Category Archives: Proven Path Ministries

Proven Path Ministries

Not One of Them Will Fall

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Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?

And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

Matthew 10:29

Do you realize the power and the gift of assurance that is found in the words of this verse… this simple quote from the lips of our Savior about a couple of little birds?

I don’t know where you are in your walk with the Lord… I don’t even know if you even have one… if you don’t, I hope that maybe the path that I am on might intrigue you enough to join me for a while… I have, I think at least, over three years of my journey recorded on this site.

It’s funny, some posts are silly, some post have caught me in a moment of readiness to extend abundant grace to the greatest of sinful man, some have caught me in a moment of ready to drop the hammer down and tell everyone who refuses to obey Christ to suck it so I can just move on… some posts have my triumphs and victories… some post hold my pity parties…

I have considered before going through and changing the wording of some of my more “harsher” post, my husband nicely described them  once as “controversial” as he compared another girl’s blog to mine… but as I considered this re-wording, I decided… nope.

This is the dichotomy of the human spirit, at the very least, MY human spirit, and it is my journey of faith. The mountains and the valleys and the moments by the streams… it is what it is… and to go back and change the wording… in order to change the spirit and emotion in which it was written would remove the reality of the moment and memory.

All that said… to say… the most amazing journey that my God has me on is the one into the beauty of His sovereignty.

I cannot begin to express the release of life’s burdens that come when we begin to realize that God is indeed GOD!

The more we come to understand the scope of His salvation and the sovereignty of our God, the ability for man, for circumstances, for tragedy, for health, for death, for anything at all to shake you becomes less and less. These things become absolutely impotent in the face of an omnipotent God.

When I hear my Jesus speak to my spirit and say…

   Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:28-31

I think of all the things that can kill this body… an evil man deceived and held in bondage by the kingdom of darkness and serving the powers of hell, an appearing out of no where accident, a sickness in this weak flesh of ours as cancer, or simply the process of aging itself, as sin has its effect on this temporary body that is fit only for death. I think of all these things when my Jesus says, Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul … 

Not one these things has the ability to kill my soul! NOT ONE!

Not one of these has the ability to steal my soul from the hand of my God. NOT ONE!

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39

Not one of these things has the ability to kill my soul and not one of these things has the ability to take from me the purpose and plan of God for my life.

For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,

Isaiah 46:9-10

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For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

There is great peace in knowing that God is GOD.

There is great assurance in knowing that God is GOD.

There is great confidence in knowing that God is GOD.

I have no need ever to fear any device of man, any defect of this flesh, any demonic threat because my God is GOD!

No one can snatch me from His hand and no one and no thing can take my life… I belong to Him. I am His. So whatever comes into my life or comes against my life has not the power to triumph over me… for if God is for me… WHO CAN BE AGAINST ME!

It’s a good place to be, resting in the sovereignty of God, knowing that you wake up each day to live in obedience to Him… come what may… knowing that God is for you… I have no desire to carry the burden of sin, rebellion, disobedience, unforgiveness, fear… I have carried that burden before and it is too heavy for me. I prefer the cross of my Christ… and whatever might come with it… because I know in HIM and though HIM and for HIM I will be more than a conquerer.

Have you discovered this for yourself precious one?

Have you come to know and to grasp and to receive and walk in the knowledge of the sovereignty of our Creator?

Every October our church puts on an eight scene walk through drama called The Judgment Seat, this year our theme has received a lot of criticism, because it’s a little different than usual. I myself have pondered it, and wrestled with it, seeking God concerning it, wondering if we should change it, adjust it in some way…  but today after my remembrance of the sovereignty of God I am beginning to see the purpose behind this theme.

We want you, precious one, to understand that no matter what, GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME , IN HIS TIME, JUST IN TIME, WHY, BECAUSE THAT’S HIS NATURE.

He is sovereign, and all things, ALL THINGS, work together for good, for those who love HIM and are the called according to HIS PURPOSE.

Proven Path Ministries

Pulled Away and Poured Out

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But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

Matthew 9:16-17

I read this quote of my Lord this morning as I studied in the book of Matthew. Jesus is addressing the disciples of John when He says these words. They are asking Him about fasting… the disciples of John are wondering why they and the Pharisees fast, but the disciples of Jesus do not fast.

Here we see three different types of religion.

1) We see the Pharisees who use religion to control and fast for a show.

2) We see the disciples of an earthly man who use religion as a means of morality and a path to an inner peace and do good things and help others, those who fast to affirm that they are more than just this world and are not controlled by the things and present leaders of this world… yet this is not enough to save.

It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 

Acts 19:1-6

3) Then we see the disciples of Jesus who at this time have no need to fast, because they are presently walking in physical daily fellowship with the One that fasting is meant to bring them into fellowship and communion with…

Precious ones, there will be no fasting in glory… and at the time these disciples where walking with Glory.

However, that will not last… a day is coming when these disciples of Jesus Christ will fast as well.

Jesus explains this to the disciples of John with two illustrations… a patch of new cloth on an old garment always pulls away from the garment and makes the tear worse and new wine in an old wineskin always burst.

Here are my thoughts beloved…

At that time the disciples of Jesus were all good and satisfied. Jesus was right there with them. He was teaching them face to face, eye to eye, heart to heart. He was healing the sick and raising the dead and casting out demons right before their eyes… they had no reason to fast.

One day they would.

One day soon.

One day Jesus would have to leave. He would go to the cross to die for them because of their sin… to the grave to pay for them because they owed a debt that only He could cover… and to glory to keep them because He loved them and they belonged to Him.

He would go, but His disciples would remain.

They would remain, but they would receive an unshrunk patch of His Spirit to put on their old garment of flesh and they would receive the new wine of His life in the old wine skin of their flesh.

As they continued in this world as new creations in jars of clay, that new patch would begin to pull further and further away from that old garment. The Spirit just has nothing in common with this old flesh. Therefore each day of walking in the Spirit would force the tearing away from this flesh a little more and more. This tearing would come with days of great anguish, days of embarrassing exposure, days of faith failure, days of doubt, disappointment, discouragement, and demonic attack…

Yet, our Savior will not leave us exposed as the patch of the Spirit tears away from us the old garment of this flesh. As this new patch of the Spirit on this old garment of flesh begins to pull away, we find that our Lord clothes us in Himself… in His own robe of righteousness.

Yes, it can be quite fearful and painful… and this is when I believe Jesus says… yes, His disciples will fast.

Likewise, as they, as we, continue in this world as new creations in jars of clay filled with the new wine of His life in this old wineskin of flesh… we find this old wine skin of flesh just can’t hold this new wine of His life contained. We find that it begins to leak out of us and pour out onto others. As a matter of fact, this new wine of His life should be pouring out of us as an ever flowing fountain of Life for others to drink…

 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 

Philippians 2:16-17

However, this pouring out, this bursting of the old wineskin of our flesh, that allows the wine of His life to be poured out, can leave us empty and drained and weak….

This is when the disciples of Jesus will need to fast.

Oh but beloved, as more and more of the wine of His life is poured in us and out of us we discover this old wineskin just can’t hold it and one day it is going to full fledge burst from this new wine and be destroyed. Then our God is going to give us a new wineskin into which to pour the wine of His life and both the wine and the wineskin will be preserved.

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53

So dear one have you need to fast because you are being pulled away and poured out?

 

If you fast why, do you fast?

Is it for show before men, like the Pharisees?

Is it to prove to yourself and others that you are not controlled by your flesh or the things of this world?

Is it because you are being pulled away a little more each day from this old flesh by the newness of the Spirit and the Life of your Savior and sometimes it flat out hurts and wearies your soul and you need to be reminded of the joy of your salvation and come and be still at the feet of your Lord and be restored?

Proven Path Ministries

Knowledge + Grace = ?

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The Unless… series continues here… kind of.

The men said to her, “We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household.

Joshua 2:17-18

The context of this verse is the day that the generation of Joshua would take the Promised Land… well part of it anyway. They never were obedient long enough to obtain it all… that is for a day yet to come… yet coming quickly. Israel spies were sent into the city to scope out the scene. The word got out that they were in town and they were needing a place to hide.

Rahab, a harlot of the city, had heard about the God of these men. She had heard about what happened in Egypt. She had heard about the Amorites. She had heard and she was responding. She not only was responding she was taking action… she was grasping hold of these men and was saying… you want my help, tell me about your God. She reminds me of Jacob as he grasped hold of the angel of the Lord and said I will not let you go until you bless me!

However these men were not the angel of the Lord… they could not be sure of this woman’s motive, her allegiance, her confidence, or her heart. So they attached a way out this oath. She would have to hang this scarlet cord in her window so that they would know she she believed them. Grace was offered her… but there was something she needed to do in response to that grace.

When God made the call to flood the earth in order to destroy those who had so corrupted it… He offered grace to Noah. Destruction was coming. That was a fact, however, God let Noah in on its coming. Not only did He bring Noah knowledge of its coming, He informed him of a way to be delivered through the destruction… but Noah had to do something. Noah had to respond to the extended grace… the unmerited favor of God.

God did not owe Noah a thing… he was a man born in sin like the rest of us… we see the effects of it right after he got off the ark and was found drunk and naked. Yet God offered him grace anyway.

However, had Noah not built the ark… he would have perished with the rest of mankind, his family with him. Just knowing about the judgement to come… just knowing about the way to be saved… just knowing was not enough. Response was required. Obedience was required. Noah had to put his God given knowledge and grace into action.

Likewise Rahab had been given knowledge that the city would be destroyed. She had also been offered grace, a way to be saved in the midst of the destruction. Had Rahab not have taken these men at their word, had she not hung the scarlet thread in the window, she would have perished with the rest of the city, her family with her.

Jumping straight into a New Testament “unless” by the mouth of Jesus Himself…

“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 5:20

The Pharisees had all the knowledge of the Scriptures. The Pharisees all knew the words of God that taught of the coming of the kingdom of heaven. They knew the Scriptures, since childhood, that were given to them to lead them to salvation. They also knew the coming destruction of this earth, as it has clearly been revealed to us through the prophets of old…

and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:15

…but just knowing is not enough.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;

Matthew 3:7-8

God continues to tell us that the days of this world are about to end. Destruction is coming. God’s wrath will one day fall on this world. He will indeed stand and defeat the powers of hell and the spiritual forces of darkness. This epic battle is between Him and the evil one and the evil one is going down… in this battle the heavens and the earth will not survive… all will perish including all of mankind that remains.

However, God has given us knowledge of His coming wrath, though He owes us nothing. He has given us knowledge and He has told us what we must do to be saved from it. Not only has He told us what to do… He did all that was needed for it. He has doubly extended His grace to us in this day. He has sent His Son to earth to die on a cross for our sin, that we might be saved in Him… and all He asks is that we take Him at His Word and believe.

Yet here is the kicker.

Real belief is always followed by obedience to that which you believe… not just immediate obedience, but continued obedience.

Foreigners pretend obedience to me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.
“Foreigners lose heart,
And come trembling out of their fortresses.

2 Samuel 22:45-46

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Those who hate the Lord would pretend obedience to Him,

And their time of punishment would be forever.

Psalm 81:15

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And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven

Colossians 1:21-23

So what should knowledge + grace = ?

Knowledge + Grace should = Obedience, which always leads to Salvation.

So Knowledge + Grace + Obedience = Salvation

We see this through Noah, through Rahab, and we see it in the words of our Christ over and over again… but just think, beloved, Noah had to build an ark for he and his household to be saved… Rahab had to hang a scarlet cord for her and her household to be saved… all we have to do is believe.

And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

 Acts 16:29-31

Take some time today to read through Matthew 7:7-27. It’s a hard word, but it is solid and true. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather prefer that I get “real” with my Jesus on this side of eternity… Ask Him to reveal to you the condition of your heart, the condition of your mind, the condition of your soul.

Ask and seek and you will find… He promised.

Children's Ministry, Proven Path Ministries

What the World Needs Now

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There is sticky note on my home office wall. It has been there since at least May. On this sticky note are the words “Proverbs for Chapel next year” 

The past two years I have taught on the names of God. I assumed that I would continue to do so again for this coming school year as well… but during my time with the Lord one morning, I strongly felt impressed upon my heart to lead those attending chapel at our homeschool co-op through the book of Proverbs.

I never cease to sit in awe of the Lords ability to confirm His will to those who love Him and desire to obey and follow Him.

That morning in May I stuck the yellow sticky not on my wall… then in June we hosted a parenting conference at our church. The speaker shared several times how he used the Proverbs to counsel the families and children that came to him and he also shared about how one of his most memorable studies that his own father took him through was the book of Proverbs… this was just the beginning of the confirmation.

Almost immediately after the conference my friend and co-admin came up and made a comment about teaching the kids the Proverbs and I lit up and said, it’s already on a sticky note on my office wall!

This coming Sunday my husband and I will begin leading a parent study at our church… guess what the first weeks homework is?

The first five chapters of the book of Proverbs!

Today I am currently studying through the book of Matthew in my personal study time… and would you believe that the lesson this week has me in the book of Proverbs!

As I saw this my mind began to sing the words to the song, “what the world needs now is love sweet love…”  but instead of the world needing love… our world needs WISDOM.

To know wisdom and instruction…

Proverbs 1:2

Wisdom here in the Hebrew is Chokmah and it means:

  1. wisdom
    1. skill (in war)
    2. wisdom (in administration)
    3. shrewdness, wisdom
    4. wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)
    5. wisdom (ethical and religious)

Oh how we need chokmah!

We live in a day where all the knowledge of the world can be found with one little tap of our finger.

But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.

Daniel 12:4

We have knowledge out the wazoo… but we have become a bunch of fools.

It is a sad state of affairs that we find ourselves in this day and age. I truly almost fear for our children… but not to the point of worry… only to the point of action. The action I know is to do all that God allows me to do in order to teach them of Him because…

Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.

Daniel 11:31-32

I refuse to wring my hands over the state of our nation… I refuse even to wring my hands over those who know what God requires of them and desires for them, yet they still shake their fist in His face and turn their backs to His truth… if someone can ignore the convicting Spirit of God… they most certainly are not going to listen to me. They might patronize me with their “oh I know” nods and comments, but then they will walk out the door, and live however they like, chasing their own desires… not God’s.

Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
Matthew 7:6

I am sorry, perhaps I lack mercy… but all I know is that the days are evil and time is fleeting and I am not promised tomorrow, so I simply don’t have time to waste worrying about the souls of those who have no concern for their own or anyone else’s that they are effecting by their life choices. I have no doubt that God will handle them. He will eventually get their attention one way or another if they are truly His… when He does I will be there with open arms always ready to receive a new baby birthed in the kingdom or a prodigal child return home, ready to mature and become who God created and saved them to be. I will always try to be obedient to speak when He says speak, to share when He says share, to listen when He says listen… but too often our attempt to “help” delays a repentant heart and makes matters worse.

I am after the hearts of those who are seeking the kingdom of heaven.

I am after the hearts of those who have not heard… who do not know… who have not yet tasted…

For He established a testimony in Jacob
And appointed a law in Israel,
Which He commanded our fathers
That they should teach them to their children,
That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born,
That they may arise and tell them to their children,
That they should put their confidence in God
And not forget the works of God,
But keep His commandments,

Psalm 78:5-7

There is a reason that God let the men of Israel wander around the wilderness until they died off. They refused to listen… even though they knew and had clearly received truth. God let that generation die out and He focused is attention on the next generation. The generation that would stand and fight. The generation that would march in silent circles and then shout  a great shout… simply because GOD SAID SO and bring down the walls of a mighty Jericho.

So I am after the hearts of those who have the desire that I have… to teach of the glory of God and His holiness. To train His children to serve Him… no matter the cost. To encourage their children to trust Him… whether they understand or not.

I am not here to save the world or change the world… this world is going down. It is an undeniable fact. I have read the end of the Book… and thus far everything else has played out just like the Book said it would… so I have absolutely no reason to doubt the end.

As much as I would like to see us all hold hands and stretch across the globe and sing about teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony… it ain’t gonna happen.

So I choose to suit up in my armor of God… and get a good grip on my sword of the Spirit… and do all that God will empower me to do to train an army to stand and proclaim the coming of His kingdom with the coming of His Son! Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!

I am here now… I believe led by my God… to get back to the basics of faith.

We have enough games in this world…

We have enough knowledge from man (and I loosely call it knowledge).

Our kids need to know wisdom… real. true. godly. wisdom. They must… because the day is only getting darker… and the children will keep coming into this darkness… we must teach those that we have now to SHINE!

Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:3

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

A “Mood” Day

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Have you ever had one of those days when you knew it was going to be a struggle when your feet hit the floor? Yeh, I had one of those yesterday, I am praying that it stays in yesterday, where it belongs.

I am currently studying through the book of Matthew. A few days a ago I was digging into Matthew 5:38-48. As I read, But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. (Matthew 5:39), I thought to myself, hmmmm I wonder what the Greek word is for evil in this verse? So I looked it up…

Poneros

  1. full of labours, annoyances, hardships
    1. pressed and harassed by labours
    2. bringing toils, annoyances, perils; of a time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness; causing pain and trouble
  2. bad, of a bad nature or condition
    1. in a physical sense: diseased or blind
    2. in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad

Wow.

I read this definition and looked up to my husband and said, well I just learned something… imagine that I was studying the Word and I learned something (lol).  To which he replied, you know that just proves that this is a living Book, you take any other textbook that size and study it for years and you know it… but this Book… no matter how long you study it you never stop learning from it… you never know it all.

Yes, this Book is indeed a living a Word.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

So as I learned that an “evil” person, could very well be that stressed out, weighed down, over-worked, person in front of me driving two miles an hour down an unpassable road… or that person that is crawling their buggy through the center of the isle and blocking everyone else on both sides and all I really want to do is get in and get out because I hate shopping as it is… I need to not be overcome by the emotions of my own evil (annoyed, stressed, overworked, weighed down)  flesh that begin to rise up in my gut and in my throat and make my neck do that twitching thing…because if I do… out of my mouth will come things that Jesus would not say.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

Yesterday I felt the enemy jump on my back at daybreak. The sun barely up and I knew he would be messing with me. I knew it and still I snapped. I knew it was him… and still I was overcome… I fought the “mood” but there were moments when I decided that succumbing would feel much better… so I did, I let evil overcome me, and then on the radio I heard, “when they see me, do they see You?”

I wanted to roll my eyes and say, oh shut up, to the radio. But instead I tweeted the song lyric. And said, yes Lord.

I got home and more irritating- annoying- frustrating- things happened… and once again I was overcome as I sent an “I quit, they can do this on their own” text message to my bestie and partner in messes of all sorts… 

Then later at home while even more irritating- annoying- frustrating- things happened… once again I was overcome as I snapped in my flesh at my youngest who was in the midst of being beyond giddy because a prize she had been saving for over a year was finally hers and she needed help with it… 

My husband checked me on my attitude.

And well that just really ticked me off!

So once again, I had to say, yes Lord.

I went upstairs for a while and took care of one of the “burdens” that was weighing me down… the laundry. After I accomplished that and spent some time breathing and letting the Spirit of God readjust my attitude… I came down the stairs a little lighter.

I am thankful for my God and for His Son and His Spirit…

I am thankful that the Word of God is living and active always and we never are finished learning and being taught and guided by it… and I am thankful for Matthew 6:33…

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

I am to seek HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS not my own.

You see, I have none. I am a complete wreck. This flesh has the ability to wreak havoc in my mind, body, and soul. It has the ability to destroy my character and my integrity and my testimony. It really just profits me absolutely nothing, and I can’t wait for the day it is removed from me. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t look for my Jesus in the sky… searching the horizon… straining my ears for the sound…

Come quickly Lord Jesus. Come quickly.

Proven Path Ministries

I Am Different

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Social media is flooding over with pictures and blogs and comments about a recent television display… I have spoken on it as well, but I refuse to use a name or pinpoint a female. Why? This display simply personified what is almost every song lyric in secular radio, almost every style and gossip magazine, almost every movie, almost every sitcom and reality show…

I have yet to understand why now all of a sudden everyone is so shocked.

I mean my goodness have you listened to the lyrics of the songs on secular radio at all or are you too busy running from work to school to soccer practice to dance to even pay attention to what is flooding in your child’s ears as they bob their head to the beat? This has been around for a while. Your daughters and sons have been singing about this over and over and over and over and over for years… so why so shocked America?

So I am not going to post pictures or name names to condemn or attempt to judge one girl when she has simply been used, I believe by God Himself, to open eyes that have been blind and ignorant and unwilling to see for WAY TOO MANY YEARS.

What I will do is post about these two girls:

So moms and dads and bloggers and posters and tweeters, how about we stop proving the media’s good advertising point and stop digging up, tearing down, pretend judging, reposting and retweeting about the self-destruction of one… when there are ladies whose news we can spread that might really make a difference in someone’s life…

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of their ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:17-32

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Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.

Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says,

“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 

Ephesians 5:7-16

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Raising American Kids

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We complain a lot in America… most of us have this inborn sense of entitlement… we call ourselves broke when we can’t afford that new car or that trip to the beach. Many times when we profess to not be able to put food on our own tables, we manage to find the money to buy cigarettes, alcohol, tattoos, and hair dye. I am not a legalist… I am not here to say those who smoke, drink, have tats or purple hair are hell bound. Anyone who knows me in real life knows that is so not true.

However, when I can’t afford food for my children… but can find funds for these things then something is wrong.

The thought process seems to be… I can get someone else to feed my kids, there are food banks and food stamps and wic and and free health care, etc. So I will let them do all that and I will use the little I have for these things that I can’t get for free because someone else will pay for my kids food and clothing. I don’t know of any tattoo shop that is going to let you walk in and say, “I really need a tat… but I can’t afford one because I spent every dime I have on providing for my family, so do you have a program for free tats for those in need?”

I know that there are those who truly are in need in our nation… I am not mocking… we live in a dark day. However I don’t believe our need is really food, shelter, and clothing… but more our need is knowledge and right thinking.

Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge;
And their honorable men are famished,
And their multitude is parched with thirst.

Isaiah 5:13

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My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

Hosea 4:6

Our thinking is so out of whack. Our current culture is as backwards as they come. The American idols we have set up, this idea to become the freakish and most outlandish and shocking… and most Americans cheer it on or tune in to watch so they can talk about how outlandish and shocking it is… so that they can by their excuse “to know” give the ratings needed to continue the financial funding.

Our church had a 24 hour prayer time this past weekend and I walked the halls in prayer and entered into the classrooms… when I approached the door of the Toddler room I was overwhelmed. Tears welled my eyes and the heaviness of the Spirit of God weighed on my heart… these kids must know truth. This generation… must be fully equipped to stand firm. It must begin NOW! I entered the Nursery… those new to this world and the welled tears began to fall… we must teach them now. We can’t wait until they can “read”, until we think they “get it”, until they can explain it back to us… who am I to suppose what God is cementing in their soul? I am called to sow… it’s His job to grow and reap.

Are you sowing?

Or are you only focused on what you yourself are  or are not reaping?

God desires His people to be HIS PEOPLE!

Truth: I am blessed. My husband and I are in a day of walking in a reward of faithfulness. I am very much aware of that. Our heart and mind and soul went through a season of great testing. So many times I heard the whispers of hell to run, to quit, to fall away from the faith. However the Word of my God in front of me kept saying…

I AM THAT I AM. I AM GOD. TRUST ME.

We chose to trust truth. To do what the Word said to do. To not listen to our emotions. To walk by faith.

Today I know that God has rewarded my family for that faithfulness… every good gift comes from above, it comes from my Father in heaven. However I am not holding too tightly to them. I love my God because He is my God… not because He rewards me.

Today with every apparent “blessing” I stop and ask.

Is this a blessing from my God or a distraction from my enemy? 

I don’t want to be distracted. I want to keep the main thing the MAIN THING. If I am not being used to bring people into the kingdom, to be the hands and feet of Christ, to teach and preach the gospel… then I am not blessed, but cursed.

So when anything is offered to me under the description of a “blessing” I must stop and ask…

“Father, is this from you?”

I am raising kids in America, but I do not want to raise American kids. I don’t want to raise kids that are only focused on what this world can bring them… I want to raise kids that are focused on what their life can bring to the world… I don’t want to raise another Disney generation that makes their fame off the innocent and trusting and then turns and laughs and leads those that built them up straight down the path to depravity and death.

I want my kids to have eyes for the hurting to bring them hope… not eyes for the desperate to bring them death. Right now I have one that wants to play softball at the University of Alabama while she studies to become a doctor… I pray for her heart every day… I don’t know about the softball thing… it scares me a little… but I pray that God would open doors that need opened and shut doors that need shut in order to keep her in His purpose and plan for her life.

Today I watch her now choosing to serve rather than be served.

As I listen to others grumble and say, “unfortunately I am stuck in the nursery this week” I watch her eyes light up when its her turn to serve. I see her step up and choose to keep her commitment to the adult choir and leave early from the youth or go later to the youth. I see her willingly choose to serve in the 2 and 3 year Puggles club rather than be served.

She can do all this because she feeds herself the Word of God daily. She is full and is only looking for opportunities to poor out into others instead of worrying about what someone else is doing for her. She doesn’t walk in the doors of the church looking for what is offered for her… but what she can offer to others.

You better believe this mother is protecting that girls heart with my own shield of faith and so is her father… we are bathing her in prayer and covering her in our grace and standing firm against the schemes of the enemy who WILL attempt to distract her with the things of this world.

We know this.

I do not ever give a rip if my kids are successful  according to the standards of American success… I just want them to be faithful to their God and His calling on their life… no matter what that is… My husband and I talk… and we can see our Shelby walking out the door of our house at 18 years old and never looking back as she jumps head first into whatever God has called her to… and God has already placed role models in her life to give her vision hope…

Kristianna Puckett, at the ripe old age of 18 years old, was given eyes to see the hurting in Uganda… and she walked out her American door and into a little pink house in Uganda and is pouring her life out for the glory of Christ as the director of Yesu Asobola Ministries

So in her my girls can see that they can be kids raised in America, but they don’t have to become today’s American kids… I don’t want them looking for meaning in life through a job or a college degree or through a man… I only want their worth and meaning to be based on their love for Jesus and their service to Him.

He is key…

All else hangs off of Him…

He is the Root, the Vine, the Tree… we are too abide in Him.

 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

 

I write this from a swank hotel in Nashville… reaping the benefits of a God-loving, hard-working, risk-taking husband. A husband who with every job promotion opportunity has left for the interview with a prayer that if the receiving of this advancement would keep him or distract him from being the husband and father that God has called him to be, that He would shut the door… and yes some doors have been shut… and it hurt for the shutting… but the blessings in our home have remained abundant. Our home is full of peace, love, joy, grace, mercy, hope… and forgiveness.

I almost at times feel guilty about where we are in our life and I look back and am amazed at how God brought us here… and the last thing I want is for the blessings that came to us through facing trials in faith be used by that slimy serpent from hell to distract our girls from faithful devotion to Christ.

Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.

Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint. In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end.

Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. It shall come about if you ever forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish. 

Deuteronomy 8:6-19

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

What Could Have Been

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I haven’t done a good “Confessions of a Christian Housewife” post in a while… so this one is well overdue.

Last night I spoke at a women’s event. Speaking is always terrifying to me… because God fills me full of His Word and I learn while I study and He teaches me and I am filled with thoughts and memories and failures and victories and I never know what is going to actually come out when I open my mouth…

So sometimes I leave blessed and full… sometimes I leave with this churning feeling…

Today I am churning… and I am not sure why.

I have been before the Lord this morning seeking to know clear understanding as to why… the only thought that continues to permeate is the one about what could have been…

There was a time when my husband and I struggled. We struggled greatly in our marriage. I believe I have shared that before… Last night as I shared, God had so put it on my heart to help these women understand how important it is to love their husbands and to love their children and to not give up on their families…

There was a time when I didn’t think I could do this marriage thing any longer. You see the lack of peace in my home was just so overwhelming to me. What I know now is that my adversary the devil was right there whispering lies into my mind… firing his flaming arrows of doubt and discouragement… My husband and I were in a battle against the forces of hell… but Satan had us convinced we were fighting each other.

I made a plan to leave while my husband was gone on a trip… that way it could be done peacefully. I had even convinced myself that God was blessing me in this decision… I had even dug up some Scripture and internet research to support me in my plan. I even had it figured out how after some time I could still even be in ministry… But you see I was blind… blinded by fear, emotions, flesh, and sin.

God however took care of things.

He stepped in and intervened by sending a snow storm… that not only cancelled the business trip but left me playing in the snow with my husband. I remember how confused I was at that time.

Now I thank God because that snowstorm was a turning point.

Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the Lord,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;

Isaiah 1:18

That snowstorm began a healing… a healing that required picking off old scabs and pealing away dead skin so that the Balm of Gilead could be applied in the deep places of my soul… and in my husband’s… we were now about to take part in God’s most beautiful soul-mating adventure.

The years that followed have been filled with confession and forgiveness and yieldings to mercy and offerings of grace. My husband is now my best friend and there was a time when I didn’t even think he liked me… and I didn’t think I liked him to much anymore either.

Today I adore him. Today I want to see him smile. Today I like him… I really like him… I am flat out head over heels in love with him. Are things always perfect now? Ummmm no. We are both still in the flesh, we both still have hormones, we both still get aggravated, and make mistakes… but the difference is grace. We are much quicker to apply grace and mercy to each other and we are quick to forgive. Really forgive. I love him y’all. God as my witness, I love him.

When I think what could have been if God had not stopped it… I cringe. I was about to quite right before the breakthrough was to come. I was about to let Satan triumph over me. Where would I be? Where would my girls be?

You know where I would be?

I would still be trying to hide the lies I had answered questions with before we were married. I would still be carrying the shame of my past. I would still be walking around in fear of not being loved… if he knew… I would still be in a shadow of darkness when God wanted to use this man to bring me into His glorious light.

I had to make a confession. I had to admit my part in the lack of peace in our home. As much as I wanted it to be all my husbands fault… it wasn’t. Deep down I was the one that had allowed my fear of losing him, to build up the first wall that would be a barrier between our souls. I was afraid if he knew… he would despise me… because, well, I despised myself.

Neither of us were walking with the Lord at the time. So we didn’t understand all this then… but I see it now. We spent a lot of time reacting and self-protecting. I self-protected by lying or hiding and he self-protected by anger and fighting.

I was the first one to use the d-word. In all recollection I don’t think he has ever used it. You see I was a flighter. He was a fighter. My reaction was always to run. His was to fight.

The enemy wanted me to run. Satan wanted me to give up… but do you know one truth that God used? God used to say to me, Nicole, you say you love Me. You say you want to love others with My love. You say you want to tell people about My forgiveness, about My grace, about My Son. You say you want to do awesome and mighty things for the glory of My name… but I am saying to you… You love, because I first loved you. If you say, “I love God,” and you hate your brother, you are liar; for if you do not love him whom you have seen, you cannot love Me whom you have not seen. And this commandment you have from Me, that the one who loves God should love his brother also (1 John 4:19-21 paraphrased for me).

God reminded me that I had prayed for this man. I loved this man. He reminded me that if I wanted His grace and forgiveness for my mistakes I better be willing to extend it to others… especially my husband. If I, as a professing praying and gospel proclaiming Christian woman, thought my husband acted the way he did because he just needed more Jesus… then why on earth would I purposefully remove from him the best opportunity for Jesus with skin on that he ever had in his life… me, his believing wife and his believing children. Would that not like be shoving him over a cliff, or just twisting the knife in his back?

We seem to live in a day where every person is forgivable but our spouses. It ought not to be so.

I don’t know where you are right now in your marriage. I know somethings are out of our control. But I implore you men and women of God… you are supposed to be the most Jesus with skin on in your family’s life. To your wife. To your husband. To your children. To your parents. Walk in love… real Jesus love. It’s not always easy. Sometimes it requires humility and humiliation.

Your family is your mission field and know that it is indeed under heavy attack. Don’t let the enemy turn you against each other when who you are supposed to be fighting is him.

Had God not brought us to our senses, had we not been willing to obey Him, had we not been willing to forgive as we had been forgiven… I would have missed knowing the most amazing man I have met.

I watch my kids wake up to both their parents, I watch them crawl up on the couch with me and my husband… 12 and 9 years old and plenty of seats in the house and they both choose to pile up on top of us… All of us on one couch. I. LOVE. IT. Crowded and glorious. I smile at the future. I look forward to falling in love with my husband over and over and over again. I get excited watching the greying of his beard… knowing that we are growing old together.

What could have been will never be… and I am forever grateful.

The Snowstorm

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From our family photo shoot Fall 2013 🙂

Me and Patrick

Confessions of a Christian Wife, Proven Path Ministries

Is Opportunity Knocking

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“Would that they were wise, that they understood this,
That they would discern their future!
“How could one chase a thousand,
And two put ten thousand to flight,
Unless their Rock had sold them,
And the Lord had given them up?
“Indeed their rock is not like our Rock,
Even our enemies themselves judge this.”

Deuteronomy 32:29-31

 

Unless… Oh this is such a huge word! As I study the Scriptures and learn to teach them to the children… God has brought to my eyes the importance of the focus on these little words… like “unless”

He has led me to explain and define these big words to them… so that they are not foreign to them as they grow and continue to read and study the Scriptures on their own, but as for the focus in the lessons… God has opened my eyes to how important it is that I teach them to not overlook the obvious. Every week he has me to point out the but, the in, the if, the and… They won’t get boggled down and overwhelmed by the words they cannot yet pronounce and understand as long as in their minds and hearts and eyes they are searching for these small, easy to read, and follow words. These words are key and these words they know and understand. Most have already been studying them, even in secular school. I may not be able to rescue the public school system, but I most certainly can learn how to take advantage of what the public school system is teaching and use it to open our kids eyes to the truth of the Word of God.  

So today we come to the next unless in the Word of God… at least according to the NASB.

How can one chase away a thousand?

How can two cause ten thousand to run?

UNLESS…

How many times do we stand before a situation, before an enemy, and we see no way to win. How many times do we know that God has called us to a situation, to stand before an enemy, and yet we shrink back in fear and contemplation… having no faith to go… fearing we would fail. How many times have we said, I wish I could, but I can’t now… maybe later… maybe after I get this in order… maybe after…

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

James 4:13-17

 

This passage in Scripture is often used as disclosure after we have made plans. I often say it myself. I have plans. I have goals. I have hopes. I have dreams. Yet, I know not what my future holds, I only know the One who holds my future. So I make my plans, but with a disclosure to myself and others, that they are “if the Lord wills“

However today, I want us to see the flip side of this passage.

What are you putting off that God has called you to do for fear that He will not come through for you? What is in your heart to do, yet you say, well maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, maybe one day… yet you know that you know that it is God that has put it in you… and you are disobeying His Word, His written, recorded Word, His Living Word inside you, the unction of His Spirit dwelling in you… by your unwillingness to step out in faith.

I have lost count of the times I have shared something… whether it be about homeschooling, about being a stay at home mom, about taking Bible Study, about praying, about speaking out and up in an unwelcome situation and time… and I have heard, “oh I wish I could… but I can’t…” for whatever list of reasons.

It is not about, nor is it ever about, what you can or cannot do. It’s about knowing what your God can and cannot do.

What can He do?

For nothing will be impossible with God

Luke  1:37

If nothing is impossible, then that means all things are possible.

What can He not do?

In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil…

Hebrews 6:17-19

God cannot lie. It is impossible for God to lie. Which means if He said it… He backs it.

I have a friend who knew that God was calling her to stay at home with her child and to homeschool him. However to do so would require a major sacrifice to the family finances. She had been the main bread-winner always. She attempted to do both. Homeschool and continue to work full time. However that was only half-way obedience… which is really disobedience.

Finally, her and her husband, chose to step out on faith and obey what they knew God was calling their family to do.

She had a job, that the enemy had convinced her would cause a company to fall apart if she left. She carried guilt about leaving them and she carried guilt about not being their for her child. She was stressed and guilt ridden and confused and hurting and just plain tired.

She shared with me not long ago, that after she turned in her notice after training her replacement, she realized that her company did not miss her at all… and it hurt her feelings a little to come to this realization.

No, her company did not miss her at all… but guess who had missed her like crazy… her husband and her sons. They had not even realized how much they had missed her. Yes, she might have been replaceable at her company… but she is irreplaceable to her family.

Oh moms and dads, husbands and wives, even if your job is in the ministry… your place there is replaceable… my husband and I went through a time at our church, when we felt the Lord might be moving us… at first we thought how could we go? Look what we do there? What would happen to these, to this, if we moved… but God opened our eyes to the fact that if He called us to move… He would fill those and that… we weren’t doing it anyway… we were simply the vessel.

I realized I needed this time of searching for many reasons. One was to help me realize that my first priority is my husband and my children. My first priority is to show the love of Christ to them… and then to my community… and then to the world. My Jerusalem was not the city I lived in… but the house I lived in and the people within its walls.

Ladies, Gentlemen, men and women of God… do you know the right thing to do, yet you do not do it? This is as much a sin as doing all the wrong. Is God calling you to do something that makes no sense right now to do it… yet you know it is God?

Will He not keep His Word?

Will He not provide as He has promised?

Will He not clear a path for the purpose He has planned?

Your life is but a vapor and then it is gone… today’s opportunity is not promised to you tomorrow. Don’t miss it because you refuse to trust your God. If opportunity is knocking at your door… answer it beloved. Answer it.

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Read more in the Unless Series here: Unless Series