Tag: faith

faith

The Miracle in the Storm

Emilydvsn

Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. Nehemiah 9:21

I have been reading through my Bible again this year. I’ve done it several times, and every time, the Lord reveals something to me I haven’t noticed before. Part of my reading each day is the Old Testament while the other is in the New. Right now, I’m reading through Numbers. If you’ve never read Numbers, it’s not exactly the most exciting book of the Bible.

But today I could hear God speaking. I could hear him tell me that there are miracles in the storms. If you haven’t studied much about the Israelite people, let me just tell you that they didn’t always have things easy. After God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, they then spent the next 40 years wandering the desert before they could enter the Promised Land.

However, even in that waiting, even in what seemed like a storm, God sustained them and loved them. He showed them His goodness and mercy. He gave them manna from heaven to eat and their clothes never wore out.

God still does the same for us. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Our God doesn’t change. We serve a good God and a big God. He will see us through whatever we are facing.

Right now, my family is under attack. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” This is a spiritual attack, although it looks carnal if we focus on it. I know this has to be fought on our knees, and I know the Lord will see us through.

Genesis 50:20 says, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” This is what Joseph says after he was thrown in prison for being falsely accused of rape by Potiphar’s wife. God took that situation and moved him to an even higher position as second in command to pharaoh. God performed a miracle in that storm.

So many times we look at our bad situations and think we’re being punished or that God must not love us, but that simply does not line up with Scripture. James 1:2-3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” So many faithful men and women in the Bible endured things we find unfathomable. However, God’s glory shined every time.

You, too, maybe walking through a storm like us. Sometimes God will calm that storm and it’s over quickly. Other times, that storm seems to rock your whole world. However, you have to keep your feet grounded in Christ. He will keep you and sustain you. Instead of asking God, “Why?” start asking, “What?” What is God doing in this situation? How will He use this for His glory?

I believe we will see miracles through our situation. I believe we will see God work in a mighty way. I believe His glory will shine. We serve a big, big God who loves us. He can do big things if we allow Him to. I’m ready to receive His miracles through this storm.

If you’re going through something in your life right now, I’d be glad to pray with you. Let me know in the comments below.

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faith

Are You Shining?

Emilydvsn

I’ve committed this year to read through my Bible again. I’ve done this for several years, and I love how new things pop out every time I read. Some days I feel like I’ve heard everything in the Bible a million times over, and then something hits me like I’ve seen it for the very first time. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “For the Word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” How true that is!

This morning as I was reading in Exodus, a passage really stuck out to me. Read Exodus 34:29-35 below.

“Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭29‬-‭35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When I read those verses, I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me. Does your face shine after you’ve been with the Lord? Now, I don’t think we’re going to walk around with literal glowing faces everywhere. I felt the Lord convicting me of the question, Do people know you have been with the Lord? We’re not going to walk around with luminescent faces, but people should know we have spent time with the Lord of lords and King of kings.

1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” It some versions it says, “peculiar people”. We are different and should be different than the world, not by spewing hate but emanating Jesus.

I want people to know I’ve been with the Lord. I want people to look at me and see Jesus. I want to show His live to those around me. I want my face to shine with His glory.

Are you shining for Jesus today? As little kids we sang, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” We sang the words not really understanding what they meant. Now, as we’ve matured we should know that means showing the love of Jesus to those around us. We have to choose each day to let our lights shine.

Lord, help me to shine Your light in this world. May others know I’ve been in your presence. Amen.

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faith, family

We Were Made to Worship

Emilydvsn

We were made to worship.

That sentence has played over and over in my head for the last two days. We were made to worship. It has been as if God has been calling me into His presence more and more. When things are easy: We were made to worship. When things are hard: We were made to worship.

Yesterday morning Witten and I both ended up around 6:30. In addition to his lack of communication, my poor baby is suffering from extreme eczema on his face that makes it look almost burned.

After changing his diaper and giving him medicine, I began to sit with him and read my Bible while he watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. After sitting for several minutes, his poor face began to irritate him again. I simply got a cool wash cloth and began patting his little face. I put on the song “By His Wounds” and just became to claim those words over my baby. We were made to worship.

Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” We were made to worship.

Romans 8:38-39 says, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

No matter what you’re going through today, He is with you. If you’re on the top of the mountain, worship Him. If you’re in the lowest valley, worship Him. He is there with you. And don’t just worship Him for what He’s done for you, worship Him for who He is. He is the Lord God Almighty. He is the Lord my provider. He is God, the mighty Creator. He is the Holy Spirit, my comforter. He is the Lord my shepherd. He is my God, the healer. He is peace. He is the Lord who predicts. He is the Lord of hosts. He is the Lord Most High. He is the faithful God. He is the God of mercy. He is the Consuming Fire. And He is God, my exceeding joy.

That is who He is and He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” So no matter your circumstances, you can still worship Him for who He is. Take some time today to worship the Almighty God.

We were made to worship.

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faith

Wherever You Go, Lord

Emilydvsn

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

Over the past week I have been reading the book Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. It’s an awesome book that has convicted me on more than one occasion. Anyone who says they are a Christian should definitely check this book out.

The last couple of chapters I’ve read have really focused on the verse above from Luke. If you’ve spent your life in church, then you have heard that verse countless times, but have you ever stopped to take it in? Kyle Idleman takes you through crucifixion in his book and what exactly it would have entailed. It was the most gruesome and embarrassing death of the Roman government at that time, and Jesus wants us to take up our cross.

When is the last time you had to sacrifice something for your relationship with the Lord? When is the last time it cost you something? If we’re really honest, we’ll answer with not very often. If you’re like me, you may have lost a few friends along the way because your lifestyle has changed, but you don’t really get out of your comfort zone. I know I don’t very often.

But God is calling us to a different life. He is calling us to die to our earthly desires and follow Him. It won’t always be easy, but it’s not supposed to be. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Jesus tells us to follow Him wherever He goes. There is a song from the 1970’s called “I Will Follow Him”. It keeps playing over and over in my head when I think about following Jesus wherever. The chorus goes like this:

    I will follow him, follow him wherever he may go
    There isn’t an ocean too deep
    A mountain so high it can keep, keep me away
    Away from my love

YouTube video

When is the last time we said we would follow Jesus wherever? This is a secular love song, but Jesus maybe calling us to deep oceans or high mountains or anything that seems utterly impossible without His grace and His strength. I want to follow Jesus wherever He calls me. Maybe it’s just to the neighbor next door or maybe it’s all the way across the world.

I know this walk with Jesus requires everything, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. I pray that I always say, “Yes, Lord. Send me.”

Won’t you follow Jesus wherever today?

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faith, Uncategorized

Believing God’s Promises

Emilydvsn

And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.” Genesis 15:4

If you’re anything like me, or most people for that matter, you have taken things into your own hands time and time again. I mean God obviously wants us to help ourselves, right? God helps those who help themselves, right?

WRONG!!!

Why God continues to use us, I don’t know. He obviously doesn’t need our help. In the passage above God is talking to Abram (Abraham). Abraham was old at this point and had no children, but God promised an heir would come from his own body, his own flesh and blood. Now, God is directly talking to him. How many times have we just thought if we could hear God audibly speaking to us? I mean surely we’d get it right then.

But you see, even then when God was plainly spelling it out, they still thought they needed to help God out. If you read on in the next chapter of Genesis, you’ll see that Abraham’s wife took matters into her own hands. She told Abraham to take her maidservant, Hagar, and have a baby with her. This all seems so ridiculous. First of all, God has promised an heir. Secondly, there is no way I’m handing my husband over to any woman. However, if you read on, Hagar has a son named Ishmael, but he was not the promised heir. The promised heir, Isaac, came several years later when Abraham was 100.

We can look at that story and wonder why, but haven’t we all been there? Haven’t we clearly heard the Holy Spirit talking to us, and then thought we needed to help out? I know I have. If you know me at all, you know I am not patient. I hate waiting for anything. I don’t even like driving around the parking lot looking for a good parking place. So when God makes me wait for something He has promised I struggle.

I have a really hard time waiting for God’s promises to come to fruition, but sometimes that’s what we have to do. Sometimes we just need to sit still and wait. Psalms 27:14 says, “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

I am learning to wait on the Lord. I am learning to be still and listen for His voice. It’s not always easy, and I’m sure I’m not always going to get it right. I am, though, learning to believe God’s promises and wait for His timing.

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faith, Uncategorized

New Beginnings

Emilydvsn

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

Each new year marks a new beginning for us. We step into 2019 with an expectation of new beginnings and new opportunities, but nothing has really changed except the numbers on the calendar.

As I look around at my situations, there are still messes, in my personal life and in my house. My Christmas tree still stands in my living room taunting me to be more productive. Olaf still sits in my front yard begging to be put away. Papers still sit in my school bag waiting to be graded. And more importantly, the trials in front of me sit looming like giants.

Nothing changes because the calendar flips over.

Only through Christ are we changed. Only through our relationship with Him do things begin to change. I’m not talking about going to church and giving your tithe. Those are great things, but that’s not the most important thing. The most important thing is a real, authentic relationship with Jesus.

Does that mean we have it all figured out? Absolutely not or there would be no need for Christ, and we need to quit acting like we do. Me in particular. I hide those things that hurt and act like it’s all okay. But God calls us to be authentic.

James 5:16 says, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” When is the last time you confessed your trespasses to someone? Yeah, I can’t remember either. We go to church and put on our masks and act like we have it all together.

But as we start this year of new beginnings, I confess that I don’t have it all together. I need my Savior just as desperately now as I did when he pulled me out of the miry pit. I still fall short daily. I want to be authentic. I want people to know that being a Christian isn’t about being perfect. It’s about having a relationship with the Savior of the world and through His grace I am not the same person I was several years ago. I will always need my Savior. I know that only through Him can I really be changed.

I pray this year is a new beginnings in your relationship with Jesus. If you don’t know Him, please reach out to me. I would be more than happy to share His love with you today.

 

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faith, Uncategorized

It’s All About a Relationship

Emilydvsn

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Galatians 4:7

I have spent my whole life in the church. I can remember my Grandma carrying me to revivals at her charismatic church, while we attended somewhere much more reserved. We eventually changed churches, hopping from one denomination to another. Nothing shocks me in worship, as I’ve experienced it already at some point in my life.

But sometimes, we can become numb. Even though, I have experienced true worship with my Savior, I still sometimes feel as though I’m going through the motions. This morning while doing my Beth Moore Bible study. I became convicted. This Bible study is going through the Psalm of Ascents, and today we were talking about hardships. Sometimes those hardships move us to push God away, and our worship becomes less than authentic. We want to keep Him at a safe distance, but not too far away.

It’s all about a relationship.

That’s what I could hear Him whisper in my spirit. No matter what is going on in our lives, we should bring it all to Him. The great thing about being in a relationship with our Savior is that He allows us to give it all to Him.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

He tells us to come to Him. Come to Him when your world is falling apart. Come to Him when life is messy. Come to Him when your heart is in a million pieces. Come to Him because He already knows. He’s not surprised by your anger or your fear or your doubt. He wants you to give it all to Him, so He can begin to heal you.

We don’t understand all that God does. Isaiah 55:8 says, “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord.” However, part of being in a relationship, is being able to voice those things we don’t understand.

We need to realize that God is here for us. We don’t always understand Him, nor will we until we get to heaven. We need to realize that salvation isn’t just fire insurance. It’s so much more. He is inviting us into a real relationship with Him, an authentic relationship.

If you don’t have a true relationship with my Savior today, and want to know how to do that, please reach out to me. There is nothing greater than a real relationship with the Creator of the universe!

 

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faith

In His Presence

Emilydvsn

You will show the path life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalms 16:11

Some days are just hard. Not because of anything particularly disturbing. It’s just that, right now, with little kids, I feel like I’m in the trenches. Today was a hard day, and I just feel defeated. After taking off and lugging three kids to the dentist, the doctor for flu shots, and to Kroger with a screaming toddler, I’m exhausted. I haven’t been able to do much more. As I sat and listened to Ann Elizabeth read her devotional, I realized that my joy and hope do not rely on my outward circumstances.

I know that my Spirit is renewed when I spend time in the presence of my Savior. You see, when I really spend time with Him, my shift focuses. I’m no longer focused on me and my situation. I can’t if I’m truly in His presence. It becomes all about Him.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. Psalms 95:2

You see, when you come before the God of creation, you become humbled. You realize that whatever is happening in your life is minuscule in the grand scheme of things. You begin to worship, and your worship begins to change things. In Joshua 6, God tells His people to march around the walls of Jericho once a day for six days. On the seventh day, they were commanded to march seven times. On the seventh time around, the priests were to blow the trumpets, and then the people were to shout. On that seventh day, the walls of Jericho fell down flat. When we praise Him, strongholds begin to fall.

I realized tonight that even though,my day turned out less than ideal, that all I needed was time with my Savior. Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” I know that my spirit is truly refreshed when I’m in His presence. I just have to take it all to Him.

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