Tag: God

Keep Fighting

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

There is a common phrase that people say, “Keep fighting”.  This phrase is applied to many situations and I am fairly certain you can think of one instance in your life that someone told you to keep fighting.  Sometimes to keep fighting is not the answer. Instead of fighting, consider the many Bible verses that say to “stand firm”.  There are over 30 verses that command us to “stand firm” between the Old and New Testament.  From Moses to Ezra to Job to David to Solomon to Isaiah to Jesus to Paul and more – we are told to “stand firm”. See below for just a few example verses. 

Credit: JC’s Gram

Exodus 14:13:  “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again’.” 

2 Chronicles 20:17: “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.” 

Psalm 20:8: “They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” 

Isaiah 7:9  “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”

Matthew 10:22: “You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” 

Luke 21:19 : “Stand firm, and you will win life.” 

1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.” 

1 Corinthians 16:13: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”

Galatians 5:1: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of sin.”

So how do we stand firm?  2 Corinthians 1:21 says “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.”  The answer is God.  God is how we stand firm. It is not in our own strength, but through our relationship with God that we are able to stand firm.  So don’t just keep fighting in every situation without praying through whether God would have you fight or stand firm. If you feel God is telling you to stand firm, then know and believe God’s promises. There is no need to fight. “The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you.” Deuteronomy 30:1.

Let’s pray. Father, please give us wisdom in our circumstances to know whether you would have us keep fighting or stand firm. Either way, please give us Your strength. In Jesus’ name, amen.

When Jesus is Too Late

On By JCIn MiscellaneousLeave a comment

Even when things seem dire, there is a reason God allows divine interruptions. For example, the girl who died because the sick woman showed up and delayed Jesus.  As you read these verses, focus on the father who came first to ask for Jesus’ help. Can you relate to him – there is an immediate need for Jesus to step in and help NOW. Why doesn’t Jesus respond right now, I need help!

Mark 5:21-36, “When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him.  A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 

Source: JC

When the man had first approached Jesus, his daughter was alive, then Jesus was delayed and she died.  Sometimes God allows interruptions into our lives when things seem dire so we can draw closer to Him and He can receive even more glory.  Jesus healed people all the time, which is a miracle, but to raise someone from the dead, an even bigger miracle.  When Jesus appears too late and things get worse, instead of focusing on how bad things are getting, focus on Him. Ask Him, ‘How can I bring You glory in this trial?’

Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for loving us. Lord, when we feel that you are late or not resolving issues fast or at all, please fill us with Your love. Fill us with trust in You. Please help us to keep our eyes on You and not on the problem we are facing. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Jesus Chose a Failure

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

In Luke 5:2-8, we see Jesus intentionally choose Peter’s boat. There were two boats in the water, so why did Jesus choose Peter’s? 

“He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So He sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.””

Credit: JC’s Gram

Peter failed at fishing that night and also failed Jesus by denying Him three times during their time together leading up to the cross. But Jesus knew all that and still chose Peter from the start. Peter goes on to save many people and start many churches as a failure.  Jesus restored Peter for the three times he denied Jesus.  Jesus knows we are failures and will use us anyway. He intentionally chose you and me, despite your failures and mine. Nobody is perfect, just remember Jesus loves you, exactly as you are, failures and all. He chose you, exactly as you are.    

Let’s pray.

Please use us even though we can be a mess and fail. Fill us with Your peace and help us to feel how incredibly deep Your love is for us, no matter how many times we fail. You love us and are right there waiting to love us each and every time we fail. Thank you Lord! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Close Your Eyes

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

2 Corinthians 5:7 says “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  There is a practical way to live this out – literally.  If we walk by faith and not by sight, maybe one way to apply this verse is to close your eyes.  When times arrive that you are struggling or you need guidance or you just need to feel God, close your eyes literally.  Then you cannot see, you can only focus on Jesus. With your eyes closed, use that time to pray, and fight to keep your focus on Jesus.  Do not let your mind wander and if it does, that is okay – just return your focus back to Jesus as soon as you realize you have wandered.  The goal is to turn off your human senses that are connected to the world: sight, hearing, taste, touch and smells to fully connect to Him.  Walk by faith my friend, not by sight.

Credit: JC’s Gram

Is It Possible We Are Looking for God in the Wrong Places?

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies Blog1 Comment

I am in a season of waiting. I have been praying and occasionally fasting for something since 2008. It is a dream that God put on my heart quite some time ago. I still have faith that He will bring this dream to fruition. I have tested the dream to ensure it is Biblical, of His character and something that would advance the Kingdom of God.

We must objectively assess whether the thing we are pursuing is of us or of God and these are a few ways to complete that assessment. I did not ask for this dream, it just showed up one day deeply engrained into my spirit. When I think about it, I am filled with joy and see how God would be glorified. But it is not a reality.

I cannot tell you how many times I have prayed about it. There have been times where I have asked God to remove the dream if it was not to be fulfilled. It sometimes causes me pain to have a glimpse of what could be and then snap back into reality and recall how long it has been – the waiting, the hoping, the praying.

I tend to ask God to communicate to me in a very obvious way, a way I would not miss. If He is talking, I certainly do not want to miss it. And I can be oblivious at times. But I also wonder if I am looking for God in the wrong places. I tend to think that when He speaks, it will be like a thunder bolt or so obvious that I could never miss it. And sometimes He does communicate with us like that.

Yet, we see how God communicated with Elijah:

“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?'”
1 Kings 19:11–13 NIV

I am looking for the big, obvious revelation. Whether it is a street sign telling me the next step in my journey or a stranger walking up to me and handing me a quote from God that says “Go do X. Love, God”. And yes, He does talk to us that way sometimes, but I tend to think He speaks to us gently, in whispers.

If every time He spoke, the Earth cracked open around us or a tornado blew through, I think we would all have an issue. Instead, what if He is talking to us in those whispers we hear, also described as a still, small voice? We need to be close to Him and lean in even closer when He speaks. We need to write down what we hear lest we forget. We need to ensure what we heard is Biblical, aligns with God’s character, and advances His Kingdom and His Glory. If so, then we need to do what we hear as soon as we can. This approach opens up an ongoing flow of communication, we grow closer to Him, and we learn more about how He communicates so it becomes easier to hear Him.

Let’s pray.

Father in heaven, we thank You that You speak to us through Your creation, Your Holy Spirit, Your Word and other believers. Help us to hear You better. Help us to look for You where You are and hear You in the whispers. Thank you for loving us and never giving up on us when we miss Your whispers. In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen

I Give You Authority Over My Body . . .To Fight for It

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

In 1 Corinthians 7, there is an entire section on marriage and how God intended His design of marriage to work. I want to consider specifically verse 4, “The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.”

I acknowledge this verse is talking about sexual relations between a man and a woman in the holy bonds of marriage. However, I want to offer an additional perspective on this authority. When I got married, I said these verses to my husband, and we live them out daily. Recently, we each have been under various spiritual attacks of all kinds. Some of these attacks have been rather brutal. Some of these attacks have resulted in dark thinking and deep spiritual struggles.

I found that when my husband is under attack, I pray more for him than my usual, daily prayers. For example, I will set hourly reminders to pray for him to be cleansed. I am not sure if you have ever seen your spouse in a dark place when enduring a spiritual attack, it can be scary. Which is exactly what the enemy wants you to focus on, fear instead of Jesus.

Every believer has the armor of God (Ephesians 6), but there are times during an attack when we are too weak to pick up the sword of the Spirit or the shield of faith. We need someone else to help us fight and draw on the strength of the Holy Spirit we have inside of us.

Recently, when my husband was under severe spiritual attacks, of course I prayed for him. But this verse began to take on new meaning for me during that time. When my husband said 1 Corinthians 7:4 to me, he gave me authority over his body. Why can’t that apply to wielding my God-given authority to protect his body, too?

With this new perspective, I began to use the name of Jesus commanding anything that was not of Jesus or from Jesus to leave my husband’s heart, mind, body and environment immediately. I commanded it never to return, and I forbid it in the name of Jesus to send any other enemy agents in its place.

I picked up the sword of the Spirit, (Word of God), and the shield of faith and used the armor of God to protect my husband, too. As married people, we need to see an attack on our spouse as a direct attack on us, our family, and our vows before God.

When one is under attack, there is a de-motivation to fight or a feeling of weakness that usually comes with the attack. It is in those moments when our spouses cannot fight to protect themselves, that we wield the authority given to us by this verse above, empowered by the precious blood of Jesus to defend our loved ones. How dare they attack a child of God and especially one that has a spouse who is unafraid of spiritual warfare.

The battle has been won! Jesus is our Savior and our Victor, through His name, we have power. Through the Holy Spirit living in us, we have authority. All we need to do to protect our loved one and fight is invoke the authority that we already have been given from our Lord Jesus.

Let’s pray.

Father in Heaven,

We know that attacks are part of being a Christian. There are many verses in the Bible teaching us how to fight against the enemy and how to know the strategies of the enemy. One of the most beautiful human relationships is that of a husband and bride. Marriage is God’s design and when our vows are being lived out in a manner that bring glory to You, God, attacks are a guarantee. Give us strength and wisdom and remind us of our authority in You to fight to protect those we love. To fend off the attacks of the enemy. In the name of Jesus, we stand against the enemy, he will have no part in our families’ lives.

In the precious name of Jesus we pray,

Amen

Image Credit: Snow

Prophesy, Common People, Prophesy

On By JCIn Miscellaneous, Wounded Butterflies BlogLeave a comment

When we think of the Old Testament prophets, whether Isaiah, Daniel, Amos, Ezekiel or Malachi, we tend to think they had “superpowers.” These were people that received messages directly from God to then pass on to others. It is very common in the Scriptures for God to say, “Prophesy” and then share a message to be passed on. For example:

“Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. He will be eating curds and honey when he knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, for before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.'”
Isaiah 7:13-16 NIV

This is one of the most incredible prophecies in history. Verses such as this that later come true can result in us viewing the Old Testament prophets as superhuman. They were all human, though, and full of sin – just like you and me. Yet, they heard God, and He told them things, amazing things.

While a prophet was an individual that God used to communicate messages, present day believers have the Holy Spirit. Through the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit, we are presented visions, provided whispers, or even told the future. Of course, everyone has been told the future – all we have to do is read the book of Revelation. But I am talking about the more immediate future.

Several years ago, I had a boss who is a devout Christian. He was an executive at a large company that is commonly known. I did not know “Joe” extremely well, just that he was a Christian and a great leader. He was very well-liked and a hard worker. Yet, one morning during my quiet time, I felt the Spirit tell me very clearly that my boss was going to be fired unexpectedly. I thought, “This is silly and hard to believe. He is highly thought of by the executives and his teams love him.”

I felt burdened to tell my boss what I heard. With him being a Christian, I did not have to explain the Holy Spirit or His role in the life of a believer. I asked Joe to go for a walk with me outside because I was not sure how he would react to one of his team members coming up to him and saying the Spirit told me you are going to be fired.

I asked for Divine help with the words. I just simply said, “Joe, I feel very strongly that the Holy Spirit told me you will be fired soon. I cannot explain why I heard this, and I have no facts to support whether it is true, but I need to tell you.”

He replied that he trusts God, and if that is God’s will, then so be it. I could tell Joe believed me and he did not dismiss what I was saying, even though perhaps it seemed ludicrous.

Within a few days, Joe was escorted out of the building. He had been fired. Everyone was shocked and saddened. I was, of course, sad, but grateful that Joe was not caught off-guard.

We still stay in touch. He is happier now and living out a dream. As I reflect on this occasion in my life, there is no way that I would have known that information other than the Holy Spirit telling me. At the time, I thought what I was doing was irrational – hearing predictions and then sharing them. While this all may sound odd, we read in the Bible:

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”
John 16:13 NLT

Credit: JC

Let’s pray.

Father in Heaven,

Help us to walk close to You. Help us to hear and obey the Holy Spirit. May we be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, guided in the truth and be shown the future. We thank You for the Holy Spirit.

In the precious name of Jesus we pray.

Amen