In It

1 Corinthians 9:24b nrsv

“Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.” 

We must be clear that each one runs our race in our way. We can’t look to the right or left to see what another is doing. While we are intertwined, our race is our race. We run with the certainty that Jesus has already paved the way with Holy Spirit guiding, and God cheering us on.

Our winning is assured but we must stay in the race. Sometimes we run, sometimes we walk, sometimes we pause for direction, sometimes we rest, but at all times we stay in this race.  

We are never left alone on our journey, our race, but we must at all times ask for directions. Holy Spirit as our Paraclete guides us. Oh please be encouraged, when it appears that we have taken a wrong path through misinformation, or not listening, we can get back on the path, get back in the race.  As My daughter-in-love says to us struggling in working out.- “We got this y’all !” Hear Holy Spirit saying “You got this!” 

We are the ‘one’ to run it, we are the ‘one’ to win it. And when we hear “Well done!” My my, then we can rest knowing that we were in it and won it. enough for now.

Make a Change

Blessings on Ash Wednesday

Today marks the beginning of Lent. For these 40 days let us look inward to examine where we are and what we need to release. Let us look upward to examine our connection with God and how to walk stronger. 

Let us look outward and how we can love another. Take at least two hours a week for solitude and prayer. Don’t talk to God- let him talk to you. And then thank him. Thank him for your very life. Thank him that he loves us the way he does. Blessings.enough for now

God is Able

“Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25 NRSV)

This is a powerful blessing. You see, when we understand that it is God who keeps us, then we won’t use so much energy trying to do what God does. It is God who keeps us, who presents us, who watches over and holds us. 

What can we do with that? Be still and watch what he is doing. God continues to make a way, continues to keep us in spite of crazy around us. 

Ash Wednesday starts the Lenten season. Let us consider what we can do to give back to God. We can fast from something, or take on something. One suggestion is solitude and prayer for two hours a week. Use any spiritual discipline. Maybe it is to release something. Maybe it is to take on something. It is to strengthen our walk. enough for now.

Loving It

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Miicah 6:8 NRSV)

One verse from a prophet that gives us what we need. When I was young, my pastor, Rev. Herring would quote this verse often- in the same voice, with the same cadence, of course it was KJV then. 

God brought me back to this same word, same meaning, easy to understand - do justice, love kindness, walk humbly.  Walking with God humbles us. It sets us up to hear from him, to follow him, to trust him. And out of that true humility we are true, fair with one another. We don’t just love kindness,  but we are kind from within. That’s a different place. 

When the enemy or our own woundedness tries to trip us up with lies -they can’t stick. We know who we walk with, and that gives us clarity on who we are. Yes, we are not perfect, we can’t be. But we can be his, who loves him and is kept by him through dangers seen and unseen. 

 

He loves us. Love him back. Love him back by walking with him, loving others through loving him, showing justice and kindness to others- and to self. Don’t judge yourself so harshly that you can’t see what God is doing with you. He’s doing a great thing- because he love you!  enough for now

Hold On

Psalm 1:1-2

(NRSV): “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.”

Hold on, be happy, be blessed. Excerpts from my devotion this morning:

“No evil can befall you if I am with you. "All that He blesses is our good." Every time of being laid aside is a time of retreat into the quiet place with Me. Never fear but in that place you shall find restoration and power and joy and healing. 

Plan both of your retreat days now and then—days when you live apart with Me, and arise rested and refreshed—physically, mentally, and spiritually, to carry on the work I have given to you. I will never give you a load greater than you can bear. 

Love, Joy, Peace—welcome these. Let no personal feelings, no thoughts of self banish these. Singly, they are miracle-producing in a life, but together, they can command all that is needed on the physical, mental, and spiritual planes. It is in these wonder-realm attributes all success lies. 

You have to see your inner lives are all they should be, and then the work is accomplished. Not in rushing and striving on the material plane, but on the battlefield of the Soul are these things won.”

Be blessed, know that God is, that God has you. enough for now.

Say NO to Unbelief

Matthew 13:58

“And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.”

This has been a wonder to me. Because of the unbelief of the people. I used to think that Jesus couldn’t do because of their unbelief. No, no, Jesús wouldn’t do. That’s the difference. He wouldn’t do. Let’s pause right there. Unbelief shuts down our miracles. Let us not be those who miss the miracles because of our unbelief. Let’s move from negativity to positivity. That shifts the atmosphere. Let’s not do evil for evil (as my mother used to say). Let’s walk in our belief, in our faith, watching what God is doing. enough for now.

Step Up

Matthew 9:37-38 (NRSV):  “Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Go back and read 35-38. Jesus sent the disciples to do what he did, heal the sick, ease the broken-hearted, restore the demonized, proclaim the gospel. And yet, there is need for more. Everyone has something to do as laborer. We must work while we can, while it is time. We work in our assignment, we pray for others to work in theirs. We work or pray. We work and pray. This is the season to step up and move as he has assigned. This is the season as there is much to be done. As long as we do our part, then we take our place in advancing the kingdom. We are what is prayed for. it’s that season.