Living Sacrifices

Several weeks ago I went for a run with my dogs.  It was a beautiful day and I was feeling strong and empowered running with my worship music on.  I was less than a tenth of a mile from my front door and BAM! I landed on my hands and knees.  First, I looked around to see if anyone saw me fall.  Next, I looked to see if my dogs were going to run off and leave me lying on the road.  Finally, I yelled, “God you’ve gotta be kidding me!”

It was a pretty bad fall.  I ended up going to the doctor 4 days later because I was in so much pain.  What’s interesting to me is the process of how I responded to my fall.  First, I looked around to see if anyone was watching because I was so embarrassed of my clumsiness.  Honestly the reason I was embarrassed is because moments before I was feeling strong like I could conquer the world.  I mean I was listening to praise music so it wasn’t all about me.  I had God somewhat involved….Right???  Next, I looked to see if my running buddies were going to stay true to me and remain by my side, because in the end its all about your friends being loyal….Right???  Finally, I yelled at God.  Why would he let me fall so hard when I was doing something healthy for Me?  I mean God says we are to be healthy and take care of our bodies, but for whom?  Me, Right???

The answer to all my questions are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!  The scripture God brought to me today is Romans 12:1 “to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

After my encounter with the pavement that day, God spoke to me and said, “Run with strength.  Walk with confidence.  Fall with humility.  Reach with trust.  But make sure you are running, walking, falling, and reaching for only ME.”

So my question to you today is, who are you living life for when trying to take care of yourself?  Is it for God, you or someone else?

 

 

How BIG is God?

Who else has held the oceans in his hands?  Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?  Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?  Isaiah 40:12

I’m a visual learner most of the time, so when I cannot see something clearly I have a difficult time understanding and believing the truth.  All these years I’ve heard the words, “Our God is a great big God.” and then the next thought would enter my mind, if he is so big I gotta have faith, right?  But the truth of the matter is sometimes I would agree and believe that statement, but most of the time I really didn’t feel that truth deep in my soul.  And when I don’t have that deep sense of conviction in my spirit my faith is pretty shaky.

I am currently reading Sun Stand Still by Pastor Steven Furtick and this morning on page 99 I had a revelation, an “aha” moment, the light bulb finally came on in my visual mind!  Pastor Furtick wrote, “Our God spoke the universe into existence, then he stooped down and measured it with his hand (Isaiah 40:12).”  And finally, I saw a new perspective of God!  I pictured God so incredible enormous, standing over our entire universe holding our earth in the palm of his hand.  It has taken me 37 years to see God from this perspective.  I finally realized I’m just a spec on this earth and God can handle ANYTHING!  We are in his hands and I choose to believe He is BIG enough to handle any obstacle, fear or failure I face in my life. So I have to ask you, how BIG is God to you?

Recipe for Humble Pie

The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.  Proverbs 15:28

Let me start with a deep confession.  God has been saying to me, think before you speak my entire life!  It all started in elementary school.  Every report card read, “Linda talks too much in class.”  Honestly, I resented that all my teachers had the same thing to say about me.   Sometimes I get so passionate about what is in my heart that my brain checks out and my mouth runs the show.

Recently at my church during the Code Orange Revival one of the guest preachers said something like your heart could be right, but your mind can be wrong.  Well, since hearing that revelation God has given me too many opportunities to live this out in my life and as a result I’ve developed a recipe for Humble Pie!

Take 1 Large Heart for Christ and sprinkle it with a self-righteous mind and you will have the perfect Humble Pie.

I wish I could put a WARNING label on it and say DO NOT EAT.  But the truth of the matter is all of us are just like Adam and Eve.  The enemy convinces us that we do not have a self-righteous mind and we can “…distinguish good from evil!” Genesis 3:5 When we eat a piece of the Humble Pie it will result in heartache.  But the truth of the matter is we all need a piece of the pie from time to time to make sure our heart and mind are in alignment with God’s truth and will for our life.  In order to grow in Christ we have to fall down so as we are standing back up we reach for God to get our balance.  What will you do when you eat a piece of the pie?

What do you do with God’s miracles?

I was recently at a dentist appointment when the hygienist said to me, “I would not want the responsibility of being a living walking miracle.”  Of course her hands were in my mouth so I couldn’t respond at that moment, so I just took a deep sigh and rolled my eyes.  I thought to myself, you’re right it is a big responsibility.  It just so happened to be day #1 of the 12 days Code Orange Revival at my church, Elevation.  Over the past 12 days God spoke to me in such a powerful way that I will never be same person I was before the revival.

I had been living my life with a cloud of condemnation over my head since God performed that miracle in the hospital.  There were so many times I would share my story of God’s divine intervention on my life and all the while in the back of my mind I would say, “Who am I to be a walking testimony of God’s miracles?”  I really never felt worthy of His grace and mercy on my life, until experiencing the 12 days of revival, earnestly seeking His presence.  In Matthew 6 : 7 & 8 it says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened.”  Honestly, after being miraculously healed I had not sacrificed enough time seeking God so that he could speak loud and clear to my heart.  Now that I have learned what it means to truly seek God’s presence I have found the greatest gift imaginable, FREEDOM.  I no longer have a cloud of condemnation, but a beautiful open free mind to receive his blessings in my life.  My spirit and mind are free to move even closer in my relationship with Christ.

Another truth in all this is every single person on earth is a living walking miracle.  Every day that we live is a miracle!  So I ask you today, what do you do with God’s miracles?

About Linda’s FROG Blog

The FROG blog was created from several inspirations in my life.  I started journaling over eleven years ago when I started on my quest to really know the Lord and to discover my true authentic self.  When journaling, I feel the closest to the Lord and that is when He speaks clearly to my heart.  I found my mother-in-law’s journal after she passed away from cancer almost five years ago.  Seeing her words on paper in her own handwriting is the greatest gift she could have ever given me.  When I was diagnosed with cancer, not only did I journal personally, but I shared my journal publicly with family and friends.  This created a communication and bond that provided love and understanding for us to travel together on an amazing spiritual life changing journey.

In the early morning I seek God in reading his word, the bible.  He gives me scriptures for the day that direct my steps in the way I am to live.  I start by writing a scripture in my journal that He has laid on my heart and then I journal to him.  Next, I write what I feel He is speaking to my spirit and search His word again to find a verse that states what He spoke to me.  I refer to these scriptures throughout the day to stay focused on His will for my life.

I am taking a leap of faith to share with you how I FROG (Fully Rely On God) each day!  I dedicate my Frog Blog to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I pray the Lord will open my mind and spirit each time I write this blog.  Use my words to glorify only You Lord.  My life is not about me, but only about living in You so your light and love will shine on others to give them hope.  I come to you with a humble and open heart to be your hands and feet in a broken world.

In Jesus Name,

Linda — Peace FROG