NEED HELP WITH YOUR PROBLEM?

Do you find yourself praying and then doubting? Do you feel that the problem you're going through will never get better? I know this has been an issue for me. I'll pray for change and then shortly after continue to talk about the problem in a negative way. I know this is human nature, to mull things over and over again in your mind, praying and then picking right back up where you left off.

I've been feeling very convicted in this area lately. I know that this is not healthy and each time I pray, laying it down at the feet of the Lord, allowing the Holy Spirit to move in the situation, I need to also pray for more trust and faith. Each time I start to talk negatively about the problem, I'm shutting the door on the Holy Spirit. I pray saying," Please help me." I wait for a while and then start to talk about it and worry what's going to happen. I begin to allow the enemy to move instead of the Holy Spirit. Soon I'm saying..."It's taking to long, maybe the Lord didn't hear my prayers or doesn't want to answer, what am I going to do now?" Once this negative self talk starts it sets a strong hold on my mind for the enemy to move in. To fill my head with doubt, lies, hurt, negative thinking and hopelessness. How can I expect the Holy Spirit to work when I'm not trusting? God always hears us. He always wants the best for us...HIS BEST is not necessarily our best.

According to one online website the Bible mentions Trust approximately 243 times. Faith is listed approximately 336 times. Doubt is mentioned approximately 400 times.

I think the Lord definitely knows that each of us struggle with doubt. He knows that this can be an area that trips us up. This can turn us away and head us off onto broken paths. The importance of praying for increased trust and faith (when added together is mentioned 579 times) opens the door for the Holy Spirit to move in and not only work in our lives and our problems, but also help to remove the doubt. It closes the door on the enemy. It sheds new light, peace and favor on the situation. 

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you increase my trust and faith in You. I pray for Your Peace in the waiting. I want to let go of my burdens and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through me today. Please help me to not continue to murmur, grumble and doubt the work you are doing. Help me not to continue to pick up the problem again after I've given it to You. Give me the wisdom to know that Your plan is always better than anything I can do on my own and in my own ability. Help me to walk through the open doors and trust You when the door closes that You have something better in mind for me and my situation. I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Feeling Trapped?

Two butterflies gracefully floated by as I sat overlooking the ocean on my lunch hour. I stopped and watched them fluttering about and then glide as the wind carried them off over the steep ocean cliffs. I marveled that only a short while ago they were crawling on the ground, confined to their limited surroundings.

You may feel trapped in the daily struggles of your life. But God has more for you. He wants to help you soar into all that He has called you to be. Don’t lose hope...don’t lose patience; for just like those butterflies, there is a work being done in the waiting and in the struggles. Think of it as being inside  a cocoon. You’re being stretched beyond what you thought you were capable of bearing. You’re being transformed into something so incredibly wonderful that when God says, “Fly my precious child,” you’ll be filled with His transforming wisdom and grace to accomplish all things He's placed before you. You will move out of the confining darkness and into His marvelous light.

Do not fight the process. Pray for His strength to see you through; then you can grow to your full potential, prepared to fly to new heights, a new creation in Jesus Christ!

“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Psalm 29:11

"The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. Isaiah 26:7-8

"Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up." James 4:10

Does Your Life Need Emergency Repairs?

While driving to work I looked over and noticed a vehicle with bold red writing which said, "Emergency Repair." They were advertising for a business that will repair your broken things. Often times we wait till the last possible moment to call on a specialist. We'll try to do it on our own, hoping to muddle through...struggling to "fix it." We may spend hours upon hours feeling frustrated, angry, yelling and finally giving up.

None of us can be everything, know everything, or accomplish everything. Sometimes we need to accept the fact that we need help. We need to be open to receiving that help with the knowledge that an expert may be needed.

In life, Jesus Christ is in the business of "Emergency Repair." He is the repairer of souls. He is the one we can run too with any problem, hurt, anger, addiction, loss, etc. He is the much needed expert in our everyday lives. He spent His time on earth healing, fixing, saving and redeeming the lost and the broken. Who better to reach out to than the one who gave His very life for you? There is no other who can love you more, want more for you, or has given the most for you. Do you know that He is only a prayer away? He does not ask you to fix or change yourself on your own. He only asks that you seek Him and allow Him into your heart so He can help you overcome whatever you're facing. Give Him the authority to step in and make the necessary changes. He gave everything He had for you. He wants you to have nothing but the best. Do not continue trying to "fix it" alone. Run straight into the arms of your Lord and Savior and let Him handle the "Emergency Repairs" you need help with today.

"I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.” You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.” You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life." 

Lamentations 3:55-58

"And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, "Peace be unto you." Luke 24:36

"And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."

Luke 24:38-39 

"The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace." 

Psalm 29:11

The Mystery In The Castle

I'd heard about an old castle that sits along the shoreline of Laguna Beach CA. Wanting a little weekend adventure...we headed down the coast in search of it. It was a little tricky to find, nestled below the cliffs. We followed a trail hidden between two large beach homes.

As we rounded the corner and walked toward the tide pools we spotted it. A very narrow, tall castle right at the edge of the cliff. To my delight the heavy metal door at the back was open.

I wanted to explore and see what was at the top of the old wooden spiral staircase. I went inside trying to coax my hubby to come too, (he's claustrophobic & wasn't too excited.)

 He hung back as I quickly rounded the first flight of stairs, only to hear voices echoing below me, "You can't go up there...that's our home!" I heard my hubby say, "Ya right!" as he proceeded to follow me. "NO, REALLY...that IS our home!!" they shot back. I stopped, reluctant to head down...wanting to make a break for it up to the top and act like I never heard them. But I didn't. Disappointed and a little angry that my adventure was halted, I slowly walked down and out of the dark stairwell. Two young teenagers, a blonde girl and boy, nicely dressed, (with their standard Orange County expensive name brand clothing on) were waiting for us. I said, "What's up there? That's really your home? Is it one small little room at top or something?" I couldn't believe anyone could live in that narrow space at the top.

They laughed and said, "NO, DUMMY"...(okay, they didn't really say dummy but I thought their tone reflected it)...it's a staircase that leads up to the top of the cliff and our home's up there," pointing to a large white house overlooking the cliff.  A little flustered at being laughed at and feeling dumb for having gone up there, I was happy to hear my husband say, with a bit of an attitude, "Well why don't you lock it then?" The girl said, "Because it only locks from the inside." With that we headed to the tide pools. Walking away to their chuckling behind us.

Well that was it...they had set me off. I started with, "Spoiled little rich kids!" and then proceeded with my best English accent "That's our home! You're not allowed up there PEASANTS!" My hubby laughed. We continued to explore the beautiful beach and I calmed down. Later, we headed back toward the castle to where we'd left our things on the beach when my hubby told me that a man who was now standing out in front of the door as we walked by said, "They'll find out what's up there when they get sued!" 

Oh no he didn't! That set me off again as I walked faster, but then caught myself for a moment and decided to pray for them to find Jesus Christ and that they'd allow Him into their hearts. Believe me it wasn't easy! By the time we'd reached the wall overlooking our things I'd started back up with my English accent comments again. A few minutes later, my hubby said, "Shhhh, the lady next to you is with them." There was an entire beach & she came and sat next to me?

Notice "Barbara" in the background getting ready to sit by me.

Yes...there it was, I was getting reprimanded for judging, talking about them and my attitude. Heavenly Father sat that lady right down next to me. I had an appointment with MYSELF! I needed to be shown that things are not always as they appear and that my poor, sometimes judgmental attitude was still lingering inside of me waiting to pop out.

Well I struck up a conversation with "Barbara," asking her about the castle. I nervously laughed as I told her that I just wanted to go exploring and had no idea it was private property. She was so nice and friendly. She told me all about the history. It had been built in 1926 as a way to get down to the beach from the dangerous cliffs. Bette Midler had once owned the house. They get a big tax break because it's a historic landmark. Her brother married the lady who owns the house. She told me about herself, her kids and mentioned her brother was an atheist.

So there it was...PRAYER for the lost. I had said a quick prayer for him in my anger, but he needed more. He didn't need me to respond in judgement...he needed love. In my pride and anger I needed to get over myself and show more of Christ in me to others. I needed to work on responding in loving kindness instead of reacting. I thought I'd become so good at this until...the castle. Sometimes when our old nature rises up, it's a reminder of the things you need to lay at the Lord's feet. Asking Jesus to take it out of you and allowing Him to help you change.    

Barbara and I sat talking for a very long time. She gave me so much interesting information and history on the castle and the home at the top of the hill. Much more than anything I would have found by reaching the top of the castle stairway.

The adventure I'd been seeking was more than what I'd hoped for. I stumbled, but was able to get up, brush myself off, learn, embrace, pray and remember not to see things through my own limited viewpoint. I need to remember to pray for God's widsom to see things through HIS eyes and not my own.
 
We are all a work in progress. We need the loving kindness of Jesus Christ throughout our day, to guide us into ALL TRUTH so that we can be effective and go out and do HIS WILL and not our own.

1 Corinthians 15:58

1 Corinthians 16:13