Will You Take A Stand?

Will You Take A Stand? by Veronica Garrett    Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.  Ephesians 6:13-14  Our public lives should be an overflow of our private lives.  Our public worship should not surpass our private worship.  There is something dishonest about only demonstrating our love for God when we have an audience or assembly.  The extravagance of our worship should depend on being in the presence of the King.  Collective expressions should be coming from the overflow of what happens in our secret places. When the woman who had lived a sinful life broke her alabaster box and poured it on Jesus’ head, the disciples had to be far from her mind.  She probably knew her actions would be met with disproval but somehow she didn’t care about “saving face” before these men.  She was bold!  She bowed down before Jesus because He was her audience. Do you have an audience of one? She was extravagant in her worship!  She had a year’s wage in that box but as she broke it, the aroma filled the room. And although talk is cheap, she demonstrated that He was worthy of every ounce of her fragrant offering. As the tears begin to flow from her eyes she knew that those tears would be most useful at the feet of Jesus.  This woman knew her pain could serve him. She then wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair. Talk about humility! More recently I was postured before the Lord while I was physically standing and yearning to kneel and I felt as if God was gently whispering to my heart asking me will you take a stand for me?  It’s as if what He’s asking me, do you really want to bow down and worship me?  Make no mistakes, I physically bow, I kneel, I lie prostrate and these are necessary postures for any child of God.  When we encounter the One far greater than ourselves humility is the appropriate response. I feel God was speaking to me that when you truly bow down to worship me you will stand.  When you take a stand you are willing to do it at the expense of being misunderstood, scrutinized, with great discomfort, as well as with the tremendous opposition of the evil one.  Would you follow me to the point of feeling the pressure from within as well as the external pressures of life beating against the course of the journey?  It’s as if the Lord was saying to me when you truly bow down before me, you take a stand. Someone once said, One who kneels before the king of Kings can stand before any man. When our hearts bow we are not tossed to and fro, unstable by being double-minded. When we yield ourselves to God we are empowered to stand. The disciples faced tremendous oppositions and physical distress but they managed to stand even in the face of death. Reservoirs of scriptures begin to flow through my mind. Stand. Put on the full armor of God so when the the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…(Ephesians 6:13-14) You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved(Matthew 10::21-23).  But they (Jews) were broken off because of unbelief, and you standby faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble(Romans 11:20).  So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall(1 Corinthians 10:12)! Regardless what we are up against Christ is stronger and greater than any opposition we face.  He stands victorious above all our weaknesses as well as our enemy.  Aren’t you glad? The battle is not yours it’s the Lord's!   All you have to do is stand firm. All I have to do is stand.  Let us stand when all else fails. Dear Lord, please help us to stand.

His Eyes Are On You

His Eyes Are On You For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.  (  (2 Chronicles 16:9)

It is an amazing thing to serve a God who never snoozes on the job. Our God never sleeps or slumbers.   Taking care of us is what He does.  He tells us not to worry about what we will eat or wear.  The sparrow has no short or long term plans but God keeps His eyes on him.   Not a single one falls to the earth unnoticed because our God is attentive to all of His creation.  He provides for us each and every day. The lillies are dressed in beauty because He saw fit to dress them that way.   Man, being made in His image is indeed the apple of His eye. And for every strand of hair that falls from your head, He knows.  It's amazes me that things that no one else would want to know about us, God cares about you and me. For all the hairs on our heads are numbered. Matthew 10:30 Our God creatively designed each and every one of us with a unique fingerprint to leave on this world.  He is concerned about all of your affairs. There are times that the pressures of life are pressing, but even then He strengthens the hearts that are committed to Him.  He is our advantage over every hopeless situation because those who trust in Him will never be put to shame.  He makes a way out of no way!  Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life! John 14:6 You've always got a Way! He is the Way! Are you fully committed to Him?  Our commitment can never begin to touch the surface of His. The heart that belongs to Him is the one that He strengthens time and again.   When we determine to give our hearts to Him we find that it is in the safest place.  Even in the mist of a storm, He has the ability to silence wind and still waves.  When our hearts belong to Him we are truly His responsibility. It is His privilege to fight our battles. Our problems are His problems. We relinquish all that we have to Him.  There is a great liberty and freedom in belonging to Him. When kindergarten children arrive in the classroom all of their possessions have been named. What would happen if our cars, our houses, our jobs, our bank accounts all belonged to Him?  His reputation is at stake in us because we belong to Him.  Awhile back one of my children caused an incident that caused damage to the house. I was a tad bit upset but then I remembered that this isn't my house.  Everything I have belongs to God. It humored me that I was getting all worked up over God's house.  I had to apologize to the Lord for claiming His house. I don't even belong to myself, I belong to God.  I've learned that when you belong to God, He takes care of all we entrust to Him. He will take care of the good as well as the bad. We would spend less time worrying about backbiting and misdeeds if we ever got a revelation of how God takes care of His. The most amazing thing about a heart fully committed to Him is knowing that His eyes are on you! Veronica Garrett 2013©

It's His Pleasure

IT'S HIS PLEASURE Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart. PSALM 34:14 The disciple of Christ must learn to receive from God. We must freely pour out our hearts before God. We must be willing to ask for our needs and desires with child like dependence. Many declaration and decrees hold to faith like one pulling a slot machine handle. We demand much from God but we are unwilling to give ourselves to Him. Mastering a method of asking may work but a better way is to learn the law of receiving. We inquire of God as if He has no desire to bless us when it is quite the opposite. He is longing to be gracious to you. When we learn to occupy ourselves with God's interest He overwhelms us with His concern for ours. Over and over in scripture God declares and I will bless you...and I will bless you...and I will bless you. God desires to bless all of His children. A surrendered life appears to be a risky decision but it is the place of rich blessing. Those who were willing to take God at His word realized that being a living sacrifice is the place of privilege. God glorifies Himself in lives that belong to Him.  Instead of always asking for God's blessings we come to realize that the heart of God has always been it's his pleasure to bless us.   God is eagerly searching for lives that He can show Himself strong in, men and women who will take Him at His word.  Will you give him that privilege?  The evidence of Him working in your life will assure not only you, but others as well and bear witness to Him. We should concentrate on learning to receive from God and not so much on learning how to ask. When we learn to receive our lives will bear witness to our God who exceeds our expectations.  So much more He wants to give the body of Christ in this hour. So much more He wants to do in our lives. So many rich testimonies He wants from our lives.  Wherever He ask you to step out in faith HE IS THERE waiting to show His approval, it's His pleasure!!!

LOVE IS AN ACTION WORD

LOVE IS AN ACTION WORD Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. John 14:21

It’s easy to say how much I love someone but harder to show them.  Genuine love expresses itself.  People can sing beautiful songs about love and know very little about it. Love is not buying candies and roses, fancy dining or extravagant vacations. Very often love is demonstrated in those places of great discomfort, sacrifice and commitment.  Love is not a feeling.  Love is a decision. People who love you decide to stick by you in tough times. Even if they grow weary they push themselves to be by your side. They may even ignore their feelings just so they can be there for you. The biggest dilemma for God’s children has always been for our love to express itself through obedience. When you speak of obedience most people automatically think about committing sin.   We may be a far cry from a public or moral failure due to committing sin. Nevertheless, there may be disobedience in our lives due to the sin of omission.  That is when I refuse to do what God wants me to. No, I didn’t tell Him I refuse, I just didn’t do it.  Or I do part of it.  Partial obedience is disobedience. We praise God and we also praise people. When someone does an excellent job we acknowledge their effort.  We praise people but we should only worship God. We humble ourselves before God. We shouldn’t bow down to people. Our worship belongs to God. Worship is reserved for the One that is superior in every way. The scripture says the Father seeks for true worshippers. These are the ones who are willing to do what God says in spite of the costs. And so that brings me to Abraham. God tested Abraham. God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you” (Genesis 22:2). Abraham got to the heart of worship with his reply.  The next verse, Genesis 22:3, states that Abraham got up early the next morning and started on his way. When Abraham got to the designated location he is focused on doing exactly what God said. In Genesis 22:5, Abraham said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”  God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac and provided a ram in the bush for the sacrifice. Abraham moved out with an obedient heart in spite of any conflicting emotions.  He was prepared to worship God, not on his own terms, but God’s. We can have emotional experiences and praise in meaningful, expressive ways but we do not love God appropriately without obedient living. Worship gets to the heart of a man or woman and brings them to their knees. Worship is more than a song. God requires so much more than a song, shout or a dance from us. It is evident to us that Abraham loved God because He was willing to do exactly what He said. He didn’t hesitate to obey. It is evident to God that we love Him when we obey.

Do You Know This Person?

Do You Know This Person? But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:6-7)

Jesus' public ministry was controversial.  But after Him there came another who was and still is controversial. He is one of the most controversial in the Christian experience. Many perceptions about Him are varied.  Some people are just plain afraid of Him because of He is called a ghost and that spooks them. He first came on believers with strong winds filling the house. He touched people who were supernaturally enabled to do that which they were ordinarily incapable. It caused quite a noise as they united the people with languages that caused amazement. He testifies to the believer about Jesus (John 15:26).  While the Father draws the unbeliever He is at work convicting men and women of their sins (John 16:8).  He teaches us and reminds of what Jesus says (John 14:26). The world rejects Him because they don’t see him or know Him (John 14:17). Ananias and Sapphira lied to Him when they kept money from the property they sold while saying they gave all the money to the church (Act 5:3).  He can be grieved by disobedience in the life of a Christian (Ephesians 4:30). He guides us to truth (John 16:13).  He tells us what He hears and he tells us what is yet to come (John 16:13). He brings glory to Christ by revealing truth to us (John 16:13-15). He strengthens and encourages the church (Acts 9:31). He comforts us (John 14:16, KJV). As we pray He helps us in our weakness. He intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express when we pray (Romans 8:26). He searches the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). He bears witness to us that we are children of God (Romans 8:16 KJV). He can forbid us from doing something (Acts 16:6-7). He can be resisted (Acts 7:51). He can be blasphemed (Matthew 12:31-32). He can be quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19 KJV).  He searches our hearts (Romans 8:27).He gives spiritual gifts as He determines (1 Corinthians 12:11).  He is the person, the Holy Spirit. Jesus said it was for our good that He left so that believers would receive the Holy Spirit. After Jesus left He sent the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). He lives with us and is in us (John14:17).We shouldn’t take lightly His presence that is the deposit guaranteeing our spiritual inheritance (2 Corinthians 5:5). He is casually referred to as “something told me…”not only does He do all these things and more, He is a Person—the Holy Spirit.  Veronica Garrett © 2013

Are You On The Right Side?

Are You On the Right Side?  Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,  for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.  And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Luke 1:11-18

In Exodus 30:1, Aaron burns fragrance on the altar of incense. The fragrant smoke from the altar of incense was symbolic of the prayers of God's people. We know that Zechariah was of the priestly descent from the line of Aaron. Zechariah was chosen by lot to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense, which was the custom for the priesthood. While he is on duty and serving as a priest before God, the angel appeared to him standing at the right of the altar of incense.   This is the place where Zechariah was offering prayers up to God. It could be that for years he had offered the prayer for he and his wife Elizabeth to have a child only to be disappointed time and again.   Have you ever waited and hoped for God to move in a situation for such a long time until you assumed the answer was no?  And so the angel shows up right in the place where the prayer was offered and tells him "Do not be afraid, Zechariah: your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son..."  Why was Zechariah silenced for his unbelief?  Here he is a man that is so close to God in priestly position but yet so far away in his heart.  In Revelation 5:8, when the One worthy to open the scroll appears before them the twenty four elder's fell down  before the Lamb with harp in hand and "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints". Zechariah is standing in the place where he's sent the prayer up and instead of bowing down in awe and wonder  he wants to know, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."  Then the angel answered, I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to tell you the good news. Then Zechariah was silenced for his unbelief. He had plenty of time to reflect upon the prayers he had offered up about having a child. The evidence of his offense made him speechless. Have you ever believed God for something for so long until you stopped believing? Delay does not mean denial. Sometimes God will delay something you deeply desire because He wants to give you something very special. Sometimes a delay is all about a destiny. God had chosen to give Zechariah not just any son but a great man of God. Even from his  birth, John would be filled with the Holy Spirit. He would be a revivalist, bringing the people of Israel back to the Lord their God.   The angel showed up on the right side. Stay on the right side with God. What He says will happen. In fact, from His vantage point it is a reality. You and I are waiting for tomorrow but God's already seen it because He knows the end from the beginnning.  God spoke the universe into existence. His words are powerful enough to accomplish what they set out to do.  Zechariah was unable to tell the good news because at first he was unable to hear the good news. I hope you and I will believe in God more than we believe in ourselves. I pray that we will listen and agree with the right side.  ©2013 Veronica Garrett

Leave An Open Door for the Enemy

Prayer    Lord God, I am grateful to you for your amazing grace. Thank you for forgiving me for my sins.  Today, I praise you for the blood of Jesus that cleanses me from my sins. I know that you are an all knowing God and as I confess my sins to you you are faithful to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Thank you for chooses not to remember my sins. I pray that I will love others out of your abounding love. Please bring healing to the body of Christ, young and old, especially to marriages, families, co-workers, and friends.    Leave an Open Door for the Enemy by Veronica Garrett  In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26 We have to be careful not to leave the door ajar for the devil. We lock our homes and protect them with security systems but if we are not careful the front door of our lives can be standing wide open for the evil one due to unforgiveness.  This is one area that many of us would rather fake a healing than to actually receive one. The Lord requires that we pour our hearts out to him. He willing takes the good, the bad, and the ugly.  If I allow what has made me angry to darken my heart the evil one will defeat me. Satan will have a trump card over me…something to jerk and puppeteer me around.   It is cancerous to hold on to unforgiveness because it will manifest itself into other areas of my life.  It’s like keeping a ticking time bomb and hoping it doesn’t detonate. The poison of unforgiveness destroys the carrier unlike any other disease.   Many times we say things like, "I don’t think I can forgive"… what we really mean is, you know what, I don’t want to forgive.  In fact, right now I like being angry. I’m not desperately crying out to God to help me forgive because I'm hurting. Someone has hurt me badly and I don’t want to ever feel this way again. Instead I’m going to hold on to the hurt because if I forgive him or her this person could toy with my emotion once more. If I let go of the old hurt I might get a new hurt. But if I hold on to the old hurt I will feel a familiar pain.  And Jesus, while sitting at the right hand of the Father, knows the depth of emotion and the complexity mankind has about forgiving the guilty. And yet He himself innocently hung on the cross after being placed there by the guilty.  He said forgive them because they know not what they do. He has demonstrated that true forgiveness is the bridge to seeing the glory of God. Do you want to see the glory of God?  Forgiveness is the bridge to peace and the gate that opens and releases healing power. Don't fake a healing. Receive one.