Pay Attention

"It's amazing the things you notice when you're paying attention." That's what I tweeted as I waited on the bus. This was in reference to the Toyota Yaris. I had driven one over the weekend and now begun to see them everywhere. In that moment I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me. "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 That's a promise statement and a fact. Guaranteed, if you're looking, seeking after God you are going to find Him. I began paralleling this with my car experience. When I drive in a car I know how it runs; what it looks like, it's shape. Once I've experienced it I know what to look for if I need to find it. But not only that, I know it when I see it because I've had a personal encounter with it. I can see it from a distance and know almost certainly that that's a particular make of car.  That is the analogy that unfolded in my spirit as it relates to seeking God. When we encounter Him personally, we become more familiar with a particular aspect of him. If we're paying attention we'll know Him, even "from a distance" in that capacity. Hebrews says that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. I'm understanding the diligence to be that active part of seeking. Reading the Word so that we learn His character traits, praying, fasting, positioning our minds and hearts in His direction. He rewards that, by "showing up." He reveals Himself. He's always present. He says He'll never leave or forsake and we know that He is omnipresent. But many times we don't notice Him because we aren't paying attention. We're not looking for Him. We have to start seeking and earnestly seeking, just like David said "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you." Ps 63:1 It's an active search. Striving for, inquiring of, frequenting a path. Nothing about seeking God is a "one step and its over" type search. You have to put your entire self into it. As the scripture says, your whole heart. It's continual. But it's not a futile search. It is not in vain. His Word says that we WILL find Him when we search. That should push me forward. Lord I pray for the desire to seek you whole heartedly. That the momentary discomforts or inconveniences will not deter me from seeking your face. I am promised that I will find you and on that Word I stand. Fan the flame within me to earnestly seek you. To see you throughout my day and know that it's you.  

Where yo' head at?!

Hey all, haven't posted in a while but figured I would after reading. Sooooo most everyone, Religious or not, knows the story of Samson and Delilah. Or at least has an idea of it. It has been referenced in pop culture as well as religious sectors (Judges 16:4-22).I was reading this passage today as part of a Women's devotional. Each day looks at a different woman in the Bible and sees how God was or wasn't in her life, etc. I was suppose to concentrate on Delilah but I could do nothing else but focus on Samson. The entire time I was wondering, "Where his head at?" Yes, I used improper grammar but it was most certainly necessary for this passage. Now I know some may say, "You know where his head was," LOL and obviously he was only trying to appease her so he could get some. (If you don't know what "getting some" is, you have not lost your innocence, bless God!) Samson finally tells her the secret to his strength after she nags him for days. Like for real though?!

Here's what I realized as I read this story today. Delilah's nagging should not have gotten to Samson at all. I know a woman's nagging is like a dripping faucet and no one likes to hear it continue (great analogy by the way Solomon). But Samson should have recognized it for what it was. I began thinking about us as believers. We start off well. We don't succumb to the enemy's tactics, his lies, his persuasions.......at first. But somewhere in the midst of it he begins to nag. He says or does things that get under our skin and because we don't want to be bothered or because we're so annoyed by what's happening we give in. The thing is, the enemy's end result, his purpose for coming at us, isn't going to change just because we have changed our position. Every time Delilah asked Samson "what makes you so strong" it ended with her shouting "Samson! The Philistines are coming!" I'm not sure if Samson realized the purpose of her asking for his secret. It was plainly obvious after the first three times, so the next time wouldn't have been any different. 

The enemy is pretty persistent. His aim is to break you down; to get you to lose focus of your purpose, of the plan God has for you; to kill you if possible. We are suppose to persevere no matter how much he tries. Paul exhorts in Ephesians to put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the enemy's scheme. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the evil day comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Eph 6:13) 

Let's take a lesson from Samson. Be alert and aware of the tactic that the enemy is using against us. Don't let him take our focus away from the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. And walk clothed in the armor of God so that we can stand against all the dripping faucet type schemes he sends. We must remember that our Father loves us, Jesus won the victory for us and the Holy Spirit is our guarantee that we are never alone.

Blessings til next time!

Reflection

I'm sitting here and I realize just how blessed I am. And sometimes you think about being blessed because of the stuff that you receive but I'm thinking about how blessed I am also to be able to give and pour out. I'm surrounded by people who love God and love each other and give and give and give, and also how those same people I am able to pour out to and give of myself. I can honestly see in every aspect of my life where God's hand is there; His love is there, His mercies are there, His word is there and how it is poured out through people. I started crying just thinking about it; not sad tears but really really happy tears. I see His love all around and it's so evident more and more, each day that I walk with Him. I never want to lose the place of being grateful and seeing His love. I want to always see His glory in my life through people and circumstances and always know that He is with me; that He loves me and He loves others just as much as He loves me.

Hungry Jesus Kingdom

So I haven't blogged in a while....forgive me for those who follow. I'm hungry. hungry for more of Jesus. I'm finding myself feasting on the Word, on teachings, on music that is founded in the Word...anything that is Jesus I want. Life has flowed so much better with Him in close proximity. His love is definitely better than life and His goodness.....oooooo!!! I find myself enjoying the Word and the treasures within it more than I ever have before. And I'm beginning to view myself as an alien. Yes, I know that's in the Bible and I understood that in my head but it is now transferring to my spirit in such a way that is pretty dern cool! (yea I said "dern" lol). I'm in this world but not OF this world just as Jesus because I share in His inheritance. So my standard of living and way-of-being is determined from a completely different system than the world. (Donald Lawrence's "Back to Eden" just started playing in my head; "an Eden mindset is a kingdom mindset.") Its pretty simple when you think about it; live with God as King, with Him ruling your life, His ways and will and His kingdom will be here on earth. We're the citizens of the Kingdom but a lot of times we don't act like it. Funny thing is the Kingdom of God trumps any other kingdom. We just don't walk in the triumphant victory so it appears as if the kingdom is losing. We need to be the representation of Christ and let His Kingdom reign on earth. How do we do that? Let His grace overtake us. Dive into His love...not even dive...cannonball into it! Let His love and grace have its perfect work in us. That's where the power is...in Him. We can try our darn-dest but it will get us nowhere...believe me I've tried. But resting in His love and His grace.....yesss!! His grace is sufficient, more than enough, abundant and then some! It is He that does the work through us. As we grasp His love the response is to live as citizens of the kingdom. Jesus fulfilled the full extent of the Law. And He did it through love...His love for us is what carried Him to the cross, to the grave and back up to sit on the right hand of the Father. So let's be kingdom...loving God and loving people....expressing grace and bringing heaven here on earth. Blessing til next time!

A Love Relationship

I realized that we as people really do need God. No joke, no religious anything; just simple truth. The love relationship that we are able to have with the Father trumps all other relationships AND is the best basis by which we gauge and function in all other relationships. If we spent more time with him and learning his heart for us then we would definitely make better decisions regarding our hearts and emotions. We wouldn't invest ourselves into things all willy-nilly because we know how valuable our heart is to our Father. This back and forth we do in relationships and feelings we still carry for people who have no interest or regard for us is really ridiculous. The person who is best suited for us is the one who suffers a lot of times because we think our hearts are able to handle all sorts of things when really its not. God takes the brunt of our hurts and past because we gave ourselves to things he never intended for us. So how about we try just focusing on God and his abounding and unfailing love; his loving-kindness that is better than life. And I can guarantee that he can and will direct your love in the way and to the person it needs to so that you and your helpmate don't suffer unnecessary burdens. Blessings til next time!

Directions....

I like directions...I like good directions....I like to know where I'm going or at least have an idea of where I'm going before I get there. And that is my persona all around....you can use that analogy for any aspect of my life.....BUT!

and that's an important word..but....BUT!! God apparently doesn't think He needs to give me the full directions before hand. That's a little frustrating...but I can kinda understand why he does it like that...kinda lol. If He told me where exactly I was going...all the time...I would probably..scratch that..I WOULD find my own route to get there. Now how would God get glory from my life if I took my own route?

As I continue learning and grasping this idea of driving along and waiting until God says to turn left or right..I'm suppose to keep driving, right? So yeah...I've realized that I'm sitting at the light/stop sign/intersection with the car in neutral when it should be in drive. I've been waiting on directions for just about everything in my life and for some areas God has said turn left or right...others he hasn't. And the areas He hasn't has me particularly cautious because I don't want to be outside His will. And now I think I'm being too cautious because I'm sitting idly, waiting, when God didn't say stop...but I haven't heard go. I've seen couple signs that I should go...intersection is clear of traffic, no train on the tracks, draw bridge isn't up letting a boat through and there aren't any pedestrians walking around. I just haven't seen the light turn green...and I want to see green. I want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can proceed because I don't want to go and then my picture gets taken by the camera and I get sent a ticket in the mail...not cool lol.

Lord, help me to see your green light, to not be fearful of what is beyond this intersection. Help me to continue to listen to your directions and to drive safely and with authority.

Blessings til next time!

Thought in transit

Its interesting how fascinated we are with babies. We get so excited preparing for their arrival. And dont even mention once they arrive! Even with sleepless nights and crazy schedules, we oodle over them, give all our attention and do just about anything for them. But as children get older we tend to get more and more distant. At different stages we expect them to do for themselves. We also get more easily annoyed with them, their behavior and requests. Parallel this with how God treats us. Before we're born, spiritually, I'm sure many of us can see how He was preparing things for our birth into his family. There's a celebration in heaven once we are born again. We get fed and doted on and poured into. BUT! The AWESOME thing about God is that he is our ETERNAL FATHER! Which means he's always going to be doting on you and pouring into you. Does he expect growth and maturity? Of course. But he doesn't get annoyed when we come to him a bunch of times with requests and questions about things we don't understand. And he doesn't leave us without what we need, which is Him. Every good and perfect thing comes from him. So all we need for righteousness and living is in him! And as his children we have him within us, all the time, no security guards surrounding his throne, no blockage because Jesus took care of all that on the cross with his blood. The ever present parent who listens, corrects, disciplines, laughs with, feels what we feel, dances with, sings over, smiles upon, directs and guides me; faithfully and always :-)

I've got the best Daddy ever!