Perpetual Covenant

Psalm 50, verse 5 says this, "Bring My faithful people to Me- those who have made a covenant with Me by giving sacrifices."

Ahh... sacrifice.

It's a challenging word for many, and yet so necessary for us to grab a hold of.

And I used to think of this word in terms of what I could do for God. The ways I could serve Him and do good for Him.

And perhaps that's part of it... but sacrifice unto the Lord is so much more than doing and striving.

Sometimes it's just being.

Being faithful.

Being steadfast.

Being present.

Sometimes it's simply taking delight in doing what He has called you to do in the moment He's called you to do it.

Psalm 40:6 says this, "You do not take delight in sacrifices or offerings..." and then in verse 8 it says, "I take joy in doing Your will, my God, for Your instructions are written on my heart."

Yes this.

Oh that His instructions would be written on our hearts.

Oh that we would find delight in doing that which He has called us to do.

But it's going to require sacrifice.

It's going to require us saying no to some things, so we can say the better yes to Jesus.

It's going to require us letting go of the plans we made, so we can surrender fully to His greater purpose.

Sacrifice itself is when all manner of comfort has been refused. It's being able to find peace when conflict has entered in. It's perceiving light when darkness has taken over.

Sacrifice is saying yes when everybody else is saying no.

My commentary suggests that it's a "perpetual covenant" to God.

Perpetual means this = continuing or enduring forever; everlasting; without intermission or interruption; blooming almost continuously throughout the year.

Oh yes!

This!

I want to renew my yes to the Father every single day.

I want to maintain a PERPETUAL covenant with Him.

Because I long to continue in faithfulness, enduring to the end, and blooming all year long.

Don't you?

Let's make it our practice starting today to have a perpetual covenant with the Lord through Jesus daily.

Oh how it matters!

 

 

Steward Your Time Sensibly

I used to get frustrated when I would wake up in the middle of the night. For me, I find absolutely no problem falling asleep in the evening. In fact, a sure way to secure an early bedtime for me is to put on a movie. It doesn't matter what time it is or how good the movie is. I fall asleep about 98% of the time.

But if I get up in the night, whether it's at 1 a.m. or 4 a.m., I have a hard time falling back to sleep.

Once I am up, I tend to be up. At least for a while.

Several months ago I was going through a season where I would wake up, almost like clockwork, every single night, multiple times a night. And for no reason at all. I would just find myself wide awake and fully alert.

In that season I felt like God was prompting me to pray.

It took me a little bit to grab a hold of what He was asking, but when I did I finally began to see the power of praying in the night.

And with praying in the night, much peace came.

Jesus gave us an example of praying in the night hours. Luke 6:12 says, "One day afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and He prayed to God all night."

Jacob wrestled in prayer in the night. Genesis 32:24 says, "... a man came and wrestled with him until dawn began to break."

David knew what it mean to contend for breakthrough in the night. Psalm 55:17 says this, "Morning, noon, and night I cry out in distress and the Lord hears my voice."

Acts 16:25 records two faith-filled men, Paul and Silas, singing in the midnight hour as they lay chained in prison. "Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening."

Psalm 119:148 says this beautifully, "I stay awake through the night thinking about Your promise."

I have made it a habit to keep a list of God's promises on my nightstand. And if I wake up or if I struggle with sleep, I recall and recount the goodness of God over my life and the lives of those I love.

Sometimes it's just saying it over and over and over again until sleep is restored, "Thank You, Jesus. Thank you."

I encourage you to develop a habit that fixes your mind on Him. Challenge yourself to create a pattern that positions you to use idle time sensibly.

It will truly be a blessing to you in your relationship with Him.

 

 

Seek and Prepare

2 Samuel 5:17-25 gives us the story of David conquering the Philistines. And I absolutely love this portion of scripture that gives us a deeper insight into the character of the king deemed a "man after My own heart" by our God.

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed King of Israel, scripture tells us that they mobilized all their forces to capture him. Verse 19 records His response, "So David asked the Lord, 'Should I go out to fight? Will you hand them over to me?'" To which the Lord responded in verse 20, "'Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.'"

I love this inquiry for many reasons.

First of all - the Philistines never considered that David had the Presence of the almighty God on His side. Saul had it and had lost it, so they didn't know what they were truly up against.

But the part I love the most is that David waited until God moved. He paused enough for instruction. He waited until He heard the voice and then proceeded onward.

But not until then.

David had been trained up in the obedience to God. He had well known that without His leading, David was helpless and hopeless.

David inquired of God. He ASKS, and doesn't ASSUME.

He insists that rushing headlong into conflict would not be wise, and instead calls upon God.

He seeks wise wise counsel.

Proverbs 22:3 says, "I prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

David sough wise counsel - and just as important, if not more so, he prepared for obedience.

Immediate obedience.

Oh because it's one thing to KNOW, but it's another thing to GO.

My commentary says this, "When the path is made clear, quit questioning whether to go - just walk."

And so maybe we could adapt a David-like mentality.

Maybe we could develop a heart like his.

Oh that we would always seek His wise counsel in everything we do.

"God, should I go here?"

"God, should I say this?"

My prayers have been, "God, help me get this right", and "God, may I learn to immediately respond well to Your direction."

Because preparing - IN ADVANCE - for full and IMMEDIATE obedience is the key. We can't wait until the answer comes. Our heart and mind must be ready, and our feet prepared for whatever order He gives.

I long to be found obedient.

It matters!

Let's see Divine counsel and then prepare for immediate obedience.

 

 

Never Stop Recording The Miracles!

I love being a journaler.

For many reasons, actually.

But most specifically for recall in my later years.

I am very much looking forward to going back time and time again to see how the Lord has been faithful. To remember the times I experienced struggle and witnessed the victory! I look forward to reviewing my history with Jesus and bringing back to life my faith journey.

But most of all I look forward to the continuation of recounting the miracles I have seen in my lifetime.

2018 was a very painful and often heartbreaking year for my family. Between loss and sickness and difficult shifting in life seasons, it was wearisome, and required a great deal of faith and completely different levels of trust and obedience.

Oh BUT GOD!

We watched Him time and time and time again be faithful. RADICALLY faithful.

We had a front row seat to many miracles of mercy that it's hard for me to put it into words here.

He was so good.

And we were absolutely wrecked by the countless ways we saw His provision in what could have been a helpless season.

Instead of hopelessness, we triumphed with joy.

Instead of doubt, we watched our faith rise to new heights.

Instead of fear, we experienced deep peace.

All because of Jesus!

And I remember making a declaration early on. I said it over and over and over again, "I will NEVER stop telling of His goodness!" I was recalling Psalm 71:15-16 without even realizing it, "I will tell of your goodness; all day long I will speak of your salvation, though it is more than I can understand. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone."

I was with a group of people once recalling the faithfulness of God. I was sharing, yet again, His miracles in our lives. And I remember one person saying to me, "Are you gonna tell us about this again?"

My heart kind of broke.

But then I remembered my declaration.

And I said with great ambition and excitement, "Yes! I am never going to stop speaking about His goodness!"

And we can't!

It's so important!

It's important to our witness, and it's important to our own spiritual growth.

Psalm 78:4 says this, "We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deed of the Lord, about His power and His mighty wonders."

Oh and not just our children.

But anyone who is willing to listen.

We HAVE to keep telling of the miracles.

And not just the ones we would deem as "big" or "monumental", like healed cancer, and restored relationships.

But even the seemingly minuscule ones too.

Like the fact that you made it through a sleepless night.

Like the way your children are in church and serving the Lord.

Like the way you overcame a difficulty at work.

Like the way He has provided for you to have food for your family.

Like the way you see Jesus in the smile and kindness of a stranger at the store.

It's all miracles of His mercy!

It's all miraculous signs of His goodness!

And each are worthy or our recording and recalling.

We must remember that a HUGE part of our prayer life is Remembering His faithfulness, Recalling it as often as we can, and then Repeating the testimony for all to hear!

In a world filled with all kinds of negativity, it's time we infuse hope and joy and display Him in the brightest light possible!

We must continue to record and retell of the ways He's working even if we think it doesn't matter.

Oh because it really really really matters!!

Never stop recording the miracles!
Let your life become a memorial of Divine power and goodness!

It May Be Time To Replant

Psst Friend...

Do you find yourself in an uncomfortable season? A season of uncertainty? A season of shifting? A season of change?

I get it.

More than you know.

Me too.

And yet God is always working in ways to reveal to me a different part of His nature. And opening up His Word always draws me back to my purpose and His original design.

Matthew 15:13 is Jesus talking. He is responding to His disciples who've just asked Him, "Do you realize You offended the Pharisees by what You just said?" (vs 12). Jesus responds, in part, with this, "Every plant not planted by My heavenly Father will be uprooted."

And so, for me, it begged the question... "Am I am product of God's planting?" "How can I be sure?"

And I think part of the answer to that question is surrender.

"Am I surrendered to His plan and purpose?" "Am I yielded to His outcome despite my predictions for what I expected things to be like?"

I am continuing to learn that being rightly planted by God means having complete trust in His timing, His process, and His method.

I remember the morning I read it from the Passion Translation. It was in the middle of a hard season of waiting, and a difficult time of self evaluating a situation I was unnecessarily taking blame for, when I saw it - Psalm 108:6, "Come to Your beloved ones and gently draw us out."

Maybe it wasn't their leaving.

Maybe it wasn't my losing.

Maybe it was Him drawing me out all along.

Maybe it was for my protection and my growth.

And maybe it is for you too.

Maybe it's the same here... today. A necessary replanting.

Because it's just like the plant that cannot remain in the same pot forever.

In an effort to grow larger and taller and more full, it must be replanted. It must be transplanted to a more suitable soil. It must be uprooted and transferred to a more conducive environment if your desire is for a more expansive harvest.

Oh there's so much more He wants to say!

There's so much more He wants to do!

There's so many more ways He wants to use you!

And it's going to require our yes. It's going to require a surrendered spirit. It's going to require our authorization to be replanted.

It's time!

 

 

Consistent Meditation and Conversations

It is SO important and SO vital that our thought life and our conversation be consistent with our prayer life.

I have watched COUNTLESS times where we sabotage our own reward... our own blessing... by irrational and irresponsible attitudes. I have sadly been a witness to the power of the Holy Spirit in a moment of prayer, only to see that power stripped away by the inconsistent conduct of the recipient.

I mean I have literally felt the Spirit's strength be depleted from a person and in an environment where moments earlier it was so unmistakably present.

I think it's because so often we pray one thing and talk another. We pray in one moment with power and agreement and we walk away in the same weak condition we started with. We walk away denying the very power and victory we prayed for moments earlier.

We have no time to waste when it comes to prayer. We cannot entertain ideas that are contrary to Word of God. We must remain hopeful and confident, and insist on walking in the freedom Christ died for us to have.

The question is never, "Does He want to heal?", "Does He desire restoration?". The question is always, "What do I do?" "What is my role and my responsibility here?"

Friends, it is so important that our thought life and our conversation be consistent with our prayers. We cannot pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done..." and then walk away discouraged and disabled. We've got to people who remain steadfast in our trust that He is a good Father and that He is working all things our for our good and His glory. We get to choose what kind of belief system we will advertise with our life and lips. And we must choose to lay it at His feet, raise the banner of joy over our lives, and walk in victory and resurrection!

Let's be people this week who pray to have meditation and conversations that are consistent with our prayers. It really really matters!

Anchor My Affections

Sometimes staying concentrated on prayer is difficult.

Let's face it, we're busy people.

As unfortunate as it is, and how much as I hate to use that word - especially to excuse passiveness and idleness in response to God - it has become more truth than not.

I was in church one day several weeks ago and I found my mind wandering during worship. Sadly my thoughts weren't rightly focused on Jesus. I was thinking about what our plans were for the day, the long to-do list that awaited me at home, even what we were having for lunch.

My mind wasn't rightly fixated on Him.

I was mindlessly unconcerned about centering my concentration on the only One who has ever been worthy of my praise and adoration.

I had somehow forgotten that I was in the Presence of perfection... and I was missing out on the power that comes from standing awestruck by His holiness.

And so I took a few moments to pray this simple prayer - "God, anchor my affections towards You."

Sometimes it's a matter of refocus.

Sometimes we must consciously realign our affections towards Him.

Sometimes we must deliberately choose to cling to Him and fasten ourselves to the reality of His realm and the substance of His omnipresence.

He is so worthy of everything we are and everything we have!

Let's begin praying - Anchor my affections toward You Jesus!

Say What You Want To See

My heart becomes discouraged when I hear the things that people say.

Just in the last few days I have listened to the words of others and have sensed an overwhelming dread coming from their mouths.

Things like, "I am so frustrated..."

"This just isn't fair..."

"They will never change."

And I find myself, at times, saying these same things.

Oh but we have to get this one right. We must learn to live aware of the things we're allowing to flow from our tongue.

As of late, I've had numerous examples of what life-giving words can do.

One example is of a person I know well who has lived a life they are not proud of. A life filled with mistakes. A life filled with regrets for the poor choices they have made. A life that might be easily discounted as "hopeless" and "undeserving".

This individual has unfortunately suffered through loss of friendships, and has endured rejection from family members because of their erratic behavior and careless conduct. They have experienced pain both from their irresponsible living and others injurious judgement.

But one day I woke to this thought. What if we begin SAYING what we want to SEE? What if we begin speaking words of affirmation... words that not only speak to what they COULD be, but call forth the things that are - if only in embryonic existence.

I decided to send a note to this individual and remind them of who they are in Christ. I recalled a time I saw good in him and spoke it over him as though it currently existed. I told him he was a good father, a strong man of God, and would one day change the world for Jesus. My husband and I both decided to embrace what COULD be and have made conscious efforts since to speak life over what has been dormant inside of him for years.

And we are seeing a difference.

In fact his mom would report to us that not only has he stopped making bad choices, he has returned to church, has gotten a new job, and is thriving.

It doesn't mean he's completely restored.. but it does mean he has recognized hope for what could be, and has been empowered to live the life he was called to live.

Words matter.

Proverbs 11:12 says “It is foolish to belittle a neighbor; a person with good sense remains silent.”

Proverbs 11:17 says “Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel.”

Proverbs 15:4 says “Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”

Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..."

And what about the words of Jesus in Matthew 12:36, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak."

Every careless words.

This includes the ones that speak of our frustration, the unfairness of our circumstances, gossip, ridicule, judgement. Our irresponsible recklessness will do more damage than we even know.

Let's begin today speaking life!

Let's start today - SAYING what we want to SEE!

 

 

Praying God's Nature

Today my thought is this... may we wake up with the mindset - What will God and I accomplish together today?

Now of course we know who the real true power comes from. It's God. He is the only one who can change hearts and cause mountains to move... but we are responsible to pray. And I believe pray for the impossibilities!

It has been my habit to wake up with a renewed mindset every single day. To believe that the past in the past. I can no longer change what happened yesterday - but I CAN decide what happens today and what attitude I will possess as I move forward.

Today is a new day.

And so I am developing the habit of an enlightened, regenerated mind. Asking myself - what will Jesus and I accomplish together today?

Ask yourself this, "What does my prayer life reveal about the heart of God? What part of His nature would be revealed by what I spend my time praying about?"

People are desperate to see the real God revealed. And many don't even know it. People deserve to be given an opportunity to see God's nature revealed in the heart and lives of His people. We owe others an encounter with the living and breathing God. The God we have become aware of through His Word and through His touch.

And it becomes the reason why it's so important to know His nature for ourselves. What was He like? How did He move? What did He say?

I make it point as often as I can to share with others how I am praying for them. I ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to me what to pray for them specifically about and then I share it with them. Why? Because when they begin to see breakthrough in the area of their lives we've prayed for them in, faith is strengthened and increased. They begin to get acquainted with the God that we know for themselves. And they are encouraged to believe in brand new ways... for impossibilities... that may otherwise go unnoticed.

So - let's begin asking ourselves, "What does my prayer life reveal about the heart of God and the nature of God? How am I presenting Him in all of His goodness to the world around me?"

It really REALLY matters!

 

 

Envision The Outcome

When we pray I believe it's vital for us to envision the outcome.

In my prayer journal are pages of prayers for friends and family members who are battling some serious issues in the area of health, relationships, finances etc. And I have placed them all before God time and time and time again. I have pleaded for restoration and healing while simultaneously begging God to increase my faith to keep contending for breakthrough.

I have prayers in my prayer journal for sick people that say, "Thank you for healed cancer!" - while they are still receiving chemotherapy! I have others that say, "Thank you that their marriage is whole and healthy!" - while they are still discussing divorce options.

Why?

Because I want my heart and mind fixated on a solution. I want my affections surrendered to envisioning the outcome.

When I first started my Inspire Ministries 9 years ago, I was in a core meeting with my team and we were discussing the name for our ministry. We were in a season of laying the groundwork for who we were, what we would be about, and how God wanted to use us.

One day as we were discussing names that would fit our mission, Inspire was tossed out. And I loved it. We desired to be about inspiring women in their relationships with Jesus.

I told my team, "Now... let's think about this. When we are a big organization serving thousands around the world, what is it going to sound like when people call in? 'Thank you for calling Inspire Ministries, how may I help you?'"

Notice I said "WHEN we are a big organization."

I was already planning for God to use us in mighty ways for His glory. I was already preparing to see God do the impossible. I was envisioning the outcome.

And so must we.

Faith believes for impossibilities.

Faith is agreement for all God is capable of doing and WANTS to do.

Faith is standing in the gap for people and trusting that healing and wholeness has always been a part of the great design of God's plan for us.

And so - we pray while envisioning the outcome.

It matters... and I believe it changes everything.

 

 

Pray To See What God Sees

Let's begin praying to SEE what God sees. To see HOW He sees.

The thing is we get so "caught up" in the woes of the world. And our focus, too often, tends to be on what the enemy is doing.

We don't do it on purpose.. but you can definitely hear it in the tone and talk of people. Very quickly in conversations with those we come into contact with, we are able to see what world they are most aware of... this one or heaven.

And it is my deep desire to always speak from a heavenly perspective.

And I don't always get it right.

I heard a pastor say once months ago, "If it doesn't exist in heaven, it's not to exist here."

It was simply not in the original design for us to be sick. For pain and suffering to run rampant.

And so the question becomes, how are we praying not earth to heaven... but heaven to earth.

We say it in the Lord's prayer, "They Kingdom COME, thy will be DONE, on EARTH as it is in HEAVEN." (Matt 6:10)

This is heaven invading earth.

And it has shifted the way I pray.

God... what is it YOU see?

Because I want to SEE from a heavenly mindset!

There is no sadness in YOUR Kingdom, so it cannot exist here.

There is no depression in YOUR Kingdom, so it cannot exist here.

And the list goes on and on... there is no:

• worry
• doubt
• fear
• anxiety
• stress
• condemnation
• shame
• guilt
• comparison
• striving

Yes!

God... what is YOU see? Show us. Reveal it to us. So that we can successfully live with a heavenly perspective. So that we can live heavenly realities in this dark world.

God... what is YOU see? Now cause my heart to BURN for that!