HE’S BUILDING A BUILDING

Recently I sat across the street from a huge building project in our nation’s capital. From the ground level it just looked like a huge twist of steel and concrete, but from the window of my fourth story hotel room, I began to see more. Workers, technicians and tradesmen were scurrying about; each one using his or her level of expertise to move the project toward completion. It was a beehive of activity everywhere you looked. There were the construction workers who hooked the needed steel bars to a chain above their heads and there were the steel workers who were welding and screwing them in place. Atop them all, towering high above the activity was a gigantic crane that moved the steel beams and everything else to its intended destination.  It was like a cornucopia of people, from the construction manager who appeared to be barking orders to everyone else, to the workers who were busy cleaning up the unimaginable mess that is left in the aftermath of a construction zone. Everyone had a place and everyone played a part. It was like a little community working together to make something useful out of many pieces that by themselves were pretty useless.

 I was in the middle of my quiet time when I sensed that there was a word that Papa had for me about this “pre-building”. So I turned my chair so I could see and sat in the relative silence of my room. As I watched the construction I noticed that some areas in the building were far more finished than others.  And I began questioning the practice of moving ahead to a much farther degree in some places when other areas were so far behind. And Papa God  spoke to my heart and said “Sandy, this building is indicative of your own life. You have some places that are advanced and well-appointed and others places where you are just at the beginning stages. And this is acceptable; for I am using your life’s circumstances, your relationships and the time you spend in My presence to build you into a habitation that is fitly framed for Me, a place that My glory can shine forth from. Though you feel a sense of discouragement over the places that are at beginning stages, you must know and trust that I, your eternal Architect am still in charge and I will fulfill all in My time.”

I got very quiet and I sat in the hotel, watching the flurry of activity and I wondered how this profusion of steel, brick, concrete and wood would ever be something useful, functional or attractive. I wondered about the building but I also pondered about the beauty or the lack thereof in my own life. But the precious Holy Spirit reminded of Philippians 1:6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”  And the dim bulb finally came on! Who began this faith walk anyway????  It was He who at the tender age on nine had powerfully called me to accompany Him on this journey and since He initiated it...He was entirely invested and completely faithful to do all the work in me that was needed. So He who began it was ready, willing and very able to bring it to completion! Halleluiah!!!

And the same is true for you! Perhaps today you have places in the construction site of your life that are well established and have been and are being used to showcase your heavenly Architect-then praise God for those strong places! But what about those places where you are just at the beginning stages? You know the places that seem sooooo far behind your areas of strength? I’m talking about those nagging areas that always seem to slow you down or trip you up. Enter…the GOOD news!>>> Please know that for every facet of your life that has not been developed fully, it is still under the care and jurisdiction of the One who not only functions as the all-seeing Architect who drafted the vast and detailed blueprint of your life, but He is also the foreman who sees to it that everything gets accomplished correctly and on time!

It’s not about pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps or through our own efforts making ourselves into what He wants us to be…it is He who has the passion, the wisdom and the ability to fashion and form us into a proper dwelling place for His Spirit and His glory and grace! (Ephesians 2:20-23) And He who called us to this journey is more than faithful! Our job is to surrender to His workings and trust in His loving heart. HE’S BUILDING A BUILDING and we are it!  

Father,
Our lives are such a construction zone! We have areas where we have been built up in You, but we also have places where little work has been done. We need You heavenly Architect to construct in us all that Your heart and perfect plan dictate. We are thankful that because of your great love You created a beautiful blueprint and a plan to build us into a temple where Your great glory, mercy and love can shine through. We praise You Lord that You who have begun this work in us will be completely faithful to keep working, to keep building us until You present us faultless before the very throne of God! Today we choose to trust in Your workings and in Your loving, active faithfulness to us. We are Yours, please keep building us! Amen.

                                
 

Believing But Not Filled

Once a month I write a sermon inspired devotional for my church and I often share its non-abbreviated version with the rest of my blog readers who are not a part of my local church family. I pray that your heart is both challenged and encouraged.

My pastor, Shawn Franco shared this Sunday from Acts 8 about Simon the sorcerer who came to believe in Jesus but then grappled with his own relationship with the Holy Spirit. He even tried to buy the ability to endow believers with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Admittedly it was an outrageous request and it makes Simon an easy target that we are quick to criticize…but just perhaps there’s a little bit of Simon in all of us.

The Scriptures tell us that Simon believed in Jesus and was baptized…it does not qualify his conversion so we cannot automatically dismiss it. Although he was apparently a believer he struggled with embracing some kingdom conflicts or tensions that would have been ushered in if he were to allow the Holy Spirit full access to his life. These kingdom conflicts held the power to change his life in four critical ways:

Position Simon held a prominent position that commanded fearful respect that he was reluctant to lose.

Power He wielded significant power and all who were need of an authority greater than themselves were relegated to his “jurisdiction.”

Profit He routinely used his position and power to financially profit himself.

Pain He was filled with bitter pain that colored and drove everything he did.

It seems clear that he was interested in the Spirit’s filling, but he resisted the change that the Spirit’s overflow would bring. At first glance this may seem odd, but sometimes people choose to stay in painful, broken places because the fear of the unknown is greater than their pain and brokenness. Fear of the unfamiliar looms heavy in the hearts of many today…but all of our days that are yet unveiled, lie safe in the hands of our heavenly Father and giving up the veto power over our lives should not bring fear or trepidation, because as the apostle Paul stated II Timothy 1:12; “I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him...” In other words, we can be at peace because the heart of our Father can be entirely trusted with every place this life’s journey will take us!

Let’s compare a few of the changes that an overflowing of the Spirit can bring to our lives:

Position Although Simon’s position demonstrated his individual persona; the Spirit calls those who want a kingdom position to become the servants of all. It should come as no surprise that God’s Spirit would bid us to follow Christ’s example of servitude.

Power Simon’s power distinguished his community standing and while the Spirit most certainly brings a power beyond our capability-it is to be used to empower the defenseless in our world and not to enhance our personal standing. Simon used his power to enhance his own life, but God’s Spirit empowers us to better the lives of those around us.

Profit Although Simon’s profit determined his lifestyle; God’s Spirit enriches us today so that we can bless the poor and vulnerable among us. We are blessed to be a blessing!

Pain  Although Simon’s pain defined his every action; The Spirit does not come and take away all of our pain, instead He redeems it so that those very places where brokenness once reigned supreme; God’s hope and life can usher in hope and healing for those in our sphere of influence.

But Simon’s is a sad story. He was too invested in his former life to give up control. We shake our heads in disbelief but these very kingdom conflicts lie at our doorstep as well. We too, must choose where we will “draw the line” at the Spirit’s access to our lives. Simon was all for Jesus when it benefited him-but when sacrifices loomed, he balked. What about us? Do we relegate the Spirit to certain areas of our life, giving Him free access here and there, but then hang up “Keep Out” signs in those places where we prefer to keep some ruling rights?  I mean Jesus is welcome when we’re at church or when we need a “favor” but when He starts pointing out sacrifices that will be needed to fully walk His narrow path, often we cry foul.

Let’s be honest, we want to be filled with the Spirit but still maintain some semblance of control, because giving anyone else unhindered access and unbridled control can be scary. Now the Spirit won’t push His way in, but He’s not looking for partial access either. So today Simon’s choice is ours as well. But what will actually happen if we relinquish our position, power, profit and pain to the Spirit’s regulation?

That will look different for each individual’s life, but some common areas will be a redefining of our position with Him at the helm, a restructuring of where to exercise our God given power, a redistributing of where we invest our life’s profits and a redeeming of how we not only perceive our pain but transforming into a powerful place of life, hope and even beauty in the lives of others.

 And here are three more areas that can be transformed if we choose to open the floodgates of our lives to the Spirit’s control:

Perceptions In the Spirit’s overflowing our perceptions get altered and we start to see the world through God’s eyes. We will begin to perceive people, places and situations through His lens of love and compassion.

Passions When our perceptions are altered it will enact changes to our life’s passions. We will exchange our “me-mentality” that continually seeks its own betterment for a heart that actively, passionately loves the world, by giving our energies, time and talents to showcasing our Lord through loving those that He is passionate about!

Purpose Radically changed perceptions and passions will surely transform the foundational purposes for which we live out our days. And if we as God’s children will see our own foundational purposes transformed then we can’t help but bring fundamental changes to our culture and world!

Today, may we grant the Spirit unimpeded entry to every facet of our lives, holding nothing back for “safe-keeping” thereby exchanging our “self-regarding” lifestyle for one that’s patterned after our Father’s sacrificially loving heart. Come, Holy Spirit Come-We welcome You in this place!

Note: A sermon by my pastor; Shawn Franco of Cornerstone Assembly of God was the original cause and inspiration of this devotional. I encourage you to listen to his message at http://www.cornerstone.ag/ 
You will see the Media link near the top right of the site, click there, then on Listen To Sermons, then select the November 10 sermon.

 

 

 

                                                      Guest Post-Hearts At Home

                                                              By Mary Paitsel

 

Hello! I had previously promised that I would be including guest posts from ministries that could serve to bless my readers. Today is such a post. I want to connect you to ministries that can strengthen your daily lives and this special lady’s ministry can do just that. Her name is Mary Paitsel and her ministry is called Hearts At Home. I know Mary personally and have tasted from the good fruit of her life and have been blessed by her heart for women and I hope that you too will be encouraged and strengthened!
Sweet Blessings,
Sandy

 

 

“Thirty years ago I was a young mom with three small children at home. I also had a big mess on a daily basis. I have a lot of unpleasant memories from those days many of which include mold and mildew. I remember grocery bags full of papers and other stuff hidden in closets and rooms. I remember always getting an extension for my taxes. I remember laundry baskets full of unmatched socks and clothes that needed to be ironed or mended. I remember opening the door only wide enough to talk to the person there and rarely inviting them in.

 My mother never taught me to care for a home and family because her mother never taught her. I read in Titus 2 that older women are to teach the younger women but I did not have an older woman around to teach me. After more than one humiliating experiences I decided to get organized. I began to read everything about home organization and time management I could find especially by Christian women like Emilie Barnes. She shared her experiences and related it to the Word of God. I found answers in the Bible like beginning my day the night before from the fact that in Genesis day begins the night before. So I started to do what I could the night before to prepare for the next day.

 I crashed and burned many times but bit by bit I began to see progress.  Let’s face it, we did not get where we are in one day. Doing a little bit each day consistently will make a difference. I hope not to use “I” quite so often in the future but I want to make the point that what I know I learned by raw experience and you have no need to be embarrassed by your mess because mine probably matched or exceeded it.

 One of the first things I resolved was to show people my home.  When someone visits for the first time I show them through my home. This includes times when everything is not in order. I wanted to be accountable and have an incentive to keep things pleasant. I do not keep my home clean for others. This is an accountability device.

 Our homes are not museums, magazine layouts or furniture showcases. Our homes are the canvas for our family’s lives. Our purpose goes beyond cleaning toilets, dusting, laundry and all the other mechanisms to keep the Health Department or DSS from condemning our homes. My purpose is to glorify and love God, and love and honor my family, my friends and the people God places around me.  After I learned to care for my home and family I determined to fulfill the charge Titus 2:3-5 gives us—to live in a way that honors God and to teach the younger women. I began a small group at my church and then began to blog several years ago. My purpose for My Heart's at Home  is to help us find solutions to the challenges that prevent us from keeping our homes lovely and functional. Doing this puts legs to loving our spouse and children or whoever makes up your household at this stage of life, including yourself.

 If this interests you, then there are things I want you to begin to do each day:

v Get dressed and take care of yourself. You can do this by moisturizing your skin, brushing your teeth, and putting on real shoes.  Real shoes tell us it is time to go to work. Real shoes are a foot saver when you get locked out of your house or have an emergency outdoors.  I fought this tooth and nail. I was a barefoot girl. Now my toes don’t get stubbed and I haven’t cut my foot in forever. 

v Consider how you dress.  When we look pulled together we feel pulled together.  People treat us with more respect when we wear clothes that are not holey, stained or wrinkled.  (Maybe it shouldn’t be that way but that’s the way it is.) Simple clothes like a pair of slacks with a top and a jacket can be inexpensive.  If you are wearing clothes that are not fit for Goodwill, take a good look at your closet and start wearing clothes that look and fit better. Often we have better clothes but are saving them. More about closets and clothes in the future. I wear a cover-up when I am doing something that may stain or soil my clothes.

v Pick up after yourself.  When the children were small, every day at least once or twice we would have a “5 minute pick up” I would set the timer and we would see how much we could get done in that amount of time.  The children enjoyed it and it improved the condition of the house.  Good times for the pickups are just before Dad gets home and right before bed.

v Challenge yourself to treat others with love and patience.”

 Hugs,

Mary P

Mary resides with Roy, her husband of 38 years; they have three adult children, and share 6 step-children, more than 30 grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mary is active in the Prayer Shawl Ministry and as a MOPS Mentor Mom. She has created and currently leads a new believer’s course at her church, as well as women's leadership and Bible study. Through her “Hearts At Home” ministry; Mary is also involved with mentoring young wives and moms, as she deeply desires to help them avoid the mistakes she made prior to her commitment to Jesus Christ.

For more information, you can contact Mary at mj8849.wordpress.com

  

 

 

 

Naked?

It was a plaintiff wail that could be heard throughout the department store dressing room; “I’m naaaaaked! Ayyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Over and over a little toddler shouted these two words at the top of her lungs. She wouldn’t stop saying it, even though her mom certainly tried to get her to. lol

And I began thinking about the fact that even at a very young age humans feel that there are things that should remain covered or hidden. It also reminded me of bathing suit season! Now if you know me you are probably aware that I LOVE to shop! It doesn’t matter what I’m shopping for…it could be groceries, car parts, clothes or a special gift for a treasured friend. BUT the ONE and only thing I don’t like shopping for is bathing suits! I mean think about it; you spend nine months out of the year dressing to hide your figure flaws, so why in the world would I want to call attention to them now? Yes, in my opinion some things should remain under cover and apparently I’m not alone in this. lol

And if we were being honest, most of us would have to admit that there are important ways we all try to hide who we are-from God and from each other. God made each of us incredibly unique. In all the world, throughout marked time there has never been anyone who has the exactly the same gifts, talents and life experiences as you! Truly, there is no one like you and that is by God’s design. But if He lovingly, purposefully, uniquely created the many facets of who you are…then why are we forever hiding our real self? As I always told my sweet daughters growing up; “You make a poor imitation of anyone else.” The world has never seen anyone quite like you…so be brave and remove a few of the masks that are hiding who He created you to be!

Will everyone love and accept you? No, maybe not…but that is ok. Being honest though, I haven’t always felt that way. In fact, it amazes me to think that until I was in my late 20’s I actually believed that if I was nice enough, kind enough and friendly enough that everyone would like me. But there will always be those who will not choose or love you…but dare to be uncovered and let that change the world around you! The person He crafted on the inside was expressly created to showcase a unique facet of God’s character…so take the risk and let it shine!  When you feel afraid and want to remain “safe” behind the veil of concealment, just remember that one person’s freedom can spark a hope of freedom for countless others…be that one!

After a while I could hear this exasperated mom telling her daughter “No, you are NOT naked…I am.” and I began to think about the fact that sometimes it is not only our own nakedness that we are uncomfortable with. Sometimes just the thought of others “disrobing” a part of who they are can leave us feeling apprehensive…perhaps because then we may feel like we need to “follow suit”. lol We can take the attitude; “If you stay covered then I can too.” But God is calling us into transparent relationships with trusted others. Now I am not advocating that we share every facet of our lives with everyone we meet…but DO find some trusted others that you can be real with.

And what about God? Are we living transparent before Him or are we like Adam who tried to fashion his own covering for what he perceived were the unlovely parts of who he was and what he’d done? But there came a time when the fig leaves had to come off, so that he and Eve could be clothed with God’s provision-because man’s efforts can never begin to cover or cleanse our shame…only a living intimate relationship with our Creator can do that. And besides He already knows everything about you and me!

Don’t believe me? Hebrews 4:13 shares; “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. And Proverbs 5:21 states; “For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and He examines all your paths.” And God Himself is described in Genesis 16:14 as EL ROI; the God who sees. Yes, He sees us with a perfect precision…He knows everything about you and me and still He pursues us! He is well acquainted with our many flaws and weaknesses, as well as our strengths and talents…there is nothing hidden from Him. Yet we present ourselves before Him clothed in our own fig leaves of human efforts, as we desperately try to cover up the unlovely places of our lives and thereby miss the joys of His acceptance and unconditional love.

Oh that we would see that there is a unique freedom in being transparent with the Lover of our soul! And we can only connect with Him to the degree that we are willing to be naked before Him. Of course that takes trust that we will not be rejected when we uncover the most private parts of who we are. But He can grow that trust in us…if we’ll let Him. Just ask…pour out your heart before Him…don’t hold anything back. He knows it all anyway. And praise God that He who knows us best, still loves us most!!!

This day may you come to know His great and affirming love as you willingly uncover the secret places that you had forever purposed to remain hidden.  And as you do…may you experience the glorious freedom that only His righteous covering can provide. May you bask in the everlasting, unconditional love that longs to embrace you with great delight! May you walk in His divine freedom knowing that He is actively fashioning the unlovely places in you to bring Him the most honor and glory!

Transforming Grace

Once a month I write a devotional for my church and I often share its non-abbreviated version with the rest of my blog readers who are not a part of my local church family. Two of my pastors each shared different perspectives from Acts 9 about the Holy Spirit’s role as God’s expression of grace to us and that’s what inspired me to write this devotional.

Grace. It is a seemingly endless cycle; where at one point we need to be its grateful recipient and in other moments we are called to be an extension of it to others and these two states switch back and forth…and each scenario is orchestrated by God’s Spirit. But as the wisest man who ever lived said in Ecclesiastes 1:9 “What has been will be again; there is nothing new under the sun”; for this is a story that has replayed itself for centuries before our birth.

But before we delve further down this well-trodden path, you may well ask; “Does one life really matter all that much?” My heart declares an emphatic yes! As we will soon discover; the influence of a single life holds the power to alter the face of its entire generation…and sometimes of those generations who will come behind it as well.

For proof I offer the well-educated Saul, who had every advantage of influence, education and at least sufficient wealth. Surely, his was a life that was destined to change history. And then there was Ananias; we know nothing of his upbringing, education or social status. He seems a likely candidate for a life of obscurity. But these two lives (as is always the case) are not quite what they seem at first glance.

Grab a cup of coffee and together we’ll look a little deeper at the lives of these two individuals and of the grace they shared that was to transform history.

Although Saul had every advantage, he ended up using his sphere of influence as a tool of destruction. And as we read the story of Saul’s conversion in Acts chapter 9, he seems about as unlikely of a candidate for grace that our minds can conceive. We learn in Acts 8:1that he had not only been in complete agreement with Stephen’s stoning; he also launched a quest to eradicate every Christian from the face of the earth. The blood of the earliest of saints was clearly on his hands. He wasn’t even content to destroy the believers in Jerusalem; he’d procured papers to require the Damascus synagogues to participate in the persecution as well. But just as we might likely pronounce Saul as an unworthy recipient of grace…in steps the hero of his story; Jesus. As my one of my pastors shared; “just when Saul thought he was out chasing some important religious mission, the Holy Spirit was in reality chasing him!”

And thankfully that divine chase thing extends to us as well! When we are at our very worst, when we are the most unworthy, when we have laid waste to the prior extensions and expressions of God’s grace…in steps the hero of our story; Jesus! Yes, thankfully, we can never walk beyond the reach of God’s grace through the gift of His Holy Spirit who is always working to reveal Jesus to us. Because when it comes to God’s unmerited favor, none of us could ever “touch bottom” in His endless sea of grace. And just when we are most undeserving of grace, God may enter into our situation and change everything Himself…or He might just send an Ananias our way!

But before He sends Ananias to Saul, he is left for three days in the darkness-three long days of soul searching…or in this instance “Saul-searching”.  He was left to contemplate where he had been, what he had done and what lay ahead for his future. He must have been confused and frightened. We know from the Scriptures that he didn’t eat or drink anything for three days, so he was pretty shook up. Ever have any of those dark days in your life? Well the good news is that the Lord never wastes any of our difficult moments. Just like in the life of Saul; God will come to our aid, because He has the power and the heart to redeem our painful places.

Now sometimes rather than being a recipient of God’s grace, we are asked to be a vessel of it to someone else and when that happens, occasionally we hesitate. I think Ananias could relate…

God had graced him with a vision! This is pretty cool until you consider that his vision was all about someone else’s blessing. Now I’m guessing that Ananias would’ve normally been fine with that. I mean he was no doubt a godly man who was quick to extend grace to others, which may have been part of the reason he was selected in the first place. In fact, God was so confident of his obedience that He had ALREADY given Saul the vision of Ananias coming! It’s pretty hard to say no to that.

But when Jesus tells him to go, Ananias wavers for a moment. He begins to “inform” Jesus of all that Saul had done (just in case He’d missed it). He had to choose to be obedient despite any fears of repercussions or misgivings about Saul’s worthiness of God’s unmerited favor. Who knows, perhaps he also had to set aside any desire for personal justice over Saul’s heinous acts against his church family.

But in the end, he said YES! This is the Scripture’s only account of Ananias, but from his single act of courageous obedience he altered the world. The pouring out of grace to one undeserving individual served to change the entire world and some 2000 years later we are not only still talking about it, we are also still reaping the benefits of it!

So why did the Holy Spirit send Ananias? I mean He could’ve healed Saul without him, without anyone…but He didn’t. I believe that part of the reason was to get Saul connected to the body of believers that would quickly become his lifeblood. Saul; soon to be Paul, although he was God’s chosen vessel to his generation could not, would not be who he was called to be on his own and neither can we.

Yes, these two lives were irrevocably entwined; one without the other would’ve not only have relegated them to less than God’s best…the entire world would have experienced the loss that their shared grace has brought to us. Truly grace had the power to transform and it is a continually effective power that the Holy Spirit still desires to pour to and through us yet today!

In closing, I hope the question that has been at the very cusp of my heart all day, has found its way into yours as well. And that is; “Who is the “undeserving” person in my life that God is calling me to be a vessel of grace to?” Are there any undeserving candidates in your life? Probably. But today may we each set aside our fears, our past hurts and our sense of fairness and choose to be an extension of God’s grace to those who just like us are undeserving and yet desperately needy and then let’s trust and watch as God just might use that very grace to change the world!

Note: A sermon by two of my pastors; Shawn Franco and Travis Jones of Cornerstone Assembly of God were the original cause of this devotional. I encourage you to listen to their messages which offer different thoughts and perspectives about the gift of grace through the role of the Holy Spirit. They can be found at http://www.cornerstone.ag/ 
You will see the Media link near the top right of the site, click there, then on Listen To Sermons, then select the October 13th sermons.

HUNGRY

I had seen her there before…in fact we had shared a number of lunches together, but today my heart broke for this little striped tiger cat. She seems to live close to one of the pavilions in a nearby park where I often come for my quiet time. I had seen her wait many times until after a group of picnickers had vacated before she’d quietly peruse the area; checking the tables and trash cans for something palatable.  

But today was different…I watched as she peered from a wooded area to the side of the pavilion. She was at full alert; her ears were perked and her tail stood at attention…waiting for a sign of welcome. It was obvious that she was scared…but she was also hungry for food and human companionship. It was as though every part of her furry little body longed to go the people to receive something good…but her fear (or perhaps her good sense, depending on the particular group picnicking there) held her back. Eventually she turned around and went back into the bush from where she came.

And I was quickly reminded of how different kinds of hunger can make all of God’s creatures do desperate things and those types of decisions rarely turn out well. I have experienced that kind of hunger in my lifetime-have you? I think most of us have longed for something from the depths of our being…but were left unsatisfied with an aching desire that never seems to be filled. And when the quenching of that hunger seems long in coming, we sometimes devise ways to “help” God; normally with lackluster results at best. I thought about my own life and I wondered about mistakes where I had allowed strong desires to get me into places far from God’s appointed paths. What about you?

I think most of us are vulnerable to at least some degree to hunger, although it has different faces.

For some, the hunger is for a special someone to come into their life and the intense craving for that relationship can color every choice, every conversation and when not satisfied, it can lead to a feeling of confusion or discouragement.

Some pine for the fulfillment of a long held dream, while others hunger for God’s release or blessing. We may cry out asking the Lord to intervene and when He doesn’t act on our time table we may begin to take matters into our own hands. These choices usually bring little or no positive results, but we are blinded by our “hunger pains” so we keep trying to “assist” God.

For still others the hunger may stem from a longing for financial prosperity or a craving for success in our careers. But whatever the form, it nearly always has the power to get our eyes off of God and onto the object of our desire.

Well sadly, we are not alone; the Bible is full of individuals who also struggled with hunger issues.

Saul allowed his hunger for God’s favor to morph into a lust to destroy the one he felt was responsible for his own fall from grace; David. He spent years of his life making terrible choices that eventually brought his ruin. Yes, hunger can drive us to desperate choices that in turn can lead to destruction.

Cain hungered for God’s acceptance and eventually that gave place to a raging jealousy against his brother Abel. So the first human blood was shed and the latest statistic I could find was that a life is now taken worldwide every sixty seconds.

Sarah hungered for God’s fulfillment of His promise and when it didn’t come “on time” she came up with plan “B”, creating an entire people group who still long to destroy God’s chosen people.

Yes, hunger can mar our good judgment. When we want something so bad we tend to whittle our focus down to that one single area of concern. Instead of a balanced view, the object of our craving becomes paramount. Our thoughts, our actions and our hearts come together creating the perfect storm that creates a sort of tunnel vision so that all we can see is the object of our desire.

Look again, it wasn’t the individual’s hunger itself that was destructive; it was that they allowed it to become the focus of their life. Look at what they were hungering for: the Lord’s favor, a desire for God’s acceptance and a fulfillment of a divine promise. There is nothing wrong with any of these when they are gone about in God’s way-BUT whenever a longed for blessing becomes of greater importance than the One who holds it; an idol is born.

Now God’s initial plan for hunger was to ensure that essential needs were met. He also gifted us with a deep and pervasive hunger that can only be satisfied in relationship with Him. Similarly, I believe God plants the seeds of hunger within us to help birth passion and to fuel the dreams and plans that He created us for in the first place. Hunger was meant to signal a need and then to subsequently push us to find a way to meet that need.  So God can and will use every type of hunger to encourage us to come closer to Himself and to His perfect plan. An example of this is found in Luke 15:16 where the prodigal son’s hunger eventually turns his heart back to his loving father.  And sometimes when we get hungry enough, we’ll turn to the satisfaction that only God can bring.

In fact, Jesus pronounced blessedness to all who hunger for the right things. Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness” and He also promised that in hungering for God’s path that our earthly needs would also be met. Matthew 6:33 and Luke 12:31 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”

But what about those hunger pains that seem to hold on? What are we to do with the ever-present, inescapable longings?  Simply said; we bring them to God…again. He never tires of us presenting a genuine need and our hunger issues never take God by surprise; in fact Jesus Himself said that the Father knows our every need before we ever ask Him to meet it. (Matthew 6:8) Take comfort that God is still actively loving us in the midst of our hunger and He has a plan to fully satisfy every longing that rages within us…but it will be in His timing and in His way.

His answer is simple…but it is rarely easy and the choice rests on us alone; today we must choose to draw close to God and then trust and wait, allowing the unimaginable love of Christ to penetrate our deepest longings. (Ephesians 3:17-20) For on a future day every yearning in our life will be fully satisfied. In fact, in Revelation 7:16 His Word promises that on the last day every ache of emptiness will give way to an eternal fullness and we will never again know the pain of hunger. But for now, may we find the fulfillment that He alone offers and may our hearts cry; “Surely Father, You do all things well and we willingly trust you with the deepest longings we carry!”

 

NOTE: I am not able to take in this little cat and all the shelters are full. If anyone is interested in giving her the loving home she deserves please message me and we can go to the park together and get her-or at least try.

Savor The Flavor!

Lee and I have been on a low-carb diet as of late, which means no pasta, no potatoes and no bread for five days out of the week. But today was a day off and what I was most hungry for was a burger (with the bun, thank you!) and some French fries. I got as far as the red light outside the restaurant before I starting digging in the French fry bag. Oh. My. Goodness. They were sooooo good and suffice it to say that I thoroughly enjoyed each and every bite. And it got me to thinking about my life and how often I rush through my day, my week or even for seasons of my life just gobbling down the wonderful blessings that my Father has bestowed without giving them a second thought. Sometimes I get so busy planning for my next good thing that I completely miss the beautiful blessings that are for TODAY! Papa is so faithful to bless my life (yours too!) with big and small touches that speak of His divine nature…of His unconditional love…of His perfect plan-but sometimes I am so distracted by what lies ahead that I miss it. Ever been there?

Society tells us to plan, plan, plan and do, do, do…but our Father calls us to B, B, B!

B In Today-I’m just like you; I want some sort of heavenly outline of all the good blessings that lie ahead…It’s almost like I want to experience tomorrow’s blessing in the here and now and the truth is, it just doesn’t work that way. Imagine for a moment that it is a friend’s birthday and as they’re blowing out their candles they informed you that their “wish” was that they could receive every single birthday gift that they’d ever receive throughout their lifetime…but right now. We’d all say that that was an immature thing to wish for, but how often are we missing the joy of today by longing for tomorrow’s gifts and blessings? Somewhat like I learned to fully enjoy my fries, God wants us to savor the flavor of the blessings His generous hand has earmarked for-TODAY!

B Still-We need to consider s-l-o-w-i-n-g down. The never ending, ever present to-do-list is just that; never-ending and ever-present! There will always be more to do tomorrow. What if just for a bit today, we chose to accept that tomorrow (and all of its good, bad and ugly) will surely come…tomorrow and then just savor the flavor of today’s treasures? I wonder what simple joys we would experience if we were willing to stop striving and just get still before Him. Is He a big enough God that He can hold our tomorrows until we actually get there? My heart cries YES! For if we find Him insufficient for our measure of earthly tomorrows then how can He be trusted with eternity?

B Alert- I think we need more practice being watchful for today’s blessings! They are everywhere around for the eyes and the hearts who are looking! Sometimes we may find them in the quiet beauty of a sunset, other times we will see them in a “chance” conversation with a total stranger or perhaps today’s blessings will be ushered in through a small random act of kindness done for us (or even better BY us). The blessings of everyday will be varied and unique…our Creator is incredibly creative (pun intended) so every single day will hold different treasures for us to savor the flavor of!

B Thankful How can we know if we are living in today or borrowing tomorrow’s blessings? I believe it is clearly evident in how full our hearts are with thankfulness and gratitude. Think about it, if you fully grasp when a priceless gem is given to you, you just can’t help but be grateful! And the best part is, every time we receive something from our Father’s hands with a heart brimming with thankfulness; it becomes a blessing to our lives…even when the circumstances surrounding it may not be pleasant. We need to trust that His hand holds only things that will be for our good. This was brought home to me the other day when I was unpacking the groceries. Our Sheltie, Bella was watching me open cupboards and empty bags. She was sure that there MUST be something there for her from one of my “magic” food bags. Lol I tried to explain to her that none of this was anything she’d want to eat and to prove it I showed her a piece of what I was opening at that moment; a box of S.O.S. pads and she promptly tried to eat one.

And I heard the voice of my Papa who said “See Sandy, she trusts you and thinks that without fail everything from your hand is good for her.” And to be honest in that moment I longed for a heart that fully trusted that everything my Father’s hand allows is for my ultimate good. Instead, I am at times a “picky eater”; I am selective about the “table” that my Father sets before me. I tend to choose this and that, preferring more of this, less of those and none of that! But if I will choose to submit myself to the banqueting table that He provides for me today with a heart of thanksgiving, then that has the power to shift my perceptions and my perceptions can alter the course of my life and also the lives of those around me.

Think about it…our gratitude has the power to alter not only our perceptions, but it can transform the very palatability of our lives! A thankful heart for the unique blessings of today can empower us to savor the flavor of every exquisite treasure that our heavenly Father has hidden in this day!

Papa, Forgive us for the way we are sometimes so busy watching for tomorrow’s blessings that we miss the incredibly unique treasure that You have planned for today. Open our eyes Lord to see the good of our present season and fill our hearts with an overflowing gratitude for the mercy and the many rich blessings You have bestowed. 

{{{Wow!}}} I can’t believe that it will be a year this week since I launched this blog! Time certainly flies when you get to do something you love!

I just wanted to take a minute to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to each one of you who have joined me on this “first leg” of the journey!  It has been a blessing to my heart to get to share with those who are near and dear to me as well as some from around the globe whom I have never met. In fact Hope and Light has had over 5000 page views from at least thirteen different countries and it is growing every month! Glory to God! I count myself highly privileged to have you each on this journey with me as fellow travelers!

For my readers and subscribers; I pray that this blog has shined a little light when the path that Papa has you on was murky and that you sensed a strengthening in your hope as you walked through the good, the bad and the ugly that has been this last twelve months. I hope that you have sensed my prayers for your precious lives and that you too feel a little bit more connected to our amazing Body of Christ!

It has been my great pleasure to share the encouragement that Papa has sown in my life and it has been my joyous privilege to chat with anyone who would listen about my first love; Jesus Christ and I pray that this blog has served to reflect at least a little bit of who the Lord is and how greatly you are loved by Him!

I have enjoyed your input and comments, those here on the blog and the many more that were given in person. Please keep them coming, because apart from you, this blog is just my thoughts, which could be pretty boring : ) We are sooooooo much better together and are wayyyyyy more than just the sum of our parts, because the Body of Christ is truly synergy at its very highest level.

In addition to comments, a number of you have had questions about my blog. I hope this answers most of your questions. If not, feel free to e-mail me at sandy.lee.anderson@gmail.com or just message me on Facebook and I'll do my best to help : )

What are you inviting me to do?
Visit/Read my blog, simply said. I am not asking YOU to set up a blog (although perhaps some of you are feeling the pull to do so...so go for it : ) I’m just inviting you to peruse the posts, make comments if you’d like and come back as often as you’d want and if you’d like; subscribe so you keep up to date with what Papa’s is directing me to share : ) That’s it in a nutshell!

What does it mean to subscribe to this blog?
This means that you will be emailed the new weekly devotional...it’s the easiest way to stay updated with what is happening on my site.

How do I subscribe?
Go to the blog, to the right of the most current post you will see the words “Follow By E-mail”. Put your email address in the box right below that and then click the “Submit” button to the right of that. An “Email Subscription Request” box will open up, directing you to follow the very simple directions. You should pretty quickly receive a verification message from “FeedBurner Email Subscriptions” that is entitled; “Activate your Email Subscripti​on to: Hope And Light For the Journey “. This is the service that delivers email subscriptions for Hope And Light For the Journey. You will need to click a link listed in this email message to activate your subscription. And once you respond to that email you will begin receiving the new devotionals about once a week. (If you don't see a confirmation e-mail in a reasonable amount of time please check your bulk/spam folder.) Also, if you are still having an issue with it, but want to subscribe…just message or send me your e-mail address and I’ll put it in for you-but you’ll still have to respond to the verification email : )

How do I make a comment?
Just click on the comment link at the bottom of every devotional and write away : )

Finally, if you are blessed by this blog...then by all means share it with those you love or those who may need some hope and encouragement...that’s why it’s here! <3 <3 <3

http://hopeandlightforthejourney.blogspot.com/

Thanks again for joining me for this journey! I am confident that the best is yet to come!

Blessings,
Sandy

PS. Later this week I’ll post a regular devotional : )