God Knows

2011-12-17T23:45:00.000-06:00

This seems to be a critical time for God's people. People are experiencing trials and tribulations, heartache and suffering, and embarrassment over what seems to be failed promises. There also seems to be a great temptation to give up; people are falling away from the church, exploring other religions, and giving up on long time hopes, dreams and promises. I encourage you to stand firm until the end. Let go of every obstacle and leave the past in the past. Some of us are receiving course corrections and some of us will have dead dreams resurrected. Some are consciously choosing not to go into the Promised Land; tired and battle scarred they are ready to give up their birthright for immediate satisfaction. [Gen 25:29-34]

I found this devotional from Joyce Meyer's book Love Out Loud: 365 Devotions for Loving God, Loving Yourself, and Loving Others, an anointed timely word. May it minister to you as it ministered to me.

December 17

God Knows

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. Romans 15:13

You cannot have true love, joy, hope, or peace without believing in God and His promises. According to today’s Scripture, joy and peace are found in believing. So when you lose your peace, check your believing.

Let your timing be in God’s hands (see Psalm 31:15). You’ll lose your peace if you try to make things happen out of God’s timing. Avoid reasoning, and stop trying to figure out what God is doing in your life and trust Him. Stop thinking so much and start simply believing.

Believe God loves you. Believe God has a great plan for your life Believe God always has your best interests in mind, and that He is working all things together for your good (see Romans 8:28). You might as well just get in the flow and go with God. Getting frustrated is not going to make God change His mind.

I have been through a lot of difficult things and have come to know through experience that God is faithful and worrying does no good. We don’t have to understand everything that occurs in our lives, because God does understand them and He is in control. You can choose to believe in God and His promises, or to continue to worry and reasoning. But if you choose to believe, your joy and peace will be abundant.

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Love God Today: “Lord, I believe that You know all things and You are in control, so help me be comfortable, ‘not knowing.’”

Suspicious Minds

2011-11-20T23:04:00.000-06:00

In the shower today the song Suspicious Minds dropped in my spirit. I found myself singing it then realized God was reminding me that we are supposed to be partners and we can’t move forward if I am suspicious about His motives. I know He’s used that song before so I found it in my journal from May 2008:

Thur 5/15/08 8:33 pm

I’m just getting in not long ago and TD Jakes was on. They showed a preview of next week’s sermon and it was just for me. It was awesome. This is what he said:

There are some things that once you’ve been through them you say I will never let you take me back through what you took me through before.

Not this time.

Because somebody who’s been defeated in the past needs to know that this time is not going to be like last time.

You’ve got the faith to understand that you went down so that you could come up.

You cried so that you could rejoice.

You mourned so you could dance.

You did without so you could overcome…

I receive it I receive it! I know I won’t let people in the church take advantage of me again just because they are church people. And I do need to know that this time won’t be like last time; that’s where the fear and trepidation comes in. And I had that dream where I got into a pool and everyone tried to stop me. I was so confident but it was much deeper than I realized and I did sink down. But in the dream I came back up, and in reality I’m about to come back up. Hallelujah!

And I sure do appreciate things much more. You don’t know how much you take for granted until you lose it. I went to the 99 cents store after the orientation and they were playing Suspicious Minds by Fine Young Cannibals over the intercom. It really got my attention because I heard it somewhere else recently. That’s not a song you hear everyday. The first time it got my attention just because I really like it and hadn’t heard it for so long. The second time I knew it was not a coincidence. I think I was somewhere in Chicago when I heard it, I’m not sure. So I started paying attention to the lyrics to see what God was trying to tell me.

We're caught in a trap

I can't walk out

Because I love you too much baby

Why can't you see

What you're doing to Me

When you don't believe a word I say?

We can't go on together

With suspicious minds

And we can't build our dreams

On suspicious minds

So, if an old friend I know

Stops to say hello

Would I still see suspicion in your eyes?

Here we go again

Asking where I've been

You can't see these tears are real

I'm crying

We can't go on together

With suspicious minds

And we can't build our dreams

On suspicious minds

Oh let our love survive

Or dry the tears from your eyes

Let's don't let a good thing die

When honey, you know

I've never lied to you

Mmm yeah, yeah

I feel like the bottom line is God is saying We can’t move forward unless I completely trust Him. It is my suspicious mind holding me back; wondering if this time will be like last time. The song even says We’re caught in a trap, and I was just saying this morning that I feel trapped. OK Lord, we’ll get there. And You never lied to me, that’s true.

How powerful is that? I guess I’ve got to pray some more… I listened to the song a couple of times, and I believe God is also saying I am tying His hands with my unbelief. Well Lord please reveal what I need to know/do and help me be fully persuaded.

Anointed Messages

God Knows

God Knows

Suspicious Minds