Why Are We so scared of where God wants to move us? We know where we came from is not good for us, and yet we would rather stay there than to move ahead to the blessings God wants for us...

February 14

Numbers 14

The children of Israel reject God's signs.

INSIGHT

By nature, we are sight-walkers, not faith-walkers. We tend to have confidence in that which we can see, that which we have known. We fear that which we can't see and haven't known.
Not only does Israel refuse to go into the land because of the giants-the Israelites want to return to Egypt! Do they not remember that they were slaves there? Do they not remember that they cried out in tears to God for deliverance from Egypt?

You can't go back to your old life. There is nothing there but bondage. Your hope lies in following the Lord by faith. Walk forward.

Are You Normal

February 10, 2009 
Are you normal? 
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth 
1 Peter 4:12-13 "Do not be surprised at the painful things you are now suffering. These things are testing your faith." (ICB)

Friend To Friend 
I pray that your New Year is off to a great start!  As wonderful as the holidays are, it is always good to get back into a normal routine. Then the question becomes, "What exactly is normal?"

Author and speaker, Patsy Clairmont says that "normal" is just a setting on the dryer. I am inclined to agree with her.  At birth, the world silently hands us a list of do's and don'ts that we must follow in order to "fit in" and gain approval. I believe God's definition of normal is quite different from my own characterization or the perspective used by others as a measuring stick.

As I look back over the lives of those who made the biggest difference in the early Kingdom days, they were anything but normal. A bag of mixed nuts is more like it - men and women from all walks of life who were radical in their devotion to God - to the point of placing their lives on the line every day for the cause of Christ. They were normal in that they celebrated their "sameness" with the pagans who were shunned by religious zealots but stubbornly loved by the Father. Yet, they were profoundly abnormal in the love they showed and the depth of their commitment to God and to His cause. 

As I was putting the Christmas decorations away for another year, I got to the study where we have a collection of gifts and souvenirs from the various countries where Dan and I have visited to speak.  Each one brought back memories of precious people who, despite being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ, are all people of joy.  As far as material possessions are concerned, they have very little but when it comes to joy, contentment and peace ... they have it all.  These people who have chosen to follow Christ -- even in the face of danger - are not normal!  And I think the face of God shines on them because of their abnormal faith. 

That is the kind of "normal" I want to be this year.  I want to be God with skin on to those who don't even believe He exists.  I want to love every excuse and doubt right out of their minds. I want them to see a power in me that they cannot explain in human terms and a message that shouts of God's mercy and forgiveness.  I want to be hungry and thirsty for God and live my life in the "It is so not about me" gear. 

How about you?  Are you willing to pack away the old, safe, comfortable and quite stale normalcy, allowing God to bring some not so normal people and circumstances into your life?  I'm ready!  Join me, my friend, for the journey. 

Let's Pray 
Father, I am so tired of playing it safe, of bowing to the wrong crowd and listening to the wrong voices.  I lay down my pride and surrender to You and Your plan for my life in 2009.  Stretch my faith.  Give me Your eyes to see those in need.  Fill me with Your abnormal power so that others will be drawn to You. 

In Jesus' name, 
Amen.

Obedience

February 8

Exodus 14
The Lord parts the Red Sea for the children of Israel.

INSIGHT

When we are obedient to God, nothing can touch us that does not come from God Himself. The armies of Egypt, symbolic of the armies of Satan, are no match for a God jealous to care for His beloved people. Resting in God's full protection in spiritual warfare, we may put on His full armor and stand firm, knowing that we will triumph in Him. (from the QuietWalk devotion)

Going Beyond

Yesterday and today I spent time at an amazing women's conference with an amazing bunch of women!!!  I am so privileged to be able to call these women my friends.  To each one of you, words cannot describe what you mean to me... and there are some of you reading this that did not attend the conference and I don't want you to feel left out... I feel the same way about you!  

I have said many times over that I KNOW, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God placed me and my family at FBC!  His hand was on it, and His timing was perfect.  I look over the past 4 1/2 years and marvel at what God has done.  But, I also look at the years before and see how He was preparing us for what He had in store for us.  God uses every moment of our lives to prepare us for the next.  I don't believe in coincidence, I don't believe in chance. I believe that God has a plan for our lives and if we allow Him, He will use us to our fullest potential... but, that's the scary part.

It's easy to say, "okay, God, use me...", but how many times do we say that and add that "but" to it.  I know I do!!!   "God, I want you to use me, but I want to do this right now..., God I want you to use me, but that's not really where I want to serve...". Most of us have been there, most of us have had the same insecurities.  I still do.  When I think about serving, it's like, WHY do you want ME???  What do I have to offer?  I'm sure there is someone that is MUCH MORE QUALIFIED THAN I AM!

Going Beyond... the name of the conference that we went to.  Those two little words have so much meaning, especially to me, after today.  Going Beyond my comfort zone.  Going Beyond what I think I am qualified to do.  Going Beyond the little box that I have placed myself into and allow God to SHOW me and ALLOW HIM TO WORK THROUGH ME!!!  SCARY STUFF!! But why is it? Why am I so scared of what God may do in my life?  I KNOW He is FAITHFUL to me!!! I KNOW that He only wants what is BEST for me!!!

Priscilla Shirer used Jonah.  The Lord spoke to  Jonah and told him to go to Niniveh, but (there's that little word!) instead Jonah went to Tarshish; which, by the way, was 2,000 miles from where he was... Niniveh was only 300 miles.  Does this sound familiar?  It does with me.  Have you ever gone WAY out of your way to do something that you thought was a better idea?  How much easier it would be if I would just do what God asks me to do in the first place!!!  Like she said today, we can go our way but He's going to bring us back to where He first spoke to us... He doesn't forget what He wants us to do.  It's just up to us to decide how long it's going to take to do HIS WILL and receive HIS BLESSINGS!  As most of you know, Jonah did what he wanted to do, but he reaped the reward of his waywardness... and God brought him right back where he started... BUT, this is the BEST PART!!!  God gave Jonah A SECOND CHANCE!

When we don't do what He wants, He doesn't turn His back on us and say, "I'm not messing with her anymore because she doesn't listen to anything I tell her."  Instead He says... "I LOVE YOU! I will pursue you as long as I have to... I will pursue you even when you don't pursue Me."  Isn't that AMAZING!!!  Thank You God!!!  

Going Beyond... I challenge each one of you to go beyond what you think you are capable of doing.  Because honestly, if we only did what WE are capable of doing, it wouldn't be very much... each and everything that we have done is part of what HE has done in us to bring us to where we are right now!  Go Beyond your comfort zone!!!

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."  John 13: 34 & 35

"Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23