HOW GOD USED A LITTLE GIRL TO HELP ME….
"A Little Child Shall Lead Them" Isaiah 11:6”

That really happened to me! Yes, God did use a little child to lead me many years ago. Looking back over my life I can see clearly, how He began telling me to overcome fear and He first used a child. You might have heard me tell about one of my past programming flesh patterns has been fear, fear of this, fear of that, you name it..fear, fear, fear! In fact, one of my entries recently was about my “old name… fearful”. The enemy every once in a while jumps out and says “boo” and boy, I buy into it for awhile, until I realize the scheme and stop and say “wait a minute” then applying the Truth to what I am facing at the time and it instantly is resolved.

Looking back to a time when we had the opportunity of having a little girl named Lisa stay with us for a weekend, it happened! While her Mom went on a trip with her sister’s cheerleading team, we were asked to keep her. Oh! I jumped on that, since I had no daughters of my own. I am so grateful for the two boys we’ve been blessed with, but to be honest this was a time to pretend I had a little girl. She went along on all the events we had for the weekend, giving us her little smile fitting right in. We had several things that kept us busy going here and there about town so we were in and out of the car a lot of the time. Each time she and I would sit in the back seat. My husband and I must have been having a conversation about something, I can’t remember, it has been so long ago. Lisa was around four years old then and she is 30+ now, so you can see how long it’s been. I remember one thing that will always be in my memory bank, it is what said as she looked up at me with those big brown eyes. She must have had her ears tightly honed in on what we were saying. I had a phrase that I used all the time, it was a bad habit, I now know. I used it in the conversation with Phil that day. It was “well!! I am afraid that ….” And it would just about fit into each one of my sentences somewhere when responding to someone’s statement. Well I said it and she said it…I can still hear that soft little voice, “Ms Mary, when I am in my bed and I am afraid mama taught me a verse to say and you can say it too when you are afraid! She had the quote down pat …Paslms 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” And she just went on about her business, playing with whatever she had in her hand. I sat there stunned. I knew I had to say something and it couldn’t be “well I am afraid….” She had me or He had me… I know it was the latter! I remember saying “do you believe that?” And she said a big “YES, and you can too!” I looked down at her and said “well OK I will” then sat quietly. What do you think? Can God use a little child?.....

Hey Lisa! Thank you for letting Daddy use you that day, I Love You!!!

AM I AN APPROVAL JUNKIE?

Sitting here this morning, with the radio playing in the background as I surfed the Internet this guy ask this question. “Are you an approval junkie?” My mind went back to yesterday, something was going on as I was doing my shopping going into places I go each day seeing people I face most days, grocery clerks, post office, gas station I felt they were acting different toward me like I was invisible and not giving me the “attention” I was “needing”…and I got my feelings hurt! I felt like a little child wanting to take my ball and go home. Oh poor me!!!

I got home letting those events become my dominant thoughts, reviewing each encounter even becoming a bit upset at how they acted toward me. The whole day I let it control my thoughts, not even being aware until I had gone to bed. I started reviewing my day going over in my mind the events that had taken place. I was shocked at what I had allowed, but it was not until the next morning I got some Truth revealed to me….

Isn’t it neat how Holy Spirit can arrest those feelings and thoughts and get us back in line with the Truth! Well I was just minding my own business sitting here when He spoke to me in His small voice saying, “what about those feelings you had yesterday when you were going around those people…they were lies, coming in from your flesh. You allowed past programming to dictate your reactions as you were trying to get their approval.” Here is the Truth “You were working yourself up in the sin of self pity thinking you needed their approval and you don’t have to have that you already have approval from the One who gave His life giving you the Great Approval!”

My attention was stopped in its tracks when I heard this radio speaker say…. *" Reading in Luke 5, beginning with verse 15 "Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus." Then the Bible describes some extraordinary measures they had to employ to accomplish their mission, but they did get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. The story continues: "He said to the paralyzed man, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.'" Can you imagine this? That mat has supported this man his whole life. It's been used to carry him where he couldn't walk himself. Suddenly, Jesus is telling him to get up and carry what's been carrying him all these years!
Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God." I could just imagine this man shouting, "I've needed this thing my whole life, but I don't need it anymore!" That is the kind of freedom Jesus wants to bring to you; freedom from always needing a man or a woman to make you feel valued and secure. Think of how they've let you down, freedom from being an approval junkie, from seeing yourself as a victim all the time, from trying to find your worth in your work or your performance, freedom from the bottle, the drug, the sex, or the applause that you thought you needed to complete you. They never have; they never will.

Then along comes Jesus, the Man who loves you enough to die to pay for the sin that keeps you from God; who's powerful enough to walk out of His grave. The Bible says of Jesus, "You are complete in Him" (Colossians 2:10) and only in Him, because the Bible tells us you were "...created by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16). Every other thing you've leaned on for love and significance and completeness is an unfulfilling substitute for the real thing - for Jesus.

Well my heart again got in line with the Truth and as I have said before “your eyes and ears will lie to you”. I can’t wait to go out tomorrow with my mind being renewed with this Truth. As I see these people again it will be different. You know what? It want be “all about me” it will be “all about Him” and what He wants to do through me for them being “light and salt” as I walk in the Spirit and not after the Flesh, Oh what Freedom!

*Note: words taken from Saying Goodbye to What's Been Holding You Back - #6120
A Word With You - Your Personal Power
Friday, June 25, 2010
http://www.hutchcraft.com/

TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD…

You recognize that phase don’t you? It’s something David wants us to know and experience that’s why he put it in Psalm 34:8 he said, Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

I like to project in my mind the things David was going through when he wrote the words we read today. He had to be tired and wary from running from his enemy. We had the privilege of taking a Holy Land trip several years ago. My friend sitting by me on the bus, said as we were leaving the Dead Sea area and traveling up to Jerusalem, Nancy said, “look over there at those rugged hills. They have caves in them called crags. David hid in theme from King Saul.” I thought Wow! My eyes were looking at places David had walking and used as his dwelling places, places he spent alone with Father. Now, no doubt he was faced with some strong challenges, feeling as though he was going under for the last time. Then he wrote, Oh, taste and see the Lord is good! Even saying, Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! David was using our human senses to teach us something here. He said “taste” and “see”. That takes action on our part or want be able to "own" these facts.

Just thinking here... what is the one thing my husband and I enjoy eating? The first thing that comes to my mind is a good hot “just from the oven hot” pan of delicious cinnamon rolls or sticky buns. Yum! I can taste them now can’t you? When you put that first bit in your mouth all your taste buds go to work causing good feelings all the way to heart. You see the best of the best in the middle saving it for last. I think you get the picture and you can bring up the memory of the time and place you tasted it!

Back to what David was telling us, I think he wanted us to know his Almighty God who had led him out of the darkest places. I know we can take heed to his words; he was a man after God’s own heart. Reading Matthew Henry Commentary, he has something that caught my eye, he says, “By taste and sight we both make discoveries, and have enjoyment; Taste and see God's goodness; take notice of it, and take the comfort of it. He makes all truly blessed that trust in him. As to the things of the other world, they shall have grace sufficient for the support of spiritual life. And as to this life, they shall have what is necessary from the hand of God.” Don’t’ you think that says it all! You know what I mean, most likely you have experienced it, maybe even today!

The next time you put that “good something” in your mouth and it just sets your good feels off. Or your eyes see something that just takes you away speechless, think of how it is nothing when you put it up against the things Father wants for us. I share one personal experience I had just yesterday. Then I am out of here to let you ponder on these thoughts. As I was leaving the Restaurant where I had lunch, the owner was standing there eating some gorgeous cookies, he handed me one. I was trying to decline thinking I had eaten enough but he insisted. I put that thing in my mouth; never had one before like it, and it was divine. I kept saying that is sooooo goooooood! My next thought kicked in “that’s You Lord, that’s what you are to me and I sure do love you”,

….taste and see!!!

HOW THE STORMS ARE RAGING!

Looking around at the lives of my family and friends my thoughts are HOW THE STORMS ARE RAGING. Because we work in the helping profession, I see this more often. My heart hurts for them today! Sometimes I get the feeling that our hands are tied and that the enemy is winning. Where can we go for comfort?

Recently, while listening to the lesson being taught in Bible Study at our church, a verse of scripture jumped off the page. It was Ps 112:7 “He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen”. I had seen it before but my memory had lapsed and I had to be reminded by Holy Spirit. Oh! How great it is to see the answers to life’s problems in God’s Word, it’s always right there. It’s funny how it works into my Spirit. I can be feeling a spirit of unrest. My Soul, where my mind/emotions/will resides starts to work out my beliefs sometimes, and it can either be negative or sometimes it is positive most of the time it is negative, why is that?

This morning my negative thinking, "stinking thinking" was arrested as I read over the scripture shown to me yesterday. In Psalms 112 verses 6 to 8 reaches into the places in my heart like a soothing balm, those places in my heart that hurt. I prayed before my study today and ask Father to show me what was going on in so many of my friend’s lives with people who are causing them the pain. Verse 6 says, “Such a man (one who fears the Lord, trust in him and he delights in obeying his command) will not be overthrown by evil circumstances.” Now there it is...that's our promise! Fear must not be allowed to take over. Fear can arrest all forward progress in our growth. It will hinder receiving the Truth that brings Knowledge and Wisdom to live out our lives.

I believe we have an old name that we buy into by the one who is our enemy, and when we become believers our Heavenly Father gives us a new name. As a child I bought into a great measure of Fear. It became my badge that I hid behind. I used it to get out of doing the things that challenged me and I would succumb to them at my expense not knowing at the time it was crippling me in every way. I have the date marked beside this verse when I first saw it 2/22/90 the day I was set free. I actually owned the fact that I was a fearful person and it was working as an opposite to what a believer was to believe. That was the reason my Christian life was not working for me. Yes, I was “doing” all the right stuff and it was wearing me out, thankfully it ultimately brought me to the end of myself/ “ME”. What strong flesh I had built!

God gave me a new name that day it was like I could hear Him loudly say, “today I will give you a new name and you will live this way as you walk in the Spirit, trusting Me, believing Me, walking with Me, allowing Me to be your life and it WILL BE…. My "Brave Daughter”. YOU WILL BE ABLE to meet the challenges that lie before you and I WILL BE WITH YOU!

My prayer for you this very minute is for you to be encouraged, to stay the course and live your life with courage, trusting Father in whatever stands before you. You are His Brave Son or Daughter equip to face all of life's challenges and we will make it!!!

OH! WHAT LOVE THE FATHER HAS FOR US….

Just had to share this with you today, it’s too good to pass up! Been going through a lot lately and feeling overwhelmed, my guess is you have too. "Who ain't?"

"Who ain't?" is a phrase we say around our house, when we say something about ourselves and realize others are experiencing the same thing. We coined the phrase many years ago, after I had gone to the doctor feeling tired, and convinced that I had some bad disease. Thankfully, I had a doctor that wouldn’t let me whine. Dr Hillsman would make good calls on my condition at my visits. Being a pastor’s wife at the time, I had been “spinning my wheels” doing ministry. One day I went in ready to convince him I was really coming down with “something”. He sat, listening to me with full attention, while I shared my concern for my physical condition. I looked at him expecting some sympathy and said, “doctor I’m just tired”. With my folder in his hand, seated with one leg cross, glasses on the end of his nose, he looked up at me and said, ”Who ain’t?” Well, that day he put me in my place, along with giving this family a one liner. For many years now we have used it to accomplish just what it says, “SO you’re not the only one”. I went away with a wellness also that day, one in the mind that was trapped believing a lie!

Well back to my morning experience. Father knows I learn well with “’Word Pictures”. So while reading my Scripture for the day along with some devotionals, I was feeling in my worry mode….THEN …the message, it said to me “I am here and it’s alright, I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU”. It had rained heavy then the sun began to appear for the morning light and Wow! Right out in my front window was a beautiful rainbow only He could put there for me. I felt like the only person is this whole world with Him and He was speaking to me. In my mind I thought, Oh God You are so good to me and You love me so much to set this rainbow right in front of my house….I GET IT!

I hope as I share this with you, you can enjoy it with me. When you look at it, think about what ever you are facing, can you hear something just for you? Listen I know He is telling you the same thing…..

THINGS DON'T HAVE TO TAKE US AWAY….

Flesh is what it’s called. It is described as “my unique way or habit that I picked up to cope with life outside the Exchanged Life of Christ, and it does try to take us away from the Truth, BUT DOESN'T HAVE TOO! I remember the day I came to the end of me and said, “OK God, I give up. I have given this Christian life my best shot and it is not working. As I said those words, it was like I could hear applause from Heaven as the Angels around God were saying, “finally she has stopped”.

It has been different ever since that day in April 1986. It was a release, like a death of me although I am very much sitting here on earth awake and living. That day I did die and I entered into the Life of Christ, the Life I got the day he died for me on the Cross to give me the Life I have now. It is so freeing to know in His Life I have a new past, a new present and a new future, it’s His Life…Eternal Life.

Now today the test comes! It is like the Monday morning, how do you live all this out with trust and live dead? Sounds crazy huh? Paul has a lot to say in Galatians to guide us I read in chapter 5 to not go back to the old ways that sounds easy but you know what? It is? And it works! God created me to make a choice. He will not make those choices for me, but when I decide or “make the choice” to do the right thing i.e. “walk in the Spirit” and “not after the flesh” He is there to take over. It becomes Him empowering me. I then can do those things He has planned for me. I then can live the life He wants for me…the Abundant Life!

So… is it worth it to waste our life going round and round like a termite in a yoyo? Back and forth acting dumb when we know the Truth? “NO”, I choose life, that life He went to the Cross and suffered and died for. I heard someone recently, a new believer in his Identity Truth, say after being tempted. “OK, I am going to try this” I choose not to do this wrong habit but God you are going to have to do it and I felt so good then. I didn’t even want to do that thing that controlled me anymore, I had been tempted but now he said, “This feels Great, I’m FREE! And we are, as we live life trusting Holy Spirit to do it for us and we walk forward living out life to it’s fullest.

Remember: God’s Grace is abundant, His forgiveness is forever freeing, and His love is never ending.