If God’s Word is True

It’s my choice:

Today, and everyday, I want eveything about my life, the way I choose to think, act, and speak, to reflect the belief I confess to have. But I am a flawed person, proned to respond out of my fallen nature instead of my transformed spirit. I can’t do it in my own power.

The more time I spend with God, in communication with Him, worshipping His goodness and basking in His love, the more like Him I become.The more of the Word that I read, memorize, and meditate on, the more my thoughts align with His.

Both of these help me grow into a more mature believer, moving away from the world and closer to heaven. But the flesh is something that you and I have to die to daily, sometimes moment by moment.

So, today I chose to act as if God’s word is true. And I will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to follow through. Want to join me?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit,

Help me to live life differently than the unbelieving world. Let not fear or worry or stress or anger or jealousy have any control in my life. Instead, let my life be controlled by the truth of God’s word.

Amen

What Happens When We Forget

The Old Testament is full of stories of forgetting and its consequences. Time and time again, the Israelites would forget God and all the things He had done for them. Theirs was a cycle of suffering-repentance-rescue-forgetting-sinfulness-suffering.

As a young Christian, I would find myself time and again growing frustrated with them any time I read their stories.  They were such self-centered, disrespecting idiots. How in the world did God not simply destroy them all!? Thankfully the Bible isn’t a story of worldly justice, but a window into God’s amazing grace.

Now that I have walked with Him much longer, my reaction is somewhat different when I read these same stories in the Pentateuch. While I may still find myself irritated with them, I can also see myself reflected there. How many times have I myself forgotten? It makes me grateful that God is as faithful to me today as He was to them. He is true to the Covenant even when I’m not.

If we’re honest, none of us are much different than the Israelites that God rescued from Egypt. We, too, get caught up in life and allow the momentary circumstances we’re in to dictate our thoughts and behaviors. With our eyes on this world we forget about all that God has done for us and fail to wait on His direction.

When we forget how faithful He has been, we worry about the future, we worry about today. When we forget how much He loves us and all the ways He’s shown us that love, we doubt His goodness and stress over our needs. When we forget the many prayers He’s already answered, we think and act as if it all depends on us. And when we forget about His sacrifice for us on the cross, we put ourselves first and live by our desires.

Our forgetting doesn’t always result in sin, but it does always block us from the inner peace that only comes when we stay close by His side. So, in case you find yourself in a time of forgetting today, I’m sharing a simple prayer I pray when I find myself there. May it help you remember the goodness and faithfulness of our God.

Be bless my friend,

Ann

Father God,

Help me to remember all the mercy and grace You have given me. When I start to worry, remind me of Your faithfulness. When I start to rely on my works, remind me of Your strength. And when I start to go my own way, turn my eyes to the cross. Never let me forget the bondage of sin that Your loving sacrifice freed me from. I believe in Your goodness, I believe in Your truth, and I believe in Your word. When I doubt, help my unbelief.

In Jesus’ holy name I pray.

Amen

What's In Your Glass?

You hold 4 ounces of water in an 8 ounce glass; how do you describe it? Are you the optimist who sees your glass as half-full or the pessimist who sees it as half-empty?

Both experience the same event- the glass of water- but view it quite differently. Studies consistently show that this variance in perspective has a strong correlation on effectively managing stress. By focusing on the positive aspects, the optimist is more prepared to weather life’s challenges. But there is an even better way.

In 2 Kings, Elisha and his attendant wake to imminent danger. The Aramean army has surrounded the city in order to seize the prophet. The attendant, clearly a pessimist, is overwhelmed by fear.  An optimist would have remained hopeful that there could be a way out. Either way, the attendant’s response was based on what he could see.    

Elisha’s reaction differed. He viewed the situation through what he knew as truth not his eyes. He held faith in who was on his side and in the promises he’d been given. When the supernatural veil was removed, the attendant was afforded a momentary glimpse into what had always been there.  Beyond the limitations of his human eyes, a heavenly army encircled them. Nothing could stand against it.   

The same is true when we look at the glass of water. Human vision limits us to what we can see. But the glass is neither half-empty nor half-full. It is completely full. Though half is filled with water, the other half is filled with air. Human limitation does not alter the truth of what is.

When the challenges of life arise, reach for the perfect stress management tool. Instead of relying on any human perspective, reach for God’s. Though His ways are often beyond our sight and comprehension, at all times He remains good and firmly in control.  

Message for the Journey:

In fear, the pessimist sees his glass as half-empty. In hope, the optimist sees his glass as half-full. In faith, the child of God’s remains confident, that no matter what his eye’s can see, his glass is filled to overflowing.

                                                                                                                      ©Ann Wilds

“My cup overflows with blessings.” Proverbs 23:5b

The Traits of a Good Leader

You can't lead if you don't know the way. 

We have a new four-legged addition in our family. A rescue, Pippin, is about two years old but acts much like a puppy. He came with a loving, goofy personality but not a lot of manners. Amongst the things we are trying to teach him is how to walk on a leash. He must have herding dog in him because not only does he want to pull but he tries toguide as well. He wants to have the lead as the rest of us follow. But that doesn’t work very well - not only is he not the Alpha- he has no idea where we’re going.

During one particular walk he was more insistent than ever. No matter which way I turned us, he leaned against me or pulled to get Gracie and me to go another way. As Icorrected him I said, “Pippin, you can't lead; you don't know where we're going.”

And that’s when it hit me. How many times has God said those words to me, to you? We want to take off down the road that – in our eyes- seems right. Somewhere inside there is a part of us that still clings to the false belief that we can lead as well, if not better, than He. In those moments, we overlook the necessary traits of a leader-authority and knowledge. We forget that we are not Alpha nor do we know His way. We’re not the only ones who struggle with this. 

Moses tried to take the lead by standing up for the abused Israelite slave in Egypt. In doing so, he killed a man and fled his palace home living in exile for forty years.  But when he fully allowed God to lead, he returned and helped free his people.

Peter tried to take the lead when he countered Jesus’ prophecy of His upcoming passion, crucifixion and resurrection. The road Peter wanted them to travel held only victory. Jesus rebuked him strongly for it. When Peter fully followed God’s lead, he suffered much, but saw first hand the salvation of the world and established Christ's first church. 

None of us know what direction our road will take. Just as it seems we are headed one way, the road He wants us on turns. Often, with my ministry I have no idea where He is headed. I fight against the part of me that wants to take the lead. But I’m learning that when it’s unclear what step I should take, to simply wait.

‎Message for the Journey:

Noah didn’t try to take the lead from God as the ark was constructed. He built it as God directed. Nor did he rush to round up the animals when he thought things were ready.When the time was right, God sent the animals to Moses. In the end, it was all a perfect fit. Your life, too, will be a perfect fit if you go only when and where He leads. 

                                                                                                 ©Ann Wilds

"At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed...

" Numbers 9:23.