1 Kings 17:15-16

So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. She and he and her household ate for many days. The flour jar did not run dry, according to the word of the LORD He had spoken through Elijah.

Elijah was sustained during a time of famine by a widow in Zarapeth, which was the heart of Baal worship in Phoenicia. Baal was the god of rain and prosperity, but the whole region had fallen on desperate times with the famine God imposed upon the land due to Israel’s adulterated worship of Baal. This poor widow served Elijah during a time of lack by giving what she had. As a result, God continued to provide for her and her household. Her service and obedience to His word was an act of faith, and God responds to faith.

God does not expect us to do what we cannot do. He expects us to give what we have, do what we can, and He provides and does what we can’t. When we pour out what He has given us, He uses it to nourish others and sustain ourselves. We cannot be greedy with the gifts He has given us to use for His service. He uses them to accomplish His purpose in the earth and within the church. Our gifts are not given to us for our pleasure or our prosperity. They are tools to serve God, and unless we use them for the purpose they were designed, they will dry up. We must pour out what God has given us. When we do, we find ourselves blessed in the process. That blessing is forfeited if we reserve the gifts for ourselves.

Find a place to use what God has given you. Pour yourself out, and watch God nourish others and sustain you in ways you never dreamed imaginable! Your blessing is in the giving and serving – not in the getting and receiving. Using what God has given you will create even more opportunities to serve and more blessings in the process. Need an open door? Give what you have. Meet someone else’s need. Pour out what He has given you, and watch doors open where you never knew there was an entrance!

Have a blessed day!

Lamentations 3:22-24

Because of the LORD’s faithful love, we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: “The LORD is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.”

As I read this passage, the words of the old hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” run in the background of my mind. The author certainly reflected on these verses as he penned the words to one of the most famous and loved songs in most Christian hymnals. When we have truly experienced the faithfulness of God after going through a difficult or threatening time, we feel the love of the Father as His mercy becomes personally real to us. If you have followed Christ for any length of time, you should certainly be able to testify to His love and mercy many times. Sharing these testimonies is important to you and to others because it communicates the truth of Scripture in a way that is relevant to people who desperately need Christ.

I once read an article on Facebook that stated how we tend to only post the good things for people to see. As a result, we give the impression that life is always a bed of roses and we are happy all the time. People who are hurting can’t relate and may feel distant to us because they can’t see the struggle we encountered to get to where we are. Unless others can see how we overcome in Christ, He won’t be relevant to them.

The Book of Lamentations was written by Jeremiah, who was known as the “weeping prophet” because he cried over Judah’s waywardness and watched the destruction of Jerusalem. His mission was to point the way to restoration through repentance and bring hope to the fallen nation. His testimony to God’s faithfulness was imperative because of the heartache and loss his fellow countrymen faced. They needed to see his struggle and his victory in order to believe.

Don’t be ashamed of your struggle. Someone else around you is going through the same thing or will go through it very soon. God has already ordained your victory, and how you reach that victory is on display for others to see. You might not even know who is watching, but you are being used as a testimony for someone to know Christ. You can’t properly proclaim God’s faithfulness or His mercy if you’ve never admitted your pain. Someone needs to know that the struggle is worth what lies ahead, and you have the proof. God is good all the time, but life is not. We deceive others if we only tell them the good because we give the impression that being a Christian will take us from one happy place to another. We must be honest about the valleys that lie between our mountain top experiences. Without those valleys, God’s mercy has no relevance.

If you are feeling the threat of spiritual attack or encountering a hard time, know that God’s love is faithful. If you have experienced failure or fallen into sin again for the millionth time, His mercies are new every morning. Every victory, promotion, achievement, or celebration you see in your own life or in someone else’s was prefaced with a struggle and a determination to overcome by the grace of God. Put your hope in Him and move forward one step at a time. He has already ordained your destiny. Your success is someone else’s hope. Great is His faithfulness to you and to me!

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 123:1-2

I lift my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven. Like a servant’s eyes on His master’s hand, like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us favor.

A slave is completely dependent upon his master and looks to him for provision. His purpose is to serve the master, and he is there waiting for his next command. He does not have the choice nor freedom to look for answers elsewhere. So should our dependence be upon God. When our heart is so fixed upon seeking God that no other option remains, we are in a position to receive His favor. Our submission demands a response from His bountiful supply.

Such submission does not always come easy for us. At times, we willingly submit to God because of the harshness we’ve received in the world. When we’ve no other place to turn, submission to God’s kindness and mercy is not as difficult as it was when we thought we had options. Rock bottom may seem like a place of complete devastation, but it may be the place where we come face to face with God’s favor and begin to experience new direction and a new level of faith that will change the course of our lives.

You don’t have to hit rock bottom to receive God’s favor. You can freely choose to look to Him today. When we eliminate all other options and willingly choose to serve Him and wait for His response, we have chosen to receive His favor, rather than to try to gain an answer on our own. God’s favor can take you farther than you ever dreamed you could go, and His response is certainly worth the wait. Choose to be a servant with her eyes fixed upon her master today, and wait for His favor. He will not deny a submissive heart because it depends upon Him.

Have a blessed day!

John 6:44

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.

The Pharisees were complaining because Jesus said He was the bread of life that came down from heaven, indicating that He was the Son of God. They knew Him to be Joseph and Mary’s son. Just who did He think He was, and why did so many people follow Him? Jesus told them to stop their complaining. No one could come to Him unless the Father drew them to Him.

What Jesus was explaining to the Pharisees was that the people who followed Him were not attracted to His personality or His charisma. They were drawn to the glory of God in Him. People will always be drawn to the glory of God because it meets the needs of their personal longings. The glory of God completely satisfies and sustains. When people see that God is working in a church or a ministry, they want to be a part of it because nothing is more exciting, fulfilling, or satisfying that being a part of something God is doing.

Just as God sent Jesus to earth, He also sends us. He gives each of us a purpose and calls us to extend His kingdom on earth. Is there anything working in your life that reflects the glory of God? Does He have reason to draw people to you, your church, or your ministry? Personality or charisma will draw people only so far. Eventually personalities fail and will not ultimately sustain people. Only the Spirit of God can draw, develop, nourish, mature, and sustain.

May we be women who reflect the glory of God. May people be drawn to us because they see Christ at work in us. May our personalities surrender to His purpose, and may we always be a witness to His resurrection power and joy.

Have a blessed day!

Ezra 3:12-13

But many of the older priests, Levites, and family leaders, who had seen the first temple, wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this house, but many others shouted joyfully. The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from that of the weeping, because the people were shouting so loudly. And the sound was heard far away.

When Ezra and Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, they found many discouraged and helpless people. Through their leadership, the people banned together and began the work of rebuilding. Once the foundation of the temple was finished, the people began to praise God with great shouts of joy that could be heard from miles away. Some of the older people, however, could still remember the glory of Solomon’s temple and wept. Some of these tears may have been tears of joy that God was restoring His people, and some could have been chords of sorrow over what was lost. In either event, the sound of praise was so loud that no one could distinguish the shouting from the weeping. It was all the same sound.

We often associate praise and worship with songs of joy, but worship is simply pouring out your heart to God. At times, all you have to pour are tears. Give them to Him anyway. God does not distinguish the joy from the sorrow; He sees it all as praise when we give Him what is in our hearts and allow Him to work. Weeping acknowledges our weakness and dependence upon Him for strength. Worship involves surrender and can be found in both rejoicing and in weeping. Don’t hold in your sorrow when you can pour it out as a form of praise to God in recognition of His power to overcome your grief.

If you find yourself in a re-building phase, you can expect to encounter emotions of joy and of sorrow. The hope of something great in the future may cause you to shout with joy while you experience pains of loss at the same time. Since we have a relationship with our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, we can share both the feelings of great joy and great sorrow and be accepted in His presence. He cares about what makes you happy and what makes you sad because of relationship. Religion looks only for the right ritual or action. Relationship involves the entire individual – feelings and all. Share whatever is on your heart with God, and know He sees it as worship. If anything in your heart is not right, His Holy Spirit can heal your heart and change it if you give it to Him. A sacrifice of praise can be joyful or painful, but it is all the same to God. He wants your real self and not what you intend to be.

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 16:11

You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal treasures.

David found the most perfect place in the world – the presence of God. Nothing else compares to being in His presence and experiencing the fullness of all He is and all He has for us. Here we find abundant joy and treasures that are truly lasting, as well as a peace that keeps us through the storms of life.

Peter referred to David’s words here in his sermon at Pentecost. The secret to David’s hope and promise from God was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and Peter had the opportunity to reveal it to those gathered together in Jerusalem for Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ. Peter had found the same abundant joy that David had experienced, and he knew the rest of us could experience it, too.

I certainly hope you have found this place of abundant joy in Christ Jesus. Today might be a good day to re-visit that place and let the love of God surround you. I’ve prayed we will feel God’s presence all day today and that those around us can sense it, too. If you’ve never experienced this joy, you can have it today by surrendering your life to Christ. He will reveal the paths of life to you one day at a time, and His eternal treasures can be yours, including the gift of eternal life.

Have a blessed day!

Zechariah 4:6-7

So he (Angel of the LORD) answered me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: “Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of Hosts.  “What are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. And he will bring out the capstone accompanied by shouts of Grace, grace to it!”

Have you ever felt confused by what you believed God had told you to do and what you saw before you? Have you ever thought your mission seemed impossible? Have you ever had so many obstacles to face that success just seemed too far away? If so, this message is for you.

Zerubbabel was governor of Judea when God began to restore her after Babylonian captivity. This passage is a clear word through Zechariah the prophet to Zerubbabel that strength and might would not rebuild the temple, but God’s Spirit would oversee the work. Zerubbabel would finish the work God started in him by the grace of God.

Zerubbabel means “descendant of Babylon or born in Babylon.” Babylon means “confusion.” Therefore, Zerubbabel literally means “descendant of confusion.” I, for one, certainly resemble that! What is in my heart and the things God has shown me don’t always look like what is in front of me, and I feel very confused. I’m often asking myself, “Did I really hear from you? Was that really you, or did I just assume something?” We must remember that God does the work through the power of His Holy Spirit. His grace enables us to overcome obstacles and complete the assignment He has given us. If He has truly called us, we can rely upon His Spirit and grace to see us through to the end.

If things look confusing to you today, begin to shout, “Grace!” to it. You will never be strong enough, smart enough, or clever enough to overcome the enemy’s attack and the obstacles he throws your way. God’s grace is sufficient in your weakness, and He is strong where you are weak. Lean upon His Holy Spirit, and trust Him with the end result.

Verse 10 of that same chapter gives us another word of wisdom to grasp. “For who scorns the day of small things?” God is at work in the small things to turn them into larger things. When you can successfully complete the small things, opportunities for greater things will spring from them. Work with an attitude of excellence in all you do, and doors will open for you. The Holy Spirit working in you will guide you from small things to big things through the grace of God. You may have been born in confusion, but by God’s grace, you don’t have to stay there!

Have a blessed day!

Luke 15:4

What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it?

Verse 8

Or what woman who has 10 silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?

Jesus was speaking in these verses to the Pharisees and Scribes who had complained that He ate with sinners. He taught these parables to explain His mission in seeking the lost. He actively seeks that which belongs to Him, regardless of how it may appear to the norm of society or religious hierarchy.

In these examples, both the man and the woman go searching for what is already theirs. They are not seeking to increase their kingdom; they are seeking to maintain it. The lost sheep had once been a part of the fold, and the lost coin was once a part of the woman’s savings. By some mishap, the two became lost, and the shepherd and the woman went on a mad search to find what already belonged to them.

So it is with Christ. If we have truly come into His fold, He will not let us wander for long. He actively seeks us until He finds us to bring us right back where we are supposed to be. Whether we wandered off deliberately or mistakenly took the wrong trail, He will pursue us until we are within His arms again. Every one of His children is valuable to Him, and He does not discount us or count us as a loss.

If you have been written off by someone, know that Jesus is still pursuing you. You are valuable to Him. If a loved one has strayed from the truth, Jesus is still pursuing. He will bring back those who truly belong to Him.

We will actively seek those who are valuable to us, as well. How consistently do you pursue Christ? You have no kingdom or destiny without Him. He is what brings value to your life. Jesus knows your value and appreciates it. Have you realized His value to you? Those who have realized His value run to Him, cling to Him, and are never lost again.

Have a blessed day!

Hebrews 11:1-2

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For by it (faith) our ancestors were approved.

God approves us by our faith and not our performance. This truth should excite most of us because, frankly, our performance just stinks sometimes. God’s favor and His plan for you were never based upon how well you would perform for Him. He acts according to our faith. Do we really believe what He has placed in our heart, and are we willing to act upon it? Do we really believe Jesus paid the price for our sins, or are we still trying to earn grace?

Verse 6 of that same chapter explains God’s approval a little further. “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.” God is pleased with our faith in Him and what He can do through us. He rewards those who seek Him and not applause from their own performance.

Your faith, however, will most certainly affect your performance. If you truly believe God’s promise, you will move from a standpoint of confidence and not arrogance. You have nothing to prove to anyone else because God will act on your behalf. He will open doors that no man can shut. Doubt will cause you to shrink back in fear, question your calling, and look for man’s approval to go further.

God does not expect perfection. Hallelujah! He knows us better than that, and He has called us anyway. He expects us to believe His promises and act upon them. What has He promised you? Faith will take you from the unseen belief to manifested reality. Faith is the pathway between God-given desire and destiny, and walking that path is what pleases God. Don’t wait for God’s approval to set out on your journey. He has already approved you to walk that path. Step out in faith today and watch to see what door He opens next.

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 107:29-30

He stilled the storm to a murmur, and the waves of the sea were hushed. They rejoiced when the waves grew quiet. Then he guided them to the harbor they longed for.

I know many of you, like myself, have been encountering some storms for quite a while. The good news for all of us today is that God still calms the storms and hushes the waves for us! He also guides us to safe harbors, where our souls can rest from the toll the storms have imposed upon us.

Isaiah 4:6 tells us that God’s presence is a shade from the heat of the day and a refuge and shelter from the storm and rain. When we encounter those storms, or even the threat of them, God’s presence is with us to protect us and lead us back to a safe harbor. When we have His presence, we have protection and provision to face whatever life throws at us. We need only to lean on His presence and trust Him to calm the waves and winds for us.

You can’t control the storms in your life, and neither can I. We can’t control the storms that may hit today, but we can most certainly lean on God’s presence and trust Him to keep us safe. He can prevent the storm, quiet the storm, and keep us safe through the storm. If His presence is with us, we have all we need.

He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. We can rejoice in that fact today. Take shelter in God’s presence, and trust He will lead you to a safe harbor. The winds and rain won’t last forever. The sunshine of a new day is close at hand.

Have a blessed day!