Blog Archives - The Remarkable Blog

Let go and let God.

10/17/2018

What are you holding on to that is keeping you from being all you can be?

Genesis 13:5-9 also Lot, who went with Abram, had flocks and cattle and tents.
And the land did not bear them to dwell together, for their possessions were many, and they could not dwell together.
And there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and between the herdsmen of Lot's cattle, and the Canaanites and the Perizzites were then dwelling in the land.
And Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no quarrel between me and between you and between my herdsmen and between your herdsmen, for we are brethren. Is not all the land before you? Please part from me; if [you go] left, I will go right, and if [you go] right, I will go left. "

Abraham did not prosper until he separated from Lot. What does God want you to separate yourself from, so He can get you to where you are called to be? Each of us have a destiny in Christ. To reach our destiny we must obey the voice of the Lord. When God says for us to do something, then that is exactly what we need to do. We may not always understand. We may not agree. However, we must come to believe God's ways are higher than our ways.

Action Step: If you hear the voice of the Lord today, harden not your heart. Don't look back to what God has called you from. The very promises of God can be on hold until we let go and let God.

Do right!

10/16/2018

It is never easy saying the hard things.

James 4:17 (ESV) "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

We usually know what the "right thing" is. We usually want to do the comfortable thing. The right thing usually causes us to be uncomfortable and to go against what others want from us. Do the right thing anyway. Even if it cost you friendships, relationships, helps, colleagues, or confidants, do the right thing. The right thing will be the thing that causes others to grow and grow yourself at the same time. The right thing will be right throughout eternity not just today. The right thing will have long term ramifications long after you and I leave this earth.

Action Step: Do the right thing.

Feeling the stretch?

10/15/2018

Isaiah 54:2-3, 17 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;
your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.
No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.

Everyone feels stretched at one point in their life. How we respond to the stretch is what matters. There may be some of my younger readers that don't remember Gumby. He is the little character below that we played with as children. You could stretch him in different positions and even put him on his little horse Pokey. The only difference between Gumby's stretch and ours is he always went back to his original position. The goal for us is to remain bigger and more pliable than we were before the stretch.

Below you can see a Taffy making machine. You will notice that the machine pulls the Taffy one way and then the other. We have natural stretching in our lives as part of being human, becoming an adult, learning to drive, paying bills, confronting issues in relationships. These are all hard. Then, there is spiritual stretching, God working on us. God wanting to produce more in and through us. God wanting to make us bigger people on the inside. God asking us to do things we feel incapable of doing.

However, I have worked out hard at the gym. I have ran numerous races. If I stretched afterwards I wasn't nearly as sore. If I stretched before I wasn't as likely to experience injury. We have the choice to stretch before and after exercise. God doesn't always ask our permission--He demands our submission, if we have made Him Lord and Master and not merely Savior.

ACTION STEP: Once taffy is properly stretched, it can be enjoyed by everyone. Allow God to stretch you. No, it's not going to be pleasurable but it will be profitable.

Being a Ruth in a Naomi world. Weathering the storms together.

10/12/2018

Everybody needs somebody. In today's world it's hard to find a strong, reliable, dublicateable leader, that you want to follow. When we look at the story of Ruth and Naomi we find a determined follower, and a reluctant leader. Naomi is not reluctant because she doesn't have the goods. As we read through the book of Ruth, we find Naomi to be a well able, well equipped leader. When she had someone, that was loving on her and serving her, she comes back to life. Once again, she is ready to embrace life, and give of herself to a new life--to the next generation. Ruth literally brought Naomi back from bitter to pleasant, as her name implies. She no longer refers to herself as Mara (meaning bitter).

Serving a "Mentor" as a "Mentee" is an honor and a privilege. It is not laborious to sow back, what we have been given. We can assume from the story that Naomi poured into Ruth the milk of the word--so much so she refused to go back to her previous beliefs, and way of life. Naomi changed the course of Ruth's life forever. Ruth was not willing to forget that, and leave Naomi as if nothing has transpired within her.

We can experience loss. We can experience hard times, but the word of God, that has been both modeled, and taught to us, will hold us steady like the anchor it is. Our boats may rock but they will not sink. Storms come to all lives if you live long enough. What matters is how you treat people that have weathered the storm with you.

Ruth 1:16 (NIV) "But Ruth replied,
"Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.
Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.
Your people will be my people and your God my God."

Action Step: Think for a moment today. Who has poured into you? Who has taught you valuable truths that are to this day changing your life? What have you brought into that relationship? Today, find something to pour into the Naomi's in your life.

The weight of the Word

10/11/2018

Preparing for the arrival of an anointing. When preparing for a conference which I have done now for nearly 30 years, for both myself and for others whom I have served under there has always been a spirit of expectation. As I was preparing for my 21st personal women’s conference I was thinking to myself, “I’m not carrying much of the load this time. My car isn’t overly packed and I’ve not got a trailer hitched.” No sooner had I spoken those words when the Lord spoke right back to me and said, “You are carrying the Word. The word is heavy and it contains the glory and power.” I have got to admit I teared up and said, “I’m sorry Lord.” It was as though I had taken physical work to mean more, or weigh more heavily than the word. I needed an adjustment and He was there to make it!

James 3:5 NIV "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body,
but it makes great boasts.
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark."

We have an awesome opportunity to speak life. We are commissioned to carry the life giving word of God to all we meet. There are times that a word can turn a situation around. A word can bring healing or deliverance. We must be as busy learning and preparing to speak as we are to pack a car or make an airline reservation. One will need done over and over the other will change eternity for ever and ever.

ACTION STEP: Speak life today. Carry His word. Prepare for your future now. Don't think preparation in the word is a waste of time, rather it is an investment that you carry and can deposit in others.

Being a Ruth in a Naomi world.

10/10/2018

Life is tough. People go through things. When people go through things it changes them. I get it. If you have lived any length of time--you get it too. The problem remains however in the fact that we sometimes, most times, have to do life together. I wish I could type, "We get to do life together." However, it is not always a joyous journey. Ask Ruth. She followed Naomi who chose to change her name to Mara, meaning bitter. What we call ourselves is important. Words carry weight and a name carries identity. Let's call ourselves what God calls us.

In Proverbs 18:10 the king Solomon wrote
“The name of the Lord is like a strong tower;
the righteous person runs to it and is set safely on high.”

Scripture tells us that there is power in the name of Jesus. Scripture also tells us that as a man believes in his heart, so is he. In this case her--Naomi believed that she was bitter and had nothing to offer, she was dried up. Oh, but this is where the power of a Ruth comes in. Ruth believed there was something in Naomi worth following. Ruth believed that inside of the outer shell of a bitter woman, was wisdom to connect her to a realm she had not yet learned.

ACTION STEP: Don't let circumstances change your name. Be open for God to intervene in your life. There is power in the name of Jesus, why wouldn't there be power in your name. Don't call yourself what God has not called you. Be opened for the Ruth's in your life. There is power in the name. Ruth's name means friend, it actually means "compassionate friend". Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Let's model ourselves after Jesus. Run to the tower! Go after the gift in others regardless of the cost.

Feeling stretched lately.

10/9/2018

Does anyone else feel like they have been being stretched lately? This entire year I feel like I have been on a stretcher naturally, spiritually and emotionally. I have been stretched in the area of patience. Then, I will be stretched in my schedule. Then, before I can catch my breath I get stretched in my physical body. I started awhile back to complain and ask God, "Hey, what's up? I'm feeling a little abandoned here!" I was surprised when He answered me since I was being such a whiner. He said, "I am stretching you because I have more for you to do and I am getting you ready.

I'd like to say, "Yeah God, keep it up." I actually said, "Whoa wait minute God, I am not sure I can take much more stretch." He didn't seem to hear me. To this day God is still stretching me.

Those who have played sports know the value of stretching. If we don’t stretch prior to the game then a serious injury is not far away.

God is stretching us because He knows what lay ahead, the challenges that are coming.

In the beginning they are small and limited stretches, like when our computer goes down, the car stops or gets a flat tire, or when a relationship ends. But in these stretches God is getting us ready for the challenges and setbacks that are on the horizon.

Maybe it’s a financial setback like the loss of a job, residence, or retirement fund. Maybe it involves our family life like a divorce or loss of someone we love. It also may involve our health like when we hear the word, “cancer,” or when we have a heart attack or stroke.

Therefore it’s important we learn how to stretch properly in the small tests of faith so we’re not blown away in the major ones.

“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV)

ACTION STEP: Don’t resist the stretch.

If the rubber band is not used and stretched from time to time it will dry out, rot, and loose it’s elasticity. It no longer is able to be what it was created for.

There’s nothing easy about being stretched, but if we don’t allow God to stretch us, then we’ll never be what He has created us for, because our life with God is lived in the stretch.

Passing the baton

10/8/2018

A successful handoff is the result of a thousand practice runs. ~author unknown

Psalm 78:1-7 My people, hear my teaching;
    listen to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth with a parable;
    I will utter hidden things, things from of old--
things we have heard and known,
    things our ancestors have told us.
We will not hide them from their descendants;
    we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders he has done.
He decreed statutes for Jacob
    and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
    to teach their children,
so the next generation would know them,
    even the children yet to be born,
    and they in turn would tell their children.
Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget his deeds
    but would keep his commands.

Each person has a responsibility to handoff their faith and knowledge of God to the next generation. In this scripture above God is talking to believers. He is talking to us who believe in Him and have experienced His hand at work in our lives.

What are you pouring into the ones that are coming up behind you? If when they call and we say, "I'm praying for you.", that is not enough! We must give them an assignment. I heard someone quote another last week and they said this: "If you want followers give them a task. If you want leaders give them responsibility." We want leaders to hand off the baton of faith. The only way we will develop them is to give them action steps to that we can hold them responsible. Example, "Here is a book on the tongue. I would like you to read this and then talk 3 minutes on the tongue at our next meeting." Once they have done this, then you meet with them and ask them what they learned? How did they think it went? What are they personally doing differently? Then we up the assignment and keep moving ahead until they are able to do what we do.

ACTION STEP: On the night before his crucifixion Jesus said to his disciples,“As I have loved you so you must love one another.” (John 13:34) He was about to commit the greatest act of kindness ever done. This sinless, precious Son of God was about to lay down his life on the cross for our salvation. And as he said to those disciples he says to you and me, “Pay it forward. As I have loved you now you go and love others.”

Go love others as Christ has loved you. Teach others what you have learned. Be a leader! Be responsible!

Fighting a common cold

10/4/2018

My husband started it first. He drove home from the beach in my car and started getting a common cold, and sore throat. I flew to DC and felt fine. The beach, sand, water are all three healing elements to me. When I arrived home he was eating chicken soup he made and grapefruits and trying to get some rest. He nurtured himself as much as he could with the help of our daughter. She told him, "Daddy suck on a garlic glove, gargle with Himalayan salt." He is tough. That's what he did. He also prayed and trusted God as he was to begin his Man of the House Conference yesterday. He fought and won. Praise God for the healing. Yesterday, the same infirmity attacked me. Today, I fight!

I share this because many times people shout at the Devil and pray, but end there. Perhaps, I am getting older but where is common sense? When we are fighting a war we pray, and rebuke the devil but, any wise soldier will dress in proper attire, carry his gun, put on his helmet, follow orders and do as he is trained. A well trained soldier takes precautions, eats well, sleeps as much as possible and takes care of his body and his weapons of warfare. Lately, I see and hear Christians just run to the doctor or trow in the towel, call off work, and go to bed. Real soldiers fight!

1 Timothy 6:12 (KJV) "Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called,
and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."

If as Christians we are unable to fight the common cold, how then will we fight principalities and powers, wickedness in high places? We must take up our shield of faith and destroy all the darts of the devil. The darts at the time Ephesians 6:16 was written were small like pouches containing combustibles tied to the end of a dart or arrow. When they hit the target, they would explode. Therefore, when preparing for battle the soldiers would soak their shields in water after rubbing them down with oil. Symbolically, this means they got into the presence of the anointing (the oil), and were in the word of God (the water). The soldier needs both to keep those darts from destroying his shield.

Action Step: Today, get into the presence, the anointed presence of God. Put some music on. Get into the word of God, and saturate yourself in the healing and protection of God our Father by rubbing in the oil and saturating yourself with the watering of the word. Fight the good fight. Whatever, you are fighting today you are more than conquerer through Christ Jesus. Get up! Do what you can do in the natural but let me remind you, "No weapon formed against you can prosper!"

Isaiah 54:17 (KJV) "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment
thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
and their righteousness is of me,
saith the LORD."

The love of God

10/4/2018

I love the song Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. It is to me, a song that displays God's radical love for me. His goodness and mercy is so undeserved, you just know it's an overwhelming, never ending reckless kind of love.

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."(Romans 5:8)

ACTION STEP: Take time to listen to this song. Let it sink into you and allow yourself to dwell on the love that God has for you. Once you think on the love God has for you, think about those you love. How much greater is God's capacity to love? That is how He wants us to love ourselves and one another. Give love a try. Whenever you give love, you will always get it back. You my not get it from the same garden in which you sowed it--but you will get it back and maybe even a hundred fold more.