Which Voice Will You Believe?

God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.  Genesis 3:5 (NLT)

Well, Satan was right. When Eve ate from the tree, her eyes were opened. She suddenly saw evil and paved the way to see death, pain and sorrow. Instead of seeing God's full glory, she now got to look through a different lens. The view of God she sees has a filter and she has a full-on upfront and personal view of evil.

And, sadly, so do we. Satan still whispers this lie to us. Don't trust God. If you do, you'll miss out. Trust yourself. When we believe this lie, like Eve, we experience our troubles, pain and death without God's glory.

What we need is to say "No!" to the lie. We need to embrace all that we face with God's presence near. We should be looking at our life through the lens of trust and confidence - in a God that has already proven he loves us. We should shout to Satan - "No! I will not listen to your lies. I will focus on Jesus instead."

Will we still experience the pain of the decision made so many centuries ago? Yes. The Bible never said life would be a rose garden. But, there is a comfort in facing it with God and a victory when we deny Satan success. What about you?  Which voice are you going to trust today?

Stop Trying So Hard

For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God.  My old self has been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:19-20 (NLT)

Would you mind if I paraphrased this text a little? I keep reading it over and over and here is what I hear when I do.

"When I checked all the boxes and did everything just right, I was no better off. I was never going to be good enough. All the things I was trying to do made me feel like I wasn't doing enough. So, I said "Enough!" Enough of chasing my tail trying to get it right. There has to be something better than this. And then I met Jesus. When I did, I realized that all that stuff didn't really matter. What mattered was that I loved him. This old body that runs into all sorts of illnesses and troubles; this old body that sometimes wants to give up; this body will keep her eyes on Jesus. When I feel overwhelmed, I will look at him and remember how much he loves me. And I will overcome. Not because I did anything right but because I don't have to."

Can't Out Do God

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

What does it mean to come boldly to the throne of God?  One of the things I think it means is that we shouldn't be afraid. Could it mean that if we are afraid we really don't know who God is or worse, that we don't trust what we know?

Here's what I know about God.

I can't out give him.
I can't out love him.
I can't out 'stay' him.
I can't forgive more than he does.
I can't out plan him.
I can't stop his plans for my life.
I can't out dream him.

What can I do?

I can and do make him smile.
I know you do too.

Why not be bold!? In 2018, be bold! Come to him and tell him your wildest dreams and follow his leading. It'll be a super exciting year if you do!
 

Blocking the Storm

The Lord is my strength and shield.
    I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
    I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.  Psalm 28:7 (NLT)

On Tuesday, we went to a funeral. The service was outside and it was cold.  I think the temperature was in the low 30s. The wind was blowing which made it even more frigid. My husband and I were talking to people and wandering around but as the service progressed, we ended up standing next to each other. He was on my right side. The wind was blowing from my left.

After a few seconds, he moved from my right side to my left side. He was trying to block the wind form hitting me directly. I could still feel the wind but the direct impact was gone.

Made me think of God. Sometimes, we go through really hard times. Times that make it feel like we are going to be blown over. It's during those times that God shows up to shield us. We still feel the wind and the storm but we aren't taking a direct hit. The magnitude of what's happening is being diverted by Him.

I am thankful for a husband who takes such good care of me. I am even more thankful for a God that helps me. My heart is filled with joy.

What I Really Need For Christmas

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
    he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT)

He came as a baby. He was born in basically a barn; laying in a feed trough where animals drooled. You can't get much more base than that. Yet, he was God. He gave up living like God, he gave up being divine, so we could live. What a sacrifice. And knowing this, I still sometimes think I should have it better than I do. I sometimes act entitled. What is wrong with me?

Maybe this Christmas I need to pray for the humility of Christ.

Looking Back To See The Future

For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
    to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones
    and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel
    and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and his children forever.”  Luke 1:49-55 (NLT)

Mary had been told she was about to become an unmarried, pregnant woman in a culture of people who stoned women for such acts. Her life was turned upside down. It was the perfect definition of a "messy life." How did she handle it? She surrendered the plan to God and then she praised him. Instead of looking forward at what she couldn't fathom, she looked back at all the things God had done. She remembered where he showed up in the past and she trusted in that.

Got a messy life? Remember....remember that God was there in the past and he will be with you now. He hasn't gone anywhere. Have you?

Decisions Made A Long Time Ago

Still, it’s what God had in mind all along,
    to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
    so that he’d see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
    And God’s plan will deeply prosper through him.
Out of that terrible travail of soul,
    he’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
    will make many “righteous ones,”
    as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I’ll reward him extravagantly—
    the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn’t flinch,
    because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
    he took up the cause of all the black sheep. Isaiah 53:10-12 (MSG)

Jesus made the decision to face a non-people pleasing, struggle for your mission life. He made the decision to face death.....for us. That decision started with the choice to come here as a baby. The birth of Christ, which we celebrate at this time of year, was one of many decisions that he made to save us. And this is why we celebrate.

What Do You Want For Christmas?

What do you want me to do for you? Luke 18:41 (NLT)

What would you respond if Jesus asked you this question?  What do you want?

To me, this is a hard question to answer. I want a lot of things.  Even if you take out the material things, the healing for other people I know, the desire for my loved ones to be whole or to have the pain taken away or to have them know Jesus, even if you take out all of those things, I still get stuck.

Just say I focus only on me.  What do I personally want from Jesus? Even there the list is long. There are so many things......I guess then I wonder what really matters?

And then, another question. If I don't know what I want from Jesus, how will I ever know if I got it?

Maybe, we don't have to break it down to one answer. Maybe, it's about just wanting Jesus, the whole package and all that that brings to my life. The fullness and completeness of a relationship with him that looks different every day and accomplishes so much throughout a lifetime. Maybe it's about starting with the wonderment of a stable through the glory of a second coming and not trying to put it all in one box - one size fits all. One size doesn't fit all....and Jesus knows that.

So for now, for today, that is my answer.  I want Jesus. All of him and every wonderful, difficult, challenging, amazing, joyful, messy scenario that comes with loving him.