442 - Attaching oneself

Dear Lord, Thank you for a wonderful night at church last night. I did my job - organizing and supplying the teachers with all they need to teach - and the teachers did their job! It worked wonderfully and was awesome! A worker bee - that is my place in Children's Ministry! I am going to speak in Salem, Il. tonight for a MOPS group or MOPS-like group. Patricia is going to go with me which will be a ton of fun! Lord, I pray you be all over the women tonight. Speaking through me in a powerful way with great love. May my opinion, agenda, thoughts be put aside and only what You want communicated be brought forth! Lord, the topic tonight is called Authentic Parenting - it is about our kids seeing a faith in us a parents that causes them to say - I got to have that! It can only be real and authentic because kids can smell a fake from miles away! Nothing makes them go in the opposite direction more than a fake!

This morning we are in Habakkuk 2:18. It is a very loaded verse. There is one thing that sticks out or I should say one thing that He caused to jump out at me..............."For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak." The Lord in the verses above is explaining that things made by man's hands do not have life nor does it give life. It is just something created and can not speak. Specifically an idol. But how often that which we fashion with our own hands, mind, creativity, etc. becomes life to us. We take such pride in something we begin to worship it or at least develop this huge amount of pride in it and worship ourselves. We trust in that creation. From the verse above that trust is translated "to attach oneself, trust, confide in, feel safe, secure, Denotes confident expectation."

Oh how true is that - things that we are responsible for, develop, create, etc. we trust in. We do things our way without consulting the Lord and therefor are trusting and attaching ourselves to something that can do nothing! When you write it out and think about it - it makes no sense at all why someone would do this, but it happens every day!! How about our nest egg or what about our home. We make it just like we want it, cozy, comfy, pretty, even impressive. It becomes our rock. It is something we stand on and find much validation, worth, pride, - it becomes something that we attach ourselves to - regardless of the fact that it puts us mounds of debt to get there. The house, the nest egg, the children, the job - it becomes something that defines us and we like it that way. And God says in the verse above this one - "what value is it?"

Lord Jesus I know there have been things in my own life that I have been attached to. Or i should say things that I have attached myself to. Lord, nothing is worthy of my trust than YOU!! Lord, I want to become deeply attached to you! I want to trust in you and remove those idols! I want to see you exalted in my life and nothing else. You are so faithful and trustworthy! Actually you need not do another in all my life - the cross was more than enough!! Thank you Father for attaching yourself to the cross and hanging and dieing there for me! Thank you for the sacrifice and devotion. Lord, I stand in awe. I love you Lord!!

Lord, thank you for working things out with the church that was worried about fee and all. If anyone knew how much i can not stand talking money and all that is a must in this line of work........................ i mean i would rather talk about sewing or cooking 10 times more than money... But............. Oh Lord, You are amazing. I know You can do anything and I do believe in how hugely You provide - I believe. It worked out just as it was suppose to. After much prayer and preparation many weeks ago I knew this was the fee I was to charge. A peace - not to drop the God-card, but yes, a peace. So after my discussion with the church, they went back to their knees and drawing table. They got creative and found a way to split the fee with another ministry with in the church. Not only is my faith stretched in this whole process because I knew that the Lord wanted me there it just looked suspect for a brief moment, but the faith of the church and it's planners was stretched and strengthened. Isn't that awesome!!! I was believing in what I knew He had called me to do and they were believing in what they knew God wanted to happen - we were both just waiting to see His next act!! He came through and we all believe!!! Oh God you are so good!! Thank you!!