Praise is Gratitude

Honestly, I have been struggling with not feeling inspired to homeschool my kids.  I can't even get a clear picture of what is on my heart to share with them or how to teach them anything anymore.  So, I have been asking God to inspire me and help me figure out why and what might be the root is of my problem.   It's been a hard year, my dad passed away in January.  I have been helping others homeschool their kids this year and have been pouring out my time and energy to those around me.  As a mom, dying to self is key and God has shown me it is truly a ministry.  A human being can only accomplish so much and yet there is so much more to be done.

I went to a used curriculum fair trying to be inspired by looking at different books, thinking maybe this would help.  Several books caught my eye and I got to glance through them, intrigued and interested in maybe using them.  Mostly it was a time of seeing old friends and getting to visit with other homeschool moms.  I love homeschoolers, they are so passionate about learning, about the curriculum they have used and about learning more.  They are courageous and brave, a unique breed.  We are constantly looking for ways our children to learn from life which happens to us each day.  We love our kids and are giving our lives to help them have the best in every way with what God has made available to us.  It's like within our restraints, God is crafting and creating the perfectly unique kids through us.

This morning, I opened up one of my devotionals and read this.

"Praise is gratitude. Gratitude is a good attitude. It lifts the praiser to a state of greatness, whereas complaining pulls him down.  Ingratitude in bringing a curse upon this world.  Because people are  not thankful, their hearts are being darkened...God is calling for gratitude and thankfulness to flow from your heart.  God wants to bless us and prosper us, but how can He do this when my heart does not appreciate Him for what He has already done?" Day by Day by Gwen R. Shaw*

Romans 1:21 "Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but their thoughts became directed to worthless things and their foolish hearts and minds became covered in darkness."

I have been asking myself, where did the love of learning go?  That sweet place of desiring to read or look into a subject or book just for the love of it, wondering what might be in it.  Where is the curiosity?  Where is the desire of discovery?

Then is all came into perspective for me.  Gratefulness allows us count our blessings every day.  Gratefulness allows God's light to penetrate our minds and hearts making them a soft place for His truth to settle.  When we are thankful and praise God we give Him joy and He will open the windows of Heaven and pour His blessings and goodness into our lives.  He will increase our wisdom, knowledge and discernment as we keep our eyes and heart lifted to Him in praise. *

So, I'm going to take some time this summer to remember the special memories I have of homeschooling.  I distinctly remember His asking me to homeschool as I was walking home down a jungle road at the age of 12.  He must have known how good, lovely and important it would be for my children to be homeschooled, for Him to take time to tell me that so long ago.  I truly am so thankful for the close relationships I have with my kids.  Over the years we have spent so much time together around the table in devotions when they were younger and in conversations and prayer about their lives while they were older.

One special memory and answer to prayer I have is when God blessed us with a trip to Washington DC.  I had been asking God for this since the kids were young.  Rich had a business trip there so we all joined him along with his parents and made such special memories together!

God's Words are faithful and as I take some time to look at what God has done for us and have my children do the same, I believe He will inspire us and give us that love of learning, curiosity and discovery again.  A verse that keeps coming to my mind is "He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it" Phil 1:6.  And "For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for Him!" Isa. 64:4.  Thank you, Jesus!!

Spring is here and I am so grateful to have flowers around for a short time.  May our lives be a sweet fragrance to Jesus and to one another. 

"Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you."
Luke 10:19

Have you ever wondered why the power that Jesus promised us just isn't totally there?  I have been wondering that myself and this morning came across some notes I had taken from John Paul Jackson.  He was saying that we are confusing power with authority.  We are crying out for power but what we actually need is authority.  I was confused about power versus authority.  

As authority increases the enemy will no longer be comfortable around us because demons cannot stand to be around godly authority.  Authority is only bestowed on us through relationship with Heaven.  It is the fruit of our relationship with God.  Character is important.  The fruit of godly character is holiness and godliness.  This allows God to true us with the authority He gives us.  I had observed throughout my life that those people with authority had a love for God and a godliness about them.  

I realized that Jesus wants me to walk in His authority.  It is the ability to rule after you have conquered; the ability to change things!  

Beautiful Flowers that Mary and Danielle gave me

Rejoice…Jesus is always in our midst!

 “The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior (Who saves)!  He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest (in silent satisfaction) and in His love He will be silent and make no mention (of past sins, or even recall them); He will exult over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

I was reading this morning in Zephaniah 3 and it was talking about how the Israelites had been so rebellious and how they didn’t listen to or heed God’s voice on things.  It talked about how Israel’s prophets were “light, lacking truth, gravity and steadiness” (vs. 4) and so on.  Then right in the middle I was surprised to see that in verse 5 it says, “the Lord in the midst of her is (uncompromisingly) righteous; He will not do iniquity.  Ever morning He brings His justice to light; He fails not, but the unjust (person) knows no shame.” 

“Wow”, I thought to myself!  What an amazing Savior and how sweet of Him!  He is a God who sees all of this and is obviously upset at their behavior but He still chooses to be in their midst.   I felt that He was saying that this was the state of our churches.  It sure takes guts to walk in all of God’s gifts that have been given to us and to learn to walk in our authority over our common enemy.  It takes guts to overlook denominational differences and to love one another with our different “gifting’s” in mind.   But this morning I was reflecting on how I mess up so much.  I speak out things that are rude or not thoughtful so quickly.  I know that my words bring about godliness or ungodliness…but I still need to learn so much about obeying that still small Voice that speaks to me right before I say something.  Sigh, will I ever learn?? 

As I kept reading through this chapter I saw in verse 8 that the Lord says, “Therefore, (earnestly) wait for Me, …(waiting) for the day when I rise up to attack (as witness, accuser, or judge, and a testimony)…”  I saw then saw Jesus in my own situations.  I saw that I have been waiting on Him to help our family.  We have been here in the Fort Hood area for 8 years now and we have given and served the US Army for a long time now. (We have been out for several years now and are so grateful for all we learned and that we were so well provided forJ) We have had to wait on God to heal us from PTSD but He did.  We have had to wait on God to heal our bad habits formed from that…but He is healing those today.  We have walked through so many trials but in a sweet way God has always been in our midst.  He has fought for us as I have begged Him to.  He has turned our mourning into dancing… 

I then went on to read in verses 12-16 that basically all these trials were used for our good, that they burned away the yuck and the Israelites were then left with a mantle of sorts of humility and a courageous and warrior spirit.  They could lie down and were not afraid.  Their enemy was cast out! vs 15, “Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel!  Rejoice, be in high spirits and glory with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem (in that day)(.. and this is that day!), …He has cast out your enemy.  The King of Israel, even the Lord (Himself), is in the midst of you; (and after He has come to you) you shall not experience or fear evil any more.” 

Then this next verse spoke deeply to my heart…  “Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; (ptsd, anger, rage, confusion, fear, rebellion, the list could go on…) I will safe the limping (ones) and gather the outcasts and will make them a praise and a name in every land of their shame.” (vs 19)   So much of what we think is just us, is actually the enemy assaulting us.  If we only knew that it was something spiritual and not just a symptom.  Jesus came to set us free from our afflictions and that might be a physical diagnosis, a spiritual or emotional one.   I know so many families affected by PTSD and I just want them to know that God can heal and remove all the symptoms so don’t give up asking and believe that He will heal and restore what was lost.  

I just want to thank God for His goodness and for loving my family so much and for providing for us each day in such amazing ways.  I thank God for our time here in Killeen and for the wonderful friends He has given us and for the great churches we have been a part of.  Jesus has always been in our midst, loving us, helping us and fighting for us.  He has used this time here for our good and now He is taking us to a new place (Kansas) to begin a new chapter of our lives. 

What I hope you see is that God will take what afflicts us and what causes us to limp and will heal us from that.  He will then help us to use that very shame or weakness to help others for His glory.  And so, I hope this is a little encouragement to you this day.  God never leaves us and always has a plan to bless us and bring healing to our hearts and minds.  This next verse has been one near and dear to my heart.  My Jesus dances over me and loves me.  He wants me to walk in His Rest as He sings over me.

“The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior (Who saves)!  He will rejoice over you with joy; He will rest (in silent satisfaction) and in His love He will be silent and make no mention (of past sins, or even recall them);  He will exult over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17

Miscarriage...you are bound, in Jesus' name

“They triumphed over him (our enemy) by the blood of the Lamb 
and by the word of their testimony…” Rev. 12:11

Miscarriage…horrible…how dare he come against one so innocent and sweet…  He can be bound in Jesus name.  Our King has given us authority over this one, as well. 

A few Saturdays ago, I was driving my daughter and youngest son to a birthday party.  A few minutes before we got there I saw something through my spirit’s eyes.  It was like I was seeing through something else’s eyes.  I saw a dark and confined place but I saw some kind of light towards the right side. It looked like it was a reddish color.  I felt this upset feeling, like fear or the feeling of being uncomfortable so much so that I felt the need to try to help it feel better.  I thought I might have been seeing something inside of me.  I remembered how King David of the Bible would sing to himself and he would encourage himself in the Lord.  So I started singing the song, “Bless the Lord oh my soul, oh my soul, worship His Holy name, sing like never before, oh my soul…”  I sang that through twice but still did not feel totally better, so I just left it up to God to show me what was going on. 

Once we got to the party at the park and the kids had started playing, I looked up and saw a lady and her daughter, about my daughter’s age.  Right away I noticed that the lady was pregnant and it hit me!  I realized that what I had just seen would have been what a baby would see in her mother’s womb!!  I was blown away and asked God if I should somehow go over to her and pray for her and bless her baby and her pregnancy and delivery.  I heard Him confirm, “Yes”, to me so I introduced myself and found out that she was a believer.  She was pregnant with a little girl and her name meant “Life”.  Wow, I was pretty excited, that the God of the Universe allowed me to see with this little one’s eyes and that her name meant “Life”.  I could see how God had put this together and how the enemy could want to attack her life…

So, I started with…”the strangest thing happened to me on the way over here…”  I told her what I saw and she seemed to be excited and didn’t freak out.  I asked her if I could pray for her and she said, “yes”!   I mentioned how I felt some fear and she looked surprised as she shared that she was afraid over this pregnancy because she has had several miscarriages.  Armed with this information I prayed over her and her baby.  Isaiah 61 came to mind because of the call I felt is on her baby’s life, …she will bring life to others because she is anointed and she will bring life and fun to her family.  “No weapon formed against us shall prosper” came to mind and “For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and of a sound mind”.  I declared in Jesus’ name that her pregnancy and delivery will be safe and blessed and her life will be used for God’s glory.  I encouraged the lady to sing over her daughter and to stand on God’s Word. 

There is more to the story though.  On the way home, I was thinking on this and praising God for this amazing opportunity to see through someone else’s eye, an unborn baby’s eyes of all things!  I then remembered what a sweet friend of mine had just said….  You see, a few weeks ago this friend had just lost a sweet baby boy (18 weeks to miscarriage).  I read her blog and my heart broke…  She wrote out her feelings in such a deep and gut wrenching, open and honest way and at the end of one article she said something that struck me as a huge statement, spiritually speaking.  She said that when she was ready she was going to come against “miscarriage” with such a force!  It was such a horrible thing and she likened it to cancer because it comes to steal life!!

So as I was driving along, I realized that miscarriage still needed to be bound from this sweet little girl.  So, in Jesus’ name I bound miscarriage and commanded it to leave this baby alone, now!  All of a sudden I saw it (miscarriage)!  God allowed me to see…  He was bent over and looked up at me as soon as I commanded him to leave.  His face was almost white as a sheet and his eyes were wide, like in fear.  He wasn’t even very big, kind of small.  He had just pulled his hands out of something, (in my mind I understood it was the lady’s womb), and his hands were dripping red with blood (up to his elbows).  I then said, “In Jesus name, go, leave her alone!!  I heard something like a scream and then it was over.  

Wow, my mind was just praising God and almost not believing what I had just seen…but I stood on God’s Word over this and proclaimed that yes, she was protected and blessed.  I shared this with some friends and family and asked for prayer for her.  Then while I was at church that week, it hit me that the discomfort and the fear and upset feelings that I had felt that this sweet innocent baby was feeling was from Miscarriage’s hands attacking her!  Oh, my heart broke and it filled me with a righteous indignation.  God had allowed me to feel and see a glimpse of what she had felt.  I had seen through her eyes, and felt her discomfort and fear.  So, I say to Miscarriage, you have been found out, your cover is blown and you are a defeated foe. 

I share all of this only because of the verse that God led me to at the beginning.  We defeat our enemy…”by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of (our) testimony” Revelation 12:11.  This is not about me but about Jesus and the authority He has given us all and has asked us to do and to walk in.  If a little 3 year old girl can command a fever to “GO” with one word (a testimony I just read this week) and it left, then we can do that and more in Jesus’ wonderful, powerful and blessed Name!  It’s all in the Bible and Jesus came to give us His example in the New Testament.  God’s power and gifts never ceased.  Praise God!  

A Warrior At Rest?

I said I would add to what I started writing about a few weeks ago.  It has taken me a bit because I have been thinking through what I said, trying to walk through these truths.  Personally, I have been wondering how a warrior can do battle and stay at rest at the same time.  I got my answer pretty quickly though.  God showed me that He is the one who fights for us, that He is the one who contends for us.  He showed me in a deeper way, Isaiah 49:25.  "But this is what the Lord says, Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce;  I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save."  God gave this verse to me years ago when we were walking through PTSD, but that is another story.  

So, how is a warrior supposed to be a warrior if we are to walk in God's rest, letting Him go before us and behind us?  What He showed me is that we have to fight to stay in that rest.  This kind of rest is active, walking each day in His peace, His Sabbath rest.  I finally got it!!  I am supposed to be fighting to stay in His wonderful, peaceful rest!  My "fighting" is to not worry.  It is helping and teaching my children to walk in that rest and it is helping them to learn to walk in peace instead of arguing or fighting.  It is "fighting" for my family's schedule; to keep our family walking in His peace and not stress.  It is walking moment by moment listening to His voice and to what He wants me to do.  Walking in love is also a part of that.  How can I walk in love unless I have learned to be at rest in my heart, to be at rest in His sweet, amazing, perfect Love?

Hebrews 4:9 "So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath-rest reserved for the [true] people of God; for he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own.  Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell]."  amp

This Sabbath rest is a continual rest that Jesus died for so that we might walk in every day!    

That's it for now.  May you walk in His Grace and Peace today!