WHO'S IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT?

My final day of the Daniel Fast was yesterday. As I had my first cup of coffee in three weeks and read my bible, it was impressed upon me the analogy of the Holy Spirit being in the driver’s seat and we who are now believers sit in the passenger seat. Those who are still controlled by the sinful nature and do not have faith in Jesus are still driving their cars and they will only lead themselves to destruction by driving over a cliff or head on into another car. We who have chosen to believe in Jesus now sit in the passenger seat but our sinful nature that is connected the our bodies is still at war and will do what it can to persuade us to take our focus off looking out the front window which is where the Holy Spirit is leading us to, to looking out the side window at things on the side of the road. We see signs that are from the evil one that may say food and gas next exit and we are tempted to tell the Holy Spirit take this exit and may even go as far as grabbing the steering wheel to pull us off onto the exit. We are trying to control and guide ourselves.  We are trying to satisfy our needs and wants and we are not remembering that God will take care of all our needs, will bless us and is leading us to Himself. During this Daniel Fast, I realized I had put the Holy Spirit in total control of my eating. Those road signs that advertised homemade pie or frozen yogurt bar up ahead were not in control. I fully gave control and faith to the Holy Spirit and my needs were met. I discovered the sweet treat that God created in dates, I realized that meat is a yummy gift from God but it is not to be worshipped and discovered that caffeine is a blessing from God but again not to be worshipped. So as we step into our cars figuratively each day, we need to stop and say out loud to the Holy Spirit, take the wheel and lead me in this day that I may produce good fruits and glorify God in all I do and say. You may have to stop and tell the Holy Spirit this throughout your day to remind yourself that you are putting your faith in Him to guide you and keeping your focus out the front window and on the road ahead. It reminds me of that first year with my husband and having him drive. I was critical about how he drove and his ability to get us where we needed to go. I was constantly saying something or gritting my teeth and speaking those controlling thoughts in my mind but the trust in him was built up enough that I was able to let go of the controlling thoughts and be at peace knowing he was getting us safely to where we needed to go. Our trust in the Holy Spirit can be built up too through time spent in the Word of God, in prayer and worship. We must feed our spirits with spiritual food in order for us to be able to put a “stopping hand” to the evil one and looking ahead to the glory we will have in meeting Jesus in our final home that he is preparing for us. Imagine it! Him being a carpenter, he is designing the home I will live in specifically for me. A home with high ceilings, lots of light and views out the windows of mountains, beaches, sunrises, freshly fallen snow. A home with a kitchen that never needs cleaning and is always fully stocked with everything you need to cook up a feast for the family coming for dinner with Jesus at the head of the table. Imagine it. Believe it. Let the thought of your final home and hope guide your days here.

Romans 8:1-4 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Quinoa cereal recipe

Cup cooked quinoa

2 tablespoons Date Honey (made by covering pitted dates with water in a saucepan and simmering pitted dates for 45 min. Blend and store)

1 tablespoon Nikki's Chocolate Hazelnut Coconut Butter (found on Amazon)

Combine all ingredients. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup almond milk and enjoy.

 

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 329

Sadly, since I misplaced my little pocket notebook that I took notes in on the sermon each Sunday, I seemed to have gotten to a place where it doesn’t sink in. I have found myself one too many Sundays drifting off into a little worship time nap. What is going on? My heart is not prepared to receive the message that God is giving through the sermon each Sunday. In Expository Listening, I have been reading about this very thing. Being prepared. Oh, there is that word again. Prepared. I have lived most of my life by flying by the seat of my pants so being prepared and doing it consistently is foreign territory. But preparedness is key in so many things in our lives. Not just for our bodies and minds but for our spirit.  I never thought to find out what the sermon is going to be on and read the scripture beforehand. So, I went to my church website and found the worship tab and got the scripture the sermon was going to be based around. Our church goes even further and gives you a study guide for the sermon. Ahhh. Yes! So, I spent yesterday reading the verse and looking over the study questions contemplating… I am excited to hear the sermon and what God will convey to me through the words the pastor speaks. My heart is prepared. Yeah! Of course, the other big factor will be following up and asking myself the 4 questions. See the four questions on the right side on my blog for future reference. These questions will take you through what you have learned and will glue it into your heart.

"I am eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.

 In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other." Romans 1:12 [NLT]

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 320

I took my daughter to Boo at the Zoo this weekend. By the end of the evening, I was saddened by the actions of my daughter. While she did exercise self-control in eating the candy, her attitude had me thinking candy has become too important in her life. It was all about the candy. Can you worship candy? Yes, anything that takes your thoughts away from the Lord has become too much a priority in your life, too much an obsession, too much on your mind. So, while I have to pray my prayer for my own self-control, I need to pray with my daughter for her to turn away from the candy is everything attitude to thank you God for the blessing of these sweet treats and help me to exercise self-control and respecting the body you have given me.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

365 Days of Sprit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 314

If you were asked what kind of plant are you and where are you growing? How would you respond? Each of us is a unique plant based on the seed that God created within our mother’s womb, probably even before that. Are you a rosebush, a pine tree, a grapevine, you name it? Will a rosebush thrive and produce beautiful roses if it is planted out in the desert? Will a pine tree survive a forest fire? Will a grapevine produce juicy grapes if it is planted where the sun doesn’t shine enough? Because each of us is unique based on who God created us to be, we need to transplant ourselves from wherever we may have ended up being planted to somewhere that will give us the nourishment we need to survive and thrive. That somewhere needs to be rooted in the Lord. A rosebush near a lake will get the water it needs. A pine tree beside a river will be protected by the river when a forest fire strikes. A grapevine near a stream with the sun shining down on it all day will produce those juicy grapes. Like a plant, we have to be transplanted in the Lord. The nourishment we receive is through His Word, worship, prayer and communion with other believers. Just as a plant needs good soil, sunshine and water, we need to live our life connecting to our nourishment through the good soil of His Word, the sunshine of worship, the water of prayer and the fertilizer that is our communion with other believers.  If we tap into all of these nourishing sources, we will thrive like never before. If you have not yet transplanted yourself into the Lord’s care, seek him in a simple prayer asking for forgiveness of your sins and let him take and plant you where you will thrive. If you are transplanted but are in need of some nourishment, you must make it a priority to nourish your soul every day in some way through His Word, prayer, worship or communion with other believers. No matter what kind of plant you are, you can survive and thrive when you are rooted in the Lord and seeking His nourishment daily.  

Jeremiah 17:5-8 Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 280

As my family and I were driving to Chipolte for lunch the other day,  we ended up on the topic of dad’s pager and how it has improved in that it doesn’t just go off once but three times so in case you miss the first alarm you catch the next one. Then me, in my non-filtered talk with my family said “What if you were going to the bathroom and taking the biggest dump of your life.” I got immediate laughs from our kids in the backseat and my husband’s exclamation of “we are going to lunch”. It became a few more laughs as we discussed my non-filtered approach with potty humor.

“Taking the biggest dump of your life.” Our bodies were designed to naturally purge what we don’t need but how about our souls. There is a void in us before we accept Christ that will draw us to find a way to fill it. Some will fill it with ungodly things like alcohol, porn and the like and some will find there way to Jesus and fill the void with the puzzle piece that fits named God. But even though our void is filled, the dirt of our sinful nature will get on us each day. We have to learn that we must daily go to God with confession, prayer and worship. In this way, we are daily getting rid of the stuff we don’t need and focusing on the One who fulfills all our needs. If you haven’t taken the biggest dump in your life and accepted Jesus, perhaps it is time to at least get to the bathroom and sit on the pot.

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 271

I grew up as a Catholic and now attend a Presbyterian church. Without a doubt, I have been immersed in a conservative atmosphere. I have found myself at times in worship at church wanting to shout, raise my hands, dance and be abandoned in my worship of God but those thoughts of what others might think keep me from doing it or keep it toned down where I won’t be noticed. I follow along with the crowd. But truly letting go and letting yourself worship God in any way you want to express is amazing. I have tasted this here and there and got another great taste of this at the Taste of Colorado festival yesterday and being at the Colton Dixon concert. I have been looking forward to this concert for weeks. Initially, I felt the same way as in church, not able to raise my hands to God but as each song went by I became more and more ready to let go. By the time the song “You Are” was sung, I was totally open to loving God the way I wanted to with my hands raised, my voice singing along and my body moving in joyful abandon without any fear of what anyone else thought including my family. It was amazing! In those precious moments, I felt such joy and love for God just pouring out of me. Perhaps, it is time to start attending the more contemporary service at church… hmmmm?

1Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 262

Have you ever felt beaten down? Like you are the biggest loser? You are not a good Christian? Know that Satan is working in your heart when you feel like this and know that all it takes is action. Start reading your bible again, start praying, start demonstrating your love to your family, friends, neighbors with kind acts and most especially talk to the Lord and ask him for forgiveness, help, guidance, whatever you are needing. Turn on your Christian music and sing! Action in the truth will push out those condemning feelings and things Satan is whispering in your ear. Take action!

1John 3:18-19 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 232

As the offering plate went around at church on Sunday, I debated in my head if I should quickly reach down and possibly hold up the offering plate so I could put in my money. I had a vision of taking out my wallet and dumping all the money I had in the offering plate in a grand display in front of the little girl sitting next to me to show her how we should give. But I did nothing but passed the plate along and wondered why. I talked to my hubbie about it after church. He is an usher now and told me that there are plenty of people scrambling to get a check written or their money out before the offering plate gets to them. This made me realize how totally unprepared I am to come into church to worship. I can’t tell how many times the offering plate has gone by me without my contribution because of my lack of forethought. Maybe it is me wanting to keep some control over my cash flow and maybe it is me trying to justify how I have given in other ways or to other places. In any case, I am not ready for it and it makes me wonder how ready am I to worship, truly worship? Holy Spirit, lead me in preparing my body, soul and spirit to give all I have to the Lord.

John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 123

The image of my family at the dinner table all raising their glasses of sparkling cider toasting Jesus our King came to my mind this morning. I will start this as a tradition on Easter Sunday to make a toast to our King. It made me think about other kings like you see on TV shows in which the people all bow down before the king with reverence, respect, ready to do what the king commands. Perhaps it is because we don’t have a visual on the King we are to be bowing down to that makes us apathetic in our service to our King. This Son of God made human died for me, for you, for all of us because of love for His Father in Heaven and for us. He did what his Father told him to do even though he didn’t deserve it in anyway. The Father could have at any time stopped it all and said, “No, let mankind lay in its bed that they made.” Jesus could have said “I am not going to do what my Father says, suffer on this cross and die for all mankind.” But their love was SO much that they did what needed to be done to save us from ourselves and evil. Would you be willing to die on a cross? Would you be willing to watch your child die on a cross? Love this great cannot be set aside because we are too busy dealing with our day to day lives. Worship! Pray! Sing! Bow down to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords everyday, every moment!!!

Revelations 19: 11-16 I saw heaven standing open and their before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no on knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challege-Day 54

As I was reviewing my email last evening down in my studio, I heard upstairs my daughter laughing. It was a rip-roaring kind of laughing, the kind where you get physical. I could imagine her up there rolling around on the floor. She was watching one of her Disney shows on TV and was laughing with such abandon. I had to pause what I was doing just to sit and listen. I think there is an old saying that laughter is contagious. I don’t know about that but it definitely spreads an effect over those within the hearing range. I think the same can be said with a smile or kind words. They can make a sad or angry person feel, at least for the moment, happier. I am sure the joy the Holy Spirit fills us with can lead to outward effects. Though laughter and happiness are not what the Word is showing us about joy, it is an example of what joy can do. True joy comes from the Holy Spirit, not by him cracking jokes or giving us every heart’s desire but just the knowing that we are His. The joy comes in the relationship we have with our Father. He wants us to ask, vent, worship, be grateful and love him in prayer. We may not get what we ask for, we may vent and be lead to solutions, we may worship and love and already we know we are loved by Him beyond measure and we may be grateful in all things which brings about an attitude of contentment but the joy from the Holy Spirit is just because we are doing those things: asking, venting, worshipping, loving, thanking and praying this all to Him. Like a parent that tells a child, I just want you to come talk to me, such is how or heavenly Father feels about us. Talk to Him in whatever way is right for you and do it often and joy will find its way into your heart.

John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 15

Okay, so this next one in 1 Corithinians 13: 4-13, I think is driving home the main point of all of these regarding selfishness. Love is not self-seeking. Being self-seeking is taking advantage of opportunities without regard for others, pursuing only one’s own ends or interests, exhibiting concern only with promoting one’s own ends or interests. We keep coming back to this core sin of selfishness. My favorite phrase is “it’s not about me”. If our goals and our dreams are for ourselves than we are not obeying God and doing what he wants us to do. Ultimately, our goals have to have God as the main priority. Everything we do is to glorify Him, to bring those lost closer to being found and to foster our relationship with God through prayer, study and worship. We have to often ask ourselves, I am doing this for the Lord or is this for myself? It will be that time of year soon when most people will set new goals for a new year. In thinking about those goals, keep in mind that it is not about you but about God working through you. Become God-thinking and other-thinking.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 325

It’s Stewardship season and with that comes the sermons on giving. I am not the best at tithing but have improved over the last couple of years but I have tried giving in other ways like being a Sunday school teacher, bringing food donations to church on the first Saturday of every month and getting the family to raid their closets to weed out clothes for the clothing drives. I am in a season of life where doing anything with my time is tough because my kids and family is where my time is spent. The sermon yesterday was about you guessed it, time. I really liked how our pastor said that we can start with giving our time in prayer and worship. In thinking about this, I realize that what I do everyday with the 365 Days of Praise Challenge has been a form of worship. I have managed to give of myself everyday to write up a praise for the day and hopefully have passed some blessings on to others who read it. In giving my time this way, it has been one of the greatest blessings to me. So, if you are in a season of life like me where spare time is hard to come by, think about starting with just 5 minutes everyday to pray and/or worship the Lord. Time is our greatest gift to God and each other. Find a way to give some everyday.

Eccelesiates 3:1-10 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ...

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 293

As I was driving to my church for the final interview, the rain was coming down very steadily and had for the last hour or so. The roads were getting very saturated. All of a sudden the car in the lane next to me who was just a car length ahead of me hit a big patch of standing water. All that water flew directly onto my windshield, blocking my view of the road in front of me for about 5 seconds. This has happened to all of us. I knew there weren't any cars directly in front of me or behind me but in the fear-filled seconds, I put on the brakes to slow down. The windsheild cleared and I uttered a nice sentiment to the driver of the car. Than I apologized to God because it really wasn't the driver's fault. As I continued to drive to work, the incident spurred some thoughts and I grabbed on to them and found another great example of something in life and how it teaches us about God. We learn from the bible that God is here with us. We have to have our hearts, eyes and ears open to hearing, seeing and feeling God's presence in our lives. Like the water hitting our windshields and blocking our veiw, life and the evil one can block our sight of God, can put too many voices in our ears blocking the one voice we should be listening to and can put a barrier around our hearts keeping us from feeling God's presence. But He is ALWAYS here! And like I did in the car, we have to put the brakes on our lives, slow down and rest in Him. Our brakes for this are our prayers, quiet times, reading of the scriptures, studying of the bible, bible study groups and other Christian-minded groups and worship in church and everywhere. If you haven't been feeling God's presense, seeing Him in everything in your life, hearing his voice giving you wisdom, strength, guidance and everything you need, than it may be time to put on the brakes or put on the brakes a little bit more. Praises to my AWESOME God who shows me these connections and gives me the motivation and drive to share these with others that they might help them. Thank you Lord for another great analogy that connects life to you!

Matthew 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 291

Oh the joys a simple phone call can bring! Yesterday morning my i-phone was vibrating away so I looked to see the number calling in. My eyebrows went up as I saw it was a local number. I have to let it go to voice mail while I am at work and call people back on my breaks so I was happy to see the person had left a message. My eyebrows went up again! Could it be the church calling about the admin assist postion? The voice mail told it all. I made it to the final 2 candidates. This down to two candidates thing is so reminding me of the time I tried out to be the captian of the drill team. There were only two of us trying out so it was me or her, 50-50 chance. Like  I do with anything that I am in to, I committed and dedicated myself to preparing for this try-out 110% but I was crushed with disappointment upon finding out that I didn't make it by a mere 2 points. I balled on the phone to my mom about it and she said words that have stayed with me. Be the leader behind the leader. Support and do the best you can as the second in command. I did do that. I had a great relationship with the team. They listened to me, respected me and followed me and in the end I became the captian. Why? Because the other girl ended up stealing product from a fundraiser we did early on in the year. I ended up being captain by God's design. He had given me the opportunity to make my skills in leadership and relationship grow and shine. I am honored to be part of the final two people for this position at my church and no matter the outcome I know that God works things out for his purpose and in his timing. Praise the Lord oh my soul, worship his holy name. Sing like never before, oh-oh-oh, worship your holy name. Can't think of the name and artist to the words in this song but that came to my head and heart. Praising the Lord...all the day long...
1 Chronicles 16: 9 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 189

I was  listening to the radio as I drove to work yesterday and they had an exclusive interview with Jeremy Camp about my current favorite song of his and where he got the idea from. The song is "Overcome". He said he met and spoke to a man from New Life Church right here in Colorado Springs and found out he had written this song after the tragic shooting at the church. That church has gone through some challenging ordeals with the shooting and the scandal regarding the lead pastor but they have overcome and are still thriving. With Jesus, we too can overcome just at the song says. Listen to the song here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhmcmpX4Zn4&feature=related  It is a wonderful song of worship so listen when you can really listen to the words and worship the Lord. Like another current favorite song of mine says, "love has come, love has won." Let the love of God fill you up today and all the days to come.
Galations 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 149

I am on vacation and I have had time to just breath and pray and let God work in me without all the cares of life and my work weighing me down. I am praising God for these retreats where one can get away from it all and just have fun, love and be with God and each other. God gave us a retreat every week with the Seventh day being our day of rest. Take this day and open your heart to ways you have never done before. Not a journaler, try it! Singing not your thing, turn on the worship music and do it! Not big on being on the phone, call a believer and catch up!Haven't read the bible in who knows how long, open up Psalms and just read one! Take this day of rest and devote it to God.
Psalm 77:12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.