791 - It's Just Too Soon

Lord Jesus, the house is all quiet and the stockings are hung with care and yes, we are hoping Santa will be coming by tonight!! But as I sit here and not have to serve anyone and can just enjoy the silence I get to thinking.

The Christmas story is one of my favorites of the Biblical events. For many reason, but I just love how God totally outdid Himself and yet so much of the world just doesn't get it! So sad, but for those of us that do "get it", it is exciting and breath taking as well.

The part of the story I have been reliving in my mind this Christmas season is the long trip to Bethlehem. As told in the scriptures of Luke, Joseph and Mary had to go be counted for the census. And because they were such upstanding citizens, they did as they were told and expected. (Isn't it odd that today I think many of us, because of the entitlement syndrome our culture has adopted, would have told the government they can just wait. I think many of us would have said that we were busy and this was not a good time. This is the mentality when it comes to many paying taxes and i think this situation would have been no different.)

But as the couple was walking along this long, long journey I can hear a couple of dialogues between the two.

"Joseph, we really need to be getting there. I don't know if I am going to make it all the way. I think this baby is getting ready to come." And then Joseph replying as if he had been pregnant before, "Honey, it is way too soon. You can't be ready yet. You are just gonna have to hold off a bit longer. It is just too soon."

I wonder if they talked about her getting impregnated by the Holy Spirit along the journey? "Babe, it's too soon?? Yes, that is the same thing I told the angel when it appeared to me - It's too soon. I am just a young girl and I have yet to be with a man, PLUS married! It is too soon!" Mary tried to rationalize her way out.

After Jesus was born and the story got out I am sure that was the same comment from many disbelieving Jews. "It is too soon. He was gonna come as a King. This can't be real or the truth. It is way too soon."

Have you ever said, "It's too soon?" It may be for great triumph and accomplishment or usually we think of something being to soon as in a negative sense. A prized tennis player can have an incredible talent and be ready for the pros, but the coach may think it is a bit too soon for whatever reason. I wonder if Miley Cyrus's parents ever thought it was too soon - I think not. What about getting ready for that special date and he arrives 15 minutes early?? That is too soon especially if you don't have your face on yet!!

If we are really going to trust the Lord and take whatever He brings, even if it seems too soon, we need to get away from questioning His timing. "It is too soon" is what I have said over and over about my daddy. It is too soon to be making huge decisions. I still need his wisdom. It is too soon for he and mom to be separated even by a hospital stay. They were suppose to be waking up together for at least 20 more years if i had it my way. It is too soon for me to be feeding my dad. It is too soon for me and brother to be having these conversations? It is too soon for................. it is just too soon!

I would have never predicted this for my Christmas season this year. I would have never asked for this. It is just too soon. But in His gentle way the Lord reminds me that yes, from a human perspective, it is too soon. But from the Heavens, in the glorious plan of the Lord, the plan that may look like to harm, but He means for good, it is not too soon. It does hurt to know this was ordained before the beginning of time and in my anger I sometimes ask why didn't He give me a clue it was coming. Kind of like if I knew it was coming I would have hugged longer at Thanksgiving. I might have asked to go on a walk with Dad or shot some basketball. I would have asked all the financial questions I could muster up. I would have watched he and mom hug and take care of each other as they have always done. It is just too soon!

But Jesus, I do trust you. I do accept this new responsibility. I do know you mean not to harm us at all. I do know from Your perspective it is not too soon. Daddy is still with us and is doing his best to get better every day. I am so thankful for this past 2 weeks. The time spent helping mom and dad is one of my favorite times of my whole life! I may have felt like it came too soon, but i welcomed it with honor and hopefully grace!

God I love you!!! I trust you!!

663 - Woman, You Blessed!

653 - Mary Mary

Am i really favored by God when the bad comes into my life??  Check this out!  

579 - Consecrate

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Wow Lord, I am just blown away by your timing and completeness. I am almost at a loss for words, but I think I can get a bit out. I was telling some STMM (Speaking Thru Me Ministries) speakers that I felt God was calling me to an intimate time with Him even more so that just everyday living and conversing with Him. I am feeling lead to take a deep dive and not sure when I will come up for air kind of thing. I want to seek some purification in my life and His Holy breath to rejuvenate my thoughts and direction with Him. Maybe it is about summer coming up and I just need to get all my ducks in a row so that it (summer) is not a bomb of wasted time.

So one of our speakers - Sue McRoberts - www.suemcroberts.com - was telling us that Josh. 3:5 was heavy on her heart and shared it with the group. It says "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you." It is one of my favorite verses in all scripture. I went on to tell them................... I want to consecrate myself because I know amazing things are around the corner!!! But I must have put myself in the position to hear from Him and be with Him intimately first - consecration!!!!! I have much about me that needs purified!!! I am wretched and need His mercy and grace. I want His direction and clarity!! I want Him even more than a prosperous ministry!!!!!!!! He is my heartbeat!

So then this morning in my "scheduled devotion I found myself in Luke again - 2:22-24

22When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."

Lord, there is that word again. Consecration! Here it means to be called out for a particular purpose. To call to repentance, exhort. to appoint, to set apart for a task. Lord I am amazed at the offering Mary and Joseph had for their offering was the bare minimum. According to the law they were suppose to have a lamb, but the law made an exception for those that were much less poor and unable to even get a lamb. They thought they were bringing the lowest offering of all and yet in their hands was the greatest blessing and most prized offering of all time - Christ the Lord. Mary and Joseph were offering Him to the Lord for consecration. Only thing was that He was already called, set apart, holy, and made ready for a special task. He was God. They knew who He was and promised to be, but they still had to go through the motions and obey the law.

I have to ask myself if I am willing to do the things that are required for my consecration? I know I am not bound by the law any longer after Jesus' death on the Cross, but still I am to daily seek His redemption and my personal holiness. Seeking holiness and redemption can the best thing that I can do for anyone; family, friends, ministry team, church, etc. More than anything my holiness will be "furthered" (can't think of a better word) by choosing to daily die to myself. Boy that is an easy choice and task. Not!!!!!! When I don't chose to walk in the dieing (which gives me life) then and there I live in His redemption. Yes, His redemption came in totality when He died and I came to know Him as Savior, but every day I need Him to redeem me from me and the poor choices I make that break not only His heart, but also fellowship with Him. Oh Lord, I thank you for this confirmation again!! Now Lord, what is it that you seek in me?

My time for purification has come just as it did yearly for the Jewish people in the early days. Oh Jesus, please show me my sin - especially the sin that i brush under the rug or just don't even realize is sin. Lord, show me my faults and poor and selfish motives. Show me my yuck so that we can get this clean before you!! Lord, show me err and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Thank you Lord that when I call to you a new heart will be "bara - ed" to me - I just ask and you speak it!!! Oh Lord, thank you!!!! I am ready - begin to show me. thank you!!!!!!

I speak this Saturday morning at my home church - that always scares me to death!! I will be speaking on God's measurelessness and Ps. 146. If you want to come it is going to be a big deal - men serving us and the whole nine years - why is not 10 yards??? Starts at 10am and we will have a huge lunch!!! yeah baby!!! Then Saturday night we will have a SS progressive dinner as well here at the house. It will be good eating too! But as for tonight - Circus!!!!!!!

570 - More Than You Will Ever Know

Dear Father - overflowing with appreciation and love this morning for such incredible people you have placed in my life now and in the past. Lord, I can not help but be reminded of the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth. Even though the ages were so very different, they both found themselves in very similar circumstances - both having baby boys, but one too early and one too late - to the human mind. (Lisa, do you remember when you became pregnant with G. and I thought the Lord was not going to give me kids for another 4 years. I was so sure. Little did I know He was going to give me 4 kids in the next 5 years. Ha ha). Lord, as I have reconnected with so many of my old friends over the Facebook thingy it has brought back a flood of memories. Oh Lord - thank you!! Thank you for the relationships along the way you have allowed me to have. Lord, as the song above describes, they all have meant something so different in every single relationship - more than they will ever know.

Even the friends you have brought in my life for a very short time maybe just to speak a bit of truth to me have been so wonderful. I remember going through my miscarriage and having so many wonderful friends reach out and bless me incredibly in a very painful time. They carried me. I remember all the times that my friend in Charlotte, Melissa and I laughed so hard we could hardly see to drive. Oh that blessed my life, more than she will ever know. What a precious memory to me and for me!

Lord, I love that in the scripture of Mary and Elizabeth there seems to be no jealousy, just trust excitement, love, adoration, and complete awe. One He brought her son and the other He brought her Savior. Oh Lord - it just joys my heart to see each reaction. Elizabeth is shouting for joy and excitement and humbleness - in Leigh's words - "what in the world would you come see me for - and bring the precious Savior of the world to see me? What is the honor?" and she really means it. I kind of think Mary was still in the "could this really be real" stage until Elizabeth was so excited for her and acknowledged or confirmed the pregnancy of the Miracle child, Jesus! Once Elizabeth confirmed and spoke the truth - out loud!!!! - Mary started doing all the jumping and shoutin'. She might have been an aerobic instructor had she not had a wedding to plan for, not to mention a birth. Oh I just love that story and example of pure friendship! And it had nothing to do with age!! All this can be found in the first chapter of Luke!

Lord, I would love to start listing all the people in my life and what they mean to me, but I think I would never get up from my computer. Lord, praise you that i feel like it would take me that long!! Thank you!! My heart is just overwhelmed by all the blessings in friendships this morning. Why, i don't know other than being reminded with the recount of Mary and Elizabeth! Lord, thank you thank you thank you!

Lord, thank you for being that friend that never fails. So many people in my life have been so faithful and wonderful. There on the other hand have been so many times that I have failed people and let them down. There have been times that I have acted a fool and done things I am so shameful to friends. Oh Lord, for those days that you covered up my sin before it ever got to them, thank you. For those days that you lessened the blow on their lives because of what I did or said - thank you! For those days that I just neglected my friend and You were "extra" when I was not doing my part - thank you!! Lord, I love you so. Thank you for showing me how to be a true friend and real! Thank you for being so faithful to me - even when I blew it or did not come through the way you were wanting and my friend was expecting. Lord, thank you for your perfectness! And Lord, thank you for this means of email and blogging. Yes, it is abused and I abused my time on it, but thank for this way of reconnecting, strengthening, or even mending friends - both old and new!! I am loving it!! I love You!! Lord, may my life bless you today! Amen!

568 - Invasion

Dear Lord, I have joined up on this or that Facebook thingy and reconnected with a ton of old college buddies and some high school people too. I actually attended 3 high schools so it has been fun, but of course time consuming. Today I leave for the retreat I will be leading in Evansville, In. Being without Clay this week - thank you Lord he is home now!!! - makes it tough to really prepare the way I like, but I know HE will do what I can not - and I like it that way!! Total dependence! Praise you Lord!

Many times before I speak I will pray even if there has already been a prayer. Not because I think my prayers are any better, but because it is very calming for me and gets my focus. I get terribly nervous and that can result in many words spoken that should have never come out if i am not focused and calmed! One of the things the Lord prompts me to pray so often is that He will invade every cell in our body so that we will not leave the same. I actually never thought of it as being a high scriptural thing that I was praying, but more of just a plea and invitation for the Holy Spirit to take full reign of the moment and do His thing in us and through us!

Luke 1:35 "The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you...." When translated into the original Greek language the phrase "come upon you" means to arrive, invade, resting upon and operating in a person. This scripture is the conversation between Mary and the angel Gabriel. Gabriel is giving Mary, teenage Mary, betrothed Mary, the 411 of what is going to happen to her in the coming moments, days, weeks... We don't know exactly the time she became pregnant with the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, but we do that Gabriel was kind enough to warn her of this coming event.

Mary of course being well aware of the language in which the Spirit spoke to her, knew immediately this was not just a drive through kind of "come upon you". Mary even at her young age knew this was going to be a life altering blessing and adventure. We have proof of her excitement in verse 46-47 of the Magnificant. She would never be the same, but most importantly the world would never be the same from the moment the Spirit invaded her with the Savior of the world!

Isn't that what you want? That is what I want each and every day. I know according to the scripture that I am in the palm of the Lord's hands and no one or thing can snatch me from His grip. And as a matter of fact no thing I could ever do or have done could take me away from Him either. My relationship with the Lord is eternally secure!! Hallelujah. But I do have to pray and ask the One that is residing in my life to fill me up with His power to the fullest degree each and every day. He never leaves me, but because of my sin it diminishes my ability to be used. I ask that He put me in over my head so that all dependence is on Him and Him alone! I know that Mary had not asked for this, but she got it! She was invaded and was in over her head.

Being out of control and not having things just the way you want them can be tough. In different areas of my life I am a control freak, but God is breaking me of that each and every day. I want the Holy Spirit to resting upon and operating in me. I want to walk so closely with Him there is no question people see Jesus in my life. I want to be invaded in such a way that I will never be the same. Don't you? Line up with the favor - be invade!