The Power of Words

Photo Credit: Dayna Bickham CC License 

In the beginning...God said...and there was....

Words.

They have the ability to create and the ability to destroy. They are powerful. This is one way we are like God: our words form our world.

Words also have the amazing ability to linger. They can linger like a sweet perfume if they are positive, or linger like an offensive flatulence.

"You're not good enough." 

"You'll never make it." 

"You won't amount to much." 

"You're not special." 

Words grip our heart, and if we take them in, and do not call them what they are then we open ourselves up to the destruction they bring.

These kinds of words destroy our identity, they destroy our confidence, they kill our hope. They rob us of our future.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy..." John 10:10a

Words like these are the darts of our enemy: fiery and sharp, they are meant to wound, maim; even to kill.

How do we counteract these words? How do we avoid the darts and the farts?

1. We say what God says about us.
2. We pray for our eyes to see what God sees.
3. We actively build our faith. (Faith as a shield: it can withstand any dart)

Do you know the second part of the verse from above?

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10b

Through Jesus you can have life. You can have joy. There is no reason to live under the weight of those destructive words anymore!

So now, I want to challenge you. Women, take a pen. Write it down. You are who God says you are.  Now begin to say this anytime you "hear" those words that have hurt you, that the enemy uses to destroy you.

"I am the righteousness of God in Christ. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am designed and unique. i am chosen. I have a purpose. I am full of life. Living waters flow out of my belly. I am beautiful. I am a child of the King!" 

I wrote mine down: on my body. It will wash off in a few hours. But I am reclaiming some the territory that Satan has claimed as his, and I am not letting him win any longer.

I am also praying this prayer, won't you join me?

Father, let my words and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You. Let me see myself as You see me, and forgive me for beating up on Your child, and letting the enemy do the same. I will take Your side from now on. I will say what You say. I will chose to believe what You say concerning me. When I struggle, when I fail, bring me back in line with You once again. Give me a soft heart and a firm faith. In the name of Jesus! Amen. 

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Give God a Reason

The Wrap Up

We have been learning about confidence. Trusting in God to take care of us, the situations we walk through and the future are just some of the topics we have covered. 

One thing we haven’t covered is this: can God have confidence in us? 

Can God trust you? 

That is a big question, and frankly it intimidates me. God is a holy God and I have never wanted to disappoint Him, though I have fallen short over and over. 

So what does the Bible say about this? 

Let’s look at the story of Abraham, Isaac and a Contract (read the story here) 

Abraham had been serving the Lord for years. In his old age he was given a son by his wife Sarah, whom they called Isaac. This child was a promised child, a gift in their old age and the beginning of the nation of Israel. Just not yet. 

First God wanted to test Abraham. God was testing Abraham’s love, faith, trust, and his free will. 

God tested Abraham’s love. --- This was prelaw. There were no 10 Commandments yet. There were other idols and gods being worshipped. Abraham was called out of the Chaldeans, known for their worship and veneration of the stars and planets. God needed to know that there was nothing between Abraham and Him: not even a son. Every step he took toward that mountain was walked because Abraham loved the Lord. 

God tested Abraham’s faith. --- After God told Abraham to go sacrifice his son He said “on a mountain I will show you”. This three day trip had to be emotionally excruciating for a father. He prepared everything. He struck out. Crossing desert and closing in on a mountain range. Where would God step in? 

He had to be thinking: ‘Surely God would not kill my boy- the one He promised to me years ago.’ 

When Isaac asked where the sacrifice was, Abraham could only answer, “God will provide”. 

He kept the faith. 

God tested Abraham’s trust in Him. --- He raised the knife. Knowing that if he followed through with it, God would provide a miracle for his son and for him. He determined in his heart to follow through in obedience and for that reason, God stayed Abraham’s hand. Abraham trusted God, and it was counted as righteousness. 

God tested Abraham’s free will. --- At any time Abraham could have said no. God had already promised Abraham a son. God had delivered on that promise. But love, faith, trust, have no power unless they are given of our free will. Abraham chose God over his son, over his doubt, over his pain, over his circumstances. Abraham chose God. 

So what did God do in return? He chose Abraham. 

God provided where there was no provision. He changed Abraham’s mourning into celebration. God honored Abraham’s faithfulness with an even bigger promise. 

The Contract 

And God said to Abraham: 

“I give my word as the Lord that because you did this and didn’t hold back your son, your only son, I will bless you richly and I will give you countless descendants, as many as the stars in the sky and as the grains of sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies’ cities. All the nations of the earth will be blessed because of your descendants, because you obeyed me.” 

Just seconds before this, Abraham thought his son would soon be dead. Now, because he chose God, God was choosing him to be the father of a nation. Through this nation, (the 12 tribes of Israel) came Jesus, the Savior of the World, by whom all nations of the earth are blessed. 

Because Abraham chose God, God chose Abraham, and through him began a blood line that would birth the King of Kings. 

So what trial are you going through? What thing has God asked you to do that seem so hard? Think of Abraham and choose well. 

Give God a reason to trust you. 

Have you ever had a test of your faith?


This tandem series on CONFIDENCE is a joint effort between Dana Pittman and Dayna Bickham. Both Dana and Dayna blog about life, grace, and God’s love and plan for you. To follow this series, visit here to learn more.

Three Practical Steps to Self-Confidence

We have been talking about confidence and I cannot let the series go by without talking about self-confidence. 

There is room in this life to trust in our own abilities at times. This is what self-confidence is: trusting in our self. 

There is however a caveat: self-confidence should always reflect the Jesus in you. 

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

1. Remember where your strength lies. 

When we rely on our own ability we sometimes forget to rely on Jesus. This is a dangerous place to be. It puffs us up, we can become proud and God will not allow pride to last long. He longs for a humble and contrite heart. 

God is high and lifted up. He lives forever. His name is holy. He says, “I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and sorry for their sins. I will give new life to those who are humble in spirit. I will give new life to those who are sorry for their sins. Isaiah 57:15

2. Understand God has gifted you with talents and abilities. 

Sometimes, in order to try to be as holy as we can, we throw practicality out the window. This is like throwing the baby out with the bath water: it defeats the purpose. We live in a world where practical and spiritual have to coincide. We must be in this world, not a part of it. 

You have abilities and talents. That may be singing, writing, public speaking, or teaching. It could be crafting, sewing, or cooking. Your talents could be accounting, administrative, or organizational. Whatever your talents, each of us can use those talents and have confidence when we do. 

Why? 

We can have confidence because we know God made us that way. 

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12

We each have something to contribute to the body and to the world. We are fishers of men. Our talents, when used with confidence and guided by the Holy Spirit should act like lures: shiny, impressive, and hunger inducing. 

3. Do everything with excellence. 

Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians3:17 

God left nothing undone. He does nothing half-heartedly. For you He sent His only child to die and take on your sins, and the sins of the rest of the world so that we could live. He gave His best. We need to give ours. 

Cain did not give his best, and God was displeased. God was not displeased with grain as an offering, but that Cain did not pick his best grains to offer to God, he brought God the leftovers. 

Do not do the same with your offerings of talent and devotion. Do everything with excellence. Where you lack, God will supply the rest. 

This is where self-confidence and confidence in God meet. This is where God bestows favor. 

Be faithful in the little things (the things you know how to do) and God will give you bigger better things that challenge you and help you grow. 

How did God make you? What is your special talent? 

If you like this post you may also like: Three Things to know About Confidence , Change Your Perspective, Finding Your Voice, Finding Yourself In Christ Confidence is Tricky, Confidence Changes Everything, and Confidence in Transition

Change Your Perspective

This is a guest post written by Dana Pittman. Dana Blogs at DanaPittman.com.  You can follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

I love the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”. I am not a photographer, except my love of snapping pictures on my morning runs and my children. I realize this quote assumes a lot. The greatest assumption is that we all will see what the photographer sees. But how many of you know that appearances can be deceiving? 

We are well on our way with our confidence series. It caused me to think about my life and why I struggle with godly confidence. My response is a tossup between my faith and trust in God. I believe it is my immediate circumstances that sometimes cause me to doubt.

Have you ever wondered whether God heard your prayers? Whether He realized you are knee deep in mess screaming to get His attention.

A mess usually of my own doing yet in these moments I find myself trusting in my feelings and not God. The picture for me is bleak. I fail to consider God’s track record. I fail to acknowledge, or even consider, God’s presence in the situation.

I am comforted by knowing these situations do not happen often. But I’m not perfect. I merely serve a perfect God.

You see, every new obstacle, challenge or opportunity ups the ante. You go from pea-size…to bean-size…to golf-ball size faith. However, in the transition between the seasons your picture may look unpromising.

Take courage in knowing…looks can be deceiving.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding…
- Proverbs 3:5

Trust God

Trusting in God brings about wisdom. Not knowledge. Knowledge we gain from books and life experiences. Wisdom, I believe, goes much deeper. Wisdom can result from our growing and maturing in relation with God. We can tap into an infinite source of wisdom by tapping into the source.

Trusting God will mean disregarding the circumstances. He said it. He’ll do it. Despite the situation.

Trusting God will mean your circumstances may look hopeless but this is based on your own understanding, not His.

Adjust your Lens

Godly confidence requires you to adjust your lens. You must view the picture--your life--from the prospective of Christ. Because of Him we embody the ability to get a greater understanding…Don’t take my word for it.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind
has conceived what God has prepared for
those who love him"
- 1 Corinthians 2:9

Beloved you may have more bills than money. Trust God. You may find yourself lonely and awaiting the appearance of your mate. Trust God. You may feel like you are about to lose…your…mind.

Trust.

God.

Trust Him because He’s trustworthy.

Adjust your lens and in those moments your perspective will change. That picture will go from limiting to a million possibilities. For it is in that moment you are allowing God to be your confidence.

…the greatest photographer of all time.

Question: How can you change your perspective in a current situation and place your confidence in God?

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This tandem series on CONFIDENCE is a joint effort between Dana Pittman and Dayna Bickham. Both Dana and Dayna blog about life, grace, and God’s love and plan for you. To follow this series, visit here to learn more.

Three Things to Know About Confidence

It is elusive. It is something others have. It is something we all want but secretly fear we will never obtain. 

Confidence. 

That ten letter word has eluded many people and been the bane to even more. 

Just search the word “confidence” on Amazon and you will get over 1300 results. But what does the Word say about confidence? 

Let’s look. 

Job 4:5-7

But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you.

Doesn't your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn't your life of integrity give you hope?

“Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed?

Confidence by definition is “full trust, assurance and certitude”. 

So when we read Job we can see three things about confidence that we may not have seen before. 

1. Confidence comes from our reverence of God.

This is not as easy as it sounds. Real reverence is giving respect and honor, but more than that it is giving a PLACE of honor and respect in our lives. God isn’t just God on Sundays. He wants to be revered and honored every day in your life. When we think something is important we give that thing priority. How would you rank God in your life? Is He number one or are you? Maybe your spouse has slipped into that spot. Maybe your kids have usurped Him in your life. If we really honor God as the most important part of our lives, then this will give us confidence.

2. Confidence can overcome fear.

When trials come, and they will (James 1:1-6) we all face that moment of panic. If left unchecked, that little jump in the pit of our stomach can turn into debilitating fear. Crippling us from reacting, and strangling us with its talons fear can literally choke the life out of us.

I know a 50-something woman, let’s call her Andrea (name changed to protect her privacy) who recently found out she has breast cancer. After a biopsy, they found that the cancer has not reached her lymph nodes yet, (good news!) but they are waiting on pathology to find out if the cancer is aggressive or not. She has experienced tremendous pain from the biopsy, and fear has made her conclude that if the cancer is aggressive she will not take chemo-therapy. She is giving up before she ever begins the fight. FEAR IS DEADLY!

Confidence in God, in His ability to perform His word, in His purpose for you will strengthen your resolve in life. You will no longer be steamrolled by the trials of life, but will count them all joy instead. You will be prepared to stand and fight, knowing that the Great I Am is behind you and no enemy can prosper against you. That is what confidence can do: it makes you more than a conqueror.

3. Confidence renews your hope and gives you heart.

“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalms 18:2

“Now I know that Adonai gives victory to his anointed one — he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand.” Psalms 20:7

“The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” Psalms 34:22

“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.” Proverbs 14:26

 Our hope gets misplaced at times. We think our jobs are what sustain us, or our purpose is only found in the work place or as a wife and mom. These things hold value, but they alone mean nothing. God is our hope. He is our confidence. Trust in Him and the rest will come.

The Bible says faith comes by hearing, but so does confidence. Hear what God is saying to you right now. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. God has plans for you. He will never leave you or forsake you. With Him all things are possible. Build up your TRUST and confidence will come. 

What are your struggles with confidence?

This tandem series on CONFIDENCE is a joint effort between Dana Pittman and Dayna Bickham. Both Dana and Dayna blog about life, grace, and God's love and plan for you. To follow this series, visit here to learn more.

Disclaimer: Some affiliate sites have been mentioned in this blog. 

Self-Confidence vs. Real Confidence

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

Let’s talk about something that seems to be a real problem for a lot of people: confidence. 

Maybe the reason this is a problem for people is because we have believed a lie: confidence is all about believing in yourself. 

Real Confidence is Not About Us. 

We are broken and flawed creatures who in ourselves have nothing worthy. Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of light, the Lord who is love. BUT GOD, who is flawless, and in whom is all our strength and hope, in Him we can have confidence. 

The respect and proper reverence of God (the fear of God) builds confidence! When we truly know that God is the author and the finisher of our faith; He holds the pen that writes our story, and when we worship Him in spirit and truth for His faithfulness to us, then we can know without a doubt that He is worthy of our trust in Him. 

Confidence (Noun) is defined as: full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing or certitude; assurance. 

Confidence is not something that is achieved overnight. 

Arnold in School. Photo credit unknown. 

Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a kid. He was skinny. He did not have the muscles that would one day make him famous. He had chicken legs and big ears. It wasn't until he began exercising and focusing on muscle development that things for him began to change. 

So how do we develop real confidence- the kind that is not found in us, but that relies on who God is in us and what He will do for us? 

                                   We fail. 

Not what you wanted to hear, I know, but until we realize we cannot do everything on our own, we won’t truly understand why we need God in the first place. 

If you are a parent you understand this. When your child is learning to walk, they fall, they scrap their knees: they fail. Your child figures out he cannot walk on his own yet. So your tiny little one holds onto your finger or sits in a walker. This builds their confidence. It brings them balance. We, God’s children, are no different. 

Proverbs 3:5 The Message (MSG) 

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst. Your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this. 

When we are humbled then we look to God for His answers and His way, which are better than our ways and ideas. 

“There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end, that way leads to death” Proverbs 14:12 

The Benefits of Confidence in God 

When we have confidence and trust in God, we free ourselves from anxiety and worry. These things are the opposite of faith. They cripple our relationships and stunt our growth, but if anxiety and worry are staples in your life, then other things like fear and lack, bitterness and envy are probably some of the things you deal with too. I know I do. 

Simple trust breaks the power of worry. Confidence in God to provide, to fight on your behalf, to give you direction, to bring you peace and a fruitful end, this is what God wants for you. 

God doesn't “need” you to have confidence in Him to exist. God is. What God wants is your trust because it helps you. It makes your life easier. It changes your circumstances. When we allow the Spirit of God to dwell in our everyday and we rely on Him, then we can rest and prosper. 

Isaiah 32:16-18 New Living Translation (NLT) 
16 Justice will rule in the wilderness and righteousness in the fertile field. 17 And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever. 18 My people will live in safety, quietly at home. They will be at rest. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says: “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” 

Reflection 

What is one way you can rely on the Lord today and begin trusting Him like never before? How do you build your confidence? 

Sunday Reflection for March 18, 2012

What a wonderful and kind of weird week for me.

First, it was spring break for my girls, and I got to enjoy having them around quite a bit more than usual. We got some spring cleaning done around the house, and the girls had lots of down time.

This week started off with a real shift in me. God has been dealing with my attitudes about money and Living a "Weed" Free Life was the result. Pulling up the weeds that have choked off real growth in our lives can sometime be difficult, and may even come in ways we never expected.

Well, I already mentioned the cleaning this week. Sadly there is still more to do, since I spent some time with the girls, and with friends this week, it is an ongoing project that I feel may never get finished. Everytime I began to get discouraged about cleaning, I remembered what God had spoke to me about my "Launch" pad! I have to master these small areas of discipline before God will launch me into the next big thing.

My Prayer in the night was about more than just solidifying God as my provider, it was about sharing with you those weak moments where He is my focus and the only One who can pull me out of a murky headspace. I want you to be able to see me as I am, all of my warts, so you can know that if God can work with me, He can work with you.

Real Confidence versus Self Confidence came from a text message conversation with my husband this week. After nearly eight years with the same company he is now looking for something new, and that journey for him has been scary. As Christians we cannot operate in fear, but must rest in who God is, what He has already done for us, and what He will continue to do as long as we are faithful to trust Him.

Then I shared with you my most odd moment, the one where God told me to shhhhh! The past two days have been both a challenge and rewarding and I will be sharing more about fasting my words, my mini vow of silence for two days later this week. I hope you enjoy some of the funny things, and the serious things that I learned through this fast.

Finally, A Charge to Pray was this weeks last post and to me one of the most special. Mostly because it was prompted by someone I did not know who shared his personal struggle with an issue over divorce and dealing with his now damaged relationship with his adult daughter on a forum I belong to on LinkedIn. I had commented and linked this blog to my comment and was flooded with questions by many people. John's really stood out to me:

Please pray for me. I am a father who divorced several years ago and was separated physically from my children for many years. While I supported them and their mother well financially I was not there to be a father. I have apologized to both of them for the divorce and have tried to let them know that I love them however, my daughter (now 32) is especially scarred by the divorce. I want so much for her to love me again but I know only the love of Jesus Christ will ever repair the damage I caused. Pray for Beth and pray for me as God works all things for the good of those who love Him.

Blessings,
John 

When I took the time to pray for him right then, leaving my prayer as a comment to his remarks, a spark lit up the forum page. We began praying for one another, and I was reminded what prayer really is: OUR FAITH IN ACTION!

What a privileged it is to serve a God that cares so much for us that He gave us the power of prayer. The ability to call on the Maker of the Universe for anything is awesome, but knowing He hears us and wants to answer is phenomenal!

Monday I will be a guest blogger on http://www.alanknox.net/ and hope you will visit there and check it out. On this page you will find our first ever guest blog and one of the most moving testimonies I have heard recently. While I would love to share with you more, the reading is worth the wait.

So as I wrap up this week's reflections and you catch up on what you may have missed this week, I want to remind you, my dear reader, of one thing, I am here for you. I write so my words are read, I study so I can share God's love and grace with you, and I open my heart and my life in a very real and often embarrassing way so that you can see that God is not an enigma, but the answer to the enigma. 

You are the reason I am here. I may never meet you, but I will pray for you. I may never talk to you, but my fingers fly across this keyboard just for you.


I would love it if, and actually want to encourage you to, leave a comment on a post this week. Drop a line and say hi. This blog has been read in over 55 nations, and in less than three months, I have gone from an average of 15 hits a day to between 50 to 100 hits a day. That is not a lot by most web standards, but by mine it is humbling. God is doing something here and I am so glad you are a part of it.

Reflect on this week, and tell me, did you learn something new about God, and if so, how are you applying that to your life?

Be blessed and be a blessing and remember that reflect is a verb!

Wake me UP!

Jamming out to Natalie Grant today, God used her song Awaken to really speak to me. The Holy Spirit brought this to my memory and I went to read it. Normally I wouldn't pick such a long passage to talk about today, but what a passage…. I promise it will be worth it if you just hang with me through this one.

Mark 5:22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’”

32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”

40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

I just want to point out a few things…

First, Jairus is not just anyone. He is a leader in the synagogue, well known and well off. His name means ‘Whom God Enlightens”, and as we study this passage we will see that he really was. This leader, a prominent man in the city and in the temple found Jesus, and throwing himself down before him, with a great crowd pressing all around, he besought, or called upon Him in exhortation and begged in many ways for Jesus to heal his daughter, who while they spoke was taking her last breath. “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.”

When we look at the Strong’s Concordance at the meaning of hands and live, Jairus essentially said “lay God’s hands, that created the universe and control the destiny of men, on her that she may be healed and will live a real life, full, worthy, active and blessed; endless in the Kingdom of God”. WOW! What a proclamation before all of the people!

What faith and insight into whom Christ was. What revelation! This moved Jesus to meet Jairus’ need. This moved GOD TO ACT! But then, in the middle of Jesus going to heal Jairus’ daughter, it seems like Jesus gets sidetracked. The woman with the issue of blood reaches out to touch his robe, and because her faith is great too Jesus stops and points out her faith for all to hear.(Sometimes our faith reaches out and grabs his attention when He isn’t really expecting it…seems like God like surprises) He could of kept going, but then this woman, who had an issue of blood for years that made her “unclean’ and therefore not allowed in public, would not have received the fullness of all God had for her. Jesus not only healed her, he announced her as whole, cleansed, and restored her to society. Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” God doesn’t do things halfway.

Meanwhile, Jairus received news. His daughter is dead. I don’t know about you, but I would be rocked to my core. That initial shock we all experience when we get news like this is usually followed by unbelief. Think about it. Have you ever immediately responded to news of a death with “I don’t believe it”? But Jesus!!!! He says “Do not be afraid, ONLY believe!” The meaning of that word is this: place your confidence, your trust, and your fidelity (loyalty) in God. Confidence is a part of our mind, will, and emotions (or soul); trust is a heart issue, and loyalty we express in the outward actions of the physical. In one word, Jesus grabs Jairus’ mind, heart and body. O He is faithful. This is the second main point I want to make: He does not leave us even in our darkest hour. He reminds us of WHO He is and WHAT we mean to Him. O how He loves us!

But that is not all! (I sound like an info commercial, but when you’re telling people about Jesus, it is hard to just stop at the good stuff, you have to get to the GREAT stuff!)

Next I want to touch on the circumstances surrounding Jairus when he gets home. Jesus has left all the crowds behind, and brought only a few of His disciples with Him, so that they can both bare witness and join their faith to what was about to happen. When they arrive professional mourners are in full wail, and Jairus’ home is inundated with unbelief. They are a ‘tumult” of activity. You know the kind of activity: noisy, distracting, made by people that think they are helping. These people are detractors, and left unchecked they will rob us of our miracle if we pay attention to them instead of what God says about our situation. DO NOT FORGET WHO IS IN CONTROL!

Jesus was that day and He still is today! He kicked all the well-intending naysayers out and got down to business on behalf of Jairus and his family. “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” That word, ARISE, means Wake UP! Stir yourself, and begin to build a life! She immediately responded. This is what our reaction should be to God when He speaks to us. When we do, the people around us will be astonished, as Jairus and his wife were.

The word astonished in this passage literally means thrown out of place, BLOWN AWAY! And wholly fixed on the DIVINE! When God does a work in us, when He “Awakens” us, and we obey immediately those around us, (and yes, even us), become Blown away by God, and we begin to fulfill what we were made for. To be lights, beacons on a hill: a conduit of God’s manifest love in our immediate little worlds that impact the people around us as they become fixed on the Divine in our lives.

So my prayer is this, (thanks Natalie Grant) “Awaken my heart, awaken my soul, awaken Your power and take control. Awaken a passion to live for You Lord, Awaken me.”

Be blessed and be a blessing, and remember awaken IS a verb.

Confidence Building

OK, I said I would be honest here, and if ever there was a time for that, it is now. I am struggling. I know that there are thousands, if not millions of other blogs out there that have Bible studies. I know there many people better qualified than me to teach, and my resolve and confidence has been shaken. 

As I prayed last night about what to write today, I warred with myself. We do have 2 adversaries in this Spiritual walk with the Lord: the devil, and ourselves. I believe that I was listening way too much to both last night. This is a crisis of faith and to be frank, a lack of trust on my part. So today, I knew when I awoke and began reading that I would have to build my confidence in the Lord, and place my trust in HIM.

The first scripture I searched for was Revelations 12; 10-11a (NLT)

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth- the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony.

Our accuser is a liar and if we believe him we believe lies. He has been defeated, and it is by what Jesus did (by the blood of the Lamb). But I want to talk about our part in his defeat. Since he is a liar, we often allow his deceptions to grab our attention and that is when we lose faith, and trust in God. So how do we overcome him and his lies? BY OUR TESTIMONY! Remembering, and speaking out loud the things God has already done for us. Ok, at this point I am already excited. As one of my friends would say, ‘I am geeking out’ right now. I want to shout, because this gives me confidence.

I was raised in church, but that does not mean I always lived like I should have. In fact, a large portion of my life, both part of my childhood and part of my adult life, was spent running from God and believing I knew better. O how wrong I was. I was a liar. I was an adulteress, I was lost. BUT Jesus! He saved me, my marriage, and my family. He has healed me of my broken heart, and He is continually healing my broken ways of thinking. 

This is just part of my testimony. I remember what He has done for me and I actively attack the accuser with the truth. I am the head and not the tail. (Deuteronomy 28:13) God’s breath of life in me makes me intelligent. (Job 32:8) And God uses the foolish things of the world (like another blog from a girl with no bible degree) to confound the wise. (1 Corinthians 1:27)


God has changed so much in me. I can have confidence that His word will accomplish all He set it out to do. (Isaiah 55:11) I know that He has made me into an honest, tell-it-like-it-is person. I know that He has caused me to walk faithfully through my marriage after both He and my husband forgave me. I know that He will use these things in my life to touch others.

Job 4:6. Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?

Real confidence is not the worldly self-confidence they jam down our throats since grade school. Real confidence is in our faith and reverence, our TRUST, in God. He knows why He gave me this idea, and I have confidence that so long as I am faithful it will do what He meant it for. Be blessed and be a blessing. 

Remember that trust is an action verb.