He refreshes and restores

Whilst having a wee break away from everything earlier this week a friend encouraged me to spend some time reading and meditating on the 23rd Psalm. Verse 2 and the beginning of verse 3 describe exactly what God did for me during that time away .....

"He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. He refreshes and restores my life (my self);" (AMP)

The Message version of verse 3 describes exactly how I felt as I drove away from the Hotel on Wednesday morning ...

"True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction." (The Message)

Whilst I was away, there was the temptation to "veg out" on movies. I am glad I did not succumb to that temptation, but rather spent time reading God's word and worshiping. I wasn't looking for specific answers to anything. I just wanted to taste His presence.  

I was so blessed in that I was able to catch my breath, and receive assurance that I am going in the right direction. I love it how our Heavenly Father so loves us and wants to see us totally refreshed and restored.

The question for today for you (and me), what will you do this week to allow God room to refresh and restore you?

The beachhead trick

If you have ventured on to the page on my blog called "Current Reading Pile", you will be aware that I am currently a book called 'Something More - in search of a deeper faith' by Catherine Marshall.

A few nights ago I read something in this book that has stuck in my mind. It has been particularly relevant at this time as I am considering the impact of modern day technology on our children. Rather than attempt to explain what Catherine has written about, I have taken the liberty of doing a direct quote from pages 149 and 150 ....

"When we understand the factuality of this free will, then we'll be more likely to perceive why it's so dangerous to hand over to Satan any ground in our life on which he can stand. What I have come to call "the beachhead trick" is a favorite of the enemy.
During World War II the term "beachhead" came into popular usage. A beachhead is that first landing on an island or a shore on which the whole battle may depend. Once that toehold on land is secured, it is usually only a matter of time until the rest of the island or country or even empire falls.
Just so - my life, my body, my affairs are as an island empire that the unholy spirit hopes to win en route to his ultimate objective of my eternal soul. To do that, he too must first gain a beachhead in my life. With that toehold, then he can take his time about gaining control of the rest of me and my affairs, yard by yard, decision by decision. But the analogy breaks down at one important point. In war, through physical overpowering, the victor can force his opponent to bend to his will, whereas God has kept from the unholy spirit the ability to force any human being against his will. Either Satan has to be granted permission by God (as in Job's case), or we have to give Satan the beachhead voluntarily, else he can't have it."

This morning I felt I had to repent of giving Satan an opportunity to gain a beachhold in my children's lives via various computer and television programs and ask forgiveness for my naivety.  Due to my tiredness and lack of emotional energy, gradually in our home there has been more of the ungodly television and computer programs, and less of the God media. How subtle Satan can be.

I am grateful for the Holy Spirit bringing this to my attention, and am now gearing up for the challenge of change! Knowing though that God is on my side!  Victory is ours in Jesus name.

A question for today, have you given Satan a beachhead in your life, and if so, what are you going to do about it?

Enslavement to God

This morning when I was doing my devotions I read this scripture from 1 Corinthians 7v18-37...

 

Stay where you were when God called your name. Were you a slave? Slavery is no roadblock to obeying and believing. I don't mean you're stuck and can't leave. If you have a chance at freedom, go ahead and take it. I'm simply trying to point out that under your new Master you're going to experience a marvellous freedom you would never have dreamed of. On the other hand, if you were free when Christ called you, you'll experience a delightful 'enslavement to God' you would never have dreamed of.

 

I remember when I was moving toward the point of making a decision to become a Christian thinking to myself that if I became a Christian I would lose so much freedom. I had the idea that if I became a Christian I would be subject to so many rules and 'don't do's'!

 

However, my experience since becoming a Christian has indeed been the complete opposite to what I thought it would be.

 

Here is what I mean. Prior to becoming a Christian I was enslaved to what other people thought. Both consciously and sub consciously many of my actions were driven by a need of approval from people around me. I was starting to lose the essence of who 'Wendy' was as I melded more and more into the world around me.

 

Since becoming a Christian, under the covering of God's unconditional love and beautiful grace, I have slowly but surely come to understand the unique person that God made me, and learn to love that person. More and more my actions are driven by God and my desire to achieve the purpose He has for my life. Less and less are they driven by the need for approval from family and friends.

 

Thank you Jesus for bringing me to a place where I am experiencing a delightful enslavement to you. Thank you for allowing me to start becoming all that you made me for. I love you.

 

A question for today, who or what are you enslaved to?

 

 

A work in progress

If you are a parent you may have faced the great challenge of what to do with all your children's wonderful artworks! I don't have any solution to that challenge.

 

However our children have bought home a few pieces of art work that I definitely want to keep. This is one such piece. It is hanging in our kitchen.

 

 

I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Psalm 139:16

 

 

I absolutely love it. Every time I look at it, it reminds me that  it's ok that I made that mistake, or did the wrong thing in this situation, because I am a work in progress.

 

Yes, I need to seek forgiveness and ask God to help me to do it better next time, but I don't need to come down hard on myself.  

 

I can rest in the knowledge that God is still working on me and I don't have be perfect. I won't be perfect until I get to heaven. I will have to be content to be a caterpillar cocooned for a long time yet!!!!

 

 

 

Expanding prudently

Last Sunday night a friend asked me if I have some more modern translations of Proverbs 31:10-31, as she only had the King James version available to her.  So I went home and checked out The Message translation, the New Living Translation and The Everyday Life Bible translation.

I hadn't read this passage of scripture for about 12 months. I was keen to see what God was going to 'speak' to me about as I read it. There were a few verses that I definitely felt drawn to, one was verse 16 from The Everyday Life Bible:

 

She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.

It was the amplified portion of the scripture regarding expanding prudently and not courting neglect etc, that spoke directly to my heart. How often had I gotten side-tracked pouring time and energy into something that really wasn't God's plan for me to do? Or more commonly, not God's perfect timing for that activity?

 

The trigger for me knowing that I was entering the territory of 'neglecting of my present duties', was seeing a decline in our children's behaviour. For example, they would become less patient, and more reactionary to unexpected changes to routine.

 

Through the children's behaviour God was graciously reminding me that there was a couple of key purposes for me to fulfil at this time in my life and everything else could wait.

 

Sometimes it would take days, weeks or even months for me to get this message. Often God would use a gracious friend to help me understand what was happening within our home. Praise God for girlfriends!

 

Eventually I would come to a point where I was able to surrender 'my plans', ask for God forgiveness, apologise to my family and seek their forgiveness too. A very humbling time!

 

Slowly, slowly I am learning to give all "my ideas" to God and then wait!  Wait until I get the green light from Him to proceed. I am praying that my wisdom will increase so that I can indeed 'expand prudently'!

 

Why not be bold and ask God if there is an area in your life that perhaps has caused you to neglect your present duties? Open your heart, ready to hear the answer. Ask God to help you get to that place of surrender. It isn't easy, but the rewards are great, and often they are very unexpected rewards.