minister to others out of overflow

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living waterWhen you are ministering to others, it is so important to be refilled with God’s Word daily. There are so many reasons: His Word is the lamp to your feet and the light to your path; but, even more importantly, God’s Word is the Living Water that gives life to your spirit.

The reality is that we cannot live without water. That is how God created us.  You can not survive over three days without natural water before your body begins to shut down.  Even a flowering plant requires water to live.  You can see the effects within a few days if the plant is not receiving enough water.  A flower that has not been properly watered will be droopy and limp; whereas, a flower that has been watered is full of life and beauty.  A thirsty Christian is just as noticeable; they’re dry and limp.

As you receive God’s Word, you can actually feel your spirit drinking in, reviving and blooming again.  So, if you are dry and droopy, just stop; drink and be refreshed.  Drink in the Word, and be filled up before you try to minister to others.  Always be sure to minister to others out of your overflow, not out of your substance.

Where are You Planted?

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“Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly… He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in his season.”  Psalm 1:1-3

living waterIn this passage, as well as many other passages in the Bible, we are compared to a tree. It is a funny comparison.  Some people are tall trees with long branches, and others are shorter trees with short bush-like branches.  When we think about people being like trees, there are many ways we can apply this comparison.  We know that in order to grow and produce fruit we must be planted near a good water source.  It is usually pretty obvious to tell if a person/tree is planted by a good water source by examining the fruit that is produced.  In Psalm 1:3, David says that a man is like a tree, and when he is planted near the river (God’s Word) he will produce good fruit in his season.

I have known many people in the most fruitful and productive season of their life who receive a blow, and fall to the ground.  The blow is so great that it causes them to want to lie down and just give up.  I have been in that place myself, and when I was, this verse was like a river of Living Water that poured into my spirit and filled me with strength to rise up again.

“For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground; yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.”  Job 14:7-9

The Way of Peace

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And they have no experience of the way of peace [they know nothing about peace, for a peaceful way they do not even recognize]. Romans 3:17

Finding PeaceOnce you have tasted something that is good and satisfying to your taste, you will continue to crave it.  Like my Aunt Nan’s delicious home-made pound cake, or my Mom’s wonderful banana pudding?  No one else can touch these two desserts; my mind is set, and I know how delicious they are.  It is such a delightful experience as you savor every bite; there is no question in your mind.   You don’t wonder, “Is there anyone else that makes a better pound cake?”  You can quiet your thoughts because it is settled in your mind.

Scripture says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”  Once you have tasted and experienced the peace of the Lord, nothing else will satisfy you. It is settled, the peace of the Lord is the only place where you are at total peace. 

Unfortunately, some people have never had this experience.  Just as some people have only tasted store bought cake, they might not even recognize a home baked one.  The same is true in spiritual things: if all you have ever experienced is religion, you haven’t tasted the real thing.  This is what Paul is referring to when he points out in the scripture above, “they do not even recognize the peace of the Lord.” 

Once you have experienced His peace, it passes all previous experiences and is written in your heart and settled in your mind.  You will recognize it.  Get in a quiet place, still your mind, pray, and read the Word until His peace fills your soul.  You will taste and see that the Lord is good!

Don’t Flinch in the Face of Adversity

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Have you ever been in a stressful situation when you didn’t know what to do or which way to go?  It is in these stressful times that the enemy plays his sly tricks.  Remember your enemy is a thief, and he comes to kill, steal and destroy and his primary target is your faith.  He knows you are dangerous to him as long as you have faith.  So, his goal to steal, kill or destroy your faith by tricking you.

In the stress of the moment he will try to trick you into believing his lies.  When times are hard, he tricks you into thinking all is lost.  All is not lost! That is a lie straight from the enemy.  God’s word says, “all things are possible to those who believe”.  The feeling of hopelessness is also a trick.  The feeling that you are all alone and that “no one cares” be aware this is another one of his tricks.  Don’t fall for it even for a second.  He is so tricky that he throws these thoughts and feelings at you when you are preoccupied with the stressful moment.  His plan is to catch you off guard.

So, determine ahead of time, don’t be tricked.  Be aware of his seams and tricks.   He has different ones for different people.  I have found that what one person falls for another person doesn’t even flinch at. 

Take Moses for instance; it was a stressful time when the king of Egypt was raging at him for taking the Children of Israel out of Egypt.  In the Amplified, Hebrews 11:27 says, “Motivated by faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly…”

With your faith in God move on, your enemy is defeated.

Hear His Voice

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“Unto you do I cry, O Lord my rock, be not deaf and silent to me…”  Psalm 28:1

Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way; walk ye in it” Isaiah 30:21

When we have decisions to make and doubts are flooding our soul, and others suggest courses of action that are conflicting, when caution dictates one approach but faith the other, it is the time to stop and be still.

The scripture says, “Be still and know, I am God (Psalm 46:10).”  This gives us the permission that it is “ok” to quiet the intruding opinion of others around us, and then calm ourselves into the stillness of God’s presence and wait to hear His gentle voice.  It takes courage to wait in silence trusting that He will not be silent.  It takes courage to bypass all the words of well meaning friends.  It takes courage to not be pulled by those who are insisting on an immediate decision or action. It takes courage to wait on, trust in, and rely on the Lord to direct you in those difficult decisions.

God is ever present in times of trouble when important decisions need to be made you will hear His voice behind you saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it.”  Once you hear clearly and the decision is made, a friend may then be used by the Lord to give support and confirmation. So be still and wait on the Lord, He is not silent.

The Right Path: Lord, as I still myself before You, help me to block out all intruding thoughts and opinions. I pray as David did that You will not be silent, I ask You to speak to me and give me direction in each decision I am making today. I desire to hear You say: “this is the way, walk in it.”

The Fullness of Time

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“To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

 
As I awoke this morning, the Lord gave me a word: “In the fullness of time.”  As I stumbled to the coffee pot, I asked the Lord to bring me revelation of that Word.  When I opened my devotional, Streams in the Desert, one of the Scripture verses for the day was in Galatians 4:4, “when the time had fully come.”  So, I knew the Lord was bringing this to my attention for a reason, for my life as well as someone who is reading this.
 
When gardening, we can watch the fullness of time come.  I know from experience that we reap a harvest of what we have sown in our garden.  In the fullness of time, or in an appointed amount of time, the seeds that have been sown will spring forth.  The fullness of time is the time of harvest.  There is an appointed amount of time according to the seed that has been sown. Ecclesiastes 3:2 says there is a time to plant and a time to harvest what was planted.
 
Think for a minute of the spiritual seeds you have planted.  I like to think of my children as my flower garden.  I love to watch them grow and bloom.  The harvest in a flower garden is the flowers.  You too may have a garden either natural or spiritual, and the only thing that is between you and your harvest, is time.  A certain amount of time has been appointed for the seeds you have planted to produce a harvest.  Harvest time is “the fullness of time.”
 
Just recently I experienced how you can know it is the fullness of time.  My husband and I have a vegetable garden.  We have enjoyed watching every stage of its growth and we are patiently waiting for the time of harvest.  The squash has produced more than enough for our family; it has been an abundant harvest.  However, the harvest of corn has been different even though they are planted side by side.  My husband saw the brown silks on the corn and knew that the fullness of time had come.  I was so excited when I saw him walking across the yard with an ear of corn in his hand. But, it was not full enough to eat.  “Can we just leave the corn on the stalk and let it grow longer until it fills out?”  I asked.  No, he explained to me that once the silk turns brown, you know it has stopped growing and it is time for harvest.
 
When we planted the seeds, it was very dry.  Someone told us if we soaked the ground every other day that it would be sufficient water.   But we have found it wasn’t enough for the corn.  If we had watered the seeds every day after they were first planted, the harvest would have been better.
 
Wow, we learned a valuable lesson about gardening and our spiritual life as well.  Freshly planted seeds require daily water; some more than others. Think about the seeds you have recently planted.  I’m not talking about corn; I am talking about spiritual seeds.  Parents, if you have recently planted seeds in your children (no matter how old they are), you may want to heed a gardener’s advice and water those seeds every day.  Pour out your love every day to water the seeds. Watch and water daily, and in the fullness of time, you will reap an abundant harvest!  If you have just harvested a blessing, send us a note; we would love to hear about your harvest.

Finding Your Purpose in Life

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 “I will cry to God Most High …who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them.” Psalm 57:2 Amp
 

If you are like many people, you may be seeking and desiring to know what your purpose is.  You may be wondering, “Why am I here?” and “What am I supposed to do with my life?”  So many times we run here and there pursuing this idea or that idea trying to discover God’s purpose for our life.
 
The verse above makes it real clear that God has established His purpose for each of us and He will bring it to pass.  All we do is continue pursuing Him.  We must stop imagining castles in the sky and pursuing our own foolish, lofty ideas so our soul can find rest and peace in the Lord.  Our purpose is to pursue God, to love Him, to worship Him and enjoy fellowship with Him.  Then our purpose will be an overflow of our relationship with Him..

How to Deal With Offenses

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“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.” Genesis 37:3-4

dealing with offensesJust like Joseph, we have all experienced relationship problems.  It is in how we process these problems that determines our peace with God. Joseph released his brothers and found forgiveness. (Gen.50:15-20)

Learning how to deal with problems and conflict in a relationship is learned in your family when you’re growing up.  A healthy family deals with problems as they arrive instead of sweeping them under the rug. When there is a problem in a healthy family, the hurtful things that are said are addressed quickly.  These hurtful things are not just overlooked, but addressed so forgiveness can occur.

When hurtful words or actions are not dealt with, the pain gets buried. Usually buried pain does not surface for many years.  A person who can face a situation and deal with it quickly will be much healthier than a person who does not know how to deal with problems properly.  Life is full of relationship problems, and relationship problems are full of pain; it’s all in how you deal with it that determines your quality of life.  It is possible for a person who has had a life of hardship and suffering to still enjoy a life of peace and joy if they deal with the pain as they go.

If you had a hurtful situation that was never dealt with, the pain may still be affecting your life today. You may be in much need of healing and not even realize it.  The sad thing is everyone around you knows it when they see you in an emotional roller-coaster with sudden outbursts of anger.  Anger is an outward indicator of a serious lingering heart pain.  Anger will usually surround a hidden pocket of pain that needs to be healed.

The Psalmist David knew that when he sinned, it was his heart that needed healing. He said,

Lord be merciful to me, heal my inner self (heart), for I have sinned against you.” Psalm 41:4 Amp

We don’t hesitate to see a doctor when we have chest pain, but never give it a thought when we explode at the least little thing, like when a Dad yells at the kids when they leave their skateboard in the driveway, or when Mom screams when someone leaves clothes on the floor.

“God knows the secrets of the heart” (Psalms 44:21)

He knows what we have released and forgiven, and what we are still holding on to.  It is those things we are still holding on to that causes the anger.

Time Alone With God

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The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor;  he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,  to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3

Time with GodTime alone with God has a divine purpose.

We set time aside for hair appointments, doctor and dentist appointments and they seem so important that we schedule them even months in advance.  However, time alone with God is where the real change takes place.

During our time alone with God, we are forgiven, released, refreshed, and renewed.  In the presence of God, we are healed, encouraged, restored and transformed.  A divine exchange takes place: beauty is given for ashes, strength for weakness and joy for mourning.  This divine exchange can only happen as you commit to spend time alone with God.

Hold-on To Your Gifts

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GiftsCelebrate God’s gifts everyday and you will always have them.

God’s gift, Jesus Christ was the greatest gift that was ever given.  If you were living during the special time in history and observed the humble birth of our Lord, would you have overlooked this wonderful gift?

Think about it – the only ones recorded who recognized, and cherished the gift were Mary, Joseph, the wise men, and the shepherds.  But, there were many people living in that day who passed right by and never recognized Jesus as a gift.

Look all around you.  Are you overlooking some of God’s precious gifts?  Are you celebrating and thanking Him for your children, your husband, or your wife and others in your family?  Let us not get so busy that we pass right by a gift and fail to thank God.

Those we fail to celebrate we begin to just tolerate and those we just tolerate soon fade away.  You must hold on to the gifts God has given you by being thankful for them.  Those we are thankful for – we will cherish and hold them carefully in our heart.

Pray this prayer: “Lord, open my eyes so I can see Your gifts all around me.”