Tag: Holy Spirit

Continued Refinement

Featured ~ Denise ~ Leave a comment

A lot has happened since my last post and once again I find myself right back here acknowledging my lack of posting.

However this time it is more an accountability confession as I had sensed I was being prompted to post before now by the Holy Spirit, yet put it off.

I tried to justify and console myself with the fact that I had indeed been writing, just not posting. Sort of half the job.

I wouldn’t particularly accept that excuse myself; yet here I was thinking He would.

These words spring to mind:

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8

Holy Spirit promptings are for obedience. I had not listened.

What should one do when one realizes this?

The scripture goes on to say:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10

What a loving and merciful Lord we serve! One who refines us, teaches us, prompts us and does not condemn us when we fall short (because we will in our imperfections).

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:1

I let too many things prevent me till now.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Cor 12:9

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26

I’m leaning into the fire.

I hope and pray you stick along for the refinement with me.

Blessings to you!

Denise

What is it for you?

~ Denise ~ 1 Comment

Have you ever started to go do something and then got distracted by something else?

For example, I can pick up the laundry hamper and go in to start a load of laundry and then see something along the way that needs picked up. I’ll put down the hamper, pick up a random item, put that away, notice the trash needs emptying, go wash my hands, clean off the counters, which can lead to restocking paper products, vacuuming, picking up a random item, etc. until I realize I haven’t started the laundry. Have I mentioned before I can have a squirrel moment? I’m blaming it on menopause!

Now, I could argue that all the things I found to occupy my time were worthwhile, and I was accomplishing things that needed to get done, however, the task I had originally prompted myself to do was neglected by distractions.

The Holy Spirit has been prompting me that I have been practicing this same technique in another area. For quite some time, I’ve felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to write/blog again. Now, in total transparency, I have been writing and journaling, I just haven’t posted anything.

I could give a plethora of excuses for not listening to this.

Doesn’t matter if I’ve put other “good” things in place to justify or pacify the disobedience. Disobedience is what it has been. I was neglecting a prompting that I was hearing. Any distractions, whether worthwhile or not, didn’t make me any less disobedient, or without sin. Can’t blame that on menopause! What sinful natures we are, and thanks be to God, there is a cure for that!

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

A confessed sin is forgiven, removed and forgotten! I can step forward in obedience, trusting in Him for the strength and guidance for the task He calls me to.

How gracious and loving our God is! Jesus cares about every bit of me! And He cares about every bit of you!

He cared enough to die on the Cross for all our sins! We just need to seek Him and surrender to Him.

The power and the magnitude of the Cross is that Jesus died for all who come to Him and surrender to Him!

“There is no one righteous, not even one,” Rom. 3:10

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Rom 3:23,24

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17

Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? Or are you trying to do it on your own?

What decision are you putting off because you’re waiting for the right time, the right knowledge, or experience, the right sign, or you’ve been distracted from?

What are you putting in place of being obedient to the stirring that you’re feeling in your heart right now?

What is God calling or asking you to be obedient about right now?

Whether it seems big or small to you – what is that stirring in your heart?

What is it for you?

Wrestling will make you ache….

~ Denise ~ 8 Comments

Genesis 32:23-32

That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.  After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.  So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.  When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.  Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?”  Then he blessed him there.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip.  Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Jacob didn’t always know God.  He knew of him.  But he didn’t know him.

In Genesis 27:20, Jacob refers to the LORD as Isaac’s God, he had not made God his own.  He had not had a personal connection with Him.  In Genesis 32, you see Jacob’s change.  Jacob had struggled all his life, first with his brother Esau, then with Laban, now Jacob realized it was with God that he would “wrestle”.  Jacob’s persistence was rewarded with a blessing.

Did that mean Jacob stopped wrestling with God?  No, by the end of Genesis 33 we find Jacob lingering near Shechem instead of being obedient by going to Bethel (exit mention of God).  Genesis 34 records the trouble (to put it mildly) for him and his family.  It is in chapter 35 of Genesis that we see Jacob repenting, and God assuring him again of his blessings.

And there are people who can’t relate to the Old Testament?  Seriously?

I seem to find myself back there a lot.

At some time during our lives we all “wrestle” in deciding to make God ours or not.

Just like Jacob.

Then, you wrestle, even when you’re not aware of it, well, at least you I try to tell yourself myself that anyway.

Just like Jacob.

I’ve been wrestling lately.

I’ve been wrestling the feeling for weeks that Jesus has asked me to call my father.

The internal dialogue has gone something like this:

I want you to call your father and tell him you are moving.

I don’t want to.

I know you don’t.  That is why I’m asking you to.

Do you think he really cares where I am?  He will just reject me again.

–silence—

How about I send him a letter?  You know, that way I’m reaching out, but I won’t have to listen to him tell me again it’s ‘my fault’ that he doesn’t call me.

–silence—

Look, I found some things that were Mom’s, maybe I should send them to him?  How about that?

That would be nice.  You know, though, the loving thing would be to call him, tell him you are moving.  The only contact number he has for you will disappear once you move.

Well, it’s not like he calls me.  You know what he thinks, and how he feels about calling me, he doesn’t.  It has been years since he has called me, and that was only because someone had died, and then it was after the fact.  I’ll call him after I send the things with a letter.  You know break the ice.

–silence—

Lord, things are happening so quickly.  I sometimes can’t believe we are moving.  There are so many things to do.

I thought you were going to send something to your Dad?

Well, I was going to, you know, but been really busy getting everything ready for the move, and well, I didn’t have time to sit down and put my thoughts together clearly.

Didn’t have time, or make time?

Um, well, yeah, make time.  You know, I really need to call Aunt Jean and tell her we are moving.  I haven’t talked to her for a while.  I need to call her.    Why can’t I find her phone number though?  Oh, bother.  Now I can’t tell Jean.  She will wonder about me.  I wonder how she is doing; now I won’t know.

Your father will.  Call him.

I don’t want to.  Why can’t I find Jean’s number?  I can’t find any information on the assisted living home she is in to call her.  I can’t find any of my notes.

–silence—

Lord, our quiet time is different here.  I’m trying to get in the rhythm of finding the place where we sit and spend our time together.  I’ve been missing the windows where I’d look up in the trees.

I’m here.

I know that Lord.  It’s just the busyness of activity has subsided for a while.  Now I’m thinking and feeling something unfinished.  I’ve talked to both Mom’s brothers since we’ve moved, but I still can’t find Jean’s information.

You know who has is.

I know, but I have a migraine today, I can’t call him.  My mind won’t be sharp.

Do you trust me?

Please don’t ask me that today.

–silence–

Lord, about that aching in my shoulder, you know, that one, it’s really bothering me today.  It bothered me enough that when I woke up, I was reminded of the days in therapy after the surgery; and stretched my arm over my head and felt the tightness across my back, in my shoulder, down my arm.  Yesterday a migraine, today aches.  Is it the rain, or are you trying to get me attention?  What’s on the agenda today?

You know what it is.  You’ve known all along.

Sigh.

I know.  I know Lord.  I can be so stubborn.  I keep finding reasons to put off being obedient to what you are asking me to do.  Please, please forgive me.  It is just that fear again.  Fear to hear the rejection, again.

I understand.

Yes.  Oh.  Oh.  That’s something that you hear all.the.time.

Yes.

Oh, oh, and you’ve been hearing it from me when I’ve not been obedient to what I know you’ve been asking me to do…….I’m so sorry Lord…. Please forgive me……Help me to be obedient.  I will do what you are asking me regardless of the outcome, or how it may make me feel……I trust you.

I love you.

Okay, I will do it after I do….no, I will do it….now.! I will not put it off any longer.  I trust you to give me the words to say.

Dial.  Ring.  An answering machine.

And so while smiling, I left a cheerful message.  One saying that we had moved and where we were.  Gave him my phone number and told him that his grandkids were well.  Told him that I couldn’t find my information from when I visited his sister, and hoped all was well.   I called him Dad when I said hello, and called him Dad when I said goodbye.

I was smiling to myself the whole time, because even when I knew I had doubted and didn’t trust Him with what now seemed such a little matter, I was forgiven, it was forgotten and I was loved.  Being obedient has its blessings.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified, those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for the all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?  It is God who justifies.  Who is he that condemns?  Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, nether the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:28-39

Update:   I decided to look again in all the places that I thought I had put my Aunt’s contact information.  I found it the first place I went to.  There it was all along, and I wasn’t seeing it before now.  Well, what do you know, what do you know.

What does love mean to me?

~ Denise ~ 2 Comments

The Daily Post sent this topic suggestion on August 5 which I knew I wanted to blog about as soon as I saw it.

Unfortunately, that thought became a quick note on a scrap of paper which then had to be found, deciphered, memory jogged, thoughts organized…well you get the drift…..

I have been reading a book entitled  Sandpaper People by Mary Southerland and been thinking and pondering on this verse for over a month now:

Isaiah 43:4

“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.”

They are powerful love words.  Think about God saying that to you:

You are precious.  Your are valued and honored to me.  I love you.  I care for you so much that I would give up other people for you, that’s how much I love you.

Makes you feel good inside to feel loved.  When we love others it can be easy to feel and show love.  We are asked to “love our neighbor as ourselves”.  Ah, now sometimes that can be a little harder.  Particularly when your feelings are hurt.

Part of loving people is accepting them “just as they are”.   I know I want to be loved “just as I am”.

Back to the verse:

“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life.”

Love to me means taking the “you” and replacing it with the name of “someone else”.

Sometimes that can be easy.   Sometimes that is can be soooo hard.

Think about it.

Stop right now and re-read that verse below and put in the name of the person that you might be angry mildly annoyed with, put in the image of the person today who irritated you while you were driving, put in the face of the rude sales person, or remember it applies to you and me when, quite frankly we have been a pain in the butt.

Replace that “blank line” with the name of someone I love, I like, I enjoy, someone I’m feeling good about – easy.  Replace that “blank line” with the name of someone who has hurt me, or someone I encounter during the day that I find abrasive, or as Mary calls “sandpaper” – that makes it a little harder.

And, being honest here, sometimes the ones I love, like and enjoy I have to consciously make a choice to put their name there when they’ve hurt my feelings.

Since _________ are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love ________, I will give men in exchange for ___________, and people in exchange for ___________ life.

So, how did you do?

It isn’t always easy is it?

I have to remind myself that I am always screwing up.  I’m always making mistakes.  That is our human nature.  So usually, when it can be hard for me to put someone’s name in that blank line, I’m usually reminded of my shortcomings.  My mental conversation usually ends up with the “duh” moment for me of “oh, okay I’m like that too in such and such” (confession), seeking His forgiveness, and then giving forgiveness.  And, having total disclosure here, sometimes that takes me awhile, depending on the size of my hurt.  Sometimes my past hurts come back to haunt me and I have to go through the process all over again.  Sigh.

Forgiveness isn’t a feeling; it is a choice.  A choice between God and us.

God’s greatest gift and our deepest need is forgiveness.

We usually stop forgiving when we run out of patience, however, there should be no limits to our forgiveness, because there are no limits to the forgiveness of God.  We can stop forgiving when we run out of His forgiveness.

“God made you alive in Christ.  He forgave all our sins.  He canceled the record that contained the charges against us.  He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross”

Colossians 2:13-14

Love.  Forgiveness given freely as a gift on the cross.  A choice.

Love.

And, in God’s great sense of humor, during the whole lengthy time it took for me to post, leave it sit in blog draft mode for edit, He reminded me that I neglect to read that verse and put my own name there sometimes.  I mean I read the word “you” and don’t even think about me sometimes.  Talk about a “duh”.

At my Women’s Group we have visualized the conversations and humorous expressions that Jesus may have with us over some of the “duh” moments one day.  Of course they are all delivered in a loving way.

Keep reminding me Lord.

Yeah, that’s what loves means to me.  🙂

Gracie & Big Kitty a.k.a. Captain Greybeard Lesson

~ Denise ~ 4 Comments

I was over at Rebecca & Keith’s house the other day watching Bella while they did a little blueberry picking.

The family has acquired three kittens (Boots, Scar Face & Chip), and this was the first time I saw them.  We were talking about the kittens, and then Keith warned me not to be surprised if the big grey cat jumped up outside at the window.

Now, I remembered “Big Kitty“.

I first got a good look at Big Kitty (or who I have since learned is called Captain Greybeard) one day before Keith & Rebecca went on their trip out west.

Now, I had been hearing about Big Kitty (sorry Captain, I like Big Kitty better) being this feral cat that was living out back, hid on the other side of the chain link fence and wouldn’t let anyone near it.

Gracie wanted to be it’s friend.

Well, on that particular day, I actually got a good look at Big Kitty.  Gracie was at the fence petting him!  So needless to say, after all that I had been hearing about the cat I was surprised!

Rebecca told me that Gracie was the only one that the cat would let near it.  I watched Gracie run over to the fence, call the cat, the cat would come over, let her pet him through the fence, she would run off again and he would either sit there and watch her, or disappear into the bushes.

Now, I will say I saw Remy wander over once or twice, but being a typical boy, he didn’t approach the fence in quite a “gentle manner” (let’s just say a foot was involved), and Big Kitty didn’t stay around when he approached.

While the family was away for a few weeks, they found upon their return, Big Kitty waiting for them on the front porch, and I believe he has decided to adopt the family as his.  He is quite comfortable coming in and out of their house.

So imagine my surprise when Big Kitty who a few weeks ago, who wouldn’t even approach people, came in the house, rubbed against each of the children present and then what really surprised me walked over and rubbed up against my leg and proceeded to let me pet him!

He then proceeded to lay down on the floor and play a little bit and groom himself.  A cat quite at home.

While Bella was napping,  and kittens were napping and playing, I watched Big Kitty laying on the floor and thought about the first time I saw him.

I thought back to that picture in my mind of Gracie’s little fingers reaching through the chain link fence.

Reaching out.  Showing love.

She just kept trying with Big Kitty to win his heart…to win his trust.

Big Kitty was trying to do it on his own.  He didn’t trust her.  He didn’t trust her love.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me and asked….isn’t that really how we are with God?

We try to do it on our own all the time.  We don’t trust Him.  We don’t trust His love.

But look what happens when we trust.  Look how our lives change.  Look how our family gets bigger!  Look how our life gets better!

Accepting that love, receiving that love, doesn’t mean we won’t have trouble.  It doesn’t mean we won’t screw up.  But we can be assured of God’s love.

I suspect Big Kitty will, (if he has not already) make a mess or two in the house.  He’ll screw up.  I also suspect others in the house will get a little upset with him at times.

But, I suspect just like God’s love is always there for us,  Gracie will still love him.