"Trust The Process"

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."  Philippians 1:6

 

A few days ago my daughter posted a link on her Facebook concerning the coloring of your hair-- she is a cosmetologist.  It was entitled, "Trust The Process", and it showed several pictures of the stages that hair has to go through in order to get the color from a dark brown to a light blonde.  There were about six or seven stages and each stage required at least an hour of time.  But if you "trusted the process" the end result would be the goal you were hoping to achieve.

 

Life is full of processes.  When you make pottery, it starts out as a lump of clay and then goes through a long process before it becomes a vessel.  Baking in cake requires a process.  The process begins with multiple ingredients and after going through several steps and time in the oven, your cake is completed. 

 

When the Lord saved us, He gave us eternal life but He also has a plan and goal for our lives.  In order to accomplish His goal we have to go through a process of transformation.  This transformation doesn't happen over night, it involves a process.  The process takes time.  During the process it may not look like any change is taking place.  It may look like we are going in the wrong direction.  It may be hard.  It may involve some fire, some pruning, some molding, some stripping, and so on.  But the end result will be His goal for our lives.

 

Sometimes what we are going through is nothing more than the transformation process.  Will you trust the process?  Will you allow the process to accomplish the change that needs to take place in you?  Will you be patient during the process?  Will you hold on and not give up?  The end result will be worth it.  The end result will be God's perfect will and plan accomplished in your life.

 

Have a great day.  Trust the process and trust the Lord who initiates and watches over the process.   

"He Still Is"

"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."  Hebrews 13:8

 

I woke up this morning with the words of this song repeating over and over in my thoughts.  "And He'll do it again, He'll do it again
If you'll just take a look at where you are now and where you've been.  Well hasn't He always come through for you, He's the same now as then. You may not know how, you may not know when, but He'll do it again".

 

Jesus is the same as He has always been.  He has not changed.  If He has ever been the Savior, He still is the Savior.  If He has ever been the Healer, He still is.  If He has ever been Deliverer, then He is still Deliverer.  If He has ever done miracles, then He still does miracles.  He doesn't stop being who He is.  He doesn't stop doing what He does.  He still calms storms like He always has.  He still gives peace like He has always given peace.  He still loves, He still blesses, He still strengthens, He still empowers, He still bestows grace, gives hope, removes fear, restores broken relationships, makes a way even when there seems to be none, calms the troubled waters of your soul and He still hears you when you cry.

 

If you need Him today in any area and in any capacity, you can count on Him, you can trust Him, because if He has ever "come through for you, He's the same now as then".  He will still come through for you today.  You may not know how, you may not know when, but He will do it again because He does not change.

 

Have a great day.  The Lord is Who He is and He does not change.   

 

"Escapism"

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:11

How do you handle your times in the valley or in the wilderness? How do you handle situations that you don't particularly like to be in? Most of us complain about it or pray for a way out of it. I was thinking about that very thing this morning. There is a certain situation I had been praying that God would change, then this morning He spoke to me and said why didn't I pray that He would show me how to "go through it".

We need to learn to be content where we are instead of seeking a route of escape. Whether we like it or not, there are some things we must go through. The valleys are needful in our lives. The wilderness does play a part. Even prisons, captivity, persecutions all can play a role in God's purpose and scheme of things. The backside of the dessert was a valuable place for Moses. The prison was a stepping stone to the palace for Joseph. Being presented before a heathen king was a set up for Esther.

Too often we pray for a way out of the very place that we must go through in order to get us to where God wants to take us. His plan for you may take you to the valley. It took Jesus into the wilderness (Matthew 4), and the cross. If we would begin to pray that the Lord would show us how to go through it instead of how to escape out of it, we would benefit from it in the long run. We need to learn to be content instead of always wanting a way out just because it doesn't "suit" us. His grace is sufficient to see us through. This place that we are so eager to escape may be what brings us to the threshold of our destiny.

Have a great day. Instead of complaining and trying to escape where you are, pray the Lord will show you "how" to go through it.

"Panting"

"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." Psalm 42:1

The word pant means to have an intense eagerness; to yearn; to hunger; to thirst; to have a strong desire; to long for. Let me ask you a question, "Does that describe you?" Does it describe how you feel about the Lord? Do you long for Him? Do you have a hunger and thirst to know Him in deeper more intimate ways? Is He the desire of your heart? Is HE that yearning-- not what He does for you, not what He can give you. Too many of His children long for His blessings, His gifts, and His provisions. We all have needs and when we do we need to look to the Lord because He is our source of provision, but that's not all He is. He is a God who desires and longs for fellowship, communion, intimacy with you. He desires to reveal Himself to you. He desires to make "known His ways" to you like He did Moses. He desires to "bring you up higher" and hide you in the cleft of the rock to show you His glory.

There is so much more to God than just His blessings and provisions. But if that's all you are "yearning" for, then you will still have an empty place- a place that is not fulfilled in your soul. You will always feel thirsty and hungry. Because these aren't the things that satisfy-- only Jesus can satisfy your soul; His presence and intimacy with Him.

The soul that hungers for Him, He will satisfy them. He will give Himself to them. He will reveal Who He is. He will let them taste and see that He is good. He gives you a promise-- when you hunger and thirst for Him, He will fill you. He will fill you with Himself to overflowing. You won't thirst again. Once you have been filled, you'll always want more and the more you want, the more He'll fill you.

Have a great day. What you are yearning and hungry for?

"Acceptable Words And Heart"

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."  Psalm 19:14

 

Notice the verse didn't say, "Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in thy sight, Lord".  Neither did it say, "Let the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, Lord".  It said to let both "words of the mouth and meditation of the heart" be acceptable.  Why is that?  Because our words and our heart are directly connected.   

 

Our words are a reflection of what is in our hearts.  Our words also reveal what is in our hearts.  "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man." (Matthew 15:18)  "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23)  "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." (Matthew 15:19)  "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."  (Luke 6:45)

 

So, if our words are going to be acceptable to the Lord, the things our hearts meditate on have to be acceptable to the Lord.  This is why it is important to guard your heart and not allow anything that is unrighteous into it.  This is why it is important for us to think/meditate on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, have a good report, bring forth virtue and praise.  This is why it is important to hide the Word in our hearts-- so we won't sin against God in action or with our words.     

 

What are you pondering in your heart?  What do you meditate on?  It will come out of your mouth and when it does, will it be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord?  What words are you saying?  If they aren't pleasing and acceptable to the Lord, then you need to check your heart-- that's where they are coming from.

 

Have a great day.  Your words will be acceptable to the Lord as long as what you are putting into your heart is acceptable to Him.