Check Your Perimeter

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What stands between you and your enemy (or your perceived enemy, the one that rubs you the wrong way or downright hurts you)?

Because you are in Christ, Jesus comes between you and your enemy. You can’t do a thing to your enemy without going through Jesus. His Name is the authority we use to cast out demons and His Name is the Name by which we command the forces of evil to flee from us. His is the only Name through which we can triumph.

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As believers, we are hidden in Christ. We are protected from the things that come against us, whether it be sickness, injury or disease, financial frustrations, or relationship disasters only to the degree we are willing to find ourselves in Christ. It’s not enough to say that we are Christians, or to shout amen and hallelujah from time to time. It’s not enough to pray when things get tough. It’s not enough to go to church or to give your tithe or to sing in the choir or volunteer to help those less fortunate than ourselves. All those things mean nothing if they’re not done in love – in Christ.

Scripture tells us that God IS love. We need to be completely wrapped up in that love, which means we need to be completely wrapped up in Christ. When we stick out our hands to do harm, or our eyes to watch sin, or our foot to go to where we know we shouldn’t be, we are creating an opening through which the enemy will run in a heartbeat, if given the chance.

When we allow the cares and affairs of the world to threaten us, we are exposing our weaknesses to the enemy. Jesus paid the price for all our sins, our guilt, our shortcomings and even our unbelief. But if we’re not willing to live inside that shelter of protection, we’re going to get hurt because our faith will be compromised.

Repeatedly throughout the New Testament Jesus tells us to make sure that we are abiding in Him and allowing Him to abide in us. He tells us to make sure His Word abides in us and that we abide in His Word. To abide means to make our abode within, to LIVE there. Not to just visit on Sundays or at bedtime.

When we’re feeling threatened or intimidated, overwhelmed and defeated, when we’re feeling depressed or frustrated, when we feel anxious or fearful, we’ve likely exposed ourselves somewhere.

As a woman, I recall feeling breezy on the backside only to discover that I’d accidentally tucked my skirt into my pantyhose. I left myself exposed – and I felt it. What I felt clued me in to check out the problem.

What clues me in to check out where my REAL problems lie?

When I feel the cold of the enemy stepping onto my turf, it’s time to check my borders. When the lies of the enemy overwhelm what I know to be God’s truth (therefore MY truth), it’s time to check my borders. When I’m feeling fearful or depressed or afraid, it’s time to check my borders.

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If I’m in Christ, I’m safe.

If I’ve allowed the devil to stick his toe into the doorway to my soul, he’s certain to take as much ground as he can. Did I start examining my perimeter the moment his ugly toe showed up? Probably not. It’s likely his whole foot or leg is through the door already, maybe he’s stepped completely in to try to sabotage my faith.

My job isn’t to fight the enemy. My job is to fight the good fight of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12) God is my defender. He’ll take care of my enemies – as long as I am found in Him.

God won’t keep me from sharing myself with the world. He’s given me the freedom to choose. And sometimes, Satan is so stealthy, I don’t pay attention to some of the bad choices I make. (Just like in my daily diet. If I paid better attention to what I consume, I’d likely be much thinner.)

If I’m not in God’s Word, and if God’s Word isn’t my staple daily diet, I’m exposed.

I don’t repeat myself in these blog posts to beat you up. I repeat them because these are the things God is talking about with ME. Surely, I’m not the only one, so I share with you.

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Is your go-to thought one of fear when the doctor says something you don’t want to hear? Is your go-to thought one of depression when your checkbook is getting a little too close to the negative? Is your go-to thought one of anger when someone disappoints or disrespects you or hurts you?

If so, you may want to check your perimeter. You may have left a door open somewhere. The enemy doesn’t come and kick in your door. He can’t. He doesn’t have the power or authority to do so. He patiently sits there, waiting for you to open it.

Ask Jesus to live inside of you. Turn away from your sinful habits. Read God’s Word (the Bible) every day. Meditate on what you read there. Pray for guidance. God says that when we lack wisdom, to simply ask Him for it! (James 1:5)

Closing your perimeter doesn’t keep people out. It keeps sin out. It lets the love of Jesus pour through you to the very people and circumstances that seem to give you the most trouble.

Seriously? We Going to Talk About This Again?

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Rejoice. It’s one of my favorite words. But, what does it mean? There’s a dictionary definition, then – there’s the picture definition my brain comes up with to give me understanding.

The dictionary definition is easy, anyone can look it up. It’s right there at your fingertips, there on your phone. We call up the magical world of Google with just the touch of a finger. There we can see that rejoice means: to be glad; take delight in, to make joyful; gladden. (from dictionary.com)

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But, what of the word picture in my head? I suppose, since none of us thinks exactly alike, the word picture in your head is likely quite different than mine. I listened as a woman read the definition of the word aloud the other day, and this is where my brain took me:

Picture, if you will, your favorite bowl. At the moment, mine is a decorative blue bowl with a scripture around the edges. Inside there’s a magical liquid that can be sloshed around, spilled out, poured over my head; I can drink from it, I can dip my fingers in it, I can pour some into your bowl…. I can do most anything I choose with the magical potion, yet the bowl never goes empty.

No, not Love Potion No. 9 – but, a love potion from the Creator of everything, He calls it joy.

Of course, I don’t take this bowl with me everywhere I go, if you knew how clumsy I can be, you know I’d break it the very first day we ventured out into the world together. The next part of the word picture is to imagine this bowl inside of me (you). I see it resting on my diaphragm. It goes with me everywhere, and not once have I dropped it or laid it down somewhere and forgotten about it.

It’s there every time I need to dip into it. The contents are there sloshing around, reminding me that I can always choose joy. It’s warm and soothing, letting me know that no matter the situation, I can draw from it.

I may find myself receiving harsh news, or growing impatient in traffic, or battling a headache. Or I may see someone else in need, someone I love – or someone I don’t even know yet. The situation doesn’t need to be futile; I have joy to dip into!

Part of the Bible that thrills me completely, is Philippians 4:4-8. Verse four tells us to: “Rejoice in the Lord, always. Again, I say, rejoice!”

People look at you like you have three heads if you suggest they rejoice while going through a tough situation. But, three-headed Child of God, or not, that’s just what we need to hear. We need to hear it in our ears, and we need to hear it in our heart.

I’ll admit it, if I’m in a grumpy mood and you tell me to rejoice, I may not shoot the most pleasant glance your way. It’s the exact opposite of what we’d naturally do in a rough spot. The carnal way of responding is with sorrow, or even anger. (By the way, carnal simply means, perceived by our five senses, it doesn’t necessarily mean sinful. Just thought you should know.)

That’s when we most need that bowl of joy within us stirred up and poured all over us. That’s when we need to reach into the resources God already gave us when we chose Him.

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God supplies the joy, just as He provides every other blessing we’ll ever need – or want. Whether we ask for the joy or not, it’s right there inside of us, waiting to be tapped into.

What color is your bowl? Whether you need a sip, or a shower from the bowl, it’s brimming with the greatness of God; His joy – to be enjoyed every minute of the day or night.

“…the joy of the Lord is our strength.” – Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV)

No wonder the enemy of our soul attempts so strenuously to hide our bowl from us.

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” – Philippians 4:4-8 (KJV)

Peace Like No Other

The other night, well past midnight, I roamed my house. In yet another battle with sleeplessness, though thoroughly tired, I paced. Of course, in the quiet of night it’s a great time to listen and to pray. Admittedly, I’d rather be sleeping.

As I sat in the rocking chair in the front room, I closed my eyes. I was praying for my son. Sometimes the words to pray don’t come easily, those are times when I depend on the groaning of the Spirit of God, whether audible or not. Those are the times I yield myself to how He wants to pray, through me. Those are generally the most passionate and emotion-filled prayers.

With a flutter of my eyelids, I melted as the front porch light, creeping through the slats in the blinds, illuminated our American flag waving in the breeze.

When our children are young, we presume we can, or are at least supposed to meet most of their needs. We love them and teach them, we nurture them while watching them teach us so much more. We hold them. I miss holding them most.

My heart aches for the hearts of my children. Their grown up struggles are so much harder than that to which their childish concerns could ever amount. Perhaps because with age comes wisdom I didn’t have as a young mom, and I realize that it’s not my job to pave their way through life. I can’t show them their purpose or their path. They need to discover that on their own. Something given to us is sometimes less appreciated than something we work for ourselves.

Our children see our flaws more often than anyone else, perhaps even better than our spouse. They see when we don’t even realize they’re watching. And of course, they’re observing our shortcomings through the innocent eyes of a child, I’m quite sure that adds facets to who we are to them that we don’t even know about.

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No matter what I’ve done or how they see me, they’re all grown up now. I’ve done my part is messing with their view of reality.

Now, they struggle within their own hearts. Life is between them and God and their reality of God. It was always their own journey. My hope is that someday the struggles end and they’re at peace and can share their peace through just being who they are.

I can’t pray my will over theirs, I can’t pray for the path I want them to choose – that may not be the road God has planned to take them down.

I can only pray God’s perfect will over them and trust Him to complete the good work He’s begun in them.

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That beautiful flag waving on the front porch may be part of the reason my son is on the other side of the world. But, my heart has to trust that it’s all part of a greater plan, the plan of God Himself.

Do I get all choked up and cry? Absolutely. But, praise God for His peace, which passes all my human understanding and teaches me to hope and stirs up supernatural patience and trust within me.

I’m so blessed and glad and honored to serve the Almighty God of the universe and to know that I know that I know that He’s in control. There’s no greater joy than to know God and trust Him completely. Anxiety comes from feeling the need to do life on my own or worse yet, from trying to control the destiny of another.

Thank You, Jesus for Your sweet, bountiful peace. Thank You for Your unconditional, never-ending love. Hallelujah!

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“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Full, Half-full or Empty?

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That cup we’re always hearing about that’s either half-full or half-empty; what’s it’s filled with anyways?

In the Old Testament (Jeremiah 18) we read the story of the potter and his clay. Whenever I ponder that story, I envision a potter’s hands on a wet mound of clay gently pressing inward as his wheel turns. Behind him, I see other vessels he’s made, awaiting the kiln – where they’ll be tried by fire. I see tall, thin vessels – perhaps beautiful vases; I see shorter, fat bowls – perhaps casserole dishes; I even see one that looks like it could be a bedpan.

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In the vast array of his work, I see the plans for his pottery unfold in his mind as he creates each one. When he shapes one like a bedpan, he probably doesn’t get excited about the flowers that wait to fill it. Yet, when he shapes the tall slender vases, he probably doesn’t smile at the aroma of a baking casserole that might enter his senses as he molds the clay for the baking dish. His mind will cause his fingers to shape the clay in just the right way to embrace the untold beauty of the bouquets that will all but cause the vase to vanish from sight completely.

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As I ponder the potter’s trophies, I trust that the Master Potter had a perfect plan for me when He created this vessel. What did He originally plan to pour into me? If I’m having a rough day, no doubt my mind wanders to the bedpan and laughs, “that’s you – right there!” Yeah. I’m still working on that. But, praise God – I’m making progress by leaps and bounds.

Fortunately, His Word tells me exactly what He planned to fill me with, and He pours into me with great abundance. In 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 we read: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (KJV)

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His original intent was, and still is, to fill us with His Spirit, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, which He revealed to us through Jesus Christ. The glory is in that incredible power, not in the construction of the vessel it fills.

I may notice a lovely vase, but once it’s filled with the beauty of a bouquet, the vase almost seems to fade away, by comparison. It’s kind of like the word “is” in the middle of a sentence; who notices it when we’re busy taking in the meaning of the word combinations?

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I recently heard Dr. Matthew Thomas speak on joy. He just wears it all over his face, there’s no mistaking it there. He used the illustration of pouring water from a large pitcher into a smaller glass. Once he filled it to the rim, he asked if there was room in the glass for anything else. He surmised that, if we are filled with the joy of the Lord, there could be no room for worry or anxiety, doubt or fear, complaining or offenses. His point lodged in my mind.

Psalm 139:14 beautifully points out that I am (we are all) fearfully and wonderfully made. But, an empty vessel just collects dust. Our Potter created us with specific purpose and phenomenal plans in mind.

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It’s time for a fresh refilling of His Spirit, a topping off. Remind yourself Who you belong to, Who keeps you and loves you always and forever. No - matter - what! There’s no reason to be half-full or half-empty when He’s willing and wanting to fill us to overflowing!

A Plan of Action: NEBAI

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This cocoon is getting a little tight and I’m getting a little restless. I need to stop being so hard on myself, I’m not a caterpillar permanently trapped in preparation mode. Though I’m anxious to break out, maybe I need “one more minute”.

I’ve been feeling a little anxious lately. Upcoming situations beg me to come up with doable plans to deal with it. However, I don’t see myself as a planner; I’m a pantzer (one who flies by the seat of their pants)!

Clearly, information may lead to transformation, but information itself isn’t transformation. Hence, no matter how much information I’ve crammed into my pretty little head, it won’t do a thing for me just rattling around in there, I have to implement it into my daily life.

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 Today I’m looking at some of the things that make me anxious. I know God doesn’t want me dwelling in anxiety. His Word tells me to be anxious for nothing. (Philippians 4:6) His Word also tells me that in this world I’ll have tribulations. Tribulations can bring anxieties along with them. (John 16:33)

I’m drawn back to being mindful. Though I regularly think of myself as ditzy or scatterbrained, I’m not. Those are just adjectives that catapult me into a negative mindset, or attempt to excuse me from being present and in the moment.

I’ve gleaned many tools to help be become a healthier person at the Metabolic Research Center, where I check in regularly. One of those useful tools is a behavior called “pattern interrupt”. Simply put, interrupting a pattern of destructive behavior, or even those that are just not good for me – such as temptations to eat something unhealthy. Anyone with an addiction can benefit by interrupting his or her addictive behaviors.

Interrupt it with what? A different behavior.

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 If it’s my habit to stop at Starbucks on my way home, I need to adopt a new routine. But, if it’s an impulse that suddenly strikes me, I can interrupt it by doing something else. As I sit here, now thinking about a Java Chip Frappuccino, a craving could easily mount. I could abandon my laptop and head over to Starbucks, perhaps justifying it by walking over there instead of driving. Yes, it’s that close. If instead, I choose to interrupt that temptation and pick up my weighted hula-hoop and go at it for ten minutes, by then the craving should pass.

I need to have a ready selection of viable options at my disposal. A list of things I can do instead of give in to the impulse. By viable, I mean things I will actually do. I need to find options I can do anywhere. Yes, here at home, I can grab my hula-hoop. But, if I’m driving down the road – what then? Your list will be different from mine, but we can interrupt a temptation easily, if we’re prepared for them and if we notice when they hit us.

For me, dietary temptations generally hit in the late afternoon. This is common. I may be able to avoid them altogether if I have a prepared or readily available snack with me. Maybe not.

Oftentimes, temptations seem to hit us unexpectedly. They’re most likely emotionally triggered, though. Perhaps emotional triggers cause our sugar to drop, or maybe our sugar dropping creates the emotional trigger. We’ll let scientists sort that out.

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Again, with the mindfulness; I need to pay attention. I need to notice what’s going on around me and inside of me when irresistible temptations attempt to consume me. I’m in charge, not the temptations.

Here’s my plan.

NOTICE when I’m anxious. I’ve seen that temptations quickly follow.

(Does my sugar dropping create part of that anxiety?)

EXAMINE what I’m feeling – briefly. Allowing my mind to wallow in something stressful won’t do me any good at all; I’d probably end up eating something sugary while I stew over what’s bothering me.

BREATHE. While looking at what has me falling prey to a temptation, I’ll focus on my breathing for a minute or two; breathing deeply and purposefully. That always calms me down noticeably.

ALLOW the pieces to fall in place. Many of life’s stressors are out of our control. Nevertheless, our response is always within our control. The old Serenity Prayer comes into play here.

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For me, this will mean confronting thoughts that pull me down and taking ownership of them, choosing whether I allow them to dominate my mind. Mindfully following the instructions in Philippians 4:8: thinking on the good things, will give me power.

When I confront my own thoughts, I need to do it in love or I can wind up mentally beating myself up again for thinking them. Self-love is not selfish.

Lastly, IMPLEMENT my alternative activity. I need to get busy on that list and keep a copy in my phone!

Hmmmm. NEBAI. I need an acronym to remember my plan! Is that even a word? I looked it up. How cool is this? According to several Hebrew dictionaries, nebai means fruitful! So, I greatly anticipate that my strategy will be fruitful. And I’ll pronounce it however I like. The “i” will be silent and I’ll make it rhyme with Reba, my favorite country singer.

Sounds easy enough, want to try it with me?

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“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God…” – Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me [Jesus] you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 (NKJV)

Tired?

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Tired. That’s the first, and frankly, only word that’s coming to mind right now. Who wants to read a blog post about being tired? We’re all tired of being tired, aren’t we?

Sometimes I don’t want to look for the cause of it – nor for a remedy for it. I just want to go upstairs and succumb to the voice of my bed calling me.

But even in my weariness, my ever churning brain begs to ask, why?

Sometimes it’s our diet, our lack of exercise, the side effect of a medication we’ve begun taking – it could be any number of things.

Sometimes the body just needs more rest than we’re giving it.

But, sometimes, it’s from carrying around burdens we were never meant to carry in the first place.

Two scriptures come to mind:

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV): “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all our anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Our cares, or anxieties, become like a bag of heavy rocks we drag around with us, constantly making it harder to take another step. If God meant for us to haul those thing around ourselves, He’d have built us more like a horse or pack mule. Because He cares for us, He does the caring and carrying FOR us.

I painted this scripture on our bedroom wall, since it’s generally in our bedroom that I do my resting. (It got painted over, I need to put it up there again!)

Mark 6:31 (NIV): “…he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quietplace and get some rest."

Taking a little liberty, I changed the word ‘said’ to the word ‘whispers’ and the word ‘them’ to ‘me’ – making it personal, because my relationship with Jesus is a personal one.

Soon, I’m taking a week-long trip where I’ll be completely by myself for most of that week. I look forward to going with God to a quiet place and getting some rest. I’m excited about casting my cares on Him in a new and telling way during this week. I expect to write as many blog posts as I can during this quiet time with Him, taking note of all He shows me, though I may not share them all here.

I challenge you to find the time God has already etched out for you to spend with Him, quietly resting before Him, or digging into His Word – however He leads you, and cast off that heavy bag of rocks.

Then tell me how He lightens your load!