My Divine Intervention

I had what you would call a "divine intervention" this morning. As many of you probably know, I am in the early weeks of training for a marathon that is taking place this February. Well as I was training this morning, the devil was really riding my back hard. He kept saying things like, "You won't be able to do this" and "You are crazy to think you will be able to run over 26 miles!"

Isn't that just typical of the devil?! I'm telling you...you set a goal for yourself, and he tries his very best to diminish every single ounce of confidence that you have!

Well, when doubt really began to sink in my head this morning as the devil was whispering negative thoughts in my ear, God spoke just a little bit louder! And that's when my girl, Mandisa came on my iPod. The lyrics went something like this:

"If You could send a burning bush to Moses

Lead Your people home through a parted sea

Give a boy the strength to defeat Goliath

I know You will always take care of me.

With You on my side, I am victorious.

With You on my side, I've got nothing to fear.

So I can walk through this valley with confidence

Knowing You will deliver me."

 

 

So after letting these lyrics sink in, I am asking these questions: When are we going to get out of God's way so He can do something great through us? When are we going to grab ahold of who Christ is in us? How long are we going to continue to put ourselves down and say that we can't when God says that we certainly CAN?!

 

Scripture says that His power works best in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). Scripture also says that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Phil. 4:13). Get that?? All things. Not some things. Not on some days. All things...All days...through HIS strength!

 

So, instead of letting the devil try to break us down, embrace our weakness and know that He is strong where we are weak. When we draw our strength and confidence from Him, we will be ready and able to face any giant that tries to kill our confidence. I don't know about you, but I get a lot of satisfaction from proving the devil wrong!

 

 

The second part of that song goes like this:

 

 

"If You could raise the dead bones of Lazarus

If You could feed five-thousand with a couple fish and a loaf of bread

And in the middle of a stormy night You can walk on water

I know nothing is out of Your hands!"

 

 

I imagine that when I began to doubt, God viewed that as a slap in the face. He is the Creator of all, and I doubted Him?? Wow! Psalm 27:1 says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation--so why should I be afraid? The Lords protects me from danger--so why should I tremble?"

 

 

 

 

God will never give us more than we can handle. If He brings us to it, He'll bring us through it! Our God is not a God of doubt! The only way to conquer your insecurities is to allow God to become all we need to feel secure. So step out on your personal battlefield of life...whatever it may be...and know that your God is with you and that He is your confidence and your power!

 

"Sometimes our God disables us to enable us. We can do more in His strength than we could ever do on our own!"

 

 

Stay tuned...

 

 

B

 

 



Free To Be Me

As I sat behind my desk at work this morning, God laid something very heavily on my heart. Have you ever compared yourself to someone and felt you could never measure up to them? I've really been struggling with this lately. It quickly becomes frustrating trying to model someone else's life in Christ. My good intentions to be like my other Christian friends simply left me feeling inadequate. And like a light bulb, it went off in my head this morning--God designed each one of us differently!

Deuteronomy 14:2 says, You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure."

Let's define what it means to be "set apart." The dictionary defines it this way: to keep something for a specific use or purpose. So look back at the Scripture above. God has set us apart for a chosen position.

I may not be at a point in my life where I am able to travel the world for mission work like my parents or lead a youth group like some of my friends (although I pray that God will one day open the door for me to do so), but I am now more confident than ever that it is not what we do that sets us apart--it is how much we allow the Holy Spirit to live through us that truly sets us apart.

We can also define set apart as living differently than the world lives so God's character can be seen through you. This does not mean to try and form into a "Christian clone" lacking originality. Think about this: Paul was set apart to be a prophet, David (a shepherd boy) was set apart to be a king, fisherman Peter was set apart to be a disciple, and Mary was set apart to give birth to the Son of God. These individuals never tried to be set apart with their own strengths. They simply answered God's call when He called them.

I have challenged myself (and I challenge you as well) to begin desiring to be set apart for God's purpose more than wanting to conform into a man-made mold.

Psalm 4:3 says, "The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to Him."

It is time that we become more concerned about our witness and personal walk with God. In His timing, He will help us finish the work that we were sent here to do.

I want to leave you with this verse: "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world."-Jeremiah 1:5

It is not our perfection that sets us apart...It is His perfection that stands out in our lives!

I love this song by Francesca Battistelli: "Free to Be Me." Take a listen, and let these be things that will set you apart and set you on the path of your God-given purpose!

Stay tuned...

B