remnant – The Gritfull Life

A New Thing- You Can’t Beat It

Do you look to the word of God as something that keeps you from living the life you desire, or do you look to the word of God for the blueprint to greatness?

I’m asking this question because I’ve known those who have said, “The bible has too many rules,” “I’m under grace, and that’s all I need to know!”, or “I don’t have time in this season to study my bible.” Honestly, those are all heartbreaking statements to me because these people have no idea the treasures they are robbing themselves of by not reading the word of God. For the things of this world. I understand that there are times where life is frantic and over-scheduled, but the ability to change those variables lies within our reach and responsibility. And thanks to technology, you can listen to the word of God being read anytime. I’m thinking YouTube, Abide, YouVersion Bible App, cds if you’re into that, and more. And while I personally believe that holding the word of God in your hands to read has the greatest impact in changing your life, listening to the word of God has its purposes as well. God’s word says in Psalm 19,

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is a great reward.”

I want to dive into breaking apart this scripture passage for deeper understanding of what God is trying to show us here:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul

Two word-groups in the Hebrew Old Testament are translated “perfect” or “perfection”: tamam [m’T] and calal [l;l’K]. The former connotes wholeness, soundness, integrity, and often takes on ethical significance; the latter connotes completeness, perfection, and can carry the aesthetic sense of comeliness or beauty.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple

Statutes are a law or decree by sovereign God. I love this truth-ism that states, “Show me an area of your life where you are experiencing success, and I will show you where you are following a biblical principle. Conversely, show me an area of your life where you are failing, and I will show you where you are violating a biblical principle. Therefore, those choosing to follow what they call their own personal wisdom are seemingly less than wise, bordering on stupidity.

Trustworthy means confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship, or other sound principles of another person. In other words, you can put your confidence in what God is instructing you THROUGH HIS WORD.

I need to stop right here for a minute and say something. Feelings aren’t facts. I have a lot of friends who tell me they “feel God” and while the presence of the holy spirit is a very powerful experience, it is one that we as disciples of Christ should continually walk in. Also, you can feel something, but that doesn’t make it match up in alignment with God’s word. If you’re “feeling” that you need to make a move, feeling that you should align with someone in business, feeling that you should leave your spouse, I recommend you pray and ask God to confirm or refute anything you’re “feeling.” Why? Again, feelings aren’t facts. Eve was tempted by Satan through her emotions and senses. Through her feelings. I’ll prove it, in Genesis 3, “Eve saw that the fruit was good for food (hunger/taste), pleasing to the eye (vision and vision of what she might become in her eyes), desirable for gaining wisdom (thoughts), so she took some (touch) and ate it. Then she persuaded (seduced) Adam to eat it too.” The bible says we are to take every thought captive and make it obedient to the Word of God. So, if you’re not doing that, you’re headed for trouble. Ok, moving on.

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart

God’s precepts are His instructions and commandments. As we study his word, we learn what is good and acceptable to him and the peace of carrying his yoke brings joy to our hearts. I heard a pastor once say, “Don’t just read your bible, let it read you!” Why? Because as the holy spirit reveals new things about him and you, and you’ll experience layers upon layers of freedom. God says in Proverbs 8 (verse 10-11: Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”

The instructions and wisdom of God continually make us free, and there is pure joy in that freedom.

The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes

God’s word itself is radiant so that it opens our eyes and hearts to understanding what was formerly the mysterious nature of God. His instructions also illuminate our life and our path and teach us the way to live. The only way you can know the plans God has for you is by going to him in prayer and reading his word. A pastor, a prophet, and an apostle can relay knowledge, teach, and prophesy, but IT’S UP TO YOU TO to pursue a discipleship with God, to understand his word.

And for the audience that says they can’t understand what the bible is trying to say: thankfully there are hundreds of translations of the bible in existence today. I use the NIV, the Amplified, The NKJV (the thee, thou version), The Tree of Life Bible, and the Passion Translation. There’s also the Message and others. I will say that there are some versions that eliminate what I consider powerful vocabulary, but I’m a words person. God will speak to you through His holy spirit, if you will go in faith to the word of God.

The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever

Bibleref.com points out that, ” The meaning of “fear,” here, is the archaic sense of profound respect, humility, and acceptance. This is not a sense of panic, but of deference. This statement points out that reverential fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever. Unlike false religions that are defiled, God’s Word is undefiled and everlasting. A judge may render an inaccurate decision, but God’s judgments are true, David writes, and they are thoroughly righteous.”

This can be hard for those of us who were taught to fear our fathers. I always thought God was mad at me, and that I somehow snuck into the house of God unnoticed, but if it was found out, I’d be told to leave. I didn’t belong there. For many years I was afraid of God, and those fears gave birth to lies that I couldn’t go to him when I messed up. The fear and lies pushed me deeper down into the pit of sin and shame, honestly, because that’s where I thought God wanted me and where I belonged. It wasn’t until several divine appointments over a 10 year time frame, and the deep work that God did inside of my mind and heart, that I was able to break free from those strongholds that caused me to constantly question my salvation, the love of a father, feeling worthy, etc.

Don’t let whatever you believe stand in the way of going to God out of holy respect for who he is, no matter who you think you are. I can assure you, you will be surprised and refreshed at how God really sees you.

The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is a great reward.

The laws and commandments of God are holy. They are priceless. The wisdom you get from the word of God preserves life, warns, teaches abundance, and promises fulfilled. If you were to dive into the historical figures of the bible, I am certain you would resonate with at least 1. The main bible I use is an NIV given to me by my mom when I was 18. Over the past 25 years, God has marked the passages of what I consider to be life messages for me. If I am just flipping open my bible, He will often take me to one of several accounts of historical figures who he has had me study through the years.

But I need to say it didn’t start that way. It started awkward. It started in doubt. It started and then briefly stopped in frustration because I was reading words on tissue paper. Nothing really clicked, and it read flat. It wasn’t until I started praying before, in faith, asking God to please show me what he wanted to say to me that he answered my prayers. You see, I started reading because it was “what I was supposed to do” not out of joy. I had to train myself to develop the habit when I didn’t want to. Like you, I always have a thousand things to get accomplished each day. BUT- when I went to God, knowing that there was more for me in his word, and asking for his favor to understand it, HE WAS and IS FAITHFUL. And He will be faithful to you too. He will make learning about him enjoyable. Just trust me on that.

A prayer for you today

Jesus, I pray that you would woo this reader into your word. I pray that you would speak softly and tenderly to them, using your word to convey exactly what their heart needs to hear so that they know and believe that you are drawing them to deeper intimacy with you. I pray for them to have the faith to believe, in a world that attempts to drown out your whispers with distractions, that they would create a space where nothing would get in the way of meeting with you in your word.

I pray that they would taste and see that your word is good, that it gives life to the bones and to the spirit. I pray for revived hearts, revived lives, and for revival to break out in your body, Lord. We believe for it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Check Your Soil

Luke 8:9-15

“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Jesus goes on to reveal the meaning of 4 Parables of the 4 Soils

The seed is the word of God.

Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so they may not believe and be saved.
Those on the rock receive the word with joy, but they have no root. They believe for a while but in the time of testing, they fall away.
The seed among the thorns stands for those who hear but go on their way, choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures. They do not mature.
The seed on the good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and produce a crop because they understand.

Jesus goes on to issue a warning: “consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.

Applying the word of God to our lives is what causes us to grow. How can you grow in Christ if you don’t know the word of God? The Bible warns against having a form of godliness. There are a lot of people who think they’re good soil, but their fruit or complete lack thereof speaks otherwise.

I hope this parable reminds you as it did me to evaluate the condition of your heart, and your faithfulness to reading and receiving God’s word. I urge you to take an offensive/proactive approach to learning God’s word. Refuse to let it fall away. Refuse to let the cares of life drag you away from what God wants you to know about Him. He wants to make known to you the path of life and fill you with joy in his presence. Let God’s word get down on the inside of you. Meditate on it. Put it up in places so you’ll see it every day as you’re living life. Make God’s word the center of your life. Believe it. Declare it. Remember it.

God’s got crops that need to be raised up and harvested through you, IF you’ll put him and his words first in your life.

Praise Hands

The Lord has been weed-eating in His church…Pulling up what was choking out His Spirit. Correcting wrong motives, realigning focus to His purposes..to what really matters- worshipping God in Spirit and Truth. Not worshipping him for what He is able to do, but worshipping Him for who He is: The Alpha, The Omega; The Beginning; The End; El Shaddai (God Almighty), El Elyon (The Lord of Heaven and Earth); Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness), Jehovah Rapha (The God who Heals), Jehovah Nissi (The Lord, our Banner); The Lord; The Most High; The One True God who lives and reigns forever and ever!

Will you praise Him for His holiness? Will you praise Him for His righteousness? Magnify the Lord with me! Let us gaze upon his beauty. His Power! His majesty!

He is exalted! He is high and lifted up, and all nations of the earth will bow before Him! In His presence who can stand? There is no one like you, O Holy God!

You are the God of Promise. The God of Restoration. The God of Rebirth. The God of Healing. The God of Justice. The God of Righteousness. The God of Good Things.

Holy is your name. Great and Mighty is Your Power. Your compassion, your grace, and your mercy are unending. You leave us better than when you find us. You save! You heal! You transform! You renew! You set our feet on solid rock. You cause us to climb on heights!

Who can know your mind or your plans? What you do, your ways are a mystery to man! We give you our worship. We give you our praise! We give you our hallelujahs for a thousand generations!

10/30/22 A Word From The Lord

A Word from the Lord: “You have been waiting to be unleashed, and now is the time. ‘Ready or not, here I come,’ says the Lord. Go where I tell you to go, and say what I tell you to say. Don’t add or take away from it. Even if you feel afraid. I will be there to strengthen you and uphold you with my righteous right hand. I will not let you fail. These things are for my purposes, says the Lord. You are my witness and my servant who I have chosen that you may go out and bear fruit so that others may know and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.

“Tell them: ‘Social media is not a God. Politicians are not Gods. Stop looking for man to fix what’s broken in this world when my son died to fix it. ‘It is finished,’ says the lord! ‘It is finished!’ You are my vessel to reach those I have predestined to know me. Get off the sidelines and get in the game! It’s time to bear fruit. Whether you think you’re ready or not, I know you are. RUN!”

Burn the blueprint

Behold, I am doing a new thing. Isaiah 43:19

I’ve been seeking God diligently for the past two years about how he wants to use me. Honestly, I believe that everything leading up to now has been a process of a systematic “letting go” of what I thought my life would look like. I find myself waking up most mornings, going through my day-to-day activities, but searching for the reason why God purposed me to live in this generation. Do you ever think about that?

It doesn’t take a genius to see the convergence of signs that point to the soon return of Jesus. First for his bride, and then to rule and reign. I can’t help but want to tell everyone, but I also battle imposter syndrome. Some of my limiting thoughts include:

“I’m not a bible scholar. ” (BUT I am a bible READER and strive to be a bible doer)

“People will think I’m a crazy bible-beater.” (but some people’s eyes might be opened!)

“I’ll lose business…friends..” (but what if I win business and make new friends?)

“My past disqualifies me from being someone He’d use.” (lie, btw)

I can quote scripture, and I can tell you the story of how he’s loved me, delivered me, and healed me, but I can’t sketch out an end times timeline for you. I feel a sense of urgency in my spirit that I must do something, but I’ve also made mistakes in the past where I believed God wanted to use me, and I didn’t see what I would call “success” in those circumstances.

So here I am.

HERE I AM.

Wait a minute- that’s my life verse. “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then said I, “Here I am. Send me!”

The truth is, I don’t have all the answers. But I know who does. And all He really asks is, “Who’s available?”

I once had a prophet speak over me, “I’ve (the Lord) been waiting for you to LET GO of what you can’t, of what you shouldn’t be having anymore”, (this was 10 years ago, btw, so the struggle of letting go is real. But so is the perfect timing of God).

The thing he wants us to do is NEW.

A word from the Lord: It’s never been done. You can’t look for a blueprint of what it looks like, because it’s being invented in you. created in you, by me, for my people. It’s not a copycat ministry. You don’t need the blessing or approval of anyone to start. I will anoint it. I’ll put my hand on it because I’ve got healing for the nations coming.

“Behold I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

Burn the blueprint. Seek him. Be available. And start where you are with what you have.