Known by Name

"You have found grace in My sight,

and I know you by name."

(Exodus 33:17)

Do you ever feel like you are lost in the shuffle of life? That you are just one tiny fragment of society fulfilling your [at times mundane] daily responsibilities as wife, mother, career woman, daughter, friend, or student? Maybe even at times feeling a bit unrecognized or unappreciated?

There is a God who loves and cares for you. Who determined your purpose in this life before you had the slightest glimpse into creation. Before you breathed your first breath. Before you spoke your first word.

That same God has a significant purpose for your life. Right now ... today. And He cares for you today, just the same as He did the first day He thought you up in His holy mind. He desires to watch you thrive in this life, not just survive.

So, the next time you get caught up in feeling as though your life is unrecognizable in this great big sea of humanity, just remember ...

Jesus knows you ...

By name.

The long awaited table cloth

So I finally had my table cloth made for the room I like to call a place of my own.

It turned out so darn cute. Definitely worth the wait!

Wanna see?

Lean in to Listen

"He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being taught."

(Isaiah 50:4b)

I love this Scripture. Want to frame it and place it somewhere in my home.

Are you listening to Him today? Praying you find a few minutes today to open His Word and soak in whatever He desires to teach you. May he speak to your sweet heart as you lean in to listen.

Have a beautiful day, my friend!

Guarded

"The highway of the upright avoids evil;

he who guards his way guards his life."

(Proverbs 16:17)

The evil in this world is so prevalent. Let your guard down for one iota of a second, and the enemy has the cunning ability to snatch your attention, seeking to lead you straight down the path of destruction. We reason and rationalize like little children who want one more piece of chocolate. One time won't hurt. I don't gossip like some people do. Watching this movie won't make me stumble. It's just a fiction book. No one will know. We can't be too extreme or we'll scare non-believers away. We can partake in this activity as long as we witness while we're doing it.

I find it extremely amusing how often we as believers take Scripture - the living, breathing, inherent Word of God - and interpret it to our own standards. Catering to our personal, denominational, cultural, and generational opinions. And I am utterly confused as to why we simply think this is okay.

My mom called me a few weeks ago and told me to turn on Larry King Live. I watched in amazement as a well-known female Christian musician publicly admitted to having been in a relationship with another woman for the past several years. Justifying her actions, she explained that this was her particular path in life and that God was accepting of her lifestyle choices.

Now, before I go any farther I would like to make mention of one thing. I just sat through a sermon on Sunday on love. More specifically: loving our enemies. Using the text of Luke chapter 6, we were encouraged to implement the following teaching of Jesus into our daily lives as believers:

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:27-29, 35-36)

Scripture tells us to love our enemies, not to be partakers with them. Ephesians 5:11 admonishes us to "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness." Scripture also tells us to live as children of the light, finding out what is pleasing to God (Ephesians 5:8-10).

"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:17-24)

For more than one reason in particular, I feel the Spirit compelling me to share this truth this morning. It is absolutely imperative to our witness for Christ, as women of God, to read and interpret Scripture with authority and accuracy. Our own interpretation of Scripture could be detrimental to our witness, if we fog it up with our own fleshly desires and opinions.

A few questions to ask ourselves and pray through when faced with making life decisions and forming opinions:

1. What does the Word of God say about this topic?

2. Does this particular opinion of mine line up in congruency with the Word of God?

3. Am I living my life in the world, or of the world?

4. Do I look different to my unbelieving friends?

5. Am I loving those who do not know Jesus, condemning them, or partaking with them?

Maybe too bold of a word for this early in the morning. But the truth hurts - I know it does for me. The truth that the very enemy of our souls is after us, desiring to deceive us with empty words (Ephesians 5:6), and we have to fight for truth in this world of evil.

"The highway of the upright avoids evil;

he who guards his way guards his life."

(Proverbs 16:17)

Is your life guarded?

A Confident Future

"Be strong and very courageous.

Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you;

Do not turn from it to the right or to the left,

that you may be successful wherever you go.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged,

for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

(Joshua 1:7, 9)

If I struggle with one thing more than others, it is trusting God to fulfill the dreams He has placed within my heart. And how do I know they are from Him, you ask? How do I know they are not just figments of my own imagination, or desires I myself have placed His Name upon in hopes that He will honor them? Well, it's simple. Because never in my wildest dreams would have been able to conjure them up. Because in my flesh, I never wanted anything less.

Take a look at the specificity of God's leading in Joshua's life, here in the first chapter of the book of Joshua:

"Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them - to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses ... No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:2-3, 5)

Joshua knew what it was like to hear the voice of God, didn't he? God Himself is charging Joshua in this Scripture above, to approach the Promised Land with confidence. Charging Joshua to walk in complete assurance of faith that He is with him, by his side, and has no intention of leaving him. Ever.

Do we recognize that same truth in our lives today? How much more confidently would we approach that which God has called us to do, if we truly believed that He was by our side and had no intention of ever leaving us?

Are you taking God at His Word today?

Confidently approaching your future ...

Abundant Life

I had the television on as I was getting ready for work on Saturday morning. A televangelist was presenting [or should I say screaming] his own concoction for spiritual fulfillment and happiness. I left it on because I found it interesting. I am always trying to give people the benefit of the doubt -- "Ok, let's see if this guy speaks any truth ..." Waiting ... Waiting ... Nothing.

Just this. Over and over again.

"Call for your FREE Miracle Spring Water

and Anointed Faith too!"

Not sure what you do with the spring water and still a little confused on how you actually purchase anointed faith, but let me tell you, these folks were passionate about their "products."

This particular televangelist spoke the following comment with such authority that I literally shut my eyes for a few seconds for fear that I was going to have to witness him being struck by a lightning bolt.

"You can't live abundant life without some cash."

I found it interesting that 24 short hours later I was instructed to open my Bible up in church to this passage in Matthew ...

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

(Matthew 5:3)

In the book of Ecclesiastes, the author [many who believe was Solomon] gives us a glimpse into a life of one who had the opportunity to pursue happiness through whichever avenue he chose. The author tried wisdom, pleasure, alcohol, human achievement, hobbies, great riches, and sex.

"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;

I refused my heart no pleasure.

My heart took delight in all my work,

and this was the reward for all my labor."

(Ecclesiastes 2:10)

And yet the conclusion of this very same author was that Only God alone can satisfy. That only He alone can provide abundant life.

"Now all has been heard ;

Here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,

for this is the whole duty of man."

(Ecclesiastes 2:13)

What is that one thing that you believe will satisfy you? The one thing you feel you need or are entitled to? The one thing that you just know will make you happy?

What if I told you that the one thing will never satisfy you the way Jesus will?

Because physical stuff in this world will never satisfy our deepest soul craving. Our inner contentedness can only be fulfilled by Jesus Himself - He has set eternity in our hearts (Ecc. 3:11).

We are not promised riches or wealth. We are not promised comfort or personal gain. We are not promised stature or status or worldly success. But what we are promised, is that we will be satisfied. Abundantly satisfied.

And contrary to your way of thinking, Mr. Preacher Man Televangelist:

Abundant life does not come from cash.

Abundant life comes from the Cross.

[The Bible tells me so.]

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst

for righteousness, for they will be filled."

(Matthew 5:6)

Spared

"O LORD, You have brought me up from the grave;

You have spared me from going down into the pit."

~ Psalm 30:3 ~

Sometimes I catch myself in an all-out fit. You may not know it if you looked at me, but if you saw inside my soul, you would witness a full-fledged battle. Whether I'm struggling with a comment that was made, a relationship that is strained, a sin that has been forgiven, or the stresses of the day-to-day, if I allow that battle to get the best of me, then I might as well call it a day because I am as good as gone. Just go ahead and prop yourself at the edge of the cliff and give me a good ol' wave as you look down into that big pit. Because if I give those thoughts power, that's exactly where I'll be.

I do not think half of us understand the extremely negative association that the pit has. I mean, truthfully ... Are we fully comprehending that the Word of God intends to spare us from going down into the pit? Do we get it? When we find ourselves consumed by an all-out battle of the soul or the mind or the heart, where do we turn? Do we look up - or do we look down? Do we take 2 steps back from the edge of the cliff and run in the opposite direction as fast as we can, or do we allow ourselves to jump in head-first? Alone in the vastness of our own empty pit. Leaving us to wallow in our own emptiness.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

In Jeremiah 38:1-5, Jeremiah is obeying God by speaking a bold word to the people of Jerusalem. The officials overhear his message and do not like it. They take their dispute to the king who tells them Jeremiah is in their hands and they can do with him what they want. So what do they do? They decide to stick him down inside a cistern (also known as a pit) ...

"So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king's son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud." (Jeremiah 38:6)

Thankfully Ebed-Melech, an official in the royal palace, hears what has happened and how the officials have acted wickedly and he too goes to the king.

"Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, 'Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.' " (Jeremiah 38:10)

Ok, back to the original verse at the top. Taking a look at Psalm 30:3, the New American Standard translates this passage the following way: "O Lord, Thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol ... " Sheol: death or grave. The second portion of this verse in the NASB reads: " ... Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." Pit: prison, cistern, dungeon.

I want to point out one very important key element that was written in my Bible commentary: When empty, such cisterns serve as perfect prisons. Are you with me?? When empty, such cisterns (or pits) serve as perfect prisons! When we are in a pit, we are imprisoned to whatever is holding us there. We are imprisoned to that very thing that has caused us to fall into that pit. And when we are imprisoned, how in the world do we think we can be freed up to praise our God?

Do you find it interesting that the pit was so deep that Jeremiah was placed in, that it took 30+ men to pull him out? What about our pits? How deep are they? I guarantee deep enough that only Christ alone can rescue us. Deep enough that His mighty right hand is the only one who can successfully reach down and pull us out.

There is absolutely no profit in the pit. No one is praised and no purpose is found. But there is purpose in the praise of our God. When our souls are freed up to praise the One True God, we are able to live within our purpose. Standing on the opposite side of our pit - Never to fall down inside that lonely cistern again.

Ladies, I'm here to tell you today that the Word of God brings freedom to our souls. Freedom from strongholds and oppression. Jesus Christ has every intention of setting us free. And when we think or act contrary to that truth, it is to our own demise.

So if you find yourself at the edge of that cliff today, take two steps back and run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. Straight into the arms of Jesus. And if you've already jumped in, then call on His Name. Scream it if you have to, for goodness sake. Because He wants to reach His mighty right hand down into that muddy pit, just for you. Take hold of it and allow Him to pull you out.

So that you may be freed up ... To praise Your God.

Because you, dear sister, have been spared.

Hallelujah!

"Do not let the floodgates engulf me

or the depths swallow me up

or the pit close its mouth over me.

Do not hide Your face from Your servant;

Answer me quickly for I am in trouble.

Come near and rescue me; Redeem me ... "

(Psalm 69:15-18)

Committed to Truth

I, along with millions of other viewers, watched Oprah's interview last week with Rielle Hunter, John Edwards' mistress. Without making this a judgment call on one (or two) particular individuals, I want to touch on one paramount statement that stuck out to me during the interview.

Over and over again throughout her interview with Oprah, she referred to the word truth. As I watched, it became very interesting to me that Rielle's definition of truth seemed to be more than just an element or a belief. Truth to Rielle, seemed to be what she was incessantly in pursuit of. What she was willing to bet her own life upon.

In the interview she repeatedly says the following statement, as she justifies her actions: "Being a person who's committed to truth ... "

So, let's just talk about that for a minute. If you or I desire to sell our entire life out to one single definite belief, be utterly committed to one particular way of life, then I hope that we are darn sure of exactly what that belief or way of life means. And if you are on the same page as I am, then we better delve into Scripture and ask the God of Truth to speak a profound word over our lives today. Because if we're not careful, we too will become guilty of selling truth for lies.

Do we really live by ultimate Gospel Truth?

2 Timothy 3:1-5, 7 says the following:

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these ... Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Paying close attention to the section of the passage above that is in bold, we can gather the following: There are people among us who will resemble or appear to be godly, who in reality reject or contradict the intrinsic power of the Gospel. They learn, and they may even understand, but it stops there. They do not become fully acquainted with the truth by implication. They merely hear the truth, but do not apply what is true.

I do not want to be one of those. And yet, time and again, in one way or another, I fall short. Christ is my only hope. Christ Himself ...

"That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with persuasive argument." (Colossians 2:2-4)

In a separate interview with Barbara Walters, Rielle Hunter was quoted saying the following: "I live my life for wisdom ... "

And to that, I say:

"Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:15-17)

So, in a world where lies are disguised for truth and wisdom has become immorally subjective, may we ask ourselves the hard questions:

Am I committed to the Ultimate Truth of the Gospel?

Am I living my life for God's Wisdom?