One of the most invigorating and comforting experiences we can have is feeling the approval of someone that matters to us. God put this need for approval within us, and it is He who has the ability to fulfill it! Inherent in favor is approval.
Do you feel approved by God?
Do you believe you must earn God’s approval?
Do you wonder if God is disappointed with or in you?
How you answer these questions will affect the freedom you have in approaching God and the security you have in having your prayers answered. (More to follow… excerpt from “Have I Ever Told You, You’re My Favorite!” p.65
You do not have to take it!
(This is a post from my Java, Jammies, and Jesus)
This JJJ is a little more aggressive than usual, but I believe I need to issue a call to action.
You see, there has been a recurring pattern that needs to be exposed and once you see it, you may feel the call to rise up, too.
Many people come to my site, read my writings, and some make the decision to invest in and grow my finances using tools available for you if you go to Skrumble.com. To one degree or another the pattern is the same… initial revelation, enlightenment, the sensation of feeling “lighter than a feather,” and increased hope and courage to do whatever it is the reader or client needs to do.
This is wonderful! God’s revelation brings elevation and a breath of fresh air. Several people have used the same phrase to describe their experience, “I feel lighter than a feather!”
And then circumstances come along…. and then more… and now the reader or client is tempted to doubt the new thoughts God had them thinking… is it really God?
Am I really as loved, esteemed, and as favored as I’m learning?
Are my sins REALLY forgiven?
Am I really cut out for this?
Is favor just momentary feel-good fluff?
Well, let me reinforce this old familiar perspective: old habits
die hard.
When a mind has been set in a certain direction for a long time, itis like deeply embedded ruts in a road. Remember the pioneers and the wagon trail?
The explosive quality of revelation can shoot us out of those ruts,making the shifts we need easier. But our brain, and this is proven scientifically, does not like change, and will do whatever it has to to make our lives reflect what it is used to believing.
The new revelation is perceived almost like an inaccurate, incorrect thought, which the brain sets out to correct.
If anyone wants to read more about this, a good book is, “WhoSwitched Off My Brain?” by Dr. Caroline Leaf.
So, here is my encouragement and then call to action:
1. Know that doubts don’t mean the truth isn’t true, and it doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you! The transformation process takes time and diligence. In the beginning, a down after an up is normal.
2. When old thoughts and voices rise up and want to reclaim theirplace… draw your sword. Speak OUT LOUD what you know to be true and put your stake in the ground. If you can’t remember what’s true, it might help to go back through some of my posts, read my book, or better yet… sit in the presence of God and get loved on!
3. Get angry at the lies, not at people, or even thecircumstances. God promises and provides abundant life. The enemy
robs, steals, and destroys. When it comes to lies, get good at spotting them as quickly as possible, and TAKE NO PRISONERS!
4. If you can, join with people around you who are like-minded and going through similar changes, discovering similar things. Accountability and encouragement is crucial to success.
There’s so much more to say, but I hope this helps.
As many of you know, I had been traveling for the past month. One of the places I stayed was in lovely Encinitas, CA, for about 3 weeks in my cousin and husband’s new, totally custom built home with sprawling ocean views.
Not only is this house exquisite, an amazing piece of architect, and beautifully, though simply, decorated… it is the most orderly, uncluttered environment I have ever been in. Quite frankly… it sort of intimidated me.
Though my cousin is family, I didn’t really know her or her husband, at least not intimately.
Would they get upset with me if I left a glass around? spilled something? God forbid… broke something?
I found myself wondering… would I leave this place and their company with them disappointed in me?
As kind, generous, and welcoming as they were, it took me a little time to RELAX and ENJOY such a lovely dwelling.
After a few days of discomfort and even resistance, I was surprised to realize that much of my discomfort was about ME and my PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS about them.
Despite my secret concerns, they just kept on giving… fixing me gourmet meals each night, sharing their best bottles of wine, inviting lively discussions, demonstrating curiosity and interest in me and my work….
And yet… I still remained slightly uncomfortable.
And then, it happened. God showed me I had a choice to make. Worry and resist or relax and receive. I became profoundly aware (again!) of how perceptions can either stress or bless!
CHOOSING to see favor, another thing happened…. I came to WANT to see, understand, and embrace THEIR hearts, THEIR ways, and THEIR whys.
By the third week, a beautiful flow of love, appreciation, and acceptance moved between us. I knew them. They knew me.
The day I left, my cousin called me on the way to her work. She expressed sadness that I was leaving, and that she left me something outside my door. Thinking it was some breakfast treat, I opened the door, and there, beautifully wrapped… a gorgeous journal inscribed with a heart felt sentiment.
So, here I am… staying in their home, eating their food, using their things for, what many would think is an excessive amount of time, and …. she leaves me a gift. I was touched to tears.
There are so many things to say about all of this, but I feel, viscerally, the passages, Psalm 23: 6. “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever,” and John 15:4, “Abide (dwell) in Me, and I in you…. “
God wants us to intimately dwell with Him, in His Kingdom, in our hearts, consciously. God knows us… and He wants us to know Him… really know Him…
But how often do our PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS about Him, maybe even our worry and doubt, keep us from relaxing with and enjoying Him, our time together, and all His provisions?
How often does this discomfort keep us at arms length, often missing His blessings? How often do we give up in trying to be in His presence because we initially don’t feel what we want to feel.
I’ll be honest. The first week I was there, I was tempted to find another place to go. But there was no other place. How fortunate for me!
What I would have missed had I not been there to share life with them!
So, here’s my encouragement to you. Choose each day to consciously dwell in the house of the Lord, asking Him about Him, relaxing and receiving all He has for you. Ask Him to enlighten the eyes of your heart so you don’t miss a thing.
What is your approach to this new year? Gleeful anticipation? Armed with new resolutions? Ho-hum apathy? Down and out discouragement?
Whatever it is, I would like to pass on to you a passage our pastor encouraged us with yesterday.
1 Cor 2:9 “… as it is written, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.”
He then asked us the question, which I now ask you…
“Do you love God?”
“If so, then God has prepared things for you that you have neither seen, nor heard!”
What do you think of that? Take a moment and breathe that reality in.
Now you may ask — but are they good things?
Years ago, there seemed to be a rash of teachings that promoted the mentality that if it’s something I don’t like or want to do, it must be God.
There was this thinking that God’s desires and our desires were at such odds with each other that surely, if it was pleasurable, fun, or easy… it couldn’t be God.
Because of that many have turned away from Him, either within themselves, or in full out rejection.
God is a good God! And this verse suggests good things are in store for those who love Him.(Notice it is not saying that bad things are in store for those who don’t. We don’t want to go there!)
Here’s another verse that I’ve been meditating on recently, also mentioned in yesterday’s message. (Don’t you love when that happens?)
Eph 3:19
Now to Him that is able to do EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL that we ask, or think, according to the power that works in us…
God has prepared good things for you… exceeding abundantly above all you could even think!
And how will those things come to pass? Through His power that is at work within you.
Meditate on this truth as you think about the new year. Ask God to deepen it within you.
This is partly how we build a mindset of favor.
In a world filled with negativity and for many of us, a history of shame, guilt, and disappointment, establishing a new mindset of favor is essential to moving forward positively, effectively and in power.
I don’t know about you, but this is a very pensive time of year for me. Christmas makes me reflect a little differently about our Lord and New Years brings a sense of increased hope and energy for what’s to come.Before I actually think too much about next year and what it will bring, I naturally think about this year and how did it mesh with my expectations.
In years past, I have to admit, I would experience a bit of disappointment. I looked forward to the coming year because I really needed a change, a different attitude, perspective, or circumstances.
Being a bit of a high achiever, I usually wasn’t satisfied with what I had accomplished and typically felt quite frustrated with myself.
I would lose sight of how much God had done in me, through me, and for me.But this year, it’s different.
I began to notice a shift in my mindset last year, but this year, it’s been a whole new world. As I’ve sat daily in the presence of the Lord, He has taught me the art of gratitude and becoming exquisitely aware of His goodness and favor.
Anxieties and fears have literally melted away, and having savored that, I refuse to ever be imprisoned or hindered by them again.
Psalm 37: 4-5 says:
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord (roll and repose each care of your load on Him), trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.
I’m sure for many of you, this verse is an old favorite, too. But have you ever wondered what it really means and how it really works? I have. Sometimes I have been in so much anxiety or pain that I doubted that it meant anything at all.
Well, if that’s you, maybe I can shed some light.
The first thing we have to notice is the word “delight.”
King David, the author of this Psalm, didn’t say,:
“work like a dog”, or
“sacrifice your first born,” or
“go to church religiously”
and THEN God will give you the desires of your heart.
No, David said, “DELIGHT.”
You know, sometimes the English translation doesn’t do the Hebrew justice. Here, look:
Delight (‘anag)
Strong’s concordance says, “to be soft or pliable, that is, (figuratively) effeminate or luxurious.”
Another Hebrew dictionary says, ” to be soft, be delicate, be dainty”
a. (Pual) to be delicate
b. (Hithpael)
1. to be of dainty habit, be pampered
2. to be happy about, take exquisite delight
3. to make merry over, make sport of
Hmmm…. interesting word! This isn’t just about being happy with and about the Lord, but to be like putty in His hands, to be pampered and luxurious!
This may be carrying the image a bit too far, but have you ever been treated to a luxurious massage at a spa resort? When you get on that table, you’re pretty darn vulnerable, aren’t you!
Basically, you have given the masseus permission to do whatever she wants to you, and you are there because you KNOW it’s going to feel so relaxing, and yet so rejuvenating… and you’re going to walk out of there, slowly, with a content grin on your face, with the mental attitude… yeah… whatever… it’s all good.
I love being pampered in that way, no doubt, but I have to say, delighting in the Lord, and He delighting in me… daily, has had a profound, I’ll-never-be-the same impact on my life. It supercedes even the most luxurious spa treatment!
Through delighting in Him, I have learned of and become established in one of the most pleasurable and effective truths He has given us … we HAVE His favor, and we ARE highly favored. This favor has opened my heart and mind to receive the desires of my heart, and not block them from coming to me. God wants to give to us excessively!
As I’ve said many times before, we can actually hinder or even, block the blessings of God by feeling disqualified, unworthy, guilty about everything, or undeserving.
The desires of my heart have been to be in constant partnership with the Lord, receiving His love and goodness freely, and being a vibrant, free flowing expression of that love and goodness to those He has put in my path (including you!!).
As I reflect on this year, I see He has honored those desires abundantly through writing, speaking, and coaching. This fits me.
As I reflect on 2010, there isn’t a hint of disappointment or frustration. Yay, God! I am grateful and excited for 2011.
I love being putty in the Hands of Someone so trustworthy, so powerful, and so FOR me.
If you would like that too, here is my suggestions for a New Year’s resolve.Make it your goal to DELIGHT yourself in the Lord. Spend time with Him and seek His favor. Ask Him to deepen your awareness of this gift He has freely given to you. Let Him pamper you with this truth. He came to give it for a reason.
Then, with a heart of favor, trusting in His goodness, commit your way to Him. He promises to give you the desires of your heart and bring it to pass. Whatever way it comes, you will love it and it will delight Him to do so.
Ok, the presents are packed away and the bills are coming in. Well, I’m not here to tell you that you overspent or not. I doubt you need anyone to tell you that!
But I would like to address the frustration that often puts undue stress on us. Sometimes we blame cultural expectations for this tension and frustration. But I believe for many of us Believers, there is a genuine God-given desire that sets our frustration into motion!
What is that God-given desire?
To give! Excessively, extravagently, and without restriction. Deep within each of us, this desire lives.
Why? Because we have a God who has “lavished His love on us!” 1 Jn 3:1 (NIV)
LAVISH. Don’t you love that word? He has lavished His love on you!
So, why the frustration which creates the tension? Because no sooner does the desire to give lavishly well up in us, when a competing thought squashes it down: the thought of lack!
Not enough money, not enough resources, not enough time, creativity, energy… whatever. Faster than we even notice, lack rises up and squeezes the desire to lavishly give, making us feel inadequate, ashamed, and guilty. Yuk.
Then we blame commercialism, non-believers, greedy kids (did we raise them to be like this???), and before you know it, we end up feeling like Scrooge.
So, what is my suggestion for you?
Rather than get swept away in a flood of lack, guilt, blame, and resentment… focus on ONE thing:
how lavishly the Lord loves you.
Take a few moments each day to dwell on that. Let it swell up inside your chest, allow that thought to permeate your attitudes, your actions, and your daily dealings. Whenever you feel the pangs of lack, remember His lavish, extravagent love.
I know, it sounds too simple and too self-centered, but…
To be a true giver, you must first be a grateful receiver.
Remember: YOU are the joy set before Jesus.(Hebrews 2:2) And it all starts with Him!
And one more thing… even now, as you prepare for the coming year, set aside the funds you anticipate spending next year, or plan a year of giving without spending lots …. KNOWING you have the heart of God who loves to give. Seek Him and His abundance, whether expressed through funds, creativity, or special favors.
He wants you to be blessed, not burdened as you express His goodness in and through you.
Recently I proposed to you that much of our frustration can be resolved, and dare I say, even eliminated once we have a mindset of FAVOR. (Click here for that post.)
Because the Lord has so thoroughly convinced me of this, it has become my mission to share the power of this transcendent gift.
Getting rooted and established in His favor has caused a huge shift in how I see myself, the world, and why I am even here.
Also, in all my years of counseling and coaching, I have never seen breakthrough in my clients’ lives like I am these days. It’s quite astounding!
Maybe it’s because one very specific reason Jesus came was to restore us all to a favorable relationship with Him!
Look at this verse. This was not just some doctrinal statement… this is personal, to be taken personally.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (Amplified Bible)
18But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him].
19It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).
20So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.
A mindset of favor is to trump all other competing mindsets.
Verbally thanking Him will increase your faith!
So today, thank God for His favor. Thank Him that He favors you!
Thank Him for coming into this world FOR YOU, to cancel out ALL your sin… past, present, and future.
Thank Him that not only do you HAVE His favor, but you ARE highly favored. Ask Him to grow this seed of truth within you, change your mind as to how you see yourself, and then, expect Him to do it!!
As a counselor and coach, people come to me because they are frustrated for one reason or another. And not to get simplistic, but most of the time, what they need is a strong revelation and then a solid foundation in the favor of God.
Now, most people have heard about favor, and some even make a declaration or two about having favor, but still little evidence exists that they REALLY have it.
Well, given the opportunity, God always reveals why.
It has nothing to do with whether they deserve it or not.
Or whether they have done enough of the right things.
Or whether God loves them enough.
They can even believe favor is for them, and still not see it except sporadically here or there. Favor is often minimized, discounted, and resisted.
And here’s the reason: Competing mindsets.
What do I mean by that?
Ok, let’s take the verse Psalm 5:12 for example. “For you, Lord, will bless the righteous; as a shield You will surround him with goodwill, pleasure and favor.”
Let me ask you. Do you FEEL surrounded by goodwill, pleasure, and favor?
If you don’t, there is a reason, and probably a very good one! We live in a world where people hurt each other, rather than favor each other. Relationships are often strained and frustrating. Then there’s the economy – people out of work, or stuck in jobs that don’t pay well, fit well, or fulfill them. Many people suffer from health issues. The list goes on. It is easy to not feel favored.
But in reality, our circumstances don’t determine how favored we feel. Our mindsets do.
If you believe on one hand that God’s word is true, and He favors you, but on the other hand have had things happen in your past that have made you leery to trust people, then unless that is resolved, that distrust will work against and compete with the mindset of favor... even if it is God, not man, you are seeking.
If you believe in favor, but also believe you are unworthy, deficient, inadequate, disqualified for whatever reason, those two beliefs will have a stand off.
The words says that a man of two minds is unstable and uncertain about everything he thinks, feels, and decides. (James 1:8)
So, how do we have ONE mind about this? Well, minds are renewed by God and us working together. The more the mindset of favor gets established, the more we will see evidence of it.
At the end of this week, I will be sending out an email with an opportunity for you to join a small group of like minded, favor-increasing people. This opportunity will help you to expand your consciousness of how favored you really are, and reduce the power of competing beliefs. And it will be free.
I won’t get into the details now, but it will require only about 5 minutes of your time, a couple of times per day for one week.
A couple of simple, easy to do steps will yield you some big results.
So, keep a look out for that, and in the mean time, ask God to reveal the competing mindsets that lay within you that resist His favor. You can be free to walk fully and in increasing experience of this absolutely under-estimated power.
I hope you all know me well enough by now to know that I never
think our greatness is elevated above God’s!! But we are the work
of His hands, and He has made us great.
Through His gentle, lovingkindness, mercy and favor…. He makes us great. He has condescended Himself, meaning come from Heaven to earth on our behalf… to put His greatness in us. Meditate on that today!
You have a significant part to play in His Master Plan! All you
have gone through, all you are blessed with, all your gifts,
strengths, and talents, are all jewels to fulfill your purpose.
God has made you great, and He desires you to accept that, embrace it, and walk in it!
Thank Him for it today and when life makes you
feel small and low, yell at the devil, “I am fearfully and
wonderfully made… I am marvelous… I am great…. by the power
and work of God Himself!”
