Often I am asked how I find time to do all that I do. Like all of you, am a very busy woman. I am a wife, a mother of 4, a business woman, public speaker, writer, choir member and a volunteer at church.
So today I thought I'd share how God has refined my time management. Not that I have it figured out, but to share as a way to encourage those who have asked me this question time and again.
I have learned that I have to make purposeful choices about my time commitments. I used to struggle with saying no, until one day I realized that even though the words “no” weren’t actually coming out of my mouth, I was actually saying ‘no’ to a lot of things; a lot of important things.
Every time I said yes to a good thing, if I turned around I saw the line of things that I had just said no to so that I would have time for that yes.
Usually the first things in that line behind me was my family and often time with God.
Now when I need to make a time commitment, I ask myself, "if I say yes to this, is it worth saying no to the other things?"
Another technique I have learned is to be sure my time is not so committed that there is no room for God to work. I liken this to a story I once heard from a missionary. He shared how he kept telling his father that he was going to be a missionary but had no passport and was running up debt. His father asked him when he planned on getting that passport and paying off his bills. The son replied that he had time to do that when he had an itinerary for his mission work. The father asked this son, "if God calls you to a foreign mission field, are you going to have to say 'Wait a minute, I need to get my bills paid and apply for a passport?'"
The point the father was making to his son is to not wait until God calls to be ready, but to be ready for God to call.
If my calendar is so full of things to do, I don't have time to do what God might call me to do.
So, the age old advise of starting each day with prayer is the best place to start. And while you are there with Him, ask Him how He wants you to spend your time. He has given to you the time you have on earth, and if He has given it to you, He also knows how He wants you to spend it.
On those days when I feel overwhelmed by the tasks on my to do list, I treasure the gift of being able to ask God, what to do first. Then when that is done, show me what to do next Lord. Do things get left 'undone'? Certainly; but I can testify that when I have asked God to order my day, even the things left undone are taken care of in a timely manner. They just work out that way.
One of my favorite things to ask God when ordering my day is "God, what are you paying me to do today?" God is my provider. From food, to shelter, to everything else I need. If He is providing me and my family with those needs, I have come to realize that ultimately He is 'paying' my way every single day. So why not ask Him, what are you paying me to do today?
So what do you think?
Tami
Sometimes I'm the Frog
I have observed that the enemy’s most cunning deception can be a comfortable life.
Everyday, more and more, we fall prey to being ‘comfortably deceived’. We are so comfortable that we often don’t even realize when the deception happens….NOW THAT IS CUNNING!
Did you know that if you put a frog in pot of water and then turn the heat under the pot on low and let the water slowly warm up…turning up the heat ever so slightly over time…to the point of boiling, the frog will never jump out. It simply adjusts to the slow warming of the water, becoming comfortable in it a little at a time. If the frog had been put in the pot when it was already hot, it would jump. But with the gradual warming…it stays in the pot ~ comfortable and happy ~ until it finally boils to death.
We can grow so comfortable with our earthly situation, deceived in the fact that we are using earthly things to fill us in ways that were intended to be filled by God, that like frogs we can find ourselves boiling to death.
2 Timothy 3: 2-4 is where he speaks out about this and is specifically referring to the end times.
Lets look at how Paul describes man in this warning and compare it with things we see in ourselves in society today. Paul's words are first and the comparison follows in ( ).
Lovers of themselves
(Me, myself and I generation)
Lovers of money
(Keeping up with the Jones’)
Boastful, Proud
(We are a ‘trophy’ driven nation)
Blasphemous
(Our society has developed a tolerance for irreverent language toward God. Our Parent’s would never have tolerated some of the things parents tolerate today. Definitely not our grandparents.)
Disobedient to parents
(Society is now tolerant of disobedience and biased against discipline)
Unthankful
(Most young adults today have an entitlement mentality, expecting things to be done for them. Our government philosophy reinforces this)
Unholy
(Holy is to be spiritually pure. Our church is no longer pure in spirit; we have churches that claim the name of God but are not pure in their teachings)
Unloving
Unforgiving
Slanderers
(Gossip magazines are tolerated and even enjoyed)
Without self control
No absolute truth
(Whatever feels good….do it)
Brutal
Despisers of good
(It’s ‘cool’ to be bad)
Traitors
(No loyalty…tendency to cling to the latest and greatest thing or person)
Headstrong
Self driven
Haughty
(Looking down on others to create a sense of pride in self….’clicks’)
Lovers of pleasure rather than God
(Simple pleasures like television, internet, music. If we love it and listen to it or watch it when we know God would not approve…this is what this describes. If we wouldn’t participate in it if Jesus was sitting in the chair beside us…it is loving that pleasure over God.)
Do you see relevancy in these words to life today? I am not here to say we are in the end times, but I am asking us to stop for a minute and ask ourselves…are we frogs in a pot of warm water, totally unaware of the heat being turned up?
Just think about the changes in what is acceptable in today’s society vs 50 years ago….and even 100 years ago. I think we could say there is a difference of night and day in what was acceptable 100 years ago and now. A difference of cold and hot. Not boiling yet…but definitely getting hotter. But, it just feels warm to us. Maybe a little uncomfortable, but definitely not so much that we are jumping out of the water.
God speaks to us about being luke warm in Revelations, 'being neither cold or hot, you are luke warm…I am about to spit you out of my mouth.'
To be hot or cold is to be extreme on one side or the other. But we hate that word…don’t we? “extreme”.
When we think of people who are extreme, we are amused and even sometimes put off by the people who are extremists in their beliefs. Muslims who are radical about their prayer life; so strict and unwavering in their religious structure and duty. People who are radical advocates for causes like saving owls, whales and trees. However, they show commitment in a way that a luke warm Christian does not.
God seeks believers who are extreme; not in the middle, wavering between pleasing many things. He is a jealous God who desires to be put first.
Do I think I am a frog? I'd have to say that I think the water feels pretty warm sometimes. Not that I want to be a frog. On the contrary, I want to be an extremist. And so I start each day asking God to let me feel the heat and look for God to work out my salvation one day at a time.
What do you think?
Tami
Everyday, more and more, we fall prey to being ‘comfortably deceived’. We are so comfortable that we often don’t even realize when the deception happens….NOW THAT IS CUNNING!
Did you know that if you put a frog in pot of water and then turn the heat under the pot on low and let the water slowly warm up…turning up the heat ever so slightly over time…to the point of boiling, the frog will never jump out. It simply adjusts to the slow warming of the water, becoming comfortable in it a little at a time. If the frog had been put in the pot when it was already hot, it would jump. But with the gradual warming…it stays in the pot ~ comfortable and happy ~ until it finally boils to death.
We can grow so comfortable with our earthly situation, deceived in the fact that we are using earthly things to fill us in ways that were intended to be filled by God, that like frogs we can find ourselves boiling to death.
2 Timothy 3: 2-4 is where he speaks out about this and is specifically referring to the end times.
Lets look at how Paul describes man in this warning and compare it with things we see in ourselves in society today. Paul's words are first and the comparison follows in ( ).
Lovers of themselves
(Me, myself and I generation)
Lovers of money
(Keeping up with the Jones’)
Boastful, Proud
(We are a ‘trophy’ driven nation)
Blasphemous
(Our society has developed a tolerance for irreverent language toward God. Our Parent’s would never have tolerated some of the things parents tolerate today. Definitely not our grandparents.)
Disobedient to parents
(Society is now tolerant of disobedience and biased against discipline)
Unthankful
(Most young adults today have an entitlement mentality, expecting things to be done for them. Our government philosophy reinforces this)
Unholy
(Holy is to be spiritually pure. Our church is no longer pure in spirit; we have churches that claim the name of God but are not pure in their teachings)
Unloving
Unforgiving
Slanderers
(Gossip magazines are tolerated and even enjoyed)
Without self control
No absolute truth
(Whatever feels good….do it)
Brutal
Despisers of good
(It’s ‘cool’ to be bad)
Traitors
(No loyalty…tendency to cling to the latest and greatest thing or person)
Headstrong
Self driven
Haughty
(Looking down on others to create a sense of pride in self….’clicks’)
Lovers of pleasure rather than God
(Simple pleasures like television, internet, music. If we love it and listen to it or watch it when we know God would not approve…this is what this describes. If we wouldn’t participate in it if Jesus was sitting in the chair beside us…it is loving that pleasure over God.)
Do you see relevancy in these words to life today? I am not here to say we are in the end times, but I am asking us to stop for a minute and ask ourselves…are we frogs in a pot of warm water, totally unaware of the heat being turned up?
Just think about the changes in what is acceptable in today’s society vs 50 years ago….and even 100 years ago. I think we could say there is a difference of night and day in what was acceptable 100 years ago and now. A difference of cold and hot. Not boiling yet…but definitely getting hotter. But, it just feels warm to us. Maybe a little uncomfortable, but definitely not so much that we are jumping out of the water.
God speaks to us about being luke warm in Revelations, 'being neither cold or hot, you are luke warm…I am about to spit you out of my mouth.'
To be hot or cold is to be extreme on one side or the other. But we hate that word…don’t we? “extreme”.
When we think of people who are extreme, we are amused and even sometimes put off by the people who are extremists in their beliefs. Muslims who are radical about their prayer life; so strict and unwavering in their religious structure and duty. People who are radical advocates for causes like saving owls, whales and trees. However, they show commitment in a way that a luke warm Christian does not.
God seeks believers who are extreme; not in the middle, wavering between pleasing many things. He is a jealous God who desires to be put first.
Do I think I am a frog? I'd have to say that I think the water feels pretty warm sometimes. Not that I want to be a frog. On the contrary, I want to be an extremist. And so I start each day asking God to let me feel the heat and look for God to work out my salvation one day at a time.
What do you think?
Tami
Take a Deep Breath
Romans 6:11 says ~ reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are alive in this new body!
I heard this described this way once:
To be alive in the flesh, you must breath. As long as you are healthy, you don’t have to think about it. Breathing just happens.
If you are paralyzed though, your body may need help breathing. It knows it needs to breathe to stay alive, but it has lost touch with the power needed to breathe without help.
Being alive in Christ should be just like that; breathing in the spirit without even thinking about it. As believers, we are alive in Christ and we live by breathing (if you will) the Spirit of God. BUT… just as in the flesh…if we are paralyzed, our breathing doesn’t come naturally. Being paralyzed in the spirit is what happens when we let the enemy deceive us with those thoughts of shame, guilt and fear we have discussed recently.
So don’t let the enemy paralyze you. Take on the full power of God given to you at your point of ‘resurrection’…your point of salvation!
In fact…as Christians, we should be desperate for every breath of God.
Have you ever been swimming under water and it took you a little longer to get to the surface than you anticipated? By the time you break to the surface and get to take that first breath, you are desperate for it. You can’t wait to get it. You know you can’t live without it and you will get to that surface as fast as you can.
This is how desperate we should be to breathe in the word of God every single day.
I praise God that I am alive in Christ; that I am resurrected in my salvation. I pray that if I get too deep in the challenges, problems and wordliness of life I will feel desperate to run to the word and seek the face of God so that I can breathe in the truth and power of His spirit! And not just little breaths now and then. I want to take a deep breath and live in Him.
What do you think?
Tami
We are alive in this new body!
I heard this described this way once:
To be alive in the flesh, you must breath. As long as you are healthy, you don’t have to think about it. Breathing just happens.
If you are paralyzed though, your body may need help breathing. It knows it needs to breathe to stay alive, but it has lost touch with the power needed to breathe without help.
Being alive in Christ should be just like that; breathing in the spirit without even thinking about it. As believers, we are alive in Christ and we live by breathing (if you will) the Spirit of God. BUT… just as in the flesh…if we are paralyzed, our breathing doesn’t come naturally. Being paralyzed in the spirit is what happens when we let the enemy deceive us with those thoughts of shame, guilt and fear we have discussed recently.
So don’t let the enemy paralyze you. Take on the full power of God given to you at your point of ‘resurrection’…your point of salvation!
In fact…as Christians, we should be desperate for every breath of God.
Have you ever been swimming under water and it took you a little longer to get to the surface than you anticipated? By the time you break to the surface and get to take that first breath, you are desperate for it. You can’t wait to get it. You know you can’t live without it and you will get to that surface as fast as you can.
This is how desperate we should be to breathe in the word of God every single day.
I praise God that I am alive in Christ; that I am resurrected in my salvation. I pray that if I get too deep in the challenges, problems and wordliness of life I will feel desperate to run to the word and seek the face of God so that I can breathe in the truth and power of His spirit! And not just little breaths now and then. I want to take a deep breath and live in Him.
What do you think?
Tami
There is Power in the Blood!
I hope I don't sound like I am focusing on the power of the enemy with my series of posts recently, but I have several thoughts on the subject started earlier in the week when I shared my thoughts on Paul's warning in Corinthians to not be deveived as Eve was in the garden.
I don't think any of us, as believers, walk into deception intentionally. So why is it that we fall into his deception when we have no intention of doing so?
I think it has to do with the way he 'pokes' at us. You know, that way kids poke at each other in the back seat of the car, trying to get a reaction out of their sibling. If they do it enough, the sibling yells and the 'poker' has succeeded in his/her goal. As adults, it's comparable to that 'hot button' we all have. Think about that person in your life who knows the things that get you upset and they 'poke' at that hot button until they get the desired response.
This is how I see the enemy 'poking' at me. He likes to take memories of my past mistakes; memories of my fears and insecurities; or memories of my shame I carried before salvation, and then 'poke' me with them. He'll poke and poke and poke, hoping I will give in to the memory of past failures, insecurities, and shame and not step out to be all that God calls me to be.
Ultimately, it all boils down to some kind of fear. Fear of:
2 Timothy 1:7 says:
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
AS A RESULT OF THESE FEARS …WHAT ARE THINGS YOU HAVE SEEN AS EVIDENCE OF THOSE STRONGHOLDS IN LIVES?
o For God HAS given us a spirit of power
o For God HAS given us a spirit of love
o For God HAS given us a spirit of sound mind.
These gifts are from the Holy Spirit.
The enemy wants us to believe that the spirit of fear is stronger than the gifts given to us and the power granted to us through the Holy Spirit. (see more about this awesome power linked here)
But we know the truth, and when we step out in the spirit of power, love and sound mind we see:
So what do you think?
Tami
I don't think any of us, as believers, walk into deception intentionally. So why is it that we fall into his deception when we have no intention of doing so?
I think it has to do with the way he 'pokes' at us. You know, that way kids poke at each other in the back seat of the car, trying to get a reaction out of their sibling. If they do it enough, the sibling yells and the 'poker' has succeeded in his/her goal. As adults, it's comparable to that 'hot button' we all have. Think about that person in your life who knows the things that get you upset and they 'poke' at that hot button until they get the desired response.
This is how I see the enemy 'poking' at me. He likes to take memories of my past mistakes; memories of my fears and insecurities; or memories of my shame I carried before salvation, and then 'poke' me with them. He'll poke and poke and poke, hoping I will give in to the memory of past failures, insecurities, and shame and not step out to be all that God calls me to be.
Ultimately, it all boils down to some kind of fear. Fear of:
- Failure
- Financial loss
- The future
- Being rejected
- Disapproval
- Being Left out
- Being Unloved
- Being Ignored
- Accidents
- Disease
- Death
2 Timothy 1:7 says:
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
AS A RESULT OF THESE FEARS …WHAT ARE THINGS YOU HAVE SEEN AS EVIDENCE OF THOSE STRONGHOLDS IN LIVES?
- The first one that comes to mind for me is disobedience (doing things our own way…not in God’s will)
- How about denying or running from a calling on a life (too afraid to step out and live in faith)
- And then there is lack of success…when we are more afraid of our weaknesses than the trust we have in God’s strength, we cannot step up and succeed at anything.
- I also see pleasing people instead of God (fear of being rejected…so do things to be popular)
- Another result of fear is seeing people who get involved in unhealthy relationships just to feel loved.
- Ultimately fear leads to a lack of spiritual growth (staying put leads to a stagnant life)
o For God HAS given us a spirit of power
o For God HAS given us a spirit of love
o For God HAS given us a spirit of sound mind.
These gifts are from the Holy Spirit.
The enemy wants us to believe that the spirit of fear is stronger than the gifts given to us and the power granted to us through the Holy Spirit. (see more about this awesome power linked here)
But we know the truth, and when we step out in the spirit of power, love and sound mind we see:
- Obedience…doing what God says even when it doesn’t make sense; When you see believers doing things that you would be so afraid to do…stepping out of their comfort zone…this is a Christian who has learned to deny the deceptive lies of the enemy and no longer live in fear…but in full power of the Holy Spirit.
- Success…however it is defined by God in your life, but that success is evident by the fruit of your life. You trust in Him more than you are afraid of your own weaknesses…so you step out and step up to all that God has called you to be.
- Fruitful life…when we walk in the life called us to…it is evidenced by the fruits.
- Spiritual growth…walking in faith takes us to places that we can further experience the truths of God and grow in our knowledge of them.
So what do you think?
Tami
Being Made Perfect in Love
So I have been thinking about the last post, especially about the deception of fear the enemy loves to use from his bag of tricks. I see this tool being used successfully in so many lives, including mine. And yet, when I see people step out inspite of the fears the enemy taunts them with, I see wonderful things done to the glory of God.
God speaks to us about fear in 1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
In my personal story, one I shared in an earlier post (see linked here) …I let fear drive my decisions. In fear I attempted to protect myself from a perceived harm. But in LOVE…God stepped in and cast out that fear. Don’t you know that in those 3 days when I was preparing to face my husband…I prayed to God for help. And even though I didn’t know exactly what kind of help to ask for…God knew what I needed and He not only cast out the fear but He replaced that fear with a new level of love between me and Him.
1 John 4:18 promises that perfect love casts out all fear. “but he who fears has not been made perfect in love”. As christians, we are constantly being sanctified; being refined to reflect the one who has that perfect love. We are made perfect in love as we go through the refiner’s fire. Each part of our journey can expose one more imperfection, one more fear or one more form of bondage of the enemy that God wants us to be freed from.
Knowing this gives me a different perspective when I face challenges, hardships or difficulties in life. I say, "Let the refining happen so that we can be made perfect in love…perfect in His image."
FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION ON THIS TOPIC:
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement was saying about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it." ~author unknown
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Consider now how God may be working in your life to refine you into a reflection of His perfect love.
Tami
What do you think?
God speaks to us about fear in 1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
In my personal story, one I shared in an earlier post (see linked here) …I let fear drive my decisions. In fear I attempted to protect myself from a perceived harm. But in LOVE…God stepped in and cast out that fear. Don’t you know that in those 3 days when I was preparing to face my husband…I prayed to God for help. And even though I didn’t know exactly what kind of help to ask for…God knew what I needed and He not only cast out the fear but He replaced that fear with a new level of love between me and Him.
1 John 4:18 promises that perfect love casts out all fear. “but he who fears has not been made perfect in love”. As christians, we are constantly being sanctified; being refined to reflect the one who has that perfect love. We are made perfect in love as we go through the refiner’s fire. Each part of our journey can expose one more imperfection, one more fear or one more form of bondage of the enemy that God wants us to be freed from.
Knowing this gives me a different perspective when I face challenges, hardships or difficulties in life. I say, "Let the refining happen so that we can be made perfect in love…perfect in His image."
FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION ON THIS TOPIC:
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement was saying about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it." ~author unknown
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Consider now how God may be working in your life to refine you into a reflection of His perfect love.
Tami
What do you think?
Me Like Eve? Really?
On my last post, I shared how my God Confidence has been strengthened by a simple question I imagine God asking me in every situation... "Do you trust Me?"
So while God is building up my faith in Him, I was reminded of another verse today given to us by Paul.
2 Corinthians 11:3 ~ Where Paul is writing to the believers of Corinth who, though strong in their faith, having received sound teaching, are in danger of being deceived by false messengers. It says….
I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Have you ever wondered to yourself…how could Eve have been so foolish? Maybe your mind has even dared to wander to that day in the garden and you have wondered how could Eve have been so easily deceived? I mean, she was there, walking and talking with the Lord every single day. Maybe you are even so bold to think you would have been so happy and so close to the Lord that you may not have made the same decision as Eve.
Just as Paul is warning the Corinthians that there is a strong possibility that they could easily be deceived…we too are vulnerable to deception. Just as Eve was purely devoted to God…and I am sure she treasured the time with Him…she could be deceived. Paul is warning us that no matter how devoted we are, no matter how strong we feel we are in our faith, no matter how pure our intentions are to walk with the Lord daily…we can be deceived. The enemy is cunning.
A think Paul is giving us a clue to the crafty ways of the enemy as the scripture verse goes on...
2 Corinthians 11: 4 ....if you receive a different spirit than than the one you received...
In addtition to warnings about false prophets, Paul mentions his concerns of a different spirit from the Spirit they received at their point of salvation.
I did some study on this scripture to better understand this 'different spirit', and it was explained through various scripture references that this spirit Paul referes to is one of bondage, fear and worldliness instead of the spirit of freedom, love, joy, peace and power they received from God.
I have seen the enemy use all of those things as strongholds or distractions in my life and in the lives of those around me.
What do you think?
Tami
So while God is building up my faith in Him, I was reminded of another verse today given to us by Paul.
2 Corinthians 11:3 ~ Where Paul is writing to the believers of Corinth who, though strong in their faith, having received sound teaching, are in danger of being deceived by false messengers. It says….
I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Have you ever wondered to yourself…how could Eve have been so foolish? Maybe your mind has even dared to wander to that day in the garden and you have wondered how could Eve have been so easily deceived? I mean, she was there, walking and talking with the Lord every single day. Maybe you are even so bold to think you would have been so happy and so close to the Lord that you may not have made the same decision as Eve.
Just as Paul is warning the Corinthians that there is a strong possibility that they could easily be deceived…we too are vulnerable to deception. Just as Eve was purely devoted to God…and I am sure she treasured the time with Him…she could be deceived. Paul is warning us that no matter how devoted we are, no matter how strong we feel we are in our faith, no matter how pure our intentions are to walk with the Lord daily…we can be deceived. The enemy is cunning.
A think Paul is giving us a clue to the crafty ways of the enemy as the scripture verse goes on...
2 Corinthians 11: 4 ....if you receive a different spirit than than the one you received...
In addtition to warnings about false prophets, Paul mentions his concerns of a different spirit from the Spirit they received at their point of salvation.
I did some study on this scripture to better understand this 'different spirit', and it was explained through various scripture references that this spirit Paul referes to is one of bondage, fear and worldliness instead of the spirit of freedom, love, joy, peace and power they received from God.
I have seen the enemy use all of those things as strongholds or distractions in my life and in the lives of those around me.
- Bondage of shame and guilt of past sins that are covered by the blood of Christ and forgiven as soon as confessed; but the enemy uses the memory of them to shackle us with shame and guilt.
- Fear of failing, being hurt, not being liked, or of death; all fears that the enemy wants us to focus on instead of the freedom to fail forward, to be healed from hurts, to be secure in our identity in Christ, and to look forward to eternal life with Him.
- Worldly aspirations of wealth, possessions and acceptance; all the shiny objects the enemy dangles in front of us to distract from the real treasures of God's kingdom.
What do you think?
Tami
Do You Trust Me?
I've been chatting with my friend Paula recently about our faith, or as we now like to say...our "God Confidence". These conversations have given me some great food for thought. How strong is my 'God Confidence'? I tell the world I have faith, and I profess to believe God is in control, but when the circumstances of our life get hard or things are not going the way we want, it really boils down to how we answer this question God asks us every single day, "Do you trust me?".
When the bills are higher than the income and tithing isn't on the list, God is asking me "do you trust Me?"
When the doctor tells me a diagnosis that isn't what I expected, God is asking me "do you trust Me?"
All day, everyday, God gives us opportunities to answer this question "do you trust Me?"
This concept has taken me to a new level of 'God Confidence'. Afterall, how could I possibly answer that question with a 'no'? The day I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior I turned my ife over to Him. I said that I trusted Him. Everyday after that is an opportunity to reaffirm that declaration of trust. Somedays are harder than others, but the same trust applies.
A verse that I can turn to when I need an extra nudge to trust Him and have all powerful God Confidence is Ephesians 1: 18-22. It says:
I PRAY ALSO THAT THE EYES OF YOUR HEART MAY BE ENLIGHTENED IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY KNOW THE HOPE TO WHICH HE HAS CALLED YOU, THE RICHES OF HIS GLORIOUS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, AND HIS INCOMPARABLY GREAT POWER FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE. THAT POWER IS LIKE THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY STRENGTH, WHICH HE EXERTED IN CHRIST WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS,
Did you hear it…let me read this part again… THAT YOU MAY KNOW ... HIS INCOMPARABLY GREAT POWER FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE. THAT POWER...HE EXERTED IN CHRIST WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD...
As born again believers, we can claim the power of the Holy Spirit, the very same power that raised Christ from the dead. When we pray, it is in the power of this very same Holy Spirit.
We SHOULD expect great things to happen!
"Do you trust Me?" Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes, Yes Lord ~ AMEN!
Tami
When the bills are higher than the income and tithing isn't on the list, God is asking me "do you trust Me?"
When the doctor tells me a diagnosis that isn't what I expected, God is asking me "do you trust Me?"
All day, everyday, God gives us opportunities to answer this question "do you trust Me?"
This concept has taken me to a new level of 'God Confidence'. Afterall, how could I possibly answer that question with a 'no'? The day I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior I turned my ife over to Him. I said that I trusted Him. Everyday after that is an opportunity to reaffirm that declaration of trust. Somedays are harder than others, but the same trust applies.
A verse that I can turn to when I need an extra nudge to trust Him and have all powerful God Confidence is Ephesians 1: 18-22. It says:
I PRAY ALSO THAT THE EYES OF YOUR HEART MAY BE ENLIGHTENED IN ORDER THAT YOU MAY KNOW THE HOPE TO WHICH HE HAS CALLED YOU, THE RICHES OF HIS GLORIOUS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, AND HIS INCOMPARABLY GREAT POWER FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE. THAT POWER IS LIKE THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY STRENGTH, WHICH HE EXERTED IN CHRIST WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS,
Did you hear it…let me read this part again… THAT YOU MAY KNOW ... HIS INCOMPARABLY GREAT POWER FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE. THAT POWER...HE EXERTED IN CHRIST WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD...
As born again believers, we can claim the power of the Holy Spirit, the very same power that raised Christ from the dead. When we pray, it is in the power of this very same Holy Spirit.
We SHOULD expect great things to happen!
"Do you trust Me?" Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes, Yes Lord ~ AMEN!
Tami
Tell Him Your Secrets, Burdens and Fears
God is Faithful. Faithful in all things…not just the little things, not just the big things, but in all things. He is faithful BEYOND the kind of faithfulness you and I are capable of.
The definition of faithful is….to be firmly fixed in affection and in adherence to promises. Our God is firmly fixed in His affection for us and firmly adheres to His promises given to us in scripture.
I find tremendous comfort in the fact that God is firmly fixed in His affection for me. His love for me will never waiver or change. NEVER! Even when my friends waiver in their affection for me because of circumstances, bad choices or situations, God's affection for me remains strong. And to know that every single promise given to me in scritpure God will firmly adhere to gives me a security that surpasses any earthly fear.
And yet, even knowing all of this and claiming it as truth in my life, there are days or seasons when I let the enemy poke at me, trying to irritate me to the point that I respond with doubt, shame, guilt or fear. But in those times, there is a Psalm that I run to. A Psalm that gives me a perfect picture of that affection and promise of God's faithfulness.
Psalm 31: 1 – 2 In You, Oh Lord, I, put my trust. Let me never be ashamed. Deliver me in YOUR righteousness. Bow down your ear to me, deliver me speedily. Be my rock of refuge; a fortress of defense to save me.
I love this verse because it gives me a great image of how GENTLE AND LOVING my Father can be and at the same time be a TOWER OF STRENGTH.
‘Bow down your ear to me’….I can ask Him to bow down His ear to me so that I can whisper into it my needs and share with Him in private the things that shackle me with shame or burden me with guilt. I can tell him the secrets that I hide from the world. I can do this without fear and in complete trust.
The image it gives me is of one of a small child who is in trouble or in need of help and her father, who towers over her, is by her side. She looks up and motions for him to come down to her so she can whisper in his ear. The father kneels down so his ear is close enough for her to whisper privately, without fear. She can tell him her concern or need and the father listens without judgement. Then reaches out to draw her near, whispers something back, something that makes her smile, and she is released from the fear, shame or guilt that was burdening her. Her father gives her a hug, picks her up, puts her on his shoulders and continues down the road. The young girl is beaming, knowing she is loved, cared for and precious to her father.
This is our Father in Heaven. And even more so than the father we just pictured…the Psalm says…
Be my rock of refuge; a fortress of defense to save me.
A fortress is a strong fort. A fort is a permanent army post. So GOD IS MY PERMANENT strong post of defense. I can trust Him to always be there. Even when I may stray from His side; even if I have never known Him in a personal way…HE IS THERE. He is permanent,. He is faithful in His affection and promises. All we have to do is seek Him and He will deliver us just as this Psalm says…
Deliver me in YOUR righteousness….deliver me speedily.
The first definition of deliver in the Webster dictionary is ‘set free’! WE ARE ‘SET FREE’ IN GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS. This promise is secured in the blood of Christ as evidenced in Romans 4: 22 “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” It doesn’t say….to all who have done nothing wrong and believe. It doesn’t say…to all who have never been tangled up in the consequences of their sin or the sins of others.
NO….God says His righteousness is given to every single one of us who believe in Him…no strings or baggage attached! In fact, this Psalm tells me that He will deliver me speedily. Once I whisper my shame, fear, guilt or burden into His ear, He doesn't ask me to wait while He thinks about it. He doesn't give me a list of things to do for pentance. He sets me free as fast as I confess it.
God wants you to draw near to HIM. What are you holding onto…what is between you and the one who desires an intimate relationship with you?
Take a few moments now to whisper into His hear what you need Him to hear.
God Bless and Keep You,
Tami
The definition of faithful is….to be firmly fixed in affection and in adherence to promises. Our God is firmly fixed in His affection for us and firmly adheres to His promises given to us in scripture.
I find tremendous comfort in the fact that God is firmly fixed in His affection for me. His love for me will never waiver or change. NEVER! Even when my friends waiver in their affection for me because of circumstances, bad choices or situations, God's affection for me remains strong. And to know that every single promise given to me in scritpure God will firmly adhere to gives me a security that surpasses any earthly fear.
And yet, even knowing all of this and claiming it as truth in my life, there are days or seasons when I let the enemy poke at me, trying to irritate me to the point that I respond with doubt, shame, guilt or fear. But in those times, there is a Psalm that I run to. A Psalm that gives me a perfect picture of that affection and promise of God's faithfulness.
Psalm 31: 1 – 2 In You, Oh Lord, I, put my trust. Let me never be ashamed. Deliver me in YOUR righteousness. Bow down your ear to me, deliver me speedily. Be my rock of refuge; a fortress of defense to save me.
I love this verse because it gives me a great image of how GENTLE AND LOVING my Father can be and at the same time be a TOWER OF STRENGTH.
‘Bow down your ear to me’….I can ask Him to bow down His ear to me so that I can whisper into it my needs and share with Him in private the things that shackle me with shame or burden me with guilt. I can tell him the secrets that I hide from the world. I can do this without fear and in complete trust.
The image it gives me is of one of a small child who is in trouble or in need of help and her father, who towers over her, is by her side. She looks up and motions for him to come down to her so she can whisper in his ear. The father kneels down so his ear is close enough for her to whisper privately, without fear. She can tell him her concern or need and the father listens without judgement. Then reaches out to draw her near, whispers something back, something that makes her smile, and she is released from the fear, shame or guilt that was burdening her. Her father gives her a hug, picks her up, puts her on his shoulders and continues down the road. The young girl is beaming, knowing she is loved, cared for and precious to her father.
This is our Father in Heaven. And even more so than the father we just pictured…the Psalm says…
Be my rock of refuge; a fortress of defense to save me.
A fortress is a strong fort. A fort is a permanent army post. So GOD IS MY PERMANENT strong post of defense. I can trust Him to always be there. Even when I may stray from His side; even if I have never known Him in a personal way…HE IS THERE. He is permanent,. He is faithful in His affection and promises. All we have to do is seek Him and He will deliver us just as this Psalm says…
Deliver me in YOUR righteousness….deliver me speedily.
The first definition of deliver in the Webster dictionary is ‘set free’! WE ARE ‘SET FREE’ IN GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS. This promise is secured in the blood of Christ as evidenced in Romans 4: 22 “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” It doesn’t say….to all who have done nothing wrong and believe. It doesn’t say…to all who have never been tangled up in the consequences of their sin or the sins of others.
NO….God says His righteousness is given to every single one of us who believe in Him…no strings or baggage attached! In fact, this Psalm tells me that He will deliver me speedily. Once I whisper my shame, fear, guilt or burden into His ear, He doesn't ask me to wait while He thinks about it. He doesn't give me a list of things to do for pentance. He sets me free as fast as I confess it.
God wants you to draw near to HIM. What are you holding onto…what is between you and the one who desires an intimate relationship with you?
- Maybe you have been keeping him at arm’s length…He is here and desires to be close to you.
- Maybe you are holding onto the guilt of a personal sin...He is here and desires to set you free.
- Maybe you are shackled with the shame of the consequences of others sins…He is here and desires to set you free.
- Maybe you have never claimed the righteousness given to your through the blood of Christ…He is here and DESIRES TO SEE YOU CLAIM what He came to give.
Take a few moments now to whisper into His hear what you need Him to hear.
God Bless and Keep You,
Tami
When Memory Verses Become Guiding Verses
We have all heard the saying "the truth shall set you free", and I know without a doubt that the only 'truth' that frees is the Word of God. However, the enemy wants to keep us shackled as much as he can to keep us from enjoying the freedom we are given through Christ. I was thinking about this over the weekend as I was asked to post on a blog called "family secrets", and I couldn't help but remember one secret I held tightly to out of fear. I was so afraid of what I imagined would happen if I revealed my secret, I couldn't let God work in my life. I praise God that He pressed in and made the His word a reality in my life. Here is the story of my secret revealed:
There was a time in my marriage when I carried a secret for several years. We were facing a financial crisis due to an undiagnosed medical issue in my husband that limited his ability to provide the same income we had become accustomed to. As financial issues tend to do, it created great strife in our family which was exasperated by his helplessness from not having a diagnosis or cure to his condition.
As a result of verbal abuse in the early years of our marriage, I found myself responding to Darius with much fear. It became my goal to allow my husband to come home and not have a care in the world. I learned how to minimize or ‘control’ the anger by taking care of things. This meant I controlled the finances. Anything to keep the calm, including using credit cards. At first it was to buy the groceries and diapers. Soon I was using one credit card to pay the minimum payment due on another credit card. Eventually I was running to the mail box to get the bills before Darius so he would not see what was going on. I would run to answer the phone every time it rang so Darius would not be surprised by a bill collector calling. I kept my secret to keep peace in the family.
Along the way, Darius was diagnosed with Panic Disorder and over the course of about a year he found the right treatment. This brought physical relief to Darius. The physical had been fixed, but our relationship was a mess. As I cried out to God for help and direction from the terrible financial mess I knew we were in…He was giving me answers. From scriptures laid on my heart, to sermons put in my path….God was telling me to tell Darius about the ‘secret’.
I would argue with God…telling Him that this was not the solution. I would remind God of the fits of anger that I was so afraid of. I would ask Him over and over…isn’t there another solution? I wanted a miracle of financial relief…But God wanted to give more…He wanted to provide a healing balm in a surprising way.
One day I didn’t beat Darius to the mail box and a bill gave him a glimpse of what was going on.
I came home from the grocery store that day to see the bill sitting on the counter. I was terrified.
Providentially, Darius was scheduled to go out of town that day and had to leave before I could tell him just how bad the debt really was. We had to postpone the discussion for 3 days. As I drove him to the airport, the tension was high; conversation minimal. He looked at me as I dropped him off and said, “I want to know the whole story when I get back”.
I spent the next 3 days in tears, crying for forgiveness from God; fearful of the yelling and the blaming that I knew was coming; dreading the day I would have to face him at the airport again.
When the day came, he opened the door of the car, looked me in the eye and said “before you tell me anything, I need to say something. I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I was not there for you for the last 2 years. I am sorry for leaving you alone to raise the children, make all the decisions and even keep the peace for my sake. I am here now and I take full responsibility for the situation. I will do whatever I can to bear the burden of getting us out of it”
I will never forget those words. It was the first time I had truly experienced in an earthly way, unconditional love and forgiveness that I did not deserve. The gift that I received that day was a deeper understanding of the unconditional love and grace given to me on the cross. God knew that I was not walking in full relationship with Him and He desired to bring me closer. I wanted to hide my secret, but He wanted to bring it into His light.
That was the day that Proverbs 3:5-6 stopped being a memory verse and became a life guiding verse for me.
I can't help but wonder if others have those moments when memory verses become guiding lights. When has God taken hard times in your life to show you the power of His word? Maybe you can share in the comments below...
God Bless and Keep You,
Tami
P.S. Sometimes family secrets can shackle us from living in the freedom of salvation. Family Secrets blog (linked here) lets you share secrets anonymously. Or, if you have been healed from the wounds of a family secret, this blog is a place where you can encourage others who are needing a healing touch.
There was a time in my marriage when I carried a secret for several years. We were facing a financial crisis due to an undiagnosed medical issue in my husband that limited his ability to provide the same income we had become accustomed to. As financial issues tend to do, it created great strife in our family which was exasperated by his helplessness from not having a diagnosis or cure to his condition.
As a result of verbal abuse in the early years of our marriage, I found myself responding to Darius with much fear. It became my goal to allow my husband to come home and not have a care in the world. I learned how to minimize or ‘control’ the anger by taking care of things. This meant I controlled the finances. Anything to keep the calm, including using credit cards. At first it was to buy the groceries and diapers. Soon I was using one credit card to pay the minimum payment due on another credit card. Eventually I was running to the mail box to get the bills before Darius so he would not see what was going on. I would run to answer the phone every time it rang so Darius would not be surprised by a bill collector calling. I kept my secret to keep peace in the family.
Along the way, Darius was diagnosed with Panic Disorder and over the course of about a year he found the right treatment. This brought physical relief to Darius. The physical had been fixed, but our relationship was a mess. As I cried out to God for help and direction from the terrible financial mess I knew we were in…He was giving me answers. From scriptures laid on my heart, to sermons put in my path….God was telling me to tell Darius about the ‘secret’.
I would argue with God…telling Him that this was not the solution. I would remind God of the fits of anger that I was so afraid of. I would ask Him over and over…isn’t there another solution? I wanted a miracle of financial relief…But God wanted to give more…He wanted to provide a healing balm in a surprising way.
One day I didn’t beat Darius to the mail box and a bill gave him a glimpse of what was going on.
I came home from the grocery store that day to see the bill sitting on the counter. I was terrified.
Providentially, Darius was scheduled to go out of town that day and had to leave before I could tell him just how bad the debt really was. We had to postpone the discussion for 3 days. As I drove him to the airport, the tension was high; conversation minimal. He looked at me as I dropped him off and said, “I want to know the whole story when I get back”.
I spent the next 3 days in tears, crying for forgiveness from God; fearful of the yelling and the blaming that I knew was coming; dreading the day I would have to face him at the airport again.
When the day came, he opened the door of the car, looked me in the eye and said “before you tell me anything, I need to say something. I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I was not there for you for the last 2 years. I am sorry for leaving you alone to raise the children, make all the decisions and even keep the peace for my sake. I am here now and I take full responsibility for the situation. I will do whatever I can to bear the burden of getting us out of it”
I will never forget those words. It was the first time I had truly experienced in an earthly way, unconditional love and forgiveness that I did not deserve. The gift that I received that day was a deeper understanding of the unconditional love and grace given to me on the cross. God knew that I was not walking in full relationship with Him and He desired to bring me closer. I wanted to hide my secret, but He wanted to bring it into His light.
That was the day that Proverbs 3:5-6 stopped being a memory verse and became a life guiding verse for me.
I can't help but wonder if others have those moments when memory verses become guiding lights. When has God taken hard times in your life to show you the power of His word? Maybe you can share in the comments below...
God Bless and Keep You,
Tami
P.S. Sometimes family secrets can shackle us from living in the freedom of salvation. Family Secrets blog (linked here) lets you share secrets anonymously. Or, if you have been healed from the wounds of a family secret, this blog is a place where you can encourage others who are needing a healing touch.
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