Trust YE In the Lord Jehovah

I just was thinking about some things today and I ended up thinking about this subject. 

I know that trusting the Lord sometimes is easier than trusting our husbands…heavy subject I know…even though we struggle sometimes to trust the Lord we know in the end that He has never failed us and so trust naturally…eventually comes.  Trusting our husbands sometimes takes a bit more effort because we see his faults and failures before us; and for most of us the thought of putting control of our life in the hands of another mere mortal is terrifying.  What we need to understand is that by trusting our husbands we ARE trusting the Lord.  He ultimately has control.    

I haven’t had to do this with too many LIFE decisions yet; but in our last few years we have had more of those come our way.  And at the present we are being faced with potentially another big one.  Now myself I begin weighing ALL the possible scenarios in my mind…good…bad…and the worse.  Some of them I think I could live with and then some of them I refuse to even think about…I know we’ve all been there. 

My mind went to a situation that we dealt with a few years ago.  To preface this…for 2 years my husband had felt to do something; but whenever he would mention this I would go NUTS.  No other way to describe it.  I FREAKED OUT.  Eventually he just quit discussing it with me.  Two years went by and I finally began to get the hint.  Yes…it took that long for the Lord to get through to me.  Pray for me.

I could go into a long story about why this was so scary; but those things just don’t matter and most of them weren’t even true they were just fears I had created.    

We were driving home from church one Sunday and my patient husband carefully approached the subject once again.  For the sake of making my point I am going to go ahead and tell you what it was. 

He asked “Davita…(long pause)…what would you think about us retiring from the youth group”?

Now mind you…that normally this would have sent me into a long line of accusations and preaching.  For this time though the Lord had been doing some work on me.  I swallowed hard…paused…and with more sincerity than I had ever felt before I said “well…it will be hard for me; but if that’s what you think we should do”.  I know that still doesn’t seem very submitted; but it was MILES from where I had been 2 years ago. 

As we drove we began to discuss it…calmly…rationally.  I did more listening and he did more talking.  I could feel the Lord talking and giving him the strength…and helping me keep my mouth shut. 

When we got home we put the girls to bed and began to discuss it more.  I voiced my concerns that I wanted to make sure it was the Lord’s will and he assured me that he felt it was.  Finally I could see he really wanted to ask me something so I encouraged him to say what he felt. 

He let it go.  He was afraid…my big strong John Wayne of a man was afraid…my heart fell apart.  He was afraid that if he made this decision that I would resent him for the rest of my life.  Talk about a wakeup call.  As he sat on the edge of our bed I noticed for the first time how his shoulders slumped with the weight he had been carrying. 

At that moment I felt the Lord move into our conversation.  He was getting ready to change our lives…our marriage. 

When I opened my mouth I knew without a doubt the Lord was in control. 

My words with tears streaming down my face were “Phillip…you are a GOOD man.  I know that you love the Lord and you are doing your best to follow him.  I know that you would never do anything that you thought would harm our family; and I trust you.  I’m so sorry for all the times that you have tried to lead our family and I fought you; but if you will give me one more chance I would like to follow you.  If you will lead I will follow.”

When I did that he began to cry and I physically saw the weight that he had been carrying for so long fall from his shoulders. 

To this day I will never forget the transformation that took place that night or the look of relief that washed across his face.  Our marriage has never been the same.  Not that we haven’t had small struggles since then; but without a doubt we have never been closer to being ONE. 

I promise if you ever experience something like this for yourself it will change your life. 

Since then I have watched the Lord work in so many ways…with me, with Phillip; and with my children.   Change was the hardest thing for me to go through.  It was hard for me to let go of something that I still had a burden for; but over the last few years I have watched that burden change.  I am learning to trust that my husband can hear from the Lord just as well, if not better than me.  I still love our young people…I still pray for them always; but I feel the Lord has increased a different burden in my eyes.  I am raising two beautiful girls whose ground I need to plant seeds in so that they can grow into THEIR full potential in the Lord.  I am joyfully burdened with the calling of raising potential Bride members!!   Oh my…where would we be if I hadn’t listened to the Lord that night and trusted in the Lord?  Where would my children be?  Thank you Lord for mercy and patience in working with us. 

I know in life there will be many more life choices we will have to make…and you may all have to repeat this back to me someday; but for now let me leave you with this song:

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Practice Peace

I am an imperfect mother at the least.  I fail daily…some days hourly.  I always begin with the best intentions; but some days those best intentions are never realized.

This morning I was praying and asking the Lord to help me be a good, kind; and loving mother.  This is something that unfortunately is not natural to me. 

I ran across an article about this mom who always seemed to find herself yelling at her kids.  As I was reading she was telling about an experience where she could feel herself getting frustrated at her child and before she confronted her child she took a minute to pray and ask God to help her.  Her prayer was really honest and so I included it in this link so you could read it.  http://www.thebettermom.com/2014/05/01/really-want-yell/   

I really enjoyed her honesty and after I read her article I thought of these two words.  PRACTICE PEACE.

I thought wow that’s strange.  My whole life I have heard the phrase “practice makes perfect”.  But that’s exactly what she was doing.  She was practicing what she already knew to do. 

Sometimes in order to become skilled in an area like music or sports we have to practice. 

If I want my home to naturally be peaceful then I must first practice being peaceful myself.  When I feel that frustration rising I must practice responding in peace if I want BE peaceful.  I just thought this was a really good way to look at it. 

Lord help me practice peace.  At the very moment I can feel myself getting frustrated let me stop for a second to ask for your help and then let me proceed with caution.

Dedicated to God

Listening to a meeting in Hurst and Bro. D.L. Jones made the statement below and it got my mind to thinking…
“You’re dedicated to coming to church.  You’re dedicated sometimes to doing your job…preaching…teaching… etc.  But are you really SOLD OUT to this God?”

“What you do is a reflection of course; but it has nothing to do sometimes with what we do.”

He’s not saying it doesn’t matter what we do; but that is not our primary reason for serving God.

I thought WHOA this is a deeper definition of going through the motions.  You can be faithful to church…sing in the choir…testify…even praise the Lord; but there is a depth that even goes past all that He is looking for.  This cannot be a life that we just DO, it has to be a life that we ARE.  It has to be a life we live from the time that we wake up in the morning to the time that we lay our head on our pillow at night.  It must be a life we live whether we are up or we are down.  It must be a life we live whether we are “accepted” by those around us or we are not.  It must be a life we live when we’re sick or we are well.  We must not just surrender our Sunday mornings and our Wednesday nights; but we must surrender our LIFE.  We must give up our wants for HIS desires.  Give up our ideas for HIS truths.  We must give up our worldly pleasures for HIS treasures.  We have to give up our reactions for HIS responses.

If He says do something we must do it…without question…hesitation…or argument.  He says stop we must stop.  If He says we can’t go there…don’t go.  If He says don’t watch, listen to; buy that then don’t do it.

I tell my kids…when do we obey?  RIGHT AWAY.    

At some point we…I…have to get to the place where HE directs our every step…thought…action. 

TOTAL…unfeigned…whole hearted…non-conditional…dedication!!  Not dedication because we have something to DO; but complete dedication to our Savior because of who HE is. 

We aren’t faithful to church just because we enjoy being there, or pray just to hear ourselves talk; but we should DO the things He’s asked us to DO because of what He did for us.  Because we want to lay down OUR will and OUR time and OUR comfort to honor Him.  It is not about us…it’s about HIM.  He didn’t save us because we are so great, or have so great a talent He couldn’t live without; but He looked down on us because we needed Him.  What do we have to offer Him that HE hasn’t given to us?  Nothing!!  We should dedicate our life to Him because He laid down His life for us.  He didn’t have to…he made a choice to have mercy on a group of sinful people who without Him had no hope.  Why shouldn’t I lay my life down for Him and allow Him to direct it as He chooses.  My goodness my life is the least I could give Him and that is not even a drop in the bucket for what He did for me.    

 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:”               Gal. 2:20

Help me Lord.

Tis So Sweet

I am so thankful for the words that we heard this weekend!!  It is words like what we heard that will resonate in our minds and keep us when things get harder.  When I went home Sunday night I was very sober minded.  I have heard things about the beast…revelation…the dragon my whole life; but when you see evidence of those things truly coming to pass it makes it more real.

Monday morning I was sitting at my desk and kept going over and over these things in my head.  I found myself stepping into the what if’s…we’ve all been there.   I can feel the Lord really working in the spirit in our services and at home in my own personal life.  I feel this urgency to work on my life as I’m sure you all have felt.  I almost felt this fear settling over me.  I know its crazy; but this life…this way means so much to me and the thought of missing out on what the Lord is doing is almost too much to think about.

I began telling the Lord, “Lord what if all I am is scaffolding and that when it comes time to take my place in the building I will just fall away…”  Seriously…this is how I was thinking.

I have believed in the Lord what seems my whole life.  I have believed this is the way He showed me to go.  Not just because I was raised here; but because the Lord himself opened my eyes to what He’s doing!!  I KNOW without any doubt or reservation that this is God’s church!!  HIS work in the land.  My eyes can see and my ears can hear; but because of that I am so afraid that I am going to miss something.  That I’m not going to hear His voice in some area or that I’m going to fail to finish my course.  I know I am 33 years old and this may sound silly; but I don’t want to fail Him.  It is too important!!  It is my LIFE!!  It is my children’s LIFE!!  I don’t want to miss out on the BRIDE.  I know that if I fail to finish my course and I’m striving that I will come up in the resurrection; but (I’m sorry if this is offensive), I don’t want to settle for the new earth.  Not that that wouldn’t be amazing too; but I want to be in the Bride.  Since I was a child that was all I have ever wanted.  That was my entire goal and ambition in life.  I want to make it.    

As I was thinking all of this I was firing back at those thoughts and saying things like “Bro. Wright said that if we were just scaffolding we needed to pray and ask the Lord to help us do whatever we need to do to be part of the building…Lord help me do what I need to do”!! 

I was thinking and praying and fighting all at the same time LOL!!.

As I stepped away from my desk I heard a sweet little phrase “Tis’ So Sweet To Trust In Jesus…Just to take Him at His word…”.   I thought wow where did that come from?  It’s not a song I just go around singing.  I went back to my computer and decided to look it up to see what the rest of the words were; and WOW!!  As I began to listen I felt this sweet peace wash over me.  I thought yes…I can take Him at His word…I can stand on His promise…and I can rest from all the what ifs in His precious peace!! 

Here are the words and the link to the video I watched :0)

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

 https://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv1-swat02&p=tis%20so%20sweet%20to%20trust%20in%20jesus%20lyrics&type=

THIS is how you just let go.  THIS is how you trust the Lord!!  How?  Because we can take Him at His word.  Why?  Because He has proved Himself to us over and over and over!!!  When we…I…take Him at His word there is no more fear!!  There is no more stress.  There is no more worry.  Why?  Because He has NEVER in 33 years EVER forsaken me.  He knows my heart and He will help me!!  The task may seem daunting; but the Lord will finish the work.

What does HIS WORD say?

What promises has He given that we can REST in?

Rest from what?  What do we need to rest from?

Has He proved Himself faithful time and time again?

A few weeks ago Shaelyne gave a testimony about being on a merry go round and just letting go and enjoying the ride.  She talked about getting in the middle of that merry go round and letting go…trusting in the Lord.  I have listened to that testimony over and over.  I could really feel it!!  THIS is how you do that!!!  You have to trust that if you keep taking steps…moving when the Lord says move…staying when the Lord says stay…that in the end it will be enough.  Trust that the Lord will not forget your labor and in the end WILL say “Well done Davita…well done”!!!  I long to know without a shadow of a doubt that I have done all that the Lord has required of me. 

So for now I am going to step into the center of that merry go round…throw my hands in the air…keep taking steps…working…pressing…praising the Lord…and trusting that if I’ll keep working HE will keep helping me; and in the end He will say “Well done thou good and faithful servant…enter in to the JOY of the Lord”!!!!  GLORY GLORY GLORY!!!!    

Watching...Listening...Learning...Doing

All my life I have watched people.  What do I mean by that?  I have watched my parents...I have watched my aunts and uncles...I have watched our ministry...I have watched the saints in our church.  I have watched how they acted...I have watched what they respond to...I have watched and watched and watched.  Today I was thinking...as I get older I am seeing those people that I have watched all my life begin to pass away.  I am watching how they go through their different situations...constantly learning. 
What will I do if suddenly one day I look up and all those people that I have watched are no longer there and suddenly I am the one that is being watched?  Have I watched enough?  Have I listened enough? Do my footsteps line up with theirs as they did their best to line their footprints up with Christ?  Do I have enough of this vision in my life that if all the people that I am watching...are no longer there to watch...that I will stay in the way...stay the course...be a leader for those who are watching me? 
As I thought to myself today...what am I going to do without those people I have watched if the Lord chooses to take them on? 
Well...I will do what I have been taught while I watched all these years.  I will go to church...I will keep going...and I will keep going.  I will keep walking...I will keep listening...I will keep praying...I will keep striving.
I have not just learned by people who have talked the talk I have learned by people who have walked the walk.  I have been taught to do the right thing...even if you would rather no.  I have learned to depend on the Lord...even if I'm not sure of where we're headed.  I have learned to think on the good things...even when it seems the bad things would overwhelm me.  I have learned to help and serve others...even if I am in need myself.  I have learned how to be strong in my convictions...while still loving whole heartedly those who's convictions may be different.
These are things that I have learned by watching those around me.  And even if those who I have watched are no longer there I still will have the things that they have added to my life.  I will still hold on to the vision that they helped the Lord plant in my heart.  I still will hold fast to the vision that I have been given...not because it's THEIR vision; but because somewhere along the way it was no longer THEIR vision it became MINE.  Because my vision and convictions finally go deeper than just those people who I have watched for so long...they are connected to one they originated from.  The Lord...and HE will always be there to guide if I will keep listening...and watching...and praying...and walking...and striving...and shouting!!! 
Thank you to all that I have watched and learned from.  Thank you for staying on the job no matter what.  Thank you for living the vision before me so that I could see my faith in shoe leather. 
I love you !!!!!   

Something A WAY DOWN in my Soul

Cracking myself up today.

I was having a not so good very bad day.  Not for any reason other than just griping at myself for being the way I am.  I sat down at the piano and began playing the first song that popped into my head “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”…ironic I know :0)

I felt better as I played and then I started singing “I Feel Something A Way Down In My Soul” Haha…and low and behold there was a little something there LOL. 

I thought to myself yep there’s something there…even if it IS “a way down” in there LOL!! 

The more I sang the better I felt.

Then I got this crazy picture…something we’ve always heard before…about an old water pump.  We’ve heard this story a million times; but I thought I would remind myself. 

And I would like to say everything I know about this is not much…I only learned it from Little House On the Prairie LOL. 

That water they need to live is down deep in the ground…unless you lived near a river or a stream you had to dig a well.  In order to get the water out they dig a big hole…put a pipe and pump down in it and start pumping.  I’m sure there was more science to it than that and I might actually research it a little bit; but it looked like that’s the basics anyway.  After the pipe was put in the water didn’t just come gushing it out…in order to get that water there sometimes you had to dig deep and keep pumping. 

Sometimes…a lot of times I have to do this.  That water is laying down there waiting for me and I have to start pumping. 

LOL…but oh how sweet it tastes when it finally gets to flowing…then all I have to do is walk out and get a drink whenever I need it. 

Anyway…that was my crazy picture :0)

11-13-2013

Sometimes the Lord gives mother’s and daughter’s moments that …well you have to write down :0)

Tonight before bed I began to tell my girls how thankful I am that they are my little girls. 

I took 2’s hand first and told her that I loved her so much.  As she listened she didn’t move a muscle and, focused on every word I said.  I told her that she was so smart, and sweet; and how that she sometimes was silly.  She always made people smile and made people happy.  She smiled as big as the world and hugged me tight.

Next I took 1’s hand…as I talked she tucked her head kind of embarrassed like.  I could tell that it was something she needed to hear.  I told her how much I loved her and how that she was so caring and kind and how that I loved watching her grow up.  I loved how that she was learning to be a good mom by loving her baby dolls and that she meant so much to me. 

I found myself holding back tears as I explained my feelings to them.  2 in her way began to tell me how much she loved me.  She said that she was thankful for all the things that I did for her…for the good food I make them…for the things we buy her…and then hugged me tight.  Even though 1 didn’t express her feelings in words I could tell in the shy way she looked at me and the way she clung to me after that she felt the same. 

Sometimes you wonder in life if you as a mom have ruined your children or if you have messed them up in some way by all your failures…then in the midst of all that the Lord gives you little glimpses of how wonderful your children already are.  In all our daily training sessions…in all our character development…in all the correction we feel we need to do it is nice to have moments of clarity, when you can see how wonderfully innocent and trusting and GOOD your children really are!!      

 

 

Oil in my Lamp

Tonight Bro. Troy Coldwater was up speaking.  I didn’t get to hear the beginning of his talk because I was out with the girls; but the part I heard was too good not to share. 

He mentioned the 10 virgins in Matthew 25.  I have heard this taught all my life; but he said something that really jumped out to me.  He said that the 5 foolish virgins’ lamps WENT out.  He said that meant they at one time HAD oil in their lamp; but that they didn’t store any up.  I believe the Bible says that “…the foolish TOOK their lamps, and took NO OIL with them…”; but the wise “…took oil IN their vessels WITH their lamps…”. 

Talk about a revelation!!  Like I said I have heard this preached my whole life and never heard it preached so simple; but yet so TECHNICAL.  When you read that passage with that understanding I felt like it opened up more and more to me.  I kept adding more and more to it.    

He said that you have to STAY praying…STAY seeking the Lord…STAY reading…

He said you can’t put in for vacation time…wow how many times, have I said that “Lord I just need a little break…”!!  Shame on me!! 

He said you must get to a place in your life where IT IS OUR LIFE…it’s just WHAT WE DO…

I’m sorry to say that I know what it means to have my lamp running low on oil.  I know what it means to not have enough oil to see me through a trial and have to “hurry up” and try to find the strength I need to make it through.  He talked about being a sprinter…I never thought of it this way; but a sprinter has these HUGE bursts of energy…so much so that when they are done with their part of a race they aren’t worth very much because they used everything they had to reach their goal.  Instead of storing energy like a long distance runner they just blow it all on a 100 meters. 

Kind of like becoming weary in well doing...how fast do I become weary in well doing?  Do I have enough “stored up” to keep doing right, and keep doing right, and keep doing right all the way…until my nature is fully changed; or do I run out ½ way through and give up because there’s nothing else there holding me?  WOWIE!! 

I have questioned this myself before why I do good for a while, and then just seem to tank so easily?  Maybe because in trying to run this marathon of a race we are in, I have at times been sprinting instead.  Lord help me. 

Hmmm my mind is full tonight with so much to think on.  Thank you Lord for letting me see, now Lord help me to apply…apply…apply!!!

It's Time Make Up Your Mind (DW 8-3-2013)

It’s Time, Make Up Your Mind

 

The battle’s mine David cried as giants roamed the land.

Your sword and shield wont help you win when with me the Lord doth stand.

So in HIS hands I’ll place my trust and yield to His command.

When God Himself fights for you, you gain the upperhand.

 

The battle is the Lord’s today, with weapons that are His.

When He begins to fight for us, the enemy is stilled.

If we will trust and hold our ground, theLord will win the fight.

Gird up your strength, dig in your heals, let Him be your delight.

 

A cry goes forth from a conquering band, THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S!!

We have to put our trust in Him, and HE is our reward!!

If we will wait and serve the Lord, and let Him have our hand.

We will see what God can do, and with them we can stand!!

 

PRAISE THE LORD!!!  HALLELUJAH!!!  Victory is ahead!!

Battle’s come and battle’s go, Let Jesus be your head!!

With Him in front and you behind, Sweet peace you’re sure to find!!

The battle’s HIS to fight today, so it’s time, make up your mind!!!

 

DW 8-3-2013

9-28-2013 Poem

Stripped down and broken

This is who I am.

Battered and beaten

With a heart full of sin.

Useless and helpless

No strength left to stand.

With faults and failures

Too many to mend.

With all that I carry

With all that I am,

The good and the bad

And all that’s within.

With all those who mock

And say that I can’t .

I reach for a goal

The Lord says I’ll win.

He promised to help me

He said that I can.

He said that He’d save me

He said I could win.

He said He would finish

This work He began.

He promised to keep me

Right up to the end.

Let go of your trials

Let go of your plan.

Let go of the things

That bind you within.

You can’t take them with you

They wont help you stand.

It’s time to let go

It’s time to enter in.

DW 9-28-2013

 

 

Going where we have never gone before...

 

 

Wyrick Academy

 

 

I'm sure there will be more posts to come :0)

Was thinking today that just because you know something is the Lord’s will and you have decided to trust the Lord in it…does NOT mean that it still won’t be hard.  It doesn’t mean that it still won’t hurt sometimes to go through it.  Even if you accept the situation and you profess your trust there is no quick magic fix every time that means everything will go smoothly.  You still have to daily…every time the situation comes up…give it to the Lord.  You still have to hold on and endure while those bonds are burned off.  Until you make it through and come out on the other side you have to keep trusting Him to help you walk through it; and keep looking for those little signs along the way that let you know you’re on the right track.  He’ll help you make those steps…even if they’re itty bitty baby steps.          

Hezekiah vs. The King of Assyria

Reading in 2 Chronicles 32 today:

As I was reading I began to see a picture written out before me.  I know you all know this already; but sometimes it just helps to be reminded :0) the story is of Hezekiah going to battle with the King of Assyria.  I encourage you to read it yourself.  He does a much better of telling the story than I can.

When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib king of Assyria was looking for a fight there are some things he did… (2 Chron. 32:3-6)

v  He took counsel with the princes and the mighty men of Israel to stop all the water flowing in Jerusalem.  Why?  So that when Assyria came to fight they would not find much water.  Water is a life source. 

Ø  How can we apply this?  He sought counsel to do what?  Stop the life source?  Stop anything that would give what he is fighting strength.  Quit feeding it.  If we are fighting something in our life we need to cut off the things that would give it strength.  The things that feed what we’re fighting. 

Ø  Ex.  If we are fighting a disease you have to cut off the life source of that disease.  Diabetes you have to cut off sugar etc…  What are you allowing that is feeding the very thing you are trying to fight off?  Are you fighting a bad spirit…hurt feelings…a habit…whatever it is cut off the life source? 

v  He built up all the wall that was broken.  He built up his defense.  (Prov. 25:28  He that [hath] no rule over his own spirit [is like] a city [that is] broken down, [and] without walls.)

Ø  We have to repair all our breaches.  Get control of our spirit.  Make sure that our defense is secure.  Make sure there is nothing between you and the Lord.  Make sure that there is nothing between you and your brother.  If there is we must repair it and make the wall strong or the enemy will just get in another way. 

v  He made darts and shields. Built up his arsenal…his weapons of warfare (2 Corinthians 10:4  For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 

Ø  Make sure that you are full of the Holy Ghost and the word of God.  Put on the WHOLE armor of God.  So that you are fully equipped to face the enemy.  Look up scriptures…memorize them…memorize songs…spend some time on your knees…this is how you fight.   

v  Gathered the people together and encouraged them. 

Ø  Gather together with the people of the Lord and gain your strength.  Come to church.  This is where we are encouraged by the words of life coming forth…by the testimonies of those who have fought battles and won…and by the songs of Zion.  (Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.)

Hezekiah did all these things in preparation for the battle.  He couldn’t just go out and fight without a defense or he would be taken in the fight.  He had to build up a defense and seek the Lord.  Hezekiah spoke to the people encouraging them that they could win the battle.  After he spoke it says that the people rested in the words of Hezekiah.  They rested…why…how?  Because they knew that the one who was fighting their battle was greater than the ones fighting against them.  (Romans 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us)

What is that Bro. John Seaton said this weekend?  Caleb and Joshua had a different report. They had a victorious report.   Quit listening to the report of the other spies of the land and start listening to the Holy Ghost inside you.  Listen to the Ministry…the saints of the Body of Christ.  They have a different report.  What is their report?? We are WELL ABLE to take the land. We CAN be an overcomer!!!!   Yes it may be a battle…yes some of it may be an uphill climb.  But remember as Hezekiah said “be strong and courageous”!!!  There are more with us HALLELUIA than are with them!!!  We’ve got the Son of God in our corner!!!

(2 Chron. 32:27-28   Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that [is] with him: for [there be] more with us than with him: With him [is] an arm of flesh; but with us [is] the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah)

After the people were at rest then the battle began:  (2 Chron. 32:9-19)

Sennacherib king of Assyria came out and began talking.  He wasn’t coming against them with swords and spears yet…it was his words.  He came at Israel mocking their trust in the Lord and in Hezekiah…telling them that Hezekiah had persuaded them all to give over themselves to die by famine and thirst.  How many times does the devil…your mind…whatever tell you that the Lord won’t help you. He’s just gonna leave you there to die and you might as well give up now?  It is one of the greatest victories if he can get you to doubt the fact that the Lord loves you enough to see you through. 

Then Sennacherib says to Israel “Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto ALL the people of other lands”?  He was really pouring it on thick!!  How many times does he bring up all the battles that you have fought and lost?  How many times you have failed?  How many times you have given up?  He would love for you to focus on your losses than your wins.  It discourages you when you look at all the work you have yet to do.  There is a saying out there that says “When the devil reminds you of your past remind him of his future”.  He would like you to look back; but as Bro. Seaton said this weekend you can look back at the wake of the boat to see where you’ve come from; but if you keep looking behind you there’s gonna be a big wreck in front of you!! 

Sennacherib tells them that those other gods of those lands couldn’t save those people so what makes them think that their God would save them!!!  Have you heard these words before in your own life?  I know I have!!  Then he would like you to look around at all those others that have tried and failed.  How many of your friends have dropped out of the picture?  Could your God save them?  Hmmm he is a sneaky one.  Keep your focus.  This is YOUR chance.  We can’t focus on what’s around us; we have to keep our eyes on HIM.  (Psalms 91:7  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee.)

“There’s a little path I’m on The Lord and me.

A path laid out that’s just for me.

When I begin to deviate from the path,

Question the path, or forget the path

That’s when distractions set in.

I begin to doubt the path,

Worry about the path, and lose the path.

But if I can remember the path of the Lord and me,

Safe and steady my path will be.

Lord keep my eyes stayed on Thee.”

“I’m gonna keep on working till He comes till He comes

There’s nothing in this world worth turning around to see

My eye is on the prize that’s awaitin’ me by and by

And I’m gonna keep on workin’ till He comes”

Then it says that the Assyrians went to work…talking against them…telling them that it was hopeless.  Then they began to cry out in the Jews own language.  Talking to them on their own level.  How many times has the devil talked right down your alley?  Telling you exactly what you “NEED” to hear?  He even sends you special encouragers to use your own words against you.  I know many times my thoughts are what I fight more than anything. 

(2 Chron. 32:20)

In all the midst of this is says that then Hezekiah began to cry out to the Lord.  He began to pray and seek strength from the Lord.  I imagine that the tricks of the Assyrians were working on some of the Israelites and he was probably getting pressure from within as well.  The fire was getting hot!!  He needed strength from on high to fight this battle!!

…and then what happened???

(2 Chron. 32:21-22)

The Lord sent an angel to take out all of Assyria’s officers…and mighty men and saved Hezekiah and Israel that day!! 

(2 Chron. 32:22  Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all [other], and guided them on every side.)

Never once in this chapter does it say that Israel had to raise a sword to fight.  The Lord set ambush when they began to trust and call on the Lord.  Sennacherib returned to his own city and his own people slew him.

Don’t give up on the Lord.  You put in the work and rest in Him and when the battle gets hot and the discouragement is fierce that’s when you call on the name of the Lord and He will send help!!!  He can set ambush and leave you standing in amazement at what happened!!!  He’s a great big MIGHTY God!!! 

“So many times I question the certain circumstances
And things I could not understand.
Many times in trials my weakness blurs my vision
And that's when my frustration gets so out of hand.
It's then I am reminded, I've never been forsaken.
I've never had to stand one test alone.
As I look at all the victories, the Spirit rises up in me.
And It's through the fire my weakness is made strong.

I know within myself that I would surly perish
If I trust the hand of God, He'll shield the flame again.

He never promised that the cross would not get heavy
And the hill would not be hard to climb.
He never offered a victory without fighting.
He said help would always come in time.
Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision
And the advisory says give in, Just hold on.
OUR LORD WILL SHOW UP

And He will take you through the fire again”

(Through the Fire – Gerald Crabb)

Cultivate

Today a Sister I know shared this status on Facebook from Joyce Meyer Ministries:

“The Enemy doesn't fear us going to church every week.

He fears us having a close and powerful relationship with God.”

I could have shouted across the house.  I know this may seem like a simple statement and one I have heard many times; but it unlocked a part of my brain that must have been asleep. 

I have been going through something for a while and it had reached the point to where today I had told the Lord that “I can’t go on one more day like this.  I know that we go through the fire; but I think this one is burning me up”.  I asked the Lord for some help…then I clicked on Facebook this morning.  When I read her status I realized that the enemy’s biggest accomplishment with me right now was getting me to forget about my relationship with the Lord.  I don’t mean that I have completely forgotten; but I forgot to cultivate it.  What do I mean by that?  Well…if He can plant seeds of doubt in your mind…about your relationship with the Lord…about your security…about your worth…about any of these things…he’s got you.  If He can get you to break down the communication between you and the Lord then He has found a way in.  If he can get you to listen to him just enough to get a toe in the door.  I was still reading my Bible everyday…I still prayed; but what was missing was the depth.  There was something between me and the Lord…

As I thought about the Facebook post I thought…more than anything I need to keep that relationship between me and the Lord protected.  I need to make sure that if there is anything between me and the Lord that it is taken care of so that the lines of communication are open.  I need to realize that no matter what happens in life as long as my relationship with the Lord doesn’t change or waiver that we can weather any storm…trial…hiccup in the road together.  Instead of trusting the Lord…praising the Lord…leaning on the Lord…I had been worrying and doubting…and placing all those weights on my own shoulders instead of His.  I have failed to trust in His love and care for me.  Shame on me.  Lord forgive me.  After all He’s done for me.  He’s never failed me yet…why should I think He would start now.  He knows where and who I am and the foundation I am built on is firm.  He sees all my frustrations and just when the pot I’m in goes to boiling He knows how to keep me there till I’m cooked all the way through!!  Lord touch my mind and help to remember you’re there and I am not alone.  You know EXACTLY what you’re doing at every moment.  Thank you Lord!!!

So, where do we go from here? 

Time to have a little talk with Jesus…and learn how to dwell in 2^nd Heaven as Bro. Wright talked about this weekend. 

Conversations with my Daughter

Today on the way home from the store…the kids were whining…I was hot…we all were just done for the day.  I told them to both be quiet because I had enough.  Little Bit #2 speaks up from the back…

“Mommy…I just don’t feel like you really like me anymore”.  She’s 4.  I asked her what had made her feel like that and she said that when I count she just doesn’t think I like her very much…because if I really liked her I would not punish her.  I of course told her that I will always like her.  I may not like what she’s doing or how she is acting; but I would always like her!!  

I told her that the reason mommies and daddies have to correct their children is so that they learn how to behave the right way.  That way they don’t just go around being mean and unkind to everyone they meet.  She said “Oh…I just don’t know how to very good”. 

I told her yes you do and that she was a very good little girl; but sometimes she just had some rough days.  I told her that’s what mommy was for…to help her learn.  :0)

As I sat here thinking about it I thought…isn’t that just like us.  The second the Lord begins to correct an area in our life we begin to doubt His love for us.  Because if He really loved us He wouldn’t make us go through things right? 

WRONG.  He is trying to correct our character so that when we go out in the world we will portray His ways and treat everyone the way we should.  His love for us is so great that He will not allow us to just go on the way we are.  He wants us…pleads with us…and yes directs us to change. 

He loves us too much to leave us the way we are.  Thank you Lord for loving me :0)

Learning to Soar

“Wherever I am I’ll praise Him

Whenever I can I’ll praise Him,

For His love surrounds me like the sea.

Praise the name of Jesus.

Lift up the name of Jesus,

For the name of Jesus lifted me.”

I was sitting in church a weekend or so ago.  I was having a really hard time.  I had a lot going on in my head…a lot going on around me…the Lord was dealing with me...my kids had suddenly decided to go nuts…I was so frustrated and then Luvanna got on the piano and began to sing this song.  I thought to myself well where I am is right here.  In the middle of confusion…frustration…aggravation…hurt…hopelessness…all these emotions I was feeling…this is WHERE I AM.  I thought well, this is not my ideal location spiritually…I am not on the mountain top; but even here…whatever this place I’m in is called He still deserves me to praise Him.  He still is good even when I am not.  He still loves me when I am unloveable. He still cares about me when I fail to care for others.  He is STILL my Savior and still deserves whatever I can give Him.  Even if all I have to offer Him at that moment is tears and brokenness…He still deserves whatever I have.  Even if what I have is nothing…He can take that and make it something.  The more she sang the better I felt.  Did things change…no; but instead of letting those things pile on top of my shoulders I started climbing on top of them and using them to push me little bit higher.

I was thinking last night of an eagle and how we’ve always heard that it uses the storms to soar above the winds.  I was thinking how that there have been times in my life where I have felt myself soaring…and I mean SOARING above the things around me.  Where things would happen and I would just say ok Lord…I know you’ve got this under control and up up up I would go.  Other times it seems like I would struggle and struggle to get off the ground.  I don’t think the difference was just the weight of the circumstances; but maybe more likely my willingness to let Him have control…to allow myself to be carried up higher by the winds surrounding me and instead me being afraid to jump off the cliff and consequently getting hammered instead by the rain.  Lord help me to have enough faith and trust in you to jump off the cliff and learn to soar instead of choosing to get pummeled over and over by the rain.       

“Wherever I am I’ll praise Him

Whenever I can I’ll praise Him,

For His love surrounds me like the sea.

Praise the name of Jesus.

Lift up the name of Jesus,

For the name of Jesus lifted me.”