1.16.19 Recap

Good Morning Sisters,

What a POWERFUL night!!! The presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong and His sweet fragrance hovered as hearts were opened and wounds were healed. Indeed, God’s word is medicine for our wounded souls. Last night we LET GO and LET GOD which is our theme for this new year.  We “threw” our cares to Christ and are committed to leaving them there. We turned our worry into worship and our problems into praise! Today we continue to fill our mouths with thanksgiving and praise and wait expectantly for our breakthrough. On a whole new level we understand the power is in the PRAISE.

We were blessed to have a beautiful new lady join us last night. Her name is Jodi Tye and I met her through Triangle Volleyball. Her daughter Hanna is on Olivia’s club team. She and her husband moved here from Pittsburg two years ago. They have 4 grown boys and a 12 year old adopted daughter. She just had back surgery a few weeks ago and we are praying for complete and total healing for her. She is a runner and has not been able to run in about a year. Jodi is a joy to be around and we are thrilled to have her in our ministry family. For those of you who could not be with us we missed you and covered you with lots of love and prayer.

We started the night with a devotion I wrote entitled “From Promise to Provision” that ties in with our Chapter 2 study “Living the Best Life Available”. God’s Word teaches us a new way of living. A life free from worry, anxiety and stress. The Bible is a book of LIFE. It’s the ONLY book in the world with the power to change your life!  It’s a light for your path (Psalm 119:105). So much of what we’ve learned from the world is wrong. It’s the reason we have stinkin’ thinkin’ in so many areas. We study the Word, reprogramming our minds with truth, and then apply what it says to our lives.  Do you want to live the good life? The best kind of life available?  This best life is only found in Jesus. Need proof? King Solomon was the wisest and wealthiest man who ever lived.  He had what the world would call “the best life”, but did he really? Solomon is writing the book of Ecclesiastes in his old age as he looks back on his life and despite being incredibly wealthy and successful, he looks back with regret. He had so much, yet he missed what was most important.  At the end of his life he is begging us not to miss it. Not to invest in things that are “meaningless” and “a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 1:14 says “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” It all boils down to this he says…”Keep God first in your life. Follow Him and trust Him with your whole heart.” As an old man he is looking back wishing he had taken his own advice. His wisdom is speaking to us. Will we listen and invest in what really matters? It is so easy to fall into the same trap as Solomon...worshiping the gifts instead of the Giver.  To have the best life now we must have a Matthew 6:33 mindset…”Seek first the kingdom of God and all of the other things in life will be added onto you.” Make Christ the dominant goal of your life and He will add everything else. He will give you the desires of your heart and He will allow you to ENJOY life.  

Where do you spend most of your time, money and thought? This will show what you value the most. Evaluate your life now.  Don’t wait like Solomon did and look back on your life with regret. Your best days are ahead so implement God’s wisdom by making him first priority in your life.

Do you have a problem that you need God to help you with? Are you setting aside quiet time each day to spend with the Lord?

What I'm about to share the Holy Spirit revealed to me during my quiet time with him on Monday. Setting aside time with Him each day is key to hearing Him. You must prioritize Him in your life. We just can’t seek him when we’re desperate or we’ll be desperate more than we want. If we seek Him like we are desperate all of the time then we won’t be desperate as much of the time.

I want you to change the way you are thinking about problems. You can’t go to the palace if you’ve never been to the pit. We’ve got to get over our past and our pain.  Let no man take away your joy. Joy doesn’t come from people and people can’t take it away. God is your source of joy and you can choose joy right smack dab while you’re in the middle of your mess. Quit trying to get what you already got. The joy of the Lord is your strength and joy lives on the inside of you.

God will use that problem to bring you to the Promised land. Deuteronomy 6:23 says “But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors.”

Problems are good. They are the things that make you what you are. Problems are nothing more than resistance. Without the resistance of water a ship couldn’t float. A rubber band is only effective when it’s stretched.  A teapot doesn’t squeal until it’s up to its neck in water. A kite only flies against the wind. God uses no one until they go through a blast furnace to see how they handle adversity. No one gets through this life without resistance and adversity. Fight on! Press on! The victory is yours!

To live your best life now God says you are not supposed to carry your worries around with you.

Is your problem your real problem? Actually it’s not, if you are a believer, the solution to every problem you will ever have has been provided in the cross. The answer though is always wrapped in opposition therefore you will have to stand on the promise and wait expectantly for its manifestation.

This is the deal... when we are faced with a life challenge we are to go to the Word and find God’s promise for that problem. We are to meditate on it, speak it and stand on it...for as long as it takes. There are 5,467 promises in God’s Word...He has you covered!

Psalm 46:10 is our ministry promise for 2019.

“Be Still and Know that I am God.”  The original Hebrew root of “Be Still” doesn’t mean “be quiet”; it means “let go.” That’s very different, don’t you think? Let Go and know that I am God. Let go of trying to control everything!  Stop with all of the perfectionism! It’s a killer of grace! Let go of the worry about your finances!  Let go of the unforgiveness! Let go of your past! Let go of what you can’t control and rest in the truth that God has it!

1 Peter 5:7 says to “Cast your care on Him, for He cares for you.” You were not designed to carry your burdens, you were designed to CAST them. Cast means to throw. When we throw something we release it quickly. We don't give the cares time to take root in our hearts. As soon as the problem comes we are to "throw" it to Jesus. He is our shepherd and He carries them. Once you cast it you are to leave it there. Don’t pick it back up. Easier said than done you might think. Why is that? Why do we keep casting the same worries over and over again?

Why do you suppose we keep picking them back up? This is where our “real” problem comes in. You see, the time between the promise and the provision is called “the trial of faith”. This is the waiting period. This is the time our faith is tested. What do most people do during this time? They complain. They ask “why” and “when”... why is this happening to me? And when is it going to get better”?

When Moses ask God “why” God did not answer it. God answered “The Who”. What do you need? Stop asking “why” and start asking WHO. God answered Moses by saying “I AM”. I AM the bread of life. I AM enough. Whatever you need I AM. I AM the light of the world. This light is not of you, it shines through you. I AM the light for those walking in darkness.

When we ask WHO and not why we are led to the KEY to our breakthrough which is PRAISE. The power is in the praise! 80% of our prayers should be PRAISING God for the finished work of Jesus. Praising Him that whatever we need HE IS. Christians are not receiving their provision because of lack of praise.  No praise = no faith. Faith is the currency of Heaven. God is not moved by our circumstances. He is moved by our faith. The trial exposes what we believe. God wants to do great works IN you, THROUGH you, and FOR you. If He only did FOR you, you would be a spiritual cripple. You don’t know what you’re made of until you go through trials. Trials are normal. They expose our weakness. How do you react when you go through bitter water? What is your role in getting out of them? Are you spending more time praying about it than you are complaining about it?

The problem is not your lack of money, your sickness or your broken marriage. God has already provided the solution for ANY problem you face. The problem is our lack of faith regarding His promises.  And our lack of faith is a result of our lack of praise. Abraham is known in the Bible as the Father of Faith. Is this because he did everything right? Most certainly not. He made his share of mistakes. The Bible says Abraham grew in faith, giving PRAISE to the Lord. He kept himself confident and encouraged by staying thankful. Psalm 100:4 says “you enter the gates of Heaven with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” Philippians 4:6 days “do not worry or have anxiety over anything, for by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING continue to make all your requests known to God.”

We only have to ask God once. He hears our prayers. Then we start praising Him for the answer. Praise is the highest form of worship because it means we trust God’s word. Turn your worry into worship and fill your mouth with praise. God is working and your test will become your testimony.

Chapter 2 entitled “Living the Best Life Now” makes it very clear that the best life any of us can possibly live is found in Jesus. The world equates happiness with “stuff”.  The more successful you are and the more stuff you acquire the happier you’ll be. WRONG!!! While there is nothing wrong with having things, they are NOT life. They are things. God offers us true life through Jesus. He offers us a life of being right with God, one of peace and joy. (Romans 14:17). The BEST kind of life is only found in Jesus because HE IS LIFE. John 10:10 says “He came so that we might have abundant life, to the full, till it overflows.” He is the giver of life! He is THE way!  Not one way, not a way, but THE WAY! God’s plan includes a way to live that will lead you to everything GOOD He offers. Once you receive Christ as your Savior you no longer have to live a legalistic life led by rules and regulations, expecting God to reward you if you keep them. You are now led by the Holy Spirit who will guide you to your best life. It’s a life in which your joy is not dictated by your circumstances or other people’s approval of you. It’s a life of freedom.  

God’s Word is also medicine for your wounded soul. Each day as we spend time with Him the Word goes deep down into our souls and heals our emotional wounds. Proverbs 4:20-22 says “My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my saying. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.” Our entire being is healed through the amazing power of God’s Word.

The Word also gives us wise instruction on how to live everyday.  One of those things that has been life changing for me is His instruction on forgiveness. He says to forgive our enemies, those who abuse and misuse us, and to love and bless them. That one was incredibly hard for me as I had been sexually abused as a child, but once I obeyed Him and forgave I was free! The chains were broken!  He is now using my scars as lighthouses for others that have been wounded. So you see, this why our faith is effective when we acknowledge everything good (Philemon 1:6). God is the master restorer and turn ALL things around for our good.

This new way of living is a lifetime journey and each day we grow stronger and closer to Him.  God’s Word has the power to heal, restore and renew EVERY area of your broken heart. Depending on Him and following His ways is the KEY to living our BEST LIFE!

Next week we will plunge into Chapter 3 entitled “God Wants the Wounded.”  Please read, study and meditate on the wisdom in this chapter and answer the questions in the study guide. I have found that it is far more effective to study and meditate on one chapter throughout the week than read the whole book at one time. As we meditate on the truth and scriptures Joyce has given us The Holy Spirit speaks to us about our own personal trials and gives us wisdom and direction.

LET GO and LET GOD! PRAISE Him and THANK Him for the victory that is already yours in Christ. When the negative thoughts enter your mind and you are tempted to complain fill your mouth with PRAISE!  The power is in the PRAISE! This is YOUR YEAR to rest and receive ALL of God’s goodness.

God Bless You,

Love,

Sherry :-)