Worth

Some could look at a painting and think it is ugly and not worth anything. Others could look at that painting and think well it isn't so bad they could get $50-$100 out of it. Some could see the true value in it and understand it is a one of a kind, painted by a famous artist, and priceless... don't allow others who are not qualified to determine your net worth when they have now idea your value. Jesus knows your value, He knows your worth... you have a purpose in His Kingdom, He treasures you, and He loves you. Never forget that....
He thought you were worth saving, even worth dying for. Never allow anyone else make you feel less than that...

Just Can’t Stop Praisin’ His Name

There is an old saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”  It is referring to muscle. Our muscles have to be used in order to remain strong and healthy.  If not used they will actually atrophy, waste away. The more muscles we have the stronger we are. The more we can lift and carry, the farther we can run and the longer we can stand. When we are unhealthy and weak, it requires time to get back on our feet and gain our strength back. It requires putting ourselves back into use and back into movement. It will take time to build those muscles and strength back up.

In Nehemiah 8:10 it reminds us, “… the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  If you do not use your joy or do not live it (joyfully) … you will lose it. Your strength will decrease and can even atrophy, waste away.

How do you live joyfully especially with so many trials surrounding you? Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Your attitude and actions revolve around what you think and are focused on. You can control your thoughts which will control your attitude which will control your actions. You can get rid of stinkin’ thinking and think on good and godly thoughts. Thoughts that remind you of the Lord and His faithfulness, His love, and His mercy produce praise. Praise produces gratitude and worship.

Joy: defined

1.   great happiness: feelings of great happiness or pleasure, especially of an elevated or spiritual kind

2.   something that brings happiness: a pleasurable aspect of something or source of happiness

3.   enjoy something: to delight in something

When you develop and build up your praise muscles, you produce joy in the Lord which produces your strength. Strength that allows you to lift more, to carry more, to run farther, to stand longer! You just can’t stop praisin’ His name! No matter what… keep praising!

Burnt

Ever spend the day in the sun and not even realize how burnt you were until later that evening?  It hurts and takes time to heal. If you go back out in the sun before you are healed, it hurts more, burns worse and can easily cause more damage.

Sometimes the trials we endure can cause bitterness.  At the end of those trials you may not even realize you are bitter.  You may think you are okay but when you get put back in that situation or even think about the trial, it brings out the pain and the bitterness of the past moment.

It takes God to uproot any bitterness, any unforgiveness, and it takes time to heal. Don’t ignore the extent of the damage or allow the healing process to stop. It will just hurt longer and cause more damage.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm 139:23

                                                                                                                       

Saturated

Most of us have heard of the story of Hansel and Gretel. Hansel dropped a little white pebble here and there on the mossy green ground as they were being led to their fate in the dark forest. The moon was full that night making the tiny white pebbles gleam in the moonlight, so the children found their way home.

I want to be so saturated with God’s love, His anointing, His power, His Word, and His presence that it drips off me. That everywhere I step it leaves a “mark” making a trail for others to follow. I want to lead the hurt, the lost and scared out of the dark. I want to lead them home, where our Father is patiently waiting.

Every step we make makes a difference. Every mark we leave has an impact. May His glory shine on the path you leave others to follow…

I Give Up!

That’s it! I have had it… I give up! I give up all of my frustrations, all of my disappointments, all of my hurts, all my pain… all of it! I cannot carry these things around anymore. I was never meant to carry them around in the first place. But we all do that, don’t we? We hang on to things and people we shouldn’t and wonder why we can’t move on.  It binds us, hinders us, and hurts us.

Be honest with yourself. Ever feel that way?  If we want to move on we have to let go, we have to “give up” those things. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

 It doesn’t stop there… we have to give up fear, give up doubt, give up worry, give up jealously, give up “our motives” and be full of His glory! “He must become greater; I must become less” John 3:30

Go ahead…. You can “give up” too!

Breaking Your Alabaster Box

Can you imagine the fragrance filling the room? The sweet sweet smell of not only the oil but from the worship given to the King. So many do not realize the priceless treasure they bring before the Lord when they give Him all they have broken at His feet. True adoration brings a sweet sweet Spirit that envelopes all those around.  Can you imagine a woman with a need so great that it didn’t matter what others thought, what others said… It only mattered what she felt laid on her heart to do… She had to go to her King… she had to take Him her most precious belonging… her alabaster box.

You see it was worth a year’s salary, her most treasured item she possessed. She truly didn’t understand why she felt the need to do this but knew she had to do this…

She wrapped the shawl around her head and shoulders, took a deep breath and went to her Master. She didn’t know what she was going to say, what she should do… only that she had to take Him the most precious treasure she had….

Luke 7:36-50 tells us how she entered the room where Jesus was…  can you imagine what it must of felt like to look at Him face to face… all fear leaving… love swelling in her heart as she made her way to his feet.

You know the story as she fell to her knees at his feet.  The tears streaming down onto his feet as she wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet.  She took the box and broke it at His feet anointing Him with the fragrant oil. The past didn’t matter anymore… only that very moment…

No one knows the cost of your alabaster box, the cost of your praise BUT God does… He knows the price of your praise, your pain, your sacrifice.

You see true praise and worship is priceless… it is passionate…

Giving all we have brings blessings.  It changes things… it changes your situation… it clears your vision, it strengthens your very soul…  it changes the very atmosphere of all those around you.

The only way to get that precious, priceless oil of praise is to be broken. To completely open yourself up to the One who died for you. Giving all you have, all you are.

Leave the Luggage At the Door

We all have troubles and problems that can bog us down, distract us and if we aren’t careful they can consume us. We go to church and are so overwhelmed at times that even when we are in His presence we miss the opportunity to worship Him and bask in His presence because we are focused on our problems instead of our God.

If we come into the place that our Savior abides with that “luggage,” our hands are full and heavy.  We cannot lift our hands to the One who deserves our praise if our hands are full. Leave all the luggage at the door.  It doesn’t matter what we are enduring when we come into His presence. He fills us with His strength and peace that passes all understanding.  “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ.”(Philippians 4:7)

He deserves our undivided attention. We cannot just going through the motions of worship. Our focus has to be on Him, not on our distractions. Sure the luggage will still be there ready and waiting for you when you leave but after being in His presence the luggage isn’t quite as heavy as it was before your time with God.  

Leave the luggage at the door.  Don’t ever miss your opportunity to worship Him, He is seeking those who seek Him. “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23)