That's My Daddy

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. (Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT)

Sunday, after church, Mike and I went about our normal routine. After church service, he went to the parking lot to get the car while I checked our girls out of children's church. Every week, I get our girls while he drives the car near the entrance to pick us up.

Sunday, our girls and I were walking down the sidewalk when Mike pulled up next to us. When my youngest saw him pulling up and said, "Let's act like we don't see him!" I played along. He pulled up further. She giggled and said, "Let's walk away and keep pretending we don't see him." I continued to play along. We walked. He continued to drive right alongside us. Gracie kept pretending she didn't see him. He slowly drove alongside her the whole time, just watching and waiting for her to respond to him.

 After several minutes I said, "What if he just gives up on you and drives away?" She looked at me with the most shocked look I have ever seen on her face and said, "Oh he would NEVER do that, that's MY Daddy! MY Daddy would NEVER give up on me!" He kept slowly driving beside her and she kept playing the game. She continued ignoring him when he suddenly honked the horn. When he honked the horn, she answered and happily jumped in the car. Game over. 

In an instant, the Holy Spirit showed me how I had played the same game with my Heavenly Father. I pretended I "didn't see Him", I walked away so many times. I ignored Him for years and I surrounded myself with people who played along. Somehow I always knew in my spirit that He was always there, and would always be there right alongside me. 

One day, my Father "honked the horn", I finally answered, and life has never been the same. I don't play games anymore, I try to always be ready and willing to jump in when He "honks"! 

Join me today, let's answer Him by making the following confession out loud: 

Father, in the name of Jesus, we position ourselves to hear You. We declare no games, no pretending, and no ignoring. Please teach us how to be one with Your Spirit on a deeper level! Thank You for speaking to us through Your Word. Thank You for calling us and thank You for moving on our hearts to answer! You and Your love is beyond description. Thank You for You, thank You for Your Son, thank You for Your Holy Spirit, and thank You for Your live giving, life changing Word!

 

It's a Dud...

I am the vine, you are the branches: He that stays in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, NLT)

Today is the 4th of July, a celebration of freedom! Picnics with family and friends, BBQ, and fireworks!

I like fireworks, I like fireworks a lot. Every Friday, a resort near our apartment in Honolulu shoots off fireworks and we can hear the crashing boom and see the sky light up. It is a wonderful display of lights and flashes of color!

During their display, there is rarely ever a dud. You know what a dud is right? It's when the firework is launched, a flash can be seen flying higher, higher, higher…waiting, waiting, waiting...but no explosion of color.  No huge colorful lights in the sky.

That made me think, as we let our lights so shine before others bringing glory to our Father, we will never be a dud as we seek Him first and we stay in our Vine. (Matthew 5:16, Matthew 6:33, John 15:5)

Father, thank You for being our ultimate Vine! Continue to lead us and guide us, show us ways to let our lights shine before others and in doing so they will glorify and praise You! Thank You for teaching us to seek You first! Our heart's desire is to stay in You! We stand in awe of You and Your Word! In the name of Jesus, please prompt us to stay in You as we acknowledge You in all our ways! Please continue to make our path straight, saying and doing only what we hear our Father say, drawing others to You through Your unfailing love!

Stay: Remain in the same place; secure or steady, a period of staying somewhere. 

Mucho mahalos for the photo provided by Photog Genius, David Johnson.  http://www.dejphotos.com

Foot Ride!

The LORD is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. (Psalm 28:7, NLT)

Yesterday, a friend and I were discussing the wonderful greatness and awesomeness of God. We talked about how no matter what we had dealt with in the past, or how instrumental people in our lives had hurt us, God always takes our circumstances and works everything out for our good…way beyond anything we could ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20)

As we were discussing tests that are now testimonies we use to help others, I started to laugh. I laughed and laughed…a silly little girl laugh that just wouldn't stop, which reminded me of when my girls were toddlers. 

Every day when Mike came home from work, my girls ran to him. They never hesitated. They screamed, "Foot ride! Foot ride!" Mikea picked one foot, Gracie picked the other foot and they would sit on his feet and hang on for the ride! He walked around the house, dragging them on his feet as they screamed and squealed!

On that memory, I had a vision of our Father. He screamed, "Foot ride! Foot ride!" He is beckoning us to sit with Him and scream and squeal and be strengthened by His joy! (Nehemiah 8:10)

I just had my first "Foot ride" and I can fully exclaim with a newly illuminated heart, "The LORD is my Strength and my Shield! I trust Him with all my heart! He helps me and my heart is filled with joy! I burst out in songs of thanksgiving!" (Psalm 28:7)

He is screaming to us, "I am your Father, don't hesitate! Come my child! Scream and squeal and be strengthened! My joy is your strength! See what great love I want to lavish on you!" (1 John 3:1) 

Take time right now and go on a foot ride with your Father!

The Tiny Lightsaber

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. (Matthew 11:24, NLT)

We are currently renovating a rooftop apartment. Last night, we were at Lowes picking out tile, doors, windows, paint, etc.

Our youngest, Gracie, saw a light wand of some sort. A little trinket flash light that looks a lot like a tiny lightsaber. Gracie is a huge Star Wars fan. I saw her face as she inspected it. She turned it on. She turned it off. She turned it over. She turned it around. She inspected every aspect of the trinket.

I don't buy trinkets. She knew not to come to me. I have a rule. We don't buy something every time we go to the store.

But Daddy, Daddy blesses his baby girls! She said, "Poppa, can I please have this light? It's like a tiny light saber!" Daddy is also a Star Wars fan. He "gets" Gracie.

As we were walking out of Lowes, she was skipping across the parking lot (tiny lightsaber in tow) and grabbed my hand. She said, "When I saw the lightsaber, I prayed and asked God for it. I believed I would get it. And now I have it! Thank you Mommy!"

The tiny Lightsaber life lesson:

Pray
Believe
Receive

Key point:

She knew to ask her Father.

Since her father provided her with something as seemingly insignificant as a trinket, how much more does a perfect Father provide what we need! (Luke 11:13)

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. (Matthew 11:24, NLT) Even tiny light sabers.

Screaming Point

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. (Mark 11:25, NLT)

Last week, one of my children was having a very difficult day. She continually refused to cooperate in school, she threw a tantrum when I told her to help her sister clean the kitchen and at one point, she screamed, “Why do moms have to be so mean?!”

It was at the screaming point that I notified her father via telephone of her struggles.

! DUN-DUN-DUN !

Our day progressed much in the same manner as it had started. That is, until right before Dad was due home. Then said child moved into suck up mode which seemed like less of true repentance and more of manipulationtance (I needed a "tance" suffix for rhyming purposes). About five minutes before Dad was due home, she said, “Mommy, I apologize for making so much strife today.” I accepted her apology and referred her to her father. 

Once their meeting was adjourned, she sincerely apologized and promised to change.

This made me search my heart, and ask God to reveal to me incidents that I need to make amends for by sincerely approaching those I’ve hurt (known and unknown). I also asked Him to show me where my attitude needed adjusting to align with His Word. He is faithful to flood my heart with light! (Ephesians 1:18)

How about you?

Are there amends you need to make by asking for forgiveness?

What about one step further? Is there anyone you can forgive today? Even if that certain someone doesn’t or can’t approach you and ask for forgiveness, you can still choose to release the offense from your heart, forgive and walk in freedom.

My prayer for you today is, Father God, in the precious name of your Son Jesus, I pray You move on the hearts and minds of those who read this blog post today. Open the eyes of their understanding, flood their hearts with light so that they can understand the confident hope You have given to those You have called! I thank You Lord, in advance for the many praise reports that will come flooding in and the lives that will be changed because of your gift of amazing grace and forgiveness. I count it all for Your glory, amen!

Power!

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. (Acts 1:8, NKJV)

Last Wednesday, Mikea (my middle child) came to me very frustrated. We planned a homeschool field trip with friends and she wanted to take her camera but she couldn't get it to work. I asked her what all she had done to investigate and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it either.

She went to her father. She was impatient and upset. She explained she had had it plugged in for days and was upset to tears because she thought her camera was broken. She was sleepy and went to bed upset. 

After she was asleep, he discovered although she had plugged the camera cord into the camera to charge, she hadn't plugged the cord into the electrical outlet. He plugged the cord into the electrical outlet and the next morning,  her face was all lit up because her camera was working so that she could take it on our field trip. She was thrilled to know her camera wasn't broken. 

I thought, "Wow, how many times I had gone to bed frustrated and upset because I had spent the day half plugged in to my Power Source." How many times I had gone to my Father, after working myself into a tizzy when all I needed to do was stop and fully plug in. 

This incident was a great reminder for me. 

Always go to my Father first! (Matthew 6:33)
Joy comes in the morning! (Psalm 30:5)
Stay fully plugged in! (Acts 1:8)

Are you fully plugged into The Power Source?

A Rant, Grrrr!

Facebook rants seem popular these days. The ones I find especially lacking are the ones directed toward people who do not have access to the ranting person's Facebook; for example, "Dear drivers on my way home." Huh? And "duck lips". I won't even go there. And political arguments...2 Chronicles 7:14. I'm not saying we should be ignorant in politics (or anything else) but there is only One who can heal this great nation and that is not Facebook. 

I have much more to say about Facebook rants; however, God's Word says it better than I ever could so I will leave it to Him. 

The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. (Psalms 24:1)

The earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 10:26) Personally, I believe that includes technology. 

The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. (Proverbs 18:21)

And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17)

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Meditate Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8, NLT)

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT)

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! (Deuteronomy 30:19)

What's on your Faceboook?

First Fruits

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33, NKJV)

Mikea (my nine year old) has a favorite pastime, gardening. Recently she asked for some flower seeds. When I took her to purchase her seeds, she meticulously looked at each seed packet and scrupulously picked out just the perfect flower seeds. At the time, I wondered why all the fuss but I didn't question her. 

When we got home, she planted her seeds right away. She checked them several times a day taking special care to water them and insured they were receiving the correct amount of sun as per the packet instructions. 

One day, she walked in, handed me a tiny flower, and said, "Look Mommy, I've been saving this for you." I said, "Wow Mikea, thank you. It's so beautiful." She said, "I knew you would like it. It is purple and yellow, just like you like. I grew it just for you. It's my very first flower."

I do not even have the words to begin to explain how she blessed me. Through a cracking voice, I said, "That is the most gorgeous flower I have ever seen!" And it's true, because this flower came from Mikea's precious heart. 

My thoughts immediately went to our Father and how we bless Him when bringing Him our first fruits. This experience prompted me to research first fruits. Of all the study available on this subject, I kept coming back to the same scripture and the same simple concept. 

Seek Him first with all our "firsts". 

What is Wrong

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. (Romans 12:9 NLT)

"Love the sinner, hate the sin." has been a popular aphorism for years. Some are trying to replace that with, "Love the sinner, why don't you hate your own sin?"

When I first saw the latter statement, I thought, we do.

I've had my fair share of moments of, "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." (Romans 7:15, NLT)

Hating all sin (ours and someone else's) does not diminish the fact that our love for people remains intact. 

For example, when one of my children smack the other one. I hate their actions but my love for them is not diminished to any degree. The same holds true for our Father. 

We are His dear children.  Made in His image. Imitating Him. His unfailing, unchanging love flowing through us enables us to love people while hating sin. We are not pretending to love or choosing to only love who we decide is "worthy" but we truly love others. True love covers a multitude of faults. (1 Peter 4:8)

What about you? Please let us know how a particular person truly loved you while hating sin.

(Ephesians 5:1)

(Genesis 1:27)

(1 John 4:8)

(Malachi 3:6)

Provision

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

My husband, Mike, does the majority of the shopping for our household. Our girls always want to go shopping with Daddy. They know if they go shopping with Dad, they leave the store with their own pack of gum.

Our girls have often asked, "If I am good, will you buy me gum?" His response, "No I will buy you gum because I love you, I know you like gum, and I want to bless you." Buying them gum isn't about what they do but is about who he is.

Our girls know who their father is and they know good things come from him. They have never questioned his existence or his ability to provide. They know, based on experience, that he consistently gives them good gifts. They also know how to position themselves to receive from him by having complete faith in him to provide. 

Mike operates in these principles with our girls because he has learned these principles from his Heavenly Father. He knows who his Father is. He believes God is and believes He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. God blesses us, not because of what we do but because of who He is!

Do you know the Father?
Do you believe He is?
Do you believe He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him?

Many know The Father. Many believe He is. Many believe He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. But some struggle with His provision for them personally. Take a step of faith today. His provision is not based on what you do but who He is. Dig into His promises in His wonderful Word and just believe!