My Vacation

“For since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes have been made clearly intelligible through the things that have been made. (His handiworks). Romans 1:20

Standing on the beach, wind blowing through my hair, the sound of the waves splashing up on shore, the sand under my feet and the misty fog that comes with a warm morning, I’m still amazed at the awesome way God reveals things to me.

I watch as the waves of the high tide sweep away all the marks of the past. The footprints that were there in the sand just a second ago, are now gone. I bend over to write in the sand and a wave comes, now my letters are very faint, another wave and they are completely gone. The waves don’t just take away or clean up, they also at times leave gifts on the shore. They leave shells and sponges for me to collect and investigate. They reveal sand dollars that were just underneath the sand in the water, but as the waves pull back and the tide goes out, all of these treasures are revealed for me to enjoy.

The same way God is with us, every morning He sweeps through with new mercy, we pray and He forgives and forgets our sins and leaves us with a clean slate. The Holy Spirit blows in our lives and shows and teaches us practical applications on the Word to use in our everyday lives. God does even more than this though, He leaves us with treasures, gifts we can enjoy. He blesses us with favor as we go through our day, with people that love us, friends and family, a home, a job, children-He is so good to us! He gives us Spiritual gifts that are so precious-anointing that allows us to accomplish what we never could on our own.

The ocean is so huge, I strain to see something out there. Looking closely I see a boat, that I know is large, yet seems so small in the distance. The clouds seem smaller, the sea gulls and the other birds are small. I again am in awe of how this relates to God in my life. God is as vast as the ocean, He is huge, all consuming, compared to Him everything is so small. He is more powerful than the tide and more cleansing than the water. He is a great and mighty God.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork. Psalm 19:1

Are You a Dead Sea Christian?

The Dead Sea received its name because no life can exist in its waters. The Jordan River is the source of fresh water for it, but as soon as the water reaches the Dead Sea, it can’t go any further, so it becomes stagnant. The fresh part of the water evaporates rapidly in the hot desert climate and all the salt; minerals, etc. are left behind. The dry air absorbs the water evaporating and creates a natural sunscreen. This can happen in our Christian walk. If all we do is take in without ever giving out, then we are going to become stale Christians. All the blessings and knowledge we receive from God are going to evaporate. We do not want to be a “son”-screen, and screen out Jesus from the rest of the world. We want to share Jesus with the rest of the world. But, the more we allow ourselves and our spiritual life to become stale, the more we are being a son-screen rather than a witness to others.

“He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” Luke 11:23 NKJV

Many of us take in mercy, grace, forgiveness, love and all the blessings both material and spiritual from God and never give any of it away. We are intended to be vessels, to pour out to others what we receive from God.

“Freely you have received freely give.” Matthew 10:8b NKJV

This shows itself in many ways. We are material vessels for God by giving tithes, offerings, gifts, food, clothes and many other material things to others. God wants us to be resources for Him on this earth. We are to be Jesus in the skin to people.

“Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38 NKJV

Spiritually we can be vessels for God, by giving time, encouragement, love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and other forms of support. This includes forgiving the people we encounter on a daily basis. Not just our friends, family and coworkers, but the people that cut us off in traffic, or are slow in front of us in line. Giving mercy, grace and love to others can be part of our daily lives. A kind word, a smile, letting someone go ahead of you, these are all little ways that we can bless others. Sometimes all people need is to be listened to, or noticed and given time.

“And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 AMP

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14 NKJV

The things we learn in the Scriptures we are to share with others, to help lead people to the Lord. We are to do Kingdom business here on earth, sharing what we have whether it is knowledge, love or material items.

“He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” Luke 9:2 NKJV
“For the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few…” Luke 10:2a NKJV

We can’t give what we don’t have, so first it’s necessary to receive all God has for us and then give it away to others, in this way we empty ourselves so God can pour more into us. It is a divine cycle.

“And there was a man called Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, and he was rich.”  Luke 19:2 AMP

“And when Jesus reached the place, He looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus hurry and come down for I must stay at your house today. So he hurried and came down, and he received and welcomed Him joyfully. And when the people saw it, they all muttered among themselves and indignantly complained, He has gone in to be the guest of and lodge with a man who is devoted to sin and preeminently a sinner. So then Zacchaeus stood up and solemnly declared to the Lord, See Lord, half of my goods I give [by way of restoration] to the poor and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I restore four times as much.” Luke 19:5-8 AMP

Eating in a person’s home was a significant act in biblical times, signifying fellowship and acceptance. Zacchaeus RECEIVED and welcomed Jesus joyfully; and in response promised to give half of his goods to the poor and restore four times the amount to anyone that he had cheated. The law only required that Zacchaeus restore the original amount plus one-fifth. The proof of receiving salvation is not that we do what we must to make things right, but that we gladly do more.

Be an encourager. Be Jesus in the skin to someone today. Give away one of your many blessings to someone else, and just watch how Jesus uses you.

Don’t be a “Dead Sea” Christian.

Fall Leaves

Raking leaves this week it occurred to me how in the Bible many times there is a reference to trees, roots and fruit in the context of believers. I thought about the fig tree Jesus cursed because it had no fruit. “And as He saw one single leafy fig tree above the roadside, He went to it but he found nothing but leaves on it [seeing that in the fig tree the fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. And He said to it, Never again shall fruit grow on you! And the fig tree withered up at once.” Matt. 21:19 The leaves on the tree led Him to believe something that was not true. The tree was a fake and had to go. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves. You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit but the sickly (worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit. A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.“ Matthew 7:15-20

As Christians, we are to bear fruit as well. “Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart]“ Matt 3:8. “…so that now you may belong to Another, to Him Who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.” Romans 7:4b There are seasons of our lives that we are dormant and not visually growing, but inside of us, there is something going on. In the spring, the buds show up on our branches, the sap starts flowing and we bear fruit. If we are Christians that do all the “things” on the outside that Christians are “supposed” to do and when someone gets close to us, they find there is no fruit beneath our leaves; we are a fake, a hypocrite and should be cursed and thrown into the fire.

I was sitting on the sofa the other day and I heard a huge gust of wind. I looked out the window and saw the leaves off the trees blowing sideways across the yard. I was reminded that just as the leaves on the trees change colors and fall off, so do the things in our lives that God is through with. There are times the Holy Spirit’s wind blows through our lives to make the things that are dead fall off of us. There are things we sometimes insist on hanging on to. Maybe it is something God once anointed us for and now wants us to move on. Yet, we hang on to whatever it is; teaching Sunday School, working in the Nursery, attending prayer meeting, whatever it is. We hang on because it is a good thing and God really used it in our lives and we think we are to keep it. “Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away; and he cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.” John15:2

There are times in our lives that we need to have some trials happen to us to get the fruit producing in our lives again. Jesus told a parable in regards to this: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find [any]. So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]? But he replied to him, Leave it alone, sire [just] this one more year, till I dig around it and put manure [on the soil]. Then perhaps it will bear fruit after this; but if not you can cut it down and out.” Luke 13:6-9

Sometimes it takes a little “manure” to get the fruit growing again.

You Can’t Stop Me

Last Saturday, I attended a conference sponsored by Women of God. The theme was “In His Presence”. I was within minutes of walking out the door when something happened–my power went out! I checked the circuit breaker box and it was okay, I looked outside to see if my neighbor’s had power, but I couldn’t tell.

I went to the car to leave and I couldn’t–the garage has an automatic door. I remembered if I pulled the red handle that was hanging down I could manually open the door. I pulled the handle, it disengaged, I tried to pull the door up and it wouldn’t budge. I tried and tried and tried! Finally, I went in the house and called the Power Company to see if they knew about the outage. They knew and said it would be back on sometime between 9:00 and Noon! I found myself sitting down and starting to tell myself I would just get comfortable and stay home. Then it came to me that the last thing the enemy wanted me to do was to go to this event! I figured it was going to be great. I decided nothing was going to keep me from going. I sat down, prayed and started to read my Bible, I was going to get filled with the Word and ready for my day. By 9:05 a.m. the power was on and I was on my way.

I wasn’t very late, worship had just finished. They asked us to introduce ourselves to someone near us. I told the lady I spoke with that I was expecting great and wonderful things from God. I knew something awesome was going to happen and that’s why Satan tried so hard to get me discouraged.

I was right, the conference was really terrific! I learned so much and I was so blessed by the worship and the other women. It was a wonderful day. The speakers were really good; one was a Pastor and a psychotherapist. She spoke mostly about the different coping skills and emotions that are developed by people who have been abused. She believes healing ultimately occurs through strengthening the spirit, a deepening relationship with God and healing the soul. We learned contemplative prayer, which I found to be really helpful. Contemplative prayer is when we place ourselves as the “main character” in a Bible story. I stretched out on the pew and closed my eyes as she read a Bible story. She asked us at different times how we felt, what things looked like, etc. It was a healing thing to do. I believe we’re most open to the Holy Spirit and His work in us when we are creative.

I was reminded how important it is to just sit with Jesus. Since then, I have made it a deliberate action in my day, to spend quiet time with Him. He’s my best friend and I find myself throughout the day talking with Him. He goes to work with me, grocery shopping, walking, to coffee and lunch. He goes everywhere with me. I look forward all day to spending quality alone time with Jesus, I am excited and eagerly anticipating my time with Him. I know and I’m aware of Jesus with me throughout the day, because I have set my mind to be. I’ve asked Jesus to help me to be aware and I’m changing already.

I know spending time with Jesus is not just a feeling, it is a state of my soul, and it transforms me. In His presence I am changed, my soul is refreshed and my heart is softened. Little by little, day by day, I develop the mind, heart and attitude of Jesus. I will start to manifest more and more compassion, love and humbleness, all the fruits of the Spirit will be developed in me. I have learned prayer isn’t always talking, thinking or even trying to listen, prayer can be just being open to receive whatever it is Jesus has for me. There are times He brings things up and we walk through the memory or issue together, that’s how healing happens. There are not words to describe the presence of Jesus, or the transformation He does in my soul.

“He must increase, but I must decrease. (He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.)” John 3:30

I finally got the meaning of this Scripture, and it is so easy! I don’t know why I had such trouble with it. I’ve tried for most of my Christian life to do the things I thought I was supposed to do. For instance: crucify my flesh, seek God’s will, show the fruits of the Spirit, resist the devil, etc. When what I need is to spend time with Jesus. The Holy Spirit impressed upon me this illustration: if I have a glass with dirty water in it and I pour in fresh clean water and continue to pour water in the glass until it overflows; and I pour still more water in it, more and more and more…eventually; the glass has NO dirty water in it, JUST clean water!

“Let this same attitude and purpose and (humble) mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus” Philippians 2:5

“(Not in your own strength) for it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you (energizing and creating in you the power and desire) both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.” Philippians 2:13

All I need to do is focus on filling myself full of Him, not removing the undesirable traits that are in me. The undesirable will go when I am continually filled with Jesus. He will never leave me or forsake me, He will not quit-He will continue to transform me and finish the work He started in me. All I have to do is cooperate!

What Kind of Fish are You?

Here in Minnesota, the fishing season is going strong. Whenever I drive by the lake I see people standing on the shore and out in boats fishing. I’m not really a fisherman myself, but I have been fishing. What I like the most about it is sitting in the boat, being quiet and enjoying nature, the scenery, getting some sun and reading a book. Sometimes, when I’ve lost the bait on my hook, I just throw my line out anyway and sit back and relax, enjoying what I really came for.

This got me thinking about the different methods of fishing and how they relate to the temptations each of us have in our lives. I remember watching my friends fishing off the dock a few years back. My girlfriend was getting a new worm and her hook was hanging over the edge into the water. A bluegill started trying to bite the hook; there wasn’t even any bait on it! I thought, what a stupid fish!

I’ve been walleye fishing at night. The person I was with gave me a quick lesson on the ways of the walleye. They’re a sneaky fish, and you have to be sneakier than they are. Using a metal leader will scare them away because they can see it, you don’t use a bobber and fish off the bottom. They come up to the bait, lure or whatever you’re using and gently suck it in, the person on the end of the pole can hardly feel the fish on the hook. The expert fisherman, when they feel that small tug they suspect is a walleye; they’ll let out some line and let the fish run with it. The fish is going in the opposite direction of the boat with the bait in its mouth. They are thinking (leave it to me to guess what a walleye is thinking!) that they’re getting away with this particular bait. They’re thinking this is a meal! When they have gone out far enough, the fisherman tugs at the line, “hooks” the fish and reels them in.

Then there’s the northern; they’re a frisky fish. I’ve always thought of them as being the carefree partier’s. They seem to just gulp and swallow the bait that goes by them, and right away, they’re fighting with it. They like action; fast moving bait is attractive to them. The fisherman has to hook them immediately, there’s no letting this fish run with the bait; you hook them, fight with them and reel them in. They’ll panic and dive deep, jump and flip trying to throw the hook and bait off, they will swim under the boat, wrap themselves around the anchor rope and anything else not to get caught.

Different fish, environments or seasons call for different bait or lures. Sometimes, the fisherman doesn’t know what will be attractive to the fish on any given day, and they try one after another until something works.

This is how temptation is. There’s different bait for different people, environments, and seasons in our lives. We may see someone falling for a temptation we would never think of falling for, and like with the bluegill, we think “what a stupid person to not see the hook in that temptation!” When we are small, young Christians, we fall for everything, we’re not smart, mature or strong enough yet to recognize and resist the old “bait” we loved.

Some of us are like northerns, we’re angry, or just looking for fun and go after the action, the fast moving stuff. Some of us are like walleyes. I think of the mature Christian as being a walleye, we think we’re being so careful, not seeing anything (such as a leader). We gently take a nibble, and then a bite, we run with it a while and we start to think that it’s a meal, not bait. We’ll get away with it, no one knows and we won’t get caught. Then, we get hooked!

After some time has gone by, there are some of us, maybe all of us that know what our particular “hooks” are. These are the weak areas in us we bite at and get in trouble with. These things we can‘t do, even though it may be all right for others. For example, some of us have certain addictions and we cannot even entertain the thought of tasting that certain something again. While other people do not have our same addictions and they can indulge, with no problem. We know what our “hooks” are, and yet, we still go for the bait. That bait still looks attractive to us, it smells good, sounds good, we know we will get hooked and we bite anyway. After we bite on these hooks often enough, there are times we can’t remove the hook; we get in denial about the hook. The size of our hook, how bad it’s stuck or the type of bait used doesn‘t matter, Jesus is the only one who can deliver us.

We may think these hooks, bait and temptations come from the enemy, but some of them come from us. James 1:14 says “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” This tells me it is our own desires of the flesh that get us. I’m not saying that Satan does not tempt us, he does, he tempted Jesus in the desert. What I’m saying is we are the culprits who make it hard for ourselves at times. This verse also points out it’s not just some of us, but Each One of us is tempted. We are not alone.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16

Jesus is always there for us and He understands. He’s there when we have hooks we can’t remove, when we’re in denial, and when we’re stuck in the cycle of sin. He’s there and He loves us. We can approach Him with confidence knowing we’ll find mercy and grace.

How Far I’ve Come

Isn’t it funny how God works? He works from the inside out, sometimes it is so slow and natural we don’t even see the change. Other times, He works so fast; it’s a miracle, a deliverance. I’ve experienced both of these ways of God in my life. About 6-8 months after I got saved, I one day noticed I didn’t swear anymore. I don’t know when it happened or how it happened, it just did. When I got off of drugs and drinking it was a genuine deliverance in my life. It seemed to happen quickly, but as I think about it, maybe it was a slow process, one I didn’t even know was going on inside of me until it manifested on the outside.

I read a book “Tired of Trying to Measure Up” by Jeff VanVonderen a few months after I quit smoking pot. Now I’m reading it again. When I first read the book I thought the author knew me and was writing the book about me. Almost every single word was exactly me! It was the best book; it really helped me to realize what, how and why I have the personality traits and behaviors that I do.

The book is about Christians who live under a deeply ingrained code of written and unwritten expectations and rules that shame them and drain them. It is for the perfectionist, people with low self worth, ones that were abused or shamed and the people who were addicted to any form of substance that allowed them to escape. Mostly it is about shame and how it affects us in our opinion about our relationships our behaviors and ourselves. It speaks about who we are in God’s eyes, what He created us to be, the freedom God’s grace brings and how to recognize what our coping skills are and how they do or don’t serve us in our relationships.

The first time I read this book, a friend borrowed it to me. I remembered the book being so true for me that I wanted my own copy. My church had a sale in the bookstore a few weeks ago and I bought it. I started reading it for the second time. I am only on the 3rd chapter and I can already see how far I’ve come. The opinions, behaviors and characteristics the book speaks of were 98% me the first time. Now, they are still in me, but healed to the point that they rarely show up anymore. My thoughts are different, my actions are different, and it’s a miracle!

“And all of us, as with unveiled face, because we continued to behold in the Word of God as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another for this comes from the Lord Who is the Spirit. II Corinthians 3:18

“And let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:6

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6

If you ever think you are not moving spiritually, look back in your journal if you have one, read a book that described you, ask a trusted friend or pray and ask God to reveal it to you. I know you will be encouraged when you realize how different you are. God usually takes us through life’s lessons slowly and we are continually being transformed into His likeness.

Making Excuses to God

It was a day just like any other day, except it was really hot and humid. I came home from work, laid underneath my ceiling fan and put in a movie. It wasn’t too long and I got a call from the Pastor of my old church. He and I had been really close, I was the church secretary and we would spend a lot of time talking. He was there for me the first few years of my Christian life and got me going on the right path.

He called wanting to know if he could refer someone to me that is going through a time in their life like what I went through in my past. He wanted me to share and minister to this person. I felt honored, that God wanted to use me in this person’s life. All the pain, heartache and struggles that I went through were not in vain. God is going to use those to help others in need! I love to minister to others, to see someone who is hurting and struggling find hope and healing. There is no greater joy than to watch that transformation happen.

As we were talking, we were catching up on each other’s lives. I updated him on a few things and he asked me questions that no one has asked me lately. Things like: How do you feel about that? Where are you in your walk with God? How is your soul? After I got off the phone I got thinking about his questions.

I am the kind of person that needs a sounding board, someone just to listen to me as I talk about my feelings, emotions and thoughts. It helps me to figure out what’s really going on. If it’s ok, I’d like to use this forum as my “sounding board”.

I realize that I am at a place in my life that I’m making excuses to God for my sins. I’m not being accountable or responsible for the way that I’m living. I am blaming my past experiences for my current behavior and choices. I really love God and want to be obedient, but, I am afraid to do what I know is right. I don’t trust my discernment and my ability to make right choices.so I am currently living with my boyfriend and I know that I should marry him, we talk about it, but yet due to a previous marriage/divorce I am afraid to make that step. We both love God and have given our lives to Him. My boyfriend has a history of DWI’s and addiction, I have a history of addictions as well. I’ve been straight for almost 5 years and never have slipped. He’s had a slip just recently and is in the workhouse serving time for a DWI. I know that God has gotten his attention and is working on him.

I got delivered from my addictions by God in a supernatural way, and have a hard time remembering that some people have to be healed step by step. I know that we are transformed from glory to glory, and I need to have the grace, mercy and patience to allow God to know the timing that is needed for each individual. This is a learning experience for me because my deliverance was immediate. It was a miracle in my life. I know that God is using my boyfriend (and maybe this other person that my Pastor is referring to me) to teach me the various ways that God works.

The Bible says “Not that I have now attained (this ideal), or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me his own. I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own (yet); but one thing I do (it is my one aspiration): forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the (supreme and heavenly) prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.” Philippians 3:12-14 (AMP). Also, “Therefore, if any person is in Christ he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17 (AMP). Both of these verses tell me that I am not to look at the past to get a picture of the future. The past is exactly that, the past. Joyce Meyer (spiritual teacher and conference leader) often says that the way you start is not as important as the way that you finish and the start does not make or break you at the finish when it comes to spiritual matters. God can and does transform everyone and anyone.

The Bible also tells me “Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom) And all of us, as with unveiled face, (because we) continued to behold (in the Word of God) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; (for this comes) from the Lord (Who is) the Spirit.” II Corinthians 3:17-18.(AMP) Also, “”Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” Romans 12:2. These verses tell me that we are changed from “glory to glory” and by the renewing of our minds. I know that this is true, my anniversary for being straight is in August and it will be 5 years. I think of how far I’ve come and I’m amazed. God is truly an Awesome God.

Thank you for allowing me to use this as a sounding board, I pray that this article has given you something to think about in your own life. If you are like me and using excuses for your sin or using your past to judge the future, join me in trusting the future to God, trusting our own and other’s transformations to God, (nothing is too big for Him!), confessing and repenting our sins, knowing that God will be and always has been faithful. He is there for us, He loves us and we CAN trust Him.

Bless you.

Beauty for Ashes

God will give us beauty for ashes, joy for mourning and praise for
heaviness.

My job as a Housing Inspector II gives me many hours in my car. In
fact, most of my day is spent driving from inspection to inspection
in my district. This gives me lots of time for prayer, worship and
listening to teaching tapes, which I do over and over and over!

Today, I was out in my car driving around, listening to my favorite
Christian Contemporary radio station; K-LOVE and I heard a song that
I haven’t heard for a long time, “Beauty for Ashes” by Crystal
Lewis. I love this song, and I love the Bible verses that inspired
it.

The following is from Isaiah 61:
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed
Me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the
brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the openings
of the prison to those who are bound. To proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort
all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them
beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise
for the spirit of heaviness. That they may be called trees of
righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified.
(Vs. 1-3)

And they shall rebuild the old ruins, they shall raise up the former
desolations, and they shall repair the ruined cities, the
desolations of many generations… (Vs. 4)

Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of
confusion they shall rejoice in their portion, therefore in their
land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs.
(Vs. 7)

These promises are so rich to me. God WILL rebuild all of the ruins
in our lives, He WILL give us double honor instead of our former
shame, everlasting joy WILL be ours. He WILL give us beauty for
ashes, joy for mourning and praise instead of heaviness. We WILL be
solid righteous people that He may be glorified! This is so
inspiring to me!

I started thinking about these promises and realized that in order
for us to fully experience the joy, praise, honor, and beauty; we
need to give to the Lord our shame, ashes, mourning and heaviness.
We cannot experience all that the Lord has for us and still carry
around with us all of our junk! We need to give it up, make it
ashes, and die to it! We need to take it all and lay it down at the
foot of the cross, and LEAVE IT there. Give it to Jesus, that’s the
reason that He died–for all that stuff, for our shame, our
heaviness, our mourning, all of it!

Here is a poem that the Holy Spirit inspired in me to write. It
speaks of some things that I needed to make into ashes and give to
Jesus. I pray that you be blessed by it.

BEAUTY FOR ASHES

Have you ever felt you’re crossed off someone’s list?
Just tossed aside – never to be missed.
And you thought you were so close,
A relationship that was unlike most.

One day you see them at a restaurant,
With old friends and what you really want,
Is to be accepted by them again,
And return to being a close friend.

The cold reality of it all sets in,
You realize it’s just somewhere you’ve been.
They’re moving forward – not looking back,
You’re part of the past, that’s a fact.

You shared your life, you feel betrayed,
You pray that feeling will somehow fade.
You turn to God; you want to know,
How to forgive and let this go.

You fear having close friends again,
You don’t want to let new one’s in.
The friends you have are precious and few,
You know (pray–hope) that they are really true.

Giving God our ashes brings beauty in return,
It’s a Kingdom principle we must learn.
Only when we lay our ashes down,
Does God provide beauty all around.