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Musical Monday…a bit of a twinge…
Let me start by saying that I enjoy my life. It’s a good life. And I mean that truthfully snd sincerely. God has blessed me and I am grateful.
Job I like going to everyday. 👍
Great apartment. 👍
Amazing Friends. ❤
Best Nieces and Nephews In The World.❤
Health. 👍
I have a lot to be thankful for but there are times when seeing happy couples causes a twinge type ache in my chest. Actual physical pain. Kinda like this song…
Feelings are feelings. You should feel your feelings. They are valid. But your feelings are not reliable truth to live by. They change. Often. Continually. They are fickle.
I feel my feelings. I acknowledge them. But I don’t life by them. Do I want a partner in my life? Yes. Yes, I do. But I will not sit on a shelf and not live the good life I have now because I am single.
Point to ponder while you wander…”I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13
Real Communication Straight from the Heart
I appreciate this passage because it involves real communication between Abram and God. It showed him asking God real questions about his doubts and concerns. And God’s responses to Abram.
“Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.’” Genesis 15:1 NLT
What happened in the sometime previous to this later? Well Abram went to war to rescue his nephew Lot. In doing so he reclaimed all the spoils those kings took from Sodom and Gomorrah. The first thing he did was to honor God by giving a 10th to Melchizedek. Then the king of Sodom asked Abram for his people back and told him to keep all the plunder for himself. But Abram was like…no way! Then you’ll get credit for making me rich instead of God. So he took nothing of the 90% of the remaining plunder. He asked to keep what his warriors had already eaten, and that his allies received a fair share, but gave the rest back.
Wow! That’s legit trust in God.
God’s response to Abram was to tell him that fear is a liar, and that his reward for his faith would be great.
You’d think that Abram would be celebrating that promise. But no. Abram had a father’s heart and mindset. What is the point of blessing and protection if it ends with me? If there’s no legacy, then Abram only needed enough for him and Sarai. Or he could even die right then.
But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” Genesis 15:2-3 NLT
This wasn’t a woe is me attitude.
This wasn’t ungratefulness.
It was a father’s heart. A leadership mentality. He understood that he needed to pass on what he knew about God and set up the next generation to go further than he could.
Abram shared his heart with God, and God responded.
“Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” Genesis 15:4-5 NLT
That is a huge promise. Mind blowing.
“And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.” Genesis 15:6 NLT
The thing that stands out to me, besides the importance of open communication with God, is that Abram had no Bible to read or way verify God’s track record on promises. He simply believed God.
I have the Word. I know His track record of faithfulness and promise keeping. I want to simply believe like Abram did.
I have promises from God that blow my mind and terrify me to my very core. I want these promises to be fulfilled because they are the dreams and desires of my heart. And the thought of a life that doesn’t include those promises sounds absolutely boring and drab.
But for those promises to come to pass I have to do my part. Trust God. And comply with the small steps of faith He has asked of me. Trust and obey. Simple, right?
Should be but not for me lately. Fear has been attacking me worse than ever. I feel paralyzed and apatheic.
You know I hate fear (if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time). Fear is a punk and a bully and no match for God.
And yet, I find myself hiding and procrastinating. Procrastination is a symptom of fear. It is delaying until it’s too late so that you can say…”Oh I wanted to but I just don’t have time.” Or “I’m too busy.” Those are fear excuses.
I have enough time to do everything God has requested from me. I just need to choose to actually use the time to do it.
I want to comply. I want to desperately. But when I start doing it I am inundated with thoughts of how terrible my output is and fear of failure. Sometimes fear of success too. I’ve been so anxious lately that I’ve been breaking out in hives. That’s not God. God does not want that for me.
I asked for prayer yesterday from some trusted mentors and friends, and one declared this over me:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
It’s what I am standing on today and praying over all of you. Go forth in boldness my friends in what God has asked of you. Jesus believes in you, and so do I.
Point to ponder while you wander… Before Abram received all God promised, God changed his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of many). So for an entire year everytime someone said his name, Abraham was reminded of his promise.
Remind yourself of God’s promises every day. Remind yourself of His track record. Talk to Him about what’s on your heart. And just believe Him.
His Way
God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection.” Psalm 18:30 NLT
Thankful today for His enduring patience and unconditional love for all the times I doubted the truth of this verse and wouldn’t trust Him.
It has taken me a long time to understand the truth of Psalm 1, that delight comes when we follow God’s way. It’s not about rules and regulations and being perfect.
It’s about understanding that His way always includes our best interest. His best for us, as He is for us. He loves us.
God doesn’t want robots or slaves. If He did we wouldn’t have free will or the ability to make choices.
God respects those choices even if He doesn’t agree with them and knows it will end badly. He respects our choices.
But! Remember He can only bless us within the confines of our choices.
So when we freely choose His way…then He has free reign to pour abundant blessing on us. More than we can ask or think.
“What delight comes to those who follow God’s ways! They won’t walk in step with the wicked, nor share the sinner’s way, or be found sitting in the scorner’s seat. Their pleasure and passion is remaining true to the Word of “I Am,” meditating each and every moment in the revelation of light. They will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s designs deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss; bearing fruit in every season of their lives. They are never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever plentiful.” Psalm 1:1-3
Point to ponder while you wander…His way doesn’t always make sense to us, but He knows the beginning, middle and end of your story. Doesn’t it make sense to trust His opinion over our own shortsighted opinion?
Thank You.
“We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift. We got the basics from Moses, and then this exuberant giving and receiving, this endless knowing and understanding— all this came through Jesus, the Messiah. No one has ever seen God, not so much as a glimpse. This one-of-a-kind God-Expression, who exists at the very heart of the Father, has made him plain as day.” John 1:16-18 MSG
Thank You, Jesus.
It is because of You we are reconnected and reconciled to The Father. You made a way. (John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 5:18 & Romans 5:11)
It is because of You we are all healed and made whole. (Luke 4:17-21, 6:19, 4:40 & 8:47, Acts 5:16, and Matthew 8:16 & 12:15)
It is because of You we are made free to choose abundant life. (John 10:10)
It is because of You that we have authority. (Luke 10:19)
It is because of You we have the peace that passes all understanding. (John 14:27)
It is because of You we know what real love looks like. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
Thank You, Jesus, it is because of You that we can do all things. (Philippians 4:19)
More than Enough to go Around
Sometimes it’s so hard to be happy for someone else when they are getting everything you ever wanted. Trust me I’ve been there too. But being resentful towards someone getting their heart’s desire doesn’t hurt them, it actually hurts you. Envy can turn into bitterness super quick, and steal your joy!
If you’re finding yourself in envyland or thinking your dream is over because someone got “your” job, promotion, place, etc… remember this… One of God’s names is Elohim. It’s plural so it includes Yahweh, Jesus and Holy Spirit and the gist of its meaning is The Creator.
Why does that matter? I’m glad you asked! It matters because God created enough blessing for everyone and enough space for everyone to have a place at the table. So even if they wanted to, no one can take your place or the blessing reserved for you. Period.
“Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure. ” Psalm 16:5 NIV
This is a big world and everyone is needed. If your dream hasn’t happened yet, it doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen. Just keep making good choices and doing the right things. Deal with your issues. Enjoy life where you are, right now. Remember you will reap what you have sown. So, be happy for people! Pray for their success! Encourage other people’s dreams, and trust that yours is coming!
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 NLT
All In
Perception is everything. What you believe matters. What you believe about yourself determines how you allow others to treat you and how you behave. What you believe about yourself and God will determine your relationship with Him. What you believe about God determines whether or not you are willing to have faith in, commit to, and trust Him. If you don’t believe God is good and that God loves you, you will be unable to trust that He works all things out for your good. If you are unable to fully trust Him, you’ll never commit to go all in.
It can be scary to go all in. You may have doubts. You may not fully understand. Think about Mary when she was visited by the angel Gabriel. She was confused and did not fully understand what he was telling her. But she did believe that God was good and she trusted Him. So despite her doubt, Mary went all in.
“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.”” Luke 1:26-37 NLT
Mary could have heard what the angel had to say, and dismissed him. She could looked at teenage self and said, “Yeah right.” She could have listened to her doubts and refused to believe that this was possible. She could have missed being the mother of the Savior, the Messiah, if she chose not to believe.
But Mary did not miss what God had for her, because she chose to go all in. No back up plan. No rationalizations. No strategies. Just belief. “Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”” Luke 1:38
You alone choose what you believe. No one, not even God Himself, can make that choice for you. Mary chose to believe, and she gave birth to the Savior. What will you be capable of if you choose to believe God and go all in?
“You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.” Luke 1:45 NLT
“That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”” II Corinthians 2:9 NLT
“So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.” Hebrews 6:18 NLT
“Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26 NLT (Verse also found in Mark 10:27 and Luke 18:27).
Blessing and Prayer from Numbers 6
There’s a blessing recorded in Numbers 6:24-26:
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
I like this blessing and I am choosing to speak it over you. But I can’t just post the blessing without you understanding just how good of a blessing it is.
– The Lord here is Yahweh (also pronounced Jehovah) which is God’s proper name in Hebrew.
– Bless is to prosper as the result of divine favor. Prosper in a Biblical context isn’t just financial prosperity. It’s to be successful at whatever you set your hand to do. It includes relationships. It includes ministry. It includes your health. It includes rest and peace. It’s an overarching prosperity in every area of your life.
– Keep is to keep, tend or watch. Usually referring to a garden or a flock of sheep.
-Face shine upon you has to do with God’s presence and having His favor.
-Gracious means to have mercy, have pity upon or to have favor towards.
-Lift up countenance means to cheer up, but when it’s in reference to God it means that God looks upon you with kindness.
-Give here means to put, set in place or establish.
-The best part of this blessing is that peace is the Hebrew word Shalom. It can mean hello, goodbye or peace. But it isn’t just peace. Shalom is an all encompassing peace. This peace includes contentment, completeness, wholeness, well being and harmony.
Based on Numbers 6:24-26, this is my prayer for you today.
Father, I ask that every person who reads this know that You are God. That You are big enough and that Your grace is sufficient. I pray that they feel and acknowledge Your presence in their life today. That they know down to their core that You are with them and You are for them. I pray they see You working in every area of their life.
I ask for Your divine favor and gracious mercies follow them, even pursue them today and every day. I pray that You keep watch over them and their families. I pray that You to protect them, even if it’s from themselves. I pray that they will be restored to wholeness and be established in peace. I pray that they will receive and choose to walk in Your peace that passes all understanding. I ask that they maintain contentment no matter how good or bad their present circumstances are and that they maintain an attitude of gratitude. I ask this all in the name of Your precious Son Jesus. Amen.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
jillbeingstill 