ARE YOU BEING SWEET?

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24

I have an acquaintance who asks her children one question when they get argumentative or sassy. “Are you being sweet?”

That packs a punch!

The obvious answer is a resounding “No!” in those moments to be sure.

This is an interesting approach to discipline though. With just one question the motive of a heart is penetrated.

In contrast, when our words are laced with grace, the kindness of heart behind such words is exposed.

Do you struggle with this? Me too! This is especially difficult in the midst of tension or discipline.

God tells us however, that the way to instruction is through a graceful approach.

“gracious words promote instruction.”

Proverbs 16:21b

When discipline or correction is the goal, grace should be the vehicle.

When the goal is to try to get someone to understand our position on a subject, grace should be the vehicle.

Lord, let our lips reveal a heart that has been redeemed through your grace. Today Lord, would you help us treat others the way you treat us? Please Lord, let the world see you when they hear our words.

So, I ask you…

“Are you being sweet?”

RESTORATION NEEDS A STARTING POINT

Our backyard is a jungle. I am sure there was once beauty and order where now there exists overgrowth and weeds.

Vegetation is intermingled with shrubs and everything exists through worn out barriers. A stony path is covered with all kind of limitless propagation.

Restoration needs a starting point.

Overcoming the thought of the monumental project was first. And a close second was the realization that it was necessary to clear the path in order to better access the rest of the jungle.

A clear path gains access to additional areas that need attention.

Discerning weed from plant once access was achieved was a subsequent matter. This isn’t always easy. Some weeds are really attractive and blend in with the valued flowers.

A last phase of jungle taming has been to put things in there rightful place. Tall and path-blocking plants need to make way for unobtrusive, lower to the ground varieties. Additionally, some things were getting too much sun and needed to be transplanted to an area where shade could give way to thriving.

Life is an overwhelming jungle sometimes.

It’s ok. Here are a few ideas to help…

First, start by clearing a pathway. Remove the clutter from you path of life so you can access the areas that need your attention.

Second, identify the weeds and get rid of them.

This again, may seem easy, but could prove to be the biggest challenge and hurdle to the beautiful garden of life you’re striving for.

Finally, put things in their rightful place. Maybe one idea of an oversimplified rule of priority to follow is Faith, Family, Friends.

Dear friends, it’s a jungle out there. It’s going to take some effort to restore this place. The results will be well worth the work.

Jesus Himself is our restoration. Get busy clearing a pathway for Him in your life. Grant him full access to all areas so He can make you into something beautiful!🌸

JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING

Jesus changes everything.

He made fishermen into fishers of men.

He made the lepers clean.

He made the paralytic rise and walk.

He made Peter’s mother-in-law rise from her sickbed and serve.

He made the storm completely calm.

He restored the demon-possessed men.

He made a dishonest tax collector an honest follower.

He made the bleeding woman well.

He made a dead girl alive.

He made the blind men see.

He made the mute man speak.

He makes sinners into sons and daughters.

Who are you?

Do you know this Jesus?

Knowing Him changes everything.

He takes the ashes of our lives and makes them into the most beautiful stories. His lavish love whispered over the dust is enough to redeem it. To God be the glory.

Do you want to be new?

Come and follow the one who changes everything and makes all things new.

Your life made new is the testimony of His love, His forgiveness, and His redemption.

Acts 17:25 “He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”

17:27b “he is not far from any one of us.”

He makes all things new.

He makes true beauty from the ashes of our lives.

No matter who you are, or what your past speaks over you, He changes everything.

BE STILL DEAR ONE

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:38-42)

Being still seems like you’re not getting anything done.

It looks inactive, but in reality it’s where things happen.

Great things…

Wounds mended.

Hearts healed.

Tears dried.

Lessons learned.

Priorities aligned.

Hope found.

God revealed.

Passion stirred.

Love lavished.

Grace steeped.

In the account of Mary and Martha, Mary was still.

Many debate the bad rap Martha gets for being the one to get preparations done.

Only one thing is needed.

That “thing”, what is it? Don’t we want to know?

Mary is still.

And she knows He is God.

Mary sits at the feet of Jesus; in His presence, even though there is much to be done. And it is the better choice.

Oh don’t be fooled! She’s doing something.

Mary is doing the best thing.

The needed thing.

Sitting at the feet of the one who knows all things.

Being still and knowing He’s God.

If He’s speaking, make sure you’re listening.

Being seated at His feet, may seem like a lowly place of inactivity. But, the greatest things get accomplished there. Things no one else can do.

Place yourself at the feet of Jesus, be still, listen to what He’s teaching.

Come dear one, take a seat.

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14

When King Xerxes allowed the Haman initiated plot to “destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews”, Queen Esther is called upon for help.

The Jews had an insider, so to speak.

The plan was to have her speak to the King on behalf of an entire people group. This was no small task. Without an invitation to come into his presence and speak, Esther risked nothing short of everything; her very life.

Esther could have been anyone. But she was “the” one God chose to use in that crucial moment in time.

What about you?

Do you believe God has a specific purpose for your life?

Do you believe He has placed you in your particular position to live out that purpose?

Do you believe His timing is perfect?

“And who knows, but that you have come to your __________ position for such a time as this?”

And who knows, indeed!

God does.

He is waiting…for your willing heart.

You are the “insider”.

He is able.

Are you willing…

To live for Him?

To seek His plan for your life?

To let Him use you in your current position to accomplish His plan?

Dear friend, He is able.

Are you willing?

For He has you where you are “for such a time as this”!

LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN

Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

Nehemiah 8:6

I can only imagine this dramatic scene of passionate worship recorded in scripture.

When God’s chosen people returned from captivity in Babylon, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, the people settled, and then they gathered…to hear God’s law read aloud by Ezra.

Ezra stood above them, and the people were attentive as he taught for hours; from daybreak until noon.

Ezra then praised God.

And the people responded with their hands and their voices.

They “lifted their hands and shouted, ‘Amen! Amen!’”

We can almost hear it, and it resonates as we worship our God in our churches. God’s word is shared and we respond in our heart or out loud, and from the crowd we hear, “Amen! Amen!”

What happened next in the text is not practiced as commonly in our places of worship today. The Israelites “bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

I saw a lot of hands lifted high on Sunday, but no one was flat on the ground in worship.

Sometimes when we’re singing praises, I close my eyes to all the distractions and just sing to my God. At other moments, I bow my head and just listen. My heart can be so overwhelmed by His presence and goodness that all I can do is bow before Him.

We may not be literally face down on the floor in worship, but the posture of our hearts can be bowing in reverence to The King.

These verses challenge us to examine the passion of our worship and the posture of our hearts.

The heights of our King most high are best revealed from the position of a heart bowed low before Him.

Get your heart ready and come, worship our King.

OUR FATHER’S VOICE

My Father’s Voice

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

John 10:27

Recently, I needed to clear some space in my voicemail so I started listening to old recordings and deleted several.

Some will never be deleted though, no matter how old.

They are my father’s voice, his last recorded messages to me.

They range from a Happy Birthday message to the one detailing an upcoming trip to his Oncologist…

The appointment at which we learned there was nothing more to be done. No more treatments.

I always want to remember my father’s voice.

He was perfect.

Don’t misunderstand. He was not a perfect man.

He had his vices including a significant stronghold he could not claim victory over.

What I remember with gratitude though, is how…

He provided for our family,

Played catch in the front yard,

Drove to countless sporting events,

Played the piano,

Helped me get my first car,

And the second,

Taught me the value of hard work through doing chores,

Taught me not to be a quitter,

Valued academic success,

Loved me even when I messed up,

Especially when I messed up,

Walked me down the isle,

He was not a perfect man, but he was a perfect father for me, shaping me into the person I am today.

I want to remember to listen to his voice.

I want to listen to my heavenly Father’s voice too.

There is so much competing noise. We have to consciously pause and be still to hear Him.

He is perfect; what He says and what He does, in every way, all of the time.

I want to listen not only to hear Him, but also in order to follow Him.

All His ways are worth following.

I don’t know what comes to mind when you think of your own father. It could be that you struggle to want to remember at all.

But may this Father’s Day be a reminder to us to listen to our heavenly Father’s voice, and follow Him.❤️

SECRETS OF THE HEART

“…he knows the secrets of the heart.”

Psalm 44:21

Who is your closest confidant? They probably know a lot about you, but maybe not everything.

What if they did know everything?

Would it change your relationship? Would they treat you differently? Maybe.

Come close…

🤫

God knows your heart.

He knows everything; the good, the bad, and the ugly.

There simply are no secrets kept from Him.

What we need to realize is that there is no need to keep anything from Him anyway.

He’ll never reject you.

Disown you.

Give you the silent treatment.

Render you unworthy.

Stop loving you.

Your God will not stop loving you.

He is love.

His love is always a free gift to us.

There’s nothing we can do to earn it, and there’s nothing we can do to keep Him from giving it.

We create distance in our attempts to keep secrets. That distance is hurtful rather than helpful to our walk with God.

Go to Him.

Talk to Him.

He understands your flesh.

He stands ready to respond.

To forgive.

To console.

To restore.

To love.

Your secrets of the heart may influence man’s opinion of you, but they cannot change God’s.

In God’s eyes, your secrets of the heart were worth dying for.

And in reality, they really are no secret at all.

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

“So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”

Acts 24:16

Do you have matters that seem to have loose ends? Things that seem unlikely to be mended or restored with others? Maybe a misunderstanding or misrepresentation that could not be made right, try as you might.

Paul didn’t cave before his accusers here in Acts. He stood firm knowing what he really did and did not do.

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:18

“If” it is possible.

Friend, it’s not always possible.

I wish that it were.

“As far as it depends on you”…it doesn’t all depend on you, but what does depend on you “is”your responsibility.

It is your responsibility before God.

Don’t let yourself off the hook too easily. Give 100 percent effort to live peaceably, knowing the result doesn’t rest solely on you.

This truth brings burden and relief at the same time.

What an amazing thing it would be if our efforts were all it took to bring about change and fix things. Oh if only we had the power to bring about changes in the hearts of others with mere words.

The God who does change hearts is always on the move. So, even though we can’t make a change in someone else, we can pray to the change-making God.

In your unmended, loose end situations, strive to be like Paul.

Stand with a clear conscience before God and man. Do all you can to take ownership of what you can, and trust God for the results. For the results depend on Him.

ANXIETY IS A THIEF

If “fear is a liar” then anxiety is a robber.

It steals in abundance from the unsuspecting.

When I was younger, I once opened the door of my home to a thief. In hindsight, I clearly see where I went wrong. Said thief was posing as a salesman. (Don’t worry, no one was harmed in the unfolding of this crime.) I was in a hurry. I didn’t ask who he was representing. He was offering something I didn’t want. I was trying to be nice. Before long, he had my money and I never received the product I thought I purchased.

Anxiety is a thief.

It takes intangible items of high value away from you…

Time

Joy

Rest

Peace

Be anxious for nothing.

No thing.

Not one thing.

Not even this, whatever your “this” is.

Sometimes my head and my heart don’t align. What I mean is that I can know in my head that something is true, but the emotions of my heart have a hard time keeping pace.

I know God doesn’t want me to be anxious, but the reality is I can be. The proof is in the sleepless nights, the thoughts of “what if…”that play on repeating my head, and responses that lack grace.

We like to be in control.

We like to know what’s coming.

It’s been said, “we’ve made an idol of predictability.”

An idol.?! Yes…We have.

We can’t possibly know our future. We can know He who holds it. He is sure and my trust in Him makes me secure.

Sure and secure.

Peace and rest.

Joy and calm.

Trust is the highway to it all.

Fear is a liar.

Worry is a snare.

Anxiety is a robber.

It offers what you don’t want.

It doesn’t t represent God.

You’d never knowingly open your home to a thief.

Don’t open the home of your heart to anxiety. It can sneak in disguised as fear, and linger in your mind as worry. Ultimately, it takes you captive.

Your anxiety is not your friend.

Don’t be nice to your robber.

1 Peter 5:7

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

FREE INDEED

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

John 8:36

You don’t have to walk in the memory of your past pain.

The indelible imprint painful circumstances leave on us can have such a long lasting effect. Such memories can make us walk in a way that indicates we’re still in the midst of the event even though it’s over.

❤️‍🩹

This can be a struggle for me.

I don’t think I am alone.

Can I share something that’s been helpful?

What I rehearse determines how I move.

If I rehearse the hurt, the pain, and the sorrow, I move accordingly…

or fail to move at all.

If however, I rehearse the lessons learned, the wisdom gained, and the healer Himself, I am able to move forward.

I catch myself.

I catch myself stuck, wasting time, going in the circle of “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve”, and for what?

Nothing.

No good.

No change.

No gain.

No glory to God.

Dear friends, rehearse the Healer and the healing.

Rehearse the lessons learned.

Rehearse the wisdom gained.

You may wear scars, but rehearse the healing.

Do it often, as often as it takes to

move confidently in the freedom to live free.

Because if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed!

FIX YOUR FOCUS

2 Chronicles 20:12

“We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

When the Israelites were under attack by the people of Moab, Ammon, and Mount Seir, desperation set in.

They were surrounded and outnumbered.

There was no where to go.

There was nothing they could do on their own to assure a victorious battle.

It would have been easy to blame God for being in this dire situation to begin with. He, after all, was the one who gave the order to leave these people alone upon settling in the land.

But the response was not one of finger pointing and blame.

It was focus on the one who was still in control of all things.

It has been said that whatever we focus on gets bigger.

God’s people didn’t know what to do, but they knew on whom to fix their focus.

How about you?

Are you feeling “attacked” on all fronts?

Is desperation setting in?

Do you find yourself saying,

“I don’t know what to do!”

Fix your focus on God.

It doesn’t matter how big the battle is, it’s the greatness of your God that grants the victory.

When you focus on Him, you’ll get a glimpse of just how big He really is!

THE HEAT IS ON

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.

—Proverbs 17:3

When the heat is on, the impurities are drawn out.

Heat is a refiner.

It makes what is precious become pure. It “tests” the elements.

The Lord tests our heart.

When the heat of life is on, the impurities rise to the top. We can then deal with what has been deep within and not seen by the natural eye.

The thing about heat is it’s uncomfortable.

Are you feeling it?

Friend, it’s getting hot.

How’s your heart?

Are you being refined? Is your faith steadfast?

One of our biggest temptations in times like these is to doubt God; His goodness, His sovereignty, His will.

I pray that our faith would not fail.

Jesus prayed this for Peter:

“But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Luke 22:32

And as our faith is steadfast, we need to strengthen our brothers and sisters around us. They need us. Now more than ever.

Friends, the heat is on.

It’s brutally uncomfortable.

We’re being refined.

Our faith will be stronger as a result.

I pray our faith will not fail.

It’s hot out there.

RUN THE RACE

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

I used to love to run. My favorite event was the 4 x 100 relay. The line up consists of a fast lead off who knows how to get off the blocks, two solid middle runners, and a lightning rod anchor position. With all slots filled and filled well, the race still comes down to one thing…the baton exchange.

I can feel the tense excitement just thinking about it; one runner carrying the baton, giving ques to the next to begin running and another que to reach back for the transfer. Everything must go as practiced in order to bring the team to victory.

Our life of faith is equated to a race in scripture. But I like to think of it more as a relay race.

This scene is a reminder of our maturing journey in Christ as the generations rise up and ebb onward to glory. We cheer on those who come before us and watch closely as we anticipate our turn in the race of Faith and the responsibilities that go with it. Ideally, the older generation then supports and cheers on the next. Having watched those before us, we know we must face the hand off at some point.

What part of the relay do you liken your life to currently? Are you carrying the baton? Are you watching those before you and anticipating your leg of the race? Is it time for you to hand off your ministry responsibilities to the next generation?

What do you see as you look around for this image in your sphere of influence? Are the generations cheering for one another before and after the transfer?

There are good examples of people connecting to the next generation and handing off the baton, but there are also negative examples we can learn from. Some don’t grab the baton when it’s their turn; maybe they think they’re not ready or maybe they aren’t committed.

Others won’t let go of the baton at the appointed time. Like the relay, such an action affects a whole group.

The impact of a good hand off is far reaching. Run your race well, but look to those who went before and be ready to hand off to those ahead. A good baton exchange is good for the team!

DON’T TAKE THE BAIT

Proverbs 17:14 

“Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.”

There’s a lot of conflict around us. How are we doing with it on a personal level?

It’s interesting to see the nature of the flesh reveal itself in young children. They can be playing nicely and sharing well when suddenly the phrase “that’s mine” changes everything! It’s not always an object that causes rising tension. Arguing can easily ensue when one party doesn’t get their own way; their will is crossed.

Wait…

Are we still talking about children?

Some people live to fight. Be very aware of such people. We have a phrase in our home to help guard against quarreling…

“Don’t take the bait.”

The idea is to pull back and see the big picture. One person may be in attack mode and cause you to be defensive. You must however, resist the fleshly response of taking an argumentative tone and engaging in the fight.

Some are really only interested in the fight. Your carefully crafted response is of no value to them.

The warning here though is to refrain from being the one who “starts a quarrel “. This is what breaches the dam!

A breached dam causes an uncontrolled flood of rushing emotions that destroys everything in it’s path; the most valuable of which is people. That’s a person on the other end of the…

wagging finger

raised voice

berating word slinging.

💔

Maybe we could learn something from the children. We hear them say defensively, “He started it!”

The adult response often dismisses this statement. We usually indicate we don’t care or it doesn’t matter.

Maybe what we should be teaching is don’t start a quarrel. Don’t breach the dam. Be the one who sees the value of the other person. They have been made in the image of God. Just. Like. You.

THE GOD WHO SEES

Can I give you a little advice?

Stop.

Stop trying to do all the things to get noticed.

Stop trying to prove your worth and value to those around you.

Stop trying to make up for your inadequacies through other things (i.e. career, money, skills, etc.)

Just stop and rest in the fact that God sees you. And that’s 100% enough.

El Roi (the God who lives and sees) is the name that Hagar ascribed to God after going through a really tough time. Hagar had been used by Sarai to bear a child for Abraham and with the snap of a finger she was discarded like a piece of trash. While fleeing the harsh treatment of Sarai, Hagar has a blessed encounter with the angel of the Lord. In the midst of her broken moment, she was comforted by the fact that God saw her and loved her. And that was enough.

God sees you too, sis. He hasn’t forgotten about you. He hasn’t left you. He is there! Always good and always faithful. Look to Him and know that He sees you, even when no one else does.💗

#ElRoi #TheGodWhoSees #Genesis16

INVISIBLE BROKENNESS

Sometimes our broken places are invisible. Things that need healing and time to be restored aren’t always obvious to those on the outside looking in.

Even when the hurting seek help, the well-intentioned can miss the heart of the problem. We are, after all, human.

But Jesus knows.

He is the great physician.

There’s no need for framing your current state with a backstory.

He knows.

There’s no need to give complicated details for explanation.

He knows.

We can’t sweep our broken pieces under the rug, stand atop it with a plastic smile, and proclaim, “I am fine.”

He knows.

Will you let Him in?

Can you hear the healer knocking on the door of your heart?

The One who brought you salvation also brings restoration.

Let Him in.

A few years ago I saw a specialist for a complete ankle reconstruction. I walked on a broken ankle for 32 years. It wasn’t visible. There were some symptoms that were overlooked, by many. It couldn’t function properly. That was my normal.

Fight hard against normalizing brokenness of the heart and soul. Jesus is able to bring healing. He’s the soul specialist.

And dear friend, He knows.

WALK WITH THE WISE

Prov 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise…”

We have all heard in regard to our physical body, “You are what you eat.” (If this is true, then I am chocolate and coffee!)

In terms of character, you are who you walk with.

It’s critical that we walk with the right people.

Growing up, my Mom used to say, “I don’t like it when you hang around with so and so. When you come home you act just like her!”

Ouch.

But so true.

We pick up phrases, mannerisms, habits, attitudes, and even ways of thinking.

Take a moment to consider how others have influenced who you have become. It’s profound, really.

If we make good choices for the company we keep, this influence can work towards our good.

When we watch how wise people do life we can learn so much from them. When we walk with them, spending time together and listening to what guides their heart, we can infuse that wisdom into our own steps. Wise people help us in those times that are difficult, when uncertainty resides, and in new phases of life.

We may not know all the answers, but let’s keep walking with the wise. We can do this together, one step at a time.

CULTIVATING FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit is not a passive process. And it certainly doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, the fruit that we produce is developed overtime through a variety of situations.

Wanna know why most of us lack patience or joy or (insert any fruit of the spirit)??? It’s because we often don’t want to endure the circumstances required to develop the fruit. The moment we are in an uncomfortable or not ideal spot, we squirm and wiggle our way out. We chase comfort over growth. And though that may provide temporary relief, it only hurts us in the long run because we miss opportunities to authentically mature. Consequently, we find ourselves revisiting the same situations with the same immature fruit over and over. So, here’s my nugget for the day: Allow yourself to be uncomfortable. Give yourself space to grow THROUGH your discomfort.

This week, I was kinda forced to deal with some uncomfortable and not ideal things. Not gonna lie, I wanted to squirm and wiggle my way out. 🙄 I may have even tried to do just that a time or two.  But praise be to God for leaving me with no other option but to stay put. Now, just days later, I can already see the good impact that this uncomfortable situation has provided for my spiritual growth. Am I 100% there?? Absolutely not! 😂 Is it tough?? You better believe it lol! But I’ve seen enough growth to be encouraged and to trust God’s process. Friends, it’s not too late to start cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Take some time today to pray and ask God to show you where you’re missing opportunities for spiritual growth. Pursue those things and pray that God will strengthen you through them!

BREAK THE CYCLE

Be a cycle breaker.

Refuse to be any part of a pattern of behavior that perpetuates sin and the consequences that come there with.

The books of First and Second Kings portray this principle from beginning to end. Don’t they ever learn? Ugh! Do we ever learn?!

What does it take to break the cycle? Nothing less than the complete tear down of idols. That, my friends is no small feet.

Idol worship in the Old Testament came in name; Asherah, Molek, Baal, etc.

Can you name your idol? Can I? Let’s start there. We have the challenge of taking something that may be culturally acceptable, good even, and realizing we’ve given it a place of high importance in our lives. Higher than that of God.

Can you name it now? Can I?

Is it…

Power

Status

Money

Appearance

Popularity

Career

It gets harder…how about…

Parenting

Grand parenting

Any relationship or longed for one

Homemaking

Ministry (Yes, I went there!)

Almost anything can be an idol of the heart. Your heart. My heart.

Break the cycle.

Put God first.

His honor

His glory

His will

His way

His time

His priorities

Every king had a record of his life and reign in writing for all to read. Some followed God, and many did not.

Let it be said of the record of our lives; “they loved God and followed all His ways for all the days of their life.”

Not perfect.

God-fearing and God-following.

Nothing else in “high places” in our heart.