Sunday, October 22, 2017

To err on the side of human

                                  
We pray to God for Truth being brought to light and we can’t understand why we can’t hear or see it like others can. We doubt ourselves and even what He is trying to show us. If He revealed the true number of times that He had shown us the way, given us insight, shown us the truth of the situation, I imagine that we would be the first to say, “I KNEW IT!”We would be totally amazed at how often our ‘instincts’ were accurate, but we denied them out of foolishness, self-doubt, or maybe because we were hoping for a different answer.
We err on the side of human. We ignore all of the signs that we pray for just because we are hoping and praying for a specific answer. Nine times out of ten, He probably answers but we can’t hear it over the din and noise of what our hearts would rather hear. Sometimes, probably most times in our humanness, we ignore all of the signs and whispers, perhaps even mistaking them for coming from the wrong direction, if you  know what I mean. Or we try to dig deeper for more Truth because we are human and just don’t trust ourselves and what we think we hear. Like I always say, “I need Him to hit me with a brick because I need to be SURE it is Him, not my heart, my suspicious mind, or the enemy trying to attack.”
We are the masters of planning after all. We just never fully let God take control. We don’t understand the depth of trust because we are human. We are used to dealing, in this life, with only humans. I mean, after all, we don’t really have to deal with aliens or zombies. It isn’t real. So how hard it is to believe in a God that we can truly give our lives to and trust Him not to betray that trust. We have been burned so many times by the enemy and he almost always comes in human form.
I used to tell my granddaughter, Angel that “That feeling that we get when we know that we shouldn’t go somewhere. That tugging at our gut, called by humans, gut instinct, intuition or just the creeps is not from us. That voice inside our heads that warns us is from the Holy Spirit telling us to beware of what we are about to do.” Of course, her answer was, “nana, the only voice I hear in my head is yours.” J
When we are given insight, when we are given divine guidance, it typically requires action. It directs us in a way that requires change. So think back. How many times have you disregarded that tugging and as a result, stumbled and fell? How many times did you hear it and see it and chalk it up to your ignorance, your active imagination, your weakness and lived to suffer the consequences?
For some of us, Truth can be like a battering ram. It is those little moments that things don’t add up and you keep ignoring reality because… put your answer here? Maybe we have this ideal picture in our minds that we just don’t want to change. Maybe we fear change in general. Usually it is because we can’t see the end goal, so we accept whatever rationalization comes after. And yet, Truth never gives up. It keeps battering until we finally hear and see it for ourselves. God loves us that much. He will give us what is just, what is true, what is best.
Because Truth usually requires change, and we are human and uncomfortable with change, it usually hurts… a lot. We suffer the strife of making change and worry about how it will affect us. But often, the change hurts others as well. After all, they don’t hear and see what we do so it appears to come from nowhere. We are rolling along in life and BAM! The wall comes down and we finally see that we are wrong.
Sometimes the Trust is thrust upon us by others actions or inaction. They don’t do what they should, they follow their impulses, they need something different, they don’t feel like you feel, or maybe the voices that they listen to aren’t in line with yours... or God’s. One never knows.
Truth is so potent that it can break our hearts and stress us so much that we become ill. We have no idea how or when to respond. We are stupid humans, after all. Change is scary! But if you obey, because God is all about obedience, you may be blessed. After all, read about Jonah and the whale or the many other stories in the bible. They can be your strength. So then what? He reveals the Truth and despite your brokenness you believe now. How? When? Where? What?   If He leads you to Truth, like it or not, He will answer those questions as well.
The bottom line is this. In order to hear and see what God has in store for us, in order to hear and see the Truth long before it has to take the form of a battering ram, you MUST pray and be silent to wait for the answer. Pray for Truth to come to light. But be prepared for the answer because it may not be what you ‘planned’ for.


Friday, October 13, 2017

FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE!

"Passion is what keeps you moving in the direction your best intentions want you to go. That’s why, if I were your enemy, I’d make stealing your passion one of my primary goals. Because I know if I could dim your passion, I could significantly lower your resistance to temptation and discouragement. I could make you walk with a spiritual limp and lengthen how long it takes you to recover from the injury. If I could chip away at your zeal, at your hope, at your belief in God and what He can do, I could chisel down your faith to a whimper. Make you want to quit. And never try again."

"If I were your enemy, I’d disguise myself and manipulate your perspectives so that you’d focus on the wrong culprit—your husband, your friend, your hurt, your finances, anything or anyone except me. Because when you zero in on the most convenient, obvious places to strike back against your problems, you get the impression you’re fighting for something. Even though all you’re really doing is just . . . fighting. For nothing."

From Priscilla Shirer: "Fervent- A Woman's Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer"