God Carries You..Annie Yorty

 God Carries You

By Annie Yorty

“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (Isaiah 46:3-4 NLT)

When my daughter was born with Down syndrome over thirty years ago, most of the literature I initially received painted a depressing picture of her future. The basics we take for granted seemed to be in question—good health, speech, cognition, walking, and even more. All would be delayed . . . or maybe would never develop. I’ve since learned the information was outdated, to say the least. Nevertheless, it is true that people with Down syndrome overcome many obstacles as they grow into the amazing people they are.

Because of low muscle tone and loose joint ligaments, Alyssa did not walk at the same time as her typically developing peers. How I stressed as we slogged through years of physical therapy! What if she never walked? How would we manage stairs? Shouldn’t she be able to run and play with other kids?

As a mom who desired nothing but the best for her child, I longed to see her walk independently. After all, as parents, we’re supposed to help our children grow into responsible, independent adults, right? And, to be honest, my arms, shoulders, and back screamed for relief from carrying her growing weight.

Over the years, I’ve learned much about the heart of my heavenly Father from parenting my children, but my human experience, in this case, does not correlate well to God. After I expended massive amounts of energy and time, Alyssa succeeded in walking without assistance. But God doesn’t teach us to walk without Him. In fact, He never expects us to walk on our own at all.

A popular poem called “Footprints in the Sand” (1939, Stephenson) inspires people to recognize how God carries them during the most difficult times of their lives. I appreciate its sentiment, but it gives the impression that God merely helps us when we run out of our own resources. God corrects this misunderstanding in Isaiah.

“I will be your God throughout your lifetime . . . I will carry you along and save you” (Isaiah 46:4 NLT).

Unlike our human parenting goals, our Father’s plan for His children is dependence. He did not design us to grow up and walk without His support. He doesn’t intend for us to do life on our own until we run into trouble that’s overwhelming. But we often buck against this type of continual care. The idea of complete dependence goes against the grain of the American spirit. It runs contrary to human pride. 

In the days of Moses, God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Then they thought they could take care of themselves. As a result, they earned the consequence of wandering in the wilderness for decades. Recounting their history, Moses said, “You saw how the Lord your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, on all of the road which you have walked until you came to this place” (Deuteronomy 1:31 NASB).

We must humble ourselves and admit we are needy.

God continually carries you throughout your life. Do you, like me, sometimes squirm in His arms, itching to get down and walk on your own? I know from experience my self-reliance never ends well. I wind up face-down in the dirt, blubbering over skinned knees and regretting my decision to jump out of Father’s arms. 

That’s when God scoops me up once again. He soothes my hurts and comforts me with the affirmation of His constant love. Cradled safely in His care, I breathe a sigh of relief. This is where I belong.

Sometimes I wonder how God holds the weight of me—and all my baggage—for so long without growing tired. I know, that’s finite human understanding. Because my own body grew tired for those years I carried Alyssa, I suppose that God, too, grows tired. Then I remember God’s wonderful promise from Isaiah.

"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding." (Isaiah 40:28 NLT)

Friend, your Father has a niche in the crook of His arm where you fit perfectly. Settle in and enjoy His constant care.

Intersecting Faith and Life: What beliefs about God or yourself prevent you from relaxing in your Father’s arms?

A Prayer to Die Daily..Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer to Die Daily

By Emily Rose Massey

“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10, ESV). 

As a mom and wife, I am given countless opportunities to set aside my wants and sacrifice my love, time, and attention to the needs of my husband and children. Pouring yourself out like that on a daily basis can sometimes be physically exhausting; I find myself praying for supernatural strength often! Yet, at the end of the day, even though I am tempted to wonder where my “me time” is, my heart is always full. 

This is when I begin to see more clearly what the Apostle Paul meant when he said: “I die daily.” The biblical principle of dying to yourself has always been true, but I didn’t always live it or even understand it. Becoming a stay-at-home mom has challenged me in more ways than I can count in the area of putting others before myself, and I am always learning and finding that it is truly more blessed to give than to receive. 

As Jesus’ disciples, we are called to follow Him. That was Paul’s mission in life – to imitate Christ. And it is what he and the rest of the apostles literally gave their lives to preach to the world through their words and actions. We may not ever get the honor to literally die for Jesus Christ because of our faith in Him, but by God’s grace, we can imitate His selflessness every day. The Apostle Paul emphasizes his great desire to join Christ in His suffering and become like Christ in his daily dying of self:

“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10, ESV).

To be able to imitate Christ and enjoy this kind of fellowship with Him, we must look to Jesus as our example. Even though Jesus was God in the flesh, He still leaned upon God the Father for everything He said and did while He walked this earth. Jesus would rise early to pray and seek God for His will for the day.

In addition to seeking God in prayer, Jesus obediently submitted Himself to the will of the Father, even unto death. Each day, we are faced with the temptation to satisfy our flesh and go outside the boundaries of God’s perfect will. We discover what that will is when we read the Bible and study it for ourselves to learn God’s ways. We are not perfect, but thankfully Jesus was, and because of His sacrifice on the cross, we have been given the precious gift of the Holy Spirit as born-again believers. 

The characteristics of Jesus’ death should be the characteristics of our lives: humility, sacrifice, and glory to God through disciple-making. Ultimately, Jesus did not come to be served but to serve others (Mark 10:45). Jesus ministered to thousands upon thousands of people during His time here on earth. John 22 tells us that if all the things Jesus did were written down, the entire world could not contain the books that would be written! Dying daily definitely isn’t easy, but it is worth it because Jesus promises us that whoever loses his life will find it and find it abundant (Matthew 10:39/ John 10:10)!

But remember, we cannot die daily in our own strength, friends. The Holy Spirit empowers us to choose God’s way through the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). With each passing day, by God’s grace, we mature and cultivate a life worth dying for, a life found in Christ alone! Living like Christ is a continual process of humility and sacrifice. May God empower us to die daily and choose others above ourselves.

Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father,
My flesh wants nothing to do with denying it of anything. I don’t want to experience suffering. But it is in those moments of dying to self that I become more like Christ. Help me to embrace those trials and sufferings so that I may grow closer to You. I want my life to look like Christ’s dying by learning to be humble and sacrificial. Instead of resisting those difficult times, help me to find great opportunities for sanctification to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. Thank You for Your Spirit that empowers me to die daily.
In Jesus’ name, amen.

5 Signs You Are Spiritually Dehydrated..Cortney Whiting

 5 Signs You Are Spiritually Dehydrated

By Cortney Whiting

"Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” - John 7:37b

Recently, I was at the urgent care for what I thought was just strep throat. I was shocked when the nurse told me I was extremely dehydrated. I did not feel thirsty. However, after two IV bags of fluids, I began feeling like a different person.

I believe that it is possible to become "dehydrated" in our spiritual lives without realizing it. Here are five signs that you may be experiencing spiritual dehydration in your own life.

1. Use of bad language

One of the symptoms of physical dehydration is bad breath. Similarly, I think one characteristic of a lack of living water in someone’s life is unwholesome talk. Luke 6:45 states, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (ESV). When we are lacking spiritually, our speech lacks intentionality.

2. Lack of service

When someone suffers from dehydration, they often experience fatigue. In Philippians 1:9-11, Paul’s prayer to the Philippians emphasizes the overflow of love that comes because of their growth in Christ. When we feel spiritually drained, our service is often affected.

3. Easily angered

Lack of an adequate amount of water in someone’s body causes their body temperature to overheat. When we are spiritually dehydrated, a possible symptom is a quick temper (Galatians 5:20).

4. Lack of self-control

One of the extreme symptoms of physical dehydration is muscle spasms. When a person experiences this symptom, their muscles involuntarily contract and cause pain. Likewise, when we experience spiritual dehydration and do not allow the Spirit to control our lives, we lose control over our flesh and allow sin to creep into our lives (Galatians 5:23).

5. Unwise choices

When someone suffers from dehydration, they can sometimes experience light-headedness. A spiritual equivalent can be making unwise choices. I find that when I am not engaged in my relationship with Christ, my decision-making ability suffers. Proverbs 18:1-3 illustrates the destruction of foolishness.

How to Recover from Spiritual Dehydration

Jesus calls the spiritually thirsty to come to him. He asks those who are weak, worn, broken, and in need to come to Him just as they are. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 1 Peter 5:7 instructs us to cast all our anxiety upon the Lord because He cares for us. Considering these verses, I believe that there are several steps we can take when faced with spiritual dehydration.

Come – Jesus wants us to come to Him when we are weary and broken. He does not want us to get our lives back on track before we approach Him. When Jesus ministered on earth, He affected change and then asked that they continue to walk in forgiveness. A perfect life was not a prerequisite to forgiveness.

Drink – Jesus offers us living water through His Word and His Spirit. However, it is up to us to go to the well and drink of the water. There is the saying that states that you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot force it to drink. The same is true for a person’s spiritual walk. Despite others encouragement, it is ultimately up to the one who thirsts to drink from what God offers. As believers, we must continue to remain in relationship with God through prayer, Scripture, worship, service, and fellowship with other Christians.

Rest – So often, Christians try to earn their way into God’s favor by working as hard as they possibly can. However, Jesus reminds us that we can simply rest in Him. Spiritual renewal is often found through learning to be still and recognizing God’s presence in our lives. Brother Lawrence in The Practice of the Presence of God states, “We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”

Trade – Jesus came to earth to trade our sins and sorrows for His glory and grace. Ultimate spiritual renewal is found when we can cast our burdens at the foot of the cross. The resurrection gives us hope that through Christ, we can be more than conquerors. Though the initial step of faith may seem difficult, the freedom and life gained is well worth the trade.

God’s desire for His children is that we have abundant life. In this life, it is easy for us to become spiritually lacking in zeal. Yet, through God’s grace, we can be renewed by coming to Christ, resting in God’s grace, engaging in spiritual disciplines, and trading our sin and sorrow for God’s glory and grace.

A Prayer to Keep God First This New Year..Debbie McDaniel

 A Prayer to Keep God First This New Year

By Debbie McDaniel

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” -  2 Cor. 5:17

Dear God,

Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you for all that you've allowed into our lives this past year, the good along with the hard things, which have reminded us how much we need you and rely on your presence filling us every single day.

We pray for your Spirit to lead us each step of this New Year. We ask that you will guide our decisions and turn our hearts to deeply desire you above all else. We ask that you will open doors needing to be opened and close the ones needing to be shut tight. We ask that you would help us release our grip on the things to which you’ve said “no,” “not yet,” or “wait.” We ask for help to pursue you first, above every dream and desire you’ve put within our hearts.

We ask for your wisdom, for your strength and power to be constantly present within us. We pray you would make us strong and courageous for the road ahead. Give us ability beyond what we feel able, let your gifts flow freely through us, so that you would be honored by our lives, and others would be drawn to you.

We pray that you’d keep us far from the snares and traps of temptations. That you would whisper in our ear when we need to run, and whisper in our heart when we need to stand our ground.

We pray for your protection over our families and friends. We ask for your hand to cover us and keep us distanced from the evil intent of the enemy; that you would be a barrier to surround us, that we’d be safe in your hands. We pray that you would give us discernment and insight beyond our years, to understand your will, hear your voice, and know your ways.

We ask that you would keep our footsteps firm, on solid ground, helping us to be consistent and faithful. Give us supernatural endurance to stay the course, not swerving to the right or to the left, or being too easily distracted by other things that would seek to call us away from a close walk with you.

Forgive us for the times we have worked so hard to be self-sufficient, forgetting our need for you, living independent of your spirit. Forgive us for letting fear and worry control our minds, and for allowing pride and selfishness wreak havoc over our lives. Forgive us for not following your ways and for living distant from your presence.

We confess our need for you… fresh… new… again. We ask that you make all things new, in our hearts, in our minds, in our lives, for this coming year. We pray for your refreshing over us.

Keep your words of truth planted firm within us, help us to keep focused on what is pure and right, give us the power to be obedient to your word. And when the enemy reminds us where we have been, hissing his lies and attacks our way, we trust that your voice speaks louder and stronger, as you remind us we are safe with you and your purposes and plans will not fail. We ask that you will be our defense and rear guard, keeping our way clear, removing the obstacles, and covering the pitfalls. Lord, lead us on your level ground.

We ask that you would provide for our needs, we ask for your grace and favor. We pray for your blessings to cover us, we pray that you would help us to prosper and make every plan that you have birthed in our heart to succeed. We pray that others would take notice of your goodness and could not help but to say, “These are the ones that the Lord has blessed.”

Help us to be known as great givers, help us to be generous and kind, help us to look to the needs of others and not be consumed by only our own. May we be lovers of truth, may the fruits of your spirit be evident in our lives - your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Shine your light in us, through us, over us. May we make a difference in this world, for your glory and purposes. Set you way before us. May all your plans succeed. We may reflect your peace and hope to a world that so desperately needs your presence and healing.

To you be glory and honor, in this New Year, and forever.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.