Waiting on the Lord

I don’t know about you but I am not the most patient person. I hate waiting.

I’m not as bad as I used to be, however, as I grow closer to the Lord. He is teaching me patience. He is teaching me to wait on Him. His timing is best. He is never in a hurry but He is always on time.

It’s hard though, isn’t it? Waiting on the Lord. His timing is not necessarily our timing. He knows what’s best for us. We may think we know what is best for us, in the moment, but ultimately it’s God who knows what’s best.

Still, it’s hard waiting.

I’m currently waiting on God for a specific need to be taken care of. I’ve been waiting for quite some time now. To me, it seems like God could answer the prayer immediately but God has His reasons for allowing me to wait this long. I’m being taught to lean on Him throughout the struggles this situation has caused. I’m being taught to rely on Him for all my needs.

I came across this verse in Mark that has become very dear to me in the past couple of weeks.

Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.

Mark 11:24

I have this verse taped up so I can see it every day to remind me. Keep on praying. As it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”

I know that God knows what is best for me and it may not necessarily line up with what I want but in the end it will be exactly what I need.

That’s what I need to remember.  That’s what the Lord is teaching me.

 

What has the Lord been teaching you lately?

 

 

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The Struggle is Real….

I’ve been struggling with my writing again as of late. I know the writing is IN me but I can’t get it OUT. All of you fellow writers can probably agree you’ve been in this situation before.

The dreaded writer’s block has struck again.

And it’s frustrating because I want so badly to write, to get my words out there, whether on screen or on paper.

Maybe my motives are all wrong. Am I writing for the right reasons? Am I writing for God? Because ultimately it’s about God.

Maybe I’m trying too hard. Maybe I just need to take a step back and figure out where I’m trying to go with my writing. Who am I trying to honor with my writing? Am I just trying to bring the glory to myself or am I honestly wanting to bring it to God?

To be honest, I think I already know the answer. But I don’t want it to be that way. Not anymore. I don’t want it to be about me anymore.

Real…my heart is aching to be real….

Point of Grace, “Fight”

I want to bring glory to God with my writing. I honestly do.  Colossians 3:23 tells us “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

In 1 Corinthians 10:31 it says “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

So right now…at this very instant…I’m giving this writing struggle over to God. If writing is what I am called to do then He will show me and give the words to write. I want my words to mean something. I don’t want my words to become empty.

This song seems appropriate right now. I know I’ve posted it before but I feel the need to share it again.

 

“Fight”
Point of Grace

How clever is my pride, how it deceives my mind
To think I am in control when I have really lost it all
How brilliant is my greed for what it says I need
And then I’ve come to find I’m empty on the inside

Real, my heart is aching to be real
So I am coming to You

All my broken motives, all my selfish dreams
All of my foolishness now I understand where it leads
I wanna be in Your love, I wanna be so much more
I know You’re reaching out so what am I fighting You for
So what am I fighting You for

How quick is my doubt to leave my heart without
The presence of Your peace so that I scarce believe
How pardoned is my guilt to crush the life You built
And to keep me far away from any kind of shame

Real, my heart is aching to be real
So I am coming to You

All my broken motives, all my selfish dreams
All of my foolishness now I understand where it leads
I wanna be in Your love, I wanna be so much more
I know You’re reaching out so what am I fighting You for

‘Cause only You can save me
And only You can change me
And only You can love me
Here I come, here I come
So I come to You

All my broken motives, all my selfish dreams
All of my foolishness ’cause I understand where it leads
I wanna be in Your love, I wanna be so much more
I know You’re reaching out so what am I fighting You

All my broken motives, all my selfish dreams
All of my foolishness now I understand where it leads
I wanna be in Your love, I wanna be so much more
I know You’re reaching out I don’t wanna fight anymore

I don’t wanna fight anymore
I don’t wanna fight anymore
I don’t wanna fight anymore
I don’t wanna fight

People, Get Ready!

In Matthew 24:36-44, we read that absolutely no one but the Father knows when Christ is coming back. Not even the Son. He will return when we least expect it. We need to be ready!

My heart aches for those who don’t know Christ yet. He could come back at any moment and the thought of losing my unsaved loved ones to hell just breaks my heart. The seed has been planted in their lives but they just won’t take root. Their hearts are hardening with each passing day and I’m scared they are going to die without Christ in their lives.

So please pray that I might be a better witness to them. That they will see Jesus in me and want to know Jesus as their own.

Live as though Christ will return TODAY!

People, get ready! It will happen in a blink of the eye!

Do you know Christ as your personal Savior?

People Get Ready, Jesus is Coming–Crystal Lewis

Lord I’m ready now
I’m waiting for Your triumphant return
You’re coming so soon
This world has nothing for me
I find my peace and joy solely in You
Only in You
I want the world to see that
You’re alive and living well in me
Let me be a part of the harvest
For the days are few
He’s coming soon

People get ready Jesus is coming
Soon we’ll be going home
People get ready Jesus is coming
To take from the world His own

There will be a day
When we will be divided right and left
For those who know Him
And those who do not know
Those who know Him well
Will meet Him in the air
Hallelujah
God is with us
Those who do not know
They will hear “Depart, I knew you not”
For my friends you see
There will be a day when well be counted
So know Him well, know Him well

Need You Now

I watched “I’m Not Ashamed” yesterday for like the 4th or 5th time. And as always, I bawled like a baby at the end.

I don’t know why I’m so drawn to Rachel Scott’s story but it really intrigues me.

In the movie there is a song called  “Need You Now (How Many Times)” by Plumb.  It’s a great song.  I urge you to listen to it when you can. And if you get a chance, watch “I’m Not Ashamed” It’s a great testimony to who Rachel was and what she stood for.

It will be 19 years on April 20th that Rachel went to be with her Lord and Savior. Her story continues to inspire many, myself included. Her love for Christ was evident. Here is an excerpt from her journals that were published not long after her death. She wanted to be different from her peers. A God fearing Christian. Not a “worldly Christian”

Reading this posts the question: What kind of Christian do I want to be?

Need You Now (How Many Times)–Plumb

Well, everybody’s got a story to tell
And everybody’s got a wound to be healed
I want to believe there’s beauty here
‘Cause oh, I get so tired of holding on
I can’t let go, I can’t move on
I want to believe there’s meaning here

How many times have you heard me cry out
“God please take this”?
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.

Standing on a road I didn’t plan
Wondering how I got to where I am
I’m trying to hear that still small voice
I’m trying to hear above the noise

How many times have you heard me cry out
God please take this?
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.

Though I walk,
Though I walk through the shadows
And I, I am so afraid
Please stay, please stay right beside me
With every single step I take

How many times have you heard me cry out?
And how many times have you given me strength?

How many times have you heard me cry out
“God please take this”?
How many times have you given me strength to
Just keep breathing?
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.

I need you now
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.
I need you now
I need you now

The Cost of Following Christ

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Matthew 16:24-26

If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters–yes, even their own life–such a persons cannot be my disciple

Luke 14:26

Photo by Jake Blucker on Unsplash

HATE our parents? HATE our siblings? HATE ourselves? Did Jesus really mean that? Does Jesus really want us to HATE? Sounds contradictory, doesn’t it? Especially since one of the 10 Commandments tells us to “Honor our father and mother”

 

No, He doesn’t really mean for us to hate our loved ones. What He is trying to say is that our love for Him must be so much stronger than our love for family. Our love for Him must be so strong that it SEEMS like we hate our family. That we aren’t paying attention to them because we’re so devoted to God.

Today marks the 11 year anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings. Among one of those killed was a young woman named Lauren McCain who was a devoted follower of Christ. She was a woman of faith. She kept the faith and ultimately lost her life. But she is now in Heaven, face to face with our Savior. She is reaping the benefits of having kept Christ #1 in her life. There is a great book written about her life called Lifting Our Eyes: Finding God’s Grace Through the Virginia Tech Tragedy I highly recommend it.

On April 20, it will mark the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shootings in 1999. There was a young girl named Rachel Scott who was the first person killed that horrific day. It’s been said that when Eric Harris approached her after having already shot her, he lifted her by her hair and asked her, “Do you still believe in God?” Rachel responded, “You know I do.” and Harris said to her “Then go be with Him.” and he shot her in the head. Rachel Scott never backed down from her faith. She remained faithful even at the point of her death.

In a booklet from the Discovery Series called Keeping the Faith: The Cost of Following Christ, we read about how following Christ will not be easy but it’s so worth it.

Jesus wasn’t asking his disciples to hate their families in the literal sense. He was challenging them to weigh the cost of discipleship and ask themselves if they were ready to make Him the Lord of their lives.

Basically, Jesus was asking this of his disciples, “How far are you willing to go to follow me? Are you ready to put me before your family? Are you prepared to give up everything you hold dear, including your life?”

Following Jesus won’t be easy. Jesus, himself, tells us this.

But in the end, it will be totally worth it when we come face to face with our Savior, who died a horrible death for us so that we might have eternal life.

Paul tells us in Philippians that “Whatever happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel. Without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed but that you will be saved–and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him. (Philippians 1:27-29)

“Not that I have obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

I consider following Jesus to be an honor and privilege. He lost his life so that I may receive life. He did it for me. He did it for you.  He did it for everyone!

 

Are you willing to sacrifice your life for Jesus?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voice of Truth

Photo by Felix Russell-Saw on Unsplash

Satan will do his level best to get you to listen to him. He will whisper in your ear, “You’re not good enough. You can’t do this.”

Satan is a liar!

But there is a Voice that will overpower Satan’s if you just let it.  And that’s the Voice of Jesus Christ.  The Voice of Truth.

Don’t let Satan drag you down. Fall into the arms of Jesus. He won’t steer you wrong.

Voice of Truth-Casting Crowns

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I’m in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He’s holding out His hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy, you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
The voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they’d have had the strength to stand

But the giant’s calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. “Boy you’ll never win!”
“You’ll never win!”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
The voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don’t seem so high
From on top of them lookin’ down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says, “Do not be afraid!”
The voice of truth says, “This is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Jesus, Friend of Sinners

God’s been working in me lately about being more compassionate towards certain people. You see, I have issues with certain people in my life due to unfortunate circumstances and I tend to have a bitter attitude towards them. That’s NOT something Jesus would do, this I know. And so I’ve been convicted of my sin.

There is a line in this song by Casting Crowns that says: “The world is on their way to You but they’re tripping over me.” WOW! Powerful, right? How many people are on their way to Jesus but because I’m in the way, pushing them away from the Lord they may not come to know Christ?

Another line from the song:

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
Yeah…
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

I hear God telling me, “Leigh, I love so and so just as much as I love you. I died for you just the way I died for them. OPEN YOUR HEART to them! Share me with them!”

“I will choose to listen to the Voice of Truth.” (another great song by Casting Crowns, by the way! It literally was the next song that played as I was writing this! How great is God?)

Will my relationship with these certain people in my life change overnight? No, I doubt it. But slowly God is working in me so that I can be a witness to them and stop being a hindrance. And my prayer is that I will have stepped out of the way just in time for them to come to know Christ. Because let’s face it, we live in such a fallen world these days. Christ could come back ANY MINUTE! We must stop wasting time and lead people to Jesus!

Jesus, Friend of Sinners–Casting Crowns

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth’s become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they’re tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I’m so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

CHORUS:

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who’s writing in the sand
Made the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of these
Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees
Nobody knows what we’re for only what we’re against when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did

CHORUS:

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they’re the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

‘Cause You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever

CHORUS:

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
Yeah…
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet