December 23, 2024

“I AM” Week 3 – Day 2: Check Your Attitude

July 23, 2013 by

Memory Verse

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

Habakkuk 3:19

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I find myself telling my kids to check their attitude; how to do things we’re asked to do is just as important, if not more important, than actually doing it. If Girlfrineds Coffee Hourwe do things with a negative attitude we may as well not do it at all. The other day I asked my older son to help his little brother tie his shoes. After some huffing, puffing, and stomping over to the other side of the room the task was being completed, but no one was happy about it!  The older son was bugged about having to do it, and the younger son could tell that his brother did not want to help him.

I have to ask myself though, how many times God has asked me to do something and I have had a bad attitude about it!  How many times has my boss asked me to do something and I grumbled and complained. How many times I have looked at the daily tasks of being a wife and mother and have completed them with less than a positive attitude.

I don’t think God expects us to be unrealistically happy about everything, everyday. We’re a “why” people. Thankfully, we have a patient God who answers our why’s without punishing us, or saying, “Because I said so.”   As Teresa showed us, instead of being upset with Habakkuk for asking why, for questioning God’s motives and reasons, God took the time to show Habakkuk the beauty behind what He was doing.  He showed him the goal that He was accomplishing.

“God is patient to let us ask our questions, process the answers and apply the knowledge to our lives.”  Having questions isn’t a bad thing when we come to God honestly, and with sincerity.

Habakkuk 1:2-4 (NKJV)

O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear?
     Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.
Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble?
     For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife,
     and contention arises.
 Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth.
     For the wicked surround the righteous;
     Therefore perverse judgment proceeds

Habakkuk 3:2 (MSG)

God, I’ve heard what our ancestors say about you, and I’m stopped in my tracks,
down on my knees.  Do among us what you did among them.  Work among us as you worked among them.   And as you bring judgment, as you surely must, remember mercy.

Look at the conversation between Habakkuk and God; look at the openness and look at the relationship between the two. Compare this to the words of Jonah:

Jonah 4:2-3 (NKJV)

So he prayed to the Lord, and said,
“Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still
in my country?  Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish;
for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness,
One who relents from doing harm.
Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me,
for it is better for me to die than to live!”

“It is better for me to die than live!”—those are strong words.

When we’re asked to do something we have two choices.  We can either say “Yes, Lord.” knowing that sometimes that yes may come along with questions. Our patient Father is more than willing to answer our questions. Or we can turn the other way and spend time in the belly of a fish, not literally, but in our own way.

We are responsible for our attitude, and our attitude can change our outlook of the tasks we are given through life. I’m going to write this verse down and keep it with me; it will remind me that whatever happens God will make a way, He will provide for me. My job is to have a good attitude about the path He has placed me on.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NKJV)

Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls –
  Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

We are asked on a daily basis to complete tasks and do things in life that we may be less than happy about.  Lord, please remind us that instead of grumbling and running from the task, You will provide and make a way for the task to be accomplished, even when we can’t see that way. Thank You for Your patience.  Thank You for answering our questions. Lord, thank You for Your grace and for second chances when we run and complain like Jonah.  I pray when we’re asked to complete a task that we take the time to step back and pray, and check our attitude to make sure it lines up with You and Your word.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.

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“I AM” Chapter 3 – Day 1: The Great I AM in the Books of the Minor Prophets

July 22, 2013 by

Memory Verse

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights.

Habakkuk 3:19

____________________________

As we begin our week examining the books of the Minor Prophets, we begin with Hosea and Amos.  Do not be fooled by the size of their writings because their message is mighty.  Through Hosea’s life we see God revealing Himself (for the first time) as a Faithful Bridegroom and the children of Israel as His bride.  That imagery runs all through the New Testament.  What a legacy!

For thousands of years and many generations, God has been patient with His people.  God demonstrated His love for His people using marriage as a metaphor.  Ouch!  If our life was a metaphor for our relationship with God (and it is) what would it say to the people around us?

In looking at Hosea’s story, I noticed seven ways God used Hosea’s life as an example to the people around him.  Let’s see if they might pertain to our lives as well.

  1.  Our relationship with God is like a marriage.  From “Will you…” to “I do”… to “?”
  2. God uses our struggles to display His POWER through us.  Not what we can do on our own.
  3. God uses our challenges in our relationships to reveal His LOVE to others.  We have a choice.
  4. God calls us to love the unlovely – even those who have hurt us deeply.
  5. Our disobedience to God brings judgment and severe consequences.
  6. God calls us into a covenant relationship with Him. He WANTS you!
  7. God expects us to live in a manner that would connect others to Him.

From the moment we say “I Do” to a relationship with the Great I AM we are in a committed, monogamous, covenant “marriage.”  Why does God use marriage as an example of His relationship with us?  Marriage is that object or state of being we have sought after (in one form or another) most of our lives.  When we were young, we would dream of our perfect wedding to the perfect person and we would live a perfect life.  Happily Ever After, right?

Then maybe we found that perfect someone, promised a perfect “forever” and began to live that dream.  Then…that “perfect” life hit a few bumps along the way.  Our perfect marriage gets rocky…then what?  Dreams are shattered, hearts are broken, eyes are opened.

Look at God’s example.  He used Hosea’s life and Hosea’s marriage and Hosea’s service to speak to the Israelites about their “marriage” relationship with God.  Just as those “perfect” dreams were shattered, our relationship with God becomes broken.  It is at this moment of broken dreams that we find we have a choice.

We can choose to honor our marriage vow or walk away.  We can choose to love the unlovely one or cast them aside.  We can stand firm when the going gets tough or we can faint in the face of struggle.  We can choose to OBEY or expect the consequences of our actions.

We can break our promise to God.  We can leave those “other people” out there in the dark instead of leading them to the Light.  We have a choice.  Because we chose to say “I Do,” we get the blessings of a life in relationship with the Creator of the Universe.  Because we said, “I Do,” we have a Helper, a Leader through our struggles.  Because we are “one flesh,” we are loved when we are un-lovely.

So how can God use us  –  You and Me – to lead others to Him?  How can God use a broken heart and a broken spirit to shine its LIGHT?  He changes our heart.  We were born with a heart problem, but God is our Healer.

The prophet Amos (who studied under Hosea) told the Israelites their words were empty without the right heart.  They needed the heart of a worshipper and the heart of a servant.  Oscar Wilde once said,

“Every Saint has a PAST.  Every Sinner has a FUTURE.”

God showed Hosea how to love his wife, Gomer, the way God loved Israel; the way He loves you and me.  Hosea forgave Gomer, rebuilt the marriage and taught others to follow God.  Hosea’s struggles did not disqualify him from service.  Gomer’s wicked ways did not prevent Hosea from being used by God. Their children, who were given very unfortunate names by God, were restored and dearly loved in the end.

We were born with a heart problem, but we have a choice.  We can choose to live with a bad, broken heart, or we can give the pieces to God and let Him make something lovely.

Let’s Pray:

Lord, We bring You the pieces of our broken hearts and our broken lives.  Thank You for loving us when we are un-lovely.  Thank You for making a way for us to go from an unfortunate name of “I am not your God” to “I AM your God.”  You asked us “Will you?”  We want to say “I Do” and live under Your Protection all the days of our lives.  We love You, Lord.

AMEN

 

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Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: Manipulation

July 19, 2013 by

GL header

Coach Megan,

What makes someone forget EVERYTHING you have ever done for them in their life when you are not able to do the one thing they are asking for now? Thanks for any guidance you can give. ~CW

Dear CW,

Manipulators tend to be very skillful strategists. They map out their art subtly steering and controlling people or circumstances by using indirect, unfair, or deceptive tactics. People-pleasing is at the root of being manipulated. Those who are manipulated allow others the control God alone should have. Exodus 20:3 says, “You shall have no other Gods before me.”

Manipulators control others by aggressive manipulation or passive-aggressive manipulation. What I hear in your question is that you are wondering why someone would manipulate someone else. This is not a complete list, by any means, but I believe this will give us a place to start…

Manipulators tend to:

  • Make others feel guilty
  • Get others to believe what they want them to believe
  • Keep others “hooked” into a relationship…even when the relationship is unhealthy and one-sided
  • Avoid meeting their obligations and responsibilities
  • Appear positive when they feel negative toward others
  • Set up “fixers,” “caretakers,” and “rescuers” to take care of them
  • Intentionally confuse others
  • Get others to do for them what they would not normally choose to do
  • Get others to feel responsible for them or for their welfare
  • Control the emotions and reasoning of others
  • Use religious words for personal gain, causing harm to another’s walk with God
  • Win the battle for control

Proverbs 26:24 describes the manipulator:

A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit.

At the root of people allowing themselves to be manipulated is the belief that they must have the approval of others in order to feel good about themselves. What God calls us to is to NOT live for the approval of others, but to realize that God will meet all of our inner needs because he accepts us totally and loves us unconditionally!

Jeremiah 17:5

 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man,  who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.”

CW…It looks like you have done a lot of work within to stop yourself from being manipulated. For the benefit of our readers (and for your benefit if someone tries to manipulate you again), here are some steps to help stop being a victim of manipulation:

Decide not to be dependent on the manipulator {Philippians 4:19}

  • You must decide that you have an unhealthy, dependent relationship and confess that to God. Decide that you only want  healthy relationships that glorify God. Decide that you will be dependent on the Lord to satisfy your deepest needs. 

Expect Exasperation {Psalm 31:3-4}

  •  Do not expect your manipulator to understand or agree with your decisions, acknowledge being manipulative, or be willing to give up control to set you free.

Prepare yourself for pain {Job 3:26}

  • Accept change as being painful… however in time, you WILL have peace.  Also, accept the fact that if you don’t change, you will stay in pain and peace will elude you.

Examine the methods of the manipulator {Proverbs 22:3}

  • Ask God to open your eyes to ways that you have been manipulated. Also, ask yourself, “How am I being manipulated?” and then write out your tactics for change. You can also ask a trusted friend to help you see blind spots and develop a plan of action.

Notify the manipulator of the necessity for change {Hebrews 12:1}

  • Admit that you have been wrong. It can sound like this: “I’ve come to realize that I am wrong in the way that I relate to you. At times, I don’t speak up because I am afraid. This is not healthy for either of us.”
  • You need to also give your commitment to them which can sound like this: “I really do care about you. I want you to know that I am committed to change and I believe that we can ultimately have a much better relationship.”
  • State your resolve to them if it is not appropriate to continue the relationship: “We cannot continue in a relationship as it is and still be the people we need to be before God.”

Don’t defend yourself {Ecclesiastes 3:7}

  • Even if you are accused of being unkind and unloving, you can choose to:
  1. Be silent, but do not use silence as a weapon.
  2. State the truth only once or twice: “I’m sorry you feel that way.” ” What you’ve said is not true.” “It does not reflect my heart.”
  3. You can say “I understand that you think I am being heartless, but my intent is to become healthy.”

Expect the manipulator to try new strategies {Proverbs 14:24}

  • They may resort to using other methods to regain control
  • They need to know you are aware of these new methods
  • They need to see that the new methods will not succeed

Nullify your need to meet all of the manipulator’s needs {Psalm 37:4-5}

  • Realize that God didn’t design anyone to meet all the needs of another person
  • If you meet all of the manipulator’s needs, then the manipulator will not need the Lord
  • You need to redirect the manipulator’s focus to the Lord as the only true need-meeter

Commit Galatians 1:10 to memory

  • Realize that you are “transformed by the renewing of your mind”
  • Recognize that you are given the mind of Christ to direct your thoughts

Yield to pleasing the Lord first {Psalm 27:1}

  • You must not be a peace-at-any-price person
  • Jesus was not a peace-at-any-price person
  • Keep your trust in God and fear no one

We need to give people the space to be upset and grow through their disappointment.  When we don’t, the danger is in people looking to another person to be God and be everything to them when that is the exact opposite of God’s design. We need to give God the space He needs to move and that is possible when we create and keep boundaries firm and stand on God’s Word.

Blessings,

Coach Megan 🙂 

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“I Am” Chapter 2 – Day 2: Seeing God in the Tough Times

July 16, 2013 by

We see God in the good times.  We see the blessings He gives us.  We see the provisions He makes for us, and we see all He does for us. He doesn’t have to reveal Himself in the good times, we see Him in abundance. But those bad times, the bad days, during the stormy seasons, He is not as visible. Not because He isn’t there, but because we allow the circumstances to block our view of God. We allow the situation to overshadow His promises. We try to fix our problems.

When I face tough times, I feel far away from God. I’m not implying that God has abandoned me or that He is leaving me to figure out my problems for myself, but I don’t feel as close or connected as I normally do. When I face tough times I have to intentionally seek out my Heavenly Father. In those tough times I need Him to reveal Himself to me. I need to see Him.

 “God  wants  us  to  rely  on  Him  and  only  Him  to  make  it  through our days”

This sentence stood out to me and made me look at how I handle my life in tough times. I will be the first to admit that when the tough times roll my way I do not always lean on God; sometimes my initial reaction is to lean on myself.  I try to figure a way out of the situation I’m in.   But thankfully, like with the Israelites, God does not get tired of repeating Himself.   He doesn’t lose His patience.  He doesn’t give up on me when I keep repeating the cycle over and over. He loves me through my good and my bad. My good behavior and my bad behavior.  My good times and my bad times.

God does not make bad things happen to us, but He does allow us to go through trials.  These trials bring us back to Him.  They cause us to seek Him for guidance and support. These times cause us to intentionally look for Him.  They remind us that we can not do it alone.  He uses these times to remind us that He is there and that we need to lean on Him.

 Ezekiel 20:7 

Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, throw away the abominations which are before His eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

Ezekiel 20:42

Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I raised My hand in an oath to give to your fathers.

Ezekiel 20:19

I am the Lord your God: walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them.

I love this following reminder:

“If we look at the character of God in the Old Testament, we see a God who wants a personal relationship with us.” When we, when I, don’t give Him my good and bad times, I am limiting His power in my life; I am not trusting that He can handle the easy and tough seasons I will go through.

I want to make this one of my go-to verses:

 Psalm 34:8

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.

We need to be intentional about trusting God in my tough times. We need to be intentional about seeing God in our tough times.

___________________________________

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for not tiring of reminding us of Your love.  Thank You for not losing Your patience with us when we don’t seek You in our tough times. “You are the Lord our God.”  You desire a personal relationship with us. You desire for us to seek You when life is good and when life isn’t so good. Lord please help us to stand on Your word.  You are good, and we will be blessed when we seek refuge in You, in good times and in bad times.  Thank You for Your love.  In Jesus’ Name we pray.

Amen

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“I AM” Chapter 2 – Day 1: The Great I AM in the Book of Ezekiel

July 15, 2013 by

Have you ever watched someone worship and wonder, “How do they do that?”  I have.  I think I have “worship envy.”  Maybe it was my upbringing in a conservative church environment, maybe I care too much what people think, maybe I have never totally surrendered myself to worship.  The reality probably lies somewhere in between.

As I read the Book of Ezekiel, I found myself in awe again of someone so sold out for God that he was willing to do whatever to get God’s message across.  Ezekiel was “All In.”

If God said lay in the street on your left side for 390 days and then on your right side for 40 days…Ezekiel did it (to teach a history lesson).  If God said shave your head and divide your hair into three piles to explain a prophecy…Ezekiel did it.  If God asked Ezekiel to NOT mourn the passing of his beloved wife as an example to the Jews…he managed to do it.

God said, “Teach” and Ezekiel had the responsibility to teach the captive Jews discipline to follow their God.  Discipline doesn’t always have a positive feel to it, so I looked it up for us.

Discipline

1)       Training to insure proper behavior;

           the practice or methods of teaching and enforcing acceptable patterns of behavior.

2)      Training that corrects, molds or perfects the mental faculties or moral character.

The Israelites found themselves in captivity…again.  Sometimes we think God isn’t paying attention to our lives when times get hard.  I think it is just the opposite.  Those hard times are to drive us toward Him.  How do people survive without God?  We were created to need Him.  If we leave Him out then we deny a very important part of ourselves.

God sent Ezekiel to help the Jews adjust to their captivity.  He gave them hope to carry on and a way to return to a right relationship with God.  “God never forgets those who are faithful to Him” (pg 25).   He won’t forget you either.

Do YOU know Ezekiel’s God?  Ezekiel 16:62 says,

 “I will establish my covenant with you, and YOU shall know that I AM the LORD.”

God’s promise to establish His covenant was for anyone who would obey Him and follow His commands.  That’s what the name LORD means.

As we see in Ezekiel’s story, there is not one sedate and reverent way to worship God.  Neither is there always craziness associated with worship of the LORD.  Worship happens as we seek His face.  As we offer our lives to Him, He chooses how to express His love to us.  Give your life to the ONE TRUE GOD and be part of the Body of Christ.

If you search for the I AM, you will find Him…He wants to be found.

Let’s PRAY:

We come into Your presence to acknowledge that YOU are LORD.  You are Sovereign and You know what is best for us.  Thank You for loving us enough to reveal Your character to us.  Ezekiel has shown us that You can breathe new life into our dry, dead lives if we only have faith in YOU.  Change our hearts so that we can more fully submit to YOUR will and not ours.  We want to worship you in freedom.  Lord, teach us!  We love you, LORD.

AMEN

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Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: Defeating Distractions!

July 12, 2013 by

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Dear Coach Megan,

I am so frustrated with myself because I have been so easily side-tracked by distractions lately and I just can’t get a handle on it! It is beginning to affect my job and my home life, and I could really use some direction on how to focus and let God take control back of my time! I hope you can help! ~LN

Dear LN,

I think we all struggle with distractions at one time or another and I am so happy you have reached out to get some guidance on this issue in order to make best use of your resource of time. I actually led a conference call on this very topic for Girlfriends Coffee Hour Leadership this past year so I will be using that as my guide to help you. I pray this is a blessing….

 _________________

Let’s face it. We all are guilty of succumbing to distractions…. But God calls us to not to and it IS possible to keep them at bay!

Do you know what the key to this is?????

Oh yes friends, it’s all about being INTENTIONAL!!!!

We all know that the more we are in line with God’s word and doing things to further His Kingdom, the more fiery darts Satan will throw at us in his attempt to knock us off course.  We need to recognize distractions for what they are in order to keep them in their proper place and NOT give them center stage!!!

Distractions as a whole are a huge drain on every aspect of who we are. They take our focus away from what we should be doing – our tasks, goals, and purpose. This is why we have to eliminate them from our lives, if possible!  Personally, I find that if I  indulge in a distraction, an hour could go by and before I know it, I’ve blown away an entire block of time that God had meant for me to use in another, more purposeful way.  Generally, this makes me feel drained and disappointed, not just in myself for having let myself be distracted, but also about the lost opportunities and productive time I could have spent furthering His Kingdom in my home, in ministry, or in my community.

There is a flip side to this too…. When we succumb to distractions, not only are we affected but, if another person is involved, they are affected too!  If Facebook takes up all your time at home, your family is affected; and all the lives that you converse with, they are affected because they might also not be good stewards of their time.  If you bombard friends with private message after private message all day long, they are being distracted.

Essentially, a distraction is attractive because of two reasons:

  1. It gives us pleasure
  2. It takes pain away

When we indulge in a distraction, we focus our time and energy on something that is inherently more pleasurable than what we are currently doing.  Solving that problem is hard, so I’ll just surf on Facebook instead, right?  Finishing this document is going to take some time, so let me squeeze in 30 minutes on the phone with my friend.  Making that call to the customer will be challenging, so let me read the news first.  The reason these things are attractive is because they either give us pleasure or take some pain away.

I would like to challenge you to record everything you do in one day and how much time you spend doing it.  You can do this tomorrow.  As a distraction comes into play, jot down the circumstances surrounding it and how you chose to respond.  BE HONEST!!!  You might be surprised at just how many distractions are being thrown your way all day long and what is triggering them!

Here is an example for you….

I get home from work and I need to get dinner on. I am on my way to the kitchen and one of my kids comes flying downstairs in a panic because he can’t find his keys and he is going to be late for work. I have a choice to make whether his emergency is going to become my emergency, or not.

Remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? I used to love those when I was a kid! Here’s my chance to see the different ways this could turn out….

  1. I could join his emergency and lose the time I need to get dinner started and then have to just order pizza because I am out of time and my family will eat unhealthy food and I will feel horrible about it.
  2. I could say some mean words to him, scolding him for being so careless and continue on with getting dinner going. He will feel horrible about himself by the time he gets to work.
  3. I could let him use my keys and no lesson will be learned but the panic will leave my house and I can stay calm.
  4. I can prepare some food for him to take with him to work and cheer him on, in finding his keys, while I get dinner ready.

I don’t know about you, but this is real life stuff in my house. Also, one thing I’ve noticed is that the more I choose behaviors that make me feel bad like giving cutting responses or jumping to every rescue, that makes me want to spend even more time doing distracting activities because the last thing I want to do is dwell on feeling bad about myself.  YIKES!!!

You might already know the areas in your life that you have a tendency to be the most distracted by and with. If that is the case, it is time to call the distractions what they are, move forward full speed ahead, and get them out of your way!!!

You need to overcompensate in the areas where you are the most distracted!

What does this look like in real life??? 

  • If Facebook is a distraction, turn off the alerts to your phone.
  • If the computer in general is a distraction, turn the parental controls on YOU!!!
  • If people are a distraction, schedule in certain times in your day to answer phone calls, texts, emails, phone calls, etc.
  • If YOU are doing all the parenting/watching your kids while your spouse watches TV, make it a point to get out of the house and see friends at least one night a week to give your hubby that father time he needs!

God calls us to give every aspect of our lives 110% of all we’ve got.  We owe it to Him and every single life we come in contact with to be our best and not let these fiery darts cause us to falter. When we are distracted our joy gets stolen and it becomes harder and harder to get it back. Things like Facebook, family time, helping a friend, and watching TV are not inherently bad things at all…. But being undisciplined and unintentional about the time we spend on them is not honoring our Heavenly Father with our time that He has so graciously given us!

 

Blessings,

Coach Megan 🙂

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“I Am” Chapter 1 – Day 3: Suffering Savior

July 10, 2013 by

David is a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). Although he made many mistakes and suffered the consequences, he had a real, intimate relationship with His Lord. His writings in the Psalms are raw and beautiful. They have, and will continue to, spoken to the hearts of those who read them. The Psalms reveal the humanness that we all feel – the pain, anguish, defeat, weariness, longing, sorrow and fear. They also show that despite those negative emotions, David continued to give thanks and praise to His God. He found joy in the Lord, in following the path set before him. I actually look to David as someone to model in this regard. Yes, he made some terrible, regrettable mistakes (me, too!), but his heartfelt prayers to His Lord are sincere and genuine. He laid all of his emotions at the feet of God, baring his heart and soul. Do you notice that many of his Psalms begin with anguish but end with praise and thanksgiving toward the Almighty? Through the process of praying and telling God his needs, his attitude is transformed from sorrowful to thankful. I think that is pretty incredible.

David anguished over being scorned and despised, poor and needy, insulted and lonely. He suffered and was in pain. Do you think any of those apply to Jesus? He was mocked, ridiculed, unfairly judged, harshly criticized, and unjustly punished. And this is the Savior of the World! His own people did not believe He was the promised Messiah!

As we read through the Psalms, we find prophecy of our suffering Savior, our Messiah, Jesus Christ. These messianic psalms were written hundreds of years prior to Jesus’ birth! The Great I AM knew that His begotten Son would be the Savior of the world. Every detail throughout the entire Old Testament all leads up to the revelation of Jesus and the fulfilled prophecies in the New Testament. Can you find examples of prophecy in the Psalms and corresponding fulfillment in the New Testament?

Savior_OpenArms

Sometimes we may have a difficult time relating to Jesus. We may have an inaccurate view of who He is based on our past or on preconceived ideas. We may see Him as this thundercloud waiting to strike us down if we do something wrong. Girlfriends, I just want you to know one very important thing as we begin this study – Jesus is and always will be LOVE. Satan will do anything in his evil power to make you think negative things about Jesus. That is the enemy’s job. Jesus loves every single one of us with an all-consuming love. That is why He came to earth as a human, suffered and died a sinner’s death. It was out of LOVE for us. He wants to know you. He wants to walk through life with you. There is not one situation in your life that He does not know about and want to help you with. He may not change your circumstance, but He just might change YOU.

Our suffering Savior is waiting for you with open arms. Are you ready to take the journey with Him?

God Bless You!

Jennifer

*****

Let’s Pray

Father God, thank You for the Psalms. They are filled with so much raw emotion that we can relate to on a very deep level. They help us through so many circumstances that we face in our lives, giving us hope and comfort and peace to take one more step forward when we just want to give up. We know, Lord, that You divinely orchestrated this entire world and every single one of us that live in it. Reveal Your power and love to each one of us today, Father. Give us the strength we need to fight off the enemy’s attacks. In Your Son’s Name we pray.

Amen

 

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“I Am” Chapter 1 – Day 2: Old Testament God

July 9, 2013 by

To be honest the concept of the Old Testament God is somewhat intimidating to me…it always has been when it comes to my personal studies and even when listening to sermons in church. I always ask myself how I can apply the Old Testament lessons and the Old Testament God to my life today.

 Malachi 3:6 (NKJV)

For I am the Lord, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. 

 

Well, there it is!   There’s the answer to my question. He does not change. The Old Testament God is the same as the New Testament God who is the same as the God of today.

That’s easy enough to understand but sometimes (well, a LOT of times) I need to be reminded who the I Am is, and I need to be reminded that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  I need to be reminded of this not because there is a lack of His beautiful creations around me, and not because I don’t see His blessings every time I look into the eyes of my children.  I am grateful for these reminders because it is so easy to become caught up in the goings-on of the day, and in the busyness of the day that I begin to lean on myself rather than rely on God. Days when He seems far away.

IAM.

When I looked at the verses listed today I saw where I can use them each day.  I was reminded who the I Am of the Old Testament is.  I love how there is a starting point to go back to when it seems as if He is so far away.  The statements listed below are only a few of the reminders He gives us:

  • I Am the Lord your God, I do not change.

Never

  • I Am who I Am.

God is God and always will be

  • I Am the Lord in the midst of the land.

Our lands, homes, work, even the grocery store

  • I Am the Lord who heals you.

Headaches, sore throats, emotional pain, our loved ones. Anything and everything.

  • I the Lord your God am a jealous God.

He wants to be Number 1

  • I Am gracious.

His grace and mercies are new each day

  • I Am the Lord who sanctifies you.

Forgiveness and redemption

“Because God is creative, organized and thorough, He has given us markers and clues as we read His Word.”  These markers and clues are reminders of who He is, reminders of how much He loves us, reminders of who we are within who He is.

This week my personal goal—a goal that I invite everyone to join me in—is to pay attention to the I Am statements within the Old Testament. Let’s highlight, underline, write on note cards the I Am statements that we find, and then begin to better understand who He is. I want to go back to the beginning and be reminded of the I Am of the Old Testament.

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for reminding us of who You are.  Like a parent who reminds their child throughout the day, You remind us of who You are and of Your love for us. As You said in the Book of Malachi, “I do not change.”  Lord, through this study, please open our hearts and allow us to remember who You are.  Allow us to draw into our hearts the beauty and truth of Your words.

In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen

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“I AM” Chapter 1 – Day 1: Introductions

July 8, 2013 by

 

“Hi, my name is Teresa and I AM ____hmmmmm_____.”  I AM one of those people who would rather not be in the spotlight.  It makes me uncomfortable.  I look at those people who can talk to strangers, speak in public, and smile during awkward moments—and I AM in awe.  Literally.

To me, those people are butterflies.  I am a moth.

  • They are comfortable.                                   I AM self-conscious.
  • They are graceful.                                           I AM clumsy.
  • They are special.                                             I AM…me.

THEY are butterflies; I AM a moth.

And then…God showed me something very special.  He created the butterfly and the moth with care.  Neither winged creature is lacking anything for its existence.  Did you notice this?  Did you also notice that there are MANY more moths than butterflies?  Somehow that fact made me feel better.  Maybe I notice those butterflies because there are fewer of them, not because they are better or more needed than me.  After all, God did create more moths than butterflies.  Didn’t He?

“Our differences make us beautiful and unique. 

We have the same Creator God who wants to show us who He is.”

I was envious of those butterflies until I saw myself the way Jesus did.  This Bible we have and the world we live in are God’s introduction to us.  He invites us to get to know Him.  He is God, “The Great I AM.”  The identity of God in the Scriptures is truth.  Any question or doubt I have can be answered in the Word.  When I doubt my purpose or position in this world, all I have to do is look to Him.

He is the True Light that draws this moth to Him.  Butterflies flit around in the day being all graceful and pretty.  The sun is their friend.  We could stop and watch them for hours.  Moths are also visible in the day, but are most noticeable at night when they are seeking a light source.  We all need the Light source.

Both creatures crave the light.  One is not better than the other.  Butterflies make me think of sunshine while moths make me think of electric bug zappers.  You know bug zappers, don’t you?  In the southern U.S. they are very common.  (Electric bug zappers control flying pests by drawing them to the light and then frying them.)   As I expressed this thought to a friend, she reminded me of a very important truth.   “Bug zappers are FALSE light…you, my moth-y friend, are drawn to the TRUE Light.”

I AM a moth with a purpose.  I want to be known for seeking the Light.  Recently one of my friends shared a picture of a moth she found in her garage.  I saw myself in that moth.  Look at it and see if you see yourself in it, too.

Clymene Moth compliments of Jane Dixon, Photographer

Clymene Moth
compliments of Jane Dixon, Photographer

 

We bear the mark of the One we serve.  Who has placed their mark on you?  Do you know the “I AM?”  Come with us as we seek the TRUE LIGHT together.  This journey is for moths and butterflies alike.  Our world would not be the same without either of these winged creatures and it will not be the same without you and me.  Let’s discover who we are and Who we belong to.

We all have a purpose in the Kingdom of God.  I AM honored to walk this path with you.  As God began to reveal the truth to me about Who I AM, I realized a few things.

I AM…  

A moth

A mother

A child

A child of God

A dearly loved child of God

Hi, my name is Teresa and I AM Beloved by God!!!

PRAY:

Father God,

I thank You for these friends You have given me to walk this path with.  Thank You for revealing Yourself to us so we may know You.  You are our TRUE LIGHT and we seek You only.

Thank You for Your love and for the purpose You have placed in our lives.  We want to seek the TRUE light and live.  Keep us away from the false light of the worldly “zappers.”

Be with us as we learn about Your character as You reveal Yourself through Scripture.  Tell us once again who we are to You.  We belong to You.  We love You.

AMEN

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Girls with Swords: Chapter 14: Our Cross-Carry (pgs 214-220)

June 26, 2013 by

Going through this book I have loved the various crosses that we are to carry. I have loved learning of the true power that we have as girls with swords.  I have loved learning about the true power that those swords possess.  We are instructed to wield different kinds of swords, to possess different characteristics; and, yes, I have asked, “How, Lord? How do I do this and do it the right way?”

Two words:  “Follow Him.”

Jesus spoke the truth, fed the hungry, cast out demons, healed the sick, confronted religion, and raised the dead. He did this to show love, forgiveness, healing, freedom, and redemption.

Christ:

Loved the people

Matthew 4:23 (NKJV)

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.  

Forgave the people

Matthew 9:2-8  (NKJV)

Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”  And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”  But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said,“Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house.  Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men. 

Freed the people

Acts 10:38 (NKJV)

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 

 

Redeemed the people

Psalm 107:2 (NKJV)

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.

 

One of the things that stood out to me the most is the need for us to follow Him, for us to model our lives, words, actions, and thoughts after Him. Lisa said more than once that this generation, the world we live in today, needs these things more than ever. We need love and forgiveness, we need redemption and freedom. We need miracles, and we need signs and wonders. We need to follow Him in His actions, in His efforts to draw others closer to Him. We need to show that the Cross was the “ultimate display of His unconditional love for us” (pg. 214).

“The Cross is our sign and you are His wonder.”  We were placed here to pick up our swords.  We were placed here to follow Him and to build the kingdom of Christ.

The final verse of this section touched my heart:

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NKJV)

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Love. Forgive. Free. Heal. Redeem. Encourage.

FollowHim.jpg

__________________________

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the example You offer to us.  We see so much hurt and pain in our world.  We know that we have the sword and we know that we have the power, but how to use these sometimes escapes us.  Lord, remind us to follow You, remind us to model after Your example.  Most importantly remind us to love.  Through love so many other tasks can be accomplished.  As You instruct in Hebrews 10:23-25, let us stir up love, let us stir up good works, let us lift one another up.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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