Category: Devotions

Blurred Focus

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."  Ephesians 6:11-13

I used to complain so much.  I complained about how hard life was, complained about being sick, complained about just how unfair things were.  That was before I started really understanding what I would read in the Bible.  I was like the seeds that fell on the thorns because I would hear something powerful but it would get choked up by all the anger, hurt and bitterness I had inside; I might even say it a few times.  Not to say I am completely delivered from this, because I still slip up from time to time.  I just thank God for the discernment to catch myself now.  I'll complain and say something crazy and usually before I get it all the way out of my mouth, I say that's a lie and God forgive me.  I am not whatever I was complaining about or confessing.

Too many times in our flesh we complain or point out some difficulty we are facing.  We pine over it and just mull it over, meditating on that thing.  And that is where we lose the battle.  We focus on that thing negatively instead of remembering what God can do.  We do the exact thing God tells us to do with His Word except with a thought sent from the enemy!  Isn't that funny???  Well I think it is, because I recognize that we throw in the towel in our minds before we ever use our hands!  It is disheartening to realize that.  But its never too late to change! 

I am all for acknowledging the things we face.  Like, I am vertically challenged, lol.  I had a kidney transplant.  I have a family predisposition to high blood pressure.  All true statements.  But I'm not going to complain about or dwell on being short, or having had a kidney problem, or that I can't eat too much salty foods to prevent high blood pressure…nope I won't.  I'll just get a stool, make sure I take my meds regularly, and check the sodium levels on my foods and drink lots of water.  Or if I'm in a trying situation, I will find scriptures to align my mind with what God says and make sure that I reach out to other believers for prayer.  Now I don't always immediately think of scripture, I want to complain!! But I pray to God for the strength and focus.  Like Isaiah 54:17–No weapon formed against me shall prosper; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.  The power God gives us is in our tongue!!!! We can confess scriptures, we can pray and Lord knows that is a mighty weapon within itself, we can declare our own victory in very situation.  In Mark 11:23 Jesus tells the disciples this: "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him."  You have to speak–speak to cast out doubt, speak to lift up praise, speak to confess the Word. 

We too often focus on the negative or the obstacle we face.  And if you've been doing that for a long time, you have to break through all the crap that has been planted to truly plant the Word.  We fight against the manipulation of our mind!!!  Our minds are inclined to go against the Spirit.  But don't you know Jesus has given us the keys!!! In Matthew 16:19, He said "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."  So bind up defeat, right now and loose your victory, because through Christ we already have won!!!!!  Know the tools and weapons God has for you so that you can win.

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."  1 Corinthians 16:13
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At the Edge of Breakthrough

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."  Galatians 6:9

In the last few weeks, I have heard so many examples of tried patience.  Even in my own life and family, we have been pushed to the edge of ending faith…and by ending faith I mean there seems to be very little left to keep going.  Because it is Christmas time, many families are struggling and having difficult times making ends meet so that they can share of themselves with their loved ones.  But people are not just suffering financially; the battles I am hearing of are spiritual.  Have you been to the place where it seems you just don't have the strength, courage or faith enough to keep going?  It seems like every obstacle known to man is testing your patience, and trying your faith.  Have you gotten to rock bottom where your only options are to give up or just stand still?  Are you at the place where there is little that you can do but wait on the Lord?  You get to that place, that critical point, and you are in the place where you can grow your faith or overthrow it.

James 5:7 says "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains."  I take this not only to mean waiting on the Lord's return, but waiting until He acts on your behalf.  Wait until God moves that mountain you are believing to be moved.  Wait until He moves all of those people you used to hang with, wait until He clears all the obstacles from your view so that you can see clearly.  In these situations it is most certainly hard to believe and it is difficult to trust in Him.  But this is what you know, you're supposed to trust and wait on God.  The question is how.  And my answer to how is based on not knowing a particular solution, but just staying in God's presence in prayer until He did something.

Well I will recount the last 15 months of my life to you.  In September, I lost one of the cousins I loved most.  She had a beautiful spirit about her, and I had the pleasure of growing spiritually with her.  So I was distraught and heartbroken after her unexpected passing.  Then I had a very difficult relationship I was in–it seemed like everything I did could not help the situation.  Next my dad's health began to rapidly decline.  Every weekend I went home my dad was getting sicker.  I was having difficulties at work, and could not get it worked out for me to work from Columbia to spend more time with my family.  Then on New Years Eve, my mom is told my dad had less than 2 months to live.  Talk about a way to start the New Year…and the sermon focused on New Beginnings.  The 10th year is supposed to be a year of new beginnings.  Well so that relationship went south, and then as I am on travel, my dad is put on hospice, saying that he would pass away soon.  I am broken in every area, with no one to talk about my feelings but God, who seemed to have left me or at least was not answering my voice mails, lol.  My dad survived his 2 month death sentence and lived past the death sentence issued by his brother…gosh I miss my dad.  But imagine this, every area of your life, failing–oh not to mention my own health woes, I had just had a transplant the year before.  Then to culminate that: my family acts ignorant around my dad's death, my supervisor puts me on leave –WITHOUT PAY (yes I still have bills and work), and many of the people I thought I could count on become flakes or issue out ignorant statements that just simply shouldn't be said at this point.  I was there.  I just was so fed up.  I asked God why, why, why me.  All I can say is thank God that He reminds us of His many blessings.  Throughout all of that, I was delivered from an unhealthy relationship, things worked out at work that I had enough donated leave, I was able to spend time with my dad and get closer to him before he passed, and God definitely showed me my family's true colors and the people I no longer needed as a part of my life.  Furthermore, He revealed to me why; I had to be stripped of all that hurt and past hurts to be able to heal whole.  And today, without a single doubt, I know that God can do anything if you trust Him to do so.

Your why may be different from my why.  I had to experience those things to be sensitive and supportive of others in that situation.  I had to experience that so that I can minister to others who have lost someone they loved.  I had to be purged of some things and people.  And that was a breaking down process so that I could receive what God had next for me.  God is so amazing, and I thank Him for that experience because He grew my faith.  I never thought I could get through that, because I felt dead inside.  I felt as I was just going through the motions of life, not feeling anything because emotionally I had been battered by everything you can think of.  But little did I know my breakthrough sat right in front of me.  If the devil would have had his way, my life would be over.  Think of your most stressful moments and how they have negatively affected you.  Stress kills!!  And yes I was weary…I was so tired.  But God loved me enough to take my hand and guide me through it.  He reminded me of the blessings I have received and that He has the final say.

God is not a respecter of persons.  Your situation could be much worse than my own, and He will do a mighty, great work in your life.  Hey, look at Job!!! God restored him way beyond what he originally had.  He gave him a full reward.  If you will keep your eyes on Him when you get to the edge, He will let you walk on water, like Peter, and take you the rest of the way.  Trust Him, and stretch your faith.  God can do far beyond anything you imagine.  Our suffering is not our own, but to help someone else.  Press through it so you can be rewarded in the end.

"Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  Hebrews 12:3