Spirit-led Work

Do you ever question your calling and purpose? Do you wonder and think there is more that you should be doing? Do you rush around trying to do something so you can look at the accomplishment and somehow feel fulfilled? In studying the early church in the book of Acts, I am convinced that in our society we are so conformed to being productive that we forget to wait for instructions.

How many of you have bought anything, whether a child's toy or a dresser, that needed to be put together, but didn't take the time to read the instructions first? Sometimes you can get away with it and sometimes...it doesn't go so well. The same thing happens when we run ahead of the Lord and try to do His work on our own without spiritual instruction. The early church leaders were focused so much on doing the will of God that they didn't move before seeking Him.

In Acts 1, we see the disciples staying in the Upper Room praying together awaiting the promise. Remember, they didn't know how long they would have to wait. We know it was 10 days, but when they started praying and didn't see anything happen day after day, they continued to trust in the promise that God would send a Helper, but they had to wait for Him (Luke 24:49).

Are you willing to wait 10 days for the Holy Spirit to lead you? What if it takes 10 weeks, 10 months, or 10 years? God's timing isn't the same as ours (2 Peter 3:8). When we look back at the early church, they prayed expectantly and continued steadfastly until something happened. The first time the Holy Spirit came upon them, there were "divided tongues of fire and a mighty rushing wind," (Acts 2:2-3).

The second time they prayed earnestly and steadfastly waiting for empowerment, the "place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit," (Acts 4:31). Isn't this the empowerment you desire to do God's work? It is what I desire, yet the waiting is hard. Trusting Him is demonstrating faith. He is able to overcome all obstacles and sees so much more than we can possibly imagine. Each time the disciples prayed and were filled, miraculous things happened. God poured out His Spirit and did wonderful things.

I want to encourage you today to read Acts - if it seems like too much, start with Chapters 1-4. It is an exciting read. We serve the same God and come to Him through the same Jesus that was present on the day these pages were penned and the days in which these events occurred. God pours out the same Holy Spirit today and the power is available.

Do you believe Him? Do you have faith that He is able? Will you seek Him and His will no matter how long it takes? Will you mobilize yourself the moment He empowers you and do all that He has called you to? He has promised "Never to leave nor forsake you," (Heb. 13:5). Are you ready to pray, pray, and pray some more until He reveals His will for you to you? It's up to you. Take hold and trust in Him. I am praying for you dear one, knowing that God wants to work through each one who has called on His name. He loves you.

Walk This Way

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." 1 John 2:3-6 NKJV

Walking in Christ's way is not easy. We have to battle the flesh and desires of our own hearts, surrendering them to Him and allowing Him to make uncomfortable changes in us. It hurts. Sometimes it pains so much we wonder if we can do it. But we can. Not in our own strength, but we must surrender to His will and His leading and step out in faith, in darkness sometimes and trust Him even when it doesn't make sense.

Does this sound insane? I understand completely. We live in a world constantly bombarded with people telling us, "Have it your way. You deserve it. You can have it all. You can have it now. Don't wait, just grab and go." These sayings are completely contrary to the way that God's economy works. Sometimes He grants us things instantly, sometimes He desires for us to wait, and sometimes He says no! That is the reality of it all.

Do you trust Jesus? Do you trust the Father? Do you trust the Holy Spirit? Do you believe that He loves you and cherishes you completely? Do you believe that He wants only the best and greatest for your life? Are you willing to submit to His leading and wait on Him? Are you willing to obey His commandments and seek His face even when the world is screaming at you loudly to do contrary to what He is saying?

Being a Christian is sometimes hard. That is the truth. Standing out and living to a standard that is higher than the world's can make it seem impossible. But Christ is greater. If you have given your life to Him, He is dwelling in you by the Holy Spirit and can speak truth and direction in your life if you will seek and obey Him. If you do not know Him but would like to know how go to
http://promisesforall.blogspot.ca/2010/09/greatest-promise.html
and pray giving control of your life to the Lord. He will be with you and guide you in all truth.


May the Lord bless you and keep you. In His service,
Natalie

Wanted: Brokenness

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,

A broken and a contrite heart -

These, O God, You will not despise."

Psalm 51:17 NKJV

Look at your life for a few moments. Are you taking time to seek God's will for your life or are you "going it alone"? What breaks your heart? What breaks our Savior's heart? Do these things line up or are they far off the mark?

Taking time to examine ourselves is a quality in need of development in the North American (and maybe other) church. We are constantly reminded of grace - which I am so thankful for - yet there is more than grace at work. We serve the same God as Abraham, Moses, David, Deborah,  Esther, Mary, Peter, and Paul served. The above Scripture reference comes from David's heart and reflects a brokenness that surrenders fully to the Lord we serve today.

Are you broken? If not, will you allow God to break you? He will not leave you broken but,

 "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,

 And saves such as have a contrite spirit."

 (Psalm 34:18 NKJV)

Jesus died on a cross to save all who are willing to accept Him as their Lord and Savior without prejudice. He loves everyone. His heart breaks for those who are caught in the vicious cycle of sin, whatever it is. No one is beyond help. Does your heart break at the sight of sin in the news, in your community, in your home -  I mean break enough that you give it to the Lord to be in control? Or do you desire justice - dished out the way you feel it deserves?

What if we begin to pray through the news we see on the TV, computer, or hear on the radio? What if we begin to give all those things in our lives that are not pleasing to God and allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives? What if our focus in the home started with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rather than self? I encourage you pray, seeking the Lord's will with all your heart and allow Him to break you, then to fill you with His Spirit to be hands and feet for Him, trusting everything to His direction. It may not be easy, but remember the eternal rewards are His to give. Those are not ones which will rot, rust, or be destroyed.

May you rest in Jesus,

Natalie

The Perfect Plan

Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," (NIV emphasis added).

God has a plan for everyone. The plan He has for me probably differs from yours, as yours is probably different from the next person. Many times I have struggled with knowing God's voice and plan for my life. However, right now I am clear about the call He has placed on me for this time. Now in saying that I must tell you that knowing is not always the easiest thing. Once we know, we need to step out in faith and do. Trusting His will and plan for our lives can be difficult, but following Him is the best place to be.

Being in the Lord's will and following Jesus is not a place the enemy wants you to be. He will throw things at you and discourage you without remorse. He is the enemy of our Lord and Saviour and when you trust Jesus and step out in faith, that makes you his enemy as well. When we are discouraged and frustrated with our circumstances, we need to trust Jesus and keep our eyes on Him. Throw off the "stuff" that discourages and plow through with your eyes on eternity.

A question I learned to ask myself a long time ago is this, "Will it matter 5 years from now?" Now I have expanded that to, "Will it make a difference for eternity?" This earth we call home is temporary, yet we have the gift of eternal life thanks to Jesus Christ. Are the things you are doing glorifying Him and making a difference for eternity?

It doesn't matter where you are. God can use you to make an eternal impact if you would seek His face and trust Him with everything you are. Pray and ask Him what He wants you to do for Him. Trust in His ways and plan for your life. May He bless you.

Trusting in Him,
Natalie

Complete Trust

Today I thought it would be nice to look at some Scriptures that focus our hearts on trusting the Lord. Times can be tough. Changes come that we are not always ready for. Time continues to tick away whatever our lives are experiencing. Trusting God with our lives and all the circumstances that come our way instill a peace within that nothing else can. Are you trusting God with all the what ifs? if onlys? and every victory, question, and frustration you are encountering?

I encourage you to choose a Scripture that speaks to your heart and write it out. Put it somewhere you will read it often, then memorize it.

"In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Psalm 56:11 NASB

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB

"Many are the sorrows of the wicked, But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him." Psalm 33:5 NASB

This is but a small sampling. Read and study the Scriptures and see what the Lord will reveal to you about trusting in Him. We serve the God of the universe. The one who sent His one and only Son, Jesus to bear the burden of sin. To be born, live, die, and be resurrected so we might find freedom from sin and be given the gift of eternal life.

Have you given your life, your all to Him? If not, my prayer for you is that you would seek Him and find Him. Pray for forgiveness of your sins and ask Him to dwell in your heart and guide your life. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:20-22 NASB

Full Faith

"Above all, taking that shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one," Ephesians 6:16 NKJV.

Faith is the essence of Christianity. We live by faith. We go into the unknown on faith. We trust Him by faith. Faith in the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross; dying for my and your sins. Not just in death but He rose again, victorious over death. Jesus Christ rose. He arose. He came back from death, conquering death, the grave and sin in our lives, if we will just have faith in Him.

Faith. We can have it. It is ours for the asking. Give your life to Him and He will fill you. Be obedient to His call on your life and He will never leave you. Do not trust your feelings. Feelings lie. They deceive. Trust the promises of the Bible. When Jesus promised that He would dwell within believers that is what He meant. He gave us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us: to guide and direct us.

Each time we follow the prompting of the Spirit our faith grows a little bit more. Our shield gets a bit bigger. Stepping out in faith is not easy, but it promises the reward of trust and growth. God never said any of this life would be easy. In fact He promised that we will have difficult times, but He would always be near us.

Have you been listening to the Spirit or do you quench it? Do you do those things the Spirit asks or do you go the other way? Have faith and follow the Spirit's leading. He will never lead you and leave you, but He will take you through whatever He is asking of you. Have faith. Follow Him.

Water Walking

When was the last time you said, "I can't do it. That is just too hard!" Maybe it was earlier today or maybe it has been awhile. Personally, I have said it too many times about too many things. In the past few weeks-maybe even months-I have been preparing to get my new book out into the world. The Lord laid this message on my heart, gave me the words and the courage and led me through each step to hold a final product in my hands: Spiritual Training 101: Preparing for Eternity.

Has it been easy? No. Has it been rewarding? Yes, because I am doing what I have been called to do. However, when I was first called by the Lord to write, I had misgivings and feelings of inadequacy which I still wrestle with. However, I am learning that God is always near. He has a special relationship with us through the blood of Jesus Christ. He gave His Son so we could have a personal relationship with Him. When Jesus left the earth, He sent the Holy Spirit to minister to our hearts and lead us in all things. We are fortunate to be able to have such a close personal relationship with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

I think of the passage in Matthew 14:22-33, when Peter has the opportunity to grow in faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. The disciples had a busy day, following the Master, listening and learning how to reach out to people. Jesus needed to go off by Himself and spend time in the presence of His Father. He sent the disciples off in a boat across the lake to meet up with them later. While they were in the boat a storm came up and rocked and twisted the boat. They became very afraid. As time passed, they looked across the water and beheld a vision like that of a ghost walking on the water. Their hearts grew very afraid and they cried out in fear. Jesus then called out to them, "Be of good cheer,! It is I; do not be afraid." The disciples could not believe their ears. Peter quickly answered Jesus telling Him, "Lord if it is You; command me to come to You on the water."

I'm not sure if Peter had thought about what he was saying or if it just came out. I wonder if he was going through a moment of terror as he actually heard these words coming from his own mouth. Have you ever experienced that thought, wondering who was saying that, then realizing the truth...it was me?

Jesus then told Peter to come to Him and Peter did. In that precious moment, Peter truly walked on water! He had his eyes fixed on Jesus. He must have been gushing with excitement, overflowing with joy. Then something happened. His mind kicked in and the realization of the storm blocked his view of Jesus. He began to sink, the fear of drowning swept over him like the dark of night. He cried out for Jesus to help. "And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'"

You see, doubt and fear are two of our greatest hindrances. Whenever they creep in, they have the potential to overwhelm us and cover us to the point of death. Jesus came so we could have life to the full. He can give us the power and strength to do all things. Isn't that a wonderful promise? Do you believe it? Do you have the faith in Him that He can get you through all of those tough things that you cannot see accomplishing? He is waiting for you to call out in His name and request the strength from the Father to do and be all you are called to be. You do not have to feel oppressed. You have the power of Jesus Christ to cling to.

I have been completely amazed by what He has done in my life. He has given me the strength to accomplish things I have never thought possible. He has opened doors I could not see a way of even peeking in. Jesus is absolutely amazing and the courage and strength He offers as a gift will amaze you if you will take the time, jump out of the boat and go water walking with Him.
~quotes from the NKJV

Dear Heavenly and Gracious Father,
I thank you for this wonderful day. Thank you for giving me the gift of life. Lord, I know you have asked me to __________________. Lord, in Jesus name I ask for the strength, courage and power to do the work You have given me. I pray that You will stay by me and help me to grow in my faith of You. Keep me in Your loving care and may my focus never leave You. In the powerful and blessed name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Obedient Prayer

It amazes me how God can speak to the heart and accomplish just what He says He will do. As humans we can be fickle and forgetful, but God is not like that. Let me share an awesome experience.

Last week, I had a lot going on in my life and house. There were days that I did not spend as much time in the Lord's presence as I would have liked to. I think that happens to all of us by times. Sunday mornings we get up and ready for church and go early so we can pray. (We are in the middle of replacing our church which was consumed by fire on the 22nd of March so our prayers are not only for the service but for direction and unity in the body as we stretch toward the goal of rebuilding.)

We were a bit late on this past Sunday-later than usual anyway-and I rushed to the place where I normally go to meet with the Lord. As I took my spot and opened my prayer, I felt the urge to just be still and quiet. As I knelt there I felt a peace and stillness fill my heart. Within a short time a still, small voice within my soul asked me to pray for the seats in our sanctuary. I quickly thought that I didn't know how many there were, but just as quickly remembered my husband telling me two weeks ago that they changed the layout and set up 109 chairs.

I trusted in the fact that if God asked me to do it and I was obedient, He would do what He said. We had a wonderful service and I was filled. After the service was over, I went to the back and checked the count and what do you suppose I found? 109! I felt a joy and peace flood my soul. What a wonderful gift! Who else could do something like that? I must admit, I was amazed but I shouldn't be. God is so good-ALL the time. He is trustworthy and keeps His promises. It wasn't long after that I realized each and every time we pray in His will, what He wants for our lives, He will provide.

His reminder to me is one I share with you because we all need to know that we serve a Saviour who loves us and desires a personal relationship with each of us. Have you opened your heart and your prayer life to Him? Do you take the time to quietly wait in His presence for an answer? He is waiting for you. He wants all of you. He will ever be with you and lead and guide your life to give you life more abundant.
With many blessings,
Natalie

Peace in the Valley

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, This morning as I was praying, I realized something of great importance and felt I should share it. There are times when we go through many hardships and trying times. Our lives seem to be falling apart all around us and we don't know what to do. Those thoughts and feelings should drive us to our knees seeking God's wisdom and Word. He is the giver of life and there is nothing that comes to us that He has not sifted through His loving hands (1 Cor. 10:13). He knows how much we can take and will always give us a way out. What became clear to me today is the ability to grow in our faith only happens when we are in our valley experiences. Isn't that amazing?? Stop and think about mountains and valleys for a moment. We all enjoy the mountaintop experiences where everything is great and the view is awesome, but when you are standing up there and really look around, what do you see? Shades of gray and brown. Rock, maybe some snow. But look down into the valley. The river sparkling and dancing in the center of a lush, green garden of beauty. The rolling land covered in vegetation. Flowers and shrubery bursting forth in growth and the promise of new fruit. The valley is where we grow too. Psalm 23 describes the valley experience. We can lean on the Lord during all of our times. Good and bad. Call out on Him today. Do not wait until you feel there is nowhere to turn. The Lord is waiting to hear and answer your prayer.

Trusting, Trusting

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord. Do you find that a difficult task? Do you sometimes think you should be able to handle it—whatever it is—all by yourself? Many times we trust in our own abilities and brilliance to get us through. This passage of Scripture tells us different. We can put our faith in Jesus Christ and then trust in Him with ALL our heart. This is what He desires of us: our whole heart. As a race, humans can get headstrong and independent. We think we have all the answers to all the problems of the world; yet when it comes to our own lives, they may be quite a mess. Leaning on the Lord to give understanding is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. Having the ability to admit to our shortcomings is a gift. We are unable to do it all, or know it all. However, with the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells within each believer, we have the power to seek guidance from the Lord about any and every situation in our lives. When we look to Him for direction and guidance, we are admitting to our inability to do it all on our own. This is a positive step. This is the kind of humility God can use. There is tremendous freedom in allowing God to take the lead of your life. I have found there is much less stress in my life when I allow Him to take the driver’s seat. Whenever I get independent and think I can do it alone, fear and frustration set in. Yet, giving the lead back to Him results in peace that I cannot explain. Whatever we do, we can make a choice to keep God at the front. Give Him all of your cares and concerns then trust His decisions. He will direct you and take you places you could not imagine going. Remember to acknowledge Him in all you do. Take the time to listen to what He is saying to you. He will amaze you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I give You thanks and praise for who You are.

Take my life Lord and lead me in Your way.

Mold me and make me into Your image. Forgive me for being headstrong and independent.

Heal my heart and guide my life. Lord, I give You control and trust in Your will.

In Jesus' holy and mighty name I pray, Amen. If you are not a Christian and would like to understand more, scroll down the page to my blog post titled, The Greatest Promise.