THE BLESSING IN THE “NOW”

The Word “now” is an action word and it denotes a sense of urgency. When I use that word with my children I want them to understand the sense of urgency and the fact that I am expecting them to spring into action based on that simple word “Now!” Nothing aggravates me more than when they drag their feet after I have clearly indicated that I want something done “Now!” Perhaps that’s how God feels with us, when he has clearly told us to do something and we think we have the option of doing it in our own timing. No it’s real simple. He is expecting us to do it Now!

I have been hearing that Word from God more and more lately. If He tells me to do something, He is expecting me to move “Now! My confession is that sometimes I do drag my feet. Sometimes I am slow to make a move when I have clearly understood the direction and the urgency to make a move. But for some reason I chose not to do it. In one of those recent situations, I was reminded of the fact “There is a blessing in the Now”. I have come to really grasp this principle: As I act on what God tells me to do, when he tells me to do it, in the Now, He is taking care of things on my behalf. I believe God desires AND He honors “Now!” obedience.  I also believe that there are things that I have asked of Him that are directly linked to my acting “Now”. Even as I write this I was reminded of something I needed to do. I paused from writing to do what I know I was supposed to do [Now].

I know that there are people to whom God has told to do something and they have wondered when and even inquired of Him when and He has said that the time is “Now!” The time frame is non negotiable. It’s time to make a move. Sometimes we can get caught up in our own thought process, we rationalize, we ponder, we over think things and in that craziness we miss God’s timing. The word is “Now!”. There are unfulfilled dreams lingering in the corridor of being fulfilled, but for some reason you refuse to walk in. Your Word is “Now!”  Your blessing is contingent upon your action… NOW!

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 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

BEWARE OF DISTRACTIONS!

Have you ever been focused on accomplishing a task or a goal and while you were focused in the beginning, at some point in the process you got sidetracked? I will admit it, if you won’t. I have numerous times! I can be focused, have a plan in place, in the process of carrying out said plan and out of no where it seems something happens and the next thing I know I am doing something totally different from what I originally set out to do. Those “things” that happen are appropriately called “distractions”. I liken distractions to the rodeo clown; his role is to simply keep the bull’s focus on him so that he the bull won’t go after the actual bull rider. So it is with the things of God. Think of the enemy and his tactics as the “rodeo clown” in our lives. His goal is to get us to focus on other things, anything but the goal of serving God.

I am not happy about it, but I must confess that distractions have gotten the best of me lately. My year started off great, I had goals set and my plan to reach those goals laid out. Recently I sat down to evaluate my progress and I realized that I had lost sight of my goals. In the process of trying to figure out why, I was gently admonished by the Holy Spirit. You guessed it; I had become distracted by so many things that had come up in my life. Not that the “things” that have come up were not important, but they caused me to shift my focus away from God’s plans and on to those “things”. It was evident that for me, life’s distractions were clearly winning and pursuing God’s plan was at a deficit.

I think sometimes we think of distractions as the obvious, minor, unimportant things that happen, but that’s not always the case. In fact, the enemy loves for us to think of “distractions” in that manner so that we don’t recognize them when they appear in other ways. You see sometimes distractions can be big things, important things like illness (with you or someone close to you), job loss, conflict on the job, marriage trouble, financial distress, troubled children, or other family issues. While these things are important, they can be distractions when it comes to pursuing the things of God. They can cause us to get so focused, so consumed with those events that we lose focus of the goal or the promise that God has given to us. Please understand that I am not saying that those things are not important and don’t deserve our time, but I am saying that we have to be careful because they can cause us to worry or become so frustrated that we can no longer focus on the things of God. We have to remember that our worrying, our frustrations, our feelings won’t change those situations and we must put them at the feet of Jesus just as we do other things AND even with these things we must continue to press on, continuing to follow God’s plan for our lives.

Don’t allow the enemy to use those “distractions” to cause you to give up on your destiny or to give up on God all together. Call those things what they are “D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-I-O-N-S”. Pray about them and ask God to help you remain focused and give you the strength to press on, no matter what. As for me, it’s time to regroup and get back on track. I am choosing to take my eyes off of the "rodeo clown" and readjusting my gaze on God's plan for my life. If you are in the same situation, I sincerely urge you to do the same. 

Be encouraged today.

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~ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

~ I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.1 Corinthians 7:35

~ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:14

WHERE ARE YOU GOD?

If I have heard it once, I have heard it a million times people asking “Where are you God in this?” It seems I am hearing it more often with people suffering and facing life’s struggles. This cry of despair has even been declared from my lips more times than I can remember. For me it is my desperate plea to know that the One who created the universe, the One who is All knowing and All powerful is there with me in that moment, concerned about my situation, my well-being, my ability to make it through. One day recently when asking this very same question I heard the voice say to me “I am near, I have never left”

I know that people are going through things that are so tragic that their pain seems unbearable. I know that there are those facing some serious struggles with their health; some have even been given up on by doctors. I know that there are those who are depressed, broken hearted, or overwhelmed by the cares of life. Sometimes it can seem like those words of encouragement offered by others are often just that, words. But I say this to you not because it is the right thing to say, but because I know it to be true “God is Near!”

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~ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

~ The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145: 18

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

Have you ever been in a fight? I can’t say I have had the experience myself, but I have seen quite a few in my career as a high school teacher. Some of them have gotten quite vicious. In some of the fights I have witnessed, I have seen one of the opponents go after the other one with such tenacity and anger that it was virtually impossible to pull them apart. Usually at the end of the ordeal, it is obvious that there is one of them in the fight that gets the best of the other. I thought to myself what would happen if in those fights the person that was fighting did not know who their opponent was? What if they just fought everyone that happened to be in the crowd? I am pretty sure that would not prove to be in their best interest.  They have to know their target, their opponent so that they can expend their energy on them and not on those around them, right?

Fighting everyone in the crowd sounds funny doesn’t it? But isn’t that what we do in spiritual battles we tend to lash out at people and circumstances when the real opponent is the enemy, Satan. He is very deceptive.  Yes he uses people, but he is the culprit behind their lies, their attacks, and their God-less acts. We have to recognize first that we are in a fight and then who the real opponent, or enemy is. We read in Ephesians 6:12 “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.” (Amplified Bible)

When we understand who our enemy is, then we can better be prepared for the fight. No, it is not a physical fight, but one that is fought on our knees in prayer. Just like in a physical fight we size up the competition we must do the same, but our approach is using God’s word. It’s in His word that we find out the real truth about our enemy: The enemy, Satan is:

A defeated foe. Hebrews 2:14

The father of all lies. John 8:44

A devourer and a destroyer. 1 Peter 5:8

A deceiver. 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Corinthians11:44

As you try to survive in and through your spiritual battle make sure you are very clear of who your opponent is, Satan. He has you set in his sight to get you off track, to miss God’s best for you. Don’t allow him to do it. Stand firm, no matter what. Fight him with the most powerful weapon you have, prayer. Be encouraged today!

WHAT PART OF “OBEY” DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?

“How are you feeing?” I asked, even though I could tell by the look on her face she wasn’t feeling her best. I hugged her and sat down and we had a mini-conversation. During our talk we briefly discussed her “situation”, but I left knowing that it shouldn’t end there. I needed to pray with her. I know I did, but I didn’t heed the voice inside telling me to. No way to sugarcoat it, I was disobedient.

The worship service began and during the service I heard it once again “Pray for her”, yet I allowed fear to overtake me. I did not move. Once again my obedience was M.I.A. Finally the service ended, but the “feeling” did not leave me. I knew there was something that God was telling me to do. I could not leave without doing my part. My role was to simply “obey”.  Why didn’t I get it? Why couldn’t I do it? I did something at that moment. I got up, walked over to her and said I need to pray with you. I spoke the words God told me to speak earlier. I prayed over her and with her. I declared victory over her situation. I stood in the gap with her. Something in her and me broke. It was what she needed. It was what I needed.

I recognize it for what it is. My issue was and is an issue of obedience…. **sigh**

You see sometimes I doubt what I hear and question what I know God is telling me to do.

So I do nothing.

That’s disobedience.

Sometimes I do or say those things that I know He has told me not to do, not to say. 

That’s disobedience.

There are even times when I hear His voice telling me to do something and I try and rationalize it. I wait. I don’t move when He tells me to. My obedience is delayed.

That is disobedience.

It’s funny when I think about it, I do the very same things that I get frustrated with my children about. How is my being disobedient to God different from them disobeying me? It isn’t, really. Just like I demand that they obey me, God demands that I obey Him. To the extent that I obey, He can and will continue to use me. I want Him to be able to use me as He needs, to serve His people. I am determined to do better. I missed it today, because I didn’t obey immediately when He spoke to me. I have repented. I will continue to press in. 

Complete and total obedience is what He desires from all of us. That's my goal! What about you? Be encouraged today.

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~ Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, Exodus 19:5

~ If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15