Getting 2 little boys dressed every morning sure has its challenges! As one complains that he wants to wear a particular dinosaur t-shirt, the other complains that he wants to wear his construction truck t-shirt…As one wants to wear his jeans, the other wants to wear his shorts…As one wants to wear socks and shoes, the other wants to wear his croc shoes…and oh the daily battles begin!

As their mother, my job is to make sure they are properly dressed for the day…whether their clothes are specific for a particular activity…for a specific weather forecast…or just for their morning at school.

My job is to provide them with the proper attire and encourage them to wear what I have provided…and whether they choose to put on their jacket, for instance, as the weather is now cooling down, is their choice…because once they are dropped off at school, I am unable to enforce the need to put on their jacket in the cooler weather. I have provided what they need…but they need to take action and put it on.

And so it is for us as Christians…

God has provided us with proper attire to wear on a daily basis. He has provided us with a daily spiritual armor to prepare us for our day…to provide us with protection…to even arm us to fight when we face daily challenges and possible battles.

We as Christians…as children of God… have an enemy, Satan the devil, who is very real…who wants to steal, kill and destroy us! (John 10:10) We have an enemy who prowls around constantly seeking to destroy those who are weaker than he is. (1Peter 5:8) We have an enemy who is a liar and considered the father of lies who will tempt us and bombard us with fears, worries, doubts, and insecurities. (John 8:44)

Do you ever feel bombarded with fears, worries, doubts, and insecurities?

If the devil can’t keep you from being from saved, you better believe that he will do everything in his power to cause you to…be tempted…be distracted… stumble…get you off track…and get your focus off of God!

But as God’s children, we have been given the power to overcome the enemy…

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1John 4:4 NIV

God has provided us with power…His daily spiritual armor…but we are the ones that need to take action and put it on!  This is how we can be ready and prepared to fight whatever darts and flaming arrows the enemy throws our way!

What does it mean to put on the Armor of God daily? Do you put on God’s spiritual armor every day?

The Armor of God

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV

Paul was actually in prison when he wrote about this “Armor of God”.  Because Paul had no other company than the Roman soldiers who were guarding him, we can see that he really knew in detail what the soldier’s armor looked like. Because really…what else did he have to do?

And even more amazing…It has been said that Paul was actually chained to a Roman soldier in his last few years in prison! Can you believe that? Seriously? Way too close for comfort for me! I mean isn’t it bad enough spending all that time in prison but then having a guy chained to you too?

The first interesting point to note about this Armor of God in verse 13 is that we need to “put on the full armor of God” …not just part of the armor!

We are to put on the “whole armor.” We are not to go armed partly with what God has appointed, and partly with such weapons as people use; nor are we to put on “a part” of the armor only, but the “whole” of it. A man needs “all” that armor if he is about to fight the battles of the Lord; and if he lacks “one” of the weapons which God has appointed, defeat may be the consequence. Barnes Commentary

In order to gain a greater perspective of this Armor of God, each piece of armor is described below as it relates to a Roman soldier and then as it relates to us as Christians. This will provide us with a greater understanding of why we need to put on each piece of armor daily and how we can do it!

Belt of Truth (vs14)

Just as a soldier’s belt holds his armor in place and carries his weapons, the truth holds our spiritual armor together. So as Christians, we must first understand what truth is.

Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6 NIV

The truth is that when Jesus died on the cross, he made a way for all people to be free from the power of sin. Just as the belt held a soldier’s armor down and helped keep everything in place, so Jesus in our lives keeps us in order and keeps us together.

Breastplate of Righteousness (vs14)

In a suit of armor, the breastplate is a very important piece of equipment to the Roman soldier because its purpose is to guard the soldier’s heart and other very important organs. Without a solid breastplate, a soldier could easily be killed with one blow from the enemy’s sword or arrow.

We put our breastplate of righteousness on when we put our faith in Jesus. (Being righteous is being right, perfect, or without sin.) Righteousness is a byproduct of faith as we trust in God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. God is righteous and the only way for us to be righteous is by having faith in Jesus who died to take away our sin. (Romans 3:22) He is our strength in our times of weakness! (2Cor 12:9)

Feet Fitted with Readiness (vs15)

Footwear was essential for the Roman soldier. According to historians, a soldier’s shoes were studded with sharp nails. These shoes would allow them to travel great distances in short time to navigate through rough terrain with ease. The modern day equivalent would be some sort of combination of combat boots and cleats used for outdoor sports like football and baseball.

The bible tells us to be prepared or ready with the gospel of peace to give us sure footing. The gospel of peace is being sure that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are saved from our sin and we have nothing to fear from God or people.

The idea seems to be that the mind is to be steadied, kept from fear and flutter, by means of the good news of peace – the good news that we are at peace with God; and “if God be for us, who can be against us?”(Romans 8:31) Pulpit Commentary

We too may have to walk through rough times…rough terrain like the soldiers…but with adequate footwear “fitted with readiness”, we can walk through those difficult times and come out unharmed. We can only have this sure footing when we have put our trust in Jesus.

Shield of Faith (vs16)

The soldier’s shield is used to defend himself against the enemy’s attack. It is in essence the armor’s armor. If a soldier’s shield was hit by a flaming arrow, the shield would still burn…so before soldiers went into battle, they would soak the shields in water. The wet linen and leather would stop the shield from igniting…even when there was a flaming arrow embedded into it.

So what is our shield? Our shield is the knowledge that our God has our lives in his full view and that He is in control of every situation and circumstance that comes against us.

True faith is…not only believing that Jesus is our Savior… but believing and trusting Jesus for His promises, His love, His grace and His return. It is having faith that whatever comes our way is in His hands.

(For more about the significance of this shield of faith, check out one of my earlier devotions called “Don’t Drop Your Shield!”)

Helmet of Salvation (vs17)

The helmet is one of the most important pieces of armor because it protects the soldier’s head. Without a helmet, the soldier would be easily crushed.

Paul compares our salvation to a helmet. Salvation is being saved from the punishment that we deserve because of our sin. Putting on the helmet of salvation is really denoting that we recognize each and every second of the day that we saved by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ. This is important because Satan will lie to us trying to convince us that we aren’t good enough to be saved or that we can exceed the limit of God’s grace.

Sword of the Spirit (vs18)

The sword is the only offensive weapon a soldier has to strike his enemy. All the previously mentioned pieces of armor are for defense…for protection.

As Christians, the sword is the word of God. It our offensive weapon to fight the enemy.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword… Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

Even Jesus used the word of God to fight the enemy when he was tempted in the desert! (Matthew 4:1-11) What better reason than that to read God’s word and  memorize scriptures to have in your arsenal to fight when Satan attacks you with fears, doubts, and lies! I have experienced in my own life the great power in speaking God’s word…His scriptures…out loud!

To the Christian armed for defense in battle, the apostle recommends only one weapon of attack; but it is enough, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It subdues and mortifies evil desires and blasphemous thoughts as they rise within; and answers unbelief and error as they assault from without. A single text, well understood, and rightly applied, at once destroys a temptation or an objection, and subdues the most formidable adversary. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

So are you ready now to put on the Armor of God daily?

As I pick and choose which daily battles to fight with my 2 little boys, my hope is that they  will not only put on the proper attire that I have provided for them…but that as they grow up they will understand the importance of putting on God’s armor…so that they too will be armed and equipped mighty warriors in God’s army!

Reflection Points:

1)      Do you ever feel attacked with fears, doubts, lies, or insecurities?

2)      Do you know that as Christians we have a enemy who is very real and will attack us?

3)      How do you handle the enemy’s attacks?

4)      Do you put on the full Armor of God on a daily basis?

Action Points:

1)      It is important to understand that as children of God, we have been given the power to defend ourselves and fight against the enemy and his schemes. God has provided us with His spiritual armor to wear each day.

2)      God has given us one weapon the Sword of the Spirit to fight against the enemy. It is important that we read God’s word and memorize scriptures so that when we are overcome with fear, doubt, anxiousness, or insecurities we can fight back with God’s word.

We just hosted a big women’s event…The Beth Moore Living Proof Simulcast… at my church this past weekend! It was absolutely amazing…many women were encouraged…and I was so blessed to have the opportunity to coordinate such an event!

As awesome as this event was…the week prior was extremely busy with preparing and organizing with staff and volunteers… literally day and night. Due to my focus and time on this event, many of my other work responsibilities were placed temporarily on the back burner. And so now I find myself behind and trying to catch up!

I am actually living this blog post as I my fingers hit the keyboard…Worry has creeped in making me unsure that I will have a blog done to be posted on Wednesday… which is today for you.

It finally hit me on the day of the women’s event this past Saturday morning…I awoke before 5am…Uuuhhh…not my usual wake up time…and while my children were still asleep and my husband already off to work, I sat in our home office and began to brainstorm ideas for this week’s blog.

I can’t believe that on the day of such a huge event, I was up so early and actually worrying about the subject of my next blog! About 200 women were about to wake up, get ready, and come to this event and I found myself praying and asking the Lord to place something in my heart that He would like for me to write about. The subject that tugged at me…probably because I am living it right now …is worry.

No matter where we are spiritually, worry sure has a way of creeping in.

We may worry about our jobs, our finances, our marriages, our children…

We may worry about our health, our families, our future…

We may worry about how we look, what we should say, being accepted by others…

We may worry about meeting our deadlines…my exact situation right now! …how we are raising our kids, if and when we will get married if we are single…

Oh and the list of things that we can worry about can go on and on!

What do you worry about the most? Are you a constant worrier or just with some things in your life?

When it comes to the things we worry about, did you know…

40% are things that will never happen?

30% are about the past, which can’t be changed?

12% are about criticism by others, which are mostly untrue?

10% are about health, which gets worse with stress?

8% are about real problems that can be solved?

In the Bible, God tells us not to worry. Worry and/or anxiety are specifically mentioned 25 times in the New Testament alone! And God doesn’t merely suggest for us to not worry, He commands for us to not worry or be anxious! (I know, I know…easier said than done!)

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 HCSB

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6 NASB

So why does God not want us to worry so much? Because…

Worry weighs a person down.  Proverbs 12:25 NLT

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his [her] life? Matthew 6:27

Oh I know God created time with only 24 hours in one day…but it sure would be nice to add a few more hours so I could get what I need done!!! Ever think this way?

The words most often used for worry or anxiety in the New Testament come from the same Greek word, meridzoe, which means “to be divided, to be pulled in opposite directions, to choke.”

“…to choke?”  Pretty interesting, huh?

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. Luke 8:14 NIV

I recently heard this great acronym for WORRY which is so true!

W– Worry

O– Only

R– Robs

R– Rest

Y–  fromYou

In my experience, I have found that worry is usually rooted in fear. Think about what you worry about and see if the underlying reason lies in some kind of fear.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2Timothy 1:7 KJV

If God doesn’t want us to worry or have fear, then where did it come from anyway? Where did it originate?

Fear had its origins way back in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit of the forbidden tree. When they ate the forbidden fruit, their eyes were opened, and they realized they were naked. So, they then covered themselves with fig leaves.

They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself. Genesis 3:8-10 NASB

Sin and fear entered the picture at this time. Before this act of eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were not afraid and they lived a very peaceful and fulfilling life in the beautiful garden where they had a very special and sweet relationship with the Lord.

So why else does God not want us to worry?

God knows that worry, resulting from fear, short circuits our relationship with Him.

Worry fixes our eyes on our situation rather than our Savior. Worry damages our health, causes the object of worry to consume our thoughts, disrupts our productivity, and reduces our ability to trust God.

Now don’t get me wrong…in our world of struggles and challenges, we can and do face legitimate concerns. Worry looks to self or other people for answers…Concern looks to God for answers.

Living a life of worry and fear doesn’t leave room for faith…faith in Him to make the impossible, possible…faith in Him to do above and beyond what we could ever think or imagine…faith in Him to heal your illness, restore your marriage, pay your bills, protect and guide you and take care of every need you have!

How can we conquer worry in our lives? I believe the answer lies in Philippians 4:6 and Matthew 6:33-34.

1)      Be anxious for nothing.

Realize what you can control and what you cannot. 92% of the things we worry about are things we can’t control!

2)      Be prayerful about everything.

No prayer request is too big or too small for God to answer.

I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 NLT

3)      Be thankful for all things.

When we thank God, our focus moves from our situation to our Savior.

4)      Be willing to let go.

We must be willing to let go and let God take control. Giving Him complete control involves you putting Him first in your life.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:33 NIV

Note that Jesus tells us to seek Him first and in the next verse tells us not to worry about tomorrow!

As I thankfully complete the very object of my worry these past few days…writing this devotion…My hope is that you would be encouraged and equipped in your own life to conquer worry.

Worry cannot change the past. It cannot control the future. It can only make us miserable today.

Whether you worry about the daily tasks and deadlines of each day…or the greater struggles and challenges that life may bring your way, I pray that you will have trust in the very God who tells us not to worry…and have faith that He will see you through!

“Worry is fear’s extravagance. It extracts interest on trouble before it comes due. It constantly drains the energy God gives us to face daily problems and to fulfill our many responsibilities.” Unknown

“Worry is faith in the negative, trust in the unpleasant, assurance of disaster and belief in defeat…worry is wasting today’s time to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s troubles.” Unknown

Reflection Points:

1)      What do you worry about the most? Are you a constant worrier or just with some things in your life?

2)      Is your worry rooted in some kind of fear?

3)      Are you worrying about something you can or cannot control?

Action Points:

Review the steps outlines above to help you conquer worry in your life.

When I was growing up as a child, I remember the saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” “Sticks and Stones” is a children’s rhyme and it persuades the child victim of name-calling to ignore the taunt, to refrain from physical retaliation, and to remain calm and good-natured.

Really? Did that work when you were a kid? We may have said this rhyme to others but did we truly believe it? Saying this rhyme to someone calling us names may have made us feel a little better… for the moment…but the reality was that names did hurt…and may still hurt!

I would have to say that I disagree with this rhyme…I wish names would never hurt me! And plus, coming from a background in anatomy and understanding bone injuries, bones heal…hurtful words may or may not! Not only can words hurt, they can be damaging…even for a lifetime!

Were you called names as a child? Were negative words spoken to you as a child? How did you respond?

Maybe you were the name caller…

When I was in high school, I had a real pretty friend who was a ballet dancer. She loved dancing and had begun at a young age. At this young age, she was also told that she looked fat in her leotard and she needed to watch what she ate. All through high school she battled with anorexia and bulimia. There were times she looked so thin that I was afraid for her health…and really her life.

Having studied and worked with many female athletes in my previous occupation, I have come to understand the seriousness of eating disorders and the serious health conditions that can develop from this disease…including death.

The words that we speak to one another are so important to consider…not just as a child growing up …but also as adults and throughout our entire lifetime. Spoken words can bring either life or death…literally! And we can see the effects of the modern day example of this in the rise in childhood bullying that has become even more prevalent through our social media.

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 NIV

Whether we are speaking to our husbands, children, friends, family members, co-workers and even strangers, our words are so important!

Statistics say that the average person spends one-fifth of his/her life talking. If all of our words were put into print, the result? … A single day’s words would fill a 50 page book, while in a year’s time, the average person’s words would fill 132 books of 200 pages each!

That’s crazy! And you and I know perfectly well, that as women we are not the average person when it comes to chatting! Among all those words, we are bound to speak some words in anger, carelessness, and haste!

As Christians, getting our tongues under control is a very important task and one of the most difficult to master. Whether we gossip (and let’s be real and not hind behind our Christian umbrella…we do gossip!), speak reckless and careless words, speak lies and even flattery…God wants us to control our tongues!

Gossip A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much. Proverbs 20:19 NIV

Recklessness The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18 NIV

Carelessness   I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matt 12:36-37 ESV

Lies There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue… Proverbs 6:16-17 NIV

Flattery Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue. Proverbs 28:23 NIV

As we can see, all the scriptures above are from the book of Proverbs. I just love the book of Proverbs! The purpose of this book is to help us apply divine wisdom to daily life and to provide moral instruction.

The bible speaks about our tongues also in James 3:3-12. I thought The Message translation stated these scriptures in an interesting way.

^3-5 A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!

^5-6 It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

^7-10 This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth!

^10-12 My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?

So how can we “tame” our tongues?  The word tame is defined “to make docile or submissive, to conquer or bring under control, to subdue”

How can we bring our tongues under control?

1)      Realize that we are accountable to God for our words.

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37 ESV

2)      Fill our hearts with God’s word

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14 NLT

…For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. Matthew 12:34-35 NLT

3)      Listen before you speak.

Have you ever already decided your response to someone before they have finished talking? (My husband would say I totally do this…and he is right!) If we would listen before speaking, we would be more careful with our responses and words.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry… James 1:19 NIV

 4)      T.H.I.N.K before you speak.

If we would just think before we speak, we would speak words of grace and life! I have learned to try and pause for a moment before responding to help me from being careless with my words…especially in situations where I feel anger rising up in me or my emotions are high.

            T– Is it True?

            H– Is it Helpful?

            I-Is it Inspiring?

            N– Is it Necessary?

            K– Is it Kind?

 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6 NASB

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.    Proverbs 18:21 NIV

When we realize the long term negative effects of the careless or hurtful words we speak, we can see why God is clear about holding us accountable for our words. It certainly isn’t easy for some us to tame our tongues, but God wouldn’t expect something from us without equipping us and giving us the power the strength to succeed. And on top of that, His power is made perfect in our weakness! (2 Corinthians 12:9) Along with our reliance on God, it may take a willing and conscious effort on our part…but it is possible for us to tame our tongues!

Reflection Points:

1)      Were hurtful or negative words spoken to you as a child? Are you still carrying the hurt as an adult?

2)      Do you believe your overall speech…words to others are positive and encouraging or more negative and discouraging on a daily basis?

3)      Do you need to work on your words with specific people in your life? ie. husband, children, family members…

4)      How can you begin to “tame” your tongue with these people?

Action Points:

1)      Realize the importance of the words we speak. Understand what the bible says about taming our tongues. Look over the scriptures that discuss gossip, recklessness, carelessness, lies, and flattery when it comes to our spoken words.

2)      Begin to follow the steps outlined above to help you speak words of life vs. words of death.

3)      Pause and T.H.I.N.K before you speak. This will help you from speaking out of anger or high emotions.

If any of you are like me, I am a “To Do” list kind of girl! I love making “To Do” lists to help me remember everything I need to do and get done for the day. And I love the feeling of accomplishment when I get to cross things off my list! I know some of you may think I have some issues…and I will be the first to say I do! …just like everybody else.

With life so busy though, it can be challenging trying to remember that my son needs to bring a “Show and Tell” item that begins with the letter G…or that I need to send out invites for my other son’s birthday party…or what time flag football practice is that day…or what items I need to buy from the grocery store to make dinner for that evening! And that’s not even my work “To Do” list!

In my experience of making these daily lists, I have come to realize a few things about “To Do” lists…

1)      They aren’t necessarily prioritized.

2)      They don’t always get done.

3)      They can get lost…and then back to using your memory.

4)      They can grow throughout the day as unanticipated things find their way on the list.

For some of us, with the great intention and desire to spend time with God, we have added God to our “To Do” lists as well.

Do you put God on your “To Do” list? …Do you put God on your list with the hope of getting in some time with Him either in the morning or another part of your day?

For those of you who aren’t “To Do” list ladies… First of all, you are truly awesome to get done what you need to do each day…I admire you although I may not comprehend how you do it without a “To Do” list…but stay with me here! …I believe you will still relate to this blog!

The problem with putting God on our “To Do” list is that since the list isn’t necessarily prioritized, our time with God doesn’t become a priority. Or even if He is a priority, something else may all of sudden require immediate attention and kicks God out as a priority…pushing Him further down the list.

In the book called “Freedom from Tyranny of the Urgent,” (an expansion of his classic book called “The Tyranny of the Urgent”), Charles Hummel explains how the urgent things tend to take priority over the most important things in life and discusses efficient vs. effective prioritizing. What may seem urgent…like answering an email or a text message…may not be important. (Something I personally need to keep reminding myself this when my children want me to play with them and I am busy texting a friend!)

God should not be on our “To Do’ lists…He is the “To Do” list. He is the very reason we have been given the responsibilities on our list. He isn’t an item to just check off and say… “Ok I am done spending time with God today!”

He is part of our entire day…He infiltrates every decision we make…He reminds us of patience when the person at the checkout counter is buying their groceries with a bag of change…He restrains us when someone cuts us off while driving and everything in us wants to shout some absurdity back… He reminds us…me!… to stay calm when we are in a rush running out the door and our child spills all his crackers on the floor and has proceeded to take off the shoes you just put on him!

We make “To Do” lists to make sure we remember the things we need to do… but some things are more important than others…some items take priority over others.

I believe the following passage in Malachi 1:6-11 has very interesting parallel to spending time with God and our daily “To Do” lists.

6“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

“It is you priests who show contempt for my name.

“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’

7“By offering defiled food on my altar.

“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’

“By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. 8When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.

9“Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty.

10“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.

In the Old Testament in Leviticus 1:3, God’s law required that only perfect animals be offered to God. But the priests in this passage were allowing the people to offer blind, crippled, and diseased animals to God. So God accused them of dishonoring Him by offering imperfect sacrifices…this greatly displeased Him.

So what does this mean for us today? We clearly do not offer God animal sacrifices today. The blood of sacrificed animals only covered sin in the Old Testament…it did not remove it. These animal sacrifices were necessary until the final and perfect sacrifice was made…Jesus. Jesus came to offer Himself once and for all for all the sins of mankind. Animal blood no longer needs to be shed, because the blood of Jesus has been shed. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His blood cleanses us.

The New Testament says that our lives should be living sacrifices to God.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship. Rom 12:1NIV

So here is my challenge to you…to me…If we are to give God only our leftover time and energy, aren’t we displeasing God just as these worshipers who didn’t want to bring anything valuable to God?

Our time is valuable and it’s important for us to protect it so that we can focus on the important…not just the urgent. Time is the one thing we can never change or take back once it’s gone. What we give God reflects our true attitude toward Him.

Whether God makes your “To Do” list or not…whether you even make a “To Do” list…is He getting what He is worthy of? Is He getting the honor due His name? …Or Is He getting your leftovers? Is He getting your leftovers in time and energy?

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 NIV

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 11:18-19 NIV

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. Psalm 1:1-3 NIV

My prayer and desire for you..and for me…is to make sure we are making God a priority in our life before the busyness takes over…before we become distracted by “urgent” things…before we get pulled in so many directions to fill the needs of everyone around us and then we find ourselves tired, wiped out, and unable to give Him the quality time He deserves.

God, who created you and me…the creator of the universe…the creator of time…the God who brings the sun up each day…Doesn’t He deserve the very best?

Reflection Points:

1)      Do you make “To Do” lists to remember what you need to get done each day? If so, do you put spending time with God on your list?

2)      Whether you make a list or not, is it a priority to spend time with God each day?

3)      How do you make spending time with God a priority so that the “urgent” things do not take its place?

Action Points:

1)      Think about the important things in your life and begin prioritizing those things. Your relationship with God is important so much that He asks us to seek Him first in everything we do…everything else will fall into place. (Matt. 6:33)

2)      Christianity is a relationship…not a religion. It is your life. Your trust in Him will grow as you spend quality time with Him…Your intimacy will grow as you spend quality time with Him…Your “To Do” list can wait …so you can spend quality time with Him. He wants to commune with you…He desires to spend time with you. Make Him a priority today…Your first priority.

During our first few years of marriage, my husband Billy and I went through very difficult financial circumstances.

To give you a little background info…I had waited 7 years as a single Christian woman for the Lord to bring me my husband. I had always dreamed and prayed for financial security and stability…and I remember thinking, “One day when I get married, I will finally not have to live paycheck to paycheck! My husband will provide for me and take care of me and life is going to be wonderful!” Hmmm…Any single ladies out there ever feel this way?

Since I didn’t know when I was going to be married and being in my 30’s, I purchased my first home. After more years went by…and still no husband … the economy was booming, so I decided to invest in a new Condo to give me some financial security.

When I met my husband Billy, he did well for himself. He had a fairly new baseball business which was growing and he also did some investing during this thriving real estate market. He owned a home and purchased another for us to move into once we married.

Things were wonderful for about 6 months and then the economy crashed. My husband’s baseball business slowed down due to the decreasing demand for the luxury of paying someone to teach your child baseball…and along with that his side business of investing in real estate became non-existent.

To make a long story short…I was 8 months pregnant with our first child when we lost our home to foreclosure. At the very same time, we also lost the 2^nd home my husband had owned prior to marriage. And then soon after that, we lost both homes that I had owned. We prayed and prayed and prayed and found ourselves losing more and more…I had to sell my car and soon after we filed for bankruptcy. Seriously? Was this really happening to us?

Talk about stress! …Talk about a reality check! …Talk about some major life changes! …Talk about my great credit score plummeting! (I had to get past the point that it was just a number and it didn’t define me) …Talk about a new baby being born in the midst of these financial difficulties!

Where are we to go? What are we going to do?  Lord, why did we have to lose so much? I just don’t understand…

In the passage below, Jesus explains to us not just one of his commands but the most important commandment He wants us to follow.

28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31 NIV

These scriptures are so significant because Jesus is stating the most important commandment for us to follow! He says in verse 30 that the most important commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Not just part of our hearts…not just part of our soul…not just part of our minds…and not just part of our strength! He says…all!

Is that really possible?

This commandment in Mark 12:30 is also expressed in other books of the bible like in Matthew 22:37 and Luke 10:27 of the New Testament and it is actually first seen in the bible in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 6:5.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV

So check this out! …If you read through these scriptures too quickly, you will think they are all identical. But what is so interesting to note here is the first 3 books of the New Testament Matthew, Mark, and Luke (sometimes referred to as the Synoptic Gospels because of their similarities in structure, content and wording) add one way which we are to love God that is not mentioned in Deuteronomy 6:5.

Looking at all these scriptures, we can see that Jesus inserts the word “mind”…to love the Lord your God with all your mind! He makes it explicit that our minds are an integral part of loving our God.

So I believe there is significance in Jesus adding that we are to love God with all our mind. Especially as women, we have a great tendency to struggle with our thoughts…to battle with our thoughts…to wrestle with our thoughts! We tend to focus, worry, and become anxious …We have the tendency to become consumed by our problems to the point that it will ruin our day and make us less productive.

How many of you hear me on this? How many of you can relate? I know I can! Our minds are so important because our thoughts affect our actions and behavior.

So just how exactly do we love God with all our mind? Reflecting on the difficult financial situation I experienced above…

How do I love the Lord with all my mind…when I can’t figure out why I am going through this difficult challenge in my life?

How do I love the Lord with all my mind…when I pray and pray and know He has the power to change my circumstances in an instant…and yet He doesn’t?

How do I love the Lord with all my mind…when I feel a huge knot in my stomach everyday making want to throw up from the stress I am facing?

How do I love the Lord with all my mind…when I am tired of fighting and fighting and just flat out don’t feel like it fighting anymore?

These were some of the thoughts and feelings  I experienced when going through this difficult time in my life…

Are you going through a difficult circumstance right now in your life? Even if you aren’t, are you loving God with all your mind?

So how do we love God with all our mind?

1)      It’s a Decision.

Loving God with all our mind is a conscious decision.

We have a choice whether to love God with all our minds or not. We have a choice to trust Him or doubt Him. We have a choice to dwell on our pain, on our weaknesses, on our failures, on our negative circumstances…or we can choose to let these things turn us to God.

By making these choices we are choosing to love God with all our mind. By making these choices we can control what we think about regardless of our feelings. By making these choices we can take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ and consequently we can fill our minds with Godly thoughts.

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ… 2 Cor 10:5NASB

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. Phil 4:8 NIV

2)      It’s Daily.

Loving God with all our mind is daily.

It is renewing our minds every day…not just some days. It is saying “no” to our flesh, and saying “yes” to God. It is a continual renewal of our minds daily.

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. Luke 9:23 NASB

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2NIV

3)      It’s Developed.

Loving God with all our mind is developed.

It is a process of growth and development as you grow in your relationship with God. Your love for Him grows as you get to know Him better. Your love for God grows when you experience and understand His love for you.

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God . Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV

Your desires will begin to align with His desires. As you spend more time praying and reading His word, your faith and trust in Him will grow.

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

So as Christians, we can love the Lord our God with all our mind…Even when we don’t understand…Even when we pray and pray and God doesn’t answer our prayers how we want Him to…Even when we feel stressed and anxious…Even when we are tired of fighting and fighting…(Proverbs 3:5-6 ,Isaiah 55:8, Philippians 4:6-7 , Isaiah 40:31)

Having experienced this difficult financial season our life, Billy and I are so thankful that God not only has given us a 2^nd  chance at being better stewards of our finances but also for giving us so many opportunities to encourage others to continue to love God through their difficult seasons.

Reflection Points:

1)      Are you going through a difficult circumstance in your life right now?

2)      Do you feel that you are loving God with all your mind…every day?

3)      What keeps you from loving God with all your mind?

4)      What can you do to help you to love God with all your mind?

Action Points:

Loving God with all your mind is…a Decision, Daily, and Developed. Check out the scriptures listed above.

I was attending college at UCLA when the Northridge earthquake hit in California in 1994. I lived close to the college campus and approximately 20 minutes from the earthquake’s epicenter in Northridge, a Los Angeles suburb.

I still vividly remember being awoken at 4:30am with a strong shaking. The apartment complex I lived in shook so hard I thought it was about to crumble! My TV and bookcase crashed to the floor and I took cover under the bed and prayed…“Lord Jesus please help me and keep me safe! Please do not let this building come crashing down!”

If you have ever experienced an earthquake, the shaking can seem like it lasts forever! Although this shaking only lasted approximately 20 seconds… the ground acceleration/ motion was one of the highest ever recorded in an urban area in North America causing an estimated $20 billion in damage…making it one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history! The death toll came to a total of 57 people, and there were over 8,700 injured!

Once the phones were finally working again…FYI there were no cell phones back then …I remember getting a hold of my parents who lived not far from the earthquake’s epicenter. They lived on a mountain top that was actually built of rock. My mother said the house shook and shook but no damage was done.

I was so thankful for the safety of my family and friends and to have lived through this strong tremor that claimed the lives of and injured so many…and literally destroyed and leveled parking structures, apartment complexes, houses and businesses.

Do you ever feel that your life is shaking beneath you? What do you do when your life is being shaken?

As Christians, we know that we do not get a hall pass from our lives being shaken…from facing trials…from even facing tragedy.

We can be shaken by tragic events…like losing a spouse, child or loved one suddenly… We can be shaken by an unexpected job loss…We can be shaken by a sudden end in a relationship…like our marriage…We can be shaken by a sudden and unexpected health diagnosis…

In the bible, James doesn’t say if you face trials…but whenever you face trials! In this life, the trials will come…the challenges will come…there will be some shaking…there may be a lot of shaking…So my question to you today is…Are you ready?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2-3 NIV

So how can we be ready when our lives are being shaken? How can we be ready when the trials come unexpectedly like an earthquake in our lives? Is it even possible to be ready and prepared?

Just like the earthquake shook and shook my parents house but didn’t destroy it, we too may face difficult circumstances in life that shake us…shake the very core of our being!

Will you crumble…will you be destroyed…will you lose hope…will you give up?

Why didn’t my parent’s house crumble during the earthquake when many other structures were destroyed? …The answer? …Because it’s foundation was built on rock.

As Christians, we too can face life’s tragedies and earthquakes without crumbling when our spiritual foundation is built on rock…the solid rock of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Do you have a strong biblical foundation?

Jesus teaches us about building a strong solid foundation in Matthew 7:24-27.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matt 7:24-27 NIV

A foundation is defined as…

1. the basis or groundwork of anything

2. the natural or prepared ground or base on which some structure rests

3. the lowest division of a building, wall, or the like, usually of masonry and partly or wholly below the surface of the ground

Being shaken by tragedy or difficult trials is by no means easy….even God never said it will be easy… but hopefully we won’t crumble, lose hope, lose faith, or give up. Why? Because we have prepared and built a strong biblical foundation upon the rock of Jesus Christ.

So what does it mean to build a strong biblical foundation?

I would like to share from my own experiences what I feel is important in building a strong biblical foundation.

1)      Find a church. Find a church family so that you can not only grow in your relationship with Jesus but also help others grow too by building friendships and relationships. Find a church family where you can serve others and help the church body by volunteering in a department that interests you. God doesn’t want us to be a “Lone Ranger” Christian. He wants us to be part of a family to be encouraged so we can encourage and serve others. (Acts 2:41, 42, 46) Jesus is our model and He came to serve…not to be served!(Mark 10:45)

2)      Accountability. Develop relationships with other women that you can trust. Develop friendships with other women who can pray for you, support you, and that you can be transparent and honest with. Accountability requires you to be able to open your life up…the good, the bad, and the ugly…so you can be taught, corrected, trained…sometimes rebuked through the word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16, Titus 2:3) You can only be held accountable to what you share with those you trust!

3)      Daily time with God…in prayer and reading/meditating on God’s word. This is the best way to get to know Jesus intimately. He desires to spend time with you and you should desire the same. Just as with any friendship, the more time you spend with one another the more you will grow in intimacy and trust. Do not ignore spending this daily time to know your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! (James 4:8)

4)      Understanding Foundational Christian Principles. Building a strong biblical foundation requires an understanding of such principles that may include but are not limited to sin, salvation, lordship, obedience, repentance, baptism, faith and the Holy Spirit. (Hebrews 6:1)

This concept of understanding foundational Christian principles truly changed my life. Years ago, I went through a discipleship book one on one with another woman called “The Purple Book” by Rice Broocks and Steve Murrell. It changed my life! Not only did my understanding of these principles develop but I also developed that accountability relationship in the process. My relationship with Christ went to whole other level and consequently it allowed me to go through this book with many other women as well…helping them build strong biblical foundations as well!

If you attend my church, I have “The Purple Book” available in my office. You can also purchase them online through Amazon, Christianbook.com, and Walmart.

Building a strong biblical foundation provides stability, faith, hope, encouragement and accountability in our lives. When the trials come, when the storms come, when your life is shaken…Can you still stand? …Can you still trust God? …Or will you fall…away from God? …Will you crumble? …Will you be destroyed?

I am sure that many of the building structures that were destroyed in the Northridge earthquake appeared to have strong foundations…until they were shook.

The emphasis isn’t on what is shaking us…but how will we respond to the shaking. The emphasis isn’t on what is rocking us…but the rock we are standing on!

Why wait until you are shaken to see if you will stand? Begin building a strong foundation today.

Build your foundation on the solid rock of Jesus Christ! You can’t get any stronger or any more solid than that!

Building a strong biblical foundation changed my life…and I know it will change yours too!

Reflection Points:

1)      Do you ever feel that your life is shaking beneath you? What do you do when your life is being shaken?

2)      So how can we be ready when our lives are being shaken? How can we be ready when the trials come unexpectedly like an earthquake in our lives?

3)      Do you have a strong biblical foundation?

 Action Points:

See the steps outlined above in building a strong biblical foundation in your life.

Life is full of challenges, isn’t it?

The word “challenge” is defined as “a stimulating and demanding situation; difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it; a call to fight, as a battle, duel, etc.”

Looking at these definitions, I am sure we can all say we have had…and continue to have challenges in our lives! Even as Christians, we are not immune to facing challenges in life. God never said that as Christians, we would never face difficult circumstances while we are living here on this earth!

What challenges are you facing right now?

When I reflect on my own life, I can recall the many challenges that I have overcome in the past…and the ones I am currently facing.

Yes, growing up and going to school had its challenges…Attending college and grad school had its challenges…Working in a male dominated field with professional athletes had its challenges…Life as a single woman going in and out of relationships with its many hurts and disappointments had its challenges…

Life as a single Christian woman for 7 years before the Lord brought me my husband had its challenges…Getting married especially when you want fine china and your soon to be husband is fine with paper plates at your wedding had its challenges!

Facing life’s difficult circumstances, for example, when my mother passed away approximately 4 years ago had its challenges…Marriage of course has its challenges…Balancing life with work and my family has its challenges…

But the greatest challenge I have personally faced and still face is being a mother to my 2 little boys! Being called to be a mother is certainly an honor and a privilege, but is full of challenges as well!

As great a reward and blessing my children certainly are…No other call on my life has shaken the core of my very being! I have wondered at times what the Lord was thinking! Does He really think I could handle this? Does He really think I am equipped to be a mother? Does He really think I could raise up, nurture, and care for 2 little boys? And not just raise them up but raise them up with Christian morals and principles and with a God fearing love that would hopefully grow as they matured into adulthood?

What is God calling you to do today? Do you feel challenged by this call? Do you feel unequipped…inadequate… just not good enough to carry out God’s call on your life?

Maybe you too are called to mother children and the Lord has given you a special needs child and the task seems so overwhelming at times that you are ready to just give up…

Maybe you are called to be a single mom in this season of life and the demands to provide and care for yourself and your children are unbearably great…

Maybe you are called to move to a new place and fear of the unknown makes you hesitant to take the necessary steps to move forward…

Maybe you are called to a new occupational field and you aren’t sure that you have the ability and skills to fulfill your new role…

Maybe you are called to weather some storms in your life and there are days that it is raining so hard you just wish you could hold up an umbrella and not have to get wet!

Maybe you are a new believer in our Lord Jesus Christ and your past mistakes and failures cast doubt that you can actually be the woman God is calling you to be.

We may feel that we aren’t good enough to accomplish what God is calling us to do….We may feel inadequate…We may feel like we don’t have the skills or ability….We may feel like we aren’t strong enough…We may feel that we are the wrong person for the job….We may feel that God made a mistake when He chose us…We may feel afraid to accomplish what God is calling us to do.

Do you ever feel this way? Do you really think that God can’t use you or accomplish His purposes through you because of your feelings of inadequacy?

Do you know that “God doesn’t call the equipped…but He equips the called?” There is so much truth to this saying.

God isn’t looking for perfect people…He is looking for people to show His perfection through.

God isn’t looking for your ability…He is looking for your availability to be used by Him.

God isn’t looking for people who have it all together…He is looking for people that He can hold together and accomplish His purposes through.

He purposefully calls you when you aren’t equipped, so you may depend upon Him, rely upon Him and trust in Him for His guidance…His strength…His power… to accomplish what He is calling you to accomplish!

He equips you in order to empower you in order to enable you to accomplish the things that He is calling you to do…for His glory!

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21

Equip, Empower, and Enable are words that can be interchangeable at times …but check out these definitions and see them through this progression…

Equip– to make ready, to prepare

Empower– to give power or authority

Enable– to make possible

When God prepares you and makes you ready (equips) to handle a call on your life, he will also give you power and authority (empowers) which in turn makes it possible (enables) to face the challenges associated with the call!

The bible is full of individuals that God called, equipped, empowered, and enabled to accomplish tasks to glorify Him…despite their inadequacies and failures!

Jeremiah is one such individual who felt inadequate to accomplish God’s call on his life. God appointed and called Jeremiah as a prophet to the nations. A prophet was a person through whom God spoke directly to His people. When God called Jeremiah to be His spokesman to the world, Jeremiah felt too young and inexperienced… He pretty much felt inadequate! Hear Jeremiah’s feelings and the Lord’s response to him in this passage…

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

 6“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

 7But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

 9Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”Jeremiah 5-10 NIV

Jeremiah was equipped by God’s words of assurance and protection. (vs. 5, 8)

Jeremiah was empowered by God touching his mouth and giving him the words to speak.(vs.7,9)

Jeremiah was thus enabled by God to bring God’s message to the nations. (vs. 10) He even endured attempts on his life as his preaching was not very popular or accepted by the people.

Just like Jeremiah, God equips us by His word (the bible)…God empowers us by His power (the Holy Spirit)…and enables us by faith (in Him) to accomplish whatever He is calling us to do!

Even though I often feel inadequate with my calling as a mother, I am thankful that God has equipped, empowered, and enabled me to push through and ahead despite my challenges…to not only accomplish His plans and a purposes but to ultimately glorify His name!

My prayer to you today is…that you too realize that “God doesn’t call the equipped…but He equips the called.” …that He will give you everything you need to push through the challenges you face to do what He is calling you to do…that He didn’t make a mistake…that His call in your life goes beyond you…and that ultimately His name will be glorified!

Reflection Points:

1)      What challenges are you facing today?

2)      What is God calling you to do today?

3)      Do you feel inadequate to accomplish what He is calling you to do?

Action Points:

1)      If you don’t feel equipped…Pray that God will equip you to accomplish whatever He is calling you to do. He doesn’t call you to something and just abandon you to figure it out on your own!

2)      God equips us by His word. We need to make sure we are reading what He says so that we will feel encouraged to face what He is calling us to do.

3)      By reading God’s word, we will feel empowered by the Holy Spirit.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2Cor 12:9 NIV

4)      By faith and trust in Him, we will be enabled to get through our challenges and accomplish what He is calling us to do.

He makes me lie down in green pastures… Psalm 23:2 NIV

Is your life as crazy busy as mine? There never seems to be enough hours in a day to get everything I need …or want …to get done! From being a wife and mommy to working a full-time job to making meals, cleaning floors, and doing laundry…and with 2 little boys? …loads of laundry I may add! …It just doesn’t all get done.

Life can certainly be far from restful! With handling all the details of everyday life to facing unexpected curve balls like the challenges and difficult circumstance that may be thrown our way …who has time to rest for goodness sakes!

Sometimes when I feel like saying… “Lord, 24 hours in a day is just not enough!” …I have to  remind myself of the One who created time!

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matt 6:27 NIV

Some of you are probably thinking… “Girl you need to calm down and just rest for a minute!” But I know there are some of you out there that can relate to the busyness of life…the prioritizing of daily tasks to meet deadlines and keeping your family and house together. And yes, there unfortunately is a lack of rest!

I began to reflect on my busy life when several weeks ago, my pastor referred to Psalm 23 in his Sunday sermon. I just absolutely love this psalm!!! Seeing this passage up on the overhead brought back childhood memories of learning and memorizing these scriptures word for word…and way back then it was in the King James Version! I am sharing the English Standard Version below which is very similar…minus all the “thou” and “thou arts.” If you aren’t familiar with Psalm 23, please check it out!

1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Don’t you just love this passage! Psalm 23 is busting at the seams with many incredible promises that God has for us! Don’t just take my word…read through these scriptures and see all these promises for yourself! …Promises of care, provision, rest, peace, healing, guidance, His presence, comfort, friendship, protection, hope and our eternal home.

Now I am getting really excited! I hope you are too! I just absolutely love God’s word!

Ok…So as my pastor was preaching, a particular verse caught my attention causing me to reflect on my busy life…Psalm 23:2.

He makes me lie down in green pastures… Psalm 23:2 ESV

You may be thinking… Well what is so profound about this verse? It just sounds like David is talking about rest…lying down and resting in lush green grass…maybe under a tree with the sun shining, a cool breeze, and some peace and quiet. Yes, rest is certainly a major part of it but there is much more God wants us to grasp from this very brief scripture!

David wrote Psalm 23 out of his own experience as a shepherd caring for sheep while he was a young boy. There are numerous parallels that can be made in Psalm 23 between David shepherding his sheep and the Lord shepherding His sheep…meaning us. Just as sheep have a great dependence on their shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection so we too must depend on our Great Shepherd Jesus Christ for provision, guidance and protection.

In order to grasp a greater perspective, I want to break down Psalm 23:2 with you!

He makes me lie down…

What is so significant about the beginning of this scripture? Well, David says that God makes him lie down. Clearly God has a reason to make David lie down and it isn’t a mere suggestion!

As a shepherd boy, David was quite busy! …Yes, kind of like you and kind of like me! Caring for sheep is an around the clock job for a shepherd to ensure that the sheep are protected, cared for, and fed. God surely knows the time commitment of a shepherd …yet He still makes David lie down! It’s as if David is saying… “God knows that I need to stop for awhile and rest, and He also knows that I won’t just do it on my own, so He makes me stop and rest!”

God also knows our time commitments as well…. So wouldn’t you think that He wants us to stop, lie down, and rest too?

Interestingly, we can also see that David doesn’t say “He made me lie down” like it’s a one-time thing. “He makes me lie down” implies that it didn’t happen once, but that it happened before and will happen again.

This is an interesting parallel to sheep because just as our Great Shepherd makes us lie down, a shepherd like David must also make his sheep lie down. FYI…Sheep do not just lie down.

Why? …Because of fear. There is a lot of tension and uneasiness in a flock of sheep. Oftentimes there is friction, rivalry, competition, and an ever present fear of the unknown among the sheep.

Sheep that are afraid will not lie down and get the rest that they need…therefore sheep need their shepherd’s presence to ease their fears and make them lie down.

This is so relevant for us today because so many times we too won’t “lie down” due to fear and the busyness of our lives…we too won’t rest for fear of not getting all we need to get done…fear of not meeting our deadlines…fear of not measuring up as a wife, mother, or business woman. And thus, this fear keeps us moving, keeps us busy, and keeps us from the very things God is wanting us to do…which is rest. But check this out! …God doesn’t want us to just rest in this scripture…

…In green pastures

There is an important reason why the Lord makes us lie down…not just anywhere… but in green pastures. There is an important reason why the Lord guides us to rest specifically in a place of green pastures…Because the green pastures are where the sheep feed…the green pastures are where we must feed too!

Green pastures are further described in one commentary…

The Hebrew word rendered “pastures” means usually “dwellings,” or “habitations.” It is applied here properly to “pastures,” as places where flocks and herds lie down for repose. The idea is that of calmness and repose, as suggested by the image of flocks “lying down on the grass.” But this is not the only idea. It is that of flocks that lie down on the grass “fully fed” or “satisfied,” their wants being completely supplied.

It is not merely a flock enjoying repose; it is a flock whose wants are supplied, lying down in the midst of abundance. Applied to the psalmist himself, or to the people of God generally, the idea is, that the wants of the soul are met and satisfied, and that, in the full enjoyment of this, there is the conviction of abundance – the repose of the soul at present satisfied, and feeling that in such abundance want will always be unknown. Barnes Notes Commentary

Our Great Shepherd is making us lie down not only to rest but so that we may feed… feed on green pastures…feed on His word! Why? So we can experience ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction!

Are your days so full that you aren’t fully feeding on God’s word? Are you so busy that you don’t make the time to read the bible? Clearly, this is a priority for God…so much that He makes us lie down in green pastures!

By lying down in green pastures, we too will experience the same sense of rejuvenation, the same revival in our spirits, the same deep satisfaction that literal sheep enjoy when resting in the presence of a faithful shepherd and feeding upon the green pastures.

Now, I know it isn’t easy in our crazy busy lives to read God’s word on a daily basis…but this should be our goal. I am not talking about being legalistic about it…If you miss a day, move on and make a greater effort to feed on His word the next day!

You will experience the rest, rejuvenation, and revival in your spirit that will guide you and encourage you in your busy days. You will experience the deep satisfaction in your soul that nothing in this world…only God’s Word… can provide.

Reflection Points:

1)      Is your life so busy that you have no time to rest?

2)      Do you ever feel that God makes you lie down so you can find rest?

3)      What changes can you make in your priorities to ensure that you have time to not only rest but to also read God’s word?

 Action Points:

1)      Begin to make some changes in your daily schedule to ensure a time of rest with God. Matt. 6:33

2)      Pray that the Lord would help you make the time to spend with Him.

3)      Set time aside each day to read God’s word. It can be 5 minutes a day! You will see that your hunger and desire to feed on God’s word will grow and soon you will be spending more time with Him!

4)      If you aren’t sure where to begin, read a verse or passage in Psalms or Proverbs. You can also begin reading one of the Gospels in the New Testament…Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

5)      Grab a devotional to assist you in getting into God’s Word. There are so many good ones out there! One is “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. I have also provided 2 links in the right margin of this blog that will email you daily devotions.

I remember growing up in the 80’s when the athletic shoe company Nike came up with their marketing slogan “Just Do It.” The trademark slogan was coined in 1988 at an agency meeting and who knew it would become so popular!

This slogan became an inspirational marketing tool giving people a sense of empowerment and encouragement like…

“Just do it. Try no matter what, even if it means failing.” …or “No excuses. Just get up and make it happen.”

“Just Do It” sure sounds so simple…but why is it so hard?

Because life is full of challenges… and with these challenges, we can experience various thoughts and emotions that hold us back from pushing through them and consequently moving forward to accomplish the things that God may be calling us to do.

Maybe we are facing challenges in our finances, relationships or health….maybe we struggle with fears, emotional pain, past disappointments, or discouragement…maybe we face personal challenges with self-esteem, self-doubt, or feelings of inadequacy.

So how do we face life’s challenges with the many thoughts and emotions that may stem from these challenges?

There are many biblical examples of people who also faced life’s challenges. Just how did they face these challenges? The answer: They were “Just Doing It…”

They didn’t “Just Do It” period….as the Nike slogan implies. They were “Just Doing It”…

Doing it…afraid.

Doing it …weak.

Doing it… inadequate.

Doing it… hurt emotionally.

Doing it …hurt physically.

Doing it…discouraged.

Doing it…alone.

Doing it…not feeling good enough.

Doing it…with lack of understanding

Doing it…when they didn’t want to.

Doing it…when it wasn’t popular.

“Doing” implies that the action was happening at that moment…at the very moment they were experiencing these thoughts and emotions. They were just doing it…

You may be asking “Doing what?”…What did all these people in the bible do while experiencing these thoughts and emotions?

They were continuing to trust God! …They were continuing to lean on God! …They were continuing to believe God as they took steps forward in and through their life’s challenges…even while they experienced these various thoughts and emotions.

Now, I am not saying it was easy “just doing it”…Actually, I would venture to say it was extremely hard, no doubt!

But, no matter what … they continued to have faith!

Their faith moved them to action…and consequently they were “just doing it” despite their mind (what they thought)…despite their emotions (how they felt)… despite their will (what they really wanted to do)!

Even if your faith today is small in the midst of your challenge…as small as a mustard seed …

Side Note: Did you know a mustard seed is one of the smallest of all seeds and the bible says that you can do great things even when you have mustard seed faith? (see Matt 17:20)

So even if your faith is small…Guess what?!…It is connected to a BIG God…a BIG God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you can think, feel, or imagine!

I love this faith scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:7 which says…

For we live by faith, not by sight. NIV

Not only did these individuals in the bible “live by faith, not by sight” but they also lived by faith, not by their thoughts, not by their feelings, not by their circumstances, not by their challenges.

They were pushing through… how they thought, whether it made sense or didn’t make sense…how they felt, emotionally or physically … and what they really wanted to do or not do…pushing through and “just doing it!”

What challenges are you facing in your life today?

What is God asking you to do? What circumstance is God asking you to push through?

What is holding you back from “just doing it”?

Are you afraid?

God told Abram to leave his home, his family and everything that was familiar and comfortable and to head out to an unknown destination. Seriously? Wouldn’t you be afraid? I know I would and not something I would embrace, that’s for sure!!

Well, this is precisely the challenge Abram faced…and it frightened him. But God’s words to him were, “Do not be afraid.”

After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Genesis 15:1 NIV

God blessed Abraham and made him the father of many nations as a result of Abraham doing it …afraid!

Do you feel weak?

God called Gideon to be Israel’s deliverer by defeating the Midianite army. When Gideon was first called, he felt weak, insignificant, and not qualified.

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” Judges 6:15 NLT

Gideon was focused on his circumstances and his limitations, but God was focused on what He could do through Gideon. Gideon felt weak but He relied on God’s strength in the midst of his weakness…and eventually defeated the 135,000 soldiers of the Midianite army with only 300 men. God gave him the victory as a result of Gideon doing it… weak!

Do you feel inadequate?

God called Moses to rescue the Israelites from the Egyptians and bring them into the Promised Land.  Moses made excuses because he felt inadequate.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11 NIV

When God asked Moses to go to Pharaoh, we see again Moses’ feelings of inadequacy because he had a speech impairment.

But Moses pleaded with the LORD, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Exodus 4:10 NLT

Although Moses never entered the Promised Land himself, God did guide him as he led the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt…and it was a result of Moses doing it…while feeling inadequate!

These are just a few examples … So who else was “just doing it’? These individuals below…you can check their challenges out in greater depth for yourself!

Mary Jesus’ mother was “just doing it”…when it hurt emotionally. Oh my goodness! I can’t imagine the hurt she experienced watching her son die on the cross! It brings tears to my eyes!

Paul was “just doing it”… when it hurt physically. (The bible states that Paul had a “thorn” in his flesh which some commentaries believe was Paul suffering from physical pain.).

Joshua was ‘just doing it”…discouraged.

Elijah was “just doing it”…alone.

Leah was “just doing it”…when she didn’t feel good enough.

Job was “just doing it”… with lack of understanding.

Jonah was “just doing it” (eventually)…when he didn’t want to.

Noah was “just doing it”…when it wasn’t popular.

These individuals in the bible were not perfect…they were far from it! They were people just like you and me. They were people with feelings and thoughts that could have easily stopped them from moving through their challenges and receiving the blessings that God had for them.

My point is that we are going to have feelings and thoughts that stem from our difficult circumstances but we can still push through while we are experiencing them.

It certainly isn’t easy…but we don’t need to wait until we aren’t afraid, we aren’t weak, or we don’t feel inadequate to push through and trust that God will see us through! God will not only meet us exactly where we are at in our challenges but He will also go ahead of us and pull us through as we are pushing through! He will help us move forward to accomplish the things we are called to do.

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

These individuals in the bible and many others received great blessings and accomplished great things because they were “just doing it!”  If God did it for them, he certainly will do it for you!

Reflection Points:

1)      What challenges are you facing in your life today? What thoughts and feelings do they produce?

2)      What is God asking you to do today? What circumstance is God asking you to push through today?

3)      Are these challenges holding you back from “just doing it” and moving forward?

Action Points:

1)      Pray for God’s strength to help you move forward despite your thoughts and emotions that are holding you back.

2)      Surrender your mind, emotions, and will to God and lean on Him to push through your challenges.

3)      Review the individuals in the bible listed above who were “just doing it” while they experienced various thoughts and emotions.  This will encourage you!

4)      Read God’s word and fill yourself with faith scriptures.

5)      Know that God wants you to move forward and ahead of your challenges to accomplish great things for Him and others. He will pull you through as you push through!

The state of Arizona has some very beautiful hikes. One of my particular favorites is hiking Camelback Mountain. Camelback Mountain has an elevation of 2704 feet and isn’t considered very long in distance…approximately 2.3 miles to the top.

The first time I hiked Camelback, I remember having to stop several times to catch my breath. What makes this hike more challenging than others is not necessarily the distance to the top but the fact that it is rather steep and not gradual like other nearby hikes. There are certain places that you actually have to put your hands down on the rock to climb and the city has even tried to help hikers by adding a pole to help you get up.

The one thing I vividly remember on my first hike up Camelback Mountain was looking ahead and up to see how close I was getting to the top. Being my first time, I didn’t know where the top was or have any markers in my head to know how far I had hiked. It was actually deceiving because after hiking for awhile I would look up and think I was near the top, but then as I continued to climb I realized I wasn’t!

When I finally reached the very top, the sweat, strain, and muscle fatigue quickly diminished in awe of what I saw. The mountain top view was absolutely breathtaking! I was amazed that I could stand and turn 360 degrees and literally see the entire Phoenix valley. A sense of peace and calmness overcame me as I took it all in. I actually felt closer to God and his presence. Funny how you feel closer to God at the top of a mountain when really God is with you always everywhere you go!

I began to thank God and greatly appreciated the beauty of His creation that I saw all around me… from the blue skies to the panoramic view of other mountains in the distance to the sun just beginning to go down. Absolutely breathtaking!

As I experienced all this at the mountain top, I didn’t want to leave. I was in such a place of victory, accomplishment and peace and I wanted the mountain top view experience to last as long as possible. But unfortunately, I was not able to stay too long as I needed to head back before the sun went completely down.

The mountain top views I experienced on my hike can be similar to the mountaintop views in our lives. We will have mountain top view experiences in our lives…it may be the big victories and even the small victories that God allows us to achieve. It may be the breakthroughs we have in our marriage relationships, our finances, our children, our families, and in our personal relationship with Jesus.

What do these mountain top views actually look like?

1)      These mountain top views are seasons in our lives that we stand in awe and amazement of what God has done…what he has pulled us through… just like the awe and amazement of the mountain top views we may experience on a hike. It’s like wow! God just did this for me!

2)      Along, with that awe and amazement is a sense of peace that overcomes you…the peace that comes after you survive a difficult situation, trial, or test in your life. The peace and courage that you can get through anything with God’s power and strength.

“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13NIV

3)      And finally, there is thankfulness and great appreciation for your victory with Christ after you may have battled in your situation for a long time.

But what about during the difficult situations, circumstances, trials, and tests…the valleys…that we face in life?

Walking though the valleys are never easy…and if you notice, I said “through” (meaning there is a beginning …and an end!!!) The valleys of life are hard no doubt. You may be walking through the valley right now.

Are you in a valley in your life right now?

Sometimes when you are in a valley, it’s hard to know when it will end and it can get very discouraging. You may feel lost, alone, and without hope. I can tell you from my own valley experiences that I know it is not easy but it is possible to have mountain top views while walking though the valleys.

You see, it is through these valleys that we grow stronger. It is through these valleys that we allow God to take control because we just can’t do it in our own strength. It is through these valleys that we rely on God and his lead because we may not see the end. It is through these valleys that we grow…closer to God.

Have ever noticed the amount of green vegetation that exists in a valley? There is so much growth and life in a valley…it is full of trees, green grass, bushes, and plants. Even Death Valley reports an abundant growth of vegetation year after year!

It is in the valleys of life that we grow… not on the mountain tops… but our growth depends on the mountain top views that we have as we walk…and sometimes trudge…though our valleys.

Be encouraged and know that we can have mountain top views as we walk through the valleys of life. We don’t want to be stuck in the valleys… we want to walk through it (more like sprint through it!)

How do you keep a mountain top view as you walk though the valleys of life?

1)      Trust God…keep focused on Him and not on your situation. He will bring you peace in the midst of your valley.

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3NIV

2)      Always pray…even when you may not think he hears you! Trust me God hears you!

“I love the Lord, because he has heard [and now hears] my voice and my supplications.” Psalm 116:1 AMP

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you. Psalm 55:22

3)      Give God control…He is your strength when you are weak.

^“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

4)      Be thankful…Gratitude has a way of changing your attitude. It takes your focus off yourself and your situation and on God.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1Thessalonians 5:16 NIV

5)      Remind yourself of your past victories. Remind yourself of your past mountain top view experiences.  Remembering your past victories will remind you of God’s love and goodness and encourage you to keep pushing forward as you walk though your valley.

Hebrews 11 is a great chapter to read to remind you of God’s faithfulness and goodness and what He has done in the past.

6)      Be obedient… God will bless your obedience and faithfulness to him.

“The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.” Psalm 84:11

7)      Be joyful…I know what you are probably thinking…you are crazy! Ok, you may not feel joyful in your valley but the bible says to try and just consider being joyful.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,       because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2-3 NIV

Consider it to be pure joy because you know you will persevere and come out stronger than before.

As you walk though the valleys of life, remember to view them as a mountain top view experience! You will then be filled with awe and reverence for God Almighty, have greater peace, and be thankful that God is doing something greater for you and in you as a result of your valley.

Reflection Points:

1)      Are in a valley in your life right now? Do you feel stuck in your valley and without hope?

2)      Are you focused, steadfast on God in the midst of your valley? Or are you focused on your circumstances?

3)      What changes can you make in order to experience a mountain top view while walking through your difficult life circumstances?

Action Points:

Review the steps outlined above to help you have mountain top views while walking through your valleys.