His Everlasting Love

"Those who survive the coming destruction will find blessings even in the barren land, for I will give rest to the people of Israel"
Long ago the Lord said to Israel: "I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. I will rebuild you, my daughter Beth. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines. Again you will plant your vineyards on the mountains of Samaria and eat from your own gardens there. The day will come when watchmen will shout from the hill country of Ephraim, Come let us go up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord our God."  Jeremiah 31:1-6

As I reflect on this past year, I am drawn to this scripture in Jeremiah. The blessings are abundant and His promises ring true to my soul. Less than a year ago, I was in the barren land. A place of destruction. I couldn't find rest, peace, or joy in my life. I was in the barren land trying to survive.  But yet, I was seeking and God was drawing me towards Him with His everlasting love. With the coming destruction, He promises that we will find blessings. He promises rest. He promises to rebuild us. He promises happiness and dancing within our souls. He promises a harvest and plenty to feast upon. Above all, He promises rejoicing in Him,

It began one Sunday morning as God touched a place in my heart and encouraged me to sign up for a book study at church. The Holy Spirit began to work on my heart as I was seeking more of Him and less of me. I was being held captive and the Lord was trying to set me FREE through His word and truth!

Prayer on Fire began to work on my life. I desired nothing more than a stronger and deeper relationship with my Father. It is hard to build that relationship when you are treading water in the middle of the ocean. I was too busy trying to survive by keeping my head above the roaring waves.Legs kicking, arms waving, lungs taking deep labored breaths along the way. If I rested, I began to sink. Slowly, God gently pulled me towards Him and gave me His unfailing love and support in the troubled waters. As He heard my cries and I began swimming towards His outstretched hand, I began to experience the freedom in the still waters. 

Steps to Freedom was placed in my hands. The tools and path towards Freedom in Christ. Overwhelming at first, yet directions to guide me through the obstacles that trapped me in my captivity. Jesus came to set the captives free!! We CAN have Freedom in Christ, but it only comes to those who activate those steps and dig deep into the heart. Freedom is a choice and a commitment. It is not FREE ....it takes someone willing to battle.

Submission. Obedience. Openness. Eyes. Ears.  Awareness.  Armor.  Faith. Trust. Small Victories. Sword. Desire. Commitment. Tears. Fight. Real. Praise. Battle.Worship. Prayer. Release. Heart. Truth. Hope. Love. Wholeness. Freedom.

These words have encompassed my year. As I look at them, it reminds me of pain. It reminds me of struggle. It reminds me of frustration. But above all, it reminds me of Christ. These words bring me to Praise and Thanksgiving. Through these months, I see His grace. I see His unfailing love and commitment to me. I see His transformation in my life. I see the Potter working His clay. I see the blessings of brokenness. I see His promises being fulfilled.

We can't survive the barren land or the roaring waves without Him....that is why He says "those who survive the destruction will find blessings." We will survive when we turn and submit to Him. Thank you for drawing me to you, Lord, so that I may be rebuilt. Thank you for the small victories that helped me keep my eyes on you. Thank you for the tears that continue to bring healing. Thank you for your truth that shows me who I am in Christ. Thank you for my eyes that helped me to see your love and grace.Thank you for my ears so that I could hear your truths and discern the lies. Thank you, Lord, for your Word that protects my heart and encourages me to live a life in obedience to you. Thank you Lord for the strength to battle. Thank you for giving me a heart that desires you more than life itself.

Today, I dance. Today, I sing. Today, I worship my Lord for bringing me out of captivity and into a land of freedom. Today, I praise Him for the valleys and give thanks for the mountain tops. I can't wait to see the vineyards grow and the fruit that comes in the beauty of His transformation.

Blessings of Obedience

As a parent, OBEDIENCE is a huge word! We always want our children to obey us...especially in public or when we are around family and friends! I remember when my kiddos were young and I would always get embarrassed when they would act out in front of others. It seemed, at the time, that their obedience was seen as a reflection as my role as a mother. If they were "bad" then I was a "bad" parent.  As I have gotten older, mmmmm wiser, I have  realized that we can't always control our children and that they are NOT always obedient despite our teaching, instruction, and discipline. They will ultimately make their own choices, but hopefully they will rely on what Jeff and I have taught them and ultimately on the ways of the Lord as they become older and wiser too.

Isn't this how we are with God, our Father?  He guides, directs, instructs, disciplines...and we, as children of God, make choices...to follow Him or disobey Him. Is He a bad father? Absolutely not! Are our choices a reflection of the type of father He is? Nope! Obedience is a choice of our own free will. Just like our children are given free will to make their own choices, so are we! But what are the consequences of the choices we make? What happens when we obey? What happens when we rebel? Blessings for Obedience! Curses for Rebellion!

Deuteronomy 28-30 tells us the consequences of our obedience and disobedience! I have spent some time in these chapters over the last week and I have realized the depth of our obedience with God. He clearly states that if we fully obey Him and carefully keep His commands that he will set us FREE and we will experience all the blessings that He has promised long ago. Disobedience results in curses, confusion, frustration, abandonment, discouragement, and defeat. It seems so clear, but yet it is so hard!

The Living Free series has given me some new insights on the birds of the air and the beasts of the field, the enemies who darken our world and attack us on a daily basis. Satan is on the prowl and ready to destroy and devour God's children whenever given the opportunity. Does God allow this to happen? Absolutely. Does He take joy in this? Absolutely NOT. He is a loving, compassionate God that desires the best for us. He wants to bless us just like we want to bless our own children. But He also wants us to understand that with disobedience comes curses and consequences. He calls us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and to walk in His ways. When we turn from Him, it breaks His heart and He desires nothing more than for us to turn from our sinful ways and turn back to Him. He does this with open arms and a forgiving heart. His love never fails! His mercies are new each morning!!

So, what is the bottom lin? We need to realize the danger of our disobedience.  When we are disobedient to God, we will be attacked even more. The birds of the air and the beasts of the field are ready to pounce on us!! Is there freedom in that? NO WAY! We are in chains, in bondage, and no where near freedom!!  Read the following verses to give you more perspective on God's view of disobedience:

• Deuteronomy 28:25 states that "the Lord will cause you to be defeated by your enemies. You will attack your enemies from one direction, but you will scatter from them in seven! You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. Your corpses will be food for all the scavenging birds and wild animals and no one will be there to chase them away." 
• Deuteronomy 28:45 says "If you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and to obey the commands and decrees he has given you , all these curses will pursue and overtake you until you are destroyed. These horrors will serve as a sign and warning among you and your descendants forever. If you do not serve the Lord your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you. You will be left hungry , thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The Lord will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly until he has destroyed you." 

You can keep reading about the curses that will come upon you and the devastation that comes with your disobedience....but if you are anything like me, these verses can terrify you. I have come to a point in my life where I see His anger and fury as real, but yet I am no longer fearful of Him in this regard. I have a fear of reverence for Him, not a fear of  His wrath. I am in awe of Him, of His grace and of His mercy on my life. He is a God who loves and continues to show mercy, compassion, grace, patience, love and more even though I am undeserving. He is not out to crush me, destroy me, or condemn me! Romans 8:1 states that "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". He doesn't want to destroy us, to curse us, to condemn us to the point of turning us away from Him and fearing Him. Instead, He  wants us to come to Him, just as we are...humbling ourselves at His feet and asking for forgiveness for our wayward hearts. He wants us to open our hearts to Him so that  He may refine us and purify us in order that we may be a light for Him in this broken world.

Deuteronomy 30 is a message for all of us. It is a call for us to return to the Lord. Will you humble yourselves? Will you allow Him to break you so that He may restore your soul? His promises are unbelievable and His love is forever faithful to those who return to Him!! Deuteronomy 30 shows us His love and compassion for each of us. He promises to restore our fortunes, to show us mercy and to gather us back from the scattered lands. He promises to make us more prosperous than our ancestors. He promises to CHANGE our hearts so that we will love Him with all our heart and soul and that we may LIVE!! He promises to make us successful in all we do and cause our fields to produce abundant harvests!! Oh, Lord....you are so gracious and abounding in LOVE!!

This is a CHOICE for each of us....between abundant life with prosperity OR death with disaster. If we walk in His ways, the blessings are endless!! If we turn away and refuse to listen, you will not live a long, good life! FREEDOM comes to those who are obedient and follow HIM with full SURRENDER!!

Deuteronomy 30: 11-20

"Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. ¹² It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” ¹⁴ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
¹⁵ See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. ¹⁶ For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, ¹⁸ I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
¹⁹ This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

......It is YOUR choice!!

Our First Step in Freedom: What does a Vital Relationship look like with God?

What does a vital relationship with God look like to us? How would you describe someone who you feel has a vital relationship with the Lord? Maybe it would be someone who goes to church every Sunday, someone who serves within and outside the church, someone who does random acts of kindness to reach those in need, someone who tithes monthly, someone who reads scripture daily and prays for others. These are all good things and  can describe someone who loves God and has a relationship with Him. But a thriving, growing, close and vital relationship with God? How can we perceive this from the outside? Honestly, we can't. What does God require for a vital relationship with Him? Is this where true Freedom begins to take root?

Repentance is where it begins. He calls us to remove the heavy yoke of oppression from our souls. He calls us to humble ourselves before Him and to repent of our destructive ways. In order to have Freedom, we must first start from within.

 In Jeremiah 3, scripture shows how Israel was in captivity and continued to walk away from the Lord. The land was polluted and their hearts were wayward and consequently their lives were miserable. But because of His unfailing love upon His children, he says in verse 12 "my faithless people, come home to me again, for I am merciful. I will not be angry with you forever. Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God." Verse 13 says "Confess that you have refused to listen to my voice." This is part I of becoming Free in Christ...we are called to repent!

The Israelites were in captivity...on their own path...away from God. Where are you? Is your heart polluted just like the Israelites? Are you living a life away from God? Do you follow your own desires or His? About a month ago, I was struggling with some personal things that were just tearing me down. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't concentrate on my studies. I was striving for so many things, full of alot of emotions that I just could not get a handle on, and felt like my life was out of control. On the inside, I thought I was going to explode. My body was struggling spiritually, physically, and emotionally. But yet, I had this drive to continue at full speed ahead. No speed limit signs anywhere to be seen! No stop signs...no yielding. Crosswalks...watch out people! There was absolutely no margin in my life. The  vision I can give you is a race car in full throttle spinning it's wheels in the mud...with the finish line 500 yards ahead. I was stuck, but yet I could see where I was going. Along side the muddy road were rest stops for refueling and fixing ....but me? Well,  I was choosing to put the gas pedal down and keep my wheel straight. Why would you rest when you can see the finish line down the road? That's insane...just get there! This my friends is the problem!!! This is why we are stuck in oppression and have no freedom. This is why we don't experience joy, peace, love, contentment, and the abundant life Christ offers us.

That morning I sat seeking the Lord to unstuck my muddy tires and move me forward! I think I even asked Him to get out the wooden planks....you know, to help my tires get a better grip! He did just that , so be careful what you ask for!  Wouldn't you know it, I came to Jeremiah 3-4 and read the exact scripture that Living Free has us in today. I was reading about our wayward hearts and Him calling us to repent and come to Him, just as we are. In chapter 4, He tells the people of Judah and Jerusalem to "plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Don't waste your good seed among thorns. Surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins." OUCH...I was about to go up in flames! These verses spoke so loudly to me that day back in September that the Lord broke my spirit. My spirit of pride. My spirit of self sufficiency. My spirit of anger. My spirit of resentment. My spirit of defeat. My spirit of fear, insecurity and doubt. I could go on and on...but the bottom line was that I realized that I was following MY path, at MY speed, with MY controls. In Jeremiah 3:14 it says " Return home, you wayward children" says the Lord "for I am your master."

Are you listening to your Master? Are you coming to Him, just as you are, and asking Him to show you areas in your heart that are hard ground? Are you allowing Him to plow those up so that the good seed can grow and the weeds can be destroyed? Freedom is  a choice...the first step is FULL SURRENDER through REPENTANCE!! FULL SURRENDER and allowing Him to take control.  Allow Him to take control of the steering wheel, the speed, and all the controls on the inside (the rooms in your heart)....clean out all the junk in the trunk!!

A vital relationship with Him begins with a repentant heart willing to open up and clean out. Are you willing to surrender your hearts desires for His? Are you willing to turn from your ways and follow His so that you may experience the full freedom that He promises to you?

WAR ZONE

1 John 5:4-5 "For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God."

We are in a WAR ZONE....a battle for our souls. Do you believe this? Do you believe in Satan and the demonic forces in this world? Do you believe that there is a battle for your soul? I was introduced to these thoughts months ago in a sermon series on Spiritual Warfare. I was caught off guard and quite frankly, became terrified of the demonic realm. I began to wonder about this warfare and how I was intertwined within it. Where is God when this is happening? Does He allow it to happen? Does He protect you from the attacks of Satan or does He give Satan free shots at you to see how you respond?

Revelation 12:9 says "This great dragon- the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world- was thrown down to the earth with all his angels." Satan is real! Satan tries constantly to hinder God's work in this world and is constantly looking to attack believers especially those who are vulnerable, weak, or isolated from other believers. Satan tries to feed us lies, brings suffering upon us, and attempts to deceive us of God's truths. However, Satan is NOT in control....God is! Satan is under the control of God and is limited by His power!

How do we find FREEDOM from the strongholds that tear us down, from Satan who battles for our souls, from the chains that hold us captive? We are in a constant battle where half of the time we can't even see the enemy!!  How are we to win? It seems hopeless at times doesn't it? I remember hearing in the sermons back in the spring that as believers we have AUTHORITY in Christ....but deep down in my soul I had a hard time grasping that concept! "I have authority in Christ to fight off  Satan?"...I just wasn't seeing it OR believing it! This was a mind that needed some DEEP convincing!

I am currently watching a video series called Living Free- Breaking the Cycle of Defeat. It has been overwhelming at times as scripture has been given to me left and right. It has made me fearful at times as I have realized the hold that Satan has had on my life in the past and the attempts he will continue to make on my life in the future....in addition to the lives of loved ones. I have also realized that as I continue to get closer in my relationship with Christ and as I grow in my freedom, that Satan will continue to attack and with a stronger will. It is scary. It brings fear. At times it makes me want to move to the mountains of Virginia and hide in a cabin!! Hey, I haven't ruled that one out yet!! However, I am also reminded that this fear is NOT of the Lord!! Through this series, I have also been encouraged because I am learning how to recognize the demonic realm, how to fight the attacks, and how to use practical steps in becoming free from the bondage that so easily entangles me. Anyone else interested in finding this freedom?

Do you know anyone that is FREE and lives their life as if they are FREE....truly FREE? Anyone who is controlled by the Spirit and not by the world? No captivity. No bondage. No chains. No strongholds. No walls. Anyone who has spiritual oneness with the Lord? Do you know anyone who has TOTAL Freedom in Christ?  I remember this question in the beginning of this series and I thought to myself...."I don't know anyone like that, but it is what I DESIRE the most. I WANT FREEDOM IN CHRIST. WHOLENESS IN HIM...to be COMPLETE!!!  What does that take though? What sacrifice does that entail on our part? Is it even attainable? Can we have total freedom in this world? Can we be WHOLE Spiritually? Physically? Emotionally? .....if we look to scripture, Jesus says "I have come to set the captives FREE!!" He came to give us FREEDOM.....so what is our part in attaining this freedom? We must have a part in this or else everyone would be FREE! It must also be a very challenging part because as we observe those around us....we don't see many lives that exemplify this freedom in Christ. So how do we achieve this freedom that Jesus is talking about?

Here is another thought that continues to ring in my mind that was brought forth in the first video of this series..." We live in the battle! We are NOT freed from the battle...but rather freed TO the battle!" We LIVE in a battlefield! There is NO escaping it...not now, only eternally!! I don't know about you, but I am willing to be a fighting warrior....to FIGHT the battle in order to have fullness, fruitfulness, and FULL fellowship with my Father.

Stay tuned for practical ways to Fight in the Battle for your soul!!.....sorry about all the "yelling"!! I am a little pumped!!

OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE DESERT TO THE PROMISED LAND!

"I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of Hope." Hosea 2:14-15

This scripture comes from the book of Hosea and the title above the scripture is "The Lord's Love for Unfaithful Israel". This morning as I read over this again, it made me think of how often I have been the unfaithful one. How many times have I failed the Lord? How many times have I doubted His love for me? How many times have I questioned His path for my life? How many times have I walked away in anger and frustration instead of full surrender to His plans? "The Lord's Love for the Unfaithful Beth!" How much does He love me?

It states in my notes that the Israelites were so immersed in idolatry that they actually believed pagan gods gave them their vineyards and orchards. They had forgotten that the entire land was actually a gift to them from God. They worshipped Baal, a  Canaanite god, instead of getting rid of the idols and pagan worship centers that God commanded them to do. They were disobedient and unfaithful to the Lord. How many of us are disobedient and unfaithful to the Lord?

In verses 14-15, God says....

" But then, I will win her back once again.

I will lead her into the desert and speak

tenderly to her there.

I will return her vineyards to her

and transform the Valley of Trouble into a

gateway of hope.

She will give herself to me there,

as she did long ago when she was young,

when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt."



Our Heavenly Father is a God who pursues us! I love the first line, as it truly speaks to my heart today, because it reminds me that He is pursuing me even when I am running away. Even when we feel like we are off His path, He continues to want to win  our hearts back to Him. He wants us to come sit on his lap and spend time with us. He doesn't want to be a distant God! He wants a deep, intimate relationship with us.

The next line tells us that He leads us into the desert. This goes back to the seventh statement where it says that He takes us to the desert for a time of rest. Here, He leads us into the desert...why does He do that? He does it because he wants us to be in a place where there are no distractions where we will be totally focused on Him! In a desert, there is no where to turn! Do you ever feel that way here? He wants us to come to Him so that He can speak tenderly to your heart! I love this statement. I have always viewed God as a God who condemns and who is angry and frustrated with me all the time. But, this verse says that He wants to speak tenderly to me. He doesn't want to condemn us! He wants to teach us and help us to see His love, His grace, His mercy, His compassion, His comfort, His peace! He wants us to trust in Him and allow Him to direct our paths. He wants all of us to stop trying so hard! I can hear him now..." Beth, just come sit on my lap so I can speak tenderly to you, my daughter!"

The next part says " I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of Hope"....The Valley of Trouble is where Achan had sinned by keeping the forbidden war plunder that God told him not to take. The Lord is full of mercy and grace as He looks at the times of sin in our lives and still says " I will transform that time into a blessing of my hope....just come to me and let me transform you!" Isn't that so amazing? Even with our sin...He still loves us and He still wants to speak tenderly to us and help us be transformed.  

There is a something we need to do though...it isn't just God who is transforming us! We MUST give ourselves to Him! The next part of that verse says "She will give herself to me there as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt". Oh, Lord! I was just convicted as I wrote that down! I think God is using this blogging to do a work in me! .........long pause...............praying!

I have been in the desert many times!  At times, I felt like  I was doing a marathon out there in the dry and weary land! I kept looking for that water and feeling like He would never speak to me! But, when I finally surrendered to Him and put aside my pride and broke down my walls...he spoke tenderly to me with compassion and love! I have seen God's love and grace poured out on me over and over again! I have seen Him transform me from a broken vessel to a pot of clay able to be molded daily in surrender to Him. Sometimes, He begins to mold me into this tall beautiful vase and then I feel like He takes that piece of clay and smashes me back down, only to try again because I wasn't listening!

 He is at work still today! I must remember that He brought me out of captivity and into freedom...to experience the gateway of Hope! I must give myself to HIM...DAILY so that He may work in miraculous ways! He wants to use the Valley of Trouble ...to bring a Gateway of HOPE...to bring HIM Glory!

Take Him up on the FULL EXPERIENCE OF THE DESERT! 

He prepared a way out of captivity THROUGH the desert to the PROMISED LAND! 





FIGHTING THE WILDERNESS IS NOT THE ANSWER!

This is what the Lord says: " Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, "No, that's not the road we want!" Jeremiah 6:16

I found this verse today as I was thinking about rest for my soul! Do you ever feel like you are at a crossroad? You have a choice and which direction will you take? Do you ever feel like there are so many paths to take and you don't know what direction to go? Or maybe, just maybe, you feel like you are at a DEAD END! You might feel like you have no options and you are at a standstill. It is tough. Life is tough!

This verse helps us to come to some conclusions though. First, the Lord says to STOP! For some of us this is very hard to do! Our world is full of constant movement and things to do! If you are anything like myself, stopping is truly not in your vocabulary!! He also says to "Look around"....take a look at your surroundings, your blessings, your circumstances and evaluate them...take a close look with open eyes! Take the blinders off and soften your heart for what God wants you to see. This is not as easy as it sounds and it takes a truly humble person to open up and to see these truths that God wants you to embrace. It comes back to that whole surrender issue...are you willing to say "Lord, here is my life...show me how to live it and what direction to take...your will not mine!"  The next statement from the Lord is "ask for the old, Godly way....and walk in it". He tells us in His word that if we ask, then He will give. He shows us the way so that we may obey and walk in it...not walk away from it. If we walk in His way, then we will find rest for our souls!

Do you find yourself restless, weary, or tired? Take some time to rest in Him. Rest in His word, rest in Prayer, rest in quietness before Him.  Beth Moore gave us her 7th statement for PREPARE and it included taking time to rest. The seventh statement is "We, too, could experience regular Sabbath rest if we PREPARED for it". We need to prepare for our rest in Him. We also need to recognize when God is calling us to rest.

She began this statement by directing us to Revelation 12. In verse 6 it says that the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days. Just for your information, 1,260 days is equal to 3 and 1/2 years. I look at this verse in two ways. The first is with a sense of fear that she would be in the wilderness for that long.  Why would God allow that? In the dry and weary land...to be there all alone for such a long time ? I equate it with being in the desert...spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The desert is a lonely place and a place of daily struggle. It is a place where I think of darkness and despair. Seriously, three and 1/2 years is a long time!! But then I look at the second half of that verse and realize that God is right there to take care of her. Does she realize this? Is she aware of His presence? He is a God of compassion and love and is not going to leave her there all alone. If  you look on to verse 14, it says that" the woman was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon".

God has a HUGE message for us in this scripture! He prepares a time of rest for us...daily, weekly, and possibly even in the idea of seasons! He knows the circumstances surrounding us and the needs that we have. He understands the struggles we face in this world and even the attacks of the enemy! Maybe we should look at our wilderness times as really a signal from the Lord that we need a "time out"... I am sure that you have heard people say that they are in a certain season in their life. Sometimes, I think that maybe God is saying..."I want you to be in a season of rest". The wilderness is not a thing to fear! In fact, it represents a place of spiritual refuge and protection from Satan (the dragon). In this scripture God is aiding the woman (God's faithful follower) into an escape into the wilderness by giving her wings like Eagles...and He is sheltering her from the attacks of Satan. The wilderness is a place of rest where God wants to speak to you, give you rest, peace, and a time of learning and growth! He wants to use this time to strengthen you and to feed you with His truths.

My view of the desert has totally changed since reading this scripture. The key is to allow God to speak to me in the desert times. I now look at it as a place of refuge and protection and growth instead of emptiness and darkness. He has placed his children in the wilderness for a time of preparation! Look at the wilderness as a time to heal, a time to rest, a time to restore your soul...as God is right there with you to care for you and protect you! Will you allow Him to take care of you?

We must follow His path in order to find rest for our souls....fighting the wilderness is not the answer!

"COME AS YOU ARE"

There are words that continue to speak to me as I think of my time at the Beth Moore Living Proof Live event. The words "come as you are" are constantly being whispered to me as I sit in quiet time with Him. I see Him with His arms wide open and eyes looking at me with sadness wondering why I struggle to sit on His lap.  I struggle with these whispers. I think to myself "Lord, you don't want me to come as I am...broken, discontent, weary, frustrated, unworthy... you deserve so much more. You deserve a child who is sinless and perfect in your eyes." I am so far from that picture. "Come as you are?" Really? He wants a child who is doubting his grace and mercy and strength? He wants a child who continues to fall off the path? He wants a child who fails daily in obedience to Him? Oh, Lord, you deserve so much more! But, in His grace and mercy He still calls us to "come....just as you are"!

In Beth's sixth statement of PREPARE she says that "God PREPARED  a body for His son as the consummate offering."  God prepared Christ's body for the sacrifice of our sins. Jesus prepared salvation for you and for me. We do not have to do anything for Him in order to be accepted. We don't have to clean up our acts or perform perfect for Him. He already knew that we would fall short of His glory! He prepared the sacrifice in advance for us....all we need to do is "come as we are" and accept the gift that He prepared for us...His son, Jesus Christ!

Training Hard!

"We must be trained up!!" This is a statement that I wrote down in all capitals when Beth Moore spoke it last weekend. Her 5th statement on the topic of PREPARE was "Those who are mightiest in battle have prepared for it".

Being an athlete, when I hear the word battle I first think of competitions. Let the mighty team win! Who is more prepared to fight? But, I also think of battles within the mind such as insecurities and depression. I think of battles we face daily within the world around us such as financial battles, marital battles, relationship battles,family battles, and spiritual battles. I think of battles against Satan! What happens when we are not prepared for these battles? What happens when we are blind sided and attacked when we are least expecting it? How about when we are not even aware that we are being attacked? Defeat engulfs us....that is what happens! We become overwhelmed, weary, frustrated, and defeated! Sometimes we can't see a way out because we are so weighed down and can't find the strength to fight back! Sometimes, we don't even know what hit us! This is why we need to be PREPARED before the battle begins!

So what does this look like in the eyes of a Christian who is in a battle? One of the first scriptures Beth Moore had us look up was in Judges 6:2 "The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds." As I looked back at my notes, I thought "once in a battle....go hide!" I can do that! I can go for protection and hide and hope that the battle goes away! I got it! Check...next statement!

Pull back the reins! We are not done yet! Let's look up 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27 " Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified."

We all have an enemy...or two! We are all in battles. Don't look in my trunk of junk! I have many enemies and battles...many that are my own! We all have them! While we are in our battle fighting our enemy, our focus needs to be on Christ first and foremost! We need to prepare with His Word in our minds and in our hearts. Meditate and renew your mind with His words of truth so that you can fight the enemy! His word is like a mighty sword!  If we are not in the Word and are not in tuned with the Spirit, then we cannot SEE where to fight!  It is like the scripture says, "I am not just shadowboxing"! We cannot fight against the unknown! Do you want to be swinging at air day in and day out and become exhausted with the battle still lingering right in your face? Part of our preparation is seeing what the Battle is! Sometimes, this means that we need to bow before the MIGHTY ONE and lay before him all our junk whether it is our sins, our insecurities, our fears, our weaknesses.....we need to open ourselves up to HIM and SURRENDER and ask for Him to show us the battle, equip us with the Word, and then we need to admit that we can't do it on our own! Fight for us Lord!

Our next step is to run with a purpose! Don't run aimlessly! In the race, everyone runs....what are you running towards? What is your goal? The scripture says to "Run with a purpose in every step"!If we run aimlessly, we are lost! Make goals for yourself. Are your goals heavenward? Is the race you are running going to matter when life is over? Are you running a race that will bring GLORY to our Lord? I am constantly telling myself that the Lord knows the plans He has for me! Plans for a future! Plans with Hope! We need to stay focused on the path that God has for us and stop running in multiple directions all the time. When our plates are too full, we end up like floundering fish! We need to narrow our paths and focus on the few things that God has prepared for us. Take a look at what makes you "tick" and where your passions are! Focus on these aspects and set goals for yourself so that you are not running around aimlessly or stressed out because you are going in too many directions.



Lastly, I think that we need to take a look at prayer! If we are not connected in prayer with our Heavenly father then we are not going to be on His path. Prayer has to be a part of our preparation! Spend time in quiet, focused prayer asking the Lord to show you His path for your life so that you can be PREPARED each day! It begins with prayer and an open heart to follow His leading!

JUMP OUT OF THE BOAT!!

Have you ever felt an urge inside of you to step out of the boat and walk on water? Ha, Ha...I could not resist this picture! Jesus is NOT LAUGHING!!

 Okay, maybe not walk on water, but an urge to do something out of the ordinary? Maybe you love challenges and have had an urge to jump out of an airplane or go zip lining! Maybe not. How about jumping off a cliff into the deep waters of the unknown? It may sound like a great idea until you reach the top and your heart feels like it is going to leap out of your chest! Then, it's either say a prayer and jump or struggle getting back down the cliff (No experience in this whats so ever!! Ha!) Or maybe it is on a different scale where you have had an urge to speak up, despite the persecution to follow? How about an urge to give to a stranger who was in need even when you were scared to death to approach them due to rejection? Or maybe, an urge to take a new job, start a new career, or step into ministry? Sometimes we sense this  voice that tells our spirit...."Get up....Go....Do it.....trust ME!" Yet, we plug our ears and say "No way, He's not talking to me! Is He?"

Beth Moore started the second day of the conference with her fourth statement of being prepared. The fourth statement is "He who PREPARED for us calls us to be PREPARED for Him." What does it mean to "call"? It means to demand, to cry out, to summon, or to command!  Basically, it is an order for us! This is not an option ladies! He demands for us to be PREPARED for Him!

In the book of Ezra, the captives from Judah were allowed to finally return to their homeland to rebuild the Temple of the Lord (Ezra 1). They had been held captive for 70 years and were now being told by King Cyrus that they were able to finally have freedom and were released to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple. He also told them that their Lord would be with them. You would think that all of them would be jumping for joy ready to return to their homeland!! Finally, after 70 years they had freedom!! Many of the original 12 tribes that had been taken captive had been so broken and dispersed that they were unsure of their heritage and homeland. They were scared of the unkown! They feared the challenges that were ahead of them! So instead of trusting that their Lord would be with them, they chose to stay in their captivity!!! Does this sound familiar to anyone out there?

Two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, were humble and open to hear the calling of the Lord to return to their homeland. They didn't know what was in store for them! But they were willing to jump ship and trust the Lord for the calling upon their lives! The Lord began by stirring the hearts of His people! They were open to listen to His calling and they were willing to obey despite the uncertainties and unknowns and challenges that laid before them!! Have you ever had a stirring in your heart?? What was your response?

If we move forward to Ezra 7, we will see a man, named Ezra, who returned to Jerusalem eighty years after the first group who returned in chapter 1. Ezra was a man "well versed in the Law of Moses"(Ezra 7:6) and the Lord was upon Him. He took a 500 mile trip which took him 4 months to travel. I don't know about you, but I look at Ezra and think " He is on a mission!" This man was determined to get to Jerusalem and to follow the Lord in His calling! Was Ezra prepared? It says in Ezra 7:10 that Ezra was "determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel." STUDY, OBEY, TEACH! Beth Moore used the words "SOUGHT, DID, TAUGHT"! He was on a MISSION and it began with his diligence in the Word of the Lord! Through Ezra's study of the Word of the Lord, he began to prepare his heart for the mission that the Lord had for him. I am sure that this did not happen over night! A matter of fact, as I write this I am realizing that it took him years of study! Have you ever heard people say "it is a process?" Ugh, those dreaded words! Anyway, Ezra remained in Babylon for years before making the trip to Jerusalem. He waited patiently for his time to answer God's calling for his life. He didn't "go" right away, instead he waited by being diligent, intentional, and determined to be PREPARED for the journey ahead of him! OOOH, is anyone getting spoken to right now? I am...as I am writing! OUCH!

It all boils down to decisions! Will we take that step? Will we jump? Will we reach out and touch someone in need? Will we listen to the voice that says "Do it"? Will we trust when we hear that still small voice say "I will equip you"!? In the book of Ezra, God called Ezra to study His word! Ezra was diligent and devoted to planting the Word into his heart!  Then he OBEYED by traveling out of captivity and into freedom despite the unknown and the dangers of the trip! Once he made it to Jerusalem, Ezra was obedient by teaching the decrees and regulations to the people of Israel! Do you see the process? STUDY, OBEY, TEACH!

What is God calling you to? Where is your heart? Is is broken? Is it scattered? If it is, it is your decision to bring your broken heart to HIM and allow HIM to work in you. Let him heal your broken heart and mend your soul. Allow Him to teach you, to mold you, to purify you so that you can move forward in your journey of obedience with Him. It may take a while to heal your broken heart, to learn to trust in His ways and in His truths! But, He promises to bring you back to the Promised Land- full of milk and honey!

Where do your desires rest? What goals to do have for your life? What is hindering you in accomplishing these goals and desires? Lay them before the Lord. Don't hold onto the things that weigh you down! Give them to the Lord! Check out these two verses that Beth gave us....

Joshua 7:13 says "Get up!! Purify yourself in preparation for tomorrow! Hidden among you are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you."

2 Corinthians 8:10-11 says, " It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. Now you should finish what you started."

What is God "calling", demanding, summoning, commanding, you to do? Are you PREPARED? What is your first step in following this "call"? NO, it is not running away!! The first response is to come to the TABLE! The next response is to come with an OFFERING- an open and thankful heart! Then, come to PREPARE YOUR HEART...purify yourself and remove the things that slow you down! Fear? Doubt? Insecurity? Brokenness?  Prepare your heart by hearing,studying,and pursuing the Word of the Lord! Prepare your heart by walking the long, weary, and maybe rocky and unknown road by trusting the Lord for his provision and direction and love along the way! Prepare your heart by listening and having a teachable spirit!!

Lastly, 2 Timothy 3:16 says "God uses His word to PREPARE and EQUIP his people to do every good work"! In order to follow His calling for our lives, we must have an active and ongoing relationship with our Heavenly Father so that we can recognize the voice of His Spirit and the direction He has for us. We must be able to hear His encouragement as well as His warnings so that we can be PREPARED in advance!

Lord, thank you for the gift of speaking from Beth Moore and for your Word that is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword! Your word is alive and powerful! Each time I dig into your truth, you mold my heart and help me to see your path!

....Next point, "Those who are MIGHTIEST in battle have PREPARED for it"...oh, it is getting even better!

KEEP ON SWIMMING.....

" Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain. There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in His presence!" Exodus 24:9-11

The Lord calls us to come to the Table to fellowship with Him. The third major setting of PREPARE is the offering. When we come to the Table to be with the Lord, what are we coming with? Where is our heart? Are we ready to listen to His voice or is our mind already made up in regards to the path we are to travel?

When we come and fellowship with the Lord, we need to come with an open heart and soul ready to be taught! Do you ever feel like you are stuck? Many times I feel like I am in quicksand and the more I try to move forward the more I sink into the sand. There is nothing to grab hold of and I sink deeper and deeper. But this week, the Lord has helped me to see that if I want to move forward in PREPARATION for whatever He has for me that I need to agree to be taught instead of wanting to already KNOW. I tend to want to go from A-Z and get to the point I am striving for! Can anyone relate to that? I have a goal and I want to achieve it right now...but God doesn't work that way. He has us on a journey for a reason....to learn and to build our character and most importantly our trust in Him!

2 Timothy 2:1-7 was given to us at the Beth Moore retreat this past weekend. I have been camping on these verses the last few days and this is what the Lord is showing me. First of all, verse 1 is essential to our journey...it says, "be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus".  This verse shows me that I must completely trust in the Lord and stop trying to do things on my own. My strength must come from Him alone. SURRENDER is key as we take this journey along with Christ.  I must trust that through the difficult times that He will give me the strength to pursue until the end. I tend to put the Lord in a box and forget the mighty power that He displays and shares with those who are in Christ.

2 Timothy 2:3-5 states "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things."

These verses are for our encouragement as we walk along the rocky roads! They call for us to have courage and commitment along our journey with Christ. Christ suffered so much persecution while He lived here on Earth. He was mocked, spit on, beaten, and put to death. He endured through all of it and He challenges us to endure the suffering along with Him. Are you a GOOD SOLDIER of CHRIST JESUS? Do you allow the things of this world to tie you up or drag you down? I know I do...it is a daily struggle to take thoughts captive and not to be engulfed by the world around me! We must remember that He calls us to strip off every weight that slows us down and to run with endurance the race He has PREPARED for us (Hebrews 12:1)!! We need to train hard....each and every day so that we can move forward and get out of the quicksand that pulls us down! Think of the athlete who must train for the big race! It doesn't happen over night! Day in and day out, they must train to build their body up for the big event! Think of the farmer who works each day to prepare for the harvest to come. The farmers work hard for months and continue to work hard even when the weather is not cooperating! Don't you ever feel like the circumstances around you are not cooperating with your plan? How can I endure when the load keeps getting heavier? How can I follow Him when the world keeps getting in the way?

He calls us to be patient. He calls us to endure. He calls us to be prepared! How can we become prepared? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. GOD USES IT TO PREPARE AND TO EQUIP HIS PEOPLE TO DO EVERY GOOD WORK."

God uses His word to prepare us! We must have an ACTIVE, ONGOING relationship with God in order to fulfill the purpose He has PREPARED for us!! Do you remember our first statement? "God has a gorgeous preoccupation with preparation!" He has PREPARED works for us to accomplish! In order for us to recognize the Spirit, we must be prepared to hear from Him and we must be actively pursuing Him each day.

.......keep on swimming!



LET'S GET BUSY!!



" I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow."
 Isaiah 48:17

Prepare the way my Lord! I wish that the path was always so clear...but then if it was, we wouldn't have to learn to trust Him so much would we? Where would our faith be? He does prepare the way and as the verse in Isaiah says, "He leads you along the path you should follow". He has prepared everything for us...even before He created the world.

Beth Moore started her evening off with a few main points. The first main point was that "God has a gorgeous preoccupation with preparation". As I have processed this statement, I have come to realize that the key to this first point is the word GORGEOUS! The word means "brilliant or magnificent". He has a magnificent preoccupation with preparation!He is absolutely brilliant!! Look at our world around us...there was a HUGE amount of planning and preparation that went into the creation of all of it. Take a look at everything He created. Everything has such detail and purpose! Everything works so well together. He had to prepare each little detail that surrounds us so that we could have a life here on Earth!

He prepared the sacrificial lamb for us before He even created the world! Could you imagine the conversation He had with Jesus?  He knew Jesus would have to die in place of our own sins! His love is so amazing! He prepared our works before He even created us (Ephesians 2:10). He knows the plans He has for each one of us!  Isaiah 45:18 says "He created the Heavens and the Earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos". He even  continues today as He prepares a place for us in Heaven. He is a God who is PREOCCUPIED with PREPARATION!!

Her second statement: "The first setting of PREPARE in the Bible is the TABLE."

God wanted to participate in mealtime with His children. He desires to have communion with us- a time of sitting at the table enjoying each others company and having discussions with us! She began by telling us that 12 out of the first 15 times where "prepare" is mentioned in the Bible is in the context of a meal. Picture yourself invited to a house of someone you dearly love and them preparing a wonderful meal for you. They invited you. They took time to prepare your favorite foods. The aroma in the house is pleasing to your senses. The sense of warmth, love, and comfort fill your heart as you enter into fellowship with your friend. This is what the Lord is doing for us! In the old testament He required  a sacrifice to be brought to Him. An offering was to be made...why? People could offer an animal to God for a substitute for their own lives. It was for salvation!  However, many times people would offer their sacrifice and forget the significance of it. In Psalm 50, the Lord was making a strong point to his people that he didn't need the choice goats or the bulls from their barns...all of that was His anyways! He wanted their hearts! He wanted fellowship and thankfulness! Psalm 50:14 states "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to the Lord"! This really hit me hard...the Lord wants FELLOWSHIP and THANKFULNESS! He has prepared a table for us! Can you hear Him now saying, "Please, come dine with me! The table is set just for you and me!"

He is waiting....will you come and dine with Him?

.....to be continued





PREPARE

What comes to mind when you hear the word "PREPARE"? My first thought, "there is a challenge ahead of you and you must be ready to meet it head on !" I am not sure if many of you have the same response as I, but I would be curious to hear your first response to the word "PREPARE".

I had been anticipating a time of great teaching and learning for months as I waited for this past weekend in Columbus with Beth Moore! She is my favorite teacher, besides Christ, of course! When I first heard she was coming to Columbus, I signed up immediately! I began praying that God would use this time to fill me and help me to see more of Him. I found it very interesting that Beth Moore speaks in multiple cities throughout the year and each conference is different. She prays for a specific word from the Lord for each city, and then prepares her conference according to the Word she hears from the Lord! She is very tuned into hearing from Him and preparing for the women in each individual city. I get a huge lump in my throat when I think about how much prayer and time goes into each conference she prepares for!

So, this past weekend I entered the Columbus Arena with three wonderful women along my side and we sat down to worship the Lord on Friday night. After our time of worship, big bold letters arrived on the screen at the center stage...PREPARE! My first reaction was to bury my head and begin to cry! I did not want another CHALLENGE to face and I was not looking forward to meeting it head on! I wanted to scream out "Lord are you kidding me??!!" But deep down in my heart I knew that the Lord had something for me and that I would need to open my heart and allow Him to speak deep down into my soul!

Friday night was the beginning of a journey for me...one where I had to step aside and say "Okay Lord....teach me, your servant is listening!" Normally, I think I would of put up my hand and said "NO, I am not ready to hear of a challenge right now!". But on this night, I sat on my hands and bowed my head and allowed the tears to flow in full surrender....."Okay Lord...PREPARE me!"

First lesson..."God has a gorgeous preoccupation with preparation"...stay tuned....

Christian Ebner - Search Me Oh God

Search Me Oh God....Psalm 139: 23-24
" Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything that is in my that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life."



Surrender....it is such a hard concept for most of us. What does it mean to open ourselves up and ask the Lord to truly search our hearts and our souls? It takes courage and a willingness to not only accept the insight God gives but also a committment to making a change in our lives that results in obedience to Him. God, take me on this journey of self examination. Search me, O God, and know my anxious thoughts. Search me, O God, and show me the areas of disobedience in my life. Search me, O God, and help me to see the areas in my life that have become strongholds. Lord, I don't want to be held captive anymore by this world. Instead, I desire freedom in Christ. I desire to know you and to understand your ways. Lord, I want to follow your path for my life and to experience the love and joy that you have for me. I am tired of trying to control my life and failing miserably. I have realized that my self reliance has caused me to experience less of you. It is a sign of my lack of trust and faith in all that you desire to give to your child. Lord, you are my Heavenly Father that seeks to have a relationship with me. I pray that you would begin today to Search me, O God, and point out anything in me that offends you and is keeping me at a distance from experiencing your unfailing love, grace, peace, joy, and comfort.
Love you Lord,
Beth