On Submission and Idolarty

photo credit

Earlier today in my personal bible time I was reading in 1 Kings, when I came across a few different verses that later manifested themselves in my life. I'll list out the verses and then explain.

For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. -1 Kings 11:4-6

 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: -1 Kings 12:8

And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his days. -1 Kings 15:11-14

Now these three passages are each talking about a different king, but we can learn from their mistakes and successes. When I read the first passage my heart was instantly pricked and I began to think what are the things that I am leading my husband after. The second passage got me to thinking about the counsel I receive from older godly women. The third passage got me to thinking about the things in my life I make idols of. 

These thoughts all sort of go together, but it wasn't until later in the day that I truly saw the connection. After I finished reading I prayed that the Lord would show me idols in my life and what things are competing affections. I have a definition that I wrote in the front of my bible about idolatry that I like to use. 

"Idolatry is expecting people, possessions, or positions to do for me what only God can"

I don't remember where I got this quote from, but it is something I use to kind of check myself. So after I prayed I looked at this quote and tucked it away in my mind as I continued through my day. 

I was backed up on dishes, so I went into the kitchen to start what I knew was going to be a bit of a task. I usually listen to a teaching or Revive Our Hearts while I wash dishes or work in the kitchen. But today I decided to listen to The Excellent Wife audio book, by Martha Peace. I went to take down my dish drainer and I realized that it had gotten a little yucky sitting up above my cabinets (I only use it when I have a lot of dishes to wash). I wanted to clean it one way that would of slightly inconvenienced my hubby, and doing it another way would of much more inconvenienced me. So I proceeded to ask him to change his plans so that I could do what I wanted. After all what I wanted to do was going to benefit us both. But he said no. "How on earth could he say no" I thought, so I explained to him exactly what he was asking me to do, and with a bit of a puzzled look on his face he simply replied "yea". 

Yea? Yea, what? Yea, you expect me to go out of my way and create more work for myself???? Frustrated, I huffed and puffed away. As I began moving things around, feeling completely inconvenienced and unloved, I mumbled under my breath "who does he think he is?" and  other things I will not be sharing here. Then I heard the voice reading Martha Peace's book begin to talk about submission and being a glory to your husband. I glared over at the speakers and really wanted to tell that lady to shut up! But then the Lord lovingly brought to mind 1 kings 12:8 "But he forsook the counsel of the old men..." Here I am desiring to be a godly wife but then rejecting the counsel of a woman who has gone before me, and even worse I sought her out! I went and got this audio book and turned it on, yet now I'm telling her to mind her business.  Talk about a convicted heart. 

I stood there washing my dishes, with a softened heart and listened as the reader continued. Then next thing I know she's talking about idols that a woman can make in her life, that might not seem like idols. Oh, boy. I can't remember everything she said word for word, but she was saying how often times the idea of having a godly marriage, and family, can become an idol because we loose sight of what's most important, GOD. We focus more on what we want, and even risk sinning to attain it, when really our only focus should be on God. That cut through me like a hot knife through butter. 

Am I guilty of that? Of course not... until she said that you can tell by your reaction when things don't go how you think they should. If you're seeking after the Lord you"ll have peace because you are resting in Him. But if you're seeking after something other than the Lord you'll be frustrated when things aren't fitting into you're plan. That's me! I like things to go my way, and when they don't I say, "Lord are you sure?" But that's not the way to go. Now the dish drainer situation is a small thing but if I have the wrong attitude in the small things how much more so will have the wrong attitude in the big things? My reaction shows that my heart was not focused of serving my family but rather just on getting a job done because I was supposed to. When my husband didn't do what I wanted I began thinking "is this how Christ loved the church?" Which is the totally the wrong attitude. (I won't even get into how she was talking about taking the beam out of you're own eye...)

I went from being hardhearted and angry because I was inconvenienced, to the Lord taking me through all the scriptures He had shown me. If I am not careful in keeping my gaze on Him I will loose focus, and create an idol. I could then end up forcing my husband into going after my idol and not fully after the Lord. If I do not harken to warnings of godly women who have gone before me, and instead focus on the ideals of this current culture,  I can hinder my husband from being who God wants him to be. All because of my need to chase after the idol of a godly marriage and family instead of just focusing on the Lord and allowing Him to bring about godliness in my marriage and family. Ouch, ouch, and ouch again. 

Do you have idols in your heart? Maybe yours are different from mine but examine your heart and cast away any competing affections. 

Thou shalt have no other gods before me...Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God... -Exodus 20:3&5

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Perfect in Weakness

I decided to deep clean my kitchen today, and I learned a valuable lesson. Actually I learned a few. I learned that a toaster oven is much easier to clean as you use it, instead of waiting until it gets really messy. Much like sin. It's easier to deal with sin as soon as it happens rather than waiting until it has created a mess of your life. 

I also learned that it's easier to submit selectively, than to submit continually. But it's much more rewarding to submit continually. However, the MOST valuable lesson I learned was that I'm at my best when I'm weak. 

You see my sweet little first born daughter walked up to me and said "mommy I'm sorry." I stopped my cleaning, looked at her confused, and asked for what? Her response? "For being bad to my sister." I asked her when had been she bad to her sister, because the poor "victim" was actually taking a nap. She began to tell me that last night she was being mean to her sister, she told me that they had been fighting and that daddy had to correct them. She told me she was so sorry, and that she didn't want me to be mad. I had no idea what she was talking about. 

But I listened and I explained to her what repentance was. I told her that she needed to talk to God and ask Him to help her to not be mean to her sister anymore. Right there in the kitchen as I listened to my little girl pray for the Lord to help her, and to forgive her, my heart broke. I was reminded in that little kitchen that I am an awful mother. I will fail my precious children many times. But on those occasions when I am no good to anyone, Jesus will be all that they need. I can't be all things, I can't do all things, but I know who can. 

I can tell my children to behave, I can encourage them to love each other. But until it becomes real to them and they decide to do it from their hearts, it's just for show. I can't make that change in their hearts. I am completely at a loss in that area. But Jesus can. He can make their hearts tender, and the more I give them Jesus the more He can do in their lives. Today I learned to delight in this weakness, because if I think I can do it all on my own, God will let me try and I'll fail miserably. But if I can recognize where I fall short and fill in the gaps with Him, then the sky is the limit to what can happen in my children's lives. 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

                                                                                             -2 Corinthians 12:9-10

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Martha Moments

I hate to have to confess this but... I had a Martha moment. One that caused me to become convicted and have to repent rather quickly. About a month ago I told you all  about a homeless man we met, whom we'll call John. What I haven't shared is that we've been in constant communication with John. He said that he accepted Messiah at a previous time, so we've just accepted that and haven't pressed him. But he's struggling with an alcohol addiction. We've been taking him weekly to a program at our church for addiction help and discipleship.

Well to make a long story short my husband has been spending lots of time talking with John and trying to help him. Which is awesome! It's stretched us and helped us to really move out side of our comfort-zone. Recently we found out that John has an opportunity to move and go stay with family in the south. Maybe a good idea, maybe not, but I'm staying out of it. Ok so now here comes my Martha moment...

I was cooking dinner and my husband, who was just supposed to be running to the store really quickly, ended up getting a call from John. I was cooking and waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Then I had the thought "I hope John moves because then we'll be free from this project!"

AHH I know! It sounds even worse than it did when I thought it. Immediately it was like the Lord said TEWAUNA SHANTE! (you know how you get the full name when you're in trouble?) Oh man, I had to go to my Heavenly Father and hash that one out. It wasn't that I didn't want to be a blessing to our friend. I just wanted my husband home so we could have dinner. We had things to do, and he was interrupting. It didn't matter that John was suffering through a loss in his family, or that my husband is the only access he currently has to Jesus. I wanted to serve dinner and needed my husband home. Oh my, I'm so ashamed of my selfishness and so thankful for my Father's correction.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? -Hebrews 12:7

When I was done getting chastised and repenting I realized something about myself. It's not revelutionary but it's the truth. I am wicked! Apart from Jesus I am no good not even a little bit! As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. -Romans 3:10

I know this shouldn't of shocked me, but it did. I guess I got to a place where I felt like oh look at me I'm helping random people, I'm awesome. When really I should be only looking to Jesus, saying what next Lord! I'm nothing special, but He is everything and it is a privilege to get to do His work. It's not burdensome, and I'm not the all star. It's so easy to slip into our flesh, but thankfully we have am AMAZING Abba, Who comes right beside us and reminds us of the truth. 

Martha moments and all at least we can always get back to what is needful. 

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. -Luke 10:41-42

A Call To Righteousness {part 2}

As we saw in part 1, Elul is the month that we prepare ourselves. While of course we can get closer to God at anytime there is always room for improvement and we can all stand to get closer to our Abba. So why not do it now?

In the first 7 chapters of Nehemiah the people began rebuilding a wall to protect themselves from the heathens around them. Let's now examine the next 6 chapters to see how they got right with God after the wall was complete. 

First, the people learned God's commands. Nehemiah 8:1-8 talks about how Ezra read the book of the law {Leviticus} and how the levites {in v. 7} "caused the people to understand the law". We can apply that to our own lives by taking the time time to read God's law. People are often quick to say that they are not under the law because of salvation is Yeshua {Jesus} and while yes we are free from the punishment of not keeping the law, that doesn't mean the law is not still pleasing to YHVH. 

See the law has never been what gave salvation. Salvation has ALWAYS BEEN by grace through faith. Those saints that made it to Heaven from before Jesus came, got there because of their trust, and faith, in God {see Hebrews 11}. It was not through the perfect keeping of the law. They couldn't even keep the law perfectly, that's why they had to do sacrifices. So the law was never for salvation but always to create a holy people. God has always said "Be ye holy, for I am holy" {1 Peter 1:16} that has always been His desire. To have a people that are holy, or set apart, for Himself. So that still applies to us, He still wants us to be holy! Would you commit to read through the Scriptures and ask the LORD to show you what He desires from you? I'm not suggesting that you make a list of rules and begin trying to keep them all in your own flesh. YOU CAN'T! But what you can do is seek out His will on this matter for your life. 

Secondly, the people began keeping His feats. You can't come before our Holy God, looking for His presence, and not be moved to do something. You just can't. He is holy and we are not, therefore we will want to change after having a real encounter with Him. So after they understood the law, they began keeping His set apart Holy Days {8:9-18}. They started with what they could. 

Thirdly, the people confessed their sins {9:1-4}. This step is one that will need to be repeated over and over again. Once you know God's laws you should be convicted of your sin. See the law should not puff us up and make us think "oh yea I got this". It should bring you to your knees, with a humble heart! All those laws that you haven't kept, all the sins that you have committed, Jesus took that on. He took on the sins of the ENTIRE WORLD to be separated for the very first time EVER from YHVH. He did that FOR YOU! If that doesn't move you to repentance, then I don't know what to tell you. 

Fourthly, the people committed to be set-apart followers of YHVH {10:28-39}. Making such a  commitment doesn't mean you'll be perfect. It just means you are asking for the Ruach HaKodesh {Holy Spirit} to guide you and help you to honor God in all things. 

Fifthly, the people cleansed themselves from the world {13:1-9}. Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. {v.3} As followers of God we are called to be separate from the world. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.-2 Corinthians 6:17 

That means that we are not to look and act like the world, but rather act like children of El Elyon {the Most High God}. We shouldn't be so wrapped up in the things of this world that we neglect the things of God!

Lastly, the people committed not to inner-marry {13:23-30}. If you've ever heard the term "unequally yolked" you know exactly what I'm talking about; children of God marrying unbelievers. If you've ever been a believer, while your spouse was an unbeliever, then you know the pain of being unequally yolked. Our Abba in His infinite wisdom commanded us not to intermarry so that we can avoid the many hardship that come with it.  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? - 2 Corinthians6:14

These six steps are an excellent starting place to seeking the Lord on the issue of personal righteousness. Especially now that we are getting very close to the fall chagim {holidays}. Don't wait, seek the Lord and see what He has in store for you. 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. -Matthew 5:6

Being Momma

Lately  I've  felt like I wasn't giving my children enough. I know that sounds crazy since I'm a stay at home mom, but it's true. I found myself trying to just get through the day so I could have some peace and quiet. It seemed like the days were just rolling into each other and all I had was my quiet time after dinner when the kids were in bed. Maybe it was the training night shift my hubby was working, or maybe it was my attitude. But either way I had to take it to the Lord.

I started praying for the Lord to give me a love for my children like He has for them. One that doesn't grow tired of the noise or the needs. I cried out for Him to help me love them the way they needed to be loved.

Then it happened. During our dinner prayer I felt for the first time the little hand I was holding. I've held that same little hand at so many dinners. But that night it felt different. It was like I was holding her hand but she was holding my heart. All I could say was thank you God.

I thought I was doing a good job! But one night on my knees changed me. Suddenly every hug was important, every kiss worth more than gold. I finally saw my children as more than souls to be trained. They're also people to be enjoyed. I used to beat myself up when my children misbehaved, now I'm able to give us both grace.

That simple prayer changed my entire perspective, and opened my eyes to what I was missing. I'm finally in a place where I can s-l-o-w-d-o-w-n. I've spent this week  truly enjoying my children. And it was great!

Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:4-5

Thanking God In All Things

I don't know about you all but I had a LONG week! It seemed to just drag on and I had some rough days. Maybe I've just been not responding correctly to the things the Lord has brought in front of me, maybe it's hormones, maybe it was a test (that I don't think I did too great on), or maybe it's just life. But either way it was rough and I am so glad it's almost over and am looking forward to Sunday so I can hear great preaching and get to fellowship with my church family. 


This week I've been trying to focus on yielding my rights, and realizing that everything I have is from the Lord. I watched a teaching, by Bill Gothard, on responding to irritants, and I made a huge effort to have right responses. But of course it was a struggle, that I failed at many times. I'm just very thankful that the Lord led me to a place of being receptive to the idea of giving everything to Him and thanking Him in everything. 


Before I share my picture with you all I just want to share some of my notes on thanking the Lord in all things. I've heard people say that so many times and I've thought, "oh yes that is so great" and then I purposed to do that. But fail because honestly, I've never known how to do it? But now I have a much better grasp on just how to get our minds wrapped around praising God no matter what.


First we have to recognize that most times when we are angry or annoyed it's because we feel that our personal rights have been infringed upon. One example that really helped me to understand this concept is, getting woken up too early for whatever reason. Some of us are really flexible and would just roll with it. But for those of us (namely me!) who would be angry and grumpy about this, it's because we felt we had a "right" to a full nights sleep. But ultimately if we believe that God is truly in control, then we need to recognize that He is bigger than what ever is "bothering us" and that He can change it. 


Now that we've recognized that God is in control then we can examine the situation, and ask ourselves "am I at fault?" So in the above situation it would be, did I stay up too late last night? If not then ok, but if yes then I need to accept my fault in it. 


If it's a situation that needs to be addressed and corrected (like if you did something wrong to someone) then you need to do that. For example: Say you borrowed something from a friend and then never gave it back. You forget all about it and ask them to borrow something else. Well when they say no of course you're going to be annoyed. But if you reflect on it, or ask them about it, you'll see where you were at fault in this situation. Then you can take the proper steps to reconcile the situation. 


If you were totally faultless then you have to go to the next step in examining the issue. You should think about what God wants to show you from the issue. What character traits is He trying to bring out in you? What lesson is He trying to teach you? We can see the truth of God using a circumstance to teach us about something else in us or for us in the beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-12. 

-Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.-Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.-Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.-Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.-Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.-Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.-Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.-Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.-Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Now that you've thoroughly examined the situation it's easy to thank God. You can thank Him for bringing clarity to a situation that could of gotten worse had you not corrected it, or you can thank Him for presenting you with a challenge to help you grow. Once you get good at discerning an irritant, thanking the Lord will be easier and happen more quickly. 


So although I had a rough week, I'm thanking the Lord for His mercies. I've had to repent and go back to Him about things, but through it I am getting a softer heart for my Lord and seeing when I need to repent for a wrong thought or action MUCH faster. 


Now for my picture :o) this was from a day that was actually very good:

Strawberry picking at a local farm

Sweet and Not Bitter

Ok it's confession time... 


I had a terrible week. I was mean to my husband and although I worked really hard at being involved with my children, my heart wasn't in it. My girls had a fun week, and they had mommy's attention. But I was on edge, and not as patient with them as I could of been. 


I tried to be nice to my hubby, I tried to just act like everything was fine. Then he'd do something like turn the TV, on when I was trying to keep it off, and I'd feel like he was the worst husband ever. Yes I know I was being completely irrational. But it seemed like no matter how hard I tried, he just couldn't do anything right. I prayed on it, I sought God on it, and I asked for strength. Nothing. I asked God to show me why I was so bitter, and to help me to forsake it. Nothing. I resolved to just smile through it........ That didn't last long. 


Then one night while I was cooking dinner I was listening to a radio show on Revive Our Hearts called A God-Sized Picture of Marriage and the speaker, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, was explaining the point of marriage. She said:

"Now, I don’t know why you got married or what your hopes and expectations were that day, or what they may be today years later, but I have news—in case you haven’t discovered it already—and that is that marriage is not first and foremost about you. It’s not that you can’t enjoy a happy and blessed marriage. You can, and I believe that pleases the Lord for you to do that. But the greatest blessings of marriage come as a byproduct of seeking something else. 

You see, marriage was intended by God to display in neon His covenant love. It’s supposed to be a Technicolor picture of redemption. Your marriage is supposed to point people to Christ. It’s supposed to draw them like a magnet to the gospel, to know the love of God, to see that love lived out in two imperfect people who have a great God at the heart of their marriage."

Well that just pierced my heart. I was NOT treating my husband with the respect that he deserves. I was short with him, and I was rude. That's not the way to point anyone to Christ. That was showing selfishness, not love. I was marring the picture. 

Now my husband, on the other hand, was dealing with my attitude and not being rude back to me. He was doing his part. But that's not the way a relationship is supposed to work, we're BOTH supposed to be doing our parts. 

He wasn't happy because he knew I was unhappy. And you know, I still don't know why I was so upset with him to begin with. But I know what ever it was, it wasn't dealt with immediately and I allowed it to fester and create a break down in our relationship. I was being selfish and making it about me. When really, ultimately, it's about God!

The scriptures say, "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established" -Proverbs 16:3

So while we do love our husbands because they are sweet, and handsome. We're supposed to love them even when they aren't so sweet and when their actions make them slightly less handsome; even if it is just in our heads. 

Being a wife is a "job" appointed by God, and we are supposed to act appropriately regardless of our feelings. So I've purposed to commit my works unto the Lord. I've gone to my husband and expressed the issues I was having and we're doing better. I still have my moments but they are way less often, and by the grace of God I am being much sweeter. My goal is to bring forth sweet water and not bitter! Because after all I can't do both. James 3:11-18 says:

"Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? ¹² Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. ¹³ Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. ¹⁶ For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

I know it won't be easy but I can choose to love "because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." -Romans 5:5 

Because It Is My Life

The Prodigal Daughter by Charlie Macksey

I'm back! When I started my break I didn't know how long I would be gone. I didn't know what would become of me. I even started another blog that was private just to sort out my thought and even with that I couldn't keep it up. I've been in a place where I was trying to get to the Meat when what I really needed (and still need) was the Milk. {1 Corinthians 3:2}

HaShem has opened my eyes to so many things and with each new discovery I found myself wanting to know everything. I would stay up late and be digging and searching. My husband said several times that I was acting like I had to have all the answers right then and there. I wasn't letting the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) guide me. I was guiding me. But then one day something changed. I don't know what it was, all I can do is say that it was God, because it makes no sense. It's like one day I just woke up. I realized I can't have ANY ANSWERS until HaShem is ready for me to. I can look and look all I want but I'll only go around in circles. I realized I had lost my joy, my hope, even my faith. I was looking ahead to emptiness. And that's when out of my darkness and frustration I was called back home.

I was up one night and I decided I need to open up my Bible. I don't know why or what it was but some how I came across 2 John. Well the whole chapter just spoke to me, I was practically in tears as I felt my Abba calling me home, but what stood out to me the most was this: Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. -2 John 1:8


"That we lose not those things which we have wrought"... That pierced me like a sword. I had been on FIRE for YHVH, speaking His word every chance I got. But something squelched that fire in me, my desire to know facts and live by the law left me with out the Spirit. I was in jeopardy of loosing the things that I had wrought! But MY Abba (yes, I know He's yours too but I'm having a moment) called me home!

I was once again reminded that I needed spirit and truth and that this walk does not fit into a little box of facts. There is no little box to check off that says I am a Torah Observant follower of Yeshua HaMoshiach (Jesus Christ) and I live a set apart life. There's either Christian or Jewish and by many standards I fit neither box. I tried to make the box fit, I tried hard, and finally I am ok with not having a neat little box to place myself in. I'm leaning on the Word, walking in the Spirit, facing the world, and shouting from the roof tops: IT IS MY LIFE!

...Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life... -Deut 32:46-47

I am not great.

My daughter and I have been reading through Genesis for our Bible time. We recently just finished reading about Joseph, Jacob's son who was sold to the Egyptians. I was familiar with this story having seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat many times as a child. But reading it left me with a completely different message. One of realizing that the things that I am capable of doing are not on my own merit. That everything I do is possible because of God.

*Genesis 41:15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.*

How humble of Joseph to admit that although you hear the words coming out of my mouth its not me. I am not great, but God is! It reminded me just how wonderful our God is. To send me that message at the exact right time so that I am able to teach it to my daughter. To instill in her from early on, that even though she is the one physically doing something, it would be IMPOSSIBLE with out God. How important of a lesson for me, and how HUGE of a blessing, that I am able to learn it to teach my daughter. So many of us walk around believing in only ourselves. Thinking that we can do anything. But really we can do nothing! I strive to be as humble as Joseph that when someone asks me to do something they think I'm great at to remind them that it is not me; It's GOD!

Obedience

Many times in the Bible God is referred to as "father" and us as His children.

*Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:*

Now if we are His adopted children, why do we assume that we, as Christians, have such a drastically different relationship with our Father than the rest of His children, the Jews? Are adopted children any less than biological children in the eyes of a parent? Are they held to seperate standards? Yes maybe the parent may have a "soft spot" for the adopted child but they will always want the best for all children and they will be held to the same standard. This is true of almost any parent. So how much more true and pure is that love from God who knows us intimately and waits for us to choose Him! If we can believe that God loves us, shouldn't we believe He loves us enough to want the best for us? Isn't that what parents always want? The best for their children. Just as parents have set rules in order to protect their children and bring out the best in them. So does our Father; God. If we, as sinful creatures, know to set boundaries in order to protect how much more would God set boundaries? We are to model our relationship with our children after God's relationship with us! We as parents are to love unconditionally and protect by setting rules. God's rules can be found in the Old Testament. He allows us to know what He wants and it is up to us to follow. Following God's commandments does not save us, but rather gives us an opportunity to grow closer to Him. When we listen and allow Him to shape us and guide us, how much more do we get to receive His blessings?

*Romans 8:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.*

For me its simple. I will obey God because I love and trust Him. I am not perfect, and I will fall short. But with His help I can make it!

Striving to be everything that He has made me to be.
Miss T