What Are You Waiting For?

“Let patience have its perfect work in you, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:4 (NKJV)

Enduring a situation patiently doesn’t seem to come naturally to us, but it is the way that the Lord works on us and molds us into who He wants us to be. Waiting on the Lord is not about sitting in one place, doing nothing. Waiting is active because while you are waiting, God wants you to remain in faith. And we know faith without works is dead. Our faith, even while we are waiting for direction or clarity, must be put into action. If we are in a situation where it seems as if there is absolutely nothing we can do or we have done everything we know to do, we can always declare God’s Word. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and our faith is active when we are speaking forth God’s powerful Word.

Just as God spoke the universe into existence, we can speak our desires into existence. Of course, our desires must line up with God’s will. We must speak what God says, which is the highest and purest truth. When the enemy comes at us with lies, we can combat those lies with God’s truth and cut those lies to pieces with the sword of the Word.

So are you in a season of waiting?

Are you believing for transition, promotion, abundance, financial freedom, a spouse, a child?

What are you waiting for?! Speak what God says about your situation! Find a promise in God’s Word and stand on it and declare it until you see your situation turn around!

I will leave you with some lyrics the Lord gave me last week during a worship service at church:

Open your mouth
Let Him fill it
Open your mouth
Speak His Word/
Open your mouth
Let Him fill it
Oh, speak Him forth!

Be blessed!

Created for GREATNESS!

One of the hardest things about living in this world as a Christian is not letting your mind conform to the earthly/carnal/temporal surroundings. The longer you are separated from Kingdom ways, which can be found in the Word of God, the easier it is to begin to think and act like the rest of the world who know so little of God’s ways. We become less and less heavenly-minded and begin to lose our focus on the eternal life that awaits us.

I know that’s why Paul urges us in Romans 12:2 to “not be CONFORMED to this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind.”

The Word of God will transform our carnal way of thinking that we are naturally born with, and once we are born again by receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we must continue our transformation process because we aren’t “home” yet. Although we are citizens of heaven, we still have a temporary residence here on earth and because of that we are subject to its environment. We HAVE TO renew our mind daily with God’s Word.

I’ve personally experienced instances where I have been pulled into following society’s timeline or approval process, measuring the way I lived my life with the world’s standards and regulations. One instance, in particular, is measuring success or accomplishment by popularity and quantity when using the finances, time, talent, or drive that the Lord has so graciously given us to use on this earth. Often we use them to make sure we advance in this life for ourselves, but God’s plan is to use them to bring Him glory and reach people for His Kingdom. To the world, the more people hearing about the accomplishment, the greater the success and the more difference your life just made by contributing your gifts, time, or finances. The world is all about outward appearance, how something looks on the outside.

But the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

If the world saw a story in the newspaper about a shepherd that left 99 sheep to go after 1 that had gone astray, they would consider it absolutely foolish! “You could have lost even more! Think of all of that business you could potentially lose!” I hear.

Or what about King David (who was anointed the next King of Israel and awaiting his throne) who faithfully served King Saul even when he sought to kill him? “Honor his authority?! That throne is rightfully yours! Tell King Saul to take a hike!”

Or how about a man from Nazareth who changed the entire world forever with just twelve people who gave up their entire lives to follow Him? “You have HOW many followers on Twitter…TWELVE?! LOL I have 6 MILLION…I’m WAY more influential than you!”

Ok, the last example may be a stretch, but in today’s culture, many people truly believe having 6 million followers on Twitter is the epitome of success, “living the dream,” and truly “making it.”

Now, I’m not saying that the Lord can’t use someone to advance the Kingdom who has 6 million followers of Twitter, but why do we think that He chooses to use that person over the one who only has twelve Twitter followers (in the context of influence, of course)? My point is that we must break ourselves free from the mindset that your life only matters when people hear about your accomplishments or contributions to society. The world says “MORE, MORE, MORE = GREAT, GREAT, GREAT.” But God is looking at the motive behind our drive to be successful. Let’s face it, we all want to do something great. But I have to ask:

As Christians, is our success becoming about us, or are we pointing others to Jesus?

Are we using our life’s accomplishments to make a difference in the world even if it just for one person and your name isn’t in the headlines, on Billboards, on T-shirts, commercials, the credits of the latest TV show or movie?

Are we ok with being an “unknown?”

 

John the Baptist began to lose disciples when Jesus came on the scene, but John knew His purpose on this earth: to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming; to point others straight to the King of Kings so that they can enter the gate of Salvation.

“More of Him and less of me,” John declared in John 3:30. This should be our mindset too as we prepare for the Lord’s second coming.

It is our nature to be self-centered, to long for recognition, to be applauded for our efforts, etc. Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting credit for a job well-done, but we should always remember that “we are not our own. We’ve been bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Anything we do, we should always give the credit and the glory to the One who gave us the ability to accomplish it and want nothing more than for others to grow and mature into a strong, healthy relationship with their Heavenly Father and Creator. He sees each life as precious and doesn’t weigh one life more important than another.

So to the stay-at-home mom raising those little ones, you are doing great things! You are successful!

To the CEO of that multi-million dollar company, you are doing great things! You are successful!

And to that youth pastor with a group of ten kids who you minister to week in and week out, you are doing great things! You are successful!

Just REMEMBER, that success is to advance the Kingdom and win others to Christ…one person at time!

Give God the glory He deserves, not only with your words but with your heart…He created you to do great things!

Chasing God's Dreams

It seems that I have been made more aware as of late of the amount of distractions from the things of God and confusion that the media is bombarding our society, specifically our youth. I know that these tactics by the media are nothing new, but as each year passes, it just seems to be ever increasing and less and less salt, light, and truth can be found in that arena of our American culture.

Last night, I was asked to teach children’s church on short notice just as my husband and I were headed out the door to make it to sound check for our midweek service at our church. There was no curriculum planned for the night, and our pastor ensured me that I could speak to the kids about truly anything that the Lord had placed upon my heart. For someone who sometimes needs structure or guidelines, this massive amount of flexibility flustered me a bit, but I trusted the Lord would speak to me if I just inclined my ear if even for a moment. On the way to church, the Lord dropped the topic of dreams in my heart and told me to focus on Jeremiah 29:11 to let the children know that He has big dreams for them that are always for good and to bring them hope and a bright future. As we sat “cross-cross applesauce” in a circle on the floor, I asked each child what they dreamed of becoming when they grew up. The boys wanted to be firefighters and policemen, of course, but I was amazed that each girl in the room didn't have aspirations like that to help others and make an impact in their sphere of influence. No, they didn't want to be teachers or nurses or even mothers (it seems that not many young girls long to be that anymore…); every single little girl told me that they wanted to be either a singer, dancer, or a celebrity. I didn't stomp on their dreams, just encouraged them that they can do anything they work hard to do, but my heart was truly heavy for them.

Why was this response to be an entertainer or someone famous so common among the entire group of little girls?

Are we raising daughters to chase after approval, applause, and performance-based lifestyles?

Are they beginning to sing “I live for the applause” in their hearts instead of “I live for the Lord” or even “I live to help others?”

Do they dream of that fame and stardom because it gives them a sense of purpose or worth?

Does the thought of the response of their fans make them feel appreciated and loved?

If that is the case, then we are in danger of raising an entire generation of women looking for their worth in the wrong place. They will never find it in the applause of their audience or in the thrill of using their talents for all to see with the spotlight soley on them and their amazing abilities that make everyone feel good. There is so much God has planned for our gifts than to make people feel good!

Don’t they know that He formed them in their mother’s womb for a purpose bigger than themselves, bigger than anything the world can offer?

“Before I shaped you in the womb,
I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day,
I had holy plans for you…”
Jeremiah 1:5 (The Message)

An opportunity to dream with God- to help Him achieve His ultimate Kingdom plan that all may come to know Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, and become a part of His loving family not only on earth, but eternally in heaven.

So I ask you, how are you helping raise this generation to find their ultimate Kingdom purpose and find their worth in Jesus Christ alone so that they may receive the Father’s love?

I pray the Lord reveals to you how you can guide the young people He has placed around you. I also pray that the Lord would reveal your worth to you through His Word if you are also dealing with feeling valued or precious or are struggling with desires to seek approval from others thinking somehow the applause of men will fulfill you. You will only find your worth in God’s love. Nothing else will ever satisfy.