Follow the Plan

Acts 6:3-4 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
The disciplines understood the importance of delegation and that they could not handle doing everything, something would suffer and it would most likely be the spread of the word of God.
Two things must take place if any ministry is going to be successful.
1. Team work: Two are better than one. More can get done with more invovled.
2. Detailed plans: God is a god of order. Every time He has given instruction there has always been details.
3. Follow through: A plan is only good when put into practice.
This week has been crazy but I keep looking at the plan and working it. I have a responsibility and it will not happen by itself.
Lord, thank you for the plan and for focus and determination. I love you. Amen

Don't get in my mind!

Exodus 1: 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country." 11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

How is it possible that a strong and numerous people would just one day be slaves? The new Pharaoh was wise when he said, “we must deal shrewdly with them”. Shrew does not just mean hard and abusive, but cunning as well. If you get someone to think a certain way you can manipulate him into anything. Abusers have mental control over their victims and even if that person has the means to be free physically will stay a prisoner, because of the emotional bondage. The Hebrews could have easily over took the Egyptians but they didn’t know there power.

Satan only has control over areas that I think I am not strong or helpless in. I am not helpless in anything. I have a Father like no other and He never leaves me. Psalm 18 has become my chapter for the year. I can picture my Lord, zooming down on a cloud to rescue me. Dressing me in the weapons of warfare and guiding me through the battle plan. I must be the one to engage. He will help me, but it is my duty to make it happen.

I refuse to give territory to the enemy. This is my house, my family, my husband, my children and I will fight to the death for them. On my knees, with prayer that does not cease, declaring who God says I am and not giving an ear to negativity, guilty, weakness, or shame. I am a child of the Most High God and I am victorious.

Lord, I thank you for what you are stirring up in me. Continue to give me Your battle plans and the courage to make them a reality. Amen

The Rock

Psalm 18:2.The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

The Lord is so good. This verse came to me in the early morning and as I read the full chapter of Psalm 18 I focused in on the descriptive words used.

Rock: stability, firmness, or dependability.
Fortress: A place of defense or security.
Deliverer: To set free, as from misery, peril, or evil.
Refuge: A source of help, relief, or comfort in times of trouble.
Shield: A person or thing that provides protection, guards, covers.
Horn: symbolizes strength, the horn was also used in the war cry to encourage the soldiers and strike fear into the enemy.
Stronghold: An area dominated or occupied by a special group or distinguished by a special quality.

These are amazing things and in my hour of questioning, He so wonderfully reminded me of this truth. I do not know where your heart is at today, but I pray that the realization of who God is will raise your heart. I know that just the breakdown of this one verse lets me know that I am not alone and I will accomplish much through Him. I am encouraged that my God is swooping down to my rescue and equipping me to win the war in my life. Be encouraged He is ready to do the same for you.

On the Mountain

Genesis 22:14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son to the Lord on the mountain. Abraham obeyed completely without question, and God provided another way. Mountain top experiences are not always a high joyful time. It takes work to get to the mountain and once you are there sacrifice is required. It comes at a cost. Even Isaac knew that sacrifice and worship was about to take place. It is on the mountain that God provides the answer and direction.

· Getting to the mountain, I need to make a deliberate effort and preparation.
· I should expect to give sacrifice and worship when I get there.
· The provision comes when I surrender.

Whenever I need today, I know this, it does not just happen. But the struggle is worth it.

Lord, I thank you for your provision and the work it takes to see it happen. I surrender my will and look forward to seeing You on the mountain.

There are no throw away children!

Luke 12:6-7"Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Monday evening I had a dream and when I woke up this phrase kept repeating in my head, “there are no throw away children.” I won’t share all the details, but in my dream I had found a baby in an alley struggling to live in a pile of other babies who were not so fortunate.

As I ran around with this baby asking for help, the response was shocking. I heard “that is just a throw away baby”, “put it back”, “it won’t make it”. Something powerful rose up from the inside out and I began crying out, “there are no throw away children”.

Maybe someone has given up on you, maybe people told you that you can’t make it. Maybe you have been forgotten. Maybe you have given up on someone. Jesus says to you today, there are no throw away children. God can turn every circumstance around. He created you to LIVE life, not struggle through it. God creates all things for good and whether anyone else ever sees the gold within you, He does. Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

The baby girl in my dream lived, but she bore scars on her face. Scars are the evidence of healing and a reminder of what God has brought you out of. Hold on, what God has started He will complete. Just don’t give up. Run to Him and He will do His part. You are not forgotten, you are destined for greatest.