GOD DELIGHTS IN US!

 PSALM 37:23 AMP - The steps of a (good and righteous) man are directed and established by the Lord, And He delights in his way (and blesses his path).

Not sure if you realize this or not, but God delights in you. Yes, He does!! In this verse it tells us that our steps are ordered of the Lord and He delights in us. 

You may be in a situation where there are circumstances or people in your life that have caused you to feel less than, not good enough or just not important. I know how that feels. For so long I allowed these circumstances/people to dictate who I thought I was. I literally believed it. I thought I wasn't good enough. I so desperately wanted to be "special" to someone, to feel loved and wanted. Even though I had been saved at a young age, I still allowed these lies to consume me. It wasn't until after my husband and I started dating that my mindset started changing. Not overnight mind you but change did come. My husband spoke truth to me, spoke to me in love and showed me that I was so much more than what I could see. That allowed me to open my heart up to God for Him to speak truth and love to me. 

At this point, my husband and have been married 35 years. Unfortunately, for about 20-25 years of that time, I still struggled with very low self esteem and doubt about who I was as a woman and who I was in God. It wasn't until around 10-15 years ago that I had an experience with God that I will never forget. Now that I think of it, two experiences. God spoke to me in a most unusual way just to tell me how much He loved me. They way He expressed it was so overwhelming to me. I felt this rush of peace and love envelope me. Even after all these years, I have just as hard of a time describing those moments as I did back then. 

At that time of my life, I was seeking God in a way that I had not done before. I was praying more but most importantly, I was praying more fervently. I was desperate to hear from God. I was so tired of living in the mentality that I was not good enough. I knew God's word but had difficulty getting the truth of His word in my heart and spirit. It took me removing all the distractions around me and getting to the point that nothing, literally nothing else mattered but getting to God and hearing directly from Him. I didn't want a prophetic word from someone or someone to tell me they were praying for me or that God had spoken to them about me. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with any of those situations. Trust me I have been blessed many, many times because of it. This time was different though. I had to hear from the source. My sanity depended on hearing His voice. I needed it more than my next breath. 

When we get desperate enough, God will speak to us. We have to get to the point where everything meant as a distraction fades away because our lives literally depend on hearing from Him. 

The truth is God delights in us regardless of our situation or circumstances. That is because of His amazing love for us. Jesus died for you so that you could live in His love, grace and mercy in freedom. But we will not truly experience that freedom in Him until we get desperate enough. 

Due to difficult circumstances in our lives we build walls around our hearts to protect us from that hurt. What we do not realize is that the walls become so thick and high that we are not only keeping the people around us out but God as well. He is a perfect gentleman and gives us a will of our own. So, we must reach out to Him and invite Him to work in our lives. He is always there, waiting for us to draw near and long to just sit at His feet to feel His love. A love that you can never begin to imagine the depth and strength of. A love that will fight for you and will reach to the ends of the earth for you. 

Allow Him to express His delight for you by opening your heart to Him. Tear down all of the walls around your heart and become spritually exposed.

I promise you, it will be an experience you will never recover from. 

SPIRITUAL DOORMAT

 ISAIAH 51:22-23: 

22) Thus says the Lord, The Lord and your God, who pleads the cause of His people; "See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of trembling, The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it

23) But I will put it in the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, 'Lie down, that we may walk over you.' And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over."

In this passage, it is explaining how the children of Israel had basically become a doormat for their enemies. Those that wish to dominate & take control of them. They just allowed the enemy to walk right in & take what they wanted. They had long lost the vision of who they were & what weapons of God that they had at their disposal. 

After reading this, I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me that we can become the same way. 

There are times when the enemy can come in like a flood (Isaiah 59:19) or he can sneak in without us even noticing. Regardless of the method he chooses, sometimes we can be so overwhelmed spiritually or just out of touch spiritually that we just simply lie down & let him do his worst. I have seen people make statements like "well this is just how life is I guess" or "well mama was that way so I guess I will be too". 

When are we going to realize that we do not have to lie down & take the attack of the enemy. We do not have to accept his lies. Life does not have to "be this way" from now on. 

WE MUST FIGHT! We must realize who we are, who we serve & what spiritual weapons we have been given. 

We serve a mighty, mighty God, who has already overcome the world, especially the enemy. With which nothing is impossible with Him. We are a child of the Most High God. We have direct access to the throne room. That in itself is more than enough, but he gave us the best weapon of all, THE WORD. 

EPHESIANS 6:17 - And take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; 

The only way the enemy can be defeated in your life is to get in the word. We must read it, know it, pray it, repeat it, memorize it, eat it, consume it & live it. 

JAMES 4:7 - Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil & he will flee from you

The first step, as it mentions in this verse, is to submit ourselves totally & completely to God. We will not survive spiritually if we are not consistent in prayer. We can ONLY keep up our spiritual strength by praying to the one that gives it to us in the first place.

Next, we must resist the devil. How you ask? By getting in the word & throwing it back in his face. If we are not confident in the word, the enemy will definitely know it & will not budge in the least. We can ONLY be confident in the word by being consistent in the word. Which requires us to read it daily. 

We are warriors in Christ & must act like it. We do not have to lie down & let them enemy wreak havoc in our lives. 

Tests & trials will come. Life will get difficult. We are human, we live in a fallen world & it is a part of life. The key is that we do not have to walk in fear & anxiety because of the difficulty. God has called us overcomers & more than conquerors. We will not be able to live spiritually as an overcomer & a conqueror if we do not know the word. By reading the word daily, we are able to build that spiritual confidence so we can literally let the devil know what he can do with his ideas.  

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

1 JOHN 4:7 - You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

ROMANS 8:37 - Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

2 TIMOTHY 1:7 - For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

HANNAH'S HEART

 1 SAMUEL 2:1-2: My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.

    We find Hannah in the first chapter of 1 Samuel, in a season of lack. She was barren & her heart grieved. Lately, I find myself being able to relate to Hannah. Maybe, not exactly like Hannah. She couldn't have children, for me that ship has long sailed, but season of lack in another area. 

    So, this morning as I wake up to get ready for church, I found myself just heavy hearted. Only for it to get a lot worse as the day wore on. In service, I literally had myself a big ole fashioned cry. Yes, it helped but the heaviness was still there. After church, I had a few things to do, so off I go. Once I made it home, I knew exactly what I needed to do. I could not get groceries put up fast enough. I sat down in the recliner with my bible in hand. I knew I needed to get alone with Jesus. Opening my bible, I stumbled across this scripture. I actually had a different passage in mind but as soon as I saw this one the Holy Spirit spoke and said, pause here. Once I read it I knew this was exactly where I needed to stop and meditate. 

    In this passage, Hannah is praying. This prayer comes after she has followed through on her promise to God. She was barren, unable to have children. Her heart was broken. In chapter 1 we find her praying, promising that she would give the child back to God if He would only allow her to bare a child. God gave her her hearts desire. In chapter 2 she has just handed over her weened son to Eli the priest, just as she promised God she would. So, now she prays once more, but this time in rejoicing. 

    Verse 1 literally jumped off the page at me. In particular, "I smile at my enemies". God immediately reminded me that in times of difficulty when it seems that things are just way too heavy to bare. I need to realize that the enemy is on the prowl and has only one desire, that is to bring me down, fast and hard. We will all go through seasons of difficulty but we must remember that when the enemy is coming at you the hardest, we need to do one thing, SMILE. I don't look at this as a forced smile. You know, those kind that Grandma told you to smile for Aunt so and so because she thought you were so cute. NO, I look at this as a smile that says, if satan is attacking me this hard, that must mean that my God has one amazing blessing coming my way. A smile that with a wink attached to it. One that says, just wait satan, my God is gonna get you. 

   This also reminds me of the verse in Psalms 30:5, ...weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Also, when you see a rainbow after a hard rain or storm. 

    This season you are in may be difficult or just down right hard, but God will always provide that rainbow and the Joy you need. His promises are YES and AMEN. We have to remind ourselves to take time smack in the middle of the hard stuff to rejoice and thank Him for the promises He has given and the Joy that is ahead.

    DON'T GIVE UP my friends! God is still on the throne. Regardless of what may be going on around you, He is still on the throne. He has not given up on you, PLEASE do not give up on Him! He is definitely not finished with you yet. He has a blessing in store for you that will wipe that smirk right off the devil's face. 

 

YOU ARE...

 

You are…

The name above all names

The Great I Am

The King of Kings

The Lord of Lords

 

You are…

The one that upholds me with your righteous right hand

The one that never leaves me nor forgets me

The one that surrounds me

The one that hedges me in behind and before

The one that has laid your hand upon me

 

You are…

My shelter

My refuge

My rock

My firm foundation

 

You are…

The very breath within me

My strong tower

My hiding place

My peace speaker

You are…

The one that sings over me with SHOUTS of deliverance

The one that hears my cries

The one that orders my steps

The one that calls me the Righteousness of God in Christ

 

You are…

The one that supplies all of my needs

The one that calls me blessed and covered with favor

The one that wipes all of my tears

The one that calms all of my fears

 

You are…

The one that spoke life into existence

The one that filled the void

The one that told the sun and moon where to stand

The one that set a boundary for the sea

 

You are…

My creator

My father

My comforter

My shield

My strength

My calm in chaos

My stability in the midst of the crazy

 

You are…

The one who formed my inward parts

The one that breathed life into me

The one who knows my words before they are spoken

The one who knit me together in my mother’s womb

The one who knew me before I was formed

The one who looked on my unformed substance with love

 

You are…

The one who loves me with a pure love

The one who loves me with an unconditional love

The one who loves me in spite of myself

The one who loves EVERY SINGLE detail of me

 

You are…

The one whose name makes hell tremble

The one who took the keys of death, hell and the grave

The one who died but rose again on the third day, for me

The one who cannot be defeated

The one who nailed ALL my sins to the cross

The one who paid a debt that I could not pay

 

You are…

The one who knows all

The one who sees all

The one from whom nothing is hidden

The one with whom nothing is impossible

 

You are…

The one that pulled me from the miry clay

The one that picks me up and dusts me off

The one that sees my faults and loves me anyway

The one that says “through My Son, you are enough”

 

You are…

My joy in the middle of depression

My sunshine when there is nothing but clouds in my life

The rain to wash me clean

My peace in the middle of fear and anxiety

My smile in the midst of sadness

 

You are…

That provides me with my next breath

That gives me another day to live for you

That helps me take my next step

That tells my heart to beat one more time

 

You are…

A friend that sticks closer than a brother

The one that does not need me to exist but chose me

The one that is worthy of my praise

The one that never fails

The one that never sleeps nor slumbers

The one that says No weapon formed against me shall prosper

 

You are…

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit

The Lion of Judah

The Lamb of God

The Rose of Sharon

The Lily of the Valley

The Bright and Morning Star

 

You are…

A jealous God

A Righteous God

The wheel in the middle of the wheel

The Holy One

 

You are…

The one that calls me beautiful

The one that calls me a daughter of the King

The one that says I am worth it

The one that is just a breath away

The one who comes to my rescue, My Hero

 

You are…

That says I am an overcomer

That calls me more than a conqueror

My Healer

My deliverer

 

You are…

My God

My Everlasting Father

My Savior

My everything

My All in All

 

YES, YOU ARE!!!

THE ROSE

 

A rose in the middle of a desert

Where did she come from?

How did she get here?

What keeps her going?

People look & say “she is out of place”

Why is she here?

Others see one lonely rose

But You…

You see life in the middle of death

You see a candle in the dark

You see the rose you formed

You look on her with the utmost love

 

She asks you, “why did you place me here?”

I feel alone

There is nothing here

Struggling with who I am

I don’t understand

 

Then she hears His soft voice

As gently as dew touches the rose

He shows her a “different” view

Through the eyes of her maker

She sees herself

What He sees is LOVE

Love that was needed in this dead dry place

Kindness that only she could bring

Tender heart that only she possessed

She was created by Him for this place

A place where there was no life

He simply planted His LOVE

 

One single rose was enough

Others may think she is not

Even she struggles with the thought

But He knows

In Him, she is enough

 

His love within her

Strong

Able to grow

Even when death surrounds her

 

She understands a bit more now

Not completely, not yet

 

Her questions & confusion subsided

Her faith stronger

Peace in her heart

A smile

 

The world sees…

Small

Insignificance

Not important

Not that pretty

Will not last

 

That is just the first glance

But something catches their eye

 

She looks up at the sunrise

She greets her creator

He reaches down

Kisses her head with the dew of the morning

Causing her to beam

 

They see “her” now

The small insignificant thing before?

She is gone

Now they see a fully bloomed rose

Something of amazing beauty

 

The end of her story?

Not by a long shot

Just wait & see

There’s more, lots more!

REFLECTIONS

As we near the end of 2024, I look back and reflect.  

This year has been full of firsts, those things we thought we would never do and the inevitable "how in the world did I get here?" Of course, you also have the list of things that you planned to do but it never happened. The latter is probably the worst for me. As a woman, I have this list in my head of things I absolutely NEED to get done. Some how, I have come to the end of this year with several items on that list NOT done. That is definitely so frustrating to me. 

There are several things that I have gone to God and asked him to make a way or to provide me with the means to get this or that done. Nope, didn't happen! I have to be honest, there is a part of me that has mixed emotions, sad, disappointed & down right mad. 

ECCLESIASTES 3:1 AMP - To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven

God has reminded me several times lately that all things are in His time. Most definitely we can work it ourselves and force it to happen, but in those cases, it will not be successful. I must just keep praying & wait on Him. As disappointed as I am, His timing is perfect and the blessings will flow if we allow Him to take control. 

At the same time, I see others that are successful in the same area, which causes me to feel as if God has somehow overlooked me. Why can't that happen to me? The initial thought just racing through my brain. 

Somehow, things just don't ever work out like I planned. If I will pay close attention, what does all of the last few thoughts have in common? The words I and me. This causes me to look back at the times I have prayed for God's will to be done, then at the same time, I get impatient and frustrated when it does not happen. I mean really???

One day, maybe, I can get a better grasp on this. Learn to wait patiently on Him. As I am waiting, keep the promise in my heart that He sees me, He hears me and has not forgotten me. He will finish that which He has started in me. 

PHILIPPIANS 1:6 AMP - And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ (right up to the time of His return) and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. 

WAIT…

 

ISAIAH 40:31 AMP – But those who wait for the LORD (who expect, look for, and hope in Him) will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings (and rise up close to God) like eagles (rising toward the sun); They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.

So, what does it mean to “wait for the Lord?”

If you are anything like me, patience is NOT one of your strengths & most certainly at the top of the weaknesses list. It is something that I most certainly have to work on daily.

If you break this verse down & read it from the Amplified version, it gives a bit more clarity on what God means by “waiting on the Lord.” See the phrase in parentheses directly after the word Lord? The Amplified version breaks down words & phrases to give us a better understanding. Here the word WAIT mean to EXPECT, LOOK FOR AND HOPE IN. The question I have asked myself & I hope you will ask yourself is, “When I am waiting on the Lord, am I expecting His answer, am I looking for His answer and am I hoping in His answer?

HEBREWS 11:1 AMP – Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen (the conviction of their realty-faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses).

Now, here is a scripture that is a mouthful. What I want to point out here is the phrase HOPED FOR. Right next to the phrase, the Amplified gives you a better definition of this word. In our own minds on a daily basis we say things like, “well I hope so” OR “I really hope it gets better soon.” In this verse the word HOPE does not mean what we loosely speak every day. It means that whatever we are hoping for is DIVINELY GUARANTEED. That is more than just an “I hope so.” That is a “most certainly, positively, absolutely will!”

The issue is that we have the wrong mindset when it comes to waiting on God. We no longer need to have this wringing of the hands, pacing the floor, anxiety about waiting on God.

First of all, we need to get in His word and find out what it says about our situation. Find a scripture that applies to you & your situation. If you struggle to find the right one, ISAIAH 40:31 is perfect for any situation. Then we need to pray & quote that scripture out loud. The more we read the word out loud to ourselves, it gets down in our spirit & causes our faith to increase.

We must learn to have an EXPECTATION when it comes to waiting on God. Expecting Him to answer us, looking for His answer to come any minute now & knowing that there is a definite guarantee that God will come through. No questions, no doubt, no confusion, because those are from the enemy. Satan’s main desire is to distract you from God’s plan for your life. Part of God’s plan is for you to be strong in your faith in Him.

Yes, I realize this is easier said than done. Trust me, I know this all too well. There have been situations that I have gone through that were so difficult that I could barely breath much less pray. But somehow, I found the strength & prayed. The more that I prayed & read His word, the stronger I felt each time. This process can take time but if we don’t give up & keep going, we will come out on the other side much stronger than when we went in.

I challenge you today, to pray & ask God to change your mindset. Change your way of thinking, change your outlook on your situation. Ask Him to help you see your circumstances through His eyes. To the point that when you are in that “waiting on the Lord” time in your life, you will no longer wait in the midst of anxiety & fear but you will wait in EXPECTATION of that God is about to do in your life

Remember, God has NOT forgotten you or your difficult situation. He already has a plan & had that plan before the problem ever came about. I GUARANTEE you, He will provide the answer & you will be blessed in the process.