God Is Working In YOU!

His Word: For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.              Philippians 2:13 NLT

Observation & Obedience: In His Word, Paul reflects on how the new believers in Philippi had been relying on his teaching and presence; and it was because of him that they had wanted to obey God. 

Now, in Paul’s absence, he explains that they need to develop their own dependence on God. They must recognize that it is God who is working in them to give them the desire and power to do his will; not Paul. 

Have you ever had days when you don’t feel like obeying God? Let’s be honest and say that yes, for whatever reason, sometimes we just don’t have the desire to do God’s will. 

I’ve taken the liberty of listing a few of those possible reasons/excuses: 

1) Demands: We often have our own thoughts and opinions on how God’s will should look, how it should work out and who it should involve. This selfish attitude puts our demands over God’s commands. 

2) Doubts: We struggle with trying to figure out what God’s will is going to require of us, how long it’s going to take, where it’s going to lead us, etc. Our doubts often produce fear that keeps us from doing anything at all.

3) Denial: Because we don’t fully understand, we may deny that God is really leading us in a certain direction. Perhaps we heard him incorrectly or his instructions were for someone else. Denial keeps us stuck in a rut.

4) Distractions: Our lives and minds are busy places. We allow distractions to take us down paths God never intended for us to go. Distractions are the number one way the Enemy keeps us from obeying God. 

5) Decisions: Sometimes we have difficulty making decisions. When all the pieces to God’s “purpose puzzle” are not laid out in clear view, we make the decision to not make any decision at all.  

The good news is that God has not left us alone in our struggles to do his will. He wants to come alongside and desires to work in us. God is the one who gives us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. 

Think about it. If we waited until we felt like doing most things in life, how much would actually get accomplished? When it comes to obeying God, we must ask him to help us want to do his will; it’s that simple!

Have you used any of these reasons to keep you from allowing God to work in you? Have you given God a list of demands he must fulfill before you’ll consider obeying him?  Does all your energy go toward calming your doubts by trying to figure everything out beforehand? 

Does denial that God wants to use you keep you stuck in one place? Have the distractions of your world lead you in the wrong direction? Are you complacent not to do anything because all the pieces don’t line up?

Now you may not consciously list these reasons for not wanting to obey God and do what pleases him, but you may have used them at one time or another without realizing it. 

It is possible to change our desires to be more like God’s desires. First, we need to recognize that God has not abandoned us but is working and shaping us into women who desire to do his will. Then we must acknowledge that it’s only through his power that we can accomplish it.

Prayer: “Dear God, I find that when I don’t use excuses and do what pleases you, I actually gain the desire to do it! Help me to do what you want while I trust you to change my desires.  Thank you for caring enough about me to be actively working inside me and providing me with your power. Amen.”

Encouragement: You don’t always have to have a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go and see what happens.  Mandy Hale

What Are You Chasing After?

His Word: Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.          Proverbs 19:21

Observation & Obedience: His Word for today summarizes life in two sentences! We spend our days trying to complete everything on our to-do list, while in the end; it is God’s purpose that will prevail.

Do you go to sleep at night with a list of what wasn’t accomplished and wake in the morning with an ongoing memo alert of what waits for you? Is it any wonder why you don’t feel rested and refreshed? 

How often do you try to add good things to your daily list while the most important things get buried and ignored? What dreams do you chase after that you believe will fill the void in your life?

Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, says that” without a clear purpose you will keep changing directions, hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart.” 

Can you think back over your life and recall what kind of plans you had for your life in your teens? Your twenties? Your thirties? How many of those have come to fruition? How many of those seem foolish years later?

It’s not wrong to have goals and dreams. But when we commit all our time and energy into pursuing what we want and not taking God’s plans into consideration, they become an unhealthy obsession. 

King Solomon recounts his life spent pursuing after what he wanted: But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless; like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere (Ecclesiastes 2:11 NLT).

God wants us to seek his purpose and plans for our lives. He longs for us to fulfill the destiny we were designed for. He puts his desires in our heart; we just have to be willing to acknowledge them and put them into action. 

How do you tend to start your day?  By giving God a copy of your itinerary and appointment schedule and praying for his blessing on it? Or do you begin with asking God to guide and direct your day and its plans? 

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans(Proverbs 16:3). It’s a promise!

Are you open to God’s interruptions during the day? Actually, you don’t have much of a choice in this matter. Remember, God’s purpose will prevail. What he wants done, will get done; either by you or someone else.

Why not let it be you God uses to fulfill his plans. Don’t miss out on the blessings that come from being the one God works in and through. Don’t spend your life changing directions and chasing after the wind. 

Listen to your heart. Choose not to settle for what the world says you need to do. Pursue your God-given goals and plans, knowing that it’s never too late to accomplish everything God has placed in your heart. 

Prayer: “Dear God, you have so many plans prepared for me. Things you want me to say and do that will show others your power, provision, protection and promises. I pray that I will not let my own goals and dreams stand in the way of you using me. I can be stubborn and want what I want, but in the end, I know your purpose will prevail and I don’t want to miss out on seeing you work in and through my life.  Amen.” 

Encouragement: Dear God, if today I lose my hope, please remind me that your plans are better than my dreams.   Holley Gerth

Whose Plans Are You Following?

His Word: This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.   Jeremiah 29:10

Observation & Obedience: For seventy years, the Israelites had been in captivity because of their sins against God. They had been taken from their homeland and separated from their families. The city of Jerusalem had been destroyed and their lives would never be the same. 

Yet God, in his love and faithfulness, promised that they would one day be reunited. He would see that they were rescued and allowed to return to the land he had given to their ancestors; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

God is even specific about what their new lives will be like. He has many plans for them; they just need to stay close to him. They cannot fall back into their old ways of idol worship and ignoring God’s prophets; those he has appointed to speak for him. 

Jeremiah 29:11 is a very popular verse used to describe God’s plans for our lives. Not to be taken out of context, we have to be reminded that these were God’s words to the Israelites and they did not come without some sort of commitment on their part. 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

God knew what he had planned for them; plans that would prosper them physically, financially, spiritually and emotionally. He wanted them to be new people with a new purpose. A purpose that allowed him to have total control of their lives and to be able to bless them, not harm them. 

Throughout the years of captivity, there were many times when things seemed hopeless to the people of Israel. They did not know how much time they had to “serve” or if they would ever be released. God’s plans would now provide them with hope for a bright and prosperous future. 

The plans God had for the children of Israel are also for us as his sons and daughters. He wants to prosper our lives with hopeful, not hopeless living. He wants us to know his plans are not to harm us, but to work things together for the good of those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Maybe you’ve been in some sort of “captivity” and God is telling you it’s time to come back to where you belong. You’ve been separated from him due to sin and you’ve been living a hopeless life. Your future looks bleak. Nothing you are doing is working out the way you planned it.

That’s the problem. We tend to want God to work out our plans for prosperity and pleasure. We tell him what we want our future to look like and who we want in it. We bargain with God to grant our wishes and bless our plans without taking his into consideration. 

That’s not how God’s plans work. They are his plans, not ours. Just as the Israelites had to re-commit themselves to loving and obeying God with their entire being; heart, soul and mind, so must we in order to see his glorious plans worked out in our lives.

Come back today. Commit your present and future to God. Allow him to prosper and shower his blessings on you. You don’t want to miss them!

Prayer: “Dear God, your plans for me are far better than anything I could think of. You want to bless my life with so many good things and give me hope for my future. All you ask is that I stay close to you, love and obey you and trust you with my life. I can’t wait to see the rest of what you have planned for me here on earth and for all of eternity with you. Amen.”

Encouragement: Those who leave everything in God’s hand will eventually see God’s hand in everything.    Unknown

Thankfulness Builds Trust In His Plan

His Word: Exodus 9:16 But, indeed, for this cause I have raised you up, in order to show in you My power and so that My name may be declared throughout all the earth. (MEV)

Observation and Obedience: Our verse today falls right smack dab in the middle of the plagues that were inflicted upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians as God was pressing into His plan to free His people so they could worship Him. God was about the business of proving there is NONE like Him in all the earth. He was going to make a name for himself and it would be proclaimed forever and for always to all people.

So how does this apply to us today? What hidden gem can we mine in this verse?

The first thing that is impressed upon me is that there is no limit to what God will do to carry out His plan of bringing freedom to His people. He would turn the water of the Nile into blood, infest lives and homes with frogs, gnats, flies and locusts. He would inflict disease on all the livestock and boils on the people. He would send hail, darkness you could touch and death to the first born. Now, I think you could say….. God meant business!!! Those were some scary days. And the Hebrew people had front row seats. 

You can count on the fact that there is always a plan for what God is allowing. His plan hasn’t changed. He wants to show His power and His love for you and through you, so that ALL will come to KNOW and Worship Him for who He is.

Our response to His plan is what He’s after. God is looking to rid us of our fear, anxiety, need for control, selfishness, pride and our poisoned hearts of unforgiveness; you could call these the plagues of our day.  He wants to bring us into freedom. The freedom of living loved, worshiping with thankful hearts and trusting in Him ONLY.

God uses the hard, dark, ugly times because those are the times we recognize our NEED for Him and He can show up BIG!  When we surrender to His will, recognize our complete helplessness to fix our messes, right our wrongs or make it on our own……He’s there. He’s closer than we can imagine. All that is required of us is to hit our knees, cry out and fall into His arms of Love, ever thankful that we have Him there to catch us.

Thankful you say……YES, Thankful. For It is also in the hard, dark, ugly times that the world (family, friends and acquaintances) watches us and will see what God is going to do with these broken parts of our lives. And God says it right here, He wants to use you in those times “to show in you My power so that My name may be declared throughout all the earth.” He wants them to see your heart for Jesus. It is your thankful heart that will build trust in His plan, for you, and for those who are watching you. It is your trust in the hard times that proclaims to the world that there is always enough God! My life needs to speak my beliefs. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for your unfailing love, which is the foundation of YOUR plan for my life. Thank You that my trust in You will unwrap all you have intended for me. Thank You that even in the times that I can’t see your hand, I can still see Your Heart when I seek to count Your gifts and recognize the blessings of Your Love. You have asked me to be thankful in all things and at all times. And it is because a thankful life builds trust and defeats fear.  Jesus taught us that thanksgiving always precedes the miracle. Lord help me to live out your miracle for all to see. In Jesus Name. Amen

Encouragement: Consider it a sheer GIFT, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2-4 MSG And what did your momma teach you to say when someone gives you a gift? THANK YOU.

Personal Note: I want to thank my dear cousin, Tonia, for pushing me out of my comfort zone behind the camera and into the devotional writing arena. It has forced me to seek God in new ways, listen closely to His promptings and Trust He will be glorified despite my attempt. I look forward to seeing what God has to say through Tonia over the next couple of months and can’t wait to see her photography skills blossom!! ;p  (kidding)

I do miss her so. But I am so blessed for the time and intimacy we shared through our journey. Love, Sharon

Living LOVED IS The Plan

His Word: Proverbs 16:2-3 (ESV) All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Observation and Obedience: The Proverbs were written as divine guidance and wise counsel for us to contemplate and incorporate into our lives. They reveal God’s nature, His character, His idea of how things work and how His blessings are poured out.  As we seek to apply them to our lives we should see them as treasures of wisdom and knowledge that are hidden in Christ.

Matthew 26: 39-44 is an honest, gut wrenching picture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane asking His Father to show him another way besides the cross…..if at all possible. Three times he asks, is there any other way? He knew what was ahead of Him. The pain, the humiliation, the betrayal. But…..He also knew His Father’s Love, not only for Him but for all mankind. Jesus, being completely human, not wanting to go through the unimaginable, wasn’t afraid to show His heart to His Father and ask that he be spared the hard, painful death of the cross.

How many of us have found ourselves crying out asking to be spared what is right in front of us? Please God, not my job. Please God, not my marriage. Please God, not cancer. Please God, not my child. PLEASE GOD! There’s nothing wrong with asking. There’s no shame in pleading. Jesus asked three times.  

What we need to see in this hidden treasure of Christ’s example is exactly what this Proverb is talking about. Jesus showed His spirit of trust and obedience when He also surrendered three times to the will of His Father…. “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?” Again he prayed, “My Father, if there is no other way than this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I’m ready. Do it your way.”

Our plans, in our eyes would be good without the pain and suffering. But God weighs the spirit. Ann Voskamp articulates it beautifully when she says “We greedily take what looks like it’s good from God’s hand and then thrash wild to escape when God gives from His hand what feels bad.” It FEELS bad, but God wastes NOTHING.  God sees the bigger picture. God’s Plan is Perfect because of His UNFAILING LOVE for US.

Jesus knew that Love. He walked in it and so He was able to commit his work, his journey and his suffering to the will and plans of His Father.  He knew His Father’s plan had already been established and Jesus ultimately TRUSTED His Life to His Father’s plan.

For us to totally commit ourselves in the sense of both total trust and submission to the will of God, we need to live Loved. We need to LIVE LOVED! I NEED TO LIVE LOVED!  He will fulfill His righteous plans for our lives because He Loves US.

Be encouraged today to live honest before Your God and not ashamed. He knows what you’re thinking, feeling and desiring. He Loves YOU anyway. Be willing to submit your plans, your days, your life to Him because you are secure in the knowledge that YOU ARE LOVED BY GOD! 

Prayer: Father, thank you for lifting the burdens of our selfish plans and ways. Lord forgive us for not accepting whatever you choose to give because we don’t want the hard, we only want the good. Help our hearts and eyes to be opened to the greater graces of comfort, mercy, forgiveness, patience and courage that we experience in our suffering. Lord in every hard situation help us to say “I’m ready, because I am loved. Do it your way.” You waste nothing. Thank You Jesus for your example and for your sacrifice. Amen

Encouragement: “All is grace because all is being transfigured by God for His Glory. God is always good and I AM ALWAYS LOVED” Ann Voskamp

It's Time To Put A Spring In Your Step! It's Resurrection Day!

April Showers bring May Flowers……sounds like a plan to me. Here we are, about to journey through the fourth month of 2018! Last month, we were building our courage and staying focused on God’s ever present nature and unfailing love for us. This month, we will look at how His plan for our lives is perfectly timed, perfectly executed and perfectly trustworthy. Even when we hit the potholes! And living in Maine, we know all about potholes this time of year.His Word: Psalm 33:11 But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.

Observation and Obedience:  Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising. Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs! Play his praise on a grand piano! Invent your own new song to him; give him a trumpet fanfare.

For God’s Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out. He loves it when everything fits, when his world is in plumb-line true. Earth is drenched in God’s affectionate satisfaction.

The skies were made by God’s command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out. He scooped Sea into his jug, put Ocean in his keg. Earth-creatures, bow before God; world-dwellers—down on your knees! Here’s why: he spoke and there it was, in place the moment he said so.

God takes the wind out of Babel pretense, he shoots down the world’s power-schemes. God’s plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last. (verses 1-11 of Psalm 33 MSG)

I love this cheer!!! Is there anyone else you would trust your life to? He spoke and it was! When have you created anything from your own words and breath?

From the beginning of time, whatever God determined He did. It happened. All of it! He determined to create the world and do it in 6 days. Behold, that’s where we live. He determined to create Man and Woman in His own image. Behold, that’s who we are. He determined a time to put on flesh and dwell among us. Behold, Jesus. He determined to redeem us because His love for us is so GREAT. Behold, the crucifixion and RESURRECTION! He determined that the whole world would know Him. Behold, the gospel, His disciples, His church. Have we any doubt that He will return in Victory to take His bride? EVERY knee shall bow! BEHOLD!

Nothing that happens to us, in our entire life here, surprises God. Nothing will catch Him unprepared. There is NOTHING that will steal His thunder or grab His Glory! His plan for your life cannot be shaken or derailed. So give thanks, cheer, make a joyful noise, sing a new song, make up your own words, dance, BEHOLD Him, because He holds You. 

Prayer: Thank You Father for your power, your presence, your plan and your peace. You are worthy of all our Praise, all our attention and all of our days. We worship and adore you. We come before you with awe, wonder and expectation for the work you are doing in our lives at this time and for what is to come! Forgive us for our doubt, forgive us for questioning your love for us when you freely gave the greatest gift and all we have to do is receive Him. We stand with you, firm and unshaken  because of your unshakable plan and the power of your word. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Encouragement: In the Stressful times – SEEK GOD. In the Painful times – PRAISE GOD. In the Terrible times – TRUST GOD. And at All times, at ALL times, at ALL times – THANK GOD. Ann Voskamp