Starting as far back as I can remember I used to feel that I was born for a very important reason. This is taking for granted all of God's children are here for His reasons and all reasons are important. Truly, with much conviction, I knew in my heart God had big plans for me. What qualifies as "big plans"? I couldn't tell you. But my confidence in a personal calling never wavered even though the calling I was sure of was shrouded in mystery. I never knew without doubt what God had in store for me. But I knew it was specific and I was prepared to follow the instructions to the letter. In my mind, I was simply waiting on Him.
Somewhere along the line, the gut feeling that I was being called by God, for His purpose, started to fade. I'm not sure when the Holy Spirit loosed His grip on me but I know without doubt I felt the absence of His hand earlier this week. The realization that I could no longer hear God's calling shook me to the core. The silence was deafening.
As I sang along to a new favorite song, the words laid heavy on my heart. The message was unmistakable. We, as Christians fail often. But often, the failure doesn't come in like a lion. The failure begins with compromise and our convictions slowly begin to fade. Before we know it, we are floundering, if not drowning. With little care for spiritual matters that pertain to the quiet moments between our heart and God's heart, our spirit begins to die. My voice disappeared when I began to comprehend I could no longer feel the pull of God on my will. My heart broke. How did I get here? When did I become so complacent? When did I fade?
I receive daily devotionals via my email. I signed up for the online delivery because I thought it might be more convenient than having to make time to actually sit down and read the Scripture. Of course my choice of convenience has turned into a choice of neglect. I receive the emails but I rarely read them. And when I do read them, I rarely meditate on them. Prayer is absent from my daily life and I am ashamed to admit it doesn't bother me like it should. The same week that God broke my heart through a song, I received three devotional messages that dealt with the call of God. "Loved but Lost" on Sunday. "Called for God's Purpose" on Monday. "Living in God's Calling" on Tuesday. I didn't read them. I didn't want to. I didn't have to. The title told me what I needed to hear. Don’t worry; my plan is to read them, soon. This same plan includes a reconnection attempt with my Lord and Savior. Though it is not deserved, I will pray for another dose of grace and mercy. And I will open my heart, fully, to His calling. I bring up the devotional messages to point out that God is reaching out to me once again. He is not through with me, though I have been unconsciously through with Him for years.
Aside from my shame and brokenness, my heart is glad. Glad that God still speaks to me, though I have ignored Him and deliberately shut Him out through my apathy. My heart leapt in my chest when I recognized God was speaking to me through a song, through devotion, through my faith. He is pulling me closer though my sinful will constantly fought against Him. He is still knocking on the door though I had grown deaf to the sound. I am glad my Lord is louder than my own voice. I am glad my God will not give up on me. I am glad my Father loves me more than I love myself. I am glad my Savior will not let me squander this gift of life He has given.
This brings me to a crossroads...and my point. Though I am still unsure of what God may be calling me to do or where God may be calling me to go, I am ready. Mentally accepting and willing to hear; I am ready to follow. Spiritually I need work. And that is where the simple act of reading the devotions and talking to God come into play. My relationship with God has suffered to the point of extinction thanks to my arrogance and disregard. I must, as a child, learn to crawl again. I must turn to God first, not last. I must make my connection with God the only priority. The rest, the details, are up to God to reveal in due time. He may have me stay where I am for the next 50 years. He may send me to places I've only heard of. No matter what God has in store for me, I now remember and accept that it is about Him. It's not about me at all. This plan, this “big plan” that God has meticulously designed for me is to serve Him. How did I lose sight of that? When did I mistake the truth for lies? When did I fade? No matter; I am my Father’s child. I am forgiven. I am here to do His work.
Yes, the feeling that God has something big in store for me is starting to return. The idea that I am here for a specific reason is becoming real again. The knowledge I was created for His purpose is reaffirmed. This, I am thankful for. Though I did much to drown out the voice of the Holy Spirit, I failed. I hear His voice clearly now and He asks if I'm listening. He asks if I am willing. He asks me to follow Him. I can think of no better response than, "Here am I Lord; Send me."
Lord, protect my heart from getting lost again.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
A Mother's Greatest Gift
The greatest gift a mother can give her children is instruction about faith principles. Do your youngsters see godly precepts lived out in your words and choices? Parents are a child's first spiritual advisors. However, if moms and dads do not instruct young people, someone else will. We absolutely cannot neglect our responsibility to train up our kids in the way they should go (Prov. 22:6).
Each person comes into the world as a "blank slate" that over time develops a belief system--a grid that filters everything the mind takes in. A child who has been prayed over and taught God's ways will see the world as it truly is. But one who's been programmed by secular culture or another religion will view life as he or she wishes it to appear--or through someone else's tinted lens.
Pastors and Sunday school teachers can help to form a child's grid, but they cannot do all the work. It is the responsibility of parents to invest whatever time, patience, and love are necessary to grow boys and girls into godly men and women. Teach them biblical principles, talk about the Lord and His ways, and show them what a righteous life looks like by living one. In other words, be the kind of believer that you hope your child will become.
Sending a child into the world without a biblical foundation is like throwing him into a lion's den without weapons or armor. Little ones cannot discern truth from error because their grid systems are immature. Parents must defend children's minds against the world's onslaught until they are ready to take over the challenge themselves.
Deuteronomy 6:1-7
In Touch Ministries
Each person comes into the world as a "blank slate" that over time develops a belief system--a grid that filters everything the mind takes in. A child who has been prayed over and taught God's ways will see the world as it truly is. But one who's been programmed by secular culture or another religion will view life as he or she wishes it to appear--or through someone else's tinted lens.
Pastors and Sunday school teachers can help to form a child's grid, but they cannot do all the work. It is the responsibility of parents to invest whatever time, patience, and love are necessary to grow boys and girls into godly men and women. Teach them biblical principles, talk about the Lord and His ways, and show them what a righteous life looks like by living one. In other words, be the kind of believer that you hope your child will become.
Sending a child into the world without a biblical foundation is like throwing him into a lion's den without weapons or armor. Little ones cannot discern truth from error because their grid systems are immature. Parents must defend children's minds against the world's onslaught until they are ready to take over the challenge themselves.
Deuteronomy 6:1-7
In Touch Ministries
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Focusing on God
Genesis 37:5-11
"Man is born for trouble" (Job 5:7). There is no way to avoid or escape this common condition of mankind. As we continue to look at Joseph's life, we get a glimpse of the anchor that held him steady while, one after another, the waves of affliction rolled over him.
When Joseph was a teenager, he was given two dreams about the Lord's future plans for his life. They revealed that he would one day be in a place of authority and honor, and his family would bow down to him. Scripture had not yet been written in those days, and the Lord would sometimes speak to men in their dreams.
Previously, God had spoken to Jacob in a dream and given him a promise (Gen. 28:10-16). And now his son was hearing from the Lord in the same way. Joseph followed his father's example of faith and believed the message.
The Lord knew that Joseph was going to need a promise to get him through the difficulty that would soon follow. God's Word to him was his anchor. During all the trials, Joseph kept on believing that the Lord would fulfill His promise. He focused on the faithfulness of the God, not on his circumstances.
When the Lord speaks to our hearts through Scripture, we can hold onto what He says as an anchor for our souls. He will keep His promises to us, just as He did for Joseph. When we focus on God and His Word, our fears will dwindle, our sense of need will diminish, and our doubts will be cleared away.
In Touch Ministries
"Man is born for trouble" (Job 5:7). There is no way to avoid or escape this common condition of mankind. As we continue to look at Joseph's life, we get a glimpse of the anchor that held him steady while, one after another, the waves of affliction rolled over him.
When Joseph was a teenager, he was given two dreams about the Lord's future plans for his life. They revealed that he would one day be in a place of authority and honor, and his family would bow down to him. Scripture had not yet been written in those days, and the Lord would sometimes speak to men in their dreams.
Previously, God had spoken to Jacob in a dream and given him a promise (Gen. 28:10-16). And now his son was hearing from the Lord in the same way. Joseph followed his father's example of faith and believed the message.
The Lord knew that Joseph was going to need a promise to get him through the difficulty that would soon follow. God's Word to him was his anchor. During all the trials, Joseph kept on believing that the Lord would fulfill His promise. He focused on the faithfulness of the God, not on his circumstances.
When the Lord speaks to our hearts through Scripture, we can hold onto what He says as an anchor for our souls. He will keep His promises to us, just as He did for Joseph. When we focus on God and His Word, our fears will dwindle, our sense of need will diminish, and our doubts will be cleared away.
In Touch Ministries
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Through Times of Trial
Genesis 39:19-23
When the problems of life seem overwhelming, we need someone to come alongside and help us to see our difficulties through the eyes of our sovereign God. Joseph is just such a person. Although he lived thousands of years ago, his story still speaks to us with great insights into the Lord's purposes.
Joseph experienced a wide variety of trials--hatred, rejection, and betrayal by his brothers; loss of home, family, and freedom; false accusation and imprisonment; and the loneliness and disappointment of being forgotten. His life was a series of difficult and unfair situations, yet Scripture never records any bitterness or revenge in Joseph's responses to all these circumstances.
Though outwardly it may have seemed as if God had abandoned the young man, inwardly He was doing some awesome work in Joseph's heart. The Lord had some big plans for him, and He knew that these trials would be the most effective tools for preparing His servant for the work that lay ahead.
As Joseph responded to each situation with faith in God and diligence in every task assigned to him, one fact became obvious to all who knew him: the Lord was with Joseph (Gen. 41:38-39).
We need to remember this when we are going through hard times. The Lord is with us even when our circumstances shout that He has deserted us. We may have little control over the difficulties we face, but we each have a choice of how to respond. Joseph calls to us from a time long past, urging us to trust God.
In Touch Ministries
When the problems of life seem overwhelming, we need someone to come alongside and help us to see our difficulties through the eyes of our sovereign God. Joseph is just such a person. Although he lived thousands of years ago, his story still speaks to us with great insights into the Lord's purposes.
Joseph experienced a wide variety of trials--hatred, rejection, and betrayal by his brothers; loss of home, family, and freedom; false accusation and imprisonment; and the loneliness and disappointment of being forgotten. His life was a series of difficult and unfair situations, yet Scripture never records any bitterness or revenge in Joseph's responses to all these circumstances.
Though outwardly it may have seemed as if God had abandoned the young man, inwardly He was doing some awesome work in Joseph's heart. The Lord had some big plans for him, and He knew that these trials would be the most effective tools for preparing His servant for the work that lay ahead.
As Joseph responded to each situation with faith in God and diligence in every task assigned to him, one fact became obvious to all who knew him: the Lord was with Joseph (Gen. 41:38-39).
We need to remember this when we are going through hard times. The Lord is with us even when our circumstances shout that He has deserted us. We may have little control over the difficulties we face, but we each have a choice of how to respond. Joseph calls to us from a time long past, urging us to trust God.
In Touch Ministries
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Trusting God With Your Finances
Proverbs 3:9-10
Yesterday we learned about God's plan for financial security: giving back to Him the first part of our earnings. Some of us, however, find it a challenge to put the principle into practice. Although we know what the Lord has said, the thought of giving that way can cause anxiety about not having enough. Then, there may be a temptation to replace God's plan with our own because His feels so uncertain. We should be careful not to let fear override faith.
The problem is not with the Lord's plan but, rather, with unbelief. Fear reveals doubt that God can do what He has said He will do. In today's Scripture verses, the Lord promises to provide all that is needed if we will honor Him with the first part of our wealth.
Can you trust all of God's Word? Many of us have staked our eternal security on believing what the Lord has said in the Bible about our salvation, yet some may doubt what He says about money and His provision for us. What conflicted creatures we are. We take one part of Scripture and say it is true, and yet we discount another section, feeling that the Lord cannot be trusted in the area of our finances.
God tells us to "test [Him] in this" and see if He is faithful (Mal. 3:10). In giving to the Lord, we have the privilege of watching Him fulfill His Word. Which is more reliable--our feelings or the Word of Almighty God? Say no to fear and step out in faith. Our God is believable.
In Touch Ministries
Yesterday we learned about God's plan for financial security: giving back to Him the first part of our earnings. Some of us, however, find it a challenge to put the principle into practice. Although we know what the Lord has said, the thought of giving that way can cause anxiety about not having enough. Then, there may be a temptation to replace God's plan with our own because His feels so uncertain. We should be careful not to let fear override faith.
The problem is not with the Lord's plan but, rather, with unbelief. Fear reveals doubt that God can do what He has said He will do. In today's Scripture verses, the Lord promises to provide all that is needed if we will honor Him with the first part of our wealth.
Can you trust all of God's Word? Many of us have staked our eternal security on believing what the Lord has said in the Bible about our salvation, yet some may doubt what He says about money and His provision for us. What conflicted creatures we are. We take one part of Scripture and say it is true, and yet we discount another section, feeling that the Lord cannot be trusted in the area of our finances.
God tells us to "test [Him] in this" and see if He is faithful (Mal. 3:10). In giving to the Lord, we have the privilege of watching Him fulfill His Word. Which is more reliable--our feelings or the Word of Almighty God? Say no to fear and step out in faith. Our God is believable.
In Touch Ministries
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