It's Not Automatic

I woke up this morning with a thanks to God on my mind. But, just as quickly as I said "thank you", my mind began to wander--thinking about that guy I was talking to last night or the bill I need to pay this week or the tasks I need to accomplish today. I had to keep bringing it back in so that I could get through my morning devotion--reading verses multiple times in order to really absorb what it was saying. I was frustrated with myself for my lack of focus (which happens often). And, if I'm being truthful, many days, it's the other way around. I wake up with my mind already going at full throttle, preparing for the day or recapping the dream I just awoke from once the fog of the new morning lifted from my brain, and then I think "Oh shoot! Thanks God!" As guilt floods my spirit, I begin my devotion for the morning intertwined with trying to get to wherever it is that my schedule is dictating. At some point, I settle down and have some REAL quiet time, but what I've found to be true for me is that it's not automatic. My afterthought of praise often gives me a gut check. I really want to automatically wake up speaking in tongues and singing old spirituals. It just doesn't always happen that way.

As a young Christian, I used to believe that I would come to this day when it would--when my brain would suddenly switch from manual to automatic and fall in complete sync with my personal commitment to Christ--and I would roll out of bed everyday with an automatic praise and prayer. But today, I got some freedom as I read Amos 5:4, 14 where it says,

“'Seek (God) and live...Seek good and not evil, 

That you may live; So the Lord God of hosts 

will be with you, As you have spoken.'" 

The key for me was in that word "seek". I thought of the key verses of faith like Matthew 6:33 that says "Seek first the Kingdom of God..." or  Colossians 3:2 telling us to "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." The mere fact that the Lord uses an action word in His instructions to us is poignant. Seek. Set. DO something. They both imply that God understands that our worship and praise and prayer are NOT automatic. They imply that God knew that when we were "shaped in iniquity" (Psalm 51:5) we would have to approach Him with intention and purpose. Even the 12 disciples asked Jesus to 'teach them to pray' (Luke 11:1) and they were with Jesus in the flesh!

No. It's not automatic, but that means that in this day as with every day, we have the opportunity to expressly look for God in new and astounding ways. We have the opportunity for greatness in each and every day. We have the opportunity to take action and turn on our Jesus switch with purpose. And what we know in the end is that, He will meet us there, He will be with us and He will guide us through and through.

Be encouraged to manually turn on your Jesus switch and seek Him in this day. He's got something waiting just for you!

Blessings,
MinD

Help Is Here

Today, we (Lifted Hands Ministries) spent some time ministering to the homeless in our city with blankets and bibles. As we began to head out to our service site, I had some devotional time--preparing for all that God could and would do as we were obedient and served others for Him. I wanted God to prepare my heart as we were going to touch the lives of our forgotten neighbors. I found myself wondering what I could possibly impart into the life of someone I may encounter who was hopeless on this day. As I read, this verse in Hosea 13 jumped out at me:

 “O Israel, you are destroyed, But your help is from Me. I will be your King..." 

(Hosea 13:9-10a NKJV)  

But I realized as our day ended that, we are not unlike the people who we encountered on the street. Therefore, Hosea's words are not only relevant to them, but are also a word for us today. So many of us have been like the Children of Israel--asking for a "king" (that one thing that we want to save us or help us). We look everywhere but up when the time comes for us to tap into a source of help. In those times when we have reached rock bottom or when we feel forgotten, there's one thing that remains constant--God has promised to be your King. You thought you needed that job or that relationship or that child or that home or car, but God wants to remind you that He is willing and wanting to be your Source.

Just as it was for the homeless we encountered, it is my prayer today that you will turn to God alone to be your help and your King. Whatever your need or desire of your heart, He is truly capable and I promise He can be trusted to carry you through if you let Him. There are several people we met on the streets who I'm sure could cosign on that statement. For on a day when they were down and destroyed, the Lord sent someone with a reminder of His Word that help is in the way to wipe their brow, say a prayer or pass along the gift of His Word and warmth. And so I pass the same message along on to you.

Remember ...Help is here. Be encouraged and allow God to be your King.
Blessings,
MinD

New Year...New Word

Well...we made it out of the "outstanding" year that was 2012 and are now shifting into 2013:  A year of bold steps and still small voices. You will be called to make faith decisions that will shift the trajectory of your life and the lives of those around you. You will be challenged to make the steps without knowing for sure the details of every part of your decision, but instead trusting God to fill in the gaps with his "still small voice" as the year progresses. And so that every bold step is grounded in His Spirit, you will need to spend some serious time in quiet spaces...listening to hear His urging in the smallest of ways. He will not hit you over the head this time but will be looking for you to be sensitive to the ebbing and flowing of His Spirit.

and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. I Kings 19:12

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. Hebrews 11:1 

Be encouraged!
MinD