Romans 14:22-23 Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.

Your relationship with God comes first.  If you are not working on it, seeking it, taking care of it… then your life may not match up with what you believe.  Belief is important, it’s what saves us.  But if you’re not also taking action in your faith, then you are a hypocrite. 

Unfortunately, it can be pretty easy to fall into an apathetic cycle about my faith.  I have thoughts like, “God knows I love Him, I’ll talk to Him later.” Or, “I’ll do two devotions tomorrow because I won’t have time today.”  Yes, there are times when my best intentions just don’t happen, and I can give myself grace on those days.  But if I find myself trying to be too pushy with others about God-stuff, or are just trying to please others… then I’m out of balance.  I’m tiptoeing that line of hypocrisy. 

Lord I SO want my actions to match up with my beliefs.  Thank you for your grace that extends into my busy–single-mom–trying-to-be–all-to-everyone life.  Thank you for helping me on those hectic days to remind me that you are with me.  Keep me gentle towards others and to only desire to please you. 

 

Ephesians 5:15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

We are to be cautious in how we live our lives, make wise decisions, but also to take life by the horns and take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way.  Cautious does not mean boring!  Understand who we are called to be… and live it fully!

Do I know and understand the life that God has called me to?  Am I pursuing that life with wisdom?  Is my cautiousness resembling fear?  Is my boldness resembling thoughtlessness?

Lord give me wisdom, understanding, caution and boldness to live the life that you have called me to.  Let me think things through, then act with purpose on purpose.  Thank you for not calling us to live boring lives, but lives that matter and are filled with adventure.  Thank you that an adventurous God life does not equal rash decisions, but well-planned thought-out steps of certainty.  You are so wise and brave and thoughtful.

Romans 4:19-25 Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That's why it is said, "Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right." But it's not just Abraham; it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God.

God promised Abraham something that was literally impossible, yet not only did Abraham believe God, he OWNED the promise.  He took that promise and ran with it.  Not only did he not argue with God, or analyze the situation, or say “Are you sure God?  Cuz what about this, and that, and they uh….”  He stood READY to receive the promise.  He trusted God’s promise first, then watched to see how it would all play out.  That is what marked him as right and obedient, his belief.  God declared Abraham ready because of his faith, not his ability.  In the same way, it’s our belief in God’s promises that allows God to work in our lives.  Our BELIEF makes us stronger.  It’s our BELIEF in Jesus that saves us.

What areas am I tiptoeing around and asking skeptical questions about?  Do I have the faith to plunge into the promises of God?  Can I believe the impossible?  Can I be declared fit by God because of my faith?  Do I realize that not having faith hinders my progress? 

Lord give me the faith of Abraham.  Help me to control my skeptical mind, my cynical outlook, focusing on my own limitations, obsessing on trying to understand your mysteries.  Help me to just plunge into your awesome love, power and strength. 

Proverbs 24:3-4 It takes wisdom to build a house, and understanding to set it on a firm foundation; It takes knowledge to furnish its rooms with fine furniture and beautiful draperies.

The basics for building your home/family, is wisdom.  Without it, your life cannot even be built.  Your attempts at construction will flounder if you are working without wisdom.  And any builder will tell you that you have to start with a firm foundation.  Understanding is that foundation.  Understanding can be either a noun, a verb, or an adjective.  As a noun, it can refer to an agreement between two or more people.  Such as in the “britishy” movies that my kids and I enjoy… the romantic couple in the movie will enter into an “understanding” with one each other, which is another way to say that they are engaged.  As a verb understanding means to comprehend the nature of something.  In the case of this verse… your family/home.  As an adjective, it means to have a kind disposition.  So, in order to building a firm foundation takes kindness, a comprehension of who are family is called to be, and to be in agreement or partnership with God.  Knowledge is the gravy… getting to know our family, educating ourselves… this will provide the things that we need to function and be blessed on the day to day business as a family.

My kids and I are my home and God truly is my partner in building our lives.  He and I have and “understanding” to raise them together.  I try to remember to seek wisdom as though I am on a treasure hunt.  To pray with the tenacity of Hannah, until I am done.  To flood my babies with kindness.  To educate myself on the personalities, needs and desires of my kids.  To have insight into them, who God has called them to be.  To have the courage to live our highest and best GOD lives, not just a good life.

Help me Jesus to be a wise woman and to BUILD my house.  Let the faith of my children be built on a foundation of your love.  May we have an understanding of You and your ways.  May we be blessed in the knowledge of You. 

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.

Suppressing is to put an end to the actions of something, in this case, the spirit of God.  Stifle is to end by force, and in this case it’s talking about when someone has a word from God for you.  Both suppress and stifle are verbs, requiring an action or decision on our part if we do them.  Gullible is not a verb, it’s an adjective meaning “easily deceived”.  Check out, keep and throw out, are also verbs, requiring an action on our part.  How would this verse read if we changed these words to their opposites?  “Suppress the spirit, stifle those who have a word from the master.  Also, believe everything you hear.  Don’t question anything, throw away only what is good.  Keep whatever has a hint of evil.”  Either way you read this verse, the real way or my made up opposite way, it is kind of frightening.  Is it right to think that if we believe everything we hear, not only are we being deceived easily, but it also translates into the action of discarding what is good and keeping what is evil. 

Why is it that our human nature is so adept at not believing in God’s ways, but ready to swallow hook-line-and-sinker the ways of men?  Actions require more effort than something that just is, for example “gullible”.  The way to not be easily deceived is to not be lazy, but to take action and do research, talk to people, check your facts, but also, to relax in God’s presence, to allow Him to move, to invite Godly people to speak into your life.  What do I do with my own personality that believes the best in people? That wants to encourage and bring out people’s strengths?  How do I do this and not be deceived?  Well I guess this verse answers that.

Lord, I sort of wish I’d had this revelation about 16 years ago.  Help me to keep your spirit moving in my life, to welcome godly insight from people, to not believe everything I hear, to check things against your word, against your voice, against your spirit that lives in me.  Help me to keep only the good things and to chuck anything that even has the slightest hint of evil as far away from me as I can.  Help me to teach this to my children.  Better yet, teach us together through your revelation and wisdom. 

Proverbs 3:21-26 Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life; don't for a minute lose sight of them. They'll keep your soul alive and well,

I notice in this scripture that “Clear Thinking” and “Common Sense” are capitalized, as if they are proper nouns…they are the names of my friends.  These friends are so special that I guard them with my life and keep them in my line of sight at all times.  Much like I do my babies.  Look at the promises attached to Clear Thinking and Common Sense.  Beauty in and out, safety in travel, energy, restful sleep, no drama….  What mamma doesn’t need all that?  

Am I nurturing Clear Thinking and Common Sense like they are my friends?  Do I take care of them and focus on them?  Or do I hang out more with my “friends”, Confusion and Irrationality?  What “relationships” am I indulging?  I guess I can tell by my energy, my sleeping, my  drama level.

Lord I love that you are so practical.  Thank you!

Galations 5:22 But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, 23 not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. (MSG)

The fruits of someone following God’s ways are obvious.    Affection, love of life, peace, trustworthiness, compassion, holiness, committed, not forceful, balanced. 

What fruits are showing in my life right now?  When I start to show an imbalance in one of these areas, I can readjust with God.  Check in with Him to see if I’m on the right path still.  How about my kids?  What about my relationships?  Are they mirroring these fruits?   

I love your ways Oh God.  They truly are so much better than mine.

Matthew 37-39 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

In our hearts are the things, activities, people, all the things that we love.  Our souls…. What drives us, what we’re passionate about, why we exist.  Our minds…. What we think about, what we learn, what we teach.  God’s first command is to love Him in all of those things.  If He is the core of what we love, how we treat our bodies, why we exist, what we dwell on… there really is nothing else.  HE then is our reason.  All of these things, though they are “of” Him, are still reflected in US.  So, he adds to his command to love our neighbors as ourselves.  This is not a less important command, it is equally important, he just mentions it secondly.  How do we love ourselves?  I would say that our natural desire is to put ourselves first… so that is how we need to love others… putting them first.  Really though, when HE is first, and our love for others is greater than our need to love ourselves… we are the true benefactors.

This is so opposite of what the world teaches, even the “Christian” world.  I’ve been through so much, don’t I deserve to put myself first once in a while?  Or “If mamma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”.  It’s all about perspective.  Yes, as a woman, a mother, I need to take care of myself in order to be whole, happy, and in a position to nurture.  God is not disputing that!  In fact, He is supporting that wholly!  He knows that when we love HIM first in our hearts, souls and minds, that we will be FILLED to capacity with HIM!  …the almighty, the all powerful, the great physician, the wonderful counselor, the lover of our souls, the father to the fatherless… Then loving others as ourselves comes “easy”, because we are filled with the love, mercy and compassion of our Savior. 

Oh Lord, take me completely over.  Have residence in my heart, my soul, and my mind.  Fill me up in those areas with your love, with your purpose and with your thoughts.  Fill me to overflowing so that those around me will also know you. 

Psalm 51:16-17 Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's notice.

Doing what we are “supposed” to do as Christians, or being “perfect”, is not even noticeable to God when it’s done as a habit or chore.  Unfortunately for us, that is the mode that we easily fall into when everything in life seems to be going smoothly.  It’s when we have a pride shattering moment or a healthy dose of humility that we tend to really pour our hearts out to God and worship Him in earnest.  When we worship Him in those times, when our hearts are hurting loving Him from that broken place, that He notices our devotion.

Does this mean that we have to constantly have to be heart-broken or going through a tough time to honestly worship the Lord?  Yes… and no.  God’s heart is for us to live whole, victorious lives through Him.  He doesn’t intend for us to mope around in a constant state of “my life is so hard and meaningless… help oh help me God!”  However, we do need to have a constant spirit of humility in the presence of the King.  Each and every time we come before Him in worship we need to humble ourselves and check our hearts, attitudes, and convictions so that we can worship Him in truth, and not just be going through the motions of a meaningless acknowledgement of Him.

Lord, you are the mighty King.  May my worship to you be in complete truth.  Convict me of my wrong attitudes.  Keep me walking the line of victory and humility.  Help me to reject the habits of going through the motions in my walk with You.  You are truly amazing.

2 Samuel 22:29-31Suddenly, GOD, your light floods my path, GOD drives out the darkness. I smash the bands of marauders, I vault the high fences. What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every GOD-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him makes it. (MSG)

When our direction is unclear, there is darkness and we can’t see where to go, we are either frozen in place, or worse, we’re stumbling along thinking that we can figure it out as we go.  Then all of a sudden, probably when we think we can’t go one more minute in the darkness, God’s light FLOODS our path.  It’s so bright in fact, we have to blink and squint because our eyes have gotten so used to the darkness, then we have to stand for a minute and get used the brightness.  All of a sudden we can see the obstacles that were hidden by the darkness.  We can not only avoid them now, but we can remove them.  Sometimes a distraction will be placed directly on our clearly marked path, but everything is so bright, that we can just jump that hurdle as we’re speeding along on our way.  God will not misguide us, he won’t put confusing signs in our way.  We don’t have to stroll our way along the path, we can RUN.  There is no risk of getting lost or hurt when we are on the straight, smooth path of God because it’s a guaranteed successful trip!

Time and time again I am reminded that God’s ways are best, and that HE has a plan that is probably a lot better than mine.  Do I stumble along in the darkness trying my best to find my way?  Or do I wait until the lights come on?  When they do, do I take a minute to adjust?  Do I make a note of the lay of the land?  Do I recognize where the path is and where the obstacles are?  When I see the clearly marked path, do I run?

Lord thank you for this promise and this picture you’ve given me.  Remind me that when I feel like I am the darkness, to just wait until You turn on the lights.  Help me to not try to navigate on my own.  Remind me to notice the lay of the land before I start to run.  Thank you for the promise of a sure smooth path.  I’m lacing up my shoes, ready for the race.

2 Corinthians 1:9 We felt like we'd been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally-not a bad idea since he's the God who raises the dead!

Being on “death row” is a pretty desperate situation, which obviously brought Paul to the end of himself.  Even the mighty apostle Paul, had to come to a place where he literally could not figure himself out of the mess he was in on his own strength.  Even he was “forced” to trust God, when hello!, why can’t we just trust him from the get go, since He is the ALMIGHTY.

Like Paul, I have lived pretty much the last year at the end of myself.  The heart break and pain has ended up leading me to the most liberating way of life…. Relinquishing my control over what I never really could control anyway.  My own strength and smarts, is put to better use in trusting.

Lord, thank you for this awesome reminder.  For showing me that even Paul struggled with this very issue.  Please keep me in this state of mind forever.  Keep my trust in YOU without bringing me to my end through heart break again.  Let me learn through wisdom and not mistakes.  I pray that for my children too.  Let wisdom, understanding and trust be their guides as they learn to follow you.  And in everything, let them LOVE you and rest in your incredible love for them.