Doubt: The Dream Killer

"Jesus responded, 'Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!' Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm." -Matthew 8:26

Doubt is a thing that can stagnate the best of us, or put paralyzing fear in the bravest of us. Often we think in life that having doubt is a smaller problem, but in reality, it's one of the largest. Doubt doesn't get us to heaven; doubt doesn't get us to the fulfillment of God's dream for our life. Only faith does.

When the disciplines were in the boat during the storm, Jesus was asleep. They were enduring the struggle of the storm and were afraid. But the fact of the matter was God was with them, even in the midst of their struggle.

When they called Him up and He calmed the storm, he said, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" and the wind and waves obeyed His command to be calm.
 
Do you need to remember Jesus' encouragement to have faith?  Jesus said we only needed a mustard seed of faith to move mountains in our lives.

"I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." Matthew 17:20  

Quieting Our Souls

"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

Have you ever felt super stressed out?  Have you ever had a HUGE deadline, or had to do something you were afraid of, or do you have a pressure-filled job?  The world we live in is very much pressure and money driven.  So, how do we find peace and rest for our souls in these types of pressured environments? 

I love the verse above.  There is so much to meditate on.  The prophet Zephaniah is talking about what God is thinking about Israel.  Though they have been away from God, He plans to straighten them out a bit, and then bring His love back to them.  "He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love."  Isn't that such an incredible statement?

The prerequisite for this "quietness through love" is humility.  It says in the previous verses,  "Those who are left will be the lowly and humble, for it is they who trust in the name of the Lord.  The remnant of Israel will do no wrong; they will never tell lies or deceive one another. They will eat and sleep in safety,  and no one will make them afraid."  (v.12-13)

If we try and try and try in our own strength, we're living in strife and flesh.  We won't experience "rest."  But, if we are able to humble ourselves and put God first, He will provide rest and quietness for our souls.

Are you able to receive God's quieting love?  Spend some time with Him today, and allow Him to quiet your soul.  There is no greater refreshment than being filled with Him. 

Arrested Development

Photo credit: http://izoooba.deviantart.com/art/Sad-Kid-244199365

"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things." -1 Cor 13:11
 
Dr. Paul Hegstrom is the author of a book called Broken Children, Grown Up Pain. A psychologist himself, Dr. Hegstrom describes a phenomenon known as "arrested development", in which people are emotionally stunted due to past childhood traumas that occur before the ages of 9 and 12 years old. 

I went through a biblically-based training he developed called Lifeskills, and the knowledge and revelation I received was truly life-changing. Traumatic experiences are classified as emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, neglect, and excessive rejection. When these experiences happen when we're young, we take them in as truth. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." -Proverbs 22:6 The enemy's lies about us and our identity can get planted very early - limiting us from being able to receive God's love for us and understand our true identity and calling in Him. 

Dr. Drew Pinsky, famed celebrity psychiatrist and host of the show Loveline also describes this phenomenon happening in our culture today, as it relates to the increasing trend of narcissism: "As I continue to talk with these people {celebrities}, they usually reveal childhood experiences that were clearly traumatic - the kinds of damaging episodes that are at the root of narcissistic disorders." pg. 106, The Mirror Effect 
 
But, there is good news! God can heal us of any kind of wound we may have experienced during our growing up years. "Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard."  - Isaiah 58:8 

Can you see any areas where you might be arrested in your emotions? Can you see where others might have had some wounds in their past? Pray and ask God to help to heal you in these areas, and that you also might be a healing force in the life of someone else. Our heavenly Father desires that we be healed of any lie from the enemy, so that we can grow strong in our faith and know His love, be free from our wounds, and come to full maturity in Him. His love never fails. (1 Cor 13:8)

Portals of Heaven

"But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit- he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”"-John 14:26&27

 

For too long, there have been too many inaccurate representations of God.  These representations would lead people to believe that God is judgmental, cold, unloving, and uncaring.  This has brought division in the body of Christ, and most of all, kept people away from the truth of God’s nature.  

I believe it is time for His true representatives who have His nature within them to stand up for the truth of God’s character, reflecting His nature throughout the earth.  In order for people to really know who God is and be able to choose the real Him, they need an accurate representation of who He really is.

The Bible says that we as Christians are to be His representatives, reflecting Him throughout the earth.  When we utilize our gifts, He is glorified.  We shouldn’t just be sitting in a pew on the sidelines - we should be out in the world, using the gifts He gave us to bring heaven’s culture to earth! 

But, in order for us to do that, we need a true revelation of God.  We need a true revelation of His creativity, His character, His grace, and most of all, His love.

What should this culture of heaven look like?  Well, we know that God is love, (1 John 4:8) God is creative, (Gen 1) and He is unlimited (Ephesians 3:16).  We know that the “fruit” of God in our lives is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22 & 23). So that must mean heaven is a pretty awesome place!  

“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” -John 14:13

Are you bringing God’s kingdom to earth through your gifts and talents?  I pray that each of us can use what God has given us, so that we can bring glory to our Father in heaven. 

Peace in the Midst

"God makes His people strong. God gives His people peace." - Psalm 29:11

Recently I was preparing to read the Bible when I asked God what I should read. Immediately I heard Psalm 29, so I jumped over to that chapter on my Bible app.
 
It goes like this:

"God thunders across the waters, brilliant, His voice and His face, streaming brightness - God, across the flood waters.

God's thunder tympanic, God's thunder symphonic. 
 God's thunder smashes cedars, God topples the northern cedars.

The mountain ranges skip like spring colts, The high ridges jump like wild kid goats.
God's thunder spits fire. God thunders, the wilderness quakes; He makes the desert of Kadesh shake. 
 

God's thunder sets the oak trees dancing - A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches. We fall to our knees - we call out, 'Glory!'" -Ps. 29:3-9 MSG

Just before reading this chapter I had been watching video clips of recent storms, earthquakes, floods, and dust storms that have happened all over the world in the last several years - so I knew that this was fact! But at the end of this chapter the verse states, "God makes His people strong. God gives His people peace." (v.11)
 
What an interesting juxtaposition of events! First the psalmist describes everything God can do, talking about lightning, fire, earthquakes, and wind - natural events that can seem scary or even life-threatening. Then he says, "God makes his people strong. God gives his people peace."
 
We have a magnet on our refrigerator that says, "Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."
 
Where does that kind of peace come from? It comes from unwavering trust in our unfailing God, no matter the circumstances that surround us. God does not want to instill His children with fear. He wants to instill us with strength and peace, which comes from a reverence & trust in Him - all-powerful Almighty God.
 
Are you able to live in God's peace, no matter what circumstances are in your life today? Pray today that God would make you strong and give you peace, as this Psalm states, no matter what situation or obstacle might come your way.

Resting in God

 
"But godliness with contentment is great gain." -1 Timothy 6:6
 
The drudgery of life can sometimes get to us. Bills that need paying, a job that's less than ideal, goals yet to be reached; we want to be thankful but find ourselves feeling more and more discontent. "Doesn't God have anything better for me?" we may ask ourselves. "Why can't I get where I need to be?" 

It is in these moments of dullness and restlessness we can experience the fullness of God's life in us - now. Contentment doesn't have to wait for a day when we reach a certain goal, or have certain things. It is attainable in the present, by the blood of the cross. True contentment is not born of us. Contentment is not dependent on our performance in life, or the things that we have, although we may believe that somehow it is. His blood on the cross was sufficient for our completeness in the present. 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." - Hebrews 13:5
 
If you find yourself feeling discontent, consider what you have right now. Friends, family, or spiritual leaders that have been a blessing to you are a good place to start. Confirmations from God on the journey we've been on are also good reminders of His love for us. What has God done in our lives? As people we tend to get bored with things that are status quo. But we have to learn to recognize our accomplishments and be content in the moment, while still pressing on toward the goal. That is the place where we find true contentment. 

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Phil 4:7
 
May we rest in God's love and peace for us today, and every day.

Paths of Righteousness

"The LORD says, 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'" -Psalm 32:8 NLT

 

Did you know that when we develop habits or thought patterns, we actually begin to create a "rut" in our brains?* That's why habits can become so hard to undo! It's also the reason addictions can be so difficult to break free from. 

But, when we chose to live for God, He promises to lead us along the best pathways for our lives. All of this involves learning how to make good choices, have good habits, good boundaries, and live a peace-filled, love-filled, joy-filled life, serving Him. 

When I was younger, I had a lot of depression, and a poor self-image. I couldn't understand why anyone would like me! But when I started learning more about God and what He thought about me, I realized I didn't need other people's approval to feel secure. In effect, God was re-wiring my brain to have a more accurate understanding of how He saw me and how He made me. And what a difference it made! Some of this involved un-wiring the lies the enemy had placed in my mind, and replacing the negative thought patterns with God's truth. When I discovered the roots of these beliefs and allowed God to fill them, I didn't struggle with depression any longer. 

Are there any negative thought patterns or paths the enemy has led you down? Ask God to heal your heart and mind so that you can experience a greater level of His love and peace. God desires that we align our minds with His. 

"He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name." -Ps 23:2-3 NLT

*For more on this, see Paul Hegstrom's book, Broken Children, Grown Up Pain.

Giving Up

"Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure." -2 Corinthians 12:21

In a day where we do what "feels right" and tend to look to movie stars and musicians as a compass for what is morally acceptable, we balk at the idea that there may be such thing as a plumb line for morality; that there may be such a thing as absolute truth.

"Well, God didn’t mean that for today's time," we say. "That's so old-fashioned."  "That may be true for you but not for me."  "Do you really expect me to live like that? Surely you don't mean for me to do that."  Sometimes it's all too easy to excuse away the very thing that brings power to our faith. 

But the reality is, there are things we will need to give up in order to make room for God in our lives - so that we can experience more of Him in our lives.

I remember a time when every "room" in my heart was filled - it was filled with anger, hurt, disappointment, and bitterness. I had a small little space in the closet of my heart where I had allowed God to live. But God brought someone into my life to help me see that if I really wanted to follow Jesus, I had to give up those things to make room for Him.  And what a difference it made!  Once I repented and renounced those things in my life, they were replaced by God’s peace, love and joy.  I felt so much lighter, like a burden had been lifted. 

Once we get a true revelation of the sacrifice Jesus made, any sacrifice He requires of us pales in comparison.  “Of course, Lord,” we’ll say.  There is nothing that compares to His love for us, nothing that even comes close.

Is there anything you need to give up in order to make more room for Him?   I pray we each have the strength to give up things in our lives, so that we can experience the fullness of His love and power within us.

Avoiding Judgments

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.” -Luke 6:37

Have you ever felt judged?  It’s not the best feeling. Sometimes, with even the best of intentions, we fall short in being Christ-like in this area.  We feel we have a right to proclaim God’s justice to the world, and to other believers. The world already tends to think of Christians as judgmental - but we are supposed to be known for Christ’s love, healing, and grace. How sad!

Mother Teresa once said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”  The even more dangerous part of this is that we open ourselves up to judgment if we aren’t careful – the enemy has a legal right to us if we’ve judged others. Once we make these types of accusations, even in our minds, we are left open to attack. We are found to have holes in our spiritual armor.

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”  -Romans 2:4

When we are tempted to judge, we should instead go to a place of prayer and blessing.  When we are tempted to point out a wrong over a point of disagreement, we should instead find points of encouragement. Encouragement promotes possibility and potential, while judgment finds places of wrongdoing and shame.  In a culture that is saturated with fear and shame, judgment often makes us focus on "not messing up" versus the new opportunity in Jesus to begin again. "But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life thinking it’s stupid."  -Albert Einstein

The Bible says that people are drawn by God’s goodness. (Rom 2:4) Are there any judgments in your heart that could keep you from ministering the goodness of His gospel? This is often the greatest blockage for God to use us – judgments against unbelievers, ourselves, or other believers.  All of us are guilty of judgment – but when we do, are we able to see it and repent?  I pray that we will all be sensitive to judgment so that God can use each of us mightily in His kingdom.

In Perfect Peace

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." -Isaiah 26:3
 
What is it like to live in perfect peace? In the world we live in, many people live with lots of fear. Depending on what is going on in the world and in our lives, and where we have placed our trust, this can increase or decrease our fear. 

But Jesus didn't want us to live as slaves to the world. Instead, He wanted us to live as "slaves" to the kingdom, which means a different thing entirely. It means we are obedient to His will, which produces the fruits of peace, love, and joy in our lives. (Among many other things.) 

There have been times in my life where I've feared certain events or circumstances. But it Hebrews it says, "all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain." (12:27) This means that the things we fear in this life are temporary, (will be shaken and removed) while the things of God are eternal. If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we don't even need to fear death - we know where we are going when we die! 

Other versions of the verse above say "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (NLT), and "because he remains in you." (ISV) the truth is, if we keep our minds fixed on God, we can walk in perfect peace, because we trust in Him.

Are you able to fix your thoughts on Him today, in order to live in perfect peace? "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Phil 4:7

Being Steadfast in Our Faith

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You."  -Isaiah 26:2-4

Have you ever heard the term, "slow and steady wins the race"? Or, have you ever heard the story of the Rabbit and the Tortoise?  I'm sure you've heard of one or both of these.  This principle of being consistent and grounded is very important in living out our faith!

Our maturity as Christians is often revealed as we walk through life’s obstacles.  It is our proving ground for growth.  Dr. Sam Peeples said, “The circumstances of life, the events of life, and the people around me in life, do not make me the way I am, but reveal the way I am.”  Will we bend or will we break?  Someone who is steadfast in their faith is not likely to break when storms come.  They are firmly rooted in what they believe.  Though the winds may be howling and the rain pelting, and even though they may have a hard moment or two, they stay grounded in the truth.  They stay rooted in their faith.  Emotional maturity is tied to this – when we’re steadfast we’re not likely to fly off the handle.  We know God’s got it covered –  we search for His promises applied to “such and such” situation.

“They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.”  -Luke 6:48

In a moment in time, how we feel about our lives or about a situation is only temporary  It won’t last.  We won’t even carry our emotions with us into heaven.  Though they are so real in the moment, emotions normally don’t even last more than a day.  What does remain is our love for people, our love for God; the kindness and love of Jesus we showed others. The artist Jewel said it well:  “In the end, only kindness matters.”

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  -1 Corinthians 13:13 

Are you steadfast in your faith?

Working in Rest

"'There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.'" -Leviticus 23:3

Our world is crazy. Literally, crazy. We wake up, get ready, eat breakfast, go to work, go to lunch, go home, workout, watch tv, do homework, feed the kids, and do it all over again the next day. It's a wonder we haven't turned into pieces of metal machinery! But even in the midst of work and stress, there is still a way to find a place of meaningful rest in God, devoid of stress.
 
My dad (Os Hillman) has said, "A dead man can't have stress." That's an interesting concept. If you're dead to something, you certainly can't have any stress. And you're most likely very at peace. When we get to this place of complete trust and dependence upon God for our outcomes, that's when we know we have died to ourselves. We don't worry. We don't fret. We do things with integrity. We do them with excellence. We do them within the boundaries God has set for our lives. But, there is no need to "worry ourselves to death." Why? We have already "died".
 
After the Isrealites left Eqypt, they had to depend on God completely. They were no longer slaves to Egypt, or to the world's way of thinking. They had to learn how to depend on God for everything. They had to learn how to be sons and daughters, and have peace in God's provision for their lives. This is a paradigm shift. This is called receiving grace. There is nothing we can do apart from God. Why do we think that we can? We only stress ourselves out further by thinking that we alone are the solutions to our problems, and we can make everything happen on our own.
 
There's a great book called Margin, which highlights the state we're in, and how we've lost the "Margin" in our lives. I encourage you to read it. It cites very specific reasons why we've lost the "Margin" or extra buffer of time and resource in our lives, and how we can get it back, without losing our life's efficacy.
 
Are you able to work in rest? If not, ask God to help you. He desires for all His kids to have peace in the midst of everything. This is how He can tell us apart, as true sons and daughters of His.

Built on Jesus

“They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.”  -Luke 6:48

What does it mean to have a life built on Jesus? I heard someone say once, “Many people build their lives around Jesus.  But that’s very different from building your life upon Jesus. When the storm comes, everything that’s not built on a solid foundation won’t be able to stand. But, if our lives are built on Jesus, our faith will remain.”

Everything in this world will fall away that’s not built on Jesus.  That is why He said, “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” -Matthew 6:20  When the storms come, and we find ourselves shaken, we can always fall back on Jesus.  He is the rock that will never fall away. “Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.” -Psalm 62:6

If we build our lives on money, we will find that it never satisfies. If we build our lives on relationships, we will find ourselves let down by unmet expectations.  If we build our lives on religion, we will find that we’re never good enough.  If we build our lives on government promises, we will find ourselves disenchanted by imperfect people. Even still, if we build our lives on having a perfect body, or people's approval, we’ll find that it doesn’t last forever.

What lasts forever?  Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. (Rev 1:8) Building our lives on Jesus is the best, most solid investment we can ever make.

Are you building your life on Jesus?

Overcoming the Stress Disease

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" -Matthew 6:27

We have a problem with stress in our culture. Coupled by the fact that we work a lot, and have many distractions, we juggle all our plates on sticks hoping to make something of ourselves, overcome our problems, and make it look easy.

But is it really easy?

According to the American Institute of Stress, Time Magazine's June 6, 1983 cover story was called "The Epidemic of the Eighties" and cited stress as our leading health problem. Since then, it has only gotten worse. In 1996, Prevention magazine asked respondents if they had "great stress." Seventy-five percent said they did, while just 55% of those queried in the the 1983 Time Magazine article said they did. Now, 80-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems.(1) Stress also has a detrimental effect on work and productivity, too. "American businesses lose an estimated $200-$300 billion dollars per year to stress related productivity loss and other costs."(2)

How are we to look at stress as Christians? Is stress something we should have? I can't imagine Jesus having any stress. Sure, he had righteous anger for the selling at the temple. (Matthew 21:12-13) And, he mourned for his friends. (John 11:35) But he wasn't stressed out. His father is God, for crying out loud! If your dad is God, I don't imagine you'd get upset about very much. If there's a problem, He'll take care of it or empower you to. But, aren't we all His children?

Some days I do a better job than others believing that the ultimate outcome is up to God. We can do and say the right things, but when it comes down to it, we have no control. Even still, what we are responsible for is our own decisions and responses to situations. We need to do the right things anyway. It is likely God will use us in every circumstance to bless others when we do. But we need to realize it's not about us - it's about Him. Even if we did all the wrong things He would still love us.

Are you able to let go of outcomes to God and let go of stress? The thing we think about the most becomes an idol in our lives. Are we thinking about the love and peace of God, or are we thinking about something else? There is nothing He can't handle - let Him have it today. There is no burden, stressor or sin that He can't overcome.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." -Matthew 11:28

1. http://www.stress.org/americas.htm 2. http://www.holisticonline.com/stress/stress_introduction.htm

Keys of the Kingdom: Generosity

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." -2 Corinthians 9:6

 

Have you ever experienced extraordinary blessing in your life? Or, have you had the opportunity to be a conduit for blessing in someone else's life? Generosity is a huge key that unlocks the door of God's kingdom into our lives. 

I had just received a very large gift from someone that was rather unexpected. So large, in fact, that the gift was very difficult to accept! 

But, I realized this gift was as much for me as it was for the giver. After speaking with several trusted people about the gift, we joyfully received it. It was an unexpected blessing that helped us in greater ways than could have been quantified in natural terms! The uncanny thing was that we had given money to a kingdom ministry just a day before that had now returned to us 100 fold. 

All that we have is not our own. We are simply managers of what God has entrusted to us. It is by God's grace that He gives it - as it says, "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change." -(James 1:17)

God desires that generosity cover all of us - so that we are never in need. "Then Jesus said to his disciples: 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.'" -Luke 12:22 & 23 He desires that we place our trust in Him so that we can have peace that He is the source of our provision. 

Generosity unlocks the windows of heaven into our own lives. Have you graciously received or been generous today?

Getting Rid of Judgments

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” -Ephesians 4:1-3

As human beings, we are naturally wired to make assessments about things. We like to make up our minds about things or people; we like categorizing and putting things into boxes. "She sounds like Alanis Morissette," we may say, or, "He reminds me of 'so and so'."

But the problem arises when we make negative assessments (judgements) about people, institutions, churches, businesses, or whatever it may be. When our judgement becomes a protection mechanism, that's when we need to be careful.

There was one person very close to me in my life that I kept on judging. I didn't know I was doing it until someone revealed it to me. I was continually defensive as I expected them to respond a certain way, or do certain things. Even if my judgements were true, they were controlling me! My judgements turned into self-protective anger.

Sometimes it is good to make an assessment of a situation, to know if it is something or someone we should or should not be involved with. But when we judge people, places, or institutions, we bring this same judgement upon ourselves. God's word says it! “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” -Matthew 7:2 That's why we need to work hard to be gentle and forgiving, and to “keep the bond of peace.”  This doesn't mean just in our physical reality- it means in our hearts.

Is there anyone or any situation you need to let go of today? Our judgments can keep us in bondage. Let the Holy Spirit set you free today.

A New Heart

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations." Ezekiel 36:24-28

You know, when we begin to think about the New Year, there is a lot of talk about New Year’s Resolutions.  In 2007, Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol did a survey of 3000 people to see how many actually fulfilled their New Year’s resolutions.  According to his findings, a staggering 88% of people do not fulfill their New Year’s resolutions.  What does that say about us?  I think it says that only 12% of us keep our promises to ourselves!

Right before the time of Jesus, Israel had been stuck in a cycle of idol worship. The prophet Ezekiel prophesied that the people of Israel would become brand new: “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you.”  Ezekiel prophesied the transforming power that Jesus would have in their lives.

Today, this hasn’t changed.  Jesus is changing lives & hearts all over the world, in every nation, in every kind of community!

Have you ever wanted a new heart, or a fresh start? If you want an authentic change in your life, and a new heart, why not ask Him to give you that today, even if you’ve already asked Him into your heart.  God is in the business of giving away new beginnings, because of His son Jesus who died, so that we might be live completely free and unfettered by our past.

Cast Your Cares on Him

"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28 NLT)

You know, in this world we live in, it is easy to be stressed. There is so much to take care of, so many things that happen - it's amazing we get through some things.   The number of people taking anti-anxiety medication has skyrocketed in America.  According to USA Today, 1 in 5 people take behavioral medications.  Life transitions, illness, difficult family members - sometimes life seems like more than we can bear.

"...the times when you have seen only one set of footprints, is when I carried you." (Mary Stephenson)

I love the footsteps in the sand poem. When I was younger I found it cheesy, but its so true that during difficult times our Heavenly Father carries us, like He would a son or daughter, as we learn to "cast our cares on Him."

I've always imagined the first disciples as happy, exuberant people. From what we read about them, and in spite of much persecution, they seem to have been the most loving, joy-filled people on the planet.

Today we have almost every convenience we could wish for - and in America we can worship as we please without danger.  But with all the stuff and convenience we have, we are still the most stressed out.

Is there anything in your life you need to give to God today? He desires that we give our cares and burdens to Him, because He cares for us so much.

“Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”  (Ps 55:22 NLT)  "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."  (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

Fill It With Him

"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy." Ps 5:11

Sometimes things happen in our lives that leave a void.  The death of a loved one, divorce, an estranged child or parent, the loss of a job, a move, or changing friendships can all leave voids in our lives.  Yes, it is okay to grieve, and we should go through the grieving process. But what then?  What can we do about the emptiness we may feel inside?  How can we cope with these losses?

The Bible reminds us, "The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." Ps 28:7

"But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, 'The LORD is great!'"  Ps 40:16

"Those who have been ransomed by the LORD will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness." Is 35:10 & Is 51:11

When we feel something has been taken from us, we need more than ever to go before the throne of grace.  It is by going before God that He can fill us with His presence and fill the void that we feel in our lives.  The good news is, even if our loss was great, He can fill us with his presence and joy far greater than the void - to overflowing!  "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." -Romans 15:13

Is there something missing in your life?  Fill it with God’s presence.  His Presence, joy, and peace are the best replacements for any void we may find in our lives. 

Clear Eyes, Pure Hearts, Can't Lose

"But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." -Matthew 6:15
 
Sometimes life can make us upset. Sometimes people do things that just aren't right - even people who should know better! Or people may unknowingly do things that frustrate or hurt us, without even realizing it. Still, we have to "guard our hearts" in order not to let these "bitter roots" or feelings resulting from these things contaminate our faith and keep us from God's grace. 

"Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many." -Hebrews 12:15
 
It's difficult to let things go when we feel we have a right to be upset. Betrayal by someone close to us is especially hard to overcome. But, anything that anyone does to us doesn't give us the right to any offense, or give us an excuse to lash out - pushing us into our sinful nature. 

"When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God." -Galatians 5:19-21 
 
Are you keeping your heart pure and protected? When people do bad things, are you able to respond with grace and forgiveness? Don't let your soul be pushed into spiritual danger due to someone else's wrongdoing or sin.