AMAZING IS NOT ENOUGH
Today during my still time a real connection began to happen as the Lord spoke to me through His Word.
So often I get so focused on multi-tasking (which to me is the norm for most moms that work at home and outside the home) that my "quiet time" becomes scheduled and part of my list that I check off. Well, recently, the Lord is really showing me how destructive this pattern has been in terms of me allowing this "multi-tasking" and "making things happen" get in the way of what God has for me.
Now you have to understand that all the while I am believing I am in the will of God. But I really am starting to realize that anything that interrupts the calling God has on my life is cause for me to STOP - and be STILL - even when it seems to be "GOOD", "GOD's WILL", and in many cases...even "AMAZING".
God has been opening my eyes to this through the application of His Word, the mediation of His Word, in connection with some circumstances lately. For example, I received a call from a dearly loved sister in Christ. They called to ask me to pray for them about an opportunity that they received. Here is how the conversation went:
"Keri, you know this person _________. I would do anything for this person ________. I adore this person and they have asked this of me and its for a good cause" and the conversation went on for a bit as they shared their "thoughts" about this opportunity. The dilemma "Is this God's will for me?" or "Is this a distraction" - and the last thought they left me with for consideration was this, "Its for a good cause.."
Here is how I responded: "Well, first of all, I am not God. Only God has the authority to reveal to you His Best for You and the right path to accept or reject this opportunity. Regardless of your decision, God can use you in any circumstance but if it is a distraction, you may forfeit God's Best Yes for you. Pray and get in the Word and He will order your steps. But do that before you decide".
For the last few days since that phone call, I started having alot of thought about the nature of this thought process that so many of us often find ourselves in. "This is "good" but is it "God's will?" So many of us battle "How do I know God's will?" And then I started thinking about what motivates us and drives how we decide what we do and what we do not do. I started to think about the patterns in my life in decision making that led to good fruit versus outcomes that were not good spiritually.
One thing I had in common with my friend that called is very often the thought "I really love this person. I would do anything for them" has been a recurring thought that has influenced my decision to take on certain projects at church, and outside the home. For months now the Lord has been showing me that this pattern of thought for me has often led me down a path that ends up moving me away from something better that God had for me. And like my friend, I have the same thoughts that "its a good cause" - "these are good people" - and "its for this person that I really love and admire and care what they think of me"...and so on.
Well, after some time of "being still" and meditating on God's word, I started hearing "Is this idolatry?".
When we say of another person "I would do anything for - x person" "I just love this person they are amazing " - Is this idolatry? You see, when I was a missionary during the summer of my sophomore year at MSU I had to attend training. One of our leaders shared that anything that blurs your vision of God and the character of God is to be avoided - and at all costs - thought through. I wonder if this way of thinking about people can in some situations be putting our love for man above our love for Christ. If we are allowing our love for a person to drive what we do, how we do it, etc., then are we doing the will of God? Can we live in mental victory in the Spirit if we are guided by emotions we have for man and what this world wants from us?
I believe that I have allowed relationships to rule over me and my thoughts and decisions. I believe that the outcomes, while good things happened, but in this distraction of "making things happen" and "helping these people I love" I may have forfeited something, alot of things, so much greater that God's perfect will destined for me.
How do I know this? If I look in His Word, Jeremiah 29:11 and Ephesians 3:20 promise me that God's plans are to "prosper, not to harm" and to lead to a path that is "immeasurably more" than I can "think up or imagine" on my own. And girlfriends I can tell you that I have had some fun and success following after awesome people and amazing opportunities BUT they definitely were not spiritually prosperous and immeasurable. SO that leaves me thinking - "WHAT HAVE I MISSED?" Well, for me, EVERYTHING that is anything valuable - because I want to know Christ and be guided by what God's Will is for me. So if I gain great physical things that I can achieve but I forfeit the supernatural eternal rewards then I am completely missing out.
One way I can know if relationships are ruling over me - my thoughts - my decisions is by looking at the fruit. I can tell you that the greatest tribulations in my life over the years in church, serving, and in work, serving outside the home, where I know I ended up in "whereamiville?" and "thissucksville" and "thiswasntworthitville" all shared the same pattern of thought - a thought pattern guided by a focus that was greater on man than on Christ, time in His Word, and being still to receive His Perfect Will received through the application of His Word and power of His Spirit in me. Yep, when I put the power of a person's presence above the power of Christ's presence in my life through my manner of thinking and then doing, I have created an idol that will hinder experiencing God's best for my life.
And you know what, every time this has happened, there is one core element missing in my life. Stillness...and time at His Feet in His Word. Not reading scripture for a quick half hour so I can get in the shower to get out the door. Not just opening my YouVersion app on the way to a ministry meeting. NO!!!!!!! Just stopping my agenda and calendar alltogether regardless of the cost - and who I may disappoint - just being still. And sitting at His Feet like Mary did. Ladies - this is "the better part" For it "can not be taken from her". What Jesus says and does HAS to rank in our lives above it all.
What I missed was time to renew my mind in the spirit of Christ. I have to dedicate time to shut the door to this pipeline from the enemy to move me from reliance on Christ to that of man. I stopped getting still and focused before God. Even when I was reading scripture daily - I realize my mind was always distracted focusing on what certain people wanted and not what God designed for me.
We learn in 2 Cor 10 that we are not defenseless in this battle. Every stronghold - anything pretending to have more power over you than God - CAN BE BROKEN. CHANGE CAN HAPPEN.
God cares about anything that removes us from His Perfect Will.
** SO FRIENDS I ASK YOU:
HOW DO WE OVERCOME THOUGHT PATTERNS THAT DISTRACT US FROM HIS PERFECT WILL?"
Read Hebrews 10. Read Psalm 119:33. Read Romans 12:1-2.
#1. WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS
Because it will not come easily, and we will never be without temptation, and the enemy will never stop trying to intersect into the pipeline for our time and devotion, we have to fight to live in the Spirit with perseverance. Our actions and the time we "think" has to be turned over to the Lord, and we need to focus on hiding His Word in our hearts. "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me". When the world is on you, and multi tasking and "Making it happen" consume your thoughts - you gotta stop and fight to transform your mind to align with the nature and character of God. For some of us, that means giving time to God when we want to operate by a strict schedule. For others, it means getting out of bed early and reading scripture. For some of us, it is to stop living a life of isolation and reach out for accountability. Knowing God's will is impossible without renewing your mind.
#2. RECOGNIZE WE ALL HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST
When we receive into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are all given the ability to share in the power of the Spirit and live with the mind of Christ. Believe that the power to change your mind is promised and possible. Knowing God's will is impossible without renewing your mind. In Romans 12: verse 2 we are promised that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We have a choice.
Read Luke 24 - 45 - He opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures
I want to truly love Him with my mind. I want to live what God has prepared for me. I want to embark in the remarkable future and be convinced to give my mind totally over to the greatness of His name and not my own.
#3. THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS REQUIRES CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE
We have to confess and repent of sin. What's in our minds produces fruit in our lives. Anything on your mind that grips your thoughts above the whole ness and holiness of Christ has to be demolished. Beth Moore says our brains are the trees of our lives and scripture tells us that our love for Christ is known by the fruit we produce. Our minds have to be focused on Spirit prompted fruit. Job 21:6 tells us that our minds have the capacity for brilliance, but at the same time can be used for darkness.
We really can know what we are doing and why. Look at Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the thoughts I think towards you"
I do not want to miss what God has for me. And friends, I can tell you, that even though I am only 38 years old, I have experienced the supernatural work of God and its blown my mind. There is nothing like experiencing the work of God and the love of Christ. I do not want to be foolish in relationships and big decisions. I want to think new thoughts about the old things that were once strongholds and change the pattern of behavior to show the changed heart that I have. A changed mind is a changed heart, says Beth Moore, from 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. No mind can conceive people - God reveals the renewing of our minds through His Word and by His Spirit. There is no other way - not on this Earth and not by anything or anyone that may seem amazing and powerful.
Other Scriptures:
Ephesians 4:17-19 (New Testament definition of addiction)
Luke 2:18-19
So often I get so focused on multi-tasking (which to me is the norm for most moms that work at home and outside the home) that my "quiet time" becomes scheduled and part of my list that I check off. Well, recently, the Lord is really showing me how destructive this pattern has been in terms of me allowing this "multi-tasking" and "making things happen" get in the way of what God has for me.
Now you have to understand that all the while I am believing I am in the will of God. But I really am starting to realize that anything that interrupts the calling God has on my life is cause for me to STOP - and be STILL - even when it seems to be "GOOD", "GOD's WILL", and in many cases...even "AMAZING".
God has been opening my eyes to this through the application of His Word, the mediation of His Word, in connection with some circumstances lately. For example, I received a call from a dearly loved sister in Christ. They called to ask me to pray for them about an opportunity that they received. Here is how the conversation went:
"Keri, you know this person _________. I would do anything for this person ________. I adore this person and they have asked this of me and its for a good cause" and the conversation went on for a bit as they shared their "thoughts" about this opportunity. The dilemma "Is this God's will for me?" or "Is this a distraction" - and the last thought they left me with for consideration was this, "Its for a good cause.."
Here is how I responded: "Well, first of all, I am not God. Only God has the authority to reveal to you His Best for You and the right path to accept or reject this opportunity. Regardless of your decision, God can use you in any circumstance but if it is a distraction, you may forfeit God's Best Yes for you. Pray and get in the Word and He will order your steps. But do that before you decide".
For the last few days since that phone call, I started having alot of thought about the nature of this thought process that so many of us often find ourselves in. "This is "good" but is it "God's will?" So many of us battle "How do I know God's will?" And then I started thinking about what motivates us and drives how we decide what we do and what we do not do. I started to think about the patterns in my life in decision making that led to good fruit versus outcomes that were not good spiritually.
One thing I had in common with my friend that called is very often the thought "I really love this person. I would do anything for them" has been a recurring thought that has influenced my decision to take on certain projects at church, and outside the home. For months now the Lord has been showing me that this pattern of thought for me has often led me down a path that ends up moving me away from something better that God had for me. And like my friend, I have the same thoughts that "its a good cause" - "these are good people" - and "its for this person that I really love and admire and care what they think of me"...and so on.
Well, after some time of "being still" and meditating on God's word, I started hearing "Is this idolatry?".
When we say of another person "I would do anything for - x person" "I just love this person they are amazing " - Is this idolatry? You see, when I was a missionary during the summer of my sophomore year at MSU I had to attend training. One of our leaders shared that anything that blurs your vision of God and the character of God is to be avoided - and at all costs - thought through. I wonder if this way of thinking about people can in some situations be putting our love for man above our love for Christ. If we are allowing our love for a person to drive what we do, how we do it, etc., then are we doing the will of God? Can we live in mental victory in the Spirit if we are guided by emotions we have for man and what this world wants from us?
I believe that I have allowed relationships to rule over me and my thoughts and decisions. I believe that the outcomes, while good things happened, but in this distraction of "making things happen" and "helping these people I love" I may have forfeited something, alot of things, so much greater that God's perfect will destined for me.
How do I know this? If I look in His Word, Jeremiah 29:11 and Ephesians 3:20 promise me that God's plans are to "prosper, not to harm" and to lead to a path that is "immeasurably more" than I can "think up or imagine" on my own. And girlfriends I can tell you that I have had some fun and success following after awesome people and amazing opportunities BUT they definitely were not spiritually prosperous and immeasurable. SO that leaves me thinking - "WHAT HAVE I MISSED?" Well, for me, EVERYTHING that is anything valuable - because I want to know Christ and be guided by what God's Will is for me. So if I gain great physical things that I can achieve but I forfeit the supernatural eternal rewards then I am completely missing out.
One way I can know if relationships are ruling over me - my thoughts - my decisions is by looking at the fruit. I can tell you that the greatest tribulations in my life over the years in church, serving, and in work, serving outside the home, where I know I ended up in "whereamiville?" and "thissucksville" and "thiswasntworthitville" all shared the same pattern of thought - a thought pattern guided by a focus that was greater on man than on Christ, time in His Word, and being still to receive His Perfect Will received through the application of His Word and power of His Spirit in me. Yep, when I put the power of a person's presence above the power of Christ's presence in my life through my manner of thinking and then doing, I have created an idol that will hinder experiencing God's best for my life.
And you know what, every time this has happened, there is one core element missing in my life. Stillness...and time at His Feet in His Word. Not reading scripture for a quick half hour so I can get in the shower to get out the door. Not just opening my YouVersion app on the way to a ministry meeting. NO!!!!!!! Just stopping my agenda and calendar alltogether regardless of the cost - and who I may disappoint - just being still. And sitting at His Feet like Mary did. Ladies - this is "the better part" For it "can not be taken from her". What Jesus says and does HAS to rank in our lives above it all.
What I missed was time to renew my mind in the spirit of Christ. I have to dedicate time to shut the door to this pipeline from the enemy to move me from reliance on Christ to that of man. I stopped getting still and focused before God. Even when I was reading scripture daily - I realize my mind was always distracted focusing on what certain people wanted and not what God designed for me.
We learn in 2 Cor 10 that we are not defenseless in this battle. Every stronghold - anything pretending to have more power over you than God - CAN BE BROKEN. CHANGE CAN HAPPEN.
God cares about anything that removes us from His Perfect Will.
** SO FRIENDS I ASK YOU:
HOW DO WE OVERCOME THOUGHT PATTERNS THAT DISTRACT US FROM HIS PERFECT WILL?"
Read Hebrews 10. Read Psalm 119:33. Read Romans 12:1-2.
#1. WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS
Because it will not come easily, and we will never be without temptation, and the enemy will never stop trying to intersect into the pipeline for our time and devotion, we have to fight to live in the Spirit with perseverance. Our actions and the time we "think" has to be turned over to the Lord, and we need to focus on hiding His Word in our hearts. "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me". When the world is on you, and multi tasking and "Making it happen" consume your thoughts - you gotta stop and fight to transform your mind to align with the nature and character of God. For some of us, that means giving time to God when we want to operate by a strict schedule. For others, it means getting out of bed early and reading scripture. For some of us, it is to stop living a life of isolation and reach out for accountability. Knowing God's will is impossible without renewing your mind.
A Living Sacrifice
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
#2. RECOGNIZE WE ALL HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST
When we receive into a relationship with Jesus Christ, we are all given the ability to share in the power of the Spirit and live with the mind of Christ. Believe that the power to change your mind is promised and possible. Knowing God's will is impossible without renewing your mind. In Romans 12: verse 2 we are promised that we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We have a choice.
- In 2 Corinthians 3-5 we are taught to take captive every thought.
- Divine power - to demolish strongholds that come against the knowledge of God
- Genesis is still alive today - all of us get tempted by a false freedom - thoughts on things that are away from God but seem to give us direction - we have to take captive these thoughts
Read Luke 24 - 45 - He opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures
I want to truly love Him with my mind. I want to live what God has prepared for me. I want to embark in the remarkable future and be convinced to give my mind totally over to the greatness of His name and not my own.
#3. THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS REQUIRES CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE
We have to confess and repent of sin. What's in our minds produces fruit in our lives. Anything on your mind that grips your thoughts above the whole ness and holiness of Christ has to be demolished. Beth Moore says our brains are the trees of our lives and scripture tells us that our love for Christ is known by the fruit we produce. Our minds have to be focused on Spirit prompted fruit. Job 21:6 tells us that our minds have the capacity for brilliance, but at the same time can be used for darkness.
We really can know what we are doing and why. Look at Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the thoughts I think towards you"
- God actively thinks thoughts toward us
- You really can completely change your mind to the thoughts of God
- Repentance means to change my mind in Greek - in such a way to change my actions - in the power of the spirit to have the power to completely change and our walk in the will of God is dependent on it
I do not want to miss what God has for me. And friends, I can tell you, that even though I am only 38 years old, I have experienced the supernatural work of God and its blown my mind. There is nothing like experiencing the work of God and the love of Christ. I do not want to be foolish in relationships and big decisions. I want to think new thoughts about the old things that were once strongholds and change the pattern of behavior to show the changed heart that I have. A changed mind is a changed heart, says Beth Moore, from 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. No mind can conceive people - God reveals the renewing of our minds through His Word and by His Spirit. There is no other way - not on this Earth and not by anything or anyone that may seem amazing and powerful.
Other Scriptures:
Ephesians 4:17-19 (New Testament definition of addiction)
Luke 2:18-19
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