Allegiance via Hardships

In praying about what God wanted to share today one thing kept coming over and over.  I stand back and take a look at what is going on around me in the people’s lives that are dear to me. I even take a look at those lives that are far from me whom I don’t know that well and what I’m seeing everywhere is the hardships everyone seems to be going through in one form or another. 

2 Corinthians 6 talks about Paul’s hardships yet he stays faithful to the ministry God has called him to.  The New Living translation says this “We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.  We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.”

I listed the entire passage because as I read it, it made me think on my own hardships and am I living in such a way as these passages state? I had to read it again. and again and then view my walk w Christ.  We know what we are called to do and how to live in front of the world once we choose to follow Christ.  That goes for the same when we are in our own personal hardships if not even more so.

A quote that was said at the women’s conference that I had written down says “am I living for my allegiance?”  Meaning, in my darkest hours and I feel the world is closing in on me, am I being faithful to God? Am I being faithful to what I stand for?  That is a deep question we must ask ourselves.

Hardships in our lives are a true test of our faith to the world. It is also an opening for witnessing and sharing our testimony to those who are going through their own hardships.  That is so often an open door from God.  The world is watching us to see if we are remaining faithful to “what we preach”, no matter what season WE are in.  We’re told we will have hardships in this world (Jn 16) – but as the Amplified version says
“For I (Jesus) have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]  Selah.

In The Thick

So I went to my first Christian conference this weekend.  It was all women w many speakers. Both female and male speakers. There were over 6000 women in all.  Many different nationalities.  400 of the women were teenage girls.  I loved that! We also had a 150 or so from the Dominican Republic and we were told a women flew in from Dubai! We had some come down from Canada and then others from all over the United States. I think that is so awesome!  

There was a handful of men who at the beginning we were introduced to as a whole that ended up in another part of the building, so they couldn’t see or hear what was going on to be praying for us.  There was a prayer room open 24 hours a day for the women.  I was also surprised but delighted to see all of the moms who brought their babies -so many beautiful babies.  They had a nursing room set up for them just outside the doors so they didn’t have to go too far.  There was another room to do some “shopping” as in books and other literature and booths to check out.

There were so many women that they turned several of the men’s restrooms into ladies restrooms for us. Thank You men for that!! Ha!  We had a little café we could purchase from and some vending machines as well.  The conference lasted 2 days.

It’s really a lot of information to soak in, in such a short amount of time. As time goes on and it starts to settle into my thoughts and spirit I will be sharing w you. I didn’t know what to expect really for my first conference and I have to say I am tired yet encouraged. But what I want to share today though is something that I didn’t “hear” at the conference but a small yet profound revelation (as my friend called it) that was brought to light. In my heart.

Going w some friends and also meeting some new friends there and just looking around at all the women, and then coming home and sharing w church Sunday night who are also family, it popped into my head that when we (the body) are with each other, we are IN the thick of Christ’s love. To go along w that the Good Lord gave me the verse in Matt 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”  And then another verse in 1 John 4:8”God is love”. 

So, if He IS love and if He IS w us when 2 or more are together, hanging out, we are in His love!  I sit back and think now, that when I’m with you, and we are just hanging out or at church or in a bible study or even just watching a flick together, WE are IN the THICK of Christ’s love. 

There is truly NO other better place to be - is there. . .

Fighting for the Broken

We know that we are told in the bible we will have trials, tribulations and hard times (James 1). We moan when we even hear those words but we know that will never be avoided.  Sometimes though, life can seem so much to bear.  Things can be going along pretty well in our own lives, yet in the lives of those around us there are hardships and brokenness at every angle.  I'm seeing in much lately.  Whether it’s family, friends, family of friends or friends of friends – you get the point. There is much brokenness around us. Our hearts break when we hear what they are going through. 

It’s so easy to get angry and the injustice of life sometimes and we want to lash out at someone or something. We forget we have an enemy that hates us and our lives.  We don’t understand life sometimes and the wrenches that are thrown into our lives and we see so much brokenness around us.  We want to “fix” what is going on in their lives and help them. I know that I do.  I know sometimes I feel so helpless when confronted w those I care for who are “walking in the valley of death.” which can mean different things for different people.

Yet, Jesus came to set the captives free. To bind the broken hearted. Thats is the old and new testament. What He did for us all is something that will never really be understood.  We are to accept as a gift for that is exactly what it is.  We were broken and He died for us.   He fought for us and now I want, am, fighting for others w His name and power.

How do we fight? Where do we get the power, the tools, strength?  From God. From being in His Word and spending time with Him. By letting Him fight for us, we in turn extend that to others.  He will show us how.  We already have His armor (Eph 6).  The Lord provides everything we need to intercede on behalf of those who are broken and hurting. 

Take time to read some of the things He did and some of the things He said.  They will light a fire in us to fight for the broken.  We have the almighty God living inside of us!(1John 4:4)  Remember what He did for us at times of brokenness in our lives.(Ps 77:11)  We are called to come along side those who are going through these trials and encourage, uplift and pray for them.  We are to give comfort as we are comforted (2Co 1:4).  We are to fight for each other. 

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.(John 15:13)  When we are fighting for the broken we are laying down our lives as a solider lays down his life for his comrade.  

The LORD told us He would be with us until the end (Matt 28:20) – may we try to be there for each other.  Victory is here!

We Already Have It

On hearing a word earlier this week from God I’m excited to share this. I have been thinking about this and asking God for His direction in the way He wanted it to go. The title of this share is what came to me and it’s based on Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ”. I had recently heard about us truly “having all we need and we have all the power of Christ” once we accept Him as our Savior.


In this passage of Eph it states just that. God blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Meaning, we don’t have to pray and ask for these. He already gave them to us. We need to find them and draw them out and live them. Whether it’s needing to forgive someone, healing for something or even needing direction in a situation. We have these inside of us w the power of Christ Jesus. The verse says “has” blessed us meaning past tense. We already have them. Are we really grasping that? It reminds me that not long ago I had been praying for something and God blessed me with it (though I didn’t realize at the time). I then asked for someone else to pray about it for me, for God to bless it. They told me that no they weren’t going to pray that because God already blessed it. Why would I pray for what I already have? That made me stop and think about it. How often do we that?

I was then lead to Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen”. Again this passage is telling us that the Father who can do anything according to the power that works IN us. We truly don’t realize the power from God we have INSIDE of us. This might sound silly but I heard someone say once that the reason we bow our heads to our chest when we pray is because when we are saved, Christ comes to live inside of us, so we are bowing our heads because we are looking at Him. It’s kind of goofy but true in a funny way.

We know the verse “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” from 1John 4. So if He is greater and living in us – we have everything we need and we have His blessings already!

Grace through Frustration

I had a couple of things I wanted to share about on certain subjects, yet that is not Gods plan today. It’s out of frustration and grace that I’m writing. The past 5 days give or take a few things have caused great frustration in my thoughts and heart. Some of it because of friends & family some of it just from daily life. Don’t get me wrong, everything will turn out for good as Romans 8:28 says, yet it’s the “getting to that good” is the frustrating and hard part – but refining indeed.


When these situations arise that cause frustration in me I think of who is involved and who it affects. I see hurt and disappointment. I myself am hurt and disappointed. Some in them and also in me. That causes even more frustration! Then I find myself after being wound up about it, I will sit and think on it all, but this time I seek God on it. It takes me a while to do that sometimes – why is that?

I wonder if Jesus got frustrated? In reading the bible and the stories in the gospels I don’t really denote any frustration coming from Him but I’m guessing He had some on the inside - maybe.

Jesus was human as well as divine. One of the many reasons I thank Him for coming as a human in flesh & blood (Matt 1) is that it makes it easier for me personally to believe He can relate with us. That is crucial for me. Jesus was tempted with all things as we are yet He didn’t fall into that sin (1 John 2:16). That is what I’m thinking on today as I’m trying to sort through these frustrations.
For myself, that is when Gods grace comes in. Jehovah gives us His grace at the right time for the right thing, in the right amount (2Co 12:9). When we receive that grace from Him, His peace comes with it (John 14:27). Now that is an extra bonus indeed! Mind you I still have these frustrations and questions but now with His grace coating them and me, I’m able to let them go and pray. Even to stretch my hand and or ear out to those who are going through the hard time without judging or condemning.

God reminds me in His word that we all fall short of the glory of Him (Romans 3:23).  That sure keeps one humble.  Yet His glory will be revealed in us (Is 40:5). His glory is revealed in these frustrations of life because His grace shines through. There are many by-products of His grace but that is another share in itself.

I’m humbled and encouraged by God and thankful that He truly does understand. Truly! We serve such a personal God. The LORD knows we get frustrated and angry. He knows we get tired and weary with life sometimes, but His peace that truly surpasses understanding & guards our hearts through Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7) is part of His grace that has no end.

In praying for a verse from the LORD this is what He gave:

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.” 1Co 1:25

Don't Limit God

Sometimes during the day as I’m busy around the house I will listen to a conference via internet. I was inspired to share this one with some of my own thoughts by a guy named Andrew Wommack. He talked about how we CAN limit God and our lives are not all predestined. He gave a verse in Psalm 78:41 that reads “Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.” This verse caused me to take a moment and really grasp it that yes, we can limit our Creator based on what we’re doing and the choices we make in our life that He didn’t want for us. God gave each person free will. In Deuteronomy 30:19 God is telling the Israelites to “choose life”. He gives us the free will to make that choice. He even explained about the blessing and the cursing depending on what is chosen.


We can limit God by a number of things. A big one is fear. God desires faith from us and not to fear. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God”. Fear will limit God and what He wants to do in and through us. We forget that we have don’t have a spirit of fear but of a sound mind (2Tim 1:7). Whether it’s fear of people, confrontation, relationships or getting out of our safe zone etc fear limits God. There is nothing to fear.

Busyness is another that popped into my head. I was reminded of the story of Martha & Mary (Luke 10). We know that Martha was busy cooking and cleaning while Mary was at the feet of Jesus. Martha was upset that Mary was not helping her out yet Jesus told Martha to not worry about it and that Mary had ‘chosen’ what is good. Mary did not limit God where as Martha was w her busyness.

And last but not least is pride. A proverb that instantly came to mind was chapter in 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Pride can come in different forms and can be very subtle. We know and are confident that God works all things for good that those who love Him right? (Romans 8). So if we choose to let our pride come in the way of something that God has planned for us, then we are limiting God and His great plan for our life won’t happen until that pride is removed. A pride issue I remember in my life at one time is when I was choosing to ignore a prompting of the Holy Spirit’s leading to talk to a friend to rectify a situation. I didn’t swallow my pride and let God do His work and it took an extra long time for our friendship to be restored. I was limiting God because of my pride and that cost me much.

To wind this one down today I leave just one question for all of us and one that I’m trying to implement into my daily walk with Christ. What are we limiting God on in our lives???