Shake Off The Buzz

The word of God tells us in 1 John 5:13-15  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.  This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.…

Is He hearing you? Actually hearing your voice?

There are so many things in this life that fight for our attention.  As a Mom, I hear my name called no less than 30 times a day. I have work demands and deadlines, social media keeping me aware of every unimportant detail of everyones life, news headlines, and the list goes on. This constant buzz can lull us into a spiritual slumber. 

White noise or a buzz will make me sleepy. When I get sleepy, I get quiet. My husband would say this never happens...getting quiet that is. But I do.  I’ll even stop paying attention to what’s going on around me. He almost never wants to let me drive on long trips, for good reason.

It was early in the morning, around 5AM and the sun was just starting to rise. The sky was a soft shade of persimmon and rose. It was my shift on the long drive home from Oklahoma to Ohio. My friend had drifted off to sleep in the passenger seat and I was listening to the buzz of the tires turning on the road beneath.  We had just graduated from bible school and lots of changes where taking place in my life. I felt as though I was walking closer to the Lord than ever before. As I worshipped quietly along with the music playing on my stereo, I began to fall asleep. Never would I have thought or planned on falling asleep, but I did because I didn’t take into account the buzz that was playing like a lullaby in me ear. I was lulled to sleep. As the car began to head off the road down a steep hill, I heard the name “Jesus” and I woke up. I had just enough time to jerk the steering wheel hard, sending the car into a tailspin across the four lane highway towards the cement median. I yelled out “Jesus!” and the car stopped. As I looked around I saw that all four lanes of traffic had stopped far back as if at a stop light. Jesus woke me up and saved my life.

There are events, lives and even plans of God waiting,  maybe even headed over a deadly cliff, needing someone to wake up and speak the word of God over them. 

I encourage you and myself. Let’s not let the buzz of life lull us to sleep. 

Ephesians 5:13-15 …But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “ Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”  Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,…

James 5:16 tells us, The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in it's working]. 

Listen to the leading of the Spirit of God inside. He is speaking.  Lift up your voice with confidence and be active in bringing the will and plans of heaven to the earth. God is listening. Let’s shake off the buzz and wake up! There is much to be done.

Hugs,Tamera Ford

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Face to Face

What has been stopping you from spending time, face to face, with God? Face to face, nothing standing in between you.

“We do God more honor in believing what He has said about Himself and coming boldly to His throne or grace than by hiding in a self-conscious humility.” A.W. Tozer

When I was younger I made decisions that took me in the opposite direction from God.  I chose to do things against the leading of the Holy Spirit that in turn left me feeling empty and far from Him.  I felt as if I had turned my back on the Lord.  

These decisions kept me from spending time with God even after I had asked for forgiveness and returned to Him. I was hiding in a self-conscious humility.  I loved the Lord and yet I kept my distance.  Things were not the same.  See, as a child I spend many hours talking to God.  It was as if I could walk right up to Him and sit at His feet.  I found comfort, strength and love there.  Never once did I question if I was allowed to be that close.  Now, I hid in the back corner of His throne room. 

It wasn’t until one day in a time of prayer that I saw something that would change my life forever.  As I took my 

self-appointed position in the back corner of His throne room, I looked up to see a beautiful woman clothed in the most amazing, radiant, jewel encrusted gown. She stood right before the throne of God.   

Then, the Lord motion to me.  Come.  Come up to the throne.  He lovingly continued to call me... come.   As I slowly walked up to His throne and stood beside the woman, He spoke this to me. “Do you not see what I see? When I see you, I do not see your mistakes and your short comings. THIS is how I see you because of my son.” At that moment, I looked over and I saw that the radiant woman was me. 

From that day forward I have realized that regardless of my good deeds or short comings, the Father God does not see me as unworthy. He sees me through Jesus.  I am His very own child and He wants me to come to Him.  He wants me to stand face to face, unhindered, not self-conscious but only looking upon Him.  In His presence we find all we need and one word from Him can change everything. 

What has been keeping you from standing before Him? Maybe sin has kept you bound and afraid or the memory of past sins has caused you to hide in the shadows of unworthiness. Maybe  you’ve positioned yourself in the corner because you are so self-conscious of your weaknesses.

I encourage you today, honor God by taking Him at His Word.

Ephesians 3:12

In him (Jesus) and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Let me leave you with this thought, because of Jesus you are clothed in righteousness. You have been made right before God.  Do not hid in the shadows.  See yourself the way He sees you. Seek to meet with Him face to face and He will be found by you.

Isaiah 61:10

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Hugs,

Tamera Ford

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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. 

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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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Make Your Daily Appointment by Kate Jones

Make Your Daily Appointment

Can you believe October is already here? This fall, many of you are already full speed with ball games, special projects and family events.  Before you know it, Christmas will have come and gone and we will be celebrating the New Year!   Time goes by so fast these days, we barely have time to look back at our accomplishments and enjoy the fruit of our labor.  Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of things, we even forget why we exist and we neglect what is most important to us. 

In America we have “to do” list on our wallets, in our phones and all over our walls.  We email, text message, shop online, eat in our cars on the way to our next appointment before we race home for a soccer game, then dinner and our list goes on.  We are corporate dads and super moms.  Even my seventy four year old grandmother has a full schedule!  

God knew ahead of time that we were going to attempt to conquer the world all in one day when He said:

“Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Sometimes I lose sight of why I am here.  I get so busy trying to “do” I forget who I’m working for and how much of a strength He is to me.  I forget that when I spend time with Him, there is rest, plus I accomplish more!     

I encourage you this week, to make daily appointments with God.  Allow God to amaze you with His light and easy yoke! 

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