Looking back on Changes- In His Word 8-31-2020

 As the new school system is starting for 2020 I looked back on this appropriate time of year post from  2016. So many changes we have been through this year, our lives will never be exactly the same but new things will happen for a good reason! God will bring good from our sad times, and He will bring good from this year we have done much waiting, some suffering and a lot of growing, in His Word!  

Making New Things Good In His Word-8-29-16

As my youngest goes away to University this fall I find I do not like the changes that God has given me, it is hard to acknowledge the time of growing my children and training them up is gone; but I know that I must accept them and walk in His path for me.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:4-5

Changes; they are not all bad, but it is often hard for us to accept that change must come. Some things are easy to change; new clothes, shoes, cars. Other things mean a whole new start and it is not always to change up what we were into, or what we were doing and start with a new plan.

That is just what God is in the business of doing with people; from Adam to Moses, there is proof of His making change, and from then on there are too many to number! Whoever said that God does not change His mind or plans is not reading my Bible!

He is a God of compassion and because of this He has taken upon Himself to move people to produce submission in their hearts toward Him.

I mean this wholeheartedly my God has changed things as powerful as allowing His chosen anointed king to be captured along with the rest of the people to prove the point of their need to obey Him; He has also done as small a change as having compassion and allowing people to continue walking their path just with a slight alteration because they have shown repentance toward Him.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

So why do people buck change? Change is good! It just sometimes hurts a little to be stripped away from our comfort zones and be pushed into a new zone that is really going to be better and often makes us stronger and more prosperous in our lives toward God and men. In other words; both physically and spiritually, we grow when we are processing change in our lives. That is when we allow God to direct the changes. We trust Him to know what they are doing, what they need, and where they will go. They must walk in their consequences. 

What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord,
 who do their evil deeds in the dark!“ The Lord can’t see us,” they say.

“He doesn’t know what’s going on!” How foolish can you be?  He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”? Isaiah 29:16-17a

When God brings change into our lives we need to embrace the change; trust Him to guide us and follow His direction.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not in your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6

Why do we dislike change so much? I believe it is because we are set in our ways, we like to keep the control in our lives and when things change it means we are no longer the one in charge. Take for instance the growth of our children to the point of adulthood. We train up our children in the way they should go but when its time for them to do just that, ‘go’ we do not want to let them go off on their own and make their own minds up about things. We have to allow them to be their own selves and yet we want to tell them what to do at every turn. It is time for us to stop being God. Ouch, did I say that? Well yes, it is a god complex that sees another one I guess. I have a habit of trying to make the lives of my family walk the way I want them to walk, talk the way I want them to talk and think the way that I want them to think; but God has them in His hands and He is in control, not me. Once I realize and accept that God has their best interest in mind and remember that my husband and I have truly trained them up in the way they should go, then I can pretty must rest knowing He will never leave them nor forsake them.

So even though their change is to make their own choices now, my change is to pray that they keep focused on Him.

He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him. Trust God and He will direct your path; their part is to trust Him to direct them not me.

As the school year starts and your kids begin to learn anew thing, the time has come for us parents, aunts and uncles or grandparents to trust that we have a God who will go with our kids to classes. What we can do now is change our position from the one who walks with them telling them what to do to the one who encourages them with little notes of faith and love and hope to find in pockets and back packs and cars, or emails and texts. Though they may fuss about them I assure you they will get the words in their hearts and minds and know that God and you love them.

 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 5:11

It may be time for us to put away childish things, games and bubble gum are traded for cars and jobs; when we grow we have to let go of the past and move on to what is in front of us that we may be strong in His power and might.

 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. ¹⁵ Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. ¹⁶ He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:14-16

It is my prayer today that each of us, both parent, or non parent, child or adult will truly work together with God keeping our minds and hearts geared to here what He has to say to us each day; when there is change or when things stay the same; that we put our trust, hope and love in Him and His direct line of path to walk. We need to let the new beginnings come in our lives that we may walk in the promise land, and enjoy it goodness! If Israel had not left Egypt they would never have found the milk and honey!

Dear Heavenly father, help us to embrace the change as You bring it into our lives and to walk gracefully in the path You have put before us no matter how far off of the one we thought you were putting there. Help us to know Your voice  and follow it, as we are your sheep. Keep us obediently humble,In Jesus name, amen.

Suggested reading: Ephesians 4:1-32, Colossians 3:1-25, Isaiah 30:1-30, and John 13:1-38.

Prepared In His Word- 6-10-13

Prepared In His Word

Are you ready? Are you prepped and geared up for what's ahead? Are you prepared for what God has for you to do? Do not worry today for He will prepare the way for you!

Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer to when they say, “ Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.' “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none Is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! Matthew 11:9-11

Sometimes we are looking in the wrong place for the answer we seek. The people of Israel, including the Priests and Levites

  were not looking among the average person for the Messiah, yet that is where He came. He came out of a family of carpenters, hand laborers and yet He was, and is the King of kings! They were not prepared for what He had for them, many learned to accept His Word and many chose to ignore it an died in their sins.

Some people will get saved, they will get all excited and run off to tell the world who Jesus is without being prepared to defend what they believe. They are like a soldier going out to battle without his ammunition. Without the bullets the weapon is useless.

Without the preparation in the Word of God witnessing is wimpy at best. If we cannot use the Bible to show, or tell others the reality of who God is then we are not prepared.

My Bible tells me to put on the armor of God, with good reason.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17

When we go out to share the Gospel Message, or just to tell someone what God is doing in our lives we need to be prepared with the knowledge or Whom it is we are talking about!

This is a good reason to read the Word daily if nothing else; to be prepared.

God is good! He knew we would come into a world that was full of confusing and misunderstandings and so He gave us a manual of design. He gave us the Word of God to follow as an example for our lives but also to know who He is. It is a History book, and a future book, it is a diary of God's early doings as written through people whom He shared His heart's desires.

He prepares His people for battle, but it is up to us to prepare our lives for His direction. We must be obedient to His Word, to read it daily we can know just what to do. We must keep the oil in our lamps burning! Fresh oil from the throne comes to us through prayer and the Word of God!

I desire to dig in the Word each day and find what God has for me, I want to be ready when the Bridegroom comes!

“At midnight they were roused by the shout, 'Look the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!' all the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others. 'Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.' Matthew 29:6-8

God has prepared a place for us. He knows how much room we need and He has more than enough room. He has prepared the Bible to fill our hearts and minds with His love, His guidance and His understanding. He has prepared to spend time with us daily; have we shown up ready?

God waits to hear our voice in the morning, through out the day He walks with us and talks to us, He would love to have us respond in kind. He tells us not to have fear of His directions, that we can trust Him.

“Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 24”1-3“

Even when He had to leave his closest earthly 'life group' Jesus told them to trust God, the Father, and to trust Him as they are one and the same. He told them He would go and prepare for them to join Him in heaven. He does the same for us, each of us who believe, who trust in Him to do as He has promised.

Some ways we can prepare ourselves for the day we join Him are;

• Put on your Helmet--Open up your heart to Him. He wants to be your forever friend. When you allow Jesus to become part of your life and you accept that Christ is real, and that He wants to be your Lord you begin to get prepared.
• Buckle your Belt--When you accept that the Word of God is God breathed, inspired, and encouraged to be written in such a manner as to cause spiritual growth and understanding of God and His ways, then your preparation is taking on life.
• Strap on your Sword--When you pray, and read your Bible daily you gain the strength that only the Holy Spirit can give. It is a supernatural strength to stand, to step forward in ministry even when your physical world is spinning around you. Even when loved ones go on to be with Him you can step out, and step up to the task that He has given you when your prayer life, and your reading is up to date!
• Step into the Shoes- If you are prepared with the Word that you study to show yourselves approved and ready to go into battle knowing the Gospel! Now you are ready to step out in faith and share what He has given you!

When we prepare our hearts and minds in the Word daily, more often as we hear Him calling, and add to that reading praying and communicating with Him; then we will be ready!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us all we need and what to do with it. Thank you for your handbook, your instruction manual, your map of life! Thank you for Your Words! Grant us understanding today beyond what we know that we may step out in faith knowing that we have hidden your words in our heart. In Jesus name, amen.

Suggested readings: Ephesians 6:1-24, Colossians 1;1-29 Philippians 2:-1-24, and Philippians 4:1-24