If You Want A Bonfire, Why Are You Collecting Twigs?

I love it when my husband Mike builds a fire for our indoor fire place or outdoor fire pit. The first thing he does is prepare. He walks around our yard gathering dry twigs and small sticks, also known as starter wood. He places the small twigs atop balled up newspaper and poof! Fire! But my husband doesn’t leave the fire, he watches and tends to it, because starter fires don’t last long as those dry twigs are too quickly consumed. Next step is adding larger pieces of dry wood to maintain a healthy strong fire.

I also love it when my husband shares with me spiritual nuggets he received during his private time with God. This devotion is one of his spiritual nuggets.  In sum, we all want a nice roaring spiritual fire at our churches. But we aren’t willing to put in the spiritual preparation time outside of church. That’s right, the fire at church doesn’t originate at church: it begins within the hearts of each one of us. But many people blame the Praise & Worship Team or the Pastor for not stoking their twiggy fire! If you want to experience the fire on Sunday, stop bringing twigs!!

“Fire shall be kept burning continually on the altar; it is not to go out.” Leviticus 6:13

It is our responsibility to fan the flames; to keep it burning by adding fuel; and then to lay down our sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15)! Spending time daily in the Presence of God is like cutting substantial pieces of fire wood that we can bring with us on Sunday: it keeps the fire continually burning!

Do we eat only once a week? Gas up the car only once a year? Tend the lawn only once each summer? Sleep only one night a week? Surely you see where this is going? We need to tend to our spiritual needs DAILY, just like we tend to our physical needs! No one else can do this for us. When we neglect the Presence of God, our flame dies out. If you want the fire, you’ve got the gather wood!

Tell Your Faith To Believe Again

If you believe in the PAST moves and miracles of God,
why not believe in the FUTURE moves and miracles of God?

He has NEVER changed!
He is still God!

Stop reliving the old glory days, retelling the stories of God’s goodness AS IF it’s over……AS IF those days are gone…..AS IF God is dead!

GOD IS NOT DEAD!

He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow Hebrews 13:8. What He did back then, He will do again today!

Rekindle the flame in you! Hold onto your faith Hebrews 10:23! I dare you to trust in God again.

God NEVER NEVER fails Hebrews 13:5!
God NEVER lies Hebrews 6:18! Every word He has spoken, and every promise WILL come to pass Luke 1:37.

Tell your faith to believe again!! A man in the New Testament did just that. He brought his demon possessed son to the disciples of Jesus, but they could not deliver his son. Perhaps you have tried to bring your issues to the church, but nothing happened; you feel let down and disappointed; and maybe someone hurt you.

But then, he brings his son to Jesus. And although his faith was a bit shaky, he asked Jesus to help his unbelief, and He did. That man’s son was set free and healed Mark 9:14-29!

Don’t put your faith in church or man: anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ! He will not disappoint or hut you. Tell your faith to believe again!

Victory is in Returning to the Battlefield

Keep going back to your prayer room! It is where the battle is won! The Holy Spirit taught me this years ago.

Don’t give up!
Don’t give in!
Never Retreat!

The victory is in returning to the battlefield (Your prayer room).

Satan knows there is power in our prayers. Prayer is our defense AND our offense. No wonder his mission is to stop those prayers.

Like a raging battle, he is bombarding us with attacks to intimidate us and scare us into retreat. Satan shows us casualties of war, and tells us victory is impossible; but God says nothing is impossible (Mathew 19:26); and we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37)!

Satan will make you grow weary in waiting on answered prayer, in an effort to get you to give up; but God says they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

Satan makes us think we are outnumbered, and that we are fighting this battle alone; but GOD IS FIGHTING FOR US (Exodus 14:14)!  and He will never, never fail us or forsake us (Psalm 23:4, Hebrews 13:5).

Satan wants us to abandon all hope…he may tell you that there is no help for you or your situation; but God gives help just in the nick of time, and He gives us grace for every situation (Hebrews 4:16).

Satan wants us to feel like our prayers are useless and ineffective; but God says the prayers of the righteous avail much (James 5:16). AND we have been made the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus, so our prayers are mighty through God (Romans 5:1, 2 Corinthians 5:21)!

Remember: our enemy knows there is POWER IN OUR PRAYERS…..but do YOU  know there is power in YOUR prayers?. Stand on the truth of God, and rely on HIS promises. Every Word God has ever spoken WILL come to pass (Luke 1:37). No matter how bad your situation looks, no matter the odds stacked against you, no matter what…..always go back to your prayer room, it is where the battle is won!! You can’t take ground if you don’t return to the battlefield. Be strong! Be courageous! Do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9)!!!

♥ Do you doubt yourself; think you don’t know HOW to pray?
♥ Do you have negative associations or ideas about prayer?
♥ CLICK HERE if you feel like: My Prayer Isn’t Good Enough!

My Dad Is Stronger Than Yours

“My dad is stronger than yours!!”

Working in a three year old classroom, this statement really surprised me. I honestly would expect this kind of thing from school aged children. Thankfully, they were too young to become offended by such a pretentious claim.

Why do kids do that: brag that my dad is stronger than your dad? Glad you asked. I’m no psychologist, but I imagine it has a lot to do with feeling confident that your dad is able to keep you safe and secure. My dad and I raised rabbits, chickens, and a couple of turkeys when I was a kid. My sisters didn’t care so much about that, but I enjoyed it. At one point we had approximately twenty chickens, and ten plus rabbits. One year, something awful happened.

We woke one spring morning to find the violent carnage of torn, bloodied and scattered rabbit parts. The wire flooring of their cages had been ripped downward with surprising force. I remember my dad’s shock at the dog’s strength, as well as the fact that it didn’t want to eat what it had killed. He said when animals engage in this kind of frenzy, they are out for the thrill of the hunt: and he was concerned about a second attack on remaining survivors. He was right.

It happened during the day while my mother was home. She was a quiet woman, but don’t let that fool you: she wasn’t easily intimidated. She went outside to put a stop to this mayhem. One poor turkey helplessly flailed what remained of his body. Interestingly the dogs were no longer attracted to him: mission accomplished…damage done. The pack moved their malevolent focus to the rabbits again, when they suddenly stopped in their tracks. Something caught their attention: my mama!! Low menacing growls emerged as they bare their dreadful teeth; they slowly stepped closer to her. My mom grabbed the closest thing to her, and ushered her promise by the help of God to inflict maximum damage with the red brick in her hand. At that moment, this vicious pack reconsidered, and ran off into the woods.

My dad was afraid for her, and told her to never put herself in harm’s way again…told her an angel of the Lord had stood between her and those wild dogs that day. They would be back, he said. And he was going to be waiting. This pack attack had awakened my dad’s protective nature, and he was now going on the offense. He was about to ensure that the threat to my mother would never happen again: to her or to us. So he watched and waited: wee morning and late evening. He let me sit out there with him one night after supper. Needless to say, I was more than afraid, and rightfully so.

I expressed my fear to my dad, and his response to me is what God says to us: “You don’t have to be afraid: *I’m* here!” While *I* was helpless and powerless to stop an attack or defend myself,  my dad was more than capable to do that for me.  My dad was stronger than the looming danger! So it is with God….He is stronger than anything we could ever face!

God’s power to defend us is limitless! Not only that, but He wants to defend us, because we belong to Him! He fights for His sons and daughters! We get to brag, “My God is Stronger!!”

I could pepper this devotion with various supporting scriptures, but Psalm 91 sums it all up nicely. I am confident in God’s ability to be my Protector and Defender!

Psalm 91 (GNT)
God Our Protector
Whoever goes to the Lord for safety,
whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty,
2 can say to him,
“You are my defender and protector.
You are my God; in you I trust.”
3 He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers
and from all deadly diseases.
4 He will cover you with his wings;
you will be safe in his care; Continue reading →

What’s Holding You Down?

“Hallelujah You have won the victory
Hallelujah You have won it all for me
‘Cause death could not hold You down
You are the risen King
Seated in majesty
You are the risen King”
THE ANTHEM by Planetshakers

As we sang these promising words one Wednesday night, God reminded me that had He NOT “gotten up” there would be NO victory. Then He added, “It’s the same with you. If you don’t get back up-there will be NO victory!”

David got up from the grief over the death of his son, and became a victorious King.
(2 Samuel 12:15-20)
Hannah got up from her barrenness, and became the mother to many: one of whom was the most renowned prophet in all of scripture. (1 Samuel 1:1-18)
Peter got up from his shame of denying Jesus (Luke 22:54-62), and went about healing and doing other miracles under a mighty anointing (Acts 5:15-16).
Elijah got up from his suicidal depression.
(1 Kings 19:1-8)
Lazarus got up from the grave, and lived! (John 11:38-44)

What is holding you down today?

  • Guilt/Shame/Condemnation
  • Grief/loss/Betrayal
  • Depression/Past Hurts
  • Sickness/Disease/Physical limitations
  • Financial burdens
  • Addictions/Bad Habits/Sin
  • Insecurities/Anger/Bitterness

Holding on to any of these things will create a stronghold in your life: holding you down and keeping you back from the wonderful plans God has for you.  If you stay down, you will live a life weighted by the very burdens that Jesus’s death and resurrection set us free from.

Just like Jesus called Lazarus to get up and come out of the grave, He is calling you and me to get up and come out from under these things that can so easily overwhelm and torment us. He doesn’t want us imprisoned! He wants us free!

I’m here today to tell you…..Don’t quit. GET UP!! It’s the only way to victory! These “things” don’t have to define you, and they certainly don’t have become a fixture in your life that holds you down. Don’t let anything keep you from His purpose which is “to give life in all its fullness” (John 10:10tlb). He has won the victory! He defeated death to give us life! So live!! Get up and live!

Parenting: The Struggle Is Real!

“He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11

That moment when you lay eyes on that precious life that’s been prepping your heart to love for months now…….priceless!! What you hold in your arms your greatest accomplishments to date. It’s one of the most memorable and anticipated life events that gets logged down in the annals of parental history. Ask any mother and no matter how old her child is, she is quick to point out birth weight stats, duration of labor and doctor names; the baby books come flying out along with all the details of surrounding events. Dads recall the fullness of pride and joy; what a monumental, unforgettable day! These memories have been permanently etched in a parent’s ‘proudest moments’ category. And so our journey begins, but never ends. Once a parent, always a parent.

It is now our responsibility to ensure the safety, good health and future prospering of our wonderful treasure. Some of our first major decisions involve cloth vs. disposables; room décor; which cute little outfit to wear, and which picture gets framed for the wall. But as our treasure grows, so does the weight of every decision we make. In other words, the struggle is real!!

Every day as a parent is uncharted territory, and our path is sometimes thorny. But our scripture reveals a comforting truth to us, not only is He caring for our children, but our Heavenly Father (The Shepherd) is helping US as parents! He has not left us to fend for ourselves. When you don’t know what to do, and you’ve no clue what decision to make, just “ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it [wisdom] will be given to you (James 1:5). If God isn’t going to blame you for not knowing all the answers, stop blaming yourself. Parenting isn’t about perfection. We are going to make mistakes, so go ahead and let yourself off the hook right now, and don’t be afraid to seek His guidance. He’s waiting to give it liberally!

When my children were born, I was so thankful that my mama was there to help me. I soaked up her wisdom and encouragement like a dry sponge dropped in a bucket of water. Spiritually, God is our parent; our Father!! He is there to do for me spiritually what my mom did for me in the natural, because I am His daughter! Dad, you are His son. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”(1 John 3:1)

Parents, we will not be discouraged. Our Father is helping us to parent our children the way He parents us. He loves us, guards and defends us, oversees, provides and guides us. We can *do* this parenting thing through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13), and has equipped us with everything we need for the task (Hebrews 13:21)!

 

Is That What He Really Said???

Satan: Did God really say that you couldn’t have any of the fruit in the garden? Really?
Eve: No, that’s not what God said. Of course we can eat the fruit. There’s only one tree we’re supposed to avoid at all costs. It’s the tree in the middle of the garden. We could die if we even touch it, much less eat its fruit.
Satan: Well, that’s a lie!! Here’s the real truth: if you eat that fruit, you’re gonna be just like God: wise. You’ll know what He knows. You are definitely NOT going to die.
Eve: Hmm…let me reconsider. Maybe I did misunderstand what God said.

Eve takes a lot of ridicule from church folks and non-church folks. Everybody blames poor Eve for the struggles of this life, and she is the butt of many jokes. But I can identify with Eve’s conflict: I’ve been in her shoes recently.

A few weeks ago, God told me something….several times. It was just one word, but it was a very important word. A word that defined a course of action that I should take. A single word specifically for a family issue I was dealing with. Before I tell you the rest of the story, I want to point out a few things about Eve.

Consider that Eve walked with God daily!! She was accustomed to His voice, His ways and His love. In other words, she was as close to God the Father as any human could ever get. Furthermore, Eve did not seek the counsel of the Satan….he sought her out just as soon as God had spoken to her. I gotta tell ya, if Eve can be deceived: we can all be deceived. So, instead of being hard on her for chomping the fruit, perhaps we can learn something from her experience.

Now, the rest of my story. As soon as God gave me that one word, Satan paid me a visit. As with Eve, he began to offer me some unsolicited interpretation. It made sense to me……..at first. I began to think that this is what God meant by that one word. I almost munched down on some fruit myself, but something in my spirit told me to pray further; to come back to God again, presenting HIM with the word and asking HIM for clarity. God gave it to me, and it was nothing at all like the lie Satan tried to sell me. As a matter of fact, it was quite the opposite. I would have made a grave mistake for my family had I listened to Satan’s twisted reasonings.

So what do we learn from Eve’s account?

  1. God speaks to us
  2. Satan immediately challenges God’s word
  3. Satan offers free interpretations telling us what God really meant to say. In other words, Satan outright lies to us. He is the father of lies (John 8:44)
  4. We begin to look at God’s word differently. Factoring in the lie, we now re-evaluate and alter God’s word.
  5. After hearing both sides (God’s & Satan’s), Eve took matters into her own hands and relied on her own reasoning. One Bible version said, Eve was ‘convinced.’ What a fatal mistake. What will you do?

We never have to go to step 5. Don’t rely on what you think you know, rely on what God knows (Proverbs 3:5-7).  Always go back to The Source: God Himself. The Holy Spirit will provide clarity. Lastly, God cannot tell a lie (Hebrews 6:18). He will always tell us the truth!

They Have Stunkers

What a good reminder that God IS listening to me and responding to me. Furthermore, He is waiting on me to talk to Him.

Tracey Ray's avatarGodspeaks2us

“Oh!! Mrs. Tracey, we are talking about bees.” And with a bit of pride three year old Marion says, “But don’t touch them, they have stunkers. If you touch them you could get stunk.”

While this childlike blooper brought a moment of comic relief, it did not interfere with our continued conversation about bees. I knew exactly what she meant.

And so it is with God. We don’t have to be perfect, and our conversations with God don’t have to be flawless. He isn’t looking for perfection and correctness. As a matter of fact, we learn from Mathew 18:3 that He wants us to come to Him like a child.

Before children learn to speak, they babble with confidence. They do so boldly; and frankly they are uninhibited by their circumstances or the adults around them. We’ve all heard a baby verbalize during the quietest moments of a church service…

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A Good Scam Begins with Communication

“My sheep respond to My voice; and I know who they are. They follow Me.”             John 10:27 

Grandma gets a dreaded phone call from her grandson. He’s been in an auto accident, he tells her. He’s in jail, he tells her. He needs money, he tells her. Keep this to yourself, he tells her: he promises to settle the matter.  Sadly, because Grandma doesn’t know the voice of her grandson, she is scammed out of $12,000! (Fox6)

This stranger claimed to be her grandson, and called himself by name. If only she had known the voice of her grandson! Instead, a lying, mimicking, deceptive stranger was able to rob a well-intended grandmother.

Don’t think for a minute that Satan isn’t trying this with us!! He is the father of lies, and actually hates the truth (John 8:44). And just like every scammer, he must first establish communication with his intended target: you and me. That’s right, the father of lies speaks to us. Just like the fake grandson, he will impersonate a familiar voice, and make false claims.

Do you remember “Stranger Danger” campaigns from the 80’s? This was an age riddled with public service announcements, warning families about the perils of abductors lurking near their children. The danger wasn’t in the appearance of the abductor, it was in their communication. If evil was in appearance only, we would all steer clear.  But well-timed conversational lies about lost puppies lures them right into the enemy’s deception.  So it is when Satan converses with us: if he sounded menacing and intimidating we wouldn’t listen. But with his subtle strategies, we can easily be ensnared.

Satan’s ultimate goal is to steal from us, to kill us and to destroy us (John 10:10). It’s a harsh ugly truth, but if we aren’t aware of his devices we are susceptible and easily deceived (2Corinthians 2:11). I’m so thankful that we are not defenseless, nor or we ignorant. We have a powerful weapon to use against our enemy: God’s Word!

Did you know that our voice print is as unique to us as our DNA and fingerprints? It can be used to identify us from all others. No one else has the voice print of our Savior either, and we can easily distinguish His from that of a stranger.

Our Heavenly Father never lies to us. He never motivates us with pressure or threats. He doesn’t fill us with fear, dread or alarm. He doesn’t criticize, belittle or condemn us. He doesn’t tell us to give up or quit. He doesn’t move us to anger or bitterness. He doesn’t prattle on about empty promises. He’s never vague, and doesn’t avoid our questions.

Bottom line: if what you “hear” does not line up with God’s Word…… reject it because it is not the voice of your Savior.

 

It’s Never Too Late. Don’t Give Up!

We’ve all found ourselves in a situation that requires nothing short of a miracle. At some point, we have faced a harsh reality; some devastating news; or an impossible circumstance in which we were powerless to change. Perhaps all options have been exhausted, and it feels like it’s over; feels like time has run out.

I’ve got some great news:  it’s never too late to expect a miracle!!

God is not limited by time or severity of your circumstances. It doesn’t matter how permanent your situation may seem. In Acts 3 we meet a forty year old man that was crippled since birth. Yet he was instantly healed: walking and leaping after forty years of immobility. In John 11 we meet Lazarus who came back to life after being buried, and dead for four days.

None of this holds power over our God!

Nothing is impossible with Him!

It is never too late for that miracle you’ve been praying for.

God is not held to the limits of this world. He can reach beyond your disease; beyond your barrenness; beyond your finances; and beyond your broken family. God is saying to you today, “With man this is impossible, but WITH GOD all things are possible” (Mathew 19:26).

Be encouraged that God is not restricted by the passage of time. There is no situation that is irreversible or permanent in the eyes of God. Nothing on this earth is beyond His scope of power. DO NOT GIVE UP! It’s never too late to expect that miracle.