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6/1/11
Don't Let Go by Judi Jo Adams
Don't Let Go Of Your Dream
“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever.” ~Psalms 138:8
How beautiful! The Lord truly will fulfill His purpose for us! Are you like me & have so many dreams in your heart? There are many things I can look back upon & see that the Lord has truly fulfilled, yet there are things I have held onto for years that are yet for an appointed time. When I was younger I wanted it all “right now”. As I’ve grown in the Lord, I’m very content to wait patiently & watch how God brings to pass the treasures that are so real in my heart! Even as I type, I’ve finally just touched the edge of something I saw in prayer nearly 15 years ago.
Well, I guess we are in good company! Remember when Mary pondered in her heart the things she knew about her son Jesus? She simply held them dear! Yes, they were to come to pass, but it was not for that day. So many things are for the days that are out ahead of us. Truly, it doesn’t make them any less real to God. After all, II Peter 3:8 tells us “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, & a thousand years are like a day.” I guess that’s back to the message about patience that I so often wonder over to in Hebrews 10:35. “Do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded. You have need to persevere (have patience) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”
Truly, the Lord has a great desire in His heart that has yet to come to pass too, so I guess He also understands how we feel. Bringing us home to be with Him is the treasure of His heart. He will never give up on that day, confident that it will come to pass. James 5:7 says “Behold the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth & has long patience for it.” If we could see the big picture we would understand more clearly. For me personally I’m content in knowing that, though I don’t see right now what I hold onto in my heart by faith, God is working to bring it all to pass. If we could see into the realm of the Spirit, there would be angels busily working on all that we’ve brought forth in prayer.
Maybe you haven’t yet seen the desires of your heart, so you’ve decided it might just be too big for God. Nonsense!! Nothing, absolutely nothing, is too big for God. One of my all time favorite scriptures is Isaiah 55:9 which tell us “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Trust me, He can think way bigger than us & wants way more for you than you have yet to conceive in your heart. Remember Ephesians 3:20 says “He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” We’ll do well to remember the last part of that scripture, which is vital to seeing the dream manifest. It is truly “according to the power that is at work in us”. Therefore, we have a part to play as well! It’s more than just being patient; it’s standing in faith & watching over in prayer. For Isaiah 55:11 also explains to us that God’s word sown into the earth cannot return empty, but will accomplish all that they have been sent to do. Just like seed-time & harvest, it has to come forth in the earth.
What do you do while you are waiting? Well, one thing good to remember is Matthew 7:6 which tells us “not to cast our pearls before swine”. That sounds kind of tough, but I’ve sure learned to understand & appreciate those precious Words of wisdom from the Lord. In life you will find there are more people ready to tell you why your dream can’t come true than why it can. All we need is the Word, which tells us in Ph 3:14 that “We can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.” Glory!!! You see, there are plenty of people out there who settle for ordinary, but I believe that God delights in His children that will dare to dream big. After all, they are the ones He chose to write about in His Word!
Joseph had a dream that took him through the pit, slavery & prison before it was realized. All that mattered in the end was that it did come to pass. We should also mention that because he held onto his dream, all of God’s family was saved during a vast famine in the land! His dream has such purpose, was met with such opposition yet came to pass in the perfect timing of God. It may be the same for you & I as well, but I promise you that in the end all the will matter is that our dreams were fulfilled. Please, don’t let go of what’s in your heart… for surely He is able to bring it to pass.
Turning 40 On Thanksgiving by Judi Jo Adams
Turning 40 on Thanksgiving!
I thought I’d take a moment & journal my thoughts about turning 40 on Thanksgiving day. I think God has a great sense of humor, after all He is the one who numbers our days. I had to chuckle to myself when I realized that this milestone event happened on my favorite day of the year! How can I be anything less than abundantly grateful for this amazing journey?
Today I dropped Russ at the airport, destined for a very special trip to Egypt. Since he is missing my birthday & Thanksgiving, we simply celebrated early. After all, life is what we make it! He surprised me ever so sweetly with 3 gifts at 3 very special places. One of these spots is on top of a hill by a church that looks over our city. Almost 18 years ago today, we first took our little adventure & found that incredible place. From that beautiful vantage point, we would pray together, dream together & envision what our lives would hold for God.
As we returned to that precious place, & the sun was setting, such heartfelt Thanksgiving came from the very depths within me. We are fulfilling our dream that began nearly 2 decades ago! Now, I must admit that in my youth, I never dreamed of the bumps that would lie in the road & the obstacles that would challenge our way. It’s a good thing too! Today, I can say I am thankful for each dip & turn. They have brought me to my knees in consecration to this call & made me a woman stronger than I ever dreamed. So, thank you my precious Heavenly Father for leading me down a path less traveled & giving me the grace to go the distance.
I also thought I would share my response to “What does turning 40 mean to you?” My answer to this question seems so obvious & yet one I had never realized until this day. It means that I have the understanding “now” that I will also turn 50, I will turn 60, I will turn 70 and so on. I realize that this gift of life is so very beautiful & so very fragile. I have only been given one to live, or better yet, one to give. If you will allow me to say it this way, all I care about is being completely & utterly used up when my journey is done.
Though once I did not realize the pride that truly I carried when someone would give a gracious word. Now, I can say that I want no recognition on earth from men. I would rather every tongue be held in silence, so that on that day I may receive honor from the one who gave His all for me. How I want no glory here, please God let it all be there. I look towards the next half of my life so differently, desiring it to be less of me & more of Him.
I stand here today at 40, celebrating Thanksgiving, looking forward with great expectation. So many lessons learned, so many miles traveled & a view before me that is brighter than the noon day sun. Sometimes, it simply seems that I am finally ready to run this great race.
The Fragrant Life by Judi Jo Adams
THE FRAGRANT LIFE
My childhood memories are full of beautiful smells. My parents owned flower shops and I grew up running the aisles and sneaking into the cooler. Oh, I can remember walking in that cooler just to smell how amazing it was when it was full of flowers. I especially loved to take a rose and hold it up to my lips and feel the soft petals and just breathe. It has to be one of the most wonderful aromas in life! Did you know that in the Spirit our life is to be a sweet smelling fragrance to God? It’s true, it’s possible and He gives us the secrets along the way to living a triumphal life!
“Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and who are perishing.” -- II Cor 2:14 He goes on to say the we are the “fragrance of life”.
So, the question that stands today is simple. If Heaven could smell us, what would we smell like?...
Would it be sweet, meaning that through all the trials and victories we have kept our hearts right and continued to praise Him. Or, would it simply stink! Ladies, it’s never too late to turn it around. You know, a rose grows best in a pile of manure…it is true! The secret is found in the verse above and, when put into practice; it can change our lives into a sweet smelling sacrifice to our Lord and King!
Now, we all know that when looking with our own eyes life doesn’t always seem like some wonderful victory walk. If we are honest, we have all had huge bumps along the way and gone through experiences that we may not understand. Well, the Word does let us know that in this life we will have troubles in Jn 16:33, and yet he still said he would always lead us in triumphal procession. So, how can this be true? Well, it’s a matter of focus and a matter of what is coming out of us.
One of my all time favorite chapters is Psalms 23. It beautifully shows us the answer and the secret. It simply paints a picture for II Cor 2:14. You see, this chapter talks about Him being our shepherd, causing us to lie down in green pastures and restoring our soul. It also talks about a table, the kind with every good thing we need for a wonderful life, but did you notice that table is spread in the presence of our enemies? Again, those green pastures and still waters are as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
So, how does that all add up? Well, the victory, the still waters and the spread table, are on the inside! They are where Christ abides in us. Where no matter what we see we are going through to the other side! Though problems surround us and we seem pressed on every hand, we have a voice that says, “Thanks be unto God, who always leads me…” Yes, that is the key to walking in victory. I mean, do we want to be
moved by the circumstances that are around us and are temporal? Or, do we want to put our eyes on the one who is eternal and abide in His place of victory? It’s our choice you see. We can stop, sit down in our mess, look around and think there is no way out. That equals stink. Then again, trials can surround us, but at any time we can look to the one who is our green pastures, rest in Him and lift up our voice of victory. Why? He will always lead us through! Now, that is a sweet smelling life!
I’ve lived in many countries and often found myself alone in a dark alley or on a strange subway. I’ve been surrounded by some of the grossest depictions of humanity, yet when I lean into Him at the same time I’m surrounded by the wonders of Heaven. It’s all a matter of focus and of looking inward to Him! I’ve been in the I.C.U. with my son on top of me and heard a horrible report about his life. Where do I choose to look and what will my song be? He led Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego through the fire without even a smell. He brought Joseph out of the prison and fulfilled his dream. I choose if I let the smell of death stay on me or if I rise up and say…”Now thanks be unto God who gives me the victory” --I Cor 15:57. Ladies, that is an example of a triumphal procession and what leads us out!
Jesus is our greatest example and as he went to His darkest hour, God made sure to mark it with a triumphal procession ( you can read it in Mark 11 ). Why? He wasn’t looking with our human eyes! In His darkest hour He shined the brightest and offered up a sweet smelling sacrifice. It’s all about a heart adjustment. “I may be walking through this mess, but it’s not getting in me!” Col 1:27 says “Christ in you the hope of glory!” All we need to do is let the hope of glory out of our mouths! We lead our triumphal procession by the words we say. We either go through in victory by our voice or we sit down, are quiet and simply stink.
Ladies, let’s let our darkest time be our finest hour. It’s a new season, one to fully put our trust in Him, knowing He will lead us through. Let’s surround one another in a Spirit of faith and cheer one another on to victory. Let’s lift up our eyes and place them on our King…the one who is Creator! Mostly, let’s open our mouths and let out thanks to Him! Nothing could smell sweeter than Him knowing everything we are experiencing and still finding us in worship to Him.
A Season To Be Patient by Judi Jo Adams
A Season To Be Patient
Patience…oooo it’s such a yucky little word. It’s a virtue that seems very difficult to embrace. Do we have to be patient? Well, I think as we take a little glance into the heart of God today, we will all agree that this one little word can change our entire worlds. It is simply a requirement in bringing forth the promises of God.
I was so challenged this week while reading a post from Dr. T.L. Osborn on Lk 8:11-15. So often we think of sowing and reaping in terms of giving, but this sure brings out an insightful new dimension for us. The sower wasn’t sowing money, though that is an invaluable lesson, he was sowing the Word. Ding, ding, ding! Let’s stop right there a moment.
Patience in bringing for the promise is only good if the Word has first been sown. If not, there is nothing spoken into the earth for the Holy Spirit to act upon, so nothing can take place. Now, that’s not good because we know that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” in Pr 13:12. We have to find God’s promises in his Word, put them into our hearts until revelation comes and then speak them forth with power.
Ahhh… then presto, instant results! Well, I wish it was just like Jack and the Bean Stalk with an instant harvest, but usually it’s not that way. If we take a look into creation itself, we see seasons in operation. There is a time to plant, water, wait and reap. That means there is a season to simply be patient.
Right now is an exciting time in the U.S.A.! Harvest is here and the farmer’s markets are full. We just had our first home grown tomatoes of the season. Yum, I wait all year for a true ripe tomato sandwich. Although it didn’t happen overnight, we were sure they would arrive when their time was right. Is it any different in God’s Kingdom?
In Lk 8:15 we see that the harvest was brought forth with patience. One of my favorite passages is Isaiah 55. It holds a beautiful reminder for us all. Just like spring time and harvest, so goes the Word of the Lord once spoken. It will not return void, but will accomplish all it was sent to do! Glory to God! That means that once the Word is spoken a promise has to come forth.
I do however see something in the Word that can hinder what we have prayed from happening. What is it? It is our lack of patience. When we lose heart in waiting, we often get weary and stop trusting. The Bible clearly says in Gal 6:9, “Be not weary in well doing for in due season you will reap IF you faint not”. That alone, not the enemy, can stop our harvest.
So what should we do? We must remember that there is no need to be weary in waiting, because God’s Word is true. The seed of His Word in the ground is the most powerful plant in the earth! It has to spring forth!
As much as we don’t like it, patience also has a something to accomplish in us. Ja 1:4 says, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”. I think it makes us more like Him and isn’t He… oh, so patient with us!
So, I want to encourage you today. Just like there is seed time and harvest in the earth, so it is with God’s promises in your life. Speak the Word forth and then simply be patient, while resting and trusting that God is at work. Your promise will surely come to pass!
An Old Index Card by Judi Jo Adams
An Old Index Card
Just the other day my mom handed me something very special. It was an old index card, very worn and yellow with age. On the card were words my father, who is now in Heaven, had typed with an old fashioned type writer when he was young. It's a glimpse into his heart. Today I imagine that the words written on it are magnified to him way beyond the passion he had in that moment.
Here are a few of those words entitled "The Upward Look"...
As God looks at man it is too bad that he sees him looking outward instead of upward; sees him concentrating more time and effort on things earthly than things heavenly; sees him building structures and cities with seemingly firmer foundations than those he has found for his soul. Still he searches, for the man who is looking up. -John Henry Boewe
My father was an inspiration in my life and somehow I imagine I am carrying out his passion. Many years ago, in the 1950's, he was a missionary to Nicaragua. Through a series of events and after contracting jungle rot in his legs, he had to return home. Shortly after, he met my mother and settled down to raise our family. He made sure our family was in church and put a respect and honor in us for God.
As a small child I can remember laying in the grass "looking up" into the clouds. The memory is so vivid in my heart. My thoughts were consumed about God, simply wanting to understand Him and His massive world. It was those thoughts as a small child that led me on in my pursuit, realizing that it is only through looking up that we continually keep our focus in life. II Cor 4:18 says it all so perfectly:
"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal"
One day, I'll join dad again! It's my desire that when that moment comes, I stand there knowing that my life on earth was spent focused on what matters. You know, looking at something that lasts forever and not the things that will be gone in a moment. Endeavoring to live my life according to Jn 4:35, which issues us this challenges today:
"Do not say, four months more and then the harvest? I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest."
Petals In My Pages by Judi Jo Adams
“Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done.” ~I Chronicles 16: 11 - 12
On our first missions trip, many moons ago… okay it was exactly 17 years ago next month, I started a little tradition all my own. We landed in Greece, in route to India, where we spent a week in the quaintest little apartment that belonged to the son of a pastor friend. The outdoor balconies so mixed in with the hallways of the home that, unlike in America, they are included as part of your living space. It’s is truly delightful! Covering the cement walls were flowers of all different kinds & I especially fell in love with the aroma of jasmine. Oh, my! Now, that must be a foretaste of what Heaven smells like.
When we went to leave that amazing spot, I plucked a flower from the bush & pressed it between the pages of my Bible. Well, that continued from country to country & from favorite spot to favorite spot. The pages of my Bible became full of pressed flowers. I must confess, to keep them from falling out I squeezed most of them in the books like Job & Leviticus, which I don’t quite frequent as often.
For me, they have become memorials. Reminders of where God has carried us & difficulties that have sprung forth into victories. Though not always easy at the crossings, the children of Israel did the same. They would build memorials to God, like in Deut 27 after they had crossed the Jordan into the Land God had promised. This remind them, & their children to come, of His great faithfulness. I guess they knew, God knows, that we all need reminded of His faithfulness.
The perfect example of this is found in Mt 15, you remember at the feeding of the multitude the second time. Well, He had already done it once and amazed them all! In the first account there were just five loaves & two fish. Once Jesus prayed over it & blessed it, well, the baskets never ran empty! You would think they would remember this the next time that they came to the same situation but, like we often all do, they were again wondering how the multitude would be fed!
Sound familiar? He has brought us through some event in life & then years later we stand at the same place wondering how we will get to the other side. Build a monument today! Do something to remind you of His great faithfulness! Put a petal in your page, snap a picture or write a journal. We simply need to be reminded that the one who was faithful before will be faithful again!
As I Walked Through The Door by Judi Jo Adams
As I Walked
Through The Door
I walked through the front door of our house the other day, after traveling for several weeks. Ahh, that special feeling of being home greeted me once again. As I carried my little boy down the hallway, who had hours before fallen asleep for the night, I was overwhelmed with peace. There is just something about that feeling of coming home that I can only imagine in one other place.
I believe that God gives us foretastes on earth of what Heaven is going to be like. We have precious gems, to understand the glory of the New Jerusalem. We have beautiful rivers to understand the moving of His Spirit. That day, I had my own home to remind me of how amazing it will be when we walk though those gates and enter into His eternal rest. What a joy to look forward to, what a hope to be embraced.
Then, I was once again gently reminded of Psalms 23. At a close study, we understand that what was going on around the writer was not necessarily a reminder of Heaven. He was surrounded by the presence of his enemies & going through the valley of the shadow of death. Have you ever felt that way? I sure have! It was in those times, that this passage of scripture became real to me. We don’t have to wait for Heaven to experience green pastures & still waters on the inside. They are for us now, but they require something of us.
After Jesus rose from the dead, we were not left here alone. A Comforter has come to abide with us forever. Jesus said in Jn 14:16-20, He was to be with us & to live in us. There is no need to wonder where we need to look to experience peace. We look inside, where He abides! We aren’t waiting for Heaven. We put our eyes on what is eternal, taking them off of the temporary. We become doers of 2 Cor 4:18, looking at the things that are not seen.
So when the storm rages & the winds blow, we know where our peace comes from! Acts 17:28, an all time favorite of mine, says "for in Him we live and move and have our being." We must put our eyes on Him, not on the storm. It is simply our choice, but it will produce the greatest peace. Why put our eyes on our bank account, which could look empty, when we can put our eyes on the one who will supply our every need? Why put our eyes on our sicknesses, when we can look to the one who went around doing good and healing every manner of disease.
I can remember a few years back when I was in Mexico city with my husband and my mom. We went to visit a hotel with a beautiful outdoor restaurant, little did we know it was titled after a lion tamer & there was a lion fenced in the garden. It was night time & we were walking beside the fence row, my mom being right by the fence. Now, you have to understand, she doesn't even like big dogs. Without us knowing he was there, that lion had walked up right beside us & let out the roar of a life time. Well, how can I put it in words? My mom jumped, ran & ended up in the lap of a Mexican man. We still laugh about that!
We had no idea what was in the fence! Let me tell you, it was mighty & powerful! So it is with us, we have been given all we need to make it through this life victoriously. Col 1:27 lets us know that Christ in us is the hope of Glory. No need to wait to experience the wonders of Heaven until we arrive. Let's tap into all He offers now! As Jesus shared with His disciples that He would be sending them His Spirit, He began by calling Him the Comforter. That is who He is in us! All we need abides closer than the air we breath!
How wonderful it would be to experience Heaven now, like so many that have gone before us. I sometimes feel like Paul in Phil 1:23-24 who said it was more needful to be here, yet you can tell from his passion he would rather be there. We have a job to do, a life to live & only this one opportunity to do something for Him. The joy of truly being home is before us & it is our blessed promise to help us look forward. Until then my friend, we have the presence of His Spirit that lives inside. At any moment, in the middle of any storm or simply when we need a rest, we can look to the one who lives inside and experience Him now.
A Fresh Look At 2010 by Judi Jo Adams
A Fresh Look At 2010
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” Luke 1:35
Mary was greeted by the most astonishing message on that day, so long ago, when the angel appeared to her. We must remember she lived in a day when the voice of God was still rare & angels speaking to people were not the norm! Why? We needed a Savior, someone to bring us back into fellowship with the presence of God.
Can you imagine how shocking it was to Mary to hear she would be used in the amazing reconciliation plan of God? She could have given many responses, knowing that this could separate her from her engagement to Joseph. Out of her heart came the beautiful answer:
“Be it unto me according to your will.” Luke 1:38
We tend to glamorize the manger & the years that followed Mary, but the truth is that it had to be difficult. From having a baby in a dirty stable to escaping to Egypt & leaving their families behind, her obedience to God required her to pay a price.
There is no greater place to be than in the center of God’s will. At the same time, obedience to Him does cost us something. If you study the life of Paul, he gave his all to press on in the plan of God. Now, every moment of that will be rewarded with the very glory of God &, with that in mind, it makes each trial worth every minute! I can remember many examples where it cost me greatly to obey God. On our first trip to India, we travelled for 100’s of hours in coach class Indian trains… talk about rough! With a huge back pack on my back, I can remember one day when I simply couldn’t physically walk another step! Thronged by a crowd of people, I simply stopped walking & had reached the point of exhaustion. Why? Well, it requires something of us to follow in His steps & I would happily do it all over again.
Going through difficult times does not necessarily mean you are out of the will of God! It may very well mean you are in harmony with his perfect plan! Let’s think about this, His desire would be that we still lived in His glorious garden, but He understands that now we have to go the dirtiest of slums to seek what He has lost. According to Luke 14:28, there comes a time in life when we simply have to count the cost. In doing so, we realize that it is worth every last penny! We gain a Heavenward focus & it changes everything for us! We come to know that what we give up on earth is what we gain in Heaven, laying up for us riches that far exceed them all.
Well, New Years is almost here & with it generally comes a time when we stop to refocus. As we do that this year, let’s take a fresh look at 2010 & consecrated anew to His plan. When we stay consecrated, we are quicker to obey & hesitate less at what requires more of us. During the years that we lived overseas, I found myself consecrating a fresh so often. Truly, it does help us obey without looking back! For the children of Israel to get to the Promise Land, they had to go through the dessert. For Joseph to be made second in all the land, he had to go through prison. For us to fulfill the beautiful plan ahead of us, we must consecrate to walk through anything required to get to our promise as well!
A Morning Like This by Judi Jo Adams
A Morning Like This
All hope seemed gone! How could the situation ever be made right? It was truly Mary Magdalene & the other Mary’s darkest hour on their way to the tomb that morning, like we read about in Mathew 28. Though one doesn’t want to cast away their confidence for it has great recompense for reward (Hebrews 10:35), it had to appear that their hope had died. It’s amazing how God always has a plan, a higher road and a way to even resurrect our dreams. We see it take place that beautiful morning we call Easter & we can also see it take place in our own lives as well.
They had walked with him, talked with him & cared for him! Wasn’t he to be the Messiah? How could this have happened and how could God step in now to make it all right. Well, that’s the beauty of His high ways! We see it come alive in the message of Easter! To our emotions it looked like He paid the highest price and lost, but in the Spirit we go on to learn what He accomplished brought us back to the Father! Best of all, we know that the Lord is the same yesterday, today & forever (Hebrews 13:8). This means that He showed us part of who He is on that wonderful morning & how He wants to resurrect our situations as well!
What do we need to learn from this story for own lives, apart from the beautiful story of the resurrection that we all cherish during this season? It doesn’t matter what any problem looks like or even if it seems your window of opportunity has come and gone. It doesn’t matter what man does to us, says about us or plans for us. All that matters is that God is a God of impossibilities (Mathew 19:26)! Throughout time He had a plan to bring us back to Himself and to make things right, so how much more does He now watch over our lives with a plan to lead us to our dreams!
So where does that leave us today, especially if we find ourselves in a situation where hope seems gone? It leaves us with Mary Magdalene & Mary…. Running to Him! They were going where they could find Him. Though they thought it was a tomb, they met Him on the way & everything was now alright. So, we run to Him, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He is the one who goes before, sees ahead & holds the power to change! We don't run in desperation, but in anticipation that He can turn what is wrong into something perfect.
As we celebrate Easter, we celebrate life! We rejoice in the one who holds resurrection power, both now and forever more. He is able to restore you! Let us all put our trust in Him today, running to the one who lives!
Oh Patience I Need You by Judi Jo Adams
Oh Patience, I Need You!
It’s an understated & annoying word, one that none of us truly likes or even remotely enjoys. It’s something that makes us want to scream & yet we know we have to endure it. Oh, patience, how we need more of you! Have you ever shared these feelings with me? Well, they are common & often misunderstood by others. We hear so much about the amazing message of faith, but often too little about its other partner quite necessary to bring about results!
All of us enjoy hearing about instant miracles & prayer requests that come about almost as fast as they are uttered from our lips. Glorious as they are, more often than not, results to our prayers are usually seen over a period of time. The truth is that God’s time table and our time table seem to be on two different tables, if you know what I’m saying. Well, if one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day, then I guess we may not quite get His timing yet anyway. (2 Peter 3:8)
I’m also sure that, all the while, He is working in us to will and to do His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13) So, let’s take a little deeper look at this word called patience. I like to describe our prayers like a little boy going fishing! What you want is the fish, the great cast into the water is your faith & the time it takes to get it to the shore is your patience. I guess that might mean that the bigger the fish, the longer the reel!
We were on Brooke’s ranch in Texas a few summers ago when I caught an 8 pound bass; believe it or not it’s true! The story is quite funny! We were down at their pond, caught our own crickets & were having a ball pulling in little fish. Right before we left, I gave another cast & thought I was snagged on the bottom. I kept pulling & pulling, then all of the sudden I saw the big ol’ belly of a bass & started screaming. That’s when the battle started, we all were yelling & Russ ran for the net. It seemed like forever, but at the end of the day he was caught. By the end of the night, that catch was in our tummies!
I got hold of something big, but it just didn’t come in as easy as those small fish were caught. That big bass came in with a battle, which sounds like what we call…“The good fight of faith”. Gal 6:9 says, “And be not weary in well doing, for in due season you will reap, if you faint not.” What? You will have the desires of your heart. Yes, unless you faint & drop the pole! That means we must have patience until we see the promise. It’s just like fishing for me! You have to rest in knowing that the fish is on the line. You may not see it yet, as it’s under the water, but you know it’s on the line & on its way to you! That sounds like prayer found in1 John 5:15. “And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” You could also say it like this, “Once I pray, Heaven is at work.” I may not see it in this realm, but I have locked hold in the Heavenly realm & my patience brings it forth into an earthly manifestation. That is faith & patience working together!
Although we may not like it, patience is an amazing and beautiful gift from God! Heb 6:12 says we are to be followers of them who through faith & PATIENCE inherit the promise. It’s far from being idle, it’s actively trusting & knowing God is at work. All in all, it’s what keeps us from fainting. It’s the line that you can’t let go of until you see, with these eyes, what you have desired from God. I believe His Word & I believe it 100%. That means that if I do not faint, or let go of my pole, I will have what I have asked Him in prayer. It’s not God’s fault if we set down the pole, he has no choice but to let that big one get away.
So, today is your day! Either keep on reeling or pick the pole back up! You have what you asked of Him, which means it’s on the line if you see it with these eyes or not! God is the same…yesterday, today & forever! He wants to give you your desires, but he needs you to be patient, until the fish is in the net!
Help, I Need Grace by Judi Jo Adams
Help, I Need GRACE!
Have you ever said to yourself “Oh, God I need I grace for today!” I can confess that I’ve sure had that thought on many days! I can remember right where I was when I cried out to God for grace. What followed was unexpected, as He carried me to His word to understand that I had a part to play. Back in1993 we took our first missionary journey into India. So vividly I can recall spending over 200 hours on second class train rides, carrying a back pack bigger than me & wondering how I would ever live to tell about all my adventures!
Before leaving on that trip I did a study on grace, knowing ahead of time I was going to need an extra dose of the unmerited ability of God! I came across the most remarkable scripture that has forever changed my life. Romans 5:2 says “Through whom also we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Thank God for the Holy Spirit & how quickly I found my answer. I thought grace would just fall on me, like an apple in autumn lands on the ground. I could now see that simply wasn’t the case &, that if I just waited around, I would be doing so in my own strength. Grace is accessed or taken by faith!
I know, I know, it’s always nicer when none of the responsibility falls on us. I could clearly see from the Word of God that grace doesn’t just fall, grace is taken by faith. Unfortunately, it’s one thing to read a scripture and obtain a fresh revelation and another thing to actually apply what we have learned. Well, standing in the middle of Bombay that first night we arrived in India, wondering how I would survive, it was clear that I could not do this on my own. Funny how we think we can do so much on our own! When I got in a situation where my ability would obviously not work, I reached out to God who has His ability available in our time of need. I took grace for free! I’ve been taking grace every day since!
After experiencing what it is like to live accessing his grace for my day, there was never again a question to how I needed His ability to live every day. We need His grace to be a mother, oh how we need His grace to be a mother! We need His grace to be a wife, walking in the beautiful balance that it requires to stand by our husband’s side. We need grace to fulfill His plan, standing until we have seen it come to pass and having done all things… to stand! Grace is available for all times & everything. The Word tell us, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (11Corinthians 9:8) What a scripture! He wants to abound or liberally pour out His grace for us to accomplish good works at all times! He wants us to have what we need to go forth in this life!
Have you ever had one of those days when there appears not to be enough time to accomplish it all or not enough of you to go around? Reach out and take His grace. Have you ever held a vision so dear to your heart, but not known how to bring it to pass? Reach out and take His grace. Have you simply known the answer to your prayers was on the way, but needed help in standing until you received your promise? Reach out and simply take grace. “And of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace.” (John 1:16) He has grace for grace, every step of the way, giving us His ability to win! We can take of His fullness, His unmerited ability today!
He Makes It Beautiful by Judi Jo Adams
He makes it all BEAUTIFUL!
We may not understand everything in life! Thankfully, Paul tells us in I Cor 13:12 that a day is coming when we shall see clearly. He says, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” Never the less, there remains those questions like “Hey mom, why were there dinosaurs on earth?” Hmmm, I know there are many theories, but the truth is that we just may not “know it all” until we see Him face to face. Can you imagine all He will have to share with us! Oh, what a beautiful day!
We do have a blessed promise for this life. It’s one that addresses some of those things that have happened that just don’t yet make sense to us. Yes, this may be a topic that many won’t touch, but I’m not afraid! I’ve just seen it come to pass so beautifully in a situation in our family. Ecc 3:11 say, “He has made all things beautiful in His time.” Don’t you just love that scripture! My father passed away eight years ago this month & it was very hard for all of us, especially my mom. Anyone who has ever sat at a bedside & watched a loved one cross over to glory understands this bittersweet experience.
I watched my mom, calling her every day at 6:00 pm when I knew she would be eating dinner alone; go through a very challenging period in life. Then, in May of 2010, I watched God make it all beautiful again as she married a wonderful God-loving man! The theme scripture for their union, as I stood by her side, was Ecc 3:11 & it fit so perfectly. Her new husband as well had lost his wife in a similar situation, but now they were both experiencing God do something new & beautiful for them.
Thank God that spring time always comes, the trees will bring forth their tender green leaves & new life will appear in the air. Even when we go through challenging days, ones that seem like a branch in the winter that has lost all life, if we stay connected to the vine we will bloom again! John tells us about that vine that will always produce fruit in John 15:5 & throughout the whole chapter. He says, “I am the vine, you are the branches: he that abides in me & I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.”
So, what do we do as we are holding tight for the seasons of life to change? We have to abide in the vine! That means we have to cling to Him, where the life of God is flowing from Him to you & remain in His presence. There may be seasons that are a little more unpleasant, Joseph sure had them! Last night I was telling the boys the story of Joseph & his journey that carried him to the palace. At first, Wesley didn’t like it at all that Joseph went from the pit, to slavery, to prison & wanted me to stop reading. He’s my sensitive little guy! Then, I explained to him that life may not always be easy, but all that matters is that we get to the promise of our heart! Jesus says it so clearly when He said in Jn 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Will there be challenges? Yes! Is the one who overcame it all on the cross able to make it all beautiful again? Absolutely!
Joseph has no regrets now &, when I look back at our hardships over the years, I don’t either. The journey helped get me right here, so I’d thankfully do it again for Him! After all, the good Shepherd of Psalms 23 was with me all the way.
Don't Journey Alone by Judi Jo Adams
Don't Journey Alone
The boys & I have been taking our now 2nd journey every evening through Hurlbuts Stories of the Bible, which is for sure among the best of things I’ve ever done with them. Shock of all, as I thought it was only a children’s devotional, I think I‘ve learned as much as them. (there’s a link for the book to the right) After this last week’s devotional time, I truly have a whole new appreciation for being able to talk personally with my Lord.
Seeing Moses’ amazing journey in a new, & very condensed, light made me realize how very grateful I am. He was leading an army through the dessert, some estimating the children of God to be well over a million in number. All the while, he was the only one having these amazing up close and personal discussions with God. He even came down from the mount with his face literally shining in Exodus 34! Sad to say, the rest of them had to rely on Moses to hear something from the Lord, as they made this very difficult pilgrimage through the dessert. That might have had something to do with why it took so long…lol!
Thank God for Jesus! He came, shed His blood, paid the price for our sin & the vail was torn from top to bottom. No longer was man to be kept out of the presence of God! Now, we can have that intimate relationship that Moses had with Him. After all, Acts 10:34 teaches us that He is no respecter of persons. The Bible also says in Heb 13:8 that He is the same yesterday, today & forever. Just as the bush was on fire for Moses to get his attention in Exodus 3, I believe every day he is trying to get our attention as well. He is trying to lead us to the mountain top too! It may not be in the form of a burning bush; most likely it’s simply the gentle promptings in your spirit.
What is your situation? Maybe you feel as though you are in the dessert & the promises of God seem too difficult to reach. Stop, come away with Him & hear His voice. I’m pretty convinced that most of our problems are that we are simply too busy. Our days are too full to take time to be with Him, even though it is our good intention. Are there too many demands of life to get quiet & listen, so you journey on complaining & stressed? Let’s learn our lesson from the Children of Israel in the dessert, because we sure don’t want to delay our promises!
Look, I’m sure it wasn’t easy for Moses to head up to the mountain top for 40 days, he knew how disobedient the Children of Israel could be & the trouble they could get into. He went anyway! We should be able to at least pull away for 40 minutes into the presence of the one who sees our beginning & our end. He knows so well that if He can get our eyes off our situations and onto Him that He can lead us through. Guess you could say, “The ball is in our court now!”
The beauty is that all the same glory awaits us to be experienced. He waits to commune with us by His Holy Spirit & to pour His peace that passes all understanding right through our souls. Prov 3:5 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding… and he shall direct your path.” How does this happen? As we get quiet enough to look to Him, we can take our minds off of our situations. Then, beholding His glory, it’s now easy to put our trust in the one that created it all anyway!
Let’s not make this journey alone. Take the challenge today! Come away & be with Him… you’ll be so thankful you took the time.
Better Not Bitter by Judi Jo Adams
Better not Bitter
It was in the middle of one of the hardest of days that I heard this challenging charge to my heart & it was right on time! I thank God for the day someone said to me, “You can allow the situations of life to make you bitter or make you better!” I looked at my attitude, checked my heart & an adjustment started that day that has carried me to where I am now. As I type this letter, I’m a person who can look back upon all the toils of life & truly say that have made me better! Where there was pride there is humility, where there was selfishness there is sacrifice & where there was more of me there is simply more of Him!
Have you ever read the beautiful story of Naomi & Ester found in the book of Ruth? Naomi & her husband Elimelech had left their home land, with their two sons, and journeyed to the land of the Moabites. They lived there ten years, where both of their sons married and were living the good life. Then, tragedy stuck, Elimelech died and with him his two sons also perished. Now, facing an uncertain future where she was living, Naomi urged her two daughter-in-laws that she loved dearly to return to their homes. She was going to make a journey back to the land of her people, the Israelites.
Oprah, one of the daughter-in-laws, went back to her home but Ruth made a statement that sends chills down my arms. (Like my little Evan says, “It gives me chicken skin!”) In Ruth 1:16 her answer boldly came, "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.” As the story goes on, together they return to Israel. Then, while gleaning grain in the field of Boaz like a poor person, Boaz falls in love with her. Ruth goes on to marry Boaz, one of the richest men in all the land, & brings Naomi into her home. Best of all, King David himself came forth from her. She became the mother of kings!
Oh my! Why does that story so grip my heart? Along the way Naomi, whose name means “pleasant”, wanted to change her name to Mara which means “bitter”. She felt this way because of how the situations of life had so affected her. As you see in the story above, God had a plan for her life by using her sweet daughter-in-law Ruth; the Lord brought deliverance & even the lineage of a King to Naomi. No, Mara was not to be her name for God had a plan to make her bad circumstances blossom into one of the most beautiful lives ever lived. He will do the same for you!
Now, both women had a part to play in the story! Naomi had to obey & return home not knowing what would happen. Ruth had to follow her heart, after losing her husband at a young age, by going to a land & a people she did not know. We will all have challenges before us as well that we may think are impossible, but I want to encourage you to follow hard after God & see the victory. The Word says in Prov 4:23 to “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” So, guard your heart, keeping your eyes on Him, and you will not become a woman named “bitter” but remain “pleasant” before the Lord.
He is & always has been faithful. He does & always will have a way out! We will & always will have to guard our hearts, knowing the one who went before Naomi still goes before us. If she could have only seen ahead, the name Mara would have never rolled off her lips. If we could see ahead, we would never allow life to make us bitter. God has a beautiful plan for us too & it will truly be “pleasant” to your heart!
Are We Listening by Judi Jo Adams
Are We Listening?
Happy New Year! Well, it’s January 1st, 2011 as I write this inspiration from my heart. I can’t help but think of all the different places I’ve rang in the New Year & how thankful I am today to find myself right in the center of His will for my life, even if it is Oklahoma & not one of the Greek Isles! Where is His perfect will for me? I guess it’s in that place of being more determined than ever to make a difference in this world. It’s a place of the heart.
Maybe it’s because the years seem to get more precious the older I get or it might just be because I love Him more than ever. Whatever the reason, I just want to do every last thing He has for me in this year. If we follow after His will, not getting side-tracked by the distractions that surround us, His plan is for us to enjoy life to the fullest & also impact it beyond our dreams. How can that happen? Well, basically it means we will have to listen to that still small voice of the Holy Ghost that will lead & guide us. We see Elijah in I Kings 19 come to understand this same thing. We see him on the mountain before the Lord, where the wind, earthquake & fire all passed before him. The voice of the Lord wasn’t in any of those huge outward showings, rather He came in the still small voice. It’s the same for us! So, often we want God to shoot off fireworks & show us how to fulfill our destiny. The truth, He waits to lead us every day by His still small voice. The question is, are we listening?
So many people say that there just isn’t enough time in the day. I really don’t believe that is true, even though I’ve been guilty of saying it myself! The truth is that God numbers our days & has a perfect plan for each one. He wouldn’t ask us to do more in a day than we are able; I think that our own over scheduling is often to blame. Even when He made this beautiful planet, He took the seventh day to rest! Hmmmm, He knows just how to schedule His time. If we are feeling weighed down, something isn’t right! In Mathew 11:30 He says, “My yoke is easy & my burden is light.” So, it can’t be because God is asking too much of us. It has to be that we have added too much to ourselves or there is always the possibility that some of our time isn’t’ spent wisely. I know, we all struggle with that one!
The very worst thing that can happen with our time is for Him not to have any of it all to Himself. I can remember when we use to move from nation to nation. Without fail, with transition would come that feeling for me of needing to re-find my routine. Mostly, I needed to figure out where my quiet time could have priority! After a few weeks of wondering around, I would always run to God with a “Help, I miss my time with you!” He would always so gently, on the inside, show me a pattern that worked for that specific time in my life. Today there are still seasons that change as often as I use to travel. When the boys where toddlers, there was less of me to give other places. Now that they are bigger, I find more time to give to those around me. Hmmm, maybe that book in my heart is possible after all!
More than likely, if we would all take an evaluation of our time, we have a little more of it to spend than we realize! Usually, when an inventory is complete, we realize that quite a bit of time was lost somewhere between a phone call that could have ended earlier and an internet search that could have long been over. I promise you that, within the will of God, there is plenty of time for us to enjoy the beauties of life & fulfill His lovely plan. We just have to listen to the still small voice. You know, those little nudges that say, “Get off the phone” or that may say, “Turn off the computer.” Have you ever felt those? Weather we listen or not, they were for a reason! Rom 8:14 teaches us that the sons of God are led by the spirit of God. He is trying to lead us! He is trying to keep us from adding too much to ourselves & also to keep us from losing time that could be better spent. Trust me, family time is precious, rest is precious & He has a way for us to experience it all! It requires our following the promptings inside.
Even Jesus had to say “no” every once in awhile & we may have to say it too! In Luke 4 we see where the people didn’t want Him to leave & even begged Him to say, but He let them know He had to leave. He was to the point & explained that He had to go to the next towns to preach because that was why He was sent. Their persistence did not change His mind. He didn’t allow others to dictate His time. Ouch! Have you ever been guilty of that one? I have, but I am learning. Believe it or not, I can let my phone ring & not even go see who is calling. Sometimes, we have to say “no” & go on where the spirit is leading us for that moment.
John 10:4 says, “His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.” Then, over in Acts 17:28 we find one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It says, “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” I believe that’s for all day, every day! We can follow the Master by listening to His Spirit that abides inside us. We can know when it’s time to make another phone call & when it’s time to be with those that are near to us. There will always be a to-do list, but let’s allow the Holy Ghost to set the priority. If we do, we’ll find that there is plenty of time to be with Him & do all He’s called us do. We’ll even find that He’ll allow us to enjoy the ride along the way too!
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