It had to happen...

You know, sometimes I question if I am hearing God right. I will go back and forth with Him as to whether I am on the right track or not and it often causes me to want to stay in the background. Well, last week, I was invited to minister for a Thursday conference call for women that I participate in. My flesh immediately said NO and I had a whole laundry list of reasons why not. But God kept saying, “It had to happen.” So I agreed to do the call and God truly showed up! SO when I finished the call, I was getting ready to see what God had for Rhema when He said use the same word. Of course, I didn't want to do that because I thought it was for these women but as I ministered it today, I realized just how much it was for me and for some of you.

As I was preparing for that call,  I kept hearing "It had to happen" over and over again. I said God, I get it. I said I was going to do it. But He said “No, tell them that. Tell My people that it had to happen.” As you may be able to guess, I had questions. What do you mean, God? What had to happen? He began to talk to me about the defining moments in our lives. There are some things that happen that change everything for us. They can be good and they can be challenging but they are moments that force us to make choices and often shape that season of your life. Paul had a defining moment on the road to Damascus. He came face to face with Jesus as he was on his way to persecute and capture more Christians. He was knocked down and blinded for 3 days as he reconciled his past with what Jesus was preparing him for.  You see, that moment had to happen for God to change Saul to Paul and use him for His glory. Jesus sent Ananais to lay hands on Paul with a word. “He said, Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 9:17 NKJV) The passage goes on to say that immediately the scales fell from his eyes and he got up and was baptized(Acts 9:18). It had to happen. What have you come against that knocked you off your feet and changed the direction of your life? Today, God is saying rise up and be renewed.

David had many defining moments in his life, both for the good and for the bad. Do you remember in 2 Samuel 11 when David saw Bathsheba bathing on that rooftop. Defining moment! Walk away or not. He clearly decided on “not” and sent Bathsheba's husband to his death so that he could have her for himself. They married and had a child. The Lord was not pleased at all and sent Nathan to rebuke him and as punishment, David & Bathsheba's son became ill and died. During the time of the baby's illness, David pleaded and fasted. But when the baby finally died, David worshipped!  He comforted his wife, they made love and produced Solomon. It had to happen! Out of the sin and pain and rebuke, one of the wisest men was born. Today, God is saying forgive yourself and give birth to your purpose.

Then I said, well God what about those hard things that have happened to people. The death of a loved one, molestation or rape, abuse, sickness, divorce. I can't tell people that those things had to happen. And God said something really interesting. He said “the pain or the act isn't the defining moment, its the response. He said the result had to happen, the growth, the praise, the worship that came from the moment, had to happen. Stop allowing the act to define you! I said God, you have  help me out with this part. He sent me to 1 Peter 2:2, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us as an example, that you should follow His steps." I began to think about Christ. We often focus so much on the crucifixion - the torture, the agony, and the cruelty that He suffered and we stay right there. But today, God said, look beyond that. Jesus had to go through that to get to the resurrection. Christ's message to us does not stay at the cross. No, it goes forward to love and sharing salvation.  He went through that defining moment so that we could live. There was a purpose to the pain. It had to happen.

There are some of you that have been stuck at the knock down. Some have you have been wrapped up in your past sins. Some of you have taken up residence at the cross. You have let the point of impact be what has defined you. But today God wants you to be free. He wants you to move forward into the next stage. He wants you to look at how these great men reacted and responded to these moments in their lives. You have experienced your “it had to happen” moment. Now what? Are you going to stay at the anger of your divorce? Are you going to stay at the grief? Are you going to stay in the worry? You've took the hit, now it's time to get up, and walk into your purpose. A few years ago, my husband and I took a hard financial hit that I didn't see how we could survive. My husband was not saved and it seemed that I was stuck at the "Why Me, God" stage forever. I prayed, fasted, and cried out to God. I didn't understand why I was experiencing all of this when I did all He asked me to do. One day I was at the altar and the Lord said to me, “Stop travailing. All of this had to happen for your family to get where I want you to be.  So what are you going to do?” I got up and moved forward. It didn't mean that everything was perfect or easy after that but I walked away from the point of impact and moved. Now my husband is saved and I see the hand of God all in our lives. It had to happen…

So I challenge you today to take your "it had to happen” moment and go forward! Because like Paul said in Philippians 1:6, I am “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

Amen

This is your day!

This morning I had to proctor an exam for elementary students. It required complete silence for over 2 hours. No cell phone, no book, no food, no water...nothing! I just knew that God was going to give me this long word to share with you today to keep me busy. Instead, I kept hearing one familiar line over and over again. "This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps. 118:24, NLT) In all honesty, I kind of brushed it off, not thinking that was what He wanted me to say. When I finally sat down to write, I was still hearing that same line so I pulled it up in the Bible and the version happened to be the NIV and this is what it said. "The Lord has done it this very day, let us rejoice today and be glad."

Some of you have been going through some tests in your life. You have had to keep the faith when every other voice and circumstance has been saying give up. Some of you have been asked to stretch beyond what you believe your capacity is and it has caused you to feel uncomfortable. Some of you have been waiting for a breakthrough that seems like it is never coming and you have had to trust what you couldn't see. Today, God wanted me to tell you that it's time to rejoice and be glad. He wanted me to remind you that He has it all under control. You see, if you look at both versions of that scripture that I referenced, it is in the past tense. What does that mean? Simple, it is already done! Instead of worrying about the outcome, rejoice in the victory! Instead of questioning whether you can handle the assignment, rejoice in the completion! Instead of worrying about the shift, rejoice in the manifested promise! The Lord has done it!

Abraham is one of my favorite men in the Bible. Do you remember what happened with him? “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.  “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him;” (Gen. 12: 1-4a, NIV)) God promised him some big things and then sent him on a journey that he had no control over. He was on a complete faith walk. Abraham went through tests, delayed promises, and challenges to his faith but he kept his eyes on the promise that God gave him in the very beginning. When it was all said and done, Abraham was blessed by the Lord and “he died at a ripe old age, having lived a long and satisfying life.” (Gen. 25: 8 NLT). What’s my point? Abraham did not always know what was coming next. He was required to trust God through some extremely challenging experiences. Sometimes, he did well and sometimes he missed the mark but in the end, God did what He promised. His challenges helped to make him. God used every circumstance and test to make him the father of the faith that you know him to be.

You see, God has your situation under control. You don’t have to figure it out or fix it up. You just have to trust that God has seen it through to completion. Today, you can rejoice and be glad that He is taking your struggles and building strength. He is taking your challenges and creating opportunities. He is taking your fear and rebuilding your faith. All you have to do is rejoice and be glad in the finished work of Christ! So I say to you with great confidence, “The Lord has done it this very day, let us rejoice today and be glad”!

Amen…

God is with you!

The other night I posted a video of me praying on Facebook. It was a challenge by my sister in law and truth be told, I was uncomfortable with it. First of all, it’s one thing to speak in front of people but once something is online, it’s there to stay. You’re exposing yourself to scrutiny, judgment, and criticism. But I realized once I started reading the responses that there are a lot of you that need not just encouragement but a Word from the Lord so that you can make it. So often, you can walk through this life silently struggling and unsure of where to turn. Sometimes you don’t even want to tell your closest family and friends what is bothering you, so you keep it to yourself and it gets harder and harder to fight. Today, God wants you to keep the faith and know that He is with you AND for you!

Usually, when someone says 1 Peter 5, you immediately think of verse 8 about the devil walking around like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour. But I was reminded in bible study last night about one of my favorite scriptures that is a couple of verses down and the Lord encouraged me to share it with you today. “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation.” (1 Peter 5: 10 NLT) I LOVE that! You see, though you may have been under attack or going through a storm or struggle, God has not forgotten you. He sees you as important and valuable and He will not leave you in a shaken state. He won’t let you go through a process and then not stabilize you. NO! He will restore you and put you back on solid ground. The New King James Version says in that verse that He will settle you. The question is, can you walk through the suffering to get to the settling? God is with you!

Sometimes it is hard for those of you that are strong in your faith, know who God is and what He can do, and have witnessed healings and miracles to understand why you struggle to stand strong in your own issues and situations. It’s a simple answer really. You’re human! You are not immune to attack or suffering and as a matter of fact, oftentimes, when you are in right position, is when you go through the most. You see, God wants you to be your best you. In order for that to happen, God has to get rid of the “stuff” in you that isn’t like Him. He is constantly pruning you and cleaning you up so that you look more and more like Him. So you have to go through the process to get to your best you and a lot of times, that hurts. It’s uncomfortable, it’s unexplainable, and it’s out of your control. But Peter says something in verse 12 that I want to say to you. “My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.” (1 Pet. 5: 12 NLT) God is with you!

As I read people’s responses to my prayer video, God reminded me that sometimes I will have to be uncomfortable for someone else to get their freedom. He reminded that the very purpose of Rhema is to encourage you! I tell you about my disappointments, my struggles and my hurts so that you can see that if God can work with me than surely He is with you and working on your behalf. Your situations may be different from mine but God is the same! He wants you to know that He can and will be whatever you need Him to be for you. Even if you are suffering right now, after a while, He’s going to “perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.”  (1 Pet. 5: 10a NKJV) Be strong, saints, God is with you!

Amen

Where Could I Go?

Sometimes life is just crazy! Between things at home, things at work, things at church, folks dying, folks going through, world events, good things, bad things…sometimes it just gets overwhelming! Today, I kept hearing the chorus to the old hymn “Where Could I Go But To The Lord” echoing in my spirit. “Where could I go, where could I go? Seeking a refuge for my soul, needing a friend to help me in the end. Where could I go but to the Lord?” That resonated with me this morning as I thought about those of you who mourn today and those of you that have just come through a rough patch in life, and those that are just plain exhausted. God is calling out to you today and offering a resting place. He is challenging you to seek Him for refuge.

If you have read Rhema for any length of time, you know that I encourage people to call God who you need Him to be. Today, as I prayed for you, I asked Him to be Jehovah Machaseh Lanu, God our Refuge. You see, God wants you to find your peace in Him. He wants you to know that there is no other shelter that can both cover and restore you at the same time. The key is allowing that to happen. I know I’m guilty of running and running and looking for rest and refuge in various places when everything I need can be found in The Lord. What or who are you using as your safe place instead of God? This is an important question to ponder because even those of you that are super strong can find yourself stressed, tired, overwhelmed with grief and not immediately go to God. It’s the flesh part of you that rises up and says there’s a solution that will make you feel better. Then you run out looking for wine, or a nap, or a brownie when in fact what you need is to get in the face of God and let Him speak to you.

Psalm 46 ministered to me this morning. It is a powerful reminder of who God is and will be for you if you will allow Him to. I invite you to read this whole passage and hear the Lord speaking to you about your situation. See yourself living within the walls of the city of God as He attends to all of your needs. Nothing that you face can come close to the power of God.

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
²Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    He lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

⁸ Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations He has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    He burns the shields with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Ps. 46 1-11, NIV)

God says something really key in verse 10 that is repeated in churches just about every week but people still don’t seem to get. At some point, you have to just stop what you are doing and acknowledge that He is God and He is above politics and whatever is happening in the world or in your life. He is GOD and He can handle anything!

I pray for you today that you will find yourself in the shelter of the Most High God. It’s time for you to let God have His time with you. It’s time for you let Him rebuild, restore and renew you. It’s time for you to let Him handle all of the things that are going on in your life. You see, nothing that you are running so hard to do will give you what you need… only God can do it.  So, if you are grieving today, lay down in the presence of God and let Him seal the cracks in your heart and give you peace for the future. If you are tired in your mind, body, and spirit from carrying the weight of your family, your church, your job, lay down in the presence of God and let Him breathe air back into you and give you strength to continue. If you are just coming out of a battle, spiritual or physical, lay down in the presence of God and let Him mend any wounds, and give you power to walk into the next season in your life. He is God and He can handle anything!

May you wait quietly for God, for your victory comes from Him. He alone is your rock and your salvation; your fortress where you will never be shaken. (Ps. 62:1 NLT) God bless…

Amen