Come to the King

Esther was the queen. And her people were in danger. She didn’t know what to do but Mordecai told her “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” He challenged her. He believed God gave her a gift, He put her in a position of power  so that she could save His people. And Mordecai was right.

God gives us all gifts. “they were given to be a lifeline to others – or you lose your life…if your gifts don’t give relief, you don’t get real life.”

So I sit here pondering my gifts. What has God gifted me with and how am I using them? Am I even using them? Sometimes it comes naturally. Like cooking dinner for people, or covering a shift for someone at work, but sometimes its harder and an effort needs to be made. I’m not even always sure what my gifts are. Do you know yours?

“You are loved and carried and secure, and what else do you need when you have Him? You are free, free, to lavishly give away your gifts when all your value, worth, joy, and riches are in the greatest of gifts.”

Find one person you can help today using your gifts. What has God given you for “such a time as this”?

“Why would anyone inside the gate seek to be rich, and great, and honored in that world where his Lord was poor, and mean, and despised?”
George Muller

Lifting up the little and small

Lately I have been so stressed. So worried. Things are constantly on my mind, weighing me down. This book has been such an encouragement. Every day it speaks directly to my soul. It says exactly what I need to hear. God knew that I needed this book for this time.

The one thing that totally jumped off the page today:

“When the King rules your world, you cease to rule or worry. All worry dethrones God. All worrying makes your King and God incompetent. There is a King born in Bethlehem and on the throne. You can breathe.”

Jesus is coming. He is coming to “rule the earth and make all the sad things untrue.” AMEN

AMEN

AMEN!

Make all the sad things UNTRUE.

I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THAT DAY

“The wonderland is unfolding even now, Kingdom coming, because His Word “will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:11-12) The dance of the sugarplum fairies just withered a bit.”

What worries do you need to surrender to God, knowing He is FIRMLY on His throne?

Every little thing is going to be ok…

Ruth was so brave. She left her home. Her husband was dead. She followed her mother-in-law to an unknown land and an unknown God. Naomi went home bitter, but Ruth gave up her freedom for Naomi’s future.

“When we have an agenda for God, we can’t see the gifts from God.”

And the story unfolds. Ruth goes with Naomi. She doesn’t know what’s going to happen. But she has faith. She just happens to be in Bethlehem. She ends up at Boaz’s field. He happens to be a kinsman-redeemer for her family. She trusts Naomi & God and puts herself in Boaz’s path. She asks him to marry her. And he does. And she becomes an important woman in the line of Jesus Christ. She never knew this when she followed Naomi. When her future was so uncertain and grim.

“Every little thing is going to be okay because God is working good through every little thing. All that’s happening is happening to make miracles. The mundane is what’s making miracles.”

What is worrying you today? Are you missing the love all around you? Think of things that have happened recently that prove that God is at work in your life.

Joys are always on their way to us. They are always traveling to us through the darkness of the night. There is never a night when they are not coming.
Amy Carmichael

A scarlet lifeline of hope

Rahab

“The secret to the abundant life: to believe that God is where you doubt He can be.”

In Hebrew, the word used to describe Rahab’s cord that she threw out the window to save the spies is tikvah. It means hope. Rahab was a most unlikely person. God used her despite her tainted past, and He made her a part of Jesus’ line.

“No personal choice that muddied your life can ever trump the divine choice to wash your life clean.” This Advent, reach out and grab the cord. Reach out for Jesus. Our scarlet lifeline of hope.

Never Undone

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” Genesis 50:20

Joseph’s brothers tried to destroy his life. They sold him into slavery and tore up his robe and told their father that he was dead. But God had big plans for Joseph. After many trials, he ends up saving the entire nation.

Do you feel torn to pieces? Do you feel like life is trying to destroy you?

“The places where we’re torn to pieces can be thin places where we touch the peace of God…What was intended to tear you apart, God intends it to set you apart…He intends to turn whatever you’re experiencing now into a gift. You cannot be undone.”

Wow. What powerful words. This chapter really spoke to me. I often feel that since the bombing my life has been torn apart. I get so frustrated with pain, and with this new “normal”. It is so hard to remember that God can use all of this for good. He can turn it around and bring such redemption to this seemingly hopeless situation.

Ann asks: When have you seen God take what was torn and turn it into a gift?

Make a list. Redeem those negative turns. You will begin to look a life a little bit differently.