Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #10, Part Two

Become Rooted and Balanced in God's STEM
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First of all, I want to honor the man who has been most significant in my life.  Today is his 80th birthday, so I want to say, “Happy birthday, Daddy, and I pray that this upcoming year brings you a renewed strength and balance as you enter into a deeper relationship with our precious Heavenly Daddy.  Our Father loves you so very much and He created you to be His gift to the world. Thank you, Lord, for my earthly Daddy and the love he has blessed us with.”

This past week your SW was designed to help you get clear on what has been causing you to depend on your self-wavering decisions and actions rather than asking God for His unchanging and grounded constancy and supportive direction.  As you listened to the song, “Count it All Joy,” I asked you to identify in one sentence what the cause for a lack of joy could be in your life.

Every time I hear these words, “Count it all Joy,” I am taken back to the first and only time in my life when I felt like I had lost my joy.  I had actually verbalized this feeling to my mother-in-law, after being separated from my husband who was her son.  I will never forget how she responded, “Colleen, you will feel it again.”  For more than a year, I lingered on her response of hope as I waited and wanted to believe in what she had said, even though I had no idea of how that would happen.  But it did.  The process was a slow and gradual one, but it did take place.  It was the result of moving away from my wavering self dependence, and looking to the rock solid dependence of God, and more specifically, being open to God’s Son, Jesus, who I came into a relationship with over the next few months. 

It was my relationship with Jesus, and His Word, that brought that feeling of joy back into my life.  Up to that point, I did not comprehend that my feeling of joy had always been the result of God working in my life. I attributed joy to the people or circumstances that I wanted or that existed, but I discovered that joy has only one connection. Joy has no tie to people or circumstances that are welcomed or unwelcomed.  I discovered through God’s Holy Spirit that Jesus is my only source of Joy, and I had been unaware of this Truth.  Joy is not just a feeling.  Joy is Jesus and His presence in my life at all times, no matter what I am facing.  Now I am aware that my feeling of joy is because I know Joy! And because I now know this, it does not matter what I go through in this life, I can still feel Joy because I know Him. Jesus is the One I am rooted in and find my strength and balance in.

After posting last week’s blog, that introduced you to CHG #10, I read these words in my devotion the next day.  It focused on Joy, and the word Joy was capitalized, because Joy is a person.  Joy is a man and Joy is God.  Joy is Jesus.  And here is an example of the personal history and intimacy that we can have with Him.  This devotion that focused on my journey with Joy was on the anniversary date of my divorce.  Here is what God wanted me to hear in “Jesus Calling” for June 13th:  “I am creating something new in you: a bubbling spring of Joy that spills into others’ lives.  Do not mistake this Joy for your own or try to take credit for it in any way.  Instead, watch in delight as My Spirit flows through you to bless others.  Let yourself become a reservoir of the Spirit’s fruit.  Enjoy My Presence, which permeates you with Love, Joy, and Peace.”

This week your SW is to Google the words “scripture count it all joy.”  See what comes up for you and what you learn.  We will talk about it next week.  May you be blessed with Joy in this upcoming week.

Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #10, Part One

Become Rooted and Balanced in God's STEM
Space
Time
Energy
Money

As you examine CHG #10, let’s see what this CHG implies as being the basic cause of clutter when this guideline is not applied. 

♥My clutter builds up when I am not rooted or grounded in God being my support.
♥My clutter builds up when I am out of balance with God’s plan for me.
♥My clutter builds up when I do not see that my space, time, energy and money are on loan to me from God, and He is One Who owns it all.

Therefore, when I am rooted and balanced in God, and acknowledge that everything (space, time, energy, and money) belongs to Him, I lessen my clutter and this brings healing to me.

What does it mean to be rooted?  To be rooted means to be anchored, nourished, nurtured, settled, and supported.  Where can you find that support?  You can find it in Christ.  He is the One you can be rooted in.                  
                                                                               
What does it mean to be balanced?  To be balanced means that you are in a state of equilibrium and harmony.  Where can you find that equilibrium? You can find it in Christ.  He is the One Who you can be in balance with .

The Scripture to support CHG #10 is from the Book of Malachi.  The book is only three chapters long and it is the last book of the Old Testament.  Malachi was a prophet, and his name means. “My Messenger,” The message for us today in Malachi 3:6 is the same message as it was for people living thousands of years ago, “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already completely destroyed.”

What do you think Malachi 3:6 implies as being the basic cause of our clutter when CHG #10 is not applied?

♥My clutter builds up when I think that I know more than God.
♥My clutter builds up when I act like I am the Creator and owner of all.
♥My clutter builds up when I go through life without believing what God says.

When we consistently choose to live according to our own self sufficiency, it will eventually lead us down a path of self destruction.  Today I hope you will choose to be rooted in God, Who is constant, Who has no beginning or end, Who is Sovereign, Who is the same today as He was yesterday, tomorrow, and for all of eternity.  The love, grace, and forgiveness that God has for us never changes, and we can always find security and balance in these promises, and every promise, He has ever made.  God has been, and always will be, a Promise Keeper.

This coming week your SW is designed to help you get clear on what has been causing you to depend on your self-wavering decisions and actions rather than asking for God’s unchanging and grounded constancy, and supportive direction.   As you listen to the following song, “Count it All Joy,” by BeBe and CeCe Winans, use it to help you identify, in one sentence, what is causing you to lack joy in the midst of what you are going through.

Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #9, Part Four

Focus and Surrender My Life to God’s Control

In you previous SW I suggested that you write down your definition for:

♥Focus
♥Surrender
♥Control
♥Faith
♥Obedience
♥Fear

As we look at these words with more depth, see how your SW answers from the CHG #9 Part Two, bring a deeper understanding to healing your own clutter.

♥What is focus?

Focus = Attention

Focus = Concentration

Focus = No distraction

Focus = Eye to eye contact

Without focus I get scattered in my thinking, my movements, my direction, and my behavior, and this causes me to become overwhelmed.  Abraham was focused.  He kept his eyes on Father God.  Isaac was focused.  He kept his eyes on father Abraham and Father God.  Christ was focused.  He always kept His eyes upward towards His heavenly Father.

Focus = Christ

The message from my devotional time today really summed up what I have just shared with you.  “When your focus is firmly on Me (Christ), My Peace displaces all your fears and worries. Let trust and thankfulness stand guard, turning back fear before it gains a foothold.”

♥What is Surrender?

Surrender = Letting go

Surrender = Releasing

Surrender = Obedience

Surrender = Discipline

Surrender = Submission

Surrender = Forgiveness

Surrender = Delivery/Deliverance

Surrender = Trust

Without surrender we will hold on to the pile up of “stuff,”  dis-ease, disobedience,  unforgiveness, slavery, and mistrust. Abraham surrendered his son.  Isaac surrendered to Abraham, his father.  God the Father surrendered His Son, Jesus.  And Jesus surrendered to His Father.

     

Surrender = Christ

♥What is control?

Control = Authority

Control = Strength

Control = Rule

Control = Guide

Without a transference of control from my hands to God’s, I will lack the supernatural strength, authority, ruling and guidance that only comes from Him.  Abraham, Isaac, and Jesus were in control because their focus was on God.  And because of this focus, they had learned to surrender their lives to His control.

Control = Christ

♥What is Faith?

 Faith = Confidence

 Faith = Belief

 Faith = Trust

Without Faith, a belief in Christ, I simply exist, but with Him, I live! When I reflect on faith and trust, I see them intricately intertwined with one another.  And when I sort through this intertwining, I recognize that faith is my belief system, my belief in Christ (the noun) and trust is that faith in action (the verb).

Faith = Christ

♥What is obedience?

Obedience = Surrender

Obedience = Willingness

Obedience = Outcome of listening

Here is what Christ said about obedience:

1. John 14:15 “If you love me obey my commandments.”

2. John 14:21 “Those who obey me are the ones who love my commandments.”

3. John 14:23 “All those who love me will do what I say.”

4. Matthew 5:17 “I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets.  No, I came to fulfill them.”

Do you see the one word that Christ consistently spoke as He talked about obeying the commandments?  It is the word - love!  Since God is Love, our relationship with Him is essential to bringing love and order into our lives.  Ongoing disobedience, more than anything else, will bring:

♥Desperation = Hopelessness

♥Devastation = Emptiness

♥Destruction = Destroyed

God = Love.  And choosing to love is a choice. Choosing God is a choice. Discipline and obedience come out of love.  Choosing to be disciplined and obedient is a choice. God and His love for us came first. God with His law for us came second. To surrender is to know true love. To surrender is to be obedient because I love.

God Spoke to Abraham and God Speaks to Us. 

When you choose to follow God, He will speak to you in very personal ways.  He will give you instruction, and you will make a decision to follow Him or ignore Him. When you love someone, you want to obey.

Disciple = Follower

Discipline = Instruction

Discipline = Self control

The word discipline comes from the word disciple.  The disciples were followers of Jesus. They listened to the instructions given by Jesus, and they became disciplined. The Disciples started out as 12 and became 11.  One of them, Judas, chose to ignore the love of God, who came to earth as the flesh and blood, Christ in his presence. We are also disciples learning discipline through the instructions of God’s Word and choosing what we will do.

Obedience = Christ

♥What is Fear?

Fear is the opposite of Faith

Fear = Intimidation

Fear = Timidity

Fear = Anxiety

Fear = Worry

Fear = Imaginary

Fear = Unreal

FEAR is:

False

Expectations

Appearing

Real

Who is Fear?

Fear = A spirit

Fear = The enemy

Fear = Satan

Fear = 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline.”

    

God’s Word tells us that we are to fear the Lord, but this fear is not the spirit of fear.

Fear of the Lord = Respect of the Lord

Fear of the Lord = Awe of the Lord

Fear of the Lord = Proverbs 14:27 “Fear of the Lord is a life-giving fountain: it offers escape from the snares of death.”

Fear of the Lord = Proverbs 19:23 “Fear of the Lord gives life, security, protection from harm.” 

A life without the Lord will be restless and lacking in peace.  It will be a life that is ultimately  rooted in fear. 

As you review the four part postings to CHG #9, I make this prayer request as you apply the content to this CHG in your life.  Please help us Lord, to do what we do out of love and not out of our need to control.  Help us to have a heart that is willing to obey You, because of your love for us, and our love for You.  And then we pray that our love for one another will prove to the world that we are Your disciples.”  John 14:33