Author: jamie

By Posted on Posted in trusting Him 2 Comments Tagged with , ,

I’ve been praying for favor quite a bit lately.  My family is going through some things that are completely out of our control, and other people are making important decisions that affect us.  The Lord is using these experiences to teach me about His favor.

You see, the Lord can have His hand on His child in a situation and He can affect the outcome, even if it defies all logic, rules, or even the will of others involved.   I’ll give you an example from the Bible.   I was led to read the book of Daniel last week.   God drew my attention to the amount of favor that He showed this young man.   (It’s a must read, even if you’ve been there before.  Click here to get started.)   God gave Daniel strength, protection, knowledge, wisdom, amazing spiritual gifts, appointments and promotions to key leadership, as well as visions and dreams that revealed deep and hidden things.  Over and over again, Daniel defied the odds and the Lord opened countless doors for him.  Doors that Daniel would never have been able to open on his own.

After reading this last week, I prayed more fervently for favor regarding a few issues in my life.  It was as if God was challenging me through the book of Daniel to believe in His favor.   My family and I need favor with doctors, hospitals, and medical insurance companies.  We need favor with creditors and (at some point very soon) judges.  We need favor with our mortgage company.  My husband needs favor with clients in order for the Lord to continue building his business.   I prayed in faith for the Lord’s favor in all of these things.

Then, things started happening this week. The doctor’s office extended unbelievable grace even though we’ve only paid a fraction of what we owe them.   The case worker trying to get me medi-cal for secondary maternity coverage was amazingly helpful and extended the deadline for me to turn in the rest of my paperwork.   The eye doctor canceled my appointment and is sending me free contacts to last the next six months.  They said to come back after the baby is born, and we’ll do another exam.  (I didn’t even pray for favor on that one!!!!)  The tax accountant told us that instead of paying income taxes, we are getting a $3000+ refund.  Being self-employed, my husband never PAID any income taxes.  This money is tangible evidence of God’s favor.

Of course, the enemy has been working overtime trying to steal our favor in other areas.  Intimidating phone calls.  Confusing letters in the mail.  Discouraging news.  No worries!  I am confident that God is working to provide all that I need and walk me through the valley of death, taxes, foreclosure, and bankruptcy. (That’s the 2009 version of Psalm 23:4.)

Listen to what He spoke to my heart after I read Daniel last week:

You are My highly favored one

I delight in saving you

in providing for you

in speaking through you.

I delight in meeting your needs

in opening doors

in leading you on My path.

I delight in you

because I love you

and no one can take you

away from Me.

You are My highly favored one

and you belong to Me.

Favor doesn’t mean that we always escape consequences.   It doesn’t mean that we can get whatever we wish for in prayer.  It means that God will stand in the midst of our situation and provide what we need.  (What HE thinks we need).  He will open doors, change hearts, and move mountains out of the way.  Favor means that I do not need to fear any man, woman, representative, agency, corporation, or institution.  It means that His will is supreme and cannot be thwarted by anyone!!

In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?   Psalm 56:11

You are His highly favored one!!!

By Posted on Posted in trusting Him 1 Comment Tagged with ,

It’s been a week since you’ve heard from me.  No worries… I am still alive.  I’ve been nesting a whole lot. Lots to do in preparation for our baby’s arrival in two months. (Before I get too big and too tired to do it.)

I’ve been wrestling through some things too.  I’ve been asking God the hard questions again. Why do you let awful things happen to people I love?  Why are you pruning things (that I desire) out of my life?  What are you going to do next?  Should I prepare for the worst?  Is my baby going to be okay?

I’ve been in this place before…the misery feels familiar.  I’m fearing His hand again.  My daily devotion for today hit me right between the eyes, so to speak.  God challenged me. I have forgotten how GOOD he is.  I’ve forgotten how all GOOD things come from him.  I’ve forgotten that he works all things for GOOD.

Here’s an excerpt from today’s entry in my Streams in the Desert daily devotional:

But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze.  This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.  Isaiah 50:11

When we are in darkness, the temptation is to find our way without trusting in the Lord and relying upon Him.  Instead of allowing Him to help us, we try to help ourselves.  We seek the light of the natural (worldly) way and the advice of our friends. We reason out our own conclusions and thereby may be tempted to accept a path of deliverance that would not be of God at all.

Beloved, never try to get out of a dark place except in God’s timing and in His way.  A time of trouble and darkness is meant to teach you lessons you desperately need.  Premature deliverance may circumvent God’s work of grace in your life.  Commit the entire situation to Him, and be willing to abide in darkness, knowing He is present.  Remember, it is better to walk in the dark with God than to walk alone in the light.

Stop interfering with God’s plans and with His will. Touching anything of His mars the work. Moving the hands of a clock to suit you does not change the time.  You may be able to rush the unfolding of some aspects of God’s will, but you harm His work in the long run.  You can force a rosebud to open, but you spoil the flower.  Leave everything to him, without exception. “Not what I will, but what you will.”  (Mark 14:36)

There is some serious truth in that Isaiah passage.  Don’t we end up in torment when we try to reason out everything?  When we try to figure out God and life through our own filters and with our own limited understanding?

On the contrary, Jesus was able to say those last few words from Mark 14 because He fully trusted in God’s GOODNESS.  He knew that the pain He had to endure would lead to the fulfillment of God’s GOOD plans.   Over and over again in my life, I am able to look back on hard times and thank God for what He did.  Hindsight is 20/20, right?  I have been able to praise Him for what He taught me.  For the amazing blessings that came out of those hardships.  To share testimony of His grace, power, and love in the storms.

It’s time for me to have foresight that is 20/20.   If my eyes are on the Lord, then I can see His goodness and be confident that these hardships are going to lead to glory.  Freedom!   Blessings!   Testimony!   Maturity!   Stronger faith!

But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge.” Psalm 141:8

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My heart is so heavy.  I have a friend that is going through some really tough things.  We talked today, and the pain that she is experiencing is like nothing I’ve seen in my adult life.  The bummer is that she’s suffering at the hand of another person.

A significant part of the pain in this situation is the utter powerlessness that she feels.  She has not chosen this.  She cannot control it. There appears to be no solution on the horizon.  Depression sets in as she imagines what the future may hold.

I prayed with her on the phone, and continued praying after we hung up.   Driving in the car to pick up my kids, the Lord stirred in me.  This distinct truth popped into my head:

The future belongs to God.

I was overwhelmed with joy and relief.  I think that I was getting lost in my friend’s pain and grief.  Why do we forget this absolute truth?  The future is like a blank canvas that ONLY God can paint on.  The future is like a song that ONLY He can write.  Others may betray us, wound us, steal from us, or leave us, but that does not mean that they are in control of our future.

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”   Proverbs 19:21

“I know that you (Lord) can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.”  Job 42:2

“The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.   But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”   Psalm 33:10-11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”   Jeremiah 29:11

There is no need to fear the future.  There is no need to fear what a person can do to you. God is in control and He is guarding the canvas of your future with His life!   How blessed you will be when He reveals the glorious masterpiece of your future.