Tag: Knowing God

The PB&J Formula to Keep Your Flame Burning

God Gold of the day

“Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way!”

-Proverbs 19:2

Two different aspects of our lives of followers of Christ:

Desire: the passion and enthusiasm one has to live their lives for God

Knowledge: the information or “truth” one gains through diligent study, focus, and seeking out to learn more about God and His truths

The main question I have for you today; which one of these areas do you find yourself living with more and leaning towards in your daily life? Is it more desire, a fire to get up and get after it, or is it knowledge, spending more time in study and learning? Both aspects are greatly needed for our Christian lives but one by itself always turns out to be no good without the other. These two qualities are a tag team, they go together like peanut butter and jelly. Hold on, let’s look at this verse from Proverbs a little deeper.

It says here; “desire without knowledge is no good.” Why would that be? So often we can find ourselves running through this life with the idea of “faster is better,” because if you have more “desire” you’ll be able to get more done, serve the Lord even greater right? Not so fast!!!

Desire is great but still it needs it’s tag team partner of “knowledge.” And it says exactly why here in Proverbs, “how much more will hasty feet miss the way!” The word “hasty” is meaning; “done or acting with excessive speed or urgency, hurried.” If we go go go and don’t take a second to slow down, we can find our flame of desire that has been burning at all time high’s experiencing something called, “burnout.” Have you ever heard a sermon or went to a camp, conference, those unbelievable moments of experiencing a spiritual high where you are on the mountain top and so fired up to go and serve the Lord with all you have? Yeah, I’ve experienced those moments too but how does long does that fire keep burning? Usually, not too long because there is no fuel to keep the fire going.

That’s where knowledge comes in, knowledge is the fuel to keep our desire fires burning at a high level. Knowledge is found when we step back to reflect, spend time with God in His Word and in prayer. In those moments when we seek God, His Word and presence brings knowledge to our lives, truth-filled knowledge about who He is, how He feels about us, truth that fills us up when we reach those burnout moments when our desire is getting weak.

Knowledge is like throwing kerosene on the fire that your desire has produced, when we find ourselves in moments where we want to give up, we’re too tired, we don’t see why the daily battle is worth it. SEEK KNOWLEDGE from the Lord. He provides for us truth that gives us all we need to battle against the weakness we face, it shows us that the purpose and calling God has given us is worth it. Knowledge is the fuel to keep your desire fire burning!

We can take off running the race God has set before us with all the desire in the world but without knowledge, God’s truth, we can find ourselves running in the wrong direction all too often. Knowledge of God directs us and keeps our eyes in the right direction to make an even bigger impact for His Kingdom than we could ever do without Him!!!! Seek the balance of desire and knowledge today, just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it never gets old, only better and better!!!!

Here’s an example of how truth-filled knowledge of God’s Word can reignite the flame of desire that may be running low in your life.

‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ‘ –-Galatians 6:9

DON’T GIVE UP!!! KEEP PUSHING FORWARD AND SEEKING GOD DAILY!!! YOU MAY NOT SEE IT NOW, BUT IF YOU DON’T GIVE UP AND KEEP DOING WHAT IS GOOD, THE HARVEST WILL COME!!!!

Meditation Monday: “Grab onto His Word and ask ?’s”

God Gold of the day

‘It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” ‘

Deuteronomy 31:8

Wanted to share this verse with you today because it was such a big encouragement to me, I pray it will be just as much or even more so encouraging to you!!! At first, I was going to send this verse because it’s one of those “encouraging verses” we see all over God’s Word and it fit because of the troubled times we are surrounded by but I felt convicted just sending this without really digging into it myself. What I found, and I hope with the help of these questions I asked myself. you will find that it’s more than just an “encouraging verse!” It’s TRUTH, and it’s REAL!!!!

So easily, I’ve found myself just reading verses and glancing over them saying, “oh yeah that’s good stuff!” But then I just go about my day and that verse has no effect on me in the way I live or handle situations that come my way. What I realized is this; God’s Word is more than just words on a page that are meant to make us feel good temporarily. God’s Word is meant to be grabbed onto and not just glanced over but looked into deeply. And when I say “grab onto” His Word I mean grabbing tightly and squeezing it for all the Gold that He has in store. I’ve noticed in my own quiet time this week how easily and lazily I don’t do this when handling His Word but when I have dug deeper, God’s Word sticks to me throughout my day. It molds and shapes every action I take and decision I make, it reminds me of who He is and how He feels/acts towards me constantly when I need it the most. I wanted to pose a few questions for you here to use with this verse or whatever verse you’re reading that I pray will help you grab onto God’s Word and dig deeper like never before!!! I pray that this helps you in some way, as I’ve already seen the few times I’ve tried this method and the life-giving/changing results that His Word has, I want nothing more than for you to experience His Word at work in this way too in your own lives!

Why is this encouraging to me?

Who does God show that He is here? How does those things or attributes play into my life?

What is God saying He will and can do in my life?

What situations that I have faced or face on a daily basis that having this understanding of who God is and how He works in my life, what situations would this truth play a role in? How would this truth about God move me or help me?

Build a list of questions, whatever comes to mind, these are just a few questions of many that could be asked. What’s cool about asking questions when it comes to God’s Word is that the answers you find will without a doubt change your life as you grow to know God more deeply.

Meditation Monday: Do you believe this?

God Gold of the day

“The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10

The simple question to think on today; “Do you believe this?” It’s a simple question, but it’s the answer that we tend to make difficult.

This question is one I first found in the Book of John, where Jesus is talking to Martha and Mary as He is about to raise Lazarus from the dead. He makes a statement about who He is, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” Then afterwards asked this question, “Do you believe this?”

The easy answer is, “oh yeah of course, God’s Word is God-breathed, it’s all true, of course that’s who Jesus is.” That answer is easy to say but once again, “Do you believe this?” The easy answer may be yes, but do you really believe it to be true in your life? If you say yes again, that’s good but if you truly and really believe this, then why does your life say otherwise? How come your actions and the decisions you make say otherwise? It’s easy to answer yes and move on, but this question digs deeper than just a surface level, breeze by “yes.” What you believe, you do. If you believe you’re going to be able to run a mile, then most likely you can run a mile. If you believe you can drive to the nearest grocery store and get your groceries for the week, then you do that no problem. If you believe you can’t do something, you won’t do it. How we live and act, all we do is rooted in our belief, all we believe we can do and can’t do usually turns out to be true by our actions that follow.

I caught myself posting this verse on here earlier with this title of “do you believe this,” because I was trying to get ahead on writing this and I’ve found this to be helpful for me in the past so I thought this sounded good to say. Then later this same day, I found myself in a battle, temptation to give in and give up to sin and do the wrong thing was all around me. I found myself in a situation that I couldn’t handle, it was too much for me. Then this verse popped in my head, (thanks God), along with this question. At first I wanted to say yes and be done with it, just go ahead and give in. But this question hit me deep, I was convicted in the fact that I was going to send this to you and put you on the spot with this challenge of your belief but when challenged myself, I said “yes,” but my actions and thoughts were saying, “Come on dude, do you really believe that the name of the Lord is like a strong fortress? Because if you did you’d stop trying to handle things on your own and instead you’d run to Him! If you did then you would stop leaving yourself open to attacks from my own sinful desires, from the lies of the enemy and justifying it with actions of others in the world around you. If you REALLY believed this, you would take your troubles to God, cry out for help, and rest in the truth that in His name, He guards me from all evil and temptation. In His name He protects me, His loving arms are like walls of a fortress that can’t be torn down.

If I really believed this to be true, then I would run to God, my strong fortress and know that I am safe. In those moments, teetering back and forth between giving in to lies or giving myself up to believe the truth. I did nothing, God’s truth was too real, the stakes of this battle were too high, He helped my belief and in His name, He protected me and helped me stand strong behind His strong barriers. I was safe because of who He is. Thank God!!!!!

So if you read this today and say, “yeah, of course I believe this.” Do yourself a favor and ask again, and again. Because if you really believed this, would you be doing what you’re doing? Would you be giving into lies that say you’re too weak to handle this when God says, “you may be too weak but in my name, you’re covered and protected! Nothing can keep you from standing strong.” If you believe who God is, FOR REAL, your life will look a lot different, and by different I mean WAY BETTER than it could ever be on your own.

So…..DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

Good ?’s Good God

‘Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’

-Isaiah 40:28-31

Driving down the road today and heard these verses spoken over the radio. This is a piece of Scripture that I’ve heard time and time again but each time I hear it, it hits me even harder. I love that question that Isaiah is asking to God’s people here. Right before these questions, Isaiah asks some more questions to the people of Israel;

“‘O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?’ (Isaiah 40:27)

What I noticed about these questions is that they are rhetorical, meaning that Isaiah isn’t expecting a response from the people of Israel. They are questions asked where Isaiah points out where their little faith has failed them and questions that pierce right to the heart of the people. These questions for them and even for myself as I sit here asking them personally, they are extremely convicting!

There is so many moments of my day where I am so attached to all the doubts, lies, and seemingly impossible situations I am faced with in my life. There is so many moments where I sit just letting the lies of the enemy completely rule my heart and mind, as my thoughts increase in insecurity, my faith continues to decrease. It’s these moments where I am seeing so short sighted and horizontally, putting the things going on in my life that weigh me down in a perspective based off of what I have to offer, and my own strength. That is a recipe for disaster and defeat. It’s easy to get caught up in the weight of our problems and then when we match them up with what we have to bring to the table, which isn’t much, we are asking for these negative thoughts and insecurities to eat us alive.

It’s in these questions where I can hear the point Isaiah is trying to get across, in other terms it’s like; “DUDE, what are you doing? How could you sit there and act like God doesn’t know exactly what you’re going through? How could you sit there and act like you’re in these battles alone, with only your own personal resources to rely on?”

Then the BIG questions that seem to pierce right to where my struggle of self-reliance and lack of faith is;

“Do you not know? Have you not heard?” 

Seriously, let those questions sink in for a moment. Let those questions come up as reminders when you are sitting in those moments that were mentioned above. And the truth is we all have those moments, we’re human and weak, some just do a better job of hiding it than others.

As soon as you begin to believe those lies that the Devil is trying to pour into you, “you’ll never make it out! You’ll always be defeated! This is impossible!” And there is so many more. When you hear those lies creeping in that always seem to lead into a deeper and deeper hole of fear, doubt and so many insecurities, ask these questions to yourself!

Do you not know the truth that you are not alone in this fight or any moment of your life, or have you not heard just how powerful and great the God you serve is? Do you not know;  “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary,” 

Sitting in the truth of who God is and what His Word proclaims to us brings a different light into what was turning into a very dark situation. Knowing who God is, that He’s so mighty, so good, and so awesome that we could never begin to understand His characteristics fully. That’s a lot!!!

Then continue asking these questions to yourself as we encounter in these verse not only who God is, the magnitude of who He is and the out of this world characteristics that He possesses, but we see His promises that were made here to the people of Israel. And as Jesus has given us full access to God as sons and daughters of His, we are too His people and God doesn’t change, neither does how He treats His people.

Do you not know; “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak?” Yeah, as we sit in our own insecurities, in our own problems and living out of our own weak strength as if that’s all we got. The truth is, that’s not all we have because we have God by our side, right there with us when things are going good and even when things seem to be spiraling out of control. We have the God who created the heavens, and the earth, and everything in it with us constantly, fighting for us and being so faithful to supply us with His strength!!!! With His Almighty power!!! So many times I live and think as if I’m a lost cause, I have no chance, and I let my tough circumstances completely devour my confidence and faith. But why? Do I not know the truth that is written plainly for us to see in God’s Word????

Do I not know that; “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’

These questions added to these truths makes me want to shake myself and loudly ask, “DUDE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” I have no reason to live in insecurities of fear and doubt!!! I have no reason to believe the lies of enemy that has already lost the battle for our lives with the Son of God!!! The truth that God brings to our lives is SO MUCH GREATER!!! I have no reason to think and act out of only what I have when I have been adopted as a child of God Himself, where my identity is completely and fully in Jesus Christ. I have no reason to live in such a horizontal perspective of what we see is what it is when God says that the law of what makes sense to us where even the strongest humans alive grow tired and weary, even they stumble and fall. God has given us so much more to hold onto and to place our hope in. He’s given us Himself, He’s given us His mighty strength as our supply. God raises the “normal” or horizontal way of thinking and living to His vertical perspective of what reality is for us when our eyes are raised toward Him, His truth and His promises. That when we put aside all the crap that continues to burden us and weigh us down in our daily lives, and believe the truth that God is greater than anything we face, God is with us, God renews our strength as we surrender ourselves to put our hope in Him.

I was just thinking about the two main questions that hit me the hardest; “do you not know? Have you not heard?” At a quick glance it makes no sense why Isaiah would put the second question in there because they pretty much mean the same thing right? The question of hearing makes more sense now because it’s easy for us to read God’s Word and take in His truth, it’s easy to know these things about who God is and the promises He’s given us. Knowing is one thing but when it comes to our active faith, when we’re going through the nastiness and grind of these battles. That’s when knowing the truth can only take us far, it’s in those moments where we can easily go down the rabbit hole to lies, self-reliance, and insecurities or going God’s way, resting in His strength and in the power of knowing who He is along with our identities in Him. Those moments in the heat of the battle are the toughest ones and asking these questions can change a lot in the direction we end up going. This is where we know the truth but living it becomes hard. So ask the second question, “have you not heard?” It’s in those moments that we need to not only know the truth but HEAR IT!!! It’s in those moments where we need to speak those truths of God over our situations and weakness. Praying out loud the truth that of the mighty strength we have in such a present and faithful God! Knowing it is one thing but hearing it is what brings up reminders in our thoughts and hearts, it shuts out all the lies from the enemy and the lies that we tell ourselves. Really HEARING it goes deeper than just your ears, it goes to your heart and from the heart faith will overflow as you walk in the strength God gives us!!!!

That was one of the biggest lessons from this for me, constantly asking myself those questions especially in moments of battles and digging in deeper to know more of God’s truth so I am prepared to remind myself and speak His truth over all the lies and self-deceit that my weak flesh may want to create. In the heat of the battle, I know that I don’t have to take the easy way out that I might have taken in my past, because I can put my hope in God, and believe the truth that He will renew and replenish my strength in any situation! And I’m thankful to share that God gives you His way of walking through these battles too!!! With our hope firmly planted in God He WILL allow us to;

“soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”