Purify Your Passions

Psalm 62:8  "Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah."

Are you a passionate person? Generally, women are more passionate then men. We can be full of fire, life and emotion. We FEEL things intensely. We LOVE with fervency. Sometimes our passion can get the best of us. Our passion and zeal can sometimes lead us to depression, anger or gossip. We desire to pour out the fervency inside of us but the key is that we first need to pour out all that is in our hearts in PRAYER. That is the secret!
When we take our hearts that are filled with passion and emotion and pour it out DAILY before the Lord in prayer we are able to then be emptied of ourselves and filled with His Spirit. Intimacy with Him FIRST will put our emotions and passions in their proper place and we can be free of the bondage our passions can sometimes bring.

Loneliness

Loneliness is a funny thing. In one aspect you feel angry at maybe a particular person who isn't "meeting the need." In another aspect you feel guilty that you even feel lonely because you should be thankful for the wonderful people you have in your life and you can think of quite a few people who are REALLY lonely.
While being thankful will give you a proper perspective of lonely emotions...sometimes the feeling of loneliness just settles in the bottom of your gut and just won't go away. I can relate! We can have the most to be thankful for...yet as much as we have and as blessed as we can be, we can still feel lonely.
Please understand this. We aren't in heaven in our new glorified bodies and in the splendor of eternity. That's why we feel lonely. And you know what? God wants us to. Yes! He WANTS us to feel lonely. Because that's when we turn to Him and then He has the CHANCE to show us His presence and company. Let me make it CLEAR to you that it is a lie from the pit of hell that "if you only had" a husband, children, a better friend, a sister or brother, a mentor, etc. that you wouldn't feel so lonely. It's NOT true. You can have all these things in abundance and still feel lonely. I can testify! Now of course our relationships with all these people may meet practical needs but we ALL can admit there's a loneliness that resides. For some of us it may be very intense at times (all the "blessed" people included!) but rest assure, after the fall of man that is the condition we were left in. Until we are free from our flesh completely, our bodies, emotions and hearts will scream "LONELY!"...some days you won't notice it, other days it seems like a siren ringing in your ears...but there will be a day when we will feel lonely no more. Let your loneliness drive you into a more POWERFUL and INTIMATE relationship with a very REAL and ALIVE God who wants you to know Him.

Thank You

Hebrews 13:15

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.

There is power in praise. Do you praise God? Besides attending church, I mean. Set aside a moment today to write down all you have to thank God for. Then, open your mouth in prayer and praise! Spend precious time thanking the Lord for who He is, what He has done and what He has given. This is a powerful practice that will pull you out of a pit of ungratefulness and depression!

Here’s an example of what your list may look like:

·        Thank you God for being –loving toward me, patient with me, abundant in forgiveness, gentle and kind in your dealings with me

·        Thank you God for –making a way for a sinful being like me to have a relationship with a holy and pure God like You, saving my soul and choosing me, restoring my mind and thinking process, always providing for me

·        Thank you God for giving me –a beautiful family, shelter, food, clothing, friends and fellowship, safety

DEPRESSION

Here is an excerpt taken from the CHEQUE BOOK OF THE BANK OF FAITH, a daily devotional book by Charles Spurgeon.

May 4

Victory in Reverses

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. (Micah 7:8)

This may express the feelings of a man or woman downtrodden and oppressed. Our enemy may put out our light for a season. There is sure hope for us in the Lord; and if we are trusting in Him and holding fast our integrity, our season of downcasting and darkness will soon be over. The insults of the foe are only for a moment. The Lord will soon turn their laughter into lamentation and our sighing into singing.
What if the great enemy of souls should for a while triumph over us, as he has triumphed over better men than we are; yet let us take heart, for we shall overcome him before long. We shall rise from our fall, for our God has not fallen, and He will lift us up. We shall not abide in darkness, although for the moment we sit in it; for our Lord is the fountain of light, and He will soon bring us a joyful day. Let us not despair or even doubt. One turn of the wheel, and the lowest will be at the top. Woe unto those who laugh now, for they shall mourn and weep when their boasting is turned into everlasting contempt. But blessed are all holy mourners, for they shall be divinely comforted.

Don't Forget

"And He said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest a while'" (Mark 6:31). Have you gotten to a quiet place with the Lord lately? Just you and Him? "And they all ate and were satisfied" (Mark 6:42). Have you eaten of His Word until you were satisfied? If you've been down and discouraged or feel like you are far from victory, the FIRST thing to ask yourself is...have you spent time with Jesus? Real time. Time in His presence where His Word jumps off the page and into your heart?
If you feel far away from the Lord right now, remember... "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You" (Psalm 86:5). Call upon the Lord...be refreshed in the REALITY of His presence! The more we live day by day apart from experiencing His presence, the more we live weak and hungry lives. We all are going to find a way to meet our souls needs somehow...let's not turn to idols but to the true and living God!
If there is one MAIN THING the enemy goes after...it's your time spent with the Lord. Remember that...

Sweet Freedom

Thank you Lord! Oh the FREEDOM that comes with not taking ourselves too seriously! Hahaha! Let's take a break today from being overly introspective and examining ourselves WAY too much. Let's just take this day and enjoy the Lord. Take a deep breath. Smile. Relax. Pray. How sad it is when we forget to just love Jesus. Reach out to someone. Send them an email or word of encouragement.
Self-focus and self-absorption is death to us and those around us will suffer the consequences as well. Enjoy those relationships God has given you. Be thankful. Be still and know that He is God. We all aren't good enough, wise enough or qualified enough. But we all know the One who is. We all are saved by grace through faith and help us when we think otherwise!
Last night Luke was crying for me and I went up to check on him and found that his little, one year old chubber thighs were stuck in the crib. They weren't really wedged in, but he wasn't in a position to get them out. I then went back to bed and was trying to sleep but was suffering the consequences of magnified self-examination. Oh how I LOVE Colossians 3:2. It's the EASIEST verse to memorize and it immediately puts my mind in the right focus and perspective. It says, "Set your mind on things above, not on things on earth." I was feeling stuck and I just had to do the same thing Luke did, cry out for help. God was faithful this morning to give me those scriptures that cut to the heart...and though they are painful...they are life and liberty.
Jesus...YOU are awesome.

Your Good Shepherd

I thank you all so much for all of your prayers! I am continuing to work hard...there are so many details involved. I pray you are all doing well and I really am so blessed when I get to see you in person...not via the internet! Anyway, I just wanted to encourage you today with what the Lord is speaking to me.

HE IS OUR GOOD SHEPHERD
Are you allowing the work of your Good Shepherd to be accomplished in your life? Do you remember what His work is? Isaiah 61:1-3 describes it.
"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

Are you brokenhearted? Captive? Mourning? Depressed?

Take some time away and be immersed in the Lord and His presence. Allow the Good Shepherd to tend to you. Isaiah 40:11 "Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs, and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes."

Maybe you're always pouring out and neglect your time with Jesus. Is your cup overflowing? Psalm 23 gives very descriptive ways that the Lord tends to us. He makes us lie down and restores us. He leads us in righteousness. He comforts us. He anoints us so our cup overflows! If you feel like you're trudging forward...go to your Good Shepherd so you can live out of an overflowing cup rather than out of a dry and empty one.

Be Blessed
Love you!

Rach xoxoxoxo

A Divine Defining Moment

Be encouraged today to know that we all go through trials. It is a part of life on earth. And it's okay. Trials in your life do not mean that there's a problem that needs to be fixed. Okay, maybe there's a problem that needs to be fixed, but we can only be so proactive in preventing difficult circumstances and hardship. I'm not talking about consequences to sin and the discipline of the Lord. I am talking about having hard days, dealing with hard emotions and feeling pain. We cannot see how everything is going to work out in life and prevent hard times.

Do you know that you have barely scratched the surface of intimacy with the Lord? Do you realize how little you know God? I'm not saying that to discourage you...but wow...there is so much to know! Is there a special way God touches your heart...and you know it's Him loving on you? Have you learned how to hear His voice as you meditate on His word? Does He make you smile during the day?

Hardships are all about knowing Jesus. They woo us to Him. They help us see Him because we're pretty blind. Difficult circumstances can either bring us toward the Lord or away from Him. Don't be swallowed by them. When you are overwhelmed in your difficulties you are in position to experience a supernatural God. And that is NOT a bad thing. We look at hard times and seek to get out. It is our natural response. Look at a hard day, a hard year or even just a hard moment as your opportunity to having a Divine Defining Moment.

At times I may want my spouse or friend to be perfect. But if they were perfect and I did not know them in an intimate way...it sure would not mean much. God perfects you through the trials...but I assure you, He is more interested in you knowing Him more intimately through them. As you know Him more intimately and personally through the trials, the work of holiness in your life will be genuine and authentic. You will be real. Life will be an adventure and a thrill. God does not just want to make you a "better person." He wants you to be alive. To live life to the fullest (John 10:10). And God does not love you more if you are more holy. That's love. Loving people just as they are...that's what Jesus is all about. Don't get me wrong...God is totally into holiness and perfecting you. It's a glorious purpose of His. It is how the world sees God in our lives.

When Paul and Silas were beaten and imprisoned, what did they do? They prayed and sang praises to the Lord. In that moment, do you think they were doing that because they were happy they were becoming more perfect people? Maybe. But I think it was a supernatural moment. They allowed the suffering to be a Divine Defining Moment. They let God have His way. The result? An earthquake, all the prison doors open and chains broken, the gospel shared and salvation occurred. Now that is an exciting story to tell! God is no bore. He is an exciting God. Trials invite you to experience that.

Let those trials come...and get to know your God.

Don't Forget to Pray

Are you feeling burdened? Don't forget to pray.
Do you feel overwhelmed? Don't forget to pray.
Is your vision clouded? Don't forget to pray.
Is your heart broken? Don't forget to pray.
Are you just making it by? Don't forget to pray.
Do you feel depressed?Don't forget to pray.

The enemy tempts us away from our time of prayer. Think back to those times God has shown up strong in your time of prayer with Him. Remember how He lifted a burden, gave you peace, filled you with joy and changed your perspective. Remember how He is the only one who can do those things! Enter into a time of prayer with your Creator (even if you are busy doing things...learn to pray wherever you are) and run to Him. Remember Matthew 11:28-30 NIV "Come to me, all you 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 in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." So often we carry around huge burdens and pain because we have not yet learned how to "go to Jesus." He wants to carry those heavy loads. He wants to heal you. He wants to relieve you of the burdens and pressures of this life. But we need to learn how to "go to Him." We need to remember to "go to Him." When you feel these things...stop and "go to Jesus."

A SOUND MIND

Thank you Lord! The Holy Spirit has been bringing to mind this morning 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." So often in times of heavy emotion, little sleep and/or trial we are tempted to allow every thought that knocks on the door of our mind to enter in and have a seat! Lord help us! I so want to grow out of that. God enables us by His Spirit to have self-control and not have to be enslaved to tormenting and depressing thoughts. It is so sweet to go through your day in victory and joy...being an over-comer in the battle against your flesh. We are all in this sisters! Do not think you suffer days of intense emotion or negative thoughts alone! What an opportunity to witness the power of God working inside of you. Ephesians 3:20 NASB "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." And how encouraging it is to know "that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). Remember...God has given you a sound mind. The word for "sound mind" in the Greek derived from a word that means "heal, preserve, save, do well, be whole." The battlefield is mostly in our minds and that is where we need God to come in and take over. Be in God's Word. Read it, meditate on it and memorize it. Be in it all throughout the day. Fill your thoughts with scripture. Psalm 107:20 says, "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions." Apply the ointment of God's Word to your mind because it is God's will for you to live your life with a healed, whole and preserved mind. He died on the cross to give that to you. Thank you Jesus! Comment with any other thoughts or scriptures that God has given you concerning your thought life.