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Being Intentional: Trusting in God

Trust.

It's a word and an action that I've had to deal with in my life. I don't trust easily, but I'm much better at it now than I used to be. Trust comes in different forms for different reasons in life. Not only trusting in God but in people. When you've been hurt, let down, disappointed...you may have issues with trust. If you have been cheated on, bullied, or not received something you were promised... you may have issues with trust. Maybe you deal with worry and anxiety. If you worry about your future, your family and friends, or decisions... you may have issues with trust.

Trust. 

 Humans... can't be someone we put our ultimate trust in. They are not perfect and no matter how much we put our hope and trust into a human, they will let us down at some point. My story is that I was emotional crushed by a boy I loved in high school and trusted very much. He was a part of my life for a long time, and someone who I saw my future with. I put all my heart, soul, and trust into him until I discovered something he had been hiding from me for two years. It broke my heart to know that I could no longer trust that person. It was a major event in my life that changed the way I trusted people, especially men. I eventually forgave that person, and sometimes am reminded that I need to forgive again. (Thank you Tiffany for your post on forgiveness - I needed that reminder!) 

But trusting in God? God is someone we can trust. He will never leave us or forsake us. And NOTHING can separate us from His love. His Word specifically says in Psalms to not put our trust in men or princes. The Bible guides us about trusting and relying in Him:

"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." Psalm 55:22

"Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken." Psalm 62:6

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure everything out on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life!" 

Proverbs 3:5-6 The Message

Trust.

Wanna know something I really struggle with? Worry and anxiety. I used to have panic attacks when I felt something wrong physically in my body. I worry about my 4 month old and his health and safety.. I worry about my health and decisions in my life.. I worry about finances, about natural disasters, about losing a loved one, etc, etc. You know what the Bible says about those things? They are sins! God did not worry... God did not have anxiety. Worry is not an attribute of Christ... worry is a form of doubt which is from Satan. Satan does not want us to trust in God, because that means God is winning. Know what Satan - too bad for you. God wins anyways! But God does not call us to live with the burdens of anxiety; Christ commands us to release worry and anxiety and to lay our cares at His feet... TRUSTING that He will take care of our needs.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Matthew 6:25-27

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

My challenge to you is to write out 3-5 verses on seperate notecards about trusting God and put them in places you'll be able to read them often. Check out this website listing 50 verses on worrying. Use these notecards to remind you that God is your rock and your strength. That He is in control and wants you to cast all your cares on Him.

Trusting in God means that we lay our fears, hopes, dreams, and decisions at the foot of the cross. Picture yourself, palms down - literally laying those prayers and petitions at Jesus's feet. He wants you to do that. Christ wants us to let Him take those burdens for us. 

Why? 

Because He loves us. He cares for us. He has a reason. He has a plan.

Poison

We as believers are a target for Satan.

He is plotting a scheming at this very minute.

Before, as sinners we were a non-factor. NOW, that we saved by Gods Grace...we are so so powerful. The Devil is shaking in hell right now because he know he stands no chance against the Church.

This is why Satan wants to take us out.

 Derail our lives.

 If he puts a little bit of doubt...a little bit of anger...

a little bit of unforgiveness in our hearts, he can poison our walk.

Causing us to derail from that drunkenness we have on Christs love.

I say drunkenness because that is how I feel...I am on a spiritual high.

 

Now that we are saved...we start noticing all sorts of problems.

Problems we didn't even HAVE before we met Christ.

That problem has a root...poison. That poison is Satan.

He is there...tempting, plotting and devouring believers every day.

As believers we can wonder...why does Christ allow Satan this power over us.

Beloved...it is because Christ wants you to choose HIM.

 

Has your perspective been poisoned?

Have you looked at circumstances in your life and ever really thought about the root to that problem?

Poison...

 

Can you lift your vision above your current "schemed" circumstance?

 Friends we have to lift our eyes to the heavens. Because there is where our hope lies.

 If we choose to continue to stare at that mountain of circumstance,

then we will never be free from Satan's poison.

Satan doesn't need to physically kill us.

All he has to do is fog up our perspective a bit and add a little poison.

 

If all you see is sickness...that is poison. See Jesus- see the healer!

If all you see is an average life...that is poison.

See Jesus- he died on the cross so you could have an amazing life!

 

 

 

The words you speak

Have you ever stepped back and really thought about the words that come out of your mouth? Even the little nonsense and playing around. What are you really saying about yourself?

 For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 So what we are speaking actually reveals the condition of out hearts. If we are speaking lies, negativity and all other nonsense then that is what is really in our hearts and that's what we believe. The enemy wants us to believe all of those lies!

What you say is a matter of life and death...words kill and give life. If we are constantly speaking and believing something like sickness, disease, debt ect. than we are focusing on giving those things life rather than speaking the word of God over those situations to get our miracle.


The words you speak determine where your life goes. Declare the word of god over yourself. When you constantly speak truth you open the door for faith. You words release and activate your faith. So change your declarations to change your life. In Mark 11:23 Jesus says "Truly I say to you, whoever SAYS to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he SAYS will come to pass, it will be done for him.

How powerful is that? Even Jesus himself tells us to SPEAK and use words to move mountains! That is how powerful our words are. Mix your words & faith!

Let this be a reminder to guard what goes into your heart Prov. 4:23 because those are the things we will speak. If your heart is filled with hate and anger than you won't be able to speak with love.

So, if you need any kind of miracle start talking like it has already happened. I AM HEALED. I AM BLESSED. I AM OUT OF DEBT... Change your talk and walk in the blessings!

Are you as forgiving as you want to be?

Forgiveness...

This seems to be a touchy subject sometimes. There is not one person in the world that doesn't classify themselves as forgiving. We all think we all like to think we are forgiving people & honestly there are a lot of people out there that are. But forgiving in every single aspect of their life?

The car driver that ran them off the road? The mother or father that beat them when they were little? The husband or wife that suffered from alcoholism ruining their marriage? That drunk driver that killed your kid? That cancer that took a loved one right out of their life? That person that spread nasty rumors about you?

Matthew 5:44-45 -- Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you & persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

Situations get tough sometimes & even in those times, people still need to forgive the one that made the mistake. Jesus clearly states this in the Bible.

We strive to forgive those who do wrong to us, or at least we say we do. God gave us Jesus to completely wipe away our sins, now that is what forgiveness is all about.

Matthew 6:14-15 -- For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Sometimes I get bitter or angry toward someone & what it ultimately boils down to is forgiveness. I know sometimes it's not easy & sometimes you think well why should I forgive them? But you should. It will be the best thing you've ever done.

Stormie Omartian put it this way in her book, Power of a Praying Woman, "Forgiveness is actually the best revenge because it not only sets us free from the person we forgive, but it frees us to move into all God has for us."

Take a moment & pray... Pray if there is any unforgiveness in your heart & that God can reveal that to you.

When God reveals that to you, let it go. Let it go to Him. He will solve it all. It may not be easy, actually it will be hard. And you know the next time you see that person that you are striving to forgive, you may have to forgive them.. Again.. And again.

Matthew 18: 21-22 -- Then Peter came to Jesus & asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

Being Intentional: Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Welcome to the day that Americans all over the country overeat, overinduldge, search through sale ads to see what more they "need" and will stand in mile long lines at 2am (or this year, at 9am after Thanksgiving dinner) to buy themselves and their families items that they most likely won't even use a year from now. What happened to actually devoting one day during the year to being thankful and content for the things we have already been given?! 

Thanks-giving = giving thanks... being thankful... showing gratitude... expressing appreciation. I could go on and on. You get the idea. Look around at the blessings you have been given. Are you physically healthy? Do you have a sound mind? Do you have a house or apartment to live in? What about a nice warm bed to sleep in? What about Thanksgiving lunch or dinner? Do you have a job? Do you have a child or children that are healthy and happy? Do you worship God and thankful for these blessings? Even if none of these things are true for you, are you still giving thanks?

God's Word has over 200 verses that speak about thankfulness. I have a feeling God's trying to get a point across here:

"Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20

"Give thanks in ALL circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

"Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 106:1

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!" Psalm 100:4

"We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers," 1 Thessalonians 1:2

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6

When you arrive to your Thanksgiving Day festivities today, take a moment to look around you and study the people in your life. You might be with your own family, extended family, or friends... but think about the impact they have made on your life. Think of your parents or the people who raised you; think about the sacrifices they've made to give you the best life they could or to teach you to be kind to others. For me, this year I have become more and more thankful for my parents and have said "thank you" more often to them. Now that I'm a mom, I realize how much work a parent puts into their child's life. It has made me appreciate my parents more. I have also taken time to verbally express my gratitude towards my husband who has such a servant's heart when it comes to helping around our house. I am grateful for him and I let him know it.

My challenge to you is to intentionally take time to verbally express your appreciation and thankfulness for the people in your life. 
Not only to those people who mean the most to you, but to God, who created you. Take time to thank God for His love, His mercy, His guidance, and His blessings. You honor Christ by remembering where your blessings come from and praising your Creator for them.

Come into His presence with thanksgiving in your heart and give Him praise!

 I truly hope today is a day of praising God for your blessings and spending quality time with family and/or friends.

Lukewarm?

What does it feel like to be ON FIRE for Christ?

How do we as believers look to those who do not know Jesus Christ?

 Does Christ see our relationship with him ON FIRE?

 How about LUKEWARM?

Revelation 3:15-16 NLT
¹⁵ “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! ¹⁶ But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!


Lukewarm is where most of us find ourselves. We believe in Christ, we attend church, we do everything we THINK we are supposed to do. BUT...Christ does not want us to play hokey pokey in our relationship with him. Having one foot in and the other out. He wants ALL of you...submitting your selfish fleshly ways to his will. Allowing him to do a work in you. His results are mind blowing!

1 Peter 2:16 ESV
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
Do we fill our day with purposefulness ON FIRE acts of God? Doing good around us, portraying Christs love THROUGH US. Or do we sit, lukewarm in our everyday busy lives. Only able to think about Christ...on Sundays, when we routinely attend church. We allow everyday distractions to pull us away from Christ. Christ says to take up the cross DAILY.

Luke 9:23 ESV
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

I don't know about you, but I am on FIIIIYAH! Like never before. My heart is yearning for more, my mind is thirsty for Gods word. I want to be so on fire for Christ that when I wake up and my feet hit the ground...Satan says..."OH NO SHE IS AWAKE! What works of God is she going to commit today." I want to be a THREAT to Satan. No fiery pit in hell can compare to how ON FIRE for Christ I am.

It is my daily prayer that you will get that revelation in your heart...that thirst for his word. Allow him to quench that emptiness that is in your life.

Stay thirsty my friends!

xoxo

Andrea