902 - Big Stuff Doesn't Always Mean God is There!

Good Morning Lord Jesus - i failed to go to aerobics again this morning...on purpose.  Not that I don't need it, but I just had too many other things to do this morning.  I do miss that kind of exercise, but better time spent right here with You!

My devotion directed me to I Kings 19 this morning.  This is the chapter where God is going to pass by Elijah and speak to him.  I love the first question that the is brought to Elijah, "What are you doing here?"  How many times do I ask myself the same thing too.  Such a rhetorical question for God to ask as well because He absolutely knows why Elijah is standing there.  God knows our actions and the reasons behind them way beyond our understanding.  Cracks me up and many times I will find myself in a place, position, situation and ask the Lord, "What am i doing here?"  Why not ask the one that knows!

On down into the verses is when Elijah looks for the Lord in the wind, earthquake, and fire.  But the Word says about all 3 elements (if you will) "but the Lord was not in..."  Oh yes oh yes, the Lord made it and had His hand in the creation and commanded the movement of the wind, earthquake, and wind, but was not in them.

DING DING DING

Too often in life we look for God in the big bad things.  We look for His presence in those that look to be powerful and have it all together - total package.  We have to be so very careful not to put all our eggs in a basket that the Lord may be "not in".

Wind, earthquake, and fire are three things that make you take notice.  And for someone else God could be just displaying His creation and marvelous works.  But for that time the Lord says, "I need to give you instruction, I need to give you direction, I need to show you myself" - don't be so quick to look in the huge obvious things.

The still small voice of the Lord can come in so many forms!

Reading the scripture in your prayer closet and something coming alive!

Listening to a sermon and hearing the Lord convict your heart.

Singing praises and then hearing Him sing over you.

Hearing a child ask for your help or love.

Seeing love displayed in various ways.

Feeding the hungry.

Clothing the naked or unkept.

Providing shelter or help to one not able to do for themselves.

Oh God - may I hear Your still small voice!  May I be patient enough to wait for the big show go by and wait for you to come in and speak.  Jesus, I know so well this is the very thing I struggle with.  I equate size with success and powerful anointing.  I know in my head that is so not true, but I sure do find it hard to adjust in my heart.  Lord, thank you for the way you work.  Remind me so often it is not the way I would always expect.  God, deal with me as You know best.  May your grace and mercy abound!!  I love you!

528 - He Speaks and I am Blessed

Dear Lord, Thank you for all those that have encouraged me to not give up on ministry and to keep at it. But more than anything I am encouraged by those that commented to me in having the same struggles. I was blown away by the amount of offline comments that were sent my way. Lord, a chord was struck and I pray we all were brought to our knees in a loving worship of you!! Lord, yes, blogging can be used for evil and it can be used (many times if not most) to bring nothing other that attention to ourselves even if it is done in the name of ministry or You, but it very well can be used for Your glory and purpose. That is all i want. My heart at this point is screaming out for your name to be glorified and raised up. I want to be real and authentic, but only to draw others to be the same way with you and thus receive more of your love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, etc.

Jesus, I get afraid many times to share how you have loved on me. But today I have 2 very distinct examples and hopefully will bring much encouragement to all. I hesitate to share just because I don't want others to think He loves me more - He does not! - but also that He may not be speaking to them - He is!! This morning I received a devotion from Pam at http://pathways2freedom.blogspot.com. It was on God speaking this morning and I just knew that was my Lord speaking asking me to share with friends and readers.

I have one of those Mr. Henry Bibles that is really cool for the kids. We try to read a story or 2 every night. It is fun and the kids usually are begging for one of the stories to be read. So after my 'time' with the Lord and all from this weekend we sat down to read on Monday and Tuesday night. Monday night was the story in Genesis about the Lord telling Sarah and Abraham they would have a baby. It didn't seem possible, she was too old, she laughed at the thought, and she took things into her own hands. As i was reading that to the kids in the childish, entertaining words I could hear the Lord speak over me. "You think you are .................(whatever my excuse may be) to not continue on in ministry. You laugh at the idea of Me using you. You have taken things into your own hands before - need i remind you? Leigh, wise up my friend. I am not done and I will do things My way." Yes, sir I hear and I thank you for the reminder. Your love is amazing!

Tuesday night we read the story about Gideon. His army was small, the other guys were so big and numerous and equipped and impressive. Gideon has his ways - all the props - but God took them away one by one. Or rather thousand by thousand! It sure did look like God might have even been setting him up for a major whoopin'. (Does God do that - set us up for a major failure? That is for another day...) Then just as the night before I heard the Lord move a Word over my heart. "Leigh, you don't have a book deal, you don't live near a metropolitan area, you don't have any connections to speak of, you don't have years of experience, and now I have asked you to speak for free. (For those of you that are not in ministry or even if you are, speaking for free give the impression that one is not a valid speaker. Leaves one to think that if there is no fee it must be because she can't demand one. Ugly, ugly, ugly, but quite true. I have personally been told that if i don't ask for this certain amount no one would ever take me serious as a speaker and I certainly would not be given bigger venues.) The Lord continued, "Leigh, I am in control. I have purposely taken away all the props. You trust what I am doing here and know that I have you in the palm of my hands. You know what I have impressed on your heart or even promised to you. Keep your chin up and fight my friend. The battle is waging and you are getting taken down. Stand up and fight - listen to your sisters of encouragement and fight! I will be the lifter of your head and I will raise you up! Sister, get up and get going - fight!! You do have responsibility in this war."

Oh praise you Father!! Thank you for speaking so clearly to me in the midst of mothering. Thank you for taking the time to prompt the friends to encourage me. Thank you for allowing the ones to be free with their own struggles and sharing that with me. Thank you for taking the time to love on me. You speak and I am blessed!! There is none as great as you my Lord. There is nothing as wonderful as serving You. There is no friend sweeter than my Jesus! I love you , Lord. thank you!!

333 - 2nd Chances

Oh Lord, what a good quiet time this morning. 2nd chances - reason to shout! 1 Kings 1:32-48 we see Solomon being anointed and then actually sitting on the royal throne. David ends the day bowing to worship in his bed. He is too weak to get to the floor, which is his usual position of worship - so says the commentary - so he must worship in his bed. Love that.

But I have to think back for just a minute... David was not "the" choice for the king. He was young and small and the youngest of all these big brothers - just a shepherd boy. But that is who God wanted and that is how it was!!! Oh I just want to praise the Lord about that. I may not be the greatest or most perfect choice for many of the things He allows me to do, but He has His way. I may not be the most educated, may not be able to translate much Greek and Hebrew, may not even be related to a big spiritual name - you know connections help - I am not even the best dressed if that matters - but He still lets me do a thing or two. With David I know He saw a heart willing to go the distance, a heart wiling to say yes, a heart willing to admit the wrong, a heart willing to accept discipline, a heart willing to pursue the Lord with passion and abandonment, a heart willing to praise and go where no man has gone before. Oh Lord, that is the kind of heart I want. I want a heart searching after You in such a way that I have no desire but for you!!! Oh Lord, give me a second chance.

A second chance is what we see revealed in Solomon. I am sure there are some bitter people looking up the palace windows in the day and not understanding why God would allow a child of adultery to become the next king. I have to admit there are some people in ministry that I often wonder why God has given them such "success". Oh how terrible and judgemental that is of me! Oh Lord forgive me. You have your ways and your purposes and they are always perfect and way beyond my reasoning! I thought it was neat that Solomon even rode in on a mule. No, not a donkey like our King, but it was not a stallion or huge chariot - just a mule. Could there be some foreshadowing of the coming King - I think so!!

God, Holy Father - you are so wonderfully awesome. Thank you for the second chances, third, and fourth, etc. Lord, take me and change my heart of bitterness. Change my heart of resentment. Change my heart of jealousy! Change my heart and make it more like you! Lord, I want to reflect your holiness, righteousness, loveliness - oh goodness the work needed to be done! Only You can make good of my sin and disgusting attitudes. Forgive me, Father - I repent and want to follow closer!!! Lord, I want Your will even if it is not what I am expecting or what I dream. Make my dreams Yours and let me follow after You with all my heart!!! I love you my Lord. I love Your ways!!! Help me to love you more.

Oh Lord, please allow there to be some ladies interested in the Beth Moore study. I just can not express to them how wonderfully awesome it will be... Lord, help me to not be disappointed or upset. I so want more women fellowship and digging into the Word together in Norris City. That is the number ONE thing i miss from Charlotte. Lord, help me to be patient. I love you!!