Tag: faith

Wisdom Seekers

Karla Lees

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5 (NIV)

The quest for knowledge can become a fact finding mission without an end, unless you know the right place to search.

I am married to a man who is my complete opposite. As a science brained person, he loves logical progression as he acquires knowledge (a+b=c). As an artsy creative type person, I love to use my senses and intuition to learn. We have been known to frustrate one another because we cannot explain ourselves so that the other gets what we are saying.

As newlyweds this caused a great deal of friction in our marriage.

Until I discovered this verse in James, and realized if we were ever to understand one another, we would need the Holy Spirit to help us communicate.

It takes His wisdom to show us what is behavioral, and what has been hardwired into our design.

God has never failed to shine His truth and wisdom on any situation where I have first waited for Him to speak.  

Heartbreaking, traumatic or at a crossroads—whatever the circumstance—His wisdom was the exact fit for what I needed to know, and for where I needed to go from there.

I can honestly say I am still married today because of God’s wisdom, love, grace and guidance through some very turbulent waters.

Pause and Apply:  Do I tend to leap before thinking? What do I need to bring before God so He can speak wisdom into it?

Prayer:  Lord, You give the gift of wisdom to all who ask. I am asking today. Help me navigate the choppy waters ahead in a way that pleases You.

The post Wisdom Seekers first appeared on Remade.
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let God love the hell out of you

Karla Lees

Do yourself a massive favor and let God love the hell out of you. Then love yourself as much as He does. It will change your life forever. Kris Vallotton

I needed this word this morning.

I can so relate to what Kris Vallotton shared on his blog today: http://krisvallotton.com/what-is-your-love-lid/

Because I too try to lessen my value to a dollar figure, instead of accepting the gift of eternal value I have by being His Beloved.

And I don’t walk out my true value most days, because I am too busy playing into the enemy’s scheme to keep me focused on what I lack instead of what I have in Him.

In God?

I am wanted.
I am chosen.
I am signed, sealed, & delivered into freedom.
I am paid for in full.
I am Beloved.
I am the apple of His eye.
I am His delight.
I am His Bride.

I need to remind myself of my true value too, more often than I can to admit.

I too need to ask God to love up on me, to so overpower me with His love that the hell is literally shoved out when it encounters His love.

And let’s face it, hate doesn’t like to leave anywhere it has burrowed into, does it?

Yes, I said hate.  Because hell is really about those who hate His creation, and the Creator.

Hell? It’s filled with fallen angels, serving their false god. And one day it will be filled with souls that failed to bend the knee before God.  Who refused to accept the only thing that could keep them from their final destination, apart from Him.

Love can make all the difference.

And it starts with accepting that we are valuable enough to be loved.

Especially by our Maker, who rules over Heaven & earth, and holds the keys to set everyone free from the road to hell if they accept Him.

I am not the same mess within as I was when God first met me.  I thank Holy Spirit for leading me as I take each thought captive before Him, before I accept what it says.

I am no longer on the highway to hell.

His love has literally scared hell’s grip on me and cast it out forever.

I am on the pathway to meet God face to face, and live in the comfort of His embrace for all eternity.

On the days when I am bloated, sick or discouraged, I need this reminder: 

His love has changed me forever.
I have a purpose, plan and a future in His hands.

Beloved, may you too allow Him to soak you in the waves of His love, until all you see is His face beaming at you!

When you have steeped enough in His love, you will be able to accept it as your true value and walk in the confidence of bring His Beloved.

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lean into Hope

Karla Lees

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His timing is perfect.

The Max Lucado quote above jumped out at me last Sunday night, again yesterday morning, and won’t leave me be.

This morning, I awoke to the beginnings of a migraine. and this quote jumped back out to me, yet again.

I choose to believe it’s God reminding me of the truth it contains.

Lean into Hope.

God knows we need a shoulder to lean on and strong arms to hold us. That’s His job. Ours is to learn in at all times, trusting He is there for us. No matter what.

Heed the call of heaven.

We can’t find our path through the storms without His light showing us the way through. We may not be able to see our way, but if we are listening for His voice, we can hear His direction guiding us onwards.

Press into the Promises.

Our God is the God of Promise. What He says will happen, will.
What He says He will do, He will.
The precious promises He has wrapped throughout the Bible are there for us to wrap our hearts about when things are bumpy, painful or seemingly exhausted of hope.

These three short sentences all have something in common, besides all being penned by the same man.

They are all calls to action.

We need to choose to do these three steps in order to keep our equilibrium during the storms.

Because God is waiting for us to lean, heed and press in to Him.

He can’t do those steps for us.

He can be with us when we accept His reminders and invitations to come…

Lean on the arms which never tire, heed His loving voice speaking hope and life, press in to our ever present never shaken Rock.

He is the strength we need.
He is the love we crave.
He is the foundation we long for.

You do remember He adores you? Always has, always will?
No matter what?

Choose Hope, Beloved.

Every day, every time, every season.

For He alone will never fail to rekindle our hope when we put our faith and trust in Him.

Do you overcome your problems or do you let them overcome you?

Karla Lees

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Some people are overcome by problems. Others overcome problems. -Max Lucado

Which kind of people are you?

Do you sink down overcome when things get tough or do you rise to overcome?

Everything could overcome you if you let it, for this is an amazing world full of both wonder and wildness.

Full of people who can rub us the wrong way, situations which are designed to topple us by an almost unseen enemy, and full of the God of wonders – all at the same time.

Which are you allowing your focus to be fixed upon? The created or the Creator?

We can overcome anything when we know:

1. Who we are.

We are the Beloved of Christ. We are the apple of His eye, the delight of His heart, the Bride He longs for.  We are His family, the ones He free back Home, made whole and set on fire to share the wonder of our newness with the world around us.

2. Who to turn to.

The God of all Creation, over all things made and unseen, this God is not a hands off type being who rules without any consideration for anyone other than Himself.

All He does for His Beloved flows out of the love He has for her.

For you and for me.

He promises so many times in the Scriptures He is with us, becuase He knows how often we may need that reminder when the hard times come.

Because of Him, we can overcome.

The end of the story of humanity has already been recorded and written for all to read, learn and believe.

God wins, the enemy doesn’t.

God overcomes, forever and ever!

We too can overcome when we invite Him to battle for us.

It doesn’t matter what you are facing, but whose face you are focused upon….

You can look to yourself to overcome, but we all know deep down we are only able to handle so much on our own.

You can keep your eyes fixed on the enemy’s moves, and become overworked as you stand in fear.

Or you can fix your eyes on God’s loving face. Cry out to Him, the One who is able to do all things, make the miraculous happen in the blink of an eye, sends His angels to protect you, covers you in the blood of Jesus and indwells you by the Holy Presence of God Himself, Holy Spirit.

When we begin to feel overwhelmed, fall to your knees.
Not because you are admitting defeat, but to show the enemy you refuse to bend the knee to any other than God Himself.

Ask Him to invade the situation with all He has for you to make it through, not only to endure but to overcome in His strength.

Then stand in that strength, the strength of His might, and walk over and through those problems.

Because you know He’s got you covered.

And because He is with you, you will overcome.

If the waves seem too high today, the debt load crushing or the relationship too far gone for human intervention, He is waiting for you to welcome Him into your problems.

He delights, as any good father does, in helping His children, in showering blessings on His Beloved.

With Him at your side, you will overcome.

faith in action

Karla Lees

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For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.  James 2:26

Life cannot exist when the body and the spirit are separated.

Both are needed for life to happen.

Faith without works isn’t alive.
It too is dead.

The spirit may be willing, but if your flesh isn’t following suit, you don’t get it done.

Our faith is to represent the living God we serve.

Everywhere, serving everyone, every moment.

If we are followers of Jesus, we are to do as He did. We are to go everywhere we are lead and serve everyone He asks us to — every opportunity we can.

Faith in action comes alive.

Today, ask Him to awaken your desire to have a living faith which permeates every area of your life.

Let faith arise, and may those around you be blessed as you follow where He leads you to be His hands and feet to all He loves.

This post first appeared as a Drop of Encouragement at Remade Community today.

on course

Karla Lees

People lose their way when they lose their why.

– Michael Hyatt 

You & I have something that millions of people out there do not have and long for.

We know our why.

We know why we are here.

We know who made us.

We generally know what He desires for us, and when we spend time with Him. we begin to learn what He wants for us in the moment, right where we are.

We know His love, His blessing, His grace & mercy, His forgiveness, His restoration.

When you know the One who made you, and why you are here, you can walk confident along the way He has for you.

When we know our Why, we can walk His way.

We are here because He purposes each of us to be.

Each of us has a way to walk which He has planned for us, while He walks alongside us.

Our Way is not just a destination but a person.

Jesus said to him, “I am the Way, and the truth, and the life. 

John 14:6

He is not only the way back to God, He is the reward we get to enjoy forever at the end.

When we live our life the way He long for us to live, we know our why….

Being in relationship, walking, with Him.

When we know the Way, our why, we can make it through the hard times of questions, grief and doubt which can take us over & try to suck us under.

Because He’s got us through it all.

Our Way never lets go of His whys.

Each of us is why He died & rose again.

Jesus was able to walk the path He had to take for our redemption because He knew His why.

And it was you & I.

Let’s follow in His footsteps, deepening our faith as we walk, knowing we are His why & He alone is our Way.

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5 things about falling stars

Karla Lees

It is hard to go for long without hearing about another star or icon coming crashing down from the heights they had been raised to.

Whether a failed marriage or a more secret sin, millions of people find delight in discussing the fall of the stars.

While God’s heart breaks over the same situation.

I am gonna take a leap here and share a few things I have learned about God, and how He feels about the falling stars.

1. God doesn’t take delight over our falls.

Nope. I don’t think He liked having to kick satan, one of His creation after all, and his followers out of Heaven, coz the God I know doesn’t delight over our consequences for our bad choices.  He delights when we draw close to Him & choose His way.

God’s heart breaks over each woman battered, each person with a broken heart, each man fired unjustly, every person left homeless, each outcast.

Which leads me to point #2.

2. God never stops loving us, despite all we have done.

Because He so loves whom He created.

He has never stops reminding us so since Adam & Eve.

His love does not mean He agrees with our behavior, it means He loves us despite all we are capable  of doing.

3. God never stops offering those who fall a nail scarred hand up.

Never.

His grace is available for all, regardless of what they have done.

Coz He wouldn’t be all encompassing love if He left one of us out.

His love isn’t conditional upon our behaviour, His backing us is.

When we choose His ways, He blesses us.

When we don’t choose His ways, He continues to offer a hand & shine His light on the right path, but waits for us to admit our wrong & take hold of His hand.

4. There is nothing that has been done God cannot forgive.

Nothing.

And we are capable of some nastiness underneath our outer shells, aren’t we?

Because many of us have become great actors to cover up the ugliness lurking below the surface.

5. There is hope right to the end.

I firmly believe God never stops offering His love to us.  I believe in that split second before the end, God may make one last attempt to offer us His hand of love. 

Because I believe His love is that amazing, that loving.

Because He never stops loving us, ever.

Everything those of us who fall publically, like the Bill Cosbys and those who take our secrets to the grave.

Today, there are four things He is putting on my heart for us to do:

1. Ask Him to help you see those in public office, sports or the arts for who they really are,  people just like you & I who happen to have high profile jobs.

2. Pray for those you read about in the news who have fallen, that they would see the Light who is reaching out to them. 

3. Pour out your sin, worries & heart before Him.  Let Him wash you clean, and rekindle His love in your heart. 

4. Go out & shine that Love wherever you go, for each person you encounter needs Him whether they know Him yet or not.

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Sunday Psalm: Worthy

Karla Lees

I crawl
humbly towards Your throne
on my knees
before You
Mighty God,
Maker of the Heavens & Earth,
my head bowed low
as I approach.

Overwhelmed
by Your beautiful Holiness,
Majesty & Mighty.
All glory, honor,
praise & adoration
belongs to You!

No sooner have i entered
Your Presence
then You rush towards me
to lift me with gentle
nail scarred hands,
bringing me to my feet
as You wrap Your strong arms around me
reminding me with a whisper
& a glance
that I am Yours
and You are mine.
No more fear, stain or shame
are allowed to keep me
from standing before You,
Your bride
presenting herself
to her Groom,
the Lover of her soul.

Only the One who is worthy
can make me worthy
to come into His Presence.
Only the blood of the Lamb
can cover & coat me
in His worthiness.

You are worthy of all I have to give
and beyond, God.
I stand tall
as You envelope me
with Your Presence
as Your Spirit breathes within,
and Your Son announces me
as His Beloved before all.

This is where I belong,
and I wholeheartedly
accept the hand of the One
who wants to lead our dance
into eternity.

#SundayPsalm

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God is…unconditional

Karla Lees

God so loved the WORLD (and each one living on it) that He gave up His only Son, Jesus, to die for ALL their wrongs & mistakes and make them whole again. Anyone who believes in Jesus & accepts this love giving gift will become His Beloved, forever.

John 3:16 (paraphrase mine)

Your name’s  included.

The truth we try to talk ourselves out of when we think what we did was so terrible, God must have made an exception and excluded us.

Not so, Beloved.

Each person ever’s name is on His love list.

His love is unconditionally offered.

No strings attached.

It just needs to be received.

What good is an engagement ring left in its box in your dresser drawer, never opened.

It would hard to know your fiance loves you if he left your ring to be randomly discovered whenever.

God isn’t like that at all.

His love unconditionally pursues each and every one of us, all of our days.

Always.

He takes in the tax collectors, fishermen, rabbi rejects, accountants with hidden agendas, murderers, stutterers, foreigners, prostitutes…those who all have brokenness & great need of Him.

He accepts what they have to bring.

Unconditionally.

When Mary sister of Martha came & broke the expensive jar of exquisite perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet with it, mixed with her tears? She offered her best to honor the One who not only saved her brother from the grave, but was headed to the cross to take all our sin upon Himself, without condition. 

She understood what all those who sat at that same table missed…

Unconditional love deserves unswerving love, offering & devotion in return.

Today, soak in the knowledge that you are included in His plans for this world. Your name is written in His hands, upon His heart and unconditional love glows in His eyes as He looks at you. May you never lose sight of this truth the rest of your days.

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tick off the to-do list

Karla Lees

There is almost nothing more satisfying to an organizer than. being able to check an item off their to-do list.

Organizers naturally love to make lists, and I am sure this characteristic has its perfect mirror in God. 

Because He didn’t just make the planet, He planned it.

I have a tendency to plan and tenaciously just stick to it.  Which we all need to do to a certain extent in the face of adversity, but can become a problem when God is calling you to hand it over.

That’s right. Just coz we planned it doesn’t mean it was always His plan for us.

You see, God knows life is about to happen.  That project deadline gets moved up, your child gets sick, your pay cheque is a little lighter than usual, the car has a flat.

And if we insist on same old, same old we can miss the blessings God has for us when we are willing to hand our plans over so He can unfurl His.

I have been experimenting with handing my day over to God this past two weeks.  I had to take a stand I wasn’t comfortable with, and release my fear & desire to be in control into His more than capable hands.

You know what? I am way less stressed and more content once God got me out of my way.

When I go where He leads, I join the current’s flow of what He is doing.

I have been building spiritual whitespace (grateful thanks to Bonnie Gray for penning that phrase) into my life, and writing in pencil (figuratively) as I wait for God to reveal His plan for my day.

Because He knows the plans He has for me in full, I can trust Him in the now to lead me along the proper path to arrive where He intends me to be in the future.

My to-do list may be filled with serving, but my time is best served when He writes my day in His hand.

So I use my time blessing those He wants me to bless, in His timing, for His plans, for His glory.

Join me as together we let go of the lie that we are in full control over our day. Thank Him for this new day He has gifts us with.  Ask Him to write the day He has planned for us in our hearts.  Follow where He leads.

The to-do list we are to be most interested in is His, always. 

Time after time, into eternity.

Tick tock goes the clock.

My life in Your hands,
my gifts & times Yours.

So tick off your earthly to do list as you must, while you press in moment by moment & allow Him to interrupt you with the to-do list of Heaven.

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