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“I know your works.  Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close…” Revelation 3:8a CSB

Wouldn’t it be nice if God would take care of everything for us and we wouldn’t have to work for it?  Single and want to be married…the perfect person shows up on your door. Got debt…a check magically appears in your mailbox to cover the exact amount.  Conflict in a relationship…the other person suddenly realizes you’re right and you don’t have to do a thing. Need a vacation…you win a trip to Italy. The list could be endless.  Want to be a size two…voila, you are. How nice that would be. But that isn’t how God works.

God doesn’t just give us whatever we want.  Instead He gives us opportunities to work for it.  He gives us vision of what could be and then a way to get there.  For instance, according to a scientific study by CNN, a person has to go on roughly 10 first dates before they find someone who is worth a second date.  Dave Ramsey says the average time it takes to pay off debt is 18-24 months. Conflict in a relationship is never one-sided, it always takes both parties working together to find resolution.  And it’s highly unlikely you’ll win a trip to Italy, but if you put a little bit aside each month, plan the time off, you could definitely make it happen. And wanting to be a size 2, well I put 13 pounds on over the holiday’s and I’ve finally taken them back off…in April.

God gives us opportunities, it’s up to us to take them.

Why doesn’t God just meet all of our needs?  Why do we have to struggle? Because we would never grow and learn.  First off, what we think we want and what we really need are two different things.  The view of marriage from a single person is completely different than the reality that it is.  I can speak from personal experience, if God paid off my debt for me and I didn’t have to work my way out of it, I would have never learned how to manage money.  And sometimes, the conflict in a relationship is to help you see a blindspot in your life that you need to work on. Saving for a vacation will make you appreciate it more than having it handed to you.  And the journey to becoming the “perfect size” helps you learn to love yourself just as you are.

Secondly, and most important, Jesus calls us to follow Him. That means moving forward.  That means learning and growing as you journey through life. That means applying His principles to the situations that occur along the way.  That means He will open doors for you and it’s up to you to go through them. I pray you are blessed with open doors and the courage to walk through them, that is where the adventure begins.

“A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives a drink of water will receive water” (Proverbs 11:25 CSB).

Generous, in this verse means blessing.  It’s “good favour bestowed on another” according to my Bible dictionary.  God’s economy is upside down from the world’s economy. The more you give, the more blessed you are.  You get what you give, in direct contrast to the me centered world we live in where we are to keep everything for ourselves.  Not so with God, if you want to receive, you need to first give.

Give a blessing, get a blessing.  Give help, get help.

Here’s a personal example from my life.  I was in between jobs, on unemployment, searching diligently for a new one.  It was during this time I learned the concept of tithing in the Bible study I was doing.  Tithing is giving the first 10% back to God of your money. I was receiving roughly $250 a week on unemployment, which meant $25 of it should go to God first and foremost.  Here I was, I was barely paying my bills, I was up to my eyeballs in debt and I decided to go all in with God. I decided to start tithing. The blessing didn’t come overnight, it was a few months before it came, but when it did, God didn’t disappoint.  Two weeks before Christmas I received a job making more money than I had ever made in my life. And I stayed there for the next 16 years. I also will never forget how much harder it was for me to tithe on my new income, than my unemployment check. But I did it, and I continue to do it to this day.  I have yet to out give God when it comes to money. Lord knows I try.

Paul tells us in his letter to the Philippians,  “Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others” (2:4 CSB).  When you focus on the needs of others, God will take care of your needs. When I started tithing, I didn’t even realize I was helping others, but I was.  I was helping those in the church who were seeking after Jesus find Him. God’s economy is the opposite of the worlds; God’s economy is others centered, not me centered.  When you flip the script, when you put others first, God is the One who has your back. God is the One who will take care of you.

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 NIV

What happens when the miracle doesn’t happen?  When the prayer you prayed isn’t answered? What happens then?  You keep going. You hang on for dear life, and keep going.

Sept. 2, 2014 will always be one of the hardest days of my life.  It was my mother’s birthday, who had passed away in February, and it is the day my Cody boy died. The closest to a son I will ever have.  I was there on the day he was born, I was there the day he died. His Mom was gracious enough to share him with me in between, and for that I will always be grateful.  I will never forget thinking, “How do we go on from here? How does life go on without Cody? How do I get up tomorrow morning?”

You know what got me up the next morning?  His Mom and Dad, his sister, my husband, our family and friends.  They got me out of bed the next morning. They were the ones who gave me the courage to get back up and keep going.  Each of them were and still are God in the flesh to me. When one of us is down, someone has been there to pick us up, keep us going. And we still have down days.  There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think of him. In ways, he is more alive than ever to me. I see his smile, right now as I write these words. I feel his hug, especially the last one I ever received.  I’m so grateful God, in His infinite wisdom made it so memorable for me. I hear him telling me I’m being stupid. He loved to tell me that, always with a grin on his face. He lives in my heart, completely healed, completely happy, in the arms of Jesus.  

Every morning when I take my coffee and meet Jesus at the foot of the cross, Cody is there too.  I’m on earth’s side, he’s on heaven’s side, but we’re together.

I will never forget the first person who asked me, “What about all those prayers you prayed for Cody?  Aren’t you mad God didn’t answer?” Cody was diabetic, I had prayed for years for his healing. But he wasn’t healed, the horrible disease took him.  Or was he? His mother and I have had endless conversations about it. God did heal him, completely. It just wasn’t the way we wanted. He has a new body, completely healed in heaven.  He never has to take another shot of insulin, he never has to prick his finger to check his blood, he never has to worry about going too high or too low again. And he’s there waiting for us when we get there.  And he knows, we’re not quite ready to join him just yet.

What do you do when the miracle doesn’t happen?  You keep on going, one step at a time. Sometimes one minute at a time.  And you look for God in the midst of the pain. One of the ways we as a family were first comforted was that he died on Mom’s birthday.  They had a very special relationship, one no one could come between. She went ahead of him to be there for him when he got there. They partied in heaven without us that day, but they were together again.  One day, we all will be.

Blessed are those who persevere for they will receive the crown of life.

“Jabez called out to the God of Israel: “If only you would bless me, extend my border, let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm, so that I will not experience pain.  And God granted his request.” 1 Chronicles 4:10 CSB

This little gem is found in the heart of the lineage of Judah. It is very easy to skim over and miss completely.  Jabez “was more honored than his brothers” and his mother “gave birth to him in pain” (1 Chronicles 4:9 CSB). His name literally means “sorrowful”.  But Jabez knew a life centered on God is not sorrowful, so he prayed this prayer.

There are four parts to the prayer of Jabez.  First he asks for God to bless him. Then he asks for God to extend his border; he wants God to increase his responsibilities.  Third he asks God to be with him in all he does. Lastly, he’s asking God to keep him from harm so that he will not experience pain.  Jabez’s wisdom is evident in the things he asks for, he realizes nothing can be done without God at the center of it.

We all struggle to keep God at the center of our lives.  In our modern world, it can seem as if God isn’t necessary.  Even worse, we may think our problems aren’t worthy to bring to the throne of God.  The hardest concept I’ve had to understand in my walk with God is that it is all small stuff to God.  There is nothing God can’t handle. There is nothing God doesn’t have a plan for in this world. There is nothing God doesn’t know.  That can be really challenging to believe when we’re in the midst of the dark days of life, and we all have them. No one is exempt. The days may be dark for different reasons, but they are still dark.

But the prayer of Jabez reminds us, God is faithful to those who seek Him.  You can pray this prayer just as Jabez did, expecting God to answer. I have it written out on my prayer board as a continual prayer.  This devotional reminded me of its power. Whatever challenge you are facing today, whatever dreams you are dreaming, cry out to God like Jabez.  Put Him at the center of it and watch Him work.

Bruce Wilkinson wrote a book that looks at this prayer in great detail.  I love this line from it that should motivate us all:

“Attempt something large enough that failure is guaranteed…unless God steps in!”

Go for it!

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. “  Philippians 2:3 CSB

There is an acronym I heard years ago: JOY.  JOY equals Jesus, Others, Yourself. It is the key to living a JOY-filled life.  Three small letters, so easily said, yet so hard to live. It can’t be accomplished without humility.  Humility is freedom from arrogance or pride, a modest estimate of one’s own worth. It isn’t saying you don’t have self worth, it’s just saying you realize God is God and you’re not.  The world doesn’t actually revolve around you or me, it revolves around God. That is why you must stay humble and hungry for His word.

There isn’t a morning I open up my Bible and am not convicted of something.  The harsh word I said to my husband, the friend I should of called but didn’t, the opportunity I had to serve a stranger that I let slip by. I am a true believer when God places someone in my path, there is a purpose for it. I call them Divine Appointments, meetings God has placed on my calendar I know nothing about.  And they will humble you.

I have a neighbor named Dot.  She’s a widow that lives in the next subdivision.  I’ll never forget how I met Dot. I was driving home one day when she cut me off in her little  red VW bug. I was so angry, nothing can make me more mad than other people’s driving. I didn’t outwardly do anything, but inwardly I was fuming at her selfishness.  But what can you do? I went on home and tried to let it go. It was about 15 minutes later when there was a knock on my front door. It was Dot, out walking her dog. She had seen where I lived and she had come to apologize to me for cutting me off.  I was humbled immediately for the thoughts I had had just minutes ago. Dot explained she truly hadn’t seen me, it wasn’t her intent and she was truly sorry. That is how I met Dot, and now she is my friend. A Divine Appointment that humbled me greatly.

Dot did nothing out of selfish ambition, but in humility, she considered me more important than herself.  She taught me a lesson I will never forget. One I hope to share with others. Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in D.C. puts it this way:

“If you STAY HUMBLE and STAY HUNGRY there is nothing God cannot do in you or through you.”

He’s right, there is nothing God can’t do if you stay humble and hungry for Him.

“You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:12 CSB

It was early in my adult life, I was just turning back to Jesus after the tumultuous years of my 20’s.  I remember I was slowly working my way out of a bad relationship. I can’t remember exactly what the drama of the day was, but I knew I needed a friend.  It was before the days of cell phones, I remember distinctly the phone I used. It was a payphone I would use to call my friend Laura when I was at work.  I tried valiantly to get through to her, yet it was always busy. Which was odd, because I never had a problem getting through eventually. Then it hit me like a bolt of lightning, it wasn’t Laura I should be calling, it was God.  That was a turning point in my life that I have never forgotten. As the years have progressed, I’ve gotten much better at calling God first.

These are some of the beautiful reasons why you should call God first.  He always answers. There is never a time when you will get a busy signal. He listens to what you have to say.  And you don’t have to censor your words, you can let it all hang out. The good, the bad, the ugly, give it all to Him.  He will never hold it against you. He won’t throw it back in your face with an “I told you so.” He will just listen. Then He will answer, because He is the One who has all of the answers.  It may not be today, tomorrow, or even next year, but He will answer. And when He does, you will be glad you called Him first.

Amazing things happen when you pray.  You gain new perspective as you slow life down by spending time with God.  You will draw closer to God as you spend more time with Him. You help others by praying for them, whether friend or foe. Your burden, whatever it is, will be lifted.  This truth is what draws me to my knees more than any other. When I’m struggling with a situation, nothing lightens the load more than prayer. Another thing that happens is you join with others who are praying, you come into agreement with them on what God can and will do.  And when you pray, it is an act of worship, praising God for what He has done, what He will do and what He is doing.

Next time you sit down to have coffee with a friend, let that friend be Jesus.  Call Him first.

“No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13 CSB

Pfc. Desmond T. Doss was the subject of the 2016 WWII movie Hacksaw Ridge.  He was a Conscientious Objector from Virginia who refused to bear arms against another human being based on his religious beliefs.  He was ridiculed, persecuted and ostracized for his beliefs by his peers, yet he never wavered. He became a medic who never carried a gun. He earned the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Battle of Okinawa, the bloodiest battle of the war that lasted over two months. One night, while everyone else retreated, he didn’t. He went back and forth across the battlefield carrying wounded soldiers to safety, one by one.  Each trip back into the thick of battle, as bullets whirred around him, he literally laid down his life for his friends. When the morning sun rose the next day he had saved 75 lives.

Friends who had persecuted him.  Friends who had ostracized him. Friends who had ridiculed him.  Friends who were strangers to him. He laid his life down for them.  Because he believed in the commandment, “Thou shall not kill.” God’s word made him a hero to man, took his unhealthy relationships and made them healthy. God’s word made him a faithful servant to God. 75 men were given a second chance at life because of what he did. If they didn’t know God before that night, they certainly did after it.

God’s word can do the same for you.  

Obviously, Desmond Doss is an extreme example, but what he exemplified most was his faith.  His belief that God can do all things (Phil. 4:13). His faith that we are to love one another above ourselves (1 Peter 4:8).  His understanding that we are to humble ourselves for God’s purposes (1 Peter 5:6). He wasn’t trying to win the approval of man, but of God (Galatians 1:10).  He spurred his fellow man on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). Without doubt, he prayed for them (James 5:16). He was a friend to his fellow soldiers that stuck closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).

If you want the key to healthy relationships, take a cue from Desmond.  Look into God’s word and do what it tells you to do. Your relationships will flourish beyond your wildest imagination.  They will be healthy, but it may not be easy.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16 NIV

The definition for confidence, according to Webster’s Dictionary of 1828, is a trusting, or reliance; an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or veracity of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact. It is this kind of confidence I pray you have in God.  A trusting reliance that you can go to Him with whatever you are dealing with in your life, and He will do something about it.

The very center verse in the Bible is Psalm 118:8 which says, “It is better to trust in the Lord, than put confidence in man.”  It’s interesting that this is what is at the heart of God’s word to us. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Often times, we place our confidence in people and they disappoint us.  That is because they, like us are human. They aren’t perfect, they will never be perfect, and no matter how much they try, they will fall short. But God never will. In Him you can have full confidence.

This does not, however mean He will give you everything you want.  He’s not a vending machine in the sky just waiting to dispense whatever you perceive your need is.  I have a young friend who has been battling a rare disease for the past five years. I have partnered with her parents in prayer, yet there seems to be no answers.  As recently as yesterday, I held her hand as she lay in the hospital bed, unable to eat or drink and asked the Lord for a miracle. We’re still waiting on the answer.  But it doesn’t mean God isn’t working, we know without a doubt He is. We just don’t know what He is doing. The truth is, we may never know on this side of eternity.

Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who endured the trials of the Holocaust camps in World War II, a place where she lost her sister and father, once said this:

“You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have.”

I have learned this truth in my life, in ways I never wanted too.  I’m still learning it as I continue on this journey. The heartbreak and sadness of this world, tragedies that are unspeakable, cause us to fall to our knees.  But when we’re down at rock bottom, lying flat on our back, it forces us to look up. When we do, when we look up to the Creator who made us, we can find confidence that He is there.  We can find confidence that He is all we truly need.

“Lord, save us! Lord, please grant us success! He who comes in the name of the Lord is blessed!”  Psalm 118: 25-26

This Psalm is a victory Psalm, praising God for what He has done.  The author is unknown, but believed to be David. David had great success in his lifetime.  He was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). One of his most notorious victories was over Goliath, the Philistine giant who dared to taunt the army of the Living God (1 Samuel 17:26).  One of my favorite parts to this story is when Saul dresses David in his armor. He’s trying to help him have success, but in reality, he’s only setting David up for failure. I love David’s reply to him:

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:39-40 NIV).

David was a self aware man.  He was a shepherd, which meant he had lots of practice with a sling.  He would use it to keep away wild animals, as well as steer the sheep in the direction he wanted them to go.  It was a simple thing, two pieces of leather with a place to hold the stone. He would swing it around his head a couple of times, then let it loose.  David had years of practice at this, but he had no practice at using the armor that Saul was accustomed too.

Often times, we have well meaning people in our lives, like Saul. People who are trying to dress us in their armor, but their armor won’t work for us. It is up to us to know what our strengths are. God has equipped each of us for the journey’s we are on, but our bags are packed with different weapons.  It’s up to us to know what those strengths are and use them to fight our giants.

If you want true success on your journey with God, don’t try to put on someone else’s armor.  Put on the armor God created and tailored specifically for you. There is no giant that can stand against it.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.”  Ephesians 2:10 CSB

I saw this interesting analogy on Facebook recently:

A bar of iron costs $5, made into horseshoes it’s worth $12, made into needles, it’s worth $3500, made into balancing springs for watches, it’s worth $300,000.  Your own value is determined by what you are able to make of yourself. Author Unknown

How true it is.  It’s up to us each individually to use the gifts God has given us.  There are spiritual gifts such as exhortation, giving, leadership, hospitality, teaching, discernment, faith, healing, wisdom to name a few.  Each of us has been given a very special set of gifts we are to share with those around us. Just as the bar of iron starts out at a net worth of $5, the more it is used in individual, specific ways, the more it’s value increases.

Jesus talks about this in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.  Each servant was given talents. Talents are monetary units that equal about 20 years worth of labor.  The first was given 5 talents, the next 2 talents and the last 1 talent. The first two invested their portions and increased them for their Master; they both doubled their portions.  The third buried his and didn’t use it to make any money. When the Master returned, he was furious that he had done nothing with it. As a result, he took the 1 talent away and gave it to the his first servant who had 10 talents.  The third servant is like the bar of iron, he had the opportunity to become so much more, but instead, he stayed exactly the same.

What gift has God given you that you aren’t using?  If you don’t know, there are great Spiritual Gift tests for free online to help you know what yours are.  God has given you everything you need to reach your full potential. He’s there to help you achieve whatever it may be.  A favorite author of mine, Erwin McManus, puts it this way:

“God can do the work, but He will not do for you what you’re not willing to step into for yourself.”

Don’t be afraid.  Use the gifts God has given you, with Him working with you, the sky’s the limit.