Hello everyone!! Wow, what a week I have had! The enemy is always seeking a way to sideline and corrupt the plans that God has for us in doing His will, right? None of us are immune to his tactics.
A few close friends know how my week has gone and I will not give any more thought, words, or power to the enemy. God is on my side and it is His full armor I put on daily to fight against the evil powers on this earth.
I was talking with several of my close Godly friends this week, and we are all going through more spiritual warfare than usual. We are planning and getting ready for a higher-than-normal group of women for a retreat this March and we KNOW a breakthrough will be happening!! Praise God!!
So, no, the enemy needs to back off!! We stand together, hands held high, firmly rooted in the Word of God, and fully armored against the Evil of this world!!
I wanted to share a portion of one of my favorite blogs from July. It is something I needed to be reminded of and wanted to share it with you. 🙂
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I’m going to change gears here and focus on Chamber’s devotional titled, “One of God’s Great Don’ts.”
“Do not fret–it only causes harm.” Psalm 37:8
Do you fret? I wasn’t sure just how much I did it because, honestly, I couldn’t remember exactly what it meant. According to the online dictionary, it means, “be constantly or visibly worried or anxious.” Yup, we were once very close cousins. Anxiety used to be a very big part of my life. In fact, I would say it affects many family members as well. Remember, we were close cousins? 🙂 I believe many traits can be generational, whether it is a tendency toward anger, anxiety, depression, jealousy, etc. Those traits are all sin and the opposite of what Jesus wants us to have which is the fruit of the spirit.
“Worry always results in sin. We tend to think that a little anxiety and worry are simply an indication of just how wise we really are, yet it is actually a much better indication of just how wicked we are. Fretting rises from our determination to have our own way. Our Lord never worried and was never anxious, because His purpose was never to accomplish His own plans but to fulfill God’s plans. Fretting is wickedness for a child of God” (Chambers, July 4th, emphasis mine).
The sentence that really convicted me today is the one I emphasized. Have my own way… If I am praying to God and seeking His help, worry should never enter the equation, right? He has searched me and knows me (Psalm 139:1) and He knows all the days ordained for me (Psalm 139:16).
God knows everything and He is always with me. I wasn’t alone when my dad was recovering from triple bypass open heart surgery, He was right there. When my doctor told me the extra testing she did, because of my family history of cancer, saved my life, God was right there. He moved mountains, to make sure I was right where I needed to be, to be healed. Three months before my doctor made her discovery, my husband was just about guaranteed a promotion–after a year of extra work towards it- and a transfer that would have taken us from the West Coast, where my doctor was, to the East Coast, where no one knew my family history. Thank God He didn’t give us our heart’s desire at that time!
Remember, God and God alone is the only one that truly knows all that you are going through and has the best plans for you and how to get you through it.
When God moved mountains to keep me on the West Coast, it was literally life-changing and eye-opening for me. I realized He has all of my days. I want God’s plans, not my plans. If a trip is canceled, He knows what’s best. A job that fell through, He knows what’s best. A missed promotion, well you already know that one. I’m sure you recognize the pattern here. Trust me, I know it isn’t easy. I just take it one day at a time, leave it all at the altar, and know He keeps His promises.
We will end our conversation with the final thoughts from Oswald’s July 4th devotional. “Set all your opinions and speculations aside and “abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God” (Chambers).
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Yongsung Kim Artwork
Are you resting under the shadow of the Almighty? I pray that you are! His arms are stretched out wide to give you love, comfort, and rest for your weary souls. He is waiting, rest in the arms of your Lord.
All the glory to God,
Shanon
Chambers. Oswald. “My Utmost For His Highest.” July 4th, One of God’s Great Don’t’s. Discovery House Publishing. Updated edition, 1992.
Fire Bible: Global Study Edition. New International Version, Life Publishers International, 2009.
Images: Yongsong Kim. “Rest in the arms of your Lord”.
4th of July from Pinterest.
“For I know the plans…” www.facebook.com/MYBIBLEVERSES.
Make the choice today to drink from the Living waters of Jesus, and never be thirsty again. Only Christ can fill our empty souls for eternity and provide for our essential emotional, physical, and spiritual needs now.
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