Radical Obedience

Is there something God is asking you to give up? What specific steps do you need to take to fulfill this obedience?

This week the messages that keep appearing from all different sources are not so much what to give up, but what to change.  Everyday I have seen the message to Put God First.  To live for my heavenly father in all that I do.  But how do you put God first?

I am still working on the answer, because putting God first is new to me and I am not sure what it is really supposed to look like.  But when I searched my heart two things came up:

1.  Money- I love the false sense of security that comes from money, from knowing there is extra in my account to cover for emergencies.  Debt causes me extreme stress and my student loans are enormous, so I am constantly thinking about how to pay down what is equivalent to a new home.  Often times I will do things not for the love of them, but for how much money they will bring in.  I am always looking at the bottom line.  I have conformed to the way of the world by thinking success is related to how much money I make and what I look like on the outside is more important than what is inside.
2.  Selfishness- although this is very closely linked with money, I have a fear of there not being enough so I am not the best at sharing.  Again, I think of how much it costs and how much it would be to replace and end up holding on to things instead of sharing.

Of course both of these go back to fear and not having enough.  Which is ironic because God has made sure I was taken care of my entire life!  So why do I doubt so much?  Why can't I trust HIM first?

Before I started this study, God put it on my heart to change careers and start teaching.  Obviously, not the path to more money and the opposite of selfishness.  While I was researching what it would take to switch career paths, I got a job offer.  I didn't even apply for a job, the offer just came to me.  I am pretty sure that was divine intervention.  The more we are learning to say YES to GOD in this Bible study, the more excitement it is creating in me about this new position.  I am so thankful God gave me enough strength to SAY YES, before I had the tools to know how to hear Him and follow Him.

As far as putting GOD FIRST and releasing the love for money and releasing selfishness, I think it will be a long journey.  Here are some Bible verses that I found to help along the way:

A generous person will prosper, whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. 
 -Proverbs 11:25

Do not conform to the patter of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.  
- Romans 12:2

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.
-Matthew 6:33

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
-Matthew 6:21

How do you put God First?  I would love to hear what that looks like for you.

PALMS UP!

In the Bible study What Happens When Women Say Yes to God at the end of chapter 1 Lysa asks, "What is holding you back from going deeper in your relationship with God?"

The resounding answer is FEAR.  Dark and ugly fear!
Fear of failure, fear of being judged by others, fear of my loved one's not liking this new path I am on, fear of what God may ask of me, fear I won't be able to do what God asks of me.  Just plain, old, fear.

Which made me think, what is fear?  Fear only means unknown, not knowing what is going to happen.  Or it means trying to avoid pain.  Then I think of Jesus on the cross and all the pain he endured for me and for all people.  Talk about a fearless leader.  But even he questioned God, even he went to God in prayer.  So why am I being so hard on myself?  Fear is natural.  Maybe this will be a huge lesson for me on how much God can take these fears from me...I hope so!  

When I prayed about it to God, this was the response that flowed on to my journal page:
Give me all your fears, I can handle them and more.  I AM with you.

Since I have never gone to the Bible to try and find verses to help with fear, I was most nervous to search scripture and find how the Word of God can support me in releasing my fears.  I used the internet to help, I am in awe of how much God wants to help us with our fears.  Here are some of the verses that spoke to me the most.  I just feel so much of God's love pouring into me.  I hope you can feel it to in these verses!

It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.  -Proverbs 29:25 (GNB)

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  -Jeremiah 17:7 (NIV)

The Lord will keep you safe.  He will not let you fall into a trap.  -Proverbs 3:26 (GNB)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  -John 14:27 (NIV)

Lord Jesus, I pray to release my fears and surrender to you.  I pray you will give me the courage to follow you and say YES when you ask me to.  I have my palms up, I am ready to trust in you.  Amen.

Nothing Yet - Listening for God & Jesus

My Palms are UP and I have been praying on Deuteronomy 6:5.  I am listening, looking and waiting to hear from God.  I haven't felt strongly called to anything yet, but I am staying open.

Lysa Terkeurst  says in What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, every circumstance, every person, each encounter is a divine appointment.  EVERYDAY COUNTS!  She also says that we are most likely to find God outside our comfort zone and to be honest the past few days have been very cozy.  Not on purpose, but just daily flow of life has been very quiet and simple.

But I think it is important to recognize that not everyone is going to have a burning bush moment everyday.  And when others are having those experiences that is what they need in the moment.

It just occurred to me that God was silent for hundreds of years in the Old Testament and being quiet for just a few days for me is no big deal.  This is about trusting the Lord, knowing His timing is perfect. (In that revelation I think I just "heard" from HIM!)

I am so thankful that the team at Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies, shared some key points of the conference call last night, even for people that could not attend.  I was so curious for the knowledge they were sharing about how to know when you hear God.  Here are the take away points:

5 Questions for Discovering God's Will.  It is God you are Hearing?

1. Does what I am hearing line up with God's Word (Scripture)?
2. Is what I am hearing consistent with God's Character?
3. Is what I am hearing confirmed through other messages?
4. Is what I'm hearing beyond me?  If so, is God asking me to trust Him?
5. Would what I hear please God?

Heart, Soul and Strength

This is the study verse for the week in the #YestoGod Bible Study.  

After reading chapter 1 in What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, the points that stood out most for me were:

• Saying YES, means making the choice to trust God, even when you can't understand WHY.
• Radical Obedience is Biblical Obedience and the overwhelming desire to walk in the center of God's will at every moment.
• Surrender each day to the Lord
• Don't let the fear you will mess-up hold you back or cause you to stumble.

Fear, that is the big issue.  Fear, I will not hear from God.  Fear, I will not have a relationship with Jesus.  Fear, I will fail when God asks me to say Yes!

But if I LOVE God with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength, it pushes away that fear.  The darkness is overcome by the light of Jesus.

To keep the verse in my mind and spirit, I will make Deuteronomy into my personal affirmation for this week.  Lord God, I love you with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my strength.  When fear creeps in, this will be my mantra.  Followed by, My palms are up and I say Yes!

Do you have your palms up?  Are you saying yes?  Are you afraid too?

I Am Saying YES!

I am very excited to start my very first Bible study.  The study is called What Happens When Women Say Yes to God and it is being organized by Proverbs 31 Ministries.  There are over 22,000 women that have joined from all around the world, how amazing is that!?!

I feel like it is an answer to my prayers, I hope it helps me on my Calling for Jesus and my quest to create a relationship with Him.

If you would like to join in too, all you have to do is get the book and follow along on the blog.  If you get the Kindle version, you can be ready to go by tomorrow!

I need you Jesus?

I did a Google search on "how to know Jesus" and an article came up through the Campus Crusades for Christ.  The article was really helpful and well written, but the ending prayer is what got me.

"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."

I just couldn't feel it.  So I decided to read it line by line.

Lord Jesus, I need You.

And I couldn't go on.  My mind kept saying, "You don't need Jesus.  You have done fine without him."

And I realized for the first time Satan knows how to use my own voice.  So all those times I thought I was listening to my intuition, was that true?

The article also said the only way to know God was through knowing Jesus.  Which is not true for me. I feel like I have always been able to connect to the Great Creator.  I pray to God, I thank God, I see God's beauty in this world.  It is a relationship with Jesus that I always have felt is lacking.

So after about a day, I have come back to the prayer.  I have tried again.

Lord Jesus, I need You.

Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins.

I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord.

Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life.

Take control of the throne of my life.

Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

Lord Jesus, I am calling for you.

Please come into my life.

I want to be the person you want me to be.

I want to have you in the center.

Even if it is challenging, I am calling for you.

I am sure.  I want this relationship with you.

Please help me to know you.

In Your Name I pray.

Amen.

Calling for you Jesus

I grew up going to church and have always thought of myself as a spiritual person, but I have never felt a close relationship to Jesus.  To God yes, but to Jesus - no.  My everyday prayers always feel empty and silent.  I have longed for a relationship with Jesus, but I have no idea how to get there.  I see other people that write and they seem to have such and intimate relationship with Jesus, yet I never seem to get to that space.

So I thought I would keep a journal of my ups and downs, as I search for a relationship with Jesus.  Maybe I will be able to use it to help someone else in the future.

I quickly started the blog, then fear crept in.

What if people read this and I never get that intimate relationship?  What if I fail?  What if I never get to know you Jesus?

I am scared, has anyone else ever been scared that they would fail?  That they would never have that relationship that seems to come so easily for others?

I am calling for you, Jesus.  I want to know you personally.  Please help me to know you.  Please.