You Haven't Missed A Step: PAGE 120

 

As with most of my writings, I post this page as a reminder to myself-

and especially to those whose hope feels lost to the unimaginable.

May we all find a revelation today!

“Lord, make it so!”

___________________________________

While reading this morning, I came upon a piercing proclamation, which stated, “You haven’t missed a step”.  I really took this to heart because it was a pivotal piece of information I’ve been waiting for. This is profound news for all of us who find ourselves in a place of uncertainty. We wandering Christians can trust this statement because we believe in a sovereign God who pays attention to details. We just forget sometimes!

Due to said forgetfulness, we are prone to ask the opposite question:  Did I miss something?  I’ve been asking myself this question as well as others such as “What did I overlook, fail to do or even fail to believe that landed me in my current state”. My circumstance is different than yours but we’ve all found ourselves in a place where we’ve asked searching questions, even if just inwardly, as we desperately look for an answer or just some understanding about our current issue.  

Here, in the middle of my life, I’d hit a wall.  My personal journey has always been based on faith in God and propelled by the belief in a sovereign God. But recently, I’d come to a place where I felt I’d missed something important; the sustainability of my faith had come to a place filled with inner conflict and I began to doubt.  Today’s good news, that I have not missed a step, stopped me in my tracks and gave me comfort.  It allowed me to sidestep doubt and keep moving forward in faith. I realigned myself with the fact that my life has great purpose and chose to step back into the provision and protection of God's sovereignty.  

As God would have it, on this very day, I have come to an important realization; Not everything is in my control.  If it were, I’d be God, Himself. For those of us who are desperate for some form of control....my advice is this; surrender your tender heart and troubled mind to the One who sustains our very existence. Do I realize that to do so will feel contrary and heartbreaking? Oh, YES I do!  I know this by recalling the lack of control I felt when I watched one of my best friends bury her teenaged son and the years it took her to find a way to live without him.  I can look to my long-time friend who has been in a wheel-chair for over 22 years and say I get that some things are infuriating to accept. I can pour tears of heartbreak and loss over my sister and not one but two brothers, and their wives, who lost a child and confess I know this pain well.  This world can dish out vengeance and our courageous self wants to rise up and fight to the gates of death, battling to outwit these outrageous situations. To NOT do so could inevitably keep us in a position where we'd never rise again. 

But, like the events above, what can we actually do if we find ourselves in mind-bending circumstances that are out of our control?  The only insight I have found is that we must surrender any idea of control over these types of circumstances to a power beyond us. Sometimes we have to admit we’ve reached the limits of our personal power and in doing so we free ourselves to step straight into the supernatural. I had a personal moment with God during the loss of one of my nephews where the Holy Spirit led my brother and then myself to the scripture in Isaiah 43:13 that states “yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act who can reverse it.” THAT is profound and spoken with true authority that is completely sovereign! Pause for moment and think about that! 

 In times like this and with no other choice we surrender to God.  With all other hope extinguished we seek The Lord.  With nothing else to battle with we fall to our knees and admit we are powerless as we turn to the supernatural abilities of God. The Commander of an Army of Angels meets us in THIS place.  It is not a visible meeting but a spiritual one that brings with it a battle plan.  It is not with tangible tools we gain some understanding but with intangible things such as faith, hope, trust and prayer.  It is not with great courage but with bravery to admit we are frightened that we do such things.  

I say to you, “Open up you Living Gateways” (see 2 Corinthians 6:11-13).  Make room for the ultimate control you are looking for.  Your greatest and best hopes cannot rise above the unimaginable dreams God has for you.  Do not be dismayed, for "The Lord your God is with you; He is a mighty warrior who saves" Zephaniah 3:17 He is your Creator, your Father, your Redeemer, your Healer, your very present help in times of trouble. Place your hope and your literal life into the hands of God, for He is Spirit and it is within the sovereignty of His Sanctuary that you will "live, move and have your being".

"The commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua,

'Take off your sandals from your feet

for the place where you are standing is holy.'

Joshua 5:15

"God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble."

Psalm 46:1

"For in him we live move and have our being."

Acts 17:28

"God is spirit, and his worshipers must 

worship in Spirit and truth."

John 4:24

Song Recommendation:

This is a Move

BY:  Brandan Lake & Tasha Cobbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLkHygFqQno&list=RDEM9oHtDtDU6gfs_tKC33RLwA&index=12

A Privilege To Pray PAGE 119

 “You cannot repeat the name of Jesus too often.

  What a privilege it is to kneel
and get right into heaven the moment we pray, 
Where glory descends, the fire burns,
Faith is active and the light dispels the darkness.”1

The above quote is a beautiful word-picture of what happens when we open our mouths and minds to pray. Following the pattern of the sentences, we see that we evoke a privilege when we pray.  We step into a heavenly place, with spiritual significance.  The Power of God arrives, described as glory.  When I think of God’s glory, I imagine an awe that is indescribable.  So, with prayer we find ourselves in an indescribable place of holiness and awe, where the presence of The Holy Spirit brings forth the passion, or fire, of our holy God. 

As we draw close to the Lord with prayer, we ignite hope that all our fears and deepest needs are heard. The righteousness of God frees our very being as we step out of the darkness of our concern into the lightness and weightlessness of his love.  Prayer is other-worldly and with great faith we open ourselves up to be instilled with an unfathomable understanding that God cares, hears and knows our deepest needs. With reverence, I've learned there is healing found here!

 Prayer is a fascinating conversation-for we are speaking with God.  It is a holy meeting that trumps all other forms of communication.  With our first words, “Dear Heavenly Father” we step into another realm. Indeed, we can pray in such a way that we are sure our words have reached heaven.  It’s a spiritual knowing that takes us into a place where we are stunned into quietness. No other words are needed and a peaceful assurance sits within our minds; we have no other thoughts, just a stillness and relief. 

Scripture says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Prayer is a heart issue; a sincerity issue. Our prayer life is important; it is relational and it builds intimacy. Allow your prayers to reach heaven.  Don’t let your words bounce off the ceiling because of doubt; seek Him with all your, heart, soul and strength.  Be purposed and intentional. Be honest with yourself and transparent with God.  Our Father knows our needs, even before we pray yet still wants to hear our prayers.  Trust and begin. Pour out your prayers like water. Let your words easily flow, as from a waterfall of truth, and allow God to peer into your trembling heart.  I am certain that the moment you sincerely pray you are sincerely heard.  Why? Because He cares for YOU! 

“Humble yourselves, therefore,
 under God’s mighty hand
That he may life you up in due time.
Cast all your anxiety on him
 because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7

“Call to me and I will answer you
And tell you great and unsearchable things
You do not know.”
Jeremiah 33:3

“Arise, cry out in the night,
As the watches of the night begin;
Pour out your heart like water
In the presence of the Lord.” 
Lamentations 2:19

Song Recommendation:
You are For Me
BY: Kari Jobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbSMfL5LuSo

To inspire HB:

The Lord cares for you and hears YOUR prayers!

 

"The Lord your God is with you,

the Might Warrior who saves."

 Zephaniah 3:17

1-Smith Wigglesworth Devotional; 1999 by Whitacker House

Don't Hesitate At Thresholds PAGE 118

 "God is able to do far more

than we could ever ask for or imagine.

He does everything by his power that is working in us."

Ephesians 3: 20

I’ve been praying for a long while now seeking God’s counsel on many things.  Frankly, I’ve been seeking His counsel on most things.  But what I’ve also done is sit still in uncertainty as time passed.  My sitting still included some suffering and my suffering became “long suffering”, which is self-explanatory.

What do we do after we seek the Lord through prayer and petition? Do we wait? Do we wonder? Do we worry? Do our thoughts become twisted inside our minds leading to uncertainty? I’ll confess this has happened to me many times. In fact, due to lack of knowledge, I’ve taken this approach for years. Then, I’d be forced to wait for my life's circumstances to unravel, then begin again, not really making much progress along the way. 

 But through wise counsel I’ve come to some sage advice that makes sense for all of us in the modern world: Once we have an issue on our mind, and we’ve prayed, studied, and even waited to hear a clear directive, the next step of obedience is to rise up and literally take the next step.  Decision-making is part of the path in walking this out, but we often wonder to ourselves, “What is God’s will?”, making His wisdom seem difficult to understand or implement.  I’ve even used the analysis paralysis technique which included logical thoughts such as, “How can I be obedient to God when I cannot hear his audible voice?”.

Recently, I was advised to stop seeking revelation because I already have godly knowledge and that it is time for me to move out, to move on, to do the very thing I know I need to do. Simply put, I needed to start; just begin. Frankly, this advice seemed too simple and certainly gave me pause. For years, I'd chosen the self-righteousness path.  What is that?  I tried to position myself into the right standing.  I tried, through my own tenacity, to make myself smart enough, righteous enough, holy enough. I was trying to do what could only be accomplished through the bestowed grace of God. My self-righteous attitude was wrong and therefore my action plan was off.

A while back, I came across an interesting quote that I jotted down, “Don’t hesitate at thresholds.” In its context, it is a poetic way to say "Step into the room" or “Take the next step!” It was a wake-up call of sorts pointing out that when I choose to sit still in indecision I am actually hesitating in doubt. Regarding spiritual purposes, I needed to accept that I was not going to be righteous enough using my own intellect or logic. This is called surrender. To the contrary, my Wait-It-Out mode of operation, which included counting on me to eventually feel up to the task, spiritually or otherwise, was wasting my time. Note: Waiting till we feel qualified enough or prepared enough to meet certain standards will keep all of us in a perpetual state of waiting. This is truly a vicious cycle that can lead to inaction; and that is exactly what I've been doing, making my being qualified for godly pursuits contingent on me. With my hang-ups and insecurities, sitting in a posture of “wait & see” seemed like a good idea. I was waiting on God; however, God was waiting on me.  

In regards to this writing, what are some examples of thresholds? For me the answers are: Longing to be good enough, righteous enough, qualified enough, etc.  I’m speaking to both of us when I say, we don’t need to wait for a holy push.  We can just take the next, small step of faith by doing the next propelling  thing and watch as God provides for us inside our current circumstances. It’s easy and not complicated.  It’s safe and not overwhelming.  We can do it. We can accomplish godliness safely within our lives with one decision to just start.  Take one step.  One step at a time, in the right direction. One choice with the faith that God is with us and He is speaking to us in our circumstances, in our daily lives, in these exact choices. Just trust that He will show up where we are, within the need that seems so pressing at the moment.  

One of the keys to stepping out is actually trust.  It’s about faithfulness in and of God.  Where there is faith there is trust and therefore a confidence that allows us to move forward.  We must trust our God enough to start.  AND, we must trust that God trusts us enough to honor our decisions, especially the hard decisions and circumstances in which we find ourselves.  

In summary, my latest revelation is this: Because I trust God...I can trust ME.  I can move out doing the next correct thing.  I can just simply start; my next project, my next goal, my next writing, or even my next dream.... and as I do so blessings flow from there. God steps out with me. The courage of God propels me and the protection of God provides for me.  It is all present-tense. These types of provisional stepping stones build upon each other...but they will never reveal themselves if we do not move out, in the moment and just start. Once we do, all our necessary provisions will be provided. Our very faith in God tells us ‘anything is possible’.  Personally, I have missed the clarity of this for years. 

SONG RECOMMENDATION:

More Than Able

BY: Elevation Worship

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ1xxoP7NJk

Words to More Than Able:

“I’ve come along way...

I’ve seen how you work.

There’s so much goodness and grace...

much more than I deserve....

‘cause I know who I am...

and I can’t stay where I’m at.

We’ve come this far by faith

and I just can’t turn back!

‘Cause You're not done with me yet.

You're not done with me yet.

There’s so much more to this story....

You’re not done with me yet.”

“Who am I to deny what the Lord can do”