive decisions, I was date-raped by a guy whom I wanted to be my boyfriend. I had previously agreed to go all the way with him because he made promises that I believed he would keep. When the time came to keep my part of the deal, I backed out for fear of the pain and the unknown. I really didn’t even know the guy, but I wanted to know and love him. Though I made myself clear, he forcefully proceeded on. Afterwards, I assumed it was my entire fault and my choice, so I decided to go on with the previous plan as usual. I began my search for true love through promiscuity, just wanting SOMEONE to love and want me. But I was willing to exchange the physical part for the closeness and affection I so desired. Although the physical part was quite painful because I never enjoyed it in a sexual way, I was still willing to endure the pain for the little closeness I felt. I eventually tried to commit suicide at sixteen because of my self-hatred.
At around age seventeen, I meet the man who is my husband today. Our meeting, dating and all was probably the best experience I had ever had, especially compared to the other guys I had encountered by this time. He treated me much better. Yet both of us were serving ourselves – living our lives according to what seemed right to us. He also had deep wounds of rejection that hadn’t healed. I was pregnant after about three months of dating him. I was a senior in high school and education was very important to him for me. So we both decided on an abortion. Yet just four months later, the protection failed and I was pregnant again. This time we chose to have this baby, I just couldn’t even contemplate the turmoil of terminating another baby.
We moved into together while I was pregnant and all the resentments towards each other began, blaming each other for the situation we were in. I was nineteen when I had Brittany Brittany Brittany
I had begun working a job I enjoyed before I had left, and then transferred to the big city to live with my mom who had previously come through another divorce. I stayed with her until I found a roommate. I got Brittany
My husband (today) and I were separated from living together for about one year. Without going into all the details, we got back together and I moved back in with him. During this time, the arguments and fights began again, and I tried again to commit suicide trying to make him acknowledge my cry for help. Shortly afterward, we finally got married, thinking that maybe the Lord would bless our relationship if we stopped living in sin and did the right thing. Let’s just say, it was going to take more than that. Several months after getting married, I was pregnant with our first son. My husband got laid off and had to look for a job in the big city. After the job was supplied there, we moved there.
My husband and I continued to live with the problem of selfish, conditional love. He wasn’t treating me right, so I wouldn’t treat him right. Therefore, we thought we had the right to disrespect and hurt each other deeply. Still the Lord continued to put people in my path that would invite me to church or just talk to me about the Lord. I wasn’t interested really. There was one man in particular, he was a courtesy clerk at the local grocery story I visited regularly. He was an older Hispanic man who began talking to me about Jesus. He was say things that were just unfathomable to me, literally impossible. He had told me that someday people would ask me why my life was so great and I was so happy and I would tell them about Jesus. Seriously, I looked at him like he was out of his mind, wondering if maybe he was nuts. I thought, “Didn’t you hear ANYTHING I just said? My life is JACKED up!” I would tell him all the horrid details and about all the misery I was in. He would tell me how to pray and sometimes he would pray with me and have me repeat what he said. At the time, I really didn’t consider myself to be listening nor did I really want to hear it, but something inside me knew he was right in all he was doing and saying, so I never blew him off. I let him speak to me, over and over for more than two years. At that time, I had continually believed that the grass was actually greener on the other side.
So I finally reached ultimate emptiness, I had nothing left to give to my family I was numb and was going through the motions. I had no “care” left in me. I decided to leave my husband and children. He had already warned me that he would sue me for the kids if I ever left. So I rationalized that he was a better dad than I was a mom- they’d be better off without me. I noticed something very different this time about myself, I didn’t even feel sad about the decision I was about to carry out. It wasn’t even bothering me to leave my children, yet I was about to do the exact same thing that had hurt me so deeply and had literally ruined my start in life. Divorce…. leaving your children without their natural parent and putting a huge hindrance on their lives before they could really even get a good start, how could I get to this place?
The man from the grocery store, his name is Manuel. Thank God he was still praying for me. And from time to time I would pray something he taught me. So I came to God in prayer, and I basically gave Him an ultimatum telling him how my husband despised me and I despised him, and if God wanted me to stay with him then he would have to work a miracle Himself, otherwise, I was leaving.
Easter came around and for some strange reason I wanted to go to this church that a friend of mine was a member of, a church I had visited once but had decided that it was a good church IF I was ready for that lifestyle. I knew then I had a lot of plans that didn’t include God or His ways. This church was multi-cultural and inter-denominational; the name of this church is Covenant Church in Carrollton , TX
In March of 95 at the old church building, I watched a dramatization of Jesus enduring the beatings, mocking, blood dripping, obvious turmoil he felt from being rejected, then the cross itself and of course, the resurrection. Then Pastor Hayes came up and gave an awesome message of God’s love for me. Before Pastor Hayes even came up there to speak, I was already in awe of what Jesus endured for me. All the years of seeing it before never made any sense. For the first time, I was getting it and I began to feel so sorry for the selfish life I lived. I am not sure when in the service I decided this, but I decided that no matter what it took I was going to lay down my life for Him and live the way He commands. Compared to what He had done for me, the idea of staying and working on our marriage and living for Jesus was extremely easy to do. For the first time, I actually did what we should ALL do, I compared myself to Jesus.
I decided that even if I had to miserable for the rest of my life serving Him (which I originally thought I would be) ~ that it would be nothing compared to all He endured for me. So at the very moment of that decision, I felt Him release me from all the guilt and shame, the need for a physical man to love me and all the sin I committed in trying to get what I wanted. I felt truly alive for the first time in my life, I felt joy in a way I never knew existed and finally knew that I had found the place I belonged and it was with Him. That empty numb feeling left me like a flash. I felt like I was floating on air and I could’ve screamed at the top of my lungs, “Thank YOU Jesus!” I discovered that this was the Man I had been looking for all along- Jesus was the only ONE that could give me the love I desperately needed.
I decided that even if I had to miserable for the rest of my life serving Him (which I originally thought I would be) ~ that it would be nothing compared to all He endured for me. So at the very moment of that decision, I felt Him release me from all the guilt and shame, the need for a physical man to love me and all the sin I committed in trying to get what I wanted. I felt truly alive for the first time in my life, I felt joy in a way I never knew existed and finally knew that I had found the place I belonged and it was with Him. That empty numb feeling left me like a flash. I felt like I was floating on air and I could’ve screamed at the top of my lungs, “Thank YOU Jesus!” I discovered that this was the Man I had been looking for all along- Jesus was the only ONE that could give me the love I desperately needed.
All of my years growing up, I never fit in any group, people my age rarely accepted me. There were some that acted like they accepted me but they weren’t being real, they were just using me for convenience sake, and I knew it. I finally found the One Who loved and accepted me completely, even with all my awful flaws. I was delivered in such a mighty way; I knew that God had truly shown up in my life~ there was NO mistake about it. Suddenly, I could see and understand things about Him and the Bible that had never made sense to me before. The next Sunday, my husband went to church with me and Pastor Hayes (it seemed) read his mind. He spoke exactly about the very issues that he had been contemplating and wondering. Within a week or two, I remember my husband saying while we were sitting in the pew, “we’re home.” Within that year, we became members.
God changed us forever from that day forward and is still changing us to this day, from faith to faith, strength to strength and glory to glory. Jesus and I had a wonderful and miraculous courtship, marriage and honeymoon—blessing me with so many miracles, love, acceptance, continual forgiveness (all needs met) and overflow of revelation knowledge. That all began in March of 1995. Had the Lord not intervened, I know I would’ve ended up in a horrid place of destruction, possibly homeless and addicted to drugs. Over the past decade we have been learning that love is a commitment and a choice, not a feeling. The feelings will wear off and we eventually have to grow and learn to walk by faith in His Word and not sight (or feelings). It hasn’t always been easy. But I know as long as I continue to return to Him and receive His love, forgiveness and acceptance. He will accomplish His will in me. I KNOW I belong to Him now and there is nothing better than having that assurance that I am safe in His arms and He will never leave or forsake me. Even when I don’t feel like I’ve changed a bit, I can rest in His Word that never returns void that He will complete the work He has begun in me. I can definitely testify that if the Son sets you free, then you ARE free indeed. All glory to Jesus for this testimony and any good I will ever do, I can never take the glory for what GOD has done in my life.
God bless all who read this with a deeply softened heart towards the Holy Spirit, His Way and His love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen~ so be it. THANKS BE TO THE LORD!!!
Bless the Lord, OH my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy Name. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. For He is great and His mercy endures forever. Hallelujah!!!
Jesus is the solution to every problem.
And He never wastes a hurt. Make Him Your Shepherd and Lord today. The Lord is your Shepherd, to feed guide and shield you, you shall not lack.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Faith or Foolishness?
For thousands of years, the people of God have experienced times of putting on a facade that brought about the appearance of godliness. Today is no different, matter of fact it’s quite the epidemic among the body of Christ, yet there are many that are not even aware of their inconsistent behavior. However, the true people of God will begin (at some point) to notice themselves behaving inconsistently with what they SAY they believe. What happens when what people think of us becomes more important than what God thinks of us? Or when our times of prayer and reading the word of God have become a mere check off of our “to do” list? We must often ask ourselves and God some important questions if we are going to endure to the end by faith. It is imperative that we ask God to search our hearts and reveal His Truth, for according to His will we are to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Now you may be thinking, “I believe in Jesus for my salvation, He definitely lives in me. I am definitely not the same since He changed me. Oh yes, my faith is strong!” But let’s go a bit deeper. You may already know that no one is above deception, meaning that we all can be deceived, even the elect according to scripture. The Lord says in Jeremiah17:9(AMP) that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?” In verse 10, the Lord says that He searches the mind and tries our hearts. From this and other areas in the Word we could discern that without knowing the still, small voice of God through time spent in His presence, communing with Him in His Word and prayer, we truly couldn’t say that we know or understand what our true motives are.
As we grow closer and closer to Jesus, all of us will begin to find many areas of our behavior that is in disagreement with the will of God. Therefore, our relationship with Him must be so solid and intimate that we admit it and bring this behavior to Him, asking Him to change our hearts and show us our responsibility in the cleansing process. Not all behaviors come out of us just because we decided to receive God’s forgiveness and the blood of Jesus for that area. God has given us a responsibility and we must seek His guidance to know what that is. Otherwise, we’re walking in foolishness and presumption. God will not do our part, He will simply stand back and wait until we call on Him repenting, asking Him to show us our part.
I have experienced this in my own walk with God and it was very hard to accept and admit that I had merely pretended my faith-walk for many years. Yet it was extremely freeing and the ONLY alternative outside of being like a Pharisee or Sadducee, which you may remember that Jesus made it well known how He felt about their works. I came to a desperate place a few years ago where I realized that I was a “people pleaser”. I battled this often by speaking right confessions saying, “I’m a God pleaser not a man pleaser.” I gathered a couple verses and committed them to memory and spoke them off and on, but it was not from the heart. I never asked God how to go about it, I assumed this was how all problems were to be handled, just declare and pray the Word of God. Many times I felt God tugging at me to spend time studying, meditating on the Word and just listening for Him. But I was in a hurry! I had things to do! Very important things! Because if I didn’t get them done, God forbid someone might get mad at me!
Around this time, I began to find so many inconsistencies in my behavior that I could no longer bear it. I had become a sorry example of a Christian from my perspective. I didn’t pray or read my Bible very much anymore. I didn’t care when people shared their problems, nor did I want to pray for them. Everything became a duty, something I HAD to do in order to be “walking by faith.” I also became very frustrated with others and began to blame people and situations for my failures. I felt as though I was stuck and had no power over my situation. I had fallen into depression, which took me 7 months before I would even consider the possibility of depression or even admit it. After all, I had to keep a “right confession”. God began dealing with me to temporarily forget about keeping a right confession so much and just focus on the “Truth” about where I was- to just be honest with Him and others, instead of acting as though I was still “sold out for Jesus,” when I knew I wasn’t.
Jesus said in John 18:37(AMP) that “Everyone who is of the Truth [who is a friend of the Truth, who belongs to the Truth] hears and listens to My voice.” But what we have to constantly check ourselves about is “are we really taking the time to wait and listen to His voice?” I have been learning more and more that God is not on my schedule and I can’t rush or control Him. It’s like saying to Him, “you’ll have to hurry up today God, I only got about 15 minutes so come on, speak to me, show me Your will and prepare me for this day.” Some of you may barely get that much time in the morning. And I understand everyone is in their different season, just make sure you are letting God show you other opportunities to spend time with Him throughout your day. He’ll increase your time later on as your seasons change. But please know that 5 years down the road there should be some changes that have occurred in you and how you spend your time with God. We just need to be careful that we don’t fall into the practice of ritualistic formulas in prayer. That leads us no where fast! I have finally begun to realize that what truly matters is that we’re led by His Spirit and since we definitely need His help, we should push through our feelings to do it His way and not ours!
If you also have been noticing inconsistencies in your behavior, rejoice! God is showing you the Truth that can make you free. That’s step one though, now here’s your part. Admit it! Despise the sin! Throw it off of you like a dirty rag and run to His mercy seat. Now, receive, receive, and receive the grace of God! Ask God to create within you a clean heart and renew a right [persevering & steadfast] spirit within you. (Psalm 51:6AMP) This verse of prayer must be a continual cry from your heart to God as you often identify with your need for Him to change you and make His truth known within you. Ask Him to strengthen you in your inner man and give you the holy determination to keep your word. Ask Him to restore the power to make decisions and keep them! Now you must decide to believe that all things are possible with Him. Put all your trust in Him and His Word. He will do what you can’t. He can and will turn your messes around. Now, last but definitely not least practice being quiet and listening for His voice everyday, it may be difficult at first but just tell your flesh to calm down and HUSH. Because those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to the cross and crucified them there! (Galatians 5:24NLT)
2011©DRFARMER
Resting in His Grace
Take rest: a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.
~Ovid
This beautiful and very wise quote above causes me to reflect first of all upon a few verses from the
Bible in the book of Hebrews.
So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who enter into God’s rest will find
rest from their labors, just as God rested from creating the world. Let us do our best to enter that place
of rest. For anyone who disobeys God, as the people of Israel
Hebrews 4:9-11(NLT)
Our Need for Rest
As a mother of four children, one of which is an eighteen year old special needs daughter, I find a constant ongoing need for resting in Jesus. The more frustrated I become in trying to communicate with her, the more I realize how much I need to take time reflecting and meditating in God’s holy word. It is comforting to remember that God’s word brings life to my spirit, the very life of God. I receive strength and encouragement to face all the daily challenges that a wife and mother of teenagers can face. When I take a moment and open my heart to Him, He’s always there to refresh me. His faithfulness will show up in your life when you open up to Him.
All over the world people are hungering for true rest. Some of us try to take vacations every year from our
usual work schedules only to end up exhausted from the vacation. Others try to abuse physical rest by
sleeping all their time away, just another of many forms of running away from it all. Some people use
busyness as a means of forgetting their deep, emotional wounds. Many times, our minds are often busy trying to figure things out, while we long to find a switch in the back of our heads that we can turn off. For goodness sake,
we need some peace and quiet in here! We keep looking for physical ways to take care of a spiritual problem. This makes for a very conflicting battle in our will.
When we don’t get the rest we need for our mind, soul and body, we are irritable and very well may end
up damaging the important relationships that God has blessed us with. But if we will search long and
hard enough, we will discover that agitating feeling is stemming from center of our beings; if we pay the proper attention to it, we find a pain deep inside that is crying out for relief. We mustn’t ignore it.
Receiving the Rest We Need
All the while, there is a place of rest that God has prepared for us. And God so yearns for us to reach out
and receive it from Him. For Jesus said Himself,
“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke
upon you. Let Me teach you, for I am humble and gentle and you will find rest for your souls. For My
yoke is easy and My burden is light”. (Matthew 11:28-30)
So according to Jesus, there is a place of ease that we will find when we decide to walk with Jesus. He
makes it so easy to obey Him, even in our thoughts, words and deeds. He takes the heavy load of work
(trying to do/be right in our own strength) off our shoulders and instead gives us His light. With the
warm light of the Son on my shoulders I can now stand tall and face tomorrow with a brand new hope.
The most freeing realization is to find that you can’t be right in God’s eyes on your own, quite frankly,
it’s impossible! Jesus did say in John15:5, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Finally, when we give
up all our exhausting efforts to “measure up”, we ask Jesus to carry on for us. And He ALWAYS does.
Jesus did all the work for us that we could never do. In our gratefulness, we must receive and rest in the
hard labor that Jesus endured for us so that we can experience the joyous fulfillment of life Jesus desired
to bring us.
Yielding the Abundant Harvest
The more we choose to trust in God and His Word, the more we will experience His rest. Therefore, our
life will yield a bountiful crop of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility
and self-control(Galatians 5:22). We will find that we actually have more than we need; so we are then
able to share our bountiful harvest with those around us. God doesn’t bless us just for us to turn around and
keep it all to ourselves. Not at all, those who allow His love to flow through them will be a blessing
to others in one way or another at every turn. As we continue to examine this quote from a
spiritual perspective, let us observe that the field in our hearts must receive the rest that only God can
give, so that our lives can be overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit that the world needs today.
So take it, it’s yours!
The Danger of Distractions
Distractions and interruptions today are an extremely common occurrence, especially if you have children or a high-pressure job. In my experience, having children increases the distraction so much that you think your brain has turned to butter by the end of the day. I have four wonderful children and love them dearly. But I now understand why my mother used to plead to have “a little peace and quiet!” As we age and grow a little wiser, we all long for a more focused and peaceful mind. Yet I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone into the kitchen and found myself asking, “What did I come in here for?” Can you relate? Think it’s harmless? Think again.
The hordes of hell are attacking God’s people today in the area of distractions, interruptions, hindrances and delays. Most of the time, it’s the enemy attempting to bring our minds into such a state of fragmentation that we end up being “ripped to shreds,” as I heard our lady pastor say one time. If we allow it, our minds will go in six different directions within a single moment! We must be alert in our times of multi-tasking; to be sure we’re not sowing towards this way of thinking. Satan’s goal is to have you switching quickly from one thought to another so often that your focus is obliterated (specifically in your spiritual responsibilities), as well as other areas. But he knows that if he can throw your focus off Jesus (the Word of God) and who God says you are, then you’ll soon be saying and doing things you never meant to. All too quickly, you can become double-minded and we know that a double-minded person is unstable in all their ways. (James 1:6-8)
Recently, I came through a 10-month battle with depression. Mine wasn’t as severe as some cases I’ve heard of, but it was nonetheless debilitating in many ways. I still made it to church, worshiped the Lord and even experienced His presence enough that it brought a smile to my face and a knowing that I’d make it through. Yet I longed for the constant closeness to the Lord I had once known. I asked the Lord what had happened and how I had allowed depression to come upon me. One of the key areas He showed me was this double-mindedness issue.
The enemy knows that if he can cause you to habitually be double-minded, he has brought you to a place of compromise and hypocrisy. If you’ve discovered any incongruence in your character, please don’t do what I did. Don’t get mad at yourself, walk around depressed and succumb to the guilt and shame for even one day! The devil will try to put an overwhelming feeling of “I can’t do it” on you. But you must keep reminding yourself that Jesus came to make you free. Even now He is revealing truth to set you free. I say to you according to Isaiah 60:1(AMP)-Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you—rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! The truth (that you know) shall make you free! Now that is something to rejoice about!
Here are some steps and scriptures to help you get back on the right track! When you look to God to give you His grace He WILL lead you through! You have this promise: “For those who look to Him for help shall be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces!” (Psalm 34:5)
· PRAY WITH HONESTY
Since God desires truth in our inner being (Psalm 51:6), ask God to reveal more truth to you
and give you the strength and courage to receive it. When He shows you, don’t ignore it and
don’t delay dealing with it. Instead, open up and be honest with yourself and God about everything.
Important scriptures to pray: Isaiah 26:3, Psalm 86:11, 2nd Timothy 1:7 and Psalm 19:14
· POSITIVE FOCUS
Don’t think about all the things you think you can’t do; pay attention to the areas that you can do. Think about all He has done and who He is, and thank Him for it often. (Phil.4:8)
· REPENTANCE & FORGIVENESS
Remember that repentance is a decision. If you have been double-minded for very long you may have weakened your will in a particular area. If you want to repent, but feel you won’t mean it- then ask God to bring you into a godly sorrow and true repentance in the area you have been failing. Make sure you confess your sins to Him and claim His promise that He forgives you and cleanses you from all unrighteousness (1st John 1:9). Practice this one often! 2011(c)DRFARMER
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