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When God Breaks His Promises

Have you ever felt that God broke a promise?

 

God I thought your promises were yes and amen?

 

God I thought you were not slack concerning your promises?

 

God I do ALL I can to obey you, to worship you, to honor you.

 

I do the uncomfortable for your glory.

I serve your people wholeheartedly.

I live your statues at the risk of being ridiculed.

I fast and pray.

I study Your word.

I hungrily seek you, commune with you.

I pray according to Your will.

 

And the payback?

 

A broken promise.

 

Blows that hit below the belt. Crushing events that are in directly violation against Your Word that I prayed in accordance with Your will.

 

So what do you do when the enemy’s darts penetrate your breastplate?

 

What happens when the arrows with their poisonous tips leech death into your marriage, into the lives of your children, into your self-esteem, your bank account, or your health?

 

I pray you DON’T do like I did initially.

 

My first response was to attack the ONE who would ensure my victory.

 

But isn’t that human nature? To turn on the ONE you are closest to? I lashed out in hurt and anger. I told my loving, devoted ONE He was a liar. I told Him He was a promise breaker.

 

As my flesh was having its tirade, my Spirit could not deny Truth. A song I had been listening to all week bombarded my thoughts. The song had me in its grip and wouldn’t let me go. The song says over and over, “You’re a great God, you are great.” This refrain was the weight that kept me anchored in Truth. It is so important to hide Truth in our hearts so that when we are faced with mountains too high to climb and valleys too deep to traverse, our hearts won’t fail.

 

With my face in the carpet I cried a river of tears. I repented for speaking contrary to His Truth. I asked Him for eyes to see. I asked Him for the mind of Christ. I thanked Him for being a promise keeper. And while I still can’t see the fulfillment of the promise, I thank Him that the promise still stands.

 

Not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.

Joshua 23:14

 

Fellow blogger Patti, writing over at All Things New Blog also presents an interesting juxtaposition on forgiving God. Like God breaking His promises, these are sensitive topics that need to be handled tenderly with TRUTH. Her words of grace in this post blessed me tremendously. Please CLICK HERE to read her post On Forgiving God.

 

I stand on His Word. I stand on His promises. I’m learning day by day that His promises are rarely delivered in the manner that I expect. His method of delivery ensures His promises are delivered to the right address, at the right time and have been handled with care, even if I don’t recognize the wrapping or the return address.

 

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

2 Peter 1:4

 

I’ll leave you with some words from singer Alan Jackson,

 

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,

Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call

Resting in my Savior as my all in all,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

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Under Attack

The three attacks came. Right on the heels of each another. Within 48 hours, three incidents that completely floored me. I was under attack.

 

I am a person who walks around with rose-colored lenses on. I hope for the best and believe the best about people. So I was completely caught off guard when I was attacked and at church no less.

 

And to make matters worse, I was coming off a week of being totally immersed in the presence of the Holy Spirit. So engulfed was I in His presence that I didn’t see it coming. I open, accessible and vulnerable. After the attacks, I was left feeling hurt, wronged and violated.

 

One physical attack to my body. From face to feet, full body rash. Guess now I know I’m allergic to a particular type of antibiotic. This is exactly why I don’t take medicine. But I trusted the Dr. and I didn’t want my thumb to fall off or create another series of problems so I consented to taking this medication. Well, guess it caused another problem after all. So here I was with this full body rash and was scheduled to speak early the next morning on the topic of “Restoration of the Body”. I was self conscious about what to wear because I had red alligator skin from head to toe. Even my lips were swollen. But God is faithful. My friend helped me select a dress that covered most of the redness and prayer helped calm my nerves.

 

That was immediately followed by vicious attacks from people. My heart is hurting just thinking about it. All my heart wants to do is encourage, support and love people and to have that stepped on and crushed is devastating.

 

The pain from these events caused me to:

 
~Emotionally Eat

I ate a box of Junior Mint and I don’t normally eat candy. But it was comforting to mindlessly eat something sugary. I did resist the urge to get a big cup of coffee. I only wanted the coffee as a means to assuage my hurt feelings.

 

~Want To Give Up

I clearly know the things God has called me to do. And I’ve readily said yes to carry them out. But when faced with personal attacks, I questioned the Lord and wondered why I even bother coaching, supporting, giving, encouraging. My thoughts were, ”Really Lord?! Do I need this drama? I can just be at home, caring for me and mine.” I even told my friend as much. To which she quickly reminded me of the truth. This is a spiritual battle and I must engage accordingly. So when you find yourself engaged in battle, there is no need to panic, flee or overreact. Take a deep breath and engage by using the tools in your arsenal.

 

 

PRAY

Ask God to give you eyes to see and ears to hear the truth in the situation

Pray for all parties, entities involved

 

PROTECT

Put On Your Armor (Ephesians 6:10-20)

Take Cover (Psalm 91)

Know that Jehovah Sabaoth, The Lord of Hosts goes before you

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.

 

PRAISE

Your praise is your battle cry

Praise Him that you’ve already secured the victory

This is the chorus to a song I love. It reminds me God is on my side, Chris Tomlin’s Whom Shall I Fear

“I know who goes before me

I know who stands behind

The God of angel armies

Is always by my side

The one who reigns forever

He is a friend of mine

The God of angel armies

Is always by my side”

 

Be encouraged friends. When you are purposefully pursuing Christ, fiery darts will come your way to try to deflate you, distract you and discourage you. But God! You are an overcomer. You are a valiant soldier. You are victorious!

 

Let us pray. I lift my eyes to the hills, where my help comes from. Jehovah Sabaoth, Lord of Hosts, who is mighty in battle, thank you for loving me and protecting me. You are a very present help in the time of trouble. If You, Oh God are for me, who can be against me? I am more than a conqueror through You who loves me. Let every tongue that rises against me in judgment be put to shame. Let every plot, trap and scheme of the enemy be cancelled in Jesus’ name. Lord I thank you for the intercessors that are praying on my behalf. May you bless them indeed. Thank you for giving your angels charge over me. Thank you for securing the victory!

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!
Happy to connect with friends @ Fellowship Friday’s

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What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?

In the 1966 hit record, What Becomes of The Brokenhearted, Jimmy Ruffin sings:

The fruits of love grow all around

But for me they come a tumblin’ down

Every day heartaches grow a little stronger

I can’t stand this pain much longer

I walk in shadows

Searching for light

Cold and alone

No comfort in sight

Hoping and praying for someone to care

Always moving and goin’ to where

 

Jesus was sent to heal the brokenhearted. He opened the scroll and read of himself saying:

 

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,

Because the Lord has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted” Isaiah 61:1

 

Jesus doesn’t want you living the above lyrics to the song. He gave his life that you might do the opposite. He wants you to be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that give fruit and are prosperous. He’s come to heal your heartache. He wants you to come out of the shadows and into his marvelous light. He is a comforter. He cares for you and wants you to cast your cares on him. He wants to lead you in paths of righteousness for his namesake. Line for line, Jesus is the answer to what becomes of the brokenhearted.

 

What becomes of the brokenhearted?

 

When their hearts are opened, they are healed.

 

I had a gaping whole in my heart. A space carved out with my mother’s name on it. I tried to fill that space with many things but they never quite seemed to fit: too big, too small, wide angles, sharp corners. They just didn’t fit. But thanks be to God he is a father to the fatherless and a mother to the motherless.

 

What does he want you to do in order to heal your broken heart?

 

RECEIVE

 

Open the door to your heart so that you can be healed, whole and loved.

 

Walking into a grocery store with my 4 year old was torture as the Valentine’s ‘eye noise’ was unbearable. He asked me, “Mommy why do they have Valentine’s Day everything? Mommy it’s too much cookies and candy and balloons.” I told him he was right that I love him and his siblings and his daddy so much everyday that we didn’t need to buy pink cookies to let them know we love them.

 

And the Father loves you more than that. He doesn’t have to dangle trinkets in front of your face that you’ll eventually discard. But every day he sees you, chooses you, knows you and calls you. Today, respond to him. He’s wooing you. His love is magnetic; it just draws you in. Don’t try to repel it, but like the strength of a neodymium magnet, be drawn in and fused together.

 

If you are brokenhearted for whatever reason, it will hamper your ability to love unconditionally. For more on agape love click here. Your capacity to love agape is only unleashed when you’ve 1st received from Him who loved you 1st. You cannot give that which you do not have. So Jesus is simply waiting for you to say yes. Perhaps you’ve said yes to let Him be your savior but have you said yes to receive his unconditional love for you? He is down, on bended knee. Imagine him as he was when he washed the disciples’ feet. He was modeling for us humility, servant hood and above all love.

 

If we are to experience the fullness of his resurrection power in our lives, we must accept that we are loved by him. We have been crucified with him yes. Now we have new life all because he loved us and freely gave himself for us.

 

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

 

If you receive his love for you, won’t you tell him today. Below in the comments you can write your response to receiving his love. If you have challenges receiving his love, you can share that too so I can pray for you. If all the Valentine’s hoopla causes you more pain than joy, share that too so I can pray for you. In fact, right now I reach out to you with a big virtual hug. Can you feel it? The Lord’s got a hug waiting for you too.

 

 

In The Secrets of the Secret Place, Bob Sorge says this of our communion with the Lord:

He initiates, we respond

He gives, we receive

He impregnates, we bring to birth

He leads, we follow

He loves, we reciprocate

He rules, we reign with Him

 

Lord, I say yes. I open the door to my heart. I come running to you. I love you Lord.

 

To God be the glory for all that he has done.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

Connecting Today With:
Missional WomenMissional Women

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