God Break Her Heart

Oh my God, blow them away like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.  As a fire roars through a forest and as a flame sets mountains ablaze, chase them with your fierce storms; terrify them with your tempests.  Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and terrified forever.  Make them failures in everything they do, until they learn that You alone are called the Lord, that You alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.

Psalm 84:13-18

Through my studies this week I came across a heading in the concordance of my bible that grabbed my attention.  There in black and white I was caught off guard seeing the words: "God sometimes has to break our heart".  I know God is a jealous God and wants us to follow only Him and have no other gods but would He go to the extreme of breaking our heart to get our attention?  I was lead to Ezekiel 6:8-10 and as I studied I was reminded of the many times God brought destruction on people.

“But I will let a few of my people escape destruction, and they will be scattered among the nations of the world. ⁹ Then when they are exiled among the nations, they will remember me. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins.¹⁰ They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I was serious when I said I would bring this calamity on them.  

His love was so strong for His creation that He could not sit back and watch them follow other gods and put their trust in idols.  They chose to live life their own way and compromised, or disregarded God's law all together.  In the destruction He would lead a few to repent and experience a life changing moment.  I found it interesting that God would break our hearts that way but you see even in the destruction God's ultimate goal isn't necessarily for hurting us but for breaking us for a more beautiful, fulfilling life in Him.  

We probably all know someone who isn't living the way she should, or who chooses to reject God.  There are people in our lives who call themselves christians who aren't living as christians.  They are ignoring God's commandments and denying God as Ruler of their life.  Right now I have one particular friend who I know needs to open her ears and heart to God's voice but she is running so fast that she won't give anyone a chance to even speak.  And I can pray that this will happen soon.  I can pray that her ears be open, her heart be changed and her eyes clear to see God in her life, and God will honor that, but sometimes when it gets so bad we need to ask God to break that person's heart.  Not that we want hardship for them but more importantly,  we desperately want our friend or loved one to stop running and stand still long enough to hear God.  Sometimes, unfortunately, the only way that can happen is if she is stopped cold in her tracks, broken and alone.  So we pray the scripture above and ask God to chase our friend and run her down, and punish her for her lust and infidelity to Him.  It sounds harsh, but we want God to terrify her bringing her disgrace and loneliness that leads to broken pride.  We ask Him to thwart all her plans so that she no longer has anything going for her and she is finally brought to a place of complete humbleness.  Her pride is broken, she has nothing left and she reaches out only to find God waiting there to rescue her.  

It is hard to believe that it would take this much and that anyone would even wish this treatment on an enemy let alone a friend but I am a firm believer in the power of the Holy Spirit to reach people in their desperation.  When a person, who knows God, lives by her own power, and then everything falls apart, she is smart to assume that she has run out of power and it is time to turn to the source of all power, Her Lord who alone is the Most High.  So you see when we pray for our spouse, parent, friend, neighbor or child to be broken it is not with the intention of hurting them or embarrassing them, it is for one reason only............to be broken of pride and brought to complete surrender to God.  Do you love someone enough to pray for his or her brokenness?   

With All You've Got

Matthew 22:37

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

God is a very jealous lover. He is your creator, your Father, your Friend, and your ______? He is to you everything you need him to be. That's why his first name is, "I am".  You just need to fill in the last name. 

Are you sick? Than he is your healer. Are you tired; let him be your strength. Do you fear; he longs to be your comforter. God is everything we need and he desires to be all that we want. 

As you ask God to search your heart today, begin assessing your 'go to' mode in a time of stress. 

Do you talk to friends- than learn to talk to God instead. Others have become your god.

Do you keep your emotions and issues bottled up-than ask God to help you humble yourself and open up to him and others. Pride has become a god to you.

When you are afraid do you worry or trust in God? 

When stress comes do you have a drink, smoke a few cigarettes or turn to another addiction for comfort? It is your god.

God wants all of you. He longs to be the 'Great I am ____' in your life. And in the blank he wants to put the words 'your everything!'

It is a process. It is painful and will require hard work and endurance, but when you reach the point that you know he's your everything you will be so strong, confident, and beautiful that you won't recognize the gal you were before! Let go and seek to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength!

Pray Now

But the Lord watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love.  He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.  We depend on the Lord alone to save us.  Only He can help us, protecting us like a shield.  In Him our hearts rejoice, for we are trusting in His Holy Name.  Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.

Psalm 33:18-22

We all have friends and acquaintances that need lifted up in prayer today.  I have been up all night thinking of a few, and my heart is heavy and burdened, so this morning I can only ask that you get on your knees and pray for those who need you most right now.  Carry his or her burdens to the Lord.  If you don't have words to say then find positive scripture speaking life into each situation and fight for those you love.  Put your friend or loved one's name right into scripture and claim it for them!  Friends, there is nothing more powerful than spending time with God, trusting in God and praying from the bottom of your heart.  Please if there is anything we can pray for email us and we promise to lift you up.  We do not take prayer lightly because we have seen the positive outcomes it produces.  We have grown closer to God through prayer and we trust that our God can heal any illness or painful circumstance.  Please let us help you.

Colossians 1:9-12, Philippians 1:9-11, Ephesians 3:16-19, Ephesians 1:17-19

In Advance

Today I want to reassure you that no matter what you are going through, it has been filtered by your Father. He saw it coming and isn't alarmed! I know this because today I had a situation arise that God had prepared me for 2 days ago. I read my scriptures the last 2 days; both days I wondered what they meant. It wasn't until today when I found myself in a certain situation that the scriptures came to my mind again. God knew that I would need them in order to respond appropriately.
However, I believe this happens all the time, God preparing us in advance. The trouble is, often we are not meditating on His Word or seeking for opportunities to apply the truths that he's teaching us. It was simply because I was in communion with Him that I was able to see his provision.
Oh, Lord, let us watch for you more carefully! Because of your great love, you supply our very needs before we even know them ourselves. We love you! Amen

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8

Be Faithful

And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.  If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.  I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.  But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk?  The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.

“And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn’t prepared and doesn’t carry out those instructions, will be severely punished.

Luke 12:42-47

Every day I am praising God for His faithfulness.  It is evident that He is working in all circumstances and on those rare occasions I don't see His work I am confident and hopeful that He is still there.  I have, in fact, come to expect God's provision and I no doubt take Him for granted all too much, but Great is His faithfulness unto me!  As I was reading a devotion yesterday it dawned on me that as much as God is faithful to me He expects the same faithfulness from me.  God needs me to be faithful in my affairs.  He has laid people on my heart, and tasks in front of me that He needs me to accomplish.  I am useful to God, a vessel that He has chosen to help accomplish His work on earth.  All throughout the bible we learn of those people who God chose to do His work.  We are all called to do things for God, not to earn our way into heaven, but to team up with our Master and accomplish His will.  We are His stewards called to do many things through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

So next time you are in prayer and you are praising God for His faithfulness think about your own faithfulness to Him.  Are you listening to His voice?  Do you obey when you hear Him calling?  It is essential to spend time in His word so that we recognize His voice and we know what He is calling us to do.  In order to relate to God and understand the things He asks of us, we must be backed by biblical truth because that is how we identify, and reject whatever is sinful, poorly timed or simply not fit for God's children.  Friend, if He is knocking on the door of your heart, let Him in and listen to what He asks of you........be faithful with the stories He shares and the ideas He gives you.    

No Secrets

I've felt led to write this blog for a few days now and the desire is not leaving me, so here it is. There was a time in my life that confusion resulted in sin. I was misled by others' words. My confusion challenged my beliefs. So silently, I remained in sin and confusion. It wasn't until I was at the bottom of a dark, scary pit that I decided I needed help. I called out to a friend and spilled everything; every detail was shared be it good, bad, or ugly. It was then that I could go to God for confession and healing. Truth emerged in the light of day.  This verse sums up my experience:
     "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
       For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.
       Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.
       I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' And you forgave the guilt of my sin."
                  Psalm 32-3-5 NIV

Dear GFF,
I don't know what you're going through. I don't know if it's your sin or that of another that is hurting you, but I want you to know that either way I know your hurt. Don't remain silent. Tell a friend or a family member. Seek wise counsel. If it's too personal, you can email us anonymously, and we will search scripture to help you see truth and find your way to freedom. We are here for you!

Dear Lord,
Give our friends courage today to begin the journey to freedom and healing. Amen

Sunday Scripture: throw no stones

Then everyone went home, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.  Early the next morning he went back to the Temple. All the people gathered around him, and he sat down and began to teach them.  The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman who had been caught committing adultery, and they made her stand before them all.  “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery.  In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?”  They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger.  As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened up and said to them, “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.”  Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground.  When they heard this, they all left, one by one, the older ones first. Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there.  He straightened up and said to her, “Where are they? Is there no one left to condemn you?”

“No one, sir,” she answered.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “I do not condemn you either. Go, but do not sin again.”     John 8:1-11

Dear God, help us to remember that our fight is against the sin and not the sinner.  Don't let us pick up stones but give us strength and wisdom to fight against satan who is the mastermind behind the sin.  Lord, you love us all the same.  Give us your perspective and show us how to accept and love everyone.  When we are tempted to throw stones show us our sin and give us compassion.  Amen