What If

What if... What if God is so he says he is and Jesus is the risen King, what if everything the Bible says is really true, what if you can't do it all on your own and turns out you really do need a Savior...what if? 

For those of you who know me or have ever read a post on this blog before know my stance on this but I wonder about yours. What if today you happened upon this blog and it was written just for you, what if God wants to show you that the "What Ifs" that are swirling around in your mind right now are an invitation from him to search and see for yourself...what if?

There are at least 200 questions I could list off the top of my head that I ask myself often. Questions full of doubt and uncertainty, and then I switch gears and have the questions that fill me with hope and wonder. What if God isn't who he says he is...but what if he is?

I am doing a Bible study that recently challenged us to look at conditional faith, for example: I will be a Christian as long as XY&Z do not happen or I will follow Jesus as long as things go as planned or if Jesus really loved me he would have never let ___________happen. It was such an eye opener. I have looked a "conditional love" before but never applied that to "conditional faith", oh how this has changed some things for me.

Before we move further let me ask you something, Are you saved? I'm smiling sitting here typing this thinking about how many of you are answering YES! Praise God and hang in here with me, what about those of you who aren't sure or flat out said no? My question to both of you is, Why? Why is it so important to you that you are saved, and why is it not important to those of you who aren't? Something for us to really ponder on, isn't it? Maybe this would be a good time for us to take a few minutes before reading further and give this question our full attention.

Why am I saved? Because God saved me. You may wonder how I felt about this question when it was asked to me 10 years ago. I'll be honest, it just wasn't that important to me. I mean being a good person and wanting to go to heaven vs. hell seemed to strike a cord within me but the effort that it required seemed to water down the reality of the value that being a Christian held. Funny how I seem to choose the hard way to learn everything.

What if you read this today and it doesn't change a single thing about the way you feel. Maybe you agree with this new age society that we are ultimately our own god and that our destiny is our own. Or maybe you are analytical and think it's more practical to take on the scientific views on creation and evolution. Or perhaps you turn on the news and take one good look at this world and think, "Why would I ever serve a God that would allow all of this to happen"? Are believers really foolish and naive or is there something intriguing there that you just can't put your finger on. 

Would go with me here for a second a let me suggest something? What if you have been influenced and lied to by your one true enemy and mislead into a sea of doubt and watered down importance over Jesus. And then what if I could promise you that not just eventually but certainly it will take you under, completely under...what if?

If God really is who he says he is then we can be certain that when we breathe our last breath here on this earth we will meet our Maker, our Judge (James 4:12). Let me just suggest that this would not be the time that you would want your "What Ifs" to be "Oh no's" because then my friend, it is too late. 

I want so badly for you to know His love the way I do. I could write pages and pages full of the life that was breathed into me. I could share such intricate stories of my walk with Him to you, and I do in part, but what I want you to think about is what that would look like for you. Yes, I know at first that seems odd but it is not, odd would be living without it, actually odd would not even accurately describe what it would be like to live without it, desolation may come close. 

You see for so long I wasn't sure that God really was who he said he was, actually I didn't really even know who it was that he was claiming to be. Then one day I faced a fork in the road, crossroads that would change my future, the future of my decreasing tomorrow and in that moment I met Him. Standing there with the weight of my future and the heaviness of my past, I felt so alone, so empty...then there Jesus was.

So do you believe me or do you think that I was just lucky or that good to have chosen the right path?

Here's the deal, We have to have faith without conditions. We then have to stand firm in our faith and then do the hardest thing that I personally have ever been faced with, at all costs, we have to believe it. 

Trust me, there are times that I still have doubt and I always thank God for that because buried in the depth of that doubt lies the answer and the balm to my wounds. For me my "What Ifs" are turned to "I believe", why you ask...because I do. I can tell you that there are still many things in life that I face uncertainty over, but to ask me whether or not I believe in God & if I know Jesus will never be one of them. This personal relationship isn't some made up, make believe, put all you eggs in one basket and hope for the best kind of story. It is surrendering you heart and your life to the one who created you, it's about learning to love with the love that Christ has given you and it is about living free. 

What would our churches, our communities and our Nation look like if we got off of the fence and were just honest with God over our doubts and fears? What if our doubt of who He is and wondering if He is real was given over to believing that He is. And not just believing it but seeking Him to find out. Wouldn't we see a generation rising up to take its place for the good and not evil? Wouldn't we love one another in a way that every life has meaning and wouldn't we take seriously the part we are to play here and embrace our calling with a whole new vision? What if my friend...what if...

I pray that those of you who read these words will seek Jesus today in a way like never before. There is just nothing more important. I am tempted to wait to post this to edit it and add some Scripture, but I feel too much of an urgency that someone out there needs to read this.

I promise you that your life will never be the same if you commit it to Jesus. I know a few of you want to run after hearing that but it's the truth. There are so many things that change within you, for instance I will never look at the trees and nature the same, nor will I ever be able to see the hurting without a part of my heart hurting with them. My eyes have been opened to new things, my spirit recognizes the importance of grace and love, even during those times when my flesh feels differently.

A friend posted a chorus of one of my favorite songs and I went to my phone and played it at least 3 times after I read the chorus. You see I am sitting here in the hospital waiting for my grandmother to get out of surgery. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't let my fear get the best of me, after all it was just this time last year that we lost my Papa. But after I listened to the words I'm about type I felt the peace of His love and wisdom all around me.

Already all I need, Christy Nockels 

Asking where You are, Lord,

Wondering where you've been 

Is like standing in a hurricane, trying to find the wind

And hoping for Your mercy to meet me where I am

Is forgetting that Your thoughts for me outnumber the sand

You filled the sun with morning light

You bud the moon to lead the night

You clothe the Lillie's bright and beautiful

You're already all I need

Already everything that I could hope for

you're already all I need

You've already set me free 

already making me more like You

You're already all I need

Jesus

Already all I need

Walking through this life without your freedom in my heart

Is like holding on to shackles that You have torn apart

So remind me of Your promises and all that You have done

In this world I will have trouble

But you have overcome

And every gift that I receive You determine just for me

But nothing I desire compares to You...

How I pray that you seek Him, I'm almost jealous because I want to hear your stories. 

Will Jesus meet you right where you are today? Will He change your life and build your core so full of love and faith that life as you knew it will never be the same? Yes He will, and once you know him you would lay it all down on the line just to know Him more.

He loves you so much, seek Him...

The powerful Word of God

Psalm 25

 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.

As New Testament believers we are called to love our enemies and hate our one true enemy, the devil and his principalities of darkness. To me this gives the Psalm a whole new meaning for us in looking at our enemy.

^{Psalm 25:3-5} Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

⁴ Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
⁵ Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

Anyone else out of sheer desperation and exhaustion feel like they are waiting upon the LORD all of your days?

Isaiah 40:28-30, Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
²⁹ He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
³⁰ Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
³¹ But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Amen

^{Psalm 25:6-7} Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses,
For they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

We are never at a higher risk for the enemy to use guilt on us as we are when we are burdened by our burdens…if the sin has been repented of and you have asked for forgiveness and turned from it than you have been set free from it.

1 John 1:8-10,⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

^{Psalm 25:8-11} Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
⁹ The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Here David is not only reflecting back on his own sinfulness but he is expressing his desire for God to teach him. Listen, we need to be willing to be teachable.

Proverbs 1:7 says, the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

^{Psalm 25:12-15} Who is the man that fears the Lord?
Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
¹³ He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
¹⁴ The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

Anyone else been trapped in the net?

I want to share with you something personally because I believe that many of you will relate to this. I am in a season, a very long season of dealing with something.

This isn’t really something new that I am dealing with, quite honestly I am pretty accustom to dealing with this specific thing but this time I know it is different. In fact it fell so heavy upon me this time that I made the decision to seek counseling over it.

At me 2^nd session with my counselor I poured out my heart over this and I said, “You know if I just had a name for this I feel like I could conquer it.” We talked about spiritual warfare for a bit and then she said what you are dealing with here is much more than just an annoyance or circumstance, you are dealing with an AFFLICATION.

As weird as this sounds I was pumped for I finally had a name for it.

¹⁶ Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.

The NIV versions says, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.

About a week after I had my big epiphany over my Affliction I sat down early one morning to watch Beth Moore on Lifetoday. As I grabbed for my coffee I heard her say that today’s lesson was over Trouble vs. Affliction.

I’m sure my mouth hit the floor. I knew that it was no mistake for me to be watching that morning. God knew I needed a word on it and he gave me one.

Beth had us open our Bibles to Psalm 25 and by memory she read it to us. When she got to vs. 16 where it says, Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted, I choked up.

How many of us have experienced the loneliness of our Affliction? Because here’s the deal. We are either going through an affliction, coming out of one and headed into one. I know that may sound negative and disappointing but this is what I believe to be truth.

I can connect the 3 or 4 areas in my life that this Affliction is connected to or that it directly affects. So what happens is this, I am more aware of the things surrounding these areas, I am more faithful in my commitment to pray over these areas, but too I am more protective and sometimes that protection turns into idolism.  Do you understand what I’m saying?

In other words I am obsessed over these areas because of the distrust I have and the doubt I have in God over them. I not only deal with those things but I also cross up the boundary lines between where God and I stand. It shouldn’t be war lines, I need to get behind him.

Here is where the enemy gets me. I can feel that I am praying and laying these things down at the foot of the cross and seeking and discerning God but truly in my heart I am harboring doubt that I will be set free from bondage that I am in.

In those moments of doubt, which is really unbelief, the enemy suits up and takes his shot at me, whether it be a dream, a horrible thought or visual, an overwhelming fear or the common “what if”, when I allow the enemy to overtake my thoughts he recognizes those weak areas and he pounces on them. John 10:10 says, The thief (the devil) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Are there any of you that can relate? Anyone else deal with the mental spiritual battle with the enemy?

So my question for us is this, How do we stop this mental warfare?

Galatians 5:1 says, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

So the 1^st thing we are going to do is:

1.    Stand firm in the Freedom that we have through Christ and refuse to be enslaved by it.

Philippians 4:6-7 says,

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

2.    Get down on our knees in prayer and seek his counsel

Hebrews 4:12 says,

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

*Memorize Scripture & Speak it!

3. Silence the enemy with the POWERFUL Word of God

Listen, if you have not ever memorized Scripture this is your encouragement to do so. I have a 7 year old and a 4 year old who memorize Scripture way better than I do so if they can do it you and I can.

Here is why this is such a valuable asset and weapon for us especially in dealing with warfare. Instead of fueling the battle/fire with doubt and fear we fight back with the ALL powerful, FULLY alive and active Word of God. It looks like this:

When we feel the enemy attacking us here in our mind we need to enter into this battle armed. We need to STAND FIRM IN OUR FREEDOM IN CHRIST, SEEK GOD IMMEDIATELY AND SILENCE THE ENEMY WITH THE POWERFUL WORD OF GOD.

Because here’s the deal, Jesus has already won the battle, we are his, the victory is his and He crushes the enemy under our feet. The enemy just wants to try and make us believe that it is all a lie.

^{Psalm 25:17-18} The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
¹⁸ Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.

^{Psalm 25:19-22} Consider my enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
²⁰ Keep my soul, and deliver me;
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
²¹ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.

²² Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!

2 Tim 1:7, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Sometimes in our Affliction and trouble God brings out things that need to be dealt with. For me he has shown me some things that I need forgiveness over and some things that I need to forgive, he has shown me sin that needs to be dealt with and some healing that needs to take place before I am able to walk through it victoriously.

One thing that Beth had mentioned in her series on this that has really stuck with me is, God can either deliver from these Afflictions or God can take our very affliction and deliver us through them. Once I realized that and bent the knee to it, I asked him to keep me right where I am even though it is hard and uncomfortable and painful, until I can receive full redemption over it. Because when I walk through it this time, so help me, I will be fully REDEEMED!!!

Isaiah 43:1, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.

Turn to me LORD, for I am lonely and afflicted.

Psalm 34:7

The “angel of the LORD” encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.

We are studying Psalms 34 this week and I keep reflecting back on that verse. I love it, I knew it but somehow reading those words today gave me chills. The “angel of the LORD” encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Oh yes he does.

I wonder what we would do differently if we truly believed that he is surrounding us at all times, that the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. That when the righteous cry out He hears them and delivers them out of all of their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart and he saves them. (taken from Psalm 34:15, 17-18).

Who out there can think of something that they are currently troubled by? What if I told you that there is happiness for those who trust in God through these times, and all other times.

For me there is a “trouble” that reoccurs often in my life. It is a deep sensitive place within me and when it resurfaces I had better be prepared for an all-out war of my mind. I have to stand firm on the true Word of God or before I even know it I will be dealing with a strong nasty affliction in my life. Our mind is a battle field and if we aren’t willing to take ALL our thoughts captive to Christ we are running a high risk for failure and subjection to affliction.

I often record Beth Moore’s lessons on Life Today. I had already been dealing with this “trouble” that had resurfaced but knew this time that it had become much more than a trouble or inconvenience currently in my life. I sat down last Wednesday and turned on her show only to hear her speaking on trouble vs. affliction. It was one of those moments where you go…Did I somehow tell her this??? Of course we know that this is just how God works sometimes. I was dealing with an affliction and God knew I needed to hear a good word on it, and a good word I did receive.

It was one of those lessons that you grab your pen and paper and take note of every verse and application that is offered, a lesson that sticks with you and helps you along the process. I’ve sought Counseling over this affliction, which has been amazing, and tons and tons of prayer but sometimes God just gives you a word straight out of the mouth of someone who has received victory over it to give you the hope you need to stick it out.

As I mentioned before we are studying Psalm 34 in our Bible Study this week and I cannot tell you how often I have said out loud, “I will bless you LORD at all times, your praise shall continually be in my mouth”. For the “angel of the LORD” encamps me for I fear you and you deliver me! (Yes I changed it up a bit and added the exclamation mark but I think you get the picture).

I have to tell you that I am so overwhelmed by looking at this world. The sickness and tragedies within our community alone are too much to process. I usually make it through about 10 minutes of the news in the morning before it ruins my coffee and I grab the remote to turn on one of the kid’s shows. I don’t want to be ignorant with what is going on but I don’t want to be so consumed with it that I see no good, no love and no God.

I am thankful that today I am reminded that He encamps us who fears him and delivers us. He hears our cries and heals the broken hearted…what are we waiting for? What are some of us waiting for in our Spiritual walk with Him? What are we so bound up in that we can’t bend the knee and lay it all down to Him? If we were being honest with ourselves most of us would say that we aren’t doing a really great job of it on our own.

What idols have we placed above him? I am so guilty of this and have to monitor this one all the time. Where does the pride come from that makes us believe we don’t need him? Most of us have been there, some of us stayed there long enough to know that we will never turn back to it.  

Psalm 25 says,

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, I trust in You;
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not my enemies triumph over me.
³ Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;
Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

⁴ Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
⁵ Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day.

⁶ Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses,
For they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord.

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
⁹ The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth,
To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
¹¹ For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

¹² Who is the man that fears the Lord?
Him shall He^[a] teach in the way He^[b] chooses.
¹³ He himself shall dwell in prosperity,
And his descendants shall inherit the earth.
¹⁴ The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

¹⁶ Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.
¹⁷ The troubles of my heart have enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses!
¹⁸ Look on my affliction and my pain,
And forgive all my sins.
¹⁹ Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred.
²⁰ Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You.
²¹ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.

²² Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all their troubles!

This is the passage of Scripture that Beth used in her lesson on trouble vs. affliction. I put it on an index card and have kept it close by for the last 6 days. I pray that if any of this speaks to you that you will do the same.

There is but one way out of the trouble and the afflictions that we will face in this life, and make no mistake you will face them. You can go through this life depending upon yourself as your savior, or you can turn to Jesus and have the troubles of your heart redeemed. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13.

 

 

Living with Grace

Ephesians 4:26-32

²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Look back at the first two words in this verse…what does it say?

Be angry. When we are violated or treated unfairly or hurt, you need to know that the Holy Spirit gives us permission to be angry. Our feelings are validated; God created us to have emotions and anger is included in that.  So many times I hear people say, but we serve a loving and forgiving God. A God that is slow to anger and although all of this is true I think we are missing a part of it. All you have to do is open your Bible to the New Testament and take a look at some of the things that Jesus endured. He was angry at times and frustrated and flat out fed up with the disciples and others…the difference is in the 2^nd part of verse 26.

²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,

If we act like just because we are Christians we shouldn’t get angry and then try to put on some “spiritual” forefront on I believe a few things will happen:

#1. Anger left un-dealt with will turn into bitterness and resentment.

 So the question today is this, “how do we break the connection between being angry and sinning in our anger”?

For it is by grace we are saved.

I may only be 32 but I have also been with my husband for 13 years. I can tell you that grace has not always been offered in my home, and sometimes it still isn’t. Although Will & I are in a really good place in our marriage and in our walk with God this is still hard. We have both acted in hurtful ways to one another and we have both failed many times in the area of grace.

One thing that God has been pressing on my heart the last few years is this. Not only is he BIG enough to deal with my hurt and insecurity, he is just as equally BIG enough to deal with the ones who have hurt me.

Let me explain how this applies to the question. For example: When Will hurts my feelings my initial reaction is to go to him and shred him with my words, letting him know all he has done to hurt me and remind him of the long list of short comings I have saved over the last 13 years together…(you know we as women are really good at that).

 Instead of reacting off of my emotions I go find a quiet place and get down on my knees and tell it all to God. I vent…I vent it all, I don’t sugar coat my feelings or withhold words. After I am done I then ask him to forgive my sinful thoughts in my anger and ask him to heal my heart over it…and then I ask him to slay Will’s heart over it.

I’m not saying that I get up all happy and over it, but I do lay it at his feet and trust God to take care of it. I promise you, I have seen more victory in my marriage when I am obedient to do this then when I choose the other option.

 

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 says,

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,^[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.

⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

You know this year has not been an easy one for me. Although I have had some really wonderful times spent depending upon the LORD to get me through this season, I’ve also realized that I have hit a wall recently and cannot break through it.

I knew for the first time I was experiencing a little more than the normal fear & anxiety I have been accustom to. When I was willing to be honest with myself and put a name to what I was feeling I was shocked. I am depressed…shockingly depressed. I really struggled with bringing in a third party. I felt so guilty that I wasn’t working this out on my own with God and let me say this…THAT IS THE ENEMY!!! There is nothing wrong with seeking help when needed. I’m hoping someone who needs to hear that today does.   

Last week I met with my Counselor with my list of the ABC’s of why I was there. I initially thought they were just a few things but as the appointment went on my ABC turned into DEF and G…

You see I was in the process of preparing a lesson on “Living with Grace”. I was struggling with what it I would be able to bring to the table on this subject, and just as God often has it I began a journey with him on grace…and I felt as I was being drug through the mud. I believe this happens so we not only have the ability to share from the knowledge of what God’s word says here but we can speak from experience with such personal application…which is often scary when looking at future lessons…

Within the first 5 minutes of our session she had me turn my Bible to Ephesians 4. I was so taken by what the verse said, a verse I had read many times but as I read it aloud and applied it to my life I became angry. I was angry that I have allowed the enemy to take real estate in my life and run free and wild with my bitterness.

I’m going to share with you some very expensive information for free, so listen close. Did you know that the problems and the hurt and the insecurities that you are struggling with today can be a direct reflection of the un-dealt anger from your past? If we have allowed our anger to turn into depression and malice and bitterness, then the circumstances we are facing right here, in the present and the future are directly being affected by it.

#2. Anger left un-dealt with eventually turns into depression.

You see the anger left unresolved has taken up residency in our heart and turned into part of our identity. How many of us attach our identity to our past?

So until we get this thing, or maybe its many things, out in the open and allow God to heal us over them and equip us with what we need to give grace over it the WE WILL NOT be able to move forward. For some of us it may be things that we haven’t thought about in years, for others it may be things that we are tormented by daily. Whatever it is we can’t ignore it…It has to be dealt with.

Let’s continue to read in Ephesians 4 picking up in verse 29.

²⁶ “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷ nor give place to the devil. ²⁸ Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹ Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

 

Turn your Bibles to Ephesians 2:2-10

2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The other night Will and I were talking about an ongoing situation in our family that is especially close to his heart. We have seen many times of improvement but once again things have taken a turn in the wrong direction. Will looked at me and said, “It’s so strange…I’m not even mad or frustrated this time.” I smiled and said, “that is grace.” His heart was tender to the situation but instead of the normal frustration and disappointment that he had felt all the times before he chose to offer grace. Undeserved grace. It’s against everything our flesh tells us to do but the power within it is so freeing.

It’s not about grace with limitations or stipulations. It’s about letting go and letting God deal with the anger and depending on his strength to be set free from it.

I’m a very visual learner so I needed for God to show me what offering Grace would look like for me, this is what he gave me:

G – giving up the control to the one who is in control (God)

R – receiving freedom over it

A – actions reflecting Christ

C – confidence in our Savior to be healed over it

E – everlasting peace

What if we really believed what this says? What if we were willing to leave our hurt and anger with God and trust him that this grace offering would bring forth those very things in our life? Even when they are NOT sorry for it...even when we can come up with more reasons than not that they don’t deserve it. What if we laid it all down to Him and awaited the peace, freedom and healing that God has waiting for us…what if? 

Do you know why it is so important to offer the sacrifice of grace? Because God knows what is coming next. He knows what is coming down the pike, and he knows what season we are about to enter into. He knows if it will be a season of Joy or a season of sifting…a season of grief or a season of freedom. And he knows exactly what we need spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally to walk through it with him victoriously.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 out of the NIV says,

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

 

This is my memory verse for this month. So precious to me and to my life that is such a work in progress. I’ve been seeking God consistently for the past eight years; but this verse has challenged me to seek him with all of my heart…not just part of it…he wants me to seek him with the hurt and the anger too.

 

When I came to back to the LORD eight years ago I was what you would call “radically saved”. It was sudden and drastic and so many people who were close to me could not understand it. I had spent my whole life prior to that knowing I believed in God but not having a clue what it was to have a real relationship with him. Then all of a sudden he was so real to me and I felt so small. It wasn’t that I was afraid of him, but I suddenly understood what it meant to “fear” the LORD and I experienced in such a strange way the power and authority he had over my life.

 

I have tried during that time to let go of many things and try and understand the purpose of my life. My husband asked me on Sunday if I thought I was trying too hard to live perfect in my walk…it was the first time I had really looked at it like that.

 I was sharing all of this with my friend the other night and as I told her what Will said I threw in how I wanted so badly for this year to be my “Freedom year”. I wanted peace and a calm mind, I wanted to not be fearful and to not feel so exhausted all the time. Then she said to me something that has changed the direction of my walk. She said, “So basically what you are telling God is that the cross wasn’t enough.”

 

I heard a silence inside of me…yes, yes that is exactly what I have been thinking FOR EIGHT YEARS! How could I have missed this? How could I think that I am the one person that God’s Grace and the Cross would not cover? Who do I think I am…how could I have missed this…His Grace is enough...Accept it, receive it, turn from the ways of this world and by all means offer it. This is a gift, and not a single ounce of work or labor can earn it.

 I look at the many blessings that God has given me during the last eight years and I cringe to think what my life would have been like without my children and many, many other things. But I didn’t miss out on them because I changed my life, and I gave my heart to Jesus. The price was paid and it is done. I am washed by the blood and I have been made clean.

 

All of these years spent seeking God and serving him and trying so hard to make right all I had done wrong and yet the whole time I have missed it. I’m still learning, still trying to figure this whole thing out and really looking at what it means to offer the sacrifice of grace. Make no mistake that it is a sacrifice and maybe sometimes it will be the hardest thing that we do, but I am determined to be obedient.

 

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

 

As I close tonight I ask you to take today and think about what it is that God may be pressing on your heart to lay down and offer grace to, the same grace that is offered to you. Paid by the precious blood of Jesus.

Write it on an index card a commit to praying over it until you feel the strength and courage to let it go. Then prepare yourself for freedom and a sound mind.

 

Isaiah 40:31

But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.