#217 - Let God WIN Through YOU!

Good morning! :) All is well here in Columbia, SC. I've been meaning to post a "prego" picture....since I haven't gotten around to it, I'll at least give you an update! :) I am almost 33 weeks pregnant.... that means only 5 more weeks until I am full-term (38 wks)....technically 7 more weeks until my due date of October 3rd. Trinity is definitely growing and ACTIVE! She has been kicking a TON. I have had a great pregnancy. Praise the Lord, I haven't been sick at all (I'm redeemed from sickness). Other than the need for the occasional nap, I have been pretty good. Sleeping at night has been a bit interesting. For those of you who have been pregnant, you know what I mean! It's like trying to roll over with a heavy bowling ball on your stomach! Arghhhhh! I must admit, yesterday was quite a day. I commented to Tyler, "If I could just take off my stomach for an hour... or even just a few minutes, that would be so wonderful! I'll put it back on... but if I could just have a quick break. Breath normal, not be so heavy." 5, 6, 7 weeks seem like a long ways away yet to continue to be pregnant. Do I sound like I'm getting antsy? OK... preach to me, I need it! "Amy, enjoy ever step of this time. Don't wish it away. You will soon be in a different phase, taking care of a newborn. Enjoy this time with Tyler Junior and with your husband. This will be the last time Tyler Junior is an 'only child.' Enjoy it." 


Ok.... Ok... good preaching! :) I need to hear it sometimes! :) Well, we are going to get started into the Word. I actually did follow today's scheduled reading and got into the Psalms schedule, so let's go!

Psalm 41:1-3 - BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, to be envied) is he who considers the weak and the poor; the Lord will deliver him in the time of evil and trouble.² The Lord will protect him and keep him alive; he shall be called blessed in the land; and You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. ³ The Lord will sustain, refresh, and strengthen him on his bed of languishing; all his bed You [O Lord] will turn, change, and transform in his illness.

Proverbs 31:20 - She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit]. 

Did you ever realize what POWER there was in helping the poor, needy or weak? I remember hearing my mom tell me about my dad giving money to a man on the street. If I remember correctly I believe they were in California visiting my brother. Where there were homeless everywhere, streets lined with different men and women, hands out, asking for money or food. The question came up, "How do you know they aren't going to use the money for drugs? How do you know they aren't a phony and do this for a living? There are so many of them, everywhere, we can't give to all of them." My dad's response was simple, "We cannot control what they do, we can only control our obedience to the Word." At that moment, my dad had felt led to give to that specific man on the street. From there, it was as if he was lending to the Lord. As it says in Proverbs 19:14, "He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will repay to him." My dad was walking in obedience & a leading he was prompted to follow. 


As we read Psalm 41, we see how GREAT being a blessing and considering the poor really is. Not only is it the right thing to do, but in doing so, the Lord in-turn will sustain, refresh & strengthen us if we are sick, if we come down with something. The LORD will refresh us! The Lord will change & transform the illness to healing! The Hebrew says that it will be overturned, turn about, be reversed, be overthrown! The illness brought on by the enemy will be OVERTHROWN! Boo-yah! God sees. God sees when we give to the poor. God sees when we are kind to the poor. The Proverbs 31 woman opens her hand to the poor. She reaches out to the needy. Whether in body, mind or spirit, she helps them, she offers her assistance, she gives them food, or friendship, whatever is needed. 


If sickness comes upon our body, we can put God in remembrance of His word as it says in Isaiah 43:26, "Put Me in remembrance [remind Me of your merits]; let us plead and argue together. Set forth your case, that you may be justified (proved right)." We can remind God of our merits, our deeds or actions we have done to honor Him. Isaiah tells us to DO IT! We are not being selfish to REMIND GOD. We are putting Him in remembrance of what His Word says. It shows action on our part. It shows that we know His Word. It shows faith & diligence to put Him in remembrance of His Word. Then we are to STAND. Stand on His Word. Stand on His promises. Stand, without wavering. Stand!

My desire, My will is health & wholeness. Don't give up children. Don't give in to the enemy. What the man of God said was true, 'My children give up too easily. They need to fight.' Yes. Fight the good fight of faith, that includes the fight against the enemy. You have everything you need to win. The will to live & the will to win is key. If my children give in to the enemy, they tie My hands. Don't give in to defeat. STAND! Stand! Be strong & courageous  & STAND! Put on your armor, take up your shield & sword & stand. If you feel weak, STAND! Watch MY strength come upon you to STAND & FIGHT! Your stand shows Me your faith. Your stand coupled with My strength & power & your will to WIN! Let the weak say, 'I AM STRONG.' Their strength comes through Me. I will show Myself strong. I need you to stand so I have someone to win through!

Let God win through you! Stand. Fight. Watch your victory come to pass! If God's Word says it, will you believe it?

#109 - Victory is Yours if you will TRUST

Good afternoon! :) It feels like morning since I'm still in my "morning routine"... but running a bit late this morning. Had to give "the boy" a bath. :) Let's just say when he woke up he was SOAKED! So.... what is he doing now? He is also having his Quiet Time like mom. He has some toys, his books and HIS Bible in his bed with him. We got him his first Bible for his birthday and are beginning the process to talk to him about reading his Bible each morning during our "Quiet Time." I have been setting up the routine that the morning time is Quiet Time, reading time, and playing in "his" room. It's working. It will be fun to watch Tyler Junior as he grows and truly does establish and learn the importance of spending time in the Bible each morning. It is pretty amazing that kids really do want to mimic whatever their parents do, so since we read a lot, I anticipate he will do the same. 


Well, let's get rolling this morning. 

Proverbs 30:5 (NKJV) - Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. 

Psalms 30:3-6 (NKJV) - O LORD ...You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.... His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” 

As I briefly spent time meditating on the word shield, and the idea of a shield, I envisioned some pretty interesting things. Picture this, it says that HE, GOD is YOUR shield if you put trust in Him. Picture going into battle or attacking whatever problem it is that you might be going through right now. Maybe it's some differences or issues with your boss, maybe it's with your finances, maybe it's your in-laws (who you are trying by faith not to treat like out-laws!).... whatever the situation. Imagine, since your trust is in God that as you walk into this problem or what seems like a battle GOD walks in front of you AS YOUR SHIELD. He IS your shield. As you are holding up your arm, like you would a shield, it is God who is going before you. It is God who is setting up your Victory! It is God who is doing the prep-work and the "warring" on your behalf. HE is fighting your battles. You are just walking them out. You are just treading your feet on the land, He is fighting for you, and YOU are receiving the Land. You are receiving what is rightfully yours.

Weeping may have been last night. But this morning came joy! Now you are walking out the Victory! You are walking out in prosperity... be it soul prosperity, relationship prosperity, marital prosperity, business prosperity, financial prosperity, health prosperity. GOD is walking before you AS your SHIELD AS you TRUST Him. Trust is the key ingredient here. Your situation may look impossible. Trust. Your marriage may look hopeless. Trust. You look at your 'online banking' and your finances seem hopeless. Trust. You feel like you are at the end of your rope. You want to have hope. You want to believe things will get better. You are looking up from what feels like the pit you are in just wanting to believe, wanting to hope. TRUST. God has kept you alive. God has kept you here for such a time as this. And PRAISE GOD, he did not bring you to this point to leave you in defeat. You may know that it was not God that brought you to this point to begin with, it was you. Maybe your mistakes or selfishness. May unkind words that you let slip out. Maybe mishandling of finances. Maybe you brought yourself to the place you are at and you pride is keeping you there. Lay down that pride and TRUST. Let God know once and for all that you can not do it on your own. Let Him help!
"Victory is yours," saith the Lord. Victory is yours. "Put down your pride, put down your ego. Let ME be your Shield. I know how and WILL win this battle if you will only TRUST. Your way has not worked. When will you turn to Me and let me work on your behalf? My ways may seem strange, my plans may not be how you would have done them, but my way ultimately WILL work if you will just TRUST. Will you trust Me today?"

Let the end of your story be Psalm 30:6, Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” Prosperity. Prosperity in your marriage. Prosperity in your business. Prosperity in your health. Prosperity on your job. Prosperity in your relationships. Prosperity in your finances. That you would be left standing, the ground would shake, the strength of your voice would be heard for ALL to hear, "I SHALL NEVER BE MOVED!" The roar of your voice echos in the land, "I SHALL NEVER BE MOVED! I SHALL NEVER BE MOVED! I SHALL NEVER BE MOVED!" 

Let your testimony right now be that you STOOD and that you TRUSTED. That you laid down your pride and ego once and for all and that the end of your story be told that YOU WILL NEVER BE MOVED. That you chose to TRUST.