Shadow Living

via God’s Invitation To All… “Come in and know me better man”

http://positivewriter.com/my-favorite-quote-which-changed-my-life-and-can-change-yours-too/

Romans 4:16-21 – Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” 17 He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not as though they were.  18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.  20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,  21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

This morning as I was reading through Romans 4, the passage above leapt off the written page and came alive in my heart!  The word is absolutely alive and active (Heb. 4:12).  If you know his journey with God; you see Abraham’s faith was not in his obedience to God.  Although, that was important.  His faith was not even in the promise! Albeit he knew God would bring it to pass.

Abraham’s faith was in “the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not as though they were.”   

WOW!   You see, he was 100 years old and he knew his body was as good as dead.  Sara was old too, her womb was dead!  DEAD!  No possibility for life to form in a dead womb!  It’s impossible!

But, isn’t that what our God does?

The impossible!

 He takes what seems utterly ridiculous and makes it an absolute reality!

 I really think it gives God great joy to blow His kids minds!  The word says, “Abraham believed without weakening in his faith.  He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God!”

But y’all know when Issac was born from a womb that should have been dead; Abraham and Sarah were completely blown away! 

These incredible truths made me do some soul-searching.    The Holy Spirit began activating the word in my heart with these questions: 

1.  Do I have the faith of Abraham?

2. Is my faith in the promises of God or in the Promise Keeper?

3. Do I believe like my father Abraham in the God who not only gives life to the dead        but on top of that… calls into being things that are not as though they are?

4. Am  I fully persuaded that God has the power to do what He has promised me?

SO, can I ask you a few questions to give you something to ponder and mull over this week?  

What things in your life are as good as dead?   Or maybe are definitely dead.
Maybe there are dead relationships and your heart is broken.
A dead marriage? Financial hardship? Your health?
Maybe a lost loved one who is dead in trespasses and sins?
Could it be a dead God-given dream or vision for your life?

I have some things in my life that appear as good as dead.  Some truly break my heart. But you know what they say, “Things aren’t always what they seem.”

So let’s agree to ask The Lord Almighty to forgive us for our unbelief and let’s be honest we all have times of unbelief.

Repent & Believe!

We love and serve a God who was true to His promise to Abraham and Sarah!

 He raised Jesus Christ from the DEAD!

A God who transferred us from darkness to light.

Who has spoken promises to us through His Word!

Let’s believe BIG in the GOD of the Promise!  Let’s take our “dead” things to His throne room and lay them down at His beautiful feet.  Knowing He can and will call those things in our lives that are dead to life!

Let’s not waver in our belief regarding His promises but let the waiting strengthen our  faith so we too can give God glory!

 Let’s be fully persuaded that God will do what He says He will do!  He will call things that are not as though they are!

Let’s ask God to give us the faith of Abraham!

A few months back while listening to a sermon series by, Chip Ingram Living On The Edge  he talked about living in authentic community.  I heard him say, “We are all desperately insecure people.”  The way we live this out depends on our back story, how we were raised, our experiences, our view of God, ourselves & others.

Insecurity is rooted in FEAR.  Fear of failure.  Fear of success.  Fear of the unknown. Fear of not being good enough.  Fear of not being liked.  You name it!   It may be different for all of us, but we are all insecure in our own way.

     He went on to explain how insecurity exhibits itself:  Some of us are puffed up with pride and arrogance which is rooted in fear of being found out or found lacking; so we are driven to push harder, to accomplish much and climb that ladder of success to prove we are ok.  Driven people also drive others, sometimes over the edge!  Others of us are introverted to a fault.  We would rather just sit on the side lines than get in the game for the very same reasons that the driven person pushes so hard!  We don’t push at all!  At any rate, insecurity is the root of it all.  Which I have come to believe is the birth child of FEAR.  I should know, I have been the victim of fear more than I care to share here!  Be it panic attacks, sleepless  nights, worry, anxiety all of it is rooted deeply in fear.

     Over the past few years I have seen up close & personal how insecurity can damage relationships.  How insecurity builds walls not bridges.  Those who allow fear of losing control learn to isolate & insulate those they “love” from all others.  They become possessive to a fault.  It is heart-breaking for all who feel the ripple effects.   Like an infectious disease if not treated it has the power can to effect & infect the people we love the most.  Instead of keeping them leashed to us, it pushes them far away.  The very thing we feared becomes reality – all because of insecurity.

I know this because I once lived in the shadow of insecurity.  Which leads to social awkwardness and silent pain.   I adapted and learned to live in the shadow of others so I could just breathe and experience a degree of comfort.  This insecurity affected my entire family and was the root of my battle with depression.

Now, I see it for what it is.

Insecurity builds walls not bridges.

Walls are erected to keep the insecure person feeling safe.  In the process of protecting their hearts they end up building tall, thick walls that at times are impenetrable.  I am sure that I am not the only one who has struggled in this battle with insecurity.  We all have people like this in our lives.  Maybe we have tried reaching out to this person from a pure motive with no strings attached but each time our actions are misinterpreted through a screen of insecurity and the need to be in control and at the same time control those closest to this person.  Which in turn shuts down communication and relationship with others.  It is unfair and can I say also unjust?  Leashes were made for animals not people!

As a recovering insecure, fearful, anxiety filled person I can spot one a mile away.  Not that I am sitting in judgement but you know the quote, “It takes one to know one”? Yes….that was me.  What I have learned from my own insecurity issue is this:

Yes, we are all desperately insecure people.  ALL of us.  Even the most confident people we know are insecure.  

Fear desires to control others, schedules, environments and creates an atmosphere of
oppression for all those affected by it.  Fear erects tall, thick walls.  Keeps those they love so close that over time they feel like they will suffocate.

Fear builds the walls to protect but in protecting our safe little cocoon others are pushed out and kept at a distance.

Fear breeds  a sense of competition.
Fear feeds comparison even if in our minds.

Even with those we say we love the most, and makes for a very unhealthy environment to live in and be “happy” in.

Insecurity fosters fear, fear feeds control, control erects walls, walls result in insolation and eventually isolation.  Isolation destroys relationships.  What a waste of energy! When instead that energy could be used to build bridges.

Do you struggle with insecurity, control, fear and inferiority?  Or, maybe you have someone like that in your life or live with someone like this and are miserable?  What are we to do?  How do we build a bridge when they are busy building a wall?

PRAY for them and for ourselves.
PRAY and choose NOT to live your life under their thumb but enjoy the freedom, love and joy found in Jesus Christ.
PRAY they would see and be able to be honest with themselves and God.
PRAY the wounds of their past would be healed by the Holy Spirit through the Word.
Remember they are the real prisoner behind the walls of their own making.  Be patient. Love them where they are.  Speak truth into their lives when led to.  Help them get counseling from a biblically sound and compassionate professional counselor.

Let’s ask the Lord to help us tear down the walls we have built up to keep others out and instead learn to trust Him to help us begin building bridges to one another’s hearts.

Thankful for this life I have “in Jesus Christ”!

Grateful to God for saving me at 26 years old. I wasn’t looking to be saved. I was just living my life, doing my thing, no concern for eternal things, no need for God.

I didn’t know I was a lost, undone, insecure, broken little girl with so many deep war wounds. I was oblivious to the truth that I lived my life in the shadow of others.

BUT God did!
He found me.
He redeemed my life.
He restored my soul.
He is teaching me how to live in the shadow of The Almighty!

According to His Word I was dead in trespasses & sin but He brought me from death to life in Christ Jesus! (Ephesians 2)

He transferred me from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Light! (Colossians 1:3)

He gave me a new heart, a new name, a new garment to wear.
He put a new song in my mouth and is even now making ALL things NEW!

Thankful for this Journey to my eternal home.

We can’t be good enough!

We can’t win Gods love!

We can’t do it right!

Romans 3:23 For ALL have sinned & fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We can’t do enough brave, good, honorable things to be made right with God.

Romans 3:10 “as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;”

Salvation is the work of God.
Ephesians 2:8-10 8 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

There are NOT many roads that lead to heaven just One…through the God-man – Jesus Christ.
John 14:6 – “I am The way, The truth & The life; no one comes to the Father except through Me”.

Attending Church won’t save you (although vitally important to help us grow).

Your morals will not save you. Ephesians 2 (read it) explains it well.

We must come to the Cross! Salvation is found in Jesus Christ and Him alone!

Gods word says in 2 Corn 5:16-17 “if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new.”

He didn’t save us to leave us in our sin and filth. He saved us to set us free from the power of sin, death, hell and the power of the devil!

Do you know the Jesus of the Bible? I don’t mean just know about Him, but do you have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Have you been born-again by the Spirit?

More importantly does He know you? Is your name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life? If so, your life will look dramatically different. Not perfect but distinctly different.

In the shadow of The Almighty,
Renee

Just my thoughts…. God is Holy. God is sovereign. God is Love. God is good. God is kind. God is merciful. God is forgiving. God is Just. God is Great! God reaches for the broken, the outcast,…

Source: My response to the Madness

Just my thoughts….

God is Holy. God is sovereign. God is Love. God is good. God is kind. God is merciful. God is forgiving. God is Just. God is Great!

God reaches for the broken, the outcast, the ones crying out in pain. He loves the Hagar’s of this world. He doesn’t throw stones. He doesn’t condemn. He sent His One and Only Begotten Son to Die on the Cross to break the power of sin, to save us, to reconcile us to God the Father. He is not willing that anyone perish, but that ALL come to repentance.

He loves that “sea of pink” both the women and men that marched on DC this weekend. He loves women. He made us. He gave us power from the beginning. He gave us position from the beginning. He made us equal to man in the beginning. Jesus honored women. Women were among His followers, His disciples, they walked with Him, served with Him, were the first at the tomb to see Him on the third day! Women matter to Jesus!

How we choose to respond to those who are LOST and undone says alot more about our hearts than theirs. Lost people are not going to live morally righteous lives. I sure didn’t before I was born again! I lived for this kingdom – my kingdom. Lost people will always fight for their “rights”, they will never see things any different until The Holy Spirit draws them to Himself. So we must love in truth, grace, mercy and pray for the souls of the lost women and men in this nation. Not throw stones.

I am praying and believing for a great revival to come to our nation. It always starts in one or two hearts. I DO NOT have to lay down my convictions in order to love those whose thinking is completely opposite from my own. I think we can disagree but love others like Christ loves them. I don’t know? My heart hurts for this nation and this world. This world is becoming more and more backwards. We are truly living in times that the Word of God describes as when “evil is called good and good is called evil” so upside down. I personally feel like there is a “Jezebel Spirit” alive and well in our churches, in our homes, in our society as a whole.

We are not to cower down but we are to conduct ourselves in wisdom. I have been a fool believe me so many times I can’t count them. I do not want to get caught up and get my eyes fixed on the wrong things and miss what God is doing in our midst. We serve the God of ALL Hope. He redeems the unredeemable, restores the broken, rescues the lost & dying, He resurrects dead things! I know this because He did it in my life and He is still doing it today!

The answer to this madness is the Message & Power of the Gospel!

So, let’s choose to love like Jesus. Live like Jesus. Speak like Jesus. Pray like Jesus.