“Samuel went back to GOD: “Is he anywhere around?” GOD said, “Yes, he’s right over there—hidden in that pile of baggage.” They ran and got him. He took his place before everyone, standing tall—head and shoulders above them. Samuel then addressed the people, “Take a good look at whom GOD has chosen: the best! No one like him in the whole country!” Then a great shout went up from the people: “Long live the king!”” 1 Samuel 10:22-24 MSG There comes a time in life when the King or Queen in you can no longer be hidden. In 1 Samuel 9 Saul thought he was just going to look for his families lost sheep. As he was looking for the lost possessions of his family, he found the lost identity of himself. Along the journey of life we find ourselves as we find Christ. In you is a great king or queen and you had no clue. There is a greatness in each of us that is hidden until life circumstances pulls it out of us. Many of us have come across great people who see thi...
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Much Will Be Required Growing up many of us began to discover our gifts, for some it took a little longer to recognize their abilities as gifts. As we mature into adulthood many of us bury the gifts or continue to look at uncultivated gifts as useless. We hold on to these things in ability, yet we relinquish the call to use them. For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. [He never withdraws them when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call.] (Romans 11:29 AMP) Romans 11:29 tells us that God's gift and call are irrevocable. Gifts are things we must choose to receive. We can choose to use them or not use them, but they will still be there in/with us. If you can sing at an early age and decide not to use your voice to glorify Him, He won't take your ability away because of His word. Whether we stray or stay on the path it is still ours. The major question for all who are a...
Trusting God's Ordered Steps Truly believing that our steps are ordered by God means we don't get out of order by trying to make things happen on our own time. Patience is part of the fruit that comes from living out life with the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Having patience doesn't mean it's an easy street, but it's the path that allows you to surrender to God's will and gives you peace about His timing. So many of our wants and desires are God given, yet we fail to rely on the timing of the desire giver (Psalm 37:4). Some people read this as "if I submit to God, He'll give me what I want"...NOPE! I have personally gone through this in the area of relationships and He has literally given me new desires in my heart that align with His will and purpose for my life. It may seem as if the steps are taking a long time or we feel like we are taking the wrong steps, we get frustrated and possibly give up on a God given desire. In reality ...
Like a Tree And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. (Psalm 1:3 AMP) Most trees that have had the time to be rooted and grounded are pretty steady. They go through many seasons in life, growing each year producing leaves and fruit (flowers, nuts, etc.) the roots of the tree remain steady for 100's of years. How much better is it to be a tree planted by the rivers of living water? A tree that is planted by the water has a source of constant nourishment from the water. John 4:14 speaks of the water that Jesus gives being enough to quench our thirsts so that we thirst no more. It doesn't have to depend on someone to water it, because its source is deep within the ground, yet easily accessible by the deep roots of the tree. The tree is steady in all seasons though the wind ma...
Life in His Garden Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being. [I Cor. 15:45-49.] And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden [delight]; and there He put the man whom He had formed (framed, constituted). And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight or to be desired–good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life also in the center of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of [the difference between] good and evil and blessing and calamity. [Rev. 2:7; 22:14, 19.] And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Genesis 2:7-9...
Childlike Faith Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4 AMP) I have always heard the phrase "childlike faith" and I always thought I knew what it meant. Unbeknownst to her, this past Mother's Day my youngest niece who's four taught me a lesson on childlike faith. As I looked at her sad face as her family prepared to leave grandma's house to travel home, I told her how pretty she looked in her dress. She said I'm going to miss you, and fell in to my lap. We finished our hug and I buttoned up her sweater. I said to her "oh you got something on your sweater". Her response is one I will never forget. She looked me straight in my eye and said "its ok, my mommy will fix it". Knowing the dedication that my sister has for her family was no surprise to me; yet when she said it, I was taken aback. Had I not personally se...
Answered Questions Will you let them get away with this forever? Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests? (Habakkuk 1:17 NLT) [OH, I know, I have been rash to talk out plainly this way to God!] I will [in my thinking] stand upon my post of observation and station myself on the tower or fortress, and will watch to see what He will say within me and what answer I will make [as His mouthpiece] to the perplexities of my complaint against Him. And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by. (Habakkuk 2:1, 2 AMP) As we sometimes seek God for clarity in the midst of calamity and scream for justice, our best plan of action may be to climb up & be still. Habakkuk 2:1 speaks to how we should wait to hear from the Lord. Climbing up doesn't involve choosing a holier than thou stance, but a place of "rest" in the Lor...